TEXT: Companion Game Adventure
  The Endless Stair
  by Ed Greenwood
  TSR, Inc.
  PRODUCTS OF VOUR IMAGINATION -
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR Inc.
  
  Refer to
  Die Roll
  01-06
  07-16
  17-21
  22-25
  26-32
  33-45
  46-51
  52-56
  57-60
  61-67
  68-70
  71-72
  73-74
  75-78
  79-80
  81-83
  84-86
  87
  88-89
  90-91
  92
  93
  94
  95
  96
  97
  98
  99
  00
  RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE
  Combined Monster Statistics Table for details.
  Monster 
  No. Appearing
  Bat, normal
  Bear, black
  Bear, grizzly
  Beetle, oil
  Boar
  Elk
  Ferret, giant
  Grab Grass 
  n/a
  Hawk, giant or normal
  Insect swarm
  Leech, giant
  Lizard, giant (Draco)
  Lizard, giant (Horned Chameleon)
  Moose
  Owl Bear
  Rat, normal
  Rhagodessa
  Robber fly
  Shrew, giant
  Snake, giant racer
  Snake, pit viper
  Snake, giant rattlesnake
  Spider, giant black widow
  Spider, giant crab
  Spider, giant tarantula
  Sprite
  Stirge
  Weasel, giant
  Rare Monsters—see subtable, "Rare
  Monsters"
  Most encounters should be modified to solitary creatures
  1-10
  1-4
  1
  1-6
  1-6
  3-30
  1-8
  (large patches;
  see below)
  1
  1 swarm
  1-4
  1-4
  1-3
  3-30
  1-4
  1-6
  -4
  -6
  -8
  -6
  -8
  -4
  1-3
  1-4
  1-3
  3-18
  1-10
  1-4
  Remarks
  see "Animal Herd"
  Companion
  see "Other Monsters"
  (see below)
  swamp only
  see "Animal Herd"
  in swamp, change to Grab Grass
  in swamp, change to Insect Swarm
  unless the party is very strong.
  DMs should roll results, or choose monsters specifically, as desired or in
  necessary
  response to particular situations (such
  rulebook handy for a particular monster). Random Encounters should limber up the PCs and force them
  sional potion or magical item charge.
  Rules source
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Expert
  Basic
  Master
  Expert
  Expert
  Basic
  Basic
  Expert
  Basic
  Basic
  Expert
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  as not having the
  to use up the occa-
  Subtable: RARE MONSTERS
  Die Rol
  01-19
  20-28
  29-33
  34-44
  45-66
  67-69
  70-73
  74-81
  1 Monster
  Actaeon
  Basilisk
  Devil Swine
  Druj
  Dryad
  Hsiao
  Nightwing
  Odic
  No. Appearing
  1
  1-6
  1-3
  1
  1-6
  1-4
  1
  1
  Remarks
  don't use both this and Hsiao
  see "Spirit" in
  don't use both this and Actaeon
  see "Nightshade" in
  see "Spirit" in
  Rules Source
  Master
  Expert
  Expert
  Companion
  Expert
  Master
  Master
  Companion
  82-97 
  Purple Worm
  98-00
  Unicorn
  1-2
  1-2
  Expert
  Expert
  
  Companion-Level Module
  The Endless
  Stair
  Ed Greenwood
  Credits:
  Design: Ed "Elminster" Greenwood
  Development and Editing: Chris Christensen
  Cover Art: Jack Fred
  Interior Art: Graham Nolan
  Typesetting: Kim N. Lindau
  Cartography: Dennis Kauth
  Special Thanks to: Jenny, Anita Buttemer,
  Jim Clarke, Andrew Dewar, Ian Hunter,
  John Hunter, Victor Selby, and (of course)
  Grimwald.
  e 1987 TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, PRODUCTS OF YOUR
  IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by
  TSR, Inc.
  Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random
  House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd.
  Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Dis-
  tributed in the United Kingdom by TSR (UK) Ltd.
  This adventure is protected under the copyright laws of the United
  States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of
  the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
  expresss written permission of TSR Inc.
  TSR, Inc.
  POB 756
  Lake Geneva
  WI 53147
  TSR UK Ltd.
  The Mill, Rathmore Road
  Cambridge CB14AD
  United Kingdom
  TSR, Inc.
  PRODUCT* Of YOU* IMAOI
  ISBN 0-88038-390-9
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION 
  2
  CHAPTER 1: DAELZUN'S REST 
  6
  CHAPTER 2: TO THE WIZARD'S TOMB 
  9
  CHAPTER 3: THE TOMB OF THE CHEIROMAR 
  11
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER 
  19
  ENDING THE ADVENTURE 
  25
  APPENDIX:
  New Spells 
  26
  New Magical Items 
  27
  New Monsters 
  28
  PLAYING AIDS
  Map I 
  15
  Map II 
  16
  Map III 
  17
  Map IV 
  18
  Prerolled Characters 
  31
  Random Encounter Table 
  Inside Cover
  Subtable: Rare Monsters 
  Inside Cover
  Combined Monsters Statistics Table 
  Inside Cover
  Non-Player Characters 
  3
  9192
  
  HOW TO RUN THIS ADVENTURE
  The Endless Stair is for four to six characters
  of levels 15 to 20, and is designed for use with
  the D&EP Companion Set. Some of these
  characters must wield or control magic if the
  adventurers are to succeed—or survive. The
  long-sealed tomb of the Cheiromar, a Magus of
  great power, has been opened—by one who,
  it seems, paid for the act with his life—and
  the treasures of the Cheiromar await the
  strong and daring. The player characters
  (PCs) are not the only seekers after this ma-
  gic...nor is what they seek unguarded!
  The Endless Stair is divided into four ma-
  jor sections. It is essential that the Dungeon
  Master (DM) read the entire adventure be-
  fore play begins, and it is recommended that
  each section be reviewed as the players ap-
  proach it. for much of the success of this ad-
  venture depends upon the mood established
  by the DM in his or her description of the set-
  ting and events. All the boxed texts are to be
  read aloud to the players at the moment of the
  corresponding encounter. Any other infor-
  mation concerns the DM only.
  The Setting
  This adventure is designed to fit into an on-
  going campaign. It can be introduced into
  play any time the PCs are traveling overland
  together for more than a day's journey,
  through fairly extensive rocky, forested re-
  gions. The area in which play will take place
  lies on a road far from large cities and at least
  a day's ride from any large towns, in fairly
  rugged terrain that discourages travelers
  from casual exploration. For those cam-
  paigns set in the D&D® game world intro-
  duced in the Expert Set, it is recommended
  that Daelzun's Rest be located on a road
  somewhere in the Principalities of Glantri, at
  least four days' ride from Glantri City.
  Player Characters
  A selection of eight prerolled characters is pro-
  vided in this module for those who do not have
  characters of the requisite levels— or do not
  wish to use those they do possess—for this mod-
  ule. Particulars of the characters may be freely
  modified by the DM and players if desired, but
  it is suggested that the overall level of power of
  the characters and the amount, if not the precise
  type of defensive magical items, be retained for
  maximum enjoyment of the adventure. The
  presence of at least two magic-users in the party
  of adventurers is essential.
  Random Encounters
  Random encounters occur only when the
  PCs are journeying through the woods be-
  tween the inn, the tomb, and the Endless
  Stair. A single Random Monster Encounter
  Table covers all random encounters. Note
  that if Lathkoon or Zelazel are alive and fol-
  lowing the PCs, they may well take advan-
  tage of any serious battle the PCs get involved
  in to launch a simultaneous attack of their
  own—but will not themselves appear or en-
  gage the PCs directly, employing other crea-
  tures as described in their NPC descriptions.
  DM's Background
  Some twenty years before the events of The
  Endless Stair, the great mage, Cheiromar
  breathed his last. In accordance with a pact the
  old Magus had made with his ally, the Magist
  Halazar (himself now dead) and the Cheiro-
  mar's apprentices—Lathkoon, Zelazel, Ulthom,
  and Shaken—were sent out into the world, each
  with a new spell from the Cheiromar's library,
  and each with a minor item of protective magic
  from the Cheiromar's own accumulated trea-
  sures. Halazar then laid the Cheiromar's body
  to rest in the latter's Seat of Power, a hidden
  place that held much magic too powerful to un-
  leash carelessly—notably the immovable Seat
  of Power itself, and an imprisoned Eater of
  Magic. Halazar then set magical constructs to
  guard the Seat and the Stair which led to it, and
  sealed the Cheiromar's empty tomb. He left a
  message there that would direct wizards of suf-
  ficient power not to hunger after the Cheiro-
  mar's magic for the wrong reasons and to deny
  that very magic to casual plunderers, incompe-
  tent novices at magery, and in particular to the
  more unscrupulous of the Cheiromar's appren-
  tices, Lathkoon and Zelazel. Halazar then de-
  parted, taking with him the Cheiromar's copius
  magical research notes (including, most nota-
  bly, the method of summoning and imprisoning
  Eaters of Magic) and ongoing experiments and
  certain powerful magical items, as his agreed-
  upon payment for this service.
  The Cheiromar's suspicions regarding the
  characters and scruples of his apprentices were
  correct—the lawful Ulthom and Shaken mar-
  ried, and worked together in unambitious
  peace, furthering their studies and powers
  slowly but soundly—but Lathkoon and Zelazel,
  both working independently, proved to be cold-
  blooded individuals interested in furthering
  their own wealth, power, and influence at any
  cost—and rose quickly in the arts of magic
  while at the same time making themselves so
  hated and feared that no one would willingly
  deal with them. They became lonely wander-
  ers. Both thought of the Cheiromar's magic,
  and both explored the tomb (its defenses slew
  Zelazel's own apprentices, the source of the vi-
  sion in the first chamber of the Tomb), and
  tested the defenses of the Seat of Power. Both
  failed to win past the guardians, crafted specifi-
  cally to foil them; both were enraged, and have
  returned often over the intervening years to at-
  tempt the Endless Stair. Those magics that they
  can nullify, wear down, or destroy they have
  dealt with—but several remain that they cannot
  (yet) overcome without aid, and so they watch
  the Endless Stair, hoping that someone will
  breach the defenses for them, but afraid that the
  magic will then be gone before they can seize it.
  Ulthorn, too, often thought of the Chiero-
  mar's tomes and items of power over the years,
  wishing to control certain ones (notably the Cab-
  inet of Ministering and the tomes) to strengthen
  the isolated land that he and his mate now
  serve. Finally, just prior to the events of The
  Endless Stair, he judged himself ready to over-
  come the defenses of the Cheiromar's tomb and
  Seat of Power (for he alone of the apprentices
  knew something of his master Algahund's pact
  with Halazar), and journeyed thence—where
  he was slain by the vigilant Lathkoon while ex-
  ploring the tomb. (None of the locals know the
  Cheiromar's apprentices by face or name—just
  that he had a few, and that they left after Alga-
  hund's death.)
  Adventure Sections
  Daelzun's Rest: This roadside inn is fully de-
  tailed so that it may be used by the DM in
  other settings and adventures; but any inn in
  which a cozy and relaxed atmosphere pre-
  vails may be substituted from an existing
  campaign. It is here that the PCs learn of the
  adventure that awaits them, and (if neces-
  sary) are coerced into undertaking it.
  To the Wizard's Tomb: The trek through the
  wild woods to the tomb of the Cheiromar
  should prepare the PCs for danger; its sever-
  ity should be adjusted by the DM acording to
  the strength of the party. Tension will be
  heightened later if helpful potions and scrolls
  have already been used.
  The Tomb of the Cheiromar: Adventures in
  the underground passages and chambers
  where the Cheiromar was supposedly laid to
  rest by his ally, the wizard Halazar, will lead
  the PCs to the Endless Stair.
  The Endless Stair and the Seat of Power: The
  Endless Stair ascends nowhere, as far as anyone
  who has not climbed it can see—and many who
  have tried have been found dead on the ground
  beneath it. This eerie magical construction
  stands alone in a clearing in the woods; if the
  PCs decide to leave well enough alone, it is sug-
  gested that a combined attack from Lathkoon
  and Zelazel immediately occur, forcing the PCs
  to battle the dangers on the Stair.
  
  HOW TO RUN THIS ADVENTURE
  The Stair leads to the Seat of Power. In this
  tiny complex of chambers the Cheiromar once
  lived and worked, and here lies much of the
  magic he controlled. If the PCs reach this before
  Lathkoon and Zelazel are slain or forced to flee
  from combat, one or both will surely attack at
  this point to gain the magical tomes and trea-
  sures for themselves—and they will know ex-
  actly what these treasures are and how to use
  them. The last of the ex-apprentices, Shaken,
  will only come into play if she believes the PCs
  responsible for Ulthorn's disappearance (she
  will learn from the locals of his death, and the
  scene at the tavern), whereupon she will follow
  the PCs to gain revenge.
  NON-PLAYER
  CHARACTERS
  NPC NOTES:
  Nornel, wife of the innkeeper and mistress of
  the inn, has the following spells: She keeps
  memorized charm person, magic missile x2, sleep/
  ESP, invisibility, locale object, wizard lock/dispel
  magic, hold person, protection from normal missiles/
  polymorph self, remove curse, wizard eye/hold mon-
  ster, teleport/projected image.
  Eldahil is an agile huntress who is willing
  to be hired for guiding or adventuring. She
  knows the woods thoroughly, and is skilled in
  the use of her bow.
  Jabban is a traveling merchant dealing in
  textiles and ironmongery. He has 312 gp hid-
  den in his bootheels and in a concealed box
  on the underside of his wagon, and a purse of
  42 gp, 32 sp, and 6 cp. He owns two horses
  and a wagon containing 16 bolts of good cot-
  ton (price: 1 cp/3 yards), and crates of cast
  iron hooks, cla sps, nails, latches, buttons,
  tangs, and handles for tools, knifeblades,
  hinges, and wall-brackets (prices range from
  2 cp to 5 sp per item). His wife is dead of a dis-
  ease some years back, and his son Orvan ac-
  companies him.
  Taleth is a mercenary of grim and weath-
  ered appearance who will claim considerable
  skills and experience, but is only a Veteran.
  He will be willing to hire on with the PCs for
  1 sp/day, plus board, and a bonus of 1 gp if
  the undertaking ends in success.
  Gordel is a Curate traveling to answer a
  summons from a Bishop; he will not go ad-
  venturing, but will help to defend the inn, de-
  lay there for a few days if asked to by the PCs
  or Oaelzun, and will (for fees) heal PCs
  brought back to the inn.
  Jamith is a lady of minor wealth, recently
  widowed, who is traveling overland to join
  her sister's household. Her husband died as a
  result of injuries suffered in a fall from horse-
  back. Jamith bears with her a coffer of gems
  and coins (total value: 6220 gp), well hidden,
  and she will not willingly reveal its existence.
  Tosta is a loyal servant of the Lady Jamith,
  and is protecting her on her journey. He will
  pay her expenses from his purse of 66 gp, will
  not adventure, but will help defend the inn
  and those in it. Jamith's protection will be his
  paramount concern at all times.
  The Ex-Apprentices
  Much of the action in this adventure results
  from the activities of Lathkoon and Zelazel.
  DMs may wish to make the two weaker or
  more powerful to match the strength of the
  PCs—but it is more exciting to eliminate Ze-
  lazel from play and keep Lathkoon, rather
  than weakening both mages overmuch. If
  this is done, it is recommended that Zelazel
  comes upon the scene too late, after the
  events of the module, and uses his arts to
  identify and pursue the PCs, trying to wrest
  any magic they have gained from them at a
  later time. Shaleen could also end up pursu-
  ing the PCs; the powers, aims, and personali-
  ties of all diree ex-apprentices are given
  herein to aid such continuing play.
  LATHKOON
  Chaotic 24th level Wizard
  Weapons: wand of cold (12
  charges), dagger + 3.
  Armor: ring of protection + 3,
  ring of fire resistance.
  Appearance: Lathkoon is of middle age; his
  hair is going white at the temples. It is other-
  wise jet black, long, and he is bearded, with
  glittering red eyes. This, and his sharp fea-
  tures, give him a hawk-like appearance. He
  wears robes of unadorned black, and high
  black boots.
  Other Magical Items Carried: Lathkoon
  wears a Diadem of Disenchantment (see New
  Magical Items appendix), and carries at his
  belt a scroll of trapping in a bone tube a, potion of
  speed in a metal flask (marked with a drawing
  of a foot on the cork stopper), and two potions
  of healing in metal flasks. He will not hesitate
  to use these; he has more magic cached in the
  woods.
  Lathkoon was the eldest of the Cheiro-
  mar's apprentices. He is cold-blooded, pa-
  tient, merciless, and should be played as
  such. He has cast a warning trumpet spell on the
  ground around the endless Stair, which will
  warn him if anyone approaches it when he is
  otherwise occupied, and a second trumpet on
  his cache (see below).
  Lathkoon has been diligently watching the
  sI
  w
  D
  Co
  Ch
  H P
  AC
  13
  18
  12
  16
  16
  14
  80
  4
  tomb and the Endless Stair, so he knows of
  the PCs' activities throughout this module.
  He will direct his gargoyles to attack the PCs
  while they journey through the woods to the
  tomb, attacking when they reach the lake un-
  less the party encounters a random monster
  first—he prefers to attack the party while they
  are engaged with another foe. Lathkoon him-
  self will watch from concealment, trusting to
  a teleport spell to escape if discovered (he will
  teleport to a cache he has hidden in the woods.
  If party members try to find or search for
  Lathkoon, he will attack immediately if they
  leave the Stair to do so; if they have not yet
  reached the Stair, he will try to draw them to
  it and disappear, hoping they will believe he
  climbed it.
  Lathkoon has prepared against his own death
  with a contingency spell that will remove his re-
  mains to a faraway place where an ambitious
  cleric has agreed to cast a raise dead fully and a cu-
  reall upon Lathkoon (and if that fails, arrange
  with other wizards for his cloning) in return for
  certain magical items, several thousand pieces
  of gold, and the secret of Lathkoon's magical
  control of gargoyles—which of course only a
  magic-user can use, something Lathkoon will
  reveal to the cleric at that time.
  Lathkoon's preparations and magical
  strength make him effectively fearless. He is
  confident of his ability to defeat Zelazel, and
  will proceed calmly and callously to whittle
  down the strength of the PCs, and achieve his
  aims. Typically, Lathkoon carries the follow-
  ing spells: charm person x3, magic missile x4
  (each spell casting nine missiles, at different
  targets if so desired) /detect invisible, ESP, invis-
  ibility x2, levitate, phantasmal force, web/dispel
  magic x2,fire ball x2, hold person, protection from
  normal missiles (which he will cast upon him-
  self before any combat)/charm monster, dimen-
  sion door, ice storm, polymorph other, curse, wizard
  eye/animate dead, control gargoyles, teleport x3/
  anti-magic shell x2, disintegrate, flesh to stone/
  create normal monsters (Lathkoon prefers to use
  this to create bears—or, if he needs flying ser-
  vitors, stirges), power word stun, reverse gravity,
  statue/force field x2, power word blind x2/heal x2
  (for use on self), meteor swarm, prismatic wall.
  Cached Magic: In his cache in the woods,
  Lathkoon has a wand of negation (16 charges),
  a wand of lightning bolts (2 charges), his spell
  book, in the form of a book leaf (cf. Book of
  Marvelous Magic, page 46) containing 60
  spells—consider Lathkoon to have all known
  
  NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS
  spells of the first three levels, plus warning
  trumpet and control gargoyle (detailed in this
  module), and just those listed as memorized,
  above, plus contingency and hold monster, of
  levels 4-9. For those not possessing the Book
  of Marvelous Magic, the Book Leaf is merely
  a leaf-shaped metal brooch (Lathkoon's is of
  electrum) that upon command turns to a spell
  book; this time has a maximum capacity of 60
  spells, can only be damaged by magic of 4th
  level spells or stronger, has 50 hit points, and
  takes only half damage if the wearer saves
  versus the magical attack in question— and
  can also turn back again upon command.
  Lathkoon also has another potion of healing
  (cures 2-7 hit points of damage) in his cache.
  By means of his control gargoyle spells,
  Lathkoon controls 12 gargoyles. Left to
  themselves, they will attack any creatures
  they see that they think are weaker than
  themselves (such as humans)—but Lathkoon
  is mind-linked to them, and can at will con-
  centrate to see through their eyes and direct
  their physical activities (with precision) him-
  self, in any round he does not cast a spell,
  Lathkoon can also command them to attack
  specific creatures, and then turn his attention
  elsewhere, and the gargoyle(s) in question
  will do so, fearlessly, fighting until they or the
  target is slain; they are not intelligent enough
  for fear to overcome Lathkoon's orders unless
  they somehow survive a battle they are losing
  for three turns or more.
  Lathkoon will use his gargoyles to attack
  the PCs in the tomb or just after they emerge
  from it; he will prefer to employ charmed and
  created monsters to attack the PCs on their
  initial trip to the tomb, and is not adverse to
  allowing Zelazel to do most of the harrying
  here, using his own beasts to follow the PCs
  and prevent them from turning back.
  Lathkoon is fully aware of all of the Cheiro-
  mar's magic (although he does not know pre-
  ciesly how the Seat of Power works—if
  pressed, he will rush to it, hoping he can de-
  feat the PCs with it, but this is a gamble he
  would prefer not to take and he does not
  know precisely where the dart of death, gem of
  magic missile reflection, or buttons of blasting are
  to be found, but does recall (correctly) what
  each item looks like and its location.
  Lathkoon will dart into the Cabinet of Minis-
  tering if he has to, but will prefer to teleport
  away, if sorely pressed by the PCs in the Seat
  of Power complex; see Zelazel, for details of
  use of the Cabinet. Lathkoon will do what-
  ever necessary to defeat the PCs as long as he
  will survive and Zelazel won't be left with an
  unhampered chance for the magic.
  ZELAZEL
  Chaotic 22d level Wizard
  S 
  14 Weapons: Staff of Healing, two
  I 
  18 
  daggers +3.
  W 
  12 Armor: Ring of Protection +2,
  D 
  13 Amulet vs. Crystal Balls
  Co 18 
  and ESP
  Ch 10
  HP 92
  AC 6
  Appearance: Zelazel is tall, well-pro-
  portioned, and haughty of visage, with curly,
  sandy-colored hair and faintly yellow, nearly
  colorless eyes (which darken when he is an-
  gry). Zelazel wears purple robes.
  Other Magical Items carried: In a pouch at
  his belt, Zelazel carries three carefully
  wrapped eggs of wonder. They can be thrown
  up to 60', and from each will appear (in the
  order that they will be used by Zelazel; he
  does not, of course, know the contents) a
  mountain lion (cat) of 16 hp; a giant racer
  snake of 12 hp; and a wolf of 9 hp. Zelazel
  also carries at his belt three potions of healing
  and a potion o{freedom.
  Zelazel knows that Lathkoon is about and
  has carefully avoided him, but has spied upon
  him often by means of a Wizard Eye; Zelazel
  will know when the party sets out. He will begin
  to methodically kill off any locals with them by
  means of his servant creatures, saving his bone
  golem for later confrontations (at the foot of the
  Endless Stair, or in the Seat of Power).
  Zelazel will directly observe the PCs from
  the time they leave the tomb onwards by
  means of a succession of wizard eye spells. He,
  in particular, fears fighting men, and will em-
  ploy his war-dogs in attacks upon them, try-
  ing to reduce the party of adventurers to its
  spellcasters (whereupon he will direct them to
  harry the clerics, and if those are eliminated,
  any elves), whom he is confident he can over-
  come in the Seat of Power with the aid of the
  Cheiromar's magic—after the PCs have run
  the gauntlet of the magical guardians.
  When Zelazel appears in person, he will have
  visited his cache and be armed with the follow-
  ing items from his cache: a helm of telepathy, a po-
  tion of ethereality, and a button of blasting (cf. Seat of
  Power key, #7), command word "Zuelhavatar."
  He will also cast immunity on himself.
  Zelazel has always worked "in the shadow"
  of Lathkoon, and if he discovers Lathkoon to be
  the stronger, he will withdraw. He will try to
  time his arrival in the Seat of Power (watching
  via his wizard eye spells), so that Lathkoon bears
  the brunt of combat with the PCs. If Zelazel can
  make it to the Seat of Power while Lathkoon is
  fighting the PCs, Zelazel will use it, as soon as
  he can, to cast his own destructive spells at
  Lathkoon, whom he fears and hates far more
  than the PCs.
  Zelazel's memorized spells are: darkness,
  magic missile x3, (each spell casting nine mis-
  siles, at different targets if so desired), shield,
  sleep/detect invisible, invisibility, knock, levitate,
  web x2/fly, haste, lightning bolt x3/charm monster,
  confusion, control bats (described in this mod-
  ule), dimension door, wizard eye/cloudkill, pass-
  wall, teleport x31'anti-magic shell x2, death spell,
  wall of iron/power word stun x2, statue/polymorph
  any object, travel/immunity, shapechange.
  Cached Magic: In his cache, Zelazel has a
  helm of telepathy, a button of blasting, three po-
  tions of healing, 16 reams of parchment and a
  quill of copying, a potion ofethereality, and a bag
  of 210 gp. He fears losing his spell books to
  Lathkoon, and has not brought them with
  him to this vicinity; a speak with the dead on Ze-
  lazel is the only way to find their where-
  abouts. If the PCs do so, the DM should
  locate them somewhere, guarded, in keeping
  with the campaign.
  As mentioned previously, Zelazel knows of
  the Cabinet of Ministering, and will make use
  of it if necessary. If either Lathkoon or Zelazel
  bolts into the Cabinet during combat, the DM
  should note the following: the Cabinet will not
  open when a being within is being attended to,
  and when the creature emerges it is alert and
  can let fly with spells, items, or weapons. The
  Cabinet cannot be bound, locked, wizard
  locked, spiked, wedged, or webbed shut; all
  such attempts will appear to work, but will sim-
  ply fall away when the Cabinet is opened from
  within.
  The Cabinet is of wood, but has the
  strength of steel (AC2), and can absorb 22 hit
  points of damage before disintegrating. If so
  damaged, it will explode violently, vaporizing
  any being within and any beings within 10'
  (all gain a save vs. Dragon Breath at - 3 to
  avoid death; if successful, they merely suffer
  4-24 points of damage, and are stunned for
  1-4 rounds and flung violently away from the
  explosion, up to sixty feet distant), and creat-
  ing a Vortex to the Elemental Plane of Air (or
  another plane, at the DM's option). Beings
  within the Cabinet able to dimension door or
  teleport can do so freely to escape such a fate,
  but use of a pass-wall or similar spell will cause
  the Cabinet to explode.
  Zelazel's servitors are as follows:
  Normal bats, 10 in number, 1 hp each
  (these only appear if Zelazel finds them in the
  woods and employs his control bats spell).
  Trained war dogs, charmed periodically but
  well-treated, and loyal to the death (treat as
  "normal wolves," but with only 1 + 2HD; Ze-
  lazel's all have 7 hp).
  
  NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS
  A bone golem of 46 hit points, armed with
  four rusty but sharp and still sturdy normal
  swords. Zelazel is both experienced and effi-
  cient in its control.
  SHALEEN
  Lawful 19th level Magist
  Weapons: Staff of Power, dagger +1
  Armor: Displacer Cloak, Wand of
  Enemy Detection, Scarab of
  Protection (8 uses left,
  Shaleen and any PC will not
  know this)
  Appearance: A demure-looking lady of middle
  sI
  w
  D
  Co
  Ch
  HP
  AC
  9
  18
  16
  16
  11
  16
  44
  7
  years, with long brown hair, green eyes, and a
  petite build, Shaleen wears a brown hooded
  cloak over robes and high boots of the same
  color. She is soft-spoken and polite, but fearless.
  Other Magical Items Carried: Potion of forti-
  tude, two potions of healing, potion of fire resist-
  ance, reincarnation scroll.
  Shaleen is not part of the main action out-
  lined in this adventure; she may appear later
  (see "Ending the Adventure"). Wife to Ul-
  thorn, Shaleen will come to discover what has
  become of him, fearing the worst. (Thus, she
  comes with a powerful array of magic.)
  If any of the local PCs listed on the chart sur-
  vive, she will learn of Ulthorn's death, and will
  seek to avenge it—looking for the PCs as well as
  Lathkoon and Zelazel. DMs may well wish to
  use Shaleen to lead the PCs into further adven-
  tures; she is sworn to defend and nurture a
  land, as her husband was, and is finding it hard
  going without him; she needs help.
  Shaleen's spell books, and other items of
  magic belonging to her and to Ulthorn (such
  as his spell books) remain behind at her
  home; if encountered, she will have memo-
  rized the following spells: detect magic, floating
  disc, light, magic missile (a single such spell re-
  leasing seven missiles), protection from evil, read
  magic/continual light, detect evil, ESP, invisibility,
  locate object/dispel magic x2, fire ball, fly, hold
  person/charm monster, dimension door, polymorph
  self, wizard eye/hold monster, teleport x3/anti-
  magic shell, projected image, stone to flesh/ reverse
  gravity, statue/dance, mind barrier.
  Here follow details of two groups of non-player characters that PCs will encounter in this adventure; the "locals" (to be encountered in the inn) and
  the ex-apprentices of the Cheiromar. It is essential that the DM be thoroughly familiar with Lathkoon and Zelazel before play begins—and that
  these two be played as aggressively and intelligently as player-character adventurers. All NPCs in this adventure are human.
  Daelzun's Rest NPCs (* = local inhabitant, @ = armored)
  Name 
  Profession 
  Sex
  Inn Staff
  Daelzun* 
  Innkeeper 
  M
  Nornel* 
  wife to Daelzun 
  F
  Bddar* 
  iBii"l»aaa" 
  M
  Thantel* 
  wife to Beldar 
  F
  Tormil* 
  Inn "hand" 
  M
  Baera* 
  wife to Tbrmil 
  F
  Jhaness* 
  daughter 
  (B/Th)
  Leelae* 
  daughter 
  (B/Th)
  Irimae* 
  daughter 
  . 
  (T/Ba)
  Daerimel* 
  daughter 
  (T/Ba)
  Ostor* 
  Stablemaster 
  M
  Ran* 
  stableboy 
  M
  Jhanil' 
  Cook 
  F
  Oriin* 
  stableboy (son 
  M
  of Jhanil)
  Guests
  Brorim* 
  Woodcutter 
  M
  Delmaster* 
  Hunter 
  M
  Thelzar* 
  Hunter (aide 
  M
  to Delmaster)
  Kuth* 
  Hunter (aide 
  M
  to Delmaster)
  Dulgud' 
  Woodcutter 
  M
  Ranesk* 
  Trapper 
  M
  Guthtal* 
  Trapper 
  M
  Nehn* 
  Woodcutter.carpenter 
  M
  Chalaiisrir* 
  Woodcarver, carpenter, 
  F
  wifetoNelm
  Gustar* 
  Hunter, trapper 
  M
  Moakim* 
  Prospector 
  M
  Dagleth* 
  Prospector 
  M
  (Moakim's partner)
  Eldahil* 
  Hunter 
  F
  Jabban 
  Merchant 
  M
  Orvan 
  son/ass't to Jabban 
  M
  Taleth 
  Hiresword 
  M
  Gordel 
  Curate 
  M
  Jamith 
  —— 
  F
  Tbsta 
  Bodyguard to Jamith 
  M
  Jelvarel 
  Scribe 
  M
  Class/
  HP Level 
  Special
  19
  26
  15
  4
  14
  3
  F
  F
  F
  F
  13
  2
  2
  1
  5
  5
  4
  6
  3
  5
  4
  4
  22
  3
  2
  8
  21
  3
  24
  F3
  MU12
  F2
  F2
  3
  2
  3
  2
  F3
  DEX 16, chainmail, spear, dagger, scimitar + J
  DEX 17, dagger
  battleaxe, long-sword, dagger, learner armor
  dagger
  DEX 17, long-sword, javelin, dagger
  coachwhip, handaxe +1, short sword, dagger, leather armor
  coachwhip
  — 
  coachwhip
  — 
  axe
  Fl
  Fl
  DEX18, long-sword, spear, leather armor
  DEX15, shortsword, dagger, leather armor
  Fl 
  Handaxe, dagger, leather armor
  — 
  batdeaxe
  — 
  spear, dagger
  — 
  club, dagger
  — 
  battleaxe, dagger
  — 
  battleaxe, dagger
  — 
  spear, dagger
  — 
  shortsword, dagger
  — 
  shortsword, dagger
  F3 
  DEX17, bow, dagger, leather armor
  — 
  dagger
  Fl 
  DEX16, long sword, dagger, leather armor
  C5 
  spells, mace, chainmail
  F3 
  DEX14, plate mail, shield, spear, dagger, longsword
  THACO
  19
  15
  16
  20
  19
  20
  20
  20
  20
  20
  19
  20
  20
  20
  20
  19
  19
  19
  20
  20
  20
  20
  20
  20
  20
  20
  19
  20
  20
  19
  17
  20
  19
  AC
  ®3(7)
  7
  ®7(9)
  9
  @5(7)
  9
  9
  9
  9
  9
  @7(9)
  9
  9
  9
  9
  @4(6)
  @6(8)
  @7(9)
  9
  9
  9
  9
  9
  9
  9
  9
  ®5(7)
  9
  9
  @5(7)
  @5(9)
  9
  01(9)
  AL
  L
  L
  L
  L
  L
  L
  L
  L
  L
  L
  N
  L
  N
  N
  L
  L
  L
  N
  L
  N
  N
  L
  L
  N
  N
  N
  L
  N
  N
  N
  L
  L
  L
  MR
  10
  9
  9
  9
  9
  9
  7
  6
  7
  6
  11
  6
  4
  4
  6
  10
  10
  9
  4
  6
  6
  5
  5
  5
  4
  4
  9
  2
  3
  6
  7
  4
  9
  (Purporting to be a sage-m-training and a scribe, this is really Lathkoon—see pg. 3—, although he
  will give advice and write letters for a fee; Jelvarel is "traveling about to learn, and staying
  here for a short time.")
  
  CHAPTER 1: DAELZUN'S REST
  The Rest is a large and busy inn, because its
  proprietors offer good value for the money
  and because it is the only shelter and source of
  supply for goods from afar in the area. It
  serves as a gathering place for local trappers,
  woodcutters, prospectors, and hunters. Its
  taproom is a warm, relaxed place, due largely
  to the physically-imposing retired warriors
  who run the inn (thus, brawling and bullying
  is discouraged), all of whom possess rugged
  good humor and hail-fellow-well-met friend-
  liness. Jokes and songs fly thick and fast, en-
  couraged by the innkeeper (Daelzun, of
  course), his two "hands,"Beldar and Torm.il,
  and four serving girls (Jhaness and Leelae, Be-
  ldar's daughters; and Irimae and Daerimel,
  Tormil's daughters). Weapons are permitted
  in the inn (as this is wilderland country), and
  visitors of all races and creeds are welcome.
  On the evening that the PCs stay, the tap-
  room will be fairly busy. Two pairs of locals
  (middle-aged, weathered woodcutters named
  Brorim and Dulgud, and trappers Ranesk and
  GtUhtal, have been there, sitting in their ac-
  customed corners with clay pipes and tan-
  kards of ale (refilled several times) for most of
  the day (i.e., since before the arrival of the
  PCs) and are all rough-voiced and jolly. The
  rest of the NPCs listed earlier will arrive dur-
  ing the evening. Daelzun will jovially intro-
  duce himself and his "hands" and ask how he
  can be of service.
  After the PCs have enjoyed their evening
  meal and a drink or two (they may want to
  strike up a conversation with the locals (con-
  sult the NPC roster). All of the locals (marked
  with asterisks on the list) will know the where-
  abouts of the Leaning Stone, said to mark the
  site of the Cheiromar's Tomb—"a wizard of
  great power, dead and gone before my time."
  Most will sum up their knowledge on the
  matter, and have been there, and all will have
  seen but not closely approached the only
  thing of magic, or out of the ordinary, that
  they know of hereabouts—The Endless Stair.
  The Stair "goes on forever, up and up, and
  kills people." They can remember six or
  seven who died there, the most recent being
  Erlin, a hunter, and before that two stran-
  gers, men in robes who carried nothing but a
  walking-staff. Not even Brorim will say more
  at this point; none save he—and of course the
  scribe Jelvarel—know more.
  The locals will talk freely of both the tomb
  and the Stair. Both are part of the landscape,
  the latter a strange spot to be avoided, but they
  do not know of any active magic or evil about
  them—nothing hidden or feared. There will
  be a stir; the hunters Delmaster, Thelzar, and
  Kuth will arrive with their usual bundles of
  pelts for trade. These will be shut in the meet-
  ing room for later valuation by Beldar, who
  handles the furs. Then they drag in a litter cov-
  ered with their folded tent, upon which lies the
  corpse of a middle-aged man clad in robes and
  a cloak, wearing a gold finger-ring (a ring of
  protection +1), and a gold cloak pin with this si-
  gil on it:
  Delmaster will turn back the cloak to reveal
  the body and ask, "Anyone know this man,
  or see him before?"
  Everyone will crowd around, and tongues
  will wag ("Looks like a wizard!" and "Look
  at the gold!" will be heard, with agreeing
  nods), but there will be no nods of recogni-
  tion, except for Brorim the woodcutter.
  Delmaster and his fellows will not let anyone
  touch the body, and as everyone in the place
  is staring at it, there will be no opportunity
  for a PC to do so surreptitiously.
  One of the woodcutters gasps, "Storms
  strike me! It's Ulthorn!" Silence falls, ex-
  cept for several people grunting "Who?"
  The woodcutter looks around the room,
  waving his pipe. "Ulthorn he called him-
  self; said he was once apprentice to old Al-
  gahund himself!"
  
  CHAPTER 1: DAELZUN'S REST
  "When was this?" Daelzun asks.
  "Not two days gone by. I met him in the
  woods the other side of Lost Axe Lake,
  just walking, and we shared some o' my
  rabbit for the evening. He had some good
  black moonwine with him too. He told me
  he was bound for the Cheiromar's tomb,
  to find all his magic—an' he told me that
  he'd only just learned the spells he'd need
  to get in...seems he hadn't got 'em right,
  after all. Where'd you find him?"
  The hunter replies, "Well, t'was at the
  foot of the Stone we found him, all right—
  lying in a doorway that's never been there
  before, as far as I know. Not a mark on
  him anywhere that we could see, but he's
  dead. And there's this..."
  The hunter bends over and touches the
  cloak pin with one finger. Suddenly a hiss-
  ing, rasping voice speaks from the empty
  air: "Danger! Turn back Shaken...my
  beloved... Lathkoon was waiting at the
  Leaning Stone... found the tomb...Hala-
  zar built across the tomb of the
  Baron.. .walled it up again... but someone
  has... 'ware Lathkoon! He waits! Turn
  back—and live!"
  There will be much shock at this, and much
  conversation. The woodcutter, Brorim, will
  shake his head, and grunt "me for the jakes,"
  to his friend Dulgud, passing him his pipe to
  hold, and lurch out the taproom by the door
  beside the bar. If any PC tries to follow on his
  heels, someone—Tormil with two full tan-
  kards of ale, or Jhaness and Irimae bearing a
  hot meal, or Thelzar—will unintentionally
  get in the way (so that no PC is right behind
  Brorim when he leaves the taproom). If any
  PC should state at this point that he's looking
  to see who's in the taproom and who's not, it
  will be noticed that Jelvarel is missing. Oth-
  erwise, his exit will go unnoticed. Daelzun
  will direct the hunters to cover the body again
  (they will still be standing watchfully by it),
  and search for a place to bury it. Everyone
  will drift back to their seats, talking excitedly.
  Any one of the locals will be eager to tell
  any of the PCs that the Cheiromar, Algahund
  the Mighty, is said to be buried under the
  Leaning Stone atop Galzar's Crag (being
  buried upon his death from old age by an-
  other wizard, a stranger, who flew away after-
  wards on a pegasus). All will agree that he
  was a lawful wizard of great power, kept to
  himself, and had many apprentices, who
  were often sent away on errands. All will
  agree that there has never been any sort of
  doorway or opening in the Leaning Stone—it
  is something of a landmark, often used by the
  locals as a meeting-place, as a high place with
  a view, or as a place to stop for a bite. All will
  be full of tales heard from uncles, elders, and
  grandparents about this or that magical feat
  or deed that the Cheiromar did (making the
  moon stop, causing trees to fly, stones to
  speak, and the like). The scribe, Jelvarel, will
  reappear, unnoticed, and resume his seat
  with the diners.
  The woodcutter will not reappear, and any
  PC using the jakes (if no PC does so, Moakim
  will, and rush back into the room with the
  news) will discover Brorim's body, dead
  (from a magic missile) without any apparent
  wound or other cause. (If a PC discovers the
  death and elects to keep it secret, one of the
  NPCs will stumble onto it immediately and
  give the alarm.) Various people will rush to
  see for themselves.
  When Brorim's death is known, the mood
  in the taproom will change; everyone will fall
  silent, and people will begin to look uneasily
  or suspiciously at each other. Daelzun, Be-
  ldar, and Tormil will duck out hastily, one at a
  time, and reappear with swords scabbarded
  at their belts (Daelzun with a blackjack, too).
  It will then be noticed that Ulthorn's body
  has completely vanished during the confu-
  sion of learning about Brorim's death, leav-
  ing the litter and folded tent behind (if a PC
  has stated that he or she is watching Ulthorn's
  body carefully—waiting for a chance to ex-
  amine it alone—the body will suddenly "not
  be there," blinking out of existence. In real-
  ity, it will be teleported away by an invisible
  Lathkoon—so that the tent sags and settles
  onto the poles of the litter beneath).
  Various of the locals will leave, and the
  travelers drift away to seek their rooms for the
  night; the last thing in the taproom the PCs
  will see as Tormil leads them to their rooms is
  a disconsolate Dulgud, sitting beside the
  body of his friend, Brorim, which Beldar has
  just carried into the taproom and laid on a ta-
  ble. PC magic-users will be regarded with
  careful, polite suspicion from then on—if the
  party tries to leave without spending the
  night, or if they creep about after dark, the
  alarm will be raised and they may have to
  fight their way clear (probably facing
  Daelzun, Nornel, Beldar, Tormil, Jhaness,
  Leelae, Irimae, Daerimel, Dulgud, Delmas-
  ter, and one or more of Thelzar, Kuth,
  Ranesk, Guthtal, or Tosta). They can avoid a
  fight to the death if they promise to "help in-
  vestigate in the morning."
  If the PCs do not decide to investigate the
  Leaning Stone for themselves but to continue
  their journey onwards in the morning,
  Daelzun will strongly suggest that they aid in
  investigating the Leaning Stone—in the com-
  pany of all the characters listed above except
  for Normel and Tosta, and with the addition
  of Gustar, Moakim, Dagleth, and Eldahil. The
  company will lead the PCs to the Leaning
  Stone under the leadership of Delmaster, but
  will not enter the Stone itself, suggesting that
  the PCs investigate.
  If any of the PCs ask directions to the
  Leaning Stone from any of the locals, these
  will be given, although all within hearing will
  gather around to look at the PCs thought-
  fully, so as to know them later.
  If the PCs ask for aid in exploring the
  Leaning Stone, Delmaster, Thelzar, Kuth,
  and Eldahil will offer to guide them, but none
  will enter or (unless themselves attacked)
  fight. Eldahil and Taleth can be hired by the
  PCs, and Daelzun will sell the PCs any gear
  they require that he has (refer to the key be-
  low).
  The Inn Proper
  1. Taproom. The main room of Daelzun's
  Rest is a common dining-room, and a
  gathering-place for the locals, a warm and
  cozy timbered room lit by oil lamps with metal
  hoods, and heated by two hearths (#12 and
  #13). Between these, benches, chairs, and ta-
  bles crowd around the walls, leaving a clear
  area in front of the long bar. The inn is well-
  stocked with drink, and popular with regular
  travelers for its good food, nice rooms, and
  friendly service. From the taproom a broad
  stair curves up to the floor above, where most
  of the travelers' rooms are. The floor in the en-
  try passage is flagstone; bare boards are un-
  derfoot in the taproom, with a beamed ceiling
  (10' up) overhead. The front door—and all
  other exterior doors—can be double-barred
  from within.
  2. Mud Room. In poor weather, those arriv-
  ing at the inn can stop in here to freshen up.
  This room is tiled with flags, tilting to an out-
  side drain, and has a sideboard with a wash
  basin for dusty travelers. An old, cracked and
  polished shield that serves as a mirror, an oil
  lamp in a wall bracket, slatted wooden
  benches, and racks for wet footwear. Pegs line
  the walls, and three water buckets are kept
  full, for rinsing off mud, under the sideboard.
  Towels hang nearby, over the sideboard in
  which is set a pot with the inn's own soap in it.
  3. Wardrobe. In this open closet travelers
  hang dry outergear on the pegs that line both
  east and west walls, with shelves above them
  for outerwear. At the south end of the room is
  an oil lamp in a wall sconce, with cross-poles
  beneath it for hanging cloaks or blankets
  over, and beneath that a stool.
  
  CHAPTER 1: DAELZUN'S REST
  4. Guest Room. The finest chambers in the
  inn open off the taproom into this main
  room, the whole suite being referred to as the
  "Gentry Chambers." The door into this
  room has two locks (the only door in the inn
  to do so), and the spare keys are kept on a
  chain around Daelzun's neck, not in the key-
  box behind the bar (the key-box is taken into
  his bedroom by Nornel each night; only the
  keys to vacant rooms are left out with who-
  ever is keeping nightwatch at the bar). This
  room is grandly furnished with fur rugs un-
  derfoot, a stout, carved wooden table with
  leather-backed chairs, two padded armchairs
  and a sofa, and a painting on the north wall of
  men on horseback riding through a forest to
  hunt boar. There is a high window, with
  wrought iron bars outside to protect the glass
  and to prevent entry. The window is cur-
  tained, with shutters outside.
  5. Guest Room. A lockable door leads into
  "King's Rest," a grand bedroom with a large
  fourposter bed, fur rugs, a commode chair
  (rather than a chamber pot), a window (like
  that in #4), a writing desk with chair, and an
  armchair with footrest. There are oil lamps in
  wall brackets by the bed and armchair, and
  over the desk. There is also a gigantic ward-
  robe with polished metal (mirror) doors, and
  a clothes-rack for hanging garments. The
  room has its own hearth (which shares chim-
  neys with #12), with a brass-trimmed wooden
  firewood box, a copper kettle and rack, and a
  poker, tongs, and bellows. It also has its own
  copper hip bath, with a stool for getting in
  and out.
  6. Bedroom. One of two smaller bedrooms in
  the "Gentry Chambers," this bedroom has a
  spacious two-level bed with ornately carved
  posts, a bedside table, two ceramic chamber
  pots, a window identical to that in #5, a
  wooden clothes-rack beside the window, a
  sideboard with a basin and ewer of water, and
  an armchair beside the door. A painting of a
  falcon in flight hangs on the east wall.
  7. Bedroom. This bedroom is identical to #6,
  except that it lacks a window and falcon
  painting; instead of a window it has a large
  seascape painted with mermaids and tattered
  sailing ships under a stormy sky.
  8. Meeting room. This plainly paneled
  room, well lit by oil lamps in wall sconces and
  two hooded lamps hanging by chains over the
  central table, may be rented for meetings,
  game sessions, private meals, and the like
  (1 gp/night). On the west wall is a sideboard;
  the room is dominated by a long, well-
  polished table of massive oak, about which
  are ranged fourteen carved, leather-backed
  chairs, one at either end and six on a side.
  9. The Ladies' Jakes. Two stalls, towels, a
  washstand with metal mirror and water buck-
  ets, decorate a flagstone floor.
  10. The Men's Jakes. Identical to the
  ladies', except for two "standpipe" facilities;
  both of these rooms drain into a cesspool be-
  side the cellar.
  11. "The Back Passage." Extra furniture is
  stored for #1 and #8, as well as spare water
  buckets, and a 50' long, collapsible wooden
  ladder hung on hooks on the north wall.
  12. 
  Fireplaces and chimney 
  stack.
  (Hearths in #1 and #5).
  13. 
  Fireplaces and chimney 
  stack.
  (Hearths in #1 and #8).
  14. Kitchen. An open window (shutters, no
  glass) looks into the yard; within are wooden
  benches, hooks from the beamceiling to hold
  meat, pots, and sacks of herbs and vegeta-
  bles; a large drain tub, wooden counters and
  a chopping-block. Several cleavers and
  knives can be snatched up here. The window
  can be barred from within. The large corner
  fireplace holds a huge cooking kettle as well as
  providing an oven for baking.
  15. Pantry. With wooden steps down into a
  cold cellar (a stone-lined, dirt floor 10' x 20'
  chamber containing boxes of vegetables,
  meat, and a slate slab (with ice-melt bucket
  beneath) for keeping fresh game cold.
  16. Laundry. A table, buckets, a spare bath-
  tub, a shutter-pole, and clotheslines and
  hooks fill this room; in the northwest corner is
  the inn's deep well (covered by a wooden lid
  when not in use), and a bucket with 100' of
  rope, the end tied to a ceiling beam.
  17. Stores. This long, narrow chamber con-
  tains kegs of nails, tubs of grease, leftover
  scraps of wooden railings and trim, coils of
  rope, bolts of cloth, spare thread, scraps of
  leather, tools, and the like. Daelzun is quite
  willing to sell gear to the PCs. His stout rope
  comes in 60' coils, of which he will part with
  up to six, at a price of 2 cp/coil.
  18-33. All inn guestrooms have a double bed
  with rope and straw mattress, and quilts at
  hand in a chest at the foot of each bed. All
  have a chamberpot, two armchairs, bedside
  tables, a wardrobe with a metal mirror on one
  door, and a sideboard with an ewer of water.
  All have heavily curtained windows without
  glass, that shutter if desired. Room #25 is
  used by Daelzun and Nornel when not occu-
  pied; #24 by Tormil and Baera, #23 by their
  daughters; #18 is used by Beldar and Than-
  tel; #20 by their daughters. On the night of
  Brorim's murder, Jabban and Orvan will be
  in #22, Taleth in #21, Jelvarel in #26, Gordel
  in #28, Jamith in #29, and Tosta in #30. The
  PCs will be given rooms from #31 to #33, plus
  #27 if vacant. If they opt for Gentry Cham-
  bers, the cost is 3 gp a night plus 1 gp per per-
  son occupying the suite. This includes
  everything except wine, one of the daughters
  as room-servant during the day, and one of
  the hands on call at night. Two of the inn staff
  are on duty every night, usually doing ac-
  counts at the bar. They respond to the service
  gongs in each guest room and maintain secu-
  rity. Usually one spouse does the accounts
  while the other remains alert to rouse the
  alarm should there be any trouble. On the
  night of Brorim's murder, Daelzun and
  Nornel will take this shift. Nornel will have a
  full complement of spells memorized, and
  both will be expecting trouble. As they know
  all the sounds the building makes when peo-
  ple are moving in it at night, they are impos-
  sible to surprise.
  34. Linens Closet. (Locked unless in use).
  Four full spare water buckets are kept in the
  corridor, across from its door. The service-
  gong on its outside east wall (at the head of
  the stairs) rings at bar and in kitchen.
  35. Service-gong. Rings at bar and in
  kitchen. The two gongs, plus a bell by the
  door in #4, all ring with different notes.
  36. Stairs to cellar. Old furniture, spare
  shutters, pitch, shakes (for roof repair) and
  kegs of cool wine and beer are here.
  The Stables
  1. Feed bins. Contains oats, hay, corn, and
  grain.
  2. Stalls. 30 in number. Ostor, Rari, Jhanil,
  and Orlin sleep above. The inn currently
  owns 6 mules, 21 sturdy draft horses, and two
  faster mounts. They will sell any of these, but
  never all at once, and will take sound but
  winded horses in trade.
  3. Carriage shed. The inn has an open
  wagon, a cutter, and a smithy wagon, where
  all the tools and half-finished projects are
  kept when the smithy forge is not fired up.
  It is suggested that plundering PCs not be
  able to find any inn funds (beyond the 26 gp,
  16 sp, 32 ep and 49 cp kept in a box behind
  the bar) and treasure; the DM can improvise
  hiding places if the PCs should somehow
  wind up owning the inn at the end of the ad-
  venture.
  
  CHAPTER 2: TO THE WIZARD'S TOMB
  When the player characters head into the
  woods around the inn, read the following.
  On all sides of you trees stretch upwards
  towards the sky, which is lost to your view
  in their thick foliage. It is fairly warm but
  damp; moss grows thickly underfoot and
  on all the tree-trunks in sight. All around
  the trail is knee- to waist-high under-
  growth, shrubs, young trees, grass, and
  the rotting skeletons of long-fallen forest
  giants. It is difficult to see far in this
  crowded, thickly-grown wood. Birds trill
  and squawk all around, and there are little
  rusdings in the green brush. You have
  rarely seen such a lush, verdant forest in
  your travels.
  The trail winds away over moss and
  dead leaves like some sort of tunnel;
  branches intertwine overhead, and fresh
  scars upon them (matching the line of
  blaze-scars stretching away into the green
  dimness) show how fast the forest grows to
  reclaim cleared space. Vines cling to high
  limbs here and there, and pretty little
  flowers seem almost to glow in the gloom;
  toadstools and shelf fungus can be seen,
  too. Mule dung, hoof marks, and the oc-
  casional wood chip or strip of bark testify
  to the busy logging traffic that passes
  along this narrow, winding trail—but no
  humans are visible now except yourselves.
  The woods seem to be waiting.
  Use the Random Encounter Table and the
  map depicting the woods whenever the PCs
  are traveling to or from any of the locations
  described in the other sections. The woods
  here are old and thickly-grown; if the PCs
  venture off the trail, they risk getting lost
  (treat the woods on the map as "Swamp/
  Jungle" when checking), and have to hack
  their way slowly and noisily. If PCs have a
  map drawn by a local and stay on trails, they
  won't get lost; if they use a local hunter or
  woodcutter as a guide they can only get lost if
  they try to travel at night. An hour or so after
  the PCs leave the road or inn, check the table
  once. Thereafter, check every 20 minutes of
  game time. If a rolled encounter is unsuit-
  able, no monster(s) will appear. An en-
  counter need not be a face-to-face conflict;
  PCs might catch a glimpse of a creature head-
  ing for cover, or hear it in the trees nearby. In-
  telligent, predatory creatures may choose to
  follow the PCs, remaining in cover, awaiting
  a good opportunity to attack, but only the
  druj and the purple worm will approach any
  of the dwellings closely.
  If the PCs get into a real fight, they may be
  attacked from the rear by servant creatures of
  Lathkoon or Zelazel, who will observe from
  concealment, hoping to weaken the party.
  Such attacks may drive off or slay locals, leav-
  ing the PCs on their own. Check for encount-
  ers for Lathkoon and Zelazel as well as for the
  party; if any occur nearby, PCs may hear or
  see them. In the woods, the undergrowth is
  too thick to let travelers see a clearing or the
  edge of open water or a swampy area until
  one is very close. Some of the features found
  in the woods are described hereafter.
  Nelm's Shop: This ramshackle wooden
  building (with outhouse) is shared by Nelm
  and Chalasstir, and occupies a small clearing
  littered and stacked with cut wood of all
  types, shapes, and sizes. Rough rain-roofs of
  bark-covered planks have been erected over
  most of the woodpiles, and most of the wood
  lies on large, battered logs, not on the forest
  floor itself. The smell of sawdust, fresh-cut
  cedar, and oil hangs in the air.
  The house is one large room crammed with
  lots of wood; projects in various stages of
  completion are piled everywhere, hiding the
  couple's weapons and valuables. A sack holds
  an earthen jar containing 16 pp, 71 gp, and
  8 sp, and an ivory statuette worth about
  25 gp, traded to them long ago for urgent re-
  pairs to a merchant's wagons. There are also
  two skins of a fiery amber wine, a large full
  water keg, a lantern and tinder box, six can-
  dles, and lots of tools, oils, and varnishes (a
  likely-looking strongchest under the double
  bed holds only clothes). Six of the knives,
  chisels, and gouges are usable as weapons
  (treat as daggers), and many of the wooden
  legs and posts will serve as clubs. The single
  stout door can be barred from within, but has
  no lock.
  Clearings: 
  All 
  clearings 
  except 
  the
  Cloudwatch (the result of a fairly recent fall of
  a huge tree) and the one containing the
  Endless Stair are the result of—and the active
  sites of—woodcutting, and are named for the
  current or former owners, except for the east-
  ernmost clearing, where the local hunters
  long ago slew a troll. All clearings are a litter
  of stumps, bark strips, and wood chips, the
  ground much churned by lumber being
  dragged about. Most have a rain barrel and a
  privy. Aglar's Cut also has a shovel, left be-
  hind years ago by Aglar, now deceased, and
  left by common consent of all the locals, who
  borrow it from time to time but always return
  it. (Treat it as a club if it is used in combat.)
  Gustar's Cave: The solitary hunter lives here
  in a foul-smelling hole in the revealed rock of
  an outcrop; he has fashioned a door and
  rough front wall for the cavern. From it to a
  tree on the southern edge of the clearing runs
  a rope, greased to prevent it rotting in the
  damp; on this Gustar hangs fresh kills (to
  drain), pelts (to dry or stretch), and any traps
  he is not presently using, or has set aside to
  repair. Two wicked projecting lines of stakes
  protect game on this line from casual pilfer-
  ing by forest creatures.
  Within the cave is a massive section of tree
  trunk that serves Gustar as a chair, a log
  bench, a bundle of rawhide thongs, a pair of
  skinning knives, a whetstone, a lot of worn and
  rather dirty clothing, a washbowl, and a pair
  of "bearpaw" snowshoes hanging from a
  knobby bulge in the rock wall. On another
  knob is a huge stagskull, with antlers still at-
  tached. It fills most of the head-room in the
  cave, and on it Gustar hangs his cloak and
  bed-blankets when not using them. Gustar has
  12 gp, 7 sp, and 22 cp in a canvas sack
  crammed into a hard-to-find crack at the back
  of the cave, where it narrows to a fissure.
  Wyvern Crags: These far-off crags (actually
  a single ridge of bare rock) rise up above the
  trees to provide a landmark to anyone climb-
  ing a tree. There are no longer any wyverns
  here but there are griffons—a mated pair and
  a clutch of five eggs that is closely guarded.
  One egg is infertile, but this cannot be dis-
  cerned from external examination. If kept
  warm, the eggs will bring 1,000-2,000 gp
  each if sold carefully in a large city (such as
  Glantri City), but will more probably bring
  400 gp or so each if PCs try to sell them with-
  out a lot of looking about for the proper
  buyer.
  Trappers' Trails: The local trappers have ex-
  tensive trails, stretching for miles into the
  wilderlands, where they set their traps. They
  will be reluctant to guide anyone along these,
  not wanting to reveal favorite trapping spots,
  and none of the other locals except the
  hunters have gone beyond Boar Pond (where
  Eldahil once killed a boar). The DM could
  well devise other wilderland adventures if
  PCs explore these trails further.
  Delmaster's House: Here, in a low timber-
  and-stone cabin (which boasts its own
  roasting-pit and massive iron spit, in the
  clearing before the door), live Delmaster,
  Thelzar, and Kuth, in lamp-lit gloom deco-
  rated with skull-trophies and broken, worn
  weapons that have outlived their usefulness.
  The door locks and can be barred, and each
  hunter has a canvas bag hidden in the rafter-
  joints, containing: (Delmaster) 12 pp, 66 gp,
  and 6 sp; (Thelzar) 4 pp, 41 gp, 8 sp, 3 cp;
  (Kuth) 5 pp, 13 gp, 26 sp, 7 cp. There is a
  
  CHAPTER 2: TO THE WIZARD'S TOMB
  fireplace in the cabin; one of its base stones
  can be slid out (this stone is concealed be-
  neath a table and chairs) to reveal the
  hunters' nest egg—a battered brass-bound
  traveling chest containing 29 silver trade-
  bars wrapped in oil-soaked cloth to (success-
  fully) prevent oxidation; each bar is worth 60
  gP-
  Lost Axe Lake: Deep, cold Lost Axe Lake is
  fed by underground springs and is often
  wreathed in mist due to the warmer, forest air
  around it. It contains many fish and no men-
  acing monsters, although the same cannot be
  said of the swamp on its southeastern verge.
  Galzar's Crag overlooks the lake and, to any-
  one on its southern or western shores, the
  Leaning Stone is clearly visible, as well as any
  man-sized creatures moving about.
  At some point after the player characters
  have passed their first clearing, and are on a
  trail in the deep woods not close to any of the
  buildings in the woods, read them the follow-
  ing encounter:
  Ahead of you, on the trail, you see a dark,
  man-like shape, almost invisible among
  the tightly-packed trees. It is motionless,
  and as you approach, you see that it is a
  man in dark maroon robes, watching you
  steadily. He appears unarmed and re-
  signed, not hostile. Suddenly, he speaks.
  "Know, travelers, that once Baron Elkta-
  zar, he called the Axe-Lord, ruled these
  lands—and know, too, that though death
  laid him low long years ago, he will rise
  again!" And with that he steps behind a
  tree and is gone.
  The apparition is a cleric of a sect who be-
  lieves that Baron Elktazar will some day rise
  from his tomb (its precise location is un-
  known, but is thought to be near the lake). If
  any locals are with the party, they will not rec-
  ognize the cleric, but will know and be able to
  explain the existence of the sect, and will
  know of the Baron, who ruled here some
  three hundred years ago. The cleric cannot
  be tracked; he has left by means of magic,
  and seems to have appeared the same way.
  The cleric will not appear to hear any queries
  or orders given to him by anyone, and will
  also seem unaffected or ignore, any spells di-
  rected his way.
  If the party proceeds to Galzar's Crag by
  way of Trailmoot, the encounter below will
  occur there; otherwise, have it occur when-
  ever the party approaches the base of
  Galzar's Crag.
  Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a man in
  maroon robes stands in your path, some
  ten paces away. It is the same mysterious
  man you saw earlier. As before, he is un-
  armed, but appears more stern and seri-
  ous. He raises one hand in a gesture to
  halt, and says, "You are very near to the
  resting place of the Axe-Lord, now. Be-
  ware! We shall take it very ill if he and his
  are disturbed! Halazar is beyond our
  revenge—but mind ye keep to the ways he
  wrought, and turn not into the older ways
  where the Baron rests. When he rises, we
  will know—and tell who held him in disre-
  spect!" And again, he is gone.
  The cleric will not answer questions or or-
  ders; he will vanish even if attacked and not
  reappear. Unless the DM wishes to develop
  this, the cleric will do nothing further after is-
  suing his warning.
  Any locals accompanying the party will
  look (and be) astonished at the appearances
  of this mysterious cleric. But they will
  vaguely recall the Axe-Lord as the name,
  mentioned by elders, of a long-ago ruler here-
  abouts, his fall commemorated in the name
  "Lost Axe Lake." The identity of the man in
  the maroon robes is as much a mystery to the
  locals as to the party.
  Tracking a specific creature on the forest
  trails or in the undergrowth is impossible; on
  the trails on the sides and top of Galzar's
  Crag the disturbances made by the hunters
  dragging and carrying Ulthorn's body on the
  litter can be clearly seen.
  If the PCs wish to undertake any side-
  adventures, it is suggested that any locals
  with them (and harrying attacks by Lathkoon
  and Zelazel) dissuade them from such activi-
  ties until after the Cheiromar's tomb and the
  Endless Stair itself have been investigated. If
  they persist, introduce the following en-
  counter:
  From somewhere ahead in the woods you
  suddenly hear a low mumbled singing
  which gradually gets louder. Soon, into
  view comes a lone man in nondescript
  clothes, a lute slung over his shoulder. A
  flute and a longsword are thrust through
  his belt. He grins at you, and breaks off
  his singing. "Well met, bold adventur-
  ers!" he says in a cheerful voice, eyes
  twinkling. "I am Thassil the Minstrel... is
  the inn called Daelzun's Rest anywhere
  near, perchance?"
  Thassil is indeed a minstrel—a light-hearted,
  carefree sort who is afraid of nothing (proba-
  bly because he's always thinking of music,
  not what's going on around him). He's been
  traveling through the woods for some days,
  and is seeking the inn, where he hopes to
  make a few coins for a night or two with his
  music. A stranger to this area, he knows
  nothing of the local geography or situation,
  and nothing of the hunters or Ulthorn's
  death. But if anyone mentions the Leaning
  Stone or the Cheiromar to him, he will
  frown, then brighten, and say, "I remember
  a bit of a tune about that. Let's see—"By
  Leaning Stone where trees stand tall/Lies the
  mightiest wizard of all/Algahund the Mighty
  was his name/But now he's dead and fled his
  fame/So in the end fall the strong/Gold,
  trumpets, kisses all a-gone/Sing a weaker
  song and you'll sing it long/And the magic
  you have will be all your own/It won't lie lost
  under cold stone/And one day you'll join the
  growing throngAbu'U lie down, but your
  magic goes on"—that's it. Always wondered
  where that came from." He doesn't know the
  author of the tune or where he first heard it.
  If asked to accompany the PCs, he will
  want to know what they're doing, and upon
  learning, he'll shrug, say, "there might be a
  song or two in it," and accompany them.
  He'll only fight if necessary, but will provide
  a running commentary of jokes, fragments of
  songs ("Oh, we're off to see if a dead man's
  home/Or if he's one of those who's inclined to
  roam/We're off to see if there's treasure
  there/Or if he's left the cupboard bare") and
  sardonic comments ("Bravely then our com-
  panion the intrepid warrior advances—to the
  rear, right speedily," and the like).
  Thassil is exactly what he appears to be—a
  happy-go-lucky wandering minstrel. He's
  not adverse to picking up a coin if he can, but
  is not otherwise greedy or dangerous. If at-
  tacked, he will draw sword swiftly and leap
  away, warning "Ah-ah! Bad luck to kill a
  minstrel! Others hear of it, and it'll be naught
  but lousy songs for you the rest of your days,
  no matter how mighty you become!" He is a
  Neutral 2d level Fighter, HP 17, S 16, D 16,
  Co 18, AC 8 (all other stats average), no ar-
  mor, longsword, dagger (second dagger in
  boot), 2 gp/4 sp in other boot, 3 gp/10 sp/6 cp
  in belt pouch, flute, lute, tinder box, tin cup,
  blanket, 1 torch, 1 small cloth bag of kin-
  dling, 1 small sack, a spare pair of shoes and
  set of lute strings, 2 rags and oil, whetstone,
  and a small brass "tone bell" for setting song
  keys.
  10
  
  CHAPTER 3: THE TOMB OF THE CHEIROMAR
  The PCs will find Galzar's Crag deserted.
  The Leaning Stone, a 30' high pinnacle of
  weathered granite, rises out of the turf at an
  angle, leaning north. At its base is an arched
  opening that the locals will swear (honestly)
  was not there before, and in front of it trod-
  den ground where Ulthorn's body was found.
  Visible through the arch is a small, dark
  circular chamber within the Stone. Anyone
  venturing into it discovers that the stone floor
  is an illusion and that they are falling, very
  slowly, down a shaft—a hundred feet through
  solid rock, into a round chamber (see Tomb
  Key). The shaft walls are unnaturally
  smooth—no tool marks or natural rock
  seams.
  All things introduced into the shaft will
  Levitate slowly down to gentle (no damage)
  landings, and PCs will discover that they can
  float just as gently upwards if they mentally
  will themselves to do so. Objects or corpses
  must be directly held or touched by a PC to
  rise upwards (PCs do not have to bear the
  weight of such things while in the shaft, only
  maintain contact with them; if this is not
  done, the objects will begin to fall again, gen-
  tly, to the bottom). The shaft is full of prying
  eyes (see New Monsters appendix), 46 in
  number, who will cluster around any PCs us-
  ing the shaft. One prying eye will "adopt"
  each living character and hover near it, fol-
  lowing it out of the Tomb and accompanying
  it everywhere (until slain).
  Key to the Tomb of the Cheiromar (refer to
  DM Map 3)
  1. This hemispherical, unnaturally-smooth
  chamber has solid stone walls and a smooth
  floor; a shaft enters it at one end and a corri-
  dor leads out via an archway at the other. At
  the bottom of the shaft lie the bones of a few
  small creatures (squirrels and voles), a bro-
  ken wooden staff (its two pieces are ancient
  and rotten; it has neither markings nor magi-
  cal aura), a rusty dagger (usable; non-
  magical), and a small metal box or coffer on
  its side. The coffer is brass, latched but not
  locked, and contains musty, mildewed cloth,
  wrapped around a dusty glass vial to prevent
  breakage. The vial is a potion of healing
  (drinking it will restore 2-7 hit points or cure
  paralysis for one creature). A few small damp
  patches darken the floor of the chamber.
  If any PC enters the large empty area of the
  chamber between the base of the shaft and the
  archway, a vision (cf. D&flt> Companion Set,
  DM's Companion, under "Phantom") will ap-
  pear, confined to this area (specifically, a
  spherical area between shaft and archway, that
  touches the walls of the chamber on either side
  of the archway) of seven robed, cloaked, and
  hooded men bearing daggers and small, lit
  candlelamps. They will appear to be fighting
  with each other as they wail (all PCs within 90'
  must save vs. spells or sit down and cry hope-
  lessly for ldlO + 10 rounds; save each round
  within range to avoid), and will attack all PCs
  within range after 1 round, striking as 12HD
  monsters with phantom daggers for 1-4 dam-
  age, 7 times per round (once per each phan-
  tom wizard), the whole vision having 66 hit
  points. The phantom wizards can cross their
  area of range within a single round; successful
  Turning will cause the entire vision to vanish for
  1-6 hours. (The passages and rooms from the
  archway are visibly carved out of the sur-
  rounding rock; the walls are rough and
  seamed.)
  2. In this chamber lies the skeleton of a hu-
  man adventurer who succumbed to the ef-
  fects of the vision long ago; she was an
  enchantress, and still bears a bone tube (con-
  taining a scroll on which are written the spells
  floating disc and hold portal, as well as a blank
  area where another spell was once written,
  but obviously used), a steel vial containing a
  potion of invisibility (effects permanent until
  imbiber makes an attack or until dispelled,
  but ceases for objects dropped or released by
  imbiber—or provides 61-turn duration
  doses), a dagger (silver-bladed; 
  only
  11
  
  CHAPTER 3: THE TOMB OF THE CHEIROMAR
  lightly tarnished), and the rags of her robes,
  belt, boots, and backpack. Visible amid the
  scraps of the rent, rotten backpack is a large,
  thick book with a stained cover of hide; a spell
  book, bearing on the cover the sigil:
  and the words "I belong to Naera." Within
  are the spells magic missile, read magic, mirror
  image, web, and haste. Between its pages has
  been slipped a scrap of parchment, which
  looks like this: (give the players Script #1
  from page 32). The skeleton is not undead;
  Naera rests in peace.
  3. Here the passageway ends in a rough stone
  face, with the marks of picks and prybars still
  visible upon it. A prying eye will dance for-
  ward to meet and accompany the nearest PC,
  but there is nothing of interest here.
  4. This chamber is empty except for a solid
  stone block (7' long, 4' high and wide). If this
  bier is touched, a deep male voice will speak
  from it (and at the first sound of the voice, all
  of the prying eyes will come down from the
  entry shaft to dance around the room in a
  swirling cloud):
  "The Cheiromar rests not here, but has
  been laid to rest where in life he strove,
  and where in death he is safe from those
  who would rob and destroy. If you seek the
  power that was his, and have knowledge
  enough to take and leave what is right,
  seek the Endless Stair."
  The voice speaks only once per day; the pry-
  ing eyes return when it falls silent.
  5. A ten-foot-wide doorway opening in the
  wall here has been walled up with rubble; if
  party members remove any of this stone (it is
  slow, back-breaking work if attempted with-
  out magical aid), a stone passage and stair
  curving to the east and climbing towards the
  surface are revealed; the entrance to the tomb
  of Baron Elktazar, filled in by Halazar when
  he built the tomb of his friend Algahund. The
  entrance to this tomb lies 70 feet east of the
  Leaning Stone, completely hidden under
  earth, rocks, and bushes.
  6. Directly across the corridor from #5 is an-
  other walled-up doorway, but here, a jagged
  opening has been broken through Halazar's
  four-foot thick wall. Beyond, PCs can see a
  rough-hewn passage stretching straight south
  into darkness, through the solid rock of the
  Crag.
  Just within the opening lies a human skele-
  ton with a rusted dagger beside it, a smudge
  of white dust that was once a stick of chalk,
  and a cracked slate whose pieces, if assem-
  bled, show the layout (outlines of passages
  and rooms only; no details) of the entire tomb
  (or rather, both tombs). The skeleton is
  clutching a scrap of parchment, yellowed and
  brittle with age; if examined carefully, give
  the players Script #2 (page 32).
  If Speak with the Dead is used on the skele-
  ton, it will be found to be that of a hapless
  thief, who knows only what is on the parch-
  ment and that the place was the tomb of a
  powerful magic-user.
  7. As party members advance to this point,
  stones, weakened from natural weathering
  (water seepage from above) will break free
  and fall, ranging in size from pebbles to fist-
  sized chunks, in a little shower, doing lhp of
  damage to one party member at random. No
  further falls will occur unless violent spell ac-
  tivity occurs in this corridor.
  8. On the end wall of the corridor is a relief
  carved in stone—a shield bearing the arms of
  the Baron Elktazar, an upright double-bladed
  axe with a single star above it. Daelzun (and
  of course Jelvarel) will recognize the design,
  and can also tell the PCs that the Baron ruled
  this area some 300 years ago; his magist,
  Phelzaron the long-lived, was an early tutor
  of both the Cheiromar and Halazar.
  9. Here the passage ends in stairs; six steps,
  each dropping a foot. The last three are un-
  der dark, cold, moving water: the chamber
  beyond has been flooded by an underground
  stream that has broken through natural rock
  faults into fissures in the south wall of this
  room and runs down to Lost Axe Lake. It is
  drinkable.
  Three massive stone caskets can be seen
  sticking up a foot out of the water. The lids of
  all three are closed; the center carved into it.
  A stirge (cf. Monsters, D&D® Basic DM's
  RuUbook) of 6 hp lairs in the crack in the
  north wall where the water comes in, and it
  will immediately fly out to attack any in-
  truders. If badly wounded, it will try to get
  down the passage to the entry shaft, and es-
  cape up into the forest beyond.
  The caskets all contain human skeletons
  (none are undead): the Baron, his wife and
  their daughter. The Baron's coffin contains a
  rusty broadsword; his wife's has a staff of heal-
  ing (cf. DM's Basic and Companion Sets) of 14
  charges.
  10. At the bottom of six one-foot-drop steps
  in this dry room are three iron-bound
  wooden chests resting within a 20' radius
  chalked circle on the floor. All of the chests
  will detect as magical; they have been some-
  how magically preserved and look new. None
  are locked. The northern and southern chests
  each contain 400 gp; in the central chest is a
  cloth-wrapped, glowing sword. The blade is
  magical, and appears to be of gold, not iron,
  but if taken outside the chalk circle, it will in-
  stantly revert to its proper shape. It is a poly-
  morphed manscorpion, enraged by its forced
  imprisonment and will attack anything living
  in sight. If it survives a battle with the party, it
  will seek out Halazar (who imprisoned it) for
  revenge.
  The manscorpion's name is Jhalarg and
  possesses a huge, double-ended iron mace (3-
  18 damage) that will return to normal size
  with it, as well as clerical spells, which it will
  not hesitate to use.
  Jhalarg is a Patriarch (9th level M-U) of 66
  hp; its spells are 3, 3, 3, 2, and are as follows:
  cure light wounds, cause light wounds x2/hold per-
  son, resist fire, silence 15' radius/cause disease, lo-
  cate object, striking/cure serious wounds, cause
  serious wounds.
  Jhalarg knows nothing of its surroundings,
  only that it was enspelled by a human magic-
  user, Halazar, whom it had met in a desert.
  11. A secret door at the back of the room de-
  scribed in #10 leads into a small stone cham-
  ber, with a door direcdy across from the far
  wall. The secret door has irregular edges that
  blend with the natural seams and cracks of
  the rock, and opens out into #10, towards the
  exploring PCs. As it opens, a tiny metallic
  rattle will be heard. Between the two doors
  lies a twisted, headless human skeleton, with
  a rusted (unusable) longsword beneath it;
  nothing else is visible in the room.
  The ceiling in this room is high and hidden
  in darkness; if carefully examined with lights,
  the missing skull of the skeleton will be seen
  impaled in a grid of rusty, dark iron points
  high overhead. The grid fits neatly inside the
  walls of the room, filling it, and is attached to
  the back of the secret door (from #10) by a
  long chain, and (via a hole) to the inside of die
  second door (into #12). It opens out of this
  small room; if it is opened before the first
  door (from #10) is closed, the grid will plum-
  met downwards widi a rattle of chains, borne
  under the weight of rocks atop it, and impale
  anyone in #11 as it reaches the floor, causing
  4-16 points of damage (characters success-
  fully rolling under their Dex may avoid the
  grid if they can get out a door— but there is
  only time for one character to get out each
  door, if the door was left open).
  12. This large chamber once held those trea-
  sures of the Baron that were buried with him,
  but thieves got through the trap (#11) long
  12
  
  CHAPTER 3: THE TOMB OF THE CHEIROMAR
  ago—seven oaken chests in this room lie open
  and empty, and two large casks in one corner
  are flanked by circular rings of dust and dirt
  where there were once four more, now miss-
  ing (the two that remain are full of wine gone
  to a strong, vinegar-smelling, poisonous
  mess; imbibers will take 1 hp of damage, plus
  1-3 more if they persist, and will have several
  painful hours of wrenching stomach pains
  and a severe headache). In the center of the
  room is a grisly, dusty mess: the skeleton of
  the Baron's favorite horse, buried with him,
  and subsequently disarranged by thieves
  tearing off the barding. All of interest that is
  left now are two rotting lances with tangled
  banners bearing the Baron's axe device—
  now a green faded to spotty yellow, browned
  by mold and mildew. There is nothing of
  value here. At the far end of the room from
  where the PCs enter, it opens into another
  smaller antechamber (#13).
  13. In this dark, dusty corner a double-
  bladed handaxe leans against the far (south-
  east) wall. Otherwise, the room appears to be
  empty; the ceiling is carved out of solid stone,
  and appears safe and featureless (it will, how-
  ever, radiate magic if detected).
  If anyone steps into the room, the axe will
  begin to glow with an amber radiance, grow-
  ing steadily brighter until it illuminates a 20'
  radius area well enough to read script.
  Whenever the axe is touched or moved in
  any way, a web spell effect will spurt from the
  ceiling about the axe and from above the en-
  try to the room, straight down to the floor, as
  though cast by a magic-user at that moment.
  As long as any living creature remains in the
  room, the two webs will be renewed every
  third round, the web by the entry always af-
  fecting the same area; the other web always
  striking any creature carrying the axe (or, if
  no creature is carrying the axe and there is
  more than one living creature in the room,
  choose at random). Webbed creatures could
  well suffocate if not freed, as multiple webs
  displace all air in the room. A dispel magic will
  prevent the webs from recurring for as many
  turns as the caster has levels, but only a Wish
  will destroy the effect forever and remove ex-
  isting webs. The webs may be affected by fire
  and strength as are those produced by the
  spell and if intruders perish or leave the room
  (i.e., when there are no longer any living
  creatures in the room), the webs will melt
  away of their own accord after a further 6
  turns. The axe, once Elktazar's own favored
  weapon, is a +1 handaxe, outside of this
  room, it will glow only when held in a bare
  hand.
  14. A secret door in #12 leads into this cham-
  ber, the west wall of which has been carefully
  carved into a relief of armored men on horse-
  back hacking and slashing at each other in
  batde. Foremost among them is a warrior
  head and shoulders taller than the rest, who is
  in the act of raising a handaxe over his head
  in triumph, fallen enemies around him; obvi-
  ously, the Baron Elktazar at a happy mo-
  ment. In the center of this otherwise empty
  room is a four-foot-high stone plinth with a
  head on it that is cast in platinum and resem-
  bles a human. Whenever light is introduced
  into this room, the eyes of this head will snap
  open (the metal lids rising) to reveal what
  look to be the eyes of a living person, al-
  though they are in fact illusions.
  The head will then speak: "I am Artonn; I
  speak to die glory of Elktazar the Magnifi-
  cent. I bear witness to Elktazar the Great.
  I record die doings of die realms diat are
  Elktazar's. What would you?"
  Artonn is a magical construct of great power
  and intricacy; it can ask and answer ques-
  tions like a living person. After its initial
  query, Artonn will not speak again until it
  hears a question. It will answer any query it
  hears (i.e., audible to diose in die room), in-
  tended for Artonn or not, such as one party
  member's aside to another, "What should we
  do now?" After Artonn has replied to a ques-
  tion, he will ask one himself (he will accept
  any reasonable reply, true or not). He will be
  silent until it is answered, not responding to
  any farther questions.
  Artonn's questions will run along these
  lines:
  What does the great Elktazar today?
  Who holds power in diese lands about?
  Who are you diat you speak to me; your
  names and professions?
  What do you all here?
  What strive you towards, in your various
  lives?
  Are these laudable goals; why pursue you
  diem?
  Artonn is a tireless information-gadierer.
  Endowed with a pedantic personality by his
  long-vanished and forgotten (even by Ar-
  tonn) creator, Artonn has very limited judg-
  ment, and no prejudices or emotions (save
  driving curiosity)—die last question noted
  above, for instance, will not be posed in a
  "justify yourselves" tone, but a thoughtful
  "now tell me" tone. The DM should con-
  tinue along these lines until Artonn is
  touched (see below) or until die PCs leave;
  Artonn is indefatigable.
  Artonn's answers will be given on die basis
  of a limited field of knowledge; it can be sum-
  marized as follows. Improvise replies in Ar-
  tonn's manner of speech according to the
  campaign setting; if PCs try to find out Ar-
  tonn's limitations by their questions, make it
  very clear that Artonn is not an all-knowing,
  ask-the-DM-free-and-searching-questions
  device.
  The year is not known, but it is die diir-
  teendi year of die Baron Elktazar's reign, and
  die diirty-eighdi of his life. The Baron is
  known as die "Axe-Lord" for his favorite
  weapon (die same handaxe in #13; Artonn
  can describe it well), and for his heraldic
  badge, for he has recently adopted the
  double-bladed axe as his own. He reigns from
  Moonkeep, a many-towered fortress atop a
  rocky crag (it is up to die DM to decide if
  Moonkeep has vanished entirely, is an
  explorable—i.e., dungeon—ruin, or still ex-
  ists, perhaps under a different name, as an in-
  habited stronghold). His large realm contains
  vast forests, rocky crags, and small farms, a
  loyal land under the Baron's even justice in a
  land of many small baronies and land-
  holdings. Elktazar is a tall, muscular man of
  battered visage, brown hair, and great skill at
  arms. His hobbies include falconry, jousting,
  and breeding fine warhorses (his favorite—
  probably die one buried widi him—is a black
  stallion called "Darkmane").
  As far as Artonn is concerned, die Baron is
  still alive. Being told of his death will not
  shock die construct; it will merely proceed to
  learn all it can of die Baron's demise and sub-
  sequent events, such as who became his suc-
  cessor, and how history has remembered die
  Baron. Elktazar has a wife, the Lady Baeria,
  a son, die proud and warlike Thykyl (his fate
  is unknown; none of die locals have ever
  heard of anyone by diat name, and he is not
  buried here), and a daughter, the quiet, dark-
  eyed Ladiluryl.
  Artonn can go on for hours about diis or
  diat bold victory of die Baron's over neigh-
  boring evil lords, bandits, and wild boars,
  and can relate an obviously romantic version
  of die Baron's life-history from great deed to
  great deed, but actually knows very litde of
  names, dates, and useful facts. If asked about
  magic, he knows that in die lands—and if un-
  der die Baron's control, is in good force; if
  not, an evil wild diing. The Endless Stair,
  which Artonn knows by die name "The Stair
  to Nowhere," is a thing of strange and un-
  known ancient magic that lies widiin the Bar-
  ons' lands, and is to be avoided. Artonn has
  never heard of die Cheiromar, Algahund or
  Halazar; die Baron's Magist is Phelzaron the
  Long- Lived, and other mages of the time are
  13
  
  CHAPTER 3: THE TOMB OF THE CHEIROMAR
  Ruirlon the Brown, Dathlinn "Windmaster,"
  and the evil sorceress Lady Maerklara, who
  rules a nearby land to the east (all of these are
  now forgotten, although a DM who wishes to
  provide tombs and lost magic for these could
  well lead the PCs into further adventures).
  If asked about treasure, Artonn knows only
  about the Baron's; although all wizards and
  great rulers have gold and gems, the only
  wealth that matters is the Baron's, and it is
  near (or rather, was, although Artonn does not
  know this), and consists of 26,000 gp, one
  carved amber coffer (itself worth 40 gp) con-
  taining sixteen emeralds, thirteen rubies, and
  three opals (total value 37,000 gp), and an
  earthen jar of pearls valued at 8,000 gp. Be-
  yond what metals are precious and the names
  of gemstones, Artonn has no concept of value
  or wealth. Artonn is hopeless on directions and
  locations; everything is simply "where it is."
  Artonn cannot be removed from his plinth,
  or from the chamber. If touched with bare
  hands or any conducting (i.e., metal) weapon
  or personal armor, he will shock PCs into im-
  mobility for 1 round (and cause slowed move-
  ment on the round following), simultaneously
  draining them of 1-6 hp, stealing this energy to
  power himself further with the same energy
  pulse that does the shocking. His platinum
  form can take 77 points of damage before he is
  destroyed, and cannot be chipped or corroded
  away—when his hit points are all gone, Ar-
  tonn explodes in a violent blast that will utterly
  vaporize him and any creatures within 10'
  (creatures may prove recoverable by means of
  a wish, but Artonn will not), deal 6d8 damage
  to all other beings within 60', hurl them head-
  over- heels as far as the nearest wall, and bring
  down the ceiling of his room. Any wish or simi-
  lar powerful magic that attempts to move Ar-
  tonn (including magics diat involve planar
  shifts) will cause this pells, spell-1 ike powers,
  and magical item effects directed at Artonn
  will have the following effects: magic missiles,
  lightning bolts, and other "pure" energy dis-
  charges will be absorbed by Artonn, the dam-
  age they would have done being added to the
  construct's hp; all other spells will be reflected
  back at the caster with full effects, or if this is
  not possible due to the nature of the magic,
  merely negated.
  If Artonn is attacked but not brought to
  zero hp, and the attack ceases, it will continue
  to equably ask and answer questions; it will
  be aware of the attack, and may warn of the
  consequences of continued attacks or at-
  tempts to move it, but will not be upset or an-
  gered in any way. Artonn can think quite
  logically, and can aid the party with abstract
  strategies or deductions if they question it
  properly—for example, "If a magic-user was
  found dead without a mark on him, and an-
  other person later suddenly and quietly died
  in an inn, also without a mark on him, how
  would these deaths likely have occurred?"
  Artonn would reply, after a moment's hesita-
  tion, "By an unknown agency, or perhaps
  different causes. Unknown causes are, by
  definition, magic. Disease or other natural
  causes may also be involved, or such deliber-
  ate causes as poison. Your question seems to
  link the two deaths, but they may be unre-
  lated; I know too little to say." The DM
  should employ this property of Artonn as a
  means to settle the party's thinking as to
  what's going on around Lost Axe Lake, and
  as to their own strategies, by helping them to
  discuss it among themselves. Artonn knows
  nothing of the Seat of Power, nor even of his
  own current location, but is always curious to
  learn more, and always helpful in return.
  15. Another irregularly shaped secret door in
  #12 leads into this chamber, where the PCs
  will find a 1'-diameter glass or crystal sphere,
  which glows with a soft white radiance, on a
  carved granite plinth. The sphere appears to
  contain a miniature scene of an iridescent
  dragon lying coiled about a mound of
  treasure—a mound that appears to be com-
  posed of horns, rings, cups, belts, bracers,
  staves, and the like—and which, upon careful
  examination, will be found to be the actual
  source of the glow. As the PCs watch, the tiny
  (6" long or so) dragon within the globe will
  open its eyes, stretch like a cat, and return its
  head to its claws, watching the PCs steadily.
  It will meet the gaze of individual PCs, turn-
  ing its head if necessary to keep them in view
  (e.g. if a PC walks around the globe). The lit-
  tle scene within the globe can be viewed from
  all sides, and appears to be real.
  Nothing more will happen unless the globe
  is touched. Anyone striking the globe with
  weapons, poles, or gloved hands will find that
  it is solid and vary hard—not fragile—and
  seems affixed firmly to the plinth. (Weapons
  are in fact unable to affect the globe.) Anyone
  touching the globe with bare flesh will feel
  their hand sinking into what feels like cool,
  thick syrup or soft bread dough—and then
  will feel a sharp pain (1-4 damage); all
  present will see the little dragon move to bite
  the hand. If a person persists, trying to
  punch, grab, or strangle the dragon, or scoop
  up any treasure, they will be affected as de-
  scribed below for people casting spells at the
  globe (if some part of their body remains in
  the globe, no saving throws are allowed to
  avoid or halve damage for that PC).
  Anyone casting spells (or directing magic
  items or artifact effects or spell-like powers) at
  the globe will observe that the globe appears
  to absorb all such attacks with the only result
  being that the globe's glow will brighten and
  tend towards fiery gold in hue. The tiny
  dragon will scrabble in his hoard, seize a
  wand, and discharge it at the attacker (no
  sounds will be audible at any time from
  within the globe). From the globe will burst
  one of the following wand effects, unerringly,
  at the attacker:
  Wind of Lightning Bolts: single 6-36 damage
  bolt from globe to attacker (only), save vs.
  wands to take only half damage.
  Wind of Polymorphing: save vs. wands to
  avoid; attacker will otherwise be turned into a
  tiny, mute dragon, identical to the dragon in
  the globe (1-4 bite; no breath or spell
  powers).
  Wind of Paralyzation: any creature within a
  30' arc, centered on the attacker, on one side
  of the globe, must save vs. wands or he para-
  lyzed for 6 turns.
  Wind of Fire Balls: a tiny ball of fire will
  burst from the globe and strike the attacker,
  doing 6-36 points of damage (save vs. wands
  equals half damage) to the attacker and eve-
  rything within 10'.
  The dragon will attack only once in re-
  sponse to each magical attack. There is an ad-
  ditional property of the globe that affects
  PCs; any physical contact with the globe by
  any living creature who bears magical items
  will drain 1-6 charges from a chargable item,
  or drain the item entirely if a potion, scroll, or
  other "one-shot" item. Artifacts and memo-
  rized spells are unaffected. Other items (such
  as bracers) which have no charges must save
  vs. death ray or be drained. This occurs in-
  stantly and silently. If the globe is actually
  touched with a magical item, that item will al-
  ways (no save) be affected; but if a being with
  several magical items touches the globe with-
  out using a specific item to do so, the DM
  should determine randomly which single
  item may be affected, and then see if it is.
  The dragon cannot communicate except
  by gesture; if any PC asks his name, he will
  nod vigorously, clear aside some of his hoard
  to reveal sand or earth beneath, and scratch
  the name "Phelzaron." The dragon is indeed
  Phelzaron the Long-Lived, but he will not
  scratch any further answers except to any
  queries as to how to get him out (he will
  scratch a question mark, and shrug). How or
  if Phelzaron can be freed, how he got there,
  and why are left to the individual DM, if fur-
  ther adventures involving Phelzaron (a 35th
  level Lawful wizard) are desired. For now,
  PCs will find it impossible to get at the tiny
  dragon or his treasure, or harm or move the
  globe. There is nothing else in the room.
  14
  
  DM Map 1
  Daelzun's Rest
  Front door
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  DM Map 3
  The Tomb of the Cheiromar
  Entry Shaft
  .jguJdus believes Halozar cut across
  . the earJier tomb of Baron EMazai;
  jer i( is the cniy dejving Known to be
  in ihe <>n?a. Guldus s&ys Lzammer
  wdsofctened to wdl Somethinq up
  by
  Ill-
  Door
  Walled-up door
  Secret door
  Stairs
  Scale: 1 square = 10 feet
  Stone coffin
  Skeletal corpse
  Direction of stream flow
  e1987 TSR, Inc. AH Rights Reserved.
  
  DM Map 4
  The Seat of Power
  Scale: 1 square = 10 feet
  Door
  Stone casket
  Location (see #1)
  Glass sphere on plinth
  Circle of tile
  Concentric circular steps
  |[he saeje Stys •
  (SLheircmar is not bur'iec
  TTanb prepared far him,
  /: lies instetd with his mocjic, wai
  /y^N, at the topcf the Endless
  e1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  Naera's map (see Tomb key #2) shows the
  way to the Endless Stair from the Tomb; any
  of the locals will also know its location and be
  able to mark out a rough map of the route to
  it. The Random Encounter Table should
  again be used for this trek; Lathkoon and Ze-
  lazel will probably not attack PCs who get
  this far unless they turn back from the Stair
  (whereupon they will attempt to force the
  PCs to ascend it, even combining forces to do
  so, trying to make the PCs overcome the
  Stair's obstacles for them), or gain entrance
  to the Seat of Power. When the PCs reach the
  Endless Stair, they look out upon a tranquil
  scene.
  In front of you is a large, grassy clearing,
  out of which rises a spiral flight of white
  steps—steps without railings that glow
  faintly, and spiral up, up, to—nothing;
  empty air. On the turf around the base of
  the steps lie several old and weathered hu-
  man skeletons—and, farther from the
  steps, closer to you, the body of the man
  who appeared so mysteriously on the trail
  and warned you away from the Baron. He
  is clad in his maroon robes, and lies mo-
  tionless, staring up at the sky, his mouth
  open.
  The body is that of Thurland, the cleric of
  Those Who Watch who earlier warned the
  party about disturbing the rest of the dead
  Baron Elktazar. Thurland has been dead only
  a short time (twenty minutes or so); there is no
  mark upon him because he was slain by
  Lathkoon's magic missiles. If speak with the dead is
  used, Thurland knows only that he found the
  opening in the Leaning Stone yesterday (DMs
  should adjust this if the party delays in getting
  this far, or starts on the night of Brorim's
  death), and hurried to investigate—in time to
  see the hunters carry Ulthorn's body away.
  (Thurland does not know anything about Ul-
  thorn.) He followed the hunters, unseen, long
  enough to determine what had happened,
  thought it would prove a good example to keep
  the curious from disturbing the Baron's tomb,
  and hurried back to the Leaning Stone. He ex-
  plored the tomb for himself, heard the message
  Halazar left in the Cheiromar's tomb and, fu-
  rious that a wizard would defile the Baron's
  resting place merely for a joke or deception,
  came to the Endless Stair to investigate. He
  was confronted by a silent mage clad in black
  robes ("he had burning red eyes, and a black
  beard") who cast a spell at him—and he knew
  nothing more after that. He does not know
  Lathkoon, and had never seen him before.
  Those Who Watch is a Lawful sect (of
  whom Thurland was a curate) who believe
  that one day the dead champions of the past
  will rise again to make all lands strong and re-
  newed; the Baron is the local dead champion
  that Thurland watches over. Thurland's sect
  has few devotees; he knows often others, his
  own superior (and tutor) being far away to
  the south and east, the Patriarch Azelvos.
  If raised, Thurland will not help the PCs in
  any assault on the Stair or the Seat of Power
  beyond—but he will stay near if the PCs
  agree to donate funds to the sect (to help re-
  pair the Baron's tomb) to heal any PCs that
  require it—and he will willingly battle
  Lathkoon if he encounters the mage again (if
  the PCs are attacked by Lathkoon after they
  have reached the top of the Stair, assume that
  Lathkoon avoided Thurland).
  The Endless Stair was so named by Hala-
  zar to discourage anyone from climbing it; it
  predates the Cheiromar, and its origin and
  means of making are long lost. The Stair
  takes the form of an open (that is to say, with a
  large open space at the center) spiral of joined
  (seemingly fused together in one piece) mar-
  ble, polished smooth and glowing with a soft,
  pearly white radiance, which brightens to a
  blue-white glow on each step whenever a liv-
  ing creature is touching it. The Stair rises
  from soft moss (littered with a few old human
  19
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  skeletons) in an isolated clearing in the
  woods; it has a bottom stone set into the
  ground, and rises one foot at each riser, the
  steps being triangular (the inner apex of each
  triangle cut off, the step being one foot wide
  at this point, widening to four feet wide at the
  outer end). There are 300 such steps, all fea-
  tureless and unmarked, the whole Stair rising
  300' into the air and appearing to end in
  nothingness, stopping in empty air.
  The steps are permanently levitating (the
  magical fields of force that hold them will
  resist—by absorbing—even a wish, and cannot
  be dispelled or otherwise magically affected).
  The fields of force that hold the Stair together
  and keep it aloft prevent weather from affect-
  ing it (i.e., the steps are never wet and slip-
  pery, because rain does not touch them, and
  ice never forms on them) and keep it from be-
  ing damaged by natural force or magical at-
  tack. It will absorb magical attacks (even
  those of a horn of blasting), the energy becom-
  ing part of the energy fields.
  Physical attacks upon the Stair with metal
  weapons that are hard enough (i.e., all delib-
  erate blows, but not tapping or scraping with,
  or dropping, such a weapon) to strike sparks
  will deal the wielder an energy discharge
  from the fields of 2-12 points of electrical
  damage per attack.
  The Stair has no railing on either side, and
  misfortune or other events may well cause
  PCs to fall from it—the cause of the skeletons
  at its base. Falling damage applies (Id6 per
  10' fallen; in the interests of PC survival, ig-
  nore any fraction of 10' left over, and apply a
  maximum of 20d6). Note that a fall from the
  ninetieth step or above will allow a PC time to
  activate a magical item to save him or herself,
  but not usually time to cast a spell.
  The Endless Stair contains a number of
  "key steps"—that is, steps where various
  things will occur. Described hereafter, these
  steps do not look any different from the other
  steps on the Stair, and their effects cannot be
  avoided by "skipping" steps (although an at-
  tempt to leap over steps could well result in a
  fall); if a step is avoided, its effects will occur
  anyway. There is one exception to this (see
  300th step).
  Characters climbing the steps are clearly
  visible to those below and vice versa; missile
  combat can be carried out from the stair to
  the ground and vice versa, unaffected by the
  Stair's energy fields. Missiles striking the
  Stair will glance off harmlessly; no visible
  lightning discharge will occur. (A lightning bolt
  from spell or item that strikes the Stair will re-
  flect back on the caster with full force, how-
  ever.)
  It is recommended that the DM keep writ-
  ten track of the location of each PC, each
  round, on the Stair. PCs may freely descend
  the Stair at any time, and may climb it in
  stages, returning to the ground to rest, regain
  spells, and regroup—but attacks from
  Lathkoon or Zelazel should act to discourage
  this practice.
  Key Steps:
  Ninth: A shimmering curtain of force con-
  fronts climbers (invisible until one is standing
  on the 8th step); passage through it chills the
  climber for 1-6 damage. If the climber has
  spellcasting ability, the note of a tinkling bell
  will be heard, from empty air, and the
  climber will be illumed in a white faeriefire for
  the next 9 rounds (can be readily dispelled us-
  ing dispel magic).
  Twenty Third: A pair of prying eyes (see
  "New Monsters" appendix) will rise from
  this step as it is reached, and accompany the
  climber. They will not fight or attack unless
  themselves attacked. Each climber, no matter
  how many pass, will acquire such an escort,
  which will remain with them, on or off the
  Stair, until slain.
  Fortieth: When this step is first set foot
  upon, it will glow, and from it will rise a puff
  of white vapor, bejewelled with twinkling
  white sparks. This will swirl away to reveal a
  malfera (cf. D&DS> Companion Set, Book 2)
  of 49 hp, imprisoned here within the step long
  ago by Halazar to serve as an additional
  guardian for the Cheiromar's Seat of Power.
  The malfera will immediately attack the
  nearest climber, and will move up and down
  the stair doing so until it is slain or all living
  things on the Stair are slain. Then it will re-
  turn to its step (when it has slain 66 victims, it
  will be freed; it has slain only 17 thus far).
  Forty-fourth: On this step lies an ivory
  tube (dropped long ago by an unfortunate ad-
  venturer who rushed up these steps and was
  attacked from behind by the malfera), capped
  at both ends with silver (now tarnished; the
  field protecting the steps has not extended to
  the tube). One of these silver caps is fash-
  ioned into a grip, and is connected to a silver
  collar by a short silver chain, obviously
  meant to be wand of lightning bolts (q.v.,
  D&EP Expert Set) with nine charges left.
  Sixty-ninth: A sudden magical galewind
  strikes climbers who set foot on this step.
  Each climber must save vs. Dragon Breath or
  be swept off the Stair (falling damage ap-
  plies). All gear carried in the hands (as op-
  posed to worn or strapped on) such as
  weapons, will be lost, even if climbers suc-
  cessfully remain on the Stair—blown to the
  ground below, far from the Stair (i.e., no
  chance of hitting other climbers) unless the
  climber saves vs. rods, staves, and spells. The
  galewind lasts only for 1 round; it can be
  heard, and its effects observed, although it is
  itself invisible, by other climbers on the Stair.
  One-hundred-twelfth: If climbers reach
  this step, they will be confronted by die sud-
  den appearance of an illusion of a beautiful
  human female of mature years clad in robes
  of shimmering purple, bearing a rod across
  her crossed arms. She will speak:
  "You are come to the Seat of Power, where
  the Cheiromar sits in vigil. You have not
  the key; you are not welcome here. Please
  leave, and you will not suffer harm."
  She will then fade away. She cannot be at-
  tacked, nor will she disappear if passed
  through. She will reappear every time the
  step is touched by a living being climbing up-
  wards. Passage through this illusion will not
  harm PCs, nor can it attack.
  Two-hundredth: see below (204th).
  Two-hundred second: see below (204th).
  Two-hundred fourth: In the middle of this
  step rests a Guardian Hand (see "New Mon-
  sters" appendix), as though belonging to
  someone buried in the step below it. The
  hand is open with fingers extended, and a
  closed eye rests in its palm. It is a long-
  fingered, glossy black human left hand, and it
  sits motionless. It will be so visible to anyone
  reaching the 200th step.
  When any attack is made upon it or some-
  one reaches die 202nd step, whichever comes
  first, the Hand will levitate rapidly upwards
  to a position about 5 feet above its step, its eye
  opening, and point with its forefinger at the
  advancing climber. It will then turn palm out
  (eye open) and fingers together, in a "stop"
  gesture, and return to a pointing posture. If
  any attack is made upon it or a climber ad-
  vances further, it will attack with its forefin-
  ger ray. It will continue to fight with all of its
  powers until all living creatures on the stair
  are slain or it is destroyed, its primary objec-
  tive being to prevent anyone from advancing
  past it.
  Two-hundred twenty-ninth: A symbol of
  spell-loss (hitherto unknown; see "New
  Spells" appendix) will glow upon this step
  when any spellcaster—and a spellcaster
  ONLY—steps upon it, and one memorized
  spell (if any, chosen at random) will be forgot-
  ten by the spellcaster (no saving throw).
  Three hundredth: If a climber reaches the
  top step and steps upon it—and only then—a
  spectral door of faintly glowing white light
  can be seen in front of the climber, with a
  20
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  handle of glowing light on the right. If this is
  grasped and pulled, the door will swing open,
  to the left across the top step (i.e., sweeping
  anyone trying to hide behind it off) and reveal
  an extra-dimensional space beyond: the
  Cheiromar's Seat of Power. The door and
  handle are solid, but only to someone stand-
  ing on the top step; there is no solid wall
  around the door that a thief could climb, and
  no way into the Seat of Power save through
  the doorway. Climbers on the Stair not actu-
  ally on the top step cannot see the door, nor
  enter the Seat of Power beyond. To them, it
  will seem that a climber above them stopped
  on the top step, moved one arm from right to
  left, then stepped forward and vanished.
  If anyone tries to go around the door or
  climb a wall beside it or above it, they will fall
  to the ground far below (see above). Climbers
  roped together will only pull each other off
  the Stair unless the anchoring character has
  18 Strength or magical aid. Anyone who tries
  to step through the spectral door without
  opening it, or who skips steps (who skips the
  3OOth step) will reappear instantly on the
  131st step, teleporting without error so rapidly
  that they will not at first realize that they have
  moved any further than simply climbing a
  step. DMs should immediately check to see if
  any other character was on the 131st step (or
  running up or down the stair in the vicinity);
  a collision could well result in a fall or two.
  This curious property of the Stair is why the
  term "Endless" came to Halazar's mind
  when making it long ago. This teleportation
  will occur again and again if characters care
  to test it; it is part of the Stair and an inex-
  haustible, unchangeable effect.
  The Seat of Power
  PCs passing through the doorway at the
  300th step of the Endless Stair (the only en-
  trance or exit) will find themselves in an
  extra-dimensional complex of chambers—
  the Cheiromar's Seat of Power. This area has
  the appearance of a subterranean complex of
  rooms with stone walls; these walls cannot be
  breached by physical means. Use of magical
  Uleportation or pass-wall magics (to a destina-
  tion outside the complex) will cause a rent in
  the dimensional fabric; a Vortex will form,
  and the character causing the rent will be
  sucked through it, suffering 1-12 points of
  damage and losing all gear, arriving naked at
  some random destination somewhere on the
  Prime Material Plane. All of the chambers
  are softly lit by a gentle yellow Light radiance
  coming from the ceiling. Everything in the
  Seat of Power radiates an aura of magic, ex-
  cept the food in the larder (see #5).
  PCs passing through the doorway will see a
  corridor (20' high ceiling, 10' width) that
  stretchs 80' before widening, without any
  door, into a large room. The walls of the cor-
  ridor (and indeed, of the rest of the complex)
  are unnaturally smooth, unseamed granite-
  like stone. At the far end of the corridor, just
  within the larger room it opens into, some-
  thing small can be seen floating. As the PCs
  approach, they will recognize it as a skull
  with two flames in its eyesockets (see #1, be-
  low).
  1. At this location hangs the Cheiromar's
  Skullwraith (see "New Monsters" appen-
  dix), facing the corridor. As the PCs reach the
  end of the corridor, it will speak the first mes-
  sage listed in the monster description (if the
  PCs attack it from afar before reaching the
  end of the corridor, simply have the attacks
  miss, spells being reflected back at the
  caster). It will accompany the PCs around the
  complex, speaking as noted in the monster
  descripton. Note that any attempt to attack it
  after its first speech will result in its fighting
  ceaselessly until destroyed.
  2.
  3B.
  Here lies a handsome, tall man with flow-
  ing white hair and beard and a craggy,
  weathered face, apparently asleep atop a
  stone block (7' long by 4' high by 4'
  across), clad in robes of purple. His hands
  are clasped across his abdomen; there are
  brass rings on both forefingers.
  It is actually an illusion of the Cheiromar,
  which cannot be dispelled by touch (dispel
  magic will cause it to fade into nothingness for
  as many rounds as the caster has levels, and
  then reappear). It covers a bare, featureless
  stone lid (the seam is concealed by the illusion)
  of the Cheiromar's stone casket. If the PCs
  lift off the loose, heavy, unhinged lid to inves-
  tigate, they will find a human skeleton, not
  undead, and missing its left hand (cf. Guard-
  ian Hand, "New Monsters" appendix), and
  no magic or other items. The illusion will sur-
  vive even the destruction of the stone lid.
  3A.
  Here stands a 5'-high stone plinth, topped
  with a little bowl-shaped depression. In
  the hollow sits a 1'-diameter glass sphere.
  A huge (20'-diameter) glass sphere rests
  here, in a hollow in the floor, filled with a
  swirling, lime-green-hued opaque cloud
  of smokiness.
  This is the control sphere for #3B (see below).
  The smoke is an imprisoned eater-of-magic;
  see "New Monsters" appendix. This larger
  sphere will resist all attacks and all attempts
  to move or otherwise affect it short of a wish,
  but the smaller control sphere governs its
  state; if one shatters the smaller sphere (if at-
  tempted from afar, a hit roll is required, but
  one can simply hurl it against wall or floor
  since it is fragile glass!), the larger will also
  shatter. This will free the eater-of-magic. If
  one moves the smaller, the larger one will
  move too, remaining the same distance and
  direction from the control sphere as it is when
  they are found—the larger sphere turning
  momentarily and partially gaseous (but not
  thereby releasing its prisoner) whenever nec-
  essary, to pass through walls and other solid
  obstructions.
  If for any reason the eater-of-magic is ever
  released (a dispel magic cast here will allow the
  eater to eat through its imprisoning sphere
  from within and escape, in 1 -2 rounds), it will
  rush as fast as it can (not quickly, but cover-
  ing the distance from its initial location
  within a round, if it has not been moved) to
  the doorway into #8, through the cracks if
  necessary. There, it will envelop the Seat of
  Power—which will cause the silent, mutual
  destruction of both eater and Seat. Any other
  creatures or items within 10' will fade away to
  nothingness in 7 rounds. (If the eater is de-
  stroyed in the intervening 6 rounds, the Seat
  will be unharmed.) If either Lathkoon or Ze-
  lazel knows what has occurred and is in a po-
  sition to do so, they will appear and attempt
  to slay the eater, defending themselves from
  PC attacks only if necessary. If the eater sur-
  vives 5 rounds of this, the ex-apprentice will
  flee before he, the eater, and the Seat are all
  vaporized; if the eater is slain, the wizard will
  mount the Seat and attempt to use it against
  the PCs and the other ex-apprentice.
  If the eater destroys the Seat, a vortex will
  form 1 round later; it will suck in all creatures
  in #8 ar the time and who enter the chamber
  subsequently, with the effects noted above, in
  the preliminary description of the Seat of
  Power complex. An eater may be stopped,
  deflected, and caged only by the means of a
  force field spell or item effect (cf. D&BP Mas-
  ter Player's Book).
  If one ex-apprentice slays the Eater and the
  other is observing events, the second ex-
  21
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  apprentice will appear and magically attack
  the first (perhaps catching the PCs in a magi-
  cal crossfire). Both combatants will ignore
  the PCs until their own duel is over; whom-
  ever survives will then attack the PCs, re-
  gardless of their actions during the duel. For
  instance, if the PCs aid one wizard, and he
  thereby wins the duel, he will then immedi-
  ately turn upon them. If at any time during
  this series of confrontations either ex-
  apprentice fears for his life, and is in a posi-
  tion to escape (i.e., by teleport), he will do so,
  seeking revenge later.
  4.
  Here a row of dark wooden shelves climbs
  the wall from floor to the 20' ceiling, and
  are crammed with jars and bottles of ex-
  perimental ingredients of various sorts,
  and various implements used by the
  Cheiromar.
  The DM is encouraged to introduce artifacts,
  maps, or unique items leading to further ad-
  ventures in his or her own campaign here; a
  partial list of the treasures stored here is as
  follows: a stout, hat-sized jar of 1,000 copper
  pieces; a similar jar of charcoal lumps; an-
  other of rusty iron scraps; another of black-
  ened and burnt (human?) bones; another of
  withered rose petals; another of tallow candle
  stubs; a small straw basket of chalk sticks of
  various colors; ajar of pickled whole frogs; a
  small glass jar of fangs; a tinder box; a small
  brass coin with a curious pointed and com-
  pass directions on one face, and a word on the
  other (see dart of death in the "New Magical
  Items" appendix); a set of brass measuring
  calipers and tweezers; a very sharp, silver-
  bladed, non-magical dagger; an oil lamp; six
  jars of oil sealed with wax; an alembic; a spy-
  glass; a frameless glass magnifying lens; an
  hourglass; a carved wooden hand with
  jointed fingers for holding small items sta-
  tionary in various set positions; a stuffed owl;
  a glass jar full of snake skins; a large basket of
  various tangled balls of thread, yarn, and
  waxed cord; and a clay pipe. The shelves are
  sturdy enough to be climbed.
  5. In this room the Cheiromar evidently lived
  as others do; to the left of the door hangs a 1 '-
  diameter circular glass mirror (concealed be-
  hind it in the wall is a fist-sized, foot-deep
  hole, filled with a rotting canvas bag contain-
  ing 6 pp, 112 gp, 8 sp, and 3 cp). Directly in
  front of the door is a wooden table, still fairly
  sturdy, upon which rests an empty glass bot-
  tle; the table is a table ofplenty, (D&D® 
  AC4,
  The Book of Marvelous Magic, page 64. The
  table can create three real meals for four per-
  sons daily, with items and utensils that disap-
  pear if taken more than five feet from the
  table. The command words for this table are
  scratched into its underside—but note that
  the fifth command word is too small to be
  read from the table itself if the fourth word is
  used to turn it into a l"-tall table. The fifth
  word returns it to normal size.
  Drawn up to the table is a chair that e into
  dust and splinters if sat on, and beyond it,
  along the back wall of the chamber, is a
  wooden trestle bed (wobbly), beneath it an
  empty earthen chamber pot, and beside it a
  stone cube with a tight-fitting door. Behind
  the door is a larder containing a permanent
  cold spell with a moldy cheese, 2 rotten sau-
  sages, 4 botdes of wine gone to vinegar, and a
  moldy, sponge-like growth that was once a
  loaf of black bread.
  6. The Cheiromar's wardrobe fills this small
  room, with two racks of wooden poles and
  pegs from which hang 112 rotting, musty
  robes, many of formerly grand appearance
  (in the pocket of one—not the first one
  examined—is a gem of magic missile reflection;
  q.v. "New Magical Items" appendix). A
  fragile wooden stool sits across from the door,
  and behind it a non-magical walking staff of
  black wood leans against the wall. Hidden
  behind all of die garments is a cabinet of dark
  wood, 5' tall, 4' wide, and 3' deep—a cabinet
  of ministering (cf. D&D® AC4, 
  The Book of
  Marvelous Magic, p. 22), which can remove
  curse, cure disease, or cure wounds (50 hp or less)
  once per month on anyone within, with the
  doors closed and the proper command words
  uttered. 
  These words 
  are 
  lost—only
  Lathkoon and Zelazel know them. The cabi-
  net is strong as steel.
  7.
  This room was obviously the Cheiromar's
  library; bookshelves line three of its four
  walls. It is a scene of neglect and decay, for
  something that likes paper (orseveral hun-
  dred generations of such somethings) for
  dinner have eaten steadily along the
  shelves, leaving only a litter of tiny parch-
  ment scraps and shreds, rusty iron clasps
  and cornercaps, and strips of ruined hide.
  Amid all this decay lean 5 volumes, ap-
  parently untouched and whole.
  The Tomes of The Cheiromar's Library:
  The five remaining tomes found on Alga-
  hund's library shelves in the Seat of Power are
  detailed later. Note that most contain new spells
  not found in the D&D® rulebooks; individual
  DMs should decide whether to alter, eliminate,
  or prevent PC use of any or all of these.
  1. Splecter's Conjurations, Masteries, and
  Summonings
  Splecter was a famous magus who roamed
  many planes in a long and colorful career as
  an adventurer; his magics earned him the
  nickname "Master of Beasts" and upon retir-
  ing from his wanderings he set down the
  spells that he used when dealing with crea-
  tures. The tome is a heavy book of burnished
  copper plates sealed in some way to prevent
  corrosion and oxidation, and bound with
  clasps of dragonbone within two covers of
  slate covered with wyvernhide, dyed green.
  The tide is set into die cover in tiny runes of
  silver, and reproduced on a tide page within,
  along with this warning:
  To use these magics without care, for ill/
  Risks a grave, swift, cold, and still.
  After the tide page follow 14 plates, each
  bearing a single spell. Details of the tome's
  unique magics are given later. Protection from
  evil, detect invisible, web, infravision, water breath-
  ing, charm monster, control bats (see "New
  Spells" appendix), growth of plants, polymorph
  others, conjure elemental, control gargoyles (see
  "New Spells" Appendix), hold monster, invisi-
  ble stalker, and create normal monsters.
  2. Najirit's Tome of Wonders
  Najirit was a mysterious mage—a para-
  noid, oft-hidden Magus who practiced decep-
  tions as a matter of course, and feared and
  distrusted all other beings (particularly other
  wizards). Upon his death, a former tutor
  found one of his spell-books, and somehow in
  tavern-tales and gossip it acquired the name
  we now know it by (for the book itself has no
  tide). It bears Najirit's own rune:
  The five books have indeed survived un-
  scathed; they are a few of the Cheiromar's
  books of magic, left behind by Halazar (who
  obviously took much with him), and are de-
  tailed below.
  and is of red-dyed oxhide stretched over
  wooden boards, bound together with three
  electrum rings. Twenty-two sheets of fine
  parchment are enclosed, each bearing a sin-
  gle spell: charm person, detect magic, hold portal,
  protection from evil, sleep, ventriloquism, detect in-
  visible, ESP, invisibility, mirror image, phantasmal
  force, clairvoyance, dispel magic, haste, hold person,
  infravision, dimension door, massmorph, polymorph
  self, warning trumpet {see "New Spells" appen-
  dix), wizard eye, and teleport.
  22
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  3. Phenalon's Phantasmagorica
  The origin of this tome is forgotten; who
  and where Phenalon was is now lost with the
  shiftings and failings of the passage of years.
  This slim volume of parchment leaves,
  bound between plates of electrum inlaid with
  ivory, bears the title "Phenalon's Phantasma-
  giroca," and the following rune (Phenalon's
  own, presumably) on the cover.
  just beyond the door, containing rolled-up
  scrolls, one spell to a scroll, as follows: dissolve,
  lower water, lore, magic door, power word stun, and
  force field.
  Within are the following spells, set down
  one to a page: charm person, invisibility, phantas-
  mal force, wizard lock, hallucinatory terrain, mass-
  morph, projected image, lore, mass charm, symbol
  (with two new symbols, as detailed in the
  "New Spells" appendix), and Maze. There
  are four blank pages at the end of the book.
  4. Asztellor's Book of Mighty Spells
  Asztellor was a long-ago mage, of whom
  nothing is now remembered except that he led
  an army of skeletons into the fray (on the win-
  ning side) at the Battle of Six Kings. This vol-
  ume is of dragonhide stretched over polished
  plates of whalebone. The plates are pierced,
  and through the holes have been run bronze
  rings, attaching the covers to the wooden
  frames of 10 sheets of vellum, each of which
  contains one spell. The title of the book is
  tooled and worked into the front cover. The
  book contains the following spells: animate dead,
  cloudkill, conjure elemental, feeblemind, death spell,
  disintegrate, geas, invisible stalker, reincarnation,
  and delayed blast fire ball.
  5. The Book of Dolzhabban "The Dread"
  Dolzhabban was a wizard who died in magi-
  cal combat some seventy winters ago, after a
  short but spectacular career as a "wi-
  zardslayer," seeking out and destroying lone
  Magi and taking their magic for his own.
  Upon his death another wizard found his trav-
  eling spell books in a saddlebag on his tethered
  hippogriff steed—the only bit of the wi-
  zardslayer's lore ever recovered. The rest of
  the magic Dolzhabban accumulated remains
  lost and hidden somewhere on the Prime
  Plane.
  This book gained its name from its owner; it
  bears no title, but is a simple, stout book of
  heavy cowhide stretched over metal plates
  (electrum), and with metal cornercaps. The
  entire book is bound together with copper wire
  to ten sheets of scraped, bleached, and cureed
  leather, on each of which a single spell has been
  inscribed. The contents of the book are as fol-
  lows: magic missile, web, fire ball, lightning boh,
  stone bolt (see "New Magic Spells" appendix),
  ice storm, magic jar, death spell, power word stun,
  and meteor swarm.
  There is also a set of pigeonholes on a shelf
  An overstuffed chair, much decayed, faces
  the door, and beside it is a slate-topped
  wooden table. On the table is a sphere of
  glass or crystal, sitting in a little base of
  dark wood.
  The sphere is a crystal of death scrying (see "New
  Magical Items" appendix). Careful examina-
  tion of the table will reveal a tiny, shallow
  drawer set in its side, facing the chair, just un-
  der the slate tabletop. This drawer contains
  three small, cream-colored bone buttons (but-
  tons of blasting, cf. D&LP AC4, The Book of
  Marvelous Magic, p. 21), which do 4-24 points
  of damage when the command word (each
  button has its word engraved on one side:
  "Chasterzaulor," "Maerthglim," and "Talan-
  tabbass") is spoken by the last person to touch
  them, if that person is within 240'.
  8. In this circular chamber is only one thing:
  the Seat of Power itself, a stone seat (with its
  back to the door) set atop seven concentric
  rings of circular steps. The steps are graven
  with crawling runes (an illusion; the runes are
  ever-shifting, non-magical nonsense) that shift
  and alter constantly, and when a living being
  touches any step or the Seat itself, the area
  touched will glow with a white radiance
  (equivalent in effect to a light spell) for as long
  as the touch is maintained.
  The Seat of Power is a Lesser Artifact, cre-
  ated by the same unknown Immortal who
  fashioned the Stair. Ancient tomes name this
  Immortal as "Cheiros" and the guardian as
  the "Cheiromar"; Algahund assumed the title
  when he retired from his travels to this place
  (the most powerful refuge he had found in his
  adventurings). To be used, the Seat must be
  sat upon—there is room for only one being on
  the Seat, and only that being can control the
  Seat's powers. Like all artifacts, the Seat's
  magical effects operate at the 40th level, and it
  saves as a 36th level Fighter. However, an
  eater-of-magic can destroy it by unravelling
  the magical powers that control it and keep it
  together, within 12 rounds (on the 7th round,
  the Seat and the eater together will fade into
  the Ethereal Plane; anyone seated on the Seat
  or directly touching it (i.e., flesh in contact
  with the Seat) will become Ethereal also. The
  Seat will lose 2 powers per round (determine
  randomly) on the 8th round of contact and on
  each round thereafter, the eater losing 2 hp per
  round in like manner, until the 12th round,
  when the Seat and all of its remaining powers
  will be destroyed. The eater is vulnerable to all
  attacks on the ethereal plane that it is vulnera-
  ble to on the Prime Plane, and if it is slain be-
  fore the 12th round, the process halts, and the
  Seat (with any human occupant) will drift
  back onto the Prime Plane in 2-7 days, its re-
  maining powers becoming effective on the
  Prime Plane only upon its return. If the Seat is
  destroyed on the ethereal plane, the Vortex
  thus created will reach the Prime Plane imme-
  diately (cf. D&D Companion Set Book 2); the
  elemental plane of destination may be chosen
  by the DM randomly, and at the DM's option,
  a Spectral Hound or
  While it is on the Prime Plane, the Seat's
  powers are limited to the Prime Plane, but can
  operate without restrictions on distance—
  making the Seat an awesome weapon in the
  wrong hands (imagine a vengeful being creating
  monsters everywhere!). Anyone sitting upon the
  Seat goes into a trance, and cannot see or hear
  normally, but only through the "Rune-Eye"
  (see below). An anti-magic shell which fills the
  entire chamber instantly comes into existence
  whenever anyone sits upon the Seat, but the
  sitter is vulnerable to physical attack. (Note
  that anyone sitting on the Seat who survives an
  attack may use a Seat power the following
  round regardless of pain or physical
  restraint—but Rune-Eye powers may never
  be unleashed into or within the anti-magic shell;
  the power so used must be one of those marked
  with an asterisk (*) on the list below).
  Seat Powers (usable only once per round, and
  only one power per round): Dispel magic (R
  120', EF 20' cube, X8) meteor swarm (R
  240', EF 4 for 8d6 + 8d6 or 4 for 4d6 + 4d6;
  C26) curse (R touch, EF limited; see X14)
  teleport (self only, from Seat; XI5) create any
  monster (R 90'; DR 4T, EF 40 HD; M8) re-
  verse gravity (R 90'; EF 30' cube; C22) heal
  (M9; automatic healing of self only) remove
  curse (R touch; X14) prismatic wall (R 60';
  DR 6T, EF 10' radius or 500 sq ft; M9)
  R = Range in feet; DR = Duration; T =
  Turn; EF = Area of Effect; page and volume
  number of rulebooks describing magic given
  at end of entry.
  The Seat powers (except for teleport and heat)
  are all unleashed from the Rune-Eye; this is an
  eye of glowing force, resembling a Wizard Eye
  orb (and visible to others) which can travel
  without restriction upon the Prime Plane, up
  to 9999' per round, created by the Seat. Any-
  one sitting in the first time (it is the first time
  for all PCs and living NPCs in this adventure,
  including the ex-apprentices) will be confused
  for 1-3 rounds, dazed by the overwhelming
  flow of mental information as the Seat makes
  23
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  the sitter fully (i.e., range and duration in-
  cluded) aware of all its powers, how to will
  each 
  to 
  operate, 
  and 
  the 
  intricate
  "Thronerune." If the sitter concentrates
  upon the Thronerune, the Rune-Eye will be
  created, and drift up from the Seat to the ceil-
  ing of the chamber until willed to travel about
  the Prime Plane by the sitter. Through the
  Rune-Eye, a sitter sees with truesight, but the
  eye goes blind in each round that it unleashes
  a power, as it can only perform one activity at
  a time; thus, targets that have moved since
  the sitter's "last look" may well be missed.
  The Rune-Eye cannot be held or silenced (it
  can be temporarily negated in the use of all
  powers except movement or sight by a dispel
  magic cast upon it, or by its entering an anti-
  magic shell), and can "twist" dimensionally to
  enter or leave sealed chambers "through" the
  walls or ceiling, and to avoid force fields and
  other traps or means of encasement.
  The Rune-Eye must "touch" targets to
  unleash a curse, or to remove curse (in a situation
  where the abovenamed defenses do not re-
  strict its powers from operating); for all other
  powers it serves as the location of the caster.
  A spellcaster who sits upon the Seat can
  cast any memorized spell (by use of the will
  only) through the Rune-Eye, and this spell
  will take effect as though the caster were there
  in person. "Touch" spells still require the
  Rune-Eye to "touch" targets, and the spell
  takes effect at the caster's level, not the Seat's
  40th level.
  Use of any of the asterisked spells by a sit-
  ter results in the permanent loss of 1 hit point
  for the sitter, and the Rune-Eye will vanish
  for 6 turns (not reappearing before that time
  has elapsed even if another being sits upon
  the Seat).
  The use of the Seat is mentally exhausting;
  concentration will become increasingly diffi-
  cult, and if any being sits upon the Seat for
  more rounds than he or she has points of In-
  telligence, that being will will not regain cons
  ciousness unless or until it falls off, or is re-
  moved from, the Seat. Assuming that such a
  removal occurs before the being succumbs to
  lack of food and water, and is revived, one of
  the following results will be apparent (roll
  percentile dice):
  01-66%: no effect.
  67-75 %: Being is feebleminded (permanent
  unless rectified).
  76-85%: Being suffers permanent loss of
  1 point of Intelligence.
  86-98%: Being is insane (treat as Symbol
  of insanity for effects; perma-
  nent unless magically cured).
  99-00%: An "echo" of any one (deter-
  mine randomly) Seat power has
  be transferred to the being's
  mind; its nature is known to the
  being, and by will the being can
  deliberately unleash it, once, in
  the future (as a 40th level spell,
  regardless of the being's class or
  situation, as long as he or she is
  conscious to do the unleashing).
  Such a use drains the power
  from the mind of the being. An
  "echo" cannot be discerned by
  another creature who reads, in-
  fluences, or controls the mind of
  the being affected by the Seat;
  thus, the being cannot be com-
  pelled to will use of the power. If
  a being already having an echo
  of power sits on the Seat again,
  and this result occurs again,
  both powers will take instant ef-
  fect on the being—and if he or
  she survives, they will be Insane.
  If this result does not occur
  again, note that the retention of
  the "one-shot" echo will survive
  insanity, feeblemindedness, charm-
  ing, and just about everything
  except the death of the being
  possessing it.
  (Note the limited concentration that most
  sitters can give to maintaining a spell cast
  through the Rune-Eye, ere they succumb to
  exhaustion. Immortals are of course immune
  to the Seat's ill effects, and will never become
  exhausted by its use.)
  Use of the Seat may well attract the atten-
  tion of certain undesirable creatures, such as
  malfera (q. v., Z)6rD® Companion Set, Book 2),
  planar spiders (q.v. Master Set DM's Book),
  nightwings (see Master Set DM's Book, "night-
  shade"), liches (see Master Set DM's Book),
  and the like, who will attack the being on the
  Seat, appearing at the base of the Seat's steps.
  The arrival of such a creature is 5% likely
  (not cumulative) per round of use. (The DM
  should choose the type and number of mon-
  sters to appear; most arrivals will be solitary.)
  The DM should note that if Lathkoon or Ze-
  lazel (or a quick-witted PC) reaches the Seat
  and overcomes the initial disorientation, they
  can unleash Seat powers within the rest of the
  Seat of Power complex.
  9. This high-ceilinged (60' up) chamber is
  empty save for a featureless golden metallic
  globe hanging (levitating) motionless by the
  ceiling. A rope ladder hangs down from it to
  the floor (when PCs look at it from the far
  side, they will see that the ladder actually
  hangs from the ceiling close beside it). All is
  dark and silent. In one far corner (the north-
  east) of the room is a small circular area of
  lighter stone floor-tiles, and within this area is
  a small wooden table containing three foot-
  long, tapering sticks of wood, and a scroll.
  All will remain dark and silent unless a liv-
  ing creature reaches the circle of lighter stone.
  At that time the walls, floor, and ceiling of the
  room will glow with a white radiance. Anyone
  observing this radiance will notice that this ra-
  diance extends across the doorway, whether
  the door is open or not. (If anyone is standing
  in the doorway, they will be hurled violently
  into, or out of—at the DM's discretion, or de-
  termine randomly—the room by the forma-
  tion of a force field there.) As long as no living
  creature is in the room and outside of the circle
  of lighter stone, nothing else will occur—but if
  any creature leaves the circle (its "protection"
  extends in an invisible cylinder to the ceiling,
  so flying or levitating creatures who rise up
  above it are not "leaving" it until they move so
  as to be no longer above it) the globe will also
  begin to glow.
  The circular area is a "safe spot" or area of
  anti-magic excluded from any magical effects
  unleashed in the room. Spells cast from within
  it will be lost and wasted, nor will magical item
  functions or spell-like natural powers work.
  Artifacts may (30 % chance per attempt) func-
  tion normally from within the area. The sticks
  of wood are merely that; they were intende as
  wands, but are not magical. The scroll, when
  unrolled, will be found to be blank. All magi-
  cal items brought within this area must save
  vs. Spells once every third round they are
  within the area, or be utterly drained (this in-
  cludes potions and scroll, but not artifacts).
  The rest of the room is some sort of
  spellcasting practice arena; its glowing co-
  coon of surrounding force field will harmlessly
  absorb all destructive magics unleased that
  strike the perimeters of the room, (such ener-
  gies being recycled to power the globe).
  The round after the globe first begins glow-
  ing, spell effects will lash out from it to all liv-
  ing creatures in the room who are not within
  the "safe" area. For each living creature, de-
  termine the effect at random. Percentile Die
  Roll: 01-33% magic missile (a single missile
  unleashed the first time); 34-66% fire ball
  (Id6 the first time); 67-00% lightning bolt (Id6
  the first time).
  Note that multiple targets could all suffer
  different effects in the same round. Any spells
  directed at the globe will simply be absorbed,
  with the following exceptions: dispel magic
  causes the globe to do nothing (it will con-
  tinue to glow) for 4 rounds; a wish of any sort
  will cause the globe to explode, destroying the
  force field and dealing 10d6 damage to all
  24
  
  CHAPTER 4: THE ENDLESS STAIR AND THE SEAT OF POWER
  within the room, whether in the "safe" area
  or not; pass-wall will open a hole in the side of
  the globe, revealing intricate metallic ma-
  chinery that will detect magic positively; and an
  anti-magic shell that includes the globe in its
  area of effect will nullify the globe until the
  spell expires. Casting a disintegrate spell will
  either (01-60%) be absorbed harmlessly, or
  (61-00%) cause the globe to explode, as de-
  scribed previously.
  The globe may be "turned off' at any time
  by speaking a command word aloud in the
  written on the underside of the little table; it
  is "Almandass," and is known to Lathkoon,
  Zelazel, and Shaleen (all of whom remember
  quite well how this room operates). The rope
  ladder leads up to the globe, and is affixed to
  the ceiling there, but faces only the feature-
  less globe. If pass-wall is used on that side of
  the globe, from the ladder, a pair of levers will
  be revealed within the globe; both are "up"
  (pulling down the left-hand one will turn the
  globe off, and the second, if pulled down, will
  turn off the room's specialforcefield). Theforce
  field thai protects the safe area from the rest of
  the room can be passed through freely by all
  living creatures; at any other location in the
  room, the special force field can be breached
  only by casting dispel magic on it (which causes
  a lO'-radius hole in the Field where the spell
  was directed, lasting 1-2 rounds), or by cast-
  ing disintegrate or wish (which will cause a hole
  in the Field as directed, that will last until the
  room is shut off and again reactivated—at
  which time the Field will reappear as before).
  On every second round after its first at-
  tack, the globe will attack again (i.e., on the
  3d, 5th, 7th, etc. rounds). Each time it does
  so, its attacks will be increased by one die of
  damage (the magic missile attack gaining a
  missile each time) to a maximum of 20d6.
  When this maximum is reached, globe and
  force field will shut down of their own accord,
  until the next time the room is opened,
  whereupon they can be activated again as de-
  scribed earlier. (The anti-magic "safe area" is
  a permanent effect.)
  Any attempt to remove the globe from the
  room or plane, or take any part of its metal or
  interior machinery causes the globe to ex-
  plode, with the results described earlier. Any
  physical attacks upon the outside of the globe
  that inflict 44 points of damage, or upon the
  interior (if pass-wall has been used) that inflict
  12 points of damage causes the explosion.
  A prismatic wall can be raised successfully in
  the chamber, but a wall of iron or similar
  magic that must rest on solid support cannot
  rest on the specialforcefield of this room; if
  created, will fall an d shatter, as described in
  the spell description. A force field cast in the
  room will have normal effect. A barrier that
  strikes the globe will inflict physical damage
  on it, with (if sufficient) the effects noted pre-
  viously. The globe is not a "monster," nor
  does it have a mind that can be contacted,
  controlled, or influenced. It is a powerful
  construct once used in Algahund's own train-
  ing. Even he did not know how to create or
  repair it, and none of his exapprentices know
  where it came from or how to destroy it.
  ENDING THE ADVENTURE
  The adventure described in this module
  should end in a "battle royal" in and about
  the Endless Stair or the Seat of Power. Sur-
  vival may dictate that one or both of the ex-
  apprentices, or some or all of the PCs, flee for
  their lives—and if the Seat of Power is in the
  hands of the victorious party, such flight may
  be fatal; a rallying and counter-attack may be
  necessary for survival. DMs must play the
  NPCs with the same drive and ruthlessness
  that the player characters are played with (or
  more!), or this adventure will be an almost
  boring procedure of collecting magical trea-
  sure. If this is done, either Lathkoon and Ze-
  lazel should be alive at the end of the
  adventure (if not, Shaleen should be brought
  into play for this purpose). If not in posses-
  sion of most of the Cheiromar's magic (which
  may lead the PCs into later confrontations to
  gain it for themselves), the wizard in question
  will go into hiding, recovering and trying to
  keep track of whoever has gained the magic.
  The DM should review the aims and inten-
  tions of the three NPC wizards given in the
  descriptions at the beginning of this module
  to decide exactly how each survivor will act.
  Other wizards may well appear if word
  gets out via the locals or the spectacular magi-
  cal effects of the battle, that the Stair has been
  climbed (particularly if the DM judges the
  PCs to be overburdened with magic at the
  end of the action in the Seat of Power com-
  plex). After all, the Cheiromar and Halazar
  were prominent magic-users of their day—
  many wizards have heard of the Cheiromar's
  Tomb and the wealth of magic said to be
  there. Few have investigated; such stories are
  all too common—and all to commonly exag-
  gerated or entirely fanciful. But once it seems
  there was something to the tale, after all, var-
  ious magic-users of all levels of experience
  will come to investigate (and if the adventure
  is set in the Principalities of Glantri, these
  will be many), in order to procure any possi-
  ble magic for themselves.
  If PCs have themselves gained considera-
  ble magic from the adventure, any magic-
  users they encounter looking for a share of
  magic should range up to the most powerful;
  Companion-level characters can survive both
  the rigors of dealing with powerful magic,
  and the consequences of their actions.
  The campaign setting will suggest proba-
  ble political consequences (if any) of a spec-
  tacular battle around the Endless Stair. Local
  rulers may take an interest in this suddenly-
  revealed storehouse of magical lore and
  power, and show up to inspect and probably
  claim it—or make sure that its threat to their
  authority is ended by slaying any dangerous
  individuals found there. If any PCs try to use
  the Seat of Power complex as a stronghold—
  for which it seems well suited—quite a pro-
  cession of visitors looking for magic will show
  up (and if these include any surviving ex-
  apprentices, their knowledge of the place
  could make them extremely dangerous).
  It is recommended that if the Seat of Power
  itself still exists, the PCs be challenged by
  powerful wizards and monsters— and per-
  haps even Immortals—for control of it. In
  undamaged form, it is a trifle powerful to be
  controlled by PCs and still maintain interest-
  ing campaign play. Such stiff challenges are
  part of the lot of Companion-level characters;
  the true test of such characters is whether
  they control their own destinies or whether
  they let destiny (i.e., events of the world
  around them, portrayed by the DM) control
  them.
  It is left to the DM to decide whether to ex-
  pand on the activities of Those Who Watch
  (and Baron Elktazar's possible rise, or the ac-
  tivities of any descendants who may seek to
  rule where he once held sway) if the PCs re-
  main in the area. If, as is more likely, they
  pass on, then the legacy of this adventure will
  be the patient, careful pursuit by any surviv-
  ing ex-apprentice(s), carefully gathering
  magical strength and information on the
  whereabouts and doings of the PCs so as to
  strike when success is most likely. "Patient"
  is the key word here; it could be years before
  such a nemesis strikes—remember, the
  Cheiromar's magic is an obsession with
  Lathkoon, Zelazel, and (when alive) Ul-
  thorn; and revenge for Ulthorn's death will
  be as strong an obsession with Shaleen. This
  menace can "wait in the wings" until the
  right moment.
  And so the adventure goes on...
  25
  
  APPENDIX I: NEW SPELLS
  Third Level Spell
  Stone Bolt
  Range: 70'
  Duration: instantaneous
  Effect: fires stones as missiles at a single creature
  This spell requires the presence (from surround-
  ings or carried by the caster) of fist-sized or smaller
  stones, such as sling stones. The caster holds these
  in his or her palm, points at a target creature (who
  must be visible to the caster at the time) and exerts
  his or her will to release the magic, without word or
  other gesture; all the stones at once WiSifly at the de-
  sired target, lightning-fast, striking at +3 to hit
  (roll as though caster was striking directly with a
  weapon). A number of stones equal to the caster's
  level can be so "fired" at an opponent; extra stones
  will be unaffected, remaining in the caster's palm.
  The target, if hit, gets a saving throw vs. death ray; if
  successful, each stone does only 1 hp of damage; if
  failed, each stone deals 2 points of damage. In ei-
  ther case any intended or current spellcasting or in-
  tricate activity (picking locks, reading messages,
  etc.) on the part of the target will be prevented for
  that round.
  Fourth Level Spells
  Control Bats
  Range: 40' radius globe about caster Duration: 1-4
  turns plus a number of rounds equal to the caster's
  level. Effect: Allows control of 1-2 giant or up to 10
  normal bats.
  With this spell, the caster can control bats (includ-
  ing giant, vampiric bats, but not undead sorts or
  other creatures Shapechanged or Polymorphed
  into bats) of the normal or giant varieties. Giant
  bats receive a saving throw vs. spells (at - 4) to
  avoid this magic; normal bats get no saving throw if
  caught in spell range. The caster by will and ges-
  ture can direct the bats to attack specific creatures,
  dive at or batter certain locations, or swirl about in
  a blinding cloud in a particular spot. The bats will
  obey without checking morale, regardless of possi-
  ble danger. If 2 giant bats are controlled, the caster
  may also command the bats to lift him or her and
  fly (such flight moving only 40' per turn, and last-
  ing a maximum of 2 turns before the bats are ex-
  hausted), carrying the caster or another creature
  touched by the caster to so direct the bats. (At-
  tempts to do this with less than 2 Giant Bats will re-
  sult in failure—and, of course, a possible fall.) Four
  Giant Bats (through use of multiple spells) can
  carry a horse or other pack or riding animal; 1 Gi-
  ant Bat can carry a dwarf or other smaller-than-
  man-size creature. Control over Giant Bats is
  broken if they are injured in the service of the spell-
  caster down to their last 5 hp. Bats are dextrous
  enough to pluck, clutch, and carry keys or rings of
  keys, potions, scrolls, and small, light sacks or
  pouches. While controlling, a user of this spell has
  no idea how long control will last, and learns only
  by visual observation that it has ceased.
  Wiming Trumpet
  Range: Touch (1 creature of an area up to 10
  square feet or 5 cubic feet in extent).
  Duration: Permanent until dispelled, activated, or
  death of caster occurs.
  Effect: Warning Trumpet sounds if activated.
  This spell creates a magical alarm or warning sys-
  tem: if the object on which it is cast moves or is
  moved more than its own length in location, or
  changes its state (e.g., a closed door opening, a
  drawn weapon being sheathed, a knot being un-
  tied, any object being broken, a magical item being
  activated), or upon a certain, single intelligent be-
  ing (who must be named in the spellcasting) ap-
  proaching the object within 10'; the Warning
  Trumpet will sound.
  This Trumpet is a single warning note, rising
  and then falling and dying away, that is audible to
  all beings within 30' of the protected object or area
  when it is activated. Beyond 30', it is audible only
  to the spellcaster (and not creatures reading, or
  linked to, the caster's thoughts). It can only be cast
  on non-living material (if cast on a corpse that is
  subsequently revived, the magic will be dispelled
  without the Trumpet sounding), and can be dis-
  pelled. Any object so protected will be revealed as
  such by a detect magic spell. A warning trumpet can be
  cast on clothing worn by a living creature to reveal
  the creature's movements. The caster need not
  concentrate to maintain the Trumpet, and will hear
  it regardless of distance if on the same plane as the
  guarded object when the Trumpet is activated.
  (The death of the caster will negate any outstanding
  Trumpets, even if he or she is subsequently raised.)
  A caster may have multiple Warning Trumpets
  in effect but not yet triggered—but as a magic-user
  only gains another Trumpet "tone" for every seven
  personal experience levels achieved (i.e., one at
  1st, two at 7th, three at 14th, etc.) the caster will
  probably not know which one of the various
  guarded objects has been affected, unless of high
  enough level to set the various Trumpets at differ-
  ent tones. This spell is most commonly used by
  powerful wizards to guard their spell books, so that
  they can teleport back to the books from afar to pre-
  vent theft.
  Fifth Level Spell
  Control Gargoyle
  Range: Touch
  Duration: 1 day per level of caster
  Effect: Caster may control one gargoyle
  This spell allows the caster to control one gargoyle
  as though it is Charmed. The gargoyle gets a saving
  throw vs. spells at + 2 (due to its magical nature) to
  avoid the Control, and if this is successful, the gar-
  goyle will be enraged at the caster, and will attack
  him or her as soon as possible, not resting until
  slain or until the caster is dead. (Gargoyles still un-
  der the effects of a previously-cast Control Gargoyle
  spell—even one cast by another spellcaster—save
  versus this spell at - 2, not + 2. Note that the sec-
  ond Control Spell cancels the first; it takes effect im-
  mediately, not when the first spell would normally
  expire, if successful.)
  If the save fails, the gargoyle becomes a
  perfectly-controlled servant, obedient to the death,
  for a number of days and nights equal to the experi-
  ence level of the caster. A mental bond between the
  caster and gargoyle is created, and through it the
  caster, regardless of distance, can (if conscious) di-
  rectly control the gargoyle's actions. A controlled
  gargoyle cannot cast spells, but can perform acts of
  manual dexterity and wield certain magical items.
  A caster may (by the use of multiple control gargoyle
  spells) control simultaneously a number of gar-
  goyles up to the equal of his or her Intelligence
  points, but can only directly control one gargoyle at
  a time. "Direct control" is the imposition of the
  caster's will to control the gargoyle's body as dex-
  terously and completely as if it was the caster's
  own.
  Such direct control requires too much concentra-
  tion for the caster to simultaneously cast spells, but
  a gargoyle can be left without orders, to follow its
  instincts, or left with a simple command, which it
  will obediently follow (such as: "attack all in-
  truders; do not attack me or any creatures I name
  as friendly"), while the caster attends to something
  else. The "something else" may be spellcasting,
  the "direct control" of another gargoyle, sleep, or
  any activity requiring full concentration. Note that
  a gargoyle left to follow its instincts may well decide
  to attack the spellcaster—although if this is noticed
  in time, the caster can give the gargoyle a direct or-
  der to the contrary, or assume "direct control" over
  its body to prevent the attack. Given intelligent use
  of explicit commands, a spellcaster need not exer-
  cise direct control over a gargoyle all the time. The
  death of the caster or separation of caster and con-
  trolled gargoyle onto different planes will end the
  caster's Control, even if such situations are imme-
  diately rectified.
  Eighth Level Spell
  Symbol
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Permanent
  Effect: Creates 1 magical rune
  This is the same spell known to many wizards (cf.
  D&EP Players Companion: Book One, p.25), but
  the version found here gives details of two new
  runes not widely known, one of which has been
  used on the Endless Stair in this adventure, as well
  as the six Symbols listed in the rules. For the pur-
  poses of activating these Symbols—see below—
  "passes" is defined as approaching, and then
  passing by, a rune, within 10 feet, not merely di-
  rectly over it.
  Spell Loss: Any spellcaster who reads, touches,
  or passes this Symbol loses one memorized spell, if
  any, chosen at random if more than one is memo-
  rized. The spell is simply forgotten, not discharged
  or "stolen" to be stored elsewhere. (Unlike other
  Symbols, magic-users do not get a saving throw to
  avoid the effects of a Spell-Loss rune; it is specifically
  designed to affect them.)
  Entrap: Any being who touches or passes over
  this Symbol must save vs. spells or be swallowed—
  imprisoned within an extradimensional space to
  which the rune is the entrance. While in the prison,
  the victim is Confused (and has no sense of the pas-
  sage of time), being unable to cast spells, attempt
  verbal or mental communication, and so on. This
  imprisonment will last for 1 turn per level of the
  original caster of the Symbol or until the victim is
  freed. (Imprisonment will not harm a victim unless
  he or she is badly wounded and in need of aid when
  Entrapment occurs; victims can breathe normally
  and are at a comfortable temperature and humid-
  ity.) A Symbol of this sort can trap any number of
  beings at once, although Entrapped creatures will
  not know of one another's presence, and will not be
  able to attack, communicate, or enact magic upon
  each other.
  An Entrapped victim may be freed by casting a
  dispel magic upon the rune, or by spilling a potion of
  freedom on it—although if multiple creatures are im-
  prisoned, there is no way of ensuring the desired
  one will be freed with either of these methods (a
  wish or similar means will of course free the desired
  creature, if properly applied). Freed creatures re-
  appear on the rune—a particular entrap symbol can
  only affect a particular being once—and have no
  knowledge happened to them. If a disintegrate spell is
  used on the surface the rune is placed on, this sort of
  Symbol will be destroyed—along with all creatures
  (if any) Entrapped within it.
  26
  
  APPENDIX II: NEW MAGICAL ITEMS
  Here follow descriptions of the magical items
  found in the Cheiromar's Seat of Power com-
  plex (and elsewhere in this adventure). These
  may well be unique items, or DMs may wish
  to introduce other specimens of each into the
  campaign. The origin and method of making
  each of these is not to be found written down
  anywhere in the Seat of Power; Halazar
  probably took such records with him.
  Crystal of Death Scrying
  This cursed item always appears as a crystal
  ball (q.v. D&EP Basic Set DM's Book), but
  regardless of how many times it is looked
  into—it will function only thrice daily—all
  that can be seen within it are violent deaths of
  intelligent creatures, occurring somewhere
  on the Prime Plane at that moment. If partic-
  ular individuals are concentrated upon, their
  deaths may be seen—but only if they happen
  to occur as the crystal is being used (an ex-
  tremely unlikely event, unless the scryer
  knows of an impending execution or other
  demise): it does not show past or future
  events. The surroundings and cause of death
  will be clearly seen, and anyone seeing such a
  death must save vs. spells or flee from the
  room in which the crystal is located in horror
  and revulsion. (The crystal is here to discour-
  age thieves.) Each time the crystal is used,
  there is a 33 % chance that blood will begin to
  seep from it, and flow down the sides. The
  blood is not real, and will vanish within 1-3
  rounds, but whatever it touches will be per-
  manently stained.
  Dart of Death
  This rare item always appears as a small,
  coin-sized disc of brass, with compass direc-
  tions engraved on one side, and a command
  word (in this case, "I&lahara") on the other.
  The side with the compass points also has a
  brass pointer on it, set on a central swivel like
  the hands of a clock.
  The dart will only operate when it is held in
  the open hand of a living being. When it is so
  held as the command word is spoken, the disc
  will instantly become a dart, and flash from
  the wielder's hand in a straight line, at the
  height held, in the direction from the wielder
  that the pointer is set (e.g., "north-
  northeast"). Upon striking a target ("to hit"
  roll not required if a creature is in the flight
  path) or reaching its outer limit of 120', the
  dart will drop harmlessly to the ground, and
  instantly revert to its disc form. The dart will
  deal any target struck 1-4 hp of damage (no
  saving throw). Changing the direction of the
  pointer must be done manually, and takes 1
  round. The knowledge of how to make such
  darts is thought to have been lost long ago. A
  dart of death is usable by any living creature
  able to hold it and pronounce the command
  word simultaneously.
  Gem of Magic Missile Protection
  This clear, faceted gem lasts for 66 uses and
  then crumbles into dust; each use is one con-
  tact with a magic missile striking the stone (re-
  gardless of where the stone is on the bearer's
  body in relation to the direction of an ap-
  proaching magic missile, the stone will inter-
  cept its force). The bearer is protected from
  the missile's damage, for the gem causes one
  of the following effects (if the bearer is uncon-
  scious, mentally controlled or confused, or
  dead, the first effect will always, automati-
  cally, occur), as the bearer chooses.
  1. Reflection: The magic missile will flash
  back instantly at its caster, with full effect (un-
  less the caster has a defense that will prevent
  this).
  2. Redirection: The missile will be re-
  directed at another target creature of the
  gem-bearer's choice, with full effect (unless
  the target's defenses, if any, prevent its dam-
  age).
  3. Absorption: The missile's energy is magi-
  cally converted to healing the bearer (the
  damage the missile would have dealt is
  gained by the bearer to offset any lost hp; if
  the bearer is uninjured or excess hit points re-
  main, these are retained by the bearer as ex-
  tra, "phantom" hit points for 4-16 rounds,
  and any damage suffered by the bearer dur-
  ing this time is taken first from these extra hit
  points).
  Note: if the caster of the original magic mis-
  sile (see effect #1) or the secondary target
  creatures (see effect #2) themselves bear agent
  of magic missile protection, the magic missile effect
  will flash back and forth between the two
  gems for 1-4 rounds (not draining any addi-
  tional uses from either gem, only the initial
  one from each), and then burst in mid-air be-
  tween them, in a flash of white light. If any
  creature happens to be located midway be-
  tween the two gems, the creature will suffer
  the damage of the magic missile (no saving
  throw) when die explosion occurs. (If diis
  creature also has a gem of magic missile protec-
  tion, a triangle will be set up between the three
  gems by the path of the rebounding Missile,
  and it will explode in the middle of the trian-
  gle after 1-4 further rounds. The presence of
  other intervening creatures with such gems
  will cause the Missile to travel in a square or
  rectangular path, and so on.)
  This additional magical item is not to be
  found among the Cheiromar's treasures, but
  is worn by the wizard Lathkoon. Only by de-
  feating him will player characters be able to
  gain it.
  Diadem of Disenchantment
  This golden headband is adorned with a
  single gem, worth lOOgp or more. If this gem
  is shattered or removed, the Diadem becomes
  non-magical. While worn, the Diadem con-
  fers upon the wearer immunity to charm, sleep,
  hold, and confusion spells (as well as monster
  abilities and magical item effects that cause
  charm, sleep, hold, and confusion). Each such de-
  fense of the wearer drains the Diadem of one
  charge (such Diadems normally have 2-20
  charges; Lathkoon's has 9 left), and such
  items are not rechargeable—when dis-
  charged, their gems shatter and are ruined.
  The wearer of a diadem of disenchantment gains
  two additional protections from the device
  that do not drain charges (but are lost when
  the Diadem's charges are drained): a + 1 bo-
  nus on saving throws vs. paralysis (from what-
  ever source), polymorph magics, and ESP; and
  a + 4 bonus on any saves vs. spells when faced
  with feeblemindedness (thus the wearer saves at
  par, not at — 4). Such items are very rare, and
  the knowledge of how to make, despite much
  researc h on the part of Lathkoon.
  27
  
  APPENDIX III: NEW MONSTERS
  Here follow complete descriptions of the new
  monsters introduced in this module, in the
  order in which PCs will encounter them.
  Note that only Prying Eyes will be encoun-
  tered as a random, wandering monster.
  PRYING EYES
  Armor Class: 3 or 7 (see below)
  Hit Dice: 1/2" 
  r _ ^ 
  ^ ^
  Attacks: 1
  Damage: 1-6
  No. Appearing: 1-20 (1-20)
  Save As: Magic-User 9 (see below)
  Morale: 3 (see below)
  Treasure Type: Nil
  Alignment: Neutral
  XP Value: 7
  These odd creatures take the form of small,
  twinkling pairs of lights, that float together
  (levitating) in midair appearing as disem-
  bodied, glowing eyes. Their origin is uncer-
  tain, but it is thought they come from the
  Astral Plane, and are allowed entry by the
  casting of Gates and use of similar magics
  that create connections between planes, or
  find their own ways through existing worm-
  holes (q.v. "The Multiverse," D&D® Com-
  panion Set, Dungeon Masters Book).
  Attracted to magical activity of all sorts,
  they seem naturally inquisitive, so that they
  will follow living creatures, and cluster about
  the location of any magical effects (or, failing
  that, magical items or spellcasters). Prying
  eyes are silent and have no minds (or at least
  none that can be contacted or affected) and
  are therefore immune to being fooled by illu-
  sions, or the effects of charm, sleep, hold, and
  similar "mind control" magics. They never
  attack, unless themselves attacked first—and
  will only counterattack each time they are
  menaced, not engaging in any ongoing com-
  bat unless they appear to do so while respond-
  ing to repeated attacks. For example, if
  struck, they will strike back—once—and
  then float peacefully nearby. If later struck
  again, they will strike back, and then resume
  peacefully watching.
  A prying eyes "bites" for 1-6 points of chill-
  ing damage (actually, they absorb trifling
  amounts of life energy). They are AC 7 to mag-
  ical attacks, and AC3 to non-magical attacks.
  Any magical attack (weapon, spell, or magical
  item effect) that strikes a prying eyes will slay it
  instantly, causing it to silently wink out of ex-
  istence; non-magical attacks must deal 4hp of
  damage to a prying eyes to destroy it.
  Any physical attack, magical or non-
  magical in nature, that puts the attacker in
  contact with a prying eyes, either directly or
  through weapon or armor (but not missile at-
  tacks) will have the following effect: the at-
  tacker must save vs. poison or be paralyzed
  (elves excluded) for 1-4 rounds. A Prying
  eyes has no solid body; attackers expecting
  one may well overbalance and fall.
  GUARDIAN HAND
  Armor Class: 2/1
  Hit Dice: (As creator)"***
  Move: 60' (20')
  Attacks: 2 (see below)
  Damage: See below
  No. Appearing: 1 (0)
  Save As: Magic-User (Level of creator)
  Morale: 12
  Treasure Type: All possible
  Alignment: (As creator)
  XP Value: Varies (5000 +)
  This rare construct is of unusual power; it
  takes the form of a levitating, severed human
  hand (usually a left hand), long-fingered and
  of black, gleaming appearance. It has an eye
  set in the middle of its palm. A guardian hand
  has as many hp as its creator did at the time of
  creation, and is AC2 (individual fingers be-
  ing AC 1, and requiring 12 hp of damage each
  to be severed. Note that this is a separate hp
  count from the overall hp of the construct; it
  may be slain by hp loss before its fingers are
  severed, and its fingers will not fight on inde-
  pendently).
  Guardian hands are created for a specific
  purpose; as they require one of the creator's
  own hands, they are rarely prepared until
  death approaches or death is expected if their
  protection is lacking. Thus, they are usually
  found guarding tombs, treasures, refuges,
  spell books, and the like. (Note that they are
  magical constructs, not undead creatures,
  and cannot be turned, etc.)
  A guardian hand levitates about with great
  speed (197round), having two attacks per
  round. These attacks are as follows: the hand
  can punch, producing a surrounding band of
  force which makes the actual contact with the
  target, dealing 1-6 points of damage per
  strike (no saving throw). The hand can grip
  (this attack becomes the hand's only attack in
  any round in which it is used), its grip being
  corrosive (1-8 hp damage per round of con-
  tact; 1-4 only if the grip must eat through ar-
  mor first), and requiring a combined
  Strength total of 22 to break). The hand can
  point with various fingers; the nail of each
  will release a thin, beam-like ray which con-
  tinues in a straight line from the end of the
  pointing finger up to 40' distant. The effects
  of those attacks are described below. (Severed
  fingers do not retain their magical powers of
  attack.)
  All attacks must hit to be successful; the
  hand attacks as a monster of the same num-
  ber of HD as its creator had levels (the
  Cheiromar's attacks as a monster of 27 hit
  dice).
  A guardian hand is not intelligent, but can
  sense if a target is alive or not, and will con-
  tinue to attack until the target ceases to live or
  passes out of its range of guardianship. The
  range and specific terms of a hand's guardi-
  anship are set by its creator, and by all reports
  seem to vary widely.
  A guardian Hand can so sense life (treat as a
  form of infravision up to 60' distant), this
  power being independent of its eye. If dam-
  aged, the eye in its palm (which of course
  closes when the hand grips or punches, and is
  therefore never so damaged) can see for 110'
  with truesight (as in the clerical spell). Thus a
  hand can tell the level and alignment of oppo-
  nents, know which mirror image is the real
  creature, and so on. The eye is AC0, and has
  3 hp (of the hand's hp total).
  All physical attacks do a hand normal dam-
  age. It is immune to fire, heat, and cold, and
  cannot be drained of energy; a dispel magic
  will cause it to become motionless for 1-2
  rounds; an anti-magic shell slows it to 1 attack
  per round, and nullifies its finger-ray attacks
  (only) within the area of the Shell. The hand
  can also be paralyzed by spell or natural (i.e.,
  monster) power; it saves against all attacks as
  its creator would have done, at the time of the
  hand's creation.
  Magical attacks that a hand saves against
  are reflected back upon the caster or item
  wielder with full effects—if this is impossible
  due to the nature of the attack or the situation
  (e.g., protective magics on the caster), they
  will be directed to another living creature
  within 40' regardless of this victim's wishes or
  those of the caster, or if no such creature ex-
  ists merely negated.
  The finger-ray attacks of a hand can vary,
  according to whatever spells the creator se-
  lects (such spells must be castable by the crea-
  tor); the Cheiromar's guardian hand has the
  following:
  Forefinger: energy drain
  Long finger: fiery beam
  Ring finger: paralysis
  Baby finger: whirlwind
  (The thumb has no attack; it regulates the
  hand's burning grip.)
  Energy drain: Target must roll percentile
  dice, and be governed by the result.
  01-46%: Any memorized spell is drained;
  if none, re-roll. (Spells drained are lost from
  memory; a hand will always drain the most
  powerful spell; if two or more of the same
  level are memorized, determine randomly
  which is lost.)
  28
  
  APPENDIX III: NEW MONSTERS
  47-69%: A carried magical item, if any, is
  drained (2-8 charges from a chargeable magi-
  cal item; minor items drained entirely
  01-60%, or nullified in all respects for 1-20
  turns, 61-00%; artifacts nullified for 1-2
  turns).
  70-90%: Loss of Idl2 hp.
  91 = 00%: Loss of Id4 hp, and faint (treat
  as instant Sleep) for 1-4 rounds.
  Fiery Beam: Beam of fire, dealing 4d6
  damage, and igniting (saving throw to avoid)
  flammable items.
  Paralysis: This is instant (i.e., it halts and
  ruins spellcasting in the same round as it
  takes effect) and almost total, permitting
  breathing but not speech. The first round of
  paralysis is automatic; thereafter, each
  round, the victim must save vs. dragon breath
  at - 2, paralysis being broken whenever such
  a save is hereupon the victim is immune to
  further paralysis from that hand for Idl2 fur-
  ther rounds).
  Whirlwind: All creatures struck by this
  ray of turbulence must save vs. dragon breath
  or be spun around and around with dizzying
  speed, suffering 1-4 points of damage and los-
  ing all items held or carried. To avoid losing a
  particular item, a victim of the Whirlwind
  must concentrate on retaining it (thus, only
  one item may be saved), and save vs. paralysis
  at - 2 to do so. One or more items worn by
  victims (such as scabbarded weapons or
  backpacks) will also tear free unless a second
  save vs. dragon breath is made.
  All items torn from a victim are hurled away
  in all directions by the Whirlwind's violent
  spinning action; any creature within 60' of the
  victim (except the Hand or any creature di-
  rectly behind it, and thus shielded by the force
  of the ray itself) must save vs. dragon breath or
  be struck by one or more of these uninten-
  tional missiles; small objects do Id4 damage,
  and larger ones (e.g., swords, packs, or staves)
  do Id6. Small, moveable objects in the area of
  a Whirlwind effect will also be picked up and
  flung about; man-sized and larger or heavier
  objects will only be shifted slightly.
  SKULLWRAITH
  Armor Class: 2
  Hit Dice: l+l****
  Move: 48' (16')
  Attacks: See below
  Damage: See below
  No. Appearing: 1-3 (0)
  Save As: Magic-User (Level of creator)
  Morale: 12
  Treasure Type: A-1, M, N
  Alignment: (As creator)
  XP Value: 31
  This magical guardian of the Cheiromar's tomb
  is not undead, despite its name (although in life
  Algahund encouraged this belief, and both
  Lathkoon and Zelazel believe it to be so), but a
  construct created by the Cheiromar—and
  hence, unique. It takes the form of a human
  skull, which "flies" about (16'/round) by means
  of Imitation, and has eyes like glowing flames. It
  can speak up to seven set phrases (of up to 77
  words each), with which it was endowed during
  its creation; these cannot be spells, and cannot
  be subsequently changed. Once set, each
  phrase is linked to a specific set of conditions,
  which if fulfilled will cause the Skullwraith to
  speak the phrase. (It does not then forget the
  phrase, but can repeat it tirelessly each time the
  conditions are fulfilled.) The Cheiromar's
  Skullwraith, prepared by Halazar, has the fol-
  lowing speeches.
  Whenever a living creature or creatures
  first enters the chambers of the Seat of Power:
  "Here lies Algahund, the Cheiromar, as
  in the end must we all. Proceed with great
  care; great danger awaits the destructive
  or greedy."
  Whenever attacked, by magical or physical
  means:
  "Beware! Tempt not death! From beyond
  the grave the Cheiromar still can strike!"
  Whenever any living creature or creatures
  touches the globe imprisoning the Eater-of-
  Magic, or approaches or touches the control
  sphere:
  "You stand now in peril, and risk further
  all magic in these lands...what lies within
  the greater sphere is a power to overmatch
  most wizards, and a threat to all. Do not
  harm the sphere."
  Whenever any living creature or creatures
  enter the chamber that contains the actual
  Seat of Power:
  "\bu approach the Seat of Power. A place
  of great usefulness—and great danger—
  to all who work magic. Use no magic in its
  presence, and strike it not, or perish."
  Whenever any living creature or creatures
  approaches within 1', or touches, the Cheiro-
  mar's casket:
  us all, as he appeared in life. Disturb him
  not, for his magic outlives him, and those
  ain from it should also beware its lasting
  power."
  Whenever any living creature or creatures
  enters the library:
  "Here lies the greatest treasure that this
  world can give to any: knowledge. Use it
  accordingly."
  "You gaze upon the Cheiromar, mightiest
  of mages, the Vigilant One, Guardian of
  The Skullwraith has the following powers
  and abilities:
  Spell Reflection: One spell per round (if
  multiple spells are cast at a Skullwraith in the
  same round, determine the one affected ran-
  domly) is reflected back at the caster, with full
  effects.
  Poison Breath: Once per turn, a
  Skullwraith can breathe a conical cloud of
  poisonous vapors, which it synthesizes from
  the air around it as necessary. This cloud is
  20' long and 10' in width at its base, 40' wide
  at its farthest extent, appears as green smoke
  with a faint, incense-like acrid odor, and has
  the following effects on all creatures within
  the cloud:
  Creature saves vs. Poison: Creature Slowed
  due to nausea and 
  "dazed" 
  mental
  confusion/lassitude, for 2-7 rounds.
  Creature fails to save vs. Poison: Creature
  suffers 1-6 hp damage, and collapses in-
  stantly into convulsions falling asleep after 2
  rounds. Sleep lasts for 2-7 rounds, and can-
  not be broken earlier by any means.
  Fireburst: Whenever a Skullwraith
  touches a creature (or that creature's weap-
  ons or armor), a tiny gout of flame will spurt
  from its eyes and burst upon the creature,
  causing 1-4 points of fire damage.
  A Skullwraith has no purely physical at-
  tack (other than lightly ramming to deal its
  fireburst), but can snatch scrolls, keys, gar-
  ments, and the like in its jaws, and has some-
  thing of the intelligence and senses of its
  creator. In this case, the Skullwraith can rec-
  ognize spellcasting and the approach of po-
  tential attackers, attempts to net or grab it
  and the like, can "see" (with 60' infravision)
  as though it were a living man, and will avoid
  direct physical contact by soaring up to the
  ceiling and remaining there when first men-
  aced. It can dodge and swerve in rapid, intri-
  cal aerial acrobatics, is AC3 as a result (AC7
  if somehow Held or immobilized), and has 9
  hit points. If destroyed, it will shatter—the
  shards crumble to dust—and a spell (for so
  Halazar has used the seventh set of condi-
  29
  
  APPENDIX III: NEW MONSTERS
  tions, rather than linking a phrase to them)
  will be unleashed instantly on the creature
  who destroyed it (i.e., struck the last blow if
  several had a hand in the Skullwraith's de-
  struction): a lightning bolt, of 20d6 strength
  (save halves damage).
  The Skullwraith will not otherwise attack
  or molest intruders, but will merely accom-
  pany them, floating above their heads,
  around the chambers of the Seat of Power. It
  will not leave the extradimensional complex;
  it will view any attempts to take it out as at-
  tacks.
  The method of making this powerful type
  of construct is thought to have died with Ha-
  lazar, although he may have passed it on to
  his apprentices.
  EATER-OF-MAGIC
  Armor Class: 10
  Hit Dice: 7*
  Move: 30' (10')
  Attacks: See below
  Damage: See below
  No. Appearing: 1 (1)
  Save As: Fighter 4
  Morale: 2 (see below)
  Treasure Type: Nil
  Alignment: Chaotic
  XP Value: 850
  This strange, fearsome creature appears as a
  swirling, levitating cloud of lime green-hued
  smoke, opaque and faintly luminescent. The
  radiance of an Eater-of-magic pulses regu-
  larly, brighter and dimmer, brighter and dim-
  mer; it will flow to fit around obstacles, and is
  able to seep through cracks of half an inch or
  less (for example, around most doors, includ-
  ing those of the Seat of Power), but when un-
  obstructed assumes a spherical form ten feet
  across. Eaters-of-magic are thankfully ex-
  tremely rare, and are thought to come from
  the dimension of nightmares (cf. Malfera, D&Ef6
  Companion Set Book Two, p.34) or a similar
  dimension alien and hostile to humans.
  Eaters-of-magic are silent, menacing crea-
  tures without visible eyes, limbs, or other
  body features; they always move towards the
  greatest concentration of magic, seeking to
  envelop it. Spells cast at an eater will be ab-
  sorbed by it; it will suffer no harm and the
  magic will have no normal effect—but the
  eater will gain as hp whatever points of
  damage—if any—the magic would have
  caused; non-damaging spells yield hp equal
  to the level of the spell (for example, a web
  would give an eater 2 hp, and would not
  form). Eaters can absorb 1-4 charges from
  chargeable items (if an item remains within
  the "body" cloud of an eater, it loses 1-4
  charges every 2 rounds), or negate the powers
  of non-chargeable magical items (including
  potions and scrolls; if used, their effects will
  be delayed for the 1-4 rounds mentioned) for
  1-4 rounds per contact, artifacts being nulli-
  fied for 1 round (similarly, such temporary
  nullification should be checked on every sec-
  ond round if such an item or artifact remains
  enveloped by an eater).
  Spellcasters of all sorts who retain memo-
  rized spells when enveloped by an eater will
  lose one spell (determine randomly) at first
  contact, and one per round of being envel-
  oped thereafter; each time this occurs, the
  spellcaster must save vs. death ray or be Fee-
  bleminded.
  Eaters-of-magic do no other damage to
  creatures they contact or envelop, and suffer
  normal damage from fire and physical at-
  tacks (severe cold does them only half dam-
  age; note that magically-caused cold will be
  absorbed and negated by the eater, but will
  do the eater 1 round's worth of full damage as
  it is so ended), being AC 10—and automati-
  cally hit if the attacker is enveloped—and
  having 7HD (the one imprisoned in the Seat
  of Power has 40 hp).
  Note that fire of magical origin cannot
  harm an eater, because it will be instandy ab-
  sorbed, or prevented from forming. An eater
  will ignore physical attacks, moving relent-
  lessly to absorb magic; it will not hesitate for
  any reason. Mind-control spells do not affect
  it, and it seems fearless. When an eater is
  slain, it will lose its radiance, the "smoke" of
  its body will dissipate into thin air, and any
  magic within its body area (or, if a weapon
  that slew it, even if no longer within its body
  area) will receive a magical bonus of 1 -6 addi-
  tional charges, one subsequent use for "one-
  shot" weapons such as magical arrows,
  double effect vs. scrolls, memorized spells,
  and artifacts will not be so augmented.
  30
  
  PRE-ROLLED CHARACTERS
  Use up to six of the characters given below; remember that both magic-users should be used. Details of the personalities of these characters are up
  to the players, and are not given here. DMs should determine what equipment each PC carries, beyond the bare minimum listed below. In addi-
  tion to the magic shown here, each PC should have Id6 potions, 1-2 miscellaneous magical items, 1-2 magical rings, and ld20 x 10 gp worth of
  coinage, gems, or trade bars of precious metal.
  It is recommended that the DM choose these, rather than determining randomly.
  THONDARIL "The Sword"
  Lawful 21st level Fighter
  ST 17
  IN 14
  WI 12
  DX 15
  CO 15
  CH 13
  HP 98
  AC - 1
  Weapons: Sword + 2, short bow; 20
  arrows +1; normal dagger.
  Armor: plate mail + 1; shield +1.
  ELENSYL the Maga
  Lawful 17th level Magic-user
  ST 12
  IN 18
  WI 14
  DX 17
  CO 11
  CH 14
  HP 40
  AC 5
  Weapons: Dagger + 4; scroll of
  Telekinesis; scroll of wall of
  iron; scroll of statue; wand of
  magic detection.
  Armor: Ring of protection + 2.
  BAERUM "The Bold"
  Neutral 16th level Fighter
  ST 16 Weapons: War Hammer +2; Hand
  Axe + 2; 2 silver-bladed daggers.
  IN 8
  WI 12 Armor: chain mail +1 of haste;
  DX 17 shield +1.
  CO 14
  CH 16
  HP 71
  AC 0
  ZANZIIR "The Mysterious"
  Neutral 20th level Magic-user
  ST 13
  IN 17
  WI 13
  DX 14
  CO 14
  CH 10
  HP 46
  AC 7
  Weapons: Rod of parrying +5,
  Staff of Dispelling; Slate of
  Identification; Ointment of
  Soothing (1 box).
  Armor: Ring of protection +1.
  DURNATH the Patriarch
  Lawful 19th level Cleric
  Weapons: Mace +3; normal club
  sling with 20 stones and 3
  2 silver-bladed daggers.
  Stones of Seeking +1, 4 Stones
  of Penetrating +1
  Armor: plate mail +3; shield +3.
  ORSKIL "Sharpeye"
  Neutral 15th level thief
  ST
  IN
  WI
  DX
  CO
  CH
  HP
  AC
  12
  10
  17
  12
  14
  13
  54
  - 4
  ST 12
  IN 7
  WI 13
  DX 16
  CO 9
  CH 13
  HP 38
  AC 2
  Weapons: Dagger +3; short sword
  + 3.
  Armor: Leather armor + 2; ring of
  protection +1.
  THURLAN "Evilscourge"
  Lawful 15th level Cleric
  SPARNUS "The Hand'
  Neutral 17th level Thief
  ST 16
  IN 10
  WI 16
  DX 11
  CO 11
  CH 10
  HP 77
  AC 0
  Weapons: War hammer +3; club;
  mace
  Armor: plate mail of Curse Removal
  + 1; Shield +2.
  ST 16
  IN 9
  WI 10
  DX 18
  CO 16
  CH 10
  HP 40
  AC 2
  Weapons: Hand axe + 4; dagger +1;
  Ear Ring
  (cf. Companion Set Book 2).
  Armor: non-magical leather ar-
  mor;
  Ring of protection +2.
  31
  
  PRE-ROLLED CHARACTERS
  Appearance: Elensyl is a slim, raven-haired
  lady of grace and agility. Her eyes are cold
  blue, her features sharp—and, when an-
  gered, frighteningly flinty. Her hair stirs and
  lifts about her shoulders as if touched by gen-
  tle breezes when she works magic. She likes
  cats of all types and sizes.
  e1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Zanziir is a tall (6'3"), distin-
  guished bearded man with green eyes and
  black, curling hair. He says nothing direct of
  himself or his plans, ever, and usually hums
  rather than answering any question he does
  not wish to. Zanziir is calm and calculating;
  he will "run away to fight another day" if it
  seems prudent.
  °1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Orskil is a young, grinning
  rogue with tousled brown hair, a saucy man-
  ner, and gold rings in his ears. He pretends to
  be a young wandering noble, but the closest
  he's ever been to nobility is his hand in a La-
  dy's purse. Orskil has green eyes and long,
  nimble fingers. He is apt to swagger and
  flourish.
  C1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Sparnus is a grizzled veteran
  adventurer—he looks like a seasoned man-at-
  arms, not a thief. His cheeks are always cov-
  ered with stubble; the left one bears the white
  scar of an old sword-slash. His hair is brown
  (going grey at the temples), and his build is
  stocky. His eyes are hazel, and his hearing
  acute—he is rarely (only on a 1) surprised if
  awake; he is always alert and expecting trou-
  ble.
  "1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Thondaril is big (6'4", 290 lbs)
  and broad-shouldered, with corded muscles
  and a fearsome visage—he bears a spade-
  shaped beard, and old scars. His hair is
  reddish-brown, his eyes green-grey, his voice
  deep and rough. Thondaril can speak the
  tongue of Dwarves.
  °1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Black-haired, 
  sharp-featured
  Baerum is handsome and graceful; a "ladies'
  man." Baerum has flashing amber eyes and a
  quick wit. His recklessness in batde has
  earned him his nickname.
  "1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Durnath is a grey-haired,
  melodious-voiced man of middle years; he
  has hazel eyes and average build. Thoughtful
  in his speech and careful in his ways,
  Durnath has had a long and capable adven-
  turing career, and is rarely surprised (only on
  a 1) if awake, as he is always wary.
  °1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Appearance: Thurlan is a burly, battered-
  looking man who rarely removes his armor,
  save to bathe. He has lanky blond hair, a
  stubbly blond beard, and steady, penetrating
  black eyes. Thurlan is fiercely dedicated to
  fighting evil, and will not rest until he has
  fought any evil creature he encounters. He
  hates lies and deception, for any reason and
  by any person.
  "=1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  9192XXX1501
  32
  
  Name
  Actaeon
  Basilisk
  Bat, normal
  Bear, black
  Bear, grizzly
  Beede, oil
  Beholder
  Boar
  Cat, great
  Devil Swine*
  Dog, war
  Druj
  Dryad
  Eater-of-Magic
  Elk
  Ferret, giant
  Gargoyle *
  Golem, bone*
  Grab Grass
  Griffon
  Guardian Hand
  Hawk, giant
  Hawk, normal
  Hsaio
  Insect swarm
  Leech, giant
  Lich
  Lizard, giant (D)
  Lizard, giant (HC)
  Malfera
  Manscorpion
  Moose
  Nightwing
  Odic
  Owl bear
  Prying Eyes
  Purple Worm
  Rat, normal
  Rhagodessa
  Robber fly
  Shrew, giant
  Skeleton
  Skullwraith
  Snake, giant racer
  Snake, giant rat-
  tlesnake
  Snake, pit viper
  Spectral hound
  Spider, giant black
  widow
  Spider, giant crab
  Spider, giant
  tarantula
  Spider, planar
  Sprite
  Stirge
  Unicorn
  Vision
  Weasel, giant
  Wolf, normal
  Zombie
  AC
  3
  4
  6
  6
  8
  3
  0/2/7
  7
  H D
  II**
  6 + 1 "
  >h
  4
  5
  3 + 1
  11
  3
  (ML)6 3 + 2
  3(9)
  7
  -4
  5
  10
  7
  5
  5
  3
  9
  5
  2
  6
  8
  5
  7
  7
  0
  5
  2
  3
  1
  7
  -8
  -4
  5
  3
  6
  9
  5
  6
  4
  7
  2
  5
  5
  6
  -2
  6
  7
  5
  6
  6
  7
  2
  0
  7
  7
  8
  9*
  1 +2
  14*"*
  2*
  7*
  4
  1 + 1
  4 "
  68
  1 per 5
  sq. ft.
  7
  2 7 . . . .
  3 + 3
  lh
  4 "
  2*
  6
  27
  4 + 2
  5*
  9 "
  8**
  4
  17
  16*"*
  5
  i/2«»
  15*
  1/8
  4 + 2
  2
  1*
  1
  COMBINED MONSTERS STATISTICS TABLE
  h P
  60
  36
  1
  21
  30
  11
  60
  18
  16
  65
  7
  77
  B
  40
  19
  7
  V
  46
  V
  40, 31
  72
  25
  4
  29
  15
  36
  100
  26
  33
  49
  66
  22
  129
  102
  33
  4
  70
  1
  30
  16
  7
  V
  1 + 1**** 9
  2
  4*
  2*
  5 "
  3*
  2*
  4*
  5 "
  1*
  4*
  12***
  4 + 4
  2 + 2
  2
  12
  23
  16
  30
  22
  12
  26
  26
  1-2
  6
  V
  66
  V
  9
  V
  AT
  3
  1
  (1)
  3
  3
  1
  1
  1
  3
  1
  1
  1 or 4
  —
  —
  1
  1
  4
  4
  1
  3
  2
  1
  1
  3
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  2
  1
  1
  1
  3
  1
  2
  1
  2
  1
  2
  1
  1
  1
  2
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  3
  7
  1
  1
  1
  D
  7-12/7-12/2-16
  1-10
  confusion
  1-3/1-3/1-6
  1-8/1-8/1-10
  2-12
  2-16
  2-8
  1-3/1-3/1-6
  2-12
  1-6
  V
  —
  —
  1-8
  1-8
  1-3/1-3/1-6/1-4
  1 -8 x4 (swords)
  holds, entangles
  1-4/1-4/2-16
  1-6x2, or 1-8
  1-6
  1-2
  1-6/1-6/1-4
  automatic: V
  1-6
  1-10 + 1-100 day pa
  ralysis
  1-8
  2-8/1-6
  1-10/1-10/1-6
  3-18/1-10 + poison
  1-8
  7-12
  1-12+ poison
  1-8/1-8/1-8
  1-6
  2-16/2-8
  1-6 + disease
  2 sticks/2-16
  1-8
  1-6/1-6
  by weapon
  fireburst, 1-4
  1-6
  1-4/1-4 + poison
  1-4 + poison
  2-12
  2-12 + poison
  1-8 + poison
  1-8 + poison
  2-12 + poison
  spell
  1-3
  1-8/1-8/1-8
  1-4x7
  2-8
  1-6
  1 -8 or weapon
  M V
  150' (50')
  60' (20')
  120' (40')
  120' (40')
  120' (40')
  150' (50')
  30' (10')
  90'(30')
  150' (50')
  120' (40')
  180' (60')
  90' (30')
  120' (40')
  30'(10')
  240' (80')
  150' (50')
  90' (30')
  120' (40')
  —
  260' (120') fly
  60' (20')
  450' (150')
  480' (160')
  210' (70') fly
  60' (20') fly
  90' (30')
  90' (30')
  120' 
  (40')
  + 10' (glide)
  120'(40')
  60' (20')
  240' (80')
  240' (80')
  240' (80') fly
  —
  120' (40')
  60' (20')
  60' (20')
  60' (20')
  150'(50')
  180' (60')
  180' (60')
  60' (20')
  48' (16')
  120'(40')
  120' (40')
  90' (30')
  150' (50')
  60' (20')
  120' (40')
  120' (40')
  180' (60')
  180' (60')
  180'(60') fly
  240' (80')
  —
  150' (50')
  180' (60')
  90' (30')
  AL THAC0 Book
  N
  N
  N
  N
  N
  N
  C
  N
  N
  C
  N
  C
  N
  C
  N
  N
  C
  N
  N
  N
  L
  N
  N
  L
  N
  N
  C
  N
  N
  C
  C
  N
  C
  C
  N
  N
  N
  N
  N
  N
  N
  C
  L
  N
  N
  N
  C
  N
  N
  N
  V
  N
  N
  L
  C
  N
  N
  C
  10
  13
  —
  16
  15
  16
  10
  17
  16
  11
  18
  8
  —
  —
  16
  18
  16
  14
  —
  13
  2
  16
  19
  16
  —
  14
  9
  15
  15
  11
  12
  16
  7
  7
  15
  19
  8
  19
  15
  18
  19
  19
  18
  18
  16
  18
  15
  16
  18
  18
  15
  20
  18
  16
  9
  15
  17
  18
  Masters
  Expert
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  SA/SD
  breath polymorphs
  gaze petrifies
  —
  2-paw hug ( + 2-16 damage)
  2-paw hug ( + 2-16 damage)
  squirts corrosive oil
  Comp.
  Basic
  Basic
  Expert
  Basic
  Comp.
  Expert
  New
  Expert
  Basic
  Basic
  Expert
  1 eye, 11 eyestalks (magical)
  —
  —
  charm, shapechange
  treated as Wolf, normal
  spells, poison
  charm, special
  Drains magic
  —
  —
  immune: sleep, charm, non-magical
  weapons
  immune: fire, cold, electrical
  Companion —
  Expert
  New-
  Master
  Master
  Master
  Expert
  Expert
  Master
  Basic
  Basic
  Comp.
  Comp.
  Expert
  Master
  Comp.
  Basic
  New
  Expert
  Basic
  Expert
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  New
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Comp.
  Basic
  Basic
  Basic
  Master
  Basic
  Basic
  Expert
  Comp.
  Comp.
  Basic
  Basic
  likely to attack horses
  immune: fire, heat, cold, magic; uses
  magic
  —
  —
  4th level cleric: spells instead of attacks
  pursues, automatic damage
  automatic damage each round
  27th level Ml) spells: 7/7/7/6/6/5/5/4
  glide
  surprises 1-5 (d6), sticky tongue
  poison breath, struck only by magical
  weapons
  clerical spells; tail sting kills or para-
  lyzes Id8 1 round
  —
  bite changes victim into servant bat;
  can drain magic
  drains level, leaves attack
  Both paws hit = hug (+ 2-16 damage)
  AC 7 to magical attacks
  swallows whole, poison
  1 in 20 chance of disease
  —
  30' leap; surprises 1 -4 (d6)
  always has initiative
  undead; immune to charm, sleep
  spell reflection; poison breath
  —
  poison kills in 1-6 turns
  always gets initiative; bite kills
  immune to fire, cold; struck only by
  silver and magical weapons; bite
  causes fading
  —
  surprises on 1-3 (d6); bite kills in 1-4
  turns ( + 2 save)
  bite causes victim to dance
  poison kills; shifts from plane to plane
  while attacking; carries no magical
  items
  spellcasting
  + 2 on first dive attack, drains per
  round until killed
  Teleport 360' once per day
  save vs. spells or sit helpless
  hold on and suck blood
  —
  undead; immune to sleep and charm
  
  Companion Game Adventure
  The Endless Stair
  by Ed Greenwood
  The Great Mage Cheiromar, known as Agla-
  hund the Mighty, is said to be buried under the
  Leaning Stone atop Galzar's Crag. One of his
  apprentices, Cllthorn, has been discovered
  dead in an aperture of the Leaning Stone . . . a
  doorway that locals swear has never been there
  before!
  You must discover how Cllthorn died and the
  mystery of the Leaning Stone. In the process,
  you may find yourself at the Endless Stair.
  Those who never climbed it say it seems to
  lead to nowhere. Those who did never lived to
  tell of it.
  Will you dare ascend into the unknown?
  This adventure is for use with the
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Companion set,
  which complements the D&D Basic and Expert
  Rules. This adventure cannot be played without
  the D&D Basic, Expert, and Companion sets
  produced by TSR Inc.
  ©1987 TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
  TSR Inc.
  POB 756
  Lake Geneva
  WI 53147
  TSR UK Ltd.
  The Mill, Rathmore Road
  Cambridge CB1 4AD
  United Kingdom
  ISBN 0-88038-390-9
  9192XXX1401
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/D&D Basic (Holmes, B, X, BECMI)/Modules/CM8 - The Endless Stair.pdf