TEXT: BUGGED OUT
  AERYN “BLACKDIRGE” RUDEL
  This Encounter Product is 4E Compatible
  
  Written and Created by
  Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel
  Editing/Proofreading
  John Ball
  Playtesting
  Erik Nowak, Jeremy Nowak, Noah Peery, 
  Samantha Styles, Christopher Vasey, Eric Vasey
  Illustrations
  Jesse Mohn
  Cartography
  Ed Bourelle
  Graphic Design & Layout
  Erik Nowak
   CRITTER ENCOUNTERS: BUGGED OUT • Published by Blackdirge Publishing, © 2008
  Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material.  
  Blackdirge Publishing and the Blackdirge Publishing logo are trademarks of Aeryn Rudel. All rights reserved.  
  All illustrations are ©2008 Jesse Mohn. All rights reserved. All maps are ©2008 Ed Bourelle. All rights reserved.
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  DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE, written by James Wyatt; and MONSTER MANUAL, written by Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert  
  and James Wyatt © 2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. all rights reserved.
  BUGGED OUT
  
  BUGGED OUT
  Bugged Out is a short encounter scenario designed for  
  5 characters of 6th to 8th level. The encounter can 
  accommodate nearly any mix of character roles, but one  
  or more potent strikers will certainly help the party defeat 
  the monstrous ants and their queen. This encounter scenario 
  is easily modiﬁed to serve as a challenge for parties as low as 
  5th level and as high as 10th level, as shown in the Scaling 
  the Encounter section below. 
  ENCOUNTER BACKGROUND
  The small town of Kettledowns has a problem. Recently,  
  a young monstrous ant queen, intent on creating her own 
  hive, has set up a brood chamber below the town. The 
  queen’s workers have burrowed a network of tunnels beneath 
  Kettledowns in search of food to feed the growing hive. 
  Many of these tunnels come up beneath homes and businesses 
  in the area, and a number of townsfolk have been slain by 
  monstrous ant soldiers bursting through their ﬂoors in the 
  middle of the night. The soldiers carry the corpses – and 
  anything else edible – back to the brood chamber, leaving  
  an empty, ransacked shambles for friends and family to ﬁnd 
  on the following day. 
  The citizens of Kettledowns are rightly terriﬁed, and  
  do not know what to make of the strange abductions and 
  curious tunnels that mysteriously appear in the homes of the 
  abductees. The town needs a group of heroes to look into the 
  matter for them, and it just so happens that one is passing 
  through the area right now...
  SCALING THE ENCOUNTER
  Bugged Out can be easily modiﬁed to challenge PCs of higher 
  or lower levels, as shown below. 
  Weaker Parties (Lower than 6th level):
  Laboratory: Replace two of the monstrous ant soldiers 
  with four monstrous ant workers. This reduces the 
  laboratory encounter to an EL 5 encounter.
  Brood Chamber: Replace the monstrous ant royal guards 
  with standard monstrous ant soldiers, and reduce the 
  number of monstrous ant workers to six. This makes the 
  brood chamber encounter an EL 6 encounter. 
  Stronger Parties (Higher than 8th level):
  Laboratory: Replace two of the monstrous ant soldiers 
  with monstrous ant royal guards. This increases the 
  laboratory encounter to an EL 7 encounter.
  Brood Chamber: Add two more monstrous ant royal guards. 
  This makes the brood chamber encounter an EL 10 encounter.
  GETTING THE PLAYERS INVOLVED
  This encounter takes place in a small town called Kettledowns; 
  however, it can be set in any small town with a resident 
  alchemist or wizard. The encounter begins with the PCs 
  passing through the town, likely on their way to the site of 
  another adventure. Read or paraphrase the following, as the 
  PCs are moving through the town:
  This small town seems quiet and unassuming; the kind  
  of place that you might consider settling once your 
  adventuring days are done. You and your party stroll 
  down the town’s single road, enjoying the quaint lineup 
  of shops and homes, all of which seem well attended, 
  hinting at at least moderate prosperity. The townsfolk, 
  however, seem rather edgy, and you notice small clumps 
  of them staring at you from time to time. They are 
  polite enough, smiling or offering a quiet pleasantry as 
  you walk by; but you can’t help but get the sneaking 
  suspicion that something is wrong in Kettledowns. 
  Your suspicions are conﬁrmed when the door to a 
  nearby shop bursts open, emitting the shrieking form of 
  a bent, gray-haired man. His hair is in a wild tangle, and 
  he wears a white apron covered in curious stains, both 
  old and new. The sign above the doorway he came 
  through reads: Hastifer’s Alchemy. 
  “They’re in my laboratory!” the man howls, and collapses 
  to his knees in the middle of the road before you. “They’re 
  destroying everything!” 
  You suddenly notice that all the townsfolk on the 
  street have gathered around you and the panicked man, 
  who can only be Hastifer of Hastifer’s Alchemy. For the 
  ﬁrst time, Hastifer notices you, and his eyes grow large 
  and hopeful as he realizes that your gear and equipment 
  mark you as adventurers. 
  “Please, you have to help me,” Hastifer moans. “I’ll pay  
  you whatever you like. Just kill those things in my laboratory!” 
  Around you, the gathered townsfolk whispers a chorus  
  of desperate pleas: help us, we need you, or simply please. You 
  realize that you can hardly turn your back on these people...
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  2
  
  Hastifer the Alchemist
  Once the PCs calm down Hastifer and the gathered 
  townsfolk, they can learn the cause of all the commotion. 
  Hastifer was working in his lab when a group of terrible 
  monsters suddenly burst though the wall of the laboratory and 
  attacked. Hastifer ﬂed, and for all he knows, the monsters are 
  still in his lab, destroying years of hard work. 
  If the PCs question the townsfolk, they can learn more 
  about the mysterious disappearances in the area, and the 
  strange manner in which they occur. Half a dozen business 
  and homes have been attacked, the buildings ransacked, 
  and the occupants abducted. Hastifer is the ﬁrst of 
  Kettledown’s residents to actually escape such an attack, 
  and he is the only one to have actually seen the creatures 
  preying on the townsfolk. If the PCs ask Hastifer for a 
  description of the “monsters,” he relates the following:
  “They’re giant insects of some sort. I have a passing 
  familiarity with this type of beast, as many of them produce 
  valuable alchemical reagents, but I’ve never seen any this 
  close. The creatures in my laboratory have large mandibles, 
  stingers, and I think six legs. That’s all I remember.”
  PCs that make a DC 15 Nature check can discern that 
  Hastifer is likely describing monstrous ants of some kind. 
  However, further Nature checks will not reveal the abilities 
  and powers of the beasts until the PCs actually get a close 
  look at them. 
  Being heroes, the PCs should need no further coaxing 
  from the residents of Kettledowns to provide assistance. 
  However, particularly mercenary parties can certainly get the 
  frightened, desperate townsfolk to pay for their services. 
  Hastifer, the wealthiest citizen of Kettledowns, offers a sum of 
  100 gold pieces and the pick of any alchemical items he has in 
  stock (sunrods, everburning torches, acid, etc.). In addition, 
  the rest of the town can collect another 200 gp to give to the 
  PCs if the heroes can destroy the menace to their town. 
  HASTIFER’S SHOP
  Assuming the PCs agree to help the citizens of Kettledowns, 
  they will need to enter Hastifer’s shop. The upstairs portion  
  of the shop contains the sales area; complete with a small 
  worktable and dozens of tidy shelves holding alchemical goods 
  ready for sale. Behind the sales area, a plain wooden door leads 
  to Hastifer’s apartments, a small three-room living space with 
  all the creature comforts one would expect of moderately 
  successful store owner. A trapdoor in Hastifer’s bedroom opens 
  to a set of stairs leading down to the laboratory, which is built 
  beneath the ground to shield the town from any alchemical 
  mishaps that might occur. Once the PCs descend the stairs,  
  go to the Encounter Area 1: The Laboratory. 
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  3
  
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  4
  
  ENCOUNTER AREA 1:  
  THE LABORATORY 
  Encounter Level 6 (1,325 XP)
  SETUP 
   
  5 monstrous ant soldiers (A) 
   
  3 alchemical spills (S) 
  This is Hastifer’s laboratory, and it contains thousands of gold  
  pieces worth of alchemical equipment, as well as shelves stocked 
  with ﬁnished goods ready for sale in his shop upstairs. Hastifer 
  occasionally takes on apprentices from neighboring towns, and thus 
  his laboratory is quite a bit larger than one would expect of a simple 
  shop owner. Recently, a group of giant ants and their young queen 
  invaded his workshop. The ants, attracted by the peculiar smells 
  from the alchemical laboratory, burrowed through the wall, 
  attacked Hastifer, and generally made a mess of the place. 
  Currently, there are ﬁve monstrous ant soldiers in the 
  room, looking for anything edible to take back to their queen. 
  So far, the alchemical laboratory hasn’t yielded anything 
  palatable; however, the arrival of the PCs changes all that. 
  The encounter begins when the PCs reach the bottom  
  of the stairs. Knowing that danger awaits them, the PCs may 
  decide to surprise the ants by sneaking into the laboratory. 
  The ants have excellent senses, but are currently distracted 
  with the process of destroying the laboratory in search of 
  food. Give the PCs a Stealth check opposed by the ants’ 
  Perception check to gain a surprise round. Once the ants 
  notice the PCs, they attack immediately, eagerly scurrying 
  over the wreckage of the laboratory to get at the “food.”
  When the PCs come down the stairs, read: 
  This large chamber was once a tidy alchemical laboratory; 
  however, it is currently in chaotic disarray. Shelves have been 
  haphazardly emptied, wooden cabinets have been wrenched 
  open, and the contents of both are scattered on the ﬂoor, 
  smashed and ruined. Puddles of alchemical ﬂuids have mixed 
  and collected in various spots, giving off ghastly smells and eye 
  watering fumes. Three sturdy tables stand at the center of the 
  room, the alchemical equipment that ﬁlled them now in a 
  smashed heap on the ﬂoor. 
  A ragged hole in the south wall leads into darkness, and 
  is very probably the origin of the ﬁve colossal ants – the 
  obvious architects of all this destruction – digging through 
  the alchemical debris. Each ant is the size of a large dog or 
  wolf, with jagged mandibles, and a wicked, barbed stinger  
  on the end of its abdomen. As you reach the bottom of the 
  stairs, the ants’ antennae quiver excitedly, and they rush 
  over the ruins of the laboratory toward you. 
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  5
  3 Alchemical Spills (S) 
  Level 3 Obstacle
  Hazard 
  XP 150
  Perception
  No check is necessary to notice the spills.
  Additional Skill: Arcana
  ✦ DC 22: The character correctly identiﬁes some of the alchemical 
  substances in the spill, and deduces that they might be hazardous 
  when mixed. 
  Trigger
   The hazard attacks whenever a creature enters or begins  
  its turn in a square with an alchemical spill.
  Attack
  Opportunity Action  
   
  Melee
  Targets: Creature in the spill 
  Attack: +6 vs. Fortitude 
  Hit: 1d10 poison damage, and the target suffers one of the 
  following effects, determined randomly (roll a d4): 
  1. The target is blinded (save ends). 
  2. The target is dazed (save ends). 
  3. The target is slowed (save ends). 
  4. The target is weakened (save ends). 
  Countermeasures
  ✦ A spill can be diluted with a large amount of water, rendering 
  it harmless. Dousing the spill with the contents of a single full 
  waterskin (standard action) would be sufﬁcient. 
  ✦ A character aware of the danger represented by the spill could 
  hold his or her breath when entering the spill’s square. Such a 
  character could then make a DC 20 Endurance check to avoid 
  the spill’s effects. 
  5 Monstrous  
  Level 4 Soldier 
  Ant Soldiers (A)
  Medium natural beast 
  XP 175
  Initiative +6  
  Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
  HP 55; Bloodied 27
  AC 20; Fortitude 17, Reflex 15, Will 14
  Speed 8, climb 8
  m Bite (standard; at-will) 
  +11 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage.
  M Sting (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison 
  +11 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage, and the monstrous ant soldier 
  makes a secondary attack on the same target. Secondary 
  Attack: +9 vs. Fortitude; 1d6+2 poison damage, and the 
  target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
  M Wounded Frenzy (standard, while bloodied; at-will) ✦ Poison 
  The monstrous ant soldier makes a bite and a sting attack.
  Alignment Unaligned  
  Languages —
  Str 18 (+6)  
  Dex 14 (+4)  
  Wis 12 (+3)
  Con 15 (+4)  
  Int 2 (-2)   
  Cha 10 (+2)
  Description This giant ant has a dull black carapace, an oversized 
  set of mandibles, and a wicked stinger at the base of its abdomen.  
  It is not alone...
  
  TACTICS 
  The ants are on the far side of the room when the PCs enter, 
  and scramble forward as soon as they sight the heroes. The 
  soldier ants don’t use any sophisticated tactics beyond teaming 
  up on a single opponent – the ﬁrst PC they engage in combat. 
  The ants avoid the alchemical spills; their keen senses allow 
  them to detect the hazardous chemicals, and they instinctively 
  realize the danger. The ants ﬁghts to the death, and pursue 
  PCs up the stairs if the heroes decide to retreat. 
  FEATURES OF THE AREA 
  Illumination: The laboratory has bright illumination from 
  a large chandelier in the center of the ceiling. The chandelier 
  contains a dozen alchemical glow rods. 
  Alchemical Spills: These squares count as difﬁcult 
  terrain. In addition, see above for additional effects that 
  alchemical spills might have on PCs. 
  Cabinets: There are a total of six cabinets in the room, four 
  of which have been torn open by the ants. However, the two 
  on the north side of the room are untouched, and contain 
  ﬁnished alchemical goods. The cabinets are locked, but can be 
  opened with a relatively simple DC 15 Thievery check. Inside, 
  the PCs might ﬁnd items useful in their ﬁght against the ants. 
  The cabinet closest to the stairs contains only sunrods and 
  everburning torches, but the other cabinet contains ﬂasks of 
  acid and alchemical ﬁre that can be hurled at the ants (see 
  page 9). Grabbing a ﬂask of acid or alchemical ﬁre from the 
  open cabinet requires a minor action. 
  Ceiling: 20 feet high. 
  Debris: Squares with smashed alchemical equipment count 
  as difﬁcult terrain. 
  Shelves: The shelves are bolted onto the walls, but can  
  be ripped free with a DC 20 Strength check. Moving into  
  a square with shelving costs 1 extra square of movement. 
  Tables: The tables are tall enough that a Small creature can 
  move under them and gain cover. Hopping onto a table costs  
  1 extra square of movement. The tables are bolted to the ﬂoor, 
  and require a Herculean DC 25 Strength check to tip over. 
  Tunnel: The hole in the south wall leads to a narrow tunnel 
  that stretches 40 feet, sloping down at a slight angle, to the 
  nesting chamber (area 2). The tunnel is wide enough to permit 
  Medium-sized creatures, but the ceiling is only 3 feet 
  high, meaning Medium-sized humanoid 
  creatures must stoop or crawl. Fighting from 
  this awkward position imposes  
  a –2 penalty to attack rolls 
  and AC. Monstrous ants 
  do not suffer these penalties.
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  6
  
  ENCOUNTER AREA 2:  
  THE BROOD CHAMBER
  Encounter Level 8 (1,800 XP)
  SETUP 
   
  1 monstrous ant queen (Q) 
   
  2 monstrous ant royal guards (R) 
   
  8 monstrous ant workers (W)
  This huge subterranean chamber is the nesting site of a 
  young monstrous ant queen. Unfortunately for the citizens  
  of Kettledowns, their town has provided the young queen 
  with all she needs to start her own hive. 
  The monstrous ant queen has chosen this natural cavern 
  for her brood chamber, and she has begun laying the hundreds 
  and thousands of eggs that will eventually make up her new 
  hive. Currently she is nestled in the southeast corner of the 
  room, surrounded by a small swarm of monstrous ant workers 
  and dozens of eggs and grubs. A pair of monstrous ant royal 
  guards is near the queen at all times.
  The brood chamber is quite clean and free of obstacles, 
  the handiwork of the ant workers. In addition, from this 
  central chamber, the workers have burrowed half a dozen 
  tunnels, which branch off and eventually come up beneath a 
  small number of homes and shops in the area. The ghoulish 
  result of these raids is in the southwest corner; nearly a dozen 
  skeletons of local townsfolk, picked clean, lie mixed in with 
  other organic refuse. 
  This encounter begins as soon as the PCs reach the end 
  of the tunnel from the laboratory. Unless the PCs can sneak 
  up on the ants, they are attacked while they exit the tunnel. 
  This means that they may have to ﬁght within the conﬁnes 
  of the tunnel, suffering a –2 penalty to attack rolls and AC 
  for the cramped quarters. 
  When the PCs reach the end of the tunnel, read:
  The rough-hewn chamber before you is illuminated with 
  an eerie green light that emanates from large patches  
  of glowing lichen on the walls. The room is alive with 
  frenzied motion, as over half-a-dozen giant ants scurry 
  about the chamber, entering and exiting from a number 
  of dark tunnels carved into the walls. In the southeast 
  corner of the room rests a large pile of gourd-like eggs and 
  wriggling ant grubs surrounding the immense body of 
  what can only be the queen ant. The size of a large horse, 
  the queen is no docile egg-layer, she is equipped with a set 
  of huge mandibles and a quivering stinger on the end of 
  her bulbous abdomen. Two large solider ants ﬂank the 
  queen, obviously guarding their matriarch from harm. 
  When the adventurers exit the tunnel, read:
  It appears you have found the ﬁnal resting places of the 
  missing townsfolk; they rest in a tumble heap of bones and 
  rotting refuse in the southwest corner. Their bodies have 
  obviously been used to feed the growing brood of monstrous 
  ants; a horrendous death, and one you hope to avenge. 
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  7
  8 Monstrous  
  Level 5 Minion 
  Ant Workers (W)
  Small natural beast 
  XP 50
  Initiative +5  
  Senses Perception +2; low-light vision 
  HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion
  AC 17; Fortitude 16, Reflex 17, Will 14
  Speed 6, burrow 2, climb 6
  m Bite (standard; at-will)  
  +8 vs. AC; 5 damage.
  Alignment Unaligned  
  Languages —
  Str 15 (+4)  
  Dex 16 (+5)  
  Wis 10 (+2)
  Con 14 (+4)  
  Int 1 (-3)   
  Cha 6 (+0)
  Description This huge black ant is the size of a small dog. 
  2 Monstrous Ant  
  Level 4 Elite Soldier 
  Royal Guards (R)
  Medium natural beast 
  XP 350
  Initiative +6  
  Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
  HP 110; Bloodied 55
  AC 22; Fortitude 19, Reflex 17, Will 14
  Saving Throws +2
  Speed 8, climb 8
  Action Points 1
  m Bite (standard; at-will) 
  +11 vs. AC; 2d6+4 damage.
  M Sting (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison 
  +11 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage, and the monstrous ant royal 
  guard makes a secondary attack on the same target. 
  Secondary Attack: +9 vs. Fortitude; 1d6+2 poison damage, 
  and the target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
  M Wounded Frenzy (standard, while bloodied; at-will) ✦ Poison 
  The monstrous ant royal guard makes a bite and a sting attack.
  Alignment Unaligned  
  Languages —
  Str 18 (+6)  
  Dex 14 (+4)  
  Wis 12 (+3)
  Con 15 (+4)  
  Int 2 (-2)   
  Cha 10 (+2)
  Description This huge ant has a gray carapace, and a set of 
  mandibles so large they look unsuitable for anything beyond 
  dismembering prey. 
  
  TACTICS 
  The ants’ tactics are fairly straightforward. In the ﬁrst round, 
  the queen uses pheromone burst to give her royal guards and 
  workers an offensive boost. The workers rush forward and 
  engage the PCs, ganging up on individual heroes at a ratio  
  of three or four to one. The royal guards stay near the queen, 
  and do not engage the PCs until they come within striking 
  distance of the queen. 
  When the queen’s pheromone burst recharges, she uses it 
  immediately, moving forward to catch the PCs in the burst. 
  She uses the confusion pheromones to daze the PCs, and then 
  orders her royal guards to attack. The royal guards are 
  intelligent enough to use simple tactics, and ﬂank PCs  
  to gain combat advantage. They spend their action point  
  in the ﬁrst round of combat to make a bite and a sting  
  attack on the same target. 
  The queen does not enter melee herself until one of her 
  royal guards is slain or the PCs attack her directly. Upon 
  entering melee, if her pheromone burst recharges, the queen 
  spends an action point to use the appeasement pheromone,  
  and then attacks the nearest PC with either her bite or stinger. 
  Once she has entered melee, the queen ﬁghts to the death. 
  REINFOCREMENTS
  The sounds of battle and the imperceptible alarm pheromones 
  that the queen gives off in stressful situations may summon 
  more workers and soldier ants to the fray. After 5 rounds have 
  passed, there is a 25% chance that 1d6 monstrous ant workers 
  or 1d2 monstrous ant soldiers emerge from the tunnels and 
  join the combat. Once the queen is slain, however, the shock 
  of her death is transmitted through her small hive, rendering 
  all remaining ants permanently stunned. 
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  8
  Monstrous  
  Level 8 Elite Controller  
  Ant Queen (Q) 
  Large natural beast 
  XP 700
  Initiative +5  
  Senses Perception +11; low-light vision 
  HP 180; Bloodied 90
  AC 24; Fortitude 23, Reflex 16, Will 20
  Saving Throws +2
  Speed 6, climb 6
  Action Points 1
  m Bite (standard; at-will) 
  Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 2d6+5 damage.
  M Sting (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison 
  Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 1d8+5 damage, and the monstrous 
  ant queen makes a secondary attack against the same 
  target. Secondary Attack: +12 vs. Fortitude; 1d8+4 poison 
  damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls  
  and is slowed (save ends both).
  c Pheromone Burst (standard; recharge 56) ✦ Charm 
  A monstrous ant queen can trigger a number of responses  
  in both enemies and allies with a burst of pheromones. 
  Aggression: Close burst 5; all monstrous ants in the burst 
  gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls until the end of 
  the monstrous ant queen’s next turn. Appeasement: Close 
  burst 5; targets enemies; +10 vs. Will; the target cannot 
  attack the monstrous ant queen until the end of the monstrous  
  ant queen’s next turn. Confusion: Close burst 5; targets 
  enemies; +10 vs. Will; the target is dazed (save ends). 
  Alignment Unaligned  
  Languages —
  Str 21 (+9)  
  Dex 12 (+5)  
  Wis 14 (+6)
  Con 18 (+8)  
  Int 5 (+2)  
  Cha 16 (+7)
  Description This ant is the size of a draft horse. It has a pair of 
  atrophied wings, massive mandibles...and is surrounded by dozens 
  of eggs and grubs. 
  
  Tunnels: There are six narrow tunnels that branch off from 
  the brood chamber. The tunnels are wide enough to permit 
  Medium-sized creatures, but the ceiling is only 3 feet high, 
  meaning Medium-sized humanoid creatures must stoop or 
  crawl. Fighting from this awkward position imposes a –2 
  penalty to attack rolls and AC. Monstrous ants do not suffer 
  these penalties. 
  Treasure: The refuse pile in the southwest corner contains 
  the skeletonized corpses of six townsfolk. The monstrous 
  ants, having no interest in the townsfolk beyond their 
  protein content, have left any valuables the townsfolk had  
  on their persons in the refuse pile. A careful search of the  
  pile (Perception DC 20) turns up the following valuables  
  and items: four coin purses containing a total of 16 pp, 85 
  gp, and 112 sp; a silver and onyx ring (40 gp); a gold and 
  emerald brooch (350 gp); a +2 short sword, a +2 symbol of 
  life, and a pair of boots of striding. 
  CONCLUSION
  If the PCs manage to slay the monstrous ant queen, they 
  have, for all intents and purposes, killed the budding hive. 
  All remaining ants in the area, permanently stunned by the 
  queen’s death, soon starve and die. For their heroic deeds, the 
  PCs are hailed as the saviors of Kettledowns, and will be paid 
  whatever monies and goods were agreed upon. In addition, 
  the townsfolk agree to let the PCs keep any treasure found  
  in the brood chamber, ﬁguring the loss of a few personal or 
  family items is well worth an end to the threat to the town. 
  PCs that truly acted with nobility – perhaps by turning 
  down any payment for slaying the monstrous ants – are 
  assured of a friendly place to rest and recuperate from their 
  adventures for the rest of their days. Common services, such 
  as room and board and armor and weapon repair, are offered 
  free of charge to the noble heroes. 
  FEATURES OF THE AREA 
  Illumination: The brood chamber is lit by glowing lichen, 
  which provides dim illumination to the entire chamber. 
  Ceiling: 10 feet high. 
  Eggs: Squares with eggs or grubs in them are considered 
  difﬁcult terrain. Each egg is roughly the size of a large melon,  
  pale-white in color, and covered in slick, chitinous material. 
  Destroying an egg is simple; a single blow from a melee 
  weapon does the trick. However, any character doing so 
  draws the focused wrath of the queen and her royal guards. 
  The eggs could be sold to an interested buyer (such as a sage 
  interested in giant insects) for 5 gp apiece. There are 
  currently 38 eggs in the brood chamber. 
  Elevation: The northeast tunnel slopes downward at a fairly 
  severe angle, creating a ledge that PCs can climb or use for 
  cover. At 3 feet, the ledge grants PCs on the other side of it 
  cover; and at 5 feet, it provides superior cover. Climbing up on 
  the ledge at 3 feet and 5 feet costs 1 extra square of movement; 
  climbing it at 8 feet requires a DC 12 Athletics check; and 
  climbing it at 10 feet requires a DC 15 check. 
  Grubs: Squares with eggs or grubs in them are considered 
  difﬁcult terrain. Each grub is a two-foot-long, eyeless, pasty 
  white worm-like creature. A grub has 10 hit points, and an AC 
  of 5 (all other defenses are 5 as well), and is generally harmless. 
  Refuse Pile: The squares containing the refuse pile are 
  considered difﬁcult terrain. 
  Weapon 
  Prof. 
  Initial Damage 
  Secondary Damage (+6 vs. Reﬂex) 
  Range 
  Acid Flask 
  +0 
  1 
  1d4 acid damage, and 3 ongoing acid damage (save ends) 
  3/6
  Alchemical Fire Flask 
  +0 
  1 
  1d6 ﬁre damage, and 2 ongoing ﬁre damage (save ends) 
  3/6
  ACID & ALCHEMICAL FIRE
  A ﬂask of acid or alchemical ﬁre can be thrown at a target as a ranged attack. If the ﬂask strikes the target, the attacker makes  
  a secondary ranged attack against the target’s Reﬂex defense. If the second attack roll is successful, the target suffers acid  
  or ﬁre damage, as shown below. 
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  9
  
  CRITTER COUNTERS
  Critter Encounters: Bugged Out
  10
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Party/4th Edition/Blackdirge Publishing/Critter Encounters - Bugged Out.pdf