TEXT: Pacesetter 
  G A M E S  &  S I M U L A T I O N S  
  3011 
  ©2014, Pacesetter Games & Simulations 
  Page One of Four 
  Cursed Cairn of the Moat House 
       Dungeon Module T0.5        ●        A First Edition Adventure 
  Adventure Background 
   
  Cursed Cairn of the Moat House is a short adventure 
  supplement designed for use with the classic TSR adventure, 
  T1 The Village of Hommlet. The adventure, which is nothing 
  more than a set of encounters, is a small expansion designed 
  to provide the PCs with additional magic items to better 
  tackle the dangers of the moat house. Alternatively, this small 
  set piece can be dropped into just about any campaign.  
   
  As the PCs make their way to the moat house, as pre-
  sented in the pages of T1, they arrive at an overgrown path 
  leading away from the main road toward their destination. 
  From this location, there are three separate adventure en-
  counters that may be used.  
    
  1. Guard Shack 
  DM’s Description: 
   
  Set 30’ from the main road, near the moat house path, is a 
  crumbling guard shack. Its function was as an observation 
  post to warn the garrison at the moat house of attack, or di-
  rect new arrivals. Made of field stones (which are abundant 
  near the many streams in the area) and wood, the shack is 
  now in ruin and hidden from view by a copse of trees. 
   
  The bandits that now inhabit the moat house station a 
  pair of guards here to warn of intruders, or identify targets 
  moving along the road. However, a pair of stirges attacked 
  the bandits during the night (prior to the PCs’ arrival). The 
  stirges are sleeping off their meal in the rafters of the shack. 
  One of the bandits has been killed and the other is barely 
  alive (1 hp). The bandit, desperate for help, will call to the 
  PCs as they move down the road. One of the stirges impales 
  the bandit immediately after he calls out, killing him. Of 
  course, the PCs will only hear the call for help, then a short, 
  pain-filled scream.  
   
  The stirges will attack the PCs if they enter the shack. 
  Each stirge can only suck up to 3 hp of blood until it is full. 
  One of the stirges was wounded in the previous night’s battle 
  (see statistic block). Each bandit wears leather armor 
  (human). They have short swords, light crossbows (20 bolts), 
  pack with general gear, and a pouch with 2d6 gp. Six tar-
  nished shields and a weapon rack hang from the north wall of 
  the shack. One of the shields is a +1 Deflector (see New Magic 
  Item section). The weapon rack contains six spears, but their 
  shafts are all rotted. One of the spear heads is made of silver 
  (100 gp value).  
   
  Stirge (2) AC 8; HD 1+1; hp (7) 4, 3; #AT 1; Dmg 1-3; SA Blood 
  Drain; SD None; MV 30/180; AL N; Thaco 18; EXP 36 +2/hp. 
  MM. Each stirge can only drain 3 hp total, at that point it will 
  retreat into the woods.  
   
  2. Bridge 
  DM’s Description: A low bridge barely rises above the water 
  level of the stream it spans. The bridge is made of field stone, 
  gathered from the area around the stream, and mortared to-
  gether. A pair of large brook trout sporadically dart from be-
  neath the bridge to snatch insects landing on water from al-
  ders that grow over the banks of the stream.  
   
  A year ago, a very old wizard took lunch at the bridge 
  and a magic ring fell from his hand into the water. The wiz-
  ard, frail and tired, did not notice the ring was missing until 
  much later that night. Before the ring could reach the stream’s 
  gravel bottom, one of the trout raced out and snatched it as it 
  tumbled. If the PCs observe the trout, they will notice 
  (wisdom check at -2 penalty) the largest fish moves at twice 
  the speed as the smaller fish. The trout has consumed a flash 
  ring (see New Magic Items section).  
   
  The fish are wary and catching them is a difficult proposi-
  tion. If attacked from the bridge, the fish have AC 3 (due to 
  
  speed and water deflection). It has one hit point. If attacked, 
  and not slain, the trout will flee upstream at a rate of 120’. 
  Pursuing it through the alders is difficult if not impossible.  
   
  3. Rocks and Water 
  DM’s Description: As the PCs move along the path they will 
  hear a loud crash of falling stones and splashing water come 
  from the east. The sound is generated from several stones fal-
  ling from a stone cairn to the east. The cairn serves as the bar-
  row of an evil elf chieftain that attempted to forge an alliance 
  with the drow. The moat house was built upon the ruins of 
  the chieftain’s palace. Lareth (see module T1 The Village of 
  Hommlet), has been charged, in addition to his other duties, 
  with discovering the chieftain’s secret vaults that lie hidden 
  beneath the moat house.  
   
  3a. Cairn and Barrow 
  DM’s Description: A large pile of plant-covered stones ap-
  pears, at a distance, to be nothing more than a low hill. How-
  ever, a clutch of swamp beetles (see New Monster section) 
  has disturbed the stones of the cairn - the noise heard by the 
  PCs at location 3. The cairn recently became the home of a 
  very large raccoon. While out hunting, the raccoon came 
  across an adult swamp beetle. The raccoon was injected with 
  the larvae of the beetle and, mortally wounded, fled back to 
  its barrow abode where it died. The swamp beetle larvae have 
  consumed the raccoon and now scurry inside the cairn in 
  search of food. This movement has dislodged the stones.  
   
  There are 11 juvenile swamp beetles within the barrow. 
  They will attack any who enter (the interior of the cairn is a 
  hollow area that is 20’ x 20’). The beetles are young and can 
  only spray their fungal gas once per day. Also, they cannot 
  inject larvae (only adult swamp beetles have this ability).  
   
  Within the cairn is a throne of wood - now petrified. The 
  skeletal remains of an evil elf chieftain slumps against the 
  throne, one hand resting on the pommel of a long sword. The 
  skeleton is clad in chain mail armor (fits human or elf). A 
  horned helmet hangs askew the skull. A small chest lies at the 
  feet of the skeleton. The chest is closed and locked (no key is 
  present). The chest is trapped (heavy stones fall from ceiling if 
  disturbed for 1d6 damage). The chest contains 119 gp and a 
  silver crown embedded with emeralds worth 500 gp. Also, in 
  a compartment hidden by a false bottom, a silver scroll tube 
  (100 gp value) holds a clerical scroll of one spell: Sunflare )
  (see New Spell section). 
   
  The long sword is a +1 sun blade (see New Magic Items 
  section). The armor is +1 chain mail. The helmet provides 
  normal protection, but if worn within the dungeon level of 
  the moat house, the wearer will automatically detect all secret 
  doors as well as the secret door that leads to the hidden vaults 
  of the elf chieftain (to be designed by the DM). The helmet 
  only functions in this manner within the moat house.  
   
  Swamp Beetle, Juvenile (11) AC 8; HD 1/2; hp 2 each; #AT 1; 
  Dmg 1d2 bite; SA Fungal spray; SD None; MV 60; AL N; 
  Thaco 20; EXP 10 +1/hp 
  Cursed Cairn of the Moat House 
       Dungeon Module T0.5        ●        A First Edition Adventure 
  Sunflare 
  Level: 1 
  Range:  None 
  Duration:  instant 
  Area of Affect: 60’ radius 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time:  3 segments 
  Saving Throw: negates (undead special) 
   
  The cleric brings forth a bright and instense flash of light 
  that can cause temporary blindness in all within the area of 
  affect. Each creature (with vision) must save vs. spell or be 
  blinded for 1d4 rounds. All undead caught within the area of 
  the spell must save vs. spell or suffer 1d8 damage plus 1d4 
  damage per every two levels of the spell caster (i.e. 3rd level 
  cleric = 2d4, 5th level cleric = 3d4, etc.). Undead that make 
  their saving throw suffer one point of damage per level of the 
  cleric, but a maximum of four damage regardless of spell 
  caster level.  
   New Spell 
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  Page Two of Four 
  
  Swamp Beetle, Juvenile 
  Hit Dice: 1/2 
  Armor Class:  8 
  # Attacks: 1 
  Damage: 1d2 bite 
  Movement: 60 
  Size: small 
  Alignment: neutral 
  Intelligence: animal 
  THACO: 20 
  Special Attack: fungal spray 
  Special Defense: none 
  Special Abilities: none 
  EXP: 10 +1/hp  
   
  Swamp beetles typically feed exclusively on carrion. They 
  rarely hunt unless no other food is available. In the event of 
  combat, juvenile swamp beetles can shoot forth a spray of 
  fungal gas at a single target within ten feet. The target must 
  save versus poison (+4 bonus) or suffer 1d2 damage and one 
  point of damage per turn for 1d12 turns. Magical healing or a 
  cure disease spell immediately negates the fungus poison. 
  Also, if doused with alcohol of any kind, the fungus is neu-
  tralized.  
   
  A swamp beetle has a long, oval shell, that appears to be 
  covered with tubular shapes. The shapes converge on the 
  elongated head to form two horn-like appendages. Swamp 
  beetles emit their fungal spray from the hollow horns. Most 
  swamp beetles are brown and green in color, though some 
  have yellow bands. Their mandibles can slice bone.  
   
   
  Deflector 
   
  These shields are manufactured to not only defeat physi-
  cal attacks but those from spell casters. The melee benefit 
  ranges from +1 to +3. All deflectors have a 5% chance per “+” 
  of reflecting a spell back upon the caster. This effect only oc-
  curs in the event of a hostile spell targeting the wielder of the 
  deflector. The deflector must be in use (not slung) to use this 
  ability. The target does have to be aware of the spell attack for 
  the shield to function this way. Additionally, if the spell is not 
  reflected, the wielder gains a bonus to his save vs. spell 
  equivalent to the bonus of the shield.  
  Value: 1,200 gp plus 500 gp per “+” 
   
  Flash Ring 
   
  Commonly silver and plain, a flash ring grants its wearer 
  with magical speed (per haste spell) for 1d3+1 rounds up to 
  three times per day. However, when the magic of the ring is 
  activated, it must recharge for 12 turns before it can be used 
  again. It can be used no more than three times every 24 hours.  
  Value: 3,000 gp 
   
  Sun Blade 
   
  While typically swords, a sun blade may come in the 
  form of any edged weapon. The combat benefit of these 
  weapons is always +1, but the blade can become searing hot - 
  enough to melt steel - for 1d6+1 rounds up to three times per 
  day. When activated, the sun blade provides the same illumi-
  nation as a standard lantern. It can be used to ignite any flam-
  mable object by touch. When activated the weapon inflicts 
  and additional 1d4 damage most creatures. However, undead 
  and cold-based creatures suffer an additional 1d12 damage. 
  Those creatures who are fire resistant, suffer no additional 
  damage. A sun blade can damage any undead creature (even 
  those that are only affected by +2 magic weapons, etc.).  
  Value: base 1d4 damage 2,000 gp, base 1d6 damage 3,000 gp, 
  1d8 to 1d12 base damage 4,000 gp.   
  Cursed Cairn of the Moat House 
       Dungeon Module T0.5        ●        A First Edition Adventure 
   New Magic Items 
   New Monster 
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  Cursed Cairn of the Moat House 
       Dungeon Module T0.5        ●        A First Edition Adventure 
  Pacesetter 
  G A M E S  &  S I M U L A T I O N S  
  3011 
  ©2014, Pacesetter Games & Simulations 
  Page Four of Four 
  
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