TEXT: PAL6−06 
   
   
   
   
   
  Promises in the Dark 
   
  A One-Round Dungeons & Dragons®  
  Living Greyhawk™  
  Theocracy of the Pale Regional Adventure 
  Version 1.0 
   
  by Jason Clark 
  Circle Reviewer: John Jenks 
  Triad Reviewer: Derek Schubert 
  Playtesters: Keiko Arikashe, Nicosia Oniko, Jodi Soares, Edward Stephen,  
  Emily Strecker, Mark Strecker, Mitsuzui Tsukiyama, and Yuki Yashida. 
   
  Whispered rumors are circulating in Landrigard Prelacy that the lost dwarven city of Garsegzuul has been discovered 
  deep beneath the Rakers. Can the zealous footfalls of experienced spelunkers, historians and relic-hunters go unnoticed 
  while long-forgotten treasures are unearthed, or will the intrusion of surface-dwellers disturb a centuries-old, uneasy 
  stillness? What fetid secrets lurk below, only the harshest light is fit to reveal. This scenario is the third and final 
  chapter of Biting the Hand that Feeds, begun in PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper and continued in PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail. A 
  one-round Pale Regional Adventure for decisive PCs of levels 4-14 (APLs 6-12) who know that revenge is a dish best 
  served cold. “The last act is bloody, howsoever fine all the rest of the play”—Pascal. 
   
  Resources for this adventure include Book of Vile Darkness [Monte Cook]; Complete Adventurer [Jesse Decker]; Complete 
  Divine [David Noonan]; Complete Warrior [Andy Collins, David Noonan, Ed Stark]; COR4-07 Crystal Caverns of the Cairn 
  Hills [Nicholas K. Tulach]; Fiend Folio [Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Matt Sernett, Chris 
  Thomasson, James Wyatt]; ”In Cold Hell, in Thicket” [Charles Olson], Monster Manual II [Ed Bonny, Jeff Grubb, Rich 
  Redman, Skip Williams, Steve Winter]; PAL5-03 Strata [Derek Schubert]; PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper [Brian Moseley and 
  Jason Clark]; PAL5I-02 Force of Habit [Jason Clark]; PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail [Jason Clark]; Spell Compendium [Matthew 
  Sernett, Jeff Grubb, Mike McArtor]. 
  Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed 
  by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
  This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission of Wizards of the 
  Coast. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 SYSTEM license, please visit www.wizards.com/d20 
  This is an official RPGA® play document. To find out more about the RPGA and to learn more on how you can sanction and run DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS game events of all sizes, visit our website at www.rpga.com. 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK, LIVING GREYHAWK, D&D REWARDS, RPGA, PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, DUNGEON 
  MASTER’S GUIDE, AND MONSTER MANUAL ARE TRADEMARKS OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST, INC, IN THE US AND OTHER 
  COUNTRIES. THIS MATERIAL IS PROTECTED UNDER THE COPYRIGHT LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ANY 
  REPRODUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE MATERIAL OR ARTWORK CONTAINED HEREIN IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT 
  THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST, INC. THIS PRODUCT IS A WORK OF FICTION. ANY 
  SIMILARITY TO ACTUAL PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, PLACES, OR EVENTS IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. © 2005 WIZARDS OF THE 
  COAST, INC. 
  Visit the LIVING GREYHAWK website at www.rpga.com. 
   
   
  
  RPGA® SANCTIONED PLAY 
  Most likely you ordered this adventure as part of an 
  RPGA even from the RPGA website, or you received it 
  from your senior gamemaster. To play this adventure as 
  part of the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign—a worldwide, 
  ongoing D&D® campaign set in the GREYHAWK setting—
  you must sanction it as part of an RPGA event. This event 
  could be as elaborate as a big convention, or as simple as a 
  group of friends meeting at the DM’s house.  
   
  To sanction an RPGA event, you must be at least a 
  HERALD-LEVEL™ gamemaster. The person who sanctions 
  the event is called the senior gamemaster, and is in 
  charge of making sure the event is sanctioned before 
  play, runs smoothly on the date sanctioned, and then 
  reported back to the RPGA in a timely manner. The 
  person who runs the game is called the table Dungeon 
  Master (or usually just DM). Sometimes (and almost all 
  the time in the cases of home events) the senior 
  gamemaster is also the table DM. You don’t have to be a 
  HERALD-LEVEL GM to run this adventure if you are not 
  the senior GM.  
   
  By sanctioning and reporting this adventure you 
  accomplish a couple of things. First it is an official game, 
  and you can use the AR to advance your LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character. Second player and DMs gain 
  rewards for sanctioned RPGA play if they are members of 
  the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS program. Playing 
  this adventure is worth one (1) point. 
   
  This adventure retires from RPGA-sanctioned play 
  on December 31, 2007.  
   
  To learn more about the LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character creation and development, RPGA event 
  sanctioning, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS, visit 
  the RPGA website at www.rpga.com.  
   
  Players Read No Further 
  If you are planning on playing this adventure, stop 
  reading now. The rest of the information in this 
  adventure is for the DM only. If you read farther than 
  this section, you will know too much about its 
  challenges, which kills the fun. Also, if you are playing 
  this adventure as part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, 
  reading beyond this point makes you ineligible to do so.  
   
  Preparing for Play 
  To get the most out of this adventure, you need copies of 
  the following D&D rulebooks: Player’s Handbook, Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual.  
   
  Throughout this adventure, text in bold italics 
  provides player information for you to paraphrase or read 
  aloud when appropriate. Sidebars contain important 
  information for you, including special instruction on 
  running the adventure. Information on nonplayer 
  characters (NPCs) and monsters appear in abbreviated 
  form in the adventure text. Full information on NPCs 
  and monsters are given in Appendix 1. For your 
  convenience, that appendix is split by APL. 
   
  Along with this adventure you will find a RPGA 
  Session Tracking sheet. If you are playing this adventure 
  as part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, complete and turn 
  in this sheet to your senior GM directly after play. You 
  will also find a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure Record 
  (AR).  
   
   LIVING GREYHAWK LEVELS 
  OF PLAY 
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportionate to the modified average character level of 
  the PCs participating in the adventure. To determine this 
  modified Average Party Level (APL) follow the steps 
  below: 
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained for 
  combat (most likely dogs trained for war), other than 
  those brought by virtue of a class ability (such as 
  animal companions, familiars paladin’s mounts) or 
  the warhorse of a character with the Mounted 
  Combat feat, use the sidebar chart to determine the 
  number of levels you add to the sum of step one. Add 
  each character’s animals separately. A single PC may 
  only bring four or fewer animals of this type, and 
  animals with different CRs are added separately.  
  # of Animals 
  Mundane 
  Animals’ Effect 
  on APL 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  CR of Animal 
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  3. 
  Sum the results of step 1 and 2, and divide by the 
  number of characters playing in the adventure. 
  Round up to the nearest whole number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six PCs, add one to that 
  average. 
   
  Throughout this adventure, APLs categorize the level of 
  challenge the PCs face. APLs are given in even-numbered 
  increments. If the APL of your group falls on an odd 
  number, ask them before the adventure begins whether 
  they would like to play a harder or easier adventure. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 1 
  
  Based on their choice, use either the higher or the lower 
  adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience and gold a 
  PC can gain at the end of the adventure. If a player 
  character is three character levels or more either higher 
  or lower than the APL at which this adventure is being 
  played, that character receives only one-half of the 
  experience points and gold for the adventure. This 
  simulates the fact that either the PC was not challenged 
  as much as normal or relied on help by higher-level 
  characters to reach the objectives. 
   
  Furthermore, a PC who is four or more levels higher 
  than the highest APL supported by the adventure may 
  not play the adventure. 
   
  LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed for APL 
  2 and higher. Four or five 1st-level characters may find 
  the challenge of an APL 2 adventure difficult. Suggest the 
  following to these groups to help increase their chances 
  of success:  
  1. 
  Enlist a sixth player. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help 
  protect them and fight for them. 
   
  TIME UNITS AND UPKEEP 
  This is a standard one-round regional adventure, set in 
  the Theocracy of the Pale. Characters from the Pale pay 
  one (1) Time Unit per round, while all other characters 
  pay two (2) Time Units per round. 
   
  Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep costs 12 gp per Time 
  Unit. Rich Upkeep costs 50 gp per Time Unit. Luxury 
  Upkeep costs 100 gp per Time Unit. Characters that fail 
  to pay at least Standard Upkeep will retain temporary 
  ability damage until the next adventure, must buy new 
  spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  suffer other in-game penalties (or possibly gain in-game 
  benefits) as may be detailed in this adventure. 
   
  A character that does not pay for at least Standard 
  Upkeep may also avoid the above-described penalties by 
  living off the wild. If the character possesses four or more 
  ranks in the Survival skill and succeeds at a DC 20 
  Survival check, the character will heal temporary ability 
  damage as if he or she paid for Standard Upkeep, may 
  refill spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  restock up to 20 arrows or bolts if the character has at 
  least four ranks in Craft (bowmaking). The player is 
  allowed to Take 10 on this roll. 
   
  More information about Lifestyle and Upkeep can 
  be found in the “Lifestyle and Upkeep” section of 
  Chapter 3 of the Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook. 
   
  PALE HOLY DAY 
  Some player characters may wish to give or attend 
  services in-game on Pholtan holy days. For adventures set 
  in the Theocracy of the Pale, a member of the Church of 
  the One True Path may ask the judge at the beginning of 
  an Adventure to determine how many days it is until the 
  next Pholtan Holy day. This is accomplished by rolling a 
  d8, rerolling if the result is 8. If a 7 is rolled, the first day 
  of the adventure is a Pholtan Holy Day. Otherwise, the 
  die result indicates the number of days until the next 
  Pholtan Holy Day. Due to the special nature of the 
  Theocracy of the Pale, on Holy Days, Judges are 
  encouraged (but not required) to work-in a brief scene 
  involving Pholtan worship, possibly including a brief 1-2 
  minute sermon by a PC if his or her level is at least fifth 
  level and the judge believes that there is time available. 
   
  SPECIAL RULES FOR THE 
  PALE 
  See DM Aid 1: Special Rules for the Pale. 
   
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND 
  This scenario is the third and final chapter in a series 
  focusing on the Cult of Demogorgon and its search for a 
  lost artifact at the behest of a mysterious benefactor. 
  Initially assigned to search the Rakers, the half-troll 
  priest and cult lieutenant Aodhan ultimately developed a 
  heightened sense of identity and a strong resentment 
  toward authority. After the death of his protégé and 
  necropolitan creation Bran Mac Colm, and his 
  subsequent reprimand by his demonic superiors (both 
  detailed in PAL5-06 My Brother's Keeper), Aodhan rebelled 
  and conspired with his nemesis and fellow lieutenant 
  cultist, H'nakaalah, to murder their master Malerix 
  Moorcol and assume leadership of the Cult’s Troll Fens 
  outposts. His burgeoning sense of individuality and 
  predilection toward necromantic activity and company 
  led Aodhan to abandon his search for the artifact and also 
  to cease Malerix's troll breeding experiments, of which 
  he himself was one. 
   
  Following the events in PAL5-06, Aodhan had a 
  hunch where the artifact was hidden but not how to 
  recover it from its mysterious, otherworldly guardian. 
  Keeping this information to himself, he eventually 
  returned to the Rakers (one of many such forays, which 
  PCs may have learned about during PAL6-04 Tooth and 
  Nail) with his half-troll bodyguards to study the problem, 
  planning to recover and keep the artifact for himself. 
   
   The Underdark passage leading to the grotto known 
  as Beltar’s Maw (where the lost artifact is indeed hidden) 
  has a secondary fork that leads to a vast, underground 
  lake whose southern outlet eventually leads to the fabled 
  River Svartjet. The lake is a favorite hunting area of an 
  elder black dragon, who has survived in anonymity for 
  ages by keeping a low profile. While his name and age are 
  not relevant to the scope of this scenario, he is the 
  sponsor of a local troglodyte tribe and especially of a 
  female named Xilaisha, who has become his disciple. The 
  tribe lairs in the lost city of Garsegzuul, which lies in the 
  opposite direction along the subterranean highway from 
  Beltar’s Maw—about 50 miles from the Maw itself but a 
  quick jaunt as the dragon flies.  
   
  One day recently, the dragon returned from hunting 
  near the lake and detected the unmistakable, offensive 
  odor of trolls. (Aodhan’s troll heritage, lack of personal 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 2 
  
  hygiene, and commission of sacrifices while living in the 
  middle of a swamp combined into a homing beacon for 
  the dragon’s keen senses.) Sensing that they were likely 
  far from their home and up to something, he crept 
  toward the Maw for a closer look.  
   
  What he saw aroused his curiosity: two mutated half-
  trolls stood by as the third (Aodhan) performed some 
  kind of ritual over a dark pool. Aodhan also carried a 
  flesheater rod, a magnificent brown scepter that the dragon 
  instantly coveted. However, the dragon had also been 
  around long enough to recall that some kind of entity 
  occupied the pool and guarded something. A closer look 
  at the trolls showed the dragon the unholy symbol of 
  Demogorgon, so he stealthily retreated to dwell on this 
  discovery. 
   
  Certainly he could kill and devour the trolls, but he 
  wasn’t particularly hungry, and the mystery of what the 
  trolls were looking for would elude him. More 
  importantly, here was an opportunity to test the mettle of 
  his troglodyte tribe. The dragon devised a plan and 
  returned to the large magma lake (seen in PAL5-06), 
  where he quickly bribed a gang of feisty steam and fire 
  mephits to prevent the trolls from departing until the 
  dragon returned. 
   
  The dragon then took flight back toward Garsegzuul, 
  flying low and unseen along the magma-chasm (also from 
  PAL5-06). At the ancient dwarven city, he summoned his 
  disciple Xilaisha and told her of his plan: to lure the trolls 
  to Garsegzuul under the pretense of assisting them in 
  their search. Once the trolls lowered their guard and 
  revealed what they were looking for, the troglodytes 
  would attack and slay the trolls, (and claim the brown 
  scepter for the dragon). 
   
  Xilaisha relayed the dragon’s plan to her chief, a 
  devious priest of Laogzed named Skkal, and then went 
  with the dragon to Beltar’s Maw. Back at the magma lake, 
  the mephits dutifully reported that the trolls had not left 
  the Maw; the dragon then paid and dismissed them. He 
  counseled his young disciple Xilaisha that the success of 
  the plan was now fully in her hands. 
   
  Posing as a troglodyte concubine, she approached 
  the three trolls. She threw herself at their mercy, 
  claiming to be a mere servant, setting traps for surface-
  dwellers that had recently come in search of Garsegzuul 
  and disturbed her master’s meditation. As the dragon 
  expected, Aodhan demanded to know more. Xilaisha 
  described her master as a powerful savant with great 
  knowledge of the Underdark. She added that her chief 
  would reward the trolls for her return.  
   
  Frustrated at not acquiring the artifact, but knowing 
  that every moment away from the Fens camp would draw 
  suspicion from his demonic superiors, Aodhan agreed to 
  accompany her to Garsegzuul. The next day, the dragon 
  made his move, killing one of Aodhan’s bodyguards with 
  his acid breath and then flying away with a screaming 
  Xilaisha. Aodhan pressed on to Garsegzuul in curiosity 
  and desperation. In the distance, the dragon returned 
  Xilaisha to her tribe and ordered Skkal not to disturb him 
  until the trolls were slain. 
   
  Aodhan and his bodyguard reached Garsegzuul 
  without incident; after making certain that no 
  adventurers were near, he used divination magic (biting 
  the hand that fed him, by using the Cult’s gifts to betray 
  them) to locate the troglodyte tribe, in an ancient temple 
  of Moradin. Skkal’s ranger-lieutenant Irakiss shadowed 
  the two half-trolls through the deserted city. Aodhan 
  cautiously approached the troglodyte lair, prepared to 
  make a deal, but Skkal was ready for him. 
   
  Playing to Aodhan’s suspected expectations of a dull-
  witted, reptilian shaman, Skkal listened to his tale of the 
  Cult of Demogorgon, its search for the artifact, the dark 
  pool in Beltar’s Maw, and the infuriating intrusion of 
  adventurers. Skkal then bluffed (as the dragon had 
  instructed) and said he knew how to recover Aodhan’s 
  artifact: the dark pool in Beltar’s Maw was but one access 
  point to a vast underground lake. Skkal knew of another 
  access point, he said, but it was guarded by powerful 
  salamanders. Skkal slyly suggested that if Aodhan 
  returned with half-trolls specially tailored to withstand 
  fire, he should easily be able to defeat the salamanders 
  and gain entry to the lake.  
   
  In return for this information, Skkal demanded live 
  bodies for food and sacrifice, along with the augmented 
  trolls to help fight off the recent influx of surface-
  dwellers. (Skkal really intended to accept the half-trolls 
  and prisoners, and then lead Aodhan into an ambush by 
  the dragon and Xilaisha). Blinded by greed and visions of 
  further rebellion against the Cult of Demogorgon once 
  the artifact was his, Aodhan agreed. 
   
  But unbeknownst to any of them, the Cult’s 
  mysterious 
  benefactor 
  had 
  discovered 
  Aodhan’s 
  insubordinate behavior and was furious at his delay in 
  recovering the artifact. The benefactor sent his envoy, a 
  being with some relation to the noble House Rax of the 
  Great Kingdom, to secretly follow Aodhan on this most 
  recent journey to the Rakers. Once Aodhan accepted 
  Skkal’s terms and returned to the Fens, the envoy 
  approached the troglodytes and made them a generous 
  counteroffer. He described Aodhan as a disobedient 
  minion, untrustworthy and greedy but still a formidable 
  challenge, so he bribed them with magic items in 
  exchange for revealing the artifact’s location, and gave 
  them a magic weapon (varying by APL) to deter Aodhan 
  from striking back upon learning he had been betrayed.  
   
  Skkal tentatively agreed to the envoy’s terms and 
  promised to betray Aodhan by driving him and his 
  bodyguards out of their lair into the unexplored passages 
  of the Underdark. With no artifact or justification for his 
  willful behavior, and with no way of returning to the 
  Fens without exposing his guilt, Aodhan had all but 
  guaranteed his destruction by his wrathful demonic 
  superiors.  
   
  Once the envoy departed, Skkal told the dragon 
  what he had done and was relieved when the dragon 
  rewarded his resourcefulness. The plan would still work: 
  once the trolls were driven away, the dragon could easily 
  ambush and destroy them. The troglodytes could keep 
  the envoy’s gifts and the dragon would get his brown 
  scepter. More importantly, the dragon had acquired 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 3 
  
  valuable knowledge: after Skkal described the envoy and 
  the seal of House Rax, the dragon recognized the true 
  power behind Aodhan’s cult and what the lost artifact 
  was. (Editor’s note: The identity of the artifact is intended to 
  remain a secret from you, the judge.) Though the dragon 
  planned to avoid direct involvement for now, he counted 
  the envoy’s ignorance of his existence as a keen 
  advantage. 
   
  Aodhan returned to the Fens and, in creating what 
  would be the Cult’s last two half-trolls, suffered a coup as 
  Malerix’s remaining experiments rebelled against him. 
  Aodhan managed to quash the rebellion, gathered his 
  remaining humanoid minions and the two fire-resistant 
  half-trolls, and led them back to the Rakers with the 
  promise of recovering the artifact. In truth, he was 
  leading them to attack the presumptuous troglodytes, 
  torturing as many as necessary to get it. Soon after they 
  left, adventurers raided his Fens encampment (in PAL6-
  04 Tooth and Nail) and intimidated the remaining cultists 
  into divulging what they knew about their master's 
  recent odd behavior.  
   
  Meanwhile, in the hamlet of Tobinsford, profits 
  from a recent gold rush had attracted all manner of 
  adventurers, 
  entrepreneurs, 
  and 
  freeloaders. 
  Additionally, discoveries of a subterranean highway and 
  lost dwarven city had attracted several explorers and 
  historians. This news, perhaps along with inquiries made 
  into their sabotaged expedition during PAL6-04, has led 
  the PCs to Tobinsford, where they will cross paths with 
  several suspicious characters and a group of dwarves 
  planning an expedition to Garsegzuul who are keen to 
  enlist the PCs’ expertise on their trek. 
   
  The PCs will eventually encounter Aodhan after his 
  betrayal by the troglodytes, and a demonic strike team 
  sent by Aodhan’s quasit superior to kill him. By 
  destroying Aodhan and the demons, the PCs have a 
  chance to permanently remove the Mark of Demogorgon 
  and to decisively thwart all organized Cult activity in the 
  Pale. Unfortunately, the lost artifact ultimately eludes 
  them, as the Cult's mysterious benefactor has already 
  negotiated to acquire it. 
   
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY 
  This adventure occurs soon after the events in PAL6-04 
  Tooth and Nail. The accidental discovery of the ancient 
  dwarven city of Garsegzuul by adventurers in PAL5-06 
  My Brother’s Keeper has attracted all manner of so-called 
  explorers hoping to plumb its long-forgotten depths. 
  They have converged on the burgeoning hamlet of 
  Tobinsford, but the promise of low risk and easy profits 
  from a gold claim (or leeching off someone else’s) has 
  kept most of them within the safe confines of the town. 
  While the Church of the One True Path would ordinarily 
  take note of such a chaotic influx, the exceptionally 
  efficient recordkeeping of parish priest Eamon has 
  convinced his Pholtan superiors in Landrigard that 
  Tobinsford is already in capable hands. Thus, Tobinsford 
  has degenerated (with the help of a disreputable new 
  tavern) into a nearly lawless and dangerous frontier town.  
   
  Into this milieu come the PCs, who may be in town 
  for any number of reasons: to explore Garsegzuul; to 
  check on their own mining claim or visit with Eamon, if 
  they played PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper; to follow up on 
  the rumors of easy wealth derived from gold mining (DC 
  10 Knowledge [local-Nyrond and Her Environs] check); 
  to find out who betrayed their expedition to the Troll 
  Fens (if they played PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail), be it Sir 
  Andros or someone else; or perhaps this is their first visit 
  to 
  Tobinsford, 
  where 
  first 
  impressions—unlike 
  fortunes—can be lasting. 
   
  Introduction/Investigation (15 minutes): The PCs 
  arrive at sundown. From the interior of a new inn named 
  the Heathen’s Retreat all manner of raucous revelry can be 
  heard. A lone dwarf stands outside, calmly smoking a 
  pipe. PCs may approach the dwarf and enter the inn, or 
  proceed across the town square to Tobinsford’s more 
  reputable inn, the Bounding Stag. 
   
  Encounter 1 (30 minutes): The PCs enter one of 
  Tobinsford’s two inns. If they choose the Heathen’s 
  Retreat, they can meet (among many other suspicious 
  characters) the dwarf’s companions and learn of their 
  planned expedition to Garsegzuul. The PCs can instead 
  avoid the new tavern in favor of the old one, the Bounding 
  Stag. Both offer a wealth of fact and rumor, but the 
  clientele inside each are quite different.  
   
  During this roleplay encounter, the PCs have a 
  chance to revisit some NPCs and meet new ones while 
  learning about the effects “gold fever” has had on 
  Tobinsford. They may gather information on the gold 
  rush, expeditions to Garsegzuul, or even Sir Andros and 
  any suspicious activity. They may also hire the ranger 
  Dack Splintheel as a guide. 
   
  Encounter 2 (15 minutes): The PCs trek through the 
  wilderness of the Rakers; along the way they pass the 
  remains of some adventurers who never made it to the 
  Underdark. The PCs otherwise reach the Underdark 
  highway without incident. 
   
  From here, the journey to Garsegzuul lasts two days. 
  During their long, dark passage, the PCs discover the 
  remains of other adventurers slain by Underdark 
  predators. The PCs may also discover the carcasses of 
  trolls, half-trolls, and Demogorgon cultists. This should 
  alert the PCs that Aodhan might be nearby. As the PCs 
  reach the end of the highway, they hear cries for help. 
   
  Encounter 3 (30 minutes): The PCs reach Garsegzuul 
  just as several adventurers are being attacked by a host of 
  demons, sent to assassinate Aodhan for violating Cult 
  directives. The quasit that leads them can see the Mark of 
  Demogorgon on any PC that bears it; he redirects a 
  contingent of demons to attack the PCs. PCs that speak 
  Abyssal and correctly intuit his directive have a unique 
  opportunity to negotiate.  
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 4 
  
  Encounter 4 (15 minutes): After defeating the demons, 
  the PCs are guardedly welcomed to the “base camp” 
  plateau by two groups of adventurers that beat the PCs to 
  Garsegzuul. (A third group, made up of gnomes, also beat 
  them but all of them disappeared.) The two groups bicker 
  over who has official claim to the city. One group is 
  composed of rugged adventuring types, here to loot 
  Garsegzuul. The other group is composed of scholars and 
  lorekeepers, keen to study the city before allowing any 
  treasures to be removed. After listening to both, the PCs 
  must choose to side with one group or neither. This 
  choice determines where the PCs go next within the city: 
  each group has a map of the areas they have explored, but 
  there are also unexplored areas.  
   
  Encounter 5 (20 minutes): The PCs spend an uneventful 
  night at “base camp” and enter Garsegzuul the following 
  morning. If the PCs sided with one of the other groups, 
  they are directed to one of two partially explored areas 
  (the chosen group explores the other area); if the PCs did 
  not choose a side, they may select one of two completely 
  unexplored areas that are farther from the camp. The 
  areas include an armory, a reliquary, apartments, a 
  laboratory, a forge, and a library. Exploring any of these 
  areas takes the whole day, after which everyone returns 
  to camp. 
   
  Encounter 6 (20 minutes): The PCs rest for the night 
  and share (or withhold) their discoveries. If the PCs did 
  not travel to Garsegzuul with the dwarves from 
  Tobinsford, they now find the dwarves here; if the PCs 
  did not hire the ranger Dack Splintheel, he also shows up 
  in the employ of an unscrupulous relic-hunter. Finally, a 
  member of the scholars’ group returns with startling 
  news of an odd cave, strange voices, and two indistinct 
  humanoid shapes (actually Skkal and the mysterious 
  envoy). The PCs will likely be curious to investigate these 
  things in the morning. 
   
  Encounter 7 (20 minutes): The PCs investigate the cave 
  mentioned 
  in 
  Encounter 
  6; 
  though 
  currently 
  unoccupied, it has natural acoustic features, suggesting 
  that the scholar who found the cave heard voices that 
  were not actually inside but somewhere nearby. Now, the 
  PCs overhear Aodhan and Skkal speaking in Draconic: 
  the half-troll learns that he has been betrayed and that 
  Skkal’s promises of recovering the artifact were lies. The 
  PCs must mesh their Listen, Survival, and Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) skills to make a unique Track check and 
  pinpoint the source of the voices. Greater success on this 
  check leads to a more advantageous entrance to the 
  troglodyte lair, within the ruins of a former temple to 
  Moradin. 
   
  Encounter 8 (30 minutes): The PCs follow the voices to 
  the troglodyte lair, where they are attacked. The 
  troglodytes wield magic items against the PCs (gifts from 
  the envoy) that will be conspicuous among a tribe of 
  savages and should provide PCs with a clue that there is 
  yet another player behind the scenes. Once the PCs 
  defeat the troglodytes, they must move to confront 
  Aodhan before he escapes. Taking too long to catch him 
  threatens the safety of everyone at the plateau. 
   
  Encounter 9 (30 minutes): The PCs confront Aodhan at 
  the “base camp”. Depending on the PCs’ speed, he may 
  have already killed some of the NPCs. Aodhan has 
  nothing left to lose and fights to the death, hoping if 
  nothing else to slay and animate the PCs. If at least one 
  PC possesses the sacrificial nails from PAL6-04 and if the 
  party manages to kill Aodhan, they can permanently 
  remove the Mark of Demogorgon. 
   
  Conclusion (15 minutes): The PCs return to Tobinsford 
  in time to hear the surprise announcement of Eamon and 
  Lorna’s wedding the next day. PCs that played PAL6-04 
  may follow up on any leads involving their betrayal and 
  may name their suspect(s) to a visiting Church dignitary 
  here to promote Eamon. The PCs receive VIP invitations 
  to the wedding, which is held outdoors at sundown in 
  the partially completed shrine of Pholtus. Following the 
  ceremony, the Cult of Demogorgon’s Tobinsford spy is 
  exposed as the unctuous Clive Orbison, either by astute 
  PCs or by an anonymous source.   
   
  PREPARATION FOR PLAY 
  Past Scenarios 
  The first two scenarios in this series may affect this one 
  in several ways. First, one or more PCs may bear the 
  Mark of Demogorgon curse from PAL5-06 My Brother’s 
  Keeper or its mutated strain from PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail. 
  Second, Clive Orbison is working as the Cult’s spy in 
  Tobinsford; he was responsible for betraying the party at 
  the outset of PAL6-04, but the PCs should not be sure of 
  this just yet. PCs who played PAL6-04 may wish to 
  investigate who betrayed them. Rules for such 
  investigations are found in the Introduction below, and 
  the results obtained are intended to lead PCs toward 
  correctly—or incorrectly—accusing an NPC during the 
  Conclusion. 
   
  PCs that successfully completed PAL6-04 Tooth and 
  Nail acquired the nails used in Bran Mac Colm’s Ritual of 
  Crucimigration (detailed in the Background section of 
  PAL5-06). The nails radiate moderate necromancy and 
  faint transmutation. Ask each player whether they intend 
  to play the same character they played in PAL6-04; those 
  who do must show its Adventure Record before play 
  begins, as personal possession of the nails is necessary to 
  permanently remove the Mark of Demogorgon. 
   
  Note which PCs played PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper 
  and spent extra TUs assisting Brother Eamon with his 
  gold claim paperwork; he will remember such PCs and 
  welcome them back to Tobinsford with great enthusiasm.  
   
  Also, note which PCs staked a gold claim from that 
  scenario, as the current level of decadence in Tobinsford 
  that has developed as a result of the gold rush activity 
  may reflect negatively on them.  
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 5 
  
   
  High-Level Pholtan PCs 
  Pay special attention to PCs who are either clerics of 
  paladins of the Church of the One True Path, as the 
  aforementioned decadence will surely concern them and 
  arouse their suspicion; tailoring the behavior of some 
  NPCs will enliven the roleplay. Nevertheless, do not let 
  high-level Pholtan PCs try to take over the town in the 
  Church’s name. They should merely report the problem 
  back to their superiors in Landrigard. No PCs can actually 
  speak for the Church, anyway, since the Clergy meta-org 
  is outside the official Church hierarchy. 
   
  Malerix and His Reminder-Dream 
  Next, note whether any PC has the “Grimy Black Bag” 
  from PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail, as it holds the essence of 
  the dead priest Malerix Moorcol. Only one PC in the 
  party can have the bag, so if two or more PCs got it, 
  Malerix abandons all but one of them, choosing the one 
  with an alignment closest to CN; break any ties by level 
  (highest wins) and then Will save (lowest wins).  
   
  Malerix’s essence will not rest until Aodhan is 
  destroyed. To remind the PCs (and players) of their 
  mission, Malerix sends the chosen PC a dreamlike vision 
  one night during the week before this adventure begins. 
  (Elf PCs receive this vision during their trance state.) If 
  no PCs have the bag or the Mark of Demogorgon, 
  Malerix simply chooses the PC with the lowest Will save. 
  Take the player aside and read the following: 
   
  You experience a vivid dream in which several 
  undead humanoids shuffle around an unconscious 
  human male nailed to a large cross. Another 
  humanoid with fiery, pale blue eyes carves glowing 
  scars into the unconscious man. In the background, 
  a massive and repulsive humanoid chants a foul 
  incantation that is soon disrupted by the appearance 
  of a tiny, bat-winged creature that immediately 
  chastises the much larger creature. These two 
  figures then vanish. 
   
  The dreamscape changes and now shows a 
  black-clad human male standing on a muddy 
  isthmus in the middle of a vast swamp, performing 
  bizarre experiments on trolls and other large 
  creatures. Soon, this man is viciously attacked from 
  behind and slain by two figures: one of the killers is 
  a stealthy Flan male, while the other is the massive, 
  repulsive humanoid from the first part of the 
  dream, who is now clearly identifiable as a half-troll. 
   
  These images then swirl together like a 
  whirlpool, whose edges are defined by a series of 
  jagged teeth. In the pitch-black center of this 
  swirling mass, an image soon appears of a huge, 
  serpentine form covered in dark, blue-green scales 
  and capped with two baboon-like heads atop long, 
  snaky necks. This creature’s forked tail is soon 
  absorbed in the motion of the whirlpool, and just as 
  you begin to discern where the tail ends and the 
  motion begins, one of the heads turns swiftly to 
  look upon you, and you awaken in a cold sweat… 
   
  This two-headed creature is, of course, Demogorgon: 
  recognizable by a DC 15 Knowledge (the planes) or 
  Knowledge (religion) check. 
   
  Skills and Feats 
  Have each PC roll two Listen and two Spot checks; also, 
  take note of each PC’s Sense Motive modifier and secretly 
  roll three checks for each of them. Note each PC’s 
  physical description and attire, and also whether any can 
  Track. A PC may predict the weather via a Survival check 
  (PHB page 83); it will be cold and overcast but with no 
  inclement weather. Cold weather gear is advised but not 
  required. The Troll Winter has chilled the whole spring 
  and summer, and the coldest times might yet lie ahead.  
   
  Timing 
  Finally, note that this scenario is tightly structured with 
  regard to time; while the PCs are free to roleplay and 
  explore during the first encounter, make every effort to 
  get them on the road to Garsegzuul within 45-60 minutes 
  after starting play, or else they will be in danger of not 
  completing the adventure. 
   
   
  CAST OF CHARACTERS 
  Father (Abbot) Eamon of Pholtus: Tobinsford's 
  original parish priest and gold-rush accountant has 
  prospered. With two new assistants and a recent 
  promotion, he now oversees construction on the new 
  shrine to Pholtus but humbly admits that he owes his 
  current accomplishments to selfless adventurers who 
  helped him when he needed it the most (in PAL5-06 My 
  Brother's Keeper). He and Lorna are in love with each 
  other, though they have not yet admitted it even to 
  themselves. As a Pholtan abbot, he is properly addressed 
  as “Father”, strange though it may seem for a man of 22 
  years. 
   
  Greddis: Proprietor of Tobinsford's original tavern, the 
  Bounding Stag, Greddis is disgusted by the decadence and 
  disreputable characters at Fynch's tavern, but secretly 
  jealous of Fynch's obvious skill as a businessman. He is 
  unaware of the romance between his daughter and 
  Eamon. 
   
  Lorna: Daughter of Greddis and secret admirer of Father 
  Eamon, Lorna has become dejected in the presence of 
  Tobinsford’s many new females. Once the girl everyone 
  loved to admire, she has found her humble beauty 
  eclipsed by the garish make-up and questionable attire of 
  the prostitutes at Fynch's tavern. She has become 
  unjustly self-conscious about her looks, and PCs may 
  have difficulty in lifting her spirits. 
   
  A. Fynch: This suave but unscrupulous entrepreneur 
  owns Tobinsford's newest tavern, the Heathen’s Retreat, 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 6 
  
  whose reputation and clientele have many local citizens 
  in an uproar. In addition to his anti-Pholtan sentiments, 
  Fynch is guilty of violating several Pale ordinances, 
  which the PCs may investigate and expose.  
   
  Peralyn: This woman from is Fynch’s partner in crime. 
  She seduces miners (and possibly PCs) possessing gold 
  claims with the intent of poisoning them and then 
  forging their claim documents.  
   
  Orran Twinbridges: This amateur miner has unearthed 
  the most successful gold mine in Tobinsford. Wealth has 
  warped his once-humble attitude and he now spends 
  money extravagantly. His decadence may challenge the 
  PCs’ ethical outlook, as he insists that gold can solve any 
  problem and fill any void in a person’s life. 
   
  Rayner Von Krall: This similarly unscrupulous and 
  condescending looter can first be found at Fynch’s; he 
  seeks a guide to lead him to Garsegzuul but refuses to 
  travel with the PCs due to their “obvious” lack of 
  experience. If the PCs do not hire Dack Splintheel (see 
  below), Rayner arrives midway through the adventure 
  with him. Rayner should embody everything the PCs 
  find distasteful in adventurers, most notably a lack of 
  respect for other people and past cultures. 
   
  The Dwarves: This group of four adventurers from the 
  County of Urnst has heard the rumors about Garsegzuul 
  and has a genuine, selfless desire to explore it. They are 
  both happy and eager to travel with the PCs, especially if 
  any PCs have played PAL5-06 and/or have tracking skills. 
   
  Garrold and Teague: These two twenty-something Flan 
  males frequent Fynch’s tavern. They work for Clive 
  Orbison and are overseeing his daily operations while he 
  is away on business. The PCs should find them a little too 
  well-dressed and observant for mere hired hands. 
    
  Marlin Spurlock: The never-present Pale Patrol 
  representative has not been seen in some time, 
  suggesting either that Tobinsford has fallen off the Pale’s 
  priorities, or that its recent level of decadence has made it 
  worthy of permanent Pale troops to replace Marlin. What 
  no one has yet considered is the correct third option: 
  murder.  
   
  Garsegzuul Adventurers: Three groups of adventurers 
  and explorers have beaten the PCs to the lost city. One 
  intends to loot it, and one prefers to study it before 
  allowing any treasures to be removed. The third group 
  (five gnomes) has disappeared, victims of Skkal’s 
  troglodyte tribe. 
   
  Dack Splintheel: Tobinsford's least charismatic fixture 
  has gained even more notoriety for confrontations with 
  miners and his defeat of an owlbear and a winter wolf 
  that had been drawn to town by careless humans and 
  their refuse. If the PCs do not hire him as a guide, he 
  arrives in Garsegzuul with the relic-hunter, Rayner Von 
  Krall. Dack’s reluctance to play the hero may be tested in 
  the confrontation with Aodhan (Encounter 9). 
   
  Malerix Moorcol: The former high priest and troll-
  breeder of the Cult of Demogorgon’s Troll Fens outpost 
  now survives as a sentient grimy black bag. A PC who 
  took possession of him during PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail 
  may be protected in the fight against Aodhan during 
  Encounter 9.  
   
  Gumboots: The abused crocodile from PAL6-04 Tooth 
  and Nail may have been adopted by a PC. If so, he 
  willingly follows his new master to places crocodiles 
  would not ordinarily go. Once Gumboots encounters 
  either Aodhan (who tortured him and killed his old 
  master) or Skkal (to whom Aodhan gave a necklace of 
  Gummy’s teeth), his animal instincts take over and make 
  him hard to control. 
   
  Aodhan: The sins of this half-troll Cult priest come back 
  to haunt him, as he is misled and betrayed by a tribe of 
  troglodytes at the behest of Cult’s mysterious benefactor. 
  In a daring act of faith, he recently abandoned 
  Demogorgon in favor of full devotion to Vaprak, the troll 
  deity. Demons have also been sent to dispatch him, but 
  the PCs have a chance to negotiate with his quasit 
  superior for that privilege. Aodhan’s defeat removes the 
  Mark of Demogorgon curse and is intended to 
  underscore the dual follies of power and vanity. 
   
  The Black Dragon (offscreen): This reclusive wyrm is 
  the sponsor of the troglodyte tribe that betrays Aodhan. 
  While his motives are purely covetous, the dragon soon 
  deduces the true power behind the Cult of Demogorgon’s 
  current activities and chooses to maintain his low profile, 
  working through his female troglodyte disciple. 
   
  Skkal: This insidious troglodyte tribal leader and priest 
  of Laogzed helps to deceive and betray Aodhan. Though 
  he is a devoted foe of surface-dwellers, Skkal has 
  something the PCs may want: information on the Cult’s 
  benefactor (or at least the envoy), but he would sooner 
  die than give them any satisfaction. Skkal has made a 
  truce with the black dragon whereby Skkal retains tribal 
  authority while the dragon schools his protégée in arcane 
  matters. Adhering to an ancient tribal tradition, Skkal 
  forbids anyone other than Xilaisha to use magical 
  healing; Skkal is unaware that his lieutenant has 
  disobeyed and pilfered healing potions from the black 
  dragon’s hoard. 
   
  Xilaisha: This young trog is seen as a kind of seer by the 
  tribe. She has no real authority, but the trogs do not 
  question her orders, which generally come from the 
  dragon anyway. She regards both the dragon and Skkal as 
  her masters and seeks to benefit from their combined 
  experience. At APL10-12, the black dragon has forced her 
  to advance as a dragon disciple rather than as a sorceress; 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 7 
  
  PCs bearing the Mark of Demogorgon may believe that 
  the curse is controlling them in a similar way, but it has 
  only the power that the PC lets it. 
   
  The Benefactor (offscreen): This being first charged 
  the Cult of Demogorgon with finding the artifact. 
  (Editor’s Note: The benefactor’s identity remains a secret to 
  the players of Living Greyhawk.) 
   
  The Envoy (offscreen): This spokesman for the 
  benefactor negotiated with Skkal to betray Aodhan in a 
  different way. He appears as an indistinct humanoid form 
  wearing a cloak with the insignia of House Rax, of the 
  former Great Kingdom. 
   
  The Quasit: Aodhan's immediate superior and the Cult’s 
  liaison to the Material Plane has been sent to assassinate 
  the disobedient half-troll. Though he prefers to destroy 
  the PCs as well (especially those bearing the Mark), they 
  may persuade him to observe a temporary truce. 
   
  Sir Andros (offscreen): The elusive noble and former 
  knight of Pholtus, who in fact did not betray the PCs in 
  PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail but did know that a betrayal 
  would occur, is on an important errand and does not 
  appear in this scenario. 
   
  Clive Orbison – the Spy from Tobinsford (offscreen 
  until the optional encounter): This unctuous 
  entrepreneur betrayed the PCs' expedition in PAL6-04 
  Tooth and Nail. He has prospered greatly off the dupes 
  drawn here by the gold rush. Clive has used dummy 
  organizations to buy up more than half of the gold claims 
  around Tobinsford. Clive is out of town for most of this 
  adventure, but returns to Tobinsford in time for Eamon 
  and Lorna’s wedding, where his identity is finally 
  exposed. 
   
  INTRODUCTION 
   
  BETRAYAL AND INVESTIGATION 
  PCs who played PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail (and ONLY those 
  PCs) may wish to preface this adventure by investigating 
  the betrayal at the outset of their Fens expedition during 
  that scenario. Ask all qualifying players whether they 
  would investigate. If a PC wants to investigate, give that 
  player (or pass around) a copy of Player Handout 1. The 
  player must choose one of the four methods without 
  consulting the other players: do not let them coordinate 
  their efforts to cover all the methods. After each player 
  secretly tells you his chosen method of investigation, 
  give the appropriate part of Player Handout 2 privately to 
  each player. What each PC chooses to divulge about the 
  results of their investigation, if anything, is up to them. 
   
  BACK TO TOBINSFORD 
  The adventure begins just after sundown on the outskirts 
  of Tobinsford; the PCs may have varied reasons for 
  traveling together, depending on whether they have 
  played the previous adventures in this series. Allow the 
  players to introduce their characters to one another if 
  they have not already met. Once the PCs approach the 
  bridge over the Velk River west of the town square (see 
  Map 1), read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  Twilight settles over the once-sleepy hamlet of 
  Tobinsford like dust on a neglected antique. From 
  its dark streets, light flickers through open windows 
  as if from the eyes of old friends welcoming home 
  one of their own. Crossing the stone bridge over the 
  Velk River into the town square, one would scarcely 
  believe that this village could ever be troubled by 
  the larger cares and evils of the world. 
   
  The town square is devoid of pedestrians, save 
  for a lone dwarf calmly smoking a pipe outside a 
  new two-story building, from whose lighted interior 
  can be heard all manner of raucous revelry. A sign 
  above the entrance proclaims it as an inn called the 
  Heathen’s Retreat. Tobinsford’s original inn, the 
  Bounding Stag, sits just across the square: quiet, 
  unassuming, and familiar. Several wagons are 
  loaded with cords of new lumber; horses attached to 
  the wagons quietly munch grass by the side of the 
  road. 
   
  The smoking dwarf is Nuron Stonecrawler. As the PCs 
  approach, he tips his pipe and bids them good evening. If 
  the PCs wish to converse, he explains that he is part of an 
  adventuring group from Trigol (in the County of Urnst) 
  on its way to the Rakers in search of Garsegzuul. He and 
  his companions are only here for the night and will be 
  leaving at dawn. Nuron is dressed somewhat fashionably 
  (for a dwarf) in studded leather and wears two short 
  swords in decorative leather scabbards on his waist; he 
  describes himself as a “reconnaissance expert” and 
  chuckles if the PCs seem to suspect his likely vocation 
  (rogue), but notes that if they want to know more about 
  his expedition, then they should visit his companions 
  inside, as he is just “along for the ride.” 
   
  � Nuron Stonecrawler: male dwarf rogue 7; see 
  Encounter 1 for detailed description. 
   
  Development: If the PCs have not heard of Garsegzuul, 
  allow them a DC 20 Knowledge (history) check, DC 20 
  bardic knowledge check, or DC 25 Knowledge (local – 
  Nyrond and Her Environs) check to identify Garsegzuul 
  as the site of a war fought centuries ago between a 
  dwarven clan and a tribe of derro. Dwarves get a +4 bonus 
  on this check. All Nuron can tell the PCs is that 
  “Garsegzuul” is definitely not a dwarven word (it is 
  Undercommon and has no coherent literal translation, 
  due to the madness common to all derro). PCs who have 
  played PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper may recall the name.  
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 8 
  
   
  If they accept Nuron’s invitation and wish to speak 
  to his companions, proceed to Encounter 1 (“Heathen’s 
  Retreat”) below. 
   
  If they are not interested in speaking with his 
  companions or investigating the new tavern, proceed to 
  Encounter 1 (“Bounding Stag”), below. 
   
  Going to the estate of Sir Andros is not in the scope 
  of this adventure, aside from what is provided in the 
  “Determined” option of investigation.  
   
  ENCOUNTER 1: STRANGERS 
  IN A STRANGE LAND  
  The PCs have two choices on where to spend the 
  remainder of the evening. Both the Bounding Stag and the 
  Heathen’s Retreat are still open and have rooms to rent for 
  the night. Each also has specific clientele and associated 
  rumors, should the PCs wish to gather information. The 
  taverns are the only places suitable for this purpose now, 
  as most residents have turned in for the evening. 
   
  THE HEATHEN’S RETREAT 
  If the PCs accept Nuron’s invitation to meet his 
  companions, read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The dimly-lit, first-floor interior of this H-shaped 
  establishment looks like a displaced corner of the 
  Greyhawk City River Quarter. The center of the 
  room is dominated by a fully stocked bar; a fireplace 
  adorns the far wall, where the room stretches 
  around both corners to more private tables. Twin 
  staircases flank the bar and lead upstairs, from 
  whose shadowy recesses several young, scandalously 
  dressed women peer at the scene below. Behind the 
  bar is a muscular but well-groomed man, eyeing you 
  as he polishes a glass; a small monkey scampers 
  across kegs, bottles, and the heads of passed-out 
  patrons around the bar.  
   
  In the near left corner, a ruggedly attired man 
  studies a collection of maps and journals as two Flan 
  men approach his table. In the near right corner, an 
  attractive human female quietly sips a glass of wine. 
  Seated back near the fireplace, two more Flan males 
  in fashionable clothes are speaking with one 
  another while casting occasional glances around the 
  tavern. The rest of the tables and seats at the bar are 
  occupied by men who work in mines, if one can 
  judge by the dust on their boots and faces. Other 
  commoners and laborers mill about in the crowded 
  tavern. No other dwarves can be seen; as no back 
  door is visible either, the companions of the dwarf 
  outside must be around one of the corners near the 
  fireplace, or perhaps even upstairs.  
   
  The tavern is illuminated by everburning 
  torches fashioned from the skulls of small animals, 
  one at each table. Sawdust covers the floor, along 
  with several silver spittoons. The cacophony of the 
  clientele draws attention to the tavern’s one notable 
  absence: no minstrel can be seen or heard, nor is 
  there a stage of any kind. Occasionally, however, an 
  uproar can be heard from around the corner to the 
  right of the fireplace, as if good times and great 
  mirth were being enjoyed by many. 
   
  Draw out Map 2 (without revealing the secret room E) 
  and allow them to proceed where they will. The tavern’s 
  current occupants and their individual locations are 
  detailed below. Note that if any PCs try to go upstairs 
  without permission, the proprietor Fynch stops and 
  informs them that the upstairs rooms are private and 
  must be rented for the evening to proceed. The scene 
  inside the Heathen’s Retreat may seem discouraging, as the 
  PCs can easily note how profits from the recent gold rush 
  have changed the populace. PCs keen to find out who 
  betrayed them in PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail find several 
  likely suspects herein.  
   
  Gather Information results for the Heathen’s Retreat 
  can be found in DM Aid 2. 
   
  NPCs Present 
  The numbered tables not occupied by key NPCs are 
  occupied by gold miners and common laborers in town 
  to work on the new shrine to Pholtus. It is from these 
  folk that most of the Gather Information results are 
  obtained. 
   
  � A. Fynch, Proprietor: CN male human expert 5 / 
  sorcerer 3 / swashbuckler 4 (from Complete Warrior); Bluff 
  +15, Sense Motive +8, Spot +8. 
  Location: At the bar. 
   
  Description and Personality: the man behind the bar is 
  Fynch, who never reveals what the initial “A” stands for; 
  he is the owner and bartender of the Heathen’s Retreat. He 
  is in his mid-thirties and of mixed Oeridian descent. He 
  is well-groomed, with short brown hair and piercing dark 
  eyes. He wears a scruff of whiskers and is well-muscled 
  for a businessman. He dresses in leather breeches with a 
  loose-fitting silk shirt and black vest. His left ear is 
  pierced by two gold, skull-shaped studs. He displays no 
  holy symbols and initiates no discussion on any religious 
  matters. He describes himself as an “entrepreneur,” and 
  thereby invites parallels to Tobinsford’s other notable 
  lowlife, Clive Orbison. Fynch, however, is everything 
  Clive aspires to be: clever, charming and most of all, 
  subtle. He hails from Ratikhill and should be played as an 
  aloof, intelligent crook. Fynch is easily suspicious enough 
  to make PCs believe that he betrayed them in PAL6-04. 
   
  Fynch came to Tobinsford upon hearing rumors of 
  the gold rush (from PAL5-06). His intent was to establish 
  a means to take advantage of naive miners who would 
  squander any earnings based on proximity rather than 
  necessity, and in that regard the Heathen’s Retreat has 
  succeeded wildly. In contrast to Greddis and the 
  Bounding Stag, which is a typical village inn and supports 
  the community with basic amenities, Fynch’s place preys 
  on the weaknesses of miners and offers things they don’t 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 9 
  
  really need, such as alcohol, gambling, female 
  companionship, and an environment in which the shared 
  quilt of low moral fiber is warm, cozy, and self-
  perpetuating.  
   
  As to his wholly inappropriate tavern sign, Fynch 
  explains that the apostrophe in Heathen’s is a “signmaker’s 
  error,” intended to read “Heathens, Retreat!” These are all 
  lies, and the sign could not be more accurate. 
   
  � Peralyn: CN female human rogue 8; Bluff +15.  
  Location: Table #1. 
   
  Description and Personality: Standing 5’5” tall with a trim 
  figure, flowing red hair, and green eyes, this mixed-blood 
  human is nearly thirty and quite attractive. She wears her 
  wavy hair loose with small black ribbons, and dresses in a 
  dark green frock with modest jewelry, suggesting 
  adequate means. Peralyn is a professional thief and 
  former prostitute from Leukish in the Duchy of Urnst; 
  she is also Fynch’s partner in a scheme to rob boastful and 
  foolhardy miners. She first gains their confidence with 
  her good looks, plies them with drink while asking about 
  their claims or any mining activity, and then “invites 
  them upstairs”. 
   
  The black ribbons in her hair are a signal to Fynch: 
  an odd number means she has found a “mark,” so Fynch 
  drugs the miner’s next drink with potent oil of taggit. 
  When the miners fall unconscious upstairs, Peralyn 
  quickly copies any maps related to their claim and forges 
  their official Claim Certificate from the Church of the 
  One True Path (including the signature of Brother 
  Eamon). She gives the information to Fynch, who sends 
  his crew of hired mercenaries to plunder the claim site. 
  When the miners regain consciousness in the morning, 
  Peralyn is gone and they are none the wiser, as none of 
  their possessions are missing.  
   
  This scheme has worked over a dozen times in the 
  last four months, netting Fynch great profit while 
  inflaming the miners’ tempers as they accuse one another 
  of claim jumping. The escalation of hostilities is a double 
  blessing for Fynch, as they all come to his tavern to 
  drown their sorrows, and Abbot Eamon—never a fan of 
  the gold rush—believes that they have only themselves 
  to blame for lost profits, and remains oblivious that his 
  signature is being forged.  
   
  Peralyn is not affiliated with the prostitutes upstairs; 
  when the PCs first see her, she is sitting alone with an 
  even number of black ribbons tied in her hair. Due to her 
  impressive information-gathering skills, she recognizes 
  any PC with an active gold claim from PAL5-06 My 
  Brother’s Keeper and tries to seduce this person. (If 
  multiple PCs have gold claims, she selects the PC with 
  the highest Charisma who is not an obvious member of 
  the Church of the One True Path.) At Fynch’s request, 
  she does not meddle with Orran (see below), as the 
  legend of his gold streak continues to attract miners and 
  patrons to the area. Peralyn’s charismatic attitude and 
  savvy demeanor should be warning signs to the PCs: 
  someone so glib and seductive could function as a spy for 
  the Cult of Demogorgon. 
   
  � Orran Twinbridges: N male human commoner 4.  
  Location: Table #7. 
   
  Description and Personality: This carpenter’s apprentice 
  from Ogburg came to Tobinsford three months ago to try 
  his luck at gold mining and unwittingly unearthed a vein 
  that has yet to exhaust itself. He has so prospered from it 
  that he has abandoned his home city and profession to 
  take up residence at Fynch's. His success has netted him 
  friends and enemies alike: other miners are jealous of his 
  luck, while Fynch’s prostitutes and other tavern 
  scavengers cling to him like parasites, thanks to his 
  newfound and overwhelming capacity for decadence.  
   
  He is 6’0” tall and weighs 240 pounds, with short 
  black hair, a full beard, and a blackened right eye; wealth 
  has swelled his waistline, as he has not strayed from 
  Fynch’s in weeks. Orran does not even mine the claim 
  anymore, instead hiring laborers to work it for him. 
  Despite his wealth, he still dresses like a commoner; he is 
  clean and well-groomed (thanks to the hot baths 
  upstairs), but chews tobacco. Orran’s “lucky strike” 
  occurred at roughly the same time as the events of PAL6-
  04. This coincidence, coupled with his wealth and 
  constant presence in town since then, should make some 
  PCs suspect him as the spy. 
   
  It is Orran’s entourage that the PCs hear celebrating 
  when they first enter the tavern. His crude affluence is 
  intended as a challenge to the PCs’ ethical outlook, as he 
  believes that money can solve any problem or fill any 
  void. He is sitting with two prostitutes (though neither 
  he nor they admit to their occupation), three local 
  miners, and a writer from Eltison hired to take notes for 
  his new book on how to be a better gold miner. Orran 
  offers to hire the strongest-looking PC to be a foreman in 
  his mine (500 gp/week), and the most attractive (highest-
  Charisma) female PC to be his permanent “companion” 
  (1000 gp/week). (Tailor the phrasing of this offer to the 
  sensibilities of your players.) He tosses a gold piece to 
  one of the remaining PCs and asks them to “be a sport 
  and fetch us another round of ale.” 
   
  Orran has forgotten his humble origins and now lets 
  his money do the talking. When Old Spooner (see below) 
  comes in to empty a nearby spittoon, Orran spits and 
  accidentally misses the spittoon, creating a disgusting 
  mess on the floor; his entourage laughs as if he had done 
  it on purpose, but rather than apologizing, Orran tosses a 
  small gold nugget at Spooner. A DC 20 Spot check 
  reveals Spooner’s contemptuous expression; a second 
  Spot check (versus his Sleight of Hand, at +14) notes him 
  toss the nugget in the spittoon and spit after it. 
   
  If questioned about his black eye, Orran mutters 
  something 
  inaudibly 
  profane 
  along 
  with 
  “Splintheel…stupid ranger.” PCs who succeed on a DC 
  15 Diplomacy check eventually coax the truth out of him: 
  local ranger, trapper and malcontent Dack Splintheel has 
  established claim rights for a large piece of land seven 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 10 
  
  miles outside town; Dack has apparently set up this land 
  as a “nature preserve,” though Orran has no idea what 
  that means. What he does know (via reconnaissance from 
  his lackeys) is that the land contains several exploitable 
  gold veins along with a small stream, and that it directly 
  abuts Orran’s own claim. Orran made Dack a generous 
  offer for the claim; when the ranger refused, Orran 
  tripled his offer, figuring to recoup the money through 
  mining. Dack punched him and ordered his dire badger 
  to chase Orran out of the hills. 
   
  � Rayner Von Krall: CN male human expert 3 / 
  rogue 5 / temple raider of Olidammara 5 (from Complete 
  Divine). 
  Location: Table #2. 
   
  Description and Personality: Rayner is of mixed Oeridian 
  descent, with narrow dark eyes, thick bushy lashes, and a 
  soft gravelly voice. He dresses in typical adventuring garb 
  highlighted by a magic haversack, a fine spelunker’s rope 
  coiled at his hip, and a dirty brimmed hat which he never 
  removes and which sports two magical black feathers (he 
  does not explain what they do). He hails from the 
  Sheldomar Valley, far to the west, and is a professional 
  tomb raider, relic-hunter and artifact merchant; he heard 
  the rumors of Garsegzuul’s rediscovery and promptly 
  headed to the Pale. Tobinsford is his last civilized stop on 
  a three-week journey across the Flanaess.  
   
  A DC 21 bardic knowledge check confirms that 
  Rayner has an infamous reputation as an infiltrator, thief, 
  and looter, working either for himself or for an employer. 
  He is rumored to be independently wealthy and his 
  private collection worthy of a dragon’s envy. Rayner’s 
  table is covered by a large ledger and two small journals, 
  along with a detailed map of the immediate area (which 
  he 
  made). 
  His 
  reputation, 
  condescension, 
  and 
  evasiveness should make him worthy of suspicion as the 
  Cult’s Tobinsford spy. 
   
  When the PCs enter the tavern, Rayner is speaking 
  with two Flan miners from Stradsett. One is a victim of 
  Peralyn’s seduction scheme (see above) though, so their 
  claim was plundered by Fynch’s mercenaries. They blame 
  some of the other miners, have run out of money trying 
  to discover the culprit, and are now selling some 
  heirlooms (a homemade symbol of Beory and a leather 
  utility-belt) to finance another claim. If the PCs approach 
  Rayner’s table, they overhear the end of this transaction. 
  Rayner offers a generous price for each, but a DC 15 
  Sense Motive check reminds the PCs that a nobler man 
  would instead lend the men whatever coin they require, 
  or at least try to dissuade them from the folly of gold 
  mining. By dealing with Rayner, they are guaranteed 
  never to see their heirlooms again. 
   
  Once the men leave, the PCs may speak with 
  Rayner. He admits only that he is interested in venturing 
  to Garsegzuul in order to “study” it. He has been in 
  Tobinsford for one week looking for a suitable guide. He 
  asked the dwarves (see below) who arrived yesterday 
  afternoon, but they turned him down. Under no 
  circumstances does he ask to accompany the PCs to 
  Garsegzuul; he says he is “waiting until a more 
  experienced-looking group comes to Tobinsford.” He 
  does, however, offer to buy any odd trinkets from the 
  PCs, such as “mysterious maps” or similar items from 
  previous Adventure Records. (He buys anything worth 
  10 gp or less, at 50 gp for each such item).  
   
  The Dwarves: 
  � Steg Badhammer: NG male dwarf fighter 8. 
  � Azric Badhammer: N male dwarf barbarian 2 / 
  fighter 4.  
  � Nuron Stonecrawler: N male dwarf rogue 7.  
  � Hargal Silenthill: LG male dwarf cleric 7 
  (Moradin).  
  Location: Table #5. 
   
  Description and Personality: Steg is in his early fifties with 
  long, braided brown hair and a bushy beard. He wears a 
  fine chain shirt and has a dwarven waraxe propped 
  against the wall, along with a bundled item of similar 
  size. He and his fellows hail from the County of Urnst. 
  Steg is the leader of their expedition to Garsegzuul. 
  When rumors of its rediscovery reached him in Trigol, he 
  quickly assembled this adventuring party and set out for 
  the Pale. It is the first trip to the Theocracy for all of 
  them, and they do not see anything unusual about 
  Fynch’s tavern. One of Steg’s ancestors had passed down 
  an exquisitely crafted battle axe reputedly acquired 
  through trade with Garsegzuul centuries ago (a DC 10 
  Appraise check identifies the axe as a masterwork 
  weapon); 
  the 
  weapon’s 
  craftsmanship 
  and 
  his 
  adventurer’s curiosity drive him to investigate the 
  ancient dwarven city. He knows nothing else about 
  Garsegzuul. When the PCs approach the table, he and 
  Hargal (see below) are looking at a terrain map of the 
  Rakers. 
   
  Steg is practical, friendly and keenly interested in all 
  things dwarven. If any PCs have played PAL5-03 Strata 
  and relate to him how Koreth Orcsplitter the First is on a 
  sort of lecture tour of the Pale’s eastern cities, Steg visibly 
  crumbles as he tries to decide which is more important: 
  continuing to Garsegzuul or hearing Koreth speak, but 
  Hargal (see below) advises him to keep his mind on track. 
  At the mention of the word “track,” Steg regains his 
  composure and invites the PCs to travel with him. If any 
  of the PCs are rangers, scouts, or druids, or if they have 
  played PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper and know their way 
  through the wilderness to the Underdark, the dwarves 
  are especially keen to have them as companions 
  (ordering another round of drinks as a show of good 
  faith), as they are all “city dwarves” and lack wilderness 
  skills. If no PCs are capable trackers, a DC 10 Gather 
  Information check (at either tavern) confirms that the 
  ranger Dack Splintheel has been seen around town and 
  works as a guide but charges steep fees.  
   
  Azric is Steg’s older brother and has spent most of 
  his life drifting from one adventure to another. His 
  carefree attitude and lack of concern for fame, riches or 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 11 
  
  accolades have held him back somewhat in terms of 
  worldly experience. This does not bother him, as he 
  considers adventuring and traveling with good friends to 
  be the most rewarding of experiences. Azric wears 
  studded leather armor and typically wields a cursed 
  guisarme. (The weapon is up in his room; if the PCs 
  accompany the dwarves to Garsegzuul, Azric explains 
  that the curse compels him to make trip attacks against 
  gnomes approaching within 15 feet; he doesn’t expect the 
  PCs to know how it feels to be cursed, but wanted to 
  warn them.) Azric is eating when the PCs approach the 
  table; he nudges his brother while emitting a loud belch 
  and excusing himself. If any PCs are female, he 
  courteously stands and upends the table with his 
  prodigious beer gut. Steg and Hargal work to keep ale 
  mugs from spilling onto the map while Azric smiles 
  good-naturedly and invites the PCs to sit. His fingers are 
  greasy with stew and his beard is bejeweled with bread 
  crumbs. His favorite food is chicken; when there is none 
  to be had (as is the case now), he prides himself on 
  carrying two dozen eggs in a magically chilled, custom-
  made container that looks like a small ale keg. He cracks 
  1-2 eggs into each mug of ale he drinks. 
   
  Nuron is the youngest of the group, barely into his 
  forties, with impeccably groomed dark hair and a short 
  beard. His manners are equally impeccable: he opens 
  doors and pulls out chairs for female PCs, or shares his 
  exquisitely slow-burning pipe tobacco with anyone who 
  asks. Nuron’s interest in seeing Garsegzuul is personal; 
  his hobby is architecture, and he carries a sketchbook 
  packed with intricate, exotic drawings of bridges, 
  buildings, and the like. He happily discusses the subject 
  with any PC possessing two ranks in Knowledge 
  (architecture and engineering). His key roguish abilities 
  are Climb, Listen, and Move Silently. If asked, he knows 
  about the reputation of Rayner Von Krall and advises the 
  PCs against associating with him. 
   
  Hargal is a devout priest of Moradin and a close 
  friend of the Badhammers. When Steg told him about 
  Garsegzuul, Hargal shed his typical stoicism and took a 
  leave of absence from the church. He is keen to learn 
  what deity the dwarves of Garsegzuul worshipped, and 
  discover any temples in the city. He dresses in 
  masterwork half-plate and carries a shield decorated with 
  the holy symbol of Moradin. He is older than his three 
  companions and has a long, grayish-white beard. When 
  the PCs approach the table he is studying a map and 
  strategizing with Steg about how to overcome the 
  “wilderness obstacle.” Nuron soon returns to the table 
  with a round of drinks for everyone, bringing a varied 
  assortment of beverages to accommodate as many PCs as 
  possible. If the PCs succeeded on their Knowledge 
  checks regarding Garsegzuul’s history, and if they inform 
  the dwarves of its likely fate, each adopts a grim 
  expression and mutters unpardonable dwarven oaths 
  about the despicable nature of all derro. 
   
  � Garrold and Teague: NE male human rogue 9 and 
  rogue 7 / assassin 2 (respectively; Bluff +14 for both).  
  Location: Table #3. 
   
  Description and Personality: These two twenty-something 
  Flan males are frequent fixtures at Fynch’s tavern. As 
  everyone in town knows, they work for Clive Orbison 
  and are overseeing his daily operations while he is away 
  on business. They recognize and politely greet any PCs 
  who earned Clive’s favor from PAL5-06 My Brother’s 
  Keeper. If asked where Clive is, they reply that he is in 
  Landrigard (true). They say they are visually inspecting 
  his claims, tallying funds, and otherwise keeping their 
  eyes and ears open for prospective business partners and 
  any noteworthy news (also true). They claim to hail from 
  Landrigard (false) and have been in town for three 
  months (true). They expect Clive back within the week. 
  They profess not to know what he is doing in Landrigard, 
  being “mere hired hands”, but a Sense Motive check 
  (opposed by their Bluffs) tells the PCs they are lying. 
  Both men radiate evil and, while not a crime in and of 
  itself within the Pale, this should put the PCs on alert, 
  given the reputation of their employer. The PCs should 
  find them a bit too well dressed and highly observant for 
  mere hired hands; a DC 15 Knowledge (local – Nyrond 
  and Her Environs) check reminds PCs that their attire 
  bespeaks a rather opulent style of dress lately seen in 
  Stradsett.  
   
  If questioned about their evil nature, they lie (via 
  Bluff; also not a crime) but do not otherwise say or do 
  anything to disrupt the tavern’s atmosphere or make 
  them liable for arrest.  
   
  If a PC cleric or paladin of any prominent, good-
  aligned deity (including Pholtus) requests that they leave 
  the tavern, both men comply without a fuss. They go 
  back to Orbison’s business office (see Map 1) and do not 
  reemerge.  
   
  � Old Spooner: male human (retired rogue). 
  Location: Working around the tavern. 
   
  Description and Personality: Tobinsford’s most infamous 
  drunk has truly fallen on hard times. PCs who remember 
  him from his ill-fated gold mining experiment in PAL5-
  06 easily recognize the grizzled old coot, but his usually 
  glassy gaze contains something extra: contempt. Fynch 
  was quick to recognize Spooner’s alcohol addiction and 
  devise a foolproof means to exploit it: by offering 
  Spooner a job at the tavern and paying him with limitless 
  free drink (off-shift), he trapped the old man in a vicious 
  cycle. Spooner’s alcoholism is so bad now that he suffers 
  physical pain if he doesn’t drink at regular intervals. His 
  work day begins around noon, lasts 8-12 hours 
  (depending on the number of patrons), and is capped 
  with a 3-4 hour spate of binge drinking out back beside 
  the Velk River (PCs who skulk around outside tonight 
  can find him there; see “Tobinsford After Dark,” below, 
  for 
  details), 
  followed 
  by 
  a 
  pristine 
  state 
  of 
  unconsciousness lasting until around noon the next day, 
  when it starts again. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 12 
  
   
  His list of unpleasant tasks includes (but is not 
  limited to) emptying spittoons; washing the guest room 
  linens; and cleaning up after Fynch’s monkey familiar, 
  Crossbones (informally known as “The Filthiest Primate 
  in Ratik”). Unbeknownst to Fynch, his manipulation of 
  Spooner’s addiction has come with a dangerous side 
  effect: when he isn’t drinking, Spooner’s mental clarity is 
  sharper than it has been in decades. Because of this, 
  Spooner knows he is being used but is still powerless to 
  stop it. His trusty rogue skills are no match for Fynch’s 
  brawn and Peralyn’s abilities. (Spooner does know her 
  true profession.)  
   
  Spooner both needs and wants help, and he has 
  something to offer the PCs for their assistance. If any PCs 
  that remember him from PAL5-06 recognize his 
  predicament and wish to aid in some way, have Spooner 
  surreptitiously communicate with and arrange to meet 
  them outside behind the tavern after it closes at 
  midnight—slipping a note under a PC’s chair or 
  something similar (be creative); to heighten tension, roll 
  phony Spot checks for Fynch or his monkey, but tell the 
  PCs that Spooner succeeds because “he’s an ‘old school’ 
  rogue and is just too crafty.” Once Spooner is alone with 
  the PC, he makes his plea: he knows things about Fynch 
  and this tavern and is willing to reveal them, but wants 
  something in return. What he knows is that Fynch is an 
  anti-Pale extremist and an arcane spellcaster, that the 
  liquor is being diluted, that the business license is forged, 
  that the girls upstairs are prostitutes operating illegally, 
  and finally that there is a secret gambling room. The last 
  three revelations alone are enough to shut down Fynch’s 
  tavern, but Spooner’s price for this information is not 
  cheap: the PCs have to promise to cure his alcoholism, 
  permanently. The AR entry “Spooner’s Benefactor” 
  details this situation. 
   
  Patronizing the Heathen’s Retreat 
  Assuming they don’t cause trouble, the PCs can rent 
  rooms here for the night. Room rates are covered by the 
  Adventurer’s Standard lifestyle costs. Peralyn takes note 
  of PCs paying Rich or Luxury lifestyle. (Play this by ear; 
  she doesn’t pickpocket the PC, but if such a PC is also a 
  non-Pholtan and a claim owner, the she definitely tries to 
  milk such cash cows for all they are worth.)  
   
  Fynch’s tavern does not serve meals (he considers it 
  cost-prohibitive to hire a chef), adding to the growing 
  animosity between the town’s two taverns: miners (and 
  drunkards) eat at the Bounding Stag and then quickly 
  retire to Fynch’s place to drink his liquor, rent his rooms, 
  etc.  
   
  Drinks at the tavern are 150% of standard PHB costs 
  and are not covered by lifestyle costs.  
   
  The prostitutes charge 20 gp for the night (definitely 
  not covered by lifestyle costs). The upstairs rooms all 
  have private baths heated by water from a concealed 
  room on the first floor (another of Spooner’s many 
  chores).  
   
  Optional Scene: The Sisters 
  If time permits or especially if the players seem hesitant 
  to have their characters interact with the disreputable 
  NPCs, introduce the following vignette (ideally when the 
  PCs are at the dwarves’ table).  
   
  Three young women and a black dog enter the 
  tavern, bringing most noise and conversation to a low 
  murmur. Two of the females are humans, dressed in light 
  armor with longswords at their waist and a strange 
  triangular crest emblazoned on their light steel shields 
  and tunics. The third is a beautiful dark-haired half-elf 
  wearing a fine chain shirt and a magnificent, dark purple 
  traveling cloak emblazoned with the same strange crest; a 
  sheathed bastard sword is strapped to her back. A DC 20 
  Knowledge (local – Nyrond and Her Environs) check 
  identifies the crest as that of the Abbey of Montaire (from 
  PAL5I-02 Force of Habit). Indeed, the half-elf is Sister 
  Aradi (“AIR-ah-die”), a former paladin of Pholtus but still 
  a brave and kind soul. Aradi instantly recognizes and 
  warmly greets PCs that played PAL5I-02. 
   
  The three women are in Tobinsford on an errand 
  from the Abbey to deliver an exquisite ledger to Father 
  Eamon and a book with a secret compartment to Clive 
  Orbison. Not knowing where to find either man, they 
  have come here to ask. 
   
  A staged scene ensues. Fynch tells her to keep the 
  dog outside. She eyes him coolly, but sends the dog and 
  one of her companions out. Sister Aradi and her 
  companion approach the bar but stop as Aradi sees the 
  prostitutes upstairs; she looks again at Fynch with 
  narrowed lids, then proceeds to the stairs. Fynch warns 
  her against it, but she reaches to her belt and throws a 
  pouch full of platinum pieces spilling onto the bar. 
  Fynch’s monkey quickly scampers about to retrieve them 
  as the tavern’s patrons murmur; even Aradi’s companion 
  looks uneasy. Conversation soon returns to normal and 
  Fynch is clearly displeased, as Aradi talks with one of the 
  four girls upstairs for about fifteen minutes. When Aradi 
  and the girl return downstairs, Aradi tells Fynch that the 
  girl is leaving with her, and that the platinum should 
  cover his losses. Fynch again says nothing but if looks 
  could kill…or so the expression goes. 
   
  Aradi is a staunch foe of prostitution and seeks 
  convince its practitioners that there are other options in 
  life for intelligent, strong-willed girls; she has just 
  converted this girl. The girl and Aradi’s remaining 
  companion exit the tavern, leaving Aradi alone among 
  the heathens. 
   
  She moves from table to table, speaking briefly with 
  each patron before moving on to the next—including 
  rebuffing a lewd advance from Orran. When Garrold and 
  Teague say that they work for Clive Orbison, Aradi smiles 
  and pulls from her backpack a garishly decorated yet 
  well-bound tome and asks them to sign for Mr. Orbison’s 
  property. (He has already paid for it, as the abbess 
  requires advance payment of any commissioned work.) 
  They do so, and she leaves the tome with them, showing 
  a faint smile and advising them to “stay out of trouble, 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 13 
  
  boys”. Teague then opens the tome and reveals it to be a 
  multi-pocketed, portable map case. 
   
  When she reaches the PCs’ table (probably talking 
  with dwarves), she repeats her request about Eamon; any 
  PC that has played PAL5-06 should remember that he 
  favors the stew at the Bounding Stag and suggest that she 
  try there. If they are curious, she shows the PCs what she 
  has for him: a new gold-claim ledger, authorized by 
  Prelate Anonsis of Landrigard and handmade by the 
  abbess of Montaire herself. If such a thing existed, the 
  ledger would be a masterwork book: pages of the purest 
  vellum, each individually decorated by a different abbey 
  nun and the whole thing bound in white goatskin and 
  embellished with gold filigree from a local Tobinsford 
  mine. Any PC making a DC 15 Appraise check can 
  correctly approximate its value at 3,000 gp. Success 
  should tell them three things: that the abbess is a master 
  bookbinder, that Tobinsford is overflowing with wealth 
  from the gold rush, and that Aradi and her companions 
  must be tough if they travel through the Pale wilderness 
  at night carrying something so valuable. Once the PCs 
  suggest Eamon’s likely whereabouts, Aradi thanks them 
  and leaves. 
   
   
  � Sister Aradi: NG female half-elf ex-paladin 2 / rogue 
  3 / fighter 2. 
   
  Optional Endeavor: Fynch’s Crimes 
  If you have time to play it out, players might pursue their 
  suspicions about the tavern. Fynch has broken several 
  laws in order to get it up and running. The PCs have a 
  chance to uncover these violations, but allow them a DC 
  10 Wisdom check to recognize that confronting Fynch 
  directly is unwise, as he has obviously broken the law 
  intentionally and a confrontation could result in a public 
  brawl, which is itself also illegal (DC 15 Knowledge [local 
  – Nyrond and Her Environs] check). Instead, persuade 
  them that concrete proof is what they really need to 
  convict him, and that the most direct means of doing so 
  is through the offices of the Prelate of Landrigard. Fynch 
  is a registered arcane spellcaster but does not admit his 
  sorcerer skills unless prompted; the monkey cavorting 
  around the bar is his familiar, Crossbones. Fynch’s 
  violations (and suggestions on how to expose them) are 
  noted below: 
   
  • 
  Forged Business License: Peralyn forged it, using the 
  signature of a high-ranking Church official in 
  Landrigard. Eamon has been here and seen the 
  license, but he lacks any skill in spotting forgeries 
  and believes it to be authentic. Officially, the Church 
  is unaware that this tavern even exists. The license is 
  kept under the bar and can be found with a DC 20 
  Search check (but taking 20 to search the whole 
  premises after hours will certainly get them caught, 
  so they must say they are searching the bar 
  specifically). A Pholtan cleric PC (only) may demand 
  to see the license based on their regional authority; 
  Fynch happily complies, confident in Peralyn’s 
  forgery, but does not let the PCs take the license 
  from the bar. He suggests fetching Eamon to 
  corroborate the document. Spotting the forgery 
  requires a DC 15 Forgery check. 
  • 
  Gambling: A secret panel hides a room (Area E) 
  where four miners play an illegal dice game. A DC 15 
  Knowledge (local—Nyrond and Her Environs) 
  check confirms the illegality of gambling of any 
  kind within the Pale. The secret panel can be 
  detected normally by elves, or found after hours 
  with a DC 20 Search check. An exceptional Listen 
  check from a nearby table (DC 30 from Table #5, DC 
  25 from Table #3, or DC 20 from Table #7) allows a 
  PC to hear voices behind the panel.  
  • 
  Falsifying Church Documents and Misappropriation 
  of Church Funds: Noting Eamon’s supervision on 
  the new shrine, Fynch and Peralyn forged his 
  signature to requisition official Church supplies 
  from Landrigard— lumber, oil, tools, benches, and 
  tables—to build a bunker below the Heathen’s Retreat 
  to hide Fynch’s more conspicuous illegal activities. 
  These items are hidden in area D. In order to 
  uncover the truth, the PCs first need to successfully 
  gather information here concerning the nature of 
  the building materials seen outside; next, they must 
  visit the Bounding Stag this evening and question 
  Eamon. He knows nothing about the extra supplies 
  and quickly adjourns to his cottage to review his 
  requisition invoices. This makes him suspicious 
  enough of Fynch’s motives to notify Landrigard and 
  ask for guidance, which qualifies as “success” for the 
  PCs. 
  • 
  Prostitution: The four scandalously clad women 
  (aged 19-26) peering down from the second floor—
  plus the two seated with Orran—are prostitutes 
  hired by Fynch from the Pale’s southern cities and 
  from northern Nyrond to attract the miners. The 
  violation here is one of registration: like arcane 
  spellcasting, prostitution is legal in the Pale (DC 18 
  Knowledge [local—Nyrond and Her Environs] 
  check) so long as individuals are registered with the 
  local temple of Pholtus. Fynch has taken advantage 
  of a convenient loophole in that Tobinsford has no 
  temple. (It has no Arcanist Guild house, either.) In 
  order to verify the violation, a PC must rent an 
  upstairs room and select one of the girls to be a 
  companion for the evening. The PC must coax the 
  truth from the prostitute with a DC 20 Diplomacy 
  check (shifting her attitude from “Friendly” to 
  “Helpful”; no retries) or a DC 20 Perform check. 
  Success yields the following: Fynch receives a 20% 
  kickback from each client. The girls admit to being 
  treated well enough, and working here keeps their 
  identities from the “official” Pale registry. They 
  know that Fynch is some kind of spellcaster and that 
  he and Peralyn are often up late in his room, talking. 
  • 
  The fifth violation concerns the elaborate claim-
  stealing scheme devised by Fynch and Peralyn, as 
  explained above. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 14 
  
   
  Despite its suspicious environs, the PCs are not obligated 
  to uncover the existing violations; rather, Fynch’s lawless 
  activities are intended to spur debate between indifferent 
  and more duty-bound PCs over what the true nature of 
  right and wrong is within the Pale. If a PC wishes to 
  skulk about after hours to uncover a suspected violation, 
  allow them to do so but keep things simple: one Hide or 
  Move Silently check opposed by a Spot or Listen check; 
  failure means the PC is caught in the act by Fynch or his 
  monkey familiar, Crossbones (Spot +5), and asked to 
  return to bed; success means the PC uncovers the desired 
  information. Do not allow this to take up more than a few 
  minutes of game time. If the PCs successfully uncover at 
  least three of the five listed violations and report them to 
  the offices of the Prelate in Landrigard, Fynch’s tavern 
  will be shut down.  
   
  THE BOUNDING STAG 
  If the PCs do not accept Nuron’s invitation from the 
  Introduction (to join him in the Heathen’s Retreat) or if 
  they simply favor the Bounding Stag, read or paraphrase 
  the following: 
   
  The interior of this two-storied tavern is warm and 
  cozy. Hooded lanterns and tall candles provide an 
  intimate yet subdued illumination. Five of the 
  tavern’s seven tables are occupied by local residents, 
  while several men dressed like laborers contentedly 
  nurse their ales at the L-shaped bar. A brawny man 
  of perhaps forty winters clears dishes from the two 
  empty tables. In one corner of the dining area, a lone 
  teenage girl with long, dark bangs and a dejected 
  expression sips a steaming beverage from a mug 
  cupped between her small hands. In the opposite 
  corner, sitting in what one of three newly-
  constructed booths, a raven-haired woman not 
  much past twenty gazes affectionately into the face 
  of her dining companion, whose back faces the door. 
   
  No map is provided for this tavern.  
   
  PCs who visit the Bounding Stag quickly learn that 
  the new tavern’s owner, its questionable reputation and 
  especially its clientele have many residents in an uproar. 
  PCs who staked a gold claim in PAL5-06 My Brother’s 
  Keeper may either be welcomed as local heroes or blamed 
  for the town’s condition. (PCs with gold claims who pay 
  Rich or Luxury lifestyle, must succeed on a DC 15 
  Diplomacy check following any Gather Information 
  attempt, or else they fail to learn anything and are treated 
  to a lecture on the dangers of excess.) Although many 
  strangers have recently come to Tobinsford, most have 
  shied away from the dangers of the wilderness and 
  someone or something called “Garshegschool” and 
  chosen to stake gold claims instead. As a result, the town 
  is nearly overwhelmed with seedy individuals who are 
  too scared, lazy or arrogant to seek treasures beneath the 
  Rakers and who instead spend their free time and meager 
  earnings in revelry at Fynch’s. A few adventuring groups 
  have set off for Garsegzuul, but none has yet returned.  
   
  Rooms and meals here are covered by Adventurer’s 
  Standard lifestyle costs. Animals larger than size Small 
  must stay outside. Drinks and exotic liquor from the 
  impressive wine cellar cost extra. There is also one suite, 
  which he added on to the existing rooms after an 
  adventuring paladin of Pholtus mentioned the need for a 
  quiet place to meditate; Greddis named it the Taran Suite 
  in honor of Sir Andros’s late squire, Taran Mac Colm, 
  who perished during PAL5-06. Gather Information 
  results for the Bounding Stag are found in DM Aid 2.  
   
  NPCs Present 
   
  � Greddis: N male human (Oeridian) expert 5; 
  Diplomacy +8, Profession (cook) +11. 
   
  Description and Personality: This 45-year-old veteran of the 
  Greyhawk Wars relocated to the Pale from central 
  Nyrond ten years ago to raise his daughter after the death 
  of his wife. He is a stout, barrel-chested man with a deep, 
  hearty laugh who prides himself on feeding guests until 
  they are full. That pride has suffered a blow recently with 
  the opening of Fynch’s tavern, which has siphoned away 
  many of his regular customers. Greddis is honest and 
  would be willing to suffer the loss in business to a 
  similarly honest and more skilled tavern owner in the 
  name of friendly competition, but he knows Fynch to be 
  a charlatan. Greddis is also a simple man and lacks the 
  sophistication necessary to compete at Fynch’s level; 
  Greddis built three new booths in the dining area, 
  hoping that his more loyal patrons would prefer the 
  intimacy they offered, but aside from home-cooked meals 
  he has little else to offer and refuses to stoop to Fynch’s 
  level of debauchery. Being a veteran, Greddis knows a 
  prostitute when he sees one and isn’t fooled by the girls 
  at Fynch’s (though he does not know they are 
  unregistered), but he worries about the effect their 
  presence in town will have on his daughter Lorna (that 
  effect is already worse than he imagines; see below). 
  Greddis is disgusted by the decadence and disreputable 
  characters at Fynch’s, yet secretly jealous of Fynch's skill 
  as a businessman. He has no opinion on the lifestyle of 
  PCs with gold claims, though he recognizes anyone who 
  played PAL5-06. He can rent rooms to the PCs and fetch 
  them a table and supper (dire elk stew is tonight’s 
  special).  
   
  � Lorna: female human (Oeridian) commoner 2; 
  Diplomacy +7. 
   
  Description and Personality: The daughter of Greddis is 23 
  years old with curly black locks and an angular but 
  expressive face dominated by large brown eyes. She 
  inherited her father’s laugh and his patience, but not his 
  strength of spirit: Lorna has become dejected over the last 
  several weeks due to the prostitutes at Fynch’s tavern. 
  She knows the girls for what they truly are but has kept 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 15 
  
  this awareness from both her father (who she knows 
  always tries to protect her innocence and who she also 
  knows is secretly bitter over his inability to compete with 
  Fynch) and from Eamon (who is so happy over his recent 
  promotion, his success at managing the gold claims, and 
  the future shrine to Pholtus). Lorna has become unjustly 
  self-conscious about her looks: she is the second-eldest 
  among Tobinsford’s single females (thanks to a bizarre 
  generation gap, the oldest is a 49-year-old widow), and 
  while she was once the girl that men loved to admire, her 
  humble beauty has been eclipsed by the garish make-up, 
  scandalous attire, and sophisticated behavior of Fynch’s 
  prostitutes. Those girls are a kind of pink elephant: most 
  people know what they are but refuse to discuss it.  
   
  Lorna has another reason for not mentioning her 
  current depression to Eamon: impressed by his goodness, 
  hard work, and loyalty to the town, she has secretly 
  developed a crush on him. Although she is convinced—
  via feminine intuition—that he feels the same, she has 
  no idea if he is aware of her feelings, nor does she know 
  how to address the issue without compromising his 
  position within the Church and giving her father 
  something else to worry about. Thus, when he dines here 
  each evening she is briefly elated, but when he goes back 
  home her inability to express her feelings leaves her 
  miserable for the next twenty hours. Under no 
  circumstances does she admit her feelings for Eamon to 
  any PC, but when they approach her table and see that it 
  is Eamon at whom she was affectionately gazing, she 
  quickly stands, blushes, and goes back to helping her 
  father clear tables; allow the PCs a Sense Motive check 
  (DC 20 due to the subdued lighting and conversation 
  within the tavern) to realize that Eamon has a secret 
  admirer in Lorna. If a PC succeeds on the check and 
  wishes to speak privately with Lorna about it, she admits 
  nothing but listens politely to the PC’s advice. 
   
  � Father (Abbot) Eamon (“AY-mohn”): LG male 
  human 
  (Oeridian) 
  cleric 
  5 
  (Pholtus); 
  Profession 
  (bookkeeper) +7. 
   
  Description and Personality: Less than one week from his 
  22nd birthday, Tobinsford’s original parish priest has 
  evolved from an overworked and underappreciated gold-
  claim accountant to the charismatic and well-regarded 
  designer of the new shrine to Pholtus. With the 
  exception of Sir Andros, whose presence is felt rather 
  than seen in Tobinsford, Eamon is the most popular and 
  recognizable figure in town. After being promoted to 
  abbot through a loophole in Church policies, Eamon has 
  acquired two new assistants (male and female human LG 
  cleric 1 (Pholtus)) who have allowed him to spend less 
  time managing gold claims and more time designing and 
  overseeing construction on a new shrine to Pholtus. His 
  once unkempt light brown hair is now neatly combed, 
  and the dark circles beneath his eyes have been replaced 
  with a cheerful and healthy disposition. Despite his new 
  prosperity, Eamon is quick to point out his debt to 
  selfless 
  adventurers 
  who 
  helped 
  him 
  with his 
  bookkeeping when he needed it the most (in PAL5-06 My 
  Brother’s Keeper). 
   
  Eamon recognizes and enthusiastically welcomes 
  PCs that spent extra TUs helping him with his gold claim 
  paperwork; he invites them to join him for supper.  
   
  Before him on the booth’s new oak table are a ledger 
  and maps of the local hills, where ninety percent of the 
  gold claims are located. As Lorna unobtrusively returns to 
  take everyone’s order, Eamon explains that he is cross-
  checking his older maps of the gold rush (from CY 595) 
  against the latest map and ledger. He is baffled by an 
  incongruity between the list of claims and the number of 
  colored wooden site markers still out in the hills. When 
  miners open a claim, Eamon assigns colored markers to 
  the site; when the claim is closed, the markers are 
  supposed to be returned so he can update the ledger; 
  registered claims now outnumber the checked-out site 
  markers almost two to one, as if miners had abandoned 
  their claims and left town without telling him. Eamon 
  has visited several of these mines and verified that they 
  are not being worked and that the markers are gone. 
  More curiously, Eamon has heard rumors that some 
  businesses own claims, though he cannot recall meeting 
  any such business representatives. The discrepancy is 
  caused by Clive Orbison’s claim-buyout scheme (see 
  below). Eamon has no proof, but he suspects that one of 
  those businesses is buying out other miners’ claims.  
   
  There are three businesses listed in his ledger: 
  Infinity Holdings in Eltison, the 588 Tannery in 
  Landrigard, and the Symba Salt Company in Stradsett. 
  (These names refer to Demogorgon or the Abyss in 
  various cryptic ways.) 
   
  (Clive 
  Orbison 
  has 
  set 
  up 
  three 
  dummy 
  organizations to buy out gold claims. His “ridiculous 
  rancher’s hat” from PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper is actually 
  a hat of disguise. Clive has approached miners in different 
  disguises, claiming to represent a company and offering 
  to buy the claim to get around the Pale’s burdensome 
  taxes. He advises the miners to leave town awhile and 
  never to mention this to a representative of the Church 
  of the One True Path, as selling a claim like this would be 
  a form of tax evasion. Many miners have fallen for the 
  ruse and the big payoff; some refused but cannot identify 
  Clive. By the time the duped miners return to 
  Tobinsford, the “agent” they met with is gone, the mines 
  have been worked bare by Cult agents, and the site 
  markers have been destroyed. The original miners have 
  not dared to report it, for fear of prosecution. The scheme 
  is nearly foolproof, but some disgruntled miners have 
  muttered the names of the fake companies while drunk 
  at Fynch’s; word of mouth has reached Eamon, which is 
  how the names appear in his ledger.) 
   
  Eamon soon apologizes for boring the PCs with his 
  work and begins speaking in animated tones about his 
  new project, the shrine to Pholtus. He rifles through his 
  maps and produces a plan of his own design; neither a 
  masterpiece nor the scrawling of an amateur, it shows the 
  honest dedication of someone passionate about a cause. 
  Eamon was about to request permission from Prelate 
  Anonsis of Landrigard to erect a temple to Pholtus, until 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 16 
  
  Lorna convinced him that an outdoor shrine or pavilion 
  would be more in keeping with the rustic, open spirit of 
  Tobinsford. The Prelate not only agreed but based on 
  Eamon’s 
  exemplary 
  recordkeeping 
  (aided 
  by 
  adventurers), allowed him to design it as well. 
   
  Lorna’s constant support over the last year—
  delivering meals he would otherwise have forgotten and 
  showing interest in his sketches—has enabled them to 
  become close friends. Eamon’s ineffable emotions for her 
  are in conflict with his role in the Church; all he thinks 
  about lately are his shrine design and what he could say 
  to Lorna about his feelings for her. As a result, Eamon is 
  distracted from Fynch, Clive Orbison, and the more 
  lasting effects of gold-obsession on Tobinsford. 
   
  Still, he clings to his recent optimism, encouraging 
  the PCs to visit the construction site. He notes that the 
  area is kept lit at night by everburning torches to keep 
  intoxicated miners from getting hurt.  
   
  Eamon is unaware of the violations at Fynch’s tavern, 
  including that Fynch forged his name. As noted above 
  (The Heathen’s Retreat, Optional Endeavor: Fynch’s 
  Crimes), if the PCs confront Eamon with proof of three 
  of the five listed violations, he contacts his supervisor in 
  Landrigard for guidance. Simply mentioning the forgery 
  of his name for building supplies is enough to get him to 
  head back to his cottage to investigate his invoices; he 
  thanks the PCs for their diligence, asks them to have 
  Lorna deliver his dinner, and says that he will contact 
  them once he and his two assistants unravel the 
  paperwork. 
   
  � Faira: female human (Oeridian) commoner 1. 
   
  Description and Personality: PCs may recognize the 
  unhappy girl in the corner (DC 20 Spot check, due to the 
  darkness and her deteriorated looks) as one of the three 
  teenage girls from PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper who fell 
  into a catfight over their affection for Taran Mac Colm. 
  Faira is disconsolate: in addition to still being distraught 
  over Taran’s death, she has also lost her two girlfriends to 
  other fates. Faira is seventeen and wears a long, drab grey 
  peasant’s dress fastened with a black leather belt. She is 
  thin to the point of unhealth, with hazel eyes and long, 
  dark, unkempt hair. She is sipping tea as the PCs 
  approach. 
   
  Faira blames Pholtus for Taran’s death (by extension 
  through Sir Andros and the Church). Her parents—both 
  local farmers—bless their food in Pholtus’s name, so 
  Faira refuses their food and tries to feed herself with 
  nuts, roots, and berries (in theory, not tainted by 
  Pholtus). She knows that her parents love her, but feels 
  hurt nonetheless. 
   
  One of Faira’s friends (also Oeridian) works as a 
  prostitute at Fynch’s place; she and Faira have not spoken 
  in over a year. Her other friend (a Flan girl) was lured 
  away from home by the bewitching villain Caelarah, 
  whom the PCs may have encountered in PAL5-03 Strata. 
  This woman pretended to represent a school in Stradsett, 
  offerring a scholarship to her and other girls of modest 
  means. Now many months later, the girl’s parents and 
  Faira still have not heard from her. 
   
  PCs can begin to talk her out of her depression, but 
  they must offer some distraction or hope. Successfully 
  reaching her takes a DC 25 Diplomacy check; Pholtan 
  PCs suffer a -10 penalty but female PCs get a +10 bonus. 
  Allow the players to be creative here but remember that 
  she is unwilling to do anything that helps the Church of 
  the One True Path, helps Fynch’s tavern, or hurts her 
  parents. 
   
  If time permits, introduce Aradi (see “Optional Scene: 
  The Sisters” in the Heathen’s Retreat) but note that she 
  easily spots Eamon, delivers his tome, and asks if anyone 
  knows where Clive Orbison can be found; Aradi is not 
  exposed to any rude theatrics in the Bounding Stag. 
   
  TOBINSFORD AFTER DARK 
  Two side encounters are available to PCs who wander 
  around town on the night of their arrival.  
   
  Old Spooner 
   
  The first involves Spooner (see his entry in the 
  Heathen’s Retreat): he can be found drinking heavily 
  beside the Velk River, in back of Fynch’s tavern. If the 
  PCs wish to intercede, this is where the encounter 
  occurs. The PCs are not discovered or disturbed while 
  talking with Spooner. 
   
  Dack and the Shrine 
  The second side-encounter occurs at the construction site 
  of the new shrine. PCs that take Eamon’s advice or simply 
  get curious enough to visit the site are treated to a late 
  night show. Consult Map 1; as the PCs approach the site, 
  which is clearly defined by eight everburning torches in a 
  compass rose formation, allow them a DC 15 Spot check 
  to note a sizable hole in the ground ahead beside a small 
  shrub. Success also reveals a pair of eyes within the hole; 
  failing the check puts the PCs squarely beside the hole 
  when a dire badger darts out of it and threatens them. 
  PCs may attempt a DC 15 Wild Empathy check to 
  determine that the badger is trying to prevent them from 
  going forward into the construction site; if the party lacks 
  the Wild Empathy ability, allow them two more Spot 
  checks. The first (DC 15) notes the squatting figure of a 
  man in leather armor with shortswords at his waist 
  roughly forty feet ahead beside a large block of stone; the 
  second (DC 20) reveals a very large wolf roughly thirty 
  feet beyond the man, where the edge of the construction 
  site gives way to dense trees. 
   
  The man is Tobinsford’s most infamous malcontent, 
  ranger and trapper, Dack Splintheel (whom the PCs may 
  remember from PAL5-06); the dire badger is his animal 
  companion, Weasley; the large wolf is a female dire wolf 
  (and former mate of Old Rendfang from that same 
  scenario), displaced from her usual hunting grounds by 
  miners and drawn to town by the refuse of careless 
  residents. The PCs have just interrupted Dack’s attempt 
  to use wild empathy on her. When the PCs approach the 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 17 
  
  hole, Weasley darts out and emits a low growl that trails 
  off into sputtering fear: Weasley is justifiably scared to 
  death of the wolf and growls only to warn his master that 
  the PCs are approaching. Dack maintains eye contact 
  with the wolf but holds up a hand to stop the PCs; 
  Weasley moves to watch from the safety of his hole. Dack 
  then casts speak with animals and talks with the wolf. So 
  long as the PCs do not move closer or otherwise interrupt 
  Dack, they may employ magic to find out what he and 
  the wolf are discussing. Dack is telling the wolf that her 
  foraging here is dangerous, and that the humans in town 
  will likely kill her. She should leave immediately and 
  wait for him in the woods, and he will take her to a place 
  where he promises that she and her cubs will be able to 
  hunt in peace (see below) As he communicates, three 
  “small” (Medium-size) wolf cubs stumble out from 
  behind a nearby tree stump and congregate around their 
  mother’s legs. Provided the PCs do not interrupt, Dack 
  succeeds at his check (roll anyway to heighten tension) 
  and the wolf retreats with her cubs into the trees. If the 
  PCs interrupt the check, it automatically fails, the wolf 
  flees, and Dack becomes angry at the intrusive PCs (see 
  below). 
   
   
  � Dack Splintheel: male human (Flan) ranger 9; 
  hp 72; Craft (alchemy) +11, Handle Animal +10, Heal 
  +11, Survival +14 (+16 aboveground or underground, or 
  to avoid getting lost). 
   
  � Weasley: 
  advanced 
  dire 
  badger 
  animal 
  companion (5 HD); hp 53. 
   
  Description and Personality: Dack is likely between 25-30 
  years old, and sports unkempt shoulder-length brown 
  hair. His brown eyes are perpetually narrowed in scorn, 
  and his belt is lined with pouches and vials containing a 
  variety of ominously colored, viscous liquids. 
   
  Dack hates everyone, especially Pholtans and 
  miners, but despite his animosity for most things on two 
  legs, Dack has secretly earned some respect from 
  Tobinsford’s residents for his inexplicable defense of the 
  town. Within the last three months he and Weasley 
  defeated both an owlbear and a winter wolf that had been 
  drawn to the town’s burgeoning refuse problem: drunken 
  miners consistently leave half-eaten meals in the street 
  and rarely clean up after themselves. Dack has no 
  sympathy for them and strips their coin pouches to 
  scatter the contents in the river. A magical beast he 
  cannot reason with, either, but an animal with low 
  intelligence that doesn’t know any better deserves his 
  sympathy. 
   
  Dack is trying to direct the wolf to his established 
  preserve in the hills. PCs may remember him as having a 
  deep hatred for gold mining, but after witnessing how 
  the Church essentially turns a blind eye once claims are 
  registered, he decided to take advantage of Eamon’s 
  efficiency and staked a claim where the gold could 
  virtually be plucked up off of the ground. Instead of 
  mining it, however, he set snares around the entire 
  perimeter and routinely patrols it to catch and repel any 
  intruding miners. (If the PCs think to ask, the stakes 
  marking Dack’s preserve are colored with badger dung.) 
   
  In addition to gold, Dack’s large preserve is home to 
  many animals and a diverse, exotic variety of plant life; it 
  is the latter which drew him to town this evening: the 
  hole in which Weasley is hiding is actually a tunnel 
  down to the roots of the nearby thistleberry shrub, whose 
  leaves make bare skin itchy. As a ranger, Dack’s primary 
  (and thus far secret) favored enemy is plants; he is skilled 
  in creating poisons and antitoxins from them, but more 
  often than not, if a plant serves no useful purpose, he kills 
  it. Weasley was digging a hole to more easily uproot the 
  shrub; Dack intends to replant it within the outhouse 
  behind Fynch’s tavern. While he is technically 
  vandalizing consecrated ground, make sure the PCs 
  recognize the just and magnificent subversion of his 
  cause. 
   
  If the PCs did not interrupt Dack’s negotiations with 
  the dire wolf and want to hire him as a guide to 
  Garsegzuul, they must succeed on a Diplomacy check in 
  an effort to shift his attitude to Friendly from Indifferent, 
  or from Unfriendly if there is an obvious Pholtan PC in 
  the party, or from Hostile if they interrupted his 
  negotiations with the dire wolf. PCs who tell him that 
  they intend to visit the Underdark may add +2 to the 
  check, as Dack has recently acquired aberrations as his 
  second favored enemy and is itching to confront one.  
   
  Dack’s fee is 50 gp per day and is non-negotiable; if 
  there are Pholtans in the party, this fee doubles. (As the 
  PCs might remember from PAL5-06, it takes roughly 
  three days to get up to the Underdark entrance, and then 
  another two days underground to Garsegzuul: ten days of 
  travel for the round trip, plus time spent at the city.) Dack 
  makes it very clear to the PCs: accept his terms or don’t, 
  right now. He doesn’t need their money, but he knows 
  these hills better than anyone except Old Man Colm, and 
  a trip to the Underdark will cost him lost income from 
  trapping and keep him away from his preserve. 
   
  Development: Once the PCs decide where to spend the 
  night, they may turn in for the evening. (The night passes 
  uneventfully.) If the PCs decided to join the four dwarves 
  on their journey to Garsegzuul, proceed to Encounter 2. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 2: PARALLEL 
  LINES 
  No boxed text is provided for this encounter, which is 
  intended to illustrate for the PCs the dangers of traveling 
  in the wilderness unprepared.  
   
  If the party uses magic to reach the Underdark 
  entrance leading to Garsegzuul (teleport, etc), modify the 
  following section accordingly. Otherwise, the long 
  journey there is relatively uneventful and occurs in three 
  stages.  
   
  No fixed trail exists between Tobinsford and the 
  Underdark, so the PCs must use either mundane or 
  esoteric means to find their way. The mundane way is to 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 18 
  
  make several dozen DC 20 Track checks (one per mile) to 
  follow the trail of those adventurers who preceded them. 
  (Six groups have attempted the trek to the Underdark, all 
  within the last month.) Taking 10 is the best way to do 
  this, so the PCs must include a tracker with Survival at 
  +10 or better to succeed. If they do not, they can hire 
  Dack Splintheel.  
   
  Alternatively, PCs that make a series of DC 20 
  Spellcraft or Knowledge (nature) checks sense the ley 
  line (the Path of Grievous Ascension, which PCs may 
  have discovered during PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper) and 
  may then substitute the above two variant skills in place 
  of Track/Survival. 
   
  Stage 1 (Tobinsford to Split Rock Valley) 
  The PCs might be inclined to visit the cantankerous 
  frontiersman Colm (last seen in PAL5-06). It takes 
  roughly five hours to reach Colm’s place from Tobinsford 
  on foot. 
   
  If they visit Colm’s homestead, several of his young 
  wives note that Colm and his two eldest sons left a few 
  days ago to go hunting up near Wolf Lake; they aren’t 
  expected back for another week. The young women do 
  not recognize the PCs, so if the PCs wish to spend the 
  night before continuing and succeed on a DC 15 
  Diplomacy check (to shift their attitude from Indifferent 
  to Friendly), then the women welcome them to spend 
  the night. If the Diplomacy check fails, then the PCs are 
  not allowed to spend the night, as the women fear Colm 
  would be upset if he found out about it. Dack, if present, 
  agrees and chooses to live off the wild not far outside the 
  homestead. The dwarves are grateful for any hospitality 
  and actually set to work making minor repairs on the 
  outhouse, forge and chicken coop. 
   
  (The AR for PAL5-06 does not include a favor of 
  Colm, so you cannot assume that a PC left Colm’s 
  homestead on good terms. The new Diplomacy check 
  puts everyone on equal footing.) 
   
  In either case, the women say (if asked) that several 
  groups of “adventurers” have passed by in the last two 
  weeks on their way to Split Rock Valley, along with 
  several dozen groups of miners headed to the gold rush 
  area. The miners come and go, but no adventurers have 
  returned as yet.  
   
  The night here passes without danger but full of the 
  wild sounds of the hills, including the howling of wolves. 
   
  Stage 2 (Split Rock Valley up through the 
  Rakers to the cave-ridden gorge leading to the 
  Underdark) 
  The PCs have a chance to make an ominous discovery 
  along this stage. This occurs in the boggy, upper portion 
  of Split Rock Valley; with a DC 20 Spot check the PCs 
  notice some odd, icy mounds off in the distance amid the 
  snow-dusted and partially frozen bog. The mounds hold 
  four frozen corpses: two dwarves, a gnome, and a human. 
  A DC 20 Search notes the absence of any cold weather 
  gear and finds a scroll tube containing a crudely drawn 
  map of Split Rock Valley that has several confusing trail 
  marks and vague “Xs” on it. A DC 15 Intelligence check 
  allows a PC to conclude that this party probably got lost, 
  most likely due to poor map quality or the absence of a 
  skilled wilderness expert. However, their lack of cold 
  weather gear is surely what killed them. There is no 
  identifying paperwork or gold claim information on any 
  of them, but two have scroll tubes and large journals.  
   
  The PCs eventually reach the gorge of caves without 
  further incident and easily locate the appropriate cave 
  entrance to the Underdark, even if none of them has 
  played PAL5-06, as the entrance has been clearly marked 
  by other adventuring parties. 
   
  Stage 3 (through the Underdark to Garsegzuul) 
  This is the longest stage. The PCs use a series of 
  Undercommon “highway” signs (seen in PAL5-06) to 
  follow the narrow ledge leading southwest.  
   
  At key points during their long, dark passage the PCs 
  discover the grisly remains of several other adventurers: 
  some have been literally torn to pieces, some have been 
  reduced to unrecognizable piles of flesh and bone by acid 
  (black dragon breath), and some seem simply to have 
  been killed by slashing and piercing wounds, the work of 
  various Underdark predators.  
   
  Additionally, a DC 20 Search check reveals (within 
  nooks further along the highway) the carcasses of three 
  trolls, two half-trolls, and six Demogorgon cultists from 
  the Fens camp in PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail. The other 
  “halves” of the two half-trolls are red dragon and hill 
  giant, determined by DC 23 Knowledge (arcana) and DC 
  22 Knowledge (nature) checks, respectively. The cultists 
  are recognizable by their garb and broken unholy 
  symbols. This should alert PCs that Aodhan and his 
  minions may be nearby. PCs may cast speak with dead on 
  one of the bodies (assume an average Will save of +3), but 
  they knew nothing of Aodhan’s grand plans when they 
  were alive, nor that he had negotiated with troglodytes. 
   
  Development: Forty miles (two days, on average) along 
  the Underdark highway, the sporadic Undercommon 
  wall engravings give way to defaced signs that once 
  welcomed travelers to the dwarven city, whose true name 
  (Taarindaulk) has been obliterated. At this point, 
  flickering light and echoing cries for help signal that 
  someone is in trouble. Proceed to Encounter 3. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 3: TALION 
  During this encounter the PCs interrupt a battle between 
  two groups of explorers and a demonic strike team (led 
  by the enigmatic quasit from PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper) 
  sent to assassinate Aodhan. The quasit visited Aodhan’s 
  Fens camp but found it deserted and all Cult treasure 
  missing. He “persuaded” one of Aodhan’s injured harpy 
  mercenaries to reveal everything she knew about his 
  bizarre recent activities. Coincidentally, the quasit’s 
  extraplanar superiors had also just been tipped off by the 
  mysterious benefactor. This tip-off placed Aodhan at 
  Garsegzuul. Instructed to cut the Cult’s losses and 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 19 
  
  assassinate the renegade priest, the quasit gathered a 
  group of demons and plane shifted to Garsegzuul. 
  However, as he had only a vague idea of where to go, he 
  went off-target and landed in the camp of some human 
  explorers. Certain that one of them had to have seen 
  Aodhan, the quasit is ordering his minions to slay all but 
  two of the humans, who would then be tortured for any 
  information.  
   
  Assuming the PCs rush to investigate the screams, 
  read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  On a small rocky plateau dotted with two large 
  bonfires and overlooking a vast expanse of desolate 
  architecture punctuated here and there by bright 
  swatches of orange lava, a ferocious battle is 
  underway. Several humans—some in armor and 
  wielding weapons, others in robes and scholarly 
  attire—desperately try to fend off a horde of 
  nightmarish creatures. Two of the humans already 
  lie motionless on the ground while a tiny bat-
  winged creature directs the actions of the much 
  larger monsters. Upon seeing members of your party 
  emerge from the tunnel, it points in your direction 
  and issues several commands as a small contingent 
  of its minions—their fiendish, glowing eyes 
  promising no quarter—moves toward you.  
   
  Creatures: The quasit expected severe resistance: in 
  addition to the demons that will be engaging the PCs (see 
  below), he has brought four extra vrocks, ten jovocs and 
  six babaus, along with two dozen dretches trained to 
  control a retriever that has been keyed to Aodhan’s 
  flesheater rod (which the quasit will recover off-screen 
  later); all of these creatures are on or flying near the 
  plateau regardless of APL. As the PCs emerge onto the 
  plateau, the quasit orders the dretches to release the 
  retriever, which randomly kills four of these creatures 
  before gaining its bearings and lumbering off into the 
  city with the remaining dretches trailing behind it. The 
  quasit then orders the majority of his minions to scatter 
  into the city. These orders are in Abyssal; the quasit’s 
  initial order to his troops was “find him.” The remaining 
  demons attack the PCs:  
   
   
  APL 6 (EL 7) 
   
  � Jovocs (2): hp 42, 42; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 9) 
   
  � Babaus (3): hp 77, 77, 77; Monster Manual 40. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 11) 
   
  � Advanced Babaus (3): hp 117, 117, 117; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 13) 
   
  � Vrocks (3): hp 130, 130, 130; Monster Manual 48. 
   
  Tactics: The quasit can see the Mark of Demogorgon on 
  any PC that bears it and, at all APLs, orders his minions to 
  slay such PCs first. Note that the PCs are 100 feet away 
  from the edge of Map 3 when they hear the screams. 
   
  Negotiation: If any PC understood the quasit’s “find 
  him” command in Abyssal, allow them a DC 15 Sense 
  Motive check to recognize that the demons have a more 
  specific motive than merely slaying human explorers, 
  and that they might be deterred from attacking. If a PC 
  succeeds at a DC 25 Diplomacy check (other than PCs 
  bearing the Mark—they automatically fail), the quasit 
  orders his remaining demons to halt their attack. The 
  quasit then explains his mission and gives the PCs 48 
  hours to slay Aodhan themselves. If they agree, the quasit 
  departs with his remaining minions (via plane shift); 
  proceed to Encounter 4. 
   
  Fight: If the Diplomacy check fails or if the PCs 
  refuse to negotiate with the quasit, he departs (on his 
  initiative via teleport to another part of the city to check 
  on the retriever). 
   
  At APL 6, the jovocs move to within 30 feet of the 
  closest PC to take advantage of their Aura of Retribution 
  ability. They attack one another in the first round of 
  combat; in the second, one of them tries to summon 
  another jovoc. 
   
  At APL 8 and 10, the babaus work together to keep 
  the PCs off-balance: two move to flank a target while the 
  third tries to summon another babau before joining the 
  others in melee. They teleport away if the PCs gain the 
  upper hand. At APL 10, the elite babau use their reach 
  and sneak attack to maximum effect. These demons are 
  extraplanar cultists and make a greater effort to slay PCs 
  bearing their master’s Mark. 
   
  At APL 12, the quasit unleashes the enforcers: three 
  vrocks, who immediately fly above the plateau and begin 
  their Dance of Ruin. If the PCs manage to interrupt the 
  Dance before its completion, the vrocks wade into melee. 
  Each wears a collar bearing the unholy symbol of 
  Demogorgon: two entwined, clawed tentacles, last seen 
  in PAL6-04 and identified with a DC 20 Knowledge 
  (religion) check. Each vrock has a focus in one of the 
  three following Knowledge skills: religion, the planes, 
  and local (to understand humanoid traits). These skills 
  may prove useful to them in combat against the PCs. In 
  melee, one vrock leads off with its Stunning Screech 
  while a second tries to summon another vrock; the third 
  uses telekinesis to attack the PC who disrupted the Dance. 
  The vrocks then move to full attack the PCs and make 
  use of their spores and their Power Attack feat. They 
  teleport away if reduced to 10 hp or lower. 
   
  Development: If the dwarves are with the PCs, they are 
  attacked by a pair of babaus; one of the dwarves dies every 
  third round beyond the fifth round of the PCs’ fight. If 
  Dack is here as well, he aids the dwarves but outlasts 
  them all. If Dack is here but the dwarves are not, he 
  moves to aid the two motionless human explorers. Once 
  the demons are defeated, driven off or placated, the PCs 
  may move to aid and/or interrogate the human explorers. 
  The demons carry no treasure but the howls of their 
  counterparts can be heard in the distance. Some PCs may 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 20 
  
  wish to pursue the remaining demons into the city, but 
  you should discourage them from doing so; attending to 
  the other wounded explorers is a suggested method. 
  Proceed to Encounter 4. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 4: RELICS 
  Two groups of adventurers have beaten the PCs to 
  Garsegzuul and lived to tell about it. They are very 
  different from one another and guardedly welcome the 
  PCs to what they call “base camp” (especially if the 
  dwarves from Tobinsford are present, as both groups fear 
  that the dwarves will themselves claim ownership). They 
  also thank the party for their aid against the demons. 
  Soon, though, they resume a heated argument over 
  which has official claim to the city. While technically 
  neither group does each is extremely territorial and 
  claims that it arrived first and possesses a more 
  comprehensive map of the city.  
   
  One group is composed of rugged adventurers (“the 
  Plunderers”) who make no secret that they are here to 
  loot Garsegzuul for as much as they can carry and then 
  sell it. The other group is composed of historians and 
  lorekeepers (“the Scholars”) who want to study the entire 
  city with painstaking detail before allowing any treasures 
  to be removed. The PCs may not wish to get involved in 
  this debate, but it should be clear that without imposing 
  some kind of organization here, both mulish factions will 
  hinder efficient mapping and exploration of the city. 
   
  Both groups present convincing arguments, but 
  there is something they are hesitant to reveal: someone 
  or something is stalking them, most likely a band of 
  marauding humanoids (in actuality the troglodytes from 
  Encounter 8 trying to drive away the remaining surface-
  dwellers). Both groups have been camping here for a 
  week, and nearly every foray into the city-proper has 
  been terrorized, but no one has yet gotten an accurate 
  description of the attackers, who are exceptionally 
  stealthy and have been conducting highly organized 
  raids. Several adventurers—including one Plunderer, 
  two Scholars, and all five members of a gnomish 
  adventuring party that were camped here until three days 
  ago—have disappeared, with their agonized screams 
  eerily echoing through the darkness; it is unknown 
  whether any of them is alive or dead.  
   
  The demon attack, however, is a new threat that they 
  cannot explain; it is up to the PCs to reveal or conceal 
  what they know about it.  
   
  Neither group has seen any humanoid or creature 
  fitting Aodhan’s or a cultist’s description. 
   
  After speaking with both groups and learning of 
  their progress thus far, the PCs are intended to side with 
  one group and aid in its exploration, or to shun both of 
  them and explore on their own. Both groups appeal to 
  the PCs for assistance, citing safety in numbers while 
  promoting their own exploratory philosophy. The PCs’ 
  decision determines where they go next within the city, 
  as each group has a partially detailed map of the areas 
  they’ve explored (keyed to their own interests); however, 
  if the PCs side with neither group, they may discover an 
  unexplored area of the city for themselves. The city is 
  large and only about ten percent of it has been explored 
  thus far. The PCs’ choice determines their reward in 
  Encounter 5.  
   
  The Plunderers 
  (Four remaining.) The Plunderers are a group of human 
  fighter-based adventurers from Stradsett who heard the 
  rumors about Garsegzuul’s rediscovery. They paid a local 
  historian for information about it and decided to loot the 
  ancient city. Their motives are purely financial. They are 
  led by Corris Bathanel (fighter 8), an Oeridian who 
  dresses in a breastplate and wields a bastard sword with 
  two hands. This group contains no clerics and heals 
  themselves with magic potions and a wand of cure 
  moderate wounds with few charges left (one member is a 
  ranger). Corris is now very upset, as his girlfriend Maris 
  was the one wounded in the demon attack; another of his 
  friends was “taken” by the marauders while exploring the 
  city five days ago.  
   
  Corris openly disdains what he terms “weak” PCs 
  (those not wearing armor or carrying obvious melee 
  weapons) as he explains his group’s philosophy: once 
  word of the city’s rediscovery has a chance to spread, it 
  will be overrun with adventurers and plunderers like 
  himself. Thus, it is better to find and claim what one can 
  before everyone comes along and takes “the good stuff.” 
  The early bird gets the worm, as they say, and a quick 
  payoff and a reputation for swift initiative will serve 
  adventurers better in the long run. He urges the PCs to 
  join his group, citing strength and safety in numbers, but 
  he is curious why the PCs seemed to merit special 
  attention from (or were able to negotiate with) the 
  demons. Moreover, his group wants help mapping the 
  city, as they are not “geniuses” and have almost gotten 
  lost twice.  
   
  If the PCs team up with Corris, he reveals his group’s 
  map and indicates two areas they discovered yesterday 
  which they physically marked but have not yet explored. 
  In one of these areas (southwest of camp) Corris found a 
  battered dwarven helmet; in the second area (west-by-
  southwest of camp) they found a shockingly sharp and 
  well-preserved chisel. Corris suggests that the PCs 
  explore one of these two areas in the morning while his 
  group explores the other.  
   
  If the PCs select the “helmet” option, proceed to 
  Encounter 5A (“The Armory”), below; if they favor the 
  area where the chisel was found, proceed to Encounter 
  5B (“The Reliquary”), below. 
   
  The Scholars 
  (Originally nine, now five remaining.) The Scholars are a 
  group of human adepts, bards, loremasters and historians 
  (experts) from the Rakervale area who also heard rumors 
  of Garsegzuul’s rediscovery and rushed here to study the 
  city before it fell victim to disorganized, insensitive and 
  disrespectful looters. Three of their number perished on 
  the way to Garsegzuul; a fourth was taken two days ago 
  while exploring the city. Their motives are purely 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 21 
  
  academic: study Garsegzuul’s history, evolution, and 
  downfall before looters destroy the integrity of its ruins 
  looking for “treasure.” The Scholars are co-led by Erikal 
  (male human (Suel) wizard 7 / loremaster 2) and Polliae 
  Reidlin (“POLL-ee-AY REED-lin”; human favored soul 7 
  of Boccob); their wounded ally is a bard specializing in 
  cartography. They heal themselves by Polliae’s magic and 
  a seemingly inexhaustible supply of scrolls (much to the 
  chagrin of Corris’s group). They used their combined 
  knowledge of Spellcraft to traverse the wilderness via the 
  ley line instead of hiring a tracker. They all express 
  disdain at anyone whose first impulse is to solve a 
  problem with a weapon rather than with the mind or 
  through study. Erikal explains the group’s philosophy as 
  one of nobility: it is far better to serve as a preserver of 
  knowledge rather than as one of its pawnbrokers. The 
  rewards in reputation may be longer in coming by 
  joining his group, but Erikal says that Corris’s fame and 
  wealth from looting Garsegzuul will last only as long as 
  his next “shopping spree.” Erikal is curious to know why 
  the demons were so eager to attack (or negotiate with) 
  the PCs, but he and Polliae are still keen to have the PCs 
  join their group. He, too, cites safety in numbers and 
  hopes the PCs can be perimeter guards: the biggest 
  hindrance to their efforts thus far has been having to look 
  over their shoulders for the next random attack instead of 
  concentrating on their work.  
   
  If the PCs team up with the Scholars, Erikal shows 
  them the group’s map and indicates two areas they 
  discovered two days ago but have yet to explore (while 
  Corris’s group goes out to explore each day, the Scholars 
  spend one day exploring and the next day mapping; thus, 
  their map is actually the more comprehensive, even 
  though the Plunderers have explored a much larger area). 
  In one of these areas (northwest of camp) Polliae found a 
  suit of dwarven chainmail and some odd tools (a PC with 
  five or more ranks in Craft [carpentry] can identify the 
  tools as those of a carpenter); in the second unexplored 
  area (due north of camp), Erikal and the now-
  unconscious bard noticed an odd smell; it was not from a 
  dead animal or anything of that kind, they know. (It was 
  a blend of alchemical substances from an old laboratory, 
  as explained below.) Erikal suggests that the PCs explore 
  one of these areas in the morning while his group 
  explores the other.  
   
  If the PCs favor the “armor and tools” area, proceed 
  to Encounter 5C (“The Apartments”), below; If they 
  instead wish to investigate the odd smell, proceed to 
  Encounter 5D (“The Laboratory”), below. 
   
  Neutrality 
  If the PCs do not wish to further the antagonism between 
  Corris’s and Erikal’s groups, or if they think they can do 
  better on their own, the PCs can go their own way. If 
  they make this intention clear, allow them to overhear 
  each group grumbling about other areas that they did not 
  mention to the PCs. These two areas lie generally west-
  by-northwest from camp and are farther away from it 
  than any of the others. (Due to their rivalry, both groups 
  began exploring in the opposite direction from one 
  another, but their movements have gradually drawn 
  them closer together; the west-by-northwest area lies 
  between their areas.) Whichever area the PCs choose to 
  investigate, the dwarves (if present) are happy to 
  investigate the other; Nuron especially is keen to do 
  anything other than listen to people waste their breath 
  arguing. One area was marked by several coin-shaped 
  pieces of a strange metal; the other was marked by a large 
  collection of colorfully decorated but broken crockery. 
   
  If the PCs favor the “coin” area, proceed to 
  Encounter 5E (“The Forge”); if they prefer to investigate 
  the crockery, proceed to Encounter 5F (“The Library”). 
   
  Development: The PCs’ arrival in Garsegzuul should 
  come at the end of a second full day of travel. Given the 
  length of the journey and the rigors of the demon attack, 
  it should reasonably be expected that the PCs would want 
  to rest. The other two groups (and the dwarves, if 
  present) are not averse to this idea; Corris notes that the 
  city is vast and that the PCs will need their rest. Before 
  they retire for the night, Erikal notes that this area is not 
  known for demonic activity, offering the PCs another 
  chance to explain anything they wish.  
   
  The night passes uneventfully, though both Corris 
  and Erikal (and the dwarves, if present) set watches, 
  encouraging the PCs to do the same; Dack (if present) 
  offers to take the middle watch. In the morning, proceed 
  to the appropriate segment of Encounter 5. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 5: DARK CITY 
  This encounter is split into six subsections. When the 
  PCs awaken, they will likely want to start exploring. 
  Based on which group they sided with during Encounter 
  4 (if any), the PCs will eventually venture into the 1,200-
  year-old city and be led to one of the six corresponding 
  areas, as noted below. No boxed text is provided for these 
  encounters, but a few parameters are in effect:  
   
  First, no matter where they end up exploring, the 
  PCs’ efforts at the location of their choice takes all day: 
  walking, searching, excavating, scanning for the 
  “humanoid marauders,” mapping, identifying, and 
  carrying the various rewards back to “base camp”. Keep 
  the PCs focused and do not allow them to get sidetracked 
  worrying about everyone else’s safety. The city is too vast 
  and the six sites too far apart for audible communication, 
  but bonfires at “base camp” are visible throughout the city 
  and act as homing beacons for the explorers. One 
  member of each group tends them throughout the day.  
   
  Second, despite their efforts, the PCs will be unable 
  to locate any trace of Aodhan, his entourage, or the 
  mysterious humanoid marauders (trogs). These foes are 
  all nearby but the city is too large and the scenario 
  timeline too tight to justify Track checks; allow PCs to 
  make such checks but do not reward them with any 
  concrete information just yet.  
   
  Finally, inform the PCs that 1-2 hours will have 
  elapsed before they reach their intended destination; 
  after this, several hours should be spent investigating the 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 22 
  
  site, followed by the return trip to camp. Each of the 
  other groups labels any PC notion of spending the night 
  in the city-proper as “suicidal.” Paraphrase the appropriate 
  individual description of the area the PCs explore and 
  inform them of their reward. In most cases the treasure is 
  cumbersome and requires most of the party (or high 
  magic) to unearth it. PCs that fear some kind of attack 
  and wish to remain at “base camp” may do so; Dack (if 
  present) accompanies the PCs into the city, if they 
  require his services. 
   
  Encounter 5A: The Armory 
  The “battered helmet” clue eventually leads to a small 
  armory tucked away between three larger structures. The 
  armory itself is a fully enclosed, roofed and pivoting 
  chamber roughly 60x60 feet.  
   
  There is only one entrance, keyed to a rotating 
  apparatus (operated from within the armory) that swings 
  around and lines up with one of three secret doors on 
  each of the adjacent buildings; thus, entrance to the 
  armory is through one of these buildings. It was designed 
  by the dwarves for defense, so that if one of the buildings 
  was under siege, then the dwarves who manned the 
  armory could rotate it, go around through one of the 
  other buildings and pin their foes in from behind. Three 
  people are required to properly operate it: one to man the 
  pivot-apparatus, one inside the building with which it is 
  intended to align, to operate the secret door, and one 
  more inside the armory to operate its own internal secret 
  door. The crafty design also thwarted the invading derro’s 
  attempts to find it, but an all-day search allows any group 
  of PCs to do so.  
   
  Once the PCs access the armory, they find that it is 
  still well-stocked. The PCs gain access to several items, as 
  noted on the AR. 
   
  Encounter 5B: The Reliquary 
  The chisel was found near a secret, stone trap door over a 
  steep staircase leading down into a burial crypt that is 
  deceptively vast and contains several interconnecting 
  passages. The derro invaders did not find this chamber. 
  The entire crypt is under a permanent hallow effect, 
  contains no other exits, is roughly 600 feet by 250 feet in 
  size, and is home to approximately 2,000 long-deceased 
  dwarves. Of the dead, 30% are in sealed stone sarcophagi 
  and 10% of those are nobles from the city’s ruling house, 
  Clan Embermaul (this much is explained in dwarven 
  runes carved into the sarcophagi); those occupants not in 
  sarcophagi have long since crumbled to dust. This is 
  likely the PCs’ first exposure to the clan name, and while 
  it is a valid piece of history that could aid them in 
  researching the city’s past, it does not shed any light on 
  the true name of the city. More importantly, examining 
  the runes for at least an hour allows a PC to learn that the 
  city’s last king, Dugnaumanthur, is secretly interred 
  elsewhere. 
   
  The Dwarven inscriptions proclaim a variety of 
  curses against thieves and defilers. The PCs would be 
  wise to take the hint.  
   
  Of the dead not in sarcophagi, many were interred 
  with their most valuable or sacred items to take into the 
  afterlife. These may be removed from the reliquary 
  without any problem, but if a PC keeps any of these 
  items, they gain a permanent Infamy point with ALL 
  non-evil dwarves for selfishly plundering the graves of 
  Garsegzuul’s dead instead of turning the items over to 
  dwarves or a museum for study and/or posterity. This 
  Infamy point equates to a -4 penalty on all Charisma 
  based checks, as noted under the Graverobber entry on 
  the AR. 
   
  Besides the moderate evocation of the hallow, the 
  reliquary also radiates strong abjuration, representing a 
  curse with an effect similar to Mordenkainen’s disjunction. 
  If any PC is foolish enough to pry open any of the 
  sarcophagi, the curse immediately disjoins every 
  unattended magical item within the reliquary. This curse 
  also affects the PCs’ items, but a maximum of one item 
  per PC. Go through the magic items of each PC, most 
  valuable to least, with a DC 24 Will save to negate the 
  disjunction for that item. 
   
  The items found here are noted on the AR. 
   
  Encounter 5C: The Apartments 
  The tools and dwarven chainmail were found near a large 
  housing area where much of Garsegzuul’s population 
  once lived. There are no secret doors or curses in this 
  area, but the PCs do find some well-preserved items that 
  were a part of everyday life in the city, as well as a book 
  describing an organization called the Darkrunners. This 
  access is noted on the AR. 
   
  Encounter 5D: The Laboratory 
  If the PCs wish to investigate the curious odor 
  mentioned by Erikal, they are directed to an area of the 
  city with taller buildings. After searching around 
  (animals are especially drawn to this odor), the PCs 
  discover an ancient alchemical laboratory high in one of 
  the buildings, roughly eighty feet above street level. The 
  hundreds of glass containers here have long since 
  shattered, but many earthenware decanters are still intact 
  and colorfully decorated. The PCs find that several of 
  these have been knocked off of a table, and only a 
  creature could have disturbed them. (In truth it was the 
  troglodyte Xilaisha collecting samples for study; the 
  noise from Polliae’s nearby group scared her and she fled, 
  knocking over some decanters.) The commingled 
  contents of these decanters are responsible for the odor, 
  which is highly musky with a trace of acidity; indeed, 
  spending more than a few minutes in here leaves the PCs 
  with slightly itchy skin.  
   
  The PCs will likely be on their guard from this point 
  forward, as this lab proves they are not alone in the city; 
  allow them to speculate as to who or what was in this 
  room (or why), but they will not be disturbed while 
  searching. The items found here are noted on the AR. 
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 23 
  
  Encounter 5E: The Forge 
  Investigating the strange, unmarked coins yields the 
  mother lode—literally. The coins were dropped five 
  hundred years ago as the derro began their attack on the 
  city. Dust, debris, and corpses eventually covered the rest 
  of the coin trail, but recent troglodyte activity has 
  uncovered part of it. The troglodytes do not covet 
  monetary wealth, as it is essentially useless in their 
  culture, so they left the coins on the ground. The NPCs 
  from “base camp” that noticed the loose coins were 
  interrupted by a noise nearby (the troglodyte ranger and 
  his gang from Encounter 8 stalking them) and retreated 
  to the safer eastern confines of the city. Thus, much of 
  the trail remains intact. 
   
  The PCs can easily follow the trail of coins; this 
  eventually leads to one of the most important sites in all 
  of Garsegzuul’s ancient culture: the forge. The 
  troglodytes found this vast area but do not know how to 
  make it work and left it alone. The forge is fully 
  functional, but refiring it will require a serious 
  commitment from some NPCs. 
   
  Merely finding the forge leads to its refiring by 
  dwarven NPCs and earns the PC the enmity of all derro, 
  as the genocide of Clan Embermaul is a point of pride 
  among derrokind. The PC also gains permanent renown 
  among 
  dwarvenkind 
  (+4 
  to 
  all 
  Charisma-based 
  interactions with dwarves in the Pale). Both of these 
  effects are listed on the AR. 
   
  Encounter 5F: The Library 
  If the PCs’ curiosity is piqued by the broken crockery, 
  they are eventually led to a confluence of narrow, high-
  walled alleys that wind into the face of a cliff. Herein lies 
  the sole surviving repository of Garsegzuulian lore, the 
  hidden Library of Halaad-Storr, named after one of the 
  city’s elder sages. (The broken crockery is explained by 
  the fact that the dwarves maintained a brewery within 
  the library.) While most of Garsegzuul is composed of 
  compact city blocks that stand out proudly from the 
  stone from which they were carved, the library is built 
  into the rock and is hard to find unless one knows where 
  to look. The sole entrance is at the bottom of a ramp 
  below street level; there are no windows within. 
   
  Inside, however, the library is virtually untouched 
  and remains as it was when the city fell (notwithstanding 
  500 years of dust and spiderwebs since the derro attack). 
  There are two things for the PCs to find here. The first is 
  a city almanac, which at last reveals the true dwarven 
  name of the city as Taarindaulk. Second, a clerical section 
  of the library details many spells, rites, priestly lineages, 
  and Clan Embermaul nobility. Most importantly, it 
  details the ultimate resting-place of Taarindaulk’s last 
  king, Dugnaumanthur, within the magically warded 
  ceiling over the magma lake seen in PAL5-06 My Brother’s 
  Keeper.  
   
  Uncovering the library is the greatest thing the PCs 
  can do to aid in the study of the city; the PCs gain a 
  special kind of renown, as noted on the AR. 
   
  Additionally, if the PCs wish to spend time helping 
  to sort, catalog, and decode the library’s exhaustive stone 
  tablets (2 TUs for Pale PCs and 4 TUs for all other PCs), 
  they earn the title of Honorary Historian (noted on the 
  AR) and gain a permanent +2 insight bonus on 
  Knowledge (history) checks, as listed on the AR. 
   
  Development: Once the PCs have made their 
  discoveries, inform them that most of the day has gone 
  by and that they should be getting back to the plateau. 
  Proceed to Encounter 6. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 6: ECHOES 
  During this brief encounter, the PCs return to camp after 
  a full day exploring the ruins of Garsegzuul. It is up to the 
  PCs to divulge (or conceal) the outcome of their 
  explorations.  
   
  For their part, the other groups make no effort to 
  conceal their discoveries; if the PCs sided with either 
  group, then the group with which they sided finds the 
  other possible reward from their exploration track. The 
  group with which the PCs did not side also finds 
  something (your choice). If the PCs sided with neither 
  group, then both groups return in a festive mood, having 
  found something of importance to their own adventuring 
  philosophy (again, your choice here).  
   
  If the dwarves traveled from Tobinsford with the 
  PCs, they found the reward from Encounter 5F (or 5E if 
  the PCs investigated 5F themselves).  
   
  If the PCs hired Dack Splintheel in Tobinsford but 
  did not ask him to help explore the city, he spends the 
  day at camp searching for tracks and surveying the area 
  with Weasley. 
   
  Late Arrivals 
  If the dwarves did NOT travel to Garsegzuul with the 
  PCs, then they arrive late this afternoon and are waiting 
  at the plateau.  
   
  Finally, there may be two other arrivals late in the 
  evening:  
   
  If the PCs did not hire Dack, someone else did: the 
  relic-hunter Rayner Von Krall, who paid him an 
  exorbitant fee to get here. Dack is none too pleased about 
  it, but Von Krall’s coin will aid Dack’s ultimate goal of 
  buying up most of the unclaimed wilderness around 
  Tobinsford to add to his preserve. Still, the ranger’s mood 
  is foul and he avoids Rayner while in camp. These two 
  arrive as the PCs and the other groups are making dinner 
  and perhaps sharing their discoveries.  
   
  Rayner looks greedily at any Garsegzuul loot; such 
  treasure likely amounts to large, numerous and/or 
  cumbersome items that cannot easily be carried around 
  or effectively hidden. A DC 15 Sense Motive check alerts 
  PCs that their treasures may no longer be secure.  
   
  Polliae and the Overheard Meeting 
  As the PCs and NPCs interact, Erikal expresses concern 
  that Polliae is still out in the city. Polliae made a mapping 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 24 
  
  error and wanted to correct it before the error creates a 
  spiral of further errors.  
   
  Soon, though, Polliae races into camp out of breath 
  and with a fantastic tale: an overheard meeting of Skkal 
  with the envoy. 
   
  He explains that while correcting his map error by 
  torchlight, he heard a shuffling noise close by. He 
  dropped the torch and fled, ran for perhaps ten minutes, 
  then paused to get his bearings and to cast light upon his 
  quill. Looking at his map, he realized that he was in an 
  unexplored section of the city riddled with caves, which 
  he feared led to the more dangerous depths of the 
  Underdark. 
   
  He soon spotted the “base camp” bonfires when he 
  again heard the faint sound of speech from one of the 
  caves. Hoping to find the PCs or his colleagues, he 
  entered the cave but was dismayed to find that the voices 
  were actually echoes, and that several of the caves he had 
  seen outside were interconnected. Just as his light spell 
  expired (and after nearly getting lost), he found his way 
  out, although he was several hundred yards away from 
  where he had entered the original cave. 
   
  Then, in the orange half-light from a nearby lava 
  pool, Polliae saw a medium-sized humanoid silhouette 
  (actually the troglodyte priest Skkal) accompanied by a 
  second, hazy humanoid figure (the envoy), but the two 
  seemed not to notice him. Before they moved off to the 
  northwest, he heard the insubstantial figure speaking 
  Common, albeit using obscure and archaic speech 
  patterns. This figure was dressed in a long, flowing cape 
  that bore a glowing, unfamiliar crest, which he describes 
  or sketches for the PCs. A DC 25 Knowledge (nobility 
  and royalty) check correctly identifies it as that of House 
  Rax, of the former Great Kingdom.  
   
  After the two figures departed, Polliae ran back to 
  camp. He has half-convinced himself that what he saw a 
  panicked delusion, but he offers to show the cave 
  complex to the PCs in the morning, once he has had a 
  chance to rest and effectively map it. 
   
  Development: Once the PCs are ready to bed down for 
  the night, ask if they wish to set watches again and note 
  who will be awake at midnight. The other groups set 
  their usual watches, but the dwarves (if present) choose 
  not to set one, as they are too excited by their discoveries 
  and plan to sleep contentedly. Dack takes the midnight 
  watch on his own, sneaking out of bed to prowl around. 
  The night passes without incident. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 7: BETRAYAL  
  In the morning, Polliae offers to lead the PCs to the 
  mysterious cave complex. The dwarves, if present, opt to 
  explore another part of the city.  
   
  Dack, if present, prefers to remain on the plateau 
  “just in case,” despite Rayner’s insistence that Dack is his 
  employee and that they will be exploring a different area. 
  At this, Weasley erupts into a frothy rage while Dack 
  snaps at his employer, “You paid me to lead you here. 
  Find your own swag. Signal me when you get hurt.”  
   
  It takes roughly 45 minutes to reach the cave 
  complex on foot, 1.5 miles away; the cave from which 
  Polliae heard the voices is vast but now deserted. Inside, 
  the PCs find pictographic evidence of recent derro 
  occupation, but while searching they hear faintly echoing 
  voices. Investigation reveals that the speakers are not 
  within this cave but that the entire complex contains 
  natural acoustic features (tubes, tunnels, honeycombs 
  and shaped stalactites) that amplify sound, suggesting 
  that the conversation Polliae heard yesterday took place 
  elsewhere. As the PCs listen more intently, two voices are 
  soon raised in unmistakable tones of confrontation, but 
  they are speaking a language in which the PCs may not 
  be versed. If any PCs understand Draconic or have the 
  ability to use magic as a surrogate, they may listen in on 
  an argument between Skkal and Aodhan wherein the 
  half-troll learns he has been betrayed. To more directly 
  involve the players, select two to read the scripted 
  argument found in Player Handout 3. (Skkal is the “raspy 
  voice,” while Aodhan is the “guttural voice”.) 
   
  In order to follow the sound of the voices to their 
  source, the PCs must mesh their Listen, Survival and 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) skills to make a unique 
  track check—ceasing conversation, pressing their ears 
  against the walls, etc. Success is relative and determines 
  not only where the PCs enter the troglodyte lair in 
  Encounter 8 (see below), but also how much of a head 
  start Aodhan has. The troglodytes live in the ruins of a 
  former temple to Moradin; the lair has three entrances, 
  and greater success on this check leads to a more 
  advantageous entrance. Utter failure forces the PCs to 
  spend extra time searching and carries two penalties: 
  first, the PCs discover the main (and most heavily 
  guarded) entrance by default; second, Aodhan reaches 
  the base camp early enough to threaten the NPCs 
  remaining there. 
   
  Development: Once the PCs are ready to trace the 
  voices to their source, ask for their marching order and 
  determine who the primary “tracker” will be based on the 
  parameters listed below. The troglodyte lair has three 
  entrances: a main entrance (heavily guarded now, given 
  Aodhan’s recent expulsion), an apse entrance (partially 
  collapsed and concealed), and a secret entrance whose 
  existence is as yet unknown to the troglodytes. Consult 
  the following bullets to determine which entrance the 
  PCs find. 
  • 
  The secret entrance: requires a DC 40 Track check. 
  At least one other PC must be trained in Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) and succeed at a DC 10 check, 
  which counts as an aid to the Track check. All other 
  PCs may assist using Listen or Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering). 
  • 
  Apse entrance (by Track failure): any Track check 
  less than DC 40. The players should not feel as if 
  they have failed, as the secret entrance was well-
  hidden by the dwarves, and the troglodytes will still 
  not be expecting anyone to enter the lair from the 
  apse. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 25 
  
  • 
  Apse entrance (by Knowledge success): requires a 
  DC 30 Knowledge (dungeoneering) check, assisted 
  by the Listen checks or Knowledge (dungeoneering) 
  checks of all other PCs. 
  • 
  Main entrance (by Knowledge failure): any 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) check less than DC 30, 
  including assists.  
  • 
  Main entrance (by Listen success): requires a DC 20 
  Listen check. Other PCs, animal companions, or 
  familiars may assist. The PCs may retry a failed 
  check. While they will eventually succeed and locate 
  the main entrance, each failure allows Aodhan to get 
  farther away and begin killing NPCs at the plateau 
  (see Encounter 9). Count how many times the PCs 
  fail. Players should not feel that their characters are 
  useless here, as any PC can make a Listen check, and 
  sometimes one extra assist is all a party needs. 
  Regardless of which entrance they find, this special track 
  check takes thirty minutes. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 8: TRESPASS 
  The PCs find one of three entrances to the troglodyte lair, 
  which is nestled within the city’s main temple to 
  Moradin. The tribe is led by the devious cleric Skkal, who 
  has negotiated with the envoy to betray Aodhan. The 
  tribe is in high spirits, having just killed Aodhan’s 
  remaining half-troll bodyguard, captured his Fens 
  cultists, and driven the traitorous half-troll out of their 
  lair and into the unforgiving Underdark depths. Still, 
  they remain alert in case Aodhan retaliates.  
   
  As part of a ruse suggested by the benefactor’s envoy, 
  Skkal used magic to appear as a human particularly 
  antagonistic to Aodhan (H’nakaalah, from PAL6-04 Tooth 
  and Nail). This disguise is still in effect when the PCs 
  enter, as Skkal is amusing his tribe by play-acting as a 
  human to show them the mortal folly of all surface-
  dwellers, so it will look as though a human were leading a 
  band of troglodytes.  
   
  Depending on which entrance the PCs located, 
  paraphrase the appropriate text below: 
   
  Main Entrance 
  The main entrance to the temple is still intact, essentially 
  looking as it did five hundred years ago thanks to the 
  integrity of dwarven construction. Like the library (see 
  Encounter 5F), the temple is built into the side of a cliff; 
  its facade stands out from the cliff face and is at the end 
  of a winding canyon (see Map 4, area M2). The temple 
  originally had two reinforced stone doors, but these were 
  sundered by derro invaders; there is no other visible 
  entrance, nor is there another way out of the canyon, 
  whose walls are forty feet high.  
   
  As they have just repelled Aodhan, the trogs’ 
  attention is focused on the main entrance, and they are 
  better prepared to respond to an attack here than from 
  one of the other entrances. 
   
  PCs approaching the main entrance are apt to be 
  betrayed by any light sources they are carrying as soon as 
  they round the canyon corner (Map 4, area M1); if the 
  PCs are spotted in this manner, the trogs within the 
  temple quickly hide and try to ambush the party. If the 
  PCs are travelling without a light source, the troglodyte 
  ranger, Irakiss, may Spot them (as only he has line of 
  sight); Irakiss and all other troglodytes may hear the PCs 
  anyway. Set the encounter distance accordingly.  
   
  Apse Entrance 
  The derro assault on the temple destroyed a small 
  antechamber and its connecting passage, as noted on 
  Map #4. Seismic activity over the centuries has created 
  auxiliary points of entry to this antechamber. From the 
  antechamber (which is not guarded), the PCs must 
  shimmy, climb and crawl their way along the connecting 
  passage, which is filled with old bones, cobwebs, 
  phosphorescent bluish-yellow fungi and small stones. 
  This breach is known to the troglodytes but it is only 
  lightly guarded, given that it opens into the temple on 
  the second tier. Once the PCs reach area A1 on Map 4, 
  they must make Move Silently checks in order to reach 
  area A2 without being detected. If the PCs are detected, 
  the nearby troglodyte immediately shouts for aid and 
  combat begins. Note that moving from A2 into the 
  temple-proper is a move action that must be done single-
  file due to the narrow aperture. 
   
  Secret Entrance 
  The third entrance to the temple is a masterfully crafted 
  secret door that the dwarves intended as an escape route. 
  Unfortunately, the derro blew up the temple doors, 
  causing a cave-in within the temple. As a result, the 
  mechanism jammed, trapping several dwarves within its 
  exit tunnel while consigning the rest of the dwarves to 
  grisly deaths as derro marauders poured in. The 
  troglodytes are totally unaware of this entrance.  
   
  The PCs discover it by following the sound of voices 
  along a subterranean stream (the source of the 
  troglodyte’s fresh water via a well within the temple) and 
  up through a narrow staircase to the rear door (area S1) of 
  the secret chamber. Locating the mechanism on this rear 
  door requires a DC 20 Search check; once it is opened, 
  the PCs see seven dwarven skeletons in tattered, priestly 
  robes and mithral holy symbols of Moradin, resting 
  where they fell 500 years ago in this airless chamber (area 
  S2). As air rushes into the chamber, the skeletons 
  crumble violently to dust. Once the PCs spend five 
  minutes excavating a path through the partially caved-in 
  chamber, they must succeed at both a DC 20 Search 
  check and either a DC 25 Disable Device check or DC 30 
  Strength check to un-jam the locking mechanism on the 
  inner secret door. Non-combatant troglodyte women and 
  younglings are just inside the secret door; if the PCs 
  choose the Strength check and fail, the troglodytes hear 
  them and call for the lair’s defenders to buff and 
  reposition themselves. Otherwise, the PCs can enter the 
  temple without immediately being detected. Though the 
  PCs cannot surprise the troglodytes in this manner, it 
  gives them a better tactical position and prevents the 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 26 
  
  troglodytes from setting up an ambush against them; see 
  Map 4, area S3. 
   
  � Trap:  
  One feature of the temple is a large tar pit that the 
  dwarven clergy used for some long-forgotten purpose. 
  The troglodytes now use this pit as a cesspool and, 
  occasionally, for other decorative and mundane purposes. 
  The pit is present at all APLs but is covered, as the ranger 
  Irakiss sought to use it as a trap for Aodhan or his 
  bodyguards; this pit is now a terrain feature incorporated 
  into the listed ELs of this encounter. A DC 20 Survival 
  check is required to notice it. PCs who step on the pit and 
  fail a DC 20 Reflex save fall in. The pit is very deep and 
  the pull from below is extreme; PCs are sucked beneath 
  the surface in two rounds and irretrievably lost after five 
  rounds. 
   
  Trapped PCs can escape only via magic (spells or 
  effects without somatic components) or with help from 
  other PCs. A trapped PC can be pulled from the tar 
  within one round of falling in by a DC 20 Strength check; 
  on the second round this DC increases to 25; on the third 
  round the trapped PC goes under and begins to suffocate 
  (Suffocation, DMG page 304). After this, other PCs must 
  Search the tar to find the lost PC (and then with a reach 
  object or weapon), but trapped PCs are not the only thing 
  in the tar pit: to find anything in the sticky tar requires a 
  DC 20 Search check, but searching PCs must then roll d6 
  to determine what they find (1=random weapon, 
  2=random shield, 3=dead gnome adventurer from “base 
  camp”, 
  4=large 
  Underdark 
  monster 
  bone, 
  5=unidentifiable black mass, 6=the missing PC).  
   
  PCs who escape the pit are still coated with tar, 
  which can be removed only via dedicated prestidigitation 
  cleaning (one minute for a Small character, two for a 
  Medium, four for a Large). PCs coated in tar move at half 
  speed (all modes).  
   
  Creatures: The PCs are technically invading a troglodyte 
  lair, home to roughly thirty troglodytes. Two-thirds of 
  these are non-combatant females and younglings; among 
  the remaining adults, only an elite few engage the PCs (as 
  noted by APL below), while the rest protect the non-
  combatants. There are also several monitor lizards 
  prowling the upper ledges of the temple. 
   
  The tribe is led by Skkal; his second-in-command is 
  the ranger Irakiss. The other two notable troglodytes are 
  females: one is Xilaisha, a female dragon disciple (black) 
  of the tribe’s reclusive sponsor; the second is Triis, a 
  flamboyant bard; one of these classed troglodytes 
  (depending on APL) wields a magic item gifted to them 
  by the envoy of the Cult of Demogorgon’s mysterious 
  benefactor, which should seem incongruous among a 
  primitive tribe. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
   
  � Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 5; hp 47; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 1; hp 27; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Monitor Lizard: hp 27; Monster Manual 275. 
   
  � Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 2; hp 30; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Troglodytes (2): hp 16, 16; Monster Manual 246. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
   
  � Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 7; hp 63; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 4; hp 54; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Nichei (monitor lizard animal companion): 
  hp 27; Monster Manual 275. 
   
  � Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 4; hp 42; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Troglodytes (4): hp 16, 16, 16, 16; Monster 
  Manual 246. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
   
  � Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 9; hp 77; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 6; hp 80; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Nichei (advanced monitor lizard animal 
  companion): hp 45; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Triis: female troglodyte bard 5; hp 48; Appendix 
  1. 
   
  � Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 6 / dragon 
  disciple 1 (black); hp 66; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Troglodytes (4): hp 16, 16, 16, 16; Monster 
  Manual 246. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
   
  � Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 11; hp 91; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  � Irakiss: 
  male 
  troglodyte 
  ranger 
  7 
  / 
  shadowdancer 1; hp 100; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Nichei (advanced monitor lizard animal 
  companion): hp 45; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Triis: female troglodyte bard 7; hp 55; Appendix 
  1. 
   
  � Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 6 / dragon 
  disciple 3 (black); hp 90; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Troglodytes (4): hp 16, 16, 16, 16; Monster 
  Manual 246. 
   
  Setup: The temple interior was originally a three-tiered 
  design with a vaulted central area used by workers on the 
  surrounding walkways to experiment on the design for 
  King Dugnaumanthur’s ceiling-crypt (see Encounter 5F). 
  Centuries of seismic activity, intentional desecration, 
  tribal skirmishes between Underdark denizens, and 
  natural decay have resulted in the deterioration 
  evidenced on Map 4: the upper walkways are broken (but 
  will not collapse from PC or NPC weight), the altar has 
  been sundered and turned into a barricade, and several 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 27 
  
  holes have been dug into the floor for sewage disposal 
  and water retrieval (disturbingly, both from the same 
  underground stream below the temple). The troglodytes’ 
  tactics and movements vary slightly depending upon 
  both APL and on which entrance the PCs use to infiltrate 
  the lair. Note the trogs’ positions on Map 4, then read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  The [canyon/passage/chamber] opens into a large, 
  vaulted stricture that looks to have been a temple in 
  ages past. At the southern end is a massive, sundered 
  and bloodstained altar. Several alcoves line the walls 
  at ground level; in one of these alcoves huddle a 
  dozen or so black-clad humans, half-elves and half-
  orcs 
  guarded 
  by 
  javelin-wielding, 
  reptilian 
  humanoids. Two of the other alcoves are occupied by 
  more of the reptilians, many of whom appear to be 
  children. Several broken walkways on the second 
  and third tiers of this former temple indicate that 
  its vaulted central area may have been used for some 
  type of special project; roughly a dozen more 
  reptilians look down with hostile intent upon your 
  unwelcome intrusion. Near the center of the room is 
  a large, barely recognizable pile of burned flesh, 
  likely a troll or half-troll. The ground level is dotted 
  with tall stone columns, most of which are badly 
  burned and chipped. An overpowering foul odor 
  fills the entire area. 
   
  The pervasive odor is, of course, of the troglodytes 
  themselves. 
   
  The black-clad humanoids are the surviving 
  Demogorgon cultists brought here by Aodhan; the 
  troglodytes have already sacrificed and/or eaten six of 
  them.  
   
  At all APLs (as previously noted), Skkal is 
  transformed via a scroll of veil (recovered from the 
  dragon’s lair and cast by Xilaisha) and is cavorting on the 
  second tier directly above the main entrance (Irakiss’s 
  monitor lizard companion sits beside Skkal at higher 
  APLs). When the PCs approach (by stealth or otherwise), 
  Skkal hides on the ledge (opposed by the PCs’ Spot 
  checks once they are inside the temple); a DC 15 Spot 
  check allows PCs to pierce the veil and see Skkal’s true 
  form before Xilaisha dismisses the spell.  
   
  Irakiss lurks on the far side of the tar pit, having 
  intended to lure Aodhan (and now the PCs) into 
  charging toward him; if no PCs take the bait, he moves 
  around the pit to engage them directly. When the PCs 
  first see him, Irakiss is munching on the fingers of a 
  humanoid hand (from one of the slain Demogorgon 
  cultists). Irakiss dislikes the elaborate machinations of 
  Skkal and the dragon. If reduced to 5 hp or fewer, he 
  abandons the tribe and flees by dropping down through 
  the tribe’s well and following the underground stream 
  deeper into the Underdark. 
   
  Xilaisha hides on the third tier, adopting the 
  reclusive habits of her draconic master; when the PCs 
  engage the tribe in melee, she moves closer and dismisses 
  the veil before using her own spells.  
   
  (Once the veil is dispelled, the crocodile Gumboots 
  (if present) may hinder combat, as Skkal wears magic 
  boots fashioned from his hide—a gift from Aodhan to 
  open negotiations. It takes a DC 20 Handle Animal check 
  to keep Gumboots from cowering in fear of Skkal.) 
   
  Tactics: 
  All non-classed troglodytes on the upper tiers take 
  advantage of the many missile weapons at their disposal, 
  which were staged to repel Aodhan; these weapons 
  include extra javelins, flasks of “diluted lava” (alchemist’s 
  fire), and vials of “concentrated black dragon saliva” (acid) 
  procured by Xilaisha. (Assume 5 of each alchemical 
  weapon per trog, attack bonus +0 ranged touch.) The 
  troglodytes use their Stench ability to sicken as many 
  foes as possible.  
   
  The troglodytes are familiar with their lair and use 
  its terrain features (lava pool, tar pit, wells) to their 
  advantage (bull rushes, pinning foes, etc).  
   
  At APL 6, Skkal waits until Irakiss moves to engage 
  the PCs (ideally once all PCs are within the temple); he 
  then casts prayer before jumping from the ledge to join 
  the melee. Irakiss prefers to full-attack his foes (especially 
  centaur PCs, who are monstrous humanoids). The 
  ground-level troglodyte hurls a javelin then closes for 
  melee; the second-tier troglodyte hurls missile weapons 
  at spellcasters. Xilaisha descends to ground level and tries 
  to color spray as many PCs as possible before unleashing 
  her acid orbs and using the envoy’s gift, which at this APL 
  is a wand of scorching ray. 
   
  At APL 8 and above, there are two additional non-
  classed troglodytes that behave as their APL 6 
  counterparts, ideally setting up flanks for Irakiss. Skkal 
  follows prayer with divine power and then wades into 
  melee. Xilaisha crawls to the edge of her platform and 
  tries to target a PC with phantasmal assailants; failing this, 
  she uses the envoy’s necklace of fireballs (Type IV) (warning 
  Irakiss in Draconic) before descending to ground level 
  and using her APL 6 tactics. Irakiss commands his animal 
  companion Nichei to jump and attack the last PC to enter 
  the temple. 
   
  At APL 10, the bard Triis joins the fight. Taunting 
  the PCs (in Common) “What is that horrible smell?”, she 
  casts inspirational boost and follows it with her inspire 
  courage ability, and casts miser’s envy the next round on an 
  obvious fighter-type (selecting an item on one of the 
  other PCs—ideally a weapon or holy symbol—as the 
  desired object of her target-PC). Skkal casts prayer 
  followed by flame strike (if 3 or more PCs are bunched up) 
  or freedom of movement (if they are not); he then casts 
  divine power and jumps down to melee. Xilaisha uses 
  shadow binding to immobilize PCs before blasting them 
  with her wand of magic missile; she is now a full-fledged 
  dragon disciple and joins melee where prudent. If Irakiss 
  cannot lure a PC into charging at him across the hidden 
  tar pit, he moves to cast magic fang on Nichei and then 
  full-attacks the nearest PC. At this APL it is he who 
  wields the envoy’s gift: a +1 corrosive short sword.  
   
  At APL 12 Triis inspires her allies and uses confusion 
  to disrupt party organization. Skkal leads off with freedom 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 28 
  
  of movement, prayer, flame strike, and mass bull’s strength 
  before jumping into melee. Irakiss uses the envoy’s gift (a 
  +1 corrosive giant bane shortsword) while hiding in plain 
  sight to victimize the PCs. Finally, Xilaisha behaves as at 
  APL 10, but here she tries to catch PCs with her new 
  breath weapon. 
   
  Special: One unexpected ally for the PCs comes from 
  other troglodytes: if any PCs possess a bag of troglodyte 
  dung from COR4-07 Crystal Caverns of the Cairn Hills, the 
  troglodytes here immediately smell it (it retains its 
  potency for years) and must each succeed on a DC 15 
  Will save or be shaken for 1d3 rounds from a fear that the 
  PCs are actually troglodyte-hunting mercenaries. 
   
   
  Treasure:  
   
  APL 6: Loot – 112 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic – potion of 
  cure moderate wounds (25 gp each), 2 potions of cure light 
  wounds (4 gp each), wand of scorching ray (375 gp each), 
  boots of the winterlands (208 gp each), cloak of resistance +1 
  (83 gp each). 
   
  APL 8: Loot – 98 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic – +1 studded 
  leather armor (97 gp each), potion of cure light wounds (4 gp 
  each), potion of cure moderate wounds (25 gp each), potion of 
  bull’s strength (25 gp each), boots of the winterlands (208 gp 
  each), brooch of shielding (125 gp each), cloak of resistance +1 
  (2) (83 gp each), javelin of lightning (125 gp each), necklace 
  of fireballs (Type IV) (450 gp each). 
   
  APL 10: Loot – 89 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic -- +1 
  studded leather armor (97 gp each), +1 leather armor (2) (96 
  gp each), +1 corrosive short sword (692 gp each), 2 potions of 
  bull’s strength (25 gp each), potion of cure moderate wounds 
  (x2; 25 gp each), potion of shield of faith (+4) (50 gp each), 
  scroll of bear’s endurance (12 gp each), scroll of mirror image 
  (12 gp each), scroll of bless weapon (8 gp each), scroll of faerie 
  fire (2 gp each), scroll of see invisibility (12 gp each), scroll of 
  heat metal (12 gp each), scroll of sound burst (12 gp each), 
  scroll of fireball (31 gp each), scroll of bull’s strength (12 gp 
  each), scroll of haste (31 gp each), wand of magic missile (CL 
  7th) (437 gp each), boots of striding and springing (458 gp 
  each), cloak of resistance +1 (4) (83 gp each), periapt of 
  Wisdom +2 (333 gp each). 
   
  APL 12: Loot – 50 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic – +1 studded 
  leather armor (97 gp each), +1 leather armor (2) (96 gp each), 
  +1 club (191 gp each), +1 corrosive giant bane short sword 
  (1,525 gp each), +1 kukri (192 gp each), potion of bull’s 
  strength (25 gp each), potion of cure moderate wounds (25 gp 
  each), potion of cure serious wounds (62 gp each), scroll of 
  faerie fire (2 gp each), scroll of bless weapon (8 gp each), scroll 
  of ice storm (58 gp each), scroll of bear’s endurance (12 gp 
  each), scroll of see invisibility (12 gp each), scroll of mirror 
  image (12 gp each), scroll of spiritual weapon (12 gp each), 
  potion of shield of faith (+3) (25 gp each), wand of magic 
  missile (CL 7th) (437 gp each), scroll of ray of enfeeblement (2 
  gp each), scroll of shield (2 gp each), scroll of haste (31 gp 
  each), scroll of fireball (31 gp each), bead of force (250 gp 
  each), boots of striding and springing (458 gp each), brooch of 
  shielding (125 gp each), cloak of Charisma +2 (333 gp each), 
  cloak of resistance +2 (3) (333 gp each), javelin of lightning 
  (125 gp each), periapt of Wisdom +2 (333 gp each). 
   
   
  Detect Magic Results: +1 leather armor (faint 
  transmutation), 
  +1 
  studded 
  leather 
  armor 
  (faint 
  transmutation), +1 corrosive short sword (moderate 
  conjuration), +1 corrosive giant bane short sword (moderate 
  conjuration), +1 kukri (faint transmutation), potion of bull’s 
  strength (faint transmutation), potion of cure light wounds 
  (faint conjuration), potion of cure moderate wounds (faint 
  conjuration), potion of cure serious wounds (faint 
  conjuration), potion of shield of faith (+3 and +4; faint 
  abjuration), scroll of bear’s endurance (faint transmutation), 
  scroll of mirror image (faint illusion), scroll of bless weapon 
  (faint transmutation), scroll of faerie fire (faint evocation), 
  scroll of see invisibility (faint divination), scroll of heat metal 
  (faint transmutation), scroll of sound burst (faint evocation), 
  scroll of fireball (faint evocation), scroll of bull’s strength (faint 
  transmutation), scroll of haste (faint transmutation), scroll of 
  ice storm (moderate evocation), scroll of spiritual weapon 
  (faint evocation), scroll of ray of enfeeblement (faint 
  necromancy), scroll of shield (faint abjuration), wand of 
  magic missile (CL 7th; moderate evocation), wand of 
  scorching ray (faint evocation), bead of force (moderate 
  evocation), 
  boots 
  of 
  striding 
  and 
  springing 
  (faint 
  transmutation), boots of the winterlands (faint abjuration 
  and transmutation), brooch of shielding (faint abjuration), 
  cloak of Charisma +2 (moderate transmutation), cloak of 
  resistance +1 and +2 (faint abjuration), javelin of lightning 
  (faint evocation), necklace of fireballs (Type IV) (moderate 
  evocation), 
  periapt 
  of 
  Wisdom 
  +2 
  (moderate 
  transmutation).  
   
  Development: Based upon the argument overheard 
  during Encounter 7, the PCs may justifiably expect to 
  discover Aodhan in or near the troglodyte lair. When 
  they find that he is not there, the PCs will likely wish to 
  search for him, concluding that he cannot have gotten 
  far. Such a conclusion may prove to be erroneous 
  depending on how successful the PCs were in initially 
  locating the lair. While many players will instinctively 
  rely on Track checks to locate the half-troll, especially 
  astute players should remember the remains of his 
  entourage, found during Encounter 2, and reason that 
  since Aodhan walked in, he will likely walk out. 
  Foregoing Track checks and rushing directly to “base 
  camp” is the best action. The PCs thus have a choice 
  about how they wish to find Aodhan, but let the players 
  decide what they wish to do: do not hint at or suggest the 
  “interceptor” option to them.  
   
  Additionally, the PCs will need to decide what to do 
  with the captured Demogorgon cultists.  
   
  Whatever they decide, they soon face a mighty 
  battle; proceed to Encounter 9. 
   
  ENCOUNTER 9: ERASURE 
  During this encounter the PCs at last confront the 
  renegade half-troll, Aodhan. The severity of this 
  confrontation depends on both how quickly the PCs 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 29 
  
  located the troglodyte lair, and whether or not they chose 
  to track him from the lair. When Aodhan and his 
  entourage arrived at the “base camp” plateau it was 
  deserted, as the (then) three groups of adventurers were 
  all out in the city exploring; they had not yet devised a 
  plan to post guards on the plateau during the day, so 
  Aodhan’s group was able to slip into the city unnoticed. 
  As he tries to flee, however, guards from the two 
  remaining groups, one of the dwarves, and Dack 
  Splintheel try to stop him. Aodhan is desperate and fights 
  with reckless abandon; thus, the lives of these NPCs are 
  dependent on the PCs’ actions. 
   
  If the PCs found the troglodyte lair on their initial 
  attempt during Encounter 7, and if they rush to the 
  plateau (via magic or swiftness of foot) without wasting 
  any time searching the troglodytes or their lair for 
  treasure, they arrive at the plateau just after Aodhan does 
  (proceed to “Fast and Furious” below) without any NPCs 
  dying.  
   
  If the PCs do not immediately rush to the plateau, 
  allow them to witness a dancing lights rising from the 
  plateau over the city to its maximum range. A DC 15 
  Intelligence check recognizes that this spell effect is 
  being employed as a signal flare. This should get the party 
  racing back to the plateau.  
   
  Otherwise, an NPC dies as a result of each of these 
  indirect PC actions:  
  • 
  A failed attempt (DC 19 or less) in Encounter 7 to 
  locate the troglodyte lair 
  • 
  Choosing to track Aodhan (DC 20 Track) after the 
  fight with the troglodytes in Encounter 8. If the PCs 
  lack the ability to Track, allow them a Search check, 
  though it automatically fails. Use another dancing 
  lights signal to spur them toward the plateau) 
  • 
  Failing on the check to track Aodhan 
  • 
  Spending any time looting the troglodyte lair. 
   
  As Encounter 9 begins, there are 4-5 NPCs on the plateau 
  (Corris, Erikal, and Azric Badhammer, who are today’s 
  plateau guards; Dack Splintheel; and possibly Rayner Von 
  Krall). These NPCs die in the following order, as needed: 
  Azric, Erikal, and then Corris. If it comes down to Dack 
  and Rayner, the relic-hunter activates his ring of 
  invisibility and hides. Dack holds the exit in hopes that 
  the PCs will return to help; each time an NPC dies (and 
  when Rayner flees), Dack loses 20% of his full hit points. 
  If all of the NPCs die before the PCs arrive, then Aodhan 
  escapes and PCs bearing the Mark of Demogorgon will 
  never be able to rid themselves of the curse.  
   
  If, after tallying the deaths, there are any NPCs left 
  alive on the plateau besides Rayner and Dack, proceed to 
  “Better Late than Never” below; if Dack is holding off 
  Aodhan on his own, proceed to “Last Man Standing” 
  below. If all the NPCs are slain and Aodhan has escaped, 
  improvise for the PCs the futility of their late arrival.  
   
  Once the PCs decide how to pursue Aodhan, read or 
  paraphrase the appropriate read-aloud text, as noted 
  below: 
   
  Fast and Furious 
  Your arrival at the “base camp” plateau may seem 
  like an instance of déjà vu, as members of Corris’s 
  and Erikal’s adventuring parties are taking up arms 
  with Dack Splintheel but instead of a demon horde, 
  this time they face a single opponent: a massive and 
  repulsive, muscular humanoid with bronze skin 
  covered by unsightly patches of mottled green, 
  knobby growths. Stringy black hair hangs to his 
  neck, around which is a bizarre amulet depicting 
  two entwined, clawed tentacles being crushed by a 
  taloned claw. With a savage glare and a swift glance 
  toward the exit, the figure conveys an unspoken 
  promise of brutal, merciless finality. 
   
   
   
  Better Late than Never 
  Your arrival could have been timelier, as the 
  surviving guards and Dack Splintheel trade blows 
  with a massive, repulsive humanoid whose bronze 
  skin is covered by unsightly patches of mottled 
  green, knobby growths. At least one adventurer lays 
  motionless at the feet of the muscular figure, whose 
  stringy black hair hangs to his neck and frames a 
  bizarre amulet. He wields a gore-stained greatclub, 
  and his bloody claws convey an unspoken promise 
  of brutal, merciless finality. 
  Last Man Standing 
  Your arrival is too late, and the situation is dire: the 
  two adventurers whom you met just yesterday—
  Erikal and Corris—lie motionless at the feet of a 
  massive and repulsive humanoid, whose bronze 
  skin is covered by unsightly patches of mottled 
  green, knobby growths. This figure wields a gore-
  stained greatclub; stringy black hair hangs to his 
  neck and frames a bizarre amulet depicting two 
  clawed tentacles being clutched by a taloned claw. 
  Dack Splintheel’s ferocious badger charges the 
  humanoid and is effortlessly batted away, emitting a 
  piteous squeal as it flops motionless to the ground. 
  Bleeding badly and limping on one leg, Dack is all 
  that stands between the repulsive humanoid and 
  the Underdark highway leading to the surface.  
  Oerth-quake 
  After reading the appropriate text above, allow the PCs a 
  DC 16 Knowledge (nature) check to identify Aodhan as a 
  half-troll. PCs who have played PAL5-06 My Brother’s 
  Keeper may recall him chanting in the background while 
  they fought his protégé, Bran Mac Colm, in Beltar’s Maw. 
  A DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check identifies his 
  modified unholy symbol as one devoted to Vaprak, but 
  formerly Demogorgon. Have the PCs roll initiative (and 
  also roll initiative for the NPCs on the plateau; roll Dack’s 
  initiative separately and use one generic roll for any other 
  NPC still standing), then read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
    
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 30 
  
  The ground suddenly begins to violently shake and 
  rumble. Dack and the other adventurers struggle to 
  maintain their balance as large stalactites and 
  jagged chunks of stone are dislodged from the 
  ceiling and fall crashing onto the plateau. The 
  repulsive humanoid lowers his eyelids and appears 
  to enter a momentary trancelike state; his lips move 
  briefly and then stretch into a menacing snarl. His 
  eyelids then snap open and he glares at Dack, who 
  blocks the only exit… 
   
   
   
   
   
  Aodhan’s brief trancelike state is caused by Vaprak, as the 
  troll deity rewards him for forsaking Demogorgon and 
  blesses him with combat bonuses (see below for details). 
  For PCs with the Mark of Demogorgon (Phase I or II), 
  also read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The invisible but incurable scars on your face begin 
  to pulse with an overwhelming, white-hot pain. 
  Small rivulets of blood soon trickle down from your 
  face to your chest, as the massive humanoid eyes you 
  knowingly… 
   
  For PCs that acquired the sacrificial nails from PAL6-04, 
  which were used in Bran Mac Colm’s Ritual of 
  Crucimigration, paraphrase the following: 
   
  The magic, sacrificial nails you found within the 
  Cult of Demogorgon’s Troll Fens campsite begin to 
  emit intense heat. They soon exhibit a strange, 
  magnetic pull centered on the repulsive humanoid, 
  as if drawing you and you alone into a confrontation 
  with this foe… 
  For PCs who drank from Fuilmere and witnessed the 
  vision of the Oerth Mother during PAL5-06, also read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  As the earth shakes beneath your feet, you become 
  aware of a more powerful sensation: a sudden rush 
  of blood to the head accompanied by extreme 
  dizziness. Something coppery and intangible rises 
  like bile in the back of your throat, and you 
  experience a strange weightlessness. For you, the 
  violent rumbling ceases and you enter a heretofore 
  unknown state of profound equilibrium, as if 
  floating in a sentient liquid… 
  Finally, if a PC has become the host of Malerix 
  Moorcol, read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The grimy black bag you found within the Troll Fens 
  begins to stretch as if it will burst at the seams. 
  Telepathically, you receive a message: “Now is the 
  time: unbind me, so that we two may become one 
  and defeat the betrayer!” 
   
  This earthquake is not natural: it is a physical 
  manifestation of regret suffered by the avatar of Beory 
  that dwells within Fuilmere, the dark pool in Beltar’s 
  Maw that PCs encountered during PAL5-06 My Brother’s 
  Keeper. The artifact that was hidden within the pool has 
  just been retrieved by the envoy of the Cult of 
  Demogorgon’s mysterious benefactor; for failing to 
  protect the artifact, the Earth Spirit is lashing out in 
  frustration. The resulting earthquake is affecting the 
  entire Underdark between Garsegzuul and Beltar’s Maw. 
  This has the effect of a trap: 
   
  Trap:  
   
  � Earthquake Quasi-Trap: CR 3; mechanical; 
  location trigger; no reset; Atk +13 ranged (3d6, 
  stalactites); d20 bypass (lowest roll fails to avoid); Search 
  n/a; Disable Device n/a. 
   
  The falling stalactites and chunks of stone are a variable 
  element of this combat: once per round, all active PCs, 
  animal companions and NPCs must roll a d20. The 
  individual with the lowest roll is the target of the falling 
  debris. Dack (AC 17) has specific hit points, but assume 
  one hit from falling stone knocks any other NPC 
  unconscious. 
  Through 
  Vaprak’s 
  blessing, 
  Aodhan 
  uncannily evades all of the falling debris. 
   
  The earthquake has two secondary effects: anyone 
  standing on the ground must succeed on a DC 10 Balance 
  check each round or fall prone. Additionally, the casting 
  of any spell while touching the shaking ground requires a 
  Concentration check of DC 15+spell level. Aodhan is also 
  immune to these two secondary effects. Any PCs who 
  drank the Oerthblood from Fuilmere (see above) during 
  PAL5-06 are also immune to both of these secondary 
  effects. 
   
  Creatures: Face to face at last with the renegade half-
  troll, the PCs have the chance to end his machinations 
  and permanently remove the Mark of Demogorgon from 
  any afflicted characters. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 9+) 
   
  � Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 7 
  (Vaprak); hp 70; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 11+) 
   
  � Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 9 
  (Vaprak); hp 99; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13+) 
   
  � Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 11 
  (Vaprak); hp 121; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15+) 
   
  � Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 13 
  (Vaprak); hp 143; Appendix 1. 
   
  Special: If a PC has the Mark of Demogorgon, Aodhan 
  can be killed only by that PC and only if the PC is not at 
  full hit points. If a PC without the curse deals damage 
  that would normally drop him below 0 hp, Aodhan stays 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 31 
  
  at 1 hp and continues fast healing. The PCs may attempt 
  visual Heal checks (DC 15) during combat to notice this 
  negated damage.  
   
  PCs that bear the Mark of Demogorgon take 1 point 
  of damage per round while they are within 20 feet of 
  Aodhan. This effect stacks with that of Aodhan’s negative 
  energy aura spell if he has time to cast it, and may actually 
  benefit the PCs, as only a wounded curse-bearer can slay 
  Aodhan, but it also makes such PCs more vulnerable (this 
  effect continues even if the PC falls unconscious).  
   
  For PCs who have played both PAL5-06 and PAL6-
  04, and who possess both the Mark of Demogorgon and 
  the sacrificial nails, the curse-removal dynamic functions 
  for that PC only: a cursed PC (from PAL5-06) who did not 
  play PAL6-04 may not “borrow” the nails for the purposes 
  of this combat dynamic; such PCs retain the Mark of 
  Demogorgon until they play PAL6-04 (out of order), or 
  possibly forever. 
   
  If no PC has the Mark of Demogorgon, Aodhan may 
  be killed normally. 
   
  Tactics: Aodhan traveled to the Underdark with spells 
  intended for use against the troglodytes; since he was 
  repulsed from their lair before combat occurred, he has 
  his entire spell arsenal for use against the PCs. The 
  weapon gifted to the tribe by the envoy made Aodhan 
  think twice about attacking them, especially after they 
  used it to kill his remaining half-troll bodyguard. (His 
  first bodyguard was killed by the quasit’s strike force 
  shortly before Aodhan went to meet with Skkal; in the 
  ensuing melee, the quasit recovered the flesheater rod and 
  returned to the Abyss to fetch more demons.) Now that 
  the PCs likely have the weapon, Aodhan has no choice 
  but to face it.  
   
  If Corris, Erikal and Azric are killed (see below) 
  before the PCs reach the plateau, Rayner Von Krall (if 
  present) succeeds in hiding and escaping with valuable 
  artifacts looted from the other slain NPCs, which limits 
  what the PCs gain access to on the Adventure Record. 
   
  The crocodile Gumboots from PAL6-04 (if present) 
  recognizes Aodhan as his former torturer and requires 
  another mighty Handle Animal check (DC 25) to keep 
  him from charging the half-troll on sight. Aodhan’s 
  periapt of wisdom is actually adorned with the poor 
  crocodile’s teeth (easily noted by any PC).  
   
  If a PC possesses Malerix Moorcol and agrees to his 
  telepathic command (see above), retrieving and untying 
  the bag is a full-round action; this may seem like a steep 
  price to pay in the middle of combat, but the reward is 
  worth the risk. The former high priest unleashes his 
  vengeance against his traitorous lieutenant; read or 
  paraphrase the following to the host-PC: 
   
  As you utter the Abyssal command words and untie 
  the grimy black bag, deep, maniacal laughter and a 
  rush of hot air burst forth. The bag then spills its 
  malevolent contents: a liquid blackness washes out 
  and over you like a second skin; the jagged, dirty 
  teeth that once lined the interior now adorn you 
  like enameled armor spikes, glistening with keen 
  fury. Inside your head, Malerix urges you forward 
  with one plea: “Destroy.” 
   
  The host PC is now protected by Malerix’s essence, 
  gaining two forms of protection. First, the teeth protect 
  the PC from falling stalactites, absorbing the first 50 hit 
  points of damage from them. The black, skin-like 
  membrane provides the host with SR 12+APL against 
  Aodhan. The host-PC is not actually compelled to attack. 
  As the host-PC takes falling damage or absorbs spell 
  effects, the “second skin” begins to visibly crack, allowing 
  the true color and texture of the host-PC’s gear to shine 
  through. 
   
  At APL 6, Aodhan leads off with negative energy aura, 
  followed by masochism, chaos hammer and divine power 
  before attempting to rend the PCs in melee.  
   
  At APL 8, he follows negative energy aura with freedom 
  of movement, righteous might and then slay living on any PC 
  within reach. At this APL and above, he has also prepared 
  various summon undead spells; any undead creatures 
  summoned by him benefit from both his Necromantic 
  Might and Necromantic Presence feats; at this APL, he 
  summons a troll skeleton (Monster Manual 227, +2 to 
  attacks and saves, +4 turn resistance).  
   
  At APL 10, he casts negative energy aura, spell resistance, 
  and stoneskin (in that order), followed by righteous might (if 
  he is not already mobbed by PCs) before wading into 
  melee; if pressed into casting summon undead IV, he calls 
  forth a ghast  (Monster Manual 119 [Ghoul], +2 to attacks 
  and saves, +4 turn resistance) to immobilize his foes and 
  distract any PC clerics.  
   
  At APL 12, his tactics remain essentially the same; 
  his summon undead V brings forth a wight (Monster 
  Manual 255, +2 to attacks and saves, +4 turn resistance). 
  Many clerics of his level would use word of recall to escape 
  a dangerous fight, but Aodhan has no haven after being 
  betrayed by the troglodytes. Thus, if his situation is dire, 
  he uses repulsion followed by summon monster VI (chaos 
  beast) to cover his escape. 
   
  Although he can see the Mark of Demogorgon on a 
  PC, he is beyond such rivalries and is as much an enemy 
  of the Cult as are the PCs. 
   
  Treasure:  
   
  APL 6: Loot – 175 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic – ring of 
  protection +1 (166 gp each), cloak of resistance +1 (83 gp 
  each), periapt of Wisdom +2 (333 gp each). 
   
  APL 8: Loot – 14 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic – potion of 
  haste (62 gp each), potion of cure serious wounds (62 gp each), 
  ring of protection +1 (166 gp each), cloak of resistance +1 (83 
  gp each), pearl of power (1st) (83 gp each), periapt of Wisdom 
  +2 (333 gp each). 
   
  APL 10: Loot – 66 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic -- +1 
  studded leather armor (97 gp each), +1 greatclub (192 gp 
  each), potion of displacement (62 gp each), potion of haste (62 
  gp each), potion of cure serious wounds (62 gp each), ring of 
  protection +1 (166 gp each), cloak of resistance +2 (333 gp 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 32 
  
  each), pearl of power (2nd) (333 gp each), periapt of Wisdom 
  +2 (333 gp each). 
   
  APL 12: Loot – 66 gp, Coin – 0 gp, Magic – +1 studded 
  leather armor of light fortification (347 gp), +1 vicious greatclub 
  (692 gp each), potion of displacement (62 gp each), potion of 
  haste (62 gp each), potion of cure serious wounds (62 gp each, 
  ring of protection +1 (166 gp each), cloak of resistance +3 (750 
  gp each), pearl of power (2nd; 333 gp each), periapt of wisdom 
  +2 (333 gp each). 
   
  Detect Magic Results: +1 studded leather armor (faint 
  transmutation), +1 studded leather armor of light fortification 
  (faint transmutation and strong abjuration), +1 greatclub 
  (faint 
  transmutation), 
  +1 
  vicious 
  greatclub 
  (faint 
  transmutation and moderate necromancy), potion of cure 
  serious wounds (faint conjuration), potion of displacement 
  (faint illusion), potion of haste (faint transmutation), ring of 
  protection +1 (faint abjuration), cloak of resistance +1, +2 and 
  +3 (faint abjuration), periapt of Wisdom +2 (moderate 
  transmutation), pearl of power (1st and 2nd; strong 
  transmutation). 
   
  Development: If Aodhan is slain, PCs who bear the 
  Mark of Demogorgon may rejoice as the invisible scars 
  reappear, seal over, and then disappear as the curse is 
  permanently lifted (as noted on the Adventure Record).  
   
  If a PC carried Malerix Moorcol and helped defeat 
  Aodhan, 
  Malerix’s 
  grimy 
  vessel 
  ruptures 
  and 
  disintegrates in a wave of ominous yet harmless black 
  energy; the host-PC gains access to the Sound and Fury 
  favor, as noted on the AR.  
   
  If 
  Dack 
  Splintheel 
  survived, 
  he 
  grudgingly 
  acknowledges the PCs’ heroism. If a PC possessing a gold 
  claim from PAL5-06 voluntarily forfeits it to Dack, he 
  thanks the PC and promises to make it worth their while. 
   
  If Rayner Von Krall was the second-to-last man 
  standing against Aodhan, he steals some of the loot 
  recovered from Garsegzuul; this eliminates PC access to 
  one item (randomly determined by secret die roll). 
   
  The PCs may attend to any slain or injured NPCs; if 
  Aodhan escaped, he does not return to trouble them.  
   
  The PCs may collect their treasures from Encounter 
  5 and return to Tobinsford. 
   
  CONCLUSION 
  The return trip to Tobinsford is uneventful, but the PCs 
  arrive in time to hear the surprise and spontaneous (and 
  scandalous) announcement that Eamon and Lorna are to 
  be wed the following evening in the partially completed 
  outdoor shrine to Pholtus. The PCs are the first 
  adventurers to return from Garsegzuul; if they PCs 
  brought slain adventurers, Cult prisoners, or ancient 
  dwarven treasure, they are hailed as heroes by the 
  jubilant populace and receive VIP invitations to the 
  wedding. 
   
  The elderly Bishop Reydrend from Landrigard 
  (with an escort of several Church Militant guards) has 
  just arrived to promote Eamon, and is also surprised 
  about the impromptu wedding.  
   
  Any PCs that played PAL6-04 Tooth and Nail are 
  allowed to follow up on any leads involving their 
  betrayal, and to name their suspect(s) to the bishop. 
   
  If the PCs do not wish to accuse anyone of being the 
  Tobinsford spy, skip ahead to the next paragraph. 
  Otherwise, allow them to speak with the bishop. He 
  politely curtails the PCs’ desire to name an NPC as the 
  spy or to report violations in an effort to shut down 
  Fynch’s tavern: now is not the most appropriate time, he 
  suggests, as a public arrest would likely dampen the spirit 
  of Eamon’s wedding. The bishop offers to have his guards 
  ensure that no one leaves town until the wedding is 
  complete; at that time, the PCs may name their 
  suspect(s), with full cooperation from the dignitary. 
   
  The wedding occurs without interruption or 
  complication, and is a serene rustic affair in which Lorna 
  (wearing a simple dress that belonged to her mother) and 
  Eamon exchange personal vows before the assembled 
  guests, including the PCs, most residents, and all 
  prominent NPCs from this scenario. Clive Orbison has 
  returned from Landrigard and is also in attendance 
  (outlandishly attired, as always, in his rancher’s hat and a 
  questionably fashionable suit), but the two notable 
  absences from the assembled guests are Garrold and 
  Teague (not invited, though Clive asks any PC that 
  played PAL5-06 if they have seen his two assistants), 
  along with Sir Andros (who definitely was invited). No 
  one at the wedding knows where the three missing men 
  are.  
   
  After the wedding, there is a small reception, also 
  held outdoors and catered by a proud if befuddled 
  Greddis. (If Dack survived, he uses this opportunity to 
  surreptitiously steal and poison Lorna’s bouquet, 
  regardless of who caught it.). Eamon and Lorna then 
  open their gifts (the PCs may also give gifts if they wish). 
  One anonymous gift, opened by Lorna, contains a small, 
  black onyx statuette of a dragon. When she touches it, a 
  magic mouth is triggered: in a feminine voice, it publicly 
  reveals Clive as a spy for the Cult of Demogorgon. He 
  tries to flee but can easily be apprehended by the PCs or 
  the bishop’s guards. 
   
  The Cult of Demogorgon has now been shut down 
  and will trouble the PCs no more. But that does not mean 
  the PCs are without enemies… 
   
  The End 
   
  Critical Events Summary 
  Answers to the following questions would provide 
  invaluable assistance to the author. Please send all 
  relevant answers and any positive or negative feedback to 
  eteignoir@yahoo.com 
  or 
  to 
  poc@theocracyofthepale.com. 
  1. Did the PCs help to shut down Fynch’s tavern? 
  2. Did any PCs visit the Bounding Stag and improve Faira’s 
  gloomy mood? If so, how? 
  3. Did Peralyn seduce a PC and forge their gold claim 
  certificate? 
  4. Did any PCs help Spooner? 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 33 
  
  5. Did the PCs negotiate with the quasit cleric? 
  6. Which group (if any) did the PCs side with upon 
  reaching Garsegzuul?  
  7. Which of the dwarven ruins did the PCs find? 
  8. Did any of the trogs escape? Who?  
  9. Was Aodhan killed or did he escape? 
  10. Did a PC bond with Malerix Moorcol in the fight 
  against Aodhan? If so, which PC? 
  11. Did Rayner Von Krall escape the final encounter with 
  treasure stolen from a PC or NPC? 
   
  EXPERIENCE POINT 
  SUMMARY 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the values 
  for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award. Award the total value (objectives plus 
  roleplaying) to each character. 
   
  Encounter 3 
  Defeat (or negotiate with) the demons 
  APL 6  
  210 XP 
  APL 8  
  270 XP 
  APL 10  
  330 XP 
  APL 12  
  390 XP 
   
  Encounter 8 
  Defeat the troglodytes 
  APL 6  
  240 XP 
  APL 8  
  300 XP 
  APL 10  
  360 XP 
  APL 12  
  420 XP 
   
  Encounter 8 
  Defeat and destroy Aodhan 
  APL 6  
  270 XP 
  APL 8  
  330 XP 
  APL 10  
  390 XP 
  APL 12  
  450 XP 
  Story Award 
  Discretionary roleplaying award 
  APL 6  
  180 XP 
  APL 8  
  225 XP 
  APL 10  
  270 XP 
  APL 12  
  315 XP 
   
  Total possible experience: 
  APL 6  
  900 XP 
  APL 8  
  1,125 XP 
  APL 10  
  1,350 XP 
  APL 12  
  1,575 XP 
   
  TREASURE SUMMARY 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes. Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their 
  earthly possessions. Looting the bodies takes at least 10 
  minutes per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot 
  take the time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this 
  gold. If you feel it is reasonable that characters can go 
  back to loot the bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., 
  not carted off by dungeon scavengers, removed from the 
  scene by the local watch, and so on), characters may 
  return to retrieve loot. If the characters do not loot the 
  body, the gold piece value for the loot is subtracted from 
  the encounter totals given below. 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available. A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a 
  round or so. If for some reason, they pass up this treasure, 
  the coin total is subtracted from the encounter totals 
  given below. 
   
  Next, the magic items are listed. Magic item treasure 
  is the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure. Many times characters must cast identify, 
  analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine what the 
  item does and how to activate it. Other times they may 
  attempt to use the item blindly. If the magic item is 
  consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the 
  item is used before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure. Write the total in 
  the GP Gained field of the adventure certificate.  
   
  Loot = Looted gear from enemy; Coin = Coin, Gems, 
  Jewelry, and other valuables; Magic = Magic Items. 
   
  Encounter 8: Trespass 
   
  APL 6: Loot: 112 gp; Magic: 699 gp. 
   
  APL 8: Loot: 98 gp; Magic: 1,225 gp. 
   
  APL 10: Loot: 89 gp; Magic: 2,835 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Loot: 50 gp; Magic: 5,564 gp. 
   
  Encounter 9: Erasure 
   
  APL 6: Loot: 175 gp; Magic: 582 gp. 
   
  APL 8: Loot: 14 gp; Magic: 789 gp. 
   
  APL 10: Loot: 66 gp; Magic: 1,640 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Loot: 66 gp; Magic: 2,807 gp. 
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
   
  APL 6: Loot: 287 gp; Coin: 0 gp; Magic: 1,281 gp; 
  Total: 1,568 gp (capped at 900 gp) 
  APL 8: Loot: 112 gp; 
  Coin: 0 gp; Magic: 2,014 gp; Total: 2,126 gp (capped at 
  1,300 gp) APL 10: Loot: 155 gp; Coin: 0 gp; Magic: 4,475 
  gp; Total: 4,630 gp (capped at 2,300 gp) 
   
  APL 12: Loot: 116 gp; Coin: 0 gp; Magic: 8,371 gp; 
  Total: 8,487 gp (capped at 3,300 gp) 
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 34 
  
  Special 
  Mark of Demogorgon (Phase III): Your invisible, 
  cursed facial scars have at last been cured. You enjoy the 
  same success or failure on die rolls as does every other 
  PC, and minions of Demogorgon see nothing different 
  about you. Note that the Mark is removed only if you 
  fulfilled certain conditions stated in the adventure. If you 
  did not meet these conditions, cross off this item; the 
  Mark remains until your final death. 
   
  Taarindaulk (Garsegzuul) Unearthed: You have aided 
  in the recovery and restoration of a site in the ancient 
  dwarven city. All item access is Regional. Check the 
  appropriate entry: 
  [  ]  Armory: Dwarven warpike, throwing hammer, 
  interlocking plate, extreme steel shield (RS); maul 
  (A&EG), plus masterwork versions of these items. 
  [  ]  Reliquary (Graverobber): Amulet of health +4, belt of 
  dwarvenkind, ring of protection +4, unguent of timelessness; but 
  if you buy any of these you suffer a -4 penalty on all 
  Charisma-based checks with non-evil dwarves in the Pale. 
  [  ]  Apartments: 
  Lockpick 
  ring, 
  steadfast 
  stone, 
  darkvision powder, and thieving helmet (A&EG); access 
  to Darkrunner prestige class (LoM). 
  [  ]  Laboratory: Blasting pellets, blister oil, spiderlily 
  essence (RS); clearbreath, fleetfoot, stonebreaker acid 
  (A&EG). 
  [  ]  Forge (Fires of Fame/Infamy): You earn the 
  enmity of all derro you encounter in the Pale, but a 
  permanent +4 circumstance bonus to all Charisma-
  checks involving dwarves in the Pale. You gain access to 
  one suit of mithral armor (PHB armors only) of Small or 
  Medium size; cross out this sentence when you buy the 
  armor. 
  [  ] Library of Halaad-Storr: You gain free Rich 
  Lifestyle in Pale Regional adventures for one year from 
  the date on this AR, as grateful dwarves treat you as a 
  hero and pay your expenses. Additionally, you may spend 
  2 TUs cataloging ancient tablets to become an Honorary 
  Historian and gain a permanent +2 insight bonus to 
  Knowledge (history) checks in the Pale. (You must still 
  be trained to make a check.) 
   
  Sound and Fury: For avenging former Demogorgon 
  high priest Malerix Moorcol’s death, you are melded with 
  his euphoric, shrieking essence. This conveys a 
  permanent +1 profane bonus to Will saves but a -2 
  penalty to Concentration and Listen checks. You may 
  banish him to the Abyss, permanently forgoing these 
  effects; cross off this favor if you so choose. 
   
  Spooner’s Benefactor: You agreed to help Old Spooner 
  defeat his alcohol addiction. You must donate a 
  minimum of either 2 TUs or 500 gp to the endeavor. 
  Record the TUs/gp spent here: _____TU, _______gp. This 
  counts as a good act. 
   
  Favor of Dack Splintheel: For donating your gold claim 
  from PAL5-06 My Brother’s Keeper to Dack’s wilderness 
  preserve, Dack (and Weasley) offer you free services in 
  tracking (Survival +16) and alchemy (Craft [alchemy] 
  +11) anytime you visit the Rakers or Landrigard Prelacy, 
  but it costs 1 extra TU to summon them.  
   
  ITEMS FOR THE ADVENTURE 
  RECORD 
   
  Item Access 
  APL 6: 
  • 
  Boots of the winterlands (made from crocodile hide) 
  (Adventure; DMG; 2,500 gp) 
  • 
  Wand of scorching ray (Adventure; DMG; 4,500 gp) 
   
  APL 8 (all of APL 6 plus the following): 
  • 
  Brooch of shielding (Adventure; DMG; 1,500 gp) 
  • 
  Javelin of lightning (Adventure; DMG; 1,500 gp) 
  • 
  Necklace of fireballs (Type IV) (Adventure; DMG; 5,400 
  gp) 
  • 
  Pearl of power (1st) (Adventure; DMG; 1,000 gp; you 
  may buy only 1) 
   
  APL 10 (all of APLs 6-8 plus the following): 
  • 
  Boots of striding and springing (made from crocodile 
  hide) (Adventure; DMG; 5,550 gp) 
  • 
  Cloak of resistance +2 (Adventure; DMG; 4,000 gp) 
  • 
  Pearl of power (2nd) (Adventure; DMG; 4,000 gp; you 
  may buy only 1) 
  • 
  Wand of magic missile (CL 7th) (Adventure; DMG; 
  5,250 gp) 
  • 
  +1 corrosive short sword (Adventure; A&EG; 8,310 gp) 
   
  APL 12 (all of APLs 6-10 plus the following): 
  • 
  Bead of force (Adventure; DMG; 3,000 gp) 
  • 
  Cloak of resistance +3 (Adventure; DMG; 9,000 gp) 
  • 
  Scroll of ice storm (Adventure; DMG; 700 gp) 
  • 
  +1 studded leather armor of light fortification (Adventure; 
  DMG; 4,175 gp) 
  • 
  +1 vicious greatclub (Adventure; DMG; 8,305 gp) 
  • 
  +1 corrosive giant bane short sword (Adventure; A&EG; 
  18,315 gp) 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 35 
  
  APPENDIX 1: APL 6
  ENCOUNTER 3: TALION 
  Jovoc: CR 5; Small outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, 
  Tanar’ri); HD 4d8+18; hp 42; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, 
  touch 13, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +4; Grp +1; Atk +6 
  melee (1d3+1, claw); Full Atk +6 melee (1d3+1, 2 claws) 
  and +1 melee (1d4, bite); SA Aura of Retribution; SQ 
  DR 5/silver, fast healing 5, SR 13, summon tanar’ri 
  1/day, tanar’ri traits; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +4; 
  Str 12, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 7.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +13, Listen +7, Move Silently 
  +9, Search +5, Sense Motive +7, Spot +7; Toughness 
  (x2). 
   
  Aura of Retribution (Su): This effect is always 
  active in a 30-foot spread centered on the jovoc. 
  Whenever the creature takes damage from any source, 
  all non-tanar’ri within the area of effect immediately 
  take an equal amount of damage. A successful 
  Fortitude save (DC 15) halves the damage. Regardless 
  of the source of damage to the jovoc, the damage dealt 
  to non-tanar’ri by this effect is not subject to negation 
  or reduction because of resistance, immunity, damage 
  reduction, spell resistance, or the like. 
   
  Summon Tanar’ri (Sp): Once per day, a jovoc can 
  attempt to summon another jovoc with a 25% chance of 
  success. 
   
  Tanar’ri Traits: A jovoc can communicate 
  telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that 
  has a language. It is immune to electricity and poison, 
  and has acid resistance 20, cold resistance 20, and fire 
  resistance 20. 
   
  Physical Description: A jovoc is a 4-foot tall, bloated, 
  hairless creature resembling the bruised, battered 
  corpse of a gnome left to decompose in the heat of 
  high summer, with a stench to match. It has dark, blue-
  black skin and vacant black eyes. Its three-fingered 
  hands end in long, blood-red fingernails. 
   
  Source: Monster Manual II (with skills updated by 
  editor). 
   
  ENCOUNTER 8: TRESPASS 
  Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 5 (Laogzed); CR 6; 
  Medium humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+2 plus 5d8+5; 
  hp 47; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 9, flat-footed 18; 
  Base Atk +4; Grp +5; Atk +6 melee (1d6+1, masterwork 
  club) or +3 ranged (1d6+1, javelin) or +5 melee (1d4+1, 
  claw); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) and 
  +5 melee (1d4+1, claw) and +3 melee (1d4, bite) or +5 
  melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +3 melee (1d4+1, bite); SA 
  Rebuke undead, stench; SQ darkvision 90 ft.; AL CE; 
  SV Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +8; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 
  12, Wis 16, Cha 13.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +5 (+9 defensively), 
  Heal +5, Hide +11, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +2, Knowledge (history) +2, Knowledge (local) +2, 
  Knowledge (religion) +3, Knowledge (the planes) +2, 
  Listen +8, Spellcraft +3; Combat Casting, Improved 
  Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack.  
   
  Languages: Draconic, Goblin, Undercommon, 
  Common.  
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 4/day; 1d20+1; turning 
  damage 2d6+8. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 12. 
    
  Cleric Spells Prepared (5/4+1/3+1/2+1): 0—cure 
  minor wounds, detect magic, guidance (2), resistance; 1st—
  cause fear* (DC 14), cure light wounds, doom (DC 14), 
  entropic shield, sanctuary; 2nd—cure moderate wounds, 
  death knell* (DC 15), sound burst (DC 15), spiritual 
  weapon; 3rd—contagion* (DC 16), cure serious wounds, 
  prayer. 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Laogzed. Domains: Death 
  (Death Touch once/day); Destruction (gain the smite 
  ability once/day). 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather armor, 
  masterwork club, 2 javelins, 2 vials of acid, wooden 
  holy symbol (Laogzed), boots of the winterlands, cloak of 
  resistance +1, potion of cure moderate wounds.  
   
  Physical Description: Skkal stands taller than all of 
  the troglodytes, and fights alongside his warriors to 
  prove he is worthy of leadership. 
   
  Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 1; CR 2; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+6 plus 1d8+3; hp 27; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18; Base 
  Atk +2; Grp +2; Atk +4 melee (1d6+1/19-20, 
  masterwork short sword) or +3 melee (1d4+1, claw) or 
  +3 ranged (1d6+1, javelin); Full Atk +2 melee 
  (1d6+1/19-20, masterwork short sword) and  +2 melee 
  (1d4/18-20, masterwork kukri) and +1 melee (1d4, bite) 
  or +3 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +1 melee (1d4, bite); 
  SA Stench; SQ Darkvision 90 ft., favored enemy 
  monstrous humanoids +2, wild empathy; AL CE; SV 
  Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 10, 
  Wis 14, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +7, Move Silently 
  +2, Perform (dance) +0, Search +1, Survival +4; Dodge, 
  Mobility, Multiattack, Track. 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 14. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, masterwork short 
  sword, masterwork kukri, 4 javelins, tanglefoot bag, 2 
  flasks of alchemist’s fire, 2 vials of acid, vial of 
  antitoxin, 2 potions of cure light wounds. 
   
  Physical Description: Irakiss moves in a permanent 
  crouch, as if preparing to leap upon a foe. 
   
  Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 2; CR 3; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+6 plus 2d4+6; hp 30; 
  Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16;Base 
  Atk +2; Grp +1; Atk +1 melee (1d4-1, claw) or +3 ranged 
  (1d6-1, javelin); Full Atk +1/+1 melee (1d4-1, 2 claws) 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 36 
  
  and -1 melee (1d4-1, bite); SA Stench; SQ darkvision 90 
  ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +3; Str 8, Dex 12, 
  Con 16, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 16.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +4, Hide +14, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +3, Listen +5; Improved Initiative, Multiattack, 
  Spell Focus (Illusion). 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 14. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/5 per day): 0—acid splash 
  (+3 ranged touch), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 14), 
  resistance, touch of fatigue (+1 melee touch, DC 13); 1st—
  color spray (DC 15), lesser orb of acid (+3 ranged touch) 
  (see Appendix 2). 
   
  Possessions: 4 javelins, 5 vials of acid, wand of 
  scorching ray. 
   
  Physical Description: Xilaisha is one of the smallest 
  troglodytes in the tribe at just over four feet in height. 
  Though petite and somewhat timid, she is slowly 
  learning confidence under her draconic tutor. She 
  approaches melee slowly, gauging foes before 
  committing to an attack. Her hide has recently 
  acquired a blackish tint that matches her lustrous eyes. 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 9: ERASURE 
  Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 7 (Vaprak); CR 9; 
  Medium giant; HD 7d8+28; hp 70; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 18; Base Atk +5; Grp +8; 
  Atk +8 melee (1d4+3, claw); Full Atk +8 melee (1d4+3, 
  2 claws) and +3 melee (1d6+1, bite); SA Rend, rebuke 
  undead 4/day; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, 
  scent; AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +3, Will +10; Str 16, Dex 
  10, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 16 (18), Cha 12.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +10, Heal +6, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, 
  Spellcraft 
  +4; Corpsecrafter (see Appendix 2), 
  Necromantic Presence (see Appendix 2), Necromantic 
  Might (see Appendix 2), Spell Focus (necromancy). 
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Abyssal. 
   
  Rend (Ex): If a half-troll hits with two or more 
  claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches onto 
  the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack 
  automatically deals an additional 2d4+4 points of 
  damage. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 4/day; 1d20+3; turning 
  damage 2d6+8.  
   
  Cleric Spells Prepared (6/ 5+1/4+1/3+1/ 2+1): 0—
  create water, cure minor wounds (2), detect magic (2), 
  guidance; 1st—cure light wounds, deathwatch, divine favor, 
  entropic shield, protection from law*, sanctuary (DC 15); 
  2nd—bull’s strength*, cure moderate wounds, death knell 
  (DC 17), resist energy, spiritual weapon; 3rd—animate 
  dead, 
  dispel 
  magic, 
  magic 
  vestment*, 
  remove 
  blindness/deafness; 4th—chaos hammer* (DC 18), divine 
  power, negative energy aura (see Appendix 2). 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Vaprak. Domains: Chaos 
  (cast Chaos spells at +1 caster level); Strength (feat of 
  Strength once per day; +7 to Strength for one round as 
  a free action). 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather armor, ring 
  of protection +1, periapt of wisdom +2, cloak of resistance +1. 
   
  Power-Up Suite (Status – bull’s strength spell): 
  Base Atk +5; Grp +10; Atk +10 melee (1d4+5, claw); Full 
  Atk +10 melee (1d4+5, 2 claws) and +5 melee (1d6+2, 
  bite); SA Rend 2d4+7; Str 20. 
   
  Physical Description: This wicked soul is a product of 
  foul breeding pits deep within the Troll Fens. Truly a 
  fearsome specimen, Aodhan’s bronze skin and black 
  hair betray his swamp-folk heritage, but the skin is 
  covered in large patches of rough and knobby green 
  growths, and his greasy hair clumps into long fuzzy 
  locks. He towers over most humans, and his elongated 
  and extremely muscled limbs tipped with long, filthy 
  claws give him the appearance of a feral beast. He is 
  armored in thick leather and swathed in furs, and 
  wears heavy boots. His exposed limbs show recent 
  evidence of severe acid damage. 
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 37 
  
  APPENDIX 1: APL 8 
  ENCOUNTER 8: TRESPASS 
  Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 7 (Laogzed); CR 8; 
  Medium humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+2 plus 7d8+7; 
  hp 63; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19; 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d6+1, masterwork 
  club) or +5 ranged (1d6+1, javelin) or +7 melee (1d4+1, 
  claw); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) 
  and +7 melee (1d4+1, claw) and +5 melee (1d4, bite) or 
  +7 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +5 melee (1d4, bite); SA 
  Stench, rebuke undead; SQ darkvision 90 ft.; AL CE; 
  SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 
  12, Wis 16, Cha 14.  
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Concentration 
  +6 
  (+10 
  defensively), Heal +5, Hide +11, Intimidate +4, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +2, Knowledge (history) +2, 
  Knowledge (local) +2, Knowledge (religion) +4, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +3, Listen +8, Spellcraft +4; 
  Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack.  
   
  Languages: Draconic, Goblin, Undercommon, 
  Common. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 12. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 5/day; 1d20+2; turning 
  damage 2d6+9.  
    
  Cleric Spells Prepared (6/ 5+1/4+1/3+1/ 1+1): 0—
  cure minor wounds (2), detect magic, guidance (2), resistance; 
  1st—cure light wounds, divine favor, doom (DC 14), 
  entropic shield, inflict light wounds* (DC 14), sanctuary; 
  2nd—cure moderate wounds, death knell* (DC 15), hold 
  person (DC 15), sound burst (DC 15), spiritual weapon; 
  3rd—contagion* (DC 16), cure serious wounds, dispel 
  magic, prayer; 4th—death ward*, divine power. 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Laogzed. Domains: Death 
  (Death Touch once/day); Destruction (gain the smite 
  ability once/day). 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, masterwork 
  club, 2 javelins, 2 vials of acid, tanglefoot bag, wooden 
  holy symbol (Laogzed), boots of the winterlands, cloak of 
  resistance +1, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of bull’s 
  strength, brooch of shielding.  
   
  Physical Description: Skkal stands taller than all of 
  the troglodytes, and fights alongside his warriors to 
  prove he is worthy of leadership. 
   
  Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 4; CR 5; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+6 plus 4d8+12; hp 54; 
  Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18; Base 
  Atk +5; Grp +6; Atk +7 melee (1d6+1/19-20, 
  masterwork short sword) or +6 melee (1d4+1, claw) or 
  +7 ranged (1d6+1, javelin); Full Atk +5 melee 
  (1d6+1/19-20, masterwork short sword) and +5 melee 
  (1d4/18-20, masterwork kukri) and +4 melee (1d4, bite) 
  or +6 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +4 melee (1d4, bite); 
  SA Stench; SQ Animal companion, darkvision 90 ft., 
  favored enemy monstrous humanoids +2, link with 
  companion, share spells, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +11, Ref +7, Will +4; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 
  14, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +1, Hide +18, 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) +2, Listen +7, Move 
  Silently +6, Perform (dance) +3, Search +1, Survival +6; 
  Dodge, Endurance, Mobility, Multiattack, Natural 
  Bond (see Appendix 2), Track, Two-Weapon Fighting. 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 14. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared: 1st—magic fang. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, masterwork short 
  sword, masterwork kukri, 2 javelins, tanglefoot bag, 
  flask of alchemist’s fire, vial of antitoxin, potion of cure 
  light wounds, cloak of resistance +1, javelin of lightning. 
   
  Physical Description: Irakiss moves in a permanent 
  crouch, as if preparing to leap upon a foe. 
   
  Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 4; CR 5; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+6 plus 4d4+12; hp 42; 
  Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16; Base 
  Atk +3; Grp +2; Atk +2 melee (1d4-1, claw) or +4 ranged 
  (1d6-1, javelin); Full Atk +2 melee (1d4-1, 2 claws) and 
  +0 melee (1d4-1, bite); SA Stench; SQ darkvision 90 ft.; 
  AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +4; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 
  16, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 16.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Concentration +4, Hide 
  +14, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen +5; Ability Focus 
  (Stench), Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Spell Focus 
  (Illusion). 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 16. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/4 per day): 0—acid splash 
  (+4 ranged touch), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 14), 
  message, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 13, +2 melee 
  touch); 1st—color spray (DC 15), lesser orb of acid (+4 
  ranged touch) (see Appendix 2), true strike; 2nd—
  phantasmal assailants (DC 16) (see Appendix 2). 
   
  Possessions: 4 javelins, 5 vials of acid, necklace of 
  fireballs (Type IV).  
   
  Physical Description: Xilaisha is one of the smallest 
  troglodytes in the tribe at just over four feet in height. 
  Though petite and somewhat timid, she is slowly 
  learning confidence under her draconic tutor. She 
  approaches melee slowly, gauging foes before 
  committing to an attack. Her hide has recently 
  acquired a blackish tint that matches her lustrous eyes. 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 9: ERASURE 
  Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 9 (Vaprak); CR 
  11; Medium giant; HD 9d8+45; hp 99; Init +0; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 18; Base Atk +6; Grp +9; 
  Atk +9 melee (1d4+3, claw); Full Atk +9 melee (1d4+3, 
  2 claws) and +4 melee (1d6+1, bite) or +10/+5 melee 
  (1d10+5, +1 greatclub) and +4 melee (1d6+1, bite); SA 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 38 
  
  Rend, rebuke undead 4/day; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., fast 
  healing 5, scent; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +11; 
  Str 16, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 16 (18), Cha 12.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Heal +7, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +8, Knowledge (religion) +8, 
  Spellcraft +6; Corpsecrafter (see Appendix 2), 
  Necromantic Presence (see Appendix 2), Necromantic 
  Might (see Appendix 2), Power Attack, Spell Focus 
  (necromancy). 
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Abyssal. 
   
  Rend (Ex): If a half-troll hits with two or more 
  claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches onto 
  the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack 
  automatically deals an additional 2d4+4 points of 
  damage. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 4/day; 1d20+3; turning 
  damage 2d6+10.  
   
  Cleric Spells Prepared (6/ 5+1/5+1/4+1/ 3+1/1+1): 
  0—create water, cure minor wounds (2), detect magic (2), 
  guidance; 1st—cure light wounds, deathwatch, divine favor, 
  entropic shield, protection from law*, sanctuary (DC 15); 
  2nd—bull’s strength*, cure moderate wounds (2), death 
  knell (DC 17), resist energy, spiritual weapon; 3rd—
  animate dead, dispel magic, magic vestment*,  remove 
  blindness/deafness, summon undead III (see Appendix 2); 
  4th—chaos hammer* (DC 18), divine power, freedom of 
  movement, negative energy aura (see Appendix 2); 5th—
  righteous might*, slay living (DC 20). 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Vaprak. Domains: Chaos 
  (cast Chaos spells at +1 caster level); Strength (feat of 
  Strength once per day; +7 to Strength for one round as 
  a free action). 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather armor, +1 
  greatclub, ring of protection +1, periapt of Wisdom +2, cloak of 
  resistance +1, potion of haste, potion of cure serious wounds, 
  pearl of power (1st). 
   
  Power-Up Suite (Status – bull’s strength spell): 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +11; Atk +11 melee (1d4+5, claw); Full 
  Atk +11 melee (1d4+5, 2 claws) and +6 melee (1d6+2, 
  bite) or +12/+7 melee (1d10+8, +1 greatclub) and +6 
  melee (1d6+2, bite); SA Rend 2d4+7; Str 20. 
   
  Physical Description: This wicked soul is a product of 
  foul breeding pits deep within the Troll Fens. Truly a 
  fearsome specimen, Aodhan’s bronze skin and black 
  hair betray his swamp-folk heritage, but the skin is 
  covered in large patches of rough and knobby green 
  growths, and his greasy hair clumps into long fuzzy 
  locks. He towers over most humans, and his elongated 
  and extremely muscled limbs tipped with long, filthy 
  claws give him the appearance of a feral beast. He is 
  armored in thick leather and swathed in furs, and 
  wears heavy boots. His exposed limbs show recent 
  evidence of severe acid damage. 
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 39 
  
  APPENDIX 1: APL 10 
  ENCOUNTER 3: TALION 
  Advanced Babau: CR 8; Large outsider (Chaotic, Evil, 
  Extraplanar, Tanar’ri); HD 9d8+63; hp 117; Init +0; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +9; Grp 
  +22; Atk +17 melee (1d8+9/19-20, claw); Full Atk +17 
  melee (1d8+9/19-20, 2 claws) and +15 melee (1d8+4, 
  bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Sneak attack +2d6, 
  spell-like abilities, summon tanar’ri; SQ Damage 
  reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., 
  immunity to electricity and poison, protective slime, 
  resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell 
  resistance 14, telepathy 100 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +13, Ref 
  +6, Will +8; Str 29, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 
  16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +21, Disable Device +14, 
  Disguise +15, Escape Artist +12, Hide +16, Listen +22, 
  Move Silently +20, Open Lock +12, Search +22, Sleight 
  of Hand +12, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks), Use 
  Rope +0 (+2 with bindings); Cleave, Improved Critical 
  (claw), Multiattack, Power Attack. 
   
  Sneak Attack (Ex): A babau can make a sneak 
  attack like a rogue, dealing an extra 2d6 points of 
  damage whenever a foe is denied his or her Dexterity 
  bonus to AC, or when the babau is flanking. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will: darkness, dispel magic, 
  see invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of 
  objects only). Caster level 9th. 
   
  Protective Slime (Su): A slimy red jelly coats the 
  babau’s skin. Any weapon that touches it takes 2d6 
  points of acid damage from the corrosive goo, and the 
  weapon’s hardness does not reduce this damage. A 
  magic weapon may attempt a DC 21 Reflex save to 
  avoid taking this damage. A creature who strikes the 
  babau with an unarmed attack, unarmed strike, touch 
  spell, or natural weapon takes this damage as well but 
  can negate the damage with a DC 21 Reflex save. The 
  save DCs are Constitution-based. 
   
  Summon Tanar’ri (Sp): Once per day a babau can 
  attempt to summon 1 babau with a 40% chance of 
  success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level 
  spell. 
   
  Possessions: Unholy symbol (Demogorgon). 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 8: TRESPASS 
  Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 9 (Laogzed); CR 10; 
  Medium humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+2 plus 9d8+9; 
  hp 77; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19; 
  Base Atk +7; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (1d6+1, masterwork 
  club) or +6 ranged (1d6+1, javelin) or +8 melee (1d4+1, 
  claw); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) 
  and +8 melee (1d4+1, claw) and +6 melee (1d4, bite) or 
  +8 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +6 melee (1d4, bite); SA 
  Stench, rebuke undead; SQ darkvision 90 ft.; AL CE; 
  SV Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +13; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 
  12, Wis 16 (18), Cha 14.  
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Concentration 
  +7 
  (+11 
  defensively), Heal +6, Hide +11, Intimidate +5, Jump 
  +10, Knowledge (arcana) +2, Knowledge (history) +2, 
  Knowledge (local) +2, Knowledge (religion) +5, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +4, Listen +9, Spellcraft +5; 
  Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack.  
   
  Languages: Draconic, Goblin, Undercommon, 
  Common.  
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 12. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 5/day; 1d20+2; turning 
  damage 2d6+11.  
    
  Cleric Spells Prepared (6/ 5+1/5+1/4+1/ 3+1/1+1): 
  0—cure minor wounds (2), detect magic, guidance (2), 
  resistance; 1st—cure light wounds, divine favor, doom (DC 
  15), entropic shield, inflict light wounds* (DC 15), sanctuary; 
  2nd—cure moderate wounds (2), death knell* (DC 16), hold 
  person (DC 16), sound burst (DC 16), spiritual weapon; 
  3rd—contagion* (DC 17), cure serious wounds (x2), dispel 
  magic, prayer; 4th—cure critical wounds, death ward*, 
  divine power, freedom of movement; 5th—flame strike (DC 
  19), slay living* (DC 19). 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Laogzed. Domains: Death 
  (Death Touch once/day); Destruction (gain the smite 
  ability once/day). 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, masterwork 
  club, 2 javelins, 2 vials of acid, wooden holy symbol 
  (Laogzed), periapt of Wisdom +2, cloak of resistance +1, boots 
  of striding and springing, potion of bull’s strength.  
   
  Physical Description: Skkal stands taller than all of 
  the troglodytes, and fights alongside his warriors to 
  prove he is worthy of leadership. 
   
  Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 6; CR 7; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+8 plus 6d8+24; hp 80; 
  Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19; Base 
  Atk +7; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (1d6+2/19-20 plus 1d6 
  acid, +1 corrosive short sword) or +8 melee (1d4+1, claw) 
  or +9 ranged (1d6+1, javelin); Full Atk +7/+2 melee 
  (1d6+2/19-20 plus 1d6 acid, +1 corrosive short sword) and 
  +5/+0 melee (1d4/18-20, masterwork kukri) and +6 
  melee (1d4, bite) or +8 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +6 
  melee (1d4, bite); SA Stench; SQ Animal companion, 
  darkvision 90 ft., favored enemy monstrous humanoids 
  +4, favored enemy elves +2, link with companion, share 
  spells, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +7, Will 
  +4; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +3, Hide +20, 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) +2, Knowledge (nature) 
  +4, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Perform (dance) +4, 
  Search +1, Spot +3, Survival +7; Dodge, Endurance, 
  Improved 
  Two-Weapon 
  Fighting, 
  Mobility, 
  Multiattack, Natural Bond (see Appendix 2), Track, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting. 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 40 
  
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 15. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared: 1st—magic fang. 
   
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, +1 corrosive short sword, 
  masterwork kukri, 2 javelins, tanglefoot bag, flask of 
  alchemist’s fire, vial of antitoxin, potion of bull’s strength, 
  potion of cure moderate wounds, cloak of resistance +1.  
   
  Physical Description: Irakiss moves in a permanent 
  crouch, as if preparing to leap upon a foe. 
   
  Nichei 
  (advanced 
  monitor 
  lizard 
  animal 
  companion): CR —; Medium animal; HD 5d8+15; hp 
  45; Init +3; Spd 30 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 13, flat-
  footed 15; Base Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk/Full Atk +7 melee 
  (1d8+6, bite); SA —; SQ Evasion, low-light vision; AL 
  N; SV Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 17, 
  Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Hide +8, Listen +4, Move 
  Silently +7, Spot +5, Swim +12; Alertness, Great 
  Fortitude. 
   
  Triis: female troglodyte bard 5; CR 6; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+4 plus 5d6+10; hp 48; 
  Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 19; Base 
  Atk +4; Grp +3; Atk +3 melee (1d4-1, claw) or +6 ranged 
  (1d6-1, javelin); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4-1, 2 claws) and 
  +1 melee (1d4-1, bite); SA Stench; SQ Darkvision 90 ft., 
  countersong 5/day, fascinate 5/day, inspire competence 
  5/day, inspire courage 3/day; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref 
  +6, Will +6; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 
  14.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Balance +5, 
  Concentration +4, Craft (instrument) +4, Decipher 
  Script +2, Escape Artist +3, Hide +13, Knowledge 
  (arcana) 
  +3, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  +3, 
  Knowledge (history) +3, Listen +6, Move Silently +2, 
  Perform (percussion) +9, Sense Motive +3, Tumble +6, 
  Use Magic Device +7; Improved Initiative, Multiattack, 
  Spell Focus (Enchantment), Weapon Focus (javelin). 
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, 
  Undercommon. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 13. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/4/2 per day): 0—detect magic, 
  flare, ghost sound, message, prestidigitation, resistance; 1st—
  feather fall, grease (DC 13), inspirational boost (see 
  Appendix 2), Tasha’s hideous laughter (DC 14); 2nd--
  blindness/deafness (DC 14), miser’s envy (DC 15) (see 
  Appendix 2), silence. 
   
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, 4 javelins, 3 vials of 
  acid, 3 flasks of alchemist’s fire, thunderstone, 
  masterwork instrument (gnome-skull xylophone, two-
  handed), cloak of resistance +1, potion of shield of faith (+4), 
  scroll of bear’s endurance, scroll of mirror image, scroll of bless 
  weapon, scroll of faerie fire, scroll of see invisibility, scroll of 
  heat metal, scroll of sound burst, scroll of fireball. 
   
  Physical Description: Xilaisha’s charismatic appeal 
  stems from her relationship to the dragon, but Triis’s 
  popularity is born of pure flamboyance. Her scales are 
  exotically 
  colored 
  and 
  her 
  personality 
  more 
  extroverted; she takes pride in being the center of 
  attention. Triis is no fighter and is most effective as a 
  nuisance in combat, using spells to disrupt enemies 
  while inspiring the savage morale of her allies. 
   
  Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 6 / dragon 
  disciple 1 (black); CR 8; Medium humanoid (reptilian); 
  HD 2d8+6 plus 6d4+18 plus 1d12+3; hp 66; Init +5; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +4; Grp 
  +3; Atk +3 melee (1d4-1, claw) or +5 ranged (1d6-1, 
  javelin); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4-1, 2 claws) and +1 
  melee (1d4-1, bite); SA Stench; SQ darkvision 90 ft.; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +8; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, 
  Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Concentration +7, Hide 
  +14, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Listen +5, Spellcraft +3, 
  Spot +1; Ability Focus (Stench), Greater Spell Focus 
  (Illusion), Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Spell 
  Focus (Illusion). 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 16. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/6/5 per day): 0—acid 
  splash (+5 ranged touch), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 
  15), mage hand, message, resistance, touch of fatigue (+3 
  melee touch); 1st—color spray (DC 16), feather fall, lesser 
  orb of acid (+5 ranged touch) (see Appendix 2), true strike; 
  2nd—Melf’s acid arrow (+5 ranged touch), phantasmal 
  assailants (DC 17) (see Appendix 2); 3rd—shadow 
  binding (DC 18) (see Appendix 2). 
   
  Possessions: 2 javelins, 5 vials of acid, vial of 
  antitoxin, wand of magic missile (CL 7th), cloak of 
  resistance +1, scroll of bull’s strength, potion of cure moderate 
  wounds, scroll of haste.  
   
  Physical Description: Xilaisha is one of the smallest 
  troglodytes in the tribe at just over four feet in height. 
  Though petite and somewhat timid, she is slowly 
  learning confidence under her draconic tutor. She 
  approaches melee slowly, gauging foes before 
  committing to an attack. Her hide has recently 
  acquired a blackish tint that matches her lustrous eyes. 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 9: ERASURE 
  Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 11 (Vaprak); CR 
  13; Medium giant; HD 11d8+55; hp 121; Init +0; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +8; Grp 
  +11; Atk +11 melee (1d4+3, claw); Full Atk +11 melee 
  (1d4+3, 2 claws) and +6 melee (1d6+1, bite) or +12/+7 
  melee (1d10+5, +1 greatclub) and +6 melee (1d6+1, bite); 
  SA Rend, rebuke undead 4/day; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  fast healing 5, scent; AL CE; SV Fort +14, Ref +5, Will 
  +13; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 16 (18), Cha 12.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +13, Heal +9, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +8, Knowledge (religion) +9, 
  Spellcraft 
  +8; Corpsecrafter (see Appendix 2), 
  Necromantic Presence (see Appendix 2), Necromantic 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 41 
  
  Might (see Appendix 2), Power Attack, Spell Focus 
  (necromancy). 
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Abyssal. 
   
  Rend (Ex): If a half-troll hits with two or more 
  claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches onto 
  the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack 
  automatically deals an additional 2d4+4 points of 
  damage. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 4/day; 1d20+3; turning 
  damage 2d6+12.  
   
  Cleric 
  Spells 
  Prepared 
  (6/ 
  6+1/5+1/5+1/ 
  4+1/2+1/1+1): 0—create water, cure minor wounds (2), 
  detect magic (2), guidance; 1st—cure light wounds (2), 
  deathwatch, divine favor, entropic shield, protection from 
  law*, sanctuary; 2nd—bull’s strength*, cure moderate 
  wounds (2), death knell (DC 17), resist energy, spiritual 
  weapon; 3rd—animate dead, cure serious wounds, dispel 
  magic, 
  invisibility purge, magic vestment*, remove 
  blindness/deafness; 4th—chaos hammer* (DC 18), cure 
  critical wounds, freedom of movement, negative energy aura 
  (see Appendix 2), summon undead IV (see Appendix 2); 
  5th—righteous might*, slay living (DC 20), spell resistance; 
  6th—harm (DC 20), stoneskin*. 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Vaprak. Domains: Chaos 
  (cast Chaos spells at +1 caster level); Strength (feat of 
  Strength once per day; +7 to Strength for one round as 
  a free action). 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, +1 greatclub, ring 
  of protection +1, periapt of Wisdom +2, cloak of resistance +2, 
  potion of barkskin (+4), potion of displacement, potion of 
  haste, potion of cure serious wounds, pearl of power (2nd), 2 
  tanglefoot bags, 4 black opals worth 50 gp each, 2 uses 
  of material component for stoneskin. 
   
  Power-Up Suite (Status – bull’s strength spell, 
  barkskin potion): AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 23; 
  Base Atk +8; Grp +13; Atk +13 melee (1d4+5, claw); Full 
  Atk +13 melee (1d4+5, 2 claws) and +8 melee (1d6+2, 
  bite) or +14/+9 melee (1d10+8, +1 greatclub) and +8 
  melee (1d6+2, bite); SA Rend 2d4+7; Str 20. 
   
  Physical Description: This wicked soul is a product of 
  foul breeding pits deep within the Troll Fens. Truly a 
  fearsome specimen, Aodhan’s bronze skin and black 
  hair betray his swamp-folk heritage, but the skin is 
  covered in large patches of rough and knobby green 
  growths, and his greasy hair clumps into long fuzzy 
  locks. He towers over most humans, and his elongated 
  and extremely muscled limbs tipped with long, filthy 
  claws give him the appearance of a feral beast. He is 
  armored in thick leather and swathed in furs, and 
  wears heavy boots. His exposed limbs show recent 
  evidence of severe acid damage. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 42 
  
  APPENDIX 1: APL 12
  ENCOUNTER EIGHT: TRESPASS 
  Skkal: male troglodyte cleric 11 (Laogzed); CR 12; 
  Medium humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+2 plus 
  11d8+11; hp 91; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC 19, touch 9, flat-
  footed 19; Base Atk +9; Grp +10; Atk +11 melee (1d6+2, 
  +1 club) or +9 ranged (1d6+1, javelin) or +8 melee 
  (1d4+1, claw); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d6+2, +1 club) 
  and +10 melee (1d4+1, claw) and +8 melee (1d4, bite) or 
  +10 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +8 melee (1d4, bite); SA 
  Stench, rebuke undead; SQ darkvision 90 ft.; AL CE; 
  SV Fort +15, Ref +6, Will +14; Str 12, Dex 9, Con 12, Int 
  12, Wis 16 (18), Cha 14.  
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Concentration 
  +8 
  (+12 
  defensively), Heal +7, Hide +11, Intimidate +5, Jump 
  +10, Knowledge (arcana) +3, Knowledge (history) +3, 
  Knowledge (local) +2, Knowledge (religion) +6, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +4, Listen +9, Spellcraft +6; 
  Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, 
  Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack.  
   
  Languages: Draconic, Goblin, Undercommon, 
  Common.  
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 12. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 5/day; 1d20+4; turning 
  damage 2d6+13.  
    
  Cleric 
  Spells 
  Prepared 
  (6/ 
  6+1/5+1/5+1/ 
  3+1/2+1/1+1): 0—cure minor wounds (2), detect magic, 
  guidance (2), resistance; 1st—cure light wounds, divine 
  favor, doom (DC 15), entropic shield, inflict light wounds* 
  (DC 15), lesser vigor, sanctuary; 2nd—cure moderate 
  wounds (2), death knell* (DC 16), hold person (DC 16), 
  sound burst (DC 16), spiritual weapon; 3rd—contagion* 
  (DC 17), cure serious wounds (x2), dispel magic (x2), prayer; 
  4th—cure critical wounds (x2), death ward*, divine power, 
  freedom of movement; 5th—flame strike (DC 19), slay 
  living* (DC 19), spell resistance; 6th—harm* (DC 20), 
  mass bull’s strength. 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Laogzed. Domains: Death 
  (Death Touch once/day); Destruction (gain the smite 
  ability once/day). 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, +1 club, 2 
  javelins, 2 vials of acid, wooden holy symbol (Laogzed), 
  periapt of Wisdom +2, cloak of resistance +2, boots of striding 
  and springing, javelin of lightning, bead of force.  
   
  Physical description: Skkal stands taller than all of 
  the troglodytes, and fights alongside his warriors to 
  prove he is worthy of leadership. 
   
  Irakiss: male troglodyte ranger 7 / shadowdancer 1; 
  CR 9; Medium humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+8 plus 
  7d8+28 plus 1d8+4; hp 100; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21, 
  touch 12, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +8; Grp +9; Atk +10 
  melee (1d6+2/19-20 plus 1d6 acid, +1 corrosive giant bane 
  short sword) or +9 melee (1d4+1, claw) or +10 ranged 
  (1d6+1, javelin); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d6+2/19-20 
  plus 1d6 acid, +1 giant bane short sword) and  +6/+1 
  melee (1d4+1/18-20, +1 kukri) and +7 melee (1d4, bite) 
  or +9 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws) and +7 melee (1d4, bite); 
  SA Stench; SQ Animal companion, darkvision 90 ft., 
  favored enemy monstrous humanoids +4, favored 
  enemy elves +2, hide in plain sight, link with 
  companion, share spells, wild empathy, woodland 
  stride; AL CE; SV Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +6; Str 12, 
  Dex 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +3, Escape Artist +3, 
  Handle 
  Animal 
  +3, 
  Hide 
  +20, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +3, Knowledge (nature) +5, Listen +8, 
  Move Silently +11, Perform +4, Search +2, Spot +4, 
  Survival +8, Tumble +3; Combat Reflexes, Dodge, 
  Endurance, 
  Improved 
  Two-Weapon 
  Fighting, 
  Mobility, Multiattack, Natural Bond (see Appendix 2), 
  Track, Two-Weapon Fighting. 
   
  Languages: Draconic. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 15. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared: 1st—magic fang. 
   
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, +1 corrosive giant bane 
  short sword, +1 kukri, 2 javelins, tanglefoot bag, flask of 
  alchemist’s fire, vial of antitoxin, potion of bull’s strength, 
  potion of cure serious wounds, cloak of resistance +2.  
   
  Physical Description: Irakiss moves in a permanent 
  crouch, as if preparing to leap upon a foe. 
   
  Nichei 
  (advanced 
  monitor 
  lizard 
  animal 
  companion): CR —; Medium animal; HD 5d8+15; hp 
  45; Init +3; Spd 30 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 13, flat-
  footed 15; Base Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk/Full Atk +7 melee 
  (1d8+6, bite); SA —; SQ Evasion, low-light vision; AL 
  N; SV Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 17, 
  Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Hide +8, Listen +4, Move 
  Silently +7, Spot +5, Swim +12; Alertness, Great 
  Fortitude. 
   
  Triis: female troglodyte bard 7; CR 8; Medium 
  humanoid (reptilian); HD 2d8+4 plus 7d6+12; hp 55; 
  Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 19; Base 
  Atk +6; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee (1d4-1, claw) or +8 ranged 
  (1d6-1, javelin); Full Atk +5 melee (1d4-1, 2 claws) and 
  +3 melee (1d4-1, bite); SA Stench; SQ Darkvision 90 ft., 
  countersong 7/day, fascinate 7/day, inspire competence 
  7/day, inspire courage 7/day, suggestion; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +7, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 
  12, Cha 14 (16).  
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +4, Balance +6, 
  Concentration +7, Craft (instrument) +5, Decipher 
  Script +2, Escape Artist +4, Hide +13, Knowledge 
  (arcana) 
  +4, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  +4, 
  Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (local) +3, Listen 
  +6, Move Silently +2, Perform (percussion) +12, Sense 
  Motive +2, Spellcraft +9, Tumble +6, Use Magic Device 
  +11 (+13 to use scrolls); Improved Initiative, Magical 
  Aptitude, Multiattack, Spell Focus (Enchantment), 
  Weapon Focus (javelin). 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 43 
  
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, 
  Undercommon. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 13. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/4/3/1 per day): 0—detect 
  magic, flare, ghost sound, message, prestidigitation, resistance; 
  1st—feather fall, grease (DC 14), inspirational boost (see 
  Appendix 2), Tasha’s hideous laughter (DC 15); 2nd—
  blindness/deafness (DC 15), cat’s grace, miser’s envy (DC 16) 
  (see Appendix 2), silence; 3rd—confusion (DC 17), dispel 
  magic. 
   
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, 5 javelins, 5 vials of 
  acid, 4 flasks of alchemist’s fire, vial of antitoxin, 
  thunderstone, masterwork instrument (gnome-skull 
  xylophone, two-handed), cloak of Charisma +2, scroll of 
  faerie fire, scroll of bless weapon, scroll of ice storm, scroll of 
  bear’s endurance, scroll of see invisibility, scroll of mirror 
  image, scroll of spiritual weapon, potion of shield of faith (+3).  
   
  Physical Description: Xilaisha’s charismatic appeal 
  stems from her relationship to the dragon, but Triis’s 
  popularity is born of pure flamboyance. Her scales are 
  exotically 
  colored 
  and 
  her 
  personality 
  more 
  extroverted; she takes pride in being the center of 
  attention. Triis is no fighter and is most effective as a 
  nuisance in combat, using spells to disrupt enemies 
  while inspiring the savage morale of her allies. 
   
  Xilaisha: female troglodyte sorcerer 6 / dragon 
  disciple 3 (black); CR 10; Medium humanoid 
  (reptilian); HD 2d8+6 plus 6d4+18 plus 3d12+9; hp 90; 
  Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base 
  Atk +6; Grp +6; Atk +6 melee (1d4, claw) or +7 ranged 
  (1d6, javelin); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4, 2 claws) and +4 
  melee (1d4, bite); SA Breath weapon, stench; SQ 
  darkvision 90 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +10; 
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Concentration +7, Hide 
  +14, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (local) +2, 
  Listen +5, Spellcraft +4, Spot +3; Ability Focus 
  (Stench), Greater Spell Focus (Illusion), Improved 
  Initiative, Multiattack, Spell Focus (Illusion). 
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 60-ft. line, damage 2d8 acid, 
  Reflex DC 16 half. 
   
  Stench (Ex): As the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 246, but at DC 16. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/6/6 per day): 0—acid 
  splash (+7 ranged touch), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 
  15), mage hand, message, resistance, touch of fatigue (+5 
  melee touch); 1st—color spray (DC 16), feather fall, lesser 
  orb of acid (+7 ranged touch) (see Appendix 2), true strike; 
  2nd—Melf’s acid arrow (+7 ranged touch), phantasmal 
  assailants (DC 17) (see Appendix 2); 3rd—shadow 
  binding (DC 18) (see Appendix 2). 
   
  Possessions: 2 javelins, 4 vials of acid, 5 flasks of 
  alchemist’s fire, wand of magic missile (CL 7th), cloak of 
  resistance +2, brooch of shielding, potion of cure moderate 
  wounds, scroll of ray of enfeeblement, scroll of shield, scroll of 
  haste, scroll of fireball. 
   
  Physical Description: Xilaisha is one of the smallest 
  troglodytes in the tribe at just over four feet in height. 
  Though petite and somewhat timid, she is slowly 
  learning confidence under her draconic tutor. She 
  approaches melee slowly, gauging foes before 
  committing to an attack. Her hide has recently 
  acquired a blackish tint that matches her lustrous eyes. 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 9: ERASURE 
  Aodhan: male half-troll human cleric 13 (Vaprak); CR 
  15; Medium giant; HD 13d8+65; hp 143; Init +0; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +9; Grp 
  +12; Atk +12 melee (1d4+3, claw) or +13 melee (1d10+5, 
  +1 vicious greatclub); Full Atk +12/+12 melee (1d4+3, 2 
  claws) and +7 melee (1d6+1, bite) or +13/+6 melee 
  (1d10+5, +1 vicious greatclub) and +7 melee (1d6+1, bite); 
  SA Rend, rebuke undead 4/day; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  fast healing 5, scent; AL CE; SV Fort +16, Ref +7, Will 
  +14; Str 16, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 16 (18), Cha 12.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +15, Heal +9, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, 
  Spellcraft +9; Corpsecrafter (see Appendix 2), Greater 
  Spell Focus (necromancy), Necromantic Presence (see 
  Appendix 2), Necromantic Might (see Appendix 2), 
  Power Attack, Spell Focus (necromancy). 
   
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Abyssal. 
   
  Rend (Ex): If a half-troll hits with two or more 
  claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches onto 
  the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack 
  automatically deals an additional 2d4+4 points of 
  damage. 
   
  Rebuke Undead (Su): 4/day; 1d20+3; turning 
  damage 2d6+14.  
   
  Cleric 
  Spells 
  Prepared 
  (6/ 
  6+1/6+1/5+1/ 
  5+1/3+1/2+1/ 1+1): 0—create water, cure minor wounds 
  (2), detect magic (2), guidance; 1st—cure light wounds (2), 
  deathwatch, divine favor, entropic shield, protection from 
  law*, sanctuary; 2nd—bull’s strength*, cure moderate 
  wounds (2), death knell (DC 18), resist energy, sound burst 
  (DC 16), spiritual weapon; 3rd—animate dead, cure serious 
  wounds, dispel magic, invisibility purge, magic vestment*, 
  remove blindness/deafness; 4th—chaos hammer* (DC 18), 
  cure critical wounds (x2), freedom of movement, negative 
  energy aura (see Appendix 2), poison (DC 20); 5th—
  righteous might*, slay living (DC 21), spell resistance, 
  summon undead V (see Appendix 2); 6th—harm (DC 
  22), stoneskin*, summon monster VI; 7th—repulsion, 
  Vaprak’s (Bigby’s) grasping hand*. 
   
  *Domain spell. Deity: Vaprak. Domains: Chaos 
  (cast Chaos spells at +1 caster level); Strength (feat of 
  Strength once per day; +7 to Strength for one round as 
  a free action). 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor of light 
  fortification, +1 vicious greatclub, ring of protection +1, 
  periapt of Wisdom +2, cloak of resistance +3, potion of 
  barkskin (+4), potion of displacement, potion of haste, potion 
  of cure serious wounds, pearl of power (2nd), 2 tanglefoot 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 44 
  
  bags, 4 black opals worth 50 gp each, 2 uses of material 
  component for stoneskin. 
   
  Power-Up Suite (Status – bull’s strength spell, 
  barkskin potion): AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 23; 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +14; Atk +14 melee (1d4+5, claw); Full 
  Atk +14 melee (1d4+5, 2 claws) and +9 melee (1d6+2, 
  bite) or +15/+10 melee (1d10+8, +1 greatclub) and +9 
  melee (1d6+2, bite); SA rend 2d4+7; Str 20. 
   
  Physical Description: This wicked soul is a product of 
  foul breeding pits deep within the Troll Fens. Truly a 
  fearsome specimen, Aodhan’s bronze skin and black 
  hair betray his swamp-folk heritage, but the skin is 
  covered in large patches of rough and knobby green 
  growths, and his greasy hair clumps into long fuzzy 
  locks. He towers over most humans, and his elongated 
  and extremely muscled limbs tipped with long, filthy 
  claws give him the appearance of a feral beast. He is 
  armored in thick leather and swathed in furs, and 
  wears heavy boots. His exposed limbs show recent 
  evidence of severe acid damage. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 45 
  
  APPENDIX 2: NON−CORE RULES ITEMS 
  NEW BASE CLASS 
  Favored Soul (Complete Divine): not reprinted here. Used only for non-combatant NPC. 
  Swashbuckler (Complete Warrior): not reprinted here. Used only for non-combatant NPC. 
   
  NEW PRESTIGE CLASSES 
  Temple Raider of Olidammara (Complete Divine): not reprinted here. Used only for non-combatant NPC. 
   
  NEW FEATS 
  Corpsecrafter [General] (Libris Mortis) 
  Undead you raise or create are tougher than normal. 
   
  Benefit: Each undead you raise or create with any necromancy spell gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength 
  and +2 hit points per Hit Die. 
   
  Natural Bond [General] (Complete Adventurer) 
  Your bond with your animal is exceptionally strong. 
   
  Prerequisite: Animal companion. 
   
  Benefit: Add three to your effective druid level for the purposes of determining the bonus Hit Dice, extra tricks, 
  special abilities, and other bonuses that our animal companion receives (see page 36 of the Player’s Handbook). This 
  bonus can never make your effective druid level exceed your character level. 
   
  Necromantic Might [General] (Libris Mortis) 
  Undead you control gain benefits when they are near you. 
   
  Prerequisite: Necromantic Presence. 
   
  Benefit: Whenever undead you control are within 60 feet of you, they are physically inspired by your necromantic 
  aura and gain a +2 enhancement bonus on their attack rolls and saving throws. 
   
  Necromantic Presence [General] (Libris Mortis) 
  Undead you control are harder to turn when they are near you. 
   
  Benefit: Whenever undead you control are within 60 feet of you, they gain a +4 bonus to their turn resistance. 
   
  NEW ACTION TYPE 
  Swift Action (Spell Compendium): A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger 
  expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your 
  ability to perform other actions. However, you can perform only a single swift action per turn, regardless of what other 
  actions you take. You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action. Swift actions 
  usually involve spellcasting or the activation of magic items; many characters (especially those who don’t cast spells) 
  never have an opportunity to take a swift action. 
   
  Casting a quickened spell is a swift action (instead of a free action, as stated in the Player’s Handbook). In addition, 
  casting any spell with a casting time of 1 swift action is a swift action. 
   
  Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 swift action does not provoke attacks of opportunity. 
   
  NEW SPELLS 
  Inspirational Boost (Spell Compendium) 
  Compulsion [Mind-Affecting, Sonic] 
  Level: Bard 1 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 swift action (see above) 
  Range: Personal 
  Target: You 
  Duration: 1 round or special; see text. 
  You concentrate on assisting your friends as you begin the short chant and simple-hand chopping motion. As you finish, the spell’s 
  chant allows you to segue easily into bolstering your allies. 
   
  While this spell is in effect, the morale bonus granted by your inspire courage bardic music increases by 1. The 
  effect lasts until your inspire courage effect ends. If you don’t begin to use your inspire courage ability before the 
  beginning of your next turn, the spell’s effect ends. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 46 
  
   
  Lesser Orb of Acid (Spell Compendium) 
  Conjuration [Creation] [Acid] 
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 1 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Effect: One orb of acid 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: No 
  Your quick, precise movements culminate in your open palm facing your target. An orb of dark green acid flies from your hand. 
   
  An orb of acid about 2 inches across shoots from your palm at its target, dealing 1d8 points of acid damage. You 
  must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit your target. 
   
  For every two caster levels beyond 1st, your orb deals an additional 1d8 points of damage: 2d8 at 3rd level, 3d8 at 
  5th level, 4d8 at 7th level, and the maximum of 5d8 at 9th level or higher. 
   
  Miser’s Envy (Spell Compendium) 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 2, Sorcerer/wizard 3 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One living creature 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
  Upon invoking the power of this spell, both the dwarf and the small idol across the room glow with a violet shade. The dwarf starts 
  moving toward it, his eyes tinged violet with greed.  
   
  When you cast this spell, you designate a target creature and specify an object, both of which must be within the 
  spell's range. If the target creature fails its saving throw, it becomes consumed by a powerful desire for the object. For 
  the duration of the spell, the creature seeks to obtain the object (going so far as to attack anyone holding or wearing it).  
   
  Once the creature gains possession of the object, it protects the item greedily, attacking anyone who approaches 
  within 30 feet or who otherwise appears to be trying to take the object away. If no one approaches within 30 feet or 
  seems interested in trying to take the object, the subject can act normally.  
  Dragons, due to their greedy nature, take a -4 penalty on their saving throw against this spell.  
   
  Material Component: A copper piece. 
   
  Negative Energy Aura (Necromancy) (Spell Compendium) 
  Level: Cleric 4 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Personal 
  Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation centered on you 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  You speak the ancient words of this spell and an aura of black, crackling energy surrounds you. 
   
  Each round on your turn, every living creature within 10 feet of you loses 1 hit point per three caster levels 
  (maximum 5). Undead creatures instead gain 2 hit points per round (though they cannot exceed their full normal hit 
  point total from this effect). Characters with immunity to negative energy effects are not affected by this aura. The aura 
  does not affect you. 
   
  Phantasmal Assailants (Illusion [Phantasm]) [Fear, Mind-Affecting] (Spell Compendium) 
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One living creature 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with), then Fortitude half; see text 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 47 
  
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
  You point at your intended target. Instantly, shadowy shapes form at your flank and rush toward the creature you indicate, 
  surrounding it. Others nearby do not notice the images that plague your target. 
   
  You create phantasmal images of nightmare creatures in the target’s mind, visible only as shadowy shapes to you an 
  unseen by all others. If the target succeeds on an initial Will save, it recognizes that the images are not real, and the spell 
  fails. If not, the phantasms strike the target, dealing 8 points of Wisdom damage and 8 points of Dexterity damage (4 
  points each on a successful Fortitude save). If the subject of a phantasmal assailant succeeds in disbelieving and is 
  wearing a helm of telepathy, the spell can be turned back upon you with the same effect. 
   
  Shadow Binding (Illusion [Shadow]) (Spell Compendium) 
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 3 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Area: 10-ft.-radius burst 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
  As the links of chain in your hand dissipate to feed the arcane energies of your spell, a multitude of ribbonlike shadows instantaneously 
  explodes outward from an indicated point nearby. 
   
  Creatures in the area that fail a Will save are entangled and unable to move. Breaking free of a shadow binding 
  requires a DC 20 Strength or Escape Artist check, taken as a full-round action.  
   
  Material component: A few links of iron chain. 
   
  Summon Undead III (Conjuration) (Summoning [Evil]) (Spell Compendium) 
  Level: Blackguard 3, Cleric 3, Sorcerer/wizard 1 
  Components: V, S, F/DF 
  Casting Time: 1 round 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Effect: One summoned creature 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: No 
   
  Summon Undead IV (Conjuration) (Summoning [Evil]) (Spell Compendium) 
  Level: Blackguard 4, Cleric 4, Sorcerer/wizard 4 
   
  Summon Undead V (Conjuration) (Summoning [Evil]) (Spell Compendium) 
  Level: Blackguard 5, Cleric 5, Sorcerer/wizard 5 
   
  NOTE: The full lists of undead available are not reprinted here. The specific creature to be summoned is prescribed in 
  the caster’s Tactics section. 
   
  NEW MONSTER 
  Jovoc (Monster Manual II): relevant stats reprinted in Appendix 1, APL 6. 
   
  NEW TEMPLATE 
  Half-Troll (Fiend Folio) 
  Trolls, as a rule, breed only with those of their own kind. But from time to time, a troll in rut finds itself without a mate. 
  At such times, many trolls wander into the territories of other creatures in a nearly blind state of lust. Such trolls are 
  often less particular about their choice of mates, willing to make an attempt with whatever creature they encounter. 
   
  At other times, trolls might breed with polymorphed or otherwise magically altered spellcasters or other creatures 
  in disguise, hoping to cause just the sort of crossbreed such a union inevitably produces. Some less scrupulous 
  practitioners of the arcane mysteries have, at times, taken captive trolls and bred them forcibly with other creatures, 
  hoping to produce a new breed of powerful, resilient, yet easily controlled minion. 
   
  A half-troll is typically much tougher than a member of its nontroll parent race. it gains much of the troll’s natural 
  ability to shrug off damage; its superior strength, quickness, and hardiness; and some of the natural weaponry that 
  makes trolls so fearsome. Half-trolls also inevitably find that that they adopt some of their troll parents’ less desirable 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 48 
  
  qualities as well. Greenish skin, an elongated snout, knobby dermal growths, and an insatiable hunger for raw flesh are 
  only a few of these. Half-trolls typically have longer limbs than their nontroll parents—a trait especially obvious in 
  humanoid, giant, and monstrous humanoid half-trolls. 
   
  Creating a Half-Troll 
  “Half-troll” is an inherited template that can be added to any animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, 
  monstrous humanoid, or outsider (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The creature’s type becomes giant, and a 
  half-troll with an outsider as the base creature also gains the extraplanar subtype. The half-troll uses all the base 
  creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. 
   
  AC: Natural armor improves by +4. 
   
  Damage: Half-trolls have bite and claw attacks. if the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the 
  appropriate damage values based on the half-troll’s size (see the table below). Otherwise, use the values from the table or 
  the base creature’s damage, whichever is greater. 
   
  Size 
  Bite Damage 
  Claw Damage 
  Fine 
  1 
  — 
  Diminutive 
  1d2 
  1 
  Tiny 
  1d3 
  1d2 
  Small 
  1d4 
  1d3 
  Medium 
  1d6 
  1d4 
  Large 
  1d8 
  1d6 
  Huge 
  2d6 
  1d8 
  Gargantuan 
  2d8 
  2d6 
  Colossal 
  4d6 
  2d8 
   
   
  Special Attacks: A half-troll retains all the special attacks of the base creature. Half-trolls also gain two claw attacks 
  (or the base creature’s number of claw attacks, whichever is higher) and the special ability to rend. 
   
  Rend (Ex): If a half-troll hits with two or more claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches onto the 
  opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional amount of damage based on the half-
  troll’s size (see the table below). A half-troll adds 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier to this base rend damage. 
  Size 
  Rend Damage 
  Fine 
  — 
  Diminutive 
  1d2 
  Tiny 
  2d2 
  Small 
  2d3 
  Medium 
  2d4 
  Large 
  2d6 
  Huge 
  2d8 
  Gargantuan 
  4d6 
  Colossal 
  4d8 
   
   
  Special Qualities: A half-troll has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision with a range of 60 
  feet, fast healing 5, and scent. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): A half-troll heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. Fast healing 
  does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow a half-troll to regrow or 
  reattach lost body parts. 
   
  Scent (Ex): A half-troll can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. 
   
  Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +2, Con +6, Int -2, Cha -2. 
   
  Skills: A half-troll has skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (its Hit Dice + 3). Treat skills possessed 
  by the base creature as class skills and other skills as cross-class. If the base creature has a class, it gains skill points for 
  class levels normally. 
   
  Feats: Half-trolls gain feats normally. They tend to favor feats that take advantage of their strength, such as Power 
  Attack and Cleave, or feats that offset their natural weaknesses, such as Iron Will. 
   
  Climate/Terrain: Same as base creature or any land, aquatic, and underground. 
   
  Organization: Same as the base creature or solitary. 
   
  Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2. 
   
  Alignment: Usually chaotic neutral or chaotic evil. 
   
  Level adjustment: +4. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 49 
  
   MAP 1: TOBINSFORD, CY 596 
   
   
   
  MAP 2: THE HEATHEN’S RETREAT 
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 50 
  
  MAP 3: BASE CAMP 
   
   
   
  MAP 4: TROGLODYTE LAIR 
   
   
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 51 
  
  DM AID 1: SPECIAL RULES FOR THE PALE 
  Non-Pholtan Holy Symbols 
   
  It is illegal for adventurers to display a human holy symbol other than that of Pholtus in the Pale. 
   
  The intent of this rule is to properly depict the flavor of the Pale as a single religion theocracy ruled over by the 
  Church of the One True Path and not to create player-vs.-player conflict. It is meant to enhance the role-playing of 
  living under a religious government that does not allow freedom of religion. 
   
  PCs displaying the holy symbol of any human deity other than that of Pholtus should be fined and their holy 
  symbol should be confiscated for destruction by the Palish authorities. The amount of the fine varies by APL: APL 2—
  90gp. APL 4—130gp. APL 6—180gp, APL 8—260gp, APL 10—460gp, APL 12—660gp. The confiscation and fine 
  should take place as soon as any Palish authorities notice the holy symbol. This may leave a non-Pholtan cleric without 
  his holy symbol for the adventure, as non-Pholtan holy symbols may not be purchased in the Pale without taking special 
  actions. Non-human PCs are exempt from this law when displaying their racial deities’ holy symbol(s). Non-humans are 
  heathens who cannot even recognize the glory of Pholtus due to their beliefs in their own racial deities. If they can be 
  brought to the light of Pholtus, this is good and perhaps they can be redeemed, but if they do not, it is of no 
  consequence. Non-humans wearing the holy symbols of a human deity are treated the same as a human wearing a non-
  Pholtan holy symbol as they have shown that their souls have chosen to acknowledge human beliefs and culture, and 
  they should, therefore, be brought to the truth of Pholtus. 
   
  Some deities require special adjudication for this rule due to their positions within non-human cultures as well as 
  within human cultures. 
   
  • 
  Bleredd – Considered a human deity due to his origins as an Oeridian deity and continued worship by Oeridians. 
  • 
  Ehlonna – Considered an elven deity when worn as a holy symbol by elves only. This is due to special dispensation 
  and negotiations with the Phostaldaron to allow for continued use of the Treaty Road through the Phostwood and 
  into Tenh for the liberation and relief efforts in that region. All non-elves will be penalized as if violating the law 
  even if they are not human as Ehlonna is considered to be a human deity. 
  • 
  Fortubo – Considered a dwarven deity as he has withdrawn his support from the Suel, where his origins lie, in 
  favor of fighting against the derro and their evil deity. 
  • 
  Jascar – Considered a human deity, his origins are Suel and his primary worshippers still include many Suel. 
  • 
  Nazarn – Considered a half-orc deity, since even though his origin is Suel, he was a half-orc himself and is 
  venerated primarily by half-orcs 
  • 
  Ulaa – Considered a human deity due to her position as the wife of the Oeridian god, Bleredd, and her worship by 
  humans 
   
  Deities with Special Consideration due to their status: 
   
  • 
  St. Cuthbert – Clergy loyal to St. Cuthbert were found to be working with clergy loyal to an infernal deity in the 
  past. Displaying the holy symbol of St. Cuthbert is as offensive as displaying the holy symbol of a force of Chaos. 
  See the next entry for worshippers of Chaotic deities. 
  • 
  Chaotic Deities – Worshippers of Chaotic deities are fined double the usual fine, for being Agents of Chaos. 
  • 
  Evil Deities – If a PC is found to be carrying the unholy symbol of an evil deity, all normal actions will be taken, 
  and a geas/quest is cast on the PC to keep him from touching the unholy symbols of evil deities in the future. (The 
  above assumes that the PC is not actually a cleric of the evil deity, since that is prohibited in the Living Greyhawk 
  Campaign.) 
   
  No PC may enforce this rule through combat or offensive physical actions. Player-vs-player conflict will be adjudicated 
  as a violation of the RPGA General Rules, as always. If one PC chooses to report another PC to the authorities for a 
  violation of this law, he will also be questioned and detained as to why he was associating with such a heathen, but will 
  not be penalized. 
   
  For fair adjudication of this rule in the Theocracy of the Pale, some in-game rules are required for skills like Bluff 
  and the hiding of non-Pholtan holy symbols: 
   
  1. 
  To locate a non-Pholtan holy symbol in the Pale requires a DC 25 Gather Information check and the holy symbol 
  will cost twice the standard price listed in the Player’s Handbook price. 
  2. 
  To craft a new wooden holy symbol requires a DC 15 Craft (jewelrymaking) or (woodcarving) check. 
  3. 
  Seeing a holy symbol in its normal location around the neck as a necklace unless engaged in conversation or within 
  a normal conversational distance from someone is a DC 10 (the average Pale legal authority has an average Spot 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 52 
  
  skill of +2). Holy symbols worn as other pieces of jewelry are not readily recognized as holy symbols at this time 
  and require a DC 20 Spot check to notice followed by a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check to identify the holy 
  symbol since it is a non-standard holy symbol; it is the same Spot check even if engaged in conversation as most 
  people look to the neck to notice holy symbols. 
  4. 
  It is a Bluff check or Sleight of Hand check (player’s choice) opposed by Spot checks may be used to cast a spell 
  using a holy symbol without the other person being able to see the holy symbol being used to cast the spell. The 
  person attempting this has a -5 circumstance penalty due to the requirement of forceful presentation of holy 
  symbols to cast spells where they are required as the divine focus. 
  5. 
  It is a DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check to identify the holy symbol of most deities. Some more obscure deities 
  require a DC 15 and some extremely obscure deities may require a higher check to identify their holy symbols. 
  Judges should use their best judgement on this, but a simple guide is if the deity is listed in the Player’s Handbook or 
  is a greater deity according to the LG deities’ document, it is probably only a DC 10 check. If you haven’t heard of 
  the deity before, the deity is probably obscure. 
   
  Arcane Registration by Arcane Spellcasters 
   
  Arcane magic is distrusted in the Theocracy of the Pale. Thus, the law requires all arcane spellcasters to register with the 
  government. (Registry with the government is not the same as membership in the Arcanist Guild, which is a meta-game 
  organization.) The Church is very diligent about informing foreigners of this law, so most traveling spellcasters are 
  promptly registered as well.  
   
  Any PC who is found not to be registered as an arcane spellcaster within the Pale will be arrested and confined to 
  service within a New Dawn Camp for a period of 4 TU (one month in game terms). The arcanist will immediately be 
  registered as such in the Pale as a part of his arrest.  
   
  In Pale Regional scenarios, city guards or other officials may ask any known arcane casters to show proof of 
  registration. As the player of an arcane caster, you may download and print the Arcane Registration Certificate from the 
  Pale regional website (http://www.theocracyofthepale.com/downloads/ arcane_registration.pdf). If you are judging a 
  scenario, you might want to print some certificates, in case any players with arcanist PCs have not done so for 
  themselves. Just because a player has failed to print this certificate for his character is not a reason to punish his PC; if 
  the player just did not have the opportunity or means to print a certificate, you may assume he is registered if he says he 
  is though you may wish to document this on his AR. Once an arcanist has been arrested, he is registered in the Pale and 
  this should be documented on his AR. It does not matter if he destroys his certificate or not as the Pale keeps diligent 
  records of the registered arcanists and this information is transcribed to the registration books throughout the Pale once 
  a month. 
   
  Arcane spellcaster characters may attempt to utilize forged documents if they so choose. It requires a Bluff check 
  opposed by the Sense Motive check of the authorities attempting to verify the PCs registration paperwork to succeed at 
  this ruse. Failure results in arrest for not being registered and an additional 500 gp fine for forging official Pale 
  documents. (If the PC has the ability to forge documents, this check may be used in lieu of his Bluff check).  
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 53 
  
  DM AID 2: GATHER INFORMATION RESULTS 
  At the Heathen’s Retreat: 
  DC 5: Garseg-huh? What’s that? Sorry, but I only understand Common.  
  DC 7: Sure, adventurers like yourselves have passed through town in the last month or so; there were a few of groups, as 
  I recall, some humans, some small folk. Haven’t seen ‘em since. 
  DC 10: Look at all of these construction workers that are in town, “making an honest wage,” whatever that is. Poor 
  laboring slobs! It’s much easier to make money as a miner. 
  DC 15: The supplies in the square? That priest Eamon ordered it all for some new temple or something to Pholtus that 
  he’s building. There’s gonna be way too many seats, if you know what I’m saying. Better to use the wood 
  instead on new rooms for this tavern or as shoring for the gold mines. Gold is more popular than Pholtus in 
  Tobinsford, anyway. What? What did I say? 
  DC 20: Dack Splintheel?!? That tree-hugging jerk! He snuck onto my claim site and coated all of my claim markers with 
  some kind of stinky alchemical goo and lit them on fire! Me and my partners couldn’t extinguish the flames! 
  By the time morning came our site was overrun with these weird, giant moths with crazy patterns on their 
  wings! Dang things chased us out and we can’t even go back up there to get our gear! I hate that guy!!! 
  Someone should teach him a lesson! 
  DC 25: (Overheard) Remember that gnome who came through town a month ago and kept asking about Sir Andros and 
  some crazy curse? I heard he was murdered on the way to Woodsedge and the Flinty Hills. Mr. Spurlock 
  passed through town a few days after that to report it to Brother Eamon and I heard him talking about it in the 
  Stag. He said the murder was horribly violent: organs removed and stuff. Really creepy. He said it was kind of 
  weird too, that he found swamp grass near the body. All the more reason to stay here in town and order more 
  ale. 
  DC 30: Could you buy me a drink? I’m low on coin these days. See, I sold my gold claim to this guy from Stradsett; he 
  said he represented a company that was looking to expand its portfoe—portofile—something like that. 
  Anyway, he paid me gold glories aplenty and said the company would do the mining and I’d get a percentage. 
  Well, I used all the coin he paid me and never saw him again, or got my percentage. I went to Stradsett to find 
  him, and the Church of Pholtus said there was never any such company! I think I got suckered. Dang 
  businessmen! 
   
  At the Bounding Stag: 
  DC 5: Garseg-huh? What’s that? No doubt it’s some vulgarity concocted at that atrocious new tavern. 
  DC 10: The lumber and building supplies in the town square are for the new shrine to Pholtus. Brother Eamon—I 
  mean, Father Eamon [chuckles]—is overseeing construction on this shrine. It should be finished within the 
  week. 
  DC 15: It’s disgraceful! All those laborers in town to help with construction on a new shrine to Pholtus, and most of 
  them spend their nights drinking and carousing in that horrible new tavern! 
  DC 20: Dack Splintheel??! That guy is my hero! Did you hear about the owlbear? Crazy feathery monster with a beak! It 
  probably escaped from some weird wizard’s zoo! Thing probably would’ve killed and eaten everyone in town if 
  not for Ol’ Dack. I hear he’s whittling the beak into some kind of boomerang. Oh, and how about that big 
  white wolf? It spit ice at two local girls before Dack and his big opossum chased it away. Yessir, Dack’s sure got 
  a temper, but I’m glad he’s around. Spends most of his time up in the hills, I know, but someone should throw 
  that guy a party! 
  DC 25: Being around that Clive Orbison is bad enough, but those two men he recently hired make me even more 
  uncomfortable. They sure don’t act like the “hired hands” they claim to be…more like partners. There was 
  even a third man in town a few weeks ago. He was Flan like the other two, but he limped as if he were injured. 
  I saw them talking just after dark down by the river but it was hard to see the third man’s features. I don’t 
  know what happened to him. 
  DC 30: Sir Andros? Are you friends of his? What a terrible shame about his young squire, Taran. I hear that the boy’s 
  hillbilly father was so upset that he made death threats against Sir Andros. It’s a very awkward situation, really. 
  Well, I haven’t seen Sir Andros around town in some time. I’m sure he’s very busy, what with being a knight. 
  There’s always some activity out at his estate. Pity he doesn’t come to town more often; someone in his position 
  should do something about that unpardonable new tavern, since that layabout of a Pale Patrolman Marlin 
  Spurlock comes around about as often as a balmy day. 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 54 
  
  PLAYER HANDOUT 1: METHODS OF INVESTIGATION 
   
  1. 
  Unconcerned: You prefer to face challenges as they present themselves, daring the members of the Cult of 
  Demogorgon to show themselves.  
  2. 
  Curious: You consider the slain, treacherous Flan guide Sterlys to be a viable lead, so you ask about him at 
  Griffwatch Castle and several nearby Fens outposts. This leads to interviews with other local trackers and minor 
  Church officials.  
  3. 
  Determined: You cannot ignore the fact that Sir Andros of Tobinsford both organized and financed the Fens 
  expedition, so you go back to Tobinsford to confront the retired knight directly.  
  4. 
  Secretive: Not wishing to draw attention (especially from the Church) to yourself, you undertake a private 
  investigation into the matter, without Church knowledge or sanction.  
   
   
  PLAYER HANDOUT 2: INVESTIGATION RESULTS 
   
  1. Unconcerned: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  
   
  2. Curious: You interview minor Church officials and trackers based near the Troll Fens, and learn that all official 
  requests for trackers originate within the Church. Therefore, there must be spies within the Church, and at higher 
  levels than anyone you were able to interview. Moreover, such spies must be based in Tobinsford (where the expedition 
  was originally organized) and very well-connected (with contacts stretching across the Pale) to have orchestrated such 
  an elaborate trap. Your contacts thank you for bringing this to their attention and advise you not to trust anyone—
  especially any suspicious “outdoor types” such as rangers and scouts (not trusting druids goes without saying), or even 
  members of the Church until the plot is solved. One tracker recalls overhearing some lizardfolk deep in the Fens; 
  strangely, they spoke in broken Common and referred to someone named Aodhan (“OW-then”). 
   
  3. Determined: You look for Sir Andros at his estate outside Tobinsford, yet the retired knight is mysteriously elusive. 
  His servants are evasive and report that he is “away on business”; they do not know when to expect him back. Asking 
  about Andros around Tobinsford yields conspicuous answers: where he goes or what he does is unknown, but most 
  people assume that it must be both important and for the good of the Prelacy. Andros is the closest thing Tobinsford has 
  to a genuine noble, and eccentricity is often a staple of that social class. Still, some people don’t take kindly to unknown 
  adventurers prying into the affairs of their beloved village elder, and your overt curiosity results in a temporary -4 
  penalty to Diplomacy and Gather Information checks while in Tobinsford, at least until Sir Andros returns and agrees 
  to vouch for your character.  
   
  Returning to the estate after several days of inquiry in town, your persistence eventually leads Andros’s servants to 
  admit that he left without warning one night almost a week ago, and that they have no idea where he is. They are 
  concerned and note that several people have recently arrived in Tobinsford, and that perhaps this has something to do 
  with their lord’s disappearance. The servants implore you to keep this information to yourself, as public knowledge that 
  Sir Andros is missing could cause an unnecessary panic. If Andros did not sabotage the Fens expeditions, perhaps 
  whoever did has already gotten to him as well. Prudence suggests that you speak about this only with someone you 
  trust, perhaps another adventurer or even someone who was there in the Fens with you. 
   
  4. Secretive: Your private investigation into the sabotaged Fens expedition yields a startling discovery: there are Cult 
  spies within the Church of the One True Path. The more damning evidence is that Sir Andros appears to have been 
  aware of this but organized the Fens expedition with full knowledge that he was sending you into a trap. What isn’t 
  clear yet is why. Andros seems an unlikely culprit given his noble reputation, but perhaps that is the key: someone 
  completely above suspicion would be ideally suited to operate as a Cult spy. Who else in Tobinsford fits that 
  description? 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 55 
  
  PLAYER HANDOUT 3: ECHOES OF BETRAYAL 
   
  The following argument is overheard during Encounter 7. Solicit two players to read the following two parts aloud 
  while the others follow along (actions in parentheses should not be read aloud, however): 
   
  Guttural voice: “You mock me! Deceiver!” 
  Raspy voice (amid much laughter and hissing): “Do not preach morality to us. You do not know the meaning of the word.” 
  Guttural voice: “I should have recognized a liar when I set eyes on one, you subhuman scum!” 
  Raspy voice: “And yet here you are, desperate to deal. If I am so loathsome, where were your moral convictions during 
  our first meeting, or did the prospect of recovering your precious trinket further dull your half-breed wits?” 
  Guttural voice: “You do not even know where it is, do you?” 
  Raspy voice: “No, we do not…but our benefactor does.” 
  Guttural voice: “What benefactor?” 
  Raspy voice: “Oh, I think you have already met him,” [much hissing and laughter ensues] “judging by those burns on your 
  chest and arms—“ 
  Guttural voice: “Then this was a deception from the beginning! You promised to help me recover the artifact! You set 
  me up! You used me! Everything you told me was a lie!” 
  Raspy voice: “No one lied to you! You heard what you wanted to hear, then failed to ask questions. You assume too 
  much. You are as greedy as he said you would be.” 
  Guttural voice: “As who said? If you do not have the artifact, why betray me like this?” 
  Raspy voice (amid much frenzied laughter): “Someone made us a better offer. He said you would be upset.” 
  Guttural voice (shakily, after a pause): “Where did you get THAT?” 
  Raspy voice: “Consider it an insurance policy..” 
  Guttural voice: “You vile, manipu—“ 
  Raspy voice: “You call me manipulative? Would you have us believe that you brought along ALL these scrawny 
  humans—armed, and with spell components, no less—as part of our deal? Are you SURE you were not 
  planning to kill all of us once you had your trinket? Please do not flatter me with tales of your innocence and 
  good faith. We know all about you. We’re burning the corpses in case you had any other crazy ideas.” 
  Guttural voice: “I’ll kill you!!!!” 
  Raspy voice (amid much shouting and hissing): “You are welcome to try, but you saw how easily we dispatched your last 
  bodyguard. If I were you, I would kill myself. You are an abomination. Your god must be weak to have allowed 
  such a vassal as you as a petitioner.” 
  Guttural voice: (after a pause): “What do you want?” 
  Raspy voice: “Want? Do you mean, what do we want in exchange for your trinket? It is no longer ours to bargain with. 
  We have everything we need.” [human shrieks in Common erupt in the background] “It is what we do not want that 
  concerns us now: YOU.” 
  Guttural voice: “What are you saying?” 
  Raspy voice: “GO. Go back to the surface world, back to your muddy swamp, back to your masters’ assassins.” 
  Guttural voice: “My bodyguard and I already dispatched them—“ 
  Raspy voice: “For now. I will wager that more are coming. Call it an informed hunch. Perhaps H’nakaalah can help you!” 
  [wild laughter ensues] “I banish you. Oh, my scouts inform me that several groups of surface-dwelling 
  adventurers are infesting the city as we speak. One of them is surely looking for you. Now GO, or fall upon our 
  claws, half-breed.” [frenzied laughter fades away] 
  PAL6-06 Promises in the Dark 
   
  Page 56 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Theocracy of the Pale/596/Normal Scenarios/PAL6-06 - Promises in the Dark (APL 6-12)/PAL6-06 - Promises in the Dark.pdf