TEXT: 11
  Waters of Akaya
  Designer
  Darrin Drader
  Lead Editor
  Steven E. Schend
  Creative Director
  Jim Butler
  Art Director
  Todd Morasch
  Waters of Akaya
  Cover Artist
  Patricio Soler
  Artwork
  Patricio Soler
  Cartography
  Todd Morasch
  Typesetters
  Jim Butler and Todd Morasch
  Distributed worldwide to the hobby, toy, comic, and book trade by Osseum Entertainment (www.osseum.com) and regional distributors.
  and Wizards of the Coast are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  and are used with permission. A copy of this License can be found at
  www.wizards.com. © 2002 Bastion Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the
  U.S.A. by Walsworth Publishing of Marceline, MO.
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  Table of Contents
  Bastion Press and the Bastion Press logo are trademarks owned by Bastion Press, Inc. ‘d20
  System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are
  used according to the terms of the d20 System License version 1.0. Dungeons & Dragons
  Adventure Background .......................................................................................................... 2
  Adventure Summary ............................................................................................................... 3
  Part 1: An Unexpected Departure ......................................................................................... 4
  Part 2: Inititation to the Forge ................................................................................................ 5
  Part 3: Allies, Enemies, and Intrigue .................................................................................... 6
  Part 4: Sunken Temple of Akaya ......................................................................................... 10
  Appendix I: NPCs .................................................................................................................. 17
  Appendix 2: New Magic Items ............................................................................................ 19
  Handouts 1 & 2 ....................................................................................................................... 21
  d20 License .............................................................................................................................. 22
  by Darrin Drader
  Based on Oathbound: Domains of the Forge, by Greg Dent, Jim Butler, and Todd Morasch
  
  22
  Waters of Akaya
  An adventure for newly
  generated 5th level characters.
  This adventure introduces new players to the
  Oathbound campaign. The players are thrust
  into a strange land of limitless potential,
  mysterious races, and hidden agendas. In this
  adventure, the characters find themselves
  caught in the middle of a turf war caused by a
  most unusual pool.
  Adventure Background
  Nearly 600 years ago, the Nkoll, an evil
  snakelike species with tentacles for limbs,
  arrived on the Forge. An aggressive and
  charismatic race, the Nkoll reproduced rapidly
  on their new world. Though their martial skills
  wee impressive, they preferred not to
  personally enter combat if it could be avoided.
  To this end, the Nkoll became masters at
  taming and charming monsters, which they
  then employed as their soldiers.
  On their home world of Kasara, the Nkoll
  are the dominant species, enslaving their natu-
  ral enemies and destroying those that were
  resistant to their charms. Their society focuses
  on the worship of the god Akaya, who repre-
  sents himself to his followers as an enormous
  serpent many miles long. According to Nkoll
  mythology, in the great battle for the domi-
  nance of Kasara, Akaya defeated his mortal
  enemy Bariz, but sustained a grievous lance
  wound to his tail. Akaya became ill for many
  years, but eventually grew stronger. His wound
  did not heal however, and to this day still leaks
  small quantities of blood into the vast river that
  is his home. The bloodied waters had transfor-
  mative powers the Nkoll used to create new
  servitor monsters or enhance those already in
  their thrall.
  When the Feathered Fowl brought a group
  of Nkoll to the Forge, the reptilians snuck away
  to a quiet canton where, within the space of a
  year, they spawned and raised hundreds of
  young Nkoll. During this time their shamans
  created the Pool of Akaya. The pool draws
  a small amount of water from the great
  river of Akaya’s home, very near the point
  where the god’s wound trickles blood into
  the water. The pool has the ability to trans-
  form beings submerged in it into monstrous
  aberrations. Because Akaya’s blood is merely
  a trickle and the shamans did not want anger
  their god by depleting the supply, they set the
  pool to restock its water only once every hun-
  dred years. During the last few months of this
  replenishment cycle however, the pool actu-
  ally causes less drastic transformation that
  prove to be beneficial to the being submerged
  in the waters. In order to activate the Pool of
  Akaya, a priest must be present with the Amu-
  let of Akaya.
  Several years after coming to the Forge, the
  Nkoll took control of their canton and estab-
  lished a great temple to their serpent god. Once
  they were firmly rooted, they embarked on a
  quest to capture several more cantons. With
  monsters fighting their battles, Nkollan influ-
  ence spread as canton after canton fell before
  them. Enemies captured in battle were taken
  to the pool and transformed into monstrous
  allies.
  The Nkollan expansion came to an abrupt
  end when a coalition of united bloodlords
  formed to stop them from taking any more of
  their territory. On one front, soldiers launched
  an attack that drew the majority of the defend-
  ers away from the temple, while a circle of dru-
  ids surrounded the Nkollan temple. The dru-
  ids combined their powers and exerted one
  massive effort to cause the temple of Akaya to
  sink. The Nkoll, realizing that the temple was
  not adequately defended, fled the temple and
  attacked the druids themselves. A second army
  hidden among the nearby structures met them
  and in minutes most of the Nkoll were eradi-
  cated. The Nkollan leaders hid inside the struc-
  ture, but they were hunted down and killed
  by the invaders. Those that stormed the temple
  dismissed Akaya’s pool as a mere fountain,
  and the Amulet was not recovered since they
  had to leave the rapidly-sinking structure in a
  hurry.
  Over the years, the canton suffered from
  uninspired leadership, the nearby homes fell
  to disrepair and ruin. A large house was built
  atop the old temple and then later abandoned.
  The only remaining trace of the temple is a hole
  located in the courtyard, leading hundreds of
  
  33
  Waters of Akaya
  feet down. For more than a century before it
  had been abandoned, the people tossed their
  waste into the hole.
  This canton became an area for the lame,
  the outcast, and the poor. That changed three
  weeks prior to the events in this adventure; an
  asherake delver named Chaaza explored the
  house ruins and flew down into the hole in
  the courtyard. Beneath the ruins, he found the
  Pool of Akaya and the corpse holding the amu-
  let that activates the pool. Amulet in hand,
  Chaaza waded into
  the pool to find that
  some scratches he
  had recently re-
  ceived 
  rapidly
  faded. 
  While 
  he
  could not read the in-
  scriptions around the
  base of the pool (They
  read, in the Nkoll lan-
  guage, “Behold Akaya,
  and his blessed alter-
  ations!”), the asherake
  had long wanted to be-
  come stronger. Upon
  submerging himself in
  the pool, he trans-
  formed, his physique
  becoming bulkier and
  stronger.
  Chaaza left the sunken
  temple and reported
  his find to his leader,
  the asherake bloodlord
  Gracken. Seeing a tremendous oppor-
  tunity to create a stronger army,
  Gracken marched into the canton,
  challenged and killed the pa-
  thetic rogue ruling as bloodlord
  here, and took control. Following
  this, rumors of this “pool of strength”
  have spread, and gained the atten-
  tion of the bloodlord Tarsus, a human
  paladin bent on the eradicating
  bounders of non-good alignments
  from the cantons under his control.
  Also interested are the followers
  of Lord Flollo, who see a catas-
  trophe happening to the people
  of this canton and are trying to
  help (and claim another canton for their over-
  lord). Asherake fighters have claimed several
  key positions within the canton, and street
  fights between the various factions have be-
  come all too common in this normally quiet
  area.
  Adventure Summary
  The Waters of Akaya begins when the party
  arrives on the Forge
  
  44
  Waters of Akaya
  and is almost immediately attacked by an
  asherake patrol. After overcoming their
  adversaries, the PCs observe numerous factions
  uneasily patrolling the streets of this normally-
  insignificant canton. It rapidly becomes
  apparent which inhabitants represent the
  various groups. There is a definite difference
  in the way that those fighting for this canton
  treat the party. The asherake fear what the PCs’
  arrival may represent, and this fear provokes
  the attack shortly after their arrival. As long
  as the PCs are of good alignment, the forces of
  Lord Tarsus try to recruit the party. When
  encountered, the followers of Lord Flollo are
  respectful of the PCs, and request that the party
  render assistance against both the asherake
  and the followers of lord Tarsus. After making
  their initial observations, the PCs encounter a
  picker named Dromoda who tells them how
  strange it is that this area is being fought over,
  and asks their help to rid their canton of the
  asherake.
  The quick investigation of the canton reveals
  three large asherake outposts. Two of the out-
  posts watch the comings and goings of the lo-
  cals, while the third secures a house of some
  importance. The PCs observe a badly wounded
  asherake in distinctive armor enter the resi-
  dence. Shortly afterward, the forces of Lord
  Tarsus see that the PCs are new to the area
  and (assuming that they are mostly of good
  alignment), try to recruit them. Whether the
  party accepts or rejects the offer, a human fol-
  lower of Lord Flollo takes note of their efforts
  and explains to them that this canton has be-
  come an area of interest because of the ru-
  mored Enhancement Pool.
  Later, the PCs notice the asherake they had
  seen with the distinctive armor, who now ap-
  pears to be in perfect health and much bulkier
  and more muscular than he was previously.
  In order to rid the neighborhood of the
  asherake presence, the party must fight their
  way down into Akaya’s ancient temple, over-
  come several traps, and retrieve the amulet that
  activates the pool. Once they have done this,
  they must decide what to do with the amulet.
  Part 1: An Unexpected
  Departure
  Oathbound is much different than many other
  settings. In preparation for this scenario, it is a
  good idea to have pictures of the various beings
  commonly encountered in the Forge handy so
  that the players can more easily visualize the
  new creatures with whom they interact. It is
  also a good idea to read through the scenario
  in its entirety before attempting run it.
  The PCs may start in whatever campaign
  world you wish to place them in (or in which
  they already played up to 5th level) at the be-
  ginning of the adventure. You may also place
  them in a generic fantasy world, and choose
  to pay little notice to the specifics of their situ-
  ation. Starting them in a generic wilderness
  space works for the purposes of this adven-
  ture, since they will not be there long. Begin by
  reading the following description to the play-
  ers:
  Seemingly out of nowhere, a cloud
  of inky blackness swoops out of the sky
  in your direction. You hear the flapping
  of wings and loud screeching as
  thousands of blackbirds fly directly
  towards you. The air around you
  becomes a flurry of feathers, wings, and
  beaks. The ground, the trees, and even
  the sky all disappear in the swarm of
  blackness as the birds fly mere inches
  from you, surrounding you. You can feel
  the air move violently around you,
  though the birds fail to make physical
  contact with you.
  Within this field of feathery
  blackness, you finally notice a bizarre
  figure not far from you. Standing mere
  feet from the swirling mass of birds is an
  upright humanoid figure that appears to
  have a bizarre combination of human
  and avian aspects. The nearly unclad
  head, torso, and arms of this creature
  appear to be feminine and very human,
  though her flowing robes are silky and
  
  55
  Waters of Akaya
  keep her feet and lower legs hidden.
  Glossy black-feathered wings sweep
  behind her shoulders, and four bluish-
  black horns sprout from the forehead.
  Raven hair and a tight blindfold frame
  her face, making her even more
  forbidding. A book appears to be bound
  to the left hip of the creature by a chain.
  She stares at you wordlessly, and then
  your perceptions go utterly black. You
  can no longer see or sense your
  surroundings, and you aren’t entirely
  certain that your feet remain on the
  ground. All is shadow for long moments,
  and then your perceptions return as the
  birds begin to drift away. In place of the
  cloudy blue sky that had been above you
  now looms an angry red sky. A
  cobblestone street and run-down houses
  replace the trees and forest. Numerous
  beings of several races—humans, elves,
  goat looking creatures, and upright
  lizard folk—look at you with concerned
  expressions on their faces. An odor, more
  powerful 
  than 
  you 
  have 
  ever
  experienced before, wafts in your
  direction—that of cooking meat. Perhaps
  as an explanation for this turn of events,
  two scrolls lie at your feet.
  These scrolls are detailed at the end of this
  adventure in Handouts 1 and 2.
  Part 2: Initiation to
  the Forge (EL 7)
  The party should be allowed to ponder their
  new situation as you fill them in on many of
  the sites and sounds of this place. (See the
  Oathbound sourcebook for more details and
  be sure that the PCs all gain their arrival gifts
  as noted in Chapter One of that book.) The
  party abruptly arrives in the middle of a busy
  street in a canton currently held by the asherake
  within the city of Penance. It is the tenth day
  of the month and both the red and yellow suns
  are in the sky. During this scene, the PCs may
  gather information about Penance, as well as
  discover more about the turf war being fought
  among the Bloodlords Gracken, Flollo, and
  Tarsus.
  The general attitude of the NPCs towards
  the PCs is indifferent (as described in the
  DMG). The local inhabitants of the canton note
  the party’s arrival. While it is possible in their
  minds that the PCs simply teleported in from
  elsewhere, they are aware of the manner in
  which newcomers arrive in the Forge. Most of
  the local bounders view the arrival of the PCs
  as a possible solution to the turf war.
  Upon arrival, the PCs are immediately
  threatened by an asherake patrol that observed
  their arrival; the asherake know they could
  have been pulled here by the feathered fowl to
  disrupt the balance of power in this canton.
  No sooner than 1d4 rounds after their arrival,
  the asherake patrol attacks. Though likely dis-
  tracted and disoriented by their new surround-
  ings, any PC that successfully makes a Spot
  check (DC 15) notes the approach of the
  asherake before they attack.
  Asherake (4): 39, 45, 52, 56. (See Appen-
  dix I for more statistics.)
  The various warring factions all take note
  of the party’s arrival, and they all immediately
  assume it to be an omen of some sort sent from
  the feathered fowl (and they’re right!). The
  question on each of their minds is how to ma-
  nipulate the situation to a better advantage.
  The bounders do not report the PCs’ appear-
  ance to the asherake, but because the entrance
  was so noticeable, agents of Tarsus and Flollo
  soon learn of them. All three groups decide to
  keep their eyes on them to see whose side their
  arrival will most likely benefit.
  Both Lord Flollo’s and Lord Tarsus’ agents
  follow the PCs for 1d4 days. During this time,
  PCs making successful opposed Spot checks
  are alerted to the presence of those shadowing
  them. Dar’hurk, an agent for Lord Tarsus, fol-
  lows the PCs the entire time. Also following
  them from Lord Flollo’s camp is a picker named
  Ahk K’dau. Either of these individuals flees the
  scene if the PCs approach them and offers no
  explanation of his actions unless threatened
  with violence.
  At this point, the PCs most likely wish to
  orient themselves in their new surroundings.
  PCs that attempt to gather information learn
  
  66
  Waters of Akaya
  a single piece of information from the DC cat-
  egory that they rolled and two pieces of infor-
  mation listed in each category below the one
  they rolled. GMs should ensure each PC gains
  some new information and the players must
  roleplay to share those bits of lore. There is a
  great deal of information to process about the
  Forge, and because most people are familiar
  with the orphan nature of the population,
  much of the base information is easy to gather.
  In the Domains of the Forge, there are char-
  acters that are drawn here, and the ones that
  were born here are called bounders. Ordinarily
  bounders are not involved in the heroic
  struggles of this land. The majority of the in-
  habitants in this canton are bounders, and be-
  cause bounders are not “In the loop,” PCs
  wishing to retry their gather information check
  must not only wait a day and suffer a –5 situ-
  ation modifier.
  DC 10
  •
  The party is now in a city called
  Penance within the domains of the
  Forge.
  •
  The Forge is ruled by mysteriously
  birdlike creatures collectively referred
  to as the Feathered Fowl.
  •
  The neighborhoods of Penance, called
  cantons, are ruled by warlords known
  as bloodlords. These warlords fight one
  another for control, one canton at a
  time.
  •
  Characters in the Forge are able to
  evolve into improved forms, helping
  them realize their full potential.
  •
  There is something about this place that
  makes perception more intense. Most
  that enter the Domains of the Forge
  never want to leave, and those that do
  long to come back for the remainder of
  their lives.
  DC 20
  •
  This neighborhood was once a much
  quieter place. It is not usually
  considered important by the bloodlords.
  •
  This canton is currently held by an
  asherake bloodlord named Lord
  Gracken, but his rule is being
  challenged by other bloodlords.
  •
  Lord Tarsus is a bloodlord that is
  challenging the asherake’s right to hold
  this canton.
  •
  The picker, Lord Flollo, has people
  fighting for control of this canton as
  well.
  DC 25
  •
  Lord Tarsus is actively rooting out all
  traces of evil, in which he includes the
  rule of Lord Gracken.
  •
  The asherake seem somehow more
  powerful than usual.
  •
  The picker lord’s people seem to know
  something the rest don’t.
  Players may wish to ignore the process of
  information gathering and explore the city in-
  stead. This should be allowed to some extent,
  but after seeing the sites, the talk of the town
  continually turns to the canton where the
  party initially appeared. They should return
  to that point eventually out of sheer boredom
  with the lack of events currently occurring in
  the rest of the city. Once the party has gained
  enough information to ground themselves in
  their new world and the local canton, proceed
  to Part 3.
  Part 3: Allies, Enemies, and
  Intrigue
  By this point, it should be clear to the party
  that all is not well in this canton. In addition
  to this, their arrival could potentially affect the
  development of this area, so numerous NPCs
  have discerned their presence here. In this
  section of the adventure, the party has the
  opportunity to learn what is truly happening
  here and perhaps restore a tentative peace.
  Scene 3-1: A Plea for Help
  Shortly after the PCs have arrived, secured
  lodging, and gotten their bearings in Penance,
  they are approached by Thilder Kros, a middle
  aged leather tanner who observed their arrival.
  Thilder is one of the few entrepreneurs that
  lives in this canton, and this turf war has
  severely reduced his usual clientele. Lately the
  only ones requiring his services have been
  
  77
  Waters of Akaya
  warriors working for one of the factions, and
  their numbers do not replace his lost customers.
  Thilder approaches the party in a public
  area, preferring to conduct his business pub-
  licly to avoid offending anyone. When the
  party is in a suitably public and open area, he
  gets the group’s attention, asks them if they
  have a moment to listen to him, and then awaits
  their reply. If they seem friendly and willing to
  help, he goes on to give them more informa-
  tion. If he is rebuked by the party, he leaves,
  looking instead for another group to hire. As-
  suming that they are willing to hear him out,
  read or paraphrase the following to the play-
  ers:
  “A couple weeks ago this canton
  was invaded by a bunch of asherake.
  They marched in here and killed our old
  bloodlord Kenen Voes. Everyone knew
  he was a sneak thief, but he made good
  rules for us, and didn’t interfere much.
  “I’ve been one of the bounders here
  that actually made something of myself.
  A few years ago, I started up a leather
  tannery and started doing good business.
  Then the asherake showed up. They’re
  brutes, and they’ve brought my business
  to a halt. Then Tarsus’ people showed
  up and started throwing folk out of their
  homes. Finally Lord Flollo’s people
  showed up, and I don’t even know what
  they want here.
  “Anyway, I want ‘em gone, or at
  least the fighting stopped. It’s no good
  for business, and the people here are
  getting hurt. There’s never been
  anything here worth fighting for before.
  I don’t know why they’re here now, but
  I was always told of a big temple that
  sunk into the ground hundreds of years
  ago. I wonder if that doesn’t have
  something to do with it.
  Thilder says that he’s willing to reward the
  PCs with 500 gp if they can bring the fighting
  to an end. He would offer more to them, but
  he doesn’t have anything else that he can
  spare. If the party presses him for a reward,
  he says that he can’t afford to give them any
  more, but he is willing to provide free leather
  goods to them in addition to the offered re-
  ward. If the party continues to push for more,
  he decides that he must have misjudged them,
  and rescinds his reward offer.
  Scene 3-2: The Walking Wounded
  This brief scene offers the PCs a clue as to where
  they must go to reach a resolution to this
  situation. When they pass near the ruined
  house that sits atop the sunken Nkoll temple,
  they see a wounded asherake; he appears
  normal with the exception that he wears plate
  mail with golden highlights (in designs much
  more refined than those normally worn by his
  kind). As he walks down the street, the red
  patches on his fur and the blood trail he leaves
  behind make it obvious that he has been badly
  wounded. He ignores the party, proceeding
  directly to the house. If accosted, he breaks into
  a run to reach the house and the protection of
  the guards that are posted there (see Part 4,
  Room 1).
  If the PCs do not follow the asherake into
  the house, they do not see him enter and then
  proceed down the hole into the temple. The
  PCs encounter him again after they have met
  with Marlgo in Scene 3-4, and by then he is
  not only completely healed, but he now ap-
  pears much more muscular. He literally has
  gained twenty pounds of muscle since they saw
  him last, and the same ornate armor he had
  been wearing before now seems too small.
  The stats are the same as the standard
  asherake as detailed in Appendix I, with the
  following exceptions: AC: 22, HP 5 (54 when
  at max).
  Scene 3-3: The Position of Lord
  Tarsus
  After a few days of keeping them under
  observation, Tarsus’ men are now willing to
  approach the PCs. The operatives of Lord
  Tarsus take note of any clerics or paladins in
  the party and can recognize their holy symbols
  if they are worn openly. If none in the party
  wears a holy symbol openly, the paladin
  Dar’hurk nears the party, and while hiding
  from a discrete location, uses a scroll of know
  alignment on whichever PC appears to be
  leading the group. If their actions thus far
  
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  Waters of Akaya
  have been noble and the spell indicates a good
  alignment, he extends an invitation to the PCs
  to join his faction. If the party has been hostile
  or unfriendly to the people here, he warns
  them away from this canton. In either case,
  the party observes the Eviction of a Bounder
  after Dar’huk has made contact with them.
  If the party has taken actions indicating
  that they are good, Dar’huk’s attitude is
  friendly. Assuming that the party stays to hear
  what he has to say, read or paraphrase the
  following:
  You notice a well armored figure
  approaching. This person wears plate
  armor, a great helm, and he carries a
  two-handed sword at his side. His palm
  is held outstretched towards you and he
  says,
  “Halt! I would have a word with you
  all.
  My name is Dar’hurk, and I am one of
  the apprentices of lord Tarsus. I am here
  because the locals noticed your sudden
  arrival and we’ve had agents follow you
  constantly. Since you have shown
  yourselves to be a group of rashers of
  noble intent, we would like to extend the
  hand of friendship to you and offer you
  the chance to join us in the service of Lord
  Tarsus. It is his intention to cleanse his
  areas of the evil that has taken root
  As you may have noticed, this canton is
  currently the stage for a bloody conflict.
  A short time ago, the asherake cur
  named Lord Gracken sent his winged
  cat-people in here to secure the
  neighborhood. We aren’t entirely certain
  what he wants here, but we are here to
  stop him from holding this canton. Will
  you aid us?”
  If the PCs cast detect thoughts or any other
  spell to reveal Dar’huk’s intentions or thought,
  they learn that he is telling the truth, although
  there are certain areas about which he him-
  self is unsure. When he claims that he doesn’t
  know what the fighting is about, he is be-
  ing truthful, although he has heard the
  rumor of the “enhancement pool.” While
  he has placed discreet inquiries within the
  ranks of Lord Tarsus’s men for more informa-
  tion, his suspicions have neither been confirmed
  nor denied. He is also being truthful when he
  says that Lord Tarsus intends to cleanse the
  area of all evil that has taken root. The infor-
  mation he withholds is that Lord Tarsus’ men
  have orders to clear all territory under his con-
  trol of any beings of evil or neutral alignments.
  With a successful contested Diplomacy
  checks, the PCs may learn the following:
  •
  It is their intention to rid this
  neighborhood of evil and neutral beings
  after they have taken control.
  •
  Lord Tarsus wishes to learn what has
  drawn the asherake to this canton, and
  take control of ‘it’ if possible.
  •
  They wish to defeat the asherake in
  battle and drive out the followers of
  Lord Flollo.
  If the party agrees to join Lord Tarsus, they
  gain a place to sleep within this canton (though
  the building is run down and the roof leaks),
  free meals, and people with whom to social-
  ize. In turn, they are expected to support any
  moves made against the asherake or Lord
  Flollo’s followers. Refusing this offer results in
  Dar’huk expressing disappointment with their
  decision, and he warns them that they will be
  watched. Regardless of their decision, the fol-
  lowing day is when the encounter Eviction of
  a Bounder occurs.
  If the party has been acting in a self cen-
  tered, arrogant, or unfriendly manner towards
  the people here, Dar’huk approaches with ten
  of his warriors to issue a stern warning. Read
  or paraphrase the following:
  The sounds of booted feet and the
  clunk of metal armor fills your ears. In
  the distance, you see eleven armored men
  closing in on you, though their weapons
  are not drawn. One of the men holds his
  hand up to the other warriors, signaling
  them to stop, and he approaches alone
  and unarmed.
  “I am Dar’huk, and I serve under
  Lord Tarsus. We took note of your
  arrival, and we have been watching the
  way you have been interacting with the
  bounders. We do not approve of you or
  your methods and we are here to issue
  
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  Waters of Akaya
  you a fair warning: Leave this canton.
  You have spread your evil influence far
  enough and we will not tolerate your
  continued troublemaking. You have been
  warned, and we will be watching you
  to make sure that you conclude your
  business here in a timely manner.”
  In this situation, Dar’huk’s attitude is un-
  friendly, though not hostile. He allows the
  party up to two days to conclude their busi-
  ness here. If the party is still in this canton
  when this time has passed, he issues them an-
  other stern warning. In neither case will he
  order his men to initiate combat against
  the PCs unless they attack first. He is
  not willing to discuss the terms of their
  departure, nor is there a chance for
  them to learn more from him.
  Eviction of a Bounder
  One of the primary goals of
  Tarsus is to purge his controlled
  areas of any non-good beings.
  In his mind, this leads to the
  creation of a virtual utopia
  under his rule; what he fails
  to realize is that the evil beings
  he evicts must go somewhere
  else. Often, this leads to regions
  of concentrated evil resettling
  directly on the outskirts of his
  areas, where they may more
  easily prey upon innocents than if
  they 
  were 
  among 
  a 
  more
  structured environment.
  The PCs observe a patrol of ten
  of Lord Tarsus’s warriors ap-
  proach a house. If the party has
  joined Lord Tarsus, they are
  asked to be there to provide
  backup support. The warriors
  kick open the door to a run-
  down shack without knocking,
  storm the building, and emerge
  with two male humans, both
  dressed in rags. These are
  both 3rd level true-neutral
  rogues (as found in the DMG).
  The warriors enter the home and quickly
  throw everything they can find into a couple
  of sacks; they hand the sacks to the rogues and
  order them to leave the canton. The rogues at-
  tempt to argue briefly, but the warriors pat their
  hands on their swords and intimidate the
  rogues, who then take up their belongings and
  walk away dejectedly. Once this is done, the
  warriors chain up the doorway and secure it
  with a heavy-duty lock (Open Locks DC 35).
  
  10
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  Waters of Akaya
  Scene 3-4: The Knowledge of the
  Picker
  This encounter begins with trouble brewing
  between the asherake loyal to Lord Gracken
  and those agents that follow Lord Tarsus.
  Twenty-two fighters stand opposed to 15
  asherake. Five wizards stand in the shadows
  of the nearby buildings, ready to render support
  to the fighters if the asherake take to the air in
  the battle. All this takes place in broad daylight
  a few feet away from the party. While the
  party’s first inclination may be to render
  assistance to the fighters, a picker in the service
  of Lord Flollo flags them down and indicates
  for them to follow him into a side alleyway
  where they may speak more privately.
  If the party agrees and follows, he intro-
  duces himself as Dromoda, one of Lord Flollo’s
  people. He politely asks for a moment of their
  time and relates to them the tale of the Nkoll.
  When he is done imparting this information to
  the party, he asks them for help defeating Lord
  Gracken. If the party asks what they will get
  out of it, he answers that they will earn a fa-
  vor from a powerful bloodlord. Among the
  information he imparts is the following:
  •
  The Nkoll were a reptilian race that
  were brought to this canton hundreds
  of years ago
  •
  The Nkoll built a great temple to their
  god Akaya.
  •
  Inside this temple was a pool that could
  transform creatures of all sorts into
  abominations.
  •
  Once a century, the pool goes through
  a cycle where the pool has beneficial
  effects.
  •
  The Nkoll built an army, which they
  used to conquer several nearby cantons.
  •
  They were eventually defeated by an
  alliance between several bloodlords and
  their temple sunk by that same
  coalition.
  •
  The asherake have most likely
  unearthed this pool and it may be in
  the portion of the cycle where it has
  beneficial effects.
  •
  If the asherake learn of the true function
  of the pool, they are likely to use it to
  the same ends it was used before,
  tipping the balance of power in the
  favor of Lord Gracken and his asherake.
  •
  In order to activate the pool, one must
  first be in possession of the Amulet of
  Akaya.
  •
  Dromoda does not know exactly where
  the pool is, but suspects that it is in one
  of the guarded areas.
  If the party presses Dromoda for what Lord
  Flollo wants with this canton, a successful con-
  tested Diplomacy check reveals that Flollo’s
  people are concerned with the plight of the
  populace caught in the middle of the struggle.
  They also stand opposed to the forces of Lord
  Tarsus, because by evicting the evil dwellers in
  this canton, he will force them into neighbor-
  ing regions, which include Lord Flollo’s can-
  tons, among others.
  If the PCs ignore Dromoda and rush into
  combat, have them each engage the enemies
  they choose. The party should be allowed to
  fight 1d4 of the asherake, and any that they
  kill within 2 rounds are added to the death
  toll. Rather than play out the entire mass com-
  bat, the battle lasts no longer than 2 rounds;
  Tarsus’ fighters kill five asherake, and the re-
  mainder of Gracken’s forces fly away, and are
  attacked with magic missiles by the nearby wiz-
  ards, but none are brought down. After the
  second round, the asherake fly away, provok-
  ing any applicable attacks of opportunity.
  This attack does not go without conse-
  quences. Later this night, the asherake control-
  ling the area round up fifty people they be-
  lieve associated with Lord Tarsus’s troops, and
  murder them, leaving their bodies in the streets
  to rot. This does not occur in front of the PCs,
  but they soon hear stories relating this event
  and see the bodies.
  Part 4: The Sunken Temple
  of Akaya
  This ruined house was once a moderately
  wealthy estate that housed a powerful
  merchant family; the merchants were blissfully
  unaware of the history of this location. After
  many years, a five-foot-diameter hole opened
  up in the courtyard. While the family
  inhabiting this structure vacated for safer
  territory rather than live atop a potential sink-
  
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  Waters of Akaya
  site, others moved in and used the hole as a
  cheap means of disposing of garbage.
  The single-story house has a masonry exte-
  rior and the partially-ruined remnants of a tiled
  roof. Now neglected for many years, the win-
  dows have all been broken, and the wooden
  doors hang awkwardly or lie where they fell
  long ago. A ten-foot-high stone wall encircles
  the front yard and is attached to the house,
  completely enclosing the backyard; since the
  wall is the least ruined part of the estate, this
  makes it impossible to circle the house to reach
  the courtyard (also keeping the hole hid-
  den from plain view). The wall is bro-
  ken only once in the front, fifteen
  feet before the front door.
  1. Guard Post (EL 7)
  Originally a living area, this room is now the
  guard post for the asherake. Two asherake
  stand guard just outside the front door, and
  two more asherake listen through the broken
  windows and are ready at all times to join
  battle if a struggle erupts outside.
  Asherake Tactics: In the event of a battle,
  the asherake abandon the interior of this struc-
  ture. They know that any attackers probably
  
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  Waters of Akaya
  seek the Pool of Akaya, and they need to be in
  the courtyard in order to descend to the sunken
  temple. Since they alone know this, the guards
  take to the air and use flight as their primary
  advantage over the party. Once airborne, the
  asherake swoop down, attacking the party
  with their bastard swords. Their first goal is to
  stop them from entering the house. If they fail
  to do this, they regroup above the house and
  attack again when the party reaches the hole
  in the courtyard. Each asherake carries their
  standard gear as well as a key to unlock the
  chests found in rooms 5 and 6.
  Asherake: 42, 44, 50, 54
  2. Dining Room
  This room was used as a dining room. It now
  serves that function once again now that the
  house is being used as a guard post. Within
  this room is a cheap wooden table that seats
  four, wooden benches lining both sides of it.
  Crude silverware and plates have been left
  dirty on top of the table. The floor is littered
  with wood from the smashed and rotting
  dining set that belonged to the previous
  occupants of the house. If the PCs search
  through the rubble and grime in here (DC 15),
  they come across a set of good silverware (10
  gp), a fine china set with a few pieces still intact
  (20 gp), a tapestry depicting a feathered fowl
  (100 gp), and a bag of preserved rations that
  are still edible.
  3. Storage
  This room once stored the seldom-used
  valuables of the occupants of the house. Now,
  after years of ransacking and exposure to the
  elements that seeped in through the broken
  windows and roof, all valuables are gone. In
  their place are piles of rotting cloth, dirt, and
  disease. PCs searching through this mess must
  make a Fort check (DC 15) or become infected
  with skin rot—a disease that causes 1d4 hp of
  damage per day and 1d6 points of temporary
  Con damage per day until cured (or until the
  afflicted reaches 0 Con and dies).
  4. Kitchen
  The kitchen has been restored to its original
  function now that it is occupied by the
  asherake. In the center of the room is a standing
  countertop that is used to prepare food; two
  recently slain and gutted rabbits lie atop the
  table, awaiting skinning and spices. Along the
  north wall is a stove that heats this wing of the
  house and cooks meals. There are still hot coals
  in the stove, and the rabbits are edible, once
  cooked.
  5. Bedrooms
  Two rope-frame-beds with fresh hay mattresses
  beds occupy each of these rooms. Each room
  contains a chest that holds the belongings of
  an asherake. (One chest is in each room with
  the final chest in room 6.) Each chest is locked
  (Open Lock DC 20).
  •
  Chest 1: 317 gold coins (317 gp)
  •
  Chest 2: 57 gold coins (57 gp), an
  everburning torch (90 gp)
  •
  Chest 3: 312 gold pieces (312 gp), one
  yellow opal, (1,108 gp), cluster of pink
  fluorite crystals which appear like
  intertwined blocks (12 gp), a scroll of
  burning hands (25 gp).
  6. Master Bedroom
  This room is identical to room 5 with the
  exception that there is only one large hay
  stuffed bed here rather than 2 smaller ones.
  This was once the master bedroom, and now
  it houses a single asherake. The asherake regard
  these rooms equally, and no special
  consideration is made with regard to rank
  when determining which asherake inhabits
  each room.
  The chest in this room is locked (Open Lock
  DC 20), and contains the following items: 540
  gold coins (540 gp), 33 platinum coins (330 gp),
  a graveyard plume agate with white flames
  (30 gp), a yellow topaz (720 gp), and a clear
  zoiste (126 gp).
  7. Courtyard
  This area is completely enclosed by the ten-foot
  wall that surrounds this house. While the
  courtyard had once been a lush garden area,
  weeds now dominate its expanse. The hole in
  the courtyard floor leads down to the Temple
  of Akaya. The area is strewn with garbage, food
  
  1313
  Waters of Akaya
  
  1414
  Waters of Akaya
  rough floor, fifteen feet below that. As with
  the opening of the hole, the entire area is choked
  with garbage and other refuse.
  8. Guard Tower
  This is a flat circular stone platform with jagged
  masonry making up what was once an exterior
  wall. What had been the roof and the wall is
  now the debris that litters the platform and
  the bottom of the shaft down below. Although
  the rest of this tower has fallen into disrepair,
  the platform itself remains solid and steady.
  Litter of all sorts carpets the area
  thoroughly, including pieces
  of rotted wood, rags, and
  the bones of chickens and
  other animals that have
  been used as food
  over the years litter
  the area. Stairs
  byproducts, and discarded items, none of
  which holds any value.
  While the shaft is only 5 feet across at the
  top, it widens to 25 feet at its base; due to the
  angle of the walls, it is difficult to descend
  (Climb DC 30) without the aid of a rope or
  applicable spells such as featherfall or fly. The
  walls are made of smooth stone. PCs descend-
  ing the shaft may either stop upon the top of
  the guard tower (area 8), or continue to the
  
  1515
  Waters of Akaya
  cut through the floor and circle the wall of the
  tower below. The stairway comes to a halt at
  the bottom of the shaft in an apparently empty
  chamber. A secret door conceals the entrance
  to the main worship chamber, and can be
  found with a successful Search check (DC 20).
  9. Main Worship Chamber
  This chamber was once the main worship
  chamber of Akaya. Because the race that had
  built this temple was snakelike, they eschewed
  chairs, pews, or furniture of any nature; thus,
  the chamber seems a bit bare in appearance.
  On the eastern side of the room is a dais that is
  raised five feet and connected by a ramp to
  the floor below. (PCs and any entering via the
  shaft enter the chamber from the back of the
  dais.) It is remarkable at least by its absence of
  refuse and debris, unlike the rest of this
  complex.
  This room’s floor is tiled, making the traps
  extremely difficult to spot. Areas 9a through
  9d indicate pressure activated traps that were
  placed by the asherake. All pressure plates can
  be found with a successful Search check (DC
  25). The asherake are able to fly above the traps,
  making it easy for them to move in and out of
  this region without activating the traps.
  9a. Gas Trap and Alarm
  Upon activation, the traps to either side of the
  pressure plate activate. The mouth of the statue
  on the southern half of the dais issues a deadly
  gas while a raucous noise issues from the
  mouth of the statue on the north, alerting the
  asherake in room 10 of the party’s presence.
  •
  Gas Trap: CR 10; no attack roll
  necessary (see note below); Search (DC
  25); Disable Device (DC 25). Trap
  releases burnt othur fumes (Inhaled
  Poison—DC 18; Initial Damage: 1 Con
  (permanent); Secondary Damage: 3d6
  Con (temporary)).
  9b. Falling Stone
  Tripping this trap releases a huge block of stone
  in the ceiling of this chamber, causing it to fall
  directly on the pressure plate.
  •
  Falling Block Trap: CR 5; +15 melee
  (6d6 points of damage); Search (DC 25);
  Disable Device (DC 25). Note: Can
  strike all characters in two adjacent
  specified squares.
  9c. Spear Trap
  When tripped, a spear is fired from the north
  wall at anyone standing in the area of affect.
  •
  Spear Trap: CR 2; +12 ranged (1d8/x3
  crit); Search (DC 20); Disable Device
  (DC 20). Note: 200-ft. max range, target
  determined randomly from those in its
  path.
  9d. Spiked Pit Trap
  When any pressure is placed on the activation
  area, ten feet of flooring tile gives way to a
  spiked pit. The area stretches the entire width
  of the room, and goes 10 ft. east of the pressure
  plate.
  •
  Spiked Pit Trap (60 Ft. Deep): CR 4;
  no attack roll necessary (6d6), +10
  melee (1d4 spikes for 1d4+5 points of
  damage per successful hit); Reflex save
  (DC 20) avoids fall into pit; Search (DC
  25); Disable Device (DC 20).
  10. The Pool of Akaya (EL 7)
  This room once served as the antechamber of
  the temple. The Pool of Akaya is in the northern
  half of this room (see the description of this
  item in Appendix II: New Magic Items). Where
  murals depicting the god Akaya once covered
  this room, the walls have since been stripped
  of their decorations. Lord Gracken’s symbol—
  that of a cat’s claw in front of a pair of feathery
  wings—now adorns the west wall. The ceiling
  of this room is 50 feet overhead, and is lost in
  shadows beyond any torchlight. What was
  once the exterior door to the temple on the west
  wall now opens up to nothing more than the
  rubble and ruins of the other buildings that
  have since sunk.
  The asherake in this canton are led by one
  of Gracken’s most trusted lieutenants, the
  asherake-turned-vampire Scrowl. At Scrowl’s
  side are two asherake subordinates. The
  asherake immediately go into combat mode,
  ignoring any attempts at diplomacy that they
  
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  Waters of Akaya
  party might make. Scrowl holds the amulet
  that activates the Pool of Akaya, and will not
  willingly part with it.
  Tactics: The asherake use flight to their
  advantage during this combat. The ceiling in
  this room is lost on shadow, and an ascending
  to thirty feet or higher effectively hides them
  from all characters that do not possess darkvi-
  sion, lowlight vision, or other magical vision
  enhancement. After hiding in the shadows,
  they try to surprise or sneak attack the PCs
  during combat.
  Scrowl wields Direspike (see Appendix II—
  New Magic Items). He combines his vampiric
  domination ability with his asherake’s snatch
  ability against the party member perceived to
  be the largest threat, and he often chooses the
  most prominent spell caster of the party. Once
  he snatches a person, Scrowl drains blood from
  the victim in mid air for as many rounds that
  he can safely do so, only to drop the body upon
  the ground. Scrowl intends to fight to the death
  as long as the odds are in his favor; if it be-
  comes clear that the battle is lost, he uses his
  gaseous form to seep through the door leading
  into the rubble of the other buildings outside
  the door on the west wall. The Amulet of Akaya
  has special properties that prevent it from be-
  coming gaseous along with the rest of Scrowl’s
  gear; thus, he only uses this retreat option as a
  last resort to save his own (un)life.
  Scrowl’s Personal Treasure: 750 gold coins,
  a brandeen gem (85 gp), a greenstone gem (10
  gp), a blue moonstone (70 gp), blue corundum
  sapphire (975 gp), oil of protection from chaos
  (50 gp), potion of alter self (300 gp), bastard sword
  Direspike.
  
  1717
  Waters of Akaya
  Resolution
  There are four possible outcomes of this
  adventure:
  1.
  The asherake manage to drive off the
  party and retain control of the pool;
  2.
  The PCs defeat the asherake and  turn
  the amulet over to Lord Tarsus;
  3.
  The PCs turn the amulet over to the
  followers of Lord Flollo; or
  4.
  The party decides to keep the key (the
  Amulet) to the pool to prevent any from
  using it;
  If the PCs decide to keep the amulet, the
  party must decide which party member retains
  the amulet after the adventure. The factions
  from both Lord Tarsus and Lord Flollo attempt
  to talk them out of the Amulet of Akaya, offer-
  ing up to 10,000 gp for it. If the PCs attempt to
  return to the pool in future adventures (at least
  any within the next 95 years or so), they find
  that it no longer has the beneficial transform-
  ing effects and only produces aberrations.
  The price of failure is high. If the asherake
  manage to retain the amulet, they hold the pool
  past when its properties change, at which time
  they begin changing their captured foes into
  aberrations. Following this development, the
  rival forces of Lord Flollo and Lord Tarsus com-
  bine to thwart the rising dominion of the
  asherake. This is a costly battle for all sides.
  Nearly a thousand troops from the alliance are
  killed fighting the aberrations. After taking the
  sunken temple of Akaya, they destroy the pool
  as well as the amulet.
  If the PCs give the Amulet of Akaya to the
  followers of Lord Tarsus, they are rewarded
  with a 4,000 gp and a frostbrand. Lord Tarsus
  becomes Bloodlord of this canton. Priests from
  Penance come in to study the Pool of Akaya,
  and they ultimately deem it an item of great
  evil that they quickly destroy. The eviction of
  evil inhabitants continues throughout this can-
  ton, creating a new canton in a formerly unin-
  habited area. Those that flee to this new can-
  ton are resentful of Lord Tarsus and plot to kill
  him.
  If the PCs give the amulet to the followers
  of Lord Flollo, they study the pool, and also
  ultimately decide that it must be destroyed.
  Lord Flollo becomes the Bloodlord in this can-
  ton and the party is offered 2,500 gp and is
  given a ring of elemental command (water). Lord
  Flollo doesn’t make large sweeping changes to
  this canton, preferring to allow it to exist qui-
  etly and without disruption as it has in the past.
  He will step in and impose order however,
  when asked by the people under his protec-
  tion.
  Appendix I: NPCs
  Asherake—Large Monstrous Humanoid CR
  3.; Size: L; HD 6d8+12; Init +8; Spd 30 ft., fly
  70 ft (average); AC 18 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +2
  leather, +3 natural); Atk +10/+5 melee
  (1d10+5/19-20 x2/x3, bastard sword), +10
  melee (1d6+5, 2 claws), or +6 melee, (1d8+1,
  bite); SA: Snatch; SQ: Scent; AL:LE; SV Fort
  +4, Ref +9, Will +5; Str 20*, Dex 19, Con 14,
  Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 13. (* enhanced by the Pool
  of Akaya)
  Skills and Feats: Hide +6, Intimidate +7, Lis-
  ten +7, Move Silently +6, Search +6, Spot +7;
  Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Multiattack.
  Snatch (Ex): If a flying asherake hits a Me-
  dium-size or smaller opponent with both
  claws, it can start a grapple as a free action
  without provoking an attack of opportunity.
  The grapple modifier for the asherake is +13.
  If the asherake gets a hold, it flies off with the
  victim, preferably to be added to the ranks of
  asherake slaves, but it may drop him from a
  height or attack him with its bite if pressed.
  Dar’huk, Male Human Pal6: Size: M (6' 2",
  215 lbs), HD 6+6,  hp 44; Init +2; Spd 20 ft.;
  AC 22 (+4 Dex, +8 full plate); Atk  +9/+4 me-
  lee (1d8+5/ 19-20 x2, longsword+2), +8/+3
  ranged; SA: Detect Evil, Divine Grace, Divine
  Health, Lay on Hands 12 hp/day, Aura of
  Courage, Smite Evil 1/day, Remove Disease
  2/week, Turn Undead 5/day, Special Mount;
  AL:LG; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6; Str 16, Dex
  15, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 14.
  Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +11, Heal +12,
  Intimidate +6, Knowledge (Religion) +10; Ar-
  mor Proficiency (Heavy), Armor Proficiency
  (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium), Cleave,
  Great Cleave, Martial Weapon Proficiency,
  Power Attack, Quick Draw, Shield Profi-
  ciency, Simple Weapon Proficiency
  
  18
  18
  Waters of Akaya
  Gifts: Willful
  Possessions: Backpack; canvas (1 sq. yd); 86
  gp; 26 sp; Full Plate armor; longsword +2, 5
  sheets of parchment; ink pen.
   Spells Castable/Known: Paladin (1:2/0) Pala-
  din (1): Bless, Bless Water, Bless Weapon, Create
  Water, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Poison, De-
  tect Undead, Divine Favor, Endure Elements,
  Magic Weapon, Protection from Evil, Read Magic,
  Resistance, Virtue.
  Dromoda, Male Picker Ftr3/Rg3: Size: M
  (4’2", 90 lbs.); HD 3d10+3 (Ftr) and 3d6+3 (Rg),
  hp 33; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+3 Dex, +2
  leather); Atk +6 melee (longsword, 1d8+2/19-
  20 x2), +7 ranged; SA: Sneak Attack +2d6,
  Evasion, Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC);
  SQ: Detect Magic, enhanced memory; AL: LN;
  SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 16,
  Con 12, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha 12.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Climb +10,
  Gather Information +5, Jump +3, Knowledge
  (History) +4, Open Lock +11, Pick Pocket +11,
  Spot +8; Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Armor
  Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Me-
  dium), Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Exotic
  Weapon Proficiency, Improved Bull Rush,
  Martial Weapon Proficiency, Power Attack,
  Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency
  Possessions: Leather armor; 2 pouches con-
  taining 12 gp, 1 amethyst (worth 50 gp),
  thieves’ tools, longsword.
  Detect Magic (Sp): A picker can detect
  magic, as the spell, at will. This works as if cast
  by a wizard of level equal to the picker’s hit
  dice.
  Enhanced Memory (Ex): A picker can re-
  call with great precision every detail that it
  knows about any object of interest that it has
  seen, heard of, or read about. This only ap-
  plies to items; its memory is normal in regards
  to everything else.
  Generic Follower of Lord Flollo: Use the
  standard 4th level NPC rogue in the DMG/Core
  Rulebook II.
  Generic Follower of Lord Tarsus: Use
  the standard 4th level NPC fighter in the
  DMG/Core Rulebook II.
  Scrowl (Vampiric Asherake): Monstrous
  Humanoid; Size: L; HD 6d12+12, hp 66; Init
  +8; Spd 30 ft., Fly 70 ft (average); AC 24 (-1
  size, +4 Dex, +2 leather, +3 natural, +6
  vampiric); SA: Domination, Energy Drain,
  Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Snatch,
  Slam; SQ: Damage Reduction 15/+1, Resis-
  tance, Gaseous Form, Spider Climb, Alternate
  Form, Fast Healing, Scent; Atk  +11 melee
  (1d8+5, slam); or +11/+6 melee (1d10+6/19-
  20 x2x3, bastard sword), or +11 melee (1d6+6,
  claw x2), or +9 melee, (1d8+4, bite); AL:LE;
  SV Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +5; Str 22, Dex 23,
  Con -, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 17; CR 5.
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Hide +16, Intimi-
  date +9, Listen +16, Move Silently +16, Search
  +15, Sense Motive +8, Spot +16; Alertness,
  Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Im-
  proved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes,
  Multiattack.
  SA: Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck
  blood from a living victim with its fangs by
  making a successful grapple check. If it pins
  the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d4 points of
  permanent Constitution drain each round the
  pin is maintained.
  Children of the Night (Su): Vampires com-
  mand the lesser creatures of the world and once
  per day can call forth a pack of 4d8 dire rats, a
  swarm of 10d10 bats, or a pack of 3d6 wolves
  as a standard action. These creatures arrive in
  2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1
  hour.
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or mon-
  strous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy
  drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days
  after burial. If the vampire instead drains the
  victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim
  returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and
  as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either
  case, the new vampire or spawn is under the
  command of the vampire that created it and
  remains enslaved until its master’s death.
  Domination (Su): A vampire can crush an
  opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her
  eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except
  that the vampire must take a standard action,
  and those merely looking at it are not affected.
  Anyone the vampire targets must succeed at a
  Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s
  
  1919
  Waters of Akaya
  influence as though by a dominate person spell
  cast by a 12th-level sorcerer. The ability has a
  range of 30 feet.
  Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by
  a vampire’s slam attack suffer 2 negative lev-
  els.
  Snatch (Ex): If a flying asherake hits a Me-
  dium-size or smaller opponent with both
  claws, it can start a grapple as a free action
  without provoking an attack of opportunity.
  The grapple modifier for the Asherake is +13.
  If the asherake gets a hold, it flies off with the
  victim, preferably to be added to the ranks of
  asherake slaves, but it may drop him from a
  height or attack him with its bite if pressed.
  SQ: Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can
  assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or
  dire wolf as a standard action. This ability is
  similar to a polymorph self spell cast by a 12th-
  level sorcerer, except that the vampire can as-
  sume only one of the forms listed here. It can
  remain in that form until it assumes another
  or until the next sunrise.
  Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire’s un-
  dead body is tough, giving the creature dam-
  age reduction 15/+1.
  Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points
  of damage each round so long as it has at least
  1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points or lower,
  a vampire automatically assumes gaseous form
  and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin
  home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed.
  (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once
  at rest in its coffin, it rises to 1 hit point after 1
  hour, and then resumes healing at the rate of
  5 hit points per round.
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action,
  a vampire can assume gaseous form at will, as
  the spell cast by a 5th-level sorcerer, but can
  remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed
  of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.
  Resistance (Ex): A vampire has cold and
  electricity resistance 20.
  Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb
  sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb
  spell.
  Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4
  turn resistance.
  Thilder Kros, Male Human Exp12: Size:
  M (5’9", 185 lbs.); HD 12d6+24, hp 71; Init +0;
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 armor); Atk +10/+5 melee
  (1d4+1/19-20 x2, dagger), +9/+4 ranged; AL:
  NG; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +8; Str 13, Dex
  11, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +10, Bluff +4, Craft
  (Leatherworking) +20, Craft (Pottery) +11,
  Diplomacy +15, Gather Information +14,
  Knowledge (Local) +17, Listen +8, Profession
  (Tanner) +18, Ride +6, Search +9, Spot +12;
  Armor Proficiency (Light), Endurance, Simple
  Weapon Proficiency, Skill Focus (Craft—
  leatherworking), Profession (Tanner), Knowl-
  edge (Local), Diplomacy, Gather Information)
  Possessions: 5 gp; 35 sp; dagger; padded ar-
  mor.
  Appendix II:
  New Magic Items
  Amulet of Akaya
  This ornate gold amulet is a flat gold disk
  suspended on a thick gold chain, the snake
  symbol of Akaya boldly carved on its face. Its
  primary purpose is merely to activate the
  powers of the Pool of Akaya, and it also allows
  the wearer to completely dominate and control
  any creatures created by the pool. Wearing the
  Amulet of Akaya also provides the wearer with
  the benefits of an amulet of natural armor (+3).
  Direspike
  Direspike is a powerful yet mysterious weapon
  belonging to the vampire asherake Scrowl.
  Whether the weapon was created for him,
  drawn to the Forge via the Sifting, found
  amongst the ruins of the Nkoll temple, or some
  other origin is irrelevant. Scrowl plans to wield
  this bastard sword for his eternal lifetime.
  Direspike uses the following game statistics:
  bastard sword +1 to hit, +1 damage; (17,690
  gp) Damage 1d10+1, 19-20/X2; Int: 13 (1), Wis:
  11, Cha: 8 (-1), Ego: 4; Communication: em-
  pathy; Alignment: neutral good; grants
  bearer free use of mobility, find traps at will,
  sheds light in a 20-foot radius (as a torch).
  
  20
  20
  Waters of Akaya
  The Pool of Akaya
  The Pool of Akaya is a unique magical structure
  that was created by the Nkoll (see the
  Adventure Background). The pool’s rim rests
  three feet above the floor of its antechamber
  (Room 10 in the adventure), and the poolsides
  are dark grey in color. The depictions of serpents
  writhing around one another are etched into
  the side of the pool. The pool contains water,
  but illuminating the water reveals a faint
  reddish tint.
  The pool transforms victims into random
  aberrations that are in the service of the being
  holding or wearing the Amulet of Akaya. The
  Amulet of Akaya must be within 100 feet for
  the pool to activate by slowly circulating the
  blood of the wounded god Akaya through its
  water. A complete cycle lasts roughly one cen-
  tury, but for a brief period at the end of the
  cycle, the waters become stagnant and the pool
  takes on beneficial qualities. During this time,
  the pool provides the following benefits to its
  bathers while the pool is acti-
  vated.
  •
  All 
  wounds 
  are
  healed.
  •
  Any ability damage is
  immediately healed
  (as if a restoration spell).
  •
  The character acquires a
  +2 profane bonus to any
  single ability bonus for
  1d4 days. (For example: a
  character with Strength of 15
  and an ability bonus of +2 takes
  on a Strength score of 18 and an
  ability bonus of +4).
  The effects of the pool on the charac-
  ters last 1d6 days. Characters that
  bathe in the pool more than one
  time during this period or those
  who bathe in it after the pool has
  refreshed its waters (about 3
  weeks after the close of this ad-
  venture) must make a Fort save
  (DC 25) or permanently trans-
  form into a random aberration
  from the following list:
  d20
  Aberration Form (Original Source
  Reference)
  1.
  Dank (Minions p. 21)
  2.
  Stranglebark (Minions p. 69)
  3.
  Carrion Crawler (MM p.29)
  4.
  Umber Hulk (MM p.180)
  5.
  Delver (MM p.39)
  6.
  Tar Beast (Minions p. 73)
  7.
  Aboleth (MM p.15)
  8.
  Destrachan (MM p.47)
  9.
  Ettercap (MM p.88)
  10.
  Gibbering Mouther (MM p.104)
  11.
  Choker (MM p.36)
  12.
  Grick (MM p.112)
  13.
  Mimic (MM p.135)
  14.
  Chuul (MM p.36)
  15.
  Mind Flayer (MM p.136)
  16.
  Otyugh (MM p.147)
  17.
  Rust Monster (MM p.157)
  18.
  Gutwrench (Minions p. 39)
  19.
  Skum (MM p.166)
  20.
  Cloaker (MM p.37)
  
  2121
  Waters of Akaya
  Handout #1: An Invitation to Penance
  You have been chosen. The thread of your life on your old world has
  run out. I have given you a new one, and I shall weave it into a
  beautiful tapestry of dreams and visions such that you have never
  imagined.
  - Israfel, Queen of Penance
  Handout #2: Where you are Now
  This is the Forge, a world alien to all, yet home to elements drawn
  from every world. Everyone that is here now came here from
  somewhere else, or is the descendant of someone who was pulled here.
  These people and beings make up the populace of the Seven Domains.
  You are in the great city of Penance, in a nigh-forgotten neighborhood,
  where a war as old as worlds is about to be repeated. Can you stop the
  cancer that has taken root?
  - Israfel, Queen of Penance
  
  22
  22
  Waters of Akaya
  OPEN GAME OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the
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  contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  Waters of Akaya Copyright 2002, Bastion Press, Inc. System Reference
  Document  Copyright 1999, 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  Bastion Press Open
  Gaming Content
  The entire contents of Waters of Akaya is considered Open Content,
  except for the cover, artwork, identified Product Identity (listed below)
  and other graphic elements.
  Product Identity: Akaya, Chaaza, Dar’Huk, Dromoda, Feathered Fowl,
  Flollo, Gracken, Israfel, Kasara, Kenen Voes, Nkoll, Oathbound, Scrowl,
  Tarsus, and Thilder Kros.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Oathbound (d20)/Oathbound Waters of Akaya.pdf