TEXT: Fantasy Renaissance Adventure Module
  CAVES OF THE KOBOLD QUEEN
  Written by “Weird Dave” Olson
  An Adventure for Level 1 Characters
  WK1
   
  Wrath of the Kobolds #1
  
  CAVES OF THE KOBOLD QUEEN
  Fantasy Renaissance Adventure Module WK1
   
   
  An Adventure for Level 1 Characters 
  Written by “Weird Dave” Olson
  Wrath of the Kobolds #1
  The town of Ormkirk is in peril! Plagued by marauding kobolds 
  that have been kidnapping townsfolk in the night, the town-
  master of Ormkirk needs brave adventurers to end the pint-
  sized menace and return the kidnapped men. But what evil 
  awaits you in the … CAVES OF THE KOBOLD QUEEN?
  a fantasy renaissance adventure Module brought to you by your friends 
  at cut to the chase gaMes!
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  Fantasy Renaissance Adventure Module WK1
  CAVES OF THE KOBOLD QUEEN
  WRATH OF THE KOBOLDS #1
  Writer: “Weird Dave” Olson
  Editor: Kelly Christensen
  Cover Art: Timothy Wilsie
  Interior Art: Aaron Ostman, Timothy Wilsie
  Cartography: Glynn Seal 
  Layout: “Weird Dave” Olson
  The Cut to the Chase logo is a trademark of Cut to the Chase Games LLC.
  This product is based on the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, 
  published by Goodman Games. This product is published under license. 
  Dungeon Crawl Classics and DCC RPG are trademarks of Goodman Games. 
  All rights reserved. For additional information, visit www.goodman-games.com 
  or contact info@goodman-games.com
  
  2
  CAVES OF THE KOBOLD QUEEN
  In the wild and rocky hills north of the town of Ormkirk, 
  dangerous kobold raiding parties have been striking 
  at travelers and townsfolk alike for several weeks, 
  stealing them away under cover of night from out 
  of their homes. Desperate for help in rescuing the 
  missing people, Ormkirk’s townmaster sent out a call 
  for adventurers to hunt down the raiders and recover 
  the kidnapped men.
  WK1 Caves of the Kobold Queen is the first adventure 
  in Cut to the Chase Games’ Fantasy Renaissance 
  Adventure Module trilogy, WRATH OF THE KOBOLDS. It 
  is designed for a group of four to six level 1 Dungeon 
  Crawl Classics RPG characters. The GM should read 
  the module thoroughly before playing to become 
  familiar with the overall plot of the adventure.
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Kobolds!
  Kobolds have been a pest and threat for low-
  level characters in fantasy roleplaying games 
  since the beginning. Over the years, however, they 
  have transformed a more draconic creature, still 
  lowly but perhaps a bit more on the threatening 
  side. This scenario presents the northern kobold, a 
  genetic variant that split from the main race long 
  ago. They’re a mash-up between dog-like canids and 
  reptilian draconic descendants, but how they appear in 
  your game is entirely up to you—describe them as you 
  see fit, though remember the yipping!
  Appendix Contents
  The combat statistics for monsters and NPCs listed in 
  bold in the text can be found in the Appendix along 
  with reprinted profiles of important NPCs.
  Adventure Background
  Ormkirk is a small town located along a minor trade 
  route between much larger cities, just south of the 
  Talon Hills. Its location ensures that visitors, though 
  sporadic, are not unheard of, so the locals are 
  accustomed to seeing strangers passing through or 
  stopping for a night at the Splendid Shield Inn and 
  Tavern. The mayor of Ormkirk, Thaddeus Travail, is 
  a retired traveling merchant and maintains good 
  relations with the major merchant companies around 
  the area.
  But, in the rocky hills to the north of Ormkirk, a darkness 
  has been growing. Always known as a rough area and 
  home to a large number of kobolds and bandits, the 
  Talon Hills have become restless with activity. Rumors 
  have trickled down into Ormkirk from hill men that 
  the weak and pathetic kobolds have begun raiding 
  the isolated farmsteads with alarming frequency and 
  coordination.
  Thaddeus Travail and the town council of Ormkirk gave 
  the rumors little heed. Or at least publicly. Secretly, 
  Travail saw an opportunity to make some troublesome 
  locals disappear, people who were starting to speak 
  openly against the townmaster’s policies of increased 
  taxation. Under the guise of visiting a local magistrate, 
  Travail and a retinue of hired bodyguards set out into 
  the Talon Hills to meet with the kobolds. Along the 
  way they joined up with a minor bandit lord, an ogre 
  named Grabbold, who was also on the payroll of 
  Travail. After a week of traveling and searching, the 
  townmaster and his entourage finally met up with the 
  sneaky kobold residents.
  They were taken before a particularly large and 
  dominating female kobold who styled herself the 
  Kobold Queen. Townmaster Travail outlined a plan 
  in which half a dozen men from Ormkirk could be 
  taken in the night and turned into slaves for the 
  Kobold Queen. She agreed, and the plan was set into 
  motion. But the greedy Kobold Queen wanted more, 
  more to please her God of Destruction to whom she 
  had pledged her service. A great sacrifice was to be 
  made, or so the vision from the God of Destruction 
  proclaimed. She needed men, and the men from 
  Ormkirk were the perfect targets.
  One week after Travail returned to the village, several 
  witnesses claimed to have seen little devils scurrying 
  about in the alleys and shadows of the town. The next 
  morning, it was discovered that six men of Ormkirk 
  had been kidnapped by the shadowy figures. Travail 
  “determined” that the kidnappers were kobolds from 
  the Talon Hills.
  The townmaster called the town guards to double 
  duty and pulled citizens from the ranks of the farmers 
  as a token effort. But five days later Travail was in for a 
  surprise when six more men disappeared in the night. 
  In another four days, five more men disappeared.
  Travail found himself stuck in a jam. Ormkirk is not a 
  large township, and with harvest coming up there 
  were suddenly far fewer residents than he expected 
  to help bring in the crops. Without a successful harvest 
  there would be nothing left over for himself when the 
  tax collector came around. Caught in a bind of his own 
  making, Travail decided to turn to that lowest form of 
  worker to help solve the problem—adventurers. 
  Travail sent messengers north, east, south, and west 
  with offers of 100 gold pieces to find and rescue the 
  missing men. He also posted signs up at the Splendid 
  Shield Inn and Tavern, where he hoped to find a 
  group of adventurers willing to brave the Talon Hills 
  to go kobold hunting, and hopefully not uncover his 
  own part in the mess. Travail’s simple map shows the 
  location of the cave where he and his cohorts met 
  with the Kobold Queen, but he does not realize that 
  
  3
  this is just a front. The real cave complex is located 
  elsewhere.
  Travail doesn’t have the coin to pay the adventurers 
  the promised fee, but he does sincerely hope to bring 
  back the men who have been taken by the kobolds. 
  He works with the ogre bandit Grabbold to arrange 
  the characters don’t make it back to Ormkirk alive 
  and to leave rescued men for Travail to recover in 
  the wilderness. This would also mean Travail doesn’t 
  have to pay the hired characters their fee, which is an 
  amount he doesn’t have anyway.
  Module Synopsis
  The characters are hired by the townmaster of 
  Ormkirk, Thaddeus Travail, to undertake what seems 
  like a simple hunt of kobold raiders. Searching the 
  caves requires time and tracking, but using the map 
  provided by Travail, the characters eventually find 
  the cave. Unfortunately, it is not the cave with the 
  prisoners, and the cunning kobolds launch their traps.
  By defeating the menaces the characters learn either 
  through strong-armed diplomacy or skilled tracking 
  that the kobolds have a second, larger cave. This 
  is the true lair of the Kobold Queen and her Red 
  Gnasher Tribe, where the men from Ormkirk are held 
  prisoner. It’s a tough fight in a dark labyrinth beneath 
  the ground but using their wits, wisdom, and brawn 
  the characters can defeat the evil Kobold Queen 
  and stop her ritual to the God of Destruction.
  But the troubles are not over, it seems, as the rescued 
  men explain that they heard the townmaster was 
  actually in league with the Kobold Queen.
  Somewhere out in the rocky hills the characters are 
  confronted by the ogre Grabbold and the bandits, 
  who form the third piece of the wicked triangle. 
  With the pieces of the puzzle laid out before them, 
  confronting Thaddeus Travail forms the final part of 
  the module. What happens to him is entirely up to 
  the characters, however. The repercussions of their 
  actions have an effect on how the town is presented 
  in the third module, whether they know it or not!
  Future Modules
  This adventure can stand on its own without issue, 
  but it also serves as the introduction to the WK 
  module series. The next in the series is WK2 Curse of 
  the Kobold Eye, wherein the events of the climactic 
  showdown with the Kobold Queen have far reaching 
  complications for the characters as they begin to 
  suffer under a growing curse. What it is and how they 
  deal with it serves as the crutch for that module. 
  The final installment, WK3 Revenge of the Over-Kobold, 
  puts the characters into the crosshairs of an imminent 
  invasion from the kobolds. Under the leadership of 
  the self-styled Over-Kobold, various tribes have been 
  gathered into one force—which the characters 
  witness first-hand when their town is laid siege to by 
  a kobold army! More information on the layout and 
  residents of Ormkirk is detailed in that module.
  Involving the Characters
  The party learns of Ormkirk’s kobold kidnappers and 
  decides to take a chance. Kobolds are pretty easy, 
  and the pay is good (100 gold per adventurer) so 
  there should be minimal risk. An in-and-out job. Fight 
  the kobolds, rescue the townsfolk, and get paid. What 
  could be simpler?
  The adventure begins when the characters enter the 
  town of Ormkirk. If they learned of the job offer before 
  reaching the town, give them “Player Handout #1.” 
  Otherwise, let them get to the Splendid Shield Inn and 
  Tavern before learning of the situation.
  Adapting the Module
  This module tries to use as many generic location 
  names as possible to make it easy to port to nearly any 
  fantasy campaign setting. Below are the elements of 
  the module that would need to be mapped out to an 
  existing setting along with notes of how they fit within 
  the adventure.
  Town of Ormkirk: A settlement of about 250 people 
  located along a trade route.
  Talon Hills: Wild and dangerous rocky badlands 
  inhabited by kobolds, bandits, giant weasels, and all 
  manner of other dangerous creatures.
  God of Destruction: The Kobold Queen worships a 
  generic evil deity referred to as the God of Destruction. 
  This should be a chaotic evil deity dedicated to 
  slaughter and destruction.
  The Town of Ormkirk
  Ormkirk is a small but growing town, located on a 
  minor trade road. The town was started many years 
  ago as a focal point for the surrounding farms, most of 
  which lie far away from the dangerous and wild Talon 
  Hills to the north. The Splendid Shield Inn and Tavern 
  was the first permanent establishment, and within a 
  few years’ time, the entire town of Ormkirk had sprung 
  up around it.
  Thaddeus Travail was a traveling merchant with a 
  
  4
  prominent trading company, making the rounds at 
  towns and villages between larger cities. Driven by 
  insatiable greed, he would swindle towns out of their 
  money by selling his products at thrice their worth, 
  knowing he was the only merchant willing to stop in 
  such places. But Thaddeus was no fool, and always put 
  gold in the right hands to keep his own prospects from 
  drying up. He came upon Ormkirk and discovered an 
  opportunity to settle in and make some more gold, so 
  he purchased the Splendid Shield Inn and Tavern from 
  the local owner.
  Using bribery, sly wit, and charm, Thaddeus managed 
  to secure himself a position on the Ormkirk council, 
  and with a taste for political maneuvering, he moved 
  all the way up to townmaster. But there are some 
  farmers in town who resent Thaddeus and his slick 
  ways, farmers who wish to see a more local person sit 
  in the position of townmaster.
  Today, Ormkirk boasts a population of about 250 
  people—the streets are still dirt, most of the buildings 
  are less than perfect, and the majority of people work 
  as farmers in the fields to the south of the town. The 
  Splendid Shield Inn and Tavern remains a popular 
  stopping point for travelers, and the general store 
  sees a bit of business as well.
  Only one temple stands in the town, dedicated to the 
  Goddess of Healing. Landers the Faithful (a 6th-level 
  human cleric) is the high priest of the small temple.
  The Splendid Shield Inn and Tavern
  Francis is the bartender at the Splendid Shield Inn and 
  Tavern. It is a simple structure, with a large common 
  room wherein the bartender serves locals and 
  travelers alike. Menu items are basic but hearty and 
  include rabbit stew with onions, pork shank rubbed in 
  herbs and spices, and a thick vegetable soup served 
  hot. Ale is brown and plentiful, and for a higher price, 
  a traveler can request wine.
  Rooms are available to rent at the Splendid Shield for 
  standard rates. At the time the characters visit, there 
  are no other visitors—the merchant caravans are not 
  scheduled to come through for another month or two.
  PART ONE: ORMKIRK’S PROBLEMS
  The scenario begins with the characters coming into 
  Ormkirk as described in “Involving the Characters.”  
  Read the following as the characters are traveling 
  along the Great Road towards Ormkirk:
  The Great Road seems to have stretched on for 
  countless miles, and you fear that perhaps you 
  will go insane from the traveling when you spot a 
  welcome sight up ahead. A small town stands not 
  too far away, and with perfect timing too—the 
  sun is just beginning to set in the west, creating 
  long shadows and bringing a rosy tint to the rocky 
  foothills to the north. An imposing mountain range 
  stands high and proud in the descending sunlight 
  along the eastern edge of the hills.
  The town ahead is Ormkirk, where trouble awaits 
  capable troubleshooters.
  Welcome to the Splendid Shield
  The town of Ormkirk is a quiet one, and as the heroes 
  approach, the only signs of activity come from the 
  Splendid Shield Inn and Tavern. The farmers have 
  come in from their fields for the evening to enjoy a 
  brew and a story around the hearth fire of the tavern.
  Townmaster Thaddeus Travail is sitting at the largest 
  table with five of the town’s most vocal farmers when 
  the characters enter. The townmaster is engaged 
  in a heated debate over what to do about the 
  kidnappings, with the farmers demanding greater 
  action for their missing friends. As the characters enter 
  the tavern, Townmaster Travail stands up and heads 
  over their way.
  Read or paraphrase the following as the characters 
  enter the tavern:
  
  5
  The door to the Splendid Shield Inn and Tavern 
  opens easily, spilling soft light into the evening air. 
  Inside a dozen or so people have gathered in the 
  common room to drink and share camaraderie 
  on this chilly autumn evening. Most of them are 
  farmers, some with wives and children. A somber 
  mood seems to have settled over the room. The 
  crowd keeps conversations low, with furtive glances 
  around, mainly to the windows. Five men sit at a 
  large round table toward the back, and one of 
  them seems to take an interest in you. He’s a rotund 
  man, definitely not a farmer, with fine clothes and 
  a wry grin. He stands and approaches you in a 
  friendly manner. “Welcome to the Splendid Shield!” 
  he announces in a voice loud enough for the whole 
  tavern to hear.
  The man is Townmaster Thaddeus Travail, and he is 
  very glad to see the characters (regardless of whether 
  or not they know about the town’s kidnapping 
  problems). He greets them warmly with a smile, patting 
  them on the back and thanking them for coming. He 
  introduces himself grandiosely, full of pomp and pride, 
  before steering them over to his table.
  The four farmers at the table are salt-of-the-earth 
  types with no knowledge of a wider conspiracy. They 
  just know that good men have been taken from 
  Ormkirk recently by kobolds and they need capable 
  people to go out and rescue them. If the characters 
  were not aware of the town’s problems or the reward, 
  Townmaster Travail takes the opportunity to actively 
  recruit them for the job at this time. 
  The Job Offer
  Townmaster Travail offers the characters 100 gold 
  coins each for the recovery of the kidnapped 15 
  men, alive or dead (so that they can be buried 
  properly). The heroes are not the first group to go into 
  the hills to find the men—a week ago another group 
  of adventurers was sent, and the only survivor came 
  back to town and died of a poisoned wound from the 
  kobolds. The man had a map that his group made, 
  which the townmaster gives to the characters.
  This is an important clue—kobolds don’t use poison, 
  but bandits do. It’s an important slipup by the 
  townmaster that doesn’t mean anything right now to 
  the characters.
  Inquisitive or doubtful characters can make social 
  interaction checks to notice that Townmaster Travail is 
  hiding something, but if pressed he simply explains that 
  with harvest coming up soon, the town desperately 
  needs its men returned.
  
  6
  What Townmaster Travail Knows
  In the course of their conversation, Townmaster 
  Travail lets the characters in on the following pieces of 
  information relevant to their search.
  •	
  The Talon Hills are a wild and dangerous place. 
  Packs of wild weasels, swarms of giant ants, 
  and numerous other creatures are known to 
  stalk the wilderness besides just kobolds.
  •	
  A kobold was captured a week ago skulking 
  around Ormkirk. This kobold revealed that 
  the prisoners are being held by the Kobold 
  Queen, though Townmaster Travail doesn’t 
  know anything more about this (he’s lying of 
  course).
  •	
  The hills are rocky and honeycombed with 
  caves.
  •	
  Though he knows the bandits are in the hills, 
  Townmaster Travail does NOT mention them 
  specifically to the characters at this point. He 
  wants to keep that as a surprise.
  If they accept, Townmaster Travail thanks them 
  heartily and the farmers around the table seem to 
  relax. The townmaster offers them free room and 
  board at the Splendid Shield for as long as they need, 
  though he urges them to leave in the morning. The 
  cave marked on the map is three days’ walk in the 
  hills, which Townmaster Travail explains is a dangerous 
  place even without the kobold menace. The hills are 
  known for their population of giant weasels and packs 
  of wild dogs that attack travelers, a key reason why 
  the farmers avoid the whole region.
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Suspicious Players
  Some players may become immediately suspicious of 
  Townmaster Travail, so play up his flamboyance and 
  willingness to deal to put their troubles at ease. 
  However, if the players get too nosy, don’t stop them 
  from prying around—take a look at Part Three to get 
  a sense of what the characters can uncover at this 
  point and play it by ear. After all, there are still 
  captive men in the kobold warrens that need rescuing, 
  regardless of how or why they got there!
  The Townmaster’s Plan
  Townmaster Travail is in trouble, since it was his luring 
  and dealing that brought the kobolds down upon 
  Ormkirk in the first place. He genuinely wants them 
  recovered at this point, but he doesn’t want loose 
  tongues wagging. After the characters agree to help, 
  he excuses himself and sends a messenger bird north 
  to Grabbold with instructions to follow the characters 
  and ambush them after they’ve rescued the men of 
  Ormkirk. Once the characters are killed, the bandits 
  are to flee and let Thaddeus know by messenger bird 
  so that he can send out a convenient “search” party 
  to find the people. The characters will be mourned, of 
  course, but hopefully Townmaster Travail’s duplicitous 
  dealings with the Kobold Queen can remain a secret.
  Investigating the Town
  The characters have an opportunity before heading 
  out into the hills to ask around town. Each attempt 
  of investigation requires ten minutes of asking around 
  and costs 5 silver pieces to loosen tongues, at the end 
  of which a rumor is learned. Select or roll randomly 
  from the table listed below to see what the characters 
  uncover. Most of the results point to the type of people 
  that the kobolds took away in the night, which can 
  lead credence to suspicions of Townmaster Travail.
  NPC Profile: Townmaster Thaddeus Travail
  Thaddeus Travail grew up in a merchant family 
  and was raised on the “golden rule” – he who 
  has the gold makes the rules. The Travails were 
  not an overly wealthy family but they made do, 
  and managed to procure several lucrative trade 
  contracts across the northlands, specializing 
  in routes other merchants were afraid to take 
  because of bandits or monsters. Thaddeus was 
  a quick learner and took to the family business 
  with practiced ease.
  Over the years, however, he grew tired of the 
  road and sought to settle down. His family’s 
  estate was simply out of the question for him, 
  however – his overbearing father ruled the 
  household with a disciplined fist, and Thaddeus 
  had always secretly chafed under the strict 
  guidelines. He wanted a position of power for 
  his own to weave his own webs of intrigue and 
  commerce. He found Ormkirk in a bad way and 
  decided that the town could use his personal 
  touch. Through bribery, guile, and brute force 
  at times, he managed to install himself as the 
  townmaster. But his dreams of power were not 
  satiated, and so he sought to bargain with the 
  rough elements of the Talon Hills to the north.
  Thaddeus met with Grabbold rather by chance 
  when the ogre and his bandits waylaid the 
  townmaster while on a journey westward. 
  Thaddeus immediately recognized the usefulness 
  of an ogre and a bandit tribe and used all of his 
  honeyed words to convince Grabbold that there 
  was more profit in letting him live. Convinced 
  by the townmaster’s grandstanding, the ogre 
  agreed and the two became partners.
  
  7
  d10
  Investigation Result
  1
  At the inn, a recalcitrant farmer finally opens 
  up. “Sure, I knew some of the people who 
  disappeared. Good people. A bit loud at 
  times, but good people.”
  2
  A young boy with a dirty face stops in the 
  street looks around nervously. “I saw one of the 
  devils that came in the night! They were ugly 
  and short, with horns and tails. I saw them take 
  away the old man who is always yelling at the 
  townmaster!”
  3
  Sitting on a bench outside a nearby house, the 
  wrinkled matron with a hooked nose snorts. 
  “That townmaster is a piece of work! Saw him 
  first a few years ago with one of the merchant 
  caravans, and then decided to set himself 
  as owner of the Splendid Shield! And then 
  became townmaster! But things have been 
  safe since he took over. Though taxes are 
  higher, curse the tax man!”
  4
  A broad-shouldered farm hand sets down his 
  mug of ale and thinks for a moment. “Yeah, 
  I suppose I’m afraid now. Those things are 
  dangerous. And dangerous things scare me. 
  But the harvest is coming up and we needs 
  everyone we can get.”
  5
  After tying up his horse, the fat merchant 
  wrings his hands nervously. “I’ve heard of 
  Ormkirk’s problems, but I have nothing to offer! 
  Word around the traveling caravans is that 
  it’s profitable to come through town, so I’m 
  coming through town. I don’t want no trouble!”
  6
  On the outskirts of town, a group of youths toss 
  a woven ball between themselves. “His dad 
  was taken, and the old guy on the other side 
  of town too. Quiet people, both of them, never 
  spoke no bad words about no one! Why would 
  devils want them?”
  7
  The barkeep pours another round of drinks. 
  “Townmaster Travail is a bit over the top, 
  but he’s alright as far as bosses go. And 
  townmasters too. Last townmaster was a drunk 
  who ran up a tab deeper than some of the 
  valleys in the Talon Hills! Conducts business at 
  all hours, though.”
  8
  An old man leans on his cane and spits a wad 
  of tobacco juice onto the ground. “Bah! Curses 
  and devil talk, it’s all nonsense! It’s them damn 
  kobolds, that’s for sure, and the gods take them 
  for the pests they are! If I were a man twenty 
  years younger I’d be out there whipping ‘em 
  until they talked.”
  9
  A pair of scruffy dwarf brothers just in from 
  the field with shovels in their hands stop and 
  look with dumbfounded looks. “We have a 
  townmaster? Don’t know nothing about that, 
  but if you’re heading into the Talon Hills watch 
  out for bandits. Caravans have been hit hard 
  lately by them.”
  0
  An exhausted gnome mother tugs on a rope 
  which connects her to her four gnome children. 
  “Kobolds are dangerous business, but there’s 
  something else going on, I swear. The first 
  people taken seem to all have been people 
  who had problems with the townmaster, but 
  the second group? And the third? No sense I 
  can make of it, that’s for sure.”
  What the characters do with the information learned 
  during the investigation is up to them.
  PART TWO: TROUBLE IN THE HILLS
  The rocky hills north of Ormkirk are a wide, sprawling 
  area with no roads crossing its terrain. The main travel 
  road skirts south along its border, through Ormkirk and 
  other small communities on the border. It is a wild land 
  of danger, shunned by the locals and inhabited by 
  kobolds, giant weasels, and no small amount of giant 
  ants.
  Read the following as the characters set out to leave 
  (the text assumes they are leaving in the morning).
  The rosy fingers of dawn are just stretching out 
  across the land as you gaze upon the Talon Hills 
  north of Ormkirk. The hills are rough and rocky with 
  barely a tree in sight. This kind of terrain can hide 
  any number of dangerous encounters beyond just 
  kobolds.
  The map provided by Townmaster Travail shows 
  a cave entrance, but the scale of the map is not 
  accurate. Navigating the hills to the area around the 
  cave takes three days.
  Locations in the Talon Hills
  There are four key locations in the Talon Hills detailed 
  in this module. The first is the cave marked on the 
  characters’ map where the kobolds have laid traps 
  for unsuspecting adventurers. This is the Ambush Cave 
  and is keyed to the map of the same name.
  The second is the home to a colony of giant ants that 
  the characters can use as a safe enough rest area 
  if the ants are dealt with. While no map is provided 
  for this area, it has no distinguishing features beyond 
  the giant ants. There is also the hideout of a gang of 
  bandits that are working with Townmaster Travail. They 
  dwell in a ruined tower in the hills, a map of which is 
  
  8
  also not provided.
  The last cave is the lair of the Red Gnasher kobold 
  tribe led by the Kobold Queen where the kidnapped 
  men are kept awaiting sacrifice. This cave system 
  consists of three “levels.” The upper and lower levels 
  have a map associated with them, but the middle 
  level is a nest of tunnels that requires skill checks to 
  make it through.
  Searching the Hills
  Following the map provided by the townmaster, the 
  characters can estimate that it’s going to take them 
  three days of hiking through the hills to get there. On 
  the first night the characters are followed by bandits 
  (see Bandit Stalkers for details).
  There isn’t much more to discover with the map from 
  the townmaster, though the characters are likely to 
  travel back into the hills to find the real kobold lair.
  Random Wilderness Encounters
  For each six hours of travel in the Talon Hills there is 
  a 40% chance of having a random encounter. Roll 
  1d6 and consult the following chart. This percentage 
  increases to 60% at night.
  1d6
  Encounter
  1
  Nest of giant wasps
  2
  Giant weasel attack
  3
  Kobold hunting party
  4
  Rock slide
  5
  Bad weather
  6
  Giant ant colony
  Nest of giant wasps
  Along the path the characters encounter a small 
  swarm of giant wasps protecting a nearby nest. 
  Characters can make a DC 10 Luck check to spot 
  the nest before encountering the 8 giant wasps and 
  avoid the entire area. If they do so, award them full 
  experience for defeating the vermin.
  Tactics: The giant wasps are simply angry that the 
  characters have come too close to their nest and 
  want to scare them away, but being vermin they 
  are not afraid to die. They will not relent until all the 
  characters have been driven away at least 500 feet 
  from their nest.
  Giant weasel attack
  Giant weasels hunt in the hills north of Ormkirk, preying 
  on ants and wasps primarily. The characters have 
  stumbled upon a small group of them that have 
  become bolder—they see a chance to score some 
  prime meat in the form of the characters! There are 4 
  giant wild weasels that attack the party.
  Tactics: Giant weasels are simple carnivores and 
  usually do not employ much in the way of tactical 
  combat. They do tend to gang up on targets that 
  seem obviously less armored, usually mages and thief-
  like characters. They flee if they are reduced to less 
  than one quarter hit points.
  Kobold hunting party
  Under orders from the Kobold Queen this group of 
  hunters is out gathering food and prey for the tribe. 
  The 8 kobolds are accompanied by 4 wild dogs, with 
  which they share an affinity (though not as mounts). 
  If one of the kobolds is captured and forced to talk, 
  he can relate in general terms the location of the 
  Kobold Queen’s lair, at least enough to convey that 
  the characters’ map does not point them in the same 
  direction. The kobolds are all members of the Red 
  Gnashers tribe (evident by their red-stained teeth that 
  they gnash at opponents).
  
  9
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Roleplaying Kobolds
  Have fun when roleplaying kobolds. They’re cowardly, 
  hanging back as much as possible to let their ranged 
  attacks and wild dogs do most of the heavy lifting, 
  but they can be very dangerous if left with no other 
  option. Throw out a yip and a snarl once in a while to 
  really bring them to life for your players!
  Tactics: The kobolds keep back and use their ranged 
  attacks to harass the party while the wild dogs charge 
  up and try to occupy the melee-focused characters. 
  The wild dogs have been bred for ferocity and fight 
  until death, but the kobolds are much more cowardly. 
  If they are reduced to one quarter their original 
  number or lower, the rest flee in separate directions—
  they know the hills well enough to regroup later.
  Refer to the “What the Kobolds Know” section after 
  the Ambush Cave map key if the players capture and 
  interrogate one or more of the kobold raiders.
  Rock slide
  The jagged Talon Hills hide many dangers, not all of 
  which are monstrous in nature. The characters trigger 
  a rock slide at this point while descending a steep hill. 
  Each character must succeed at a DC 10 Reflex saving 
  throw or suffer 2d6 points of damage (half damage 
  on a success). The rock slide attracts the attention 
  of wandering monsters; the next random encounter 
  chance increases by 30% (ignore the results of Bad 
  Weather if a random encounter is chanced).
  Bad weather
  Autumn rain and wind for the rest of the day. Any 
  checks to track or locate creatures are made with 
  disadvantage due to the brutal weather.
  Giant ant colony
  The characters have stumbled upon the carcass 
  of some large animal, a deer perhaps, which has 
  become food for a colony of 6 giant worker ants. The 
  giant ants have no interest in the characters unless 
  they present themselves as easy prey.
  Bandit Stalkers
  Grabbold has been alerted to the presence of the 
  characters by Townmaster Travail and has decided 
  to stalk the characters rather than wait for them to 
  emerge from the kobold cave. A group of 6 bandits 
  pick up their trail the first night in the Talon Hills. The 
  bandits travel light and try not to make noise as they 
  know giant weasels, ants, and wasps are a common 
  threat. The bandits have a normal chance of success 
  at surprising the characters.
  If the bandits notice the characters without being 
  detected, they split up their group with half returning 
  to Grabbold at the bandit hideout and the other 
  half shadowing the party. If this happens and the 
  characters fail to notice the bandits, they are treated 
  to a nighttime visit by Grabbold and a strong force of 
  his bandits (10 bandits) the next night. The ogre bandit 
  demands an outrageous tribute for safe passage (50 
  gold per character), though he can be talked down 
  with successful negotiation attempts. Grabbold 
  is getting greedy at this point, as his orders from 
  Townmaster Travail were to ambush the characters 
  after they had recovered the men of Ormkirk. He still 
  plans on doing that, but he wants to extort some gold 
  first just in case they don’t’ succeed.
  Tactics: If confronted or forced into combat, the 
  bandits do their best to keep the conflict a ranged 
  one, which they are better at than straight melee. If 
  any of them are reduced to half starting hit points, 
  they flee and try to regroup later. None of these 
  bandits are aware of Grabbold’s involvement with 
  Townmaster Travail or the Kobold Queen.
  The poison used by the bandits is giant wasp venom.
  What the Bandits Know
  Any bandit that is captured knows next to nothing 
  about the details of the plan between the Kobold 
  Queen, Grabbold, and Townmaster Travail, but with 
  successful Charisma checks the bandits can be made 
  to spill one of the following items.
  •	
  The bandit leader is a ruthless ogre named 
  Grabbold. He’s spent some time in the 
  kobold caves but only takes his most trusted 
  lieutenants with him.
  •	
  Grabbold has a deal with the townmaster 
  of Ormkirk. The townmaster tells them when 
  caravans are passing on the road and what 
  kind of armaments they have, and when the 
  bandits raid the caravans they share some of 
  the loot with the townmaster.
  •	
  The night the characters first met with 
  Townmaster Travail the bandits report a 
  messenger bird arriving at their hideout. 
  Grabbold sent out patrols the next morning 
  searching for the characters but with orders to 
  only find them and report back to the ogre.
  •	
  The bandit lair is over there! (Can sketch out 
  the location on a map.)
  Ambush Cave
  The location marked on the map from the townmaster 
  of Ormkirk is an unassuming cave in the hills. Read the 
  following after the characters have spent enough 
  time searching:
  
  10
  
  11
  The hills seem to go on forever and ever, and 
  you’re beginning to wonder if this map actually 
  leads anywhere. But then you spot it—a small cave 
  entrance at the base of a hill several hundred feet 
  in front of you. In front of the cave stands a pair of 
  kobolds accompanied by two wild dogs.
  The 2 kobolds and 2 wild dogs are on alert, having 
  been warned to prepare for the coming adventurers 
  by a magical sending message from the Kobold 
  Queen.
  General Features
   
  Light: The kobolds have no torches or campfires 
  inside the cave, though evidence of fire pits can be 
  found throughout.
   
  Sound: Inside the kobolds keep quiet and 
  make sure the dogs remain at the ready. Only the 
  sound of dripping water can be heard from inside.
   
  Smell: The cave reeks of dogs and kobolds, 
  which have a distinct odor reminiscent of wet hair.
   
  Ceiling: The ceiling is rough in this cave system 
  but reaches eight feet high.
  Refer to the map “Ambush Cave” for the following 
  keyed locations.
   
  1. Entrance
  Set against several large stones, a cave entrance 
  yawns before you. Though mostly natural, the marks 
  on the walls indicate it may have been widened 
  by picks and shovels at some point. The ground is 
  rocky but well-worn, and in the coarse floor you see 
  footprints, both kobold and dog.
  The entrance to the Ambush Cave is carved out of 
  the rocky landscape. As the characters enter the 
  cave the tunnel slopes downward, deeper into the 
  Talon Hills. The floor is rocky but a skilled tracker can 
  pick out recent kobold and wild dog tracks.
  2. Kobold Welcome Party
  The tunnel widens and becomes a broad chamber, 
  though the ceiling is only ten feet tall. Near the 
  center of the cave stands a pair of floor-to-ceiling 
  stalagmites, each ten feet across, and beyond 
  them the cave extends into a wide, branching 
  tunnel. The stink of wet dog is overwhelming.
  This area is unlit as kobolds can see in the dark and 
  have no need for torches. Inside 10 kobolds and 
  6 wild dogs lurk in the darkness, led by a kobold 
  subchief appointed by the Kobold Queen. They are all 
  members of the Red Gnasher Tribe (with red-stained 
  teeth to prove it).
  Traps: Kobolds love pit traps. The locations marked 
  with an “X” on the map are spiked pit traps designed 
  by the devious kobolds, who know to avoid them. 
  Clever characters can watch the kobolds and step 
  only where they have stepped, though this can be 
  difficult in the midst of combat.
  Characters that fail to notice the trap fall in unless 
  they succeed at a DC 10 Reflex saving throw when 
  they step on the thin covering, landing 10 feet down 
  and suffering 1d6 bludgeoning damage. The spikes at 
  the bottom deal 1d6 piercing damage, which can be 
  avoided with another DC 10 Reflex saving throw.
  Tactics: The kobolds work as a team to lure characters 
  into the pit traps and take them out as quickly as 
  possible. The kobolds generally hang back and use 
  their slings to whittle the number of characters down 
  while the wild dogs swarm to attack.
  If the wild dogs are defeated and the characters start 
  attacking the kobolds, the subchief decides to retreat 
  deeper into the cave. In this case, the subchief and 
  whatever kobolds are left head for area 6, without 
  knowing that they are running into the lair of a cave 
  bear which has recently moved in!
  Treasure: As a reward for volunteering for this 
  assignment, the kobolds were each given 2 gold 
  pieces from the treasure cache of the Kobold Queen. 
  The subchief keeps the gold (20 pieces total) in a small 
  pouch for distribution later.
  3. Gathering Location
  Three tunnels split off from this main intersection. 
  The floor is covered with crude beddings, rancid 
  meat, chewed bones, and other accoutrements of 
  kobold living.
  This is where the kobolds in the Ambush Cave ate 
  and slept while they way waited for the characters to 
  arrive. They have nothing of note in their possessions.
   
  4. Store Room
  This cave is drier than the rest of the system and 
  seems to be used for storage, though it is nearly 
  empty now. Four barrels stand against the eastern 
  wall.
  This cave is only used by the kobolds when they are 
  alerted by the Kobold Queen that a foolish band of 
  adventurers needs dispatching. As such, it is poorly 
  stocked. This room contains only a handful of barrels, 
  most of which are empty.
  
  12
  5. Primary Storage
  Piles of junk and debris litter the floor of this chamber. 
  The refuse consists mainly of broken weapon parts, 
  incomplete armor pieces, and unusually sized and 
  colored rocks that you’ve seen around the Talon 
  Hills.
  Though used infrequently, the kobolds have still 
  managed to squirrel away a small treasure pile in this 
  room from the heroes and adventurers who have 
  come before.
  Treasure: Hidden amongst the boxes of this room is a 
  chest with no lock. Inside are 150 silver pieces, 75 gold 
  pieces, a set of two matching well-crafted daggers 
  with ivory handles (each worth 45 gold pieces), and 
  a leather pouch containing five small amethyst gems 
  each worth 25 gold pieces.
   
  6. Deeper Below Ground
  The tunnel continues to slope downward into the 
  darkness below the Talon Hills. A low growl of some 
  large creature echoes up from somewhere further 
  down.
  The Ambush Cave setup by the kobolds leads into a 
  twisting network of caves that are largely uninhabited 
  now (they were once the home to a previous tribe 
  of kobolds, the Dripping Cursers, but were wiped out 
  by the Red Gnashers years ago). The Red Gnasher 
  kobolds don’t go down there anymore, but recently 
  a new occupant has taken up residence.
  About 50 feet down the tunnel widens and opens up 
  into a broad cave, roughly 30 feet wide by 30 feet 
  long. This is the home of a dangerous black bear 
  that has moved up from deeper in the tunnels. The 
  black bear is hungry and incredibly territorial. If fleeing 
  kobolds reach this area they are torn to shreds by the 
  bear’s claws and bite in a matter of moments.
  Tactics: The black bear is a fierce opponent but does 
  not pursue anyone beyond its own cave. The creature 
  fights until death to protect its lair.
  Where to Now?
  Hopefully the characters have survived the trap laid 
  by the townmaster and the Kobold Queen, but that 
  just leaves them with more questions. The characters 
  should follow one of these courses of action:
  •	
  Go back to Ormkirk and find the townmaster, 
  reporting failure.
  •	
  Keep searching the hills for the real kobold lair.
  •	
  Keep searching the hills for the bandit lair.
  Searching the hills for the real kobold lair requires a 
  tracking skill check (using Intelligence as the base 
  ability) and four hours of time. Roll to check for 
  random encounters for each six hours of traveling (as 
  described earlier).
  What the Kobolds Know
  A captured kobold from this area knows a lot of 
  information. With each successful Charisma check, 
  the characters can learn one of the following items.
  •	
  The Red Gnashers are the greatest of all the 
  kobold tribes! (The kobold gnashes his teeth at 
  this showing red stains near the gums.)
  •	
  The kobolds use this cave to kill nosy intruders 
  who come looking for the kobold home.
  •	
  The bandits who live in the hills have recently 
  been visiting the kobolds’ home.
  •	
  The kobolds are led by the glorious Queen 
  of the Kobolds, who will strike down all who 
  oppose her!
  •	
  She needs men to conduct a ritual to appease 
  the God of Destruction. There are many 
  captured men in the kobold home.
  Unfortunately, finding their “home” is a bit difficult. 
  Getting one to spill the beans on the location doesn’t 
  get much useful information—the kobolds know this 
  area well enough that their directions are worthless to 
  those unfamiliar. A kobold who volunteers to lead the 
  way will lure the adventurers to the Ant Cave in the 
  hopes that the giant ants will take care of them.
  The Ant Cave
  If the characters get a kobold to lead them to their 
  real lair, the kobold tricks them into the home of a 
  giant ant colony. The cave does have an entrance, 
  but no giant ants are seen near it as they use tunnels 
  on the other side. Characters searching around can 
  make a DC 10 Luck check to spot ant tracks. Beating 
  the check by 5 or more finds some old kobold tracks.
  Alternately, you can use this cave if the characters 
  seek out a spot to rest for the night. You can delay 
  the arrival of the giant ants until the characters have 
  made camp and settled down, likely without armor 
  and unprepared.
  General Features
   
  Light: There is no light source of any kind in this 
  cave.
   
  Sound: The vague skittering sound of the ants 
  can be heard from the cave entrance.
  
  13
   
  Ceiling: The cave ceiling averages about 
  eight feet high. It is rough and uneven throughout, 
  dotted by stalactites formed from rain water. 
  There are 20 giant ants inside the colony that fight any 
  intruders to the death.
  Treasure: After the ants have been defeated the 
  characters can find that the colony had buried some 
  shiny treasure in the corner. The treasure comes to 100 
  gold pieces and a potion of levitation.
  The Bandit Hideout
  The bandits live in an abandoned tower rather than 
  a cave. The tower is partially collapsed on one side. 
  Grabbold, an ogre of some skill, leads the group, 
  comprising 8 human bandits at any given time. The 
  remaining bandits are usually out scouting or hunting.
  Depending on the sequence of events, the characters 
  may never need to find the bandits’ hideout. 
  Grabbold and his men can serve as a side trek for the 
  characters if they wish to pursue them from random 
  encounters, or they may seek them out after learning 
  about the ogre’s involvement with the townmaster of 
  Ormkirk.
  General Features
   
  Light: During the day the hideout has 
  crumbled enough to allow natural light to fill it. At 
  night the bandits keep fires in the main areas to warm 
  themselves.
   
  Sound: Bandits talk loudly amongst themselves 
  about their recent kills, with Grabbold boasting loudest 
  of all.
  How the characters approach (or even find) the 
  bandit hideout is up to them. It’s nestled off their map, 
  but if they capture one of the bandits, they can learn 
  the location. Grabbold is one of the three primary 
  villains of the scenario, so to be completely successful 
  the characters must neutralize him as a threat.
  Tactics: The bandits are confident in the secrecy of 
  their hideout and have taken no special precaution 
  towards detecting intruders. Life in the hills can be 
  dangerous, however, so they are all armored and 
  armed while awake. At night they light a campfire in 
  the center of the ruined tower, which does a nice job 
  of hiding the flames from view. Half of the bandits are 
  asleep, and there is a 50% chance that Grabbold is 
  sleeping as well.
  No map is provided for the bandit hideout. The 
  abandoned tower is in bad shape, but the bandits 
  know how to use the crumbling walls for protection 
  against ranged attackers.
  Treasure: The bandits do keep a supply of wasp 
  venom in their hideout, along with a treasure pile that 
  consists of the following items: 100 gold pieces, 400 
  silver pieces, potion of gaseous form, and a gold ring 
  set with a small amethyst (worth 150 gold pieces). 
  Grabbold, in typical ogre fashion, uses a greatclub 
  and does not use the poison on it.
  What Grabbold Knows
  Grabbold has been on the payroll of Townmaster 
  Thaddeus Travail for a few years. The pay is enough to 
  keep the ogre and his men from attacking the town of 
  Ormkirk, and when a merchant doesn’t pay the right 
  “taxes” the townmaster says are due, Travail sends 
  a message to Grabbold detailing the merchant’s 
  schedule. It’s a win-win situation for both of them.
  Grabbold thought that the deal with the Kobold 
  Queen was going to end badly—the ogre doesn’t 
  trust kobolds any more than he likes the taste of them 
  (and he doesn’t like the taste of them at all!). He 
  thinks the whole deal is rotten, but since their meeting 
  he hasn’t had any contact with Travail. If told of the 
  Kobold Queen’s betrayal, Grabbold would snort and 
  dismiss it—it’s not his business.
  He also tries his best to hide the fact that Townmaster 
  Travail sent a messenger bird to him the night the 
  
  14
  characters arrived in Ormkirk. Grabbold isn’t too 
  cunning and likely spills this information by accident 
  during any conversation.
  While he can confirm that the townmaster made 
  a deal with the Kobold Queen, Grabbold won’t 
  willingly give this information up. He’s had a good 
  deal with Travail for several years and he’s hoping to 
  continue—he wants to expand his bandit operation 
  to encompass a wider area of the Talon Hills.
  PART THREE: CAVES OF THE RED 
  GNASHERS
  The Kobold Queen is the leader of a large tribe of 
  kobolds called the Red Gnashers. These kobolds 
  have spent many generations digging out the tunnel 
  complex that has become their home, creating a 
  maze of rough-hewn passages, caves, and chambers. 
  This cave complex is hidden about three miles from 
  Townmaster Travail’s map-led false cave.
  Finding it should be the characters’ ultimate goal, as 
  deep inside is where the Kobold Queen has hidden 
  away the prisoners for eventual sacrifice to the God 
  of Destruction. How the characters get here is up 
  to them, but it likely involves questioning captured 
  kobolds or simply following tracks.
  Read 
  or 
  paraphrase 
  the 
  following 
  as 
  the 
  characters 
  approach 
  the 
  cave 
  entrance: 
  Cresting one of the many rocky hills, your gaze 
  falls upon a small valley nestled and hidden from 
  the surrounding area. At the base of a nearby 
  outcropping you spot a cave entrance, only five 
  feet tall and just as wide, black and yawning like 
  some portal to another realm. As you watch a 
  group of kobolds emerge from the cave, six in total, 
  with a trio of wild dogs following close behind. They 
  turn north from the cave entrance.
  The patrol of 6 kobolds and 3 wild dogs are heading 
  out of the cave to search around the area for intruders. 
  If the characters do nothing the patrol moves wide 
  around them and doesn’t spot them, though unless 
  they were careful the patrol does eventually find 
  their tracks in 2d4x10 minutes. If the patrol finds the 
  tracks they race back to the cave to try and alert the 
  residents (see High Alert below in this case).
  General Features
   
  Light: Kobolds have darkvision and don’t 
  require a light source, but the caves are lit by campfires 
  in most areas—the kobolds prefer the meat cooked.
   
  Sound: The sounds of snapping wild dogs and 
  kobolds laughing and talking can be heard from 
  outside the cave entrance.
   
  Smell: Kobolds are not sanitary creatures, and 
  the stink of wild dogs and refuse is strong throughout 
  the caves.
   
  Ceiling: The kobolds carved out a lot of this 
  cave. With the exception of areas 3 and 9 the ceiling 
  is only six feet high, which is plenty of space for a 
  kobold. In the two larger areas the ceiling reaches 
  twelve feet.
  Layout of the Red Gnasher Caves
  The caves that make up the lair of the Red Gnashers 
  are divided into three sections. The first is the Upper 
  Level, which consists of the entrance and areas 1 
  through 7.
  The second area is the Middle Level and is not 
  mapped, consisting of winding tunnels, narrow 
  passages, 
  incomplete 
  mining 
  operations, 
  and 
  sleeping chambers for the tribe. Navigating this 
  section requires the characters to achieve four skill 
  checks while avoiding patrols and traps in the rough-
  hewn maze.
  The third section is the deepest of the Red Gnasher lair 
  and is the home to the Kobold Queen herself along 
  with the captured men of Ormkirk. A great battle is 
  likely to take place here before the altar to the God of 
  Destruction if the characters hope to save the ragged 
  prisoners.
  NPC Profile: Grabbold, Dimwitted Ogre
  Grabbold, like most ogres, was raid to believe 
  in the life philosophy of “might makes right.” He 
  has a powerfully mighty swing and is capable 
  of killing almost any man with a single strike. 
  However, since he came to the Talon Hills 
  and gathered a group of bandits around him, 
  Grabbold is starting to enjoy the role of enforcer 
  to Townmaster Travail.
  Unfortunately, like most of his kind, Grabbold is 
  quite dimwitted and hasn’t realized that he has 
  the manpower and strength to take everything 
  Ormkirk has to offer. He and his men have built 
  a decent bandit life in the Talon Hills, and so 
  far none of his gang have been willing to say 
  anything about the “deal” with Townmaster 
  Travail or how the ogre could simply crush the 
  man outright. Grabbold is thoroughly enamored 
  with his own self-image as stylized by Travail’s 
  honeyed words.
  
  15
  High Alert
  There are hundreds of kobolds of the Red Gnashers 
  that live in this tunnel complex, though until roused 
  they have no suspicion that anyone could find or 
  navigate their home. The kobolds that characters 
  run into as part of random encounters are surprised 
  to see them, but if any retreat from the combat and 
  are not stopped within 3 rounds, the yipping cry of the 
  escaped kobold carries throughout the entire area. 
  If this happens, or if the patrol that left the cave finds 
  the characters’ tracks (as described at the beginning 
  of PART THREE), the Red Gnashers go on high alert.
  While on high alert, kobolds mobilize and try and find 
  the characters. While in the Middle Level roll 1d6+1 
  twice for random encounters each half hour, which is 
  likely to result in a trap and a band of kobolds. Ignore 
  any penalties listed under the encounter description 
  for detecting the characters.
  The high alert lasts for a full day, until the characters 
  are killed or captured, or until the Kobold Queen is 
  defeated.
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Captured
  It is possible the characters may wind up being 
  defeated by the kobolds. If they’re not killed 
  outright, the kobolds take them prisoner, strip them 
  of all equipment, and bring them to the Kobold Queen’s 
  chamber (area 8) to await sacrifice. The game can 
  suddenly become a desperate attempt to escape with 
  their lives if this happens!
  Red Gnasher Cave – Upper Level
  Refer to the map labeled “Red Gnasher Cave – Upper 
  Level” for the following keyed locations.
  1. 
  Deeper Down
  Beyond the entrance, the tunnel slopes downward 
  deeper into the Talon Hills. Characters skilled in 
  tracking can see kobold and wild dog tracks leading 
  in and out of the cave system, though nothing too 
  definite (beyond the patrol that left as they arrived).
  2. 
  Alarm Trap
  At this point in the tunnel the kobolds setup a simple 
  alarm trap to alert the forces in area 3 of any 
  potential intruders. The trap consists of two tripwires 
  spaced 10 feet apart. Determine if the characters 
  spot the tripwire based on their actions – if they are 
  approaching cautiously, searching the area for traps, 
  they find the tripwire with a DC 10 Luck check made 
  by the lead character.
  If they are not moving cautiously the characters only 
  discover the trap on a 1 in 1d6 chance. Regardless 
  of their method of detection each tripwire should be 
  detected separately.
  Triggering either tripwire alerts the kobolds in area 3 by 
  means of a rattling dog skull that intruders are coming 
  into the tunnels. Two of the kobolds run deeper into 
  the caves to alert the rest and the Red Gnasher tribe 
  is considered on High Alert.
  
  16
  3. 
  Preparation Chamber
  The tunnel opens up into a large cave containing 
  a smoldering fire pit filled with coals in the center. 
  Great skewers of unidentifiable meat sit blackening 
  amongst the embers with several buckets of dry 
  wood standing nearby. A dog skull with painted 
  red teeth hangs on the northeast wall. Three caves 
  branch off from this main chamber and a tunnel on 
  the east wall descends further into the ground.
  There are 10 kobolds and 4 wild dogs in this chamber 
  at any given time, playing games in the corner or 
  roasting their meager meat on skewers in the fire. 
  Tactics: If the caves are on High Alert the kobolds 
  have backed up to the eastern side of the chamber 
  and let loose their dogs to confront the characters in 
  melee. Two of the kobolds run into area 5 to rouse 
  more wild dogs, which appear 1d4 rounds later. The 
  kobolds in area 4 awaken and join in after 1d6 rounds.
  Otherwise the kobolds are scattered about the cave, 
  safe in their knowledge that the tripwires in their 
  entrance tunnel (area 2) are cleverly situated enough 
  to alert them to any trouble.
  4. 
  Patrol Guard Sleeping Cave
  Straw mats are scattered about this small cave 
  along with crude bowls and cups. A strong odor of 
  kobold sweat fills the air and stings the nostrils.
  The Red Gnashers try to keep a close eye on the 
  goings on in the Talon Hills and always keep a patrol 
  fresh and ready to head out. There are 6 kobolds 
  sleeping in this chamber at any given point, ready to 
  relieve the arriving patrol and head out with a small 
  pack of wild dogs from area 5.
  Tactics: If the caves are on High Alert these kobolds 
  awaken and get ready to join the combat in area 3 
  after 1d6 rounds. However, they only have their slings 
  with them and no leather armor – the armory in area 6 
  holds their swords. Their AC is one worse than normal.
  Treasure: Searching through the mats finds 25 silver 
  pieces in loose coins.
  5. 
  Wild Dog Pen
  A rank odor of wet hair emanates from this passage, 
  and the sound of barking and snarling from a half 
  dozen wild dogs alerts you to their presence in this 
  dead-end chamber.
  At any given time this stinking area contains 6 wild 
  dogs and a single kobold keeper (treat as regular 
  kobold). The wild dogs are well-behaved and trained 
  to attack non-kobolds on command, though if they 
  are in this cave they are resting.
  Tactics: If the caves are on High Alert two of the 
  kobolds from area 3 rush in here and help to rouse the 
  wild dogs to action (which takes 1d4 rounds).
  6. 
  Patrol Armory
  Racks of crude armor and dented steel swords sit 
  against the walls of this rough-hewn cave along 
  with sacks of stones perfect for sling bullets. A single 
  sleeping pad is nestled behind one of the racks in 
  the southeast corner.
  This room contains the weapons and armor for the 
  patrols that head out into the Talon Hills to protect the 
  lands of the Red Gnashers. The armory is kept by an 
  ancient kobold warrior, Jabocra, and while his years 
  serving the Red Gnashers have been filled with glorious 
  battle against hated foes, age has reduced him to a 
  shadow of his former self, though he still knows how to 
  swing a sword (treat him as a kobold subchief).
  Tactics: If the caves are on High Alert, Jabocra moves 
  to keep the armory from falling into enemy hands by 
  triggering the trap (see below).
  Trap: Jabocra has the entire cave rigged to collapse 
  in the case of an invasion, to keep the weapon and 
  armor here from falling into the hands of the Red 
  Gnasher’s enemies. Nearby the sleeping pad in the 
  southeast corner hangs a thick rope from the wall. It 
  takes one round to pull the rope, which collapses the 
  ceiling in the entire room! Everyone within this area 
  suffers 3d6 bludgeoning damage from the rocks and 
  become immobilized amongst the rubble (DC 10 
  Reflex saving throw for half damage and avoid being 
  stuck). Jabocra knows that this is surely the death of 
  him, but it is a death that serves a great purpose in his 
  eyes.
  Developments: Jabocra is a proud if aged kobold and 
  is perhaps the oldest member of the Red Gnasher tribe 
  at this point. He has seen many leaders come and 
  go, and while he doesn’t share in the Kobold Queen’s 
  devotion to the God of Destruction he believes that 
  she is the best leader the Red Gnashers have ever 
  had. Under the Kobold Queen’s command the Red 
  Gnashers have raided many travelers and built out 
  their cave system to a grander scale than ever before.
  Jabocra doesn’t respond to threats and is eager to 
  die defending his home from invaders. He takes the 
  first opportunity to trigger the trap in the room if the 
  characters give him a chance and is not above lying 
  to do it.
  
  17
  7. 
  Shallow Pool
  This small cave is dominated by a pool of dirty, 
  muddy water, fed by small streams in the northwest 
  wall. Numerous foot prints, dog and kobold, dot the 
  edges of the pool, and a stack of crude buckets 
  stand in the corner.
  This pool is used by the kobolds and wild dogs of the 
  patrol to wash up and to drink from. The pool is only 5 
  feet deep in the center.
  Treasure: Some months ago a small fight broke out 
  amongst two kobolds over a sack of gold in this room. 
  The kobolds were subsequently sent out on patrol 
  and didn’t return so there was no one to claim the 
  gold, which landed in the center of the pool. Careful 
  searching of the pool finds the sack, which holds 30 
  gp.
  Red Gnasher Cave – Middle Level
  As the characters pass the Upper Level and descend 
  deeper into the kobold cave, they make skill checks to 
  see how far they progress. Each skill check represents 
  a half hour of scouring, backtracking, mapping, and 
  avoiding groups of kobolds. Ultimately, to find the 
  Lower Level and the Kobold Queen, the characters 
  must succeed at four skill checks against DC 15.
  The ability used is up to the characters and depends 
  on their method of navigation. One character makes 
  the skill check, aided by the others as allowed. Only 
  one method can be used per half hour, but they 
  can switch between checks (they would lose the 
  bonus from previous skill checks, though). Suggestions 
  include the following:
  •	
  Luck (following tracks)
  •	
  Intelligence (searching for clues)
  •	
  Personality (only usable if the character speaks 
  Kobold)
  If the players come up with a reasonable suggestion 
  let them try it!
  Situation
  Modifier
  Questioning a kobold within the 
  tunnels (or the patrol/guards)
  +1
  Questioning a kobold subchief
  +3
  Captured kobold leading the way
  -5
  Each previous skill check
  +1
  Character that speaks Kobold
  +1 per 
  character
  Character with ink and paper or 
  other map-making gear
  +1
  Dwarf or gnome
  +1 per 
  qualifying 
  character
  Increasing speed (15 minutes for 
  the check instead of 30 minutes)
  -5
  Decreasing speed (45 minutes 
  per check instead of 30 minutes)
  No bonus, 
  but a +4 on 
  checks to 
  notice traps
  A captured kobold can lead the characters, but 
  deliberately leads them in the wrong direction!
  Random Encounters
  As they skulk around with or without a guide, the 
  characters are going to run into traps and other 
  obstacles, as the kobolds are a paranoid and devious 
  group. Each half hour spent searching results in a 
  random cave encounter from the chart below. Make 
  sure to note if they are traveling single file or two-by-
  two.
  1d6
  Cave Encounter
  1
  Kobold miners
  2
  Kobold gang
  3
  Spiked pit trap
  4
  Ceiling block trap
  5
  Flaming oil surprise trap
  6-7
  Kobold subchief
  Kobold miners
  The sound of picks striking earth alerts the characters 
  to a group of 8 kobold miners working at a section of 
  tunnel. They are armed with picks (1d6 damage) and 
  are oblivious to the presence of the characters.
  Kobold gang
  The characters run into a gang of 6 kobolds and their 
  3 wild dogs out looking for a tussle. As the kobolds are 
  in their home, they are not sneaking, so the characters 
  have an opportunity to sneak by them if they are 
  lucky. If a fight breaks out the kobolds try to keep the 
  wild dogs to engage the characters in melee while 
  they use their slings to harass them.
  
  18
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Kobolds Love Traps
  At this point in the module you know you’ve achieved 
  the best result if the players are groaning each 
  time they run into a trap throughout the tunnels. 
  Feel free to swap out one of the traps with an 
  idea of your own to keep the players on their toes. 
  Suggestions include clay pots hidden just below the 
  ground that release a paralyzing gas, darts that 
  shoot out from the walls, and swinging scythe blades 
  from the ceiling. Go nuts and have fun!
  Spiked pit trap
  Kobolds love pit traps!
  Noticing the pit traps requires a DC 10 Luck ability 
  check. Characters that fail to notice the trap fall in 
  when they step on the thin covering, landing 10 feet 
  down and suffering 1d6 bludgeoning damage. The 
  spikes at the bottom deal 1d6 piercing damage, 
  which can be avoided with a DC 10 Reflex saving 
  throw.
  Ceiling block trap
  This section of tunnel contains a false ceiling with a 
  large block hidden in it. A pressure plate on the floor 
  releases the block in a wide area. Once triggered, 
  characters can squeeze over the top of the fallen 
  block.
  Noticing the trap requires a DC 10 Luck check. The 
  character that fails to notice the trap triggers the 
  ceiling block to fall down. The block covers an area 
  large enough for four characters if walking two-by-two 
  or just two if they are walking single file. A successful 
  DC 10 Reflex saving throw avoids the block as it falls, 
  while a failure results in 2d6 bludgeoning damage. 
  The trap can be disabled by a thief.
  Flaming oil surprise trap
  This is a favorite trap among the kobolds of these 
  tunnels. The trap is triggered by a trip wire, nearly 
  invisible against the rocky ground, which opens a 
  hidden panel in the ceiling. The panel contains a flint 
  that strikes stone, igniting a small fire as several gallons 
  of oil pour out. The oil is set ablaze by the fire and the 
  unlucky person is doused in flaming death!
  The trap can be spotted by characters in the lead 
  with a DC 10 Luck check. The character who triggers 
  the trap must succeed on a DC 10 Reflex saving throw 
  or suffer 1d6 points of fire damage. The oil persists for 
  1d4 rounds, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage each 
  round unless put out. The trap can be disabled by a 
  thief.
  Kobold subchief
  Out running errands for the Kobold Queen, a kobold 
  subchief and 3 kobolds encounter the adventurers 
  in the tunnels. They are not concerned with hiding 
  and walk proudly, oblivious to their surroundings (they 
  suffer a -4 to notice the characters). If captured, the 
  subchief can provide the highest single bonus to the 
  skill check to navigate the tunnels.
  Red Gnasher Cave – Lower Level
  Refer to the map labeled “Red Gnasher Cave – 
  Lower Level” for the following keyed locations. 
   
   
  8. 
  Entrance to the Lower Level
  The twisting kobold caves beneath the Talon Hills 
  seem to go on forever, turning and returning upon 
  themselves in an awful maze filled with the smell 
  of wet dog and the sound of yipping. The tunnel 
  ahead of you digs deeper into the ground, but 
  you spot two spears stuck into the ground on either 
  side of the path. A crimson flag drapes from each 
  spear depicting a snarling dog face with red fangs 
  adorned with a crude crown – a symbol of some 
  kind of royalty. You must be getting close to the 
  Kobold Queen.
  The entrance to the chambers of the Kobold Queen 
  is guarded by these two flags showing the symbol of 
  the Red Gnashers. This is the deepest and oldest part 
  of the caves and holds the ancient altar the Kobold 
  Queen became so fond of in her youth.
  9. 
  Cave of Destruction
  The roughly hewn passage opens into a large cave 
  where the ceiling stretches 20 feet high. Torches 
  line the walls, illuminating the nearly 100 foot long 
  cave in front of you, separated into three tiers by 
  5 foot tall rises in the floor. Crude wooden ladders 
  sit at irregular intervals along each rise. On the top 
  tier at the far end of the cave you can just make 
  out the form of a large stone altar ringed by dog 
  skull torches and a table to the left of it. The sound 
  of humans pleading and begging from several 
  branching caves echoes eerily.
  This is the main chamber of the Kobold Queen, where 
  business is conducted, meals are taken, and sacrifices 
  are given to the God of Destruction. At any given time 
  there are 10 kobolds and 6 wild dogs milling about 
  the room in various states of preparedness. On the top 
  tier, west of the altar, sits the kobold alchemist working 
  on mixing potions and ointments.
  
  19
  Tactics: If a fight breaks out or if the horn was sounded 
  from the wild dog pen, the Kobold Queen and her 
  2 kobold subchiefs come from area 12 to confront 
  the intruders. The subchiefs begin barking orders in 
  Kobold, telling the others to hold the characters back 
  as long as possible while the sacrifices are prepared. 
  The subchiefs run to area 13 to retrieve a few slaves 
  while the Kobold Queen makes her way to area 9. 
  The remaining kobolds hang back and use their slings 
  while the wild dogs rush forward.
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Foreshadowing
  If you plan on playing through to WK2, or even if you 
  don’t but want to put a bit of fear into your players, 
  make sure to play up the Kobold Queen’s death. As 
  life flows from her she fixes her gaze upon the 
  characters and for the briefest instant they all 
  see a hideous kobold eye over their vision! The exact 
  details of this curse are explained in WK2.
  9a. 
  Altar of Destruction
  A stone dais raises from the cavern floor at this point 
  with a 5 foot high crudely hewn altar at its center. In 
  the center of the altar a groove has been carved, 
  just large enough to accommodate a humanoid 
  head, and the channels on either side stained red 
  speak volumes to the unspeakable rites that have 
  been performed here. The symbol of the God of 
  Destruction as seen by the kobolds, a leering dog 
  skull, squats on the altar’s front.
  Unless the characters stop her (by killing her), the 
  Kobold Queen brings male slaves to this spot to 
  sacrifice them to the God of Destruction. The altar is a 
  rock with a pool in the center, and it takes the Kobold 
  Queen two rounds to sacrifice a man.
  If a sacrifice is complete, a wave of red energy washes 
  over the cave. All kobolds gain a +1 bonus to hit and 
  damage for the next hour as a result of the sacrifice. 
  These bonuses are cumulative.
  
  20
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Sacrifices = Drama
  It’s OK to fudge the human sacrifice timing a bit for 
  dramatic purposes. Maybe the Kobold Queen already 
  had one of the men ready to go, so that when the 
  heroes burst in and melee breaks out she is ready 
  with the knife at his throat. That should bring the 
  players to attention!
   
  10. 
  Weasel Grounds
  The smell of wet fur and blood fills this cavernous 
  chamber, and the floor is littered with hundreds of 
  bones, most of them gnawed down to the marrow.
  The Red Gnashers do not utilize the weasels that 
  populate the Talon Hills as much as they could, instead 
  relying on the wild dogs for their allies. However, the 
  Kobold Queen has a special fondness for their blood-
  soaked frenzy and keeps a group of them in this cave 
  to threaten slaves and kobolds alike.
  The cage door that leads into this cave is flimsy and 
  made of close-knitted branches to keep the weasels 
  inside. Beyond the cage door are 3 blood-crazed 
  weasel swarms that move in a churning, wild mass. The 
  sight of blood drives them into a frenzy and they obey 
  the words of the Kobold Queen when applicable.
  Tactics: If a fight breaks out in the Cave of Destruction, 
  the Kobold Queen sends one of the subchiefs to open 
  the cage and release the weasels (announcing it 
  as loudly as possible in the cave so that everyone is 
  aware of what’s about to be released). The weasel 
  swarms move towards any wounded non-kobold, 
  non-dog first, but in their frenzy they can be tricked 
  into attacking the kobolds. They never turn on the 
  Kobold Queen.
  11. 
  Waters of Blood
  A shallow pool of rust-colored water dominates 
  the floor of this cave. The walls are decorated 
  with hundreds of dog skulls of all shapes and sizes, 
  leering down at you with empty sockets and red-
  stained teeth. Below the waters you can see a 
  large number of coins resting on the bottom.
  This chamber is where most of the tribe comes to 
  venerate the God of Destruction. The pool is regular 
  water fed by an underground stream turned red by 
  some natural geological source. The Kobold Queen 
  took it as a holy sign and repurposed this area as a 
  holy site, calling it the Waters of Blood.
  Treasure: Much wealth has been given over to the 
  God of Destruction via the Waters of Blood, which 
  the Kobold Queen tells the tribe is a way to stave off 
  annihilation themselves. There are a total of 250 silver 
  pieces and 150 gold pieces to be found in the water.
  12. 
  Kobold Queen’s Chamber
  Contrary to the rest of the caves, this chamber 
  seems well-appointed, a room fit for a queen. 
  A large four post bed with satin sheets sits in the 
  eastern corner, and in the southwestern area 
  a series of benches are setup with alchemical 
  equipment and ingredients scattered on top of 
  them. The heavy scent of perfume hangs in the 
  air, masking the smell of wet dog and kobold that 
  permeates the rest of the cavernous system.
  The Kobold Queen, chief of the Red Gnashers, keeps 
  to herself in this chamber along with her 2 kobold 
  subchief bodyguards and the kobold alchemist, who 
  uses the corner to make his bombs. The Queen’s bed 
  is a lavish affair, especially for a kobold, and once 
  belonged to a noble woman in some carriage that 
  was pillaged long ago. The bed posts still stand at the 
  four corners but the mattress has long been soiled and 
  stained. The subchiefs act as her primary consorts.
  Treasure: The Kobold Queen keeps a chest hidden 
  behind a false section of the wall behind her bed. The 
  chest is locked (she keeps a key around her neck) and 
  contains a smattering of minor treasures. Inside are 
  100 gold pieces, 200 silver pieces, an amulet worth 
  50 gold, and a crude statue of a kobold carved from 
  stone worth 25 gold.
  13. 
  Auxiliary Slave Pens
  This area contains a series of crude pens made 
  of wood and stone. Within each are a handful of 
  human men dressed in rags. They look at you with 
  hope in their eyes and murmur words of desperation 
  through cracked and parched lips.
  The remaining human slaves are kept in this 
  chamber. There are a total of 10 men (2 HP 
  each) kept in the caves, huddled together. 
   
  14. 
  Free Range Slave Pens
  Just beyond the crude wooden bars in this chamber 
  you see human men laying about the cave in 
  various states of exhaustion and dehydration. A 
  few of them struggle to your feet upon seeing that 
  you are not more kobolds.
  These two caves are where the most malnourished 
  male captives from Ormkirk are kept in anticipation of 
  their sacrifice to the God of Destruction. The Kobold 
  Queen is waiting until the right time so that the effects 
  of the sacrifices will be permanent. There are five 
  human males in the pens (with 2 HP each) slumped 
  on the floor or cowering in the corner.
  
  21
  Rescued Slaves
  All of the slaves are men from Ormkirk or the 
  surrounding farmsteads. They have all been beaten 
  and malnourished by their captors and none are 
  in any shape to fight. Several of the men are older 
  and come from well-respected families in Ormkirk—
  these men (six of them) comprise the original group 
  that Townmaster Travail wanted captured, and they 
  all have a very low opinion of the townmaster. The 
  others were captured to be sacrificed eventually by 
  the Kobold Queen’s forces.
  Some of the captured men claim to have heard the 
  Kobold Queen talking to her subchiefs about the deal 
  with the “fat pompous human man.” The fact that 
  the heroes were hired by the townmaster doesn’t 
  dissuade some of the captives from believing that 
  Travail is behind the whole problem.
  The men are weak and cannot fight for themselves, 
  but they are capable of making it to Ormkirk with 
  assistance.
  PART FOUR: THE TRUTH REVEALED
  The 
  scenario 
  ends 
  with 
  the 
  confrontation 
  of 
  Townmaster Travail in Ormkirk regarding the triangle 
  between him, the Kobold Queen, and Grabbold. 
  The townmaster is corrupt and greedy but not strictly 
  evil—he breaks down and cries if confronted with the 
  truth of the scenario (though they are crocodile tears 
  if anything!).
  Confronting the Townmaster
  How the characters approach the townmaster is 
  up to them. Travail spends most of his days at the 
  Splendid Shield, drinking or flirting with the staff and 
  locals. His house is on a lane behind the tavern, which 
  is conveniently close enough for stumbling in the dark 
  when he’s inevitably had too much to drink.
  Townmaster Travail has hired a group of 5 bodyguards 
  (use bandit statistics) since the business with the 
  Kobold Queen went sour. He keeps them around at 
  all times, either undercover at the Splendid Shield as 
  patrons or stationed around his house at night. Travail 
  doesn’t want to die and is willing to cut a deal with 
  the characters for his life.
  If he manages to keep his life, Thaddeus Travail can 
  become a future adversary for the characters’ lives. 
  He has connections in major cities and with most of 
  the trade companies that operate in the region. He is 
  known to be unscrupulous and greedy in his dealings.
  Treasure: Townmaster Travail does not have the 
  gold coin to pay the characters. In fact, until the 
  next merchant caravan comes through Ormkirk in a 
  month or so he doesn’t have much coin at all. Inside 
  his house is a locked chest (he keeps the key on a ring 
  in his pocket) that contains his personal wealth—300 
  silver pieces, 200 gold pieces, and a +1 dagger he 
  doesn’t like to use (he thinks it’s cursed, but it is not).
  NPC Profile: The Kobold Queen
  Her name has been stricken from memory so 
  that the Red Gnashers and all that meet her 
  simply address her as the Kobold Queen, or 
  “your majesty.” The Kobold Queen was born into 
  a litter of kobold pups forty years ago without 
  anything special going for her. She was one of 
  a dozen, stronger than most, but she felt a deep 
  connection to the ancient altar in the kobold 
  warrens. Worship of the God of Destruction had 
  all but died out in her tribe, where the leadership 
  had long ago forsaken any such “mumbo 
  jumbo” as worthless in helping them kill and 
  pillage to survive.
  The Kobold Queen took to maintaining the altar 
  in her youth, and found that she heard whispers 
  when she was around it. Whispers of power – 
  power to take over the tribe, power to bend the 
  people of the Talon Hills to her will, power to rule 
  and become the greatest queen the kobolds 
  had ever seen. When the time was right, she 
  invoked the words of the God of Destruction and 
  struck down the kobold chief. In that instant, the 
  innately cowardly kobolds turned to the Kobold 
  Queen as their leader out of fear and respect. 
  None have looked back since that day.
  As befitting one of her status, the Kobold Queen 
  has birthed many litters of runts. Two have been 
  of particular note, a pair of brothers named 
  Rinklo and Rigaan. Rinklo became enamored 
  with the teachings of the tribe alchemist and 
  left the Talon Hills to wreak vengeance upon 
  the gnomes of the world (Rinklo’s story can be 
  found in WK0 Night of the Mad Kobold). Rigaan 
  drank in the stories of an ancient kobold warlord 
  named Kra-Moth-Ka and vowed to return the 
  leader’s legacy to the living world (Rigaan’s 
  story continues in the remaining modules of the 
  WRATH OF THE KOBOLDS series).
  
  22
  Weird Dave’s Notebook: Ending Showdown
  Gauge your players’ tolerance levels at this point. If 
  they’ve been neck deep in kobold blood and fighting 
  for every last hit point, you can give them a break on 
  this encounter and turn it into a simple roleplaying 
  exercise. If they’ve walked over the kobolds and feel 
  like they own the place, however, don’t feel too bad 
  in throwing in a few extra bodyguards to make for an 
  exciting showdown.
  EPILOGUE
  The module ends with the characters returning the 
  kidnapped townspeople to Ormkirk. Perhaps they also 
  uncovered the townmaster’s part in the problems as 
  well, along with the bandits in the hills.
  Rewards
  You can use the following bullet points to award 
  bonus experience points to the characters for actions 
  completed. Use your best judgment.
  •	
  Returning townspeople to Ormkirk
  •	
  Uncovering Townmaster Travail’s involvement
  •	
  Defeating the bandits
  •	
  Defeating the Kobold Queen
  Next Steps
  The characters have made a name for themselves in 
  Ormkirk, which sees a fair amount of merchant traffic 
  throughout the year. Word spreads of the characters’ 
  good deeds, and it shouldn’t be long before some 
  worried traveler has a problem that needs solving and 
  finds the characters perfectly suited for it.
  If you plan on using WK2 Curse of the Kobold Eye, the 
  characters’ next encounter happens as they are on 
  the road when a strange thing occurs at night …
  
  Giant Wasp: Init +1; Atk sting +3 melee (1d4 + 
  poison); AC 12; HD 2d8; hp 8 each; MV fly 30’; 
  Act 1d20; SP poison (DC 8 Fort save or paralyzed 
  for 1d10 rounds); SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +1; AL L
  Giant Wild Weasel: Init +2; Atk bite +2 melee (1d4 
  + blood drain); AC 13; HD 1d8; hp 5 each; MV 
  50’; Act 1d20; SP blood drain (after a successful 
  hit the giant weasel deals 1d6 damage each 
  round); SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1; AL L
  Human Bandits: Init +2; Atk short sword +2 melee 
  (1d6+1) or short bow +3 missile fire (1d6); AC 15; 
  HD 1d8; hp 5 each; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, 
  Ref +2, Will +0; AL C
  Kobold: Init +1; Atk tiny sword -2 melee (1d4-1); 
  AC 11; HD 1d4; hp 3 each; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP 
  infravision 100’; SV Fort -2, Ref +0, Will -2; AL N
  d10
  Random Kobold Coins
  1-2
  15 copper pieces
  3-4
  30 copper pieces
  5-6
  4 silver pieces
  7-8
  9 silver pieces
  9
  12 silver pieces
  0
  3 gold pieces
  Kobold Subchief: Init +1; Atk tiny sword +1 melee 
  (1d4); AC 13; HD 2d4; hp 8 each; MV 20’; Act 
  1d20; SP infravision 100’; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will 
  -1; AL N
   
  Giant Worker Ant: Init +0; Atk bite +2 melee 
  (1d4+1); AC 16; HD 1d8+2; hp 6 each; MV 50’ or 
  climb 50’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will -3, AL L
  Wild Dog: Init +3; Atk bite +2 melee (1d4); AC 12; 
  HD 1d6; hp 3 each; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +3, 
  Ref +2, Will +1, AL L
  Kobold alchemist: Init +1; Atk tiny sword +0 melee 
  (1d4); AC 13; HD 1d4; hp 6 each; MV 20’; Act 
  1d20; SP infravision 100’, bombs (see below); SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will -1; AL N
   
  Bombs: The kobold alchemist has a small 
  collection of bombs (4 of them) that he can use 
  to hurl at opponents. The bombs explode upon 
  impact, dealing 1d8 points of fire damage to 
  everyone within 5 ft of the blast unless they make 
  a Reflex DC 8 saving throw.
  Appendix A: Monster and NPC Information
  NPC Profile: Townmaster Thaddeus Travail
  Thaddeus Travail grew up in a merchant family 
  and was raised on the “golden rule” – he who 
  has the gold makes the rules. The Travails were 
  not an overly wealthy family but they made do, 
  and managed to procure several lucrative trade 
  contracts across the northlands, specializing 
  in routes other merchants were afraid to take 
  because of bandits or monsters. Thaddeus was 
  a quick learner and took to the family business 
  with practiced ease.
  Over the years, however, he grew tired of the 
  road and sought to settle down. His family’s 
  estate was simply out of the question for him, 
  however – his overbearing father ruled the 
  household with a disciplined fist, and Thaddeus 
  had always secretly chafed under the strict 
  guidelines. He wanted a position of power for 
  his own to weave his own webs of intrigue and 
  commerce. He found Ormkirk in a bad way and 
  decided that the town could use his personal 
  touch. Through bribery, guile, and brute force 
  at times, he managed to install himself as the 
  townmaster. But his dreams of power were not 
  satiated, and so he sought to bargain with the 
  rough elements of the Talon Hills to the north.
  Thaddeus met with Grabbold rather by chance 
  when the ogre and his bandits waylaid the 
  townmaster while on a journey westward. 
  Thaddeus immediately recognized the usefulness 
  of an ogre and a bandit tribe and used all of his 
  honeyed words to convince Grabbold that there 
  was more profit in letting him live. Convinced 
  by the townmaster’s grandstanding, the ogre 
  agreed and the two became partners.
  
  Swarm of Blood-Crazed Weasels: Init +2; Atk 
  swarm bite +2 melee (2d4); AC 13; HD 2d8; hp 
  10 each; MV 50’; Act 1d20; SP swarm (attack 
  everyone over its 15’ by 15’ area; half damage 
  from non-area attacks); blood crazy (deals an 
  extra 1d4 damage if it previous damaged the 
  victim); SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1; AL C
  Kobold Queen: Init +1; Atk +1 magic skull-mace 
  +4 melee (1d6+2); AC 13; HD 3d4; hp 12; MV 20’; 
  Act 1d20; SP infravision 100’, spellcasting (+8 spell 
  check); SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +7; AL C
   
  Spells: darkness, paralysis, protection from 
  good, word of command.
  Grabbold, ogre: Init +2; Atk slam +5 melee 
  (1d6+6) or great club +5 melee (1d8+6); AC 16; 
  HD 4d8+4; hp 22; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP bear hug 
  (victims of slam must make opposed Str checks 
  vs. Str 22 or suffer 1d6+6 damage per round); SV 
  Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1, AL C
  Mayor Thaddeus Travail: Init +4; Atk short sword 
  +4 melee (1d6+2) or thrown daggers +3 missile 
  fire (1d4); AC 16; HD 2d8; hp 14; MV 20’; Act 1d20; 
  SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1, AL C
  NPC Profile: Grabbold, Dimwitted Ogre
  Grabbold, like most ogres, was raid to believe 
  in the life philosophy of “might makes right.” He 
  has a powerfully mighty swing and is capable 
  of killing almost any man with a single strike. 
  However, since he came to the Talon Hills 
  and gathered a group of bandits around him, 
  Grabbold is starting to enjoy the role of enforcer 
  to Townmaster Travail.
  Unfortunately, like most of his kind, Grabbold is 
  quite dimwitted and hasn’t realized that he has 
  the manpower and strength to take everything 
  Ormkirk has to offer. He and his men have built 
  a decent bandit life in the Talon Hills, and so 
  far none of his gang have been willing to say 
  anything about the “deal” with Townmaster 
  Travail or how the ogre could simply crush the 
  man outright. Grabbold is thoroughly enamored 
  with his own self-image as stylized by Travail’s 
  honeyed words.
  NPC Profile: The Kobold Queen
  Her name has been stricken from memory so 
  that the Red Gnashers and all that meet her 
  simply address her as the Kobold Queen, or 
  “your majesty.” The Kobold Queen was born into 
  a liter of kobold pups forty years ago without 
  anything special going for her. She was one of 
  a dozen, stronger than most, but she felt a deep 
  connection to the ancient altar in the kobold 
  warrens. Worship of the God of Destruction had 
  all but died out in her tribe, where the leadership 
  had long ago forsaken any such “mumbo 
  jumbo” as worthless in helping them kill and 
  pillage to survive.
  The Kobold Queen took to maintaining the altar 
  in her youth, and found that she heard whispers 
  when she was around it. Whispers of power – 
  power to take over the tribe, power to bend the 
  people of the Talon Hills to her will, power to rule 
  and become the greatest queen the kobolds 
  had ever seen. When the time was right, she 
  invoked the words of the God of Destruction and 
  struck down the kobold chief. In that instant, the 
  innately cowardly kobolds turned to the Kobold 
  Queen as their leader out of fear and respect. 
  None have looked back since that day.
  As befitting one of her status, the Kobold Queen 
  has birthed many liters of runts. Two have been 
  of particular note, a pair of brothers named 
  Rinklo and Rigaan. Rinklo became enamored 
  with the teachings of the tribe alchemist and 
  left the Talon Hills to wreak vengeance upon 
  the gnomes of the world (Rinklo’s story can be 
  found in WK0 Night of the Mad Kobold). Rigaan 
  drank in the stories of an ancient kobold warlord 
  named Kra-Moth-Ka and vowed to return the 
  leader’s legacy to the living world (Rigaan’s 
  story continues in the remaining modules of the 
  WRATH OF THE KOBOLDS series).
  
  Random Kobold Name
  Kobold names are typically short and end with a vowel 
  to emphasize their yipping syllables. You can roll on 
  the below table 1d3+1 times to randomly determine a 
  kobold name. Kobolds do not differentiate between 
  male and female names.
  What do these kobold names mean? They can mean 
  whatever you want them to mean! This random name 
  generator is not meant as a primer for the kobold 
  language, simply as a tool to create names that have 
  a similar sound to them. If a kobold becomes exiled 
  from their tribe for some reason (usually it’s just easier 
  to kill such offenders), the kobold wanderer may take 
  on a last name similar to a tribe name.
  Most kobolds identify themselves as a member of 
  their tribe after their name. For example, Peesto of the 
  Weasel Jumpers or Kradrogu of the Dirt Killers.
  d100
  Name
  01-02
  Aga
  03-04
  Aka
  05-06
  Aro
  07-08
  Bra
  09-10
  Bro
  11-12
  Ba
  13-14
  Cra
  15-16
  Curo
  17-18
  Ca
  19-20
  Dra
  21-22
  Dro
  23-24
  De
  25-26
  Epo
  27-28
  Eka
  29-30
  Erbo
  31-32
  Fa
  33-34
  Fo
  35-36
  Gra
  37-38
  Gu
  39-40
  Ha
  41-42
  Jo
  43-44
  Ja
  45-46
  Kra
  47-48
  Ko
  49-50
  Kuro
  51-52
  Lo
  53-54
  Laka
  55-56
  Me
  57-58
  Mora
  59-60
  Maka
  61-62
  Mu
  63-64
  No
  65-66
  Nuko
  67-68
  Pro
  69-70
  Pee
  71-72
  Roo
  73-74
  Ra
  75-76
  Rado
  77-78
  Sa
  79-80
  Sto
  81-82
  Sapo
  83-84
  See
  85-86
  Tro
  87-88
  Ta
  89-90
  Vo
  91-92
  Vee
  93-94
  Wa
  95-96
  Wado
  97-98
  Ya
  99-00
  Zo
  Appendix B: Random Kobold Tables
  
  Random Kobold Physical Traits
  Individual kobolds within a tribe, including leaders, 
  often have one or more characteristics that cause 
  them to stand out from their kin. It’s up to you to 
  decide if any of these features have any bearing on 
  combat capabilities.
  d100
  Kobold Physical Trait
  01-03
  Barrel chested
  04-06
  Blind in both eyes
  07-09
  Blind in one eye
  10-12
  Crippled
  13-15
  Fat
  16-18
  Huge feet
  19-21
  Huge head
  22-24
  Large hands
  25-27
  Large teeth
  28-30
  Long arms
  31-33
  Long tail
  34-36
  Loud voice
  37-39
  Muscular
  40-42
  No lips
  43-45
  No tail
  46-48
  No teeth
  49-51
  Old
  52-54
  Rat-like whiskers
  55-57
  Sharp claws
  58-60
  Short
  61-63
  Skinny
  64-66
  Small head
  67-69
  Spinal ridges
  70-72
  Squeaky voice
  73-75
  Tall
  76-78
  Tattoos
  79-81
  Underdeveloped wings
  82-84
  Unusual eye color
  85-87
  Unusual facial scar
  88-90
  Unusual skin color
  91-93
  Unusual tongue
  94-96
  Whispering voice
  97-99
  Young
  00
  Roll twice
  
  Ambush 
  Cave
  1 square = 5 ft.
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  
  Red Gnasher 
  Caves - Upper 
  Level
  1 square = 5 ft.
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  7.
  To Middle 
  Level
  
  8.
  Red Gnasher 
  Caves - Lower 
  Level
  1 square = 5 ft.
  9.
  11.
  10.
  14.
  12.
  13.
  9a.
  From Middle 
  Level
  
  ATTENTION 
  ADVENTURER SEEKERS, 
  MONSTER SLAYERS, AND 
  TREASURE HUNTERS! 
   
  The town of Ormkirk is in dire peril. Kobolds from 
  nearby hills have been kidnapping townsfolk in the 
  night. Fifteen men have already disappeared. 
  Hearty adventurers are needed to rescue the 
  missing townsfolk and route the kobold menace. 
   
  Ormkirk is offering 100 gold pieces per adventurer 
  plus reasonable expenses if successful in rescuing 
  the men of Ormkirk. If interested, ask for 
  Townmaster Thaddeus Travail at the Splendid 
  Shield Inn and Tavern. 
  
  Thank You, Kickstarter Backers!
  Without the support of these fantastic people, this module and the rest of the WK Wrath of the Kobolds series 
  would not have been possible. The Kickstarter campaign ran for 30 days, from August 17th, 2015, through 
  September 16th, 2015, and raised $6,935.00. Hoody hoo! Thank you to everyone!
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