TEXT: 1
  Start 
  at the End
  A short adventure for four 
  7th-level player characters
  CREDITS
  Design: 
  Rich Redman
  Editing and Typesetting: 
  Sue Weinlein Cook 
  Editorial Assistance: 
  Penny Williams 
  Cartography: 
  Rob Lazzaretti
  Web Production: 
  Julia Martin
  Web Development:
  Mark A. Jindra
  Graphic Design: 
  Sean Glenn, Cynthia Fliege
  Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game by E.
  Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and on the new edition of the
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet,
  Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, and Peter Adkison.
  D&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, MONSTER MANUAL, FORGOTTEN
  REALMS, and DUNGEON MASTER, ALTERNITY, AND DARK MATTER are
  registered trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast,
  Inc. The d20 logo is a trademark owned by Wizards of the
  Coast, Inc. All Wizards characters, character names, and the distinctive
  likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States
  of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or art-
  work contained herein is prohibited without the express written 
  permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  ©2002 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A.
  This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, 
  organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.
  This Wizards of the Coast game product contains no Open Game
  Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form
  without written permission. To learn more about the Open Gaming
  License and the d20 System License, please visit
  www.wizards.com/d20. 
  Start at the End is a short adventure that puts the
  dragon encounter at the beginning instead of at the
  end. Designed for four 7th-level characters, it provides
  enough experience to raise them to 8th level. A cleric
  and a rogue are highly recommended for all adventure
  parties. 
  Generations ago, the wizard known as Elizar
  Branded Hand came to the village of Gross Fell seeking
  land to build a library and laboratory. The villagers were
  only too happy to have such a prominent person living
  near them. A successful Knowledge (local) check (DC
  25) reveals that Elizar built his library and laboratory
  shortly before something began breaking into homes
  and killing the villagers. When Elizar refused to help
  the villagers hunt down and destroy the beast, they
  burned his buildings. Apparently Elizar fled into the
  crypt beneath his land and hasn’t been seen since. The
  nocturnal assaults stopped at the same time.
  Now a young dragon has appeared in the skies above
  Gross Fell, attacking the flocks and flying off into the
  hills. No one is precisely sure where it lairs, but a few
  fear it may have unearthed Elizar’s crypt, taking resi-
  dence there and perhaps releasing the Branded Hand’s
  evil once again.
  ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS
  Start at the End begins as a dragon-slaying mission: The
  PCs are pitted against Kyracolides, a young blue dragon
  who recently uncovered Elizar’s crypt while searching
  for a lair. What neither the PCs nor the villagers yet
  realize is that while Kyracolides is indeed a danger to
  the people and livestock of Gross Fell, he has inadver-
  tently uncovered something far more dangerous. The
  rear of the lair opens to a small crypt area, behind
  which are a series of tunnels inhabited by all manner of
  unwholesome creatures. While the dragon is willing to
  leave them in peace in return for living space, he has
  not yet encountered the master of the crypt: Elizar
  Branded Hand was the creature who terrified Gross
  Fell generations ago, after becoming a vampire.
  PREPARATION
  As the Dungeon Master (DM), you need a copy of
  the Player’s Handbook, the DUNGEON MASTER’S® Guide,
  and the MONSTER MANUAL® to use this adventure. If
  you plan to set the adventure in Faerûn, you’ll need a
  copy of the new FORGOTTEN REALMS® Campaign
  Setting. Monster and NPC statistics are provided with
  
  2
  each encounter in abbreviated form or, where appro-
  priate, the proper page in the MONSTER MANUAL is 
  referenced.
  You can adjust the difficulty of the adventure by
  changing the level of main antagonist (Elizar Branded
  Hand, the vampire wizard), or by altering the number
  of wraiths, shadow mastiffs, and xorns living in his
  crypt. To tailor the encounter to groups of different
  levels, refer to Table 4-1 in Chapter 4 of the DUNGEON
  MASTER’S GUIDE. 
  The adventure is set near a village known as Gross
  Fell but adapts easily to hilly farming region in exist-
  ing campaigns. Start at the End uses a modified ver-
  sion of the Darkcrypt map from the August 30, 2001
  Map-a-Week feature on the D&D website. It is 
  available for you to download at <http://www.wiz-
  ards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek/darkcrypt.jpg>.
  The modified map is reprinted on the next page for
  your convenience.
  Should you wish to develop the adventure beyond
  what is presented here, the best opportunity to do so is
  to focus on the brand on Elizar’s left palm and develop a
  cult of Erythnul around it. (See “Concluding the
  Adventure.”)
  CHARACTER HOOKS
  This is a good “side trek” adventure—it’s easy to insert
  it into an existing campaign any time the player charac-
  ters (PCs) are traveling in a hilly region a bit off the
  beaten track. Alternately, Kyracolides can be the central
  antagonist in a longer story that you devise. Use the fol-
  lowing hooks and rumors to draw the PCs into the
  encounter with the dragon.
  •
  The PCs are in the village of Gross Fell when they
  learn that herders spotted a dragon in the hills
  above the village. Fearful of what this occurrence
  may portend, the community’s elders appeal to
  the player characters for assistance, offering a
  small but heartfelt reward for their help. 
  •
  The PCs arrive in Gross Fell following barely
  remembered tales of a wizard who succumbed
  to evil and was buried alive. Parents use tales of
  Elizar Branded Hand to curb disobedient chil-
  dren. The characters spot the similarity
  between those tales and the tales of the buried
  wizard.
  •
  The PCs hear a local legend that tells of a fabu-
  lous treasure buried in the hills outside the vil-
  lage of Gross Fell.
  Gross Fell
  c Gross Fell (village): Conventional; AL NG; 200 gp
  limit; Assets 8,500 gp; Population 850 adults; Isolated
  (human 96, halfling 2, elf 1, all others 1).
  Authority Figure(s): Gwydion Harthorn, female
  human Drd15; Jolan Hawkscar, male half-elf Rgr13.
  Important Characters: Arrakk the Hammer, male half-
  orc Ftr8 (sheriff); Shepherd Hodge, male human Com9;
  Nadya the Smith, female human Exp7; Tarlach Vell,
  female human Clr6; Sinnoch Root, male human Sor2.
  Others: Town guard, War5, two War2, five War1.
  Notes: Gross Fell is a village of farmers and shep-
  herds. Several outlying hamlets use this settlement as a
  trade center; the nearest is about 30 miles away. The
  nearest town lies about 35 miles from Gross Fell.
  The Crypt’s Construction
  The crypt entrance is at the base of a hill about 9 miles
  from Gross Fell, not far from pastures and trails used by
  local shepherds. Kyracolides hides the entrance with
  mirage arcana while sleeping in it. While he is out hunt-
  ing, the entrance appears to be a 10-foot wide tunnel
  with masonry walls and a 12-foot arched ceiling.
  Except where noted otherwise, walls in the crypt
  are masonry, typically 1 foot thick (break DC 35, hard-
  ness 8, 90 hp per 10-foot-square section, Climb DC
  15). All doors are strong wooden ones (2 inches thick,
  hardness 5, 20 hp; break DC when stuck 23, and when
  locked 25), except where noted in a specific encounter
  description. Descriptions of encounter areas list
  details of any locks.
  There is no light in the crypt except whatever the
  PCs bring with them.
  Kyracolide’s Precautions
  As noted, Kyracolides hides the entrance to his tunnel
  while he is actually present. In order to find the
  entrance, PCs must track him to his lair and locate the
  entrance before the dragon obscures it. A ranger may
  be able to find Kyracolides’s tracks outside the area
  (Wilderness Lore DC 15) and follow them to the
  entrance.
  LAYOUT OF THE CRYPT
  1. The Entrance (EL 7)
  The tunnel leads approximately 60 feet into the hill-
  side before opening into a large space. The walls of the
  tunnel and this room are hewn stone (Climb DC 22),
  
  3
  
  4
  and the ceiling of this chamber measures almost 20
  feet above the hewn stone floor. Running across the
  floor of the tunnel or this room requires a Dexterity
  check (DC 13). Those failing the check fall, halting
  their movement and requiring a move-equivalent
  action to stand again. Masonry walls surrounding area
  1a extend into the area and rise to the ceiling, inter-
  rupted by a 20-foot doorway in the south wall. Simple
  geometric patterns in faded paint are still visible on
  these walls. An underground stream, roughly 20 feet
  wide, runs along the north edge of this room, and
  under rooms 2, 3a, 3b, and 3c. While not particularly
  cold, the stream is fast moving. Those in the water
  must make a Strength or Swim check (DC 15) or find
  themselves swept away. It deals 1d3 points of subdual
  damage per round to those in it. After about five min-
  utes, the stream flows out from under the hills and
  makes its way on the surface to Gross Fell. Two giant
  constrictor snakes have a nest on the bank of stream.
  They sun themselves outside and live on vermin that
  find their way into the chamber.
  d Snake, Giant Constrictor (2): hp 62, 65; see MON-
  STER MANUAL, page 200.
  Development
  Any fight with the snakes will rouse Kyracolides from
  room 1a, assuming he’s not out hunting.
  1a. The Lair (EL 5)
  The ironbound, double wooden doors to this room
  stand open. The chamber has flagstone floors. The
  masonry walls of area 2 extend into this room. A 10-
  foot-wide doorway in the south wall of area 2 is blocked
  by rubble pushed up against the double wooden doors.
  (Kyracolides has piled rubble up, blocking the doors
  between areas 1a and 2. Removing enough rubble to
  open the doors is about two hours work.) Here and
  there one can see rotten bits of old furniture. A few
  scraps of cloth on the walls are all that remain of the
  tapestries that once hung here.
  Kyracolides sleeps here when not hunting. (He
  normally hunts at night and sleeps during the day.)
  The PCs may choose to arrive while he’s out and set an
  ambush.
  d Kyracolides: Male young blue dragon; CR 5;
  Medium-size dragon (earth); HD 12d12+24; hp 102;
  Init +0; Spd 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor); 
  AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 21; Atk +15 melee (1d8+3,
  bite) and +10 melee (1d6+1, 2 claws) and +10 melee
  (1d4+1, 2 wings); SA breath weapon (6d8 electricity, 60-
  ft. line); SQ blindsight 90 ft., create/destroy water, immu-
  nities , keen senses; AL LE; SV Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +9;
  Str 17, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +10, Diplomacy +5, Hide +15,
  Intimidate +3, Listen +16, Search +16, Sense Motive
  +16, Spot +16; Flyby Attack, Hover, Quicken Spell-Like
  Ability, Wingover.
  Breath Weapon (Su): Kyracolides has one type of
  breath weapon, a 60-foot line of lightning that deals
  6d8 points of electricity damage (Reflex save DC 18
  half ). He can use his breath weapon every 1d4
  rounds.
  Blindsight (Ex): Kyracolides can discern crea-
  tures and objects by nonvisual means within 90 feet.
  He usually does not need to make Spot or Listen
  checks to notice creatures within range of his blind-
  sight ability.
  Create/Destroy Water (Sp): This ability functions like
  the create water spell, except that Kyracolides can decide
  to destroy water instead of creating it, which automati-
  cally spoils unattended liquids containing water. A
  water-containing magic item (such as a potion) or an
  item in a creature’s possession must succeed at a Will
  save (DC 17) or be ruined. The dragon can use this abil-
  ity three times per day. 
  Immunities: Kyracolides is immune to electricity,
  paralysis, and sleep effects.
  Keen Senses (Ex): Kyracolides can see four times as
  well as a human in low-light conditions and twice as
  well in normal light. He also has darkvision to a range
  of 300 feet.
  Tactics
  Kyracolides uses his breath weapon if he believes he is
  tougher than his opposition, then begins biting, claw-
  ing, and buffeting with his wings. If ambushed, he
  attacks without mercy, trying to recover his hoard. 
  Treasure
  Here the adventurers will find the dragon’s hoard: 100
  pp, 800 gp, lapis lazuli gem (10 gp); bloodstone gem,
  chrysoprase gem, chalcedony gem (all 50 gp); fire opal
  (1000 gp); scroll of flaming sphere (2nd-level arcane spell,
  3rd-level caster), wand of bull’s strength, +1 chain shirt, +2
  light hammer.
  Development
  The rubble blocking entrance to area 2 is natural stone
  and earth left over from Kyracolides opening the
  entrance tunnel to the crypt. Removing enough rubble
  to open the doors calls for about two hours’ work.
  
  5
  2. The Anteroom (EL 8)
  Moisture from the subterranean stream has seeped up
  into this room, promoting the growth of mold, mildew,
  and various slimes. Running across the floor of the
  tunnel or this room requires a Dexterity check (DC
  13). Those failing the check fall, halting their move-
  ment and requiring a move-equivalent action to stand
  again. A strong wooden door in the north wall appears
  to be the only other exit, and it is obviously locked
  (Open Lock DC 25). The shambling mounds living
  here only recently discovered the crypt. They enjoy
  being near the blue dragon and are considering
  becoming its servants in return for the occasional jolt
  of lightning.
  d Shambling Mound (2): hp 60, 62.
  Treasure
  Urns resting against the walls are almost hidden by the
  slime growing here. They contain 80 gp, a silver pearl
  (100 gp), and a black pearl (500 gp).
  a Trapdoor (CR 7): A 5-foot-square trapdoor is set on
  this side of the door to area 3a. Trying to open the door
  triggers the trapdoor (Search DC 25, Disable Device DC
  25, Reflex save DC 25). The trapdoor automatically
  resets five minutes after triggering. 
  While not particularly cold, the stream moves fast.
  Those in the water must make a Strength or Swim
  check (DC 15) or find themselves swept away. It deals
  1d3 points of subdual damage per round to those in it.
  After about five minutes, the stream flows out from
  under the hills and makes its way on the surface to
  Gross Fell.
  3a. The Crypt Corridor (EL 9)
  A flight of stairs leads up to a 10-foot-square landing,
  with a door on each of the other three sides. All are
  strong wooden doors. The floor is made of flagstones.
  The door in the north wall, leading to area 3d, is locked
  (Open Lock DC 25) and trapped. An ancient skeleton
  lies on the ground before this door. The other doors are
  merely stuck. A flesh golem lurks here, as close as it can
  get to the blue dragon’s electricity without fighting the
  shambling mounds in area 2.
  d Flesh Golem (CR 7): hp 49.
  a Poison Needle Trap (CR 7): Search DC 25, Disable
  Device DC 25. If the trap isn’t disabled, it injects
  anyone who tries to pick the lock with deathblade
  (injury, DC 20, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary
  damage 2d6 Con).
  Development
  If someone poisoned by the needle trap makes suffi-
  cient noise, it attracts the attention of the two wraiths
  in area 3d. They wait for the opportunity to isolate and
  ambush a poisoned character.
  3b. Crypt
  This 20-foot-square room was clearly the site of battle
  long ago. The walls are scarred by weapons and
  smeared with soot. The ruins of a sarcophagus lie
  against the wall opposite the door, and a low (3-feet
  high) opening is clearly visible beyond the ruins. The
  opening leads to a 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-high corridor
  that eventually loops to area 4. The floor in the crypt
  is flagstone, but the floor in the corridor is hewn
  stone, worn smooth enough that it doesn’t interfere
  with movement.
  3c. Crypt
  This 20-foot-square room was clearly the site of battle
  long ago. The walls are scarred by weapons, and
  smeared with soot. The ruins of a sarcophagus lie
  against the all opposite the door and a low (3 feet
  high) opening is clearly visible beyond the ruins. The
  opening leads to a 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-high corridor
  that eventually loops to area 4. The floor in the crypt
  is flagstone, but the floor in the corridor is hewn
  stone, worn smooth enough that it doesn’t interfere
  with movement.
  3d. Crypt (EL 7)
  This 20-foot-square room differs from the other
  crypts, because it has not fallen into disrepair. The
  sarcophagus resting against the north wall is in good
  condition but has no decorations or carvings to indi-
  cate its contents. Two wraiths make their homes
  here. The floor in the crypt is flagstone. Searching
  the sarcophagus may reveal signs of the corridor
  beyond (Search check, DC 25). Moving the sarcopha-
  gus is a Strength check (DC 25, up to three people
  may assist). Moving the sarcophagus reveals an open-
  ing that leads to a 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-high corridor
  to area 4. The floor in the corridor is hewn stone,
  worn smooth enough that it doesn’t interfere with
  movement.
  d Wraith (2): hp 33, 35.
  
  6
  4. The Cloak Room
  This 20-foot-square room has masonry walls and flag-
  stone floors. Green stains run down the walls from the
  remains of copper cloak hooks. A few still have threads
  or scraps of rotting cloth hanging on them. There is a
  faint sulfur smell in this room.
  5. The Sitting Room (EL 7)
  The sitting room holds a 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-long
  wooden table and six stools. A 10-foot wide corridor
  opens at either end of the room, one leading to area 4
  and the other to area 6. The room smells strongly of
  sulfur. The walls are masonry, and the floor is flagstone.
  The table and stools crumble to dust at the slightest
  touch. A brick wall (1 foot thick, break DC 25, hardness
  8, 40 hp), cleverly plastered to resemble the other walls
  of the chamber, hides a corridor (Search check DC 30)
  to area 7. Two shadow mastiffs lair here.
  d Shadow Mastiff (2): hp 30, 32.
  Development
  The baying of the shadow mastiffs alerts any remaining
  creatures in areas 3d, 4, 6, 7, and 8.
  6. The Worship Room (EL 8)
  A 10-foot-wide corridor leads to this 40-foot-square
  room. In the northeast corner, a statue stands in an area
  of dead magic. (The “dead magic” area functions as an
  antimagic field cast by an 11th-level wizard.) The walls
  are a masonry, and the floor is flagstone. The statue is of
  a well-dressed human male, sneering at the room; it has
  a symbol of Erythnul carved into its left palm. A stone
  door (4 inches thick, hardness 8, 60 hp, break DC 28) is
  clearly visible beyond the statue. There is a strong
  sulfur smell in this room. A bodak waits here—all that
  remains of a villager slain by Elizar’s evil.
  d Bodak: hp 58.
  Tactics
  The bodak assumes anyone tough enough to get past
  the shadow mastiffs will be weakened, so if it hears the
  baying it stands just outside the dead magic area, about
  15 feet north of the corridor mouth and waits to use its
  gaze attack. If anyone casts spells at it, the creature
  steps back into the dead magic area and readies itself
  for melee. If intruders use missile weapons, the bodak
  charges them.
  7. Pit Entrance (EL 7)
  The sulfur smell gets very strong here, and as characters
  approach they begin to hear a bubbling sound. The corri-
  dor grows noticeably warmer as characters approach the
  entrance to area 8. The walls are masonry, and the floor is
  flagstone. Four minor xorns wait near the entrance to
  area 8 to ambush whoever fought the shadow mastiffs.
  d Minor Xorn (4): hp 19, 22, 17, 23.
  Development
  If the PCs somehow defeated the shadow mastiffs qui-
  etly, the xorns are in area 8.
  8. The Tar Pits (EL Varies)
  A rough stone bridge leads across the tar pits. This is
  the lair of four minor xorns, who don’t care about the
  heat. The bridge is roughly 30 feet long, and the center
  section is actually a trapdoor. If the PCs somehow
  defeated the shadow mastiffs quietly, the xorns are
  here, plotting how to get the dragon’s treasure.
  d Minor Xorn (4): CR 3; hp 19, 22, 17, 23.
  a Trapdoor (CR 7): A 10-foot-square trapdoor is set in
  the center of the bridge (Search DC 20, Disable Device
  DC 25, Reflex save DC 25). The trap door automatically
  resets five minutes after triggering. Treat the hot tar as
  lava (see “The Environment” in Chapter 3: Running the
  Game of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide).
  Development
  Making noise in this area alerts Elizar in area 10.
  9. Dead Magic Tunnel
  This angled tunnel measures roughly 50 feet long and
  10 feet wide. The entire tunnel is an area of dead magic.
  (The “dead magic” area functions as an antimagic field
  cast by an 11th-level wizard.) A locked iron door (2
  inches thick, hardness 10, 60 hp, break DC 28, Open
  Lock DC 25) blocks the far end. A symbol of Heiro-
  neous is etched in the door. A cleric capable of channel-
  ing positive energy could open this door if it weren’t for
  the dead magic area.
  10. Elizar’s Tomb (EL 9)
  This triangular room holds a few bookshelves (see
  Elizar’s spellbook, below), a burned-out lantern, and a
  human male dressed like the statue in area 6 (including
  the symbol of Erythnul). The human is Elizar Branded
  
  7
  Hand. This room has been Elizar’s tomb since the vil-
  lagers stormed his lair many years ago. They held him
  back with fire and silver while a cleric etched the holy
  symbol of Heironeous on the inside of the iron door.
  They left a lantern burning here to illuminate the
  symbol while they retreated. Opening the door at last
  frees Elizar. If it is closed again, the only way to open it
  from this side is by channeling enough positive energy
  to turn a 10-HD undead creature.
  d Elizar Branded Hand: Male human vampire
  Wiz7; CR 9; Medium-size undead; HD 7d12; hp 45;
  Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19; 
  Atk +6 melee (1d6+4, slam); SA blood drain, domina-
  tion, energy drain; SQ alternate form, children of the
  night, cold resistance 20, create spawn, DR 15/+1,
  electricity resistance 20, fast healing 5, gaseous form,
  spider climb, turn resistance +4, undead traits; AL CE;
  SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +7; Str 16, Dex 17, Con –,
  Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 18.  
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +17, Concentration +14, Diplo-
  macy +8, Hide +11, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana)
  +13, Listen +12, Move Silently +11, Search +11, Sense
  Motive +15, Spellcraft +13, Spot +12; Alertness, Blind-
  Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Empower Spell,
  Enlarge Spell, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes,
  Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll.
  Blood Drain (Ex): Elizar can suck blood from a
  living victim with his fangs by making a successful
  grapple check (grapple bonus +3). If he pins the foe,
  Elizar drains blood, inflicting 1d4 points of Constitu-
  tion drain each round the pin is maintained.
  Domination (Su): Elizar can crush an opponent’s
  will just by looking into his or her eyes. This ability is
  similar to a gaze attack, except that Elizar must take a
  standard action, and those merely looking at him are
  not affected. Anyone Elizar targets must succeed at a
  Will save (DC 14) or fall instantly under Elizar’s influ-
  ence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level
  12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet.
  Energy Drain (Su): This attack happens automati-
  cally when Elizar’s slam attack hits. Each successful
  energy drain inflicts two negative levels. For each nega-
  tive level inflicted on an opponent, Elizar heals 5 points
  of damage (or 10 on a critical hit), gaining any excess as
  temporary hit points. After 24 hours have passed, the
  afflicted opponent must attempt a Fortitude save (DC
  14) for each negative level. If successful,the negative
  level goes away with no harm to the creature; otherwise
  the creature’s level is also reduced by one.
  Alternate Form (Su): Elizar can assume the shape
  of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a standard action.
  This ability is similar to a polymorph self spell (caster
  level 12th), except that Elizar can assume only one of
  the forms listed here per use of the ability. He can
  remain in that form until he assumes another or until
  the next sunrise.
  Children of the Night (Su): Elizar can command the
  lesser creatures of the world and once per day can call
  forth a pack of 4d8 dire rats, a swarm of 10d10 bats, or a
  pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. Thse creatures
  arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve him for up to 1 hour.
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous
  humanoid slain by Elizar’s energy drain attack rises as a
  vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If Elizar instead
  drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or below, the
  victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as
  a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the
  new vampire or spawn is under the command of Elizar
  and remains enslaved until his death.
  Fast Healing (Ex): Elizar regains hit points at 5 points
  of damage each round so long as he has at least 1 hit
  point. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from
  starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow
  Elizar to regrow or reattach lost body parts. If reduced to
  0 hit points or lower, Elizar automatically assumes
  gaseous form and attempts to escape. He must reach his
  coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (He
  can travel up to 9 miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in his
  coffin, he rises to 1 hit point after 1 hour, then resumes
  fast healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round.
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, Elizar can
  assume gaseous form at will, as the spell (caster level
  5th), but he can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a
  fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.
  Spider Climb (Ex): Elizar can climb sheer surfaces
  as though with a spider climb spell.
  Turn Resistance (Ex): When resolving a turn,
  rebuke, command, or bolster attempt, Elizar is treated
  as an 11-HD creature.
  Undead Traits: Elizar is immune to poison, sleep,
  paralysis, stunning, disease, death, effects, necromantic
  effects, mind-affecting effects, and any effect requiring
  a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. He is
  not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability
  damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Negative energy
  heals him, and he is not at risk of death from massive
  damage but is destroyed at 0 hit points or less. Elizar
  has darkvision (60-foot range). He cannot be raised, and
  resurrection works only if he is willing.
  
  8
  Wizard Spells Prepared (4/5/4/3/1; save DC = 13 +
  spell level): 0—ray of frost (4); 1st—cause fear, change self,
  color spray (2), endure elements; 2nd—blur (2), bull’s
  strength, cat’s grace; 3rd—fireball (2), haste; 4th—confusion. 
  Spellbook: 0—arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect
  magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light,
  mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost,
  read magic, resistance; 1st—cause fear, change self, color
  spray, comprehend languages, endure elements; 2nd—blur,
  bull’s strength, cat’s grace, endurance; 3rd—fireball, haste;
  4th—charm monster, confusion. 
  Tactics
  Elizar’s familiar died long ago. Given any warning of the
  PCs’ approach, Elizar begins buffing himself up through
  spells. He casts haste and blur on the first round, and
  bull’s strength and cat’s grace on the next. After 2 rounds,
  he enjoys the following changes to his scores: Init +9;
  AC 24 (touch 16, flat-footed 19, 20% miss chance due to
  blur); Atk Slam +7 melee (1d6+6, slam); Ref + 9; Str 19,
  Dex 20. He uses Bluff to make the characters initially
  believe he is grateful to them for releasing him and that
  he is harmless. He seeks to lure them out of the dead
  magic area and into his lair. Once he does so, he casts
  confusion and changes to gaseous form. The dead magic
  area forces him back into his normal form, but the
  gaseous form lasts until he gets past the characters. If
  confusion doesn’t work, he tries fireball and his wand of
  magic missiles (see below). His goal is to disrupt intruders
  enough to get past them. Once he is past them, he
  attempts to reach the surface. If it is daylight, he
  remains in gaseous form in area 1 until night.
  Treasure
  Elizar is wearing or using all of the following
  items—ring of protection +1, ring of counterspells (fire-
  ball), amulet of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +2,
  wand of magic missiles (7th-level caster, meaning it
  throws four missiles), and a black pearl set in a silver
  necklace (750 gp).
  CONCLUDING 
  THE ADVENTURE
  If Elizar escapes, he methodically slaughters the vil-
  lagers of Gross Fell, attacking every night until no one
  remains. Of course he must return to his coffin occa-
  sionally, but he moves it to the village and enslaves vil-
  lagers to guard it the first night he is free. 
  If the PCs kill Elizar, they find a symbol of Erythnul
  burned into his left palm (just like on the statue in area
  6). You may develop that into a cult of Erythnul-wor-
  shipping vampires and their undead minions, or what-
  ever works best for your campaign.
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Rich Redman has been a professional writer in the
  RPG industry for more than three years, and an avid
  gamer for much longer than that. He’s written for a
  number 
  of 
  games, 
  including 
  ALTERNITY®,
  DARK*MATTER®, Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game,
  Star Wars Roleplaying Game, and the DUNGEONS &
  DRAGONS game.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/Mega book pack adventures/Level 06-10/Start At The End.pdf