TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter 
  Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without 
  permission of Wizards of the Coast. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 SYSTEM license, 
  please visit www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  This is an official RPGA® play document. To find out more about the RPGA and to learn more on how you can 
  sanction and run DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game events of all sizes, visit our website at www.rpga.com. 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK, LIVING GREYHAWK, D&D REWARDS, RPGA, Player’s Handbook, 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc, in the US and other 
  countries. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
  unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or 
  events is purely coincidental. © 2005 Wizards of the Coast, Inc and the adventure author or authors. 
  Visit the LIVING GREYHAWK website at www.rpga.com 
   
  For questions specific to this document and your region, please e-mail your triad point of contact (POC) at 
  brittfrey@gmail.com; for LIVING GREYHAWK campaign questions, email rpgahq@wizards.com.  
   
  BDK5-02 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK
  ®
  Bandit Kingdoms Regional Adventure 
  Version 1.0 
   
   
  By Keith Symcox 
  Editors: Casey Brown and Britt Frey 
  Reviewed by Chris Tulach 
   
   
  “Let’s all live in peace and harmony” has to be one of the most uncommon phrases heard amongst the denizens of the 
  Rift Canyon, yet someone is preaching exactly that to the evil humanoids of the Rift. Can you help keep this messenger 
  of peace alive long enough for the message to spread? An adventure for APLs 4-12. 
   
   
   
  
  RPGA SANCTIONED PLAY 
  Most likely you ordered this adventure as part of an 
  RPGA even from the RPGA website, or you received it 
  from your senior gamemaster. To play this adventure as 
  part of the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign------a worldwide, 
  ongoing D&D campaign set in the GREYHAWK setting------
  you must sanction it as part of an RPGA event. This event 
  could be as elaborate as a big convention, or as simple as a 
  group of friends meeting at the DM’s house.  
   
  To sanction an RPGA event, you must be at least a 
  HERALD-LEVEL gamemaster. The person who sanctions 
  the event is called the senior gamemaster, and is in 
  charge of making sure the event is sanctioned before 
  play, runs smoothly on the date sanctioned, and then 
  reported back to the RPGA in a timely manner. The 
  person who runs the game is called the table DM (or 
  usually just DM). Sometimes (and almost all the time in 
  the cases of home events) the senior gamemaster is also 
  the table DM. You don’t have to be a HERALD-LEVEL GM 
  to run this adventure if you are not the senior GM.  
   
  By sanctioning and reporting this adventure you 
  accomplish a couple of things. First it is an official game, 
  and you can use the AR to advance your LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character. Second player and DMs gain 
  rewards for sanctioned RPGA play if they are members of 
  the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS program. Playing 
  this adventure is worth one (1) point.  
   
  This adventure retires from RPGA-sanctioned play 
  on December 31, 2006.  
   
  To learn more about the LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character creation and development, RPGA event 
  sanctioning, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS, visit 
  the RPGA website at www.rpga.com.  
   
  PLAYERS READ NO FARTHER 
  If you are planning on playing this adventure, stop 
  reading now. The rest of the information in this 
  adventure is for the DM only. If you read farther than 
  this section, you’ll know too much about its challenges, 
  which kills the fun. Also, if you’re playing this adventure 
  as part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, reading beyond this 
  point makes you ineligible to do so. 
   
  PREPARING FOR PLAY 
  To get the most out of this adventure, you need copies of 
  the following D&D books: Player’s Handbook, Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, and the  Monster Manual.  
  Throughout this adventure, text in bold italics 
  provides player information for you to paraphrase or read 
  aloud when appropriate. Sidebars contain important 
  information for you, including special instruction on 
  running the adventure. Information on nonplayer 
  characters (NPCs) and monsters appear in abbreviated 
  form in the adventure text. Full information on NPCs 
  and monsters are given in Appendix 1.  
  Along with this adventure you’ll find a RPGA 
  Table Tracking sheet. If you’re playing this adventure as 
  part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, complete and turn in 
  this sheet to your senior GM directly after play. You’ll 
  also find a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure Record (AR).  
   
  LIVING GREYHAWK LEVELS 
  OF PLAY 
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportionate to the modified average character level of 
  the PCs participating in the adventure. To determine this 
  modified Average Party Level (APL) follow the steps 
  below: 
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained for 
  combat (most likely dogs trained for war), other than 
  those brought by virtue of a class ability (such as 
  animal companions, familiars paladin’s mounts) or 
  the warhorse of a character with the Mounted 
  Combat feat, use the sidebar chart to determine the 
  number of levels you add to the sum of step one. Add 
  each character’s animals separately. A single PC may 
  only bring four or fewer animals of this type, and 
  animals with different CRs are added separately.  
  3. 
  Sum the results of step 1 and 2, and divide by the 
  number of characters playing in the adventure. 
  Round up to the nearest whole number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six PCs, add one to that 
  average. 
  Throughout this adventure, APLs categorize the level of 
  challenge the PCs face. APLS are given in even-
  numbered increments. If the APL of your group falls on 
  an odd number, ask them before the adventure begins 
  whether they would like to play a harder or easier 
  adventure. Based on their choice, use either the higher or 
  the lower adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience and gold a 
  PC can gain at the end of the adventure. If a player 
  character is three character levels or more either higher 
  or lower than the APL at which this adventure is being 
  played, that character receives only one-half of the 
  experience points and gold for the adventure. This 
  simulates the fact that either the PC was not challenged 
  as much as normal or relied on help by higher-level 
  characters to reach the objectives. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 2 
  
   
  Furthermore, a PC who is four or more levels higher 
  than the highest APL supported by the adventure may 
  not play the adventure. 
   
  LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed for APL 
  2 and higher. Four or five 1
  st-level characters may find the 
  challenge of an APL 2 adventure difficult. Suggest the 
  following to these groups to help increase their chances 
  of success:  
  1. 
  Enlist a sixth player. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help 
  protect them, and fight for them. 
   
  TIME UNITS AND UPKEEP 
  This is a standard one-round regional adventure, set in 
  the Bandit Kingdoms.  Characters native to the Bandit 
  Kingdoms pay one Time Unit per round, all others pay 
  two Time Units per round. 
   
  Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep costs 12gp per Time 
  Unit.  Rich Upkeep costs 50gp per Time Unit.  Luxury 
  Upkeep costs 100gp per Time Unit. Characters that fail to 
  pay at least Standard Upkeep will retain temporary ability 
  damage until the next adventure, must buy new spell 
  component pouches and healer’s kits, and may suffer 
  other in-game penalties (or possibly gain in-game 
  benefits) as may be detailed in this scenario. 
   
  A character that does not pay for at least Standard 
  Upkeep may also avoid the above-described penalties by 
  living off the wild.  If the character possesses four or 
  more ranks in the Survival skill and succeeds at a Survival 
  check (DC 20), the character will heal temporary ability 
  damage as if he or she paid for Standard Upkeep, may 
  refill spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  restock up to 20 arrows or bolts if the character has at 
  least four ranks in Craft (bowmaking).  The player is 
  allowed to Take 10 on this roll. 
   
  More information about Lifestyle and Upkeep can 
  be found in the “Lifestyle and Upkeep” section of 
  Chapter 3 of the LIVING GREYHAWK Campaign 
  Sourcebook. 
   
  Adventure Background 
  After the revelation that Xuv the ogre experienced, as 
  detailed in BDK3-03 Trouble at Baco Canyon, he left the 
  barrens to return to his people in the Rift Canyon. There 
  he made a short lived attempt to turn the ogres from 
  their evil ways, but was driven from his tribe in disgrace. 
  Undaunted, he haunted the outskirts of the tribal areas 
  and gathered a motley collection of disgraced, injured or 
  converted ogres. Over the last two years, their numbers 
  have grown to almost a hundred. 
   
  Unfortunately, while Xuv may just want to live in 
  peace with his ogre and evil humanoid brethren, the 
  feeling is not reciprocated. Recently, there have been 
  several clashes with the main group of ogres, led by 
  Gogma Headcrusha. Gogma is not able to devote the 
  whole of his resources to crushing Xuv, as he is obligated 
  to supply guards to the silver mines for Cranzer. While 
  normally Gogma would simply ask Cranzer for support to 
  crush Xuv, Gogma has a secret silver mine of his own that 
  he doesn’t want Cranzer finding out about. 
   
  This was the rather stalemated situation for about six 
  months when a chance run in with some Men of the Rift 
  gave Gogma the opportunity to get the Men and Xuv 
  fighting. Gogma attacked a MotR encampment and then 
  retreated back to one of Xuv’s encampments. The MotR 
  slaughtered Xuv’s people mercilessly, not knowing that 
  there were two different groupings of ogres. Since that 
  attack, the balance of power has been shifting in favor of 
  Gogma, and the territory that Xuv controls is shrinking 
  rapidly. 
   
  In desperation, Xuv sent a message to the only 
  people to have ever shown him any friendship, the 
  heroes who saved him from the forces of the Temple 
  Grimacing as detailed in BDK3-03 Trouble at Baco 
  Canyon. His messenger Turg was an ogre, and ogres are 
  not known for their intelligence. As could probably have 
  been predicted, the messenger went astray and ended up 
  drunk in a bar in Stoink. He was overheard saying 
  enough that it was obvious that he knew something of 
  value, and was approached by a Red Planks Infiltrator 
  posing as a friend of Xuv’s. Turg told the imposter 
  enough about the situation that the families became 
  convinced that here was a wonderful opportunity to gain 
  exclusive access to a secret silver mine, as well as a 
  conduit to the Men of the Rift (known to have access to 
  adamantine somewhere in the Rift Canyon) and harm 
  the cause of the evil humanoids in the Rift Canyon. By 
  the time that the information got back to the Veth of the 
  Redplanks, the ogre had disappeared in the back alleys of 
  Stoink and is presumed dead, as attempts to scry his 
  location have been unsuccessful (In fact, while there is 
  no way for the heroes to figure this out, the ogre was 
  killed in a robbery and his body was thrown into the 
  Artonsamay, where it was eaten by crocodiles). 
   
  As the Veth feels that it might harm her already 
  tenuous reputation in the Redplanks if it became 
  common knowledge that she allowed the ogre to 
  disappear before it had been pumped for all its 
  information, the Veth is undertaking the recruitment of 
  discreet adventurers herself in the guise of Madame 
  Sonya, her nom de plume when she was with the circus 
  earlier in her career. Because the Redplanks have few, if 
  any, contacts in the Rift Barrens, the Veth has put out the 
  word to her sympathizers that they are looking for 
  experienced adventurers who can be discreet and have 
  some knowledge of the Rift Barrens.  
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 3 
  
   
  At the time the adventure begins, it is already too 
  late for Xuv’s first attempt at freedom from the tyranny of 
  Gogma. Xuv’s last village was attacked by the Men of the 
  Rift and overwhelmed. His priestess fled with the 
  remaining ogre children at the beginning of the attack, 
  but they were captured by Gogma’s lieutenant, Gask the 
  Mostly Lucky. Xuv escaped the combat at the end to try 
  to protect and escort the children to safety, but was also 
  captured. Gask is hiding this fact from Gogma, hoping to 
  profit from his prisoners. 
   
  The Men of the Rift, not knowing that there are two 
  groupings of ogres, and led by their half-orc priest of 
  Erythnul, Etroll, have continued their campaign against 
  the ogres and, as the adventure begins, are planning an 
  assault upon the next ogre village, which is the one 
  controlled by Gask the Mostly Lucky. 
   
  Adventure Summary  
  Encounter 1: The heroes are approached by a member of 
  the Redplanks and scouted out. If they pass the test, they 
  are recruited to go into the Rift Barrens. If they are 
  observed by the forces of Iuz, skip Encounter 2. If not, 
  skip Encounters 3 and 4. 
   
  Encounter 2: The heroes travel into the Rift Barrens. On 
  the second evening they hear a group of nomads being 
  attacked by orc bounty hunters. If they save the nomads, 
  they can learn the location of a better way into the Rift 
  Canyon. 
   
  Encounter 3: The heroes are betrayed by the spy in the 
  river camp to a bounty hunter and his tribe of orcs. They 
  are ambushed. If they surrender or are captured, they will 
  be saved from imprisonment by the Veth and her 
  personal troops when the orcs get close to the 
  Artonsamay. 
   
  Encounter 4: Parties that were ambushed have an 
  encounter with the Rift Barrens nomads. If they can talk 
  to the nomads successfully, they can show them a better 
  way in (where they can take horses). If not, then they 
  must follow the map given them by the Redplanks, 
  which is much less safe.  
   
  Encounter 5: The characters travel into the Rift Canyon 
  where they see many signs of red dragon activity. They 
  have the opportunity to find an important message from 
  Cranzer to Gogma and his ogres. 
   
  Encounter 6: The heroes come upon the scene of a battle 
  between the Men of the Rift and the last of Xuv’s villages. 
  They may find evidence of the worship of Iallanis 
  amongst the ogres. 
   
  Encounter 7: This encounter is only for heroes who help 
  the Men of the Rift. The heroes have an opportunity to 
  determine the results of a battle between the Men of the 
  Rift and some of Gogma’s ogres, led by Gask the Mostly 
  Lucky. The characters will be able to find out about Xuv 
  and rescue him with the help of one of the leaders of the 
  Men of the Rift. 
   
  Encounter 8: This encounter is only for heroes who help 
  the ogres. The heroes have an opportunity to determine 
  the results of a battle between the Men of the Rift and 
  some of Gogma’s ogres, led by Gask the Mostly Lucky. 
  The characters will be able to find out about Xuv and 
  rescue him with the help of an ogre sympathizer. 
   
  Encounter 9: Xuv and Friga ask the heroes to help them 
  find a legendary haven of their goddess before Gogma 
  mobilizes to find and kill them. They are attacked on the 
  way by some of Morginstaler’s offspring. 
   
   
  Before you begin: Find out the following information 
  from the players: 
  • 
  Have any of the characters played BDK3-03 Trouble 
  at Baco Canyon? 
  • 
  What are the character’s Wanted by the Church of 
  Iuz (WCI) scores from the BKMG? 
  • 
  Do any of the characters have access to the bridle of 
  resistance from BDK4-2 Trouble at Centaur Mesa? 
  • 
  Are any of the characters outlawed by the Rift 
  Barrens Nomads? 
  • 
  Are any of the characters members of a Bandit 
  Kingdoms meta-organization?  
  • 
  Do any of the characters detect as evil? 
  • 
  Do any of the characters have an item that detects as 
  more than faint evil? 
  • 
  Do any of the characters have the Swan tattoo from 
  URC3-08 Winds of Change? 
   
  Regional Warning 
  Please remember that things are different in the 
  Bandi  Kingdoms; heroes can be made, bought or 
  sold, all in the same day and all depending on the 
  situation and the price. The question isn’t ‘What is the 
  right thing to do?’ in a given situation, but rather 
  ‘What will be the ramifications o  any decisions I 
  make? Whose bad side do I not want to be on?’, and 
  ‘When will I need to call in a favor?’ Remember, 
  everything’s negotiable, and some things are more 
  negotiable than others. 
  t
  f
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 4 
  
   
  Introduction 
  It is with good reason that people avoid staying n 
  Sarresh if they are not friends of Old Wicked. Since 
  the new governor arrived from Stoink a few weeks 
  ago, he has made it a point of currying favor with 
  Greater Boneheart Cranzer, the ruler of Riftcrag, by 
  trying to round up every malcontent in the city. Who 
  or what specifical y they are looking for is unknown, 
  but his patrols have made a point of bringing n 
  everyone from out of town who wears a sword or 
  dresses well. Scores of adventurers have been caught, 
  and the whole town is in a constant ferment. Rumor 
  has it that the price of being smuggled across the 
  river to Hardwick in the County of Urnst has tripled 
  in just the last two weeks. 
  i
  l
  i
  t
  t
  l
   
  It is because of this that you wisely decided to 
  use one of the old riverside campsites about three 
  miles from town this evening. With the huge increase 
  in traffic at the site, some enterprising souls have 
  even set up tents serving ale and offering a berth for 
  the night. With the river traffic on the Artonsamay 
  just a few feet from the campsi e, there is no shortage 
  of food and drink. The campsite is almost filled to 
  capacity with the tents and traveling equipage of 
  merchants, adventurers, scoundrels and murderers. 
  The sounds of drunken riot reverberate throughout 
  the camp. 
   
  At the edge of the campsite you can see several 
  Rhenee barges tied up, and a few portable buildings 
  set up along the edge of the river. One of the 
  buildings has a sign in fron  of it: “Madame Sonya 
  Sees your Future”. 
   
  Allow the characters some time here to wander the camp, 
  do some initial role-play and meet one another. Notable 
  places in the camp include: a tent with ale and food, a 
  greasy looking human in front of another tent selling 
  “opportunities” for travelers to join the rather ugly half-
  orc woman in the tent (for the consideration of 5 sp), and 
  a dwarf surrounded by his pony’s saddlebags with a 
  portable forge doing blacksmith work. At this point, if 
  any of the characters are members of the Redplanks 
  (including Sympathizers), give them Player Handout #1.  
   
  If no one is given Player Handout #1, then after a 
  minute or two of initial roleplay, have a Rhenee hawker 
  accost them and urge them into the tent to see Madame 
  Sonya. Use the information in Player Handout #1 to urge 
  them to the Veth’s tent. Remember that she has 
  information from Reading the Lake that the heroes were 
  going to be here, so she is looking for this group of 
  heroes. 
   
  Encounter 1: Conversations 
  with the Veth 
  When someone decides to go see Madame Sonya, read 
  the following: 
   
  The entrance to the tent of Madame Sonya is guarded 
  by a heavily armored burly Rhenee man ho ding a 
  darkha. As you approach, he steps aside and sweeps 
  back the flaps of the tent with a grand gesture. The 
  inside of the tent is gloomy and smoky. A woman in 
  gaudy traditional Rhenee costume is seated at a low 
  table covered with a shawl. Sitting on the table is a 
  crystal ball. She motions for you to sit down in front 
  of her. “Who is it that comes to seek the mysteries of 
  the future from Madame Sonya? Are you prepared to 
  hear of what your future holds?” 
   
  The tent is very gloomy and filled with incense, but 
  characters with low light or dark vision may notice that 
  there are two Rhenee women sitting motionless in the 
  back corners of the tent. Characters without lowlight or 
  dark vision may make a Spot check, DC 20, to notice 
  them. These are the assistants to the Veth. 
   
   
  All APLS (EL 9) 
  Madame Sonya Luboschenko: Female human (Rhe) 
  Brd6/Vetha2, hp 36, Bluff +11, Diplomacy +15, Sense 
  Motive +10, Sleight of Hand +12; see Appendix 1. 
  Maslova: Female human (Rhe) Clr3, hp 23, Bluff +7; see 
  Dungeon Masters Guide page 114. 
  Natasha: Female human (Rhe) Sor3, hp 12, Spellcraft +6; 
  see Dungeon Masters Guide page124. 
  Rhenee Guard: Male human (Rhe) Ftr3, hp 28; see 
  Appendix 1.  
   
  If any of the characters have the Ring of the Rhenee from 
  BDK3-02 Alhaster Fog or the Carved Riverstone from 
  BDKA3-01 Artonsamay Falcon, then she will assume that 
  they are trustworthy. Treat them as if they were 
  summoned here and skip the fortune telling. 
   
  If the characters come in without being summoned 
  (no one received Player Handout #1), she will tell their 
  fortune. 
   
   
  Fortune Telling: She will start by asking about the 
  heroes’ backgrounds and adventures. She is probing for 
  information about how trustworthy the characters might 
  be without giving away anything. The cost of the reading 
  is 1 gp per PC. She will claim that it is to “tune the 
  mystical forces to their spiritual auras”.  
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 5 
  
   
  She will ask the characters the following: 
   
  “The spirits are saying a name. The name is ‘Xuv’. 
  Does this name mean anything to you?” 
   
  Characters may make a Sense Motive versus her Bluff 
  check to realize that she is not telling them the whole 
  truth here. If the characters claim to know Xuv, she will 
  ask them how they know him.  
   
  After she has quizzed them for a while she will “look 
  into the lake” (her crystal ball). A Spellcraft check, DC 26, 
  will see that there is a modified dancing lights spell upon 
  the crystal ball. This gives the ball a faint aura of illusion. 
  She will use her Sleight of Hand skill to attempt to hide 
  the somatic component of a Silent minor image into the 
  crystal ball to show some potential scenes of the “future”. 
  This is an opposed Sleight of Hand versus Spot check. 
  Characters that make their Spot check can make a 
  Spellcraft check. Some scenes that might be appropriate: 
  • 
  A hero with his back facing an altar with a wreath 
  symbol, fighting desperately against something out 
  of the picture. 
  • 
  A hero traveling down a shadowy path underground 
  with skulls on the ground. 
  • 
  Several heroes crossing a bridge in the gloom 
  somewhere underground, being attacked by ogres. 
  • 
  The heroes being ambushed by archers in a wooded 
  area. 
  • 
  The heroes moving along the bottom of a canyon, 
  with a red dragon flying high above them. 
   
  During this time, Natasha has a detect evil spell up and 
  running and has scanned the party. Maslova has a detect 
  magic up and has read the aura of any magic items. 
  Assuming that they do not detect any evil or necromancy 
  greater than faint on any items (this means no staff of 
  Tzumvaltum or major necromantic magic), they will 
  signal to Madame Sonya, skip to the dialog below. The 
  players are welcome to try to use their Sense Motive skill 
  to intercept the communication between the two. 
   
  If the players came in after being summoned, 
  Madame Sonya will use her Bluff skill to send an 
  innuendo to the Red Planks member about the reliability 
  of those with him/her. Characters may attempt to 
  intercept the innuendo using their Sense Motive skill as 
  described in the Player’s Handbook. Assuming she gets a 
  positive response from the Red Plank, continue to the 
  dialogue below.  
   
  Development: Madame Sonya is the Veth of the 
  Redplanks, although she will not advertise that fact to the 
  characters. Any member of the Redplanks will recognize 
  her. Other characters may make a Bardic Knowledge roll, 
  DC 20, or a Knowledge (local: Iuz Border States) check, 
  DC 30. Madame Sonya is in a delicate situation here. She 
  feels that her authority as the Veth has been 
  compromised because her Aunt Tatiana, the old Veth, is 
  still alive, albeit in the Gul Bortha prison under Temple 
  Grimacing. She is also currently not on good terms with 
  the matriarch of the Redplanks, Mother Kanski. This 
  precarious situation was not helped by the disappearance 
  of the ogre that had the message from Xuv. Because of 
  this, she is approaching the adventurers instead of the 
  Redplanks family council. She needs discreet adventurers 
  with knowledge of the Bandit Kingdoms in general and 
  the Rift Barrens in particular. She hopes to present a 
  positive result as a fait accompli to the family council and 
  so strengthen her position. 
   
  She will refuse to discuss the matter further if any of 
  the characters detected as evil, or had on their person any 
  item that detected more than faint necromancy. In this 
  case, she will find an excuse to get those people out of the 
  tent and question the remaining characters about these 
  heroes. She will insist that they not impart to them what 
  she is about to say, as they are not to be trusted. Only 
  with a Diplomacy check of 35 (she starts out hostile to 
  the evil PC and gets a +10 modifier to the DC based upon 
  what she considers the improbability of the tale of the 
  good character with major evil on their person. In her 
  opinion it is much more likely that the rest of the party is 
  under some sort of compulsion to betray her). Should the 
  characters refuse to abandon the evil character, she will 
  dismiss them. The adventure is now over. Hand out AR’s 
  and thank the players. 
   
   
  When she is convinced that they can be trusted, she will 
  continue: 
   
  “Perhaps there is something that you can do for me 
  that would benefit both of us? I have need of 
  someone to travel away from the river, and I have 
  heard rumors that the governor o  Sarresh is looking 
  for people who resemble you quite a bit. While I am 
  sure that this resemblance is a case of mistaken 
  identity, it seems that you need to disappear. The 
  river tells me that you are the ones fated to succeed at 
  what needs to be done. It is never wise to disregard 
  the river.” 
  f
   
  Allow the characters to react here. She will ask for their 
  acceptance of the mission without telling them anything 
  about it except that: 
  • 
  It takes them into the wilderness. 
  • 
  They might be able to help some unfortunates who 
  are desperate. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 6 
  
  • 
  If they succeed, they will be compensated for their 
  trouble. 
   
  Should they not agree, she will at least ask that they hear 
  her out and promise to keep what she has to say secret. 
  Maslova will cast a zone of truth before they promise. 
   
   
  When they have agreed to at least hear her out, read the 
  following: 
   
  “About a week ago, one of my informants brought to 
  me a tale told to him by an ogre that he met in a 
  tavern in Stoink. The story he told was fascinating, 
  and too creative to be thought up by a drunken ogre. 
  Apparently, a year or two ago, a group of adventurers 
  came upon an ogre and, instead of slaying him, 
  showed him mercy and saved him from death.  
   
  This apparently so changed this ogre’s outlook 
  that he wished to return to his tribe and turn them 
  from their instinctive hatred of humans. Over the last 
  two years, he has gathered together a group of 
  outcasts and tried to teach them the ways of 
  compassion. Needless to say, this has not made him 
  popular with the other denizens of his homeland. He 
  and his people are now sorely pressed and have 
  appealed for help. I propose to send you to help him. 
  This is my mission for you.” 
   
  Who is this person?  
  “Xuv, the ogre.” Characters that played BDK3-03 
  Trouble at Baco Canyon will recognize this as the ogre 
  that saved the heroes from the assassins. 
   
  Where is he? 
  ”In the Rift Canyon.” 
   
  Why do you care?  
  “Can you not see the weakening of our common 
  enemy if the ogres of the Rift turn against their 
  masters? But you are correct; there is more to the 
  story than that. This ogre told us that their enemies 
  fund themselves from a secret silver mine that their 
  ev  overlord Cranzer does not know about. 
  Additionally, it is rumored that somewhere in the Rift 
  are some small deposits of adamantine that some of 
  the humans in the Rift know about. If you can get 
  agreements for my people to have access to these 
  metals, then you will have been successful.” 
  il
  l
  i
  i
  ,
   
   
  How can we help? We can’t defeat all the ogres in the 
  Rift!  
  “Xuv’s problem is that he is under attack from not 
  on y h s evil ogre k nsmen  but also from a group of 
  humans who live in the Rift. I do not know the 
  motivations of these humans, perhaps they work for 
  Cranzer. I would hope that you could either mediate 
  between the humans and ogres or else ensure that 
  this Xuv prevails”. 
   
  I don’t know how to get into the Rift.  
  “I have a map that shows a way into the Rift. There 
  may be other ways, but the nomads of the Rift 
  probably guard them and I do not know them well 
  enough to trust them.” 
   
  So, how much are we going to get paid for this? 
  “If the mission is successful and you are able to secure 
  our access to the mines, then I will be able to offer 
  you the services of my people to help you obtain 
  some rare magical item in other lands.” She is willing 
  to go as high as 50 gp*APL up front if the players win an 
  opposed Diplomacy check. If they do, then she will not 
  give them the favor at the end of the adventure, but the 
  cash instead. 
   
  Development: As the party leaves the tent, they are 
  being watched by Slavos Northwind, an Iuzian spy who 
  will attempt to see through any disguises that the players 
  have. The spy has previously cast detect magic and will 
  automatically notice the Swan tattoo if it is on one of the 
  characters. The check to notice the spy is an opposed 
  Spot versus Hide roll, with the spy getting a +5 
  Circumstance modifier for “blending in with the crowd.”  
   
  Slavos Northwind: Male human (Oer), hp 40, Hide +22, 
  Spot +14; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Tactics: Should the heroes notice the spy, he will send 
  his shadow after the lead hero or animal with orders to 
  delay the party for a round. After the one round, the 
  shadow will flee into the ground. This should allow the 
  spy enough time to find some shadows to hide in. He will 
  then cast a minor image of himself fleeing down the road 
  to Sarresh. The spy will try to disappear into the crowd 
  and thence into the scrublands. He is not interested in 
  fighting at all. 
   
  If they catch the spy, he will only say that he is 
  working for a man named Ruvash and was paid to look 
  for them. He will try to plead that he is no one important. 
  He will offer the heroes all his money to let him go.  
   
  Development: Proceed to Encounter 2 unless one of the 
  events listed below occurs. If one of the below events 
  occur, go to Encounter 3. 
  • 
  The spy sees them for who they are and anyone in 
  the party has a WCI score of Malcontent or higher. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 7 
  
  • 
  A party member has the Swan tattoo from the 
  county of Urnst (from URC3-08 Winds of Change), 
  showing that they are loyalists to the Countess. 
  • 
  They are showing a holy symbol other than Iuz’s on 
  their person. 
  • 
  They capture the spy and then let him go after 
  listening to his story. 
   
  Troubleshooting: There are several ways that this 
  encounter could go wrong. The first is that they never go 
  into the tent of Madame Sonya. If it looks like they are 
  going to leave the encampment without visiting the tent, 
  have the guard approach them and offer the services of 
  Madame Sonya to read their fortune. If necessary, have 
  him imply that Madame Sonya has seen dire portents in 
  the lake and wishes to warn them. 
   
  The second way that things might go wrong is if 
  someone at the table detects as evil or has some powerful 
  necromantic artifact. Madame Sonya will not trust this 
  person and will not deal with the character at all. 
  However, Madame Sonya has no way of tracking the 
  characters after they leave camp. They are welcome to do 
  the mission with the party. They will not get Madame 
  Sonya’s pay or favor at the end of the mission, as they 
  weren’t there. 
   
  The third way things might go wrong is if someone 
  attacks the Veth or her assistants. This includes mind 
  control effects that are detected. In this case, the 
  adventure is over (assume that the Rhenee get away). You 
  should note that the character has received the Enmity of 
  the Redplanks in the notes section of the AR and contact 
  the triad. 
   
  If the characters wish to use transportation magic, 
  note that Encounter 2 happens before the characters have 
  a chance to relearn spells for the new day. Nevertheless, 
  some parties will have these spells memorized. In that 
  case, if the spy has noticed the characters in Encounter 1, 
  then he will report to Ruvash. Ruvash, when they don’t 
  show up, will have the temple of Iuz cast a divination to 
  find out where best to meet the party. Due to this 
  divination, Ruvash and his barbarian orcs (from 
  Encounter 2) will be waiting to ambush the characters 
  just before they return to the Veth at the end of the 
  adventure.  
   
  In effect, move encounter two to the end of the 
  adventure. Should the characters find some way of 
  getting back to the Veth that Ruvash can’t track, then 
  they simply do not get experience for that encounter. 
  They are still hunted by Ruvash and get that on the AR. 
   
  If the characters use powerful divinations, here are 
  some sample results: 
  • 
  Scry, greater scry. If Xuv fails his Will save, the 
  scryer will notice that Xuv is badly beaten and sitting 
  in a dark place on a filth encrusted floor. Most of the 
  time he is unconscious. If scried long enough, the 
  scryer may notice several ogre children move 
  through the sensor. They may hear a female voice 
  singing a lullaby. 
  • 
  Sending: if they try a sending, then he can tell them 
  (in Giant): “They destroyed our village. We have 
  been captured. No food or drink. They beat us, 
  but Trigo and the others are dead. Only Friga 
  and…” 
  • 
  Find the path: Will point towards the Rift Canyon. 
  As Xuv is in Gask’s cave at this point, it would point 
  towards the scene in Encounter 7 or 8. 
   
  Encounter 2: A Friend in Need 
  Within a half a day of leaving the relatively fertile 
  Artonsamay river valley, you have left behind all 
  significant greenery. Gradually the trees peter out to 
  be replaced with scrubby cedars and sagebrush. The 
  weather, whi e hot, is dry, which makes it cooler, but 
  makes it more noticeable that you haven’t seen any 
  water for several hours.  
  l
  i
   
  i
   
  Nonetheless, you make camp in an nviting little 
  ravine, sheltered from any prying eyes. 
   
  Allow the characters to set watches if they wish, and 
  prepare for the evening: 
  Sometime near midnight, the stillness of the n ght is 
  shattered by a horrifying scream from off to the north 
  of you. 
   
  Keep track of rounds here, as the nomads being attacked 
  will all be dead in 10 rounds if the characters do not get 
  there to help.  
   
  All APLs 
  Redfox Elderly nomads (10): Male human (flan) Com2, 
  hp 6. 
  Redfox nomads (10): Female human (flan) Com 1, hp 3. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 6) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 20; see Appendix 1. 
  Orcs (10): hp 5; see Monster Manual page 203. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 31; see Appendix 1. 
  Orcs (12): hp 5; see Monster Manual page 203. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 42; see Appendix 1. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 8 
  
  Orc Bbn2 (12): hp 22; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 53; see Appendix 1. 
  Orc Bbn4 (12): hp 39; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 64; see Appendix 1. 
  Orc Bbn6 (12): hp 62; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Tactics: Ruvash will target humans preferentially, and 
  spell casters and lightly armored foes first with his 
  ranged attacks. Note also that he has several precasts 
  upon himself when the battle is joined. The orcs will rage 
  and charge, with four staying behind and chasing down 
  nomads and killing them. Assume that the orcs left 
  behind kill a total of two nomads per round if not 
  stopped. 
   
  If more than seven of the orcs are down, Ruvash will 
  flee into the darkness. He has drunk a potion of 
  darkvision prior to the combat, so if that is still operative, 
  he can move at full speed. Note his ranger abilities: if 
  only a few of the party chase after him and Ruvash feels 
  that he can turn and kill his pursuers, then he will. 
   
  Should Ruvash escape, the party will get Hunted by 
  Ruvash on the AR at the conclusion of the adventure. 
   
  About a minute after the orcs are defeated, the party 
  will hear the sounds of horses approaching the campsite. 
  Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  A group of nomads in colors similar to those of the 
  campers come gal oping out of the darkness, their 
  horses athered with hard riding. Some of the nomads 
  have tied to their lances the severed tails of several 
  worgs. The nomads look surprised to see you in their 
  campsite. One man, approaching middle age, raises a 
  hand in salute and walks h s horse towards you. “You 
  friend or you enemy?” he asks as he walks his horse 
  towards you.  
  l
  l
   
   
  i
  t
  i
   
  This is Furthan Redfox, leader of the clan Redfox. 
  Characters that played BDK4-02 Trouble at Centaur Mesa 
  will immediately recognize him. And he will recognize 
  them if not in disguise. Have Furthan also make a Spot 
  check at this point against any disguised character that is 
  outlawed by the Rift Barrens Nomads (from BDK3-03 
  Trouble at Baco Canyon).  
   
  If any of the nomads survived, he will welcome them 
  gratefully and thank them for saving his people. He can 
  explain that their party was attacked earlier in the late 
  afternoon by a party of worg riders and his men went to 
  chase after them to make sure that word of their presence 
  in this section of the barrens didn’t make it back to the 
  military authorities at Wraithkeep (called The Castle of 
  Shadows by the nomads). The guards that he left behind 
  with the non-combatants were overwhelmed early in the 
  assault and their dead bodies can be seen in the campsite. 
   
  If there is an outlaw in the party, he will inform the 
  other party members that while in accordance with 
  nomadic custom he should try to apprehend or kill the 
  outlaw, in light of the actions of the party of saving his 
  people, he will “forget” that he has seen the outlaw until 
  tomorrow at noon. He will pointedly NOT talk to the 
  outlaw. If asked, he will tell other party members how 
  that the outlaw is convicted of looting the tomb of the 
  founding hero of the nomadic tribes and is under a 
  sentence of death. Proceed to Encounter 5. 
   
  Should the party descend into violence against the 
  nomads, the warriors will each try to ride by and grab one 
  of the commoner women and flee into the barrens. Warn 
  them that they are preparing to slaughter helpless 
  civilians and that this is an evil act. Should it come to 
  combat, see the stats for the nomads as listed in 
  Encounter 4.  
   
  Should they attack the nomads, and any nomad gets 
  away, you should write in the play notes section that they 
  are outlawed by the Rift Barrens Nomads and should 
  report the action to the Triad. 
   
  If there is no outlaw in the party, then Furthan will 
  ask what brings them out into the barrens. If the party 
  mentions that they are going to the Rift Canyon, then he 
  will act surprised. 
   
  “Why do the men of the city wish to go to the great 
  canyon? Surely this is no  the way to the city on the 
  Spire.” 
   
  A Knowledge (local: Iuz Border States) check, DC 10, will 
  understand this to be Riftcrag. Furthan is a little worried 
  that word has gotten out about the nomadic tribe’s way 
  into the canyon. If the party is up front about the map 
  given by the Redplanks and show it to him, he will study 
  it then say: 
   
  A small smile breaks over his face for a moment as he 
  looks at the map. “You will never get horses down 
  THAT trail.” He hands you back the map. As you have 
  done me a favor, so I can do you one in return. There 
  is another way nto that portion of the great canyon. 
  We will travel that way tomorrow and I will show it 
  to you if you will promise that this remains a secret 
  between you and us.” 
   
  Furthan Redfox: Male human, hp 39; see Appendix 1. 
  Rift Barrens nomad horseman (10): Male human, hp 
  21; see Appendix 1. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 9 
  
  Light warhorse (11): hp 22, see Monster Manual page 
  274. 
   
  Development: If the party agrees to keep the secret, then 
  he will show them the way down. Proceed to Encounter 
  5. 
   
  Encounter 3: The Bounty 
  Hunter 
  Only run this encounter if you did NOT run Encounter 
  2. 
   
  Your second day of traveling has you getting more 
  and more off the beaten track. The last farmhouse you 
  saw was yesterday afternoon and the terrain is a hilly 
  scrubby land that looks as i  only sheep or goats could 
  thrive upon. 
  f
   
  Have the characters make Spot checks versus Ruvash’s 
  Hide check. Give Ruvash a +5 Circumstance modifier for 
  the thick underbrush. Those who make the Spot check 
  will notice him about to step out onto the trail about 40 
  feet in front of them (this 40 feet is a winding trail, so no 
  charging without a special feat to allow changes in 
  direction). 
   
  Depending upon the party’s actions, you might not 
  get to read the following: 
   
  You have traveled down into a steep ravine 
  containing thick, waist high underbrush and the first 
  water that you have seen all day, when a man steps 
  out of the brush ahead of you, his bow strung and an 
  arrow knocked. With a sneer he says, “Stop right 
  there, scum, and drop your weapons.” He then lets 
  out a piercing whistle. 
   
  The whistle is the signal for his band of orcs to pour out 
  of the cave to the left of the ambush site (see DM Map 
  #1). They will use their first round to take up positions 
  fanning out in a semi-circle around the party (consider 
  this a surprise round). Three of the orcs will move to 
  position themselves between Ruvash and the party. If the 
  party attacks immediately, then they might be able to get 
  to Ruvash before the orcs get in the way (such as by 
  playing the Feign Surprise card). A Knowledge (local: Iuz 
  Border States), DC 15, will recognize that there are a 
  mixture of tribal symbols on the orcs, with a couple of 
  Bonefist legion deserters, several Bluff Hills tribes and 
  even one from a Phostwood tribe. 
   
  Ruvash will demand their surrender. He will also 
  command his orcs to target any hero that starts to cast a 
  spell. If the heroes do not make any aggressive moves, he 
  is willing to talk for a minute, as that allows his orcs more 
  time to find the best place to pepper the heroes and then 
  charge down upon them.  
  Things he is willing to tell them: 
  • 
  He is Ruvash Bloodarrow, the best bounty hunter in 
  the northern Flanaess. 
  • 
  He will take them back to the authorities and collect 
  the bounty. 
  • 
  He doesn’t care whether he takes them back alive or 
  dead. Dead is actually easier to transport. 
   
  If the characters negotiate: Ruvash can be bought off 
  for (300* APL) gp or 5 times the sum of the bounty on all 
  the characters due to their WCI score according to the 
  BKMG, whichever is larger. He will start at 1000 times 
  the APL, but with a successful Diplomacy check, DC 25, 
  he will knock that down to the lower amount. If the 
  players refuse to roleplay the argument with Ruvash, 
  then give them a -5 Circumstance modifier on the 
  Diplomacy check. He will also take magic items worth 
  that much if they are something that might be of use to a 
  ranger (boots of elvenkind, a magical bastard sword, 
  amulet of natural armor, etc.). 
   
  The key for Ruvash is to get the players to either 
  surrender or pay up, as he can guess that his orcs are 
  going to get butchered by the heroes. This gives him an 
  incentive to accept the cash. He is not a fearful person, 
  however, and feels that he and his orcs can take down the 
  heroes if they have to, albeit with heavy losses. As the 
  DM, talk it up like it is an overwhelming encounter if the 
  table seems to be one that is a little fearful. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 6) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 20; see Appendix 1. 
  Orcs (10): hp 5; see Monster Manual page 203. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 31; see Appendix 1. 
  Orcs (12): hp 5; see Monster Manual page 203. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 42; see Appendix 1. 
  Orc Bbn2 (12): hp 22; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 53; see Appendix 1. 
  Orc Bbn4 (12): hp 39; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: hp 64; see Appendix 1. 
  Orc Bbn6 (12): hp 62; see Appendix 1. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 10 
  
   
  Tactics: If the characters fight, Ruvash will target 
  humans preferentially, and target those that look like 
  spellcasters first. He will make sure that some of his orcs 
  are standing between him and the party and will call the 
  orcs to him if necessary to protect him against the 
  fighters in the party. He will leave the fighters to the orcs 
  and plug away at the lightly armored foes until he runs 
  out of humans, elves and dwarves. Remember that 
  Ruvash has the Improved Precise Shot feat at some APLs, 
  allowing him to ignore cover.  
   
  The orcs’ morale will break when: half of their 
  numbers are down, or when one quarter of their numbers 
  are down and Ruvash is defeated. 
   
  If the party is defeated, Ruvash will attempt to 
  stabilize any of the party members that are not dead to 
  sell to the Temple Grimacing. At this point, their gear is 
  taken from them. Go to the section titled “Should the 
  party surrender or are defeated in combat.” 
   
  If it comes to a fight and Ruvash and his orcs are 
  defeated, the heroes will find several parchments on his 
  body with sketches and names of the characters. They 
  will also find a note scrawled on a piece of paper that says 
  “they just left camp heading away from the river”. 
   
  Should the party surrender or are defeated in combat: 
  The PCs are stripped of their possessions, bound, 
  manacled, gagged, and then loose garrotes are looped 
  around their throats and they are slung over the backs of 
  orcs. Spellcasters are then knocked out. Mention about 
  how that they are continuously watched for any 
  suspicious movements. You can torture them with 
  descriptions of what is happening to their possessions if 
  you wish. If the characters figure out a way to escape, 
  then they either continue without possessions or they 
  fight (see above for what to do if there is a fight). 
   
  The night of captiv ty was one of the worst of your 
  life. The orcs taunted you with grisly tales of torture, 
  you had to watch as your possessions were taken from 
  you, and you were mercilessly beaten every time you 
  stumbled or tried to talk. The bonds around your 
  wrists and the gags in your mouth chafe horribly and 
  smell worse. As morning gets ready to dawn, the orcs 
  make camp near the Artonsamay and you gratefully 
  drop to the ground, exhausted. 
  i
   
   
   
  l
   
  The next thing that you are aware of is the 
  sounds of screaming orcs, as a group of about forty 
  Rhenee men swarm up from the river, their darkhas 
  making quick work of any orcs who stand and fight. 
  Ruvash is nowhere in sight. 
   
  The battle is over within seconds. You see 
  Madame Sonya walking up from the river. She 
  motions to the men to untie you and says to you, “I 
  hope that it does not bode ill for my selection that 
  you have allowed yourself to be caught. I give you 
  your life back; now succeed at what I asked of you.” 
   
  The players get their possessions back. The party will get 
  Hunted by Ruvash Bloodarrow and Debt Owed to the 
  Veth on the AR. 
   
  Encounter 4: The Rift Barrens 
  Nomads 
  This encounter follows Encounter 3. If you ran 
  Encounter 2 then skip to Encounter 5. 
   
  Three days of travel get you well into the Rift Barrens. 
  The vegetation has gotten progressively sparser, and 
  you haven’t seen any water since the place where you 
  were ambushed by the orcs. The land is as flat as a 
  calm day on the Nyr Dyv, or at least seems so until 
  you get to one of the innumerable gullies that seem to
  crisscross this landscape. 
  From across the plains you can see a cloud of dust 
  approaching your party. As the cloud gets closer, you 
  can see that they are horsemen. 
   
  Allow the characters to react here. Some members of the 
  party could be outlawed by the nomads and might need 
  to do something to disguise themselves. Recall that a 
  Disguise check takes an average of 20 minutes, which 
  they don’t have. Should the characters attack the nomads, 
  the horsemen will flee into the barrens. Proceed to 
  Encounter 5. 
   
  A Knowledge (Iocal: Iuz Border States) check, DC 15, 
  will recognize them as Rift Barrens nomads. A 
  Knowledge (nobility and Royalty) check, DC 20, will 
  recognize them as wearing the clan colors of the Redfox 
  clan. You may substitute a Bardic Knowledge check at a -
  5 DC for these knowledge skills.  
   
  The party appears to be a group of about 10 horse 
  archers dressed in distinctive patterns as if they were 
  some sort of heraldry. The main group stops about 
  1000 feet away from you with bows out and arrows 
  knocked, whi e an older man pulls out a spy glass and 
  looks you over. He is riding what is obviously, even to 
  someone raised in the city, an exceptionally fine 
  spotted horse. 
   
  This is Furthan Redfox, leader of the clan Redfox. He is 
  out in this direction because a group of orcs attacked a 
  group of his women and old men a week ago and he is 
  looking for vengeance. Note that this is the same Furthan 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 11 
  
  who was featured in BDK4-02 Trouble at Centaur Mesa. 
  Any 
  character 
  that 
  played 
  that 
  adventure 
  will 
  automatically recognize him.  
   
  Should the party make any threatening moves then 
  the nomads will flee at top speed into the barrens.  
   
  If any member of the party is recognized by Furthan 
  as being outlawed:  
  Remember that he was at there when the attack against 
  the conclave occurred, and helped preside in the trial to 
  convict those who defiled Tulosh’s tomb (detailed in 
  BDK3-03 Trouble at Baco Canyon).  
   
  If he recognizes one of the party as outlawed, 
  Furthan will say something to one of the other nomads, 
  who will tie a cloth to a spear and throw it in the 
  direction of the characters, where it will stick in the 
  ground. They will then gallop off.  
   
  When the characters advance on the spear, allow 
  them a Bardic Knowledge, DC 12, or Knowledge (local: 
  Iuz Border States), DC 20, to recognize the cloth as a 
  symbol of outlawry. This cloth symbolizes the fact that 
  the nomads recognize that outlaws are in their territory, 
  but do not have the forces to destroy them YET. 
  Emphasize that they have probably gone to get 
  reinforcements and that time is of the essence. 
   
  Furthan Redfox: Male human Rgr7, hp 42, Sense Motive 
  +10, Spot +12; see Dungeon Masters Guide page 121. 
  Rift Barrens nomad horseman (10): Male human Rgr3, 
  hp 20; see Dungeon Masters Guide page 122. 
  Light warhorse (11): hp 22, see Monster Manual page 
  274. 
   
  If Furthan is satisfied that they are not outlaws, Iuz 
  worshippers or government troops, then he will advance 
  to them, holding out his hand in a gesture of friendship. 
  When he gets close to the party, he will stop and call out 
  to them: 
  “Why do those from the green lands come into the 
  barrens?” 
   
  If they give him a plausible story that does not involve 
  going into the Rift, or if he detects them lying, then he 
  will wish them good luck and ride back to his men. They 
  will leave. Proceed to Encounter 5. 
   
  If the party mentions that they are going to the Rift 
  Canyon, then he will act surprised: 
   
   
  i
  i
  “Why do the men of the city wish to go to the great 
  canyon? Surely this is not the way to the city on the 
  Spire.” 
   
  A Knowledge (local: Iuz Border States) check, DC 10, will 
  understand this to be Riftcrag. Furthan is a little worried 
  that word has gotten out about the nomadic tribe’s way 
  into the canyon.  
   
  If the party is up front about the map given by the 
  Redplanks and show it to him, he will study it then say: 
  A small smile breaks over his face for a moment as he 
  looks at the map. “You will never get horses down 
  THAT trail.” He hands you back the map. 
   
  While Furthan obviously knows more than he is letting 
  on here, he is reluctant to tell them the nomadic way into 
  the canyon. Only a Diplomacy check, DC 30, will get him 
  to reveal this secret. Diplomacy check modifiers: 
  • 
  Favor of Shining Rock: -10 
  • 
  Favor of Ovek Sparrowhawk: +5 
  • 
  Access to the Bridle of Resistance: -20 
   
  Furthan hates the Sparrowhawk clan, so having the favor 
  of Ovek Sparrowhawk indicates that they saved the 
  Sparrowhawk. If someone has access to the Bridle of 
  Resistance from (BDK4-02 Trouble at Centaur Mesa), 
  then it shows that they did Furthan a big favor in that 
  adventure and he is likely to help them. 
   
  If they fail the Diplomacy check, he will regret that 
  he cannot help the characters and wish them good luck 
  on their journey. He will offer to look after their horses 
  after they go into the Rift, as they cannot possibly risk 
  the horses on so perilous a journey. He is trustworthy 
  and will return the horses at the end of the adventure. 
   
  If they succeed in the Diplomacy check, then he will 
  offer to lead them to a safer path if they will swear not to 
  reveal it to anyone else. 
   
  Encounter 5: The Descent into 
  the Rift 
  If the heroes do not know about the nomad trail: 
   
  The trail marked on the map given to you by Madame 
  Sonya was apparently made by mountain goats, as you 
  can’t imagine how anyone else could manage it. It 
  soon becomes bl ndingly obvious that no horse could 
  possibly survive the journey down this trail, and 
  hav ng a good supply of rope wouldn’t hurt too badly. 
   
  If the heroes insist on taking their horses, then it will 
  require a Handle Animal check, DC 20, to get the horse 
  to even try. Then each horse must make 10 Reflex saves, 
  DC 15. Each failure results in a sliding fall dealing 3d6 pts 
  of damage. After each fall, a new Handle Animal check 
  must be attempted at +2 DC for each fall to get the horse 
  to continue. Animal companions are exempt from the 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 12 
  
  Handle Animal check, but you might mention to the 
  player that they are risking the animal’s life. 
   
  The heroes can make a Survival check, DC 10, or 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) check, DC 15, to recognize 
  that armor will make this climb very difficult. Each hero 
  will have to make 5 Balance checks on the way down. The 
  DC is 10, but add 5 to the DC for each level of 
  encumbrance above light. Therefore the DC for a 
  character in full plate would be 20. This represents the 
  places where the character has to stretch to the next 
  handhold in ways that the armor was not designed to 
  move. A character may add half of his ranks in climb to 
  this check. This represents the fact that there are few 
  good places to tie off a rope and that the amount of rope 
  needed is over a mile long.  
   
  Each failed check results in a fall of 25 feet plus an 
  additional 5 feet for every point over 5 that they missed 
  the balance check. They are welcome to try to reduce that 
  using their Tumble skill. For example: a character in full 
  plate who obtained a 4 on his Balance check would miss 
  the DC by 16. This character would fall 25 + 11(5) or 80 
  feet, dealing 8d6 damage.  
   
  If the heroes know about the nomad trail: 
   
  The nomads lead you quickly and safely through the 
  wasteland that is the Rift Barrens toward the Rift 
  Canyon. On the second day, Furthan points to a 
  narrow cleft in the canyon wall and smiles at you. 
  “Your map show this gul y. You never get horses 
  down that! I show you better way, horse friendly.”  
  l
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  “
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  Looking down the cleft, you can tell that while 
  mountain goats might enjoy the thrill, you would 
  have had a lot of trouble getting yourselves down 
  there in any armor without sliding all the way to the 
  bottom of the canyon. 
   
  About an hour ater, Furthan stops at another 
  cleft in the canyon wall and says to you, “This way 
  looks bad, but after the first l ttle bit it is good for 
  horses. Now we have returned the saving, you save us 
  from orc, we save your horses from broken legs.” 
  With that, Furthan and his warriors wheel their 
  horses and gallop off into the wastelands.  
   
  It is a relatively easy descent to the bottom of the Rift 
  Canyon on this trail.  
   
   
  No matter which trail they take, read or paraphrase the 
  following when they get down. 
   
  The towering wal s of the sides of the Rift Canyon 
  cast the floor of the canyon into perpetual gloom. 
  Strange outcroppings of rock in fantastic shapes 
  protrude from the wal s of the sheer cl ffs on either 
  side of you. It looks as though it is about a mi e to the 
  other side of the Rift at this point. Far above you, a 
  faint patch of blue indicates the location of the world. 
  To someone not born in the depths of the Oerth, the 
  feel ng of claustrophobia is hard to avoid. 
   
  Fol owing the map given to you by Madame 
  Sonya, you turn to the North, which seems to be up”, 
  if such a thing means anything in the bowels of the 
  Oerth. After walking for about an hour, an hour spent 
  seeing no vegetation except for fungus and moss, you 
  see the bones of an animal up ahead. 
   
  Allow the heroes to prepare themselves how they wish. 
  When they get up close to the bones, allow them a 
  Knowledge (nature) check, DC 15, to recognize the bones 
  of that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. A Heal check, DC 20, 
  shows that it was ripped to shreds by some clawed 
  attacker and that it was also burned. A Survival check, DC 
  10, will show that the moss in the area has been singed. A 
  search of the head of the T-rex shows a single large red 
  gold colored dragon scale impaled on one of its teeth. It is 
  apparent that a titanic struggle took place here. A 
  Survival check, DC 20, estimates that it was about a week 
  ago.  
   
  A Search check, DC 22, will find several tracks of a 
  huge dragon that suddenly end about 100 feet from the 
  bones. A Knowledge (local: Iuz Border States) check, DC 
  12, will give them the information that there is rumored 
  to be a Red Dragon in the Rift named Morginstaler. 
   
  A quick search of the T-rex bones shows that there is 
  the skeleton of an ogre underneath the T-rex. On the 
  body is a holy symbol. Knowledge (religion) check, DC 
  20, recognizes it as a symbol to Grolantor (CE 
  intermediate deity of ogres) and a message. Give them 
  Player Handout 2. 
   
  Encounter Six: The Scene of 
  Slaughter 
  The last several hours through the gloom of the 
  overhanging cl ffs of the great canyon have been 
  nerve wracking, with the feeling that at any moment 
  a huge red dragon might swoop down upon you. Your 
  companions seem to feel the same prickles on their 
  skin, and everyone is a little irritable. For the last ten 
  minutes you have smel ed the scent of smoke coming 
  from up ahead. Cautiously rounding a bend in the 
  cl ff wal , you see ahead of you a large cave opening 
  with faint tendrils of smoke spiraling upwards. 
   
  Characters that make a Spot check, DC 25, will notice 
  that there appears to be a body lying in the mouth of the 
  cave. Characters that make a Survival check, DC 25, will 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 13 
  
  note that the smell of the smoke is not that of a campfire, 
  but seems to be more of a burning building type of smell. 
  A Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check or a 
  Stonecunning check, DC 15, will notice that these caves 
  are not worked stone but appear natural. 
   
  When the party approaches, they will notice that the 
  body is that of an ogre. A Heal check, DC 15, will note 
  that the death seemed to be from a single knife wound in 
  the back. A Heal check, DC 18, will approximate its death 
  as happening about three days ago. The body (and all 
  bodies found later on) has all been stripped of anything 
  that might have the slightest value. A Search check, DC 
  13, will notice many sets of footprints leading in and out 
  of the cave, almost all large humanoid. If they make DC 
  18, they will notice that the last sets of footprints are 
  those made by medium-sized humanoids. These prints 
  lead down the canyon for about 100 yards, where they 
  stop at a rock cairn that smells of decay. On top of the 
  cairn is painted in blood a holy symbol of a half blood 
  drop. A Knowledge (religion) check, DC 12, will 
  recognize this as the symbol of Erythnul. If they disinter 
  the bodies in the cairn, they will see that they are all 
  humans and half-orcs (approximately a dozen) dead for 
  about three days and all stripped. Members of the Men of 
  the Rift meta-organization will recognize the dead as 
  Men of the Rift. 
   
   
  Once the PCs head into the cave, read the following: 
  Inside the cave is a scene of carnage. It looks as 
  though there was once some sort of permanent 
  structures here, although recently burned. In the 
  back of the cave, you disturb a murder of crows who 
  flap upwards from a pile of dead ogre bodies, cawing 
  angrily at you. You notice that many of the bodies are 
  those of females and very small ogre children.  
   
  A Heal check, DC 15, will notice that many of the ogres 
  died of a single cut, as if executed. There are about 20 
  bodies in the pile. A search of the structures notices one 
  interesting thing: in one of the huts is a partially burned 
  shrine wreathed with scorched and wilted moss flowers. 
  A Knowledge (religion) check, DC 20, will recognize this 
  as a shrine to Iallanis, lesser goddess of good giants, love, 
  mercy and beauty. 
   
  If they Track the Men of the Rift, DC 10, they will 
  notice that their tracks continue “up” the canyon along a 
  rushing river. About an hour into the trail they may 
  notice, with a Survival check, DC 28, that the tracks split 
  in two, with one set going up a side canyon and the other 
  set disappearing into the river. If they don’t make the 
  Track check then they won’t notice the tracks going into 
  the river. The group in the river doesn’t leave the river for 
  quite a while, so it will take over 8 hours to find the exit 
  point and even at this point it is going to be difficult, as 
  the rangers ahead are covering their tracks (Track check 
  DC 28). The other tracks are much easier to follow and 
  lead to the next encounter. 
   
  The trail eventually leaves the river and heads into a 
  side canyon. The tracks are easy to follow and wind 
  around through side canyon after side canyon in the 
  perpetual gloom. You have traveled for two full days, 
  although you probably haven’t covered more than 10 
  miles as the ghost flies. On the third day, you can see 
  where the group you are fol owing stopped to camp. 
  From the signs they stayed here for several days, and 
  then moved out not more than three or four hours 
  ahead of you. 
  l
  t
   
  A search of the campsite here reveals another cairn, 
  probably where those who died of their wounds were 
  buried (excavation and a DC 15 Heal check will confirm 
  this). A Search check, DC 15, on the cairn rocks will 
  show that one of them has drawn on it a small symbol of 
  a winged human silhouette. A Knowledge (religion) 
  check, DC 15, will recognize this as the symbol of 
  Phaulkon. 
   
   
  Assuming that the heroes continue to follow the trail, 
  they will eventually hear the sounds of combat from up 
  the canyon. When they get to where they can see what is 
  going on, read the following: 
   
  Ahead of you is a large cave set into one of the canyon 
  walls. A wide trail leads up to the mouth of the 
  cavern. At the bottom of the trail are a group of ogres, 
  who are fighting against a mass of ligh ly armored 
  humans and half-orcs who are pressing them on two 
  sides. The bottom of the cliff containing the trail is 
  littered with the bodies of humans and ogres. A tall 
  cloaked and cowled figure and a tall half-orc are 
  directing the humans, while the ogres are being 
  commanded by an imposing looking ogre with a 
  spiked greatclub.  
   
  Heroes that are member of the Men of the Rift meta-
  organization will immediately recognize the humans as 
  Men of the Rift. Other PCs may make a Bardic 
  Knowledge check, DC 25, or Knowledge (local: Iuz 
  Border States) check, DC 30, to recognize the badges 
  worn as those of the Men of the Rift. 
   
  A Spot check, DC 20, will notice two amulets on the 
  ogre commander. A Spot check, DC 25, will allow the 
  same PC to make a Knowledge (religion) check, DC 20, 
  to recognize the holy symbol of Grolantor (intermediate 
  CE deity of ogres) on one of the Ogre leaders. 
   
  A Spot check, DC 25, will allow the same PC to 
  make a Knowledge (religion) check, DC 12, to recognize 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 14 
  
  the holy symbol of Erythnul on a tall half-orc leader of 
  the humans. 
   
   
  Detect Evil will detect evil on both sides. 
  Detect good will not detect good within range of the 
  spell. (The only good character of any significance in the 
  whole battle is Blegor and he is not currently in range of 
  their spells). 
  Detect Magic will detect some faint conjuration auras on 
  several of the combatants on both sides, the commanders 
  are out of range. 
  Detect Thoughts will only get tactical “stay alive in 
  combat” and “kill the enemy” type thoughts. 
   
  Development: If the PCs help the humans go to 
  Encounter 7, if they decide to help the ogres, go to 
  Encounter 8. If they do nothing, then the humans 
  eventually win the combat, proceed to Encounter 7, but 
  you will have to modify the boxed text.  
   
  Encounter 7: Viva La Humanity 
  Gogma, the leader of the ogre tribes, attacked the Men of 
  the Rift and then retreated past one of Xuv’s 
  encampments. The Men of the Rift, led by Etroll the 
  priest of Erythnul, attacked and slaughtered Xuv’s 
  people. Etroll returned to the main camp of the humans 
  with his prisoners for sacrifice and returned with Blegor, 
  (a half-dragon ex-slave) and his men to reinforce his own 
  troops for the attack on the larger ogre encampment, 
  which turns out to be the village of Gogma’s lieutenant, 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky. Gask has had plenty of warning 
  about the troops and is giving them a hard fight when the 
  heroes arrive. 
   
  This encounter is about choices and the dangers of 
  stereotyping. While in the burned out village the ogres 
  were good, here they are not. Who do they help? No 
  matter who they help, they will find Xuv.  
   
  This encounter assumes that they help the humans, 
  if this is not the case, then proceed immediately to 
  Encounter 8. 
   
  With the battle so evenly matched, and with the 
  participants having suffered fairly significant casualties, 
  any significant effort by the heroes on either side will 
  turn the battle. Whichever side the heroes help will win 
  the battle. If time allows, let them slaughter some 
  random NPCs to let them feel like they are getting to 
  determine the outcome, but the outcome is a foregone 
  conclusion when they commit. Run two or three rounds 
  and then have the other side break and flee. Use as many 
  of the following as necessary to give the feel of the battle. 
  Try to make sure that Gask is not a viable target at this 
  point, as the heroes will encounter him later in the 
  adventure.  
   
  Wounded Ogre: hp 20, see Monster Manual page 198. 
   
  The effect of your help is obvious as, with a roar, the 
  humans charge into the broken l nes of the ogres, 
  slaying left and right. The ogre commander suddenly 
  breaks and flees into the cavern, which breaks the 
  morale of the ogres completely. Ogre warriors start to 
  stream away from the cave into the twiligh  gloom of 
  the side canyons, trying to escape the battle. With a 
  joyous shout, the Men of the Rift renew their attacks 
  and make it to the top of the trail, where the last 
  resistance 
  is 
  overwhelmed. 
  The 
  tall 
  half-orc 
  commander begins a chant of “slaughter, slaughter” as 
  he leads his men down the side canyons after the 
  fleeing ogres.  
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  As the troops that remain rush into the cavern, 
  the hooded commander of the humans comes 
  towards you with his palm out in sign of peace. 
  “Welcome, strangers. I thank you for your timely 
  assistance. Why are you here?” He pulls back his 
  cowl, and you see the face of a dragon looking back at 
  you. 
   
  This is Blegor, one of the commanders of the Men of the 
  Rift. He is a half-dragon (brass). 
   
  Blegor: Male half-dragon (brass), hp 109; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Blegor starts as indifferent to the party. If the heroes can 
  make a DC 15 Diplomacy check, they can adjust his 
  attitude to friendly and he can impart any of the 
  following information that the players ask about.  
   
  If the party asks about the battle or about the other 
  commander, Blegor will say: 
   
  “I am here with my men to help root out the ogres 
  who are raid ng our people. The commander of this 
  force is Etroll, who will meet you when he returns 
  from chasing the fleeing.” He gets a look of distaste 
  on his face, and adds in a lower voice “He has a zeal 
  for the killing which is quite strong.” 
   
  Things Blegor can tell them: 
  • 
  He is a leader of the Men of the Rift. His men are all 
  escaped slaves from the silver mines outside of 
  Riftcrag. 
  • 
  Etroll is a powerful priest of Erythnul. 
  • 
  He owed Etroll a favor and needed his support in an 
  internal matter of no consequence to this adventure, 
  so mustered his men and joined with some of Etroll’s 
  to attack this group of ogres. The attack is in 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 15 
  
  retaliation for a raid on their encampments a month 
  ago.  
  • 
  There are four leaders of the humans in the Rift: 
  Etroll, Blegor, Kensin (leader of the Erythnul 
  worshipping Reyhu bandits who fled Steelbone 
  Meadows) and Durrand, the overall leader of the 
  Men of the Rift. 
  • 
  He just wants out of this situation. He has had no 
  direct contact with the outside world for 15 years.  
  • 
  He trades weapons and armor for protection. Some 
  of the slaves who escaped with him were dwarves 
  and are excellent craftsmen and are quite happy with 
  the deposits of minerals here. “His” dwarves made 
  the suit of adamantine plate that he is wearing. 
  • 
  His father appears to have been a Brass dragon, he 
  never met him. 
  • 
  He was captured early in the Greyhawk wars and 
  sent to the silver mines. He refused to break and led 
  a slave revolt with the help of his friends the 
  dwarves. They fled to here, where Durrand gave 
  them this cave and protection from Cranzer.  
   
  Eventually, one assumes that the conversation will 
  revolve to Xuv and/or the Redplanks offer of trade with 
  the Men of the Rift. If not, have Blegor bring up why 
  they are here, as if he doesn’t know it makes some of the 
  rest of this encounter not make sense. If the heroes insist 
  on lying about why they are here, then Blegor won’t tell 
  them about Xuv at the end of this encounter. Here is 
  what Blegor will say about Xuv: 
  • 
  He finds it hard to believe that an ogre would turn 
  from its evil ways and embrace good, and to embrace 
  Iallanis, the goddess of mercy and beauty just seems 
  inconceivable. 
  • 
  He has heard rumors of the ogres’ silver mine, but 
  doesn’t know where it is. 
  • 
  He will be glad to trade with the Redplanks, but in 
  return, he wants a guarantee that the Redplanks will 
  smuggle him out of the Rift if things get bad. 
   
  By this time, Etroll and his personal guard come in sight. 
  When Blegor notices them, he looks a little nervous. 
   
  As you are talking, you see the tall half-orc returning 
  with his personal guard. Blegor notices him also and 
  says to you, a little nervously, “Here comes my fellow 
  commander, Etrol . Do not antagonize him if you 
  value your lives.” 
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  i
   
   
   
   
   
  Etroll s covered in blood and gore, looking 
  almost as if he had bathed in it. He has a ook on his 
  face of psychopathic contentment, which changes to 
  suspicion as he espies you. He gives your equipment 
  and persons a long look and you think you see just 
  the hint of envy in that look, before he breaks nto a 
  toothy smi e and welcomes you. 
   
   “So, these are the heroes who helped us defeat 
  the ogres. Well done, we must celebrate! Let us go to 
  their lair and see what the great god of slaughter has 
  left us.” With that he turns and heads up the ramp, 
  leav ng a trai  of bloody footprints. 
   
  A Knowledge (religion) check, DC12, will recognize the 
  holy symbol on Etroll and his guard as that of Erythnul. 
  Let the players react here. Etroll is amazingly in control, 
  and will not rise to any but the most blatant provocation, 
  as he has seen the heroes’ battle prowess and doesn’t wish 
  to risk his guard. He covets the heroes’ equipment and is 
  jealous of their deeds on the battlefield, but will attempt 
  to hide this so that he can act against them later on. 
  Blegor will seem surprised by this restraint, but will mask 
  it well and escort the heroes up into the cavern after 
  Etroll and his troops. 
   
  Etroll: Male half-orc, hp 106; see Appendix 1 
  Etroll’s guard (6), Male half-orc, hp 93; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Etroll, Blegor and his guards have partaken of the heroes 
  feast before the combat (this is not taken into account in 
  the stat blocks). Blegor has Empowered vampiric touch 
  channeled into his spiked chain. 
   
  The ogre village was really no more than a collection 
  of huts jammed up against the walls of the cavern. 
  The men swarm over it, ooting anything that ooks 
  valuable. There is a group of beaten ogres roped off in 
  one section of the cave with guards around them. A 
  lieutenant comes up to Etroll and says, “Lord, there 
  are some ogre brats and two adults in a prison cave in 
  the back. Should we put them with the others?”  
  Etroll shakes his head absentmindedly as he sizes 
  up the ogres in the roped off area, then turns to you 
  with a look of satisfaction on his face. “Excellent. We 
  will stay here ton ght, then return to camp and report 
  to Durrand that we have slaughtered the enemy. You 
  will come with us and explain what you are doing 
  here. Let us now go see our other prisoners!”
   
  The lieutenant leads the party to the prison cave, where 
  they can see about 10 terrified ogre children and two 
  badly beaten, unconscious adults. Characters that have 
  played 
  BDK3-03 
  Trouble 
  at 
  Baco 
  Canyon 
  will 
  immediately recognize that one of the badly beaten ogres 
  is Xuv. Etroll does not allow anyone to talk to the ogres 
  and leads them back to the main cavern after leaving two 
  of his guards at the door to the prison cave. 
   
  Etroll and his remaining guards will then go off to 
  supervise the looting of the cavern and the division of 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 16 
  
  spoils. A Spot check, DC 20, will notice that there are 
  guards placed at the entrance of the cavern. The PCs are 
  free to roam about and talk with the Men of the Rift 
  while they tend their wounds, divide their loot, prepare 
  dinner, get bed rolls ready, etc. 
   
   
  Gather Information: 
  DC 2: Etroll just got back from killing Morginstaler, the 
  great red dragon. Everyone is going tomorrow to his lair 
  to loot it. 
  DC 5: Everyone is getting drunk tonight, because 
  tomorrow we have to attack Cranzer’s army. 
  DC 8: Blegor and Etroll don’t normally get along and 
  don’t have much to do with one another. Blegor’s men are 
  mostly escaped slaves from the silver mines. 
  DC 10: The ogre commander seems to have escaped out a 
  tunnel in the back of the cavern. They know him as Gask 
  the Mostly Lucky, since he always seems to get away 
  from them. A troop of men followed him and haven’t 
  returned. There must be a back way out, but they haven’t 
  found it. 
  DC 15: The beaten up ogres were found in a makeshift 
  jail in the back of the cave along with some ogre children.  
  DC 20: The ogres will eventually be sacrificed to 
  Erythnul.  
   
  The heroes aren’t allowed to talk to the ogres on the 
  orders of Etroll. If the heroes somehow manage to get in 
  to see the other captive ogres, then they will find Xuv 
  and Friga. See Encounter 9 for what they know. Talking 
  with Blegor, the PCs can find out the following: 
  • 
  He is willing to trade with the Redplanks if asked. 
  His dwarves have access to adamantine but need 
  other supplies to help increase production. 
  • 
  He wants assurances that the Redplanks will agree to 
  smuggle him out of the Rift if things get bad. 
  • 
  His father was apparently a brass dragon, although 
  he never met him. His mother was a Suel woman 
  who lived by the Ritensa River before the wars. 
  • 
  He was captured early in the war and sent to the 
  Garusk’ka silver mines when he wouldn’t work for 
  Old Wicked. He led a slave revolt and escaped with 
  the slaves into the Rift, where he lives under the 
  protection of the Men of the Rift. 
   
  Some results of magical investigation: 
  Detect evil will detect faint evil on all of the ogres in the 
  roped off area, several of the ogre children and several of 
  the troops. Etroll’s guard detect as moderate evil. 
  Detect good will detect good on Blegor, Xuv and Friga. 
  Some faint good aura on some of Blegor’s men. 
  Detect magic will detect on Blegor, Etroll and Etroll’s 
  guards. See Appendix one for details. In addition, there is 
  faint conjuration magic on several of the troops that is 
  consistent with curing potions. 
   
   
  If the heroes try to leave, remind them that it is late and 
  that they have been told that they will meet with the 
  leaders of the Men of the Rift tomorrow. If they persist, 
  they will find that they are turned back at the cave 
  entrance by another half-dozen of Etroll’s personal 
  guards. Preparations for a feast are going on, with a squad 
  of cooks taking the supplies looted from the village to 
  make a huge buffet. Some of the troops have already 
  found some liquor and are getting rowdy drunk. There 
  are several fights going on around the cavern. 
   
  Allow the characters to plan a rescue of Xuv and his 
  band. Characters that wander around can gather 
  information and learn the information earlier in this 
  encounter. A quick investigation reveals that these back 
  passages are guarded by a couple of rather in-attentive 
  soldiers. If the players do not come up with their own 
  creative way of escaping, then continue on to the 
  meeting with Blegor. 
   
  Troubleshooting: Some parties will try to escape from 
  the cavern in this interim, thinking that they need to 
  find Xuv. In this case, have them run across Tikla, a 
  wounded ogre of Xuv’s tribe, outside in the Rift who is 
  keeping watch on the cavern. This ogre does not care that 
  the heroes helped to slaughter Gask’s tribe (they were his 
  enemy too), and will tell them that he is watching out to 
  see whether he can find out what happened to Xuv, as he 
  saw them captured by Gask and taken into the cavern, 
  but never taken out. This should alert the players that 
  they have missed Xuv and that he is still in the cave. This 
  ogre can show them the back way in to the cavern that 
  Gask used to escape without alerting Etroll’s guards. 
   
  Tikla: Male ogre, hp 16, Chaotic Neutral; see Monster 
  Manual page 198. 
   
  Timeline: 
  10 pm: The majority of the troops are passed out drunk 
  in the encampment. The guards are still alert at the 
  entrance. 
  11 pm: Blegor will come to warn the party about the 
  assassination attempt by Etroll. Warn them to escape.  
  2 am: Etroll will show up with his men to kill the party. 
   
  If the party has not left by 11 pm, or looks like they are 
  going to spend the night here, read the following: 
   
  Most of the camp is passed out drunk by the time that 
  you are settling down for the night. With a slight 
  popping sound, Blegor suddenly appears in the room 
  next to you, hidden from view of the sentries that are 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 17 
  
  outside your camp. He motions for you to come 
  closer and then whispers, “You are in great danger. I 
  overheard Etrol  discussing with his men how they 
  plan to kill you tonight while you sleep because you 
  are too attractive and rich. You must escape.” He takes 
  a quick look out the doorway and then adds, “The one 
  you are looking for, this Xuv, is one of the prisoners. 
  Do you wish to free him also?” 
  l
   
  Blegor is willing to take some small risk for the heroes if 
  they will promise him that they will try to arrange with 
  the Redplanks for an escape route if he needs it.  
  • 
  He can arrange for a distraction at the entrance on 
  the heroes’ signal. He will make it appear that there 
  is an attack on the camp coming from down the 
  canyon (if the heroes have some other plan, go with 
  that). 
  • 
  He assumes that the ogres know the back way out, 
  the way that Gask used to escape.  
   
  When the signal is given: 
   
  There are suddenly alarms ringing in the front of the 
  cavern, as it appears that an attack on the 
  encampment has begun. Those troops who are not too 
  drunk to stand, rush to the front of the cavern and 
  start forming lines of battle. Now is your chance! 
   
  When they arrive at the prison cave, the PCs discover 
  that Xuv and Friga are quite happy to escape and Xuv is 
  gratified that the heroes really did respond to his plea 
  (assuming of course they give him a quick healing to get 
  him conscious). If Xuv is not conscious, someone is 
  going to have to carry him, he weighs 625 pounds. 
  • 
  He insists that the children go with them, since 
  otherwise they will be killed. 
  • 
  He quietly talks with one of the children who knows 
  the back way out. 
   
  Xuv: Male ogre, hp 139 (currently -5); see Appendix 1. 
  Friga: Female ogre, hp 62; see Appendix 1. 
  Ogre child (15): Medium giant, HD 2d8+5, hp 14 
  (currently 7); see Monster Manual page 198 modified as 
  follows:-8 Str, +2 Dex, -4 Con, -2 Natural armor, +1 size 
  modifier to AC, does not have the Weapon Focus (club) 
  feat. 
   
  Development: Gask fled the combat out the same back 
  door, but has hung around trying to figure out how to get 
  in and re-capture Xuv, who he figures to use to restore his 
  position with either Gogma or Cranzer. In the cave about 
  a minute away from the exit is an alarm spell tied to Gask, 
  which silently tells him that someone is coming. He 
  therefore starts prepping himself by casting his long 
  duration buff spells including his potions of barkskin or 
  owl’s wisdom. 
   
  There is a second alarm in the cavern about 50 ft. 
  from the entrance. When that goes off, he will cast 
  invisibility purge and hide behind some rocks to the side 
  of the entrance ready to ambush the characters. Gask has 
  just finished praying to Grolantor for new spells and so 
  has a full complement of spells for this encounter. 
   
  APL 4: (EL 7) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 80; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 107; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 11)  
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 124; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 141; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 158; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with Gask’s amulet 
  before the combat starts, as it may have a dramatic effect 
  upon the outcome of the battle. 
   
  Tactics: Gask fights mean and dirty to kill the PCs and to 
  re-capture Xuv. He knows his life is worth little now that 
  his tribe has been decimated, unless he can bring Xuv 
  before Gogma or Cranzer, so he fights to the death. He 
  targets the PCs before targeting anyone else. 
   
  Getting the Ogres Involved: Xuv and Friga want to 
  protect the ogre children, above all else. However, Xuv 
  knows that this might be their only chance to get away. If 
  4 of the PCs are unconscious, immobilized, helpless, or 
  dead at the same time, Xuv (if conscious) will attack Gask 
  (probably using a downed PC’s weapon with the standard 
  -2 to hit weapon size-difference penalty), regardless of 
  how many hit points he has. If 5 PCs are out of the fight 
  then Friga enters the fray, attempting to heal/stabilize 
  PCs. If all six PCs are down, then the ogre children join 
  in the fight (after all, they are ogres). If all of the PCs are 
  down and the ogres win the fight, the PCs receive half 
  experience for this encounter, but the ogres carry them 
  to safety.  
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 18 
  
  Encounter 8: The Prevention of 
  Ogrecide 
  Gogma, the leader of the ogre tribes, attacked the Men of 
  the Rift and then retreated past one of Xuv’s 
  encampments. The Men of the Rift, led by Etroll the 
  priest of Erythnul, attacked and slaughtered Xuv’s 
  people. Etroll returned to the main camp of the humans 
  with his prisoners for sacrifice and returned with Blegor 
  (a half-dragon ex-slave) and his men to reinforce his own 
  troops for the attack on the larger ogre encampment, 
  which turns out to be the village of Gogma’s lieutenant, 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky. Gask has had plenty of warning 
  about the troops and is giving them a hard fight when the 
  heroes arrive. 
   
  This encounter is about choices and the dangers of 
  stereotyping. While in the burned out village the ogres 
  were good, here they are not. Who do they help? No 
  matter who they help, they will find Xuv.  
   
  This encounter assumes that they help the ogres, if 
  this is not the case, then proceed immediately to 
  Encounter 7. 
   
  With the battle so evenly matched, and with the 
  participants 
  having 
  suffereded 
  fairly 
  significant 
  casualties, any significant effort by the heroes on either 
  side will turn the battle. Whichever side the heroes help 
  will win the battle. If time allows, let them slaughter 
  some random NPCs to let them feel like they are getting 
  to determine the outcome, but the outcome is a foregone 
  conclusion when they commit. Run two or three rounds 
  and then have the other side break and flee. Use as many 
  of the following as necessary to give the feel of the battle. 
  Try to make sure that Blegor or Etroll are not viable 
  targets at this point.  
   
  Wounded Half-orc Bbn5: Male half-orc, hp 30; see 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide page 112. 
  Etroll: Male half-orc, hp 106; see Appendix 1. 
  Etroll’s guard (6): Male half-orc, hp 93; see Appendix 1. 
  Blegor: Male half-dragon (brass), hp 109; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Etroll, Blegor and his guards have partaken of the heroes 
  feast before the combat (this is not taken into account in 
  the stat blocks). Blegor has an Empowered vampiric 
  touch channeled into his spiked chain. 
   
  Note: If any of the PCs are Men of the Rift, they will be 
  recognized by their brethren (assume a collective total of 
  +15 to their Spot checks, roll once against the PCs 
  Disguise check). If recognized, the gain Enmity of the 
  Men of the Rift. 
   
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  The effect of your help is obvious as, with a roar, the 
  ogres charge into the broken l nes of the humans and 
  half-orcs, slaying left and right. The tall half-orc 
  commander suddenly breaks and flees away from the 
  combat leaving his cowled sub commander to be 
  overwhelmed by the forces against him. Their morale 
  broken, the humans and half-orcs start to stream away 
  from the cave into the twiligh  gloom of the side 
  canyons, trying to escape the battle. With a joyous 
  shout the ogres renew their attacks, and make it to 
  the bottom of the trail, where the last resistance is 
  overwhelmed. The humans fleeing down the side 
  canyon are being chased by the jubilant ogres.  
   
  The commander of the ogre band, with about 
  twenty of his guards, advances towards you, a look of 
  psychopathic contentment on his face, which 
  changes to suspicion as he espies you. He gives your 
  equipment a long look, and you think you see just the 
  hint of envy n his eyes, before he breaks into a 
  toothy smi e and welcomes you. 
   
  “You help us. We not know why, but it is good, 
  otherwise we would kill you also. I am Gask the 
  Lucky, invincible warrior of great god. As payback, we 
  let you have al  the human you want for food. Have 
  you come from Cranzer for the weak one? You not 
  worry, we have him for you! Let us see what the great 
  god has given us on the battlefie d. We must 
  celebrate!” He motions for you to follow him and 
  heads up the ramp, leaving a trail of bloody 
  footprints. 
   
  A Spot check, DC 15, will notice a holy symbol on Gask. 
  A Knowledge (religion) check, DC 20, will recognize it as 
  the symbol of Grolantor (intermediate CE deity of ogres). 
  There is another amulet also around his neck that does 
  not appear to be a holy symbol. 
   
  It is possible that the heroes will realize that they 
  have made a mistake at this point but, even if they don’t, 
  make it clear that this is probably an overpowering force 
  that they are facing and that it might be unwise to 
  provoke them. Should they insist: 
   
  All APLs (EL 17+) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: by APL, see Appendix 1. 
  Ogre Bbn4 (21): hp 79; see Monster Manual p.199. 
  Assuming that they follow Gask and his minions, read 
  the following. If they flee at this point, see 
  Troubleshooting at the bottom of this encounter: 
   
  The ogre village is really no more than a collection of
  huts jammed up against the walls of the cavern. The 
  ogres are busy piling up loot from the battle in a large 
  pile in the center of the cavern. You see several ogre 
   
   
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 19 
  
  females who are preparing the dead for burial rites. 
  There are two groups of prisoners in a small room n 
  the back of the cave, both heavily guarded. One is a 
  group of ogres, two badly beaten adults and about 
  fifteen children. The second is a small group of 
  warriors from the combat. Most of the warriors are 
  roughly tied up and gagged, with several of the 
  prisoners unconscious. As you watch, the ogres start 
  stripping the Men of the Rift of their gear. There is a 
  gasp that goes up from the crowd as the last of the 
  warriors is revealed to look like a dragon! Gask sizes 
  up the prisoners with a look of satisfaction then turns 
  to you.  
   
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  If the players have gone along with Gask’s suggestion 
  that they are from Riftcrag then he will say (even if he 
  made his Sense Motive check and thinks they are lying): 
   
  “We have done well today. You can tell your master in
  Riftcrag that Gask is smart ogre. We first get Riftmen 
  to kill Xuv’s peop e, then we foo  them to attack us so
  we can kill them too. Now we also capture Blegor. We 
  col ect big ransom this time!” At this point he does 
  something that can only be called an “Ogre Victory 
  Dance”, and it’s something you hope you never have 
  to witness again. 
   
  If the players gave some other excuse, then Gask says: 
   
  “We have done wel  today. We feast tonight over the 
  victory. You stay here as guest of Gask. You can tell us 
  why you help us instead of humans after meal. Then 
  we see if we kill you also. Maybe you become dessert!” 
  With that, Gask starts laughing, and his men laugh so 
  hard that tears stream down their eyes.  
   
  Characters that have played BDK3-03 Trouble at Baco 
  Canyon will immediately recognize the beaten male ogre 
  as Xuv. 
   
  Characters that are members of the Men of the Rift 
  meta-organization will recognize the dragon as Blegor, a 
  leader of the Men of the Rift. 
   
  Gask and most of his guards will then go off to 
  supervise the division of spoils. A Spot check, DC 20, will 
  notice that there are guards placed at the entrance of the 
  cavern. The prisoners are then herded off into another 
  side cavern and a guard is placed there.  
   
  The heroes aren’t allowed to talk to the prisoners on 
  the orders of Gask. If the heroes somehow manage to get 
  in to see the other captive ogres, then they will find Xuv 
  and Friga. See Encounter 9 for what they know.  
   
  Some results of magical investigation: 
  Detect Evil will detect faint evil on several of the ogre 
  children, as well as several of the Men of the Rift troops. 
  Gask’s guard detect as moderate evil. 
  Detect Good will detect good on Blegor, Xuv and Friga.  
  Detect Magic will detect on Gask and Gask’s guards. See 
  Appendix one for details. In addition, there is faint 
  conjuration magic on several of the troops that is 
  consistent with curing potions. 
   
   
  If the heroes try to leave, they are turned back at the cave 
  entrance by some of Gask’s personal guard. There indeed, 
  preparations for a feast going on, with a squad of cooks 
  taking the supplies looted from the battlefield to make a 
  huge feast. Some of the ogres have already found some 
  liquor and are getting rowdy drunk. There are several 
  “friendly” fights going on around the cavern. 
   
  Troubleshooting: Some parties will try to escape from 
  the cavern in this interim, thinking that they need to 
  find Xuv. In this case, have them run across Tikla, a lone 
  wounded ogre who is keeping watch on the cavern. This 
  ogre will tell them that he is watching out to see whether 
  he can find out what happened to Xuv, as he saw them 
  captured by Gask and taken into the cavern, but never 
  taken out. This should alert the players that they have 
  missed Xuv and that he is still in the cave. This ogre can 
  show them the back way in to the cavern. Start with the 
  boxed text below at the sentence that begins “Tikla leads 
  you…”. 
   
  Tikla: Male ogre, hp 16, Chaotic Neutral; see Monster 
  Manual page 198.  
   
  Timeline: 
  10 pm: The majority of the troops are passed out drunk 
  in the encampment. The guards are still alert at the 
  entrance. 
  12 am: Tikla will come to warn the party about the 
  assassination attempt by Gask. Warn them to escape with 
  Xuv.  
  2 am: Gask will show up with his men to kill the party. 
  The feast was long and vulgar. Ogre humor is crude, 
  even by half-orc barbarian standards, and not very 
  funny to your more refined tastes. While the bread is 
  edible, you aren’t sure as to what type of animal or 
  humanoid the meat comes from. You also learn that 
  there is no word for vegetable in the ogre language.  
  As the night goes on, more and more of the ogres 
  pass out from excessive drinking, usual y to be 
  dragged off by the ogresses in attendance. Gask 
  regales you with long stories of how he arranged for 
  the Men of the Rift to attack Xuv’s village. Several 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 20 
  
  times during the meal he asks you for trinkets and 
  shiny i ems that you have on your persons.  
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  If the party refuses to give him the trinkets (have him ask 
  for things like amulets, circlets, brooches, jewelry, 
  headbands, etc.) then he will get more and more morose 
  as the night goes on. He will try to hide this (his Bluff 
  versus their Spot). 
   
  Most of the camp is passed out drunk by the time that 
  you are settling down for the night. A few minutes 
  after you arrive at your assigned sleeping chamber, 
  there is a scratching sound from the back wall of the 
  room. A faint voice says, “I am friend. Do not hurt and 
  I will help you.” With a sligh  scrap ng sound, a 
  sl ghtly hunchbacked ogre opens a panel in the wall 
  and enters the room, hidden from the view of the 
  sentries that are outside your camp.  
   
  He motions for you to come closer, then 
  whispers “You are the ones here to save the great 
  Xuv? You are in great danger. I hear Gask talking 
  about how they kill you ton ght. If I get you to Xuv, 
  will you save h m and h s peop e?” 
  If they agree to rescue Xuv, he will tell them how to 
  escape out the secret back door after getting Xuv. He can 
  tell them that the back way isn’t guarded tonight, as the 
  guard is passed out drunk. 
   
  Tikla leads you through a series of dark passages until 
  you see a dim l ght up front. He points towards the 
  light. “Xuv and Friga are through there. The guard 
  should be drunk and sleeping if what I gave him 
  worked.” He looks at you earnestly, “You help them 
  and make them safe or Tik a find you and kill you all.” 
  He points at his deformed shoulder, then adds 
  “People l ke me need to know that there s place for 
  us where we not spit on.” With that he squeezes past 
  you and goes down a side passage in the rock.  
   
  When the heroes advance, read the following: 
   
  Looking through the crack, you can see a sleeping 
  ogre in front of a door. A ring of keys are on the 
  guard’s belt.  
   
  When they get the keys, they have no trouble opening 
  the door. If, for some reason, they think it’s a trap, and 
  they just want to pick the lock, the DC is 30. 
   
  Even from the doorway, the stench of unwashed 
  bodies is almost overpowering. Looking in, you can 
  see in the dim light almost twenty emaciated and 
  badly beaten ogres ly ng in their own fi h. Most of 
  them are children. One of them, a female, is chanting 
  what sounds like a lullaby to the others in the Giant 
  language. On the other side of the room are three 
  dejected looking humans sitting next to what looks 
  like a cross between a dragon and a human. 
   
  Characters that understand Giant will recognize it as a 
  song about the beauty of the sunrise in the hills. This is 
  Friga, priestess of Iallanis. Xuv is one of the other 
  captured ogres and is currently unconscious from a 
  severe beating that he took trying to lead an escape 
  attempt as the battle started. He is currently at -5 hp (non-
  lethal), with 65 pts of real damage. Blegor volunteers to 
  carry Xuv if the PCs do not wish to heal the ogre at this 
  time. 
   
  Any character that has played BDK3-03 Trouble at 
  Baco Canyon will recognize Xuv as one of the 
  unconscious ogres on the floor. 
   
  Xuv: Male ogre, hp 145 (currently -5); see Appendix 1. 
  Friga: Female ogre, hp 57; see Appendix 1. 
  Blegor: Male half-dragon (brass), hp 115 (currently 3); 
  see Appendix 1 (Blegor has no equipment if found here). 
  Men of the Rift (3): Male human Bbn3, hp 28 (currently 
  14); see Dungeon Masters Guide page 112. 
  Ogre child (15): Medium giant, HD 2d8+5, hp 14 
  (currently 7); see Monster Manual page 198 modified as 
  follows:-8 Str, +2 Dex, -4 Con, -2 Natural armor, +1 size 
  modifier to AC, does not have the Weapon Focus (club) 
  feat. 
   
  Characters with Knowledge (religion) will have never 
  heard of an ogre who was a cleric of a good god, especially 
  a peaceful one like Iallanis.  
   
  Let 
  the 
  characters 
  make 
  some 
  preliminary 
  introductions, but save any serious conversation for later. 
  Make it known that they are under time pressures. After 
  a moment or two, Tikla will show back up and tell them 
  that time is running out. There should be no difficulty in 
  gathering up the ogres and humans and fleeing down the 
  back passageway as directed by Tikla.  
   
  Once in the passage, Blegor tells the PCs that he will 
  be right back and dimension doors to the cave containing 
  his gear. Luckily for him, none of the drunk/passed out 
  ogres see or hear him, and he quickly dimension doors 
  back to the party with all of his stuff in a sack. He will 
  accept healing, but no more than 10*APL in hit points 
  worth of curing (he does not want the party to waste all 
  of their resources on him). He does not don his armor 
  (and if encouraged to do so he tells the party ‘Don’t be 
  silly, we have to get out of here!’).  
   
  See DM Map 2 for the layout of the cavern. 
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 21 
  
  Development: Gask thought to murder the heroes in 
  their sleep so that he could take their equipment. He is 
  not entirely certain that they aren’t here from Riftcrag, 
  and therefore doesn’t trust any of his men with the job of 
  killing the heroes (since he knows that his men would 
  betray him if they saw gain in it). 
   
  Gask gets to the heroes’ sleeping chambers about 5 
  minutes after they have left and finds it empty. 
  Presuming that the characters couldn’t have escaped out 
  the front, he assumes that they know of the back way, he 
  heads to the exit of the back door. 
   
  Keep track of how long the heroes spend talking to 
  Xuv, Friga and Blegor in the prison, as this will influence 
  how long Gask has to prepare. At a minimum, he will 
  arrive 10 rounds (a minute) before the heroes, who are 
  encumbered with children and wounded. Add an extra 
  round for each spell cast in the prison by the heroes. He 
  will cast three rounds of buff spells and then drink a 
  potion of invisibility. Gask has just finished praying to 
  Grolantor for new spells and so has a full complement of 
  spells for this encounter. 
   
  APL 4: (EL 7) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 80; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 107; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 11)  
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 124; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 141; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: hp 158; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Note: Be sure and familiarize yourself with Gask’s amulet 
  before the combat starts, as it may have a dramatic effect 
  upon the outcome of the battle. 
   
   
  Tactics: Gask fights mean and dirty to kill the PCs and to 
  re-capture Xuv. He does not want Xuv and Friga escape as 
  that would be intolerable, so he fights to the death. He 
  targets the PCs before targeting anyone else. 
   
  Getting the Ogres, Blegor, and humans Involved: Xuv 
  and Friga want to protect the ogre children, above all else. 
  However, Xuv knows that this might be their only 
  chance to get away. If 4 of the PCs are unconscious, 
  immobilized, helpless, or dead at the same time, Xuv (if 
  conscious) will attack Gask (probably using a downed 
  PC’s weapon with the standard -2 to hit weapon size-
  difference penalty), regardless of how many hit points he 
  has. If 5 PCs are out of the fight then Friga enters the 
  fray, attempting to heal/stabilize PCs. If all six PCs are 
  down, then the ogre children join in the fight (after all, 
  they are ogres). If all of the PCs are down and the ogres 
  win the fight, the PCs receive half experience for this 
  encounter, but the ogres carry them to safety.  
   
  Depending upon how the party healed and equipped 
  the captives, they might try to help. Blegor has used his 
  breath weapon today and has not tuned his sword to 
  channel a spell. Blegor’s spells remaining at this point are 
  4/1/1/1/0. 
   
  Blegor is not certain of the party at this point, and 
  won’t risk his own life or those of his men for the heroes 
  unless it looks obvious that Gask is going to win the 
  combat. After all, they attacked him earlier in the day. 
  Thus, Belgor and his men only join in the combat if 5 PCs 
  are down or out of the fight. 
   
   
  Development: When the party has defeated Gask, gets 
  out of the vicinity of the ogre village and back into the 
  canyons: 
   
  Blegor approaches you, limping sl ghtly from his 
  wounds. With a look of consternation on his face, he 
  says, “I thank you for sav ng us from Gask. I know 
  that he would have killed us. I do not understand why 
  you help us now after fighting us this afternoon. 
  Many men died because of what you did.” 
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  i
   
  Allow the party to explain their actions. The author 
  assumes that the party would explain their connection 
  with the Redplanks and why they are here at all. If this is 
  the case, then Blegor can make the following assurances: 
  • 
  Under no circumstances should the party ever go 
  close to the Men of the Rift. Etroll has been 
  humiliated by this combat and will kill them if they 
  show up in camp. (The party will get “Outlawed by 
  the Men of the Rift” on the AR) 
  • 
  Blegor feels that he owes them his life and is willing 
  to trade with the Redplanks. His condition is that 
  the Redplanks must guarantee him that they will 
  smuggle him out if things get bad here. 
  • 
  Blegor needs to get back to his men before the 
  rumors that he is dead lead one of the other leaders 
  to take over his faction.  
   
  As the men start down the trail, Blegor turns and calls 
  back, “I would never have thought to see the day 
  when I wish good luck to an ogre, but I hope that you 
  prosper, my new friends. I will do my best to keep the 
  Men of the Rift away from you.” 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 22 
  
   
  Nonetheless, the characters will receive the Enmity of 
  the Men of the Rift for taking the ogre’s part in this 
  combat. 
   
  Encounter 9: The Rift of the 
  Dragon 
  As you stop for a minute to allow the children to rest, 
  Xuv comes up to you with a worried look on his face. 
   
   “I do not think that we can outrun Gogma and 
  his men once they decide to follow us. We need a 
  place to recover from our troubles and try to recruit 
  new people to our cause.” He looks at Friga, who gives 
  him a slight nod. “Friga learned a tale when she was a 
  child from her grandmother of a magical place where 
  everyone was nice and the walls were paved with 
  diamonds. If what Friga’s grandmother told her is 
  true, then there may be a place of refuge for us. If we 
  could find this place, we could live there while we 
  recover our strength.” The concern for the children 
  clear in his eyes, you can hardly believe you are 
  hearing this from an ogre, even if it is Xuv. 
  If asked about this place, Friga can tell them: 
  • 
  The place is called the Cavern of Lights and was 
  sacred to her goddess. 
  • 
  It is in the canyon known as Dragon Rift. Both She 
  and Xuv know where that is located. 
  • 
  She was told that it lay “between the twin dragons, 
  under the moon.” 
   
  She can also tell them some history about her family. 
  • 
  Friga’s ancestor, Zuf, was captured by the stone 
  giants while trying to rob one of their caravans.  
  • 
  One of the stone giants was a priestess of Iallanis, 
  who showed mercy on Zuf and would not let the 
  other giants kill her. The priestess took her in as her 
  housekeeper. 
  • 
  There was a great war between the giants, and the 
  cavern was abandoned by all except the priestess and 
  her ogre housekeeper.  
  • 
  The ogre was so taken with the kindness of the 
  priestess that she became an acolyte of the temple. 
  When the giantess died, Friga’s ancestor took over 
  and their family maintained the shrine. 
  • 
  For several generations, Friga’s grandmothers would 
  only leave the cavern to find an abandoned girl child 
  to rear as the next priestess.  
  • 
  Her grandmother left the secret caverns to look for a 
  child and was captured by the ogres. She was never 
  able to return, for the ogres blinded her. 
  • 
  Friga learned about her goddess Iallanis in secret 
  from her grandmother. 
  • 
  Xuv arrived and gave her hope. She helped Xuv 
  gather together his band of misfits, the lame and the 
  unfit. They thought they had even managed to keep 
  secret from Gogma. 
  • 
  Last month, Gogma and his band showed up at the 
  edge of the village, but didn’t attack. Behind the 
  ogres were some Men of the Rift, who fell upon her 
  people and killed them mercilessly. Blegor can 
  confirm that this was in retaliation for an ogre attack 
  on one of their encampments. 
  • 
  Gogma then started harassing Xuv’s people, and they 
  were reduced to one little cavern where they hid out 
  until last week, when the humans attacked them and 
  killed all but these few. Friga escaped with the 
  children, but they were captured by Gask. For some 
  reason, they didn’t kill Xuv, but just knocked him 
  out. They obviously wanted him alive, but she 
  doesn’t know why. 
   
  If the heroes agree to accompany the ogres, then read the 
  following: 
   
  Your travel through the canyons to the north of the 
  ogre encampment has been slow and arduous. Giant 
  boulder fields litter the floor of the canyon and the 
  river appears and disappears at the most in-opportune 
  times in your trek. Friga’s directions seemed scanty at 
  the time, but you can now see how hard it would be to 
  miss the entrance to Dragon Rift. The entrance to the 
  canyon is framed by an archway in the shape of a 
  dragon’s maw, so that it looks as though you are 
  walking straigh  into the dragon’s mouth.  
  t
   
  A Spellcraft check, DC 22, will recognize this as the work 
  of magic, some sort of stone shape spell(s). 
   
  Describe the feeling of being watched that comes 
  over them and generally heighten the feeling of 
  foreboding of perhaps traveling straight into a dragon’s 
  lair.  
   
  Detecting magic on the arch will allow them a 
  chance to detect the glyph of warding on the arch. This 
  will cast doom on anyone who does not have the blood of 
  the red dragon in them. The archway is 50 feet tall and 
  the ward is in the top of the archway. 
   
  Glyph of Doom Trap: CR 2; magic device; proximity 
  trigger 
  (alarm, 
  locate 
  object(red 
  dragon 
  blood)); 
  automatic reset; spell effect, as the doom spell (12
  th level 
  caster); Will save resists (DC 17); Search (DC 27); Disable 
  Device (DC 27). 
   
  Just beyond the archway is the lair of some of 
  Morginstaler’s offspring. These abominations are the 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 23 
  
  results of his amorous relationships with some of the less 
  savory monsters in the Rift. Just past the Dragon arch is a 
  turn in the canyon. When the party has advanced around 
  the corner, Morginstaler’s brood will try to sneak up on 
  the party from underground. 
   
  APL 4: (EL 5) 
  Half Red Dragon Ankheg: hp 41; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 7) 
  Half Red Dragon Ankheg (2): hp 41; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 9)  
  Half Red Dragon Bulette: hp 122; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 11) 
  Half Red Dragon Bulette (2): hp 122; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 13) 
  Advanced Half Red Dragon Delver: hp 246; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  Tactics: At lower APLs, the ankhegs and bulettes will 
  charge up out of the ground in the surprise round. At 
  APL 12, the Delver has set a trap for the party and will sit 
  underground and dissolve the floor of the canyon under 
  the second person to pass over the trap. Note that the 
  Delver is quite intelligent and has ranks in Spellcraft. It 
  prefers to fight in its tunnel, but it can fly and will 
  aggressively disrupt spellcasting if possible. Be sure the 
  PCs keep track of the damage their armor takes. 
   
  Note: Xuv and Friga will, as much as possible, stay with 
  the children and protect them. Unless the party looks to 
  be overwhelmed, i.e. if 5 PCs are down, Xuv will not 
  enter the combat. Even then, he is unarmed unless 
  someone gave him weapons and armor. 
   
  When the monster(s) are defeated, Friga will urge them 
  to hurry “Before their father returns”. Play up the tension 
  here, with the occasional glimpse of something big and 
  red flying high overhead.  
   
  You see in front of you two stone spires that look like 
  weathered lizards of some sort which are carved 
  against the wall of the canyon. Between the statues on 
  the canyon wall is a circular carving in bas relief 
  showing a rugged mountain landscape. 
   
  The entrance to the cavern of lights is behind an illusory 
  wall directly under the bas relief. A Search check, DC 30, 
  will find it. A detect magic will detect a moderate illusion 
  aura where the illusory wall is located and will reduce the 
  Search check to DC 15. When they understand the wall, 
  they may make a Will save, DC 19, to disbelieve. When 
  they have found the wall and are ready to go through, 
  read the following: 
   
  From down the canyon, you hear a roar of outrage 
  and a terrifying, booming voice that says in draconic 
  “Vuthic, na havassin russask ska nik”. There is then a 
  trumpeting roar that is echoed by others off n the 
  distance. 
  i
  t
   
   
  Those who understand draconic will understand this to 
  roughly translate into common as “Murderers, I will find 
  you and eat your hearts.” Hopefully, they will now escape 
  into the cavern, but if not, describe the appearance 
  (flying at an altitude of about 200 ft above the floor of the 
  canyon) of a group of 8 flying half-dragon Delvers. 
  Should the party wish to fight them, then have no 
  compunctions about killing them all. The party will be 
  able to hear Morginstaler’s voice echoing down the 
  canyon in the distance, but he will not ever come into 
  sight.  
   
  If the party somehow missed Gask in Encounter 7 or 
  8, then at this point, Gask will encounter the enraged 
  Morginstaler. Morginstaler will offer Gask the location of 
  the party in exchange for a promise to kill the heroes and 
  bring their heads to him. Gask will then show up and 
  attack the party in the cave at some point in this 
  encounter. Note that he knows they are there and he will 
  come in completely buffed up. 
   
  If Gask is fought here, then that means that he has 
  talked with Morginstaler and the dragon now knows 
  who they are. The heroes have earned the Enmity of 
  Morginstaler on the AR. 
   
  Conclusion 
  When the heroes get into the cavern, read the following: 
   
  After a short while the cleft opens into a magnificent 
  chamber over 500 feet in diameter. The chamber is lit 
  by an ingenious series of shafts that allow the natural 
  sunlight to penetrate to the cavern. The sunlight 
  streaming in reflects off housands of crystal surfaces 
  in the wall of the cave to give the impression of being 
  on the inside of a chandelier. At the very center of the 
  floor of the cavern is a crystal grotto sparkling in the 
  sunlight. Getting closer to the grotto, you can see a 
  large shrine with a flower motif on the dais. Friga 
  turns to you with a look of rapture on her face and 
  then walks into the grotto.  
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 24 
  
  A Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check, DC 
  25, will recognize the craftsmanship of the cavern as that 
  of the stone giants (dwarves would get their 
  Stonecunning bonus to this roll). It looks as though it is 
  several hundred years old at least. A Knowledge 
  (religion) check, DC 20, will recognize this as the holy 
  symbol of Iallanis on the shrine. 
   
  As Friga kneels at the altar, a ghostly form of a stone 
  giantess appears in front of Friga. With a benevo ent 
  smile upon her face, the apparition wraps Friga in her 
  arms. There is a sudden flash of dazzling light. When 
  you can see again moments later, Friga stands before 
  you in clean white robes and wearing a crystal holy 
  symbol of Iallanis. She smiles at you and says “The 
  Goddess thanks you for bringing us home. We will be 
  safe here, as long as you do not reveal this location to 
  any who would wish us harm. If you leave by the 
  secret passage that I will show you, the Goddess tells 
  me that your journey back to your cities will be 
  uneventful  For your help, the Goddess has blessed 
  you. Try to be worthy of it.”  
  l
   
  .
   
  Let the players make whatever arrangements they wish, 
  then lead them out the back entrance. From there it is an 
  easy trek back to civilization. 
   
  The End 
   
  Experience Point Summary 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the values 
  for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award. Award the total value (objectives plus 
  roleplaying) to each character. 
   
  Encounter Two  
  Defeating Ruvash and the orcs: 
  APL 4 180 xp; APL 6 240 xp; APL 8 300 xp; 
  APL10 360 xp; APL 12 420 xp. 
   
  Obtaining the nomadic way into the canyon 
  All APLs 60 xp. 
   
  Encounter Three (only if no encounter 2) 
  Defeating or Bribing Ruvash and the orcs 
  APL 4 180 xp; APL 6 240 xp; APL 8 300 xp; 
  APL 10 360 xp; APL 12 420 xp. 
   
  Encounter Four (only if no encounter 2) 
  Obtaining the nomadic way into the canyon 
  All APLs 60 xp. 
   
  Encounter Seven or Eight 
  Defeating the Gask the Mostly Lucky and freeing the 
  ogre slaves 
  APL 4 210 xp; APL 6 270 xp; APL 8 330 xp; 
  APL 10 420 xp; APL 12 450 xp. 
   
  Encounter Nine 
  Defeating the Half-dragon offspring of Morginstaler 
  APL 4 150 xp; APL 6 210 xp; APL 8 270 xp; 
  APL 10 330 xp; APL 12 390 xp. 
   
  Defeating the glyph of doom trap. 
  All APLs 660 xp. 
   
  Discretionary roleplaying award 
  APL 4 25 xp; APL 6 60 xp; APL 8 105 xp; 
  APL 10 150 xp; APL 12 195 xp. 
   
  Total possible experience:  
   
  APL 4 675 xp; APL 6 900 xp; APL 8 1125 xp; 
  APL 10 1350 xp; APL 12 1575 xp. 
   
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes. Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their earthly 
  possessions. Looting the bodies takes at least 10 minutes 
  per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot take the 
  time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this gold. If you 
  feel it is reasonable that characters can go back to loot the 
  bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not carted off by 
  dungeon scavengers, removed from the scene by the local 
  watch, and so on), characters may return to retrieve loot. If 
  the characters do not loot the body, the gold piece value for 
  the loot is subtracted from the encounter totals given 
  below. 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available. A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a round 
  or so. If for some reason, they pass up this treasure, the coin 
  total is subtracted from the encounter totals given below. 
   
  Next, the magic items are listed. Magic item treasure is 
  the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure. Many times characters must cast identify, 
  analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine what the 
  item does and how to activate it. Other times they may 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 25 
  
  attempt to use the item blindly. If the magic item is 
  consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the item 
  is used before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure. Write the total in 
  the GP Gained field of the adventure certificate. Because 
  this is a Regional scenario, characters may spend 
  additional Time Units to practice professions or create 
  items immediately after the adventure so this total may 
  be modified by other circumstances. 
   
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, 
  and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
   
  Encounter Two: A friend in need. 
   
  APL 4: L: 115 gp; C: 34 gp; M: 4 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 100 gp; C: 34 gp; M: 285 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 290 gp; C: 34 gp; M: 285 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 62 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1195 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 100 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1669 gp 
   
   
   
   
  -OR- 
   
  Encounter Three: Ambush 
   
  APL 4: L: 115 gp; C: 34 gp; M: 4 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 100 gp; C: 34 gp; M: 285 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 290 gp; C: 34 gp; M: 285 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 62 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1195 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 100 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1669 gp 
   
  Encounter Seven or Eight: The fight with Gask 
  the Mostly Lucky 
   
  APL 4: L: 124 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 469 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 121 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 975 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 25 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1195 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 25 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 2420 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 25 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 4054 gp 
   
  The Veth’s Reward 
   
  APL 4: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 4: 746 gp (650 gp max) 
  APL 6: 1515 gp (900 gp max) 
  APL 8: 1929 gp (1300 max) 
  APL 10: 3702 gp (2300 max) 
  APL 12: 5948 gp (3300 max) 
   
  Special 
  The Amulet of Gask the Mostly Lucky: When 
  activated, this amulet grants the wearer the benefits of 
  death ward for 1d6 rounds. This amulet can be activated 
  once per day as an immediate action. A wearer who is not 
  a worshipper of Grolantor is shaken for 1d6 minutes after 
  the amulet is activated. 
   
  Faint necromancy; CL 7
  th; Craft Wondrous Item, 
  death ward, Creator must be a worshipper of Grolantor. 
  Price: 10,000 gp. 
   
  Gratitude of Blegor: Regional access to one adamantine 
  weapon of the player’s choice. The PC must already have 
  access to the type of weapon to be made. Write the name 
  of the weapon chosen here: _______________________________________. 
   
  Gratitude of the Veth: The Veth arranges for you to 
  have access to the following scrolls: greater restoration, 
  resurrection, or raise dead. Cross off when used. 
   
  Debt Owed to the Veth: If in the future this character 
  refuses to honor this debt, the Redplanks spread rumors 
  in the right places, giving the character a Malcontent-
  level WCI point. 
   
  Whip Scars: This character spent 6 TUs in the mines and 
  bears the scars to prove it. 
   
  Hunted by Ruvash Bloodarrow: The lifestyle costs of all 
  scenarios set in the Bandit Kingdoms are raised by 12 gp 
  per TU. The character gains a Dissenter-level WCI point. 
   
  Enmity of the Men of the Rift: You cannot join or be a 
  member of the Men of the Rift while in possession of this 
  enmity. The cost of the adamantine weapon in the items 
  section is increased by 50%. 
   
  Enmity of Morginstaler. It’s never good to be on a 
  dragon’s short list of enemies. 
   
  Boon of Iallanis: As an immediate action, you may call 
  out “Have mercy upon me, Iallanis” and she will grant 
  you a +4 sacred bonus on a saving throw. This favor may 
  be used after you roll the die, but must be used before you 
  know the results of the roll. Cross out this boon when 
  used. 
   
  Item Access 
  APL 4:  
  Amulet of Gask the mostly lucky (Adventure, see above) 
  Large-sized 
  cold 
  iron 
  masterwork 
  short 
  sword 
  (Adventure, 340 gp, DMG) 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 26 
  
  Universal solvent (Adventure, DMG) 
   
  APL 6: (All of APL 4 plus the following) 
  Stone salve (Regional, DMG) 
  Vest of resistance +2 (Adventure, CA) 
   
  APL 8: (All of APLs 4-6 plus the following) 
  Gloves of Dexterity +4 (Adventure, DMG) 
  Potion of good hope (Regional, DMG) 
   
  APL 10: (All of APLs 4-8 plus the following) 
  +1 frost composite longbow (Adventure, 8,400 gp, DMG) 
  +2 large-sized full plate (Adventure, 5,650 gp, DMG) 
   
  APL 12: (All of APLs 4-10 plus the following) 
  +1 animated large-sized heavy steel shield (Adventure, 
  5,170 gp, DMG) 
  +1 frost large-sized club (Adventure, 8,300 gp, DMG) 
  Bowstaff (Adventure, CV) 
  Belt of giant strength +4 (Adventure, DMG) 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 27 
  
  Appendix 1: NPCs 
  All APLs 
  Encounter 1 
  Sonya 
  Luboschenko: 
  Female 
  Human 
  (Rhe) 
  Brd6/Veth 2; CR 8; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 
  2d4+6d6+8; hp 36; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (touch 12, 
  flat-footed 14) [+3 armor, +1 Dex, +1 deflection]; BA/G 
  5/+4; Atk +5 melee (1d6-1/18-20x2, rapier); Full Atk +5 
  melee (1d6-1/18-20x2, rapier); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; 
  SA Bardic music; SQ Hex mastery, improved caster 
  level, reading the lake; SR -; AL CG; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, 
  Will +9; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 20. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +15, Heal 
  +3, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (geography) 
  +12, Knowledge (nature) +4, Perform (Oratory) +14, 
  Perform (Singing) +6, Sense Motive +10, Sleight of 
  Hand +12, Spellcraft +14; Silent spell, Spell Focus 
  (Enchantment), Still Spell, Craft Wondrous Item. 
   
  Hex Mastery (Su): For the spells bestow curse, 
  cause fear, charm person, charm monster, confusion, 
  contagion, hypnotism and scare, add 2 to your caster 
  level. 
   
  Improved Caster Level (Su): When determining 
  the caster level for a Vetha spell, you add your Veth 
  levels to your levels in your highest-level other 
  spellcasting class. 
   
  Reading the Lake (Su): Each evening under a 
  clear sky, once per night, you can make a limited 
  prediction on the future of one passenger on your 
  barge. You can foresee a general event of the next 10 
  days; the prediction only indicates the potential 
  outcome and does not guarantee the result. The chance 
  of success is 70% + 1% per caster level, to a maximum of 
  90%. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/5/3, base DC = 15 + spell 
  level (+1 for Enchantments): 0 – detect magic, light, 
  lullaby, 
  prestidigitation, 
  read 
  magic, 
  summon 
  instrument; 1
  st – cause fear (CL 10
  th), charm person (CL 
  10
  th), cure light wounds, Tasha's hideous laughter; 2
  nd – 
  calm emotions, enthrall, suggestion.  
   
   
   
  Vetha Spells Known: (4, base DC = 16 + spell level 
  [+1 for Enchantments], CL 8
  th): 1 – cause fear (CL 10
  th), 
  identify, obscuring mist. 
   
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, +1 ring of 
  protection, masterwork rapier, vest of resistance +2, 
  cloak of charisma +2, ring of office of the Veth. 
   
  Rhenee Guard: Male human (Rhe) Ftr3; CR 3; HD 
  3d10+6; hp 28; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 19 (touch 11, flat-
  footed 18) [+8 armor, +1 Dex]; BA/G +3/+6; Atk +8 
  melee (1d8+4/x3, masterwork darkha) or +6 ranged 
  (1d8+3/x3, masterwork darkha); AL CG; SV Fort +5, 
  Ref +2, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 9, 
  Cha 12.  
       Skills and Feats: Intimidate +7, Jump +9; Exotic 
  Weapon Proficiency (darkha), Improved Bull Rush, 
  Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (darkha). 
    
  Possessions: masterwork full plate, masterwork 
  darkha (see below). 
      
  The Darkha: The darkha is considered a two-
  handed exotic melee weapon with the following 
  statistics: Cost 4 gp; Damage 1d8; Critical x3; Range 
  Increment 30 ft.; Weight 4 lbs; Type Piercing. 
  Handling a warrior's darkha without permission is 
  considered an insult to the weapon's owner. 
   
  Slavos 
  Northwind: 
  Male 
  Human 
  (Oer) 
  Rog7/Shadowdancer 3; CR 10; Medium Humanoid 
  (Human); HD 7d6+3d8; hp 40; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  17 (touch 14, flat-footed 13) [+3 armor, +4 Dex]; BA/G 
  7/+6; Atk +7 melee (1d6-1/18-20x2, rapier); Full Atk 
  +7/+2 melee (1d6-1/18-20x2, rapier); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 
  ft.; SA Sneak attack +4d6; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., hide in 
  plain sight, improved uncanny dodge, shadow illusion, 
  summon shadow, trapsense +1, uncanny dodge; SR -; 
  AL CN; SV Fort +3, Ref +12, Will +6; Str 8, Dex 18, Con 
  10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +14, Hide +22, Listen +14, 
  Move Silently +18, Open Lock +18, Perform (dance) 
  +10, Search +15, Sense Motive +15, Sleight of Hand 
  +18, Spot +14, Tumble +18; Combat Reflexes, Dodge, 
  Elusive Target, Hamstring, Mobility. 
   
  Possessions: cloak of elvenkind, leather armor +1, 
  masterwork rapier, dagger x3, 120gp. 
   
  Shadow Familiar: Medium Undead (Incorporeal); HD 
  2d12; hp 12; see Monster Manual. 
   
  Encounters 7 and 8 
  Xuv: Male Ogre Bbn6/Holy Liberator of Iallanis 4; CR 
  13; Large Giant; HD 4d8+6d12+4d10+56; hp 139; Init 
  +4; Spd 35 ft.; AC 14 (touch 9, flat-footed 14) [-1 size, +5 
  natural]; BA/G 13/+26; Atk +17 melee (1d4+9, 
  unarmed); Full Atk +17/12/7 melee (1d4+9, unarmed); 
  Face/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA None; SQ Aura of resolve, 
  break enchantment, darkvision 60 ft., detect evil, 
  improved uncanny dodge, low-light vision, rage 2/day, 
  remove fatigue, smite evil 2/day, trap sense +2, 
  uncanny dodge; SR -; AL CG; SV Fort +17, Ref +5, Will 
  +8; Str 28, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +12, Diplomacy +10, Jump 
  +10, Listen +4, Sense Motive +10, Spot +3, Survival +4; 
  Improved Critical (Longspear), Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Toughness, Iron Will, Power Attack. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 28 
  
   
  Aura of Resolve(Ex): You are immune to all 
  charm and compulsion effects. 
   Each ally within 10 feet of you gains a +4 morale bonus 
  on saving throws against charm or compulsion effects. 
   
  Break Enchantment(Sp): Once per week you can 
  use break enchantment. 
   
  Code of Conduct: You must be of chaotic good 
  alignment and lose all special class abilities if you ever 
  willingly commit an act of evil. 
   
  Remove Fatigue(Su): You can eliminate fatigue 
  in any creature you touch. Using this ability is a 
  standard action; you may use this ability 3 times per 
  day. 
   
  Smite Evil(Su): 2 times per day, you can add +0 to 
  your attack roll; if the creature you strike is evil, you 
  inflict an extra 4 points of damage. 
   
  Spells Prepared (2/1 base DC = 11 + spell level): 1
  st 
  – bless, bless weapon; 2
  nd – zone of truth. 
   
  Possessions: None 
   
  Friga: Female Clr5 of Iallanis 3; CR 6; Large Giant; HD 
  4d8+5d8+18; hp 62; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (touch 9, 
  flat-footed 14) [-1 size, +5 natural]; BA/G 6/+13; Atk +6 
  melee (1d4+5, unarmed); Full Atk +6/1 melee (1d4+5, 
  unarmed); Face/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Turn undead 
  3/day; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, restricted 
  spells; SR -; AL NG; SV Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +10; Str 
  20, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Heal +8, Diplomacy +4, 
  Knowledge (religion) +6, Listen +6, Sense Motive +5, 
  Spot +6; Diehard, Endurance, Iron Will, Negotiator. 
   
  Spells Prepared (5/4/3/2 base DC = 13 + spell 
  level): 0 – create water, detect poison, light, mending, 
  purify food and drink; 1
  st – sanctuary*, bless, command, 
  lesser vigor, resurgence; 2
  nd – status*, aid, calm 
  emotions, deific vengeance; 3
  rd – prayer*, create food 
  and water, remove disease. 
   
  Possessions: None 
   
  Blegor: Male Half-Dragon (Brass) Human (Suel) 
  Ftr2/Sor4/Spellsword 7; CR 15; Medium Dragon 
  (Augmented Human); HD 4d4+7d8+2d10+52; hp 109; 
  Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 30 (touch 13, flat-footed 29) [+10 
  armor, +1 Dex, +7 natural, +2 deflection]; BA/G 11/+18; 
  Atk +19 melee (2d4+13/19-20, spiked chain); Full Atk 
  +19/14/9 
  melee 
  (2d4+13/19-20, 
  spiked 
  chain); 
  Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA Breath weapon, bite attack; 
  SQ Channel spell, darkvision 60 ft., ignore spell failure, 
  immune to sleep, paralysis, and fire, low-light vision, 
  restricted spells; SR -; AL CG; SV Fort +16, Ref +6, Will 
  +18; Str 26, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 22. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Bluff 
  +15, 
  Climb 
  +14, 
  Concentration 
  +11, 
  Craft 
  (weaponsmith) 
  +8, 
  Intimidate +13, Jump +1, Knowledge (arcana) +16, 
  Knowledge 
  (architecture 
  & 
  engineering) 
  +7, 
  Knowledge (planes) +6, Spellcraft +16, Swim +2. 
  Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (Spiked Chain), Improved Critical (Spiked 
  Chain), Power Attack, Empower Spell, Arcane Strike, 
  Improved Toughness, Force of Personality. 
   
  Bite Attack (Ex): Blegor can bite at his normal 
  melee attack bonuses for 1d4+8 damage. 
   
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 1 time per day, Blegor may 
  breath a 60 foot line of fire that deals 6d8 damage. 
  Reflex save DC 20 reduces the damage by half. 
   
  Channel Spell (Su): 4 times per day as a move 
  action, you can channel a spell into your melee 
  weapon. The channeled spell affects the next target 
  you successfully attack with this weapon (saving 
  throws and spell resistance still apply). Channeling the 
  spell uses up the spell slot. If the spell normally affects 
  an area or is a ray, it affects only the target. When the 
  spell is discharged from your weapon, it can than hold 
  another spell. You can channel spells into only one 
  weapon at a time. Spells not used in 8 hours are lost. 
   
  Ignore Spell Failure (Ex): You can subtract 25% 
  from your total spell failure chance, if any. Blegor has a 
  0% spell failure chance. 
   
  Spells Known (6/8/8/6/4 base DC = 16 + spell 
  level, CL 8
  th): 0 – acid splash, daze, detect magic, light, 
  open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, ventriloquism; 
  1
  st – cause fear, enlarge person, magic missile, 
  obscuring mist, shield; 2
  nd – blindness/deafness, ghoul 
  touch, glitterdust; 3
  rd – major image, vampiric touch; 4
  th 
  – dimension door. 
   
  Possessions: +2 adamantine full plate, +2 vest of 
  resistance, +4 cloak of charisma, +4 belt of giant 
  strength, +1 adamantine spiked chain. 
   
  Etroll: Male Half-Orc Clr8/Warpriest 6 of Erythnul; 
  CR 14; Medium Humanoid (Orc); HD 8d8+6d10+42; 
  hp 106; Init +4; Spd 20 ft.; AC 25 (touch 12, flat-footed 
  25) [+9 armor, +4 shield, +2 deflection]; BA/G 12/+18; 
  Atk +20 melee (1d8+7/19-20, morningstar); Full Atk 
  +20/15/10 
  melee 
  (1d8+7/19-20, 
  morningstar); 
  Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA Fear aura; SQ Darkvision 60 
  ft., heroes’ feast, inflame, mass cure light wounds, rally, 
  rebuke undead; SR -; AL CN; SV Fort +15, Ref +6, Will 
  +14; Str 22, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +10, Diplomacy 
  +11, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +1; Combat Casting, 
  Improved Critical(Morningstar), Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Toughness, Power Attack. 
   
  Heroes' Feast (Sp): As the spell, you can use this 
  ability once per day. 
   
  Fear Aura (Su): Once per day you can project a 
  fear aura to a radius of 20 feet for 6 rounds. Foes must 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 29 
  
  make a Will save (DC 15) or be affected as if by a fear 
  spell. 
   
  Inflame (Ex): As a full-round action, you can 
  inflame the passions of your allies. You provide those 
  who hear a +6 morale bonus on saving throws against 
  any charm or fear effect. This effect lasts for 11 minutes 
  after the speech ends, and you gain the bonus as well. 
   
  Mass Cure Light Wounds (Sp): Once per day, as 
  the spell as cast by a level 11 cleric. 
   
  Rally (Ex): If not currently suffering from a fear 
  effect you can use this ability as a standard action. 
  Allies within 60 feet who are suffering from any fear 
  effect and who can hear you are allowed an immediate 
  Will saving throw at the DC of the fear effect, with a +6 
  morale bonus. 
   
  Spells Prepared (6/6/5/4/4/2/1 base DC = 14 + 
  spell level [+1 for enchantments], CL 11): 0 – create 
  water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, 
  purify food and drink, read magic; 1
  st – doom*, bane, 
  bless, cure light wounds, divine favor, obscuring mist, 
  resurgence; 2
  nd – spiritual weapon*, align weapon, 
  bear’s endurance, death knell, hold person, resist 
  energy; 3
  rd – contagion*, bestow curse, cure serious 
  wounds, mass lesser vigor, visage of the deity; 4
  th – 
  dominate person*, castigate, death ward, freedom of 
  movement, repel vermin; 5
  th – flame strike*, slay living 
  spell resistance; 6
  th – geas*, word of recall. 
   
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: War (Free Martial 
  Weapon Proficiency with deity’s favored weapon (if 
  necessary) and Weapon Focus with the deity’s favored 
  weapon.); Pestilence (Immunity to the effects of all 
  diseases, though clerics with this power can still carry 
  infectious diseases), Domination (You gain the Spell 
  Focus (Enchantment) feat.). 
   
  Possessions: Periapt of wisdom +4, gauntlets of 
  ogre power, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection 
  +2, +1 cold iron morningstar, +1 adamantine dagger, 
  holy symbol of Erythnul. 
   
  Etroll’s Guards: Male Half-Orc Bbn5/Ravager 6; CR 
  11; Medium Humanoid (Orc); HD 5d12+6d10+22; hp 
  93; Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; AC 18 (touch 12, flat-footed 18) 
  [+6 armor, +2 Dex]; BA/G 11/+15; Atk +17 melee 
  (1d8+5/19-20x3, battleaxe); Full Atk +17/12/7 melee 
  (1d8+5/19-20x3, battleaxe); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA 
  Cruelest cut 2/day, pain touch 2/day; SQ Aura of fear 
  2/day, Darkvision 60 ft., fast movement, improved 
  uncanny dodge, rage 2/day, trap sense +1, uncanny 
  dodge; SR -; AL CE; SV Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 18, 
  Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Intimidate +14, Jump +13, 
  Knowledge (Religion) +4, Ride +8, Survival +8; 
  Improved Critical (battleaxe), Power Attack, Two 
  weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (battleaxe). 
   
  Aura of Fear (Su): Enemies within 20 feet of him 
  take a -2 moral penalty on saving throws as long as they 
  remain within range. The effect lasts for 3 rounds each 
  time he uses this ability. 
   
  Cruelest Cut (Ex): if he declares he is using 
  cruelest cut before making an attack, and the attack 
  strikes successfully, he deals an extra 1d4 points of 
  temporary constitution damage. 
   
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): He cannot be 
  flanked except by a rogue of at least 9
  th level 
   
  Pain Touch (Su): His melee touch attack deals 
  1d8+6 points of damage. He can also use pain touch 
  through a melee weapon, dealing 1d4+6 points of 
  damage. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to con, +2 on will saves, -2 
  AC for up to seven rounds. 
   
  Trap Sense (Ex): Against attacks by traps, he gets 
  a +1 bonus on Reflex saves and a +1 dodge bonus to 
  Armor Class 
   
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): He can react to danger 
  before his senses would normally allow him to do so. 
  He retains his dexterity bonus to AC even when 
  caught flat-footed. 
   
  Spells Prepared (6/6/5/4/4/2/1 base DC = 14 + 
  spell level [+1 for enchantments], CL 11): 0 – create 
  water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, 
  purify food and drink, read magic; 1
  st – doom*, bane, 
  bless, cure light wounds, divine favor, obscuring mist, 
  resurgence; 2
  nd – spiritual weapon*, align weapon, 
  bear’s endurance, death knell, hold person, resist 
  energy; 3
  rd – contagion*, bestow curse, cure serious 
  wounds, mass lesser vigor, visage of the deity; 4
  th – 
  dominate person*, castigate, death ward, freedom of 
  movement, repel vermin; 5
  th – flame strike*, slay living 
  spell resistance; 6
  th – geas*, word of recall. 
  *Domain spell. Domains: War (Free Martial 
  Weapon Proficiency with deity’s favored weapon (if 
  necessary) and Weapon Focus with the deity’s favored 
  weapon.); Pestilence (Immunity to the effects of all 
  diseases, though clerics with this power can still carry 
  infectious diseases), Domination (You gain the Spell 
  Focus (Enchantment) feat.)]. 
   
  Possessions: +1 battleaxe (2), +1 breastplate, gem of 
  brightness, cloak of resistance +1, masterwork 
  composite longbow (+4 Str), 20 arrows, heavy 
  warhorse. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 30 
  
  APL 4 
  Encounter 2 or 3 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: Male Human (Oeridian) Rgr3; 
  CR 3; Medium Humanoid; HD 3d8+3; hp 20; Init +7; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (touch 13, flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, 
  +3 Dex]; BA/G +3/+3; Atk +7 ranged (1d8/20x3, 
  composite longbow) or +4 melee (1d10/19-20, bastard 
  sword); Full Atk +5/5 ranged (1d8/20x3, composite 
  longbow) or +4 melee (1d10/19-20, bastard sword); 
  Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Favored enemy 
  (human +2); SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; 
  Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +5, Hide +7, 
  Knowledge (nature) +8, Move Silently +7, Search +6, 
  Spot +7, Survival +7; Improved Initiative, Point Blank 
  Shot, Precise Shot, Track, Endurance, Rapid Shot. 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork composite longbow, 
  masterwork bastard sword, dagger, chain shirt, potion 
  of cure light wounds, 34 gp. 
   
  Encounter 7 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: Male Ogre Bbn1/Clr5 of 
  Grolantor; CR 7; Large Giant; HD 9d8+1d12+30; hp 80; 
  Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21 (touch 8, flat-footed 21) [-1 
  size, +8 armor, -1 Dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection]; BA/G 
  +7/+18; Atk +15 melee (2d8+15/19-20, greatclub); Full 
  Atk 
  +15/10 
  melee 
  (2d8+15/19-20, 
  greatclub); 
  Face/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA – ; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  rage 1/day, rebuke undead; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort +14, 
  Ref +2, Will +9; Str 24, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 17, 
  Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +11, Listen +7, 
  Spot +9; Skill Focus (Concentration), Improved 
  Initiative, Power Attack, Silent Spell. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to eight rounds. 
   
  Spells Prepared (5/4+1/3+1/2+1 base DC = 13 + 
  spell level): 0 – create water, purify food and drink, 
  detect magic, detect poison, cure minor wounds; 1
  st – 
  divine favor*, cure light wounds, bane, resurgence, 
  shield of faith; 2
  nd – death knell*, bull strength, resist 
  energy, silence; 3
  rd – lesser visage of the deity*, dispel 
  magic, spikes. 
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: Death (You may use a 
  death touch once per day. With a touch attack, you roll 
  1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least 
  equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies.); 
  Mysticism (Once per day, as a free action, you may gain 
  a luck bonus on your saving throws equal to your 
  Charisma modifier, minimum of +1. This is a 
  supernatural ability that lasts 1 round per cleric level.) 
   
  Possessions: Amulet of Gask the Mostly Lucky, 
  masterwork large full plate, masterwork large 
  greatsword, large greatclub, large cold iron short 
  sword, cloak of resistance +1, ring of deflection +1, 
  potion of cure light wounds, potion of owl’s wisdom. 
   
  Encounter 9 
  Half Red Dragon Ankheg: CR 5; Large Dragon 
  (Augmented Magical Beast); HD 3d12+15; hp 41; Init 
  +0; Spd 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average); AC 22 
  (touch 9, flat-footed 21) [-1 size, +13 natural]; BA/G 
  +3/+16; Atk +11 melee (1d6+9, claw); Full Atk +11 
  melee (1d6+9, 2 claws) and +6 melee (2d6+4 plus 1d4 
  acid, bite); Face/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Breath weapon, 
  improved grab, spit acid; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  immunity to acid, fire, sleep, and paralysis effects, low-
  light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +7, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 29, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 
  13, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Listen +8, Spot +5; 
  Alertness, Toughness. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): A half-dragon Ankheg can 
  breath a 30 ft. cone of fire once per day dealing 6d8 
  damage. A Reflex save (DC 15) will reduce this damage 
  by half. 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an 
  ankheg must hit with its bite attack. It can then 
  attempt to start a grapple as a free action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If the ankheg is 
  damaged after grabbing its prey, it retreats backward 
  down its tunnel at its land speed (not its burrow 
  speed), dragging the victim with it.  
   
  Spit Acid (Ex): 30-ft. line, once every 6 hours; 
  damage 4d4 acid, Reflex DC 15 half. One such attack 
  depletes the ankheg’s acid supply for 6 hours. It cannot 
  spit acid or deal acid damage during this time. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. An ankheg does not use this 
  ability unless it is desperate or frustrated. It most often 
  spits acid when reduced to fewer than half its full 
  normal hit points or when it has not successfully 
  grabbed an opponent.  
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 31 
  
  APL 6 
  Encounter 2 or 3 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: Male Human (Oeridian) Rgr5; 
  CR 5; Medium Humanoid; HD 5d8+5; hp 31; Init +7; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (touch 13, flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, 
  +3 Dex]; BA/G +5/+5; Atk +9 ranged (1d8+1/20x3, 
  composite longbow) or +6 melee (1d10/19-20, bastard 
  sword); Full Atk +7/7 ranged (1d8+1/20x3, composite 
  longbow) or +6 melee (1d10/19-20, bastard sword); 
  Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Favored enemy 
  (human +4, elf +2); SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, 
  Will +3; Str 11, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +7, Hide +9, 
  Knowledge (nature) +10, Move Silently +9, Profession 
  (Bounty Hunter) + 6, Search +8, Spot +9, Survival +9; 
  Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, 
  Track, Endurance, Rapid Shot. 
   
  Spells Prepared (1 base DC = 11 + spell level): 1
  st – 
  exacting shot (precast). 
   
  Possessions: +1 composite longbow, masterwork 
  bastard sword, dagger, chain shirt, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of darkvision. 
   
  Encounter 7 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: Male Ogre Bbn1/Clr7 of 
  Grolantor; CR 9; Large Giant; HD 11d8+1d12+48; hp 
  107; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21 (touch 8, flat-footed 21) [-
  1 size, +8 armor, -1 Dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection]; 
  BA/G 
  +9/+20; 
  Atk 
  +17 
  melee 
  (2d8+18/19-20, 
  greatclub); Full Atk +17/12 melee (2d8+18/19-20, 
  greatclub); Face/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA – ; SQ 
  Darkvision 60 ft., rage 1/day, rebuke undead; SR – ; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +16, Ref +4, Will +12; Str 24, Dex 8, Con 
  16, Int 8, Wis 18, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +13, Listen +8, 
  Spot +10; Skill Focus (Concentration), Improved 
  Initiative, Improved Toughness, Power Attack, Silent 
  Spell. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to eight rounds. 
   
  Spells Prepared (6/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+1 base DC = 14 
  + spell level): 0 – create water, purify food and drink, 
  detect magic, detect poison, cure minor wounds (2); 1
  st 
  – divine favor*, bane, cure light wounds, lesser vigor, 
  resurgence, shield of faith; 2
  nd – death knell*, deific 
  vengeance, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, silence; 3
  rd – 
  lesser visage of the deity*, invisibility purge, spikes, 
  vigor; 4
  th – death ward*, freedom of movement, silent 
  dispel magic. 
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: Death (You may use a 
  death touch once per day. With a touch attack, you roll 
  1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least 
  equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies.); 
  Mysticism (Once per day, as a free action, you may gain 
  a luck bonus on your saving throws equal to your 
  Charisma modifier, minimum of +1. This is a 
  supernatural ability that lasts 1 round per cleric level.) 
   
  Possessions: Amulet of Gask the Mostly Lucky, 
  masterwork large full plate, masterwork large 
  greatsword, +1 large greatclub, large cold iron short 
  sword, cloak of resistance +2, ring of deflection +1, 
  potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of bull’s 
  strength, potion of invisibility. 
   
  Encounter 9 
  Half Red Dragon Ankheg: CR 5; Large Dragon 
  (Augmented Magical Beast); HD 3d12+15; hp 41; Init 
  +0; Spd 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average); AC 22 
  (touch 9, flat-footed 21) [-1 size, +13 natural]; BA/G 
  +3/+16; Atk +11 melee (1d6+9, claw); Full Atk +11 
  melee (1d6+9, 2 claws) and +6 melee (2d6+4 plus 1d4 
  acid, bite); Face/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Breath weapon, 
  improved grab, spit acid; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  immunity to acid, fire, sleep, and paralysis effects, low-
  light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +7, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 29, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 
  13, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Listen +8, Spot +5; 
  Alertness, Toughness. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): A half-dragon Ankheg can 
  breath a 30 ft. cone of fire once per day dealing 6d8 
  damage. A Reflex save (DC 15) will reduce this damage 
  by half. 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an 
  ankheg must hit with its bite attack. It can then 
  attempt to start a grapple as a free action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If the ankheg is 
  damaged after grabbing its prey, it retreats backward 
  down its tunnel at its land speed (not its burrow 
  speed), dragging the victim with it.  
   
  Spit Acid (Ex): 30-ft. line, once every 6 hours; 
  damage 4d4 acid, Reflex DC 15 half. One such attack 
  depletes the ankheg’s acid supply for 6 hours. It cannot 
  spit acid or deal acid damage during this time. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. An ankheg does not use this 
  ability unless it is desperate or frustrated. It most often 
  spits acid when reduced to fewer than half its full 
  normal hit points or when it has not successfully 
  grabbed an opponent.  
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 32 
  
  APL 8 
  Encounter 2 or 3 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: Male Human (Oeridian) Rgr7; 
  CR 7; Medium Humanoid; HD 7d8+7; hp 42; Init +8; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (touch 14, flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, 
  +4 Dex]; BA/G +7/+7; Atk +12 ranged (1d8+1/20x3, 
  composite longbow) or +8 melee (1d10/19-20, bastard 
  sword); Full Atk +12/12/7 ranged (1d8+1/20x3, 
  composite longbow) or +8/3 melee (1d10/19-20, 
  bastard sword); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ 
  Favored enemy (human +4, elf +2), wild empathy, 
  woodland stride; SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +7, Ref +10, 
  Will +4; Str 11, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +9, Hide +12, 
  Knowledge (nature) +12, Move Silently +12, Profession 
  (Bounty Hunter) +8, Search +10, Spot +11, Survival 
  +11; Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise 
  Shot, Improved Rapid Shot, Track, Endurance, 
  Manyshot, Rapid Shot. 
   
  Spells Prepared (2 base DC = 11 + spell level): 1
  st – 
  exacting shot, resist energy (fire). 
   
  Possessions: +1 composite longbow, masterwork 
  bastard sword, dagger, chain shirt, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of darkvision, gloves of 
  dexterity +2. 
   
  Orc Barbarian: Male Orc Bbn2; CR 2; Medium 
  Humanoid (Orc); HD 2d12+4; hp 22; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 14 (touch 11, flat-footed 14) [+3 armor, +1 Dex]; 
  BA/G +2/+6; Atk +7 melee (2d4+6/18-20, falchion); 
  Full Atk +7 melee (2d4+6/18-20, falchion); Face/Reach 
  5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Fast movement, rage 1/day, 
  uncanny dodge; SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will 
  -1; Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Jump +6, Listen +4, Survival +4; 
  Combat Reflexes. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to seven rounds. 
   
  Possessions: Hide armor, masterwork falchion, 
  dagger, handaxe. 
   
  Encounter 7 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: Male Ogre Bbn1/Clr9 of 
  Grolantor; CR 11; Large Giant; HD 13d8+1d12+56; hp 
  124; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 22 (touch 8, flat-footed 22) [-
  1 size, +9 armor, -1 Dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection]; 
  BA/G +10/+21; Atk +18 melee (2d8+21/19-20, 
  greatclub); Full Atk +18/13 melee (2d8+21/19-20, 
  greatclub); Face/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA – ; SQ 
  Darkvision 60 ft., rage 1/day, rebuke undead; SR – ; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +17, Ref +5, Will +13; Str 24, Dex 8, Con 
  16, Int 8, Wis 18, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +13, Listen +8, 
  Spellcraft +0, Spot +10; Skill Focus (Concentration), 
  Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Power 
  Attack, Silent Spell. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to eight rounds. 
   
  Spells Prepared (6/5+1/5+1/4+1/3+1/1+1 base DC 
  = 14 + spell level): 0 – create water, purify food and 
  drink, detect magic, detect poison, cure minor wounds 
  (2); 1
  st – divine favor*, bane, cure light wounds, lesser 
  vigor, resurgence, shield of faith; 2
  nd – death knell*, 
  calm emotions, deific vengeance, owl’s wisdom, resist 
  energy, silence; 3
  rd – lesser visage of the deity*, cure 
  serious wounds, invisibility purge, spikes, vigor; 4
  th – 
  death ward*, divine power, freedom of movement, 
  silent dispel magic; 5
  th – slay living*, righteous might. 
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: Death (You may use a 
  death touch once per day. With a touch attack, you roll 
  1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least 
  equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies.); 
  Mysticism (Once per day, as a free action, you may gain 
  a luck bonus on your saving throws equal to your 
  Charisma modifier, minimum of +1. This is a 
  supernatural ability that lasts 1 round per cleric level.) 
   
  Possessions: Amulet of Gask the Mostly Lucky, +1 
  large full plate, masterwork large greatsword, +1 large 
  greatclub, large cold iron short sword, cloak of 
  resistance +2, ring of deflection +1, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of bull’s strength, potion of 
  invisibility. 
   
  Encounter 9 
  Half Red Dragon Bulette: CR 9; Huge Dragon 
  (Augmented Magical Beast); HD 9d12+54; hp 122; Init 
  +2; Spd 40 ft., burrow 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC 26 
  (touch 10, flat-footed 24) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +16 natural]; 
  BA/G +9/+29; Atk +19 melee (2d6+12, claw); Full Atk 
  +19 melee (2d6+12, 2 claws) and +14 melee (2d8+6, 
  bite); Face/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Breath weapon, leap; 
  SQ Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, sleep, and 
  paralysis effects, low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 
  ft.; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 35, 
  Dex 15, Con 22, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Jump +19, Listen +11, Spot +6; 
  Alertness, Iron Will, Track, Weapon Focus (bite).
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): A half-dragon bulette can 
  breath a 30 ft. cone of fire once per day dealing 6d8 
  damage. A Reflex save (DC 20) will reduce this damage 
  by half. 
   
  Leap (Ex): A bulette can jump into the air during 
  combat. This allows it to make four claw attacks instead 
  of two, each with a +16 attack bonus, but it cannot bite.  
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 33 
  
  APL 10 
  Encounter 2 or 3 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: Male Human (Oeridian) Rgr9; 
  CR 9; Medium Humanoid; HD 9d8+9; hp 53; Init +8; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (touch 14, flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, 
  +4 Dex]; BA/G +9/+10; Atk +14 ranged (1d8+2 plus 1d6 
  cold/20x3, 
  composite 
  longbow) 
  or 
  +11 
  melee 
  (1d10+1/19-20, bastard sword); Full Atk +14/14/9 
  ranged (1d8+2 plus 1d6 cold/20x3, composite 
  longbow) or +11/6 melee (1d10+1/19-20, bastard 
  sword); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Evasion, 
  favored enemy (human +7, elf +5), swift tracker, wild 
  empathy, woodland stride; SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +9, 
  Ref +12, Will +6; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, 
  Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +11, Hide +14, 
  Knowledge (nature) +14, Move Silently +14, Profession 
  (Bounty Hunter) +10, Search +12, Spot +13, Survival 
  +13; Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Point 
  Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Favored Enemy, 
  Improved Rapid Shot, Track, Manyshot, Rapid Shot. 
   
  Spells Prepared (2 base DC = 11 + spell level): 1
  st – 
  exacting shot, resist energy (fire). 
   
  Possessions: +1 frost mighty composite longbow 
  (+1 Str), masterwork bastard sword, dagger, chain shirt, 
  potion of cure serious wounds, potion of darkvision, 
  gloves of dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1. 
   
  Orc Barbarian: Male Orc Bbn4; CR 4; Medium 
  Humanoid (Orc); HD 4d12+8; hp 39; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 16 (touch 11, flat-footed 16) [+5 armor, +1 Dex]; 
  BA/G +4/+8; Atk +9 melee (2d4+6/18-20, falchion); 
  Full Atk +9 melee (2d4+6/18-20, falchion); Face/Reach 
  5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Fast movement, rage 2/day, trap 
  sense +1, uncanny dodge; SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +6, Ref 
  +2, Will 0; Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Jump +8, Listen +6, Survival +6; 
  Combat Reflexes, Power Attack. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to seven rounds. 
   
  Possessions: Breastplate, masterwork falchion, 
  dagger, handaxe. 
   
  Encounter 7 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: Male Ogre Bbn1/Clr11 of 
  Grolantor; CR 13; Large Giant; HD 15d8+1d12+64; hp 
  141; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 23 (touch 8, flat-footed 23) [-
  1 size, +10 armor, -1 Dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection]; 
  BA/G +12/+24; Atk +21 melee (2d8+23 plus 1d6 
  cold/19-20, greatclub); Full Atk +21/16/11 melee 
  (2d8+23 plus 1d6 cold/19-20, greatclub); Face/Reach 10 
  ft./10 ft.; SA – ; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., rage 1/day, 
  rebuke undead; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort +18, Ref +5, Will 
  +14; Str 27, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 18, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +16, Listen +8, 
  Spellcraft +0, Spot +10; Skill Focus (Concentration), 
  Divine 
  Vigor, 
  Improved 
  Initiative, 
  Improved 
  Toughness, Power Attack, Silent Spell. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to eight rounds. 
   
  Spells Prepared (6/6+1/5+1/5+1/4+1/2+1/1+1 base 
  DC = 14 + spell level): 0 – create water, purify food and 
  drink, detect magic, detect poison, cure minor wounds 
  (2); 1
  st – divine favor*, bane, cure light wounds, doom, 
  lesser vigor, resurgence, shield of faith; 2
  nd – death 
  knell*, calm emotions, deific vengeance, owl’s wisdom, 
  resist energy, silence; 3
  rd – lesser visage of the deity*, 
  cure serious wounds, silent cure moderate wounds, 
  silent death knell, spikes, vigor; 4
  th – death ward*, 
  divine power, freedom of movement, silent dispel 
  magic, silent invisibility purge; 5
  th – slay living*, 
  righteous might, spell resistance; 6
  th – visage of the 
  deity*, antilife shell. 
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: Death (You may use a 
  death touch once per day. With a touch attack, you roll 
  1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least 
  equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies.); 
  Mysticism (Once per day, as a free action, you may gain 
  a luck bonus on your saving throws equal to your 
  Charisma modifier, minimum of +1. This is a 
  supernatural ability that lasts 1 round per cleric level.) 
   
  Possessions: Amulet of Gask the Mostly Lucky, +2 
  large full plate, +1 large greatsword, +1 large frost 
  greatclub, masterwork large cold iron short sword, 
  cloak of resistance +2, ring of deflection +1, gauntlets 
  of ogre power, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of 
  bull’s strength, potion of invisibility, potion of 
  barkskin (+3). 
   
  Encounter 9 
  Half Red Dragon Bulette: CR 9; Huge Dragon 
  (Augmented Magical Beast); HD 9d12+54; hp 122; Init 
  +2; Spd 40 ft., burrow 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC 26 
  (touch 10, flat-footed 24) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +16 natural]; 
  BA/G +9/+29; Atk +19 melee (2d6+12, claw); Full Atk 
  +19 melee (2d6+12, 2 claws) and +14 melee (2d8+6, 
  bite); Face/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Breath weapon, leap; 
  SQ Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, sleep, and 
  paralysis effects, low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 
  ft.; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 35, 
  Dex 15, Con 22, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Jump +19, Listen +11, Spot +6; 
  Alertness, Iron Will, Track, Weapon Focus (bite).
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): A half-dragon bulette can 
  breath a 30 ft. cone of fire once per day dealing 6d8 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 34 
  
  damage. A Reflex save (DC 20) will reduce this damage 
  by half. 
   
  Leap (Ex): A bulette can jump into the air during 
  combat. This allows it to make four claw attacks instead 
  of two, each with a +16 attack bonus, but it cannot bite.  
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 35 
  
  APL 12 
  Encounter 2 or 3 
  Ruvash Bloodarrow: Male Human (Oeridian) Rgr11; 
  CR 11; Medium Humanoid; HD 11d8+11; hp 64; Init 
  +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (touch 14, flat-footed 14) [+4 
  armor, +4 Dex]; BA/G +11/+12; Atk +17 ranged 
  (1d8+2/19-20x3, bowstaff) or +14 melee (1d6+3, 
  bowstaff); Full Atk +17/17/12/7 ranged (1d8+2/19-
  20x3, bowstaff) or +14/9/4 melee (1d6+3, bowstaff); 
  Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Evasion, favored 
  enemy (human +9, elf +5, dwarf +5), swift tracker, wild 
  empathy, woodland stride; SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +10, 
  Ref +13, Will +6; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, 
  Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +13, Hide +16, 
  Knowledge (nature) +16, Move Silently +16, Profession 
  (Bounty Hunter) +12, Search +14, Spot +15, Survival 
  +15; Improved Critical (longbow), Improved Initiative, 
  Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Favored 
  Enemy, Improved Rapid Shot, Track, Manyshot, Rapid 
  Shot. 
   
   
  Spells Prepared (2/1 base DC = 11 + spell 
  level): 1
  st – arrow mind, exacting shot; 2
  nd – protection 
  from energy (fire). 
   
  Possessions: Bowstaff (acts as a +2 longbow and +2 
  quarterstaff), masterwork dagger, masterwork chain 
  shirt, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of 
  darkvision, gloves of dexterity +2, cloak of resistance 
  +2, riding horse, 287 gp. 
   
   
   
   
  Orc Barbarian: Male Orc Bbn6; CR 6; Medium 
  Humanoid (Orc); HD 6d12+18; hp 62; Init +1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 16 (touch 11, flat-footed 16) [+5 armor, +1 Dex]; 
  BA/G +6/+10; Atk +11 melee (2d4+6/18-20, falchion); 
  Full Atk +11/6 melee (2d4+6/18-20, falchion); 
  Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA – ; SQ Fast movement, 
  improved uncanny dodge, rage 2/day, trap sense +2, 
  uncanny dodge; SR – ; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will 
  +2; Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Jump +10, Listen +8, Survival +8; 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Toughness, Power Attack. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to seven rounds. 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, masterwork 
  falchion, dagger, handaxe, cloak of resistance +1. 
   
  Encounter 7 
  Gask the Mostly Lucky: Male Ogre Bbn1/Clr13 of 
  Grolantor; CR 15; Large Giant; HD 17d8+1d12+72; hp 
  158; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 28 (touch 8, flat-footed 28) [-
  1 size, +10 armor, +5 shield, -1 Dex, +5 natural, +1 
  deflection]; BA/G +13/+25; Atk +24 melee (2d8+26 
  plus 1d6 cold/19-20, greatclub); Full Atk +24/19/14 
  melee (2d8+26 plus 1d6 cold/19-20, greatclub); 
  Face/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA – ; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  rage 1/day, rebuke undead; SR – ; AL CE; SV Fort +19, 
  Ref +6, Will +17; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 18, 
  Cha 8.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +18, Listen +8, 
  Spellcraft +0, Spot +10; Skill Focus (Concentration), 
  Divine 
  Vigor, 
  Improved 
  Initiative, 
  Improved 
  Toughness, Power Attack, Rapid Spell, Silent Spell. 
   
  Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -
  2 AC for up to eight rounds. 
   
  Spells Prepared (6/6+1/6+1/5+1/5+1/3+1/2+1/1+1 
  base DC = 14 + spell level): 0 – create water, purify food 
  and drink, detect magic, detect poison, cure minor 
  wounds (2); 1
  st – divine favor*, bane, cure light wounds, 
  doom, lesser vigor, resurgence, shield of faith; 2
  nd – 
  death knell*, calm emotions, deific vengeance, owl’s 
  wisdom, resist energy (2), silence; 3
  rd – lesser visage of 
  the deity*, cure serious wounds, magic vestment, silent 
  cure moderate wounds, spikes, vigor; 4
  th – death ward*, 
  cure critical wounds, divine power, greater magic 
  weapon, silent dispel magic, silent invisibility purge; 5
  th 
  – slay living*, righteous might, silent freedom of 
  movement, spell resistance; 6
  th – visage of the deity*, 
  antilife shell, rapid summon monster V; 7
  th – finger of 
  death*, repulsion. 
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: Death (You may use a 
  death touch once per day. With a touch attack, you roll 
  1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least 
  equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies.); 
  Mysticism (Once per day, as a free action, you may gain 
  a luck bonus on your saving throws equal to your 
  Charisma modifier, minimum of +1. This is a 
  supernatural ability that lasts 1 round per cleric level.) 
   
  Possessions: Amulet of Gask the Mostly Lucky, +2 
  large full plate, +1 animated large heavy steel shield, +1 
  large greatsword, +1 large frost greatclub, masterwork 
  large cold iron short sword, cloak of resistance +2, ring 
  of deflection +1, belt of giant strength +4, potion of 
  cure critical wounds, potion of bull’s strength, potion 
  of invisibility, potion of barkskin (+3). 
   
  Encounter 9 
  Advanced Half Red Dragon Delver: CR 13; Huge 
  Dragon (Augmented Aberration); HD 19d12+117; hp 
  246; Init +5; Spd 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (average); 
  AC 28 (touch 9, flat-footed 27) [-2 size, +1 Dex, +19 
  natural]; BA/G +14/+35; Atk +25 melee (1d8+13, claw); 
  Full Atk +25 melee (1d8+13 plus 2d6 acid, 2 claws) and 
  +20 melee (1d6+6 plus 2d6 acid, 2 slams) and +20 melee 
  (2d6+6 plus 2d6 acid, bite); Face/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA 
  Breath weapon, corrosive slime; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., 
  immunity to acid, fire, sleep, and paralysis effects, low-
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 36 
  
  light vision, scent, stone shape, tremorsense 60 ft.; SR – 
  ; AL CE; SV Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +15; Str 36, Dex 13, 
  Con 23, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 14.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Knowledge (Arcana) +25, 
  Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +25, 
  Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +25, Knowledge (Nature) 
  +25, Listen +26, Move Silently +23, Spellcraft +25, Spot 
  +26, Survival +24 (+26 underground); Alertness, Blind-
  Fight, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Power Attack, 
  Improved Initiative, Toughness. 
   
  Languages: This delver speaks Draconic, Terran, 
  and Undercommon. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): A half-dragon delver can 
  breath a 30 ft. cone of fire once per day dealing 6d8 
  damage. A Reflex save (DC 25) will reduce this damage 
  by half. 
   
  Corrosive Slime (Ex): A delver produces a 
  mucus-like slime that contains a highly corrosive 
  substance. The slime is particularly effective against 
  stone. A delver’s mere touch deals 2d6 points of acid 
  damage to organic creatures or objects. Against 
  metallic creatures or objects a delver’s slime deals 4d8 
  points of damage, and against stony creatures 
  (including earth elementals) or objects it deals 8d10 
  points of damage. A slam attack by a delver leaves a 
  patch of slime that deals 2d6 points of damage on 
  contact and another 2d6 points of damage in each of 
  the next 2 rounds. A large quantity (at least a quart) of 
  water or weak acid, such as vinegar, washes off the 
  slime. An opponent’s armor and clothing dissolve and 
  become useless immediately unless the wearer 
  succeeds on a DC 25 Reflex save. Weapons that strike a 
  delver also dissolve immediately unless the wielder 
  succeeds on a DC 25 Reflex save. A creature attacking a 
  delver with natural weapons takes damage from its 
  slime each time an attack hits unless the creature 
  succeeds on a DC 25 Reflex save. These save DCs are 
  Constitution-based. 
   
  Stone Shape (Ex): A delver can alter its slime to 
  temporarily soften stone instead of dissolving it. Once 
  every 10 minutes, a delver can soften and shape up to 
  25 cubic feet of stone, as a stone shape spell (caster 
  level 19th).  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 37 
  
  Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  Exacting Shot (From Complete Adventurer) 
  Transmutation 
  Level: ranger 1 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting time: 1 standard action 
  Range: touch 
  Target: ranged weapon touched 
  Duration: 1 minute/level 
  Saving throw: Will negates (harmless, object) 
  Spell resistance: yes (harmless, object) 
  This transmutation makes a ranged weapon strike true 
  against your favored enemies. All rolls made to confirm 
  critical hits by the weapon against favored enemies 
  automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. 
  The affected weapon also ignores any miss chance due 
  to concealment whenever you fire at a favored enemy 
  (unless the target has total concealment, in which case 
  the normal miss chance applies). If the ranged weapon 
  or the projectile is fired has any magical effect or 
  property related to critical hits, this spell has no effect 
  on it. 
   
  Complete Adventurer. 
   
  Arrow Mind (From Complete Adventurer) 
  Divination 
  Level: ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 1 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 immediate action 
  Range: personal 
  Target: you 
  Duration: 1 minute/level (D) 
  You sharpen your senses and focus your mind on the 
  use of a bow. While this spell is in effect and you are 
  wielding a longbow, shortbow, greatbow*, composite 
  greatbow*, or composite longbow, you threaten all 
  squares within your normal melee reach (5 feet if small 
  or medium, 10 feet if large) with your bow, allowing 
  you to make attacks of opportunity with arrows shot 
  from the bow. In addition, you do not provoke attacks 
  of opportunity when you shoot a bow while you are in 
  another creature’s threatened square. 
  Material component: A flint arrowhead. 
   
  Complete Adventurer. 
   
  Improved Toughness [General] 
  You are significantly tougher than normal. 
   
  Prerequisite: Base Fortitude save bonus +2. 
    
  Benefit: You gain a number of hit points equal to 
  your current Hit Dice. Each time you gain a HD (such 
  as by gaining a level), you gain 1 additional hit point. If 
  you lose HD (such as by losing a level), you lose 1 hit 
  point permanently. 
   
  Special: 
  A 
  fighter 
  may 
  select 
  Improved 
  Toughness as one of his fighter bonus feats. 
   
  Complete Warrior, page 101. 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 38 
  
  DM Map 1: map of Ruvash’s ambush site. 
   
   
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 39 
   
  
  DM Map 2: map of the Ogre cave complex 
   
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 40 
   
  
  DM Map #3: The Rift and its environs 
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 41 
   
  
  Player Handout #1: Redplanks Contact 
   
   
  You are approached by an elderly Rhenee woman who asks if you want to purchase a Lakshrika (a pastry made from 
  minced suckerfish spiced with paprika). Recognizing a Redplanks recognition sign in the question, you give the proper 
  response and she hands you the pastry. Inside the pastry is a small piece of parchment that reads: 
   
  Madame Sonya requests your presence with those you trust before the 
  rising of Luna. 
   
  The Lakshrika tastes wonderful. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
  Page 42 
   
  
  Player Handout #2: Note on the dead body 
   
   
  Gogma, 
   
  I am hearing rumors of an insurgency inside your tribe. Who is this Xuv anyway and 
  what is this I hear about some god of the stone giants being worshipped by your 
  people? I expect to get this Xuv of yours delivered to me within the month so that I 
  can experiment. If you are not able to control your people, then perhaps one of your 
  sub chiefs can do a better job. Maybe Gask? 
   
  We were very disappointed in the last group you sent here. They were pathetic. 
  There were two who refused to follow a simple order to execute some slaves at the 
  Gintaska mine, so we executed half of your troop to show them that we will not 
  accept this. There is another shipment going out and your next group better be here 
  for it or I will send something your way that will make your teeth fall out and your 
  eyes rot in their sockets. 
   
  I better see this Xuv in my dungeon before the month is out, or your people will be 
  looking for a new leader.  
   
  Hulian Braineater 
  Secretary to his Lordship, Lord Cranzer 
   
  (The note is undated) 
   
  Trouble at Dragon Rift 
   
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Bandit Kingdoms/595/Normal Scenarios/BDK5-02 - Trouble at Dragon Rift (APL 4-12)/BDK5-02 - Trouble at Dragon Rift.pdf