TEXT: Frog God 
  Games
  An adventure brought to you by 
  Bill Webb of  Necromancer Games.
  An adventure brought to you by 
  HC3
  — Beyond the Black Water —
  By John M. Stater
  
  2
  Author
  John M. Stater
  Developers
  Bill Webb
  Producer
  Bill Webb of Necromancer Games
  Editor
  Bill Webb of Necromancer Games
  Layout and Production
  Charles A. Wright
  Front Cover Art
  MKUltra Studios
  Interior Art
  Rowena Aitken
  Cartography
  Robert Altbauer
  Playtesters
  Frog God Games Staff
  Special Thanks
  Bill Webb would like to thank Bob Bledsaw 
  and Bill Owen for inventing the original 
  hex crawl — the standard in wilderness 
  adventure and a lifetime of fun.
  Credits
  Frog 
  God 
  Games
  Tough 
  Adventures 
  for tough 
  players
  ©2011 Bill Webb, John Stater, Frog God Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction without 
  the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. Frog God Games and the 
  Frog God Games logo and Splinters of Faith are trademarks of Frog God Games. All rights 
  reserved. All characters, names, places, items, art and text herein are copyrighted by Frog 
  God Games, Inc. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is 
  not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.
  
  3
  Table of Contents
  Beyond the Black Water  ...............................................................................p. 4
  Rumors  ....................................................................................................p. 6
  Encounter Key  ...........................................................................................p. 6
     — Hexes 0105, 0109  ...................................................................................p. 6
     — Hexes 0113, 0116, 0122, 0202, 0210, 0218 .......................................................p. 8
     — Hexes 0301, 0321, 0408, 0414 .....................................................................p. 9
     — Hexes 0414, 0502, 0505, 0512, 0520, 0609 .....................................................p. 10
     — Hexes, 0612, 0713, 0716, 0719, 0804  ............................................................p. 11
     — Hexes 0810, 0818, 0822, 0921  .....................................................................p. 12
     — Hexes 1007, 1015, 1019, 1102, 1112  ...............................................................p. 13
     — Hexes 1209, 1217, 1305, 1313, 1322  .................................................................p. 14
     — Hexes 1401, 1407, 1502, 1515  ......................................................................p. 15
     — Hexes 1520, 1612, 1703, 1706  ......................................................................p. 16
     — Hexes 1711, 1913, 2004, 2009, 2108  ..............................................................p. 17
     — Hexes 2111, 2121, 2205  ..............................................................................p. 18
     — Hexes 2303, 2308, 2405, 2409  .....................................................................p. 19
     — Hexes 2415, 2511, 2603, 2607  ......................................................................p. 20
     — Hexes 2618, 2713, 2716, 2804, 2810, 2903  .......................................................p. 21
     — Hexes 2914, 3017, 3101, 3109, 3113  ................................................................p. 22
     — Hexes 3120, 3204, 3402, 3407, 3413  ...............................................................p. 23
     — Hexes 3517, 2521, 3609, 3802, 3805  ...............................................................p. 24
     — Hexes 3815, 3821  .....................................................................................p. 25
  New Monsters  ............................................................................................p. 26
  Legal Appendix  ...........................................................................................p. 28
  
  4
  Among the reasons many adventurers choose to end their days in the 
  cannibal-ridden, hurricane-savaged isles of the south is the immense 
  distance it puts between them and the terrible land beyond the Black Water. 
  The Black Water is a great inland sea ﬁ lled with black, viscous water that 
  sits as still as death. Nobody but a fool would willingly cross the Black 
  Water, save for the strange men who sail the black arks, but many fools have 
  crossed those waters in search of a lost love or a secret taken to the grave, for 
  beyond the Black Water and its grey shores lies the icy Land of the Dead.
  Though many a desperate man has sailed the Black Water and set 
  foot on its noisome shores, only a handful have returned to speak 
  of what they saw, and then only on their death beds. Some sages 
  have such a testament in their possession to wonder over in the bright 
  light of day. The scrolls tell of jagged peaks and white forests, spongy 
  lake lands and black rivers, of barges stacked with corpses and a brisk 
  trade in souls. Of the men who live in this land, they have been called 
  “the beyonders”, little is written or known, for they are not a talkative 
  people and one does not easily extract themselves from their hospitality.
  What, then, wanderer of worlds, plunderer of tombs, slayer of dragons, 
  do you seek in the land beyond the Black Water? A departed friend or 
  lover, an enemy who took the ultimate escape to avoid your wrath or a 
  secret sealed behind the shriveled lips of a dead man? More importantly, 
  how do you plan to return?
  Beyond the Black Water is a hex-crawl, referring to the hex-shaped units 
  that divide the map. Just as dungeon adventures take place on a gridded 
  map, wilderness adventures can be conducted on a hex map, allowing 
  players the freedom to decide where their characters roam and giving them 
  the thrill of discovering the many places and people that have been placed 
  on the map. This map represents a large area ﬁ lled with numerous places 
  to discover and explore, and can be used as a campaign area in its own 
  right, or dropped into an existing campaign. Referees can place adventures 
  they have purchased or devised on their own into empty hexes on the map.
  Adventures in the 
  Wilderness
  The Land Beyond the Black Water is both of the mortal world and 
  beyond the mortal world, a nexus of the lands of life and death. The 
  country is always shrouded in twilight, with a moon that rises and sets 
  in the manner of the sun in the land of the living. The souls of the 
  dead wash up on the land’s rocky shores as spirits made corporeal and 
  trapped in lifeless bodies. Some ﬂ oat up the river, for the Sluggish 
  River ﬂ ows from the sea to the mountains, rather than the reverse. 
  Some souls animate their ﬂ eshy prisons in the form of zombies, others 
  escape as ghostly shadows and many are extracted and traded as 
  commodities by the weird citizens of this terrible country. Zombies 
  and shadows instinctively make their way north, as baby sea turtles 
  instinctively head towards the sea after hatching, for beyond the jagged 
  Badlands is the Earthbound Paradise. Those souls that are captured or 
  make their way up the river without escaping their bodies are claimed 
  by the Nine Petty Deaths, the self-proclaimed regents of this land. All 
  the lords and ladies of the land beyond the Black River serve the Nine 
  Petty Deaths save the beyonders, who know their true nature.
  The hexes on this map are 6 miles wide from one side to the 
  other. In open country, adventurers should be able to see from one 
  side of the hex to another. In wooded hexes, vision is much more 
  restricted. Random encounters with monsters should be diced for 
  each day and each night, with encounters occurring on the roll of 
  1-2 on 1d6. The exact monster (or monsters) encountered depends 
  on the terrain through which the adventurers are traveling. Unlike 
  dungeons, in which the monsters on the upper levels are usually less 
  powerful than the monsters on deeper levels, wilderness encounters 
  are quite variable in their challenge, and low level characters face 
  death every time they step out of the conﬁ nes of civilization. Well 
  traveled adventurers will discover, however, that settled lands are not 
  as dangerous as the rugged wilderness.
  The Land Beyond the 
  Black Water
  The black arks are tall galleys with three levels of oars but lacking 
  sails. As one might imagine, they are constructed from black wood, 
  sealed with tar and equipped with rams of black bronze. The arks are 
  rowed by untiring zombies and crewed by the mysterious beyonders. 
  The beyonders are tall and hunched. They wear layers of gauzy black 
  robes, veils and turbans and take great pains to keep their hands hidden. 
  Beyonders always carry curved blades at their sides. Some say that they 
  By John M. Stater
  — Beyond the Black Water —
  Roll
  Black Water
  Badlands
  Gray Steppe
  Noisome Moor
  White Woods
  1
  Black Ark (1)
  Ogre (1d4+2)
  Patrol (Necrophages)
  Giant Centipede (1d6)
  Orc (2d6+3)
  2
  Ghoul (2d6+6)
  Patrol (Embalmers)
  Centaur (1d4+3)
  Orc (2d6+3)
  Dryad (1d4)
  3
  Locathah (3d6+6)
  Zombie (1d2)
  Giant Ant (1d6+5)
  Zombie (2d4)
  Giant Boar (1d6)
  4
  Narwhale (1d4)
  Shadow (1d2)
  Giant Hyena* (1d6+2)
  Shadow (2d4)
  Zombie (1d4)
  5
  Nixie (3d6+6)
  Wights (1d3)
  Ghul (1d6+6)
  Ghouls (1d6)
  Shadow (1d4)
  6
  Sea Serpent (1)
  Ghouls (1d4+2)
  Shadow (1d4)
  Patrol (Swampers)
  Wolf (2d6)
  7
  Troll (2d6)
  Ghasts (1d3)
  Wolf (2d6)
  Ghasts (1d3)
  Giant Owl (1d4)
  8
  Zombie (3d6+6)
  Giant Lemur (1d6)*
  Zombie (1d4)
  Shambling Mound (1d4)
  Black Bear (1d6)
  * Treat giant lemurs as baboons and giant hyenas as worgs.
  
  5
  are zombies, ghouls or demons beneath their robes, others that they are 
  merely shriveled, hideous humans. Most black arks carry two or three of 
  the beyonders and a complement of thirty skeleton warriors armed with 
  spears and longbows. Each beyonder on a black ark can cast spells as a 
  cleric of level 1st to 6th and magic-user of level 1st to 4th.
  Black Arks
  The black arks are tall galleys with three levels of oars but lacking 
  sails. As one might imagine, they are constructed from black wood, 
  sealed with tar and equipped with rams of black bronze. The arks are 
  rowed by untiring zombies and crewed by the mysterious beyonders. 
  The beyonders are tall and hunched. They wear layers of gauzy black 
  robes, veils and turbans and take great pains to keep their hands 
  hidden. Beyonders always carry curved blades at their sides. Some 
  say that they are zombies, ghouls or demons beneath their robes, 
  others that they are merely shriveled, hideous humans. Most black 
  arks carry two or three of the beyonders and a complement of thirty 
  skeleton warriors armed with spears and longbows. 
  Ochre Rains
  Ochre rain is thick and yellowish-brown and there is a 1 in 6 chance 
  per day of it falling from the sky. It leaves a sticky, tarry substance on the 
  skin which, if not quickly washed away with fresh water, raises lesions 
  on the skin. These lesions reduce one’s charisma and constitution by 1d6 
  points (half that with a successful save vs. poison), the abilities healing 
  at the rate of 1 point per week. In the days after an ochre rain, a race of 
  short-lived toadstool men emerges from the ground. These toadstool men 
  are like malevolent children, roaming in packs of 3d6 individuals and 
  causing all the havoc they can in the few days they have life. They are 
  misshapen, with mismatched limbs, wide coral-colored caps spotted white 
  and pinched, wrinkled faces with deep, slit mouths that emit a poisonous 
  breath (see New Monsters for more information). Encounters with these 
  toadstool men occur on a daily roll of 1-3 on 1d6 the day after the ochre 
  rain falls. This roll is made in addition to normal random encounter rolls.
  The Nine Petty Deaths
  The nine petty deaths are chthonic godlings that fancy themselves the 
  archons of the land beyond the Black Water. They dwell in strongholds 
  in the Badlands and gather at a grand tower [2205] with nine entrances 
  to lay claim to the souls of the departed that have been captured in this 
  land before they could travel to the Earthbound Paradise. Each petty 
  death has his or her retinue, court functionaries and regalia and each 
  death despises the others. They often capture souls claimed by their 
  fellows to enable them to make cannier trades for more valuable souls. 
  All of the lords and ladies of the land beyond the Black Water except 
  the beyonders pay fealty to one petty death or another, with alliances 
  shifting daily. The beyonders respect the power of the petty deaths, but 
  know their true nature and so decline to pay them tribute. The nine petty 
  deaths are: Atoda (Hex 2004), Egygddedrol (Hex 2607), Emntrix (Hex 
  3204), Gohl (Hex 0502), Heruldos (Hex 0301), Ingueas (Hex 1102), 
  Lewl (Hex 1401), Uddeso (Hex 3402) and Wihiedro (Hex 3101).
  Men
  The principal human cultures of the land beyond the Black Water are 
  the beyonders (the pilots of the Black Arks), embalmers, necrophages and 
  swampers.
  Beyonders are human, but not wholly human (see New Monsters 
  below). They are never seen unrobed, which is fortunate for all involved 
  since they are tall and hunched, with ghastly, hairless skin and leering 
  yellow eyes. They grow their ﬁ nger and toe nails quite long and decorate 
  their bodies with triangular metal charms hung on chains that pierce their 
  ﬂ esh. As mentioned above, beyonders are always wrapped in multiple 
  layers of clothing – cloaks over robes over tunics, etc. They wear dark, 
  morose colors and always wear curved swords and daggers hanging 
  from chain shoulder harnesses. The beyonders value secrets above all 
  things, trading in secrets and knowledge the way others trade in coins and 
  gems. In fact, coins and gems are not used at all by the beyonders and 
  found treasures of this kind are casually cast away by them. Instead, one 
  purchases things from a beyonder by telling them secrets – the more dire 
  the secret and the more powerful person it is about, the more the secret is 
  valued. Beyonders might pay adventurers in rumors or secrets germane to 
  a Referee’s campaign.  
  The Embalmers are a race of bronze skinned men with raven hair and 
  violet eyes. They are short and stocky, the women voluptuous and the men 
  given to wide exaggerations and long melancholies. Male embalmers 
  dress in woolen tunics and trousers and gray cloaks. They wrap their 
  lower legs in leather thongs and wear leather sandals on their feet and 
  intricately patterned conical wool caps on their heads. Women wear loose 
  gowns, a wide leather belt wrapped just under their breasts, shorter cloaks 
  and put their hair in braids. Warriors arm themselves with spear, shields 
  of wood and leather, short bows and long knives. The embalmers raise 
  sheep, trading wool and foodstuffs for fragrant oils and herbs used in their 
  embalming ritual, the aspect of their culture which gives it its common 
  name. The embalmers make mummies of their dead philosophers and 
  nobles, walling them into their temples and palaces that they may advise 
  future generations through barred windows. Peasant corpses are burned 
  for heat in the furnaces of their palaces. Embalmer patrols may be 
  encountered on horseback (2 in 6 chance), in which case they are also 
  armed with long hammers. An embalmer patrol consists of 2d6+4 men-at-
  arms led by a 3 HD sergeant.
  The Necrophages are ﬁ erce warriors who roam the rolling steppe with 
  their herds of cattle, riding in war chariots. The necrophages consume the 
  ﬂ esh of their dead and of enemy casualties in war. They are berserkers 
  in combat, wear leather and ring armor, carry shields, leaf-bladed short 
  swords, spears and javelins and make use of scythe-wheeled chariots drawn 
  by giant hyenas. While one might expect berserkers to charge into combat 
  screaming, the necrophages ﬁ ght in perfect silence. Clerics cast silence 
  on the tribe’s war chariots, so that their charging armies make almost no 
  sound as they sweep across a battleﬁ eld. Necrophages are tall and lean, 
  with pallid skin that they paint in grotesque patterns using burgundy paint 
  made from crushed elderberries and columbines. Necrophage tribes are 
  ruled by undead kings, wights, with worthy challengers raised by force of 
  will when they die to challenge the existing wight-king. The necrophages 
  worship Emntrix, the petty death who claims the souls of soldiers. A 
  necrophage patrol consists of 1d6x3 men-at-arms in war chariots (3 in a 
  chariot, a driver, a spearman and a longbowman) pulled by 2 giant hyenas 
  (treat as worgs).
  The ﬁ nal human culture in the land beyond the Black Water is the 
  Swampers, or swamp folk. The swamp folk are albinos with long, kinky 
  hair that they sculpt into a shape reminiscent of large horns or cones. They 
  have broad faces and large, pink eyes. The swampers dress in soft leather 
  tunics and the more accomplished hunters wear black cloaks made from 
  the pelts of swamp panthers. Swampers encountered outside their villages 
  are hunters or gatherers looking for exotic herbs and insects. The gatherers 
  carry horn-handled sickles, often silver bladed, leather slings, wicker holy 
  symbols, spirit rattles and bags of herbs, including healing poultices (+1 
  hit point healed per night) and bundles meant to repel the undead (as a 
  scroll of protection from undead). Spirit rattles are made from a variety of 
  ﬂ oating gourd with noxious ﬂ esh. These gourds are emptied and hollowed 
  and ﬁ lled with corpse teeth and allow a skilled swamper to turn undead 
  as a 1st level cleric, though undead that would be effected by this turning 
  can make a saving throw to resist. Gatherers are usually accompanied by 
  a breed of large, white swine that are used as mounts, pack animals and to 
  sniff out herbs and funguses. A swamper village consists of a number of 
  stilt-houses, separated from the other houses of the village by an average 
  of100 yards and lit with lamps fueled by corpse oil. These “corpse lights” 
  foil invisibility, especially the invisibility enjoyed by ethereal spirits. 
  A swamper patrol consists of 1d6+6 men-at-arms in leather armor with 
  spears and slings led by a 3 HD sergeant.
  Beyond the Black Water
  
  6
  Beyond the Black Water
  Rumors
  When adventurers are seeking information or rumors in a settlement or from the lord of a castle, you can roll a random rumor from the table 
  below. Each rumor is either True (“T”) or False (“F”) and the hex number associated with the rumor is given in brackets.
  Roll
  Rumor
  Roll
  Rumor
  1
  Poro the oracle wants your entrails (F) Hex 0105
  11
  A tiny island holds a wondrous library (T) Hex 1322
  2
  Shadow wine is delicious (T) Hex 0113
  12
  The helm of darkness lies where two ridges meet in a stone mouth (T) 
  Hex 1703
  3
  The sea serpent possesses a maiden frozen in crystal (T) 
  Hex 0122
  13
  An obolus provides safe passage to the Earthbound Paradise (T) 
  Hex 2111
  4
  Heruldos will steal your soul (T) Hex 0301
  14
  The great tower is a safe haven for souls (F) Hex 2205
  5
  Gohl is the portal to a higher plane (T) Hex 0502
  15
  The skeleton points the way (T) Hex 2303
  6
  No good comes from meddling with burial mounds (F) 
  Hex 0609
  16
  Egygddedrol’s stronghold is a passage to the Earthbound Paradise (F) 
  Hex 2607
  7
  The colosseum is haunted (T) Hex 0716
  17
  Black sands mean your doom (T) Hex 2804
  8
  Avoid kelp forests – they attract predators (T) Hex 0822
  18
  A great treasure lies beneath a meteor (T) Hex 3011
  9
  Beware the crimson dwarves – they’re mad (T) Hex 1305
  19
  A powerful artifact is located in a ship stuck in sargassum (F) Hex 3521
  10
  You have nothing to fear from Ingueas (F) Hex 1102
  20
  There is safety on the silver road (F) Hex 3113
  Encounter Key
  0105. 
  The woods here are especially thick with ferns of a glossy green-
  black color that cling to one’s clothing. The air is oppressively damp 
  here and one breathes only with a bit of effort. Standing out among 
  the white trees is a wooden tower of black, lacquered wood, about 
  9-ft in diameter and rising 30 feet high. The tower is unique in that 
  the exterior is completely covered in doors. Forty-ﬁ ve doors (3 feet 
  wide, 6-feet tall) line the exterior, and any one of them, when opened, 
  gives access to the tower.
  The interior of the tower is, much like the exterior, a collection 
  of doors. There is no apparent means of ascending from the bottom 
  ﬂ oor of the tower to its highest level. The rafters of the tower are 
  occupied by a pack of large cats with tortoise-shell markings. The 
  cats will hiss at intruders, but will not initiate combat.
  The master of this tower is the wizard Poro. The doors of his tower 
  open into a network of corridors and chambers that adjust their 
  positions depending on the time of day or the wizard’s emotional 
  state – he knows where to ﬁ nd things, but others must usually take 
  their chances when they open a door. The complex the doors open 
  into is set in place and dwarves will have the distinct impression that 
  it is quite far underground, based on the temperature, moisture and 
  their general impression of the many tons of stone poised over their 
  heads. The complex has ﬁ ve levels and approximately 50 chambers 
  laid out in a haphazard fashion.
  Poro is an oracle by trade, who came long ago into the land beyond 
  the Black Water to read its rocks. The tunnels and chambers of his 
  complex are all carved from the living stone and unadorned that Poro 
  might speak with it as he likes. He records his ﬁ ndings on slates, 
  carving with a diamond-tipped utensil that ﬁ ts over his right pointer 
  ﬁ nger and decipherable only with a read magic spell. Poro has four 
  apprentices drawn from the embalmer culture. Three are aged 12 to 
  15 and have attained the ﬁ rst level of magical competence, while the 
  fourth, Gorovan, is 19 and a 2nd level magic-user.
  Poro’s hideaway is guarded by an earth spirit that looks, at ﬁ rst 
  glance, like a glittering black pudding. In fact, it is formed of black 
  silicates. The creature draws the moisture from those it touches. A ﬁ ne 
  mimic, it can shape itself into a mirror image of those it encounters, 
  retaining the look of black sand but taking on the form and shape of 
  its subject. It appears to dwell within the earth itself, sliding silently 
  from cracks ﬂ oor, walls or ceiling. The creature seems to be able to 
  read minds, and it will know if people are intruders or guests of Poro.
  Poro’s treasure consists of 2,720 gp and a jasper worth 75 gp. It is 
  kept in a brass urn engraved with images of comets.
  Silicate Ooze: HD 12; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 strike (1d6 plus desic-
  cation); Move 9; Save 3; CL/XP 13/2300; Special: Desiccation 
  (lose 1d3 constitution; one point of constitution is regained 
  by drinking a gallon of water), slowed (as the spell) by water, 
  mimic form.
  Gorovan, Magic-User Lvl 2: HP 5; AC 9 [10]; Save 14 (12 vs. 
  spells); CL/XP 1/15; Special: Spells (1st). White robe, white 
  headband, dagger, spellbook. Swarthy skinned, black hair, 
  brooding eyes. Facial tic appears when challenged.
  Master Poro, Magic-User Lvl 9: HP 19; AC 8 [11]; Save 7 (5 vs. 
  spells); CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Spells (5th). White robe, white 
  headband embroidered with gold (15 gp), dagger, spellbook. 
  Pleasant little chap, round face, large eyes, few remaining hairs 
  plastered over his balding head, quick to jest and remarkably 
  graceful for his rotundity.
  0109. 
  The ground at the center of this hex is as black as shadow. Easily 
  avoided in the dayime, the shadowy ground is impossible to see at 
  night. The shadowy ground is insubstantial, and stepping on it will 
  send one falling into a benighted cavern below (30-ft fall).
  The cavern is oval in shape and contains a never-ending chariot 
  race. In the center of the arena there is a raised platform of basalt, 
  10 feet tall and home to a mummy priest called Veporth. Veporth 
  was a priest among the embalmers, but not resides of an eternal race 
  between two charioteers. The ﬁ rst is a shadow with shadow horses, 
  the second a being of ﬂ ame with horses of ﬁ re. The charioteers are 
  fated to race for eternity in a dead heat. When one charioteer gets 
  more than a length ahead of his rival, it is written that the end will 
  come (the Referee can do with this what he or she likes). People 
  falling into the arena will have but a few rounds to clamber to 
  “safety” on the platform, for the charioteers have no compunction 
  about running obstacles down.
  Veporth is a priest of Ingueas with the ability to cast spells as a 
  6th level cleric. He sits enthroned on a seat of gold, his hollow 
  
  Beyond the Black Water
  7
  eyes following the racers as they move across his ﬁ eld of vision, 
  but otherwise not moving a muscle. Six canopic jars surround the 
  throne, each holding the undead, disembodied brain of an acolyte. 
  The acolytes can communicate with the Veporth and each is capable 
  of seizing control of a visitor (per the spell charm person). Three of 
  the six are aligned with the ﬁ re charioteer and three are aligned with 
  the shadow charioteer. They will try to control visitors and set them 
  against the rival charioteer.
  Veporth is wrapped in pristine, white bandages. A golden pyramid 
  ﬂ oats above his head. The pyramid creates a permanent shield effect 
  for the mummy and is also capable of ﬁ ring rays of darkness and 
  teleporting others. Each hit by a ray cuts the target’s strength in half 
  for 1 hour unless they pass a saving throw. Veporth is really more 
  of a philosopher than a threat. He has no treasure other than his 
  throne (worth 250 gp) and the golden pyramid above his head, which 
  operates only for chaotic clerics of 6th level or higher. There is no 
  way to escape the mummy priest’s arena other than by teleportation. 
  The mummy priest will provide such a service, but he will require a 
  service in return.
  Shadow Charioteer: HD 4 (25 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 whip (1d6 + 
  1d6 cold); Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Immunity 
  to cold.
  Shadow Horses: HD 3; AC 7 [12]; Atk 2 hoofs (1d6 + 1d4 cold), 
  bite (1d4 + 1d4 cold); Move 18; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: 
  Immunity to cold.
  Fire Charioteer: HD 4 (25 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 whip (1d6 + 
  1d6 ﬁ re); Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Immunity 
  to ﬁ re.
  Fire Horses: HD 3; AC 7 [12]; Atk 2 hoofs (1d6 + 1d4 ﬁ re), bite 
  (1d4 + 1d4 ﬁ re); Move 18; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Im-
  munity to ﬁ re.
  Veporth, Mummy Priest: HD 6+4 (42 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 ﬁ st 
  (1d12); Move 6; Save 11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Rot, hit only by 
  magic weapons, shield, ray of weakness, teleportation ray, cast 
  spells as 6th level cleric.
  
  8
  0113. 
  A small village of stone huts hidden in a copse of black willows 
  is home to a population of 60 mongrelmen. The leader of the 
  mongrelmen is called Ibler, and has a face that is half troglodyte 
  and half bugbear, a crabman arm and the legs of an ogre and troll. 
  Ibler is a skilled scout and thief. Other prominent citizens of the 
  village include Rennoc the leather-worker and Bibbi, the distiller of 
  shadows. Bibbi has the face of an elf on the torso of a troll with 
  a stunted goblin arm and leg on one side and the arm and leg of a 
  sahuagin on the other. 
  Bibbi owns several unique implements that allow her to make what 
  the mongrelmen call “shadow wine”. Her silver tuning fork makes 
  no sound, but when struck against stone and pointed at an incorporeal 
  spirit it holds them (per the hold monster spell). She also owns a 
  silver tube, about 3 feet long and hollow to which she afﬁ xes a bottle. 
  The tube can be inserted into the substance of a shadow and drains 
  its essence into the bottle as a thin liquid – the shadow wine. This 
  destroys the shadow. The wine is quite intoxicating, and it ﬁ lls one’s 
  head with mad visions from the shadow’s life, imparting to them one 
  skill of the shadow from its life (roll 1d10: 1-5 it is a mundane skill 
  like smithing or ﬁ shing; 6-8 it is skill at arms, giving the drinker a +2 
  bonus to hit; 9 it is the ability to cast spells as a 1d4 level magic-user; 
  10 it is the ability to cast spells as a 1d2+1 level cleric). The skills 
  last for one hour.
  0116. 
  The steppe here is interrupted by a large sand pit. The sand pit is 
  inhabited by large, ﬂ at beetles; people who step into the pit will be 
  set upon by 2d4 of the vermin. The bite of the beetles carries painful 
  venom that paralyzes a victim for 1d6 rounds unless they pass a 
  saving throw. The sand pit is similar to quick sand; stepping into it, 
  one sinks about 1d3 feet per round (saving throw each round reduces 
  this to 1 foot of sinking). If the person sinks completely they will lose 
  one level and a new beetle will be born. The person will awake on 
  the shores of the Black Water in a randomly chosen hex. A Referee 
  can put multiple victims in the same or different hexes, depending 
  on how much trouble they want to cause for themselves and their 
  players.
  Sand Beetle: HD 1d3; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 bite (1d2 plus paralysis); 
  Move 9; Save 18 (16 vs. clerical magic); CL/XP B/10; Special: 
  Paralysis poison.
  0122. 
  Maedain, a wicked old sea serpent that is long and striped blue and 
  black, with multi-faceted eyes and oversized teeth that jut from the 
  sides of its mouth dwells in a dank sea cave decorated with its loot 
  and several ﬁ gureheads from the black arks of the beyonders. The 
  centerpiece of his treasure is a crystal cabinet containing a woman, 
  apparently frozen in time in mid-scream. The shade of her lover, 
  a powerful wizard, is said to wander hex 0121 calling her name, 
  Felizzon. The remainder of the beast’s horde consists of 1,500 sp, 
  6,370 gp, a cymophane worth 60 gp and a sealed amphora containing 
  15 pounds of maple sugar (worth 1,000 gp). The wizard’s shade 
  knows the following spells that it is willing to teach anyone who 
  rescues his lady love: extension II, hallucinatory terrain and rope 
  trick.
  Sea Serpent: HD 30 (135 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk Bite (4d10); Move 
  0 (S18); Save 3; CL/XP 30/8400; Special: Swallow whole.
  0202. 
  An ogre mage dwells in an ornate tower of ivory and bronze in this 
  hex. The tower is shaped vaguely like an arm and ﬁ st bursting out 
  of the landscape and reaching toward the heavens. The ogre mage’s 
  servants are a band of eight bugaboos, strange creatures that look like 
  decapitated black bears with large bronze spheres, not unlike carved 
  jack-o-lanterns, for heads. The bugaboos are intelligent and crafty, 
  and their eyes burns with fervid malevolence. 
  The interior of the large tower is divided into four ﬂ oors, with the 
  ﬁ st at the top being the ogre mage’s personal chamber of torture. 
  The other ﬂ oors are each divided into four identical chambers by 
  parchment panels painted in scenes of human misery and defeat in 
  morose watercolors. Each of these chambers holds three bronze lion 
  sculptures with a white smoke drifting out of its mouth, a low, round 
  table holding a red candle and a porcelain tea set (worth 50 gp each) 
  and mats for seating.
  The lion sculptures are trapped to belch out an ethereal ﬂ ame in a 
  15-ft long cone that is 10 feet wide at the base. The ﬂ ame inﬂ icts no 
  damage on material objects, but freezes a person’s soul for 1d4 points 
  of constitution damage. A person reduced to 0 points of constitution 
  has their spirit burst from their body in the form of a shadow. Lost 
  constitution returns at the rate of 1 point per day.
  Each of the aforementioned candles holds the souls of three 
  maidens. When lit, the maidens appear around the table as ghosts. 
  As the candle burns down, the maidens age, ﬁ nally expiring and free 
  to ﬂ ee to the earthbound paradise. While in ghost form, the maidens 
  can answer all manner of questions (per the spell legend lore), with 
  each maiden offering one answer to one person each time the candle 
  is lit (but no more than one answer per hour). The candles burn out 
  after eight hours of use (roll 1d8 to determine how many hours any 
  given candle has left).
  The ogre mage retains a veneer of civilization, and will not kill 
  intruders instantly (well, not all of them). He desires greatly the 
  shadow distiller of the mongrelmen [0113], and may make a bargain 
  to obtain it. The ogre mage’s treasure consists of 1,770 sp, 640 gp and 
  a moss agate worth 100 gp.
  Bugaboo: HD 6+1; AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 claws (1d6); Move 15; Save 
  11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Fearsome, static shock.
  Ogre Mage: HD 5+4 (40 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 tetsubō (1d12); 
  Move 12 (F18); Save 12; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Magic use (ﬂ y, 
  invisible (self), darkness 10-ft radius, change into human form, 
  sleep 1/day, charm person 1/day, cone of frost (60-ft long x 30-ft 
  base, 8d6 damage)).
  0210. 
  As you enter this hex, you’ll see a gathering of conical gray hills 
  on the horizon. In total, there are ﬁ ve hills, the largest 40 feet tall, 
  the others ranging from 20 to 30 feet in height. The hills have been 
  erected by giant ants with glossy, black carapaces. The ants have a 
  massive network of tunnels beneath the earth – miles of corridors 
  and dozens of chambers, the deepest belonging to the queen. The 
  soil in this hex contains a fair amount of silver, nuggets of the stuff 
  sometimes appearing on the slopes of the anthills, along with strange, 
  purple globules of a waxy, resinous substance. These nodules are to 
  be found deep underground throughout the lands beyond the Black 
  Water. They consist of the solidiﬁ ed memories of departed souls – 
  terribly sad, heavy memories that sink dozens to hundreds of feet into 
  the ground before coagulating with rare earths and forming nodules. 
  Most necromancers have heard of these strange /tones, and prying 
  the secrets and memories out of them is an obsession for some.
  Giant Ant (Worker): HD 2; AC 3 [16]; Atk Bite (1d6 + poison); 
  Move 18; Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: None.
  Giant Ant (Soldier): HD 3; AC 3 [16]; Atk Bite (1d6 + poison); 
  Move 18; Save 14; CL/XP 3/60; Special: None.
  Giant Ant (Queen): HD 10 (55 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk Bite (1d6); 
  Move 3; Save 5; CL/XP 8/800; Special: None.
  0218. 
  This hex contains a ﬁ eld of ﬂ atulent geysers that erupt randomly, 
  sending plumes of acidic mist into the air. Breathing is difﬁ cult near 
  the geysers, and those unlucky enough to witness an eruption (1 in 
  Beyond the Black Water
  
  9
  Beyond the Black Water
  6 chance per hour) must pass a saving throw or have their lungs 
  and throat singed, suffering 1d6 points of acid damage and losing 
  the ability to speak or run vigorously for the remainder of the day. 
  The pools of heated water inside these geysers are home to a species 
  of bloated, black sea stars. The creatures, though unthinking, are 
  powerful psychics who pick up the thoughts of those within 200 feet 
  and project images of their loved ones above themselves, as though 
  the person is wading in the water. The images can be interacted with, 
  but they will behave the way the psyched person thinks they should 
  behave, and each person in the area will see different loved ones. The 
  ﬂ esh of the starﬁ sh is poisonous if consumed, but the dried husks can 
  be burned to produce an acrid smoke that charms intelligent undead 
  (per the charm monster spell).
  0301. 
  Nestled in a high mountain pass thronged by chattering black 
  mandrills and embraced by thick, chilly mists, is the stronghold of 
  Heruldos, the petty death of murder victims and patron of assassins 
  and poisoners. The stronghold is a modest castle of blue-gray stone 
  and tall, gothic conical towers that disappear into the clouds. A 
  narrow path of crushed onyx leads up the pass to the entrance to the 
  castle, which effectively blocks movement through the pass. 
  The castle’s gatehouse has a tall, thin door of rusty iron that is, in 
  fact, an iron golem disguised by a powerful phantasmal force. The 
  gatehouse is guarded by a marilith demon called Lhetoh, who stands 
  atop the battlements shouting challenges at those below, mocking 
  them and goading them to rush the iron door. Like most of the 
  strongholds of the egotistical petty deaths, the castle is really just a 
  grand throne room surrounded by a collection of dusty chambers that 
  seem to exist solely to confuse and frustrate explorers – the deaths 
  and their retinues need neither food nor drink and so have no need for 
  kitchens or pantries, and their existence in this dimensional nexus is 
  tenuous enough that sleep and comfort are generally unneeded. The 
  deaths have control over their strongholds to the point that a room 
  can be what a death desires it to be as needed.
  The throne room of Heruldos takes the form of a long torture 
  chamber with a high, vaulted ceiling. Arrow-slits in the upper walls 
  permit the mists and chill of the high mountains to ﬁ lter into the 
  hall and cause moisture to collect on the walls. A myriad of wheels, 
  screws, racks, bronze cages and iron maidens, braziers steeping red 
  hot pokers and other implements of pain and misery ﬁ ll the room and 
  are invariably occupied by writhing souls, corporeal and incorporeal. 
  2d10 dretches shufﬂ e about the chamber, seeing to the prisoner’s 
  agony and extracting from them a thin, oily liquid, smoky gray with 
  motes of brilliant emerald and ruby, ﬁ lling glass tubes capped with 
  lead stoppers. These bottles hold the essence of agony and form the 
  principal fuel for Heruldos and his minions. Mortals that imbibe this 
  liquid gain the abilities of an assassin of equal level for 1 month (or, 
  if already assassins, they gain the abilities of an assassin 3 levels 
  higher) and then ﬁ nd themselves drowning in crushing despair, 
  losing 1d8 points of charisma permanently and another 1d8 points 
  of charisma that return at the rate of 1 point per day. Characters 
  brought to 0 or fewer charisma points by this concoction become 
  misty shades that hide in the corners of Heruldos’ castle for eternity.
  Heruldos takes the form of a cat-headed man, tall and languid and 
  clad in bone armor made from the remains of his younger sister (who 
  didn’t so much defy him as walk by him one day when he felt like 
  killing something). He is cheerful and cunning and without a drop 
  of mercy, though his sloth keeps him from being terribly dangerous. 
  Heruldos is surrounded by a poisonous mist and has the abilities of a 
  12th level assassin and 9th level magic-user. He can use the following 
  magical abilities: Fear, invisibility (self), mirror image, phantasmal 
  force and silence (centered on anything in his line of sight).
  Heruldos: HD 15 (75 hp); AC -3 [22]; Atk 1 sword (2d6); Move 
  18; Save 3; CL/XP 22/5000; Special: +1 or better weapon to hit, 
  immune to cold, sees perfectly in any form of darkness, sur-
  prises on a roll of 1-9 on 1d10, assassin and magic-user abilities, 
  magical abilities, surrounded by 10-ft radius poison mist (save 
  or die).
  Lhetoh the Marilith: HD 8 (36 hp); AC -3 [22]; Atk 6 weapons 
  (1d8), tail (1d8); Move 12; Save 8; CL/XP 13/2300; Special: 
  Magic resistance (80%), +1 or better weapon to hit, demonic 
  magical powers.
  0321. 
  A beached narwhale, just barely alive (3 hp) lies here, struggling to 
  breath. The animal swallowed a golden bracelet bearing the arms of 
  a prince of the northern men (ﬁ rst introduced in Hexcrawl Chronicles 
  #1: Valley of the Hawks). The prince and his court were escaping 
  from their war-torn country by ship and were lost at sea. One of his 
  siblings would gladly pay for this proof of his death.
  0408. 
  Buried beneath the mountains and only accessible after traversing 
  a mile of twisting caverns inhabited by troglodytes, minotaurs and 
  variegated oozes, there is a hidden vault. The vault measures 20 feet 
  wide, 15 feet long and 13 feet tall, with a peaked, arched ceiling. The 
  vault is clad in black marble, cut and placed by expert hands. Twelve 
  pedestals, also of black marble and standing about 4 feet tall, line 
  the walls of the room. In the center of the room there is a statue of 
  a headless woman carved from alabaster with a robe of many colors
  thrown over its shoulders.
  On each pedestal there rests a perfectly preserved human head. 
  All of the heads are those of beautiful women, no to quite alike, 
  but all seemingly related. Around each of the head’s necks there is 
  a silver gorget set with three ﬁ re opals. The ﬁ re opals glow with a 
  pale, ﬂ ickering red light, which becomes ﬁ ercer when near a living 
  body. These opals draw energy from the ether or from living bodies 
  to preserve the heads. The heads once belonged to twelve beautiful 
  sisters, the daughters of a archmage. When the archmage was 
  deposed, his body was torn apart and his daughters beheaded. The 
  surviving apprentices of the wizard, some quite powerful mages in 
  their own right, used the silver gorgets (which had been designed 
  by the wizard before his death) to preserve the heads. The alabaster 
  body was carved that it might be animated by the heads. Originally, 
  it was planned that a separate body should be created for each sister, 
  but only one was completed. 
  The sisters shared the body, contentiously, of course, and forged a 
  powerful kingdom in the land beyond the Black Water, before being 
  again deposed by a union of the petty deaths, who they foolishly 
  sought to eclipse. Should a head be set again on the body, it will 
  animate as a living statue. Each of the sisters has the abilities of a 6th
  level magic-user, though their grimoires have been stolen and they 
  might only have 1d4 spells prepared when they animate the statue.
  Alabaster Princess: HD 6; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 slam (1d6+2); Move 
  9; Save 11; CL/XP 9/1100; Special: Immune to poison and dis-
  ease, immune to damage from piercing weapons, resistance to 
  damage from edged weapons (50%), resistance to cold, light-
  ning and ﬁ re (50%), spells as a 6th level magic-user.
  0414. 
  A village of 20 beehive-shaped stone hovels interrupts the steppe 
  here, surrounded by a tangled thicket and seemingly empty of 
  habitation. The village is inhabited by 45 ghuls, who dwell in 
  burrows beneath the hovels, which they decorate with wind chimes 
  made of bone and dried sinew. The ghuls have no leader per se, but 
  rather organize themselves along a “big man” system, following 
  whoever seems to make the most sense at any given time. The ghuls 
  are accomplished, though rather slow, carvers of bone, trading their 
  handiwork to the gnolls for zombies upon which to feast in strange 
  ritual hunts on the steppe. The ghuls possess 220 sp, 795 gp, a 
  tarnished bronze icon of a saint (3 gp), a copper pendant bearing an 
  eldritch sign (300 gp).
  Ghul Warrior: HD 1; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6) or strike 
  
  10
  Beyond the Black Water
  (1d3 plus stun); Move 12; Save 17; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Touch 
  stuns (save negates) for 1d3 rounds.
  0502. 
  Gohl, one of the nine petty deaths, dwells in this hex behind a tall 
  copper door placed in the side of a great ridge. The door is guarded 
  inside and out by two lion-headed cherubim encased in armor of 
  black, steel bands and grasping large falchions. Beyond the door 
  there is a long tunnel, well lit by hanging lanterns of every color 
  under the sun – and quite shocking in a land of twilight. The tunnel 
  extends for at least a mile, ending a second door, similarly guarded. 
  Between the great doors are a number of tunnels, each closed by 
  an iron gate (always locked, difﬁ cult to pick). These minor tunnels 
  lead to a variety of chambers, all uniformly large with tall, vaulted 
  ceilings that are also illuminated with glass lanters. 
  Some of these chambers hold dozens of ghostly scribes and 
  philosophers (the souls claimed by Gohl) chained to desks and 
  scratching out scroll after scroll, recording every bit of wisdom they 
  have ever learned (and a few bits they imagine that once learned). 
  The scrolls are collected by pudgy imps dressed in baggy trousers 
  and fez and stowed in niches that line the walls. Almost any question 
  can be answered by these scrolls, assuming one has enough time to 
  sort through the unorganized knowledge and pays the imps enough 
  to fetch the correct scroll. 
  Other chambers are ﬁ lled with the mouldering remains of spent 
  sages, bony ﬁ ngers still wrapped around quills, imps in leather aprons 
  blowing glass globes or making parchment from skins of uncertain 
  provenance, wild eyed dreamers chained to walls and calling out 
  their visions to any who will listen and groups of philosophers 
  working feverishly at solving the riddles of Gohl. Each soul claimed 
  by Gohl must answer a dozen of his riddles before he will usher them 
  on to a higher plane.
  Most days (or is it nights – hard to tell in a land of eternal twilight) a 
  steady stream of souls is ushered through the tunnel and past the high 
  throne of Master Gohl, the psychopomp, traveler between worlds. 
  Gohl takes the form of an elderly man of athletic build, unclothed 
  and carrying a human head nestled in the crook of his arm. The head 
  always resembles the person to whom Gohl speaks, and in fact he 
  speaks through the head. Gohl can also take the form of a shadow, 
  and it is in this form that he travels between worlds. In shadow form, 
  his merest touch means death (save at -2 permitted to instead fall 
  into a deep slumber for 1d6 days). Gohl rarely speaks, save to learn 
  what a petitioner wants, what they know, and what they are willing 
  to do to obtain their desire. Gohl can cast spells as a 12th level cleric 
  and 12th level magic-user and can speak all languages and know the 
  alignment of any who meet his gaze.
  Gohl: HD 17 (70 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 1 touch (death or slum-
  ber); Move 21 (F30); Save 3; CL/XP 24/5600; Special: +1 or bet-
  ter weapon to hit, resistance to cold, ﬁ re and lightning (50%), 
  take shadow form, death touch (only in shadow form), magical 
  abilities.
  0505. 
  You enter a long canyon that grows deeper as one travels further 
  into the mountains. The canyon is ﬁ lled with a petriﬁ ed forest. About 
  1 in 100 trees contains a door. The doors cannot be opened from 
  the outside. Knocking on a door brings forth an emerald eye that 
  appears outside the door and ﬂ oating about 5 feet above the ground. 
  The eye will regard the knocker and, if they are found worthy (roll 
  1d20 under the knocker’s charisma), it opens.
  The doors open into a trans-dimensional palace of blinding white 
  light and shadowy pillars placed much as the trees are placed in 
  the surrounding forest. Shadows ﬂ it between the pillars, carrying 
  messages back and forth between the planes. Living creatures 
  entering a shadow pillar lose one level and ﬁ nd themselves in some 
  random location, plane or dimension (per the desires of the Referee).
  Every hour one spends wandering this weird place carries with 
  it two possibilities. The ﬁ rst is a 1 in 6 chance that they will be 
  converged upon by 1d3+1 shadows who will attempt to carry them 
  away into one of the aforementioned pillars. The other possibility is 
  a 1 in 20 chance of meeting Palocar, the master of this place. Palocar 
  is a shadowy ﬁ gure who seems to grow taller as one grows closer. 
  He coordinates the movements of the shadow demons and has an 
  intimate knowledge of the thousands of portals in the place. Palocar 
  is not malevolent, but it is unfriendly and inhuman and regards 
  people as tools and implements. It might aid travelers if it can discern 
  some gain for itself.
  Shadow: HD 3+3; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 touch (1d4+strength drain); 
  Move 12 (F15); Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Drain 1 point of 
  strength with hit, +1 or better weapon to hit.
  The Palocar: HD 11 (36 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 touch 
  (1d6+strength drain); Move 15 (F18); Save 4; CL/XP 12/2000; 
  Special: Drain 1d4 points of strength with hit, +1 or better 
  weapon to hit.)
  0512. 
  A herd of spindly centaurs with long faces, obsidian skin and 
  spiked, blue manes ranges over the lake lands here, mostly sticking to 
  the banks of the sluggish, morose river. The centaurs are encountered 
  in groups of 1d6+6 on a roll of 1-3 on 1d6, or 1-5 on 1d6 if one is 
  near the river. They are usually running down an antelope or walking 
  cadaver. The centaurs hunt with bronzewood longbows and carry 
  curved swords. Their leader is Pasco, who has the ability to summon 
  up a variety of spells by speaking riddles while launching his bow. 
  Three times per day he can cast magic missile with his longbow, two 
  times per day he can cast web with his longbow and once per day he 
  can launch a 5 dice lightning bolt with his bow. The centaurs shun 
  treasure, stomping it into the ground or tossing it in the river. They 
  eat their meat raw, and though they don’t treat cadavers this way, 
  they still cannot resist running down a walking corpse or scurrying 
  shadow for the sport of it.
  Centaur: HD 4; AC 5 [14]; Atk 2 kicks (1d6), weapon (1d8); 
  Move 18; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.
  Pasco: HD 5 (33 hp hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 2 kicks (1d6+1), weapon 
  (1d8+1); Move 18; Save 12; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Spells (magic 
  missile, web, lightning bolt)
  0520. 
  The skeleton of a marilith demon juts uncomfortably from a slab 
  of granite, as though a teleportation went awry. Should one manage 
  to free the skeleton, they will discover that two of its hands, now 
  embedded in the slab, carry two curved blades of a black, grainy 
  metal that, though dull in appearance, is remarkably sharp (+1 to 
  hit and damage). These swords, made of zenith metal, are capable 
  of striking incorporeal creatures and absorbing their essence (i.e. 
  save or drained of one Hit Dice or level). When struck together, the 
  blades create a vibration that repels incorporeal creatures for 1d6 
  rounds. After being freed from the stone, the skeleton will begin to 
  regenerate, with thin membranes and layers of muscle spreading over 
  them in the manner of a ﬁ lm of melting ice being run backwards. In 
  one turn the creature, Skardrra by name, will be complete, though at 
  half normal hit points, and ready to retrieve her blades.
  Skarddra the Marilith: HD 8 (46 hp); AC -3 [22]; Atk 6 weap-
  ons (1d8), tail (1d8); Move 12; Save 8; CL/XP 13/2300; Special: 
  Magic resistance (80%), +1 or better weapon to hit, demonic 
  magical powers.
  0609. 
  In the middle of the woodlands there is a large, man-made mound 
  of soil and granite blocks. Broad steps lead up to the top of the 
  mound. Resting on the mound is a rectangular building – 10 feet 
  tall, 12 feet wide and 30 feet long. The buildings are studded with 
  
  11
  Beyond the Black Water
  rows of bronze doors, each one locked and giving entrance to a small 
  crawlspace that contains a cadaver. Each cadaver has been dyed 
  a bright color; red, blue, yellow or green. Once a door is opened, 
  the cadaver animates as a 2 HD zombie and attempts to escape its 
  ritual imprisonment. Two or zombies of the same color can merge 
  to become a giant zombie (combine HD, increase AC by one). Up 
  to seven zombies can so merge, with two becoming the size of an 
  ogre (4 HD), three a hill giant (6 HD), four a stone giant (8 HD), ﬁ ve 
  a frost giant (10 HD), six a cloud giant (12 HD) and seven a storm 
  giant (14 HD). In this form, the cadavers have an excellent chance of 
  making it to the Earthbound Paradise, where they can un-merge and 
  dwell in that peaceful land of natural splendor for eternity. There are 
  28 corpses in all, seven of each color. Cadavers of red and blue attack 
  one another over other targets, likewise with yellow versus green 
  zombies. Should one attempt to communicate with the zombies, they 
  will discover that their minds work in reverse and communication 
  with them (even if they have been destroyed and one speaks with 
  dead) leads to confusion (as the spell) unless one passes a saving 
  throw. Inside each of the crawlspaces there is a small sphere of gold 
  held inside a black walnut that has been sealed with gray wax.
  0612. 
  A ﬂ ock of 1d4+4 gaunt night demons perch on a ridge here, 
  watching over the canyons below and snatching up travelers. Those 
  unfortunates who are grabbed are carried into the gray clouds above 
  and dropped to the earth. Their livers are then stolen from the broken 
  bodies by the demons and devoured.
  Night Demon: HD 4; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 clutch (1d4); Move 9 (Fly 
  24); Save 13; CL/XP 8/800; Special: Fear aura, slow motion, +1 
  or better weapon to hit, immunity to cold.
  0713. 
  You come across a lonely ﬁ gure garbed in rust red armor, head 
  slung low and shield and lance held limply in its hands. The ﬁ gure 
  rides a brilliant white charger that will snort at the approach of 
  travelers, rousing the rider from its reverie. The Rust Red Knight 
  has been wandering the lands beyond the Black Water for many 
  years, attempting to atone for unspeciﬁ ed behavior that was, he will 
  assure you, quite unforgiving for a knight. The Rust Red Knight – he 
  will give no other name – is of the northern race, with light brown 
  skin, silvery white hair and black, pinpoint eyes. Although generally 
  morose and unresponsive unless roused to do battle, he will leer at 
  beautiful women and, if in their company for more than a day, prove 
  quite a lecher. The Rust Red knight’s atonement will be complete 
  when, through clash of arms, his armor has been scraped of rust and 
  once against gleams.
  Rust Red Knight, Fallen Paladin Lvl 8: HP 47; AC 2 [17]; Move 
  9; Save 7; CL/XP 8/800; Special: None.
  0716. 
  Your travel across the steppe is interrupted by the presence of a 
  ruined colosseum. The origin of the great structure is a mystery. It is 
  constructed of plain, yellowish stones, stacked almost like a child’s 
  building blocks with no ornamentation. The structure looks like it 
  can see about 10,000 people and there are three large “boxes” for 
  luminaries, the central box being set higher than the other two. No 
  furniture persists in the strange arena, though a band of 12 ghouls 
  lurks in the tunnels beneath the collosseum, cracking the bones 
  of the large, horriﬁ c looking animal skeletons that litter the cages 
  beneath the arena ﬂ oor. The arena ﬂ oor is covered in patches of gray 
  witherweed, the woody tendrils of the plants reaching up the walls 
  and into the stands and boxes. The tendrils that cover the central box 
  have also overgrown an alabaster box, about 1.5-feet high, long and 
  wide. 
  Inside the box, assuming one manages to reach it, are the 
  disembodied souls of 10,000 screaming fans, two parties of noble 
  wraiths (six in all) in yellow togas, with ghostly slaves fanning them 
  using peacock feathers, and the imperial party in the central box. The 
  imperial party consists of a crypt thing in imperial purple, a thick 
  golden crown on its head, and for feminine spectres in orchid silk 
  gowns embroidered with golden ﬂ owers, also fanned by ghostly 
  servants.
  The crypt thing will teleport the adventurers into the arena, where 
  they will have to contend with the witherweed and three animated 
  elephant skeletons. The skeletons will appear to burrow up from the 
  ground and then charge. If the adventurers survive, the imperial crypt 
  thing will toss them a bag of 300 large platinum coins bearing his 
  image. Femurs taken from the animal skeletons function as +1 clubs.
  Witherweed: HD 5; AC 6 [13]; Atk 5 fronds (1d4 plus slow); 
  Move 0; Save 12; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Death smoke, slow.
  Skeletal Elephant: HD 11 (49, 46, 41 hp); AC 6 [13]; Atk 2 
  stomps (1d8), gore (1d8); Move 15; Save 4; CL/XP 11/1700; Spe-
  cial: Undead, half damage from edged weapons.
  Spectral Ladies: HD 7 (35, 30, 21, 19 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 spec-
  tral touch (1d8 plus level drain); Move 15 (Fly 30); Save 9; CL/
  XP 9/1100; Special: Drain 2 levels with hit.
  Noble Wraiths: HD 4 (17, 12, 11, 11, 10, 10 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk 
  Touch (1d6 plus level drain); Move 9; Save 13; CL/XP 6/400; 
  Special: Drain 1 level with hit.
  Imperial Crypt Thing: HD 8 (45 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 2 claws 
  (1d6); Move 12; Save 8; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Teleport other, 
  +1 or better weapon to hit, turn as 12 HD monster.
  0719. 
  A thick clutch of white towers cluster along an obsidian shore here, 
  their domes gleaming in the eternal twilight. Windows framed by 
  obsidian tiles interrupt the pearly array, their secrets hidden behind 
  thick curtains. The towers are divided by streets of ashen dust, 
  crowded by the beyonders wrapped in their cloaks, their platform 
  sandals making rectangular divots in the dust. The pedestrians carry 
  birch brooms to sweep away their footprints. Birch trees complete 
  (unsuccessfully) with the towers. Thick, black scaled serpents 
  lounge in the boughs, raising a lazy head on occasion to watch the 
  passersby. Other serpents are led by some beyonders on thin leashes, 
  or are draped across their shoulders. The city is surrounded by a 
  sea of blackberry bushes, the berries being used to dye the cloth 
  of the beyonders. The city is called by its citizens Yondo. It has no 
  rulership, the people dividing themselves into families that compete 
  for secrets, for secrets are the main trade of the beyonders, traded to 
  outsiders for gold and jewels. The families own the towers and the 
  ﬁ elds of rye and poppies that are worked by reaping zombies. The 
  spiritual leaders of the beyonders are clerical hermits that mummify 
  themselves by drinking poison in small amounts over many, many 
  years. These mummies dwell in shrine towers, sitting atop golden 
  settees and attended by younger priests who go unclothed save for a 
  simple kilt and armed with a black mace. Yondo has representatives 
  of all the normal trades, especially sages, and though they will accept 
  gold at triple the normal prices, they will also trade their goods and 
  services for secrets. The city’s harbor is thick with black arks.
  0804. 
  A great pile of timber blocks this gorge, apparently knocked down 
  and carried here by a ﬂ ash ﬂ ood. A small, brackish reservoir now 
  rests behind the makeshift dam, attracting swarms of mosquitoes 
  and making east-west travel almost impossible. Some (2d6) of the 
  mosquitoes are giant-sized. The mosquitoes now serve as prey for a 
  ﬂ ock of 2d4 gryphs, mutli-legged black birds with long, needle-thin 
  beaks. At the bottom of the pile of timber there is the body of a magic-
  user, trapped and unable to complete its journey to the Earthbound 
  Paradise. The magic-user has a slim silver wand of sleep (now bent, 
  4 charges) and a pouch containing a few small jewels (worth about 
  
  12
  80 gp in all) and a copper obolus. The gryphs are clever enough that 
  they will wait for people to be climbing over the timber and harried 
  by the mosquitoes before they attack, usually trying to attack from 
  behind and implant their eggs before ﬂ eeing.
  Giant Mosquito: HD 1; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 touch (attach); Move 
  12 (F21); Save 17; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Drain blood (1d4 hit 
  points per round, sated at 12 hit points).
  Gryph: HD 2; AC 5 [14]; Atk touch (attach) or beak (1d8); 
  Move 3 (F21); Save 16; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Attach, implant 
  eggs.
  0810. 
  Chunks of ice and freezing, ﬂ ammable gasses pour out of hole in 
  the ground. Standing within 10 feet of the hole requires one to make 
  a saving throw each round to avoid suffering 1d6 points of freezing 
  damage and another saving throw to avoid suffering 1d6 points of 
  wisdom damage from the fumes. Any open ﬂ ame within 10 feet of 
  the hole has a 1 in 4 chance per round of causing a ﬂ ash explosion of 
  the gas, inﬂ icting 3d6 points of damage to all within 20 feet (save for 
  half). Once an explosion has occurred, the gas will be cleared for 1 
  turn. The hole is about 20 feet deep and 3 feet in diameter, the interior 
  appearing to be composed of glass formed from extreme heat. At the 
  bottom of the hole there is a small, bronze statue of an amphisbaena, 
  about 1 foot in length. One mouth of the little statue slowly seeps 
  the freezing gas, the other the ﬂ ammable, wisdom-damaging gas. A 
  small button on each head can stop the gas ﬂ ow.
  0818. 
  A granite hillside rising from the surrounding moors is carved 
  with friezes of what appears to be a beyonder coronation. The hill 
  is carved into three terraces, the lowest depicting large numbers of 
  common beyonders and a number of strange creatures that look like a 
  combination of giraffe, elephant and ibex. The middle terrace shows 
  warriors and noblemen mounted on horses. The top terrace shows a 
  king enthroned and surrounded by bowing demons.
  0822. 
  The sea ﬂ oor rises in this hex and the surrounding hexes such that 
  the water is only about 25 feet deep. A thick forest of kelp covers 
  the sea mount. The forest attracts the unwholesome ﬁ sh of the 
  Black Water, and thus the creatures that prey on them. Encounters 
  with narwhals occur on a roll of 1 on 1d3 and with the sea serpent 
  Maedain [0123] on a roll of 1 on 1d4.
  0921. 
  A basalt sea mount juts up above the waves here at low tide. The 
  mountain is run through with dozens of tunnels and caverns that 
  serve as the lair of a coven of three eyes of the deep. The eyes of the 
  deep collect magical lore and magic items. Their servants are ﬁ ve 
  sea vampires, haggard humanoids that appear to be covered with a 
  thin layer of frost. If caught in the moonlight out of water, they turn 
  into ice sculptures, their hearts becoming large garnets worth 300 
  gp each. The sea vampires are weaker than their land-based kin and 
  are rather stupid to boot. Hidden within their tunnels, the eyes of the 
  deep have the following treasures: +1 spear, +3 vs elves (decreases 
  the constitution of all living creatures within 10 feet of the owner, 
  increasing his hit points by one per stolen point of constitution), 
  +1 throwing hammer of darkness (creates darkness in 10-ft radius 
  when held aloft, only usable by males), scale mail composed of 
  turquoise crystals with a quartz pectoral (treat as +1 leather armor, 
  allows owner to speak to sea animals), a gorget  of gleaming steel 
  (can only be worn by chaotics who have killed a fellow humanoid 
  in cold blood, makes their voices sound like deep, rolling thunder 
  and allows them utter a command once per day to one creature, per 
  the suggestion spell) and a potion of extra healing (clear with golden 
  swirls, causes blurred vision for 1 hour after drinking).
  Sea Vampire: HD 4; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 bite (1d6 plus level drain); 
  Beyond the Black Water
  
  13
  Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 8/800; Special: Bite drains one level 
  (save negates), +1 or better weapon to hit, regenerate 5 hp/hour 
  while submerged, amphibious, assume form of shark or sea 
  urchin.
  Eye of the Deep: HD 10 (48, 47, 37 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 pincers 
  (2d4), bite (1d6) and eye rays; Move 3 (Swim 9); Save 5; CL/XP 
  13/2300; Special: Constrict, eye rays, stun cones.
  1007. 
  The river here is unnaturally calm and clear. One can see gauzy 
  spirits moving up and down the river, their vaguely humanoid 
  shapes barely discernible. People looking into the river will see 
  their reﬂ ection slowly turn into that of a mouldering corpse that will 
  slowly reach out to them. Unless the person makes a saving throw, 
  they will be compelled to lean forward and accept the touch of the 
  river spirit. The spirit will steal away a small portion of the person’s 
  life force (1d6 hit points). For each hit point stolen, the river spirit 
  may impose one geas upon the person, be they restrictions or quests. 
  A person who follows these rules for one month has their hit points 
  restored; each time a rule is broken the hit point is lost permanently.
  1015. 
  Standing or striding through this hex is a curious sight, even by the 
  standards of this region. An iron golem in the shape of an elephant 
  carries on its back a tower of thick wood. The wooden tower, 3 
  stories tall, is an abbey for a band of monks. The monks number 13 in 
  addition to their abbot, and worship the petty death called Lewl. The 
  monks of Lewl must take a vow of silence (which doesn’t prevent 
  them from casting their spells – they replace the verbal component of 
  their spells with rapid eye movements) and poverty, casting away all 
  wealth except magic items. The monks cannot even permit precious 
  metals and stones to enter their tower, and they have trained their 
  colossal mount to do its part in stamping out the evils of wealth (i.e. 
  adventurers laden with gold). While the monks dwell in the tower, 
  contemplating their idol of Lewl, their leader, Kazrabus, is often to 
  be found atop the tower, surveying his domain and interpreting the 
  movement of the clouds to tell the future. On the back of the elephant 
  ride a pack of 12 hobgoblins with red faces, cruel, long tusks and 
  white, bushy hair. The hobgoblins wear chainmail and carry black 
  bows and axes. The hobgoblins hunt in the woods for the monks, 
  using rope ladders to ascend and descend.
  Iron Golems: HD 10 (80 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk Stomp (4d10); 
  Move 6; Save 3; CL/XP 17/3500; Special: Poison gas (from 
  trunk), immune to all weapons +2 or less, slowed by lightning, 
  healed by ﬁ re, immune to most magic.
  Monk, Cleric Lvl 1: HD 1; AC 3 [16]; Atk Weapon (1d8); Move 
  12; Save 15 (13 vs. paralysis and poison); CL/XP 1/15; Special: 
  None, rebuke undead.
  Kazrabus, Cleric Lvl 9: HP 44; AC 3 [16]; Move 12; Save 7 (5 
  vs. paralysis and poison); CL/XP 12/2000; Special: Spells (5th), 
  rebuke undead..
  1019. 
  In this hex you are apt to encounter 2d4+1 giant komodo dragons 
  on the shore, lapping up the black foam and devouring the bodies that 
  wash up there, releasing the spirits as they do. The reptiles have a 
  spark of intelligence, and are apt to pretend they do not see intruders 
  on their grisly repast until those intruders are within striking distance. 
  Each komodo has a large, black pearl in its stomach. The pearl is 
  worth 1d6x100 gp but possessed by the concentrated bad karma of 
  the souls that have passed through the dragon. Those holding such 
  a pearl must pass a saving throw each time they are tempted by one 
  of the seven deadly sins. Each pearl is possessed of a different sin, 
  determined randomly:
  Roll 
  Deadly Sin
  1-3 
  Gluttony
  4-6 
  Lust
  7-9 
  Greed
  10-12 
  Despair
  13-15 
  Wrath
  16-18 
  Vainglory
  19-20 
  Pride
  Each time the holder succeeds on a saving throw, the pearl becomes 
  a lighter shade. After seven successful saves, the pearl becomes white 
  and exudes a protection from evil, 10-ft radius spell.
  Giant Komodo Dragon: HD 3; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 bite (1d8 plus 
  venom); Move 12; Save 14; CL/XP 3/60; Special: Lethal venom 
  kills in 1d4+2 rounds.
  1102. 
  The stately manse of Ingueas, petty death of priests and funerary 
  rites, stands atop a plateau surrounded by razor-sharp ridges and 
  overgrown with black willows. A winding path runs the circumference 
  of the plateau, ﬁ nally passing through a marble arch bearing two 
  sculptures of headless maidens holding long, curved swords. Beyond 
  the marble arch there is a path of crushed, pomegranate-colored stone 
  that runs through thick woodland of willows. The path leads to a 
  single-story marble palace (square in shape, approximately 1,000 ft 
  wide and 1,000 ft. long. The palace is opened to the air, really just 
  consisting of a stepped base, a roof and hundreds of pillars, all in 
  white marble. The pillars divide the palace into a number of square-
  shaped chambers dedicated to the embalmer’s art, the storage of 
  funerary vessels, crates of spices and exotic resins and waiting rooms 
  for the souls she collects.
  Ingueas is the keeper of funerary laws and rites and the protector of 
  the dead. To her are allotted the souls of people who were improperly 
  buried. She takes the form of an adult woman with the head of a 
  coursing hound. Ingueas wears an elaborately patterned toga and 
  carries scrolls and an ebony writing kit. She is always surrounded by 
  a gaggle of grim, impish clerks who take down the deeds of the souls 
  she collects, re-animating their mortal forms into undead creatures 
  to dole out proper vengeance on the improperly buried person’s 
  relations and priests. Ingueas and her clerks are always in motion, 
  passing from chamber to chamber, recording the deeds of the lost 
  souls and then snufﬁ ng out their existence when word reaches her 
  (via imps in the form of magpies) they have been revenged.
  Imp: HD 2; AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 sting (1d4+poison); Move 6 (F16); 
  Save 16; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Poison tail, polymorph, regener-
  ate, immune to ﬁ re.
  Ingueas: HD 16 (78 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 1 bite (1d8) or spells; 
  Move 30; Save 3; CL/XP 22/5000; Special: Only +1 or better 
  weapon to hit, casts spells as a 12th level cleric and 12th level 
  magic-user, immune to fear and all undead attacks and abilities, 
  command undead as 20th level cleric.
  1112. 
  The White Wood breaks, revealing a vast meadowland of greenish-
  gray grass (as wholesome as this nightmare land can get) and 
  red poppies. In the center of the meadow there is a large fortress 
  composed of massive stone slabs. The northern wall of the fortress, 
  which is square in foundation, holds a large gate barred by a grate of 
  white wood and usually left open. The fortress has three levels, each 
  level smaller than the one below it and the uppermost level topped 
  by ﬁ erce battlements and a massive, golden gong. The meadow 
  appears to be littered with statues of animals and a few humanoids, 
  all seemingly carved in an approximation of life and motion.
  The castle is inhabited by 20 living statues called basilim. Each 
  was born of the meadow, for those walking across it are eventually 
  turned to stone, though they may make a saving throw with each step 
  Beyond the Black Water
  
  14
  to resist the power. The ﬁ rst failed saving throw turns the person’s 
  heart to stone, stripping them of sympathy and emotional attachment, 
  the second failed saving throw actually petrifying them. So they 
  stand on that meadow as statues for many years, until their will to 
  live ﬁ nally asserts itself over their frozen forms and they become 
  basilim. Animals are not so lucky, explaining the presence of many 
  more animal than humanoid statues. The basilim believe that their 
  great gong causes the will to live to rise in their future kin, and so 
  strike it a resounding blow at sundown each day. The basilim have 
  little to fear from adventurers, and will make no attempt to check 
  their progress across the meadow, though they will resist entry into 
  their fortress. They have a treasure of 1,500 sp, 60 gp and a pair of 
  platinum earrings worth 3,000 gp.
  Basilim: HD 2+2; AC 5 [14]; Atk 2 slams (1d6); Move 9; Save 3; 
  CL/XP 3/60; Special: Madness, half damage from non-magical 
  weapons.
  1209. 
  Atop a wide dais of swirled pink and white marble there is a 
  massive statue of a giant centipede composed of clear crystal. In the 
  middle of the giant centipede there is embedded a silver two-handed 
  sword. The crystal can be shattered with a blow from a bludgeoning 
  weapon that inﬂ icts 9 points of damage. If this occurs, the crystal 
  statue collapses into thirty shards that turn into a giant centipedes. 
  The sword will continue to hand 8 feet above the ground in mid-air 
  until one grasps the handle and declares themselves to be the sword’s 
  master. The sword is edged in silver and otherwise acts as a +1 two-
  handed sword, +3 vs. vermin. If the holder of the sword is struck by 
  bright light, he acts as though feebleminded.
  Giant Centipede: HD 1d2; AC 9 [10]; Atk Bite (1 + poison); 
  Move 13; Save 18; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Lethal poison (+4 save) 
  1217. 
  The skeleton of a colossal frog lies half buried in the muck here. The 
  skeleton is covered in vines. Should one move within the beast’s rib 
  cage, the vines will form a cage and the skeleton will arise from the 
  muck, trapping the explorer. The skeleton will begin to hop away in a 
  random direction, carrying the hapless adventurer 1d6 hexes away in 
  a single day. If moving more than 3 hexes in a day, others will be hard 
  pressed to keep up. Once it has reached its destination (which might 
  be under water), the frog skeleton falls apart and releases its victim. 
  The skeleton has an Armor Class of 3 [16] and withstands 8 dice of 
  damage before falling apart. The person inside the ribcage can escape 
  by making a successful open doors roll.
  1305. 
  Atop a peak in this hex there is a clan of crimson-skinned dwarfs 
  laboring on a massive tower that uses the mountain as its foundation 
  and has so far been built to a height of 500 feet. The dwarfs are 
  obsessed with the notion of reaching the moon, where, they assure 
  visitors, nuggets of mithral tumble down silvery rivers from the 
  gray mountains. The dwarves are, of course, quite mad. They have 
  hollowed out the upper portions of the mountain quarrying stone for 
  their tower, which now houses 600 dwarves, some of the clans living 
  so far apart as to hardly know the dwarves constructing the portion 
  of the tower opposite their own. The dwarves are ruled by a council 
  of priests who worship the moon (the Silvery Face That Blesses the 
  Heavens, as they put it), wearing large silver talismans stamped with 
  the face of the man in the moon and wearing black robes. The dwarf 
  priests shave their heads (and bodies) of hair, whereas their subjects 
  are not permitted to cut their hair as long as they live. As a result, the 
  dwarves have long beards that they braid and wear wrapped around 
  their bodies and tucked into their belt. This mass of hair (it takes two 
  full days to wash) provides them an additional +1 bonus to AC, but 
  slows them to a movement rate of 3. 
  Dwarf warriors in the clan wear chainmail and carry round, white 
  shields and crescent axes. Sergeants (3 HD, one per 10 dwarves) and 
  captains (6 HD, one per 5 sergeants) of the dwarves wear platemail 
  and often have weapons edged in silver. The priests number 30 and 
  are all clerics (roll 1d6 for level) in platemail and wielding heavy 
  lead maces traced with silver. The chief of the priests is an elderly 
  man called Clovis. Clovis has a braided beard so long that it is borne 
  behind him by two pages. His teeth are crooked and his eyes are wild 
  with the fervor of his belief.
  The crimson dwarves are, as was previously mentioned, mad, and 
  attempts to read their minds or carry on long conversations with them 
  end in confusion for 1d6 days unless a saving throw is passed. They 
  are immune to mental affects.
  Crimson Dwarf: HD 1; AC 3 [16]; Atk Weapon (1d8); Move 6; 
  Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: Confusion from mind reading, 
  dwarf abilities.
  1313. 
  The warlord Erlike, a fourth-category demon (i.e. nalfeshnee) 
  commands a small army of 120 giant boar mounted orcs wearing 
  blackened chainmail and carrying horseman’s axes and bolos (the 
  balls are made of ivory and carved to look like skulls – the orcs are 
  quite proud of this and will take great pains to show them off to 
  victims and discuss the craftsmanship). Erlike looks like an aged man 
  with a wrinkled though muscular body, the face and tusks of a pig 
  with black eyes and bushy, steel-gray eyebrows and a long mustache. 
  Erlike and his army are camped outside the walls of a town called 
  Cuth. The men of Cuth are worshipers of a large, demonic, scaled 
  lion called Nergal. Cuth is a massive tower keep with walls 80 feet 
  tall built of polished obsidian and sloping out from top to base. 
  Within the structure dwell 580 men, women and children. The stores 
  are almost run out, and their “god” has taken to devouring the old, 
  young and others considered unﬁ t for war. Each day, the men of 
  Cuth ascend to the tops of their walls, sound brass horns and then 
  blacken the skies with their arrows. Many orcs (1,200 in all) have 
  perished from these assaults, but still Erlike waits. When the shower 
  of arrows ends, the orcs use their engines of destruction to hurl great 
  stones at the walls of the keep, to little effect. The treasury of the 
  keep holds a shield made of living black metal. The shield carries 
  a +2 enchantment and has an ego of 13. It is possessed by the spirit 
  of an ancient, cruel king who will attempt to drive the bearer of the 
  shield to greater and greater conquests and slaughters. In addition to 
  its basic enchantment, the shield has the ability to cloud minds (treat 
  as invisibility) once per day and forced non-magical weapons that 
  strike it (i.e. weapon attacks that missed hitting the bearer by 3 or less 
  points) to save or be absorbed into the metal. Each metal weapon so 
  absorbed can be launched as a metal sphere one round later. These 
  spheres have a range of 30 feet and deal damage as the weapon they 
  absorbed.
  Erlike: HD 11 (41 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 2 claws (1d4), 1 bite 
  (1d6+2); Move 9 (F14); Save 4; CL/XP 13/2300; Special: +1 or 
  better weapon to hit, magic resistance (65%), +2 on attack rolls, 
  immune to ﬁ re, magical abilities.
  Nergal: HD 9 (65 hp); AC 0 [19]; Atk 2 claws (1d6), bite 
  (2d6+1); Move 18 (F9); Save 6; CL/XP 12/2000; Special: Roar 
  (all who hear must save or suffer -1 penalty to all attacks for 1 
  turn), cast spells as 10th level cleric.
  1322. 
  A small island – really just an octagonal tower keep poised atop a 
  rocky outcropping – is located in this hex. The island is surrounded 
  by a number of other vicious looking rocks that suggest a stone claws 
  reaching out of the water to grab the fortress and pull into beneath the 
  waves. One enters the fortress through an iron door located roughly 
  15 feet above the surface of the water. This door is unlocked. The 
  door leads into an outer hallway that runs completely around the 
  fortress (a circuit of about 75 feet, given that the diameter of the 
  fortress is approximately 40 feet and the outer walls are 8 feet thick. 
  Beyond the Black Water
  
  15
  The ﬂ oors and ceiling of this passage are composed of amber stone, 
  though in one place there are 20 copper rods embedded in the ceiling. 
  Should any one of these be anointed with fresh blood (human or 
  animal), they will descend as a staircase, opening up an entry into the 
  upper gallery of the fortress.
  The upper gallery runs around the perimeter of the fortress and looks 
  down on an octagonal library 20 feet in diameter. The eight walls of 
  the library contain wooden shelves piled high with books, papers and 
  scrolls (see sidebar for precise composition). One hundred volumes 
  are present in the room. Accompanying the books and scrolls on the 
  shelves are twelve porcelain dolls, all showing some wear and tear 
  and all staring at the ﬁ gure in the center of the room with unblinking 
  glass eyes. Above the gallery there is a vaulted ceiling and thick 
  rafters. The domed ceiling/roof of the room, hidden from the outside 
  by the thick amber walls, is composed of thin alabaster, allowing a 
  small measure of light to ﬁ lter through into the chamber, which is 
  otherwise unlit.
  In the center of the room, sitting at a reading desk, is a skeletal ﬁ gure 
  in a copper-red robes, chin propped on a hand and ghostly green 
  eyes moving back and forth over the page of a dusty, leather tome 
  regarding the mystical formulae to be derived from the migratory 
  patterns of gulls. This scholar is the lich lady Adrimiret. Obsessed 
  with the collection of knowledge from across the world, she will pay 
  little heed to visitors unless they attack her or her books. Her friends 
  (see below) are perhaps overly protective of her, and might attack 
  with little or no provocation.
  Adrimiret’s friends are the porcelain dolls. The dolls are not 
  animated, but they are possessed by powerful, malevolent spirits 
  called moppes.
  Moppe: HD 1; AC 11 [8]; Atk none; Move 0; Save 17; CL/XP 
  3/60; Special: Spells.
  Adrimiret, Lich: HD 12 (52 hp); AC 0 [19]; Atk 1 hand 
  (1d10+paralysis); Move 6; Save 3; CL/XP 15/2900; Special: Ap-
  pearance causes paralytic fear, touch causes automatic paraly-
  sis, spells as 12th level magic-user.
  1401. 
  The top of a mountain peak here has been carved into a stepped 
  pyramid. Each stage of the pyramid measures 22 feet wide and the 
  next step is seven feet above. In all, there are ﬁ ve steps. On each of 
  the four lower steps there is a long table of marble and benches of 
  golden wood. Atop the table there are cups of fragrant incense and 
  platters heaped high with empty boasts and unrealistic dreams that 
  appear as candied plums to the shades that feast on them. The shades 
  of the pyramid are the property of Lewl, the petty death that claims 
  the souls of nobles and aristocrats.
  Lewl himself is enthroned atop the pyramid. Grim as death he sits, 
  quietly watching the antics of the assembled high born shades. Lewl 
  stands 12 feet tall. He has plum-colored eyes, blue skin and a long, 
  pointed nose. His arms and ﬁ ngers are unnaturally long, and can 
  stretch up to 12 feet when he desires. He mostly uses this power to 
  snatch the unruly shades and inhale their essence into his own. Lewl 
  wears robes that reﬂ ect the night sky and he carries a golden scepter. 
  Despite his fondness for consuming souls, Lewl is well spoken and 
  gentile. He is happy to entertain guests, but will warn them not to 
  partake of the feast, lest they become as vainglorious and useless as 
  his shades. Lewl is quite the gossip about his fellow petty deaths, and 
  is apt to become fond of adventurers with a ready wit and impeccable 
  manners.
  Lewl: HD 12 (65 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 1 +1 scepter (1d8+1); 
  Move 12; Save 3; CL/XP 14/2600; Special: Only harmed by +1 
  or better weapons, immune to fear, stretch arms (10-ft), drain 
  levels or Hit Dice from shades.
  1407. 
  As soon as a party of adventurers enters this hex, they will be 
  stalked by an ancient manticore, its broad face possessed of gray 
  whiskers and gleaming white eyes, some of its teeth broken. The 
  manticore has a lair in this hex, a depression surrounded by ancient, 
  weathered stones covered with alabaster moss. Within the lair are the 
  skulls of its many kills, scattered about rather recklessly. His treasure 
  is kept buried and consists of 2,270 sp and 290 gp. The manticore is 
  exceptionally grumpy, the skulls of its past kills having a tendency 
  to chatter all night long. The talking skulls are a way for a Referee to 
  introduce rumors (or lies) to the players.
  Manticore: HD 6+4 (34 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 claws (1d3), bite 
  (1d8), 6 tail spikes (1d6); Move 12 (F18); Save 11; CL/XP 8/800; 
  Special: Flight, hurl spikes 180 feet.
  1502. 
  The well worn pages of a spellbook are plastered against damp 
  cliffs that overlook a rushing stream in this hex. If collected, one 
  will ﬁ nd most of the pages damaged beyond recognition. Those 
  that remain readable contain 1d3 level one spells. All of the pages, 
  whether readable or not, will animate if folded into animal shapes 
  and can be used to carry messages or scout ahead. If sent ahead as 
  scouts, they return within the hour and unfold, the sights they saw 
  being written on the paper in a beautiful, ﬂ owing script.
  1515. 
  Stretching across the wretched plain is a column of slaves driven 
  by whining and cackling gnolls. On closer inspection, one will 
  discover that the slaves are zombies, chained at wrist and ankle, and 
  linked to their fellows by leather collars and tongs. At the head of the 
  column there is a albino gnoll, a shaman, sitting atop a crude wooden 
  palanquin carried by eight zombies. The shaman feeds on delicate, 
  though macabre, morsels with a silver fork, and imp strumming 
  lightly on a miniature mandolin sitting at his feet and intoning weird 
  songs in a surprisingly deep voice. In all, there are 20 gnolls, 100 
  zombies and the aforementioned shaman. The gnolls have patchy, 
  golden-brown fur, wear crude ring armor and carry black ﬂ ails and 
  battered wooden shields. One out of every 10 gnolls is an overseer 
  equipped with a barbed whip – the whips do little to motivate the 
  zombies, but they satisfy something particularly dark and savage 
  in the overseers – and a silver dagger. The gnolls are middle men 
  – forming a trade link between the villages of the steppe and the 
  swamp people. They are currently heading east to Hex 2409.
  Zombie: HD 2; AC 8 [11]; Atk Strike (1d8); Move 6; Save 16; 
  CL/XP 2/30; Special: Immune to sleep and charm.
  Gnoll: HD 2; AC 5 [14]; Atk Bite (2d4) or weapon (1d10); Move 
  9; Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: None.
  Beyond the Black Water
  Random Knowledger
  Roll 
  Ephemera
  1 
  Book (5 lb)
  2 
  Tome (10 lb)
  3 
  Scroll (3 lb)
  4 
  Loose Folio (1 lb)
  Roll 
  Knowledge
  1 
  History
  2 
  Geography
  3 
  Magic (arcana)
  4 
  Theology (religion)
  5 
  Cosmology (the planes)
  6 
  Nature
  
  16
  Beyond the Black Water
  Gnoll Overseer: HD 4; AC 5 [14]; Atk Bite (2d4) or whip (1d6 + 
  stun); Move 9; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Whip stuns for 1 
  round (save to negate).
  Grxxx, Gnoll Shaman: HD 5d6; AC 5 [14]; Atk Bite (1d6); 
  Move 9; Save 12; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Cast spells as 3rd level 
  cleric.
  1520. 
  This hex and those around it host an unwholesome coral reef. The 
  reef is based around the remains of a sunken black ark, and a number 
  of beyonder skeletons remain embedded in the reef. The primary 
  inhabitants of the reef, aside from the white, slimy ﬁ sh of the Black 
  Water, are giant moray eels. Encounters with the 1d6 of the eels 
  occur on a roll of 1-3 on 1d6 each day one spends plumbing the 
  cracks and crevices of the reef. There is the potential (percent chance 
  each day equal to highest wisdom score in the group) of ﬁ nding 1d4 
  x 100 gp worth of treasure while exploring the reef.
  Giant Moray Eel: HD 4; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 bite (2d6); Move o 
  (S9); Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None. 
  1612. 
  Travelers through this hex have a 2 in 6 chance per day of 
  encountering a ﬂ oating death altar. The death altar appears as a 
  construction of onyx stone, a platform 20 feet in diameter topped by 
  a rectangular sacriﬁ cial altar that glows with a reddish light. Around 
  the sides of the platform there are set ﬁ ve large bloodstones, each 
  worth 700 gp. These bloodstones emit cones of reddish light (60 feet 
  long, 40 feet wide at base) that cause a person’s blood to boil. The 
  cones of light inﬂ ict 4d6 points of damage, though a target can make 
  a saving throw to save for half damage. Creatures that suffer more 
  than 15 points of damage from this light gain a permanent reddish 
  tinge to their skin and lose all of their hair. Creatures that suffer more 
  than 25 points of damage from this light permanently lose 1d6 points 
  of wisdom and intelligence (roll separately for each).
  Aboard the death altar are ﬁ fteen drunken satyrs and a nymph 
  dressed in orange robes covered with silk embroidery that resembles 
  peacock feathers. On the palm of her left hand she has painted a 
  toothy mouth and on the right a bloodshot eye. Touching a creature 
  with the left hand causes damage as per a cause light wounds spell. 
  Touching with the right hand forces the person to live out their worst 
  memory, per a phantasmal killer. The death priestess can also cast 
  spells as a fourth level cleric. Her satyr followers suffer a -2 penalty 
  to hit from their drunkenness. All of them carry short bows with 
  barbed arrows. A creature that takes maximum damage from such 
  an arrow has it lodged in their armor and ﬂ esh. The arrow inﬂ icts 
  1d4 points of damage when removed, and lowers the armor’s bonus 
  to Armor Class by one thereafter. Until the arrow is removed, the 
  afﬂ icted always goes last in combat.
  Satyr: HD 5; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 18; Save 12; 
  CL/XP 6/400; Special: Magic resistance (50%), concealment.
  Death Nymph: HD 6 (37 hp); AC 9 [10]; Atk none; Move 12; 
  Save 14; CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Sight causes blindness or 
  death, cast spells as 6th level cleric.
  1703. 
  In the upper regions of a place where two razor-sharp regions 
  meet there is a large gash in the side of the mountains, a cave that 
  suggests a gaping maw of rotten teeth. A tiny, black rivulet pours 
  from the “mouth”, splashing down the narrow valley and collecting 
  in a number of pools that sparkle with the movement of tiny, silver 
  ﬁ sh. Beyond the “mouth” there is a cave complex composed of a 
  number of limestone caverns the wind through the interior of the 
  mountains. The ceiling of this cavern is home to a swarm of 20 giant 
  bats. The black rivulet runs through most of the caverns, originating 
  in a hemispherical cavern of rose quartz. The black river originates 
  here, pouring from the mouth of a large, quartz head. 
  The water causes anything it touches to become permanently 
  insubstantial (per oil of etherealness) – a hand might fade into 
  nothingness, invisible and unable to grasp anything in the material 
  world, but the hand’s owner can feel it nonetheless. Lodged inside 
  the mouth and partially blocking the ﬂ ow is the infamous Helm of 
  Darkness, an artifact of the land beyond the Black Water sought after 
  by the petty deaths and their followers.
  The Helm of Darkness can grant invisibility to its wearer at will, and 
  gives the wearer the ability to see in darkness, see invisible creatures, 
  speak to dead and grants them a +2 bonus to save vs. illusions.
  Dwelling in the pool is a seven-headed hydra with shining golden 
  scales that, once it emerges from the inky water, ﬁ lls the cavern with 
  bright light. On the end of its seven necks are cherubic faces that can 
  open their mouths unnaturally wide, bearing serpentine fangs.
  Giant Bats: HD 4; AC 7 [12]; Atk Bite (1d10); Move 4 (F18); 
  Save 13; CL/XP 5/240; Special: None.
  Celestial Hydra: HD 7 (40 hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 7 bites (1d6); 
  Move 9; Save 9; CL/XP 9/1000; Special: Regenerate 2 hp per 
  round, double damage to chaotics.
  1706. 
  An ancient royal tomb is hidden in this hex. It can be entered by 
  a narrow cleft in the cliffs overlooking the infant river, a cleft so 
  cleverly hidden by the surrounding undulations of the stone as to be 
  the equivalent of a concealed door. The entry passage zigzags back 
  a ways, eventually reaching a junction containing a secret door (A). 
  The door is opened by putting pressure on the top and pivoting the 
  door just enough to allow one to crawl through.
  B – This room is the antechamber the false crypt. The antechamber 
  is decorated in yellowish-gray marble and has piles of soot piled in 
  the corners and charred bones in the center. A scorched chain also 
  hangs in the center. On the walls opposite the charred bones and 
  scorched chain there are two deep bas-reliefs of dragons in bronze 
  fastened to the walls, their mouths wide open. The mouths are trapped 
  to breath cones of ﬁ re that inﬂ ict 6d6 points of damage to anything 
  in the center of the room. The trap is armed as soon as the doors to 
  the false crypt are opened and tripped when something steps on a 
  pressure plate in the center of the room. The chain actually disarms 
  the trap and reveals the secret door behind the one dragon’s mouth.
  C – This false crypt contains a parliament of skulls – 200 in all. 
  The skulls have glass gemstones implanted in them and sealed with 
  wax. When anything enters the crypt, the skull’s “eyes” light up and 
  they emit a hissing sound. The gas is highly psychoactive, causing 
  bizarre hallucinations for 1d4 hours. The skulls and their gems are 
  completely worthless.
  D – One reaches this chamber by crawling through the dragon’s 
  mouth. It is a tight ﬁ t for anything but a goblin or halﬂ ing. The 
  chamber is clad completely in thick tiles of black glass. The glass 
  covers a pool of black water inhabited by a dozen ﬂ oating eyes. The 
  middle of the room is open to the water. The black glass tiles and 
  black water make this difﬁ cult to discern, and folks walking through 
  the river have a 3 in 6 chance of falling into the water (elves and 
  dwarves have only a 2 in 6 chance). A golden talisman hangs on 
  the wall opposite the entrance. The wearer of this amulet must pass 
  a saving throw or imagine plunging through the earth as though 
  insubstantial. In fact, they will begin rolling around on the ground 
  like a fool, increasing their chance to fall into the water to 5 in 6.
  Floating Eye: HD 1d6; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 bite (1d2); Move 0 
  (S24); Save 18; CL/XP 1/15; Special: Hypnotic gaze, surprise on 
  a roll of 1-5 on 1d6.
  E – This is the true crypt’s antechamber. It walls are lined with 
  six empty suits of armor hanging on wooden skeletons. The suits of 
  armor have helms with demon masks. The demon masks have crystal 
  eyes that, if looked into, force a person to don the helm and take up 
  arms against the tomb robbers. 
  
  Beyond the Black Water
  17
  F – Behind the bronze door of the crypt there is a pink-orange 
  marble slab carved to look like a coiled dragon. Sitting atop a 
  tall saddle on the dragon’s back is the mummiﬁ ed remains of an 
  embalmer king. The king is clad in ceremonial armor of gold scales 
  (worth 300 gp) and holding a razor-sharp pole arm in each arm. The 
  pole arms are actually connected to the dragon. When one steps into 
  the tomb, they trigger a trap. In exactly 3 minutes, the stone dragon 
  and its rider begin to spin rapidly in the center of the room. Anyone 
  near the strange funeral slab must pass a saving throw or suffer 
  2d6 points of damage from the dragon and glaives. Moreover, the 
  spinning stirs up a thin layer of red tomb dust. Anyone in the chamber 
  must pass a saving throw or breathe the dust into their lungs. The dust 
  is composed of miniscule shards that lacerate the lungs, causing 1 
  point of constitution damage each day (no save). After half a person’s 
  constitution has been lost, they will begin coughing up blood. The 
  dust can only be defeated through the use of a cure serious wounds 
  spell and remove curse spell cast one directly after the other. The 
  tomb contains two bolts of purple silk (each 50 yards, 6 lb, worth 500 
  gp), crates of salt bricks (30 pounds, 150 gp), 1,700 sp and 680 gp
  1711. 
  A charming tower like an ivory ﬂ ute rises from the brambles and 
  blackberry bushes that carpet this hex. The tower rises 50 feet and 
  emits a low hum into the countryside, a hum that causes people’s 
  sanity to slowly slip away (lose 1 point of wisdom per hour unless 
  a saving throw is made; at 0 wisdom the character is struck with 
  permanent confusion). The owner if the tower is the magic-user 
  Nakwathaz, a handsome, well-proportioned man dressed in a leather 
  loincloth and harness. Nakwathaz is above all a trickster, and very 
  skilled with the spell phantasmal force (opponents are -2 to save vs. 
  his illusions). Nakwathaz has two apprentices, twins, taken from the 
  swampers. The twins have had their heads shaved and wear black 
  tunics and white, leather belts. Nakwathaz’ tower is guarded by a 
  ﬂ ock of pearly white pseudo-dragons that roost atop the tower and 
  ﬂ it in and out of the large, round portals that serve as windows. The 
  pseudo-dragons’ only weakness is music and song, which forces 
  them to make a saving throw or be entranced. Nakwathaz’ treasure, 
  disguised as a vat holding parafﬁ n wax, consists of 4,900 gp, a 
  banded agate worth 45 gp and a terracotta chalice worth 5 gp – it was 
  owned by his mother and is a treasured keepsake.
  Pseudo-Dragons: HD 2; AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 bite (1d3), tail sting 
  (1d3+poison); Move 6 (F25); Save 16; CL/XP 5/240; Special: 
  Poison (catalepsy for 1d4 days), magic resistance (25%).
  Twin Apprentices, Magic-User Lvl 1: HP 2 each; AC 9 [10]; 
  Move 12; Save 15 (13 vs. spells); CL/XP B/10; Special: Spells 
  (1st). Black tunic, white leather belt, wavy-bladed dagger.
  Nakwathaz, Magic-User Lvl 10: HP 29; AC 9 [10]; Save 6 (4 
  vs. spells); CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Spells (5th). Equipment, 
  spellbook.
  1913. 
  Across several acres of the murky, chilly swamp there are scattered 
  thirty wattle-and-daub huts atop 10-ft tall stilts. The huts sit on a 
  platform large enough to afford the inhabitants a 3-ft wide ledge. 
  These ledges are cluttered with clay pots and dried gourds containing 
  herbal mixtures. The interior of each hovel is home to 1d4+3 
  swampers, along with their pets (usually non-venomous serpents, 
  sometimes dull, gray toads). The tribe’s giant swine live on dry bits 
  of land in wooden pens and guarded by the old warriors of the tribe, 
  men in coats of tarnished copper rings and carrying spears and slings. 
  All of the swampers are skilled herbalists and about 1 in 6 has the 
  abilities of 1st to 4th level druid. 
  The unacknowledged leader of the swampers is a tall, elderly 
  
  woman called Zepheret, with exceptionally long hair woven 
  into dozens of thin braids that cling to her ample frame. 
  Zepheret is a bit senile, but still commands the respect 
  of the others, not least of which because of her ability to 
  summon mud men from the bottom of the swamp. She keeps 
  400 gp in her hovel sealed inside a dozen dried gourds with 
  wax, as well as 20 pounds of salt (worth 5 gp per pound). 
  The gourds are strung together and hang from the ceiling. 
  Zepheret keeps three vipers in her hovel as guard animals 
  and companions, and they seem to have rubbed off on her, 
  for she has a serpent’s cold stare and speaks with a sibilant 
  lisp. Zepheret’s latest project is an old, leathery corpse that 
  lies in the middle of her hovel. She has traced hundreds of 
  swirling lines on its skin, covering about 80% of it, using 
  an ink mixed from rare herbs and acids. When ﬁ nished, she 
  believes her handiwork will animate the corpse as a zombie 
  servant.
  Zepheret, Druid Lvl 7: HP 27; AC 9 [10]; Move 12; 
  Save 9 (7 vs. ﬁ re); CL/XP 9/1100; Special: Spells (4th), 
  determine water purity, identify plants, move through 
  undergrowths, shape change, immune to fey charms.
  Mudmen: HD 2; AC 7 [12]; Atk 2 slams (1d4) or mud 
  bomb; Move 6; Save 16; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Engulf, 
  mud bomb, +1 or better weapon to hit, mindless, mud 
  pool
  2004. 
  Atoda is the petty death who takes charge of those who 
  die from old age or unfortunate accidents. He dwells in 
  a manor of gray brick and white wood with thick-paned 
  windows. Each window is home to a ghostly doppelganger 
  that takes the form of any that look into its window and 
  then arises to destroy them. From the outside, the manor 
  would appear to contain many rooms, but it is in fact one 
  large chamber. Dozens of shades, bent and feeble, shufﬂ e 
  around the chamber under the watchful eyes of Atoda, 
  who sits like a nomadic despot upon a throne of shadows 
  surrounded by a circle of spears thrust into the wooden 
  ﬂ oor. 
  Atoda wears a silk deel of gray emblazoned with golden 
  chrysanthemums. In the morning, he appears as a young 
  man, but ages as the day proceeds. In all forms he is short and 
  wide-chested and in place of hair has long spines like those 
  of a sea urchin. He has ruddy skin and large, umber eyes. On 
  his lap he holds a crossbow that ﬁ res magic missiles (3/day) 
  as though from a 15th level magic-user. Atoda knows the 
  destiny of gods and men, and even shares this information 
  in return for a favor. He can assume the form of a giant tiger 
  at will.
  Atoda: HD 15 (90 hp); AC -2 [21]; Atk crossbow or as 
  tiger (double damage); Move 9; Save 3; CL/XP 20/4400; 
  Special: Only harmed by +1 or better weapons, casts 
  spells as a 6th level magic-user, immune to fear and ﬁ re, 
  assume the form of a giant tiger (as tiger but double hit 
  dice and damage) at will.
  2009. 
  A giant, spectral tree rises from the forest here, its branches 
  piercing the gray clouds above. Ghostly rats can be seen 
  crawling up and down the tree (at least 1d8 will attack 
  anyone attempting to climb the tree). The upper portion of 
  the tree grants access to another dimension, an inﬁ nite, glassy 
  obsidian plain on which rainbow hued warriors engage in 
  eternal war. There is a 1 in 6 chance that an obsidian axe 
  or dead body will plummet from the clouds, with a small 
  chance of it landing on standing beneath it.
  Beyond the Black Water
  18
  
  2108. 
  You perceive three boatmen poling a barge of grayish wood up the 
  river. The barge is stacked with what appear to be corpses, stacked 
  like cord wood and held to the barge with chains. Two the boatmen, 
  in simple brown hooded robes, pole the boat, while a third sits atop 
  the grisly mound armed with a crossbow. If one watches long enough, 
  they will perceive the crossbowman launch his missile toward 
  something in the water, often something reaching out of the water 
  and then disappearing as the bolt strikes them with a squishy thud or 
  just splashes into the water near them. The boatmen are wraiths, and 
  there is a 1% chance that a body sought by the adventurers is stacked 
  on their barge.
  Wraith: HD 4; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 touch (1d6+level drain); Move 
  9 (F24); Save 13; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Drain 1 level with hit.
  2111. 
  On the banks of the river there is a large, square building of stone 
  blocks with ever-burning chimneys. Inside the hellish building 
  there is a great forge. A clan of dour dwarves, ashen-skinned with 
  wrinkled, hairless faces, work day and night minting copper coins. 
  The copper coins, called obolus, provide safe passage for souls 
  traveling up the river, but they must be purchased with secrets, dark 
  and dangerous secrets. In turn, the dwarves can trade these secrets to 
  the great families of the beyonders, or send them via carrier pigeons 
  to associates across the Black Water to make other uses of them. The 
  clan consists of 20 dwarves, their leader being Groturk, a wizened 
  character with a slightly oversized glass eye that can cast fear once 
  per day as a 30-ft cone. Groturk and his clansmen (no women are 
  in evidence) wear thick leather aprons and carry sledge hammers, 
  tongs, chisels and other tools of the minter’s trade. A ton of copper 
  nuggets ﬁ ll the corners (worth about 200 gp). The copper is mined 
  in the north.
  Dwarf: HD 1+1; AC 8 [11]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6+1); Move 6; 
  Save 17 (15 vs. magic and poison); CL/XP 1/15; Special: Dwarf 
  abilities.
  Groturk: HD 6+6; AC 8 [11]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8+1); Move 6; 
  Save 11 (9 vs. magic and poison); CL/XP 7/600; Special: Dwarf 
  abilities, cause fear with glass eye.
  2121. 
  The black sea churns here, descending into a whirlpool. The 
  whirlpool is actually the maw of a leviathan, a giant whale some 300 
  feet long. The beast sucks in water for a week, and then expels it for 
  a week. The whirlpool is large enough to suck in a large ship. Once 
  inside the beast, one might ﬁ nd themselves in good company, for the 
  creature’s digestion is quite slow and many have fallen prey to it. 
  These castaways now dwell in the beast’s digestive system, living off 
  the ﬁ sh that are sucked into the leviathan.
  2205. 
  The winding river ends here in a subterranean harbor ringed by 
  battlements, towers and quays of black stone staffed by shufﬂ ing 
  zombies in white tunics and bronze pectorals, their ﬂ eshed tattooed 
  with queer symbols. Above the dome of iridescent limestone 
  containing the harbor there is a stout, black tower – a counting house 
  of souls, center of judgment in the land beyond the Black Water. 
  Corporeal souls are herded into dark pits to await judgment, being 
  hauled from their conﬁ nement by kytons waiting on ledges above 
  and awaiting instruction via bronze tubes that crisscross the weird 
  fortress. Incorporeal souls enter the place via trade and are usually 
  stored in glass containers which are transported by imps garbed in 
  costumes of satin and lace.
  Dwelling in this fortiﬁ cation are the three judges Minos, 
  Rhadamanthus and Aeacus and their retinues. The central chamber 
  of souls has nine entrances, one for each of the petty deaths and their 
  retinues and each without decoration or ornament. Each tunnel-like 
  entrance leads into a triangular pit with a tall throne on a tall pedestal 
  (a narrow set of stairs winds around the circular pedestal to give 
  access to the throne) for the petty death or their representative – the 
  rest of the retinue stand in the pit. A second iron door leads into the 
  pit, through which souls collected in the harbor below are sent to 
  be collected by the proper petty death. Most of the souls are simple 
  enough to categorize, but a few spark great debates and shouting 
  matches between the deaths and their retinues, debates which are 
  then voted on by the three judges, their words being ﬁ nal. The judges 
  sit atop a central pillar, each in their own throne. The pillar can be 
  rotated by a team of zombie giants at the direction of the bailiff, a tall, 
  angelic ﬁ gure of grim humor wearing robes of copper and black and 
  carrying a golden shield and sword.
  2303. 
  A tall, crooked pillar stands in a crossroads here. Sitting on the 
  pillar there is a skeleton holding a golden ear horn. Should one ask 
  it directions to a location, it will lean down a bit holding the horn to 
  its skull. One will have to climb 10 feet up the pole to be heard, at 
  which point it will point its bony ﬁ nger in the direction they wish to 
  go. The skeleton has a mere 3 hit points and is easily destroyed, but 
  will re-assemble itself the next morning and climb back on the pillar.
  2308. 
  A village of 200 miners of the embalmer culture dwells here in a 
  number of thatched huts nestled between two foreboding limestone 
  karst ridges. The miners are insular and rude, and react violently 
  to visitors until given a demonstration of their power. During the 
  daytime, the miners are to be found digging into one of the ridges, 
  expanding the natural limestone caves therein following iron 
  deposits. They prepare the stone by building great ﬁ res with the 
  twisted white trees that ﬁ ll the gaps between the ridges. This causes 
  the stone to crack, making it easier to pick apart. The miners reﬁ ne 
  some of the iron themselves, turning it into tools, weapons and armor. 
  The remainder is passed on to their king in Hex 2409. The village 
  is ruled by a blustering reeve called Kopos, a black-bearded giant 
  with a glass jaw. He commands 10 soldiers armored in chainmail and 
  armed with shield, javelins, short sword and dagger. The miners ﬁ ght 
  with picks and slings if called to do so.
  Kopos the Reeve: HD 4 (13 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 weapon 
  (1d10); Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.
  2405. 
  Gangs of 1d8 strange children might be discovered in this valley 
  of brambles. There are 32 children in all. They are scrawny little 
  things, with gray, almost translucent skin, knobby knees and elbows 
  and large, pleading eyes. The children are actually immature 
  doppelgangers. The infant doppelgangers have miniscule ﬁ laments 
  on their ﬁ ngertips. By touching a person (they have surprisingly 
  strong grasps) they absorb the life force from a person, growing 
  larger as they do so and taking on the person’s appearance and 
  memories. Each round an infant doppelganger maintains a grapple, 
  it drains one level from its victim, adding it to its own total. Each 
  level drawn from a magic user carries with it 1d6 spell levels worth 
  of spells, while clerics simply lose 1d6 spell levels of spells. When 
  fully grown to 4 Hit Dice, the now mature doppelganger releases its 
  weakened victim (who must save or fall into a sleep for 1 hour per 
  lost level) and departs the hidden valley for the wide world beyond. 
  The children live in little hollowed out areas within the brambles, 
  and here one might ﬁ nd an odd bit of treasure or two scavenged from 
  kills.
  2409. 
  This hex holds a cliff city of the embalmers overlooking meadows 
  of grayish-green grass grazed on by sheep. The wool of the sheep 
  and rams is black on the right side and white on the left. The city is 
  Beyond the Black Water
  19
  
  20
  populated by about 2,000 people. The embalmers are sheep herders, 
  raising them for their wool, milk, cheese and meat. The highest caste 
  among the people is the herdsmen – even the king keeps a herd 
  looked over by young men attached to his court – followed by the 
  priests and philosophers and then the warriors. Male embalmers 
  keep the herds, shear the wool, butcher the animals (never before 
  their third year), milk them and prepare the cheeses while the women 
  weave. The food of the embalmers comes almost entirely from the 
  sheep and from the ﬁ elds of gray wheat grown in the highlands 
  surrounding their cliff city. A typical meal includes stewed hog and 
  mutton, blocks of powerful smelling cheese and large, round loaves 
  of gray, unleavened bread made of wheat and bone meal and topped 
  with a drizzle of grease and a dab of butter.
  The embalmer priests wear black robes and weave black beads into 
  their hair and beards. Priestly men embalm the dead and sing their 
  hymns while priestly women weave their hair of corpses into carpets, 
  cloaks and slippers, dying these articles with extracted humors and 
  turning them into magic items. They wear wicker holy symbols 
  and learn to command the undead, rather than destroy them. They 
  primarily pray to Ingueas [Hex 1102], but also pay homage to Gohl 
  [Hex 0502]. The temple of the embalmers is placed adjacent to the 
  palace, high on the cliffs and fronted with a large set of double doors 
  of black, glossy wood inlaid with silver. The priests trill on bagpipes 
  in their rituals, and two priests are always in attendance at court 
  to announce their visitors (and purify the throne room due to their 
  foreign presence) with these pipes.
  The king of the cliffs is Svarius, a swarthy, stock bull of a man with 
  bright, violet eyes and a curled blue-black beard. He wears a magic 
  cloak and magic slippers woven from corpse hair and necklaces of the 
  bronzed teeth of his fallen enemies. On his chest is a golden pectoral, 
  on his head an iron crown with gilded ram horns. Svarius’ palace 
  occupies a full third of the cliff dwelling and secret passages provide 
  him access to many of the homes of his people. Every room of the 
  palace is covered in bas reliefs of manticores, serpents, warriors, 
  scorpion demons and other strange creatures locked in battle or 
  groveling at the feet of a king with a blue-black beard and diamond 
  eyes. Under the palace there is a furnace that sends heat through the 
  hollow ﬂ oors and walls, fueled by sheep dung and the bodies of dead 
  peasants. The throne room measures 20 feet in width and 40 feet in 
  length and is tiled in alabaster and lapis lazuli, the vaulted ceiling 
  held aloft by pillars of brass engraved with pomegranate trees and 
  bloated toads. Barred windows line the walls of the throne room. 
  The windows connect to tiny alcoves in which reside mummiﬁ ed 
  philosophers and kings, the privy council of Svarius. Svarius throne 
  is made of blackened wrought iron and surrounded by large, golden 
  pillows for the members of his court. His wife, Queen Sulani, stands 
  behind the throne, whispering words of advice while her ﬁ ngers sooth 
  her husband’s brow. Sulani is taller than her husband, with a harshly 
  beautiful, angular face and strong lips colored deep purple. Like 
  most embalmer women, she lightens her skin with special oils. She 
  wears ﬂ owing gowns of spider silk and wears beads of gold, silver 
  and precious stones in her long, blue-black hair. The palace rests at 
  the highest level of the cliff city and is fronted by broad terraces 
  supporting gardens of anemones and long lily ponds inhabited by 
  sleek fresh water rays with silvery skin. The walls of these terraces 
  are crenellated to allow for a defense by archers.
  The mummies of the embalmers should not be confused with those 
  of the ancient Egyptians or Incas. In the embalmer culture, a corpse is 
  initially prepared in a way similar to the Egyptians, using a fragrant 
  oils and a conglomeration of herbs in a secret formula. After steeping 
  in this formula, the skin of the mummy peels away. Its organs are 
  then removed and placed in funerary urns. The corpse is them 
  methodically dipped in beeswax, the color of the wax depending on 
  its rank and position in life, with a deep purple-crimson wax being 
  used for kings and a saffron wax for philosophers. A jet imbroglio 
  depicting the corpse as it looked in life is placed under the tongue, 
  it is dressed in ﬂ owing robes of black, a gold, conical hat is placed 
  on its head and the ritual to animate the corpse then takes place. The 
  corpse is animated in its closet to keep it from spreading mummy rot 
  to the priests. The closet also contains the mummy’s organs in their 
  ceramic jars and other regalia important to it in life.
  Embalmer Warrior (200): HD 1; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 weapon 
  (1d8); Move 12; Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: None.
  Embalmer Priest (20): HD 3; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); 
  Move 12; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Cast cleric spells, turn 
  undead.
  Mummy: HD 6+4 (40 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk Fist (1d12); Move 
  6; Save 11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Rot, only hit by magical 
  weapons.
  Queen Sulani: HD 2 (9 hp); AC 9 [10]; Atk 1 dagger (1d4); 
  Move 12; Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Cast spells as 1st level 
  magic-user.
  King Svarius: HD 6 (35 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 mace (1d8); Move 
  9; Save 11; CL/XP 6/400; Special: None.
  2415. 
  A forest of giant stinkhorn mushrooms grows in this hex. The 
  mushrooms stand anywhere from three to eight feet in height, with pink, 
  irregular stalks and topped with what appear to be six or seven tendrils 
  colored coral and white. The tops are covered in a sticky slime that 
  smells truly awful (per the troglodyte stench ability). The slime attracts 
  the attention of giant ﬂ ies, who buzz around the stinkhorns. Adventurers 
  picking their way through the forest have a 2 in 6 chance of being attacks 
  by 1d6 giant ﬂ ies. Those who touch the slime will ﬁ nd themselves 
  covered with the mushroom’s spores. Within one day, the spores grow 
  into what look like bowling ball sized eggs in 24 hours, and then in 24 
  more hours sprout into full-sized giant stinkhorns. The eggs are easily 
  removed, so the rapid growth shouldn’t threaten anyone’s life.
  Giant Flies: HD 1+1; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 bite (1d4); Move 12 
  (F18); Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: Bite has 10% chance of 
  causing disease (save negates).
  2511.
  On a steep hillside you come across a herd of rams and sheep. The 
  animals are black on one side and white on the other and have horns the 
  color of dusty sunbeams. The animals are herded by a young embalmer 
  in long, turquoise colored robes, saffron slippers and a traditional, horn-
  shaped head covering, also of saffron. The lad carries a spear and sling 
  and a ram’s horn is slung around his chest and a golden stone, round, is 
  hung around his neck on a leather thong. The boy is accompanied by 
  his sheepdog. He is currently trying to extract a strange, silvery object 
  from a narrow crevasse. The object is ovoid in shape and the merest 
  touch causes the skin to turn white and sends an anemic feeling rushing 
  through one’s body (saving throw or constitution reduced by half, with 
  lost constitution returning at the rate of one point per day). The object is 
  something akin to an egg, holding within it what can only be described 
  as an anti-phoenix, a bird shrouded in freezing mists that eventually turns 
  into ice and, once it melts, reveals a new egg hidden within its body. 
  Once hatched, the anti-phoenix grows quickly, reaching full size within 
  three days and three nights, and then goes on a rampage of destruction. 
  Once the creature has absorbed 1,001 souls, it ﬁ nds a tall mountain top 
  and turns to ice, gradually melting over the course of 100 years.
  Anti-Phoenix: HD 12 (60 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 2 talons (2d6), 
  beak (3d6+level drain); Move 12 (F24); Save 3; CL/XP 16/3200; 
  Special: Drain 1 level with beak, immunity to cold, magic resis-
  tance (25%), +2 or better weapon to hit.
  2603. 
  A canyon cuts through the mountains here, the walls of the canyon 
  composed of glassy quartz and an icy stream rushing through it. 
  Desperate men formed of magma attempt to climb from the cold 
  river, but ﬁ nd it impossible to scale the slick cliffs.
  Beyond the Black Water
  populated by about 2,000 people. The embalmers are sheep herders, 
  priests and philosophers and then the warriors. Male embalmers 
  primarily pray to Ingueas [Hex 1102], but also pay homage to Gohl 
  palace, high on the cliffs and fronted with a large set of double doors 
  bright, violet eyes and a curled blue-black beard. He wears a magic 
  bronzed teeth of his fallen enemies. On his chest is a golden pectoral, 
  palace is covered in bas reliefs of manticores, serpents, warriors, 
  peasants. The throne room measures 20 feet in width and 40 feet in 
  bloated toads. Barred windows line the walls of the throne room. 
  philosophers and kings, the privy council of Svarius. Svarius throne 
  pillows for the members of his court. His wife, Queen Sulani, stands 
  behind the throne, whispering words of advice while her ﬁ ngers sooth 
  beautiful, angular face and strong lips colored deep purple. Like 
  
  21
  Beyond the Black Water
  2607. 
  The stronghold of Egygddedrol, one of the nine petty deaths, is 
  located in this hex. The stronghold is a pit, inky black, 300 feet in 
  diameter and 500 feet deep. At the bottom of the pit there is a dome of 
  black glass, shiny and cool. The dome can only easily be entered (but 
  not exited) by shades and those invited by Egygddedrol. Invaders can 
  bypass the glossy dome with a wish spell or similar magic.
  Within the dome, the stronghold takes the form of three levels of 
  chambers and hallways, all composed of the same glossy substance 
  and all hard right angles. Shades wander the halls taking their 
  frustration out on corporeal visitors, angry that they may never escape 
  the dome and reach the earthbound heaven. The main servants of 
  Egygddedrol are kobolds with gray and black scales and long, white 
  beards sprouting from their chins. These kobolds are aware of the 
  hidden spaces between the walls in the fortress. One can only enter 
  these spaces via concealed magic portals and they can only enter by 
  closing their eyes and holding their breath. The kobolds are avoided 
  by the shades, and they primarily work as wall polishers, disposers 
  of dead adventurers, collectors of discarded loot and soldiers of the 
  petty death. The kobolds wear silvery hide armor and carry poisoned 
  swords and throwing knives (save or paralyzed for 1d4 rounds). 
  Besides kobolds and shades, one can ﬁ nd other incorporeal undead 
  and strange traps in the chambers of the dome.
  Among the chambers of the upper level of the dome there are 
  three magic pools that allow access to the middle level. One pool is 
  silver in color, another gold and the last a dull, iron gray. People in 
  possession of the aforementioned metals will ﬁ nd the surface of the 
  pools rubbery but not yielding. Discarded metals are gathered by the 
  dome’s kobold servants.
  In the center of the middle level of the dome there is a large, 
  round chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Hanging in the middle of this 
  chamber is what appears to be a black sun. The surface of the sun is 
  always agitated, sending arcs of black ﬂ ame throughout the chamber. 
  The sun is terribly cold, and every minute spent in the room inﬂ icts 
  one point of cold damage to those not properly attired. Within 10 feet 
  of the sun, all metal is affected per the spell chill metal and damage 
  increases to 1d4 per minute. To pass to the lowest level of the dome, 
  one must plunge themselves into the black sun, suffering 1d6 points 
  of cold damage.
  Those who enter the black sun will ﬁ nd themselves in one of four 
  circular rooms, sitting unclothed and unequipped in a shallow pool 
  of chilly water. Above them, the ceiling is covered with a mosaic 
  representing a black sun. Two doors exit these rooms, leading into the 
  labyrinthine passages of the lower level, all of which lead inexorably 
  to the grand central chamber wherein Egygddedrol sits enthroned.
  Egygddedrol takes the form of a tall, leggy, mature woman with 
  bright, yellow skin and a multitude of writhing arms. One of these 
  arms carries a round, black shield held horizontally like a platter. 
  Upon the shield there sits a blood red apple. As notable as this 
  shield and apple are her eyes. Both are large and round, but one is 
  as black as night and the other as brilliant as the sun. Egygddedrol’s 
  temple contains a pit of green ﬁ re that ﬂ ickers with unnatural sloth 
  and tend to entrance those who are weak of will. The walls of the 
  temple, unlike those of the rest of the dome, are ancient, pitted white 
  limestone. The green ﬁ re casts long shadows against the walls, and 
  Egygddedrol can animate these shadows to attack with the power of 
  stone giants.
  As one enters the temple, the petty goddess, standing on the other 
  side of the ﬁ re, will glare at the intruders with her awful eyes. She 
  will say, in a voice commanding and melodic “What will you have 
  of me?”
  Should one request the soul of a loved one, she will command them 
  to step through the green ﬂ ames. Those who do so must roll 1d20 and 
  compare the result to their wisdom score. A person who rolls higher 
  than their wisdom score by less than their own level is granted the 
  soul they seek, and that soul is restored to corporeal form. A person 
  who rolls higher than their wisdom, but by more than their level are 
  granted an audience with the requested soul in the form of a shade, 
  and are given the opportunity to pass into the underworld with that 
  shade. A person who rolls beneath their wisdom suffers the loss of 
  one level for every point of difference and is granted nothing but a 
  dismissive laugh.
  Should one request any other favor from the goddess, they will 
  be asked to step forward and taste her apple. A similar roll to 
  that described above must be made, the result compared to their 
  constitution. One who rolls above their constitution by less than their 
  level is granted this boon (within reason). Those who roll above their 
  constitution but by more than their level are granted the boon they 
  seek, but their soul is given over to the petty death. Such a person 
  suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws against death and forfeits the 
  chance of being returned to life after death. Those who roll beneath 
  their constitution drop dead on the spot, their shades ﬂ oating up from 
  their bodies and into the pit of green ﬁ re.
  Egygddedrol’s eyes can project cones of energy that project portals 
  against walls. Her white eye can send petitioners back to the world 
  above, while her black eye can send them to planes and world’s 
  beyond. Egygddedrol claims the souls of explorers and seekers of 
  knowledge.
  Egygddedrol: HD 14 (75 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 4 strikes (1d6+1) 
  or spells; Move 30; Save 3; CL/XP 20/4400; Special: +1 or bet-
  ter weapon to hit, casts spells as a 10th level cleric, immune to 
  fear and all undead attacks and abilities, command undead as 
  20th level cleric, animate shadows, open portals with eyes.
  2618. 
  A gang of lacedons (aquatic ghouls) that look like squat men and 
  women with gray, blotchy skin and bloated faces with rotted away 
  noses bathe in the moonlight on the shore. 3d6 lacedons will be 
  encountered, some of them feasting on recently arrived corpses. One 
  lacedon wears a platinum pectoral decorated with images of coatls. 
  The lacedon is worth 1,200 gp.
  Lacedon: HD 2; AC 6 [13]; Atk 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d4); Move 
  9; Save 16; CL/XP 3/60; Special: Immunities, paralysis, breath 
  water.
  2713. 
  A weird, bloated, silvery animal like a hairless bear crossed with 
  a puffer ﬁ sh has its foot caught in a steel trap. The beast is being 
  tormented by ﬁ ve imps with ﬂ aming brands. If released, the beast 
  ﬂ oats into the heavens and each rescuer ﬁ nds a ceramic token in their 
  pouch or pocket. These tokens can be crushed or broken, summoning 
  a single moon bear to their aid for 6 rounds.
  Imp: HD 2; AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 sting (1d4+poison); Move 6 (F16); 
  Save 16; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Poison tail, polymorph, regener-
  ate, immune to ﬁ re.
  Moon Bear: HD 7 (21 hp); AC 0 [19]; Atk 1 touch (1d6 
  frost+poison); Move 18; Save 9; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Poison 
  (save or have 1 point of wisdom per day turned into a point of 
  charisma, wisdom cannot go below 3 nor charisma above 18), 
  immunity to cold, magic resistance (30%).
  2716. 
  A night hag called Hepzibah and mounted on a nightmare is 
  leading a caravan of three white wagons pulled by white oxen and 
  driven by goblins with blue skin and swathed in white wraps and 
  wearing necklaces of human teeth around their necks (they believe 
  the necklaces protect them from humans). Inside each wagon there 
  are glass jugs packed in rags. Each jug appears to be empty save for 
  a mild glow. These jars contain souls, extracted through a process 
  known only to the night hags. The hags trade them upriver to the 
  great tower in Hex 2205. The essences, when consumed, act as 
  potions: Choleric humors make one quick to anger and acts as a 
  potion of lightning bolt (3 dice bolt, erupts from one’s mouth when 
  ﬁ rst they speak words of anger); Melancholic humors make one 
  despondent and act as a potion of slow; Phlegmatic humors make one 
  that described above must be made, the result compared to their 
  constitution. One who rolls above their constitution by less than their 
  level is granted this boon (within reason). Those who roll above their 
  against walls. Her white eye can send petitioners back to the world 
  beyond. Egygddedrol claims the souls of explorers and seekers of 
  A gang of lacedons (aquatic ghouls) that look like squat men and 
  tormented by ﬁ ve imps with ﬂ aming brands. If released, the beast 
  ﬂ oats into the heavens and each rescuer ﬁ nds a ceramic token in their 
  leading a caravan of three white wagons pulled by white oxen and 
  driven by goblins with blue skin and swathed in white wraps and 
  are glass jugs packed in rags. Each jug appears to be empty save for 
  
  unemotional and act as a potion of remove curse; Sanguine humors 
  make one amorous and act as a potion of charm person.
  Hepzibah currently has one of each vial on her person. The goblins carry 
  daggers and pellet bows. Possessed of sublime calm, these goblins are 
  immune to fear and enjoy a +5 bonus to save vs. mind-affecting spells.
  Goblin Driver: HD 1d6 (4 hp); AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6); 
  Move 9; Save 18; CL/XP B/10; Special: None.
  Nightmare: HD 7 (30 hp); AC -4 [23]; Atk 1 bite (1d8), 2 hoofs 
  (2d6); Move 18 (F35); Save 9; CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Breathe 
  smoke, become incorporeal.
  Hepzibah, Night Hag: HD 8 (35 hp); AC 8 [11]; Atk 1 bite (2d6); 
  Move 10; Save 8; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Magic resistance 
  (65%), +2 or better weapon to hit, magical abilities.
  2804. 
  The ground gives way here into a deep chasm. The chasm begins 
  narrowly, the entrance appearing to have been carved by a rushing rivulet 
  that is now dry (though there is a 5% chance that it will be ﬂ owing after 
  or during a strong rain). Climbing into the chasm is quite treacherous for 
  non-thieves, and requires spikes and ropes and still might take the better 
  part of a day to accomplish safely. The chasm is formed of basalt and is 
  devoid of all life save a stinging insect (distracting, imposes a -1 penalty 
  to all d20 rolls while in the chasm). The chasm runs narrow for about 
  half a mile and then begins to widen, with shallow, stagnant pools of 
  water (or fresh pools, if it is raining) often blocking one’s progress. The 
  ground here is often covered in a layer of black sand which sometimes 
  (each traveler must pass a saving throw, +2 if using a 10-ft pole) gives 
  way to pockets of quicksand that can swallow a person in a single round. 
  This quicksand not only suffocates, but also desiccates a body, 
  inﬂ icting 1d4 points of damage each round. One might discover a dried 
  corpse in these pockets. About one and one half miles into the chasm, 
  from either end, travelers ﬁ nally come upon the shores of a shallow, 
  black lake. The lake bubbles slightly, releasing a sickening sweet odor 
  into the air that proves mildly intoxicating to halﬂ ings (saving throw or 
  exhibit drunkenness). Floating over the lake and gibbering incessantly 
  are 1d4+1 allips. The allips seem drawn to the center of the lake as 
  though moths to a ﬂ ame, but likewise are unable to approach the exact 
  center of the lake. Lying about 7 feet below the surface of the lake, at 
  its center (the lake measures 200 feet in diameter) is a crystal skull. 
  The skull attracts all undead within 120 feet, but also creates a barrier 
  that undead creatures with fewer than 6 HD cannot pass, and which 
  more powerful undead can only pass if they succeed at a saving throw 
  with a -3 penalty. The bearer of the skull can, once per day, attempt to 
  command undead within 120 feet as though a cleric. Non-clerics make 
  their command undead check as though 2nd level clerics, while clerics 
  make their check as though 2 levels higher.
  Allip: HD 4; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 strike (no damage, 1d4 points of 
  wisdom lost); Move F6; Save 13; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Drains 
  wisdom, hypnosis.
  2810. 
  A herd of 1d10+10 wild, carnivorous mountain ponies with shaggy 
  coats and wolf-like teeth roam the high meadows here. They are not 
  easily domesticated.
  Carnivorous Pony: HD 1+1; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 bite (1d4); Move 
  18; Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: None.
  2903. 
  A band of six dark valkyries, tall, pale women with ﬁ ery, golden hair 
  and very high, pronounced cheek bones, is patrolling this hex on their 
  pteranodon mounts. They are seeking one of their number who crept 
  away in the night with a magical sword. The valkyries are armed with 
  barbed harpoons. On any attack roll with this weapon that beats the 
  victim’s AC by more than 5, the barbs of the harpoon dig into their ﬂ esh. 
  The valkyrie can then slowly (10 feet per round) pull them closer or yank 
  the barbs out of their ﬂ esh, inﬂ icting 1d6 points of damage. The escaped 
  valkyrie, called Gjalla, has dug herself a hideout amidst the trees of the 
  forest. She is loathe to leave her hiding place, but will do so to confront 
  any who approach too close. Gjalla wishes to quit the land beyond the 
  Black River and journey into the southern lands as an adventurer.
  Pteranodon: HD 8 (32 hp each); AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 claws (1d6), 
  bite (2d6); Move 6 (F18); Save 8; CL/XP 9/1100; Special: None.
  Dark Valkyrie: HD 8 (45 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk Longsword (1d8); 
  Move 12; Save 8; CL/XP 8/800; Special: Cause fear 1/day, turn 
  undead as 8th level cleric.
  2914. 
  You discover a vast ﬁ eld of stone pillars, conical in shape and 
  standing 9 feet in height. A hole in the top of each stone emits a 
  steady stream of reddish water, sickening sweet, which feeds a 
  growth of giant sundews around the base of the stone. The stones are 
  placed about twenty feet apart, and the ground between the stones is 
  covered in a reddish muck that supports tangled networks of spurge. 
  The ﬁ eld of stones is 3-miles in radius, centered on the center of the 
  hex. At odd intervals of the day or night, a giant female form appears 
  in the midst of the ﬁ eld, seemingly materializing out of thin air. 
  The giantess (a titan, actually) surveys the lands around the strange 
  garden and casts giant sundew seeds from a leather sack on her hip. 
  She is clothed in a bluish-purple mist and has a thick mane of black 
  hair that falls to the small of her back. The titan, called Chloe, knows 
  something of the secrets of this strange realm, though her reasons for 
  visiting it or tending this garden she will not speak of.
  Giant Sundew: HD 3; AC 6 [13]; Atk 4 tentacles (1d3+glue); 
  Move 0; Save 14; CL/XP 3/60; Special: Those struck by the 
  creature’s tentacles are stuck fast, escaping with an open doors 
  check.
  Chloe, Titan: HD 18 (80 hp); AC 1 [18]; Atk 1 weapon (2d8); Move 
  21; Save 3; CL/XP 20/4400; Special: Spells (2 magic-user spells per 
  level from 1st to 7th, 2 cleric spells per level from 1st to 7th).
  3011. 
  Amidst the white woods you spy the shattered remains of a hall. What 
  remains of the hall are three walls of gray stone with a large meteorite 
  lodged in the tiled ﬂ oor. What remains of the lord of this feast hall lie 
  underneath this meteor, which was summoned by a disgruntled old 
  woman, a worker in magic, who was refused entry into the hall. The 
  lord’s knights were transformed into a pack of carrion wolves with 
  patchy fur and gaunt builds that still haunt the ruins (4 in 6 chance 
  of encountering 4d4 wolves each day one spends in the ruins). The 
  guests of the lord, stufﬁ ng their faces with sweets and savories while 
  the old woman went hungry, were burnt to a cinder in the meteoric 
  conﬂ agration and rose as three cinder ghouls who rise like smoke from 
  the ﬂ oor if the meteor is touched. The lord’s body was crushed and 
  burned – only a few fragments of charred bone remain – but his ring of 
  shooting stars can still be found lodged in the rock.
  Carrion Wolf: HD 2+2; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 bite (1d4+1); Move 18; 
  Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: None.
  Cinder Ghoul: HD 8; AC 0 [19]; Atk 1 strike (1d8+1d6 
  ﬁ re+level drain); Move F15; Save 8; CL/XP 13/2300; Special: 
  +1 or better weapon to hit, drains 1 level with hit (save negates), 
  immune to ﬁ re, can take smoke form (as gaseous form), force 
  smoke into opponent’s lungs (save or suffer 1d4 points of dam-
  age per round for 1d4+1 rounds).
  Beyond the Black Water
  22
  
  Beyond the Black Water
  23
  3017. 
  The remnants of villa are carved into the sides of a crater. A tangled 
  vineyard of black grapes grows thick on the crater ﬂ oor. The grapes 
  of the vineyard are mildly narcotic and used to make a black wine 
  favored throughout the region. The villa is now home to a ragged band 
  of halﬂ ings. The halﬂ ings look like chubby children with wide grins, 
  sparkling eyes and ﬁ ngers and toes stained black from the grapes. 
  Deep purple pseudo-dragons also live amongst the vines, sometimes 
  frolicking with the halﬂ ings, other times tormenting them. The halﬂ ings 
  feast on the grapes and on the giant rats that crawl out of the ground 
  to sample the vines at night. These rats are split down the middle and 
  ﬁ lled with a stufﬁ ng of mushrooms and grape skins and then roasted.
  3101. 
  Wihiedro might be the most wicked of the petty deaths. She 
  appears as a wide-hipped crone with pallid skin and slitted, blue eyes 
  that burn with malevolence. Wihiedro’s forehead is large and domed, 
  her silver hair hangs in long, thick braids. She wears no clothing 
  and carries a +2 herculean club bound in bands of studded bronze. 
  Wihiedro is surrounded by an aura of menace that claws at the hearts 
  of decent people (lawful and neutral characters must pass a saving 
  throw or become bestial in manner and desire, turning into trolls in a 
  number of rounds equal to their wisdom scores divided by 3). Trolls 
  and ogres in Wihiedro’s presence cannot resist her commands.
  Wihiedro dwells in a massive, cavernous vault with a roaring court 
  of 20 ogres and 10 trolls, all especially large and savage specimens. In 
  the center of their court there is a circle of silver, 20 feet in diameter, 
  into which the shades of the wicked and false are thrown. Inside the 
  circle, the shades take a semi-corporeal form and can be tormented 
  by the whips and stones of the giants.
  Wihiedro - Goddess of evil, she takes the form of a tall, wide-hipped 
  crone – the matron made barren with time – with pallid skin and 
  slitted, blue eyes and a domed forehead. Wihiedro wears no clothing 
  and carries a herculean club topped with bands of bronze. Wihiedro 
  is served by a roaring court of trolls and ogres. She is surrounded 
  by an aura of malice that claws at the hearts of decent people. She 
  claims the souls of the wicked and false.
  Wihiedro: HD 15 (85 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 1 +2 club (1d12+1); 
  Move 9; Save 3; CL/XP 18/3800; Special: Only harmed by +1 or 
  better weapons, immune to fear and cold, aura of menace, com-
  mand trolls and ogres.
  3109. 
  On the terraced hillsides of a tall hillock there is a settlement of hidden 
  people called skulks. The skulks are naturally invisible. They grow vines 
  of jasmine, feeding on their scents each night. The skulks know many 
  secrets (1d6 rumors) and will trade them for a blood oath to rid the land 
  of the petty deaths. The skulks precede their coming to the land beyond 
  the Black Water and relish the day when they are no more.
  Skulk: HD 2; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6); Move 12; Save 17; 
  CL/XP 2/30; Special: Surprise on 1-4 on 1d6.
  3113. 
  As the adventurers walk through the woods, they notice the trees 
  becoming more angular, the branches coming out at right angles to the 
  trunk and the leaves becoming perfect, silvery circles. Eventually they 
  come to a path of silver bricks (no, not real silver). As one proceeds down 
  the path, they trees begin to display carvings of angelic faces. White owls 
  are seen roosting in the branches and silver foxes lurk on the edges of the 
  path. One ﬁ nally comes to a golden stair that seems to ascend into the gray 
  heavens. The stairs are actually an illusion, being composed of dingy gray 
  stone and descending rather than ascending. When one reaches the “top” 
  of the stairs, they will believe they are looking out at a celestial meadow 
  of unicorns and golden-throated cranes. In fact, they have arrived in a vast 
  slaughter house. The slaughter house is run by a gang of eight minotaurs, 
  who process their victims into fat sausages and bags of bone meal.
  Minotaur: HD 6+4; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 butt (2d4), bite (1d3), 
  weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 11; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Never 
  lost in mazes.
  3120. 
  A chalk pyramid of the stepped variety lies at the center of a village 
  of 200 ghuls. The ghuls live in burrows dug around the perimeter 
  of the pyramid. At the top of the pyramid there is a cistern. A silver 
  statue of a woman in a robes and holding aloft a sword is submerged 
  in the temple, the upper portion of the sword rising above the surface 
  of the water. The ghuls avoid the upper portion of the pyramid and 
  seem to fear silver, though it does not particular harm to them. The 
  ghuls live as hunters and gatherers on the steppe, their main prey 
  being, of course, the zombies that seek the earthbound paradise or 
  any living creatures foolish enough to wander the land beyond the 
  Black Water. They are led by a council of elders, three men and a 
  woman who wear black robes and multi-colored mantles and have 
  large, wooden hoops in their ears. Like most ghuls, the people of the 
  village have skin the color of tallow that is drawn tight over their 
  thin, unwholesome frames. Their lips are pulled back from their 
  large teeth and their noses are tiny and pointed. The hunters of the 
  tribe carry short bows and curved short swords and wear leather 
  armor. The ghul’s treasure, kept in a secret chamber in their pyramid, 
  consists of 515 large gold coins (worth 6 gp each).
  Ghul Warrior: HD 1; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6) or strike 
  (1d3 plus stun); Move 12; Save 17; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Touch 
  stuns (save negates) for 1d3 rounds.
  3204. 
  Emntrix, the petty death that claims the soul of soldiers and 
  servants, keeps a vast training yard here. She has complete control 
  of the environment within the yard, being able to bring wind and 
  rain into it, cause pillars of earth to rise suddenly from the ground or 
  crevasses to run like rivers across it, etc. In this mile wide yard she 
  conducts mock battles, much to the chagrin of the shades under her 
  charge, who only wish a moment of peace after lives of war and toil. 
  The walls of the yard are 30 feet thick and 70 feet tall, and taper from 
  top to base. Narrow doors of thick glass, 25 feet tall, grant access 
  to the yard and are placed in the four cardinal directions. The doors 
  only open for warriors, though non-warriors can follow a warrior 
  into the yard.
  Emntrix is a 9-ft tall woman with the tail of a scorpion, her body 
  covered by a glossy black carapace, over which she wears blue, 
  gladiator-style armor, her helm surmounted by a black horsehair 
  crest, her breastplate bearing the image of scorpion. Her arms are 
  clad in dozens of bronze bangles and bracelets (worth a total of 100 
  gp) and she carries a +2 warhammer that seems to absorb light. The 
  warhammer claims the soul of any warrior it slays, rejecting the souls 
  of non-warriors.
  Emntrix is always found at the center of her battles, for they are 
  done for her amusement alone. At noon and midnight, a great bell 
  is rung and the battle stops. At this point, a stooped ﬁ gure of a man 
  makes his way across the battleﬁ eld carrying a goblet of wine on a 
  tray and a stool for his mistress, that she may take refreshment. The 
  man is Ravensworth, her valet and butler. He is dressed in a black 
  velvet doublet and trousers, with plentiful lace rufﬂ es and carries a 
  simple dagger.
  Ravensworth: HD 4 (16 hp); AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 dagger (1d4); 
  Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Back attack – save or 
  death.
  Emntrix: HD 16 (100 hp); AC -3 [22]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8+2) 
  or sting (1d6 plus poison); Move 15; Save 3; CL/XP 19/4100; 
  Special: Only harmed by +1 or better weapons, immune to fear, 
  gaze causes warriors to go berserk unless they pass a saving 
  throw; berserkers are +1 to hit and damage and attack random 
  targets for 1d3+3 rounds.
  
  3402. 
  Uddeso, the petty death of famine who claims the souls of people 
  who have died unfulﬁ lled, dwells in this hex in a stronghold of black 
  towers. There are eight towers in all, seven smaller outer towers 
  surrounding a larger central tower. The arched ceiling of each tower 
  is illuminated in gold and silver paint, depicting gaunt, drawn saints 
  living in barred cells and visited by all manner of strange animals.
  The outer towers are stocked with piles and piles of food – barrels 
  of nuts, heaps of fruit and vegetables, joints of beef and mutton 
  hanging from hooks, loaves of bread in every imaginable shape, etc. 
  All of this food looks delectable, but turns to ashes in one’s mouth.
  The central tower is the court of Uddeso, a black-skinned woman 
  with a narrow build and the sunken in eyes of a corpse. Uddeso wears 
  scale armor composed of glossy, red hexagons stitched together with 
  sinews on a backing of leather made from the footpads of pilgrims who 
  died before reaching their destination. She carries a bronze buckler 
  that bears half a human skull and +1 godentag (a sort of spiked club 
  common to rebellious peasant armies) that invokes a hunger so terrible 
  in the creatures it touches that they must pass a saving throw or spend 
  the next 1d6 rounds scavenging for food. Victims who fail their saving 
  throws by more than 6 points will be possessed with a cannibalistic 
  hunger. The walls of the central tower are covered with hundreds of 
  perches for a vast murder of crows, the servants of Uddeso.
  Murder of Crows: HD 2; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 swarm (1d4+eye 
  gouge); Move 6 (F18); Save 16; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Those 
  struck by swarm have a 1 in 20 chance of losing an eye each 
  round (save negates), those in the swarm must save each round 
  or be struck by confusion, murder takes half damage from 
  edged and piercing weapons.
  Uddeso: HD 13 (88 hp); AC -3 [22]; Atk +1 godentag (1d10+1); 
  Move 12; Save 3; CL/XP 19/4100; Special: Only harmed by +1 
  or better weapons, casts spells as a 7th level cleric, immune to 
  fear, hold person gaze attack (2/day).
  3407. 
  Beneath the white boughs of the woodlands there is a cottage of 
  stone with a roof of slate. Just beyond the cottage there is a large 
  clearing planted with platinum blonde wheat and rows of caraway. 
  The cottage is owned by an annis hag, who plows her own ﬁ eld with 
  the help of a haggard draft horse – a polymorphed magic-user who 
  made the mistake of collapsing on her doorstep. The hag uses her 
  crops to bake cookies cut in pleasing shapes and ﬂ avored with bitter 
  crystals – the crystallized frustrations of shades caught in the willows 
  that surround the house. The cookies, when placed under the tongue, 
  make on invisible to undead creatures. If swallowed, they are a deadly 
  poison. The hag trades the cookies to adventurers in return for favors..
  Annis Hag: HD 8 (36 hp); AC 1 [18]; Atk 2 claws (2d8), 1 bite 
  (1d8); Move 12; Save 8; CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Hug and rend, 
  polymorph, call mists.
  3413. 
  A band of intelligent opossums, bandits wearing leather armor and 
  carrying long knives lurk in the treetops. The marsupial bandits have long, 
  prehensile tails and nasty little teeth. There are 20 of the bandits present. 
  They keep their treasure, 680 gp and a brass medallion (worth 700 gp, 
  proclaims one as “#1”), in a leather sack hidden in the boughs of a tree. 
  The opossums speak in throaty, whispery growls and wear black masks.
  Opossum Bandits: HD 1d6; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 knife (1d4) or bite 
  (1d4 plus disease); Move 12 (C9); Save 18 (16 vs. disease); CL/
  XP 1/15; Special: Disease, surprise on 1-3 on 1d6.
  3517. 
  A tribe of 200 carrion orcs dwells here grass huts. The orcs have 
  the faces of boars, with oversized tusks – some of which growing up 
  through their own noses. They are especially brutish, wearing furs 
  and pelts (+1 bonus to AC) and carrying clubs and cast off weapons. 
  Among the orcs there are three sub-chiefs (2 HD each) and a large 
  leader with an iron ﬁ st (literally – its hand has been replaced by a iron 
  ﬁ st that strikes as a heavy mace). The leader is called Grubrut. Within 
  his iron ﬁ st there is an entrapped soul in a crystal bubble. The spirit 
  belonged to a temptress, and it now whispers in Grubrut’s ear, trying to 
  turn him into a great leader who can eventually return her to a corporeal 
  existence in some other woman’s body. The orcs have a single guard 
  beast who serves as their “totem” as well – a tigrilla chained to a tall 
  post. Captives are thrown to the tigrilla as an offering, as are wounded 
  orcs. The orcs possess 2,700 sp and 1,410 gp
  Orcs: HD 1; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 17; 
  CL/XP 1/15; Special: None.
  Grubrut: HD 6 (26 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8+2); Move 
  9; Save 11; CL/XP 6/400; Special: None. Wears a brass chain 
  worth 145 gp.
  Tigrilla: HD 5 (30 hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 bite (2d6), 2 claws 
  (1d8); Move 15 (Climb 9); Save 12; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Rake 
  with claws for double damage if both claw attacks hit in same 
  round.
  3521. 
  This hex is covered by a thick carpet of sargassum. Two large 
  galleasses, once vessels of the imperial navy of the northern men, have 
  been stuck in the weeds for decades. The crews (both 25 strong), now 
  skeletons, roar challenges at one another, launching whatever bits of 
  ordnance at one another they can with crude, creaking catapults. The 
  skeletons are clad in rags and bits of shrunken leather armor. They 
  wield curved swords (rusty, -1 to hit and damage) and short bows 
  (warped, -1 to hit). The holds of both ships are empty. Both captain’s 
  quarters are inhabited by poltergeists. One contains 1,920 sp and 520 
  gp in a terracotta basin (itself worth 100 gp) and the other 1,500 sp, 540 
  gp and two massive rock crystals (300 gp each) in a locked sea chest.
  Skeleton: HD 1; AC 8 [11]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6); Move 12; Save 
  18; CL/XP 1/15; Special: None.
  Poltergeist: HD 2; AC 7 [12]; Atk throw object (fear); Move 3 
  (F6); Save 16; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Fear, telekinesis, natural 
  invisibility. 
  3609. 
  Amidst the White Woods there is an expansive grove so terrible as to 
  force one to question the sanity of Creation. The grove consists of trees 
  much thicker of trunk and branched of bough than the silvery beeches that 
  ﬁ ll the White Wood. These trees exhibit a color reminiscent of pale ﬂ esh, 
  and in fact their outer bark is a thick skin, not unlike that of a rhinoceros. 
  Within the tree’s epidermis is thick, dense ﬂ esh (tastes something like 
  bitter chicken) and an inner core of bone. The fruit of the tree looks like 
  bright red jujubes covered in something approximating human skin and 
  ﬁ lled with a bloody pulp. Large, dangerous swine wander this terrible 
  forest, feasting on fallen fruits and savaging any living or undead thing 
  that crosses their path – such encounters occur on a roll of 1 on 1d6 
  made each hour. Besides the swine, the forests only inhabitants are its 
  dryads, if true dryads they can be considered. The dryads of the ﬂ eshy 
  wood are tall and rubenesque, with honey-red hair and ruddy skin and 
  purple lips that are full and inviting. The dryads carry leather pouches of 
  blood wine that they share willingly with travelers, who must take care 
  not to become intoxicated lest they succumb to vampiric urges and, at 
  the next full moon ﬁ nd themselves transformed into one of the swine of 
  the ﬂ eshy forest. It should be noted that anyone chopping at one of these 
  trees will perceive a noticeable shudder in the thing, as though reacting 
  silently to wracking pain. Cuts in the trees bleed, and stumps produce a 
  steady ﬂ ow of blood for several minutes and attract 1d6+1 of the swine 
  within 1 turn.
  Beyond the Black Water
  24
  perches for a vast murder of crows, the servants of Uddeso.
  poison. The hag trades the cookies to adventurers in return for favors..
  prehensile tails and nasty little teeth. There are 20 of the bandits present. 
  proclaims one as “#1”), in a leather sack hidden in the boughs of a tree. 
  
  Beyond the Black Water
  25
  Swine: HD 3+3; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 gore (2d4); Move 15; Save 
  14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Continues attacking 2 rounds after 
  death.
  Dryad: HD 2; AC 9 [10]; Atk 1 wooden dagger (1d4); Move 12; 
  Save 16; CL/XP 3/60; Special: Charm person at -2 save.
  3802. 
  A dusty, abandoned mine shaft burrowed into the limestone 
  mountains here gives access to a vast maze of passages and 
  chambers. The complex was dug by massive, four armed creatures 
  known as kruks, and consist of tall, round chambers connected at 
  varying levels by square tunnels, usually 10 feet tall and wide and 
  running no more than 150 feet. A tunnel one enters from the ﬂ oor 
  of a chamber might end at ceiling level in another chamber, making 
  the maze a matter of up and down as well as north-south-east-west. 
  The maze is carved from the limestone, though one might also run 
  into veins of schist and marble. Some chambers are partially ﬂ ooded 
  by underground springs, with a ledge provided around the pool of 
  water to allow bathing and the ﬁ lling of waterskins. Other chambers 
  contain bronze cages hung from the ceiling by chains that can be 
  raised and lowered via winches. These cages once held prisoners, for 
  the kruks were infamous slavers. Very few of the kruks now dwell 
  in their maze complex, usually in large chambers fortiﬁ ed with iron 
  doors and containing sleeping alcoves and a barred slave pit for their 
  remaining slaves. Such a chamber houses 2d6 kruks and 3d4 slaves 
  (humans, dwarves, elves, etc). 
  The more worrisome inhabitants of the mazes are minotaurs, 
  dusky-skinned men with the heads of white bulls who devour the 
  living and paint garish designs on the walls with the blood. The kruks 
  are said to know a way through the underworld to the Earthbound 
  Paradise beyond, but others say they merely know of passages that 
  descend ever deeper into the earth.
  Kruk: HD 6+2; AC 5 [14]; Atk 4 slams (1d6); Move 12; Save 11 
  (6 vs. spells); CL/XP 7/600; Special: +5 save vs. spells.
  Minotaur: HD 6+4; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 head butt (2d4), bite (1d3), 
  weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 11; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Never 
  gets lost in labyrinths.
  3805. 
  The trees in this hex become much larger than most trees in these 
  woods, with bloated white trunks and branches that reach up for the 
  moon and create a canopy at least 300 feet in diameter. Gloomwings 
  place their larvae in these trees, the boughs often being born down 
  by fat, tenebrous worms. The eggs are valued highly by the peoples 
  of the land beyond the Black River for their medicinal value, and 
  although the beasts cannot be tamed the worms are sometimes kept as 
  dangerous guard beasts. Encounters with 1d4 of the worms occur on 
  a roll of 1-4 on 1d6 each day, while encounters with 1d6 gloomwings 
  occur on the roll of 1-2 on 1d6. One of the larger trees in this hex 
  is hollowed, an armored skeleton resting there. The skeleton is not 
  animated, though it can speak with a rough, gravely, tired voice. The 
  skeleton will answer no more than one question per person, and has 
  a good knowledge of this strange land. The skeleton once belonged 
  to an avenging knight, who, set upon by a trio of ravenous worms 
  one night was killed and discovered that his spirit, while not strong 
  enough to animate or escape, was too strong to fade away. Beneath 
  the skeleton there is a small hole that can be expanded by removing 
  a few stones. 
  This tunnel descends at a steep slope about 100 feet before forking. 
  The left fork of the tunnel leads into a triangular cavern about 40 feet 
  long with the ceiling peaking about 18 feet above the ﬂ oor, which is 
  roughly 10 feet wide. Thick webs ﬁ ll this cavern, home to a dozen 
  giant spiders and hiding in their midst a web of silver. This web, 
  when spoken over by certain words of power and traced by a ﬁ nger 
  anointed with a mixture of wine, honey and grave dirt, allows instant 
  transportation for a magic-user and any holding on to his robe to any 
  one of the strongholds of the nine petty deaths. 
  The right fork of the tunnel continues downward, eventually ending 
  in a dusty vault containing thousands of thick, leather bound tomes, 
  each one containing a single large, complicated seal that is the true 
  name of a great soul – kings, queens, wizards, angels, greater demons 
  and dukes of Hell. The librarian of the chamber is a lich, a pathetic 
  looking bag of bones hunched over a simple library table, a dozen 
  books stacked upon it, its bony ﬁ nger tracing a seal, endeavoring to 
  understand it. The lich, a very old soul called Alu, perhaps the ﬁ rst 
  magician among mankind, will, after some time or if confronted, raise 
  his heavy, cobwebbed head and deal with the intruders. The lich has 
  a treasure of 15,830 sp and 2,550 gp kept in 20 small wooden cubes 
  with no apparent way to open them and a helm of ﬁ ery brilliance
  hidden in a cache in the ceiling of the vault.
  Tenebrous Worm: HD 10; AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 bite (2d6); Move 3; 
  Save 5; CL/XP 12/2000; Special: Acid, poison bristles (paralysis, 
  chance to avoid equal to armor bonus on 1d10).
  Gloomwing: HD 5; AC 0 [19]; Atk 2 claws (1d4), bite (1d8); 
  Move 3 (F15); Save 12; CL/XP 9/1100; Special: Confusion, 
  implant, weakness pheromone, summon gloomwings.
  Giant Spider: HD 2+2; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 bite (1d6+poison); 
  Move 18; Save 16; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Lethal poison, sur-
  prise on 1-5 on 1d6.
  Alu, Lich: HD 18 (89 hp); AC 0 [19]; Atk 1 hand 
  (1d10+paralysis); Move 6; Save 3; CL/XP 21/4700; Special: Ap-
  pearance causes paralytic fear, touch causes automatic paraly-
  sis, spells as 12th level magic-user.
  3815. 
  A troupe of seven pallid mystics is making its way across the steppe 
  in search of secrets. Each mystic has the ability to speak with dead, 
  and uses it to gather secret from the departed, tattooing these secrets 
  on their own skin in a strange runic alphabet. The mystics are now 
  covered in varying amounts of blue-black ink, which they keep 
  hidden beneath black slops and gabardines and ivory stockings. The 
  mystics cover their platinum hair with ﬂ oppy felt hats decorated with 
  twisting, twiggy branches in place of feathers. Each mystic wields 
  a curved silver long sword with great skill. The mystics are very 
  protective of their secrets, but are willing to share their knowledge 
  of the lands beyond the Black Water, provided their questioners are 
  willing to pay in silver.
  Mystic Warrior: HD 9 (50 hp each); AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 sword 
  (1d8+1); Move 15; Save 7; CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Speak with 
  dead, always win initiative.
  3821. 
  A tribe of 10 merrow (aquatic ogres) and 50 mermaids dwells just 
  beneath the waves here in a massive abalone shell. The material of 
  the shell is stronger than iron. It is divided into a hundred chambers, 
  each entered through a curtain of shells. The mermaids dwell within 
  the shell, only leaving it during what passes for the daytime to brush 
  their hair and seduce passing ships. The mermaids have rounded 
  faces and black, silky skin with golden-red hair. Their eyes are 
  grayish-green and emit a faint light. The merrow are monstrous 
  creatures, with thick, black, scaled skin imprinted with red geometric 
  patterns, gaping mouths and bulbous, cloudy ﬁ sh eyes. Within the 
  abalone shell the merrow and mermaids have 390 sp, 770 gp and a 
  large tourmaline worth 1,250 gp.
  Mermaid: HD 1; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 tail slap (1d4); Move 1 (Swim 
  18); Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: Breathe water.
  Merrow: HD 4+1; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d10+1); Move 9; 
  Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Breathe water.
  
  26
  Basilim
  Basilim are warriors that have been petriﬁ ed by basilisks or 
  sorcerers. Over the centuries, by force of will, they become living 
  statues. Most are quite mad and can save against mental effects every 
  round until they succeed. Many basilim have levels in the ﬁ ghting-
  man class, being able to attain the 5th level of experience.
  Basilim: HD 2+2; AC 5 [14]; Atk 2 slams (1d6); Move 9; Save 3; 
  CL/XP 3/60; Special: Madness, half damage from non-magical 
  weapons.
  Beyonder
  Beyonders are semi-humans that dwell on the shores of the land 
  beyond the Black Water. They are tall, hunched humanoids with 
  pallid, hairless skin and yellow eyes devoid of warmth. Beyonders 
  grow their ﬁ nger and toe nails long and decorate their bodies with 
  triangular metal charms hung on chains that pierce their ﬂ esh. They 
  wear multiple layers of clothing and robes, always in dark colors. 
  Beyonder warriors wear scale and ring armor, rarely chainmail, and 
  carry curved swords and daggers. Beyonders care little for material 
  wealth, preferring instead to trade in secrets. For this reason, ignore 
  treasure generated for beyonders that is not in the form of objects, 
  magical or otherwise.
  Common Beyonder: HD 1d6; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6); 
  Move 9; Save 18 (14 vs. poison and magic); CL/XP 1/15; Spe-
  cial: Cast one cleric or magic-user spell per day.
  Beyonder Leader: HD 4d6; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6+1); 
  Move 9; Save 13 (9 vs. poison and magic); CL/XP 5/240 or 
  6/400; Special: Cast cleric and magic-user spells.
  Bugaboo
  Bugaboos are strange constructs composed of a bear’s headless 
  body topped by a bronze sphere that resembles a jack-o-lantern. 
  The sphere contains a powerful animating spirit that, if destroyed, 
  destroys the creature. Hitting the bronze sphere requires one to hit 
  and Armor Class of 0 [19], and the sphere can take up to 10 points 
  of damage before it is damaged or knocked off. Damage inﬂ icted 
  on the sphere does not count against the creature’s total damage. 
  Creatures with 3 or fewer Hit Dice must save vs. fear when they see 
  a bugaboo or ﬂ ee for a number of rounds equal to their constitution 
  score divided by 3, thereafter falling in an exhausted heap. Three 
  times per day, the bugaboo can send out a static shock from its bronze 
  sphere. All within 10 feet of the monster suffer 2d6 points of damage 
  (save for half) and have their hair stand up on end.
  Bugaboo: HD 6+1; AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 claws (1d6); Move 15; Save 
  11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Fearsome, static shock.
  Ghul
  Ghuls are humans that have acquired a taste for human ﬂ esh. 
  Their wickedness and depravity have infused them with a portion 
  of negative energy. Although they remain alive, they can be turned 
  as though undead with 3 extra Hit Dice. A ghul’s touch stuns an 
  opponent for one round unless they pass a saving throw. Stunned 
  creatures drop anything they are carrying in their hands and are 
  unable to attack. Although a stunned creature can defend themselves, 
  their opponent receives a +1 bonus to hit them. Ghuls usually ﬁ ght 
  with a weapon in one gauntleted hand, leaving the other hand empty 
  and bare to make unarmed, potentially stunning attacks. Warriors 
  might wear leather or ring armor, while leaders will wear chainmail 
  or, rarely, platemail. Ghuls can take levels in ﬁ ghting-man (up to 8th
  level), magic-user (up to 5th level) and cleric (up to 7th level).
  Ghul: HD 1; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8) or one ﬁ st (1d2 
  plus stunning); Move 12; Save 17 (15 vs. spells); CL/XP 2/30; 
  Special: Stunning touch, bonus to save vs. spells.
  Kruk
  Kruks are a tall race of white-skinned humanoids with four arms, 
  duck-like bills and tall, bony crests which allow them to communicate 
  over long distances with rumbling roars. They dwell in subterranean 
  caverns they have carved into perfect squares, with each cavern 
  connected to others via underground canals ﬁ lled with oily water. 
  Kruks trade humanoid ﬂ esh and slaves in markets well attended by 
  other creatures of the underworld.
  Kruk: HD 6+2; AC 5 [14]; Atk 4 slams (1d6); Move 12; Save 11 
  (6 vs. spells); CL/XP 7/600; Special: +5 save vs. spells.
  Kyton (Chain Devil)
  Kytons look like humanoids wrapped in iron chains with grayish 
  ﬂ esh and red eyes showing through the gaps. They can control up to 
  four chains within 20 feet, making them move as they wish. These 
  chains attack as per the kyton, giving the devil up to four extra chain 
  attacks per round. A person holding a chain can make a saving throw 
  to negate the kyton’s control over it.
  Kyton: HD 8; AC -1 [20]; Atk 2 chains (1d8+1); Move 12; 
  Save 8; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Animate chains, +1 or better 
  weapon to hit, magic resistance (40%).
  New Monsters
  
  27
  Moppe
  Moppes are malevolent spirits that inhabit dolls. They cannot move, 
  but they can use the following spells, once per round: Fear, invoke 
  emotion (save or be possessed by terrible despair or unthinking rage), 
  hideous laughter (save or double over laughing for 1d6+1 rounds), 
  psychic pain (paralyzed with pain, suffer 1d4 points of intelligence 
  damage and 1d6 points of hit point damage, save for half and to 
  negate the paralysis; for each additional moppe using the power on a 
  victim, the victim suffers an additional -1 penalty to save).
  Moppe: HD 1; AC 11 [8]; Atk none; Move 0; Save 17; CL/XP 
  3/60; Special: Spells.
  Night Demon
  Night demons are gaunt humanoids with black, rubbery skin, 
  membranous wings sprouting from their shoulders and ankles and a 
  ridge of bumps that runs from their forehead to their tiny, worm-like 
  tail. Any creature seeing a night demon must pass a saving throw 
  or freeze in terror, dropping whatever he is holding. Night demons 
  attack by swooping down on a victim and grabbing them tightly. 
  Once in the nght demon’s grasp, the victim is squeezed for 1d4 points 
  of damage per round. Twice per day, a night demon can use slow (as 
  the spell) on any creature within sight.
  Night Demon: HD 4; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 clutch (1d4); Move 9 (Fly 
  24); Save 13; CL/XP 8/800; Special: Fear aura, slow motion, +1 
  or better weapon to hit, immunity to cold.
  Toadstool Man
  Toadstool men are misshapen, with mismatched limbs, wide caps 
  colored coral and spotted white and pinched, wrinkled faces with 
  deep, slit mouths. They are like malevolent children, roaming in 
  packs of 3d6 individuals and causing all the havoc they can in the 
  few days in which they have life. Toadstool men emit a poisonous 
  breath that causes all within a cone 10 feet long and 10 feet wide at 
  the base to make a saving throw or suffer 1d6 points of damage. They 
  can breathe this cloud once per day.
  Toadstool Man: HD 3; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 strike (1d4+1); Move 
  9; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Poison breath, resistance to 
  bludgeoning weapons (50%).
  New monsters
  
  28
  legal appendix
  Hex Crawl Chronicles: Beyond the Black Water is written under 
  version 1.0a of the Open Game License. As of yet, none of the material 
  ﬁ rst appearing in Hex Crawl Chronicles: Beyond the Black Water is 
  considered Open Game Content.
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a 
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copy-
  right 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 
  1. Deﬁ nitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark 
  owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” 
  means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (in-
  cluding into other computer languages), potation, modiﬁ cation, correction, 
  addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other 
  form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) 
  “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly 
  display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the 
  game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines 
  to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an 
  enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identiﬁ ed as 
  Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this 
  License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but 
  speciﬁ cally excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product 
  and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; 
  artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, 
  dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, like-
  nesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other 
  visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, 
  enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; 
  places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernat-
  ural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other 
  trademark or registered trademark clearly identiﬁ ed as Product identity by 
  the owner of the Product Identity, and which speciﬁ cally excludes the Open 
  Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, 
  designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the 
  associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contribu-
  tor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, 
  modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game 
  Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that con-
  tains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under 
  and in terms of this License. You must afﬁ x such a notice to any Open Game 
  Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this Li-
  cense except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions 
  may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 
  3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate 
  Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this Li-
  cense, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-
  exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game 
  Content. 
  5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing origi-
  nal material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions 
  are Your original creation and/or You have sufﬁ cient rights to grant the rights 
  conveyed by this License. 
  6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NO-
  TICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT 
  NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or dis-
  tributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright 
  holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game 
  Content you Distribute. 
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, in-
  cluding as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in 
  another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Prod-
  uct Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with 
  any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work contain-
  ing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent 
  Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The 
  use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a chal-
  lenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product 
  Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in 
  and to that Product Identity. 
  8. Identiﬁ cation: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly 
  indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game 
  Content. 
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish up-
  dated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this 
  License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally 
  distributed under any version of this License. 
  10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with 
  every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. 
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open 
  Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written 
  permission from the Contributor to do so. 
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the 
  terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content 
  due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not 
  Use any Open Game Material so affected. 
  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to 
  comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of 
  becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination 
  of this License. 
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforce-
  able, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make 
  it enforceable. 
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, 
  Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy 
  Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, 
  Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and 
  Dave Arneson.
  Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch
  Monster Compendium: 0e, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch
  Monster Encyclopaedia Volume 1 copyright 2004, Mongoose Publishing 
  Ltd.
  The Grand OGL Wiki, http://grandwiki.wikidot.com Copyright 2008-2010 
  Purple Duck Games; Authors: Mark Gedak, Alex Schroeder, Joel Arellano, 
  George Fields, Yair Rezek, Mike Whalen, Shane O’Connor, Mike Rickard, 
  John Whamond, Bill Browne, Eric Williamson, Slatz Grubnik, Charles R. 
  Wenzler Jr, John Fraser, Jonathon Thompson, Thomas Boxall.
  Pars Fortuna, Copyright 2010, John M. Stater
  Tome of Horrors Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott 
  Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christof-
  ferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill 
  Webb; Based on original content from TSR.
  Crypt Thing from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer 
  Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Roger 
  Musson.
  Eye of the Deep from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer 
  Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary 
  Gygax.
  Gloomwing from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer 
  Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary 
  Gygax.
  Gryph from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, 
  Inc.; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Peter Brown.
  Tenebrous Worm from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, 
  Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene, based on original material 
  by Gary Gygax.
  Tigrilla from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, 
  Inc.; Authors Erica Balsley and Scott Greene
  Witherweed from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer 
  Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Simon 
  Eaton.
  Tome of Horrors II Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: 
  Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey 
  Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, 
  and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.
  Hex Crawl Chronicles: Beyond the Black Water, Copyright 2011, Author 
  John Stater.
  
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