TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
  ® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content.  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any 
  form without permission of the author.  To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 
  system license, please visit www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 
  This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the 
  RPGA Network.  
   
  Ket4-05 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Oracle 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK
  ®  
  Ket Regional Adventure 
   
  by Andrew Jaremkow 
  Triad Edit: Steve Baker 
  Circle Edit: David Christ 
  Special thanks to playtesters C.Copeland, M.Copeland, L.Liscoumb, 
  G.Peevers, R.Roberts, M. Rowsell, and J.Vernon. 
  A reclusive sage wants the adventurers to seek out a long lost oracle, located deep under the roots of the mountains, and 
  consult its ancient knowledge. An adventure for APLs 6-12. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 2 
  Introduction 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® game. A four-hour time block has been 
  allocated for each round of this scenario, but the actual 
  playing time will be closer to three and a half hours. The 
  rest of the time is spent in preparation before game play, 
  and scoring after the game. The following guidelines are 
  here to help you with both the preparation and voting 
  segment of the game. Read this page carefully so that you 
  know and can communicate to your players the special 
  aspects of playing an RPGA scenario.  
  Preparation 
   
   
   
   
   
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario was 
  created to support double-sided printing, but printing it 
  single sided will work as well. There is enough room 
  along the inside margin to bind the adventure, if you 
  desire.  
  Read this entire adventure at least once before you run 
  your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any 
  special rules, spells, or equipment presented in the 
  adventure. It may help to highlight particularly 
  important passages.  
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we assume 
  that you have access to the following books: the Player’s 
  Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the 
  Monster Manual. We also assume that you have a set of 
  dice (at least one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some 
  scrap paper, a pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your 
  sense of fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track 
  movement during combat. This can be as simple as a pad 
  of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map 
  and chits, or as elaborate as resin dungeon walls and 
  miniatures. 
  Instruct the players either to prepare their characters 
  now, or wait until you read the introduction, depending 
  on the requirements of the scenario as described in the 
  introduction.  
  Keep in mind that you must have at least four players 
  (not counting the DM), for the game session to be a 
  sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you cannot have more 
  than six players participating in the game. 
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to instruct each 
  player to place a nametag in front of him or her. The tag 
  should have the player’s name at the bottom, and the 
  character’s name, race, and gender at the top. This makes 
  it easier for the players (and the DM) to keep track of 
  who is playing which character. 
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn about 
  equipment and weapons their characters are carrying. 
  That said, you as the DM can bar the use of even core 
  rulebooks during certain times of play. For example, the 
  players are not free to consult the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide when confronted with a trap or hazard, or the 
  Monster Manual when confronted with a monster.  
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you 
  may present it as written to the players, while other text 
  is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in gray 
  boxes. It’s strongly recommended that you paraphrase 
  the player text instead of reading it aloud. Some of this 
  text is general and must be adapted to the specific 
  situation or to actions of the player characters. 
  Reporting 
   
   
   
   
   
  After the players have completed the scenario or the 
  time allotted to run the scenario has run out, the 
  players and DM fill out a reporting form.  After the 
  form is filled out it should be given to the senior DM. 
  Living Greyhawk 
   
   
   
   
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure.  As a 
  LIVING adventure it is expected that players bring 
  their own characters with them.  If players do not have 
  a LIVING GREYHAWK character generated, get a 
  copy of the current LIVING GREYHAWK character 
  generation guidelines, and a character sheet from your 
  convention coordinator or the RPGA Web site, ant 
  then have any players without a character create on.  
  Once all players have a LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character, play can begin. 
  Along with the other materials that you are assumed to 
  have in order to run a D&D game, it is also 
  recommended that you have a copy of the LIVING 
  GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
  Living Greyhawk Levels of Play 
   
   
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportioned to the average character level of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. To determine the 
  Average Party Level (APL): 
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 3 
  # of Animals 
  Mundane 
  Animals Effect 
  on APL 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  CR of Animal 
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained for 
  combat (most likely being war horses, dogs trained 
  for war), other than those brought by virtue of a 
  class ability (i.e. animal companions, familiars 
  paladin’s mounts, etc) use the sidebar chart to 
  determine the number of levels you add to the 
  sum 
  above. 
  Add 
  each 
  character’s 
  animals 
  separately. A single PC may only bring four or 
  fewer animals of this type, and animals with 
  different CRs are added separately. 
  3. 
  Sum the results of 1 and 2, and divide by the 
  number of characters playing in the adventure.  
  Round to the nearest whole number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six PCs, add one to 
  that average. 
  By following these four steps, you will have 
  determined the APL. Throughout this adventure, APLs 
  categorize the level of challenge the PCs will face. 
  APLS are given in even-numbered increments. If the 
  APL of your group falls on an odd number, ask them 
  before the adventure begins whether they would like 
  to play a harder or easier adventure. Based on their 
  choice, use either the higher or the lower adjacent 
  APL. 
  APL also affects the amount of experience you may 
  gain at the end of the adventure. If your character is 
  three character levels or more either higher or lower 
  than the APL this adventure is being played at, that 
  character will receive only half of the experience 
  points awarded for the adventure. This simulates the 
  face that either your character was not as challenged as 
  normal, or relied on help by higher-level characters to 
  reach the objectives. 
  Note: LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed 
  for APL 2 and higher. Four or sometimes even five 1
  st-
  level characters may find difficulty with the challenges 
  in a LIVING GREYHAWK adventure. If your group is 
  APL 1 there are three things that you can do to help 
  even the score. 
  5. 
  Attempt to create a table of six 1
  st-level characters, 
  or try to enlist higher-level characters to play at 
  that table. 
  6. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help 
  protect them, and fight for them. All riding dogs 
  are considered trained to attack. PCs who want 
  their dogs to attack must succeed at a Handle 
  Animal or Charisma check (DC 10). Failure 
  indicates that the animal will not attack that 
  round. This is a free action (spoken command) 
  that may be attempted each round. If an animal 
  loses half or more hp in a single round it flees, 
  unless another check is successful. 
  Time Units and Upkeep 
   
   
   
  This is a standard one-round Regional adventure, set in 
  Ket.  Characters native to Ket pay one Time Unit per 
  round, all others pay two Time Units per round.  
  Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep costs 12gp per Time 
  Unit.  Rich Upkeep costs 50gp per Time Unit.  Luxury 
  Upkeep costs 100gp per Time Unit. 
   
  Adventure Background 
  Ancient History and a Hidden Cabal. 
  This story, and the two that follow it, rest on the 
  premise that some ancient, powerful, and hostile 
  prehistoric beings still exist in the world, lingering on 
  aeons after the majority of their kind have vanished. 
  Although these beings declined before civilization 
  arose, there was still some interaction between them 
  and the early humanoid races, who saw traces of their 
  dwellings. These sites were revered and feared by the 
  ignorant people of the time, and fanatical cults sprang 
  up around them, especially those sites that were still 
  occupied by the last few of the great races. 
  The first cults died out as the last of the prehistoric 
  beings became dormant, or otherwise withdrew from 
  this world, and the cults’ traditions and knowledge 
  faded. However, from time to time one of the ancient 
  beings would become active for a period, and new cults 
  would spring up around it. This cycle of forgetting and 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 4 
  re-emergence has happened many times. Only the 
  faintest fragments of knowledge survive from one 
  cycle to the next, to tantalize students of old lore with 
  hints of ancient power. 
  Seventy five years ago the hints were seen and 
  recognized by a group of learned, amoral, and 
  ambitious men, who call themselves the Black Cabal. 
  They have managed to gather enough evidence to 
  predict the upcoming re-emergence of one of these 
  ancient inimical beings. Seeking to partake of its 
  power, they composed a plan which would see them 
  present at the beast’s awakening, where they would 
  take the role of its agents, priests, and worshippers. 
  Having thus demonstrated their devotion to the 
  ancients, they believed the creature would surely cast 
  down existing powers, reward the cabal with positions 
  of authority, elevate them above other men, and place 
  them at the helm of nations. (Or so they reasoned…) 
  Unfortunately, the members of the cabal were unable 
  to determine the precise location and date of the re-
  emergence. Their best estimate only gave them a 
  decade-long period of greatest probability, along with a 
  location that was somewhere “in the skirts of the 
  mountains that divide east from west”. Accordingly, 
  the cabal undertook the long and painstaking process 
  of  researching the re-emergence, while placing great 
  emphasis on secrecy and stealth. Their plans would be 
  utterly ruined if they were exposed to good aligned 
  forces, so the cabal dispersed its members, limited 
  contact between them, and conducted its business with 
  utmost discretion. Each step was made at a snail’s pace, 
  and every eye was on security. 
   
  Research in Lopolla. 
  Radic Ranladsson grew up in the City of Greyhawk, 
  where he learned the trade of a scholar, examining the 
  history and geography of ancient lands, before he 
  undertook the study of wizardry as a diviner. His new 
  studies exposed him to fascinating mysteries of the 
  ancient arcanum, and he soon became deeply involved 
  in the scholarly quest for pieces of lost lore. His 
  interest was noted by the Black Cabal, who recruited 
  him into their organization. They set him the task of 
  digging deeply into the most obscure documents and 
  records, to find new sources of information about the 
  re-emergence of the prehistoric beings. 
  Six years ago Radic moved to Lopolla, in the hope that 
  the city’s position as a crossroads between east and west 
  would have brought useful information to rest in its 
  libraries and archives. He set himself up as a minor 
  bookseller, joined the Archons, and began quietly and 
  discretely gathering information. His gamble was 
  successful, 
  and 
  he 
  found 
  several 
  fragmentary 
  documents alluding to a strange oracle buried deep 
  under the Yatil mountains to the north. Although the 
  evidence was incomplete, the surviving records 
  suggested that the Oracle specialized in answering 
  arcane questions, and hinted that the Oracle was only 
  used by the least savory wizards of the time. The 
  records also mentioned that the Oracle demanded 
  payment, in the form of one wise living mind, for each 
  question asked of it. Unfortunately, the most recent 
  mention of the Oracle was in a document that is over a 
  thousand years old, and no documents mentioned 
  what manner of being or object the Oracle was, or the 
  setting or structure in which it was situated.  
  Radic was pleased with his find, and presented it to the 
  Black Cabal as a potential source of valuable 
  information. The cabal concurred. The predicted time 
  of re-emergence was nearly upon them, and they still 
  didn’t have the vital information they needed. 
  Therefore, the cabal ordered Radic to press ahead 
  aggressively with his investigation, abandoning stealth 
  if necessary, and directed him to ask the Oracle about 
  the re-emergence of the ancient beings.  
   
  Towards the Oracle. 
  Following the meeting Radic sent prospectors and 
  miners into the mountains, ostensibly to seek out an 
  old 
  silver 
  lode 
  which 
  had 
  been 
  abandoned 
  prematurely, but actually to find the entrance to the 
  Oracle’s tunnel. Three months ago a prospector 
  returned with word of a series of abandoned tunnels 
  that matched Radic’s description. Radic immediately 
  dispatched a small mining crew to the site, to clear out 
  the tunnels and investigate. One month ago the crew 
  reported that the tunnels were open again, and that 
  they had found evidence of strange constructions 
  inside, including a shaft leading down into the 
  mountain.  
  Now Radic has summoned the PCs to take the final 
  step in the investigation. He wants them to travel into 
  the tunnels, overcoming any difficulties along the way, 
  and to ask questions of the oracle. He does not intend 
  to warn the PCs about the oracle’s price: he intends 
  them to pay it with their lives. He will secretly scry on 
  them, and learn the oracle’s answers before they die. If 
  his plan works, the death of the adventurers will 
  ensure that the cabal’s secret is kept safe, but the 
  betrayal will make him a hunted man should any of the 
  PCs survive. Accordingly, he is prepared to flee the city 
  and rejoin the cabal as soon as he scrys the answers. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 5 
   
  The Unknown. 
  Although Radic has gathered an impressive amount of 
  information, given his limited sources, there are still 
  several things he is not aware of. 
  The Oracle itself is a unique undead abomination 
  which resembles an aboleth. Like aboleths, the Oracle 
  retains its ancestor’s memories, but these alone are not 
  enough to give it its vast knowledge. It has also 
  imprisoned the spirits of a large number of learned and 
  experienced people, who were sacrificed to it as 
  payment, and it draws on their pooled knowledge to 
  answer questions. This repugnant practice lead to 
  several attempts to destroy the Oracle and free the 
  imprisoned spirits. None succeeded, but the last attack 
  managed to destroy the Oracle’s servants, topple its 
  shrine, and wound the Oracle itself, before being 
  defeated. Parts of the access tunnels were collapsed in 
  the fighting, and the Oracle hid to nurse its wounds. 
  Most people assumed that the Oracle had been 
  destroyed, but the Invoked Devastation and the Rain of 
  Colourless Fire ruined the East before any subsequent 
  expedition could be mounted to confirm the situation. 
  In the aftermath of the twin catastrophes, the survivors 
  and their neighbors had far more immediate concerns 
  to deal with, and the Oracle lay lost and forgotten in 
  the turbulent times that followed. 
  The Oracle’s lair is on a bare island in a large 
  subterranean lake, contained in a chamber deep under 
  the mountains. The chamber is accessed by a long 
  vertical shaft that leads down from the mine tunnels 
  above. A potent dimensional barrier surrounds the 
  chamber, trapping the spirits that give the Oracle its 
  knowledge, and defending the Oracle from scrying 
  and unexpected attack by teleportation. The only way 
  through the barrier is via the shaft, which once had 
  several defense mechanisms of its own. The PCs will 
  have to fight their way through the remaining defenses 
  in order to reach the Oracle. 
  Questions or Comments? 
  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or 
  other feedback about this adventure, you can contact 
  the author at jaremkow@sympatico.ca. 
  Adventure Summary  
  Introduction:  The PCs are contacted by Radic, and 
  asked to meet him at his shop. The PCs have a short 
  time to make preparations before the meeting. 
   
  Encounter 1: Radic the Sage: The PCs meet with 
  Radic, and learn what he wants them to do. Some PCs 
  will take this at face value and leave for the mountains 
  immediately. PCs who investigate can learn that Radic 
  is evil, and take steps to capture him. If that happens 
  the Archons will become involved, and ask the PCs to 
  investigate the Oracle on their behalf. 
  Encounter 2: Into the Mountain: The PCs journey to 
  the mountains, where they meet Radic’s mining crew. 
  The miners show the PCs evidence that this is not 
  really a mine, and take them to the strange, frightening 
  shaft they found, which leads straight downwards into 
  the mountain.  
  Encounter 3: Descending Into the Shaft: The PCs 
  begin the descent into the eerie shaft, either using a 
  rope-lift built by the miners, or their own magical 
  abilities. 
  Encounter 4: The Fight in the Shaft: The PCs fight 
  past the spirits that guard the shaft, and continue 
  downwards. 
  Encounter 5: The Fixed Defenses: The PCs force 
  their way through obstacles in the shaft, and push 
  onward to the cavern below. 
  Encounter 6: The Cavern: The PCs emerge from the 
  shaft and arrive on a rocky island in the middle of a 
  subterranean lake. There they see the trapped souls 
  that are the source of the Oracle’s knowledge. 
  Encounter 7: The Oracle: The Oracle arrives shortly 
  thereafter, answers the questions brought by the PCs, 
  and demands their spirits as payment. The PCs 
  naturally refuse, and a great battle ensues. 
  Aftermath: The PCs are gifted with knowledge by the 
  trapped souls, who are now freed of the Oracle, and 
  return home with the hard-won answers to Radic’s 
  questions. 
  Introduction 
  Before play begins the players should prepare spell 
  lists, and indicate whether they have any special 
  preparations to make. Their PCs are assumed to be at 
  home, in the households of friends and relatives, or, 
  most likely, in the inns and hostels that are frequented 
  by the adventuring community. Remind the PCs that 
  in Lopolla, nobody except nobility, the mullahs, and 
  officials (Threshers, etc.) are permitted to carry 
  weapons. You can assume that the PCs have found a 
  safe place to stow their gear while they are not carrying 
  it. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 6 
  Once everything is ready, the adventure begins at four 
  and a half hours after noon on a late fall day in 
  Lopolla… 
  Late fall days can be the most beautiful of all, in 
  Lopolla, but when the autumn winds drive storm 
  clouds through the gap in the mountains, and wet 
  rain-soaked leaves are driven through the streets, 
  life can be truly miserable. Most sensible folk find 
  business to conduct indoors, on days like this, 
  where the chill rain and the blustering winds can’t 
  reach them. 
  Alas, for the poor messenger at your door, whose 
  business forbids him any shelter! His cloak is 
  sodden, his boots are soaked through, and the wind 
  must have carried off his hat long ago. His short 
  dark hair is plastered to his head like a skull-cap, 
  and water drips with pitiful regularity from his 
  chin and nose. He proffers a rain-spattered scroll 
  tube of waxed leather, and, with a mournful sniffle, 
  turns and trudges sadly off into the storm. 
  The scroll tube, as might be expected, contains the 
  invitation to adventure. All of the PCs receive one, and 
  all of the messages are identical. The tube and note are 
  mundane in all respects. The writing is in a clear open 
  hand, suggestive of a trained scribe, but there are no 
  other idiosyncrasies or identifiable features upon the 
  message. 
  The scroll tube has withstood the weather well, and 
  the parchment inside is still dry. Its message is 
  short and to the point. 
   
  I WISH TO HIRE ADVENTURERS FOR A 
  JOURNEY. DISCRETION IS ESSENTIAL. MEET 
  AT DUSK AT MY SHOP ON THE STREET OF 
  CARPENTERS.  
   
  RADIC RANLADSSON, BOOKSELLER. 
    
  Dusk is a little under two hours away, although the 
  storm-clouds overhead mean the skies will be fully 
  dark before then. The PCs may use that time to make 
  further preparations, such as casting spells, purchasing 
  equipment, or attempting to find out more about the 
  person who is hiring them. Bear in mind that the 
  storm and the relatively late hour of the day mean that 
  few businesses are open, and acquiring specialty items 
  may be difficult. 
  Initial Inquiries. 
  If the PCs wish, they can make some initial inquiries to 
  find out more about Radic. There isn’t much time to 
  gather information before dusk, so the PC’s won’t learn 
  much at this stage of the game. 
   
  Bardic Knowledge: Although Radic has kept a low 
  profile to date, and is not one of the truly notable 
  people in town, his business in books sometimes 
  piques a bard’s interest. A successful check [DC 10] 
  reveals that Radic is a known bookseller, but 
  certainly not one of the better ones. A successful 
  check at [DC 20] reveals that he tends to sell books 
  on history, and magical and natural philosophy, but 
  his stock is considered low grade. 
  Knowledge (Local, VTF):  A successful check [DC 
  15] reveals that Radic is indeed a bookseller, and 
  confirms the location of his shop. A successful 
  check [DC 20] reveals that he only set up shop five 
  or six years ago, and was not in town before that 
  point. 
  Knowledge (Local, VTF) – Archons: If any of the 
  PCs are members of the Archons they may make a 
  further check [DC 20] (or an untrained Intelligence 
  check if they do not have the Knowledge skill) to 
  remember that Radic became a member of the 
  Archons three or four years ago, as a diviner. He 
  does not participate extensively, but spends time 
  quietly in the libraries. 
  Divination: Scrying spells directed against Radic 
  will be detected by his magical defenses (see the 
  section on “Radic’s Magical Precautions” below), 
  and 
  quickly 
  shut 
  down. 
  Other 
  predictive 
  divinations function normally, although they won’t 
  provide much information at this point, since the 
  PCs don’t know what to ask. 
  Gather Information: Since the meeting with Radic 
  is less than 2 hours away, there is no time to use 
  this skill, which takes 1d4+1 hours. 
  Little else can be learned in the short time before the 
  scheduled meeting. 
  Encounter 1: Radic the Sage. 
  Running the interaction between the PCs and Radic is 
  one of the trickiest parts of the adventure. Normally, 
  when the PCs meet their “boss” at the beginning of a 
  scenario, the players are inclined to take what is said at 
  face value, in order to get to the actual adventure as 
  quickly as possible, and minimize the amount of 
  precious playing time and in-game resources spent on 
  the introduction. 
  In this case, however, the “boss” is one of the enemy, 
  and the players need a fair chance to realize this. Your 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 7 
  goal, as DM, is to present a plausible job offer from a 
  villain who is doing his best to seem like a good 
  person, at the same time as you plant seeds of doubt, 
  due to inadequacies in his performance.  
  Radic’s cover has several weak points which you can 
  use to plant suspicions: 
  • He cannot reveal the questions he wants to ask the 
  Oracle, and he doesn’t really have a good reason 
  why. 
  • He insists upon secrecy, and only for personal 
  reasons, which is suspicious in itself. 
  • He takes careful precautions, which suggest he’s 
  protecting himself from something. 
  • He is a foreign immigrant, with no known 
  background, and no trusted local references. 
  • He has no adequate explanation for his source of 
  funds to hire miners and an adventuring party 
  • His manner is, superficially, friendly and cordial, 
  but there’s something cruel and fanatical under 
  the surface. 
  Putting all this into play without making it patently 
  obvious is not easy! 
  The players do not need to realize what is going on in 
  order to have an enjoyable time, and the story works 
  whether or not the PCs recognize the deception. (The 
  adventure becomes quite dramatic indeed, when the 
  betrayal is discovered hundreds of feet underground in 
  the lair of the beast!) But the PCs should not be 
  railroaded into the adventure without any chance to 
  detect the deception, and influence their own fate. 
   
  Radic Ranladsson. 
  Radic is a 47 year old human male, originally from the 
  City of Greyhawk, who now resides in Lopolla. He is of 
  medium height (5’7”) and wiry build. His pale gray eyes 
  are set in a lined angular face, with a prominent nose, 
  and a sparse beard on the point of his chin. What 
  remains of his dark blonde hair is cut short, and shot 
  with gray. His features and complexion are not 
  Baklunish, and it is evident that he traces his ancestry 
  to Oeridian roots. His statistics are described in 
  Appendix 1. 
  Radic is not a friendly and outgoing person by nature. 
  His personality tends to be secretive, and his natural 
  inclination is to treat other people with suspicion, and 
  deal with them briefly, formally,  and, indeed, in an 
  almost hostile fashion. However, this has not helped 
  him attain his goals of information gathering, and over 
  the years he has trained himself to appear more 
  friendly, approachable, and persuasive, in order to get 
  the information he needs from people he would 
  otherwise ignore. (In game terms, this is represented 
  by his selection of feats such as Charlatan, Negotiator, 
  Persuasive, and Trustworthy, and by skill points spent 
  on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Gather Information.)  This 
  artificial public personality allows him to do reasonably 
  well 
  in 
  interpersonal 
  relationships, 
  when 
  he 
  concentrates on it, but not as well as someone like a 
  bard with a true gift for the interpersonal arts. 
   
  Radic’s Magical Precautions. 
  Radic is well aware that he is in great danger if the PCs 
  (or other interested parties) manage to see through his 
  deception, and he has taken several magical 
  precautions to reduce the chance of being exposed by 
  magical spying. 
  His first action in every day is to cast detect scrying, 
  which lasts 24 hours, and will alert him to any attempts 
  to scry upon him. Radic has a chance to trace the 
  scrying back to the source and determine who is 
  watching him. He will immediately use dispel magic to 
  remove any magical sensor which is being used to 
  observe him. 
  Once he has had the messages delivered to the PCs, 
  Radic casts a pair of alarm spells (mental ping) on the 
  front and back of his premises. He follows this with 
  misdirection and nondetection, both of which last 7 
  hours. The nondetection spell prevents any detection 
  spells (detect evil, detect thoughts, detect magic, etc.) 
  and most scrying spells from  functioning on him, 
  unless the PC succeeds at a caster level check [DC 22]. 
  If the PC manages to succeed, and their spell is one of 
  those that reveals auras (detect evil, detect magic, 
  discern lies, etc.) they will have to make a further Will 
  save [DC 14], or the misdirection spell will reveal the 
  aura of the floorboards instead. The floorboards are 
  neutral, non-magical, and not lying. (It is best if you 
  can resolve these rolls secretly and discretely, so as not 
  to alert the players unless the PCs actually notice 
  something.) 
  When the PCs arrive for the meeting, Radic casts see 
  invisibility (70 min), tongues (70 min), protection from 
  law (7 min), and detect magic (max 7 min) before going 
  to the door. He scrutinizes the party through the 
  grating in the door, looking for any hidden surprises, 
  and only then will he admit them to his shop. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 8 
  These precautions consume most of the Radic’s spell 
  slots, and leave little for offense or defense. 
  Nonetheless, he feels this is his best strategy since he 
  has very few combat spells to begin with, and can easily 
  be overwhelmed by a party of five or six determined 
  adventurers, even if he stands and fights.  
   
  Radic’s Shop. 
  Radic’s shop is a rather small facility, set up in the 
  ground floor of a two story brick and plaster dwelling 
  in one of the mid-grade commercial areas of Lopolla. 
  The shop is in a cul-de-sac, rather than a well-trafficked 
  route, and its appearance is somewhat shabby. The 
  basic layout of Radic’s shop, and the surrounding 
  buildings, is shown on Map #1. 
  Street plan: Radic’s building is located near the end of 
  a cul-de sac, and is flanked by a carpenter’s workshop 
  on one side, and the rear of a rich merchant’s 
  warehouse on the other. The building has a nearly flat 
  tiled roof, and two chimneys. There are no alleys on 
  either side of his premises, since the building butts up 
  against the adjacent structures. The front door is made 
  of sturdy timber with iron strapping, and is currently 
  barred (DC 25 break, hardness 6, hp 30). There is a back 
  door of similar make on the rear of the building, 
  exiting into a narrow alley running east and west 
  behind the shop. 
  Room #1: The Public Shop. This low ceilinged (7’), 
  cramped, and stuffy room contains the merchandise 
  Radic keeps for sale. A quick glance shows that it’s not 
  kept particularly clean or organised. Radic uses the 
  bookshop as an explanation for his presence in Lopolla, 
  rather than as a true means to support himself, since it 
  provides an excuse to explore library shelves, and rifle 
  through the stock of other book-traders. 
  The works here are of limited value, and are stored 
  haphazardly on a variety of cheap mismatched wooden 
  shelves. A quick glance shows a variety of traditional 
  works by a variety of unremarkable authors, none of 
  which have any great value. Blank notebooks, unbound 
  paper and parchment, and various writing supplies 
  make up the rest of the wares. 
  The room has a single window, which is shuttered and 
  locked, and a single door leading into the next room. 
  There is a plain bronze lamp standing on a desk in one 
  corner of the room, full, but unlit, and the room is 
  currently quite dark. 
  Room #2: Radic’s Library. This low (7’) room contains 
  the bulk of Radic’s research material, which is spread 
  in bewildering confusion across a range of shelves and 
  a series of tables, stacked on the floor, and piled where 
  it’s stable. The books are in all shapes, sizes, and states 
  of repair; small and thick, or large and thin; bound with 
  leather, or bound with string; feathered with 
  bookmarks, or lying open to the air. His work is lying 
  everywhere, and the candles’ soot stains on the ceiling 
  prove he finds it difficult to remove himself from his 
  work, no matter how late he burns the midnight oil. 
  Radic’s personal library includes works on a 
  bewildering variety of subjects; old histories of the 
  lands that became Ket and surrounding countries; 
  books of creation from no less than seventeen different 
  religions; texts that are translations of translations of 
  summaries of long lost studies; tomes on divinations; 
  tomes on spells of opening and summoning; obsolete 
  atlases, and ancient gazetteers; wildly speculative 
  accounts of religions, pantheons, and rites of minor 
  tribes; six different calendrical systems; treatises on 
  natural and magical philosophy (many of them now 
  considered obsolete, and inaccurate); tables of 
  astronomical observations; and more beside. Some of 
  the books have extensive marginalia, and others are in 
  nearly pristine condition. While some are authoritative 
  titles, many are commonly acknowledged to be 
  inaccurate, or even almost fictional. 
  Radic also has an extensive collection of primary 
  source documents, like old diaries, bundles of letters, 
  centuries-old ledgers of defunct trading companies, 
  and collections of papers, receipts, and vouchers from 
  long-forgotten minor noble houses that once had an 
  interest in this region. 
  Other than the books, the room also contains a small 
  fireplace, the wooden stair leading up to the second 
  floor, and a single sturdy wooden door, which is 
  actually carefully unlocked and unlatched, and leads 
  out to the back alley. There is also a single window, 
  currently shuttered and locked (DC 20 break, hardness 
  5, hp 12). Radic has cleared his desk, pulled four extra 
  chairs into the room, spread a map of Ket on a low table 
  in front of the chairs, and placed four lit triple-wicked 
  lamps around the room to provide a bit of light for his 
  visitors. 
  Room #3: The Kitchen. The stair leads up to Radic’s 
  kitchen, which contains all the gear one would expect 
  for its task. There is a modest brick stove and hearth, a 
  table for preparing food, cabinets to store cutlery and 
  utensils, and a mundane selection of foodstuffs. The 
  room is in mild domestic disarray, but is otherwise 
  unremarkable. There are two shuttered windows 
  (barred) in the back wall, and a single door leading to 
  the bedchamber. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 9 
  Room #4: Radic’s Bedchamber. Again, there is 
  nothing remarkable in this chamber, which is wholly 
  utilitarian. It contains a bed, some clothes presses, a 
  worn rug, and a comfortable chair, as well as typical 
  ablutionary amenities (chamber pot et. al.) and a small 
  fireplace. A single window (shuttered and locked) 
  looks onto the street, and another door leads into the 
  next room. 
  Room #5: Scrying Chamber and Study. This was 
  once another bedchamber, but Radic uses it as his 
  study and scrying chamber, and has nailed the 
  shuttered window closed for additional security. A 
  locked iron-bound lead-lined casket, carefully stowed 
  inside a locked desk drawer, contains Radic’s crystal 
  ball. A large well-made scrying mirror hangs on one 
  wall, and a variety of augury devices, astrological 
  charts, and numerological tables are neatly stowed on a 
  shelf beside it.  
  Other shelves, on either side of Radic’s desk, contain 
  some of the books he has been using lately, and his 
  collected notes. Radic has bound his research notes 
  into eight thick books, and has five more boxes of loose 
  notes awaiting similar treatment. The notes are written 
  in draconic, in a very complex, cryptic, and abbreviated 
  fashion, with each entry heavily cross-referenced with 
  other entries and texts. The notes seem to cover 
  numerous tiny, almost trivial, mundane details, of 
  minor people and insignificant events, spread over a 
  period of at least 1500 years. It would be a multi-week 
  full-time project to make sense of Radic’s researches, 
  and derive any conclusions from them. 
  Radic has not written any of his conclusions down in a 
  convenient document that gloats about his discoveries. 
  Instead, he has committed all of them to memory. No 
  matter how long the PCs search, they will not find any 
  revelations in the short time they have available in this 
  adventure. 
   
  The Meeting Itself. 
  Now that you’re familiar with Radic’s situation, let’s 
  move on to the meeting. PCs who show up early will 
  find a “closed” sign on the wall, and Radic will not 
  respond to any knocks at the door before the proper 
  time. 
  The stormy autumn winds continue to blow your 
  cloaks around you, but the cold rain has mostly 
  stopped by the time you find the narrow two-story 
  shop of Radic Ranladsson. The plain brick building 
  stands near the far end of a cul-de-sac, jammed 
  between the closed and shuttered front of a 
  carpenter’s workshop, and the blank back wall of a 
  rich man’s warehouse. 
  A single lit lantern hangs over the sturdy door of 
  Radic’s shop, swinging erratically in the blustering 
  wind, and illuminating wet leaves as they are 
  driven in aimless circles across the slick wet 
  pavement at the end of the alley. A peeling wooden 
  sign fastened to the bare wall under the lamp reads: 
  “Radic Ranladsson: Books”. 
  The door to Radic’s shop is made of sturdy timber with 
  iron strapping, and is currently barred. (DC 25 break, 
  hardness 6, hp 30.) When the PCs announce 
  themselves, Radic casts his spells, opens a small grating 
  in the door, and examines the PCs through it, looking 
  for signs of magic or hidden assailants. 
  After a minute’s wait a narrow hatch slides open in 
  the center of the door, revealing a wrought iron 
  grating, and two cold gray eyes that examine you 
  through the gaps between the bars. 
  “Name yourselves, please” says the owner of the 
  eyes, watching you carefully. 
  Assuming the PCs do so, and there are no hidden 
  surprises, Radic continues. 
  “Thank you for coming,” says the man behind the 
  door. “Before I admit you to my shop, I must ask 
  you all to refrain from the use of magic, or from 
  drawing 
  any 
  weapons, 
  while 
  inside. 
  I’m 
  unaccustomed to violence, and such things make 
  me nervous.” The emotionless gray eyes gauge your 
  reaction. “Can we agree on this?” 
  This insistence on no weapons, in spite of Lopolla’s 
  existing no weapons policy, may raise an eyebrow or 
  two. If Radic has noted any spells in operation on the 
  PCs, and judges them to be divinatory in nature, he 
  will ask them to be turned off. 
  “I must also ask you to allow your divinations to 
  lapse. I value my privacy as a matter of principle, 
  and I have trade secrets to protect, you understand.” 
  He will also object to enchantments and illusions, and 
  certainly won’t open up if he notices invisible people 
  lurking around. Otherwise, he will thank the PCs for 
  humoring his requests, and unbar and unbolt the door 
  to admit them. 
  The heavy door swings a third of the way open, and 
  a slender stoop-shouldered man of medium height 
  steps into the gap. He looks up and down the street 
  carefully, while the gusts of wind tug at his simple 
  gray robe, and the yellow light of the swaying 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 10 
  lantern casts moving shadows on his lean angular 
  face. 
  “I am Radic Ranladsson,” he says, turning back to 
  you and tugging thoughtfully on the sparse blonde 
  beard on the point of his chin. He nods, as if 
  coming to a decision, and smiles for the first time. 
  “Please, come in and be welcome in my shop.” 
  Radic keeps the door held mostly shut, and watches 
  the opening carefully as the PCs come in. This direct 
  observation of an illuminated area without cover 
  makes hide checks impossible, unless bluffs are made 
  or other means are employed. 
  Once everyone is inside, he carefully re-locks and re-
  bars the door, and escorts the PCs into his library in 
  the back room. 
  “Please, follow me,” says Radic, leading you through 
  the small unlit shop, with its dimly visible dusty 
  shelves of books, and into a warm candlelit room 
  filled with an astonishing chaos of written material. 
  “This is my library,” he says, waving his hand 
  towards the bewildering confusion of books, tomes, 
  and ledgers, which is leavened with bundles of 
  letters, sheaves of loose documents, and occasional 
  scrolls. The material is stowed on shelves, piled on 
  tables, and stacked on the floor, wherever it’s stable. 
  Inkwells and fresh parchment rest on the single 
  desk, and the lamps’ soot stains on the low ceiling 
  prove that Radic finds it difficult to remove himself 
  from his work, no matter how late he burns the 
  midnight oil. 
  “You may sit there, if you wish,” he continues, 
  gesturing to a group of four [or five or six] 
  mismatched chairs placed around a single low table, 
  which contains a map of Ket. “I think the map may 
  be helpful in a few minutes.” 
  Once the PCs have seated themselves, Radic takes a 
  position standing behind his desk. (This gives him a 
  direct line of escape to the unlatched door, should he 
  need it, while putting at least one obstacle between the 
  PCs and himself.) He then launches into his pitch. 
  “I will now tell you about the journey I wish you to 
  make, “ says Radic, picking up a sheet of jotted 
  notes from his desk.  
  “I am not from Ket,” he continues, smiling briefly 
  as he gestures at his pale face, thinning blonde hair, 
  and cold gray eyes. “I was actually born in the City 
  of Greyhawk. But I am a historian, and I am 
  studying the history of what is now called Ket, and 
  that is why I have come here.” 
  “My name isn’t well known yet. But it will be. I will 
  bring to light things from the past that are truly 
  amazing. I will be the one to write the learned 
  tomes,” he says, pale eyes gleaming, “and when my 
  work is complete, my learned colleagues will be 
  unanimous in their praise.” 
  “But old books and papers aren’t enough for that. I 
  need a way to ask questions that books can’t answer. 
  And,” he says, tapping the paper in his hand, “I 
  think I’ve found a way to do it. I’m prepared to tell 
  you how, and hire you to help me, but you must 
  swear to complete and absolute secrecy until my 
  work is published for the world to see.” 
  Radic will allow them to attach caveats and conditions 
  if they wish (“I’ll have to talk if it’s evil / dangerous / 
  immoral. etc.”), since he doesn’t expect them to survive 
  to talk about it anyway. If they refuse categorically, 
  he’ll ask them all to leave – end of adventure. 
  Assuming the PCs eventually agree, he’ll continue. 
  “Did you know there was once an oracle in what is 
  now Ket?” 
  “No?” 
  “Well,” he shrugs, “neither did I. But I found a hint 
  in a book here, and a clue in a letter there, and now 
  I think that there once was an oracle in Ket, and it 
  somehow ceased working, or got forgotten around 
  the time of the twin catastrophes.” [The Invoked 
  Devastation, and The Rain of Colorless Fire.] 
  “Now, just imagine,” Radic says eagerly, “if it still 
  works! I’ve found references to it that are hundreds 
  of years apart. That means the oracle lasted a long 
  time back then. And that means it might still be 
  able to answer questions now. And that,” he says, 
  his voice rising strongly, “means knowledge and 
  insight that nobody else has, if only I have the 
  courage to reach for it.” 
  “So I sent prospectors into the mountains, to look 
  where my research said it should be, and they 
  found old tunnels in the right places. So I sent a 
  mining crew, and they cleaned out the tunnels, and 
  found ancient passages going further.” 
  “And now,” he nods, “I want to send you, to see if 
  the oracle is still there, in its ancient passages, and 
  ask it my questions about things that once were.” 
  With that, Radic folds his arms in smug satisfaction, 
  awaiting the questions that are sure to follow. In 
  particular, he expects to be asked about the questions 
  he wants the PCs to ask the Oracle. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 11 
  “I have them here,” says Radic, reaching into his 
  desk and removing an elaborately sealed copper 
  scroll tube. “They are to be kept completely 
  confidential, at all times. I will not have any of my 
  colleagues finding out the direction of my 
  researches before I am ready. Nobody will beat me 
  to the punch! Nobody will publish before me!” 
  “In fact, I don’t want you to open the tube at all, 
  unless you have found the oracle, and can ask it 
  questions. I will not pay you any extra money,” 
  Radic says firmly, emphasizing his words with 
  shakes of the scroll tube, “if you return without 
  answers, and the seals are broken.” 
  In addition to the physical seals, there are also a series 
  of secret page and magic mouth spells cast on the scroll 
  inside the tube. If Radic opens the tube, and someone 
  has already looked inside, a mouth will say “The 
  questions have already been read, master.” If nobody 
  looked inside the tube, a different mouth says “The 
  scroll is undisturbed, master.” The copper scroll tube is 
  lined with lead foil, in order to prevent detection spells 
  from noticing the magical auras inside the tube. 
  Other questions that Radic can answer include: 
  Q: What is the Oracle?  
  A: He doesn’t know. None of his sources describe it. 
  (True) 
  Q: Where is the Oracle? 
  A: The ancient passages are located in the mountains 
  on the north-west border of Ket. Radic describes the 
  general region of the map, and will mark it exactly if 
  the PCs accept the undertaking. 
  Q: Who’s in charge of the ancient passages now? 
  A: His mining chief is a man named Mossul. He will 
  give the PCs signet rings that Mossul will recognize, to 
  prove who they are. 
  Q: Why does he need adventurers to simply ask 
  questions? Can’t Mossul do it? 
  A: Radic doesn’t know if the ancient passages are 
  dangerous or not, and wants to make sure the 
  expedition is successful (true) without risking 
  noncombatants like Mossul and his men (false). 
  Q: What are the ancient passages like? 
  A: He thinks they’re probably like mining tunnels, but 
  he doesn’t know because he won’t send the men in. 
  (False. He actually knows it’s a sheer shaft straight 
  down, and the miners refuse to descend.) 
  Q: Is there anything dangerous in the tunnels? 
  A: Not that they’ve seen yet. (True) 
   
  Q: How much will he pay? 
  A: Radic will pay each person 150 gp in advance at APL 
  6, 200 gp at APL 8, 250 gp at APL 10, and 300 gp at APL 
  12. He promises to pay the same again when they 
  return from the Oracle with a detailed description and 
  news of its condition, and the same yet again if they 
  bring back the answers to his questions. 
  Q: What if the Oracle demands payment? 
  A: He’ll cover the costs. 
  Q: Will he travel with them? 
  A: Certainly not! He’s not suited for adventuring (true) 
  and fears he would only hinder the party. (Somewhat 
  true – but he really fears being found out for what he 
  is, or being sacrificed to the Oracle.) 
  Q: How did you find us? 
  A: Your names are known, your reputation precedes 
  you, the innkeeper said you looked like you needed 
  work, etc. (True.) 
  Q: Could we look through your amazing library before 
  we go? 
  A: No. Perhaps after he publishes, but not now. 
  Once the PCs have finished asking questions (and 
  assuming they have accepted the mission), Radic 
  makes sure they have the scroll tube, the signet rings 
  (one each) to show to Mossul, their initial payment, 
  and the marked map showing the location of the 
  mining tunnels that lead to the Oracle. 
  He will then usher them out politely, but quickly, 
  since he wants to get them away from him as quickly as 
  possible. He will remain in Lopolla for the night, but 
  flee the city the following morning, once the gates are 
  open. 
   
  If things get hostile. 
  If the PCs get suspicious, and actually act on their 
  suspicions, then Radic is in trouble. If he has time, he 
  will try and dissuade the PCs from doing whatever 
  they’re starting to do. (“You are not to cast spells in my 
  home!”, etc.) If this doesn’t work, then his sole course 
  of action is to try and get off a spell and bolt for the 
  door. 
  The back door to the house is currently unlocked and 
  unlatched, although it appears to be closed normally. A 
  person can thus run through the doorway, bashing the 
  door aside as they go through (rather like an overrun or 
  bull rush), without having to stop and open the door. 
  This costs an extra 5 feet of movement, rather than a 
  standard action. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 12 
  Radic will try and drop a solid fog on the party, if he 
  has a chance, in order to block off pursuit, and then use 
  his invisibility and change self spells to help break 
  contact. He has no intention of entering combat, since 
  he is fully aware that he has no hope of defeating an 
  adventuring party. 
  Do not make a long drawn-out chase scene out of this. 
  The adventure doesn’t have time for that. The PCs will 
  either catch up with him fairly quickly, or Radic will 
  manage to round a corner and get to an intersection, 
  where he can change course unobserved, and make his 
  escape. 
   
  Having Captured Radic. 
  If the PCs have managed to capture Radic, they have 
  the opportunity to interrogate him, and examine his 
  collection of research resources. 
  Radic will, initially, try and talk the PCs into letting 
  him go. 
  “Release me at once you fools! I am a member of 
  the Archons, not some petty wandering wizard! 
  How dare you treat me like this!” 
  But the shouting and bluster isn’t likely to last long. 
  His tone soon changes. 
  “You know you won’t get away with this. If you’re 
  lucky the Threshers will heave you into the mines 
  for kidnapping. Otherwise they’ll have your heads. 
  You won’t make it out of Lopolla unless you release 
  me now!” 
  Radic will continue to maintain he’s just a historian, 
  even under Intimidation, mild abuse, and threats to 
  call the authorities. (Make hidden die rolls, and the lie 
  about the results if need be.) However, if the PCs read 
  the scroll of questions, they have all the evidence they 
  need to prove Radic’s up to no good. Radic shuts up the 
  moment this happens, and maintains a sullen silence 
  thereafter. This is your cue to stop role-playing this 
  encounter, and to segue into interactions with the 
  authorities. 
  Once again, you don’t have time to make a big event of 
  these activities. Instead, simply find out two things. 
  First, does the party intend to hand over Radic to the 
  authorities? Second, and most importantly, do they 
  intend to tell the authorities about the question scroll? 
  If the answer is yes, then you can abbreviate the next 
  few days in the next few minutes. 
  Handing Radic over to the authorities, two cold wet 
  nights ago, has lead you from one grim guardroom 
  to the next, across the bulk of Lopolla, giving 
  explanation after explanation to a series of 
  ignorant, suspicious, fanatical, zealots, whose sole 
  purpose has to be the obstruction of any immediate 
  effective action. 
  There’s been no sign of Radic since some cold-
  featured expressionless Archons took him away 
  before dawn yesterday morning, along with the 
  copper scroll-tube of questions he asked you to 
  carry. Now, that same tube lies on the desk before 
  you, in front of the corpulent figure of Shahaf al 
  Fashar, chief enforcer of the Archons. His 
  reception 
  chamber 
  is 
  warm, 
  opulent, 
  and 
  welcoming, but his tiny brown eyes are cold, cruel, 
  and merciless. 
  “Al’Akbar has favored you all,” he says, in a gentle 
  voice, “and, therefore, so shall I.” 
  “Radic’s questions disturb us. We wish to know the 
  answers he sought, and we wish to know what 
  manner of device or being this oracle may be, 
  should it still survive.” 
  “The Archons are assembling an expedition to 
  answer these questions. As a favor to you, I will 
  cancel this expedition, if you wish, and allow you to 
  go in its place.” 
  “Pray, grant me your answer.” 
  If the PCs have the temerity to ask questions, Shahaf al 
  Fashar can give the following information. 
  • 
  Radic’s motives and affiliation are not for 
  discussion at this time. 
  • 
  Radic had no further information about the 
  Oracle, save that it is down a deep shaft, and 
  was reputed to consume souls. 
  • 
  They need not try to preserve the oracle, if 
  they judge it to be harmful. 
  • 
  The PCs will be paid the same amount of 
  money as Radic offered. (150 gp in advance at 
  APL6, 200 gp at APL8, 250 gp at APL 10, and 
  300 gp at APL 12; the same again when they 
  return from the Oracle; and the same yet 
  again if they bring back the answers to the 
  questions.) Note that any money they’ve 
  already received from Radic has been 
  confiscated, as criminal proceeds. 
   
  If the PCs accept (and they’re unlikely to refuse), they 
  are dismissed to get underway. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 13 
  “Your request is granted,” says Shahaf al Fashar, 
  gesturing for you to take the scroll tube. “May 
  Al’Akbar watch over you as you leave to prepare.” 
  He turns away from you, grunting with the effort of 
  twisting his massive body, and, with a negligent 
  flick of his fingers, opens a door for you to leave, 
  and dims the lamps around his desk. As your feet 
  cross the lush softness of the fine carpet near the 
  door, the gentle heartless voice speaks out of the 
  darkness 
  “I hope it won’t be necessary to remind you that the 
  questions you carry are to be kept… quiet..?” 
  The PCs are given the necessary maps and signet rings 
  by servants as they leave, if they do not currently have 
  them. 
   
  Potential Problems. 
  In order for the storyline to function effectively, the 
  PCs either need 1) the map and the questions, or 2) 
  Radic himself. 
  If Radic got away with the documentation, your best 
  course of action is to direct the PCs towards some of 
  Radic’s recent notes, kept in his locked desk drawer, 
  which indicate he has been spying on some Mullahs 
  and merchants with his crystal ball. If the PCs take this 
  information to the authorities they will actually get a 
  fairly quick response from the angry clergy. The PCs 
  will be politely “segregated” from society, a hunt will 
  be initiated, and Radic will be captured within two 
  days. You can then proceed with the offer of 
  employment from the Archons. 
  The PCs may also develop intermediate courses of 
  action, such as catching Radic, dumping him at a guard 
  post, and taking off for the mountains. If so, there’s no 
  need to prevent them from succeeding. The only thing 
  that won’t work is turning down the Archons, and then 
  trying to find the Oracle anyway. If that happens the 
  PCs find a heavily armed group of Archons, Threshers, 
  and soldiers camped out at the entrance to the mine. 
  The PCs are refused admittance, and the adventure 
  ends at that point. 
   
  Further PC Investigations. 
  The PCs may try to find out more about Radic or the 
  Oracle after the meeting, through magical or mundane 
  means.  
  Magical Means: 
  Attempts to scry the Oracle (scrying, clairvoyance, 
  crystal ball, etc.) will fail, due to the lack of information 
  about the Oracle, and the magical protections which 
  surround its chamber. The PCs will feel their scrying 
  being blocked, and will get brief flickering views of a 
  dimly lit and smoothly curved rock wall, but will be 
  unable to gather any other information, because the 
  contact is too brief. 
  Scrying against Radic may be foiled by his defensive 
  spells, as detailed in the “Magical Precautions” section 
  above. Radic will recast those spells the  morning after 
  he meets the PCs, assuming he has his spell-book, and 
  is free to do so, in case they attempt to scry him before 
  they set out for the mountains. However, he has no 
  real defenses against divination magic that consults 
  divine or extra planar sources, and these may be able to 
  provide useful information. 
  Use of augury will often be disappointing, simply 
  because of its short time of effect. For example, if the 
  PCs use augury to decide whether it would be a good or 
  bad idea to accept the sage’s job, the spell will simply 
  provide the “Nothing” answer, because the dangerous 
  consequences of accepting the job happen well beyond 
  the half hour predictive ability of the spell. However, a 
  question such as “Woe or weal if we capture the sage 
  and immediately turn him over to the authorities?” 
  would provide the answer “Weal”, since the 
  consequences fall within the spell’s view. 
  Commune, contact other plane, and divination spells 
  can provide some useful information about the Oracle, 
  although chances of success are halved due to the 
  magical protections around the Oracle’s cavern. The 
  spells can reveal that the Oracle is evil, still active, 
  quite dangerous, and located in underground waters. 
  However, Vecna, evil god of secrets, would prefer that 
  this evil secret remain secret, and little other 
  information is forthcoming. 
  Radic is essentially an open book to these spells, which 
  can reveal that he is evil, intending to betray the party, 
  and searching for sources of ancient knowledge that 
  can speak of ancient evils. They can also reveal that he 
  is part of a cabal, all seeking that same end, although 
  details of the cabal remain hidden. 
  Casting legend lore about the Oracle takes far too long 
  (2d6 weeks) to be useful, since the PCs have only the 
  vaguest information about the Oracle before they leave 
  Lopolla. Legend lore will not work on Radic either, 
  since he is not in any way legendary or important. 
  Mundane Means: 
  Mundane means of information gathering provide 
  nothing about the Oracle. It was somewhat of a 
  specialist secret, even in its day, and it never made the 
  transition to song and story. Knowledge DCs (arcana 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 14 
  and history) start around 65 for the most basic 
  information about the Oracle, such as the fact that it 
  exists. Extensive research (such as the 6 years Radic 
  invested in the subject) would drop the DC to 
  accessible levels. 
  Gathering Information about Radic, however, is more 
  productive. A generic Gather Information check 
  [DC15] tells the PC that: 
  • Radic has been in Lopolla for about 6 years. 
  • Nobody is certain where he came from. 
  • He has no relatives or acquaintances in town. 
  • He has a polite, distant personality. 
  • His shop is not very busy. 
   
  If the PC states he will concentrate his efforts among 
  other booksellers, a Gather Information check [DC 12] 
  also reveals that: 
  • Radic’s bookstore doesn’t seem to encourage 
  business. 
  • His hours are erratic, and the shop is often closed 
  for a week or more. 
  • Radic’s selection is mundane lightweight works, 
  acknowledged to be of low value.  
  • Radic buys a fair amount of old travel accounts, 
  personal correspondence, journals, and obsolete 
  papers from hundreds of years ago. 
   
  Similarly, if information is being gathered at the 
  Archons, by a PC who is a member of the Archons, 
  then a Gather Information check [DC 12] also reveals 
  that: 
  • Radic joined the Archons four years ago,  paying 
  his dues and obeying the strictures of the order 
  (i.e., he paid his money and joined the meta-org). 
  • Radic is a diviner. 
  • Radic has been very private, and is not an active 
  participant in Archon business. 
  • Radic has made repeated use of library and archive 
  facilities available to members of the Archons. 
   
  (The lower DCs indicate that by cleverly specializing 
  their search, the PCs increase their chances of getting 
  good information.) 
  All APLs 
  �Radic; Wiz7/Exp3; hp 23; See Appendix 1. 
  Encounter 2: Into the 
  Mountain. 
  The Oracle’s cave lies four days hard ride north north-
  east of Lopolla, in the Yatil Mountains. The journey is 
  uneventful, and the PCs arrive unmolested on the 
  morning of the fifth day. 
  The golden morning sunlight illuminates the last 
  yellow leaves on the small trees in the valley below 
  you, as your horses pick their way across the frosty 
  ground of a faint mining trail that leads higher into 
  the mountains. Autumn is tightening its grasp on 
  the Yatils, and patches of early snow lie in the 
  shadow of boulders here and there. The low peaks 
  around you are already mantled in fresh white 
  snowfalls, and the higher passes, deeper in the 
  mountains, are sure to be filled with snow. 
  Lopolla is four days behind you, far to the south 
  south-west, and your rapid, unmolested progress 
  has been gratifying. Perhaps the bandits and 
  humanoids that are said to infest this region have 
  more urgent things to do on the eve of winter, than 
  indulge in risky attacks on infrequent travelers. 
  Ahead, you can see seven large gray canvas tents, 
  perched on a rocky ledge in the cool morning 
  sunlight. Smoke from a nearby cooking fire rises 
  straight up into the crisp air, and the sound of a 
  man chopping kindling echoes across the valley. A 
  large heap of fresh tailings lies fifty yards to the 
  right of the tents, and a dark opening in the 
  mountainside above suggests that this is the mining 
  camp Radic sent you looking for. 
   
  The Mining Crew. 
  This is, indeed, the camp that contains Radic’s mining 
  crew. As the PCs approach, the fourteen miners gather 
  to meet them. They are a ragged scruffy lot, unwashed, 
  untrimmed, and uncouth. Fortune has never favoured 
  them. They are a hard-luck crew, perpetually poor, and 
  desperately looking for a good mine, which is why 
  Radic was able to hire them so late in the season. Their 
  leader, a tall bald-headed man named Mossul (moss-
  SOOL), is actually quite competent and conscientious, 
  as is his assistant Falassin. The remainder of the miners 
  are an assortment of the ignorant and the incompetent. 
  �Mossul: Male human, Exp5, LG, age 43. 
  �Falassin: Male human, Exp3, NG, age 38. 
  Mossul greets the PCs when they arrive, and 
  determines whether they came from Radic. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 15 
  “Greetings travelers”, says the tallest of the miners, 
  a slender bald man with a prodigious black beard, 
  and a pendulous lower lip. “My name is Mossul. 
  Have you, by chance, been sent from Lopolla by 
  Radic Ranladsson?” 
  If the PCs say yes, and show the signet rings Radic gave 
  them, Mossul asks the question that all the miners are 
  anxious to have answered. 
  “Then, perhaps, you can explain to us his reasons 
  for sending us here on a quest for silver, where 
  there was never any silver to be found!” 
  Radic’s story to the miners was that he had found an 
  old 
  silver 
  mine which had been abandoned 
  prematurely, and that he was going to re-open the 
  mine. The miners were glad to sign on to such a 
  project, since it would traditionally mean that they 
  would be retained to mine the silver after the tunnels 
  were re-opened and put in order. This is obviously not 
  going to happen now, since this is not a mine, and the 
  frustrated miners realize their chance for a lucrative 
  future has vanished yet again. 
  “Come,” says Mossul, “words are not enough!” He 
  turns abruptly and begins striding towards the 
  tunnel entrance. “Come to the ‘mine’ and I will 
  show you what is there. You shall judge with your 
  own eyes!” 
  With that, Mossul leads the PCs into the mine, 
  grabbing a torch to light his way. 
  Radic’s Scrying: This is where the PCs begin to come 
  under Radic’s surveillance, if he is still at liberty. Radic 
  has been scrying on his miners using his crystal ball, 
  waiting for the PCs to show up. He informs other 
  members of the cabal when he detects the miners 
  speaking to the characters, and continues to keep the 
  miners under surveillance as they advance into the 
  tunnels. 
   
  The ‘Mine’. 
  The layout of the Oracle’s upper tunnels is not 
  provided in any detail. Since there is no potential 
  combat in the upper levels of the ‘mine’, there is no 
  need to map it out for the players, or to go into room-
  by-room descriptions. 
  The entrance to the mine is a wood-reinforced tunnel 
  mouth, five feet tall and four feet wide. 
  “Come,” says Mossul, “mind your head as you enter. 
  The tunnel is only five feet tall.” He hurries into 
  the darkness, hunching his tall body forward, his 
  torch-flame smoking against the fresh stone of the 
  rough-hewn ceiling. “The entrance had collapsed, 
  so we cleared it out, and then found our way into 
  the old tunnels.” 
  “You see? The walls and ceiling are covered in the 
  old marks of picks and hammers. Just like a mine! 
  “And here, these beams,” he calls back, kicking the 
  crumbling remains of some sort of pit-prop lying 
  on the floor, “are fine for a mine. Old, so we 
  replaced them, but fine!” 
  “And then, we come to this..” 
  Mossul stops, and holds his torch near the side of 
  the tunnel, so the smoky orange light shines on a 
  cunningly carved arrow-slit. The stone around the 
  slit is melted and glassy, as though the surface of 
  the rock was heated, and ran. 
  “There are eight more of these,” says Mossul. “These 
  are not normal for a mine…” 
  Mossul will go on to show them a series of destroyed 
  traps and shattered stone doors, some empty rooms 
  (old barracks), and some severely corroded fragments 
  of weapons and armor. There is evidence of magical 
  damage in several places throughout the facility, like 
  the fire damage around the arrow slits. Nothing of 
  value remains here, but it is readily evident that this 
  was once a properly laid out defensive facility, 
  guarding something deeper inside the mountain. The 
  entire complex is sized for humans, and the 
  construction seems to be in the human style. 
  Since no encounters happen here, you can quickly 
  move the PCs on to the next section of the ‘mine’. 
   
  The Lift Chamber. 
  The entire defensive complex culminates in a large 
  artificial chamber, roughly forty by eighty feet in size, 
  which holds the entrance to the shaft down to the 
  Oracle, and the capstan, pulleys, and rope rigging for 
  lowering people into the depths below. 
  “And this,” says Mossul, “is where it all ends.” 
  He steps into a long dark chamber, and his 
  torchlight plays on a complicated array of lifting 
  machinery and tackle that fills much of the space. A 
  heavy duty capstan, with a massive iron hub and 
  sturdy wooden bars, occupies the center of the 
  floor. To its left, yards and yards of wrist-thick 
  hawser are carefully coiled in a broad depression in 
  the stone floor. The sturdy cable passes around the 
  drum of the capstan, through a series of wooden 
  clamps and guides, and up over a heavy iron pulley 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 16 
  hanging from a thick ring-bolt in the stone ceiling. 
  There, in the shadows of the back of the chamber, 
  you can see the dark black opening of a wide shaft, 
  gaping like a hungry mouth in the floor of the 
  chamber. 
  “Now, visitors,” says Mossul, turning his dark eyes 
  back on you. “Tell us why Radic Ranladsson would 
  have us rebuild this chamber and its machinery. 
  Tell us why he would send a hundred and twenty 
  fathoms of best anchor cable into the mountains. 
  And tell us why he would have us go down into the 
  heart of the mountain, in stone which has never 
  seen silver.” 
  The PCs are unlikely to have honest answers which 
  will reassure the suspicious miners! 
  The Rope Lift: The machinery which fills much of the 
  chamber is a rope lift, designed to raise and lower 
  people and cargo within the shaft. The PCs may be 
  somewhat surprised by the good condition of the rope 
  lift and its associated machinery. Most of it is actually 
  quite new. 
  “This was all a wreck when we found it”, says 
  Mossul, tugging at his rough black beard and 
  looking around the chamber. “The wood was all 
  rotten, the rope was shreds of fibre, and even the 
  capstan hub had been knocked off its axle. If it 
  wasn’t good dwarven iron it would have been 
  useless too.” 
  The system originally used a sturdy cage at the end of 
  the main cable, in order to carry people safely and 
  easily, but this is missing. Mossul and his men have 
  replaced it with a “foot rope”, which is a series of loops 
  spaced roughly five feet apart on a central rope. Miners 
  use them by placing one foot in a loop, standing 
  upright, and holding on to the rope while they ride up 
  or down. This gives a safe and secure ride, as long as 
  the person on the foot rope doesn’t engage in any 
  violent activity. PCs with Profession (miner) may make 
  a check [DC10] to recognize the foot rope as a normal 
  mining tool. [These are historical reality, and were used 
  well into the 1800s in some eastern European mines.] 
  If the PCs want to modify the foot rope, or tie things to 
  it, Mossul and his men can do it safely for them. 
  However, they will strongly object to any suggestion 
  that the PCs tamper with the main cable in any way 
  (knotting it, tying things to it, splicing into it, getting it 
  dirty, or, gods forbid, cutting it). These things all 
  weaken a rope, and the main cable is an expensive and 
  valuable tool on which their life may depend some day. 
  The Shaft: Although the lifting apparatus is 
  technically interesting, the PCs will probably be most 
  interested in the shaft leading down into the depths. 
  The mouth of the shaft is a ten foot diameter circular 
  opening in the floor, surrounded by a single ring of 
  worn black marble flagstones inset into the rock. Many 
  of the flagstones are cracked or shattered, and some are 
  missing entirely. The walls of the shaft, below the ring 
  of broken flagstones, are dry and slightly rough, and 
  are carved from a fine-grained gray stone. PCs with any 
  sort of geological knowledge, such as dwarven PCs, or 
  those with mining professions, can tell that the walls of 
  the shaft are made of limestone, and were hewn by 
  hand tools.  
  There is no light in the shaft, except for what shines in 
  from above. If the PCs throw light sources into the 
  hole they can see them tumbling down for several 
  hundred feet, gradually getting smaller and smaller, 
  until they rapidly blur, fade out, and vanish shortly 
  after four seconds. (This is due to the presence of mist 
  at lower levels of the shaft. Visibility is completely 
  obscured by the 350 foot level.) A superb Listen check 
  [DC 30], made in conditions of absolute quiet, reveals 
  an extremely quiet rushing sound, perhaps like a very 
  faint wind sound, coming from below.  
  If the PCs take the time to examine the lip of the shaft, 
  they can notice that there are traces of draconic runes 
  on some of the black marble flagstones. Only a few 
  isolated letters are still legible, and there is not enough 
  information left to make out what they once said. If the 
  PCs manage to reconstruct the flagstones somehow 
  (mending, or make whole) they can discern the 
  draconic phrase “Knowledge is Power”, on the stones 
  which remain. PCs who can convince the stones to 
  speak (stone tell) can learn that many people went 
  down, but many fewer came up. 
  Scrying Downwards: Now that the PCs are in close 
  proximity to the Oracle’s chamber, they may be able to 
  make scrying spells work down the open shaft, despite 
  the dimensional barrier which surrounds the chamber 
  and interferes with scrying magic. 
  The various scrying and observation spells function 
  normally all the way down to the barrier, and the PCs 
  will be able to observe the layers of mist and the roiling 
  vortex of fog (described below) that are located above 
  the barrier, provided the magic can see in the dark. 
  They will not see any of the incorporeal foes that lurk 
  in the walls of the shaft, because those remain inactive 
  unless they notice the presence of intruders. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
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  Spells which allow hearing will detect a strange 
  muttering (described below), as well as the roaring of 
  the vortex, if they are cast far enough down the shaft. 
  PCs casting scrying spells beyond the barrier will have 
  more difficulty. Images (and sounds and other 
  information) returning through the barrier are 
  violently distorted, constantly shifting and twisting in 
  a very disconcerting fashion. The PCs can get 
  occasional views of curved gray stone, but that is about 
  all. If the PCs persist for more than a few rounds they 
  will become nauseated (as per PHB), due to sensory 
  distress. 
  However, if the PCs are scrying on a known creature or 
  object beyond the barrier (such as a wizard’s familiar 
  gone ahead to scout) then the effect is much less 
  severe. The images are mildly distorted, as if looking 
  through the surface of a flowing stream, but the caster 
  can still get useful information without losing the 
  contents of his stomach. (This is how Radic intends to 
  get his answers. He will scry on the PCs, since they are 
  a known object on the far side of the barrier, and listen 
  in to any conversations with the Oracle.) 
  Encounter 3: Descending into 
  the Shaft. 
  Refereeing the descent into the shaft, and the combat 
  within it, can be difficult, since the situation and 
  setting are rather complex. Let common sense be your 
  guide, but be prepared for situations that lie outside 
  typical two-dimensional dungeoneering. 
  Going Downwards: If the PCs wish, Mossul and his 
  men will agree to lower them into the shaft. That is, 
  after all, what they’re there for. 
  The PCs may suggest sending one person down the 
  shaft alone, as a scout. This is a very dangerous course 
  of action, particularly if they’re on the slow-moving 
  rope lift, and you should try and discourage it. Mossul 
  will certainly react with surprise. 
  “Alone!”, exclaims Mossul. “I would not venture 
  down there with a hundred men, let alone by 
  myself.” 
  He leans forward, lowering his voice, and speaking 
  with slow deliberation. “I have worked many mine 
  shafts in my years, with weak stone and crumbling 
  walls that were much more dangerous than these. 
  Yet for all that, this is the one I fear the most, 
  though I cannot say why.” 
  If that doesn’t make the lone PC reconsider, then let 
  him proceed if he wishes. Mossul and the miners 
  distrust the shaft, and will not enter it in any 
  circumstances. 
  Radic’s Scrying: When Radic sees the PCs readying 
  themselves to descend, he will switch his scrying over 
  to one of them. He will initially attempt to scry on a PC 
  with a low Will save, such as a fighter or a rogue, and 
  then move to more difficult targets if that fails. The 
  Will DC to resist scrying from the crystal ball is 16. 
  Radic’s own scrying spells are DC18, but he has few of 
  those. 
  Resolve these attempts in secret, and do not inform the 
  players unless their PCs detect a failed scrying attempt. 
   
  Using the Rope Lift. 
  The simplest way for the PCs to get to the bottom of 
  the shaft is to use the rope lift. While Mossul and his 
  men will do their best to raise and lower the rope in 
  response to the PCs’ needs, they are strongly limited by 
  the physical capabilities of the system and the men 
  operating it. This is not a modern elevator. It descends 
  slowly, ascends even more slowly, and takes time to 
  start and stop. Use the following guidelines to 
  determine how the rope lift operates.  
  Descent: The rope descends at a constant rate of 5 
  feet per round, at the very beginning of every 
  round. This movement is considered a free five foot 
  step, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. 
  Ascent: It is much more difficult to raise the rope 
  than lower it. The rope ascends five feet at the start 
  of every second round. (This represents a constant 
  speed of two and a half feet per round.) 
  Stopping: The lift cannot be stopped instantly, 
  since it takes time to relay the command to the 
  men, check the momentum of the massive cable, 
  bring everything to a safe halt, and engage the 
  brake. Therefore, the rope will continue to descend 
  for one round after the stop command has been 
  given, before coming to a halt. 
  Starting: Similarly, it takes time to take up slack, 
  disengage the brake, and begin moving the cable 
  again after a halt. The rope will remain motionless 
  for one full round after the command to start is 
  given, before it begins to move. 
  Changing Direction: If the PCs wish to go directly 
  from the descent to an ascent (or vice versa) they 
  must go through a complete stop and start 
  procedure. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 18 
  Touching Bottom: Since the miners cannot see 
  the bottom of the shaft, and do not know how far 
  down it is, they must judge its location by the 
  changes in tension on the line. Mossul will give the 
  stop command any time he feels half the weight of 
  the party leave the line. (This is normal mining 
  procedure to keep the main cable from coiling up 
  on the floor, and getting dirty and damaged.) This 
  will usually leave two PCs suspended above the 
  floor, from which point they must climb down the 
  rope foot loops (Climb check [DC 5]) to reach the 
  ground. 
  Free Fall: If the PCs, for some reason, force the 
  miners to release the capstan while the party is still 
  on the lift, the cable will only drop 120 feet per 
  round, due to drag from the system slowing the 
  cable. The miners will not release the cable 
  voluntarily. 
  Rope signals, using the lift cable, are impractical 
  due to the great weight and thickness of the main 
  cable, and the distances involved. Shaking or 
  tugging on the hefty main cable by hand simply 
  won’t transmit a useful signal. It takes a weight 
  change of hundreds of pounds to be detectable. If 
  the PCs rig their own lightweight line they can 
  transmit signals more easily, provided they have 
  sufficient rope of their own for the task. 
  The lack of responsiveness of the system may come as a 
  rude shock if the PCs do not enquire about it 
  beforehand. Mossul and his gang are fully aware of 
  how the lift works, but they consider it so obvious that 
  they feel no need to volunteer the information. 
  Therefore, you should not describe these rules to the 
  PCs unless they ask. PCs who make a Knowledge 
  (architecture and engineering) check [DC 20], or a 
  Profession (miner) check [DC15] are aware of the 
  general limits of this type of device. 
   
  Using the Foot Rope. 
  The end of the main cable is attached to the foot rope, 
  which has six foot-loops spliced into it, each of which 
  is five feet above the one below. If the PCs place one 
  foot in a foot-loop and hang on to the central rope with 
  at least one hand, they can ride safely, without any 
  need to make Climb checks. If the PCs take vigorous 
  actions while they are on the foot rope, then there are 
  consequences, but that is described below. 
  PCs riding the foot rope will be stacked in a vertical 
  column, each person directly above the one below. In 
  reality, there would be a small overlap between the 
  head of a lower person and the feet of the person above 
  him, but we can ignore this for game purposes, in order 
  to fit the five foot grid. 
   
  Other Ways Down. 
  The PCs can also get down the shaft by using fly and 
  levitate spells, climbing the walls, or using dimensional 
  travel of some sort. 
  Magical flight and levitation works normally, and the 
  PCs will have little difficulty getting where they want 
  to go. Bear in mind that people flying up the shaft only 
  do so at half speed. 
  Aerodynamic flight can be difficult, due to the small 
  size of the shaft. Creatures with large wingspans 
  simply won’t fit, since the shaft is only 10’ wide, and 
  has a sturdy rope in the center. Typical birds (such as 
  most flying familiars) have Average maneuverability, 
  and can’t fly straight up and down the shaft. They have 
  to maintain a minimum forward speed of half their 
  movement, only turn 45º for every 5 feet they advance, 
  have to spend an additional 5 feet for an extra 45º, and 
  have a maximum turn of 90º. These, and other, 
  restrictions make it quite possible that they will crash 
  into walls, stall and fall. Review the flying rules on 
  page 20 of the DMG for more information. 
  Dimensional travel, such as teleport and dimension 
  door works above and below the dimensional barrier, 
  but not through it. PCs trying to pass through the 
  barrier stop at the barrier instead. 
  Climbing works normally, and the climb DCs are 
  noted in the descriptions which follow. However, 
  since the vertical distances are so great, the 
  consequences of a fall are likely to be lethal, and you 
  may wish to discourage this type of movement. 
   
  General Shaft Layout. 
  The shaft is a ten foot wide cylindrical passage bored 
  straight down into the mountain to reach the Oracle’s 
  chamber. (See Map #2.) The walls are still in very good 
  condition, and there are no convenient cracks to jam 
  pitons into. If the PCs wish to mount pitons they will 
  either have to drill holes (a process which takes two to 
  three hours per hole with a hand-held hammer drill), 
  or use magic to do so. The shaft contains no sources of 
  illumination, and has no natural flora or fauna. 
   
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 19 
  The Mundane Shaft: top 250 feet. 
  The initial descent into the shaft is uneventful. 
  Assuming the PCs are riding the rope-lift, and have 
  some sources of illumination, you could describe the 
  descent something like this: 
  The creaking pulleys of the rope lift fade behind 
  you, as you descend into the cool darkness of the 
  shaft. A quick glance up shows the diminishing 
  circle of light from the miners’ lamps at the mouth 
  of the shaft, and Mossul’s concerned face looking 
  down at you. He waves briefly, and turns to direct 
  his men. 
  The rope twists slightly from side to side as it 
  continues downwards, and the gray stone walls 
  seem to turn around you. They are bare and 
  featureless, only marked by the bite of the tools 
  that carved the shaft from the mountain. 
  Below you, there is nothing but darkness… 
  There is no opposition in this section of the shaft, and 
  it is entirely mundane in nature. The walls of the shaft 
  are the same dry and slightly rough limestone that was 
  visible at the top of the shaft, with occasional gouges 
  and grooves where they were hewn with hand tools. 
  The walls are DC 20 to climb. 
  Be sure to mention the slight twisting of the rope, if 
  applicable, since it is a clue for later events. 
   
  Mist and Muttering: 250 feet - 470 feet. 
  It takes 5 minutes by rope lift to reach the 250 foot 
  level.  
  The air of the shaft gradually chills as the long slow 
  descent continues. Your breath plumes briefly in 
  the air around you now, before being left behind, 
  and small tufts of pale mist hang here and there in 
  the still air of the shaft. 
  The walls themselves are still slightly rough, with 
  occasional tool marks, but now they are slightly damp, 
  and sometimes seem to twist under finger and foot. 
  They are now DC 25 to climb. 
  As the PCs pass the 250 foot level they encounter the 
  first signs of something unusual. Ask the PCs for 
  Listen checks. Whoever gets the highest score, 
  regardless of what it was, is the first to notice a faint 
  sourceless muttering sound. 
  Something catches your ear… 
  Not the slow creak of the rope. Not the rhythmic 
  breath of your companions. A faint, whispered 
  muttering; quiet, directionless, and malevolent. 
  The voice comes again, and then once more. A 
  nasty, inarticulate babble, brief and hostile. It 
  seems sourceless, first coming from the right, then 
  the left; sometimes from above, often from below… 
  The voices are not speaking articulate words, and the 
  muttering has no meaning, so spells such as 
  comprehend languages and tongues will not provide 
  any further information. However, there seem to be 
  different tones and cadences of voice, which suggests 
  that more than one thing is doing the muttering. 
  The other PCs soon notice the muttering, and 
  something else besides. Ask for Spot checks. Once 
  again, whoever gets the highest score is the first to 
  notice something moving in the wall. 
  Something just moved in the wall! 
  You only just caught a glimpse of it, over to your 
  left, at the very corner of your eye, like a sudden 
  wrinkling of the stone. There’s nothing there now. 
  The cold gray wall is as solid and immobile as ever, 
  behind the misty air of the shaft. 
  It is not long before all the PCs can spot motion. The 
  movement is never seen directly, and is always caught 
  out of the corner of the eye. The effect is never major: a 
  lump seems to shift slightly, a pick-mark trembles for a 
  moment, or a vein in the wall seems to twist. 
  The inarticulate muttering and hidden flickers of 
  motion are continuous throughout this section of the 
  shaft, and actually become more pronounced as the 
  PCs descend further. Mutter nastily, but wordlessly, 
  under your breath, as the players react to the situation. 
  Look hastily to the side now and then, as if something 
  caught your eye. Emphasize the strangeness and 
  uncertainty of the situation. Here the PCs are, dangling 
  in the dark like a string of onions, while something 
  horrible and unknown whispers and mutters around 
  them, lurking at the edges of their vision. Try to give 
  your players that nervous spooky thrill which is so 
  entertaining! 
  The Watchers: As DM, of course, you know exactly 
  what’s going on. The muttering and the movements are 
  caused by hundreds of undead spirits that line the 
  walls of the shaft. These spirits are the remains of the 
  lesser victims that were sacrificed to the Oracle over 
  the centuries (typically slaves, petty criminals, and 
  peasants), who were deemed to have no useful 
  knowledge. Instead of being placed in the lake, they 
  were bound in the walls of the shaft, where they 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 20 
  observe anything traveling within it and report it to 
  the Oracle below. The spirits have darkvision and 
  lifesense, which allows them to sense the presence of 
  living beings. They can pass an early warning to forces 
  below, via a limited form of telepathy, but provide little 
  detailed information. 
  Turning: A turning attempt directed at the wall will 
  cause a brief flurry of motion in front of the PC, like 
  mice scurrying under a bed sheet, or minnows fleeing 
  under the surface of a pond. The watchers cannot flee 
  far from the turning, being bound to the rock of the 
  shaft walls, but they can move slightly deeper into it, 
  which causes the apparent motion. There are so many 
  spirits present that others quickly take the place of 
  those that were turned. The muttering will continue, 
  perhaps a shade more angrily, despite the turning. 
  Divination: Detect evil and detect undead both reveal 
  numerous faint auras in the wall, and detect magic and 
  arcane sight reveal a faint aura of necromantic magic 
  throughout the walls of the shaft. Detect thoughts can 
  pick up basic impressions of unending pain, and an 
  awareness that the PCs are present. 
  The Walls: If anyone observes the walls with true 
  seeing they will see ghostly images of bent and broken 
  bodies, packed one on top of the other in the walls of 
  the shaft. The bodies writhe and jerk in agonized 
  spasms, and their twisted mouths groan and wail in 
  pain. There are no actual remains in the wall; these are 
  just spiritual images. However, if a PC somehow takes a 
  chunk out of the wall (chisels a mark into it, drills it for 
  a piton, hacks it repeatedly with a sturdy weapon) the 
  marks will ooze cold sticky blood. 
  Communications problems: now that the PCs are this 
  deep into the shaft, two more  communications 
  problems reveal themselves. 
  Audible signals, such as shouted communication, 
  whistle blasts, or horn calls will work normally until 
  the PCs are within the portion of the shaft where the 
  muttering begins. The strange muttering prevents 
  undisturbed sound from traveling up and down the 
  shaft, jumbling the sound and reducing it to a faint 
  inarticulate rumble. (Consider this to be an exceptional 
  ability that is not susceptible to bardic counter-songs.) 
  Loss of audible communication with the surface is 
  complete by the 350 foot level. (This muttering also 
  prevents sounds from below from reaching the top of 
  the shaft.)  
  Visual signals, such as flashed lights, will also work 
  normally, until the PCs enter the misty region of the 
  shaft. One hundred feet of mist completely blocks line 
  of sight. This means visual communications with the 
  top of the shaft will be lost at the 350 foot level. 
  This does not mean that the PCs cannot find ways to 
  communicate with the miners at the top of the shaft, 
  particularly with magic devices and spells. Bear in 
  mind, however, that message does not have the range 
  to reach the entire length of the shaft, sending is rather 
  slow to cast (10 minutes), and whispering wind only 
  travels about 50 feet per round. 
   
  Encounter 4: The Fight in the 
  Shaft. 
  The lower portion of the shaft contains the remaining 
  defenses that survived the fighting many hundreds of 
  years ago. A number of hostile spirits remain in place, 
  but their strength has slowly seeped away with the 
  centuries, and they are not as powerful as they once 
  were (i.e., they have low hp for their HD). Even at their 
  prime, they were never intended to be the sole 
  guardians of the shaft, and they served as backups for 
  the Oracle’s servants and warriors. Now that the 
  human defenders are gone, the surviving defenses are 
  the sole obstacle to the PCs’ progress. 
   
  Yelling:  470 feet -  500 feet. 
  It takes just over nine and a half minutes to reach this 
  depth by rope lift, assuming the PCs did not stop along 
  the way. By the time the PCs reach this depth the 
  muttering has increased in volume even further, 
  becoming outright yelling. The air is still chill and 
  misty, and the PCs can see signs of battle damage on 
  the walls. 
  The vertical walls of the shaft are in constant 
  motion now, writhing and trembling, as frantic 
  voices shriek and wail at you from all sides. Chunks 
  of rock have been blasted out of the walls by some 
  unknown force in the past, and in three places 
  rings of gaping craters have been gouged out of the 
  stone. Contorted faces seem to grimace at you from 
  the cracked rock of the cavities, before vanishing 
  back into the confusion of motion that surrounds 
  you. 
  The movement of the watchers is so intense in this 
  section that the walls seem to writhe, and glimpses of 
  contorted faces are visible to the naked eye. The climb 
  DC is now 33, despite the additional handholds, as the 
  watchers actively try to knock climbers loose from the 
  wall, and any pitons the PCs somehow manage to drive 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 21 
  into the rock will be spat back out with great force. 
  (This continues down to the level of the dimensional 
  barrier, below.) 
  Depending on their light source, the PCs will almost 
  certainly be able to see one of the fixed defenses 
  further below. 
  At the edge of your vision, far below your feet, a 
  roaring whirlpool of driven cloud spins furiously, 
  totally filling the shaft from wall to wall. Gusts of 
  fog-laden wind brush against your face, as you 
  continue descending towards the maelstrom. 
  This roaring whirlpool of cloud is designed to beat 
  back intruders in gaseous form, stop and disperse 
  noxious gases, and block line of sight deeper into the 
  shaft. However, an ambush lies hidden between the 
  PCs and the clouds! 
   
  The Fighting!   500 feet – 525 feet. 
  At this point the PCs encounter the undead spirits that 
  defend the shaft. (See Map #2) Three levels of Bound 
  Ones, as they are known, wait within the stone of the 
  sides of the shaft, ready to reach out and attack the PCs 
  as they approach. 
  Abruptly, dark transparent forms lunge out of the 
  writhing walls, groping towards you with deadly 
  intent! 
  The Bound Ones (see Appendix 1 for their full 
  statistics) are the incorporeal remains of powerful 
  warriors that were sacrificed to the Oracle. Each spirit 
  is immobile, magically bound to its physical remains, 
  which are embedded inside the stone walls of the shaft.  
  APL 6 (EL 10) 
  �Bound Ones (7): hp 20 each. See Appendix 1. 
  Upper level:  Location 1, 2. 
  Middle level: Location 1, 2. 
  Lower level:  Location 1, 2, 3. 
  APL 8 (EL 12) 
  �Bound Ones (8): hp 30 each. See Appendix 1. 
  Upper level:  Location 1, 2. 
  Middle level: Location 1, 2. 
  Lower level:  Location 1, 2, 3, 4. 
  APL 10 (EL 14) 
  �Bound Ones (9); hp 40 each. See Appendix 1. 
  Upper level:  Location 1, 2. 
  Middle level: Location 1, 2, 3. 
  Lower level:  Location 1, 2, 3, 4. 
  APL 12 (EL 16) 
  �Bound Ones (11); hp 50 each. See Appendix 1. 
   
  Upper level:  Location 1, 2, 3. 
  Middle level: Location 1, 2, 3, 4. 
  Lower level:  Location 1, 2, 3, 4. 
   
  Damage: The Numbing Blow of the Bound Ones 
  causes some physical damage, but also has a powerful 
  scrambling effect on the nervous system. Each 
  successful attack causes one point of temporary ability 
  damage to a randomly determined attribute. (Roll 1d6: 
  1 = Str, 2 = Dex, etc.). The sensation of the hit varies 
  with the effect; loss of Strength feels like pins and 
  needles, loss of Dex feels like a banged funny bone, loss 
  of Con feels like profound fatigue, and loss of mental 
  stats feels like a dizzying head-rush, combined with 
  confusion and forgetfulness. 
  This is not negative energy damage, and does not 
  inflict negative levels. The effect is a temporary 
  biological effect, which begins to fade after twenty 
  minutes, and is entirely gone after thirty. 
  Movement: The most obvious limitation of the Bound 
  Ones is that they cannot move from square to square. 
  They are stuck in the same place as their remains, and 
  cannot maneuver to take advantage of the tactical 
  situation. However, the spirits can move within their 
  square, and can take advantage of the fact that slightly 
  more than half of their 5’ cube is solid stone. A spirit 
  can adopt one of three positions: 
  Fully hidden: The spirit may be fully hidden within 
  the stone, in which case it is out of line of sight and 
  line of effect, and cannot be seen or attacked or 
  turned. A hidden spirit can sense the presence of 
  PCs in the shaft, and pinpoint their location, but if 
  it attacks from this position the PC gains the 
  benefit of total concealment, and the usual 50% 
  miss chance applies. 
  Peeking out: The spirit may peek out of the wall, 
  exposing just enough of its “eyes” to see what’s 
  going on. In this condition the spirit gains a +8 
  cover bonus to AC, a +4 cover bonus to Reflex 
  saves, and gains the improved evasion feat, as well 
  as a +10 cover bonus to Hide checks. 
  Exposed: Half of the spirit’s body is outside the 
  wall. It gains a +4 cover bonus to AC, and a +2 cover 
  bonus to Reflex saves. Important: Any Bound One 
  which makes an attack MUST end its round in the 
  exposed position. The spirits cannot attack and pull 
  back into the wall in the same round. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 22 
  Combat Tactics: When the PCs approach, the upper 
  rank of spirits will lunge out of cover to attack. In 
  doing so, they hope to provoke responses from clerics 
  and spellcasters, and identify the greatest potential 
  threats. If there is no remarkable capability among the 
  PCs, or the party seems weak, the Bound Ones will 
  emerge and attack one rank at a time as the party 
  descends. However, if the Bound Ones notice clerics 
  with the Sun domain (Ehlonna, Pelor, etc.), or other 
  PCs with exceptional counter-undead abilities, they 
  will wait to make coordinated attacks on them. 
  The Bound Ones have Dual Strike, which grants an 
  additional +2 attack bonus against flanked opponents, 
  and will take advantage of it to optimize their hit 
  chances. Note that the Bound Ones can make use of 
  diagonal flanking up and down the shaft, as well as 
  across the shaft, and that those that are above PCs will 
  gain the +1 bonus for attacking from high ground. 
  The Bound Ones are quite smart enough to notice the 
  effect of invisible PCs on the foot-loops they are 
  standing in, and attack into those squares. 
  Turning: If the PCs manage to turn the Bound Ones, 
  then the spirits will flee into the stone, taking up the 
  fully hidden position until the turning expires. The 
  Bound Ones cannot flee deeper into the stone, because 
  they cannot move. Note, however, that the Bound 
  Ones can still sense the position of the PCs, even when 
  they are cowering in the stone. Therefore, if the 
  turning cleric continues advancing towards the spirits, 
  as he will certainly do if he’s riding the rope-lift down 
  towards them, he will break the turning when he 
  advances within 10 feet. This may be a very rude 
  surprise to the PCs, when “turned” spirits re-appear 
  shortly after they were driven away. 
  Remains: The remains of the Bound Ones are hidden 
  inside the stone, and there is no external sign that they 
  are present. However, if the PCs manage to destroy or 
  disturb the remains in some way, such as by 
  disintegrating a section of wall, using a shatter spell on 
  the stone, or stone shaping an opening that reaches the 
  remains, they will break the bonds that hold the spirit 
  in place. If this happens, the freed spirit will 
  immediately flee up the shaft, screaming with glee, and 
  fading out as it rushes to its eternal rest. 
   
  Fighting on the Rope. 
  If the PCs are flying, then all is well, but fighting on 
  the rope brings its own set of challenges. 
  Unstable footing: When the PCs are riding the rope 
  downwards the system remains relatively stable, with 
  only a mild rotational twisting to disturb the steady 
  descent. However, once the PCs engage in melee 
  combat (or similar vigorous activity) the foot-rope 
  starts to spin and twist and jerk around erratically. This 
  combination of unpredictable movement and lack of 
  leverage causes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack and 
  damage rolls. It also makes spellcasting more difficult. 
  Casters must make a Concentration check [DC 5 + 
  spell level] to cast on the wiggling rope. 
  Not enough hands: PCs who are riding the foot-rope 
  have one hand and one foot free. This means two-
  handed weapons cannot be used on the rope, and some 
  one-handed 
  missile 
  weapons 
  (slings 
  & 
  hand 
  crossbows) cannot be reloaded. Shields may be used on 
  the rope, provided the shield hand is free. If the PC is 
  holding on to the rope with his shield hand, then the 
  shield grants no AC bonus (much like when climbing). 
  Tying on: If the PCs have already tied themselves to 
  the foot-rope, with a loop around the chest or waist, 
  then they can use both hands in combat.  If they wish 
  to tie themselves on while on the rope, then they must 
  take a full round action and make a Use Rope  check 
  [DC 15] to do so. (This provokes attacks of 
  opportunity.) Failure indicates the attempt was not 
  successful, and the check may be repeated in following 
  rounds if the PC wishes. 
  Hanging on: Clinging to the rope does not require 
  Climb checks, but weakness may cause problems. If a 
  PC loses enough strength points that their current load 
  exceeds twice their new maximum load, they will be 
  dragged off the rope by their own weight. Of course, 
  PCs who are tied on cannot fall. 
  Climbing the rope: If a PC wishes to climb up or 
  down the foot-rope, with all its easy to grasp loops, the 
  DC is only 5. Climbing the straight main cable is DC 
  15. If the climber wishes to pass another PC, add 10 to 
  the difficulty class. 
  Protecting the rope: The main cable is a three and a 
  half inch thick rope, with a hardness of 0 and only 7 hit 
  points. It could easily be severed by the slash of an 
  edged weapon! Fortunately, the Bound Ones are 
  incorporeal, and cannot damage the rope, but if the 
  PCs are careless with area effect spells they could 
  destroy the rope, with disastrous consequences. If the 
  PCs are about to blast the main cable, feel free to allow 
  easy Int checks and drop generous hints to save them 
  from their stupidity. 
  �Main Cable: 3 1/2 in. thick; hardness 0; hp 7; AC 5; 
  Break DC 28; SQ immune to bludgeoning. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 23 
  This is, admittedly, a complicated fight. Nonetheless, 
  you should be able to handle it if you use common 
  sense. For example, PCs often change weapons by 
  dropping one and drawing another. Bear in mind that 
  dropped weapons will fall, and get damaged!  
   
  Encounter 5: The Fixed 
  Defenses. 
  There are three layers of fixed defenses in the shaft. 
  The upper layer is a fierce vortex of fog, designed to 
  block line of sight and stop gases. The middle one is 
  the 
  dimensional 
  barrier, 
  designed 
  to 
  prevent 
  teleportation, hamper scrying, and keep the Spirits of 
  the Wise in the cave below. The lower layer is a 
  massive ring of animated stone arms which acts as a 
  physical barrier immediately below the dimensional 
  barrier. 
  Like the Bound Ones, these defenses were never 
  intended to stand alone. They were intended to be 
  brief obstacles, delaying attackers, while the Oracle’s 
  followers rallied to the defense. 
   
  The Fog: 525 feet – 530 feet. 
  A roiling vortex of dense white cloud fills a five foot 
  thick section of the shaft immediately under the 
  Bound Ones, spinning furiously, and emitting a 
  deafening roar. The vortex of fog is caused by powerful 
  blasts of wind blowing from six offset bronze nozzles 
  set in the stone wall. Three of the mouth-shaped 
  nozzles have been battered shut in previous fighting, 
  and they only emit modest gusts, but the remaining 
  three still function at full efficiency.  
  The roaring winds tear at your clothing and hair, 
  and buffet and batter you like a personal hurricane. 
  It is impossible to hear anything in the howling 
  gale, and the streaming fog hurtles past you in a 
  dizzying spiral. The atmosphere is almost totally 
  opaque, and you can barely see the walls of the 
  shaft around you, where shrieking metal mouths 
  hurl the winds in your direction. 
  The fog is opaque, and prevents anyone from seeing 
  through it. Those who are inside the fog can see into 
  adjacent squares, but no further. (The fog grants a 20% 
  concealment miss chance to those inside it, providing 
  their attackers rely on vision. Bear in mind that the 
  Bound Ones have non-visual blindsight, and are not 
  hampered by striking into the fog.) 
  The nozzles blow obliquely upwards, at a mild angle, 
  creating a powerful vortex that blows things back up 
  the shaft. This functions like a horizontal wind-wall, in 
  most respects. Gases cannot pass down through the 
  vortex, nor can creatures who are in gaseous form or 
  wind-walking. Flying creatures of small or lesser size 
  will be blown back up the tunnel, and PCs feather 
  falling towards the vortex will halt in mid-air in the 
  square above the vortex. Light missile weapons, like 
  arrows or bolts, that are fired into the vortex will miss 
  their target, and larger missiles have a 30% miss chance. 
  Open flames are extinguished, and even covered lamps 
  have a 30% chance of going out. 
  Furthermore, the rotating winds are so fierce that the 
  deafening roar and battering gusts cause damage, 
  depending on the number of nozzle mouths still 
  operating.  
  Damage per round (non lethal / lethal). 
  # 
  APL 6 
  APL 8 
  APL 10 
  APL 12 
  3 
  1 / 3d6 
  2 / 3d8 
  3 / 3d10 
  4 / 3d12 
  2 
  0 / 2d6 
  1 / 2d8 
  2 / 2d10 
  3 / 2d12 
  1 
  0 / 1d6 
  0 / 1d8 
  1 / 1d10 
  2 / 1d12  
   
  PCs normally take non-lethal damage from the winds. 
  However, if a PC in gaseous form, or one who is wind 
  walking, tries to force himself into the vortex, he 
  suffers lethal damage before being ejected back up the 
  tunnel. 
  The roar of the winds is so loud that hearing is 
  impossible within the vortex, and anyone inside it is 
  considered deaf. This imposes the normal 20% chance 
  of spell failure for spells with verbal components. In 
  addition, the fierce winds require spell casters to make 
  Concentration checks [DC 5] to cast spells while they 
  are in the vortex. (This gets worse, if they are also 
  standing on the moving floor, described below, and 
  there is an additional check if they are taking non-
  lethal damage as well.) 
  The physical statistics of the nozzle mouths are 
  detailed in Appendix 1. A mouth which is reduced to 
  zero hit points is considered to have been bashed shut, 
  and no longer functions effectively, although some air 
  still leaks out. When the final nozzle is bashed shut 
  there are no longer any wind or noise effects, and the 
  dense fog dissipates as well. 
  The PCs can also neutralize the nozzle mouths with 
  dispel magic, or by finding a creative way to plug them. 
  Hastily jamming an object into the nozzle is not 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 24 
  enough, since it will merely be blown out again, but 
  using something like stoneshape to cover the opening 
  would work. 
   
  The Dimensional Barrier: 530 feet. 
  The dimensional barrier is an invisible and intangible 
  layer lying along the boundary between the vortex of 
  fog above, and the animated arms below. It is actually 
  composed of three identical layers, each an inch apart, 
  and extends out through the rock, surrounding the 
  Oracle’s entire cavern like an enormous bubble. It 
  functions in a manner which is similar to the 
  dimensional lock spell, although it is much larger, and 
  it has the additional function of keeping the Spirits of 
  the Wise from escaping over time. 
  It is quite possible that the PCs will not notice the 
  barrier at all. Those that are on the prime material 
  plane can pass through it at will. As their eyes pass 
  through the barrier they may (Spot [DC 22]) notice a 
  faint green flicker. Those who spotted it may make 
  Spellcraft [DC 25] checks to be reminded of the 
  colours of the dimensional anchor and dimensional 
  lock spells. However, those on the ethereal plane can 
  clearly see the barrier as a shimmering emerald green 
  wall, as can those using true seeing. The dimensional 
  barrier registers as a strong aura of abjuration magic on 
  detect magic spells. 
  Any attempt to cross the dimensional barrier on 
  another plane, such as by teleportation, dimension 
  dooring, blinking, phasing, or traveling through astral, 
  ethereal, or shadow planes, will fail. For example, a PC 
  attempting to dimension door from the top to the 
  bottom of the shaft would stop just above the 
  dimensional barrier, in the vortex of fog. 
  The dimensional barrier may be breached by dispel 
  magic, although the barrier has a caster level of 19, and 
  each spell will only breach one layer, which may make 
  breaching difficult. Each breach is ten feet in diameter, 
  and will repair itself in 24 hours. PCs on the ethereal 
  plane may use disintegrate to automatically pierce one 
  layer of the barrier in the same fashion. 
   
  The Animated Arms: 530 feet – 535 feet. 
  A battered stone ring of animated arms is the lowest 
  level of fixed defenses. The ring surrounds the entire 
  shaft, and has so many arms (some 65 of them, if 
  they’re all deployed), that they seem to form a writhing 
  floor beneath the vortex of fog. The PCs can actually 
  get off the rope lift and stand on the arms if they wish! 
  A writhing tangle of clawing, grasping stone arms 
  sprouts from the walls of the shaft, and blocks all 
  progress below. Each thick gray arm blends 
  seamlessly into the stone walls of the shaft, and 
  they emerge and retract in a complicated pattern 
  that makes them almost impossible to count. 
  The whole mass of arms is actually one animated 
  object, which was designed to act as a physical valve 
  within the shaft. The largest gaps between the arms are 
  only six inches wide, preventing most creatures from 
  passing. Yet, if heavy objects, such as large boulders, 
  were dropped down the shaft, the arms could quickly 
  retract into the wall, and then emerge undamaged to 
  block the enemy’s passage.  
  Finding the Arms: The PCs cannot see the arms from 
  above the vortex of fog, and, if they’re riding the rope, 
  their discovery will normally run something like this. 
  Round 1: The lowest PC is riding the rope in the square 
  above the fog, and cannot see the arms. 
  Round 2: The rope descends 5’ into the fog. The PC can 
  then see the arms, and may let go of the rope and step 
  onto the arms if he wishes. 
  Round 3: The rope descends another 5’. The lowest PC 
  cannot descend through the arms, and, if he did not 
  step off the rope before, he will be deposited in a prone 
  position as the rope coils up on the arms. 
  As the rope continues to descend, more and more PCs 
  will be deposited on the arms. You will probably have 
  to bump PCs sideways into unoccupied squares as they 
  arrive. (Bear in mind that the PCs can’t shout warnings 
  up through the fog, since the noise from the howling 
  winds makes verbal communication impossible.) More 
  importantly, once half the PCs have left the rope, 
  Mossul will think they’ve hit bottom, and will give his 
  men the order to stop lowering the rope. The rope will 
  descend for one more round and then stop, usually 
  leaving the last PC of a six person party still hanging on 
  the rope above the fog. 
  Balancing: Footing is treacherous for those standing 
  on the arms, because the floor moves and twists, gaps 
  open up unexpectedly, and the arms deliberately try to 
  trip people who are standing on them. Any PC 
  standing on the arms must make a Balance check [DC 
  = APL +3], at the beginning of their round, in order to 
  remain upright. Those that fail either cannot move, or 
  fall prone if they failed by five or more. Bear in mind 
  that balancing PCs move at half speed, and are flat 
  footed unless they have five or more ranks in Balance. 
  Any PC who takes damage while balancing must 
  immediately make another balance check. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 25 
  Concentration: Casting spells is quite difficult while 
  resting on the moving arms. The vigorous motion 
  requires a Concentration check [DC10] in order to cast 
  a spell. If the winds are still blowing strongly the DC is 
  15, due to the added effects of the buffeting blast, and 
  the 20% failure chance for a deafening environment 
  may also apply. 
  Dropped Items: If the PCs drop items onto the arms 
  they will either fall through the gaps at the start of the 
  next round, if they are size tiny or less, or be grabbed 
  and flung through by the arms. The items will fall to 
  the island below, landing on solid stone and taking 
  damage. 
  Combat: The arms have a limited combat capability at 
  most APLs. At APL 6, 8, and 10 they can perform one 
  improved trip attack per round in each five foot square. 
  At APL 12 they can also make a single grapple attack in 
  each five foot square, against anybody who is standing 
  or lying on them. The arms are programmed to ignore 
  immobile bodies, and prone PCs may be able to trick 
  the arms into releasing them by remaining completely 
  still (Concentration [DC10]). 
  Destroying the Arms: If the PCs reduce the ring of 
  arms to zero hit points the entire object freezes, and 
  becomes immobile. Then it starts to break away from 
  the wall… 
  With a sudden spasm the writhing arms come to a 
  halt, frozen in stony immobility. A brief moment 
  passes, just long enough to feel relief, and then an 
  ominous shudder shakes the web-work of tangled 
  arms. Crunching, grating vibrations build up in the 
  stone, and a terrible groan echoes through the shaft 
  [above the roar of the winds]. Suddenly, a dark crack 
  opens in the stone under your feet, with a sharp 
  snapping sound, and shards of rock begin to fall 
  away from the arms, into the darkness below! 
  It is obvious to anyone that the arms are in the process 
  of collapsing. Exactly one (1) round after it was “killed”, 
  the entire ring of arms breaks away from the wall and 
  plunges into the shaft below, taking everyone with it. 
  If the PCs haven’t grabbed on to the rope or the walls 
  in that time they’re either airborne, unconscious, or too 
  stupid for words; they’re going to fall. Falling PCs have 
  one chance to grab the foot-rope (Climb DC 5 + 20 = 
  25), or the narrow stumps of the arms sticking out of 
  the wall (Climb DC 15 + 20 = 35), depending on which 
  square they were in, before they fall into the cavern 
  below. 
  It’s 75 feet down to the island, and the island is solid 
  stone. The impact should be unpleasant. 
  Note that PCs who were in grapples (APL12 only) 
  when the arms stopped moving can easily wriggle free 
  before they plummet downwards. 
   
  Beneath the Arms: 535 feet – 545 feet. 
  Once Mossul feels the weight of the party on the rope 
  again, after such a brief absence, he will assume they 
  have cleared some sort of blockage, and begin lowering 
  the rope once more. 
  There is only a ten foot long stretch of shaft beneath 
  the arms. This contains no spirits of either type, but the 
  walls have six large smooth tear-drop shaped swellings 
  on them, each about four feet wide and six feet long. 
  The shaft enters the roof of the cavern immediately 
  below the swellings, amid a ring of slender stalactites, 
  that are 3 to 5 feet long. 
  The bulges are sealed chambers, or cysts, that contain 
  the Smoldering Souls, which play a role in the final 
  fight. The PCs are unlikely to investigate the cysts at 
  this point, and you should only mention them briefly, 
  as if they are unusual terrain, and nothing more. If the 
  PCs do try and break in now, the walls of the chambers 
  are eight inches thick, have 120 hp and a hardness of 8. 
  If one of the chambers is breached the Oracle will 
  release the other Smoldering Souls, and another fight 
  will ensue. 
  Encounter 6: The Cavern. 
  Once the PCs have reached the base of the shaft, and 
  recovered from combat, they have their first chance to 
  examine the Oracle’s cave in detail. 
  The Cavern. 
  The entire cave is roughly 1700 feet long and 1500 feet 
  wide, and, with the exception of the single central 
  island, is entirely filled by a cold clear lake. The ceiling 
  of the cave peaks roughly 80 feet above the water line, 
  and the lake is approximately 60 feet deep in most 
  places. 
  The twisting rope lowers you out of the 
  claustrophobic shaft, through a ring of smooth gray 
  stalactites, and into a vast open space. The air here 
  is cold and crisp, like an evening before the first 
  frost of autumn, and every breath leaves its mark in 
  the air. 
  Distant walls, flecked with faintly phosphorescent 
  minerals, shed a pale blue-gray light over the 
  cavern below. A still dark lake fills the cavern, lying 
  motionless around the shores of a low island of bare 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 26 
  rock. The entire subterranean landscape rests in 
  dead immobility, without any light or sound, 
  except what you bring with you. 
  The air in the cavern is very cold, and the temperature 
  is only a few degrees above the freezing point. This is 
  not cold enough to harm the PCs, but it will numb 
  their fingers and noses, and make prolonged stays 
  uncomfortable. PCs of subterranean races (dwarves and 
  gnomes), those with Profession (miner), and any who 
  make Knowledge – Dungeoneering [DC 15] skill 
  checks realize that this is unusual, but there is no 
  apparent cause for the low temperature at this point. 
  Small deposits of phosphorescent minerals are 
  scattered across the walls and ceiling of the cave, in 
  fine veins and localized inclusions. These shed a feeble 
  blue-gray light that is the equivalent of dim starlight. 
  PCs with normal vision can make out the general 
  shape of major terrain features, but few other details, 
  unless they have additional illumination. 
  The walls and ceiling of the cave are made of relatively 
  smooth gray natural limestone. The stone itself has a 
  rough texture, but there few large handholds or cracks, 
  which makes climbing somewhat difficult, and a 
  Climb check of DC 25 is required to scale the walls. A 
  ring of modest stalactites, three to five feet long, hangs 
  around the mouth of the shaft, but the remainder of 
  the cave roof is smooth and unornamented. Moving 
  across the ceiling is extremely difficult (Climb [DC 
  40]) without magical assistance. 
   
  The Island. 
  The central island is roughly 450 feet by 350 feet in 
  size, with a slightly amoeboid shape, and a gently 
  rounded profile that slopes smoothly down into the 
  lake. The entire island is made of bare limestone 
  bedrock, with no vegetation or loose material of any 
  kind: no boulders, no rocks, no gravel, no soil, no sand. 
  The sole exception is the shattered rubble that has 
  fallen from the shaft above, and broken into fist-sized 
  chunks on the rock. The smooth stone is largely 
  featureless, and provides clear unobstructed footing for 
  the PCs. There are only two man-made structures on 
  the island.  
  The Ruins: The first structure, which is only fifty feet 
  away from the point where the rope lift touches down, 
  is the shattered ruin of the Oracle’s shrine, where its 
  human attendants and guards used to live, process 
  supplicants, and accept tribute. The building was 
  severely damaged in the fighting 1016 years ago, and it 
  collapsed shortly thereafter. Nothing remains of it 
  now, except for a tumbled heap of stone. 
  If the PCs take twenty minutes or more to examine the 
  ruins (using decent illumination) they may be able to 
  gather several pieces of information: 
  • A 
  successful 
  Knowledge 
  (architecture 
  and 
  engineering) check [DC 15] shows that the stone 
  structure had a heavily built central tower, about 
  three stories tall, and two plainly built one-story 
  wings, in a style that is now over a thousand years 
  out of date. 
  • A Search check [DC 15] reveals that the structure 
  suffered extensive magical damage at one point 
  prior to its collapse, and there are signs of acid 
  scarring, melting due to intense heat, impact 
  craters from a large unknown force or object, and 
  even (Knowledge (arcana) [DC 20]) disintegration. 
  • Another Search check [DC 20] allows the PCs to 
  piece together several fragments of a large relief of 
  the Oracle that was once on the front of the tower. 
  These disconnected pieces show a large section of 
  scales, what may be a piece of a crest, or perhaps a 
  membranous wing or a fin, and what may be a 
  section of a tentacle of some sort, or possibly a 
  snake body. These are the only parts of the 
  sculpture that survived intact, and none of them 
  join up with each other. 
  Unfortunately, there are no valuables in the ruined 
  building. The few survivors of the last fighting looted 
  the structure before they fled, and nothing of value 
  remains. 
  The Lectern: A faint path, smoothed by the feet of the 
  Oracle’s servants, leads away from the ruins, across the 
  stone, and down to the second man-made feature on 
  the island. This is a massive four-foot tall brass lectern, 
  which has corroded to a deep rich green over the 
  centuries.  
  The lectern is bolted to the stone on a raised spit of 
  rock that juts out from the island, just above a short, 
  but relatively steep, cliff. This is where the servants of 
  the Oracle once summoned their master, and where 
  the supplicants stood to ask their questions. If the PCs 
  examine the lectern (with decent illumination) they 
  may make Spot [DC 25] or Search [DC 20] checks to 
  notice a series of faint curving lines under the thick 
  corrosion on the face of the lectern. If the corrosion is 
  cleaned away, either magically, or with half an hour of 
  manual polishing, the PCs can discern the underlying 
  engraving, which shows an enormous tentacled fish 
  rising from the waves. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 27 
  However, approaching the lectern is likely to trigger 
  the Rise of the Spirits, described below, so this clue 
  may well go unnoticed. 
   
  The Lake. 
  The lake in the Oracle’s cave is not simply a mundane 
  body of water. It is a sterile lifeless reservoir of negative 
  energy that sustains over two thousand captive spirits, 
  and the Oracle itself. The lake bed slopes away from 
  the island at a 45 degree angle, until it reaches a depth 
  of 60 feet. The water itself is perfectly clear, with no 
  suspended sediment to impede vision. 
  PCs who approach the lake closely (i.e., enter the 5’ 
  square adjacent to the water) can feel the air 
  temperature dropping, and it becomes plainly evident 
  that the lake is the source of the unusual cold in the 
  cavern. 
  PCs who look into the lake from the shore can see the 
  lake bed sloping steeply down into the darkness. 
  (Again, 
  presuming 
  they 
  have 
  appropriate 
  illumination.) While the first few feet of the lake bed 
  are bare stone, the rest of the bed is covered with 
  thousands and thousands of bones. 
  The cold that pours from the lake gnaws at your 
  flesh and makes your bones ache, as you look into 
  the still clear waters that surround the island. The 
  first few feet of the lake bed are bare gray stone, but 
  the stone quickly becomes impossible to see, 
  because it’s covered with a tangled jumble of 
  irregular pale white objects. 
  The lake is filled with bones… 
  Hundreds and hundreds of clean, white, perfectly 
  preserved bones lie in the circle of your light, 
  without a trace of mud or silt to dirty their pristine 
  curves. They lie in tumbled disarray, disordered and 
  disarticulated, beneath the smooth glassy surface of 
  the water, and the mute skulls stare blankly in all 
  directions. 
  The bone bed extends 50 feet out from the shores of 
  the island, and is largely composed of human bones, 
  with a mild admixture from other humanoid races, 
  animals, and monsters. The bones of every creature 
  ever sacrificed to the Oracle rest here, regardless of 
  whether their spirits proved useful or not, along with 
  the bones of hundreds more who were slaughtered to 
  form the lake in the first place, and thousands of bones 
  collected from graveyards for the same purpose. The 
  bones are all disarticulated and mixed, and none form 
  skeletons in their current condition. 
  Lake water penalties: Touching the water reveals that 
  it is numbingly cold, and any living creature which 
  enters the lake (even as little as ankle deep) suffers an 
  immediate –2 Str penalty (-4 at APL 10 & 12) in any 
  round they spend time in the water. The penalty is cut 
  in half if the affected creature has any form of magical 
  protection against cold or negative energy. If the 
  affected creature has both forms of protection, then the 
  penalty is entirely eliminated. Water walkers also 
  suffer no penalties, given their limited contact with the 
  lake, unless they lie prone on the surface of the water. 
  If someone is foolish enough to drink more than a tiny 
  sip of the water they suffer double the normal penalty, 
  and the effect lasts for 12 hours, during which time it 
  can only be removed by restoration or lesser 
  restoration type magics. Magical protections offer no 
  benefit in cases of direct ingestion. The use of water 
  breathing spells is not considered direct ingestion, 
  since the character is not making the fluid part of his 
  body. 
  Divination on the lake: Because the lake is magical, 
  and suffused with negative energy, it registers on 
  several detection spells. Detect magic reveals a strong 
  homogenous aura of necromantic magic, which 
  entirely masks any other magical auras of the same or 
  weaker strength within the lake. Detect evil and detect 
  undead reveal a massive shifting roiling undead aura of 
  moderate strength, with numerous tiny flecks of 
  varying nature (the spirits) moving in it. 
  The lake water loses all its magical and negative energy 
  characteristics once it is removed from the cavern, and 
  becomes entirely mundane. 
   
  The Rise of the Spirits. 
  The undead spirits of the wisest and most 
  knowledgeable victims that were sacrificed to the 
  Oracle are trapped in the waters of lake, where the 
  Oracle can use their minds and memories like a vast 
  “living” library. The Spirits of the Wise lead a bleak and 
  empty existence, subject to the whims of the Oracle, 
  which can command them and rummage through 
  their memories at will. There are somewhat more than 
  2200 spirits in the lake, accumulated over the 500 year 
  active career of the Oracle, and they move like 
  incorporeal ghosts throughout the waters of the lake. 
  When the PCs approach the lectern the spirits gather 
  around the spit of land. Once the PCs have had a 
  moment to look at the lectern, the spirits at the surface 
  manifest as vaguely humanoid columns of water. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 28 
  As you stand by the corroded brass lectern, slow 
  ripples and waves begin to form on the surface of 
  the lake. Before your eyes, smooth columns of clear 
  water rise from the surface, and after a moment you 
  realize that they have assumed vague shapes, 
  resembling men and women. 
  There are hundreds of them, surrounding the small 
  spit of land in wavering ranks that extend off into 
  the darkness, diminishing in height as they go. 
  Their faces turn towards you, and they wait, in 
  absolute silence. 
  The nearest of the spirits are roughly five feet tall, and 
  the furthest, which are about 70 feet off shore, are only 
  a foot high. The PCs can easily move through the 
  columns if they wish; they’re only water, after all, and 
  the spirits offer no resistance. The lake under the 
  surface is also packed with spirits, one in each five foot 
  cube, to a depth of 25 feet. Those spirits have not 
  manifested, and are invisible, incorporeal, and quite 
  difficult to detect without magic.  
  The Spirits of the Wise cannot communicate freely 
  with the PCs, because the Oracle has forbidden them 
  to do so, and most questions will go unanswered. 
  However, if the PCs ask who, or what, they are, the 
  spirits will answer. Each line after the first is delivered 
  by a different spirit, so vary your cadence and tone of 
  voice every time. 
  Abruptly, the silent columns speak, in a dull 
  whispery chorous that hisses like rain on the water. 
  “We are the dead…” 
  For a moment, there is silence. And then, one by 
  one, the columns speak again. 
   
  “Once, we were rich in knowledge,” 
  “Elevated by our intellect,” 
   
   
   
   
   
  “Arrogant,” 
   
   
  “Foolish,” 
   
   
   
   
  “And free…” 
  “Now we are bound here,” 
   
   
   
  “shackled by our learning,” 
   
   
  “anchored by chains of lore,” 
  “Sadder,” 
   
   
   
  ‘Wiser…” 
  The spirits will not elaborate any further. If the PCs 
  spend time trying to talk with them, or dither 
  needlessly around the lectern, the spirits begin to 
  chant quietly. 
  A gentle rhythmic chant begins to rise from the 
  translucent columns of water that surround you. 
  “Summon the Oracle…”  
  “Summon the Oracle…” 
  “Summon the Oracle…” 
  “Summon the Oracle…”  
  The spirits take no other action at this time, and if the 
  PCs leave the lectern area they will subside, sadly, back 
  into the lake. 
  A note on turning: Individual spirits are fairly easy to 
  turn. They are 2HD creatures with +2 turn resistance, 
  which means the PCs can drive them away in droves. 
  However, because there are so many of them, and they 
  occupy every single 5’ cube of water in the vicinity of 
  the lectern, they will tend to soak up turnings before 
  more distant undead, like the Oracle, can be affected! 
  The effect of turning is only evident on spirits which 
  have already manifested as columns of water at the 
  surface. Those which have been turned sink slowly 
  back into the lake with a reproachful expression. 
  “Destroyed” spirits collapse with a sudden splash, but, 
  like ghosts,  they gradually reform over time. Spirits 
  deeper in the lake are indistinguishable from the 
  surrounding water, and the PCs probably won’t be able 
  to tell whether they’ve been turned or not. 
  When the fighting begins, the Spirits of the Wise stop 
  manifesting, and their columns of water sink back into 
  the lake, but the spirits don’t actually leave the area. 
  Encounter 7: The Oracle. 
  Radic’s Scrying: Radic will be watching intently, at 
  this point, ready to take notes of all that happens, and 
  he will be joined by one of the leaders of the Black 
  Cabal, looking in from as far away as Greyhawk City. 
  His scrying skills are even greater than Radic’s, and he 
  makes use of greater scrying, with a Will DC of 23. 
  Once again, make any saves discretely, and inform the 
  PCs if they notice anything. 
   
  Summoning the Oracle: 
  All it takes to summon the Oracle is a formal 
  declaration of some sort, made by a PC at (or near) the 
  lectern. Nearly anything will do: a formal speech, an 
  ominous draconic invocation, or a simple “Oracle, I 
  summon you!” will all suffice. (This is just a chance for 
  a bit of role-playing color.) 
  Once the summons has been made, the Oracle, which 
  has been listening and observing with great care, uses 
  its project image ability to appear before the PCs. The 
  image is positioned 65 feet off shore, just out of range 
  of detection spells and conventional darkvision. (The 
  Oracle itself is in an entirely different place, 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 29 
  submerged somewhere within the 260 foot range of 
  the projection. It can take single move actions while 
  manipulating the projected image, and will move to 
  position itself one charge away from the shore as it 
  observes the PCs’ deployment. Choose accordingly.) 
  As the echoes of your call fade away, a vast gray 
  bulk rises out of the smooth silent waters off shore. 
  It’s shape is somewhat like an enormous fish, or a 
  whale, but the obscene coiling of thick tentacles 
  near its head reveal that this is nothing natural. 
  The line about the “smooth silent waters” is a deliberate 
  clue that the PCs are dealing with an illusion which 
  makes no ripples in the water, so be sure to include 
  that information, even if you are paraphrasing. If the 
  PCs are humans relying on the natural cavern 
  illumination, that’s about all they will see. PCs with 
  better means of seeing will observe more details. 
  The creature’s gray sagging flesh is covered in a 
  patchwork of mottled scales, and its fins are 
  tattered and torn. Great gaping wounds open like 
  windows in its flanks, revealing massive rib bones, 
  and dark seeping organs further inside. Three wide 
  eyes line the front of its blunt head, but one is a 
  cloudy unseeing white, and three long slime 
  covered 
  tentacles 
  emerge 
  from 
  the 
  beast’s 
  shoulders, near the stump of a fourth.  
  It’s mouth is hidden somewhere beneath the water, 
  but when it speaks its voice is dark, powerful, and 
  clear. 
  “I am the Oracle.” 
  If one or two of the PCs open fire immediately, the 
  Oracle will still try and talk. (It’s seen knee-jerk 
  reactions before.) If the whole party goes into combat, 
  the Oracle will reply in kind, and nobody will learn the 
  answers to Radic’s questions. Otherwise, it’s time to 
  talk. 
   
  Speaking with the Oracle: 
  The first thing the Oracle wants to find out is who’s in 
  charge. It was not unusual for supplicants to betray one 
  another into captivity, in times past, and it wants to 
  know if this is about to happen again. 
  “You are a strange party to come seeking my 
  wisdom. You flaunt no decadent luxuries or stolen 
  treasures. You come with no thralls to serve you, no 
  slaves to suffer your anger, no prisoners to bear 
  your loads. 
  Which of you then is the master, who has 
  dominion over the others, and brings his questions 
  to my cavern?” 
  If the PCs are the least bit hesitant about answering the 
  question, or indicate that they are here on Radic’s 
  behalf, the Oracle realizes what’s going on. 
  “Ahhh, I believe I understand,” says the Oracle, 
  with a horrible gurgling chuckle. 
  “You carry questions for another, who will not 
  come himself.” Its tentacles writhe in the smooth 
  water. ‘Come, ask his questions, and I will answer 
  them.” 
  If the PCs ask whether there is any form of payment or 
  service required, the Oracle replies: 
  “You need not fear. Your master will provide both 
  service and payment, when the questions are 
  answered.”  
  The Oracle doesn’t want to get into a protracted 
  discussion with the PCs. After all, it can pick their 
  brains at leisure after it captures their souls. Discourage 
  long conversations, and discourage the PCs from 
  trying to ask their own questions. Instead, press on to 
  Radic’s questions. If Radic was not driven away or 
  captured, he will be scrying on the PCs at this point, 
  and you should give them another chance to spot his 
  scrying sensor. 
  Before the adventure begins, take a moment to remove 
  the question page (Appendix 3) from the back of the 
  module, and fold it up so only one question is visible at 
  a time. When a PC opens the scroll tube, tell them that 
  there is only one question on the sheet of parchment. 
  Then, as each question is read out loud, another 
  question magically appears on the page. (Radic has 
  accomplished this with a variant of the secret page 
  spell.) To represent this, the player whose PC is asking 
  the questions should unfold the paper to reveal each 
  question in turn. 
  When the PCs start reading, the Oracle immediately 
  recognizes what the questions are all about. The 
  ancestral memories that pass from aboleth to aboleth 
  go far enough back to have seen several cycles of 
  emergence of the great ancient creatures, and the 
  aboleths know where and when the emergences are 
  likely to occur. They also know how utterly 
  disinterested the ancient creatures are in working with 
  human followers, and how carelessly destructive they 
  can be. In their view, the best way to deal with the 
  ancient ones, is to not attract their attention in the first 
  place. The Oracle views Radic and the Black Cabal as a 
  group of ignorant greedy fools, who are about to cause 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 30 
  a great deal of trouble with their profitless plan, and its 
  contempt for them is evident in many of its answers. 
  Question #1: When must we be ready to greet the 
  awakening of the great beast of old, that even now 
  sleeps in the skirts of the mountains that divide east 
  from west, and holds the power to shatter reality, to 
  cast down kingdoms, and sunder nations? 
  A: “You are too late! Already the great beast stirs in 
  its chambers, and the Lesser Children emerge to 
  walk the earth. 
  Fools and the ignorant begin to cleave to them even 
  now…” 
  Bardic Knowledge, or Knowledge (arcana) [DC15]: 
  These terms are not, to the PCs knowledge, 
  descriptions that have ever been specifically associated 
  with the Tarrasque (thank heavens!), nor any of the 
  other big nasty unique critters of D&D fame. 
  Question #2: Where shall we find the hidden gate, 
  which leads to the dimensionless chamber of the great 
  ancient beast? 
  “Where the light of distant Achernar rises on the 
  ruins of forgotten Hadar, there the fate of your dark 
  order shall be decided.” 
  Knowledge (planes or arcana) [DC 20]: Achernar is a 
  Suloise name for a dim orange star, that lies in a 
  constellation that was known as “The Serpent” in 
  several ancient cultures. 
  Knowledge (geography or history) [DC 20], or Bardic 
  Knowledge [DC 25]: Hadar is a ruined city that once 
  stood in the foothills of the Barrier peaks, in what is 
  now Durva Province, 
  Question #3: How did the priest-kings of old treat 
  with the great ancient beasts, serve them, gain their 
  favor, and earn their powers? 
  A: “They did no such thing! The priest-kings were 
  ignorant scavengers, living off scraps of power 
  dropped by colossi. Not even the sleepers, for all 
  their power, were welcomed by what you seek.” 
  Knowledge (history or arcana) [DC 25]: The priest-
  kings are agreed to have been ruling wizards in the dim 
  distant past, but almost nothing is known of them 
  today. 
  The sleepers are a complete mystery to the PCs. 
  Question #4: What manner of reward shall the beast 
  give to us, who become its new priest kings and 
  advocates? 
  A: “The houses of your questions are built upon the 
  sand of foolish hopes… 
  Priest kings it never made. Your reward shall be 
  labor. Your prize shall be slavery.” 
  In other words, that great ancient ones consider 
  humanity to be so inconsequential, that they never 
  bothered to grant any of them power. If some humans 
  gained it inadvertently, so be it, but they displayed the 
  same crushing indifference to them all, unless they 
  annoyed them somehow. 
  Question #5: What are the true compounds of 
  revealing, that may bring the ancient ones to our 
  perception? 
  A: “Use orpiment and cinnabar, the recrement of 
  colcothar, vitriols of blue and white, burned in fires 
  in the night. Yet, do not think the choice was yours, 
  if the ancients briefly pause to seek the source of 
  the stench. Better yet, that you had not seen them 
  at all…” 
  Knowledge (arcana) [DC 25] or Craft (alchemy) [DC 
  20]: These are various pigments and alchemical 
  compounds, many used since antiquity. Burning them 
  would certainly release unpleasant fumes (mercury and 
  arsenic among them), but there is little other apparent 
  function. 
  Question #6: Give to us the order of the four hidden 
  names of opening, concealed in the cyphers of Crypsis, 
  that the ears of the ancient one may be opened to us, 
  and our fates conjoined. 
  A: “The names you will call are Kuabris, Defrabax, 
  Rexulon and Reisabrax, but you will damn the 
  countryside to ruin if you voice them, and the 
  ancient one attends your call, for Crypsis did not 
  know them all, and the unutterable fifth name 
  knows no breath. 
  “That missing name may be your death..” 
  Knowledge (arcana) [DC28]: Crypsis was an ancient 
  historiographer, who lived some 3,200 years ago, and 
  recorded many mystical legends of the time. In his 
  declining years he also wrote three books full of 
  paranoid gibberish, which were claimed to contain 
  occult knowledge, if one knew how to decode them. 
  The books are considered lost. 
  Once it has reached the sixth question, the Oracle will 
  answer no more. It normally costs one soul per answer, 
  and now it’s time for the party to pay up. (In the case of 
  parties of four or five, the Oracle has been unusually 
  lenient.) 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 31 
  “I will speak no more,” says the Oracle. 
  “It is now time for your master to make payment. I 
  have delivered six answers; six pieces of ancient 
  knowledge; six services you could find nowhere 
  else.” 
  “And now”, it continues, as its tentacles coil around 
  each other in the still black water, “for each 
  question, you will deliver into my power one 
  intelligent, experienced, sane, soul…” 
  “Such as your souls…” 
  The PCs will either go straight to combat, or make a 
  protest. Unfortunately, there’s no way to negotiate 
  their way out of this. The Oracle has no interest in fair 
  play, and it doesn’t care if the PCs have been betrayed, 
  or were simply ignorant. It will initiate combat shortly 
  after the PCs refuse to pay. 
   
  Other Options. 
  The PCs may look at the first question and decide then 
  and there that they aren’t going to show any of them to 
  the Oracle. The Oracle will be amused if this happens, 
  and taunt the PCs mildly for their “intellectual 
  cowardice”. 
  But, whether they ask questions or not, the Oracle has 
  no intention of letting them leave. Its hunger has 
  grown vast over the centuries, and it intends to have 
  their souls by fair means or foul. Its projected images 
  are running out, so it won’t delay too long. 
  If the PCs try and teleport out immediately, in order to 
  escape, or to capture Radic, they’re going to run afoul 
  of the dimensional barrier, and remain in the cavern. 
  Fighting with the Oracle. 
  This is another complicated fight, with several 
  interesting sequencing issues, a number of illusions, 
  and the possibility of underwater combat. (It’s worth 
  reviewing the swimming rules on p.84 of the PHB, the 
  water combat rules on pp.92-93 of the DMG, and the 
  drowning rules on p.304 of the DMG.) 
  Creatures: 
  APL 6 (EL 10) 
  �The Oracle; hp 52; See Appendix 1 
  �Bonecoils (4); hp 42 each; See Appendix 1 
  �Smoldering Soul; hp 45;. See Appendix 1 
  APL 8 (EL 12) 
  �The Oracle; hp 65; See Appendix 1 
  �Bonecoils (2); hp 60 each; See Appendix 1 
  �Smoldering Souls (2); hp 54 each, See Appendix 1 
  APL 10 (EL 14) 
  �The Oracle; hp 78; See Appendix 1 
  �Bonecoils (2); hp 90 each; See Appendix 1 
  �Smoldering Souls (4); hp 54 each; See Appendix 1. 
  APL 12 (EL 16) 
  �The Oracle; hp 91; See Appendix 1. 
  �Bonecoils (2); hp 105 each; See Appendix 1. 
  �Smoldering Souls (4); hp 81 each; See Appendix 1. 
   
  The Oracle’s Plan of Attack: When the Oracle begins 
  to fight it signals its subordinates with a single deep 
  groaning noise, rather like a whale’s call, that echoes 
  sourcelessly throughout the cavern. This call triggers a 
  pair of programmed images, summons the Smoldering 
  Souls from their cysts in the shaft, and commands the 
  Bonecoils to advance. 
  The Oracle then bombards the PCs with ranged spells 
  via its projected image, for the first three rounds of 
  combat, while the Smoldering Souls and the Bonecoils 
  close in and attack from the second round onwards. On 
  the fourth round the Oracle itself advances into 
  combat, attempting to tackle spellcasters who are 
  staying out of the fight. 
  Round 1: Oracle bombards, Smoldering Souls and 
  Bonecoils advance, Spirits of the Wise subside. 
  Round 
  2: 
  Oracle 
  bombards, 
  Bonecoils 
  attack, 
  Smoldering Souls advance into view. 
  Round 3: Oracle bombards, Bonecoils and Smoldering 
  Souls attack. 
  Round 4: Oracle enters combat. 
  Whether the plan survives contact with the enemy 
  remains to be seen. 
  Terrain around the Lectern: The fight with the 
  Oracle is almost certain to happen at the Lectern, 
  which is detailed on Map #3. 
  The Lectern is located on a raised spit of land that juts 
  out into the lake from the main island. The flat top of 
  the spit is roughly fifteen feet wide and twenty five 
  feet long, and is surrounded by steep slopes leading 
  down to the water. The furthest end of the spit is 
  nearly vertical, and is, essentially, a five foot high cliff 
  emerging from the water. PCs can easily hop down the 
  short cliff without taking damage, but if they wish to 
  climb up out of the lake it will take a Climb check [DC 
  20] to do so. 
  The banks to either side of the lectern are quite steeply 
  sloped, and somewhat crumbly. It takes a Climb check 
  [DC 5] to move on these slopes, which most PCs can 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 32 
  accomplish quite easily. However, to do so the PC must 
  actually climb, which means using two hands, losing 
  Dex bonuses, and moving at one quarter speed. If a PC 
  enters these slopes without using the Climb skill, then 
  they automatically slide down into the lake. 
  The narrow isthmus between the lectern and the main 
  island is low lying, and nearly submerged. There is a 
  single five foot wide dry path, but the five foot squares 
  on either side are awash in six inch deep water. PCs can 
  walk through this water without penalty, but they will 
  have to make a Balance check [DC10] if they run or 
  charge. The strength penalty from the magically frigid 
  water applies to anyone passing through these squares. 
  The lake bed around the island slopes away at a 45 
  degree angle. As a general rule of thumb, a medium 
  sized PC would stand waist deep in the first square out 
  from shore, and be fully submerged in the second. 
   
  The Programmed Images: The Oracle has cast a pair 
  of programmed images on either side of the spit of land 
  that holds the lectern. These are triggered by the deep 
  booming call of the Oracle. (This is the same call that 
  triggers all the other combatants.) 
  Each image operates in a thirty foot wide, fifty foot 
  long, and ten foot high rectangle, roughly centered on 
  the shoreline (see Map #3). They show a group of five 
  skeletons (four “warriors” and one “wizard” per image) 
  assembling among the bones on the lake bed, 
  advancing out of the lake, and casting preparatory buff 
  spells.  
  The images are designed to distract the PCs, hopefully 
  causing them to waste combat spells and turning 
  attempts, and to separate the fighters from the 
  supporting classes. 
  When the call is given the programmed images operate 
  in the following sequence: 
  Round 1: Bones assemble themselves into skeletons 
  beneath the surface of the lake. 
  Round 2: The skeletons stand up, look around and 
  advance onto the island. 
  Round 3: The skeletal mage in each group casts buff 
  spells on its warriors. 
  Round 4-16: The skeletons “ready” themselves to deal 
  with attackers. 
  The programmed images have sound, smell, and even 
  thermal properties, and the Oracle has used them all to 
  make the illusion as detailed and threatening as 
  possible. Take advantage of this when you’re describing 
  what the PCs see. 
  For example: 
  Suddenly, a pallid gray light flickers in the water 
  just offshore, and the naked bones that cover the 
  lake bed begin to pull together into fully formed 
  skeletons of men!  
  And then: 
  The cold lake water surges noisily through their 
  bones as they stand upright, a bitter green light 
  flickering in their eye sockets, and a vicious hissing 
  laugh comes from their ever-grinning mouths. 
  Continue using non-visual and environmental details 
  to help convince PCs the illusion is real. When the 
  skeletons advance out of the water, leaving ripples 
  behind them, make their bony feet grate on the rock, 
  and let rivulets of water stream off their bodies, and 
  trickle across the stone floor. 
  The four “warriors” in each group have armor formed 
  from jagged plates of bone, and wield wickedly sharp 
  two-handed blades of curved and hooked bone. The 
  “wizards” smoke and steam, and smell of sulfur (but 
  only to those PCs in the area of effect). When they cast 
  “buff spells” coils of luminous warm red smoke wrap 
  around the “warriors”. 
  Remember that programmed images are figments, and 
  not mental effects. The PCs do not automatically get 
  saving throws against an illusion, unless “they study it 
  carefully or interact with it in some fashion” (PHB, 
  p173). Careful study requires at least a full round 
  action, or more at your discretion. If a PC swats a 
  skeleton with a sword, feel free to secretly roll a die, 
  shake your head, and only then tell the player that the 
  sword went straight through it; the implication being 
  that the skeleton is incorporeal, like the undead 
  they’ve already seen. 
  However, if someone points out the discrepancies of 
  noise and splashes in the water, which incorporeal 
  creatures cannot possibly produce, then it’s saving 
  throw time. Similarly, if the skeletons wander through 
  a wall of force, in their mindless pre-programmed 
  advance, then it’s going to be pretty obvious that 
  something’s not right. 
   
  The Bonecoils: The Bonecoils resemble the skeletons 
  of enormous constrictor snakes, with a massive three-
  fingered gripping claw in place of the head. Although 
  their skeletal nature makes them look undead, these 
  are actually constructs made out of bone, and they 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 33 
  cannot 
  be 
  turned 
  or 
  destroyed 
  like undead. 
  Fortunately, the Bonecoils are very old, and they have 
  weakened somewhat and become brittle over the ages 
  The Bonecoils lie 60 feet offshore (and, therefore, 60 
  feet down), on either side of the spit, inactive, and 
  covered in the bones that line the bed of the lake. (See 
  Map #3). They are extremely difficult to spot in this 
  condition (Spot [DC 30]), and the PCs probably won’t 
  have line of sight or illumination which can reach 
  them unless they leave the island and enter the water. 
  When the Oracle signals the attack, the Snakes “run” 
  towards the island (i.e., take a x5 move), ending their 
  first round ten feet offshore, and bursting out of the 
  water on the second round, and grabbing at the PCs. 
  With a roar of spray, an enormous snake-like 
  creature bursts out of the lake water, and lunges 
  towards you! Wet yellow bone gleams in your 
  lights, and water drips from the massive skeletal 
  three-fingered claw that sits where the snake’s head 
  should be… 
  The Bonecoils are programmed to begin by tackling 
  heavily armed fighter types, in preference to sorcerers 
  and wizards. (The Oracle is reserving those for itself.) 
  At APL 6 the Snakes aren’t very big, and they have to 
  advance onto the island to grapple the PCs. At higher 
  APLs the Snakes are big enough that they have reach, 
  and they can grab people and pull them into the water, 
  retiring back into the depths with their prey. Be very 
  careful with this tactic! Once a PC is underwater, in the 
  strength-draining waters of the lake, the probability of 
  escape is low, and the possibility of drowning is very 
  real. Only use this on strong parties, at APL 12 and 
  (maybe) APL 10. 
  The Smoldering Souls: Smoldering Souls are the 
  undead spirits of evil men who died by fire, and 
  returned as malevolent creatures of searing smoke. The 
  Oracle has control of several Smoldering Souls, which 
  are currently in the cysts that line the walls of the shaft 
  beneath the ring of arms. 
  When the Oracle gives its call, and orders the fight to 
  begin, the Smoldering Souls are magically released 
  from their cysts, and descend from the shaft to join the 
  fight. 
  A fierce crackling sound echoes through the 
  cavern, coming from far overhead, and a glance 
  upwards reveals dazzling bolts of lightning dancing 
  among the stalactites around the mouth of the 
  shaft. Glowing droplets of molten rock rain 
  downwards, and thick dark plumes of smoke rush 
  out of the shaft, turning in midair, and heading for 
  you… 
  The Smoldering Souls are a deep black colour, and are 
  very difficult to see in the dark, gaining a +8 racial 
  bonus to hide when they are not in bright light. The 
  Smoldering Souls rapidly vanish into the darkness 
  after they leave the light around the shaft, and advance 
  unseen until the end of their second round of combat, 
  when they enter the edge of the PCs vision. The 
  Smoldering Souls will not be able to attack PCs near 
  the lectern until the third round. 
  The Smoldering Souls concentrate on flying creatures, 
  ganging up on them and attacking them in preference 
  to earthbound foes. The Smoldering Souls will attack 
  ground targets if nothing is in the air, but they will not 
  enter the lake under any circumstances. 
  The Smoldering Souls are made of searingly hot 
  smoke, and are “quasi-incorporeal”. This means that the 
  creature is considered incorporeal for purposes of 
  melee or missile combat (50% miss chance, immune to 
  non-magical weapons, ignores  armor, moves silently), 
  but it cannot enter or pass through solid objects, and it 
  suffers spell damage normally. Smoldering Souls 
  normally fight with fiery touch attacks, or by 
  enveloping and choking their foes with their smoky 
  bodies. 
  The Oracle: The PCs have already had a good look at 
  the Oracle, or, rather, its projected image, by the time 
  the fight erupts. The Oracle was seriously wounded in 
  the last bout of fighting, taking bodily damage as well 
  as brain damage. The weapons used against it were 
  imbued with positive energy, and, as a result, the 
  Oracle has never been able to fully heal its wounds. Its 
  spell and spell-like abilities are limited, which will 
  force it into melee combat sooner than would normally 
  be the case. 
  After it gives the call to begin the fight, the Oracle will 
  remain hidden underwater, and use the projected 
  image to bombard the PCs with its area effect spells. 
  Unfortunately, the Oracle’s brain damage limits the 
  power of its damaging spells, and they only do 2/3 of 
  the normal amount. Once these spells are exhausted, in 
  a mere three rounds, the Oracle will abandon the 
  projected image, and lunge up onto shore to tackle the 
  PCs itself. It hopes, by this time, that the spellcasters in 
  the party will have removed themselves from the 
  melee, and will be isolated, and vulnerable to a surprise 
  attack. 
  The Oracle’s main melee attack comes from its 
  remaining three tentacles, which secrete a thick gray 
  slime. Any living creature struck by a tentacle is 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 34 
  covered with a disgusting smear of the goo, and every 
  smear bestows a negative level, so long as the slime is 
  left on the victim. The Oracle may deliver the slime 
  attacks as part of a powerful slam attack, or as part of a 
  touch attack which does no other damage. 
  The slime is very sticky, and strongly hydrophobic, and 
  it takes a full minute to remove a single smear by 
  washing in water, wine, or something similar. 
  However, it only takes a full round action to wash off a 
  smear of slime using a flask of oil. (Anyone who has 
  cleaned thick grease off their hands by using WD-40 
  knows how this works.)  The negative levels bestowed 
  by the slime never become permanent, unless a PC 
  takes enough hits that he dies. 
  The Oracle won’t back off. It will fight furiously, trying 
  to kill or disable as many of the PCs as it can, but it 
  won’t retreat into the lake if it’s loosing. Centuries of 
  continuous pain and isolation take their toll, even on 
  undead psyches. Whether the Oracle consciously 
  realizes it or not, it wants a conclusion. If the end 
  comes, it will be a relief. 
  “Strike,” says the vast broken creature, as it lies 
  helpless on the rock by the shore. “Strike now, and 
  end it…” 
   
  Conclusion: The Cavern 
  Victory: 
  When the PCs destroy the Oracle, the force that holds 
  the entire collection of undead in captivity is removed. 
  If the PCs have been sufficiently challenged, the 
  remaining foes immediately dissipate, or collapse into 
  pieces. If the PCs still need a workout, then keep the 
  fight going until all of their opponents have been 
  destroyed. 
  The Bound Ones, Watchers, and Smoldering Souls flee 
  immediately after the Oracle’s death, going to their 
  eternal rest. The Dimensional Barrier begins to slowly 
  fade away, and the Spirits of the Wise also take their 
  leave, but before they do so, some of the wisest stop to 
  speak with the PCs. 
  Tall columns of water form near the shore, 
  gleaming in your lights as they turn to face you, 
  and their faces and features are more detailed then 
  ever before. 
  “You have destroyed the Oracle,” 
  “Broken our chains,”  
   
   
   
          “Shattered our shackles,” 
         “And set us free…” 
  Each of the spirits bows in turn, their tired and 
  aged faces relaxing into expressions of peace and 
  tranquility, as they deposit a few glittering objects 
  on the cold gray stone. 
  “We bring you such small baubles,” 
  “-And trinkets-“ 
                              “as have survived the ages,” 
     “as a measure of thanks…” 
  They pause a moment, and then speak in unison. 
  “But, more, we bid you drink” they say, raising 
  cupped hands full of their own substance, “and 
  accept our gift of knowledge.”  
  If the PCs accept the offer and drink, they feel a gentle 
  tingling in their minds, as if an almost forgotten 
  memory is trying to work its way to the surface. They 
  receive the Gift of Knowledge on their AR. Those that 
  refuse, or cannot drink, do not receive the gift. 
  After the PCs have drunk their fill the spirits bow once 
  more, and sink back into the lake, never to be seen 
  again. 
  Treasure: 
     APL 6: L:  0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: Brooch of shielding (125 
  gp), Elemental Gem – Water (187), Ring of Swimming 
  (208 gp) 
     APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: Brooch of shielding (125 
  gp), Chime of Opening (250 gp), Elemental Gem – 
  Water (187), Ring of Climbing (208 gp), Ring of 
  Swimming (208 gp) 
     APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: Bead of Force (250 gp), 
  Bottle of Air (604 gp), Brooch of shielding (125 gp), 
  Chime of Opening (250 gp), Elemental Gem – Water 
  (187), 
  Ring 
  of 
  Climbing 
  (208 gp), Ring of 
  Counterspells (333 gp), Ring of Swimming (208 gp) 
     APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: Bead of Force (250 gp), 
  Bottle of Air (604 gp), Brooch of shielding (125 gp), 
  Chime of Opening (250 gp), Dark Blue Rhomboid 
  Ioun Stone (833 gp), Elemental Gem – Water (187), 
  Ring of Climbing (208 gp), Ring of Counterspells (333 
  gp), Ring of Swimming (208 gp), Strand of Prayer 
  Beads, Lesser (800 gp). 
   
  Defeat: 
  If the PCs are defeated, and decide to retreat, they may 
  have a problem. Teleportation is not an option if the 
  dimensional barrier is still operating, and Mossul will 
  not raise the rope unless there is at least half a party’s 
  weight on it, which the surviving PCs may not be able 
  to provide. Even if they can, the ascent is slow (5 feet 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 35 
  every other round), and PCs on the rope will be 
  vulnerable to any remaining Smoldering Souls as they 
  ride upwards. Fortunately, the Smoldering Souls will 
  be blocked by the vortex of fog, if it is still operating. 
  Unfortunately, any surviving Bound Ones will make 
  their presence known when the PCs reach their 
  location. 
  Fallen PCs will be taken by the Oracle. If the PCs are 
  not resurrected at the end of the event, from body 
  scraps taken by retreating comrades, the Oracle will 
  have time to complete a long dark ritual, and the spirits 
  of the fallen will be added to the pool of knowledge, to 
  dwell there until freed by adventurers to follow. 
   
  Conclusion: Back in Lopolla 
  Radic fled Lopolla days ago, before the PCs even 
  reached the mine, unless he was captured before the 
  PCs left. The PCs get no additional rewards or 
  information from him. 
  If the PCs were already working for the Archons, they 
  can now get paid. The Archons will give each person 
  25 gp x APL for information about the Oracle, and 25 
  gp x APL for the answers to Radic’s questions, in 
  addition to the advance they already have (another 25 
  gp X APL). 
  If the PCs were working for Radic they may keep their 
  advance (25 gp x APL), but they’re not going to get any 
  more pay from him. Radic has fled the city, taking his 
  money and information with him. However, if the PCs 
  give their information to the authorities, it will 
  eventually wind up in the hands of the Archons. The 
  PCs will each be awarded 20 gp x APL for information 
  about the Oracle, and 20 gp x APL for the answers to 
  Radic’s questions. 
  In both cases, the Archons will be concerned about 
  potential trouble in the next few years, and they will 
  move to enhance the party’s capabilities, in case they 
  are needed as investigators in the future. Accordingly, 
  the Archons will make their armouries and workshops 
  available to the PCs, in order to upgrade some of their 
  equipment.  
  The End 
   
   
  Experience Point Summary 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the 
  values for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award.  Award the total value (objectives 
  plus roleplaying) to each character. 
  Encounter 4: The Fight in the Shaft. 
  Defeat the Bound Ones: 
  APL6 300 xp;  APL8 360 xp; APL10 420 xp;  
  APL12 480 xp; 
  Encounter 5: The Fixed Defenses. 
  Penetrate the Fixed Defenses 
  APL6 120 xp;  APL8 180 xp; APL10 240 xp;  
  APL12 300 xp; 
  Encounter 7: The Oracle. 
  Defeat the Oracle 
  APL6 300 xp;  APL8 360 xp; APL10 420 xp;  
  APL12 480 xp; 
  Story Award 
  Detecting Radic’s deception: 
  APL6 35 xp;  APL8 45 xp; APL10 50 xp;  
  APL12 55 xp; 
  Capturing Radic: 
  APL6 30 xp;  APL8 40 xp; APL10 45 xp;  
  APL12 50 xp; 
  Return with answers: 
  APL6 70 xp;  APL8 90 xp; APL10 110 xp;  
  APL12 130 xp; 
  Discretionary roleplaying award 
  APL6 45 xp;  APL8 50 xp; APL10 65 xp;  
  APL12 80 xp; 
  Total possible experience:  
   
  APL 6   
  900 xp 
  APL 8   
  1,125 xp 
  APL 10   
  1,350 xp 
  APL 12   
  1,575 xp 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 36 
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes.  Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each character 
  gains if the foes are plundered of all their earthly 
  possessions.  Looting the bodies takes at least 10 minutes 
  per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot take 
  the time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this gold.  If 
  you feel it is reasonable that characters can go back to 
  loot the bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not 
  carted off by dungeon scavengers, removed from the 
  scene by the local watch, and so on), characters may 
  return to retrieve loot.  If the characters do not loot the 
  body, the gold piece value for the loot is subtracted from 
  the encounter totals given below. 
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available.  A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a 
  round or so.  If for some reason, they pass up this 
  treasure, the coin total is subtracted from the encounter 
  totals given below. 
  Next, the magic items are listed.  Magic item treasure is 
  the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure.  Many times characters must cast identify, 
  analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine what the 
  item does and how to activate it.  Other times they may 
  attempt to use the item blindly.  If the magic item is 
  consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the 
  item is used before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure.  Write the total in 
  the GP Gained field of the adventure certificate.  Because 
  this is a Regional scenario, characters may spend 
  additional Time Units to practice professions or create 
  items immediately after the adventure so this total may 
  be modified by other circumstances. 
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, 
  and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
  L:  Looted gear from enemy 
  C:  Coin, Gems, Jewelry, and other valuables 
  M:  Magic Items (sell value)  
  Encounter One:  Radic the Sage 
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 150 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 200 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 250 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 300 gp; M: 0 gp 
  Conclusion: The Cavern 
   
  APL 6: L:  0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: Brooch of shielding 
  (125 gp), Elemental Gem – Water (187), Ring of 
  Swimming (208 gp) 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: Brooch of shielding 
  (125 gp), Chime of Opening (250 gp), Elemental Gem – 
  Water (187), Ring of Climbing (208 gp), Ring of 
  Swimming (208 gp) 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: Bead of Force (250 gp), 
  Bottle of Air (604 gp), Brooch of shielding (125 gp), 
  Chime of Opening (250 gp), Elemental Gem – Water 
  (187), 
  Ring 
  of 
  Climbing 
  (208 gp), Ring of 
  Counterspells (333 gp), Ring of Swimming (208 gp) 
   
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: Bead of Force (250 
  gp), Bottle of Air (604 gp), Brooch of shielding (125 
  gp), Chime of Opening (250 gp), Dark Blue Rhomboid 
  Ioun Stone (833 gp), Elemental Gem – Water (187), 
  Ring of Climbing (208 gp), Ring of Counterspells (333 
  gp), Ring of Swimming (208 gp), Strand of Prayer 
  Beads, Lesser (800 gp). 
  Conclusion: Back in Lopolla  
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 300 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 400 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 500 gp; M: 0 gp 
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 600 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
   
  APL 6:  
  800 gp 
   
  APL 8:  
  1,250 gp 
   
  APL 10:  
  2,100 gp 
  APL 12:  
  3,000 gp 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 37 
  Special 
  �Gift of Knowledge: Ancient prescient spirits have 
  implanted four pieces of helpful knowledge into the 
  PC’s mind. The PC may use this gift four times, to gain 
  a +20 circumstance bonus to a Knowledge skill check. 
  This may even be used untrained. Unfortunately, the 
  knowledge does not include developments within the 
  last 1000 years! Once the four pieces of information are 
  used, the Gift of Knowledge should be crossed off the 
  AR.  [ ]  [ ]  [ ]  [ ] 
  �Archon workshop access: The Archons have 
  agreed to allow their artisans to upgrade some of the 
  PCs items. One simple or martial weapon AND one 
  armor or shield, may be upgraded by +1, to a maximum 
  of +2. These upgrades may be done at different times. 
  Cross each upgrade off as it is used. (Regional) 
  �Archon library access: The Archons have agreed to 
  allow the PC limited research access to their library. 
  The PC may spend 1 time unit and add 1 wizard spell 
  from the PHB of up to 5
  th level to their spell book, at no 
  additional cost. Cross this favor off when it is used. 
  (Regional) 
   
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 38 
  Appendix One: NPC and 
  Monster Stat Blocks 
  Encounter 1: Radic The Sage. 
   
  All APLs 
  �Radic Ranladsson: Male human W7 (Diviner) Exp3; 
  Medium Humanoid; HD 7d4-7 + 3d6-3; hp 23; Init +0; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (touch 10, flat-footed 10); Atk +4 
  melee (dagger 1d4-1, 19-20/x2, piercing/slashing); SA 
  spells; AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +11; Str 8, Dex 
  10, Con 8, Int 15 Wis 13, Cha 12. Height 5’7”. Weight 
  130 lb. 
  Skills and Feats: Bluff (+10), Decipher Script (+6), 
  Diplomacy (+14), Forgery (+6), Gather Information 
  (+10), Knowledge–arcana (+12), Knowledge-geography 
  (+15), Knowledge-history (+15), Knowledge-local (+7), 
  Knowledge-planes 
  (+12), 
  Languages 
  (Common, 
  Baklunish, Oeridian, Seul, Flan, Draconic, Elven, 
  Dwarvish), Sense Motive (+8), Spellcraft (+9); 
  Charlatan, Greater Spell Focus (Divination), Iron Will, 
  Negotiator, Persuasive, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus 
  (Divination), Trustworthy. 
   
  Possessions: Dagger. 
   
  Spells Prepared: 4+1/4+1/3+1/2+1/1+1; base DC = 
  12 + spell level (14 for divination): 0— arcane mark, 
  detect magic x2, read magic x2; 1
  st - alarm x2, disguise 
  self, obscuring mist, protection from law; 2
  nd - detect 
  thoughts, invisibility, misdirection, see invisibility; 3
  rd 
  – dispel magic, nondetection, tongues; 4
  th - detect 
  scrying, solid fog. 
  Encounter 4: The Fight in the Shaft. 
   
  APL 6 
  �Bound Ones: CR 3; Medium Undead (Incorporeal); 
  HD 4d12; hp 20; Init +2; Spd 0 ft.; AC 12 (touch 12, flat-
  footed 10) [+2 Dex]; Atk +5 melee (1d4 plus Numbing 
  Blow, incorporeal touch); SA Numbing Blow; SQ turn 
  resistance +2, life sense, darkvision 120 ft., undead 
  traits; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5; Str -, Dex 14, 
  Con -, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +9, Intimidate +7, Listen +7, 
  Spot +7; Combat Reflexes, Dual Strike, Weapon Focus 
  (incorporeal touch). 
   
  Numbing Blow (Su): Each successful melee 
  attack causes the temporary loss of 1 point from a 
  randomly chosen attribute, due to numbing and 
  scrambling of the nervous system. This is not a 
  negative energy attack. The ability damage heals 30 
  minutes after it was inflicted. 
   
  Life Sense (Su): Bound Ones can see the life force 
  of living creatures within 60’, as if using blindsight, and 
  can judge their condition as if using deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
  APL 8 
  �Bound Ones: CR 5; Medium Undead (Incorporeal); 
  HD 6d12; hp 30; Init +2; Spd 0 ft.; AC 13 (touch 13, flat-
  footed 11) [+2 Dex, +1 Deflection]; Atk +6 melee (1d4 
  plus Numbing Blow, incorporeal touch); SA Numbing 
  Blow; SQ turn resistance +2, life sense, darkvision 120 
  ft., undead traits; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str 
  -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 12.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +11, Intimidate +10, Listen 
  +9, Spot +9; Combat Reflexes, Dual Strike, Weapon 
  Focus (incorporeal touch). 
   
  Numbing Blow (Su): Each successful melee 
  attack causes the temporary loss of 1 point from a 
  randomly chosen attribute, due to numbing and 
  scrambling of the nervous system. This is not a 
  negative energy attack. The ability damage heals 30 
  minutes after it was inflicted.  
   
  Life Sense (Su): Bound Ones can see the life force 
  of living creatures within 60’, as if using blindsight, and 
  can judge their condition as if using deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
    
  APL 10 
  �Bound Ones: CR 7; Medium Undead (Incorporeal); 
  HD 8d12; hp 40; Init +2; Spd 0 ft.; AC 14 (touch 14, flat-
  footed 12) [+2 Dex, +2 Deflection]; Atk +7 melee (1d6 
  plus Numbing Blow, incorporeal touch); SA Numbing 
  Blow; SQ turn resistance +2, life sense, darkvision 120 
  ft., undead traits; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +10; 
  Str -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +13, Intimidate +13, Listen 
  +11, Spot +11; Combat Reflexes, Dual Strike, Iron Will, 
  Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch). 
   
  Numbing Blow (Su): Each successful melee 
  attack causes the temporary loss of 1 point from a 
  randomly chosen attribute, due to numbing and 
  scrambling of the nervous system. This is not a 
  negative energy attack. The ability damage heals 30 
  minutes after it was inflicted.  
   
  Life Sense (Su): Bound Ones can see the life force 
  of living creatures within 60’, as if using blindsight, and 
  can judge their condition as if using deathwatch. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 39 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
    
  APL 12 
  �Bound Ones: CR 8; Medium Undead (Incorporeal); 
  HD 10d12; hp 50; Init +3; Spd 0 ft.; AC 15 (touch 15, 
  flat-footed 12) [+3 Dex, +2 Deflection]; Atk +9 melee 
  (1d8 plus Numbing Blow, incorporeal touch); SA 
  Numbing Blow; SQ turn resistance +2, life sense, 
  darkvision 120 ft., undead traits; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref 
  +8, Will +11; Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 
  14.  
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +16, Intimidate +15, Listen 
  +13, Spot +13; Combat Reflexes, Dual Strike, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (incorporeal 
  touch). 
   
  Numbing Blow (Su): Each successful melee 
  attack causes the temporary loss of 1 point from a 
  randomly chosen attribute, due to numbing and 
  scrambling of the nervous system. This is not a 
  negative energy attack. The ability damage heals 30 
  minutes after it was inflicted. 
   
  Life Sense (Su): Bound Ones can see the life force 
  of living creatures within 60’, as if using blindsight, and 
  can judge their condition as if using deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
    
  Encounter 5: The Fixed Defenses. 
  APL 6 
  �Nozzle Mouths (1/2 inch thick magical bronze, 
  caster level 3): Hardness 12; hp 25; AC 5; Break DC 26; 
  SQ: object qualities, vulnerable to bludgeoning; Saving 
  throws: F +3, R -2, W na. 
   
  Object qualities: Half damage from electricity 
  and fire, one quarter damage from cold. Full damage 
  from acid and sonic. Half damage from ranged 
  weapons. Immune to non-lethal damage and critical 
  hits. 
   
  Vulnerable to bludgeoning: The nozzle mouths 
  are vulnerable to being crushed shut by blows from 
  blunt objects, and thus take double damage from 
  bludgeoning weapons. (Damage is doubled before 
  hardness is subtracted.) 
   
  Break DC: The Break DC of the nozzle mouths 
  represents the PC’s chance to bend the nozzle shut 
  through pure strength of grip. The PC must have both 
  hands free and take a full attack action to attempt this. 
  �Ring of Arms: Large construct; HD 4d10+30; hp 60; 
  Init +0; Spd 0 ft.; AC 15 (touch 9, flat-footed 16) [+6 
  natural, -1 size]; BAB/Grapple  +3 / na; Atk +5 melee 
  (trip only (+10), no damage); Face/Reach 10 ft. / 5 ft.; 
  SA: One attack in each 5 ft. square; SQ: Construct 
  traits, blindsight 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; AL N; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will -4; Str 14, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 
  1, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Trip (B) 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
   
  APL  8 
  �Nozzle Mouths (3/4 inch thick magical bronze, 
  caster level 5): Hardness 12; hp 32; AC 5; Break DC 26; 
  SQ: object qualities, vulnerable to bludgeoning; Saving 
  throws: F +4, R -1, W na. 
   
  Object qualities: Half damage from electricity 
  and fire, one quarter damage from cold. Full damage 
  from acid and sonic. Half damage from ranged 
  weapons. Immune to non-lethal damage and critical 
  hits. 
   
  Vulnerable to bludgeoning: The nozzle mouths 
  are vulnerable to being crushed shut by blows from 
  blunt objects, and thus take double damage from 
  bludgeoning weapons. (Damage is doubled before 
  hardness is subtracted.) 
   
  Break DC: The Break DC of the nozzle mouths 
  represents the PC’s chance to bend the nozzle shut 
  through pure strength of grip. The PC must have both 
  hands free and take a full attack action to attempt this. 
  �Ring of Arms: Large construct; HD 6d10+30; hp 75; 
  Init +0; Spd 0 ft.; AC 16 (touch 9, flat-footed 16) [+7 
  natural, -1 size]; BAB/Grapple  +5/na; Atk +8 melee 
  (trip only (+11), no damage); Face/Reach 10 ft. / 5 ft.; 
  SA: One attack in each 5 ft. square; SQ: DR 5/ metal 
  bludgeoning weapons or picks, resistance to energy (all 
  types) 5, construct traits, blindsight 60 ft., tremorsense 
  60 ft.; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will -3; Str 16, Dex 10, 
  Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Trip (B) 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
   
  APL 10 
  �Nozzle Mouths (1 inch thick magical bronze, 
  caster level 7): Hardness 12; hp 40; AC 5; Break DC 26; 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 40 
  SQ: object qualities, vulnerable to bludgeoning; Saving 
  throws: F +5, R +0, W na. 
   
  Object qualities: Half damage from electricity 
  and fire, one quarter damage from cold. Full damage 
  from acid and sonic. Half damage from ranged 
  weapons. Immune to non-lethal damage and critical 
  hits. 
   
  Vulnerable to bludgeoning: The nozzle mouths 
  are vulnerable to being crushed shut by blows from 
  blunt objects, and thus take double damage from 
  bludgeoning weapons. (Damage is doubled before 
  hardness is subtracted.) 
   
  Break DC: The Break DC of the nozzle mouths 
  represents the PC’s chance to bend the nozzle shut 
  through pure strength of grip. The PC must have both 
  hands free and take a full attack action to attempt this. 
  �Ring of Arms: Large construct; HD 8d10+30; hp 90; 
  Init +0; Spd 0 ft.; AC 18 (touch 9, flat-footed 18) [+9 
  natural, -1 size]; BAB/Grapple  +6/na; Atk +10 melee 
  (trip only (+12), no damage); Face/Reach 10 ft. / 5 ft.; 
  SA: One attack in each 5 ft. square; SQ: DR 5/ metal 
  bludgeoning weapons or picks, resistance to energy (all 
  types) 
  10, 
  construct 
  traits, 
  blindsight 
  60 
  ft., 
  tremorsense 60 ft.; SR 13; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, 
  Will -3; Str 18, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Trip (B) 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
   
  APL 12 
  �Nozzle Mouths (1 1/2 inch thick magical bronze, 
  caster level 9): Hardness 12; hp 65; AC 5; Break DC 26; 
  SQ: object qualities, vulnerable to bludgeoning; Saving 
  throws: F +6, R +1, W na. 
   
  Object qualities: Half damage from electricity 
  and fire, one quarter damage from cold. Full damage 
  from acid and sonic. Half damage from ranged 
  weapons. Immune to non-lethal damage and critical 
  hits. 
   
  Vulnerable to bludgeoning: The nozzle mouths 
  are vulnerable to being crushed shut by blows from 
  blunt objects, and thus take double damage from 
  bludgeoning weapons. (Damage is doubled before 
  hardness is subtracted.) 
   
  Break DC: The Break DC of the nozzle mouths 
  represents the PC’s chance to bend the nozzle shut 
  through pure strength of grip. The PC must have both 
  hands free and take a full attack action to attempt this. 
  �Ring of Arms: Large construct; HD 10d10+30; hp 
  105; Init +0; Spd 0 ft.; AC 20 (touch 9, flat-footed 20) 
  [+11 natural, -1 size]; BAB/Grapple  +8/+17; Atk +13 
  melee (trip (+13) or grapple (1d4+5) only); Face/Reach 
  10 ft. / 5 ft.; SA: One attack in each 5 ft. square; SQ: DR 
  10/ metal bludgeoning weapons or picks, resistance to 
  energy (all types) 15, construct traits, blindsight 60 ft., 
  tremorsense 60 ft.; SR 19; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, 
  Will -2; Str 20, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Grapple (B), Improved 
  Trip (B), 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
  Encounter 7: The Oracle. 
  APL 6 
  �The Oracle: CR 6; Huge Unique Undead Aberration 
  (Aquatic); HD 8d12; hp 52; Init +5; Spd 10 ft., swim 60 
  ft.; AC 16 (touch 9, flat-footed 15) [ +1 Dex, +7 natural, -
  2 size]; BAB/Grapple +4/+19; Atk +11 melee (1d6+7 
  plus slime, 3 tentacles); Face/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA: 
  Slime, psionics, spell-like abilities; SQ: DR 5/slashing, 
  turn resistance +2, resistance to cold 5, darkvision 120 
  ft., enfeebled spell; SR 9; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, 
  Will +9; Str 24, Dex 12, Con -, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +11, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +13, Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge 
  (planes) +13; Spellcraft +13, Spot +14, Swim +8 (racial); 
  Combat 
  Casting, 
  Combat 
  Reflexes, 
  Improved 
  Initiative. 
   
  Slime (Su): each hit from the Oracle’s tentacles 
  leaves sticky slime on its target, which bestows one 
  negative level per hit. The slime may be delivered as a 
  touch attack, if desired. Each slime hit takes one 
  minute to wash off with water, or one full round to 
  wash off with oil. Removal of the slime removes the 
  negative level. 
   
  Enfeebled Spell (Su): The Oracle is incapable of 
  properly chanelling the full amount of magical energy 
  into its spell-like abilities. All damaging spells cast by 
  the Oracle do only 2/3 of their normal damage, before 
  any saving throws are rolled. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
  Psionics (Sp): 3 times per day – programmed 
  image (DC 19), 5 times per day - project image (DC 20). 
  Effective caster level 16. 
   
  pell-Like Abilities (Sp): Once per day as wizard: 
  Fireball (DC 15), Magic Missile, Melf’s Acid Arrow 
  (DC 14). Effective caster level 6. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 41 
  �Bonecoils: CR 3; Medium construct; HD 4d10+20; 
  hp 42; Init 0; Spd 30  ft., swim 15 ft.; AC 17 (touch 10, 
  flat-footed 17) [+7 natural]; BAB/Grapple +3/+11; Atk 
  +7 melee (1d4+6, claw); SQ DR 5/blunt, resistance to 
  cold 5, darkvision 60 ft., construct traits; AL N; SV Fort 
  +1, Ref +1, Will -4; Str 18, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, 
  Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Grapple (B) 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
  �Smoldering Soul: CR 5; Medium undead (quasi-
  incorporeal, fire); HD 5d12; hp 45, Init +6; Spd fly 60 ft. 
  (good); AC 14 (touch 14, flat-footed 12) [+2 Dex, +2 
  Deflection]; Atk +5 melee (1d6 fire, incorporeal touch); 
  SA envelop; SQ undead traits, quasi-incorporeal, 
  darkvision 120 ft., life sense, immune to fire, resistance 
  to lightning 5, vulnerable to cold (+50% damage); AL 
  CE; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4; Str -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 
  10, Wis 10, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide (+10, +18 in dark 
  conditions), Intimidate (+9), Listen (+8), Spot (+8); 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Weapon 
  Focus (touch). 
   
  Envelop (Su): A Smoldering Soul can envelop 
  medium or smaller opponents by moving into their 
  square, without provoking an attack of opportunity. A 
  creature inside a Smoldering Soul cannot see out, 
  automatically takes 1d6 points of fire damage, and may 
  suffer severe smoke inhalation and heat prostration. 
  Each round a creature is enveloped it must make two 
  Fort saves (DC 12) or be blinded for 1 round after they 
  leave the smoke, and be exhausted (1/2 speed, -6 Str, -6 
  Dex, no running or charging) for 2 rounds after leaving 
  the smoke. The victim recovers completely after those 
  times. A full round action spent washing out the eyes 
  will cure the blindness, and various spells will cure the 
  blindness and exhaustion sooner. 
   
  Quasi-Incorporeal (Su): Smoldering Souls are 
  made of searingly hot smoke, and are “quasi-
  incorporeal”. This means that the creature is 
  considered incorporeal for purposes of melee or 
  missile combat (50% miss chance, immune to non-
  magical weapons, ignores  armor, moves silently), but it 
  cannot enter or pass through solid objects, and it 
  suffers full spell damage normally. 
   
  Life Sense (Su): Smoldering Souls can see the life 
  force of living creatures within 60’, as if using 
  blindsight, and can judge their condition as if using 
  deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
  APL 8 
  �The Oracle: CR 8; Huge Unique Undead Aberration 
  (Aquatic); HD 10d12; hp 65; Init +5; Spd 10 ft., swim 60 
  ft.; AC 17 (touch 9, flat-footed 16) [ +1 Dex, +8 natural, -
  2 size]; BAB/Grapple +5/+20; Atk +12 melee (1d6+7 
  plus slime, 3 tentacles); Face/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA: 
  Slime, psionics, spell-like abilities; SQ: DR 5/slashing, 
  turn resistance +2, resistance to cold 10, darkvision 120 
  ft., enfeebled spell; SR 11; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, 
  Will +10; Str 25, Dex 12, Con -, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +13, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +15, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge 
  (planes) +15; Spellcraft +15, Spot +16, Swim +8 (racial); 
  Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, 
  Improved Initiative. 
   
  Slime (Su): each hit from the Oracle’s tentacles 
  leaves sticky slime on its target, which bestows one 
  negative level per hit. The slime may be delivered as a 
  touch attack, if desired. Each slime hit takes one 
  minute to wash off with water, or one full round to 
  wash off with oil. Removal of the slime removes the 
  negative level. 
   
  Enfeebled Spell (Su): The Oracle is incapable of 
  properly chanelling the full amount of magical energy 
  into its spell-like abilities. All damaging spells cast by 
  the Oracle do only 2/3 of their normal damage, before 
  any saving throws are rolled. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
  Psionics (Sp): 3 times per day – programmed 
  image (DC 19), 5 times per day - project image (DC 20). 
  Effective caster level 16. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Once per day as wizard: 
  Fireball (DC 15), Ice Storm (DC 16), Melf’s Acid Arrow 
  (DC 14). Effective caster level 8. 
  �Bonecoils: CR 6; Large construct; HD 9d10+30; hp 
  60; Init 0; Spd 30  ft., swim 15 ft.; AC 19 (touch 9, flat-
  footed 19) [+10 natural, -1 size]; BAB/Grapple +7/+21; 
  Atk +13 melee (1d6+9, claw); Face/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA 
  constrict, improved grab; SQ DR 5/blunt, resistance to 
  cold 5, darkvision 60 ft., construct traits; AL N; SV Fort 
  +3, Ref +3, Will -2; Str 22, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, 
  Cha 1. 
  Skills and Feats: Improved Grapple (B) 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): a bonecoil which hits with 
  its claw may attempt to start a grapple as a free action, 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 42 
  without provoking an attack of opportunity, pulling 
  the opponent into its space and wrapping it in its coils. 
   
  Constriction (Ex): a bonecoil’s coils cause 1d4+6 
  points of constriction damage while holding a grappled 
  opponent. 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
  �Smoldering Souls: CR 6; Medium undead (quasi-
  incorporeal, fire); HD 6d12; hp 54, Init +7; Spd fly 60 ft. 
  (good); AC 16 (touch 16, flat-footed 13) [+3 Dex, +3 
  Deflection]; Atk +7 melee (1d10 fire, incorporeal 
  touch); SA envelop; SQ undead traits, turn resistance 
  +2, quasi-incorporeal, darkvision 120 ft., life sense, 
  immune to fire, resistance to lightning 5, vulnerable to 
  cold (+50% damage); AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will 
  +6; Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide (+12, +20 in dark 
  conditions), Intimidate (+11), Listen (+10), Spot (+10); 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Lightning 
  Reflexes, Weapon Focus (touch). 
   
  Envelop (Su): A Smoldering Soul can envelop 
  medium or smaller opponents by moving into their 
  square, without provoking an attack of opportunity. A 
  creature inside a Smoldering Soul cannot see out, 
  automatically takes 1d10 points of fire damage, and 
  may suffer severe smoke inhalation and heat 
  prostration. Each round a creature is enveloped it must 
  make two Fort saves (DC 14) or be blinded for 2 rounds 
  after they leave the smoke, and be exhausted (1/2 
  speed, -6 Str, -6 Dex, no running or charging) for 4 
  rounds after leaving the smoke. The victim recovers 
  completely after those times. A full round action spent 
  washing out the eyes will cure the blindness, and 
  various spells will cure the blindness and exhaustion 
  sooner. 
   
  Quasi-Incorporeal (Su): Smoldering Souls are 
  made of searingly hot smoke, and are “quasi-
  incorporeal”. This means that the creature is 
  considered incorporeal for purposes of melee or 
  missile combat (50% miss chance, immune to non-
  magical weapons, ignores  armor, moves silently), but it 
  cannot enter or pass through solid objects, and it 
  suffers full spell damage normally. 
   
  Life Sense (Su): Smoldering Souls can see the life 
  force of living creatures within 60’, as if using 
  blindsight, and can judge their condition as if using 
  deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
  APL 10 
  �The Oracle: CR 10; Huge Unique Undead 
  Aberration (Aquatic); HD 12d12; hp 78; Init +5; Spd 10 
  ft., swim 60 ft.; AC 19 (touch 9, flat-footed 18) [ +1 Dex, 
  +10 natural, -2 size]; BAB/Grapple +6/+22; Atk +14 
  melee (1d6+8 plus slime, 3 tentacles); Face/Reach 15 
  ft./10 ft.; SA: Slime, psionics, spell-like abilities; SQ: DR 
  5/slashing and magic, turn resistance +2, immune to 
  cold, darkvision 120 ft., enfeebled spell; SR 14; AL NE; 
  SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +11; Str 26, Dex 12, Con -, Int 
  15, Wis 16, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +15, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +17, Knowledge (history) +17, Knowledge 
  (planes) +17; Spellcraft +17, Spot +18, Swim +8 (racial); 
  Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, 
  Empower Spell, Improved Initiative. 
   
  Slime (Su): each hit from the Oracle’s tentacles 
  leaves sticky slime on its target, which bestows one 
  negative level per hit. The slime may be delivered as a 
  touch attack, if desired. Each slime hit takes one 
  minute to wash off with water, or one full round to 
  wash off with oil. Removal of the slime removes the 
  negative level. 
   
  Enfeebled Spell (Su): The Oracle is incapable of 
  properly chanelling the full amount of magical energy 
  into its spell-like abilities. All damaging spells cast by 
  the Oracle do only 2/3 of their normal damage, before 
  any saving throws are rolled.  
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
  Psionics (Sp): 3 times per day – programmed 
  image (DC 19), 5 times per day - project image (DC 20). 
  Effective caster level 16. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Once per day as wizard: 
  Empowered Fireball (DC 17), Fireball (DC 15), Ice 
  Storm (DC 16). Effective caster level 10. 
  �Bonecoils: CR 8; Huge construct; HD 14d10+40; hp 
  90; Init 0; Spd 30  ft., swim 15 ft.; AC 19 (touch 9, flat-
  footed 19) [+11 natural, -2 size]; BAB/Grapple +10/+29; 
  Atk +17 melee (1d8+10, claw); Face/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; 
  SA constrict, improved grab; SQ DR 5/blunt and 
  magic, resistance to cold 10, darkvision 60 ft., construct 
  traits; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will -1; Str 24, Dex 10, 
  Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1. 
  Skills and Feats: Improved Grapple (B) 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): a bonecoil which hits with 
  its claw may attempt to start a grapple as a free action, 
  without provoking an attack of opportunity, pulling 
  the opponent into its space and wrapping it in its coils. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 43 
   
  Constriction (Ex): a bonecoil’s coils cause 1d6+7 
  points of constriction damage while holding a grappled 
  opponent. 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
  �Smoldering Souls: CR 6; Medium undead (quasi-
  incorporeal, fire); HD 6d12; hp 54, Init +7; Spd fly 60 ft. 
  (good); AC 16 (touch 16, flat-footed 13) [+3 Dex, +3 
  Deflection]; Atk +7 melee (1d10 fire, incorporeal 
  touch); SA envelop; SQ undead traits, turn resistance 
  +2, quasi-incorporeal, darkvision 120 ft., life sense, 
  immune to fire, resistance to lightning 5, vulnerable to 
  cold (+50% damage); AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will 
  +6; Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide (+12, +20 in dark 
  conditions), Intimidate (+11), Listen (+10), Spot (+10); 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Lightning 
  Reflexes, Weapon Focus (touch). 
   
  Envelop (Su): A Smoldering Soul can envelop 
  medium or smaller opponents by moving into their 
  square, without provoking an attack of opportunity. A 
  creature inside a Smoldering Soul cannot see out, 
  automatically takes 1d10 points of fire damage, and 
  may suffer severe smoke inhalation and heat 
  prostration. Each round a creature is enveloped it must 
  make two Fort saves (DC 15) or be blinded for 2 rounds 
  after they leave the smoke, and be exhausted (1/2 
  speed, -6 Str, -6 Dex, no running or charging) for 4 
  rounds after leaving the smoke. The victim recovers 
  completely after those times. A full round action spent 
  washing out the eyes will cure the blindness, and 
  various spells will cure the blindness and exhaustion 
  sooner. 
   
  Quasi-Incorporeal (Su): Smoldering Souls are 
  made of searingly hot smoke, and are “quasi-
  incorporeal”. This means that the creature is 
  considered incorporeal for purposes of melee or 
  missile combat (50% miss chance, immune to non-
  magical weapons, ignores  armor, moves silently), but it 
  cannot enter or pass through solid objects, and it 
  suffers full spell damage normally. 
   
  Life Sense (Su): Smoldering Souls can see the life 
  force of living creatures within 60’, as if using 
  blindsight, and can judge their condition as if using 
  deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
  APL 12 
  �The Oracle: CR 12; Huge Unique Undead 
  Aberration (Aquatic); HD 14d12; hp 91; Init +5; Spd 10 
  ft., swim 60 ft.; AC 21 (touch 9, flat-footed 20) [ +1 Dex, 
  +12 natural, -2 size]; BAB/Grapple +7/+24 Atk +16 
  melee (1d6+9 plus slime, 3 tentacles); Face/Reach 15 
  ft./10 ft.; SA: Slime, psionics, spell-like abilities; SQ: DR 
  10/slashing and magic, turn resistance +2, immune to 
  cold, darkvision 120 ft., enfeebled spell; SR 16; AL NE; 
  SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +12; Str 28, Dex 12, Con -, Int 
  16, Wis 16, Cha 16. 
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +17, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +20, Knowledge (history) +20, Knowledge 
  (planes) +20; Listen +20; Spellcraft +20, Spot +20, Swim 
  +8 (racial); Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Combat 
  Reflexes, Empower Spell, Improved Initiative. 
   
  Slime (Su): each hit from the Oracle’s tentacles 
  leaves sticky slime on its target, which bestows one 
  negative level per hit. The slime may be delivered as a 
  touch attack, if desired. Each slime hit takes one 
  minute to wash off with water, or one full round to 
  wash off with oil. Removal of the slime removes the 
  negative level. 
   
  Enfeebled Spell (Su): The Oracle is incapable of 
  properly chanelling the full amount of magical energy 
  into its spell-like abilities. All damaging spells cast by 
  the Oracle do only 2/3 of their normal damage, before 
  any saving throws are rolled.  
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
  Psionics (Sp): 3 times per day – programmed 
  image (DC 19), 5 times per day - project image (DC 20). 
  Effective caster level 16. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Once per day as wizard: 
  Chain Lightning (DC19) Empowered Fireball (DC 18), 
  Ice Storm (DC 17). Effective caster level 12. 
  �Bonecoils: CR 10; Huge construct; HD 17d10+40; 
  hp 105; Init 0; Spd 30  ft., swim 15 ft.; AC 20 (touch 9, 
  flat-footed 19) [+12 natural, -2 size]; BAB/Grapple 
  +13/+33; Atk +21 melee (1d12+12, claw); Face/Reach 
  15 ft./10 ft.; SA constrict, improved grab; SQ DR 
  10/blunt and magic, resistance to cold 10, darkvision 
  60 ft., construct traits; SR 16; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, 
  Will +0; Str 26, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Grapple (B) 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): a bonecoil which hits with 
  its claw may attempt to start a grapple as a free action, 
  without provoking an attack of opportunity, pulling 
  the opponent into its space and wrapping it in its coils. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 44 
   
  Constriction (Ex): a bonecoil’s coils cause 1d8+8 
  points of constriction damage while holding a grappled 
  opponent. 
   
  Construct traits: immune to critical hits, non-
  lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting 
  effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
   
  �Smoldering Souls: CR 8; Medium undead (quasi-
  incorporeal, fire); HD 9d12; hp 81, Init +7; Spd fly 60 ft. 
  (good); AC 17 (touch 16, flat-footed 13) [+3 Dex, +4 
  Deflection]; Atk +9 melee (2d6 fire, incorporeal touch); 
  SA envelop; SQ undead traits, turn resistance +2, quasi-
  incorporeal, darkvision 120 ft., life sense, immune to 
  fire, resistance to lightning 10, vulnerable to cold 
  (+50% damage); AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +9; Str -
  , Dex 17, Con -, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 18. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide (+15, +23 in dark 
  conditions), Intimidate (+15), Listen (+13), Spot (+13); 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (touch). 
   
  Envelop (Su): A Smoldering Soul can envelop 
  medium or smaller opponents by moving into their 
  square, without provoking an attack of opportunity. A 
  creature inside a Smoldering Soul cannot see out, 
  automatically takes 2d6 points of fire damage, and may 
  suffer severe smoke inhalation and heat prostration. 
  Each round a creature is enveloped it must make two 
  Fort saves (DC 17) or be blinded for 3 rounds after they 
  leave the smoke, and be exhausted (1/2 speed, -6 Str, -6 
  Dex, no running or charging) for 6 rounds after leaving 
  the smoke. The victim recovers completely after those 
  times. A full round action spent washing out the eyes 
  will cure the blindness, and various spells will cure the 
  blindness and exhaustion sooner. 
   
  Quasi-Incorporeal (Su): Smoldering Souls are 
  made of searingly hot smoke, and are “quasi-
  incorporeal”. This means that the creature is 
  considered incorporeal for purposes of melee or 
  missile combat (50% miss chance, immune to non-
  magical weapons, ignores  armor, moves silently), but it 
  cannot enter or pass through solid objects, and it 
  suffers full spell damage normally. 
   
  Life Sense (Su): Smoldering Souls can see the life 
  force of living creatures within 60’, as if using 
  blindsight, and can judge their condition as if using 
  deathwatch. 
   
  Undead Traits: immune to critical hits, non-lethal 
  damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most 
  Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 45 
  Appendix Two: New Creatures. 
   
  The new creatures presented in this adventure are summarized here. Since they have different statistics at each APL, 
  they have multiple entries in many categories. Where there are four values in a category, separated by commas, they 
  represent the value at APL 6, 8, 10, and 12 respectively. If there is only a single entry, the value does not change at 
  different APLs. 
   
  Bonecoils: Medium / Large / Huge Construct - Neutral. 
   
  Hit Dice 
  4d10+20 (42 hp), 9d10+30 (60 hp), 14d10+40 (90 hp), 17d10+40 (105 hp). 
  Initiative 
  +0 
  Speed 
  30 ft., Swim 15 ft. 
  Armor Class 
  17, 19, 19, 20 
  BAB / Grapple 
  +3/+11, +7 /+21, +10 /+29, +13/+33. 
  Attack 
  Claw, +7 melee (1d4+6), +13 melee (1d6+9), +17 melee (1d8+10), 
   
   
  +21 melee (1d12+12) 
  Full Attack 
  Claw, +7 melee (1d4+6), +13 melee (1d6+9), +17 melee (1d8+10), 
   
   
  +21 melee (1d12+12) 
  Space / Reach 
  5 ft./ 5 ft., 10 ft./ 5 ft., 15 ft./ 10 ft., 15 ft./ 10 ft.  
  Special Attacks 
  APL 6 none; APL 8, 10, 12 Constrict, Improved Grab 
  Special Qualities 
  DR 5/blunt, 5/blunt, 5/blunt and magic, 10/blunt and magic; 
   
   
  Resistance to cold 5, 5, 10, 10. 
   
   
  SR -, -, -, 16; Darkvision 60 ft., Construct traits.  
  Saves 
  Fort +1, +3, +4, +5; Ref +1, +3, +4, +5; Will -4, -2, -1, +0. 
  Abilities 
  Str 18, 22, 26, 26; Dex 10; Con -; Int -; Wis 1; Cha 1. 
  Feats 
  Improved Grapple (B) 
   
  Background: The Bonecoils are specially built bone constructs, designed to hold down victims while the Oracle 
  consumes their souls. They resemble the skeletons of large constrictor snakes, with an enormous 3-fingered gripping 
  claw where the head should be. The bonecoils were manufactured by the same people who created the Oracle, over 
  1500 years ago, and their bones are yellowed with age. They crawl as fast as a man on land, and can actually swim slowly, 
  by flattening their bones together and using them like inefficient fins, but they sink if they stop. At APL 6 the bonecoils 
  are only medium-sized constructs, which advance and grapple using their Improved Grapple feat. At higher APLs they 
  have Improved Grab, and can initiate grapples after a normal hit. 
  Knowledge skills will not reveal much about the Bonecoils. Constructs can be made with almost any shape and 
  capability you desire, as can skeletons (if the PCs assume they are undead). These are not “standard” designs, that the 
  PCs have heard of before. If the PCs do wish to make a Knowledge (religion) check anyway, a DC 25 will tell them that 
  these may not be undead, but it is not obvious either way, and you should not prompt them for the check. 
  Improved Grab (Ex): a bonecoil which hits with its claw may attempt to start a grapple as a free action, without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity, pulling the opponent into its space and wrapping it in its coils. 
  Constriction (Ex): At APL 8 or more, a bonecoil’s coils cause 1d4+6, 1d6+7, or 1d8+8 points of constriction damage 
  while holding a grappled opponent. 
  Construct Traits:  Bonecoils are immune to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 307. 
   
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
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  Bound Ones - Medium Undead (Incorporeal) – Neutral. 
   
  Hit Dice 
  4d12 (20 hp), 6d12 (30 hp), 8d12 (40 hp), 10d12 (50 hp). 
  Initiative 
  +2, +2, +2, +3. 
  Speed 
  0 ft. Immobile. 
  Armor Class 
  12, 13, 14, 15. 
  Attack 
  Incorporeal touch, +5 melee (1d4 plus Numbing Blow), +6 melee (1d4 plus Numbing 
   
   
  Blow), +7 melee (1d6 plus Numbing Blow), +9 melee (1d8 plus Numbing Blow). 
  Full Attack 
  Incorporeal touch, +5 melee (1d4 plus Numbing Blow), +6 melee (1d4 plus Numbing 
   
   
  Blow), +7 melee (1d6 plus Numbing Blow), +9 melee (1d8 plus Numbing Blow). 
  Space / Reach 
  5 ft./5 ft. 
  Special Attacks 
  Numbing Blow 
  Special Qualities 
  Turn resistance +2, Life Sense, Darkvision 120 ft., Undead Traits.  
  Saves 
  Fort +1, +2, +2, +3; Ref +3, +4, +4, +8; Will +5, +6, +10, +11. 
  Abilities 
  Str -; Dex 14, 14, 14, 16; Con -; Int 10; Wis 12, 12, 14, 14; 
   
   
  Cha 10, 12, 14, 14. 
  Skills 
  Hide +9, +11, +13, +16; Intimidate +7, +10, +13, +15; Listen +7, +9, +11, +13; 
   
   
  Spot +7, +9, +11, +13. 
  Feats 
  APL 6 & 8: Combat Reflexes, Dual Strike, Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch); 
   
   
  APL 10: + Iron Will; APL 12 + Lightning Reflexes. 
   
   
  Background: The Bound Ones are the incorporeal remains of powerful warriors that were sacrificed to the Oracle. Each 
  spirit is immobile, magically bound to its physical remains, which are embedded inside the stone walls of the shaft. 
  When the Bound Ones emerge from the stone they resemble dark amorphous stains in the air, rather like dark glass, 
  which stretch and twist as they reach towards their foes. If their remains are disturbed, such as by shattering the stone 
  they are in, or stoneshaping or disintegrating it, they are freed from their bondage and immediately flee to their eternal 
  rest. 
  Although the Bound Ones are rather rare, they are not completely unheard of, and PCs with Knowledge (religion) may 
  recognize them. A check at DC18 tells the PCs the Bound Ones are motionless, DC23 tells the PCs they cause some sort 
  of damage to the nerves, DC 28 reveals that they may be freed by magically breaking up the stone they are in, and DC 33 
  reveals that the nerve damage is temporary. 
  Numbing Blow (Su): The touch of the Bound Ones has a powerful scrambling effect on the nervous system. Each 
  successful touch attack causes one point of temporary ability damage to a randomly determined attribute. (Roll 1d6: 1 = 
  Str, 2 = Dex, etc.). The sensation of the hit varies with the effect; loss of Strength feels like pins and needles, loss of Dex 
  feels like a banged funny bone, loss of Con feels like profound fatigue, and loss of mental stats feels like a dizzying head-
  rush, combined with confusion and forgetfulness. This is not negative energy damage, and does not inflict negative 
  levels. The effect is a temporary biological effect, which begins to fade after twenty minutes, and is entirely gone after 
  thirty. 
  Life Sense (Su): The Bound ones can see the life force of living creatures within 60 feet, as if using blindsight, and can 
  judge their condition as if using the deathwatch spell. 
  Undead Traits: The Bound ones are immune to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
  Cover (Ex): The Bound Ones cannot move from square to square, but they can move within their square, and can take 
  advantage of the fact that slightly more than half of their 5’ cube is solid stone. A spirit can adopt one of three positions: 
  Fully hidden: The spirit may be fully hidden within the stone, in which case it is out of line of sight and line of 
  effect, and cannot be seen or attacked or turned. A hidden spirit can sense the presence of PCs in the shaft, and 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 47 
  pinpoint their location, but if it attacks from this position the PC gains the benefit of total concealment, and the 
  usual 50% miss chance applies. 
  Peeking out: The spirit may peek out of the wall, exposing just enough of its “eyes” to see what’s going on. In this 
  condition the spirit gains a +8 cover bonus to AC, a +4 cover bonus to Reflex saves, and gains the improved evasion 
  feat, as well as a +10 cover bonus to Hide checks. 
  Exposed: Half of the spirit’s body is outside the wall. It gains a +4 cover bonus to AC, and a +2 cover bonus to Reflex 
  saves. Important: Any Bound One which makes an attack MUST end its round in the exposed position. The spirits 
  cannot attack and pull back into the wall in the same round. 
  The armor class bonuses and save bonuses have not yet been applied to the Bound Ones’ stats. You will have to do so 
  yourself. For example, at APL 6 the Bound Ones have a base armor class of 12, but they have at least a +4 bonus when 
  they are fighting, so their AC is actually 16 in most cases. 
   
   
   
  The Oracle: Huge Undead Aberration (aquatic) – Neutral Evil - Unique. 
   
  Hit Dice 
  8d12 (52 hp), 10d12 (65 hp), 12d12 (78 hp), 14d12 (91 hp). 
  Initiative 
  +5 
  Speed 
  10 ft., Swim 60 ft. 
  Armor Class 
  16, 17, 19, 21 
  BAB / Grapple 
  +4/+19, +5 /+20, +6 /+22, +7/+24. 
  Attack 
  Tentacle, +11 melee (1d6+7 plus slime), +12 melee (1d6+7 plus slime),  
   
   
  +14 (1d6+8 plus slime), +16 (1d6+9 plus slime) 
  Full Attack 
  3 Tentacles,  +11 melee (1d6+7 plus slime), +12 melee (1d6+7 plus slime),  
   
   
  +14 (1d6+8 plus slime), +16 (1d6+9 plus slime) 
  Space / Reach 
  15 ft./ 10 ft. 
  Special Attacks 
  Slime, Psionics, Spell-like abilities. 
  Special Qualities 
  DR 5/slashing, 5/slashing, 5/magic and slashing, 10/magic and slashing; 
   
   
  SR 9, 11, 14, 16; 
   
   
  Resistance to cold 5, resistance to cold 10, immune to cold, immune to cold; 
   
   
  Enfeebled spell, Turn resistance +2, Darkvision 120 ft., Undead traits.  
  Saves 
  Fort +2, +3, +4, +4; Ref +3, +4, +5, +5; Will +9, +10, +11, +12. 
  Abilities 
  Str 24, 25, 26, 28; Dex 12; Con -; Int 14, 14, 15, 16; Wis 16; Cha 16. 
  Skills 
  Concentration +11, +13, +15, +17, Knowledge (arcana) +13, +15, +17, +20,  
   
   
  Knowledge (hist.) -, +15, +17, +20, Knowledge (planes) +13, +15, +17, +20, 
   
   
  Spellcraft +13, +15, +17, +20, Spot +14, +16, +18, +20, Swim +8 (racial) 
  Feats 
  APL 6: Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative; APL 8 + Blind- 
   
   
  Fight; APL 10 & 12 + Empower Spell. 
   
   
  Background: The Oracle is a specially altered undead aboleth. It was created over 1500 years ago, to become the keeper 
  of great arcane secrets, in a special lair under the Yatil Mountains. It is not known for certain who is responsible for the 
  scheme which lead to the Oracle’s creation, although it is believed that the priests of Vecna, dark god of secrets, were 
  somehow involved. The Oracle had an active career of some 500 years, before its practice of imprisoning the souls of the 
  innocents prompted good aligned forces to try and destroy it. The Oracle was seriously wounded in the fighting, and 
  never fully recovered. In particular, it suffered severe damage to its brain when a spear was driven through its eye, and 
  its magical and psionic capabilities were greatly reduced. Since the Oracle is unique, and has been carefully hidden away 
  for centuries, knowledge skills do not reveal anything about it. 
  Slime (Su): Each hit from the Oracle’s tentacles leaves sticky slime on its target, which bestows one negative level per 
  hit. The slime may be delivered as the result of a normal damaging attack, or as a touch attack, if desired. The slime is 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 48 
  very sticky, and strongly hydrophobic, and it takes a full minute to remove a single smear by washing in water, wine, or 
  something similar. However, it only takes a full round action to wash off a smear of slime using a flask of oil. Removal of 
  the smear of slime removes the negative level. The negative levels bestowed by the slime never become permanent, 
  unless a PC takes enough hits that he dies. 
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): The Oracle’s spell-casting ability was greatly reduced by its wounds. It may use the following 
  spell-like abilities once per day: 
  APL 6: Fireball (DC 15), Magic Missile, Melf’s Acid Arrow (DC 14). 
  APL 8: Fireball (DC 15), Ice Storm (DC 16), Melf’s Acid Arrow (DC 14). Caster level 8 
  APL 10: Empowered Fireball (DC 17), Fireball (DC 15), Ice Storm (DC 16). Caster level 10. 
  APL 12: Chain Lightning (DC19) Empowered Fireball (DC 18), Ice Storm (DC 17). Caster level 12. 
  Enfeebled Spell (Su): The Oracle’s brain damage makes it incapable of properly channeling the full amount of magical 
  energy in its spell-like abilities. All damaging spells cast by the Oracle do only 2/3 of their normal damage, before any 
  saving throws are rolled.  
  Psionics (Su): The Oracle may use the following psionic abilities 3 times per day: programmed image (DC 19), and 5 
  times per day: project image (DC 20). The effective caster level is 16. 
  Undead Traits: The Oracle is immune to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, paralysis, 
  stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
   
   
  Smoldering Souls - Medium Undead (quasi-incorporeal, fire) – Chaotic evil. 
   
  The Smoldering Souls are the same at APL 8 and APL 10, so there are only three entries in most categories. 
   
  Hit Dice 
  5d12 (45 hp), 6d12 (54 hp), 9d12 (81 hp). 
  Initiative 
  +6, +7, +7. 
  Speed 
  Fly 60 ft. (good) 
  Armor Class 
  14, 16, 17 
  Attack 
  Incorporeal touch, +5 melee (1d6 fire), +7 melee (1d10 fire), +9 melee (2d6 fire). 
  Full Attack 
  Incorporeal touch, +5 melee (1d6 fire), +7 melee (1d10 fire), +9 melee (2d6 fire). 
  Space / Reach 
  5 ft./5 ft. 
  Special Attacks 
  Envelop 
  Special Qualities 
  Immune to fire, Resistance to Lightning 5, 5, 10, Vulnerable to Cold (+50% damage), 
   
   
  Turn resistance +0, +2, +2, Quasi-Incorporeal, Life Sense, Darkvision 120 ft., 
   
   
  Undead Traits.  
  Saves 
  Fort +1, +2, +3; Ref +4, +7, +8; Will +4, +6, +9. 
  Abilities 
  Str -; Dex 14, 16, 17; Con -; Int 10; Wis 10, 12, 13; Cha 12, 14, 16. 
  Skills 
  Hide +10, +12, +15; Intimidate +9, +11, +15; Listen +8, +10, +13; 
   
   
  Spot +8, +10, +13. Racial bonus of +8 to hide in dark conditions. 
  Feats 
  APL 6: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Weapon Focus (touch); 
   
   
  APL 8: + Lightning Reflexes; APL 12 + Iron Will. 
   
   
  Background: The Smoldering Souls are the undead spirits of evil men who died by fire, and returned as malevolent 
  creatures of searing smoke. They look like thick plumes of opaque black smoke, and fight with burning touches, or by 
  surrounding people with their choking vapors. The PCs may recognize the Smoldering Souls, with Knowledge 
  (religion) checks. DC 16 reveals what they are, DC 21 reveals that they do damage by fire, DC 26 reveals they can 
  envelop and exhaust people, and DC 31 reveals that they are vulnerable to cold. 
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 49 
  Envelop (Su): A Smoldering Soul can envelop medium or smaller opponents by moving into their square, without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. (The Belker, described on page 27 of the Monster Manual, can move in a similar 
  fashion.) A creature inside a Smoldering Soul automatically takes fire damage, and may suffer severe smoke inhalation 
  and heat prostration. Each round a creature is enveloped it must make two Fort saves (DC 12, 14, or 17) or be blinded for 
  1, 2, or 3 rounds after they leave the smoke, and be exhausted (1/2 speed, -6 Str, -6 Dex, no running or charging) for 2, 4, 
  or 6 rounds after leaving the smoke. PCs with the Endurance feat may add +4 to their save vs. the exhaustion, but not 
  the blindness. The victim recovers completely after the recovery time has elapsed. A full round action spent washing 
  out the eyes will cure the blindness, and various spells will cure the blindness and exhaustion sooner. It is difficult to 
  see out of an enveloping Smoldering Soul, and an enveloped PC suffers a 20% miss chance while inside. 
  Quasi-Incorporeal (Su): Smoldering Souls are made of searingly hot smoke, and are “quasi-incorporeal”. This means 
  that the creature is considered incorporeal for purposes of melee or missile combat (50% miss chance, immune to non-
  magical weapons, ignores  armor, moves silently), but it cannot enter or pass through solid objects, and it suffers full 
  spell damage normally. 
  Life Sense (Su): The Smoldering Souls can see the life force of living creatures within 60 feet, as if using blindsight, 
  and can judge their condition as if using the deathwatch spell. 
  Undead Traits: Smoldering Souls are immune to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage or drain, poison, 
  paralysis, stunning, necromancy, mind affecting effects, most Fort saves, etc. See MM, p. 317. 
   
   
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 50 
  Appendix 3: The Scroll of Questions: 
   
   
   
  When must we be ready to greet the awakening of the great beast of old, that even now sleeps 
  in the skirts of the mountains that divide east from west, and holds the power to shatter 
  reality, to cast down kingdoms, and sunder nations? 
   
   
  Where shall we find the hidden gate, which leads to the dimensionless chamber of the great 
  ancient beast? 
   
   
  How did the priest-kings of old treat with the great ancient beasts, serve them, gain their 
  favor, and earn their powers? 
   
   
  What manner favored shall the beast give to us, who become its new priest kings and 
  advocates? 
   
   
  What are the true compounds of revealing, that may bring the ancient ones to our 
  perception? 
   
   
  Give to us the order of the four hidden names of opening, concealed in the cyphers of 
  Crypsis, that the ears of the ancient one may be opened to us, and our fates conjoined.
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 51 
  Map #1: The Shop Of Radic Ranladsson. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                          LOWER LEVEL                                            UPPER LEVEL 
   
   
   
              STREET MAP 
   
                    N 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
  Page 52 
  Map #2: The Shaft. 
   
   
                                                                                                      top view 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                                                                                                                                      side view. 
   
   
                        Mundane 
                       Shaft. 
                                                                                                                     
   
      upper level. 
                                                                                                                                   
   
   
   
   
                                250 ft. 
                                                                                                                     
   
      mid level. 
   
   
   
                     Mist & 
                    Muttering.                                                             
      lower level. 
                                                 
   
                                                                                                                     
   
      fog vortex. 
                                                               dimensional 
                                                                          barrier. 
                                  470 ft.                                                                           
      animated  
                   Yelling.                                                            
   
      arms. 
                                  500 ft. 
   
                Fighting. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  KET4-05 Oracle 
   
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  Map #3 The Spit. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
                 Top View of 
                 The spit. 
   
                                                                                                                                                          side 
                                                                                                                        view 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Ket/594/Normal Scenarios/KET4-05 - Oracle (APL 6-12)/KET4-05 - Oracle.pdf