TEXT: 1
  Table of ConTenTs
  Introduction   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3
  Gorge & Tomb Map  .  .  .7
  Room 01  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .8
  Room 02  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .9
  Room 03  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .11
  Room 04  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .12
  Room 05  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .14
  Room 06  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .16
  Room 07  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .17
  Sinkhole Map  .  .  .  .  .  .  .21
  Room 08  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .22
  Room 09  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .23
  Room 10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .25
  Inner Tomb Map   .  .  .  .27
  Room 11  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .28
  Room 12  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .29
  Room 13  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .30
  Room 14  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .31
  Room 15  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .33
  Room 16  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .34
  Abomination Pits 
   
  Map   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .36
  Room 17  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .37
  Room 18  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .39
  Room 19  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .41
  Room 20  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .42
  Room 21  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .43
  Room 22  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .44
  Room 23  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .45
  Room 24  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .47
  Room 25  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .48
  Room 26  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .49
  Room 27  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .51
  Room 28  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .52
  Blind Cabal 
   
  Asylum Map  .  .  .  .  .57
  Room 29  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .58
  Room 30  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .59
  Room 31  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .61
  Room 32  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .62
  Room 33  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .64
  Room 34  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .65
  Room 35  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .68
  Room 36  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .70
  Room 37  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .71
  Room 38  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .73
  Room 39  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .76
  Carisford Vale Map  .  .80
  The Haunted
   
  Watchtower Map  .81
  Dell Farthing Map  .  .  .82
  Room 40  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .83
  Room 41  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .85
  Room 42  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .87
  Room 43  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .90
  Room 44  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .92
  Room 45  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .95
  Appendices
   A: Monsters & NPCs  98
   B: Items & Traps   .  .106
   C: Handouts & Extra
        Maps  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .107
  Credits & OGL  .  .  .  .  .113
  
  2
  
  3
  The neCropolis 
  of pergia
  An Adventure for 5th-7th Level Characters
  By Monte Cook
  Thousands of years ago the area now known 
  as the Wastes of Torenta was ruled by a 
  powerful kingdom . Almost nothing is now 
  left of that race, save for a few crumbling, 
  blasted ruins . Even its memory is all but lost . 
  Legend--and a few remaining artifacts--tell 
  that the rulers of this kingdom were a race 
  of minotaurs, though if that’s true they were 
  almost certainly a breed more intelligent 
  and social than those that remain in this era .
  It would seem that the wastes were not 
  always the desolate and barren place they 
  have become, for the ruins of the lost kingdom 
  are scattered far and wide over leagues of 
  desert and arid steppes . And though most 
  of the lost kingdom’s ruins contain little 
  beyond a few crumbling walls and toppled 
  columns, some also contain worn fragments 
  of forgotten monuments and great statuary.
  Among these desolate and generally 
  ignored ruins, one stands out . It can be 
  found at the edge of the Pergia highlands 
  in a narrow gorge leading to a sinkhole--a 
  wide pit descending deep into the barren 
  stone . Some say that a mystic power can still 
  be sensed at this site and, on occasion, it is 
  still sought out by spellcasters looking for a 
  site of power in which to perform complex 
  or powerful rituals . The denizens of the lost 
  kingdom apparently held the site in some 
  reverence, for they chose it as a burial place 
  for the greatest among them . The walls of 
  the gorge are pitted with the tombs and 
  crypts of these heroes from a forgotten age.
  This necropolis has long been a magnet 
  for adventurers and treasure-seekers, though 
  over the centuries these visitors have picked 
  the complex bare of its valuables . Indeed, it 
  is now attractive mainly to those scholars 
  seeking to glean bits of information about 
  this ancient culture--or those following vain 
  and foolish rumors--for all the great treasures 
  of the site are as gone and forgotten as the 
  ancient kings and priests of the lost kingdom .
  Or are they?
  There remain pervasive rumors of lost or 
  hidden crypts, of tombs within tombs that 
  have never been discovered . Could such 
  chambers contain the true wealth of the 
  once-mighty lost kingdom? The PCs come 
  to the necropolis following one such rumor, 
  but one that just happens to contain a grain 
  of truth and may allow the group to stumble 
  into more than they ever expect .
  anCienT hisTory
  The true history of the Necropolis of Pergia 
  begins thousands of years before even the lost 
  kingdom . Beneath the necropolis, beneath 
  the sinkhole, far down in the earth, lies a 
  series of fissures in the veil that separates 
  the natural world from the Realm of Echoes . 
  Ripples in the fabric of reality around these 
  fissures create faint eddies of supernatural 
  power that lend a subtle mystic aura to the 
  area--an aura that has made the site a place 
  of importance for successive civilizations 
  over the course of aeons . It would certainly 
  continue to be so today if the growth of the 
  Torenta Wastes hadn’t made the location so 
  inhospitable and far away from the hubs of 
  modern civilization .
  Before the lost kingdom of the minotaurs, 
  another race built its mystic structures 
  upon this site, developing a temple 
  complex within the sinkhole . Realizing 
  the source of the supernatural eddies lay 
  further underground, these precursors 
  dug shafts and mines down toward the 
  fissures, ultimately reaching them--and 
  then disappearing, perhaps having been 
  destroyed by what they found .
  These tunnels and passageways were 
  forgotten in the era of the lost kingdom, 
  laying unused beneath the feet--and the 
  tombs--of the minotaurs . For the most part, 
  the minotaurs centered their activity around 
  the lip of the sinkhole, which became the site 
  of a holy oracle . By the end of the minotaur 
  kingdom, even rumors of the passageways 
  had died out, and the world truly forgot them .
  Modern TiMes 
  In recent years two forces have returned 
  activity to the site .
  First, a new oracle has returned to the 
  sinkhole--an insane ogre hermit . This 
  unusual creature now lives in the heart 
  of the necropolis, where she communes 
  with the voice of the sinkhole for reasons 
  known only to her, if indeed even she truly 
  understands them .
  But that is not all . A group calling itself the 
  Blind Cabal has been investigating the chambers 
  
  4
  deep below the sinkhole, drawing upon the 
  power of the rift and the Realm of Echoes . The 
  Blind Cabal has a plan and, should it come to 
  fruition, it might unleash upon the world the 
  same dark forces that brought an untimely 
  end to the lost kingdom of the minotaurs, the 
  precursors before them, and perhaps an untold 
  number of other civilizations back through the 
  course of antiquity .
  geTTing sTarTed 
  What has drawn the PCs to the Necropolis 
  of Pergia? One way or another, it should 
  center around a document (see the handout) 
  that tells them the following:
  It is written of Garlenthatir, the greatest of the 
  minotaur kings, that the key to his lost tomb lies 
  in onyx and pearl. Bear such treasures to his crypt 
  and they shall admit you to his great rewards, 
  which have ever been sought but never found! 
  There are any number of ways that the PCs 
  can gain this document . To make a smooth 
  transition where, hopefully, the PCs decide 
  on their own that they want to explore the 
  necropolis, use one of the following options 
  (or a method of your devising) to insert the 
  document into an earlier adventure .
  * The parchment is mixed in with a treasure hoard .
  * The heroes win the parchment in a game 
  of chance .
  * The parchment is discovered hidden 
  within the binding of a book in which the 
  heroes are doing research .
  * An employer attempts to pass the parchment 
  to the heroes in lieu of a payment owed, 
  claiming it is worth far more than their fee .
  * The parchment is the McGuffin in an 
  earlier adventure; a mysterious item that 
  several parties are seeking . Its nature and 
  content is only discovered when the heroes 
  finally win it.
  Researching the Necropolis: Characters 
  may wish to learn a bit about the necropolis 
  before deciding to act upon their clue . What 
  they find out depends on the depth of their 
  research and the resources at their disposal .
  Basic information can be found through 
  a number of means, including common 
  rumors, the use of Diplomacy to gather 
  information (if it is available), or a 
  Knowledge (history) check (DC 20) . Basic 
  information includes the location of the 
  necropolis, along with the following:
  * There was once an ancient kingdom of 
  minotaurs, but it was forgotten after being 
  swallowed up by the Wastes of Torenta a 
  thousand years ago .
  * The necropolis is a deep gorge with tombs 
  in the walls. The tombs used to be filled with 
  fabulous wealth, but they’ve long ago been 
  completely looted .
  * There are always rumors of “hidden” 
  tombs containing greater wealth, but 
  nothing new has been found in centuries . 
  Only a fool would believe such rumors .
  * The area around the necropolis is some sort 
  of mystical junction--arcanists sometime 
  seek out the strange powers of the region .
  * Like most wilderness areas, the necropolis 
  is home to strange and dangerous creatures .
  Greater detail can be found through more 
  thorough research, including Knowledge 
  (history) checks hitting DC 25:
  * Garlenthatir was the greatest of the 
  minotaur kings .
  * The necropolis was built at the site of a 
  sacred shrine and oracle, revered by the 
  minotaurs .
  * One would expect the key to entering 
  Garlenthatir’s tomb to be leaving tribute of 
  value commensurate with his stature--an 
  onyx or pearl worth several hundred gold 
  pieces at least would be needed .
  Advanced results might be determined via 
  a legend lore spell or similar effect, or a DC 
  30 Knowledge (history) check:
  * Garlenthatir believed he was descended 
  from the original minotaur, the child of the 
  goddess of day and the god of the night .
  * The oracle site is in a deep sinkhole . It was a 
  sacred site not just to the minotaurs, but to races 
  and civilizations that preceded them as well .
  There are 45 encounters in The Necropolis of 
  Pergia.
  There are no random encounters in The 
  Necropolis of Pergia.
  The blind Cabal
  The Blind Cabal is a small confederation of 
  clerics and magic-users driven by zealotry 
  for their obscure cult and a lust for temporal 
  power . Having spiraled into madness by 
  contact with the Realm of Echoes, the cabal 
  has discovered the ancient temple complex 
  beneath the Necropolis of Pergia and that 
  complex’s access to the rifts far below it, 
  and intends to exploit the rifts to unleash 
  an army of monstrosities upon the world 
  in a bid not just to seize power, but also, 
  
  5
  ultimately, to reshape reality within this 
  corner of the Material Plane .
  The Cabal’s Agenda: The Blind Cabal is 
  a cult of madness, and to ascribe any true 
  belief to their dogma is equally mad . They 
  do, however, have an agenda, and a method 
  to their insanity . Obsessed with the swirling, 
  mind-destroying images they have received 
  from the Realm of Echoes, the cabalists 
  have come to see the material world as a 
  corruption, an offense of order against the 
  malevolent primordial chaos . They see the 
  planar border between the worlds as a thin 
  shield just waiting to be brought down, and 
  believe that those who achieve this goal will 
  be masters of the new order once the reality 
  of the Material Plane is forever merged with 
  the Realm of Echoes .
  That’s a project of many years, in all 
  likelihood, and in the nearer term the Blind 
  Cabal has rightly identified the kingdom of 
  their homeland, and the Church of Pendar, 
  as the key forces that might be able to combat 
  their plans (though, to date, their extreme 
  secrecy has paid off, and neither of these 
  institutions is yet fully aware of the cabal) . 
  Therefore, their more immediate goal is to 
  destabilize both the Church and the kingdom, 
  weakening and distracting both as the cabal 
  continues to strengthen its ties to the Realm 
  of Echoes and research their plans to bring 
  down the veil between worlds . 
  Members: The Blind Cabal is a circle of 
  clerics and magic users of moderate to high 
  level . Their hierarchy is based on personality, 
  devotion to the cause, and an internal logic 
  for components . The cabalist can use this 
  ability a number of times per day equal to 
  his Wisdom bonus (minimum 1) .
  Rebuild Rules: As above .
  Acolytes: Acolytes are provisional members 
  of the Blind Cabal who have not undergone 
  the full ritual process of membership . (As an 
  initial symbol of commitment, upon joining 
  the group each acolyte removes one of his 
  or her own eyes .) Because membership is 
  based on insights gained into the Realm of 
  Echoes (and a certain degree of madness), 
  many potential recruits find their way to the 
  cabal late in their careers . As a result, it is 
  quite possible for an acolyte to be a higher-
  level character than some full members of 
  the cabal .
  Although 
  there 
  are 
  some 
  obvious 
  similarities, The Oracle (in area 9) is not a 
  member of the Blind Cabal, and is unaware 
  of its existence . Her blindness is natural or 
  the result of some ancient accident, and she 
  relies principally on hearing for the messages 
  that reach her from the Realm of Echoes, 
  via the voice of the sinkhole . Nonetheless, 
  it seems that both blindness and insanity 
  help prepare the mind for insights from that 
  terrible realm .
  The Cast of Characters: A number of Blind 
  Cabal NPCs appear in this adventure . A few 
  of them are full members of the Cabal, but 
  others are acolytes, retainers, and slaves .
  Slaves: Any large facility needs a staff 
  of workers . In the Blind Cabal’s case, 
  they also need fodder for their bizarre 
  experimentation and food for their terrible 
  not obvious to the more sane--not strictly 
  character level although, of course, the most 
  powerful among them tend to be the more 
  senior members .
  The Blind Cabal believe their contact with 
  the Realm of Echoes, and their ability to see 
  what they think is the true nature of the 
  universe, is interfered with by conventional 
  vision, which shows them only the material 
  world (in their view, this is a false and 
  corrupted perspective) . In keeping with 
  that belief, all members of the Cabal blind 
  themselves, gouging out their own eyes 
  as part of the process of gaining entry into 
  the Cabal . During those ritual proceedings, 
  however, Blind Cabal members (not acolytes) 
  gain the following simple template:
  Blind Cabalist (CR +0)
  Touched by the Realm of Echoes and having 
  undergone a ritual blinding, members of 
  the Blind Cabal see beyond the glare of the 
  material world and gain special and terrible 
  insight . 
  Quick Rules: Blind Cabalists gain the 
  following traits:
  * Blind: The Blind Cabalist is immune to 
  gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and 
  other attack forms that rely on sight, but 
  cannot read or make Perception checks 
  based solely on sight .
  * Blindsight: The Blind Cabalist gains the 
  blindsight special ability .
  * The Echoing Eye: As a full-round action, 
  the Blind Cabalist can scry as per the 
  scrying spell but without the requirement 
  
  6
  creatures . The slaves held in the asylum 
  are generally good-aligned humanoids 
  from the region of Carisford . All are low-
  level characters weakened physically and 
  psychologically by their ordeal at the hands 
  of the cabal . Slaves are encountered in areas 
  29, 30, and 33 .
  Retainers: For lack of a better word, these 
  are servants of the cabal who provide 
  specialized service, have aligned themselves 
  willingly with the cabal, and have a higher 
  status in the organization than the slaves . 
  These include Creena (encountered in area 
  29), Al’Pershiea (area 33), and The Surgeon 
  (area 38) .
  Acolytes: Acolytes are future cabalists 
  serving the organization as they prove their 
  fealty and develop their ties to the Realm of 
  Echoes . Acolytes are encountered in area 17 
  and area 30 .
  Full Members of the Blind Cabal: A 
  handful of full members of the Blind 
  Cabal are encountered in this adventure; 
  whether this constitutes just a fraction of 
  the organization, or nearly all of it, is up to 
  the GM to decide (see below) . Among those 
  encountered here are Girrenmoor (area 34), 
  Plambten (area 35), Yesselendra (area 39), 
  and Dor Kirenal (area 41) .
  The Blind Cabal in Your Campaign: Not 
  all members of the Blind Cabal make their 
  appearance in this adventure; some are 
  out and about in the world, engaged in the 
  secretive business of their agenda . Is the 
  asylum below the Necropolis of Pergia the 
  cabal’s principal abode and project--or do 
  they have other, equally insidious activities 
  elsewhere? Are there many more members, 
  or just one or two? Does the PCs’ defeat 
  of the organization’s plans here break the 
  back of the Blind Cabal, or is it just a minor 
  setback? These questions are left for you to 
  decide . (We currently have no plans to bring 
  the Blind Cabal back in future adventures 
  on Dungeonaday.com)
  The Blind Cabal could be a relatively 
  minor climactic threat to your campaign 
  world--a solid victory for 6th- or 7th-level 
  characters on a path toward facing even 
  greater foes and achieving even greater 
  feats of heroism and fame . Or it could be 
  an ongoing threat, a recurring nemesis with 
  even larger and more dangerous plans . This 
  adventure serves as a fine jumping-off point 
  in either direction .
  
  7
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The gorge & ToMbs
  
  8
  01. The gorge (el 7)
  Summary: The PCs arrive at an ancient 
  necropolis, built into the walls of a narrow, 
  winding gorge--dozens of ancient tombs 
  were carved into the sheer cliff walls.
  Sights and Sounds: The necropolis section 
  of the gorge is roughly 20 feet wide at the 
  southern end, doubling in width by the 
  northern end . Its also deepens as it goes, from 
  about 60 feet at the southern end to 120 feet 
  at the northern . It is open to the sky at its top .
  The walls of this deep, narrow gorge are 
  formed of weathered stone--pale and coarse--
  and rise almost vertically to the channel’s lips. 
  Scores of openings line the walls on either side, 
  some the size of windows, others doors or even 
  double doors. Many are ornately carved portals 
  surrounded by friezes and bas-relief, while others 
  are simple, roughly cut openings. 
  The floor of the gorge is stony in most places, 
  but deep drifts of sand pile up in others, which 
  makes the ground in those areas difficult terrain.
  Background: This natural chasm was created 
  by erosion over the course of millennia . The 
  walls rise gradually from the gorge’s head 
  a mile or so to the south as it winds its way 
  toward the oracle’s sinkhole at its northern 
  end . The ancient kingdom of minotaurs 
  revered the sinkhole and the oracle, and 
  were drawn to the sense of mystic power that 
  permeates the area . They considered it a great 
  honor to be interred along the passageway to 
  this holy site . Dozens of tombs--ranging from 
  grand to simple--were built into the gorge, 
  not just at ground level but further up the 
  wall as well . Although individual examples 
  vary, as a general rule the finest tombs tend 
  to be those furthest north (nearest the oracle), 
  set highest in the walls, and running the 
  deepest into the stone .
  Over the centuries since the collapse of 
  the minotaur kingdom, these tombs have 
  been plundered and explored time and 
  
  9
  again, so that most of them retain little of 
  their original wealth . Other creatures have 
  sometimes made their homes in these caves, 
  though. Currently, a flight of harpies is the 
  dominant resident of the chasm, with its 
  members nesting in several of the tombs 
  that open high above gorge’s floor.
  The Gorge: The walls of the gorge are 
  sheer but coarse, striated by millennia of 
  weathering and the erosive forces of waters 
  that dried up thousands of years ago . 
  Climbing the walls, whether to reach a tomb 
  opening or to ascend to (or descend from) 
  the rim of the channel, requires multiple 
  Climb checks . The DC for each check is 
  equal to 15 + 1d6; roll to determine a new 
  DC for each check . (Multiple characters 
  following the same climbing route can use 
  the DCs established for the first climber.)
  The floor of the gorge is stony and rough, 
  but interrupted with patches of sand that 
  are sometimes quite deep . The sandy areas 
  shown on the map are difficult terrain.
  Tomb openings line the walls throughout 
  this portion of the gorge . Some are at 
  ground level, but most are set high in the 
  walls . The number listed next to the mouth 
  of each opening on the map gives the height 
  of that opening above the floor of the gorge 
  (those openings without numbers are at 
  floor level). Tombs not marked as encounter 
  areas on the map are empty (though the GM 
  may choose to put additional encounters in 
  them if he chooses) .
  The Harpies: A fairly large flight of harpies 
  dwells in the gorge, with individuals nesting 
  in several locations . A single harpy is on 
  watch at most times, typically watching 
  from the entrance of area 05 . (It takes 10 on 
  its Stealth roll, making it so that spotting it 
  requires a DC 13 Perception check .) If the 
  guard harpy notices intruders, it uses its 
  captivating song and then swoops down 
  to attack those PCs not affected by the 
  song, using Flyby Attack and targeting the 
  character that looks to be the weakest .
  A 
  second 
  harpy 
  responds 
  to 
  the 
  captivating song, appearing from area 05 the 
  following round . A third harpy responds to 
  the sound of combat, appearing from area 
  06 in 1d4 rounds .
  Harpy (3): hp 38 
  revisiT
  The harpies in area 05 venture forth within 
  an hour of any battle between the PCs and 
  the harpies described above, scavenging 
  the fallen bodies (including those of their 
  comrades) . They set a new guard . Should 
  this guard spot intruders anew, it uses 
  its captivating song but does not attack 
  unaffected heroes. Two additional harpies 
  emerge from area 06, also using their 
  captivating song . However, the harpies only 
  attack captivated targets who are separated 
  from their non-captivated friends .
  Connections: The northern end of the gorge 
  connects with the sinkhole in area 08 . The gorge 
  also connects with areas 02, 03, 05, 06, and 07 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  02. The viCTory arCh 
  (el 4)
  Summary: The PCs find a tomb containing 
  a memorial in the form of a massive victory 
  arch .Though the arch’s subject is long dead, 
  the cave is still home to other, less praise-
  worthy creatures .
  Sights and Sounds: This tomb is typical of 
  the larger, ornate style tombs, except that its 
  entrance is just a few feet above the floor of 
  the gorge .
  Sitting just about at head level, this large 
  entrance is framed by ornate columns carved 
  into the rock of the gorge wall. A heavy stone 
  door sits ajar, sand drifted against the entrance. 
  A DC 10 Perception check allows the 
  characters to notice, just within the door, half 
  buried in the drifting sand, a bronze and gold 
  crown . Beyond, a passageway ten feet wide 
  and fifteen feet tall continues into the rock.
  Background: This is one of the more ornate 
  tombs in the necropolis, the original contents 
  of the crypt having long ago been looted, as 
  is the case with most of the tombs . In recent 
  times it has become home to a pair of cave 
  fishers. They survive mostly on hapless 
  creatures--birds, snakes, pumas, wolves, 
  and so on--that sometimes seek shelter 
  from the day’s heat in the ancient tombs, 
  but whenever possible they supplement 
  their diets with a juicy tomb explorer . The 
  close proximity of this tomb to the floor of 
  the gorge makes it attractive to wandering 
  animals and explorers alike, and also keeps 
  the cave fishers out of the harpies’ way.
  
  10
  Shortly after she arrived in the region, 
  the oracle--at the time concerned about 
  dangerous interlopers--exploited the cave 
  fishers’ presence as a means of discouraging 
  or eliminating treasure-hunters before they 
  reached the sinkhole . The crown laying near 
  the entrance of the tomb is one of several 
  items the oracle placed to lure passers-by 
  into the cave fishers’ lair.
  The Tomb: A long series of staircases, ten 
  feet wide by fifteen feet tall, lead deep into 
  the living rock . A Perception or Survival 
  check (DC 10) can find the occasional tracks 
  of an animal, humanoid, or boot print, but 
  none are recent .
  The oracle scattered a handful of valuables 
  along the steps as part of an effort to lure 
  explorers into the tomb . The bronze and gold 
  crown near the entrance is worth 50 gp . At 
  the first corner is a 
  hefty curved dagger 
  of archaic design . Its 
  bronze blade is too 
  corroded to be used 
  as a weapon, and the 
  scabbard all but falls 
  apart when handled, 
  but the gold and 
  silver filigree around 
  the grip is worth 10 
  gp . 
  Finally, 
  about 
  halfway up the final 
  set of stairs, there lies 
  half of a ceremonial 
  scepter with a gold 
  cap worth 15 gp .
  At the top, the stairs open into a large 
  chamber with a very high ceiling (40 feet) . 
  The ceremonial arch is much like a small 
  version of the Arc de Triomphe or other real 
  world victory arches .
  This voluminous chamber, its walls 
  etched with ornate carvings and bas-relief, is 
  dominated by a large ceremonial arch . The 
  arch, equally decorated with columns and 
  bas-relief, is a blockish, freestanding stone 
  structure roughly thirty feet wide and over 
  twenty feet tall, through which an archway 
  opens . What looks like a sarcophagus on a 
  stone platform rests under this archway . The 
  splendor of the chamber is obvious, but its age 
  is revealed by tendrils of cobweb and drifts of 
  sand and debris scattered around the floor. 
  
  11
  The sarcophagus is empty, its lid broken 
  and ajar .
  The bas-reliefs on the walls and the arch 
  itself depict a variety of scenes of minotaurs-
  -wealthy and perhaps royal--interacting 
  with other minotaurs and humanoids, some 
  of whom appear to be servants or slaves . 
  The largest image, directly behind the arch, 
  shows what appears to be a minotaur king, 
  over whom hangs both a sun and a full moon .
  A handful of bones are scattered around 
  the chamber--miscellaneous bits of kobolds, 
  gnolls, humans, and other humanoids . If 
  examined, all of these show clear 
  signs have having been gnawed 
  upon .
  The dense carvings on the walls 
  and outer surfaces of the arch 
  monument give them a Climb DC 
  of just 12 .
  The Cave Fishers: Two cave fishers 
  live in this chamber . One clings to 
  the wall near the ceiling above the 
  door . Depending on the PCs’ light 
  source, it may not be visible in the 
  darkness. The second cave fisher 
  lurks atop the arch, where the 
  cover of the arch aids it in hiding 
  from any interlopers. They attempt 
  to snare any creatures, preferring to 
  target stragglers who are separated 
  from their group .
  Cave Fisher (2): hp 22
  Connections: This area connects to 
  area 01 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  03. The Tunnel (el 3)
  Summary: Like many of the tombs, this 
  one seems relatively unremarkable . That is 
  until the PCs discover a rough-hewn tunnel 
  leading deeper into the rock face--not to 
  mention the tunnel’s residents .
  Sights and Sounds: The entrance to this 
  tomb is at the floor of the gorge. There is no 
  light within .
  The tunnel entrance is simple and unadorned, 
  though it cuts cleanly and smoothly into the cliff 
  face. The passageway is lengthy, disappearing 
  into darkness with no sign of a staircase or corner. 
  The passageway is simple--ten feet wide and 
  fifteen feet tall. There are no decorations.
  Background: This simple tomb was looted 
  centuries ago, though it probably never 
  contained much wealth to begin with . It 
  would be no more interesting than any 
  of dozens of other empty chambers in the 
  necropolis except that a tunnel has been 
  dug from this tomb into another, somewhat 
  higher in the gorge wall . The higher, much 
  richer tomb (at least originally) was 
  sealed by a rock fall, but inventive 
  pillagers from an earlier age dug the 
  tunnel from this tomb to reach it .
  The Tomb Chamber: The central 
  chamber of this tomb is a simple 
  20-foot square. A battered stone 
  sarcophagus, sized for a minotaur, 
  rests in the middle, its lid broken 
  and no signs of the remains of its 
  occupant . Dominating the room, 
  however, are many piles of rubble 
  and stone. At first, the source of 
  these rocks is unclear--locating the 
  excavated tunnel in the south-east 
  corner of the ceiling requires a DC 
  15 Perception check while the tunnel 
  entrance is in dim light, but under 
  normal 
  illumination 
  the 
  tunnel 
  entrance becomes obvious .
  The skeletal corpse of a half-elf 
  lies in the southwestern corner of 
  the room . A layer of dust and drifted 
  sand almost completely covers it, 
  but it can be easily found by any 
  
  12
  character searching the room (or noticed 
  offhand with a DC 7 Perception check). The 
  skeleton wears a set of masterwork studded 
  leather armor; a useable set of saddlebags, 
  containing only long-desiccated provisions, 
  can be found next to it .
  A character searching the tomb for tracks 
  might (Survival, DC 15) find a number of 
  small pits in the few pockets and drifts of 
  sand to be found in the tomb . The source 
  of these pits is indeterminate, although a 
  Survival check (DC 20) identifies them as 
  likely created by some sort of large vermin .
  The tunnel itself is rough-hewn and only 
  about two feet in diameter . It heads eastward 
  at a near-vertical slope, rising 30 feet and 
  requiring 
  DC 
  10 
  Climb checks 
  to 
  negotiate . 
  (While 
  climbing, 
  characters can only 
  move at half their Speed .)
  The Centipedes: A nest of 
  giant centipedes lives above the 
  tunnel, occasionally sallying forth at 
  night to scavenge . They do not descend 
  into the tomb chamber in response to the 
  PCs entering it, but they do attack any creature 
  that climbs more than halfway up the tunnel 
  and will pursue opponents from the tunnel 
  into the chamber below and beyond .
  Characters fighting in the tunnel are 
  subject to the attack and AC penalties for 
  squeezing through a space (-4 to attacks 
  and AC). The centipedes do not suffer 
  these penalties--even the Medium-sized 
  centipedes move easily through the tunnel 
  and are unimpeded in combat . However, 
  only one of the giant or sewer centipedes 
  can fight in the tunnel at a time.
  Additionally, 
  centipedes 
  above 
  the 
  heroes gain the +1 bonus to attacks for 
  higher ground .
  House Centipede (3): hp 4
  Sewer Centipede (3): hp 4
  Giant Centipede (2): hp 5
  Connections: This area connects to area 01 
  and area 04 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  04. The bloCked ToMb 
  (el 3)
  Summary: A narrow tunnel leads from a 
  small, Spartan tomb to a larger, richer one .
  Sights and Sounds: This area is lightless . 
  Ceilings in the passageways and openings 
  are 15 feet high, while those in the chambers 
  are 20 feet high . The rooms are silent and 
  smell only of dust. If the PCs have sufficient 
  light, they see the following .
  The walls are covered in bas-relief depicting 
  huge minotaurs all gazing down at the center of the 
  chamber, where a raised platform, surrounded by 
  chunks of stone fallen, apparently, from the ceiling, 
  holds a large stone sarcophagus. A skeleton sprawls 
  on the platform, a rusted sword in its hand. The 
  way toward the gorge is choked, just past a dogleg, 
  by an ancient cave-in. In the other direction, a short 
  passageway opens into a square chamber, with 
  further openings to either side.
  The chamber is crowded with earthenware 
  pots--broken and intact--tumbled down stone, 
  and other debris.
  Background: The entrance to this rich 
  tomb collapsed long before the treasures 
  was plundered . Enterprising adventurers 
  eventually tunneled to it from a tomb 
  
  13
  below, hauling away the bulk of its loot . 
  Although there’s relatively little of value 
  left, its isolated location has, to some degree, 
  protected it from scavengers (both the two-
  legged and multi-legged variety), and more 
  of the original funereal contents remain 
  than in other tombs .
  The Chambers: This tomb is comprised of 
  three chambers: the central burial chamber, 
  a northern altar chamber, and a southern 
  treasure chamber .
  The central chamber is dominated by a 
  platform in the center, 4 feet high and 18 
  feet on a side . A minotaur-sized stone 
  sarcophagus lies atop it, the lid ajar . 
  Within is the disheveled, crumbling 
  remains of a minotaur mummy, 
  surrounded by broken pottery shards. 
  Most of the wealth has been removed 
  from this coffin, but the minotaur’s 
  horns bear two heavy gold caps each 
  worth 50 gp . The lid is only a few 
  inches ajar, so reaching and removing 
  the gold requires shifting it--a Strength 
  check (DC 21) .
  The skeleton on the platform is 
  that of a human . It bears a rusted 
  longsword . Its other possessions are 
  likewise unusable and without value 
  except for a crumbling purse that 
  contains a scrap of parchment and 
  a large, polished black marble . The 
  scrap has a diagram of what looks like 
  nothing more than a pair of intensely 
  wiggly lines sitting side by side--and 
  the words “two must walk it at once .” 
  A DC 8 Knowledge (dungeoneering) 
  or Appraise check will identify the 
  marble as being a finely crafted piece of 
  onyx, if the check beats DC 12 will reveal 
  that the stone is worth several hundred gold 
  pieces at least . A DC 15 Appraise check will 
  reveal that it’s actual value is 275 gp .
  The 
  area 
  around 
  the 
  platform 
  is 
  surrounded by funereal goods, primarily 
  stored 
  in 
  large, 
  heavily 
  decorated 
  earthenware jars, many of which have been 
  smashed apart . There is nothing of value 
  in them--their contents were primarily 
  foodstuffs 
  and 
  smaller 
  mummified 
  creatures, most of which have disintegrated 
  into dust and bone fragments . However, 
  a few moments’ searching can recover 12 
  heavily decorated pots that are intact, each 
  several feet tall and weighing roughly 15 
  pounds . If they can be successfully returned 
  to civilization, they are art objects worth 50 
  gp each .
  The platform and the floor around it 
  are also dotted with chunks of rock--some 
  as large as a foot or two across--that have 
  fallen from the ceiling .
  The other chambers are similarly littered 
  with rock and broken pottery. The treasure 
  chamber has been thoroughly looted, 
  but a search of the altar chamber (DC 15 
  Perception check) turns up a key of lock 
  jamming .
  The Grick: In the burial chamber lurks a 
  grick, clinging to the wall in an area where 
  chunks of stone have fallen away . Taking 
  advantage of this uneven background and 
  its dark coloration, it hides, waiting for 
  the perfect opportunity to drop upon the 
  interlopers . Ideally, it hopes to drop upon 
  a character who is isolated from the others--
  perhaps a character lingering in the room as 
  the others depart . Barring that, it might seek 
  to drop upon a character holding the party’s 
  light source, causing that character to drop 
  the light (or possibly even extinguishing it) 
  and giving the grick cover of darkness .
  Grick: hp 27
  Connections: This area connects to area 03 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  
  14
  05. The harpy nesT (el 5)
  Summary: High in the wall of the gorge, 
  within a large tomb is the principal nest of 
  the harpies that plague this canyon . Are the 
  PCs up to the challenge of removing them?
  Sights and Sounds: This harpy nest is located 
  in a large, ornate tomb set high off the ground. 
  The interior of the tomb is dimly lit by a 
  handful of candles, except for the altar and 
  treasure chambers, which are dark . Characters 
  approaching the tomb may be attacked by the 
  harpies before reaching the interior, but once 
  they do they see the following .
  A grand arcade, its vaulted roof thirty feet 
  overhead, is flanked by a range of rounded 
  alcoves on either side. Larger-than-life statues of 
  minotaur heroes stand in several of the alcoves, 
  or lay broken on the floor before others. Along 
  with the remains of these ancient sculptures, a 
  great many bones are scattered about the floor. 
  Background: The large tombs at the 
  higher reaches of the gorge, as ornate and 
  grandiose as they are high off the ground, 
  suit the harpies well as lairs . This is one of 
  two tombs they have occupied .
  Approaching the Tomb: The entrance to 
  the tomb, set 40 feet above the floor of the 
  gorge, is guarded by a member of the harpy 
  flight at most times--and this is certainly the 
  case if the PCs have already encountered 
  the harpies in area 01. The harpies attack 
  any creatures spotted climbing the gorge 
  walls--especially adventurers approaching 
  the entrance to the nest . The harpies do not, 
  however, stray far from the tomb entrance 
  and, if faced with attackers using ranged 
  weapons or spells against them, retreat into 
  the tomb to draw their tormentors inside .
  The Gallery: The tomb is dominated by a long 
  gallery, twenty feet wide and with a thirty-
  foot ceiling . Deep, rounded alcoves line the 
  walls on either side . (The passageways and 
  entrances match the alcoves in design and 
  positioning .) Several of these contain large 
  (20-foot tall) statues of minotaurs, often in 
  archaic garb or armor . Several other statues 
  have fallen or been knocked from their 
  alcoves and lie broken on the gallery floor.
  This is the location in which the harpies 
  are most likely to be encountered . Several of 
  the harpies lurk near the eastern end, taking 
  cover in the southern passageway if attacked. 
  Another hides in the first 
  alcove along the northern 
  wall, clinging to the back 
  of the minotaur statue . 
  The harpies intend to 
  attack when the PCs get 
  between them, using the 
  overhead space to make 
  flyby attacks on the group.
  The 
  Nest: 
  Several 
  chambers 
  adjoin 
  the 
  east end of the central 
  gallery . To the north 
  sits an altar chamber 
  dedicated to a forgotten 
  god 
  worshipped 
  by 
  the ancient minotaurs . 
  A 
  small 
  but 
  ornate 
  stone-carved altar table 
  sits against the eastern wall beneath an 
  enormous bas-relief of a bare-breasted, 
  bovine-headed woman . The opposite wall 
  features a more abstract diagram of a circle 
  surrounded by nine minotaurs . Several 
  wavy tendrils--tentacles, perhaps, or maybe 
  wisps of smoke--arise from the central circle .
  To the south sits the larger burial chamber, 
  the site of the harpies’ nest proper . Beyond 
  that lies the tomb’s original treasure chamber .
  The harpy nest, in the burial chamber, 
  is built upon a large dais that once held 
  the tomb’s sarcophagus; the stone box, its 
  occupant long gone, has been pushed to the 
  back of the chamber . The nest itself is made 
  of tree branches interwoven with ragged 
  lengths of cloth .
  
  15
  The treasure chamber once held the 
  wealth of the minotaur whose tomb this 
  was, but it has long been emptied . Instead, 
  however, a search of the room (Perception, 
  DC 12) reveals a small stash the rank and 
  file harpies kept hidden from their jealous 
  queen, tucked under the broken lid of a 
  sarcophagus . The stash includes a spyglass, 
  a potion of enlarge person, and 5 gems 
  worth a total of 220 gp .
  The Harpies: The harpies prefer to attack 
  interlopers individually when they are 
  most vulnerable (as they ascend toward the 
  tomb), but they won’t take significant risks 
  to do so . Instead, they will fall back into 
  the tomb if they are attacked with ranged 
  weapons or magic .
  Once in combat, the harpies of course 
  attempt to use their captivating song to 
  remove as many opponents from action as 
  possible. They attack using Flyby Attack, 
  taking advantage of the high ceiling in the 
  gallery to keep away from the PCs’ melee 
  attacks. If possible, they try to launch their 
  attack with the PCs between them, by hiding 
  at least one harpy behind the statue in the 
  alcove nearest the gallery entrance .
  There are four harpies at this nesting 
  site, but they do not defend it to the death . 
  Any harpy who is reduced below half her 
  hit points attempts to flee the tomb on her 
  next action, heading for area 06 . When the 
  number 
  of 
  remaining 
  harpies 
  reaches two, regardless of their 
  remaining hit points the last pair 
  retreats, cursing the heroes as they 
  go (again for area 06) .
  Harpy (4): hp 38
  Upping the Ante: GMs wishing to 
  make this encounter more difficult 
  might increase the number of 
  harpies, but beware of making the 
  necropolis seem too much like an 
  all-harpy excursion . An alternative 
  is to mix up the encounter’s threats 
  by adding a number of minor 
  ground-based creatures . Perhaps 
  the bones and carrion scattered 
  around the gallery have attracted 
  the attention of giant flies, which 
  have laid their eggs in this chamber .
  Giant Maggot (4): hp 7
  Connections: This area connects to 
  area 01 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  
  16
  06. The harpy Queen 
  (el 5)
  Summary: The PCs have reached the highest 
  of the tombs in the gorge which, naturally, is 
  where the harpy leader of has made her nest .
  Sights and Sounds: The harpy queen’s 
  nest is set in the most ornate tomb in the 
  necropolis, placed nearly two-thirds the 
  way up the wall . A single lantern, hanging 
  below the harpy queen’s nest, lights her 
  chamber . Once the PCs are inside the tomb, 
  describe it as follows .
  A long passageway, lined with ancient, worn 
  bas-relief leads to a large circular room. Four 
  high, ledge-like platforms surround a deep pit 
  while above, suspended in an ancient, corroded 
  bronze chandelier, sits the harpy queen’s nest. 
  The room stinks of excrement and decaying 
  flesh. The ceiling is 30 feet high.
  Background: This tomb, one of the grandest 
  in the necropolis, was built for a long-
  vanished dynasty of minotaur leaders . The 
  harpy queen chose it due to its location, 
  high above the floor of the gorge, and for the 
  heavy bronze chandelier which allowed her 
  to build her nest above the floor of the room.
  The Nest: The harpy queen’s nest, built of 
  branches, bones, and torn, dirty cloth, sits 
  upon a heavy bronze chandelier supported 
  by four thick bronze chains . Millennia of 
  corrosion have bent their efforts upon the 
  metal, and the chandelier is no longer sturdy .
  The chandelier is 10 feet in diameter and 
  20 feet off the ground. It and the nest can be 
  walked upon, but both count as difficult 
  terrain . Furthermore, any 
  substantial activity (such as 
  combat) on the chandelier 
  causes it to rock and sway 
  for 1d4 rounds . Creatures on 
  the swaying chandelier must 
  make Acrobatics checks (DC 
  10) with failure causing the 
  creature to fall prone, and 
  failure by more than 5 points 
  causing the creature to fall 
  off the chandelier.
  Furthermore, 
  every 
  round 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  chandelier 
  sways, 
  roll 
  1d10 . On a result of 1, one 
  of the chandelier’s chains 
  breaks . After one chain has 
  already broken, a result of 
  1-3 indicates that a second 
  chain 
  breaks . 
  When 
  a 
  second chain breaks, the 
  chandelier 
  falls 
  away, 
  dumping the nest and any 
  creatures on it into the pit 
  below. The bottom of the pit 
  is 40 feet below the initial 
  level of the chandelier .
  In addition to the harpy 
  queen herself, the nest 
  contains all of her treasure . 
  This consists of a potion 
  of bull’s strength, a potion 
  of owl’s wisdom, a potion of wood shape, 
  a divine scroll of detect undead, an arcane 
  scroll of darkvision, 9 gems totaling 430 gp 
  in value, 6 pp, 136 gp, 520 sp, and 140 cp .
  The Pit: The pit is a circular opening in the 
  floor 10 feet in diameter and 20 feet deep. 
  Although regular and perfectly round in 
  design, it is a symbolic representation of the 
  sinkhole that adjoins the necropolis (and 
  
  17
  which is the spiritual center of the complex) . 
  The walls of the pit are decorated with wavy 
  lines that might represent vapor or tentacles 
  rising from below. The floor is concave, and 
  littered with the skulls, rib cages, and long 
  bones of the harpy queen’s many meals .
  The harpy queen recognized the defensive 
  advantage of the pit, should intruders 
  invade her aerie . She has had her minions 
  loosen and undermine the flooring stones 
  along the pit’s edge . The loosening can be 
  noticed with a Perception check (DC 10 + 
  the number of feet the character is from the 
  edge of the pit) . Any creature standing on 
  the floor in a square adjacent to the pit must 
  make a Reflex save (DC 12) as the stones 
  along the edge give way . If the save fails, the 
  character falls into the pit .
  The Harpies: The harpies present include 
  the harpy queen and any wounded harpies 
  that retreated from area 05 . Wounded 
  harpies have the number of hit points they 
  did when they fled from area 05, unless 
  sufficient time has passed for any natural 
  healing to occur .
  The queen is a two-headed harpy . Use 
  the standard harpy stats, but she gains the 
  Improved Multiple Attacks special ability 
  (see below), along with Alertness and 
  Combat Reflexes as bonus feats. In addition, 
  she has a necklace of fireballs (type I), which 
  she uses in combat .
  The harpy queen prefers to remain on 
  the chandelier, above the heads of ground-
  based attackers. If other harpies are present, 
  she directs them to attack, contributing to 
  the combat only with her captivating song . 
  If she is alone, if one or more of her cohorts 
  are killed, or if she herself becomes the target 
  of ranged attacks, she uses her necklace of 
  fireballs. She is stingy, though, and prefers 
  to use the lesser fireballs first.
  Other harpies make flyby attacks to hit 
  characters on the ground while taking 
  advantage of the high ceiling to stay out 
  of reach of ground-based reprisals . When 
  possible, they attempt to lure characters to 
  the edge of the pit .
  Improved Multiple Attacks (Ex): Because 
  the two-headed creature has two brains, it 
  can easily control multiple attacks without 
  penalty . Two-headed creatures never take 
  penalties to attack or damage from making 
  multiple attacks. As a standard action, the 
  creature can make two attacks. If these two 
  attacks are the same primary attack (two 
  bites, two weapon attacks, two claws) they 
  both add 1 1/2 x the creature’s Strength 
  bonus to damage .
  The Harpy Queen (Harpy): hp 38
  Connections: This area connects to area 01 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  07. The alTar of dark 
  and lighT (el 3)
  Summary: This forechamber contains a 
  complex of challenges that open the way 
  into a tomb that has never been pillaged . 
  Sights and Sounds: This extremely ornate 
  chamber boasts a 40-foot ceiling (the entry 
  passageway 
  and 
  antechamber 
  ceilings 
  are 20 feet high) . There is no light source . 
  Assuming the PCs have sufficient light, they 
  see the following in the main chamber .
  
  18
  Narrow steps ascend into a huge, round 
  chamber dominated at the far side by a giant 
  statue of a sphinx. The creature sits with its 
  impassive face staring out over the room, one 
  huge foreleg, itself the size of a horse, resting 
  on a large, stone-carved reliquary. Around the 
  circumference of the room, nine niches hold 
  stone sarcophagi.
  The floor before the sphinx is patterned in a huge 
  labyrinth marked out in white and black marble, 
  but the image is obscured by centuries of dust.
  Background: 
  This 
  tomb 
  belongs 
  to 
  Garlenthatir, the greatest of the minotaur 
  kings from his dynasty, and the only figure 
  whose name has survived into legend . 
  Garlenthatir led a cult among the minotaurs 
  who idolized their gods of daytime and 
  nighttime, and his tomb was built around 
  those beliefs . This chamber is only the 
  antechamber, a room in which his followers 
  and descendants could pay their respects . A 
  number of retainers or key family members 
  were buried here, but Garlenthatir’s tomb 
  proper lies beyond .
  Garlenthatir’s architects designed three 
  challenges to guard the inner tomb . It is 
  likely the solutions were well known--
  obvious, even--to the minotaur priests and 
  mystics of the era (in case there was some 
  religious reason why they might need to 
  regularly visit the tomb) . Garlenthatir’s cult 
  faded shortly after his death, however, and 
  the minotaur kingdom died out sometime 
  thereafter . The reasoning that underlay the 
  challenges was lost, and the looters of later 
  years either did not suspect a deeper tomb 
  or were unable to work out the challenges .
  
  19
  The oracle has come to understand, 
  either through some crazed insight or 
  via the whisperings of the voice of the 
  sinkhole, the logic behind the challenges, 
  and is aware of the tomb beyond . She also 
  knows that it is an opening into further 
  reaches--places that pre-date the minotaur 
  necropolis . She knows that many dangers 
  lurk therein, but, being uninterested in 
  the riches of the tomb or the particular 
  secrets of the darker realms, she has never 
  explored beyond this chamber .
  The three challenges all revolve around 
  the cult of day and night and the mythical 
  origins of the minotaurs (at least as they 
  were perceived in Garlenthatir’s day) . The 
  first is a labyrinth, an interlocking design 
  of black and white paths . The second is an 
  offering, to be placed in the reliquary under 
  the paw of the sphinx . The third is a riddle 
  uttered by the sphinx herself. If all three of 
  these are successfully navigated, a secret 
  door to the inner tomb opens .
  If the heroes have not gained the 
  cooperation of the oracle, they may not have 
  all the clues necessary to open the inner 
  tomb . They might be able to piece together 
  some idea of how to proceed, though, based 
  on other clues they encountered along the 
  way . The GM may wish to allow a DC 13 
  (or higher) Intelligence check to realize the 
  significance of these clues if the players are 
  having particular difficulty.
  * The scrap of parchment from area 04 
  appears to be a rough representation of the 
  labyrinth . The parchment further indicates 
  that “two must walk it at once .”
  * A character who speaks Giant (the 
  language spoken by minotaurs) may note 
  that the words for “day” and “night” are 
  both feminine in form .
  * The words “night and day” and “sisters” 
  are among those scrawled on the wall in the 
  oracle’s cell in area 09 .
  The Chamber: The entrance passage ends 
  in a set of steps that narrow to less than 
  five feet wide. These steps ascend into the 
  main chamber via a rectangular, railing-less 
  opening in the floor.
  The chamber is high-ceilinged and 
  ringed by deep niches . Each niche contains 
  a stone sarcophagus; all have been opened 
  and thoroughly looted, with only a few 
  bones and mummy fragments remaining . 
  Although ornate, the sarcophagi are visibly 
  less so than the rest of the chamber .
  The walls are covered 
  in large bas-relief images 
  that are interspersed 
  with the niches . They 
  all illustrate a mighty 
  minotaur king blessing 
  retainers, 
  receiving 
  tribute and adulation, 
  going to war, giving 
  alms to the needy, and 
  other 
  typical 
  kingly 
  things . Running above 
  these scenes, the niches, 
  and the sphinx, in one 
  continuous ring about 
  20 feet off the ground, 
  is a lengthy sort of 
  cartoon .
  A humanoid queen, pictured with a 
  glowing sun over her head, admires a black 
  bull over which a moon hangs . The queen 
  approaches a dwarf, and he builds a large 
  contraption that looks like a cow . The queen 
  enters the contraption, and the bull copulates 
  with it . Further on, the queen is seen holding 
  a baby with the head of a bull . The queen and 
  the dwarf cast a young minotaur into a deep 
  maze. In the final scenes, minotaurs build great 
  monuments and fight great conquering wars 
  against other races . The last panel, directly 
  above the sphinx, shows a mighty minotaur 
  king seated on a throne--a sun above one 
  shoulder and a moon above the other . 
  A statue of a gigantic gynosphinx, her 
  back 10 feet off the ground and her head a 
  full 20 feet, sits supine with her back to the 
  wall opposite the staircase . A Perception 
  
  20
  check (DC 20) finds a seam along the line 
  where her back touches the wall; moving the 
  sphinx might reveal a secret door, but there 
  is no discernible way to make that happen .
  The Labyrinth: The floor of the chamber is 
  marked out with a giant labyrinth pattern 
  of black and white marble. The pattern 
  forms two paths (one white, one black), 
  each beginning at foot of the staircase and 
  ending at the reliquary . Unlike a maze, the 
  labyrinth, while perhaps confusing when 
  seen from ground level, does not have any 
  branches or dead ends--these are simply 
  two winding paths .
  The black and white marble of the 
  labyrinth design is not necessarily obvious 
  right away--a thick layer of grit, sand, and 
  dust coats the floor, giving it a fairly uniform 
  gray appearance. A PC paying attention 
  to the floor, and with a good light source, 
  might notice the presence of a pattern with 
  a Perception check (DC 15) . The DC of 
  the check goes down by 1 point for every 
  minute spent in the chamber, as the party’s 
  footprints expose more and more of the floor 
  beneath the dust . Seeing the entirety of the 
  pattern, however, will require the heroes to 
  spend some time clearing away the debris .
  Successfully completing this challenge 
  requires two characters to walk the two 
  paths simultaneously, beginning at the 
  staircase entry to the chamber and ending 
  at the reliquary . The character walking the 
  black path must be carrying a piece of onyx 
  valued at 250 gp or more; the character 
  walking the white path must be carrying a 
  large white pearl valued at 250 gp or more .
  If the oracle is helping the heroes enter the 
  hidden tomb, she shows them the labyrinth 
  under the dust and instructs them on how 
  to overcome this challenge .
  The Reliquary: At the end of the labyrinth 
  path stands a stone pedestal several feet on 
  a side and about five feet tall. Pillars at the 
  corners of the pedestal support a roof above 
  it, and on this room rests one massive paw 
  of the sphinx . In the center of the pedestal 
  there are two depressions .
  Successfully completing this challenge 
  requires the characters to place a piece of 
  onyx in one depression and a large white 
  pearl in the other . Both must be valued at 
  250 gp or more .
  If the oracle is helping the heroes enter 
  the hidden tomb, she tells them to place the 
  stones within the reliquary .
  The Riddle: Once the requisite stones are 
  placed in the reliquary, the sphinx speaks . 
  She poses the following question:
  We owe all that there is to the two sisters; one 
  gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives 
  birth to the first. Speak their names in praise. 
  The correct response, which must be 
  spoken by one of the characters who placed 
  the stones in the reliquary, is “day and 
  night .” This can be said in any language or 
  any form that basically expresses the two 
  ideas . The heroes can take as much time as 
  they like, but if the characters who walked 
  the labyrinth leave their respective paths, or 
  if they offer an incorrect answer, the sphinx 
  returns to its original stance and the entire 
  process must be restarted .
  The oracle does not know the answer 
  to the riddle per se, but the voice of the 
  sinkhole has recently been whispering to 
  her that night and day are sisters .
  If the correct response is given, the statue 
  of the sphinx begins to slide forward . As 
  it separates from the wall, it exposes a 
  passageway 10 feet wide and 15 feet high 
  leading into area 11 .
  Connections: This area connects to area 01 
  and area 11 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  
  21
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The sinkhole
  
  22
  08. The sinkhole
  Summary: The PCs come across a gigantic 
  sink hole at the northern end of the gorge--a 
  site that was sacred to the lost kingdom of 
  the minotaurs .
  Sights and Sounds: The sinkhole is a deep 
  circular pit with uneven but generally 
  vertical walls . It is open to the sky above, 
  though wider at the level of the gorge floor. 
  Describe it as follows .
  A huge opening descends into the living rock. 
  Its sheer walls are rounded and worn, the deep 
  layers and overhangs providing refuge for scores of 
  noisy birds. Cool air ascends from its depths, and 
  somewhere deep within can be seen a glint of water. 
  On the side opposite the gorge, a set of steps 
  can be seen leading deeper into the sinkhole, below 
  a large, flat shelf of rock. The various strata of rock 
  create rounded shelves and overhangs; one such 
  shelf circles the sinkhole just below the level of the 
  floor of the gorge, about 130 feet below the top. 
  The sinkhole is roughly 280 feet deep overall 
  (to the level of the water at its bottom), with 
  several sizeable shelves running around its 
  circumference below the level of the gorge . 
  Characters looking down into the sinkhole 
  can see the shelf and the openings of the 
  cells in area 09, as well as the pool and the 
  floor of the sinkhole, dimly lit, in area 10.
  Background: This is the sacred heart of the 
  necropolis . In ancient times it was a point 
  of worship and the home of the minotaurs’ 
  most holy oracle . Recently, a new oracle has 
  taken up residence in the ancient cells below 
  the gorge .
  The Upper Shelf: A broad shelf runs 
  around the shaft about 10 feet below the 
  level at which the gorge enters the sinkhole . 
  It’s a natural artifact of the erosive processes 
  that created the sinkhole, and its surface is 
  smooth, uneven, and sloped slightly toward 
  the sinkhole shaft . A set of worn, uneven 
  steps leads from the gorge down to the shelf .
  Creatures moving no faster than half 
  their normal speed can negotiate the shelf 
  with no difficulty; those moving faster or 
  engaged in combat must make Acrobatics 
  checks, DC 5 for moving at normal speed; 
  DC 10 for running or engaging in combat 
  or similar activities . (Note that a creature 
  can take two move actions in 
  a single round, but each move 
  action can only cover half the 
  normal ground allotted by the 
  creature’s speed .) A creature 
  that fails the Acrobatics check 
  slides 5 feet toward the shaft . 
  If this would move the creature 
  over the edge, the creature may 
  attempt a second Acrobatics 
  check (DC 15) to instead fall 
  prone at the edge of the shelf 
  rather than fall off.
  The walls of the sinkhole 
  can be climbed, but the many 
  shelves and overhangs make it 
  a difficult task. See the sinkhole 
  cross-section for the Climb DCs 
  at various levels .
  A creature that falls from the 
  shelf plummets 150 feet to land 
  in the water in area 10 .
  The Sacrificial Stone: A large, flat stone lays 
  on the shelf opposite the gorge entrance . It 
  is a natural slab, long ago fallen from some 
  overhanging shelf, and well worn and 
  eroded . It slopes gently toward the shaft 
  of the sinkhole, its outer edge protruding 
  beyond the lip of the shelf . From close up a 
  number of shallow grooves can be seen in its 
  upper surface . These were carved to ensure 
  that blood and bile from sacrificial victims 
  drained into the sinkhole . It has been used 
  as recently as a few weeks ago .
  The wall in the area around the stone 
  is decorated with scores of coarse, ancient 
  pictographs .
  
  23
  Dozens of circles, varying in size from a few 
  inches to a foot or more across, decorate the wall 
  near the stone slab . Some of the circles contain 
  a dot or second circle, while in others the inside 
  perimeter is lined with triangular jags . 
  These symbols, seem to have been placed 
  at random and are equally distributed 
  between the two types . They represent the 
  eyes and mouths of the creature that lurks 
  within the pool at the bottom of the sinkhole.
  Behind the sacrificial stone, a hole in the 
  shelf looks down upon a small outcropping, 
  some 15 feet below .
  The Outcropping: The outcropping is 
  small and uneven, and has room for only 
  one Medium-sized creature at a time . Any 
  creature jumping down through the hole 
  must make a DC 15 Acrobatics check or take 
  1d6 damage from the landing .
  A coarse wooden ladder, tall enough to 
  reach from the outcropping, up the hole, to 
  the upper shelf lies on the outcropping . This 
  is the means by which the oracle comes and 
  goes from her home below; she pulls down the 
  ladder after herself to create a minor obstacle 
  to anyone that might attempt to reach her.
  From this outcropping, a set of crudely 
  carved steps descends along the face of the 
  sinkhole to area 09 . 
  The Walls Have Ears: The many active birds 
  living in the sinkhole create a fair amount of 
  cover noise, but the oracle has a keen sense of 
  hearing and is highly attuned to the sounds of 
  the sinkhole. If the characters make a significant 
  amount of noise, including shouting because 
  of near-falls or communicating over distances 
  of more than 30 feet (and certainly from any 
  kind of combat), the oracle makes a DC 17 
  Perception check to notice . If she hears noises 
  she comes from area 09 to investigate . She 
  goes as far as the stone slab (if the heroes are 
  not already there) or the shelf below it . See 
  area 09 for more information on the oracle and 
  how she reacts to intruders .
  Upping the Ante: The sinkhole, with its deep 
  overhangs and cool flow of air, is home to 
  scores of birds . A GM wishing to increase the 
  difficulty of this encounter can add additional 
  flying creatures that harry the heroes as they 
  attempt to negotiate the shelf. Keep in mind 
  that combat along the shelf can be especially 
  dangerous, as a fall will likely result in death . 
  It’s probably best to have such creatures make 
  occasional, opportunistic attacks rather than 
  engage the heroes in full combat . A small 
  flight of pterodactyls makes a good choice.
  Pterodactyl (4): hp 5
  Connections: This area connects to area 01 
  and area 09 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  09. The oraCle
  Summary: In the bowels of the sinkhole, 
  in a set of primitive monastic cells, the PCs 
  meet the gorge’s new oracle .
  Sights and Sounds: The space directly beneath 
  area 08 is almost a dome . Like the area above, 
  the center it is open to the sky, but the further 
  one gets from the shelf’s ledge, the gloomier 
  the space becomes . Describe it as follows .
  This broadest part of the sinkhole seems almost 
  domed over by the overhanging rim of rock above. 
  The cries and squabbles of the birds above are 
  somewhat muted at this depth, and the sky’s light 
  struggles to reach this far into the earth. A cool, 
  damp updraft lazily stirs the air, occasionally 
  sighing as it passes through gaps in the rock. 
  Another ledge encircles this area, with 
  numerous tunnels leading into the rock all around. 
  There are nine openings leading out from the 
  shelf. At this depth, the lip of the top of the gorge 
  is roughly 160 feet above, while the pool at the 
  bottom is roughly 120 feet below.
  Background: In ancient times these nine 
  simple chambers, bored into the rock around 
  the sinkhole’s perimeter, served as monastic 
  cells for oracles and their followers . They have 
  gone unused for hundreds of years--until the 
  arrival of the most recent oracle some time 
  in the past few years . She now occupies the 
  largest of the cells (mainly due to her size, as 
  opposed to any desire for luxury) .
  The Lower Shelf: A broad shelf runs around 
  the shaft of the sinkhole . It’s a natural artifact 
  of the erosive processes that created the 
  sinkhole, and its surface is smooth, uneven, 
  and slopes slightly toward the sinkhole shaft . 
  A set of worn, uneven steps leads down from 
  the outcropping described in area 08 .
  Creatures moving no faster than half their 
  normal speed can negotiate the shelf with no 
  difficulty; those moving faster or engaged in 
  combat must make Acrobatics checks, DC 5 for 
  moving at normal speed; DC 10 for running or 
  engaging in combat or similar activities . (Note 
  that a creature can take two move actions in a 
  single round, but each move action can only 
  cover half the normal ground allotted by the 
  creature’s speed .) A creature that fails the 
  
  24
  Acrobatics check slides 5 feet toward the shaft . 
  If this would move the creature over the edge, 
  the creature may attempt a second Acrobatics 
  check (DC 15) to instead fall prone at the edge 
  of the shelf rather than fall off.
  There is a natural spring at the area 
  indicated in green on the map . Moisture 
  seeps from the wall a few feet above the 
  shelf, flowing in a thin sheen across the shelf 
  to drip down deeper into the sinkhole . Algae 
  grows on the rock in this damp area, making 
  it exceedingly slick and adding +10 to the DC 
  of Acrobatics checks made to negotiate the 
  area . Even creatures moving at half speed or 
  less must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check to 
  avoid slipping toward the edge of the shelf .
  The walls of the sinkhole can be climbed, 
  but the many shelves and overhangs make 
  it a difficult task. See the sinkhole cross-
  section for the Climb DCs .
  A creature that falls from the shelf plummets 
  120 feet to land in the water in area 10 .
  The Cells: Nine cells are carved into the 
  sinkhole wall at the level of this shelf . All 
  are small and cramped-so small, in fact, that 
  a minotaur-sized (or ogre-sized) creature 
  would need to crouch to enter, and once 
  inside would have little more than the room 
  necessary to lie down to sleep .
  In the cell marked A on the map lies the 
  curled-up skeleton of a minotaur, dressed only 
  in the fungus-eaten remains of rags . These 
  are the centuries-old remains of 
  the last of the minotaur oracles . 
  A 
  character 
  searching 
  the 
  skeleton raises a cloud of fungal 
  spores--disturbing, 
  perhaps, 
  but ultimately harmless . He or 
  she also finds a gold and silver 
  amulet on a chain (worth 75 
  gp) . The amulet has a stylized 
  image of the sun on one side 
  and a similarly stylized moon 
  on the other .
  The current oracle’s cell 
  (marked 
  B 
  on 
  the 
  map) 
  is 
  slightly, 
  though 
  not 
  dramatically, 
  bigger 
  than 
  the others . Although she is 
  something of an ascetic, the 
  oracle has a small collection 
  of items she has accumulated . 
  These include sealing wax, 
  a flint and steel, a flask of acid, a flask of 
  universal solvent, an arcane scroll of haste, 
  a potion of remove paralysis, a potion of 
  jump, a pouch containing several dozen 
  tiny gems (all smooth and rounded, like 
  marbles) totaling 125 gp in value, and a 
  second pouch containing a single large, 
  flawless pearl worth 290 gp.
  The walls of the oracle’s cell are covered 
  in crazed charcoal scrawlings, written in the 
  Giant language . Many words or fragments of 
  words are present, but the most frequent and 
  obvious are “night and day” and “sisters .” 
  Also present are dozens, perhaps hundreds 
  of circular pictograms like those seen on the 
  walls near the Sacrificial Stone in area 08.
  The Downward Ropes: A knotted rope is tied 
  to the rock near the oracle’s cell, sitting in an 
  unruly coil . If lowered over the edge, it allows 
  one to climb down to a thin shelf roughly 40 
  feet lower down the sinkhole, from which 
  another knotted rope allows further access 
  down the sinkhole and into area 10 .
  The Oracle: This area is home to the Oracle 
  of the Sinkhole, an otherwise-nameless 
  creature who has taken up residence here to 
  glean wisdom from the voice of the sinkhole . 
  The oracle is an aged female ogre dressed 
  in rags and trinkets . She is blindfolded (and 
  blind), but has a minor artifact that allows 
  her to see her surroundings .
  The oracle lives in the largest of the 
  monastic cells (marked B on the map) . If she 
  hears the PCs enter the area, she emerges and 
  moves toward them . She is unarmed and calls 
  out to the group, asking their business . If the 
  PCs seem hostile, she retreats to the vicinity of 
  
  25
  her cell and attempts to speak to them from 
  there. If attacked by a clearly superior force 
  she fights defensively and begs for mercy until 
  she loses half her hit points, at which point she 
  hurls herself from the ledge and into the pool 
  below (very likely being killed in the process) .
  The oracle is deeply devoted to the voice of 
  the sinkhole, but she has a problem . The voice 
  speaks to her most clearly and reliably when 
  she offers it a blood sacrifice. (She does this via 
  the sacrificial stone in area 08, though that’s 
  merely tradition; any blood or bile introduced 
  into the pool will induce the voice to speak .) 
  Unfortunately, the presence of the harpies in 
  the gorge above limits both the number of 
  visitors reaching the sinkhole and the oracle’s 
  excursions out and about . She would happily 
  use the PCs as sacrifices, but is unwilling to 
  fight if she is outnumbered more than two-to-
  one or faced with an obviously superior force .
  She is willing to deal, however, offering 
  to reward the PCs if they can eliminate the 
  harpies (all of them, including those located in 
  area 05 and area 06) . She does not have much 
  in the way of material goods, but reckons that 
  most explorers to the sinkhole come looking 
  to loot the necropolis, and she claims to 
  know secrets of the tombs . If the PCs kill the 
  harpies, the oracle promises to reveal a secret 
  passageway into an unlooted tomb . The group 
  must bring the harpies to her, preferably alive, 
  but at the very least “fresh”--she’s very firm on 
  that point . (Although she doesn’t mention it, 
  she very much hopes to sacrifice the harpies’ 
  bodily fluids to the voice of the sinkhole.) 
  While she is quite insane, the oracle is not 
  stupid . She knows that her knowledge of the 
  tombs is her only leverage over the PCs and 
  might be the only thing keeping her from their 
  blades, so she is highly resistant to attempts to 
  trick or coerce the information out of her .
  Unlike most ogres, the oracle is quite 
  cunning and not prone to pointless violence-
  -but this is just an aspect of the same insanity 
  that drove her to cut out her own eyes in 
  order to avoid distractions while listening 
  the voice of the sinkhole .
  The oracle is a standard ogre except for 
  the following differences:
  * She is blind, though she can see using the 
  oracle’s eye .
  * She has developed exceptional reliance 
  on her hearing, gaining a +4 bonus on 
  Perception checks that involve hearing .
  * She has an Intelligence of 9 .
  The Oracle (ogre): hp 30
  The Oracle’s Eye: The oracle carries a unique 
  item, a “gift” from the voice of the sinkhole 
  that counts as a minor artifact--a living eye 
  roughly the size of her fist. The eye is not an 
  item, per se, and it seems to actually be alive . 
  If allowed to thoroughly dry out, it withers 
  and becomes worthless . (It can be kept moist 
  by storing it in a wide-mouthed, water-filled 
  flask, or wrapping it in a wet cloth.) It has AC 
  11, hardness 0, and 2 hp; it can be magically 
  healed if it has not been reduced below -10 
  hp, but it cannot otherwise be repaired .
  Any creature holding the eye sees what 
  it sees . However, if the creature also sees 
  with its own eyes (or by any other means), it 
  becomes confused for 1d2 rounds .
  Development: If the heroes meet the oracle’s 
  demands regarding the harpies, or if they 
  manage to convince or coerce her in some other 
  way, she leads them to area 07 . There she tells 
  them the secret of opening the inner tomb .
  Connections: This area connects to area 09 
  and area 10 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  10. The oraCle pool (el 5)
  Summary: At the bottom of the sinkhole, a 
  dank pool is home to the voice that speaks 
  to the oracle . What will it say to the PCs?
  Sights and Sounds: The bottom of the 
  sinkhole is dark and eerie compared to the 
  light, airy spaces above . The natural light 
  here is dim . Describe it as follows .
  Nearly three hundred feet below the earth’s 
  surface, the circle of sky above is a pale, distant 
  disk. And while further up the sinkhole the air 
  might be cool and even pleasant, at this depth it 
  is dank, dark, and sinister. The pool at the center 
  of the floor is coated in an oily film and bits of 
  debris, its surface unrippled by the chill, musty 
  draft that blows seemingly out of nowhere. 
  The sinkhole floor slopes sharply toward the 
  pool. Unlike the rock above, the stone here is 
  dark and slimy with algae and mildew. There’s a 
  distinct, musty smell to the area.
  Characters examining the walls will quickly 
  notice hundreds of the circular pictograms 
  similar to those seen in area 08 and area 09 .
  Background: Situated above the fissures that 
  connect to the Realm of Echoes, the sinkhole 
  is the closest natural opening between those 
  rifts and the surface world . At various times 
  over the millennia, it may have been home to 
  any number of unnatural creatures, but for the 
  
  26
  past few centuries it has been inhabited by a 
  gibbering mouther . This creature is the voice of 
  the sinkhole, to which the oracle is so attentive.
  The mouther lives in the depths of the 
  pool, which is actually an extension of the 
  sinkhole continuing an unknown distance 
  down into the earth . It occasionally surfaces 
  of its own accord, its bizarre twitterings 
  echoing up into the reaches above . It can be 
  drawn to the surface when blood and bodily 
  fluids (or entire bodies)--which it craves--
  are introduced into the water .
  Whether 
  the 
  mouther’s 
  random 
  vocalizations actually convey deep secrets is 
  a question only those of an intensely mystic 
  bent--and questionable sanity--can answer . 
  Certainly, the PCs will not be able to make 
  out any clear, sensible message, 
  but the oracle will claim to hear the 
  wisdom of the ages .
  The Ropes: This area connects to area 
  09, above, by a series of knotted ropes 
  leading from one ledge to another . 
  There are three of them altogether, 
  each descending roughly 40 feet . The 
  oracle keeps them coiled on their 
  shelves: Creatures descending from 
  above can lower them .
  The Floor: The ground surrounding 
  the pool is uneven and slopes markedly 
  toward the pool . Within ten feet of the 
  pool, the surface is well coated with algae 
  and slime . There are numerous smaller 
  rocks around the perimeter of the floor; 
  among them, equally darkened with 
  age and mildew, are quantities of bones 
  from both humanoids and animals .
  Creatures moving at half their normal speed 
  or less can negotiate the area with no difficulty; 
  those moving faster or engaged in combat must 
  make Acrobatics checks (DC 5 for moving at 
  normal speed; DC 10 for running or engaging 
  in combat or similar activities) . Within the slimy 
  area or the shallow part of the water (marked 
  on the map), the DC of Acrobatics checks made 
  to negotiate the area is increased by +10, and 
  even creatures moving at half speed or less 
  must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check to avoid 
  slipping toward the center of the pool .
  A creature that fails the Acrobatics check 
  slides 5 feet toward the pool (or the center of 
  the pool, if it is already in the water) .
  The walls of the sinkhole can be climbed, 
  but the many shelves and overhangs make 
  it a difficult task. See the sinkhole cross-
  section for the Climb DCs .
  The Pool: The surface of the pool lays flat 
  and still, coated in a thin film of scum and 
  light debris .
  The floor of the pool slopes sharply 
  toward 
  the 
  center 
  before 
  dropping 
  precipitously away. The pool floor is just as 
  treacherous as the slimy areas of the shore 
  (see just above), although creatures in the 
  water can choose to swim rather than stand, 
  which avoids the need to make Acrobatics 
  checks . A creature that enters the deep part 
  of the pool must, of course, swim or sink .
  Forty feet down in the depths of the pool, 
  a narrow passageway connects with area 25 .
  The Voice of the Sinkhole: A 
  gibbering mouther lives in the depths 
  of the pool . It does not immediately 
  respond to intruders in this area, but 
  appears 2d6 rounds after creatures 
  reach the sinkhole floor (or 1d4 rounds 
  after a creature enters the pool) . 
  It attacks as soon as it reaches the 
  surface, using its gibbering and spittle 
  attacks and mindlessly attempting to 
  engulf the nearest targets .
  It also responds if blood, bile, or 
  other bodily fluids are dripped into the 
  pool, appearing 1d4 rounds later to lap 
  up this savory treat . 
  The Voice of the Sinkhole (gibbering 
  mouther): hp 30
  Connections: This area connects to 
  area 09 and area 25 .
  See the Map of The Necropolis .
  
  27
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The inner ToMb
  
  28
  11. The anTeChaMber 
  (el 6)
  Summary: The first chamber of Garlenthatir’s 
  inner tomb provides just a taste of the riches-
  -and dangers--that lie deeper within .
  Sights and Sounds: This chamber has gone 
  undisturbed since Garlenthatir was interred 
  in his tomb . It is square, with a twenty-
  foot high ceiling . It is unlit . If the PCs have 
  sufficient light they see the following.
  Four huge statues of mummified minotaurs--
  each rising to nearly touch the ceiling twenty feet 
  overhead--dominate this room, surrounding its 
  center and staring into it with the sightless eyes 
  of the dead. The walls behind them are densely 
  covered with ornate frescoes, many of which are 
  trimmed with gold and silver leaf that seems to 
  glow in the embrace of what must be the first 
  light to fall upon it in centuries. Opposite the 
  entrance, a huge stone door hides the mysteries 
  and treasure of the inner tomb beyond. 
  The smooth floor is coated in a layer of 
  undisturbed dust.
  Background: This is the antechamber 
  to Garlenthatir’s inner tomb . It has lain 
  undisturbed since the latter days of the 
  minotaur empire . Like the false tomb 
  beyond it, it has remained unlooted, and 
  although it’s small potatoes compared to 
  Garlenthatir’s true riches, a taste of that treasure can 
  be found here. Unfortunately, as the first intruders 
  into Garlenthatir’s deathly realm, the PCs also get a 
  taste of the undisturbed dangers that wait within-
  -danger in the form of four vargouilles that have 
  been bound into this chamber .
  The Statues: The statues are realistically carved 
  representations of minotaur mummies, standing 
  nearly 20 feet tall . The stone from which they have 
  been carved has been painted and, although the 
  paint is faded by the passing ages, it still gives them 
  a very realistic look. This effect is enhanced by actual 
  
  29
  jewelry . Each statue wears a pair of heavy 
  gold and silver bracelets worth 100 gp each 
  (8 of them altogether, for a total value of 800 
  gp) as well as a gemmed necklace worth 200 
  gp (another 800 gp for the four of them) .
  Although it may be difficult to notice 
  from ground level (Perception DC 16), the 
  heads of the statues are not carved minotaur 
  heads, but are instead vargouilles with their 
  wings extended . The vargouilles, who are 
  bound to the room as guardians of the tomb 
  beyond, remain motionless until triggered .
  The Door: Opposite the entrance, a large, 
  heavy double door leads further into the 
  tomb . Like the walls, it is made of stone and 
  covered in ornate images, but its framing 
  clearly marks it as a door .
  A large and ancient brass lock seals the 
  door (Disable Device DC 22) . The door has 
  hardness 8, 80 hp, and break DC 28 .
  The Guardians: As mentioned above, the 
  head of each statue is a vargouille . These 
  guardians remain fixed in place until any 
  creature moves more than halfway across 
  the chamber, at which point they attack.
  The vargouilles fight until destroyed or 
  until the intruders flee. They pursue fleeing 
  intruders back as far as the entrance of the 
  inner tomb (the entrance behind the sphinx 
  in area 07), or any place deeper within the 
  inner tomb (but not beyond into area 17) .
  Vargouille (4): hp 19
  Connections: This area connects to area 07 
  and area 12 .
  See the map of The Inner Tomb .
  12. The fourTeen kings 
  (el 8)
  Summary: To enter Garlenthatir’s tomb, the 
  PCs must go down a passageway lined with 
  detailed likenesses of fourteen rulers of the 
  ancient minotaur kingdom .
  Sights and Sounds: This long room has lain 
  undisturbed since the era of the minotaur 
  kingdom . The ceiling is twenty feet high . It 
  is unlit. If the PCs have sufficient light they 
  see the following .
  This wide hall is watched over by two lines of 
  lavishly-appointed minotaurs, recreated in large, 
  ornate frescoes along the lengthy walls. The face 
  of each comes to magnificent prominence in a 
  golden bas-relief or mask. There must be over a 
  dozen of them. At the far end of the corridor sits 
  another large stone door. 
  The smooth floor is coated in a layer of 
  undisturbed dust.
  Background: This room leads to the false 
  tomb--but it also contains a concealed door 
  that leads to the Galenthatir’s real tomb . 
  Guarding both is a series of dangerous 
  traps, waiting to test (and perhaps kill) the 
  unwary intruder . Like the antechamber, this 
  area has never been disturbed, so the traps 
  await the PCs with their full potency .
  The Kings (and Queens): The long walls of 
  this corridor are lined with ornate frescoes 
  depicting fourteen minotaur kings and 
  queens, seven to a side .
  Spaced evenly along the walls are fourteen 
  images of regal, ornately adorned minotaurs . 
  Each was painted in great detail, and although 
  time has reduced the vibrancy of the illustration 
  to sepias and dark tones, their majesty remains 
  obvious . Further enhancing their grandeur, the 
  long, bovine face of each is detailed in bas-relief 
  or with a large gold mask affixed to the wall. 
  The royals depicted are Galenthatir and 
  the thirteen kings and queens who preceded 
  him in the minotaur kingdom (whose names 
  are lost to history) .
  The masks are actually made of bronze 
  covered in gold leaf, giving them relatively 
  low value as art items (40 gp each; Appraise 
  DC 20). They are attached firmly to the walls 
  (Strength DC 28 to remove) .
  Most of the masks depict the minotaur 
  leaders with benign expressions, but five of 
  them (at the positions marked A-E on the 
  map) bear scowling faces . These masks--
  of ancient minotaur kings who were not 
  well remembered by their subjects or later 
  minotaur historians--have been given the 
  role of defending Galenthatir in that their 
  masks hide dangerous traps .
  The Concealed Door: A secret door lies 
  hidden behind the fresco of Galenthatir 
  himself, which is located at the halfway 
  point of the southern wall . (It might be 
  difficult to recognize Galenthatir among 
  the other minotaur kings, but observant 
  characters may, with a DC 20 Perception 
  check, note that his image is a couple feet 
  taller than that of the others .) 
  The door has been plastered and painted 
  over, originally making it indistinguishable 
  from the rest of the wall . However, over the 
  centuries some fine cracks have appeared 
  where the plaster sits on the door’s seams 
  
  30
  (Perception DC 24) . The plaster covering the 
  door must be chipped away before the door 
  can be opened . Naturally, once that has 
  been done the door is no longer concealed .
  The door is made of stone . While still 
  over ten feet tall, it is not as tall as the other 
  doors in this chamber . It is not locked, and 
  opens easily if pushed .
  The Traps: Five dangerous traps line this 
  corridor, becoming more deadly the nearer 
  they are to the false tomb . Each trap is 
  hidden behind the mask of a minotaur king 
  or queen, and is set off as creatures approach 
  the area in front of that mask . The traps are 
  all located behind masks bearing stern or 
  scowling expressions, while those masks 
  with benign expressions do not hide traps . 
  Characters making this association gain a +4 
  bonus to Perception checks to find the traps.
  The traps (with the given triggering 
  conditions) are at the following locations 
  on the map:
  A. Javelin trap (triggered by a creature stepping 
  on the 10-foot square in front of the trap)
  B. Acid arrow trap (triggered by a creature 
  entering the 10-foot square in front of the trap)
  C. Sound burst trap (triggered by a creature 
  stepping on the 10-foot square in front of 
  the trap)
  D. Electric arc trap (triggered by a creature 
  stepping on the 10-foot square in front of 
  the trap)
  E. Flame strike trap (triggered by a creature 
  entering the 10-foot square in front of the trap)
  The Door: At the east end of the corridor a 
  large, heavy stone double door leads into 
  area 13 . A large and ancient brass lock seals 
  the door (Disable Device DC 22) . The door 
  has hardness 8, 80 hp, and break DC 28 .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 11, 
  13, and 14 .
  See the map of The Inner Tomb .
  13. The golden ToMb 
  (el 7)
  Summary: The PCs enter a grand tomb 
  holding the mummified remains of a powerful 
  minotaur and the riches of an ancient 
  kingdom’s greatest leader--or does it?
  Sights and Sounds: This long room has lain 
  undisturbed since the era of the minotaur 
  kingdom . The ceiling is twenty feet high . It 
  is unlit. If the PCs have sufficient light they 
  see the following .
  Reflections off the walls of this large chamber-
  -coated entirely in gold--blaze the room in light 
  and wrap it in glory, leaving no doubt about the 
  wealth and power of the greatest of the minotaur 
  kings. Its center is dominated by a large stage, 
  on which an ornate sarcophagus rests. To either 
  side, wide openings lead into side chambers 
  where piles of riches yet unplundered await you. 
  The smooth floor is coated in a layer of 
  undisturbed dust.
  Background: This is a false tomb, intended 
  to distract and imperil any would-be tomb 
  raiders (or, as the minotaurs would consider 
  them, grave robbers) . The body within the 
  sarcophagus is not Garlenthatir, but it is 
  a mummy and a dangerous one at that . 
  The riches visible in the adjacent treasure 
  chamber are decoys, set there distract thieves 
  long enough for the mummy to do its job .
  The Tomb Chamber: The walls of the 
  tomb’s central room are covered in faint 
  bas-relief, with scores of scenes depicting 
  a great minotaur king doing royal things . 
  The bas-relief--in fact, the entirety of all four 
  
  31
  walls--is coated with gold leaf, giving the 
  chamber a rich, warm glow in the presence 
  of almost any light . The gold leaf is relatively 
  low-value, but it can be scraped off: Every 
  square foot of wall yields 1 gp of gold, but 
  takes 10 minutes to remove . (Total: 3200 gp 
  worth of gold, but requiring over 500 hours 
  to scrape off.)
  A large platform, roughly four feet tall, 
  sits in the center of the room, with a densely 
  decorated sarcophagus, sized for a large 
  minotaur, upon it . The sarcophagus is closed 
  and does not appear to have been disturbed 
  since it was sealed .
  The Altar Chamber: A sizeable altar 
  chamber adjoins the tomb chamber to the 
  north. An ornate altar sits opposite fifteen-
  foot-tall statues, one depicting a humanoid 
  woman with a sun over her head, the other 
  an upright, bull-like creature, obviously 
  masculine, with a moon over its head .
  The Treasure Chamber: The treasure 
  chamber, to the south of the tomb chamber, 
  is crammed with large urns overflowing 
  with gold, silver, gems, and fabulous art 
  objects . Or so it would seem . In fact, the 
  urns are filled principally with sand, with 
  a thin layer of gold and silver coins at the 
  top of each . The gems are all glass, and the 
  art objects made of copper covered with 
  gold leaf . Although it appears to be many 
  hundreds of times as valuable, the total real 
  treasure amounts to 2400 sp and 435 gp .
  The Mummy: The sarcophagus contains a 
  minotaur mummy . This creature emerges 
  from the sarcophagus 3 minutes after 
  intruders enter this area (it uses a move 
  action to push aside the sarcophagus lid) or 
  immediately if the sarcophagus is opened or 
  if the intruders enter the Treasure Chamber . 
  The mummy attacks relentlessly until 
  destroyed. It pursues fleeing intruders back 
  as far as the entrance of the inner tomb (the 
  entrance behind the sphinx in area 07), or 
  any place deeper within the inner tomb (but 
  not beyond into area 17) .
  Use the stats for the Thassilonian mummy, 
  except make it size Large .
  Minotaur Mummy: hp 102
  Connections: This area connects to area 12 .
  See the map of The Inner Tomb .
  14. garlenThaTir (el 5)
  Summary: 
  A 
  long-forgotten 
  secret 
  passageway leads the PCs to a simple tomb 
  hidden behind the riches and ostentation of 
  Garlenthatir’s crypt .
  Sights and Sounds: A long, unadorned 
  passageway leads away from area 12, first 
  ascending a twenty-foot set of stairs and 
  then continuing for nearly 100 feet at a gentle 
  upward slope . At the top of this slope, a set 
  of unlocked bronze doors, adorned but not 
  ostentatious, opens into Garlenthatir’s true 
  tomb . The ceilings in the passageway and the 
  tomb are 15 feet high, which, though tall for 
  Medium creatures, is noticeably less palatial 
  than the earlier areas . This area is unlit . If the 
  PCs have sufficient light, once they enter the 
  main chamber they see the following .
  A modest chamber in comparison to those the 
  tomb has revealed so far, the walls of this room are 
  covered in low-key bas-relief with sepia-colored 
  trim. Near the far wall sits a minotaur-sized 
  sarcophagus, decorated but simple by the standards 
  of those you have seen so far, its lid smashed. Behind 
  it, two rounded alcoves house serpentine forms. 
  
  32
  With any simple observation of the floor, it 
  is obvious the dust of ages has been quite 
  disturbed .
  The alcoves at the eastern side of the 
  room are elevated; the alcove floors are five 
  feet above the level of the main floor.
  Background: This is Garlenthatir’s true 
  tomb . Unfortunately for the PCs, it has 
  recently been sacked . Members of the Blind 
  Cabal found their way into the tomb via 
  the shaft in area 16, made their way within, 
  and looted the tomb’s riches . They also took 
  Garlenthatir’s mummified body for use in 
  their twisted experimentations (or possibly 
  to harvest for mystical components) .
  There’s even worse news for the group: 
  Though they defeated the guardians within 
  the tomb, they overlooked a special object 
  within the room--a device that reconstitutes 
  constructs . As a result, the tomb’s guardians 
  have been reconstituted and are ready to 
  combat any further intruders--such as the PCs .
  In contrast to the floors in area 11 through 
  area 13, the activities of the Blind Cabal have 
  clearly disturbed the dust accumulated by the 
  passage of centuries on the floor and objects 
  of this room . A Survival (DC 15) or Perception 
  (DC 20) check can confirm that this happened 
  in the very recent past (relatively speaking)-
  -probably within a few years, perhaps even 
  just a few months . Many tracks go in and out 
  of area 15 and area 16 . There are no tracks 
  leading to the door to area 12 .
  The Sarcophagus: Garlenthatir’s sarcophagus 
  is empty but for a few funerary bits and bobs . 
  The lid is broken into several large pieces, 
  which have been knocked to the floor beside it.
  The Disk of Repair: The necrophidia placed 
  within Garlenthatir’s tomb were intended to 
  protect it for all eternity, despite the ravages 
  of age or encounters with any would-be 
  despoilers . To ensure this, the tomb was 
  fitted with a disk of repair, a device that 
  creates an aura that repairs constructs . This 
  disk is firmly embedded in the stone wall 
  between the two alcoves .
  The Blind Cabal members attempted to 
  remove the disk of repair, but they damaged 
  it while doing so and eventually gave up, 
  presuming the device was destroyed by their 
  efforts (and possibly not worth their effort 
  anyway) . The were correct in that is, in fact, 
  damaged and only functions at 20% its normal 
  rate (repairing 1d6 hp per 24 hours), but it is 
  hardly useless . This reduces its market value 
  by 90%, to 2,000 gp . Removing the disk from 
  the wall without further damaging it requires 
  a Craft (stonemasonry) check, DC 12 .
  Disk of Repair 
  Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
  Slot: --; Price 20,000; Weight 2 lbs .
  This bronze disk repairs constructs . Any 
  construct creature remaining within 30 feet 
  of the disk of repair for a period of 24 hours 
  regains 5d6 hit points .
  Craft Wondrous Item, make whole; Cost 
  10,000 gp
  The Alcoves: When the PCs arrive, there 
  are a pair of necrophidia positioned within 
  the two alcoves . Although they fought and 
  were defeated by the members of the Blind 
  Cabal who raided the tomb, their corpses 
  were left behind and they were eventually 
  fully repaired by the disk of repair . 
  The necrophidia attack any creature 
  that enters the room . Each necrophidius 
  uses its dance of death ability in its first 
  round of action . In subsequent rounds the 
  necrophidius closest to any intruders moves 
  forward to attack, while the other continues 
  to use its dance of death attack on any 
  creatures yet unaffected. They fight until 
  destroyed, but remain in areas 14, 15, and 
  16, and do not pursue intruders down the 
  hallway toward area 12 .
  Necrophidius (2): hp 36 
  Connections: This area connects to areas 12, 
  15, and 16 .
  See the map of The Inner Tomb .
  
  33
  15. The Treasure vaulT
  Summary: This is what the PCs have come 
  for--the centuries-old resting place of 
  Garlenthatir’s funereal wealth .
  Sights and Sounds: The ceiling in this area 
  is 15 feet high . This area is unlit . If the PCs 
  have sufficient light they see the following.
  A corridor-like room, lined with deep alcoves, 
  stretches away from the burial chamber. The floor 
  is strewn with debris--broken urns, overturn 
  caskets, and stray coins. The hulking form of 
  a minotaur, dressed in elegant robes, is faintly 
  visible at the far end. 
  The minotaur is, in fact, the ghost of Garlenthatir . 
  Closer examination quickly reveals that the 
  minotaur’s form is insubstantial .
  Background: Had the PCs reached this 
  chamber just months earlier, they would have 
  found it stuffed with great riches--and free of 
  ghosts . Unfortunately, by sheer coincidence, 
  it was recently discovered and looted by the 
  Blind Cabal . The Blind Cabal had no interest 
  in the ancient minotaurs or even earthly 
  wealth for its own sake, but they appreciated 
  the opportunity to add to the coffers that 
  support their mysterious pursuits .
  In keeping with the traditions of his 
  kingdom, Garlenthatir was buried with a large 
  portion of his personal wealth; the minotaurs 
  believed that the dead could benefit from it 
  in the afterlife . In fact, this is not true, and 
  Garlenthatir’s ghost is utterly uninterested in 
  the fate of his treasure . It is, however, infuriated 
  by the desecration of his body and desperate to 
  see it returned to the sarcophagus .
  Garlenthatir’s 
  ghost 
  had 
  not 
  been 
  loitering about the tomb for centuries, or 
  even manifest at all until the desecration of 
  his tomb . This so disrupted the spirit in the 
  afterlife that he became a ghost in the wake 
  the Blind Cabal’s visit to his tomb .
  Assuming the characters are able to do 
  so without incurring Garlenthatir’s wrath, 
  a search of the room turns up loose change 
  amounting to 128 sp and 67 gp .
  Garlenthatir: The ghost of Garlenthatir 
  appears as the minotaur did in life--tall, 
  regal, and bedecked in fine robes and 
  copious jewelry . He has a commanding 
  aura by virtue of his natural Charisma and 
  station in life . When the PCs arrive, he is 
  sifting through the debris of the treasure 
  chamber in a perpetual, pointless search for 
  the identity of those who desecrated it . He 
  does not react to the party’s presence until 
  they approach within 30 feet of the ghost .
  Although steeped in the irrational state of 
  that most ghosts suffer, and infuriated by the 
  theft of his body, Garlenthatir is not utterly 
  deprived of reason . He has no interest in 
  combat with the PCs (which is fortunate--he 
  is a formidable foe), desiring only the return 
  of his body to the sarcophagus .
  If 
  approached 
  peacefully 
  or 
  with 
  deference, Garlenthatir attempts to convince 
  the group to find and return his body. He 
  is perfectly willing to let the PCs keep his 
  treasure, and can tell them that the looters 
  raided his tomb “within but a few passings 
  of the moon’s face .” If they swear to return 
  the body, he will show them how the 
  treasure was removed .
  If the PCs are unwilling to so swear, or 
  if they attack, Garlenthatir uses his fatal 
  fate attack to compel one of the characters 
  to rescue his body . The fragmentary images 
  implanted by that ability include scenes of 
  robed figures lowering the body into the 
  well in area 16 . Once he has successfully 
  cursed one of the PCs with his fatal fate 
  ability, Garlenthatir disappears. He attacks 
  using his corrupting touch only if the group 
  particularly infuriates him, uses weapons or 
  abilities that prevent him from leaving, or 
  deals him significant damage.
  The ghost does not leave areas 14, 15, or 
  16 unless in hot pursuit of the PCs . 
  GARLENTHATIR                CR 10 
  Male minotaur ghosty monstrous humanoid 
  6/cleric 5/aristocrat 1 
  TN Large undead (monstrous humanoid, 
  incorporeal) 
  Init +5; Senses darkvision (60 ft .), Perception +14 
  
  34
  DEFENSE 
  AC  15, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (-1 size, +1 
  Dex, +5 deflection) 
  hp  114 (12d8+60)
  Fort  +11, Ref +7, Will +13 
  Defensive Abilities  channel resistance +4, 
  incorporeal, natural cunning, rejuvenation; 
  Immune undead traits
  OFFENSE 
  Speed  fly 30 ft. (perfect)
  Melee  corrupting touch +10 (10d6)
  Special Attacks fatal fate
  STATISTICS 
  Str --, Dex 12, Con --, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 20 
  Base Atk  +9; CMB +14; CMD 25 
  Feats Endurance, Extra Channel, Improved 
  Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Leadership, 
  Persuasive
  Skills Diplomacy +20, Intimidate +26, 
  Perception +14, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft 
  +14, Stealth +9
  Languages  Common, Giant
  Special Qualities orisons, spontaneous casting
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Fatal Fate (Su): Once per day, Garlenthatir 
  can lay a compulsive curse upon the living, 
  forcing them to either take up his work 
  or face a terrible end . Garlenthatir makes 
  a touch attack, which forces the target to 
  make a Will save (DC 21) or be stunned 
  for 1 round . During this round, the target 
  receives a flood of images suggesting the 
  return of Garlenthatir’s desecrated body to 
  its sarcophagus . The target has 9 days to 
  fulfill this intention. If the target does not do 
  so within this set period, he takes 1d4 points 
  of Constitution drain per day. This effect 
  can be overcome via the spell remove curse, 
  requiring a DC 21 caster level check .
  Natural 
  Cunning 
  (Ex): 
  Garlenthatir 
  possesses an innate cunning and logical 
  ability granting an immunity to maze spells 
  and preventing him from ever becoming 
  lost. He is never caught flat-footed. 
  Connections: This area connects to area 14 .
  See the map of The Inner Tomb .
  16. alTar of The 
  oraCle (el 4)
  Summary: 
  The 
  altar 
  chamber 
  of 
  Garlenthatir’s inner tomb has a lot in 
  common with the oracle’s sinkhole . Will the 
  PCs notice and, if so, will they think to be 
  on the lookout for similar horrors lurking in 
  the darkness?
  Sights and Sounds: The ceiling in this area 
  is 15 feet high . This area is unlit . If the PCs 
  have sufficient light they see the following.
  The floor of this circular room is little more 
  than a ledge around a dark shaft extending down 
  into the depths of the earth. To the east, an alcove 
  houses a modest altar to the minotaur gods. 
  Substantial numbers of footprints and drag 
  marks mar the dust around the shaft’s edge, 
  especially on the side leading toward area 14 .
  Background: The sinkhole had enormous 
  religious and spiritual significance to the 
  minotaurs, and it was replicated more or less 
  abstractly in several tombs . In Garlenthatir’s 
  case, a round vertical shaft representing the 
  sinkhole was sunk far enough into the rock 
  to reach the water table at the same level 
  it sits in the sinkhole itself--some 250 feet 
  below the floor of this room.
  Along the shaft, 140 feet below the level 
  of this room, a fissure in the rock created 
  a passageway into the underground areas 
  currently in use by the Blind Cabal . Those 
  areas have gone unused since before the 
  time of the minotaurs, so that method 
  of entering the tomb went unnoticed for 
  many centuries . The Blind Cabal, however, 
  recently discovered it and, exploring, found 
  their way into Garlenthatir’s tomb . Because 
  they both entered and exited the tomb via 
  this shaft, they never disturbed the primary 
  tomb entrance .
  Despite that, the Cabal recognized the 
  remote possibility that the tomb could 
  represent a point of infiltration into (or 
  escape from) their stronghold below, and 
  left a little surprise for anyone attempting to 
  navigate the shaft .
  The Shaft: The round shaft descends 280 feet 
  down, hitting water at the 250 foot mark. The 
  stone walls are smoothly finished, like those 
  of the rest of the tomb, for the first 20 feet 
  down, giving them a Climb DC of 25 . Below 
  that the walls are only roughly finished, still 
  bearing the chisel-marks of their original 
  mining, and the Climb DC is 18 .
  A character shining a light into the shaft 
  sees the following .
  The shaft is perfectly round at its opening, 
  ten feet across, and sinks straight down into 
  the earth . About twenty feet down, a thick 
  timber spans the shaft; at about the same 
  
  35
  level the smooth, finished stone gives way 
  to a more crudely carved surface . Further 
  down the shaft, it appears that other timbers 
  cross it at seemingly random angles . 
  An object dropped into the shaft falls 
  a long way, perhaps hitting one or two 
  timbers on the way down, before making a 
  distant splash (Perception DC 25) .
  Although the Blind Cabal members had 
  magical means of navigating the shaft, for 
  the looting of Garlenthatir’s treasure they 
  relied on mundane humanoid servants for 
  labor . As part of that process, they wedged 
  a number of stout timbers into the shaft 
  at roughly 20-foot intervals . The lowest of 
  these timbers is at the level of the fissure, 
  140 feet below the floor of the tomb. Clever 
  characters might use these timbers to climb 
  the shaft, perhaps fixing ropes to them or 
  using them as resting points if climbing the 
  walls. A character who falls can attempt 
  to grab a timber while falling past it, this 
  requires a Climb check (DC 15) .
  The Surprise: After they completed the 
  sacking of the tomb, the Blind Cabal planted 
  a gray ooze within the shaft . The ooze lurks 
  some 60 feet down, clinging to the side of 
  the shaft . Characters climbing the shaft 
  under typical conditions (feet downward, 
  and possibly with dubious lighting) take 
  a -4 penalty to Perception checks to notice 
  the ooze. The ooze mindlessly attacks any 
  creature that comes within reach . Use the 
  standard gray ooze stats, but this specimen 
  has a climb speed of 10 feet .
  Gray Ooze: hp 50
  Connections: This area connects to area 14 
  and area 17 .
  See the map of The Inner Tomb .
  
  36
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The aboMinaTion piTs
  
  37
  17. The sTorerooM (el 7)
  Summary: A storeroom carved from a 
  natural cavern is the scene of the PCs’ first 
  encounter with the Blind Cabal--and their 
  horrid servants .
  Sights and Sounds: This chamber is clearly 
  used as a storeroom . The ceiling is uneven, 
  but generally about fifteen feet high. The 
  room is lit by a pair of lanterns hanging 
  from hooks on the eastern wall . The heroes 
  see the following .
  This course chamber appears to be a natural 
  cavern roughly rectangular in shape. The floor 
  is uneven and slopes downward to the north. 
  Numerous casks and crates crowd the room, and 
  two lumbering forms--large, fleshy creatures--
  are moving them around. In the background a 
  humanoid figure, clothed in a robe elaborately 
  embroidered all about with eye-like symbols, 
  directs the larger creatures. 
  There are several piles of rubble near the 
  passage to the area 16. The floor is uneven and 
  lumpy. The natural walls of the cavern are 
  broken, here and there, with naturally-occurring 
  crevices and fissures--most just a few inches 
  wide--that penetrate deeply into the rock (but 
  lead nowhere).
  Background: This cavern, located just 
  within the natural caves adjacent to the 
  Blind Cabal’s  chambers, is used by the 
  cabal as a storeroom . Recently, the cabal 
  discovered that one of the many natural 
  fissures in the walls leads to area 16. They 
  excavated the crevices in the rock, creating 
  a passage connecting to the well shaft from 
  Garlenthatir’s tomb that, while quite narrow, 
  was sufficient to allow them to plunder the 
  tomb and remove the spoils .
  They 
  briefly 
  stored 
  Garlenthatir’s 
  treasures within this chamber, but deemed 
  it was not sufficiently secure and have 
  since moved them elsewhere . It’s function 
  has returned to that of a more mundane 
  storeroom . At the moment of the PCs’ 
  arrival, an acolyte of the cabal is in the room, 
  directing two heedrens (see below) as they 
  retrieve supplies from the room .
  The 
  Crawl 
  Space: 
  The 
  passageway 
  connecting the shaft from area 16 to the 
  main chamber is a narrow, winding fissure. 
  Partially natural but recently widened, it 
  varies in dimensions but is roughly two or 
  three feet wide and equally tall--big enough 
  for a Medium-sized creature to crawl 
  through without too much discomfort, but 
  not much bigger . Large-sized creatures may 
  move through the fissure at one-quarter 
  speed if they make DC 10 Acrobatics checks 
  each round . Failure indicates that the PC 
  has become temporarily stuck .
  The passage emerges into the main 
  chamber about halfway up the wall . A small 
  ladder is propped against the wall below 
  the opening . Assuming a character crawled 
  through the passageway in the normal 
  manner (head-first), descending from the 
  narrow opening--with or without the use of 
  the ladder--requires a move action, although 
  a character succeeding at an Acrobatics 
  check (DC 15) can land on his or her feet 
  from a head-first jump without the loss of a 
  move action .
  The Merchandise: The crates and casks 
  stacked in this room contain low-grade 
  foodstuffs, general household goods, and a 
  sizable stack of heavy timbers . Along with 
  the food, inexpensive wine and ale, straw, 
  and similar goods, characters searching the 
  items can find the following:
  
  38
  2 shovels and a pickaxe
  2 small casks of lamp oil (16 pints each)
  A set of masterwork artisan’s tools
  3 common blankets
  200 feet of hemp rope
  A block and tackle
  27 candles
  A cage for a Tiny creature
  30 feet of chain
  A crowbar
  A large bin of firewood
  A smaller bin of charcoal
  The Acolyte and His Heedrens: When 
  the PCs arrive, the acolyte stands near 
  the northeastern corner of the room . The 
  heedrens are in the middle of the room, 
  shifting crates about . Each heedren wears a 
  thick leather belt, bucked in the back, and a 
  cloth hood embroidered with a single huge 
  eye where one might expect a face .
  The acolyte appears to be a Medium-
  sized creature of human-like build, but is 
  dressed in a floor-length robe complete 
  with head-covering hood and gloves, so no 
  racial details are visible . The robe is white, 
  but covered densely with embroidered eyes, 
  creating a disconcerting appearance . He 
  holds a whip in one hand .
  Upon sighting the heroes, the acolyte 
  commands the heedrens to attack, pointing 
  the palm of one hand at them while giving 
  them a crack of the whip with the other . 
  He then flees into the passageway toward 
  area 18 . If he is not immediately followed, 
  he pauses at the bend in the passageway, 
  placing a blast rune between himself and 
  the fight, and watching how things go. 
  If the PCs seem to be getting the better of 
  his heedren, or if any of them approach his 
  passageway, the acolyte flees into area 18.
  As commanded by the acolyte, the 
  heedrens pick up their earthbreakers and 
  fight, moving forward to smash away at the 
  heroes until destroyed .
  If the heroes defeat and unmask the 
  acolyte, they find a man missing his right 
  eye. He has a strange rune tattooed onto the 
  palm of his left hand .
  BLIND CABAL ACOLYTE            CR 5 
  Male human cleric 5 
  CE Medium humanoid (human) 
  Init +0; Senses Perception +4  
  DEFENSE 
  AC  10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 
  hp  26 (3d8+7)
  Fort  +5, Ref +1, Will +7 
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks blast rune (7/day), channel 
  negative energy (2d6, DC 15, 5/day), vision 
  of madness (7/day)
  Innate Spell-Like Abilities: bleed (DC 
  14), detect magic, light, read magic, lesser 
  confusion (DC 15), hide from undead, magic 
  stone, obscuring mist, darkness, shatter, 
  touch of idiocy
  Deity none; Domains rune, madness
  STATISTICS 
  Str 11, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 15 
  Base Atk  +2; CMB +12; CMD 12 
  Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, 
  Improved Channel, Scribe Scroll
  Skills Diplomacy +8, Knowledge (history) 
  +7, Linguistics (Abyssal, Undercommon) +6, 
  Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +7
  Languages  Abyssal, Common, 
  Undercommon
  Special Qualities orisons, spontaneous 
  casting
  Possessions whip
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Blast Rune (Sp): As a standard action, 
  the acolyte can create a blast rune in any 
  adjacent square . Any creature entering this 
  square takes 1d6+1 points of damage . This 
  rune deals either acid, cold, electricity, or 
  fire damage, decided when the acolyte 
  creates the rune . The rune is invisible and 
  lasts 3 rounds or until discharged . The 
  acolyte cannot create a blast rune in a square 
  occupied by another creature . This rune 
  counts as a 1st-level spell for the purposes 
  of dispelling . It can be discovered with at 
  DC 26 Perception check and disarmed with 
  a DC 26 Disable Device check . The acolyte 
  can use this ability 7 times per day .
  Channel Negative Energy (Su): The acolyte 
  can unleash a wave of negative energy . The 
  acolyte must choose to deal 2d6 points of 
  positive energy damage to living creatures 
  or to heal undead creatures of 2d6 points of 
  damage . Creatures that take damage from 
  channeled energy receive a DC 15 Will save 
  to halve the damage . The acolyte can use 
  this ability 5 times per day .
  Vision of Madness (Sp): The acolyte can 
  give a creature a vision of madness as a melee 
  touch attack. Choose one of the following: 
  
  39
  attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. 
  The target receives a +1 bonus to the chosen 
  rolls and a -1 penalty to the other two types 
  of rolls. This effect fades after 3 rounds. The 
  acolyte can use this ability 7 times per day .
  Heedren 
  This enormous creature, nearly as broad in 
  the shoulders as it is tall, is characterized by 
  a single huge eyeball where its head should 
  be, one arm that is massively larger than 
  the other, and the meat-red coloration of 
  its huge muscles, which don’t seem to be 
  covered in skin . 
  Heedren are nearly mindless, thuggish 
  creatures from the Realm of Echoes . 
  Extremely powerful and seemingly never 
  needing rest, if properly controlled they 
  make excellent slave labor and terrifying 
  shock troops .
  Although 
  essentially 
  humanoid 
  in 
  shape, heedren are characterized by one 
  arm that is disproportionately large and 
  another that is diminutive (like some sort 
  of mammalian fiddler crab); they do the 
  heavy lifting (and attacking) with the large 
  arm and any finer work (at which they do 
  not excel) with the smaller limb . Both their 
  arms and their feet end in “hands” with 
  four long opposed digits .
  At the core of every heedren is a “heedren 
  stone,” a fist-sized lump of metallic material 
  that has a distinctly organic appearance . 
  Within 2d10 minutes of a heedren’s death, 
  its flesh begins to dissolve into a puddle 
  of goo--a process that takes about an hour 
  and leaves only the stone behind . Within 
  the Realm of Echoes a new heedren will 
  eventually form around the stone; some 
  believe that, under proper conditions, this 
  can be made to happen on the Material 
  Plane as well .
  HEEDREN (CR 3) 
  XP 800 
  CE Large aberration 
  Init +0; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., low-light 
  vision; Perception +1
  DEFENSE 
  AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, -1 
  size)
  hp 30 (4d8+12)
  Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +5
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 40 ft .
  Melee earthbreaker +8 (3d6+6), slam +8 
  (1d6+6 plus grab)
  Ranged rock +4 (2d6+9)
  Special Attacks rock throwing (20 ft .)
  Space 10 ft .; Reach 10 ft .
  STATISTICS 
  Str 23, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 8, Cha 7
  Base Atk +3; CMB +10 (+14 grapple); CMD 20
  Feats Iron Will, Toughness
  Skills Climb +7, Perception +1, Swim +7
  Languages varies
  ECOLOGY 
  Environment: any
  Organization: solitary or troupe (2-6)
  Treasure: none
  Connections: This area connects to areas 16, 
  18, and 29 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  18. The ooze Corral (el 
  varies)
  Summary: A breeding ground for unearthly 
  creatures--and perhaps a crafty acolyte--
  create a deadly trap for the PCs .
  Sights and Sounds: This ceiling of this 
  chamber is uneven, but generally about 
  thirty feet high . The room is dimly lit by 
  several lanterns along the walls . Assuming 
  the acolyte from area 17 has not cast 
  obscuring mist, the PCs see the following .
  A winding passageway leads onto a narrow 
  landing. Uneven stairs run down into a large, 
  natural chamber to the floor some twenty feet 
  below. In the center of the room, numerous 
  spherical basket-like structures hang by slimy 
  ropes from the ceiling. Opposite, a second set of 
  steps climbs to another landing and a passageway 
  leading on. 
  If the acolyte has cast obscuring mist (see 
  below), the PCs instead see the following .
  A winding passageway leads onto a narrow 
  landing. Uneven stairs run down into a sea of 
  pale fog that fills this large, natural chamber. In 
  the center of the room, numerous slimy ropes 
  hang from the ceiling, descending into the dense 
  fog. Opposite, a second set of steps climbs out of 
  the mist to another landing and a passageway 
  leading on. 
  The floor of this room is uneven but worn 
  smooth. The natural walls are broken, here 
  and there, with naturally-occurring crevices 
  and fissures--most just a few inches wide--
  that penetrate deeply into the rock (but lead 
  nowhere).
  
  40
  Background: The Blind Cabal use this 
  chamber as a breeding room for a variety of 
  oozes and ooze-like creatures in which they 
  have an interest . The basket-like structures 
  contain the room’s denizens .
  The Acolyte: If the acolyte from area 17 has 
  fled to this room, he pauses in the middle (if he 
  has time to do so safely) and casts obscuring 
  mist . He then moves to the landing that leads 
  toward area 19 . If his heedrens failed to stop 
  the PCs, he hopes to use the oozes in this 
  room to achieve the same goal .
  The 
  Baskets: 
  Eight 
  slimy, 
  spherical, 
  basket-like structures, each about five feet 
  in diameter, hang from the ceiling . Their 
  equally slimy ropes are affixed to rings in 
  the ceiling, and extend about fifteen feet 
  down, putting the bottom of the baskets 
  about ten feet above ground level .
  The baskets, woven of fibrous material 
  slathered in alchemical compounds that resist 
  the corrosive effects of their contents, are 
  actually nest-like containers for holding and 
  breeding dangerous oozes . Two of the baskets 
  are empty, while the others contain oozes the 
  Blind Cabal have either bred or created .
  Each basket has a section about three 
  feet across on the upper side that can be 
  unlatched and opened; if opened, the 
  oozes within immediately begin to slither 
  out . A basket that is cut or dropped from 
  its suspension bursts, releasing the oozes . 
  Should the characters (or the acolyte) open 
  or drop a basket, roll 1d8 to determine its 
  contents . (Once a given result has been 
  obtained, ignore that result on future rolls .)
  1          slime mold
  2          2 giant amoebas
  3          choleric ooze swarm
  4          2 melancholic ooze swarms
  5          4 phlegmatic ooze swarms
  6          4 sanguine ooze swarms
  7          empty
  8          empty
  The Oozes: If freed, the oozes attack nearby 
  creatures. They are utterly unaffected by the 
  obscuring mist spell (if it has been cast) .
  Slime mold: hp 28 
  Giant amoebas (2): hp 15 
  Choleric ooze swarm: hp 25
  Melancholic ooze swarm (2): hp 17
  Phlegmatic ooze swarm (4): hp 8
  Sanguine ooze swarm (4): hp 7
  The Acolyte: The acolyte from area 17 
  attempts to hold off the PCs using the oozes 
  in this room. If he has sufficient time, he 
  casts magic stone on three pebbles before 
  the group arrives (this is secondary to the 
  casting of obscuring mist) . Then, as the PCs 
  enter, he uses shatter and his magic stones 
  to drop the ooze baskets among them as 
  they cross the room .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 17, 
  19, 20, 21 and 22 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  
  41
  19. The feeding 
  ChaMbers (el 5)
  Summary: A series of chambers stores 
  fodder for the ooze farm .
  Sights and Sounds: This is a series of natural 
  chambers . The ceilings vary in height from 8 
  to 15 feet (generally lower in the tunnels and 
  higher in the centers of the rooms) . The area 
  is unlit. Assuming the PCs have sufficient 
  light, they see the following .
  The uneven stone walls are dark with wetness 
  and slime, interrupted by pallid patches of soft, 
  sporey fungus. The area has a dank, musty smell. 
  The floors are uneven, damp, and in some 
  areas slick. As in most of the natural caverns in 
  this part of the dungeon, the natural walls are 
  broken, here and there, with naturally-occurring 
  crevices and fissures--most just a few inches 
  wide--that penetrate deeply into the rock (but 
  lead nowhere).
  Background: These natural caverns have 
  been used by the Blind Cabal as a dumping 
  ground for material destined to feed their 
  creations . As oozes and abominations are 
  not generally picky eaters, the items left 
  here are generally food scraps, corpses, and 
  the results of failed experiments . Under the 
  influence of the Realm of Echoes, though, 
  some of these items have been tainted with 
  a horrid semblance of life .
  Fungusy Goodness: The walls, ceiling, and 
  floors of this area are spotted with patches 
  of slime and fungus . Although harmless, the 
  mold and mildew can make for treacherous 
  footing . For every 10 feet a character moves, 
  roll 1d6; on a result of 1 the character slips 
  and must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or fall 
  prone, ending that move action .
  The Mold-Covered Corpse: Just south of 
  the intersection at the center of this area the 
  decayed body of a half-elf lies on the floor. 
  A long, lumpy form lies on (or perhaps 
  rises from) the floor. The shape’s features 
  are indistinct, buried under a thick blanket 
  of fuzzy, pale gray fungus, but it gives the 
  distinct impression of a humanoid form . 
  Numerous pulpy white stalks, tipped with 
  fungal nodes, rise from the shape . 
  The anonymous body is that of one of the 
  cabal’s victims, dumped here ignominiously 
  for eventual use as ooze fodder . It has 
  been stripped of valuables, but a character 
  searching the body (Perception DC 14) 
  finds a ring clutched tightly in the corpse’s 
  decayed hand (and thus overlooked by the 
  cabal’s servants) . Of elegant gold trimmed 
  with platinum, its inner surface is inscribed 
  with the words “All my love, Kara .” It is 
  worth 200 gp .
  The Shaft: At the northern extremity of this 
  area, a narrow shaft in the floor leads down 
  into darkness . Although obvious to anyone 
  who thoroughly searches the room, characters 
  simply glancing around might miss the 
  opening among the many depressions and 
  lumps of the floor (Perception DC 12). The shaft 
  descends 40 feet to area 22 . The narrowness of 
  the shaft, and its many handholds, partially 
  offset the difficulty in climbing posed by the 
  slimy sides (Climb DC 11) .
  The Cythnigots: A horrid form of fungal 
  life, leaked in from the Realm of Echoes, has 
  moved into this area . These fungal creatures 
  have taken root in the large rats that were 
  once attracted to this area (no untainted rats 
  remain), parasitically transforming them into 
  small but potent horrors . The creatures lurk 
  in the southern chamber, at least one or two 
  of them clinging to the ceiling to drop upon 
  approaching adventurers . If the PCs spend 
  a substantial amount of time examining the 
  body or the shaft, the cythnigots attempt to 
  sneak up on them, moving stealthfully along 
  the walls and ceiling .
  Use the stats for the Qlippoth, Cythnigot, 
  ignoring the evil subtype, the detect law 
  ability, and the ability to fly, and instead giving 
  them a climb speed of 20 ft . and no language .
  
  42
  Cythnigots (3): hp 16
  Connections: This area connects to area 18 
  and area 22 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  20. The prisoner
  Summary: In a side chamber, an insane 
  prisoner awaits his fate at the hands of the 
  Blind Cabal .
  Sights and Sounds: This is a natural 
  chamber . The ceiling tapers from roughly 
  ten feet in the passageways to six feet in the 
  room . The area is unlit; assuming the PCs 
  have sufficient light, they see the following.
  The ceiling tapers as the passageway winds 
  toward a larger chamber, so that by the chamber’s 
  entrance a man must stoop slightly to avoid 
  striking his head on the uneven ceiling. Within, 
  a human dressed in rags huddles against the far 
  wall. He is missing both legs. 
  The floors are uneven, damp, and in some 
  areas slick. As in most of the natural caverns in 
  this part of the dungeon, the natural walls are 
  broken, here and there, with naturally occurring 
  crevices and fissures--most just a few inches 
  wide--that penetrate deeply into the rock (but 
  lead nowhere).
  Background: This room contains a prisoner, 
  a man by the name of Derk Berringsell . 
  Berringsell was captured by operatives of 
  the Blind Cabal, along with his wife and a 
  servant, and brought to the cabal’s caverns 
  for use as fodder in their experiments . He 
  has seen both his wife and servant killed . He 
  himself, among other horrid experiences, has 
  been fed live to the oozes the cabal is growing 
  in area 18, which accounts for his missing 
  legs . His experiences have driven him out 
  of his mind, but Berringsell can impart some 
  information on the cabal and these caverns 
  they call the “abomination pits .”
  Berrinsell’s capture was not a coincidence . 
  Although a commoner and a layman, he 
  was a devout and active member of the 
  congregation of the Church of Pendar (God 
  of the Rising Sun and Justice) in the town 
  of Carisford--a place many, many leagues 
  from the necropolis . An entrance to the Blind 
  Cabal’s underground refuge is situated in 
  Carisford, and their comings and goings 
  have been noticed in that area--and actively 
  opposed by the Church of Pendar . The cabal 
  has been conducting a campaign of low-key 
  intimidation in that region, and Berrinsell’s 
  kidnapping was part of that effort.
  Derk 
  Berrinsell: 
  The 
  pathetic 
  Derk 
  Berrinsell cringes in the dark of this, his cell .
  The man draws back at any approach, 
  blinking in the nearing light and turning his 
  head away as though afraid of what he might 
  see. A thick ring around his neck is attached 
  by a chain to a ring set in the stone nearby . 
  His skin is pale and drawn, and his legs end 
  just above the knee in raw, slimy stumps . 
  While Berrinsell’s legs were still attached 
  to his body, they were fed to one of the 
  oozes in area 18--a trauma that drove what 
  little sanity he still possessed from his mind. 
  He huddles and cringes if approached, 
  seemingly afraid of the light, whimpering at 
  first but raising his voice in incoherent cries 
  as the PCs draw nearer .
  The ring around Berrinsell’s neck is made 
  of iron (hardness 10, 10 hp, break DC 26) 
  and is locked with a simple lock (Disable 
  Device DC 20) .
  Berrinsell can be calmed with kind 
  words, a demonstration that the PCs are 
  not members or servants of the cabal, and 
  a Diplomacy check (DC 20) . If calmed, the 
  heroes can question him, though his memory 
  is fragmented and he often digresses into 
  mad rantings . He frequently confuses his 
  questioner with someone named Gill (if 
  male) or Enna (if female) .
  Careful questioning of Berrinsell can 
  reveal the following . Some of these results 
  require Diplomacy checks (in such cases a 
  DC is given) . If the check is not successful 
  he won’t talk about that subject; if it is 
  missed by 5 or more he becomes distraught, 
  whimpering and crying, and must be 
  calmed again the way he was when first 
  approached .
  
  43
  About himself:
  * His name is Derk Berrinsell . He is a 
  merchant . He lives in the town of Carisford . 
  “A happy place spoiled only by the terrors 
  they bring in the night .”
  * He was taken from the road to Dell 
  Farthing along with his wife and a servant . 
  They were transporting eels and salted fish 
  for sale at the larger town . He does not know 
  how long ago that was . “Two days ago . Or 
  three . In April . It is still April, is it not?”
  * (DC 15) His legs were devoured by some 
  terrible, jelly-like creature the cabal kept in a 
  big, round basket . “It burned them with ice, 
  it slurped them down . Oh, Enna!”
  About the keepers of these caverns:
  * These caverns are the stronghold of a group 
  that calls itself the Blind Cabal--a gang of 
  sorcerous types with a sinister agenda .
  * They seem to breed and experiment with 
  all manner of horrifying abominations . “It’s 
  the crawling, the crawling that is so terrible . 
  And the squeaking . Nothing should make 
  those noises . Nothing!”
  * They’ve been terrorizing the area around 
  Carisford for nearly a year .
  About the caverns themselves:
  * He refers to the caverns as the abomination 
  pits . “That’s what they call them .”
  * The caverns connect somehow to some 
  large, man-made chambers, but he doesn’t 
  know how to get to them . “Deeper! Deeper! 
  They always say the fissures are deeper!”
  Berrinsell is no longer sane enough to be 
  tempted by offers of rescue or release, and, 
  even if freed from his shackles, he cannot 
  make his way from the caverns . He does not 
  object to being left, but simply resumes his 
  whimpering when the PCs exit the area . If 
  the group manages to get him to Carisford 
  (see area 30), they will be rewarded both 
  materially and with aid from the townsfolk .
  Connections: This area connects to area 18, 
  21 and 22 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  21. The shafT (el 5)
  Summary: From a small chamber, a shaft 
  descends into darkness . Is that a glint of 
  light below, or the motion of water? Or 
  maybe just motion?
  Sights and Sounds: This natural chamber is 
  reached via a narrow, twisting passageway . 
  The surfaces are uneven, and the ceiling 
  rarely over six feet high . The area is unlit . 
  Assuming they have sufficient light, the PCs 
  see the following .
  A cramped, twisting passageway is lined with 
  the same dark, natural rock as the caverns leading 
  to it--but here the stone is striated with lines 
  and seams of lighter material. The passageway 
  widens into a small chamber, at the far side of 
  which it continues--straight down through a 
  hole in the floor. 
  The floor is uneven and lumpy. The natural 
  walls of the cavern are broken, here and there, 
  with naturally-occurring crevices and fissures-
  -most just a few inches wide--that penetrate 
  deeply into the rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: A number of crystalline seams 
  intersect the passageways in this area, in which 
  a pair of giant spiders have made their lair . 
  Affected by the Realm of Echoes, the spiders 
  have transformed into crystalline horrors .
  Within the chamber, the seams can yield 
  some moderately valuable gemstones . Some 
  time ago, a servant of the Blind Cabal snuck 
  into the chamber in an attempt to harvest 
  some of them . He was caught unawares by 
  the spiders and dragged to his death . Some 
  evidence of his effort remains in the chamber.
  The Crystals: The seams in the passageway 
  walls are made of light crystalline material that 
  glitters under the illumination of whatever 
  light the PCs bring into the area with them . 
  An Appraise check (DC 15) determines that 
  the material, which can be easily chipped out 
  in pebble-sized chunks, is quartz or a similar, 
  generally worthless material .
  Within the chamber, the seams are a bit 
  more valuable: A hero with appropriate 
  equipment (a hammer and chisel, or 
  something similar) can chip away at the 
  quartz to reveal low-quality or semi-precious 
  
  44
  gems . A character doing so for 10 minutes 
  and succeeding in a Perception check (DC 
  10) finds a gem worth 1d6 x 10 gp.
  A servant of the Blind Cabal did just 
  that a few months back, although he was 
  devoured by the spiders before he could 
  escape with his booty . A DC 12 Perception 
  check while searching the room reveals 
  a rusted hammer half-buried in dust and 
  stone chips against the room’s eastern wall . 
  Beneath the hammer, among chips of stone 
  and quartz, is a small collection of 6 gem 
  stones worth a total of 120 gp .
  The Shaft: An opening in the floor leads 
  straight down into darkness . The shaft, 
  roughly five feet by eight feet at the 
  opening, is coarse and uneven (like all of 
  the passageways in this area), but descends 
  almost perfectly vertically for about 50 feet, 
  down into area 25 .
  The shaft is partially blocked, about halfway 
  down, by some large crystalline objects 
  (actually the diamond spiders) . A light lowered 
  or dropped into the shaft briefly illuminates 
  them (though identifying the shapes as living 
  creatures requires a Perception check opposed 
  by the spiders’ Stealth) before landing in the 
  water in area 25 . The water under the shaft is 
  roughly 10 feet deep .
  The Spiders: Two diamond spiders lurk in 
  the shaft . They do not emerge immediately, 
  but if the PCs linger in the chamber they 
  emerge in 2d6 rounds . They climb from 
  the shaft immediately if a light is lowered 
  to them, and they immediately attack any 
  creature who descends more than a few feet 
  into the shaft .
  Diamond Spiders (2): hp 16 + 30 temporary hp
  The spiders attack until they lose all 
  temporary hit points, at which point they 
  retreat into the shaft. They only chase fleeing 
  characters back to the T-shaped intersection 
  at the entrance to this area .
  Development: Any creatures not killed in this 
  encounter may make an appearance in area 25 .
  Upping the Ante: If the PCs have breezed 
  through some of the recent encounters and 
  you’d like to give them a real challenge, add 
  a will-o’-wisp to the mix . The will-o’-wisp 
  generally lurks near the bottom of the shaft, 
  ready to contribute to the deaths of any 
  interlopers in both area 21 and area 25 . It 
  uses its ghostly light to entice the PCs into 
  investigating the shaft--and then, of course, 
  encountering the diamond spiders .
  Will-o’-Wisp: hp 40
  Connections: This area connects to areas 20, 
  22, and 25 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  22. Ten sliMy fingers 
  of deaTh (el 4)
  Summary: A large cavern contains another 
  of the Blind Cabal’s horrors--but is all as it 
  seems?
  Sights and Sounds: These natural chambers 
  feature coarse, uneven surfaces . The height 
  of the ceiling varies, but is generally fifteen 
  to twenty feet . This area is unlit . Assuming 
  they have sufficient light, the PCs see the 
  following .
  A narrow passageway slopes markedly down 
  toward a large, natural chamber with a high 
  ceiling. Deep alcoves, and thick, natural shafts of 
  stone break up the space and make it hard to tell 
  exactly how large it may be. The air has become 
  distinctly dank, and there’s a distant sound of 
  dripping water echoing from the east. 
  Floors in this area are uneven and lumpy. 
  The natural walls of the cavern are broken, here 
  and there, with naturally-occurring crevices 
  and fissures--most just a few inches wide--that 
  penetrate deeply into the rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: This cavern connects to 
  area 19 via a shaft in the ceiling near the 
  southern edge of the room . A decapus has 
  taken up living here, surviving largely by 
  slithering, periodically, up the shaft to raid 
  the foodstuffs and other edibles dumped in 
  that higher area .
  The Northern Passage: North of this area, 
  a relatively large passageway runs west 
  (from area 20 and area 21) to east, where 
  it dead-ends . The large chamber that is 
  the focal point of this encounter lies to the 
  south of this passageway, down a narrow, 
  downward-sloping run .
  Toward 
  the 
  western 
  end 
  of 
  this 
  passageway there is an opening in the 
  wall some ten feet above the floor. The 
  passageway itself continues to curve around 
  to reach this opening, forming a sort of loop .
  At the eastern end of the large passageway, 
  a chamber widens out . Three holes in the 
  floor open into shafts descending 20 to 30 
  feet down into the rock. At the bottom of 
  the southernmost hole lies the mouldering 
  
  45
  skeleton of a humanoid creature (a grimlock) . 
  Clutched in the creature’s hand is a fist-
  sized lump of smooth, metallic material, 
  disturbingly organic in appearance . (This is 
  a heedren stone .)
  The Decapus: A decapus lives in this area, 
  from which it occasionally forays up into 
  area 19 (and sometimes beyond, relying 
  on its unique camouflage ability to avoid 
  detection) for food . It would much rather 
  enjoy a live meal, however, and it knows 
  that the few humanoid visitors to this area 
  are members or servants of the Blind Cabal . 
  It has established an ambush aimed at Cabal 
  servants, but the ambush might work just as 
  well on the PCs, too .
  The decapus lurks near the ceiling at the 
  northern corner of the room, clinging to 
  stalactites and irregularities in the ceiling 
  surface and relying on its camouflage ability 
  to keep it hidden . It uses its minor image 
  ability to create the image of a heedren 
  shuffling about near the 
  passageway leading toward 
  area 23 . (It has seen heedrens 
  being handled by Cabal 
  members and recognizes 
  that the Cabal would want to 
  bring any stray heedrens to 
  heel .) The illusory heedren 
  wears a thick belt and hood 
  identical to those worn by 
  the heedrens in area 17 .
  The decapus’s intention 
  is to lure its victims toward 
  the illusion, and then attack 
  from behind, grabbing and 
  constricting the character 
  that seems most likely to be able to hurt it if 
  left on his or her feet .
  The decapus has the ability to alter its 
  coloration and the texture of its skin to match 
  the surrounding terrain, much like an actual 
  octopus . Use the standard decapus stats, but 
  give it the following additional ability:
  Camouflage (Ex): The decapus can cause its 
  skin to match its surroundings and attempt 
  to hide in any sort of natural terrain, 
  even if the terrain does not grant cover or 
  concealment . It gains a +8 racial bonus to 
  Stealth checks .
  That said, this particular decapus is 
  hampered by the presence of several larval 
  tentamorts attached to its flesh. Because 
  these do not change color, the decapus 
  suffers a -2 penalty to Stealth checks, making 
  its total bonus +13 .
  Decapus: hp 45
  Larval Tentamorts: Several small creatures, 
  looking much like dark-blue, dinner-plate-
  sized starfish each with a single red eye at its 
  center, are attached to the decapus’s body. If 
  the decapus is killed, these creatures slither 
  from its corpse, moving like multi-footed 
  slugs toward the extremities of the chamber . 
  They are harmless to the PCs and can be 
  easily killed . A Knowledge (dungeoneering) 
  check (DC 19) identifies the creatures as 
  larval versions of a tentamort .
  Room For Expansion: The passageway to 
  the north of the main encounter area doesn’t 
  have to be a dead end . If you wish to expand 
  this adventure, or provide links to other 
  underground regions, the passageway 
  could continue beyond the three shafts--or 
  perhaps one or more of the shafts could lead 
  to additional locations .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 19, 
  20, 21, and 23 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  23. a WaTery passage 
  (el 5)
  Summary: A junction in the narrow, 
  twisting passageways is filled with chest-
  deep water--still, silent, and black .
  Sights and Sounds: This natural chamber 
  features coarse, uneven surfaces . The height 
  of the ceiling varies, but is generally eight or 
  ten feet (but see below) . This area is unlit . 
  Assuming they have sufficient light, the PCs 
  see the following .
  
  46
  The narrow passageway slopes down toward a 
  larger, twisting chamber. There, in the darkness, 
  a still black pool of water extends from wall to 
  wall and into the cavern’s forlorn night, its only 
  companion the sound of heavy droplets drip-
  dripping from the uneven ceiling. 
  The floor is uneven and lumpy and, within the 
  water, slippery. The natural walls of the cavern 
  are broken, here and there, with naturally-
  occurring crevices and fissures--most just a few 
  inches wide--that penetrate deeply into the rock 
  (but lead nowhere). The entrance to the south 
  tunnel can be difficult to spot (see “The South 
  Tunnel” below).
  Background: A large pool of cave water 
  sits at the intersection of three winding 
  passageways . To the north and west, the 
  passageways rise easily from the water, 
  which is relatively shallow . To the south, 
  however, the ceiling dips almost to the level 
  of the water, which is somewhat deeper . 
  In this excellent hiding spot, a slithering 
  tracker waits to ambush any passers-by .
  The Water: The water is dark, still, and 
  unwholesome looking, but still relatively 
  clear. The floor slopes into it at a modest 
  angle, and it reaches a depth of roughly four 
  feet (mid-chest on a typical human) about 
  ten feet out from the water’s edge .
  The water is clear and quite cold . Although 
  the surface is still but for the ripples you 
  create, there seem to be faint tendrils of 
  current brushing against you . The footing 
  is slick and treacherous, and every step 
  stirs billowing clouds of brownish soot that 
  obscure the bottom around you. 
  Although the water is clear, the bottom 
  is covered by a layer of fine silt, which 
  quickly clouds the water when disturbed . 
  In addition, this silt makes the floor quite 
  slippery . Creatures moving at half normal 
  speed can negotiate the area with no 
  difficulty; those moving faster or engaged 
  in combat must make Acrobatics checks 
  (DC 10 for moving at normal speed; DC 15 
  for running, engaging in combat, or similar 
  activities) to avoid falling prone in the water .
  The water is deepest--roughly six or 
  seven feet, or just over the head of a typical 
  human--to the south and east (indicated by 
  a darker blue on the map) .
  The South Tunnel: The ceiling at the southern 
  end of the room slopes down almost to the level 
  of the water, leaving a gap of half a foot or less 
  between the ceiling and the water’s surface at 
  the entrance of the tunnel toward area 26 . (This 
  low zone is marked in gray on the map .) In fact, 
  the entrance can be difficult to spot from the 
  northern landing (a DC 12 Perception check) .
  Creatures attempting to negotiate this low 
  zone can, with some effort, walk and keep 
  their faces above the surface . But they may 
  find it easier to simply swim underwater. 
  Keeping light sources dry and lit through 
  this area should be a challenge . 
  The Slithering Tracker: A slithering tracker 
  rests along the bottom of the passageway 
  toward area 24, just west of the bend in 
  the passage . It relies on its superior hiding 
  ability to remain unseen, attacking any 
  creature that steps on or passes over it . 
  Although it hopes to ambush creatures in 
  its own passageway, if the PCs instead focus 
  on the passage to area 26, it moves toward 
  them, sneaking up behind and waiting until 
  most of the PCs have moved through the 
  low zone before attacking the last character 
  still within this chamber .
  Slithering Tracker: hp 42
  Development: If the slithering tracker does 
  not catch the PCs on their first pass through 
  this chamber (for example, if they move 
  quickly through to area 26 before it is able 
  to react to them), it repositions itself to catch 
  them on the way back .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 22, 
  24, and 26 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  
  47
  24. The dark Warren 
  (el 6)
  Summary: The PCs reach a warren of 
  twisting passages from which echoes the 
  soft, wet sounds of flesh being torn and 
  consumed .
  Sights and Sounds: The natural tunnels in 
  this area feature coarse, uneven surfaces . 
  The height of the ceiling varies, but is 
  generally eight or ten feet . This area is unlit . 
  Assuming they have sufficient light, the PCs 
  see the following .
  The winding passageway suddenly branches, 
  with additional branchings just ahead in either 
  direction. 
  The floors here are uneven and lumpy. The 
  natural walls of the cavern are broken, here 
  and there, with naturally-occurring crevices 
  and fissures--most just a few inches wide--that 
  penetrate deeply into the rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: The PCs--or even the Blind 
  Cabal--are not the first humanoids to 
  venture into the abomination pits . Over the 
  centuries others have explored these dim 
  and horror-filled passageways, and many 
  of those found only death . Their bodies 
  have lain in the dark, forgotten but, like all 
  the pits’ inhabitants, subtly touched by the 
  Realm of Echoes .
  This encounter area consists of a small 
  network of intertwining passageways . 
  A pair of humanoid skeletons have been 
  returned to an awful semblance of life in 
  the form of bloody bones, and they lurk in 
  the network .
  The Explorers’ Leavings: The ancient 
  explorers who became the bloody bones left 
  a small quantity of belongings behind, at the 
  end of the alcove marked “A .” These consist 
  of a pile of damp, mouldering material (once 
  clothing, backpacks, and the like, but now 
  decayed beyond recognition) that hides a 
  few items of potential interest to the PCs: 
  127 gp and 34 sp (all in coins centuries out 
  of date, but not as ancient as the minotaur 
  kingdom), a shriveled and mildewy (but not 
  decayed) elven hand on a golden chain (a 
  hand of the mage), and a book .
  The book, Ferintrax’s Ponderings on 
  Distant Realms, is damp and deeply 
  decayed, many of its pages crumbling into 
  damp fragments or glued together with rot 
  and mold. It is written in Common, but the 
  style of the script and phrasing is archaic . 
  Although not magical, it is a very useful 
  treatise principally on the Realm 
  of Echoes (a DC 25 Appraise 
  check, or a DC 18 Knowledge 
  (planes) check, recognizes the 
  title as such) . An unaltered 
  book would be worth 200 gp 
  and, with a just few moments of 
  reference, grants the user +2 on 
  any Knowledge (planes) check 
  related to the Realm of Echoes . 
  This damaged copy might be 
  worth 50 gp and, due to missing 
  or illegible pages, grants its 
  bonus only 50% of the time .
  The Undead: The two bloody 
  bones lurk in these passageways, 
  spending most of their time in 
  the areas marked “A” and “B” on the map 
  (though the GM may place them elsewhere) . 
  Characters approaching from area 23 may 
  hear activity at location “B” before they reach 
  that spot (Perception check, DC 13 from the 
  eastern entrance of the encounter area) .
  From somewhere ahead a faint sound reaches 
  you--a soft rending, accompanied by a quiet 
  gurgle or slurp. 
  The bloody bones is devouring a dark 
  blue creature much like a cat-sized starfish 
  with a single red eye at its center (a larval 
  tentamort)--a weak substitute for the human 
  flesh it craves. Its greedy feasting gives it a 
  -2 penalty on Perception checks .
  Bloody Bones (2): hp 28
  While the bloody bones are not exactly 
  a team, they are crafty enough to take 
  advantage of the tunnel network and any 
  
  48
  distractions one or the other may create . 
  As the PCs engage one bloody bones, the 
  other attempts to move stealthily through 
  the tunnel network to strike the PCs from 
  a position of surprise . Both bloody bones 
  prefer to grapple, using their tendrils to 
  strike from a distance if possible, and taking 
  advantage of the narrow passageways to 
  confront only a single character at a time .
  Connections: This area connects to area 23 
  and area 25 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  25. The Trophy 
  ChaMber (el 7)
  Summary: An inky underwater pool is 
  surrounded by polished skulls . The question 
  is, who--or what--put them there?
  Sights and Sounds: This natural chamber 
  features coarse, uneven surfaces . The height 
  of the ceiling varies, but is generally around 
  fifteen feet. This area is unlit. Assuming they 
  have sufficient light, the PCs see the following.
  A large chamber is dominated by a deep 
  pool of dark water, still and stagnant. A faint 
  movement of chill air flows from the southern 
  passageway toward the shaft leading up from the 
  northeast corner of the coarse, dripping ceiling. 
  An additional passageway heads north, but it 
  cannot be reached without passing through or 
  over the water. 
  The floor is littered with numerous pieces 
  of what might be dirt-covered armor, while a 
  number of skulls--of various creature types--sit 
  on small ledges and in gaps in the eastern wall. 
  The floor is uneven and lumpy 
  and, within the water, slippery. 
  The natural walls of the cavern 
  are broken, here and there, with 
  naturally-occurring crevices and 
  fissures--most just a few inches 
  wide--that penetrate deeply into the 
  rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: 
  This 
  chamber 
  sits at the bottom of the shaft 
  leading down from area 21 . 
  Within the depths of its water 
  it also connects to the Oracle 
  Pool, via a passage that winds 
  nearly 400 feet to the east . Like 
  most of the spaces within the 
  abomination pits, it has attracted 
  (or perhaps, due to the influence 
  of the Realm of Echoes, formed 
  within it) a horrific creature. 
  Several creatures, actually--all 
  chuuls . Fortunately for the PCs, 
  the multiple chuuls that once 
  dwelt here resorted to cannibalism, leaving 
  only the strongest individual still alive to 
  challenge anyone who enters the area .
  The Debris: A number of muddied pieces 
  of carapace--most the size of large pieces of 
  plate mail, but others the size of an ogre’s 
  breastplate--litter the shore and the shallows 
  of the water. These can be identified as 
  bits of chuul exoskeleton with a successful 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) check (DC 17); 
  otherwise, a DC 10 Survival check identifies 
  them only as the exoskeleton of a large 
  chitinous creature .
  Opposite, in notches and gaps in the 
  eastern wall, sit half a dozen or so skulls, 
  picked clean and polished . These include 
  an elf, two humans, a kobold, and the face-
  plate of a young chuul . These are trophies of 
  the chamber’s inhabitant .
  The Water: The water is dark, still, and 
  murky. The floor slopes into it at a modest 
  angle, and it reaches a depth of roughly 
  five feet (neck-level on a typical human) 
  about ten feet out from the water’s edge . 
  Further out, in the area marked in darker 
  blue on the map, the water deepens to over 
  ten feet deep .
  
  49
  The water is black, cold, and covered with 
  a faint oily film. Occasionally, bubbles drift 
  to the surface . 
  Silt on the pool bottom makes the floor in 
  the water quite slippery . Creatures moving at 
  half normal speed can negotiate the area with 
  no difficulty; those moving faster or engaged 
  in combat must make Acrobatics checks 
  (DC 10 for moving at normal speed; DC 15 
  for running, engaging in combat, or similar 
  activities) to avoid falling prone in the water .
  At the eastern extremity of the pool, almost 
  below the shaft leading down from area 21, a 
  wide crevice in the bottom leads to a narrow 
  underwater passageway . This opening passes 
  under the chamber, snaking its way eastward 
  for roughly 400 feet to reach the pool at the 
  bottom of the sinkhole in area 10.
  The North Tunnel: The passageway to the 
  north is a dead end .
  The Chuul: A chuul conceals itself by 
  remaining submerged in the deep waters . 
  It is hungry, and eagerly attacks creatures 
  entering the pool . For creatures remaining 
  on the shore, it is patient enough to wait until 
  they’re well into the room before attacking, 
  hoping to block any prey from escaping to 
  the south. It immediately attacks any creature 
  moving more than five feet into the water.
  The Chuul: hp 85 
  If the chuul succeeds in grappling and 
  paralyzing a character, it quickly retreats 
  into the deeper water with its victim .
  Nosy Neighbors: If the diamond spiders from 
  area 21 are still alive, they enter the room via 
  the opening in the ceiling 2d6 rounds after 
  they are aware that the PCs have entered the 
  chamber . Upon arrival, they immediately 
  attack the two nearest creatures.
  The passageway to the north doesn’t 
  have to be a dead end . If you wish to expand 
  this adventure, or provide links to other 
  underground regions, the passageway could 
  continue beyond the map . Additionally, 
  the underwater passageway could lead to 
  additional areas, either submerged or, by 
  snaking back above water level briefly, in 
  air-filled spaces.
  Connections: This area connects to areas 10, 
  21, and 24 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  26. The WeT gleaM of a 
  hundred red eyes (el 4)
  Summary: In this room, isolated and secure 
  behind a wall of subterranean challenges, 
  something has been spawning  . . . and 
  spawning  . . . and spawning .
  Sights and Sounds: This natural chamber 
  features coarse, uneven surfaces . The walls 
  taper inward to join in a narrow ceiling 
  roughly twenty feet overhead . This area is 
  unlit. Assuming they have sufficient light, 
  the PCs see the following .
  The 
  passageway 
  widens 
  somewhat. 
  Overhead, the walls find no ceiling, but instead 
  taper inward to meet some twenty or thirty feet 
  up, so it’s almost more like you’re in some sort 
  of crevice than a room or passage. Along the 
  northeastern wall, the room widens above an 
  irregular, sloping ledge. 
  But it is not the geography that makes this 
  space so noteworthy. It is that every surface--
  the walls, the floor--is covered with dark, fleshy, 
  starfish-like creatures, each about as wide as the 
  length of a cat’s body. And at the center of each, a 
  bright, red eye. Every eye is fixed upon you. 
  The floor is uneven and lumpy. The natural 
  walls of the cavern are broken, here and there, 
  with naturally-occurring crevices and fissures-
  -most just a few inches wide--that penetrate 
  deeply into the rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: This chamber is filled with 
  larval tentamorts, the issue of the creatures 
  in area 27 . They congregate here because 
  the sometimes cannibalistic nature of their 
  parents drives them out of area 27 and the 
  pool and low ceiling in area 23 create a 
  natural barrier through which a relative few 
  of the larvae are able to pass .
  Individually, the larvae are harmless . 
  Although, desperate with hunger, some will 
  approach the PCs, they are easily killed and 
  cannot deal real damage individually . They 
  become a threat only when they form into 
  swarms--a real danger, depending on how 
  the PCs approach this encounter .
  The Ledge: A narrow, uneven ledge runs 
  along the northeastern wall of the room . At 
  its northern end it’s eight or nine feet above 
  floor level, at the southern end it rises to 
  nearly fifteen feet above the floor. A narrow, 
  winding passageway loops from the northern 
  end of the room to give access onto the ledge .
  The Larvae: There are hundreds of tenatmort 
  larvae in this room; they cling, with their 
  tiny, starfish-like suction cups, to the walls, 
  
  50
  ceiling, and floor (although there are only a 
  few in the passage that connects to the ledge) . 
  Although the distribution isn’t perfectly 
  even, an average 5-foot square of wall or 
  floor contains four or five of the creatures.
  The larvae react to creatures coming 
  within 10 feet, slowly inching their way 
  toward the target . A moving character can 
  easily outpace them, but someone crossing 
  the room will stir up a wake of the creatures 
  as more and more of them slither behind .
  Individually, the larvae are easy to kill 
  (AC 9, 1 hp). An area-effect attack that deals 
  any damage can destroy large swathes of 
  them--a single fireball could clear the vast 
  majority of individuals the room . If roughly 
  half the area within the room is subject to 
  such an attack before the 
  swarms form, only a single 
  swarm will be able to form out 
  of the remaining individuals . 
  If more than two-thirds of the 
  room is affected, there will no 
  longer be enough individuals 
  to form any swarms .
  In addition to being easy 
  to kill, the individual larvae 
  are relatively harmless, doing 
  little but clinging to their 
  target (in small numbers, their 
  poison isn’t strong enough to 
  affect creatures larger than 
  size Tiny) . However, each 
  larval 
  tentamort 
  weighs 
  roughly 
  five 
  pounds, 
  so 
  a 
  character 
  with 
  several 
  attached can become weighed 
  down. Removing an attached 
  larva requires a move action, so an immobile 
  character will likely attract larvae faster than 
  he or she can remove them .
  But the real danger occurs when the larvae 
  form a swarm . This happens 1d3 rounds after 
  the first character penetrates deeper than 10 
  feet into the room . The second swarm forms 
  1d3 rounds after the first. Like the individuals, 
  the swarms are not fast-moving, but they 
  pursue potential prey with great vigor .
  Larval Tentamort Swarm CR 2 
  A swarm of dark blue, starfish-like creatures, 
  each about the size of a dinner plate and 
  each having a disturbing, bright red eye in 
  the center . 
  Given their preference, tentamort young 
  prefer to scatter, seeking food sources 
  and distancing themselves from their 
  occasionally 
  cannibalistic 
  parents 
  and 
  siblings . When large concentrations of 
  young are unable to roam, however, they 
  may form swarms in their eagerness to fall 
  upon any potential prey they detect .
  XP 600 
  N Tiny aberration (swarm)
  Init +2; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., low-light 
  vision; Perception +1
  DEFENSE 
  AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-3 Dex, +2 size)
  hp 19 (3d8+6)
  Fort +5, Ref -2, Will +2
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 10 ft .
  Melee swarm (1 plus poison)
  Special Attacks poison, distraction (DC 15), 
  clingy
  Space 10 ft .; Reach 0 ft .
  STATISTICS 
  Str 14, Dex 4, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 1
  Base Atk +2; CMB -5; CMD 8
  Feats Improved Initiative
  Skills Climb +10, Perception +1; Racial 
  Modifiers +8 Climb
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Poison (Ex): Fort DC 15; frequency 2 rounds; 
  effect 1 Con plus nausea; cure 1 save.
  Clingy (Ex): Whenever a larval tentamort 
  swarm makes a swarm attack on a creature 
  of Small size or larger, that creature must 
  make a DC 13 Reflex save or be covered in 
  
  51
  multiple larval tentamorts . Those who fail 
  are entangled until the larvae are removed, 
  which requires a full-round action--though 
  this action might be impeded by effects of 
  the swarm . The save DC is Constitution-
  based .
  ECOLOGY 
  Environment: any
  Organization: solitary or group (2-4)
  Treasure: none
  Connections: This area connects to area 23 
  and area 27 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  27. The garbage ChuTe 
  (el 8)
  Summary: A large cavern is dominated 
  by the foul, pestilent detritus of the Blind 
  Cabal . The terrible compost writhes and 
  seethes with giant maggots and worms--and 
  perhaps something even more dangerous .
  Sights and Sounds: This natural chamber 
  features coarse, uneven surfaces . The walls 
  arch to a naturally vaulted ceiling roughly 
  fifteen feet overhead. This area is unlit. 
  Assuming they have sufficient light, the PCs 
  see the following . (Note that the description 
  assumes that the tentamorts automatically 
  notice the PCs because they are always 
  on the lookout for food . If the PCs take 
  appropriate precautions before entering 
  the room, the GM may want to allow the 
  PCs to make Stealth checks, resisted by 
  the monsters’ Perception to prevent being 
  automatically discovered . If this is the case, 
  modify the text below accordingly .)
  A putrid cesspit odor roils from this room like 
  an assault, and no wonder--the irregular natural 
  chamber is dominated by a steaming, squirming 
  heap of offal, carrion, and rubbish. But there, 
  atop the mound, is a glint of gold and turquoise: 
  the gilded, funereal head of a minotaur mummy. 
  Unfortunately it’s not alone. Several man-sized 
  blue forms hang from the stony ceiling by thick, 
  suction-cup laden arms. The nearest opens a dozen 
  red eyes, speckled at seeming random over its 
  bloated, conical body, and trains them upon you. 
  The floor is uneven and lumpy. The natural 
  walls of the cavern are broken, here and there, 
  with naturally-occurring crevices and fissures-
  -most just a few inches wide--that penetrate 
  deeply into the rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: This chamber sits 
  at the bottom of a long, semi-
  natural chute leading down 
  from area 29 in the Blind Cabal’s 
  network of rooms above . They 
  use this chute to dispose of 
  their rubbish . Kitchen waste, 
  the contents of chamber pots, 
  and the unwanted results of 
  their terrible experiments are 
  pitched into the hole to end up 
  on the pile in this room .
  This festering heap has 
  formed 
  the 
  basis 
  of 
  an 
  ecosystem 
  of 
  scavenging 
  creatures . Most are simply 
  horrid 
  worms 
  and 
  blind 
  maggots--revolting, 
  but 
  basically 
  harmless . 
  Four 
  tentamorts, however, have also made a 
  lair of the room, eating both the refuse and 
  those lesser creatures that squirm and dig 
  their way through it .
  In the process of looting Garlenthatir’s 
  tomb, the Blind Cabal took not just the 
  minotaur kings’ treasure, but also his 
  mummy . Perhaps it was an act of malice, 
  perhaps they thought it had magical 
  properties or financial value, or perhaps 
  they hoped to harvest it for rare alchemical 
  ingredients . 
  Whatever 
  the 
  case, 
  they 
  eventually decided it had little to offer 
  them, and they discarded it . The mummy 
  was tossed down the chute . It eventually 
  ended up in area 28, but several elements of 
  its funereal garb remain on the garbage pile .
  
  52
  The Rubbish Heap: The chamber is 
  dominated by a large, wet heap of stinking, 
  rotting garbage, sewage, and carrion, nearly 
  20 feet across and rising over 5 feet tall in 
  the center. The floor around the heap is 
  wet with greasy, putrid runoff. Anyone 
  within 5 feet of the heap must make a DC 12 
  Fortitude save or become sickened for 1d6 
  rounds . (A character who succeeds at this 
  save is immune to this effect for 1d4 hours.) 
  The tentamorts are immune to this effect.
  PCs can clamber across the heap, but it 
  counts as difficult terrain. They may be put 
  off by the thick worms and maggots that 
  slither through the rubbish--some as large 
  as a man’s arm--but these are harmless .
  Near the top of the heap lies the 
  ceremonial headdress of Garlenthatir’s 
  mummy, a large, heavy, ornate minotaur 
  mask . Although some gold leaf and colorful 
  paint remains, a detailed examination 
  reveals that the gems and trim of gold and 
  silver have been removed . The rest of the 
  mummy is not present .
  There is one additional item of interest in 
  the garbage heap: The partially eaten body 
  of a failed Blind Cabal experiment . If the PCs 
  succeed at a DC 12 Perception check while 
  searching the heap find the body not far from 
  Garlenthatir’s headdress . An examination 
  of the body finds that it is apparently 
  made up of stitched-together parts of 
  several different humanoids, although the 
  tentamorts’ feeding mechanism leaves what 
  is left difficult to interpret.
  The Shaft: A shaft above the rubbish heap 
  rises nearly 80 feet to end in a ceiling of 
  worked stone . The walls are coarse and 
  uneven, but coated in smelly slime (Climb 
  DC 19) . A large, round double-door in the 
  ceiling opens downward . The doors are 
  bolted from the other side (hardness 5, 20 
  hp, break DC 24) .
  The doors are not the only way through, 
  however . One of the many cracks and crevices 
  in the shaft walls bypasses the man-made 
  ceiling (though it is not certain that “men” 
  actually crafted the Cabal’s chambers), 
  emerging in the shaft on the other side of 
  the doors . The narrow channel is not large 
  enough for a typical Medium-sized creature 
  to use, but a Small or smaller creature (or an 
  unarmored, human-sized creature of very 
  slight build) could wriggle through .
  Beyond the door, the shaft continues up 
  for another 20 feet to end in an iron grate in 
  the floor of area 29.
  The Tentamorts: Four tentamorts dwell 
  in this area . Because they tend to be 
  cannibalistic, the four creatures generally 
  remain well away from one another, each 
  occupying a corner of the room . Only two 
  are within sight from the entrance to the 
  north; the other two are in the southwest 
  alcove and behind the large stone column at 
  the southern end. They prefer to attack from 
  where they cling to the ceiling, but if they 
  have to move they plop to the ground before 
  doing so . Due to their tentacled locomotion, 
  the rubbish heap is not difficult terrain for 
  the tentamorts .
  Despite their lack of social interaction, 
  the tentamorts do not hesitate to close in 
  and work together when live food presents 
  itself . The tentamorts nearest the entrance 
  attack immediately once they are aware of 
  the PCs’ presence, while the others react 
  to this excitement and begin attacking 1d3 
  rounds later .
  Tentamorts (4): hp 39
  Development: Gillcutter, a goblin living 
  in area 28, creeps to the southern entrance 
  of the room a few rounds after the start of 
  any battle here. His inclination is to assume 
  the PCs are minions of the Blind Cabal, 
  coming at last to get him . He knows area 
  28 is a dead end, and attempts to sneak into 
  one of the alcoves in this area (assuming 
  the tentamorts are engaged with the PCs), 
  hoping he’ll be bypassed and can then 
  escape into area 26 or up the shaft . See area 
  28 for more information on Gillcutter and 
  how he reacts to the PCs .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 26, 
  28, and 29 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  28. garlenThaTir’s 
  MuMMy
  Summary: A narrow tunnel is the lair 
  of something small and mischievous--a 
  something that holds the key to returning 
  Garlenthatir’s mummy to its tomb .
  Sights and Sounds: This natural passageway 
  features coarse, uneven surfaces . The height 
  of the ceiling varies, but is generally five or six 
  feet . This area is unlit . Assuming they have 
  sufficient light, the PCs see the following.
  
  53
  A passageway continues into the rock, quickly 
  narrowing to just a few feet wide. The ceiling 
  lowers, forcing you into a stoop and giving the 
  tunnel a claustrophobic air. Ahead, a sack lies 
  on the floor, and beyond that a blanket. A few 
  bones are scattered about, but they don’t seem 
  as slimy and repulsive as the rubbish heap in the 
  preceding room. 
  The floor is uneven and lumpy. The natural 
  walls of the cavern are broken, here and there, 
  with naturally-occurring crevices and fissures-
  -most just a few inches wide--that penetrate 
  deeply into the rock (but lead nowhere).
  Background: The Blind Cabal have made 
  prisoners and experimental fodder out of 
  not just humans such as Derk Berringsell 
  (see area 20), but also other races, intelligent 
  and not . One source of victims was the 
  Broken Tooth goblin tribe, many members 
  of which were captured and subjected to the 
  Cabal’s horrors . Not all of these goblins 
  succumbed, 
  however--one, 
  a 
  small 
  warrior named Gillcutter, escaped the 
  Cabal’s prisons . Unable to make his way 
  out of the Cabal’s lair, he eventually hid 
  in the shaft under area 29, and from there 
  found his way down to area 27 .
  Gillcutter has lived in this area for 
  nearly a year . He does not generally 
  scavenge the rubbish heap, but instead 
  survives by raiding the Cabal chambers 
  (mainly the kitchen) above, climbing the 
  shaft and squeezing through the crevice 
  that bypasses the trap door . He is adept 
  at skittering past the tentamorts to get to 
  the shaft, but he rarely goes to or beyond 
  area 26, due to the concentration of larvae 
  there . For their part, the adult tentamorts 
  don’t seem to be inclined to squeeze into his 
  narrow tunnel for such meager picking, and 
  when their larvae sometimes do, the goblin 
  kills and eats them .
  Gillcutter’s Stuff: The last fifteen feet of 
  the tunnel comprise Gillcutter’s home. 
  Here he’s accumulated a pile of messy 
  blankets and skins for his bed, along with 
  a small assortment of treasures looted from 
  his forays into the Cabal’s chambers, and 
  mostly of interest only to him . Among his 
  belongings are:
  * 11 gp, 27 sp, and 42 cp
  * A silver and bronze ring (worth 20 gp)
  * A silver badge on a copper chain, bearing 
  the seal of the town of Carisford
  * Several twists of gold and silver wire 
  (removed from Garlenthatir’s headpiece 
  and worth 45 gp)
  * 16 gemstones (worth 320 gp in total)
  * A small silver mirror (worth 40 gp)
  * A set of masterwork artisan’s tools
  * An assortment of shells, bones, needles, 
  and other utensils
  In addition, laid out along the floor of the 
  passage about fifteen feet from the end, he 
  has Garlenthatir’s mummy .
  Garlenthatir: Garlenthatir’s mummy was 
  discarded by the Blind Cabal, dropped 
  down their garbage chute into area 27 . A 
  rather surprised and superstitious Gillcutter 
  recognized the regal nature of the mummy, 
  although he made no connection to the 
  minotaurs of the necropolis (the Broken 
  Tooth tribe lives far from the necropolis; 
  additionally, Gillcutter has never even 
  heard of the ancient minotaur kingdom) . 
  He concluded that the spirit of the dead 
  minotaur might look favorably upon him if 
  he rescued the mummy from the rubbish 
  heap, although beyond that he hasn’t a 
  clue what to do with it . It has lain in his 
  tunnel for over a month . (His awe of the 
  mummy didn’t stop him from looting the 
  headdress, still on the rubbish heap in 
  area 27, for its gems and precious metals .)
  Gillcutter: Gillcutter is a caveling goblin 
  of the Broken Tooth tribe, which haunts a 
  set of lonely hills some 200 miles from the 
  necropolis . Along with a dozen members 
  of his tribe, he was captured by the Blind 
  Cabal roughly a year ago . He managed 
  to escape and made his way down here . 
  He survives by raiding the Blind Cabal’s 
  rooms above .
  
  54
  If Gillcutter heard and reacted to the PCs’ 
  battle with the tentamorts in area 27, he will 
  likely have fled this area (trying to hide in area 
  27 in an attempt to let the PCs pass him by). If 
  he did not hear a battle or was unable to flee 
  this area, he hides under his pile of blankets in 
  a desperate hope that he’ll be overlooked .
  If confronted, Gillcutter does not attempt 
  to fight, instead pleading for his freedom, 
  crying out in Goblin “Not the cage! Not the 
  cage!” with his shrill voice . He can be calmed, 
  by a character who speaks Goblin and 
  succeeds at a DC 10 Diplomacy check . His 
  starting attitude is Hostile, but improved to 
  Indifferent if the PCs make clear that they do 
  not work for the Blind Cabal . If the PCs can 
  improve his attitude to Friendly, he can be 
  enticed to provide the following information:
  * The story of his capture and imprisonment, 
  and details of how he has survived in this 
  area . He is from an area called the Gristworn 
  Hills, which is not far from the Cabal’s 
  underground lair . A DC 15 Knowledge 
  (geography or local) check reveals that this 
  is roughly 200 miles from the necropolis . 
  (The DC may drop as low as 5 if the PCs 
  come from an area near the Gristworn Hills)
  * Garlenthatir’s mummy was dropped down 
  the shaft about a month ago. Gillcutter likes 
  the mummy, and believes its spirit looks 
  out for him (this is not true) . There was 
  no jewelry on the mummy when it was 
  dumped, and no treasure accompanied it--
  other than the headdress .
  * The Blind Cabal is a group of horrible 
  magicians who torture helpless creatures such 
  as goblins. They have many servants. Gillcutter 
  thinks there are at least six of the “important” 
  people, but they all wear masks so it’s hard to 
  tell . (Plus, he can only count up to six .)
  * The top of the shaft ends near the kitchen . 
  There are many rooms up there--places 
  where the cabal lives, where they keep 
  prisoners, where they conduct their horrid 
  magicks, and where they grow big creatures 
  with one huge arm .
  * They are growing lots of those creatures . 
  Many more than six .
  If Gillcutter’s attitude is raised to Helpful, 
  and if the PCs promise to help him escape 
  from the Blind Cabal’s lair, he can be 
  talked into serving as a guide in the cabal’s 
  chambers . However, the only route he 
  knows for getting into them is via the shaft 
  in area 27 . (He does not know about the 
  connection from area 17) .
  Gillcutter is a caveling goblin warrior 1. 
  Use the standard goblin stats, modified by 
  the caveling mutation. Gillcutter has no Ride 
  skill, but instead has Climb +10 (2 ranks; +8 
  racial bonus) .
  Gillcutter: hp 6
  Returning the Mummy: If the PCs return 
  to area 15 with Garlenthatir’s mummy, 
  they find the tomb devoid of ghosts. If they 
  return the mummy to the sarcophagus, 
  however, the minotaur king’s curse (if any) 
  is lifted, and his voice echoes through the 
  tomb: “Go with my gratitude and leave my 
  sleep undisturbed . What treasures of mine 
  you have found shall be your reward .”
  Connections: This area connects to area 27 .
  See the Map of The Abomination Pits .
  slaves, prisoners, and 
  gillCuTTer
  In area 28 the PCs have the opportunity 
  to treat with Gillcutter, the escaped goblin 
  prisoner of the Blind Cabal . They have 
  several opportunities to interact with--and 
  perhaps free--the cabal’s slaves, and there 
  are additional prisoners in area 37 . On top of 
  all that, the PCs may even spend some time 
  in conversation with some of the cabal’s 
  retainers, such as Al’Pershiea in area 33 .
  With all these NPCs potentially offering 
  information and even advice, there are 
  many ways in which the PCs might enlist 
  their aid . Here’s a bit more information on 
  what they various characters know .
  Gillcutter: The goblin knows little about the 
  Blind Cabal beyond what’s outlined in area 
  28 . However, he does know considerably 
  more about the asylum in general:
  * He’s very familiar with areas 29, 32, 33, 
  and 34, along with the lower passageways 
  in general . He knows that area 32 is the way 
  in and out of the asylum (at least, that’s 
  how the Blind Cabal comes and goes, and 
  the portal through which they bring their 
  prisoners), but he has no idea how to make 
  the door work .
  * He knows that area 31 and area 36 are very 
  dangerous, and can describe the “living fire” 
  and “living earth” that haunt those areas . He 
  does not know what, if anything, triggers 
  their appearance . (When he escaped via that 
  room, he climbed down into the pits . Not to 
  avoid triggering the trap, but just to avoid 
  being seen .)
  
  55
  * He can tell the PCs that there are four cages 
  of prisoners in area 37, although he hasn’t 
  been there in months so doesn’t know who 
  is currently kept in them .
  * He can tell the PCs about the strange 
  creatures that are kept in area 30, but 
  he doesn’t know that they are called 
  “heedrens .” He also knows that they “come 
  from” (as he puts it) area 39, but he knows 
  nothing about their creation process .
  * He knows that area 38 is the terrible place where 
  the Blind Cabal’s prisoners go to be tortured 
  and die . All of his clanmates disappeared into 
  it, and only their screams emerged .
  * He knows there are “six members of the 
  Blind Cabal,” though he is unable to tell the 
  acolytes from the full members . He can also 
  warn the PCs that there is “cat lady” who 
  beats (and sometimes eats) the slaves, and a 
  “magic tiger” who is her lover .
  Assuming the PCs are not abusive, Gillcutter 
  remains with them throughout the asylum . 
  He tends to hide, rather than fight, during 
  combat encounters or when the PCs parlay 
  with cabal members or retainers . He may be 
  prone to thieving, especially if the PCs took 
  his possessions from area 28 .
  The Prisoners: The prisoners know virtually 
  nothing about the layout of asylum--most 
  were brought in unconscious and have seen 
  only the prison chamber . They certainly don’t 
  know they are hundreds of miles from their 
  homes, beneath the Necropolis of Pergia .
  The monstrous prisoners have been 
  captured from far off lands and, as a general 
  rule, they know nothing about the Blind 
  Cabal . The prisoners from the Carisford area 
  know, generally speaking, the same things 
  that Derk Berrinsell might have told the 
  PCs . In addition, as the cabal’s most recent 
  abductees, they have the most recent news 
  about the situation in the Carisford area .
  * The Blind Cabal has been raiding the area 
  around Carisford for about two years. At first 
  it was just a few isolated attacks, and nobody 
  really knew the source . But the cabal has 
  been much more brazen in recent months .
  * The cabal seems to have it in for the Church 
  of Pendar in particular . The church is the 
  biggest institution in Carisford, and many 
  of attacks have targeted people involved in 
  the church community .
  * The lord in Dell Farthing seems to think 
  Carisford’s problems are the result of raids 
  by forces loyal to the Margrave of Highheath, 
  a neighboring nobleman with whom he’s 
  long had a dispute . As a result, he’s focused 
  on protecting the border instead of patrolling 
  the Carisford area . The lord is a bit obsessed 
  with that dispute, but many people also 
  believe he is being given bad counsel .
  Additionally, any of the natives of the 
  Carisford area can describe the geography 
  of the place in moderate detail, should the 
  PCs ask . See the Map of Carisford Vale .
  The Slaves: The slaves have been badly 
  affected by their experience in the Blind 
  Cabal’s asylum . While all would welcome 
  freedom, they don’t necessarily trust the 
  PCs--or that the PCs can protect them from 
  the cabal . Many fear harsh retribution if 
  they aid or even obey simple order from the 
  PCs, and others are outright insane .
  When the PCs interact with a slave for the 
  first time, roll 1d10 and consult the following 
  table . The result indicates the slave’s initial 
  attitude toward the PCs (for purposes of 
  Diplomacy checks) and should provide the 
  GM with some roleplaying guidance .
  1d10   Initial Attitude 
  1 Hostile--The slave is too frightened (or 
  irrational) to willingly interact with the 
  PCs. He or she flees (possibly alerting cabal 
  members to the PCs’ presence) or actively 
  attempts to convince others not to interact 
  with the PCs .
  2-4 Unfriendly--The slave distrusts or fears 
  the PCs, and is unwilling to aid or provide 
  information to them .
  5-7 Indifferent--The slave is not confident 
  the PCs are both willing and able to secure 
  their freedom .
  8-9 Friendly--The slave is hopeful that the 
  PCs can help them escape, and will make 
  modest contributions of information but 
  remains cautious and guarded .
  10 Helpful--The slave is ready to go! 
  Whatever he or she can do to help the PCs, 
  this slave is on it .
  The slaves know the layout of the asylum 
  well, at least through area 36 . Some have 
  seen area 37, though none have been in area 
  38 or area 39 . In addition, any slave whose 
  attitude is Friendly or better can (if asked the 
  right questions) tell the PCs the following 
  facts about the Blind Cabal .
  * The slaves can name Creena, Al’Pershiea, 
  and The Surgeon as non-Cabalist inhabitants 
  of the asylum . They can describe the general 
  
  56
  nature of these NPCs (that Creena is a were-
  leopard; that Al’Pershiea is some sort of 
  magical cat, etc .) .
  * The slaves believe there are four acolytes . 
  At the time, two are believed to be in 
  the asylum . Like the proper Blind Cabal 
  members, the acolytes often leave the 
  asylum on Cabal errands .
  * The slaves are vague on exactly how 
  many members of the Blind Cabal there 
  are . They can name Girrenmoor, Plambten, 
  Yesselendra, and Kruushk . Others may have 
  come and gone (depending in part on how 
  you intend to use the Blind Cabal in your 
  campaign) .
  * The denizens of the asylum, in addition to 
  their cruelty, are clearly insane . They cackle 
  and talk to themselves or to people who 
  aren’t there, act erratically, and squabble 
  among themselves .
  * The Blind Cabal is definitely up to 
  something . They’ve been increasingly active 
  lately, with more coming and going from 
  the asylum and more prisoners hauled off 
  into area 37 and beyond . They seem to be 
  excited about their plans .
  * Plambten has been sick recently . He used 
  to like to go down to the rifts himself, but no 
  one has seen him for some time .
  
  57
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  blind Cabal asyluM
  
  58
  29. The kiTChen (el 5)
  Summary: Something’s cooking in the 
  kitchen--and that isn’t necessarily good news .
  Sights and Sounds: This area was built by 
  an unknown race a very long time ago, and 
  is scaled for creatures much larger than 
  humans . Ceilings are 25 feet high . The area 
  is lit by lanterns hanging from wall brackets 
  roughly 20 feet overhead, creating an 
  overall moderate level of lighting with some 
  dimmer areas . Upon entering the area, the 
  PCs see the following .
  An archway sized for a giant leads into a large, 
  high-ceilinged room. A number of humanoids 
  toil around a round hearth in the room’s center, 
  which radiates heat past the large kettles and 
  racks of pots. The surrounding tables, as heavy 
  as they are, seem like doll furniture against the 
  scale of this space. Opposite the main entrance, 
  however, is a smaller, almost human-scaled 
  archway leading into darkness. 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear quite 
  aged. All furnishings are scaled for typical 
  Medium-sized humanoids.
  The adjacent central corridors are 20 feet wide 
  and share the chamber’s 25-foot ceiling. They are 
  sparsely lit by lanterns hanging from wall brackets, 
  providing sufficient light to move confidently 
  through them but leaving most of the corridors 
  shadowed. The small, lower corridors have 15-foot 
  ceilings and are even more sparsely lit.
  Background: This chamber serves as the 
  kitchen, scullery, pantry, and general service 
  room for the Blind Cabal’s headquarters . 
  It was probably built for this purpose 
  by 
  whatever 
  precursors 
  created 
  this 
  underground stronghold, for the hearth and 
  the garbage chute were both in place when 
  the cabal took over these chambers .
  A small portion of the household currently 
  toils here under Creena, the cabal’s master 
  of slaves .
  A 
  staircase 
  leads 
  from the archway to the 
  south, 
  descending 
  into 
  the network of lower 
  passageways . 
  More 
  accurately, two staircases, 
  side-by-side (and with no 
  dividing rail), descend . 
  One has steps roughly two 
  feet tall and two feet deep, 
  while the other has two 
  steps for every one of the 
  first (making it more or less 
  appropriately scaled for 
  Medium-sized creatures) .
  The Hearth: A large round hearth sits in the 
  center of this room, a large fire--mostly a 
  pile of coals--burning low and hot upon it . 
  Any character entering the hearth takes 1d6 
  fire damage and risks catching on fire.
  The Shaft: In the southern alcove a 
  rectangular opening, ringed by a low wall, 
  overlooks a shaft that descends to area 27 . 
  A heavy iron lever protrudes from the floor 
  beside the wall . An iron grate covers the 
  opening, but it is not kept bolted and can 
  be easily opened . The shaft descends 20 feet 
  to a garbage-strewn floor, in which is set 
  a large double trapdoor . This door opens 
  downward and is operated by the lever 
  above . The walls between the grate and the 
  trapdoor are a mix of coarse worked stone 
  and natural rock (Climb DC 18) .
  The trapdoors (hardness 5, 20 hp, break DC 
  24) are not the only way through . A crevice in 
  the natural stone bypasses the floor, emerging 
  in the shaft on the other side . The narrow 
  channel is not large enough for a typical 
  human, but a Small or smaller creature, or an 
  unarmored human-sized character of very 
  slight build, could wriggle through .
  Beneath the door, a natural shaft descends 
  nearly 80 feet, opening in the ceiling of area 27 .
  Creena and the Servants: Creena is the 
  Blind 
  Cabal’s 
  cruel 
  housekeeper, 
  the 
  individual responsible for keeping their 
  asylum running . A wereleopard, she keeps 
  the Cabal’s staff of slaves in line through a 
  reign of terror that includes abuse, cruelty, 
  and occasionally indulging her taste for 
  human flesh.
  
  59
  The four slaves present are engaged in 
  cooking, cleaning, laundry, and repairing 
  household items . None are skilled combatants .
  At the sight of the PCs, Creena orders 
  three of the servants to attack the group and 
  the fourth to warn Girrenmoor (currently in 
  area 34) or the guard (referring to the acolyte 
  in area 30) . The slave exits via the lower 
  passageway to the south, choosing the main 
  corridor to the north only if the former is 
  blocked . If both exits are blocked, the slave 
  simply cowers until an opportunity to exit 
  presents itself .
  The slaves ordered to attack approach 
  the PCs trepidatiously, picking up knives, 
  pokers, and similar household implements . 
  They fight defensively (+2 to AC; -4 to 
  attacks); once any of them are killed the 
  others fight using only total defense (+4 to 
  AC as a full-round action) . (Use the stats for 
  a barmaid for the slaves, see link below .)
  Creena shifts into hybrid form . She 
  recognizes that the slaves are unlikely to 
  have much effect on the PCs, but she uses 
  them to provide flanking for her own attacks. 
  (Use the stats for “Haidar the Accursed” to 
  represent Creena, see link below .)
  Creena, Master of Slaves: hp 45
  Blind Cabal Servant (4): hp 7
  Creena takes advantage of every dirty trick 
  she can muster in her fight against the PCs, 
  relying on her mobility to focus on and 
  remove the weakest PC from the fight first. 
  If she is reduced to 12 or fewer hit points, she 
  attempts to escape, heading for Al’Pershiea 
  in area 33 if the southern exit is convenient, 
  or the guard in area 30 if the northern exit 
  is a better choice. If unable to escape, she 
  fights to the death.
  Development: If the messenger slave 
  departs, he reaches area 30 in 6 rounds, 
  raising the alarm about the PCs’ presence . 
  It then takes 3 rounds for the acolyte from 
  area 30 to arrive, along with two heedrens . 
  The acolyte orders the heedrens to join 
  the battle against the PCs, watching and 
  avoiding the battle himself unless attacked 
  or the heedrens seem to be losing .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 30, 
  31, 33, 34, and 35 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  30. The heedren barn 
  (el 7)
  Summary: From here the Blind Cabal keeps 
  watch over its domain--and unleashes the 
  brutal terror of its heedrens .
  Sights and Sounds: Like most of the Blind 
  Cabal’s asylum, this area is scaled for 
  creatures much larger than humans . Ceilings 
  are 25 feet high . The area is lit by lanterns 
  hanging from wall brackets roughly 20 feet 
  overhead, creating an overall moderate level 
  of lighting with some dimmer areas . Upon 
  entering the area, the PCs see the following .
  A staircase rises from the intersection--a 
  staircase sized for giants. Each of the steps is 
  easily two feet tall. At the top, the huge corridor 
  continues into shadow toward an archway, but 
  before that, in the corridor, sit a table and a 
  couple of chairs. Bathed in the wan yellow light 
  of a lantern hanging overhead, they look like toys 
  left by a giant’s child, as do the massive clubs--
  four or five of them, at least--that lean against 
  the opposite wall. 
  Sitting in the chairs are a half-elf slave and a 
  Blind Cabal acolyte, unless the pair has been 
  called away by events in other areas .
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear 
  quite aged . All furnishings are scaled for 
  typical Medium-sized humanoids .
  The adjacent central corridors are 20 feet 
  wide and share the chamber’s 25-foot ceiling . 
  They are sparsely lit by lanterns hanging 
  from wall brackets, providing sufficient 
  light to move confidently through them but 
  leaving most of the corridors shadowed .
  Background: The original purpose of this 
  room is long forgotten, but now it serves 
  as a holding pen for the small number of 
  heedrens the Blind Cabal keeps on-hand 
  for heavy labor and security, as well as the 
  security station for the asylum as a whole . 
  Two of the heedrens normally kept here were 
  removed from the barn for duties in area 17 
  (and have probably been encountered by 
  the PCs already) . An additional three are 
  currently here . If the acolyte has already 
  responded to activity in another area (for 
  example, if the messenger from area 29 
  reached him, and he responded to combat 
  in that area), he will have taken two of the 
  heedrens from this area with him .
  The Steps: The steps leading up into this 
  area are each roughly two feet high and two 
  
  60
  feet deep. The staircase is difficult terrain. 
  Creatures on or at the top of the steps benefit 
  from the +1 bonus for attacking from higher 
  ground when attacking creatures lower on 
  the staircase .
  The Heedren Pen: The heedrens are kept 
  behind a sturdy gate of iron at the entrance 
  to the chamber beyond the table and chairs . 
  Although they are extremely dangerous 
  when active, and a determined heedren 
  could probably burst through the gate 
  without much difficulty, the heedrens do 
  not have a strong will of their own and 
  tend toward lethargy when not aroused . 
  On the occasion when a heedren becomes 
  aggressive, the acolyte on duty uses a 
  rune of heedren control to take control 
  of the heedren and calms it . When use of 
  the heedrens is required, the acolyte takes 
  control of them before opening the gate to 
  let them out .
  Rune of Heedren Control 
  School enchantment; Level sorcerer/wizard 5 
  CASTING 
  Casting Time 10 minutes
  Components V, S, M (a heedren stone)
  EFFECT 
  Range touch
  Target one humanoid
  Duration permanent
  Saving Throw Will negates (harmless)
  DESCRIPTION 
  When you cast this spell, a runelike tattoo 
  appears on a part of the target’s body 
  you specify. This tattoo gives the target a 
  power that functions 
  like the dominate 
  person spell, except 
  that it affects only 
  heedrens . To activate 
  this power the target 
  must 
  show 
  the 
  rune to the heedren 
  and concentrate on 
  taking control of it (a 
  move action) .
  The target controls 
  the heedren just as 
  he 
  would 
  control 
  a person with the 
  dominate 
  person 
  spell . The heedren does not resist this control 
  unless forced to act against its nature .
  The target can simultaneously control 
  multiple heedrens; the rune allows him to 
  control 1 heedren, plus 1 heedren per 5 caster 
  levels . This spell can be cast on the same 
  target more than once, allowing additional 
  heedrens to be controlled . Either way, each 
  heedren must be controlled individually, 
  requiring separate actions to change orders 
  or give new commands .
  The Acolyte: In the wide corridor between 
  the top of the steps and the archway is a sort 
  of guard post, defined by little more than 
  a table and a couple of chairs, and serving 
  both as a security station for the asylum 
  and a place to keep an eye on the deadly 
  heedrens kept within the adjacent chamber . 
  This area is always watched over by one of 
  the Blind Cabal’s acolytes, typically aided 
  by one of their slaves .
  Currently (assuming they have not 
  reacted to the PCs’ actions elsewhere), the 
  two lounge in chairs beside the table here . 
  The acolyte has dozed off, relying on the 
  slave to alert him to any trouble .
  The slave is a human commoner, dressed 
  in ragged peasant clothing . The acolyte 
  appears to be a Medium-sized creature of 
  human-like build, but is dressed in a floor-
  length robe complete with head-covering 
  hood and gloves, so no racial details are 
  visible . The robe is white, but covered 
  densely with embroidered eyes, creating a 
  disconcerting appearance . He has a whip .
  If the slave notices the PCs, he immediately 
  rouses the acolyte, who acts the following 
  round . The acolyte commands the slave to 
  hold back the PCs while the acolyte goes to 
  the gate to fetch two heedrens, which takes 
  him a full round . The acolyte commands the 
  heedrens to attack, pointing the palm of one 
  hand at them while giving them a crack of the 
  
  61
  whip with the other . He then loiters behind 
  the heedrens, entering combat only if pressed . 
  As commanded by the acolyte, the 
  heedrens pick up their earthbreakers 
  (stacked against the wall opposite the table), 
  and fight, moving forward to smash away at 
  the PCs until destroyed .
  The Heedrens (2): hp 30
  If it appears that one of the heedrens is 
  near death, the acolyte retreats into the 
  chamber to fetch the last heedren . (He is 
  only able to control up to two of them at 
  once.) He fights only when the heedrens are 
  near destruction, and only after ordering 
  the slave into combat . Use the stats for the 
  acolyte in area 17 . For the slave, use the stats 
  for a porter (human commoner 1) .
  Blind Cabal Acolyte: hp 26 
  Slave: hp 4 
  If the PCs defeat and unmask the acolyte, 
  they find a man missing his right eye. He 
  has a strange rune tattooed onto the palm of 
  his left hand .
  revisiT
  If the PCs leave the Blind Cabal asylum for 
  more than two hours without destroying 
  Girrenmoor, or if they leave the asylum for 
  more than two days regardless, the Blind Cabal 
  replace the heedrens in the barn with new ones 
  from area 39, and post a new acolyte guard . 
  This new guard will not be caught napping .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 29, 
  31, and 36 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  31. The forge (el 7)
  Summary: This fiery chamber guards the 
  entrance to and from the Blind Cabal’s 
  underground lair .
  Sights and Sounds: This area was built by 
  an unknown race a very long time ago, and 
  is scaled for creatures much larger than 
  humans . The ceiling is vaulted, reaching 30 
  feet high in the center . The area is lit by two 
  fires--large by human standards, but fitting 
  the scale of this room . Upon entering the 
  area, the PCs see the following .
  A sizeable, vaulted room straddles the wide 
  hallway, lit luridly by the flames of two large, high 
  hearths. Each sports a hot fire on banked coals, 
  suggesting some sort of forge but there are no tools 
  or workbenches. Other than a round, high-walled 
  pool in the center of the room and a modest quantity 
  of stacked firewood, the 
  area seems bare. 
  Attentive characters 
  may notice, with a 
  DC 19 Perception 
  check, 
  that 
  the 
  orange flames of 
  the fires seem out 
  of proportion to the 
  amount of fuel they 
  seem to be burning . 
  The fires appear to 
  be resting on grates 
  in the floors of the 
  hearths, suggesting 
  additional 
  fuel 
  below .
  The room is hot; for purposes of 
  environmental rules it is severe heat . PCs 
  entering into combat or other strenuous 
  activity within this room make their first 
  Fortitude saving throw after 3 rounds of 
  such activity, and then every 10 rounds 
  thereafter if they remain so engaged (DC 
  15; -4 penalty for heavy clothes or armor; 
  1d4 nonlethal damage plus the character 
  becomes fatigued) .
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear 
  quite ancient .
  The adjacent central corridors are 20 feet 
  wide with 25-foot ceilings . They are sparsely 
  lit by lanterns hanging from wall brackets, 
  providing sufficient light to move through 
  them but leaving most of the corridors 
  shadowed .
  
  62
  Background: This room once served as a 
  forge, some centuries ago . The Blind Cabal 
  doesn’t have much use for such a chamber, 
  but the fire elementals they found enslaved 
  within the forge’s hearths have proved 
  useful as guards for their lair .
  The Hearths and Pool: To the north and 
  south, very  two large, semi-circular hearths 
  are raised some four feet above floor level. 
  Each contains a fire elemental, which powers 
  the hearth . Below each hearth, accessed only 
  through a grill in its surface, is a fiery, oven-
  like space in which its elemental resides . 
  Each elemental is bound to its hearth, able to 
  remain within the oven-like space or move 
  out onto the hearth’s surface, but not able to 
  step beyond its edges .
  The elementals require no sustenance, 
  but the Blind Cabal find them more pliable 
  if provided with flammable materials on 
  which to gnaw, so they keep the elementals 
  supplied with a modest amount of firewood.
  In the center of the room is a round 
  quenching pool . Like the hearths, its edges 
  are roughly four feet high. The pool is filled 
  with slightly stagnant water .
  Climbing onto the hearths or into the 
  pool requires a move action .
  The Hearth Elementals: A large fire 
  elemental dwells in each hearth . These 
  creatures, 
  understandably 
  ill-tempered 
  after several centuries of imprisonment, are 
  bound within the hearths in much the same 
  way an efreet can be bound within a bottle.
  The elementals attack any creature that 
  reaches the midpoint of the room without 
  uttering a passphrase established by the 
  Blind Cabal: “Only the unseeing can see 
  all .” (Within the asylum, only the acolytes, 
  Blind Cabal members, and Al’Pershiea 
  (see room 33) know the passphrase . Other 
  denizens of the asylum do know, however, 
  that the elementals can be bypassed and the 
  exit reached via the lower passageways .)
  Although they cannot leave their hearths, 
  the elementals’ reach allows them to attack 
  almost anywhere in the room . Additionally, 
  the elementals benefit from the +1 bonus for 
  attacking from higher ground.
  Large Fire Elementals (2): hp 60
  Each elemental fights until reduced to 10 
  hp or fewer, at which point it withdraws to 
  the space beneath its hearth, leaving only a 
  flickering orange flame licking up through 
  the grate in the hearth surface .
  Development: Sounds of combat from this 
  room (or the shrieks of a character catching 
  fire) draw the attention of the acolyte in 
  area 30 (assuming he is still there) . It takes 2 
  rounds for the acolyte to arrive, along with 
  two heedrens . Once he arrives, however, he 
  watches from the western hallway, taking 
  no action unless one of the elementals is 
  defeated . If that happens, the acolyte orders 
  the heedrens to join the battle against the 
  PCs, watching and avoiding the battle 
  himself unless attacked or the heedrens 
  seem to be losing .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 30, 
  32, and 36 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum . 
  32. The fronT door (el 4)
  Summary: A staircase leads to a curtain of 
  mist . What’s on the other side--and can the 
  PCs survive long enough to find out?
  Sights and Sounds: Like most of the 
  Blind Cabal’s asylum, this area is scaled 
  for creatures much larger than humans . 
  Ceilings are 25 feet high . The area is unlit, 
  although a very small amount of reddish 
  light from the fires in area 31 spills into 
  this area (unless the PCs have extinguished 
  them). Assuming they have sufficient light, 
  the PCs see the following .
  The chthonian passageway leads to a chamber 
  with large alcoves to the east and west and an 
  enormous set of giant-scales stairs ascending 
  to the south, stairs that end some twenty feet 
  above in a curtain of mist. In the center of the 
  chamber, floating motionless at shoulder height, 
  a glistening eyeball nearly the size of a round 
  shield casts its cold, unblinking gaze upon you. 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-crafted 
  stonework, although they appear quite ancient. 
  The small, lower corridors have 15-foot ceilings 
  and are very sparsely lit by hanging lanterns.
  Background: This is the entrance to the 
  Blind 
  Cabal’s 
  underground 
  asylum; 
  from here, if one has a key, one can exit 
  these passageways into the world above . 
  Perilously, though--the entrance is rigged 
  with a series of traps to keep the outside 
  world out, and the Cabal’s servants (of all 
  descriptions) imprisoned within .
  The Floating Eye: Hovering five feet above 
  the center of the intersection is a permanent 
  
  63
  image of a large (roughly a foot across) eyeball . 
  The image has the uncanny characteristic that 
  its iris appears to be focused on the viewer, 
  regardless of angle . (Thus, for example, one 
  viewer to the north of the intersection will 
  see the eye looking at him, while another 
  viewer to the east will also perceive herself 
  as the focus of the eye’s gaze .)
  The Secret Door: The eastern alcove contains 
  a secret door (Perception DC 24) . This door 
  is not nearly as large as most of the upper 
  passageways, standing only fifteen feet tall 
  and less than ten feet wide . Although it is 
  difficult to spot, the secret door is not locked, 
  and once discovered may be opened normally .
  Behind the secret door, a staircase descends 
  into the network of lower passageways . More 
  accurately, two staircases 
  descend, side-by-side (and 
  with no dividing rail) . One 
  has steps roughly two feet 
  tall and two feet deep, while 
  the other has two steps for 
  every one of the first, scaling 
  it more or less appropriately 
  for Medium-sized creatures . 
  The half of the staircase 
  with the large steps counts 
  as difficult terrain.
  The Curtain of Mist: The 
  staircase to the south ascends 
  twenty feet to end in a curtain 
  of mist . The steps of this 
  staircase are each roughly 
  two feet high and two feet 
  deep . The staircase counts 
  as difficult terrain. Creatures 
  on or atop the steps benefit from the +1 bonus 
  for attacking from higher ground when 
  attacking creatures below them.
  Just short of the curtain, a bronze plaque 
  is set in the eastern wall . The plaque has 
  an indentation in the shape of an eight-
  sided star roughly four inches across . This 
  indentation matches the amulet worn by 
  Girrenmoor, Yesselendra, and other Blind 
  Cabal members (but not by the acolytes) .
  The mist is very dense, blocking all sight 
  through it . It is a magical portal that acts 
  very much like a permanent teleportation 
  circle, except that it is activated by walking 
  through the mist, rather than stepping within 
  a circle . However, it only functions if, prior 
  to use, one of the amulets is pressed into the 
  indentation within the plaque . This activates 
  the curtain for 1 minute . Creatures passing 
  through the mist when the teleportation 
  effect is active arrive in area 40. Creatures 
  walking or reaching into the mist when it is 
  not active find a stone wall roughly two feet 
  beyond the mist’s surface .
  The Traps: The chamber is guarded by 
  two traps, both activated by proximity to 
  the floating the eye. The first is a web trap 
  (see below) . It is activated 1 round after any 
  creature size Tiny or larger moves to within 
  10 feet of the eye, unless that creature first 
  utters the Cabal’s passphrase (“Only the 
  unseeing can see all”) .
  The web trap is followed by a Breath of 
  Despair trap . Use the stats given, except that 
  the trap has an onset delay of 3 rounds, thereby 
  taking effect 2 rounds after the web trap.
  WEB TRAP  CR 2 
  XP 600 
  Type magic; Perception DC 27; Disable 
  Device DC 27
  EFFECTS 
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Onset Delay 1 
  round; Reset automatic (30 minutes)
  Effect spell effect (web; DC 16 Reflex save); 
  multiple targets (all targets in 20-ft . rad . spread)
  Development: Loud sounds (shouts and the 
  like) from this area draw the attention of the 
  acolyte in area 30 (assuming he is still there) . It 
  takes 3 rounds for the acolyte to arrive, along 
  with two heedrens . Once he arrives the acolyte 
  orders the heedrens to attack the PCs, watching 
  and avoiding the battle himself unless attacked 
  or the heedrens seem to be losing .
  
  64
  revisiT
  The trap resets in 30 minutes .
  Connections: This area connects to area 31 
  and area 33 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  33. The slave holds (el 7)
  Summary: Here, in dank tunnels beneath 
  the Blind Cabal’s cthonian chambers, their 
  slaves live in squalor--but they are not alone .
  Sights and Sounds: This is the heart of the 
  lower passages that serve the Blind Cabal’s 
  asylum . Like the rest of the complex, these 
  passages were built centuries ago . However, 
  they were scaled not for the gigantic 
  inhabitants of the upper areas, but rather 
  their Medium-sized slaves and servants .
  Ceilings in the lower passages are barrel 
  vaulted, peaking at 15 feet high (tall enough to 
  admit Large creatures, but not comfortably). All 
  staircases are double-scaled, with two sets of steps 
  side-by-side (and with no dividing rail). To one 
  side, the steps are roughly two feet tall and two feet 
  deep, while the other has two steps for every one of 
  the first, scaling it more or less appropriately for 
  Medium-sized creatures. The side with the large 
  steps counts as difficult terrain.
  The lower passages are generally sparsely 
  lit, with lanterns casting pools of light at rare 
  intervals. Area 33, however, is more consistently 
  lit, with lanterns providing a dim yellow light 
  throughout. The PCs see the following.
  A long chamber is lined with deep alcoves; a 
  smoky fire smolders on a low hearth at its center. 
  Lying in various spot on the floor are a variety 
  of huddled, downtrodden humanoids dressed in 
  rags. The only colorful garb in the room is bright 
  orange stripes of the pelt of a large tiger that lays 
  calmly near the fire, not unlike a gigantic housecat. 
  Al’Pershiea, the tiger, is exceptionally 
  attentive (Perception +16) and may very well 
  detect the PCs as they approach . If so, add 
  the following to the PCs’ initial impression 
  of the room .
  The big cat looks up at you, lazily, and speaks. 
  “Well, hello,” it says in Common. “You are 
  new here. Have you come looking for a job--” he 
  pauses, glancing at some of the nearby slaves, 
  “or do you have other business?” 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear 
  quite ancient .
  Background: The original use of many of the 
  chambers within the Blind Cabal’s asylum 
  has been forgotten, but this is not one of them. 
  Originally built as quarters for the slaves or 
  servants of the stronghold’s creators, it is used 
  for exactly the same purpose by the Blind 
  Cabal . A dozen or so wretched slaves live 
  here when not on duty elsewhere, sleeping 
  in damp alcoves and warming themselves 
  around a smoldering fire.
  The Alcoves: Ten alcoves line this room, 
  which is otherwise little more than a wide 
  hallway . The southwest alcove is Creena’s 
  chamber . That entrance is blocked by 
  an embroidered curtain, and inside is a 
  comfortable bed (strewn with silk sheets and 
  warm, colorfully embroidered blankets), a 
  chest full of expensive clothing, and a large 
  polished mirror .
  The remaining alcoves are the sleeping 
  spaces of the cabal’s slaves . They contain 
  little other than ragged, moth-eaten blankets 
  and a few worthless personal items tucked 
  into corners .
  Al’Pershiea: The large tiger lying in 
  the middle of the room is Al’Pershiea, a 
  dweomercat . Al’Pershiea is a servant, of 
  sorts, of the Blind Cabal--a creature who has 
  aligned himself with the organization due 
  
  65
  to an attraction to and interest in the cabal’s 
  magic and the rifts below the asylum .
  Although he does the group’s bidding 
  in exchange for harmoniously sharing 
  the asylum and proximity to their work, 
  Al’Pershiea does not share the Blind Cabal’s 
  insanity, lust for power, or ultimate goals . 
  He is ambivalent regarding their cruelty and 
  desire to destroy human institutions; the 
  lives of most mundane mortals are utterly 
  inconsequential to him .
  Al’Pershiea’s love for and loyalty to the 
  Blind Cabal does not run deep, though he is 
  very interested in their work and is inclined to 
  defend their asylum from those who would 
  interrupt it . He also has a particular fondness 
  for Creena, the Master of the Slaves, and 
  will take a strongly negative stance toward 
  the PCs if he becomes aware they have 
  harmed or killed her . All that said, physical 
  violence is not his first resort and PCs who 
  try diplomacy can reason with him .
  If the PCs parlay with Al’Pershiea, a 
  Diplomacy check (DC 18) improves his 
  attitude toward them from Indifferent to 
  Friendly--at which point he’s willing to 
  answer questions, so long as he gets some 
  information in return . Al’Pershiea is fully 
  versed in the cabal’s activities and ultimate 
  goals, but he knows that the group is secretive 
  about these subjects and that they’re likely to 
  create alarm in mortals such as the PCs . He 
  is therefore more forthcoming about minor 
  topics (how heedrens are created, or how 
  long the cabal has been using the asylum) 
  than broader ones (the Blind Cabal’s plans 
  to undermine the Church of Pendar) .
  He also know the passphrases and methods 
  for exiting the asylum, and can be convinced 
  to share those with the PCs if it seems they 
  intend to leave the asylum--though he does 
  not have a key to the exit in area 32 .
  For his part, Al’Pershiea is interested in 
  rooting out the PCs’ purpose for being in the 
  asylum . He is more forthcoming (especially 
  about helping the PCs leave the asylum) 
  if he believes the PCs are simply treasure 
  hunters who have stumbled into the asylum 
  via the Garlenthatir’s tomb than if he has 
  any reason to believe the PCs have come 
  specifically to stymie the Blind Cabal.
  If he discovers that the PCs have killed 
  or seriously harmed Creena, Al’Pershiea’s 
  attitude immediately shifts to Hostile.
  If the situation progresses to combat, 
  Al’Pershiea conjures an antimagic field as 
  he falls back behind a line of slaves, ordering 
  them to defend them . He then uses his 
  dweomer leap to attack the first spellcaster 
  who targets him .
  The slaves ordered to defend Al’Pershiea 
  move 
  between 
  him 
  and 
  the 
  PCs 
  trepidatiously, picking up knives, pokers, 
  and similar household implements . They 
  fight defensively (+2 to AC; -4 to attacks); 
  once any of them are killed, the others fight 
  using total defense (+4 to AC as a full-round 
  action) . Use the stats for barmaids and 
  porters for the slaves .
  Al’Pershiea: hp 85 
  Slave (4): hp 7 
  Slave (5): hp 4
  Al’Pershiea 
  focuses 
  his 
  attacks 
  on 
  spellcasters first, fighting cannily and taking 
  advantage of opportunities that present 
  themselves to attack other characters. If his 
  hit points drop below 20 he uses dimension 
  door to move to area 29, hoping to enlist 
  Creena’s aid. If he finds evidence of her 
  death there, he immediately returns to this 
  area via dimension door, appearing in one 
  of the alcoves in an attempt to surprise the 
  PCs . From that point on, his goal will be to 
  utterly destroy them.
  Connections: This area connects to areas 29, 
  32, and 34 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  34. The grand hall (el 8)
  Summary: The grand hall, once the hub 
  of a thriving complex, now stands unused 
  and apparently empty . But in the dark, 
  unnatural eyes watch all who come and go .
  Sights and Sounds: This area was built 
  by an unknown race a very long time ago 
  and is scaled for creatures much larger 
  than humans . The ceiling in the great 
  hall is 35 feet high, while ceilings in the 
  adjoining chambers are 25 feet high . The 
  area is lit by lanterns hanging from wall 
  brackets roughly 20 feet overhead, creating 
  a generally adequate level of lighting with 
  some dimmer areas . Upon entering the area, 
  the PCs see the following .
  A cavernous chamber extends toward a large, 
  flat dais. Thick columns run along both sides, 
  but between them you can make out one or two 
  openings. A faint, foul odor permeates the room. 
  
  66
  Two rift-grafted horrors (see below) stand 
  against the north and south walls . The 
  columns and dim light block them from 
  casual view, but a character examining the 
  room carefully, or moving more than 10 feet 
  into it, will have a good chance to see them 
  (DC 10 Perception check) . If they do, add 
  the following .
  An odd creature stands stock-still against 
  the wall, staring blankly out into the room. 
  But what sort of creature? That’s difficult to 
  determine: A biped, for certain, and not much 
  bigger than a man. But with fur and chiton, legs 
  and mandibles, it is more an unholy amalgam 
  than any one thing. 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear quite 
  ancient. All furnishings are scaled for typical 
  Medium-sized humanoids.
  Background: This hall was the nerve center 
  of this ancient complex, back when it was 
  occupied by its original creators . It now 
  serves as the center of the Blind Cabal’s living 
  quarters . The central chamber is a great hall, 
  probably moderate in size for its creators, 
  but almost gymnasium-like for Medium 
  sized humanoids . Three side chambers act as 
  bedrooms for the cabal: Two relatively smaller 
  chambers to the south, and a great chamber 
  (area 35) to the north . All have connections 
  to the lower passageways, the entrances to 
  which are behind concealed doors .
  The Bedchambers: Two chambers connect 
  to the great hall from the south . Each serves 
  as a bedroom for the Blind Cabal members 
  currently living in the asylum . Currently, 
  the eastern chamber is in use by Girrenmoor 
  (see below), while the western chamber is 
  used by Yesselendra .
  Girrenmoor’s chamber features a rich 
  carpet, a bed, and two storage chests 
  containing personal items . The furnishings 
  are ornate, orderly, and meticulously clean, 
  but the sheer scale of the room still gives 
  it a spartan feel . On the wall hang a small 
  tapestry threaded with platinum (worth 
  1,000 gp) and a silver mirror set with star 
  rose quartz (700 gp); the motifs of these art 
  objects clearly mark them as coming from 
  Garlenthatir’s hoard .
  Yesselendra’s chamber also features a 
  bed and a large chest and also seems under-
  furnished by the scale of the chamber . But 
  it’s the polar opposite in upkeep: The bed 
  is unmade, blankets and robes are scattered 
  across the floor, the chest sits opened and 
  is a jumble within, and the walls are even 
  marked with insane scrawlings in chalk 
  and charcoal . Buried in the chest, seemingly 
  forgotten, is a headband of alluring charisma 
  +2; its archaic markings indicate it was taken 
  from Garlenthatir’s hoard .
  The Lower Passageways: Entrances from 
  the lower passageways serve the great hall 
  and the two bedchambers . Each entrance 
  lies behind a secret door (Perception DC 
  24) . These doors are not nearly as large as 
  most of the ones in the upper passageways, 
  standing only fifteen feet tall and less than 
  ten feet wide .
  A staircase leads from each secret 
  door, descending to the network of 
  lower 
  passageways . 
  More 
  accurately, 
  two staircases, side-by-side (and with 
  no dividing rail), descend . One has steps 
  roughly two feet tall and two feet deep, while 
  the other has two steps for every one of the 
  first, scaling it more or less appropriately 
  for Medium-sized creatures . The half of 
  the staircase with the large steps counts as 
  difficult terrain.
  The Chamber Guards: Two rift-grafted 
  horrors stand guard in this hall, one against 
  
  67
  the middle of the north wall and the other 
  against the middle of the south wall (near 
  the secret door). They attack any creature 
  that enters room although, with their low 
  Perception scores, they may not notice until 
  interlopers are well into the room .
  The rift-grafted horrors were created by 
  the Surgeon by sewing together various 
  living creatures and then exposing them 
  to the rifts far below the necropolis . Each 
  is unique in appearance but essentially the 
  same statistically . Use the stats for a carrion 
  golem, except that the “disease” carried is 
  actually an effect of the Realm of Echoes that 
  distorts the body and endangers the mind . 
  Use the stats for Vorel’s Phage to represent 
  this illness .
  Rift-Grafted Horrors (2): hp 42 (use Vorel’s 
  Phage for disease)
  Girrenmoor: Two members of the Blind 
  Cabal are home in these quarters . One is 
  encountered in the great chamber, but the 
  other, Girrenmoor, currently rests in the 
  southeastern chamber . Plambten (the cabalist 
  in area 35) will not enter the grand hall, 
  but Girrenmoor reacts to any loud activity 
  (particularly combat) in this chamber .
  Girrenmoor is one of the more sane 
  Blind Cabal members, in appearance and 
  manner at least . If he detects combat in 
  the grand hall, he acts to prepare himself 
  before entering. He first casts mage armor 
  on himself, then alter self (changing himself 
  just enough to create the appearance that his 
  has eyes) . He then enters the hall and shouts 
  for all combatants to stop fighting.
  A tall, dark-skinned man in a white robe 
  appears from one of the archways . “Stop!” 
  he shouts. The horrific creatures pause 
  briefly, seemingly in obeisance. 
  The rift-grafted horrors obey the order 
  unless the PCs continue to attack.
  Girrenmoor is a tall, dark-skinned human 
  man with a close-cropped black beard . He 
  wears a floor-length white robe covered 
  densely with embroidered eyes, creating a 
  disconcerting appearance . It is noticeably 
  more ornate than those of the acolytes . 
  Assuming the PCs stop fighting the chamber 
  guards, he makes a pretense of parlaying 
  with them, adopting a stern but conciliatory 
  tone . He seems interested in making peace 
  with the PCs, although justifiably concerned 
  about their attack on his home.
  His 
  real 
  interest, 
  however, 
  lies 
  in 
  discovering who the PCs are and why they are 
  here--in particular, whether they are agents 
  of the Church of Pendar or other authorities, 
  sent to disrupt the Blind Cabal’s plans . Once 
  he is satisfied he knows the answer to that 
  question (one way or the other), he resumes 
  the attack on the PCs, preferably in a way 
  that takes them by surprise .
  In combat, Girrenmoor uses deep slumber 
  to neutralize one or more of the PCs . 
  His favorite tactic, however, is attacking 
  with excruciating deformation . He takes 
  advantage of his long limbs’ ability to hit 
  opponents with touch attacks while taking 
  cover behind the chamber guards . His love 
  of the spell and its effects, however, are 
  such that he will take foolish risks to get the 
  opportunity to use it .
  Girrenmoor fights with determination, 
  shouting for help from the guard in area 30, 
  but not leaving the fight until killed.
  GIRRENMOOR 
  CR 6 
  Male Human Sorcerer 7 
  CE Medium humanoid (human) 
  Init +5; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., Perception +11
  DEFENSE 
  AC  11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 
  hp  41 (7d6+14)
  Fort  +4, Ref +3, Will +6
  Resist cold 10
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft . (10 ft . for melee touch 
  attacks)
  Special Attacks acidic ray (1d6+3), long limbs
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th):
  3rd (5/day) - deep slumber (DC 18), excruciating 
  deformation (DC 19), tongues (DC 18) 
  2nd (7/day) - acid arrow, alter self, see 
  invisibility
  1st (8/day) - alarm, burning hands (DC 16), 
  charm person (DC 16), feather fall, mage armor, 
  enlarge person (DC 17)
  STATISTICS 
  Str 11, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 21 
  Base Atk  +3; CMB +3; CMD 14 
  Feats Combat Casting, Craft Wondrous 
  Item, 
  Deceitful, 
  Eschew 
  Materials, 
  Improved Initiative, Silent Spell, Spell Focus 
  (Transmutation)
  Skills Bluff +17, Knowledge (arcana) +10, 
  Knowledge (planes) +4, Spellcraft +10, Use 
  Magic Device +11
  
  68
  Languages  Common
  Special 
  Qualities 
  aberrant 
  bloodline, 
  bloodline arcane, cantrips
  Possessions ring of minor cold resistance, 
  bronze amulet in the shape of an eight-sided 
  star (key that allows exit from the asylum 
  via area 32)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Acidic Ray (Su): Girrenmoor can fire an 
  acidic ray as a standard action, targeting 
  any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch 
  attack. This ray deals 1d6+3 points of acid 
  damage . Girrenmoor can use this ability 8 
  times per day . 
  Bloodline Arcana: Whenever Girrenmoor 
  casts a spell of the polymorph subschool, 
  increase the duration of the spell by 50% 
  (minimum 1 round) . 
  Long Limbs (Ex): Girrenmoor’s reach 
  increases by 5 feet whenever he makes a 
  melee touch attack. This ability does not 
  increase his threatened area .
  Development: Girrenmoor’s shouts for 
  help draw the attention of the acolyte in 
  area 30 (assuming he is still there) . It takes 
  3 rounds for the acolyte to arrive, along 
  with two heedrens . Once he arrives, the 
  acolyte orders the heedrens to join the battle 
  against the PCs, entering the fight himself if 
  Girrenmoor is in trouble .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 29, 
  30, 33, and 35 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum . 
  35. garlenThaTir’s 
  legaCy (el 7)
  Summary: The treasure of the ancient 
  minotaur king is finally in sight. But what is 
  this horror that lies before it?
  Sights and Sounds: This area was built by 
  an unknown race a very long time ago, and 
  is scaled for creatures much larger than 
  humans . The ceiling is 25 feet high . The 
  area is lit by lanterns hanging from wall 
  brackets roughly 20 feet overhead, creating 
  a generally moderate level of lighting with 
  some dimmer areas . Upon entering the area, 
  the PCs see the following .
  This large room is outfitted as a luxurious 
  living quarters, although the heavy and ornate 
  furnishings are dwarfed by the scale of the space. 
  To the north, an archway leads into another, 
  smaller space, where gold gleams in the dim light. 
  But the shine of jewels and gilded minotaur-
  shaped statuary cannot hold your eye, for on the 
  bed against the northern wall rests the distended, 
  corpulent form of the largest man you’ve ever 
  seen--a man whose face is eyeless, but who looks 
  out through dozens of red, alien eyes scattered at 
  random across his body. 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear quite 
  ancient. All furnishings are scaled for typical 
  Medium-sized humanoids.
  Background: This room was surely created 
  by its builders as the great chamber of their 
  leader, and the Blind Cabal has used it in 
  the same manner . In recent months it has 
  been occupied by Plambten, one of the Blind 
  Cabal’s founding members . Until recently 
  Plambten has been a vibrant force in the 
  cabal, but long exposure to the Realm of 
  Echoes has caught up with him and he has 
  been suffering from a debilitating process of 
  transformation that has seen his body swell 
  enormously, sprouting dozens of alien 
  eyes (as if he was affected by a permanent 
  countless eyes spell--or perhaps not so 
  permanent, for Plambten’s transformation 
  is entering its final phase).
  The Lower Passageways: An entrance to the 
  lower passageways lies behind a secret door 
  (Perception DC 24) . This door is not nearly 
  as large as most of the ones in the upper 
  passageways, standing only fifteen feet tall 
  and less than ten feet wide .
  A staircase leads from the secret door, 
  descending into the network of lower 
  passageways . 
  More 
  accurately, 
  two 
  staircases, 
  side-by-side 
  (and 
  with 
  no 
  dividing rail), descend . One has steps 
  roughly two feet tall and two feet deep, while 
  the other has two steps for every one of the 
  first, scaling it more or less appropriately 
  for Medium-sized creatures . The half of 
  the staircase with the large steps counts as 
  difficult terrain.
  Garlenthatir’s Treasure: The room to the 
  north of the main chamber has seen use as 
  a secondary bedchamber, for use by cabal 
  members who are not permanently stationed 
  in the asylum . More recently, though, the cabal 
  has turned it into a storeroom for the treasures 
  taken from Garlenthatir’s tomb . While some 
  of Garlenthatir’s loot has been removed, spent, 
  
  69
  or disseminated among the cabal members, a 
  large portion of it remains here .
  The treasure value totals 35,350 gp, and it 
  consists of the following:
  * adamantine morningstar (3,008 gp)
  * +1 falchion (2,375 gp)
  * +2 heavy steel shield (4,320 gp)
  * +1 mithral chain shirt (2,100 gp)
  * +2 breastplate (4,350 gp)
  * quartz wand of scorching ray (25 charges; 
  2,250 gp)
  * pearl-handled steel wand of blink (5 
  charges; 1,125 gp)
  * dusty rose prism ioun stone (5,000 gp)
  * divine scroll (helping hand; CL 5, 375 gp)
  * arcane scroll (blindness/deafness; CL 3, 150gp)
  * Gems totaling 3,272 gp: 2 blue sapphires 
  (1,000 gp each), golden yellow topaz (600 
  gp), tourmaline (90 gp), white pearl (90 gp), 
  sardonyx (80 gp), iolite (70 gp), sardonyx (60 
  gp), iolite (60 gp), carnelian (60 gp), zircon 
  (50 gp), bloodstone (50 gp), onyx (40 gp), 
  azurite (12 gp), banded agate (10 gp)
  * Art pieces totaling 740 gp: fine steel mask 
  inlaid with brass (600 gp), bronze headpiece 
  inlaid with gold (140 gp)
  * 240 pp, 1,853 gp, 220 sp, 1,000 cp
  Plambten: One of the founding members of 
  the Blind Cabal, Plambten was once a cleric 
  of considerable power. He has suffered 
  (although he and his cabal comrades may not 
  see it that way) from excessive psychic and 
  physical exposure to the Realm of Echoes, 
  however, and is now paying the price as he 
  undergoes a hideous transformation .
  The naked form propped up on the 
  sagging bed is a mountain of a man--a 
  fleshy, elephantine form so engorged that 
  his features are almost indistinguishable . 
  His pale flesh is coated with a thin, runny, 
  reddish fluid that seems to ooze from his skin. 
  While the flesh over his empty eye sockets 
  has been crudely sewn shut, he regards 
  you nonetheless through dozens of red, 
  alien eyes that have opened up seemingly 
  at random all over his body . “Behold!” he 
  says, forcing the words through his thick 
  lips . “The fruits of our great labor . Join us 
  and reap the wonders of the new age we 
  bring to this world!” 
  Plambten is immobile, unable to move 
  under the weight of his transformation . 
  Observant characters (Perception, DC 14) 
  might notice that even small shifts of his body 
  cause tears in his flesh, from which 
  more of the pale, reddish fluid seeps. 
  He is no longer able to cast spells, and 
  is certainly in no shape to engage in 
  combat . Instead, he exhorts the PCs 
  to understand the glories offered by 
  the Realm of Echoes, speaking in a 
  slurred but oddly joyous voice as he 
  describes the future he and the cabal 
  envision for the material world . Most 
  of what he says is incoherent, though, 
  growing increasingly so over just a 
  few rounds .
  If Plambten sees characters looting 
  Garlenthatir’s treasure or otherwise 
  desecrating the cabal’s trappings, or 
  if he is attacked or severely agitated, 
  the final stage of his transformation 
  is triggered . His skin begins to split 
  and his head lolls . The body tears 
  and begins to slough away, revealing an 
  amorphous, tentacular form that quickly rises 
  up from the bloody remains of Plambten’s 
  body . In his new form, Plambten’s ability to 
  reason and act rationally have been forever 
  lost, and he has become a ravenous chaos 
  beast with no goal or ideology other than 
  the amorphous dissolution of every living 
  being he can affect.
  Chaos Beast: hp 85
  The chaos beast attacks until it is destroyed 
  or the PCs are driven away .
  Connections: This area connects to area 33 
  and area 34 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  
  70
  36. The WalkWay (el 6)
  Summary: At the entrance to the Blind Cabal’s 
  inner sanctum, the corridor narrows, with 
  deep pits to either side . What’s down there?
  Sights and Sounds: This area was built by 
  an unknown race a very long time ago, and 
  is scaled for creatures much larger than 
  humans . Ceilings are 25 feet high . This area 
  is unlit, although some dim light spills in 
  from the corridors to the east and south . 
  Assuming they have sufficient light, the PCs 
  see the following .
  Where the corridor reaches this large, square 
  room the floor abruptly narrows to just 10 feet 
  wide. To either side, it falls away into deep pits, 
  at the bottoms of which can just be made out as 
  being covered by a scattering of debris. 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear quite 
  ancient. The pits are 30 feet deep. The walkway 
  that runs between them has no railings.
  The adjacent central corridors are 20 feet wide 
  and share the chamber’s 25-foot high ceiling. 
  They are sparsely lit by lanterns hanging from 
  wall brackets, providing sufficient light to move 
  through them confidently but leaving most of the 
  corridors shadowed.
  Background: Like many chambers in the 
  asylum, the purpose that drove the creators 
  to build this one is unknown . Perhaps, like 
  the Blind Cabal use it now, they intended 
  it as a sort of barrier between the more 
  mundane rooms to east and those, to the 
  west with more arcane and sinister purposes . 
  It serves to keep the slaves and servants 
  out of those the area--but perhaps even 
  more importantly, it might help contain the 
  contents of those rooms, as well .
  The Walkway: A 10-foot-wide walkway 
  connects this area’s eastern entrance to the 
  southern . It is not a bridge; the stone on 
  which is sits extends all the way down to the 
  bottom of the room, forming a wall between 
  the pits on either side .
  The Pits: The pits are just what they 
  appear to be: two separate holes, 
  each 30 feet deep . Any creature 
  falling into a pit takes normal falling 
  damage--3d6 damage (2d6 with a 
  DC 15 Acrobatics check)--and lands 
  prone . The smooth walls of the pits 
  are difficult to climb (Climb DC 
  25), though the earth elementals 
  can easily exit by passing into the 
  base of the walkway and using 
  their earth glide ability to burrow 
  to its surface .
  The floors of the pits are scattered with 
  bones, rocks, bits of ancient armor, and, in the 
  larger pit, a dusty pair of bracers of armor +1 .
  The Elemental Trap: This area is, of course, 
  trapped . The trap is triggered by any 
  creature passing through or over the 10-
  foot square at the corner of the walkway . 
  The trap summons two medium earth 
  elementals; they appear at the ends of the 
  walkway (presumably with the individual 
  who triggered the trap between them) and 
  attack immediately.
  SUMMON MONSTER TRAP    CR 6 
  XP 2,400
  Type magic; Perception DC 30; Disable 
  Device DC 30
  EFFECTS 
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (summon monster V, 
  summons 2 Medium earth elementals)
  The Monsters: The elementals immediately 
  attack, attempting to bull rush opponents 
  down into the pits . They use their earth glide 
  ability to move through the floor, always 
  attempting to keep their opponents on the 
  walkway between them (and thus subject 
  to being bull rushed into the pits) . Any 
  opponent knocked into the pits is largely 
  ignored so long as additional opponents 
  remain on the walkway . If all the PCs are 
  knocked down (or otherwise leave the area), 
  the elementals then attack those down in the 
  pit, fighting until killed or all opponents are 
  knocked to below 0 hp .
  Medium Earth Elementals (2): hp 34
  
  71
  The earth elementals do not leave the immediate 
  area, pursuing opponents no more than 30 feet 
  down the passageways in either direction .
  Development: Loud sounds (shouts and the 
  like) made this area draw the attention of the 
  acolyte in area 30 (assuming he is still there) . It 
  takes 3 rounds for the acolyte to arrive, along 
  with two heedrens . Once he arrives, the acolyte 
  orders the heedrens to attack the PCs, watching 
  and avoiding the battle himself unless attacked 
  or the heedrens seem to be losing .
  Upping the Ante: This is a tricky encounter . 
  Depending on the PCs’ capabilities, what 
  encounters they’ve had recently, and how they 
  immediately react to this challenge, it could go 
  easily for them or end very, very badly . If your 
  group is well-prepared and you’d like to make 
  it a bit tougher, upgrade the trap to a summon 
  monster VI trap . This increases the trap CR to 
  7, increases the Perception and Disable Device 
  DCs to 31, and allows you to add one or two 
  additional medium elementals (your choice) . 
  Adding air elementals (with their whirlwind 
  ability), rather than more earth elementals, 
  could really spice up the encounter . This 
  upgrade is not recommended if the PCs have 
  not already neutralized the threat from area 30 .
  Medium Air Elementals (2): hp 34 
  revisiT
  The trap does not automatically reset, but if the 
  PCs leave the asylum for more than two days 
  one of the Blind Cabal members recreates it .
  Connections: This area connects to areas 30, 
  31, and 37 . 
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  37. The prison (el varies)
  Summary: A set of rusty iron cages dangles 
  over a deep, water-filled pit. What do they 
  contain--and what plans do the Blind Cabal 
  have for their contents?
  Sights and Sounds: Like most of the Blind 
  Cabal’s asylum, this chamber is scaled for 
  creatures much larger than humans . The 
  ceiling matches that of adjacent areas, 25 
  feet above floor level at the entrance from 
  area 36 . The area is lit by lanterns hanging 
  from wall brackets roughly 20 feet over the 
  ledge, creating a generally moderate level of 
  lighting near the top, but leaving the lower 
  reaches of the chamber in shadow . Upon 
  entering the area, the PCs see the following .
  The stone floor of the corridor gives way to 
  a wooden platform overlooking a room perhaps 
  forty feet across but three times that deep. Stairs 
  descend from the landing into the dimly lit space, 
  spiraling down as they follow the vault’s walls. 
  At various heights in the center of the shaft-like 
  chamber, four iron box-like cages hang from the 
  ceiling overhead on heavy, rusted chains. Far 
  below, the chamber floor is covered by black, 
  filmy water. 
  The walls of this area are well-crafted 
  stonework, although they appear quite ancient. 
  The platform and stairs are made of sturdy wood. 
  The stairs are scaled for typical Medium-sized 
  humanoids.
  Background: The Blind Cabal has made this 
  chamber into the prison in which they keep 
  victims bound for their hideous experiments . 
  The room’s original purpose is unknown .
  The Landings: A wooden staircase, about 
  eight feet wide, descends in a spiral along 
  the chamber wall . It features four landings, 
  one along each face of the wall: The eastern 
  wall (the entrance from area 36) at the top, 
  the northern wall (entrance to area 38) 20 
  feet below that, the western wall twenty feet 
  below that, and the southern wall (entrance 
  to area 39) 20 feet further down . That means 
  the stairs lead a total of 60 feet below the top 
  landing, with the lowest level about 40 feet 
  above the level of the water .
  The staircase and landing are sturdy 
  and edged with a three-foot railing, 
  but there is a gap in the railing at each 
  landing . A thick iron lever is set into the 
  wall opposite each gap .
  The Cages: Four cages are suspended from 
  the ceiling by chains, each cage is a cube 
  about 8 feet on a side . The cages can be raised 
  or lowered the full height of the chamber, 
  from the ceiling all the way down into the 
  water (which is a punishment sometimes 
  imposed upon difficult prisoners). Each 
  cage is controlled by one of the levers set in 
  the walls at the landings (on the map, the 
  location of the lever is indicated by the letter 
  that corresponds with the cage), such that 
  when the cage is brought to level with the 
  landing it aligns with the gap in the railing .
  The cages are locked with average 
  padlocks (Disable Device DC 25) . The locking 
  bolt can be broken (break DC 24, hardness 
  10, 20 hp) . None of the cage occupants have 
  any possessions except (where appropriate) 
  the ragged clothing they wear .
  
  72
  A. This cage aligns with and is controlled by 
  the lever on the eastern (topmost) landing . It 
  is currently 80 feet down, just 20 feet above 
  water level. The cage contains a griffon. The 
  creature is wet, injured (current hp 12), and 
  miserable, plus its wings are bound . It is 
  initially hostile and suspicious toward the 
  PCs, and attacks whatever character opens 
  the cage (even pecking at characters who grip 
  or climb on the cage’s outside, making bite 
  attacks at a -2 penalty for half damage). A DC 
  15 Handle Animal check calms it and gains 
  its cooperation (the griffon understands 
  Common, so any credible effort to explain 
  that the PCs will free it or are opposed to 
  the Blind Cabal gives the PCs a +4 bonus on 
  the check). If freed, the griffon flees via area 
  36 (though it cannot leave the asylum) . If the 
  PCs heal the griffon and unbind its wings, it 
  will aid the PCs in one combat encounter, or 
  up to three combat encounters if they are all 
  directly pursuant to escaping the asylum .
  B. This cage aligns with and is controlled 
  by the lever on the northern landing . It is 
  currently 60 feet down, roughly level with the 
  bottommost landing. The cage contains three 
  humans and a half-elf: Albreck (male), Kale 
  (male), Trilla (female), and Arlen (the half-
  elf, male) . All are farmers and shopkeepers 
  from the area around Carisford, and were 
  captured from there within the past several 
  weeks . They know Derk Berrinsell (area 20), 
  though they haven’t seen him in months . 
  Terrified by their ordeal (and the proximity 
  of the other creatures in this room), they 
  beg the PCs to free them and remove them 
  from the asylum . If freed, they are unable 
  to help in combat but otherwise follow any 
  reasonable instructions the PCs issue . If not, 
  they cry out and call for the PCs, potentially 
  alerting antagonists from nearby areas .
  C. This cage aligns with and is controlled 
  by the lever on the western landing . It is 
  currently 40 feet down, roughly level with 
  the northern landing . The cage contains one 
  gnoll (a companion of the fellow on the table 
  in area 38) and the half-eaten carcass of an 
  orc . The gnoll does not speak Common, but 
  communicates to the best of its ability (or in 
  gnoll, if any of the PCs speak 
  it) that it will not attack if 
  released . If freed, like the 
  commoners in cage B, the 
  gnoll follows reasonable 
  instructions until clear of 
  the asylum . Unlike the 
  commoners, if the gnoll 
  sees an easy opportunity 
  to make off with one of 
  the prisoners (or, for that 
  matter, a helpless PC), it is 
  not averse to appeasing its 
  hunger in that manner .
  D. This cage aligns with 
  and is controlled by the 
  lever 
  on 
  the 
  southern 
  (bottommost) landing. It 
  is currently 30 feet from 
  the ceiling, roughly 10 
  feet below the level of the 
  topmost landing . The cage 
  appears to contain a man-
  sized statue of a crouched 
  demon, but it in fact is 
  a gargoyle . The gargoyle breaks from its 
  frozen state if it perceives that the PCs are 
  not servants of the Blind Cabal (obvious 
  if the PCs are clamoring over the cages or 
  releasing other prisoners) and attempts to 
  bargain for its freedom . If released, however, 
  it immediately attacks the PCs.
  Gargoyle: hp 42
  Connections: This area connects to areas 36, 
  38, and 39 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  
  73
  38. experiMenTaTion 
  ChaMber (el 4)
  Summary: It is in this huge chamber that the 
  Blind Cabal conducts its mysterious--not to 
  mention gruesome--work .
  Sights and Sounds: Like most of the Blind 
  Cabal’s asylum, this area is scaled for 
  creatures much larger than humans . Ceilings 
  are 25 feet high . The area is lit by lanterns 
  hanging from wall brackets roughly 20 feet 
  overhead, creating a generally moderate level 
  of lighting with some dimmer areas . Upon 
  entering the area, the PCs see the following .
  A charnel stench assaults your senses as 
  you approach this area. The cavernous room is 
  dominated by some sort of contraption that dangles 
  a cage-like pod over a deep dimple in the floor--a 
  broad ring of steps descending to the opening of a 
  shaft. To one side, a hunched, dark-skinned man 
  toils beside a vast stone slab that is densely stained 
  with blood and covered in the gory--dismembered 
  pieces of a variety of creatures. To the other side, 
  on wide stone shelves, stand dozens of horrid 
  beasts, each a clumsy combination of features 
  brutally grafted together. 
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear quite 
  ancient. All furnishings are scaled for typical 
  Medium-sized humanoids.
  Background: This is the chamber in which 
  the Blind Cabal does its most gruesome 
  experimentation. Here, attempting to create 
  powerful and dangerous servants, the cabal 
  explores the bizarre warping effects of the 
  rifts below by exposing various creatures 
  directly to their eldritch radiations . Recently, 
  their work has moved beyond altering single 
  mundane creatures and into attempts to meld 
  together various creatures by first piecing 
  together various living parts through crude 
  physical surgery, and then lowering them to 
  the rifts . This is the process that created the 
  rift-grafted servants in area 34 .
  To date, most of these experiments have 
  been unsuccessful . Hoping to learn from their 
  mistakes, the cabalists have preserved the 
  bulk of their failed efforts here in this room. 
  Other, even less successful, efforts have been 
  fed to the oozes in area 18 or simply cast 
  away via the garbage chute into area 27 .
  The Display Shelf: Two broad landings, 
  each roughly five feet deep and five feet 
  high, line the eastern wall like a short set of 
  steps too big even for the giants who built 
  these chambers . Placed upon these are the 
  corpses of 27 of the Cabal’s experiments in 
  rift-grafting, each preserved by the effects of 
  a gentle repose spell .
  A hideous menagerie of beasts looks 
  down upon the room from a set of giant, 
  step-like landings . One seems to be half 
  camel and half some sort of giant leech . 
  Another looks like a giant centipede with 
  the wings of a huge eagle and the head 
  and arms of an elf . Yet another features the 
  hindquarters of a canine with some sort of 
  fungal growth and six thick, hairy arms . All 
  stare lifelessly into the room as if watching 
  the goings on within . 
  Although these creatures are often 
  ferocious -- and always hideous -- in 
  appearance, they are dead and harmless .
  It is clear that each of these creatures is an 
  amalgam of two or more “natural” creatures . 
  A character examining the corpses may 
  notice (Perception DC 14) that while many 
  of the grafts that hold the creatures together 
  appear to be surgical, in other places the 
  grafts seem to have partially or completely 
  melded together .
  The Rift Pod: In the center of the room a 
  round shaft descends into the earth . The shaft 
  itself is ten feet across, but it is surrounded 
  by a set of steps that descend ten feet to its 
  lip . A landing on the southern side extends 
  flush with the floor of the chamber.
  Above the shaft, level with the landing, 
  hangs 
  a 
  teardrop-shaped 
  basket-like 
  structure (not unlike those in area 18) some 
  ten or so feet across and fifteen feet high. Is 
  has a sort of door which faces the landing . 
  A chain passes from the pod, up through a 
  heavy pulley in the ceiling, and down to a 
  large, complicated winch-like contraption 
  set into the northern wall . A character 
  examining the winch might note that there 
  is sufficient chain to lower the basket many 
  hundreds of feet . Operating the winch 
  requires a DC 13 Knowledge (engineering) 
  check and two minutes to properly set the 
  counterweights, after which the pod can 
  be raised or lowered at a rate of 10 feet per 
  round (60 feet per minute) .
  The shaft descends hundreds of feet into 
  the rock beneath the necropolis, accessing the 
  series of minute rifts between the material 
  world and the Realm of Echoes . A creature 
  or object lowered to the bottom of the shaft is 
  directly exposed to the emanations from the 
  
  74
  rifts, which threaten both its physical stability 
  and, if an intelligent creature, its sanity .
  The Surgical Table: A large stone table 
  sits in the western portion of the room . It is 
  here that the Surgeon practices his terrible 
  arts, creating new horrors by combining 
  components of existing creatures . The 
  surgical process is just the first step; most of 
  the creatures created surgically are not able 
  to survive in that state, nor are they usually 
  structurally sound enough to hold together 
  for long . The surgically created monsters, 
  which must be kept alive throughout the 
  process (something that can usually only 
  be accomplished through magic), are then 
  lowered into the shaft and exposed to the 
  emanations of the rifts .
  In a few cases, the warping effects of 
  the Realm of Echoes works strange magic 
  upon the creatures, melding the disparate 
  parts into a single, often wretched, being . 
  Far more frequently, the creature does 
  not survive the experience or dies shortly 
  thereafter; this accounts for the creatures on 
  the display shelf as well as a great deal of 
  what is fed to the oozes in area 18 or simply 
  dumped onto the rubbish heap .
  Currently, the large stone surgical table 
  (big enough to hold a size Large creature) 
  sports a half-completed project which 
  combines the torso and upper body of a 
  gnoll with the trunk of a dire hyena . The 
  hyena’s tail has been replaced with that of 
  an enormous scorpion .
  Surrounding the stone slab are a number 
  of side tables holding a disorganized 
  array of saws, knives, clamps, and other 
  unidentifiable surgical tools--many more of 
  which hang from crude iron hooks on the 
  nearby walls . The tables, the tools and the 
  surrounding floor are coated in layers of 
  blood and bile--dried, tacky, and fresh .
  The half-created creature on the table 
  appears to be dead (or perhaps just 
  unconscious) but it is actually still alive . It is 
  restrained when the PCs arrive in the room . 
  If unrestrained, it remains unable to move 
  but, in its haze of pain and suffering, strikes 
  out each turn at a random creature within 5 
  feet of the table. It has an initiative modifier 
  of +0, and can make an unarmed attack as 
  a gnoll or a sting attack as a giant scorpion.
  The Surgeon: This chamber is the workshop 
  of the Surgeon, an insane janni oracle 
  who aligned himself with the Blind 
  Cabal due to his unearthly fascination 
  with 
  combining 
  creatures . 
  Unlike 
  most jann, the Surgeon is hunched and 
  misshapen in build, lacking the regal 
  bearing commonly associated with his 
  race . He wears an apron well stained 
  with blood and bile .
  The Surgeon is outraged by the 
  appearance of the PCs, but that is more 
  due to his hatred of being disturbed 
  by anyone than the fact that there are 
  intruders in the asylum . He loudly 
  orders them to leave, barely looking 
  up from his blood-spattered work. PCs 
  who do so are not molested . Those who 
  remain might attempt a Diplomacy 
  check to improve the Surgeon’s mood 
  (from Unfriendly), otherwise they will 
  be attacked.
  If the PCs successfully treat with the 
  Surgeon (showing an academic interest in 
  his work grants a +2 bonus any Diplomacy 
  check), he tolerates their presence and can 
  even be cajoled into describing his activities .
  In 
  addition, 
  if 
  asked 
  appropriate 
  questions, he willingly tells the PCs:
  * Although the creatures on the shelves 
  represent failed attempts, he has had five or 
  six successes (six or seven if the Upping the 
  Ante option is used, see below) .
  * The cabal intends to use these creatures to 
  attack their home kingdom and the Church 
  of Pendar . He can’t wait to hear how those 
  attacks go.
  * If the Blind Cabal succeeds in widening 
  the rifts or tearing down the veil between 
  
  75
  worlds, he will be able to create much more 
  interesting creatures .
  If the PCs attack, do not successfully attempt 
  to parlay with the Surgeon, or simply 
  remain longer than his patience allows, the 
  Surgeon fights. If he has the opportunity, he 
  undoes the restraints on the surgical table, 
  hoping his creature will get up and fight 
  (it does not, though it does attack creatures 
  close enough for it to hit, as detailed above) . 
  He then uses his change size ability on 
  himself, attempting first to Intimidate the 
  PCs into leaving, and then attacking. He 
  uses invisibility and ethereal jaunt to gain 
  advantageous positions, and if he has the 
  opportunity to press one or more PCs into 
  the shaft, he’ll do so .
  If the Surgeon is reduced to below 20 hit 
  points, he uses plane shift to exit the combat, 
  returning to the scene an hour or so later .
  THE SURGEON 
  CR 4 
  Male Janni Oracle 1 
  N Medium outsider (native) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft ., Perception +11
  DEFENSE 
  AC  14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 
  hp  46 (6d10+1d8+7)
  Fort  +6, Ref +7, Will +2
  Resist fire 10
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft.; fly 20 ft. (perfect)
  Melee scimitar +9/+4 (1d6+4/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks change size
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th):
  3/day - invisibility (self only), plane shift (willing 
  targets to elemental planes, Astral Plane, or 
  Material Plane only), speak with animals
  1/day - create food and water, ethereal jaunt (for 
  1 hour)
  Oracle Spells (CL 1st):
  1st (4/day) - cure light wounds, divine favor, 
  infernal healing
  STATISTICS 
  Str 16, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 13 
  Base Atk  +6; CMB +9; CMD 21 
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Mobility
  Skills Appraise +5, Craft (alchemy) +11, Fly 
  +14, Heal +12, Intimidate +8, Perception +11, 
  Ride +6, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +11, 
  Stealth +6
  Languages  Common, Terran, Celestial
  Special Qualities elemental endurance, 
  mystery 
  (life), 
  healing 
  hands, 
  curse 
  (misshapen), orisons
  Possessions scimitar, keys to cages in area 37
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Change Size (Sp): Twice per day, a janni 
  can magically change a creature’s size . This 
  works just like an enlarge person or reduce 
  person spell (the janni chooses when using 
  the ability), except that the ability can work 
  on the janni . A DC 13 Fortitude save negates 
  the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. 
  This is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell .
  Elemental Endurance (Ex): Jann can remain 
  on the Planes of Air, Earth, Fire, or Water for 
  up to 48 hours at a time . Failure to return to 
  the Material Plane before that time expires 
  causes a janni to take 1 point of damage per 
  additional hour spent on the elemental plane, 
  until it dies or returns to the Material Plane .
  Healing Hands (Ex): The Surgeon gains a 
  +4 bonus on Heal checks and may provide 
  first aid to two people or treat two people 
  for poison as a standard action (make a 
  separate Heal check for each creature) . 
  When using the Heal skill to treat wounds 
  from caltrops (and so on), treat deadly 
  wounds, treat poison, treat disease, or treat 
  long-term care, double the normal number 
  of people he may treat at the same time . He 
  may provide long term care for himself .
  Misshapen (Ex): The surgeon was born with 
  a twisted, uneven body. He has difficulty 
  keeping balance and defending himself 
  from complex maneuvers (-1 to CMD) but 
  can be frightening to those who are aware of 
  his power (+1 to Intimidate) .
  Upping the Ante: Although the creatures on 
  the shelves are largely failed experiments, 
  the Surgeon might keep one live creature 
  on hand to help with heavy lifting . You can 
  make this encounter tougher by replacing 
  one of the dead creatures with a live one, 
  which the Surgeon commands into combat 
  to help him . Use the stats for the rift-grafted 
  horrors from area 34 .
  Connections: This area connects to area 37 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  
  76
  39. The heedren piTs 
  (el varies)
  Summary: In a vast chamber the Blind Cabal 
  is growing an army of terrible heedrens .
  Sights and Sounds: Like most of the Blind 
  Cabal’s asylum, this area was originally scaled 
  for creatures much larger than humans . The 
  ceiling is 25 feet above the catwalks, for a total 
  of 35 feet above the floor. The area is lit by 
  lanterns hanging by chains from the ceiling 
  roughly 10 feet over the level of the catwalks, 
  creating a generally moderate level of lighting 
  at the catwalk level and dim lighting on the 
  chamber’s floor. Upon entering the area, the 
  PCs see the following .
  A vast vault, dimly lit in pools of watery 
  yellow lamplight cast by lanterns suspended near 
  the ceiling. The floor of the chamber sits some ten 
  feet below a network of hanging catwalks, rickety 
  contraptions made of chain and planks. Below 
  these swaying walkways, the floor is penetrated 
  by a regular pattern of large deep shafts. The wan 
  light of the lanterns doesn’t reach far into these 
  openings, but there is just enough to see that 
  something--something large--lurks within each. 
  Near the far end of the room, more than 80 feet 
  away, observant characters (see “Yesselendra” 
  below) can see and hear three humanoid figures 
  moving about on the catwalk.
  The floors and walls of this area are well-
  crafted stonework, although they appear quite 
  ancient. The catwalks are scaled for typical 
  Medium-sized humanoids.
  Background: In these pits the Blind Cabal 
  grows heedrens from heedren stones, a 
  processes understood only to them and 
  probably only made possible by the relative 
  proximity of the rifts to the Realm of Echoes .
  The Catwalks: A grid of catwalks is 
  suspended across this entire room, 10 feet 
  above the floor. The pattern of the catwalks 
  matches the pattern of the floor below, so 
  that the gaps in the catwalk grid directly 
  overlook the pits .
  The catwalks are five feet wide and, 
  like a network of suspension bridges, are 
  supported by chains hanging from the 
  ceiling . They tend to sway when walked 
  upon, making rapid movement on them 
  treacherous . Any creature moving faster 
  than half speed on a catwalk causes the 
  catwalk to sway; this occurs at the point 
  where the creature’s movement exceeds 
  half speed . (A creature can avoid causing 
  the catwalk to sway while moving faster 
  than half speed by succeeding in a DC 15 
  Acrobatics check .) 
  When the catwalk sways, any creature on 
  the catwalks within 15 feet of the cause of the 
  swaying (including the creature who caused 
  it) must make a Reflex save (DC 13) or fall 
  prone on the catwalk . (A creature holding 
  on to the railing with at least one hand gains 
  a +2 bonus on this save .) A creature failing 
  this save by 5 or more falls from the catwalk 
  (but may make a DC 20 Reflex save to grab 
  hold of the side of the catwalk, to end up 
  hanging from it) .
  A creature on the catwalk can, as a 
  standard action, cause the catwalk to sway .
  A creature that falls from the catwalk has 
  a 50% chance of falling onto the floor directly 
  below the catwalk; otherwise, it falls into the pit 
  adjacent to the point at which it fell . (Determine 
  which side the creature fell from randomly .) A 
  creature jumping from the catwalk deliberately 
  can choose to land on the floor.
  The Pits: The chamber contains 24 pits in 
  which the Blind Cabal grow their heedrens . 
  The pits are 25 feet deep (making their 
  bottoms 35 feet below the level of the 
  catwalks) . The lips of the pits are rounded, 
  making them difficult to climb out of and 
  their edges treacherous .
  The central east-west and north-south 
  corridors between the pits are 10 feet wide, 
  but the rounded edges of the pits really only 
  leave a 6-foot width of sure footing in the 
  center . The narrower corridors have only a 
  1-foot width with sure footing, requiring a 
  DC 5 Acrobatics check to negotiate safely .
  The pits contain heedrens in various states 
  of formation . To determine the content of 
  any given pit, roll 1d10 and consult this table .
  1-2      A fully formed heedren
  3-6      A partially formed heedren
  7-8      An unformed heedren
  9-10    Empty
  An unformed heedren is a hunched form of 
  damp flesh covered by a webby membrane, 
  about the size of a legless calf . It pulses and 
  is visibly alive, but is harmless .
  For a partially formed heedren, apply the 
  young simple template to the heedren stats 
  (giving it -2 to melee attacks and all other 
  rolls except ranged attacks, which gain +2).
  The heedrens in the pits are not controlled . 
  They attack any creature that enter their pits.
  
  77
  Heedren (number varies): hp 30 
  Partially 
  Formed 
  Heedren 
  (number 
  varies): hp 22 
  Yesselendra: A member of the Blind Cabal, 
  Yesselendra, is in this room with two slaves, 
  feeding the heedrens .
  Three figures lurk near the far end of the 
  room . Two carry large baskets or bundles, 
  while the third, dressed in lengthy robes, 
  points and gives orders. One of the figures 
  pulls what looks like a human arm from his 
  basket and tosses it down into a pit . 
  The object is, in fact, exactly what it appears 
  to be . The slaves carry baskets of meat, feeding 
  the heedrens at Yesselendra’s command .
  Yesselendra appears to be a Medium-
  sized creature of human-like build, but is 
  dressed in a floor-length robe complete 
  with head-covering hood and gloves, so no 
  racial details are visible . The robe is white, 
  but covered densely with embroidered eyes, 
  creating a disconcerting appearance . It is 
  noticeably more ornate than the robes the 
  acolytes wear .
  Yesselendra’s blindsight will not allow 
  her to “see” the PCs as they enter the room 
  but, through vibrations in the catwalks, 
  she becomes aware that something has 
  changed . It takes her 1 round of consulting 
  with the slaves to realize that interlopers 
  have arrived .
  Yesselendra believes she can defeat the 
  PCs by separating them, neutralizing some 
  of them, and then combating the others 
  individually (or possibly knocking them 
  into the pits below) . She immediately begins 
  a low chant (her bardic performance) and 
  uses the slaves (who drop their baskets) to 
  block the PCs’ approach to her . (The slaves 
  are unarmed and fight on total defense.) 
  Depending on what happens next, she 
  employs the following tactics .
  * If she has the chance before combat begins, 
  she attempts to fascinate as many as three 
  of the PCs . If that is successful, she uses her 
  suggestion, telling them jump to the lower 
  level and fetch her baskets for her . (She 
  hopes they will fall into the pits, or at least 
  be removed from combat for a while .)
  * She orders the slaves to shake the catwalks 
  as the PCs approach (they ready an action 
  to make the catwalk sway when a PC gets 
  within 15 feet of them) .
  * Focusing on characters still on the catwalk, 
  she uses overwhelming 
  grief to neutralize a fighter 
  type, or terrible remorse to 
  endanger a spellcaster .
  * If the PCs split up to reach 
  her, she casts reckless 
  infatuation on a highly 
  mobile character, forcing 
  him to remain close to a 
  rearward character .
  * She bolsters the slaves’ 
  ability to block access to 
  her by casting miserable pity 
  on one or both of them .
  She’s not afraid of melee 
  combat, 
  although 
  she 
  recognizes the danger 
  of facing multiple melee 
  combatants at once . If things go badly for 
  her, she attempts to escape the chamber, 
  possibly using glitterdust to aid her escape 
  and jumping to the floor below the catwalk 
  to bypass the PCs .
  If the PCs defeat and unmask Yesselendra, 
  they find an elf woman whose eyes are both 
  missing and have been crudely sewn shut . 
  She has a strange rune tattooed onto the 
  palm of her left hand .
  YESSELENDRA 
  CR 6 
  Female elf bard 7 
  CE Medium humanoid (elf) 
  Init +6; Senses Perception +3, blindsight 60 ft .
  DEFENSE 
  AC  14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 
  hp  35 (7d8)
  
  78
  Fort  +1, Ref +7, Will +6, +2 vs . enchantment, 
  +4 vs . bardic performance, sonic, and 
  language-dependent effects
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Melee +2 rapier +10 (1d6+2/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special 
  Attacks 
  distraction, 
  fascinate, 
  suggestion
  Known Bard Spells (CL 7th):
  3rd (2/day) - overwhelming grief (DC 17), 
  terrible remorse (DC 17)
  2nd (4/day) - glitterdust (DC 16), miserable 
  pity (DC 16), reckless infatuation (DC 16), 
  shatter (DC 16)
  1st (5/day) alarm, charm person (DC 15), 
  comprehend languages, cure light wounds, 
  feather fall
  STATISTICS 
  Str 10, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 19 
  Base Atk  +5; CMB +5; CMD 18 
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon 
  Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)
  Skills Acrobatics +12, Appraise +8, Climb 
  +8, Knowledge (History) +10, Knowledge 
  (Planes) +12, Knowledge (Religion) +9, 
  Linguistics (Abyssal, Undercommon) +6, 
  Perform (Act) +14, Perform (Sing) +14, 
  Sleight of Hand +12
  Languages  Abyssal, Common, Undercommon
  Special Qualities versatile performance (Act), 
  armored casting, bardic countersong, bardic 
  knowledge, bardic performance, cantrips, 
  countersong, elven immunities, elven magic, 
  inspire competence, inspire courage, keen 
  senses, lore master, versatile performance 
  (Sing), weapon familiarity, well-versed
  Possessions amulet of natural armor +1, +2 
  rapier, bronze amulet in the shape of an 
  eight-sided star (key that allows exit from 
  the asylum via area 32)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Blind (Ex): Yesselendra is immune to gaze 
  attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other 
  attack forms that rely on sight, but cannot 
  read or make Perception checks based solely 
  on sight . 
  Echoing Eye (Sp): Once per day, as a full-
  round action, Yesselendra can scry as per the 
  scrying spell but without the requirement 
  for components .
  Versatile Performance (Ex): Yesselendra use 
  her bonus in the Perform (Act) skill in place 
  of her bonus in the Bluff or Disguise skills, 
  and her bonus in the Perform (Sing) skill 
  in place of her bonus in the Bluff or Sense 
  Motive skills .
  Bardic Knowledge (Ex): Yesselendra adds 
  +3 to all Knowledge checks any may make 
  all Knowledge skill checks untrained .
  Bardic Performance: Yesselendra is trained 
  to use the Perform skill to create magical 
  effects on those around her, including 
  herself if desired . She can use this ability 
  for 20 rounds per day . Each round, she 
  can produce any one of the types of bardic 
  performances she has mastered . Starting a 
  bardic performance is a move action, but 
  it can be maintained each round as a free 
  action . Changing a bardic performance from 
  one effect to another requires Yesselendra 
  to stop the previous performance and 
  start a new one as a move action . A bardic 
  performance cannot be disrupted, but it 
  ends immediately if she is killed, paralyzed, 
  stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise 
  prevented from taking a free action to 
  maintain it each round . Yesselendra cannot 
  have more than one bardic performance in 
  effect at one time. 
  Distraction (Su): Yesselendra can use her 
  bardic performance to counter magic effects 
  that depend on sight . Each round of the 
  distraction, she makes a Perform (act) skill 
  check . Any creature within 30 feet (including 
  herself) that is affected by an illusion 
  (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack 
  may use her Perform check result in place 
  of its saving throw if, after the saving throw 
  is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to 
  be higher . If a creature within range of the 
  distraction is already under the effect of 
  a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or 
  illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains 
  another saving throw against the effect each 
  round it sees the distraction, but it must 
  use her Perform skill check result for the 
  save. Distraction does not work on effects 
  that don’t allow saves . Distraction relies on 
  visual components .
  Fascinate (Su): Yesselendra can use her 
  bardic performance to cause up to 3 
  creatures to become fascinated with her . 
  Each creature to be fascinated must be 
  within 90 feet, able to see and hear her, and 
  capable of paying attention to her. She must 
  also be able to see the creatures affected. 
  The distraction of a nearby combat or other 
  
  79
  dangers prevents this ability from working . 
  Each creature within range receives a Will 
  save (DC 17) to negate the effect. If a creature’s 
  saving throw succeeds, Yesselendra cannot 
  attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 
  hours . If its saving throw fails, the creature 
  sits quietly and observes her performance 
  for as long as she continues to maintain it . 
  While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty 
  on all skill checks made as reactions, such as 
  Perception checks . Any potential threat to the 
  target allows the target to make a new saving 
  throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, 
  such as someone drawing a weapon, casting 
  a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, 
  automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate 
  is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-
  affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible 
  and visual components in order to function .
  Suggestion (Sp): Yesselendra can use her 
  bardic performance to make a suggestion 
  (as per the spell) to a creature she has 
  already fascinated . Using this ability does 
  not disrupt the Fascinate effect, but it does 
  require a standard action to activate (in 
  addition to the free action to continue the 
  Fascinate effect). She can use this ability 
  more than once against an individual 
  creature during an individual performance . 
  Making a Suggestion does not count 
  against Yesselendra’s daily use of Bardic 
  Performance . A Will saving throw (DC 
  17) negates the effect. This ability affects 
  only a single creature . Suggestion is an 
  enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, 
  language-dependent ability and relies on 
  audible components . 
  Countersong (Su): Yesselendra can counter 
  magic effects that depend on sound (but 
  not spells that have verbal components) . 
  Each round of the countersong she makes a 
  Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, 
  or sing) skill check . Any creature within 30 
  feet (including herself) that is affected by a 
  sonic or language-dependent magical attack 
  may use her Perform check result in place 
  of its saving throw if, after the saving throw 
  is rolled, the Perform check result proves 
  to be higher . If a creature within range of 
  the countersong is already under the effect 
  of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-
  dependent magical attack, it gains another 
  saving throw against the effect each round 
  it hears the countersong, but it must use 
  her Perform skill check result for the save . 
  Countersong does not work on effects that 
  don’t allow saves . Countersong relies on 
  audible components . 
  Elven Magic (Ex): Elves receive a +2 racial 
  bonus on caster level checks made to 
  overcome spell resistance . In addition, elves 
  receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill 
  checks made to identify the properties of 
  magic items . 
  Lore Master (Ex): Yesselendra has become 
  a master of lore and can take 10 on any 
  Knowledge skill check that she has ranks 
  in . She can choose not to take 10 and can 
  instead roll normally . In addition, 1 time per 
  day, she can take 20 on any Knowledge skill 
  check as a standard action .
  Connections: This area connects to area 37 .
  See the Map of The Blind Cabal Asylum .
  
  80
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  Carisford vale
  
  81
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The haunTed WaTChToWer
  
  82
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  dell farThing
  
  83
  40. The haunTed 
  WaTChToWer (el 6)
  Summary: The entrance to the Blind Cabal’s 
  asylum is hidden within an ancient ruin . 
  But, secret as it is, surely they wouldn’t 
  leave it unguarded, would they?
  Sights and Sounds: These ruins were built 
  by, and are scaled for, creatures much 
  larger than humans . In covered areas, the 
  ceilings are 20 feet high . The area is unlit, 
  but most of it is open to the sky above . (The 
  presumption is that it is night when the PCs 
  arrive .) Upon entering the area, the PCs see 
  the following .
  A dark ruin of black stone hunkers beneath an 
  equally dark sky. What roof that might have once 
  stood is now centuries gone, and the cyclopean 
  walls grasp upward toward nothing. 
  Background: The ancients who built the 
  Blind Cabal’s asylum understood the power 
  of the rifts far beneath what became the 
  Necropolis of Pergia--but they didn’t live 
  over them . They lived several hundred miles 
  away (whatever distance is convenient to 
  your campaign), in a region that included 
  what is today known as the Vale of Carisford . 
  To facilitate travel to the rifts, they built 
  the entrance to the asylum not at the site 
  itself, but via a magical portal at the top 
  of Carisford Vale . This, in fact, is why, for 
  the centuries-long reign of their kingdom, 
  the minotaurs by and large were unaware 
  of the chambers and passageways beneath 
  their holy site . And it’s why the Blind Cabal 
  comes and goes from their asylum without 
  ever setting foot in the necropolis proper.
  The ancients built their entrance in a 
  temple at the top of a lone hill in the Vale 
  of Carisford, some miles from the village 
  of the same name . Over the centuries this 
  temple has become a weathered ruin, its 
  purpose long forgotten. Local tradition 
  mistakenly holds that it was a fortification 
  of some sort--an outpost or watchtower 
  defending against the highlands beyond . It 
  has long been a site that people avoided, but 
  particularly in recent years the locals have 
  shunned it utterly.
  When the Blind Cabal discovered and 
  began using the asylum, they posted a 
  guard, not merely to keep others from 
  entering the asylum but to prevent its very 
  discovery . Their intent was to “haunt” 
  the ruins with a creature dangerous and 
  frightening enough to discourage locals and 
  travelers from entering the site . Establishing 
  the site as the lair of a creature unrelated to 
  the cabal also deflected suspicion that the 
  group had any connection to the ruins . The 
  citizens of Carisford have little idea where 
  the Blind Cabal lairs, but they certainly do 
  not suspect the haunted watchtower .
  Steps: There are several staircases in the area . 
  In all of them, the steps are each roughly two 
  feet high and two feet deep . The staircases 
  count as difficult terrain. Creatures on or 
  at the top of the steps gain the +1 bonus 
  for attacking from higher ground when 
  attacking creatures below them.
  Two of the staircases lead up toward 
  what would have been the second level of 
  the watchtower . However, time and the 
  elements have turned the top third of the 
  stairs (not to mention most of the second 
  floor) into rubble. Now the stairs are lonely 
  ruins leading up to nowhere .
  The final staircase goes down to a short 
  underground passageway that leads to a 
  curtain of mist .
  The Curtain of Mist: The short passageway 
  the north ends in a curtain of mist . Just short 
  of the curtain, a bronze plaque is set into the 
  western wall . The plaque has an indentation 
  in the shape of an eight-sided star roughly 
  four 
  inches 
  across . 
  This 
  indentation 
  matches the amulet worn by Girrenmoor, 
  Yesselendra, Kruushk, and other Blind 
  Cabal members (but not acolytes) .
  The mist is very dense, blocking all sight 
  through it . It is a magical portal that acts 
  very much like a permanent teleportation 
  circle, except that it is activated by walking 
  through the mist rather than stepping within 
  a circle . However, it only functions if, prior 
  to use, one of the amulets is pressed into the 
  indentation within the plaque . This activates 
  the curtain for 1 minute . Creatures passing 
  through the mist when the teleportation 
  effect is active arrive in area 32. Creatures 
  walking or reaching into the mist when it is 
  not active find a stone wall roughly two feet 
  beyond the mist’s surface .
  The Haunting: Few villagers have dared 
  approach the ruins in recent years . The few 
  who have (and lived to return) report an 
  insubstantial creature that moves stealthily 
  through the stones, accompanied by the rattle 
  of heavy chains . Ghostly images appear, 
  stones and small items left unattentded move 
  
  84
  on their own, and anyone fool enough to not 
  run away is suddenly struck by a sudden 
  blast of bright, flickering energy.
  The creature is not a ghost . It is, in fact, 
  a dark naga captured by the Blind Cabal, 
  blinded, and chained in the ruins . The 
  creature, half-starved and driven as much 
  by hunger as by fury, attacks any being that 
  enters its area of imprisonment . However, it 
  fears the acolytes and members of the cabal, 
  in part because of what they have done to 
  it and in part because (through its detect 
  thoughts ability) it has touched the minds of 
  several Blind Cabal members and recoiled 
  from what it found there . The Blind Cabal 
  members have little trouble with the dark 
  naga, and rarely even have to command 
  it to stay out of their way--it avoids them 
  whenever it senses their approach .
  The dark naga is chained to a broken 
  column in the southeast corner of the 
  watchtower, in the shadow of one of the 
  few remaining bits of ceiling . The chain 
  (break DC 28, hardness 10, 15 hp), attached 
  to a shackle at the naga’s neck, is 30 feet 
  long . The radius of the naga’s movement 
  is indicated by a red line on the map . If the 
  naga is invisible, the chain within 10 feet of 
  it is also invisible, but the rest can be seen .
  The 
  dark 
  naga 
  detects 
  thoughts 
  continuously, scanning to a range of 60 
  feet; as a result it is very difficult to catch 
  off guard and usually has a chance to 
  prepare itself for dealing with intruders . 
  It does so first by becoming invisible then, 
  usually, casting displacement upon itself . 
  It adds cat’s grace if it feels it has plenty 
  
  85
  of time . The naga’s detect thoughts ability 
  tells it when intruders are within 60 feet, 
  and which general direction they are in, but 
  not exactly where they are . It can, however, 
  make a Perception check (DC 20, +1 per 10 
  feet of distance) to pinpoint the square in 
  which a foe that has just moved or attacked 
  is located. As a free action, it can attempt to 
  locate all the foes within a 60-foot cone into 
  which its detect thoughts ability is currently 
  focused, with one Perception check per foe .
  Those foes still have total concealment 
  from the naga, but it relies on lightning bolt 
  as its principal means of attack, aiming its 
  line through the squares occupied by the 
  opponents it has identified.
  The blinded dark naga uses standard 
  dark naga stats plus the blinded condition . 
  This gives it an effective AC of 15 along 
  with -4 on opposed Perception checks . All 
  opponents have total concealment to it . Due 
  to extreme familiarity with the area, when 
  within the confines of its imprisonment the 
  naga is able to move at full speed without 
  making Acrobatics checks .
  Blinded Dark Naga: hp 85 
  Development: Unless destroyed or freed, 
  the dark naga remains in this area . If it has 
  more than eight hours to rest, it regains its 
  spells and heals 10 hp (plus 10 per additional 
  24-hour period) .
  A Note on the Encounter Level: A dark naga 
  is a CR 8 monster . The EL of this encounter 
  has been adjusted to 6 based on the naga’s 
  blinded condition and restricted movement . 
  But these factors are offset somewhat by the 
  naga’s likely ability to ambush the PCs . It 
  still deals the damage of a CR 8 foe, and its 
  excellent Perception might allow it to deal 
  that damage as effectively as if it were still 
  sighted . Be aware that this might be quite 
  a difficult EL 6 encounter, especially if the 
  PCs are emerging tired and worn down 
  from their experience within the asylum .
  Connections: This area connects to area 32 
  and other areas in the Carisford Vale .
  See the Haunted Watchtower map .
  41. The burned ChurCh
  Summary: The village of Carisford has 
  long born the brunt of the Blind Cabal’s 
  wrongdoing . Recently things have taken a 
  turn for the worse .
  Sights and Sounds: Carisford is a typical 
  rural village of perhaps 300 souls . Its streets 
  are unpaved and narrow (10 to 15 feet 
  wide)--just wide enough for a large farm-
  cart to pass easily . The approach of strangers 
  draws the barking of dogs and hissing of 
  geese . Like most rural villages, it smells of 
  woodsmoke and the dung collected by the 
  farmers to fertilize their fields.
  At the junction of two narrow rivers sits a 
  small, huddled village. Its hedge-bordered streets 
  and thatched cottages sit almost idyllically 
  beneath the broad sky, but that image is disrupted 
  by the thick column of black smoke rising from 
  the ruins of the church in the village’s center. 
  If they approach in the daytime, perceptive 
  characters might notice that there are, 
  unusually, no peasants in the fields.
  Background: The only reliable route from 
  the asylum to the broader world is via the 
  Carisford Vale and, on that route, the village 
  of Carisford . Unfortunately, the village has 
  recently been visited by a horde of horrors 
  unleashed by the Blind Cabal . Kruushk, in 
  command of four heedrens and two rift-
  grafted horrors, descended upon the village 
  the night before, focusing his attack on the 
  center of village life--the Church of Pendar .
  But the village was not just the victim of 
  brute force. It also suffered from treachery. 
  The village reeve, an effective but jealous 
  man named Christo, had long been in the 
  pocket of the Blind Cabal, helping them 
  select targets for their raids as well as 
  carrying messages to their confederate in 
  Dell Farthing . He recently bore a message 
  for Kruushk indicating that the deceit of 
  Lord Elingson was complete and that the 
  fortress at Dell Farthing would be ready 
  for assault within two days . What Christo 
  didn’t know is that Kruushk, of his own 
  volition, intended to deal a death blow to 
  Carisford and, now that his usefulness was 
  at an end, Christo himself would be killed 
  in that raid .
  The Villagers: The villagers, after months of 
  harassment and kidnappings by the Blind 
  Cabal (capped by the assault the night before), 
  are understandably wary of strangers--an 
  unusual sight in Carisford even in the best of 
  times . However, unless the PCs have brought 
  a heedren along with them, it quickly becomes 
  clear that they are not members of the Blind 
  Cabal, and the villagers come to greet them 
  and ask for their aid .
  
  86
  The village’s priest and reeve (the highest 
  secular authority) were both killed in the 
  attack the night before, leaving only the 
  peasants and a few tradespeople--all of 
  whom are commoners and experts of 1st 
  through 3rd level . They have an initial 
  attitude of Unfriendly 
  or 
  Indifferent, 
  depending on how suspiciously the PCs 
  behave . A Diplomacy check can be used to 
  improve their attitude. If the PCs bring any 
  freed slaves or prisoners from the asylum, 
  the villagers’ attitude is instead Friendly 
  (if only one or two prisoners have been 
  rescued) or Helpful (if three or more have 
  been returned) .
  Seeing that the PCs are competent 
  adventurers (who have already handed the 
  cabal some defeats), the villagers beg the 
  PCs to help end the scourge of the Blind 
  Cabal. (They haven’t had any luck getting 
  help from Lord Elingson, the local ruler .) 
  Any believable promise to do so increases 
  the villagers’ attitude by one step.
  The principal spokesmen for the villagers 
  are Kyle Ironhand, the village smith, and 
  Goren Delamir, the owner of the village’s 
  small pub and trading house . Other villagers 
  are willing to speak to the PCs if questioned, 
  assuming their attitude is Indifferent or better. 
  Indifferent NPCs answer questions with 
  direct, guarded answers--they are not entirely 
  certain they trust the PCs. Friendly or better 
  attitudes result in more complete answers.
  Information and Rewards: The villagers 
  can provide the same basic information 
  as the prisoners in the asylum (see Slaves, 
  Prisoners, and Gillcutter). Additionally, the 
  villagers tell the PCs that the Blind Cabal 
  struck the night before in the hour after 
  midnight--a robed humanoid with “flesh-
  beasts” (what the villagers call heedrens) 
  and other creatures the likes of which the 
  villagers had never seen .
  * The attack was led by a single humanoid in 
  white robes covered in a pattern of eyes. The 
  villagers know the garb as that of a leader 
  in the Blind Cabal . They don’t know the 
  identities of any of the robed figures they’ve 
  seen over recent months, but they know this 
  one used magic . One of the villagers heard 
  its voice, and believes it was an orc or other 
  goblinoid creature .
  * Two flesh-beasts launched the attack with 
  a diversion, assaulting cottages on the edge 
  of town .
  * The leader, along with two more flesh-
  beasts and two or three of the other creatures, 
  then attacked the church. After killing half-a-
  dozen of their folk, the attacker burned the 
  church and then retreated with his monsters .
  * It was dark and few people got good looks 
  at the attackers, but the new monsters were 
  very unusual . One of them had a head like 
  a vulture on a long neck . The body was that 
  of a man--but it had four legs where there 
  should have been two!
  * By the time the church was ablaze the 
  villagers had scattered in fright. A few 
  people saw the cabalist and his creatures 
  retreat across the ford to the south .
  * The priest was killed defending the church, 
  struck down by two of the flesh-beasts. So 
  too, apparently, was Christo, the reeve--
  though no one actually saw him die, his 
  body was found in the cinders . He had just 
  returned from Dell Farthing the day before, 
  after unsuccessfully begging Lord Elingson 
  for aid .
  If the PCs have brought back prisoners 
  from the asylum, the villagers express their 
  gratitude with a reward: a mix of gold and 
  silver coins, minor items of jewelry, and 
  small gemstones that amounts 40 gp per 
  prisoner. If the villagers’ attitude is Helpful 
  (automatic if the PCs have returned 3 or 
  more prisoners), they add a potion of cure 
  serious wounds and a bird feather token to 
  the reward .
  The Church: The Church of Pendar is a 
  moderately sized building typical of its kind, 
  set at the northwest edge of the village green . 
  It is the principal religious institution for 
  Carisford Vale; virtually all the inhabitants 
  of the village and surrounding area worship 
  Pendar. The attack on the village has left the 
  building a roofless, smoldering ruin.
  PCs searching the area may find a vital 
  clue . Within the burned church, not far from 
  where Christo’s body was found, are shards 
  of a broken bottle made of fine green glass. 
  None of the villagers recognize it, and a 
  DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check (a cleric 
  of Pendar gets a +5 bonus on the check) 
  confirms that it is not an implement of the 
  Church of Pendar . A DC 18 Spellcraft check 
  identifies it as pieces of a bottle of messages. 
  It had been used by Christo to transport a 
  message from Lerek (area 42) to Kruushk; 
  Kruushk accidentally dropped the pieces as 
  he was killing Christo .
  
  87
  The Ford: The village green sits at the 
  confluence of the Carisbrook river and a 
  smaller creek . The road from Dell Farthing, 
  which follows the southern bank of the 
  Carisbrook, crosses the river at the ford to 
  enter the village before winding, smaller 
  and smaller, toward the farms and steadings 
  further up Carisford Vale .
  PCs examining the ford may find 
  evidence leading to Kruushk’s location . The 
  banks of the ford include several areas of 
  soft mud, and there are numerous tracks . 
  The ford also serves as the point at which 
  the villagers and local farmers water their 
  animals, though, so the attackers’ tracks can 
  be hard to locate (Perception DC 13) .
  The tracks lead to Kruushk’s bivouac, 
  where he has encamped with his horrors 
  prior to the assault on Dell Farthing . 
  Following the tracks requires five Survival 
  checks (over a distance of five miles). DCs 
  for these checks are 7, 12, 12, 17, and 12 .
  Development: The villagers urge the PCs to 
  take action. Either find and kill the attackers 
  or travel to Dell Farthing (about ten miles) 
  and alert Lord Elingson . After their initial 
  interactions with the villagers, every four 
  hours the PCs remain in Carisford the 
  villagers’ attitude drops by one step.
  Connections: This area connects to areas 40, 
  42, and 43 .
  See the Map of Carisford Vale .
  42. dell farThing (el 
  varies)
  Summary: Seems like the Lord of Carisford 
  Vale ought to be concerned about the goings-
  on in Carisford--but he has other things on 
  his mind .
  Sights and Sounds: Carisford Vale emerges 
  from the mountains into a rolling flatland. 
  Unlike the vale, this area is more heavily 
  settled, and the hills are patched with fields 
  and crossed by roads .
  A modest market town sits where the 
  Carisbrook meets a larger river. Too small to 
  warrant walls, it is overlooked by a dark, squat 
  border fortress that stands between the town and 
  the foothills against which it sits. 
  Background: Dell Farthing is a market town 
  of moderate size, the center of commerce for 
  this corner of the kingdom . It is ruled by Lord 
  Elingson, who lives in a small, rather aged 
  fortress on the edge of the town . Carisford, 
  though isolated, is only about ten miles away, 
  and the attacks and raids on the village over 
  the past year or two have been reported to 
  Elingson (although he knows nothing about 
  the recent destruction of the church) . Elingson 
  remains entirely unaware of the Blind Cabal 
  and the threat they pose, however, due to the 
  influence of his seneschal, Lerek, who is a 
  cabal sympathizer .
  Lord 
  Elingson, 
  although 
  reasonable 
  in most matters, has a mildly obsessive 
  rivalry with the Margrave of Highheath, 
  a neighboring principality and ancestral 
  antagonist . 
  Lerek 
  played 
  upon 
  this 
  animosity, ensuring that all tales about 
  attacks and kidnappings in Carisford were 
  blamed on the Margrave’s men or local 
  Highheath sympathizers . (In this, he was 
  aided by Christo, the reeve of Carisford 
  and also a Blind Cabal operative, who was 
  usually the one delivering the village’s 
  messages of troubles .)
  As a result, following the most recent 
  plea for help, Lord Elingson is responding 
  not by sending help to Carisford itself, 
  but by marching the bulk of his garrison 
  to the Highheath border . This is exactly 
  according to the Cabal’s plans, for it is after 
  this departure (which is scheduled within a 
  day) that the Blind Cabal intends to attack 
  the town and fortress .
  Dell Farthing: This market town sits 
  alongside a navigable river, the most 
  upstream point river vessels can reliably 
  reach and therefore the point at which 
  they offload and take on goods from the 
  surrounding landward region . Although 
  the market for weapons, armor, and magic 
  items is not extensive, the PCs can find the 
  sorts of items normally expected in a town 
  of this size .
  Characters spending any time gathering 
  information in the town can quickly get 
  wind of the rumor that Lord Elingson is 
  mobilizing the garrison for action, and will 
  march soon toward Highheath .
  DELL FARTHING 
  NG small town
  Corruption +2; Crime -2; Economy +1; Law 
  +2; Lore +1; Society -3
  
  88
  Qualities 
  rumormongering 
  citizens, 
  strategic location
  Danger +0
  DEMOGRAPHICS 
  Government overlord
  Population 1,500 (1,200 humans; 100 
  dwarves; 100 half-elves; 100 other)
  NOTABLE NPCs 
  Archwizard Talandrel Illarion (NG male elf 
  wizard 14)
  Dungsweeper Hrak (CG male half-orc druid 4)
  Famous Thief The Crimson Rose (CN female 
  half-elf rogue 7)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 1,100 gp; Purchase Limit 5,500 
  gp; Spellcasting 4th
  Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 1d6; 
  Major Items --
  Lerek: PCs inquiring about seeing Lord 
  Elingson are directed (by almost anyone 
  in the town) to the fortress . The fortress is 
  a relatively small complex on a low hill, 
  amounting to little more than a keep with 
  a fortified gatehouse at the entrance to its 
  bailey . Characters seeking admission must 
  succeed in a DC 13 Diplomacy (or perhaps 
  Intimidate) check; the guards have an 
  Indifferent attitude but will admit the PCs 
  if their attitude is increased to Friendly. 
  If the PCs claim to be carrying important 
  information on attacks in Carisford, they 
  gain a +5 on the attempt.
  The reason for the guards’ indifference to 
  the PCs is obvious within the bailey .
  The castle is clearly mobilizing . A 
  hundred men or more--a garrison, it looks 
  like, perhaps including a levy from the town-
  -scurry about, some receiving polearms and 
  crossbows, others loading supplies onto 
  mules and wagons . 
  Once admitted, PCs are escorted past 
  all that to the solar in the keep’s first 
  floor, where they are watched over by two 
  guards until Lerek arrives . If the PCs have 
  informed the guards about Carisford, Lerek 
  enters within five minutes accompanied 
  by two additional guards . He treats the 
  PCs cordially, introducing himself as Lord 
  Elingson’s seneschal, saying that the Lord 
  himself is too busy with other activities to 
  see the PCs . He is careful to conceal the rune 
  of heedren control on his left palm; spotting 
  it requires a DC 24 Perception check, but 
  hitting a DC of 14 is sufficient to notice that 
  he’s taking pains to keep the palm covered .
  If the PCs have made no mention of 
  Carisford, Lerek enters within twenty 
  minutes . He is not accompanied by additional 
  guards, and makes no special attempt to 
  cover his palm; a DC 14 Perception check 
  allows the PCs to notice the rune . He seems 
  rushed and inattentive, but the first mention 
  of Carisford quickly gets his attention.
  In either event, Lerek listens patiently 
  and with interest to whatever the PCs wish 
  tell him . How exactly he responds depends 
  on what the PCs say . Lerek is aware of the 
  Blind Cabal’s activities, including the attack 
  on the town and fortress planned for the 
  following night--and he knows the PCs are 
  not part of that plan . Before taking action, 
  however, he hopes to learn as much as 
  possible about the outcome of Kruushk’s 
  raid on Carisford and the status of the Blind 
  Cabal force led by Kruushk .
  If Kruushk is still at large, once Lerek 
  is satisfied he has learned what he can, 
  he states that the PCs must be Highheath 
  agitators bent on diverting Lord Elingson’s 
  march, and orders the guards to arrest them . 
  PCs that do not resist are disarmed and 
  stripped of other possessions, then locked 
  in dungeon in the keep’s cellar . In the more 
  likely event that they do resist, Lerek orders 
  the guards to engage the PCs, calling out for 
  additional aid. He then looks for flanking 
  opportunities created by the guards to make 
  sneak attacks, staying at the edge of the fray 
  as much as possible .
  An additional two guards arrive in 1d4 
  rounds . 1d4 rounds after that, Lord Elingson 
  arrives with four more guards .
  Use the stats for Jaren the Jinx to represent 
  Lerek. Ignore the jinx and rotting curse, as well 
  as the tactics information in that stat block .
  If the PCs have already defeated Kruushk, 
  Lerek excuses himself for a moment, then 
  quickly departs the fortress and attempts to 
  flee Dell Farthing altogether. Unless the PCs 
  immediately follow Lerek, this attempt is 
  successful and the traitorous seneschal get 
  away . The PCs are left alone in the solar for 
  half an hour before Lord Elingson storms in 
  searching for his missing advisor .
  Lerek: hp 35
  Guards (varies): hp 19 
  Lord Elingson: The Lord of Dell Farthing 
  arrives 2d4 rounds after the start of any 
  combat in his fortress . He can direct up to 100 
  
  89
  guards to engage intruders in the fortress, 
  but will not enter combat himself unless 
  absolutely necessary. He has an attitude of 
  Hostile toward the PCs if they have killed 
  any of his personnel (including Lerek), or 
  Unfriendly if that hasn’t yet happened . 
  Any credible attempt by the PCs to tell him 
  they have vital information about events in 
  Carisford grants a +4 bonus on Diplomacy 
  checks; attempting to convince him that 
  Lerek is a traitor, at this point at least, does 
  not provide a bonus .
  Lord Elingson: hp 18 
  If the PCs can improve his attitude to Indifferent 
  or better, Lord Elingson will listen to what the 
  group has to say . While he is interested and 
  attentive when told about Carisford and the 
  Blind Cabal, he is not inclined to believe they 
  are behind the past year’s worth of harassing 
  attacks on the Vale. Convincing him to take 
  action there instead of the Highheath border 
  requires 
  another 
  Diplomacy check 
  (DC 10 or opposed 
  by Lerek, if he’s 
  still alive) .
  If the Diplomacy 
  check 
  fails, 
  Elingson believes 
  that the cabal is 
  real and that the 
  PCs 
  have 
  been 
  combating them, 
  but is unwilling 
  to 
  abandon 
  his 
  plans to confront 
  Highheath . 
  He 
  releases the PCs, but confiscates their cash 
  and other high-value mundane items as a 
  “war tax .” However, he’ll return the items 
  under two conditions: 1 . That the PCs 
  prevent the Blind Cabal from carrying out 
  their plans, and; 2 . That he is wrong about 
  Highheath and his troops are not attacked 
  at the border (which is, of course, turns out 
  to be exactly the case) .
  If the Diplomacy check succeeds, Elingson 
  believes that the cabal is the main threat . 
  He has Lerek arrested (if the seneschal is 
  still alive and in the keep), and diverts his 
  war preparations toward reinforcing the 
  fortress and the town. He then offers the 
  PCs a significant reward if they will return 
  to Carisford Vale and destroy Kruushk, 
  returning with the key to the asylum as proof 
  of his death . If they agree, he provides them 
  with reasonable mundane provisions and 
  summons his chaplain (a cleric of the Church 
  of Pendar) to provide any healing they may 
  require (using spells of up to 3rd level) .
  Development: If the PCs turn over 
  Kruushk’s asylum key to Elingson, either 
  in this encounter or at a later point, Lord 
  Elingson rewards them with 5,000 gp .
  Upping the Ante: The assumption in this 
  adventure is that Lord Elingson is interested 
  in ending the threat caused not just by the 
  Blind Cabal, but also the larger threat of 
  the Realm of Echoes having access to his 
  territory . Therefore, his long-term interest 
  is in seeing the access point, at area 41, 
  destroyed . Unfortunately, neither he nor the 
  PCs have the resources to permanently seal 
  the entrance at this point .
  You can increase the moral difficulty of this 
  situation by implying that Elingson has set 
  his sights on taking control of the asylum and 
  the rifts, himself . Given the fate of Plambten 
  and the obvious insanity of the cabal 
  members and followers, the PCs are likely to 
  recognize the folly of attempting to exploit 
  the rifts . Implying that Elingson intends to 
  follow the same path (perhaps imagining 
  that an army of heedrens would aid in 
  “resolving grievances” with Highheath) not 
  only adds an element of moral uncertainty 
  to the closing chapter of this adventure, but 
  could also provide a hook to future conflicts 
  or adventures in your campaign--especially 
  if there are more members of the Blind Cabal 
  at large in your campaign world!
  Connections: This area connects to areas 41, 
  43, and 44 .
  See the Map of Dell Farthing .
  
  90
  43. The arMy of 
  horrors (el varies)
  Summary: Kruushk prepares to carry out 
  the Blind Cabal’s next terrible assault . Do 
  the PCs have what it takes to even slow him 
  down?
  Sights and Sounds: The circumstances of 
  this encounter vary according to course of 
  action that brought the PCs to this point .
  If the PCs have come across Kruushk’s 
  bivouac by following the tracks from area 41 
  (or otherwise searching for it), they find the 
  Blind Cabal leader and his band of monsters 
  at rest among some ancient standing stones, 
  they see the following .
  A circle of weathered, gray-black stones sits 
  in a brambled dell, their age made manifest by 
  their tumbledown stances. Within the circle 
  sit four heedrens; at their center lies a figure 
  covered completely by a white, eye-embroidered 
  robe. Two other creatures, their bodies a terrible 
  amalgam of forms, sit outside the circle--one to 
  the east, the other to the west. 
  If, instead, they run into an ambush set 
  by Kruushk with the intent of preventing 
  any aid from Dell Farthing from reaching 
  Carisford, use this description instead .
  The road, wide and reasonably smooth for a 
  country way, has followed the river for the length 
  of your journey. While the valley has always been 
  close, here a shoulder of stony, forest-covered 
  hill has pressed the highway tightly against the 
  racing flood of the Carrisine River. 
  Background: Following the raid on the 
  church in Carisford, Kruushk’s next target 
  is the fortress at Dell Farthing . According to 
  the Blind Cabal’s original plan, Girrenmoor 
  or Yesselendra was to meet Kruushk at a 
  circle of stones called the Six Sisters . Since 
  defeating at least one of those antagonists is 
  practically necessary to escape the asylum 
  (they held the only keys to the curtain of 
  mist), the presumption is that, unbeknownst 
  to Kruushk, this plan has already been 
  disrupted . (If only one of the two has been 
  killed, the other remains in the asylum in 
  an attempt to shore up the site’s defenses.) 
  If the PCs have not defeated either of 
  those cabal members, one of them (GM’s 
  preference) has joined Kruushk, along with 
  two additional heedrens and an acolyte (if 
  any remain alive) .
  Not knowing the reason for the delay 
  (and aware that punctuality and reliability 
  aren’t the hallmark of longtime cabal 
  members), Kruushk is keen to press forward 
  with the offensive. He waits for most of the 
  day at the Six Sisters then, concerned that 
  plan might be awry in other ways and that 
  Lord Elingson might somehow be aware of 
  the Carisford raid, he moves his force to the 
  road to ambush any aid that might be sent 
  to the village .
  Thus, depending on when and how the 
  PCs move through Carisford Vale, they 
  might meet Kruushk’s forces at rest at the Six 
  Sisters, in ambush along the Dell Farthing 
  road, or not at all (though that is the least 
  interesting outcome) . If this encounter occurs 
  as an ambush, it might occur as the PCs travel 
  toward Dell Farthing, or on the way back 
  after the PCs have met Lord Elingson .
  If Kruushk has been previously injured, 
  he will have used greater infernal healing to 
  return to full hit points before this encounter .
  The Six Sisters: Six large stones--each twice 
  the size of a man, once stood here in a circle, 
  the mystical or religious significance of 
  which has long been forgotten. Three still 
  stand, two others seem to be leaning to keep 
  their balance, and the last stone has given 
  up entirely and merely lays on the ground . 
  This is the spot at which Kruushk expected 
  to meet Girrenmoor or Yesselendra .
  Kruushk 
  rests 
  here 
  as 
  he 
  waits, 
  surrounded by heedrens and leaving the 
  rift-grafted horrors on watch . The horrors 
  are not particularly attentive, however 
  (Perception +0), and only react to intruders 
  within 60 feet . Furthermore, once they notice 
  the PCs, it takes one round for their cries to 
  rouse Kruushk .
  Once alerted, Kruush has the heedrens 
  engage the PCs to protect him and the rift-
  grafted horrors (which he particularly wants 
  to save for the assault on Dell Farthing, 
  because of the illness they spread) . He 
  supports the heedrens using fire snake, 
  boneshatter, ball lightning, and pain strike. 
  If it appears that defeating the PCs will not 
  be easy, he flees, using black tentacles to 
  slow any pursuers . He keeps the rift-grafted 
  horrors with him along with up to two of the 
  heedrens, if practical, ordering the remaining 
  heedrens to block the PCs’ pursuit .
  From Ambush: The road between Carisford 
  and Dell Farthing is the only easily-traversed 
  route out of Carisford Vale . It follows the 
  southern bank of the Carisbrook River, 
  
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  which for most of the Vale is a burbling 
  waterway thirty to forty feet wide and three 
  to five feet deep. The road is unpaved but 
  reasonably broad and in decent condition .
  Although Carisford Vale is not particularly 
  narrow, the road is pinched at one point 
  between the river and an outcropping of the 
  surrounding hills . It is here that Kruushk has 
  moved to set his ambush, placing the heedrens 
  and rift-grafted horrors in the trees along the 
  roadside . He is most prepared for troops from 
  Dell Farthing coming westward, but can just as 
  easily engage a force from the vale headed east .
  Kruushk is not a master tactician . His 
  plan is simple: His forces are spread along 
  the roadside. He intends to attack when the 
  target reaches the midpoint of his forces, so 
  that the heedrens and rift-grafted horrors 
  hit the target from the front and rear as 
  well as the side . Unfortunately, Kruushk 
  also has no great skill at hiding (himself 
  or his monsters), so there’s some chance 
  things will not go as he has planned . PCs 
  approaching the ambush area can spot a 
  lurking heedren before entering the zone 
  with a DC 15 Perception check (they spot it 
  50 feet before the zone if they hit a DC of 20) .
  Kruushk has the heedrens engage the 
  PCs, holding the rift-grafted horrors out of 
  the combat . He supports the heedrens using 
  fire snake, boneshatter, ball lightning, and 
  pain strike . If it appears that defeating the 
  PCs will not be easy, he flees, using black 
  tentacles to slow pursuit . He keeps the rift-
  grafted horrors with him, along with up to 
  two of the heedrens if practical, ordering the 
  other heedrens to block the PCs’ pursuit .
  The Army of Horrors: Regardless of how 
  the PCs enter into this engagement, they 
  face up to four heedrens, two rift-grafted 
  horrors, and Kruushk himself . If they defeat 
  and unmask Kruushk, they find a male half-
  orc whose eyes are both missing and have 
  been crudely sewn shut . He has a strange 
  rune tattooed onto the palm of each hand 
  (these are runes of heedren control) .
  Heedrens (4): hp 30
  Rift-Grafted Horrors (2): hp 42  (use Vorel’s 
  Phage for disease)
  KRUUSHK THE BRINGER 
  CR 8 
  Male half-orc evoker 9 
  CE Medium humanoid (orc, human) 
  Init -1; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., Perception +1
  DEFENSE 
  AC  10, touch 9, flat-footed 10 
  hp  52 (9d6+18)
  Fort  +4, Ref +2, Will +7 
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Melee +1 falchion (two handed) +5 (2d4+1/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks elemental wall, force missile 
  (1d4+4, 7/day), intense spells
  Prepared Spells (CL 9th):
  5th - fire snake (DC 19), pain strike (DC 19)
  4th - ball lightning (DC 18), black tentacles, 
  boneshatter (DC 18), defensive shock [empower 
  spell] (DC 16)
  3rd - diamond spray (DC17), fireball (x2) 
  (DC17), fly, force punch (DC17)
  2nd - blur (2 slots), bear’s endurance, cat’s 
  grace, fox’s cunning, scorching ray
  1st - alarm, corrosive touch, mage armor, magic 
  missile (x2), shield
  STATISTICS 
  Str 10, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 13, Cha 15 
  Base Atk  +4; CMB +4; CMD 13 
  Feats Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower 
  Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
  Skills Craft (Alchemy) +12, Craft (Armor) 
  +12, Craft (Weapons) +13, Knowledge 
  (Arcana) +13, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 
  +10, 
  Knowledge 
  (Engineering) 
  +11, 
  Knowledge (Local) +11, Spellcraft +16
  Languages  Common, Orc
  Special Qualities bonded object (ring), 
  cantrips, opposition school (enchantment, 
  illusion), intimidating, orc blood, orc 
  ferocity, weapon familiarity
  Possessions bracers of armor +1, +1 falchion, 
  ring (bonded object), spellbook containing 
  all of Kruushk’s prepared spells plus rune 
  of heedren control, greater infernal healing, 
  countless eyes, disfiguring touch, interrogation, 
  mount and 24 levels worth of additional 
  spells, bronze amulet in the shape of an 
  eight-sided star (key that allows entrance 
  into the asylum via area 40), vial containing 
  10 drops of demon blood .
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  The Echoing Eye (Sp): As a full-round 
  action, Kruushk can scry as per the scrying 
  spell but without the requirement for 
  components . Kruushk can use this ability 
  once per day .
  
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  Elemental Wall (Sp): Kruushk can create a 
  wall of energy that lasts for 9 rounds per day . 
  These rounds do not need to be consecutive . 
  This wall deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire 
  damage, determined when Kruushk creates 
  it . The elemental wall otherwise functions 
  like wall of fire.
  Force Missile (Sp): As a standard action 
  Kruushk can unleash a force missile that 
  automatically strikes a foe, as magic missile . 
  The force missile deals 1d4+4 points of 
  damage. This is a force effect. Kruushk can 
  use this ability 7 times per day .
  Intense Spells (Su): Whenever Kruushk casts 
  an evocation spell that deals damage, add +4 
  to the damage . This bonus only applies once 
  to a spell, not once per missile or ray, and 
  cannot be split between multiple missiles 
  or rays . This bonus damage is not increased 
  by Empower Spell or similar effects. This 
  damage is of the same type as the spell .
  Development: So long as Kruushk remains 
  at large, either because he escapes from 
  this encounter or the PCs bypass it, he 
  may be encountered in the Carisford Vale . 
  If he is engaged by the PCs and escapes 
  this encounter, he shifts his focus from the 
  obliteration of Dell Farthing to the utter 
  defeat of the PCs (especially if he believes 
  his forces have been too denuded to assault 
  Dell Farthing), and be begins planning to 
  track them down and strike when they least 
  expect it . This may culminate in area 45 .
  In the unlikely event that the PCs defeat 
  Kruushk, they have, for all intents and 
  purposes, ended this adventure . They may 
  still have business with Lord Elingson, 
  but it is at this stage merely denouement . 
  Although the PCs will have bypassed the 
  last one or two planned encounters of this 
  adventure, they will have earned the break 
  by winning a truly epic battle in this one.
  Upping the Ante: Given the foes included 
  in it, this encounter already has a strong 
  chance of being deadly . If, as GM, you’d like 
  to make it so, or if you’d like to further the 
  impression that the Cabal’s force is a real 
  “army” about to march on Dell Farthing, 
  add an acolyte and two additional heedrens, 
  both of which came from the asylum with 
  him before the PCs arrived on the scene 
  (though the acolyte and heedrens did not 
  participate in the Carisford raid--they 
  were held in reserve) . Kruushk pushes the 
  additional heedrens into combat (possibly 
  even sending the acolyte too, if things go 
  particularly well for the PCs), but otherwise 
  sticks to the tactics described above .
  Connections: This can occur in multiple 
  locations, so the connections will depend on 
  what venue is used . 
  See the Map of Carisford Vale .
  44. assaulT on dell 
  farThing (el varies)
  Summary: The Blind Cabal’s assault of Dell 
  Farthing is a deadly certainty . Do the PCs have 
  what it takes to alter the course of the battle?
  Sights and Sounds: This battle occurs in 
  and around the town of Dell Farthing in the 
  wee hours of the night .
  A moonless, cloudy night holds the town of Dell 
  Farthing in its blinding grip. The night is windless 
  and still, the streets of the small town silent. 
  Background: Kruushk planned the Blind 
  Cabal attack on Dell Farthing for the second 
  night after the raid on Carisford . If the PCs 
  have already defeated Kruushk by this 
  point, the assault of course does not go 
  forward . Otherwise, the manner in which 
  it unfolds depends highly on how the PCs 
  contribute to the defense of the town .
  The Blind Cabal’s goal is to destroy Lord 
  Elingson’s ability to effectively resist Cabal 
  activity in the region, reducing his fortress 
  to ruins and significantly incapacitating his 
  garrison . Additionally, the Cabal hopes to 
  denude the population of the town--and 
  to destroy the will of those who remain--
  through terror and the spread of the illness 
  carried by the rift-grafted horrors .
  Kruushk does not intend to occupy or even 
  loot Dell Farthing; once the attack has met its 
  goals, he intends to retreat to the asylum . But 
  the Blind Cabal is already building its next 
  army--a much larger one, consisting of dozens 
  of heedrens and who knows how many rift-
  grafted horrors--with the plan of marching on 
  greater targets in the coming days or weeks . 
  The elimination of Dell Farthing simply opens 
  the door to the wider world .
  The Plan: Kruushk’s strategy is a simple one . 
  He intends to unleash the rift-grafted horrors 
  into the unprotected town at two separate 
  points, with orders to simply rampage and 
  destroy . The best outcome is that the horrors 
  spread chaos, injuring dozens before being 
  
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  destroyed (many injuries will spread the 
  horrors’ disease much more effectively than 
  a smaller number of deaths) . This is meant 
  also to draw the garrison’s attention away 
  from the fortress .
  Lerek has orders to reinforce this diversion 
  by ordering the garrison to respond to the 
  attack, and then leaving the fortress gate 
  open for Kruushk’s assault . Kruushk plans 
  to attack the fortress with his heedrens, 
  hopefully gaining quick entrance . After the 
  severely depleted garrison is dispatched, 
  the heedrens will tear down the walls and 
  Kruushk will burn what is left .
  If all goes to plan, by dawn Kruushk will be 
  able to retreat with any surviving heedrens . 
  The rift-grafted horrors are to remain and 
  rampage until they are destroyed . Lord 
  Elingson (who is supposed to be on the 
  leading his troops in an action against his 
  rival and neighbor, Lord Highheath) would 
  return to find his fortress destroyed and his 
  town damaged, terrified, and in the grips of 
  an insidious plague .
  Of course, the PCs may already have put 
  several dents in this plan: They may have 
  destroyed several of Kruushk’s monsters, 
  neutralized Lerek, and prevented Elingson 
  from departing with his forces . These 
  possibilities will strongly affect how the 
  encounters below play out .
  If Kruushk was previously injured, he will 
  have used greater infernal healing to return 
  to full hit points before this encounter .
  The Battle: The PCs can affect the outcome 
  of the assault by participating in the defense 
  of the town . In so doing, their successes 
  contribute victory points (VP) to the result; 
  each of the encounters below offers a number 
  of VP depending on the PCs’ successes . 
  There are four “mini-encounters” in 
  which the PCs can get involved (these are 
  detailed below) . Given the timing of these 
  attacks, it’s unlikely the PCs will be able to 
  involve themselves in all of them, at least 
  not without splitting up (which then likely 
  results in fewer VPs per encounter) . That’s 
  fine--they don’t need to win every encounter 
  to do well in the battle, and choosing how 
  they can or should get involved is part of 
  the fun of this scenario . 
  At the end of the battle, the final result 
  depends on the total VP accumulated:
  0 - 19 VP The assault has done massive 
  damage to the town and fort, perhaps 
  even razing the small castle . Kruushk has 
  escaped the possibility of his return haunts 
  the citizenry . What’s more, the disease 
  spread by the rift-grafted horrors has 
  reached epidemic proportions among the 
  townsfolk . Any healthy folk are already 
  packing up and leaving with no intention of 
  returning . Dell Farthing will soon be known 
  as a “plague town”--a reputation that will 
  linger for decades, no matter how quickly 
  the illness is conquered . It seems likely 
  that within a generation the town will be 
  abandoned utterly.
  20 - 44 VP The damage to the town, its 
  fortress, and its population its substantial . 
  If left unchecked, the disease spread by the 
  rift-grafted horrors will take root, becoming 
  a plague spreading through the town . The 
  townsfolk and garrison are demoralized, 
  and many people will desert the town in 
  the days to come. Lord Elingson gruffly 
  acknowledges the PCs’ contributions to 
  the defense, but has no time or resources 
  to spare on a grand gesture of thanks . He 
  has more important concerns as he begins 
  the difficult task of rebuilding the town and 
  laying in stores against hard times to come .
  45 - 64 VP While there is damage to the town, 
  its fortress, and its population, the general 
  feeling among the residents and garrison 
  is one of victory . The horrors’ sickness 
  presents a challenge, but one that can be 
  overcome . The townsfolk gird themselves 
  for possible additional attacks but, now that 
  they’re prepared, with confidence that they 
  can be victorious them . The PCs are lauded 
  and treated as valued and respected allies 
  by townspeople and Lord Elingson alike .
  65+ VP There was no significant infestation 
  of the rift-grafted horrors’ illness . The 
  fortress and town are intact . The townsfolk, 
  now alert to the Blind Cabal threat, are wary 
  but in high morale . The PCs are seen as the 
  towns’ saviors, and plied with thanks and 
  gifts (amounting to 400 gp value per PC) .
  Scouting: The PCs may wish to keep an eye 
  out for Kruushk’s approach . (This may be 
  an especially appealing option if they’ve 
  failed to convince Lord Elingson or to defeat 
  Lerek .) If they scout the area surrounding 
  Dell Farthing, a Perception check (DC 20) 
  allows them to notice Kruushk’s approach . 
  This has the benefit of reducing by -1 the 
  number of rounds it takes them to react to 
  the rift-grafted horrors’ attacks.
  
  94
  Additionally, if the PCs report the 
  approach to the fortress, they gain 5 VP .
  Fighting The Horrors: Kruushk sends 
  his two rift-grafted horrors into the town 
  from the north and east . Their orders are to 
  move through the town, attacking anyone 
  they see but not stopping. The first horror 
  approaches the town from the north about 
  two hours after midnight; the second attacks 
  from the east 3d4 rounds after .
  The townspeople and guard respond to 
  their presence, moving into the street to 
  confront them with their simple weapons . 
  For each round the horrors rampage through 
  the town unimpeded by the PCs, reduce 
  the creatures’ current hp by 2 and tally 1 
  townsperson as infected . (Thus, if the PCs 
  do not interfere, each horror will be killed 
  21 rounds after it enters the town-having 
  infected 21 of the townsfolk each .)
  PCs responding to the attack can reach a 
  horror’s position in 1d4 rounds .
  Each round, a rift-grafted horror makes 
  attacks against two separate targets if it can, 
  and moves at least 20 feet . (It may make its 
  attacks before or after movement, depending 
  on which option allows it to more effectively 
  spread its disease.) It prefers to attack fresh 
  opponents rather than those it has already 
  struck . It moves even if doing so draws 
  attacks of opportunity. It continues until 
  destroyed or it reaches the river at the far 
  side of town, at which point it turns around 
  and heads in the direction of new victims .
  Rift-Grafted Horrors (2): hp 42 (use Vorel’s 
  Phage for disease)
  The PCs gain 10 VP for each rift-grafted 
  horror they destroy (but not those destroyed 
  by the townsfolk), but lose 5 VP if more than 
  20 townspeople are infected .
  Heedrens At The Gate: The situation at the 
  fortress will vary dramatically depending 
  on the outcome of events described in area 
  42 . If the PCs have not intervened at all, the 
  bulk of the garrison is off marching toward 
  Highheath, leaving the fortress with a 
  skeleton staff and the gate wide open. On the 
  other hand, the PCs may have killed Lerek 
  and convinced Lord Elingson to keep his 
  forces at home--or something in between .
  The fortress’s gatehouse is attacked by 
  Kruushk’s heedrens 10 rounds after the first 
  rift-grafted horror enters the town . Again, 
  depending on the PCs’ previous actions, 
  there may be four or more of the monsters, 
  or just two (or perhaps even fewer) . The 
  powerful heedrens enter the gate if it’s open, 
  or attempt to batter it down if it’s not. 
  For each round the heedrens conduct 
  their attack without interference from 
  the PCs, each heedren deals 10 points of 
  damage to the gate (the gate’s hardness is 
  accounted for in this) . Up to two heedrens 
  can attack the gate each round. The gate has 
  40 hp (thus, one heedren will batter it down 
  in 4 rounds, while two or more will do the 
  job in 2 rounds) .
  Once the gate is open, the heedrens enter the 
  bailey, each one killing one garrison member 
  per two rounds spent rampaging therein .
  Throughout the assault, the garrison 
  deals 6 hp of damage per round if Elingson 
  marched on Highheath (12 hp per round 
  if the PCs convinced him to remain) . This 
  damage is distributed as evenly as possible 
  among the heedrens present . Thus, in the 
  case of a single heedren attacking a fully 
  garrisoned fortress, it will be killed within 3 
  rounds (not enough time for it, by itself, to 
  batter down a closed gate), whereas it will 
  take 10 rounds to kill a complement of four 
  heedrens--20 rounds if the Lord Elingson 
  is away with most of his soldiers (plenty 
  of time for the creatures to batter down the 
  gates and kill many people within) .
  If the PCs intervene, any heedren they 
  attack stops what it is doing and fights them. 
  At the same time, it stops taking damage 
  from the garrison .
  Heedrens (4): hp 30
  The PCs gain 5 VP if the gate was shut at 
  the start of the battle (if Lerek was killed or 
  unmasked in area 42) . They gain 20 VP if the 
  heedrens never enter the fortress, or 10 VP 
  if the heedrens make it in but kill no more 
  than 5 members of the garrison .
  Defending The Keep: Kruushk attacks 
  the keep, beginning his attack 1d6 rounds 
  after the heedren assault begins . Before the 
  battle, he casts mage armor, blur, and fly on 
  himself. In the first round of his assault, he 
  targets the keep with fireball from a distance 
  of several hundred feet away, effectively 
  clearing any mass of soldiers of the rooftop . 
  It then takes him 2 rounds to close the 
  distance to the keep (flying). On the fourth 
  round (assuming the PCs don’t intervene), 
  he casts ball lightning, then spends the 
  next eight rounds using magic missile and 
  
  95
  scorching ray while directing his lightning 
  balls to kill garrison members on or around 
  the keep .
  Due to the effectiveness of his initial 
  attacks, Kruushk only takes 3 hp per round 
  from the garrison, beginning when he closes 
  distance with the keep (on the third round 
  of his attack). When reduced to 26 hp or 
  fewer, he flees the battle (if all has gone to 
  plan, he will have met his objectives by then 
  anyway) . If, at any point, he is engaged by 
  the PCs, he turns his attention to them, and 
  begins using more powerful spells than 
  those he was directing against the garrison .
  Kruushk : hp 52 
  The PCs gain 10 VP if they reduce Kruushk to 
  26 hp or lower (causing him to flee) before he 
  makes his ball lightning attack. They gain 20 
  VP if they kill him, plus an additional 10 VP if 
  they killed him before the ball lightning attack.
  Development: Regardless of the outcome of 
  the battle, the PCs have been proved right 
  about the threat to the town and the cause 
  of the problems in Dell Farthing . If he has 
  confiscated the PCs’ treasure, Lord Elingson 
  returns it; if they have been promised any 
  reward he provides it . He does, however, 
  ask one favor--that the PCs lead a contingent 
  of his guards to area 40 and show them the 
  entrance to the asylum, so he may make 
  plans to destroy it . He does not compel the 
  PCs to do so, but does pressure them .
  Connections: This area connects to area 42 
  and area 45 .
  See the Map of Dell Farthing .
  45. kruushk The 
  bringer (el varies)
  Summary: In defeating the Blind Cabal’s plans, 
  the PCs have earned the eternal wrath of a 
  powerful wizard who is both cruel and insane .
  Sights and Sounds: This encounter can 
  occur in almost any location . Kruushk 
  prefers to make his move under the cover of 
  darkness, but that is not a requirement .
  Background: The PCs have likely had one 
  or two opportunities to mix it up with 
  Kruushk--and they’ve likely put a crimp in 
  his machinations. Now Kruushk is finished 
  with his plans for Dell Farthing, and his 
  attention is fixed firmly on the PCs.
  The ways in which this scene might 
  unfold are too many to enumerate . If the 
  PCs accepted Lord Elingson’s request 
  to lead a small group of soldiers to the 
  asylum entrance, Kruushk may attack at 
  the haunted watchtower . If they leave the 
  region, Kruushk will follow them, perhaps 
  attacking their campsite many miles down 
  the road and days after the battle. Kruushk is 
  not a brilliant tactician, nor is he particularly 
  patient, but his thirst for revenge is deep 
  and powerful!
  Kruushk might encounter the PCs by 
  luck if they return to Carisford Vale, or he 
  may have to spend some time searching for 
  them. In the latter case, he uses his echoing 
  eye ability to gain clues to their whereabouts, 
  as well as the tried-and-true method of 
  following their trail, asking questions 
  about their travels at inns or other public 
  places they may have visited . He does most 
  of his traveling and questioning at night 
  (sometimes using mount), shunning public 
  exposure to the best of his ability . He is 
  not above using interrogation or even pain 
  strike to pry information out of a potential 
  informant, or to enslave a peasant to serve 
  as a guide and assistant .
  If Kruushk has been previously injured, 
  he will have used greater infernal healing to 
  return to full hit points before this encounter .
  Kruushk: Kruushk’s intent is to hit the PCs 
  with the might of a fully prepared wizard 
  who has taken every possible advantage . If 
  he can catch them off guard--perhaps asleep, 
  with only one or two characters on watch-
  -he will . If they separate, perhaps while in 
  a town, he’ll happily take the chance to kill 
  them off one or two at a time. To carry out his 
  plan, he requires the following conditions:
  * He needs just over a minute to buff himself, 
  something he’ll do while at least 200 feet 
  away and under cover . If the PCs are on the 
  move or in crowded conditions (say, in a 
  busy market), he can’t reliably keep track of 
  them while buffing.
  * All of the targeted PCs need to be together, 
  preferably within a 20-foot radius . PCs 
  sleeping around a campfire are ideal. If he’s 
  attacking a subset of the party, only those 
  who are part of the current attack need be 
  close together .
  * The PCs need to be isolated from help . 
  Out in the wilderness is great, but Kruushk 
  is just fine with attacking them in a city, as 
  long as he’s certain no credible help will 
  arrive within several minutes .
  
  96
  * He wants lots of overhead to allow him 
  to fly, and few options for the PCs to gain 
  cover from his attacks--although he hopes to 
  pen them in, so the latter isn’t critical.
  If Kruushk still has heedrens or rift-grafted 
  horrors at the time of this fight, he abandons 
  them and does not use them in this attack. 
  The advantage they might provide is offset 
  by the likelihood that they would spoil the 
  element of surprise .
  Once his conditions are met, Kruushk 
  prepares himself . He casts the following 
  spells, in this order: mage armor, fly, shield, 
  blur, fox’s cunning, bear’s endurance, and 
  cat’s grace. Once fully buffed, he has roughly 
  8 minutes to complete his task, before the 
  buffs (other than mage armor) wear off.
  To minimize the number of PCs able to 
  fight back effectively, Kruushk conducts his 
  attack while flying, remaining at least 30 
  feet up whenever possible .
  He launches his attack with black 
  tentacles, cast from maximum range (190 
  feet if he has a good field of view). He 
  intends to catch the PCs by surprise, and he 
  tries to place the spell to catch all of the PCs 
  if possible . He immediately follows up with 
  his elemental wall ability, shaping it as a 
  ring around the PCs (possibly the boundary 
  of the black tentacles) and projecting acid 
  damage inward, and moves to a range of 
  roughly 100 feet . If all or most of the PCs 
  remain within the affected zone, he follows 
  up the next round with a fireball.
  At some point, it is likely that one or more 
  PCs will escape this morass and come after 
  Kruushk . Kruushk targets individual PCs, 
  favoring those with powerful ranged attacks 
  or the ability to fly. He uses boneshatter 
  against fighters or rogues, favoring pain strike 
  for spellcasters . He also falls back on ball 
  lightning and fire snake when two or more 
  characters are relatively close to one another .
  The stat block below gives Kruushk’s stats 
  under the effect of his full suite of buff spells. 
  For clarity, those spells have been removed 
  from his list of prepared spells, leaving only 
  those he can call upon in the fight.
  In Kruushk’s mind, this is an all-or-
  nothing battle. He fights to the death. 
  KRUUSHK THE BRINGER  
  (buffed to attack PCs)
  CR 8 
  Male half-orc evoker 9 
  CE Medium humanoid (orc, human) 
  Init +1; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., Perception +1
  DEFENSE 
  AC  19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 
  hp  70 (9d6+36)
  Fort  +6, Ref +4, Will +7 
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Melee +1 falchion (two handed) +5 (2d4+1/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks elemental wall, force missile 
  (1d4+4, 7/day), intense spells
  Prepared Spells (CL 9th):
  5th - fire snake (DC 19), pain strike (DC 19)
  4th - ball lightning (DC 18), black tentacles, 
  boneshatter (DC 18), defensive shock [empower 
  spell] (DC 16)
  3rd - diamond spray (DC17), fireball (x2) 
  (DC17), fly, force punch (DC17)
  2nd - blur (2 slots), bear’s endurance, cat’s 
  grace, fox’s cunning, scorching ray
  1st - alarm, corrosive touch, mage armor, magic 
  missile (x2), shield
  STATISTICS 
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 23, Wis 13, Cha 15 
  Base Atk  +4; CMB +4; CMD 13 
  Feats 
  Combat 
  Casting, 
  Craft 
  Magic 
  Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, 
  Empower Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, 
  Toughness
  Skills Craft (Alchemy) +14, Craft (Armor) 
  +14, Craft (Weapons) +15, Knowledge 
  (Arcana) +15, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 
  +12, 
  Knowledge 
  (Engineering) 
  +13, 
  Knowledge (Local) +13, Spellcraft +18
  Languages  Common, Orc
  Special Qualities bonded object (ring), 
  cantrips, opposition school (enchantment, 
  illusion), intimidating, orc blood, orc 
  ferocity, weapon familiarity
  Possessions bracers of armor +1, +1 falchion, 
  ring (bonded object), spellbook containing 
  all of Kruushk’s prepared spells plus rune 
  of heedren control, greater infernal healing, 
  countless eyes, disfiguring touch, interrogation, 
  mount and 24 levels worth of additional 
  spells, bronze amulet in the shape of an 
  eight-sided star (key that allows entrance 
  into the asylum via area 40), vial containing 
  10 drops of demon blood
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  The Echoing Eye (Sp): As a full-round action, 
  Kruushk can scry as per the scrying spell but 
  without the requirement for components . 
  Kruushk can use this ability once per day .
  
  97
  Elemental Wall (Sp): Kruushk can create a 
  wall of energy that lasts for 9 rounds per day . 
  These rounds do not need to be consecutive . 
  This wall deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire 
  damage, determined when Kruushk creates 
  it . The elemental wall otherwise functions 
  like wall of fire.
  Force Missile (Sp): As a standard action 
  Kruushk can unleash a force missile that 
  automatically strikes a foe, as magic missile . 
  The force missile deals 1d4+4 points of 
  damage. This is a force effect. Kruushk can 
  use this ability 7 times per day .
  Intense Spells (Su): Whenever Kruushk 
  casts an evocation spell that deals damage, 
  add +4 to the damage . This bonus only 
  applies once to a spell, not once per missile 
  or ray, and cannot be split between multiple 
  missiles or rays . This bonus damage is not 
  increased by Empower Spell or similar 
  effects. This damage is of the same type as 
  the spell .
  Connections: This may occur in the 
  Carisford Vale, or some other location .
  See the Map of Carisford Vale .
  
  98
  appendix a: MonsTers & 
  npCs
  Blind Cabalist (CR +0)
  Touched by the Realm of Echoes and having 
  undergone a ritual blinding, members of the 
  Blind Cabal see beyond the glare of the material 
  world and gain special and terrible insight . 
  Quick Rules: Blind Cabalists gain the 
  following traits:
  * Blind: The Blind Cabalist is immune to 
  gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and 
  other attack forms that rely on sight, but 
  cannot read or make Perception checks 
  based solely on sight .
  * Blindsight: The Blind Cabalist gains the 
  blindsight special ability .
  * The Echoing Eye: As a full-round action, 
  the Blind Cabalist can scry as per the 
  scrying spell but without the requirement 
  for components . The cabalist can use this 
  ability a number of times per day equal to 
  his Wisdom bonus (minimum 1) .
  Rebuild Rules: As above .
  Acolytes: Acolytes are provisional members 
  of the Blind Cabal who have not undergone 
  the full ritual process of membership . (As an 
  initial symbol of commitment, upon joining 
  the group each acolyte removes one of his 
  or her own eyes .) Because membership is 
  based on insights gained into the Realm of 
  Echoes (and a certain degree of madness), 
  many potential recruits find their way to the 
  cabal late in their careers . As a result, it is 
  quite possible for an acolyte to be a higher-
  level character than some full members of 
  the cabal .
  Although 
  there 
  are 
  some 
  obvious 
  similarities, The Oracle (in area 9) is not a 
  member of the Blind Cabal, and is unaware 
  of its existence . Her blindness is natural or 
  the result of some ancient accident, and she 
  relies principally on hearing for the messages 
  that reach her from the Realm of Echoes, 
  via the voice of the sinkhole . Nonetheless, 
  it seems that both blindness and insanity 
  help prepare the mind for insights from that 
  terrible realm .
  The Cast of Characters: A number of Blind 
  Cabal NPCs appear in this adventure . A few 
  of them are full members of the Cabal, but 
  others are acolytes, retainers, and slaves .
  Slaves: Any large facility needs a staff 
  of workers . In the Blind Cabal’s case, 
  they also need fodder for their bizarre 
  experimentation and food for their terrible 
  creatures . The slaves held in the asylum 
  are generally good-aligned humanoids 
  from the region of Carisford . All are low-
  level characters weakened physically and 
  psychologically by their ordeal at the hands 
  of the cabal . Slaves are encountered in areas 
  29, 30, and 33 .
  Retainers: For lack of a better word, these are 
  servants of the cabal who provide specialized 
  service, have aligned themselves willingly 
  with the cabal, and have a higher status in the 
  organization than the slaves . These include 
  Creena (encountered in area 29), Al’Pershiea 
  (area 33), and The Surgeon (area 38) .
  Acolytes: Acolytes are future cabalists 
  serving the organization as they prove their 
  fealty and develop their ties to the Realm of 
  Echoes . Acolytes are encountered in area 17 
  and area 30 .
  Full Members of the Blind Cabal: A 
  handful of full members of the Blind 
  Cabal are encountered in this adventure; 
  whether this constitutes just a fraction of 
  the organization, or nearly all of it, is up to 
  the GM to decide (see below) . Among those 
  encountered here are Girrenmoor (area 34), 
  Plambten (area 35), Yesselendra (area 39), 
  and Dor Kirenal (area 41) .
  BLIND CABAL ACOLYTE            CR 5 
  Male human cleric 5 
  CE Medium humanoid (human) 
  Init +0; Senses Perception +4  
  DEFENSE 
  AC  10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 
  hp  26 (3d8+7)
  Fort  +5, Ref +1, Will +7 
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks blast rune (7/day), channel 
  negative energy (2d6, DC 15, 5/day), vision 
  of madness (7/day)
  Innate Spell-Like Abilities: bleed (DC 
  14), detect magic, light, read magic, lesser 
  confusion (DC 15), hide from undead, magic 
  stone, obscuring mist, darkness, shatter, 
  touch of idiocy
  Deity none; Domains rune, madness
  
  99
  STATISTICS 
  Str 11, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 15 
  Base Atk  +2; CMB +12; CMD 12 
  Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, 
  Improved Channel, Scribe Scroll
  Skills Diplomacy +8, Knowledge (history) 
  +7, Linguistics (Abyssal, Undercommon) +6, 
  Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +7
  Languages  Abyssal, Common, Undercommon
  Special Qualities orisons, spontaneous casting
  Possessions whip
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Blast Rune (Sp): As a standard action, 
  the acolyte can create a blast rune in any 
  adjacent square . Any creature entering this 
  square takes 1d6+1 points of damage . This 
  rune deals either acid, cold, electricity, or 
  fire damage, decided when the acolyte 
  creates the rune . The rune is invisible and 
  lasts 3 rounds or until discharged . The 
  acolyte cannot create a blast rune in a square 
  occupied by another creature . This rune 
  counts as a 1st-level spell for the purposes 
  of dispelling . It can be discovered with at 
  DC 26 Perception check and disarmed with 
  a DC 26 Disable Device check . The acolyte 
  can use this ability 7 times per day .
  Channel Negative Energy (Su): The acolyte 
  can unleash a wave of negative energy . The 
  acolyte must choose to deal 2d6 points of 
  positive energy damage to living creatures 
  or to heal undead creatures of 2d6 points of 
  damage . Creatures that take damage from 
  channeled energy receive a DC 15 Will save 
  to halve the damage . The acolyte can use 
  this ability 5 times per day .
  Vision of Madness (Sp): The acolyte can 
  give a creature a vision of madness as a melee 
  touch attack. Choose one of the following: 
  attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. 
  The target receives a +1 bonus to the chosen 
  rolls and a -1 penalty to the other two types 
  of rolls. This effect fades after 3 rounds. The 
  acolyte can use this ability 7 times per day .
  DELL FARTHING 
  NG small town
  Corruption +2; Crime -2; Economy +1; Law 
  +2; Lore +1; Society -3
  Qualities 
  rumormongering 
  citizens, 
  strategic location
  Danger +0
  DEMOGRAPHICS 
  Government overlord
  Population 1,500 (1,200 humans; 100 
  dwarves; 100 half-elves; 100 other)
  NOTABLE NPCs 
  Archwizard Talandrel Illarion (NG male elf 
  wizard 14)
  Dungsweeper Hrak (CG male half-orc druid 4)
  Famous Thief The Crimson Rose (CN female 
  half-elf rogue 7)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 1,100 gp; Purchase Limit 5,500 
  gp; Spellcasting 4th
  Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 1d6; 
  Major Items --
  GARLENTHATIR                CR 10 
  Male minotaur ghosty monstrous humanoid 
  6/cleric 5/aristocrat 1 
  TN Large undead (monstrous humanoid, 
  incorporeal) 
  Init +5; Senses darkvision (60 ft .), Perception +14 
  DEFENSE 
  AC  15, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (-1 size, +1 
  Dex, +5 deflection) 
  hp  114 (12d8+60)
  Fort  +11, Ref +7, Will +13 
  Defensive Abilities  channel resistance +4, 
  incorporeal, natural cunning, rejuvenation; 
  Immune undead traits
  OFFENSE 
  Speed  fly 30 ft. (perfect)
  Melee  corrupting touch +10 (10d6)
  Special Attacks fatal fate
  STATISTICS 
  Str --, Dex 12, Con --, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 20 
  Base Atk  +9; CMB +14; CMD 25 
  Feats Endurance, Extra Channel, Improved 
  Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Leadership, 
  Persuasive
  Skills Diplomacy +20, Intimidate +26, 
  Perception +14, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft 
  +14, Stealth +9
  Languages  Common, Giant
  Special Qualities orisons, spontaneous casting
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Fatal Fate (Su): Once per day, Garlenthatir 
  can lay a compulsive curse upon the living, 
  forcing them to either take up his work 
  or face a terrible end . Garlenthatir makes 
  a touch attack, which forces the target to 
  make a Will save (DC 21) or be stunned 
  for 1 round . During this round, the target 
  receives a flood of images suggesting the 
  return of Garlenthatir’s desecrated body to 
  
  100
  its sarcophagus . The target has 9 days to 
  fulfill this intention. If the target does not do 
  so within this set period, he takes 1d4 points 
  of Constitution drain per day. This effect 
  can be overcome via the spell remove curse, 
  requiring a DC 21 caster level check .
  Natural 
  Cunning 
  (Ex): 
  Garlenthatir 
  possesses an innate cunning and logical 
  ability granting an immunity to maze spells 
  and preventing him from ever becoming 
  lost. He is never caught flat-footed. 
  GIRRENMOOR 
  CR 6 
  Male Human Sorcerer 7 
  CE Medium humanoid (human) 
  Init +5; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., Perception +11
  DEFENSE 
  AC  11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 
  hp  41 (7d6+14)
  Fort  +4, Ref +3, Will +6
  Resist cold 10
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft . (10 ft . for melee touch 
  attacks)
  Special Attacks acidic ray (1d6+3), long 
  limbs
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th):
  3rd (5/day) - deep slumber (DC 18), excruciating 
  deformation (DC 19), tongues (DC 18) 
  2nd (7/day) - acid arrow, alter self, see 
  invisibility
  1st (8/day) - alarm, burning hands (DC 16), 
  charm person (DC 16), feather fall, mage armor, 
  enlarge person (DC 17)
  STATISTICS 
  Str 11, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 21 
  Base Atk  +3; CMB +3; CMD 14 
  Feats Combat Casting, Craft Wondrous 
  Item, 
  Deceitful, 
  Eschew 
  Materials, 
  Improved Initiative, Silent Spell, Spell Focus 
  (Transmutation)
  Skills Bluff +17, Knowledge (arcana) +10, 
  Knowledge (planes) +4, Spellcraft +10, Use 
  Magic Device +11
  Languages  Common
  Special 
  Qualities 
  aberrant 
  bloodline, 
  bloodline arcane, cantrips
  Possessions ring of minor cold resistance, 
  bronze amulet in the shape of an eight-sided 
  star (key that allows exit from the asylum 
  via area 32)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Acidic Ray (Su): Girrenmoor can fire an acidic 
  ray as a standard action, targeting any foe 
  within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray 
  deals 1d6+3 points of acid damage . Girrenmoor 
  can use this ability 8 times per day . 
  Bloodline Arcana: Whenever Girrenmoor 
  casts a spell of the polymorph subschool, 
  increase the duration of the spell by 50% 
  (minimum 1 round) . 
  Long Limbs (Ex): Girrenmoor’s reach 
  increases by 5 feet whenever he makes a 
  melee touch attack. This ability does not 
  increase his threatened area .
  Heedren 
  This enormous creature, nearly as broad in 
  the shoulders as it is tall, is characterized by 
  a single huge eyeball where its head should 
  be, one arm that is massively larger than 
  the other, and the meat-red coloration of 
  its huge muscles, which don’t seem to be 
  covered in skin . 
  Heedren are nearly mindless, thuggish 
  creatures from the Realm of Echoes . 
  Extremely powerful and seemingly never 
  needing rest, if properly controlled they 
  make excellent slave labor and terrifying 
  shock troops .
  Although essentially humanoid in shape, 
  heedren are characterized by one arm that 
  is disproportionately large and another that 
  is diminutive (like some sort of mammalian 
  fiddler crab); they do the heavy lifting (and 
  attacking) with the large arm and any finer 
  work (at which they do not excel) with the 
  smaller limb . Both their arms and their feet 
  end in “hands” with four long opposed digits .
  At the core of every heedren is a “heedren 
  stone,” a fist-sized lump of metallic material 
  that has a distinctly organic appearance . 
  Within 2d10 minutes of a heedren’s death, 
  its flesh begins to dissolve into a puddle 
  of goo--a process that takes about an hour 
  and leaves only the stone behind . Within 
  the Realm of Echoes a new heedren will 
  eventually form around the stone; some 
  believe that, under proper conditions, this 
  can be made to happen on the Material 
  Plane as well .
  HEEDREN (CR 3) 
  XP 800 
  CE Large aberration 
  Init +0; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., low-light 
  vision; Perception +1
  
  101
  DEFENSE 
  AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, -1 size)
  hp 30 (4d8+12)
  Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +5
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 40 ft .
  Melee earthbreaker +8 (3d6+6), slam +8 
  (1d6+6 plus grab)
  Ranged rock +4 (2d6+9)
  Special Attacks rock throwing (20 ft .)
  Space 10 ft .; Reach 10 ft .
  STATISTICS 
  Str 23, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 8, Cha 7
  Base Atk +3; CMB +10 (+14 grapple); CMD 20
  Feats Iron Will, Toughness
  Skills Climb +7, Perception +1, Swim +7
  Languages varies
  ECOLOGY 
  Environment: any
  Organization: solitary or troupe (2-6)
  Treasure: none
  KRUUSHK THE BRINGER 
  CR 8 
  Male half-orc evoker 9 
  CE Medium humanoid (orc, human) 
  Init -1; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., Perception +1
  DEFENSE 
  AC  10, touch 9, flat-footed 10 
  hp  52 (9d6+18)
  Fort  +4, Ref +2, Will +7 
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Melee +1 falchion (two handed) +5 (2d4+1/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks elemental wall, force missile 
  (1d4+4, 7/day), intense spells
  Prepared Spells (CL 9th):
  5th - fire snake (DC 19), pain strike (DC 19)
  4th - ball lightning (DC 18), black tentacles, 
  boneshatter (DC 18), defensive shock [empower 
  spell] (DC 16)
  3rd - diamond spray (DC17), fireball (x2) 
  (DC17), fly, force punch (DC17)
  2nd - blur (2 slots), bear’s endurance, cat’s 
  grace, fox’s cunning, scorching ray
  1st - alarm, corrosive touch, mage armor, magic 
  missile (x2), shield
  STATISTICS 
  Str 10, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 13, Cha 15 
  Base Atk  +4; CMB +4; CMD 13 
  Feats 
  Combat 
  Casting, 
  Craft 
  Magic 
  Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, 
  Empower Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, 
  Toughness
  Skills Craft (Alchemy) +12, Craft (Armor) 
  +12, Craft (Weapons) +13, Knowledge 
  (Arcana) +13, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 
  +10, 
  Knowledge 
  (Engineering) 
  +11, 
  Knowledge (Local) +11, Spellcraft +16
  Languages  Common, Orc
  Special Qualities bonded object (ring), 
  cantrips, opposition school (enchantment, 
  illusion), intimidating, orc blood, orc 
  ferocity, weapon familiarity
  Possessions bracers of armor +1, +1 falchion, 
  ring (bonded object), spellbook containing 
  all of Kruushk’s prepared spells plus rune of 
  heedren control, greater infernal healing, countless 
  eyes, disfiguring touch, interrogation, mount and 
  24 levels worth of additional spells, bronze 
  amulet in the shape of an eight-sided star (key 
  that allows entrance into the asylum via area 
  40), vial containing 10 drops of demon blood .
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  The Echoing Eye (Sp): As a full-round action, 
  Kruushk can scry as per the scrying spell but 
  without the requirement for components . 
  Kruushk can use this ability once per day .
  Elemental Wall (Sp): Kruushk can create a 
  wall of energy that lasts for 9 rounds per day . 
  These rounds do not need to be consecutive . 
  This wall deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire 
  damage, determined when Kruushk creates 
  it . The elemental wall otherwise functions 
  like wall of fire.
  Force Missile (Sp): As a standard action 
  Kruushk can unleash a force missile that 
  automatically strikes a foe, as magic missile . 
  The force missile deals 1d4+4 points of 
  damage. This is a force effect. Kruushk can 
  use this ability 7 times per day .
  Intense Spells (Su): Whenever Kruushk casts 
  an evocation spell that deals damage, add +4 
  to the damage . This bonus only applies once 
  to a spell, not once per missile or ray, and 
  cannot be split between multiple missiles 
  or rays . This bonus damage is not increased 
  by Empower Spell or similar effects. This 
  damage is of the same type as the spell .
  KRUUSHK THE BRINGER  
  (buffed to attack PCs)
  CR 8 
  Male half-orc evoker 9 
  CE Medium humanoid (orc, human) 
  Init +1; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., Perception +1
  
  102
  DEFENSE 
  AC  19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 
  hp  70 (9d6+36)
  Fort  +6, Ref +4, Will +7 
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  Melee +1 falchion (two handed) +5 (2d4+1/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks elemental wall, force missile 
  (1d4+4, 7/day), intense spells
  Prepared Spells (CL 9th):
  5th - fire snake (DC 19), pain strike (DC 19)
  4th - ball lightning (DC 18), black tentacles, 
  boneshatter (DC 18), defensive shock [empower 
  spell] (DC 16)
  3rd - diamond spray (DC17), fireball (x2) 
  (DC17), fly, force punch (DC17)
  2nd - blur (2 slots), bear’s endurance, cat’s 
  grace, fox’s cunning, scorching ray
  1st - alarm, corrosive touch, mage armor, magic 
  missile (x2), shield
  STATISTICS 
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 23, Wis 13, Cha 15 
  Base Atk  +4; CMB +4; CMD 13 
  Feats 
  Combat 
  Casting, 
  Craft 
  Magic 
  Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, 
  Empower Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, 
  Toughness
  Skills Craft (Alchemy) +14, Craft (Armor) 
  +14, Craft (Weapons) +15, Knowledge 
  (Arcana) +15, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 
  +12, 
  Knowledge 
  (Engineering) 
  +13, 
  Knowledge (Local) +13, Spellcraft +18
  Languages  Common, Orc
  Special Qualities bonded object (ring), 
  cantrips, opposition school (enchantment, 
  illusion), intimidating, orc blood, orc 
  ferocity, weapon familiarity
  Possessions bracers of armor +1, +1 falchion, 
  ring (bonded object), spellbook containing 
  all of Kruushk’s prepared spells plus rune 
  of heedren control, greater infernal healing, 
  countless eyes, disfiguring touch, interrogation, 
  mount and 24 levels worth of additional 
  spells, bronze amulet in the shape of an 
  eight-sided star (key that allows entrance 
  into the asylum via area 40), vial containing 
  10 drops of demon blood
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  The Echoing Eye (Sp): As a full-round 
  action, Kruushk can scry as per the scrying 
  spell but without the requirement for 
  components . Kruushk can use this ability 
  once per day .
  Elemental Wall (Sp): Kruushk can create a 
  wall of energy that lasts for 9 rounds per day . 
  These rounds do not need to be consecutive . 
  This wall deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire 
  damage, determined when Kruushk creates 
  it . The elemental wall otherwise functions 
  like wall of fire.
  Force Missile (Sp): As a standard action 
  Kruushk can unleash a force missile that 
  automatically strikes a foe, as magic missile . 
  The force missile deals 1d4+4 points of 
  damage. This is a force effect. Kruushk can 
  use this ability 7 times per day .
  Intense Spells (Su): Whenever Kruushk 
  casts an evocation spell that deals damage, 
  add +4 to the damage . This bonus only 
  applies once to a spell, not once per missile 
  or ray, and cannot be split between multiple 
  missiles or rays . This bonus damage is not 
  increased by Empower Spell or similar 
  effects. This damage is of the same type as 
  the spell .
  Larval Tentamort Swarm CR 2 
  A swarm of dark blue, starfish-like creatures, 
  each about the size of a dinner plate and 
  each having a disturbing, bright red eye in 
  the center . 
  Given their preference, tentamort young 
  prefer to scatter, seeking food sources 
  and distancing themselves from their 
  occasionally 
  cannibalistic 
  parents 
  and 
  siblings . When large concentrations of 
  young are unable to roam, however, they 
  may form swarms in their eagerness to fall 
  upon any potential prey they detect .
  XP 600 
  N Tiny aberration (swarm)
  Init +2; Senses blindsight 60 ft ., low-light 
  vision; Perception +1
  DEFENSE 
  AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-3 Dex, +2 size)
  hp 19 (3d8+6)
  Fort +5, Ref -2, Will +2
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 10 ft .
  Melee swarm (1 plus poison)
  Special Attacks poison, distraction (DC 15), 
  clingy
  Space 10 ft .; Reach 0 ft .
  STATISTICS 
  Str 14, Dex 4, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 1
  
  103
  Base Atk +2; CMB -5; CMD 8
  Feats Improved Initiative
  Skills Climb +10, Perception +1; Racial 
  Modifiers +8 Climb
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Poison (Ex): Fort DC 15; frequency 2 rounds; 
  effect 1 Con plus nausea; cure 1 save.
  Clingy (Ex): Whenever a larval tentamort 
  swarm makes a swarm attack on a creature 
  of Small size or larger, that creature must 
  make a DC 13 Reflex save or be covered in 
  multiple larval tentamorts . Those who fail 
  are entangled until the larvae are removed, 
  which requires a full-round action--though 
  this action might be impeded by effects of the 
  swarm . The save DC is Constitution-based .
  ECOLOGY 
  Environment: any
  Organization: solitary or group (2-4)
  Treasure: none
  THE SURGEON 
  CR 4 
  Male Janni Oracle 1 
  N Medium outsider (native) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft ., Perception +11
  DEFENSE 
  AC  14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 
  hp  46 (6d10+1d8+7)
  Fort  +6, Ref +7, Will +2
  Resist fire 10
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft.; fly 20 ft. (perfect)
  Melee scimitar +9/+4 (1d6+4/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special Attacks change size
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th):
  3/day - invisibility (self only), plane shift (willing 
  targets to elemental planes, Astral Plane, or 
  Material Plane only), speak with animals
  1/day - create food and water, ethereal jaunt (for 
  1 hour)
  Oracle Spells (CL 1st):
  1st (4/day) - cure light wounds, divine favor, 
  infernal healing
  STATISTICS 
  Str 16, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 13 
  Base Atk  +6; CMB +9; CMD 21 
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Mobility
  Skills Appraise +5, Craft (alchemy) +11, Fly 
  +14, Heal +12, Intimidate +8, Perception +11, 
  Ride +6, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +11, 
  Stealth +6
  Languages  Common, Terran, Celestial
  Special Qualities elemental endurance, 
  mystery 
  (life), 
  healing 
  hands, 
  curse 
  (misshapen), orisons
  Possessions scimitar, keys to cages in area 37
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Change Size (Sp): Twice per day, a janni 
  can magically change a creature’s size . This 
  works just like an enlarge person or reduce 
  person spell (the janni chooses when using 
  the ability), except that the ability can work 
  on the janni . A DC 13 Fortitude save negates 
  the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. 
  This is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell .
  Elemental Endurance (Ex): Jann can remain 
  on the Planes of Air, Earth, Fire, or Water for 
  up to 48 hours at a time . Failure to return to 
  the Material Plane before that time expires 
  causes a janni to take 1 point of damage per 
  additional hour spent on the elemental plane, 
  until it dies or returns to the Material Plane .
  Healing Hands (Ex): The Surgeon gains a 
  +4 bonus on Heal checks and may provide 
  first aid to two people or treat two people 
  for poison as a standard action (make a 
  separate Heal check for each creature) . 
  When using the Heal skill to treat wounds 
  from caltrops (and so on), treat deadly 
  wounds, treat poison, treat disease, or treat 
  long-term care, double the normal number 
  of people he may treat at the same time . He 
  may provide long term care for himself .
  Misshapen (Ex): The surgeon was born with 
  a twisted, uneven body. He has difficulty 
  keeping balance and defending himself 
  from complex maneuvers (-1 to CMD) but 
  can be frightening to those who are aware of 
  his power (+1 to Intimidate) .
  YESSELENDRA 
  CR 6 
  Female elf bard 7 
  CE Medium humanoid (elf) 
  Init +6; Senses Perception +3, blindsight 60 ft .
  DEFENSE 
  AC  14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 
  hp  35 (7d8)
  Fort  +1, Ref +7, Will +6, +2 vs . enchantment, 
  +4 vs . bardic performance, sonic, and 
  language-dependent effects
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 30 ft .
  
  104
  Melee +2 rapier +10 (1d6+2/18-20)
  Space 5 ft .; Reach 5 ft .  
  Special 
  Attacks 
  distraction, 
  fascinate, 
  suggestion
  Known Bard Spells (CL 7th):
  3rd (2/day) - overwhelming grief (DC 17), 
  terrible remorse (DC 17)
  2nd (4/day) - glitterdust (DC 16), miserable 
  pity (DC 16), reckless infatuation (DC 16), 
  shatter (DC 16)
  1st (5/day) alarm, charm person (DC 15), 
  comprehend languages, cure light wounds, 
  feather fall
  STATISTICS 
  Str 10, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 19 
  Base Atk  +5; CMB +5; CMD 18 
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon 
  Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)
  Skills Acrobatics +12, Appraise +8, Climb 
  +8, Knowledge (History) +10, Knowledge 
  (Planes) +12, Knowledge (Religion) +9, 
  Linguistics (Abyssal, Undercommon) +6, 
  Perform (Act) +14, Perform (Sing) +14, 
  Sleight of Hand +12
  Languages  Abyssal, Common, Undercommon
  Special Qualities versatile performance 
  (Act), armored casting, bardic countersong, 
  bardic knowledge, bardic performance, 
  cantrips, countersong, elven immunities, 
  elven magic, inspire competence, inspire 
  courage, keen senses, lore master, versatile 
  performance (Sing), weapon familiarity, 
  well-versed
  Possessions amulet of natural armor +1, +2 
  rapier, bronze amulet in the shape of an 
  eight-sided star (key that allows exit from 
  the asylum via area 32)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Blind (Ex): Yesselendra is immune to gaze 
  attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other 
  attack forms that rely on sight, but cannot 
  read or make Perception checks based solely 
  on sight . 
  Echoing Eye (Sp): Once per day, as a full-
  round action, Yesselendra can scry as per the 
  scrying spell but without the requirement 
  for components .
  Versatile Performance (Ex): Yesselendra use 
  her bonus in the Perform (Act) skill in place 
  of her bonus in the Bluff or Disguise skills, 
  and her bonus in the Perform (Sing) skill 
  in place of her bonus in the Bluff or Sense 
  Motive skills .
  Bardic Knowledge (Ex): Yesselendra adds 
  +3 to all Knowledge checks any may make 
  all Knowledge skill checks untrained .
  Bardic Performance: Yesselendra is trained 
  to use the Perform skill to create magical 
  effects on those around her, including 
  herself if desired . She can use this ability 
  for 20 rounds per day . Each round, she 
  can produce any one of the types of bardic 
  performances she has mastered . Starting a 
  bardic performance is a move action, but 
  it can be maintained each round as a free 
  action . Changing a bardic performance from 
  one effect to another requires Yesselendra 
  to stop the previous performance and 
  start a new one as a move action . A bardic 
  performance cannot be disrupted, but it 
  ends immediately if she is killed, paralyzed, 
  stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise 
  prevented from taking a free action to 
  maintain it each round . Yesselendra cannot 
  have more than one bardic performance in 
  effect at one time. 
  Distraction (Su): Yesselendra can use her 
  bardic performance to counter magic effects 
  that depend on sight . Each round of the 
  distraction, she makes a Perform (act) skill 
  check . Any creature within 30 feet (including 
  herself) that is affected by an illusion 
  (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack 
  may use her Perform check result in place 
  of its saving throw if, after the saving throw 
  is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to 
  be higher . If a creature within range of the 
  distraction is already under the effect of 
  a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or 
  illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains 
  another saving throw against the effect each 
  round it sees the distraction, but it must 
  use her Perform skill check result for the 
  save. Distraction does not work on effects 
  that don’t allow saves . Distraction relies on 
  visual components .
  Fascinate (Su): Yesselendra can use her 
  bardic performance to cause up to 3 creatures 
  to become fascinated with her . Each creature 
  to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able 
  to see and hear her, and capable of paying 
  attention to her. She must also be able to see 
  the creatures affected. The distraction of a 
  nearby combat or other dangers prevents 
  this ability from working . Each creature 
  within range receives a Will save (DC 17) 
  to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving 
  throw succeeds, Yesselendra cannot attempt 
  
  105
  to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours . 
  If its saving throw fails, the creature sits 
  quietly and observes her performance for as 
  long as she continues to maintain it . While 
  fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on 
  all skill checks made as reactions, such as 
  Perception checks . Any potential threat to the 
  target allows the target to make a new saving 
  throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, 
  such as someone drawing a weapon, casting 
  a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, 
  automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate 
  is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-
  affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible 
  and visual components in order to function .
  Suggestion (Sp): Yesselendra can use her 
  bardic performance to make a suggestion 
  (as per the spell) to a creature she has 
  already fascinated . Using this ability does 
  not disrupt the Fascinate effect, but it does 
  require a standard action to activate (in 
  addition to the free action to continue the 
  Fascinate effect). She can use this ability 
  more than once against an individual 
  creature during an individual performance . 
  Making a Suggestion does not count 
  against Yesselendra’s daily use of Bardic 
  Performance . A Will saving throw (DC 
  17) negates the effect. This ability affects 
  only a single creature . Suggestion is an 
  enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, 
  language-dependent ability and relies on 
  audible components . 
  Countersong (Su): Yesselendra can counter 
  magic effects that depend on sound (but 
  not spells that have verbal components) . 
  Each round of the countersong she makes a 
  Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, 
  or sing) skill check . Any creature within 30 
  feet (including herself) that is affected by a 
  sonic or language-dependent magical attack 
  may use her Perform check result in place 
  of its saving throw if, after the saving throw 
  is rolled, the Perform check result proves 
  to be higher . If a creature within range of 
  the countersong is already under the effect 
  of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-
  dependent magical attack, it gains another 
  saving throw against the effect each round 
  it hears the countersong, but it must use 
  her Perform skill check result for the save . 
  Countersong does not work on effects that 
  don’t allow saves . Countersong relies on 
  audible components . 
  Elven Magic (Ex): Elves receive a +2 racial 
  bonus on caster level checks made to 
  overcome spell resistance . In addition, elves 
  receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill 
  checks made to identify the properties of 
  magic items . 
  Lore Master (Ex): Yesselendra has become 
  a master of lore and can take 10 on any 
  Knowledge skill check that she has ranks 
  in . She can choose not to take 10 and can 
  instead roll normally . In addition, 1 time per 
  day, she can take 20 on any Knowledge skill 
  check as a standard action .
  
  106
  appendix b: iTeMs & Traps
  iTeMs
  Rune of Heedren Control 
  School enchantment; Level sorcerer/wizard 5 
  CASTING 
  Casting Time 10 minutes
  Components V, S, M (a heedren stone)
  EFFECT 
  Range touch
  Target one humanoid
  Duration permanent
  Saving Throw Will negates (harmless)
  DESCRIPTION 
  When you cast this spell, a runelike tattoo 
  appears on a part of the target’s body you 
  specify. This tattoo gives the target a power 
  that functions like the dominate person 
  spell, except that it affects only heedrens. 
  To activate this power the target must show 
  the rune to the heedren and concentrate on 
  taking control of it (a move action) .
  The target controls the heedren just as he 
  would control a person with the dominate 
  person spell . The heedren does not resist this 
  control unless forced to act against its nature .
  The target can simultaneously control 
  multiple heedrens; the rune allows him to 
  control 1 heedren, plus 1 heedren per 5 caster 
  levels . This spell can be cast on the same 
  target more than once, allowing additional 
  heedrens to be controlled . Either way, each 
  heedren must be controlled individually, 
  requiring separate actions to change orders 
  or give new commands .
  Traps
  SUMMON MONSTER TRAP    CR 6 
  XP 2,400
  Type magic; Perception DC 30; Disable 
  Device DC 30
  EFFECTS 
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (summon monster V, 
  summons 2 Medium earth elementals)
  The Monsters: The elementals immediately 
  attack, attempting to bull rush opponents 
  down into the pits . They use their earth glide 
  ability to move through the floor, always 
  attempting to keep their opponents on the 
  walkway between them (and thus subject 
  to being bull rushed into the pits) . Any 
  opponent knocked into the pits is largely 
  ignored so long as additional opponents 
  remain on the walkway . If all the PCs are 
  knocked down (or otherwise leave the area), 
  the elementals then attack those down in the 
  pit, fighting until killed or all opponents are 
  knocked to below 0 hp .
  WEB TRAP  CR 2 
  XP 600 
  Type magic; Perception DC 27; Disable 
  Device DC 27
  EFFECTS 
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Onset Delay 1 
  round; Reset automatic (30 minutes)
  Effect spell effect (web; DC 16 Reflex save); 
  multiple targets (all targets in 20-ft . rad . 
  spread)
  
  107
  appendix C: handouTs and exTra Maps
  Parchment Handout
  
  108
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The gorge & ToMbs nsnl
  
  109
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The sinkhole nsnl
  
  110
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The inner ToMb nl
  
  111
  The neCropolis of pergia 
  The inner ToMb nsnl
  
  112
  The neCropolis of pergia The aboMinaTion piTs nsnl
  
  113
  bring a genius To The 
  Table!
  CrediTs
  Author:
  Monte Cook
  Cartography:
  Ed Bourelle
  Graphic Design and Typesetting:
  Hyrum Savage and Lj Stephens
  Producer:
  Hyrum Savage
  Developer:
  Owen K .C . Stephens
  Creative Director:
  Stan!
  Produced By:
  Super Genius Games
  www .supergeniusgames .com
  Copyright ©2012 Super Genius Games
  All logos are the trademark of Super Genius Games All rights 
  reserved .
  Published Under the SRD, OGL, and d20 (v 3) License ©2000, 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc .
  DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY
  DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY
  The Super Genius Games (SGG) and OtherWorld Creations (OWC) company, names 
  and logos; the “The Necropolis of Pergia” name and logo; all artwork, backgrounds, and 
  logos; all trade dress, and graphic design elements. 
  DECLARATION OF OPEN CONTENT:
  All game mechanics, proper names of classes, prestige classes, archetypes, feats, 
  skills, spells, magic items, monsters, rituals, artifacts AND/OR the names of abilities 
  presented within this book are open game content as described in Section 1(d) of the 
  License. 
  1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners 
  who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means 
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  and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is 
  an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as 
  Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, 
  including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically 
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  Dungeonaday.com. Copyright 2012, Super Genius Games. All rights reserved.
  Designation of Product Identity: All material and references to all material found 
  in the Glossary are Product Identity. All artwork, photos, logos, and maps are Product 
  Identity. All other material is considered Open Content. 
  System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors 
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and 
  Dave Arneson.
  Pathfinder RPG Reference Document. Copyright 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; 
  Author: Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: 
  Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
  Advanced Player’s Guide. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason 
  Bulmahn
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors 
  Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua 
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  F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. 
  Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
  The Necropolis of Pergia. Copyright 2012, Super Genius Games, LLC; Author: 
  Monte Cook. 
  All Content is Copyright Super Genius Games, 2012. 
  
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