TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
  ® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed 
  by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content.  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without 
  permission of the author.  To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 system license, please visit 
  www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is 
  intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network.  
   
  IUZ4-09 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK
  ®  
  Iuz’s Border States Metaregional Adventure 
  Version 1.0 
   
   
   
  by Chris Tulach 
   
   
   
  Recently, two adventurers with critical information regarding the Old One’s plans have been slain while operating in 
  the Old One’s lands. While both of the bodies were recovered, attempts to bring them back to life, or even talk with 
  their spirits using magic, have failed. What information did they carry, and how can that information be retrieved? In 
  order to get answers, you’ll have to travel again into enemy territory, and come face-to-face with the Lord of the Tower 
  of Blasted Bones. An Iuz’s Border States metaregional adventure, recommended for characters levels 9-17 (APLs 10-16). 
  This is the final adventure in the Purification Cycle. 
   
   
   
   
     
  
  Introduction 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® game. A four-hour time block has been 
  allocated for each round of this scenario. The rest of the 
  time is spent in preparation before game play, and 
  scoring after the game. The following guidelines are here 
  to help you with both the preparation and voting 
  segment of the game. Read this page carefully so that you 
  know and can communicate to your players the special 
  aspects of playing an RPGA scenario.  
   
  Preparation 
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario was 
  created to support double-sided printing, but printing it 
  single sided will work as well. There is enough room along 
  the inside margin to bind the adventure, if you desire.  
   
  Read this entire adventure at least once before you run 
  your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any special 
  rules, spells, or equipment presented in the adventure. It 
  may help to highlight particularly important passages.  
   
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we assume 
  that you have access to the following books: the Player’s 
  Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster 
  Manual. We also assume that you have a set of dice (at least 
  one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a 
  pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of fun. It is 
  also a good idea to have a way to track movement during 
  combat. This can be as simple as a pad of graph paper and a 
  pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map and chits, or as 
  elaborate as resin dungeon walls and miniatures. 
   
  Instruct the players either to prepare their characters 
  now, or wait until you read the introduction, depending on 
  the requirements of the scenario as described in the 
  introduction.  
   
  Keep in mind that you must have at least three players 
  (not counting the DM), for the game session to be a 
  sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you cannot have more 
  than six players participating in the game. 
   
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to instruct each 
  player to place a nametag in front of him or her. The tag 
  should have the player’s name at the bottom, and the 
  character’s name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it 
  easier for the players (and the DM) to keep track of who is 
  playing which character. 
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn 
  about equipment and weapons their characters are 
  carrying. That said, you as the DM can bar the use of even 
  core rulebooks during certain times of play. For example, 
  the players are not free to consult the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide when confronted with a trap or hazard, or the 
  Monster Manual when confronted with a monster.  
   
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you 
  may present it as written to the players, while other text is 
  for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in gray 
  boxes. It’s strongly recommended that you paraphrase the 
  player text instead of reading it aloud. Some of this text is 
  general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to 
  actions of the player characters. 
   
  Scoring 
  After the players have completed the scenario or the time 
  allotted to run the scenario has run out, the players and 
  DM score the game. Complete the RPGA scoring grid 
  with names and RPGA numbers only, and the event 
  information at the top. RPGA no longer uses voting for 
  any reported results. Give the Scoring Packet to your 
  event coordinator.  
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 2 
  
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure. As a LIVING 
  adventure it is expected that players bring their own 
  characters with them. If players do not have a LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character generated, get a copy of the 
  current LIVING GREYHAWK character generation 
  guidelines, and a character sheet from your convention 
  coordinator or the RPGA Web site, ant then have any 
  players without a character create on. Once all players 
  have a LIVING GREYHAWK character, play can begin. 
   
  Along with the other materials that you are assumed 
  to have in order to run a D&D game, it is also 
  recommended that you have a copy of the LIVING 
  GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
   
  Living Greyhawk Levels of Play 
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportioned to the average character level of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. To determine the Average 
  Party Level (APL): 
   
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. 
  # of Animals 
  Mundane 
  Animals Effect on 
  APL 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  CR of Animal 
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained for 
  combat (most likely being war horses, dogs trained 
  for war), other than those brought by virtue of a class 
  ability (i.e. animal companions, familiars paladin’s 
  mounts, etc) use the sidebar chart to determine the 
  number of levels you add to the sum above. Add each 
  character’s animals separately. A single PC may only 
  bring four or fewer animals of this type, and animals 
  with different CRs are added separately. 
  3. 
  Sum the results of 1 and 2, and divide by the number 
  of characters playing in the adventure. Round to the 
  nearest whole number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six PCs, add one to that 
  average. 
   
  By following these four steps, you will have determined 
  the APL. Throughout this adventure, APLs categorize the 
  level of challenge the PCs will face. APLS are given in 
  even-numbered increments. If the APL of your group 
  falls on an odd number, ask them before the adventure 
  begins whether they would like to play a harder or easier 
  adventure. Based on their choice, use either the higher or 
  the lower adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience you may 
  gain at the end of the adventure. If your character is three 
  character levels or more either higher or lower than the 
  APL this adventure is being played at, that character will 
  receive only half of the experience points awarded for the 
  adventure. This simulates the face that either your 
  character was not as challenged as normal, or relied on 
  help by higher-level characters to reach the objectives. 
   
  Note: 
  LIVING 
  GREYHAWK 
  adventures 
  are 
  designed for APL 2 and higher. Three or four, or 
  sometimes even five 1
  st-level characters may find 
  difficulty with the challenges in a LIVING GREYHAWK 
  adventure. If your group is APL 1 there are two things 
  that you can do to help even the score. 
   
  1. 
  Attempt to create a table of six 1
  st-level characters, or 
  try to enlist higher-level characters to play at that 
  table. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help protect 
  them, and fight for them. All riding dogs are 
  considered trained to attack. PCs who want their 
  dogs to attack must succeed at a Handle Animal or 
  Charisma check (DC 10). Failure indicates that the 
  animal will not attack that round. This is a free 
  action (spoken command) that may be attempted 
  each round. If an animal loses half or more hp in a 
  single round it flees, unless another check is 
  successful. 
   
  Time Units and Upkeep 
  This is a standard one-round Metaregional adventure, set 
  in Iuz’s Border States.  Characters native to Iuz’s Border 
  States pay one Time Unit per round, all others pay two 
  Time Units per round.  Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep 
  costs 12gp per Time Unit.  Rich Upkeep costs 50gp per 
  Time Unit.  Luxury Upkeep costs 100gp per Time Unit. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 3 
  
  Adventure Background 
  Iuz’s grand and terrible plans continue ever forward. It is 
  now apparent that he has raised another army, calling 
  back troops from some of his skirmish areas, and begun a 
  massive buildup of forces in his Empire. Also, as revealed 
  in IUZ4-08 Shattered Reflections of a Frozen Twilight, it 
  is now clear that the Old One has constructed many 
  portals to the Abyss. Apparently, he has designs on the 
  home of Pazuzu (otherwise known as Pazrael), the Lord 
  of the Abyssal Skies. Iuz’s reasons for assaulting this layer 
  are many, but certainly chief among them is the desire to 
  become invulnerable on the Prime Material plane. 
   
  While much is unfolding, what is not known is the 
  location of these portals, or how they’ve remained 
  hidden. The Drinkers from the Cup of Midnight, an 
  organization devoted to opposing Iuz’s plans at all costs 
  (and an often-times employer of many PCs) finally hit the 
  mark when two of their agents, disguised as goblins 
  within the ranks of the armies of the Old One, received 
  the word from another spy deep within the Old One’s 
  lands. The agents, both gnomes, were each given one 
  piece of information – one was told “the word”, the other 
  was told “the place”. Neither was to reveal it to anyone 
  (including each other) until they were safely out of the 
  Old One’s lands.  
   
  The gnomes, Shella and Grebin, never made it out. 
  However, it wasn’t the minions of the Old One that 
  resulted in their demise; rather, a new and enigmatic evil 
  lord rising to the east of Whyestil Lake. The creature, a 
  death giant named Folcrunar the Irredeemably Damned, 
  has constructed a tower of bones and has harvested a 
  number of human and orc slaves from the lands of the 
  Old One. To what purpose he seeks is unknown. 
  Regardless of his machinations, both the gnomes were 
  beset upon by his fire giant lieutenants – Grebin was 
  killed during the fight, but Shella was taken alive. 
  Brought to his Tower of Blasted Bones, Shella’s 
  uncooperative nature infuriated Folcrunar, who killed 
  her and absorbed her soul. 
   
  Some time later, the corpses of Shella and Grebin 
  were recovered by agents of the Drinkers, who knew 
  they carried vital information. They were brought to 
  their home in Gildenhand, a gnomish mining 
  community in the Gnome Woods (the hilly wooded 
  meeting of the Vesve Forest and the Sepia Uplands). A 
  cleric was brought in to ascertain the information, but 
  claimed to find out nothing. However, the Drinkers 
  discovered a few days later on that the cleric was really a 
  worshiper of Olidammara, and now they’re not sure if he 
  was telling the truth. Reliable adventurers are now 
  needed to verify the cleric’s information. 
   
  Adventure Summary  
  The heroes are contacted in Ironstead, a Furyondy 
  garrison town in the southern Vesve Forest, to help the 
  Drinkers with another task. They are asked to head to 
  Gildenhand in the northern Vesve and exhume the 
  bodies of two dead gnome agents; apparently, they had 
  very valuable information pertaining to the Blood Gates 
  (the name that Iuz’s forces have given the Abyssal 
  portals).  
   
  Heading to Gildenhand, the heroes exhume the 
  bodies and discover that the first cleric hired for the job 
  was correct – the bodies aren’t able to be raised from the 
  dead, and even speak with dead isn’t working.  
   
  Afterwards, the heroes are visited by a disturbing 
  sight – the spirit of Grebin, one of the two gnomes killed. 
  He tells the heroes that he is the keeper of “the word” and 
  knows where Shella’s soul might be located. Grebin is 
  secretly in love with Shella, and he asks to accompany the 
  heroes to see to it that Shella is brought back to life. He 
  asks for someone to voluntarily accede to his 
  malevolence, so that he may journey onward with the 
  heroes. 
   
  The heroes make their way through the snow-
  covered lands, potentially fighting a native creature along 
  the way. 
   
  Eventually, they arrive at the Tower of Blasted 
  Bones, and find that slaves are busily at work, toiling for 
  the amusement of their giant overseers. They must defeat 
  the Guardians of Passage in order to continue on to the 
  tower. 
   
  There, it’s up to the heroes on how to proceed. 
  Grebin will have warned them that he has heard that the 
  Lord of the Tower of Blasted Bones is very powerful, and 
  traffics in souls. More than likely, the heroes are brought 
  to see Folcrunar and explain their business in his lands. 
   
  Folcrunar listens to the PCs’ words, and if they 
  mention that they oppose the Old One, he offers to listen 
  to their request, if they can defeat his lieutenants in 
  mortal combat.  
   
  If the heroes have defeated Folcrunar’s guardians, he 
  entertains their request, and asks for a soul in trade for 
  the soul they wish. If Grebin is with the party, he gives 
  himself over to eternal torturous thralldom, absorbed 
  into the death giant’s mass of guardian spirits.  
   
  Once released from her bondage, the heroes may 
  journey back to Gildenhand to have Shella brought back 
  from the dead. After recovering, she tells the heroes “the 
  location”, and asks them to verify the information they 
  suffered long to retrieve. 
   
  Teleporting to the site, in the wind-blasted plains of 
  the Empire of Iuz, the heroes recite “the word” and reveal 
  the dozens of Blood Gates and thousands of troops 
  concealed under some sort of illusion magic. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 4 
  
   
  Introduction 
  It is a cold Sunsebb evening, but you’ve sought 
  warmth and comfort at the King’s Last Barrel tavern, 
  waiting for your contact to show. You were told only 
  that the contact would ask you for a seat, and then 
  buy you red wine for your meal. The garrison town of 
  Ironstead, located in the southern Vesve Forest has 
  been quiet of late – you’ve heard recently that the Old 
  One’s forces in the Vesve have suffered a strategic 
  defeat to the north at Quaalsten, and things around 
  this area have been relatively safe since the elves and 
  humans took back the seat of the Lord of the High 
  Elves, the town of Flameflower.  
   
  However tame it appears to be here, you know 
  that your summons will likely spirit you off on 
  another adventure – more than likely, to help thwart 
  the plans of the Old One. 
   
  l
   
  i
  l
   
  Allow the players a chance to introduce their characters 
  to one another. They’ve been traveling for at least a few 
  days together, so they might be a little more familiar with 
  heretofore-unknown PCs. Once they’ve had a chance to 
  get settled, read the following: 
   
  An attractive human female approaches your table; 
  she pulls down the hood of her glistening cloak, and 
  her long, curly brown hair fal s down to her 
  shoulders. You can then see some sort of coppery-
  colored marking upon her neck, but with the cloak’s 
  ties in the way, it’s hard to tell what it is. It is clear 
  that she wears chain armor beneath her traveling 
  clothes, and she bears the weaponry of an adventurer. 
  “Might I have a seat? Oh, and perhaps some red wine 
  for your meals?” 
  This is Ellyana Freespeaker, a cleric of Trithereon who 
  hails from Furyondy. Several PCs may have met her 
  before (she was the contact for some PCs in IUZ3-01 
  Across the Border), and to some she may be new. She 
  does not give her name this time, and puts a finger to her 
  lips if anyone calls her by her name. 
   
  She has the following information to share with the 
  heroes: 
  � As the PCs are well aware by now, the Old One 
  has constructed Abyssal gates that he intends to 
  use apparently to invade the realm of Pazuzu, 
  the Lord of the Abyssal Skies. This move would 
  clearly benefit him in many ways, not the least 
  of which is that it would make him unkillable 
  on the Prime Material plane.  
  � This type of maneuver would not have been 
  possible had Iuz not recovered the Codex of 
  Infinite Planes, which is now apparently in his 
  possession 
  (events 
  in 
  scenario 
  COR3-11 
  Endgame).  
  � Numerous spies and undercover operatives are 
  working within the enemy’s lands, trying to 
  unearth more information as to his ultimate 
  plans.  
  � Two 
  such 
  agents, 
  the 
  gnomes 
  Shella 
  Brambledown 
  and 
  Grebin 
  Thistleleaf, 
  apparently were given vital information while 
  deep inside enemy territory. They tried to head 
  for either the Shield Lands or Furyondy with 
  the information, but were killed along the way. 
  Their bodies were eventually recovered by 
  Shield Lands agents, and brought back to their 
  home in Gildenhand (a gnomish mining 
  community in the northern Vesve) for burial. 
  They were buried approximately four days ago. 
  � The Drinkers from the Cup of Midnight (the 
  secretive organization that employs the PCs) 
  had an area cleric go to Gildenhand to try to 
  revive them, or at least obtain information from 
  their spirits. All attempts failed. 
  � It was revealed that the cleric that had been sent 
  was, unbeknownst to the Drinkers until after 
  the job, a worshiper of Olidammara. It is now 
  not known whether or not the veracity of the 
  cleric’s 
  investigations 
  can 
  be 
  considered 
  legitimate, as the Drinkers can’t locate the cleric 
  to confront him with his findings.  
   
  After entertaining some questions, Ellyana speaks to the 
  heroes: 
   
  “What we would like you to do is go to Gildenhand, 
  exhume the bodies, and find out if our prev ous 
  employee was telling us the truth. Also, if you can 
  obtain the vital information that they had for us that 
  would be ideal. I do not know what awaits you, but 
  I’ve been tasked to provide you with two scrolls 
  bearing spells that could be useful if necessary.”  
  The woman produces a tightly sealed leather scroll 
  tube. “One bears the spell sending; use this to contact 
  me when your task is complete. The other is a scroll 
  with the teleport spel  scribed upon it; if you get into 
  a desperate situation, it should be of sufficient power 
  to bring all of you back safely, if needed. Good luck, 
  brave adventurers.” 
  Ellyana takes her leave of the PCs at this time. Tailor the 
  type of magic used to inscribe the scrolls to the party: if 
  there’s a cleric, the scroll of sending is a divine spell; if 
  there’s a wizard or sorcerer, it’s an arcane spell. The same 
  with the scroll of teleport – if there’s a cleric with the 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 5 
  
  Travel domain, it’s a divine spell (otherwise, it’s an arcane 
  spell). If there’s no one who can cast the spell, they both 
  default to arcane scrolls. The caster level on the scroll of 
  teleport is 15; the caster level on the scroll of sending is 
  11. 
   
  Once the heroes have rested away the night in 
  Ironstead, they can make their way to Gildenhand in the 
  morning. Go to Encounter One. 
   
  Encounter One: Corpse 
  Retrieval 
  The heroes can journey to Gildenhand on foot (about 7 
  days), by horse (about 3 days), or using other means (such 
  as teleport). Once they’ve arrived, read the following: 
   
  The touch of winter is heav er here in the northern 
  woods, but the 
  ndustrious and bright town of 
  Gi denhand, a gnomish mining settlement, seems 
  undeterred by its icy grip. After asking around a bit, 
  you find lodgings, and proceed about the task of 
  locating the burial site of Shella and Grebin.  
  i
  i
  l
   
  The location of their burial is in a small hillock just 
  outside town to the northwest. There are blue and green 
  cloth streamers affixed to poles on the walk up to the 
  burial hill, and next to their graves. The gnomes celebrate 
  the life of a gnome that passes on, and leave the colorful 
  reminders of their passing up for all to see for a month’s 
  time. The PCs can find out the following information 
  with a Gather Information check: 
  � DC 10: Shella Brambledown and Grebin 
  Thistleleaf died some time ago, and their bodies 
  were brought here to their home for burial by 
  some nice humanfolk. They were buried some 
  time ago up on the hillock. (Directions to the 
  hillock are given. To figure out exactly how long 
  they’ve been dead, it’s 4 days + the travel time of 
  the PCs.) 
  � DC 15: Shella and Grebin weren’t home too 
  often; it was sometimes many months in-
  between times we’d see them. They were both 
  adventurers, and oftentimes they’d come home 
  with outrageous stories to tell the children. 
  � DC 20: Both Shella and Grebin were little 
  troublemakers when they were young, and I 
  guess it was the penchant for trouble that 
  caused their death. No one knows exactly how 
  they died; there was even a human cleric here to 
  try and determine their cause of death before 
  they were buried, but he said he wasn’t sure. 
  Probably some monster got ‘em. 
  � DC 25: Grebin always was sweet on Shella, 
  although he never really let on to her that he 
  was in love with her. It’s sad that he never had a 
  chance to settle down with her and raise a 
  family. 
   
  Exhuming the Bodies 
  The gnomes won’t let the heroes dig up the bodies, for 
  any reason whatsoever. They have been committed to 
  their home in the earth, and that’s where the gnomes 
  want them to stay. 
   
  The heroes need to work after nightfall in order to 
  conduct the exhuming. If they work during the day, 
  they’ll be spotted, and asked to leave town. Unless they 
  go along with the gnomes, and then deceptively return 
  after dark (either by sneaking back in, or by use of 
  magic), they won’t get access to the burial site, and the 
  adventure is over for them. Allow any reasonable attempt 
  at accessing the burial site to work; the only way the PCs 
  should end the adventure is if they do something that is 
  incredibly crass, and don’t think of a way to get back into 
  Gildenhand. 
   
  The heroes need shovels and other digging 
  equipment that can easily be purchased in the town for 
  10 solars (gold pieces). If they don’t have the equipment, 
  then they can also use magic. The corpses are buried in 
  four-foot long wooden coffins – the coffins have colorful 
  images and decorative drawings on them; some were 
  obviously done by very skilled hands, and others were 
  painted by children. Once they’ve pulled the two corpses 
  from their graves, consult the appropriate heading below 
  for more information. After they’re finished investigating 
  the corpses, go directly to Encounter Two. 
   
  Grebin Thistleleaf 
  Grebin was cut down by Folcrunar’s forces near the 
  Tower of Blasted Bones. The cause of his death, due to 
  the deterioration of the corpse, is very difficult to 
  determine (however, the cold has preserved his corpse to 
  a degree). A successful Heal skill check (DC 25 if the 
  heroes got to Gildenhand by instantaneous or very fast 
  travel [a teleport or wind walk spell, for instance], DC 30 
  if the heroes arrived by walking/riding) tells the 
  investigator that this gnome was killed by weapons, 
  specifically slashing ones. 
   
  All attempts to speak with dead and raise dead (or 
  any other spell that brings back the dead) fail. For those 
  who are twisted enough to try, animate dead (and other 
  spells of that nature) also fail; the DM should note that 
  casting this spell in this manner is an evil act. 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 6 
  
  Shella Brambledown 
  Shella was battered but alive when taken to the Tower of 
  Blasted Bones. When she came close to Folcrunar, he 
  absorbed her soul. A successful Heal skill check (DC 25 if 
  the heroes got to Gildenhand by instantaneous or very 
  fast travel [a teleport or wind walk spell, for instance], DC 
  30 if the heroes arrived by walking/riding) tells the 
  investigator that she had slashing wounds upon her body, 
  but was not killed by them. A nigh-impossible Heal skill 
  check (DC 45 or 50, conditions as above) tells the 
  investigator that she was killed by some sort of intangible 
  effect, like a spell or supernatural attack. A character 
  possessing Knowledge (religion) can make a slightly 
  easier skill check (DC 30) to determine that Shella was 
  subjected to some sort of negative energy attack. 
   
  All attempts to speak with dead and raise dead (or 
  any other spell that brings back the dead) fail. For those 
  who are twisted enough to try, animate dead (and other 
  spells of that nature) also fail; the DM should note that 
  casting this spell in this manner is an evil act. 
   
  Encounter Two: A Tenacious 
  Spirit 
  Once the heroes finish their job (hopefully re-burying 
  the dead in the process), read the following: 
   
  As you begin to leave the burial hill, a strange 
  ephemeral l ght rises up l ke mist from the ground n
  front of you. A form slowly coalesces into a 
  humanoid. A few more moments pass, and the wispy 
  incorporeal form becomes more distinct. It is the 
  visage o  a wide-eyed, smiling male gnome, garbed in 
  adventuring gear. It looks very similar to the l feless 
  body of Grebin Thistleleaf. He speaks to you, and as 
  he does, his vo ce resonates with an unsettl ng echo-
  like quality. 
  i
  i
  i  
  f
  i
  i
  i
  lt
  i
  i
  ,
   
   
  “Oh! You haven’t left yet! Praise be! Ah, but 
  where are my manners? Well, being dead certainly 
  throws one off his ki er. You probably know who I 
  am, since you were fussing with my body and all that. 
  You don’t look l ke grave robbers or anything, and f 
  you knew anything about me, you’d know that I 
  didn’t have a spot of coin on me when I died. So, my 
  powers of reasoning, which I still have, despite this 
  frustrating condition  tell me that you’ve come for 
  another purpose. Hmmm ... what is that, I wonder? 
  Oh, once again, I apologize. My mind is wandering. 
  My name is Grebin Thistleleaf. To whom am I 
  floating near?” 
  � Grebin, male ghost gnome Rog6: hp 39; see 
  Appendix 1 for more information. 
   
  Grebin is a ghost (see Appendix 1 for his statistics), and 
  although he’s adjusted somewhat to his new form, he’s 
  more or less a bit frustrated by it. He cannot be laid to 
  rest until his sweetheart’s soul (Shella) can be found 
  again. His initial attitude towards the PCs is friendly.  
   
  He listens carefully to the PCs’ introductions, and 
  there is a chance he may have heard of an individual’s 
  deeds. Roll an Intelligence (Grebin has an Intelligence 
  score of 14) check for Grebin (DC 20). For every level an 
  individual PC has over 10, add a +1 bonus to the roll. Add 
  a +2 bonus to the roll if the PC is from the Highfolk 
  region, or has any Highfolk Legendary Deeds from Year 3 
  or before (he was gone a lot during Year 4). Add another 
  +2 bonus to the roll if the PC is a gnome (stories about 
  gnomish heroes go around Gildenhand far more than the 
  other races). 
   
  If he knows a PC, he’ll certainly call them by name, 
  and be impressed to see them here. His attitude 
  automatically switches to helpful. If he doesn’t know 
  anyone, during the course of the discussion, his attitude 
  can be switched to helpful with a successful Diplomacy 
  check (DC 20). He relates the following to the PCs 
  (adjust the conversation accordingly): 
  � How did you die? I was killed by some wicked 
  fire giants while trying to flee the lands of the 
  Old One. 
  � Where did you die? I was a few days’ travel 
  north of Molag, east of Whyestil Lake. I was 
  near something called the Tower of Blasted 
  Bones when it happened. 
  � Who killed you again? These fire giant brutes 
  ... from what I understand they work for 
  someone in the Tower. They took my love from 
  me – they said that the Lord of the Tower would 
  deal with her. Whatever that Lord is, it has her 
  soul!  
  � Why are you a ghost? I cannot seek a final rest 
  until her soul is released from wherever it’s 
  gone. Maybe you can help me ... help me find 
  her soul? 
  � We were told you had valuable information 
  regarding the Old One’s plans – is this so? (If 
  his attitude is only friendly) I’m sorry, but I 
  can’t divulge that information to you. (If his 
  attitude is helpful) Yes, yes I do. If you promise 
  to help me, I’ll share it with one of you as well. 
  � Why were you in the Old One’s lands? (If his 
  attitude is only friendly) I really can’t go into 
  details. (If his attitude is helpful) Shella and I 
  were disguised as goblins working for the forces 
  of the Old One for the past few months now. 
  We had each received a different piece of 
  information regarding these horrible Abyssal 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 7 
  
  portals – I guess they’re called Blood Gates to 
  bring back to the lands of good. I received “the 
  word”. Shella received “the place”. I don’t know 
  anything more than that. 
  � Why are you so upbeat, despite your 
  torturous existence? Well, you make the best 
  out of your situation in life, or in my case, 
  unlife. My grandpa always told me that. 
   
  ,
  i
  l
   
  i
   
   
   
  Grebin will ask the party to help recover Shella’s soul 
  over and over until they agree. If the party agrees to help 
  out Grebin, read the following: 
   
  Grebin smiles widely. “Oh  well thanks – thanks a 
  bunch for help ng me out too! Now, since I’m bound 
  to this place, I think, I’ll need to exercise a loophole 
  in this whole unlife thing. I need to ride along inside 
  someone. It won’t hurt, and I promise I’l  be as quiet 
  as I can. That way, I can lead you back to where I was, 
  and I can be there when we get my darling Shella’s 
  soul back! So ... any volunteers?” 
  Once the first hero volunteers to be subjected to his 
  malevolence ability, read the following: 
   
  “Alright, let’s try this out.” Grebin floats over to you, 
  and the rest of the party can see him melding inside 
  the volunteer. After a few more moments, he is all but 
  gone, a blue-wh te shimmer as if Grebin is 
  disappearing into the depths of a pool of water.  
  Read this to the volunteer: 
   
  You feel cold, very cold when Grebin first touches 
  your form. Then, you can feel something inside you – 
  like an itch that cannot be scratched. You feel a rush 
  of confusing images and information flash before 
  your eyes, but then it subsides. An echoing voice says 
  quietly in your head as if from far away, “Well, I’m 
  here. This is really weird; it’s like trying to sort 
  through a box of junk here. Oh, I didn’t mean it like 
  that, sorry! I’ll try to be quiet now. Whenever you’re 
  ready to go, I’ll lead the way. My true love, I’m 
  coming for you!” 
  Grebin remains quiet for most of the time, unless giving 
  directions. When he intends to speak aloud for everyone 
  to hear, his incorporeal visage appears over the PC’s face. 
  Go to Encounter Three. 
   
  If the PCs don’t accept his offer, Grebin is distraught, 
  but he tells the heroes where the Tower of Blasted Bones 
  is located. He wishes them luck, and hopes that they’ll 
  find a way to free Shella’s soul. 
   
  Encounter Three: Danger in 
  the Snow 
  This encounter can occur at any point along the way 
  there or back. If the party is traveling using magic, use 
  your discretion as to when, if possible this encounter 
  occurs. No matter what the situation, it should not 
  happen the same day as Encounters Four-Six.  
   
  The characters need to be prepared for the cold 
  conditions; throughout the journey, the cold danger is 
  considered to be cold (see the Dungeon Master’s Guide, 
  page 302, for rules on cold dangers). An endure elements 
  spell or cold weather clothing is adequate to protect a 
  hero. 
   
  In addition, walking or riding on the snow is 
  somewhat difficult (the area north of Molag has no 
  cleared roads), and movement is slowed down for some. 
  Small-sized characters move as if in difficult terrain 
  (which also means no 5-foot adjustments), unless they 
  possess means to move unimpeded (such as boots of the 
  winterlands or snowshoes).  
   
  The encounter with the frost worm happens on a 
  snow-covered plain. No map is needed. The frost worm 
  lies buried in the snow, and once the PCs get within 60 
  feet, if the frost worm can see them, it lets out its trill. 
  The Hide bonus of the frost worm is +13 at APL 10, +19 at 
  APL 12, +18 at APL 14 (it loses 4 due to a shift in its size 
  category), and +24 at APL 16. Read the following when 
  the heroes approach close enough (note that they may 
  spot the frost worm before approaching close enough for 
  this to happen): 
   
  As you continue your journey through the snowy 
  plain, an ear-piercing screeching sound assails you.  
  Have everyone make a Will save versus the frost worm’s 
  trill (save DCs are listed in Appendix 1). Then, roll 
  initiative.  
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  � Frost worm: hp 147; see the Monster Manual, pages 
  111-112, for statistics. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
  � Frost worm, advanced: hp 210; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 16) 
  � Frost worm, advanced: hp 287; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 8 
  
  APL 16 (EL 18) 
  � Frost worm, advanced: hp 362; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
   
  Tactics: The frost worm is looking for a meal, and 
  attempts to kill a couple of PCs, and then retreat off 
  under the snow to eat. If it is reduced to less than 20 hit 
  points, it will flee in search of an easier meal. 
   
  Encounter Four: The 
  Guardians of Passage 
  As the PCs get closer to the site, and are now clearly in 
  Iuz’s lands, read the following, adjusting for time of day 
  and whether or not Grebin’s spirit is with the party: 
   
  Ahead, the terrain becomes hilly, and you can see a 
  plume of smoke rising up from a long ways off. The 
  hills still block the origin of the smoke, but you’re 
  getting closer, thanks to the guidance of Grebin’s 
  spirit.  
   
  A little further now, you walk through a trail cut 
  into the sides o  two hills. The gen le wind makes the 
  intermittent snowflakes dance all about the air. As 
  you round the bend in the trail, the end of your 
  journey comes into view – a great smoldering black 
  tower rises up far into the sky. The land below the 
  tower, all the way to the edges of this trail, is covered 
  in mud and burnt grass. No snow dots even one small
  patch of ground that you can see. A smell tinges your 
  nostrils – it is the smell of burnt flesh. 
  f
  t
   
   
   
   
  f
  i
  t
  f
   
   
  There is a flurry o  activity near the tower as well 
  – it appears that humanoids are busily engaged in 
  some sort of labor, hauling stone from the hills that 
  surround 
  the 
  tower’s 
  valley. 
  Large 
  humano d 
  creatures, probably giants, appear to be directing the 
  masses. 
   
  Directly ahead of you, the trail ends. Two large 
  columns, constructed of blackened bones topped 
  with a large rep ilian monster’s skull flank the sides 
  of the path’s end. The snowy terrain terminates 
  directly beyond the bone columns, and appears to 
  follow along the contour of the hills as well. On the 
  sides o  the hills behind the columns there appears to
  be something carved into the stone; it’s writing of 
  some sort. 
  This is the only entry point that can be easily accessed to 
  get to the Tower of Blasted Bones. The path the PCs are 
  on is roughly 50 feet wide. The PCs start approximately 
  100 feet away from the bone columns. The sides of the 
  hills are sheer here, just like a cliff face (and covered with 
  snow and ice). The bone columns are 30 feet tall and are 
  positioned on the trail, one to each side. For twenty feet 
  beyond the columns, the hillside trail continues, until it 
  opens up into a muddy trail in the valley, leading directly 
  to the tower. See Map 1 for details. 
   
  The area past the bone columns, and indeed the 
  entire valley is surrounded by an enervating field. Any 
  character that attempts to walk, fly, or otherwise move 
  through the field is subject to the effects. Once the 
  character has passed through, they are not subject to its 
  effects again (until they leave). The only safe passage 
  through the enervating field is past the bone columns. If 
  a character takes another path, including flying directly 
  above the path by more than 30 feet, they are subjected to 
  the enervating field.  
   
  ALL APLS (EL 10) 
  � Enervating Field: CR 10; magical; always active; 2d4 
  negative levels to any creature of a nonevil alignment 
  passing through (no save; levels return in one day); caster 
  level 20. 
   
  The writing on the sides of the hills is Giant. It says the 
  following: 
   
  Only those who serve Folcrunar the Irredeemably 
  Damned may pass unhindered. Pass by the Guardians 
  and be judged.  
   
  If the heroes bypass or activate the enervating field, but 
  do not awaken the guardians (see below), they earn XP 
  for this encounter as if they had defeated an EL 10 
  challenge. If they face the guardians, award them the XP 
  based on their APL (see below). 
   
  Once a hero that does not detect as evil attempts to 
  pass by the bone columns, one or more of them animates 
  and attacks. The columns reform after the battle, unless 
  they are destroyed, in which case they collapse into a pile 
  of bones. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  � Skeletal behir guardians (2): hp 120, 120; see 
  Appendix 1 for statistics. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
  � Boneyard: hp 127; see Appendix 1 for statistics. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 16) 
  � Boneyards (2): hp 127, 127; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 9 
  
  APL 16 (EL 18) 
  � Boneyards, advanced (2): hp 187, 187; see Appendix 1 
  for statistics. 
   
  Tactics: The behir skeletal guardians attack in concert 
  with one another if possible (gaining their soldier 
  skeleton bonuses if they do). The boneyards first each 
  summon 3-6 troll skeletons from their remains, and then 
  begin to attack the PCs while they wait for their “backup” 
  to arrive in 1d10 rounds. Both creatures fight to their 
  destruction, if need be. 
   
  Treasure: When the bone guardians are defeated, have 
  each PC roll a Spot check (DC 30). If a hero succeeds, 
  they notice a glinting object on a skeletal hand from the 
  remains of the bone guardian. PCs searching the bone 
  guardians find this on a Search check (DC 20). The object 
  is a ring of force shield.  
   
  Once the PCs defeat the bone column guardians, they 
  can proceed on to the tower. It is very likely that their 
  combat has alerted the overseer giants to their presence. 
  Go to Encounter 5. 
   
  Encounter Five: Lord of the 
  Tower of Blasted Bones 
  Read the following as soon as the heroes defeat the 
  guardians: 
   
  The remains of the bone column guardians are 
  destroyed, crumbling to individual bones beneath 
  your feet. It appears that your battle has attracted the 
  attention of the giants, six of whom are striding in 
  your direction, dropping their whips and pulling out 
  gigantic swords.  
   
  “
  t
   
   
   
  As they march closer, you can see that they stand 
  about as tall as two male humans, and wear some sort 
  of plate armor decorated in a bone motif. Their bodies 
  and orange-red hair look singed, and they shout, 
  booming out to you in the Common tongue, How 
  dare you intrude upon the home of the Lord of the 
  Blasted Tower? You shall pay for this insolen  act!” 
  They are within an easy arrow’s shot now. 
  Allow the heroes to brace themselves for combat, and just 
  as they’re about ready to roll initiative, read the following: 
   
  Just then, you notice a form standing at the top of the 
  tower. It is humanoid in shape, and must be much 
  larger than the giants approaching you. A menacing 
  voice carries on the wind toward your ears. 
   
  “Do not harm them. Bring them to me. I wish to 
  speak with them, and know why they have come.”  
  The fire giants lower their blades, and stand their 
  ground. One speaks, waving his greatsword in the air. 
  “Well, you heard the master! Move!” 
  The heroes now have a choice. They can either try and 
  fight the 6 fire giants, evade them, or come with them to 
  the tower. 
   
  ALL APLS (EL 15) 
  � Fire giants (6): hp 135, 140, 145, 150, 155, 160; see the 
  Monster Manual for statistics. 
   
  If the heroes proceed along with the giants, read the 
  following: 
   
  Plodding along through the mud towards the tower, 
  you note that it is quite warm here – like a summer 
  day. As you approach, you see the muddled, muddied 
  masses of mankind and orcs stare at you with 
  hopeless eyes. It is clear from their manner of dress 
  and the number of bilious wounds festering on their 
  bodies that they are slaves, and have been so for some 
  time now. 
   
  Upon closer nspection, you realize that the 
  tower itself is comprised of all shapes and sizes of 
  blackened bones – as if it was a charnel house 
  disgorged. The smel  of burnt flesh and bone here is 
  ghastly and the smoky fumes trailing from the base of
  the structure to the sky above only augment the 
  stench. 
  i
  l
   
   
   
  l
  i
   
   t
   
  A pair of black-iron doors split open. They must 
  be about twenty feet tall. You can hear the 
  unmistakable cranking sound of a winch as the doors 
  open ful y, shedding sunl ght into the black tower. 
  Torches sputter from all about, and the size of this 
  entry chamber is immense.  
  The giants push you forward, pointing with their 
  blades to a staircase made entirely of burnt leg bones. 
  “Climb to the top of the tower. The master will be 
  waiting for you there.”  
   
  As you climb, you see walkways leading to o her 
  iron doors, almost as massive as the ones leading 
  inside. Unlike what you’d normally expect in these 
  lands, no holy symbols to the Old One adorn this 
  place, both outside the tower, and here inside. You 
  have to climb the stairs, as the space in-between the 
  steps is too great to traverse by walking. Eventually, 
  you reach a top landing, with a smaller staircase 
  ascending to the side. The iron hatch at the top of the 
  stairs is open to the sky above. The giants behind you 
  prod you further. One of them points up to the hatch, 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 10 
  
  and says, “There”. The giants remain on the walkway, 
  waiting for you to ascend. 
   
  i
  i
  i
  i
   
  Once the heroes climb the stairs, read the following: 
   
  A warm wind rushes over you as you cl mb up onto 
  the top of the tower. There you are greeted by not 
  one, but three giants. Two of them, flanking the 
  larger one in the center, appear much like the other 
  giants, except they both have iron skull helms upon 
  their heads. One carries a serrated greatsword, and 
  the other has a blackened greataxe. 
   
  Both of these giants give the imposing figure in 
  the center a wide berth. Clearly several feet taller 
  than them, the creature has a gaunt ashen-colored 
  body and fanglike teeth. His eyes are black spots 
  upon his bony face. He wears intricate banded mail, 
  carved to look l ke he’s wearing a suit of bones. His 
  yellow-clawed hands grasp the blade of his gigantic 
  jet-black axe. Swirling all about him is a vaporous 
  mist; upon closer inspection though a horrific 
  realization comes to you. That is no mist – it is a mass 
  of tortured souls, screaming in silent agony, 
  occasionally revealing just enough of a face in the 
  amorphous coalescence to give a gl mpse into their 
  terrible existence.  
   
  The ashen giant gives a feral smile, as he speaks 
  in his menacing vo ce. “What brings you to my 
  domain? Why have you come to speak with 
  Folcrunar, the Irredeemably Damned?” 
  The characters are on the flat top of the Tower of Blasted 
  Bones. They exit the hatch about 10 feet from the edge, 
  and are about 50 feet from the giants. See Map 1 for the 
  area of the tower’s top. 
   
  Folcrunar the death giant wants to know why the 
  PCs have come. He listens to them, but accepts no threats 
  or attempts to wrest information from him. Folcrunar 
  attempts to ask questions to ascertain the heroes’ motives 
  and power. He is very powerful, and very threatening, 
  and it should be obvious to the heroes that he is powerful 
  beyond their abilities to defeat him. 
  � Folcrunar all deities, but particularly hates Iuz. 
  Heroes openly displaying holy symbols receive 
  his scorn and insult. 
  � If the heroes state that they’re here to retrieve 
  the soul of Shella, and that they oppose the Old 
  One and seek to undo Iuz’s plans, Folcrunar 
  strikes a bargain with them. See “The Bargain”, 
  below. 
  � If the heroes just say that they are looking to 
  retrieve the soul of Shella, Folcrunar laughs and 
  says that many have come seeking souls, but 
  none have retrieved any save he. He orders his 
  fire giant lieutenants to attack. See “The 
  Bargain”, below. 
  � Important: PCs should be given the chance to 
  explain 
  themselves, 
  and 
  their 
  motives, 
  including the fact that they oppose Iuz. 
  Folcrunar does not consider striking a bargain 
  with the heroes unless they tell him that they 
  seek Iuz’s downfall. The death giant asks leading 
  questions to ascertain where their loyalties lie. 
  � Also important: It should become apparent to 
  the PCs that Folcrunar is definitely beyond the 
  ability of the party to defeat. If a party thinks 
  about fighting him, mention to them that he 
  “looks beyond their capability to fight” and has 
  “an incredibly imposing presence”. Make sure to 
  give them a chance to rethink any move against 
  the death giant. 
   
  The Bargain 
  “So, it is a soul you seek”, Folcrunar says, as his clawed 
  hands pluck a wispy form from the mass of spirits. He 
  stares at the form as it writhes in agony in his hand. A 
  crooked smi e plays across his tight, almost non-
  existent lips. He discards the spirit back into its 
  vaporous river, and looks up at you. 
  l
  i
   
   
  “Very well, I will bargain with you. F rst, 
  however, I must test your worthiness.” The gaunt 
  giant nods, and his two giant lieutenants raise 
  weapons to the ready. “Attack!” he shouts, as the two 
  giants bellow a battle cry. Folcrunar stands and 
  watches, his axe head pointed downward to the floor. 
  ALL APLS 
  � Folcrunar, the Irredeemably Damned, death giant 
  Ftr8: hp 400; see Appendix 1 for statistics. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  � Nurin, fire giant: hp 142; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
  � Dalin, fire giant: hp 142; see Appendix 1 for statistics. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
  � Nurin, fire giant Ftr2: hp 168; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
  � Dalin, fire giant Ftr2: hp 168; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 16) 
  � Nurin, fire giant Ftr4: hp 209; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
  � Dalin, fire giant Ftr4: hp 209; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 11 
  
   
  APL 16 (EL 18) 
  � Nurin, fire giant Ftr6: hp 233; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
  � Dalin, fire giant Ft6: hp 233; see Appendix 1 for 
  statistics. 
   
  Tactics: Folcrunar does not fight; he merely stands and 
  watches the outcome with grim satisfaction. He knows 
  that no matter who wins, he’ll have souls to absorb.  
   
  The fire giants fight the heroes cannily, using 
  Improved Bull Rush to help push PCs off the side of the 
  tower (the drop is 200 feet – 20d6 falling damage), and 
  Improved Overrun to get to the targets they want to 
  attack (usually spellcasters, if possible). If they need to, 
  they fight defensively against warrior-types, and Power 
  Attack savagely on lightly armored characters. The iron 
  helms of obedience the fire giants wear ensure their 
  unserving loyalty to Folcrunar, and that they fight to the 
  death. 
   
  If a hero attacks Folcrunar physically or by spell, he 
  retaliates on that hero, using his spell-like abilities and 
  attacking with Nightforged, his +3 Huge ghost touch 
  greataxe, that has the properties of a life-drinker as well. 
  Only PCs that attack Folcrunar are attacked back. If 
  possible, any PCs that attack him are subjected to his steal 
  soul ability when they are dying or close to dying (see 
  Appendix 1 for information).  
   
  Development: Folcrunar is beyond the power level of 
  the PCs, and he can certainly do them terrible harm. He 
  does not, however, attack any PC that does not directly 
  attack him. Those that attack the death giant are attacked 
  back without mercy. 
   
  When a fire giant falls, Folcrunar moves near him so 
  that his soul can be stolen. The heroes see the spirit torn 
  from the fallen body, and meld with the vaporous mass 
  around the death giant’s body. 
   
  A Soul for a Soul 
  Should the PCs succeed in defeating the fire giants, read 
  the following: 
   
  Folcrunar stares at you with intensity, as you stand 
  triumphant over his minions. “You have done wel . 
  Therefore, I will grant you your request. But ... I need 
  a soul for a soul.” He grins at your battle-worn group. 
  “Who among you will sacrifice yourself,” the giant 
  tears out an incorporeal form of some sort of female 
  in anguish, “for this!” The giant thrusts his clawed 
  hand, dangling the tortured soul from it. After staring 
  at i  for a moment, the ephemeral creature ooks like 
  a female gnome; it looks like the form of Shella. 
   
   
  At this point, Grebin manifests from the PC’s body to 
  offer as the sacrifice. Read the following aloud, first 
  looking at the player who volunteered to allow Grebin to 
  “ride” along: 
   
  From inside you, there is a stirring. A rushing feeling, 
  as if the wind was taken from you, quickly manifests 
  itself. You feel cold.  
  l
  t
   
  l
   
   
  l
   
  f
  l
   
  (To the rest of the party) The rest of the group sees 
  the blue-white visage of Grebin slowly coalesce to 
  form his incorporeal state mere inches in front of his 
  host. “I give myself to you, Lord of the Tower of 
  Blasted Bones! Take me, and release her!” 
   
  Folcrunar cocks his head slightly, and smiles. 
  “Interesting. I accept your offer.” Folcrunar looks at 
  the wretched soul in his hand. “You are released”, he 
  says as the soul is thrown to the heavens, and 
  disappears. “And you ... are mine!” Folcrunar raises his 
  hand, and Grebin screams in agony ... he reaches out, 
  and touches his former host ... 
  (To the volunteer) You feel a wash of memories, 
  joyous times, fears, loves, sadness – all the tapestry of 
  the life Grebin has lived. His whole existence, in an 
  instant, is yours to relive. You hear his last word to 
  you echo in your ear - “Maletharn”. And then, as 
  quick y as it came, it is gone, replaced by silence, and 
  the echo of the hideous laughter of the Lord of the 
  Tower of Blasted Bones. 
  (To everyone else) The gnome’s ghost reaches out 
  to touch his host. For a brief moment, there is a 
  silence between them, and then Grebin lets out a 
  dying scream, as his form falls further and further 
  into the mass o  spirits hovering around the vile, 
  bemused giant. After another moment he is nothing 
  more than another face in the torrent of tortured 
  souls. 
   
  “Leave now. You may take what you wish of the 
  fal en, except their helms. I know your kind, you’re 
  scavenger-rats. If we meet again, I should hope that 
  you come in servitude, rather than defiance.” 
  The volunteer PC receives the Legacy of Grebin (see the 
  Treasure Summary). All the PCs receive the Notice of 
  Folcrunar, the Irredeemably Damned. Proceed to 
  Encounter Six. 
   
  Bearing One’s Own Soul 
  If the heroes decide to offer up their own soul in the 
  place of Shella’s, Folcrunar accepts. However, they are 
  not able to convince Grebin if he is present; he offers his 
  soul instead of a PC’s. Only if Grebin is not present 
  does Folcrunar take a PC’s soul. He walks over, chops at 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 12 
  
  the PC’s body with his greataxe, and when the hero’s 
  reached the hit point total where his soul stealing ability 
  takes effect (10 hit points or lower), Folcrunar absorbs 
  the hero’s soul. The character is dead, and removed from 
  play permanently (unless they manage to kill Folcrunar 
  before the end of the adventure). Folcrunar then releases 
  Shella’s soul.  
   
  “Leave now. You may take what you wish of the 
  fal en, except their helms. I know your kind, you’re 
  scavenger-rats. If we meet again, I should hope that 
  you come in servitude, rather than defiance.” 
  l
  i
  l
  f
   
   
  Proceed to Encounter Six. 
   
  Encounter Six: The Word and 
  the Place 
  Alter the read-aloud text below if a PC sacrificed their life 
  to bring back Shella’s soul. 
   
  You return back to Gildenhand, where your prev ous 
  contact has arranged with the Brambledown family 
  (Shel a’s parents) the exhumation of her body. 
  Powerful magics are brought to bear, and she is 
  revived from the ranks o  the dead. 
   
  Shella spends a few days recovering, although the 
  tale of Grebin’s sacrifice darkens her spirits and 
  recovery. Despite her sadness, she is grateful for all 
  you’ve done for her, and offers to sell you some of her 
  adventuring gear, as she’s officially retiring from that 
  line of work. Some time later, on the waning days of 
  the Common Year 594, Shella summons you to her 
  home. There, she picks one among your number 
  (choose a PC different from the one Grebin chose), and 
  whispers softly in your ear. “The plains, three days’ 
  ride north of Dorakaa” is what she says. “Go there, and 
  find what was meant to be found.” 
   
  A teleport was arranged by your contact that met 
  you in Ironstead at the beginning of your journey. 
  Shella’s magic items are listed in the Treasure Summary 
  (they are the ones that have metaregional access). Go to 
  the Conclusion. 
   
  What If Grebin Stayed in Gildenhand? 
  He is nowhere to be found when Shella returns to life, 
  but while she’s recovering, she mentions that she had a 
  strange dream. Grebin was there, waiting for her. He told 
  her that she could take her time getting to him, but said it 
  was important to give “the word” to those that aided him. 
   
  Shella tells one hero “the word” (Maletharn) and 
  another “the place”. Otherwise, proceed as above. Shella’s 
  magic items are listed in the Treasure Summary (they are 
  the ones that have metaregional access). Go to the 
  Conclusion. 
   
   
  Conclusion 
  On the final day of 594 CY, you stand on a cold, 
  frozen hill overlooking the snow-covered desolation 
  that is the Plains of the Empire of Iuz. No one is in 
  sight, save for your group. 
   
   
  If a PC utters “the word” (Maletharn), read the following: 
   
  The word you just spoke carries on the wind, and 
  resonates throughout the valley. Then, the landscape 
  shifts, melting away as the snow soon will in a few 
  months’ time. Instead of desolation, you see a plain 
  awash in a bloody glow. Fires from orc camps, the 
  rotting stench of undead flesh, and Abyssal fiends 
  flapping in the sky above are spread out before you as 
  far as your eyes can see. Thousands upon thousands 
  wait their orders to descend into the hundreds of 
  bloody gates dotted here and there. Gates that have 
  one purpose – the invasion of a layer of the Abyss. 
  The PCs are able to arrive back at home safely.  
   
  The End 
   
  Experience Point Summary 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the values 
  for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award.  Award the total value (objectives plus 
  roleplaying) to each character. 
   
  Encounter Three 
  Defeating the frost worm  
  APL 10 360 xp; APL 12 420 xp; APL 14 480 xp;  
  APL 16 540 xp. 
   
  Encounter Four 
  Defeating the Guardians of Passage 
  APL 10 360 xp; APL 12 420 xp; APL 14 480 xp;  
  APL 16 540 xp. 
  or 
  Bypassing/activating the enervating field without 
  defeating the Guardians of Passage 
  APL 10 300 xp; APL 12 300 xp; APL 14 300 xp;  
  APL 16 300 xp. 
   
  Encounter Five 
  Defeating Folcrunar’s fire giant lieutenants 
  APL 10 360 xp; APL 12 420 xp; APL 14 480 xp;  
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 13 
  
  APL 16 540 xp. 
   
  Story Award 
  Freeing Shella’s spirit 
  APL 10 220 xp; APL 12 265 xp; APL 14 310 xp;  
  APL 16 355 xp. 
   
  Discretionary roleplaying award 
  APL 10 50 xp; APL 12 50 xp; APL 14 50 xp;  
  APL 16 50 xp. 
   
  Total possible experience:  
   
  APL 10 1350 xp; APL 12 1575 xp; APL 14 1800 xp; APL 16 
  2025 xp. 
   
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes.  Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their earthly 
  possessions.  Looting the bodies takes at least 10 minutes 
  per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot take the 
  time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this gold.  If you 
  feel it is reasonable that characters can go back to loot the 
  bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not carted off by 
  dungeon scavengers, removed from the scene by the local 
  watch, and so on), characters may return to retrieve loot.  If 
  the characters do not loot the body, the gold piece value for 
  the loot is subtracted from the encounter totals given 
  below. 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available.  A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a round 
  or so.  If for some reason, they pass up this treasure, the 
  coin total is subtracted from the encounter totals given 
  below. 
   
  Next, the magic items are listed.  Magic item treasure 
  is the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure.  Many times characters must cast identify, 
  analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine what the 
  item does and how to activate it.  Other times they may 
  attempt to use the item blindly.  If the magic item is 
  consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the item 
  is used before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure.  Write the total in the 
  GP Gained field of the adventure certificate.  Because this is 
  a Regional scenario, characters may spend additional Time 
  Units to practice professions or create items immediately 
  after the adventure so this total may be modified by other 
  circumstances. 
   
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, 
  and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
   
  Encounter Four 
   
  ALL APLs: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: ring of force shield 
  (708 gp per character). 
   
  Encounter Five 
   
  APL 10: L: 262 gp; C: 0 gp; M: +1 death ward gnome 
  battle cloak (346 gp per character), ring of theurgy (1667 
  gp per character). 
   
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: +1 death ward gnome 
  battle cloak (346 gp per character), ring of theurgy (1667 
  gp per character), 2 suits of +1 Large half-plate armor (196 
  gp per suit per character), +1 Large greatsword (200 gp 
  per character), +1 Large greataxe 195 gp per character). 
   
  APL 14: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: +1 death ward gnome 
  battle cloak (346 gp per character), ring of theurgy (1667 
  gp per character), 2 suits of +1 Large half-plate armor (196 
  gp per suit per character), serrated terror (1533 gp per 
  character), +1 Large greataxe 195 gp per character). 
   
  APL 16: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: +1 death ward gnome 
  battle cloak (346 gp per character), ring of theurgy (1667 
  gp per character), 2 suits of +1 Large half-plate armor (196 
  gp per suit per character), serrated terror (1533 gp per 
  character), +1 Large dwarfbane and humanbane greataxe 
  1528 gp per character). 
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 10: L: 262 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 2721 gp  - Total: 2983 
  gp (maximum 2300 gp) 
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 3508 gp  - Total: 3508 gp 
  (maximum 3300 gp) 
  APL 14: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 4841 gp  - Total: 4841 gp 
  APL 16: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 6369 gp  - Total: 6369 gp 
   
  Special 
  Legacy of Grebin Thistleaf: You played host to the spirit 
  of the gnome Grebin Thistleleaf, and though he is now 
  gone (probably forever), the echo of his life’s memories 
  resonates within you. Occasionally, you will dream of 
  some particular aspect of Grebin’s existence; usually, 
  these dreams are happy ones of his time with his family 
  and his love Shella in the gnome village of Gildenhand. 
  You are considered to have fulfilled the special 
  requirement for the gnome-bonded stoneblessed prestige 
  class from Races of Stone. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 14 
  
   
  Notice of Folcrunar, the Irredeemably Damned: You 
  have come face-to-face with the Lord of the Tower of 
  Blasted Bones, and have struck a bargain with him. It is 
  certain that he will remember you, if you are unfortunate 
  enough to cross paths again. 
   
  Serrated Terror: Made by fire giants, this jagged +1 
  Large greatsword proves a great surprise to those seeking 
  to exploit fire giants’ weakness. In the hands of a fire 
  giant, this weapon grants its wielder cold resistance 20. 
   
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, protection from energy, creator must be a fire 
  giant; Price: 18,400 gp.  
   
  This item was originally presented in Savage Species, 
  page 52, and has been updated to the v.3.5 rules. 
     
  Items for the Adventure 
  Record 
   
  Item Access 
  APL 10: 
  Hat of disguise (Metaregional, DMG) 
  +1 last resort short sword (Metaregional, Complete 
  Warrior) 
  Amulet of fortune prevailing (Metaregional, Miniatures 
  Handbook) 
  Sending stones (Metaregional, Complete Arcane) 
  Ring of force shield (Adventure, DMG) 
  Masterwork Large greatsword (Adventure, 400 gp, PH) 
  Masterwork Large greataxe (Adventure, 340 gp, PH) 
  Ring of theurgy (Adventure, Complete Arcane) 
  +1 death ward gnome battle cloak (Adventure, 4,155 gp, 
  Complete Arcane [death ward armor special ability] and 
  Races of Stone [gnome battle cloak armor description]) 
   
  APL 12: (All of APL 10 plus the following) 
  +1 Large greatsword (Adventure, 2,400 gp, DMG) 
  +1 Large greataxe (Adventure, 2,340 gp, DMG) 
   
  APL 14: (All of APLs 10-12 plus the following) 
  Serrated terror (Adventure, 18,400 gp, Savage Species) 
   
  APL 16: (All of APLs 10-14 plus the following) 
  +1 
  Large 
  dwarfbane 
  and 
  humanbane 
  greataxe 
  (Adventure, 18,340 gp, DMG) 
   
   
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 15 
  
  Appendix 1: NPCs and Monsters 
  APL 10 
  Encounter Two 
  Grebin: Male ghost gnome Rog6; CR 8; Small Undead 
  (Augmented Humanoid) (Incorporeal); HD 6d12; hp 39; 
  Init +7; Spd Fly 30 ft (perfect); AC 15 (touch 15, flat-
  footed 13) [+3 Dex, +2 deflection]; BA/G +4/-1; Atk None; 
  Full Atk None; SA Malevolence, manifestation; SQ 
  Darkvision 60 ft., gnome traits, incorporeal traits, low-
  light vision, rejuvenation, +4 turn resistance, undead 
  traits; AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +2; Str 9, Dex 16, 
  Con —, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +14, Disguise +14, Diplomacy 
  +15, Hide +24, Listen +19, Move Silently +12, Search +19, 
  Sense Motive +9, Slight of Hand +14, Spot +17; Improved 
  Initiative, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Disguise). 
   
  Encounter Three 
  Frost worm: hp 147; see the Monster Manual, pages 111-
  112, for statistics. 
   
  Encounter Four 
  Skeletal behir guardians (2): Fiery lightning nimble 
  skeletal advanced behir; CR 10; Gargantuan Undead; HD 
  18d12; hp 120 each; Init +8; Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft.; AC 16 
  (touch 10, flat-footed 12) [-4 size, +4 Dex, +6 natural]; 
  BA/G +9/+33; Atk +19 melee (3d6+18 + 1d6 electricity + 
  1d6 fire, bite); Full Atk +19 melee (3d6+18 + electricity + 
  1d6 fire, bite); Space/Reach 20 ft./15 ft.; SQ Damage 
  reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to 
  electricity, immunity to fire, undead traits; AL NE; SV 
  Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +11; Str 34, Dex 19, Con —, Int —, 
  Wis 10, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Improved Initiative. 
   
  Encounter Five 
  Nurin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant; CR 10; Large 
  Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+75; hp 142; Init -1; Spd 30 ft. (base 
  speed 40 ft.); AC 23 (touch 8, flat-footed 23) [-1 size, -1 
  Dex, +8 natural, +7 half-plate armor]; BA/G +11/+25; Atk 
  +21 melee (3d6+15/19-20, masterwork greatsword), or 
  +20 melee (1d4+10, slam), or +10 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 
  fire); Full Atk +21/+16/+11 melee (3d6+15/19-20, 
  masterwork greatsword), or +20 melee (1d4+10, 2 slams), 
  or +10 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 
  ft.; SA Rock throwing; SQ Immunity to enchantment, 
  immunity to fire, low-light vision, rock catching, 
  vulnerability to cold; AL LE; SV Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +9; 
  Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +9, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +9, Spot +14; Cleave, Great 
  Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, 
  Power Attack. 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork Large greatsword, Large 
  half-plate armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, 
  renders Nurin immune to enchantment spells and 
  effects), +1 death ward gnome battle cloak (taken off of 
  Shella). 
   
  Dalin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant; CR 10; Large 
  Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+75; hp 142; Init -1; Spd 30 ft. (base 
  speed 40 ft.); AC 23 (touch 8, flat-footed 23) [-1 size, -1 
  Dex, +8 natural, +7 half-plate armor]; BA/G +11/+25; Atk 
  +21 melee (3d6+15/x3, masterwork greataxe), or +20 
  melee (1d4+10, slam), or +10 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); 
  Full Atk +21/+16/+11 melee (3d6+15/x3, masterwork 
  greataxe), or +20 melee (1d4+10, 2 slams), or +10 ranged 
  (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Rock 
  throwing; SQ Immunity to enchantment, immunity to 
  fire, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to cold; 
  AL LE; SV Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, 
  Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +9, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +9, Spot +14; Cleave, Great 
  Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, 
  Power Attack. 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork Large greataxe, Large half-
  plate armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, 
  renders Dalin immune to enchantment spells and 
  effects), ring of theurgy (taken off of a fallen foe). 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 16 
  
  Folcrunar the Irredeemably Damned: Death giant Ftr8; 
  CR 24; Huge Giant; HD 23d8+161 + 8d10+56; hp 400; Init 
  +12; Spd 35 ft. (base speed 50 ft.); AC 37 (touch 13, flat-
  footed 32) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural, +3 deflection, +10 
  Darkshroud]; BA/G +25/+47; Atk +41 melee (4d6+26 + 2 
  negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge), or +37 melee 
  (1d8+14, slam); Full Atk +41/+36/+31/+26/+21 melee 
  (4d6+26 + 2 negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge) and 
  +32 melee (2d6+7, bite), or +37 melee (1d8+14, 2 slams) 
  and +32 melee (2d6+7, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft.; SA 
  Frightful keening, rock throwing, spell-like abilities, steal 
  soul; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, guardian souls, 
  immunity to fear and energy drain, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, see invisibility, sold soul, soul healing; AL NE; 
  SV Fort +37, Ref +23, Will +26; Str 38, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 
  13, Wis 20, Cha 30. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +21, Intimidate +26, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +12, 
  Knowledge (religion) +19, Listen +17, Spellcraft +16, Spot 
  +17, Survival +6; Ability Focus (frightful keening), Ability 
  Focus (steal soul), Cleave, Combat Expertise, Dodge, 
  Improved Critical (greataxe), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, 
  Precise Shot, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe), 
  Weapon Specialization (greataxe), Whirlwind Attack.  
   
  Frightful Keening (Su): As a standard action, a 
  death giant can trigger the guardian souls that waft 
  around its body to wail in frightful anguish. Living 
  creatures within 100 feet that hear this keening must 
  make a DC 33 Will save. Success indicates that the 
  creature is shaken until it can no longer hear the keening 
  or moves out of range. Failure causes the creature to be 
  panicked for as long as it can hear the keening and 
  remains within range, and shaken for 24 hours afterward. 
   
  Ending the frightful keening is a standard action. 
  This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear ability. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based. 
   
  Rock 
  Throwing 
  (Ex): 
  Death 
  giants 
  are 
  accomplished rock throwers and gain a +1 racial bonus 
  on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A death giant can 
  hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to five 
  range increments. The range increment is 120 feet for a 
  death giant’s rocks. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—greater dispel magic, 
  inflict critical wounds (+37 melee touch, DC 24), unholy 
  blight (DC 24); 1/day—flame strike (DC 25). Caster level 
  16th. 
   
  Steal Soul (Su): Any living creature with 10 or 
  fewer hit points within 15 feet of a death giant must 
  succeed on a DC 33 Fortitude save each round or die 
  instantly. This is a death effect. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Any creature that dies within 15 feet of a death giant 
  has its spirit sucked up into the swirling guardian souls 
  that protect the death giant. Such creatures cannot be 
  raised, resurrected, or reincarnated so long as the death 
  giant lives. Killing the death giant releases the souls. 
   
  If a living death giant is within 15 feet of a death 
  giant that dies, the souls are not released and are instead 
  transferred to the nearby death giant due to its steal soul 
  ability. 
   
  Under extraordinary circumstances, a living death 
  giant may release a soul it has captured. 
   
  Guardian Souls (Su): A death giant’s victims 
  become its guardians in death. Each death giant is 
  surrounded by a constantly swirling cloud of intangible 
  spirits. 
   
  These spirits provide the death giant with warnings 
  and protection, granting the creature a bonus on 
  initiative rolls, saves, Listen checks, and Spot checks 
  equal to its Charisma modifier. 
   
  A death giant’s will binds its guardian souls to it. 
  They are not ghosts or undead in the usual sense and 
  cannot be damaged, dispelled, or separated from the 
  death giant. Only a successful turning attempt can quell 
  these spirits for a time. If the turning attempt would turn 
  or rebuke an undead with Hit Dice equal to the death 
  giant’s, the guardian souls vanish for 1d10 rounds, and 
  the death giant loses the benefits of its guardian souls, 
  frightful keening, soul healing, and steal soul abilities 
  until the souls return.  
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): Once per round, a death giant 
  that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex 
  save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small 
  rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the 
  projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the 
  DC increases by that amount.) The death giant must be 
  ready and aware of the attack in order to make a rock 
  catching attempt. 
   
  Sold Soul (Ex): A death giant cannot be raised, 
  resurrected, or reincarnated. If a death giant’s soul is not 
  taken as a guardian soul by another death giant or kept 
  from departing by some other means (such as soul bind), 
  it is utterly destroyed 1 round after the giant’s death. 
   
  Soul Healing (Su): When a death giant is protected 
  by its guardian souls, hit point damage due to negative 
  energy (such as from inflict spells) heals rather than 
  harms a death giant. Death giants are healed by positive 
  energy (such as from cure spells) normally. 
   
  Possessions: Nightforge (+3 Huge ghost touch 
  greataxe, 
  also 
  has 
  properties 
  of 
  a 
  life-drinker), 
  Darkshroud (+4 banded mail that also allows the wearer 
  always see invisibility as the spell [caster level 18]), ring 
  of protection +3, ring of evasion. 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 17 
  
  APL 12 
  Encounter Two 
  Grebin: Male ghost gnome Rog6; CR 8; Small Undead 
  (Augmented Humanoid) (Incorporeal); HD 6d12; hp 39; 
  Init +7; Spd Fly 30 ft (perfect); AC 15 (touch 15, flat-
  footed 13) [+3 Dex, +2 deflection]; BA/G +4/-1; Atk None; 
  Full Atk None; SA Malevolence, manifestation; SQ 
  Darkvision 60 ft., gnome traits, incorporeal traits, low-
  light vision, rejuvenation, +4 turn resistance, undead 
  traits; AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +2; Str 9, Dex 16, 
  Con —, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +14, Disguise +14, Diplomacy 
  +15, Hide +24, Listen +19, Move Silently +12, Search +19, 
  Sense Motive +9, Slight of Hand +14, Spot +17; Improved 
  Initiative, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Disguise). 
   
  Encounter Three 
  Frost worm, advanced: CR 14; Huge Magical Beast 
  (Cold); HD 20d10+100; hp 210; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., burrow 
  10 ft.; AC 18 (touch 8, flat-footed 18) [-2 size, +10 natural]; 
  BA/G +20/+36; Atk +27 melee (2d8+12 + 1d8 cold, bite); 
  Full Atk +27 melee (2d8+12 + 1d8 cold, bite); 
  Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Trill, cold, breath weapon; 
  SQ Darkvision 60 ft., death throes, immunity to cold, 
  low-light vision, vulnerability to fire; AL N; SV Fort +19, 
  Ref +14, Will +8; Str 26, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 11, 
  Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +9*, Listen +5, Spot +5; 
  Alertness, 
  Great 
  Fortitude, 
  Improved 
  Initiative, 
  Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Weapon Focus (bite). 
   
  Trill (Su): A frost worm can emit a noise that forces 
  its prey to stand motionless. This sonic mind-affecting 
  compulsion affects all creatures other than frost worms 
  within a 100-foot radius. Creatures must succeed on a DC 
  20 Will save or be stunned for as long as the worm trills 
  and for 1d4 rounds thereafter, even if they are attacked. 
  However, if attacked or violently shaken (a full-round 
  action), a victim is allowed another saving throw. Once a 
  creature has resisted or broken the effect, it cannot be 
  affected again by that same frost worm’s trill for 24 hours. 
  The effect’s caster level is 14th. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Cold (Ex): A frost worm’s body generates intense 
  cold, causing opponents to take an extra 1d8 points of 
  cold damage every time the creature succeeds on a bite 
  attack. Creatures attacking a frost worm unarmed or with 
  natural weapons take this same cold damage each time 
  one of their attacks hits. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot cone, once per hour, 
  damage 15d6 cold, Reflex DC 25 half. Opponents held 
  motionless by the frost worm’s trill get no saving throw. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
   
  Death Throes (Ex): When killed, a frost worm turns 
  to ice and shatters in an explosion that deals 12d6 points 
  of cold damage and 8d6 points of piercing damage to 
  everything within 100 feet (Reflex half DC 25). The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. 
   
  Skills: *A frost worm, due to its coloration and its 
  affinity for burying itself in the snow, has a +10 racial 
  bonus on Hide checks in its native environment. 
   
  Encounter Four 
  Boneyard: CR 14; Huge Undead; HD 17d12+17; hp 127; 
  Init +6; Spd 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good); AC 30 (touch 10, flat-
  footed 28) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +20 natural]; BA/G +8/+26; 
  Atk +16 melee (2d8+15/19-20 + bone subsumption, bite); 
  Full Atk +16 melee (2d8+15/19-20 + bone subsumption, 
  bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Bone subsumption, 
  improved grab, summon skeletons, utter subsumption; 
  SQ Damage reduction 10/—, darkvision 60 ft., fast 
  healing 10, immunity to cold, inescapable craving, spell 
  resistance 24, undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +9, 
  Will +15; Str 31, Dex 14, Con —, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 18. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +22, Climb +30, Hide +22, 
  Jump +30, Listen +25, Move Silently +22, Search +24, 
  Spot +25; Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Toughness, Lightning Reflexes. 
   
  Bone Subsumption (Su): Whenever a boneyard 
  successfully bites a foe, the victim must make a DC 22 
  Fortitude save (except for undead victims, which make 
  Will saves). The save DC is Charisma-based. On a failed 
  save, the victim’s bones begin to melt away from the body 
  to meld with the form of the boneyard. The victim takes 
  2d4 points of damage to Constitution, Dexterity, and 
  Strength. This ability works only on a creature that 
  possesses a skeletal structure (so it works on many 
  undead, but is useless against constructs, elementals, 
  oozes, and plants). 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the 
  boneyard must hit a Large or smaller opponent with its 
  bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it 
  wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try 
  to utterly subsume all the bones in the victim’s body. 
   
  Inescapable 
  Craving: 
  A 
  boneyard 
  has 
  an 
  inescapable craving (see the Undead Metabolism section 
  in Chapter 1 of Libris Mortis) for bones, which it satisfies 
  by using its bone subsumption ability. 
   
  Summon Skeletons (Su): A boneyard can summon 
  undead creatures from its own bones once per day: 3-6 
  troll skeletons or 2-4 young adult red dragon skeletons. 
  The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for 1 hour or 
  until they are reabsorbed back into the boneyard. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 18 
  
   
  Utter Subsumption (Su): If a boneyard wins a 
  grapple check after using its improved grab ability, it 
  attempts to pin the target on its next action. A boneyard 
  that begins a turn with a victim still pinned and that 
  makes one more successful grapple check automatically 
  tears every bone from the victim’s body, instantly killing 
  the victim. 
   
  Encounter Five 
  Nurin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant Ftr2; CR 12; 
  Large Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+75 + 2d10+10; hp 168; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft. (base speed 40 ft.); AC 24 (touch 8, flat-footed 
  24) [-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +8 +1 half-plate armor]; 
  BA/G +13/+27; Atk +24 melee (3d6+16/19-20, +1 
  greatsword), or +22 melee (1d4+10, slam), or +12 ranged 
  (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Full Atk +24/+19/+14 melee 
  (3d6+16/19-20, +1 greatsword), or +22 melee (1d4+10, 2 
  slams), or +12 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 
  ft./10 ft.; SA Rock throwing; SQ Immunity to 
  enchantment, immunity to fire, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, vulnerability to cold; AL LE; SV Fort +17, Ref 
  +4, Will +9; Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +8, Jump +10, Spot +16; Cleave, Great 
  Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, 
  Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (greatsword). 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: +1 Large greatsword, +1 Large half-plate 
  armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, renders 
  Nurin immune to enchantment spells and effects), +1 
  death ward gnome battle cloak (taken off of Shella). 
   
  Dalin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant Ftr2; CR 12; 
  Large Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+75 + 2d10+10; hp 168; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft. (base speed 40 ft.); AC 24 (touch 8, flat-footed 
  24) [-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +8 +1 half-plate armor]; 
  BA/G +13/+27; Atk +24 melee (3d6+16/x3, +1 greataxe), 
  or +22 melee (1d4+10, slam), or +12 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 
  fire); Full Atk +24/+19/+14 melee (3d6+16/x3, +1 
  greataxe), or +22 melee (1d4+10, 2 slams), or +12 ranged 
  (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Rock 
  throwing; SQ Immunity to enchantment, immunity to 
  fire, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to cold; 
  AL LE; SV Fort +17, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, 
  Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +8, Jump +10, Spot +16; Cleave, Great 
  Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, 
  Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (greataxe). 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: +1 Large greataxe, +1 Large half-plate 
  armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, renders 
  Nurin immune to enchantment spells and effects), ring 
  of theurgy (taken off of a fallen foe). 
   
  Folcrunar the Irredeemably Damned: Death giant Ftr8; 
  CR 24; Huge Giant; HD 23d8+161 + 8d10+56; hp 400; Init 
  +12; Spd 35 ft. (base speed 50 ft.); AC 37 (touch 13, flat-
  footed 32) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural, +3 deflection, +10 
  Darkshroud]; BA/G +25/+47; Atk +41 melee (4d6+26 + 2 
  negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge), or +37 melee 
  (1d8+14, slam); Full Atk +41/+36/+31/+26/+21 melee 
  (4d6+26 + 2 negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge) and 
  +32 melee (2d6+7, bite), or +37 melee (1d8+14, 2 slams) 
  and +32 melee (2d6+7, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft.; SA 
  Frightful keening, rock throwing, spell-like abilities, steal 
  soul; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, guardian souls, 
  immunity to fear and energy drain, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, see invisibility, sold soul, soul healing; AL NE; 
  SV Fort +37, Ref +23, Will +26; Str 38, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 
  13, Wis 20, Cha 30. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +21, Intimidate +26, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +12, 
  Knowledge (religion) +19, Listen +17, Spellcraft +16, Spot 
  +17, Survival +6; Ability Focus (frightful keening), Ability 
  Focus (steal soul), Cleave, Combat Expertise, Dodge, 
  Improved Critical (greataxe), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, 
  Precise Shot, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe), 
  Weapon Specialization (greataxe), Whirlwind Attack.  
   
  Frightful Keening (Su): As a standard action, a 
  death giant can trigger the guardian souls that waft 
  around its body to wail in frightful anguish. Living 
  creatures within 100 feet that hear this keening must 
  make a DC 33 Will save. Success indicates that the 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 19 
  
  creature is shaken until it can no longer hear the keening 
  or moves out of range. Failure causes the creature to be 
  panicked for as long as it can hear the keening and 
  remains within range, and shaken for 24 hours afterward. 
   
  Ending the frightful keening is a standard action. 
  This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear ability. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based. 
   
  Rock 
  Throwing 
  (Ex): 
  Death 
  giants 
  are 
  accomplished rock throwers and gain a +1 racial bonus 
  on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A death giant can 
  hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to five 
  range increments. The range increment is 120 feet for a 
  death giant’s rocks. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—greater dispel magic, 
  inflict critical wounds (+37 melee touch, DC 24), unholy 
  blight (DC 24); 1/day—flame strike (DC 25). Caster level 
  16th. 
   
  Steal Soul (Su): Any living creature with 10 or 
  fewer hit points within 15 feet of a death giant must 
  succeed on a DC 33 Fortitude save each round or die 
  instantly. This is a death effect. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Any creature that dies within 15 feet of a death giant 
  has its spirit sucked up into the swirling guardian souls 
  that protect the death giant. Such creatures cannot be 
  raised, resurrected, or reincarnated so long as the death 
  giant lives. Killing the death giant releases the souls. 
   
  If a living death giant is within 15 feet of a death 
  giant that dies, the souls are not released and are instead 
  transferred to the nearby death giant due to its steal soul 
  ability. 
   
  Under extraordinary circumstances, a living death 
  giant may release a soul it has captured. 
   
  Guardian Souls (Su): A death giant’s victims 
  become its guardians in death. Each death giant is 
  surrounded by a constantly swirling cloud of intangible 
  spirits. 
   
  These spirits provide the death giant with warnings 
  and protection, granting the creature a bonus on 
  initiative rolls, saves, Listen checks, and Spot checks 
  equal to its Charisma modifier. 
   
  A death giant’s will binds its guardian souls to it. 
  They are not ghosts or undead in the usual sense and 
  cannot be damaged, dispelled, or separated from the 
  death giant. Only a successful turning attempt can quell 
  these spirits for a time. If the turning attempt would turn 
  or rebuke an undead with Hit Dice equal to the death 
  giant’s, the guardian souls vanish for 1d10 rounds, and 
  the death giant loses the benefits of its guardian souls, 
  frightful keening, soul healing, and steal soul abilities 
  until the souls return.  
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): Once per round, a death giant 
  that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex 
  save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small 
  rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the 
  projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the 
  DC increases by that amount.) The death giant must be 
  ready and aware of the attack in order to make a rock 
  catching attempt. 
   
  Sold Soul (Ex): A death giant cannot be raised, 
  resurrected, or reincarnated. If a death giant’s soul is not 
  taken as a guardian soul by another death giant or kept 
  from departing by some other means (such as soul bind), 
  it is utterly destroyed 1 round after the giant’s death. 
   
  Soul Healing (Su): When a death giant is protected 
  by its guardian souls, hit point damage due to negative 
  energy (such as from inflict spells) heals rather than 
  harms a death giant. Death giants are healed by positive 
  energy (such as from cure spells) normally. 
   
  Possessions: Nightforge (+3 Huge ghost touch 
  greataxe, 
  also 
  has 
  properties 
  of 
  a 
  life-drinker), 
  Darkshroud (+4 banded mail that also allows the wearer 
  always see invisibility as the spell [caster level 18]), ring 
  of protection +3, ring of evasion. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 20 
  
  APL 14 
  Encounter Two 
  Grebin: Male ghost gnome Rog6; CR 8; Small Undead 
  (Augmented Humanoid) (Incorporeal); HD 6d12; hp 39; 
  Init +7; Spd Fly 30 ft (perfect); AC 15 (touch 15, flat-
  footed 13) [+3 Dex, +2 deflection]; BA/G +4/-1; Atk None; 
  Full Atk None; SA Malevolence, manifestation; SQ 
  Darkvision 60 ft., gnome traits, incorporeal traits, low-
  light vision, rejuvenation, +4 turn resistance, undead 
  traits; AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +2; Str 9, Dex 16, 
  Con —, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +14, Disguise +14, Diplomacy 
  +15, Hide +24, Listen +19, Move Silently +12, Search +19, 
  Sense Motive +9, Slight of Hand +14, Spot +17; Improved 
  Initiative, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Disguise). 
   
  Encounter Three 
  Frost worm, advanced: CR 16; Gargantuan Magical 
  Beast (Cold); HD 23d10+161; hp 287; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., 
  burrow 10 ft.; AC 20 (touch 6, flat-footed 20) [-4 size, +14 
  natural]; BA/G +23/+47; Atk +32 melee (3d8+18/19-20 + 
  1d8 cold, bite); Full Atk +32 melee (3d8+18/19-20 + 1d8 
  cold, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Trill, cold, breath 
  weapon; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., death throes, immunity to 
  cold, low-light vision, vulnerability to fire; AL N; SV Fort 
  +22, Ref +15, Will +9; Str 34, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 
  11, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +8*, Listen +5, Spot +5; 
  Alertness, 
  Great 
  Fortitude, 
  Improved 
  Initiative, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Natural Attack (bite), 
  Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (bite). 
   
  Trill (Su): A frost worm can emit a noise that forces 
  its prey to stand motionless. This sonic mind-affecting 
  compulsion affects all creatures other than frost worms 
  within a 100-foot radius. Creatures must succeed on a DC 
  21 Will save or be stunned for as long as the worm trills 
  and for 1d4 rounds thereafter, even if they are attacked. 
  However, if attacked or violently shaken (a full-round 
  action), a victim is allowed another saving throw. Once a 
  creature has resisted or broken the effect, it cannot be 
  affected again by that same frost worm’s trill for 24 hours. 
  The effect’s caster level is 14th. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Cold (Ex): A frost worm’s body generates intense 
  cold, causing opponents to take an extra 1d8 points of 
  cold damage every time the creature succeeds on a bite 
  attack. Creatures attacking a frost worm unarmed or with 
  natural weapons take this same cold damage each time 
  one of their attacks hits. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot cone, once per hour, 
  damage 15d6 cold, Reflex DC 28 half. Opponents held 
  motionless by the frost worm’s trill get no saving throw. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
   
  Death Throes (Ex): When killed, a frost worm turns 
  to ice and shatters in an explosion that deals 12d6 points 
  of cold damage and 8d6 points of piercing damage to 
  everything within 100 feet (Reflex half DC 28). The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. 
   
  Skills: *A frost worm, due to its coloration and its 
  affinity for burying itself in the snow, has a +10 racial 
  bonus on Hide checks in its native environment. 
   
  Encounter Four 
  Boneyards (2): CR 14; Huge Undead; HD 17d12+17; hp 
  127 each; Init +6; Spd 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good); AC 30 (touch 
  10, flat-footed 28) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +20 natural]; BA/G 
  +8/+26; 
  Atk 
  +16 
  melee 
  (2d8+15/19-20 
  + 
  bone 
  subsumption, bite); Full Atk +16 melee (2d8+15/19-20 + 
  bone subsumption, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA 
  Bone subsumption, improved grab, summon skeletons, 
  utter subsumption; SQ Damage reduction 10/—, 
  darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 10, immunity to cold, 
  inescapable craving, spell resistance 24, undead traits; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +15; Str 31, Dex 14, Con —, 
  Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 18. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +22, Climb +30, Hide +22, 
  Jump +30, Listen +25, Move Silently +22, Search +24, 
  Spot +25; Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Toughness, Lightning Reflexes. 
   
  Bone Subsumption (Su): Whenever a boneyard 
  successfully bites a foe, the victim must make a DC 22 
  Fortitude save (except for undead victims, which make 
  Will saves). The save DC is Charisma-based. On a failed 
  save, the victim’s bones begin to melt away from the body 
  to meld with the form of the boneyard. The victim takes 
  2d4 points of damage to Constitution, Dexterity, and 
  Strength. This ability works only on a creature that 
  possesses a skeletal structure (so it works on many 
  undead, but is useless against constructs, elementals, 
  oozes, and plants). 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the 
  boneyard must hit a Large or smaller opponent with its 
  bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it 
  wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try 
  to utterly subsume all the bones in the victim’s body. 
   
  Inescapable 
  Craving: 
  A 
  boneyard 
  has 
  an 
  inescapable craving (see the Undead Metabolism section 
  in Chapter 1 of Libris Mortis) for bones, which it satisfies 
  by using its bone subsumption ability. 
   
  Summon Skeletons (Su): A boneyard can summon 
  undead creatures from its own bones once per day: 3-6 
  troll skeletons or 2-4 young adult red dragon skeletons. 
  The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for 1 hour or 
  until they are reabsorbed back into the boneyard. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 21 
  
   
  Utter Subsumption (Su): If a boneyard wins a 
  grapple check after using its improved grab ability, it 
  attempts to pin the target on its next action. A boneyard 
  that begins a turn with a victim still pinned and that 
  makes one more successful grapple check automatically 
  tears every bone from the victim’s body, instantly killing 
  the victim. 
   
  Encounter Five 
  Nurin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant Ftr4; CR 14; 
  Large Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+90 + 4d10+24; hp 209; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft. (base speed 40 ft.); AC 24 (touch 8, flat-footed 
  24) [-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +8 +1 half-plate armor]; 
  BA/G +15/+29; Atk +26 melee (3d6+18/18-20, serrated 
  terror), or +24 melee (1d4+10, slam), or +14 ranged 
  (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Full Atk +26/+21/+16 melee 
  (3d6+18/18-20, serrated terror), or +24 melee (1d4+10, 2 
  slams), or +14 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 
  ft./10 ft.; SA Rock throwing; SQ Immunity to 
  enchantment, immunity to fire, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, vulnerability to cold; AL LE; SV Fort +18, Ref 
  +5, Will +10; Str 31, Dex 9, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 
  11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +10, Jump +10, Spot +18; Cleave, Great 
  Cleave, 
  Improved 
  Bull 
  Rush, 
  Improved 
  Critical 
  (greatsword), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron 
  Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), 
  Weapon Specialization (greatsword). 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: Serrated terror, +1 Large half-plate 
  armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, renders 
  Nurin immune to enchantment spells and effects), +1 
  death ward gnome battle cloak (taken off of Shella). 
   
  Dalin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant Ftr4; CR 14; 
  Large Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+90 + 4d10+24; hp 209; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft. (base speed 40 ft.); AC 24 (touch 8, flat-footed 
  24) [-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +8 +1 half-plate armor]; 
  BA/G +15/+29; Atk +26 melee (3d6+18/19-20/x3, +1 
  greataxe), or +24 melee (1d4+10, slam), or +14 ranged 
  (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Full Atk +26/+21/+16 melee 
  (3d6+18/18-20, +1 greataxe), or +24 melee (1d4+10, 2 
  slams), or +14 ranged (2d6+10 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 
  ft./10 ft.; SA Rock throwing; SQ Immunity to 
  enchantment, immunity to fire, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, vulnerability to cold; AL LE; SV Fort +18, Ref 
  +5, Will +10; Str 31, Dex 9, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 
  11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +10, Jump +10, Spot +18; Cleave, Great 
  Cleave, 
  Improved 
  Bull 
  Rush, 
  Improved 
  Critical 
  (greataxe), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron 
  Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe, Weapon 
  Specialization (greataxe). 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: +1 Large greataxe, +1 Large half-plate 
  armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, renders 
  Nurin immune to enchantment spells and effects), ring 
  of theurgy (taken off of a fallen foe). 
   
  Folcrunar the Irredeemably Damned: Death giant Ftr8; 
  CR 24; Huge Giant; HD 23d8+161 + 8d10+56; hp 400; Init 
  +12; Spd 35 ft. (base speed 50 ft.); AC 37 (touch 13, flat-
  footed 32) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural, +3 deflection, +10 
  Darkshroud]; BA/G +25/+47; Atk +41 melee (4d6+26 + 2 
  negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge), or +37 melee 
  (1d8+14, slam); Full Atk +41/+36/+31/+26/+21 melee 
  (4d6+26 + 2 negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge) and 
  +32 melee (2d6+7, bite), or +37 melee (1d8+14, 2 slams) 
  and +32 melee (2d6+7, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft.; SA 
  Frightful keening, rock throwing, spell-like abilities, steal 
  soul; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, guardian souls, 
  immunity to fear and energy drain, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, see invisibility, sold soul, soul healing; AL NE; 
  SV Fort +37, Ref +23, Will +26; Str 38, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 
  13, Wis 20, Cha 30. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +21, Intimidate +26, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +12, 
  Knowledge (religion) +19, Listen +17, Spellcraft +16, Spot 
  +17, Survival +6; Ability Focus (frightful keening), Ability 
  Focus (steal soul), Cleave, Combat Expertise, Dodge, 
  Improved Critical (greataxe), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, 
  Precise Shot, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe), 
  Weapon Specialization (greataxe), Whirlwind Attack.  
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 22 
  
   
  Frightful Keening (Su): As a standard action, a 
  death giant can trigger the guardian souls that waft 
  around its body to wail in frightful anguish. Living 
  creatures within 100 feet that hear this keening must 
  make a DC 33 Will save. Success indicates that the 
  creature is shaken until it can no longer hear the keening 
  or moves out of range. Failure causes the creature to be 
  panicked for as long as it can hear the keening and 
  remains within range, and shaken for 24 hours afterward. 
   
  Ending the frightful keening is a standard action. 
  This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear ability. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based. 
   
  Rock 
  Throwing 
  (Ex): 
  Death 
  giants 
  are 
  accomplished rock throwers and gain a +1 racial bonus 
  on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A death giant can 
  hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to five 
  range increments. The range increment is 120 feet for a 
  death giant’s rocks. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—greater dispel magic, 
  inflict critical wounds (+37 melee touch, DC 24), unholy 
  blight (DC 24); 1/day—flame strike (DC 25). Caster level 
  16th. 
   
  Steal Soul (Su): Any living creature with 10 or 
  fewer hit points within 15 feet of a death giant must 
  succeed on a DC 33 Fortitude save each round or die 
  instantly. This is a death effect. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Any creature that dies within 15 feet of a death giant 
  has its spirit sucked up into the swirling guardian souls 
  that protect the death giant. Such creatures cannot be 
  raised, resurrected, or reincarnated so long as the death 
  giant lives. Killing the death giant releases the souls. 
   
  If a living death giant is within 15 feet of a death 
  giant that dies, the souls are not released and are instead 
  transferred to the nearby death giant due to its steal soul 
  ability. 
   
  Under extraordinary circumstances, a living death 
  giant may release a soul it has captured. 
   
  Guardian Souls (Su): A death giant’s victims 
  become its guardians in death. Each death giant is 
  surrounded by a constantly swirling cloud of intangible 
  spirits. 
   
  These spirits provide the death giant with warnings 
  and protection, granting the creature a bonus on 
  initiative rolls, saves, Listen checks, and Spot checks 
  equal to its Charisma modifier. 
   
  A death giant’s will binds its guardian souls to it. 
  They are not ghosts or undead in the usual sense and 
  cannot be damaged, dispelled, or separated from the 
  death giant. Only a successful turning attempt can quell 
  these spirits for a time. If the turning attempt would turn 
  or rebuke an undead with Hit Dice equal to the death 
  giant’s, the guardian souls vanish for 1d10 rounds, and 
  the death giant loses the benefits of its guardian souls, 
  frightful keening, soul healing, and steal soul abilities 
  until the souls return.  
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): Once per round, a death giant 
  that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex 
  save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small 
  rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the 
  projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the 
  DC increases by that amount.) The death giant must be 
  ready and aware of the attack in order to make a rock 
  catching attempt. 
   
  Sold Soul (Ex): A death giant cannot be raised, 
  resurrected, or reincarnated. If a death giant’s soul is not 
  taken as a guardian soul by another death giant or kept 
  from departing by some other means (such as soul bind), 
  it is utterly destroyed 1 round after the giant’s death. 
   
  Soul Healing (Su): When a death giant is protected 
  by its guardian souls, hit point damage due to negative 
  energy (such as from inflict spells) heals rather than 
  harms a death giant. Death giants are healed by positive 
  energy (such as from cure spells) normally. 
   
  Possessions: Nightforge (+3 Huge ghost touch 
  greataxe, 
  also 
  has 
  properties 
  of 
  a 
  life-drinker), 
  Darkshroud (+4 banded mail that also allows the wearer 
  always see invisibility as the spell [caster level 18]), ring 
  of protection +3, ring of evasion. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 23 
  
  APL 16 
  Encounter Two 
  Grebin: Male ghost gnome Rog6; CR 8; Small Undead 
  (Augmented Humanoid) (Incorporeal); HD 6d12; hp 39; 
  Init +7; Spd Fly 30 ft (perfect); AC 15 (touch 15, flat-
  footed 13) [+3 Dex, +2 deflection]; BA/G +4/-1; Atk None; 
  Full Atk None; SA Malevolence, manifestation; SQ 
  Darkvision 60 ft., gnome traits, incorporeal traits, low-
  light vision, rejuvenation, +4 turn resistance, undead 
  traits; AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +2; Str 9, Dex 16, 
  Con —, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +14, Disguise +14, Diplomacy 
  +15, Hide +24, Listen +19, Move Silently +12, Search +19, 
  Sense Motive +9, Slight of Hand +14, Spot +17; Improved 
  Initiative, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Disguise). 
   
  Encounter Three 
  Frost worm, advanced: CR 18; Gargantuan Magical 
  Beast (Cold); HD 29d10+203; hp 362; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., 
  burrow 10 ft.; AC 20 (touch 6, flat-footed 20) [-4 size, +14 
  natural]; BA/G +29/+53; Atk +38 melee (3d8+18/19-20 + 
  1d8 cold, bite); Full Atk +38 melee (3d8+18/19-20 + 1d8 
  cold, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Trill, cold, breath 
  weapon; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., death throes, immunity to 
  cold, low-light vision, vulnerability to fire; AL N; SV Fort 
  +25, Ref +18, Will +11; Str 34, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 
  11, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14*, Listen +5, Spot +5; 
  Alertness, Ability Focus (trill), Ability Focus (breath 
  weapon), Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Critical (bite), Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (bite). 
   
  Trill (Su): A frost worm can emit a noise that forces 
  its prey to stand motionless. This sonic mind-affecting 
  compulsion affects all creatures other than frost worms 
  within a 100-foot radius. Creatures must succeed on a DC 
  26 Will save or be stunned for as long as the worm trills 
  and for 1d4 rounds thereafter, even if they are attacked. 
  However, if attacked or violently shaken (a full-round 
  action), a victim is allowed another saving throw. Once a 
  creature has resisted or broken the effect, it cannot be 
  affected again by that same frost worm’s trill for 24 hours. 
  The effect’s caster level is 14th. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Cold (Ex): A frost worm’s body generates intense 
  cold, causing opponents to take an extra 1d8 points of 
  cold damage every time the creature succeeds on a bite 
  attack. Creatures attacking a frost worm unarmed or with 
  natural weapons take this same cold damage each time 
  one of their attacks hits. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot cone, once per hour, 
  damage 15d6 cold, Reflex DC 33 half. Opponents held 
  motionless by the frost worm’s trill get no saving throw. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
   
  Death Throes (Ex): When killed, a frost worm turns 
  to ice and shatters in an explosion that deals 12d6 points 
  of cold damage and 8d6 points of piercing damage to 
  everything within 100 feet (Reflex half DC 28). The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. 
   
  Skills: *A frost worm, due to its coloration and its 
  affinity for burying itself in the snow, has a +10 racial 
  bonus on Hide checks in its native environment. 
   
  Encounter Four 
  Boneyards, advanced (2): CR 16; Huge Undead; HD 
  25d12+25; hp 187 each; Init +6; Spd 20 ft., fly 60 ft. 
  (good); AC 30 (touch 10, flat-footed 28) [-2 size, +2 Dex, 
  +20 natural]; BA/G +12/+30; Atk +20 melee (2d8+15/19-
  20 + bone subsumption, bite); Full Atk +20 melee 
  (2d8+15/19-20 + bone subsumption, bite); Space/Reach 
  15 ft./10 ft.; SA Bone subsumption, improved grab, 
  summon skeletons, utter subsumption; SQ Damage 
  reduction 10/—, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 10, 
  immunity to cold, inescapable craving, spell resistance 
  24, undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +19; 
  Str 31, Dex 14, Con —, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 18. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +30, Climb +38, Hide +30, 
  Jump +38, Listen +33, Move Silently +30, Search +32, 
  Spot +33; Ability Focus (bone subsumption), Combat 
  Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical 
  (bite), 
  Improved 
  Initiative, 
  Improved 
  Toughness, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Mobility. 
   
  Bone Subsumption (Su): Whenever a boneyard 
  successfully bites a foe, the victim must make a DC 28 
  Fortitude save (except for undead victims, which make 
  Will saves). The save DC is Charisma-based. On a failed 
  save, the victim’s bones begin to melt away from the body 
  to meld with the form of the boneyard. The victim takes 
  2d4 points of damage to Constitution, Dexterity, and 
  Strength. This ability works only on a creature that 
  possesses a skeletal structure (so it works on many 
  undead, but is useless against constructs, elementals, 
  oozes, and plants). 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the 
  boneyard must hit a Large or smaller opponent with its 
  bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it 
  wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try 
  to utterly subsume all the bones in the victim’s body. 
   
  Inescapable 
  Craving: 
  A 
  boneyard 
  has 
  an 
  inescapable craving (see the Undead Metabolism section 
  in Chapter 1 of Libris Mortis) for bones, which it satisfies 
  by using its bone subsumption ability. 
   
  Summon Skeletons (Su): A boneyard can summon 
  undead creatures from its own bones once per day: 3-6 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 24 
  
  troll skeletons or 2-4 young adult red dragon skeletons. 
  The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for 1 hour or 
  until they are reabsorbed back into the boneyard. 
   
  Utter Subsumption (Su): If a boneyard wins a 
  grapple check after using its improved grab ability, it 
  attempts to pin the target on its next action. A boneyard 
  that begins a turn with a victim still pinned and that 
  makes one more successful grapple check automatically 
  tears every bone from the victim’s body, instantly killing 
  the victim. 
   
  Encounter Five 
  Nurin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant Ftr6; CR 16; 
  Large Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+90 + 6d10+30; hp 233; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft. (base speed 40 ft.); AC 24 (touch 8, flat-footed 
  24) [-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +8 +1 half-plate armor]; 
  BA/G +17/+32; Atk +29 melee (3d6+19/18-20, serrated 
  terror), or +27 melee (1d4+11, slam), or +17 ranged 
  (2d6+11 + 1d6 fire); Full Atk +29/+24/+19/+14 melee 
  (3d6+19/18-20, serrated terror), or +27 melee (1d4+11, 2 
  slams), or +17 ranged (2d6+11 + 1d6 fire); Space/Reach 10 
  ft./10 ft.; SA Rock throwing; SQ Immunity to 
  enchantment, immunity to fire, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, vulnerability to cold; AL LE; SV Fort +19, Ref 
  +6, Will +11; Str 32, Dex 9, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 
  11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +12, Jump +11, Spot +20; Awesome Blow, 
  Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Overrun, 
  Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword). 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: Serrated terror, +1 Large half-plate 
  armor, iron helm of obedience (caster level 18, renders 
  Nurin immune to enchantment spells and effects), +1 
  death ward gnome battle cloak (taken off of Shella). 
   
  Dalin, fire giant lieutenant: Fire giant Ftr6; CR 16; 
  Large Giant (Fire); HD 15d8+90 + 6d10+30; hp 233; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft. (base speed 40 ft.); AC 24 (touch 8, flat-footed 
  24) [-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +8 +1 half-plate armor]; 
  BA/G +17/+32; Atk +29 melee (3d6+19/18-20, +1 
  dwarfbane and humanbane greataxe), or +27 melee 
  (1d4+11, slam), or +17 ranged (2d6+11 + 1d6 fire); Full 
  Atk 
  +29/+24/+19/+14 
  melee 
  (3d6+19/18-20, 
  +1 
  dwarfbane and humanbane greataxe), or +27 melee 
  (1d4+11, 2 slams), or +17 ranged (2d6+11 + 1d6 fire); 
  Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Rock throwing; SQ 
  Immunity to enchantment, immunity to fire, low-light 
  vision, rock catching, vulnerability to cold; AL LE; SV 
  Fort +19, Ref +6, Will +11; Str 32, Dex 9, Con 22, Int 10, 
  Wis 14, Cha 11. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Craft (weaponsmithing) 
  +6, Intimidate +12, Jump +11, Spot +20; Awesome Blow, 
  Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved 
  Critical 
  (greataxe), 
  Improved 
  Overrun, 
  Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (greataxe), Weapon Specialization (greataxe). 
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size 
  can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of 
  similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would 
  normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch 
  it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a 
  Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile 
  provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases 
  by that amount.) The giant must be ready and aware of 
  the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. 
   
  Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 
  feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks. 
   
  Possessions: +1 Large dwarfbane and humanbane 
  greataxe, +1 Large half-plate armor, iron helm of 
  obedience (caster level 18, renders Nurin immune to 
  enchantment spells and effects), ring of theurgy (taken 
  off of a fallen foe). 
   
  Folcrunar the Irredeemably Damned: Death giant Ftr8; 
  CR 24; Huge Giant; HD 23d8+161 + 8d10+56; hp 400; Init 
  +12; Spd 35 ft. (base speed 50 ft.); AC 37 (touch 13, flat-
  footed 32) [-2 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural, +3 deflection, +10 
  Darkshroud]; BA/G +25/+47; Atk +41 melee (4d6+26 + 2 
  negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge), or +37 melee 
  (1d8+14, slam); Full Atk +41/+36/+31/+26/+21 melee 
  (4d6+26 + 2 negative levels/19-20/x3, Nightforge) and 
  +32 melee (2d6+7, bite), or +37 melee (1d8+14, 2 slams) 
  and +32 melee (2d6+7, bite); Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft.; SA 
  Frightful keening, rock throwing, spell-like abilities, steal 
  soul; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, guardian souls, 
  immunity to fear and energy drain, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, see invisibility, sold soul, soul healing; AL NE; 
  SV Fort +37, Ref +23, Will +26; Str 38, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 
  13, Wis 20, Cha 30. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +21, Intimidate +26, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +12, 
  Knowledge (religion) +19, Listen +17, Spellcraft +16, Spot 
  +17, Survival +6; Ability Focus (frightful keening), Ability 
  Focus (steal soul), Cleave, Combat Expertise, Dodge, 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 25 
  
  Improved Critical (greataxe), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, 
  Precise Shot, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe), 
  Weapon Specialization (greataxe), Whirlwind Attack.  
   
  Frightful Keening (Su): As a standard action, a 
  death giant can trigger the guardian souls that waft 
  around its body to wail in frightful anguish. Living 
  creatures within 100 feet that hear this keening must 
  make a DC 33 Will save. Success indicates that the 
  creature is shaken until it can no longer hear the keening 
  or moves out of range. Failure causes the creature to be 
  panicked for as long as it can hear the keening and 
  remains within range, and shaken for 24 hours afterward. 
   
  Ending the frightful keening is a standard action. 
  This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear ability. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based. 
   
  Rock 
  Throwing 
  (Ex): 
  Death 
  giants 
  are 
  accomplished rock throwers and gain a +1 racial bonus 
  on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A death giant can 
  hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to five 
  range increments. The range increment is 120 feet for a 
  death giant’s rocks. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—greater dispel magic, 
  inflict critical wounds (+37 melee touch, DC 24), unholy 
  blight (DC 24); 1/day—flame strike (DC 25). Caster level 
  16th. 
   
  Steal Soul (Su): Any living creature with 10 or 
  fewer hit points within 15 feet of a death giant must 
  succeed on a DC 33 Fortitude save each round or die 
  instantly. This is a death effect. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Any creature that dies within 15 feet of a death giant 
  has its spirit sucked up into the swirling guardian souls 
  that protect the death giant. Such creatures cannot be 
  raised, resurrected, or reincarnated so long as the death 
  giant lives. Killing the death giant releases the souls. 
   
  If a living death giant is within 15 feet of a death 
  giant that dies, the souls are not released and are instead 
  transferred to the nearby death giant due to its steal soul 
  ability. 
   
  Under extraordinary circumstances, a living death 
  giant may release a soul it has captured. 
   
  Guardian Souls (Su): A death giant’s victims 
  become its guardians in death. Each death giant is 
  surrounded by a constantly swirling cloud of intangible 
  spirits. 
   
  These spirits provide the death giant with warnings 
  and protection, granting the creature a bonus on 
  initiative rolls, saves, Listen checks, and Spot checks 
  equal to its Charisma modifier. 
   
  A death giant’s will binds its guardian souls to it. 
  They are not ghosts or undead in the usual sense and 
  cannot be damaged, dispelled, or separated from the 
  death giant. Only a successful turning attempt can quell 
  these spirits for a time. If the turning attempt would turn 
  or rebuke an undead with Hit Dice equal to the death 
  giant’s, the guardian souls vanish for 1d10 rounds, and 
  the death giant loses the benefits of its guardian souls, 
  frightful keening, soul healing, and steal soul abilities 
  until the souls return.  
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): Once per round, a death giant 
  that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex 
  save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small 
  rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the 
  projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the 
  DC increases by that amount.) The death giant must be 
  ready and aware of the attack in order to make a rock 
  catching attempt. 
   
  Sold Soul (Ex): A death giant cannot be raised, 
  resurrected, or reincarnated. If a death giant’s soul is not 
  taken as a guardian soul by another death giant or kept 
  from departing by some other means (such as soul bind), 
  it is utterly destroyed 1 round after the giant’s death. 
   
  Soul Healing (Su): When a death giant is protected 
  by its guardian souls, hit point damage due to negative 
  energy (such as from inflict spells) heals rather than 
  harms a death giant. Death giants are healed by positive 
  energy (such as from cure spells) normally. 
   
  Possessions: Nightforge (+3 Huge ghost touch 
  greataxe, 
  also 
  has 
  properties 
  of 
  a 
  life-drinker), 
  Darkshroud (+4 banded mail that also allows the wearer 
  always see invisibility as the spell [caster level 18]), ring 
  of protection +3, ring of evasion. 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 26 
  
  Appendix 2: New Rules 
   
  Improved Toughness [General] 
  You are significantly tougher than normal. 
   
  Prerequisite: Base Fortitude save bonus +2. 
   
  Benefit: You gain a number of hit points equal to 
  your current Hit Dice. Each time you gain a Hit Die 
  (such as by gaining a level), you gain 1 additional hit 
  point. If you lose a Hit Die (such as by losing a level), you 
  lose 1 hit point permanently. 
   
  Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead, page 27. 
   
  Serrated Terror 
  Made by fire giants, this jagged +1 Large greatsword 
  proves a great surprise to those seeking to exploit fire 
  giants’ weakness. In the hands of a fire giant, this weapon 
  grants its wielder cold resistance 20. 
   
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, protection from energy, creator must be a fire 
  giant; Price: 18,400 gp.  
   
  This item was originally presented in Savage Species, 
  page 52, and has been updated to the v.3.5 rules. 
   
  Death Giant 
  Huge Giant 
  Hit Dice: 23d8+115 (218 hp) 
  Initiative: +8 
  Speed: 35 ft. in banded mail (7 squares); base speed 50 ft. 
  Armor Class: 29 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +14 natural, +6 banded 
  mail), touch 9, flat-footed 28 
  Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+37 
  Attack: Greataxe +27 melee (4d6+18/x3) or slam +27 
  melee (1d8+1) or rock +17 ranged (2d8+12) 
  Full 
  Attack: 
  Greataxe 
  +27/+22/+17/+12 
  melee 
  (4d6+18/x3) and bite +22 melee (2d6+6) or 2 slams +27 
  melee (1d8+12) and bite +22 melee (2d6+6) or rock +17 
  ranged (2d8+12) 
  Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. 
  Special Attacks: Frightful keening, rock throwing, spell-
  like abilities, steal soul 
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., guardian souls, 
  immunity to fear and energy drain, low-light vision, rock 
  catching, sold soul, soul healing 
  Saves: Fort +26, Ref +17, Will +21 
  Abilities: Str 34, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 25 
  Skills: Concentration +19, Intimidate +15, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge 
  (religion) +19, Listen +12, Spellcraft +16, Spot +12, 
  Survival +6 
  Feats: Ability Focus (frightful keening), Ability Focus 
  (steal soul), Cleave, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Point 
  Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot 
  Environment: Temperate deserts 
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or gang (3-8) 
  Challenge Rating: 16 
  Treasure: Standard 
  Alignment: Always neutral evil 
  Advancement: By character class 
  Level adjustment: - 
   
  This heavily armored, gaunt giant has pointed ears and 
  dark gray skin. Its hands end in long yellow claws, and its 
  snarl shows sharp fangs. It is surrounded by a thin fog of 
  swirling vapor, and as you watch, the cloud forms into 
  tormented faces that scream in terror and pain. 
   
  Death giants are a race of terribly evil giants that, in order 
  to preserve their empire from destruction, traded the 
  immortal souls of every one of their kind in exchange for 
  unholy power. It was a poor bargain, and the death giants 
  now live with the mistake of their ancestors. 
   
  The souls of death giants are bound for destruction 
  on the Negative Energy Plane, and their link to that 
  profane realm grants them spell-like abilities and great 
  power over the souls of others. 
   
  Death giants have dark gray to black skin and yellow 
  eyes. Like stone giants, they lack hair; unlike most giants, 
  their ears come to a point. Their unkempt nails form hard 
  claws, and their teeth are sharp. A death giant stands 
  about 15 feet tall and weighs 2,000 pounds. 
   
  Death giants speak Giant and Common. 
   
  COMBAT 
  Death giants are fearsome melee opponents and powerful 
  spellcasters. They prefer to cast spells in combat 
  situations, but reserve some for opportune tactics and 
  healing. 
   
  Frightful Keening (Su): As a standard action, a 
  death giant can trigger the guardian souls that waft 
  around its body to wail in frightful anguish. Living 
  creatures within 100 feet that hear this keening must 
  make a DC 30 Will save. Success indicates that the 
  creature is shaken until it can no longer hear the keening 
  or moves out of range. Failure causes the creature to be 
  panicked for as long as it can hear the keening and 
  remains within range, and shaken for 24 hours afterward. 
   
  Ending the frightful keening is a standard action. 
  This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear ability. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based. 
   
  Rock 
  Throwing 
  (Ex): 
  Death 
  giants 
  are 
  accomplished rock throwers and gain a +1 racial bonus 
  on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A death giant can 
  hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to five 
  range increments. The range increment is 120 feet for a 
  death giant’s rocks. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 27 
  
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—greater dispel magic, 
  inflict critical wounds (+27 melee touch, DC 21), unholy 
  blight (DC 21); 1/day—flame strike (DC 22). Caster level 
  16th. 
   
  Steal Soul (Su): Any living creature with 10 or 
  fewer hit points within 15 feet of a death giant must 
  succeed on a DC 30 Fortitude save each round or die 
  instantly. This is a death effect. The save DC is Charisma-
  based. 
   
  Any creature that dies within 15 feet of a death giant 
  has its spirit sucked up into the swirling guardian souls 
  that protect the death giant. Such creatures cannot be 
  raised, resurrected, or reincarnated so long as the death 
  giant lives. Killing the death giant releases the souls. 
   
  If a living death giant is within 15 feet of a death 
  giant that dies, the souls are not released and are instead 
  transferred to the nearby death giant due to its steal soul 
  ability. 
   
  Under extraordinary circumstances, a living death 
  giant may release a soul it has captured. 
   
  Guardian Souls (Su): A death giant’s victims 
  become its guardians in death. Each death giant is 
  surrounded by a constantly swirling cloud of intangible 
  spirits. 
   
  These spirits provide the death giant with warnings 
  and protection, granting the creature a bonus on 
  initiative rolls, saves, Listen checks, and Spot checks 
  equal to its Charisma modifier. 
   
  A death giant’s will binds its guardian souls to it. 
  They are not ghosts or undead in the usual sense and 
  cannot be damaged, dispelled, or separated from the 
  death giant. Only a successful turning attempt can quell 
  these spirits for a time. If the turning attempt would turn 
  or rebuke an undead with Hit Dice equal to the death 
  giant’s, the guardian souls vanish for 1d10 rounds, and 
  the death giant loses the benefits of its guardian souls, 
  frightful keening, soul healing, and steal soul abilities 
  until the souls return.  
   
  Rock Catching (Ex): Once per round, a death giant 
  that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex 
  save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small 
  rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the 
  projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the 
  DC increases by that amount.) The death giant must be 
  ready and aware of the attack in order to make a rock 
  catching attempt. 
   
  Sold Soul (Ex): A death giant cannot be raised, 
  resurrected, or reincarnated. If a death giant’s soul is not 
  taken as a guardian soul by another death giant or kept 
  from departing by some other means (such as soul bind), 
  it is utterly destroyed 1 round after the giant’s death. 
   
  Soul Healing (Su): When a death giant is protected 
  by its guardian souls, hit point damage due to negative 
  energy (such as from inflict spells) heals rather than 
  harms a death giant. Death giants are healed by positive 
  energy (such as from cure spells) normally. 
   
  Monster Manual III, pages 54-55. 
   
  Boneyard 
  Huge Undead 
  Hit Dice: 17d12+17 (127 hp) 
  Initiative: +3 
  Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good) 
  Armor Class: 30 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +20 natural), touch 10, 
  flat-footed 28 
  Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+26 
  Attack: Bite +16 melee (2d8+15/19-20 plus bone 
  subsumption) 
  Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (2d8+15/19-20 plus bone 
  subsumption) 
  Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. 
  Special Attacks: Bone subsumption, improved grab, 
  summon skeletons, utter subsumption 
  Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/-, darkvision 60 
  ft., fast healing 10, immunity to cold, inescapable craving, 
  spell resistance 24, undead traits 
  Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +15 
  Abilities: Str 31, Dex 14, Con -, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 28 
  Skills: Balance +22, Climb +30, Hide +22, Jump +30, 
  Listen +25, Move Silently +22, Search +24, Spot +25 
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Toughness, Lightning Reflexes 
  Environment: Any 
  Organization: Solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 14 
  Treasure: Standard 
  Alignment: Always chaotic evil 
  Advancement: 
  18-25 
  HD 
  (Huge); 
  25-51 
  HD 
  (Gargantuan) 
  Level adjustment: - 
   
  The pile of bones before you stirs. The bones rise up and 
  reform, and as each bone finds its proper place, the shape 
  of a huge serpentine creature emerges, one whose form is 
  composed of interlocking bones, its head the skull of 
  some unnamed and long-dead beast. 
   
  A boneyard is an undead creature made entirely from the 
  bones of other dead creatures. However, unlike a 
  skeleton or similar monster, a boneyard’s form is fluid in 
  the sense that it can appear merely as a pile of bones, or as 
  a serpent composed of bones, or some other form of its 
  choice. Boneyards have been called by many names, 
  depending on where they are encountered, including 
  bone weirds, dancing bones, and bonetakers. 
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 28 
  
   
  A boneyard weighs between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds, 
  depending on the number of bones it has subsumed. 
   
  Boneyards speak Common, Terran, and Abyssal. 
   
  COMBAT 
  A boneyard seeks to bite and subsume the bones of its 
  foes. If it can start a grapple, it pulls victims directly into 
  its mass. 
   
  Bone Subsumption (Su): Whenever a boneyard 
  successfully bites a foe, the victim must make a DC 22 
  Fortitude save (except for undead victims, which make 
  Will saves). The save DC is Charisma-based. On a failed 
  save, the victim’s bones begin to melt away from the body 
  to meld with the form of the boneyard. The victim takes 
  2d4 points of damage to Constitution, Dexterity, and 
  Strength. This ability works only on a creature that 
  possesses a skeletal structure (so it works on many 
  undead, but is useless against constructs, elementals, 
  oozes, and plants). 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the 
  boneyard must hit a Large or smaller opponent with its 
  bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it 
  wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try 
  to utterly subsume all the bones in the victim’s body. 
   
  Inescapable 
  Craving: 
  A 
  boneyard 
  has 
  an 
  inescapable craving (see the Undead Metabolism section 
  in Chapter 1 of Libris Mortis) for bones, which it satisfies 
  by using its bone subsumption ability. 
   
  Summon Skeletons (Su): A boneyard can summon 
  undead creatures from its own bones once per day: 3-6 
  troll skeletons or 2-4 young adult red dragon skeletons. 
  The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for 1 hour or 
  until they are reabsorbed back into the boneyard. 
   
  Utter Subsumption (Su): If a boneyard wins a 
  grapple check after using its improved grab ability, it 
  attempts to pin the target on its next action. A boneyard 
  that begins a turn with a victim still pinned and that 
  makes one more successful grapple check automatically 
  tears every bone from the victim’s body, instantly killing 
  the victim. 
   
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 29 
  
  Map 1: The Tower of Blasted Bones and Environs 
   
  A Little Soul Searching 
   
  Page 30 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Meta-Region Iuz Border States/594/Normal Scenarios/IUZ4-09 A Little Soul Searching (APL 10-16)/IUZ4-09 - A Little Soul Searching.pdf