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.  
   
  BIS3-03 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Oakstaff 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK
  ®  
  Bissel Regional Adventure 
  Version 1.1 
   
  by Cameron Logan 
   
  He stood seven feet tall and had wings like an eagle.  His father was a solar and his mother, a fire elemental.  He shot 
  lightning from his eyes and no weapon made by mortals could hurt him.  His name was Kanner the Tall and he was … a 
  hero of Bissel?  Many are willing to kill for the answer, but are you ready to die for it?  A Bissel regional adventure for 
  inquisitive PCs at APLs 2-10. 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 2 
  Introduction 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® game. A four-hour time block has been allocated 
  for each round of this scenario, but the actual playing time 
  will be closer to three and a half hours. The rest of the time 
  is spent in preparation before game play, and scoring after 
  the game. The following guidelines are here to help you 
  with both the preparation and voting segment of the game. 
  Read this page carefully so that you know and can 
  communicate to your players the special aspects of playing 
  an RPGA scenario.  
  Preparation 
   
   
   
   
   
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario was 
  created to support double-sided printing, but printing it 
  single sided will work as well. There is enough room along 
  the inside margin to bind the adventure, if you desire.  
  Read this entire adventure at least once before you run 
  your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any special 
  rules, spells, or equipment presented in the adventure. It 
  may help to highlight particularly important passages.  
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we assume that 
  you have access to the following books: the Player’s 
  Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster 
  Manual. We also assume that you have a set of dice (at least 
  one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a 
  pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of fun. It is 
  also a good idea to have a way to track movement during 
  combat. This can be as simple as a pad of graph paper and a 
  pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map and chits, or as 
  elaborate as resin dungeon walls and miniatures. 
  Instruct the players either to prepare their characters now, 
  or wait until you read the introduction, depending on the 
  requirements of the scenario as described in the 
  introduction.  
  Keep in mind that you must have at least 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. The RPGA has three ways to score its 
  games. Consult your convention coordinator to determine 
  which method to use for this scenario: 
  1. 
  No-vote scoring: The players write their names and 
  RPGA numbers on the scoring packet grid. You fill 
  in the top of the grid. That is all. No one is rated. 
  This method is used for people who are just playing 
  for fun. 
  2. 
  Partial scoring: The players rate the game master and 
  the scenario on their player voting sheet, and 
  provide personal information, but don’t vote for 
  other players. The game master rates the scenario 
  and completes personal and event information, but 
  does not rate the players as a team or vote for players. 
  This method is used when there is no competition, 
  but the event coordinator wants information on how 
  the game masters are performing, or the game 
  master wants feedback on his or her own 
  performance. 
  3. 
  Voting: Players and game masters complete the 
  entire packet, including voting for best player. If this 
  method is used, be sure to allow about 15-20 minutes 
  for the players to briefly describe their characters to 
  the other players, and about 5-10 minutes for voting. 
  This method is used when the players want to know 
  who played the “best” amongst the group, or when 
  the adventure is run in tournament format with 
  winners and prizes.  
  When using voting, rank the players in order of your 
  voting choice while they are completing their forms, so 
  that you are not influenced by their comments on your 
  abilities. It’s a good idea to have the players vote while you 
  determine treasure and experience awards for the scenario.  
  After voting, give the Scoring Packet to your event 
  coordinator.  
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 3 
  # of Animals 
  Mundane 
  Animals Effect on 
  APL 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  CR of Animal 
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  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. 
  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 three 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 Regional adventure, set in 
  Bissel.  Characters native to Bissel 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. 
   
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 4 
  Adventure Background 
  Yindera Raschid is a woman out to make a point. As the 
  only Baklune to have attained the rank of Master within 
  the prestigious Bardic Circle, Yindera has already made a 
  name for herself by collecting and studying the lore and 
  songs of the Baklunish in Bissel. In her researches she 
  wishes to find evidence of a great Baklunish hero in 
  Bissel's past, something to show all Bisselites that the 
  Baklunish have contributed just as much to Bissel's 
  culture and heritage as the Suel or the Oeridians.  
  Her researches have led her to an individual named 
  Kanner the Tall, a hero of the so-called "Small War." The 
  "Small War" was a two-year conflict in which the 
  combined forces of Veluna and Furyondy were able to 
  drive the encroaching Kingdom of Keoland southward. 
  Not only were the Keoish driven from western Veluna, 
  but Furyondy was able to take the March of Bissel from 
  them as well.  
  Native Bisselites were torn during the conflict; some 
  fought for the Keoish and many others fought against 
  them. One who fought against the Keoish was Kanner 
  the Tall, who is referred to as the Oakstaff in some of the 
  few stories that have not been lost. By all reports Kanner 
  was a powerful mage and that the name Oakstaff came 
  from a tall oaken staff, which he carried into battle. The 
  odd thing about Kanner is that he is only mentioned in 
  accounts dealing with the "Small War," and even then 
  only peripherally. For a wizard who was obviously so 
  powerful, it seems that there should be tales of his deeds 
  before and after the conflict. 
  Kanner's nationality and race are unknown, but Yindera 
  believes him to be a Baklune who was more interested in 
  fighting against the Keoish than in aiding the combined 
  forces of Furyondy and Veluna. This is something she has 
  not yet been able to confirm; funding for research has not 
  been forthcoming as contributions to the Bardic Circle 
  have declined with taxes being raised to support Bissel's 
  new army. Yindera sees the lack of funding as a racist 
  slight and a plot to keep her work from coming to light. 
  She has not let this be a set back, and has come up with a 
  unique way of funding her researches.  
  Yindera has already secured financial support from 
  scholars based in Keoland, Furyondy, and Veluna. She 
  has separately claimed that Kanner was a patriot of each 
  of their respective nations, and has gone so far as to 
  separately promise them Kanner's Oakstaff if it is 
  recovered! She of course has no intention of keeping her 
  promise, but all's fair in the cutthroat world of scholarly 
  research… at least until certain evil factions find out. 
  Tocanis Blot is man out to make a point. As a promising 
  young lieutenant in Evard's cadre of necromancers, 
  Tocanis is looking for a way to advance and gain access to 
  more of Evard's twisted knowledge. Tocanis has 
  intercepted communications from Yindera that were 
  meant for the interested scholars from Keoland. He plans 
  to take the Oakstaff for himself, and deliver it as a 
  potential weapon for Evard. He will be impersonating a 
  Keolander for the duration of the adventure.  
  Yindera has meanwhile gone into hiding. She has been 
  able to find the Oakstaff, but a late night encounter with 
  a few of Tocanis' undead servants has caused her to hide 
  the staff and booby-trap her office. This is the basic 
  situation when the PCs enter the adventure. They must 
  find Yindera and defeat Tocanis, while trying to solve the 
  mystery of who Kanner the Tall really was. 
  Adventure Summary 
  PCs begin in the town of Dountham, not knowing 
  anything of Yindera or her troubles. They are staying at 
  an inn called Marma's Flagon. They will notice a gnomish 
  merchant being accosted by a couple of ruffians. 
  Assuming the PCs come to the gnome's aid, the ruffians 
  may choose to fight. 
  The gnome is named Brith Brigscunyon, and is a 
  collector of rare items, mostly books. He is set to make a 
  delivery to Yindera Raschid in Calpius' Craft, and will ask 
  PCs to escort him.  
  The PCs and Brith arrive in Calpius' Craft, and Brith 
  insists on making his delivery immediately. It is late 
  afternoon when they find themselves on the grounds of 
  the Bardic Circle.  Shortly after they arrive an explosion 
  will occur, and the PCs will have to work fast to put out 
  the fires. 
  Headmaster Garon Dellifin will arrive to either thank the 
  PCs for aiding the college or lament the burning of one 
  of their buildings. PCs can get some information from 
  Garon, including the fact that it was Yindera's office from 
  which the explosion came. 
  If the PCs decide to investigate Yindera's office, they will 
  find letters from scholars based out of Veluna, Furyondy 
  and Keoland. They will also find the charred remains of a 
  zombie that Tocanis sent to investigate Yindera's office. 
  At this point the PCs should begin to get an idea of what 
  is really going on. They will learn of a meeting place that 
  night, at a tavern called the Crystal Web. 
  There are also a few investigative activities that the PCs 
  can try in order to find Yindera or the Oakstaff.   
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 5 
  If the PCs were able to learn of the existence of Bince 
  Rupel, Yindera's research assistant, they will in all likely-
  hood wish to question him. There they will find one or 
  more of Tocanis’ undead servants, attempting to silence 
  Bince for good.  
  At the Crystal Web, the PCs will be able to spot the 
  scholars from Furyondy and Veluna and may meet 
  Tocanis posing as a scholar from Keoland. Amidst the 
  bedlam of the tavern atmosphere, Yindera will select a 
  subtle way in which to reveal herself, and employ the aid 
  of the PCs.. 
  Provided the PCs have agreed to aid Yindera, she leads 
  them to the hiding place of the Oakstaff. Tocanis will 
  follow via his familiar and then force a final showdown 
  over the Oakstaff. During the battle the true identity of 
  Kanner, a gnome illusionist, is revealed.  
  By the end, the final fate of Kanner's Oakstaff is 
  determined, and a few people leave Calpius' Craft 
  disappointed.  
  DM Note: Please note that this adventure contains a 
  great amount of potential role-playing. Feel free to give 
  PCs that role-play it well a circumstance bonus to the 
  social skills required for the adventure. 
  Introduction 
  With new trade routes negotiated to the southern 
  Sheldomar valley, trade through the March of Bissel 
  seems more active than ever. This is especially true in 
  the town of Dountham, a nexus of merchant routes 
  and a hub of the caravan business. There seems to be 
  work for every free man willing to do an honest day's 
  labor, but especially in demand are those with the 
  skills and courage necessary to defend outbound 
  caravans from the dangers that wait on the open road. 
  It is here that you find yourself during a warm week 
  in the month of Wealsun, hoping to catch a windfall 
  from all this increased trade activity.  
  If the PCs are members of the Great Army of Bissel, they 
  have been stationed here, along with a number of other 
  troops, to maintain order at the request of Lord Mayor 
  Amal Del'Bothoff. 
  Encounter One: Enter the Flagon 
  Having just arrived in Dountham, you find yourself 
  outside a large two-story building located just off one 
  of the main market streets. A wooden sign depicting 
  an overflowing tankard leaves very little doubt in 
  your mind that a road weary traveler could find some 
  much needed food and drink inside.  
  As one of Dountham's more popular taverns, Marma's 
  Flagon is renowned as a meeting place for those who are 
  involved in the caravan business. Anyone looking to stuff 
  themselves with a finely prepared meal or to drink 
  themselves into a delighted stupor can find what they 
  need inside. Assuming the PCs enter, describe the 
  common room as being a large room (50ft by 30ft, for the 
  overly paranoid) filled with people seated at tables or 
  standing around the bar. The proprietress, Marma 
  Tefilheim (Female dwarf Exp3/Ftr3) is busy behind the 
  bar serving ale to those who want it and ordering the 
  servers to deliver their orders more quickly.  Stairs lead 
  up to a few small meeting rooms and Marma's private 
  quarters (there a no rooms to rent here). A door behind 
  the bar leads to the kitchen, from which can be heard the 
  curses and oaths of Votto Tefilheim (Male dwarf 
  Exp1/Clr4 of Vergadain), Marma's husband and the 
  Flagon's main chef. 
  If the PCs do not know each other, now is a perfect time 
  for them to meet. If they wish to talk to Marma, she will 
  greet them with a few choice curse words before serving 
  them some “bloody ale.” As tavern owners, Marma and 
  her husband are (of course) former adventurers and are 
  willing to talk shop with the PCs if they so desire. The 
  servers are all too busy for conversation, which leaves 
  only the other patrons to talk with. The tavern is very 
  busy at this time (early evening), and it is packed with 
  merchants and mercenaries. Marma's Flagon is known as 
  a place where sell swords can find work as caravan 
  guards, while merchants come here to hire some much 
  needed protection. Allow the PCs time to get their 
  bearings, but before they have too much time to talk with 
  the other patrons, read the following: 
  As the swarming crowd of tavern patrons continues 
  to grow, you notice out of the corner of your eye two 
  men, a human and a half-orc, who sit down at a table 
  where a gnome in merchant's garb is seated. The 
  three exchange a few words before the gnome makes 
  a motion to stand up. The half-orc's hand comes 
  heavily down on the gnome's shoulder, forcing him 
  to retake his seat. The gnome looks about the room 
  nervously, but none of the other patrons have seemed 
  to notice his situation. His pleading eyes meet with 
  yours; the look of desperation is obvious. 
  The gnome is named Brith Brigscunyon, a merchant 
  from Sareden who is (unwisely) traveling alone. The two 
  men are Melm and Tabok, two ruffians looking for an 
  easy score. The details of the exact conversation are not 
  necessary, but a PC within 30 feet of the men can attempt 
  to read lips (Spot DC 13 + the APL) as per the PH. Those 
  who succeed at the check are given Player Handout #1.  
  Those who fail by four or less, glean no information. If 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 6 
  the check fails by five or more, give the PC Player 
  Handout #2 for a distorted version of the conversation. 
  � Brith Brigscunyon, male gnome Exp2/Wiz(Ill)1: hp 
  17; see Appendix I. 
  Of course, most PCs won't need a check to recognize that 
  Brith is in danger. If the PCs try to get the attention of 
  some of the other mercenaries gathered here to aid them, 
  the other patrons will all be too drunk to be of use. 
  Marma is too busy at this point to even talk to the PCs, so 
  it's up to them to come to Brith's aid.  
  When the PCs approach, Melm will do all the talking. He 
  will tell the PCs their names and claim that this gnome 
  merchant has just hired them to guard his wares. Melm 
  doesn't even know Brith's name at this point, but he will 
  try to avoid giving away too much information and get 
  the PCs to leave. Brith will say nothing, as Tabok has a 
  dagger against his side underneath the table (Spot DC 15 
  + the APL, +5 circumstance bonus for small characters). 
  The PCs can do one of two possible things to come to 
  Brith's aid. They can try to convince Melm and Tabok to 
  leave by talking to them. Since neither of these ruffians 
  will be swayed by a rational argument, it will take either 
  deception or bullying to get them to leave (Bluff or 
  Intimidate DC 20 + the APL). A successful check means 
  that Melm and Tabok will be deceived or cowed into 
  leaving Brith alone. 
  The other way for the PCs to come to Brith's aid is to 
  remove Melm and Tabok from the table, physically. If the 
  PCs attack, Melm and Tabok will certainly fight back. 
  Note that Tabok is not intelligent enough to take 
  advantage of the fact that he has a handy hostage already. 
  The tavern is very crowded, so only half movement is 
  allowed. Regardless, Melm and Tabok should be a 
  pushover for seasoned adventurers.  
  APL 2 (EL 2) 
  � Melm: male human (Oeridian) Rog1; hp 6; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Tabok: male half-orc Bbn1; hp 10; see Appendix I. 
  APL 4 (EL 4) 
  � Melm: male human (Oeridian) Rog1/Ftr1; hp 14; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Tabok: male half-orc Bbn1/Rog1; hp 15; see Appendix 
  I. 
  APL 6 (EL 6) 
  � Melm: male human (Oeridian) Rog3/Ftr1; hp 24; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Tabok: male half-orc Bbn2/Rog2; hp 30; see Appendix 
  I. 
  APL 8 (EL 8) 
  � Melm: male human (Oeridian) Rog5/Ftr1; hp 35; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Tabok: male half-orc Bbn2/Rog2/Ftr2; hp 47; see 
  Appendix I. 
  APL 10 (EL 10) 
  � Melm: male human (Oeridian) Rog7/Ftr1; hp 45; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Tabok: male half-orc Bbn4/Rog2/Ftr2; hp 66; see 
  Appendix I. 
  Tactics: Brith will take the first opportunity available to 
  hide underneath the table.  Melm and Tabok will attempt 
  to work together as much as possible, hoping to make 
  flanks and created sneak attack opportunities. If Tabok is 
  taken down first, Melm will attempt to flee leaving his 
  "comrade" behind. If Melm is taken out first, Tabok will 
  rage and focus on whatever PC is handy. After two 
  rounds, other patrons will notice but will be too drunk to 
  think this is anything but a floorshow. After five rounds, 
  Marma will be alerted to a fight in her tavern, and will 
  intervene on the sixth round. Votto will follow on the 
  eighth round, if the fight goes that long. Marma (AC 10, 
  unarmed/grapple +6) will attempt to grapple anyone with 
  a weapon and Votto will cast hold person or calm 
  emotions (Will DC 15) to end the fight. Marma will 
  demand an explanation, and presuming the PCs explain 
  the situation (and possibly their position in the Army) 
  they will be allowed to stay. 
  Encounter Two: Brith Meeting 
  Immediately after he is saved, Brith thanks the PCs 
  profusely: 
  As the confusion and excitement of the fight begins 
  to ebb, the gnome in merchant's garb emerges from 
  his hiding place. He is bald, with a well-kept gray-
  colored goatee. "Thank you, gentlemen. I believe 
  those men were attempting some type of ‘shady 
  dealing’ at my expense. I don't have much experience 
  with these matters… it's not often I leave Sareden in 
  my old age. Please, join me at my table! I would buy 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 7 
  food and drink for those who have come to my aid 
  this evening.” 
  Brith is something of an apologist; almost everything he 
  says will begin or end with the phrase "I'm sorry." His 
  complex will even drive him so far as to apologize for the 
  food preparation or the ale if it's gone bad. Once food and 
  drink have been brought for the PCs, Brith will say the 
  following: 
  “I'm sorry for pointing this out, as I'd hate to 
  monopolize more of your time. It occurs to me that I 
  may be quite unprepared for the rest of my journey. 
  You see, I am traveling alone with a few sensitive 
  materials. I am a dealer in rare artifacts, especially 
  books, and I am making a delivery of a few such 
  volumes to a woman in Calpius' Craft. Please excuse 
  me for suggesting such a thing, but I would like to 
  hire some protection to escort me to my destination, 
  and make sure my delivery goes as planned. You folk 
  seem more than able to ensure the success of my trip. 
  I'm sorry if I'm doing this wrong, I'm new at this kind 
  of thing. Is this the proper way to hire such help?” 
  At this point the PCs may wish to ask Brith a few 
  questions. All the answers Brith provides will be 
  completely factual, with one notable exception. Here are 
  a few of the most likely questions to be asked: 
  • 
  "How much are we going to be paid?" 
  Brith is willing to pay each PC the following amount in 
  gold, dependent on APL. 
  APL 2: 50 gp; APL 4: 100 gp; APL 6: 150 gp; APL 8: 200 gp; 
  APL 10: 250 gp. 
  • 
  "What kind of books/items are you transporting?" 
  “I'm selling a few choice tomes out of my private 
  collection. They deal mostly with the history of the 
  March. I'm sorry that they aren't more interesting 
  than that.” 
  • 
  "What are the titles of the books you're 
  transporting?" 
  “Ah, I see you are very interested in Bissel history. 
  Well, 
  I'm 
  selling 
  Ralora 
  Dain's 
  three-volume 
  masterpiece entitled ‘March Palatine.’ Then there is 
  ‘Reman's Guide to the Sheldomar;’ I'm sorry but I 
  must say that Reman's is one of the best 
  comprehensive histories ever written. Then I'm also 
  selling a first copy of Ezlen the Old's ‘Bissel in My 
  Own Eyes,’ which is written in the elf's own hand. 
  Quite rare, oh yes. Very valuable to the right people.” 
  It is true that Brith does own a first copy of Ezlen the 
  Olds' "Bissel in My Own Eyes," which is written in the 
  elf's own hand. However, this is not the book he is 
  transporting. He is carrying a carefully crafted forgery to 
  give to Yindera. Brith doesn't think this is particularly 
  wrong, since she's only going to use it for scholarly 
  researches and is not actually a collector. Besides, he's not 
  charging too much for it. PCs should NOT be allowed a 
  Sense Motive check unless they specifically feel that 
  Brith is deceiving them about the books he's 
  transporting. 
  • 
  "Whom are you selling your books to?" 
  “I've made arrangements with a woman named 
  Yindera Raschid, who is interested in a few of the 
  more obscure historic passages. I'm sorry that I can't 
  tell you more about her, as we've never met before. 
  She contacted me in a letter a few weeks ago. It's all 
  quite exciting; no one has ever expressed interest in 
  my collection before.”  
  • 
  "Why is Yindera Raschid interested in these 
  particular books?" 
  “Well, she named these books specifically in her 
  letter. I'm sorry but she didn't say exactly why she 
  was interesting in these particular volumes, but you 
  can ask her when we arrive in Calpius' Craft. She's 
  connected with the college there.”  
  • 
  "How far is it to Calpius' Craft?" 
  Brith will explain that the journey to Calpius' Craft will 
  be less than a day, and he will insist on leaving first thing 
  after breakfast, which will put the party in Calpius' Craft 
  on the afternoon of the next day. 
  Brith keeps his rare books in a locked, warded chest 
  located in his room at the Pegasus, one of Dountham's 
  most expensive inns. He will not allow any PCs to 
  examine the books unless they can prove themselves to 
  be scholars who know how to handle such delicate items. 
  PCs who have at least 4 ranks in three or more 
  Knowledge skills can attempt a Diplomacy check (DC 18 
  + the APL) to examine the books. The books won't give 
  the PCs any special knowledge, as they don't know what 
  to look up yet. PCs should not be allowed a Forgery 
  check against any of the books unless they are specifically 
  suspicious of their authenticity. The Forgery check to 
  recognize Brith's copy of Ezlen the Old's "Bissel in My 
  Own Eyes" is DC 30. 
  Once things have been settled, Brith will take his leave of 
  the PCs and arrange to meet again at Marma's Flagon first 
  thing in the morning. He will ask if the PCs can escort 
  him to his inn, and will even attempt to get them a room 
  at the Pegasus. If at least one PC is paying High lifestyle 
  or better, then the PCs can all find a room to squeeze 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
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  into. Otherwise the Pegasus will be allegedly "booked 
  up," and the PCs will end up at a different inn than Brith. 
  This won't be a big deal, as neither the PCs nor Brith are 
  the target of any midnight ambushes. 
  In the morning Brith will meet the PCs at Marma's 
  Flagon and buy them all breakfast. Then they set out. 
  Brith has a donkey to transport the chest containing the 
  books. 
  Encounter Three: Flaming Bards 
  Feed on the paranoia of the PCs by having them come up 
  with some marching order while they escort Brith to his 
  destinations. Maybe make them roll a few Spot checks. 
  Then read the following:  
  Nothing more than the incessant chatter of your 
  employer 
  impedes 
  your 
  journey 
  toward 
  your 
  destination. By mid-afternoon you arrive in Calpius' 
  Craft having suffered no ambushes, but having 
  absorbed a small amount of knowledge about the 
  bookbinding trade. Once you are all just inside the 
  town walls, Brith becomes quite insistent. "All that is 
  left to do now is to deliver these items and meet this 
  mysterious Yindera Raschid. It's all quite exciting, I 
  must admit. Once I've received payment for these 
  items, then you can in-turn receive your payment 
  from me, and all of us leaving the better for having 
  met each other. I'm sorry if this puts you out terribly, 
  but we only have a short way to travel to the Bardic 
  Circle - and then our business is concluded."  
  Some of the PCs may balk at further travel with Brith to 
  the college. That's fine. Brith will be happy as long as at 
  least one tough-looking PC will accompany him to the 
  Bardic Circle. Only those PCs who go with Brith will be 
  able to confront the troubles that occur in this encounter, 
  and therefore only those PCs should be eligible to receive 
  the Immortalized in Song reward if they are successful. 
  Read the following text for those who choose to go with 
  Brith, unless one of those PCs is a member of the Bardic 
  Circle. Then skip this text and proceed to the next 
  descriptive text. 
  The stone streets of Calpius' Craft are old and worn, 
  weaving in and out of each other in great serpentine 
  arcs. It's not long before you are completely lost. 
  After having to ask directions more than a few times, 
  you finally encounter two halflings, a young man and 
  a young woman, dressed in long red robes with a 
  single black line across the sleeves. They are more 
  than happy to lead you to the Bardic Circle, as they 
  are going there themselves.  
  The halflings are named Cail and Ari, and they are 
  Initiates within the Bardic Circle. They move quickly 
  through the streets, explaining that afternoon vespers are 
  about to start.  
  Attendance at afternoon vespers is required for all 
  members of the Bardic Circle in residence at Calpius' 
  Craft. The vespers are held at the Temple to Lydia, which 
  is located on the campus grounds and involves praises to 
  Lydia as well as musical performances by Circle 
  members.  
  Soon, the PCs will arrive at the Bardic Circle: 
  You can hear the Bardic Circle long before you arrive. 
  The sounds of musical instruments and people's 
  voices carry through for several minutes before you 
  can see any visible sign of the famed Bardic College 
  The buildings around you suddenly become a little 
  more ornate just before you emerge from the narrow 
  streets onto a large circular field of green. Elaborate 
  decorations of musical instruments and bright colors 
  adorn each of the large wood and stone buildings that 
  surround this field. The building on the opposite side 
  of you is the largest of all, with immaculate stained 
  glass windows depicting a spray of colors emanating 
  from an open hand. At the center of the field is a large 
  fountain, with the statue of an older woman from 
  which an obviously magical multi-colored light 
  originates. All around the field are young people 
  dressed in red robes. Many of them are engaged in 
  some type of music-making or spoken performance, 
  and the wash of sound as you enter the grounds of the 
  Bardic Circle is staggering.  
  The building with the stained glass windows is the 
  Temple of Lydia, goddess of music, knowledge and 
  daylight. The temple is a central structure to the Bardic 
  Circle. The statue at the center of the fountain also 
  depicts the goddess Lydia.  
  Brith will immediately ask one the circle members 
  around the field how to find Yindera Raschid. There are a 
  lot of Bardic Circle members outside, as they are all 
  waiting to enter the Temple for afternoon vespers.  
  Some PCs may be right at home in the Bardic Circle; 
  others may be living their worst nightmare. Allow the 
  PCs a brief moment of interaction. But before Brith can 
  find out where Yindera is, read the following: 
  Suddenly, the idyllic sounds of the Bardic Circle are 
  punctuated by a loud, explosive sound coming from 
  your left. Wood and glass are ejected from one of the 
  smaller buildings off the Circle and flames and smoke 
  begin pouring out of one of the second floor 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 9 
  windows. The previously merry sounds of the 
  gathering of bards are replaced by screams of panic.  
  The PCs have ten rounds to act before this building will 
  burn completely. The bards gathered here will enter a 
  state of panic, thus it will be up to the PCs to solve this 
  situation.  
  Luckily there is a handy solution, the fountain at the 
  center of the circle. The problem lies in getting that water 
  from the fountain to the fire. This will take a lot of 
  manpower. PCs should try to organize the panicking 
  crowd into some kind of bucket brigade. It will take 
  about 35 people working together to bring this fire under 
  control. PCs can try Diplomacy, Intimidate or untrained 
  Charisma checks to stop the bards from panicking and 
  get them to begin fighting the fire. One bard will begin 
  fighting the fire for every point above 15 on each check. 
  Each check will use up a standard action for a round. PCs 
  with the Leadership feat can add their Leadership score 
  to their rolls, making quick work of organizing a bad 
  situation. 
  It's possible that a few crafty PC spellcasters might have a 
  few tricks to aid in putting out the fire. Note that purely 
  cold-based spells will have no effect, so ray of frost and 
  ice storm are ineffectual. Ice storm has the added 
  potential of doing damage to the building. Create water is 
  a perfectly viable option, and for every two gallons of 
  water that are conjured into the fire area reduce by one 
  the number of people who need to be recruited into 
  putting the fire out. Sleet storm is a special case. When 
  sleet storm is first cast, it reduces the number of people 
  that need to be recruited to 75% of its current number. 
  However, the decreased visibility and slickness of the 
  ground makes attempting to put the fire out by mundane 
  means much harder. Decrease the amount of time 
  allotted to putting the fire out by one-half. Waterball 
  (from Masters of the Wild) will reduce the number of 
  people needed by 1 for every point of damage the 
  waterball does. The caster who cast waterball must 
  succeed at a ranged touch attack against AC 15 in order to 
  place the spell effectively. Otherwise reduce its 
  effectiveness by half; that is, for every 2 points of damage 
  dealt by the waterball reduce the number of people 
  needed by one. Judges should use discretion and logic 
  when allowing any other spells to affect the fire.  
  In addition to the problems of putting out the fires, there 
  are two Circle Initiates trapped inside the burning 
  building. Their names are Cray and Veria, and they had 
  planned on spending a moment alone while afternoon 
  vespers went on. PCs who immediately rush into the 
  building will hear their screams on the first round of 
  entering the building. Otherwise, Cray and Veria will 
  break open a second story window and cry for help. 
  Higher-level parties might have access to the spell fly or 
  other similar magics to get the young bards out the 
  building without a problem. Other parties will have a 
  tougher time.  
  PCs entering the building will have to navigate a narrow 
  staircase to reach the second floor, and then find the 
  room where Cray and Veria are trapped. This will take 
  three rounds for characters with a 30 ft. speed, and four 
  rounds for characters with a 20 ft speed. Reduce this time 
  by one round if the PCs thought to cover their nose and 
  mouth with some type of damp cloth to keep out the 
  smoke. Upon reaching the second floor, PCs will have to 
  make Reflex saves (DC 12+ the APL) or take 1d6 fire 
  damage as flames spurt everywhere and walls begin to 
  catch and collapse. Of course, if the fire is put out by this 
  time, no saves are required.  
  Once PCs have reached Cray and Veria they can lead 
  them out of the building. The time it takes to get Cray 
  and Veria out of the building is one round less than the 
  time it took the PCs to get in (minimum one round). 
  However, if no effort has been made to put out the fires, 
  then the stairs collapse by the seventh round. At that 
  point escapees will have to jump down the stairwell or 
  back out the window. The distance is 20 feet to the 
  ground, and this eventuality will add an additional round 
  to getting out.  Note that Cray and Veria (each having a 
  12 hp total) have taken 10 points of subdual damage from 
  the initial explosion. 
  If the fire is not put out by the tenth round its spread 
  becomes uncontrollable and the building will burn. Any 
  PCs (and Cray and Veria) will continue to make reflex 
  saves until they are out or the fifteenth round. At that 
  point the building will collapse and anyone inside will be 
  subject to 10d6+30 points of crushing damage in addition 
  to 8d6 points of fire damage. Characters who survive this 
  have no air to breath and are subject to the suffocation 
  rules (see DMG).  
  Once the PCs have at least started some of the locals 
  toward fighting the fire, then those working on it will 
  ensure that the fire does not spread. 
  Encounter Four: Of Course It 
  Was Yindera That Got Blown Up! 
  After the business with the fire is taken care of (for good 
  or for ill), read the text below. Tailor this text to the 
  outcome of Encounter Three.  
  Suddenly you hear a very loud, obviously magically 
  amplified, voice saying, "This is Headmaster Garon. 
  All students are instructed to enter the temple at this 
  time." The voice repeats and as the crowd begins to 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 10 
  make their way toward the largest building on the 
  circle, you can finally see the source of the call. A 
  short Oeridian man wearing long robes with three 
  blacks stripes on his sleeve approaches. His hair is 
  dark brown with streaks of gray above his ears. He 
  greets you with a quiet politeness, in a normal 
  volume. "Thank you for coming to our aid; I am 
  Garon Dellifin and I am headmaster of this college. 
  I'm afraid none of us here have experience dealing 
  with this sort of situation. Before I go tend to the 
  initiates, is there anything I can do?" 
  Garon is a quiet scholar and performer whose penchant 
  for organization put him in a position of leadership 
  within the Bardic Circle. Compared with most bards, he 
  is very subdued. Besides answering questions he will cast 
  cure spells if any PC is injured. 
  When the explosion occurred Garon was in his office in a 
  building opposite the one that caught fire. He has no idea 
  how the fire started or why anyone might have wished to 
  do so. The PCs may have other questions for him, either 
  now or at some other point in the module. Here are some 
  likely questions with Garon's appropriate responses: 
  • 
  “Do you know where we can find Yindera Raschid?" 
  "Well, her office is in that building that burned. I do 
  hope that she made it out okay, but I'm not 
  particularly worried. I haven't seen her in a few days, 
  so she probably hasn't been to the Circle in that 
  time." 
  • 
  "When was the last time you saw Yindera Raschid?" 
  “I suppose the last time I saw her was at a meeting of 
  Circle Masters. That would have been four days ago. “ 
  • 
  "What does Yindera do at the Circle?" 
  “Yindera specializes in the history of the March. She 
  is also involved in collecting the legends and songs of 
  the Baklunish. “ 
  • 
  "Do you know what Yindera has been working on 
  recently?" 
  “Several months ago Yindera came to me with an 
  intriguing project; a research project into the so-
  called ‘Small War,’ though I find that label to be 
  inherently contradictory. Yindera was especially 
  interested in learning more about an individual 
  named Kanner the Tall. It was an interesting 
  proposal, and I wish I could have found funding for 
  it. Unfortunately, under the Margrave's tax policies, 
  donations to our college have been at an all time low. 
  She hasn't spoken to me about the project since then, 
  I've no idea whether or not she's continued to pursue 
  it. “ 
  • 
  "Do you know if Yindera had any enemies?" 
  (laughter)” The idea that scholarly research can lead to 
  the gaining of enemies is preposterous. I know of no 
  one who would wish Yindera ill will.” 
  • 
  "What do you know of the Kanner the Tall or the 
  'Small War'?" 
  “Well, the ‘Small War’ ran from 436 to 438. During 
  that time the combined forces of Veluna and 
  Furyondy were able to drive out the Keoish from 
  western Veluna. They were then able to conquer the 
  March of Bissel, driving the Keoish border further 
  south. A new Margrave sympathetic to our eastern 
  ‘allies’ was installed. Eventually, Furyondy would 
  declare Bissel a ‘March Palatine,’ meaning an 
  independent state.  
  Kanner the Tall was a hero of that war, though little is 
  known of him. His nationality, age and race are a 
  complete mystery, though it is told that he was a 
  mage of great skill, who wielded his magics through a 
  great Oakstaff.”  
  After meeting the PCs, Garon will be in a rush to leave 
  and address the Circle members gathered at the temple. 
  After he leaves, the circle grounds will be eerily quiet and 
  deserted, as everyone is now in the temple.  
  Brith will come out of his hiding place, having found 
  cover during the fire in Encounter Three. But before he 
  does he will inform the PCs that Yindera is missing, if 
  they don't know already. Read the following at the 
  appropriate time, as it is the closest thing to an adventure 
  hook in this scenario. 
  Brith removes his spectacles and holds his temples; 
  obvious consternation crosses his face. "This is most 
  terrible. My buyer has disappeared, perhaps burned in 
  that horrific fire. Now I've put you poor souls out, 
  since I am unable to pay you until I've received 
  payment for my volumes." Brith replaces his 
  spectacles and looks at each one of you, as if slowly 
  appraising your individual bearing. "I'm sorry to call 
  upon your skills once again, but would it be possible 
  for you to look into Yindera's disappearance? I'm 
  afraid that if you do not, no one will. These bards are 
  transitory folk; a disappearance like this is not 
  unusual to them. Yet Yindera promised to be here 
  today. I'm quite worried that something 'shady' is 
  going on. Will you look into it?" 
  Assuming the PCs agree, Brith thanks them and leaves to 
  find a nearby inn to rest and guard his belongings. If the 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 11 
  PCs became separated in Encounter Three, now would be 
  a good time to allow them to regroup, as they now have a 
  new purpose: finding Yindera Raschid. The PCs have (at 
  this point) two viable options: investigate the burned out 
  building for any clues once it is safe or question some of 
  the Bardic Circle members for any leads. An investigation 
  of the building where the explosion occurred can only 
  happen if the building did not collapse, so as long as the 
  PCs were able to stop the fire they can look for clues in 
  the wreckage. Details for this are covered in Encounter 
  Five. 
  The PCs may elect to question members of the Bardic 
  Circle, but they will only be able to do so once Afternoon 
  Vespers have concluded. They can question Garon if they 
  have not done so already; his responses are included in 
  this Encounter. The results of Gather Information and 
  other investigative endeavors are covered in Encounter 
  Six.  
  A Note on Divinations:  High-level spell casters may be 
  able to cast certain divinations to help them locate 
  Yindera Rashid. Note that Yindera is currently on the run 
  from a competent lieutenant of Evard, and is doing 
  everything within her power to avoid discovery. She has 
  in her possession an amulet of proof against detection 
  and location.  
  Those casters who do succeed and are able to cast an 
  effective divination spell against Yindera will have 
  different results depending on when the spell is cast. If 
  the spell is cast sometime before sundown (note that the 
  explosion in Encounter Three occurs in the late 
  afternoon) then the caster receives the image of a 
  Baklunish woman sitting at a desk in a small, non-
  descript room. She is writing, though it will be unclear 
  what exactly. The room has no windows or other clues as 
  to its location.  If the spell is cast sometime after 
  sundown then the caster will get the image of many 
  people in a crowded tavern. The scene is one of utter 
  chaos, with masked people dancing and moving around 
  one another, drinking and laughing. This is a scene from 
  the Crystal Web (see Encounter Seven). For reasons that 
  will be described in Encounter Seven, it will be 
  impossible to distinguish Yindera from other patrons of 
  the unique tavern.  
  Clever PCs might think they can try locate object on 
  Kanner's Oakstaff, rather than finding Yindera herself. 
  Locate object explicitly states that the caster cannot use it 
  to find a specific object unless the caster has seen that 
  object first hand, so using this spell to find "Kanner's 
  Oakstaff" won’t work. PCs may try to use it to find any 
  Oakstaff, which might yield some object fitting that 
  description, but not Kanner's Oakstaff. The Oakstaff is at 
  a secret hiding place outside of Calpius' Craft (see 
  Encounter Nine), and as such is well out of the locate 
  object spell's range. 
  Encounter Five: Getting the 
  Shaft 
  This encounter describes what occurs when PCs try to 
  explore the flaming wreckage of the recently burned out 
  building. Fortunately some clues still exist for the PCs to 
  discover.  
  What really happened: The following is a complete 
  account of how the explosion occurred. The judge should 
  not let the full story come to light, but should instead let 
  the clues lead the PCs to their own conclusions. On the 
  night before the day the PCs arrive in Calpius' Craft (i.e. 
  the night when the PCs meet Brith), Yindera had a battle 
  with the undead servants of Tocanis Blot. Yindera was 
  able to barely escape, and decided to go into hiding. 
  Before doing so she took some, but not all, pertinent 
  notes for her researches from her office and then booby-
  trapped her own desk. The next day (i.e. when the PCs 
  arrive at the Bardic Circle), Tocanis sent a disguised 
  ghoul (using the disguise undead spell from Tome and 
  Blood) to the Circle with orders to investigate Yindera's 
  office. The ghoul, staving off the hated daylight as well as 
  curbing a desire to feast on the brains of the young bards 
  gathered at the college, broke into the office and 
  promptly set off the trap that Yindera set. This is the 
  explosion and subsequent fire that the PCs fight in 
  Encounter Three.  
  Once the PCs decide to investigate the burned out 
  building, read the following: 
  The smell of smoke fills your nostrils as you enter the 
  burned out building. A slight temperature rise in your 
  surroundings remind you of the devastation you just 
  recently witnessed and are now seeing first hand in 
  the charred wood and ash all around. Using what you 
  witnessed from outside you are able to find what you 
  feel is the center of the explosion. A ruined wood 
  door hangs limply it its frame and bears on the front a 
  small brass plaque that reads "Yindera Raschid, 
  Master of Historical Lore." The room itself is in 
  complete ruin; what was once probably a bookshelf is 
  now just a mound of charred ash. The remains of 
  what appears to have been a solid desk is overturned 
  against the left wall, and opposite it is the charred and 
  burnt remains of a humanoid body, its particular 
  stench swiftly fills your lungs and replaces the 
  smoke-smell that you had just become accustomed to.  
  Yindera's 
  office 
  yields 
  two 
  obvious 
  points 
  of 
  investigation: her desk and the dead body. PCs who wish 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 12 
  to Search the body will find nothing useful in the way of 
  items. PCs who wish to examine the body with Heal 
  checks might discover something more useful. A Heal 
  check that beats a DC 5 will reveal that the body is 
  charred and burned. A Heal check that beats a DC 10 will 
  reveal that the body, when it was living, was male. A Heal 
  check that beats a DC 15 will reveal that the body had 
  been dead for several weeks before it came to be found in 
  Yindera's office. From this, if the PCs figure out that the 
  body is undead allow any PC with the Knowledge 
  (religion) skill to make a check (DC 15) to determine that 
  the body is that of a ghoul. If any of the PCs begin to 
  speculate on how a ghoul, or any undead creature for that 
  matter, was able to get onto the grounds of the Bardic 
  Circle without detection, then allow either a Knowledge 
  (religion) or Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 20) for the 
  PC to realize the possibility of the disguise undead spell, a 
  spell long forbidden in Bissel.  
  PCs who Search the desk may find some interesting 
  clues. Those who succeed at a Search check (DC 15 + the 
  APL) will find a metal box hidden within the desk. The 
  box is simple, and unadorned, and has a solid lock on it. 
  PCs who wish to open it must succeed at an Open Lock 
  check (DC 20 + the APL). If PCs wish to break the box 
  open by dealing damage, note that it has hardness 10 and 
  15 hit points. The Break DC for a Str check is 20, but due 
  to its size no more than two PCs can attempt a Break 
  check together. 
  Inside the box are three letters (Player Handout #3, 4, 
  and 5), written from foreign scholars to Yindera 
  regarding the Oakstaff. The letters should give the PCs 
  some inkling as to what Yindera was up to. Note that the 
  second Earthday of Wealsun is the same day that the PCs 
  arrive in Calpius' Craft. Yindera made a blatant error 
  when sending out the letters as she suggested the same 
  time and place to meet the foreign scholars. This is 
  something she thinks she can handle (see Encounter 
  Seven).  
  Player Handout #4 is unusual, in that it is a forgery. The 
  Royal Explorer's Society never received a letter from 
  Yindera, because Tocanis Blot, who is not a member of 
  the Society but a necromancer working for Evard, 
  intercepted the communiqué. Using an entire month to 
  prepare, Tocanis found a copy of the seal of the Royal 
  Explorer's Society as well as a rogue unscrupulous 
  enough to use his forgery skills to make the document 
  look official. PCs should only be allowed an opposed 
  Forgery check if they specifically state that they suspect 
  this letter as being fake. The Forgery check needed to 
  recognize Player Handout #4 as a fake must beat a DC 
  30. In the event that one of the PCs is a member of the 
  Royal Explorer's Society (it could happen), then they are 
  allowed a +5 circumstance bonus to their check, as they 
  will have never heard of Tocanis Blot before.  
  Finally, PCs investigating the desk who have the 
  Trapfinding ability and who succeed at a Search check 
  (DC 15 + the APL) will discover the trap that set off the 
  explosion. PCs who discover the trap will note that the 
  trigger was the act of opening one of the desk drawers. 
  Encounter Six: Gathering 
  Information 
  This encounter details some of the investigative options 
  open to the PCs. At this point there should be a lot of 
  leads for the PCs to explore, and these can be covered 
  under three separate operations. First, The PCs can utilize 
  their own Knowledge skills to try to discern some 
  information about what Yindera was after, namely the 
  Oakstaff of Kanner the Tall. Second, the PCs may try to 
  get a hold of the books Brith was transporting. As these 
  books were meant for Yindera they might have some 
  interesting information in them. Third, the PCs may try 
  to question the locals regarding Yindera, Kanner, or any 
  other lead they might find pertinent. 
  Use your noggin!  
  PCs can attempt to use his or her own Knowledge skills 
  for information about the "Small War," Kanner the Tall, 
  or his Oakstaff, but not Yindera or anything current. The 
  appropriate skills or abilities, associated DCs, and the 
  information gained are described under the headings 
  below.  
  • 
  The "Small War" 
  A successful Knowledge (history) or Bardic Knowledge 
  check (DC 15 + the APL) reveals the information below.  
  Apply a +2 circumstance bonus if the PC has 5 or more 
  ranks in Knowledge (local – Sheldomar Valley Meta-
  Region).  
  Much of the fighting in the last year of the war was 
  done in the Lorridges separating the current borders 
  between Veluna and Bissel. Here, heavy cavalry and 
  large forces were ineffective, and smaller, mobile 
  units were used for combat. During many skirmishes, 
  Kanner the Tall made the difference between victory 
  and defeat for the combined forces of Veluna and 
  Furyondy. 
  • 
  Kanner the Tall 
  A successful Knowledge (history), Knowledge (arcana), 
  or Bardic Knowledge check (DC 15 + the APL) reveals 
  the information below.  Apply a +2 circumstance bonus if 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 13 
  the PC has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local – 
  Sheldomar Valley Meta-Region). 
  During one skirmish in what is now the present day 
  Barony of Gerorgos, Kanner the Tall was able to 
  conjure huge fonts of flame to separate and confuse 
  the Keoish, making them easy targets for the driving 
  forces of Veluna and Furyondy. The tactic is still 
  studied by spellcasters today, though there is very 
  little personal information on Kanner or his spell 
  repertoire. 
  • 
  The Oakstaff 
  A successful Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), 
  or Bardic Knowledge check (DC 15 + the APL) reveals 
  the information below.  Apply a +2 circumstance bonus if 
  the PC has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local – 
  Sheldomar Valley Meta-Region). 
  Some say that Kanner the Tall was a follower of the 
  teachings of Joramy, and that the Oakstaff was a 
  quarterstaff wielded to honor the fire goddess. Still 
  others say that Kanner revered Beory, and that the 
  Oakstaff was in fact an oak cudgel (club) and that 
  Kanner may have been a druid, not a wizard.  
  Consult the books! 
  If the PCs wish, they can appeal to Brith to examine the 
  tomes that he has transported to Calpius' Craft. Brith will 
  be more willing now to have the PCs examine the books, 
  and will allow it provided the PCs promise to be careful 
  with the books. Examining the books will take four hours 
  of study and cross-referencing, so by the time they are 
  finished it will be at least sundown if not later (this is 
  important to note as encounter seven and the rest of the 
  module occurs during the night). After the PCs have 
  spent the requisite time studying the books, hand them 
  Player Handout #6.  
  Ask the Locals! 
  There are more than a few people to ask for information 
  regarding the "Small War," Kanner the Tall and his 
  Oakstaff, 
  or 
  Yindera 
  Raschid 
  and 
  her 
  current 
  whereabouts. Garon Dellifin is available to answer 
  questions, if the PCs have not already questioned him; his 
  answers appear in Encounter Four. The PCs may use 
  Gather Information checks to find more pertinent news, 
  and they may either ask bards of the Bardic Circle or the 
  local townsfolk with different results. Note that 
  Afternoon Vespers must end before the PCs can question 
  any Circle members. 
  Gather Information from the Bards: 
  • 
  Yindera Rashid 
  DC 10 + the APL: "Yindera Raschid! Everyone wants to 
  study history with her. She's the only Baklunish 
  Master at the Circle. That reminds me of a story, you 
  see once I was in Tusmit looking for a horse when all 
  of a sudden..." (bard continues ad lib, with no further 
  information) 
  DC 12 + the APL: "Yindera Raschid! She's been doing 
  some research into the 'Small War.' I know because 
  her assistant, Bince Rupel told me. He's a Oeridian, 
  just like my friend Jorvel. That reminds me of a poem: 
  'there was a lady from Sareden, who was..." (bard 
  continues ad lib, with no further information) 
  DC 15 + the APL: "Yindera Raschid! I heard from her 
  assistant Bince Rupel that she received a package 
  recently that came all the way from Highfolk. Bince 
  wouldn't tell me what was in there, but he did say that 
  those fools in up north didn't know what they had 
  parted with. Isn't that great! It reminds me of this 
  time I was fighting for my life against minions of 
  ol'Stumpy. You know, the V-Man! Anyway, these guys 
  were really after my sack of turnips. Now these were 
  magic turnips mind you, and they..." (bard continues 
  ad lib, with no further information) 
  DC 17 + the APL: "Yindera Raschid! You're the second 
  person to be asking questions about her today. Earlier 
  a few guys (I don't remember how many) asked me 
  where she was. They looked like City Watch, so I 
  didn't tell them much. Not that I would know where 
  she is, probably out living the good life somewhere 
  out there. That reminds me of a trip I once took to 
  Hookhill. There I ran into some trouble with..." (bard 
  continues ad lib, with no further information) 
  • 
  the "Small War" 
  DC 15 + the APL: "The 'Small War!' You know that 
  native Bisselites were split as to whom to side with 
  during the conflict. Some fought to alongside the 
  Keoish while others welcomed the combined forces 
  of Veluna and Furyondy as they crossed into our 
  lands. Still others stayed out of it all together. That 
  reminds me of a story from that era, it's about two 
  brothers who joined the opposing armies and when 
  they next met..." (bard continues ad lib, with no further 
  information) 
  • 
  Kanner the Tall 
  DC 10 + the APL: "Kanner the Tall! That reminds me of 
  a poem: Hero from the South/Driving toward the 
  West/His foes from the East/In the North is where 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 14 
  he rests. It's about Kanner! I know because my 
  brother told me a story once about a curious 
  merchant from Verbobonc..." (bard continues ad lib, 
  with no further information) 
  DC 15 + the APL: "Kanner the Tall! That reminds me of 
  a story. You see, the reason Kanner was so tall was 
  through some magic experiment that altered his 
  height in a way that made him very shy. My theory is 
  that's why he remained in obscurity before and after 
  the war. It's very similar to what happened to me last 
  time I was in Hochoch, you see it was late at night 
  and my friend had cast an illusion of..." (bard 
  continues ad lib, with no further information) 
  • 
  The Oakstaff 
  DC 10 + the APL: "Kanner's Oakstaff! That's just a 
  misconception. I heard that Oakstaff is actually a 
  mistranslation from the original Kanner story, which 
  is in Flan. Oakstaff really should be Oakbow, you see 
  Kanner was really a great archer. A lot like myself, 
  you see one time I was in the Barrier Peaks and these 
  hoch jebline were about to ambush this carriage, well 
  I saw..." (bard continues ad lib, with no further 
  information)  
  DC 15 + the APL: "Kanner's Oakstaff! I've heard stories 
  that the staff never left his hand, and even when he 
  was at rest, which wasn't often, it was at least tied to 
  his wrist. Real paranoid about losing it I guess. That 
  reminds of a song: Paranoid/Paranoid/They're out to 
  kill you for no good reason..." (bard continues ad lib, 
  with no further information)  
  DC 17 + the APL: "Kanner's Oakstaff! You're the 
  second person to be asking questions about that 
  today. Earlier a few guys (I don't remember how 
  many) asked me about the staff. They looked like City 
  Watch, so I didn't tell them much. Of course, 
  everyone knows that Kanner took his staff to the 
  grave. They say he's buried somewhere far north of 
  here. You know that reminds me of a song: Buried 
  alive in the halls of Svernel/I met my true love most 
  Infernal..." (bard continues ad lib, with no further 
  information)  
  Gather Information from the Townsfolk: 
  (The townsfolk will not be able to provide any new 
  information on the "Small War," Kanner or his Oakstaff, 
  but they might know something about Yindera and her 
  current whereabouts) 
  • 
  Yindera Raschid 
  DC 15 + the APL: "Yindera Raschid! What do you want 
  with her? Most of those bards are scoundrels, but 
  she's one of the worst. The local watch has arrested 
  her more times than I can count, but she never 
  spends one day in jail. She's a friend of the Baron up 
  there. That's why. It pays to have friends, it does." 
  DC 17 + the APL: "Yindera Raschid! She hangs out at a 
  tavern called the Crystal Web. It's a weird place. They 
  hold a fancy Masque there every night. I've heard the 
  bards gather there and practice magic on each other. 
  Mighty suspicious stuff, I tell you. If you're trying to 
  find her, she's probably there if she's in town. Of 
  course, it's only open at night. Mighty suspicious I 
  tell you."   
  Once the PCs have exhausted all avenues of 
  investigation, they will probably do one of two things. 
  Eventually they will want to go to the Crystal Web 
  Tavern, as it is a likely place for Yindera to be. Before they 
  go they may want to locate Bince Rupel, if they found out 
  about his existence through Gather Information checks. 
  The Crystal Web encounter is detailed in Encounter 
  Eight, whereas the Bince encounter is detailed in 
  Encounter Seven. 
  Encounter Seven: Bince So Long 
  Since We Had Any Action 
  Once the PCs have found out that Bince Rupel, a Bardic 
  Circle initiate, is Yindera Raschid's assistant, they may 
  wish to question him. Getting a description (young 
  Oeridian male) and a location (lives at the East 
  dormitory) is a simple matter, and if the PCs wish to pay 
  Bince a visit after Afternoon Vespers, then read the 
  following text: 
  As the sun begins to sink closer to the horizon, the 
  grounds of the Bardic Circle are bathed in an idyllic 
  red and purple glow. Elsewhere in Calpius' Craft 
  shops are closing and tradesmen are returning home, 
  but the bards of the Circle are still going strong. Talk 
  is a little less jovial considering the excitement of 
  earlier, but the strains of a dozen different songs clash 
  as you make your way across the grounds toward the 
  East Dormitory, where Yindera's assistant Bince 
  Rupel is said to live. The building is three stories tall 
  and easily as noisy as any market you can remember. 
  You are not questioned as you enter. 
  The East Dormitory is where the Circle initiates live 
  when they stay in Calpius' Craft. The cells are very small, 
  almost monastic in size. PCs who found out that Bince 
  lives here will know where to find his room, located on 
  the third floor.  
  As you ascend the stairs and enter the third floor 
  hallway off of which Bince's room is supposed to be, 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 15 
  you hear an ear-splitting scream that might 
  conceivably have come from a female as likely as a 
  male. This sound is followed by the sound of 
  shattering glass, as apparently things continue to be 
  unusually violent at the Bardic Circle.   
  Tocanis and undead servants have found Bince, and 
  Tocanis has used coercion to find out the information 
  that he has been seeking: namely that Kanner's Oakstaff 
  is in Calpius' Craft and Yindera more than likely has it. 
  Tocanis has left via the window (and a handy ring of 
  feather fall) leaving his undead servants to kill Bince, 
  unless the PCs can stop them. Note that Tocanis has used 
  scrolls of disguise undead to make the ghasts (and 
  possible a ghoul) appear to be human city watchmen, 
  which should make for some confused PCs at the 
  opening of the combat. 
  � Bince Rupel: male human (Oeridian) Brd2/Rog1; hp 
  16; see Appendix I. 
  Combat: At the beginning of the combat Bince will be 
  cowering in the corner, awaiting death from the pointy 
  claws of a ghast. Once the party has begun to intercede 
  he may begin to Inspire Courage to aid his new best 
  friends.  
  APL 2 (EL 4) 
  � Ghast: hp 39; see Monster Manual. 
  � Ghoul: hp 18; see Monster Manual. 
  APL 4 (EL 6) 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1: hp 45; see Appendix I. 
  � Ghast: hp 39; see Monster Manual. 
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1 (3): hp 45 each; see 
  Appendix I. 
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1/Ftr1 (2): hp 52 each; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rog1/Ftr1 (2): hp 51 each; see 
  Appendix I. 
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1/Ftr3 (2): hp 67 each; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rog3/Ftr1 (2): hp 60 each; see 
  Appendix I. 
  Tactics: The servants have been ordered to kill Bince, 
  and will try their best to do this unless the PCs can be a 
  sufficient distraction. The roguish ghasts will attempt to 
  flank to take advantage of sneak attack, whereas the ghast 
  rangers will try to target humans, its favored enemy. 
  The spellstitched ghasts do the following: first and 
  foremost, any spell-stitched ghast will have cast mage 
  armor before the combat. The bonus to AC has already 
  been factored in their stats. If any one PC seems to be a 
  particular problem, a ghast may cast cause fear. If low on 
  hit points, the ghast may use vampiric touch in 
  conjunction with a claw attack to gain hit points. 
  Otherwise they will focus on melee combat and use the 
  rest of their spell-like abilities as appropriate.  
  The corridor on the dorm is 15 feet wide and about 80 
  feet long. It is 30 feet from the staircase to Bince's open 
  door, where PCs can easily see one or more ghasts 
  attempting to kill him. Note that Bince's cell is 15 feet 
  long and 10 feet wide, which doesn't leave a lot of room 
  for tactical movement. This can be both an advantage and 
  a disadvantage to the PCs.  
  One minute after the ghasts are destroyed the disguise 
  undead spell expires and they are revealed to be what 
  they are. Of course, PCs interacting with the ghasts are 
  allowed a Will save (DC 15) to see through the illusion.  
  Assuming Bince has survived the combat he will thank 
  the PCs and tell them the following: 
  "Some men came claiming to be from the city watch. 
  Only one of them spoke, a tall man with dark hair and 
  a beard. He asked me where Yindera was, and I said I 
  didn't know. Which is the truth, I don't know where 
  she is. Then he started asking me about this package 
  that arrived a few days ago. I wouldn't tell him about 
  it, but then he commanded me to and I couldn't help 
  but tell him: the package contained Kanner's 
  Oakstaff. It came from Highfolk four days ago. 
  Yindera found it on a recent trip and had it sent 
  separately for safekeeping. I don't know where it is, 
  or where she is, but I think she's in a lot of danger." 
  Bince will be in a hurry to get out of there so he can leave 
  Calpius' Craft and go into hiding. He honestly doesn't 
  know where Yindera is or how to find her, that will be up 
  to the PCs to discover. His description of the man who 
  escaped through the window will be a tall Baklunish 
  man. This is not actually Tocanis’ true form, as he drank a 
  potion of alter self when he was posing as City Watch. 
  At this point Tocanis will attempt to keep tabs on the PCs 
  via his Owl familiar. When the PCs exit the East 
  Dormitory, allow a Spot check (DC 31) to spot an owl in a 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 16 
  nearby tree, looking at them. If the owl is spotted it will 
  immediately fly away. 
  Encounter Eight: Den of 
  Debauchery, Web of Intrigue 
  This encounter details what occurs within an unusual 
  tavern called the Crystal Web, the arranged meeting 
  place of Yindera and her sordid benefactors. The Crystal 
  Web is a tavern that is only open at night, and likewise 
  only open to those who are "dressed properly." In this 
  case this means the wearing of "glamour," or minor 
  illusions and transformations. This is facilitated either by 
  one's own illusory magics, or the house provides masks 
  which provide the necessary glamour to enter.  
  There is a reason that the Crystal Web sponsors a nightly 
  Masque in which no one can be recognized: so that bards 
  can safely drink wine within Calpius' Craft. A law within 
  the city exists that prohibits the drinking of wine by 
  bards during their stay. However, most bards are able to 
  find ways to circumvent this law. The Crystal Web is only 
  one such method. The city watch does little to enforce 
  the law; it is in a sense unenforceable. 
  The end result is that every patron of the Crystal Web is, 
  to some degree or another, in disguise. This will make 
  locating Yindera nigh impossible, so she will choose the 
  time and method of revealing herself.   
  When the PCs decide to head to the Crystal Web, read 
  the following:  
  Attempting to use the directions you obtained for 
  finding the Crystal Web has been less than 
  successful, and the labyrinthine streets of Calpius' 
  Craft have scarcely helped in any way. The sun, 
  already low in the sky, hides its heavy face below the 
  horizon and night falls long before you come to what 
  you think might be the right place. At the end of a 
  long alleyway stands a two story, stone and wood 
  building. It is unmarked, but the sound of laughter, 
  conversation, and music can be heard as far away as 
  where you stand.  
  Allow the PCs a brief amount of time to prepare before 
  going into the Crystal Web. Allow their paranoia to run 
  its course as they cast as many buff spells as they like. 
  Once they are ready to proceed, read the following: 
  You open the heavy wooden door to reveal a small 
  room, obviously some type of anteroom, with the 
  entrance to the tavern on the other side of the tiny 
  chamber. In between you and the actual entry is a 
  large half-orc wearing studded leather. He face 
  appears to have been painted white with dainty red 
  spirals on his cheeks. He greets you as you open the 
  door: "TARTHAK WELCOMES YOU TO THE 
  CRYSTAL WEB!  COME IN OUT OF NIGHT, BUT 
  BEFORE YOU ENTER YOU MUST BE DRESSED 
  PROPERLY! ENTER OR NOT, BUT IF YOU NO 
  WANT IN CRYSTAL WEB YOU MUST LEAVE!" 
  Tarthak is actually a half-elf illusionist, subject to an alter 
  self spell, who "guards" the door. Tarthak is not selective, 
  anyone is allowed inside, but not without proper glamour 
  and the cursory checking of weapons. Tarthak will 
  instruct the PCs (in his best impression of a half-orc, i.e. a 
  monotone, ungrammatical shout) to first disarm and 
  place their items in a weapons closet, and then to "get 
  dressed." He will explain that to enter one must wear 
  glamour and that they can either use their own or he will 
  give them glamour. 
  Those who wish to cast spells to meet the unusual 
  requirement have a number of options; Disguise self or 
  alter self are the most obvious choices. Prestidigitation is 
  also an option; basically anything magic that will alter 
  one's appearance is fair game.   
  Those who don't have access to their own magics will 
  have to wear the glamour on hand. These come in the 
  form of special masks. The masks operate as a strange 
  combination of disguise self and dancing lights, and they 
  have three concurrent effects. When the masks are 
  placed on the face they shimmer and disappear, leaving 
  the appearance that the face has been painted random 
  colors. Second, the wearer will appear to be of a different 
  race: elves become dwarf-looking and vice-versa, halflings 
  become gnome-like and vice versa, half-elves appear as 
  half-orcs and vice-versa, and humans appear as a subrace 
  other than there own, possibly as the more rare Rhenee 
  or Olman, though any differing subrace will do. Lastly, 
  the mask causing the appearance of floating, colored 
  lights to appear around the wearer's head. The masks only 
  operate within the Crystal Web tavern, and nowhere else.  
  The door into the actual tavern area is magically warded 
  so that only those who are "properly dressed" may enter. 
  Any PC foolish enough to try to force his way into the 
  tavern area "undressed" will be the subject of defensive 
  spells cast by the sixty or so bards present. It would be a 
  will-save nightmare as charm person, hold person, 
  suggestion, hypnotic pattern, and many others come 
  flying in, and that would be only the beginning of the 
  disgraces heaped upon the offending PC. Judges are 
  encouraged to use their imagination in this eventuality, 
  and are reminded that the shiv is a “regional weapon” for 
  Bissel.  
  Once the PCs are dressed and ready to enter, read the 
  following: 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 17 
  Tarthak opens the door and motions inside the 
  common room of the Crystal Web. As you enter you 
  are struck by the absolute bedlam; this is easily one of 
  the most chaotic scenes you’ve ever witnessed. The 
  room is lit by more than a dozen swirling colored 
  spheres floating near the ceiling, giving the effect of 
  sometimes being in shadow and sometimes being in 
  bright light. The faces of the other patrons fade and 
  then come into view in an eerie fashion, and the 
  other people are dressed in outlandish costumes with 
  gaudy masks. Minor magical effects cause smoke to 
  dance 
  around 
  their 
  bodies, 
  cause 
  strange 
  phosphorescence to glow from their eyes, or a dozen 
  other supernatural effects. All around there is 
  laughter and music, and patrons drink wine freely. A 
  few patrons dance in a number of discordant styles, 
  some waltz, others jig, still others just spin with no 
  regard to anything or anyone. The Crystal Web has 
  barely been open an hour and already it is packed 
  shoulder to shoulder with people.  
  The PCs should now understand that finding Yindera in 
  this mess will be downright impossible. Paladins or 
  clerics who cast detect evil will find a number of evil 
  auras within the room, just not any related to their 
  current problems. Tocanis Blot is in the room, but will 
  not read as he is the recipient of an undetectable 
  alignment spell. However, if they search for just a short 
  while, read the following: 
  Making your way through the crowd, you spot three 
  circles of people that seem slightly out of place: near 
  the bar a group of younger -looking patrons look with 
  interest at a bearded man who seems to be telling a 
  story. His coat bears the heraldry of the Kingdom of 
  Furyondy. Against one wall you spot a half-elf who 
  shows the seal of the Royal Explorer's Society on his 
  collar. Every so often another patron will approach, 
  but each time he turns them away. At a corner table 
  sit four men each wearing the holy symbol of Rao. At 
  their table is a Baklunish woman, and the five of them 
  seem to be in a heated discussion.   
  These are the three backers that Yindera has separately 
  promised Kanner's Oakstaff. PCs will likely be suspicious 
  of each of the foreign backers, and will probably request 
  to roll numerous Sense Motive checks on the NPCs. Roll 
  opposed Bluff checks even when the NPCs are not lying, 
  just to keep up the semblance of mystery. The only NPC 
  to openly lie will be Tocanis, and his Bluff check is 
  currently +40 due to a potion of glibness. What follows 
  are descriptions of what happens when the PCs talk to 
  each of them, and what happens if they are brought 
  together.  
  Caderan Lorgrave and the great debate: 
  Caderan is a low-ranking clerk in the hierarchy of the 
  Church of Rao. He has brought a few of his lay brothers 
  from Veluna at this moment of what he perceives to be 
  the great triumph that Rao has delivered him: the finding 
  of Kanner's Oakstaff. He sits with his colleagues at a table 
  awaiting Yindera to come. Meanwhile, a young bard 
  named Melowin has joined them for a lively discussion 
  on religion. She is actually a Suel woman who wears a 
  glamour to appear as a Baklune. She is a devotee of 
  Charmalaine, Goddess of Keen Senses and Narrow 
  Escapes. She constantly questions the delegation from 
  Veluna on the practicality of Rao worship, trying in vain 
  to get a rise out of them.  
  When the PCs approach, read the following: 
  As you approach the corner table you notice that each 
  of the men who display holy symbols of Rao wear 
  masks fashioned to appear as the serene god that they 
  revere. Sitting with them is a Baklunish woman who 
  wears a holy symbol of a boot print that seems to have 
  been enchanted to give off an un-burning, un-
  consuming fire. They appear to be discussing the 
  heavy topic of religion. You hear the following as you 
  approach: 
  "Ah, but inner serenity can lead to a number of 
  benefits, including heightened perception," calmly 
  says one of the men in a Rao mask. 
  The woman replies saying: "This is in concordance 
  with the teachings of my goddess, for a mind 
  cluttered by excessive emotions such as fear will not 
  be totally aware of their environment. Still, no person 
  could possibly believe that serenity could be a 
  worthwhile end to itself. That's just foolish." 
  The men in Rao masks seems unfazed, and one calmly 
  replies by saying, "I can certainly see your point of 
  view, but serenity leads to a divine union with the 
  most holy presence of Rao." 
  The discussion continues, with the woman making 
  barbed comments against the doctrines of Rao, and 
  the men in Rao masks replying in a calm, reasonable 
  fashion. When they notice you approaching, one of 
  the Rao worshippers turns to you and says, "Ah, hello 
  there, would you care to join our discussion?" 
  Caderan is the one who greets the PCs, and will start a 
  polite conversation introducing himself and his 
  companions, Eom, Yiral, and Yiruc, who nod in turn 
  when introduced. He will also introduce Melowin, who 
  belongs to a "new and very amusing faith."  
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 18 
  If the PCs ask Melowin if she is Yindera Raschid, she will 
  coyly say "Maybe, maybe not." She will give a similar 
  response if asked if she knows where Yindera is. 
  Basically, she is not Yindera and doesn't know where 
  Yindera is. Melowin's main concern is talking about the 
  doctrines of Charmalaine and she will attempt to steer 
  any conversation toward that. 
  Caderan is very patient man and will answer the PCs 
  questions to the best of his ability. He does not know 
  where Yindera is and is waiting patiently for her to arrive 
  so they can discuss some business. If the PCs tell him 
  that Yindera has been missing for awhile, then he will 
  express genuine concern, saying: "I will pray to Rao for 
  her safety." He will say something similar if the PCs 
  inform him that undead are involved; basically he will 
  urge the PCs to find her quickly. 
  If the PCs inform Caderan that Yindera has made 
  business arrangements with other foreign nationals, then 
  he will say the following: 
  "Ah, that is most curious. I am unsure why Yindera 
  would resort to a deception such as this. When you 
  find her you should bring her and her other patrons 
  to a meeting with us tomorrow morning. We are 
  staying at the Yarn and Wheel Inn. There we can 
  discuss the matter in a rational fashion and peacefully 
  negotiate the fate of Yindera and this Oakstaff, if it 
  exists." 
  Shortly after this, Caderan will depart, fully expecting to 
  see the PCs the next morning. 
  Tocanis Blot and the great deception: 
  Tocanis is a servant of Evard, posing as a Keoish member 
  of the Royal Explorer's Society. Currently he is disguised 
  as a half-elf via a potion of alter self.  
  When the PCs approach Tocanis, read the following:  
  A half-elf leans against a wall, sipping sparingly from 
  an almost full glass of wine. A few dancing lights 
  flutter around his brow and he swats at them in 
  frustration. A half-orc with a painted face approaches, 
  and the half-elf immediately snaps at him: "No! For 
  the last time, I will not tell you any stories from the 
  Society! I am here on business! Now in the name of 
  Heironeous's Holy Halls, get out of my face!" The 
  half-orc walks away dejected.   
  When Tocanis notices the PCs approach, he will give 
  them similar treatment, i.e. he will attempt to brush them 
  off with the excuse that he is here on business. This is of 
  course an act, as Tocanis will be attempting to lure the 
  PCs into giving him some pertinent information on 
  Yindera's whereabouts. When the PCs mention Yindera 
  he will ask questions like "What brought you here?  Who 
  are you working for?"  
  Important Note: Tocanis will ask if the PCs have seen 
  Yindera tonight. He will NOT make reference to the fact 
  that he knows she is missing, but if the PCs tell him that 
  she's been gone for a few days, then he express suspicion, 
  commenting that she is probably trying to welch on their 
  deal.  
  Tocanis will not read as evil, for he is the subject of an 
  undetectable alignment spell, as mentioned above. It's 
  actually not uncommon in the Crystal Web for patrons to 
  use this spell. If the PCs mention the presence of undead, 
  Tocanis will appear become concerned (an act) and ask 
  the PCs if they think she is still alive.  
  One thing Tocanis doesn't know about is Yindera's 
  backers from Veluna and Furyondy. If alerted to their 
  existence, his surprise will be genuine: 
  "What?!! Yindera has promised the Oakstaff to 
  others?! This is an outrage! I didn't travel here all the 
  way from Niole Dra to be made a fool! But apparently 
  this trip was a mistake. I should have known never to 
  trust these bardic types. I am an explorer and a 
  scholar; these people are merely ne'er do wells, 
  posing as masters of lore. Well, if you find any 
  information on dear Yindera, please alert me. I will 
  make it worth your while. If you need me, I am 
  staying in the Lighted Hand Tavern." 
  With that, Tocanis will make a hasty exit. He will leave 
  his owl familiar to watch the exit, in case the PCs or 
  Yindera exit (see Encounter Nine for details).  
  Rechart Molender and the great love: 
  Rechart Molender is a middle-aged human who is 
  approaching the twilight years of his life. He is a member 
  of College of Concrescent Lore in Furyondy, and has met 
  Yindera before. The two were involved in a short tryst in 
  Hardby four years ago, and Rechart still carries a torch. 
  Rechart is here to check up on the researches that he has 
  helped fund as well as rekindle something between him 
  and Yindera.  
  When the PCs decide to approach Rechart, read the 
  following: 
  Leaning against the bar is a man with a dark beard 
  surrounded by people half his age. Tiny horns sprout 
  from his forehead, doubtless the product of the type 
  of minor illusion that is common in the Crystal Web. 
  His deep voice carries through the crowd as you 
  approach: "And that, my young friends, is how I 
  escaped near execution at the hands of Gillistek of 
  the Coldflame tribe. Of course, none of this compares 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 19 
  to my escapades on the Astral Plane..." The bearded 
  man begins to recount a fantastical tale, even by 
  Bardic standards. Once he has finished, the bearded 
  man takes another long draught from a bottle of wine 
  and asks those gathered around him, "Now then, my 
  young friends: have you seen another friend of mine? 
  A Baklunish woman, who goes by the name Yindera 
  Raschid?"  
  The young bards who have gathered to hear the tales of 
  Rechart who tell him that they have not seen Yindera, 
  but they will do their best to find her. The audience will 
  then scatter, giving the PCs an opportunity to question 
  Rechart.  
  Rechart has been around for a number of years, and has 
  had at least half as many adventures as he claims, which is 
  saying something. He is an odd mix of jovial and 
  scholarly, quick of wit, and quite charming. The illusory 
  horns on his head are exactly that: fake. There is nothing 
  fiendish about the man.  
  Rechart will be very friendly; after introducing himself 
  he will ask the PCs if they have any interesting stories to 
  tell. If asked about Yindera, Rechart will immediately ask 
  the PCs if they have seen her. He does not know where 
  she is, but fervently hopes that she will appear shortly. If 
  asked about his past relationship with Yindera, Rechart 
  will just say, "That is a story best kept private." If the PCs 
  tell him that Yindera is missing, he will express genuine 
  concern. If the PCs tell Rechart of the involvement of 
  undead, he will become very worried and ask if they (the 
  PCs) still think Yindera is alive. If the PCs tell Rechart 
  that Yindera has made arrangements to sell the Oakstaff 
  to others, read the following: 
  A thin smile begins to cross Rechart's face, which 
  widens until the bearded man begins to laugh 
  uncontrollably. "I should have seen this coming. Of 
  course she promised the Oakstaff to many patrons, I 
  taught her this trick! No doubt she plans to sell the 
  Oakstaff to someone rich and then reimburse those 
  who funded her work from the sale. A harmless 
  enough ruse, except my fellow backers and I have just 
  wasted our time and effort getting here." Rechart 
  laughs again. "Still, this trip may not be a total waste. 
  When you find Yindera, would you please convince 
  her to come see me? I'm staying at Fallon's Inn, here 
  in Calpius' Craft." 
  After his exchange with the PCs, Rechart will quickly 
  knock back another bottle and leave, trusting that the 
  PCs will tell Yindera to come see him, and that she will 
  do so.   
  Yindera Raschid and the great plea for help: 
  Yindera Raschid has been monitoring the PCs since they 
  first walked in. Compared with the Crystal Web regulars, 
  the PCs will for the most part appear out of place. They 
  will also, in all likelihood appear to be competent 
  mercenaries, and as such Yindera will be interested in 
  them for the help they may provide. She will observe the 
  PCs talk to Caderan, Tocanis, and Rechart, and will 
  assume that the PCs are here looking for her. 
  � Yindera Raschid: female human (Baklunish) 
  Brd4/Rog3; hp 32; see Appendix I. 
  Yindera has been hiding at the Crystal Web for a while 
  now. The tavern does not have rooms to rent, but it does 
  have a few private rooms for certain select patrons to use 
  as they wish when the tavern is open. Yindera is good 
  friends with the Crystal Web’s owners, and has been 
  hiding in one of these private rooms for most of this day.  
  Yindera has an intuitive knack for magic items (through a 
  high Use Magic Device skill), and has employed a scroll 
  of alter self to disguise herself as a gray elf. She will mark 
  the PCs and pick the one she surmises to have the 
  weakest willpower (i.e. lowest Will save). Yindera will 
  have a preference for selecting a male PC, though 
  appealing to a fellow woman is also an option. Which 
  ever she believes will be most easy to convince to help 
  her. 
  Once Yindera has selected her "target," she will then 
  blend with the crowd, pass by said PC and cast suggestion 
  on him. Take that PC aside and read the following: 
  If it is at all possible, the Crystal Web seems to have 
  become even more crowded during your time here. 
  The flow of the crowd causes you to be shoulder to 
  shoulder with the other patrons. Suddenly you hear 
  someone whisper in your ear, "I suggest you follow 
  me so you and I can talk privately." You turn to the 
  speaker, a slender gray elf who may or may not be 
  female; it is difficult to tell.  
  The appropriately weak-willed PC must now make a Will 
  save (DC 20), or follow the suggestion. If the PC makes 
  the save, then Yindera will make a break for the private 
  room where she has been staying. The PC may try to 
  follow, or may try to reunite with his companions, who 
  have become lost in the crowd. If the PC tries the latter, 
  then it will be very difficult to find Yindera. The PCs will 
  need to make a Search check (DC 30) to find the private 
  room, which is now locked. Yindera is on the other side, 
  and the PCs may be able to appeal to her to open the 
  door. If the PC tries to follow Yindera to the private room 
  without his companions, then his companions can 
  attempt to try and see what is going on with a Spot check 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 20 
  (DC 30) due to the constantly shifting crowd. Regardless, 
  tailor the below text to the situation, which assumes that 
  the PC failed the save for the suggestion: 
  You enter a small room off the side of the common 
  room of the Crystal Web. Inside there is a bed, a desk, 
  and a shelf on which rests more than a few bottles of 
  wine. The door, obviously operating under some type 
  of hidden mechanism, closes behind you. The gray elf 
  that spoke to you now stands before you in front of 
  the bed. "Please," the gray elf says, "My life is in 
  danger, and I am in dire need of your help. Four days 
  ago I was attacked by undead just outside the city." As 
  the gray elf speaks, her features soften; her skin 
  begins to shift from gray to a dark tan color. "Some 
  man and his undead servants have been chasing me 
  since then, so I have had to go into hiding." The 
  figure before you now grows a few inches, her hair 
  darkens to black until it is apparent that you are now 
  facing a Baklunish woman. "I believe you know my 
  name; I am Yindera Raschid, and I need your help."  
  The PC (or PCs as the case may be) will probably have 
  many questions for Yindera. Here are a few of the likely 
  ones, and her responses: 
  • 
  "Did you set the trap in your office?"  
  "Yes. It was a necessary precaution, but I had no idea 
  the fir e would be so large. I heard you were able to be 
  on hand to fight it. You are truly the hero(s) I require 
  to help me in my current troubles." 
  • 
  "Why did you promise the Oakstaff to three 
  different patrons?" 
  "I assure, I am the unfortunate victim here of a racist 
  slight. Garon could not promise me the funding to 
  continue my researches, because I am Baklunish! It is 
  a plot to keep the stories and lore of those in power at 
  the forefront, while the rich culture of the Baklunish 
  is quashed underneath their boot." 
  • 
  "I heard you were friends with Baron Besselar. If you 
  are such good friends then why didn't he just give 
  you the money to fund your researches?" 
  "I did appeal to Darius, but the heavy taxes he must 
  now give to support the military mean that his 
  patronage has been much less than it has before. He 
  did offer some aid, but not enough." 
  • 
  "Who was Kanner the Tall? Was he from 
  Veluna/Furyondy/Keoland/Bissel?" 
  "Kanner was one of my people, a Baklune. Those in 
  power do not want this information to get out, but if 
  the people of Bissel could see that a Baklunish native 
  of Bissel was a celebrated war-hero of the past, it 
  would 
  do 
  much 
  to 
  heal 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  misunderstandings between the populace. If only 
  those few in power weren't bent on stopping me." 
  • 
  "I'm taking you to the City Watch. You've 
  committed too many crimes today." 
  "You are correct, I have perhaps violated a few minor 
  laws, but I assure you I did this only to preserve my 
  life. An insane man with his undead servants hunts 
  me still, were you to take me to the City Watch, then 
  this necromancer would have no trouble finding me." 
  • 
  "Why do you think you are being hunted by 
  undead?" 
  "It is obvious that their master covets Kanner's 
  Oakstaff. He wishes to use it for himself, but I will be 
  damned if I see the weapon of such a hero be turned 
  to such a vile purpose. That is why you must help me. 
  We must retrieve the Oakstaff and make sure that it 
  does not fall into the wrong hands." 
  • 
  "How do you want me(us) to help you?" 
  "My plan is simple, you adventurers will escort me to 
  the Oakstaff's hiding place. With your protection we 
  will be able to auction it off to the foreigners. The 
  Church of Rao, the College of Concrescent Lore, or 
  one from the Royal Explorer's Society will be able to 
  see that it is protected for a long while. The money 
  from the sale can be used to reimburse those who did 
  not end up with the Oakstaff, and everyone can leave 
  happy." 
  • 
  "What about Brith and the books you requested?" 
  "Ah, it turns out I did not need Brith's books to locate 
  the Oakstaff, but I would still be interested in 
  purchasing those volumes. We will work something 
  out, once the business with the Oakstaff is taken care 
  of." 
  If the PC (or PCs) has no forthcoming questions, Yindera 
  will describe her situation and her plan to them. If only 
  one PC has heard Yindera's pleas then it will be up to him 
  to convince his companions to aid Yindera. Yindera will 
  stay in the private room until it is time to leave. She will 
  put on her studded leather, her weapons, and a heavy 
  cloak before leaving.  
  The PCs have a few options. First, they could go along 
  with Yindera's plan. In other words retrieve the Oakstaff 
  tonight and guard it until the morning when it can be 
  auctioned to one of the foreign backers (or perhaps a PC). 
  The PCs may decide to bring Yindera to the authorities, 
  or they may decide to bring her immediately to one of 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 21 
  the foreign backers. Yindera will follow the PCs outside, 
  with her hood drawn tightly over her head. Once outside 
  have the PCs roll Spot checks (DC 31) to determine 
  whether or not they notice Tocanis’ owl familiar spying 
  on them. If the PCs spot the owl, it will immediately fly 
  away, only to later pick a better hiding spot from which 
  to spy on the PCs.  
  If the PCs decide to take Yindera to the City Watch, she 
  will not resist and merely point out that they are wasting 
  their time. Once at the headquarters of the City Watch, 
  the Watchman on duty will record the complaint but will 
  not arrest Yindera. He will explain that it's not worth it, 
  as her friend the Baron will pardon her anyway. The 
  watchman will then send Yindera and the PCs on their 
  way, and she will again appeal to them to retrieve the 
  Oakstaff immediately as per her plan. 
  If the PCs decide to take her to one of the foreign 
  visitors, they will find that navigating the labyrinthine 
  streets of Calpius' Craft is nigh impossible at night. They 
  will not be able to find the location of the Inns in which 
  the foreigners are staying. Yindera will be uncooperative 
  in giving directions to the PCs. She will reiterate that the 
  best course of action is to retrieve the Oakstaff so they 
  can guard it until it can be put into safe hands.  
  If the PCs decide to follow through with Yindera's plan, 
  then proceed to Encounter Nine. If the PCs decide to 
  wait until daylight to retrieve the Oakstaff, then Yindera 
  will insist that they go immediately. There is no 
  difference to Encounter Nine if the PCs decide to wait 
  until morning, and if they require rest then judges 
  should allow it. 
  Encounter Nine: Kanner 
  Revealed 
  This encounter sets up the final confrontation between 
  Yindera/PCs and Tocanis. Yindera will lead the PCs to 
  where she has hidden the Oakstaff, an abandoned shrine 
  to Fharlanghn just outside Calpius' Craft.  
  Yindera moves swiftly and silently ahead, leading you 
  through the serpentine roads of Calpius' Craft. You 
  come to unguarded gate in the city wall that has 
  apparently fallen into disuse; large chains with heavy 
  locks encircle the rusted gate. Yindera quickly opens 
  the lock and the gate swings silently open. "Not much 
  further now," she whispers as she leads down what 
  once must have been a well-traveled road, but is now 
  overgrown with vegetation. After about an hour, you 
  come to a decrepit building to the side of the road. 
  Wooden statues of an old bearded man wearing a 
  hood line the steps that lead up to the entrance. The 
  statues are in various states of decay, with chipped 
  and broken parts strewn about the steps. Above the 
  doorframe, which once may have featured an actual 
  door rather than a rotted plank of wood, is carved the 
  curved line of the horizon within a circle. Yindera 
  turns and whispers, "This road into Calpius' Craft is 
  no longer used, nor is this tiny shrine to Fharlanghn." 
  The shrine itself is set into a clearing along the road, and 
  is thirty feet square, with ten-foot ceilings. 
  Yindera approaches one of the statues and removes 
  the broken quarterstaff from the statue's hand. You 
  realize that this is not a broken staff but a small club, 
  gnarled and knotted with arcane symbol written 
  across the length. "The Oakstaff of Kanner the Tall," 
  whispers Yindera. "Quickly we must get out of here." 
  "There's no rush Yindera!" cries a voice from the road. 
  You recognize the speaker as the half-elf called 
  Tocanis Blot from the Crystal Web, though his 
  features have now softened until he resembles a 
  Suloise human. He wears dark robes, and is flanked 
  by undead servants. "It is time to end this game. Give 
  me the Oakstaff, and I will leave peacefully. I am 
  prepared to offer you this in exchange."  
  One of the undead (type is determined by APL) will drop 
  a sack in front of Tocanis. The sack will open revealing 
  jewels, gems, and platinum coins. Yindera will eye the 
  bag and then look to the PCs and shrug; she is more than 
  willing to accept the payoff in exchange for the Oakstaff, 
  as it was her plan to sell the Oakstaff anyways. If the 
  players accept the payoff, then Tocanis will keep his 
  word: he will leave peacefully. In this eventuality proceed 
  to Conclusion: Ending B. More than likely, PCs will 
  refuse at which point Tocanis will attempt to take the 
  Oakstaff by force.  
  APL 2 (EL 4) 
  � Ghouls (4): hp 18 each; see Monster Manual. 
  � 
  Tocanis 
  Blot: 
  male 
  human 
  (Suloise) 
  Nec5/Clr3/PlMstr1; hp 45; see Appendix I (does not 
  fight at this APL). 
  APL 4 (EL 6) 
  � Ghouls (8): hp 18 each; see Monster Manual. 
  � 
  Tocanis 
  Blot: 
  male 
  human 
  (Suloise) 
  Nec5/Clr3/PlMstr1; hp 45; see Appendix I (does not 
  fight at this APL). 
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
  � Ghasts (6): hp 39 each; see Monster Manual. 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 22 
  � 
  Tocanis 
  Blot: 
  male 
  human 
  (Suloise) 
  Nec5/Clr3/PlMstr1; hp 45; see Appendix I (does not 
  fight at this APL). 
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  � Ghasts (6): hp 39 each; see Monster Manual. 
  � 
  Tocanis 
  Blot: 
  male 
  human 
  (Suloise) 
  Nec5/Clr3/PlMstr1; hp 45; see Appendix I. 
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
  � Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1 (2): hp 45 each; see 
  Appendix I. 
  � Mohrg: hp 126; see Monster Manual. 
  � 
  Tocanis 
  Blot: 
  male 
  human 
  (Suloise) 
  Nec7/Clr3/PlMstr1; hp 63; see Appendix I. 
  Tactics: Even though Tocanis is present, the PCs do not 
  have to fight him except at APL 8 and 10. During the first 
  round (regardless of APL) Tocanis will cast fly and move 
  50 feet into the air. Yindera will attempt to operate the 
  Oakstaff. PCs will probably be busy with the undead that 
  Tocanis has brought along. 
  On the second round of combat, Yindera will have been 
  able to "operate" the Oakstaff, though not in a useful way. 
  On her initiative in the second round, read the following:  
  The is an audible snap, as Yindera twists one section 
  of the Oakstaff into a locking position. The arcane 
  runes begin to glow a suddenly there is burst of 
  colored light. All combatants stare in awe of the 
  image before them. The illusion of a bald man hovers 
  a few feet above the Oakstaff. He is dressed in black 
  robes decorated with blood red arcane symbols. The 
  man's build as well as the style of his blond goatee 
  and his sharp blue eyes determine once and for all 
  Kanner's race: that of a rock gnome. His image is 
  about four-foot high, or normal dwarf-height, giving 
  explanation to his unusual nickname. "Greetings," the 
  image states. "I am Kanner, and you have activated my 
  Staff without speaking the appropriate command 
  phrase. I can only assume that you are a thief, or 
  possibly multiple thieves, and as such, this staff's 
  defense 
  mechanisms 
  have 
  been 
  activated. 
  In 
  approximately one minute, giving you time to make 
  peace with whatever deities you worship, this staff 
  will detonate in a fiery blast, ending the larcenous life 
  or you and whatever companions may be in the 
  vicinity. Letting go of the staff will prematurely 
  precipitate said explosion. I hope this has been a 
  learning experience for you, and wish you the best for 
  the rest of your life, however short it will now be." 
  Yindera looks to you, obvious fear in her eyes...  
  Kanner's image will fade after delivering his message, 
  which is a ruse. PCs may attempt a Sense Motive check 
  (DC 17 + the APL) to see that the Oakstaff will not 
  actually explode. However, the Oakstaff will continue to 
  glow impressively for one minute. Once one minute is up 
  the Oakstaff will cease to glow, and fiery death will NOT 
  reign forth. 
  At APLs 2, 4 and 6, Tocanis, not wishing to meet a fiery 
  end, will now take this opportunity to fly away. At APLs 8 
  and 10 he will stay and fight. He has already prepared 
  himself with a number of spells (crossed off on his 
  description in Appendix I). He will do his best to separate 
  Yindera from he PCs, opening with the extended scare or 
  a ray of exhaustion spell he has prepared. He will attempt 
  to hit as many PCs as possible without hitting Yindera 
  with the effect. As the scare is extended, PCs who fail the 
  save flee for 12 rounds, not 6. Please note that since 
  Tocanis has greater spell focus (necromancy), the spells 
  ghoul touch, negative energy ray, negative energy burst, 
  scare, and ray of enfeeblement all have +2 to their normal 
  save DC. Even any inflict spells that Tocanis 
  spontaneously casts are subject to the +2 to save DC. He 
  will also use his metamagic rod (at APL 10) to ensure that 
  his spell durations afflict the PCs for as long as possible. 
  Once the PCs have been taken care of, Tocanis will kill 
  Yindera and take the Oakstaff. If the PCs are triumphant 
  in defending Yindera and the Oakstaff from Tocanis’ 
  attack, proceed to Conclusion: Ending A. 
  Conclusion 
  Ending A: 
  With the undead threat dispatched, Yindera thanks 
  you for your help. "Thank you for allowing me the 
  opportunity to sort this mess out. It's been a most 
  beneficial business relationship. Perhaps we will be 
  able to help each other in the future."  
  The next morning the meeting Caderan proposed 
  occurs between the scholars from Veluna, Rechart 
  from Furyondy and Yindera. It is agreed that the 
  Oakstaff should be auctioned to one of the 
  participants in this episode; at least once Kanner's 
  theft protection spell is removed. 
  The PCs are welcome to buy the staff as listed on the AR. 
  It is assumed that they won the auction in this situation.  
  At APL 8 and 10, they also have access to Death’s Kiss.  
  They cannot gain the Favor of Tocanis Blot however. 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 23 
  Ending B: 
  A thin smile crosses the lips of Tocanis Blot as he 
  wraps his hand around the Oakstaff of Kanner the 
  Tall. "A pleasure doing business with you. I am a man 
  of my word, the riches I promised I leave with you. 
  Perhaps we will work together again in the future." 
  The PCs cannot purchase the staff in this case nor can 
  they gain Death’s Kiss.  However, they do gain the Favor 
  of Tocanis Blot. 
   
   
  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 One 
  Defeat Melm and Tabok or convince them to leave 
   
  APL 2 – 60 xp; 
   
  APL 4 – 120 xp; 
   
  APL 6 – 180 xp; 
   
  APL 8 – 240 xp; 
   
  APL 10 – 300 xp. 
  Encounter Three 
  Successfully putting the fire out 
   
  All APLs – 60 xp. 
  Encounter Seven 
  Defeat Tocanis’ servants 
   
  APL 2 – 120 xp; 
   
  APL 4 – 180 xp; 
   
  APL 6 – 240 xp; 
   
  APL 8 – 300 xp; 
   
  APL 10 – 360 xp. 
  Encounter Seven 
  Defeat Tocanis’ undead and Tocanis (at APL 8 or 10) 
   
  APL 2 – 120 xp; 
   
  APL 4 – 180 xp; 
   
  APL 6 – 240 xp; 
   
  APL 8 – 300 xp; 
   
  APL 10 – 360 xp. 
  Discretionary Roleplaying Award 
  Judge may allocate up to the following for good role-
  playing  
   
  APL 2 – 90 xp; 
   
  APL 4 – 135 xp; 
   
  APL 6 – 180 xp; 
   
  APL 8 – 225 xp; 
   
  APL 10 – 270 xp. 
  Total Possible Experience 
   
  APL 2 – 450 xp; 
   
  APL 4 – 675 xp; 
   
  APL 6 – 900 xp; 
   
  APL 8 – 1,125 xp; 
   
  APL 10 – 1,350 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 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 24 
  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 (sell value)  
  Encounter One: 
   
  APL 2: L: 28 gp; C: 0 gp; M: potion of shield of faith 
  +2 (4 gp), potion of cure light wounds (4 gp), slippers of 
  spider climbing (400 gp). 
   
  APL 4: L: 28 gp; C: 50 gp; M: potion of shield of faith 
  +2 (4 gp), potion of cure light wounds (4 gp), potion of 
  cure moderate wounds (25 gp), slippers of spider 
  climbing (400 gp). 
   
  APL 6: L: 12 gp; C: 100 gp; M: potion of shield of 
  faith +2 (4 gp), potion of bull’s strength (25 gp), 2 potions 
  of cure moderate wounds (25 gp each), 2 +1 chain shirts 
  (104 gp each), slippers of spider climbing (400 gp). 
   
  APL 8: L: 31 gp; C: 150 gp; M: potion of shield of 
  faith +2 (4 gp), potion of bull’s strength (25 gp), 2 potions 
  of cure moderate wounds (25 gp each), 2 +1 chain shirts 
  (104 gp each), +1 falchion (198 gp), slippers of spider 
  climbing (400 gp). 
   
  APL 10: L: 4 gp; C: 200 gp; M: potion of shield of 
  faith +2 (4 gp), potion of bull’s strength (25 gp), 2 potions 
  of cure moderate wounds (25 gp each), +2 chain shirt 
  (354 gp), +2 breastplate (363 gp), +2 falchion (698 gp), +1 
  keen rapier (694 gp), ring of protection +1 (167 gp), 
  slippers of spider climbing (400 gp). 
  Encounter Two: 
   
  APL 2: L: 0 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 4: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 150 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 200 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 250 gp; M: 0 gp. 
  Encounter Nine: 
   
  APL 2: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 4: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp. 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: ring of protection +2 (667 
  gp), Tocanis’ spellbook (55 gp), Death’s Kiss (693 gp). 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: ring of protection +2 (667 
  gp), Tocanis’ spellbook (55 gp), Death’s Kiss (1,527 gp), 
  metamagic rod, extend (917 gp). 
  Total Possible Treasure (Maximum Reward 
  Allowed) 
  APL 2: L: 28 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 408 gp - Total: 486 gp 
  (400 gp). 
  APL 4: L: 28 gp; C: 150 gp; M: 433 gp - Total: 611 gp 
  (600 gp). 
  APL 6: L: 12gp; C: 250 gp; M: 687 gp - Total: 949 gp 
  (800 gp). 
  APL 8: L: 31 gp; C: 350 gp; M: 2,300 gp - Total: 2,681 
  gp (1,250 gp). 
  APL 10: L: 4 gp; C: 450 gp; M: 5,921 gp - Total: 6,375 
  gp (2,100 gp). 
  Special 
  � Tocanis’ Spellbook 
   
  1
  st—[cause fear, chill touch, disguise self, mage 
  armor, negative energy ray (T&B), ray of enfeeblement, 
  shield]; 2
  nd—[blindness/deafness, command undead, 
  disguise undead (T&B), false life, ghoul touch, locate 
  object, scare, spectral hand]; 3
  rd—[fly, halt undead, 
  negative energy burst (T&B), ray of exhaustion, vampiric 
  touch]; 4
  th—[animate dead, bestow curse, contagion, 
  enervation, Evard’s black tentacles, fear, stoneskin]. 
   
  Market Price: 660 gp; Weight: 3 lbs. 
  � Immortalized in Song 
   
  You have performed a heroic act for the Bardic 
  Circle, and the bards will not soon forget it.  Nor are they 
  likely to let anyone else forget it.  At the beginning of any 
  adventure set in Bissel, roll a d20 and add your total 
  character level and Cha modifier to this roll.  If it beats 
  DC 20, then tales and songs of your deeds have preceded 
  you, and you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff, 
  Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform checks 
  during that adventure.  This benefit expires two years 
  from the date of this AR. 
  � Kanner’s Oakstaff 
   
  This +1 small quarterstaff is covered with arcane 
  symbols.  It grants the wielder a +2 enhancement bonus 
  (+3 if the wielder is a gnome) to the DC of any illusion 
  spell they cast.  This bonus does not stack with the Spell 
  Focus or Greater Spell Focus feats.  This staff may have 
  additional powers to be discovered later. 
   
  Caster Level: 14
  th; Prerequisites:  can’t be crafted; 
  Market Price: 12,600 gp; Weight: 4 lbs. 
  � Death’s Kiss 
   
  This +1 frost scythe (+2 frost scythe at APL 10) is 
  decorated with skulls and was once wielded by the 
  necromancer Tocanis, a servant of Evard.  It carries great 
  significance to the followers of Evard.  They will attack 
  the wielder of this scythe (before any others) and stop at 
  nothing to return it to Evard.  This scythe may have 
  additional powers to be discovered later. 
   
  Caster Level: 8
  th; Prerequisites: can’t be crafted; 
  Market Price: 8,318 gp (18,318 gp at APL 10); Weight: 10 
  lbs. 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 25 
  � Favor of Tocanis Blot 
   
  You have done a great service for Tocanis Blot, a 
  follower of Evard.  The immediate benefit of this favor is 
  that you earn maximum gp for this adventure.  In all 
  future scenarios while this favor is still in effect, all 
  followers of Evard you encounter will have their attitude 
  towards you shifted positively two steps and will avoid 
  causing your death if at all possible (stabilizing you if 
  necessary).  Unfortunately, if word of your trafficking 
  with a follower of Evard gets out, you will not be the 
  most popular person in Bissel.  At the end of any scenario 
  set in Bissel, roll a d20 (and only modify it by the Luck 
  domain or similar ability if you have it).  If the result is a 
  1, you treachery is discovered and you are arrested and 
  convicted of treason.  This PC is immediately executed 
  and removed from play permanently.  This favor expires 
  one year from the date of this AR. 
  Items for the Adventure Record 
  Item Access 
  APL 2: 
  � Kanner’s Oakstaff (Regional, see above) 
  � Slippers of Spider Climbing (Adventure, DMG) 
  APL 4 (APL 2 Items plus): 
  APL 6 (APL 2, 4 Items plus): 
  APL 8 (APL 2, 4, 6 Items plus): 
  � Death’s Kiss (Adventure, see above) 
  � Tocanis’ Spellbook (Adventure, see above) 
  � Ring of Protection +2 (Adventure, DMG) 
  APL 10 (APL 2, 4, 6, 8 Items plus): 
  � +1 Keen Rapier (Adventure, DMG) 
  � +2 Chain Shirt (Adventure, DMG) 
  � +2 Falchion (Adventure, DMG) 
  � +2 Breastplate (Adventure, DMG) 
  � Metamagic Rod, Extend (Adventure, DMG) 
   
   
   
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 26 
  Appendix I: NPCs 
   
  Encounter One: 
  Brith Brigscunyon, male gnome Exp2/Wiz (Ill) 1; Small 
  Humanoid; HD 1d4+2d6+6; hp 17; Init +1; Spd 20 ft; AC 
  12 (touch 12, flat-footed 11) [+1 Dex, +1 size]; Atk +0 
  melee  (1d4-2,19-20/×2, Dagger); SA Spells; SQ Spell-like 
  abilities, 
  Dancing 
  Lights, 
  Ghost 
  Sound 
  and 
  Prestidigitation all 1/day; AL NG ; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, 
  Will +6;Str 6, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 12 
   
  Languages: Common, Gnome, Draconic, Dwarven, 
  Elven, Ancient Baklunish, Velondi 
   
  Skills & Feats: Alchemy  +6, Appraise +4, Bluff +6, 
  Concentration +4, Craft (Bookbinder) +8, Diplomacy +7, 
  Forgery +11, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Local 
  – Sheldomar Valley) +8, Profession (Merchant) +6, Sense 
  Motive +6, Spellcraft +5; Skill Focus(Forgery), Spell 
  Focus(Illusion). 
   
  Spells Prepared (4/3; base DC = 13+spell level+ 2 for 
  illusions): 0- [Ghost Sound, Read Magic (3x)]; 1
  st-  [Silent 
  Image (x2), Unseen Servant (x2)]. 
   
  Possessions: dagger, rare books, merchant's garb, 
  bookbinder's tools, spell component pouch, spellbook, 
  donkey.  
  APL 2 
  Melm, 
  male 
  human 
  (Oeridian) 
  Rog1; 
  Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 1d6+1; hp 6; Init +7; Spd 30ft; AC 18 
  (touch 13, flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, +1 shield, +3 Dex]; 
  Atk +2 melee  (1d6+1,18-20/×2, Rapier), +4 ranged  
  (1d4+1, Dart); Sneak attack +1d6; SQ Evasion; AL NE; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +6, Will -1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, 
  Wis 8, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +5, Hide +7, Listen +3, Move 
  Silently +7, Open Lock +7, Pick Pocket +7, Search +6, 
  Sense Motive +3, Spot +6, Tumble +7, Use Rope +7; 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative. 
   
  Possessions: rapier, darts (4), chain shirt, buckler, 
  thieves' tools, potion of shield of faith +2, slippers of 
  spider climbing. 
  Tabok, male half-orc, Bbn1; Medium Humanoid; HD 
  1d12+1; hp 10; Init +3; Spd 40 ft; AC 17 (touch 13, flat-
  footed 14) [+4 armor, +3 Dex]; Atk +5 melee  (2d4+6,18-
  20/×2, Falchion); SA Rage 1/day; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref 
  +3, Will +0; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +2, Jump +4, 
  Survival +4; Power Attack. 
   
  Possessions: falchion, chain shirt, potion of cure 
  light wounds. 
   
  APL 4 
  Melm, male human (Oeridian) Rog1/Ftr 1; Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 1d6+d10+2; hp 14; Init +7; Spd 30ft; AC 
  18 (touch 13, flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, +1 shield, +3 Dex]; 
  Atk +5 melee  (1d6+1,18-20/×2, Rapier), +5 ranged  
  (1d4+1, Dart); Sneak attack +1d6; SQ Evasion; AL NE; SV 
  Fort +3, Ref +6, Will -1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, 
  Wis 8, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +6, Hide +7, Listen +3, Move 
  Silently +7, Open Lock +7, Pick Pocket +7, Search +6, 
  Sense Motive +3, Spot +6, Tumble +8, Use Rope +7; 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse. 
   
  Possessions: rapier, darts (4), chain shirt, buckler, 
  thieves' tools, potion of shield of faith +2, potion of cure 
  light wounds, slippers of spider climbing. 
  Tabok, male half-orc, Bbn1/Rog1; Medium Humanoid; 
  HD 1d12+d6+2; hp 15; Init +3; Spd 40 ft; AC 17 (touch 13, 
  flat-footed 14) [+4 armor, +3 Dex]; Atk +5 melee  
  (2d4+6,18-20/×2, Falchion); SA Rage 1/day, sneak attack 
  +1d6; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +0; Str 18, Dex 16, 
  Con 12, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +3, Jump +4, 
  Tumble +8, Survival¹ +4; Power Attack. 
   
  Possessions: falchion, chain shirt, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds. 
  APL 6 
  Melm, male human (Oeridian) Rog3/Ftr1; Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 3d6+d10+4; hp 24; Init +7; Spd 30ft; AC 
  19 (touch 13, flat-footed 15) [+5 armor, +1 shield, +3 Dex]; 
  Atk +7 melee  (1d6+1,18-20/×2, Rapier), +7 ranged  
  (1d4+1, Dart); Sneak attack +2d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny 
  Dodge (Dex to AC); AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +0; 
  Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +8, Hide +9, Listen +5, Move 
  Silently +9, Open Lock +9, Pick Pocket +9, Search +8, 
  Sense Motive +5, Spot +8, Tumble +10, Use Rope +9; 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Quick 
  Draw. 
   
  Possessions: rapier, darts (4), chain shirt +1, buckler, 
  thieves' tools, potion of shield of faith +2, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, slippers of spider climbing. 
  Tabok, male half-orc, Bbn2/Rog2; Medium Humanoid; 
  HD 2d12+2d6+4; hp 30; Init +3; Spd 40 ft; AC 18 (touch 
  13, flat-footed 15) [+5 armor, +3 Dex]; Atk +7 melee  
  (2d4+6,18-20/×2, Falchion); SA Rage 1/day, sneak attack 
  +1d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny Dodge (Dex to AC); AL NE; 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 27 
  SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +0; Str 19, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 6, 
  Wis 10, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +5, Jump +5, 
  Tumble +10, Survival¹ +7; Power Attack, Quick Draw. 
   
  Possessions: falchion, chain shirt+1, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of bull’s strength. 
   
  APL 8 
  Melm, male human (Oeridian) Rog5/Ftr1; Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 5d6+d10+6; hp 35; Init +7; Spd 30ft; AC 
  19 (touch 13, flat-footed 15) [+5 armor, +1 shield, +3 Dex]; 
  Atk +10 melee  (1d6+1,18-20/×2, Rapier), +8 ranged  
  (1d4+1, Dart); Sneak attack +3d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny 
  Dodge (Dex to AC); AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +0; 
  Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +10, Hide +11, Listen +7, Move 
  Silently +11, Open Lock +11, Pick Pocket +11, Search +10, 
  Sense Motive +7, Spot +10, Tumble +12, Use Rope +11; 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Quick 
  Draw, Weapon Focus (rapier). 
   
  Possessions: MW rapier, darts (4), chain shirt +1, 
  buckler, thieves' tools, potion of shield of faith +2, potion 
  of cure moderate wounds, slippers of spider climbing. 
  Tabok, 
  male 
  half-orc, 
  Bbn2/Rog2/Ftr2; 
  Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 2d12+2d6+2d10+6; hp 47; Init +3; Spd 40 
  ft; AC 18 (touch 13, flat-footed 15) [+5 armor, +3 Dex]; 
  Atk +11 melee  (2d4+7,18-20/×2, Falchion); SA Rage 
  1/day, sneak attack +1d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny Dodge 
  (Dex to AC); AL NE; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +0; Str 19, 
  Dex 16, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +6, Jump +5, 
  Tumble +10, Survival +7; Power Attack, Quick Draw, 
  Weapon Focus (falchion), Dodge. 
  Possessions: falchion+1, chain shirt+1, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of bull’s strength. 
   
  APL 10 
  Melm, male human (Oeridian) Rog7/Ftr1; Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 7d6+d10+8; hp 45; Init +7; Spd 30ft; AC 
  21 (touch 14, flat-footed 16) [+6 armor, +1 shield, +4 Dex]; 
  Atk +12 melee  (1d6+1,16-20/×2, Rapier), +10 ranged  
  (1d4+1, Dart); Sneak attack +4d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny 
  Dodge (Dex to AC); AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +1; 
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +13, Hide +15, Listen +10, Move 
  Silently +15, Open Lock +13, Pick Pocket +13, Search +10, 
  Sense Motive +9, Spot +10, Tumble +15, Use Rope +12; 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Quick 
  Draw, Weapon Focus (rapier). 
   
  Possessions: +1 keen rapier, darts (4), chain shirt +2, 
  buckler, thieves' tools, potion of shield of faith +2, potion 
  of cure moderate wounds, slippers of spider climbing. 
  Tabok, male half-orc, Bbn4/Rog2/Ftr 2; Medium 
  Humanoid; HD 4d12+2d6+2d10+8; hp 66; Init +3; Spd 40 
  ft; AC 21 (touch 14, flat-footed 18) [+7 armor, +3 Dex, +1 
  ring]; Atk +14/+9 melee  (2d4+8,18-20/×2, Falchion); SA 
  Rage 2/day, sneak attack +1d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny 
  Dodge (Dex to AC); AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +1; 
  Str 20, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +6, Jump +7, 
  Tumble +10, Survival +7; Power Attack, Quick Draw, 
  Weapon Focus (falchion), Dodge. 
   
  Possessions: falchion +2, breastplate +2, potion of 
  cure moderate wounds, potion of bull’s strength. Ring of 
  protection +1. 
  Encounter Three: 
  Typical Bardic Circle Initiate, female or male human 
  Brd 3; Medium Humanoid; HD 3d6-3; hp 12; Init +2; Spd 
  30 ft; AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 10) [+2 Dex]; SA Bardic 
  Music; SQ  Bardic Knowledge; AL CN; SV Fort +0, Ref 
  +5, Will +6; Str 8, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +9, Knowledge (any two) +8, 
  Perform +11, Sense Motive +7, Tumble +8; Dodge, Iron 
  Will, Skill Focus (Perform). 
   
  Spells Per Day (3/2; base DC 13+spell level): o- 
  [Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost sound, Mage hand, 
  Mending, Prestidigitation]; 1
  st- [Charm Person, Cure 
  Light Wounds, Mage Armor]. 
   
  Possessions: 
  MW 
  Musical 
  Instrument, 
  Spell 
  Component pouch, study materials, bottle of wine. 
  Encounter Seven: 
  Bince Rupel, male human (Oeridian) Brd2/Rog1; 
  Medium Humanoid; HD 3d6+3; hp 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; 
  AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 10) [+2 Dex]; Atk +1 melee  
  (1d6,18-20/×2, Rapier); SA Bardic Music; SQ Bardic 
  Knowledge; AL CN; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 11, 
  Dex 15, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 15. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +8, Hide +6, Knowledge 
  (history) +3, Knowledge (Local – Sheldomar Valley) +5, 
  Move Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Perform +8, Pick Pocket 
  +10, Search +5, Spot +3, Tumble +8, Use Rope +6; Combat 
  Casting, Dodge, Skill Focus: Knowledge (Local – 
  Sheldomar Valley). 
   
   
  Spells per Day (3/1; base DC 12+ spell level): o- 
  [Daze, 
  Detect 
  Magic, 
  Mage 
  Hand, 
  Open/Close, 
  Prestidigitation]; 1
  st- [Cure Light Wounds, Mage Armor]. 
   
  Possessions: rapier. 
  APL 4/APL 6 
  Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1; Medium Undead; HD 
  4d12+1d8+3; hp 45; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 21 (touch 13, 
  flat-footed 18) [+3 Dex, +4 natural, +4 Mage Armor]; Atk 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 28 
  +6 melee (bite 1d8+3 plus paralysis), +4 (2 claws 1d4+1 
  plus paralysis); SA Favored Enemy +2 (Humans), 
  Paralysis, Stench, Spell-like abilities; SQ Create Spawn, 
  DR 5/magic, SR 18, darkvision 60 ft., Turn resistance +4, 
  Undead Traits, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, 
  Will +8; Str 17, Dex 17, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Climb +9, Escape Artist 
  +9, Hide +8, Jump +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Survival 
  +9; Multiattack, Toughness, Track. 
   
  Spell-like abilities (caster level 5; base DC 13 + spell 
  level): 1/day Mage Armor, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric 
  Touch; 2/day Scare, Summon Swarm; 3/day Cause Fear. 
  APL 8 
  Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1/Ftr1; Medium Undead; HD 
  4d12+1d8+1d10+3; hp 52; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 21 (touch 
  13, flat-footed 18) [+3 Dex, +4 natural, +4 Mage Armor]; 
  Atk +8 melee (bite 1d8+3 plus paralysis), +6 (2 claws 
  1d4+1 plus paralysis); SA Favored Enemy +2 (Humans), 
  Paralysis, Stench, Spell-like abilities; SQ Create Spawn, 
  DR 5/magic, SR 18, darkvision 60 ft., Turn resistance +4, 
  Undead Traits, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, 
  Will +8; Str 17, Dex 17, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Climb +9, Escape Artist 
  +9, Hide +8, Jump +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Survival 
  +9, Swim +6; Multiattack, Toughness, Track, Weapon 
  Focus (claw, bite). 
   
  Spell-like abilities (caster level 6; base DC 13 + spell 
  level): 1/day Mage Armor, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric 
  Touch; 2/day Scare, Summon Swarm; 3/day Cause Fear. 
  Spellstitched Ghast Rog1/Ftr1; Medium Undead; HD 
  4d12+1d6+1d10+3; hp 51; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 21 (touch 
  13, flat-footed 18) [+3 Dex, +4 natural, +4 Mage Armor]; 
  Atk +7 melee (bite 1d8+3 plus paralysis), +5 (2 claws 
  1d4+1 plus paralysis); SA Sneak Attack +1d6, Paralysis, 
  Stench, Spell-like abilities; SQ Create Spawn, DR 
  5/magic, SR 18, darkvision 60 ft., Turn resistance +4, 
  Undead Traits, Trapfinding; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, 
  Will +8; Str 17, Dex 17, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Climb +9, Escape Artist 
  +9, Hide +8, Jump +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Swim 
  +6, Tumble +12; Multiattack, Toughness, Weapon Focus 
  (claw, bite). 
   
  Spell-like abilities (caster level 6; base DC 13 + spell 
  level): 1/day Mage Armor, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric 
  Touch; 2/day Scare, Summon Swarm; 3/day Cause Fear. 
  APL 10 
  Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1/Ftr3; Medium Undead; HD 
  4d12+1d8+3d10+3; hp 67; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 21 (touch 
  13, flat-footed 18) [+3 Dex, +4 natural, +4 Mage Armor]; 
  Atk +11 melee (bite 1d8+4 plus paralysis), +9 (2 claws 
  1d4+2 plus paralysis); SA Favored Enemy +2 (Humans), 
  Paralysis, Stench, Spell-like abilities; SQ Create Spawn, 
  DR 5/magic silver, SR 18, darkvision 60 ft., Turn 
  resistance +4, Undead Traits, wild empathy; AL CE; SV 
  Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +9; Str 18, Dex 17, Con -, Int 13, Wis 
  14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Climb +12, Escape Artist 
  +9, Hide +8, Jump +12, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, 
  Survival +9, Swim +9; Combat Reflexes, Multiattack, 
  Toughness, Track, Weapon Focus (claw, bite). 
   
  Spell-like abilities (caster level 6; base DC 13 + spell 
  level): 1/day Mage Armor, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric 
  Touch; 2/day Scare, Summon Swarm; 3/day Cause Fear. 
  Spellstitched Ghast Rog3/Ftr1; Medium Undead; HD 
  4d12+3d6+1d10+3; hp 60; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; AC 22 (touch 
  14, flat-footed 18) [+4 Dex, +4 natural, +4 Mage Armor]; 
  Atk +9 melee (bite 1d8+3 plus paralysis), +7 (2 claws 
  1d4+1 plus paralysis); SA Sneak Attack +2d6, Paralysis, 
  Stench, Spell-like abilities; SQ Create Spawn, DR 
  5/magic silver, SR 18, darkvision 60 ft., Turn resistance 
  +4, Undead Traits, Trapfinding, trap sense +1, evasion; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +9; Str 17, Dex 18, Con -, Int 
  13, Wis 14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Bluff +12, Climb +9, 
  Escape Artist +10, Hide +9, Jump +9, Move Silently +9, 
  Sense Motive +11, Spot +8, Swim +6, Tumble +13; 
  Multiattack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw, bite). 
   
  Spell-like abilities (caster level 6; base DC 13 + spell 
  level): 1/day Mage Armor, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric 
  Touch; 2/day Scare, Summon Swarm; 3/day Cause Fear. 
  Encounter Eight: 
  Yindera Raschid, female human (Baklunish) Brd4/Rog3; 
  Medium Humanoid; HD 7d6; hp 32; Init +7; Spd 30 ft; 
  AC 17 (touch 13, flat-footed 14) [+3 Dex, +3 armor, +1 
  shield]; Atk +9 melee (1d6–1/18-20/×2, Masterwork 
  rapier), +9 ranged  (1d8/×3, Masterwork composite 
  longbow); SA Bardic Music, Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ 
  Bardic Knowledge, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge (Dex to 
  AC); AL CN; SV Fort +2, Ref +10, Will +4; Str 8, Dex 17, 
  Con 10, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 18. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Balance +7, Bluff +12, Decipher Script 
  +7, Disable Device +6, Disguise +12, Forgery +6, Hide 
  +10, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (history) +7, 
  Knowledge (Local – Sheldomar Valley) +7, Move Silently 
  +10, Open Lock +7, Perform +14, Search +4, Tumble +13, 
  Use Magic Device +12; Improved Initiative, Spell 
  Focus(Enchantment), Weapon Finesse(Rapier), Greater 
  Spell Focus(Enchantment) 
   
  Possessions: MW Rapier, MW Studded Leather, 
  MW Buckler, MW flute, MW Composite Longbow, 
  Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location. 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 29 
   
  Spells 
  per 
  Day: 
  (3/3/1; 
  base 
  DC 
  14+spell 
  level/16+spell level for enchantments): 0- [Daze, Detect 
  Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Read Magic]; 
  1
  st- [Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Unseen 
  Servant]; 2
  nd- [Cure Moderate Wounds, Suggestion]. 
  Encounter Nine: 
  APL 8 
  Tocanis Blot, male human (Suloise) Wiz(Nec)5/Clr3 of 
  Nerull/Pale 
  Master1; 
  Medium 
  Humanoid; 
  HD 
  5d4+1d6+3d8+9; hp 45; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 26  (touch 
  16, flat footed 24) [+2 bone mail, +2 Dex, +2 ring of 
  protection, +4 mage armor, +2 shield of faith, +4 shield]; 
  Atk +6 melee  (2d4+2+1d6 cold, crit ×4, +1 frost scythe, 
  "Death's Kiss"); SA spells; SQ spells, spontaneous casting; 
  SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +11; AL LE; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 
  12, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 12. 
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +6, Concentration +13, Diplomacy 
  +11, Disguise +6, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge 
  (religion) +16, Spellcraft +13; Combat Casting, Martial 
  Weapon Proficiency(Scythe), Skill Focus(Knowledge 
  (religion)), Spell Focus(Necromancy), Extend Spell, 
  Greater Spell Focus(Necromancy) 
  Possessions: Death's Kiss (+1 Frost Scythe), Spell 
  Components, Spell Book, +2 ring of protection. 
  Cleric Spells Prepared (4/4/3; base DC 12+spell level): o- 
  [Detect Magic (2x), Guidance (2x)]; 1
  st- [Cause Fear 
  (domain), Cure Light Wounds (2x), Shield of Faith]; 2
  nd- 
  [Cure 
  Moderate 
  Wounds, 
  Invisibility 
  (domain), 
  Undetectable Alignment]. 
  Wizard Spells Prepared (5/5/5/4; base DC 13 + spell level, 
  DC 15 + spell level necromancy): o- [Acid Splash, Disrupt 
  Undead (x2), Mage Hand, Prestidigitation]; 1
  st- [Disguise 
  Self, Mage Armor, Negative Energy Ray*, Ray of 
  Enfeeblement, Shield]; 2
  nd- [Blindness/Deafness, Ghoul 
  Touch, Disguise Undead*, False Life, Locate Object]; 3
  rd- 
  [Scare (extended), Fly, Negative Energy Burst*, Ray of 
  Exhaustion]. 
  Prohibited 
  schools: 
  Enchantment, 
  Evocation.  
  *Described in Tome and Blood (see Appendix II). 
   
  APL 10 
  Tocanis Blot, male human (Suloise) Wiz(Nec)7/Clr3 of 
  Nerull/Pale 
  Master1; 
  Medium 
  Humanoid; 
  HD 
  7d4+1d6+3d8+26; hp 63; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 26  (touch 
  16, flat footed 24) [+2 bone mail, +2 Dex, +2 ring of 
  protection, +4 mage armor, +2 shield of faith, +4 shield]; 
  Atk +8 melee  (2d4+3+1d6 cold, crit ×4, +2 frost scythe, 
  "Death's Kiss"); SA spells; SQ spells, spontaneous casting; 
  SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +12; AL LE; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 
  12, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 12. 
  Skills & Feats: Bluff +9, Concentration +15, Diplomacy 
  +10, Disguise +8, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge 
  (religion) +20, Spellcraft +17; Combat Casting, Martial 
  Weapon Proficiency(Scythe), Skill Focus (Knowledge: 
  Religion), Spell Focus(Necromancy), Extend Spell, 
  Greater Spell Focus(Necromancy) 
  Possessions: Death's Kiss (+2 Frost Scythe), Spell 
  Components, Spell Book, +2 ring of protection, 
  Metamagic Rod: Extend (used twice today). 
  Cleric Spells Prepared (4/4/3; base DC 12+spell level): o- 
  [Detect Magic (2x), Guidance (2x)]; 1
  st- [Cause Fear 
  (domain), Cure Light Wounds (2x), Shield of Faith]; 2
  nd- 
  [Cure 
  Moderate 
  Wounds, 
  Invisibility 
  (domain), 
  Undetectable Alignment]. 
  Wizard Spells Prepared (5/6/5/5/3; base DC 13 +spell 
  level, 15+ spell level necromancy): o- [Acid Splash, 
  Disrupt Undead (x2), Mage Hand, Prestidigitation]; 1
  st- 
  [Disguise Self, Mage Armor, Negative Energy Ray* (x2), 
  Ray of Enfeeblement, Shield]; 2
  nd- [Blindness/Deafness, 
  Ghoul Touch, Disguise Undead*, False Life, Locate 
  Object]; 3
  rd- [Scare (extended), Fly, Negative Energy 
  Burst*, Ray of Exhaustion (x2)]; 4
  th –[Evard’s Black 
  Tentacles, Stoneskin, Enervation]. Prohibited schools: 
  Enchantment, Evocation.  
  *Described in Tome and Blood (see Appendix II). 
   
  Spellstitched Ghast Rgr1; Medium Undead; HD 
  4d12+1d8+3; hp 45; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 21 (touch 13, 
  flat-footed 18) [+3 Dex, +4 natural, +4 Mage Armor]; Atk 
  +6 melee (bite 1d8+3 plus paralysis), +4 (2 claws 1d4+1 
  plus paralysis); SA Favored Enemy +2 (Humans), 
  Paralysis, Stench, Spell-like abilities; SQ Create Spawn, 
  DR 5/magic, SR 18, darkvision 60 ft., Turn resistance +4, 
  Undead Traits, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, 
  Will +8; Str 17, Dex 17, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Climb +9, Escape Artist 
  +9, Hide +8, Jump +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Survival 
  +9; Multiattack, Toughness, Track. 
   
  Spell-like abilities (caster level 5; base DC 13 + spell 
  level): 1/day Mage Armor, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric 
  Touch; 2/day Scare, Summon Swarm; 3/day Cause Fear. 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 30 
  Appendix II: New Spells 
   
  Negative Energy Ray (from Tome & Blood) 
  Necromancy 
  Level: Sor/Wiz 1 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Effect: Ray 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: Will half (see text) 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   A ray of negative energy projects from your pointing finger.  You must succeed at a ranged touch attack with the 
  ray to deal damage to a target.  The ray deals 1d6 points of damage to a living creature. 
   For every two extra levels of experience past 1
  st, you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage.  You deal 2d6 at 3
  rd level, 
  3d6 at 5
  th level, 4d6 at 7
  th level, and a maximum of 5d6 points of damage at 9
  th level or higher. 
   Since undead are powered by negative energy, this spell cures them of a like amount of damage, rather than 
  harming them. 
   
  Material Component: A mirror, which you break. 
  Negative Energy Burst (from Tome and Blood) 
  Necromancy 
  Level:  Sor/Wiz 3 
  Components:  V,S 
  Casting Time:  1 action 
  Range:  Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Effect:  20 ft. radius burst 
  Duration:  Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw:  Will half (see text) 
  Spell Resistance:  Yes 
   You release a silent burst of negative energy from a point you indicate. 
   The burst deals 1d8 points of damage to living creatures in the area + 1 point per caster level (maximum 1d8+10).  A 
  successful Will save reduces damage by half. 
   Since undead are powered by negative energy, this spell cures them of a like amount of damage, rather than 
  harming them. 
  Disguise Undead (from Tome and Blood) 
   As per the disguise self spell in the Player’s Handbook, but Level is “Sor/Wiz 2”, Components includes a Focus (a 
  cocoon of a death’s head moth), Range is Touch, Target is “One corporeal undead”, and Saving Throw is “None 
  (harmless)”. 
   
   
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 31 
  Player Handout #1 
   
  This is the perceived conversation gained through a Spot check to read lips: 
   
  Gnome: "-'m sorry gen-men c- I help you?" 
  Human: "Y-, we w- just going to help ourselves to -ese seats here." 
  Half-orc: "Yuh, h- ourselves." 
  Gnome: "Now see h-, I th- it's highly improper to j- sit d- without my invitation." 
  Human: "Listen m'lord, we're -ust interested in wh- you're transporting thr- here.  
  Gnome: "-'m sorry -ut th- is priviledged..." 
  Human: "Hey, we -ust w- to help guard your -ares. N- ill intentions." 
  Gnome: "Well I h- no interest in -ealing with the likes of y-. I'll -ust be taking my -eave..." 
  Half-orc: "Sit down!" 
  Human: "Listen h- friend, you're going to tell us all about your -argo if you w- to leave Doutham the -ame w- you 
  entered." 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 32 
  Player Handout #2 
   
  This is the perceived conversation gained through a Spot check to read lips: 
   
  Gnome: "-'m Rary gen-men, I w- hurt you!" 
  Human: "Y-, we w- just going to help ourselves to -ese seats here." 
  Half-orc: "Yuh, h- ourselves." 
  Gnome: "Now see h-, I th- I'll use my mighty power to cast you out w- a high invocation!" 
  Human: "Listen m'lord we're -ust interested in wh- you're transporting thr- here." 
  Gnome: "-'m Rary! -nd I -ill pillage!" 
  Human: "Hey, we -ust w- to help guard your -ares. N- ill intentions." 
  Gnome: "Well I'll h- to cast some spell to hit spikes upon you! I'll -ust be r-ing up my sleave..." 
  Half-orc: Sit down! 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 33 
  Player Handout #3 
   
  A letter written on fine paper in a delicate, careful script 
   
  3 Flocktime, Grayington 
  To the most serene and scholarly Yindera Raschid, 
   First I must thank you for the honor you have bestowed upon my brothers and I by 
  writing to us of your most learned findings. I find it daunting that word my own researches 
  into the "Small War" have reached the eminent Bardic Circle of Bissel. What was even 
  more surprising was to learn that your researches have confirmed what I have suspected for 
  almost a decade now; that the famed mage-hero of that conflict, Kanner the Tall, was a 
  devout worshipper of Rao and a native of Veluna. We're most excited about this news; the 
  subject has dominated our evening conversations since your letter arrived.  
   Indeed, this uncovered lore only serves to amplify the glory of Rao's name, and as 
  such my brothers and I are only too happy to send what wealth we can spare to fund your 
  continued researches on this matter. Your promise to donate Kanner's famous Oakstaff, if 
  it has indeed survived these years intact, is most generous. It will make a fine relic to 
  display in the worship area of our modest temple.  
   With Rao's blessing, I look forward to meeting you on the second Earthday of 
  Wealsun, at the place you mentioned. It will be most exciting to meet and speak with you 
  at last. 
  Yours in Rao, 
  Brother Caderan Lorgrave,  
  Assistant Vice-Cleric of Scholarly Reason 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 34 
  Player Handout #4 
   
  A letter written on course parchment in a tight, deliberate script. 
  The letter also bears the seal of the Royal Explorer's Society. 
   
  To the esteemed Yindera Raschid, 
   
  I offer many thanks for the letter regarding your remarkable 
  investigations into the "Small War" of 436-438 CY. However, I'm afraid 
  you have been misled as to the goals of the Royal Explorers Society. Our 
  primary interest is the discovery of new and foreign cultures and lands, 
  not historical inquiries into the former vassal-states of our mighty 
  Empire. As such, it is with great regret that I must inform you that the 
  Royal Explorers Society has denied your appeal for funding. I would 
  like to personally offer my condolences, as well as a new proposal for 
  mutual gain. 
   
  The claim that you put forth in your letter to the Society, that the 
  famed wizard Kanner the Tall was a patriot of Keoland, runs contrary 
  to most current theories. Yet I would be very interested in taking a first-
  hand look at the evidence you cited in your letter. As such, I am sending 
  with this note a small amount of money meant to aid in your studies on 
  this subject. In return, I hope that Kanner's Oakstaff, which you 
  promised the Society, might instead become the property of one who did 
  not turn a deaf ear to your pleadings for assistance. 
   
  Thus, instead of an official envoy from the Society, I will personally 
  meet with you, as an individual, at the Crystal Web Tavern in Calpius' 
  Craft on the day and time that you mentioned.  
   
  Good luck and I hope to see you and the Oakstaff next month, 
  Tocanis Blot,  
  Two Flocktime, Niole Dra 
   
  (The seal of the Royal Explorers Society is stamped here) 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 35 
  Player Handout #5 
   
  A letter written on thin, brittle parchment in a hasty, unmeasured script. The back of this parchment has many letters 
  and numbers scratched out, leading you to believe that this particular parchment has been used at least once before. 
  Dearest Yindera,  
   
  It seems as if an entire age has passed since I last heard from you; I 
  suppose you have little time to spare your elders these days. Yet, I will not 
  allow such a radiant creature as you turn me into a bitter old man. Our 
  time in Hardby brings back many bittersweet memories... 
   
  But you wrote me on business, and business is what I shall discuss. 
  Your findings in regards to the "Small War" are most interesting, and 
  certainly worthy of the attention of the College of Concrescent Lore. The 
  premise of the wizard named Kanner the Tall being from my homeland 
  in Furyondy is a well known hypothesis to me, but the new evidence 
  you've uncovered must be quite a find for you to contact me after all 
  these years. That fact alone has been enough to convince me to use what 
  small weight I have here to appropriate these funds, enclosed with this 
  message. May it bring a swift completion to your work on this matter, 
  and I will personally see what progress you've made next month in 
  Calpius' Craft. I confess, an evening rendezvous with you will be an 
  unmixed pleasure, if we can dispense with out business quickly enough. 
  Perhaps, I won't be returning with just Kanner's Oakstaff, but the 
  greater prize of Yindera as well.  
  Your most ardent supporter, 
  Rechart Molender; 5 Flocktime, Chendl 
  
  BIS3-03 Oakstaff 
   
  Page 36 
  Player Handout #6 
   
  This is pertinent information gained from studying the books which Brith Brigscunyon is transporting.  
   
  From page 538 of Reman's Guide to the Sheldomar, a relatively recent work, written in 588 CY 
  ...in this conflict it was a mage named Kanner the Tall who would prove to be one of the deciding factors. 
  The mage was apparently tall beyond belief and wielded impressive magics that demanded respect from 
  his allies and inspired fear in his enemies. He was not a member of either of the invading armies, but 
  instead remained a "come-as-you-please" ally, appearing and disappearing at will.  
   
  This Kanner individual seems to me as having possessed many of the attributes of your typical 
  Bisselite: strongly independent in a very superficial way. For as the nation throws off one oppressor 
  they always seem to welcome another, and that leads me to discussion of more recent events, for even as... 
   
  From page 672 of volume one of Ralora Dain's March Palatine, written circa 530 CY 
  To date, the following rhyme is the only reference I have found concerning the fate of 
  Kanner the Tall after his escapades in the "Small War:" 
  Kanner from the East 
  Driving toward the West 
  His foes from the South 
  In the North is where he rests  
  I have investigated the possible resting place of Kanner, with no luck. No scroll mentioning 
  him exists, and no local of the north knows of his name. This leads me to believe that 
  Kanner may be fictitious, much like the well-known tale that begins... 
   
  From page 310 of Ezlen the Old's Bissel in My Own Eyes, written between the years 559-561 CY 
  j{xÇ \ ãtá utÜxÄç t vxÇàâÜç ÉÄw \ {tw à{x zÜxtà yÉÜàâÇx àÉ Åxxà YtÄÄÉÇ à{x [ÉÇxáà? t ctÄtw|Ç Éy etÉ tÇw äxàxÜtÇ Éy 
  à{x 5fÅtÄÄ jtÜA5 g{x xÄwxÜÄç {âÅtÇ {tw t Ä|ààÄx ÑÜÉuÄxÅ ã|à{ {|á ÅxÅÉÜç? uâà ã{xÇ tá~xw tuÉâà ^tÇÇxÜ à{x gtÄÄ? 
  YtÄÄÉÇ àÉÄw Åx à{tà {x {tw ÇxäxÜ Åxà t ÅÉÜx wxvxÑà|äxÄç àÜâáàãÉÜà{ç |Çw|ä|wâtÄA \ yÉâÇw à{|á t äxÜç Éww à{|Çz àÉ átç? uâà tá 
  YtÄÄÉÇ |á ÜxÑâàxw àÉ {täx ÇxäxÜ àÉÄw t Ä|x wâÜ|Çz {|á ÄÉÇz Ä|yx? \ wÉ ÇÉà wÉâuà à{x áàtàxÅxÇàA 5bÇ à{x wtç \ Ätáà átã 
  ^tÇÇxÜ?Ê à{x tzxw ~Ç|z{à át|w? 5à{x ã|étÜw àÉÄw Åx à{tà ãx ãÉâÄw ÇxäxÜ Åxxà tzt|ÇA \ {tw {xtÜw {|Å átç à{tà ÅtÇç à|Åxá? 
  ÉÇÄç àÉ y|Çw à{x ÜtávtÄ àãÉ wtçá ÄtàxÜ? yxtáà|Çz ÉÇ Åç Ütà|ÉÇá tÇw }É~|Çz ã|à{ à{x ÅxÇA \ tá~xw {|Å ã{xÜx {x ãtá zÉ|Çz tÇw {x 
  }âáà át|w :aÉÜà{A: \à ãtá àÜâx à{tà à|Åx? \:äx ÇxäxÜ áxxÇ ÉÜ {xtÜw yÜÉÅ {|Å á|ÇvxA5 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/EXTRAS/Greyhawk/Living Greyhawk - RPGA/BIS (March of Bissel)/BIS3-03 Oakstaff (3E).pdf