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.  
   
  KEOI 3-03 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Escape From Waldon 
  Mountain 
   
  An Introductory D&D LIVING GREYHAWK®  
  Keoland Regional Adventure 
  Version 1.3 
   
  by Sean Smith 
   
   
  Pa Waldon dreams of rebuilding the family tavern. But the area is off limits ever since those strange men in black 
  rode into town. What secrets are they hiding up on Waldon Mountian? An introductory adventure for 1st level 
  characters.
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  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 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  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 
  you determine treasure and experience awards for the 
  scenario.  
  After voting, give the Scoring Packet to your event 
  coordinator.  
  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 1st-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 1st-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 
  Keoland.  Characters native to Keoland 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. 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 4 
  Adventure Background 
  The heroes encounter restless spirits atop a desecrated 
  mountaintop, while attempting to keep a senile old 
  farmer from awakening demonic forces. Don’t forget to 
  stay one step ahead of the Darkwatch in the process! 
  Adventure Summary  
  En route to the Upper Flen seeking employment, heavy 
  weather drives the adventurers to take shelter in the 
  small farming village of Waldon Pass. Aiding a farmer 
  whose cattle are mired in the mud and blocking the 
  road, the heroes meet both each other and Pa Waldon, 
  pious patriarch of the Waldon clan. In return for their 
  help, he offers a warm meal and room in his large dry 
  mill during the stormy night. 
  Over dinner, the new heroes meet the many members of 
  the Waldon family. The children escort Grandpa 
  Zebulon Waldon to the dinner table, and he spins a 
  yarn for the PCs. He tells how once, the Golden Arches 
  Tavern served the townsfolk, and travelers came from 
  far and wide to try his tasty steaks and sandwiches, 
  made from cattle he raised himself. However Juril, a 
  disgruntled cook who dabbled in the dark arts of 
  Tharizdun (see KEO2-03 Downtrodded) cursed the 
  mountaintop. The halfling cooks all teased him and 
  played pranks on the strange loner, until he finally 
  cracked and cursed them all. Grandpa tells how the 
  Riders in Black arrived, and shut down the mountain 
  roads by order of the Darkwatch. 
  That night a storm much like the one outside now 
  caused the tavern to burn down as it was hit by multiple 
  lighting strikes. The family moved to the bottom of the 
  mountain and set up this mill. Only Grandpa’s prized 
  cow Bessie survived the fires, and lives to this day as a 
  treasured ancient family pet out in the barn. At the 
  conclusion of the storm, a lightning strike annihilates 
  the barn and burns Bessie to a crisp. The Waldons inter 
  their beloved family companion. 
  The next morning, Pa Waldon wakes the adventurers in 
  a state of panic. Grandpa Zeb is missing, as is the 
  youngest Waldon boy, along with a mule and wagon. 
  Furthermore, the grave where Bessie was buried is 
  empty! He offers what reward he can if the old coot can 
  be stopped before he does something rash, such as 
  break the Darkwatch curfew atop Waldon Mountain. 
  Following the wagon tracks up the mountain, a 
  damaged fence and warning signs are encountered. If 
  the heroes press on, they find the burnt down remains 
  of the Golden Arches Tavern.  
  A leftover Darkwatch arrow trap guards the approach 
  that needs to be bypassed. Inside the Golden Arches, 
  the demented Grandpa Zeb has endangered the young 
  grandson. Unless the players allow him to serve them 
  the wretched garbage he thinks is food, or beat the 
  stuffing out of him, the child’s life is in jeopardy.  
  If players search him, they find a copy of an ancient 
  treatise on activating the desecrated lands necromantic 
  properties, left over from the despised short order cook 
  of Tharizdun. It was twenty-five years to the day that 
  the last storm of this magnitude struck the mountain. 
  There is mention in the notes of a way to harness the 
  great electrical power through means of a supplication 
  to Tharizdun, and reanimate the dead. Grandpa has 
  desecrated the basement with unholy symbols. 
  Venturing into the basement, the heroes must overcome 
  the animated corpses of halfling cooks who died in the 
  fire long ago. In the basement within a strange 
  summoning circle the grandson can be rescued, but 
  before they can leave the basement, the animated 
  Bessie rises from the dead. 
  As the adventurers leave Waldon Mountain a 
  Darkwatch scout meets them. They are interrogated, 
  and warned about disregarding forbidden areas in the 
  future. Compliant players are allowed to leave, and 
  contrary ones are given a warning. 
  If the child is rescued safely, the players may also 
  receive a gift from the Waldon family for their troubles 
  in the form of cattle to sell at the farmers market, as 
  well as a home-cooked meal whenever they are in 
  town. 
  Introduction 
  Another thunderous explosion, and the dark clouds 
  unleash torrents of rain upon you and your traveling 
  companions. You are soon soaked to the bone, cold 
  wet and miserable. Thoughts of high adventure and 
  fame give way to the reality of your wretched 
  condition. The heavy rainfall continues as you 
  experience the worst storm of your life. What started 
  out as a journey seeking employment in the Upper 
  Flen has mired you all knee deep in mud and 
  torrential rain that threatens to drown your 
  adventuring hopes before they have even begun.  
  The players may introduce their characters here, and 
  the Judge should encourage them to take whatever 
  actions they deem appropriate to brace themselves from 
  the storm. A bardic knowledge check, or a Knowledge 
  (Local or Geography), Survival check (all DC 10) will 
  inform alert players that a small town is ahead, and 
  there are fresh animal tracks (cattle) in the mud as well. 
  Civilization means warmth and shelter! 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 5 
  Pressing onwards, the sounds of confused cattle can 
  be heard above the storms fury, along with the shouts 
  of men. Around the bend in the muddy road are 
  several large cattle mired in the mud. A farmer and 
  his two young sons attempt to prod them forward. 
  They look as wet and miserable as you feel, and their 
  job at hand an impossible one. 
  Pa Waldon and his two sons, Jonboy and Jasen could 
  use a hand. Pa Waldon is a pious patriarch of the family 
  and oversees the Mill. Jonboy is literate and sensitive. 
  Jasen is very musical and an accomplished lute player. 
  If the players will aid them in moving their cattle onto 
  their farm nearby, they will be offered a warm, dry 
  place to stay in the family mill and a hot meal cooked 
  by the indomitable Ma Waldon.  
  Pa, Jonboy and Jasen Waldon: Male human Com1; 
  hp 5 each, AL NG. 
  If the players ignore or move around the cattle, then 
  they can still come upon the farmstead and meet Ma 
  Waldon. However room and board will cost 6 gp per 
  character, and they will receive a -2 circumstance 
  penalty to any Cha-based skill checks when dealing 
  with Pa Waldon and his sons. PCs will not receive the 
  Y’All Come Back Now benefit at the end of the 
  module. 
  PCs that hunker down outside or otherwise avoid 
  staying at the farmhouse will spend an utterly miserable 
  evening in one of the worst storms in recent memory. 
  In the morning, they will be awakened to the shouts of 
  Pa Waldon. (Skip to Encounter One, read the 
  description of the farmstead in the aftermath of the 
  lightning storm, and pick up the action from Encounter 
  Two if the PCs speak with Pa Waldon) 
  Encounter One: The Farmhouse 
  Read the following as the PCs arrive at Waldon Pass 
  and the homestead of the Waldons. 
  The weather continues to worsen, soaking you all 
  thoroughly. The flashes of lightning are intense and 
  disorienting against the black clouds and coming 
  nightfall. The hazy outline of a cluster of buildings is 
  off the road to the left. Approaching closer you make 
  out a small Lumber Mill, a barn and a large single 
  story farmhouse.  
  Inside the farmhouse is the rest of the Waldon clan, 
  who greet travelers warmly if Pa and his boys 
  accompany them. Upon arrival the players may interact 
  with Ma Waldon the homemaker, Mary Ellen the 
  tomboy and eldest daughter, and Jim-Bob the youngest 
  who dreams of flying. Grandma Waldon sits propped 
  up in a chair by the fire, incapacitated by a stroke. 
  Grandpa Zeb makes an appearance later during dinner. 
  Players may stow their gear and dry off in the Mill. The 
  Mill is currently unused, as many of the local workers 
  have packed up and left. They may interact with the 
  family while dinner is being prepared. Here are some 
  tidbits the Judge can give out. Not all of them are true, 
  but are believed by the simple family. The Judge can 
  give out information as appropriate to the role-playing. 
  • 
  The Waldon family recently used itinerant Geoff 
  refugees during harvest season to keep the Mill 
  going. They also raise and breed cattle. 
  • 
  There is a large mountain nearby that was the 
  original home of the Waldon family. They ran a 
  tavern that burned down many years ago, when 
  Grandpa Waldon was a young man. 
  • 
  Pa dreams of reopening the tavern, but folks stay 
  away from Waldon Mountain, as it is unsafe.  
  While pious, the Waldon family does not worship any 
  gods, and keep their distance from divine practitioners.  
  Dinner with the Family 
  Ma Waldon smiles timidly, and invites you all to the 
  dinner table. The large oak table is clear-cut from a 
  massive tree, but a natural sealant coating the wood 
  gives it a polished veneer. Extra chairs are brought 
  out, and the children are moved to the kitchen to dine 
  in order to make room for you. A simple meal of 
  warm stew, bread and vegetables is spread so that all 
  can share the farmer’s meager repast. The oldest son, 
  Jonboy, escorts the senior of the family, Grandpa 
  Zebulon Waldon, to the head of the table. “Most folks 
  call me Zeb.” He offers a toothless smile. JonBoy 
  lowers the old man into his chair, and takes up his 
  place to Grandpa’s left. 
  During dinner, the DM should roleplay Grandpa’s story 
  as much as possible rather than reading it verbatim. 
  “My family came to Waldon Mountain long ago, and 
  built a great tavern atop it. People came for the steaks. 
  We always kept the kitchen full of fat halfling cooks. 
  Never trust a skinny cook, I always say. We raised our 
  own cattle and used my family recipe of several herbs 
  and spices to flavor the tastiest steaks in the kingdom. 
  I still have ol’ Bessie. She’s the greatest cow in the 
  world. Why, a Royal Herald once stopped for a night 
  en route to Fort Ravonar, and he said so hisself!” 
  “So, ya ever meet any royalty?” 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 6 
  Players should be encouraged to embellish on their 
  characters back story and origins. After the players 
  have all participated, continue. 
  Grandpa Zeb motions to Grandma, who rocks silently 
  near the fireplace. “Yep, the missus and me met all 
  sorts of adventuring types back in the day. This was 
  before Geoff got invaded by them giants, and before 
  our Ranger King Skotti. We took in a traveler, skinny 
  guy, said he was good with the barbeque. Never trust 
  a skinny cook, did I say that? Anyway, we were short- 
  handed that year and had him work in the kitchens. 
  Them other halflings teased him something awful, 
  and I guess one day he snapped. Juril was his name. 
  Anyways, seems the boy had a dark gift. He said he 
  could fix up a mojo that would make things come 
  back that were buried there. Then them black riders 
  shows up and…”  
  Grandpa is hushed up sharply by Ma Waldon. “We 
  don’t talk of such things in this house, especially over 
  dinner, Papa!” 
  The family looks uncomfortable, and go about picking 
  at the remains of their meager dinner.  
  Any further information may be gained through Gather 
  Information or Diplomacy rolls (DC 12). Allow a 
  circumstance bonus of up to +3 if the PCs have been 
  respectful or helpful to the family. The Judge should 
  impart the information through roleplaying. 
  • 
  Juril was fired after Grandpa Zeb caught him 
  poking around with bones in the animal cemetery 
  atop Waldon Mountain. Juril promised a curse on 
  them all. 
  • 
  Soon after the disgraced short order cook left, 
  riders in black arrived asking questions and headed 
  towards the Rushmoors in search of Juril. They 
  claimed to have the King’s authority, and were 
  knights of some kind. 
  • 
  The halflings all had burrows in the basement of 
  the tavern, snug and warm. But they came down 
  with a sickness soon afterwards. 
  • 
  A freak lightning storm similar to the one tonight 
  caused a fire that burned down the tavern. The next 
  day the riders in black arrived and relocated 
  everyone off the mountaintop. Signs and fences 
  were put up, warning severe penalties to anyone 
  caught returning to Waldon Mountain by order of 
  the Knights of the Malagari. 
  A brilliant flash of lighting illuminates the Mill and 
  the barn outside. It has the children’s painted 
  caricatures of Bessie the cow with colorful hearts and 
  rainbows over the door. The rain pouring down 
  outside seems frozen in the moment, as the barn is 
  struck by a ragged bolt of fury from the heavens. As 
  the barn explodes, a large cow shaped silhouette 
  against the night sky arcs upward from the force of 
  the lightning strike, and plummets towards the 
  Waldon homestead!  
  “By the Laughing Rogue! Bessie! Nooooo!” Grandpa 
  Waldon’s cries of horror are mixed with the growing 
  “Mooooo!” of the immolated cow streaking towards 
  the earth. The bovine comet breaks through the front 
  porch with a massive crash. The children turn in fear, 
  crying for their parents as the charred cow’s remains 
  smolder in the large crater indented on the remains of 
  the family’s porch. The whole place smells like steak. 
  Players can aid Pa Waldon and Jonboy dig a pit out 
  back as the rain lets up some, and the storm seems to 
  pass. They insist on burying their beloved Bessie the 
  moment the storm abates long enough for them to do 
  so. After burying poor Bessie, the disconsolate farmer 
  shows players where they can bunk for the night in the 
  dry empty Mill. The tearful children lead a muttering, 
  shocked Grandpa Waldon off to bed. 
  In the distance, you hear Pa Waldon putting each of 
  his distressed children to bed, ending with a faint, 
  “Goodnight, Jonboy.” 
  You slip off to sleep shortly afterwards. Flaming, 
  mooing cows visit your nightmares and you have 
  visions of a thin, dark- robed figure of shadow. Over 
  his head, he seems to be praying to a huge light-
  draining sphere that replaces the moon above. 
  A Knowledge Religion DC 20 may recognize in this 
  nightmare one of the representations of Tharizdun, 
  ancient god of entropy. 
  Encounter Two: ? 
  In the morning, Pa Waldon discovers Grandpa’s 
  departure. He pleads with the heroes to go after him. 
  Pa Waldon enters the Mill at sunrise, still dressed in 
  his long white nightshirt. “Please, friends, I need your 
  help again! Grandpa Zeb’s taken plumb leave of his 
  senses! He’s dug up Bessie and taken the wagon up 
  Waldon Mountain!” 
  A cursory examination will reveal that the hastily dug 
  pit that Bessie was buried in last night has been dug up. 
  A few charred bovine bones remain in the mud. The 
  wagon is missing as well, with tracks easily discernable 
  heading up a faint path winding up Waldon Mountain. 
  In the daylight, the small mountain looks to be a half-
  day’s trek uphill through scrub growth and forest.  
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 7 
  Ma Waldon bursts out the door, sidestepping the cow-
  shaped crater in the porch. “Little JimBob is gone 
  a’missin’ too Pa! Oh woe and fie! We are a’cursed all 
  over again. We offer kindness to strangers, and this is 
  our repayment? She sobs loudly. 
  Pa Waldon turns apologetically to you all. “Now, 
  don’t mind Ma, she’s distraught. Please, can you help 
  us? We are sworn not to venture up that mountain to 
  our lords, but you made no such promise. If you could 
  fetch Grandpa before he gets up to any mischief, what 
  little we have I offer you. Please…find my boy? There 
  are no nearby lords or law we can go to for help.” 
  The trail is easily followed into up the mountain 
  towards its summit. As the heroes press on for several 
  hours following the wagon and mule tracks, they come 
  to a large wooden fence and gate that seems to encircle 
  the mountaintop. Signs in Common and Keoish warn 
  “No Trespassing”, and “Private Property”. Both warn 
  of dire consequences “by order of the King and 
  punishable by torture.” The gate has been broken open, 
  and the wagon tracks continue past the warnings. 
  If the players balk at entering and breaking the King’s 
  edict, remind them that the site has already been 
  breached. (This won’t matter to the Darkwatch, but 
  what the hell, see if the players buy it). If they go in, 
  proceed to Encounter Three. 
  Otherwise, continue to the end of the adventure, and 
  the arrival of the Darkwatch scout. 
  Encounter Three: Rocky 
  Mountain High 
  Another hour’s travel up the mountain brings you to 
  the crest. The overhanging trees give way to a large 
  clearing, still damp from yesterday’s rainfall. It is late 
  afternoon. A mule and wagon are abandoned to the 
  left of the path. Ahead is a burned out but reasonably 
  intact tavern. The large door is closed, and above the 
  entryway hangs a battered but still legible sign 
  proclaiming this as “The Golden Arches.” 
   
  A search of the areas can find windows boarded 
  up, and it seems that the roof is very unstable. It will 
  collapse for a fall of 1d6 subdual if anyone climbs atop 
  it. The only safe way in seems to be the front door. 
  Grandpa Zeb is a wily sort, and knew of the trap on the 
  door. He reset it in case the Darkwatch followed him. 
  Wooden Doors: 1 in. thick; hardness 5; hp 10; AC 5; 
  Break DC 18. 
   
  Trap: The Darkwatch, who periodically sends 
  scouts to replenish its poison and check the cursed area, 
  trapped the door long ago. Grandpa’s clumsy resetting 
  of the trap has greatly reduced its effectiveness. 
  While the Search check of DC 19 is required to spot the 
  trap, and to subsequently disable it, the PCs may notice 
  that the door has recently been tampered with in some 
  fashion with a Spot check (DC 15). 
  APL 2 (EL 3) 
  Poisoned Arrow Trap: CR 3; mechanical; touch 
  trigger; manual reset; lock bypass (Open Locks, DC 
  30); Atks +12 ranged (1d8 plus poison, arrow); poison 
  (Large monstrous scorpion venom, DC 14 Fort save 
  resists, 1d4 Con/1d4 Con); Search DC 19; Disable 
  Device DC 15. 
  Development: Setting off the trap alerts Grandpa to the 
  party’s presence. 
  Encounter Four: Welcome to 
  the Golden Arches 
  Entering the Golden Arches, you see signs that 
  someone has tried to clean up the burned out place 
  and tidy up. The floor is swept of debris, and the 
  broken tables are propped up with chair pieces or 
  wooden struts. A semblance of a table setting is on 
  one long scorched table, set for six. Mismatched cups 
  and broken pottery adorn the table. A steady drip of 
  water pools near one setting, coming from a huge 
  rend in the ceiling that shows the sky above. 
  Tottering out of the back kitchen area is Grandpa 
  Zeb. He holds a bubbling cauldron of some foul 
  smelling stew. A dirty chefs hat and apron adorn his 
  elderly frame, and a wicked meat cleaver stained 
  black is holstered in his wide leather belt. 
  “Stew’s on, boys! Come and eat up! Visitors are 
  always welcome to the Golden Arches! Why we served 
  over twenty score a season!” he cackles.  
  “Eat…you must eat now! I will not answer any 
  questions until you eat! Please, you must try my stew! 
  TRY IT!” 
  Players may muscle past the old man pretty easily, but 
  he will grow hostile and attack any players with his 
  cleaver if they refuse to eat. Killing Grandpa will 
  reflect badly on the players, who will be ineligible to 
  receive from Pa Waldon a monetary reward or the offer 
  of a free meal whenever they’re in town. He may be 
  struck for subdual damage or grappled fairly easily. He 
  refuses to answer any questions, begging the players to 
  please try the stew if captured. 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 8 
  APL 2 (EL 3) 
  Grandpa Zebulon Waldon: CR 3; Medium Humanoid 
  (Human); HD 3d6+3; hp 15; Init +6; Spd 30 ft. (6 
  squares); AC 14 (armor +2, Dex +2); Atks +3 melee 
  (1d6+1, meat cleaver); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ 
  Evasion; Mad as a Hatter, Trapfinding Trap Sense +1; 
  AL CN; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 15, 
  Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills: Disable Device +5, Hide +5, Listen +9, 
  Move Silently +5, Open Locks +6, Spot +9, Tumble 
  +8. Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Skill Focus (Tumble). 
   
  Equipment: Meat cleaver (treat as hand axe), 
  leather apron (treat as leather armor), chef’s hat, 
  thieves’ tools, Juril’s “cookbook”. 
   
  Mad as a Hatter (Ex): Grandpa’s insanity gives 
  him a +4 circumstance bonus to his Will saves against 
  any Enchantment spells or effects. 
  Development: When the characters overcome Grandpa 
  Zebulon, they may discover a battered black journal, 
  the Cookbook of Juril, a disciple of Tharizdun, the God 
  of Entropy.  
  If players eat the stew then Grandpa settles down. 
  Otherwise he will have to be subdued (see above for 
  Grandpa’s stats). Those that do find it is made of refuse 
  and foul spoiled meats, and must make Fort save (DC 
  15) or be stunned (sick and incapacitated) for 1d4 
  rounds. However, after they recover, Grandpa will chat 
  amicably with them about whatever they wish to know. 
  He will in turn impart the following information: 
  • 
  The child is safe in the basement. He hasn’t been 
  sacrificed - yet. (Because of this, Grandpa has no 
  control over any undead created during the dark 
  ritual) 
  • 
  The cow Bessie was buried down in the basement, 
  planted in the “special place.”  
  • 
  The old man followed the instructions of the 
  ceremony as best he could from the cookbook. He 
  was missing some “ingredients” but like a good 
  cook, he substituted as best he could. Tallow 
  candles instead of unholy ones, metal ore dust 
  instead of silver grounds, etc. 
  Encounter Five: Kiss the Chef 
  Beyond the burned out kitchen is a heavy, closed door 
  set into the floor. 
  The door is neither locked nor trapped. If the PCs open 
  it, refer to DM Aid #2; the PCs are about to enter the 
  area marked “Storage Room.” 
  The door reveals a set of scorched wooden stairs. 
  They are rickety, and go down into the darkness of the 
  unlit basement. Many tarpaulins cover stacks of 
  crates, casks and containers; you would guess this 
  was a storage room for the tavern. 
  The stairs creak and rattle but are safe. When the PCs 
  reach the bottom, halfling zombie chefs throw off their 
  tarpaulins (their one action for their first round in 
  which they act) and attack the heroes.  
  APL 2 (EL 2) 
  Small Halfling Zombies (6): CR ¼; Small Undead; 
  HD 2d12+3; hp 14; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares; can’t 
  run); AC 11 (touch 10, flat-footed 11) [+1 natural 
  armor]; Atk +2 melee (1d4+1, slam); SQ Undead, 
  Single Actions Only; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will 
  +3; Str 13, Dex 11, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills: None; Feats: Toughness. 
   
  Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor 
  reflexes and can only perform a single move action or 
  attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its 
  speed and attack in the same round, but only if it 
  attempts a charge. 
   
  Encounter Six: Unholy Cow! 1 
  This is marked “Ritual Chamber” on DM Aid #2. 
  You find yourself looking into what once might have 
  been the tavern’s wine cellar, given how cool this 
  place is. The room is surprisingly untouched by the 
  fire and well preserved. A small child lies unconscious 
  on the floor within a bloody red circle adorned with 
  hand painted strange sigils. The boy is the missing 
  Waldon child, and lies atop a large, freshly dug 
  mound of dirt. Eight newly dug holes are in the floor 
  near the entrance. Tracks emerge from them and pass 
  out of the doorway in which you now find yourselves. 
  The addled Grandpa Zeb has buried the dead cow here 
  and drawn the incomplete sigils and unholy circle here. 
  The halfling zombies were raised and lurched out of the 
  room. The circle protects the child for now. However if 
  the players break the circle and remove the child, they 
  awaken the malign beast that now stirs below the 
  cursed ground. As the child is brought out of the room, 
  the freshly slain thing rises from the dirt with a hellish 
  Moooo! in search of blood and brains to eat! 
                                                   
   
  1 With our sincere apologies to Phil Rizzuto. 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 9 
  APL 2 (EL 1) 
  Bessie the Undead Cow (Large Cow Zombie): CR 1; 
  Large Undead; HD 6d12+3; hp 27; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. 
  (6 squares); AC 15 (touch 9, flat-footed 15) [-1 size, +6 
  natural]; Atks +4 melee (1d8+4, slam); Face/Reach 10 
  ft./5 ft.; SQ Undead, Single Actions Only; AL NE; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4; Str 18, Dex 11, Con -, Int -, 
  Wis 10, Cha 1. 
   
  Skills: None; Feats: Toughness. 
   
  Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor 
  reflexes and can only perform a single move action or 
  attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its 
  speed and attack in the same round, but only if it 
  attempts a charge. 
  Tactics: On its action it either engages those within 
  range, or attempts a charge against the nearest PC. 
  Bessie fights until dispatched. 
  Treasure: In the shallow halfling graves are some dirty 
  but valuable silverware and plates. Silverware (100 gp) 
  Encounter Seven: The Man in 
  Black 
  After defeating the undead, and breaking the circle, the 
  players may gather up the missing child and the senile 
  Grandpa Waldon, and leave the burned down tavern. 
  However, their trespassing and the evocation of the 
  black arts in Keoland’s borders have drawn some 
  attention to the mountaintop.  
  You exit the burned out tavern, happy to have 
  survived your strange ordeal. However, cresting the 
  rise of the mountain some forty feet away is a dark 
  cloaked rider in black studded leather armor. He has 
  a longbow and full quiver, and fine shortsword at his 
  belt. The brooch design of an owl clasps his cloak to 
  his throat, and adorns a shield strapped to his saddle.  
  “Hail there, please come out! You are trespassing on 
  the King’s land. Did you not see the signs banning 
  this area by order of the King and Darkwatch? Come 
  out and explain yourselves, please.” 
  The mounted rider brings his horse up. He seems a 
  capable ranger, and eyes you all warily. 
  The Rider introduces himself as Stealth (Rgr 6; AL LN; 
  use DMG stats for NPC Ranger if needed), and on 
  closer inspection he will be identified as a half-elf. 
   He will ask the group as a whole to explain their 
  actions. Rudeness or confrontational PCs will gain the 
  Unfavorable Notice of the Darkwatch. On the other 
  hand, reasonably polite PCs will gain the Favorable 
  Notice of the Darkwatch. 
  Stealth will be exceptionally interested in Grandpa 
  Waldon’s actions and any information on Juril that the 
  players may turn over, including the journal. After a 
  satisfactory interrogation, the players are asked to take 
  the small child home, and to stay away from Waldon 
  Mountain in the future. Next time they decide to cross 
  into Darkwatch-quarantined lands, they are warned, 
  they may not be so lucky. Stealth is respectful but firm, 
  perhaps seeing some of the PCs as allies in the war 
  against the darkness. Or perhaps it is simply because he 
  is alone, and does not need a confrontation with an 
  adventuring party at this time… 
  Stealth will call in a Darkwatch strike team to re-
  consecrate the area and erase any undead threat to 
  Keoland. Grandpa Waldon will be collected for 
  “questioning” by Stealth if he is still alive. (Stealth 
  gives his word as a Knight of the Realm that Grandpa 
  will be taken care of and returned as soon as he’s able) 
  The players may proceed to the Waldon homestead. If 
  the journal and Grandpa are turned over to Stealth, and 
  the players are respectful, they will each be given a 
  small gem as a thank you for their information. 
  Treasure: Small gems (40 gp) 
  Conclusion 
  The players make their way back to the Waldon family 
  in a light drizzle of rain. The family has gathered local 
  farmers, and Pa Waldon was about to lead them with 
  torches and pitchforks up the Mountain to save his son, 
  and in defiance of the Darkwatch edicts. They take 
  Grandpa’s “detainment” in stride, realizing there isn’t 
  much they can do and that it might be for the best.  
  If the child is successfully returned, then Pa Waldon 
  gifts each player with one of the family’s cattle in 
  thanks. These fine cattle belonged to Grandpa Zeb and 
  will fetch a great price in the next town over at market. 
  They are worth 74 gp per player. Pa Waldon insists 
  they take it, as it is the least the family can do as 
  Grandpa Zeb put them all in such harms way. The 
  players may spend the night and enjoy another Waldon 
  feast. However, during the meal, strange quiet 
  Grandma Waldon will seem to stare at the players, a 
  strange demented half smile upon her face.  
  Treasure: Waldon’s cattle (74 gp) 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 10 
  The End 
  Experience Point Summary 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the 
  values for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award.  Award the total value (objectives 
  plus roleplaying) to each character. 
  Encounter Three 
  Defeat, avoid or survive discharging the arrow trap 
  (hey, that which does not kill you makes you 
  stronger!): 90 xp 
  Encounter Four 
  Defeat Grandpa Zeb without killing him: 90 xp 
  Note: Slaying Grandpa earns ZERO xp  
  Encounter Five 
  Defeat the halfling zombies: 60 xp   
  Encounter Six 
  Defeat the Zombie Cow: 100 xp 
  Story Award 
  Save the child from Waldon Mountian: 90 xp 
  Total possible experience:  
   
  450 xp 
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes.  Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each character 
  gains if the foes are plundered of all their earthly 
  possessions.  Looting the bodies takes at least 10 minutes 
  per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot take the 
  time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this gold.  If you 
  feel it is reasonable that characters can go back to loot the 
  bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not carted off by 
  dungeon scavengers, removed from the scene by the 
  local watch, and so on), characters may return to retrieve 
  loot.  If the characters do not loot the body, the gold 
  piece value for the loot is subtracted from the encounter 
  totals given below. 
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each character 
  gains if they take the coin available.  A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a 
  round or so.  If for some reason, they pass up this 
  treasure, the coin total is subtracted from the encounter 
  totals given below. 
  Next, the magic items are listed.  Magic item treasure is 
  the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure.  Many times characters must cast identify, 
  analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine what the 
  item does and how to activate it.  Other times they may 
  attempt to use the item blindly.  If the magic item is 
  consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the 
  item is used before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure.  Write the total in 
  the GP Gained field of the adventure certificate.  Because 
  this is a Regional scenario, characters may spend 
  additional Time Units to practice professions or create 
  items immediately after the adventure so this total may be 
  modified by other circumstances. 
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, 
  and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
  L:  Looted gear from enemy 
  C:  Coin, Gems, Jewelry, and other valuables 
  M:  Magic Items (sell value)  
  Encounter Five:  Unholy Cow 
   
  APL 1: L: 100 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp 
  Encounter Six:  The Man in Black 
   
  APL 1: L: 40 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp 
  Conclusion:   
   
  APL 1: L: 74 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp 
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 2: L: 214 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp  - Total: 214 
  gp 
  Special 
  Unfavorable Notice of the Darkwatch: Your 
  disposition towards the Knights of the Malagari has not 
  gone unnoticed. The next time you interact with a 
  member of the Darkwatch, you suffer a –1 
  circumstance penalty to all Cha-based checks involving 
  this group. This item is then voided at the end of the 
  adventure during which this modifier came into play. 
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 11 
  Favorable 
  Notice 
  of 
  the 
  Darkwatch: 
  Your 
  cooperation with the Knights of the Malagari has not 
  gone unnoticed. The next time you interact with a 
  member of the Darkwatch, you enjoy a +1 
  circumstance bonus to all Cha-based checks involving 
  this group, except Intimidate. This item is then voided 
  at the end of the adventure during which this modifier 
  came into play. 
  Y’all Come Back Now, Ya Hear? You enjoy the 
  hospitality of the Waldon family and can drop by for a 
  home-cooked meal… even if Grandma Waldon keeps 
  staring at you the whole time. In game terms, you may 
  choose to accept a free Standard lifestyle anytime you 
  play an adventure that takes place, wholly or in part, 
  within the County of Flen in Keoland. 
  Items for the Adventure Record 
  None
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape From Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 12 
  DM Aid #1 
   
  
  KEOI3-03 Escape from Waldon Mountain 
   
  Page 13 
   
  DM Aid #2 
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Living Greyhawk/Sheldomar Valley/Keoland/KEO3-A03 - Escape from Waldon Mountain.pdf