TEXT: Frog God 
  Games
  By Lance Hawvermale
  By Lance Hawvermale
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  
  Frog  
  God 
  Games
  CEO
  Bill Webb
  Creative Director:  
  Swords & Wizardry
  Matthew J. Finch
  Creative Director:  
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
  Greg A. Vaughan
  Frog V
  Patrick N. Pilgrim
  Art Director
  Charles A. Wright
  Developers
  John Ling and  
  Patrick N. Pilgrim
  Customer Service Manager
  Krista Webb
  Zach of All Trades
  Zach Glazar
  Final Boss
  Skeeter Green
  FROG GOD GAMES IS
  Author
  Lance Hawvermale
  Developers
  Patrick N. Pilgrim
  Producer
  Bill Webb
  Editor
  Jeff Harkness
  Layout and Graphic Design
  Charles A. Wright
  Front Cover Art
  Artem Shukaev
  Interior Art
  Andrew DeFelice, MkUltra Studios
  Cartography
  Alyssa Faden
  Adventures 
  Worth  
  Winning
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  permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. Frog God Games and the 
  Frog God Games logo is a trademark of Frog God Games. All characters, names, 
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  Quests of Doom 4
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  
  2
  Quests of Doom 4
  GENERAL RESOURCES 
  Swords & Wizardry Complete S&W 
  The Tome of Horrors Complete PF, S&W 
  Tome of Horrors 4 PF, S&W 
  Tome of Adventure Design
  Monstrosities S&W 
  Bill Webb’s Book of Dirty Tricks 
  Razor Coast: Fire as She Bears PF 
  Book of Lost Spells 5e, PF 
  Fifth Edition Foes 5e 
  The Tome of Blighted Horrors 5e, PF, S&W
  Book of Alchemy* 5e, PF, S&W 
  THE LOST LANDS 
  Rappan Athuk PF, S&W 
  Rappan Athuk Expansions Vol. I PF, S&W 
  The Slumbering Tsar Saga PF, S&W 
  The Black Monastery PF, S&W 
  Cyclopean Deeps Vol. I PF, S&W 
  Cyclopean Deeps Vol. II PF, S&W 
  Razor Coast PF, S&W 
  Razor Coast: Heart of the Razor PF, S&W 
  Razor Coast: Freebooter’s Guide to the Razor Coast PF, S&W 
  LL0: The Lost Lands Campaign Setting* 5e, PF, S&W
  LL1: Stoneheart Valley PF, S&W 
  LL2: The Lost City of Barakus PF, S&W 
  LL3: Sword of Air PF, S&W 
  LL4: Cults of the Sundered Kingdoms PF, S&W 
  LL5: Borderland Provinces 5e, PF, S&W
  LL6: The Northlands Saga Complete PF, S&W
  LL7: The Blight 5e, PF, S&W
  LL8: Bard’s Gate 5e, PF, S&W 
  LL9: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces 5e, PF, S&W
  QUESTS OF DOOM 
  Quests of Doom (Vol. 1) 5e 
  Quests of Doom (Vol. 2) 5e 
  Quests of Doom (includes the 5e Vol. 1 and 2, but for PF 
  and S&W only) PF, S&W 
  Quests of Doom 2 5e 
  Quests of Doom 3 5e, S&W
  Quests of Doom 4* 5e, PF, S&W
  PERILOUS VISTAS 
  Dead Man’s Chest (pdf only) PF 
  Dunes of Desolation PF 
  Fields of Blood PF 
  Mountains of Madness PF 
  Marshes of Malice PF
  Other Products from Frog God Games
  You can find these product lines and more at our website, froggodgames.com, and on the shelves of many retail game stores.  
  Superscripts indicate the available game systems: “PF” means the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, “5e” means Fifth Edition,  
  and “S&W” means Swords & Wizardry. If there is no superscript it means that it is not specific to a single rule system.
  * (forthcoming from Frog God Games)
  
  3
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  Table of Contents
  Credits ........................................................................ p. 2
  A Midnight Council of Quail ...........................................p. 4
  Map Appendix ..............................................................p. 16
  Legal Appendix ............................................................. p. 18
  
  4
  Quests of Doom 4
  A Swords & Wizardry Complete adventure for 4–6 characters of 3rd 
  to 5th level where the characters explore a village to locate the lair of a 
  monstrous murderer — but the villagers don’t want the murderer to be 
  discovered.
  Like all Quests of Doom adventures, this one can be placed in any 
  land you choose as fits the needs of your own campaign. However, in the 
  Lost Lands campaign setting, A Midnight Council of Quails is set in the 
  Helcynngae Peninsula that lies just to the south of Cerediun Province at 
  the bottom edge of the Borderland Provinces. Located in the northernmost 
  lands of the Kingdom of the Helcynn, the homeland of the people known 
  as the Heldring, the village of Eorls Gedreas stands just south of Wortham 
  Firth that separates the Helcynngae from the Scar-in-the-Sky Peaks and 
  the Domain of Hawkmoon. To the south of Eorls Gedreas extends the 
  rolling uplands known as Oescreheit Downs where the armies of the 
  Heldring were finally and utterly defeated by the Foerdewaith in 2802 I.R., 
  ushering in a new era of peace between the two peoples that has endured 
  for seven centuries. The folk of Eorls Gedreas are primarily typical 
  Heldring ceorls (“common folk”) but with a light mixture of immigrants 
  from Helcynngae’s northern neighbors to add bit more diversity than is 
  found in Heldring settlements farther south.
  Adventure Background
  The Archdruid Cadrryn is so old and mystical that his very presence 
  often affects the natural world around him. Over the years, his close 
  association with the region’s quail population has bestowed upon the 
  birds a sentience uncommon to normal avians. With slightly advanced 
  intelligence, the quail now act as local sentinels, reporting back to Cadrryn 
  on all matters that transpire in his domain. But the druid has been away 
  for more than a fortnight on business of the Druidic Order of Oescreheit, 
  leaving the quail to decide on important events without his wise hand 
  to guide them. When the birds learn that a sinister force has infiltrated 
  the nearby village of Eorls Gedreas, where many of them roost upon the 
  thatched rooftops, the quail convene to determine a way to fight back.
  Eorls Gedreas has become the latest hunting ground for a wereboar 
  who has assumed the duties of the village’s læce (pronounced “leech”, 
  the Heldring word for a healer and apothecary) after killing and eating the 
  former herbalist. The wereboar has struck up an alliance with a mad druid 
  who has taken up residence in a lightless subterranean world below the 
  village, where he slowly murders one kidnapped villager at a time as part 
  of his twisted plan for revenge against an imagined crime.
  Adventure Summary
  The adventure most likely unfolds 
  with the distraught quail contacting the characters and asking for help. 
  At the quails’ request, the 
  characters explore Eorls Gedreas but most of the residents stonewall 
  them in their efforts. 
  The investigation leads either to the wereboar’s secret lift into the Under 
  Realms or to the wilderness entrance of the Blind Burrows, depending on 
  the characters’ actions. 
  The party can then journey into the Blind Burrows through one of these 
  two access points and ultimately confront the mad druid Anwyl, putting 
  an end to his machinations.
  Beginning the Adventure
  The quail conduct a council at midnight and resolve to find a suitable 
  group of willing humanoids to take care of the problem that they 
  themselves cannot. They spend the next several hours in flight, searching. 
  Shortly before dawn, when the characters are traveling or camping in the 
  wilderness, a covey of quail alight on branches and bushes around them. 
  Read or paraphrase the following when the birds arrive:
  A sudden flurry of wings startles you. About two dozen 
  small birds drop from the sky and settle around your party, 
  taking up posts on branches and stones. The birds are brown, 
  with white and gray speckles, and they stare at you with 
  obvious intent in their black eyes. They are not aggressive but 
  clearly curious, unafraid to land within arm’s reach. Before 
  you can do anything, one of the birds marches forward, cocks 
  its head to one side, and speaks.
  Though all of Cadrryn’s quail are imbued with an unnatural intelligence, 
  one of them is also capable of speaking Common thanks to the archdruid’s 
  magic. This quail is known as Pwyll. It tells the characters that it is an 
  agent of the archdruid, and it rather seriously seeks their assistance. Pwyll 
  informs the characters that the nearby village of Eorls Gedreas, where 
  the quail keep their nests, has likely fallen under the influence of dark 
  forces. The quail noticed that one of their favorite humans, a woman 
  named Kalotte who used to feed them every morning, went missing five 
  days ago, yet none of the other villagers seems concerned by her sudden 
  disappearance. Further, the local swineherd has loosed his hogs from their 
  pen, and now they eat freely from people’s gardens — though no one 
  seems to care. Normally, the quail would report these observations to their 
  master the archdruid. But as Cadrryn is away, they have sought out the 
  characters for help. The characters can quiz the bird for more details, but 
  Pwyll knows nothing else.
  At this point, the characters have at least two options. They can choose 
  to follow the flying quail to the village, a distance of a little over 6 miles. 
  Or they can ignore the birds and continue with their current obligations, 
  whatever they might be. If they opt to allow Pwyll to lead them to Eorls 
  Gedreas, they cross a pleasant field of heather to a road that is little more 
  than a pair of wagon tracks, angling through the moors. Birds serenade 
  them as they go, and the trip seems as if it will be uneventful.
  Ambush
  The wereboar tries to dissuade strangers from visiting Eorls Gedreas. 
  The best way to prevent unwanted guests is to kill them before they arrive. 
  A pack of trained wolves hunts the plains on the outskirts of the village. 
  Unless the characters are intentionally quiet when traveling that last mile, 
  the 6 wolves keep low and move through the tall grasses on their bellies, 
  attempting to get as close as possible before launching their attack. If the 
  characters are mounted, the wolves understand that chomping at a horse’s 
  leg is the best way to topple a rider. The Referee should roll 1d6. On a roll 
  of 1–2, the characters are surprised. If a monk or ranger travels with them, 
  however, they are surprised only on a roll of 1. Refer to “Surprise” in the 
  Swords & Wizardry Complete Rules. 
  Wolves (6): HD 2+2; HP 16, 14x2, 13, 11, 10; AC 7[12]; Atk bite 
  (1d4+1); Move 18; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 2/30; Special: none.
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  
  5
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  Eorls Gedreas
  Established shortly after these lands were rid of monstrous denizens, 
  the quaint community of Eorls Gedreas offers little for visitors. Locals 
  here depend on agriculture to survive, and they consume what they grow, 
  with just enough left over after the harvest to pay the local ealdorman, 
  Cuthardt, his tax. The homes are made of mortared stones, covered in 
  moss and green ivy, their rooftops constructed of thatch. The road that 
  winds between them is dirt, well traveled by carts and livestock. The 
  village is overrun with swine, as the wereboar doesn’t want them harmed, 
  so the flowers that once bloomed in tidy boxes along the road have been 
  eaten, their rich soil dug up in the search for tasty grubs. Using his ring 
  of human control, the wereboar has instructed the villagers to let the 
  destructive swine do as they please.
  The Wereboar’s Scheme
  The village’s læce was murdered and eaten by a wereboar who partnered 
  with the mad druid of the Blind Burrows, an old cavern complex that 
  lies below the village. Shortly after the læce disappeared, the wereboar 
  arrived at the village and introduced himself in human form as Odinel, 
  a seller of herbs and arcana. Soon, he was accepted as the new læce of 
  Eorls Gedreas. So far, he has kept his secret from the rest of the villagers; 
  no one knows that he is a wereboar, and they certainly have no idea that 
  he’s been systematically enslaving them with his ring of human control, 
  an exceptionally powerful version of that ring that permits him to control 
  up to 20 subjects at once.
  Odinel has allied with a deranged Daanite druid named Anwyl who has 
  become corrupted by close contact with a toxic element (see “The Blind 
  Burrows” for details). One by one, Anwyl intends to eradicate everyone 
  in Eorls Gedreas. To this end, he has partnered with Odinel the wereboar-
  turned-healer Using his ring of human control, the wereboar manipulates 
  the village: He eats the most food, lives in the finest house, and generally 
  behaves like a spoiled despot. Sadistic and cruel, he enjoys sending the 
  occasional villager down into the Blind Burrows, where Anwyl tortures 
  them to death. When the characters arrive, Odinel has extended his control 
  over most of the village population, with a few notable exceptions. Each 
  NPC description is followed with an “Infected” entry that notes whether 
  that particular person is under the wereboar’s sway.
  The Wunderkind
  One villager who has not yet fallen victim to Odinel’s toxic influence 
  is the orphan seamstress Elysant. Though only 14 years old, her skill with 
  needle and thread borders on the legendary; she is far and away the most 
  talented seamstress the characters have ever encountered. Though forced 
  to work with the simple fabrics of a ceorl, Elysant creates dresses, bonnets, 
  shawls, and cloaks that are multi-layered, complex, and wonderfully 
  complementary to the body shape of her customers. The characters first 
  learn of Elysant when they encounter villagers who wear clothing that is 
  obviously not the usual attire of the Heldring common ceorls. Eventually, 
  they meet the girl herself. Her skill with a needle is matched only by her 
  thirst for justice.
  The Investigation
  The characters are likely to start asking about the strange events 
  described by the quail.  However, anyone noted as being “Infected” by 
  the wereboar’s ring of human control claims that nothing is wrong or 
  that the characters received bad information. Each infected NPC uses a 
  different tactic to discourage the characters from pursuing their inquiry. It 
  should eventually become evident that a mass cover-up is in place. A few 
  citizens are more helpful, however, so patient players will be rewarded 
  with information.  
  The characters might ask about Kalotte, the woman who used to feed 
  the quail before disappearing. Infected NPCs simply shrug and say that 
  Kalotte liked to walk alone and was probably killed by wolves. Those not 
  infected by the wereboar’s enchanted ring say that Kalotte was last seen 
  wearing a vibrant red dress made by Elysant. No one saw her leave the 
  village.  She seems to have vanished. The characters learn Kalotte’s true 
  fate only if they visit area 14 in the Blind Burrows below the village.
  While poking around in search of clues, the characters make two 
  observations.
  • Hogs and pigs roam freely, making a mess of things, but are left unattended.
  • Many of the villagers wear clothes of expert design, despite the 
  simple fabrics.
  For every numbered location the characters visit, there is a 10% cumu-
  lative chance that Odinel orders his wild boars to attack the characters. 
  Optionally, the Referee may have the boars launch their surprise attack 
  whenever it is most appropriate, given the characters’ actions.
  Boars, Wild (3): HD 3+3; HP 24, 21, 20; AC 7[12]; Atk gore 
  (3d4); Move 15; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: 
  continue to attack for 2 rounds after reaching 0hp. 
  (Monstrosities 48)
  Arrival at the Village
  Led by the quail, the characters enter Eorls Gedreas from the south.
  The quail alight across the thatched rooftops and resume 
  their careful observation of the surrounding homes, most 
  of which are rather tumbledown and plain. These houses 
  are made of fieldstones, stacked and held with gray mortar. 
  Ivy covers many of them. In most ways, this seems to be a 
  typical Heldring village, with quiet work going on in gardens 
  and surrounding fields. In fact, the only two things that seem 
  unusual are the fancy dresses worn by some of these peasant 
  women and the unusual number of swine roaming freely 
  between the houses.
  The characters are free to explore Eorls Gedreas in any manner they choose.
  A. Oilman 
  Infected: Yes.
  The old widower Folc lives here, providing oil to his fellow villagers in 
  exchange for basic living supplies. As an oilman, Folc produces oil from 
  flax, castor seeds, and from fish he catches in nearby Wortham Firth. This 
  essential substance keeps the lanterns burning in Eorls Gedreas, so Folc is 
  held in high regard. He welcomes the characters, and invites them to play 
  a few rounds of a board game called halatafl, as he is a lonely man and 
  knows he shouldn’t constantly pester the other villagers to play.  
  As he is under Odinel’s influence, Folc can impart no helpful knowledge 
  to the inquisitive characters, and in fact, he appears blissfully ignorant of 
  any odd happenings in Eorls Gedreas.  He seems concerned only with 
  his oils and his card game. He grows irritated if faced with too many 
  questions and suggests that the characters return to him when they are of 
  the mind to play some serious halatafl without all of these silly notions 
  in their heads.
  B. Farrier and Stable
  Infected: No.  
  Linhorn Tosscobble, a halfling horseshoe maker, keeps a small 
  paddock of horses and ponies here. Fancying himself something of a 
  misunderstood romantic, Linhorn tends to over-pour the charm when he’s 
  in the presence of someone he finds physically attractive. Good-natured 
  if a little self-centered, the halfling talks amicably with the characters and 
  wonders aloud about all of the adventurous quests they’ve completed. If 
  asked, Linhorn admits a “queer feeling” he’s had lately when talking to his 
  neighbors. They all seem unusually content, no longer complaining about 
  the ealdorman’s high taxes or the lack of recent rainfall for the crops. He 
  suggests that the characters speak with Rowan the gong farmer (area E), 
  
  6
  Quests of Doom 4
  who used to be Linhorn’s drinking partner but now seems more concerned 
  with sleeping — and that has Linhorn worried.
  If the characters need fresh horses, tack, or shoes, Linhorn is happy to 
  provide them at the usual rates, though he offers a discount to anyone he 
  finds personally attractive.
  C. Chandler and Apiary
  Infected: Yes.
  Every village needs a local candle-maker, and Gaillart and his family 
  fill that vital role. They produce candles made of beeswax taken from 
  the hives they maintain behind their home. They also trade in honey. 
  Gaillart is happy to give the characters a free jar of his honey, and his 
  wife insists on showing them her entire line of candles in different sizes 
  and shapes. Though enchanted by the wereboar’s magic ring, Gaillart 
  remains good at heart, displaying a boyhood glee when talking about 
  his beloved bees and explaining how they gather nectar, draw comb, and 
  produce honey.  
  One of the wooden boxes that serves as a beehive performs double duty 
  as Gaillart’s secret stash.  If the characters brave the thousands of bees 
  building comb and storing honey in the box — getting stung dozens of 
  times in the process — they find a small metal tube. The tube is sealed shut 
  with propolis, a sticky substance that bees use as caulking. Inside the tube 
  are a dozen bowls of Silver Harp tobacco, favored for its mildly euphoric 
  experience and occasional hallucinations (see LL8: Bard’s Gate by Frog 
  God Games for details of Silver Harp tobacco).
  D. “Crystal Lake”
  A pale green skin of plant life mostly covers this small 
  pond. Tall weeds with bright yellow tips grow up around the 
  water’s edge, and dragonflies almost six inches long skim the 
  surface in search of food. Long-legged birds strut around the 
  marshy perimeter, snapping up tiny frogs.  The birds seem 
  unconcerned by your presence, even when you draw near. 
  Jutting up from the center of the pond is what appears to be 
  the tip of a rusty spear.
  The locals do not use this as a water source, as the taste is much 
  too bitter. From its thick growths of algae and silt-filled waters. The 
  villagers have always jokingly referred to the pond as “Crystal Lake”. 
  The quail have assured the birds who forage here that the characters are 
  allies, so they have no intention of interrupting their meal to fly away in 
  unwarranted fear.  
  The village children sometimes cast toy boats across the pond’s surface, 
  but they aren’t allowed to play in the water due to the fact that giant frogs 
  routinely nest here to birth their tadpoles. The frogs harm no one on 
  dry land. However, the spear blade sticking out of the water might be 
  sufficient to tempt the characters to wade in and study the situation. If 
  they wisely ask one of the people of Eorls Gedreas about the weapon 
  before swimming out there, they’re told that the item is actually a pike, 
  and its butt end is stuck in the mud at the bottom of the pool. A year ago, a 
  man named Sephan decided to impale a giant frog and cook it for dinner. 
  Instead, he ended up dead, and his body never floated to the surface. The 
  villagers assume his remains are down there still.
  Anyone venturing into the water to fetch the pike or to look for Sephan’s 
  body — perhaps thinking it a clue in their current quest — must deal with 
  the 3 giant killer frogs that occupy “Crystal Lake”. Characters fighting 
  while partially submerged suffer a –2 penalty on all attack rolls.
  Frogs, Giant Killer (3): HD 1+4; HP 11, 10, 8; AC 7[12]; Atk 2 
  claws (1d2), bite (1d4+1); Move 3 (leap 15); Save 17; AL N; 
  CL/XP 2/30; Special: leap. (Monstrosities 180)
  If the characters somehow manage to see in the murky, muddy water, 
  they discover a few human bones, but nothing else. The pike’s wooden 
  shaft is now almost spongelike from water absorption.
  E. Gong Farmer
  Infected: Yes.
  Rowan tends the village latrine. A six-sided building near his small 
  home is politely referred to as the “House of Easement,” but is essentially 
  a wooden shell over a cesspit. A channel in the bottom of the pit carries 
  the liquid waste away from the village, but the solid waste (referred to as 
  “gong”) must be removed manually and carried away. This task falls to 
  Rowan and his wife, Cedany. The couple usually conducts their work at 
  night so as not to be seen trundling carts of human excrement through 
  Eorls Gedreas en route to the gong mounds a quarter mile away.  They 
  euphemistically call their cargo “night soil.”
  Rowan usually sleeps during the day. He used to drink with the halfling 
  Linhorn (area B), but gave that up ever since falling under the control of the 
  wereboar. Within the House of Easement, on the far side of the gong pit, is 
  a round, flat stone. Moving this stone reveals a tunnel to area 1 of the Blind 
  Burrows. The stone weighs 50 lbs., and the villagers never bother it, as Rowan 
  has told them that it covers the village’s former cesspit before it was filled 
  and a new one built on top of it. He does everything he can to prevent the 
  characters from moving the stone aside and discovering the tunnel below.
  F. Ropemaker
  Infected: Yes.
  Ropes of various thicknesses and tensile strengths are coiled neatly all 
  around this small home. Lariats hang from hooks on either side of the 
  door. The local ropemaker is a narrow-boned human male named Tybalt. 
  His long, quick fingers have spent years weaving rope from hemp plants, 
  and he’s something of a sage of his craft. If the characters are interested, 
  Tybalt can explain the differences in his lines. The standard 50-foot rope 
  costs 1 gp and is half-inch thick, with a breaking strain of 500 lbs. Tybalt 
  offers many others:
  Hemp Rope
  Diameter  
  (in inches)
  Cost per  
  50-foot
  Load 
   (in pounds)
  Weight  
  (in pounds)
  1/16
  5 cp
  10
  1/3
  1/3
  2 sp
  50
  2
  1/4
  7 sp
  225
  9
  1/2
  1 gp
  500
  20
  1
  5 gp
  900
  36
  2
  25 gp
  3,550
  42
  3
  50 gp
  8,000
  320
  [END TABLE]
  The thickest of Tybalt’s ropes are designed for use by ships that sail 
  upon the nearby firth, hence their extreme loads and overall weights; 
  enterprising characters may likely find a use for such formidable hawsers.
  Tybalt can’t answer any questions the characters have about the recent 
  occurrences in the village, simply because all he’ll talk about are his ropes 
  and why the characters should invest in a wide variety of different sizes, as 
  they’ll never know what a particular situation might require.
  G. Elder
  Infected: Yes.
  Though known as Sigemikus the Sorcerer (a galdre, or “magician” in 
  local terminology), this aging plowman earned the moniker not because 
  of any magical prowess but rather due to his ability to amuse the village 
  children with his sleight-of-hand. He is locally famous for making an 
  acorn pass mystically from one overturned cup to another. If asked about 
  the unusual events in Eorls Gedreas, Sigemikus deflects the question by 
  offering to show the characters his parlor trick, of which he remains proud, 
  even after all these years. Sigemikus has no vocation and does not work, 
  as he is too infirm. He depends upon the largess of the other villagers for 
  food and clothing.
  
  7
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  H. Swine Pens
  Infected: Yes.
  Houdart the swineherd was the first put under the wereboar’s magical 
  influence. Odinel could not abide seeing the pigs held captive and put to 
  slaughter, as he considers them something of his kin, and so now all four 
  dozen of them are permitted to roam around Eorls Gedreas and feed on 
  anything they like. No one is allowed to harm them. If questioned about 
  these hogs-at-large, Houdart just shrugs and says he got tired of tending 
  to them. “They’re noisy, obnoxious beasts,” he says. “Let someone else 
  contend with them.” If pressed, Houdart grows visibly uncomfortable, 
  and it should become clear that he’s not relating the entire story. But no 
  matter how persistent the characters are in their interrogation, Houdart is 
  unable to reveal everything, as the power of the wereboar’s magic ring 
  is too strong. Eventually, he says he needs to go see the læce for some 
  medicine; only Odinel the læce can help. This might be enough to point 
  the characters in the right direction, but not necessarily so. They can also 
  find the entrance to the Blind Burrows by visiting Rowan the gong farmer 
  (area E). 
  I. Family Farm
  Infected: Yes.
  Carefully tended crops of all sorts grow in different patches 
  around this home. Standing in the middle of a barley field 
  out back is a black-headed scarecrow mounted on a crucifix 
  of wood and rope. Its shirt is stuffed with moldy straw. Its 
  mouth is painted the color of blood.
  Theom, his wife, and their 4 children work from dawn until sunset 
  almost every day, raising the crops that they barter for other things they 
  need to survive. All six family members have fallen prey to the wereboar’s 
  magic ring, so instead of replying to questions in a helpful way, they shrug 
  and claim to be exactly what they are: simple farm-folk just trying to 
  work hard every day and do right by the gods. Theom goes so far as to 
  ask the characters if they wouldn’t mind spending a few hours helping 
  him remove weeds between the rows. The scarecrow, though somewhat 
  threatening in appearance, is quite harmless.
  If the characters are particularly friendly, Theom’s children take a liking 
  to them and follow them around the village, asking questions about their 
  journeys and trying to touch their weapons.
   J. Apothecary Shop
  Infected: NA.
  This is the finest home in Eorls Gedreas. The local healer has always been 
  a vital part of the village’s well-being, as the limited ministrations of the 
  resident cleric aren’t always sufficient for easing the daily discomforts of 
  the villagers, from upset stomachs to broken hearts. Outside the læce’s door 
  are gift baskets: yellow squash, fresh bread, metal flatware, earthenware 
  pots, and fresh flowers. The characters might assume these favors are in 
  thanks for the aid that Odinel provides, but actually they are tributes he 
  demands from those under his control. The wereboar is gluttonous by nature 
  and consumes more than his share of food, so he depends on the villagers to 
  provide for him from their own dwindling supplies.
  The characters might come here after speaking with Elysant (area K), 
  or they might simply visit randomly as part of their investigation. Either 
  way, Odinel receives them as a professional but not as someone overly 
  fond of guests. In human form, he stands 5-1/2 feet tall, with a very wide 
  torso and considerable belly. His hair is thick and black, with coarse 
  stubble covering his double chin. He wears an apron while working with 
  his herbs and tonics, hard-soled black boots, and the ring of human control 
  on the little finger of his left hand — the only finger not too chubby to 
  accommodate a ring. 
  His house also serves as his herbals shop. The main living area has a bed 
  to one side and racks of shelves on the other, with a small round table in 
  between. The shelves contain poultices, salves, and tiny jarred remedies, 
  some more effective than others. This is the only room that guests are 
  permitted to see. A thick blanket hangs like a curtain that conceals the other 
  part of the house.  Odinel does not bring attention to this room, and if asked 
  what lies beyond the makeshift curtain, he says it’s simply his overstock of 
  such herbs as bloodroot, liverwort, and kingsfoil. In actuality, the floor of 
  that room has been removed and a simple block-and-tackle system installed, 
  enabling a platform to be lowered to area 18 of the Blind Burrows. There is 
  an 80% chance that the lift is here in its upper position when the characters 
  arrive. Odinel uses the lift to send victims down to the druid.
  Odinel is a clever actor and does nothing to reveal his true nature. His 
  goal is simply to get the characters to leave his shop. If pressed, he becomes 
  gruff; his weakness is his short temper. If the characters force their way 
  through the curtain or if the Referee deems that Odinel has reached a 
  breaking point, he transforms to a human-boar hybrid and attacks.
  Odinel (Lycanthrope, Wereboar): HD 5; HP 35; AC 4[15];  
  Atk bite (2d6) or +1 dagger (1d4+1); Move 12; Save 12;  
  AL C; CL/XP 6/400; Special: lycanthropy (contract if 
  wounded greater 50% hit point maximum), silver or +1 or 
  better weapon to hit.
  Equipment: +1 dagger, ring of human control, 5 gp, 12 sp.
  The only way the characters will be able to conduct a complete search 
  of the wereboar’s home is to defeat him, at which point they’re free to 
  probe his collection of herbs and other items. After searching for 15 
  minutes, they discover the following:
  • wooden ladle inlayed with silver (15 gp)
  • catoblepas-skin pouch containing 14 gp and a freshwater pearl (25 gp)
  • herbal ingredients such as lyre-leaf sage, skullcap, snakeroot, deadly 
  nightshade, and others
  • deed to a small keep called Colthrstan Hold
  • spool of fine silkworm thread with the tensile strength of steel
  
  8
  Quests of Doom 4
  Finally, a loose floorboard — discovered on a successful search for 
  secret doors — reveals a delicate glass bottle with a narrow neck and a 
  stone stopper. This is a thought bottle (see New Magic Items).
  K. Seamstress
  Infected: No. 
  This is the home and shop of the most talented person in Eorls Gedreas, 
  the sewing prodigy Elysant. Though she appears human, Elysant is 
  changling, and like Linhorn the halfling (area B), she is not subject to the 
  effects of the wereboar’s ring of human control. Though only 14 years 
  old, Elysant lives alone, an orphan quite capable of taking care of herself. 
  Her ability to sew beautiful clothing is unsurpassed. Indeed, if the rulers 
  of the kingdom were to learn of Elysant’s skill, they would whisk her 
  away to the castle and give her anything she fancied in return for making 
  gorgeous gowns.  
  Elysant knows that folks have been acting a little strange lately. At 
  first, she thought that someone had found a pouch of fey powder and 
  had accidentally afflicted everyone with a fairy bliss charm; she’d heard 
  such stories when she was younger. The only villagers still acting normal, 
  at least in her estimation, are the halfling stable-keeper and the læce. 
  Because she is concerned for her friends, she is willing to accompany the 
  characters if they invite her, so as to make introductions.
  The characters might wish to commission a custom garment from 
  Elysant; they will find no finer in all the kingdom. The young seamstress 
  mainly deals in barter, and she’s quite willing to accept all manner of 
  household items in exchange for a new outfit. Of course, if the characters 
  offer gold, Elysant gladly obliges, as gold shillings are rare here in these 
  humble environs.
  L. Church
  Infected: Yes.
  The unmarried Deodatus serves as the pastor of Eorls Gedreas. Friar 
  Deodatus is a missionary cleric of Ceres, the goddess of grain, or an 
  agrarian deity of the Referee’s own pantheon. The pastor is a skilled 
  gardener and maintains a few rows of vegetables and wheat, which he 
  dotes on like a proud father. He brews a somewhat weak ale in his spare 
  time. Plainspoken and sincere, Friar Deodatus assures the characters that 
  the village is quite safe and that their suspicions are baseless. He is willing 
  to use his curative powers on anyone in need of aid, though he does so 
  while raising his eyebrows in the direction of the poor box. 
  Deodatus (Clr3 of Ceres): HP 11; AC 9[10]; Atk mace (1d6); 
  Move 12; Save 13; AL L; Special: +2 save versus paralyzation 
  or poison, spells (2), turn undead.
  Spells: 1st—cure light wounds, purify food and drink
  Equipment: mace, wooden holy symbol of a wheat 
  sheaf.
  If the characters enter the cleric’s home and search his belongings, they 
  most likely are disappointed, as he possesses only the accoutrements of 
  a country friar … for the most part.  Tucked away under some carefully 
  folded woolen blankets is a ceremonial holy symbol in the disc shape 
  of a millstone. It is made of gold and worth 50 gp, resting in a deeply 
  polished wooden box that is engraved with the friar’s name and the date 
  of his ordination. At the Referee’s option, anyone stealing this item is 
  afflicted with a minor curse, as taking the sole treasure of a man of the 
  cloth invokes the ire of the immortals.
  M. Thatcher
  Infected: Yes.
  A young woman who dresses like a man maintains the roofs of the 
  village homes. Her name is Yuald, and she wears her dead father’s tool 
  belt and carries on his occupation now that he’s gone.  With close-cropped 
  hair and a no-nonsense attitude, Yuald is efficient and hardworking, 
  hauling straw and reeds up ladders all day to keep out the rain. She works 
  nearly every day. She tends to be a loner, and an observant one, and before 
  falling under the effects of Odinel’s magic, she would have been quick to 
  assist the characters in uncovering the trouble. Now, though, she shrugs 
  off every meaningful question by saying she has work to do. However, 
  if the characters are persistent, Yuald does admit that things are different 
  now, though she doesn’t know why, and that she dearly misses her friend 
  Kalotte (the woman in the red dress who can be found in area 14 in the 
  Blind Burrows).
  The characters can gain a bit of Yuald’s trust by offering to help her 
  mend the village rooftops. To thatch a roof, the characters gather water 
  reed from Yuald’s supply and haul it up a ladder. The thatch is held to the 
  roof supports with a spar of split hazelwood. Yuald hands the characters 
  a spade-like tool called a legget that they’ll use to tap the thatch into a 
  uniform shape. The ends of any errant reeds are cropped with Yuald’s 
  shearing hook, and the roof is complete 2d4 hours later.  If the characters 
  lend a hand to this labor, Yuald sits down with them for a simple meal of 
  rye bread, cheese, and the friar’s ale. She is unable to speak out against 
  Odinel, as she is under his control, but she does admit that Rowan the 
  gong farmer (area E) has been in a very bad mood recently whenever 
  Yuald visited the House of Easement.
  N. Baker
  Infected: Yes.
  Inhelm, the baker, spends most of his days brooding about a son he 
  lost in battle a decade ago, so his wife, Milnyd, conducts almost all of 
  the baking while her husband slips further into a mire of self-pity. Inhelm 
  is soft-spoken and distant, though not impolite. Characters visiting the 
  interior of the bakery might become suspicious of a chained and locked 
  metal trunk that rests in the corner.  This contains the personal effects 
  of Inhelm and Milnyd’s deceased son and nothing else of value, but the 
  couple changes the subject if the characters mention the box, perhaps 
  stoking their curiosity to know what’s inside.
  O. The Puppet Show
  Infected: No.
  As you approach, you see a poorly built wooden merchant’s 
  stall converted into some kind of stage for a child’s puppet 
  show. Apparently, someone crouches down behind the stall, 
  as two dolls re-enact a scene from a bedtime story. Though 
  the dolls themselves are crudely made, their tiny costumes 
  are beautiful and complex. One of the dolls is equipped with a 
  miniature sword. Standing around and watching this puppet 
  play are half-dozen children. When the sword-wielding 
  doll takes a swing at his fellow mannequin, who ducks and 
  retaliates with an equally small broom, the audience laughs.
  Two young dwarves, Zedford and Kasdri, the only two of their race in 
  the village, perform the play. Itinerant storytellers, the dwarf cousins ride 
  shaggy ponies from one community to the next, performing their poetry 
  and puppet plays in exchange for a few silver groats and the promise 
  of a hot meal or two. As nonhumans, they are immune to the powers of 
  Odinel’s magic ring. They’re finding their audience here in Eorls Gedreas 
  to be complacent and rather uninspired but nonetheless happy to have a 
  diversion from the drudgery of their lives.
  Zedford and Kasdri (Dwarf Thf1): HP 3; AC 9[10]; Atk dagger 
  (1d4); Move 9; Save 15; AL N; CL/XP 1/15; Special: backstab 
  (x2), detect stonework, +4 save vs. magic, +2 save bonus vs. 
  traps and magical devices, read languages, thieving skills.
  Thieving Skills: Climb 85%, Tasks/Traps 25%, Hear 3 in 6, 
  Hide 15%, Silent 25%, Locks 15%.
  Equipment: dagger, various puppets, props, and 
  musical instruments, 2d6 gp.
  The dwarves were quite pleased to meet Elysant (area K), as the girl sewed 
  the elaborate outfits worn by the puppets. This was a great bit of barter in the 
  dwarves’ eyes, and they’re pleased to entertain the villagers for another day 
  
  9
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  or so before packing up their show and moving on. The dwarves are chatty 
  fellows and willing to speak at length to the characters, their favorite topics 
  being theater arts, pastoral poetry, and pie. Zedford has a “strange feeling” 
  about Eorls Gedreas, but Kasdri doesn’t allow him to elaborate without 
  getting something in return. While Zedford likes to ramble about his personal 
  suspicions, moral questions, and life goals, Kasdri keeps him focused on 
  their primary agenda: making money. If the characters grease the wheels by 
  offering whatever the Referee believes to be a sufficient payment, Kasdri 
  magnanimously gestures for Zedford to spill what he knows. The characters 
  learn that Rowan the gong farmer (area E) harassed Zedford for taking too 
  long to do his business in the latrine. In fact, Rowan appeared quite anxious 
  to have Zedford finish up and be on his way. “It was rather uncomfortable, 
  really,” Zedford admits. “And more than a little embarrassing!”
  The Blind Burrows
  Years ago, the Under Realm race known as the derro accessed the sunlit 
  land above by sailing flat-bottom rafts along an underground river until 
  reaching a series of caves collectively known as the Doorway. By venturing 
  through this “Doorway,” the derro could sneak into the painfully sunlit 
  world, conduct their fell business, and return before dawn, laden with stolen 
  goods, livestock, and, sometimes, abductees. They depended on the river to 
  make this journey, as no dry tunnel connected their deep settlements to the 
  surface. When a natural earthquake caused a collapse that drained half the 
  river and filled the tunnel with tons of fallen rock, the derro lost access to the 
  Doorway and all the rooms they had excavated to store their supplies. In the 
  absence of any activity, bats soon took up residence in the cavern complex 
  in a massive colony that continues to occupy these caves.
  This derro-built, guano-filled place is now also the hidden home of a 
  troubled druid named Anwyl.  Formerly a member in good standing of 
  the Druidic Order of Oescreheit, Anwyl was emotionally and mentally 
  transformed by prolonged contact with a dangerous substance called 
  earthmurk. A stone tainted by negative energy, earthmurk radiates an 
  invisible field of negative energy that attacks the nervous system of any 
  living creature in close proximity to it. Due to earthmurk poisoning, 
  Anwyl is quite insane, gripped by extreme paranoia and a thirst for revenge 
  against the people of his home village, Eorls Gedreas.  He now lives in the 
  darkness of the caves he has fittingly renamed the Blind Burrows. For full 
  details on earthmurk, refer to New Magic Items.
  Elevation
  The Blind Burrows feature several different elevations, depicted on the 
  map with contour marks and stone steps. Combat may occur with the 
  various belligerents at multiple different elevation levels, which dictates 
  the dynamic of the fight. As per “Terrain Features” in the Swords & 
  Wizardry Complete Rules, anyone fighting from the advantage of higher 
  ground does so at a bonus of +1 on attack rolls. Likewise, those with 
  higher ground often enjoy some form of cover from those firing missiles 
  or swinging melee weapons from lower elevations, penalizing those 
  incoming attacks by –1. 
  Light
  Home to an uncounted number of bats, the Blind Burrows are 
  completely, utterly dark. The characters must bring alternate light sources. 
  Darkvision is somewhat ineffective, as almost everything in the cave 
  system is a uniform 55º F, providing little contrast for those attempting to 
  make sense of shapes. The Referee should keep careful track of the radius 
  of light provided by the characters’ torches, lanterns, and spells:
  • Hooded lanterns shine light 30 feet in all directions.
  • Bullseye lanterns exude a beam of light up to 60 feet long but only 10 
  feet wide.
  • Torches shed light in a 30-foot radius, but they are the easiest for the 
  bats to extinguish (see Bat Swarm).
  • The light spell has a radius of 20 feet.Continual light, the best optional 
  available, has a radius of 120 feet.Further complicating matters, Anwyl has 
  created a permanent darkness 15-foot radius at area 13 using charges from 
  his rapidly depleting staff of the shoreline (refer to New Magic Items). 
  If at any point the characters are without a light source, they can see 
  absolutely nothing — not even their fingers waving in front of their faces. 
  If this occurs, one of Anwyl’s giant bats attacks the sightless characters to 
  exploit their weakness. All attack rolls made by the characters in total darkness 
  suffer a –4 penalty to the roll. The bat, however, faces no such penalty.
  Bat, Giant: HD 4; HP 26; AC 7[12]; Atk bite (1d10); Move 4 
  (fly 18); Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 5/240; Special: 10% chance of 
  disease.
  Bat Swam
  Anwyl uses his magic to commune with the cave’s normal bats. He 
  has convinced them to defend their shared home. Though standard bats 
  are small and pose no serious threat to the characters, when swarming 
  en masse, thousands of bats can prove troublesome, indeed. Anwyl has 
  trained the swarming bats to attack light sources in order to put intruders 
  at a serious disadvantage. Because each individual bat is harmless and 
  easily destroyed, it has no statistics.  However, things change when the 
  bats join into a swarm. A small swarm consists of 100 to 1,000 bats (1d10 
  × 100). A bat swarm flies as a single entity, with a movement rate of 18, 
  snuffing torches in 1d4 rounds and lanterns in 1d6 rounds. A swarm can 
  be dispersed before ruining a light source if the Referee rules it takes 
  sufficient damage from an area-affect spell such as pyrotechnics or other 
  fire- or smoke-producing spell. Spells such as obscuring mist and similar 
  effects can confuse the bats, and shield prevents them from getting close 
  enough to ruin a light source. Optionally, the characters can simply retreat, 
  running from the swarm so as to keep their fires burning.
  Keyed Encounters
  The characters have discovered one or perhaps both of the entrances 
  to the Blind Burrows. The natural cavern was expanded and somewhat 
  refined by derro explorers, but they were forced to abandon the area, 
  leaving many of their supplies behind when an earth tremor collapsed 
  the tunnel that connected the Burrows to the derro dwellings far below 
  the surface.
  1. Into the Blind
  The characters enter here if they discovered the hidden tunnel in the 
  House of Easement at area E in Eorls Gedreas.
  A tunnel extends deep into the ground, varying between 
  15 feet wide and 5 feet wide it as leads northeast into the 
  unknown. The ceiling is barely 7 feet high in most places. 
  It appears as if a natural cave opening was hastily enlarged 
  at some point in the distant past, with the rough signs of 
  pickaxes and shovel blades still scarring the walls. Clearly, 
  visitors are not wanted, as a mound of sticks and damp leaves 
  is piled up to a height of 4 feet, blocking your path. Toadstools 
  with bright orange caps have sprouted up from this moist 
  compost. They form a pattern that is almost beautiful here 
  in the semi-dark.
  The toadstools might give the characters pause, but they are normal and 
  harmless. A skilled herbalist might be able to harvest them as ingredients 
  in a poultice or salve. Clearing the debris from the tunnel cannot be done 
  quietly without the aid of magic, which rouses the guardian at area 2.
  2. Sentry
  Anwyl stationed a giant badger here to dissuade unwanted arrivals. 
  Nearly as tall as a grown human, the badger spends a good portion of its 
  day sleeping. It leaves its lair to hunt and forage when Rowan the gong 
  farmer removes the stone from the tunnel entrance inside the House of 
  Easement. Any noise at area 1, such as the shifting of the deadfall, has a 
  
  10
  Quests of Doom 4
  75% chance of waking it. The badger rests on a ledge at the 10ft elevation, 
  and it leaps down and charges if anyone draws near.
  Badger, Giant: HD 3; HP 21; AC 4[15]; Atk 2 claws (1d3), bite 
  (1d6); Move 6; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 3/60; Special: none. 
  (Monstrosities 28)
  The badger is entirely fearless and attacks savagely. The Referee should 
  note the width of the corridor, as the relatively tight confines might make 
  for an interesting battle, as not everyone may be able to crowd in close and 
  attack the angry animal simultaneously.
  Rummaging through the badger’s nest requires the characters get up the 10-
  foot rise to the next elevation level. This can be accomplished easily enough, 
  but it should serve as foreshadowing for the many changes in elevation they’ll 
  face in the caverns to come. The nest is a surprisingly comfortable layer 
  of leaves and grasses, though it smells strongly of animal fur. Lost among 
  the bedding and discovered 50% of the time is a scratched ring of poison 
  resistance that the badger spat out after chewing someone’s finger.
  3. Runic Steps
  The elevation changes here, rising on four stone steps 
  to a door, also made of stone. The steps are wide and flat, 
  obviously placed here many years ago.  The steps have been 
  deeply inscribed with runes.  Each step bears a different 
  runic word.
  A thief’s ability to Read Normal Languages serves the party well here, 
  as a thief has an 80% chance of deciphering the runes. The 1st-level 
  magic-user spell read languages can also make sense of the inscriptions. 
  Of course, any speaker of Undercommon automatically understands the 
  runes, which read, “Do not step here,” with one word appearing on each 
  stair. If more than 10 lbs. of pressure is placed on the fourth and highest 
  step, which bears the word “here,” a rockfall trap is triggered, and 500 lbs. 
  of rocks drop from the ceiling. However, the trap is old, and an audible 
  click gives one second of warning before the ceiling collapses. Anyone 
  on the steps is allowed a saving throw to leap back down to the base of 
  the stairs and get clear just as the bone-crushing stones rain down. Those 
  failing their saving throws take 6d6 points of damage and must be dug out 
  by their companions.
  The derro once used these chambers to raid the surface world, and they 
  took measures to ensure they weren’t followed back to their lair. These 
  stepping-stones are part of those defenses. The stone door was designed 
  so anyone more than 5-1/2 feet tall needs to duck to enter. It is quite heavy 
  and its hinges have worn out over time, requiring an Open Doors check 
  to open.
  4. The Decapitated Drow
  Remember that the characters must provide their own light source to 
  see anything in these otherwise black cavern rooms.
  This cave is roughly 20 feet across and 30 feet north-to-
  south. A natural pillar in the middle of the room supports the 
  ceiling. Stacked around the pillar are old crates, boxes, and 
  other containers, many of them having long ago rotted away. 
  The room appears to have once served as a storage area for 
  dry goods. One of the boxes is made of glass. It is about 18 
  inches on a side, with a delicately hinged glass lid. Resting 
  inside the box is a dark-skinned humanoid head severed at 
  its neck. It appears to be the head of a male elf, with inky 
  black skin and perfectly white hair.  It looks to be some kind 
  of grotesque trophy.
  The derro stored foodstuffs here, but these provisions have degraded, 
  as have many of their containers. But the derro also kept items here they 
  acquired during their raids. If the characters spend at least 15 minutes 
  sorting through the collection, they find the following items that vary in 
  value and quality:
  • lantern with red glass panes
  • leather pouch with 10 pitons
  • scroll of tax entries from the office of the ealdorman’s reeve
  • ivory hair comb (5 gp)
  • empty bottle labeled “Separation”
  • signal flag of clouds (see New Magic Items)
  If the characters approach the head in the glass box, the drow’s eyelids 
  flash open, revealing amethyst-colored eyes. This is what remains of 
  Nymatar Maeafin, whose head was cut off by the skum slaves of an aboleth. 
  The deranged but powerful aboleth commanded sufficient magical power 
  to keep Nymatar’s his head alive even after it was separated from his 
  body.  This was done as a special form of torture, as the dark elf had been 
  caught trying to double-deal the aboleth in an Under Realms business 
  arrangement. Eventually, the aboleth grew tired of its toy and sold it to a 
  passing dark folk trader. It finally ended up with the derro, who delighted 
  in tormenting the helpless drow. The derro are no friends of the drow and 
  when they came upon the dark folk selling this macabre objet d’art, they 
  couldn’t resist purchasing it.
  Nymatar Maeafin’s head can speak but takes no other actions. He 
  requires no food and no air. The drow is chaotic and quite evil, but he 
  has also come to understand that he is entirely powerless. His only desire 
  is to be made whole again, and if that is impossible, then he chooses to 
  die. He’s lost track of how many years he’s suffered in this state; dozens, 
  surely. He does everything he can to convince the characters that helping 
  him will result in a great reward. He lies and says that his family in the 
  deep city of Dusendrauth will pay them handsomely for delivering him 
  
  11
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  to his home. He claims that House Maeafin is wealthy, which is true, 
  and that the members of his house include several powerful wizards and 
  priests capable of giving him a new body, which is also true. Of course, 
  the dark elves would never honor any deal with surface-dwellers, and the 
  characters would be hard pressed to escape Dusendrauth alive. If they’d 
  like to try, the Referee will need to compose an adventure worthy of such a 
  quest.  On the other hand, they might refuse Nymatar’s deal, in which case 
  he implores them to run a blade through his eye and end his misery. Either 
  way, this encounter should prove to be a moral challenge for characters of 
  certain alignments.
  5. Descent
  The floor angles sharply down at this point to a lower elevation level. 
  There are no steps, just a 45° decline covered in loose rocks and shards of 
  limestone. Sliding down is safe, but a character attempting to trot down 
  or otherwise remain on his feet must make a dexterity check or tumble to 
  area 8, taking 1d6 points of damage.
  6. Tracker
  This cave has a particularly low ceiling, no more than 5-1/2 feet at 
  its highest point, which forces taller characters to stoop uncomfortably. 
  Hairline cracks look like veins on the cavern walls. Tiny spiders 
  occasionally emerge from these fissures. The floor is uneven, as short 
  stalagmites and natural knobs have formed over the centuries from the 
  dripping, calcite-rich water. On the northeast side of the cave is a series of 
  flat stone steps leading down to a lower elevation at area 7. The room is 
  geologically interesting but not inherently perilous.
  A slithering tracker hides in this cave. Anwyl rid the Blind Burrows of 
  all monsters; only mammals remain, a group that he has always considered 
  his allies. However, in his purging, the druid understandably overlooked 
  the almost invisible slithering tracker. When the characters arrive, the 
  tracker is concealed in a crack where the floor meets one of the walls. 
  After the characters depart the chamber, the tracker follows, flowing along 
  on the floor. It is spotted only 10% of the time. The tracker waits until one 
  of the characters is alone — preferably sleeping or resting. If the slithering 
  tracker comes upon an unmoving victim, it attacks, forcing a saving throw 
  to avoid the paralysis caused by its glandular secretions. Anyone unlucky 
  enough to be paralyzed is drained of all bodily fluids, losing 20% of his 
  hits point per turn (10 minutes) until he is dead. The tracker does not 
  attack anyone who is moving or fully alert, so the characters might end up 
  exiting the Blind Burrows without ever knowing they were being stalked.
  Slithering Tracker: HD 4; AC 5[14]; Atk none; Move 12; Save 
  14; AL N; CL/XP 6/400; Special: transparent (10% chance to 
  spot), paralysis (save avoids).
  7. Roost
  The appearance of any light source in this area draws the attention of 
  the bat swarm that roosts along the ceiling. Anwyl trained these bats to 
  snuff out torches and lanterns. Refer to Bat Swarm, above, for details.
  8. The Waterfall Brawl
  A large-scale battle takes place in this expansive, multi-leveled cavern. 
  The Referee should consider drawing a reproduction of the map and 
  noting each character’s position and elevation.  The use of miniature 
  figures is helpful but not necessary, so long as everyone is clear as to 
  where his character is positioned in relation to everyone else, and who has 
  height advantage and cover.
  The ceiling of this natural cavern rises high above your 
  heads. Many different cliffs and slopes permit access to 
  different elevations of the cave, and several tunnels lead 
  away in various directions. The cavern’s most impressive 
  feature is a stream that flows from the northeast, emerging 
  from a flooded tunnel and dropping off in a short waterfall to 
  a channel below. Though these falls once fed an impressive 
  underground river, much of that flow has now dried up. A 
  dry riverbed extends to the northwest. The water continues 
  to run southeast, but it is only about 5 feet wide. Rope bridges 
  that connect the two halves of this impressive cavern cross 
  the dry end and the stream.
  Ten vampire bats patrol this area. If intruders are seen, one bat flies 
  to 20 to alert Anwyl, and the others attack. The noise of battle draws the 
  kobolds from 11, and they join the fray on the second round of combat. 
  The kobolds do not advance very far into the cavern, preferring to stay 
  back, claim the high ground or cover, and assail the characters with 
  poison-tipped arrows.  Normally, kobolds pose little threat to a party of 
  adventurers, but given the topography of the cavern, the limited range 
  of the characters’ light source, and the kobolds’ tactics, their arrows 
  might prove troublesome. Further, once the bat notifies Anwyl, he uses 
  the hidden arrow slits on the south wall of 21 to observe the fight and 
  cast his animal summoning spells to bring more combatants to engage 
  the characters (assuming the characters haven’t already visited Anwyl’s 
  chambers and dealt with him personally).
  The battle contains different groups that enter the conflict at different 
  times:
  • Round 1: The vampire bats attack, using flight and darkness to their 
  advantage.
  • Round 2: The kobolds from area 11 take up advantageous positions and 
  fire arrows tainted with a sleep-inducing poison.
  • Round 3: Anwyl uses animal summoning I for 6 wolf reinforcements.
  • Round 4: Anwyl casts pyrotechnics on a torch or lantern held by the 
  characters.
  • Round 5: Anwyl fires magic missiles using his magical staff.
  
  12
  Quests of Doom 4
  Keep in mind that the characters’ light sources makes them a target for 
  incoming missile fire, while the limits of their vision may prevent them 
  from seeing their attackers.
  Bats, Giant Vampire (10): HD 1; HP 8, 7x2, 6x3, 5x2, 4, 3; AC 
  8[11]; Atk bite (1d6); Move 4 (fly 18); Save 17; AL N; CL/XP 
  3/60; Special: suck blood (automatic 1d6 damage each 
  round after bite).
  Kobolds (6): HD 1d4hp; HP 4, 3x3, 2x2; AC 7[12]; Atk shortbow 
  x2 (1d6 plus poison); Move 6; Save 18; AL C; CL/XP A/15; 
  Special: –1 to hit in sunlight, darkvision 60ft.
  Equipment: shortbow, 10 arrows, poison (unconscious 
  for 1d4+1 rounds, save avoids).
  Wolves (6): HD 2+2; HP 17, 15x2, 14x3; AC 7[12]; Atk bite 
  (1d4+1); Move 18; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 2/30; Special: none.
  During the battle, Anwyl does not reveal his position behind the hidden 
  arrow slits. Instead, he prepares for their arrival in area 21. If the characters 
  overcome the bats, kobolds, and wolves, they are free to explore the area, 
  the most notable feature of which is certainly the waterfall and the half-
  dry stream. 
  The water plunges down from above in what is usually total 
  darkness, with no one to witness the raw beauty of it tumbling 
  down the black rocks and into a pool below. Reflected in 
  your light, the water looks clear and cold. Once in the pool, 
  the stream flows southeast and appears to be fairly deep. 
  Obviously, it used to be much more robust, however, as a 
  dry riverbed coming in from the northwest connects with the 
  pool; no water has flowed from that direction in a long time, 
  and a light lavender moss covers the smooth river stones.
  Following the dry stream track to the northwest, the characters 
  pass under the rope bridge and enter a narrow tunnel that soon begins 
  to angle sharply downward. After about 75 feet, it terminates abruptly 
  in a cave-in. Thousands of tons of rock block the path that once led to 
  the derro settlement. The stones glow faintly with the natural orange 
  bioluminescence of the moss. The real item of interest lies in the pool 
  itself. If the characters intentionally study the pool, they see an oblong 
  shape that reflects a bit of their light. This mysterious item rests 15 feet 
  below the surface at the bottom of the pool. Further details are impossible 
  to discern due to the falls that churn the water.  If they want to know more, 
  the characters have to get wet.
  Though the characters are wise to be cautious, getting the object out of 
  the pool is not in itself dangerous. Nothing accosts the diver during the 
  item’s retrieval. The object turns out to be an airtight, opaque glass capsule 
  about 14 inches long and 6 inches wide. Its two halves screw together at 
  their midpoint, and so the container is easily opened. As the characters are 
  inspecting the capsule, a lovely, unclothed female figure gently emerges 
  from the water, her long hair glistening around her shoulders. She is a 
  nixie named Aglaope (ag-luh-OH-pee).
  Aglaope (Nixie): HD 1; HP 6; AC 7[12]; Atk none; Move 6 
  (swimming 12); Save 18; AL N; CL/XP B/10; Special: charm 
  (charm person, –2 save to resist).
  Three items once owned by the nixie’s former human paramour are 
  inside the capsule: a silver dagger that floats, a potion of healing, and 
  a lung leaf (see New Magic Items for details).   Aglaope desires a new 
  lover. She’s always been fascinated by humans, so she chooses a male 
  or female human from among the characters and breaks the surface near 
  them, revealing herself in all of her beauty. Sea-colored eyes gaze upon 
  her chosen one with a kindness that is unfeigned.  Aglaope really is a kind 
  and caring being, but she is lonely and is not above using magic to win 
  a new partner. She introduces herself and speaks what sound to be words 
  of greeting in her own language; actually, she is casting a charm person 
  spell that is so potent that it penalizes the target’s saving throw by –2. If 
  her chosen lover fails that saving throw, Aglaope asks him to put the lung 
  leaf in his mouth so as to be able to breathe water. Once that’s done, she 
  invites him to jump in and follow her. Anyone trying to physically restrain 
  the charmed victim must make a dexterity check to grab him before he 
  dives into the pool and swims away with Aglaope, perhaps never to be 
  seen again. If the target succeeds in his saving throw, the nixie is visibly 
  disappointed and slips back into the water without another word.
  The flooded tunnel that leads to the southeast runs for several miles to 
  a subterranean lake. It is impossible to traverse the distance without the 
  ability to breathe underwater.
  9.  Lookout Point
  This ridge is at a higher elevation than other parts of area 8, so 
  combatants atop this plateau hold an advantage in combat. A knotted rope 
  hangs down on the north side of the ridge, enabling the kobolds from 
  11 to climb up and gain a firing platform for their toxic arrows. Ashes 
  blacken this rope, making it difficult to see unless the characters search 
  that specific area with a light source.
  Atop the hill, the kobolds have placed two dozen arrows and three spare 
  shortbows, as well as a stout, covered iron pot full of a sleep-inducing 
  poison. There is enough of the liquid to coat up to 50 arrows, though the 
  poison dries up and becomes ineffective if left on an arrowhead for more 
  than 24 hours. Also here are two large, spherical stones, each weighing 
  about 50 lbs. If the characters try to climb the hill, the kobolds shove a 
  rock over the edge. A failed saving throw means that the climber is driven 
  down into the ground, the stone on his chest, taking 2d6 points of damage.
  10. Tripwire
  The kobolds at area 11 use these stone steps cut by the derro to access 
  the main cave of area 8 when waging battle against intruders. As a 
  rudimentary warning against anyone sneaking up on them, they’ve rigged 
  a simple twine trap: Anyone not searching the steps before ascending 
  automatically snags the twine, which causes a small pile of rocks on 
  the top step to topple down the stairs. The sound reveals the characters’ 
  presence.
  11. Kobold Cave
  Stone steps that lead up from a lower elevation access the cave. 
  Formerly the meditation chamber of a derro savant, it now serves as home 
  to 7 kobolds, most of which join the battle at 8. Only their elder remains 
  behind, tending the Sacred Pail.
   
  This cave is nearly circular, about 15 feet in diameter. 
  Obviously, several beings live here, as half a dozen messy 
  bedrolls occupy most of the floor space. The stench is bad but 
  not unbearable. At the opposite side of the cavern, an aging 
  kobold wearing a headdress of colored stones and fish bones 
  sits cross-legged behind an overturned metal bucket. The 
  kobold has one hand on the bucket, and it lifts the other up at 
  you in an obvious warning to stop.
  A single kobold poses no threat to the characters. This one is just daring 
  enough to attempt a crude bluff, hoping to send the intruders running in 
  the other direction. Assuming the characters don’t simply charge across 
  the room, the elderly kobold solemnly lifts the pail, revealing a multi-
  colored centipede about 14 inches long. The kobold doesn’t take his eyes 
  from the characters, but tries to remain brave. The centipede — a nasty and 
  venomous-looking thing — scurries straight ahead, free of the confines of 
  the bucket and running on countless legs directly at the doorway where 
  the characters happen to be standing. This insect can easily be crushed 
  beneath a boot, but the kobold hopes the intruders assume it’s far more 
  deadly and react in such a way that permits him the chance to escape. If 
  he sees an opportunity, the kobold flees the room. Failing that, he fires a 
  sleep-inducing arrow from his bow.
  
  13
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  Kobold: HD 1d4hp; HP 3; AC 7[12]; Atk shortbow x2 (1d6 plus 
  poison); Move 6; Save 18; AL C; CL/XP A/15; Special: –1 to hit 
  in sunlight, darkvision 60ft.
  Equipment: shortbow, 10 arrows, poison (unconscious 
  for 1d4+1 rounds, save avoids).
  Searching the room thoroughly means overturning the bedrolls and 
  poking around in the mess that is the kobold living space. The kobolds 
  have collected numerous odd objects, knickknacks, and pretty stones 
  that might cause the characters to waste time and magical resources in 
  determining their properties and worth, but nothing of real value is here.
  12. Death from Above
  This elevated escarpment looks out across the impressive cavern that 
  makes up area 8. Small shattered rocks and stone splinters litter the 
  ground. The remains of a skeleton lie next to a metal shield with a large 
  dent in the center of it, as if a heavy, pointed object struck it. If examined 
  closely, the shield bears the symbol of the Hawkmoon deity Bylkalla, or a 
  war-related deity from the Referee’s own campaign.
  While the characters are examining this area, the Referee should 
  randomly determine which character a large stalactite that drops from the 
  ceiling targets. This piercer is difficult to detect before it falls, as it blends 
  in perfectly with other rock formations overhead.
  Piercer: HD 3; HP 20; AC 3[16]; Atk drop and pierce (3d6); 
  Move 1; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 3/60; Special: drop.
  13. Blind Run
  A permanent sphere of darkness 15ft radius occupies most of this bulge 
  in the tunnel. Resting on the floor within this blackened zone is a large 
  iron bear trap, waiting to be sprung. A friend of animals, Anwyl rescued 
  a black bear from this very trap and then placed the trap here as an intruder 
  deterrent. Anyone exploring the magical darkness without probing the 
  floor with a pole or similar item has a 50% chance of stepping directly 
  on the trap, which causes the jaws to slam shut and inflict 2d6 points of 
  damage. In addition, the injured victim must make a saving throw or be 
  temporarily crippled, with his movement rate halved for the next 24 hours. 
  A strength check is required to pull the jaws apart and free the victim.
  Lying on the floor here are five smooth blue stones. These are the stones 
  of the blue crystal path, as described in New Magic Items. Because of the 
  permanent darkness, these rocks are very difficult to find accidentally, as 
  blind characters will have no idea that a few pebbles beneath their boots 
  are in any way extraordinary. The only way to notice the stones is if the 
  characters somehow manage to dispel the unnatural gloom.
  14. Mass Grave
  As you enter this cave, the stench causes your eyes to water. 
  You’re standing at the top of a ridge that angles down about 
  10 feet to a pit of bodies. You realize that you’re observing 
  a mass grave.  Tiny white worms wiggle through corpses in 
  varying states of decay. There must be two dozen people here, 
  a mix of races, all thrown away like so much garbage. You see 
  a dead dwarf with his eyeballs eaten out, and a dead woman 
  wearing a bright red dress. Feasting upon them are three rats 
  the size of dogs. Hearing you enter, the rats leave off their 
  horrible meal and race up the ridge, hissing at you as they 
  close the gap.
  When Anwyl tortures a villager to death, he deposits their ravaged body 
  here to be feasted upon by a group of 3 giant rats. Regardless of when the 
  characters arrive at this room, they find these dog-sized rats gobbling up 
  one of the recently discarded corpses.
  Rats, Giant (3): HD 3; HP 21, 19, 18; AC 6[13]; Atk 2 claws 
  (1d3), bite (1d3 plus disease); Move 12; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 
  4/120; Special: disease (5% chance of contracting disease, 
  save avoids).
  Astute characters make the connection between the red dress in the 
  mass grave and the woman named Kalotte from Eorls Gedreas. They now 
  know the fate of the missing villager.
  If the characters choose for whatever reason to dig through the heap 
  of bodies, they find humanoid remains of multiple races in various states 
  of decomposition. The excavation is so disgusting that a constitution 
  check is required to keep from vomiting and quickly giving up the search.  
  Determined characters who have the stomach for this kind of work are 
  rewarded for their grisly determination; embedded in the maggot-infested 
  mass and still loosely strapped to a pair of skeletal feet are the fire spurs. 
  See New Magic Items for details.
  15. Master Roost
  The ceiling of this area is the primary roost of the Blind Burrows’ 
  bats. Tens of thousands of standard-sized bats are nesting here when the 
  characters arrive. The appearance of any light source in this area draws 
  their attention. Anwyl trained these bats to snuff out torches and lanterns. 
  Refer to Bat Swarm, above, for details.
  The floor is several inches thick with guano. Anyone traipsing around 
  in this noxious mess must make a saving throw or contract a lung disease 
  that affects the character in whatever way the Referee deems appropriate. 
  Digging through the guano reveals a tiny tin box containing three beautiful 
  gold nuggets; however, the rocks are merely pyrite and virtually worthless. 
  
  14
  Quests of Doom 4
  16. Troubled Waters
  A stone bridge crosses the stream. There are no railings, just a flat slab 
  of slippery rock spanning the water. A small overturned silver bell lies on 
  the middle of the bridge. A wire extends from an eyelet on the top of the 
  bell.
  The bell is completely mundane. It belonged to one of Anwyl’s victims, 
  and dropped when the body was taken to the mass grave at area 14. Wary 
  characters might assume the bell is part of some kind of elaborate trap, 
  and the Referee should play upon those fears. There is no real danger 
  here, other than the slippery bridge surface. Anyone moving at greater 
  than walking speed must make a dexterity check or slide off the side and 
  into the stream below, taking 1d6 points of damage.
  17. Above and Below
  A metal platform connected to a series of ropes and pulleys serves as a 
  crude mechanical lift, able to raise and lower up to 500 lbs. from here to 
  Odinel’s apothecary shop at area J in Eorls Gedreas. A shaft in the ceiling 
  rises more than 100 feet, connecting the wereboar’s home with the Blind 
  Burrows. A capstan must be cranked in order to operate the lift. Anwyl 
  works the capstan when Odinel sends down another victim. There is an 
  80% chance that the lift is in its upper position; if the characters want to 
  lower it, they’ll need to spin the capstan. If they entered the Blind Burrows 
  from the gong farmer’s residence at area E in Eorls Gedreas, they might 
  be surprised to find themselves in the læce’s shop when they reach the top 
  of this lift. If the wereboar is still alive, he attacks immediately, perhaps 
  forcing the characters to make a surprise check.
  18. Room of the Rock
  A few stone steps lead down into the first of Anwyl’s personal rooms.
  The walls of this room are smoothly worked stone, having 
  been cut and shaped by skilled craftsmen. Obviously a sitting 
  area or parlor of some kind, it features two comfortable-
  looking chairs that face a tapestry featuring abstract patterns 
  that hangs on the south wall. The tapestry’s needlework is 
  expertly rendered, similar to that which you saw in the 
  village. Between the two chairs is a simple maple-wood table, 
  on which sit a burning candle, a bottle of wine, a crystal 
  goblet, and a small book. 
  The book is a non-magical alchemical treatise titled “The Tincture 
  of Aqua Fortis.” Anwyl recently has become fascinated by the 
  arcane art of alchemy. Though he possesses no skills in that field, he 
  has begun a correspondence with a potential mentor and started to 
  purchase equipment.
  Behind the tapestry is a brownish, dully glowing rock embedded in the 
  wall. This is earthmurk.  It shines an unhealthy light and makes the skin 
  feel slightly itchy if anyone draws close to it.  This chunk of earthmurk 
  has completely corroded Anwyl’s mind. Even casual contact with it can 
  cause dreadful side effects. Refer to New Magic Items for details of what 
  happens to the characters should they improperly handle the rock. It can 
  be pulled out of the surrounding bedrock if the characters possess a pick 
  or similar tool. The extraction requires 1d4 rounds to complete; the sound 
  rings throughout the cavern complex.
  The earthmurk exposure caused Anwyl to become mean-spirited, 
  vindictive, and sociopathic.  He believes that the residents of his 
  former hometown of Eorls Gedreas are traitors to the cause — even if 
  that cause has never been defined. The earthmurk has similar effects 
  on the characters if they’re not careful. Anwyl is now in Stage 6 of 
  earthmurk poisoning.
  19. The Druid’s Repose
  Anwyl has converted this former derro laboratory into his bedchamber.
  Crates and baskets surround a narrow and uncomfortable-
  looking cot. At a glance, it seems as if several of these 
  containers hold dry foodstuffs, but others remain sealed. Most 
  of it is cluttered, and probably not easily inventoried. Light 
  is provided by a fish-oil lantern that hangs by a chain over 
  a writing desk. A greasy-smelling smoke winds up through 
  natural cracks in the ceiling. A wooden mannequin draped in 
  brown robes and wearing a hood stands in the corner.
  The desk features two drawers. One of these contains a stack of 
  parchment paper with 29 blank sheets, two inkpots, and four different 
  quills. The other drawer holds a few scattered notes on alchemy and a 
  personal letter from someone named Filkendikus, who is thanking Anwyl 
  the druid for assisting in the acquisition of a substance called “blue vitriol.”
  Searching the entire room requires 3d6 rounds and uncovers the 
  following items:
  • Alchemy book titled Collectanea Chemica60 lbs. of alchemical equip-
  ment, packed in straw-lined boxes
  • an alien “book” containing plates stamped with raised bars of different 
  lengths
  • spear adorned with feathers
  • spiked bandolier
  • red silk cloak (10 gp)
  • fur-insulated, elf-sized clothing
  • steel horseman’s boots
  • crude, hand-drawn map to the tower home of the alchemist Filkendikus
  • four rugs made from exotic animal pelts (8 gp each)
  • horseman’s lance
  • keg of ale (nearly empty)
  • 550-page tome titled The Divergence of Belief: One Dwarf’s Vision of 
  Independent Reasoning as Told Through the Journeys of the Warrior-Poet 
  Stavnyo Gildertrest; or The Unabridged Chronicles of Stavnyo and the 
  Fifteen Golden Acolytesoaken staff carved with the initials “AD”
  • rose of forgetfulness (see New Magic Items)
  The mannequin is made of wood, though its head is mostly concealed 
  by the hood of the robe it wears. Moving this hood reveals a magic mouth 
  that immediately begins screaming for help. It shouts for one full minute 
  before finally quieting. The sound carries easily to all adjacent rooms.  If 
  Anwyl was not yet aware of the characters’ presence, he is alerted now.
  20. The Last Redoubt
  Anwyl and his pet bear await the characters’ arrival. The druid stands 
  in the corner to one side of the door, so that when it’s opened, he isn’t 
  immediately seen. The bear is trained to attack head-on as soon as an 
  intruder appears. A single character standing in the doorway might end 
  up facing the bear alone unless an ally can squeeze by him or unless 
  the character retreats to 20. Anwyl is very much aware of the advantage 
  provided by the cramped confines of the doorway. If the characters 
  simply open the door without any particular sense of caution, the Referee 
  should check for surprise to see if they’re caught off-guard by the sudden 
  appearance of a rampaging black bear.
  Bear, Black: HD 4+1; HP 26; AC 7[12]; Atk 2 claws (1d3), bite 
  (1d6); Move 9; Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: hug (if 
  both claws hit, 1d8 additional damage).
  Meanwhile, the druid chooses the most opportune moment to strike, 
  either with spells or by expending charges from the staff of the shoreline. 
  
  15
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  He can also use his shape change ability to become a bear and angrily 
  attack, or a sparrow and attempt to fly away. Anwyl is visibly ill, his skin 
  discolored by earthmurk contact. He moves more slowly than he did 
  before finding the rock. Aware of his own physical deterioration, he acts 
  desperately and fights like a man with little left to lose. He assumes the 
  characters are agents sent by his enemies in Eorls Gedreas.
  Anwyl (Drd7): HP 22; AC 7[12]; Atk sickle-shaped sword 
  (1d6); Move 9; Save 9; AL C; CL/XP 7/600; Special: 
  immune to fey charms, shape change, spells (4/2/2/1),  
  +2 save vs. fire.
  Spells: 1st—detect magic, detect snares and pits, 
  faerie fire, locate animals; 2nd—heat metal, speak with 
  animals;3rd—neutralize poison, pyrotechnics; 4th—
  animal summoning I.
  Equipment: leather armor, staff of the shoreline (see 
  New Magic Items), sickle-shaped sword, mistletoe, 12 
  gp.
  There is a chance that events may unfold in such a way that Anwyl 
  is captured alive, or that the characters come to understand his sickness 
  and seek to contain him without killing him. Though unlikely, this turn of 
  circumstances could lead to an interesting end to their quest, as they might 
  be able to save the druid’s life by applying curse disease. They are more 
  than justified in killing him, but the Referee should be aware that things 
  might conclude differently and be prepared to improvise such results.
  If the characters are victorious in vanquishing Anwyl, they may 
  examine the room more closely.  Two arrow slits look out into area 8. 
  A large mound of straw and leaves serves as the bear’s bed. The entire 
  east wall is covered in a crudely painted map of Eorls Gedreas. Names 
  of villagers are scrawled there, along with epithets and lurid promises 
  of revenge.
  A chamber pot rests in the corner, partially filled with waste. Beside 
  it is a small journal with sandalwood covers and a dried-up inkpot. 
  Anwyl hasn’t written in this book in several days, and most of its pages 
  remain blank. But when he first discovered the earthmurk, he recorded 
  his findings here. These are the writings of a sane man, a true neutral 
  advocate of nature and the balanced Wheel of Life — at least at first. 
  As the narrative progresses, it becomes clear to the reader that Anwyl is 
  being negatively affected by the very object of his fascination. His words 
  become misspelled; his penmanship turns haphazard. A scientific study 
  of earthmurk soon transforms into a manifesto against all of the ailments 
  that Anwyl feels the world has inflicted on him. It should be obvious that 
  he rapidly descended into madness, and that the characters face a similar 
  destiny if they linger too long in the earthmurk’s fell company.
  Conclusion 
  Even if the characters eliminate Anwyl, there is a chance that Odinel 
  is still alive, having gone undetected during the characters’ investigation 
  of Eorls Gedreas. The wereboar has no intention of abandoning his easy 
  life in the village, but neither is he inclined to face the characters in battle. 
  Instead, he simply slips away while the characters are exploring the Blind 
  Burrows, hiding out in the wilderness while he waits for them to leave 
  the area.  
  As for the quail, they continue to monitor the situation. If the wereboar 
  returns to Eorls Gedreas and attempts to reassert his dominance, the 
  birds report to the archdruid as soon as they can, hoping he can fix what 
  the characters could not. On the other hand, they might have dealt with 
  the wereboar and liberated the village. In this case, the quail inform the 
  archdruid of the assistance rendered by these strangers, in which case they 
  earn his eternal friendship.  He becomes an important contact with whom 
  the characters can have dealings in the future.
  Continuing the Adventure
  The characters might have discovered the names of two mysterious 
  locations. Area 20 contains a map to the tower home of the alchemist 
  Filkendikus. The wereboar’s herbal shop contains a land deed to the small 
  keep of Colthyrstan Hold. These places may become the characters’ next 
  chosen destination, so the Referee can build upon those ideas and craft 
  complete adventures around them.
  Optionally, the Archdruid Cadrryn is pleased with the characters if 
  they’ve successfully defended his domain in his absence. He calls upon 
  them in the future with similar missions, dispatching his faithful quail to 
  summon the heroes once again.
  New Magic Items
  A Midnight Council of Quail introduces several new magical items that 
  the Referee should modify to suit the needs of each particular campaign.
  Hazard
  Earthmurk
  This highly dangerous ore pulses with a brownish or slightly yellow 
  glow and poisons living creatures that come within close proximity to 
  it. Earthmurk poisoning takes place in stages, whenever a humanoid 
  comes within 5 feet of it. Each new exposure, or a single exposure longer 
  than 1d4+1 rounds, advances the poisoning to the next stage. In Stages 
  1 through 3, the victim notices nothing out of the ordinary and does not 
  realize he is in trouble; the changes being wrought in his body at this 
  stage are taking places at the cellular level. In Stage 4, the victim becomes 
  visibly unwell, and his skin changes to an unhealthy yellow shade and his 
  fingernails turn brown. Because of his frail state, all saving throws are 
  made with a –2 penalty. At Stage 5, the victim can move no faster than 
  
  16
  Quests of Doom 4
  75% of his normal movement rate or risk vomiting due to nausea. After 
  reaching Stage 6, the victim slips into madness. The exact form of this 
  insanity is up to the Referee’s discretion, but it often takes the form of 
  paranoid delusions and uncontrollable anger. Most victims linger in Stage 
  6 for months before finally collapsing.  Hard knobs form on their skin as 
  the earthmurk causes all fluids in the body to accumulate in the superficial 
  tissues and dry into hardened abscesses. The victim dies of dehydration 
  and other complications in 1d4+1 days.  
  In Stages 1 through 3, a curse disease spell eradicates earthmurk 
  poisoning, but at Stages 4 through 6, the spell has a 20% cumulative 
  chance of failing.  
  Hazard
  Rose of Forgetfulness
  This enchanted flower causes those who inhale its scent to make a saving 
  throw or lose complete recollection of the past 24 hours. A successful save 
  indicates either that there is no effect or, in the case of a spellcaster, the 
  loss of 1d4 randomly determined spells. In order to inhale a sufficient 
  amount of the scent, the victim must be less than 6 inches from the rose 
  and be capable of smelling it.  
  Lesser Miscellaneous Magic Item
  Fire Spurs 
  Fire spurs appear as a pair of ordinary horseman’s spurs, albeit of 
  exceptionally sturdy quality; they are thicker and heavier than mundane 
  spurs, and their moving part — called the rowel — spins without sound 
  or friction. Fire spurs are black in color, as if they had been lying for days 
  among the coals of a smith’s forge. The magic of the fire spurs functions 
  only if both are worn. If this simple condition is met, the wearer may use 
  any of the spurs’ powers once per day.
  When mounted, the wearer may spur his steed and call upon the 
  enchantment of the fire spurs to send a surge of hot energy through the 
  mount, enabling it to achieve an unnatural velocity. Blood pounding and 
  inner fires burning, the mount increases its base movement by +25%. This 
  enhanced speed lasts for a period of one hour, after which time the mount 
  must rest for a time equal to the time it spent running at the increased rate.
  When not mounted, the wearer may strike the rowel of one of the fire 
  spurs against stone to produce a spark as per flint and steel. The wearer my 
  “kick” the spark up to 5ft away. This may be used to light campfires or to 
  set ablaze an oil-based trap.
  The third and final power of the spurs is always active. As long as the 
  wearer is outfitted with both spurs, he enjoys a +1 bonus on all saving 
  throws against fire and fire-based attacks. Further, he may reduce any fire 
  damage he sustains by 1 point for every Hit Die of the attack. In other 
  words, he would subtract 6 points of damage from a 6-die fireball.
  The fire spurs can never be damaged by flame, be it magical or 
  otherwise. Legend holds that somewhere there exists a pair of obsidian 
  rowels that — when they replace the rowels of the fire spurs — permit the 
  wearer access to additional powers. 
   
  Lesser Miscellaneous Magic Item
  Lung Leaf
  Down in the depths of the Moonsilver Sea, its roots fixed to the silt-
  covered sea floor, lives a magical tree.  For all intents and purposes, 
  the tree appears as a normal tree — or so say the reclusive sea elves. 
  According to maritime myth, the leaves of this tree grant water breathing 
  to anyone who holds a leaf in his mouth.
  The lung leaves are very rare. Since no one but the sea elves know the 
  tree’s exact location, most of the leaves come to the surface when fish 
  swim through the branches and shake the leaves loose.  The leaves then 
  float to the surface, where they can be recognized easily. They are 1in long 
  and a deep, rich blue in color; the veins in each leaf are bright silver. The 
  sea elves claim that no two lung leaves have quite the same arrangement 
  of veins.
  Holding a leaf in the mouth grants the user water breathing for a period 
  of 1d4+1 hours.  The user never knows exactly how much time the lung 
  leaf is providing him; the Referee makes the roll in secret. After the air 
  expires, the lung leaf must be soaked in salt water for a period of 1d4 days. 
  Only then may it be used again.  
   
  Lesser Miscellaneous Magic Item
  Signal Flag of Clouds
  This flag is useful as a means of communication, especially in times 
  of war. If the signal flag is held aloft at least 50 feet off the ground, it 
  causes clouds to form in the sky directly overhead. Within the next 3d6 
  rounds, these clouds begin to shift, forming a slow-moving but obvious 
  spiral. During normal daylight conditions, this cyclonic cloud movement 
  can be seen up to 12 miles away. The signal flag of clouds is often used 
  with others of its kind to relay warnings across incredible distances.  
  Lesser Miscellaneous Magic Item
  Thought Bottle
  This long-necked blue bottle is used to store and protect important 
  memories and thoughts. To use the item, the character unstoppers it and 
  concentrates on the thought or memory to be stored. He then speaks a 
  command word, and the thought is copied from his mind and into the 
  bottle. To retrieve the thought, anyone may uncork the bottle and 
  speak the proper command word; the thought is then transferred to his 
  or her mind. Thought bottles are sometimes used to protect sensitive 
  information, so if the messenger bearing the item is caught, the thought 
  cannot be known by those not possessing the proper phrase. The thought 
  may remain in the container indefinitely, and it may be roughly 100 words 
  in length.  
  Medium Miscellaneous Magic Item
  Stones of the Blue Crystal Path
  Planting these five stones in soil, mud, or sand causes a magic blue 
  bridge to appear in any direction the user chooses. The bridge actually 
  “grows” from the stones as if they were seeds, extending up to 200 feet 
  horizontally, with only a slight, 10-foot elevation at its midpoint. The 
  dazzling blue span may not be made to angle up or down, but always 
  grows horizontally in a direction indicated by the user. The blue crystal 
  path is only 3 feet wide, so anyone fighting on the bridge must make 
  an immediate dexterity check if he misses with any melee attack, or he 
  falls off the edge. The blue crystal path persists for only 1d4+4 rounds 
  before instantly vanishing, at which time the stones reappear in the user’s 
  hands. They may be used once per month.  
  Magic Staff
  Staff of the Shoreline
  This staff has four specific functions, each requiring charges to activate:
  • magic missile (1 charge)  
  • darkness 15ft radius (2 charges)
  • insect plague (3 charges) 
  • permanency (4 charges, renders many spell effects permanent, as per the 
  Referee’s discretion)
  When obtained by the characters, the staff of the shoreline has 22 
  charges remaining. 
  
  17
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  
  18
  Quests of Doom 4
  
  19
  A Midnight Council of Quail
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  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document Copyright 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jon-
  athan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax 
  and Dave Arneson.
  Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch
  Swords & Wizardry Complete Rules, Copyright 2010, Matthew J. Finch
  Swords & Wizardry Monstrosities, Copyright 2013, Matthew J. Finch
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  Williams. 
  Quests of Doom 4: A Midnight Council of Quail © 2017, Frog God Games, LLC;  
  Author: Lance Hawvermale.
  
  21
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  Frog God 
  Games
  Quests of Doom 4
  Quests of Doom 4
  ISBN 978-1-62283-462-4
  A Midnight Council of Quail is an adventure for 4–6 characters of 3rd to 5th level  
  where the characters explore a village to locate the lair of a monstrous murderer —  
  but the villagers don’t want the murderer to be discovered.
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  A Midnight Council of Quail
  QoD4j
  QoD4j
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Swords & Wizardry/SW Adventures & Settings/Quests of Doom (SW)/Quests of Doom 4 (SW)/QoD4 Midnight Council (SW).pdf