TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Reckoning
  The Reckoning
  The Reckoning
  The Reckoning    
   
  A One Round 
  A One Round 
  A One Round 
  A One Round LLLLIVING 
  IVING 
  IVING 
  IVING GGGGREYHAWK
  REYHAWK
  REYHAWK
  REYHAWK Adventure
   Adventure
   Adventure
   Adventure    
   
   
  By Sean Flaherty and John Richardson
  By Sean Flaherty and John Richardson
  By Sean Flaherty and John Richardson
  By Sean Flaherty and John Richardson    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Blurb:
  Blurb:
  Blurb:
  Blurb: A struggling merchant house may hold the key to untold wealth and adventure 
  in the Cairn Hills. An adventure for characters level 1-6. 
   
   
   
   
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK, and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of 
  the Coast, Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Tournament 
  detail copyright 2000 by TSR, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is intended for 
  tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network.  
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 2 
  This is a standard RPGA Network tournament. A four-hour 
  time block has been set aside for this event. It is a good idea 
  to ask each player to put a name tag in front of him or her. 
  The tag should have the player's name at the bottom, and 
  the character's name, race, and gender at the top. This 
  makes it easier for the players to keep track of who is 
  playing which character. 
   
  The actual playing time will be about three hours. 
  Make sure you use the last 20 to 30 minutes of the event 
  time block to have the players capsulize their characters for 
  each other and vote. The standard RPGA Network voting 
  procedures will be used. Complete the Judge's Summary 
  before you collect the players' scoring sheets. This way you 
  will not be influenced by their ratings and comments. 
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn 
  about Equipment and weapons their characters are 
  carrying.  
   
  A note about the text: Some of the text in this scenario 
  is written so that you may present it as written to the 
  players, while other text is for your eyes only. Text for the 
  players will be in bold italics
  bold italics
  bold italics
  bold italics. It is strongly recommended 
  that you paraphrase the player text, instead of reading it 
  aloud, as some of the text is general and must be adapted to 
  the specific situation or to actions of the player characters.  
   
   
  Tier Structure
  Tier Structure
  Tier Structure
  Tier Structure    
  To determine the party's tier, add the total levels of all the 
  characters. In addition, add the levels of any companion 
  creatures that have one or more classes, and half the hit 
  dice of any animals (animals are defined as creatures with 
  an intelligence less than low) which can enter combat on 
  the side of the PCs. Compare the total to the chart below 
  to find the tier. 
   
  Characters of a level higher than the highest tier of 
  the scenario are not allowed to play the scenario. For 
  example, a scenario for tiers 3-7 cannot be played by 
  characters over 14th level. 
   
   
  4 players 
  5 players 
  6 players 
  7 players 
  Level Cap 
  T1: 
  4-12 
  5-13 
  6-14 
  7-15 
  4nd level 
  T2: 
  13-22 
  14-24 
  15-26 
  16-28 
  6th level 
  T3: 
  23-32 
  25-35 
  27-38 
  29-41 
  8th level 
   
   
  Lifestyle in Greyhawk
  Lifestyle in Greyhawk
  Lifestyle in Greyhawk
  Lifestyle in Greyhawk    
  PCs in Living Greyhawk events must pay a lifestyle cost 
  associated with the economic level of the place where the 
  adventure takes place. Lifestyle costs include expenses 
  incurred during the time between this adventure and the 
  last one, and all training costs associated with advancing 
  in levels. It does not cover cost of adventuring 
  equipment. PCs must pay for things bought during the 
  adventure (from equipment to drinks and meals and 
  lodging) at the prices stated in the scenario, or the Player’s 
  Handbook if the scenario does not specify.  
   
  The lifestyle costs are divided according to the 
  economic level that the PC wants to maintain, and there 
  are 
  Charisma-related 
  penalties 
  and 
  bonuses 
  for 
  maintaining certain lifestyles. 
  • 
  Destitute:
  Destitute:
  Destitute:
  Destitute: You have no living space, and must carry 
  all your gear everywhere. You stink and are 
  undernourished. You suffer a –3 on Charisma-related 
  skill checks. 
  • 
  Poor:
  Poor:
  Poor:
  Poor: You sleep in the common room of an inn, or 
  perhaps the loft of a stable. Your clothing is generally 
  worn and patched.You suffer –2 on Charisma-related 
  skill checks. 
  • 
  Low:
  Low:
  Low:
  Low: You rent a small room at a tavern, perhaps 
  shared with one or two other individuals. If you own 
  a home it is a one-room shack. It wouldn’t be wise to 
  leave anything of value laying around. You suffer –1 
  on Charisma-related skill checks. 
  • 
  Medium: 
  Medium: 
  Medium: 
  Medium: You are moderately successful, and your 
  equipment is plain but sturdy. You have your own 
  room in an inn or boarding house, where you can 
  leave items of moderate value without worrying 
  about them disappearing. 
  • 
  High: 
  High: 
  High: 
  High: You rent a roomy house or apartment, or own 
  a nice home. You own clothes for many occasions, 
  and can entertain anyone without feeling overly 
  ashamed. You receive a +1 bonus on Charisma-
  related skill checks.  
  • 
  Luxury: 
  Luxury: 
  Luxury: 
  Luxury: You have the best of everything – spacious 
  living quarters, exotic food, expensive clothes. Your 
  success is the envy of many. You have a +2 bonus on 
  Charisma-related skill checks. Equipment left at 
  home is generally quite secure. 
   
  Penalties or bonuses to CHA-related skills should be 
  applied at the DM’s discretion, and can sometimes 
  backfire – for example, a PC with a poor lifestyle would 
  not have a penalty when talking to a beggar, but would 
  when talking to a city official.  A PC with a high lifestyle 
  should have a penalty when dealing with a group of street 
  thugs, where a PC with a destitute lifestyle might not. 
  You are encouraged to roleplay these reactions whenever 
  possible. 
   
  Have the players deduct the lifestyle costs for their 
  characters before play starts, noting the lifestyle on the 
  log sheet. 
   
  Lifestyle  
  Cost 
  Charisma-related mod 
   Destitute 
  0 
  -3 
   Poor 
  2 
  -2 
   Low 
  10 
  -1 
   Medium 
  50 
  0 
   High 
  200 
  +1 
   Luxury 
  1000 
  +2 
   
   
  DM’s Introduction
  DM’s Introduction
  DM’s Introduction
  DM’s Introduction    
  The Cairn Hills
  The Cairn Hills
  The Cairn Hills
  The Cairn Hills    
  The Cairn Hills are a barren string of hills north and east 
  of the City of Greyhawk. The name refers to the ancient 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 3 
  burial sites that have been discovered there in the past. 
  The hills are owned by the City of Greyhawk and provide 
  the city with valuable mines that produce a variety of 
  large, high-quality gems as well as large quantities of 
  stone. The hills are sparsely populated with miners and 
  several settlements of gnomes and halflings.  
   
  The Forlorn Cairn
  The Forlorn Cairn
  The Forlorn Cairn
  The Forlorn Cairn    
  The Forlorn Cairn is a small burial chamber hidden deep 
  in the Cairn Hills. It was discovered, by accident, by a 
  miner named Effimus Brendingund many years ago. At 
  that time, the cairn was filled with treasures and traps as 
  well as the mummified bodies of several ancient beings. 
  Effimus called these chambers the Forlorn Cairn because 
  of the constant moaning and sighing sounds that can be 
  heard within. These sounds are caused by cunningly 
  built, finger-width tubes that lead from the surface into 
  the cairn. They produce sound when even the slightest 
  breeze blows in the hills outside. 
   
  When he found the cairn, Effimus was mining for 
  emeralds by himself in a shallow mine. He worked alone 
  because the land of the hills belongs to the city, making 
  his mine an illegal operation. He was very fortunate and 
  struck a rich vein. One night, as he stumbled through the 
  darkness back to his small campsite, he found a carved 
  stone block in the ground hidden under a few inches of 
  sand. Knowing of the presence of many treasure-
  containing cairns in the hills, he decided to investigate 
  the stone the following morning, thinking it might 
  conceal an entrance. Effimus spent several days figuring 
  out the cunningly built trapdoor and disarming several 
  traps inside the cairn. Finally he reached what he sought, 
  a number of chambers containing extraordinary items. 
  Over the next several months, Effimus began to 
  systematically remove all of the objects from the cairn 
  and sell them back in the Free City of Greyhawk, all the 
  while working his mine. With the money he made, he 
  was able to secure the mining rights to the area of the 
  cairn from the city. Then he built several more 
  permanent structures at the mine site, including a barn 
  over the entrance of the tomb. 
   
  After a few months, Effimus had sold or stored away 
  all of the items from the cairn and emptied the mine. He 
  was a very wealthy man. He moved back to the City of 
  Greyhawk, bought a modest house in Clerkburg (a 
  section of the city dominated by colleges, administrative 
  buildings and temples), started a trading company, took a 
  wife and raised seven children. Every few years he would 
  sell a few more artifacts just to keep up the illusion that 
  he was a successful merchant. He was careful to take each 
  of his children up to the old cairn so that they could 
  appreciate where their money came from. Effimus was a 
  generous man and was not wise in the use of his money. 
  When he died, most of his money was gone. He left 
  behind only a small sum of money, his house, and a 
  beautiful piece of jewelry, the Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn. 
   
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn    
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn is an ancient artifact 
  that consists of a platinum cartouche set with brilliant 
  diamonds and pale blue sapphires in fine filigree, hung 
  on a chain of fine adamantine links. The “curse” of the 
  necklace is that it can never be lost. Any person touching 
  the necklace with bare skin while it rests on its pedestal 
  in the Forlorn Cairn will find that it has magically 
  appeared around their neck. Once on a person’s neck, the 
  necklace can be removed normally but it will always 
  magically return to its “owner’s” neck within 5d6 
  minutes. The only way to be free of the curse is to die or 
  have a remove curse spell successfully cast upon the wearer. 
  If the person possessing the necklace dies, the necklace 
  magically returns to its pedestal in the Forlorn Cairn. If a 
  successful remove curse is cast, the possessor may remove 
  the necklace permanently, but any person touching it 
  within thirty minutes is subject to the curse. If no one 
  touches the necklace within thirty minutes of the remove 
  curse, it disappears, returning to the Forlorn Cairn. 
   
  Brendingund History
  Brendingund History
  Brendingund History
  Brendingund History    
  Effimus Brendingund lived to be an old man, outliving 
  his wife and four of his children. Upon his death, his 
  remaining money was split between his three living 
  children. Two of the children moved away and were 
  never heard from again. The remaining child, Vertislar 
  Brendingund, tried to maintain the house and business 
  but found that he was not a good businessman. When he 
  began to run out of money, he decided that he would 
  search the Forlorn Cairn to see if his father had missed 
  anything. Following his father’s directions, left in a 
  journal, he found the cairn and, inside, the Necklace of 
  the Forlorn Cairn on its pedestal. He quickly took the 
  item and sold it. A traveling merchant bought the 
  necklace, paying a price that would allow Vertislar to 
  straighten out all of his business concerns. Celebrating 
  his success, Vertislar went for a drink at a local tavern. 
  While inside, he felt a cold sensation against his neck. 
  Looking inside his tunic, he saw that he was wearing the 
  Necklace. His father had warned him that the necklace 
  was special, but he had never understood what he meant 
  until that moment. Vertislar did not want to be a thief, so 
  he hurried back to the merchant, but he had already 
  departed the city. Vertislar was torn about what he should 
  do, but he finally decided that there was nothing he could 
  do other than keep the money. But in his mind, a seed 
  was planted. When his money began to run short again a 
  few years later, he sold the necklace for a second time, 
  carefully choosing a merchant that would be leaving 
  town soon. He sold the necklace at a bargain price and 
  convinced himself that the merchant had cheated him so 
  that when the necklace returned, his guilt was lessened. 
  Over the next several years Vertislar stopped paying as 
  much attention to his business and concentrated more on 
  selling the necklace. He researched his father’s journal 
  and found that his father knew of this power of the 
  Necklace and had himself sold it three times.  
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 4 
   
  During his life, Vertislar sold the necklace seven 
  times. He made sure to tell his two children about the 
  secret of the necklace. His son Festulus married a woman 
  named Hystern and kept the necklace, carefully 
  arranging events so that his wife would be the “wearer” of 
  the necklace. Verislar’s daughter, Bedilund, married a 
  man and moved to Seltaren in the Duchy of Urnst. Every 
  time Festulus sold the necklace, he sent half the money 
  he made to his sister. After Festulus’ death, Hystern 
  continued to sell the Necklace, but sent only a small 
  amount of the money to her sister-in-law. Festulus and 
  Hystern had only one child, Hellina. Hellina was told the 
  secret of how her family had made its fortune and was 
  disgusted. She moved to Veluna and married a wealthy 
  man. She refused all dealing with her parents and their 
  money. Hellina had one child, Auldon, and she never 
  told him about the necklace, hoping he would never 
  know the sad family secret. When her mother died, the 
  Necklace returned to the Forlorn Cairn, a place of which 
  Hellina had never heard. 
   
  Bedilund did not take the loss of her income lightly. 
  She wanted the Necklace and researched through old 
  family records until she discovered where the Necklace 
  might have gone. Bedilund dispatched Stoat, her 
  husband, to the cairn to retrieve the necklace but he 
  never returned because he died in a trap inside the cairn. 
  Bedilund then hired some mercenaries to find out what 
  happened to Stoat; they took her money and disappeared. 
  Unsure of what happened to her husband and the 
  hirelings, Bedilund died shortly thereafter hopeless, 
  alone, and destitute.  
   
  After his father’s death, Auldon moved back to 
  Greyhawk and took the name Brendingund because some 
  people still remembered it. He moved into the old family 
  house, his only remaining heirloom, and using his 
  parents’ money, he opened a new shipping company. He 
  inherited his family’s touch at business and was also a 
  poor gambler. He soon spent most of his family fortune.  
   
  It was at this time that his mother, Hellina passed 
  away and the loyal family servant, Jemar, discovered two 
  letters from his great-aunt Bedilund to his mother 
  indicating that the “birthright” that built their family 
  fortune had returned to its “resting place.” On her 
  deathbed Hellina made Jemar swear to watch over 
  Auldon and make certain he preserved the family’s good 
  name. Jemar is very upset with the current financial state 
  of the Brendigund house. He has intense feelings of guilt 
  because, out of love for Hellina, he hid Auldon’s financial 
  status from her during the last years of her life. 
   
  Auldon has a journal from Effimus, his great-great 
  grandfather in which one entry indicated that the 
  “resting place” of the family’s “greatest treasure and refuge 
  in time of need” was beneath the barn of a played out 
  family mine in the Cairn Hills. This journal has recently 
  come to his attention because he pays the City of 
  Greyhawk a fee each year for the right to work the mine, 
  but there has been no income from the mine in decades. 
  Auldon is considering giving up the mine in order to 
  avoid the fee and conserve what little funds he has. 
  However, first he wants to understand his family’s 
  involvement to make sure he’s not giving anything 
  valuable away. 
   
   
  Adventure Synopsis
  Adventure Synopsis
  Adventure Synopsis
  Adventure Synopsis    
  The Reckoning begins with the PCs witnessing the 
  mugging of Jemar near the Black Dragon Inn in 
  Clerkburg. The PCs are expected to rescue Jemar at 
  which point he will explain to them that he has been 
  soliciting mercenaries to rescue the failing Brendigund 
  house by retrieving treasure from the Cairn Hills. He 
  suspects that Auldon will have more details regarding 
  precise location and if the PCs agree to help will give 
  them Bedilund’s letters. 
   
  Upon arriving at the merchant’s home at an 
  appointed time that evening, the PCs will meet Auldon, 
  and present their suspicions that his family has hidden a 
  valuable heirloom and other treasure near a mine in the 
  Cairn Hills. Auldon will share his information from 
  Effimus’ diary. Despite this, he will be skeptical, but 
  willing to undertake anything that might help his 
  situation at no cost to him. He will tell the PCs they can 
  keep anything they find except the “heirloom”. He will 
  give the PCs directions to the mine and suggest that they 
  stay to stay at the Last Chance Inn on the border of the 
  Cairn Hills, approximately one day’s travel from 
  Greyhawk.  
   
  Upon arriving at the Last Chance Inn, the PCs will 
  be greeted by the innkeeper and offered a room and a 
  meal. They will be treated to entertainment from a local 
  bard who sings a ballad chronicling some of the legends 
  of the Cairn Hills. A raid by a local band of humanoids on 
  the inn’s livestock interrupts the song. The PC’s can opt 
  to participate or watch the ensuing battle. The next 
  morning they will travel to the Brendingund mine and 
  find that only the barn and a rough hole in the ground 
  remain. The PCs will have to use their wits and the 
  Search skill to locate the secret entrance to the cairn, 
  which is below one of the horse stalls. 
   
  Once the PCs descend into the cairn, they will enter 
  the Chamber of Sighs. This room was used to conduct 
  services for the ancient folk who built the cairn. The only 
  exit from the chamber is a hole in the floor that was 
  clearly used to lower sarcophagi into the crypt below. The 
  crypt below is filled with twelve sarcophagi and several 
  skeletal defenders. After defeating the skeletons, the PCs 
  will need to open the sarcophagi until they find one with 
  a secret passage into the treasure rooms below. In the 
  sarcophagi with the secret passage is the perforated body 
  of Uncle Stoat and his diary. Once the PCs navigate the 
  trapped sarcophagi, they will enter the treasure rooms 
  and find that all are empty except a small one off to one 
  side. This room contains only a stone pedestal at the far 
  end with the Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn resting on it. 
   
  After acquiring the Necklace, the PCs will return to 
  the surface and begin their journey back to Greyhawk. 
  Since the mugging, a local opportunist named Bwirse has 
  been shadowing the PCs. He has hired some inept 
  mercenaries to attack the PCs and attempt to steal 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 5 
  whatever treasure they have retrieved from the Cairn 
  Hills. This attack will take place while the characters are 
  on their way back to the Last Chance Inn. Bwirse hired 
  the mercenaries in Greyhawk and they are supposed to 
  meet him at the Black Dragon Inn in Greyhwak in five 
  days. The mercenaries will describe him as a scholarly 
  looking human who gave his name as Swier. 
   
  When the PCs reach Greyhawk and Auldon’s home, 
  he will ask them to give him whatever treasure they 
  found at the mine. Auldon will appraise the items and ask 
  to hear their tale before sending them on their way with 
  everything but the necklace. 
   
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cairn is worth 20,000 
  gold orbs, the masterwork long sword is worth 315 gold 
  orbs, and the Thunderstone is worth 30 gold orbs. 
   
   
  PLAYER INTRODUCTION
  PLAYER INTRODUCTION
  PLAYER INTRODUCTION
  PLAYER INTRODUCTION    
  It is a warm Coldeven morning in the free city of Greyhawk, 
  It is a warm Coldeven morning in the free city of Greyhawk, 
  It is a warm Coldeven morning in the free city of Greyhawk, 
  It is a warm Coldeven morning in the free city of Greyhawk, 
  and the clatter and creak of livestock and wag
  and the clatter and creak of livestock and wag
  and the clatter and creak of livestock and wag
  and the clatter and creak of livestock and wagons fills the streets. 
  ons fills the streets. 
  ons fills the streets. 
  ons fills the streets. 
  A variety of merchants, peddler’s and criers also fill the streets 
  A variety of merchants, peddler’s and criers also fill the streets 
  A variety of merchants, peddler’s and criers also fill the streets 
  A variety of merchants, peddler’s and criers also fill the streets 
  undertaking their daily toil. Over this activity, you note a dull 
  undertaking their daily toil. Over this activity, you note a dull 
  undertaking their daily toil. Over this activity, you note a dull 
  undertaking their daily toil. Over this activity, you note a dull 
  smacking sound and a stifled cry as an elderly man wearing 
  smacking sound and a stifled cry as an elderly man wearing 
  smacking sound and a stifled cry as an elderly man wearing 
  smacking sound and a stifled cry as an elderly man wearing 
  merchant livery is drug from the street a
  merchant livery is drug from the street a
  merchant livery is drug from the street a
  merchant livery is drug from the street and into an alley by a 
  nd into an alley by a 
  nd into an alley by a 
  nd into an alley by a 
  muscular arm.  
  muscular arm.  
  muscular arm.  
  muscular arm.      
   
  PCs who rush to investigate. Will see the following. 
      
  A young man in his early twenties relentlessly beats a frail old 
  A young man in his early twenties relentlessly beats a frail old 
  A young man in his early twenties relentlessly beats a frail old 
  A young man in his early twenties relentlessly beats a frail old 
  man with a sap and shouting at him. “Give me the map. Give 
  man with a sap and shouting at him. “Give me the map. Give 
  man with a sap and shouting at him. “Give me the map. Give 
  man with a sap and shouting at him. “Give me the map. Give 
  me the map!” The old man whimpers back 
  me the map!” The old man whimpers back 
  me the map!” The old man whimpers back 
  me the map!” The old man whimpers back at him, “there is no 
  at him, “there is no 
  at him, “there is no 
  at him, “there is no 
  map. Ow! Leave me in peace you brute. Ow.”
  map. Ow! Leave me in peace you brute. Ow.”
  map. Ow! Leave me in peace you brute. Ow.”
  map. Ow! Leave me in peace you brute. Ow.” 
   
  Kran, male human Rog1: 
  Kran, male human Rog1: 
  Kran, male human Rog1: 
  Kran, male human Rog1: CR 1; Medium Humanoid (5 ft. 
  11 in. tall); HD 1d6+2; hp 5; Init -1 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 12 
  (+2 Dex); Atks +2 melee (1d6+2 subdual, sap); SA sneak 
  attack +1d6; Al CN; SV Fort +1, Reflex +2, Will –2. 
   
  Str 14, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 7, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills: : : : 
  Climb 
  +3, 
  Escape 
  Artist 
  +4, 
  Gather 
  Information +5, Hide +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +6, 
  Open Locks +6, Pick Pockets +6, Read Lips +3, Use Rope 
  +6. Feats:::: Dodge, Mobility; 
      
  Equipment:::: sap, shortsword 
   
  Jemar, male human Com (butler) 1: 
  Jemar, male human Com (butler) 1: 
  Jemar, male human Com (butler) 1: 
  Jemar, male human Com (butler) 1: CR 1/2; Medium 
  Humanoid (5 ft. 6 in. tall); HD 1d6; hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30; 
  AC 10; Atks +0 melee (1d4-1 [crit 19-20], dagger); SV Fort 
  +2, Reflex +1, Will +5; Al LN. 
   
  Str 9, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 9. 
   
  Skills: : : : Appraise +1, Bluff +2, Diplomacy +4, 
  Knowledge (household management) +2, Sense Motive 
  +1.    Feats:::: Iron Will, Alertness; 
      
  Equipment:::: dagger, livery. 
   
  Kran will flee at the first sign of opposition, using all of 
  his skills to escape. If captured, Kran will confess that he 
  overheard Jemar soliciting mercenaries to search out 
  treasure in the Cairn Hills. Kran has attacked Jemar in 
  order to steal the maps that he must have. Unfortunately 
  for Kran, Jemar is telling the truth, he doesn’t have maps, 
  just letters from Hellina. 
   
  Once the PCs have chased off Kran, Jemar will begin to 
  thank them and attempt to recruit them to explore the 
  Cairn Hills.  
   
  “Thank you, thank you,” the old man croaks. “I am Jemar, a 
  “Thank you, thank you,” the old man croaks. “I am Jemar, a 
  “Thank you, thank you,” the old man croaks. “I am Jemar, a 
  “Thank you, thank you,” the old man croaks. “I am Jemar, a 
  servant of the merchant Aldun Brend
  servant of the merchant Aldun Brend
  servant of the merchant Aldun Brend
  servant of the merchant Aldun Brendingund. Thank you once 
  ingund. Thank you once 
  ingund. Thank you once 
  ingund. Thank you once 
  again for rescuing me. Are you heroes? I am looking for heroes to 
  again for rescuing me. Are you heroes? I am looking for heroes to 
  again for rescuing me. Are you heroes? I am looking for heroes to 
  again for rescuing me. Are you heroes? I am looking for heroes to 
  aid me.”
  aid me.”
  aid me.”
  aid me.”    
      
  If the PCs are interested in helping Jemar, he will explain 
  the Brendingunds’ predicament. Auldon has lost almost 
  all of the Brendigund fortune through poor business 
  decisions and gambling. On her deathbed, Auldon’s 
  mother Hellina made Jemar promise to watch out for 
  Auldon and make sure he prospered. Things have not 
  gone well to say the least and Jemar has been searching 
  for a way to restore the Brendigund fortune. The only 
  possibility he has found is a vague mention in some old 
  letters of a “birthright” that built the Brendigund fortune 
  hidden in the Cairn Hills. Have the PCs willing to help 
  introduce and describe themselves. Jemar will give them 
  the letters and tell them that he believes Auldon may 
  have more information regarding the location of the lost 
  treasure. Jemar will explain that he cannot share the 
  letters with Auldon because it would wound his master’s 
  pride to be saved by a servant. Jemar will suggest that the 
  PCs come by the Brendigund home early that evening 
  and he will make sure they get an appointment with 
  Auldon. He will give them directions to the house. Jemar 
  will emphasize to the PCs that they must come up with a 
  cover story for how they acquired the documents.  
   
   
  Encounter One
  Encounter One
  Encounter One
  Encounter One    
  Meeting Merchant Brendingund
  Meeting Merchant Brendingund
  Meeting Merchant Brendingund
  Meeting Merchant Brendingund    
  Having reached the Brendingund residence in Clerkburg, just 
  Having reached the Brendingund residence in Clerkburg, just 
  Having reached the Brendingund residence in Clerkburg, just 
  Having reached the Brendingund residence in Clerkburg, just 
  down from the Black Dragon Inn, you are greeted by the sight of 
  down from the Black Dragon Inn, you are greeted by the sight of 
  down from the Black Dragon Inn, you are greeted by the sight of 
  down from the Black Dragon Inn, you are greeted by the sight of 
  a large stone and wood home that sits behind the Gem and 
  a large stone and wood home that sits behind the Gem and 
  a large stone and wood home that sits behind the Gem and 
  a large stone and wood home that sits behind the Gem and 
  Stone Cut
  Stone Cut
  Stone Cut
  Stone Cutters Guildhouse. Wide stone steps lead up to twin 
  ters Guildhouse. Wide stone steps lead up to twin 
  ters Guildhouse. Wide stone steps lead up to twin 
  ters Guildhouse. Wide stone steps lead up to twin 
  mahogany doors where heavy tarnished silver knockers hang. 
  mahogany doors where heavy tarnished silver knockers hang. 
  mahogany doors where heavy tarnished silver knockers hang. 
  mahogany doors where heavy tarnished silver knockers hang. 
  The home has a stately, dignified look but is worn and shows the 
  The home has a stately, dignified look but is worn and shows the 
  The home has a stately, dignified look but is worn and shows the 
  The home has a stately, dignified look but is worn and shows the 
  generations it has served. 
  generations it has served. 
  generations it has served. 
  generations it has served.     
   
  PCs knocking on the door will be greeted almost 
  immediately. 
   
  Seconds after you knock on the door, the rightmost swings 
  Seconds after you knock on the door, the rightmost swings 
  Seconds after you knock on the door, the rightmost swings 
  Seconds after you knock on the door, the rightmost swings 
  inward, revealing an elderly man in formal attire. Jemar winks 
  inward, revealing an elderly man in formal attire. Jemar winks 
  inward, revealing an elderly man in formal attire. Jemar winks 
  inward, revealing an elderly man in formal attire. Jemar winks 
  at you and immediately ushers you in to an interior sitting 
  at you and immediately ushers you in to an interior sitting 
  at you and immediately ushers you in to an interior sitting 
  at you and immediately ushers you in to an interior sitting 
  room. This sitting room contains several faded green overstuffed 
  room. This sitting room contains several faded green overstuffed 
  room. This sitting room contains several faded green overstuffed 
  room. This sitting room contains several faded green overstuffed 
  cccchairs and a matching couch positioned to face the unlit 
  hairs and a matching couch positioned to face the unlit 
  hairs and a matching couch positioned to face the unlit 
  hairs and a matching couch positioned to face the unlit 
  fireplace. The entire floor is covered with a fine, but worn, rug of 
  fireplace. The entire floor is covered with a fine, but worn, rug of 
  fireplace. The entire floor is covered with a fine, but worn, rug of 
  fireplace. The entire floor is covered with a fine, but worn, rug of 
  Ketite make. Another pair of double doors leads from this room, 
  Ketite make. Another pair of double doors leads from this room, 
  Ketite make. Another pair of double doors leads from this room, 
  Ketite make. Another pair of double doors leads from this room, 
  Jemar disappears within and closes the doors behind him. You 
  Jemar disappears within and closes the doors behind him. You 
  Jemar disappears within and closes the doors behind him. You 
  Jemar disappears within and closes the doors behind him. You 
  can ba
  can ba
  can ba
  can barely discern a muffled conversation beyond he doors.
  rely discern a muffled conversation beyond he doors.
  rely discern a muffled conversation beyond he doors.
  rely discern a muffled conversation beyond he doors.    
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 6 
  Anyone wishing to listen at the closed double doors can 
  do so at a DC of 15. (See 3rd Edition PH page 71). If 
  successful, the PC will hear a Jemar tell Auldon 
  Brendingund that there is a group of people in the sitting 
  room that wish to discuss a business proposition with 
  him. He responds excitedly to this possibility and then 
  there is the distinct sound of footsteps moving toward the 
  door.  
   
  After only a few minutes behind closed doors Jemar reemerges 
  After only a few minutes behind closed doors Jemar reemerges 
  After only a few minutes behind closed doors Jemar reemerges 
  After only a few minutes behind closed doors Jemar reemerges 
  in
  inin
  into the sitting room and ushers you into the office beyond. 
  to the sitting room and ushers you into the office beyond. 
  to the sitting room and ushers you into the office beyond. 
  to the sitting room and ushers you into the office beyond. 
  Auldon Brendingund is a heavy
  Auldon Brendingund is a heavy
  Auldon Brendingund is a heavy
  Auldon Brendingund is a heavy----set human in his mid forties 
  set human in his mid forties 
  set human in his mid forties 
  set human in his mid forties 
  with thinning black hair and a patchy goatee. His clothing is 
  with thinning black hair and a patchy goatee. His clothing is 
  with thinning black hair and a patchy goatee. His clothing is 
  with thinning black hair and a patchy goatee. His clothing is 
  richly appointed, but seems a little too small and clings tightly to 
  richly appointed, but seems a little too small and clings tightly to 
  richly appointed, but seems a little too small and clings tightly to 
  richly appointed, but seems a little too small and clings tightly to 
  his bel
  his bel
  his bel
  his belly and backside. He quickly moves to introduce himself, 
  ly and backside. He quickly moves to introduce himself, 
  ly and backside. He quickly moves to introduce himself, 
  ly and backside. He quickly moves to introduce himself, 
  greet you and shake each of your hands earnestly before moving 
  greet you and shake each of your hands earnestly before moving 
  greet you and shake each of your hands earnestly before moving 
  greet you and shake each of your hands earnestly before moving 
  to seat himself. 
  to seat himself. 
  to seat himself. 
  to seat himself.     
      
  Once seated behind his massive wooden desk, Auldon 
  Once seated behind his massive wooden desk, Auldon 
  Once seated behind his massive wooden desk, Auldon 
  Once seated behind his massive wooden desk, Auldon 
  glances around nervously. The walls in this room are full of 
  glances around nervously. The walls in this room are full of 
  glances around nervously. The walls in this room are full of 
  glances around nervously. The walls in this room are full of 
  booksh
  booksh
  booksh
  bookshelves, only half of which contain books, and a picturesque 
  elves, only half of which contain books, and a picturesque 
  elves, only half of which contain books, and a picturesque 
  elves, only half of which contain books, and a picturesque 
  marble fireplace with a bare mantle. The sun
  marble fireplace with a bare mantle. The sun
  marble fireplace with a bare mantle. The sun
  marble fireplace with a bare mantle. The sun----faded outlines of 
  faded outlines of 
  faded outlines of 
  faded outlines of 
  vases above the mantle show as dark shadows against the 
  vases above the mantle show as dark shadows against the 
  vases above the mantle show as dark shadows against the 
  vases above the mantle show as dark shadows against the 
  wallpaper, but there are no vases in sight. There are eight 
  wallpaper, but there are no vases in sight. There are eight 
  wallpaper, but there are no vases in sight. There are eight 
  wallpaper, but there are no vases in sight. There are eight 
  serviceable wooden
  serviceable wooden
  serviceable wooden
  serviceable wooden chairs arranged before the desk for your 
   chairs arranged before the desk for your 
   chairs arranged before the desk for your 
   chairs arranged before the desk for your 
  convenience. Auldon smiles a second time as you sit. “Thank you 
  convenience. Auldon smiles a second time as you sit. “Thank you 
  convenience. Auldon smiles a second time as you sit. “Thank you 
  convenience. Auldon smiles a second time as you sit. “Thank you 
  for coming this evening. I understand you have some kind of 
  for coming this evening. I understand you have some kind of 
  for coming this evening. I understand you have some kind of 
  for coming this evening. I understand you have some kind of 
  business proposition for me?”
  business proposition for me?”
  business proposition for me?”
  business proposition for me?”    
   
  Auldon, male human Exp5 (merchant): 
  Auldon, male human Exp5 (merchant): 
  Auldon, male human Exp5 (merchant): 
  Auldon, male human Exp5 (merchant): CR 2 1/2; 
  Medium Humanoid (5 ft. 11 in. tall); HD 5d6+5; hp 40; 
  Init +1 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 10; Atks +3 melee (1d4-1 [crit 
  19-20], dagger); Al LN; SV Fort +2, Reflex +1, Will +5. 
      
  Str 9, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills: Appraise +11, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, 
  Gather Information +10, Innuendo +3, Knowledge 
  (commerce) +6, Sense Motive +8, Ride +2. Feats:::: Iron 
  Will, Alertness; 
      
  Equipment:::: dagger, robes. 
   
  Auldun has borrowed heavily from the Thieves’ Guild 
  against his family’s properties, including his home, and 
  has sold everything not vital to keeping the Brendingund 
  shipping operations running. Unless something changes, 
  Auldon will begin missing payments in the next two 
  weeks and then he expects the Thieves Guild to begin 
  getting violent. If Auldon is unable to come up with 
  something of substantial value by then Auldon plans to 
  flee Greyhawk on one of his trading vessels. 
   
  Once the PCs reveal the letters from Auldon’s great-
  aunt, and their plan to search for lost family heirloom and 
  other treasure, Auldon will be skeptical, but reveal that he 
  has been researching a family mine in the Cairn Hills. 
  Auldon has a journal from Effimus, his great-great 
  grandfather in which one entry indicated that the 
  “resting place” of the family’s “greatest treasurer and 
  refuge in time of need” was beneath the barn of a played 
  out family mine in the Cairn Hills. This journal has 
  recently come to his attention because he pays the City of 
  Greyhawk a fee each year for the right to work the mine, 
  but there has been no income from the mine in decades. 
  Auldon is considering giving up the mine in order to 
  avoid the fee and conserve what little funds he has. 
  However, first he wants to understand his family’s 
  involvement to make sure he’s not giving anything 
  valuable away. He is willing to undertake anything that 
  might help his situation at no cost to him and will tell the 
  PCs they can keep anything they find except the 
  “heirloom”. 
   
  If the PCs ask to see the journal, Auldon will refuse 
  telling them the quote is: “I am nervous that it is hidden 
  so near a profitable mine. I plan to make every effort to 
  empty that hill of emeralds as quickly as possible. Losing 
  that small treasure will make the resting place safer.” If 
  pressed to see it, Auldon will tell the PCs that the journal 
  contains much information of a private and potentially 
  embarrassing nature and he does not wish to share it. 
  Auldon knows relations between his mother and her 
  family were strained, but is unclear why. She spoke of 
  them very little when he was a child and never after her 
  own mother died. He assumes that Great Aunt Bedilund 
  received no aid. Auldon will converse with the PCs as 
  long as they wish, and recommend that they get 
  underway first thing in the morning. 
   
  He will then show the PCs a rough map of the 
  southern coast of the Nyr Dyv including the Cairn Hills 
  and suggest directions to the mine. The PCs can journey 
  on the High Road until it forks a few miles into the Cairn 
  Hills. From there they take the path to Blackstone until 
  they reach a quartz boulder the size of a small house and 
  head due south until they reach the mine. The 
  Brendingund mine is two days journey from Greyhawk 
  and Auldon will suggest that the PCs stay at the Last 
  Chance Inn, just inside the Cairn Hills. They can stay 
  there the first night of their journey, at the mine the 
  second night, return to the inn the third night and return 
  to Greyhawk on the fourth evening. The PCs need not 
  stick to this schedule. 
   
   
  Encounter Two
  Encounter Two
  Encounter Two
  Encounter Two    
  The Last Chance Inn
  The Last Chance Inn
  The Last Chance Inn
  The Last Chance Inn    
  After a long day of travelling, you finally reach the point in the 
  After a long day of travelling, you finally reach the point in the 
  After a long day of travelling, you finally reach the point in the 
  After a long day of travelling, you finally reach the point in the 
  High Road where
  High Road where
  High Road where
  High Road where it forks and a smaller trail runs east toward 
   it forks and a smaller trail runs east toward 
   it forks and a smaller trail runs east toward 
   it forks and a smaller trail runs east toward 
  Blackstone. Down a rolling hill between the branches of the fork 
  Blackstone. Down a rolling hill between the branches of the fork 
  Blackstone. Down a rolling hill between the branches of the fork 
  Blackstone. Down a rolling hill between the branches of the fork 
  you see a handful of wooden buildings, the largest among them 
  you see a handful of wooden buildings, the largest among them 
  you see a handful of wooden buildings, the largest among them 
  you see a handful of wooden buildings, the largest among them 
  is a small two
  is a small two
  is a small two
  is a small two----story inn. Perhaps it is the glare from the setting 
  story inn. Perhaps it is the glare from the setting 
  story inn. Perhaps it is the glare from the setting 
  story inn. Perhaps it is the glare from the setting 
  sun or the shad
  sun or the shad
  sun or the shad
  sun or the shadow of the hill you are on, but “last chance” may 
  ow of the hill you are on, but “last chance” may 
  ow of the hill you are on, but “last chance” may 
  ow of the hill you are on, but “last chance” may 
  refer to the inn’s chances of standing upright through the night. 
  refer to the inn’s chances of standing upright through the night. 
  refer to the inn’s chances of standing upright through the night. 
  refer to the inn’s chances of standing upright through the night. 
  As you draw closer, a scholarly looking man and a gnome enter 
  As you draw closer, a scholarly looking man and a gnome enter 
  As you draw closer, a scholarly looking man and a gnome enter 
  As you draw closer, a scholarly looking man and a gnome enter 
  the structure, which appears more sound up close, but still looks 
  the structure, which appears more sound up close, but still looks 
  the structure, which appears more sound up close, but still looks 
  the structure, which appears more sound up close, but still looks 
  risky. The gr
  risky. The gr
  risky. The gr
  risky. The gray wooden door smells vaguely of dry rot as you 
  ay wooden door smells vaguely of dry rot as you 
  ay wooden door smells vaguely of dry rot as you 
  ay wooden door smells vaguely of dry rot as you 
  open it to look in on an unremarkable common room. There are 
  open it to look in on an unremarkable common room. There are 
  open it to look in on an unremarkable common room. There are 
  open it to look in on an unremarkable common room. There are 
  five medium sized round tables surrounded by chairs, a large 
  five medium sized round tables surrounded by chairs, a large 
  five medium sized round tables surrounded by chairs, a large 
  five medium sized round tables surrounded by chairs, a large 
  fireplace with meat cooking on a spit, a low bar with a bench, a 
  fireplace with meat cooking on a spit, a low bar with a bench, a 
  fireplace with meat cooking on a spit, a low bar with a bench, a 
  fireplace with meat cooking on a spit, a low bar with a bench, a 
  short staircase leadi
  short staircase leadi
  short staircase leadi
  short staircase leading up, a door into a back room, and even a 
  ng up, a door into a back room, and even a 
  ng up, a door into a back room, and even a 
  ng up, a door into a back room, and even a 
  few patrons. “Hail travelers,” the gnome behind the bar calls as 
  few patrons. “Hail travelers,” the gnome behind the bar calls as 
  few patrons. “Hail travelers,” the gnome behind the bar calls as 
  few patrons. “Hail travelers,” the gnome behind the bar calls as 
  you enter. 
  you enter. 
  you enter. 
  you enter.     
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 7 
  Krink, the innkeeper, will quickly ask how he can be of 
  service and show them to a table near the bar, a fair 
  distance from the fire (it is spring after all). He will 
  quickly begin setting tankards of ale and trays of meat 
  and boiled green vegetables before the PCs. He will show 
  anyone inquiring a room upstairs which is small (ten by 
  ten) with four or five straw pallets with wool blankets 
  thrown over them. Gaps in the floorboards allow the 
  sounds, smells and some light in from the common room 
  below. There are no human sized beds in the inn, most 
  “big” guests sleep on the tables or bar in the common 
  room. On cold, crowded nights, desperate travelers have 
  even been known to sleep on the floor. The other 
  buildings are a small barn, a stable for guests’ mounts, and 
  an outhouse. 
   
  Krink is a down-to-earth gnome who has worked at 
  the inn since his father built it fifty years ago. Part of the 
  reason for the building’s questionable stability is that it 
  that neither Krink nor his father were very good 
  carpenters, another reason is that the gnomes are amused 
  by the larger races startled looks when the building 
  groans or sways in the wind. When the PCs have a 
  moment to look around they will note several patrons.  
   
  A moderately sized dwarf stands near the fire, rubbing dark oil 
  A moderately sized dwarf stands near the fire, rubbing dark oil 
  A moderately sized dwarf stands near the fire, rubbing dark oil 
  A moderately sized dwarf stands near the fire, rubbing dark oil 
  into the wood of a drum nearly as tall as he is. A heavily cloaked 
  into the wood of a drum nearly as tall as he is. A heavily cloaked 
  into the wood of a drum nearly as tall as he is. A heavily cloaked 
  into the wood of a drum nearly as tall as he is. A heavily cloaked 
  figure tips his chair in the far corner near an open window. H
  figure tips his chair in the far corner near an open window. H
  figure tips his chair in the far corner near an open window. H
  figure tips his chair in the far corner near an open window. His is is is 
  cowl makes it impossible to make out his facial features, but his 
  cowl makes it impossible to make out his facial features, but his 
  cowl makes it impossible to make out his facial features, but his 
  cowl makes it impossible to make out his facial features, but his 
  hands never seem to stray far from the sword hilts at his hips. A 
  hands never seem to stray far from the sword hilts at his hips. A 
  hands never seem to stray far from the sword hilts at his hips. A 
  hands never seem to stray far from the sword hilts at his hips. A 
  pair of gnomish youths are throwing dice on the hearth near the 
  pair of gnomish youths are throwing dice on the hearth near the 
  pair of gnomish youths are throwing dice on the hearth near the 
  pair of gnomish youths are throwing dice on the hearth near the 
  dwarf. The only other patron is a scholarly looking human
  dwarf. The only other patron is a scholarly looking human
  dwarf. The only other patron is a scholarly looking human
  dwarf. The only other patron is a scholarly looking human    
  transcribing some notes on the bar. 
  transcribing some notes on the bar. 
  transcribing some notes on the bar. 
  transcribing some notes on the bar.     
   
  The heavily cloaked figure is a local ranger name Astin 
  who spends his days patrolling the lands surrounding the 
  Last Chance Inn and keeping them free of his chosen 
  enemies, goblinoids and giants. Astin is a loner and very 
  anti-social, he will respond to any attempts at 
  conversation with monosyllabic grunts. If the PCs appear 
  to be pushing Astin, Krink will intervene, recommending 
  that they leave him alone. The gnomish boys are Klink 
  and Klank, Krink’s sons. They help with the work around 
  the inn, but are afforded a great deal of free time in the 
  evenings. They will try to bring the PCs into their dice 
  game (highest roll 2d6 wins). If you loose three in a row, 
  you have to stand on your head until someone else loses 
  three in a row. The scholarly looking human is Bwirse. 
  He is an associate of Kran’s and is trailing the PCs to see if 
  they turn up any treasure. He passed them on the road 
  earlier in the day when he was fairly certain that they 
  would stop at the Last Chance Inn. He been waiting 
  outside to make sure this was indeed the case and moved 
  inside when he saw them approach. If the PCs try to 
  strike up a conversation with him, he will pretend to be a 
  scholar studying gnomish dialects in Blackstone. He will 
  say that he is returning to Greyhawk to document and 
  publish his findings. Try to make this as boring as 
  possible. Bwirse has hired a band of men to waylay the 
  PCs on their way back to the inn. He will be having 
  Auldon’s residence watched, so if his team does not 
  succeed and the PCs return, he will not show up for his 
  appointment at the Black Dragon Inn. 
   
  After the PCs are settled into the inn and begin their 
  dinner, the dwarf begins pounding out a solid rhythm on 
  his 
  drum. 
  Thump 
  thumpa-thump 
  thumpa-thump 
  thumpa-thump-thump-thump. The dwarf’s name is 
  Gnorl, and he is a bard who has devoted the last two 
  decades to studying the history and mythology 
  surrounding the Cairn Hills. He is working on an epic 
  history in the dwarven tongue, and has translated the 
  overture into common (no one ever said dwarven poetry 
  was good), which he will perform until interrupted by the 
  attack. 
      
  “Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  “Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  “Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  “Who made the hills and the hills made who?    
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?    
  I’ve walked the hills and I’ll tell you.
  I’ve walked the hills and I’ll tell you.
  I’ve walked the hills and I’ll tell you.
  I’ve walked the hills and I’ll tell you.    
      
  Three were the peoples 
  Three were the peoples 
  Three were the peoples 
  Three were the peoples who made the mounds,
  who made the mounds,
  who made the mounds,
  who made the mounds,    
  From the times before the first man found,
  From the times before the first man found,
  From the times before the first man found,
  From the times before the first man found,    
  His way into their empty grounds.
  His way into their empty grounds.
  His way into their empty grounds.
  His way into their empty grounds.    
      
  One race who left no face behind, 
  One race who left no face behind, 
  One race who left no face behind, 
  One race who left no face behind,     
  But their battle murals you can find,
  But their battle murals you can find,
  But their battle murals you can find,
  But their battle murals you can find,    
  Masked as animals they protected their kind.
  Masked as animals they protected their kind.
  Masked as animals they protected their kind.
  Masked as animals they protected their kind.    
      
  Who made the hills and the hills made 
  Who made the hills and the hills made 
  Who made the hills and the hills made 
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  who?
  who?
  who?    
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?    
  I’ve walk the hills and I’ll tell you.
  I’ve walk the hills and I’ll tell you.
  I’ve walk the hills and I’ll tell you.
  I’ve walk the hills and I’ll tell you.    
      
  And the builders of the empty graves,
  And the builders of the empty graves,
  And the builders of the empty graves,
  And the builders of the empty graves,    
  Took from the Nyr Dyv and mirrors made, 
  Took from the Nyr Dyv and mirrors made, 
  Took from the Nyr Dyv and mirrors made, 
  Took from the Nyr Dyv and mirrors made,     
  Tombs were plundered but no corpses saved.
  Tombs were plundered but no corpses saved.
  Tombs were plundered but no corpses saved.
  Tombs were plundered but no corpses saved.    
      
  But first were the makers of the moaning hill
  But first were the makers of the moaning hill
  But first were the makers of the moaning hill
  But first were the makers of the moaning hills,s,s,s,    
  Warriors with weapons who had great skill,
  Warriors with weapons who had great skill,
  Warriors with weapons who had great skill,
  Warriors with weapons who had great skill,    
  Who can say by what demons they were killed.
  Who can say by what demons they were killed.
  Who can say by what demons they were killed.
  Who can say by what demons they were killed.    
      
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?
  Who made the hills and the hills made who?    
  Who made the hills…”
  Who made the hills…”
  Who made the hills…”
  Who made the hills…”    
      
  The loud clattering of a chair against the wall and floor of the 
  The loud clattering of a chair against the wall and floor of the 
  The loud clattering of a chair against the wall and floor of the 
  The loud clattering of a chair against the wall and floor of the 
  inn interrupt the dwarf’s song. Th
  inn interrupt the dwarf’s song. Th
  inn interrupt the dwarf’s song. Th
  inn interrupt the dwarf’s song. The cloaked figure in the corner 
  e cloaked figure in the corner 
  e cloaked figure in the corner 
  e cloaked figure in the corner 
  has leapt to his feet, his hood thrown back. With a wild
  has leapt to his feet, his hood thrown back. With a wild
  has leapt to his feet, his hood thrown back. With a wild
  has leapt to his feet, his hood thrown back. With a wild----eyed 
  eyed 
  eyed 
  eyed 
  look the man gazes out the open window. He sniffs loudly once 
  look the man gazes out the open window. He sniffs loudly once 
  look the man gazes out the open window. He sniffs loudly once 
  look the man gazes out the open window. He sniffs loudly once 
  and turns to the room asking, “Can you hear that?!” His eyes 
  and turns to the room asking, “Can you hear that?!” His eyes 
  and turns to the room asking, “Can you hear that?!” His eyes 
  and turns to the room asking, “Can you hear that?!” His eyes 
  blaze with fury and in a single smooth m
  blaze with fury and in a single smooth m
  blaze with fury and in a single smooth m
  blaze with fury and in a single smooth motion he leaps through 
  otion he leaps through 
  otion he leaps through 
  otion he leaps through 
  the window, drawing his sword and shrieking a battle cry. As 
  the window, drawing his sword and shrieking a battle cry. As 
  the window, drawing his sword and shrieking a battle cry. As 
  the window, drawing his sword and shrieking a battle cry. As 
  you look on he runs to attack a gang of red
  you look on he runs to attack a gang of red
  you look on he runs to attack a gang of red
  you look on he runs to attack a gang of red----eyed humanoids that 
  eyed humanoids that 
  eyed humanoids that 
  eyed humanoids that 
  are fleeing downhill from the barn with several chickens and a 
  are fleeing downhill from the barn with several chickens and a 
  are fleeing downhill from the barn with several chickens and a 
  are fleeing downhill from the barn with several chickens and a 
  cow in tow.
  cow in tow.
  cow in tow.
  cow in tow.    
   
  At first tier the PCs have the option of joining the fight or 
  staying safely inside the inn. Astin is more than a match 
  for the dozen orcs and has been designed to defeat them 
  handily while showing off some of the Heroic Feats 
  available in 3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons. (See 3rd 
  Edition PH page 77). At tiers two and three, Astin will 
  likely need some assistance from the PCs in to defeat all 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 8 
  of the orcs. None of the NPCs other than Astin will take 
  part in the fight. 
   
  Krink 
  Krink 
  Krink 
  Krink (gnome male exp (innkeeper) 3; Profession 
  (inkeeping) +7)    
  Klink 
  Klink 
  Klink 
  Klink and Klank 
   Klank 
   Klank 
   Klank (gnome males com1; Profession 
  (inkeeping) +1) 
  Gnorl 
  Gnorl 
  Gnorl 
  Gnorl (dwarf male brd5; Perform +9)    
  Bwirse 
  Bwirse 
  Bwirse 
  Bwirse (human male rog3; Speak Language (gnome)) 
   
  Astin, male human Rgr 4: 
  Astin, male human Rgr 4: 
  Astin, male human Rgr 4: 
  Astin, male human Rgr 4: CR 4; Medium Humanoid (5 ft. 
  11 in. tall); HD 4d10+12; hp 40; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 
  13 (+2 leather armor, +1 Dex); Atks +7 melee one weapon 
  two-handed (1d8+5 [crit 19-20] x2, longsword) or +5/+5 
  melee two weapons (1d8+3 [crit 19-20], longsword; 1d6+2 
  [crit 19-20], shortsword); SQ favored enemies – goblinoid; 
  AL CG; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1. 
   
  Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills: : : : Animal Empathy +2, Handle Animal +2, Hide 
  +3, Intuit Direction +3, Listen +8, Move Silently +5, Ride 
  +3, Spot +8, Use Rope +2, Wilderness Lore +6. Feats:::: 
  Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave; 
      
  Equipment:::: leather armor, longsword, shortsword.  
   
  Tier 1 (EL 3):
  Tier 1 (EL 3):
  Tier 1 (EL 3):
  Tier 1 (EL 3):    
  Orcs (6):
  Orcs (6):
  Orcs (6):
  Orcs (6): CR ½; Medium humanoid (6 ft. tall); HD 1d8; 
  hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30; AC 10; Atks +2 Melee, 1d12 [crit x3], 
  Greataxe); SQ darkvision 60’; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, 
  Will +-1. 
   
  Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills: : : : Listen +4, Spot +3. Feats:::: Alertness 
      
  Equipment:::: Greataxe. 
   
  Three of the orcs are pulling Krink’s uncooperative cow 
  downhill with limited success, two more are fleeing with 
  two or more chickens each, and the remaining one moves 
  to attack Astin. Remember that Astin has the Great 
  Cleave feat and gets an additional attack against another 
  opponent within five feet each time he kills an opponent. 
  Barring any horrible die rolls, he should be able to kill the 
  five attacking him during the first round of combat. He 
  will then move on to the cow crew and finally track down 
  the chicken thieves. After the battle, Krink will bring his 
  cow into the common room and begin to close up for the 
  night. 
   
  Tier 2 (EL 5):
  Tier 2 (EL 5):
  Tier 2 (EL 5):
  Tier 2 (EL 5):    
  Orcs (8):
  Orcs (8):
  Orcs (8):
  Orcs (8): CR ½; Medium humanoid (6 ft. tall); HD 1d8; 
  hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30; AC 10; Atks +2 Melee, 1d12 [crit x3], 
  Greataxe); SQ darkvision 60’; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, 
  Will +-1. 
   
  Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills: : : : Listen +4, Spot +3. Feats:::: Alertness 
      
  Equipment:::: Greataxe. 
   
  Three of the orcs are pulling Krink’s uncooperative cow 
  downhill with limited success, two more are fleeing with 
  two or more chickens each, and the remaining three 
  move to attack Astin and any other opposition that 
  emerges from the inn. Remember that Astin has the 
  Great Cleave feat and gets an additional attack against 
  another opponent within five feet each time he kills an 
  opponent. Barring any horrible die rolls, he should be 
  able to kill all orcs attacking him during the first round of 
  combat. He will then move on to the cow crew and 
  finally track down the chicken thieves. After the battle, 
  Krink will bring his cow into the common room and 
  begin to close up for the night. 
   
  Tier 3 (EL 7):
  Tier 3 (EL 7):
  Tier 3 (EL 7):
  Tier 3 (EL 7):    
  Orcs (12):
  Orcs (12):
  Orcs (12):
  Orcs (12): CR ½; Medium humanoid (6 ft. tall); HD 1d8; 
  hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30; AC 10; Atks +2 Melee, 1d12 [crit x3], 
  Greataxe); SQ darkvision 60’; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, 
  Will +-1. 
   
  Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills: : : : Listen +4, Spot +3. Feats:::: Alertness 
      
  Equipment:::: Greataxe. 
   
  Five of the orcs are pulling Krink’s uncooperative cow 
  downhill with limited success, ten more are fleeing with 
  two or more chickens each, twenty move to attack Astin 
  and any other oposition that emerges from the inn, and 
  the remaining eleven are waiting in reserve. Remember 
  that Astin has the Great Cleave feat and gets an additional 
  attack against another opponent within five feet each 
  time he kills an opponent. Barring any horrible die rolls, 
  he should be able to kill all orcs attacking him during the 
  first round of combat. He will then move on to the cow 
  crew and finally track down the chicken thieves. After 
  the battle, Krink will bring his cow into the common 
  room and begin to close up for the night. 
   
   
  Encounter Three
  Encounter Three
  Encounter Three
  Encounter Three    
  At the Mine
  At the Mine
  At the Mine
  At the Mine    
  Another day of travellin
  Another day of travellin
  Another day of travellin
  Another day of travelling brings you deeper into the Cairn Hills. 
  g brings you deeper into the Cairn Hills. 
  g brings you deeper into the Cairn Hills. 
  g brings you deeper into the Cairn Hills. 
  On several occasions the road wound past pyramid shapes in the 
  On several occasions the road wound past pyramid shapes in the 
  On several occasions the road wound past pyramid shapes in the 
  On several occasions the road wound past pyramid shapes in the 
  hillside that were obviously long ago looted cairns. As late 
  hillside that were obviously long ago looted cairns. As late 
  hillside that were obviously long ago looted cairns. As late 
  hillside that were obviously long ago looted cairns. As late 
  afternoon approaches, the enormous quartz boulder Auldon 
  afternoon approaches, the enormous quartz boulder Auldon 
  afternoon approaches, the enormous quartz boulder Auldon 
  afternoon approaches, the enormous quartz boulder Auldon 
  indicated on his map appears ahea
  indicated on his map appears ahea
  indicated on his map appears ahea
  indicated on his map appears ahead beside the road. Two miles 
  d beside the road. Two miles 
  d beside the road. Two miles 
  d beside the road. Two miles 
  further south you find the deserted remains of a mine. As you 
  further south you find the deserted remains of a mine. As you 
  further south you find the deserted remains of a mine. As you 
  further south you find the deserted remains of a mine. As you 
  approach the site you can see a dilapidated barn opposite an 
  approach the site you can see a dilapidated barn opposite an 
  approach the site you can see a dilapidated barn opposite an 
  approach the site you can see a dilapidated barn opposite an 
  opening in the hillside.  Rising up from blackened earth on the 
  opening in the hillside.  Rising up from blackened earth on the 
  opening in the hillside.  Rising up from blackened earth on the 
  opening in the hillside.  Rising up from blackened earth on the 
  other side of the barn are two chimneys.
  other side of the barn are two chimneys.
  other side of the barn are two chimneys.
  other side of the barn are two chimneys. Several young trees 
   Several young trees 
   Several young trees 
   Several young trees 
  sprout from the remains of what might have once been a small 
  sprout from the remains of what might have once been a small 
  sprout from the remains of what might have once been a small 
  sprout from the remains of what might have once been a small 
  bunkhouse. 
  bunkhouse. 
  bunkhouse. 
  bunkhouse.     
   
  The boulder is heavily veined with granite and has no 
  value other than to serve as a fairly unique landmark. 
  Close investigation of the mine reveals: 
   
  A rough ei
  A rough ei
  A rough ei
  A rough eight
  ght
  ght
  ght----foot hole disappears into the hillside, with two 
  foot hole disappears into the hillside, with two 
  foot hole disappears into the hillside, with two 
  foot hole disappears into the hillside, with two 
  rusted rails protruding like a bent metal tongue. Several long 
  rusted rails protruding like a bent metal tongue. Several long 
  rusted rails protruding like a bent metal tongue. Several long 
  rusted rails protruding like a bent metal tongue. Several long 
  abandoned cooking pits litter the area, including one with a old 
  abandoned cooking pits litter the area, including one with a old 
  abandoned cooking pits litter the area, including one with a old 
  abandoned cooking pits litter the area, including one with a old 
  brass kettle, suspended from an iron tripod. 
  brass kettle, suspended from an iron tripod. 
  brass kettle, suspended from an iron tripod. 
  brass kettle, suspended from an iron tripod.     
   
  Should the PCs choose to investigate the interior of the 
  mine, they find piles of rubble, slag, abandoned or broken 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 9 
  mining tools, and several hundred yards of rough-hewn 
  tunnel. There is nothing here of any value. Discourage 
  the PCs from wasting a lot of time here. 
   
  Closer investigation of the chimneys reveals: 
   
  The pair of stone chimneys has clearly not been used in decades. 
  The pair of stone chimneys has clearly not been used in decades. 
  The pair of stone chimneys has clearly not been used in decades. 
  The pair of stone chimneys has clearly not been used in decades. 
  From the anvil set in a nearby stump, several short metal rods, 
  From the anvil set in a nearby stump, several short metal rods, 
  From the anvil set in a nearby stump, several short metal rods, 
  From the anvil set in a nearby stump, several short metal rods, 
  and the rotted leather remains of a bellows it is apparent that 
  and the rotted leather remains of a bellows it is apparent that 
  and the rotted leather remains of a bellows it is apparent that 
  and the rotted leather remains of a bellows it is apparent that 
  area once served a forge for the 
  area once served a forge for the 
  area once served a forge for the 
  area once served a forge for the mine. The other chimney stands 
  mine. The other chimney stands 
  mine. The other chimney stands 
  mine. The other chimney stands 
  near the center of a rectangle of charred timbers. The faint 
  near the center of a rectangle of charred timbers. The faint 
  near the center of a rectangle of charred timbers. The faint 
  near the center of a rectangle of charred timbers. The faint 
  outline of a path leads to the closed rear doors of the barn. 
  outline of a path leads to the closed rear doors of the barn. 
  outline of a path leads to the closed rear doors of the barn. 
  outline of a path leads to the closed rear doors of the barn.     
   
  If the PCs enter the barn from the bunkhouse side, 
  reverse this description. Closer investigation of the barn 
  reveals: 
    
  On a flat spot about two hundred feet from the mouth of the 
  On a flat spot about two hundred feet from the mouth of the 
  On a flat spot about two hundred feet from the mouth of the 
  On a flat spot about two hundred feet from the mouth of the 
  mine stands a broken down barn. One door still hangs from its 
  mine stands a broken down barn. One door still hangs from its 
  mine stands a broken down barn. One door still hangs from its 
  mine stands a broken down barn. One door still hangs from its 
  upper hinge. The other lies in the opening to the barn like a 
  upper hinge. The other lies in the opening to the barn like a 
  upper hinge. The other lies in the opening to the barn like a 
  upper hinge. The other lies in the opening to the barn like a 
  collapsed drawbridge. Through the broken door you c
  collapsed drawbridge. Through the broken door you c
  collapsed drawbridge. Through the broken door you c
  collapsed drawbridge. Through the broken door you can see 
  an see 
  an see 
  an see 
  several fallen beams lying among what appear to be stalls. 
  several fallen beams lying among what appear to be stalls. 
  several fallen beams lying among what appear to be stalls. 
  several fallen beams lying among what appear to be stalls.     
      
  Upon entering the barn you see that a matching pair of 
  Upon entering the barn you see that a matching pair of 
  Upon entering the barn you see that a matching pair of 
  Upon entering the barn you see that a matching pair of 
  doors still stand at the rear of the structure. The interior is well 
  doors still stand at the rear of the structure. The interior is well 
  doors still stand at the rear of the structure. The interior is well 
  doors still stand at the rear of the structure. The interior is well 
  lighted by gaps in the roof.  There is a large open area at the 
  lighted by gaps in the roof.  There is a large open area at the 
  lighted by gaps in the roof.  There is a large open area at the 
  lighted by gaps in the roof.  There is a large open area at the 
  front of the barn with six draft horse sized stalls taking up the 
  front of the barn with six draft horse sized stalls taking up the 
  front of the barn with six draft horse sized stalls taking up the 
  front of the barn with six draft horse sized stalls taking up the 
  back half of the building. The remains of what once was a 
  back half of the building. The remains of what once was a 
  back half of the building. The remains of what once was a 
  back half of the building. The remains of what once was a 
  ladder leads up to an unstable
  ladder leads up to an unstable
  ladder leads up to an unstable
  ladder leads up to an unstable----looking hayloft. Scattered about 
  looking hayloft. Scattered about 
  looking hayloft. Scattered about 
  looking hayloft. Scattered about 
  the open area are rough made picks and shovels, as well as some 
  the open area are rough made picks and shovels, as well as some 
  the open area are rough made picks and shovels, as well as some 
  the open area are rough made picks and shovels, as well as some 
  rott
  rott
  rott
  rotted rope and a badly dented metal cart that is missing one 
  ed rope and a badly dented metal cart that is missing one 
  ed rope and a badly dented metal cart that is missing one 
  ed rope and a badly dented metal cart that is missing one 
  wheel.  Stale straw covers the floor of the entire structure and a 
  wheel.  Stale straw covers the floor of the entire structure and a 
  wheel.  Stale straw covers the floor of the entire structure and a 
  wheel.  Stale straw covers the floor of the entire structure and a 
  thick layer of dust rests on every surface and hangs in the air. 
  thick layer of dust rests on every surface and hangs in the air. 
  thick layer of dust rests on every surface and hangs in the air. 
  thick layer of dust rests on every surface and hangs in the air. 
  Protruding from a beam in the first stall to your left is a well
  Protruding from a beam in the first stall to your left is a well
  Protruding from a beam in the first stall to your left is a well
  Protruding from a beam in the first stall to your left is a well----
  mmmmade knife thrust through a yellowed and brittle piece of 
  ade knife thrust through a yellowed and brittle piece of 
  ade knife thrust through a yellowed and brittle piece of 
  ade knife thrust through a yellowed and brittle piece of 
  parchment.
  parchment.
  parchment.
  parchment.    
      
  On the parchment is a single sentence written in 
  common that says: “The trap door is in the floor of the 
  first stall on the left.” Perceptive players will immediately 
  see that the note has been left in the first stall on the left 
  if one enters from the mine side. Unfortunately, at first 
  Stoat did not realize that the directions he had were for 
  someone who had entered the barn from the bunkhouse 
  side and not the mine side. The floor of the stall is 
  covered with straw. If the PCs move the straw they will 
  see obvious signs of someone attempting to dig through 
  the floor with a pick. Stoat eventually realized his mistake 
  and went to the correct stall. PCs searching the barn have 
  a DC of 30 to find the entrance if they are looking near 
  the stall with the note, a DC of 20 if they are looking 
  anywhere else, and a DC of 10 if they are actually looking 
  in the first stall on the left from the bunkhouse entrance. 
  Reference DM Map #1
   DM Map #1
   DM Map #1
   DM Map #1. 
   
  Once located, to open the trapdoor the PCs must pry 
  up the granite slab by making a strength check with a DC 
  of 21 (see the rules for cooperative checks in 3rd Edition 
  Rulebook page 62). When the slab has been lifted to a 
  vertical position it will allow the PCs to get into a ten-foot 
  deep pit, but further movement is blocked by the bottom 
  half of the slab. After entering the pit, the PCs can let the 
  slab fall back into its original position, which will clear 
  the bottom portion of the slab from the tunnel. Reference    
  DM Map #2
  DM Map #2
  DM Map #2
  DM Map #2. 
   
  Encounter Four
  Encounter Four
  Encounter Four
  Encounter Four    
  The Chamber of Sighs
  The Chamber of Sighs
  The Chamber of Sighs
  The Chamber of Sighs    
  The tunnel beneath the barn extends for nearly one hundred feet 
  The tunnel beneath the barn extends for nearly one hundred feet 
  The tunnel beneath the barn extends for nearly one hundred feet 
  The tunnel beneath the barn extends for nearly one hundred feet 
  before it turns and begins to spiral steadily downward. As you 
  before it turns and begins to spiral steadily downward. As you 
  before it turns and begins to spiral steadily downward. As you 
  before it turns and begins to spiral steadily downward. As you 
  descend, a soft moaning can be heard in the distance. The oddly 
  descend, a soft moaning can be heard in the distance. The oddly 
  descend, a soft moaning can be heard in the distance. The oddly 
  descend, a soft moaning can be heard in the distance. The oddly 
  fresh air here tickles the
  fresh air here tickles the
  fresh air here tickles the
  fresh air here tickles the nose, evoking memories of dew
   nose, evoking memories of dew
   nose, evoking memories of dew
   nose, evoking memories of dew----soaked 
  soaked 
  soaked 
  soaked 
  mornings. After what seems to be nearly an hour of travel 
  mornings. After what seems to be nearly an hour of travel 
  mornings. After what seems to be nearly an hour of travel 
  mornings. After what seems to be nearly an hour of travel 
  without any branching or intersections, the tunnel finally opens 
  without any branching or intersections, the tunnel finally opens 
  without any branching or intersections, the tunnel finally opens 
  without any branching or intersections, the tunnel finally opens 
  into a sizable room with a long narrow hole in the floor. The 
  into a sizable room with a long narrow hole in the floor. The 
  into a sizable room with a long narrow hole in the floor. The 
  into a sizable room with a long narrow hole in the floor. The 
  moaning sound has grown much loud
  moaning sound has grown much loud
  moaning sound has grown much loud
  moaning sound has grown much louder here, and a variety of 
  er here, and a variety of 
  er here, and a variety of 
  er here, and a variety of 
  tones seem to be emanating from all four walls.
  tones seem to be emanating from all four walls.
  tones seem to be emanating from all four walls.
  tones seem to be emanating from all four walls.    
      
  Be sure to describe the tunnel in terms of black and white 
  for PCs with darkvision (see 3rd Edition PH 14) if there is 
  no light source present. PCs with normal or Low-light 
  vision will need a light source of some kind to see at all. 
  Remember that torches only spread light in a twenty-foot 
  radius (and last for one hour). The tunnel is well 
  ventilated, so smoke and fumes are not an issue. Dwarven 
  PCs will note that although they have descended many 
  hundred feet they are now only about forty feet below the 
  surface. PCs investigating the walls will note that the 
  tones are coming from many porous shafts no wider than 
  a man’s finger. The room has a vaulted ceiling nearly 
  fifteen feet in height and is approximately twenty feet 
  wide and sixty feet long, making it seem very tall and 
  narrow. This room was used to hold services for the Cairn 
  Builders' dead prior to their burial in the vault below. The 
  room is barren of any artifacts except for a small pile of 
  arrowheads in one corner.  
   
  The hole in the floor is rectangular, three feet wide 
  and nine feet long. Examination reveals a twenty-foot 
  drop to a dark room below. Several large rectangular 
  shapes can be made out in the shadows. The only real 
  obstacle here is for the PCs to safely traverse the twenty-
  foot drop to the floor of the room below. As soon as any 
  living character reaches the floor, the skeletons in the 
  vault attack (see Encounter 5 
  Encounter 5 
  Encounter 5 
  Encounter 5 –––– The Vault
   The Vault
   The Vault
   The Vault for monster 
  specifics). Characters jumping into the hole take 2d6 
  points of falling damage (1d6 per ten feet), characters 
  who hang from the edge of the hole will need to make a 
  Strength check DC 10 to accomplish this, suffering 1d6 
  points of falling damage if they succeed in holding on 
  and dropping. Creative PCs will find a way to use rope to 
  carefully lower themselves to the floor below, but 
  remember there is nothing in the Chamber of Sighs to 
  which they can easily tie a rope. Keep in mind that the 
  attacking skeletons may make their creative solution 
  even more challenging if they lower their group one PC 
  at a time, but also gives them an opportunity for good 
  combat tactics (e.g., lowering the fighters into melee 
  while keeping the spellcasters safely above). 
   
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 10 
  Encounter Five
  Encounter Five
  Encounter Five
  Encounter Five    
  The Vault
  The Vault
  The Vault
  The Vault    
  The vault is the same narrow size as the Chamber of 
  Sighs: sixty feet long and twenty feet wide, with a twenty-
  foot ceiling. Lying in wait at either end of the vault are 
  the animated skeletons of the fallen honor guard of the 
  mysterious Cairn Builders. The skeletons stand against 
  the front and rear walls in a sentry position until a PC 
  reaches the floor, at which point they close and attack 
  from all directions. The following assumes the PCs are 
  using a light source of some kind, if they are using 
  darkvision (See PH page 14), they clearly see the 
  skeletons as soon as they look for them. Remember that 
  torches only spread light in a twenty-foot radius (and last 
  for one hour) so the PCs will not be able to see the far ten 
  feet of either end of the room. 
   
  As your feet touch t
  As your feet touch t
  As your feet touch t
  As your feet touch the floor of the vault, you note that the 
  he floor of the vault, you note that the 
  he floor of the vault, you note that the 
  he floor of the vault, you note that the 
  moaning of the walls has become fainter here.  Faint enough, in 
  moaning of the walls has become fainter here.  Faint enough, in 
  moaning of the walls has become fainter here.  Faint enough, in 
  moaning of the walls has become fainter here.  Faint enough, in 
  fact, that you are able to hear a scraping sound like stone on 
  fact, that you are able to hear a scraping sound like stone on 
  fact, that you are able to hear a scraping sound like stone on 
  fact, that you are able to hear a scraping sound like stone on 
  stone from several directions. There are twelve smooth stone 
  stone from several directions. There are twelve smooth stone 
  stone from several directions. There are twelve smooth stone 
  stone from several directions. There are twelve smooth stone 
  sarcophagi evenly spaced in
  sarcophagi evenly spaced in
  sarcophagi evenly spaced in
  sarcophagi evenly spaced in this room. They are all eight feet 
   this room. They are all eight feet 
   this room. They are all eight feet 
   this room. They are all eight feet 
  long, two feet wide and four feet high, with eight of them on 
  long, two feet wide and four feet high, with eight of them on 
  long, two feet wide and four feet high, with eight of them on 
  long, two feet wide and four feet high, with eight of them on 
  either wall and the remaining four in a row down the center of 
  either wall and the remaining four in a row down the center of 
  either wall and the remaining four in a row down the center of 
  either wall and the remaining four in a row down the center of 
  the room. This room appears to be similar to the chamber above 
  the room. This room appears to be similar to the chamber above 
  the room. This room appears to be similar to the chamber above 
  the room. This room appears to be similar to the chamber above 
  in shape and size; it is twenty 
  in shape and size; it is twenty 
  in shape and size; it is twenty 
  in shape and size; it is twenty feet wide with a twenty foot high 
  feet wide with a twenty foot high 
  feet wide with a twenty foot high 
  feet wide with a twenty foot high 
  ceiling. The far ends of the room extends beyond the range of 
  ceiling. The far ends of the room extends beyond the range of 
  ceiling. The far ends of the room extends beyond the range of 
  ceiling. The far ends of the room extends beyond the range of 
  your light. However, at the edge of your light, you can see tall 
  your light. However, at the edge of your light, you can see tall 
  your light. However, at the edge of your light, you can see tall 
  your light. However, at the edge of your light, you can see tall 
  shadowy figures with elongated limbs clattering toward you 
  shadowy figures with elongated limbs clattering toward you 
  shadowy figures with elongated limbs clattering toward you 
  shadowy figures with elongated limbs clattering toward you 
  with swords reflecting your torchlig
  with swords reflecting your torchlig
  with swords reflecting your torchlig
  with swords reflecting your torchlight. As they scrape closer you 
  ht. As they scrape closer you 
  ht. As they scrape closer you 
  ht. As they scrape closer you 
  can clearly see they are skeletons of long
  can clearly see they are skeletons of long
  can clearly see they are skeletons of long
  can clearly see they are skeletons of long----dead warriors of an 
  dead warriors of an 
  dead warriors of an 
  dead warriors of an 
  unknown race. Their bodies seem to reach halfway to the ceiling, 
  unknown race. Their bodies seem to reach halfway to the ceiling, 
  unknown race. Their bodies seem to reach halfway to the ceiling, 
  unknown race. Their bodies seem to reach halfway to the ceiling, 
  their long narrow skulls seem grotesquely stretched and pointed, 
  their long narrow skulls seem grotesquely stretched and pointed, 
  their long narrow skulls seem grotesquely stretched and pointed, 
  their long narrow skulls seem grotesquely stretched and pointed, 
  their willowy limbs and stretched
  their willowy limbs and stretched
  their willowy limbs and stretched
  their willowy limbs and stretched finger bones wield longswords 
   finger bones wield longswords 
   finger bones wield longswords 
   finger bones wield longswords 
  with the ease of a weapon half its size and they seem almost to be 
  with the ease of a weapon half its size and they seem almost to be 
  with the ease of a weapon half its size and they seem almost to be 
  with the ease of a weapon half its size and they seem almost to be 
  able to reach you from halfway across the room.
  able to reach you from halfway across the room.
  able to reach you from halfway across the room.
  able to reach you from halfway across the room.    
   
  Tier 1 (EL 3):
  Tier 1 (EL 3):
  Tier 1 (EL 3):
  Tier 1 (EL 3):    
  Skeletons (3):
  Skeletons (3):
  Skeletons (3):
  Skeletons (3): CR 1; Large Undead (8 ft tall); HD 1d10; hp 
  8; Init +4; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Atks +1 melee (1d8+1 
  [crit 19-20], Longsword); SQ undead immunities; AL LN; 
  SV Fort NA, Ref +4, Will +0. 
   
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10;  
   
  SQ: 
  Undead 
  immunities—Immune 
  to 
  mind 
  influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralyzation, stunning, 
  disease, and necromantic effects. Not subject to critical 
  hits, sneak attacks, ability damage, ability drain, or energy 
  drain. Immune to anything requiring a Fort save (see 
  MM for more information). 
   
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1): CR 1; Large Undead (8 ft tall); HD 
  4d8; hp 24; Init +4; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Atks: +8 
  melee (1d8+3(crit 19-20), Masterwork Longsword
  Masterwork Longsword
  Masterwork Longsword
  Masterwork Longsword); SQ 
  SQ 
  SQ 
  SQ 
  undead immunities
  undead immunities
  undead immunities
  undead immunities; SV Fort NA, Ref +4, Will +1; AL LN. 
  Str 16, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10. 
   
  SQ: 
  Undead 
  immunities—Immune 
  to 
  mind 
  influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralyzation, stunning, 
  disease, and necromantic effects. Not subject to critical 
  hits, sneak attacks, ability damage, ability drain, or energy 
  drain. Immune to anything requiring a Fort save (see 
  MM for more information). 
   
  If the PCs destroy the skeleton captain, they will find that 
  his sword is different than the others. It is a Masterwork 
  longsword, meaning that it is so finely made that it has a 
  bonus of +1 to hit (See page 114 of the 3rd Edition D&D 
  PH). 
   
  Tier 2 (EL 5):
  Tier 2 (EL 5):
  Tier 2 (EL 5):
  Tier 2 (EL 5):    
  Skeletons,
  Skeletons,
  Skeletons,
  Skeletons, (7):
   (7):
   (7):
   (7): CR 1; Large Undead (8 ft tall); HD 1d10; 
  hp 8; Init +4; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Atks +1 melee 
  (1d8+1 [crit 19-20], Longsword); SQ undead immunities; 
  AL LN; SV Fort NA, Ref +4, Will +0. 
   
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10. 
   
  SQ: 
  Undead 
  immunities—Immune 
  to 
  mind 
  influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralyzation, stunning, 
  disease, and necromantic effects. Not subject to critical 
  hits, sneak attacks, ability damage, ability drain, or energy 
  drain. Immune to anything requiring a Fort save (see 
  MM for more information). 
   
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1): CR 1; Large Undead (8 ft tall); HD 
  6d8; hp 36; Init +4; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Atks: +8 
  melee (1d8+3 [crit 19-20], Masterwork Longsword); SQ 
  undead immunities; AL LN; SV Fort NA, Ref +4, Will +1. 
  Str 16, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10. 
   
  SQ: 
  Undead 
  immunities—Immune 
  to 
  mind 
  influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralyzation, stunning, 
  disease, and necromantic effects. Not subject to critical 
  hits, sneak attacks, ability damage, ability drain, or energy 
  drain. Immune to anything requiring a Fort save (see 
  MM for more information). 
   
  If the PCs destroy the skeleton captain, they will find that 
  his sword is different than the others. It is a Masterwork 
  Longsword, meaning that it is so finely made that it has a 
  bonus of +1 to hit (See page 114 of the 3rd Edition D&D 
  PH). 
      
  Tier 3 (EL 7):
  Tier 3 (EL 7):
  Tier 3 (EL 7):
  Tier 3 (EL 7):    
  Skeletons (15):
  Skeletons (15):
  Skeletons (15):
  Skeletons (15): CR 1; Large Undead (8 ft tall); HD 1d10; 
  hp 8; Init +4; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Atks +1 melee 
  (1d8+1 [crit 19-20], Longsword); SA none; SQ undead 
  immunities; AL LN; SV Fort NA, Ref +4, Will +0. 
      
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10. 
   
  SQ: 
  Undead 
  immunities—Immune 
  to 
  mind 
  influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralyzation, stunning, 
  disease, and necromantic effects. Not subject to critical 
  hits, sneak attacks, ability damage, ability drain, or energy 
  drain. Immune to anything requiring a Fort save (see 
  MM for more information). 
   
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1):
  Skeleton Captain (1): CR 1; Large Undead (8 ft tall); HD 
  6d8; hp 48; Init +4; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Atks: +8 
  melee (1d8+3(crit 19-20), M
  M
  M
  Masterwork Longsword
  asterwork Longsword
  asterwork Longsword
  asterwork Longsword); SQ 
  SQ 
  SQ 
  SQ 
  undead immunities
  undead immunities
  undead immunities
  undead immunities; SV Fort NA, Ref +4, Will +1; AL LN. 
  Str 16, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10. 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 11 
   
  SQ: 
  Undead 
  immunities—Immune 
  to 
  mind 
  influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralyzation, stunning, 
  disease, and necromantic effects. Not subject to critical 
  hits, sneak attacks, ability damage, ability drain, or energy 
  drain. Immune to anything requiring a Fort save (see 
  MM for more information). 
   
  If the PCs destroy the skeleton captain, they will find that 
  his sword is different than the others. It is a Masterwork 
  Longsword, meaning that it is so finely made that it has a 
  bonus of +1 to hit (See page 114 of the 3rd Edition D&D 
  PH). 
   
  When the PCs investigate the sarcophagi, they find 
  that most of their lids are broken open and contain only 
  tall, thin skeletons in rotted white robes. The few lids that 
  are intact can be lifted off with a successful Strength 
  check (DC10). The contents of these sarcophagi differ 
  from the others only in that they contain a simple stone 
  wind chime hanging over the head of the skeleton. The 
  notable exception to this is the sarcophagi second from 
  the north end of the room, against the west wall. When 
  the lid to this one is removed the PCs find the corpse of 
  Uncle Stoat.   
   
  Opening the lid f the sarcophagus revea
  Opening the lid f the sarcophagus revea
  Opening the lid f the sarcophagus revea
  Opening the lid f the sarcophagus reveals the mostly decayed 
  ls the mostly decayed 
  ls the mostly decayed 
  ls the mostly decayed 
  body of a middle
  body of a middle
  body of a middle
  body of a middle----aged human man. He is lying on his stomach 
  aged human man. He is lying on his stomach 
  aged human man. He is lying on his stomach 
  aged human man. He is lying on his stomach 
  with his arms extended over his head as though reaching for 
  with his arms extended over his head as though reaching for 
  with his arms extended over his head as though reaching for 
  with his arms extended over his head as though reaching for 
  something. He appears to have died from three massive circular 
  something. He appears to have died from three massive circular 
  something. He appears to have died from three massive circular 
  something. He appears to have died from three massive circular 
  wounds in his torso. Whatever did this to him also 
  wounds in his torso. Whatever did this to him also 
  wounds in his torso. Whatever did this to him also 
  wounds in his torso. Whatever did this to him also put a large 
  put a large 
  put a large 
  put a large 
  hole in the open book that is stuck to his chest with his own 
  hole in the open book that is stuck to his chest with his own 
  hole in the open book that is stuck to his chest with his own 
  hole in the open book that is stuck to his chest with his own 
  dried blood. 
  dried blood. 
  dried blood. 
  dried blood.     
      
  A successful Heal check (DC 12) indicates that he has 
  been dead for several decades. The book and Stoat’s 
  position in the sarcophagus are important clues to the 
  mechanism that either activates a very deadly trap or 
  opens a trapdoor leading into the treasure chambers 
  below.  
   
  The book is a diary of Stoat’s journey from Seltaren 
  in the Duchy of Urnst to the Cairn Hills seeking the 
  Brendigund fortune. It’s mostly very boring stuff, 
  including missing his wife, Bedilund, whining about 
  having been sent into the wilderness, and rants detailing 
  the many frightening ways he expects to die. Many of the 
  pages are illegible or stuck together from the bloodstains. 
  The page on which the book is stuck open describes a 
  terrified night that Stoat spent in the Chamber of Sighs 
  and how he held the skeletal guards at bay with his holy 
  symbol of Fharlanghn long enough to open the lid to this 
  sarcophagus and jump in. Apparently he spent several 
  hours in the sarcophagus before attempting to activate 
  the mechanism. The last line in the diary reads, “Bedilund 
  said that the mechanism pattern when on my stomach is 
  RH-LF-RF-LH.” Stoat had the pattern correct; however, 
  when he jumped into the Sarcophagus his head was at the 
  wrong end (south) of the sarcophagus. Because of this, 
  when he activated the mechanism using the right hand-
  left foot-right foot-left hand pattern he set off the trap 
  rather than the trapdoor. 
   
  Sarcophagus Spike Trap
  Sarcophagus Spike Trap
  Sarcophagus Spike Trap
  Sarcophagus Spike Trap: +10 (4d4/x2 crit); Search (DC 
  15); Disable Device (DC20). 
   
  Inside the sarcophagus, four two-inch high hemispheres 
  protrude from the smooth stone. The hemispheres are all 
  in the corners of the bottom of the sarcophagus, with two 
  located at each end. While the lid to the sarcophagus is 
  removed the hemispheres are locked in place, but when 
  the lid is on they can be depressed about half an inch. If a 
  PC lies on their stomach in the sarcophagus with their 
  head at the north end and depresses the hemispheres 
  nearest their limbs in the right hand-left foot-right foot-
  left hand pattern the southern half of the bottom of the 
  sarcophagus will retract, revealing a slide leading 
  downward.  
   
  The PC will slide down unless they stated ahead of 
  time that they are bracing themselves in some way. It will 
  be difficult to do this and depress the hemispheres at the 
  same time unless the PC is very tall (over 6’6”) or very 
  strong (Str 17). The slide remains revealed until the lid is 
  opened. If the hemispheres are depressed in any other 
  order, four deadly sharp spikes spring from the bottom 
  piercing anyone inside the sarcophagus. Once any of the 
  hemispheres is depressed, the lid is locked in place until 
  all of them are depressed. The lid can be broken open (HP 
  30, hardness 1), but doing so will render the mechanism 
  inoperative unless activated by a successful Disable 
  Device check. Once activated, the spikes spring from the 
  floor and reset almost instantly. Remember that the 
  sarcophagus is eight feet long and two feet wide, so it 
  should very difficulty to fit in more than one PC (or two 
  small ones) at a time. 
   
  There are two ways for the PCs to move past this 
  trap. The first is for the PCs to realize that Stoat tends to 
  have trouble with spatial orientation based on his 
  performance in the barn and his demise. They will 
  probably quickly figure out that RH-LF-RF-LH means 
  right hand-left foot-right foot-left hand and realize that he 
  was either facing the wrong way, at the wrong end of the 
  sarcophagus, or both. It’s risky, but it can be figured out 
  through trial and error. The second way is for the PCs to 
  make a successful Search check to locate the trap 
  mechanisms and then a successful Disable Device check 
  to activate the trapdoor. Remember Search is an 
  untrained skill (anyone can try), but Disable Device is a 
  trained only skill (only PCs with one or more ranks can 
  try). Also, you should roll the Disable Device check in 
  secret, so the players do not know if they were successful 
  or not. (See 3rd Edition PH page 67).   
   
  A successful disable device check does not disable 
  this trap, however it does reveal the correct order in 
  which the hemispheres must be depressed. This leaves 
  the role-playing opportunity to take each player aside and 
  walk him or her through the very unnerving process of 
  activating the trapdoor alone in the darkness of a closed 
  sarcophagus. Remember, that once PCs enter the secret 
  passage, they slide down and cannot help anyone behind. 
   
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 12 
  Encounter Six
  Encounter Six
  Encounter Six
  Encounter Six    
  The Treasure Chambers
  The Treasure Chambers
  The Treasure Chambers
  The Treasure Chambers    
  Since it is unlikely that any of the PCs will take a lit torch 
  into a closed sarcophagus, the following assumes that 
  they do not have light when they slide. If there are dwarf 
  PCs or someone has a light of some kind, modify as 
  necessary. 
   
  A few quick seconds of acceleration down the slide and you find 
  A few quick seconds of acceleration down the slide and you find 
  A few quick seconds of acceleration down the slide and you find 
  A few quick seconds of acceleration down the slide and you find 
  yourself gliding to a halt 
  yourself gliding to a halt 
  yourself gliding to a halt 
  yourself gliding to a halt on a stone floor. A horrible moaning 
  on a stone floor. A horrible moaning 
  on a stone floor. A horrible moaning 
  on a stone floor. A horrible moaning 
  reminiscent of children howling in pain overlaid with the wails 
  reminiscent of children howling in pain overlaid with the wails 
  reminiscent of children howling in pain overlaid with the wails 
  reminiscent of children howling in pain overlaid with the wails 
  of widows and mixed with the cries of dying warriors fills the 
  of widows and mixed with the cries of dying warriors fills the 
  of widows and mixed with the cries of dying warriors fills the 
  of widows and mixed with the cries of dying warriors fills the 
  room at nearly deafening levels. 
  room at nearly deafening levels. 
  room at nearly deafening levels. 
  room at nearly deafening levels.     
   
  The moaning is so terrible that the PCs must make a Will 
  save (DC 12) or fall to the ground in a fetal ball, clutching 
  their ears. PCs who make their saves may block the ears 
  of other PCs, granting them another save with a +5 bonus. 
  A bard’s counter song ability could prove very useful here 
  (See 3rd Edition PH page 28). If all the PCs fail their saves, 
  they eventually fall unconscious, overwhelmed by the 
  horror of the sound. They will wake in several hours, 
  dehydrated and surrounded by silence and darkness. 
   
  Igniting your lights, you see you are in another tall, 
  Igniting your lights, you see you are in another tall, 
  Igniting your lights, you see you are in another tall, 
  Igniting your lights, you see you are in another tall, narrow 
  narrow 
  narrow 
  narrow 
  room; this one is thirty feet high, one hundred feet long and 
  room; this one is thirty feet high, one hundred feet long and 
  room; this one is thirty feet high, one hundred feet long and 
  room; this one is thirty feet high, one hundred feet long and 
  fifteen feet wide. There are six corridors coming into this room 
  fifteen feet wide. There are six corridors coming into this room 
  fifteen feet wide. There are six corridors coming into this room 
  fifteen feet wide. There are six corridors coming into this room 
  three evenly spaced every twenty
  three evenly spaced every twenty
  three evenly spaced every twenty
  three evenly spaced every twenty----five feet on each side.
  five feet on each side.
  five feet on each side.
  five feet on each side.    
   
  The corridors are ten feet wide, twenty feet high and 
  twenty feet long, each leading to a forty foot high twenty 
  by twenty room with a stone pedestal. All of the rooms 
  are empty except the middle one on the right. 
   
  As you enter another twenty
  As you enter another twenty
  As you enter another twenty
  As you enter another twenty----foot square room whose ceiling 
  foot square room whose ceiling 
  foot square room whose ceiling 
  foot square room whose ceiling 
  soars beyond forty feet in height, you notice 
  soars beyond forty feet in height, you notice 
  soars beyond forty feet in height, you notice 
  soars beyond forty feet in height, you notice something glittering 
  something glittering 
  something glittering 
  something glittering 
  in reflection of your light. This time the porous stone pedestal 
  in reflection of your light. This time the porous stone pedestal 
  in reflection of your light. This time the porous stone pedestal 
  in reflection of your light. This time the porous stone pedestal 
  does not stand bare, long ago robbed of its treasure. Gleaming in 
  does not stand bare, long ago robbed of its treasure. Gleaming in 
  does not stand bare, long ago robbed of its treasure. Gleaming in 
  does not stand bare, long ago robbed of its treasure. Gleaming in 
  the light on an adamantine chain is a beautiful platinum 
  the light on an adamantine chain is a beautiful platinum 
  the light on an adamantine chain is a beautiful platinum 
  the light on an adamantine chain is a beautiful platinum 
  cartouche set with diamonds and sapphires. This
  cartouche set with diamonds and sapphires. This
  cartouche set with diamonds and sapphires. This
  cartouche set with diamonds and sapphires. This must be what 
   must be what 
   must be what 
   must be what 
  you were sent for, and it appears to be worth a fortune.
  you were sent for, and it appears to be worth a fortune.
  you were sent for, and it appears to be worth a fortune.
  you were sent for, and it appears to be worth a fortune.    
   
  PCs may make an Appraisal skill check (DC15) to 
  determine that the value of the necklace is approximately 
  20,000 gp. If a PC touches the necklace with bare skin, 
  read the following, if they use a glove or some other 
  method to avoid touching the necklace they will not 
  activate its magical properties. 
   
  As you grasp the incredibly valuable jewelry it disappears from 
  As you grasp the incredibly valuable jewelry it disappears from 
  As you grasp the incredibly valuable jewelry it disappears from 
  As you grasp the incredibly valuable jewelry it disappears from 
  beneath your hand.
  beneath your hand.
  beneath your hand.
  beneath your hand.    
   
  When this happens, the PCs will probably panic, but be 
  sure to let the PC touching the necklace know that they 
  feel a heavy coolness against the skin of their neck. 
   
  When the PCs decide to leave, they will need to 
  make their way back up the slide to the trapdoor. The PCs 
  must make a Climb check (DC 10) to reach the top of the 
  slide, which is fifty feet above the floor below. Failure 
  indicates that they have slid back down into the Treasure 
  Chambers. Once the lid to the sarcophagus is opened, the 
  trapdoor will attempt to close, sealing the remaining PCs 
  in. This can be prevented by making a Strength check 
  (DC 20). Once the trapdoor slides into place, it can be 
  forced open from the slide side by making a Strength 
  check (DC 20). Once in the Vault, the PCs will need to 
  find a way to climb the twenty feet back into the 
  Chamber of Sighs and from there they should have a 
  relatively easy journey to the surface. 
   
   
  Encounter Seven
  Encounter Seven
  Encounter Seven
  Encounter Seven    
  Inept Attackers
  Inept Attackers
  Inept Attackers
  Inept Attackers    
  On their journey home, Bwirse’s inept hirelings attack 
  the PCs. The hirelings have no business being outdoors 
  without a chaperon, much less waylaying anyone, but due 
  to their special gifts they decided to make a go of 
  adventuring. Unfortunately, their cleric was killed by a 
  marauding gnoll on the way to their first adventure, and 
  they have committed to working as bandits for hire 
  (Gretlon thought it sounded fun) until they earn enough 
  money to have him raised from the dead. The cleric was 
  the only good-aligned member of the team, and since his 
  demise, they have been in a moral downward spiral. 
  Hanter is the brightest of the group, but he is very shy 
  and lets Gretlon, the most charismatic of the gang, push 
  him around. The others follow the bully’s lead. 
   
  The Gang:
  The Gang:
  The Gang:
  The Gang:    
  Tiers 1
  Tiers 1
  Tiers 1
  Tiers 1----3 (EL technically 5.5, but 3 with bad tactics):
  3 (EL technically 5.5, but 3 with bad tactics):
  3 (EL technically 5.5, but 3 with bad tactics):
  3 (EL technically 5.5, but 3 with bad tactics):    
   
  Gretlon, male half
  Gretlon, male half
  Gretlon, male half
  Gretlon, male half----elf Brd1: 
  elf Brd1: 
  elf Brd1: 
  elf Brd1: CR 1; Medium Humanoid (5 
  ft. 2 in. tall); HD 1d6+2; hp 10; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 
  12 (+2 Dex); Atks +3 melee (1d4+3 (crit 19-20) x2, dagger) 
  +2 ranged (1d4+3 (crit 19-20) x2, dagger); SA spells; Al 
  CN; SV Fort +2, Reflex +4, Will -1. 
  Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills: Appraise +2, Bluff +6, Intimidate +4, Sense 
  Motive +3. Feats:::: Toughness; 
   
  Spells (2) 0––detect magic, mage hand, mending, read 
  magic 
      
  Equipment:::: 4 daggers, harp, pouch with 4 sp and 15 
  cp. 
   
  Gretlon is the leader of the gang and has everyone’s 
  money. He controls them by sheer force of personality 
  and threat of violence. Gretlon hates the fact that he is 
  shorter than most humans and elves and is angry at the 
  world because of his size and race, having never been 
  welcome in either elven or human society. What he fails 
  to realize is that it is his behavior and not his physical 
  appearance that is aberrant. Gretlon makes himself feel 
  good by hurting others, emotionally and physically. He is 
  looking forward to ambushing the PCs and hurting them 
  without hearing their story. To make matters even worse, 
  Gretlon is not a very good bard. He has no ranks in 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 13 
  Perform (he would never stoop to taking instruction from 
  others), so he gets by as best he can on raw talent (Cha). 
   
  Kulp, female half
  Kulp, female half
  Kulp, female half
  Kulp, female half----elf Rog1: 
  elf Rog1: 
  elf Rog1: 
  elf Rog1: CR 1; Medium Humanoid (5 
  ft. 3 in. tall); HD 1d6+2; hp 5; Init -1 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 13 
  (+3 studded leather armor, +1 buckler, -1 Dex); Atks +1 
  melee (1d6+1 (crit 19-20) x2, shortsword); SA sneal attack 
  +1d6; Al CN; SV Fort +2, Reflex +1, Will +1. 
   
  Str 13, Dex 9, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills: : : : Appraise +1, Climb +4, Hide +1, Intuit 
  Direction +5, Jump +3, Listen +5, Ride +1, Swim +3, Use 
  Rope +3. Feats:::: Shield Proficiency. 
      
  Equipment:::: shortsword, studded leather armor, 
  buckler, dagger, pouch with a stolen lock of Gretlon’s 
  hair. 
   
  Always supporting Gretlon and helping degrade and 
  control the gang is Kulp’s role. Kulp is the only female in 
  the group, and wants desperately to be seen as an equal to 
  the men. To this end, she is constantly putting on shows 
  of bravado and threatening the others (except Gretlon) 
  with violence. Unfortunately, her clumsiness makes the 
  threats hard to follow up on. When the ambush is sprung, 
  Kulp plans to find the biggest, most dangerous PC and 
  take him out. Kulp has one liability even greater than her 
  gender insecurity, she loves Gretlon, but has had all of 
  her advances rebuked. Gretlon hates her because she is 
  both half-elven and taller than he is. The only reason he 
  has not forced her out of the team is that she helps him 
  control Hanter. 
   
  Hanter, 
  Hanter, 
  Hanter, 
  Hanter, male human Ftr1: 
  male human Ftr1: 
  male human Ftr1: 
  male human Ftr1: CR 1; Medium Humanoid (5 
  ft. 8 in. tall); HD 1d10+3; hp 8; Init +6 (Improve Initiative, 
  Dex); Spd 30; AC 17 (+5 chainmail, +2 Dex); Atks +2 
  melee (2d6, greatsword); Al LN; SV Fort +3, Reflex +2, 
  Will -1. 
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 9; 
      
  Skills: : : : Bluff +0, Climb -3, Hide +1, Diplomacy +0, 
  Heal +0, Jump -3, Ride +3. Feats:::: Weapon Focus – 
  greatsword, Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes; 
      
  Equipment:::: greatsword, chainmail, pouch with a 
  stolen lock of Kulp’s hair. 
   
  Hanter is very bright, but easily led. He lacks the strength 
  of self to believe that his own ideas are better or right. 
  Many times, Gretlon has made plans that Hanter thought 
  he could improve on, but didn’t realize how right he was 
  until afterward. Hanter was fairly certain that the gnoll 
  they sent Drile to negotiate with was not an undead 
  construct, but Gretlon was convinced and ranting about 
  how easy it would be for Drile to turn it. Hanter might 
  have gone with him, but just then Kulp started 
  whispering to him from real close and he stopped paying 
  attention. Sadly the gnoll was not impressed by Drile and 
  split his skull with an axe and then ran off when he saw 
  the rest of the gang. Hanter isn’t going to let anything 
  like that happen again, so he’s decided that he’s going to 
  attack any spell casters in the group and keep them down, 
  no matter what Gretlon says. Of course, if Kulp gets hurt 
  he’ll have to go protect her instead. 
   
  Zanzibrat, male elf Sor1: 
  Zanzibrat, male elf Sor1: 
  Zanzibrat, male elf Sor1: 
  Zanzibrat, male elf Sor1: CR 1; Medium Humanoid (5 ft. 
  7 in. tall); HD 1d4+2; hp 5; Init +4 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 14 
  (+4 Dex); Atks -1 melee (1d8-1 [crit x3], shortspear); SA 
  spells; SQ none; Al NG; SV Fort +2, Reflex +4, Will +1. 
  Str 8, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 13. 
      
  Skills: : : : Concentration +5, Knowledge (flora) +1, 
  Knowledge (flight) +1, Spellcraft +3. Feats:::: Combat 
  Casting; 
      
  Equipment:::: short spear, robes, thunderstone. 
   
  Spells (5/4): 0––light, disrupt undead, detect magic, read 
  magic; 1st––grease, cause fear. 
   
  Zanzibrat was Drile’s best friend. The two of them were 
  getting fed up with Gretlon’s heavy-handed leadership 
  and had even discussed getting rid of him. Unfortunately, 
  before they could actually come up with a plan, Drile met 
  with his gnoll accident. Zanzibrat suspects that Kulp or 
  Gretlon overheard their complaining, so he is laying low 
  and will follow his orders when the ambush happens. He 
  is carrying a magic item, a thunderstone, but he has 
  forgotten it and will not use it in battle. The PCs will 
  discover it if they search his body. It is described in the 
  treasure section later. 
   
  Hash, male 
  Hash, male 
  Hash, male 
  Hash, male halfling Ftr1: 
  halfling Ftr1: 
  halfling Ftr1: 
  halfling Ftr1: CR 1; Small Humanoid (3 ft. 2 
  in. tall); HD 1d10+2; hp 10; Init +4 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 19 
  (+4 chain shirt, +2 shield, +4 Dex, +1 Size); Atks +5 range 
  (1d4, dart) +0 melee (1d6 [crit 19-20], short sword); Al 
  CN; SV Fort +4, Reflex +4, Will +1. 
   
  Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10; 
      
  Skills: : : : Craft (cooking) +4, Hide +6, Spellcraft +3. Feats:::: 
  Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot; 
      
  Equipment:::: chain shirt, shield, 20 darts, shortsword.  
   
  Hash pays no attention to the petty intrigues within the 
  gang. He doesn’t even really mind Gretlon, even though 
  Gretlon constantly abuses him about his size. He just 
  cooks dinner when they’re travelling and puts up with 
  just about anything as long as there is the promise of 
  being allowed to throw stuff at other stuff later.  
   
  The Ambush:
  The Ambush:
  The Ambush:
  The Ambush:    
  The gang is planning to attack the PCs about halfway 
  back to the Last Chance Inn at a point in the road where 
  there is a large oak tree on one side of the road and 
  several large granite boulders opposite it at the base of a 
  low hill. Gretlon has instructed Kanter to wait in the road 
  to stop the PCs. Meanwhile, he and Zanzibrat will hide in 
  the tree and cover him from there. Hash and Kulp have 
  been instructed to begin by hiding in the boulders. Hash 
  will remain there and hurl darts into the melee (note he 
  suffers no penalty because of his Precise Shot feat), while 
  Kulp has orders to slip in and sneak attack the PCs 
  spellcasters. Not a great plan, but it will get worse because 
  Hanter and Kulp both have different plans. Hanter will 
  attack any spell casters in the group and keep them down, 
  no matter what Gretlon says. Of course, if Kulp gets hurt 
  he’ll have to go protect her instead. When the ambush is 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 14 
  sprung, Kulp plans to find the biggest, most dangerous 
  PC and take him out. 
   
  After defeating the gang, the PCs can travel to the Last 
  Chance Inn to spend the night, and then return to 
  Greyhawk without incident.   
   
   
  Encounter Eight
  Encounter Eight
  Encounter Eight
  Encounter Eight    
  Return the Birthright
  Return the Birthright
  Return the Birthright
  Return the Birthright    
  When the PCs reach Greyhawk, it is assumed that they 
  will go to Auldon and present him with the necklace. If 
  they attempt to sell it independently, they will be unable 
  to find a legitimate jeweler that will accept so valuable a 
  piece without proof of ownership. Attempts to fence it 
  are very dangerous given the power of the Thieves Guild 
  in 
  Greyhawk 
  and 
  their 
  homicidal 
  reaction 
  to 
  unauthorized activity. Let the PCs know that they would 
  be lucky to be able to give it away and live. 
   
  When the PCs reach Auldon’s home, they will again 
  be greeted by Jemar and shown to Auldon’s office. 
   
  The first thin
  The first thin
  The first thin
  The first thing you notice entering Auldon’s study is that his fine 
  g you notice entering Auldon’s study is that his fine 
  g you notice entering Auldon’s study is that his fine 
  g you notice entering Auldon’s study is that his fine 
  wooden desk is missing. The wall of bookshelves remains, but 
  wooden desk is missing. The wall of bookshelves remains, but 
  wooden desk is missing. The wall of bookshelves remains, but 
  wooden desk is missing. The wall of bookshelves remains, but 
  the shelves look more barren. Only one of the chairs you used 
  the shelves look more barren. Only one of the chairs you used 
  the shelves look more barren. Only one of the chairs you used 
  the shelves look more barren. Only one of the chairs you used 
  when last here remain, and Auldon is sitting in it with his back 
  when last here remain, and Auldon is sitting in it with his back 
  when last here remain, and Auldon is sitting in it with his back 
  when last here remain, and Auldon is sitting in it with his back 
  to you, gazing
  to you, gazing
  to you, gazing
  to you, gazing hopefully out the window. The other chairs have 
   hopefully out the window. The other chairs have 
   hopefully out the window. The other chairs have 
   hopefully out the window. The other chairs have 
  been replaced with two wooden benches. At the sound of your 
  been replaced with two wooden benches. At the sound of your 
  been replaced with two wooden benches. At the sound of your 
  been replaced with two wooden benches. At the sound of your 
  arrival, Auldon turns to greet you with an enormous smile. “So, 
  arrival, Auldon turns to greet you with an enormous smile. “So, 
  arrival, Auldon turns to greet you with an enormous smile. “So, 
  arrival, Auldon turns to greet you with an enormous smile. “So, 
  you’ve returned! Were you successful? What have you got for 
  you’ve returned! Were you successful? What have you got for 
  you’ve returned! Were you successful? What have you got for 
  you’ve returned! Were you successful? What have you got for 
  me?”
  me?”
  me?”
  me?”    
      
  Auldon will ask the PCs to put all of the goods they found 
  at the mine on the faded carpet between them so he can 
  appraise them.  
      
  The Necklace of the Forlorn Cavern is worth 20,000 
  gold orbs, the masterwork long sword is worth 315 gold 
  orbs, and the Thunderstone is worth 30 gold orbs. After 
  the goods have been appraised, Auldon will ask the PCs 
  to tell him the tale of their journey. After hearing the 
  story Auldon will tell the PCs that he has no claim on the 
  sword or thunderstone if they try to give it to him. If 
  none of the PCs is cursed, he will thank them, offer the 
  services of the Brendigund Family if he can be of service 
  in the future, bid them farewell, and summon Jemar to 
  show them out once their story is complete. The items 
  should be sitting on the floor during this conversation, 
  and the tale should take long enough that if any of the 
  PCs has been affected by the curse of the necklace, it will 
  return to them. If this happens Auldon will almost 
  immediately notice and react. 
   
  “What! Where did the necklace go?!” What ki
  “What! Where did the necklace go?!” What ki
  “What! Where did the necklace go?!” What ki
  “What! Where did the necklace go?!” What kind of deception is 
  nd of deception is 
  nd of deception is 
  nd of deception is 
  this? Explain yourselves.” Auldon has leapt to his feet with an 
  this? Explain yourselves.” Auldon has leapt to his feet with an 
  this? Explain yourselves.” Auldon has leapt to his feet with an 
  this? Explain yourselves.” Auldon has leapt to his feet with an 
  almost comical combination of shock and betrayal on his face.
  almost comical combination of shock and betrayal on his face.
  almost comical combination of shock and betrayal on his face.
  almost comical combination of shock and betrayal on his face.    
   
  If the PC with the necklace does not reveal that they have 
  it, they are stuck in the same situation as if they never 
  went to see Auldon, although some other PC will likely 
  reveal the truth. Once the PCs give Auldon the necklace a 
  second time he will ask them to wait and have tea with 
  him, time enough for the necklace to disappear again. At 
  this point, he will realize that necklace is cursed 
  somehow and be a little irritated with the PCs, but still 
  grateful. He will tell them that he has a friend who is a 
  priest of Fharalanghn, and can break the curse, but the 
  cost of the priests services, 95 gp, will take the last of his 
  available cash.  
   
  Auldon will send Jemar for his friend, Wugut, the 
  priest of Fharlanghn. Once the spell is cast, Auldon will 
  immediately pick up the necklace and put it in his vest, 
  thereby becoming subject to its curse. He will then thank 
  the PCs, let them know they can call upon him in the 
  future if his humble house can be of service and send 
  them on their way. 
   
  The End
  The End
  The End
  The End    
   
   
  Experience Point Summary
  Experience Point Summary
  Experience Point Summary
  Experience Point Summary    
  Sum the experience award values for the objectives that 
  the PCs accomplished. For items with value ranges, 
  assign a value in the range based on how well the PCs 
  accomplished the stated item. For any item with a value 
  range, you may award different amounts within the range 
  to different PCs.  Give the total value to each PC. 
   
  Helping Astin defeat the orcs 
  50 xp 
  Defeating the skeletons 
  100 xp 
  Defeating the trap without any injuries 
  50 xp 
  Retrieving the necklace 
  100 xp 
  Defeating the inept gang 
  100 xp 
  Giving the necklace to Auldon 
  50 xp 
   
  Roleplaying—award for consistent character 
  portrayal that adds to the fun of the game 
  0-50 xp 
   
  Total possible experience:
  Total possible experience:
  Total possible experience:
  Total possible experience:    
  500 xp
  500 xp
  500 xp
  500 xp    
   
   
  Treasure Summary
  Treasure Summary
  Treasure Summary
  Treasure Summary    
  PCs may keep items from the scenario which are listed on 
  the treasure list or which meet the following conditions:  
   
  1. 
  The item must be non-magical and specifically listed 
  in the text of the adventure (e.g armor on foes). If it 
  is not listed in the text, the PCs cannot keep it. Items 
  of this nature can be sold for 50% of book value, or 
  recorded on a log sheet.  
  2. 
  Animals, followers, monsters, henchmen, and so 
  forth (any living being, basically) may not be kept 
  from a scenario for any reason unless the treasure 
  summary lists the being specifically. It is okay for the 
  PC to form relationships with NPCs, but these will 
  not be certed and cannot bring material benefit to 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 15 
  the PC. Contacts (sources of extra information) must 
  be specifically certed. 
  3. 
  Theft is against the law, but may be practiced by 
  some PCs. Items which are worth more than 5,000 
  gp, which are of personal significance to the owner 
  (including family heirlooms), and magical items will 
  be discovered in the possession of the PC by one 
  means or another. The PC who stole them must 
  return the item and pay a fine equal to three times 
  the value of the item stolen, In addition, the PC 
  caught receives one Infamy point for being a known 
  thief. For other items which meet the criteria in #1 
  above, use your judgment on whether a PC thief gets 
  away with the theft or not.  
   
  Any item retained according to these rules which does 
  not have a certificate will not ever have a certificate 
  issued for it.  
   
  The campaign staff reserves the right to take away any 
  item or gold acquired for things which it later finds 
  unreasonable but which were allowed at the time. 
   
  Next to mundane items are the values of the items. They 
  can be sold as described above. 
   
  Encounter 2
  Encounter 2
  Encounter 2
  Encounter 2    
  • 
  great axes (Value 20 gp each) (6, 8, or 12 of them) 
   
  Encounter 3
  Encounter 3
  Encounter 3
  Encounter 3    
  • 
  knife (Value 2 gp) 
   
  Encounter 5
  Encounter 5
  Encounter 5
  Encounter 5    
  • 
  Masterwork longsword (Medium, Value 315 gp, 
  weight 4 lb): This finely crafted longsword is slightly 
  longer and thinner than those normally found in the 
  Flanaess. The surface of the blade is engraved with 
  small pictograms of tall, thin men with elongated 
  faces. This expertly wrought, non-magical blade adds 
  +1 to attack rolls. This item was taken from a 
  guardian of the Forlorn Cairn in the Cairn Hills. 
  • 
  Longswords (Value 16 gp each) (3, 7, or 15 of them) 
  • 
  Holy symbol of Fharalanghn (Value 0). 
   
  Encounter 7
  Encounter 7
  Encounter 7
  Encounter 7    
  • 
  4 sp, 15 cp 
  • 
  5 daggers (Value 2 gp each) 
  • 
  harp (Value 40 gp) 
  • 
  2 shortswords (Value 10 gp each) 
  • 
  studded leather (Value 25 gp) 
  • 
  buckler (Value 16 gp) 
  • 
  greatsword (Value 50 gp) 
  • 
  chainmail (Value 150 gp) 
  • 
  shortspear (Value 2 gp) 
  • 
  chainshirt (Value 100 gp) 
  • 
  large wooden shield (Value 8 gp) 
  • 
  20 darts (Value 6 sp each) 
  • 
  thunderstone (Value 30 gp, weight 1 lb): You can 
  throw this stone as a grenadelike weapon When it 
  strikes a hard surface (or is struck hard), it creates a 
  deafening bang (a sonic attack). Creatures within a 
  10-foot radius must make Fortitude saves (DC 15) or 
  be deafened for 1 minute. Deaf creatures, in addition 
  to the obvious effects, suffer a –4 penalty on 
  initiative and a 20% chance to miscast and lose any 
  spell with a verbal (V) component that they try to 
  cast. 
   
  Encounter 8 
  Encounter 8 
  Encounter 8 
  Encounter 8     
  • 
  Favor of the Brendigund Merchant House (one per 
  PC): Although Aldun Brendigund has fallen on hard 
  times, you have earned his favor. At this time, the 
  favor can only be redeemed for a few nights’ shelter 
  in an unfurnished bedroom in the Brendigund home 
  or an introduction to Wugut, a 5th level priest of 
  Fharalanghn, who will be willing to cast spells for 
  the PCs for standard prices. It is possible that the 
  value of this favor will rise (or fall) with the fortune 
  of Aldun Brendigund. 
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 16 
  Player Handout #1
  Player Handout #1
  Player Handout #1
  Player Handout #1    
   
  Dearest Hellina, 
   
  It is with great sadness that I must inform you that your beloved mother, my sister, has passed from this world. Her servants told me 
  that she passed quietly in her sleep and that her face was so serene in death that they did not realize anything was amiss until lunch 
  came without her rising. Her will, as you well know, makes no provision for Stoat and me but bequeaths all of her goods to you and 
  your merchant husband. Why she has chosen to enrich your already good fortune and leave me destitute I shall never know. With her 
  death our few family lands also pass out of the Brendingund fortune, however the birthright that made this family wealthy enough for 
  you to marry your merchant has returned to its resting place and I intend to claim it. I know that you will not contest this, as you have 
  made it abundantly clear that you are too high for such tainted goods. Forgive my baseness, but I have a fortune to rebuild. The 
  journey from here in Seltaren is a long one, but by the time this letter reaches you my beloved Stoat will already be returning with my 
  birthright. Please give my regards to your husband and son and my deepest sympathy for your loss. 
   
  Sharing your sorrow, 
   
  Bedilund 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 17 
  Player Handout #2
  Player Handout #2
  Player Handout #2
  Player Handout #2    
   
   
   
  Dearest Hellina, 
   
  Please forgive my second intrusion into your life, but I am growing desperate.  Stoat has not returned from the errand I set him on 
  these three months ago and without him to earn some money I am almost destitute. Four weeks ago I hired a group of mercenaries to 
  find Stoat or at the very least our birthright, but they have not returned either. It is now past twice the time I expected it to take for 
  their return. I fear I have been deceived or robbed or both. Where has Stoat gone? He would never run off with our fortune. Could 
  some beast have waylaid him and the men I hired? I know they were honest; one wore the mace of Cuthbert. Please help me. Send me 
  money or men. Send someone to investigate; perhaps the Greyhawk side of the Hills has an easier approach. Please Hellina, forget the 
  past. Soften your heart as I would for you. I can only afford to eat and keep my household a few more weeks. 
   
  At your mercy, 
   
  Bedilund 
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 18 
  DM Map #2
  DM Map #2
  DM Map #2
  DM Map #2    
   
   
  Here is a diagram of the entrance to the Forlorn Cairn hidden in the Stable. Try to make the PCs figure out the puzzle. 
  Resist the temptation to help them too much. Once they pry up the slab, they see only a square hole in the ground, and 
  must realize that they must get in and then close the door again to get down the passage. 
   
   
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 19 
  DM Map #1
  DM Map #1
  DM Map #1
  DM Map #1    
   
   
   
  
   
  The Reckoning 
   
  Page 20 
  Brendigund Family Tree:
  Brendigund Family Tree:
  Brendigund Family Tree:
  Brendigund Family Tree:    
   
  To assist in keeping track of the back-story, we have included the following Brendingund family tree: 
   
   
  Effimus Brendingund
  Son
  (deceased)
  Son
  (deceased)
  Daughter
  (deceased)
  Son
  (deceased)
  Son
  (unknown)
  Daughter
  (unknown)
  Vertislar Brendingund
  (deceased)
  Hystern
  (deceased)
  Bedilund Brendingund
  (deceased)
  Festulus Brendingund
  (deceased)
  Stoat
  (deceased)
  Hellina Brendingund
  (deceased)
  Merchant of Veluna
  (deceased)
  Auldon Brendingund
  Merchant
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Living Greyhawk/Core/COR1-02 - The Reckoning.pdf