TEXT: Frog God 
  Games
  By Tom Knauss
  By Tom Knauss
  A Little Knowledge
  A Little Knowledge
  
  Frog  
  God 
  Games
  CEO
  Bill Webb
  Creative Director:  
  Swords & Wizardry
  Matthew J. Finch
  Creative Director:  
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
  Greg A. Vaughan
  Frog V
  Patrick N. Pilgrim
  Art Director
  Charles A. Wright
  Developers
  John Ling and  
  Patrick N. Pilgrim
  Customer Service Manager
  Krista Webb
  Zach of All Trades
  Zach Glazar
  Final Boss
  Skeeter Green
  FROG GOD GAMES IS
  Author
  Tom Knauss
  Developer
  Patrick N. Pilgrim
  Producer
  Bill Webb
  Editor
  Jeff Harkness
  Swords & Wizardry Conversion
  Jeff Harkness
  Layout and Graphic Design
  Charles A. Wright
  Front Cover Art
  Artem Shukaev
  Interior Art
  Blake Wilkie
  Cartography
  Robert Altbauer
  Adventures 
  Worth  
  Winning
  ©2017 Frog God Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written 
  permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. Frog God Games and the 
  Frog God Games logo is a trademark of Frog God Games. All characters, names, 
  places, items, art and text herein are copyrighted by Frog God Games, Inc. 
  The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a 
  challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Frog God Games 
  LLC’s Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are 
  not Open Game Content: product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including 
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  names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, 
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  or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark 
  or registered trademark clearly identified as Product Identity. Previously released Open Game 
  Content is excluded from the above list.
  Quests of Doom 4
  A Little Knowledge
  
  2
  Quests of Doom 4
  GENERAL RESOURCES 
  Swords & Wizardry Complete S&W 
  The Tome of Horrors Complete PF, S&W 
  Tome of Horrors 4 PF, S&W 
  Tome of Adventure Design
  Monstrosities S&W 
  Bill Webb’s Book of Dirty Tricks 
  Razor Coast: Fire as She Bears PF 
  Book of Lost Spells 5e, PF 
  Fifth Edition Foes 5e 
  The Tome of Blighted Horrors 5e, PF, S&W
  Book of Alchemy* 5e, PF, S&W 
  THE LOST LANDS 
  Rappan Athuk PF, S&W 
  Rappan Athuk Expansions Vol. I PF, S&W 
  The Slumbering Tsar Saga PF, S&W 
  The Black Monastery PF, S&W 
  Cyclopean Deeps Vol. I PF, S&W 
  Cyclopean Deeps Vol. II PF, S&W 
  Razor Coast PF, S&W 
  Razor Coast: Heart of the Razor PF, S&W 
  Razor Coast: Freebooter’s Guide to the Razor Coast PF, S&W 
  LL0: The Lost Lands Campaign Setting* 5e, PF, S&W
  LL1: Stoneheart Valley PF, S&W 
  LL2: The Lost City of Barakus PF, S&W 
  LL3: Sword of Air PF, S&W 
  LL4: Cults of the Sundered Kingdoms PF, S&W 
  LL5: Borderland Provinces 5e, PF, S&W
  LL6: The Northlands Saga Complete PF, S&W
  LL7: The Blight 5e, PF, S&W
  LL8: Bard’s Gate 5e, PF, S&W 
  LL9: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces 5e, PF, S&W
  QUESTS OF DOOM 
  Quests of Doom (Vol. 1) 5e 
  Quests of Doom (Vol. 2) 5e 
  Quests of Doom (includes the 5e Vol. 1 and 2, but for PF 
  and S&W only) PF, S&W 
  Quests of Doom 2 5e 
  Quests of Doom 3 5e, S&W
  Quests of Doom 4* 5e, PF, S&W
  PERILOUS VISTAS 
  Dead Man’s Chest (pdf only) PF 
  Dunes of Desolation PF 
  Fields of Blood PF 
  Mountains of Madness PF 
  Marshes of Malice PF
  Other Products from Frog God Games
  You can find these product lines and more at our website, froggodgames.com, and on the shelves of many retail game stores.  
  Superscripts indicate the available game systems: “PF” means the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, “5e” means Fifth Edition,  
  and “S&W” means Swords & Wizardry. If there is no superscript it means that it is not specific to a single rule system.
  * (forthcoming from Frog God Games)
  
  3
  A Little Knowledge
  Table of Contents
  Credits ........................................................................ p. 1
  A Little Knowledge ........................................................p. 4
  Map Appendix ..............................................................p. 22
  Legal Appendix .............................................................p. 25
  
  4
  Quests of Doom 4
  Life within me ebbs, yet this is not the end,
  Deem me worthy, and my soul it shall ascend. 
  Into the heavens I soar far beyond and so on high
  By the side of my lord Ra, on a boat across the sky.
  — A Khemitian funerary prayer
  A Little Knowledge is an adventure for 5th-level characters that takes 
  them across the Stoneheart Mountains onto the forbidding Feirgotha 
  Plateau to investigate the myths and tales surrounding the ancient and 
  presumably deserted Library of Arcady. The characters soon discover that 
  the venerable building is not as abandoned as originally believed, and its 
  unusual caretaker keeps more terrible secrets than any of its fabled lost 
  writings. 
  Adventure Background
  More than 2000 years ago, the legendary archmage Aka Bakar 
  magically transported his formidable tower and thousands of his former 
  home’s fearsome soldiers from the city of Pharos onto the cold, largely 
  uninhabited high desert of the distant Feirgotha Plateau amid the Stoneheart 
  Mountains. In a series of brilliant military maneuvers, the shrewd human 
  wizard and his invading army expelled those mountain dwarves who were 
  resident from the plateau. He cleared their few citadels on the plateau 
  and destroyed the infamous keep of Baen Halfhammer in Baen’s Pass. 
  With his major opposition eliminated, the keen ruler embarked on a bold 
  plan to construct numerous settlements, temples, monuments, and public 
  works in his newly conquered land. These wondrous buildings served as 
  the foundation for the Kingdom of Arcady. 
  Under his astute guidance, the newfound state rapidly expanded. He 
  imported the architectural and technological traditions of his native 
  people, transforming the frigid, lifeless wasteland into fertile farmland 
  capable of supporting vital food staples and sustaining vast herds of 
  livestock. Aka Bakar concentrated most of his construction and irrigation 
  efforts around the centrally located bottomless lake, Toh Kristael, which 
  included the burgeoning settlement of Deepharbor found along its northern 
  shore. Within two years of its founding, countless refugees fleeing the 
  Great Darkness poured into the growing town, transforming the quaint 
  community into a bustling and magnificent city replete with wondrous 
  marvels and exotic goods. 
  The influx of residents secured the Feirgotha Plateau’s northern and 
  central borders, but its southern flank remained vulnerable to invasion via 
  the remote Southern Pass. In order to attract settlers to the desolate region, 
  Aka Bakar commissioned his grandest project to spearhead migration to 
  the area. The renowned wizard gathered many of the great works he had 
  claimed from the Great Library of Pharos and transported them to what 
  would be the site of his newly constructed Library of Arcady, less than 
  ten miles from the Southern Pass. He chose his most-promising young 
  apprentice, Thanopsis the Learned, to oversee the edifice’s construction 
  and catalog its immense inventory. Just as Aka Bakar intended, the huge 
  undertaking drew scholars, intellectuals, artisans, and laborers to the 
  distant locale, which in turn attracted countless support industries and the 
  settlers to supply them, thus bolstering the southern boundary’s defenses 
  and increasing his influence in this backwater region.
  For the next forty years, Thanopsis relished his role as the caretaker of 
  Arcady’s treasure trove of knowledge, yet even Aka Bakar’s loyal servant 
  could not overlook his sovereign’s escalating descent into eccentricity and 
  madness. In a surprise move, a massive hobgoblin army struck at the heart 
  of Arcady. The devastating attack caught the kingdom’s army completely 
  off-guard. Farther south, a horde of orcs marched up the Southern Pass 
  and launched a simultaneous assault against the kingdom’s vulnerable 
  underbelly. The rampaging orcs besieged the Library of Arcady. Aka 
  Bakar’s legions hung on for dear life in the face of the combined hobgoblin 
  and orcish onslaughts. When all seemed lost, the deranged sovereign 
  and his legendary Sword of Air arrived on the scene and turned back the 
  hobgoblin and orcish invaders. Yet victory came at a frightening cost. Aka 
  Bakar disappeared and was believed lost, and the capital of Deepharbor 
  was destroyed. Arcady’s leaderless survivors abandoned the Feirgotha 
  Plateau soon after, leaving the high desert and the vengeful dwarves to 
  reclaim the desolate landscape. Only one man remained behind in the 
  aftermath — Thanopsis, Arcady’s genius librarian.  
  Cheating Death
  Like many of his Khemitite-descended brethren, the noble Thanopsis 
  looked forward to reaping the splendors of the afterlife. Yet, he never 
  faced death until the barbarous orc warriors forced him to confront his 
  own mortality. In those frightful moments, Thanopsis realized that dying 
  terrified him. He rationalized that the afterlife was a blissful fallacy 
  conjured to comfort the dying and the living alike. In his mind, death 
  was an absolute finality. He found the path of joining the ranks of the 
  undead equally undesirable. For Thanopsis, the act of dying irreparably 
  corrupts the individual, regardless of whether the soul embarks on an 
  eternal journey into the afterlife or not, or the body or spirit is reanimated 
  by an arcane or divine force. 
  As the orc hordes surrounded his embattled library, Thanopsis, with some 
  unwitting assistance from the legendary archmage Aka Bakar, concocted 
  a wicked plan to cheat death. The clever apprentice remembered one of 
  his master’s offhand comments before his disappearance. “Thought,” he 
  said, “is the essence of being. As long as it endures, death is powerless.” 
  He conjectured that if his consciousness survived, he could live forever. 
  The magician scoured the library searching for the mystical solution 
  to his dilemma. In a neglected, obscure tome, he found the answer — 
  the designs for a magical device that could transfer a living mind’s 
  consciousness into a perfectly preserved dead body. Thanopsis instantly 
  knew what he must do next. Aka Bakar’s disappearance had thrust the 
  ravaged kingdom of Arcady into chaos, presenting Thanopsis with the 
  perfect opportunity to obtain the human subjects he needed to conduct 
  his amoral magical experiments. The seemingly genial librarian rescued 
  hundreds of orphaned children from the carnage and offered them 
  sanctuary within the library. Then he waited for everyone else to flee the 
  library and the surrounding settlements before he set his plan into motion. 
  In the dead of night, the devious librarian duped the children into a frigid 
  cavern beneath the library in the heart of an underground glacier. He then 
  sealed the exit and consigned his victims to their fate within the deep 
  freeze. Their muffled cries for help went unanswered while he waited for 
  the sounds of life to cease. When his victims had all succumbed to the 
  bone-chilling cold, the subzero temperatures in the frigid cavern kept their 
  corpses in a state of pristine preservation.  
  Alone at last, Thanopsis toiled in his laboratory to create the magical 
  item he named the consciousness crystal. The moment his mind and body 
  showed the first telltale signs of aging, Thanopsis took a monumental leap 
  of faith. He activated the crystal and sank into a deep coma alongside his 
  first handpicked human subject. Twenty-four hours later, his consciousness 
  awoke in the new, vigorous body of a previously deceased teenage boy. 
  Thanopsis repeated this process every few decades for the next 2000 
  years. But magic can be a temperamental and imprecise mistress in the 
  hands of a mere mortal. The slightest change in intonation or disruption 
  of rhythm can have a profound effect. On occasions, small errors in the 
  ritual diminished his mental acumen. Through the passing centuries 
  repeated errors in use of the consciousness crystal steadily lessened his 
  arcane powers and intellect. Now occupying the body of an old woman, 
  the despondent librarian faces his first crisis in more than 2000 years: 
  Thanopsis neglected to notice that an unusual warm spell several years 
  A Little Knowledge
  
  5
  A Little Knowledge
  earlier had affected the glacier cave and partially thawed his remaining 
  frozen subjects, allowing subtle decay and rendering the corpses useless 
  for their intended purpose. The aging wizard desperately sought a suitable 
  new human host, but the xenophobic dwarves of Clan Craenog who watch 
  over the Feirgotha Plateau had expelled the last human residents from this 
  land long ago. Since the dwarves continue to kill humans on sight, men 
  and women from foreign lands never willingly set foot in their territory. 
  At the zenith of his power, the brilliant wizard could have used his magic 
  to solve his problem, but the act of transferring his consciousness so many 
  times with so many tiny imperfections had dulled his wits and corrupted 
  his memory. He now lacks the intelligence to wield his most-powerful 
  spells and must rely upon more-conventional means to achieve his ends. 
  Each morning, the desperate necromancer animates his former tests 
  subjects and other dead humanoids from the grounds around the library 
  and sends them into battle against the dwarven garrison how guarding the 
  Southern Pass. He seeks to destroy the dwarven outpost and hopefully use 
  any human prisoners he finds in their custody for his intended purpose. 
  Otherwise, with the dwarves eliminated, he is free to lure humans from 
  the lowlands up the Southern Pass and into his clutches. In either event 
  the dwarves, long beleaguered by attacks from the walking dead, stand 
  on the verge of defeat unless relief arrives soon, and Thanopsis’ parasitic 
  existence is poised to claim countless more innocent victims.  
  Adventure Synopsis
  The Referee may begin the adventure in Miners’ Refuge after the 
  characters successfully complete the previous adventure, God of Ore, or 
  start the tale in another location closer to their ultimate destination. In 
  either event, an interested party asks the characters to travel to the remote, 
  southern edge of the frigid Feirgotha Plateau in search of the fabled Library 
  of Arcady. Alternately, a representative of the Clan Craenog implores his 
  fellow dwarves to aid the beleaguered dwarven garrison of Burvaadun. 
  The fortress guards the strategic Southern Pass that carves a path through 
  the Stoneheart Mountains connecting the lands below the mountains with 
  the Feirgotha Plateau. 
  Of course, the rugged Stoneheart Mountains and its native denizens 
  stand between the intrepid adventurers and their goal. Fortunately for 
  dwarven characters, the ancient dwarves of the Great Mountain Clans 
  long ago created “high-ways,” narrow, twisting paths that wind among the 
  mighty peaks connecting the regions of one Great Clan to another. Only 
  mountain dwarves know of the existence of these treacherous high-ways, 
  but one does indeed connect the clan peaks of Clan Krazzadak around 
  the Ice Plateau with the clan peaks of Clan Craenog around the Feirgotha 
  Plateau. Parties that are not mountain dwarves must find other means to 
  reach Burvaadun and either scale the challenging peaks or travel from 
  the lowlands east of the Stonehearts and take the well-worn and safer 
  Southern Pass onto the Feirgotha Plateau.
  Characters that travel to Burvaadun, either intentionally or en route to 
  the Library of Arcady, find the stronghold close to the breaking point. 
  Skeletons and zombies attack the crumbling fortress every night in 
  ever-increasing numbers. The undead marauders killed the garrison’s 
  commander along with more than half of his battle-weary soldiers. The 
  trail of the walking dead leads back to the site of the presumably abandoned 
  and ruined Library of Arcady where Thanopsis, the raid’s architect, seeks 
  to shatter the dwarves’ defenses and hopes to obtain human subjects from 
  their prison or from the lands below the mountains. 
  When the characters arrive at the Library of Arcady, the settlement 
  around it is destroyed save for a mound of snow-covered rubble where 
  the Pyramid of Thanopsis once stood. However, they then discover that 
  the rumors of the library’s demise at the hands of its orcish invaders are 
  greatly exaggerated. The structure of obvious Khemitian origin remains 
  intact, and Thanopsis’ mindless undead minions muster in and around 
  its outer courtyard. Characters that defeat or slip past the guardians can 
  then enter the library proper. The building’s current resident transformed 
  some of his former colleagues into his undead servants, while swarms 
  of voracious scarab beetles, malevolent constructs, and other monsters 
  originally hailing from Thanopsis’ homeland also perform the bidding of 
  their sinister master. 
  In the subterranean chambers below the library, the characters locate 
  Thanopsis’ unoccupied tomb and the ghastly secret to the librarian’s 
  incredible longevity — a large icy vault filled with the frozen yet decaying 
  bodies of numerous children, as well as dozens of festering, elderly 
  corpses. Thanopsis’ consciousness now occupies the body of an old 
  woman, a guise that the cunning wizard uses to his advantage to allay the 
  characters’ suspicions. The fear of death consumes the wily librarian as 
  he attempts to destroy the characters by leading them into a prearranged 
  trap. If the characters survive the lethal trick and realize the deception, 
  the enraged and frightened Thanopsis uses his arsenal of magic to destroy 
  his foes and once again cheat death. It is up to the characters to stop 
  this ancient menace from claiming more lives to prolong his wretched 
  existence. 
  Part I: Knowledge Lost
  The first portion of the adventure takes place in the formidable 
  Stoneheart Mountains en route to the frigid Feirgotha Plateau. During their 
  trek, the characters encounter several of the area’s native inhabitants. Their 
  interactions with these men and beasts reveal important information about 
  the region’s history and the dwarven clan that dominates this region of 
  the Stoneheart Mountains. In addition to contending with these creatures, 
  the characters must devise a means to reach the elevated plateau. Unless 
  they have access to the secret “high-ways” of the mountain dwarves, 
  the characters must either scale the sheer cliffs and icy rock walls along 
  the mountain range’s southern boundary, or travel from the more distant 
  Southern Pass. In the latter case, the characters must pass through the 
  dwarven garrison of Burvaadun to gain access to the arctic wasteland that 
  lies ahead of them. 
    
  Beginning the Adventure
  The adventure may begin in one of several locations. The mountainside 
  town of Miners’ Refuge is the likely starting point for an adventuring party 
  that completed the previous adventure, God of Ore. The rural settlement 
  lies roughly 350 miles south of the distant Feirgotha Plateau, where the 
  Library of Arcady is located. The journey to the site by conventional 
  means could last several weeks or months as the characters wind their 
  way through the inhospitable and treacherous Stoneheart Mountains or 
  circumnavigate them entirely to reach the Southern Pass north of the 
  ruins of Tsar (see The Slumbering Tsar Saga by Frog God Games for 
  information about those ruins and the surrounding Desolation or Sword 
  of Air by Frog God Games for more information about travel through 
  that region). Referees who want to forego such a long, perilous trek could 
  alternately use a closer location as a jumping-on point, thus eliminating 
  Clan Craenog
  This potent clan of mountain dwarves controls large swaths 
  of territory within the eastern and central Stoneheart Mountains, 
  particularly in the areas around the Feirgotha Plateau as well as the 
  three mountain passes (Baen’s Pass, Pelivar Pass and the Southern 
  Pass) that grant access to the elevated flatlands high atop the mountain 
  range. The dwarves refer to their kingdom as Flaencragh, and for 
  much of its history, a king ruled the realm. This practice ended more 
  than three centuries ago when the last king vanished without a trace 
  during the Battle of Tsar. His subjects left the title vacant and instead 
  bequeathed the title of High Thane upon Om, the former king’s first 
  cousin. The High Thane rules the land from his citadel of Erod Flan, 
  where he keeps a watchful eye on the neighboring Feirgotha Plateau 
  and the hobgoblin strongholds of the Starcrag Range. 
  Though the dwarves focus much of their attention on the 
  barbarous goblinoids to their north, they also keep a close watch 
  on the human settlements to the east. The dwarves of Clan Craenog 
  are all too familiar with humanity’s treacherous ways. The High 
  Thane’s loyal subjects, still seething from ancient betrayals, usually 
  kill human trespassers on sight.  
  
  6
  Quests of Doom 4
  the need to recreate several weeks of travel. The dwarven citadel of Erod 
  Flan, the primary stronghold of the Clan Craenog, is the most logical 
  choice, though the Referee is ultimately free to start the adventure 
  practically anywhere within or near the Stoneheart Mountains. 
  Adventure Hooks
  The characters are likely drawn into the adventure’s events in one of 
  three ways. An interested party asks the characters to travel directly to the 
  Library of Arcady to retrieve a particular item or to solve a long-standing 
  mystery about the foreboding locale. Alternately, the adventurers may be 
  sent to the remote garrison of Burvaadun to aid the weary soldiers manning 
  the lonely stronghold straddling the border between the strategic Southern 
  Pass and the Feirgotha Plateau. The strange events plaguing the garrison 
  ultimately lead back to the supposedly abandoned Library of Arcady. The 
  Referee may use one or more of the following hooks or create one of his 
  own to set the adventure into motion.
  Relief Force
  After the third assault at the hands of Thanopsis’ undead minions, Foran 
  Rockfeller, the now-deceased commander of the Burvaadun garrison, 
  dispatched his nephew Voorn Rockfeller (Neutral male mountain dwarf 
  fighter 3) to seek aid for his beleaguered troops fending off the attacks. 
  Naturally, the young warrior only approaches a party composed entirely 
  of dwarves, so this hook is only appropriate for a group of characters that 
  meets this requirement. If the characters are members of the Clan Craenog, 
  the passionate Voorn appeals to the characters’ familial loyalty to perform 
  this service on behalf of their thane. Otherwise, Voorn offers to pay 750gp 
  worth of gems and jewels to his fellow dwarves to help break the siege. 
  If the characters balk at his initial offer, Voorn reluctantly agrees to add 
  a 250gp emerald to the payment. After reaching an agreement with the 
  characters, he tells the characters that a horde of skeletons and zombies 
  attacked the strategic garrison of Burvaadun for three consecutive nights 
  before his departure. The remote fortress overlooks the Feirgotha Plateau 
  and the Southern Pass that leads into the lowlands beyond. He is certain that 
  the animated human and orc corpses originated from the ruins of the Library 
  of Arcady, the only significant abandoned settlement near the garrison.
  Ancestral Mystery
  For the last seventeen years, Octavio deMorreau of Bard’s Gate 
  (Neutral male human expert 5), a renowned historian and genealogist, 
  longed to solve an ancient mystery. The human scholar knows that the 
  dwarves watching over the Feirgotha Plateau kill humans on sight, so he 
  seeks adventurers to travel in his stead to the lost Library of Arcady and 
  investigate rumors that hundreds of humans disappeared into the library 
  shortly before the remaining residents abandoned the site. Most scholars 
  believe that these refugees died in the ensuing chaos or fled to unknown 
  locations. However, Octavio is convinced that something else happened 
  to these misplaced souls. He also takes a special interest in this matter 
  because he recently discovered that several of his distant ancestral relatives 
  were among the missing. Octavio tells the characters that a powerful 
  wizard from the far-off land of Khemit established a human kingdom 
  on the desolate plateau roughly 2000 years ago. After a short period of 
  prosperity, the kingdom suddenly and violently collapsed without any 
  credible explanation. He offers the characters a rare Khemitian religious 
  relic, a golden statue of a reed boat worth 900gp in exchange for their 
  assistance in his investigation. 
  Full Verse
  Most dwarves take little interest in poetry, but Gromm Nethervein 
  (Lawful male hill dwarf aristocrat 5) is a rare exception. The effervescent 
  dwarf boasts an impressive collection of rare poetry books, yet there is 
  one seminal volume missing from his stacks: “The Lamentations of a 
  Broken Man” by the legendary poet Suqri. Gromm is nearly certain that 
  the coveted work still rests on the Library of Arcady’s ancient shelves, and 
  he is more than happy to pay adventurers the sum of 1000gp to retrieve the 
  priceless verses for him. If the characters fail to locate Suqri’s illustrious 
  poems, Gromm offers to pay them 500gp for the effort, provided of course 
  that they can prove that they actually visited the library by acquiring some 
  other equally rare written work.
  Stoneheart Mountains
  The adventure’s opening foray takes the characters on a potentially 
  epic journey through the inhospitable mountains. Among the peaks 
  temperatures are cold except for a brief period of warmer weather 
  around midsummer, and winter can be brutally frigid. Precipitation is an 
  uncommon occurrence in the summer, but Nature makes up for its lost 
  opportunities in the other seasons by deluging the peaks of the Stoneheart 
  Mountains with torrents of rain from thunderstorms or blanketing the 
  land in several feet of fresh snow from howling blizzards. The foothills 
  around the Stoneheart Mountains receive enough moisture from rainfall 
  and water runoff from the higher elevations to support hardy grasses and 
  in some cases thick forests. In the valleys and saddles between the peaks 
  where the elevation extends below the tree line, alpine forests of spruce, 
  pine, larch, and fir. Greenery is scarce throughout the higher peaks of the 
  Stoneheart Mountains proper due to the rocky terrain lacking any real 
  soil layer. Some durable shrubs cling to life along with the occasional 
  tenacious twisted pine, but otherwise the surface areas consist almost 
  entirely of bare rocks covered in hardy lichens and other small plants often 
  buried beneath a layer of snow and ice at the higher elevations. 
  The preceding terrain features and the prevailing weather conditions 
  make travel through the rugged peaks slow at best and lethal at worst. 
  There are no roads or even rudimentary trails, and slopes range from 
  gradual to steep. More importantly, characters who seek to remain among 
  the lower peaks and draws when moving through these areas do not 
  reach heights exceeding 5000ft above sea level, so the altitude has no 
  physiological effects on living creatures. 
  If the characters attempt to climb among the higher peaks, they ascend 
  at a sharp rate, thus the area is treated as a steep slope. In addition, there is a 
  20% chance per day that the characters also encounter scree while moving 
  through the area and must roll below their dexterity on 3d6 or slide for 
  1d4 x 10ft, taking 1d6 points damage per 10ft fallen. The most daunting 
  obstacle is the altitude. The summits of these formidable mountains tower 
  3d4 x 1000ft above sea level. Creatures that are not acclimated to high 
  altitude must make a saving throw every hour that they spend above 
  5000ft or become fatigued and suffer a –1 penalty to hit and saves. The 
  character remains fatigued until he descends below the 5000ft. Creatures 
  that live at this altitude for several months straight can become acclimated 
  but until then are subject to the effects and fatigue. The Referee is free to 
  include additional mountain hazards such as inclement weather.
  Reaching the Feirgotha Plateau is not a simple task. The peaks that 
  make up the boundary between the Stoneheart Mountains and the 
  Feirgotha Plateau loom large and serve to fend off unwanted trespassers. 
  These fearsome mountains are not only treated as steep slopes that ascend 
  above 5000ft in altitude, but they also contain terrifying cliffs and rock 
  walls coated with thick sheets of ice. On average, they reach a staggering 
  height of 5000ft plus 2d4 x 1000ft. The cliffs in these regions are typically 
  2d6 x 10ft tall, whereas the rock walls are 2d4 x 10ft tall. For the sake 
  of simplicity, characters attempting to scale the mountains in this area 
  encounter a cliff every 3d6 x 100ft that they travel through this terrain. 
  Likewise, they encounter a rock wall every 1d4 x 1000ft that they travel. 
  The ice covering these surfaces means non-thief characters have a 30% 
  chance of falling 1d3 x 10ft. Characters that encounter one of the preceding 
  natural barriers must either successfully negotiate it or turn back and try 
  their luck at another location 3d6 x 1000ft away.
  If ascending from the Gulf of Akados lowlands, the Southern Pass 
  grants access to the Feirgotha Plateau without having to overcome the 
  steep slopes, icy cliffs, and rock walls found throughout the uncharted 
  mountains abutting the frigid plains. Creatures that remain in the pass move 
  at three-quarters their normal Movement. The Southern Pass ascends at a 
  gradual slope throughout its climb up to the Feirgotha Plateau. Creatures 
  that use the Southern Pass are still subject to the effects of high altitude 
  once they reach a height greater than 5000ft. 
  In the end, the trek through the Stoneheart Mountains is intended to 
  serve as a prelude rather than the adventure’s focal point. The following 
  
  7
  A Little Knowledge
  sections present a handful of unusual events, some combat encounters and 
  several clues about what lies ahead of them on the Feirgotha Plateau and 
  within the Library of Arcady. These activities are likely enough to satisfy 
  the characters’ craving for action and prevent the characters from feeling 
  bogged down by the repetition of an endless trip through harsh wilderness. 
  Spending several weeks moving through the bleak, mostly uninhabited 
  landscape can quickly become an exercise in tedium if mishandled. 
  Events in the Stonehearts
  The southern Stoneheart Mountains are a sparsely populated, 
  inhospitable landscape, but they are not devoid of life and adventure. 
  The Referee may insert some or all of the following events to break the 
  monotony of traveling through the rough terrain. In addition to testing the 
  characters’ combat mettle, these events may also challenge their moral 
  and ethical codes. 
  Salvagers
  Durden Stoneshifter, Kruuz Gemblaster, and Zern Hammerstroke 
  (Neutral male mountain dwarf commoner 5) salvage scrap metal and spare 
  parts from ruined settlements throughout the Stoneheart Mountains. The 
  hardy mountain dwarves eke out a meager existence in their line of work 
  and are currently looking for an opportunity to ply their trade somewhere 
  within the immediate vicinity. If the characters direct them to a prospective 
  location such as the nearby lair of a slain monster, the normally sullen 
  dwarves instantly perk up and engage them in conversation. They relay 
  that they occasionally venture to the Feirgotha Plateau, but they refuse 
  to go anywhere near the only worthwhile site nearby on the frigid plains 
  — the Library of Arcady. Kruuz was the only member of the group to 
  summon enough courage to even see the building, but the sight of 
  shambling corpses wandering around the building’s perimeter sent him 
  into a full retreat. 
  Dwarven Deserter
  A young, exhausted dwarf, Hlaavor Bloodstone (Chaotic male 
  mountain dwarf warrior 3) catches his breath while resting against 
  some rocks. He claims that an unknown monster attacked him and 
  his fellow miners a few hours ago. He has been on the run ever since. 
  Hlaavor describes the beast as a sleek, fast-moving quadruped made 
  from earth and stone. His account of the combat is extremely vague, as 
  are his directions to the alleged mine, which he claims is 3 miles east 
  of his current position. In actuality, the young dwarf deserted his post 
  at Burvaadun. Fortunately for him, he is a more-accomplished liar than 
  a soldier. Hlaavor comes from a prominent family in the Clan Craenog, 
  and his assignment to the remote military installation resulted from 
  several indiscretions that brought great embarrassment to his relatives. 
  If the characters see through his deception, he admits to his cowardice 
  and offers to accompany the characters back to Burvaadun in exchange 
  for their silence about his desertion. He tells the characters that skeletons 
  and zombies attacked the garrison every night for an entire week before 
  he fled. The undead monstrosities seemed to be acting under directions, as 
  they always swarmed around one or two individuals rather than attacking 
  en masse. Hlaavor deserted in the early morning hours after the garrison 
  commander fell. When he returns, he tells his superiors that he abandoned 
  his post to seek aid from a band of adventurers that he heard were in the 
  region. The acting garrison commander is too fearful of the Bloodstones’ 
  influence to take any direct action against Hlaavor other than confine him 
  to the prison until reinforcements arrive. 
  Mountain Music
  Minstrel Flintspark (Lawful male mountain dwarf expert 3) is exactly 
  what his name suggests — a traveling performer. The eccentric male 
  dwarf constantly smashes rocks against each other in his never-ending 
  quest to duplicate musical notes and create fresh, new sounds. The jovial 
  fellow tells the characters that he is on his way to the Eamonvale, where 
  he believes that his unique blend of music and showmanship would find 
  a better audience than with his dour kin in Erod Flan. Never one to pass 
  up the opportunity to play to a captive audience, Minstrel indulges the 
  characters with an ancient song that he claims dates back to the heyday of 
  the Arcady Kingdom: 
  “Kings and dragons covet gold,
  Minstrels sing of tales old,
  Fools rule from atop their hoard
  Blind to all that they ignored.
  Too late they learn the awful truth
  That riches fade just like their youth;
  Yet there is treasure that endures
  Ideas, thoughts, and precious words.” 
  The talented singer claims that the song is intended to mean knowledge 
  lasts forever, whereas tangible goods eventually turn to dust. He believes 
  that it is a tribute to the Library of Arcady, though he cannot say that with 
  any degree of certainty. 
  Mountain High-Ways
  Though the Great Mountain Clans of the Stonehearts are often 
  at odds with each other and frequently even involved in small-
  scale armed conflicts, this wasn’t always the case. In far olden days 
  before the coming of the Hyperboreans, the mountain clans were 
  united under a single dwarven king. Even after the fracturing that 
  occurred following the Great Betrayal at Hummaemidon peace 
  and unification was achieved at times, most notably through the 
  efforts of King Kroma at the Battle of Tsar three centuries ago. 
  Constructed from these older times when greater harmony existed 
  among the mountain clans, the dwarves constructed secret “high-
  ways” among the mountain peaks. These were precarious roads and 
  trails that twisted among peaks, over saddles, and through valleys 
  to connect the clan peaks of one of the Great Clans with those 
  of another. The highways were by no means safe or easy paths 
  (though to the hardy mountaineers of the Great Clans, they seemed 
  convenient enough), but they were certainly easier and safer than 
  scaling cliffs and valleys among the trackless peaks. These high-
  ways also sometimes connected individual citadels and thaneholds 
  within the clan peaks of a single clan, but more often than not 
  these were connected by more easily guarded “low-ways,” a series 
  of strategically placed tunnels that burrow through and beneath 
  intervening mountains and create trails among the thick foliage of 
  the lower peaks to provide more secure paths within a hold that are 
  safer from the prying eyes of enemies and predators.
  The most obvious high-way between the clan peaks of Flaencragh 
  and old Krazzadak stretches between the southern portion of the 
  Feirgotha Plateau and the northern tip of the Shengotha Plateau. 
  However, since the coming of the Ice Mage and the destruction 
  of the Krazzadak holdings upon what is now the Ice Plateau, this 
  simpler route has long been abandoned in favor of the high-ways 
  that extend along the western side of the Ice Plateau all the way 
  down to Krazzadak clan peaks around the headwaters of the River 
  Eamon and beyond. It is this route that mountain dwarf characters 
  will likely take if participating in this adventure after having 
  completed the events described in God of Ore.
  Dwarves of the Great Clan in any given area are already aware 
  of the location of his own clan’s high-ways. Dwarves of another 
  Great Clan can locate another clan’s high-ways with 1d3 days 
  of searching in a given area where such a high-way exists. For 
  races other than dwarves, locating a suitable high-way requires a 
  minimum of 1d6+3 days. 
  High-ways remain above the 5000ft elevation along their entire 
  length, so hazards and conditions above these altitudes apply as 
  normal as described above. If a dwarf is using the high-way, it is 
  considered a road or trail and allows three-quarter speed. For other 
  races that do not at least have the benefit of a dwarf guide, it reduces 
  Movement by half but at least without the burden of having to 
  contend with the difficulties of scree fields or scaling cliffs and peaks.
  
  8
  Quests of Doom 4
  Lost Guard
  Gascon Chartreau (Neutral male human warrior 2), a human caravan 
  guard, is hopelessly lost within the lands over which the dwarves of 
  Clan Craenog keep a close watch. While en route to the town of Miners’ 
  Refuge, a troll attacked his caravan, slaying three of his fellow guards 
  and scattering the remaining survivors. The young and obviously scared 
  man barely escaped and ran for his life. The novice outdoorsman could 
  not regain his bearing as he wandered deeper into hostile territory. At this 
  point, he has no idea where the battle against the troll took place, other 
  than indicating that the combat took place three days ago. The frightened 
  soldier is strongly aware of the indigenous dwarves’ hatred of his people. 
  If the characters do not attack him on sight, he begs them to point him in 
  the right direction back to the Eamonvale. If dwarven characters attack 
  Gascon, he is no match for the characters in a fight, but before falling 
  he falsely claims to be the illegitimate son of a powerful witch. Gascon 
  utters several phrases of gibberish and then curses his dwarven assassins, 
  claiming that they are doomed to die by the sword of the fair-haired man 
  with nine fingers. 
  Rumors in the Stonehearts
  Travelers are generally few and far between in the rugged Stoneheart 
  Mountains, but the intrepid explorers that call this region home are often 
  happy to exchange stories with others they encounter along the way. 
  Merely conversing with willing humanoids is sufficient to grant access to 
  1d4 of these tales. 
  • The Feirgotha Plateau is largely desolate and uninhabited with the ex-
  ception of some wild beasts and several herds of mountain sheep that 
  graze upon its grasses during the slightly warmer summer months.
  • Attempting to scale the icy rock walls and cliffs adjacent to the Feir-
  gotha Plateau is extremely dangerous business. It is far better to travel a 
  little farther and make use of the Southern Pass than risk falling to one’s 
  death to save a few days’ travel. 
  • The dwarven garrison of Burvaadan stands watches over the Southern 
  Pass and the Feirgotha Plateau. No dwarf in his right mind volunteers 
  for this miserable detail in a remote, barren stretch of the world. Misfits, 
  troublemakers and petty criminals make up much of the outpost’s ranks. 
  (This rumor is partially true.)
  • Thousands of years ago, a human kingdom known as Arcady instantly 
  appeared on the desolate Feirgotha Plateau. These people built strange 
  pyramids, worshipped foreign gods, and adorned their buildings and tem-
  ples with bizarre pictographs. The kingdom collapsed into anarchy and 
  ruin almost as suddenly as it sprang into being.
  • The Kingdom of Arcady’s human subjects never died. Instead, they re-
  treated into a great necropolis, where they were mummified and trans-
  formed into a variety of undead monsters. (This is a false rumor.)
  Further Inquiries
  Characters seeking detailed information about the Kingdom of Arcady, 
  the Library of Arcady, the Feirgotha Plateau, and Burvaadun must interact 
  with the right individuals for at least a few hours. The Referee should 
  exercise discretion when determining whether a particular individual is 
  aware of the rumor. For instance, mountain dwarves know a great deal 
  about Burvaadun and possibly the Feirgotha Plateau. They generally 
  know nothing about Arcady, however. Under the right circumstances, 
  characters can learn additional rumors from the locals. 
  Arcady
  The characters may learn the following information about the Kingdom 
  of Arcady. Roll 1d20 once and give the characters all the information with 
  the target number and below.
  1d20
  Result
  5
  The instantaneous arrival of a great tower and 
  thousands of foreign troops marked Arcady’s 
  auspicious beginning. A great archmage 
  magically transported entire buildings, thousands 
  of people and even a vast collection of scrolls 
  and books from his native land onto the Feirgotha 
  Plateau. He disappeared long ago.
  8
  The spirits of the dead haunt the ruined Library 
  of Arcady. Dwarven patrols always avoid the 
  building. (This rumor is partially true.) 
  14
  The archmage commissioned the Library of 
  Arcady along the southern edge of his borders, 
  and he appointed Thanopsis, his most studious 
  apprentice, to oversee its construction and serve 
  as the institution’s head librarian. 
  16
  A horde of orcs assaulted and destroyed the 
  Library of Arcady during the kingdom’s dying 
  days. After a prolonged siege by the marauding 
  invaders, the army arrived and beat back the orcs. 
  However, Arcady collapsed shortly afterward, and 
  Thanopsis along with hundreds of other people 
  vanished under mysterious circumstances. (This 
  rumor is partially true.)
  Feirgotha Plateau,  
  Clan Craenog, and Burvaadun
  The characters may learn the following information about any of 
  the preceding topics. Roll 1d20 once and give the characters all the 
  information with the target number and below.
  1d20
  Result
  4
  Foran Rockfeller commands the garrison of 
  Burvaadun. He leads a force of forty soldiers who 
  keep a vigilant watch over the Southern Pass.
  6
  The mountain dwarves of Clan Craenog are the 
  dominant humanoid population in the area. Their 
  mian stronghold, Erod Flan, is 200 miles northwest 
  of Burvaadun. The clan hates humans, hobgoblins, 
  and elves. They attack these enemies on sight. The 
  dwarves that man the garrison all belong to the 
  clan and owe their allegiance to their kin. 
  10
  The Feirgotha Plateau is cold and desolate. No 
  humanoids other than several dwarven outposts 
  permanently inhabit the area since the humans 
  abandoned the area millennia ago. 
  15
  Over the course of the past several weeks, several 
  groups of mindless undead have attacked 
  Burvaadun, claiming the life of the garrison 
  commander as well as half of his beleaguered 
  force. In spite of the casualties inflicted upon their 
  undead foes, their numbers continue to swell.
  Encounters in the Stonehearts
  In addition to the more benign events presented in the preceding Events 
  in the Stonehearts section, wicked beasts and sinister humanoids also 
  roam the Stoneheart Mountains in search of a fresh meal or an unfortunate 
  victim. Depending upon the duration of the characters’ journey within 
  the Stoneheart Mountains, the Referee may use one or more of the 
  random encounters that follow. It is recommended that the Referee use 
  at least one encounter for every two days spent traveling through the 
  Stoneheart Mountains. These combats are deliberately more difficult than 
  
  9
  A Little Knowledge
  conventional encounters because they are likely to be spread out over the 
  course of several days of travel rather than compacted into a short span 
  of time. 
  A Troll’s Best Friends 
  Though the dwarves of the Stoneheart Mountains loathe humans, the 
  entire race regardless of location, has an innate enmity for giants. In 
  this part of the world, none of these massive humanoids is held in lower 
  esteem than an ancient foe: the troll. These malevolent humanoids stalk 
  the gravelly passes and higher elevations in a constant quest to eat and 
  mete out suffering. This hungry troll, who refers to himself as Mangutter 
  in his native tongue, is no exception and 2 worgs accompany him on his 
  nightly hunts. Disgusting pus oozes out of weepy sores on the worgs’ fur. 
  The trio is well acclimated to life at high altitudes, so the troll and his 
  voracious pets are typically found at the higher elevations where they can 
  wear down their non-indigenous foes. The monsters are not equipped to 
  sneak up on their foes, but they have keen eyesight and can detect the odor 
  of fresh prey from quite a distance away. Once they catch a glimpse or a 
  whiff of a potential victim, the faster worgs fan out to envelop their foes, 
  whereas the giant brute charges headlong into the fray. 
  Mangutter, Male Troll: HD 6+3; HP 42; AC 4[15]; Atk 2 claws 
  (1d4), bite (1d8); Move 12; Save 11; AL C; CL/XP 8/800; 
  Special: regenerate (3hp/round).
  Worgs (2): HD 4; HP 27, 24; AC 6[13]; Atk bite (1d6+1); Move 
  18; Save 13; AL C; CL/XP 4/120; Special: none.
  Tactics: The troll and his pets fear nothing except acid and fire. If the 
  characters wield either, the monsters flee at the first sign of adversity, the 
  worgs having picked up on Mangutter’s fears. Otherwise, they fight until 
  killed, the troll confident that it is going to simply regenerate later on and 
  live to fight another day. 
  Treasure: Constantly on the move, Mangutter carries his treasures with 
  him in a weathered leather bag. The bag contains 409gp, 6 pearls worth 
  100gp apiece, a potion of fire resistance, a hand axe, and a scrimshaw 
  carving kit worth 75gp. 
  Completely Abominable 
  Icy cliffs and snow-covered rock walls are not the only hazards that 
  face adventurers who attempt to scale these sheer surfaces to reach the 
  Feirgotha Plateau beyond the mountains. A select handful of hardy and 
  fearsome creatures also inhabit this formidable landscape. The most 
  legendary of these monsters is the reclusive yeti. These mighty humanoids 
  are an extremely rare sight, even for those that dare to ascend into the 
  heavens atop the highest peaks. Most yetis shun contact with other 
  humanoid creatures, but these 3 yetis do not shy away from potential prey.
  Yetis (3): HD 5; HP 37, 34, 30; AC 6[13]; Atk 2 fists (1d6); 
  Move 14; Save 12; AL C; CL/XP 7/600; Special: fear (after 
  hug damage, save or paralyzed with fear for 1d3 rounds), 
  hug (2 fists hit, additional 2d6 damage), immune to cold. 
  (Monstrosities 523)
  Tactics: The yetis are able hunters and adept climbers. The trio uses 
  these skills to lie in wait for their prey and then to leap down upon them. 
  (In this case, the yeti typically covers itself in ice and snow.) These 
  ambush predators take up a position atop or alongside a natural barrier 
  such as a steep slope, cliff or rock wall. As soon as the target begins its 
  ascent, the yetis spring their trap and leap down upon their startled foes, 
  tearing into their flesh with their jagged claws. They immediately flee, 
  leaving their belongings behind, as soon as one of them is reduced to 
  fewer than 10 hit points. 
  Treasure: Right before the ambush, the yetis dug through a soft patch 
  of snow and concealed their treasures within that recess. In spite of their 
  efforts to hide the disturbance, the characters can discover the telltale 
  signs of humanoid activity. After brushing away several feet of snow, the 
  characters discover boots of leaping, 8 chunks of unpolished quartz worth 
  25gp each, and a strange piece of stone covered in hieroglyphs. The yetis 
  found the piece near the Library of Arcady. If the characters translate the 
  hieroglyphs or by use magical means, the message reads as follows:
  “The journey to knowledge begins not with a single step, but with the 
  turn of the first page.” 
  This further alludes to the importance of the Library of Arcady.
  Scapegoat 
  Few places are as unforgiving as the Stoneheart Mountains. A slight 
  deviation from a familiar trail or a patch of dense fog can render even the 
  most seasoned traveler hopelessly lost within the treacherous landscape. 
  For many, death serves as the merciful end of an earthly journey and the 
  gateway to the next life. However, some unfortunate individuals remain 
  trapped in an unnatural state between this world and the next stage of 
  existence. Instead of dying, their wayward souls depart their mortal coil 
  and are imprisoned within a magical receptacle dangling from the neck 
  of its undead host, the sinister lantern goat. The hideous creature collects 
  these lost souls inside of a mystical iron lantern. 
  The evil monster typically roams in the mountain’s lower elevations 
  and the surrounding foothills in search of a lone, preferably lost, victim 
  traveling through its domain. From a distance, the foul creature looks 
  very similar to an ordinary goat with a lantern hanging around its neck; 
  thus, its initial appearance rarely alarms those that cross paths with the 
  parasitic beast. In this guise, the foul undead host innocently walks up to 
  its unsuspecting targets and attempts to send them into a panic using the 
  magical power stored within the fell lantern hanging from its scrawny 
  neck, choosing one to chase in an attempt to capture his soul. 
  Lantern Goat: HD 7; HP 47; AC 3[16]; Atk head butt (1d8), 2 
  hooves (1d6); Move 6; Save 9; AL C; CL/XP 10/1400; Special: 
  fear light (60ft, as fear spell, save resists), soul capture (any 
  creature killed within 60ft must save or soul is drawn into 
  lantern). (The Tome of Horrors Complete 356)
  Part II: Feirgotha Plateau
  After braving the journey through the Stoneheart Mountains, the characters 
  arrive upon the cold, desolate Feirgotha Plateau. Characters who reached 
  the plateau via the Southern Pass or the high-way and characters enlisted to 
  aid the beleaguered dwarven defenders first arrive at the besieged garrison 
  of Burvaadun, which is severely hampered by its crumbling infrastructure 
  and flagging morale. Adventurers who stay the night experience the terror 
  firsthand as Thanopsis’ undead legions once again march upon the battered 
  walls and attempt to breach the last remaining obstacle in Thanopsis’ quest 
  to reach the lowlands beyond. Characters who forego the conventional 
  route and scale the rugged Stoneheart Mountains must still contend with 
  the dizzying altitude and frigid weather conditions that plague the bleak 
  landscape. In spite of nature’s unbridled wrath, free-willed undead creatures 
  and frightening beasts stalk this desolate realm. 
  Nature’s Fury
  Though the dwarves of Clan Craenog keep a watchful eye over the 
  desolate Feirgotha Plateau, the environment itself remains its staunchest 
  defender. The harsh climate requires specialized adaptations. The most 
  immediate and life-threatening concern is the bitterly cold temperatures. 
  For much of the year, temperatures remain firmly entrenched below 40° 
  F. During the winter, overnight temperatures frequently drop below 0° F 
  and occasionally fall below –20° F. The icy winds that swirl across the flat 
  landscape make it feel even colder. The adventure takes place in the late 
  months of spring when winter’s grip has not yet fully loosened its hold 
  upon the plateau, and the warmer summer months have not yet had the 
  chance to melt away the sparse accumulation of snow and ice.
  The effects of high altitude are a constant danger on the Feirgotha 
  Plateau. Every location on the plateau is between 5000ft and 15,000ft 
  
  10
  Quests of Doom 4
  above sea level. Characters who are not indigenous to this environment 
  or properly acclimated to these staggering heights suffer the ill effects 
  associated with high altitude as described in the “Stoneheart Mountains” 
  section from Part I of this adventure. Thunderstorms and blizzards are a 
  rarity in the semiarid plateau. On the other hand, violent, bone-chilling 
  winds constantly challenge explorers that brave the formidable terrain.   
  Burvaadun
  The dwarves’ remote, isolated garrison is the only permanently inhabited 
  settlement for miles in every direction. Strategically perched atop a gentle 
  slope, the imposing structure offers an unobstructed view of the roughly 
  20-mile stretch of the Southern Pass that lies below it and several miles of 
  visibility across the Feirgotha Plateau. Built nearly 2000 years ago upon 
  the foundation of an ancient Khemitian temple, the fortress is a neglected 
  shadow of its former self. Though the dwarves of Clan Craenog openly 
  proclaim that Burvaadun is an important defensive cog in their military 
  plans, the truth is much different. The remote, isolated stronghold is 
  badly underfunded and undermanned. Ambitious dwarves longing for 
  fame and glory eagerly volunteer to serve along the clan’s northern and 
  eastern frontiers. These brave warriors savor the opportunity to smite their 
  race’s hated goblinoid and orc enemies. On the other hand, few choose to 
  fritter their days away standing guard over a barren wasteland far from 
  the comforts and political intrigue of Erod Flan. Instead, a handpicked 
  leadership cadre of devout loyalists commands a garrison composed 
  almost entirely of exiles and misfits seeking redemption rather than a 
  unit of cohesive professional soldiers. They can still stave off a rogue 
  monster or a band of disorganized troops, but they fare far worse against a 
  determined, cohesive enemy. 
  Burvaadun is literally footsteps away from the edge of the Southern 
  Pass. Sheer cliffs and rock walls delineate the boundary between the trail 
  and the surrounding terrain. In fact, it is impossible to slip past the fortress 
  without scaling or climbing down one of these treacherous, nearly vertical 
  surfaces. While it is plausible that a solitary mountaineer could negotiate 
  the dangerous ascent or descent, maneuvering a vehicle or transporting 
  a heavy load across the steep landscape would be a feat fit for the gods. 
  Even then, the daring individual would still have to elude the gaze of the 
  sentries manning the outer walls in order to enter or escape the Feirgotha 
  Plateau unnoticed. 
  In light of recent events, Burvaadun’s guards display far more vigilance 
  and attentiveness than they would have shown just weeks earlier. Stationed 
  atop the stronghold’s outer walls, four guards keep their eyes peeled on 
  the high plains west of the garrison with an occasional glance towards the 
  Southern Pass. Naturally, the weary sentinels rejoice at the sight of their 
  fellow dwarves. When the characters enter Burvaadun’s visual range, the 
  Referee may read or paraphrase the following description. 
  Decayed human and orc corpses along with shattered 
  humanoid skeletons lie strewn along the ground outside of 
  two gaping holes in a crumbling, 20-foot-high circuit wall. 
  Four armored dwarves stand atop parapets affixed to the 
  wall. A heavy iron gate built into the northern wall serves as 
  the conventional point of entry into the garrison proper. The 
  silhouette of a large, central building is slightly visible behind 
  the wall.
  Burvaadun’s outer wall has stood for nearly 2000 years. But the ravages 
  of time and neglect have taken their toll on this testament to the dwarves’ 
  superior stonemasonry skills. The garrison’s architects and engineers 
  constructed the perimeter wall from precisely carved, interlocking stone 
  blocks securely joined together without the need for mortar by the forces 
  of gravity and friction. In spite of their stellar craftsmanship, freezing 
  temperatures, wind, lack of resources, and callous indifference conspired 
  together to undo their handiwork. 
  There are now three breaches in the wall — one on the eastern wall 
  and more importantly two on the southern wall. The 8ft-wide abscess in 
  the eastern wall abuts a nearly vertical rock wall currently covered by a 
  layer of solid ice. However, the two 5ft-wide breaches in the southern wall 
  are far more problematic as demonstrated by the eighty-four humanoid 
  corpses and sundered skeletons littered around the area. The dead bodies 
  show obvious signs of decay, and in most cases, the cause of their current 
  demise — wicked lacerations from a very sharp instrument or crossbow 
  bolts buried into their rotting flesh. No useful information is gleaned from 
  examining the skeletons, although they are of Khemitite descent. 
  Naturally, the remaining dwarves are relieved to see their kin, whom 
  they presume are part of a larger force sent to reinforce the garrison’s 
  defenses. Though it is easy to walk through the breaches and into the 
  courtyard, Burvaadun’s defenders insist that the characters pass through 
  the main gate. 
  The 4 veteran soldiers that man the wall are clearly nervous and edgy 
  as they open the gate for the characters and escort them into the garrison 
  building in order for them to speak with their current leader, Thurn 
  Rockfeller, Foran Rockfeller’s younger brother. These 4 guards are part 
  of the garrison described under Soldiers below, and their loss should be 
  subtracted from that total accordingly.
  Veteran Soldiers, Male Mountain Dwarves (4): HD 4; AC 
  4[15]; Atk warhammer (1d4+1), light crossbow (1d4+1); Move 
  9; Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: darkvision 60ft, +4 
  saves vs magic.
  Equipment: chainmail, shield, warhammer, light 
  crossbow, 20 bolts.
  The Referee may read or paraphrase the following description of what 
  lies behind the walls.
  At least a dozen wooden statues carved into the likeness 
  of a man cover the grounds of an expansive courtyard. The 
  telltale marks of axes rip into the sides of these combat 
  training dummies. In spite of the cool temperatures, broad, 
  green leaves and stems arranged into neat rows protrude 
  from the nearly frozen soil. Likewise, ten sheep mill about 
  inside a fenced enclosure, as they feed upon brown stalks 
  that emerge from the snow-covered ground. The garrison’s 
  centerpiece is a large stone structure that stands 25 feet high 
  and occupies nearly half of the area behind the walls. Two 
  bronze statues of armored dwarf warriors flank the entrance 
  into the ancient stone keep.
  Though the characters’ arrival buoys the sagging morale of Burvaadun’s 
  defenders, even the most casual observer cannot help but noticing the 
  residents’ glum facial expressions and defeated body language. Four 
  dwarves accompany the characters and lead them into the central building 
  to meet with the garrison’s current commander. One of the dwarves raps 
  several times on a heavy wooden door before he throws it open. The portal 
  grants access to an ancient audience chamber. Intricate wooden carvings 
  of dwarven faces adorn the walls and sundered axes are affixed to the 
  ceiling. A haggard, middle-aged dwarf seated behind a desk feverishly 
  scratches words onto a piece of vellum. 
  Thurn Rockfeller
  Unlike most of Burvaadun’s inhabitants, the steadfastly loyal Thurn 
  gladly stepped forward and lent his axe and mind to his family’s cause. 
  Unfortunately for the current situation, his acumen with the latter outweighs 
  his prowess with the former. Thurn grew up in the imposing shadow of 
  his confident older brother, Foran, who consistently outperformed his 
  younger sibling in warfare and politics. The cerebral Thurn never coveted 
  an opportunity to lead his kin into battle or outmaneuver his rivals to attain 
  a position of authority within the clan. Instead, he prefers to advise others 
  rather than make the decisions himself. He functioned admirably in this 
  role during his brother’s tenure as the garrison commander; however, it 
  is grossly apparent that the consummate second-in-command lacks his 
  brother’s decisiveness and charisma. 
  Thurn occupies his time writing letters begging his clan’s leaders to 
  send aid to his exhausted garrison. Unfortunately, there are no dwarves 
  
  11
  A Little Knowledge
  available to deliver this correspondence, just as there are no skilled 
  artisans to repair the gaping holes in the outer wall. The characters’ sudden 
  arrival is enough to momentarily lift Thurn’s spirits and distract him from 
  the current task at hand. 
  Thurn gives the characters a rousing welcome, for he falsely believes 
  that they are the vanguard for a much-larger relief force. If the characters 
  tell him that there are no other reinforcements on their way, the dwarf’s 
  giddy attitude deflates to cautious optimism. In spite of his reluctance to 
  lead his fragile soldiers into battle, Thurn is still an adequate commander 
  and an excellent source of information about the recent attacks and the 
  Feirgotha Plateau. The characters’ conversation with Thurn, if they choose 
  to speak with him, reveals the following information as Thurn willingly 
  relays the subsequent details without any prodding, though the characters 
  should ask questions to obtain the following information. Thurn only 
  volunteers those items that the characters fail to ask about.
  • The attacks began several weeks ago and progressively grew stronger 
  with each passing evening. At first, the garrison fended off the small as-
  saults with little difficulty, however, the enemy’s sheer numbers started to 
  take their toll. On average, a mixed force of fifteen to thirty human and 
  orc zombies along with assorted skeletons attack Burvaadun during the 
  overnight hours.
  • A horde of zombies and skeletons killed his brother Foran 2 weeks ear-
  lier. The mindless, undead minions purposefully surrounded the garrison’s 
  commander in an act that suggested they were acting under the directions 
  of a more-intelligent creature. 
  • The nightly assaults has claimed the lives of Foran and 18 soldiers so 
  far, which leaves the garrison at half of its original strength. In addition 
  to those killed, Foran also dispatched Thurn’s son, Voorn to enlist aid to 
  the beleaguered garrison. If pressed, Thurn reluctantly admits that three 
  young dwarves deserted the garrison, including Hlaavor Bloodstone (see 
  the Events in the Stonehearts section in Part I for more details regarding 
  Thurn’s reaction toward the deserter).
  • The garrison now lacks the manpower to patrol the surrounding area. 
  Though his soldiers rarely encountered anyone other than an occasion-
  al renegade human or small orc expeditionary force, Burvaadun’s troops 
  always stayed away from the Library of Arcady. They believed that it is 
  haunted, and Thurn suspects that the animated corpses came from the an-
  cient structure. He reached this conclusion based upon the facts that the 
  undead monsters’ tracks always lead in that general direction and that the 
  long-forgotten battleground is a plentiful source of dead bodies.
  Thurn is grateful for whatever assistance the characters can provide 
  to his shell-shocked soldiers. If the characters arrive later in the day, 
  he implores them to remain at the garrison that evening and help his 
  men fend off tonight’s assault. Otherwise, he believes that someone or 
  something at the Library of Arcady is responsible for animating the dead 
  and coordinating the attacks. He implores the adventurers to travel to 
  the Library of Arcady and eradicate the creature or creatures directing 
  the assaults before the garrison faces certain doom. He cannot offer the 
  characters any monetary reward now, but he pledges to relay their tale of 
  heroism and bravery to the clan’s leadership in Erod Flan. He also invites 
  them to speak with Varus Broadshield, the resident cleric of Dwerfater, 
  and his soldiers, if necessary.
  Thurn Rockfeller, Male Mountain Dwarf Garrison 
  Commander: HD 6; AC 4[15]; Atk hand axe (1d6+2), light 
  crossbow (1d4+1); Move 9; Save 9; AL N; CL/XP 6/400; 
  Special: +2 to hit and damage strength bonus, +4 saves vs. 
  magic, multiple attacks (6) vs. creatures with 1 or fewer HD, 
  darkvision 60ft.
  Equipment: chainmail, shield, hand axe, light crossbow, 
  20 bolts.
  Varus Broadshield
  While Thurn may feel overwhelmed, Varus Broadshield truly is. The 
  cleric’s faith hangs by a thread, as he has spent the better part of 3 weeks 
  burying the dead and tirelessly tending to the living’s spiritual needs and 
  physical injuries. Varus’ healing potions are completely gone. He exhausts 
  his daily allotment of spells as soon as he regains them, and he wavers 
  in his belief that his patron deity cares about him and his followers. The 
  garrison’s Temple of Dwerfater resembles a triage unit more than a place 
  of worship. Three weak and gravely injured dwarves lie on the hard, stone 
  floor. The masks of pain etched unto their chiseled faces and an occasional 
  prolonged groan attests to the brave recruits’ suffering. 
  Given their present circumstances, actions speak much louder than 
  words. If the characters assist in aiding the dwarves in his care, Varus 
  reciprocates by helping the characters in any way possible. On the other 
  hand, Varus turns his back on characters who ignore the plight of those 
  under his care. He blames Clan Craenog for the current state of affairs. 
  Unlike the measured and diplomatic Thurn, Varus lambasts the clan’s 
  leadership for habitually starving Burvaadun of resources and using the 
  remote outpost as a dumping ground for rejects and ne’er-do-wells. He 
  asserts that the undead legions would not be a problem if Burvaadun 
  were staffed to its full capacity with capable soldiers and the necessary 
  infrastructure. With these criticisms aside, Dwerfater’s cleric is aware of 
  the same information that Thurn knows, with one important addition. 
  The Khemitites, the library’s builders, were obsessed with the afterlife. 
  Those unwilling to pass onto the next world were sometimes transformed 
  into undead monstrosities. Mummification was also a common practice, 
  and it was not uncommon for the dead to arise from their coffins and 
  terrorize the living. He cannot explain why such a creature would remain 
  dormant for so long, but he is convinced that a vestige from Arcady’s 
  heyday directs the recent attacks against Burvaadun for some unknown 
  purpose.
  Varus Broadshield, Male Mountain Dwarf War Priest of 
  Dwerfater (Clr4): HP 21; AC 5[14]; Atk heavy mace (1d6); 
  Move 9; Save 12; AL L; CL/XP 4/120; Special: +2 save versus 
  paralyzation and poison, +4 saves vs. magic, darkvision 60ft, 
  spells (2/1).
  Spells: 1st—cure light wounds (x2); 2nd—bless.
  Equipment: chainmail, heavy mace. 
  Soldiers
  Culled from the ranks of miners and other commoners with little 
  formal military training, this motley army has surprisingly outperformed 
  its meager expectations. At its peak, 40 dwarves manned the walls and 
  patrolled the garrison’s perimeter. Deaths, desertions, and injuries whittled 
  the force down to a mere 5 conscripts and 11 veteran soldiers. Because 
  the attacks occur exclusively at night, the exhausted soldiers sleep in six-
  hour shifts during the day. They affirm that their patrols always stayed 
  away from the haunted Library of Arcady, though with a little coaxing, a 
  few of Burvaadun’s soldiers admit that they approached the supposedly 
  deserted site on several occasions. They never saw any signs of life during 
  these rare excursions. Even from a distance, however, frozen human and 
  orc corpses were visible throughout the seemingly abandoned location. In 
  addition, the building itself still stands with no visible signs of damage. Of 
  course, no one ventured close enough to the Library of Arcady to confirm 
  that it is deserted. Burvaadun’s soldiers have no other useful information. 
  It is important to note that all of Burvaadun’s soldiers do not share the 
  same statistics as noted in the subsequent entries.
   
  Veteran Soldiers, Male Mountain Dwarves (11): HD 4; AC 
  4[15]; Atk warhammer (1d4+1), light crossbow (1d4+1); Move 
  9; Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: darkvision 60ft, +4 
  saves vs magic.
  Equipment: chainmail, shield, warhammer, light 
  crossbow, 20 bolts.
  Conscripts, Male Mountain Dwarves (5): HD 3; AC 6[13]; Atk 
  hand axe (1d6); Move 9; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 3/60; Special: 
  darkvision 60ft, +4 saves vs magic.
  Equipment: ring mail, hand axe.
  Undead Attack
  Naturally, the worried defenders ask the newly arrived reinforcements 
  to fight beside them and repel the undead horde expected to appear during 
  
  12
  Quests of Doom 4
  the overnight hours. This combat is not intended to severely challenge 
  the characters, as the substantially weaker lesser undead are not a serious 
  threat to highly skilled opponents. Rather, this combat gives the characters 
  an opportunity to offer the dwarves hope and rebuild their shattered 
  morale. After this encounter, it becomes apparent that the true danger lies 
  farther west in the suddenly rejuvenated Library of Arcady.
  On this particular night, Thanopsis dispatches a fresh legion of 14 
  zombies and 8 skeletons to Burvaadun. The attack occurs 2d4 hours 
  after sunset. The zombies and skeletons approach the stronghold from 
  the northwest and immediately proceed toward the breaches in the south 
  wall. The garrison counters by positioning 6 crossbowmen on the parapets 
  along with any characters who volunteer for the duty. The remaining 
  10 soldiers fill the breaches in the southern wall. Thurn coordinates the 
  defense from the top of the parapet, directing his soldiers to hold their fire 
  until the undead minions come within 300ft of the wall. 
  Skeletons (8): HD 1; HP 8, 7x3, 6x2, 5, 4; AC 8[11]; Atk 
  longsword (1d6+1); Move 12; Save 17; AL N; CL/XP 1/15; 
  Special: immune to sleep and charm spells.
  Zombies (14): HD 2; HP 16, 15x3, 14x4, 12, 11x3, 10, 9; AC 
  8[11]; Atk strike (1d8); Move 6; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 2/30; 
  Special: immune to sleep and charm.
  Tactics: The characters are free to operate in conjunction with 
  Burvaadun’s defenders or independent of them. If the characters opt for the 
  latter, the Referee can shape the battle in accordance with the characters’ 
  actions. Characters that choose to meet the zombies and skeletons on 
  the open field do so alone, as the garrison’s soldiers remain behind the 
  walls. In this case, the combat proceeds normally with the characters 
  singlehandedly battling against Thanopsis’ mindless minions. On the other 
  hand, the Referee must make some adjustments for characters fighting 
  alongside their dwarven counterparts. As a general rule, the zombies and 
  skeletons concentrate their attacks against a handful of individuals rather 
  than spreading out over a wide area and fighting multiple enemies. The 
  undead monsters indiscriminately encircle the closest defenders, whether 
  that is a character or one of the dwarven soldiers. The zombies and 
  skeletons always fight until destroyed. 
  Development: What the characters and Burvaadun’s defenders do not 
  know is that Thanopsis observes the battle from afar using a roving wizard 
  eye. The adventurers’ appearance and intervention greatly concerns the 
  undead wizard, prompting him to respond to the impending crisis by 
  taking the actions outlined in Part III of the adventure. 
  Path of Knowledge
  Any tenderfoot can follow the legion’s tracks through the packed snow 
  and back to their starting point. The Library of Arcady lies 10 miles 
  northwest of Burvaadun. 
  Roads Untraveled
  Characters that scale the sheer cliffs and icy rocky walls barring passage 
  to the Feirgotha Plateau may skip traveling to Burvaadun altogether. Under 
  these circumstances, the characters cannot follow any well-worn trails to 
  the Library of Arcady; therefore, they must locate the ancient site through 
  other means. Landmarks are extremely few and far between, however. 
  Getting lost on the Feirgotha Plateau for an extended time can be an 
  adventure in itself, as the bone-chilling temperatures and icy winds take 
  an extreme toll on even the hardiest humanoids. Referees could therefore 
  allow characters to find some long-abandoned path or other monument to 
  point them in the correct direction.
  Pyramid of Thanopsis
  No building is more closely associated with Khemitian civilization 
  than the iconic pyramid. Made from enormous blocks of limestone, the 
  outwardly simple structure serves as a source of wonder for the average 
  citizen and an eternal residence for the individual entombed inside its 
  walls. Thanopsis commissioned the pyramid’s construction shortly 
  after his arrival on the remote site. Unlike his older self, the pragmatic 
  wizard did not fear death and looked forward to the afterlife — especially 
  one safe from tomb robbers. While teams of laborers toiled to erect his 
  impressive pyramid, a handful of trusted engineers and artisans secretly 
  worked belowground to construct his subterranean tomb located directly 
  beneath the apex of the aboveground structure. Naturally, the practical and 
  notoriously cheap Thanopsis did not want to waste precious time, money, 
  and resources building an opulent decoy, so he instructed his architects 
  to cut costs wherever practical. In the end, they compromised structural 
  integrity for outward appearance. Under normal circumstances, the 
  tradeoff would go completely unnoticed. However, Thanopsis’ decision 
  sealed the pyramid’s fate. Years of weathering and winter storms finally 
  caused the Pyramid of Thanopsis to collapse into a massive heap of 
  shattered stones. 
  The pyramid that once soared nearly 100ft into the sky is now a 15ft-
  high pile of rubble covered in a thick layer of ice and snow. The gently 
  sloping mound encompasses a 20,000-square-foot area and is visible 
  from 1000ft away. The Referee may read or paraphrase the following 
  description of the razed site.
  An extremely broad, gently sloped snow-covered mound 
  rises above the flat terrain surrounding it. Several jagged 
  pieces of stone pierce the white tapestry. 
  After brushing away the outer coating of snow and ice, the characters 
  discover that the massive blocks that made up the pyramid’s outer walls 
  shattered into numerous smaller pieces when the building collapsed. A 
  pyramid once stood on this site based upon the stones’ shape and their 
  alignment. In addition, the volume of stone found here is surprisingly 
  smaller than expected considering the size of the perimeter. The structure’s 
  builders used refuse, garbage, construction debris, and sand to fill the 
  structure’s interior, a fact that also leads the character to conclude that the 
  pyramid was hollow and did not serve as a burial vault.  
  The Khemitite people entombed only the most powerful and influential 
  people inside of their pyramids along with their material wealth. The 
  dwarves of the Stoneheart Mountains know virtually nothing about this 
  archaic human culture and religion. In the end, digging through the stones 
  proves to be an exercise in futility that uncovers no treasure and reveals no 
  greater insight about the Pyramid of Thanopsis.  
  Encounters
  The dwarves keep a vigilant eye over the Feirgotha Plateau especially 
  for their hated human adversaries, yet even their keen vision cannot 
  see everything. There are no permanent humanoid settlements in the 
  southern reaches of the plateau, but the desolate wasteland is not entirely 
  uninhabited. As the characters travel on their way to the Library of Arcady, 
  the characters may randomly stumble upon these rare creatures.  
  Part III: Library of Arcady
  The harrowing trek across the Stoneheart Mountains and the Feirgotha 
  Plateau culminates in the characters’ arrival at the fabled Library of Arcady. 
  Though the surrounding Khemitian structures collapsed into ruins over 
  the passing centuries, the legendary repository of knowledge still endures 
  thanks to its resident wizard. Contrary to what the dwarves believe, the 
  ancient building is far from being abandoned or destroyed. Vile undead 
  minions and servitor constructs patrol the grounds and protect their master 
  from harm. In addition to Thanopsis’ servants, the living and undead relics 
  of a bygone era also lurk in the library’s neglected corners and sealed 
  chambers, waiting to pounce on unwitting trespassers who disturb their 
  rest. As the characters descend deeper into the earth, the magnitude and 
  horror of Thanopsis’ crimes evidenced by the numerous youthful corpses 
  in his frozen vault becomes apparent. To finally break the millennia old 
  cycle of evil, the characters realize that they must introduce Thanopsis to 
  his greatest fear — his own death.
  
  13
  A Little Knowledge
  Approach to the Library
  Scholars and residents alike interchangeably use the term Library of 
  Arcady to describe the structure itself as well as the complex and settlement 
  surrounding it. At the zenith of its influence, the library functioned as the 
  centerpiece of a vibrant community where several thousand artisans, 
  servants, visiting scholars and influential citizens dwelt year-round. These 
  people needed places to live and ancillary services. Sprawling residential 
  areas, temples, markets, and public works soon sprang up around the 
  library, encompassing an area of approximately one square mile around 
  the central building. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s sudden collapse 2,000 
  years ago and the subsequent mass exodus ensured the complex’s eventual 
  demise. By the end of the following century, the once-grandiose pyramids, 
  stelae, and monuments fell into ruin. Most of their crumbled foundations 
  lie beneath a layer of ice and snow. Massive cornerstones and half-buried 
  ruined walls are the only visible remnants of a lost community that once 
  surrounded the library complex itself. 
  The Library of Arcady rests atop a slight elevation overlooking the flat 
  expanses of the southern Feirgotha Plateau. This geographical feature 
  allows the characters to see the outline of the immense building as well 
  as the rubble surrounding it from a distance of 1000ft away. When the 
  characters first see the library, the Referee may read or paraphrase the 
  following description.
  Large blocks of stone and vertical monuments covered 
  in layers of ice and snow are spread throughout the area 
  surrounding an immense, 25-foot-high stone structure 
  consisting of a central building and two adjoining wings with 
  steeply pitched, ice-slicked roofs. An open courtyard featuring 
  a marble fountain and numerous small gardens overgrown 
  with hardy plants occupies the space in front of the main 
  structure and between the opposing annexes. The only visible 
  entrance is a stone door in front of the main building. Two 
  limestone statues of a muscular man with the head of an ibis 
  flank the stairs leading up to the limestone portal.      
  If the characters arrive at the library while Thanopsis’ undead warriors are 
  away in battle at Burvaadun, the library is surprisingly undefended. Shortly 
  after their destruction, Thanopsis immediately raises a force of 12 skeletons 
  and 12 zombies to defend the library. They form in Area L1, where they 
  wait quietly and occasionally wander around the building’s perimeter. The 
  mindless skeletons and zombies attack living creatures on sight.
  Skeletons (12): HD 1; HP 8x2, 7x5, 6x3, 5, 4; AC 8[11]; Atk 
  longsword (1d6+1); Move 12; Save 17; AL N; CL/XP 1/15; 
  Special: immune to sleep and charm spells.
  Zombies (12): HD 2; HP 16, 15x2, 14x3, 12x2, 11, 10x2, 9; AC 
  8[11]; Atk strike (1d8); Move 6; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 2/30; 
  Special: immune to sleep and charm.
  As discussed in Part II of the adventure, Thanopsis becomes extremely 
  worried if his wizard eye sees unfamiliar faces, especially those wielding 
  magic, fighting alongside the garrison’s defenders. If this occurs, the 
  troubled magic-user calls upon his two former protégés who now serve 
  him in death. Shortly after the library’s fall, Thanopsis transformed 
  these unfortunate souls into 2 spellgorged zombies. Though visually 
  indistinguishable from normal zombies, Thanopsis programmed these 
  creatures to unleash their arsenal of spells against any living humanoids 
  they encounter. Each is armed with a lightning bolt and scorching ray 
  spell that they use against the closest enemy when they are encountered.
  Spellgorged Zombies (2): HD 2; HP 15, 13; AC 8[11]; Atk strike 
  (1d8); Move 6; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: immune 
  to sleep and charm, spell conflagration (20ft radius, 4d6 
  damage, save for half), store spells (1d6 spells). (The Tome of 
  Horrors Complete 617)
  The source of these undead is apparent. Characters can easily spot 
  unusual, protruding contours in the snow around the library as well as the 
  glint of steel above the icy surface. An examination of these areas reveals a 
  humanoid corpse beneath the surface. Fallen orc warriors from the ancient 
  siege account for 60% of these bodies, whereas the human defenders 
  make up another 35% of these individuals, and slain mounts constitute 
  the remaining 5% balance. There are 204 of these bodies scattered in a 
  1-mile-radius around the Library of Arcady. Despite the currently frigid 
  temperatures, they are either skeletal remains or badly decomposed 
  cadavers. Two thousand years of exposure to the elements rendered their 
  equipment useless and the epic battle’s survivors looted their valuables 
  countless centuries ago. Characters can also notice more than 200 hollows 
  in the ice and snow. Astute characters figure out that the gouges were 
  made when the bodies were disinterred from their previous resting place. 
  The overwhelming majority of these holes were made within the last few 
  weeks as Thanopsis scavenged the grounds around the library for more 
  corpses to animate in his battle against Burvaadun. 
  The resident wizard’s salvage operations do not extend to the rubble and 
  debris that surrounds his beloved library. The remains of the buildings’ 
  razed foundations sit beneath several feet of ice and snow, yet there are still 
  several pieces of useful material and intact objects from Arcady’s golden 
  era scattered outside the premises. The most notable of these objects are 
  the four obelisks that surround the library itself. Hieroglyphs once covered 
  these 20ft-high limestone monoliths, but the constant barrage of wind, ice 
  and snow erased the pictographs from all of the obelisks except for the 
  one near the northeastern corner of the building. The Referee may read or 
  paraphrase the following description.
  Strange runes and pictures are carved into the face of a 
  20-foot-high limestone stela, worn and pitted with wind and 
  age.
  The message is written in Khemitian and states: “He who thirsts for 
  knowledge, let him drink from my waters. He who enters with an open 
  mind, let ideas fill every corner of his being. For I am Thoth, divine 
  guardian of this repository and patron of learning.” 
  Thoth is the Pharonic god of knowledge and magic still often 
  worshipped in far Khemit. 
  Entering the Library
  There are three conventional ways to enter the library. The most 
  obvious and direct route is through the heavy stone door that opens into 
  the main building that is accessible through Area L1. Less obvious are 
  the rock crystal skylights built onto the roofs of both annexes. During the 
  library’s operation, these openings allowed natural light to illuminate the 
  rooms beneath them. Now, 2d4 inches of packed snow cover them. Still, 
  it is possible to spot the crystal partitions. Getting onto the 20ft-high roof 
  requires characters to climb or find some other means such as levitate or 
  fly. (The base of the roof is 20ft high, but the apex of the slanted roof is 
  25ft high as mentioned in the structure’s initial description.) In addition, 
  the roof’s 30-degree slope and the accumulated ice and snow require the 
  character to roll below his dexterity on 4d6 to maintain his balance while 
  moving across the slick surface. A character that fails the check slides off 
  the roof and lands on the ground, taking 2d6 points of falling damage. 
  Otherwise, the character can brush away the packed snow and shatter 
  the opaque rock crystal to gain access to either Area L11 or Area L13 
  beneath the window. 
  Library Features
  The library is a classic example of Khemitian architecture. All outer and 
  interior walls, floors, and ceilings are constructed from worked granite 
  quarried from the nearby mountains. The ceiling height is 20ft along the 
  perimeter of the exterior walls and 25ft at its highest point. Archways 
  reach a height of 15ft at their apex. The stone doors are surprisingly well 
  maintained, allowing characters to open unlocked portals without exerting 
  
  14
  Quests of Doom 4
  any effort. Doors that are stuck, locked, or barred are noted in the room 
  description. In an effort to reduce the possibility of a catastrophic fire, 
  Thanopsis spent the better part of a year casting continual light spells on 
  40 agate stones that he later embedded into the ceilings, safely illuminating 
  the entire complex in warm light. The only exceptions are in Area L11 
  and parts of Area L13, which were lit by sunlight pouring through the 
  skylights built into the ceiling. These two locations are now dark. 
  Random Encounters 
  Most of the library’s denizens are bound to their particular areas in 
  accordance with Thanopsis’ instructions or because of the circumstances 
  surrounding their creation. There is one noteworthy exception. Shortly 
  after Arcady’s demise, Thanopsis created 4 wax golems to maintain the 
  library. He modeled these constructs into the likeness of an idealized 
  Khemitite scholar rather than after a specific individual. Nevertheless, after 
  several months they acquired sentience and became convinced that they 
  are actual librarians. These creatures roam the complex in pairs, though 
  one pair remains in the west annex at all times. While traveling through 
  the main building and the eastern annex, there is a non-cumulative 25% 
  chance of encountering these creatures for every 10 minutes spent in these 
  areas. The chances of encountering them increase to 50% while venturing 
  through the western annex. They never go outside. 
  The wax golems encountered in the main building and eastern annex 
  are not immediately hostile and approach the party asking if they require 
  any assistance. They are generally helpful, directing the characters in 
  accordance with their wishes. However, they provide no information 
  about Thanopsis and do not lead the characters toward the western annex. 
  They immediately attack the adventurers if they triggered the magical trap 
  in Area L7. Likewise, they attack on sight characters wandering through 
  the western annex. The wax golems lose their sentience if they take an 
  amount of fire damage equal to half their hit points and become mindless 
  constructs attacking any targets they detect.
  Wax Golems (4): HD 4; HP 20x4; AC 5[14]; Atk 2 fists (1d8+3); 
  Move 6; Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 6/400; Special: resistant to 
  blunt weapons, magic resistance (25%). (Monstrosities 223)
  L1. Courtyard
  The withered and frozen husks of numerous plants remain 
  firmly embedded in the hardened soil within enormous 
  garden boxes bordered by 4-foot-high stone walls. Large, 
  circular flagstones create paths and walkways among 
  the garden boxes. Despite the snow cover, most of these 
  decorative pieces are still visible. An immense limestone 
  fountain occupies a significant portion of the central 
  courtyard. Snow and oddly shaped icicles cover a statue of a 
  remarkably tall man that stands on an elevated platform in 
  the center of the fountain, which is filled with a solid block 
  of ice. Farther ahead, two limestone statues of a man with an 
  ibis head flank a stone staircase that leads to a heavy stone 
  door. 
  The grand courtyard is a far cry from its former self. The breathtaking 
  flowers and exotic plants that thrived in its gardens are dead, brittle stalks 
  of frozen organic matter. The flagstones spread throughout the compound 
  also have seen better days, as neglect, erosion, and the harsh climate 
  cracked most of the polished stones and erased the images sculpted onto 
  them. Intricate carvings once detailed the face of these sett stones. 
  Unlike the paving stones, the two limestone statues depicting the 
  Pharonic god Thoth are still in remarkably good condition. Likewise, the 
  stone staircase shows minimal signs of wear, but the stone door adjacent 
  to it was not as fortunate. The hieroglyphics that once covered the portal’s 
  surface are faded in many spots, but characters can still read the entire 
  message, which is written in Khemitian. The message on the door says, 
  “May wisdom guide you; may knowledge enlighten you. This journey 
  begins not with a single step but with a word and an idea.”
  In addition to the undead guardians, the frozen statue in the fountain 
  is Thanopsis’ most-vigilant and frightening defender. The mindless 
  construct makes no deliberate effort to disguise its appearance; it is in fact 
  an ice golem formed out of a solid block of frozen water. The construct 
  immediately attacks if it is attacked or if a dwarf approaches within 60ft of 
  it. It releases its frigid breath weapon and then wades into melee combat, 
  swinging its mighty, jagged icy fists at its opponents. The creature does 
  not surrender and attacks until destroyed.
  Ice Golem: HD 7; HP 30; AC 5[14]; Atk 2 slams (2d6 plus 1d6 
  cold); Move 9; Save 9; AL N; CL/XP 10/1400; Special: breath 
  weapon (20ft cone, 3/day, 3d6 damage, save for half), 
  cold, immune to cold and magic, vulnerable to fire (200%). 
  (Monstrosities 291)
  L2. Entry Hall
  Intricate carvings on the walls depict men and women 
  separating tiny pieces of plant fiber and immersing them 
  in water. Two large archways on the east and west walls 
  lead into adjoining antechambers. Hieroglyphics run 
  across the frieze of both archways. The chamber then 
  narrows and opens into a smaller archway covered in 
  more hieroglyphics. Though lifeless, the well-preserved 
  corpse of a creature with a lion’s body, falcon wings, and 
  a beautiful woman’s head and torso sits in a semi-upright 
  position in the center of the room.  
  The carvings adorning the walls depict servants making papyrus. The 
  hieroglyphics adorning the archway’s friezes provide directions to visitors 
  in Khemitian. The writing above the east wall translates to: “Speaking 
  rooms and eating areas,” whereas the writing above the west wall translates 
  to: “Private reading and gathering places.” The hieroglyphics above the 
  central archway translate to “Main collection and administrative.” It is 
  important to note that the phrase “private reading” can be interpreted in 
  two different ways. Because of the subtleties in language (and the lack 
  of comma usage in Khemitian), it is impossible for a non-Khemitite to 
  determine if it is referring to private reading areas or if it is written as 
  a list, meaning private areas and reading areas. In actuality, the latter 
  interpretation is correct.  
  During the library’s last chaotic days, the cowardly Thanopsis cajoled 
  the library’s most frequent visitors and patrons into fighting against the 
  orcs besieging the surrounding settlement. Most gladly took up arms at 
  the powerful wizard’s behest, but the aloof sphinx, Travvok, refused. The 
  spiteful wizard never forgot Travvok’s betrayal. When she returned to 
  peruse the library’s shelves after Arcady’s demise, the angry Thanopsis 
  momentarily forgot his fear and killed the beast that had abandoned him 
  in his darkest hour. In a deliberately ironic twist, he transformed Travvok 
  into an gynosphinx zombie that guards the library today. The sphinx 
  zombie immediately attacks any living creature other than Thanopsis that 
  enters the west corridor or otherwise disturbs it.
  Gynosphinx Zombie: HD 9; HP 65; AC 4[15]; Atk 2 claws 
  (1d6); Move 9; Save 6; AL N; CL/XP 9/1100; Special: immune 
  to sleep and charm.
   
  L3. East Antechamber
  The colorful bas-relief sculptures on the walls depict an 
  assembly of men gathered in a large hall, and a group of 
  human men and women feasting on roasted lamb. Two 
  polished marble columns apparently support the ceiling 
  overhead. The statue of a beautiful woman clad in robe still 
  bearing the traces of light-colored paint stands beside an 
  archway. A crown and the sun disc adorn her head.
  
  15
  A Little Knowledge
  The painted, carved images on the walls further confirm that the rooms 
  within the annex function as lecture halls and dining areas. The two 
  columns primarily serve as decorative pieces rather than support pieces. 
  The statue depicts the Pharonic goddess Hathor, the patron of music and 
  the arts. 
  L4. West Antechamber
  The paintings on the walls depict men and women looking 
  at and presumably reading scrolls in small chambers as well 
  as many of these same individuals gathered together in a 
  larger chamber. Two fluted marble columns presumably 
  support the ceiling overhead. A statue of a woman dressed 
  in a panther-skin dress stands adjacent to an archway. She 
  wears a seven-pointed crown with a pair of downward facing 
  horns.
  The paintings on the walls suggest that the rooms within the annex 
  function as reading rooms and meeting chambers. The two columns 
  primarily function as decorative pieces rather than support beams. The 
  statue depicts the Pharonic goddess Seshat, Khemit’s patroness of writing, 
  history, time, knowledge, and architecture.
  L5. Main Collection 
  An impressive statue of a muscular man with outstretched 
  arms and an ibis head seemingly welcomes visitors to an 
  expansive and breathtaking library. Latticed, triangular 
  shelves built into the outside walls house thousands of bound 
  scrolls. Some of these written works are stored in decorative 
  cases, but a sizable majority is rolled up around a metallic 
  or bone dowel affixed or sewn onto the top of the scroll. 
  Hieroglyphics appear above some of these shelves as well 
  as across the faces of six freestanding lattice works that fill 
  most of the enormous chamber. Like the shelves attached 
  to the perimeter walls, these pieces of furniture also feature 
  interlocking triangular woodwork that separates and stores a 
  substantial inventory of scrolls. 
  Khemitite scribes used papyrus as their exclusive writing medium. The 
  material was abundant at the time from the shores of the lake Toh Kristael, 
  but it unfortunately disintegrates relatively quickly in any environment 
  other than an arid climate. Tragically, all of the scrolls that were not 
  stored in cases stick together and crumble to pieces when unfurled or 
  even handled. In fact, while searching through the shelves, the characters 
  find large piles and thick layers of detritus from scrolls that already fell 
  apart centuries earlier. The scrolls stored within the cases fared better 
  than their unprotected counterparts. Of the 1075 documents sealed inside 
  of wooden, ceramic, bone, and metallic containers, 604 of them are still 
  intact and viable. 
  Thanopsis was a true visionary. Instead of storing the scrolls according 
  to size, age, or some other indiscriminate rationale, he arranged the 
  library’s contents by subject matter, dividing the collection into ten 
  different categories as designated by the letters A through J on the map of 
  Area L5. This allowed the library’s patrons to more easily locate the scroll 
  they were looking for rather than sifting through hundreds and possibly 
  thousands of works. Thanopsis could not alphabetize the scrolls, because 
  the Arcadians used Khemitian hieroglyphics rather than a conventional 
  alphabet. However, he devised a clever solution. He sorted the scrolls 
  based upon the length of the hieroglyphs used for the author’s name. He 
  placed the scrolls written by the author with the shortest symbol at the top 
  left of the rack, whereas the author with the longest symbol appeared at 
  the opposite end of the rack. 
  The secret door on the east wall grants access to the arcana section. 
  The library’s architects concealed the opening mechanism behind the 
  latticework in the freestanding shelves in Area F. 
  While spending an inordinate amount of time in the library may not 
  be a pressing concern, lingering too long browsing its shelves almost 
  assuredly attracts the interest of the 4 thought mists that dwell within the 
  library. Formed from the essence of an idea about to fade into oblivion, 
  these thoroughly alien life forms dwell on the Ethereal Plane but never 
  venture far from their birthplace. They feed on the intellect of living 
  beings, devouring their thoughts for some unknown, malevolent purpose. 
  For every minute spent in this room, there is a 20% chance that the 
  thought mists manifest on the Material Plane and attack the unsuspecting 
  trespassers. Despite their intelligence, the creatures fight as individuals 
  and not as a cohesive unit. Once in the presence of a living mind, every 
  thought goes by the monster’s wayside except for one primeval urge — to 
  feast on the consciousness of the living.
  Thought Mists (4): HD 4; HP 30, 27, 24, 20; AC 2[17]; Atk 
  incorporeal touch (1d2); Move 15 (fly); Save 13; AL N; CL/
  XP 6/400; Special: inscription (dying mist imprints words on 
  Library Categories
  A: Philosophy
  B: Atlases and Maps
  C: Religion
  D: Linguistics
  E: Literature 
  F: Science and Mathematics
  G: History
  H: Social Sciences and the Arts
  I: General Works
  J: Biographies
  Thought Mist
  Hit Dice: 4
  Armor Class: 2[17]
  Attacks: incorporeal touch (1d2)
  Saving Throw: 13
  Special: inscription, mind feast
  Move: 15 (flying)
  Alignment: Neutrality
  Number Encountered: 1, 1d2+2
  Challenge Level: 6/400
  A thought mist is a 2ft-diameter sphere of thick, coppery mists 
  intertwined with iridescent letters, symbols and pictographs from 
  numerous alphabets that intermittently roil onto the surface. The 
  monster’s luminescence, shape, small size and graceful flight cause 
  some adventurers to mistake it for an immature will-o’-the-wisp. A 
  thought mist attacks with an incorporeal touch, but once every 1d4 
  rounds it can also pass through the head of an opponent and feast 
  on their knowledge. This attack deals 2d6 points of damage (saving 
  throw for half) and has a 75% chance of randomly siphoning a 
  memorized spell from a spellcaster’s thoughts. When slain, the mist 
  dissipates and the creature gets a final attack on any creature within 
  10ft. If the attack hits, the words in the dying mist flow onto the 
  target. The target must make a saving throw or take 2d4 points of 
  damage as the words imprint on his flesh. When the creature dies, 
  the words form a new thought mist. A remove curse, limited wish 
  or wish can remove the curse.
  Thought Mist: HD 4; AC 2[17]; Atk incorporeal touch 
  (1d2); Move 15 (fly); Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 6/400; 
  Special: inscription (dying mist imprints words on new 
  host, save resists), mind feast (1 every 1d4 rounds, 2d6 
  damage, save for half, 75% chance random spell lost).
  
  16
  Quests of Doom 4
  new host, save resists), mind feast (1 every 1d4 rounds, 2d6 
  damage, save for half, 75% chance random spell lost). (See 
  Sidebox)
  Treasure: Decay and time have taken their toll on the library’s 
  inventory. None of the surviving written works is in mint condition, and 
  they are so obscure and archaic that they are worth a meager fraction of 
  their original value. On average, the viable scrolls are worth 1d4gp apiece 
  with a few exceptions. If Gromm (see the Full Verse hook in Part I of the 
  adventure) sent the characters to retrieve Suqri’s “The Lamentations of a 
  Broken Man,” the characters fortuitously find the masterful poem sealed 
  within a bone scroll case. It is worth 500gp. Likewise, the characters can 
  search the shelves and locate up to six other noteworthy scrolls worth 1d4 
  x 100gp each. 
  L6. Administration
  Spilt black ink covers sections of the floor as well as three 
  wooden desks spread throughout a crowded chamber. There 
  is a small stool behind each desk and fragments of moldy 
  papyrus and worn styluses sit atop the desks’ surfaces. Two 
  open cabinets abutting the near wall contain numerous 
  ledger books, though the quantity of detritus on its shelves 
  and the surrounding floor indicate that most of their contents 
  disintegrated long ago. The same fate befell two spools of 
  rolled papyrus flanking one of the desks as well as an unfurled 
  scroll resting upon a table adjacent to the far wall. 
  Lesser librarians and scribes under Thanopsis’ tutelage operated a 
  sophisticated acquisitions and cataloging department within this bustling 
  room. The ledgers precisely detail every scroll and document that the 
  library attained from its inception until the Kingdom of Arcady’s collapse. 
  None of the ledgers survived intact. In most cases, the ledgers are too 
  dry rotted to even open without causing irreparable damage. A handful of 
  pages have endured, and the glimpse into the distant past gives additional 
  insight about the Khemitite culture. Locating just one of these fragments 
  among the debris takes 1d4 minutes. There is a 10% chance that the 
  characters locate the page referring to the acquisition 2024 years ago of 
  Suqri’s “The Lamentations of a Broken Man” for a payment of 50gp. 
  Gromm (see the Full Verse hook) would also be very interested in this 
  document and is willing to pay an additional 200gp for it. In addition, if 
  the characters did not locate Suqri’s work on the shelves, he is willing to 
  accept this page as proof of their visit to the library. 
  A close examination of the desk nearest to the far wall provides some 
  useful information. The stylus sitting atop it is worn to the base. The 
  scribe assigned to this station carved a hidden message onto the desk’s 
  underside. Written in Khemitian, it cryptically says: “Thanopsis doubts 
  Maat’s feather and Ra’s boat.” The sentence mentions Thanopsis’ doubts 
  about the gods and the afterlife. 
  L7. Arcana Section
  Musty air pours out of a tightly packed chamber. There 
  is barely enough room to move between the latticework 
  shelves affixed to all three walls. Rotten scrolls fill the 
  shelves, though several scrolls sealed within ceramic and 
  thick glass cases are interspersed among the others. The 
  intrusion swirls up a cloud of loose papyrus fragments from 
  the floor and the latticework. 
  Unlike the library’s main collection, Thanopsis maintained rigid 
  control over who entered the arcana section. To enforce his edict, he cast 
  a protective rune upon the floor directly underneath the portal’s threshold. 
  The symbol of sleep trap triggers whenever any creature other than him 
  enters the arcana section. Any creatures within 60ft of the symbol must 
  make a saving throw or fall into a catatonic slumber for 3d6 x 10 minutes.
  It is impossible to wake sleeping characters using nonmagical means, 
  which can be especially problematic if the thought mists from the 
  adjoining chamber or the pair of roaming wax golems arrive on the scene. 
  Either group of monsters immediately attacks sleeping characters and 
  their allies on sight. 
  The lack of ventilation in this small, crowded chamber exacerbated 
  the growth of mold and other destructive organisms within the papyrus 
  fibers. As in the main collection, none of the unprotected papyrus scrolls 
  survived the devastation. There are 44 scrolls inside of glass or ceramic 
  cases.
  Treasure: Though the voracious fungi destroyed the majority of the 
  papyrus scrolls within the ceramic and glass cases, 6 of them survived. If 
  the characters cast detect magic in the area, all 6 scrolls radiate an aura 
  of magic based on its contents. Otherwise, the characters must rely upon 
  trial and error to discover the viable scrolls. It takes a full-round action 
  to open a scroll case and look inside. Each scroll contains an individual 
  arcane spell. There are 6 arcane scrolls (continual light, explosive runes, 
  extension I, monster summoning II, phantasmal force and pyrotechnics). 
  L8. Major Lecture Hall            
  An elevated platform against the far wall overlooks four 
  rows of stone benches facing it. A central aisle bisects the 
  seating area and stone stairs ascend to the elevated platform. 
  Numerous images and gouges mar the stone surfaces.  
  Arcady’s greatest orators and visiting scholars lectured audiences 
  within this distinguished hall. In spite of the speakers’ magnitude, graffiti 
  covers the entire back of every bench and nearly every seat as well. The 
  vast majority of writing consists of hieroglyphs containing the individual’s 
  name and a date. One mysterious sentence scrawled in sphinx reads: “He 
  says there is no afterlife, and nothing lies beyond this mortal world. Let 
  him stay behind and discover the truth.” Travvok, the gynosphinx from 
  Area L2 scrawled the message eons earlier, though she never specifically 
  mentions the speaker’s name. 
  L9. Minor Lecture Hall
  An elevated platform overlooks three rows of stone 
  benches facing it. A central aisle bisects the rows, and stone 
  stairs ascend to the platform. A single, marble chair in each 
  of the near corners faces the platform. 
  Thanopsis conducted intimate discussions in this smaller lecture hall, 
  thus accounting for the noticeable lack of graffiti on the furniture. The 
  two marble chairs in the hall’s corners were for guests of honor. Despite 
  appearances, the chamber is not empty. Lurking amid the benches are 2 
  atomie. The diminutive creatures used their minute size to sneak past the 
  mindless undead guardians and make their way to the lecture halls on 
  their quest for knowledge. These creatures are naturally shy and adept 
  at remaining out of sight as they carefully observe the characters. If the 
  characters spot the cunning fey, the atomies use their spell-like abilities to 
  vanish and relocate to a new hiding spot. 
  Atomies (2): HD 1d3; HP 3x2; AC 4[15]; Atk needle (1d3); 
  Move 15 (fly 24); Save 18; AL N; CL/XP 2/30; Special: magic 
  resistance (20%), spells, surprise (1–2 on 1d6). (The Tome of 
  Horrors Complete 37)
  Development: If they remain undetected, the atomies do not reveal 
  their presence unless they witness one of the characters casting a spell. 
  In that case, the fey summon the courage to approach that individual and 
  converse with him about obscure bits of knowledge. The atomies interact 
  with humanoids in a quid quo pro manner. For every bit of knowledge 
  they impart to the characters, they expect an equal or even greater amount 
  
  17
  A Little Knowledge
  in return. The information can be about the library itself or something 
  fascinating that the characters found in the library such as reading them 
  Suqri’s poetry. In return, the atomies tell the characters that the entrance 
  to the subterranean level is in the western annex. They also mention that 
  the library’s “master” seeks young humans for some unknown purpose. 
  If questioned about the source of their information, they have firsthand 
  knowledge of the former and they obtained the latter bit of knowledge 
  through magical means. 
  Otherwise, the inherently inquisitive creatures follow the characters 
  from a distance and observe their actions for 1d4 minutes. If the characters 
  simply barrel through the rooms in the eastern annex without taking 
  some time to search for clues or analyze the situation, the atomies lose 
  interest in the characters and return to this room. If the characters appear 
  thoughtful and introspective, the atomies behave as previously described. 
  The atomies are not aggressive by nature and always use their spell-like 
  abilities to evade and avoid combat. They fight only if cornered and are 
  left with no other choice. 
  Ad Hoc XP Award: Characters who gain useful information from 
  the atomies earn 120 XP for their efforts. Alternately, if Lawful-aligned 
  characters kill the atomies without provocation, the Referee may award 
  the characters no XP for the encounter or give an appropriate XP penalty.
  L10. Kitchen
  Thick layers of dust and soot cover the surfaces of two 
  stone hearths in the corners adjacent to the north wall. An 
  immense stone firebox filled with crumbled charcoal and ash 
  nearly spans the entire length of the south wall. Interlocking, 
  blackened steel bars comprise a grilled cooking surface. An 
  oversized porcelain sink with two spigots is built into an 
  ornate wooden cabinet with numerous drawers and several 
  cutting surfaces on top of it.
  An entire team of servants feverishly worked in this kitchen during the 
  library’s operation to feed hungry scholars and visitors in the adjoining 
  dining hall. They used the two hearths to create savory soups and stews 
  while using the grill to roast a wide variety of native and imported meats. 
  The equipment still functions, though it requires extensive cleaning before 
  use. Even the sink’s two faucets release a torrent of cold water into the 
  basin that washes away down the drainpipe. 
  The cabinet supporting the sink has eight drawers containing an 
  assortment of kitchenware including utensils, cutlery, cooking implements, 
  mugs, plates, sharpening tools, spare charcoal, jars of desiccated herbs, 
  and three crumbled scrolls that contained ancient recipes. 
  L11. Dining Hall
  Six tables surrounded by an equal number of wooden 
  chairs occupy most of a spacious dining hall. A much-longer, 
  yet narrower, table surrounded by fourteen chairs is near 
  the far wall. Dust-covered plates are scattered on the tables, 
  and numerous shards of broken pottery and porcelain are 
  strewn across the floor. Snow and ice are visible through the 
  crystalline skylight that makes up much of the ceiling. 
  The library’s visitors and employees alike left the dining hall in a 
  shambles in their haste to flee the structure and the Feirgotha Plateau after 
  Arcady’s rapid collapse. The plates on the tables have been there for 2000 
  years, along with the shattered pieces. None of these items has any value 
  or significance. The skylight on the eastern annex opens into this chamber; 
  it is slightly more than 20ft above the floor and slightly less than 20ft 
  above one of the tables. Characters that fall onto either surface take the 
  appropriate amount of falling damage.    
  L12. Reading Room
  A simple, wooden desk is against the far wall. A wooden 
  chair is tucked beneath it.
  Visitors who chose not to stand in the main collection area could use 
  these small private rooms to read a scroll at their leisure. All of the reading 
  rooms are empty except for one. A brief, cryptic note written in common 
  on parchment is affixed to the bottom of the desk in the northwest reading 
  room. The partially damaged note reads: “The librarian says he knows 
  a … place … the complex. The orcs are everywhere. We cannot escape. 
  These may be my … words. What … is there but … him.” The message’s 
  missing passages in order are “safe,” “underneath,” “last,” “choice” and 
  “to trust.” The use of parchment and Common suggests that the author 
  was not of Khemitite descent like most of the inhabitants of Arcady, but 
  the writer provides no further clues about his or her identity. 
  L13. Meeting Room
  A round wooden table surrounded by six chairs rests in the 
  center of the room. Snow and ice prevent light from entering 
  through an opaque crystalline skylight built into the ceiling. 
  Scholars and ordinary citizens routinely gathered in these private 
  meeting rooms to engage in everything from heated intellectual debates to 
  clandestine trysts. The skylight on the library’s western annex illuminates 
  the corridor connecting these rooms as well as portions of some meeting 
  rooms as shown on the accompanying map. It is a little more than 20ft 
  down from the skylight to the floor and slightly less than 20ft from the 
  skylight to the top of a table. 
  The heavy, stone door and granite walls suppress most sound in either 
  of the preceding cases, and the doors can be locked from the inside, thus 
  preventing unwelcome visitors from barging into a raucous argument or 
  an awkward situation. All of the rooms are empty except for the middle 
  meeting room off the southern wall. During the library’s last chaotic 
  days, someone carved an image of a boat falling from the sky onto the 
  table’s face. The drawing’s exact meaning is unclear, but characters 
  might recall that the Pharonic god Ra uses a boat to transport the dead 
  into the afterlife. 
  L14. Privy
  There are twenty-four holes cut into the surface of two 
  elevated marble slabs that nearly span the entire length of 
  the north and south walls as well as a small portion of the 
  far wall. 
  The library’s architects wisely used a primitive septic system to store 
  and degrade the waste from this privy, eliminating the need to manually 
  remove such materials and dispose of it elsewhere. 
  L15. Staff Living Quarters
  Though they did not always stay here, the library’s three most senior 
  staff members were given the option of residing in this chamber on a full-
  time basis. Because it served as their personal living quarters, the door 
  was usually kept locked at all times, as it is now. 
  Three military-style bunk beds rest against the far wall. 
  Two dressers with three drawers apiece are adjacent to the 
  near wall.  
  
  18
  Quests of Doom 4
  The fretful Phamses lived here throughout the orc siege. The timid scribe 
  left immediately after Arcady’s army routed the orcs. The meticulous 
  worrywart missed a scrap of papyrus that fell behind the bottom drawer 
  in the east dresser. It is impossible to spot the stray page without opening 
  the drawer, and characters have a 1-in-6 chance to notice the papyrus 
  when the drawer is opened. Completely removing the drawer reveals the 
  papyrus. Written in Khemitian hieroglyphs, the damaged papyrus reads: 
  “… is a fraud. A hoax perpetrated on the weak-minded and fools. There is 
  nothing … death except emptiness.” 
  L16. Guest Quarters
  Two beds rest against the far wall, and a dresser with two 
  drawers abuts the near wall. 
  Visiting scholars used these guest quarters. As the situation in Arcady 
  rapidly deteriorated and the orcs’ grip on the surrounding settlement 
  tightened, no one dared to make the harrowing trek to the renowned 
  library. Therefore, the guest quarters stood empty for an entire year before 
  the Arcadians abandoned the Feirgotha Plateau. The beds and dresser are 
  empty.
  L17. Supply Room 
  The stone door is always closed, yet it is not secure. A small fissure at 
  the bottom of the door is large enough for a halfing or dwarf-sized creature 
  to squeeze through.
  Warped wooden crates and barrels stacked nearly to the 
  ceiling form makeshift aisles and rows in a packed supply 
  room. Most of these wooden items show signs of heavy 
  gnawing with the fragments of many more scattered upon 
  the floor.
  This room has recently been converted into a nest by 3 ratlings and 
  their 2 monstrously huge giant rats companions that have wandered in 
  from the frigid high desert. The clutter makes it especially difficult to see 
  the ratlings. 
  Ratlings (3): HD 1; HP 7x2, 5; AC 9[10]; Atk bite (1d6 plus 
  disease); Save 17; Move 12; AL C; CL/XP 2/30; Special: 
  diseased bite. (Monstrosities 383)
  Monstrously Huge Giant Rats (2): HD 3; HP 21, 18; AC 6[13]; 
  Atk 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d6); Move 12; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 
  3/120; Special: 5% are diseased.
  Tactics: If the battle turns against the ratlings, they flee, trying to get 
  as far away from the characters as possible. Ratlings forced to surrender 
  bargain for their lives with sketchy details about the library. They are 
  aware of the wax golems that roam the hallways, and they believe that 
  the “old woman” lives somewhere beneath the building. Otherwise, they 
  have no other useful information. On the other hand, the giant rats attack 
  intruders on sight and fight until killed.
  L18. Thanopsis’ Office 
  The fearful Thanopsis always keeps this door locked. The characters 
  must either force the door open or bypass the locking device. 
  Intricate carvings and paintings depicting scribes feverishly 
  copying papyrus scrolls cover the walls and the outer surface 
  areas of an exquisitely crafted desk made from a rare, black 
  wood. A chair constructed from the same exotic material 
  is partially tucked underneath it, juxtaposed against the 
  furniture’s two drawers. Two statues of an engorged, squat 
  beetle flank the desk. 
  Thanopsis’ ebony desk is the centerpiece of his old office. The details 
  engraved onto the sides and legs represent some of Arcady’s finest 
  handiwork and craftsmanship. The huge desk weighs 400 lbs., making it 
  extremely difficult to remove from this location. The two desk drawers are 
  empty. Though the statues appear solid at first glance, characters can find 
  a tiny crack separating the top from the bottom. In other words, the statues 
  are more akin to a jar and a lid than a solid structure. The two halves are 
  securely fastened together for a reason that soon becomes apparent. 
  The paintings and carvings on the wall are Khemitian masterpieces, 
  both artistically and architecturally. The paintings on the west wall and 
  south wall each contain a sun disc, one of which is placed in the middle 
  of the door on the southern portion of the west wall and the other a few 
  inches from the nearby corner. The sun discs are actually stone buttons. 
  The two buttons must be pressed simultaneously in order to deactivate the 
  trap on the door. If not, 2 scarab beetle swarms emerge from the statues 
  flanking the desk and attack the closest living creature.  
  Scarab Beetle Swarms (2): HD 4; HP 30, 26; AC 6[13]; Atk 
  swarm (2d4); Move 3; Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: 
  immune to all but blunt weapons. 
  Treasure: If the characters can devise a way to remove the desk and 
  transport it back to civilization, it is worth 500gp. 
  L19. Thanopsis’ Quarters
  An open armoire reveals an assortment of ancient silk 
  clothing befitting royalty. Likewise, a nearby vanity table with 
  an attached mirror and adjacent stool contains an array of 
  perfumes and cosmetics jars. An alabaster bathtub supported 
  by four legs fashioned into the likeness of a leopards’ paws 
  and adorned with carvings of nautical images rests in front 
  of a luxurious bed covered in an exotic, spotted fur with silk 
  sheets. 
  Thanopsis resided in his luxurious bedchamber until he began his 
  assaults against Burvaadun. He now resides in the perceived safety of his 
  planned tomb beneath the Pyramid of Thanopsis. In his current female 
  form, Thanopsis made extensive use of the vanity table and cosmetics 
  until several weeks ago. He only visits the room on rare occasions.  
  Treasure: The silk sheets and leopard fur covering the bed are worth 
  50gp and 100gp. Nine jars of rare, exotic perfume on the vanity table are 
  worth 25gp each. Likewise, four jars of makeup are worth 10gp each. The 
  clothing in the armoire is the equivalent of two noble’s outfits worth 75gp 
  each and two royal outfits worth 200gp apiece. 
  L20. Passage to Pyramid Level
  Stone stairs descend at a steep angle into a corridor that 
  bends sharply toward the southeast. The painted images of 
  anthropomorphic creatures adorn the smooth, limestone walls. 
  
  19
  A Little Knowledge
  The stairs descend 25ft at a 45-degree angle before the passage turns in 
  a southeasterly direction. The anthropomorphic figures on the walls depict 
  various members of the Pharonic pantheon of Khemit. The long corridor 
  continues in that direction for 3000ft before it ends in a heavy stone door 
  that marks the beginning of the Pyramid Level.
  Pyramid Level
  Under Thanopsis’ guidance, the library’s architects, masons, and artisans 
  built and designed the Pyramid of Thanopsis to serve as his tomb. The 
  calculating librarian felt that the ostentatious display served no purpose 
  other than to invite grave robbers to plunder his worldly goods after his 
  demise. Instead, he instructed his servants to construct his mausoleum 
  25ft below the pyramid’s base. As his fear of the afterlife grew, Thanopsis 
  used his formidable magical powers to create the tunnels and chambers 
  that would become his laboratory and frigid vault. As a result, the walls 
  and ceilings in Area P2 and Area P3 as well as the adjoining corridors, 
  are roughhewn stone surfaces with an average height of 1d4+8ft. The 
  areas constructed by the library’s original workforce, i.e. Area P1, Area 
  P4 and Area P5 share the same architectural characteristics as the library 
  itself. The stone doors open with little effort, with exceptions of the doors 
  in Area P2 and Area P3.
  P1. Embalming Chamber
  Pungent aromas fill the musty air. Dried herbs, resins, 
  and other globular materials float on the surface of a cloudy 
  solution that fills the halfway point of an oversized alabaster 
  bathing vessel adjacent to a large, stone slab. The same 
  liquid is also found in a metallic barrel against the far wall. 
  A spool of thick gray linen affixed to the top of a bronze pole 
  sits on each side of the tub. Numerous jars rest upon a series 
  of shelves affixed to the far wall. Two statues of a humanoid 
  with a jackal’s head stand before an archway opposite the 
  stone door. 
  The Khemitite priests used this funerary chamber to mummify the 
  library’s deceased scribes before interring their preserved bodies in the 
  adjacent ossuary. The embalmers first removed the decedent’s organs 
  while the body rested atop the stone slab. Despite their cleanliness, 
  splotches of dried fluids can be detected on the cold surface. The stains 
  are bile and blood. The adjacent desiccation vessel’s liquid solution is 
  filled with a mixture of herbs, resins, oils, honey, and natron, an alkaline 
  salt mineral, which is the primary ingredient. The barrel against the 
  far wall also contains a natron solution. After soaking the body in the 
  solution for several weeks, the embalmers then wrapped the corpse in the 
  specially treated funerary linens.  The fourteen jars on the shelves include 
  an assortment of the materials floating on top of the vessel’s surface. Time 
  has rendered all of them inert save for one — a sealed jar of rare honey. 
  The two statues depict the Pharonic god, Anubis. 
  If Thanopsis failed to detect the characters’ presence at Burvaadun, the 
  2 spellgorged zombies stand guard in this chamber. They immediately 
  attack all living creatures except Thanopsis.
   
  Spellgorged Zombies (2): HD 2; HP 15, 13; AC 8[11]; Atk strike 
  (1d8); Move 6; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: immune 
  to sleep and charm, spell conflagration (20ft radius, 4d6 
  damage, save for half), store spells (1d6 spells). (The Tome of 
  Horrors Complete 617)
  Treasure: The rare jar of honey is still viable. Produced from the pollen 
  of the black locust tree, the exotic commodity is worth 250gp. Alternately, 
  if spread on a poisonous wound, the recipient gains a +4 bonus to saving 
  throws made to resist that poison. 
  P2. Frozen Vault 
  Thanopsis magically sealed the stone door of this room using a wizard 
  lock spell. 
  Frigid air surges out of a vast chamber covered in thick 
  layers of ice. More than a hundred frozen human corpses 
  partially buried beneath alternating layers of ice and snow 
  are scattered across the floor. Pain is etched onto their 
  chiseled faces, and nearly all of the bodies are curled up 
  in the fetal position in a futile effort to retain body heat. A 
  smaller number is huddled together in macabre death poses. 
  Adolescent boys and girls make up the overwhelming majority 
  of these unfortunate victims, though there are roughly thirty 
  elderly, time-worn bodies interspersed among the young.
  The frozen vault is the sad legacy of one man’s efforts to defy 
  death regardless of the cost. Characters investigating the youngsters’ 
  disappearance at Octavio’s behest (see the Ancestral Mystery hook) 
  solve the riddle of what happened to countless refugees seeking sanctuary 
  during Arcady’s last dark days. The heartless Thanopsis broke his promise 
  to help these poor souls and instead condemned them to the horrific fate 
  of freezing to death for his own selfish purpose. In order to accomplish 
  that goal, he built this vault in the heart of an underground glacier. The 
  temperature within the room is –10° F. Characters unprepared for these 
  conditions take 1d6 points of damage per round. The room is so cold that 
  characters feel the icy air through the stone door. 
  Thanopsis cast the spell nearly 2000 years ago when he first imprisoned 
  his future hosts within the vault. The door now prevents 3 hoar spirits 
  from escaping. Thanopsis uses his arsenal of spells to keep the vengeful 
  undead at bay on those rare occasions when he enters the frozen vault 
  searching for his next suitable host. Though their anger is directed at the 
  wizard who killed them, the enraged spirits attack any living creature that 
  
  20
  Quests of Doom 4
  stumbles into their lair. The monstrosities wade into combat with their 
  icy claws. The intelligent undead avoid fire-wielding opponents whenever 
  possible. They fight until destroyed. 
  Hoar Spirits (3): HD 4; HP 30, 25x2, 22; AC 5[14]; Atk 2 claws 
  (1d4 plus 1d4 cold plus paralysis), or staff (1d8 plus 1d4 cold); 
  Move 6; Save 13; AL C; CL/XP 5/240; Special: cone of cold 
  (1/day), immune to cold, paralyze (1d4+1 rounds, save 
  avoids). (The Tome of Horrors Complete 325)
  P3. Thanopsis’ Laboratory 
  In order to prevent any interruptions as well as guard against intruders, 
  he cast a wizard lock on this stone door as soon as he finished building 
  his laboratory. 
  The roaring flames in an adjacent hearth warm and 
  illuminate a spacious laboratory. Two lit, golden braziers 
  dangle from a chain imbedded in the ceiling, filling the room 
  with the scent of burning incense. Numerous leather-bound 
  books nearly fill a large bookcase against the near corner. 
  Against the far wall are a simple writing desk, a matching 
  chair, a closed iron chest and a wooden cabinet topped by a 
  granite counter covered with alchemical equipment. A pool 
  of fresh, clean water is adjacent to the north wall.
  Thanopsis spends many hours in his laboratory, attempting to recall 
  the spells that he can longer cast because of the consciousness crystal’s 
  detrimental effects. During his 2000 years of isolation, the brilliant wizard 
  occupied countless hours transcribing the main collection’s most valuable 
  works from fragile papyrus onto more-durable parchment and vellum. He 
  copied 304 tomes that he now stores on the bookcase in his laboratory. 
  Thanopsis’ summoning circle in the center of the room is dormant, thus, 
  it does not emit a magical aura. He uses the pool of water against the north 
  wall as the viewing portal to peer through his roving wizard eye. Thanopsis 
  cares little for his monetary treasures, so the iron chest is neither locked 
  nor trapped. For a wizard of his former stature, his alchemical equipment 
  is ordinary at best. 
  There is a 50% chance of encountering Thanopsis within his laboratory. 
  The Referee may read or paraphrase the following description of Arcady’s 
  legendary librarian. If he is not here, he is always found in Area P5.
  An old woman with an olive complexion, long gray hair, 
  longing brown eyes, and attractive features loiters around the 
  workspace against the opposite wall. She wears numerous 
  pieces of elaborate jewelry of ancient make on her hands, 
  neck, and wrists. A wondrous cloak drapes around her 
  stooped shoulders. 
  Thanopsis’ consciousness now occupies the body of an old, Khemitite 
  woman, a guise that he uses to his maximum advantage. The characters’ 
  presence naturally frightens the cowardly wizard, but he maintains his 
  composure and attempts to bluff his way out of an immediate confrontation. 
  “She” claims to be Arsinoa, one of Thanopsis’ servants. Arsinoa feigns 
  regret over her master’s many sins, though she begrudgingly justifies his 
  actions based upon the “troubling times” that he endured. She then tells the 
  characters that Thanopsis died 2000 years ago, and any creature claiming 
  to be Arcady’s revered librarian is an imposter. To prove her point, she 
  offers to take the characters to see his mummified body in Area P4. Once 
  there, she and the chamber’s resident crypt thing immediately attack the 
  characters. If the characters already destroyed the undead guardian and 
  went to Area P5, she shrugs her shoulders and tells the adventurers that 
  she did all she can to help. 
  Thanopsis, Male Human (as Arsinoa, Female Human) (MU9): 
  HP 32; AC 7[12] or 2[17] (missile) and 4[15] (melee) from 
  shield spell; Atk staff of striking (2d6); Move 12; Save 5 (+2, 
  ring); AL C; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: +2 saves vs. spells, wands 
  and staffs, spells (4/3/3/2/1).
  Spells: 1st—detect magic, magic missile (x2), shield; 
  2nd—ESP, mirror image, strength; 3rd—dispel magic, 
  fireball, fly; 4th—confusion, wall of fire; 5th—animate 
  dead.
  Equipment: staff of striking, consciousness crystal, 
  ring of protection +2, ring of fire resistance, wand of 
  lightning bolt (7 charges), 2 potions of invisibility, scroll 
  (fear, monster summoning III), three aquamarines 
  worth 250gp each, a garnet ring worth 100gp, two 
  bronze necklaces worth 50gp each, three bronze 
  bracelets worth 25gp each.
  Note: The consciousness crystal is fully attuned to 
  Thanopsis after all these years and cannot be used by 
  the characters. However, it can be sold as a 1000gp 
  diamond. 
  Tactics: Thanopsis dispenses with the ruse once it becomes apparent 
  that the adventurers do not believe his elaborate tale. He attacks with his 
  spells and staff, and tries to divide and conquer his foes when possible. To 
  achieve this aim, he places a wall of fire in an ideal location to separate 
  one or two characters from the rest of their party. In rapid succession, 
  he then uses his wand of lightning bolt on the characters in his line of 
  sight followed by a strategically positioned fireball intended to affect the 
  characters on his side of the wall and those on the opposite side. 
  Thanopsis’ fear of death consumes him. He has no magic to aid his 
  escape. Therefore, whenever he is reduced to fewer than 10 hit points, he 
  begs and grovels for his wretched life. The terrified magic-user offers the 
  characters all of his worldly treasures in exchange for mercy. If they refuse 
  his offer, he reluctantly continues to fight, intermittently moping, sobbing, 
  and crying between actions until he either defeats the characters or his 
  greatest nightmare finally comes true. 
  Even though Thanopsis has not personally encountered another living 
  soul in twenty centuries, he cast a feeblemind trap on his spellbook’s 
  front page eons ago to prevent other wizards from stealing his lifetime of 
  mystical research. Thanopsis can read his spellbook’s contents without 
  harm. Any other magic-user that reads the spellbook must make a saving 
  throw with a –4 penalty or be affected by the feeblemind spell. 
  Treasure: Thanopsis’ iron chest holds 2075gp and 6443sp. The 304 
  books on the bookcase are worth 5gp each. The alchemical equipment is 
  extremely archaic and in poor shape, reducing its value to a meager 25gp.
  P4. Ossuary
  Six ornately carved and masterfully painted stone 
  sarcophagi occupy custom-fitted niches built into the 
  surrounding walls. The upright coffins are decorated with 
  gold plating and inlaid stones. Sculptures and paintings 
  on the walls, floor, and ceiling presumably depict the 
  souls of the dead sailing on reed boats past a menagerie of 
  anthropomorphic figures. Hundreds of browned papyrus 
  scrolls rest upon two sets of shelves against the far wall. 
  An unusual chair crafted from reeds and shaped into the 
  likeness of a seat found on a boat rest in front of each 
  collection of scrolls.   
  In contrast to Thanopsis, six of the library’s greatest scribes and 
  scholars embarked on the journey into the afterlife as described in the 
  numerous decorative artworks on the walls and ceiling. The decedents’ 
  beloved scrolls and comfortable chairs also joined them in the next world. 
  However, just like the papyrus scrolls in the library proper, these too 
  succumbed to the ravages of age and moisture, rendering them unreadable 
  and worthless. In accordance with Khemitian tradition, each of the 
  sarcophagi’s lids was fashioned into the likeness of the person contained 
  within the stone receptacles. Names do not appear anywhere on the coffins’ 
  surfaces. Of course, the artisans tasked with replicating the individuals’ 
  
  21
  A Little Knowledge
  faces and bodies glossed over their imperfections and produced highly 
  stylized and idealized likenesses of these individuals. The coffins contain 
  nothing other than the occupant’s mummified corpse.  
  Thanopsis and a visiting priest combined forces to create the crypt 
  thing that protects the ossuary and Thanopsis’ tomb from defilement. Its 
  wizardly creator forbade the crypt thing from conversing with anyone 
  other than him. Based upon these instructions, the monster seems perfectly 
  content to stand in the center of the room and monitor the characters’ 
  actions without uttering a single word. It does not attack until the 
  characters enter the room or attack it. Once either condition is satisfied, 
  the undead creature unleashes a teleporting burst to scatter the adventurers 
  throughout the pyramid level. Though stationed within the ossuary, it can 
  dimension door to any location in sight, though it cannot pass through the 
  north door in Area P1. 
  If Thanopsis accompanied the characters into the room, the crypt thing 
  obeys his master’s commands and attacks their shared foes with its claws. 
  Under these circumstances, it never uses its teleporting burst ability unless 
  Thanopsis directs it to do so. The crypt thing fights until destroyed. 
  Crypt Thing: HD 6; HP 44; AC 2[17]; Atk 2 claws (1d6); Move 
  12; Save 11; AL N; CL/XP 9/1100; Special: +1 or better magic 
  weapons to hit, teleport other, turn as 10HD monster. (The 
  Tome of Horrors Complete 114)
  P5. Thanopsis’ Tomb
  An immense barge made from reeds dominates the center 
  of the room. The huge boat is thirty feet long and just wide 
  enough to accommodate an unpainted alabaster coffin with 
  smooth, flat surfaces and no imagery or sculptures. On the 
  other hand, numerous paintings and bas-reliefs depicting 
  hosts of anthropomorphic figures greeting a middle-aged 
  man on a reed boat cover every available surface on the walls. 
  Several hundred papyrus scrolls rest upon freestanding 
  shelves adjacent to the reed barge. 
  Surprisingly, the egotistical Thanopsis specifically requested that his 
  coffin not bear any images of his likeness. The same cannot be said for 
  the artworks covering the walls. The handsome, bald middle-age man 
  shown in these paintings and bas-relief sculptures accurately depict the 
  great librarian before his numerous transformations. The images portray 
  Thanopsis’ journey into the afterlife. Thanopsis also desired to keep 
  his treasured written works for all eternity, but his nonmagical papyrus 
  scrolls turned into tattered shreds eons ago. The ever-cautious Thanopsis 
  preserved four magical scrolls in ceramic cases and stashed them on the 
  shelves. 
  There is a 50% chance of encountering Thanopsis here. If he is not 
  here, he is always found in Area P3. The Referee may read or paraphrase 
  Thanopsis’ description from that area as well. Though the door is not 
  secured, the characters’ combat with the crypt thing in the adjacent tomb 
  likely alerts Thanopsis to the presence of intruders. 
  Treasure: As previously mentioned, Thanopsis hid the following 
  4 arcane scrolls (ice storm, invisibility 10ft radius, teleport) among his 
  scroll collection. Thanopsis’ alabaster coffin is empty, but the 500-lb. 
  vessel is worth 250gp. 
  Concluding the Adventure
  Thanopsis’ defeat rids the Feirgotha Plateau of a long-standing menace, 
  but it also increases the likelihood of other malevolent monsters taking 
  up residence in the abandoned structure. This development prompts the 
  dwarves of Clan Craenog to monitor the remote region more closely. 
  Over the coming months, Burvaadun witnesses significant upgrades in 
  structural improvements and manpower. Dwarven stonemasons repair 
  the breaches in the garrison’s outer wall and even construct several small 
  outposts in the Library of Arcady’s vicinity. 
  Clan Craenog also takes notice of the characters’ actions in this matter. 
  If dwarven characters aided Burvaadun in its time of need, the High Thane 
  invites the brave dwarves to Erod Flan to express his personal gratitude. 
  This time, a column of troops escorts the characters from the isolated 
  fortress to the distant dwarven capital. Even if they did not directly 
  intervene on behalf of the dwarven defenders, Thanopsis’ destruction ends 
  the prolonged siege of Clan Craenog’s beleaguered garrison. The grateful 
  dwarves enthusiastically greet their liberators and offer to accompany 
  them to Erod Flan once a relief force arrives at the garrison. 
  The characters’ fortunes now turn north, though they are still free to 
  revisit Miners’ Refuge for some much-needed rest and recuperation in 
  addition to restocking their supplies. Alternately, the characters can 
  accomplish these tasks when they reach the next leg of their journey at 
  Erod Flan or another suitable location along the way.
  
  22
  Quests of Doom 4
  
  23
  A Little Knowledge
  
  24
  Quests of Doom 4
  
  25
  A Little Knowledge
  
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  athan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax 
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  Author: Tom Knauss.
  
  29
  A Little Knowledge
  Frog God 
  Games
  Quests of Doom 4
  Quests of Doom 4
  ISBN 978-1-62283-480-8
  A Little Knowledge is a 5th-level adventure that takes the PCs across the Stoneheart 
  Mountains onto the forbidding Feirgotha Plateau to investigate the myths and tales 
  surrounding the ancient and presumably deserted Library of Arcady. The PCs soon 
  discover that the venerable building is not as abandoned as originally believed, and its 
  unusual caretaker keeps more terrible secrets than any of its fabled lost writings. 
  A Little Knowledge
  A Little Knowledge
  QoD4m
  QoD4m
  
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