TEXT: 1
  the ministry
  of winds
  A short adventure for four
  6th-level player characters
  CREDITS
  Design: 
  Monte Cook
  Editing: 
  Sue Weinlein Cook
  Cartography: 
  Dennis Kauth
  Web Production: 
  Julia Martin
  Web Development:
  Mark A. Jindra
  Graphic Design: 
  Sean Glenn, Cynthia Fliege
  Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game by
  E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and on the new edi-
  tion of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich
  Baker, and Peter Adkison.
  D&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and DUNGEON MASTER are registered
  trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The d20 logo is a
  trademark owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All Wizards charac-
  ters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are
  trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America.
  Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is
  prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations,
  places, or events is purely coincidental.
  ©2001 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A.
  INTRODUCTION
  Deep in the heart of the city lies that strange edifice.
  Everyone knows about it or, that is to say, everyone
  knows it is there. No one ever really seems to have
  much more information about the granite structure,
  except that it has no windows or doors, and it is sur-
  rounded by swirling wind. Most people call it the
  Obelisk of the Winds. Tales are told of its secrets, but
  none of them seems to hold the truth. 
  This urban miniadventure can take place in just
  about any city in your campaign—just set it in the part
  of town that works best for your current needs. If you
  have Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, the city can be
  Hommlet; you might also suggest a tie between the
  Ministry of the Winds described here and the Air
  Temple in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (Area 73
  in Chapter 5: The Crater Ridge Mines).
  PREPARATION
  You, the Dungeon Master (DM), need a copy of the
  Player’s Handbook, the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, and the
  Monster Manual to use this adventure. If you plan to tie
  this scenario in with the Air Temple as mentioned
  above, you’ll need the new Return to the Temple of Ele-
  mental Evil adventure.
  Text that appears in shaded boxes is player informa-
  tion, which you may read aloud or paraphrase when
  appropriate. Unshaded boxes contain important infor-
  mation for you, including special instructions. Monster
  and NPC statistics are provided with each encounter in
  abbreviated form or, where appropriate, the proper
  page in the Monster Manual is referenced.
  This adventure uses one of the “Ruins 1” maps by
  Dennis Kauth from the Official D&D Website’s Map-a-
  Week feature (Aug. 31, 2000). It’s reprinted on page 3.
  BACKGROUND
  The Ministry of Winds was once a powerful group of
  four spellcasters that built the Obelisk of the Winds.
  They lived in the area more than 200 years ago, eventu-
  ally sealing themselves off in the obelisk and its dun-
  geon level (see map of that level on page 3) to save
  themselves from an impending apocalypse. 
  Years later, when some explorers named Narev and
  Justina entered the dungeon level through the sewers,
  the spirits of the original Ministry members—now cer-
  tain that the disaster they once feared had passed—
  exerted their influence upon the two, effectively pos-
  
  2
  sessing them. (See the sidebar on page 5.)Trapped for
  decades, the original Ministry members have lost their
  grasp on reality. In the  delusions of their twisted
  minds, they now seek to harness the power of the
  winds to take over the city above.
  To this end, Narev and Justina tricked a minotaur
  named Traan and a barghest named Erin-kahnor into
  coming to the obelisk, whereupon the newcomers
  found themselves effectively possessed as well.
  With the Ministry once again complete, the four
  plot and scheme in their madness.
  CHARACTER HOOKS
  Use one of the following hooks to get the player char-
  acters (PCs) interested in investigating the obelisk:
  • The local wizard’s guild is perplexed by the place
  and its obvious magic. They know it’s hollow, and
  would like to know what’s inside. They hire the
  PCs to go in and report back about what they find,
  offering to create for each PC a magic item worth
  up to 2,000 gp market value in payment.
  • Narev’s sister Nareis (LN female human, Sor4) is
  looking for her missing brother, who once told her
  he had been inside the strange Obelisk of the
  Winds. She will pay any group of adventures 5,000
  gp to bring her brother back to her. She can tell
  them that Narev is a sorcerer like her and that he
  has always been interested in history.
  • Deddin Knoc (N male half-elf, Clr5 [Obad-Hai])
  knows about the Ministry of Winds. Not long ago
  its members stole a sacred relic of his church called
  the Scepter of Clouds, and he wants it back. He
  offers a 5,000 gp reward for the scepter. He can
  inform the PCs that the members of the Ministry
  live under the obelisk and are interested in ancient
  things and the elements, specifically air. He can tell
  the party that the Ministry is made up of a human,
  an elf, a minotaur, and a goblin
  Notice that none of these hooks involves “stopping the
  evil Ministry before it meets its goal.” That’s because the
  Ministry’s goal is absurd and its members are all insane.
  Even though the Ministry thinks it can conquer all the
  surrounding lands, and even though its members are dan-
  gerous, this is not a “stop-the-apocalypse” adventure.
  Gather Information or Bardic
  Knowledge Check
  If the PCs take the time to ask around, or if a bard is
  present, they can  attempt to discern more information. 
  • DC 10: A door occasionally appears at the base of
  obelisk, when the winds die down. No one’s ever
  been brave enough to open the door.
  • DC 20: The supernatural winds around the obelisk
  die down when real winds blow through town
  with some strength.
  • DC 25: Long ago, a group called itself the Ministry
  of Winds. The four spellcasters who made up the
  group built the obelisk.
  • DC 30: It’s likely that, if there’s an underground
  level to the obelisk, it joins up with the sewer sys-
  tem somewhere in the city.
  OBELISK FEATURES
  The walls of the Obelisk of the Winds are smooth, 8-
  foot-thick stone (hardness 8; 720 hp; Break DC 80). The
  DC to climb them is 20.
  OUTSIDE THE OBELISK
  When the PCs arrive at the obelisk, read the following
  text.
  If a real wind blows (on any given day, there’s a 1 in 12
  chance per hour), the winds around the obelisk die
  down and a door appears at the base. It is made of the
  same stone as the obelisk (Stone Door: 4 inches thick;
  hardness 8; 60 hp; Break DC 28) and is sealed with an
  arcane lock. The gust of wind that brought the door into
  existence lasts only 1d4 minutes.
  A gust of wind spell directed at the obelisk also calls
  the door into existence. In this case, the door remains
  for 1d4 rounds.
  LEVEL 1: ENTRANCE
  Read or paraphrase the following text aloud:
  The obelisk rises to a height of about 120 feet
  and measures some 40 feet on a side, growing
  slightly thinner toward the top. The stone is a
  mottled gray and brown granite, with no fea-
  tures. As you had heard, there is a strong breeze
  here, almost as if the winds circle and eddy
  around this strange edifice.
  This dark chamber is a little larger than 20 feet
  across. The stone walls are covered in intricate
  carvings. The floor is smooth, and the ceiling
  looms high above in the darkness. 
  
  3
  There is no map for this
  simple chamber.
  If someone examines the
  carvings on the walls, the
  character may attempt a
  Knowledge (arcana) or a
  Knowledge (history) check
  with a DC of 25. A success at
  either reveals that the carv-
  ings are part of an ancient
  pictogram 
  system 
  that
  melded magical knowledge
  and philosophy to record his-
  torical events. A Decipher
  Script check (DC 30) can
  translate these pictograms,
  although they are really just
  boastful, poetic praises for
  the power of the four winds (one pictogram for each
  cardinal direction).
  Those involved in the study may also make Search
  checks (DC 20). Success means that the character
  found a place where the carvings are deep enough to
  allow one to climb up the wall (to Level 2). The Climb
  check DC is only 10.
  Further, anyone searching the floor can discover a
  poorly concealed secret hatch (DC 15 to find) that lifts
  and slides aside to expose a spiral stone stair leading
  down.
  LEVEL 2: THE WATCHER
  (EL 6)
  Read or paraphrase the following text aloud:
  The elevated chair sits 6 feet off the ground on wooden
  supports. The one-way transparency of the walls is a
  permanent magical effect.
  Creature: Ssiigg is a civilized xill, but unlike most of
  his kind, he is not terribly bloodthirsty and violent. In
  fact, he is content to watch the events of the city and
  record them. The Ministry of Winds provides him with
  parchment, and he provides them with the highlights
  of what he sees in his unsleeping vigil. If the PCs do
  not make their presence known, Ssiigg does not stop
  writing. If they interrupt him in any way, he leaps from
  his chair and attacks with his two short swords and
  claws. He fights to the death.
  Xill: 34 hp; see Monster Manual page 187.
  Treasure: The parchments, if gathered, would be worth
  up to 1,500 gp to an interested buyer (they contain a lot
  of information about happenings in the city over the
  past eight months).
  DUNGEON LEVEL
  Each of the doors on this level is a sturdy wooden spec-
  imen (Wooden Doors: 2 inches thick; hardness 5; hp
  20; AC 5; Break DC 23). 
  The ceilings are all 15 feet high. 
  Once the PCs proceed down the spiral stairs to the
  Dungeon Level, the members of the Ministry of Winds
  act according to the situation. Most likely, Narev and
  Traan move to confront intruders as soon as they
  become aware of them, while Justina, her wolf, and
  Erin-kahnor move to Area 5 to defend the vault (Area 6).
  At 60 feet above the floor of the entrance cham-
  ber, a small opening leads into the upper level of
  the obelisk. Only about 15 feet across, this strange
  room holds an interesting secret. The stone walls
  of the obelisk on this level are somehow transpar-
  ent—you can see the city sprawl around you from
  up here! Before you can enjoy the view, however,
  you realize that you are not alone.
  A strange creature with ruby-red scales, a
  mandibled head, and four arms sits in an ele-
  vated chair in the center of the room, writing
  on a piece of parchment. It wears a loose yellow
  cloak and keeps weapons—two short swords—
  close at hand. Hundreds, if not thousands of
  sheets of parchment lie scattered about the
  floor around the creature.
  
  4
  Area 1: Clouds
  Read or paraphrase the following text aloud:
  This room is empty.
  Area 2: Hall of History
  Read or paraphrase the following text aloud:
  This carving is of the same pictogram language found
  on Level 1. It tells the ancient history of the sur-
  rounding area and speaks of the great influence of the
  Ministry of Winds in all affairs. A translation—fol-
  lowing a successful Knowledge (history) check (DC
  25)—suggests that this is all wild, arrogant exaggera-
  tion. A successful Search check (DC 20) reveals that
  some of the carvings, toward the west end, are very
  new. If translated, they relate that, after a long
  entombment, the Ministry of Winds has returned
  and soon will conquer the lands that arose in their
  absence, using the all-powerful Scepter of Clouds.
  (This is, of course, mad raving—the Scepter of
  Clouds isn’t even magical; see Area 4.) This carving
  was completed by Justina.
  Area 3: Hall of Sacred Wind (EL 8)
  Read or paraphrase the following text aloud:
  The continuous magically-generated winds of this hall
  are such that characters must make Fortitude saves (DC
  15) each round or suffer ill effects (as detailed in the
  DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, page 87). If anyone attempts
  to dispel the wind, treat the effect as though created by
  a 15th-level caster.
  Creatures. Ten Large-sized zombies (they all were
  once ogres) occupy this hallway and attack anyone that
  enters it, other than the members of the Ministry of
  Winds. Because they are Large, they can ignore the
  effects of the wind. They do not follow foes out of the
  hall, however.
  Zombies (10): 30, 15, 25, 42, 21, 38, 29, 35, 27, 34 hp;
  see Monster Manual page 192.
  Area 4: Ministry Quarters (EL 6 x 4)
  There are four of these rooms, each the personal cham-
  ber of a single member of the Ministry of Winds. NW:
  Justina, NE: Narev, SW: Traan, SE: Erin-kahnor. The
  text below describes all these rooms; the  northern
  chambers boast lit oil lamps in addition to the standard
  belongings.
  The area south of these rooms and Area 5 collapsed
  long ago due to age. The members of the Ministry have
  cleared away all the clutter except where shown on the
  map. The path south leads into the city sewers—this is
  how the Ministry members move about, such as when
  they raided the temple of Obad-Hai and stole the
  Scepter of Clouds. Characters who learn about the
  potential sewer entrance and investigate eventually
  come in through this passage, giving the Ministry little
  or no warning.
  Creatures. These are the actual members of today’s
  Ministry of Winds. Each is “possessed” by an ancient
  spirit that guides them but nevertheless does not alter
  their abilities. For example, despite the fact than an
  ancient cleric possesses Traan, he retains the abilities of
  a normal minotaur—no more, no less (except that he,
  like the other members, can read and write in the
  strange pictogram language mentioned earlier). The
  possessing spirits merely allow these disparate individ-
  uals to work together toward the common goal of con-
  quering the surrounding lands. This, of course, is an
  This oddly-shaped hall is filled with large, 
  fluidly-carved alcoves. The walls are all cov-
  ered in a strange mixture of abstract carvings
  and a myriad of tiny images.
  This chamber has a bed, a small table, a pair of
  chairs and some miscellaneous belongings that
  lead one to believe that this is a bedchamber
  where someone currently lives.
  The spiral stairs descend into the southern side
  of a mostly round room almost 30 feet across.
  The walls, floor, and domed ceiling have been
  painted sky-blue and white, like a cloud-filled
  sky. However, now—surely many decades after
  this handiwork was completed—the paint
  looks faded and chipped.
  This hallway is filled with powerful winds,
  blowing from west to east. There are 10 small
  alcoves, each of which hides a shambling,
  humanoid form that towers at least 8 feet high.
  These creatures begin to lurch out of the
  recesses and into the windy hall, brittle flesh
  barely hanging onto ancient bone.
  
  5
  insane goal for these four, but the possessing spirits are
  too mad to realize it. . Despite the absurdity of their
  goal, they are dangerous and will almost certainly pose
  a threat to the city’s residents eventually, if not stopped.
  Narev: Male human Sor6; CR 6; Medium-size
  humanoid; HD 6d4+6; hp 23; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11
  (touch 11, flat-footed 11); Atk +3 melee (1d4/19–20,
  dagger) or +3 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); SV Fort +3,
  Ref +4, Will +6; AL CN; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 12,
  Wis 13, Cha 16. 
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +10, Knowledge
  (arcana) +6; Knowledge (history) +10, Listen +5, Spell-
  craft +10; Lightning Reflexes, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus
  (Evocation), Toughness.
  Possessions: Ring of protection +1, potion of cure moderate
  wounds, scrolls of gust of wind, see invisibility, and fly, two
  daggers, pouch containing spell components, key to
  Area 6.
  Spells Known (6/7/6/4; base DC = 13 + spell level): 0—
  daze, detect magic, light, mage hand, ray of frost, read magic,
  resistance; 1st—endure elements, mage armor, magic missile,
  shield; 2nd—cat’s grace, invisibility; 3rd—lightning bolt †.
  † Because of Spell Focus (Evocation), the base DC for saves
  against this spell is 15 + spell level.
  Justina: Female elf Clr6 [Obad-Hai]; CR 6;
  Medium-size humanoid; HD 6d8; hp 29; Init +1 (Dex);
  Spd 20 ft.; AC 20 (touch 10, flat-footed 20); Atk +7
  melee (1d8+3, +1 heavy mace) or +5 ranged (1d6/×3,
  shortbow); SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +8; AL CN; Str 15,
  Dex 12, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 12. 
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +9, Knowledge (reli-
  gion) +5; Listen +7, Search +2, Spot +5; Spell Focus
  (Enchantment), Toughness, Weapon Focus (heavy
  mace).
  Possessions: +1 heavy mace, potions of cure light wounds
  and levitate, masterwork plate armor, large steel shield,
  shortbow, 10 arrows.
  Spells Prepared (5/4+1/4+1/3+1; base DC = 13 + spell
  level):  0—create water, light, read magic, resistance†, virtue;
  1st—bless, command†, endure elements, obscuring mist*,
  shield of faith; 2nd—bull’s strength, endurance (2), hold
  person†, wind wall* (2); 3rd—dispel magic, gaseous form*,
  magic vestment, protection from elements. 
  * Domain spell. Domains: Air (turn earth creatures, com-
  mand air creatures), Animal (animal friendship 1/day).
  † Because of Spell Focus (Enchantment), the base DC for
  saves against these spells is 15 + spell level.
  Dire wolf companion: 44 hp; see Monster Manual
  page 57.
  Traan (minotaur): 38 hp; see Monster Manual page
  137. Uses a +1 huge greataxe (add +1 to attack rolls and
  damage).
  Erin-kahnor (barghest): 49 hp; see Monster Manual
  page 49.
  Tactics: A fight in the Hall of Sacred
  Wind alerts these NPCs (unless the
  battle is in a silenced area, or similar
  precautions are used). Carefully count
  down the rounds that the Ministry of
  Winds has to prepare as follows. In
  preparing for an encounter, Narev
  casts cat’s grace on himself, Traan, and
  Erin-kahnor, and invisibility on him-
  self (saving the last two 2nd-level slots
  for further invisibility for himself). If
  time permits, he casts mage armor on
  himself, Traan, and Erin-kahnor, and
  shield on himself. Justina casts bull’s
  strength on herself, and endurance on
  herself and Narev, then shield of faith,
  protection from elements (fire), and magic
  vestment on herself. 
  In summary (if all preparations are
  completed, taking 9 rounds):
  • Narev: Add +4 armor bonus and
  +7 cover bonus from shield to
  Narev’s AC. Also add 1d4+1 points
  of Dexterity and Constitution,
  adjusting hp, AC, and saving
  throws accordingly.
  • Justina: Add +3 deflection bonus and +2 enhance-
  ment bonus to Justina’s AC. Also add 1d4+1 points
  of Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution to Justina,
  adjusting attack bonuses, damage, hp, AC, and sav-
  ing throws accordingly.
  • Traan: Add +4 armor bonus to AC. Also add 1d4+1
  to Dexterity and adjust AC and saving throws
  accordingly.
  • Erin-kahnor: Add +4 armor bonus to AC. Also add
  1d4+1 to Dexterity and adjust AC and saving
  throws accordingly.
  In battle, Traan wades into melee while Narev uses
  lightning bolts and magic missiles. Erin-kahnor uses his
  charm-related abilities and emotion power from a levi-
  tated position while Justina swings about with her
  mace. She converts her remaining spells in battle to
  healing spells if needed to help herself, her wolf com-
  panion, or Erin-kahnor.
  The Original Ministry
  Sealed forever in their fortress here,
  the original members of the
  Ministry of Winds are long dead.
  Their memories linger on, however,
  echoing through the chambers of
  the underground ruin. They are not
  true ghosts, wraiths, or spectres—
  although one might still refer to
  them as “spirits” of a sort.
  They are simply lingering memo-
  ries with strong wills. When Narev
  and Justina entered the obelisk,
  they activated those memories and
  found themselves overwhelmed by
  them. However, this “possession”
  will not happen again. PCs will not
  be taken over by the Ministry’s
  memory-spirits.
  On the other hand, not being
  truly undead, the possessing mem-
  ories and wills of the original
  Ministry members cannot be
  turned or affected by undead-affect-
  ing spells. A possessing spirit can
  be forever banished from its host by
  the following spells: dismissal, break
  enchantment, dispel evil, banish-
  ment, holy word, limited wish, mira-
  cle, or wish. Once banished, the
  spirit disappears forever.
  
  6
  Treasure. These characters have some gear, but no
  other treasure. All of their valuables are kept in the
  Vault (Area 6).
  Area 5: Gathering Chamber
  Read or paraphrase the following text aloud:
  Other than the table and chairs, this room is empty. The
  table has a piece of paper scrawled in Common by one
  of the Ministry members, describing how the original
  Ministry of Winds sealed itself here until Narev and
  Justina came and gave them new life, but it soon trails
  off into mad delusions of grandeur.
  The iron door to Area 6 is iron and locked (see
  below).
  Development: If alerted, Justina, her wolf, and Erin-
  kahnor wait here to defend the vault.
  Area 6: Vault (EL 3)
  The door to this chamber is iron (Iron Door: 2 inches
  thick, hardness 10, 60 hp, Break DC 28) and locked (DC
  30 to pick—Narev has the key). It is also trapped with a
  ward that goes off if someone opens the door without
  first saying, “The four winds reign supreme.”
  Glyph of Warding: CR 3; 5-ft. lightning burst (3d8);
  Reflex save halves damage (DC 15); Search (DC 28);
  Disable Device (DC 28).
  Once past the trap and the door, the PCs are free to
  loot this vault.
  Treasure: The strange pile of treasure includes 7,549 cp,
  3,922 sp and 1,210 gp. It also features the following items:
  • The Scepter of Clouds (a blue scepter with small
  white pearls worth 1,400 gp). Although it is a
  sacred relic of Obad-Hai and thus has irreplaceable
  religious value to that religion, it is not magical.
  Nevertheless, the Ministry of Wind members in
  their madness—especially Justina, once a cleric of
  Obad-Hai and acolyte of Deddin Knoc—believe it
  to be magical (despite the mundane results of their
  best efforts to test it). 
  • Eight gems worth the following: 800 gp, 400 gp,
  350 gp, 300 gp, 175 gp, 90 gp, 50 gp, and 10 gp.
  • A divine scroll of wind wall.
  • A dark blue vase worth 50 gp.
  • A broken ebony figurine of a bird (still worth
  150 gp—300 gp if a mend spell is used).
  • A masterwork heavy flail.
  • Two vials of holy water.
  • Three smokesticks.
  ENDING THE
  ADVENTURE
  This obelisk is actually an interesting site for the PCs to
  occupy and adopt as their own if they defeat the Min-
  istry. Otherwise, returning with the scepter, Narev
  (subdued, most likely), or information about the place
  (depending on which hook was used) gains the PCs
  their reward. If the members of the Ministry were not
  defeated conclusively, they begin plotting their
  revenge upon the PCs.
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Monte Cook started working professionally in the
  game industry in 1988. In the employ of Iron Crown
  Enterprises, he worked with the Rolemaster and
  Champions games as an editor, developer, and
  designer.
  In 1994 Monte came to work at TSR as a game
  designer. As a senior game designer with Wizards of
  the Coast, he codesigned the new edition of
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and authored the DUNGEON
  MASTER's Guide. His newest release is Return to the
  Temple of Elemental Evil.
  A graduate of the Clarion West writer's workshop,
  Monte has also published short stories and two
  novels. In his spare time, he runs anywhere from one
  to three games per week, holds a yearly game con-
  vention at his house, builds vast dioramas out of
  LEGO building bricks, and reads a lot of comics. 
  Monte designed the June 2001 adventure, A Frigid
  Demise, for the Official D&D Website. To read more
  of his recent d20 work, visit his home page at
  www.montecook.com.
  This long chamber once boasted beautiful tap-
  estries on the walls, but now they hang in tat-
  ters. At the far east end sits a rectangular table
  with four chairs around it;  a lantern atop it
  glows brightly.
  This cold, rough-hewn cave contains a large pile
  of coins, valuable-looking items, and strange
  miscellaneous trinkets.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/D&D 3rd Edition/3.0 Adventures/The Ministry of Winds.pdf