TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the 
  new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard 
  Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
  This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any 
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  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK, Living Greyhawk, D&D Rewards, RPGA, Player’s 
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  in the US and other countries. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of 
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  Visit the LIVING GREYHAWK website at www.rpga.com. 
   
   
  KET7-09 
   
   
   
   
   
  A Thorny Issue 
   
  A One-Round Dungeons & Dragons
  ®  
  Living Greyhawk™ Ket Regional Adventure 
   
  by Alan Brown, Penn Davies & Chris Wachal  
  Circle Reviewer: Tim Sech  
  Playtesters: Josh Hanneson, Doug Graham, Kendra Graham, Amy Chop, Chris Chop 
   
   
  Mullahs of the True Faith have taken the Ket army on a holy quest to invade Ekbir. With no army protecting Ket, Bissel 
  has invaded, taking Lopolla by storm. Ketites remaining in the country are divided and leaderless. Can Ket be saved? 
  Will anyone try? Or is there no place left for those more loyal to Ket than to the True Faith? An adventure for levels 1-15 
  (APLs 2-12). Part 1 of the Beygraf in Molvar series—adventures in this series should be played in order for the best play 
  experience. Any PC may play this adventure, even if the PC has previously worked for the quest for the Cup & 
  Talisman. However, PCs may be rewarded for their loyalty if they have declared for the Beygraf and/or have not played 
  any of the adventures in the Road to Righteousness series. Playing Ket adventures published prior to November 2007 
  after playing this one will result in regional storyline discontinuity. 
   
  Resources for this adventure [and the authors of those works] include: 
   Complete Divine [David Noonan], Complete Warrior [Andy Collins, David Noonan, Ed Stark], Magic Item 
  Compendium [Wizards Team], Miniatures Handbook [Jonathan Tweet & Bruce R. Cordell], Monster Manual IV 
  [Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel], and Monster Manual V [Wizards Team].
  
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 1 
  RPGA® SANCTIONED PLAY 
  Most likely you ordered this adventure as part of an 
  RPGA event from the RPGA website, or you received it 
  from your senior gamemaster. To play this adventure as 
  part of the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign—a worldwide, 
  ongoing D&D
  ® campaign set in the GREYHAWK setting—
  you must sanction it as part of an RPGA event. This event 
  could be as elaborate as a big convention, or as simple as a 
  group of friends meeting at the DM’s house.  
   
  To sanction an RPGA event, you must be at least a 
  HERALD-LEVEL™ gamemaster. The person who sanctions 
  the event is called the senior gamemaster, and is in 
  charge of making sure the event is sanctioned before 
  play, runs smoothly on the date sanctioned, and then 
  reported back to the RPGA in a timely manner. The 
  person who runs the game is called the session Dungeon 
  Master (or usually just DM). Sometimes (and almost all 
  the time in the cases of home events) the senior 
  gamemaster is also the session DM. You must be at least a 
  HERALD-LEVEL GM to run this adventure. 
  By 
  sanctioning 
  and 
  reporting 
  this 
  adventure, 
  you 
  accomplish a couple of things. First, it is an official game, 
  and you can use the AR to advance your LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character. Second, players and DMs gain 
  rewards for sanctioned RPGA play if they are members of 
  the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS program. Playing 
  this adventure is worth two (2) points.  
   
  This adventure retires from RPGA-sanctioned play 
  on December 31, 2008.  
   
  To learn more about the LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character creation and development, RPGA event 
  sanctioning, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS, visit 
  the RPGA website at www.rpga.com.  
   
  PLAYERS READ NO FARTHER 
  If you are planning on playing this adventure, stop 
  reading now. The rest of the information in this 
  adventure is for the DM only. If you read farther than 
  this section, you’ll know too much about its challenges, 
  which kills the fun. Also, if you’re playing this adventure 
  as part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, reading beyond this 
  point makes you ineligible to do so.  
   
  PREPARING FOR PLAY 
  To get the most out of this adventure, you need copies of 
  the following D&D rule books: Player’s Handbook, 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual.  
   
  Throughout this adventure, text in bold italics 
  provides player information for you to paraphrase or read 
  aloud when appropriate. Information on nonplayer 
  characters (NPCs) and monsters appear in abbreviated 
  form in the adventure text. Refer to Appendix 1 for full 
  information on NPCs and monsters. For your 
  convenience, Appendix 1 is split by APL 
   
  Along with this adventure, you’ll find a RPGA 
  session tracking sheet. If you’re playing this adventure as 
  part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, complete and turn in 
  this sheet to your senior GM directly after play. You’ll 
  also find a LIVING GREYHAWK adventure record (AR). You 
  need one copy of this for each participating player. 
   
   LIVING GREYHAWK LEVELS 
  OF PLAY 
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportionate to the modified average character level of 
  the adventurers participating in the adventure. To 
  calculate the Average Party Level (APL), follow the 
  process below:  
  1. Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. Each PC may bring 
  one animal, plus any creatures gained from class 
  abilities to help in combat. (PCs can bring more 
  creatures but they cannot help in combat). If you 
  deem that the animal bestows a significant benefit in 
  combat add the animal’s CR to the level of the PC it 
  is accompanying for calculating APL. (Animals 
  gained from class abilities and one standard horse, 
  warhorse, or riding dog for a PC with Mounted 
  Combat do not affect APL). 
  Sum the results of step 1 and divide by the number of 
  characters playing in the adventure. Round to the 
  nearest whole number. 
  If you are running a table of six adventurers, add one to 
  that average. 
  Throughout this adventure, APLs categorize the level of 
  challenge the PCs face. APLs are given in even-numbered 
  increments. If the APL of your group falls on an odd 
  number, ask them before the adventure begins whether 
  they would like to play a harder or easier adventure. 
  Based on their choice, use either the higher or the lower 
  adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience and gold a 
  PC can gain at the end of the adventure. A player 
  character more than three levels higher than the APL at 
  which the adventure is played cannot participate. If a 
  player character is more than two levels away from the 
  APL at which the adventure is played, he suffers a 50% 
  penalty to the amount of gold and XP gained in the 
  adventure. This simulates the fact that either the PC was 
  not challenged as much as normal or relied on help by 
  higher-level characters to reach the objectives. 
   
  LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed for APL 
  2 and higher. Four or five 1st-level characters may find 
  
  the challenge of an APL 2 adventure difficult. Suggest the 
  following to these groups to help increase their chances 
  of success:  
  1. 
  Enlist a sixth player. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help 
  protect them and fight for them. 
  These APL calculation rules are taken from Living 
  Greyhawk Campaign Standards 7.1. 
   
  TIME UNITS AND UPKEEP 
  This is a standard one-round regional adventure set in 
  Ket.  
  As of September 1, 2007, there is no Time Unit cost to 
  play the adventure portion of this adventure; 
  however, standard Time Unit costs still apply to 
  crafting, magic item creation, performing or other 
  non-adventure related activities or penalties. The cost 
  for Standard Upkeep is 12 gp for PCs whose home 
  region is Ket, or 24 gp for out-of-region characters. 
  Both Rich Upkeep and Luxury Upkeep cost 75 gp 
  regardless of home region.  
   
  Characters that fail to pay at least Standard Upkeep 
  will retain temporary ability damage until the next 
  adventure, must buy new spell component pouches and 
  healer’s kits, and may suffer other in-game penalties (or 
  possibly gain in-game benefits) as may be detailed in this 
  adventure. 
   
  A character that does not pay for at least Standard 
  Upkeep may also avoid the above-described penalties by 
  living off the wild. If the character possesses four or more 
  ranks in the Survival skill and succeeds at a DC 20 
  Survival check, the character will heal temporary ability 
  damage as if he or she paid for Standard Upkeep, may 
  refill spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  restock up to 20 blunt arrows or bolts if the character has 
  at least four ranks in Craft (bowmaking). The player is 
  allowed to Take 10 on this roll. 
   
  More information about lifestyle and upkeep can be 
  found in the Lifestyle and Upkeep section of Chapter 3 of 
  Living Greyhawk Campaign Standards 7.1 
   
  NEW RULE ITEMS 
  Core adventures often utilize new rules items –including 
  new classes, prestige classes, races, feats, spells, and 
  equipment (including magic items) – that do not appear 
  in any of the three core D&D books (Player’s Handbook, 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, or Monster Manual). The full 
  write-up of any featured feats, spells, or equipment 
  appears in Appendix 2. Information on featured classes, 
  prestige classes, and races appears in the relevant 
  creature’s stat block. This adventure includes all the 
  information required to run these characters. The DM 
  should double-check that he fully understands any new 
  rule items presented in this adventure before play begins. 
   
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND 
  RECENT EVENTS IN KET 
  In the dying days of CY597, shocking news reached the 
  court of the Copper Palace. The Cup and Talisman—the 
  blessed artifacts of Al’Akbar himself, which had been lost 
  to history for 300 years—have miraculously turned up in 
  Ekbir, where they have been given into the care of the 
  Caliph of Ekbir, a notoriously corrupt man, although 
  nominally the spiritual leader of the Exalted Faith. 
   
  This has outraged the leader of the True Faith, the 
  Grand Mufti, and he has called for all followers of the 
  True Faith to rise up, march into Ekbir and seize the Cup 
  and Talisman by force. 
   
  The Mullahs of Ket, led by Sylvana bint Zoltan, the 
  daughter of Zoltan (a Beygraf assassinated during the 
  Greyhawk Wars), called upon the entire Ket army to 
  march on Ekbir. Beygraf Nadaid, while sympathetic, 
  objected to the idea of sending the entire army to Ekbir, 
  for it would leave Ket defenseless. However, Nadaid’s 
  own brother, the Black Arrow, general of Ket’s army, 
  betrayed Nadaid and sided with Sylvana and the Mullahs. 
  Nadaid was charged with treason, but before he could be 
  tried and executed, he escaped and was spirited out of 
  Lopolla to Molvar, where Alvaro Aldeen, the Graf of 
  Molvar, welcomed him and turned the city over to him. 
  The Archons remained loyal as well, and withdrew from 
  all parts of Ket to Molvar. Most of the army units 
  stationed in Molvar remained loyal too, as did the 
  Stouthearts, the Veterans of Ket and the Beygraf’s Pride. 
   
  Both the Black Arrow and Sylvana desire the throne 
  of Ket, but the Church of Al’Akbar will only support the 
  leader who recovers the Cup & Talisman, so both are 
  eager to get to Ekbir and be the leader credited with 
  winning back the holy artifacts. Ignoring the Beygraf’s 
  warnings about leaving the country defenseless, they 
  quickly marched the entire army and a good portion of 
  Ket’s adult population out of Ket and on to Ekbir.  
   
  It only took a few days for the Bisselite army to 
  discover that the forts of southern Ket and the Irafa Road 
  were ungarrisoned. Bissel’s army, led by an ambitious 
  general, marched up the Irafa Road and besieged the 
  undefended capital, Lopolla, which they quickly took and 
  burned to the ground. 
   
  THE BEYGRAF IN MOLVAR 
  Nadaid, the deposed Beygraf, anticipating the conflict 
  with Bissel, has spent his time in Molvar bolstering its 
  defenses. But seeing that the throne of Ket remains 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 2 
  
  empty while his brother and Sylvana squabble over it, he 
  is also making plans to attempt to re-ascend to power.  
   
  Having lost his traditional bases of support (the 
  army, the merchants and the Church of Al-Akbar all 
  sided with the quest for the Cup & Talisman), he now 
  looks to put together a new power base. The first group 
  he thinks about drawing to his side is the palace guard 
  known as the Thorns. 
   
  THE THORNS 
  The Thorns are the imperial guard of the Copper Palace. 
  Their job is to protect the Beygraf with their lives, and to 
  uncover plots against the Beygraf. In the far distant past, 
  they were a unit of the Ket army, but at some point long 
  ago, their connection to the army was severed—some say 
  by the Thorns themselves. In the intervening centuries, 
  they have developed a tradition of being scrupulously 
  apolitical, never supporting one person or party vying for 
  power over another. Although they subscribe to the Four 
  Feet of the Dragon, they hold Honor before all else. 
   
  To prevent leverage against them through threats or 
  blackmail against family members, all potential Thorns 
  are chosen from orphans who have been raised by the 
  State. Those who show superior physical and intellectual 
  ability by the age of 10 are trained to become Thorns.  
  And although the Church of the True Faith has always 
  objected to this, the children are raised to worship Istus, 
  the neutral arbiter of Fate. If they pass the training, they 
  swear a personal oath of loyalty to the throne of Ket at 
  age 20 and are accepted into the palace guard. They are 
  not allowed to have personal relationships or to marry 
  while they are in the service. At the age of 30, they are 
  given the option of retiring with a rich pension. Many do 
  not, choosing to be a Thorn until mandatory retirement 
  at age 35. Several services of the army eagerly try to enlist 
  “old” Thorns as they retire. Some ex-Thorns have also 
  entered the diplomatic service of Ket, their neutrality, 
  ability to think on their feet, consider political 
  ramification and show poise in an emergency being 
  much valued. In whatever they do after their service to 
  the throne, Thorns are usually successful and honored. 
   
  Ket’s history is filled with attempted palace coups. If 
  this is attempted by assassination, or by a person who 
  may have ambition but does not have broad support from 
  a majority of the traditional power bases in Ket—the 
  army, the Church, the merchant class and the nobility—
  then the would-be pretender to the throne will have to 
  wade through the entire corps of Thorns to get to the 
  Beygraf. If, however, the Beygraf on the throne has 
  clearly lost his base of support to his rival, then the 
  Thorns, in keeping with their neutral stance, will step 
  aside while the old Beygraf is quietly disposed of, then 
  form ranks around the new Beygraf and protect him as if 
  nothing has happened.  
   
  However, the Thorns are clearly uneasy with the 
  current political situation in Ket—the old Beygraf has 
  been deposed but is still alive, and the Throne is 
  unoccupied while two people vie for it. This has never 
  happened before, and the Thorns are unsure as to what 
  they should do or whom they should support. 
   
  The Thorns, as a unit, are of little military 
  significance. But their neutrality and loyalty are 
  respected by the people—the Thorns are good judges of 
  power, and if they support the Beygraf who occupies the 
  throne, then that is enough for many Ketites. Clearly any 
  person wishing to claim the throne of Ket must gain the 
  support of the Thorns. 
   
  During the recent siege of Lopolla, the Thorns 
  defended the Copper Palace until it became clear the 
  battle was lost. Having no Beygraf to defend, the 
  surviving Thorns withdrew to a small military outpost 
  several miles outside the city. As they retreated, they 
  managed to take with them for safekeeping several 
  caskets containing the “crown jewels” of Ket—gems, 
  pieces of jewelry and ancient weapons steeped in 
  antiquity and reverence that resided in the Copper 
  Palace’s treasury. The Bisselites, not realizing the 
  significance of the Thorns nor what they were carrying, 
  just seeing them as a well-organized and competent 
  armed unit—one of the few they came up against during 
  their attack on Lopolla—are content for the moment to 
  put a guard on the fort while they turn their attention to 
  taking the rest of Ket. 
   
  THE BENEFIT OF LOYALTY 
  This adventure assumes the PC has a certain amount of 
  loyalty to the ex-Beygraf, Nadaid. However, any PC can 
  play this adventure, even PCs who have previously 
  worked for the quest for the Cup & Talisman in other 
  Ket adventures. 
   
  However, there is a benefit for PCs who do not have 
  “divided loyalties” i.e. have not worked for the quest for 
  the Cup & Talisman in either KETIA7-04 At the Beygraf’s 
  Pleasure, or by playing any adventures in the Road to 
  Righteousness series.  
   
  Any PC who rescued Nadaid in KETIN7-03 At the 
  Beygraf’s Pleasure and/or has NOT played any of the 
  adventures in the Road to Righteousness series receives 
  the following benefit one time in this adventure as an 
  immediate action that can be requested at any time: a 
  cure critical wounds cast on the loyal PC (minimum 
  CL). 
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 3 
  
  A RISE IN LAWLESSNESS 
  The Bisselite army is nominally in control of northern 
  Ket now, but having taken Lopolla, most of their forces 
  have moved to besiege the cities of Falwur and Polvar. 
  While concentrating on bringing the east and south half 
  of Ket under their control, Bissel cannot maintain proper 
  law and order on Ket’s roads or patrol the eaves of the 
  Bramblewood. 
   
  As a result, lawless bandits have crept in from the 
  surrounding wilderness, looking to prey on travelers. As 
  well, monsters and wild plant life from the Bramblewood 
  are starting to emerge from the eaves of that dark forest. 
   
  This lack of law will also have an effect on PCs with 
  “Lawbreaker” status (formerly “Warrant of Ket”). 
  Normally such players would have to make a check at the 
  start of any adventure set in Ket to see if they are arrested. 
  However, because there are no Threshers or Jurats at the 
  moment, these PCs do not have to make any check unless 
  they enter the city of Molvar, which is currently the only 
  place in Ket with an active judiciary. 
   
  Likewise, any PCs breaking any laws of Ket in this 
  adventure will not be arrested or charged with any crime 
  unless they commit the crime in or near the city of 
  Molvar. (See Appendix 4: Laws of Ket for the current 
  judicial code in force in the city of Molvar.)  
   
   
  EMIR ZULIR 
  Emir Zulir is a Bey (noble), a former diplomat and a 
  highly-placed friend and confidante of Nadaid, ex-
  Beygraf of Ket. He has appeared in KET4-04 Water the 
  Meadows, KET6-06 The Patriot’s Post and KET7-07 
  Balance of Ket. 
   
  After Nadaid was deposed, the Emir retired to his 
  estate, planning to withdraw from public life as a new 
  Beygraf ascended the throne. However, with the invasion 
  of Ket, and the throne of Ket still empty, he knows if Ket 
  is to survive, someone such as Nadaid must step forward, 
  claim the throne and lead the fight to force Bissel out of 
  the country. 
   
  JENTELLA THE FORTUNE-TELLER 
  In KET7-01 Balance of Secrets, a young Rhennee woman 
  named Jentella told fortunes using twelve pink chickens. 
  She encountered the Thorns as they escaped from 
  Lopolla before it fell, although she didn’t know who they 
  were at the time. 
   
  Subsequently, her chickens were taken from her 
  (and eaten) by Bisselite soldiers during the sack of 
  Lopolla. Not having any way to make a living, Jentella has 
  moved to a nearby farm to await the spring.  
   
  ANOSHAN, HIGH PRIEST OF HEXTOR 
  Anoshan of Molvar is the head of the church of The 
  Scourge of Battle (Hextor) in Ket.  Not your stereotypical 
  arrogant Hextorite, he is a tall, pleasant-looking 
  Baklunish man in his mid-forties.  His god is the Hextor 
  of battle and law, and he truly believes the doctrine that 
  states "Order must be forged out of chaos and law out of 
  anarchy."  
        Although rather stern and commanding, he is a 
  consummate 
  diplomat, 
  and 
  quite charming and 
  personable. His diplomatic skills are considerable, and it 
  was under his leadership that the church of the Scourge 
  of Battle was reinstated as a legal religion in Ket, and its 
  lands and temples returned.   
   
  His good looks are marred only by a small V-shaped 
  scar at the corner of his right eye that turns red when he 
  is angry. This scar is the only reminder of brutal torture 
  he suffered at the hands of agents of Iuz when he was a 
  young acolyte of Hextor. As a result he has a fanatical 
  hatred of Iuz and anything or anyone connected with 
  him. In fact, it was Ket's dealings with Iuz during the 
  Greyhawk Wars that gave him the ambition and drive to 
  work his way up to become High Priest of Hextor in Ket.  
        He believes the current Cup and Talisman "quest" is a 
  plot by Iuz to take over Ket, and he will do anything in 
  his power to prevent that from happening, which at the 
  moment means providing Nadaid with men and funds to 
  help protect him and hopefully return him to the throne 
  of Ket.  
   
  SEASON AND TIME OF YEAR 
  It is early Fireseek (January), just after the turn of the 
  new year. The weather has been very cold, with several 
  blizzards sweeping out of the Yatil Mountains to coat all 
  of Ket in a thick blanket of snow. The sky will remain 
  overcast and dull during the entire adventure. The moons 
  and stars will not be visible and nights will be very dark 
  as a consequence. 
   
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY 
   
  Introduction The adventurers are traveling through 
  northern Ket in the middle of winter. 
   
  1: Plants Combat encounter. The adventurers rescue 
  Emir Zulir from plant monsters, and he asks them to 
  escort him to the ex-Beygraf who is in Molvar. 
   
  2: Molvar Roleplaying encounter. The adventurers 
  meet ex-Beygraf Nadaid and some other notables. Nadaid 
  asks the adventurers to find the Thorns (imperial guard) 
  and convince them to rejoin him. The Thorns were last 
  seen in Lopolla before it was sacked by Bissel. 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 4 
  
   
  3: Lopolla Roleplaying encounter. They find Lopolla 
  a smoking ruin. A Rhennee man tells them his cousin 
  Jentella might know about the Thorns. 
   
  4: Jentella Roleplaying encounter. Jentella saw the 
  Thorns leaving the city for a small fort in the nearby 
  countryside. 
   
  5: Guardian Combat encounter. The Bisselites have 
  placed a celestial guardian on the fort to prevent anyone 
  from entering or leaving. 
   
  6: Thorns Roleplaying encounter. The adventurers 
  must convince the Thorns to support the Beygraf’s bid to 
  reclaim the throne of Ket. 
   
  7: Druid A druid of Iuz named Gushun has been 
  sent to stop the meeting, and will attack at the most 
  advantageous time, probably at night. 
   
  8: Conclusion Success or failure judged here: either 
  the Thorns are reconciled with the Beygraf Nadaid, or 
  they are not. 
   
  PREPARATION FOR PLAY 
  As with any LG adventure, the DM should ascertain all of 
  the following before the adventure: 
  Is anyone crafting magic items? A MIC must be 
  completed before the adventure begins. 
  • 
  Does 
  anyone 
  have 
  any 
  non-class-related 
  animals? If the DM feels these will be a 
  significant factor in combat, the animal’s CR 
  should be added to the owner’s level for 
  purposes of calculating APL 
  • 
  Does any PC have game effects such as curses, 
  lycanthropy or play bonuses? 
  • 
  Ask to see all spell lists. 
  • 
  Will anyone be using out-of-game bonuses 
  (Campaign cards, buttons or tokens) and if so, 
  which ones? (If anyone is going to use the 
  Campaign card “Unsavory Contacts”, see 
  Appendix 3 for how use of this card is affected 
  in Ket.) 
  • 
  Check PCs’ lifestyle and upkeep. 
  • 
  Does anyone have outstanding Lawbreaker 
  status (formerly Warrant of Ket)? Because 
  there are no Threshers or Jurats in Ket at the 
  moment, anyone who is a Lawbreaker does not 
  have to make a Lawbreaker check at the start of 
  this adventure. However, this check must be 
  made as the party enters Molvar in Encounter 2 
  or in the Conclusion, since there is still a 
  functioning legal system in operation there. 
  In addition, this adventure will also require the following 
  information: 
  • 
  Have any PCs played KETIN7-04 At the 
  Beygraf’s Pleasure and declared for the Cup & 
  Talisman quest, or played any parts of the Road 
  to Righteousness series? If so, they have helped 
  those opposed to the ex-Beygraf, and will not 
  gain The Benefit of Loyalty in this adventure 
  (see Adventure Background: The Benefit of 
  Loyalty.) 
  • 
  The recent events of Ket, as described in the 
  Adventure Background above, are well-known 
  to any Citizen, resident or traveler in Ket. 
  Describe current events to all players before the 
  start of the adventure. 
  • 
  Any PC who has played KET4-04 Water the 
  Meadows, KET6-06 The Patriot’s Post or KET7-
  07 Balance of Ket will recognize Emir Zulir in 
  Encounter 1, and he will recognize the PC. 
  • 
  Any adventurers who have played KET7-06 
  Balance of Peace, KET7-07 Balance of Ket, or 
  KETIA7-04 At the Beygraf’s Pleasure will 
  recognize 
  the 
  Beygraf 
  immediately 
  in 
  Encounter 2. Players of KET7-07 Balance of Ket 
  will also recognize Graf Alvaro Aldeen in the 
  same encounter. 
  • 
  Any adventurers who have played KET7-01 
  Balance of Secrets will recognize Jentella the 
  Rhennee fortune-teller. 
  • 
  Any favors from past adventures that were 
  granted by the Beygraf are only good while the 
  PC is in the city of Molvar. Any past favors from 
  the True Faith or the military (other than the 
  Stouthearts, the Veterans or the Beygraf’s Pride) 
  cannot be used during this adventure.  
   
  INTRODUCTION 
  The adventure begins with the party on the road in the 
  middle of a harsh winter in Ket. (Give players Player’s 
  Handout 1: Map of Ket so they can see their current 
  location.) Since the adventurers are on the road, there is 
  no shopping before this module begins.  
   
  Announce a loyalty bonus: Any PC who has NOT 
  played any adventures from the Road to Righteousness 
  series AND who either did not play KETIA7-04 At the 
  Beygraf’s Pleasure, or if they did play it, chose to rescue 
  the Beygraf, receives the following benefit one time in 
  this adventure as an immediate action that can be 
  requested at any time: a cure critical wounds cast on 
  the loyal PC (CL 7: 4d8+7 hp). This benefit is not 
  transferable to another PC i.e. a PC with this benefit 
  cannot request the spell be cast on another PC or NPC. 
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 5 
  
  1: PLANTS 
  It is the second week of Fireseek, the first month of 
  the year, and harsh winter holds Ket in its iron grip. 
  Several blizzards swept across Ket during Sunsebb, 
  the last month of the year, blanketing all of Ket in a 
  thick layer of snow. Then frigid winds from the 
  frozen wastes of distant Hyperboria arrived, freezing 
  the ground iron hard.  
   
  You have passed few travelers as you have 
  journeyed across northern Ket. Doubtless the cruel 
  winter is part of the reason, and you also know that 
  the land is empty because many Citizens are with 
  Ket’s new “Army of the Righteous” in Ekbir. Many are 
  sensibly staying close to home as the Bisselite army 
  fans out across the land. But the proprietors of half-
  empty inns have also spoken about the rising 
  lawlessness that has had a chilling effect on travel 
  along the lonely roads. With all the Threshers and 
  Jurats on their way to Ekbir, the new Bisselite 
  presence in northern Ket should be in charge of 
  keeping the law, but Bisselite patrols are not seen 
  often enough to uphold law and order. You hear 
  stories of robbers on the formerly safe roads of Ket, as 
  well as of bands of elves and other monsters.  
   
  These tales ring in your mind as you turn a 
  corner and suddenly hear the hoarse shouts of panic-
  stricken men. An overturned carriage lies in the road, 
  its terrorized horses frantically trying to free 
  themselves from their tangled harnesses. The bodies 
  of armed guards lie on the ground, the victims of 
  several plant-like shapes. Only one guard remains to 
  defend an unarmed man in fine robes and a large 
  turban, who is crouching behind the carriage.  
   
  APLs 2 and 4:  
  Several amorphous masses of colorful, lichen-crusted 
  bubbles lumber across the road, covered with a slick 
  coat of leafy stalks and give off a strong stench of 
  decomposing matter. The last guard screams in terror 
  as he is engulfed by one.  
   
  APL 6 and 8:  
  Each is roughly humanoid about the size of an ogre, 
  glistening with amber sap. Wicked spikes protrude 
  from their bodies and a pair of writhing, tentacular 
  vines extend from their hips. As you watch, the last 
  guard goes down in a spray of blood. 
   
  APL 10 and 12: 
  The ground is churned up into massive furrows by 
  strange serpentine roots that have burst through the 
  surface, each twice the length of a grown human. 
  Their massive jaws snap at the final guard, one 
  impaling him on long fang-like thorns. 
   
  APL 2 (EL 4) 
   
  Fetid Fungi (4): hp 12, 12, 12, 12; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 6) 
   
  Fetid Fungi (8): hp 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12; 
  appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
   
  Briarvexes (2): hp 68, 68; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
   
  Briarvexes (4): hp 68, 68, 68, 68; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
   
  Burrow Roots (4): hp 114, 114, 114, 114; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
   
  Burrow Roots (8): hp 114, 114, 114, 114, 114, 114, 
  114, 114; appendix 1. 
   
  TACTICS 
  The overturned carriage, owned by a noble named Emir 
  Zulir, was attacked by plant monsters that have wandered 
  from the Bramblewood, now that the Ket army isn’t 
  patrolling to keep them back.  
   
  The road here is 20 feet wide, with 10 more feet 
  cleared on either side (but with enough plant life for an 
  entangle). Beyond this 40-foot-wide corridor, low bushes 
  and trees provide difficult terrain. The carriage is lying in 
  the middle of the road, with Emir Zulir hiding on the 
  near side of it, and the combat happening on the far side. 
  The final guard falls as the characters come into view. 
   
  The PCs start between 100 and 200 feet away, 
  depending on space on your battlemap. If they do not 
  interfere, the Emir is killed three rounds later, and the 
  adventure probably ends, barring some flees a short 
  distance away to keep safe. 
   
  APL 2 and 4: Fetid fungi gravitate towards slower 
  targets, attempting to engulf them. They defend 
  themselves 
  with 
  acid 
  touch 
  attacks 
  while 
  the 
  decomposing slime digests the engulfed individual. If it 
  finishes its meal or the prey escapes, it immediately seeks 
  another opponent to decompose. They never retreat, 
  continuing to feed and attack until destroyed. 
   
  APL 6 and 8: Briarvexes are intelligent foes. One 
  uses its entangle ability each round while the other(s) 
  move into melee, outreaching at least some foes. With 
  their improved woodland stride they are unaffected by 
  the entangle. They fight intelligently, attempting to 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 6 
  
  finish off strong foes before moving on to weaker ones, 
  but they flee in the face of a concerted attack with fire. 
   
  APL 10 and 12: Burrow roots attack in three stages. 
  Upon sensing prey, the creature rapidly burrows towards 
  that quarry, springing from the earth and delivering a 
  powerful bite. When multiple opponents are near, they 
  attack each one with the goal of spilling as much blood 
  on the ground as possible. They use their speed burrow 
  ability to quickly move between opponents or to escape 
  from a particularly nasty foe or effect. A burrow root can 
  instinctively determine if a creature has blood – it 
  ignores a bloodless creature unless that creature seriously 
  harms it. 
   
  A burrow root needs to split in order to reproduce, 
  so it fights until it has lost half its hit points (57 in this 
  case). If an individual burrow root is reduced to 9 hit 
  points or fewer, it retreats beneath the surface, content to 
  nourish itself with the blood seeping down from above. 
   
   
  LORE CHECKS: 
  Fetid Fungus (APL 2-4): 
  Knowledge (nature): 
   
  DC 11: This is a fetid fungus, an aggressive plant that 
  envelops opponents, smothering and digesting them 
  with its amorphous body. This result reveals all plant 
  traits. 
   
  DC 16: A fetid fungus’s stench is caused by 
  decomposing matter and can sicken people. Fetid fungus 
  gas is flammable, making the fungus extremely 
  susceptible to fire attacks. 
   
  DC 21: Fetid Fungi spew acid when attacking, and 
  they explode in a shower of acidic ichor when slain. 
   
  Knowledge (religion): 
   
  DC 11: Evil druids sometimes summon fetid fungi. 
   
  DC 16: Fetid fungi are sacred to worshippers of the 
  demon Zuggtmoy, Lady of Fungi. 
   
  DC 21: Some cults breed fetid fungi in large pits and 
  use them in the performance of ritual sacrifices. 
   
  Briarvex, (APL 6-8): 
  Knowledge (nature): 
   
  DC 16: This creature is a briarvex, a malevolent plant 
  being. This result reveals all plant traits. 
   
  DC 21: A briarvex is capable of controlling the 
  plants around it, causing them to grapple and hold its 
  foes. 
   
  DC 26: A briarvex’s strikes implant thorns into a 
  creature. These thorns can animate and burrow into the 
  flesh, causing grievous injuries. 
   
  DC 31: A briarvex spends the first two years of its 
  life in an inert state, similar to a normal plant. During this 
  time, it can be easily uprooted and burnt, since they are 
  very flammable. 
   
  Burrow Root, (APL 10-12): 
  Knowledge (nature): 
   
  DC 18: This is a burrow root, a strange, burrowing 
  plant. Wounds caused by a burrow root continue to 
  bleed, spilling blood into the soil and providing the 
  creature with food. This result reveals all plant traits. 
   
  DC 23: A burrow root can quickly burrow 
  underground to escape its enemies. Its tail is a spiked 
  root that can drain blood and small amounts of vitality 
  from creatures it pierces. 
   
  DC 28: When severely wounded, a burrow root 
  becomes two independent creatures. 
   
  The last horrible plant creature falls, and a moment 
  later, the man who had been hiding behind the 
  carriage stands up. He is a kindly-looking Bakluni 
  with a neat white beard and large turban, his stylish 
  but warm winter robes marking him as nobility.  
   
  He looks you over with keen assessment and 
  finally says, "I am Emir Zulir. Some of you may know 
  me.”  
   
  See Adventure Background: Emir Zulir for further 
  information about the Emir. Any PC who has played 
  KET4-04 Water the Meadows, KET6-06 The Patriot’s Post 
  or KET7-07 Balance of Ket will recognize the Emir, and 
  he will recognize the PC. 
   
  “My friends, you have saved my life, and I owe you a 
  debt that cannot easily be repaid. However, the plight 
  of Ket is dire indeed and now is not the time to speak 
  of such obligations. In fact, I need to ask another 
  favor of you. 
   
  “I am an old friend of the former Beygraf Nadaid, 
  and was on my way to Molvar see him when we were 
  attacked. All my guards are all dead and it is 
  dangerous to travel alone. Would you be willing to 
  travel with me and protect me until I get there? I can 
  certainly pay you for your time." 
   
  If the PCs agree to go with him he is very pleased. He can 
  answer any questions they may have for him.  
   
  Why 
  are 
  you 
  going 
  to 
  visit 
  the 
  Beygraf? 
  "When the army and Church deposed the Beygraf and 
  then headed to Ekbir, taking so many Citizens with 
  them, I retreated to my estate, thinking to withdraw from 
  Ket affairs. But with the recent invasion by BisseI, we are 
  watching the end of our country unless someone can 
  bring us together. I believe Nadaid is that person. I don’t 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 7 
  
  know what he can do, but I am on my way to Molvar to 
  offer my services to him. At the very least, I can offer him 
  news of what I have seen as I have traveled from my 
  estate.” 
   
  Will 
  you 
  pay 
  us 
  for 
  escorting 
  you? 
  "I can arrange payment if that is what you want when we 
  get to Molvar. I can give you (50 gp X APL) each." 
   
  What were these creatures that attacked you? 
  “I do not know what they are, but they have the look and 
  smell of evil from the Bramblewood. With no Thresher 
  patrols or army units watching the borders of the Forest, 
  I suspect that we’ll see more horrors crawling out of the 
  Bramblewood.” 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
   
  If the PCs opt not to go to Molvar, the adventure 
  ends here.  
   
  If the PCs decide to turn the Emir over to the 
  nearest authorities for a reward, the adventure ends. 
  There are no Threshers or other Ket army units in the 
  area, but any temple of the True Faith or unit of the Bissel 
  army will pay a reward of 50 gp per PC. Go to Conclusion: 
  Betrayed Emir Zulir. 
   
  Presuming the PCs agree to escort the Emir to 
  Molvar, they can lever the carriage back onto its wheels, 
  and proceed to 2: Molvar. 
   
   
  2: MOLVAR 
  The journey to Molvar takes three days and is uneventful. 
  Since there are no inns still open in this area of Ket, the 
  DM should get a watch order and a daily routine, 
  including camping routines, so that in 7: Druid, the DM 
  can ensure that Gushun strikes at the most opportune 
  moment.  
   
  All PCs should make Survival checks for each day in 
  order to find an appropriate place to set up camp. If they 
  total at least a 15, they discover a clearing out of the north 
  wind with access to water (by chopping a hole in the ice 
  of a river or pond). The DM should ask them if they'd like 
  to camp there. The actual Survival checks and their 
  answers to the question don't matter for now. Wherever 
  they decide to set up camp will be fine. 
   
  After 
  3 
  days 
  travel 
  they 
  reach 
  Molvar. 
   
   
  Since agreeing to escort Emir Zulir to Molvar, 
  you have kept a constant watch for danger—either 
  more monsters, or Bissel army patrols. Luckily, either 
  your vigilance seems to have paid off or your luck is 
  holding, for you have managed to avoid any further 
  encounters. As the Red Tower of Molvar comes into 
  sight, you are stopped by a Ketite cavalry patrol. 
  Although their uniforms are familiar, they wear a new 
  crest on their left shoulder—a white horse rising 
  phoenix-like from a burning city. 
   
  “Hold, friend,” the captain of the patrol calls as he 
  rides up. “Who are you and why do you approach 
  Molvar, last independent city of Ket? Be you for 
  Nadaid, or against him?” 
   
  If the adventurers answer that they are against Nadaid, 
  then the cavalry patrol eyes the party with hostility and 
  refuses to let anyone pass. It will require a DC 25 
  Diplomacy check to restart the entire dialogue. If the 
  adventurers seek the help of Emir Zulir, he will ask why 
  they spoke out against the Beygraf. If the adventurers are 
  able to reassure him that they didn’t understand, were 
  joking (albeit in bad taste) or some other reasonable 
  excuse, he will agree to speak on their behalf, and will 
  provide a +5 circumstance bonus to the above Diplomacy 
  check. If the adventurers fail this check, they are turned 
  away from Molvar, and the adventure is over. Go to 
  Conclusion:  
   
  If the adventurers respond that they are for the 
  Beygraf, then the guards will ask their business in 
  Molvar. If the adventurers mention that Emir Zulir is in 
  the carriage, the guards will immediately detail two of 
  their number to escort them to the Red Tower. If the 
  adventurers do not mention Zulir, eventually the Emir 
  will stick hi head out of the carriage and immediately 
  solve the problem. 
   
  If the adventurers are unsure of how to answer the 
  guards, Emir Zulir will climb down from the carriage and 
  hasten to add his voice to the discussion. The cavalry 
  officer will recognize him and will agree to escort you 
  into the city at once. 
   
  If any of the adventurers are from the Sheldomar 
  Valley, the Emir will vouch for them himself, assuring 
  the officer that they have proved their worth already. 
   
  If the adventurers ask about the unfamiliar crest on 
  the officer’s uniform, he tells them that it is the new 
  symbol of Nadaid’s forces.  
   
  As the adventurers enter the city, they easily 
  overhear the cavalry officer tell the Emir that Molvar has 
  already repelled an attack by the Bissel army five days 
  ago. The Bissel army immediately decamped, and was last 
  seen marching towards the undefended city of Polvar. 
   
   
  As you approach the walls, you see a city ready for 
  war. Watchers in high towers scan the countryside. A 
  giant ditch has been dug around the city walls to 
  prevent siege machines from approaching. Hundreds 
  of bright helms glint on the walls, and cavalry patrols 
  enter and leave the city constantly.   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 8 
  
   
  Inside the city, the Emir takes the adventurers to the Red 
  Tower, ancient keep at the heart of the city. He asks the 
  adventurers to wait for a few moments, and promises a 
  meal shortly.  
   
  After ten minutes, a servant in the livery of the Graf 
  of Molvar escorts the adventurers to a sumptuous room 
  high up in the Tower. 
   
  The Emir and three other men—ex-Beygraf Nadaid, 
  Graf Alvaro Aldeen of Molvar, and a priest wearing a 
  symbol of a fist holding six arrows—are sitting on 
  cushions behind a low table laden with food and drink. 
  Residents of Ket will recognize the symbol of Hextor on 
  the priest—for all others it is a DC 10 Knowledge 
  (Religion) check. 
   
  Any adventurers who have played KET4-08 The 
  Darkeye Hour, KET7-06 Balance of Peace, KET7-07 
  Balance of Ket, or KETIN7-04 At the Beygraf’s Pleasure 
  will recognize the Beygraf immediately, and he will 
  recognize them. Players of KET7-07 Balance of Ket will 
  also recognize Graf Alvaro Aldeen. 
   
  Emir Zulir introduces the Hextorite priest as 
  Anoshan, the high priest of the church of Hextor in Ket. 
  A DC 10 Knowledge (Local—VTF), which can be 
  attempted untrained, will inform that the Church of 
  Hextor in Ket fully supports Nadaid, and has utterly 
  rejected the quest for the Cup & Talisman. 
   
  If the adventurers go to one knee or bow, Nadaid 
  waves them to their feet, saying that he is now an 
  ordinary Citizen of Ket, and in any case, courtly protocol 
  must be set aside during these harsh times. 
   
  Emir Zulir introduces the adventurers as the people 
  who saved his life, and Graf Alvaro, as the host, urges 
  them to come and sit at the table. Conversation is 
  pleasant, courteous and non-political while the food is 
  being eaten, as custom and proper manners demand. 
  When servants clear the food away and bring back plates 
  of sweets, Nadaid settles to the business at hand. He asks 
  the adventurers for their opinions of what is happening 
  in Ket, whether they have any sense of the military 
  abilities of the invading Bisselite army, and whether they 
  have seen for themselves the burnt-out ruins of Lopolla. 
   
    
   
  Nadaid listens to you carefully. When you finish, 
  there is a short silence while he digests your words. 
  He looks up at you.  
   
  “The person who sits on the throne of Ket is the 
  protector of the people. When I claimed the throne 
  after Zoltan’s death, I did so because Ket risked being 
  torn apart by civil war and devoured by its neighbors 
  piecemeal.  
   
  “For almost twenty years, I stayed in power by 
  balancing one faction against another, playing off 
  military against the Church, the merchants against 
  the nobles. In the same way, I allowed the army their 
  little forays against one neighbor or another—but 
  never against more than one at a time. As a result, 
  during my reign, Ket enjoyed prosperity and wealth. I 
  always believed that if I were removed from the 
  throne, at least my successor would have the sense to 
  copy my formula for success.  
   
  “But instead… What was my brother thinking? 
  Take the throne from me, fine. Brothers have 
  betrayed brothers before, and doubtless will again. 
  But march the entire army against Ekbir when we 
  still have an unresolved conflict with Bissel? A child 
  of seven could have predicted Bissel’s invasion. Now 
  Bissel owns all of Ket except this city, and beautiful 
  Lopolla lies in ruins. And while the throne remains 
  empty, Bissel tightens its grip over our country. Even 
  if my brother’s quest for the Cup and Talisman is 
  successful, by the time he returns to Ket, Bissel will 
  be so firmly dug in that it will take years to force 
  them out. No, the fight to regain our country must be 
  started now, and if the army is not here, then the 
  resistance must be started by an army of the people. 
   
  “What is needed is a leader—a Beygraf. I am sure 
  it will come as no surprise to you that I am going to 
  reclaim the throne, and that Molvar will become the 
  base of operations of a new army. My traditional bases 
  of power—the army, the nobles and the merchants—
  have been taken from me. But I already have new 
  allies: the Graf of Molvar and the church of 
  Hextor”—he indicates the Graf and the high priest of 
  Hextor sitting beside him, who both nod modestly—
  “the Archons, the Veterans of Ket, and many dwarves. 
  But I also need a symbol of power, one that the 
  people will recognize. 
   
  “Therefore my first step will be to regain the 
  allegiance of the Thorns, the personal bodyguards of 
  the Beygraf. As you may have heard, they abandoned 
  their support for me when I lost my traditional power 
  bases and was deposed. Now they wait for the next 
  Beygraf to ascend the throne. Although the Thorns 
  themselves are not a mighty force, they are a great 
  symbol of authority, for they support only the person 
  who they feel has the right and power to be Beygraf 
  of Ket. If I can convince them to recognize and 
  support me, they will be worth more to me than five 
  regiments of heavy infantry. 
   
  “As much as I would like to venture back to 
  Lopolla and personally speak with Taronish, the 
  Captain of the Thorns, I must stay here. I think that 
  the Bisselites found us too hard a nut to crack while 
  the 
  defenseless 
  cities 
  of 
  Polvar 
  and 
  Falwur 
  beckoned—but once they finish swallowing them, 
  they may decide to come back and take another crack 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 9 
  
  at us. Will you go in my stead to Lopolla and attempt 
  to win the Thorns’ support?” 
   
  Anoshan, the high priest of Hextor, leans 
  forward. “I do not want to sully this conversation with 
  talk of rewards—it smacks too much like bribery, 
  when in fact the existence of Ket is at stake. But the 
  church 
  of 
  Hextor 
  will 
  also 
  offer 
  powerful 
  enchantments and items to those who serve Nadaid 
  well.” 
   
  Alvaro Aldeen, the Graf of Molvar, also speaks up. 
  “And I will also personally reward each person who is 
  successful.” 
   
  Nadaid acknowledges these offers with a gracious 
  nod, then turns to you for your response. 
   
   
  The adventurers can make a Knowledge (Local-VTF) or 
  Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) check: 
   
  DC 5 The Thorns are the personal bodyguards of the 
  Beygraf 
   
  DC 10: The Thorns are scrupulously neutral, and 
  only guard a Beygraf who enjoys the support of a majority 
  of the merchants, army, mullahs and nobility 
   
  DC 15: The Thorns withdrew their support from 
  Nadaid when he was deposed, since he had lost the 
  support of all of his traditional power bases, but they also 
  refuse to support either Sylvana bint Zoltan or the Black 
  Arrow until one or the other demonstrates they have the 
  power to claim the throne. 
   
  DC 20: Thorns are orphans who are trained from 
  childhood, and have been raised to worship Istus, Our 
  Lady of Fate. 
   
  Why should we help you? 
  I appeal to your sense of dedication to your country. 
  Bissel has the country in an iron grip. To drive them out, 
  we need a single powerful leader. As well, the Church of 
  Hextor has offered to reward those who fight at our side 
  with powerful enchantments and items. 
   
  What will you do once you get back into power? 
  Our first order of business will be to drive the Bisselites 
  from our lands. Then we can start the long hard job of 
  restoring law and order, and rebuilding Lopolla.  
   
  Where can we find the Thorns? 
  They were located in Lopolla in the Copper Palace, but 
  likely fled the city before it was sacked. I do not know 
  where they are now—part of your task must be to find 
  them. I would suggest heading to Lopolla first.  
   
  What do we do when we find the Thorns? 
  The Thorn Captain is a man named Taronish. Convince 
  him to join me, and the rest of the Thorns will follow. 
  However, the Thorns are unlikely to respond to threats of 
  force.  
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  The PCs are given rooms in the Red Tower for the night 
  before leaving on their journey. They may shop if they 
  wish. Molvar has a population of 16,000 (large city) for 
  purposes of calculating goods available as per DMG 137. 
   
  3: LOPOLLA 
  Traveling towards Lopolla has been like journeying 
  through a foreign land. Instead of the quiet, 
  prosperous and lawful country you once knew, this 
  area of Ket has been replaced by something grimmer 
  and darker. Roads are empty. The few travelers you 
  encounter avoid talking to you as they pass by. Inns 
  are closed. Towns seem to be missing all able-bodied 
  men and women. Some smaller villages look 
  completely abandoned. Shutters and doors on 
  farmhouses and barns swing open in the winter wind 
  as you pass by.  
   
  Several times, groups of hard-eyed men seem 
  ready to accost you, but the sight of your armor, 
  weapons and obvious competence seems to put them 
  off. However, the groups of men seem to be slowly 
  growing in both numbers and confidence now that 
  there are no Threshers patrolling the roads. 
   
  Harder to avoid have been the Bisselite soldiers. 
  You cannot afford to fall into the hands of the Bissel 
  army, and several times you have had to take cover as 
  squads of hard-bitten Bissel soldiers march or ride by. 
  If the numbers of soldiers are anything to go by, the 
  occupation of central Ket appears to be proceeding 
  faster than was commonly realized. 
   
  However, the number of Bisselite soldiers drops 
  off to nothing as you draw closer to Lopolla. As you 
  crest the last rise of the road before Lopolla, you see 
  why. There is nothing left here to guard, and 
  therefore no need for any Bisselite guard. You had 
  heard about the razing of the capital of Ket by a Bissel 
  army, but the sight of the devastation is like a 
  physical blow.  
   
  The city walls have been knocked down, whether 
  by magic or muscle you cannot say. The torch has 
  been put to every building, no matter how lowly, 
  mighty or holy.  
   
  As you approach what was once the Market Gate, 
  the totality of the destruction is apparent. Buildings 
  have collapsed into the streets. The thin acrid reek of 
  smoke hangs over a blasted wasteland, burned beyond 
  any hope of survivors. You can only trust that the 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 10 
  
  people were allowed to flee the city before it was put 
  to the torch. 
   
  Although no figures can be seen moving in the 
  ruins, your attention is drawn to a small, ragged 
  canvas tent set up on the snow outside the ruined 
  walls. As you approach, a Rhennee man opens the 
  tent flap and stares cautiously at you. 
   
  The man is Gunderman, a member of a traveling 
  Rhennee family who broke his leg in a horse-training 
  accident late in the summer. He was left behind to heal 
  while his family traveled to the Sheldomar Valley. They 
  told him they would be back early in the new year. He 
  was living in the Ourmistan, the tent city just outside 
  Lopolla, but the tent city disappeared several days before 
  the Bisselites arrived as merchants fled from the scene of 
  the impending battle. Gunderman was forced to retreat 
  inside the city walls when the city was besieged. When 
  he was expelled by the victorious Bisselites, along with 
  the other residents of the city, he hid in the hills until the 
  Bisselites left, then came back here to wait for his family’s 
  caravan to arrive. He can pass on the following 
  information: 
  • 
  Lopolla was almost empty when the Bisselites 
  arrived—all supporters of the ex-Beygraf had 
  left or been executed, and all supporters of the 
  quest for the Cup and Talisman had joined the 
  Army of the Righteous. Although some 
  residents put up resistance against the Bissel 
  army, the siege was swiftly decided. The 
  Bisselites then ordered everyone out of the city. 
  The only possessions allowed were what could 
  be carried. What few weapons remained were 
  seized with the exception of daggers and saps. 
  As the residents fled the city, the Bisselites 
  looted the city of everything of worth—books 
  and scrolls, gold, sculptures, art. Hours later, the 
  refugees saw a glow on the horizon as the city 
  was torched. Some say the light from the flames 
  could be seen fifty miles away. 
  • 
  The Bissel army did not stay at Lopolla for long. 
  As Gunderman watched from hiding, while the 
  city was still burning, they marched east 
  towards Molvar and Polvar. 
  • 
  He doesn’t know much about the Thorns. He is 
  not a resident of Ket. However his cousin 
  Jentella is far more familiar with the city. A 
  refugee like Gunderman, she is staying on a 
  farm on the other side of the ruined city; they 
  might want to look her up. 
   
  If the adventurers try to enter the ruins, they are quickly 
  driven back by heat (unless protected by magical means). 
  The firestorm that destroyed the city was perhaps 
  magically induced or aided, and the rubble itself is still 
  extremely hot, hot enough that clothing will be set alight 
  if brushed against it. 
  Anyone who can make their way through what remains 
  of the city streets to the ruins of the Copper Palace will 
  simply find it another pile of ruins that clearly cannot 
  contain any survivors. Anyone who searches for treasure 
  in the ruined city will be disappointed—the Bisselites 
  looted the entire city very methodically. 
   
  If players try to discuss events  or NPCs from a 
  previous adventure (such as the NPC monk Najmeh from 
  Year 7’s  Seeking Balance series), and there are players at 
  the table who have not played the adventure being 
  discussed, the Beygraf indicates that there is no time for 
  this discussion, time is of the essence, etc. (For the 
  record, Najmeh is visiting her home temple in Falwur 
  Province and will not be seen in this adventure.) 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  If the adventurers refuse to go see Jentella the adventure 
  ends here unless they have other means of finding the 
  Thorn fortress. Otherwise, proceed to 4: Jentella 
   
    4: JENTELLA 
  Following the directions provided by Gunderman, 
  you cautiously circle the smoking ruins of Lopolla, 
  then take a well-traveled road along the banks of the 
  Tuflik River to a smaller road that leads to a farm. A 
  friendly plume of white smoke rises from the 
  chimney of the small farmhouse. However, heavy 
  wooden shutters cover the windows, and the door is 
  heavy wood banded with iron. As you approach, the 
  front door opens, and an elderly man steps out onto 
  the porch, a heavy crossbow cradled in his hands.  
   
   “What brings you to my farm, strangers?” he calls 
  out. Although the crossbow is pointed to the ground, 
  his meaning is clear—remain peaceful, or there’s 
  going to be trouble. 
   
  The farmer’s name is Kouros. If the adventurers demand 
  information, or are rude, belligerent or arrogant, Kouros 
  raises his crossbow a bit and orders them off his land. If 
  they refuse, he steps back inside and bars the door. If the 
  adventurers leave the farm, the adventure ends here. If 
  the adventurers attack the farmhouse, assume they are 
  ultimately successful. However, their heavy-handed 
  tactics do not provide them with the information they 
  seek, and the adventure ends here.  
   
  If the adventurers are polite and seem lawful, (or 
  were rude, but apologized when ordered off the farm and 
  modified their attitude), Kouros will speak with them.  
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 11 
  
   
  If the adventurers ask whether he is a supporter of 
  the ex-Beygraf or the quest for the Cup and Talisman, he 
  will not admit to either, saying that a man has a right to 
  keep his own counsel. (He supports the Beygraf, but is 
  well aware that such a view might be considered 
  treasonous in these troubled times, and that many people 
  in this area of Ket have been executed or imprisoned for 
  supporting the ex-Beygraf.) 
   
  He will not admit Jentella is on his farm unless he is 
  sure the adventurers mean her no harm. If they politely 
  ask to speak with Jentella, the farmer will ask why.  
  • 
  If the adventurers explain why they want to 
  speak with Jentella (at least in the most basic 
  terms, if they are unwilling to reveal anything 
  about their quest to speak with the Thorns), 
  then Kouros will call for Jentella to step outside. 
  • 
  If the adventurers lie about their reason for 
  speaking with Jentella (even if they are simply 
  trying to cover their  quest to speak with the 
  Thorns), Kouros is a shrewd judge of character, 
  and will get a Sense Motive check with a bonus 
  of +6 versus a Bluff check from the adventurer 
  who told the lie. If he catches a lie, Kouros will 
  accuse the adventurer of lying, and demand the 
  truth. Refusal or a further lie that is caught will 
  result in Kouros ordering the adventurers off 
  his land. If he does not catch the lie, and all else 
  seems normal, he will   call for Jentella to step 
  outside. 
  If the adventurers mention Gunderman, Jentella will 
  force her way past Kouros onto the porch and ask if 
  Gunderman is all right. 
   
  JENTELLA 
  Jentella is a young and pretty Rhennee woman. Any 
  adventurer who played KET7-01 Balance of Secrets will 
  recognize Jentella as the owner of the pink chickens of 
  prophecy. Jentella will recognize the adventurer(s) and 
  will tell Kouros that all is well, she knows (name of 
  adventurer). Kouros will relax and invite everyone inside 
  for a chat beside a warm fireplace. If no one has played 
  that adventure, the conversation will take place outside. 
   
  A conversation with Jentella will reveal the 
  following: 
  • 
  If asked about her pink chickens, she is 
  heartbroken—they were confiscated from her 
  by Bisselite soldiers when she tried to leave the 
  city with them, and from the soldiers’ actions 
  and words, she is sure they were eaten that very 
  night.  
  • 
  To any questions about why she is here, she says 
  that she has no powers of prophecy without her 
  chickens, and thus cannot make a living. (For 
  those who have not seen her chickens in action 
  in KET7-01 Balance of Secrets, a brief 
  explanation by her might be called for—see 
  Adventure Background: Jentella.)  She retreated 
  to the farm of Kouros, who is a friend of the 
  Rhennee and often harbors Rhennee caravans 
  passing through the area. Here she will await 
  the spring, and then will leave Ket and travel to 
  Zeif on the shores of the Dramidj Ocean, where 
  her chickens are from. Once she has another 
  dozen chickens of prophecy, she will be back in 
  business. 
  • 
  Regarding the Thorns, she does not know 
  anything about Thorns, but asks for a more 
  complete 
  description 
  of 
  them. 
  If 
  the 
  adventurers mention Copper Palace, Beygraf’s 
  bodyguards, or some indication the Thorns 
  were a paramilitary unit, she will tell of an 
  encounter she had.  
   
  JENTELLA’S ENCOUNTER 
  Jentella did see an army unit during the fall of Lopolla—
  at least she assumed they were an army unit, since they 
  were dressed in uniforms. They were the only Ketite 
  army unit she saw at all during the entire battle, and she 
  was surprised to see them, since she had heard that all 
  Ket soldiers had left the country for Ekbir.  
   
  Jentella was staying at an inn inside the city walls 
  during the siege. She had lived in the tent city called the 
  Ourmistan just outside the city walls, but when rumor of 
  the Bisselite army reached Lopolla, all of the merchants 
  in the Ourmistan had fled, and she had been forced to 
  move into the city with her chickens. The day that Bissel 
  took Lopolla, Jentella was at the front door of the inn, 
  trying to hear news of the siege, when a unit of Ket 
  soldiers marched down the street from the direction of 
  the Copper Palace. Although they were moving in an 
  orderly fashion, several of the soldiers were wounded. 
  She ran into the street with towels from the inn’s kitchen 
  and bandaged some of the wounds. From the soldiers’ 
  conversations with her, she understood that they had 
  been guarding the Copper Palace, but had managed to 
  escape when it became clear that the battle was lost. They 
  were retreating to a small military outpost outside the 
  city where they would await a new Beygraf—Jentella will 
  admit she did not understand that statement. When the 
  soldiers were ready to move on, they thanked her for her 
  kindness, and gave her directions to their new location 
  should she ever be in need of their protection. 
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 12 
  
  DEVELOPMENT 
  Jentella will gladly give the adventurers the directions 
  she had been given that indicate that the location of this 
  group of soldiers is about 10 miles away. 
   
   
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  A tall fence with a gate marks the location of the 
  small fort that the Thorns have taken refuge in. Two 
  hundred feet from the fence is a circular stone castle 
  with a single massive door of iron and a copper dome 
  turned green by the elements.  
   
  A winged humanoid stands just inside the gates 
  of the estate, watching both the road and the one 
  great door, apparently preventing anyone from either 
  entering or leaving the estate.  
   
  APL 2 (and APL 4 plus next paragraph): 
  It looks much like a tall, beautiful human with long 
  feathery wings, and is attired in elegant white robes 
  over a white breastplate. It is armed with a longsword.  
   
  APL 4 (plus previous paragraph): 
  Then, you note that a second one is slightly off to one 
  side, looking much the same. 
   
  APL 6 (and APL 8 plus next paragraph): 
  It is female figure with angular features and bright, 
  metallic flesh. Her wings are sharp and threatening as 
  are her two readied swords. Each of her movements is 
  framed by perfect symmetry—she never moves her 
  right blade forward without moving the left blade 
  back in equal measure. 
   
  APL 8 (plus previous paragraph): 
  Then, you notice a second figure off to the side, 
  almost identical in appearance. 
   
  APL 10 (and APL 12 includes next paragraph): 
  This imposing figure appears as an armored knight, 
  with wide golden wings. His air of authority and 
  menace is almost palpable. He is clad in bright full 
  plate, wielding a greatsword that shines with divine 
  power. 
   
  APL 12 (plus previous paragraph): 
  Then, you notice a second figure off to the side, 
  similar in appearance. 
   
  The angelic being(s) are charged with preventing anyone 
  from entering or leaving, and the iron door is the only 
  easy method of doing so. The castle is 200 feet across, 
  with no openings other than the front gate, which is 20 
  feet wide, with a sally-gate inset into it. It is warded from 
  teleportation magics (they simply shunt outside), and is 
  stone, fully five foot thick with closely spaced iron bars 
  throughout, continuing 20 feet underground. 
   
  Any group or individual who wishes to enter or leave 
  must either defeat the guardian (nonlethal combat will be 
  offered as an option) or manage to bypass them 
  somehow. However, if the guardian is not defeated, it 
  will have to be dealt with somehow on the way out. 
   
  If negotiations are started before combat, then a “free 
  pass” into the castle may be possible but difficult to 
  achieve. Essentially, the guardian must be convinced 
  with a Diplomacy check, DC 33 + APL. In addition, each 
  non-Bisselite who wishes to enter (including the PC 
  leading the negotiations) raises the difficulty by 2. 
  However each Bisselite lowers it by 2, and any influence 
  points with Bissel authority figures lowers it by 5 per 
  point expended. In addition, each person who wishes to 
  enter must defeat the Sense Motive of the guardian(s) 
  with a Bluff check (because they wish to take actions that 
  are diametrically opposed to the orders of the guardian, 
  that being to enter).  
   
  However, as long as the adjusted group Diplomacy 
  result is over 5 plus APL, the guardian will propose a 
  contest of arms, nonlethal damage only, for passage. 
  Guardians will agree to any reasonable strictures, such a 
  prebuffing or not, as seems sensible and within their 
  mandate. 
   
  If combat is initiated before diplomacy is offered, 
  then the guardian(s) will refuse to negotiate from that 
  point onwards. 
   
  All ELs are increased by 1 because of the difficulty many 
  PCs will have fighting a creature of good, which means 
  that some parties will become split. 
   
  APL 2 (EL 3) 
   
  Protectar: hp 12; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 5) 
   
  Protectars (2): hp 12, 12; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 7) 
   
  Arcadian Avenger: hp 60; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 9) 
   
  Arcadian Avengers (2): hp 60, 60; appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 11) 
   
  Justice Archon Champion: hp 129; appendix 1. 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 13 
  
   
  APL 12 (EL 13) 
   
  Justice Archon Champions (2): hp 129, 129; 
  appendix 1. 
   
   
  Tactics: The entire area is cleared for several 
  hundred feet out from the solid stone structure. The 
  guardian(s) stand about fifty feet in front of the gate. 
   
  If an arrangement has been made for trial by combat, 
  the guardian(s) deal nonlethal damage (taking the -4 to 
  hit). For the Justice Archons specifically, this means that 
  they cannot use their Justice Strike ability unless their 
  opponent has a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (a 
  sap or merciful weapon, usually). 
   
  Guardians take to the air to combat flying foes, but 
  being Lawful with a sense of fair play they do not use 
  aerial combat in contest with non-aerial foes. If they are 
  attacked lethally, of course, all bets are off and they 
  attempt to carry out their mission as effectively as they 
  can, although killing is not their goal. 
   
  In any case, they accept an honestly offered 
  surrender at any time, and in fact make this known to 
  non-evil foes. 
   
  If they defeat a lethal attack, anyone killed or 
  captured is turned over to the Bissel army, with results as 
  listed on the AR. Characters defeated in a nonlethal 
  attack are allowed to depart in peace, if that is part of the 
  arrangement. 
   
  If the adventurers capture the celestial (by knocking 
  it unconscious), the celestials ask permission to withdraw 
  from this plane once it regains consciousness. 
   
  Treasure: 
   
  APL 2: Loot 19 gp; Total 19 gp. 
   
  APL 4: Loot 39 gp; Total 39 gp. 
   
  APL 6: Loot 52 gp; Total 52 gp. 
   
  APL 8: Loot 105 gp; Total 105 gp. 
   
  APL 10: Magic 1330 gp; +2 fullplate (471 gp), +1 
  greatsword (192 gp), amulet of natural armor +2 (667 gp); 
  Total 1330 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Magic 2660 gp; 2 +2 fullplates (471 gp each), 
  2 +1 greatswords (192 gp each), 2 amulets of natural 
  armor +2 (667 gp each); Total 2660 gp. 
   
  6: THORNS 
  The door of the castle opens and a man in the 
  uniform of the Thorns steps out.  
   
  “Be ye of Ket, of Bissel, or some other land?” 
   
  The man is Taronish, captain of the Thorns. 
   
  If the adventurers negotiated their way through the 
  guardians (which means Taronish believes they are 
  Bisselites, regardless of their reply), or if the adventurers 
  reply that they are from any other region but Ket, they 
  are told to be off. Someone in the party will have to make 
  a DC 20+APL Diplomacy check in order to continue the 
  conversation. Failure to do so, or any attempt to solve the 
  situation with force means the end of the adventure, 
  since the Thorns will refuse to support the Beygraf under 
  those circumstances. Go to Conclusion: Failure. 
   
  If the adventurers fought the guardians and reply 
  that they are from Ket, or if the party made their 
  Diplomacy check above, the man asks what their 
  business is (if the adventurers haven’t already explained 
  why they are there already.) 
   
  If the adventurers lie about their mission, Taronish 
  gets a Sense Motive with a bonus of +4 against the Bluff 
  check of the PC who lied. If he catches a lie, Taronish 
  will accuse the adventurer of lying, and demand the 
  truth. Refusal or a further lie that is caught will result in 
  Taronish ordering the adventurers off this land. If he 
  does not catch the lie, and all else seems normal, he will 
  continue the dialogue. 
   
  Whatever story the adventurers tell, the dialogue can 
  continue endlessly until the adventurers make it clear 
  that they are emissaries of the ex-Beygraf. Once they do, 
  Taronish makes them an offer. He will allow them into 
  the castle to continue their conversation if they agree to 
  be completely disarmed and lay aside all possessions 
  before they enter (including all armor, wands, staves, 
  musical instruments, backpacks, utility belts, pouches, 
  wallets, magical items and all jewelry. By the time they 
  are finished, the adventurers should only be wearing 
  clothes.) Note that some of the Thorns are warrior mages 
  who can cast detect magic.)   
   
  If the adventurers don’t agree to this, they can 
  attempt to come to a compromise—for instance, they can 
  suggest no weapons allowed but all PCs to retain 
  backpacks and belts, or perhaps only light melee weapons 
  allowed. Once the adventurers have made a counter-offer, 
  it is a DC 30 Diplomacy check (made by one adventurer, 
  no assists) to see if Taronish agrees. The DM may add any 
  penalties to the check that may be indicated—for 
  instance, if the party tries to negotiate that they only lay 
  aside missile weapons but still retain all their melee 
  weapons and armor, the DM should feel free to add a +10 
  to that check. Adding a request to keep all personal items 
  on top of that might add another +5 to the check. 
   
  If the party demands some sort of surety that they 
  will not be mistreated while disarmed, Taronish 
  truthfully replies that he swears by the throne of Ket that 
  they will have safe passage into and out of the manor, and 
  all their possessions will be returned to them in the same 
  state in which they were surrendered. 
   
  Once the party and Taronish have agreed to terms, 
  Taronish re-enters the castle while several Thorns step 
  forth to oversee that the adventurers abide by the terms 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 14 
  
  of the agreement. The adventurers are then escorted 
  inside and shown into a room. 
   
  You are shown into a spacious room, although lit by 
  lanterns in the daytime, since there are no windows. 
  Your Thorn escorts come to attention as the man you 
  talked to outside rises from a chair. Although his 
  Thorn uniform has gold braid, the braid is tattered 
  and tarnished, and his uniform is dirty, with a red-
  brown stain where it seems someone with a bloody 
  hand grasped his tunic. He gives a brief bow, his face 
  weary but his eyes alert. He graciously offers you a 
  seat as he takes his own seat again. 
   
  “Please forgive our lack of hospitality. We are on 
  siege rations at the moment, and although what we 
  have is yours, we have already eaten our single meal 
  today, 
  otherwise 
  we 
  would 
  offer 
  you 
  some 
  refreshments. May I offer you a cup of water? There is 
  a spring under the manor, and the water is cold and 
  sweet.”  
   
  Give the adventurers a moment to accept or decline his 
  offer. If they accept, a man steps forward with a jug and 
  cups and pours water for those who asked for it. When he 
  is finished, the Thorn captain continues. 
   
  “I am Taronish, Captain of the Thorns—or what is left 
  of the Thorns, at any rate. Many of us died in the 
  battle for the Copper Palace. As the Bisselites readied 
  themselves for a last charge, my second-in-command, 
  a woman named Lylah, urged me to disengage and 
  pull the survivors out of Lopolla. Defending the 
  Copper Palace when there was not even a Beygraf to 
  defend was a waste of lives, she said. She urged me to 
  retreat to this place since it had food and water 
  enough for an extended siege should the Bisselites 
  pursue. Seeing the sense in her words, I agreed, and 
  ordered the Thorns to retreat. We managed to 
  disengage and make it out of the city, most of us at 
  any rate. Lylah was one of the Thorns who didn’t 
  make it.” He glances at the hand-shaped bloodstain 
  on his tunic. “That night as we retreated across the 
  countryside, we saw a glow in the sky, and knew 
  Lopolla was burning. 
   
  “A group of Bisselite soldiers did pursue us here, 
  but we managed to gain the castle, and turned back 
  several of their attacks, inflicting heavy casualties. 
  Finally the Bisselite captain rode to within earshot 
  and told us this refuge was now our prison until they 
  returned. He said they had some unfinished business 
  with the rest of Ket. He then set guardians around the 
  house so that we could not leave—I believe you met 
  those guardians, and we give you our heartfelt thanks 
  for getting rid of them. (Delete last phrase if 
  adventurers negotiated their way through the guardians.)  
   
  “The fact that the Bisselite captain should leave 
  guardians and threaten to return indicates that the 
  attack on Lopolla is no border raid—they seem bent 
  on conquering Ket and making it one of their 
  provinces. 
   
  “However, forgive my meanderings; I have been 
  on long shifts and short sleep for many days.  
   
  “Now, you say you are in the service of Beygraf 
  Nadaid… excuse me, ex-Beygraf Nadaid. Explain your 
  purpose in seeking us out, for as far as we are 
  concerned, Nadaid is now just another Ket Citizen…” 
   
  The DM should give the party the opportunity to 
  convince the Thorns to support Nadaid. Taronish will 
  listen politely and politely ask questions or object if what 
  is being put to him is outside the Thorns’ history and 
  policies. The DM can use history and traditions of the 
  Thorns as outlined in Adventure Background: The 
  Thorns to generate questions or objections. 
   
  When the adventurers are finished—or have begun 
  to repeat their arguments, one adventurer must make a 
  DC 35 Diplomacy check. Other adventurers may attempt 
  to assist, and the following bonuses and penalties should 
  also be added for any arguments the party presented: 
  • 
  Ket is leaderless: +2 
  • 
  We must start a counterattack against Bissel 
  before they become entrenched: +2 
  • 
  Ket requires a leader right now to lead the 
  resistance: +2 
  • 
  If we wait until the Army of the Righteous 
  returns from Ekbir, it will be too late to easily 
  dislodge Bissel: +10 
  • 
  The quest for the Cup & Talisman is plot of Iuz: 
  +2 
  • 
  If the fates (the gods, etc) had truly wanted 
  Nadaid to be deposed, he would be dead, and 
  there would be a new Beygraf on the throne: +5 
  • 
  Nadaid thought about the well-being of Ket 
  rather than personal glory on a quest for the 
  Cup & Talisman: +5 
  • 
  Nadaid respects their neutrality, and bears them 
  no ill-will for not supporting him when he was 
  deposed: +2 
  • 
  The first step of Nadaid to regain the throne was 
  to seek the support of the Thorns—he knows he 
  cannot have the throne without them: +5 
  • 
  Since all of the traditional power bases of Ket 
  (army, mullahs, merchants, nobility) are in 
  Ekbir, Nadaid plans to build a new power 
  structure in Ket, and the Thorns are a part of 
  that plan: +2 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 15 
  
  • 
  The people of Ket respect the decision of the 
  Thorns: +2  
  • 
  Nadaid commands the Thorns to comply: -2 
  • 
  Any negative or disparaging comments about 
  the Thorns or their role in the deposing of 
  Nadaid: -5 for all comments (not –5 for each 
  comment) 
   
  Other modifiers: 
  • 
  Each Ket Citizen in the party: +2 
  • 
  Each resident of Bissel in the party: -2 
  • 
  Each different Ket Metaorg that is represented 
  among members of the party (other than the 
  Xanavade): +2 
   
  If the Diplomacy check fails, then Taronish regretfully 
  informs them that the Thorns must maintain their 
  neutrality, even in the face of national disaster. Go to 
  Conclusion: Failure 
   
  If the Diplomacy check proceeds, Taronish will 
  agree to go to Molvar and publicly proclaim that the 
  Thorns now support him. 
   
  To explain why only he alone is coming to Molvar, 
  and why he is leaving the rest of the Thorns here, 
  Taronish takes them down to the basement and opens 
  several heavy wooden chests. Within is the royal treasury 
  of Ket—gems, jewels and ancient weapons, all of them 
  weighted with history and significance to Ket, and 
  instantly recognizable to anyone from Ket due to the 
  stories and legends that have been told about them. The 
  Thorns rescued the treasure from the Copper Palace, and 
  it is the main reason they decided not to take on the 
  guardians and escape—while willing to risk their lives 
  against the guardians, they were unwilling to risk the 
  treasure lest it be lost to Bissel. While Taronish goes to 
  Molvar, the rest of the Thorns will guard this treasure 
  with their lives. Taronish will tell Nadaid of this treasure 
  so that it can be moved to Molvar. Until Taronish has met 
  with the Beygraf and resworn his allegiance, he will be 
  neutral in all dealings, and will refuse to fight for or 
  against anyone. 
  If a high-level party wishes to travel magically, 
  Taronish will demur, explaining that as an official Thorn 
  delegation it is important that he be seen to actually 
  travel to the Beygraf, in order to show to the people of 
  Ket that things are proceeding as they should and restore 
  faith in the government. 
   
  If the adventurers negotiated their way past the 
  guardians, the guardians will now refuse to let them 
  leave, especially since they are accompanied by Taronish, 
  whom the guardians have been tasked with containing 
  within the castle. They will initiate combat rather than 
  allow an exit. Of course, teleporting a distance away 
  would solve this problem. See 5: Guardian for details of 
  the combat. 
   
  7: DRUID 
  Modify the text below to account for circumstances. 
  Taronish attempts to rally the people into hopefulness as 
  the trek continues. 
   
  The journey back to Molvar starts out much the same 
  as it was on the way out—empty roads and wary, 
  unfriendly people. But then a couple of fellow 
  travelers recognize Taronish as a Thorn, and ask him 
  where he is bound. When he tells them why he is 
  going to Molvar, their faces grow cautious, but you 
  see a fire lit in their eyes. The next day, it is not fellow 
  travelers, but residents of a nearby village that come 
  seeking Taronish. And the next day, more people find 
  you. Farmers and traders start coming from all around 
  as you pass through the small villages along the way, 
  seeking to confirm the news that the Thorns will 
  support Nadaid. 
   
  Some nights you stay in village inns, but several 
  times people stop you on the road to warn you that 
  hard-eyed Bissel soldiers in the next town are looking 
  for a band of adventurers heading to Molvar. On 
  those days, camping in the wilderness seems like a 
  healthier option. 
   
  COMBAT WITH GUSHUN THE DRUID 
  On one particular night, still several days from Molvar, 
  the adventurers have again been warned to stay out of 
  town, and therefore will be camping. Use the same camp 
  setup, defenses and watches that the adventurers used in 
  2: Molvar.  
   
  Gushun, a half-orc druid, has been sent by Iuz to 
  make certain that Ket remains destabilized. When news 
  reaches Gushun that Taronish is on his way to reconcile 
  with Nadaid, she knows she must prevent this. She has 
  been given full details of where and how the PCs will be 
  camping on the trip through a commune. She will buff 
  and attack at the most opportune time. 
   
  All ELs are increased by 1 because of the difficulty of 
  fighting a prepared and knowledgeable foe in the middle 
  of the night. 
   
  APL 2 (EL 5) 
   
  Gushun: half-orc druid 4; hp 31; Appendix 1. 
   
  Giant wasp animal companion: hp 32; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 7) 
   
  Gushun: half-orc druid 5/beastmaster 1; hp 52; 
  Appendix 1. 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 16 
  
   
  Giant wasp animal companion: hp 59; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
   
  Gushun: half-orc druid 7/beastmaster 1; hp 68; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  Giant wasp animal companion: hp 68; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 11) 
   
  Gushun: half-orc druid 9/beastmaster 1; hp 84; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  Giant wasp animal companion: hp 83; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
   
  Gushun: half-orc druid 11/beastmaster 1; hp 100; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  Giant wasp animal companion: hp 98; Appendix 1. 
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
   
  Gushun: half-orc druid 13/beastmaster 1; hp 116; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  Giant wasp animal companion: hp 111; Appendix 
  1. 
   
  Tactics: 
   
  Using the information she has gained from her 
  commune, 
  Gushun 
  carefully 
  chooses 
  the 
  most 
  advantageous time to attack. She may well surprise 
  people, and likely catch some out of armor, and probably 
  be fully buffed. She is attempting to attack when those on 
  watch aren’t very aware, or those in heavy armor have 
  taken it off. All the spells listed as ‘shared’ are on both her 
  and her companion (a giant wasp, variant companion—it 
  counts as an animal companion, but is of the vermin type, 
  not an animal.) unless they move more than 5 feet apart, 
  in which case they expire from her wasp. Dispelling 
  them from one removes them from both. 
   
  To buff, she precast the spells listed immediately 
  after her statblock (these spells are not factored into the 
  statblocks, but summarized afterwards), and has her 
  animal companion carry her into the PCs’ camp.  
   
  She casts while 240 feet away (120 feet at APL 2). The 
  number of rounds until Gushun is ready to begin combat 
  is determined first by how many round/level buffs she 
  has to cast, and then by how long it takes her to engage 
  the party, moving at 120 feet per round. Anyone on 
  watch making a DC 24 Listen check (DC 12 at APL 2) 
  hears the spellcasting; the person on watch can then 
  choose to act on the sound of a strong voice some 
  distance off.  
   
  At APL 10 and 12, she has her Elephant’s Hide feat 
  active, already factored into statblocks. 
   
  She takes full advantage of sharing snake’s swiftness 
  to grant herself and her wasp both an attack when 
  appropriate. If she is defeated, her wasp flees. If the wasp 
  falls she will continue fighting—she is more afraid of her 
  superiors than of anything or anyone else.  
   
  She does not target Taronish, planning to kill the 
  adventurers and then capture him. Taronish, as he told 
  the adventurers in 6: Thorns, does not fight, and as such 
  his stats have not been included. 
   
  Treasure: 
   
  APL 2: Loot 3 gp, magic 276 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 hide armor (97 go), +1 large 
  chain shirt barding of agility (171 gp); Total 279 gp. 
   
  APL 4: Loot 1 gp, magic 470 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +1 hide 
  armor (97 gp), +1 large chain shirt barding of agility (171 
  gp); Total 471 gp. 
   
  APL 6: Loot 1 gp, magic 803 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +1 hide 
  armor (97 gp), +1 large chain shirt barding of agility (171 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp); Total 804 gp. 
   
  APL 8: Loot 1 gp, magic 1303 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +2 hide 
  armor (347 gp), +2 large chain shirt barding of agility (421 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp); Total 1304 gp. 
   
  APL 10: Loot 1 gp, magic 2137 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +3 hide 
  armor (764 gp), +3 large chain shirt barding of agility (838 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp); Total 2138 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Loot 1 gp, magic 3470 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +3 hide 
  armor (764 gp), +3 large chain shirt barding of agility (838 
  gp), amulet of health +4 (1333 gp), gauntlets of ogre 
  power (333 gp); Total 3471 gp. 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  If the wasp survives the encounter alive it becomes 
  available on the AR as an animal companion to any PCs 
  who wish it, as detailed in the Giant Wasp AR award.  
   
  If Gushun is looted, she has written materials 
  sufficient to understand several spells, as detailed in the 
  Druidic Learning AR award. She also has a letter detailing 
  the place and time to attack, along with rough 
  descriptions and general tactics, signed with a skull (the 
  symbol of Iuz’s church). 
   
  If captured, mundane means are insufficient to get 
  her to talk—she only responds to magical coercion. She 
  knows only that she was sent from the Lands of Iuz 
  specifically for this mission. 
   
  Presuming the PCs fend off this attack successfully, 
  they can continue on to Molvar with Taronish. 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 17 
  
   
  CONCLUSION 
  SUCCESS 
  If the adventurers manage to escort Taronish back to 
  Molvar: 
   
  In the throne room of the Red Tower in Molvar, you 
  and other assembled dignitaries, soldiers and dwarves 
  of Molvar watch as Taronish, Captain of the Thorns, 
  kneels before Nadaid, former Beygraf of Ket. 
  Flanking Nadaid are Graf Alvaro Aldeen of Molvar, 
  and Anoshan, High Priest of the Ketite Church of 
  Hextor. 
   
  “Your Glory,” begins Taronish, his head bowed. 
  “The Thorns once again recognize you as the one and 
  true Beygraf of Ket, and all other claimants to the 
  throne as traitorous pretenders. Furthermore, we 
  abandoned you in your hour of need and will accept 
  any just punishment for this. However, I would ask a 
  personal boon of you. As Captain of the Thorns, I bear 
  full responsibility for the actions of the Thorns and 
  ask that any punishment you accord to the Thorns be 
  visited upon me alone.” 
   
  There is silence for a moment, then Nadaid 
  speaks. 
   
  “Taronish, you bring an abundance of good 
  tidings, the first I have heard in many weeks. To 
  know that our ancient and sacred treasury is safe is 
  almost as good as the news that I can once again 
  count on the support of the Thorns. 
   
  “The Thorns have always fulfilled their duty 
  according to the laws of Ket and their own noble 
  traditions. For this, there is no crime, and therefore 
  no punishment. I welcome the Thorns back into my 
  court.” Nadaid looks around. “The times are dire. We 
  cannot hold on to past hurts—the future days 
  foreshadow too much hardship and grief without that 
  added burden. Rise, Taronish, and join my quest.” He 
  raises Taronish to his feet and embraces him, then 
  turns to you. “The future of Ket has begun.” 
   
  Nadaid enlists the support of the Archons to move the 
  royal treasure safely to Molvar. The PCs receive the AR 
  award Payment. Any that have not previously played any 
  adventure in the Road to Righteousness series or 
  otherwise declared against Nadaid in any adventure gain 
  rewards from both Nadaid and the church of Hextor as 
  outlined in the AR reward True to the Beygraf. Finally, 
  Graf Alvaro Aldeen will provide each adventurer with the 
  gift of a valuable gem, worth 200 gp. 
   
  Treasure: 
   
  All APLs: Coins 200 gp; Total 200 gp. 
   
  FAILURE: 
  Failure to return to Molvar with a representative of the 
  Thorns means an important piece of the Beygraf’s 
  strategy is missing. There are no AR rewards or gp 
  forthcoming from Nadaid for the party’s efforts, although 
  they may keep any loot and xp earned through combat. 
   
  BETRAYED EMIR ZULIR:  
  Each adventurer earns 50 gp, and the AR reward Loyalty 
  Questioned. 
   
  AR AWARD SUMMARY: 
  Lawbreaker: Granted to anyone who is caught and 
  arrested for breaking any laws of Ket. 
   
  Captured by Bisselites: Granted to anyone who is 
  defeated by the Guardians, or is otherwise captured by 
  the forces of Bissel. 
   
  Druidic Learning: Granted to any party that defeats the 
  Druidess Gushun. 
   
  Giant Wasp: Granted to any party that defeats the 
  Druidess 
  Gushun 
  but 
  doesn’t 
  kill 
  her 
  Animal 
  Companion. 
   
  Payment: Granted to any party that successfully gets 
  Taronish to speak with Nadaid willingly. 
   
  True to the Beygraf: Granted as above, to those who are 
  loyal to Nadaid over the True Faith. 
   
  Loyalty Questioned: Awarded to anyone who declared 
  themselves against Nadaid, probably by turning Emir 
  Zulir over to the True Faith or declaring themselves 
  against Nadaid at the gates of Molvar. 
   
  EXPERIENCE POINT 
  SUMMARY 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the values 
  for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award. Award the total value (objectives plus 
  roleplaying) to each character. 
   
  1: Plants 
  Rescue Emir Zulir. 
  APL 2  
  120 XP 
  APL 4  
  180 XP 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 18 
  
  APL 6  
  240 XP 
  APL 8  
  300 XP 
  APL 10  
  360 XP 
  APL 12  
  420 XP 
   
  4: Guardian 
  Get past the guardian and extract Taronish from the 
  castle safely. 
  APL 2  
  90 XP 
  APL 4  
  150 XP 
  APL 6  
  210 XP 
  APL 8  
  270 XP 
  APL 10  
  330 XP 
  APL 12  
  390 XP 
   
  6: Druid 
  Defeat the attacker and keep Taronish safe. 
  APL 2  
  150 XP 
  APL 4  
  210 XP 
  APL 6  
  270 XP 
  APL 8  
  330 XP 
  APL 10  
  390 XP 
  APL 12  
  450 XP 
   
  Story Award 
  Nadaid reconciled with the Thorns. 
  APL 2  
  90 XP 
  APL 4  
  135 XP 
  APL 6  
  180 XP 
  APL 8  
  225 XP 
  APL 10  
  270 XP 
  APL 12 
  315 XP 
   
  Total Possible Experience 
  APL 2  
  450 XP 
  APL 4  
  675 XP 
  APL 6  
  900 XP 
  APL 8  
  1,125 XP 
  APL 10  
  1,350 XP 
  APL 12 
  1,575 XP 
   
  TREASURE SUMMARY 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes. Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their 
  earthly possessions. Looting the bodies takes at least 10 
  minutes per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot 
  take the time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this 
  gold. If you feel it is reasonable that characters can go 
  back to loot the bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., 
  not carted off by dungeon scavengers, removed from the 
  scene by the local watch, and so on), characters may 
  return to retrieve loot. If the characters do not loot the 
  body, the gold piece value for the loot is subtracted from 
  the encounter totals given below. 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available. A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a 
  round or so. If for some reason, they pass up this treasure, 
  the coin total is subtracted from the encounter totals 
  given below. 
   
  Next, the magic items are listed. Magic item treasure 
  is the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure. Many times characters must cast identify, 
  analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine what the 
  item does and how to activate it. Other times they may 
  attempt to use the item blindly. If the magic item is 
  consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the 
  item is used before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure. Write the total in 
  the GP Gained field of the adventure certificate.  
   
  Loot = Looted gear from enemy; Coin = Coin, Gems, 
  Jewelry, and other valuables; Magic = Magic Items.  
   
   
  5: Guardian 
   
  APL 2: Loot 19 gp; Total 19 gp. 
   
  APL 4: Loot 39 gp; Total 39 gp. 
   
  APL 6: Loot 52 gp; Total 52 gp. 
   
  APL 8: Loot 105 gp; Total 105 gp. 
   
  APL 10: Magic 1330 gp; +2 fullplate (471 gp), +1 
  greatsword (192 gp), amulet of natural armor +2 (667 gp); 
  Total 1330 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Magic 2660 gp; 2 +2 fullplates (471 gp each), 
  2 +1 greatswords (192 gp each), 2 amulets of natural 
  armor +2 (667 gp each); Total 2660 gp. 
   
  7: Druid 
   
  APL 2: Loot 3 gp, magic 276 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 hide armor (97 go), +1 large 
  chain shirt barding of agility (171 gp); Total 279 gp. 
   
  APL 4: Loot 1 gp, magic 470 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +1 hide 
  armor (97 gp), +1 large chain shirt barding of agility (171 
  gp); Total 471 gp. 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 19 
  
   
  APL 6: Loot 1 gp, magic 803 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +1 hide 
  armor (97 gp), +1 large chain shirt barding of agility (171 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp); Total 804 gp. 
   
  APL 8: Loot 1 gp, magic 1303 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +2 hide 
  armor (347 gp), +2 large chain shirt barding of agility (421 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp); Total 1304 gp. 
   
  APL 10: Loot 1 gp, magic 2137 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +3 hide 
  armor (764 gp), +3 large chain shirt barding of agility (838 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp); Total 2138 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Loot 1 gp, magic 3470 gp; 2 potions of cure 
  light wounds (4 gp each), +1 greatspear (194 gp), +3 hide 
  armor (764 gp), +3 large chain shirt barding of agility (838 
  gp), amulet of health +4 (1333 gp), gauntlets of ogre 
  power (333 gp); Total 3471 gp. 
   
  Conclusion 
   
  All APLs: Coin 200 gp; Total 200 gp. 
   
   
  Treasure Cap 
  APL 2:  
  450 gp 
  APL 4:  
  650 gp 
  APL 6:  
  900 gp 
  APL 8:  
  1,300 gp 
  APL 10:  
  2,300 gp 
  APL 12:  
  3,300 gp 
   
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 2:  
  498 gp 
  APL 4:  
  471 gp 
  APL 6:  
  1,056 gp 
  APL 8:  
  1,609 gp 
  APL 10:  
  3,668 gp 
  APL 12:  
  6,331 gp 
   
  ADVENTURE RECORD ITEMS 
  Lawbreaker: You have broken the Beygraf’s law, and 
  been sentenced. If you fled Molvar rather than facing 
  punishment, at the start of each adventure set in Molvar, 
  or if you enter Molvar during an adventure, you have a 
  25% change of being immediately caught and sentenced 
  to twice the original penalty. There is no escape once 
  recaptured – your involvement in the adventure ends and 
  you must serve the sentence. 
  Crime:___________________ 
  Sentence:__________________ 
   
  Captured by Bisselites: You have been captured by the 
  Bissel army. When you are eventually ransomed, you 
  have lost 4 TUs, as well as having to spend 100 gp x APL 
  on the ransom. 
   
  Druidic Learning: From the documents recovered, you 
  have gained access to the following spells: as the frost 
  (PHBII), contingent energy resistance (SC), fires of 
  purity (SC), heal animal companion (SC), jagged tooth 
  (SC), snake’s swiftness (SC), and wings of air (SC). 
   
  Giant Wasp: You may take a giant wasp as an animal 
  companion. It can be taken at Druid level -3, and has a 1 
  Intelligence, granting it 8 ranks in Spot and the feats 
  Armor Proficiency (light) and Improved Natural Attack 
  (sting). It is not an animal, and animal-only spells will not 
  work on it, but it is considered an animal companion, 
  even though it is of the Vermin type, advancing only Fort 
  saves as high. Void this award if the giant wasp is killed. 
   
  Payment: You gain access to the items in the Item Access 
  box below that are marked with a *. 
   
  True to the Beygraf: You have shown your loyalty to 
  Nadaid, and are rewarded with Regional access to up to 
  three items listed on this AR (circle them), as well as a 
  Point of Influence with Naidad. In addition, the Church 
  of Hextor in Ket will enhance one weapon with 
  Bloodfeeding, Consumptive, Impaling, or Transmuting 
  for you, after any Ket adventure. (All enhancements are 
  from MIC.) 
   
  Loyalty Questioned: You have acted against Nadaid in 
  the struggle for Ket’s future. You lose any membership or 
  influence/favors with Nadaid and the Archons. 
   
   
  ITEM ACCESS 
  APL 2: 
  • 
  +1 large chain shirt barding of agility 
  (Adventure; MIC 6, 2,050 gp) 
  • 
  *Blessed bandage (Adventure; MIC 152, 10 gp) 
  • 
  *Burning veil (Adventure; MIC 211, 1,000 gp) 
  • 
  *Caustic veil (Adventure; MIC 211, 2,000 gp) 
  • 
  *Wilding clasp (Adventure; MIC 190, 4000 gp) 
   
  APL 4 (all of APL 2 plus the following): 
  • 
  *Badge of valor (Adventure; MIC 207, 1,200 gp) 
  • 
  *Helm of tactics (Adventure; MIC 207, 2,000 
  gp) 
  • 
  *Veil of storms (Adventure; MIC 211, 4,000 gp) 
   
  APL 6 (all of APLs 2-4 plus the following): 
  • 
  *Horn of resilience (Adventure; MIC 207, 5,000 
  gp) 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 20 
  
  • 
  *Veil of whispers (Adventure; MIC 211, 7,000 
  gp) 
   
  APL 8: (all of APLs 2-6 plus the following): 
  • 
  *Raptor’s mask (Adventure; MIC 209, 3,500 gp) 
  • 
  *Ring of spell-battle (Adventure; MIC 127, 
  12,000 gp) 
  • 
  *Veil of doors (Adventure; MIC 211, 11,000 gp) 
   
  APL 10 (all of APL 2-8 plus the following): 
  • 
  *Crown of flames (Adventure; MIC 209, 8,500 
  gp)  
  • 
  *Serpentine veil (Adventure; MIC 211, 16,000 
  gp) 
  • 
  *Talon scepter (Adventure; MIC 209, 10,305 gp) 
   
  APL 12 (all of APLs 2-10 plus the following): 
  • 
  *Phoenix cloak (Adventure; MIC 209, 50,000 
  gp)  
  • 
  *Turquoise veil (Adventure; MIC 211, 22,000 
  gp) 
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 21 
  
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 22 
  APPENDIX 1: APL 2
  1: ROADSIDE COMBAT 
  FETID FUNGUS (4) 
  CR 1 
  *Monster Manual V, page 56  
  Always N Medium plant 
  Init -1; Senses blind, blindsight 60 ft.; Listen +0 
  Aura sickening gas (30 ft.) 
  Languages - 
  AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 
   (-1 Dex, +4 natural) 
  hp 12 (2 HD); death throes  
  Immune acid, gaze attacks, illusions, plant 
  immunities, visual effects 
  Fort +4, Ref -1, Will +0 
  Weakness vulnerability to fire 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) 
  Melee acid touch +1 (1d6 acid) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +1; Grp +1  
  Atk Options decomposing slime 
  Special Actions engulf 
  Abilities Str 11, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 5 
  SA death throes, decomposing slime, engulf, 
  sickening gas 
  SQ plant traits 
  Feats Track  
  Skills Hide +2 (+12 is swampy terrain), Listen +0, 
  Survival +2 
  Sickening Gas (Ex) A fetid fungus’s amorphous body 
  is filled with gases given off by decomposing 
  matter. All living creatures within 30 feet of a fetid 
  fungus must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or 
  be sickened for 10 rounds. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
   
  Creatures that successfully save cannot be 
  affected by that same fetid fungus’s gas for 24 
  hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell 
  removes the effect from the sickened creature. 
  Creatures that have immunity to poison are 
  unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison 
  receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. 
  Death Throes (Ex) When destroyed, a fetid fungus 
  explodes in a 10-foot-radius burst of corrosive ichor 
  that deals 1d4 points of acid damage (Reflex DC 
  12 half) to all creatures in the area. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Decomposing Slime (Ex) A fetid fungus’s body 
  produces a decomposing slime. Any creature that 
  strikes or touches a fetid fungus with its body, or 
  that grapples a fetid fungus, takes 1 point of acid 
  damage. A creature takes damage from this ability 
  only once per round. 
  Engulf (Ex) As a standard action, a fetid fungus can 
  envelop creatures of its size or smaller, entrapping 
  them within itself. The fungus simply moves into 
  the opponent’s space; any creature whose space it 
  completely covers is subject to the engulf attack. A 
  fungus cannot make a touch attack during a round 
  in which it engulfs. It can engulf as many creatures 
  as can fit in its space. 
   
  Opponents can make attacks of opportunity 
  against the fungus, but if they do so, they are not 
  entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not 
  attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed of a 
  DC 12 Reflex save or be engulfed. On a success, a 
  creature moves aside or back (opponent’s choice) 
  to move out of the fungus’s path. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
   
  Engulfed creatures are considered to be 
  grappled within the fungus’s body, they are subject 
  to its touch attack, and they take 1 point of acid 
  damage per round from its decomposing slime. 
  Skills Fetid fungi have a +10 racial bonus on Hide 
  checks when in marsh or swamp terrain. 
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  PROTECTAR 
  CR 2 
  *Miniatures Handbook, page 66  
  LG Medium outsider (extraplanar, good) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +6 
  Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; tongues 
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 
   (+1 Dex, +5 armor, +2 shield) 
  hp 13 (2 HD)  
  Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4 
  Speed 20 ft. in breastplate (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) in breastplate, 
  base fly speed 60 ft. (good) 
  Melee longsword +4 (1d8+2/19-20) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +2; Grp +4  
  Atk Options aligned strike (good)  
  Special Actions Combat Casting, spell-like abilities 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd): 
   At Will—tongues 
   3/day—cure light wounds (DC 13) 
  Abilities Str 15, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 
  15 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., spell-like abilities 
  Feats Combat Casting 
  Skills Concentration +7 (+11 with combat casting), 
  Diplomacy +9, Heal +6, Knowledge (the planes) 
  +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +6, Sense 
  Motive +6, Spot +6, Survival +1 (+3 on other 
  planes) 
  Possessions breastplate, heavy steel shield, 
  longsword 
   
  7: DRUID 
  GUSHUN 
  CR 4 
  Female half-orc Druid 4 
  NE Medium humanoid (orc) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Orc 
  AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 
  
   (+1 Dex, +4 armor) 
  hp 31 (4 HD) 
  Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +7 
  Speed 20 ft. in +1 hide armor (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft. 
  Melee greatspear +5 (2d6+3/x3) or 
  Melee scimitar +5 (1d6+3/18-20) or 
  Ranged greatspear +4 (2d6+2/x3) or 
  Ranged sling +4 (1d4+2) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +3; Grp +6  
  Special Actions spellcasting, wild empathy 
  Combat Gear 2 potions of cure light wounds 
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 4th): 
   2nd—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, flaming 
  sphere  
   1st—cure light wounds, magic fang, snake’s 
  swiftness, snake’s swiftness  
   0—cure minor wounds, cure minor wounds, detect 
  magic, guidance, resistance 
  Abilities Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 6 
  SQ animal companion (giant wasp), nature sense, 
  resist nature’s lure, spontaneous casting, trackless 
  step, wild empathy (1d20+4), woodland stride 
  Feats Exotic weapon proficiency (greatspear), Skill 
  Focus (Handle Animal 
  Skills Concentration +9, Handle Animal +8 (+7 with 
  giant wasp companion), Survival +12 
  Possessions combat gear plus greatspear, scimitar, 
  +1 hide armor, divine focus 
   
  G I ANT  W AS P  C O M P AN I O N 
  CR  - 
  N Large vermin 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +17 
  Languages None 
  AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 18 
   (-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 armor, +4 natural) 
  hp 32 (5 HD)  
  Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +2 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good); 
  Melee sting +6 (1d4+6 plus poison) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +3; Grp +11  
  Atk Options poison 
  Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 
  11 
  SQ link, share spells 
  Feats Armor Proficiency (light), Improved Natural 
  Attack (sting) 
  Skills Spot +17, Survival +1 (+5 to orient self) 
  Possessions +1 chain shirt barding of agility* 
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial and 
  secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Tricks This giant wasp knows the attack (twice), 
  come, and stay tricks. 
  Skills Giant wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Spot 
  checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on 
  Survival checks to orient themselves. 
   
  Precast Buffs: effects: target (duration remaining as of 
  start of combat) 
  Bear’s endurance: +4 Con: shared (3 rnd) 
  Bull’s strength: +4 Str (+2/hit +3 dam): shared (2 rnd) 
  Magic fang: +1 enhance on stinger: wasp (3 min) 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 23 
  
  APL 4
  1: ROADSIDE COMBAT 
  FETID FUNGUS (8) 
  CR 1 
  *Monster Manual V, page 56  
  Always N Medium plant 
  Init -1; Senses blind, blindsight 60 ft.; Listen +0 
  Aura sickening gas (30 ft.) 
  Languages - 
  AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 
   (-1 Dex, +4 natural) 
  hp 12 (2 HD); death throes  
  Immune acid, gaze attacks, illusions, plant 
  immunities, visual effects 
  Fort +4, Ref -1, Will +0 
  Weakness vulnerability to fire 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) 
  Melee acid touch +1 (1d6 acid) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +1; Grp +1  
  Atk Options decomposing slime 
  Special Actions engulf 
  Abilities Str 11, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 5 
  SA death throes, decomposing slime, engulf, 
  sickening gas 
  SQ plant traits 
  Feats Track  
  Skills Hide +2 (+12 is swampy terrain), Listen +0, 
  Survival +2 
  Sickening Gas (Ex) A fetid fungus’s amorphous body 
  is filled with gases given off by decomposing 
  matter. All living creatures within 30 feet of a fetid 
  fungus must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or 
  be sickened for 10 rounds. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
   
  Creatures that successfully save cannot be 
  affected by that same fetid fungus’s gas for 24 
  hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell 
  removes the effect from the sickened creature. 
  Creatures that have immunity to poison are 
  unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison 
  receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. 
  Death Throes (Ex) When destroyed, a fetid fungus 
  explodes in a 10-foot-radius burst of corrosive ichor 
  that deals 1d4 points of acid damage (Reflex DC 
  12 half) to all creatures in the area. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Decomposing Slime (Ex) A fetid fungus’s body 
  produces a decomposing slime. Any creature that 
  strikes or touches a fetid fungus with its body, or 
  that grapples a fetid fungus, takes 1 point of acid 
  damage. A creature takes damage from this ability 
  only once per round. 
  Engulf (Ex) As a standard action, a fetid fungus can 
  envelop creatures of its size or smaller, entrapping 
  them within itself. The fungus simply moves into 
  the opponent’s space; any creature whose space it 
  completely covers is subject to the engulf attack. A 
  fungus cannot make a touch attack during a round 
  in which it engulfs. It can engulf as many creatures 
  as can fit in its space. 
   
  Opponents can make attacks of opportunity 
  against the fungus, but if they do so, they are not 
  entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not 
  attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed of a 
  DC 12 Reflex save or be engulfed. On a success, a 
  creature moves aside or back (opponent’s choice) 
  to move out of the fungus’s path. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
   
  Engulfed creatures are considered to be 
  grappled within the fungus’s body, they are subject 
  to its touch attack, and they take 1 point of acid 
  damage per round from its decomposing slime. 
  Skills Fetid fungi have a +10 racial bonus on Hide 
  checks when in marsh or swamp terrain. 
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  PROTECTAR (2) 
  CR 2 
  *Miniatures Handbook, page 66  
  LG Medium outsider (extraplanar, good) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +6 
  Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; tongues 
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 
   (+1 Dex, +5 armor, +2 shield) 
  hp 13 (2 HD)  
  Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4 
  Speed 20 ft. in breastplate (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) in breastplate, 
  base fly speed 60 ft. (good) 
  Melee longsword +4 (1d8+2/19-20) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +2; Grp +4  
  Atk Options aligned strike (good)  
  Special Actions Combat Casting, spell-like abilities 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd): 
   At Will—tongues 
   3/day—cure light wounds (DC 13) 
  Abilities Str 15, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 
  15 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., spell-like abilities 
  Feats Combat Casting 
  Skills Concentration +7 (+11 with combat casting), 
  Diplomacy +9, Heal +6, Knowledge (the planes) 
  +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +6, Sense 
  Motive +6, Spot +6, Survival +1 (+3 on other 
  planes) 
  Possessions breastplate, heavy steel shield, 
  longsword 
   
  7: DRUID 
  GUSHUN 
  CR 6 
  Female half-orc Druid 5/Beastmaster 1 
  NE Medium humanoid (orc) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Orc 
  AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 24 
  
   (+1 Dex, +4 armor) 
  hp 52 (6 HD) 
  Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +7 
  Speed 20 ft. in +1 hide armor (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft. 
  Melee +1 greatspear +7 (2d6+4/x3) or 
  Melee scimitar +6 (1d6+3/18-20) or 
  Ranged +1 greatspear +6 (2d6+3/x3) or 
  Ranged sling +5 (1d4+2) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +4; Grp +6  
  Special Actions spellcasting, wild empathy, wild 
  shape (small or medium, 1/day) 
  Combat Gear 2 potions of cure light wounds 
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 5th): 
   3rd— cure moderate wounds, jagged tooth* 
   
   2nd—barkskin, bear’s endurance, bull’s strength  
   1st—cure light wounds, magic fang, snake’s 
  swiftness*, snake’s swiftness* 
   0—cure minor wounds, cure minor wounds, detect 
  magic, guidance, resistance 
  Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 6 
  SQ animal companion (giant wasp), nature sense, 
  resist nature’s lure, spontaneous casting, trackless 
  step, wild empathy (1d20+6), woodland stride, 
  wildshape (small to medium, 1/day) 
  Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (greatspear), 
  Improved Toughness*, Skill Focus (Handle Animal) 
  Skills Concentration +10, Handle Animal +10 (+9 with 
  giant wasp companion), Knowledge (nature) +4, 
  Survival +14 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 greatspear, 
  scimitar, +1 hide armor, divine focus 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  GIANT WASP COMPANION 
  CR - 
  N Large vermin 
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +21 
  Languages None 
  AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 22 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 armor, +8 natural) 
  hp 59 (9 HD)  
  Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +4 (+8 against enchantments); 
  evasion 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good); 
  Melee sting +11 (1d4+7 plus poison) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +15  
  Atk Options poison 
  Abilities Str 20, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 
  11 
  SQ link, share spells, evasion, devotion 
  Feats Ability Focus (poison), Armor Proficiency (light), 
  Improved Natural Attack (sting), Weapon Focus 
  (sting) 
  Skills Spot +21, Survival +1 (+5 to orient self) 
  Possessions +1 chain shirt barding of agility* 
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 16, initial and 
  secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Tricks This wasp knows the attack (twice), come, 
  defend, down, fetch, and stay tricks. 
  Skills Giant wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Spot 
  checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on 
  Survival checks to orient themselves. 
   
  Precast Buffs: effects: target (duration remaining as of 
  start of combat) 
  Jagged tooth: 19-20 crit on stinger: wasp (40 min) 
  Barkskin: +2 enhancement to natural AC: shared (40 
  min) 
  Bear’s endurance: +4 Con: shared (3 rnd) 
  Bull’s strength: +4 Str (+2/hit +3 dam): shared (2 rnd) 
  Magic fang: +1 enhance on stinger: wasp (4 min) 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 25 
  
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 26 
  APL 6 
   
  1: ROADSIDE COMBAT 
  BRIARVEX (2) 
  CR 6 
  *Monster Manual IV, page 26  
  Usually NE Large plant 
  Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Listen +7, Spot +7 
  Languages Common, Sylvan 
  AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 
   (-1 size, +10 natural) 
  hp 68 (8 HD); DR 5/slashing 
  Immune plant immunities 
  Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +5 
  Weakness vulnerability to fire 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); improved woodland stride 
  Melee 2 spiked fists +12 each (2d6+7 plus thorn 
  burrow) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +17  
  Atk Options Power Attack, thorn burrow 
  Special Actions entangle 
  Abilities Str 25, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 
  11 
  SQ plant traits 
  Feats Improved Natural Attack (spiked fist), Iron Will, 
  Power Attack 
  Skills Hide +1 (+17 in forested areas), Listen +7, Spot 
  +7, Survival +6 
  Improved Woodland Stride (Ex) A briarvex can 
  move through any sort of undergrowth (such as 
  natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar 
  terrain) at its normal speed and without taking 
  damage or suffering any other impairment. In 
  addition, thorns, briars and overgrown areas that 
  have been magically manipulated do not impede its 
  motion or otherwise affect it. 
  Thorn Burrow (Su) A briarvex’s spiked fist attack 
  deals piercing as well as bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Each time a briarvex hits with its spiked fist, 
  thorns break off and bore into the struck opponent. 
  As a swift action, the briarvex can cause the 
  embedded thorns to twist and burrow into a single 
  creature’s flesh, dealing 3d6 points of piercing 
  damage; damage reduction applies. The target of 
  this ability must be within 100 feet of the briarvex. 
  The briarvex must also have line of effect to the 
  target. A creature can remove the thorns with a 
  standard action. 
  Entangle (Su) As the entangle spell; at will; DC 18; 
  caster level 8th. 
   
  This ability affects a 60-foot-radius area 
  around the briarvex and lasts for 1 round. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. 
  Skills A briarvex has a +16 racial bonus on Hide 
  checks made in forested terrain. 
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  ARCADIAN AVENGER 
  CR 6 
  *Monster Manual V, page 8  
  LG Medium outsider (Extraplanar, good, lawful) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +12, Spot 
  +12 
  Languages Celestial, Common 
  AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 
   (+2 Dex, +1 shield, +6 natural) 
  hp 60 (8 HD)  
  Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +7 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 30 ft. (good) 
  Melee mwk longsword +12/+7 (1d8+3/19-20) or 
  Melee mwk longsword +8/+3 (1d8+3/19-20) and   
  mwk longsword +8 (1d8+1/19-20) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +8; Grp +11 
  Atk Options aligned strike (lawful, good), blade rend, 
  magic strike, wrath  
  Special Actions elude chance 
  Abilities Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 
  12 
  SA aligned strike, blade rend, elude chance, magic 
  strike, wrath 
  Feats Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon Defense, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting 
  Skills Balance +13, Diplomacy +14, Heal +12, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +11, Listen +12, Sense 
  Motive +12, Spot +12 
  Possessions 2 masterwork longswords 
  Blade Rend (Ex) If an arcadian avenger hits a single 
  target with at least one attack from each of her 
  swords during a full attack, she deals an extra 2d6 
  damage. 
  Wrath (Ex) Any time the arcadian avenger sees an 
  ally fall in battle, she gains a +2 morale bonus on 
  melee damage rolls. This bonus lasts for 1 minute. 
  Elude Chance (Su) Three times per day, as an 
  immediate action; an arcadian avenger can tap 
  directly into the power of law, allowing her to avoid 
  the uncertainty of chance. When an arcadian 
  avenger activates this ability, her next melee attack 
  or saving throw is treated as if the result of the die 
  roll were 10. 
   
  7: DRUID 
  GUSHUN 
  CR 8 
  Female half-orc Druid 7/Beastmaster 1 
  NE Medium humanoid (orc) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Orc 
  AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 
   (+1 Dex, +4 armor) 
  hp 68 (8 HD) 
  Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +8 
  Speed 20 ft. in +1 hide armor (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft. 
  Melee +1 greatspear +10/+5 (2d6+5/x3) or 
  
  Melee scimitar +9/+4 (1d6+4/18-20) or 
  Ranged +1 greatspear* +8/+3 (2d6+4/x3) or 
  Ranged sling +7/+2 (1d4+3) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +9  
  Special Actions spellcasting, wild empathy, wild 
  shape (small or medium, 3/day) 
  Combat Gear 2 potions of cure light wounds 
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 7th): 
   4th—flame strike (DC 17) 
   3rd—cure moderate wounds, jagged tooth*, magic 
  fang, greater 
   2nd—barkskin, barkskin, bear’s endurance, bull’s 
  strength  
   1st—cure light wounds, cure light wounds, 
  entangle, snake’s swiftness*, snake’s swiftness* 
   0—cure minor wounds, cure minor wounds, detect 
  magic, detect magic, guidance, resistance 
  Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 6 
  SQ animal companion (giant wasp), nature sense, 
  resist nature’s lure, spontaneous casting, trackless 
  step, wild empathy (1d20+8), woodland stride, 
  wildshape (small, medium, 3/day) 
  Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (greatspear), 
  Improved Toughness*, Skill Focus (Handle Animal) 
  Skills Concentration +13, Handle Animal +12 (+11 
  with giant wasp companion), Knowledge (nature) 
  +4, Survival +15 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 greatspear*, 
  scimitar, +1 hide armor, divine focus 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  GIANT WASP COMPANION 
  CR - 
  N Large vermin 
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +21 
  Languages None 
  AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 22 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 armor, +8 natural) 
  hp 68 (9 HD)  
  Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +4 (+8 against enchantments); 
  evasion 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good); 
  Melee sting +11 (1d4+7 plus poison) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +15  
  Atk Options poison 
  Abilities Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 
  11 
  SQ link, share spells, evasion, devotion 
  Feats Ability Focus (poison), Armor Proficiency (light), 
  Improved Natural Attack (sting), Weapon Focus 
  (sting) 
  Skills Spot +21, Survival +1 (+5 to orient self) 
  Possessions +1 chain shirt barding of agility*, amulet 
  of health +2 
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and 
  secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Tricks This wasp knows the attack (twice), come, 
  defend, down, fetch, and stay tricks. 
  Skills Giant wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Spot 
  checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on 
  Survival checks to orient themselves. 
   
  Precast Buffs: effects: target (duration remaining as of 
  start of combat) 
  Jagged tooth: 19-20 crit on stinger: wasp (1 hr) 
  Magic fang, greater: +2 enhance on stinger: wasp (6 
  hrs) 
  Barkskin: +3 enhancement to natural AC: druid (1 hr) 
  Barkskin: +3 enhancement to natural AC: wasp (1 hr) 
  Bear’s endurance: +4 Con druid/+2 Con wasp: shared 
  (5 rnd) 
  Bull’s strength: +4 Str (+2/hit +3 dam): shared (4 rnd) 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 27 
  
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 28 
  APL 8
  1: ROADSIDE COMBAT 
  BRIARVEX (4) 
  CR 6 
  *Monster Manual IV, page 26  
  Usually NE Large plant 
  Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Listen +7, Spot +7 
  Languages Common, Sylvan 
  AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 
   (-1 size, +10 natural) 
  hp 68 (8 HD); DR 5/slashing 
  Immune plant immunities 
  Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +5 
  Weakness vulnerability to fire 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); improved woodland stride 
  Melee 2 spiked fists +12 each (2d6+7 plus thorn 
  burrow) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +17  
  Atk Options Power Attack, thorn burrow 
  Special Actions entangle 
  Abilities Str 25, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 
  11 
  SQ plant traits 
  Feats Improved Natural Attack (spiked fist), Iron Will, 
  Power Attack 
  Skills Hide +1 (+17 in forested areas), Listen +7, Spot 
  +7, Survival +6 
  Improved Woodland Stride (Ex) A briarvex can 
  move through any sort of undergrowth (such as 
  natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar 
  terrain) at its normal speed and without taking 
  damage or suffering any other impairment. In 
  addition, thorns, briars and overgrown areas that 
  have been magically manipulated do not impede its 
  motion or otherwise affect it. 
  Thorn Burrow (Su) A briarvex’s spiked fist attack 
  deals piercing as well as bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Each time a briarvex hits with its spiked fist, 
  thorns break off and bore into the struck opponent. 
  As a swift action, the briarvex can cause the 
  embedded thorns to twist and burrow into a single 
  creature’s flesh, dealing 3d6 points of piercing 
  damage; damage reduction applies. The target of 
  this ability must be within 100 feet of the briarvex. 
  The briarvex must also have line of effect to the 
  target. A creature can remove the thorns with a 
  standard action. 
  Entangle (Su) As the entangle spell; at will; DC 18; 
  caster level 8th. 
   
  This ability affects a 60-foot-radius area 
  around the briarvex and lasts for 1 round. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based. 
  Skills A briarvex has a +16 racial bonus on Hide 
  checks made in forested terrain. 
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  ARCADIAN AVENGER (2) 
  CR 6 
  *Monster Manual V, page 8  
  LG Medium outsider (Extraplanar, good, lawful) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +12, Spot 
  +12 
  Languages Celestial, Common 
  AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 
   (+2 Dex, +1 shield, +6 natural) 
  hp 60 (8 HD)  
  Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +7 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 30 ft. (good) 
  Melee mwk longsword +12/+7 (1d8+3/19-20) or 
  Melee mwk longsword +8/+3 (1d8+3/19-20) and   
  mwk longsword +8 (1d8+1/19-20) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +8; Grp +11 
  Atk Options aligned strike (lawful, good), blade rend, 
  magic strike, wrath  
  Special Actions elude chance 
  Abilities Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 
  12 
  SA aligned strike, blade rend, elude chance, magic 
  strike, wrath 
  Feats Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon Defense, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting 
  Skills Balance +13, Diplomacy +14, Heal +12, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +11, Listen +12, Sense 
  Motive +12, Spot +12 
  Possessions 2 masterwork longswords 
  Blade Rend (Ex) If an arcadian avenger hits a single 
  target with at least one attack from each of her 
  swords during a full attack, she deals an extra 2d6 
  damage. 
  Wrath (Ex) Any time the arcadian avenger sees an 
  ally fall in battle, she gains a +2 morale bonus on 
  melee damage rolls. This bonus lasts for 1 minute. 
  Elude Chance (Su) Three times per day, as an 
  immediate action; an arcadian avenger can tap 
  directly into the power of law, allowing her to avoid 
  the uncertainty of chance. When an arcadian 
  avenger activates this ability, her next melee attack 
  or saving throw is treated as if the result of the die 
  roll were 10. 
   
  7: DRUID 
  GUSHUN 
  CR 10 
  Female half-orc Druid 9/Beastmaster 1 
  NE Medium humanoid (orc) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Orc 
  AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 
   (+1 Dex, +5 armor) 
  hp 84 (10 HD) 
  Immunity poison 
  Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +8 
  Speed 20 ft. in +2 hide armor (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft. 
  
  Melee +1 greatspear* +11/+6 (2d6+5/x3) or 
  Melee scimitar +10/+5 (1d6+4/18-20) or 
  Ranged +1 greatspear* +9/+4 (2d6+4/x3) or 
  Ranged sling +8/+3 (1d4+3) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +7; Grp +10  
  Atk Options Power Attack 
  Special Actions spellcasting, wild empathy, wild 
  shape (small to large, 3/day) 
  Combat Gear 2 potions of cure light wounds 
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 9th): 
   5th—heal animal companion* 
   4th—contingent energy resistance*, flame strike 
  (DC 17) 
   3rd—cure moderate wounds, jagged tooth*, magic 
  fang, greater, protection from energy 
   2nd—barkskin, barkskin, bear’s endurance, bull’s 
  strength, cat’s grace 
   1st—cure light wounds, cure light wounds, 
  entangle (DC 14), snake’s swiftness*, snake’s 
  swiftness* 
   0—cure minor wounds, cure minor wounds, detect 
  magic, detect magic, guidance, resistance 
  Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 6 
  SQ animal companion (giant wasp), nature sense, 
  resist nature’s lure, spontaneous casting, trackless 
  step, wild empathy (1d20+10), woodland stride, 
  wildshape (small to large, 3/day), venom immunity 
  Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (greatspear), 
  Improved Toughness*, Power Attack, Skill Focus 
  (Handle Animal) 
  Skills Concentration +15, Handle Animal +14 (+13 
  with giant wasp companion), Knowledge (nature) 
  +4, Survival +17 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 greatspear*, 
  scimitar, +2 hide armor, divine focus 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  GIANT WASP COMPANION 
  CR - 
  N Large vermin 
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +23 
  Languages None 
  AC 27, touch 11, flat-footed 25 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 armor, +10 natural) 
  hp 83 (11 HD)  
  Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +4 (+8 against enchantments); 
  evasion 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good); 
  Melee sting +13/+8 (1d4+7 plus poison) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +8; Grp +17  
  Atk Options poison 
  Abilities Str 21, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 
  11 
  SQ link, share spells, evasion, devotion, multiattack 
  Feats Ability Focus (poison), Armor Proficiency (light), 
  Improved Natural Attack (sting), Weapon Focus 
  (sting) 
  Skills Spot +23, Survival +1 (+5 to orient self) 
  Possessions +2 chain shirt barding of agility*, amulet 
  of health +2 
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and 
  secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Tricks This wasp knows the attack (twice), come, 
  defend, down, fetch, guard, and stay tricks. 
  Skills Giant wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Spot 
  checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on 
  Survival checks to orient themselves. 
   
  Precast Buffs: effects: target (duration remaining as of 
  start of combat) 
  Contingent energy resistance: Energy resist 20 
  triggered: shared (1 hr) 
  Jagged tooth: 19-20 crit on stinger: wasp (1 hr) 
  Magic fang, greater: +2 enhance on stinger: wasp (8 
  hrs) 
  Protection from energy: Absorbs 108 pts elec: shared 
  (1 hr) 
  Barkskin: +4 enhancement to natural AC: druid (1 hr) 
  Barkskin: +4 enhancement to natural AC: wasp (1 hr) 
  Bear’s endurance: +4 Con druid/+2 Con wasp: shared 
  (7 rnd) 
  Bull’s strength: +4 Str (+2/hit +3 dam): shared (6 rnd) 
  Cat’s grace: +4 Dex (+2 AC/Init/Ref): shared (5 rnd) 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 29 
  
  APL 10 
  1: ROADSIDE COMBAT 
   
   
   
  BURROW ROOT (4) 
  CR 8 
  *Monster Manual V, page 14  
  Always N Large plant 
  Init +6; Senses blind, blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 
  60 ft.; Listen +1 
  Languages - 
  AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 20 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, +11 natural) 
  hp 114 (12 HD)  
  Immune plant immunities 
  Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +5 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft.; speed burrow 
  Melee bite +16 (2d6+12/19/20 plus wounding) or 
  Melee tail spike +16 (1d6+4 plus 1 Con plus 
  wounding) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +21  
  Atk Options Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack 
  Special Actions split 
  Abilities Str 26, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7 
  SA split, wounding 
  SQ plant traits 
  Feats Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), 
  Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (bite), 
  Power Attack  
  Skills Hite +13, Listen +1 
  Speed Burrow (Ex) A burrow root can move quickly 
  through loose soil. Three times per day, as an 
  immediate action, a burrow root can move 20 feet 
  through the ground. This movement does not 
  provoke attacks of opportunity.  
  Wounding (Ex) Any living creature damaged by a 
  burrow root continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point 
  per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result 
  in cumulative blood loss. The bleeding can be 
  stopped by a DC 21 Heal check or the application 
  of healing magic. 
  Split (Ex) When a burrow root is reduced to half of its 
  full normal hit points or fewer, it splits in half. The 
  new root’s game statistics are identical to those of 
  its parent. Divide the parent creature’s remaining 
  hit points evenly between the two organisms. The 
  older burrow root cannot split again for 24 hours, 
  and the younger burrow root cannot split for 24 
  hours after it emerges. 
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  JUSTICE ARCHON CHAMPION 
  CR 10 
  Justice archon paladin 4 
  *Monster Manual IV, page 81  
  LG Medium outsider (archon, Extraplanar, good, 
  lawful) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; 
  Listen +9, Spot +9 
  Aura courage (10 ft., allies +4 against fear), magic 
  circle against evil (10 ft.), menace (20 ft., Will DC 
  18 negates) 
  Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, tongues 
  AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 22 
   (+1 Dex, +10 armor, +2 natural) 
  hp 120 (10 HD); DR 10/evil  
  Immune disease, electricity, fear, petrification 
  SR 20 
  Fort +19 (+23 against poison), Ref +12, Will +11  
  Speed 20 ft. in full plate (4 squares), base movement 
  30 ft.; fly 40 ft. (good) in full plate, base fly speed 
  60 ft. 
  Melee +1 greatsword +17/+12 (2d6+8/19-20) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +10; Grp +15  
  Atk Options aligned strike (good, lawful), justice 
  strike, smite evil 1/day (+3 attack, +4 damage) 
  Special Actions lay on hands 12 points/day, teleport 
  (self plus 50 lb. of objects only), turn undead 6/day 
  (+5, 2d6+4, 1st) 
  Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 2nd): 
   1st—divine favor 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th): 
   At Will—aid, continual flame, detect evil 
  Abilities Str 21, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 
  17 
  SQ archon traits 
  Feats Iron Will, Improved Toughness*, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Weapon Focus (greatsword) 
  Skills Concentration +16, Diplomacy +14, Intimidate 
  +12, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Knowledge 
  (religion) +5, Listen +9, Move Silently +5, Sense 
  Motive +9, Spot +9, Survival +0 (+2 on other 
  planes) 
  Possessions +2 full plate armor, +1 greatsword, 
  amulet of natural armor +2 
  Tongues (Su) As the tongues spell; continuous; 
  caster level 14th. 
  Magic Circle against Evil (Su) As the magic circle 
  against evil spell; continuous; caster level 14th. 
  Aura of Menace (Su) -2 penalty on attack rolls, AC, 
  and saves for 24 hours; Will save DC 18 negates. 
  Justice Strike (Su) A justice archon that hits with a 
  melee attack can choose to use this special ability 
  instead of dealing normal weapon damage. Justice 
  strike deals the damage of the struck opponent’s 
  primary melee attack. This damage includes effects 
  that apply automatically on a hit, such as energy 
  damage or poison, but not those from optional effects 
  or feats, such as Power Attack.  
  Teleport (Su) As the teleport spell; at will; caster level 
  14th. 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  7: DRUID 
  GUSHUN 
  CR 12 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 30 
  
  Female half-orc Druid 11/Beastmaster 1 
  NE Medium humanoid (orc) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Orc 
  AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 23 
   (+1 Dex, +6 armor, +7 natural) 
  hp 100 (12 HD) 
  Immunity poison 
  Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +10 
  Speed 20 ft. in +3 hide armor (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft. 
  Melee +1 greatspear* +13/+8 (2d6+5/x3) or 
  Melee scimitar +12/+7 (1d6+4/18-20) or 
  Ranged +1 greatspear* +11/+6 (2d6+4/x3) or 
  Ranged sling +10/+5 (1d4+3) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +12  
  Atk Options Power Attack 
  Special Actions spellcasting, wild empathy, wild 
  shape (tiny to large, 4/day) 
  Combat Gear 2 potions of cure light  wounds 
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 11th): 
   5th—fires of purity* 
   5th—heal animal companion*, stoneskin 
   4th—contingent energy resistance*, flame strike 
  (DC 17), freedom of movement 
   3rd— cure moderate wounds, cure moderate 
  wounds, jagged tooth*, magic fang, greater, 
  protection from energy 
   2nd—barkskin, barkskin, bear’s endurance, bull’s 
  strength, cat’s grace 
   1st—cure light wounds, cure light wounds, 
  entangle (DC 14), entangle (DC 14), snake’s 
  swiftness*, snake’s swiftness* 
   0—cure minor wounds, cure minor wounds, detect 
  magic, detect magic, guidance, resistance 
  Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 17, Cha 6 
  SQ animal companion (giant wasp), nature sense, 
  resist nature’s lure, spontaneous casting, trackless 
  step, wild empathy (1d20+12), woodland stride, 
  wildshape (tiny to large, 4/day) 
  Feats Elephant’s Hide*, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (greatspear), Improved Toughness*, Power Attack, 
  Skill Focus (Handle Animal) 
  Skills Concentration +17, Handle Animal +16 (+15 
  with giant wasp companion), Knowledge (nature) 
  +4, Survival +19 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 greatspear*, 
  scimitar, +3 hide armor, divine focus 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  GIANT WASP COMPANION 
  CR - 
  N Large vermin 
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +25 
  Languages None 
  AC 32, touch 12, flat-footed 29 
   (-1 size, +3 Dex, +7 armor, +13 natural) 
  hp 98 (13 HD)  
  Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +5 (+9 against enchantments); 
  evasion 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good); 
  Melee sting +15/+10 (1d4+9 plus poison) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +19  
  Atk Options poison 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 
  11 
  SQ link, share spells, evasion, devotion, multiattack 
  Feats Ability Focus (poison), Armor Proficiency (light), 
  Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack 
  (sting), Weapon Focus (sting) 
  Skills Spot +25, Survival +1 (+5 to orient self) 
  Possessions +3 chain shirt barding of agility 
  8, amulet of health +2 
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and 
  secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Tricks This wasp knows the attack (twice), come, 
  defend, down, fetch, guard, heel, and stay tricks. 
  Skills Giant wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Spot 
  checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on 
  Survival checks to orient themselves. 
   
  Precast Buffs: effects: target (duration remaining as of 
  start of combat) 
  Fires of purity: 11 fire on attack or hit: shared (9 rnd) 
  Stoneskin: DR 10/adamantine (110 pts): companion 
  (1.5 hr) 
  Contingent energy resistance: Energy resist 30 
  triggered: shared (1.5 hrs) 
  Freedom of movement: see PH: shared (1.5 hrs) 
  Jagged tooth: 19-20 crit on stinger: wasp (1.5 hrs) 
  Magic fang, greater: +2 enhance on stinger: wasp (10 
  hrs) 
  Protection from energy: Absorbs 120 pts elec: shared 
  (1.5 hrs) 
  Barkskin: +4 enhancement to natural AC: druid (1.5 
  hrs) 
  Barkskin: +4 enhancement to natural AC: wasp (1.5 
  hrs) 
  Bear’s endurance: +4 Con druid/+2 Con wasp: shared 
  (8 rnd) 
  Bull’s strength: +4 Str (+2/hit +3 dam): shared (7 rnd) 
  Cat’s grace: +4 Dex (+2 AC/Init/Ref): shared (6 rnd) 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 31 
  
  APL 12 
  1: ROADSIDE COMBAT 
   
   
   
  BURROW ROOT (8) 
  CR 8 
  *Monster Manual V, page 14  
  Always N Large plant 
  Init +6; Senses blind, blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 
  60 ft.; Listen +1 
  Languages - 
  AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 20 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, +11 natural) 
  hp 114 (12 HD)  
  Immune plant immunities 
  Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +5 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft.; speed burrow 
  Melee bite +16 (2d6+12; 19/20 plus wounding) or 
  Melee tail spike +16 (1d6+4 plus 1 Con plus 
  wounding) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +21  
  Atk Options Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack 
  Special Actions split 
  Abilities Str 26, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7 
  SA split, wounding 
  SQ plant traits 
  Feats Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), 
  Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (bite), 
  Power Attack  
  Skills Hite +13, Listen +1 
  Speed Burrow (Ex) A burrow root can move quickly 
  through loose soil. Three times per day, as an 
  immediate action, a burrow root can move 20 feet 
  through the ground. This movement does not 
  provoke attacks of opportunity.  
  Wounding (Ex) Any living creature damaged by a 
  burrow root continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point 
  per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result 
  in cumulative blood loss. The bleeding can be 
  stopped by a DC 21 Heal check or the application 
  of healing magic. 
  Split (Ex) When a burrow root is reduced to half of its 
  full normal hit points or fewer, it splits in half. The 
  new root’s game statistics are identical to those of 
  its parent. Divide the parent creature’s remaining 
  hit points evenly between the two organisms. The 
  older burrow root cannot split again for 24 hours, 
  and the younger burrow root cannot split for 24 
  hours after it emerges. 
   
  5: GUARDIAN 
  JUSTICE ARCHON CHAMPION (2) CR 10 
  Justice archon paladin 4 
  *Monster Manual IV, page 81  
  LG Medium outsider (archon, Extraplanar, good, 
  lawful) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; 
  Listen +9, Spot +9 
  Aura courage (10 ft., allies +4 against fear), magic 
  circle against evil (10 ft.), menace (20 ft., Will DC 
  18 negates) 
  Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, tongues 
  AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 22 
   (+1 Dex, +10 armor, +2 natural) 
  hp 120 (10 HD); DR 10/evil  
  Immune disease, electricity, fear, petrification 
  SR 20 
  Fort +19 (+23 against poison), Ref +12, Will +11  
  Speed 20 ft. in full plate (4 squares), base movement 
  30 ft.; fly 40 ft. (good) in full plate, base fly speed 
  60 ft. 
  Melee +1 greatsword +17/+12 (2d6+8/19-20) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +10; Grp +15  
  Atk Options aligned strike (good, lawful), justice 
  strike, smite evil 1/day (+3 attack, +4 damage) 
  Special Actions lay on hands 12 points/day, teleport 
  (self plus 50 lb. of objects only), turn undead 6/day 
  (+5, 2d6+4, 1st) 
  Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 2nd): 
   1st—divine favor 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th): 
   At Will—aid, continual flame, detect evil 
  Abilities Str 21, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 
  17 
  SQ archon traits 
  Feats Iron Will, Improved Toughness*, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Weapon Focus (greatsword) 
  Skills Concentration +16, Diplomacy +14, Intimidate 
  +12, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Knowledge 
  (religion) +5, Listen +9, Move Silently +5, Sense 
  Motive +9, Spot +9, Survival +0 (+2 on other 
  planes) 
  Possessions +2 full plate armor, +1 greatsword, 
  amulet of natural armor +2 
  Tongues (Su) As the tongues spell; continuous; 
  caster level 14th. 
  Magic Circle against Evil (Su) As the magic circle 
  against evil spell; continuous; caster level 14th. 
  Aura of Menace (Su) -2 penalty on attack rolls, AC, 
  and saves for 24 hours; Will save DC 18 negates. 
  Justice Strike (Su) A justice archon that hits with a 
  melee attack can choose to use this special ability 
  instead of dealing normal weapon damage. Justice 
  strike deals the damage of the struck opponent’s 
  primary melee attack. This damage includes effects 
  that apply automatically on a hit, such as energy 
  damage or poison, but not those from optional effects 
  or feats, such as Power Attack.  
  Teleport (Su) As the teleport spell; at will; caster level 
  14th. 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  7: DRUID 
  GUSHUN 
  CR 14 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 32 
  
  Female half-orc Druid 13/Beastmaster 1 
  NE Medium humanoid (orc) 
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Orc 
  AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 23 
   (+1 Dex, +6 armor, +7 natural) 
  hp 116 (14 HD) 
  Immunity poison 
  Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +11 
  Speed 20 ft. in +3 hide armor (4 squares), base 
  movement 30 ft. 
  Melee +1 greatspear* +15/+10 (2d6+7/x3) or 
  Melee scimitar +14/+9 (1d6+6/18-20) or 
  Ranged +1 greatspear* +12/+7 (2d6+5/x3) or 
  Ranged sling +11/+6 (1d4+4) 
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +10; Grp +14  
  Atk Options Power Attack 
  Special Actions spellcasting, wild empathy, wild 
  shape (tiny to large, 4/day) 
  Combat Gear 2 potions of cure light  wounds 
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 13th): 
   7th—as the frost* 
   6th—dispel magic, greater, fires of purity* 
   5th—cure critical wounds, heal animal companion*, 
  stoneskin 
   4th—contingent energy resistance*, flame strike 
  (DC 17), freedom of movement, spike stones (DC 
  17) 
   3rd— cure moderate wounds, cure moderate 
  wounds, jagged tooth*, magic fang, greater, 
  protection from energy 
   2nd—barkskin, bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, 
  cat’s grace, hold animal (DC 15), wings of air* 
   1st—cure light wounds, cure light wounds, 
  entangle (DC 14), entangle (DC 14), snake’s 
  swiftness*, snake’s swiftness* 
   0—cure minor wounds, cure minor wounds, detect 
  magic, detect magic, guidance, resistance 
  Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 17, Cha 6 
  SQ animal companion (giant wasp), nature sense, 
  resist nature’s lure, spontaneous casting, trackless 
  step, wild empathy (1d20+14), woodland stride, 
  wildshape (tiny to large, 4/day), a thousand faces 
  Feats Elephant’s Hide*, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (greatspear), Improved Toughness*, Power Attack, 
  Skill Focus (Handle Animal) 
  Skills Concentration +19, Handle Animal +18 (+17 
  with giant wasp companion), Knowledge (nature) 
  +4, Survival +21 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 greatspear*, 
  scimitar, +3 hide armor, gauntlets of ogre power, 
  divine focus 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
   
  GIANT WASP COMPANION 
  CR - 
  N Large vermin 
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1, Spot +25 
  Languages None 
  AC 32, touch 12, flat-footed 29 
   (-1 size, +3 Dex, +7 armor, +13 natural) 
  hp 111 (13 HD)  
  Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +5 (+9 against enchantments); 
  evasion 
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good); 
  Melee sting +15/+10 (1d4+9 plus poison) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +19  
  Atk Options poison 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 
  11 
  SQ link, share spells, evasion, devotion, multiattack 
  Feats Ability Focus (poison), Armor Proficiency (light), 
  Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack 
  (sting), Weapon Focus (sting) 
  Skills Spot +25, Survival +1 (+5 to orient self) 
  Possessions +3 chain shirt barding of agility*, amulet 
  of health +4 
  Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 18, initial and 
  secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Tricks This wasp knows the attack (twice), come, 
  defend, down, fetch, guard, heel, and stay tricks. 
  Skills Giant wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Spot 
  checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on 
  Survival checks to orient themselves. 
   
  Precast Buffs: effects: target (duration remaining as of 
  start of combat) 
  As the frost: See spell – DR, damage: shared (11 rnd) 
  Fires of purity: 13 fire on attack or hit: shared (10 rnd) 
  Stoneskin: DR 10/adamantine (130 pts): companion 
  (2 hr) 
  Contingent energy resistance: Energy resist 30 
  triggered: shared (2 hrs) 
  Freedom of movement: see PH: shared (2 hrs) 
  Jagged tooth: 19-20 crit on stinger: wasp (2 hrs) 
  Magic fang, greater: +3 enhance on stinger: wasp (12 
  hrs) 
  Protection from energy: Absorbs 120 pts elec: shared 
  (2 hrs) 
  Barkskin: +5 enhancement to natural AC: shared (2 
  hrs) 
  Wings of air: Maneuverability (perfect): wasp (11 min) 
  Bear’s endurance: +4 Con druid (+28 hp): druid (9 
  rnd) 
  Bull’s strength: +2 Str druid/+4 Str wasp: shared (8 
  rnd) 
  Cat’s grace: +4 Dex (+2 AC/Init/Ref): shared (7 rnd) 
  * See Appendix 2: New Rules Items 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 33 
  
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 34 
  APPENDIX 2: NEW RULES ITEMS 
  FEATS 
  Elephant’s Hide [Wild] 
  You can thicken your skin to the toughness of an 
  elephant’s. 
  Prerequisite: Ability to wild shape into a Large 
  creature. 
  Benefit: You can spend one wild shape to give yourself 
  a natural armor bonus of 7. This does not stack with 
  any natural armor you currently have. The effect lasts 
  for 10 minutes. 
   
  Source: Complete Divine 81 
   
  Improved Toughness [General] 
  You are significantly tougher than normal. 
  Prerequisite: Base Fortitude save bonus +2. 
  Benefit: You gain a number of hit points equal to your 
  current Hit Dice. Each time you gain a HD (such as by 
  gaining a level), you gain 1 additional hit point. If you 
  lose a HD (such as by losing a level), you lose 1 hit 
  point permanently. 
  Special: A fighter may select Improved Toughness as 
  one of his fighter bonus feats. 
   
  Source: Complete Warrior 101 
   
  MAGIC ITEMS 
  Agility 
  Price: +500 gp 
  Property: Armor 
  Caster level: 5
  th 
  Aura: Faint; (DC 17) transmutation 
  Activation: - 
   
  While wearing armor that has this property, you 
  gain a +1 resistance bonus on Reflex saving throws. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 7 
   
  MUNDANE EQUIPMENT 
  Greatspear* (exotic) 
  Cost: 25 gp 
  Damage (medium): 2d6 
  Critical: x3 
  Range Increment: 10 ft. 
  Weight: 9 lb. 
  Type: Piercing 
   
  This broad-bladed spear has a long, flat blade, and 
  is too heavy to wield properly without proficiency. 
  *Reach weapon 
   
  Source: Complete Warrior 156 
   
  SPELLS 
  As the Frost 
  Transmutation (cold) 
  Level: Druid 7, sorcerer/wizard 7 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Personal 
  Target: You 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  With a crystalline tinkling, your body transforms into a 
  figure of ice and cold, your equipment melding into 
  your new form. Your skin becomes brilliant blue and 
  transparent, with glimpses of liquid beneath. Frost 
  forms across your hands and arms, dripping down to 
  form knife-like icicles. Your breath hisses white in the 
  bitterly cold air surrounding you. Snow swirls about 
  you as your presence freezes the air’s moisture. Ice 
  crystals spread from your footprints. 
  Your creature type changes to outsider. Unlike other 
  outsiders, you can be brought back to life if you die in 
  this form.  
  You gain the following qualities and abilities: 
  • 
  Immunity to cold. 
  • 
  Damage reduction 10/magic and piercing. 
  • 
  At the beginning of your action, creatures 
  within 15 feet of you take 2d6 points of cold 
  damage per round. A creature that takes 
  damage from this effect must make a 
  Fortitude save (DC 17 + your key ability 
  modifier) as the slow spell, for the remaining 
  duration of as the frost. Spell resistance 
  applies to this effect. 
  Material Component: A chunk of ice or crystal. 
   
  Source: Player’s Handbook II 101 
   
  Contingent Energy Resistance 
  Abjuration 
  Level: Cleric 4, Druid 4, sorcerer/wizard 5 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 minute 
  Range: Personal 
  Target: You 
  Duration: 1 hour/level (D) 
  This spell functions similarly to contingency (PH 213), 
  but with a more limited scope. While contingent 
  energy resistance is in effect, if you are dealt damage 
  associated with one of the five types of energy (acid, 
  cold, electricity, fire or sonic), the spell automatically 
  grants you resistance 10 against that type of energy for 
  up to 10 minutes per caster level, or until the 
  remainder of the spell’s duration, just as if you were 
  
  under the effect of a resist energy spell of the 
  appropriate type. 
   
  Once the energy type protected against by a 
  particular casting of this spell is determined, it can’t be 
  changed. You can’t have more than one contingent 
  energy resistance in effect on yourself at the same 
  time-if you cast the spell a second time while an earlier 
  casting is still in effect, the earlier spell automatically 
  expires. 
  The energy resistance granted by this spell does not 
  stack with similar benefits against the same energy 
  type (such as from the resist energy spell). However, it 
  is possible to be simultaneously under the effect of 
  resist energy (fire) and contingent energy resistance 
  (electricity), or any other two such spells that protect 
  against different types of energy. 
  Material Component: An oyster shell. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 52 
   
  Fires of Purity 
  Evocation (fire) 
  Level: Druid 6, Purification 6, sorcerer/wizard 6 
  Components: V, S, DF 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Touch 
  Target: Creature Touched 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: See text 
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless); see test 
   
  The creature you touch bursts into magical flames 
  that do not harm the subject, but are capable of 
  harming anyone else who comes into contact with the 
  creature. 
   
  With a successful melee attack, the subject deals 
  an extra 1 point of fire damage per caster level 
  (maximum +15). If the defender has spell resistance, it 
  applies to this effect. Creatures that make successful 
  melee attacks against the subject are susceptible to the 
  damage unless they attack with weapons that have 
  reach, such as longspears. 
   
  The subject of fires of purity takes only half 
  damage from fire based attacks. If such an attack allows 
  a Reflex save for half damage, the subject takes no 
  damage on a successful save. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 94 
   
  Heal Animal Companion 
  Conjuration (healing) 
  Level: Druid 5, ranger 3 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Touch 
  Target: Your animal companion touched 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) 
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) 
  This spell functions like heal (PH 239), except that it 
  affects only your animal companion. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 110 
   
  Jagged Tooth 
  Transmutation 
  Level: Druid 3, ranger 2 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One natural slashing or piercing weapon of 
  target creature 
  Duration: 10 minutes/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) 
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) 
  This spell doubles the critical threat range of one 
  natural weapon that deals either slashing or piercing 
  damage. Multiple effects that increase a weapon’s 
  threat range don’t stack. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 126 
   
  Snake’s Swiftness 
  Transmutation 
  Level: Druid 1, sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V, S, M, DF 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One allied creature 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) 
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) 
  The subject can immediately make one melee or 
  ranged attack. Taking this action doesn’t affect the 
  subject’s normal place in the initiative order. This is a 
  single attack and follows the standard rules for 
  attacking. 
  This spell does not allow the subject to make more 
  than one additional attack in a round. If the subject has 
  already made an additional attack, due to a prior casting 
  of this spell, from the haste spell, or from any other 
  source, this spell fails. 
  Arcane Material Component: A few scales from a 
  snake. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 193 
   
  Wings of Air 
  Transmutation 
  Level: Druid 2, sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
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  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
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  Range: Touch 
  Target: Winged creature touched 
  Duration: 1 minute/level 
  Saving Throw: None (harmless) 
  Spell Resistance: No (harmless) 
  The creature you touch becomes more agile in the air, 
  able to make quicker turns, and more maneuverable 
  when flying. The subject must be capable of flight 
  using wings. The creature’s maneuverability improves 
  by one grade-from clumsy to poor, poor to average, 
  average to good, or good to perfect. 
  A single creature cannot benefit from multiple 
  applications of this spell at one time. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 240 
   
   
   
  
  APPENDIX 3: “UNSAVORY CONTACTS” 
   
  The new Living Greyhawk Campaign Card "Unsavory Contacts" can create forged documents (DC 25 Forgery) that 
  allow the player to carry one illegal weapon within a city. This is obviously in contradiction of Ket's laws against 
  carrying weapons other than dagger, sap or staff into a walled town or city.  
   
   
  With the Circle's approval, the following policy will apply to this use of "Unsavory Contacts" within Ket:   
   
  If the person with the document is a Ket Citizen, and is trying to bring in a light weapon or scimitar or falchion, 
  then the guards at the gate examine the document with a total bonus of +6 (+2 unusual documents, +2 familiarity, +2 
  skill ranks). If the above conditions don't apply—-i.e. the person is a non-Citizen, or is trying to bring in a heavy, 
  missile or exotic weapon—-then the guards fetch a Jurat to look more closely. The Jurat will have an adjusted bonus 
  of +11 (+2 Int, +2 familiarity, +2 suspicious documents, +5 ranks). Other modifiers can be added at the DM`s 
  discretion, depending on circumstances. In any case, the documentation is likely to be examined again by every 
  Thresher encountered within the city (with a bonus of +6 again). In no case will this allow anyone to bear weapons 
  within the Copper Palace without specific campaign documentation.  
    
  As per already-established Ket laws, the punishment for being caught with forged documents and illegal 
  weapons will be 10 TUs in the stocks, with the usual option for fleeing with a Warrant of Ket. Those that choose to 
  take the 10 TUs are escorted to the city gates at the end of their sentence, given their weapon back and told to leave 
  the city.   
   
  The above information will be well-known to all Ket residents, so if a Ket resident wants to use "Unsavory Contacts" for 
  this purpose, the DM needs to inform the player about the above information before the card is used. If a party is 
  entirely composed of out-of-region players, the DM will give anyone wanting to use "Unsavory Contacts" a DC 10 
  Gather Information check to know about the above info. (If there is at least one Ket resident in the party, the DM can 
  assume that the Ketite has informed the out-of-region PCs about this, so the DM can give any PCs wanting to use 
  "Unsavory Contacts" the above info.) 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 37 
  
  APPENDIX 4: KET LAWS 
   
  For minor crimes (sentences of 10 TUs stock time or less), Threshers are able to immediately investigate the crime, interview 
  witnesses, pass judgment and carry out the sentence. For major crimes, the accused is turned over to a formal court hearing before a 
  Jurat and two mullahs. 
   
  Crime & Punishment: The punishment for many crimes, especially of assault, aggravated assault and murder, will largely 
  depend on the status of the victim. 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: In recent times, moderate voices have convinced the Beygraf that the "all-or-nothing" aspect of the 
  justice system had become a burden to the common people. The solution was to introduce "mitigating circumstances" to sentencing--
  given certain predetermined circumstances during the commission of the crime, the convicted person will receive a reduced 
  sentence.  
   
  Legal wrangling: Upon conviction, legal wrangling can be attempted in order to reduce the sentence when there are no 
  mitigating circumstances, or in place of mitigating circumstances. However, if a adventurer attempts legal wrangling, then he or she 
  cannot call upon mitigating circumstances as well. By making a Diplomacy or Profession (Lawyer) check at DC 20 + APL, execution 
  will be reduced to life in the mines, life in the mines will be reduced to 2 years in the mines, and all other sentences reduced to half 
  their length or half the fine, whichever is applicable. 
   
   
  CRIMES OF DEBT  
  Falling into Debt (Citizen): Sentenced to become ushdar 
  (indentured servant) in household of creditor until Jurat has 
  determined that worth of labour performed has matched 
  debt.  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
  Unpaid debt obtained with Fraudulent Collateral (Non-
  Citizen): Upon determination that collateral did not match 
  worth of loan, sentenced to become qashar (mine slave) until 
  Jurat has determined that worth of labor performed has 
  matched debt.  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
  MINOR CRIMES  
  Vandalism: Fine equal to double the value of the property 
  damage, plus repair costs to owner of property; or if unable to 
  pay fine, 1 TU of court-appointed indentured servitude per 10 
  greatshields of property damage.*  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
  Tax evasion: Fine equal to double the value of the tax owed, 
  or if unable to pay fine, court-appointed indentured servitude 
  to a Citizen of Jurat’s choice, 1 TU per 10 greatshields of tax 
  owed.*  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
  Break & Enter: 2 TUs in stocks for unauthorized entry, in 
  addition to any punishment for theft.  
  Mitigating Circumstances: It was an emergency; Effect: No 
  fine or conviction 
  Theft: Fine equal to double the value of the item stolen owed, 
  plus restitution to owner of property; or if unable to pay fine, 
  court-appointed indentured servitude to owner of property, 1 
  TU of per 10 greatshields of property value*  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None  
  Heresy: The worship of Olidamarra is illegal in Ket, 
  punishable with 1 TU in the stocks and confiscation of any 
  materials dedicated to Olidamarra (including holy symbols)  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None  
   
   
   
   
   
  CRIMES AGAINST “MONSTERS”  
  Killing of "monster": Fine (typically 100 greatshields); or if 
  unable to pay fine, court-appointed indentured servitude to 
  Citizen of Jurat’s choice, 1 TU per 10 greatshields of fine 
  owed.*  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: Any reasonable excuse; 
  Effect: No fine or conviction 
   
  CRIMES AGAINST NON-RESIDENTS  
  Aggravated Assault (lethal damage):  2 TU in stocks.  
  Mitigating Circumstances: Any reasonable excuse as long as 
  accused did not initiate the combat. Effect: No fine or 
  conviction 
  Lethal Assault (resulting in death): 10 TUs in stocks 
  [Paying for a successful raise dead reduces conviction to 
  Aggravated Assault] 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self defense. Effect: No fine or 
  conviction 
  Kidnapping or Torture: 10 TUs in stocks 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
   
  CRIMES AGAINST RESIDENTS 
  Simple Assault (non-lethal): 2 TU in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Any reasonable excuse as long as 
  accused did not initiate the combat. Effect: No fine or 
  conviction 
  Aggravated Assault (lethal damage):  5 TUs in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Committed in self-defense and 
  cured all lethal damage at end of combat Effect: 2 TUs in 
  stocks, conviction for simple assault  
  Deadly Assault (lethal damage and loss of consciousness): 
  5 TUs in stocks 
         
  Mitigating Circumstances: Committed in self-defense and 
  cured all lethal damage at end of combat. Effect: 2 TUs in 
  stocks, conviction for simple assault  
  Kidnapping or Torture: 1 year in mines** 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None  
   
   
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 38 
  
  Manslaughter: 1 year in mines** 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self defense. Effect: 10 TUs in 
  stocks 
   
  CRIMES AGAINST HORSES   
  Simple Assault(non-lethal damage): 2 TU in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self-defense, as long as accused 
  did not initiate the combat with owner of horse; Effect: No 
  fine or conviction 
  Aggravated Assault (lethal damage): 5 TUs in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self-defense, as long as accused 
  did not initiate the combat with owner of horse, and cured all 
  lethal damage at end of combat. Effect: 2 TUs in stocks, 
  convicted of simple assault 
  Deadly Assault (lethal damage and loss of consciousness): 
  10 TUs in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self-defense, as long as accused 
  did not initiate the combat with owner of horse, and cured all 
  lethal damage at end of combat. Effect: 5 TUs in stocks, 
  convicted of aggravated assault  
  Horse Theft: 52 TU in stocks and fine equal to double the 
  value of the horse plus restitution to owner of horse. If 
  unable to pay fine, 52 TUs in stocks or 1 year in mines** plus 
  1 TU of court-appointed indentured servitude per 
  10 greatshields of value of the horse* 
  Mitigating Circumstances: To save the life of the Beygraf. 
  Effect: No penalty 
  Kidnapping or Torture: 2 years in mines** 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None  
  Horseslaughter: 2 years in mines** 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self-defense, as long as accused 
  did not initiate the combat with owner of horse. Effect: 10 
  TUs in stocks, convicted of deadly assault 
   
  CRIMES AGAINST CITIZENS 
  Simple Assault (non-lethal): 2 TU in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Any reasonable excuse as long as 
  accused did not initiate the combat. Effect: No fine or 
  conviction 
  Aggravated Assault (lethal damage):  5 TUs in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Committed in self-defense and 
  cured all lethal damage at end of combat. Effect: 2 TUs in 
  stocks, conviction for simple assault  
  Deadly Assault (lethal damage and loss of consciousness): 
  10 TUs in stocks 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Committed in self-defense and 
  cured all lethal damage at end of combat. Effect: 5 TUs in 
  stocks, convicted of aggravated assault  
  Kidnapping or Torture: Life in mines** 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None  
   
  Murder, unpremeditated: Life in mines** [Paying for a 
  successful raise dead reduces conviction to Deadly Assault] 
  Mitigating Circumstances: Self defense. Effect: 26 TUs in 
  mines** 
  Murder, premeditated: Execution. [Paying for a successful 
  raise dead reduces conviction to Murder, unpremeditated]  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
   
  CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE 
  Bearing of armor or weapons inside walled city or town: 
  10 TUs in stocks 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
  Impersonation for criminal purposes***:  Execution 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances:  
   
  Impersonation of Resident: 1 TU in stocks 
   
  Impersonation of Citizen: 4 TUs in stocks 
  Impersonation of member of military unit except Threshers: 
  10 TUs in stocks 
  Impersonation of Thresher or Jurat: 1 year in mines** 
   
  Impersonation of Bey or Graf: Life in mines** 
   
  Impersonation of the Beygraf: Execution 
  Attack on military officer, government official or Jurat: 
  Look up same type of assault against Citizen and double the 
  penalty. 
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
  Theft of Beygraf's property: Execution 
  Mitigating Circumstances: As determined by Jurat . Effect: 
  Life in the mines 
  Crimes against the Beygraf:  Execution 
  Mitigating Circumstances: As determined by Jurat. Effect: 
  Life in the mines 
  Treason: Execution  
   
  Mitigating Circumstances: None 
   
   
  *Only a Citizen may become an ushdar (indentured servant). 
  Residents and non-residents unable to pay fine are sentenced 
  to labor in the mines, value of their work (minus cost of food) 
  used to pay off fine. This typically works out to about 30 
  greatshields per year. 
  **Any sentence of time in the mines includes branding on 
  right cheek and lifetime loss of Citizenship 
  ***Impersonation for purposes of entertainment or satire, 
  either public or private, is not judged to be a crime. 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 39 
  
  PLAYER HANDOUT: MAP OF KET 
   
   
   
   
  KET7−09 A THORNY ISSUE 
  MAP OF KET 
   
   
   
   
  �  Where adventure begins 
  KET7-09 A Thorny Issue 
   
  Page 40 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Ket/597/Normal Scenarios/KET7-09 - A Thorny Issue (APL 2-12)/KET7-09 - A Thorny Issue.pdf