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  KEOI6-01 
   
   
   
  Forest of Iron 
   
  A One-Round D&D® LIVING GREYHAWKTM 
  Keoland Introductory Regional Adventure 
  Final Version 
  by Phineas Walsh and Judy “jr” Rudolph 
  Reviewed by the Keoland Triad 
  Playtesters: Jennifer Knapp, Jon Knapp, Justin Knapp, Maeve & Nathan Salla, Trevor Salla, Cindy & 
  Russ Lighton, Bruce & Kathy Wienckowski, Robert Smith, and William Keil 
   
   
  Loggers are disappearing, interrupting the retrieval of the Ironwood, and Lord High Admiral Duke 
  Luschan Sellark Rhola VIII of Gradsul is not pleased. What appeared to be an isolated incident in a small 
  village on the Dreadverge is suddenly revealed to be part of something much larger. The locals of Anglar 
  are not willing to present themselves to the dangers of the Dreadwood for mere gold - are you?   
   
  A Keoland introductory regional adventure for first level characters only. 
   
  
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 1 
    
   
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND 
  This module is a reintroduction to the Dreadwood 
  as previously encountered in:  KEO1-01 March 
  Through Keoland; KEO1-03/YEO1-05 Charting the 
  Course; KEO1-06 Evil in the Woods; KEO1-07 
  Deathmarch; KEO1-09 Dreadfog; KEO2-03 Stuck 
  in a Moment; KEO2-04 Illegal Aliens; KEOI3-04 
  Runaway Bride; KEO3-04 Crimes of the Heart; 
  KEO3-07 Old Secrets Never Die; KEO4-01 Hope, 
  Entwined; KEO4-02 Active Imagination, and 
  SHE4-04 Fundamentals of Dweomercraft. 
  While 
  much 
  has 
  been 
  written 
  about 
  the 
  Dreadwood, this series will begin to pull everything 
  together. 
  The 
  ‘background’ 
  is 
  necessarily 
  incomplete in order to prevent spoilers in future 
  modules. 
  DREADWOOD BACKGROUND & RULES 
  What is publicly known about the Dreadwood is 
  the following: 
  • 
  The Dreadwood covers approximately 25,000 
  square miles, or about one-sixth of Keoland’s 
  land. 
  • 
  Approximately 13 miles from any edge of the 
  Dreadwood (into the forest and extending 
  outward to the surrounding lands) is known as 
  the “Dreadverge”. 
  • 
  The Dreadwood is effectively an unexplored 
  rain forest that contains hardwood and 
  unusual trees [ironwood, darkwood, etc.], 
  some of which outdate Keoland itself. 
  • 
  There are strange creatures that roam the 
  Dreadwood. 
  • 
  The Dreadwalkers (trained to deal with the 
  dangers of the Dreadwood) tend to keep 
  people from exploring the Dreadwood, as the 
  taint from the Dreadwood may create future 
  problems. 
  • 
  The Dreadwalkers have unfriendly relations 
  with 
  most 
  of 
  the 
  surrounding 
  regions. 
  Exceptions to this are the Barony of Greyhill 
  (the King of Keoland, Kimbertos Skotti of 
  House Lizhal, is a Dreadwalker), and the 
  Viscounty of Nume Eor (Viscount Richart 
  Jorgos is a cousin of Kimbertos’ through 
  marriage). 
  • 
  There is a reclusive elven kingdom within the 
  Dreadwood 
  • 
  Re-growth in the Dreadwood fully obliterates a 
  path in six days. 
  Note: Names and Locales within this mod may 
  seem familiar to some long-time Living Greyhawk 
  campaign players. This module uses the town of 
  Anglar in the Viscounty of Salinmoor near the 
  border of the Duchy of Gradsul as base of 
  operations. It was the setting for year one and 
  year two [CY 591 and 592] adaptable modules set 
  in the Dreadwood. As many NPCs as possible 
  have been re-used for consistency’s sake, though 
  classes and levels have been adjusted to more 
  accurately follow the DMG and LG community and 
  demographics guidelines, and more closely reflect 
  Keoish flavor as has been developed in the 
  subsequent three years of gameplay. 
  If, by some unusual circumstance, players have 
  dusted off first-level characters that have been 
  sitting around for four years, they MAY have 
  influence with Ploellin of Rao, the cleric that runs 
  the Academy. In this extraordinary case, reward 
  that character with any Gather Info check data 
  with a DC 15 or below, whether the characters 
  actually make the rolls or not. Note that the 
  character will still have to find the priest, however; 
  Ploellin will not automatically seek out the 
  character. 
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY 
  The characters have one goal: find out what 
  happened to the missing logger(s). The goal of the 
  module itself is to introduce players of the dangers 
  of the Dreadwood. These dangers include 
  carnivorous 
  plants 
  (wortlings), 
  environmental 
  hazards (unstable ridge), extraplanar creatures 
  (overnight encounters with the rukanyr), things 
  which are not what they appear (pseudonatural 
  creatures) and being able to tell friend (treants, 
  boar) from foe (Thimas (Twitchy)). 
  ENCOUNTER SUMMARY 
  Gradsul to Anglar (Introduction) – characters 
  have heard of employment opportunity as marines 
  or caravan guards in the village of Anglar. 
  Anglar Inn (Day Three) (Encounter 1) – the 
  characters arrive in the early evening, to find that 
  Anglar Inn is the only place to find lodging. 
  Sometime before the characters bed down, the 
  Widow Tonra comes in to ask for help. 
  Anglar Village (Day Four) (Encounter 2)  - the 
  characters learn about the change of their 
  
  employment prospects. The characters can learn 
  some secrets about the Dreadwood from the 
  locals and purchase some supplies. 
  Wortlings (Encounter 3) - characters following 
  the trail to the left from the fork-in-the-road will run 
  into an ambush by some unusual plant creatures 
  (Wortlings, EL5). Characters may find clues to 
  what happened here. 
  Junior (Encounter 4) - characters following the 
  trail to the right of the fork-in-the-road come upon 
  an abandoned campsite that has been utterly 
  destroyed by a large creature. Characters will 
  need to find a juvenile treant (Junior, EL3) to get 
  more information. 
  Mudslide (Encounter 5) - following two pairs of 
  tracks from the destroyed encampment puts the 
  characters in an area prone to mudslides. Rogues 
  or rangers or characters who have been warned 
  by the treant, who make a successful search 
  check may take precautionary measures to avoid 
  the first trap; the second trap is requires 
  successful search and disable device checks to 
  avoid (Camouflaged Pit Trap, CR1; Deeper Pit 
  Trap, CR1). The widow Tonra’s husband, Vett, is 
  one of two loggers found dead at the bottom. 
  Wild Boar (Encounter 6) - characters brave the 
  most difficult path, they will come upon a bloody 
  trail. Following the trail to a small clearing where 
  the characters will come upon the body of an 
  unconscious elf half-hidden beneath foliage and 
  the elf’s animal companion (boar, EL 2) that will 
  attempt to save the fallen comrade. Characters 
  may attack or befriend the boar in order to help the 
  fallen elf. If characters rest, the fallen Dreadwalker 
  will recover 
  the 
  temporary 
  ability 
  damage, 
  regaining consciousness. 
  Thimas (Twitchy) and his Sad-Eyed Hound 
  (Encounter 7) - when the characters are on the 
  main road back to Anglar. Thimas (Twitchy) and 
  his bloodhound (EL4) will wait for the characters 
  on the path. They will attack the characters 
  starting 40 ft away or the characters attack them 
  first. They will both reveal their Pseudonatural 
  natures and Thimas (Twitchy) will ramble on about 
  how he sent the other loggers through the 
  “swirlies” to his “masters”. Both will fight to the 
  death. NOTE: Characters must have explored two 
  sites (in any order) for this encounter to go off. 
  Out Of Time (Encounter 7a) - If the characters 
  fail too many track checks, or if they spend too 
  much time resting in town overnight, etc, 
  characters will have run out of time. By dawn of 
  the sixth day that the loggers have been missing 
  (or after approximately 72 hours of search time 
  has elapsed), the trail has healed itself and can no 
  longer be followed. 
  Screaming Trees (Overnight Encounter #1) – 
  this encounter occurs the first night that the 
  characters are in the Dreadwoods. If the 
  characters investigate the sounds, then run the 
  Overnight Encounter #2. 
  Untiered Encounter (Overnight Encounter #2) - 
  If the characters are foolish enough to travel at 
  night or try to stay a second night in the 
  Dreadwood, they face a rukanyr. The creature will 
  automatically miss with its sonic blast on the first 
  round, destroying a tree in the process. Then any 
  NPCs with the players will be attacked. If the party 
  runs, they will escape; if they stay, they will die. 
  Conclusions – Success will be difficult, but 
  possible, to obtain. For this to occur, characters 
  must accomplish all of the following: 
  • 
  Not attacking the Treant 
  • 
  Recovering the body of the missing logger 
  • 
  Recovering the fallen Dreadwalker alive 
  • 
  Not killing the boar animal companion [it is 
  allowed to die protecting the Dreadwalker 
  in a subsequent encounter]. 
  • 
  Killing Thimas (Twitchy) 
  Effort, even if the characters are ultimately 
  unsuccessful, will be recognized, and fighting that 
  which you’re not supposed to fight carries 
  repercussions (especially for those who should 
  know better). 
  PREPARATION FOR PLAY 
  The DM should take special note of which, if any, 
  of the PCs are: 
  • 
  Able to Track 
  • 
  Suel humans or half-breeds 
  • 
  From the Dreadwood area [Much of this 
  module is based upon discerning friend 
  from 
  foe, 
  in 
  a 
  very 
  hazardous 
  environment.] 
  IN-GAME TIME LIMIT: DM’s Aid #1 can be folded 
  in half for players to fill out information about their 
  PCs. DM's Aid #2 is a rough map with 
  approximate travel times of failed track checks; 
  successful checks halve the time listed. These 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 2 
  
  times are for travel along the paths only and do 
  not include excessive time spent searching 
  clearings, recovering from combats, etc. By the 
  time characters wake up after spending their 
  fourth night in Anglar [the sixth day the loggers 
  have 
  been 
  missing], 
  the 
  Dreadwood 
  has 
  reclaimed the trail. All tracks will be lost, and the 
  character’s time has run out. Go to the Conclusion 
  and read whichever options apply. Use Overnight 
  Encounter #2 if you have to be heavy-handed 
  about it. 
  OVERNIGHT ENCOUNTERS: occur automatically 
  at 1d6 hours after 10PM or the first and second 
  available evening the characters spend in the 
  Dreadwoods.  
  ENCOUNTER ORDER IS VARIABLE: Do not be 
  concerned if PCs do not follow the pre-set order of 
  Encounters. The order of the Encounters depends 
  upon:  
  • 
  The time(s) that the PCs enter the 
  Dreadwood 
  • 
  The paths the PCs take once they get 
  there, and  
  • 
  PC success or failure in tracking 
  Characters MAY RETURN TO ANGLAR AT ANY 
  TIME: There is a 5th level cleric of Rao in Anglar 
  who will cure PCs at the cost listed in the temple 
  section of Encounter Two. He will convert no more 
  than half of his available spells on any given day 
  unless it is clearly a matter of life or death. 
  Returning to town to heal up may backfire on the 
  PCs, however; it uses up time, and there is an in-
  game time limit [q.v.] 
  GRADSUL TO ANGLAR: 
  INTRODUCTION 
  Characters have heard of employment opportunity 
  as marines or caravan guards in the village of 
  Anglar. 
  Your travels this past fortnight have led you 
  down Keoland’s southern coast toward the 
  Village of Anglar, where you will be employed 
  to 
  guard 
  a 
  shipment 
  of 
  Ironwood 
  to 
  Sanduchar. You and your compatriots arrive 
  just outside of Anglar as the sun’s golden rays 
  become a rosy halo behind the village. 
  Developments: Have the players introduce their 
  characters here, giving descriptions. Inform the 
  players; characters may only pay standard upkeep 
  during this module, as there is only one Inn 
  available. Characters who are Centaurs will be 
  allowed into the village, but not be allowed to 
  participate with the role-playing as few people will 
  be outside and the centaur will only be allowed in 
  the stable. 
  ANGLAR INN: (DAY THREE) 
  ENCOUNTER 1 
  The characters arrive in the early evening, to find 
  that Anglar Inn is the only place to find lodging, all 
  characters participating in the module should pay 
  standard upkeep. Centaurs may not participate in 
  this encounter. 
  Anglar (Village): Conventional; AL NG (Lawful 
  tendencies), 200gp limit, Assets: 5,490gp, 549 
  population, Mixed (80% human, 11% elves, 9% 
  half-elves). 
   
  Authority Figures: Her Most Worthy Lady, 
  Raichellene Secunforth of Anglar (NG, female 
  Suel, Rog7/ShDn4), Mayor His Worthy Sir, Mayor 
  Tamaruck of Anglar (LG, male Oeridian, Pal5), 
  Watch-Captain Wilhelman Fyendar II (NG, male 
  Suel, Rog4/Ftr5/ShDn3). 
   
  Others: Dean of the Temple Academy: Ploellin 
  of Rao (LG, Keoish male, Clr6) 
  Once you enter the wall-less town, you are 
  pointed towards Anglar Inn, the only available 
  Inn, registered with the Royal guilds, which 
  pretty 
  much 
  guarantees 
  clean 
  accommodations, a warm bath, and hearty 
  food. The inn looks warm and welcoming, with 
  a ramp leading up to the double doors, and the 
  smell of baked bread and seafood wafts out to 
  greet people in the street. 
  “Welcome, stranger,” says one of the men 
  seated just inside the door. He is a sturdy 20-
  year-old Suel-Oeridian man wearing studded 
  leather armor over a homespun tunic and 
  leggings with a pair of short swords at his 
  side. 
  Another human of similar ancestry and age 
  with leather armor and loose-fitting shirt and 
  trousers seated across the ramp laughs and 
  shakes his head. “You’re welcome t’ a good 
  meal, a warm bath, and a soft place as long as 
  your silver is good, your attitude is right, and 
  you leave any weapons larger than an eating 
  knife here at the door. That includes staves, 
  too; anyone who’s traveled wi' a Sea Mage can 
  tell you those little pieces o' wood can pack a 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 3 
  
  punch. Don’t worry, we’ll keep ‘em safe; 
  haven’t lost any of ‘em so far.” 
  From your current vantage, a one-armed 
  Oeridian man tending bar deftly moving 
  around a slack-jawed individual who doesn’t 
  seem to notice much of anything. The other 
  patrons (a mere two dozen) seem to be a mix 
  of loggers and sailors, sitting with their own 
  kind. 
  The two guards continue to look at you 
  expectantly. 
   
  Gell the logger, Suel-Oeridian male, Rgr1: 
  hp 6; see Appendix 1  
   
  Tyskan the sailor, Suel-Oeridian male 
  Rog1: hp 5; see Appendix 1  
  Characters who do not turn over their weapons 
  will not be allowed inside; however, a quick glance 
  at the other patrons verifies that no weapons have 
  made it past the checkpoint. 
  Both men have a +5 spot modifier in case the PCs 
  try to hide weapons. PCs can use the sleight of 
  hand rules from the PHB to attempt to sneak a 
  weapon inside the establishment. 
  Characters may get a room or mingle with other 
  patrons. If PCs approach either group and buy a 
  few drinks (or ask to perform a Gather Information 
  check), they can find out the following basic 
  information of Anglar: 
  • 
  Half of the docks moor fishing and whaling 
  ships; the others, including the dry-dock, 
  are currently reserved for the military. 
  • 
  When the navy came into town in CY 590, 
  they commandeered the Flying Dolph Inn, 
  the 
  richest 
  inn 
  in 
  town, 
  for 
  their 
  headquarters. 
  • 
  The navy’s arrival has notably boosted the 
  local economy. Still, there is tension 
  between the locals and the sailors. 
  Characters may also talk to the following NPCs as 
  well. 
  THE GUARDS (GELL THE LOGGER AND 
  TYSKAN THE SAILOR) 
  If the characters make a point of talking to the two 
  guards after arranging for a room or meal,  they 
  will walk in on the following conversation: 
  “Yeah, but once you’re back on the ship, when 
  you go to take a bite to eat, it doesn’t try to eat 
  you back. Seen a man try to grab some grapes, 
  the plant didn’t take too kindly to him eating it 
  and pick him up & start throwing him side to 
  side like a child’s rag doll.” Gell uses a bison 
  leg to mime the movement. 
  Allow characters Knowledge: (nature) check DC 
  14 to recognize that Gell is describing an assassin 
  vine. 
  The sailor rolls his eyes. “You can breathe air 
  in the forest, can’t y’? Does anything with too 
  many arms climb up the sides an’ throw 
  harpoons at y’? Didn’t think so.” 
  Allow characters Knowledge: (nature) check DC 
  17 to recognize that Tyskan is describing a mutant 
  sahuagin. 
  Gell and Tyskan continue to compare notes about 
  the dangers of the Azure Sea versus the 
  Dreadwood. Below is a list of canned responses to 
  potential questions: 
  About the Ironwood shipment: Gell almost 
  chokes on the bison meat as he looks around, 
  “The loggers are not in yet, we are still waiting 
  for them.” 
  About Dhirr: Tyskan smiles, “Dhirr got ‘em 
  Dreadwoods t’ stop shooting ev’ry time we 
  sent in loggers. He even man’ged to ‘et list of 
  places for the loggers.” Gell smirks, “Do not 
  let the missin’ arm fool ya. He swings a nasty 
  cudgel if he needs to restore order.” 
  About Thimas (Twitchy): Gell looks dourly at 
  Thimas, “Couple months back, his cuttin’ crew 
  disappeared. He and one other came back with 
  that dog, on the second night. Never been the 
  same since. The other guy died a few weeks 
  ago.” 
  About employment or money mission: Tyskan 
  brightens a bit, “Navy is always looking for 
  good people to sign up. You may want to talk 
  to Captain Armel Rhola at the Flying Dolphin 
  Inn.” 
  About Widow Tonra: Gell looks down, and 
  whispers, “Her husband, Vett, was with the last 
  cutting crew. It does not look good, as the 
  team has not returned.” 
  About Dreadwood: Gell says, “Whatever you do, 
  don’t spend a night in the Dreadwoods. It aint 
  healthy.” Tyskan nods his agreement and 
  whispers, “First night gone, second night 
  spawn – of the woods.” He glares meaningfully 
  at Thimas.  
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 4 
  
  What can you tell us about Vett: “Vett leads the 
  loggers into the woods. He had a map that was 
  given to the Captain of the sites that can be 
  logged. I sure hope that was not the only map, 
  it would be a fool-thing for the captain to lose 
  the only map we have.” 
  Gell and Tyskan will eventually go back to 
  bantering, as they don’t have much more 
  information. 
  THE INNKEEPER (DHIRR) 
  If the characters make a point of talking to the bar 
  keep, the get the following information. 
  The Innkeeper is a solid-looking Oeridian in his 
  early thirties who is missing an the left arm at 
  the shoulder. He moves with ease, the missing 
  limb appears to be either a very old injury or a 
  birthright. Curiously enough, despite the 
  apparent undercurrent of distrust between the 
  sailors and the locals, both groups seem to 
  respect him.  
  Characters are impolite and ask about his missing 
  arm will receive a stern look, but no other answer. 
  He will also fill in the characters on the information 
  provided listed above, if the characters did not 
  offer to buy drinks or Gather Information. 
   
  Dhirr 
  the 
  Innkeeper 
  (Dreadwalker 
  Reservist), Oeridian male, Rgr5: hp 38; see 
  Appendix 1  
  About the missing limb: The oeridian man gives 
  a very stern look. 
  About the two guards: Dhirr shakes his head. 
  "Neither of them will admit it, but they'd be 
  bored to tears without the other. There’s a lot 
  of tension between sailors and loggers lately, 
  been a few brawls in here, so we have one 
  from each crew play guard here.” 
  If characters ask him about Thimas (Twitchy): The 
  innkeeper deftly changes the nearly drool-filled 
  mug for an empty one. "Can't turn him out; 
  he's one of our own, a living reminder of what 
  happens if the Dreadwood decides you've 
  outstayed your welcome. If you be going into 
  the Dread, you best take a look at Thimas and 
  make sure you don’t stay in their too long. A 
  good rule of thumb be First night gone, 
  Second night spawn."  
  About the Ironwood shipment: Dhirr looks at the 
  darkness beyond the window and shakes his 
  head, “If it aint here by know, it aint coming. It 
  looks like you might want to find another job.” 
  Characters may be disappointed that the shipment 
  hasn’t arrived but Dhirr will suggest they take it up 
  with the Captain in the morning. 
  About employment opportunities: A sardonic 
  smile slides across the innkeepers face, “I 
  understand the navy is looking for sailors and 
  marines.” 
  About the Dreadwood: The Inkeeper’s voice 
  drops to a whisper, “Do not spend a single 
  night in the woods. Do not eat anything or 
  drink anything from the woods. Do not leave 
  any comrades behind, stay the night if you 
  value your companions, but do not press your 
  luck beyond one night. Most importantly, do 
  not take things for granted in the Dread, the 
  last thing you want to do is attack a King’s 
  man.”  A King’s man is a Dreadwalker or 
  somebody allied with the Dreadwalkers. 
  About the Azure Sea: Dhirr smirks, “I spent 
  some time fishing on the Azure Sea in my 
  youth, but I’m no sailor.” 
  About Widow Tonra: Dhirr looks sadly at the 
  woman, “It aint your problem and you aint 
  going to help anybody by getting yourself 
  killed. No use crying over spilt ale, it only 
  waters down what you got. If you are going to 
  look for the bodies, you best be leaving before 
  dawn, I’ll have everything set for your to 
  leave.” 
  THIMAS (TWITCHY AND HIS FAITHFUL 
  HOUND-DOG): 
  There is a middle-aged Oeridian man in 
  logging leathers at the end of the bar with a 
  hound dog by his side. He stares unblinking at 
  the wall and the mug placed in front of him 
  seems to be more for catching the drool 
  running down his chin than for drinking. 
  Several loggers eye you suspiciously, as if 
  ready to defend a helpless man. 
  Nothing the characters do will get Thimas 
  (Twitchy) to react. If they start to get rough, 
  however, the hound dog will begin to growl at 
  them and Dhirr the Innkeeper will tell the 
  characters to leave Thimas alone, while reaching 
  under the bar. Dhirr has no problems beating the 
  characters down to get them to behave properly. 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 5 
  
  THE WIDOW TONRA  
  At some point during the evening before the 
  characters bed down, Tyskan will notice widow 
  Tonra from the window. 
  Gell whistles and calls the innkeeper over with 
  “Vett’s wife is here, I guess I should be saying 
  Widow Tonra is here.” The other patrons of the 
  inn seem to find their drinks interesting, some 
  shake their heads. 
  Characters who make a Listen check DC 10 will 
  hear one of the loggers mutter “First night gone; 
  second night spawn,” under his breath right 
  before the door opens.   
  The door opens and a woman, if indeed, it is 
  ‘Widow Tonra’, is no more than twenty years 
  old Keogh. She scans the room, ignoring the 
  locals, 
  before 
  she 
  notices 
  you 
  and 
  approaches. The Inkeeper clears his throat and 
  nods the young Keogh lady to an empty chair, 
  where a serving girl provides a small cup to 
  the widow. 
  Characters may speak to the widow, the 
  innkeeper, or the guards to try to figure out what 
  just happened. 
  THE WIDOW TONRA (VETT’S WIFE): 
  If the characters approach Widow Tonra, she will 
  look up hopefully at the characters. 
  The woman looks up at you desperately and 
  blurts out, “My husband, Vett Tonra, led a 
  group of loggers to harvest trees from the 
  Dreadwood. They have been gone for three 
  nights, far too long for him to be alive. But it is 
  hard to know that he is gone, without seeing...” 
  and she burst into tears. 
  A few sympathetic words will get her to recover 
  from the crying fit and she will be able to answer 
  the following questions. 
  Why is she so sure her husband isn’t coming 
  back? She looks a bit taken aback for a 
  moment. “I-i-it’s the Dreadwood. No one 
  survives more than two nights within.” 
  How much can you pay? She looks shocked, “I 
  don’t have much money, I have a few 
  heirlooms but I don’t think they will fetch 
  much.” The innkeeper moves in glowering at 
  all of you and says, “I think these mercenaries 
  can get coin from the Captain, as the Captain 
  will need to explain what happened to the 
  shipment.” He then purposefully fills the 
  widows Tonra’s cup and leaves without 
  looking to see if you need anything. 
  Recover what? The widow says, “Him” and 
  breaks down to another crying fit. A few 
  sympathetic words will get her to recover from the 
  crying fit again and she will be able to continue 
  speaking. 
  What can you tell us about Vett: “Vett leads the 
  loggers into the woods. We’ve only been 
  married for about a year now, we came down 
  here after our farm withered up and blew away 
  in Linth. The money was good, but I always 
  thought it was too dangerous. I love him and 
  miss him dearly” 
  How many loggers went with Vett: “About a 
  dozen, they took 3 carts with them and enough 
  supplies to last 2 days, plus a little more in 
  case a King’s man came by. They would 
  probably offer the King’s man food, coin and 
  magic if the King’s man stays with them for a 
  few days.” 
  What does Vett look like? She sniffs a little and 
  says, “He is a tall man, standing over 6 feet, 
  with dark wavy hair and gray sparkling eyes. 
  He is a sturdy man, rippling with muscles and 
  a firm square jaw.”  
  Characters may decide to go on a search-and-
  rescue at this point. None of the NPCs will give the 
  characters the impression this is the case; this 
  would be a search and recovery mission. 
  SUICIDE MISSION - PCs may also decide that 
  there’s no time like the present. NONE of the 
  NPCs believe this is a good idea.  
  Widow Tonra will try to dissuade the characters: 
  “Please do not go into the woods at night. I do 
  not want more deaths because of tears.” 
  Dhirr the innkeeper will want the characters to sign 
  a book: Reaching underneath the bar, the 
  Innkeeper pulls out a huge tome as long as his 
  arm and half again as wide, bound in black 
  leather. There is a symbol on the cover of an 
  oak tree with a single golden arrow in it. “Sign 
  it! So that your relatives don’t have to deal with 
  the uncertainty that Tonra is dealing with right 
  now.” It seems to be a book of names, some of 
  which are crossed out with one stroke, others 
  with two. 
  If PCs make a Knowledge (local) check DC 15 
  they will realize it is similar to the Dreadwalker 
  insignia (three golden arrows superimposed upon 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 6 
  
  the shadow of an oak tree). If the PCs mention this 
  to the Innkeeper, he replies: “Just sign the book, 
  it aint my job to chase people out of the 
  woods. I also got something else for ya.” Says 
  the innkeeper as he pulls out two sunrods. “It 
  is darker than night in the woods, but I figure if 
  your going to head off, you might as well see 
  what comes to get ya.” 
  Development: If the PCs decide to go into the 
  Dreadwood at night, run Overnight Encounter #1, 
  and then adjust accordingly. The NPCs will stress 
  heavily that traveling into the wood at night is a 
  foolhardy and suicidal decision.  
  THE NEXT MORNING: (DAY 
  FOUR) ENCOUNTER 2 
  Start keeping track of the time with DM’s Aid #1. 
  Breakfast takes 30 minutes to eat unless the 
  characters grab something to go (bread, cheese 
  and fruit is readily available). It is possible that the 
  PCs will want to cross the town to ask questions of 
  different people at different times. Travel from any 
  location to any other location within the town takes 
  ten minutes. 
  As you make your way downstairs you see that 
  not much has changed from last night. Thimas 
  still sits at the bar, drooling slowly into a mug. 
  Gell spots you and moves towards you, 
  carrying your collected weapons into the inn 
  and returning them to you. This is clearly not 
  usual. The rest of the inn is deserted. 
  If the PCs ask what’s going on: Gell says: 
  “Word’s already spread that Turgin was in 
  town. Never a good sign.” 
  Who’s Turgin? “Some wizard who’s good 
  friends with some relative of Admiral Luschan” 
  Tyskan the marine adds. “As he said, 
  something wrong’s goin’ on. Need t’ see what 
  orders Cap’n ’ll give.” 
  Bread, cheese and fruit platter sits on the only 
  available table. Dhirr sits in one of the seats 
  and motions you to sit with him. Once the 
  characters sit with him: 
  Dhirr smiles broadly, “Good news, since you 
  showed an interest in heading into the 
  Dreadwoods, I can offer you, each, the tidy 
  sum 100 gold lions if you investigate what 
  happened to the loggers and report back to me 
  with what information you gather. I am also 
  aware that Captain Armel is also looking for 
  people to head into the Dreadwoods. “ As an 
  afterthought, Dhirr says, “Of course, if you find 
  any bodies, I would expect them to be brought 
  out of the Dread. Come back to me before you 
  head out, I’m scrounging some extra supplies 
  together for you.” 
  About the payment “I got a message from the 
  Dreadwalkers, that they want to know what 
  happened to the loggers. I was handed a purse 
  with enough gold to pay each of you 100 gp. 
  Money will be paid out when the trail is no 
  longer capable of being followed, I reckon that 
  will be 3 days. The trees in the Dread regrow at 
  a frightening pace.” 
  About the extra supplies “I did not have time to 
  start pulling things together, why not see if 
  you can squeeze money out of Captain Armel 
  in the Flying Dolphin. You might want to get 
  some equipment from the General Store; the 
  lighthouse also houses a priest, who sells 
  magical sundries. Once you come back, I’ll 
  have some things ready for you to go. Mostly 
  food and about one trips’ worth of sunrods.” 
  Where is everybody? “I reckon, you can find 
  people at the Fish Head Tavern, if you are 
  interested in gossip, but I would not want you 
  to waste too much time there.” 
  Development: The characters are encouraged to 
  head out, gather information and equip for a 
  daring adventure into the Dreadwood. Add 30 
  minutes for this encounter. 
  FISH HEAD TAVERN 
  Characters may go to the local tavern to gather 
  more information. Many locals have gathered here 
  to gossip about the ongoing of recent events. 
  If characters have 2 or more ranks in profession or 
  craft skills, they gain a +2 synergy bonus to gather 
  information. Each check takes 15 minutes. 
  The Fish Head Tavern is a wooden one-story 
  structure, which would normally be vacant 
  during the day, but marines and sailors in 
  Rhola colors are sitting down conversing 
  among 
  each 
  other. 
  Several 
  loggers 
  are 
  clustered among the Rholas. Serving maids 
  are moving among the tables and generously 
  disbursing drinks among the patrons. 
  Gather 
  Information/Diplomacy 
  check 
  DC 
  5: 
  "Turgin, a powerful wizard, was here. He came 
  from Tanglewood and Oakroot saying the 
  loggers are missing from there. The woods are 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 7 
  
  acting up and only a madman would enter 
  them, even for 100 gold lions!” (True) 
  Gather Information/Diplomacy check DC 7: "Let 
  Ploellin know if you enter the Dreadwood, in 
  case your body is recovered, he can give you 
  proper respect.” (True, such as it is) 
  Gather Information/Diplomacy check DC 10: 
  "Duke Luschan is not going to be happy with 
  the Dreadwalker interfering with the lumbering. 
  He’ll most likely send a garrison of marines 
  and troops to protect the loggers, much good 
  that will do.” (Conjecture, likely true) 
  Gather Information/Diplomacy check DC 12: "I 
  hear that Turgin fella’s got his own agenda, 
  and a special tensquad of people that he uses 
  to deal with his problems in the area, but I hear 
  they all went missing on the last mission he 
  set them to!” (Untrue, and gossip) 
  Gather Information/Diplomacy check DC 17: "The 
  Lady Raichellene Secunforth made Luschan 
  use the local loggers instead of using soldiers 
  to harvest the Ironwood. Apparently the 
  Dreadwalkers were concerned that soldiers 
  would cause too much harm to the forest, and 
  likely get themselves killed by disrespecting 
  the Dread.” (True) 
  Questions about Turgin: “Turgin is a good man, 
  he recently came to town and checked in with 
  the Captain Armel Rhola about the logging. I 
  understand the Captain is looking for people to 
  do his dirty work. The marines are keeping a 
  low profile in the hopes they do not have to go 
  into the Dreadwood.” 
  Questions about Ploellin: “Pleollin worship Rao, 
  the god of patience, he is also the teaches the 
  children in Anglar. Some five years ago, some 
  adventurers stole some chalice or something, 
  but Ploellin never pressed charges.” 
  Questions about Captain Armel: “A bit of an 
  aristocrat, he does not like to associate with 
  anybody below his class. However, he may be 
  desperate enough to get help from anywhere. I 
  hear he’s hiring hands to take care of work in 
  the Dread.” 
  Questions about Dhirr: “Dhirr was a King’s 
  Ranger 
  and 
  patrolled 
  the 
  southern 
  Dreaadverge. He does not like to talk about his 
  experience, but mind him if he offers advice.”  
  Development: Characters should be encouraged 
  to go the Flying Dolphin to talk to Captain Armel. 
  This encounter takes 30 minutes per question 
  asked and one hour per Gather Information check 
  rolled, as the characters have to find the right 
  people to talk to. 
  GENERAL STORE 
  Characters may go to the general store to 
  purchase 
  goods 
  before 
  heading 
  into 
  the 
  Dreadwood. This encounter can take a few 
  moments to about 30 minutes, depending on the 
  shopping the characters do. 
  The general store is a sturdy two-story wooden 
  structure that is very well kept. Upon opening 
  the door a bell rings and a Keoish woman 
  bustles forward. “I am Mistress Morgana, how 
  may I help you, today?” 
  Questions about anything going on in town: “I am 
  truly sorry I can not help you with gossiping. 
  You might as well go to the Fish Head Tavern 
  to do that with all the old men and soldiers 
  drinking their pay away.” 
  The store has limited alchemical stock: 10 acid 
  flasks, 2 antitoxins, 2 everburning torches, 3 
  smokesticks, 20 sunrods (as this is popular among 
  people going into the Dreadwood), 4 tanglefoot 
  bags, 4 thunderstones and 50 tindertwigs. 
  The store lacks the following items: alchemist lab, 
  climber’s kit, disguise kit, holy symbols (silver or 
  wooden), magnifying glass and waterclock, nobles 
  outfit, servants outfit, and anything under the 
  “Mounts and Related Gear”, “Transports” and 
  “Spellcasting and Services”. 
  Development: Characters should be encouraged 
  to go the Flying Dolphin to talk to Captain Armel. 
  This encounter takes 0 to 30 minutes depending 
  on the amount of shopping a character does. 
  ANGLAR DOCKS 
  Characters going to the docks may learn the same 
  information as from the tavern. 
   
  Dock Master Doberrin, Suel-Oeridian male, 
  Rog4: hp 18; see Appendix 1  
  Characters going to the docks may learn the same 
  information as from the tavern. 
  The Dockmaster calls out a greeting, "All the 
  local ships are out. The navy ships will not be 
  moving out until the Captain says so. I’m 
  Dockmaster Doberrin, what can I do for you?” 
  Questions about the Ironwood shipment: “If Duke 
  Luschan 
  of 
  Gradsul 
  finds 
  out 
  it 
  was 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 8 
  
  Dreadwalkers who interrupted the production 
  o' th' Ironwood and Darkwood, he’ll sail his 
  three warships back and march the navy right 
  through town an' sweep int' th' Dreadwood and 
  clear it out just like he did down in the 
  Principality of Ulek a few months back. The 
  walkers convinced the town to use loggers 
  instead of Luschan’s soldiers, and he’s never 
  liked that one bit." 
  Questions about Captain Armel: “The captain is 
  not much of man to work with if you aren’t 
  noble. A good man, otherwise.” 
  Questions about the loggers: “I do not know 
  much about what happens in the woods. My 
  job is to make sure taxes are paid on imported 
  and exported goods. Personally? I wouldn’t go 
  near those woods for any price.” He takes a 
  copper coin from his purse and tosses it into 
  the bay. 
  “Better the mistress you know. The seas can 
  be appeased. The forests are their own master 
  around here.” 
  Questions about Turgin: “Turgin is some type of 
  wizard, must be important as Captain Armel 
  was chasing people around the Flying Dolphin 
  shortly afterwards." 
  Development: This encounter takes 30 minutes if 
  the characters ask the dock master questions. 
  THE TEMPLE ACADEMY AND RECTORY 
  Characters may go to the Temple Academy and 
  Rectory. This is a lighthouse and bell-tower 
  combination, with the light above the bell tower, an 
  amazing 4-story tower. The body of the building is 
  a public library, that doubles as a classroom, 
  expanding away from the tower. A shrine to Rao 
  can be found  
   
  Ploellin, Keoish male, Clr5 of Rao: hp 34; 
  see Appendix 1  
  A Keoish man is writing letters on a 
  chalkboard, explaining each of the letters to a 
  handful of bored children. He looks up and 
  calls one of the children to take over, as he 
  passes over a piece of chalk to a tall girl who 
  gleefully takes over the class. 
  “Hello, I am Ploellin, what can I do for you?” 
  Ploellin is an unflappable, middle-aged Keogh, 
  who is the embodiment of patience, due to his 
  dealings 
  with 
  children. 
  His 
  duties 
  include 
  maintaining the lighthouse and bell tower. 
  Questions 
  about 
  Thimas 
  (Twitchy): 
  "Oh, 
  goodness, no; I've not that kind of ability to 
  heal. 
  He's 
  been 
  affected 
  in 
  the 
  mind, 
  something in the Dread left some real scars on 
  him. It’s a shame, he was a bright young man." 
  Questions ask Dhirr, “He be a good man, though 
  a bit headstrong.” 
  Questions ask Captain Armel, “I have not had 
  the pleasure of meeting the Captain and I do 
  not put my trust in rumors.”  
  Ploellin has the following items available for sale: 
  4 vials of holy water, 4 potions of cure light 
  wounds, 5 scrolls of cure light wounds, 3 scrolls of 
  cure moderate wounds and 2 everburning torches. 
  Ploellins is willing to cast healing spells at the 
  following cost: cure minor wounds at 10gp, cure 
  light wounds (1d8+5) at 100gp, cure moderate 
  wounds (2d8+5), lesser restoration at 200gp and 
  cire 
  serious 
  wounds 
  (3d8 
  +5), 
  remove 
  blindness/deafness, remove disease at 300gp. 
  Characters part of the religious organizations or 
  having Captain Armel Rhola make concessions 
  may receive a 50% discount on the above costs. 
  Development: Characters should be encouraged 
  to go the Flying Dolphin to talk to Captain Armel. 
  This encounter takes 0 to 30 minutes depending 
  on the amount of shopping a character does. 
  THE FLYING DOLPH INN (THE ROYAL NAVY) 
  Characters may go to the Flying Dolph Inn to 
  inquire about employment opportunities. The 
  characters need to convince Captain Armel Rhola 
  to hire them to explore the Dreadwood on the 
  navy’s behalf. 
  The Flying Dolph Inn looks more like a noble 
  manse instead of an inn. Two keoish soldiers 
  in 
  dress 
  uniform 
  watch 
  everybody 
  suspiciously. A soldier steps in front of the 
  door, and calls out a challenge with a bored 
  look on his face, “State your business.” 
  Continue with box text, if the characters state they 
  are there to speak with Captain Armel or show 
  interest in exploring the Dreadwood. Otherwise, 
  the characters will be turned away. 
  The soldier opens the door and calls for a 
  Lieutenant Shinstar. She quickly appears and 
  ushers you inside. “Excellent! Good to see 
  new faces. I am Lieutenant Shinstar, you must 
  be here for the Dreadwood fiasco. I’m not sure 
  you are qualified to actually handle it. What 
  sort of experience do you have?” as the 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 9 
  
  Lieutenant sits down at one of the tables with 
  enough chairs for everybody. She nods to a 
  barmaid, who quickly fetches a pitcher and 
  mugs for everybody. 
  If characters have 2 or more ranks in Profession 
  (sailor/soldier) or Knowledge (sheldomar valley), 
  the characters receive a +2 synergy bonus to 
  Diplomacy checks (the characters can relate to 
  the captain and junior officer). For every half-orc 
  present, there is a -2 circumstance penalty to 
  Diplomacy. Any interesting or good tales will add a 
  +2 circumstance bonus to the Diplomacy check. A 
  Diplomacy check DC 10 is required to convince 
  the lieutenant to allow the characters to speak with 
  the Captain. 
  If the characters fail, they may make one more 
  plea but at Diplomacy check DC 20: “Jolly good 
  of you to come here and show your interest, 
  but perhaps you should aim a little lower. The 
  Dreadwood is a bloody dangerous place and it 
  has already taken the lives of forty people in 
  the past two days, from our accounting. I’ll not 
  add you to the list unnecessarily. The 
  characters may make one last plea as the 
  lieutenant leaves, but failure means a free lunch 
  and they do not get to talk to the Captain. If any 
  player makes even the most basic attempt to 
  roleplay and ask for the chance to be allowed to 
  help, or look for adventure, allow the table to 
  continue.  
  If the characters succeed: “Excellent! I knew you 
  had the stuff, the moment I laid eyes on you. 
  Please follow me to the Captain and I will 
  introduce you.” She leads you into a backroom 
  of the inn. 
  The captain speaks to people of suel descent, if 
  nobody of suel descent is available, then he 
  speaks to people in the following order, humans, 
  elves, halflings, dwarves, gnomes, half-elves and 
  then if all else fails, he will talk to the lieutenant.  
  At the head of the table is a tall, medium-built 
  Suel man in his mid-thirties, with a close-
  cropped, neatly trimmed beard. A tricorn hat 
  rests on the table in front of him as he waves 
  you to the chairs in greeting. “So, you are the 
  ones who are interested in investigating the 
  Dreadwood. I am Captain Armel, of house 
  Rhola, and the deal is simple. I’m willing to pay 
  50 gold lions for you to investigate the cutting 
  site and another 50 for investigating the 
  campsite and 100 gold lions for the iron chest 
  the loggers took into the dreadwood with them 
  to be returned. I’m interested in the map they 
  took, whatever else you find in there, you may 
  have. Do we have a deal?”  
  The characters may realize that they have the 
  Captain over a barrel, but the captain is too 
  stubborn to bend his pride. He will front no money 
  to the characters until they return with the chest or 
  reports of the site. Any answer that is not an 
  affirmative will require a Diplomacy check. All the 
  questions and concessions below will require 
  effort on the character’s behalf. 
  If characters have 2 or more ranks in Profession 
  (sailor/soldier) or Knowledge (sheldomar valley), 
  the characters receive a +2 synergy bonus to 
  Diplomacy checks (the characters can relate to 
  the captain and junior officer). For every half-orc 
  present, there is a -2 circumstance penalty to 
  Diplomacy. 
  Concessions 
  that 
  Captain 
  will 
  make 
  with 
  Diplomacy check: 
   
  DC 15 the captain will answer one question, 
  for every 5 points the characters beat the DC they 
  may ask another question. 
   
  DC 20 the captain will pay 1/2 gp of any cure 
  spell Ploeelin casts.  
  “I’ll talk to the local priest in order to ensure 
  you get a fair deal, if you get injured in the line 
  of duty.” 
   
  DC 25 the captain will hand over a cure light 
  wounds potion, to the most acceptable character. 
  If none exist, he puts the potion on the table as far 
  away as possible.  
  “I’ve heard rumors, this is a magical potion 
  with the ability to heal injuries.” The captain 
  smiles hesitantly, “You may need it.” 
  Who is Turgin?  
  The Captain looks surprised at first, “Turgin is 
  interested in answers as to what happened in 
  the Dreadwood. He pays well, as a matter of 
  fact, he is the one who commissioned the 
  venture into the Dreadwood. Other than that, I 
  would not suggest bothering yourselves over 
  trifles.” 
  About the Loggers:  
  The Captain blandly states, “They are locals 
  that pushed for the rights to log the 
  Dreadwood, stating the rangers would leave 
  them alone. Most likely they were killed by 
  insane half-elf abominations.” If any half-elves 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 10 
  
  are in the party, the Captain looks surprised and 
  says, “Present company excluded, of course.” 
  About the Dreadwalkers:  
  “It is obviously the rangers that are preventing 
  the loggers from doing their job. I have better 
  things to do than to listen to fairy tales about 
  bogey men in the deep dark forest.” 
  Questions about Dhirr:  
  The captain looks thoughtful, “I do not know 
  much about him, but I do know that Turgin met 
  with him as well. He argued against using 
  soldiers to patrol the woods for bandits.” The 
  captain looks suspicious, “He did push for the 
  handful of loggers to work in the Dreadwood, 
  and this would not have happened if we did 
  things my way!” 
  Anything about the map:  
  The captain faces flushes, “The map is one of 
  a kind with all the sites for the loggers to go to. 
  If we were not in such a rush, we would have 
  copies in case of this very incident happening. 
  We need that map.”  
  Development: Characters have made the other 
  money contact and should be encouraged to go to 
  Anglar Inn. This encounter takes 1 hour. 
  THE ANGLAR INN 
  When characters are ready to head into the 
  Dreadwood, they are supposed to check in with 
  Dhirr and get some supplies. 
   
  Dhirr 
  the 
  Innkeeper 
  (Dreadwalker 
  Reservist), Oeridian male, Rgr5: hp 38; see 
  Appendix 1  
  Back at the Anglar Inn, a table sits overloaded 
  with several bags, a black leather book with an 
  oak tree overlaid by a single gold arrow on the 
  cover and six sunrods. Dhirr comes walking in 
  with a small lbag in hand, and a small dog 
  yipping at Dhirr’s heels. “Great to have you 
  come back. I took the liberty of preparing 
  rations for an overnight stay in the Dreadwood, 
  just in case you get caught out there. Also, if 
  you are lighting the fourth sunrod, you ought 
  to be heading back. This,” says the Dhirr 
  nodding to the small dog, “is Tavish. Not much 
  to look at, but he can track better than most 
  people who enter those woods.” Then Dhirr 
  lays a small bag on the table, “There are 20 
  berries in this pouch that have been magically 
  enchanted, each berry will heal a minor wound. 
  Please sign the book, pick up the gear and 
  head out, daylight is burning away and the 
  Dreadwood is swiftly obliterating the trail.” 
  What is the package: “Enough food to last you a 
  day and a half in the Dread.” 
  What are the berries: “They are something that 
  is grown near Saltmarsh, they fill you up as 
  well as heal minor wounds. I think they call ‘em 
  cranberries. I usually mix them into fried bread 
  to fill up larger crowds of people on market 
  days.” 
  Where do we go: “Head out of town using the 
  north east road, you will come across a freshly 
  cut path heading north about 100 ft. from town. 
  That is the trail the loggers made. Most loggers 
  do not like sleeping where they are cutting, 
  you may run across a fork in the road, the 
  wider path will lead to the logging sight, a 
  narrower path will lead to the campsite.” 
  What is the big rush: Dhirr blinks in surprise, 
  “The woods heal faster than any other place I 
  know of. Cutting a path through the woods is 
  easy enough, but most paths are lost about a 
  weeks time, most times sooner.” 
  Why the sunrods “A sunrod burns out in 6 
  hours and don’t weigh as much as torches. 
  Torches are good for underground, but when 
  you go into a rainforest, where a torch can get 
  washed out.” 
  Why the dog (Tavish): “Tavish is a good tracker, 
  you may need him to find any of the trails that 
  have already been concealed or will be 
  concealed.”  About the name of the dog “Tavish 
  reminds me of all them nobles, runs around 
  making nose, runs from the kitchen when it 
  gets hot, but comes back when the food is 
  cooked.” Players who make a Knowledge: 
  Sheldomar Valley check DC:10 will know that 
  Tavish was the name of Keoland’s King during its 
  most expansionistic and imperialistic stage. 
  How do you know so much: “I am a Dreadguide, 
  part of the Dreadwalker reserves. My job is to 
  make sure people that go into the Dreadwood 
  are capable of coming back out.” 
  Developments: After the characters have picked 
  up the gear, they can head off to the Dreadwoods. 
  No new supplies will be given if the characters 
  return. 20 goodberries will last until the end of the 
  module (3 days), and the characters have enough 
  food to last until the end of the mission. 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 11 
  
  FORK-IN-THE-TRAIL: 
  ENCOUNTER 2A  
  Travel Time from Anglar: 4 hours  
  (Travel time is reduced to half, if a Track 
  check DC 11 + days elapsed, characters that 
  have already traveled the path get a +5 bonus 
  circumstance bonus to the Track check.) 
  The Dreadwood is an ever-changing environment 
  and heals quickly. 
  Anytime the characters 
  backtrack, inform them that the environment has 
  changed, trees are closer to the path, branches 
  are closing the walk way, new seedlings are 
  sprouting up on the path, etc. 
  Arriving at the infamous fork in the trail, the 
  last 
  known 
  Ironwood-harvesting 
  location 
  would be off to the left, while the loggers’ 
  encampment is to the right. The road to this 
  point has averaged about 15 feet wide, but 
  both paths narrow from this point. Dhirr was 
  also correct in warning you that visibility 
  would be almost impossible beyond this point 
  without an artificial source of light. The 
  latticework of trees overhead is nearly as solid 
  as a brick wall. Tavish sniffs the air and barks 
  twice at both trails, confused as to which to 
  follow. 
  Track check DC 13: A dozen footprints come 
  from the right fork and head down the left fork, 
  the tracks are a little over a day old.  
  Track check DC 16 It appears about a dozen 
  people have been through here the past few 
  days, the more recent track have a half that 
  number moving quickly from the left path and 
  making their way to the right path. 
  Development: The characters may follow the left 
  path to Encounter 3, the right path to Encounter 4 
  or head back to town, run encounter #7, where 
  Thimas (Twitchy) and his dog will attack the 
  characters. 
  WORTLINGS: ENCOUNTER 3 
  Travel Time from Fork-in-the-Trail: 2 hours  
  (Travel time is reduced to half, if a Track 
  check DC 11 + days elapsed, characters that 
  have already traveled the path get a +5 bonus 
  circumstance bonus to the Track check.) 
   
  “Take 20” Search time: 1/2 hour  
  Traveling left at the fork-in-the-trail sends you 
  towards the location the loggers were last 
  harvesting the ironwood trees. The path 
  averages about 10ft. wide. 
  Wortling (EL 5) hp 13: Male Wortlings (2); 
  see Appendix One. 
  Spot check DC 21 (Hide +11, +2 for every 10 feet 
  away and the Wortlings have taken 10) is required 
  for the characters to spot the wortlings. The 
  wortlings start off 20 ft away. The Dreadwood is 
  difficult terrain (5 ft. counts as 10 ft., diagonal 
  movement counts as 15ft. and no 5 ft. adjustments 
  per the PHB page 149) in this combat; the path is 
  10 ft wide and is not considered difficult terrain. 
  The ranged attack restrictions apply (35 ft. to 60 ft. 
  has a 20% concealment, 65 ft or greater has 50% 
  concealment). 
  Tactics: The wortlings will rely on their DR 
  5/bludgeoning or slashing when fighting the 
  characters. The wortling tactics are simple, they 
  will move in to attack the characters and try to put 
  as many characters down with their poison claws 
  as possible. The wortlings are able to know where 
  any hidden characters are within 60 ft per their 
  woodsense abilities. 
  If the PCs are in dire straits, allow them to flee. 
  This is a difficult encounter and is designed to 
  demonstrate that there are things in the dread that 
  are more powerful than they are. 
  After combat, the characters will realize that they 
  are in the middle of an ironwood grove. The 
  characters may investigate the area to learn that 
  wortlings attacked the loggers and some loggers 
  escaped. 
  After defeating the strange miniature orc-like 
  creatures, the half chopped trees, the axes 
  lying upon the ground and the crushed carts 
  strongly suggests that the loggers were 
  working here. 
  Knowledge (nature) check DC 13 The small orc-
  like creatures are known as Wortlings, they are 
  seed pods for orcwort, which is most likely 
  several days away. 
  Knowledge (nature) check DC 15 There are still a 
  dozen ironwood trees to be harvested here. 
  One tree was felled from the loggers’ efforts 
  and another tree was started on. 
  Search check DC 10: Several boot prints lead 
  into the woods, away from the direction of the 
  miniature orc-plant creatures, which then 
  circle round to the path leading back. 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
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  Search check DC 15 A bloody scrap of flax 
  cloth is found among the roots of the 
  irontrees, leading deeper into the Dreadwoods. 
  (The Dog will be unable to provide this piece of 
  information, so a character will need to make a 
  check). Survival check DC 15: A small army of 20 
  creatures swarmed out of the woods and 
  attacked the loggers. All of the blood is eerily 
  missing, but half of the loggers fled, while the 
  rest were dragged off into the Dreadwoods. 
  Development:  If the characters have all fallen to 
  the wortlings, one character will be dragged off to 
  the orcwort a mere 12 miles away. The estimated 
  distance the wortling will be able to move with an 
  unconscious character is 5 ft per round. 
  The characters may go back to town and 
  recuperate or the characters may backtrack and 
  head off to Encounter 4. 
  JUNIOR (ENCOUNTER 4) 
  Travel Time from Fork-in-the-Trail: 2 hours  
  (Travel time is reduced to half, if a Track 
  check DC 14 + days elapsed, characters that 
  have already traveled the path get a +5 bonus 
  circumstance bonus to the Track check.) 
   
  “Take 20” Search time: 2 hours 
  Taking the easternmost path from the fork-in-
  the-road is supposed to lead towards the area 
  of the logger’s encampment. For a path that 
  was cleared a few days ago, the branches lean 
  eagerly towards the path, and occasionally 
  turning into an unused game trail. 
  True to the locals’ word, however the trail does 
  end at the encampment or, rather, what is left 
  of 
  it. 
  Something 
  came 
  through 
  here. 
  Something large. Something that could uproot 
  trees, and smash them into bits. And its not 
  just the trees that are splintered, either; 
  cookpots, tents, anything that was brought in 
  was destroyed. 
  Suspiciously missing is any sign of the 
  loggers, some sign of death or fighting should 
  be here, but nothing seems to stand out, 
  except a lone sapling with deep green leaves, 
  in the middle of the campsite. Like a beacon of 
  renewal, reclaiming the campsite from the 
  destruction. 
  The sapling is Junior, a member of the 
  Dreadwalker Reserve who is actively keeping an 
  eye on the sight until an investigation his partner 
  comes back (Encounter #6). Junior will try to blend 
  into the surroundings as much as a 5’ sapling 
  growing without sunlight can, but will subtly move 
  around to make sure the party does not surround 
  him or none of the members hide from him. Junior 
  will react when acted upon (i.e somebody pulls out 
  a weapon and attacks, talks to junior or interacts 
  with him in any other way), Junior will try to flee if 
  attacked, calling out for help (killing Junior is an 
  evil act, as he represents no threat to the heroes 
  and attempts to prevent combat at all costs. and 
  should be noted on the AR). 
  Junior (EL 3): Male Juvenile Treant; see 
  Appendix One. 
  Knowledge (nature) DC 8: The sapling leaves 
  should not be the deep healthy green when no 
  sunlight can penetrate through the canvas 
  above. As a matter of fact the sapling has to be 
  recently transplanted in order to be here at all. 
  Knowledge (nature) DC 13: The sapling appears 
  to be a juvenile treant, the deep healthy green 
  leaves is a dead giveaway. 
  Spot or Search DC 18: A scrap of cloth is 
  caught in the upper branches of the sapling, 
  with the exact same markings as on the book 
  Dhirr requested you sign, the mighty oak tree 
  with a single golden arrow. 
  Spot or Search DC 28: A smug human-like face 
  is embedded into the sapling. 
  Track DC 10: Whatever came through here was 
  large. It obliterated any telltale trails left behind 
  previously and then it walked into the 
  Dreadwood just as slowly as it came. 
  Track DC 14: Three sets of footprints can be 
  seen here and there, as if the people who 
  arrived took care to cover their tracks. Two 
  tracks are bipedal; one booted, the other as if 
  dragging vines as across the dirt. The third Is a 
  cloven hoof quadruped. The booted tracks 
  head north with the cloven hoof creature. The 
  second bipedal creature has not left. 
  Track DC 17: The booted prints and the cloven 
  prints are following the trail of two people 
  deeper into the Dreadwood, who were heading 
  north as quickly as possible. The two stalkers 
  are not rushing, but are taking their time to 
  cover their trail. 
  Junior will announce his presence only if the 
  characters acknowledge him in some fashion 
  (taking his badge, coming at him with an axe, 
  asking him questions, etc.) Junior is an upbeat 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
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  child, who thinks he is invincible, but does not 
  want his big-brother learning he did anything 
  stupid. Any attempts to hurt, maim, kill, intimidate 
  or 
  hurt 
  Junior’s 
  feeling 
  will 
  have 
  future 
  repercussions. 
  The face becomes noticeable when the treant 
  speaks, “Your not supposed to be here, we 
  just arrived this morning. This is a dangerous 
  place and I’m waiting for Vaylerin, my partner, 
  he headed off after the two loggers! We are 
  Dreadwalkers, well, I am Dreadwalker Reserve, 
  but he is a Dreadwalker.” 
  About Vayleran: “He is great! He found out that 
  the loggers needed help and we came here to 
  help out! I was hoping the loggers would have 
  some sugar water, but the place was wrecked 
  before we arrived.” 
  What does Vayleran look like: “He is an elf with 
  green skin! Very stealthy and capable of 
  handling anything the Dreadwood throws at 
  him. Unlike me, you just walked up to me and 
  started talking as if you spotted me.” 
  Where did your Vayleran go: “He went after the 
  other two loggers, they went deeper into the 
  woods. I was to wait here until other loggers 
  returned, but I was not supposed to talk to 
  them. 
  Are 
  you 
  loggers?” 
  Junior 
  asks 
  suspiciously, “You do not look like loggers.” 
  What about the strange cloven prints: “That is my 
  partner’s friend. He is a boar, with tusks that 
  can kill a mad tree. A mad tree is a tree without 
  leaves and it screams so loudly it destroys 
  whatever it screams at. If you see one, run! 
  That is what I would do!” Any questions about a 
  mad tree will confuse Junior, they are trees 
  without leaves and they scream – what more is 
  there to know? 
  Why were you hiding: “I am supposed to blend 
  in and keep an eye on the loggers that 
  returned.” 
  Anything you think we should know: “There was a 
  rain a few days ago, the north path leads to an 
  area 
  that 
  is 
  prone 
  to 
  mudslides. 
  Also 
  quicksand has a tendency to show up here and 
  there, and then there are the inhabitants, like 
  the mad trees, the attacking vines and then the 
  aberrations.” 
  Where is the chest: “I would think the two that 
  fled the area would have taken anything 
  valuable or helpful with them. We didn’t find 
  any chest.” 
  Development: Depending on how the characters 
  treated the juvenile treant, they may have enough 
  information to go forward to Encounter  #5. If 
  characters decide to head back to Anglar, run 
  Encounter #7. Junior will not help with any fighting 
  as he is supposed to be hiding. 
  MUDSLIDE (ENCOUNTER #5) 
  Travel Time from Encampment: 1 hour  
  (Travel time is reduced to half, if a Track 
  check DC 15 + days elapsed, characters that 
  have already traveled the path get a +5 bonus 
  circumstance bonus to the Track check.) 
   
  “Take 20” Search time: 1/2 hour  
  This trail is faint - if there is even a trail at all. 
  The stillness and quiet along this route is. 
  unnatural. It seems not even the creatures of 
  the forest dare follow this path. 
   
  Camouflaged 
  Mudslide 
  Trap: 
  CR 
  1; 
  mechanical, touch trigger; automatic reset; DC 15 
  Reflex save avoids; 10 ft. deep (1d6 falling 
  damage, subdual); Search/Survival DC 24 (19); 
  Disable Device/Survival DC 20. If Junior has 
  warned them about the mudslide, then use the 
  Search/Survival DC 19, instead. 
  Triggering 
  or 
  discovering 
  the 
  Camouflaged 
  Mudslide Trap, will reveal two human bodies. They 
  bodies are on top of the Thorny Pit Trap which. 
  After discovering the mudslide, two bodies 
  appear, one holding a chest with a death grip. 
  Track DC 10: The familiar prints of the boots 
  and cloven hoof are prominent, they seem to 
  move hurriedly away from this spot. It does not 
  appear that they fell into either dangerous 
  area. 
   
  Thorny Pit Trap: CR 1; mechanical; location 
  trigger; manual reset; DC 15 Reflex avoids; Dread 
  Bloodthorn spikes (1d8 damage), Search DC 18; 
  Disable Device DC 15. 
  Heal DC 10: Both men suffered from the fall, 
  and appear to have bled to death. 
  Characters can recover the bodies at this point. If 
  they take the time to examine them (Heal check 
  DC 15), both appeared to die from wounds 
  suffered from the fall, not from creature attacks. 
  One of the bodies is Vett. 
  Characters can find the strongbox (Open Locks 
  DC 25, or Break DC 17, Hardness 7, hp 4). Inside 
  are two potions of cure light wounds, the logger’s 
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  writ, and a watertight scrollcase with the 
  Dreadwalker insignia, which bears the map to the 
  logging site. 
  Development: Characters may continue onto 
  Encounter #6, or head back to Anglar and face 
  Encounter #7. 
  WILD BOAR (ENCOUNTER 
  #6) 
  Travel Time from Encampment: 3 hours  
  (Travel time is reduced to half, if a Track 
  check DC 16 + days elapsed, characters that 
  have already traveled the path get a +5 bonus 
  circumstance bonus to the Track check.) 
   
  “Take 20” Search time: 1/2 hour  
  The path here has an unnatural crossroads, it 
  is apparent to even the untrained eye that 
  something large burst through the trees from 
  the southwest and that some kind of fighting 
  took place here. Even without the narrowing of 
  the path, the light from outside dims, from a 
  thick canvass of tree branches. 
  The trail fades into a pool of red liquid, with 
  blood all over the place. A boar looks at the 
  party and lowers its head, while pawing at the 
  ground and snorting out loud. Blood covers 
  the muzzle and tusks of the boar. 
  Boar (EL 2) hp 20 of 30: see Monster 
  Manual, p.270. 
  The boar is in defensive stance and will not attack 
  the party unless provoked. The boar and Vayleran 
  attacked the creature that set up the trap early this 
  morning, unfortunately, Vayleran fell unconscious 
  in combat and fortunately the boar was capable of 
  hiding the body. If nobody has ranks in Handle 
  Animal, then let the characters figure out what is 
  the best non-violent way to deal with the situation 
  and roll with it. 
  Handle Animal DC 10: The boar has taken up a 
  defensive stance. The boar does not approve 
  of your presence and does not appear to be 
  interested in leaving. 
  Handle Animal DC 13: The boar backs a few 
  steps away from the body in the bushes. The 
  boar will move forward snorting violently if 
  anybody else besides the person making the 
  Handle Animal check moves forward. 
  Handle Animal DC 18: The boar stops pawing 
  the ground. Raises its head and moves at a 
  quick trot emphasizing the fact that the tusk 
  are not in a position to do damage. The boar 
  moves behind the person who made the Handle 
  Animal check and nudges the person towards the 
  bushes. 
  Knowledge (nature) DC 13: Male boars travel 
  alone, normally at dusk or dawn in order to 
  avoid hunters, and have long sleeping hours 
  during the day and night. Boars will eat 
  anything that they cross, normally fruits, 
  berries and nuts, but they have been known to 
  kill people for food. A well-fed boar would 
  normally flee from any danger or threats. 
  Sense Motive DC 10: The boar has taken up a 
  defensive stance. The boar does not approve 
  of your presence and does not appear to be 
  interested in leaving. 
  Spot DC 12: A pair of boots soles can be seen 
  lying in the bushes behind the boar. 
  Tactics: If the boar is attacked, it will fight to the 
  death. Attacking for subdual is an option here for 
  PCs who do not want to kill the boar. 
  The clearing is approximately a 15ft. square. 
  Movement on the path and through the clearing is 
  normal; the woods on either side are at half move 
  and any missile fire over 30 ft. has a 20% miss 
  chance (further than 65 ft. is total concealment). 
  The body that lies in the bushes is an elven 
  Dreadwalker, sticky greenish fluid covering 
  most of his body. You can see his chest rise 
  and fall in shallow breaths. 
  Vayleran is unconscious because he has been 
  poisoned. Vayleran will not be able to assist the 
  party as he also has been feebleminded and 
  requires aid beyond that of the party or the Village 
  of Anglar. 
  Heal DC 10: Vayleran is unconscious, though 
  he has sustained some damage, but not 
  enough to drop him unconscious. 
  Heal DC 15: Vayleran has been poisoned and is 
  unconscious 
  because 
  of 
  it. 
  Mechanically 
  speaking, Vayleran’s Dex has been dropped to 0 
  and he will regain consciousness once he has had 
  bedrest. 
  Spellcraft DC 30: Vayleran’s mind has been 
  shattered by arcane power, a spell known as 
  ‘feeblemind’. 
  This information is only available if the PCs camp 
  long enough for Vayleran’s Dexterity damage to 
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  rise above 0. They will readily see that he is not in 
  his mind at all. 
  Development: Characters may take the elf back 
  with them to town, in which case Thimas (Twitchy) 
  attacks them Encounter #7 or the characters can 
  rest one night in the Dreadwood, Overnight 
  Encounter 
  #1. 
  When 
  Vayleran 
  regains 
  consciousness, he will have 2 Dex and 1 Int, being 
  able to move but not do much more than be happy 
  if the boar is alive or sad if the boar is lost. 
  Vayleran will flee and hide from any dangers that 
  occur from here on out, and regroup with 
  characters if they survive. If the PCs kept the boar 
  alive it will no longer be hostile to them once it 
  sees that Vayleran is moving. 
  THIMAS (TWITCHY) AND HIS 
  SAD-EYED HOUND  
  (ENCOUNTER #7) 
  Travel Time from Fork-in-the-Road: 2 hours  
  (Halved on a successful Track check DC 10 + 
  number of days characters have been 
  searching). 
  A figure up on the road ahead is the old logger 
  they 
  call 
  “Thimas 
  (Twitchy)”, 
  trusty 
  bloodhound forever at his side. He doesn’t 
  even seem to be aware of his surroundings, 
  but appears to be staring back up the road 
  towards the split, as though watching and 
  waiting for the missing loggers to return. 
  Thimas (Twitchy) and his dog will stand on the 
  road to one side.  They do not respond to the 
  characters unless they are attacked, or until the 
  characters come within 40ft. 
  Thimas (Twitchy) and his Pseudonatural 
  Bloodhound (EL 4): see Appendix One 
  Tactics:  Thimas’s (Twitchy) and his hound dog’s 
  first action when the party comes within 40 ft. or 
  the party attacks is to shift forms (standard action). 
  Then have the players roll initiative (if players call 
  out that they are readying actions, both sides are 
  not surprised and Thimas will shift forms on his 
  initiative roll). Thimas and the hound-dog fight 
  intelligently, going for flanks and Thimas will rage. 
  Both will fight to the death. 
  The Dreadwood is difficult terrain (5 ft. counts as 
  10 ft., diagonal movement counts as 15ft. and no 5 
  ft. adjustments per the PHB page 149) in this 
  combat; the path is 15 ft wide and is not 
  considered difficult terrain. The ranged attack 
  restrictions apply (35 ft. to 60 ft. has a 20% 
  concealment, 
  65 
  ft 
  or 
  greater 
  has 
  50% 
  concealment). 
  Characters who come within 10’ of Thimas 
  (Twitchy) during the encounter can hear him 
  repeatedly muttering the following phrases in a 
  rather deluded voice: 
  • 
  More butterflies for masters 
  • 
  Presents wrapped in ribbons 
  • 
  Doors of rainbow swirls 
  Development: 
  Characters 
  defeating 
  Thimas 
  (Twitchy) can report back into town go to 
  conclusion 
  A. 
  Otherwise, 
  the 
  PCs 
  receive 
  conclusion B. 
  OUT OF TIME (ENCOUNTER 
  #7A) 
  After Characters have spent three days searching, 
  the Dreadwood has “healed” itself of the trail cut 
  by Vett and his loggers. The characters will be 
  unable to find anything of the logging site or the 
  NPCs after the three days have expired.  
  Thimas (Twitchy) will meet the characters in the 
  woods, if this encounter has not been triggered. 
  Regardless of whether or not they are trying to get 
  back into the Dreadwood, or if PCs slept in town 
  the previous night and are ready to begin their 
  third day of searching, read the following: 
  As you approach the fork in the path, the trail 
  is too narrow to for any carts to make there 
  way back, a mere 5 feet path. This path quickly 
  turns into a dead end. If there was anything 
  here, it would be impossible to find now. 
  Development: Characters may try to push into the 
  Dreadwoods, but they will quickly become lost, 
  read conclusion B. Characters returning to Anglar 
  will bump into Thimas (Twitchy) on their way back 
  Encounter #7. 
  SCREAMING TREES 
  (OVERNIGHT ENCOUNTER 
  #1) 
  This encounter is run only on the first night any 
  character spends in the Dreadwoods. 
  There it is again, that eerie sound; like 
  someone opening a door with rusty hinges. It 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
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  comes through the trees clearly but seems to 
  be moving away from you. 
  Characters investigating the sounds in the dark 
  woods will get close enough to catch a glimpse of 
  a Rukanyr. 
  The sight before you is bost awe-inspiring and 
  horrifying. An ambulatory tree moves through 
  the Dread. It has one thick branch emerging 
  from the top, this ends in a ball of spikes and 
  jagged spines. Numerous smaller branches 
  down the base of the tree end in grasping 
  claws, and three mouths filled with teeth gnash 
  continually in the trunk. A single, lidless eye 
  stares off into the dark woods as it moves 
  away from you. 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  DC 
  17: 
  This 
  creature is a Rukynar, its uses a sonic attack 
  to destroy anything that gets in its way. 
  Characters wishing to engage the Rukynar in 
  combat will be run through Overnight Encounter 
  #2. 
  Otherwise, 
  the 
  characters 
  may 
  leave 
  unmolested by the Rukynar, tonight. 
   
  UNTIERED ENCOUNTER 
  (OVERNIGHT ENCOUNTER 
  #2) 
  Characters spending a second night in the 
  Dreadwoods, will meet a rukanyr. Use the tactics 
  provided below.  
  The mad screaming tree moves towards the 
  party as quickly as possible through the forest, 
  a full 10 feet, and them screams destroying a 
  tree that was blocking its path to the party. 
  Tactics The rukynar will destroy another tree to 
  get access to the party, while moving another 10 
  feet. Then the rukanyr will kill any NPC that is with 
  the party, if none is with the party and none of the 
  party members have fled, kill the character that is 
  foremost interested in taking on the rukanyr. Then 
  follow suit with any other character that chooses to 
  stay behind. Characters fleeing are ignored and 
  pursuit is broken off for better alternatives. 
  Development: 
  If 
  the 
  characters 
  die, 
  read 
  conclusion B, otherwise progress to conclusion A. 
  CONCLUSION A - SUCCESS 
  A fierce-looking hawk screams as you leave 
  the Dreadwood and heads back towards the 
  center of town. Not long afterwards, four 
  members of the Keoish Royal Standards 
  bearing Naval insignia intercept you and 
  escort you to the Flying Dolph Inn. Waiting for 
  you outside the inn, a hawk perched on his 
  shoulder, is Dhirr. He quickly ushers in to the 
  room with the captain. Captain Armel Rhola 
  listens intently as you tell your tale of the past 
  few days. 
  Note: As it is possible that the characters did not 
  actually run through all of the encounters (from #3 
  to #7), read whichever of the following apply: 
  PCS ENCOUNTERED THE WORTLINGS: 
  Captain Armel Rhola takes from you the 
  bloodied, tattered scrap of clothing and 
  examines the edges. He glances at Dhirr. 
  “We’ll call in some of the Royal Standards to 
  guard the next group of loggers that heads 
  back into the Dreadwoods.” 
  PCS DO NOT FIND AND RECOVER THE BODY 
  OF THE LOGGER:  
  The door to the room opens to reveal the 
  widow Tonra; word of your return spread 
  quickly. Her shoulders sag as Dhirr crosses 
  the room and informs her of the attempt, yet 
  ultimately, fruitless search of any trace of her 
  husband. She takes a deep breath as she 
  closes her eyes. Slowly, she exhales, then, 
  with quivering lip, she nods once and turns to 
  walk away. “Don’t be discouraged,” he tells 
  you. “You did the best you could.” 
  PCS FIND AND RECOVER THE BODY OF THE 
  LOGGER:  
  The captain shakes his head. “At least you 
  recovered the body. They always lose ‘em 
  young around here. Some folks’ widows can’t 
  accept that ‘til they know for sure. You risked 
  your lives so someone could sleep at night 
  knowin’, and that takes some character. Navy 
  is always looking for a few good recruits if 
  you’re looking for something to do next.” 
  The door to the room opens to reveal the 
  widow Tonra; apparently, word of your return 
  spread quickly. She manages a weak smile of 
  relief when Dhirr crosses the room and 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 17 
  
  informs her that Vett’s body had been 
  recovered. After a brief conversation with her, 
  Dhirr directs one of the guards to retrieve her 
  husband’s body and follow her to the Temple 
  Academy. Despite the fact that you recovered 
  her husband’s body, she asked that you not 
  attend the ceremony. 
  PCS ENCOUNTER JUNIOR WITHOUT 
  ATTACKING HIM: 
  “A talking tree, eh?” the naval captain appears 
  dubious. “I suppose we’ll take your word that 
  the encampment was destroyed by something, 
  and not merely sabotaged. 
  Dhirr smiles and offers an approving nod to 
  you. 
  PCS ENCOUNTER JUNIOR, AND SOME (BUT 
  NOT ALL) PCS HARRASSED HIM: 
  Dhirr’s arms cross. “The Dreadwalkers - and 
  we Reservists - are few enough in number, and 
  lead a difficult enough life as is. Luckily, some 
  of your companions have enough wisdom to 
  recognize this.” Instead of lecturing you 
  further, the Innkeeper smiles, a humorless, 
  eerie smile. “I hope these others are loyal 
  friends, 
  and 
  not 
  merely 
  adventuring 
  compatriots. Trees move around well in the 
  Dreadwood, 
  and 
  they 
  have 
  very 
  good 
  memories.”   
  PCS ATTACK JUNIOR (WHETHER OR NOT HE 
  SURVIVES), AND/OR KILL THE BOAR: 
  Dhirr 
  looks 
  at 
  you 
  in 
  disgust. 
  “The 
  Dreadwalkers - and we Reservists - are few 
  enough in number, and lead a difficult enough 
  life as is. There are plenty of things to attack in 
  the Dreadwood that deserve your blade; 
  creatures that do not attack you first are not 
  among them. If this is the type of help you 
  outsiders provide, we will do better on our 
  own. We have neither the time nor the number 
  to teach you all that you need to know.” 
  PCS HAVE BROUGHT VAYLERAN BACK WITH 
  THEM: 
  Dhirr briefly examines the elf, and turns back 
  to the Captain. “He is beyond Ploellin’s 
  abilities. I will send word to the elves of the 
  Dreadwood. Once Vayleran’s mind is restored, 
  I believe he will be able to give even more 
  detail of these incidents, and may also be able 
  to tell us if, and how, it relates to the other 
  loggers you say disappeared around the same 
  time as ours did.” 
  PCS ENCOUNTER, BUT DID NOT RECOVER 
  THE DREADWALKER (IE RETREATED FROM 
  THE BOAR):  
  Dhirr’s face turns ashen. “This is why we 
  generally 
  don’t 
  let 
  outsiders 
  into 
  the 
  Dreadwood - you don’t understand it. The 
  Dreadwalker was still alive; otherwise, the 
  creature would have fled at your approach. 
  Dreadwalkers never abandon their own, for the 
  cruelest fate is to be taken alive.” 
  PCS TELL OF THIMAS (TWITCHY)’S 
  RAMBLINGS: 
  The phrases will not make any sense to the 
  characters, but Dhirr will understand immediately if 
  they tell him and will thank them with a 100gp 
  each, above the already agreed upon pay. He will 
  not reveal the exact meaning to the characters, 
  but will tell them that he now firmly believes that 
  Thimas (Twitchy) was responsible for engineering 
  the deaths of the dozen missing loggers. 
  Characters who make a Sense Motive or Spot 
  (DC 17) will realize that Dhirr seems to get even 
  paler upon hearing the exact phrases. 
  FINALE: 
  “It seems there is much more to discuss,” 
  Captain Armel Rhola manages to complete as 
  he glances over at Dhirr. The Innkeeper smirks 
  slightly, as if your story has proven a point, or 
  settled 
  some 
  long-standing 
  disagreement 
  between the two. Both men thank you for your 
  accomplishments, but it is evident that the rest 
  of the conversation is not for your ears to hear 
  as you are escorted out of the Flying Dolph Inn 
  back into the streets of Anglar. 
  CONCLUSION B - FAILURE 
  PCS HAVE DIED, BUT AT LEAST ONE MAKES 
  IT BACK ALIVE: 
  Dhirr listens to your tale with interest, but then 
  shakes his head at the inevitable question. 
  ”We’ve not a healer of that ability here in 
  Anglar, and no druid will arrive within the week 
  to bring your companion(s) back to life. I’m 
  sorry for your loss, but I’m afraid the best we’ll 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 18 
  
  be able to do is to send you over to Ploellin for 
  him to perform a proper pyre.” 
  If characters were left behind, he urges: “The 
  Dread has claimed enough lives as is; do not 
  add to it by returning for a lifeless body. 
  Things do not remain where they fall in the 
  Dread.” No amount of persuasion by the 
  characters will get anyone in town to go back into 
  the Dreadwood with them to recover abandoned 
  comrades. 
  PCS HAVE DIED, AND THERE ARE NO 
  SURVIVORS: 
  Three days later, Dhirr pulls out his Visitor’s 
  Log and puts a question mark next to each of 
  your names. A week after you arrived, the 
  question mark is crossed out and a line is 
  drawn through your name as the innkeeper 
  shakes his head. 
  The End 
  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 role-playing) to each 
  character. 
  Encounter 3  
  Killing/Defeating the Wortlings 
   
  150 xp 
  Encounter 7 
  Killing Thimas (Twitchy) and his Hound 
   
  120 xp  (60 xp if Thimas (Twitchy) escapes) 
  Story Award 
  Recovering the body of the logger (Encounter 5) 
   
  60 xp   
  Recovering the fallen Dreadwalker (Encounter 6) 
   
  60 xp   
  Relaying Thimas (Twitchy)’s story to either Dhirr or 
  the Captain 
   
  30 xp 
  Discretionary role-playing award 
   
  30 xp 
  Total possible experience 
   
  450 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.  Because this is a 
  Regional 
  adventure, 
  characters 
  may 
  spend 
  additional Time Units to practice professions or 
  create items immediately after the adventure so this 
  total may be modified by other circumstances. 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 19 
  
   
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, 
  Jewelry, and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
  Encounter 2: 
  APL 2: L: 0 gp, C: 0 gp, M: 4 (1 potions cure 
  light wounds). 
  Encounter 5: 
  APL 2: L: 0 gp, C: 0 gp, M: 8 (2 potions cure 
  light wounds). 
  Encounter 7: 
  APL 2: L: 26 gp, C: 0 gp, M: 8 (2 potions cure 
  light wounds). 
  Conclusion:   
  From the Keoish Royal Navy, 200gp per PC 
  possible (50gp for each of the following 
  encounters 3, 4, 5, and 6): 
  • 
  Discovery of the abandoned Ironwood 
  Site 
  • 
  Discovery of the destroyed logging 
  camp 
  • 
  Recovery of the map near Vett’s body 
  • 
  Recovery of the Dreadwalker (dead or 
  alive) 
  Each character receives 100 gp from Dhirr the 
  Innkeeper for trying to investigate, plus an 
  additional 100gp each if they tell him of 
  Thimas (Twitchy)’s ramblings. 
  Total Possible Treasure (Maximum Reward 
  Allowed) 
  APL 2: L: 26 gp, C: 400 gp, M: 20 gp – Total: 
  446 gp. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 20 
  
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 21 
  APPENDIX 1 – MONSTERS 
  Encounter One 
  Gell the Logger, human, Rngr 1: CR 1; 
  Humanoid (Human); HD 1d8+2; hp 8; Init +6; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13; Base 
  Atk +1; Grp +2; Atk +4 melee (1d6+1, 
  masterwork short sword); SQ: Favored Enemy 
  (aberration +2), Wild Empathy; AL LG; SV Fort 
  +4, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 15; Int 
  10, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Handle Animal +1, Heal +5, 
  Knowledge (nature) +4, Ride +6, Search +4, 
  Spot +5, Survival +5; Improved Initiative, TrackB, 
  Weapon Focus (short sword). 
   
  Languages: Common, Keoish. 
   
  Possessions: masterwork studded leather, 
  masterwork shortswords (x2), spell component 
  pouch, potion of cure light wounds (x2). 
   
  Description: 20-year-old Suel-Oeridian man 
  wearing studded leather over homespun tunic 
  and leggings with a pair of short swords at his 
  side. 
  Tuskan the Sailor, human, Rog 1: CR 1; 
  Humanoid (Human); HD 1d6; hp 6; Init +6; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12; Base Atk 
  +0; Grp +1; Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, masterwork 
  sap or masterwork club); SA sneak attack +1d6; 
  SQ: Trapfinding; AL NG; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, 
  Will +1; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14; Int 12, Wis 10, 
  Cha 8. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Balance +6, Climb +5, 
  Disable Device +5, Open Locks +6, Profession 
  (sailor) +4, Search +5, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot 
  +4, Use Rope +8; Deft Hand, Improved Initiative. 
   
  Languages: Common, Keoish. 
   
  Possessions: 
  masterwork 
  leather, 
  masterwork sap, masterwork club, masterwork 
  thieves tools. 
   
  Description: Description. 
  Dhirr the Innkeeper, male Oeridian, Rgr5: CR 
  5; Humanoid (Human); HD 5d8+10; hp 38; Init 
  +7; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14; 
  Base Atk +5; Grp +6; Atk +7 melee (1d6+2 club 
  +1); SQ Animal Companion, Favored Enemy 
  (Aberration +4, Outsider (lawful) +2), Wild 
  Empathy; AL NG; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; 
  Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14; Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills & Feats: Handle Animal +10, Heal +7, 
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge 
  (geography) 
  +4, 
  Knowledge 
  (nature) 
  +8, 
  Knowledge (sheldomar valley) +2, Search +8, 
  Survival +9; Endurance B, Improved Initiative, 
  Iron Will, Skill Focus (handle animal), TrackB, 
  Two Weapon Fighting B. 
   
  Languages: Common, Elven, Keoish. 
   
  Spells Known (1, save DC = 11 + spell 
  level): 1st – animal messenger. 
   
  Possessions: club +1, pearl of power 1st 
  level and potion of cure light wounds, clothes.  
   
  Description: A solidly built Oeridian man in 
  his thirties, who is missing his left arm at the 
  shoulder. 
  Ploellin, priest of Rao: CR 5; Humanoid 
  (Human); HD 5d8+5; hp 34; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9; Base Atk +3; Grp 
  +3; Atk +3 melee (1d6, club); AL LG; SV Fort 
  +5, Ref +0, Will +7; Str 10, Dex 8, Con 12; Int 
  13, Wis 16, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills 
  & 
  Feats: 
  Concentration 
  +12, 
  Diplomacy 
  +7, 
  Knowledge 
  (arcane) 
  +3, 
  Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (religion) 
  +9, Profession (teacher) +8; Brew Potion, Scribe 
  Scroll, Skill Focus (concentration). 
   
  Languages: Common, Keoish. 
   
  Spells Known (5/5/4/3, save DC = 13 + spell 
  level): 0 –create water, cure minor wounds, 
  detect magic, guidance, read magic; 1st – cure 
  light wounds (x2), comprehend language, 
  endure elements, protection from evil*; 2nd –cure 
  moderate wounds (x2), lesser restoration, aid*; 
  3rd 
  – 
  clairaudience/clairvoyance*, 
  remove 
  blindness/deafness, remove disease. 
   
  *Domain spell. Domains: Good (You cast 
  good spells at +1 caster level), Knowledge (Add 
  all Knowledge skills to your list of cleric class 
  skills. You cast divination spells at +1 caster 
  level). 
   
  Possessions: clothes, wooden holy symbol 
  of Rao, potion of cure light wounds (x7), scrolls 
  of cure light wounds (x7), scroll of cure 
  moderate wounds (x7), scroll of cure serious 
  wounds (x5), scroll of remove disease (x5), 
  scroll of remove blindness/deafness (x5), scroll 
  of lesser restoration (x5). 
   
  Description: Keoish school teacher. 
  Encounter Two 
  Wortlings (2): CR 5; Small plant; HD 3d8; hp 
  13; Init +6; Spd 30 ft., climb 15 ft.; AC 16, touch 
  13, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +2; Grp +0; Atk +5 
  melee (1d3+2 plus poison, claw); Full Atk +5/+5 
  melee 
  (1d3+2 
  plus 
  poison, 
  2 
  claws); 
  
  Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.; SA poison (Fortitude DC 
  11, initial/secondary damage sleep), swarming; 
  SQ 
  Damage 
  reduction 
  5/bludgeoning 
  or 
  slashing, plantmind, plant traits, woodsense; AL 
  N; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 14, 
  Con 11; Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 6. 
  Skills and Feats:  Climb +10, Hide +11, 
  Move Silently +7; Improved Initiative, Stealthy. 
  Plantmind (Ex): All wortlings within 
  fifteen miles of their orcwort parent are in 
  constant communication. If one is aware of a 
  particular danger, they all are. If one in a 
  particular group is not flat-footed, none of them 
  are.  No wortling in such a group is considered 
  flanked unless they all are. 
  Poison (Ex):  A wortling delivers it 
  poison (Fortitude save DC 11) with each 
  successful claw attack. The initial damage is 
  sleep for one minute, and the secondary 
  damage is sleep for 1d10 minutes. Both of these 
  sleep effects only work against living creatures 
  but otherwise function as the spell of the same 
  name. 
  Swarming (Ex): Wortlings can swarm 
  over and around each other with ease, so up to 
  three of then can occupy the same 5 ft. by 5 ft. 
  space. They are likewise adept at attacking as a 
  group; for every wortling that is grappling a foe, 
  every wortling gets a +1 competence bonus on 
  attack rolls against that foe. 
  Woodsense 
  (Ex): 
  A 
  wortling 
  can 
  automatically sense the location of anything 
  within 60 ft. that is in contact with vegetation, 
  even objects or creatures that are not in contact 
  with the same vegetation as itself. 
  Plant Traits: Low-light vision. A plant is immunity 
  to poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorphing, and 
  stunning. Not subject to critical hits or mind-
  affecting 
  effects 
  (charms, 
  compulsions, 
  phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). 
  Encounter Three 
  Junior, Juvenile Treant (1): CR 3; Medium 
  plant; HD 3d8+3; hp 20; Init +2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 
  17, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +2; Grp 
  +4; Atk +4 melee (1d6 +2, slam); Full Atk +4/+4 
  melee (1d6+2, 2 slams); Space/Reach 5ft./5ft.; 
  SA -; SQ Damage reduction 5/slashing, low-light 
  vision, plant traits, vulnerability to fire; AL CG; 
  SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +3; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 
  13; Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 12. 
  Languages: Treant, Common, Sylvan. 
  Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +3, Hide +2 
  (+18 in forest settings), Knowledge (nature) +6, 
  Listen +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +2, Survival 
  +5 (+7 above ground); Iron Will, Power Attack. 
  Plant Traits:  Low-light vision.  A plant is 
  immunity 
  to 
  poison, 
  sleep, 
  paralysis, 
  polymorphing, and stunning.  Not subject to 
  critical hits or mind-affecting effects (charms, 
  compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale 
  effects). 
  Encounter Five 
  Boar Animal Companion (1): hp 20 of 30 (see 
  page 270 of the Monster Manual for more 
  information). 
  Encounter Six 
  Thimas 
  (Twitchy), 
  Logger: 
   
  male, 
  Pseudonatural Human Bbn 1/Ftr 2; CR 3 
  Medium Outsider; HD 1d12+2 plus 2d10+4; hp 
  29; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 13, touch 11, flat-
  footed 12; Base Atk +3; Grp +5; Atk +7 melee 
  (1d6+2/20 x3, hand axe); SA Rage, true strike; 
  SQ Alternate form, resistance 5 to acid and 
  electricity, spell resistance 13; AL NE; SV Fort 
  +5, Ref +3, Will +3; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 
  10, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats:  Climb +7, Handle Animal 
  +5, Professio (Logger) +4, Survival +3; Close-
  Quarters Fighting, Extended Rage, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (hand axe). 
   
  Alternate Form (Su):  As a standard action, 
  a pseudonatural creature can take the form of a 
  grotesque, tentacled mass (though this alien 
  appearance has no effect on the creature’s 
  abilities).  Other creatures receive a -1 morale 
  penalty on their attack rolls against the 
  pseudonatural creature when it is in this 
  alternate form. 
   
  True Strike (Su):  Once per day, a 
  pseudonatural creature can gain a +20 insight 
  bonus on a single attack roll.  In addition the 
  creature suffers no miss chance against a target 
  that has concealment when making this attack. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, masterwork 
  hand axe, club, 2 potions of cure light wounds. 
  Thimas (Twitchy) (while raging):  male, 
  Pseudonatural Human Bbn 1/Ftr 2; CR 3 
  Medium Outsider; HD 1d12+4 plus 2d10+8; hp 
  35; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 11, touch 9, flat-footed 
  10; Base Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk +9 melee 
  (1d6+4/20 x3, hand axe); SA Rage, true strike; 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 22 
  
  SQ Alternate form, resistance 5 to acid and 
  electricity, spell resistance 13; AL NE; SV Fort 
  +7, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 
  10, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
  Pseudonatural, Sad Eyed Hound (1): CR 1; 
  Medium outsider; HD 2d8+4; hp 16; Init +2; Spd 
  40 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk 
  +1; Grp +3; Atk +3 melee (1d6 +3, bite); 
  Space/Reach 5ft./5ft.; SA True strike; SQ 
  Alternate form, low-light vision, resistance 5 to 
  acid and electricity, scent, spell resistance 12; 
  AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 
  15, Con 15; Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6. 
  Skills and Feats:  Jump +8, Listen +5, 
  Spot +5, Swim +3, Survival +1 (+5 when 
  tracking by scent); Alertness, Track(b). 
  Alternate Form (Su):  As a standard 
  action, a pseudonatural creature can take the 
  form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (though this 
  alien appearance has no effect on the creature’s 
  abilities).  Other creatures receive a -1 morale 
  penalty on their attack rolls against the 
  pseudonatural creature when it is in this 
  alternate form. 
  True Strike (Su):  Once per day, a 
  pseudonatural creature can gain a +20 insight 
  bonus on a single attack roll.  In addition the 
  creature suffers no miss chance against a target 
  that has concealment when making this attack. 
   
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 23 
  
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 24 
  APPENDIX 2 
  NEW MONSTERS 
  PSEUDONATURAL CREATURE 
  TEMPLATE (CA PG 160-161) 
   
  Past the timeless eons that lie between the 
  stars, pseudonatural creatures dwell beyond the 
  planes as we know them nestled in far realms of 
  insanity. When summoned to the Material Plane 
  they often take on the form and abilities of 
  familiar creatures, though they are more 
  gruesome in appearance than their earthly 
  counterparts. Alternatively, they might appear in 
  a manner more consistent with their origins, 
  manifesting as masses of writhing tentacles or 
  other even more terrible forms. 
  Creating a Pseudonatural Creature 
   
  "Pseudonatural" is an acquired template that 
  can be added to any corporeal creature 
  (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A 
  pseudonatural creature uses all the base 
  creature's statistics and abilities except as noted 
  here. Even though the creature's type changes 
  do not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus, 
  or skill points. 
  Size and Type: The creature's type changes to 
  outsider. Size is unchanged. 
  Special Attacks: A pseudonatural creature 
  retains all the special attacks of the base 
  creature and also gains the following attack. 
  True Strike (Su): Once per day, the creature 
  can make a normal attack with a +20 insight 
  bonus on a single attack roll. In addition, the 
  creature can attack a concealed target without 
  suffering a miss chance with this attack. 
  Special Qualities: A pseudonatural creature 
  retains all the special qualities of the base 
  creature and also gains the following. 
  Resistance (Ex): A pseudonatural creature has 
  resistance to acid and electricity based on the 
  base creature's Hit Dice (see the table below). 
  Damage Reduction (Ex): A pseudonatural 
  creature gains damage reduction based on the 
  base creature's Hit Dice (see the table below). 
  Spell 
  Resistance 
  (Ex): 
  A 
  pseudonatural 
  creature gains spell resistance equal to 10 + the 
  base creature's HD (maximum 25). 
   
  Hit Dice Electricity, 
  Acid 
  Resistance
   
  Damage Reduction 
  1-3  
  5 
   
   
  – 
  4-7  
  5 
   
   
  5/magic 
  8-11 
  10 
   
   
  5/magic 
  12+  
  15 
   
   
  10/magic 
  Alternate Form (Su): As a standard action, a 
  pseudonatural creature can take the form of a 
  grotesque, 
  tentacled 
  mass 
  (or 
  another 
  appropriately gruesome form, as determined by 
  the DM). Despite the alien appearance, its 
  abilities remain unchanged. Other creatures 
  receive a –1 morale penalty on their attack rolls 
  against pseudonatural creatures in this alternate 
  form. 
  Abilities: Same as the base creature, but 
  Intelligence is at least 3. 
  Environment: Any land and underground. 
  Challenge Rating: Up to 3 HD, as base 
  creature; 4 HD to 11 HD, as base creature +1; 
  12+ HD, as base creature +2. 
  WORTLINGS (MM II PG 165-166) 
  Small Plant 
  Hit Dice: 3d8 
  Initiative: +6 
  Speed: 30 ft., Climb 15 ft. 
  AC: 16 (+1 size, +2 dex, +3 natural), Touch: 13, 
  Flat-footed: 14 
  Base /Grapple: +2/+0;  
  Atk: +5 melee (1d3+2 plus poison, claw);  
  Full Atk: +5/+5 melee (1d3+2 plus poison, 2 
  claws);  
  Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.;  
  SA: poison (Fortitude DC 11, initial/secondary 
  damage sleep), swarming;  
  SQ: 
  Damage 
  reduction 
  5/bludgeoning 
  or 
  slashing, plantmind, plant traits, woodsense;  
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1;  
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 11; Int 2, Wis 11, 
  Cha 6. 
  Skills: Climb +10, Hide +11, Move Silently +7;  
  Feats:  Improved Initiative, Stealthy. 
  Climate/Terrain: Temperate or warm plains, 
  hills, or marsh. 
  
  Organization: Band (5-20) 
  Challenge Rating: 3 
  Treasure: None 
  Alignment: Always Neutral 
  Advancement: 4-9 HD (Medium size) 
  Wortlings are the mature fruits of the orcwort 
  plant. When one of the orcwort’s pods ripens, it 
  falls to the ground and breaks open to release a 
  wortling. 
  When first “hatched”, a wortling plant resembles 
  a small, wrinkled, purple orc. Its body seems 
  portly, and its arms and legs are somewhat 
  lumpy compared with those of a real humanoid. 
  Although its face resembles that of a humanoid, 
  a wortling is blind and cannot speak, hear, or 
  smell –its apparent sensory organs are merely 
  blobs of plant tissue with no actual function. 
  A hungry orcwort dispatches up to twenty of its 
  “ripe” wortlings at a time to hunt food and bring it 
  back. The wortlings navigate terrain using their 
  woodsense. When on the prowl, wortlings seek 
  out Medium-size or smaller prey because such 
  creatures are easier to transport back to the 
  parent plant than larger creatures. 
  The average life span of a wortling is 1d4+1 
  days. If any wortlings are left alive when the 
  parent plant is ready to move on, the orcwort 
  commands them to arrange themselves well 
  apart from each other at the extreme range of its 
  telepathy and root themselves. If left undisturbed 
  for one year, each of these wortlings grows into 
  a new orcwort, which pulls up its roots and 
  begins looking for food. During its maturation 
  period, a rooted wortling is immobilized and 
  helpless. 
  Combat:  
  Wortlings use very simple tactics – overwhelm, 
  subdue, and return with the food. In melee, they 
  prefer to gang up on one foe rather than attack 
  separate enemies. They fight with a great sense 
  of urgency, and when they do manage to ring 
  down a foe, a few of them immediately carry of 
  their prize to feed the orcwort, leaving any 
  remaining wortlings to continue the hunt. They 
  never willingly enter areas without natural 
  vegetation because they are effectively blind in 
  such places. 
  Plantmind (Ex): All wortlings within 
  fifteen miles of their orcwort parent are in 
  constant communication. If one is aware of a 
  particular danger, they all are.  If one in a 
  particular group is not flat-footed, none of them 
  are.  No wortling in such a group is considered 
  flanked unless they all are. 
  Poison (Ex):  A wortling delivers it 
  poison (Fortitude save DC 11) with each 
  successful claw attack.  The initial damage is 
  sleep for one minute, and the secondary 
  damage is sleep for 1d10 minutes.  Both of 
  these sleep effects only work against living 
  creatures but otherwise function as the spell of 
  the same name. 
  Swarming (Ex):  Wortlings can swarm 
  over and around each other with ease, so up to 
  three of then can occupy the same 5 ft. by 5 ft. 
  space.  They are likewise adept at attacking as 
  a group; for every wortling that is grappling a 
  foe, every wortling gets a +1 competence bonus 
  on attack rolls against that foe. 
  Woodsense (Ex):  A wortling can 
  automatically sense the location of anything 
  within 60 ft. that is in contact with vegetation, 
  even objects or creatures that are not in contact 
  with the same vegetation as itself. 
  Plant Traits:  Low-light vision.  A plant is 
  immunity 
  to 
  poison, 
  sleep, 
  paralysis, 
  polymorphing, and stunning.  Not subject to 
  critical hits or mind-affecting effects (charms, 
  compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale 
  effects). 
   
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
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  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 26 
  DM’S AID #1 - KEEPING TRACK 
   
  PC Name  
   
  Race & Class 
   
  Dreadwood or Nature PC? 
  1.  
  2.  
  3.  
  4.  
  5.  
  6.  
  Talked to? (or) 
  Going From? 
  Arriving at? 
  Amount of Time?
  Successful? 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TIME "RUNS OUT" AT THE THIRD HOUR OF THE THIRD DAY! 
  
  DM AID #2 – VILLAGE OF ANGLAR 
  Anglar (Village): Conventional; AL NG (Lawful tendencies), 200gp limit, Assets: 5,490gp, 549 
  population, Mixed (80% human, 11% elves, 9% half-elves). 
   
  Authority Figures: Her Most Worthy Lady, Raichellene Secunforth of Anglar (NG, female Suel, 
  Rog7/ShDn4), Mayor His Worthy Sir, Mayor Tamaruck of Anglar (LG, male Oeridian, Pal5), Watch-
  Captain Wilhelman Fyendar II (NG, male Suel, Rog4/Ftr5/ShDn3). 
   
  Others: Dean of the Temple Academy: Ploellin of Rao (LG, Keoish male, Clr6) 
  The village of Anglar resides next to the border of the Duchy of Gradsul, within the borders of the 
  Viscounty of Salinmoor. The Lord High Admiral appreciates the seafaring town, due to the close proximity 
  of the Dreadwoods and access to the Azure Sea. The Viscount Secunforth regularly reminds the Keoish 
  sailors and nobles that the town is his through overstaying patrols and high taxes on exported goods. 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 27 
  
  PLAYER HANDOUT #1 - WELCOME TO THE DREADWOOD  
  Things characters need to know: 
  • 
  Unless characters are on a marked path or trail, terrain in the Dreadwood is difficult ground at all 
  times; everyone is at half movement and no 5’ adjusts are possible unless the character has 
  Woodland Stride, Freedom of Movement or a Climb speed. 
  • 
  Large (or larger) creatures are considered to be squeezing at all times. However large creatures 
  (or larger) with Plant traits do not suffer this penalty. 
  • 
  The first tier of canopy of the Dreadwood is 50’ from the ground. Creatures larger than tiny whose 
  movement is otherwise restricted [see above] are unable to move through the canopy. 
  • 
  Unless the entire party has darkvision, characters are unable to see and must carry a light source 
  at all times when in the Dreadwoods. 
  • 
  Due to the shadows and the density of the Dreadwood, ranged attacks are extremely difficult in 
  the Dreadwood. Attacks 30’ or less suffer no penalty, from 35’-60’ suffer a 20% miss chance, and 
  anything beyond 65’ suffers a 50% miss chance. 
   
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 28 
  
   
  PLAYER HANDOUT #2 – THE VILLAGE OF ANGLAR 
  The village of Anglar is a small fishing village in the Viscounty of Secunforth, that is a few hours away 
  from the Dreadwood. Due to the proximity to the Dreadwood and the precious wood commodity, the 
  Keoish navy has taken over this village (to some degree) and controls Flying Dolphin Inn (the more 
  expensive inn) and has a barracks for Keoish soldiers. A local innkeeper (Dhirr of the Anglar Inn) made 
  arrangements for the locals to log the Dreadwood in order to boost local economy and ensure that the 
  troops would not be caught by surprise by overstaying their welcome in the Dreadwood. 
  Local interest sites may include, the Docks, the Temple Academy and Rectory (which is the town’s 
  library, lighthouse and bell tower all in one, formerly a retired sea-mages residence until the mage was 
  called back into service), Anglar Inn (presently the only Inn available), Flying Dolphin Inn (which is under 
  the control of the navy officers), Fish Head Tavern (a local drinking establishment, where people drink 
  their days away) and the Dreadwood (renown for its dangers and opportunities). 
  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
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  KEOI5-04 Forests of Iron 
   
  Page 30 
   
  PLAYER HANDOUT #3 –TRACKING-GUARD DOG 
  DHIRR’S DOG   
   
   CR1/3 
  N Small Animal (Dog) 
  Init: +3 
  Senses: low-light vision; scent; Listen+3, Spot +3 
  AC: 15, (+1 Size, +3 Dex, +1 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 12 
  HP: 6 (1HD)   
  Saves: Fort +4; Ref +5, Will +1 
  Spd: 40 ft. (8 squares) 
  Melee: Bite +2 melee (1d4 +1) 
  Base Atk: +0; Grp -3 
  Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 
  SQ/A: low-light vision, scent 
  Feats: Skill Focus (survival), TrackB 
  Skills: Jump +5, Listen +3, Spot +3, Survival +5* 
   
  Skills: Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. *Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Survival 
  checks when tracking by scent.
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Living Greyhawk/Sheldomar Valley/Keoland/KEO6-A01 - Forest of Iron.pdf