TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed 
  by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without 
  permission of the author. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 system license, please visit 
  www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is intended 
  for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network.  
   
  PAL5-03 
   
   
   
   
  Strata 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK®  
  Theocracy of the Pale Regional Adventure 
  Version 1.0 
   
  By Derek Schubert 
  Triad Editor: Donovan Hicks 
   
  All citizens of the Pale know their place, but not all are content. In the foothill city of Landrigard, hearts can be as hard 
  as stone, as dark as coal, or as brilliant as a diamond. And when a crisis squeezes these stones, the blood of Oeridians, 
  Flan, and dwarves stains the streets. An investigative urban adventure for APLs 6 to 12. Part of the Heritage series, best 
  enjoyed if you have played PAL4-02 Stirring the Waters and PAL4-06 Strands of Gloom. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 1 
  Introduction 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® game. A four-hour time block has been allocated 
  for each round of this scenario, but the actual playing time 
  will be closer to three and a half hours. The rest of the time 
  is spent in preparation before game play, and record-
  keeping after the game. The following guidelines are here 
  to help you with both the preparation and voting segment 
  of the game. Read this page carefully so that you know and 
  can communicate to your players the special aspects of 
  playing an RPGA scenario.  
  Preparation  
   
   
   
   
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario was 
  created to support double-sided printing, but printing it 
  single sided will work as well. There is enough room along 
  the inside margin to bind the adventure, if you desire.  
   
  Read this entire adventure at least once before you run 
  your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any special 
  rules, spells, or equipment presented in the adventure. It 
  may help to highlight particularly important passages.  
   
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we assume 
  that you have access to the following books: the Player’s 
  Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster 
  Manual. We also assume that you have a set of dice (at least 
  one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a 
  pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of fun. It is 
  also a good idea to have a way to track movement during 
  combat. This can be as simple as a pad of graph paper and a 
  pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map and chits, or as 
  elaborate as resin dungeon walls and miniatures. 
   
  Keep in mind that you must have at least four players 
  (not counting the judge), for the game session to be a 
  sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you cannot have more 
  than six players participating in the game. 
  Playing the Game  
   
   
   
   
  Instruct the players either to prepare their characters 
  to participate in the adventure before the session begins, or 
  wait until you read the introduction, depending on the 
  requirements of the scenario as described in the 
  introduction. 
   
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to instruct each 
  player to place a nametag in front of him or her. The tag 
  should have the player’s name at the bottom, and the 
  character’s name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it 
  easier for the players (and the judge) to keep track of who is 
  playing which character. 
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn 
  about equipment and weapons their characters are 
  carrying. That said, you as the judge can bar the use of even 
  core rulebooks during certain times of play. For example, 
  the players are not free to consult the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide when confronted with a trap or hazard, or the 
  Monster Manual when confronted with a monster.  
   
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you 
  may present it as written to the players, while other text is 
  for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in bold 
  italics. It’s strongly recommended that you paraphrase the 
  player text instead of reading it aloud. Some of this text is 
  general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to 
  actions of the player characters. 
  Tracking 
   
   
   
   
   
  After the players have completed the scenario or the time 
  allotted to run the scenario has run out, the players and 
  judge fill out the RPGA Tracking Sheet. The judge should 
  complete the top of the form and list his name and RPGA 
  number. The players should each list their name and 
  RPGA number. After the form is filled out it should be 
  given to the Event Coordinator. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK 
   
   
   
   
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure. As a LIVING 
  adventure it is expected that players bring their own 
  characters with them. If players do not have a LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character generated, get a copy of the 
  current 
  LIVING 
  GREYHAWK 
  character 
  generation 
  guidelines, and a character sheet from your convention 
  coordinator or the RPGA Web site, and then have any 
  players without a character create one. Once all players 
  have a LIVING GREYHAWK character, play can begin. 
   
  Along with the other materials discussed in the 
  Preparation section above that you are assumed to have in 
  order to run a D&D game, it is also recommended that 
  you have a copy of the LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK Levels of Play  
   
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportioned to the average character level of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. To determine the Average 
  Party Level (APL): 
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained for 
  combat (most likely being war horses, dogs trained 
  for war), other than those brought by virtue of a class 
  ability (i.e. animal companions, familiars paladin’s 
  mounts, etc.) use the sidebar chart to determine the 
  number of levels you add to the sum above. Add each 
  character’s animals separately. A single PC may only 
  bring four or fewer animals of this type, and animals 
  with 
  different 
  CRs 
  are 
  added 
  separately. 
  Nevertheless, if a character has the Mounted 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 2 
  # of Animals 
  Mundane 
  Animals’ Effect 
  on APL 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  CR of Animal 
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  Combat feat, he may bring a single warhorse, light or 
  heavy, with him in the adventure and it will not 
  count 
  toward 
  the 
  APL 
  calculation. 
  3. 
  Sum the results of 1 and 2, and 
  divide by the number of 
  characters 
  playing 
  in 
  the 
  adventure. Round to the nearest 
  whole number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six 
  PCs, add one to that average. 
  By following these four steps, you 
  will have determined the APL. 
  Throughout this adventure, APLs 
  categorize the level of challenge the 
  PCs will face. APLS are given in 
  even-numbered increments. If the 
  APL of your group falls on an odd 
  number, ask them before the 
  adventure begins whether they 
  would like to play a harder or easier 
  adventure. Based on their choice, use either the higher or 
  the lower adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience and gold a 
  PC may gain at the end of the adventure. If a player 
  character is three character levels or more either higher 
  or lower than the APL at which this adventure is being 
  played, that character will receive only one-half of the 
  experience points for the adventure. Further, if the PC is 
  three character levels or more lower than the APL at 
  which this adventure is being played, that PC will receive 
  one-half gold for the adventure as well. This simulates the 
  fact that either the PC was not challenged as much as 
  normal or relied on help by higher-level characters to 
  reach the objectives. 
   
  Further, a PC who is four or more levels higher than 
  the highest APL supported by the adventure may not 
  play the scenario unless the highest APL supported by 
  the adventure is APL 12. 
   
  Note: LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed 
  for APL 2 and higher. Four or five 1st-level characters may 
  find difficulty with the challenges in a LIVING 
  GREYHAWK adventure. If a group is APL 1 there are two 
  things that the group can do to help even the score. 
  1. 
  Attempt to create a table of six 1st-level characters, or 
  try to enlist higher-level characters to play at that 
  table. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help protect 
  them, and fight for them. All riding dogs are 
  considered trained to attack. PCs who want their 
  dogs to attack must succeed at a Handle Animal or 
  Charisma check (DC 10). Failure indicates that the 
  animal will not attack that round. This is a move 
  action (spoken command) that may be attempted 
  each round. If the animal is wounded or has taken 
  any nonlethal damage or ability score damage, the 
  DC increases to 12. 
  Time Units and Upkeep
   
   
   
   
  This is a standard one-round 
  Regional adventure, set in the 
  Theocracy of the Pale. Characters 
  native to the Pale pay one Time 
  Unit per round, all others pay 
  two Time Units per round. 
   
  Adventurer’s 
  Standard 
  Upkeep costs 12gp per Time 
  Unit. Rich Upkeep costs 50gp 
  per Time Unit. Luxury Upkeep 
  costs 100gp per Time Unit. 
  Characters that fail to pay at least 
  Standard Upkeep will retain 
  temporary ability damage until 
  the next adventure, must buy 
  new spell component pouches 
  and healer’s kits, and may suffer other in-game penalties 
  (or possibly gain in-game benefits) as may be detailed in 
  this scenario. 
   
  A character that does not pay for at least Standard 
  Upkeep may also avoid the above-described penalties by 
  living off the wild. If the character possesses four or more 
  ranks in the Survival skill and succeeds at a Survival 
  check (DC 20), the character will heal temporary ability 
  damage as if he or she paid for Standard Upkeep, may 
  refill spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  restock up to 20 arrows or bolts if the character has at 
  least four ranks in Craft (bowmaking). The player is 
  allowed to Take 10 on this roll. 
   
  More information about Lifestyle and Upkeep can 
  be found in the “Lifestyle and Upkeep” section of 
  Chapter 3 of the LIVING GREYHAWK Campaign 
  Sourcebook. 
  Pale Holy Day 
   
   
   
   
  Some player characters may wish to give or attend 
  services in-game on Pholtan holy days. For adventures set 
  in the Theocracy of the Pale, a member of the Church of 
  the One True Path may ask the judge at the beginning of 
  an Adventure to determine how many days it is until the 
  next Pholtan Holy day. This is accomplished by rolling a 
  d8, rerolling if the result is 8. If a 7 is rolled, the first day 
  of the adventure is a Pholtan Holy Day. Otherwise, the 
  die result indicates the number of days until the next 
  Pholtan Holy Day. Due to the special nature of the 
  Theocracy of the Pale, on Holy Days, Judges are 
  encouraged (but not required) to work-in a brief scene 
  involving Pholtan worship, possibly including a brief 1-2 
  minute sermon by a PC if he or she is at least fifth level 
  and the judge believes that there is time available. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 3 
  Special Rules for the Pale  
   
  It is illegal for adventurers to display a human holy 
  symbol other than that of Pholtus in the Pale as of 
  September 1, 2005. Even before that time, Judges should 
  begin to discourage the display of non-Pholtan holy 
  symbols by having Priests of the Church of the One True 
  Path or other authorities of the Pale question their 
  wearing of the holy symbols of false deities.  
   
  After September 1, 2005, PCs displaying the holy 
  symbol of any human deity other than that of Pholtus 
  should be fined 200 gp and their holy symbol should be 
  confiscated for destruction by the Palish authorities. This 
  action should take place as soon as any Palish authorities 
  notice the holy symbol. This may leave a non-Pholtan 
  cleric without his holy symbol for the adventure as non-
  Pholtan holy symbols may not be purchased in the Pale 
  without a Gather Information check DC 25 to locate a 
  merchant who can sell him one. 
   
  Non-human PCs are exempt from this law when 
  displaying their racial deities’ holy symbol(s). Non-
  humans are heathens beyond redemption and do not 
  matter in the greater scheme of Pholtus. If they can be 
  brought to the light of Pholtus, this is good and perhaps 
  they can be redeemed, but if they do not, it is of no 
  consequence. Non-humans wearing the holy symbols of a 
  human deity are treated the same as a human wearing a 
  non-Pholtan holy symbol. 
  Adventure Background 
  The Theocracy of the Pale, established 350 years ago as a 
  haven for Pholtus-worshipping Oeridians fleeing the 
  Great Kingdom, has always been a stratified society with 
  the Pholtans at the top. The native Flan populace has 
  been largely converted to Pholtus, though paganism 
  persists in the worship of Beory and various agricultural 
  gods. Demihumans are rare, only slightly more prevalent 
  at the edges of the nation, where mountains, hills, and 
  forests allow a connection to larger populations of 
  dwarves, gnomes, and elves. 
   
  Some of the Pale’s enemies try to exploit this 
  division; among those enemies is a group that consider 
  themselves the heirs to the ancient rulers of the land—
  the infamous and wicked Ur-Flan. Devotees or even 
  distant descendants of the Ur-Flan, these cultists hope to 
  sunder the Pale in order to reclaim command in the 
  name of the powers of old. They trace their power to an 
  alliance with a shadow dragon wyrm in ages past; 
  present-day sorceresses are the legacy of this alliance. 
  Previous Scenarios 
  This storyline has been building over several scenarios 
  and special events. Summaries are provided for the 
  players in Player’s Handout #1. 
   
  Most players do not recognize the link between 
  PAL4-06 Strands of Gloom and the rest of this storyline. 
  The researcher in that scenario, a man named Muirig 
  (“MYOO-rig”), has been working for the Ur-Flan cult. He 
  came from the Dim Forest—far to the west, in the Grand 
  Duchy of Geoff—to breed powerful creatures of darkness 
  to use against the Pale. His wife, Gwenfar, a 
  shadowdancer, accompanied him. He left a specially 
  prepared stone in the hobgoblin base, which stored the 
  excess positive energy from turning attempts and has 
  fueled his newest research on undead. 
  The Immediate Past 
  The core of the Ur-Flan cult has been active in 
  Landrigard, sowing chaos in the already divided 
  population. An abandoned cluster of dwarven halls under 
  the city serves as the cult’s lair. Led by a vain young 
  sorceress named Caelarah, the cult venerates Falazure, 
  the Night Dragon, and has been cultivating alliances with 
  creatures from the Plane of Shadow. Elthorn, the missing 
  son of the sheriff of Bronzebrook, was brainwashed years 
  ago to become a member of the cult. They hold the young 
  druid Balach prisoner, hoping to learn from him the 
  secrets of the ancient Scars of Nerull. 
   
  The sage, Muirig, has moved from his lab under the 
  hobgoblins’ base in the Gamboge Forest and set up with 
  the cultists in Landrigard. He has continued his research, 
  and his greatest breakthroughs have come in enhancing 
  the abilities of undead shadows (translating in game 
  terms to advancement, new feats, and the Evolved 
  Undead template). His wife stalks about the city with her 
  shadow companion to get information on targets for the 
  cultists and possible new recruits. 
   
  The populace of Landrigard provides a ready setting 
  for chaos and discontent. Slimy doom, brought in by a 
  Tenha refugee, has erupted among the poorer district 
  (largely Flan) and is throwing the city into a panic. The 
  disease has already infected many Flan, and the Oeridians 
  try to keep it from infecting the rest of the city. Clerics 
  and other healers are fighting the disease, although magic 
  such as remove disease tends to go first to wealthy citizens, 
  who can actually pay for the casting. Many Oeridian 
  citizens are content to let the disease run its course 
  among the Flan, so long as they themselves aren’t put at 
  risk. They want to close and quarantine the workers’ 
  district, and a few hysterical citizens extend their 
  paranoia to the dwarves and halflings in the city. 
   
  The inequitable relations between Oeridians and 
  Flan are epitomized in the person of Dorbrenn Plandarn. 
  A prominent businessman, he attends church and tithes 
  devoutly but is caught up in self-righteousness to 
  recognize his own evil. He thrives by oppressing his 
  workers, who are mostly Flan. He considers them pagans, 
  needing harsh discipline to gain the proper respect for 
  Pholtus. His business practices, though inhumane and 
  Scrooge-like, are not technically against current Palish 
  law. He has secluded himself away in his house for now, 
  but the Ur-Flan cultists have infiltrated Plandarn’s 
  workers and they are inflaming the anger of the father of 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 4 
  a sick Flan girl who works in one of Plandarn’s 
  businesses. 
   
  The undead shadows, strengthened by the sage’s 
  research and the sorceress’s magic, have been preying on 
  the already-weak Flan. After all, a little Strength drain or 
  a few dead people can be easily missed in the ravages of 
  the disease. 
  Adventure Summary 
  Introduction: It is winter and Landrigard is drab in grey 
  stone, white snowdrifts, and the dark bulky forms of 
  Palites in cold-weather gear. Candles shine from 
  windows at night. The presence of disease has raised fear 
  and mistrust in many citizens. The PCs may be here to try 
  to help settle the tensions or may be drawn by rumors of 
  the early and deep freezes from the “Winters In the Pale” 
  plotline. 
   
  This scenario has a defined beginning and end, but 
  the investigation in the middle may take the PCs through 
  a variety of places or events. 
  Encounter 1: Shadows at a hospice in the workers’ 
  district. The PCs see the hard situation of the residents 
  but meet some sympathetic helpers. They fight some 
  shadows preying on the diseased residents and learn 
  there are sinister plots afoot in the city. 
  Encounter 2 (multiple paths): The investigation and 
  other locations in the city. 
   
  A: the Flan workers’ district: Gather Information 
  checks here can help the PCs get clues about what is 
  happening. 
   
  B: angry father whom the cultists are encouraging to 
  attack Dorbrenn Plandarn. 
   
  C: the Oeridian “High City”: Gather Information 
  checks help here, too, but the people here tend to be 
  more insular and patronizing. 
   
  D: the house of Dorbrenn Plandarn. The PCs might 
  meet and talk with him, perhaps even showing him the 
  error of his ways. 
   
  E: dwarf district (“the dwarrens” or “dwur-home”): 
  They keep to themselves in a tight-knit community. 
  Koreth Orcsplitter I (introduced in PAL2-01 Drawing 
  from Life) is visiting Landrigard from Ogburg and attracts 
  an eager audience when he tells tales from a thousand 
  years ago. 
  Encounter 3: lantern archon: This archon, named Aru, 
  has been called to Oerth by an agent sympathetic to the 
  PCs and the cause of Good. It guides lost people around 
  the city and can even lead the PCs to the cult’s lair. This 
  should be a humorous interlude and a cute contrast to the 
  will-o’-wisp encounter in Stirring the Waters. 
  Encounter 4: The lair of the cultists, an abandoned 
  group of dwarf-halls under the workers’ district and 
  connecting to Underdark tunnels. It is dark but feels 
  more comforting than the stark brightness above. The 
  cult also shares the complex with a cloaker or two. The 
  climactic battle against the cult takes place down here. 
  Encounter 5: After the PCs defeat the cultists and their 
  leaders, an altar allows the PCs to give up or more deeply 
  embrace their “Infused with Ur-Flan Energies” condition 
  (from PAL4-02 Stirring the Waters). 
  Conclusion: The heroes have stopped the Ur-Flan cult. 
  With their help, the disease will be quelled, but relations 
  in the city will still be rough. 
   
  If the PCs fail or do nothing, the cultists wreak 
  terror on the city with an ever-growing army of shadows 
  and the disease claims more victims. Perhaps only 
  occupation by the Prelatal Army or a full Inquisition can 
  root out the evil. 
  Cast of Characters 
  Muirig (“MYOO-rig”): the sage; a male human expert. 
  Mostly-Flan human in his thirties. This researcher from 
  the Dim Forest in Geoff is fascinated by the Plane of 
  Shadow. He has a perverse addiction to Strength-drain, 
  which partly explains his area of study and his attraction 
  to his wife. (At APL 6-8, to explain his lower level, he has 
  been energy-drained during a research accident.) 
  Gwenfar: 
  Muirig’s 
  wife; 
  a 
  female 
  human 
  ranger/shadowdancer and an expert in scouting and 
  intelligence. Her shadow companion obliges her 
  husband's strange addiction, since he knows he cannot 
  become its spawn. (At APL 6-8, the PCs do not encounter 
  her but rather her student, a similar woman named 
  Astrid.) 
  Caelarah (“kay-LAH-rah”): the leader of the cult in 
  Landrigard; a female human sorceress. She is a mentor-
  figure to the newly inducted girls, a ruthless corruptor, 
  and a charismatic leader to the desperate townsfolk who 
  have joined the cult. 
  Elthorn/“Irthos”: the cult’s champion; a male human 
  (Flan-Oeridian) shadow-dragon disciple. He is also the 
  son of Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook. He was taken 
  away by a Pholtan priest (actually an Ur-Flan cultist) six 
  years ago for unlawfully using arcane magic and was later 
  brainwashed. He is now known as “Irthos”, which means 
  “secret” in Draconic. He has also been masquerading as 
  “Brother Telios” when negotiating on behalf of the sage 
  Muirig. Corrupted by lies but not evil by nature, he can 
  be redeemed by merciful PCs. 
  Dorbrenn Plandarn: male human (Oeridian) expert. He is 
  sanctimonious and hypocritical, considering himself a 
  devout Pholtan. Well-regarded by the Church and by the 
  Oeridian community, he owns a few businesses in 
  town—mining interest, laundry, provisioner—as well as 
  some boarding-houses in the Flan district. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 5 
  Anneka (“ANN-eh-kuh”) and Burrell (“buh-RELL”): 
  caregivers to some diseased citizens in the workers’ 
  district. Anneka is a cleric of Atroa, while Burrell is a 
  paladin of Pholtus. 
  Traohan (rhymes with “now on”): the concerned father; a 
  male human (Flan) warrior from a nearby village. His 
  daughter Pendra works for Dorbrenn under miserable 
  conditions. The cultists are fanning his rage, spurring 
  him to revenge against Dorbrenn, but he is just a dupe. 
  Koreth Orcsplitter I: A dwarf who was in suspended 
  animation for 1,000 years, he plays the role of “wise old 
  counselor” to PCs who listen. He can tell about the races 
  uniting to face a common foe, and he has hints about old 
  enemies and places of mystery. 
  Balach: apprentice to the exiled druid Taraya; male 
  human (Flan) druid, age 20. Now a prisoner of the 
  cultists. They have been trying to get information from 
  him about the Scars of Nerull, but he does not know 
  anything more. 
  Preparation for Play 
  Note which of the PCs played PAL4-02 Stirring the Waters 
  and received the condition “Infused with Ur-Flan 
  Energies”, as well as which played PAL4-06 Strands of 
  Gloom.  
  Timetable for Running the Scenario 
  To keep within a four-hour convention slot, you will 
  need to be disciplined. The following timetable can help 
  you in pacing. If you have longer than a four-hour slot to 
  play, adjust accordingly. 
  0:00-0:15…Introduction 
  0:15-1:15…Encounter One (roleplaying, combat) 
  1:15-2:15…Encounter Two (investigation) 
  2:15-2:30…Encounter Three (roleplaying) 
  2:30-3:45…Encounter Four (two combats) 
  3:45-3:50…Encounter Five (dilemma) 
  3:50-4:00…Conclusion 
  This scenario shows off a few areas of Landrigard, but it 
  cannot be a complete guide to the city. If you have more 
  time to play and are comfortable making up more 
  encounters, you can do so. Otherwise, be prepared to 
  keep the PCs on track. 
  Introduction 
  This scenario takes place in Landrigard, the smallest of 
  the nine cities of the Pale (excluding the cities in Pale-
  occupied Tenh) and one of the cities lying near the 
  Rakers. As of CY 595, Landrigard has a population of 
  about 9,000. Information about Landrigard is provided in 
  Appendix Five. For more information about the Pale, find 
  the 
  Pale 
  Gazetteer 
  online 
  at 
  www.theocracyofthepale.com. 
   
  Landrigard includes an Oeridian “high city” 
  (including upper-class residences and the cathedral), an 
  intermingled industrial and lower-class district for the 
  laborers and servants, and districts for the halflings and 
  for the dwarves, the latter extending into and under the 
  local hills or crags. Most of the streets are built on a grid 
  to make it easy for carts and wagon full of ore and stone 
  to be moved about, but the grid warps around the hill of 
  the High City. 
   
  The dwarves and halflings are not integrated with 
  the humans, and many humans in Landrigard harbor 
  prejudices. PAL2-01 Drawing from Life took place in 
  Ogburg (south of Landrigard and generally more liberal), 
  but two visiting members of Landrigard’s Church 
  Militant harassed the young dwarf Koreth Orcsplitter 
  XII, who was looking for adventurers to help him on his 
  quest. 
   
  The Pale is predominantly lawful neutral, but lawful 
  good and even lawful evil are common in the Pale 
  (according 
  to 
  the 
  Living 
  Greyhawk 
  Gazetteer). 
  Indiscriminate paladins will get bogged down, or dressed 
  down by priests, if they try to prosecute everyone who 
  registers under detect evil. 
   
  Throughout this scenario, little read-aloud text has 
  been provided. Use the guidelines and your imagination 
  to give an evocative description that is appropriate to the 
  time of day and the action of the PCs. 
   
  It is early Readying (real-world February) and winter 
  still holds Landrigard fast. Unnatural cold and damaging 
  frosts have been afflicting the cities of the eastern Pale. 
  Landrigard has not known a winter like this in 
  many years. Eltison, Rakervale, Ogburg: the eastern 
  cities of the Pale buckle under the weight of the 
  season like the birch groves glistening with ice. 
   
  The month is Readying, but the citizens of the 
  Pale can tell spring is far from ready to arrive. Snow 
  lies thick on the streets; chill winds creep down 
  from the Rakers. Roofs bear mantles of white, with 
  sparse patches of slate or thatch or green copper 
  showing through where the snow has melted or 
  fallen. The sky gleams a deep blue overhead, and 
  every night the hungry sky devours whatever heat 
  the buildings have hoarded during the sun’s too-
  brief visit. 
   
  In other years, the bulky forms of warmly 
  dressed citizens would punctuate the stone-paved 
  streets; age, build, or gender would be hidden in 
  layer upon layer of wool and furs. This year, 
  however, the streets are nearly vacant. More than 
  winter grips Landrigard. 
   
  Disease has come, finding ready prey in bodies 
  weak from cold and hunger. The government—
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 6 
  which is to say, the Church of the One True Path—
  has mobilized to fight the disease and prevent 
  unrest. Churches and meeting-halls house the sick 
  and their tireless caretakers. Despite the efforts of 
  the Church to educate the citizens and stem the 
  panic, ignorance and superstition fester, driving 
  wedges between neighbors. Fear and anger make the 
  citizens point fingers at each other, at foreigners 
  and refugees, at themselves for any failures along 
  the One True Path, at spooks and specters. The 
  dwarves of the city have withdrawn deeper into 
  their enclave, while the crowded Flan district has 
  been especially hard-hit. A lack both of funds and of 
  hardy volunteers compounds the problem. 
   
  Word of Landrigard’s trouble has reached the 
  other cities of the Pale and kept many intended 
  travellers away. Still, where there is unrest, there 
  may be a need for heroes. At a few hospices, for 
  example, some patients have been deteriorating 
  mysteriously. 
  Slimy Doom  
   
   
   
   
  Review the rules for diseases in the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide, page 292. Information about slimy doom is 
  included here for convenience. 
   
  “Slimy Doom: Victim turns into infectious goo from 
  the inside out. This disease can cause permanent ability 
  drain.” 
   
  Transmitted by contact; Fort save DC 14, incubation 
  1 day; damage 1d6 Con (and when damaged, character 
  must succeed on another saving throw or 1 point of 
  damage is permanent drain instead). 
   
  Touching someone with the disease puts a PC at risk 
  of contracting it, so the player must roll a saving throw. 
  The Dungeon Master’s Guide also suggests, “You can roll 
  these Fortitude saving throws for the player so that he 
  doesn’t know whether the disease has taken hold.” 
  The Hook(s)  
   
   
   
   
  News of a virulent disease would probably keep many 
  PCs away, but every PC wants something badly enough 
  to risk entering a diseased city. Ask the players to come 
  up with a reason or use one of these hooks: 
  • 
  PCs in the Church of the One True Path or other 
  Pholtan meta-orgs are asked to help counteract the 
  suffering caused by the disease in the city, especially 
  in the crowded Flan districts. Even if the PC is not a 
  healer, he can help maintain order. 
  • 
  PCs in the Coven of White Light receive a brief 
  message from a senior member advising the PC to go 
  to Landrigard; the presence of an old foe of the 
  Coven is suspected. 
  • 
  PCs that have earned the Coven’s favor and own a 
  Silver Dragon Brooch get a message one day advising 
  the PC to go to Landrigard. “Friend: you must brave 
  the pall over Landrigard. We believe that the Chaos 
  hides an enemy to you and the rest of the Pale.” 
  • 
  PCs that met Koreth Orcsplitter in PAL2-01 Drawing 
  from Life get a letter from Grinda Orcsplitter, wife of 
  Koreth XII. She writes that old Koreth I is visiting 
  Landrigard but is loath to travel back to Ogburg until 
  the harsh winter passes; he hopes the PC will visit 
  him despite the timing. (If a PC uses this hook, 
  though, be sure to direct them to Encounter One 
  somehow, either before or after meeting Koreth in 
  Encounter Two-E.) 
  • 
  A PC’s relative or close friend lives in town and has 
  fallen ill. This person is being treated in the hospice 
  presented in Encounter One. 
  • 
  PCs with business inclinations have come to make a 
  deal in Landrigard, only to learn that their contact is 
  in the early stages of infection but willing to talk 
  from his sickbed in the hospice. 
  • 
  A mercenary PC has been hired by a wealthy citizen 
  in Landrigard as a guard or investigator, since the 
  disease is bad for business.  
  The PCs are assumed to have met each other, at an inn, 
  church, square, and so on. Allow the players to describe 
  their characters to each other here and to you. 
   
  The most likely hook points toward the mysterious 
  problems in the Flan district, which is covered in 
  Encounter One. 
  Encounter One: Haunted 
  Hospice 
  This encounter covers the convalescent house (hospice), 
  where two healers tend a dozen diseased citizens. It is 
  typical of a few hospices in the worker’s district; if the 
  players insist on going to a different one, the situation is 
  basically the same. The caregiver(s) might be an expert 
  (NPC class) and/or a novice Pholtan cleric rather than a 
  pagan cleric and a Pholtan paladin. 
  In this district, warehouses and workshops mingle 
  with the boarding-houses of the workers. Such 
  buildings rise to three or four stories, to maximize 
  the number of people occupying a given plot of land. 
  As with all cities in the Pale, churches or other 
  meeting-halls are scattered throughout the district. 
  By night, candles burn in many windows, though 
  the streets themselves lie dark below. Small gardens 
  of potted plants huddle in some doorways or hang 
  from windowsills, but ice and snow have smothered 
  those withered forms. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 7 
  The Hospice  
   
   
   
   
  Map #1 shows the layout of this building and the adjacent 
  square. The building has a peaked roof.  
  “Whatever you’re delivering, set it down on the right 
  and I’ll be with you shortly!” calls a woman from the 
  back of the room. “And please keep the curtain shut 
  behind you!” 
   
  A dozen beds, all of them occupied, fill the 
  center of this meeting-hall, now converted to a 
  hospice. Along the right wall, light streams in 
  through south-facing clerestory windows, smudged 
  and streaked with hastily wiped grime. The scent of 
  herbs fills the room, masking a fainter odor of 
  illness. 
  Two people are tending the patients here. There are 
  twelve patients, mostly Flan and generally those of 
  weaker constitution (the elderly or children). 
  Anneka: Female human Clr1 (Atroa); hp 10; see 
  Appendix One. 
  • 
  Description: 
  Anneka 
  (“ANN-eh-kuh”) 
  is 
  an 
  Oeridian woman in her late thirties. She is thin, with 
  a high forehead, some grey among her auburn hair, 
  and warm brown eyes. Her voice has a soothing 
  tone. She wears a white robe. 
  • 
  Personality and Motivation: Anneka normally 
  resides in a farming village outside the city but has 
  volunteered to help as she can. She serves Atroa, 
  goddess of spring and renewal, but of course does 
  not advertise this. 
  Burrell: Male human Pal3 (Pholtus); hp 25; see 
  Appendix One. 
  • 
  Description: Burrell (“buh-RELL”) is of mixed 
  (mostly Oeridian) descent. He is in his mid-twenties. 
  He has short curly brown hair, hazel eyes, and 
  freckles. He also wears a white robe. With the stress 
  of this work, he has not shaved in a couple of days 
  and he rubs his stubbly chin while talking. 
  • 
  Personality and Motivation: Burrell is a young 
  paladin assigned by the Church to help here. He 
  would prefer a more active type of duty, but this 
  assignment is something of a punishment from his 
  superiors, who think he needs to learn the personal-
  relations side of paladinhood. Since he is immune to 
  disease, though, he is an ideal caregiver. 
  Patients (11): Male or female human Com1 or Exp1; 
  hp 2 each. Average stats Fort -1, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 6-
  10, Con 8. Alignments: 8 LN, 1 LG, 1 NG, 1 N. 
  Pendra: Female human Com1; hp 2; AL LG. Pendra is 
  17 years old and is a patient here too. See Encounter 
  Two-A for information about her and her father. 
  Anneka and Burrell welcome help from PCs that do not 
  appear to be obvious troublemakers. PCs may have spells 
  to spare, skills to assist, performances to lift the spirits of 
  the patients, and so on. 
   
  The two have been doing all they could for the past 
  week—their Heal checks can substitute for the patients’ 
  Fortitude saves—but a few of the patients are 
  deteriorating anyway. These patients have complained of 
  a painful ache waking them in the night, but no one has 
  seen anything strange. The two tried to stay awake two 
  nights ago, but all this gained them was fatigue in the 
  morning. 
  What’s Going On Here 
  The deterioration among the patients is caused by a gang 
  of shadows, enhanced by the research of Muirig. They 
  have been attacking by night. They have avoided the 
  more populous and better-defended locations in the city, 
  instead targeting hospices like this one.  
   
  A Heal check (DC 18) reveals that some patients are 
  pale and weak from Strength damage. Slimy doom affects 
  Constitution, not Strength, which the PCs know on 
  another Heal check (DC 10) or by simply asking Anneka 
  or Burrell. 
     
  If the players suspect the work of shadows, a 
  Knowledge (religion) check (DC 13) confirms that 
  shadows drain Strength. You might also give them false 
  clues about Strength-damaging poisons, other diseases, or 
  other monsters. PCs that played PAL4-06 Strands of Gloom 
  may remember fighting shadows or umbral creatures in 
  the forest near the city of Stradsett. 
   
  Anneka and Burrell admit that they do not have the 
  funds to pay for all the things they would like, such as a 
  consecrate spell. Only a few churches in the city are 
  hallowed. And many citizens in town don’t even care what 
  bad things might happen in this district, as long as they 
  don’t have to hear about it.  
   
  If the PCs talk with some of the patients or decide to 
  leave the hospice for a few hours, you can start advancing 
  the investigation, using some of the role-playing 
  guidelines from Encounter Two. 
  The Shadows Strike 
  Creatures: Half an hour before midnight, the gang of 
  shadows returns, along with the ranger (Gwenfar or her 
  student Astrid). At each APL, a competent cleric can 
  probably turn some but not all of the shadows. 
   
  The EL is raised to account for a nighttime attack. 
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  Astrid (APL 6 version): Female human Rgr6; hp 39; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Turn-Resistant 6-HD Advanced Shadow (1): hp 42; 
  see Appendix One. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 8 
  Shadows (2): hp 21 each; see Monster Manual page 221. 
  Tiny Viper Snake Familiar: hp 2; see Appendix One. 
  This is the familiar of one of the novice sorceresses (see 
  Encounter Four). It lies in one of Astrid’s pouches and 
  has total cover from attacks. 
  APL 8 (EL 11) 
  Astrid (APL 8 version): Female human Rgr7/Shd1; 
  hp 50; see Appendix One. 
  Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadow (1): hp 63; 
  see Appendix One. 
  6-HD Advanced Shadows (2): hp 42 each; see 
  Appendix One. 
  Tiny Viper Snake Familiar: hp 2; see Appendix One. 
  This is the familiar of one of the novice sorceresses (see 
  Encounter Four). It lies in one of Astrid’s pouches and 
  has total cover from attacks. 
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  10 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd3; hp 60; see Appendix One. 
  Shadow Companion: hp 19; see Monster Manual page 
  221. As the companion of a shadowdancer, this shadow 
  may not be turned and cannot create spawn. 
  Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadows (2): hp 63 
  each; see Appendix One. 
  6-HD Advanced Shadows (2): hp 42 each; see 
  Appendix One. 
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  12 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd5; hp 70; see Appendix One. She has used 10 
  ft. of her shadow jump ability today. 
  Shadow Companion: hp 19; see Monster Manual page 
  221. As the companion of a shadowdancer, this shadow 
  may not be turned and cannot create spawn. 
  Super-Shadows 
  (Elite, 
  Twice-Evolved, 
  Turn-
  Resistant, 9-HD Advanced Shadows) (2): hp 63 
  each; see Appendix One. 
  6-HD Advanced Shadows (2): hp 42 each; see 
  Appendix One. 
  Setup/Tactics: Use Map #1 for this encounter. At night, 
  the building is normally lit by candles.  
   
  The PCs should be careful not to hurt any patients 
  during the fight. The patients do not block movement. 
  Consider the square at the foot of each bed to be clear, 
  but Medium PCs must squeeze to occupy the head of the 
  bed. 
  Anneka and Burrell: 
  • 
  Unless the PCs ask for something different, Anneka 
  stays up on watch until midnight while Burrell 
  sleeps in the building’s northern addition. 
  • 
  In combat, Anneka can cast protection from evil or a 
  spontaneous cure on a PC that needs it, but she 
  doesn’t turn undead unless the PCs insist; she 
  doesn’t want to display her pagan holy symbol. 
  • 
  Once awakened, Burrell grabs his sword and shield 
  and stands in to protect the patients. 
  Shadows (APL 6-10): 
  • 
  Approach: The shadows enter through the south 
  wall. They cannot be heard but might be seen; make 
  Hide checks for them when they enter. 
  • 
  Surprise round: If undetected, they touch a sleeping 
  victim (determined randomly, including PCs only if 
  sleeping near the south wall), as they were ordered 
  to do. If attacked first, they fight back. 
  • 
  First and following rounds: Attack awake PCs. They 
  are not smart enough to pick targets that look weak 
  (like Small PCs), but they retaliate against those that 
  hurt them, such as arcanists using magic missile. 
  • 
  Troubleshooting: If all of the PCs are protected by 
  death ward or seem impossible to touch, the shadows 
  get flustered and switch to attacking the patients in 
  the hope of making a few spawn. 
  Super-shadows (APL 12 only): 
  • 
  Approach and surprise round: as for normal shadows 
  above. 
  • 
  First round: One activates its haste while the other 
  drops a confusion spell on as many targets as possible. 
  • 
  Second round: Each does what the other did the 
  previous round. 
  • 
  Third and following rounds: Attack. 
  The ranger (Astrid or Gwenfar): 
  • 
  Approach: She approaches from the plaza, taking 10 
  on her Hide and Move Silently checks; Listen 
  checks inside the building are at -10 because of the 
  walls. Her shadow companion is with her at APL 10-
  12. 
  • 
  Surprise round: open the front door and step inside. 
  • 
  First round (APL 10-12): If undetected, make a silent 
  image of herself or of another shadow across the 
  room, to distract the PCs. 
  • 
  Following rounds: She attacks using Spring Attack 
  (with Hide in Plain Sight during the move at APL 8-
  12), but she full-attacks if a target looks easy to drop 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
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  in a round. Her favored enemies are humans and 
  animals. 
  • 
  Fleeing: Unless she is killed quickly, the ranger’s 
  escape should be all but assured. Once she is reduced 
  below half of her starting hit points, she turns to flee. 
  When she decides to flee, or when she has been held 
  or the like, she also silently calls the base for help 
  (through the empathic link of the familiar at APL 6-
  8, or telepathically to Muirig at APL 10-12) and may 
  be brought back via a bracelet of friends the next round 
  on her initiative count. She has been warned that 
  dimensional anchors (green rays) will foil the bracelet; if 
  anchored, she just waits until the effect wears off 
  before giving the signal. 
  If the PCs want to flee this combat, let them. The 
  shadows and the ranger do not pursue. A few of the 
  patients will be killed and turned into shadow spawn, but 
  the gang calls off the attack and returns to the lair when 
  the neighborhood is alerted to the ruckus. 
  Treasure: The shadows have no treasure. The ranger 
  does, but most parties will not get it from her here. See 
  the Treasure section at the end of the scenario for the 
  listing of her items. 
  Troubleshooting: The ranger is included in the EL of 
  the final fight, too, so if the PCs kill her here, they simply 
  have an easier time later. She does not miraculously come 
  back to life or have a twin sister there. 
   
  The ranger refuses to talk unless magically 
  compelled. It is possible, though unlikely, for the PCs to 
  get her to give up the location or layout of the cult’s 
  hideout. In this case, you can skip to Encounter Three, 
  and you can run the role-playing in Encounter Two at the 
  end of the adventure if the players want. 
  Development: 
  The PCs can rest the next day, but you 
  should begin the investigation of Encounter Two as they 
  start talking with people around town. 
  The Church’s Response 
  If the PCs tell the Church that there are undead preying 
  on the citizens, the Church takes notice. 
   
  Lesser restoration cast by an NPC (60 gp each) and 
  scrolls or potions of lesser restoration (150 or 300 gp each) are 
  made available to PCs, to remove any Strength damage. 
  The cost of spellcasting may be taken up by treasure 
  gained over the cap for the APL. 
   
  An abbot (Clr5) fills an empty 2nd-level spell slot 
  with consecrate and casts it on the hospice for the night. A 
  squad of five Church Militant (Clr1/Ftr1) is stationed 
  there, and other Church Militant members are 
  distributed from their posts to check out other hospices 
  in the Flan district. 
  Encounter Two: Revealing The 
  Layers 
  The city is a big place, with clues as well as unrelated 
  sidetracks; this scenario cannot cover everything. Several 
  relevant scenes are presented below, along with ideas for 
  getting from one to another. Expect to adjust things to fit 
  what the PCs want to do. 
   
  Ultimately, the investigation should get the PCs 
  from the hospice to the cult’s lair. If you improvise well 
  or have other ideas for encounters in the city, then by all 
  means make up new encounters to occupy the PCs and to 
  advance the plot. Gather Information checks and 
  roleplaying should help advance the investigation. If the 
  PCs find out about the cult’s lair quickly but they seem to 
  want more investigation, then find a way to stretch it out 
  based on the time you have available. 
  Divination−School Spells 
  Scrying: Most of the lair of the cultists (Rooms 5-14), as 
  described in Encounter Four, is under the effects of a 
  permanent Mordenkainen’s private sanctum (CL 16th). 
  Attempts to scry on Astrid/Gwenfar or another member 
  of the cult fail unless the target is outside the sanctum; 
  allow a 5% chance for the target to be outside the sanctum 
  during the scrying attempt. 
  Divination: Depending on the question asked, typical 
  responses might be along the lines of “To find enemies of 
  the Light, begin in the humble places and descend 
  further,” “Deception travels on dark wings from the past,” 
  or “A stranger might not be your enemy, even when he 
  looks like one.” (This third point relates to the lantern 
  archon, which some PCs might mistake for a will-o’-
  wisp.) 
  Scene A: Workers’ District 
  This district is described in the beginning of Encounter 
  One. 
   
  Among the boarding houses, workshops (or 
  sweatshops), and foundries, several people know things 
  that can help the PCs. 
  How to get here: 
  1) The PCs talk with some of the patients at the hospice 
  and go see where they work or live. 
  2) The PCs go to a tavern. Not many people are there, but 
  they might still be helpful. 
  What can be learned: 
  The residents have a range of viewpoints. Some have lost 
  hope and believe that they have brought this ruin on 
  themselves through lack of faith in Pholtus. Others are 
  angry at the injustice and the greed of the Oeridians. Still 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 10 
  others just lash out at the PCs because the PCs are 
  different and don’t belong here. 
   
  Successful Gather Information checks reveal the 
  following information. Some of these refer to Aru, the 
  lantern archon in Encounter Three. Others refer to the 
  cultists of Falazure, trying to recruit among the working 
  class. If you have time in the slot, roleplay these a little, so 
  you aren’t just reading. 
  • 
  DC 5: “Lots of new folks have been coming in from 
  the farms to find work in town.” 
  • 
  DC 8: “I don’t like it in the city. My cousin told me 
  gold’s been found in the hills east of here. We’re 
  heading out as soon as the snow clears and we’ll 
  come back rich in fall.” 
  • 
  DC 9: “We’re dying here while the rich folks just pay 
  a priest to keep themselves from being sick. I asked 
  this priest on the street last week—Telios, he said his 
  name was—to come cure my cousin and he said I 
  must not be praying hard enough. Can you believe 
  that?” 
  • 
  DC 10: “A few of the guys have been going down to 
  the dwarrens some days after work. There’s this 
  really old dwarf telling stories from a hundred years 
  ago, I think. Me? No, I haven’t gone.” 
  • 
  DC 12: “Maybe I had too much to drink, but I 
  could’ve sworn I saw a man walking down the street 
  last night carrying a lantern… only there wasn’t any 
  man, just the light.” 
  • 
  DC 15: “I’ve been to hear that old dwarf myself. Orc-
  chopper or something. Talks about how it was a 
  thousand years ago, when there wasn’t even a 
  Theocracy of the Pale here but just Flan and 
  dwarves! I wonder if the Church minds what he’s 
  saying.” This NPC can give directions to the house 
  where Koreth Orcsplitter is staying. 
  • 
  DC 18: “In the last couple of weeks, not only have 
  some of those new guys in town disappeared but 
  some of the old-timers too. Just gone.” 
  • 
  DC 20: “I saw a light last night too! The glow woke 
  me up. I couldn’t get a good look, out through the 
  little gap in the shutters, but I didn’t see anyone 
  carrying that light. A few seconds later, though, I 
  think I heard a man yelp like he’d been shot with an 
  arrow.” 
  • 
  DC 22: (ranting) “It wasn’t like this for our ancestors, 
  I’ll bet. A healer would have helped everyone 
  according to need, not wealth. But the Church is 
  trying to put us Flan down.” 
  • 
  DC 25: “A floating light last night? It saved my life. I 
  was hurrying home from a friend’s place when two 
  men tried to jump me. One hit me in the mouth—
  see this bruise?—and the other pulled a knife, but 
  then this light floated up behind him and zapped 
  him! They ran off and the light showed me the way 
  home.” 
  • 
  DC 30: “I just moved here a couple of weeks ago and 
  still don’t really know my way around. Last week, I 
  took a wrong turn and wound up on a street with a 
  bunch of boarded-up buildings. A couple of people 
  were pulling the boards away and sneaking in, it 
  looked like. They were Flan like me and I figured 
  they didn’t have anyplace else to stay, so I haven’t 
  told anyone about them. They didn’t seem to see 
  me.” This person can give directions to the building, 
  which contains the entrance to the cultists’ lair. 
  Scene B: A Father’s Rage 
  This scene introduces Traohan (rhymes with “now on”), 
  the father of a young woman being treated in the hospice. 
  His 17-year-old daughter, Pendra (see Encounter One), 
  left their small village to find work in the city because the 
  farm was failing. She works in a laundry business, 
  cleaning garments for a local foundry. The Ur-Flan 
  cultists are trying to push Traohan into attacking his 
  daughter’s employer, a wealthy Oeridian man, to foment 
  further chaos in the city. 
  How to get here:  
  1) Traohan bumps into the PCs on the street and starts 
  yelling at him/her to watch where they are going. He is 
  clearly distraught at more than simply being bumped 
  into. 
  2) Traohan comes to the hospice or to a boarding-house 
  where the PCs are, to see his daughter. 
  3) The PCs see him ducking into an alley and picking 
  through some boxes and barrels, suspiciously looking for 
  something. 
  Who and what are involved: 
  Traohan: Male human (Flan) Com1/War2; AL LN. 
  • 
  Description: Traohan is in his early forties. He has a 
  broad nose, curly hair with a bald spot, and a slight 
  paunch but thickly muscled limbs. He serves in the 
  militia of his village. 
  • 
  Personality and Motivation: Stubborn, concerned, 
  angry. Sometimes doesn’t finish sentences while 
  talking with the PCs because of the anger welling 
  inside him. He wants his daughter to get better and 
  come back home to their village; he wants to stop the 
  man who he believes is responsible for his daughter 
  living under such bad conditions. 
  The PCs can see (Sense Motive, DC 10) he is distraught. 
  He is thinking destructive thoughts but has yet not 
  committed to a violent course. With a successful 
  Diplomacy check (DC 15), he tells his story. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
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  Traohan and his wife decided that they wanted 
  Pendra at home again, so he came to Landrigard to get 
  her. This morning, a man at the local tavern heard him 
  asking about Pendra and said he had seen Pendra living 
  in a run-down boarding-house near the river and didn’t 
  seem to be doing well. The man insinuated that Pendra’s 
  circumstances were the fault of her employer, Dorbrenn 
  Plandarn, a greedy and hypocritical Oeridian. If Traohan 
  felt like taking matters into his own hands, the man said, 
  he would find something to help him in a red barrel 
  along a particular alley a few blocks away. 
   
  Pendra and some of her fellow workers live under 
  shabby conditions and are sometimes docked pay or 
  severely scolded by their shift-boss for minor infractions 
  at work, but she fears losing the income, bad as it is. She 
  feebly protests that things are not as bad as they seem. 
   
  Talking with Pendra’s coworkers can reveal some of 
  the information provided in Scene A. 
   
  Confronting the shift-boss and trying to shut down 
  the business, which would probably be satisfying for the 
  PCs but illegal, are not in the scope of this scenario. You 
  can improvise if the players pursue it and you have time. 
   
  At the alley mentioned, the red barrel contains a 
  cloth-wrapped bundle including a map of the Plandarn 
  house, a schedule of deliveries that Plandarn is expecting 
  in the next days, a finely made arrow, and a note saying, 
  “One shot for swift justice.” This package was placed by 
  one of the Ur-Flan cultists and is a deception. The map 
  and the schedule are right, but the arrow is bogus. It 
  radiates magic, but only from a Nystul’s magic aura on it 
  (CL 1st): strong necromancy, as if it were a slaying arrow. 
  The chaos from a botched assassination attempt would 
  serve the cult’s ends. 
  The Law’s Response 
  If the PCs tell the Church or the town watch about the 
  injustices in Dorbrenn Plandarn’s business practices, they 
  are told that Plandarn is a well-regarded citizen and 
  gracious benefactor.  
   
  A priest or watch captain takes the map of his house 
  (and anything else the PCs give over) as evidence and 
  promises to look into the matter. The PCs may 
  investigate officially if they are members of the Church 
  and have ranks in Profession (lawyer) or a similar skill. 
   
  You might choose to place another citizen at the 
  local guard house, telling about the floating light he saw 
  (as for a Gather Information DC 25 under Scene A). The 
  members of the watch do not believe his story. 
   
  If the PCs turn in Traohan as a conspirator to 
  murder, then he is terribly angry and feels betrayed. He is 
  held for questioning. 
  Scene C: High City 
  The wealthier citizens live in this part of town. They 
  include merchants, successful craftsmen, and the 
  multitude of people that make up the theocratic 
  bureaucracy. Strong laws and the financial resources to 
  enforce them give this place a feeling of security or 
  oppressiveness, depending on one’s point of view. 
   
  The buildings here reflect their owners’ greater 
  prosperity. They are built better, with stone walls and 
  slate or copper roofs. They are also spaced more widely, 
  allowing better circulation of air and sunlight. The 
  churches have fine decoration and stained glass, and the 
  Mountain Dawn Cathedral is a work of splendor. See 
  Appendix Five for more. 
  How to get here: 
  1) The PCs want to make contacts in this part of the city. 
  2) The PCs go to a church or office of the Theocracy. 
  What can be learned: 
  As in the workers’ district, the Oeridian citizens 
  represent a variety of viewpoints. In an inland city like 
  Landrigard, the stereotypical citizen is xenophobic and 
  zealous, suspicious of outsiders and scornful toward the 
  Flan. But everywhere are exceptions. 
   
  Successful Gather Information checks reveal the 
  following information. If you have time in the slot, 
  roleplay these a little, so you aren’t just reading. 
  • 
  DC 10: (A mean-spirited member of the Church 
  Militant who appeared in PAL2-01 Drawing from Life) 
  “At least those dirt-picking dwarves are staying in 
  their holes through this crisis, like good little 
  gophers. As far as I’m concerned, they can sit around 
  listening to that old Orcsplitter’s stories until the day 
  of reckoning. If he pokes his head out and causes 
  trouble like his grandkid did down in Ogburg three 
  years ago, Captain Viligant won’t be around to save 
  him. Er, Pholtus rest her soul.” 
  • 
  DC 12: “A priest told me to stay out of the workers’ 
  district and the dwarrens, because just breathing the 
  air there will give you the disease. Brother Telios, I 
  think his name was. He must be from one of the 
  churches across town, since I hadn’t seen him 
  around here before.” 
  • 
  DC 15: “Times like these bring out the best and 
  worst. Good men like Master Plandarn are already 
  sending money to Tenh to rebuild the churches and 
  schools, and now they are helping pay for the healers 
  in the city. But those greedy Flan act like it’s never 
  enough.” 
  • 
  DC 20: “We are bringing this on ourselves. If we 
  could actually use our wealth and power to care for 
  all citizens, not just those who praise Pholtus the 
  loudest, we would be a truly great nation.” 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 12 
  • 
  DC 25: “I had business down in the workers’ quarter 
  yesterday evening. The lamplighters haven’t been 
  working but I thought I saw a lantern glowing down 
  the street. When I looked closer, I saw that it wasn’t 
  a lantern; just a floating light. Magic, demon, 
  whatever it was, I wasn’t about to fool with it. I came 
  home as fast as I could.” 
  Scene D: The Plandarn House 
  This scene covers the household and person of Dorbrenn 
  Plandarn. It is intended as a roleplaying scene and is not 
  critical to the plot, so if the players want to turn it into a 
  fight or an exercise in sneaking around the house, you 
  will have to make something up on the fly. 
  How to get here:  
  1) The PCs hear about the unjust business owner from 
  Pendra, Traohan, or other workers in the lower district. 
  Who and what are involved: 
  Various people in the High City can provide directions to 
  the Plandarn house. At your discretion, you may ask the 
  PCs for Diplomacy or Bluff checks, depending on their 
  intentions, when asking for directions of a typically 
  suspicious citizen. 
  A fence of iron, with columns of stone every few 
  paces, stands along the street. Its gate is closed. 
  Beyond, this house is made of granite from the 
  Rakers, with some simple but impeccable carving 
  around the doors and windows. Green-aged copper 
  gutters and rainspouts peek through from under the 
  covering of snow. In the shallow yard between street 
  and house, a flagpole flies the heraldry of the 
  Theocracy of the Pale. 
  Master Plandarn, fearful of the slimy doom, has 
  sequestered himself in his house and will meet with only 
  the most important of visitors. The PCs will probably deal 
  with his guards (six human Ftr1, one human Ftr4) and 
  servants. Good Diplomacy or Bluff checks will allow the 
  PCs access to the house itself, and only a very high check 
  (DC 26, 22 for Pholtan clerics or paladins) will allow 
  them a five-minute visit with the master of the house, at 
  opposite ends of a long table in his parlor, with four 
  guards watching. 
   
  The PCs could also try sneaking into the house, 
  especially if they have the map and information left by 
  the cultists for Traohan. 
  Dorbrenn Plandarn: Male human (Oeridian) Exp7; AL 
  LE; Diplomacy +16, Sense Motive +16; Negotiator, Skill 
  Focus (Sense Motive). 
  • 
  Description: He is a tall and slender Oeridian man, 
  age 55. He has straight salt-and-pepper hair with a 
  receding hairline; his face is clean-shaven with 
  hollow cheeks. He wears a white woolen tunic and 
  breeches and a purple housecoat, with an heirloom 
  dagger (faintly magical) at his belt and a small silver 
  symbol of Pholtus around his neck. 
  • 
  Personality: He has an aristocratic air but is self-
  consciously humble in bearing; he is gracious to 
  fellow Palites, or at least to Oeridians who follow 
  Pholtus. He focuses on the inflexibility and self-
  righteousness in Pholtan teachings, ignoring the 
  good. His bigotry is evident in subtle comments 
  about his workers, “decent people like us”, etc. 
  • 
  Motivation: He wants to live his vision of the 
  Pholtan lifestyle, especially if he can do it by proving 
  how weak and flawed everyone else in the world is. 
  He punishes those employees who do not live up to 
  his ideal of Pholtan virtue and rewards those who do 
  his bidding. 
  This scene is not intended as a fight, so Dorbrenn’s full 
  stat block is not given. 
   
  If the PCs call him out on the injustice of his 
  activities, he has plenty of excuses for his behavior. (Even 
  murderers believe they are good people, or at least 
  justified in doing what they do.) 
   
  If they bluntly call him evil, he coldly concludes the 
  audience and has the guards usher the rude PCs out of 
  his house. 
   
  If they are so foolish as to attack him unprovoked, 
  you may play out a fight (use the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide to make stats for the guards) or may simply assume 
  that the PCs win. In any case, the PCs are now criminals. 
  Dorbrenn is well connected, so the Palish authorities, 
  including the Church Militant and Arcanists as needed, 
  will eventually track down the PCs and throw them in 
  jail for assault or worse. Consult the Pale Gazetteer for the 
  appropriate penalties. 
   
  A true follower of Pholtus can discuss theology and 
  philosophy with him, and even dispel some of his 
  delusions about Pholtan doctrine. Laying out a 
  convincing 
  argument 
  requires 
  succeeding 
  at 
  a 
  Knowledge (religion) check (DC 20, with a +5 bonus for a 
  PC who is a cleric or paladin of Pholtus), and then 
  beating him at an opposed Diplomacy check. If the PC 
  does this, Dorbrenn will ask him or her back for further 
  discussions in the months ahead; he will start taking 
  steps to change his alignment from lawful evil to lawful 
  neutral, and his business practices will change 
  accordingly. Change begins one person at a time. 
  Scene E: The Dwarrens 
  This scene covers Landrigard’s dwarven district—
  sometimes called “the dwarrens” or “dwur-home”—and 
  specifically the gathering of dwarves to listen to the tales 
  of old Koreth Orcsplitter I, hero from a thousand years 
  ago. He fills the role of “wise advisor”, helping to ease the 
  minds of PCs who worry that the Pale is plotting a course 
  for ruin. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 13 
  How to get here:  
  1) The PCs know Koreth Orcsplitter I directly and he 
  invited them to pay him a visit. 
  2) The PCs heard about Koreth’s storytelling sessions 
  from someone in the Flan district and decided to 
  see/hear for themselves. 
  3) The PCs just want to go to a different part of town. 
  Who and what are involved: 
  The northwestern corner of the city is inhabited by the 
  dwarves. 
  Where the edges of Landrigard extend into rocky 
  hills and rougher ground, there begins the 
  community of dwarves who have chosen to live in 
  the Pale. 
   
  While flourishes of dwarven craft are evident 
  elsewhere in Landrigard and in the Pale’s other 
  cities at the feet of the Rakers, dwarven districts like 
  this one show an ages-old tradition of masonry and 
  metalwork in true glory. The buildings here stand 
  only a single story above ground, but more levels 
  extend below. Subtle shades of grey and brown 
  stone are accented with carved relief and highlights 
  of copper, tin, and small mosaics of colored tile and 
  semiprecious stones. The streets are about as quiet 
  here as throughout the rest of the city, but faint 
  sounds hint at the continuing activity of forge, 
  hearth, and home. 
  The dwarves, being naturally hardy (and insular), have 
  generally avoided the ravages of the slimy doom striking 
  the poorer part of town. A few have fallen ill, though, and 
  are being tended in the district’s temple to the dwarven 
  pantheon (Moradin, Berronar, et al.). 
   
  A Gather Information check can turn up some clues 
  here, too. 
  • 
  DC 5: “You must be here for old Koreth’s tales! I have 
  visited as often as I could, but one cannot put off 
  work forever just to listen to stories.” This dwarf can 
  give directions to the house if the PCs do not already 
  know. 
  • 
  DC 10: “I have heard how badly the disease is hitting 
  the workers’ district. Only a few of us have been 
  stricken, since we dwarves are hardier than the 
  humans. Mother Helda is tending to an elderly 
  kinsman of mine at the temple.” If the PCs go to the 
  temple, you will have to make up the encounter. 
  Mother Helda is a female dwarf Clr6 (Berronar 
  Truesilver), AL LG. 
  • 
  DC 15: “Seems funny, you humans think that cold 
  winter two years ago was a Troll Winter, but it’s been 
  a couple of decades since the last real Troll Winter. 
  We are probably due for another one soon. You’ll 
  know it’s a Troll Winter for sure this next time by 
  the extended lengths of the winter for years to 
  come.” 
  • 
  DC 20: “My great-grandsire lived during the days 
  when the white-robes first migrated from the south. 
  The conservatives of present times would seem quite 
  open-minded to those first settlers. It is all a matter 
  of perspective.” 
  Koreth’s Audience: 
  In a street-level chamber, warm and cozy for the 
  company, an audience of about two-dozen has 
  gathered to hear the stories of this voice from the 
  past. Everyone is keeping a forearm’s distance from 
  each other, but the atmosphere does not seem to 
  suffer. The host family has lit some candles out of 
  politeness for their guests who cannot see in the 
  dark. Two humans sit near the back of the group, 
  and a few halflings at the front. Five dwarven 
  youths, their cheeks downy with adolescence, sit 
  about the feet of old Koreth Orcsplitter the First. 
  Accompanying Koreth I in Landrigard are the wife and 
  two children of Koreth XII. The wife’s name is Grinda; 
  the children are Koreth XIII and Gretta. The other 
  children are residents that have been allowed a brief 
  break from their work, since dwarves take up a trade early 
  and spend many years in apprenticeship. 
  Koreth Orcsplitter I: Male dwarf; AL LG. 
  • 
  Description: Koreth Orcsplitter is a dwarf of 
  extreme age, far older than even his wrinkled and 
  grayed visage suggests. He was born over 1,000 years 
  ago but spent most of that time in suspension, as a 
  living battery maintaining a ward against a horde of 
  monsters. (This storyline, “Germinations”, ends with 
  PAL4-03 All Which Is Forgotten.) Koreth has long 
  white hair and an equally long, cirrus-like beard. His 
  heavily wrinkled face gives him a permanent squint 
  and an ever-present scowl. He speaks with a scratchy 
  voice that sounds like an echo from far away. He has 
  a slight tremor throughout his body, particularly in 
  his hands. 
  • 
  Personality: Honor and personal sacrifice have 
  defined Koreth’s life. To stop a great evil a 
  millennium ago, he volunteered to spend eternity in 
  battle with a powerful foe. A few years ago, his 
  descendant Koreth XII freed him from this self-
  imposed prison, not realizing someone would need 
  to take his place. Koreth XII stepped up to maintain 
  the guard. 
  • 
  Motivation: Koreth I has been living in Ogburg 
  with his descendant's wife and two children. His 
  information about the “demonic forces” his people 
  fought 1,000 years ago proved decisive in the Pale’s 
  campaign to repel the invaders when they returned. 
  Now he wants to travel the Pale, to see what has 
  happened over the years and to teach the current 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 14 
  generations of dwarves about the past. He spent a 
  few weeks in Eltison before coming to Landrigard, 
  but the harsh winter has deterred him from leaving 
  until spring. 
   
   
  Koreth can tell tales about the situation of old—a 
  brief lesson in Greyhawk history, as it were. 
  • 
  The dwarves and elves had been here for ages, along 
  with Flan humans. He drops a few names of dwarf 
  clans mentioned in other Pale modules, such as 
  Battlehammer and Highgate. 
  • 
  A fearsome wizard named Keraptis used to lord over 
  territory all the way out to the eastern waters from 
  his tower in the mountain city (Tostenhca), but he 
  was thrown down a couple of generations before 
  Koreth was born. (Keraptis is also the wizard that 
  ruled over White Plume Mountain.)  
  • 
  Some of the humans in the south were depraved, 
  utter savages, offerring sacrifices to some foul 
  patron.  
  • 
  To the west, the Flan people seemed little more than 
  simple hunters or herdsmen, but Koreth heard there 
  was a dark legacy there too. These were the ancestors 
  of today’s Tenhas and the Rovers of the Barrens. 
  • 
  The barbarian Oeridians and some Suel were just 
  starting to move out from the West when Koreth 
  gave himself up to guard against the invading 
  monsters. 
  • 
  It took unity among the races (dwarf, elf, and 
  human) to defeat the rex aartuk, Koreth reminds the 
  PCs. 
   
  Koreth is especially interested in hearing about the 
  return of the “demons” from his age and about the 
  Floracon, which was found during the same adventure 
  that freed him from the temple under the Rakers (PAL2-
  01 Drawing from Life). 
   
  He gives advice about time and proper perspective. 
  A thousand years have passed for him. He did not see it 
  pass, so he doesn’t have the outlook that an ancient elf 
  would, but he asks, rhetorically, how much came and 
  went in that time? How much more will the next 1000 
  years bring? Human empires rise and fall in but a few 
  centuries. The Suloise empire of the far west fell 1000 
  years ago and now there are northern barbarians, haughty 
  nobles, and supremacist zealots scattered across the land. 
   
  Koreth has some vague memories about older 
  dwarven settlements being located near here, but he does 
  not know how far out from the mountains they extended. 
  He continually mentions how different the whole region 
  is from his youth. 
   
  If the PCs have not picked up any other clues about 
  the actions of the lantern archon, Koreth says that he 
  awoke last night from an unsettling dream. He went to 
  get some water and saw a strange light floating along the 
  street outside the house. He felt much calmer when he 
  went back to sleep. 
  Concluding the Investigation 
  Development: 
  Move on to Encounter Three when the 
  PCs have enough clues to realize something is going on 
  in the abandoned boarding-house, or at least guess that a 
  floating light might have some answers. 
  Encounter Three: Follow the 
  Lantern 
  In this encounter, the PCs meet the lantern archon, Aru, 
  that has been called to Landrigard to help those in need 
  (such as the PCs). Who has called Aru is left a mystery.  
   
  The PCs might believe that Aru is a will-o’-wisp 
  (based on their experiences in PAL4-02 Stirring the 
  Waters); this ironic similarity is intentional. 
   
  The encounter is also a way to put some comic relief 
  into the scenario. Aru pokes fun at “cheesy” spells or 
  feats, which do not fit the ideal of lawful goodness 
  espoused on the plane of Celestia. 
   
  You will probably have to tailor this encounter to the 
  party. They might go out looking for a “floating light” or 
  it can find them, perhaps even rounding up groups of 
  PCs that have split up despite the general wisdom not to 
  split the party. The following is a possible way for the PCs 
  to meet the lantern archon. 
  This street is dark, like most of Landrigard; the few 
  lamps standing here have not been lighted. Above, 
  the cold, cloudless vault glistens with stars. 
   
  A steady glow appears from around a corner 
  down the block. It is about as bright as a torch, 
  shedding a cool white light over the snowy, colorless 
  streetscape. The light approaches. It is about five 
  feet off the ground, but it is clearly not carried by 
  anyone, nor does it have a lantern or torch to 
  emanate from. It simply floats and glows. 
  Setup: The lantern archon comes around a corner 80 feet 
  from the PCs. 
   
  If the players ask for a map, make one up for the city 
  street. The street should be 15 feet wide, with buildings 
  close by on each side and a few side streets or alleys, 
  including the one that the archon has come from. 
   
  Aru pauses about forty feet from the PCs and detects 
  evil in their direction. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 15 
  Creature (all APLs): 
  Aru: Lantern archon; hp 6; see monster Manual page 16. 
  • 
  Description: Aru looks like every other lantern 
  archon: a glowing sphere of light about a foot and a 
  half across. It is corporeal but very light in weight. It 
  speaks in a musical, childlike voice. 
  • 
  Personality and Motivation: Aru wants to ease the 
  suffering in Landrigard. It enjoys talking with 
  people, exhorting them in its childlike way to pursue 
  honor and compassion and to avoid underhanded or 
  “cheesy” methods—spikes, bags of tricks, metamagic 
  rods, Divine Spellpower, etc. (“Some of the other 
  archons told me that glitterdust is conjured from the 
  hoards of archdevils!” “All the trees in Hades are 
  spiky too. I would not want to swing a staff that 
  looked evil like that!”) Be playfully pointed, but try 
  not to offend your players if you don’t know them. 
  • 
  What It Knows: Aru was called to Landrigard 
  yesterday (the day the adventure began, assuming 
  the PCs meet Aru on the second day) with a lesser 
  planar binding spell by a nice old man outside town, 
  but Aru does not know who this was. The man told 
  Aru to help people around town, and, in particular, 
  to lead a group matching the PCs’ description to a 
  particular building in the workers’ quarter. 
  Treasure: Aru has no treasure. 
  Troubleshooting: If Aru finds any evil among the PCs, 
  it asks why the PC is tainted or carries a tainted item. The 
  other PCs may vouch for the “afflicted” PC. (Allow a 
  Diplomacy or Bluff check if the PCs want one. No matter 
  the result, Aru leads the PCs as it was told to do. Aru 
  might simply step up its verbal lashing against the 
  offending PC if it is not satisfied with what the other PCs 
  have said.) 
  Development: When the PCs proceed to the entrance to 
  the abandoned dwarf-halls, go to Encounter Four. They 
  may want to rest, which is fine. There is another 
  abandoned building across the street, and taverns nearby. 
  Encounter Four: Nest of Night 
  The cultists have made their base in an abandoned and 
  partially destroyed grouping of dwarven halls, which lie 
  under the dwarf district of Landrigard. The halls also 
  connect to a larger network of caves. The cultists 
  excavated a rough stairway last year, up from the halls to 
  an uninhabited building built against the side of a hill in 
  the Flan district. 
   
  See Map #2 for the base. 
   
  The following are some general conditions of the 
  areas in the base. 
   
  Lighting: Most of the areas are unlighted, in 
  keeping with the devotion to darkness and shadow. Some 
  of the inhabitants have darkvision anyway. Areas 5 (the 
  audience hall) and 7 (the leaders’ common room) are 
  lighted by candles; Area 6 (the lab) is lit by lanterns. 
   
  Ceilings: 8 feet, unless otherwise noted. 
   
  Typical Hewn Stone Walls: hardness 8; hp 540 
  (per 10-ft. section); Break DC 50; Climb DC 25. 
   
  Typical Unworked Stone Walls: hardness 8; hp 
  900 (per 10-ft. section); Break DC 65; Climb DC 15. 
   
  1. Entry 
  Tracks lead across the building, going both in and out. 
   
  At APL 6-10, there is a secret door (Search DC 20) at 
  the back of this building, leading to a tunnel and stairway 
  under the hill. 
   
  At APL 12, there is no door but simply a five-foot-
  thick barrier of solid masonry, since the cultists rely on 
  dimensional travel or incorporeality to come and go. The 
  PCs will have to chop their way in or use magic such as 
  blink or dimension door. 
  2. Stairs 
  This area descends about 100 feet along 200 uneven steps. 
  The surrounding stone can be seen to have layers that 
  vary from grey granite to darker basalt, with a few veins 
  of differing material. 
   
  These stairs are more recent than the halls and 
  caverns below. The spoils from the excavation lie mostly 
  in Area 3. 
   
  The temperature rises as the PCs descend, to about 
  55 degrees at the bottom of the stairs: far warmer than the 
  icy streets above. 
  3. Fountain Room 
  The southern wall includes a basin, streaked with slimy 
  green molds in the bare trickle of moisture. This slime is 
  not connected with the slimy doom disease. Several 
  corridors lead off from this area, but most are blocked by 
  cave-in. A rough passage of unworked stone leads 
  northwest to Area 4. 
  4. Cloak Cavern 
  Ceiling: 20 feet. 
  The passage opens into a cavern, whose rough dark 
  walls contain reddish crystalline deposits. Another 
  wide passage leads out ahead to the right, and a 
  pegboard with several black cloaks and robes stands 
  next to that passage. A faint air current stirs the 
  cloth, bearing a faint scent of incense from beyond. 
  The cloaks on the rack are nonmagical, but a cloaker (or 
  two) does live here, being outcasts from their old flock. 
  They are not related to the Plane of Shadow, but their 
  powers are similar enough to earn the cult’s respect and 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 16 
  alliance. The cloakers attack anyone not accompanied by 
  Caelarah, Elthorn, Muirig, Gwenfar, or Astrid. 
  APL 6 (EL 7) 
  Elite 9-HD Advanced Cloaker (1): hp 81; see 
  Appendix One. 
  APL 8 (EL 9) 
  Elite 9-HD Advanced Cloaker (2): hp 81 each; see 
  Appendix One. 
  APL 10 (EL 11) 
  Elite 16-HD Advanced Huge Cloaker (1): hp 176; 
  see Appendix One. 
  APL 12 (EL 13) 
  Elite 16-HD Advanced Huge Cloaker (2): hp 176 
  each; see Appendix One. 
  Setup/Tactics: These tactics are guidelines. Cloakers are 
  smart enough to adapt their tactics to their advantage. See 
  the Monster Manual for other ideas. 
  One cloaker (APL 6 or 10): 
  • 
  The cloaker begins on the ground at the location 
  marked “a”. 
  • 
  On hearing PCs in Area 3: Activate dancing images 
  (mirror image) supernatural ability. 
  • 
  Surprise round and as long as undetected: Create the 
  silent image of an undead shadow emerging from the 
  floor in front of a PC, to determine whether the 
  party includes a cleric. If the cleric uses a turn-
  attempt, the cloaker makes the shadow disappear. It 
  creates a new shadow the next round and repeats the 
  ruse until the PCs realize the shadow is an illusion or 
  they detect the cloaker. 
  • 
  First round: Fly up out of reach of PCs’ weapons, 
  trying to get most PCs within 30 feet, and use a fear 
  moan. 
  • 
  Second and following rounds: Alternate tail attacks 
  with other moan effects. If only one PC is holding a 
  light source, engulf that PC. 
  • 
  Fleeing: If wounded below 10 hit points, it 
  disengages and flies toward Area 14. It does not stop 
  to contribute to the fight in Area 5. 
  Two cloakers (APL 8 or 12): 
  • 
  The cloakers begin at the locations marked “a” and 
  “b”. 
  • 
  On hearing PCs in Area 3: Both activate dancing 
  images supernatural ability. 
  • 
  Surprise round and as long as undetected: The one at 
  “b” uses the unnerve moan, which is subsonic and 
  cannot be detected by normal hearing; call for a Will 
  save after six rounds of this. The one at “a” creates the 
  silent image of an undead shadow, as described above 
  for the single cloaker’s tactics. 
  • 
  First round: Cloaker “b” continues to unnerve, while 
  cloaker “a” flies up out of reach of PCs’ weapons, 
  trying to get most PCs within 30 feet, and uses a fear 
  moan. 
  • 
  Second and following rounds: Cloaker “a” attacks 
  with its tail while cloaker “b” uses other moan effects 
  to divide the party. If only one PC is holding a light 
  source, engulf that PC. 
  • 
  Fleeing: If a cloaker is wounded below 10 hit points, 
  it disengages and flies toward Area 14. It does not 
  stop to contribute to the fight in Area 5. 
  Treasure: The cloakers have a small hoard from past 
  victims, which the cultists have not claimed. The treasure 
  lies on the ground at the spot marked “b”.  
  APL 6 - 600 gp in coins and gems. 
  APL 8 - 900 gp in coins and gems. 
  APL 10 - 1,200 gp in coins and gems. 
  APL 12 - 1,800 gp in coins and gems. 
  5. Audience Hall 
  Ceiling: 25 feet at the southern end, 30 feet at the 
  northern because the floor slopes. 
   
  This area and Areas 6-13 are under the effects of a 
  permanent Mordenkainen’s private sanctum (CL 16th). The 
  threshold of this area therefore appears to be a dark, 
  foggy barrier, and no sound emerges from it. 
   
  The low-level cultists sleep on mats in the 
  southeastern alcove. 
  The floor of this large wedge-shaped room slopes 
  away from the foggy doorway. Two aisles extend 
  from the door to a stage, and a ten-foot-thick column 
  stands 
  outside 
  each 
  aisle, 
  roughly at their 
  midpoints. The floor between the aisles is cut into 
  broad, shallow steps about a foot tall, but there are 
  no seats present. The room would be a fine example 
  of dwarven craft if not for its decrepitude, most 
  notably the extensive collapse of the corner to the 
  right. Rubble from the collapse covers the floor in 
  several patches.  
   
  On the stage sits a block of dark stone, purplish-
  brown and about four feet in each dimension. It 
  does not have a flat bottom but looks like it was 
  broken off of a larger piece of statuary. 
  Make it clear that there are no benches or pews to block 
  movement, but there is some rubble. 
   
  The PCs probably encounter the cult’s leaders here. 
  See “Creatures”, below, for their description. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 17 
  6. Laboratory 
  Muirig conducts his research in this room, with a fully 
  stocked alchemical lab. 
  7. Cult Leaders’ Room 
  This room contains comfortable seats, rugs, and 
  tapestries. Books and other amusements are here. A 
  curtain divides the room, so Elthorn can walk to and 
  from his room (Area 11) without disturbing the women. 
   
  A bolt-hole and stairway to Area 14 are hidden 
  behind an illusory wall (CL 7th, Will save DC 16). 
  8-13. Living Quarters and Storage 
  The living quarters are furnished in varying degrees of 
  comfort and opulence, according to the residents’ taste. 
  8: Muirig and Gwenfar’s room. 
  9: locked holding cell where Balach is kept, in darkness. 
  10: storage room, including food, alchemical items, 
  weapons, candles, torches, oil, and ritual accoutrements 
  for the worship of Falazure (robes, holy symbols, and 
  incense). At APL 6-8, Astrid sleeps in here, too. 
  11: Elthorn’s room. 
  12: three novice sorceresses (female human Sor1; hp 5 
  each; AL NE) live here. The sorceresses are Flan girls, 
  aged 14, 16, and 17. They wear simple robes of charcoal 
  grey trimmed in black and they have Tiny viper familiars. 
  They hide during the fight and try to flee to Area 14 
  when Caelarah tells them to. They do not fight the PCs. 
  13: Caelarah’s room. The most luxuriously appointed of 
  the rooms. 
  14. Exit Tunnel 
  The entrance to this tunnel is 15 feet off the ground and 
  leads to further subterranean tunnels.  
   
  The Cult 
  The PCs probably encounter all of the members of the 
  cult in the audience hall, Area 5. (The EL assumes that 
  they do.) If so, the text under “Setup” below is a likely 
  description. Adjust as needed. 
  Creatures: 
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  Caelarah (APL 6 version): Female human Sor6; hp 31; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Elthorn/“Irthos” (APL 6 version): Male human 
  Brd2/Ftr3; hp 38; see Appendix One. 
  Muirig (APL 6 version): Male human Exp5; hp 30; see 
  Appendix One. 
  Astrid (APL 6 version): Female human Rgr6; hp 39; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Shadows (2): hp 21 each; see Monster Manual page 221. 
  Cultists (4): Male or female human Com1; hp 4 each; 
  see Appendix One. 
  APL 8 (EL 11) 
  Caelarah (APL 8 version): Female human Sor8; hp 41; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Elthorn/“Irthos” (APL 8 version): Male human 
  Brd2/Ftr4/Dragon Disciple 1 (shadow dragon); hp 55; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Muirig (APL 8 version): Male human Exp7; hp 42; see 
  Appendix One. 
  Astrid (APL 8 version): Female human Rgr7/Shd1; 
  hp 50; see Appendix One. 
  Turn-Resistant 6-HD Advanced Shadows (2): hp 42 
  each; see Appendix One. 
  Cultists (4): Male or female human Com1; hp 4 each; 
  see Appendix One. 
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  Caelarah (APL 10 version): Female human Sor10; hp 
  51; see Appendix One. 
  Elthorn/“Irthos” (APL 10 version): Male human 
  Brd2/Ftr4/Dragon Disciple 2 (shadow dragon); hp 64; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Muirig (APL 10 version): Male human Exp8; hp 48; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  10 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd3; hp 60; see Appendix One. 
  Shadow Companion: hp 19; see Monster Manual 
  page 221. As the companion of a shadowdancer, this 
  shadow may not be turned and cannot create spawn. 
  Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadows (2): hp 63 
  each (+9 temporary); see Appendix One. These 
  shadows are enhanced with Caelarah’s incorporeal 
  enhancement spell. 
  Cultists (6): Male or female human Com1; hp 4 each; 
  see Appendix One. 
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  Caelarah (APL 12 version): Female human Sor12; hp 
  61; see Appendix One. 
  Elthorn/“Irthos” (APL 12 version): Male human 
  Brd2/Ftr4/Dragon Disciple 4 (shadow dragon); hp 92; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Muirig (APL 12 version): Male human Exp9; hp 54; 
  see Appendix One. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 18 
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  12 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd5; hp 80; see Appendix One. 
  Shadow Companion: hp 19; see Monster Manual 
  page 221. As the companion of a shadowdancer, this 
  shadow may not be turned and cannot create spawn. 
  Elite Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadows (2): 
  hp 63 each (+9 temporary); see Appendix One. These 
  shadows are enhanced with Caelarah’s incorporeal 
  enhancement spell. 
  Cultists (6): Male or female human Com1; hp 4 each; 
  see Appendix One. 
  Setup/Tactics: If caught unaware, the leaders are in 
  Areas 6 or 7, the cultists are holding a prayer session in 
  the alcove of Area 5, and the shadows are floating around 
  the altar in Area 5. 
   
  If aware of danger, the group masses in Area 5, as 
  described individually below. Remember, no sounds 
  leave the Mordenkainen’s secure shelter. 
   
  Here is a suggestion for setting the scene and 
  introducing Caelarah (at least a major image of her, with a 
  ventriloquism spell) and Elthorn. You can describe the 
  other NPCs when they emerge from hiding. 
  Beside the aisle stands an armored man with a large 
  flail locked into his left gauntlet. His armor, 
  lacquered black, is fluted and ridged to give a 
  draconic aspect. Despite his imposing armament, 
  his face is young—probably not more than twenty 
  years—and handsomely blends Flan and Oeridian 
  features.  
   
  A few other people, wearing shabby black robes 
  and carrying morningstars, stand in a mass to the 
  right. 
   
  Behind the altar-like stone at the focal point of 
  the hall stands a woman, wearing an elaborate dress 
  of smoky grey, purple, and black. Her eyes stand out 
  bright against dark-painted lids, and her lips are 
  similarly painted. She is not tall, but has a presence 
  beyond her mere physical size. 
   
  “Welcome,” the woman says. Her voice echoes 
  off the stone walls of the great hall. 
  Since this voice is probably actually a ventriloquism spell, 
  give the PCs a Will save (DC 16 at APL 6, 18 otherwise) to 
  recognize it as false. 
  “From the cold light above, you enter the Night 
  Dragon’s embrace. You may already know Brother 
  Telios.” The warrior’s form flickers momentarily 
  with the glamer of a white-robed Oeridian priest, 
  but the black-armored youth remains. “But I doubt 
  that you came to talk.” 
  Impatient PCs may want to attack or cast spells as soon as 
  they see her, but they do not get any benefit in initiative. 
  Neither the PCs nor the villains are surprised. 
   
  This can be a complicated fight. Here are some 
  sample tactics for the first couple of rounds. 
  Caelarah, the sorceress: 
  • 
  Location: Hiding behind pillar A. 
  • 
  Long-term spell: false life (APL 8+). 
  • 
  Before combat: Cast mirror image, ventriloquism, and 
  major image (of herself standing behind the altar). 
  Maintain concentration to make the image appear to 
  deliver speech. 
  • 
  First round: Stop concentrating. Cast a silent 
  blindness on a PC that looks like an arcanist or rogue 
  (APL 6) or a silent slow on a group of PCs (APL 8+). 
  • 
  Second round: Gloat about the glories of the Ur-
  Flan. Cast another blindness (APL 6) or another slow 
  (APL 8); cast shadow evocation (ice storm or lightning 
  bolt) (APL 10-12). 
  • 
  Later rounds: Use spells or wand as needed. Follow a 
  true strike with ray of enfeeblement or enervation 
  (empowered enervation at APL 12). At APL 12, cast a 
  targeted greater dispel magic on a PC with obvious 
  buffs (such as death ward).  
  • 
  Fleeing: When reduced to 5 hp or less, flee (APL 6) 
  or dimension door (APL 8+) to Area 7 to gather the 
  novice sorceresses. Flee on foot to Area 14 (APL 6) or 
  dimension door away with two sorceresses (APL 8-10) 
  or all three (APL 12). 
  Elthorn/”Irthos”, the champion: 
  • 
  Location: Standing at location D. 
  • 
  First round: bard song (inspire courage, in Flan and 
  Draconic: “Tremble in the dark, my partner, my 
  prey;/ Silent wings, keen claws: your ruin, your 
  doom”). Muirig will probably enlarge him.  
  • 
  Second and following rounds: Keep singing (free 
  action) and attack in melee, using his flail to disarm, 
  trip, or simply beat the PCs; also bite at APL 10-12. 
  Use breath weapon (APL 12) if PCs are bunched up. 
  • 
  NOTE: Elthorn can be talked out of combat, 
  especially if the PCs mention his father. For any PCs 
  that played PAL4-06 Strands of Gloom, allow an Int 
  check (DC 12) to see the similarity between Elthorn 
  and Vadric. A PC may gain a +5 circumstance bonus 
  to a rushed Diplomacy check for mentioning that 
  Vadric misses his son, that his late mother would not 
  have approved of using his powers this way, etc. If 
  this check beats DC 20 at APL 6-8 (DC 25 at APL 10-
  12 because of his deeper devotion to the cult), 
  Elthorn is overcome with doubt and takes no more 
  offensive actions against the PCs. 
  • 
  Fleeing: Elthorn does not flee. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 19 
  Muirig, the expert: 
  • 
  Location: Hiding behind pillar B. 
  • 
  Before combat: Activate (with Use Magic Device) 
  scroll of invisibility on self. 
  • 
  First round: Activate wand of enlarge person on 
  Elthorn. Gloat when a PC is hit by a shadow. (“You 
  will learn to enjoy the pain—I have…”) 
  • 
  Second round: Activate other scrolls (APL 6-8) or 
  wand of unholy blight (APL 10-12). 
  • 
  Later rounds: Activate scrolls or wands as needed. 
  • 
  Fleeing: When reduced to 5 hp or less, activate scroll 
  of invisibility and flee to Area 7 and then to Area 14. 
  Astrid/Gwenfar, the ranger(/shadowdancer): 
  • 
  Location: Hide at location C. 
  • 
  Before combat: Cast longstrider if one is available for 
  the day. 
  • 
  First and later rounds: Attack as indicated in 
  Encounter One, using Spring Attack or full 
  attacking and repositioning. Try to get flank from 
  Elthorn and/or cultists. Take down humans or 
  animals fast. 
  • 
  Fleeing: When reduced to 5 hp or less, Hide (in 
  Plain Sight, if possible) and flee to Area 7 and then to 
  Area 14. 
  Shadows: 
  • 
  Location: in the floor between the two pillars. 
  • 
  First and later rounds: Emerge and attack whoever is 
  closest, unless Caelarah or Muirig says otherwise 
  (such as “Get that pesky druid!”). If they find a PC to 
  be under a death ward, they signal Caelarah or Muirig 
  to ask for a dispelling. 
  • 
  Fleeing: The shadows do not flee. 
  Generic cultists: 
  • 
  Location: Standing at location E, in a bunch. 
  • 
  First and later rounds: Give flanks to allies. Use the 
  Aid Another action (enhanced by bard song) to aid 
  the attacks of Elthorn or Astrid/Gwenfar. Attack PCs 
  with low AC or those that get tripped. 
  • 
  Fleeing: Any surviving generic cultists flee when 
  both Caelarah and Elthorn have fallen or fled.  
  Nobody surrenders, since they know their lives are 
  forfeit if caught. 
   
  Development: When the fight ends, the PCs have 
  the chance to examine the altar of Area 5 more closely. 
  See Encounter Five. 
  Encounter Five: The Call of 
  Power 
  The altar-stone in the audience hall contains some 
  vestiges of Ur-Flan power, looking for new living hosts. 
   
  Read or paraphrase the following: 
  The stone’s carvings have largely been worn away, 
  but on close inspection it resembles the head of a 
  Flan woman with deep empty eye-sockets and a 
  serene expression, flanked by twisting geometric 
  motifs. 
   
  You feel a tingling on your skin, especially at the 
  nape of your neck. Something about this stone is 
  calling to you. 
  PCs that played PAL4-02 Stirring the Waters recognize a 
  similarity between this altar and the carvings in the ruin 
  in that scenario. The sensations for those PCs are 
  stronger than those of other PCs. This stone came from a 
  similar site in a different part of the Pale. 
   
  It is up to each PC to decide to accept or reject the 
  offer. Give each player one of the pieces of Player’s 
  Handout #2 and ask them to write their responses in 
  secret, so nobody knows the others’ responses. 
   
  Development: Proceed to the Conclusion. 
  Conclusion 
  The following points are valid if the PCs succeeded in 
  stopping the cultists and recovering the prisoners. 
   
  The PCs have stopped the cult of shadow and the 
  dark duo from the Dim Forest, and have solved the 
  mystery behind the apparent return of “Brother Telios”. 
  At APL 6-8, the PCs do not get to fight Gwenfar, so she 
  escapes, possibly back to Geoff, possibly to some other 
  hiding place around the Pale. 
  The Church’s Response 
  If the PCs turn any cultists in to the Church, the cultists 
  will be executed on charges of worshipping evil powers 
  and/or consorting with fiends. 
   
  If told about the underground passages, the Church 
  will send a contingent of the Prelatal Army, Eighth Dawn 
  Command, to clear the area. Clerics will seal the halls by 
  magic, to protect Landrigard from further underground 
  dangers. 
  Staying On to Fight the Disease 
  Each PC has the option to stay in Landrigard for an extra 
  1 or 2 TUs, to help treat the disease or maintain order in 
  the city. The PC pays no Upkeep cost for these TUs. For 
  every TU spent, the PC gets a Favor of Pholtus. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 20 
  Balach Rescued 
  Taraya will be very happy to see Balach again, once the 
  Church is satisfied that he is no threat. They can be 
  reunited in the village of Bronzebrook. 
  Elthorn’s Fate 
  Elthorn may be tried and executed along with the other 
  cultists, unless the PCs intervene: 
  • 
  If they turn him in to the Church but spend at least 
  four Favors of Pholtus (those gained for this 
  adventure are allowed), a very lenient judge will 
  allow a long stay in a New Dawn Camp, with 
  possible magical interventions such as geas/quest, 
  atonement, or mark of justice. 
  • 
  The PCs could also choose to take Elthorn away 
  themselves and return him to his father, Vadric, in 
  the village of Bronzebrook. 
  At APL 8+, Elthorn will also try to find a way (with or 
  without the Church) to reform himself and follow a more 
  virtuous path, despite his shadow-dragon ancestry. 
  Perhaps one day he can find powerful magic to transform 
  him into the disciple of a metallic dragon instead. 
  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 
  roleplaying) to each character. 
  Encounter One 
  Defeat shadow gang and ranger 
   
  APL6 270 xp 
   
  APL8 330 xp 
   
  APL10 390 xp 
   
  APL12 450 xp 
  Encounter Four 
  Defeat cloaker(s) 
   
  APL6 210 xp 
   
  APL8 270 xp 
   
  APL10 330 xp 
   
  APL12 390 xp 
  Defeat the cult 
   
  APL6 270 xp 
   
  APL8 330 xp 
   
  APL10 390 xp 
   
  APL12 450 xp 
  Story Awards 
  Help someone (e.g. Traohan) during the investigation 
   
  APL6 30 xp 
   
  APL8 30 xp 
   
  APL10 30 xp 
   
  APL12 30 xp 
  Recover Balach 
   
  APL6 45 xp 
   
  APL8 60 xp 
   
  APL10 75 xp 
   
  APL12 90 xp 
  Discretionary roleplaying award 
   
  APL6 75 xp 
   
  APL8 105 xp 
   
  APL10 135 xp 
   
  APL12 165 xp 
  Total possible experience: 
   
  APL6 900 xp 
   
  APL8 1,125 xp 
   
  APL10 1,350 xp 
   
  APL12 1,575 xp 
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes. Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their earthly 
  possessions. Looting the bodies takes at least 10 minutes 
  per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot take the 
  time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this gold. If you 
  feel it is reasonable that characters can go back to loot the 
  bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not carted off by 
  dungeon scavengers, removed from the scene by the local 
  watch, and so on), characters may return to retrieve loot. If 
  the characters do not loot the body, the gold piece value for 
  the loot is subtracted from the encounter totals given 
  below. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 21 
   
  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 scenario, 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. 
   
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, 
  and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
  Encounter One: 
  Treasure possessed by Astrid/Gwenfar will probably be 
  gained in Encounter Four, but it is listed here. 
  APL 6: L: 74 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 393 gp – mithral shirt (92 gp 
  per PC), +1 scimitar (193 gp), cloak of resistance +1 (83 gp), 
  potion of cure moderate wounds (25 gp). 
  APL 8: L: 49 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 815 gp – mithral shirt (92 gp 
  per PC), +1 scimitar (193 gp), +1 kukri (192 gp), ring of 
  protection +1 (167 gp), cloak of resistance +1 (83 gp), potion of 
  cure moderate wounds (25 gp), potion of remove 
  blindness/deafness (63 gp). 
  APL 10: L: 49 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1,293 gp – +1 mithral shirt 
  (175 gp per PC), 2 +1 kukris (192 gp each), ring of protection 
  +1 (167 gp), cloak of resistance +1 (83 gp), gloves of Dexterity 
  +2 (333 gp), potion of cure moderate wounds (25 gp), potion of 
  gaseous form (63 gp), potion of remove blindness/deafness (63 
  gp). 
  APL 12: L: 49 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1,938 gp – +1 mithral shirt of 
  silent moves (487 gp per PC), 2 +1 kukris (192 gp each), ring 
  of protection +1 (167 gp), cloak of resistance +1 (83 gp), gloves 
  of Dexterity +2 (333 gp), periapt of Wisdom +2 (333 gp), potion 
  of cure moderate wounds (25 gp), potion of gaseous form (63 
  gp), potion of remove blindness/deafness (63 gp). 
  Encounter Four - Cloakers: 
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 0 gp. 
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 150 gp; M: 0 gp. 
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 200 gp; M: 0 gp. 
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 300 gp; M: 0 gp. 
  Encounter Four - Cultists: 
  APL 6: L: 197 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 1,075 gp – ring of protection +1 
  (167 gp), vest of resistance +2 (333 gp), 2 potions of cure 
  moderate wounds (25 gp each), potion of remove 
  blindness/deafness (63 gp), scroll of dispel magic (31 gp), wand 
  of magic missile (3rd, 10 charges) (19 gp), +1 heavy flail (193 
  gp), +1 studded leather (98 gp), 5 scrolls of cure light wounds (2 
  gp each), 5 scrolls of inflict light wounds (2 gp each), 2 scrolls 
  of invisibility (13 gp each), scroll of silence (13 gp), wand of 
  enlarge person (62 gp). 
  APL 8: L: 68 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 2,049 gp – ring of protection +1 
  (167 gp), bracers of armor +1 (83 gp), vest of resistance +2 (333 
  gp), cloak of Charisma +2 (333 gp), 2 potions of cure moderate 
  wounds (25 gp each), potion of remove blindness/deafness (63 
  gp), scroll of dispel magic (31 gp), scroll of haste (31 gp), wand 
  of magic missile (3rd, 10 charges) (19 gp), +2 full plate (471 
  gp), +1 heavy flail (193 gp), +1 studded leather (98 gp), 5 
  scrolls of inflict light wounds (2 gp each), scroll of calm 
  emotions (13 gp), 3 scrolls of cure moderate wounds (13 gp 
  each), scroll of glitterdust (13 gp), 2 scrolls of invisibility (13 gp 
  each), scroll of silence (13 gp), wand of enlarge person (62 gp). 
  APL 10: L: 109 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 2,969 gp – ring of protection 
  +1 (167 gp), bracers of armor +1 (83 gp), vest of resistance +2 
  (333 gp), cloak of Charisma +2 (333 gp), brooch of shielding 
  (125 gp), 2 potions of cure moderate wounds (25 gp each), 
  potion of remove blindness/deafness (63 gp), scroll of see 
  invisibility (13 gp), scroll of haste (31 gp), scroll of protection 
  from energy (31 gp), wand of magic missile (7th, 10 charges) 
  (44 gp), +2 full plate (471 gp), +1 heavy flail (193 gp), 
  gauntlets of ogre power (333 gp), +1 studded leather (98 gp), 5 
  scrolls of inflict light wounds (2 gp each), scroll of bull’s strength 
  (13 gp), scroll of calm emotions (13 gp), scroll of glitterdust (13 
  gp), 3 scrolls of invisibility (13 gp each), scroll of silence (13 
  gp), 2 scrolls of dispel magic (31 gp each), wand of enlarge 
  person (62 gp), wand of cure moderate wounds (375 gp). 
  APL 12: L: 159 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 4,843 gp – bracers of armor +1 
  (83 gp), ring of protection +2 (667 gp), vest of resistance +2 
  (333 gp), cloak of Charisma +2 (333 gp), brooch of shielding 
  (125 gp), glove of storing (833 gp), 2 potions of cure moderate 
  wounds (25 gp each), potion of remove blindness/deafness (63 
  gp), scroll of see invisibility (13 gp), scroll of haste (31 gp), scroll 
  of protection from energy (31 gp), wand of magic missile (7th, 
  10 charges) (44 gp), +2 full plate (471 gp), +1 heavy flail (193 
  gp), amulet of health +2 (333 gp), gauntlets of ogre power (333 
  gp), +1 studded leather (98 gp), ring of sustenance (208 gp), 5 
  scrolls of inflict light wounds (2 gp each), scroll of bull’s strength 
  (13 gp), scroll of calm emotions (13 gp), scroll of glitterdust (13 
  gp), 3 scrolls of invisibility (13 gp each), scroll of silence (13 
  gp), 2 scrolls of dispel magic (31 gp each), wand of enlarge 
  person (62 gp), wand of cure moderate wounds (375 gp). 
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 6: L: 279 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 1,469 gp - Total:1,848 gp 
  (cap 900 gp) 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 22 
  APL 8: L: 117 gp; C: 150 gp; M: 2,864 gp - Total: 3,131 gp 
  (cap 1,300 gp) 
  APL 10: L: 158 gp; C: 200 gp; M: 4,262 gp - Total: 4,620 gp 
  (cap 2,300 gp) 
  APL 12: L: 208 gp; C: 300 gp; M: 6,781 gp - Total: 7,289 gp 
  (cap 3,300 gp) 
  Items for the Adventure 
  Record 
  Special 
  At least two of the following categories will not apply to 
  the PC; cross out the items not gained. 
  Inner Light: For refusing the altar’s offer of dark power, 
  your inner light becomes brighter. You gain access to the 
  feats Heroic Destiny (RD), Blinding Wrath (Polyhedron 
  163/Dungeon 104), Scalding Faith of the Sun (Living 
  Greyhawk Journal 20/Dragon 306). 
   
  You may attract a lantern archon (see MM page 16) as 
  an Improved Familiar: 
  Familiar  
  Align 
  Arcane Spellcaster Lvl 
  Lantern archon 
  LG 
   
  7th 
  Although the archon’s Hit Dice are equal to yours, 
  calculate the DC of its Aura of Menace as if it had only 1 
  HD. 
  Inner Darkness: You have heeded the call of the ancient 
  powers. The following rules items are unlocked: 
  Mindbender (prestige class, CA); Black Lore of Moil (feat, 
  CA). Your appearance may change subtly, such as your 
  hair or eyes darkening or a tiny rune appearing on your 
  skin. 
   
  You may attract a shadow asp (see Fiend Folio page 
  152-153) as an Improved Familiar: 
  Familiar  
  Align 
  Arcane Spellcaster Lvl 
  Shadow asp 
  N 
   
  5th  
  Although the asp’s Hit Dice are equal to yours, calculate 
  the DC of its poison as if it had only 1 HD. The shadow 
  asp cannot create spawn. 
   
  If you had the condition “Infused with Ur-Flan Energies” 
  from PAL4-02, your response in this scenario yields a 
  more intense effect. 
   
  If you played PAL4-02 with a different PC, you are 
  allowed to remove the “Infused” condition from that PC, 
  but you do not qualify for either enhanced effect below. 
   
  If you have not yet played PAL4-02 but later obtain 
  the “Infused” condition with this PC, you will get one of 
  the enhanced effects below, according to your choice in 
  this scenario. 
  Inner Light (enhanced): You have purged yourself of 
  that unwelcome burden. Cross off “Infused with Ur-Flan 
  Energies”. If you swapped a known spell while you had 
  the “Infused” condition, you must undo this swap and 
  reinstate the previously known spell. Having known but 
  eschewed the path of shadow, you now gain additional 
  access to the feats Great Fervor (Dragon 319) and Spurn 
  Death’s Touch (Libris Mortis). 
  Inner Darkness (enhanced): You have embraced the 
  touch of darkness, so it grows within you. You gain access 
  to the feat Requiem (Libris Mortis). You also gain 
  Regional access to the item shadow veil (Libris Mortis). 
  When you decide to buy a shadow veil, one simply appears 
  during the night and your gold disappears. 
  Favor of Pholtus: This represents influence with the 
  Pale’s Church of the One True Path. It may be used to 
  fulfill certain meta-org requirements or otherwise affect 
  your relation with the Church. It has no effect on the 
  prices for NPC spellcasting. Up to two Favors of Pholtus 
  may be gained in this scenario: one per TU spent helping 
  fight the disease in Landrigard. The Church pays for your 
  Upkeep during these extra TUs. Write the number of 
  TUs spent (and Favors gained) here: ______. 
   
  Item Access 
  APL 6: 
  • 
  mithral shirt (Adventure; DMG; 1,100 gp) 
  • 
  vest of resistance +2 (Adventure; CA; 4,000 gp) 
  • 
  wand of enlarge person (Adventure; DMG; 750 gp) 
  • 
  wand of magic missile (Adventure; 3rd level caster; 
  DMG; 2,250 gp) 
  APL 8 (all of APL 6 plus the following): 
  • 
  +2 full plate (Adventure; DMG; 5,650 gp) 
  APL 10 (all of APLs 6-8 plus the following): 
  • 
  wand of cure moderate wounds (Adventure; DMG; 
  4,500 gp) 
  • 
  wand of magic missile (Adventure; 7th level caster; 
  DMG; 5,250 gp) 
  • 
  brooch of shielding (Adventure; DMG; 1,500 gp) 
  APL 12 (all of APLs 6-10 plus the following): 
  • 
  +1 mithral shirt of silent moves (Adventure; DMG; 
  5,850 gp) 
  • 
  ring of protection +2 (Adventure; DMG; 8,000 gp) 
  • 
  glove of storing (Adventure; DMG; 10,000 gp) 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 23 
   
  Appendix One: NPCs (all APLs) 
  Encounter One 
   
   
   
   
  Anneka: Female human Clr1 (Atroa); CR 1; Medium 
  Humanoid (human); HD 1d8+2; hp 10; Init -1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 10, touch 9, flat-footed 10 [+1 padded armor, -1 
  Dex]; Base Atk/Grp +0/+0; Atk or Full Atk +0 melee 
  (1d4/19-20, dagger); SA turn undead 4/day; SQ —; AL 
  NG; SV Fort +6, Ref -1, Will +4; Str 10, Dex 8, Con 14, 
  Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +6, Diplomacy +3, 
  Heal +6, Knowledge (nature) +3, Knowledge (religion) 
  +3, Listen +4, Profession (herbalist) +4, Spot +4; 
  Alertness, Great Fortitude . 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan. 
   
  Cleric Spells Prepared (3/2+1): 0—create water, 
  mending, purify food and drink; 1st—endure elements, 
  protection from evil*, remove fear. 
  *Domain spell. Deity: Atroa. Domains: Good (cast good 
  spells at +1 caster level); Plant (rebuke or command 
  plant creatures 4/day, Knowledge [nature] as class 
  skill). 
   
  Possessions: Padded armor, dagger, 2 scrolls of cure 
  light wounds, healer’s kit, wooden holy symbol (Atroa, 
  concealed). 
   
  Physical Description: See Encounter One. 
   
  Burrell: Male human Pal3 (Pholtus); CR 3; Medium 
  Humanoid (human); HD 3d10+3; hp 25; Init -1; Spd 30 
  ft. (20 ft. in armor); AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 [-1 Dex]; 
  Base Atk/Grp +3/+5; Atk or Full Atk +6 melee 
  (1d8+2/19-20, masterwork longsword); SA smite evil 
  1/day (+2 attack, +3 damage); SQ aura of courage, detect 
  evil, divine grace, divine health, lay on hands (6 
  points/day); AL LG; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 14, 
  Dex 8, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 15. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +6, Heal +3, Knowledge 
  (religion) +2, Ride +5, Sense Motive +5; Endurance, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat. 
   
  Languages: Common. 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork banded mail, heavy steel 
  shield, masterwork longsword, dagger, 3 flasks holy 
  water (+2 ranged touch attack), 2 potions of cure light 
  wounds, wooden holy symbol (Pholtus). 
   
  Physical Description: See Encounter One. 
   
  Note: Armor class above applies when he is not in 
  armor. If fully armored, he has AC 16, touch 9, flat-
  footed 16 [+5 banded mail, +2 shield, -1 Dex].  
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 24 
  Appendix One: NPCs (APL 6) 
  Encounter One 
   
   
   
   
  Turn-Resistant 6-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 5; 
  Medium Undead; HD 6d12; hp 42; Init +2; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 Dex, +2 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +3/—; Atk or Full Atk +5 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn 
  resistance (+6 with feat), undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 6, Wis 
  12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +11 (+15 in shadowy 
  illumination, +7 in bright illumination), Listen +8, 
  Search +5, Spot +8; Alertness, Dodge, Improved Turn 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Note: This shadow is turned as if a 12-HD undead. 
   
  Astrid (APL 6 version): Female human Rgr6; CR 6; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 6d8+6; hp 39; Init 
  +3; Spd 30 ft. (40 ft. with longstrider); AC 17 (+1 for 
  Dodge), touch 13 (+1 for Dodge), flat-footed 14 [+4 
  armor, +3 Dex]; Base Atk/Grp +6/+8; Atk +9 melee 
  (1d6+3/18-20, +1 scimitar) or +10 ranged (1d6+2/x3, 
  masterwork composite shortbow [+2 Str bonus]); Full 
  Atk +9/+4 melee (1d6+3/18-20, +1 scimitar), or +7/+2 
  melee (1d6+3/18-20, +1 scimitar) and +7/+2 melee 
  (1d4+1/18-20, off-hand masterwork kukri), or +10/+5 
  ranged (1d6+2/x3, masterwork composite shortbow [+2 
  Str bonus]); SA —; SQ favored enemy humans +4, 
  favored enemy animals +2, wild empathy +5, woodland 
  stride; AL NE; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 
  17, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Hide 
  +12, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge 
  (nature) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge (religion) +2, Listen +10, Move Silently 
  +12, Perform (dance) +3, Spot +10, Survival +12, 
  Tumble +6; Combat Reflexes, Dodge, EnduranceB, 
  Improved Two-Weapon FightingB, Mobility, Spring 
  Attack, TrackB, Two-Weapon FightingB. 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan. 
   
  Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has selected two-
  weapon combat. She gains the Two-Weapon Fighting 
  feat without the normal prerequisites. 
   
  Improved Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has 
  selected two-weapon combat. She gains the Improved 
  Two-Weapon Fighting feat without the normal 
  prerequisites. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared (2): 1st—longstrider, pass 
  without trace. CL 3rd. (Both were precast one hour 
  before this fight.) 
   
  Possessions: Mithral shirt, +1 scimitar, masterwork 
  kukri, 2 kukris, masterwork composite shortbow (+2 
  Str bonus), 10 arrows, 5 silver arrows, 5 cold iron 
  arrows, cloak of resistance +1, potion of cure moderate 
  wounds, thunderstone. 
   
  Physical Description: Astrid is a human woman of 
  mixed ancestry. She stands 5’5” and has a wiry build. 
  She has tan skin, short black hair, and green eyes. She 
  dresses in grey garb that accommodates her athletic 
  activity. 
   
  Encounter Four − Cloaker  
   
  Elite 9-HD Advanced Cloaker: CR 7; Large 
  Aberration; HD 9d8+36; hp 81; Init +9; Spd 10 ft., fly 40 
  ft. (average); AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 16 [-1 size, +5 
  Dex, +7 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +6/+17; Atk +12 melee 
  (1d6+7, tail slap); Full Atk +12 melee (1d6+7, tail slap) 
  and +7 melee (1d4+3, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft. (5 
  ft. with bite); SA moan, engulf; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  shadow shift; AL CN; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +9; Str 
  24, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +13, Listen +17, Move 
  Silently +17, Spot +17; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, 
  Improved Initiative, Wingover. 
   
  Languages: Undercommon. 
   
  Moan (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. The saving throws against the effects are at DC 
  16. 
   
  Engulf (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. 
   
  Shadow Shift (Su): as the ability in the Monster 
  Manual, page 36. The saving throws against the effects 
  are at DC 16, and the cloaker’s caster level is 9th 
  instead of 6th. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 25 
  Encounter Four − The Cult 
   
   
  Caelarah (APL 6 version): Female human (Flan) Sor6; 
  CR 6; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 6d4+12; hp 
  31; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 11 
  [+1 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +3/+2; Atk or Full Atk +3 
  melee (1d4-1/19-20, masterwork dagger); SA spells; SQ 
  raven familiar (empathic link, share spells); AL CE; SV 
  Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +8; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 14, 
  Wis 12, Cha 17. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Appraise 
  +5, 
  Bluff 
  +14, 
  Concentration +11, Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +7, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (the planes) +3, 
  Knowledge (religion) +4, Spellcraft +13, Tumble +2; 
  AlertnessB (when familiar is within arm’s reach), 
  Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Persuasive, Silent Spell, 
  Spell Focus (illusion). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Draconic. 
   
  Empathic Link (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Share Spells (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/6/4 per day): 0—daze 
  (DC 13), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 15), message, 
  prestidigitation, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 13); 1st—
  chill touch (+2 touch, DC 14), ray of enfeeblement (+3 
  ranged touch), true strike, ventriloquism (DC 16); 2nd—
  blindness/ deafness (DC 15), mirror image; 3rd—major 
  image (DC 18). 
   
  Possessions: Ring of protection +1, vest of resistance +2, 
  masterwork dagger, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion 
  of remove blindness/deafness, scroll of dispel magic, wand of 
  magic missile (3rd, 10 charges), spell component pouch; 
  bracelet of friends (one charm, keyed to Astrid). 
   
  Physical Description: Caelarah is a small Flan woman 
  in her late twenties. She is not a classic beauty but has a 
  commanding presence and a captivating voice. Her 
  hair is long and wavy, her eyes nearly black. She 
  enhances her eyelids and lips with dark paint. Her 
  dress and cloak are of silk and velvet, in swirling 
  patterns of deep purple, charcoal grey, and black. 
  Raven Familiar (APL 6 version): CR —; Tiny 
  magical beast; HD 6; hp 15; Init +0; Spd 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (average); AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 [+2 size, +2 
  Dex, +3 natural bonus]; Base Atk/Grp +3/-10; Atk or 
  Full Atk +7 melee (1d2-5, claws); Space/Reach 2-1/2 
  ft./0 ft.; SA —; SQ deliver touch spells, empathic link, 
  improved evasion, low-light vision, speak with master; 
  AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 
  10, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +7, Concentration +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (the planes) +0, 
  Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +5, Spellcraft +10, Spot 
  +7, Tumble +4; Alertness, Weapon FinesseB. 
   
  Languages: Flan. 
   
  Elthorn (APL 6 version): Male human (mixed) 
  Brd2/Ftr3; CR 5; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  2d6+4 plus 3d10+6; hp 38; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (20 ft. in 
  full plate); AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 [+8 full 
  plate]; Base Atk/Grp +4/+6; Atk or Full Atk +8 melee 
  (1d10+4/19-20, +1 heavy flail) or +4 ranged (1d8+2/x3, 
  composite longbow [+2 Str bonus]); SA —; SQ bardic 
  knowledge +5, bardic music 2/day (countersong, 
  fascinate, inspire courage +1); AL NE (borderline N); 
  SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 
  13, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +10, Diplomacy +9, Disguise 
  +7 (+9 acting), Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +8, 
  Knowledge (history) +6, Listen +6, Perform (sing) +7, 
  Spellcraft +6; Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved 
  Trip, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy flail). 
   
  Languages: 
  Common, 
  Flan, 
  Draconic, 
  Undercommon. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/1 per day): 0—daze, detect 
  magic, ghost sound (DC 12), message, prestidigitation; 1st—
  disguise self (DC 13), undetectable alignment. Arcane spell 
  failure 35%. 
   
  Possessions: Masterwork full plate, +1 heavy flail (in 
  locked gauntlet), composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), 20 
  arrows, dagger, potion of cure moderate wounds, disguise 
  kit, spell component pouch. 
   
  Physical Description: Elthorn is a nineteen-year-old 
  man. He is sturdily built but still youthful in overall 
  appearance, at odds with the forceful role that he plays 
  in the cult. His handsome face resembles that of his 
  father, Vadric, sheriff of Bronzebrook, but with a Flan 
  cast. His armor is lacquered black and of draconic 
  aspect. When disguised as “Brother Telios”, he looks 
  like a red-haired Oeridian man about ten years older. 
   
  Muirig (APL 6 version): Male human Exp5; CR 4; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 5d6+10; hp 30; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 [+4 +1 
  studded leather, -1 Dex]; Base Atk/Grp +3/+3 (currently 
  +1); Atk or Full Atk +3 (+1) melee (1d4(-2)/19-20, 
  dagger) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SA 
  —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +7; Str 10 
  (currently 7), Dex 8, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (alchemy) +11, Heal +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (local-NMR) +4, 
  Knowledge (local-Sheldomar Valley) +10, Knowledge 
  (nature) +11, Knowledge (the planes) +11, Knowledge 
  (religion) +11, Profession (apothecary) +3, Spellcraft 
  +15, Use Magic Device +14 (+16 with scrolls); Iron 
  Will, Magical Aptitude, Skill Focus (Use Magical 
  Device). 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 26 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Ancient Suloise, 
  Infernal. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, 2 daggers, light 
  crossbow, 10 bolts, 5 scrolls of cure light wounds, 5 scrolls of 
  inflict light wounds, 2 scrolls of invisibility, scroll of silence, 
  wand of enlarge person. 
   
  Physical Description: Muirig is in his late thirties. 
  His curly brown hair is somewhat crazed and shows 
  streaks of grey. He has dark circles under his deep-set 
  blue eyes. His large ears could inspire unflattering 
  comparisons to the mothlike creatures that he often 
  studies. He is pale from recent Strength damage (stats 
  shown in parentheses above), an addiction that his 
  wife’s shadow companion satisfies for him. 
   
  Astrid (APL 6 version): Female human Rgr6; see 
  Encounter One stat-block. 
   
  Cultists: Male or female human Com1; CR 1/2; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d4+1; hp 4; Init +0; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 [+2 leather 
  armor]; Base Atk/Grp +0/+1; Atk or Full Atk +1 melee 
  (1d8+1, morningstar) or +1 melee (1d4+1/19-20, 
  dagger); SA —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will 
  +0; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (various) +1, Jump +3, Listen 
  +4, Spot +4; Alertness, Simple Weapon Proficiency. 
   
  Languages: Common. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, morningstar, dagger, 
  wooden holy symbol (Falazure). 
   
  Physical Description: The cultists are of various ages. 
  Most are Flan (or mostly-Flan) but some are Oeridians 
  or of other ethnicities. They wear dark robes and wear a 
  necklace depicting a draconic skull. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 27 
  Appendix One: NPCs (APL 8) 
  Encounter One 
   
   
   
   
  6-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 5; Medium Undead; 
  HD 6d12; hp 42; Init +6; Spd fly 40 ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 
  for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 
  Dex, +2 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +3/—; Atk or Full 
  Atk +5 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); SA create 
  spawn, strength damage; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str —, Dex 14, Con —, 
  Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +11 (+15 in shadowy 
  illumination, +7 in bright illumination), Listen +8, 
  Search +5, Spot +8; Alertness, Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative. 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 7; 
  Medium Undead; HD 9d12; hp 63; Init +2; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 Dex, +2 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +4/—; Atk or Full Atk +6 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, positive energy 
  resistance 10, +2 turn resistance (+6 with feat), undead 
  traits; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7; Str —, Dex 
  15, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14 (+18 in shadowy 
  illumination, +10 in bright illumination), Listen +9, 
  Search +6, Spot +9; Alertness, Dodge, Improved Turn 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two), Positive Energy 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Note: This shadow is turned as if a 15-HD undead. 
   
  Astrid (APL 8 version): Female human Rgr7/Shd1; 
  CR 8; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 7d8+7 plus 
  1d6+1; hp 50; Init +4; Spd 30 ft. (40 ft. with longstrider); 
  AC 19 (+1 for Dodge), touch 15 (+1 for Dodge), flat-
  footed 15 [+4 mithral shirt, +4 Dex, +1 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +7/+9; Atk +10 melee (1d6+3/18-20, +1 
  scimitar) or +12 ranged (1d6+2/x3, masterwork 
  composite shortbow [+2 Str bonus]); Full Atk +10/+5 
  melee (1d6+3/18-20, +1 scimitar), or +8/+3 melee 
  (1d6+3/18-20, +1 scimitar) and +8/+3 melee (1d4+2/18-
  20, off-hand +1 kukri), or +12/+7 ranged (1d6+2/x3, 
  masterwork composite shortbow [+2 Str bonus]); SA —
  ; SQ favored enemy humans +4, favored enemy animals 
  +2, hide in plain sight, wild empathy +6, woodland 
  stride; AL NE; SV Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 
  18, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Hide 
  +15, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge 
  (nature) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +2, Knowledge (religion) +2, 
  Listen +12, Move Silently +15, Perform (dance) +4, 
  Spot +12, Survival +13, Tumble +11; Combat Reflexes, 
  Dodge, EnduranceB, Improved Two-Weapon FightingB, 
  Mobility, 
  Spring 
  Attack, 
  TrackB, 
  Two-Weapon 
  FightingB. 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan. 
   
  Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has selected two-
  weapon combat. She gains the Two-Weapon Fighting 
  feat without the normal prerequisites. 
   
  Improved Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has 
  selected two-weapon combat. She gains the Improved 
  Two-Weapon Fighting feat without the normal 
  prerequisites. 
   
  Hide in Plain Sight (Su): as the ability in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared (2): 1st—longstrider, pass 
  without trace. CL 3rd. (Both were precast one hour 
  before this fight.) 
   
  Possessions: Mithral shirt, +1 scimitar, +1 kukri, 2 
  kukris, masterwork composite shortbow (+2 Str 
  bonus), 10 arrows, 5 silver arrows, 5 cold iron arrows, 
  ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, potion of remove blindness/deafness, 
  thunderstone. 
   
  Physical Description: Astrid is a human woman of 
  mixed ancestry. She stands 5’5” and has a wiry build. 
  She has tan skin, short black hair, and green eyes. She 
  dresses in grey garb that accommodates her athletic 
  activity. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 28 
  Encounter Four − Cloakers 
   
   
  Elite 9-HD Advanced Cloaker: CR 7; Large 
  Aberration; HD 9d8+36; hp 81; Init +9; Spd 10 ft., fly 40 
  ft. (average); AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 16 [-1 size, +5 
  Dex, +7 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +6/+17; Atk +12 melee 
  (1d6+7, tail slap); Full Atk +12 melee (1d6+7, tail slap) 
  and +7 melee (1d4+3, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft. (5 
  ft. with bite); SA moan, engulf; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  shadow shift; AL CN; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +9; Str 
  24, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +13, Listen +17, Move 
  Silently +17, Spot +17; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, 
  Improved Initiative, Wingover. 
   
  Languages: Undercommon. 
   
  Moan (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. The saving throws against the effects are at DC 
  16. 
   
  Engulf (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. 
   
  Shadow Shift (Su): as the ability in the Monster 
  Manual, page 36. The saving throws against the effects 
  are at DC 16, and the cloaker’s caster level is 9th 
  instead of 6th. 
   
  Encounter Four − The Cult 
   
   
  Caelarah (APL 8 version): Female human (Flan) Sor8; 
  CR 8; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 8d4+16; hp 
  41; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 12 
  [+1 bracers, +1 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +4/+3; Atk or 
  Full Atk +4 melee (1d4-1/19-20, masterwork dagger); 
  SA spells; SQ raven familiar (empathic link, share 
  spells); AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 8, Dex 
  10, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 18 (20). 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Appraise 
  +5, 
  Bluff 
  +18, 
  Concentration +13, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +4, 
  Knowledge (religion) +4, Spellcraft +15, Tumble +2; 
  AlertnessB (when familiar is within arm’s reach), 
  Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Persuasive, Silent Spell, 
  Spell Focus (illusion). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Draconic. 
   
  Empathic Link (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Share Spells (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/7/6/4 per day): 0—daze 
  (DC 15), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 17), mending, 
  message, prestidigitation, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 
  15); 1st—chill touch (+3 touch, DC 16), feather fall, ray of 
  enfeeblement (+4 ranged touch), true strike, ventriloquism 
  (DC 18); 2nd—blindness/deafness (DC 17), false life, 
  mirror image; 3rd—major image (DC 20), slow (DC 18); 
  4th—dimension door. 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of armor +1, ring of protection +1, 
  vest of resistance +2, cloak of Charisma +2, masterwork 
  dagger, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of remove 
  blindness/deafness, scroll of dispel magic, scroll of haste, wand 
  of magic missile (3rd, 10 charges), spell component 
  pouch; bracelet of friends (one charm, keyed to Astrid). 
   
  Physical Description: Caelarah is a small Flan woman 
  in her late twenties. She is not a classic beauty but has a 
  commanding presence and a captivating voice. Her 
  hair is long and wavy, her eyes nearly black. She 
  enhances her eyelids and lips with dark paint. Her 
  dress and cloak are of silk and velvet, in swirling 
  patterns of deep purple, charcoal grey, and black. 
  Raven Familiar (APL 8 version): CR —; Tiny 
  magical beast; HD 8; hp 20; Init +0; Spd 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (average); AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 16 [+2 size, +2 
  Dex, +4 natural bonus]; Base Atk/Grp +4/-9; Atk or Full 
  Atk +8 melee (1d2-5, claws); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.; 
  SA —; SQ deliver touch spells, empathic link, 
  improved evasion, low-light vision, speak with master, 
  speak with other birds; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will 
  +7; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +9, Concentration +11, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (the planes) +1, 
  Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +5, Spellcraft +12, Spot 
  +7, Tumble +4; Alertness, Weapon FinesseB. 
   
  Languages: Flan. 
   
  Elthorn (APL 8 version): Male human (mixed) 
  Brd2/Ftr4/Dragon Disciple 1 (shadow dragon); CR 7; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 2d6+4 plus 4d10+8 
  plus 1d12+2; hp 55; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (20 ft. in full 
  plate); AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 21 [+10 +2 full plate, 
  +1 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +5/+7; Atk or Full Atk +9 
  melee (1d10+6/19-20, +1 heavy flail) or +5 ranged 
  (1d8+2/x3, composite longbow [+2 Str bonus]); SA —; 
  SQ bardic knowledge +5, bardic music 2/day 
  (countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1); AL NE 
  (borderline N); SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 
  10, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Disguise 
  +7 (+9 acting), Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +9, 
  Knowledge (history) +6, Listen +8, Perform (sing) +7, 
  Spellcraft +6; Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved 
  Disarm, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Weapon Focus 
  (heavy flail), Weapon Specialization (heavy flail). 
   
  Languages: 
  Common, 
  Flan, 
  Draconic, 
  Undercommon. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/2 per day): 0—daze, detect 
  magic, ghost sound (DC 12), message, prestidigitation; 1st—
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 29 
  disguise self (DC 13), undetectable alignment. Arcane spell 
  failure 35%. 
   
  Possessions: +2 full plate, +1 heavy flail (in locked 
  gauntlet), composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), 20 
  arrows, dagger, potion of cure moderate wounds, disguise 
  kit, spell component pouch. 
   
  Physical Description: Elthorn is a nineteen-year-old 
  man. He is sturdily built but still youthful in overall 
  appearance, at odds with the forceful role that he plays 
  in the cult. His handsome face resembles that of his 
  father, Vadric, sheriff of Bronzebrook, but with a Flan 
  cast. His coppery skin has just a hint of tiny, darkly 
  iridescent scales. His armor is lacquered black and of 
  draconic aspect. When disguised as “Brother Telios”, he 
  looks like a red-haired Oeridian man about ten years 
  older. 
   
  Muirig (APL 8 version): Male human Exp7; CR 6; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 7d6+14; hp 42; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 [+4 +1 
  studded leather, -1 Dex]; Base Atk/Grp +5/+5 (currently 
  +3); Atk or Full Atk +5 (+3) melee (1d4(-2)/19-20, 
  dagger) or +4 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SA 
  —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +8; Str 10 
  (currently 7), Dex 8, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (alchemy) +13, Heal +11, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (local-NMR) +5, 
  Knowledge (local-Sheldomar Valley) +11, Knowledge 
  (nature) +13, Knowledge (the planes) +16, Knowledge 
  (religion) +13, Profession (apothecary) +5, Spellcraft 
  +17, Use Magic Device +16 (+18 with scrolls); Iron 
  Will, Magical Aptitude, Skill Focus (Knowledge [the 
  planes]), Skill Focus (Use Magic Device). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Ancient Suloise, 
  Draconic, Infernal. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, 2 daggers, light 
  crossbow, 10 bolts, 5 scrolls of inflict light wounds, scroll of 
  calm emotions, 3 scrolls of cure moderate wounds, scroll of 
  glitterdust, 2 scrolls of invisibility, scroll of silence, wand of 
  enlarge person. 
   
  Physical Description: Muirig is in his late thirties. 
  His curly brown hair is somewhat crazed and shows 
  streaks of grey. He has dark circles under his deep-set 
  blue eyes. His large ears could inspire unflattering 
  comparisons to the mothlike creatures that he often 
  studies. He is pale from recent Strength damage (stats 
  shown in parentheses above), an addiction that his 
  wife’s shadow companion satisfies for him. 
   
  Astrid (APL 8 version): Female human Rgr7/Shd1; 
  see Encounter One stat-block. 
   
  Turn-Resistant 6-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 5; 
  Medium Undead; HD 6d12; hp 42; Init +2; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 Dex, +2 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +3/—; Atk or Full Atk +5 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn 
  resistance (+6 with feat), undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 6, Wis 
  12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +11 (+15 in shadowy 
  illumination, +7 in bright illumination), Listen +8, 
  Search +5, Spot +8; Alertness, Dodge, Improved Turn 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Note: This shadow is turned as if a 12-HD undead. 
   
  Cultists: Male or female human Com1; CR 1/2; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d4+1; hp 4; Init +0; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 [+2 leather 
  armor]; Base Atk/Grp +0/+1; Atk or Full Atk +1 melee 
  (1d8+1, morningstar) or +1 melee (1d4+1/19-20, 
  dagger); SA —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will 
  +0; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (various) +1, Jump +3, Listen 
  +4, Spot +4; Alertness, Simple Weapon Proficiency. 
   
  Languages: Common. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, morningstar, dagger, 
  wooden holy symbol (Falazure). 
   
  Physical Description: The cultists are of various ages. 
  Most are Flan (or mostly-Flan) but some are Oeridians 
  or of other ethnicities. They wear dark robes and wear a 
  necklace depicting a draconic skull. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 30 
  Appendix One: NPCs (APL 10) 
  Encounter One 
   
   
   
   
  6-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 5; Medium Undead; 
  HD 6d12; hp 42; Init +6; Spd fly 40 ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 
  for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 
  Dex, +2 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +3/—; Atk or Full 
  Atk +5 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); SA create 
  spawn, strength damage; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str —, Dex 14, Con —, 
  Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +11 (+15 in shadowy 
  illumination, +7 in bright illumination), Listen +8, 
  Search +5, Spot +8; Alertness, Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative. 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 7; 
  Medium Undead; HD 9d12; hp 63; Init +2; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 Dex, +2 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +4/—; Atk or Full Atk +6 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, positive energy 
  resistance 10, +2 turn resistance (+6 with feat), undead 
  traits; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7; Str —, Dex 
  15, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14 (+18 in shadowy 
  illumination, +10 in bright illumination), Listen +9, 
  Search +6, Spot +9; Alertness, Dodge, Improved Turn 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two), Positive Energy 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Note: This shadow is turned as if a 15-HD undead. 
   
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  10 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd3; CR 10; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  7d8+7 plus 3d6+3; hp 60; Init +5; Spd 30 ft. (40 ft. with 
  longstrider); AC 21 (+1 for Dodge), touch 16 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 21 (uncanny dodge) [+5 +1 mithral 
  shirt, +5 Dex, +1 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +9/+11; Atk 
  +15 melee (1d4+3/18-20, +1 kukri) or +15 ranged 
  (1d6+2/x3, masterwork composite shortbow [+2 Str 
  bonus]); Full Atk +15/+10 melee (1d4+3/18-20, +1 
  kukri), or +13/+8 melee (1d4+3/18-20, +1 kukri) and 
  +13/+8 melee (1d4+2/18-20, off-hand +1 kukri), or 
  +15/+10 ranged (1d6+2/x3, masterwork composite 
  shortbow [+2 Str bonus]); SA —; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  evasion, favored enemy humans +4, favored enemy 
  animals +2, hide in plain sight, summon shadow, 
  uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC), wild empathy +6, 
  woodland stride; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +14, Will +5; 
  Str 14, Dex 18 (20), Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Hide 
  +18, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge 
  (nature) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +2, Knowledge (religion) +2, 
  Listen +14, Move Silently +18, Perform (dance) +4, 
  Spot +14, Survival +14, Tumble +18; Combat Reflexes, 
  Dodge, EnduranceB, Improved Two-Weapon FightingB, 
  Mobility, 
  Spring 
  Attack, 
  TrackB, 
  Two-Weapon 
  FightingB, Weapon Finesse. 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan. 
   
  Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has selected two-
  weapon combat. She gains the Two-Weapon Fighting 
  feat without the normal prerequisites. 
   
  Improved Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has 
  selected two-weapon combat. She gains the Improved 
  Two-Weapon Fighting feat without the normal 
  prerequisites. 
   
  Hide in Plain Sight (Su): as the ability in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Shadow Illusion (Sp): as the ability in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Summon Shadow: as the ability in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared (2): 1st—longstrider, pass 
  without trace. CL 3rd. (Both were precast one hour 
  before this fight.) 
   
  Possessions: +1 mithral shirt, 2 +1 kukris, 2 kukris, 
  masterwork composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus), 10 
  arrows, 5 silver arrows, 5 cold iron arrows, ring of 
  protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, gloves of Dexterity +2, 
  potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of gaseous form, 
  potion of remove blindness/deafness, thunderstone. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 31 
   
  Gwenfar has a permanent Rary’s telepathic bond (CL 
  16th) with her husband, Muirig. 
   
  Physical Description: Gwenfar is a human woman, 
  tall and lithe, with pale skin, dark brown hair cut 
  boyishly short, cold black eyes, and a sardonic smirk. 
  She dresses in grey garb that accommodates her 
  athletic activity. 
   
  Encounter Four − Cloaker  
   
  Elite 16-HD Advanced Huge Cloaker: CR 11; Huge 
  Aberration; HD 16d8+96; hp 176; Init +8; Spd 10 ft., fly 
  40 ft. (average); AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 18 [-2 size, 
  +4 Dex, +10 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +12/+32; Atk +22 
  melee (1d8+12/19-20, tail slap); Full Atk +22 melee 
  (1d8+12/19-20, tail slap) and +17 melee (1d6+6, bite); 
  Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft. (10 ft. with bite); SA moan, 
  engulf; SQ darkvision 60 ft., shadow shift; AL CN; SV 
  Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14; Str 34, Dex 18, Con 23, Int 
  14, Wis 18, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +15, Listen +25, Move 
  Silently +23, Spot +25; Ability Focus (moan), Alertness, 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (tail slap), 
  Improved Initiative, Wingover. 
   
  Languages: Undercommon. 
   
  Moan (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. The saving throws against the effects are at DC 
  22, including its Ability Focus feat. 
   
  Engulf (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. 
   
  Shadow Shift (Su): as the ability in the Monster 
  Manual, page 36. The saving throws against the effects 
  are at DC 20, and the cloaker’s caster level is 16th 
  instead of 6th. 
   
  Encounter Four − The Cult 
   
   
  Caelarah (APL 10 version): Female human (Flan) 
  Sor10; CR 10; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  10d4+20; hp 51; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, 
  flat-footed 11 [+1 bracers, +1 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp 
  +5/+4; Atk or Full Atk +5 melee (1d4-1/19-20, 
  masterwork dagger); SA spells; SQ raven familiar 
  (empathic link, share spells); AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref 
  +5, Will +10; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 
  18 (20). 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Appraise 
  +5, 
  Bluff 
  +20, 
  Concentration +15, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (the planes) +5, 
  Knowledge (religion) +6, Spellcraft +17, Tumble +2; 
  AlertnessB (when familiar is within arm’s reach), 
  Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Heighten Spell, 
  Persuasive, Silent Spell, Spell Focus (illusion). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Draconic. 
   
  Empathic Link (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Share Spells (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/7/7/6/4 per day): 0—
  daze (DC 15), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 17), mage 
  hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic, touch of 
  fatigue (DC 15); 1st—chill touch (+4 touch, DC 16), 
  feather fall, ray of enfeeblement (+6 ranged touch), true 
  strike, ventriloquism (DC 18); 2nd—blindness/deafness 
  (DC 17), darkvision, false life, mirror image; 3rd—
  incorporeal enhancement (see Appendix Two), major 
  image (DC 20), slow (DC 18); 4th—dimension door, 
  enervation (+6 ranged touch); 5th—shadow evocation 
  (DC 22). Usually, she has cast 2 darkvisions from her 
  2nd-level slots (5 slots remaining), and one incorporeal 
  enhancement from her 3rd-level slots (6 slots 
  remaining). 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of armor +1, ring of protection +1, 
  vest of resistance +2, cloak of Charisma +2, brooch of shielding 
  (101 points), masterwork dagger, potion of cure moderate 
  wounds, potion of remove blindness/deafness, scroll of see 
  invisibility, scroll of haste, scroll of protection from energy, 
  wand of magic missile (7th, 10 charges), spell component 
  pouch. 
   
  Physical Description: Caelarah is a small Flan woman 
  in her late twenties. She is not a classic beauty but has a 
  commanding presence and a captivating voice. Her 
  hair is long and wavy, her eyes nearly black. She 
  enhances her eyelids and lips with dark paint. Her 
  dress and cloak are of silk and velvet, in swirling 
  patterns of deep purple, charcoal grey, and black. 
  Raven Familiar (APL 10 version): CR —; Tiny 
  magical beast; HD 10; hp 25; Init +0; Spd 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (average); AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 17 [+2 size, +2 
  Dex, +5 natural bonus]; Base Atk/Grp +5/-8; Atk or Full 
  Atk +9 melee (1d2-5, claws); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.; 
  SA —; SQ deliver touch spells, empathic link, 
  improved evasion, low-light vision, speak with master, 
  speak with other birds; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will 
  +9; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Concentration +13, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +2, 
  Knowledge (religion) +3, Listen +5, Spellcraft +15, Spot 
  +7, Tumble +4; Alertness, Weapon FinesseB. 
   
  Languages: Flan. 
   
  Elthorn (APL 10 version): Male human (mixed) 
  Brd2/Ftr4/Dragon Disciple 2 (shadow dragon); CR 8; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 2d6+4 plus 4d10+8 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 32 
  plus 2d12+4; hp 64; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (20 ft. in full 
  plate); AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 21 [+10 +2 full plate, 
  +1 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +6/+10; Atk +12 melee 
  (1d10+10/19-20, +1 heavy flail) or +7 ranged (1d8+4/x3, 
  masterwork composite longbow [+4 Str bonus]); Full 
  Atk +12/+7 melee (1d10+9/19-20, +1 heavy flail) and +5 
  melee (1d6+4, bite) or +10 melee (1d6+4, bite) and 
  +5/+5 melee (1d4+2, 2 claws) or +7/+2 ranged 
  (1d8+4/x3, masterwork composite longbow [+4 Str 
  bonus]); SA —; SQ bardic knowledge +5, bardic music 
  2/day (countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1); AL 
  NE (borderline N); SV Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +8; Str 17 
  (19), Dex 10, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Disguise 
  +7 (+9 acting), Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +9, 
  Knowledge (history) +6, Listen +12, Perform (sing) +7, 
  Spellcraft +6; Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved 
  Disarm, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Weapon Focus 
  (heavy flail), Weapon Specialization (heavy flail). 
   
  Languages: 
  Common, 
  Flan, 
  Draconic, 
  Undercommon. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/3 per day): 0—daze, detect 
  magic, ghost sound (DC 12), message, prestidigitation; 1st—
  disguise self (DC 13), undetectable alignment. Arcane spell 
  failure 35%. 
   
  Possessions: +2 full plate, +1 heavy flail (in locked 
  gauntlet), gauntlets of ogre power, masterwork composite 
  longbow (+4 Str bonus), 20 arrows, dagger, potion of cure 
  moderate wounds, disguise kit, spell component pouch. 
   
  Physical Description: Elthorn is a nineteen-year-old 
  man. He is sturdily built but still youthful in overall 
  appearance, at odds with the forceful role that he plays 
  in the cult. His handsome face resembles that of his 
  father, Vadric, sheriff of Bronzebrook, but with a Flan 
  cast. His coppery skin has just a hint of tiny, darkly 
  iridescent scales. His armor is lacquered black and of 
  draconic aspect. When disguised as “Brother Telios”, he 
  looks like a red-haired Oeridian man about ten years 
  older. 
   
  Muirig (APL 10 version): Male human Exp8; CR 7; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 8d6+16; hp 48; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 [+4 +1 
  studded leather, -1 Dex]; Base Atk/Grp +6/+6 (currently 
  +4); Atk +6 (+4) melee (1d4(-2)/19-20, dagger) or +5 
  ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); Full Atk +6/+1 
  (+4/-1) melee (1d4(-2)/19-20, dagger) or +5 ranged 
  (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SA —; SQ —; AL NE; SV 
  Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +9; Str 10 (currently 7), Dex 8, Con 
  14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (alchemy) +14, Heal +12, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (local-NMR) +6, 
  Knowledge (local-Sheldomar Valley) +11, Knowledge 
  (nature) +14, Knowledge (the planes) +17, Knowledge 
  (religion) +14, Profession (apothecary) +7, Spellcraft 
  +18, Use Magic Device +18 (+20 with scrolls); Iron 
  Will, Magical Aptitude, Skill Focus (Knowledge [the 
  planes]), Skill Focus (Use Magic Device). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Ancient Suloise, 
  Draconic, Infernal. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, 2 daggers, light 
  crossbow, 10 bolts, 5 scrolls of inflict light wounds, scroll of 
  bull’s strength, scroll of calm emotions, scroll of glitterdust, 3 
  scrolls of invisibility, scroll of silence, 2 scrolls of dispel magic, 
  wand of enlarge person, wand of cure moderate wounds, 
  wand of unholy blight (8th, 1 charge); bracelet of friends 
  (one charm, keyed to Gwenfar). 
   
  Muirig has a permanent Rary’s telepathic bond (CL 
  16th) with his wife, Gwenfar. 
   
  Physical Description: Muirig is in his late thirties. 
  His curly brown hair is somewhat crazed and shows 
  streaks of grey. He has dark circles under his deep-set 
  blue eyes. His large ears could inspire unflattering 
  comparisons to the mothlike creatures that he often 
  studies. He is pale from recent Strength damage (stats 
  shown in parentheses above), an addiction that his 
  wife’s shadow companion satisfies for him. 
   
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  10 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd3; see Encounter One stat-block.  
   
  Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 7; 
  Medium Undead; HD 9d12; hp 63; Init +2; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 Dex, +2 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +4/—; Atk or Full Atk +6 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, positive energy 
  resistance 10, +2 turn resistance (+6 with feat), undead 
  traits; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7; Str —, Dex 
  15, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14 (+18 in shadowy 
  illumination, +10 in bright illumination), Listen +9, 
  Search +6, Spot +9; Alertness, Dodge, Improved Turn 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two), Positive Energy 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Note: This shadow is turned as if a 15-HD undead. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 33 
   
  Note: Under the effects of the incorporeal 
  enhancement spell (CL 10th) (see Appendix Two), it 
  gains +2 to AC, +2d8 (average 9) bonus hit points, +2 on 
  attack rolls, and a further +2 turn resistance. These 
  bonuses give it hp 63 + 9 temporary; AC 16, touch 14, 
  flat-footed 14; Atk or Full Atk +8 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); total turn resistance +8. This 
  shadow is normally turned as if a 15-HD undead, but as 
  if a 17-HD undead with incorporeal enhancement. 
   
  Cultists: Male or female human Com1; CR 1/2; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d4+1; hp 4; Init +0; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 [+2 leather 
  armor]; Base Atk/Grp +0/+1; Atk or Full Atk +1 melee 
  (1d8+1, morningstar) or +1 melee (1d4+1/19-20, 
  dagger); SA —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will 
  +0; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (various) +1, Jump +3, Listen 
  +4, Spot +4; Alertness, Simple Weapon Proficiency. 
   
  Languages: Common. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, morningstar, dagger, 
  wooden holy symbol (Falazure). 
   
  Physical Description: The cultists are of various ages. 
  Most are Flan (or mostly-Flan) but some are Oeridians 
  or of other ethnicities. They wear dark robes and wear a 
  necklace depicting a draconic skull. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 34 
  Appendix One: NPCs (APL 12) 
  Encounter One 
   
   
   
   
  6-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 5; Medium Undead; 
  HD 6d12; hp 42; Init +6; Spd fly 40 ft. (good); AC 14 (+1 
  for Dodge), touch 12 (+1 for Dodge), flat-footed 12 [+2 
  Dex, +2 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +3/—; Atk or Full 
  Atk +5 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); SA create 
  spawn, strength damage; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits; AL 
  CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str —, Dex 14, Con —, 
  Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +11 (+15 in shadowy 
  illumination, +7 in bright illumination), Listen +8, 
  Search +5, Spot +8; Alertness, Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative. 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Super-Shadow 
  (Elite, 
  Twice-Evolved, 
  Turn-
  Resistant, 9-HD Advanced Shadow): CR 10; 
  Medium Undead; HD 9d12; hp 63; Init +5; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 20 (+1 for Dodge), touch 15 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 15 [+5 Dex, +5 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +4/—; Atk or Full Atk +9 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 6, incorporeal traits, 
  positive energy resistance 10, spell-like abilities, +2 
  turn resistance (+6 with feat), undead traits; AL CE; SV 
  Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +8; Str —, Dex 20, Con —, Int 8, 
  Wis 14, Cha 20. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +17 (+21 in shadowy 
  illumination, +13 in bright illumination), Listen +16, 
  Search +11, Spot +16; Alertness, Dodge, Improved 
  Turn Resistance (see Appendix Two), Positive Energy 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): An evolved shadow heals 6 
  points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 
  hit point. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 1/day—confusion (DC 
  19), haste (self only). Caster level 9th. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based. 
   
  Note: This shadow is turned as if a 15-HD undead. 
   
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  12 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd5; CR 12; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  7d8+7 plus 5d6+5; hp 70; Init +5; Spd 30 ft. (40 ft. with 
  longstrider); AC 21 (+1 for Dodge), touch 16 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 21 (uncanny dodge) [+5 +1 mithral 
  shirt, +5 Dex, +1 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp +10/+12; Atk 
  +16 melee (1d4+3/15-20, +1 kukri) or +16 ranged 
  (1d6+2/x3, masterwork composite shortbow [+2 Str 
  bonus]); Full Atk +16/+11 melee (1d4+3/15-20, +1 
  kukri), or +14/+9 melee (1d4+3/15-20, +1 kukri) and 
  +14/+9 melee (1d4+2/15-20, off-hand +1 kukri), or 
  +16/+11 ranged (1d6+2/x3, masterwork composite 
  shortbow [+2 Str bonus]); SA —; SQ darkvision 60 ft., 
  defensive roll, evasion, favored enemy humans +4, 
  favored enemy animals +2, hide in plain sight, 
  improved uncanny dodge, shadow jump 20 ft., 
  summon shadow, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC), 
  wild empathy +6, woodland stride; AL NE; SV Fort +8, 
  Ref +15, Will +6; Str 14, Dex 19 (21), Con 12, Int 12, 
  Wis 12 (14), Cha 8. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Hide 
  +20, 
  Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge 
  (nature) 
  +6, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +2, Knowledge (religion) +2, 
  Listen +17, Move Silently +25, Perform (dance) +4, 
  Spot +17, Survival +18, Tumble +20; Combat Reflexes, 
  Dodge, 
  EnduranceB, 
  Improved 
  Critical 
  (kukri), 
  Improved Two-Weapon FightingB, Mobility, Spring 
  Attack, TrackB, Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon 
  Finesse. 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan. 
   
  Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has selected two-
  weapon combat. She gains the Two-Weapon Fighting 
  feat without the normal prerequisites. 
   
  Improved Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has 
  selected two-weapon combat. She gains the Improved 
  Two-Weapon Fighting feat without the normal 
  prerequisites. 
   
  Defensive Roll (Ex): as the ability in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, pages 195-196. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 35 
   
  Hide in Plain Sight (Su): as the ability in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Improved 
  Uncanny 
  Dodge 
  (Ex): 
  This 
  shadowdancer cannot be flanked except by a rogue of 
  at least 9th level. 
   
  Shadow Illusion (Sp): as the ability in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Shadow Jump (Su): as the ability in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Summon Shadow: as the ability in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, page 195. 
   
  Ranger Spells Prepared (2): 1st—longstrider, pass 
  without trace. CL 3rd. (Both were precast one hour 
  before this fight.) 
   
  Possessions: +1 mithral shirt of silent moves, 2 +1 kukris, 
  2 kukris, masterwork composite shortbow (+2 Str 
  bonus), 10 arrows, 5 silver arrows, 5 cold iron arrows, 
  ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, gloves of Dexterity 
  +2, periapt of Wisdom +2, potion of cure moderate wounds, 
  potion of gaseous form, potion of remove blindness/deafness, 
  thunderstone. 
   
  Gwenfar has a permanent Rary’s telepathic bond (CL 
  16th) with her husband, Muirig. 
   
  Physical Description: Gwenfar is a human woman, 
  tall and lithe, with pale skin, dark brown hair cut 
  boyishly short, cold black eyes, and a sardonic smirk. 
  She dresses in grey garb that accommodates her 
  athletic activity. 
   
  Note: She has her 2 nonmagical kukris enhanced 
  by greater magic weapon (+3, CL 12th). Her attack and 
  damage values are increased by 2, to a total of +18/+13 
  melee (1d4+5/15-20, +3 kukri), or +16/+11 melee 
  (1d4+5/15-20, +3 kukri) and +16/+11 melee (1d4+4/15-
  20, off-hand +3 kukri). 
   
  Encounter Four − Cloakers 
   
   
  Elite 16-HD Advanced Huge Cloaker: CR 11; Huge 
  Aberration; HD 16d8+96; hp 176; Init +8; Spd 10 ft., fly 
  40 ft. (average); AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 18 [-2 size, 
  +4 Dex, +10 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +12/+32; Atk +22 
  melee (1d8+12/19-20, tail slap); Full Atk +22 melee 
  (1d8+12/19-20, tail slap) and +17 melee (1d6+6, bite); 
  Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft. (10 ft. with bite); SA moan, 
  engulf; SQ darkvision 60 ft., shadow shift; AL CN; SV 
  Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14; Str 34, Dex 18, Con 23, Int 
  14, Wis 18, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +15, Listen +25, Move 
  Silently +23, Spot +25; Ability Focus (moan), Alertness, 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (tail slap), 
  Improved Initiative, Wingover. 
   
  Languages: Undercommon. 
   
  Moan (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. The saving throws against the effects are at DC 
  22, including its Ability Focus feat. 
   
  Engulf (Ex): as the ability in the Monster Manual, 
  page 36. 
   
  Shadow Shift (Su): as the ability in the Monster 
  Manual, page 36. The saving throws against the effects 
  are at DC 20, and the cloaker’s caster level is 16th 
  instead of 6th. 
   
  Encounter Four − The Cult 
   
   
  Caelarah (APL 12 version): Female human (Flan) 
  Sor12; CR 12; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  12d4+24; hp 61; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 12, 
  flat-footed 11 [+1 bracers, +2 deflection]; Base Atk/Grp 
  +6/+5; Atk +6 melee (1d4-1/19-20, masterwork dagger); 
  Full Atk +6/+1 melee (1d4-1/19-20, masterwork 
  dagger); SA spells; SQ raven familiar (empathic link, 
  share spells); AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +11; Str 8, 
  Dex 10, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 19 (21). 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Appraise 
  +5, 
  Bluff 
  +22, 
  Concentration +17, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (the planes) +5, 
  Knowledge (religion) +6, Spellcraft +19, Tumble +2; 
  AlertnessB (when familiar is within arm’s reach), 
  Empower Spell, Greater Spell Focus (illusion), 
  Heighten Spell, Persuasive, Silent Spell, Spell Focus 
  (illusion). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Draconic. 
   
  Empathic Link (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Share Spells (Su): as the ability in the Players 
  Handbook, page 53. 
   
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/7/7/7/6/3 per day): 0—
  daze (DC 15), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 17), mage 
  hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic, touch of 
  fatigue (DC 15); 1st—chill touch (+5 touch, DC 16), 
  feather fall, ray of enfeeblement (+6 ranged touch), true 
  strike, 
  ventriloquism 
  (DC 
  18); 
  2nd—alter 
  self, 
  blindness/deafness (DC 17), darkvision, false life, mirror 
  image; 
  3rd—greater 
  magic 
  weapon, 
  incorporeal 
  enhancement (see Appendix Two), major image (DC 20), 
  slow (DC 18); 4th—dimension door, enervation (+6 ranged 
  touch), phantasmal killer (DC 21); 5th—dream, shadow 
  evocation (DC 22); 6th—greater dispel magic. Usually, she 
  has cast 2 darkvisions from her 2nd-level slots (5 slots 
  remaining), and 3 greater magic weapons and one 
  incorporeal enhancement from her 3rd-level slots (3 slots 
  remaining). 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of armor +1, ring of protection +2, 
  vest of resistance +2, cloak of Charisma +2, brooch of shielding 
  (101 points), glove of storing, masterwork dagger, potion 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 36 
  of 
  cure 
  moderate 
  wounds, 
  potion 
  of 
  remove 
  blindness/deafness, scroll of see invisibility, scroll of haste, 
  scroll of protection from energy, wand of magic missile (7th, 
  10 charges) (normally in glove of storing), spell 
  component pouch. 
   
  Physical Description: Caelarah is a small Flan woman 
  in her late twenties. She is not a classic beauty but has a 
  commanding presence and a captivating voice. Her 
  hair is long and wavy, her eyes nearly black. She 
  enhances her eyelids and lips with dark paint. Her 
  dress and cloak are of silk and velvet, in swirling 
  patterns of deep purple, charcoal grey, and black. 
  Raven Familiar (APL 12 version): CR —; Tiny 
  magical beast; HD 12; hp 30; Init +0; Spd 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (average); AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18 [+2 size, +2 
  Dex, +6 natural bonus]; Base Atk/Grp +6/-7; Atk or Full 
  Atk +10 melee (1d2-5, claws); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 
  ft.; SA —; SQ deliver touch spells, empathic link, 
  improved evasion, low-light vision, speak with master, 
  speak with other birds, SR 17; AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref 
  +6, Will +10; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 
  6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +13, Concentration +15, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +3, 
  Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +5, Spellcraft +17, Spot 
  +7, Tumble +4; Alertness, Weapon FinesseB. 
   
  Languages: Flan. 
   
  Elthorn (APL 12 version): Male human (mixed) 
  Brd2/Ftr4/Dragon Disciple 4 (shadow dragon); CR 10; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 2d6+6 plus 4d10+12 
  plus 4d12+12; hp 92; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (20 ft. in full 
  plate); AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 22 [+10 +2 full plate, 
  +2 natural]; Base Atk/Grp +8/+13; Atk +15 melee 
  (1d10+10/19-20, +1 heavy flail) or +9 ranged (1d8+4/x3, 
  masterwork composite longbow [+4 Str bonus]); Full 
  Atk +15/+10 melee (1d10+10/19-20, +1 heavy flail) and 
  +8 melee (1d6+5, bite) or +13 melee (1d6+5, bite) and 
  +8/+8 melee (1d4+2, 2 claws) or +9/+4 ranged 
  (1d8+4/x3, masterwork composite longbow [+4 Str 
  bonus]); SA breath weapon 1/day; SQ bardic 
  knowledge +5, bardic music 2/day (countersong, 
  fascinate, inspire courage +1); AL NE (borderline N); 
  SV Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +9; Str 19 (21), Dex 10, Con 
  14 (16), Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +17, Disguise 
  +7 (+9 acting), Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +9, 
  Knowledge (history) +6, Listen +14, Perform (sing) +7, 
  Spellcraft +6; Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved 
  Disarm, Improved Trip, Lightning Reflexes , Power 
  Attack, 
  Weapon 
  Focus 
  (heavy 
  flail), 
  Weapon 
  Specialization (heavy flail). 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 30-ft. cone, damage 2d8 
  negative energy, Reflex DC 17 half. 
   
  Languages: 
  Common, 
  Flan, 
  Draconic, 
  Undercommon. 
   
  Bard Spells Known (3/4 per day): 0—daze, detect 
  magic, ghost sound (DC 12), message, prestidigitation; 1st—
  disguise self (DC 13), undetectable alignment. Arcane spell 
  failure 35%. 
   
  Possessions: +2 full plate, +1 heavy flail (in locked 
  gauntlet), amulet of health +2, gauntlets of ogre power, 
  masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), 20 
  arrows, dagger, potion of cure moderate wounds, disguise 
  kit, spell component pouch. 
   
  Physical Description: Elthorn is a nineteen-year-old 
  man. He is sturdily built but still youthful in overall 
  appearance, at odds with the forceful role that he plays 
  in the cult. His handsome face resembles that of his 
  father, Vadric, sheriff of Bronzebrook, but with a Flan 
  cast. His coppery skin has begun to transform into 
  tiny, darkly iridescent scales. His armor is lacquered 
  black and of draconic aspect. When disguised as 
  “Brother Telios”, he looks like a red-haired Oeridian 
  man about ten years older. 
   
  Muirig (APL 12 version): Male human Exp9; CR 8; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 9d6+18; hp 54; Init -
  1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 [+4 +1 
  studded leather, -1 Dex]; Base Atk/Grp +6/+6 (currently 
  +4); Atk +7 (+5) melee (1d4(-2)/19-20, masterwork 
  dagger) or +5 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); Full 
  Atk +7/+2 (+4/-1) melee (1d4(-2)/19-20, masterwork 
  dagger) or +5 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SA 
  —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +9; Str 10 
  (currently 7), Dex 8, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 13. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (alchemy) +15, Heal +13, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (local-NMR) +7, 
  Knowledge (local-Sheldomar Valley) +11, Knowledge 
  (nature) +15, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Knowledge 
  (religion) +18, Profession (apothecary) +7, Spellcraft 
  +19, Use Magic Device +19 (+21 with scrolls); Iron 
  Will, Magical Aptitude, Skill Focus (Knowledge [the 
  planes]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Skill 
  Focus (Use Magic Device). 
   
  Languages: Common, Flan, Ancient Suloise, 
  Draconic, Infernal, Undercommon. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, 2 masterwork daggers, 
  light crossbow, 10 bolts, ring of sustenance, 5 scrolls of 
  inflict light wounds, scroll of bull’s strength, scroll of calm 
  emotions, scroll of glitterdust, 3 scrolls of invisibility, scroll of 
  silence, 2 scrolls of dispel magic, wand of enlarge person, wand 
  of cure moderate wounds, wand of unholy blight (8th, 3 
  charges); bracelet of friends (one charm, keyed to 
  Gwenfar). 
   
  Muirig has a permanent Rary’s telepathic bond (CL 
  16th) with his wife, Gwenfar. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 37 
   
  Physical Description: Muirig is in his late thirties. 
  His curly brown hair is somewhat crazed and shows 
  streaks of grey. He has dark circles under his deep-set 
  blue eyes. His large ears could inspire unflattering 
  comparisons to the mothlike creatures that he often 
  studies. He is pale from recent Strength damage (stats 
  shown in parentheses above), an addiction that his 
  wife’s shadow companion satisfies for him. 
   
  Gwenfar 
  (APL 
  12 
  version): 
  Female 
  human 
  Rgr7/Shd5; see Encounter One stat-block.  
   
  Elite, Turn-Resistant 9-HD Advanced Shadow: CR 
  8; Medium Undead; HD 9d12; hp 63; Init +5; Spd fly 40 
  ft. (good); AC 18 (+1 for Dodge), touch 18 (+1 for 
  Dodge), flat-footed 15 [+5 Dex, +3 deflection]; Base 
  Atk/Grp +4/—; Atk or Full Atk +9 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); SA create spawn, strength damage; 
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, positive energy 
  resistance 10, +2 turn resistance (+6 with feat), undead 
  traits; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +8; Str —, Dex 
  20, Con —, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Hide +17 (+21 in shadowy 
  illumination, +13 in bright illumination), Listen +16, 
  Search +11, Spot +16; Alertness, Dodge, Improved 
  Turn Resistance (see Appendix Two), Positive Energy 
  Resistance (see Appendix Two). 
   
  Languages: Understands Common, but cannot 
  speak intelligibly. 
   
  Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow 
  deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A 
  creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is 
  a negative energy effect. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to 
  Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the 
  control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Note: Under the effects of the incorporeal 
  enhancement spell (CL 12th) (see Appendix Two), it 
  gains +2 to AC, +2d8 (average 9) bonus hit points, +2 on 
  attack rolls, and a further +2 turn resistance. These 
  bonuses give it hp 63 + 9 temporary; AC 20, touch 20, 
  flat-footed 18; Atk or Full Atk +11 melee (1d6 Str, 
  incorporeal touch); total turn resistance +8. This 
  shadow is normally turned as if a 15-HD undead, but as 
  if a 17-HD undead with incorporeal enhancement. 
   
  Cultists: Male or female human Com1; CR 1/2; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d4+1; hp 4; Init +0; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 [+2 leather 
  armor]; Base Atk/Grp +0/+1; Atk or Full Atk +1 melee 
  (1d8+1, morningstar) or +1 melee (1d4+1/19-20, 
  dagger); SA —; SQ —; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will 
  +0; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Craft (various) +1, Jump +3, Listen 
  +4, Spot +4; Alertness, Simple Weapon Proficiency. 
   
  Languages: Common. 
   
  Possessions: Leather armor, morningstar, dagger, 
  wooden holy symbol (Falazure). 
   
  Physical Description: The cultists are of various ages. 
  Most are Flan (or mostly-Flan) but some are Oeridians 
  or of other ethnicities. They wear dark robes and wear a 
  necklace depicting a draconic skull. 
   
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 38 
  Appendix Two: New Rules Items 
  New Feats 
  Improved Turn Resistance [Monstrous] (from 
  Libris Mortis) 
  You have a better than normal chance to resist turning. 
   
  Prerequisite: Undead type. 
   
  Benefit: You are less easily affected by clerics or 
  paladins than you normally would be (see Turn or 
  Rebuke Undead, page 159 of the Player’s Handbook). 
  When resolving a turn, rebuke, command, or bolster 
  attempt, add +4 to your character level (monster Hit 
  Dice plus class levels) to determine your Hit Dice for 
  turn, rebuke, command, and bolster attempts. For 
  example, a 4-HD wight with this feat is treated as an 8-
  HD undead for the purpose of turn, rebuke, command, 
  and bolster attempts, even though it is a 4-HD creature 
  for any other purpose. A vampire that already has +4 
  turn resistance adds an additional +4 with this feat, for 
  a total of +8. 
   
  Positive Energy Resistance [Monstrous] (from 
  Libris Mortis) 
  You are resistant to the damage dealt by positive 
  energy effects. 
   
  Prerequisite: Undead type. 
   
  Benefit: You gain resistance 10 against positive 
  energy effects, such as cure spells. 
   
  New Spells 
  Incorporeal Enhancement (from Libris Mortis) 
  Necromancy [Evil] 
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 3 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 full round 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One incorporeal undead/level 
  Duration: 24 hours 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: No 
  The undead affected by this spell gain a +1 deflection 
  bonus to armor class, +1d8 bonus hit points, a +1 
  enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 bonus to 
  turn resistance. Each of these enhancements doubles 
  for every five caster levels, so that a 20th-level caster 
  grants undead +4 to AC, +4d8 bonus hit points, +4 on 
  attack rolls, and +8 to turn resistance. 
   
  New Magic Item 
  Vest of Resistance (from Complete Arcane): These 
  garments offer magic protection in the form of a +1 to 
  +5 resistance bonus on all saving throws. 
   
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, 
  resistance, creator’s caster level must be at least three 
  times the vest’s bonus; Price 1,000 gp (+1), 4,000 gp 
  (+2), 9,000 gp (+3), 16,000 gp (+4), 25,000 gp (+5); 
  Weight 1 lb. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 39 
  Appendix Three: New Rules Items (Player Options) 
  Players might not be familiar with some of the Special 
  Items on the Adventure Record that come from Libris 
  Mortis and magazine articles, so you can read these 
  entries to the players when they get their ARs. The 
  rules items are not actually used in the scenario. 
  New Feats 
  Blinding Wrath [Paladin] (from Dungeon 104) 
  You can blind evil outsiders and undead with divine 
  energy. 
   
  Patron: Pholtus. 
   
  Prerequisite: Improved Turning, turn undead. 
   
  Benefit: By expending a turn undead attempt, you 
  can channel your divine energy into a burst of golden 
  light. Make a turning check when you use this power 
  to determine how many Hit Dice of evil outsiders and 
  undead you affect. All affected creatures must make a 
  successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half your paladin 
  level + your Charisma modifier) or be blinded for 1 
  minute. Evil outsiders and undead that make this 
  saving throw are instead dazzled for 1 minute. 
   
  Great Fervor [General] (from Dragon 315) 
  Your overwhelming religious zeal has caught the 
  attention of your deity. Sometimes, you seem to get a 
  second chance in the face of catastrophe. 
   
  Regions: Ekbir, Pale, Scarlet Brotherhood, 
  Tusmit, Veluna, Verbobonc. 
   
  Benefit: Once per day, you may reroll a failed 
  saving throw. Add your Wisdom modifier to the 
  rerolled save. You must accept the result of the second 
  save, even if it is lower than the original failed saving 
  throw. 
   
  Heroic Destiny [Racial] (from Races of Destiny) 
  You have a destiny to fulfill. 
   
  Prerequisite: Human or half-human. 
   
  Benefit: Once per day, before you make an attack 
  roll, ability check, skill check, saving throw, or caster 
  level check, you may roll 1d6 and add it as a bonus on 
  the roll, check or save. 
   
  Requiem [General] (from Libris Mortis) 
  Your bardic music affects undead creatures. 
   
  Prerequisite: Bardic music class feature, Perform 
  (any) 8 ranks. 
   
  Benefit: You can extend the effects of your mind-
  affecting bardic music and virtuoso’s performance 
  abilities so that they influence even the undead. All 
  bardic music effects on undead creatures have only 
  half the duration the normally would against the 
  living. 
   
  Normal: Undead are usually immune to mind-
  influencing effects. 
   
  Scalding Faith of the Sun [Paladin] (from Dragon 
  306) 
  The power and grace of the Sun Lord have enhanced 
  your ability to turn undead. 
   
  Patron: Pelor. 
   
  Prerequisite: Divine grace, turn undead. 
   
  Benefit: You turn undead as a cleric of your class 
  level. 
   
  Normal: A paladin turns undead as a cleric three 
  levels lower would. 
   
  Spurn Death’s Touch [Divine] (from Libris Mortis) 
  You can channel divine energy to remove some of the 
  harmful effects of attacks made by undead creatures. 
   
  Prerequisite: Ability to turn undead. 
   
  Benefit: As a standard action that does not 
  provoke attacks of opportunity, you can spend one of 
  your turning attempts for the day to touch an ally to 
  heal 1d4 points of ability damage, remove a paralysis 
  effect, or remove a negative level. You can only use this 
  effect to heal ability damage dealt by an undead 
  creature or remove effects caused by an undead 
  creature. 
   
  New Magic Item 
  Shadow Veil (from Libris Mortis): A shadow veil 
  appears as an indistinct, enveloping covering. A 
  shadow veil precludes wearing any other kind of 
  armor. A shadow veil grants a +2 deflection bonus. 
  Someone wearing a shadow veil is hard to distinguish 
  in shadow, and is treated as if having concealment (20% 
  miss chance) against creatures without darkvision, 
  blindsight, or other sensory apparatus that does not 
  rely on light. 
   
  Strong necromancy; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, create undead; 
  Price 10,000 gp; Weight —. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 40 
  Appendix Four: Templates 
  Evolved Undead (Libris Mortis) 
  An evolved undead is an undead whose body is flushed 
  with more negative energy than normal due to an 
  exceptionally long lifetime. Any undead may gain this 
  template, and in doing so, it retains all its previous 
  abilities, but becomes more powerful than before. 
   
  When an intelligent undead creature survives for 
  100 years or more (or when the DM decides to create 
  an undead monster with a twist), there is a 1% chance 
  that its connection to the Negative Energy plane grows 
  more mature. When this “evolution” occurs, the 
  undead gains this template. Each additional 100 years 
  of existence affords an additional 1% chance of a more 
  mature connection, plus an addition 1% chance for 
  each previous evolution. For example, if an undead 
  creature’s connection to the Negative Energy Plane 
  evolved three times previously, it has a 4% chance to 
  gain one more step of maturation the next time its age 
  requires an evolution check. Every step of evolution 
  means that the evolved undead template can be applied 
  again to the undead creature (setting this template 
  apart from most other templates, which can be applied 
  only once). 
  Creating an Evolved Undead 
  “Evolved undead” is an acquired template that can be 
  added to any undead with an Intelligence score 
  (referred to hereafter as the base creature). An evolved 
  undead uses all the base creature’s statistics and special 
  abilities except as noted here. This template does not 
  alter the creature’s type. 
   
  Note: Unlike most templates, an evolved undead 
  can potentially acquire this template more than once, 
  evolving more with each application. 
   
  Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor 
  bonus improves by 1. If the creature is incorporeal, its 
  deflection bonus to AC improves by 1. 
   
  Special Attacks: An evolved undead retains all 
  the special attacks of the base creature and gains one 
  spell-like ability from the following list. You can 
  choose this ability from the list below, or roll 
  randomly. The spell-like ability gained herein can be 
  used once per day. if the undead already has the 
  indicated ability, it gains another use; if it already has 
  the ability as an at-will ability, choose another ability. 
  The spell-like ability has a caster level equal to the 
  evolved undead’s HD (if the caster level is too low to 
  cast the spell in question, choose another). The save 
  DCs are Charisma-based: 
   
  d12 
  Spell-like Ability 
  1 
  circle of death 
  2 
  cloudkill 
  3 
  cone of cold 
  4 
  confusion 
  5 
  contagion 
  6 
  creeping doom 
  7 
  greater dispel magic 
  8 
  greater invisibility 
  9 
  haste 
  10 
  hold monster 
  11 
  see invisibility 
  12 
  unholy blight 
   
   
  Special Qualities: An evolved undead retains all 
  the special qualities of the base creature and gains the 
  one described below. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): An evolved undead heals 3 points 
  of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit 
  point. 
   
  Abilities: An evolved corporeal undead gains +2 
  Strength and +2 Charisma. An evolved incorporeal 
  undead gains only +2 Charisma. 
   
  Organization: An evolved undead usually 
  becomes a leader among those of its base kind. 
   
  Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1. 
   
  Level adjustment: Same as the base creature +1. 
   
   
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 41 
  Appendix Five: Landrigard 
  (The following information can also be found in the 
  Pale Gazetteer online at www.theocracyofthepale.com.) 
   
  Landrigard is the capital of the Prelacy of 
  Landrigard. The city is located in the northeastern 
  region of the Theocracy of the Pale, near the Rakers 
  and north of Eltison. Landrigard has a population of 
  approximately 9,300 people. Of these, 90% are human, 
  5% are dwarves, 3% are halflings, and 2% are other 
  demi-humans. Landrigard is the smallest of the Pale's 
  cities and the newest. It was only acknowledged as a 
  city in official documents about two years ago. The 
  Prelacy of Landrigard is ruled by Prelate Anonsis, who 
  recently returned to a Prelatal appointment after a 
  tenure of penance as the Bishop of Wintershiven. 
   
  The city is organized on a grid for the most part, 
  although some of the more southwesterly portions of 
  the city are more haphazard in their layout. The 
  mining industry on which the city is built found it 
  much easier to haul their loads of ore into the city if 
  the streets were kept as straight as possible. The city is 
  built of stone brought in from the nearby quarries in 
  the Rakers. It is surrounded by a 30-foot-tall city wall 
  constructed of granite.  
   
  Landrigard's Mountain Dawn Cathedral is the 
  highest church of the prelacy. The cathedral is built of 
  marble primarily and accentuated with silver and gold. 
  The cathedral houses the offices of the Church 
  Militant in Landrigard as well as the lesser priests and 
  attendants of the church. The Prelate lives in a home 
  attached to the back of the Cathedral on its eastern 
  side. Higher-ranking priests and attendants reside in 
  dormitories along the sides of the cathedral to the 
  north and south. 
   
  The city has few agricultural farms located around 
  it since it is built in a fairly rocky area. Most of the 
  farms around Eltison raise sheep. The few actually 
  raising crops primarily grow potatoes and onions for 
  market. The primary trade products of Landrigard are 
  granite, marble, and metal ores from the nearby 
  Rakers. This is evident in the number of foundries and 
  smithies throughout the city, especially along its 
  northern and eastern sides. 
   
  Landrigard is home of the Prelatal Army's Eighth 
  Dawn Command. They maintain a mountain keep two 
  miles east of the city. The Pale Patrol maintains its own 
  complex of buildings inside the city. The contingent of 
  the Church Militant in Landrigard maintains a 
  barracks near the cathedral. 
   
  Known Persons of Landrigard: 
  Prelate Anonsis has only recently been appointed to 
  the rank of Prelate of Landrigard. He is experienced in 
  the position, though, having previously served as the 
  Prelate of Rakervale before making a mistake in 
  judgement and having to do penance as the Bishop of 
  Wintershiven for a time. Anonsis works very hard to 
  fill the shoes of the former Prelate of Landrigard, now-
  Theocrat Theoman Baslett. Although he rules with a 
  conservative view of the worship of Pholtus, many 
  residents of Landrigard believe it to be more 
  progressive than what they had become accustomed to. 
   
  Major Audhild Mendelfirth is the commander of 
  the Prelatal Army's Eighth Dawn Command. She is of 
  obvious Oeridian descent with black hair and brown 
  eyes. She has a gruff demeanor and many would swear 
  her boast of having dwarven blood in her veins is true. 
  She is a fair commander (or so her troops say), but she 
  pushes all of her men to their limits and ensures they 
  are prepared to go into the Rakers above or below 
  ground to defend the Theocracy. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 42 
  Map #1: Hospice 
   
   
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 43 
  Map #2: Abandoned Dwarf−Halls 
   
   
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 44 
  Player’s Handout #1a: Review of PAL2−03 Stitch in Time 
  This scenario is retired. You can provide this summary to all players. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Instructed by a magical dream, an evil bard named Telios tried to turn a village of Flan farmers against the Church by 
  disguising himself as a cleric of Pholtus and reopening an ancient gate to the Lower Planes. This gate, called a “Scar of 
  Nerull”, was a remnant of Ur-Flan rituals, long guarded by druids of the Old Faith. Several such gates endured 
  throughout the Pale. An old druid named Taraya (“tah-RYE-ah”) guarded this gate and planned to train her apprentice, 
  Balach (“BAL-ack”), to be the next guardian. Some heroes defeated Telios, but they also told the Church of the Scar’s 
  existence. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Instructed by a magical dream, an evil bard named Telios tried to turn a village of Flan farmers against the Church by 
  disguising himself as a cleric of Pholtus and reopening an ancient gate to the Lower Planes. This gate, called a “Scar of 
  Nerull”, was a remnant of Ur-Flan rituals, long guarded by druids of the Old Faith. Several such gates endured 
  throughout the Pale. An old druid named Taraya (“tah-RYE-ah”) guarded this gate and planned to train her apprentice, 
  Balach (“BAL-ack”), to be the next guardian. Some heroes defeated Telios, but they also told the Church of the Scar’s 
  existence. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Instructed by a magical dream, an evil bard named Telios tried to turn a village of Flan farmers against the Church by 
  disguising himself as a cleric of Pholtus and reopening an ancient gate to the Lower Planes. This gate, called a “Scar of 
  Nerull”, was a remnant of Ur-Flan rituals, long guarded by druids of the Old Faith. Several such gates endured 
  throughout the Pale. An old druid named Taraya (“tah-RYE-ah”) guarded this gate and planned to train her apprentice, 
  Balach (“BAL-ack”), to be the next guardian. Some heroes defeated Telios, but they also told the Church of the Scar’s 
  existence. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Instructed by a magical dream, an evil bard named Telios tried to turn a village of Flan farmers against the Church by 
  disguising himself as a cleric of Pholtus and reopening an ancient gate to the Lower Planes. This gate, called a “Scar of 
  Nerull”, was a remnant of Ur-Flan rituals, long guarded by druids of the Old Faith. Several such gates endured 
  throughout the Pale. An old druid named Taraya (“tah-RYE-ah”) guarded this gate and planned to train her apprentice, 
  Balach (“BAL-ack”), to be the next guardian. Some heroes defeated Telios, but they also told the Church of the Scar’s 
  existence. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Instructed by a magical dream, an evil bard named Telios tried to turn a village of Flan farmers against the Church by 
  disguising himself as a cleric of Pholtus and reopening an ancient gate to the Lower Planes. This gate, called a “Scar of 
  Nerull”, was a remnant of Ur-Flan rituals, long guarded by druids of the Old Faith. Several such gates endured 
  throughout the Pale. An old druid named Taraya (“tah-RYE-ah”) guarded this gate and planned to train her apprentice, 
  Balach (“BAL-ack”), to be the next guardian. Some heroes defeated Telios, but they also told the Church of the Scar’s 
  existence. 
  ----------------------------------------  
  Instructed by a magical dream, an evil bard named Telios tried to turn a village of Flan farmers against the Church by 
  disguising himself as a cleric of Pholtus and reopening an ancient gate to the Lower Planes. This gate, called a “Scar of 
  Nerull”, was a remnant of Ur-Flan rituals, long guarded by druids of the Old Faith. Several such gates endured 
  throughout the Pale. An old druid named Taraya (“tah-RYE-ah”) guarded this gate and planned to train her apprentice, 
  Balach (“BAL-ack”), to be the next guardian. Some heroes defeated Telios, but they also told the Church of the Scar’s 
  existence. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 45 
  Player’s Handout #1b: Review of Pale Special Events 
  These scenarios are retired. You can provide this summary to all players. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  In the special Interactive event Dark Scars Against the Light (Nov 2003), the Church sealed the Scars of Nerull 
  permanently, after an ambitious but corrupt member of the Arcanist Guild tried to exploit them himself. The Church 
  interrogated rural villagers to root out the druids and overruled the authority of the Old Faith to guard the gates. Several 
  of the druidic guardians, held through the winter as prisoners, stood trial in the spring (Unnatural Law, April 2004). 
  Although a few people saw the trials as unjust to begin with, these druids were found guilty of heresy and were 
  banished from the Pale. Taraya was one of them. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  In the special Interactive event Dark Scars Against the Light (Nov 2003), the Church sealed the Scars of Nerull 
  permanently, after an ambitious but corrupt member of the Arcanist Guild tried to exploit them himself. The Church 
  interrogated rural villagers to root out the druids and overruled the authority of the Old Faith to guard the gates. Several 
  of the druidic guardians, held through the winter as prisoners, stood trial in the spring (Unnatural Law, April 2004). 
  Although a few people saw the trials as unjust to begin with, these druids were found guilty of heresy and were 
  banished from the Pale. Taraya was one of them.  
  ---------------------------------------- 
  In the special Interactive event Dark Scars Against the Light (Nov 2003), the Church sealed the Scars of Nerull 
  permanently, after an ambitious but corrupt member of the Arcanist Guild tried to exploit them himself. The Church 
  interrogated rural villagers to root out the druids and overruled the authority of the Old Faith to guard the gates. Several 
  of the druidic guardians, held through the winter as prisoners, stood trial in the spring (Unnatural Law, April 2004). 
  Although a few people saw the trials as unjust to begin with, these druids were found guilty of heresy and were 
  banished from the Pale. Taraya was one of them.  
  ---------------------------------------- 
  In the special Interactive event Dark Scars Against the Light (Nov 2003), the Church sealed the Scars of Nerull 
  permanently, after an ambitious but corrupt member of the Arcanist Guild tried to exploit them himself. The Church 
  interrogated rural villagers to root out the druids and overruled the authority of the Old Faith to guard the gates. Several 
  of the druidic guardians, held through the winter as prisoners, stood trial in the spring (Unnatural Law, April 2004). 
  Although a few people saw the trials as unjust to begin with, these druids were found guilty of heresy and were 
  banished from the Pale. Taraya was one of them.  
  ---------------------------------------- 
  In the special Interactive event Dark Scars Against the Light (Nov 2003), the Church sealed the Scars of Nerull 
  permanently, after an ambitious but corrupt member of the Arcanist Guild tried to exploit them himself. The Church 
  interrogated rural villagers to root out the druids and overruled the authority of the Old Faith to guard the gates. Several 
  of the druidic guardians, held through the winter as prisoners, stood trial in the spring (Unnatural Law, April 2004). 
  Although a few people saw the trials as unjust to begin with, these druids were found guilty of heresy and were 
  banished from the Pale. Taraya was one of them.  
  ---------------------------------------- 
  In the special Interactive event Dark Scars Against the Light (Nov 2003), the Church sealed the Scars of Nerull 
  permanently, after an ambitious but corrupt member of the Arcanist Guild tried to exploit them himself. The Church 
  interrogated rural villagers to root out the druids and overruled the authority of the Old Faith to guard the gates. Several 
  of the druidic guardians, held through the winter as prisoners, stood trial in the spring (Unnatural Law, April 2004). 
  Although a few people saw the trials as unjust to begin with, these druids were found guilty of heresy and were 
  banished from the Pale. Taraya was one of them. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 46 
  Player’s Handout #1c: Review of PAL4−02 Stirring the Waters 
  This scenario is still in play in 2005, so please provide this summary only to those players that have played it. In 2006, it 
  will be retired, so you may provide this to all players then. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Twin girls, Tenha refugees, were discovering their sorcerous powers. A mysterious woman identified them as kin and urged them in a 
  dream to run away from home and follow some floating lanterns (actually will-o’-wisps) to a ruin of power in the Phostwood. The 
  village priest followed the girls, but the ruin’s mummy guardian killed him. Adventurers defeated the mummy; its demise released 
  powerful energies, which adhered to them. Carvings at the ruin traced an Ur-Flan tribe’s glory and eventual destruction, but 
  prophesied the rise of the tribe’s sorceress descendants. The girls were returned to the Pale under the supervision of the Arcanist 
  Guild. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Twin girls, Tenha refugees, were discovering their sorcerous powers. A mysterious woman identified them as kin and urged them in a 
  dream to run away from home and follow some floating lanterns (actually will-o’-wisps) to a ruin of power in the Phostwood. The 
  village priest followed the girls, but the ruin’s mummy guardian killed him. Adventurers defeated the mummy; its demise released 
  powerful energies, which adhered to them. Carvings at the ruin traced an Ur-Flan tribe’s glory and eventual destruction, but 
  prophesied the rise of the tribe’s sorceress descendants. The girls were returned to the Pale under the supervision of the Arcanist 
  Guild. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Twin girls, Tenha refugees, were discovering their sorcerous powers. A mysterious woman identified them as kin and urged them in a 
  dream to run away from home and follow some floating lanterns (actually will-o’-wisps) to a ruin of power in the Phostwood. The 
  village priest followed the girls, but the ruin’s mummy guardian killed him. Adventurers defeated the mummy; its demise released 
  powerful energies, which adhered to them. Carvings at the ruin traced an Ur-Flan tribe’s glory and eventual destruction, but 
  prophesied the rise of the tribe’s sorceress descendants. The girls were returned to the Pale under the supervision of the Arcanist 
  Guild. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Twin girls, Tenha refugees, were discovering their sorcerous powers. A mysterious woman identified them as kin and urged them in a 
  dream to run away from home and follow some floating lanterns (actually will-o’-wisps) to a ruin of power in the Phostwood. The 
  village priest followed the girls, but the ruin’s mummy guardian killed him. Adventurers defeated the mummy; its demise released 
  powerful energies, which adhered to them. Carvings at the ruin traced an Ur-Flan tribe’s glory and eventual destruction, but 
  prophesied the rise of the tribe’s sorceress descendants. The girls were returned to the Pale under the supervision of the Arcanist 
  Guild. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Twin girls, Tenha refugees, were discovering their sorcerous powers. A mysterious woman identified them as kin and urged them in a 
  dream to run away from home and follow some floating lanterns (actually will-o’-wisps) to a ruin of power in the Phostwood. The 
  village priest followed the girls, but the ruin’s mummy guardian killed him. Adventurers defeated the mummy; its demise released 
  powerful energies, which adhered to them. Carvings at the ruin traced an Ur-Flan tribe’s glory and eventual destruction, but 
  prophesied the rise of the tribe’s sorceress descendants. The girls were returned to the Pale under the supervision of the Arcanist 
  Guild. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  Twin girls, Tenha refugees, were discovering their sorcerous powers. A mysterious woman identified them as kin and urged them in a 
  dream to run away from home and follow some floating lanterns (actually will-o’-wisps) to a ruin of power in the Phostwood. The 
  village priest followed the girls, but the ruin’s mummy guardian killed him. Adventurers defeated the mummy; its demise released 
  powerful energies, which adhered to them. Carvings at the ruin traced an Ur-Flan tribe’s glory and eventual destruction, but 
  prophesied the rise of the tribe’s sorceress descendants. The girls were returned to the Pale under the supervision of the Arcanist 
  Guild. 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 47 
  Player’s Handout #1d: Review of PAL4−06 Strands of Gloom 
  This scenario is still in play in 2005, so please provide this summary only to those players that have played it. In 2006, it 
  will be retired, so you may provide this to all players then. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  A researcher was conducting cruel experiments to breed more powerful shadow-creatures in a laboratory in the Gamboge Forest. A 
  tribe of hobgoblins protected the lab and kidnapped humans for his research subjects/victims. After a behir broke in and caused some 
  of the shadow-creatures to escape, the sage fled. One of the captives was a woodsman from the village of Bronzebrook, so his friends 
  brought in adventurers to defeat the hobgoblins and rescue the prisoners. But not everyone was happy. The exiled druid Taraya, 
  visiting Bronzebrook, said that she had not seen her apprentice Balach in several months. Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook, whose 
  late wife was a Flan sorceress, lost his son Elthorn four years before and never really recovered. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  A researcher was conducting cruel experiments to breed more powerful shadow-creatures in a laboratory in the Gamboge Forest. A 
  tribe of hobgoblins protected the lab and kidnapped humans for his research subjects/victims. After a behir broke in and caused some 
  of the shadow-creatures to escape, the sage fled. One of the captives was a woodsman from the village of Bronzebrook, so his friends 
  brought in adventurers to defeat the hobgoblins and rescue the prisoners. But not everyone was happy. The exiled druid Taraya, 
  visiting Bronzebrook, said that she had not seen her apprentice Balach in several months. Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook, whose 
  late wife was a Flan sorceress, lost his son Elthorn four years before and never really recovered. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  A researcher was conducting cruel experiments to breed more powerful shadow-creatures in a laboratory in the Gamboge Forest. A 
  tribe of hobgoblins protected the lab and kidnapped humans for his research subjects/victims. After a behir broke in and caused some 
  of the shadow-creatures to escape, the sage fled. One of the captives was a woodsman from the village of Bronzebrook, so his friends 
  brought in adventurers to defeat the hobgoblins and rescue the prisoners. But not everyone was happy. The exiled druid Taraya, 
  visiting Bronzebrook, said that she had not seen her apprentice Balach in several months. Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook, whose 
  late wife was a Flan sorceress, lost his son Elthorn four years before and never really recovered. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  A researcher was conducting cruel experiments to breed more powerful shadow-creatures in a laboratory in the Gamboge Forest. A 
  tribe of hobgoblins protected the lab and kidnapped humans for his research subjects/victims. After a behir broke in and caused some 
  of the shadow-creatures to escape, the sage fled. One of the captives was a woodsman from the village of Bronzebrook, so his friends 
  brought in adventurers to defeat the hobgoblins and rescue the prisoners. But not everyone was happy. The exiled druid Taraya, 
  visiting Bronzebrook, said that she had not seen her apprentice Balach in several months. Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook, whose 
  late wife was a Flan sorceress, lost his son Elthorn four years before and never really recovered. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  A researcher was conducting cruel experiments to breed more powerful shadow-creatures in a laboratory in the Gamboge Forest. A 
  tribe of hobgoblins protected the lab and kidnapped humans for his research subjects/victims. After a behir broke in and caused some 
  of the shadow-creatures to escape, the sage fled. One of the captives was a woodsman from the village of Bronzebrook, so his friends 
  brought in adventurers to defeat the hobgoblins and rescue the prisoners. But not everyone was happy. The exiled druid Taraya, 
  visiting Bronzebrook, said that she had not seen her apprentice Balach in several months. Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook, whose 
  late wife was a Flan sorceress, lost his son Elthorn four years before and never really recovered. 
  ---------------------------------------- 
  A researcher was conducting cruel experiments to breed more powerful shadow-creatures in a laboratory in the Gamboge Forest. A 
  tribe of hobgoblins protected the lab and kidnapped humans for his research subjects/victims. After a behir broke in and caused some 
  of the shadow-creatures to escape, the sage fled. One of the captives was a woodsman from the village of Bronzebrook, so his friends 
  brought in adventurers to defeat the hobgoblins and rescue the prisoners. But not everyone was happy. The exiled druid Taraya, 
  visiting Bronzebrook, said that she had not seen her apprentice Balach in several months. Vadric, the sheriff of Bronzebrook, whose 
  late wife was a Flan sorceress, lost his son Elthorn four years before and never really recovered. 
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 48 
  Player Handout #2: The Choice at the Altar 
   
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  The eyes of the altar bore into you, testing whether you are a suitable host to the powers of bygone centuries. If you 
  have spontaneous arcane spellcasting ability or plan to pursue that path, these powers could open new avenues of 
  learning and aptitude. Even if you do not have such inclinations, they might otherwise prove useful. Despite their evil 
  origins, you know that these energies will obey you, possibly even becoming a force for good. No other PC or player 
  needs to know your response; do not discuss. 
  PC name: _______________________ Circle one: 
  I accept.  
  I refuse. 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  The eyes of the altar bore into you, testing whether you are a suitable host to the powers of bygone centuries. If you 
  have spontaneous arcane spellcasting ability or plan to pursue that path, these powers could open new avenues of 
  learning and aptitude. Even if you do not have such inclinations, they might otherwise prove useful. Despite their evil 
  origins, you know that these energies will obey you, possibly even becoming a force for good. No other PC or player 
  needs to know your response; do not discuss. 
  PC name: _______________________ Circle one: 
  I accept.  
  I refuse. 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  The eyes of the altar bore into you, testing whether you are a suitable host to the powers of bygone centuries. If you 
  have spontaneous arcane spellcasting ability or plan to pursue that path, these powers could open new avenues of 
  learning and aptitude. Even if you do not have such inclinations, they might otherwise prove useful. Despite their evil 
  origins, you know that these energies will obey you, possibly even becoming a force for good. No other PC or player 
  needs to know your response; do not discuss. 
  PC name: _______________________ Circle one: 
  I accept.  
  I refuse. 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  The eyes of the altar bore into you, testing whether you are a suitable host to the powers of bygone centuries. If you 
  have spontaneous arcane spellcasting ability or plan to pursue that path, these powers could open new avenues of 
  learning and aptitude. Even if you do not have such inclinations, they might otherwise prove useful. Despite their evil 
  origins, you know that these energies will obey you, possibly even becoming a force for good. No other PC or player 
  needs to know your response; do not discuss. 
  PC name: _______________________ Circle one: 
  I accept.  
  I refuse. 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  The eyes of the altar bore into you, testing whether you are a suitable host to the powers of bygone centuries. If you 
  have spontaneous arcane spellcasting ability or plan to pursue that path, these powers could open new avenues of 
  learning and aptitude. Even if you do not have such inclinations, they might otherwise prove useful. Despite their evil 
  origins, you know that these energies will obey you, possibly even becoming a force for good. No other PC or player 
  needs to know your response; do not discuss. 
  PC name: _______________________ Circle one: 
  I accept.  
  I refuse. 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  The eyes of the altar bore into you, testing whether you are a suitable host to the powers of bygone centuries. If you 
  have spontaneous arcane spellcasting ability or plan to pursue that path, these powers could open new avenues of 
  learning and aptitude. Even if you do not have such inclinations, they might otherwise prove useful. Despite their evil 
  origins, you know that these energies will obey you, possibly even becoming a force for good. No other PC or player 
  needs to know your response; do not discuss. 
  PC name: _______________________ Circle one: 
  I accept.  
  I refuse. 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   
  
  PAL5-03 Strata 
   
  Page 49 
  Critical Event Summary 
   
  If you judge this scenario before September 30, 2005, you may have a chance to influence the plot of future scenarios in 
  this series. Even after that date, the author would appreciate hearing from judges. Please email your feedback, 
  comments, advice, or noteworthy stories about this scenario to Derek Schubert at derek.schubert@alumni.duke.edu, 
  with the subject “Strata Feedback”. 
   
  Questions: 
  1. Did the PCs talk with Dorbrenn Plandarn at all? If so, how did they interact with him? 
   
  2. How did the PCs interact with Aru, the lantern archon? 
   
  3a. What happened to Caelarah, the sorceress? 
  3b. What happened to Muirig, the sage? 
  3c. What happened to Astrid or Gwenfar (whichever the PCs encountered), the ranger/shadowdancer? 
  3d. What happened to Elthorn? (Specifically, did the PCs win him back from the clutches of the cult and/or from the 
  punishment of the Church?) 
   
  4. Did the PCs rescue Balach? 
   
  5. How many PCs accepted the power offerred by the altar? 
   
  6. If you have any other comments or questions, please include them.  
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Living Greyhawk/Nyrond and Her Environs/Theocracy of the Pale/PAL5-03 - Strata.pdf