TEXT: ®
  A Sourcebook By 
  MONTE COOK
  A Sourcebook By 
  MONTE COOK
  SECRETS OF THE
  DELVER’S GUILD
  SECRETS OF THE
  DELVER’S GUILD
  
  2
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  ■ Introduction:
  Welcome, Delvers!
  Foreword  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
  The Delver’s Guild Office  . . . . . .5
  First Impressions . . . . . . . . . .5
  Gorti Jurgen  . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Ollan Navarish . . . . . . . . . . .6
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  ■ Chapter 1: Deities
  The 24 Gods of the Hours  . . . . .8
  The Saga of Father Claw and
  Ni-Gorth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
  Sidebar: 22 Temple Ideas  . . . . .10
  Gaen and Mirresh . . . . . . . . . . .11
  Goddess of Light  . . . . . . . . .11
  Goddess of Laughter . . . . . . .11
  Prustan Deities  . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
  Kran, Goddess of Faults  . . .12
  The Iron God . . . . . . . . . . . .13
  ■ Chapter 2: Locales
  Crypts of the Nobility . . . . . . . .14
  Abanar  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
  Dallimothan  . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
  Erthuo  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
  Kath  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Khatru  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Nagel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Rau  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Sadar  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Shever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Vladaam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Durambor Headquarters . . . . . .17
  Ged’s Cabinets  . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
  The Green Mews . . . . . . . . . . . .20
  The Lorn Tower  . . . . . . . . . . . .21
  The Old Goose  . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
  The Pointy Hat  . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
  St. Laphest’s Open Arms . . . . . .25
  Steampump Station 17  . . . . . . .26
  Temple of Phoeboul  . . . . . . . . .27
  Information Panel: The Secret 
  Citation War  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
  The Winter Lyehouse  . . . . . . . .29
  ■ Chapter 3:
  Nonplayer Characters
  Aden and Ettista, 
  the Night Fairies  . . . . . . . . . . . .31
  Camrich Rowe, Mage-Spy . . . . .32
  Denoss Firth, Lawyer
  to the Wealthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
  Doleen Kafter, 
  Scribe of Heroes  . . . . . . . . . . . .34
  Durther Greyfist and the
  Bridge of Ard Chorend  . . . . . . .35
  Eyvind and Ssethenus, Tyrants  .36
  The Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
  The Lizard  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
  Glory, Smuggler . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
  Josiah Crand, Advocate of Light .39
  Kabel Dathimol, Knight  . . . . . .40
  Koban, Hunter of the Night  . . .41
  Lothao Valinth, Doraedian
  Mythlord’s Aide  . . . . . . . . . . . .42
  Nevin Keastal, Gambler  . . . . . .44
  Nupe Skoyter and Taladil,
  Chaos Cultists  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
  The Brat  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
  The Streetwalker  . . . . . . . . .45
  Using These Chaos Cultists  .46
  Pharis Noldstrom, 
  Commissar’s Man  . . . . . . . . . . .47
  The River Snakes . . . . . . . . . . . .48
  Sesthesh, Taerai, and Lyestri,
  Escaped Slaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
  Sintrik the Scourge  . . . . . . . . . .52
  Testhan Jomarth, Arena Healer .53
  Yula Falass, Security Specialist  .54
  New Spells  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  3
  This sourcebook is for use with Ptolus:
  Monte Cook’s City by the Spire.
  WRITING:
  Monte Cook
  EDITING AND PRODUCTION:
  Sue Weinlein Cook
  COVER ART:
  Todd Lockwood and Howard Lyon
  CARTOGRAPHY:
  Ed Bourelle
  ILLUSTRATORS:
  Toren “MacBin” Atkinson, Kev Crossley,
  Jason Engle, The Forge Studios (Maciej
  Zagórski and Pawel Dobosz), Michael
  Komarck, Eric Lofgren, Howard Lyon,
  Michael Phillippi, Brian Rasmussen,
  Arne Swekel, and Kieran Yanner
  COVER AND INTERIOR DESIGN:
  Lisa Chido
  THUNDER-PERFECT MIND:
  Keith Strohm
  PLAYTESTERS:
  Michele Carter, Andy Collins, Sue
  Cook, Bruce R. Cordell, Jesse Decker,
  Erik Mona, Christopher Perkins,
  Sean K Reynolds, and Keith Strohm
  SPECIAL THANKS:
  To Conrad Hubbard, for a year’s worth 
  of website updates; to Kristian Juul
  Rasmussen, for the Delver’s Guild logo
  design; and to our customers, for ask-
  ing for this book.
  ■ Chapter 4:
  Tips, Tales, and Treasures
  Vertical Ptolus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
  Language Origins  . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Dwarvish  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Elvish  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Litorian  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Nallish  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Palastani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Prustan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Rhothan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  Ren Tehoth . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
  The South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
  Uraq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
  Ancient Westron . . . . . . . . . .59
  Dungeon Dressing: The Extra-
  Added Touch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
  Personal Belongings  . . . . . . .60
  Fixed Dungeon Dressing  . . .60
  Furnishings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
  Miscellaneous Stuff  . . . . . . .61
  Ptolus-Specific Treasures  . . . . . .62
  More Treasures  . . . . . . . . . .63
  Printing and Books in Ptolus . . .64
  New Book: Blood of the
  Vampire  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
  Random Books in the City . .65
  New Template: Soulshade  . . . . .66
  Sample Soulshade . . . . . . . . .66
  Creating a Soulshade  . . . . . .67
  New Monster: Tenebraccus
  (Demon of Darkness)  . . . . . . . .68
  New Item: Mora  . . . . . . . . . . . .69
  New Weapon: Steam Pistol  . . . .70
  Variants  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
  “Adventure Tours”  . . . . . . . . . .71
  Thunder-Perfect Mind . . . . . . . .72
  Tenets of the Belief System  . .72
  Role of the Avedras  . . . . . . .73
  Ten Starting Campaign
  Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
  1. The Long Delay  . . . . . . . .74
  2. Mistaken Identity . . . . . . .74
  3. Wanted: Adventurers  . . . .74
  4. Two Groups  . . . . . . . . . . .74
  5. Lost Child  . . . . . . . . . . . .74
  6. In God’s Name . . . . . . . . .74
  7. Rejection  . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
  8. Tavern Brawl  . . . . . . . . . .75
  9. A Friend in Need  . . . . . . .75
  10. Strange Noises  . . . . . . . .75
  ■ Appendix
  Open Game License  . . . . . . . . .76
  CREDITS 
  Legal
  “d20 System” and the “d20 System” logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and
  are used according to the terms of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy of this License can be found at
  <www.wizards.com/d20>. Dungeons & Dragons®, D&D®, and Wizards of the Coast® are registered trademarks of
  Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used with permission. Malhavoc is a registered trademark
  and Ptolus is a trademark owned by Monte J. Cook. Sword & Sorcery and the Sword & Sorcery logo are trademarks of
  White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. ©2007 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. The mention of or reference
  to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This edition of
  Ptolus is produced under version 1.0a, 5.0, and/or draft versions of the Open Game License, the d20 System
  Trademark Logo Guide, and the System Reference Document by permission of Wizards of the Coast. Subsequent ver-
  sions of this product will incorporate later versions of the license, guide, and document.
  Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity in accordance with
  Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0a: Any and all Malhavoc Press logos and identifying marks and
  trade dress, such as all Malhavoc Press product and product line names including but not limited to The Complete
  Book of Eldritch Might, Ptolus, Secrets of the Delver’s Guild, The Night of Dissolution, Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved; any
  specific characters, monsters, creatures, and places; capitalized names and names of places, artifacts, characters,
  countries, creatures, geographic locations, gods, historic events, magic items, organizations, and abilities; any and all
  stories, storylines, histories, plots, thematic elements, and dialogue; and all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions,
  illustrations, maps, and cartography, likenesses, poses, logos, or graphic designs, except such elements that already
  appear in final or draft versions of the d20 System Reference Document or as Open Game Content below and are
  already open by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity is not Open Game Content.
  Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity designation above, the following portions of
  Secrets of the Delver’s Guild are designated as Open Game Content: all feats, skills, spells, magic items, and artifacts in
  their entirety wherever they appear; all NPC statistics wherever they are found (excluding NPC names and descrip-
  tions); the statistics and “Combat” text for the monsters in Chapter 4; and anything else contained herein which is
  already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some other Open Game
  Content source.
  Some portions of this book which are Open Game Content originate from the System Reference Document and are
  ©1999–2007 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The remainder of these Open Game Content portions of this book is hereby
  added to Open Game Content and if so used, should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE “Secrets of the Delver’s Guild ©2007
  Monte J. Cook.” This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction,
  retransmission, or unauthorized use of the artwork or non-Open Game Content herein is prohibited without express writ-
  ten permission from Monte Cook, except for purposes of review or use of Open Game Content consistent with the Open
  Game License. The original purchaser may print or photocopy copies for his or her own personal use only.
  This document is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely
  coincidental.
  Check out Sword & Sorcery online at <www.swordsorcery.com> and Ptolus online at <www.ptolus.com>.
  
  FOREWORD
  If you’ve read the Ptolus book, then you know all about the Delver’s Guild. It’s a group that allows adventurers
  to band together to exchange information about discoveries in the Dungeon below the city, as well as facts 
  about useful resources in the city proper and even potential missions, both within and below Ptolus.
  But, what you may not know, is that the Delver’s Guild has become even more than that.
  4
  D
  uring the year leading up to the release of Ptolus, I wanted to give back a little something
  to the  many people who had demonstrated their faith in the project by preordering the
  book. I wanted to help them grow to love the city as I did, even before they could dive
  into the book itself. So I wrote a short article every week, and we posted it on a website where
  everyone who had preordered could access it. The articles were all designed to fit seamlessly into
  the city of Ptolus. They were not previews from the book but brand-new material. Some of the
  pieces took the form of additional nonplayer characters (NPCs), locations, creatures, and similar
  things relevant to the members of the Delver’s Guild organization in Ptolus, while other install-
  ments elaborated on NPCs, locations, and other items mentioned in the book only briefly.
  Regardless, every Tuesday there would be something new for readers to discover. 
  We called this website “the Delver’s Guild.” It seemed fitting—the site allowed fans of Ptolus to
  band together to discover new resources and treasures in much the same way that its namesake
  organization provided for adventurers. As the months passed, fifty-three new entries made their
  way online, ceasing only after the release of the book itself. 
  Now we fast forward to 2007, more than six months after the debut of Ptolus. Readers of the
  official Ptolus message board forums continue to make reference to the Delver’s Guild material
  and work it into their campaigns. These characters, locales, and more are becoming every bit as
  vital to people’s games as those that actually appear in the book. So, we thought it was about
  time to let those who discovered Ptolus only after its publication get in on this once privileged
  material.
  Thus was born Secrets of the Delver’s Guild. In these pages, you’ll find all the material that
  comprised the Delver’s Guild exclusive website, complete with topical illustrations from the Big
  Book. The chapters here cover new deities, locales, nonplayer characters, and much more—all just
  waiting to be introduced to your Ptolus Campaign.
  So now, after more than a year since this material first appeared, the secrets are finally out!
  Whether it’s your first time reading these campaign enhancements or if you’re only reviewing
  material you discovered while awaiting the arrival of the Big Book, I hope you enjoy these addi-
  tions to the City of Ptolus.
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  If you like discovering all-new
  material and ideas to add to your
  Ptolus Campaign, this book is a
  great place to start. But once
  you’ve exhausted its contents, get
  online for even more cool new ideas
  and source material created
  by the Ptolus fan community.  
  You can find the official Ptolus
  forums at the “Okay, Your Turn”
  message boards on ezboard. Visit
  <www.montecook.com> and click
  on “Forums” to get there. It’s a
  great place to brainstorm ideas,
  post your campaign journals,
  and lots more.
  Finally, don’t miss the “Delver’s
  Square” fan site, which boasts
  lots of updates featuring all-
  new material on a regular
  basis. Check out the site at
  <www.delverssquare.com>. 
  PTOLUS ONLINE!
  
  Introduction:
  WELCOME, DELVERS!
  The Delver’s Guild is one of the most powerful and prominent guilds in the city. It offers its members information about
  job opportunities and events pertaining to the exploration of regions below Ptolus, which many call the Dungeon.
  It also maintains the city’s most extensive collection of maps of the underground areas and an impressive
  library for research. Most active adventurers in the city belong to the Delver’s Guild. . . .
  Delver’s Guild: Ptolus, page 108
  Dungeon: Ptolus, page 415
  Ghul: Ptolus, page 486
  Dwarvenhearth: Ptolus, 
  page 460
  Banewarrens: Ptolus, page 419
  Undercity Market: Ptolus, 
  page 423
  Library and Maproom: Ptolus,
  page 322
  This carved wooden sign hangs
  above the door to the guild’s
  Undercity office.
  INTRODUCTION: WELCOME, DELVERS!
  B
  efore we get into all the new deities,
  locales, NPCs, and more, we offer a brief
  introduction to the Delver’s Guild, the
  organization of adventurers in Ptolus from which
  this book takes its name. In particular, we detail a
  couple members of the Delver’s Guild staff, using
  the same stat block format that you see in the
  Ptolus book.
  THE DELVER’S GUILD OFFICE
  The guild office is located just off the main sur-
  face entrance to the Undercity Market. This is
  where members interact with guild representa-
  tives, and newcomers discover information about
  the guild and memberships. While information
  about the office and the guild in general is avail-
  able in the Ptolus book, this introduction offers a
  great deal more about two important figures in
  the office, Gorti Jurgen and Ollan Navarish.
  FIRST IMPRESSIONS
  Upon entering the Delver’s Guild office, a new-
  comer is bound to be approached in short order
  by the manager of the facility, a pleasing-looking
  human woman of middle years. But be warned:
  She likes to talk.
  “Welcome to the Delver’s Guild. I can see that
  you’re new here. Are you interested in joining?
  The purpose of the Delver’s Guild is to organize
  and empower explorers who seek to plumb the
  depths of ‘the Dungeon.’ The Dungeon? That’s
  just our name for all the various subterranean
  regions below Ptolus, whether they be natural
  caverns or part of the network of tunnels and
  chambers created more than a thousand years
  ago by the Half God, Ghul. Intimidating? It 
  doesn’t have to be—not with the Delver’s Guild
  on your side. 
  “Oh yes, technically ‘the Dungeon’ also covers
  areas like Dwarvenhearth and the Banewarrens,
  but I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
  “One of the most interesting and valuable serv-
  ices we offer Dungeon explorers, whom we call
  delvers, is an extensive library and maproom
  cataloging the various regions that our members
  have explored so far. These facilities are located
  in Oldtown and are open to members of all 
  levels. 
  “Yes, we offer three levels of membership.
  Since you are new, the only levels available to you
  are associate guildsman, or—for slightly higher
  yearly dues—guildsman. Later on, however, you’ll
  qualify for the master delver and perhaps even
  the grand master levels. One interesting thing you
  might consider is that at the master delver level
  and above, we offer retrieval insurance, should
  5
  
  you come to an untimely end while exploring. The
  money in the insurance plan goes to pay a
  retrieval team to bring back your remains.
  “So what level of membership would you like
  to start with today?” 
  GORTI JURGEN
  Gorti Jurgen is the Delver’s Guild’s chief represen-
  tative in the Undercity office. Gorti is a pleasant,
  attractive middle-aged woman with short blond
  hair who dresses smartly and always carries a pad
  of paper and an ink pen. She greets every member
  and potential member, every situation and prob-
  lem, with a smile and an indefatigable optimism.
  She and her staff handle new memberships, mem-
  ber questions and concerns, and other administra-
  tive details. Gorti answers directly to the
  Guildmaster Delver.
  Although she sometimes seems a bit aloof,
  Gorti is simply very focused on her work. She was
  married, but her husband—a laborer—was killed
  years ago while working to clear an unstable, col-
  lapsed passage off the Undercity Market. They
  had no children, and now her work is her life.
  Gorti Jurgen
  Female human (Neutral Good)
  Expert4/Rogue1
  CR 4
  HD 4d6-8 + 1d6–2 hp 14
  Init +3
  Speed 30 feet
  AC 17 (+3 Dex, +4 armor), touch 13,
  flat-footed 14
  BAB/Grapple +2/+2
  Attack/Full Attack +7 melee (1d6, short sword),
  or +7 ranged (1d4, dagger)
  Fort –1, Ref +6, Will +6
  Str 10, Dex 17, Con 7, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 14
  Languages: Common, Dwarvish, and Elvish.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +4, Disable Device +6,
  Escape Artist +5, Hide +7, Listen +4, 
  Search +9, Sense Motive +6, Spot +4.
  Other Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +9, Diplomacy
  +9, Forgery +3, Gather Information +7,
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge
  (local) +8, Profession (administrator) +9,
  Sleight of Hand +5, Survival +3.
  Crucial Feats: Quick Draw.
  Other Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse.
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, master-
  work short sword (concealed—Search DC
  17), masterwork daggers (3, concealed
  [Search DC 19]); potions of bear’s endurance,
  invisibility, and see invisibility, gold ring
  (worth 50 gp), thieves’ tools, master delver
  lapel pin, 55 gp. 
  OLLAN NAVARISH 
  Ollan Navarish stands a bit more than six and a
  half feet tall and possesses a powerful physique
  despite the fact that he is fifty-four years old.
  Having lived a hard life, he now spends his days
  providing security for the Delver’s Guild main
  office. Once a well-known (if unpopular) face in
  the Arena, Ollan can be cruel at times, but such
  behavior usually comes from his lack of careful
  thought and some lack of empathy.
  Ollan is not particularly bright, and he possess-
  es few social skills. Years of combat in the Arena
  have left him with multiple scars that cover his
  face, arms, and chest. Ollan has never married. He
  is infatuated with the slightly younger Gorti, who
  is aware of his feelings but attempts to ignore
  them as well as his clumsy attempts to win her
  favor.
  Ollan Navarish
  Male human (Lawful Neutral)
  Warrior7
  CR 6
  HD 7d8+21
  hp 60
  Init +4
  Speed 20 feet
  AC 15 (+5 armor), touch 10, flat-footed 15
  BAB/Grapple +7/+10
  Attack +12 melee (1d12+5, greataxe) or 
  +8 ranged (1d8+3, longbow)
  Full Attack +12/+7 melee (1d12+5, greataxe) or
  +8/+3 ranged (1d8+3, longbow)
  Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +5
  Str 16, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Crucial Skills: Intimidate +2.
  Other Skills: Climb +5, Knowledge (dun-
  geoneering) +2.
  Crucial Feats: Power Attack.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will,
  Weapon Focus (greataxe).
  Possessions: Masterwork chainmail armor, 
  +1 greataxe, potion of cure moderate wounds,
  masterwork mighty longbow (+3), arrows
  (24), 50 feet of hemp rope, backpack, spikes
  (5), mallet, climber’s kit, guildsman lapel
  pin, 71 gp. 
  6
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  The Dungeon below Ptolus can
  be a dangerous and bewildering
  place. Wise adventurers start
  out with guild maps—and
  even retrieval insurance.
  Arena: Ptolus, page 315
  The Guildmaster Delver is
  Sorum Dandubal (male human
  expert4/fighter4).
  Gorti supervises the office’s
  fifteen staff members. For
  more details on the facilities,
  see Ptolus, page 424.
  
  CHAPTER 1: DEITIES 
  T
  he topic of religion, of course, is very
  important to the Ptolus setting and to
  divine spellcasters in particular. When
  designing the Big Book, I tried to do something a
  bit different with the concept, however. The
  world’s most popular roleplaying game, histori-
  cally, has always pulled in two different directions
  on the topic of religion. On the one hand, clerics
  have been portrayed mainly as medieval Christian
  priests or religious knights. On the other hand,
  the game has long been a place of multiple pan-
  theons and a plethora of gods, either from the
  real world or simply made-up fantasy deities. In
  this way both monotheism and polytheism seem
  very true to the Core Rules.
  So in Ptolus, as well, we have both. The
  Church of Lothian is the “official” religion of the
  Empire of Tarsis. It’s a very Roman Catholic-like
  church, and virtually monotheistic. A little over
  half of the city’s residents are Lothianites. 
  But then, in addition to the worship of
  Lothian, Ptolus has hundreds of other religions—
  the rest of the city’s populace reveres a vast num-
  ber of different gods. This means that, if you
  desire a more real-world medieval Europe flavor,
  the game can focus on Lothian’s faith. Or, if a
  whole bunch of different gods is just what the
  DM ordered, you can have that instead. You can
  even have both at once, comparing and contrast-
  ing the two approaches. That’s what I did in my
  campaigns.
  You won’t find much expansion on the
  Lothianite faith in this chapter (but check out St.
  Laphest’s Open Arms charity in the Locales
  chapter). Instead, what you’ll find is additional
  histories and descriptions of some other gods,
  many of them quite ancient. And many of them
  of personal interest to the players in my Ptolus
  Campaign. The legend of Father Claw and Ni-
  Gorth, for example, factored into my game from
  the start, as one of the PC clerics—Sister Mara—
  had run afoul of the minions of the dragon god
  in her backstory. Another character, Shurrin
  Delano, decided to become a cleric of Mirresh
  and delighted in throwing neighborhood parties
  to advance happiness and laughter. (Later he
  came to venerate her sister Gaen as well.)
  While the Cosmology and Religion chapter of
  Ptolus provides context for the setting’s many
  deities, you can always toss out all the setting’s
  cosmological aspects if you want to use some-
  thing else without much problem. The big, bad
  outsiders of the setting (the Galchutt) can easily
  become demon lords, evil gods, or whatever
  you’d like. And the gods introduced here can
  work in any fashion you care to try.
  Check out the description of the
  Temple of Phoeboul in the
  Locales chapter, page 27.
  Church of Lothian: Ptolus,
  page 64
  Many of the cosmological
  aspects of Ptolus are loosely
  based on ancient Gnosticism.
  Galchutt: Ptolus, page 60
  7
  Chapter 1:
  DEITIES
  Chapter 4: Cosmology and Religion in the Ptolus book includes a lengthy list of the gods still worshipped or
  remembered throughout the Empire of Tarsis, of which Ptolus is a part. When writing entries for the online
  Delver’s Guild, I had a good time choosing some of these deities and expanding on their brief writeups.
  
  THE TWENTY-FOUR GODS
  OF THE HOURS
  People are fascinated with the different aspects of
  time. They attribute the various days and seasons
  with personas and associate different atti-
  tudes with the months of the
  year. And then, of course,
  there are the Twenty-
  Four Gods of the
  Hours.
  The Twenty-
  Four Gods of the
  Hours, as their
  collective name
  would suggest,
  each govern one
  hour of each day.
  These minor gods
  are normally wor-
  shipped as a group
  rather than as individ-
  ual deities. The only
  exceptions are the rare
  devotees who choose one hour
  to be their specific patron. These
  people usually tailor their lives around their patron
  hour, ensuring that important events occur during
  that hour. Mostly, though, worshippers attempt to
  honor whichever god presides over a specific
  hour—either that particular hour or one in which
  an important upcoming event will take place. 
  Priests of the Twenty-Four Gods of the Hours
  have access to the Luck and Travel domains, the
  Sun or the Trickery domain (but never both), as
  well as the Law, Good, or Evil domain (but
  never more than one). The favored
  weapon of the Twenty-Four Gods
  of the Hours is the mace.
  Their symbol is a sundial.
  The Temple to the
  Twenty-Four Gods of
  the Hours is an open,
  circular forum with
  each god symbolized
  by a portion of the
  cycle of the day
  depicted in the stone
  pavement. The only
  priest of the faith is
  Redrea Karros (female
  human cleric5), a middle-
  aged woman with short
  brown hair and a stocky build
  who is present only occasionally. Few
  Ptolusites are faithful devotees of these
  gods. Those who come to the temple do so only
  when appeals to other gods seem to have fallen
  on deaf ears. Most people see them as rather
  insignificant deities.
  8
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Twenty-Four Gods of the Hours:
  Ptolus, page 70
  In Ptolus, as in the rest of the
  Empire, people tell time on a
  twenty-four-hour clock: 1st Hour
  begins the hour after midnight,
  followed by 2nd Hour and so on,
  all the way to 23rd Hour.
  Watchmakers and clockmakers
  are very likely to venerate the
  Twenty-Four Gods of the Hours. 
  GODS FOR THE HOURS OF THE DAY
  Name
  Alignment
  Special Title
  Gallesini
  LE
  One of the Three Emperors of the Dawn
  Errashickal
  N
  One of the Three Emperors of the Dawn
  Marlachasan
  LG
  One of the Three Emperors of the Dawn
  Holicassi
  LG
  Morning Lord
  Cassah
  LG
  Sunkeeper
  Kosoran 
  NG
  Suntender
  Nabaral
  NG
  Usher of Daytime
  Nux
  LG
  King of the Noonday Sun
  Jultino
  NG
  Prince of the Day
  Oggesear
  NG
  Duke of the Light
  Darlogicom
  N
  Thane of the Sky
  Furthinal
  N
  Patron of Toil
  Theen
  LG
  Lord of Travel
  Sarm 
  LG
  One of the Three Lords of Dusk
  Slindorima
  N
  One of the Three Lords of Dusk
  Rilberal 
  LE
  One of the Three Lords of Dusk
  Wasumal
  NE
  Prince of Shadow
  Missul
  NE
  Moonshepherd
  Arceptinos
  LE
  Mistress of Midnight
  Lorreth
  NE
  Lady of Sleep
  Pelied
  NE
  Thief of Stars
  Ennithi 
  N
  Keeper of Secrets
  Taynikkil 
  N
  Warden of the Mysteries
  Briddet
  LE
  Lady of the Scurrying Things 
  
  THE SAGA OF FATHER CLAW
  AND NI-GORTH
  From the Kordallian Sagas, Book II, Chapter 1.
  “Long ago, my children, the world was young.
  Young like a boy with whose face was still
  smooth. Even worlds have a birth, a life, and, 
  yes, a death.
  “In the days just after our world’s birth, when
  men had not yet mastered the magic of the writ-
  ten word, when elves walked the world in many
  forms, and when dwarves hid from both day and
  night for the consistency of the lightless caverns,
  there was a dragon.
  “Now, you may say, surely there were many
  dragons. And so there were. But there was only
  one Dragon.
  “Men named him Father Claw out of respect
  and fear. His flying form could darken the bright-
  est day, his breath could lay waste to a city—and
  there were few enough cities then as it was.
  Father Claw’s heart was as black as his scales,
  and he brought only misery and death.
  “Where did such a dragon come from, chil-
  dren? Was he the first of his kind? In those days,
  they used the term ‘uncreated,’ for those things
  that were not crafted by the Creator’s hand but
  had seeped into the world from elsewhere.
  Perhaps Father Claw was such a thing, for surely
  neither the Creator nor his children would give
  life to such a peril. Oh, they crafted evil as well as
  good, it is true, but Father Claw’s power could
  have allowed him to challenge even them. Was he
  a god himself? In those timelost days, who can
  say? Today? Absolutely, my children.
  “Great was his power and the terror he
  inspired. Nevertheless, there were those who
  turned toward Father Claw rather than away in
  fear. They erected tall obelisks of the blue-black
  stone of Nethasokar in his honor. They offered
  blood sacrifices on altars of obsidian in his name.
  “And Father Claw was pleased.
  “Each of these new priests of Father Claw took
  upon themselves a new name to brand their very
  essence with their devotion. Geddis became Ni-
  Geddis. Verrath became Ni-Verrath, and Sodoll
  became Ni-Sodoll. These dark souls learned to
  use acid as a weapon. They forged swords that
  hungered for blood, death, and even souls in the
  same manner that their master hungered. The
  priests of Father Claw were feared and hated and
  put to the sword if found.
  “And so in time the priests of Father Claw fol-
  lowed their master’s directive and retreated to the
  secret city of Shoggoth, whose location remains
  hidden in the mists of mystery even still today.
  “Time passed, as time is wont to do, and a
  priest of Father Claw rose through the ranks. His
  name was Ni-Gorth. This mortal soul knew the
  Dragon like none before him, but in those dark
  serpent’s eyes he saw not salvation but dread,
  despair, and death. Ni-Gorth discovered that
  Father Claw was not a creature to be venerated.
  Does the hare revere the wolf? Does the fawn
  revere the lion? He learned that the Dragon could
  only be reviled. To do otherwise was a form of
  suicide.
  “In secret, then, Ni-Gorth labored as none
  before him. Using skill unknown today, he forged
  the mighty dragonchain, a word spoken today
  only in whispers. Then Ni-Gorth, a man above
  men, took his creation and tricked his dread mas-
  ter, binding Father Claw to the heart of a moun-
  tain which is today long forgotten, even by the
  earth itself.
  “Ni-Gorth chained Father Claw and rid the
  world of his evil. And for his efforts, this priest
  found as his reward only the curved knives of his
  fellows. The other priests fell upon him with
  vengeance and fury until he lay dead. Still, no
  effort on their part, no scheme they could dream
  would break the dragonchain. Father Claw
  remained imprisoned, and they rotted away wait-
  ing for their lord to free himself.
  “But that is not the end of the tale. No, chil-
  dren. For so great was the power and purity of
  Ni-Gorth that he returned. You see, as difficult as
  it is to believe on some dark days, there is a sort
  of justice in the world. Ni-Gorth himself ascended
  to godhood, the first of what we call today the
  New Gods. Those who revered him for his skills
  and deeds were great craftsmen in their own
  right. Books read still today speak with respect of
  the Wizard-Priests of Ni-Gorth and their won-
  drous creations. It was their hands that crafted
  the Seven Jewels of Parnaith, which encompass all
  things and yet more. But that, my children, is a
  tale for another day.
  “Of course, never forget that Father Claw, with
  heart as black as his scales, broke free of the
  dragonchain many lifetimes later. And he remains
  free even today.”
  Father Claw is a chaotic evil god with the
  domains Chaos, Destruction, and Evil. His priests
  all wear black hooded robes and carry silver dag-
  gers, his favored weapon. All take the moniker
  “Ni-” before their name. His symbol is a black
  dragon or a black dragon’s head.
  Ni-Gorth is a true neutral god of Magic and
  Strength. He has no priests today, but in the past
  they were all wizard/clerics specializing in magical
  craftsmanship. Some of the Wizard-Priests of Ni-
  Gorth were human and some were elves. His
  symbol was a golden chain with a dragon’s head
  on either end, and his favored weapon was the
  flail.
  The symbol of Father claw is a
  black dragon’s head.
  Father Claw: Ptolus, page 69
  Long ago, the Wizard-Priests of
  Ni-Gorth tried to destroy the
  Spire and its fell fortress. They
  worked tirelessly to organize all
  the races of Praemal against the
  Dread One.
  Ni-Gorth: Ptolus, page 70
  Wizard-Priests of Ni-Gorth:
  Ptolus, page 80
  Seven Jewels of Parnaith: Ptolus,
  page 526
  Iristul Vladaam is obsessed with
  collecting the hungerswords of
  Father Claw’s priests. For more
  on his quest and this noble fami-
  ly, see Ptolus, page 96.
  9
  CHAPTER 1: DEITIES
  
  10
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  While exploring the Dungeon, an
  adventurer might come upon the
  home of a long-thought-vanished
  deity named Destor. The worship
  of this god of lightning and ill
  luck was prohibited in the city,
  and the resulting dearth of
  worshippers has reduced the
  god to the size of a small doll
  dwelling in an underground
  annex of his last temple. 
  Destor will make a tempting
  offer to the player character who
  discovers him, promising the
  character powers and prestige as
  his champion if only he would
  re-establish the faith in the city.
  Of course, that’s not as easy as
  it sounds, for the Church of
  Lothian is always on guard
  against dangerous religions
  attempting to gain a grasp
  on the populace. 
  For more on Destor, see 
  Ptolus, page 69.
  22 TEMPLE IDEAS
  The number of temples and shrines in the
  Temple District of Ptolus is staggering, and new
  religions are coming in all the time. The following
  list holds suggestions for the DM who is creating
  or detailing churches on his own, to give each
  temple and religion a touch of unique flavor when
  the player characters visit. Although nowhere
  near comprehensive, the list can inspire further
  ideas from creative DMs.
  1. Only halflings are allowed within the inner
  sanctum, even though it is not the temple of a
  solely halfling deity.
  2. A statue of the god cries tears of milk on
  holy days.
  3. Devout worshippers prostrate themselves
  before the altar for such long periods of time,
  they have to be dragged out of the temple so they
  do not die of dehydration.
  4. All the doors in the temple have bells
  attached to them.
  5. Windows and skylights have been carefully
  placed and shaped inside the temple. These com-
  bine with small hanging mirrors that sway gently
  in the wind to create dozens of sacred shapes of
  light—many of which move—throughout the 
  temple.
  6. No one wearing red (the color of blood) is allowed in the main sanctuary. Likewise, people
  with wounds are also forbidden.
  7. A crack in one wall of an old temple is (roughly) in the shape of a holy symbol, It is taken as
  a sign from the god.
  8. Birds of all varieties are kept in the temple, most allowed to move about freely.
  9. Acolytes must continue to sing the eternal perfect note at all times. Three acolytes take turns
  during a three-hour shift intoning the same note, with three new acolytes taking the shift after
  them, and so on.
  10. The high priest died a year ago. His body was left where it lay, next to the altar, as a sign of
  his devotion.
  11. The temple’s interior has a snake motif, even though the religion is not snake-related. The
  church uses the temple of a snake god that was driven out of the city for various crimes, and has
  not yet had the opportunity to change all the imagery.
  12. The high priestess is highly prejudiced against orcs and half-orcs, even though that is not a
  part of the religion’s official dogma.
  13. Shoes or foot coverings of any kind cannot be worn in the temple.
  14. The temple also sells a well-known curative for coughs brewed by the priests.
  15. The temple has no windows. It is lit only by candles within.
  16. The floors of the temple are made of a rare wood imported from the distant south that has
  a very distinctive, nutty odor.
  17. A saint’s perfectly-preserved severed hand still clutches the staff used by the high priest 
  during important ceremonies.
  18. Every hour, on the hour, a priest performs a ritualized dance in front of the temple, sanctify-
  ing the entrance.
  19. The temple was recently robbed and desecrated by an enemy religion. Signs of loss and
  damage are everywhere.
  20. The priests of the temple are highly political and speak as much about current events as 
  religion.
  21. No one may speak within the temple louder than a whisper.
  22. All the clergy of the temple are branded with their god’s holy symbol on their right cheek.
  DM TIP
  
  CHAPTER 1: DEITIES
  GAEN AND MIRRESH
  Two sister goddesses well known in Ptolus—and
  throughout the entire region of Palastan—are
  Gaen, Goddess of Light, and Mirresh, Goddess
  of Laughter.
  GODDESS OF LIGHT
  The worship of Gaen is second only to the wor-
  ship of Lothian in Ptolus, although it is an
  extremely distant second. Her faithful number
  more than a thousand in the city—so many that
  there is talk of building a second temple.
  However, the City Council has ruled that,
  although Lothianite chapels and small temples
  are located throughout the city, any other new
  temples would have to be built in the Temple
  District. Since there is little reason to place two
  temples of Gaen so close together, this has pre-
  vented the drive to found a second temple from
  gaining any momentum.
  Gaen is Lawful Good and offers the domains
  of Good, Law, and Light. Her symbol is a blaz-
  ing sunburst, and her favored weapon is the
  heavy mace. Her priests wear golden robes and
  preach fevered sermons on not just avoiding
  evil, but rooting it out and destroying it. “The
  light banishes the dark and cold from even the
  worst of places if given the chance,” is their
  credo. 
  The clerics and paladins (of which there are
  many) crusade against malevolence in its most
  obvious and basest forms: demons and undead
  (and all those who revere either or both) as well
  as evil monsters, slavers, murderers, assassins,
  and so forth. Gaen is much more focused on her
  Good aspect than on Law.
  Gaen is depicted as a gigantic human woman,
  typically bare-breasted, wearing a golden helm
  and wielding a sword made of light. Her most
  sacred rites have a sexual component, as her
  priests—male and female—are her lovers. She
  grants them the light from her soul through 
  sexual ecstasy. 
  Two of the most powerful clerics in the city,
  Barit Calomar (male human cleric18) and
  Melior Kalen (male human cleric18), as well as
  the most powerful paladin, Steron Vsool (male
  human paladin20), are all devotees of Gaen. 
  The Temple of Gaen in Ptolus, a massive
  structure with a striking silver dome, is just off
  the Street of a Million Gods. The temple main-
  tains close connections with the Knights of the
  Pale and the Keepers of the Veil (despite both
  groups’ more obvious associations to the
  Church of Lothian), as well as the Knights of
  the Golden Cross.
  GODDESS OF LAUGHTER
  Mirresh is Gaen’s less popular younger sister.
  She is a goddess of laughter, frivolity, and pleas-
  ant diversions. Her priests attempt to bring joy
  and love to the hearts of her faithful, and in
  fact, to all people. To further this goal, they hold
  special festivals, parties, and parades throughout
  the year. They give away toys and create puzzles
  and games for children. They even dress up as
  clowns or put on comedic plays and puppet
  shows to entertain and spread happiness.
  Mirresh’s followers learn that no matter what
  happens, one should always find time for laugh-
  ter, even in the darkest times. They are not blind
  optimists or naive children; they just believe
  that, regardless of how bad things can get, there
  is always something to smile about—even if just
  for a moment.
  Mirresh has few full-time worshippers but
  many give her prayers of thanks and honor her
  during celebrations of great joy, such as wed-
  dings, births, and coming-of-age ceremonies. 
  The Neutral Good Mirresh oversees the
  domains of Good, Protection, and Trickery. She
  uses a laughing (usually female) face as her sym-
  bol and the rapier as her favored weapon,
  although some priests of Mirresh take vows of
  pacifism. Her clerics have no specific garb,
  although they often wear bright colors, particu-
  larly when celebrating one of her many festivals
  or holy days.
  She is depicted as an extremely beautiful
  human woman, laughing and dancing playfully,
  or as a cavorting young human girl. She is often
  shown with flowers and flowering plants, but
  she has no real connection to nature (and neither
  do her priests—in fact, her temples are almost
  always found in large urban areas).
  The Temple of Mirresh in Ptolus is on the
  Street of a Million Gods. Although small and
  fairly innocuous, it’s a location that many
  Ptolusites know, as it marks the starting point
  for parades and spectacles and is the central
  focus for wonderful parties.
  The Temple of Gaen (left) is
  located just off the Street of a
  Million Gods in the Temple
  District. See Ptolus, page 385.
  Gaen: Ptolus, page 69
  Lothian: Ptolus, page 66
  City Council: Ptolus, page 148
  Mirresh: Ptolus, page 69
  Blazing sunburst holy symbol as
  a magic item: Ptolus, page 386
  Light domain: Ptolus, page 637
  Steron Vsool, famed champion of
  Gaen, is the city’s most powerful
  paladin. See Ptolus, page 386.
  Barit Calomar and Melior Kalen:
  Ptolus, page 385
  Knights of the Pale: Ptolus, 
  page 125
  Keepers of the Veil: Ptolus, 
  page 119
  Church of Lothian: Ptolus, 
  page 64
  Knights of the Golden Cross:
  Ptolus, page 124
  11
  
  PRUSTAN DEITIES
  Two thousand years ago, long before the com-
  ing of Lothian, the people known as the Prust
  worshipped a great variety of
  minor and rather miscellaneous
  gods.
  Taken as a whole, the Prustan
  gods were a fairly harsh lot. Their
  portfolios dealt with the negative
  more often than the positive, and
  their worshippers begged their
  deities not to act, rather than to act.
  Rather than praying to a god of fer-
  tility or abundance for a blessing, the
  ancient Prust prayed to their god of
  pestilence and blight, Guellatha, so
  that she would stay her hand. This
  reflected the people’s complex notion
  that the world was an inherently good
  place, but that thinking beings—whether
  mortal or immortal—were inherently
  destructive and ruinous. The Prust didn’t
  revere their gods so much as fear them,
  although the deities that still have worshippers
  today have managed to transcend this relation-
  ship, at least somewhat.
  But sadly, the cults revering most of these
  deities are now long gone, their patrons—if they
  ever truly existed—forgotten. Of the few that
  survive, one of the stranger is Kran, the
  Goddess of Faults. 
  KRAN, GODDESS OF FAULTS
  Portrayed as a hunched, decrepit crone, Kran
  oversees the shortcomings in all things. She
  knows the weaknesses of her worshippers’ ene-
  mies and how to exploit them. However, she
  knows the faults of her faithful as well, and
  holds this knowledge over them like a threat.
  A Neutral Evil deity, Kran carries the domains
  of Evil and Knowledge. Her symbol is a narrow
  green eye within a red triangle, and her favored
  weapon is scimitar. Kran’s clerics are typically a
  spiteful, back-biting, and scheming lot that
  enjoys finding out the dark secrets of others and
  using these secrets against them to gain power
  and influence. Occasionally they resort to simple
  blackmail as well.
  Kran’s worship is barely tolerated in the
  Empire. Those who know only a little about the
  deity believe her religion to focus on knowing
  one’s own faults and overcoming them. Her
  worshippers sometimes portray her as a kindly
  old woman who shares advice about becoming a
  better person. 
  Kran’s temple in Ptolus lies in the Temple
  District on Discourse Street. It is a dark tower of
  grey-blue stone with windows of red stained
  glass. 
  12
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Read more about Prustan history
  in Ptolus Chapter 5 and about its
  geography in Ptolus Chapter 2.
  Kran: Ptolus, page 69
  Other Prustan gods include
  Castain (a god of life supplanted
  by Lothian), Kharos (a god of
  magic), Teun (Mother of All
  Machines), and Tevra (the
  Clockwork Goddess). For details,
  see the individual entries in
  Ptolus, pages 68–70.
  
  CHAPTER 1: DEITIES
  THE IRON GOD
  Another old Prustan deity still revered today is
  the mysterious Iron God.
  Most of the Iron God’s current worshippers
  are dwarves, both Grailwarden and Stonelost.
  (Originally the Iron God was a purely
  Grailwarden dwarf deity, but the dwarves who
  would become the Stonelost adopted him almost
  as soon as they learned of him.) In the heyday of
  the Empire, the Iron God had many human wor-
  shippers as well.
  The lord of all things iron and steel*, the Iron
  God is a master of the forge, of strength, and of
  weapons of war. More than just that, though, he
  is a god of tools and machines with iron gears,
  iron wheels, and iron furnaces burning coal to
  fire iron pistons. His followers invariably work
  as craftsmen, smiths, or machinists.
  The Iron God is a Lawful Neutral deity who
  governs the domains of Earth, Fire, and Tech-
  nology. He offers as his symbol alternatively an
  iron sphere or a mask of iron. His weapon is the
  warhammer. Followers of the Iron God do not
  create images of the god himself; they tend to
  avoid anthropomorphizing him if at all possible.
  Thus, the Iron God is not the smith, but the iron
  itself. He is not the forger, but the forge. He
  dwells within all worked iron, and any such
  object is holy to his priests. 
  While no image of the Iron God is ever seen,
  many people associate him with the mysterious
  Wandering Smith (pictured above). This figure
  is widely believed to be a divine avatar who
  bequeaths valuable items from his forge to
  those in need and then vanishes without a word.
  The Iron God’s priests wear iron masks in
  addition to their heavy armor. They typically say
  little. The Iron God has no holy books and little
  in the way of dogma. His is a religion of intu-
  ition and gut feeling. “You feel the iron, and you
  listen to the iron,” a devotee might say, as
  though that sums up the religion in its entirety.
  In Ptolus, the Iron God’s temple lies on
  Chalice Road. A long, low building with large
  iron buttresses, it sees only a small amount of
  activity. (There is also an ancient and abandoned
  temple of his in Dwarvenhearth, far below
  Ptolus.) It is possible that, if the Shuul technolo-
  gists succeed in reinstating the “old ways,” the
  temple of the Iron God may prosper. 
  * For an interesting take on a similar deity
  and his divine habitat, see “The World
  Forge,” Chapter 4 in The Book of Hallowed
  Might II: Portents and Visions.
  Iron God: Ptolus, page 69
  Grailwarden dwarves: Ptolus,
  page 48
  Stonelost dwarves: Ptolus, 
  page 49
  Wandering Smith: Ptolus,
  page 367.
  Dwarvenhearth temple: Ptolus,
  page 482
  The Shuul: Ptolus, page 131
  13
  
  Chapter 2:
  LOCALES
  Even though the Ptolus book itself contains hundreds of locations, a city as varied and complex as this one
  always has a few surprises waiting. From noble crypts to soapmaking manufactories, these new locales 
  are perfect to augment a variety of districts throughout the city.  
  Throughout this chapter, map
  coordinates and location num-
  bers given for a locale correspond
  to the city of Ptolus poster map.
  Noble families: Ptolus, page 87
  House Abanar: Ptolus, page 88
  House Dallimothan: Ptolus,
  page 89
  House Erthuo: Ptolus, page 91
  14
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  A
  s in the Ptolus book itself, this chapter does
  more than just present routine facts about
  the locales in it—it gives information that
  the DM can really use, not all of which is the kind
  of background that you are used to seeing in setting
  products. It’s all there to provide the DM with the
  tools to run a game set in Ptolus smoothly. 
  Having run urban campaigns rather extensively,
  I’ve learned that it’s important to be able to create
  new locations or to tailor existing ones on the fly,
  to serve the needs of the game. Sometimes you just
  have to have a stable nearby. Sometimes a tavern
  suddenly needs a second story. So feel free to adjust
  these locales as needed to make them work for you.
  CRYPTS OF THE NOBILITY
  Each of the ten noble families in Ptolus has its
  own large family crypt in the Necropolis,
  although not all of them are actively used. Each
  is different from the others.
  ABANAR
  This relatively small crypt
  is not actually used by the
  family now, although associ-
  ate members of the house
  pay handsomely to be
  interred in nearby tombs.
  The Abanar crypt has been broken into numerous
  times, both by ghouls and by adventurers assum-
  ing that the wealthy members of the house are
  buried with their valuables. The members of
  House Abanar have thus given up on the crypt
  and bury their dead in secret elsewhere.
  DALLIMOTHAN
  Although the Dallimothan
  crypt is an impressive mon-
  ument with a huge statue 
  of a rearing dragon atop 
  it, the place stands empty.
  Members of House
  Dallimothan are incredibly
  long lived and, in the history of Ptolus, only a very
  small handful of them have died. Their remains are
  consumed in a ritual, their spirits loosed in a spe-
  cial magical chamber called the Dragon Vault, in
  the Dallimothan tower in the Nobles’ Quarter. 
  ERTHUO
  Another rarely used crypt,
  the Erthuo family inter-
  ment structure is small and
  surprisingly nondescript.
  Perhaps this is because
  most members of this
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  house of elves prefer to be cremated, their ashes
  scattered in the Moonsilver Forest or at sea.
  KATH
  House Kath uses its crypt
  still today to inter its dead,
  including honored servants
  and other associated indi-
  viduals. This large, horse-
  shoe-shaped structure is
  topped with many elegant
  statues. Magic seals the only entrance, prevent-
  ing all but Kath hands from unsealing it. Neither
  divination nor necromancy magic works within
  the crypt or even within twenty feet of it. This
  safeguard successfully keeps away most of the
  intruders likely to disturb it.
  House Kath does bury its dead with valuables
  and grave goods, in the ancient tradition. If one
  were able to gain entrance, it is likely that one
  might find more than 15,000 gp worth of treas-
  ure, assuming the interloper could survive the
  various glyphs of warding.
  KHATRU
  Like the family’s keep in
  the Nobles’ Quarter, House
  Khatru’s crypt on a slight
  rise in the Necropolis looks
  like a small fortress. 
  As recently as ten years
  ago, Khatru positioned
  guards at the crypt to keep
  it safe. However, they kept disappearing at night,
  and eventually the practice was stopped. Now
  Khatru uses a crypt beneath the estate for solemn
  burials when a member of the noble family pass-
  es away. 
  15
  Moonsilver Forest: Ptolus, 
  page 42
  House Kath: Ptolus, page 92
  House Khatru: Ptolus, page 92
  KEY* TO LOCALES FROM THIS CHAPTER
  1. Crypts of Nobility (page 14, Necropolis, K–L 3–4)
  2. Durambor Headquarters (page 17, South Market, G8)
  3. Ged’s Cabinets (page 18, Midtown, J5)
  4. The Green Mews (page 20, South Market, F8)
  5. The Lorn Tower (page 21, Guildsman District, M8)
  6. The Old Goose (page 22, Midtown, G6)
  7. The Pointy Hat (page 24, Oldtown, E5)
  8. St. Laphest’s Open Arms (page 25, Guildsman District, L7)
  9. Steampump Station 17 (page 26, Oldtown, D6)
  10. Temple of Phoeboul (page 27, Temple District, H4)
  11. Citation Streets (page 28, Oldtown and South Market, 7B–C and 8D)
  12. The Winter Lyehouse (page 29, South Market, E8)
  * Note that the numbers on these locales apply to the above map only.
  11
  12
  12
  11
  11
  11
  11
  10
  10
  99
  88
  77
  66
  55
  44
  33
  22
  
  NAGEL
  House Nagel has a large
  crypt in the Necropolis, in
  which much of the one-
  large and powerful family
  has been interred. Today it
  shows signs of neglect. No
  one has yet actually broken
  in, and the lock on the
  stone door (DC 30 to
  open) still holds.
  RAU
  House Rau has an exten-
  sive underground crypt
  beneath its estate, and so
  the crypt in the Necropolis
  exists purely for show.
  Like that of House
  Dallimothan, there are no
  bodies within it.
  SADAR
  Protected by magical wards
  and traps, the large, some-
  what plain crypt of House
  Sadar is secure against tomb
  robbers looking for valu-
  ables. Undead, in the form
  of shadows, are not kept
  out, however and in fact
  seem to be called there.
  Rather than disturbing anything, the shadows help
  protect the place. At night, one might expect to
  find 3d10 shadows and 2d6 greater shadows sur-
  rounding the crypt. Another 2d10 shadows and
  2d6 greater shadows lurk within the crypt night or
  day. In truth, these are not intruders at all, but
  actually the spirits of those members of the family
  (and their servants) who have passed on to this
  shadowy existence, still loyal to the house.
  SHEVER
  This round crypt holds
  many members of House
  Shever, including the
  recently passed Hallia,
  mother of Thollos, head of
  the house. He has servants
  keep fresh flowers posi-
  tioned in vases at the door
  to the crypt in her honor.
  To keep out grave robbers, the entrance is a steel
  door secured with elaborate mechanical locks
  (three separate DC 35 Open Lock checks to open).
  VLADAAM
  The crypt of House
  Vladaam is a long, gothic
  structure, with elaborate
  stone ornamentation, gar-
  goyles, and various graven
  figurines. The crypt has not
  been used in decades, but
  the interior floor hides a
  secret hatch (Search, DC
  25, to find) concealing a staircase. Beneath the
  crypt lies a secret lair of the Forsaken, used
  (secretly) with the blessing of the house. During
  the day, 1d4+1 typical Forsaken cultists can be
  found here with 1d6 zombie servants. At night,
  they are roaming about and the lair is empty.
  16
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  House Nagel: Ptolus, page 93
  House Shever: Ptolus, page 96
  House Rau: Ptolus, page 93
  House Dallimothan: Ptolus,
  page 89
  House Sadar: Ptolus, page 94
  House Vladaam: Ptolus, page 96
  The Forsaken: Ptolus, page 112
  Visitors to the Necropolis can see a
  variety of holy symbols marking
  the crypts of noble families.
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  DURAMBOR HEADQUARTERS
  o South Market (South Street, #281, G8)
  d 35,000 gp
  “Durambor” is the name of a small cabal of
  Grailwarden dwarves, a rival group to the
  Gurhorond dwarves who operate out of the Star
  Jewelers workshop in the Guildsman District. The
  Durambor buy all kinds of gems and jewels and
  send them back to their homeland far to the east.
  Merchants such as Myraeth Tuneweaver, who
  might buy such treasures secondhand from oth-
  ers, turn around and sell them to the Durambor.
  The gem-laden vaults of the Durambor set
  thieves’ mouths to drool across the city, so they
  keep tight security with able guards (male and
  female dwarf fighters4), usually at least four at
  any given time, in addition to a commander (male
  dwarf fighter8). 
  No windows look into the round, squat tower
  of the Durambor. The main door has a devious
  triple lock (Open Lock, DC 30 each; if one fails,
  the others reset—no taking twenty once one is
  unlocked) and the back door opens only from the
  inside, thanks to a complex mechanism (Disable
  Device, DC 29). The vault itself is locked similar-
  ly to the main door and is trapped with whirling
  poisoned blades as well.
  Whirling Poisoned Blades: CR 7; mechanical;
  timed trigger; automatic reset; hidden lock
  bypass (Search DC 28, Open Lock DC 30);
  Attack +10 melee (1d4+4/19–20 plus poi-
  son, dagger); poison (purple worm poison,
  Fortitude save, DC 24, resists, 1d6
  Strength/2d6 Strength); multiple targets
  (one target in each of the five-foot squares
  adjacent to the vault door); Search DC 28;
  Disable Device DC 28. 
  The Durambor ship all the jewels they have
  purchased back to Grail Keep. No one outside
  the organization knows exactly why, or why the
  dwarves of Grail Keep need so many jewels that
  they employ an entire group just to buy and ship
  them. Reportedly, branches of the Durambor
  exist in other major Imperial cities as well. In any
  event, the dwarves are always looking for capa-
  ble mercenaries to help protect the shipments
  they send across the continent from brigands.
  They pay well
  (1,000 gp for
  approximately
  fifty days’ work:
  twenty-five days
  there, twenty-five
  days back), but
  they expect more
  than a typical 1st-
  level warrior for
  that rate.
  The Durambor ally themselves with the Shuul,
  a group interested in rekindling the technological
  advancements of the Empire’s past. These
  dwarves eagerly await the day when their allies
  get their aeroship service up and running to trans-
  port their jewels. This is likely two to three years
  off, at best.
  Scenario: A dwarf named Sert Nightforge hires
  the player characters to break into the Durambor
  headquarters. However, his directions are very
  specific. He doesn’t want anyone inside harmed,
  and he only wants the PCs to steal one jewel in
  particular—then replace it with a gem of equal
  value that he provides. 
  Sert sold the Durambor a gem of seeing by mis-
  take. The Durambor don’t know it’s magical, and
  he doesn’t want to tell them. He’s already offered
  to buy it back, but they refused.
  Grailwarden dwarves: Ptolus,
  page 48
  Gurhorond: Ptolus, page 191
  Star Jewelers: Ptolus, page 191
  Myraeth Tuneweaver: Ptolus,
  page 213
  Grail Keep: Ptolus, page 42
  The Shuul: Ptolus, page 131
  Aeroships: Ptolus, page 562 
  17
  
  GED’S CABINETS
  p Midtown (Katterwood, Mona Lane, #207, J5)
  11 d 9,300 gp
  Ged and Brooke Morrowlost, halflings both,
  are a married couple. They own and run a car-
  pentry shop in Katterwood, the halfling neighbor-
  hood of Midtown. Ged specializes in cabinetry,
  but he also builds other wooden items. Cabinets
  and furniture in various stages of construction fill
  the front room of the shop.  
  The back room of the shop looks very differ-
  ent, however. This is where Ged and Brooke man-
  age their secondary business. Ged Morrowlost is
  known in certain circles as “the Guide” and
  sometimes as “the Ferryman.” Ged knows where
  secret things are, and for a fee, he will guide the
  right people to them. He knows where to find
  hidden Forsaken hideouts, criminal safe houses,
  and even the Vai, the Knights of the Secret Sun,
  and the Naltegro Suun. He knows both the city
  and the labyrinths below.
  Ged generally charges about 200 gp for his
  services, but he also requires that a client give him
  a special password or phrase. The inhabitants or
  organization controlling the destination provide
  this secret signal—Ged only leads those whom the
  people at the destination want to see. He won’t,
  for example, lead the undead-hating Keepers of
  the Veil to a hidden Forsaken base. That’s just
  bad for business—while he is paid by those he
  guides, he is also paid by those he guides them to.
  For example, a potential client comes into
  Ged’s shop. “I’m looking for a safe house—
  Tolbrook sent me,” he says. “Tolbrook sent me”
  is a pass phrase given to Ged for a particular
  Killraven Crime League hideout in the Rivergate
  district. So Ged asks for 200 gp and they are on
  their way. If someone comes in and says only,
  “I’m looking for the Killraven safe house in
  Rivergate,” Ged acts as though he has no idea
  what the person is talking about and asks him or
  her to leave. 
  In a typical situation, Brooke follows along
  invisibly and uses clairvoyance/clairaudience and
  see invisible to make sure they are not being fol-
  lowed or about to walk into danger. Ged and
  Brooke are quite capable and not afraid to get
  into combat. They have contingency plans for
  when things go bad, usually involving The Three,
  a trio of rogues who work for them. The Three
  prepare ambushes that Ged can lead foes into.
  Sometimes they just follow behind to watch for
  danger and intervene if Ged gets in trouble. Their
  goal in a fight generally involves providing flank-
  ing for Ged.
  As Ged provides a valuable service to many
  powerful and dangerous organizations, harming
  him might be the last act of a very foolish individ-
  ual.
  Ged Morrowlost
  Male halfling (Small), (Chaotic Neutral)
  Rogue9
  CR 9
  HD 9d6+9
  hp 45
  Init +3
  Speed 20 feet
  AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 19
  BAB/Grapple +6/+2
  Attack +7 melee (1d4+1, small short sword),
  or +11 ranged (1d4+2, small short bow)
  Full Attack +7/+2 melee (1d4+1, small short
  sword), or +11/+6 ranged (1d4+2, small
  short bow)
  SA +4d6+4 sneak attack
  SQ Evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap
  sense +3
  Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6
  Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +10, Bluff +7, Climb
  +12, Escape Artist +10, Hide +7, Intimidate
  +5, Listen +4, Move Silently +16, Search
  +10, Sense Motive +14, Tumble +14.
  Other Skills: Craft (woodworking) +10, Gather
  Information +9, Knowledge (local) +10,
  Open Lock +17.
  Crucial Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot,
  Quick Draw.
  Other Feats: Great Fortitude.
  Languages:  Common, Goblin, Halfling.
  Possessions: Short bow, +1 arrows (10), 
  +2 arrows (10), +1 flaming arrows (6), +2
  studded leather armor of silent moves, +1
  small sword of subtlety, climber’s kit, 50 feet
  of silk rope, masterwork thieves’ tools, 
  15 gp.
  Brooke Morrowlost
  Female halfling (Small), (Chaotic Neutral)
  Wizard9
  CR 9
  HD 9d4+18
  hp 41 
  Init +3
  Speed 20 feet
  AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11
  BAB/Grapple +4/–3
  Attack/Full Attack +9 ranged (1d4+1, small
  light crossbow)
  Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +7
  Str 5, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 21, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Crucial Skills: Climb –1, Escape Artist +7,
  Hide +7, Jump –1, Listen +2, Move Silently
  +5, Sense Motive +2.
  Other Skills: Craft (woodworking) +7,
  Decipher Script +13, Knowledge (arcana)
  +15, Knowledge (geography) +16,
  Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge (nobility
  and royalty) +16.
  Crucial Feats: Point Blank Shot.
  Other Feats: Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous
  Item, Scribe Scroll, Toughness, Weapon
  Focus (crossbow, light).
  Languages: Common, Dwarvish, Elvish,
  Gnomish, Halfling.
  Spells: 4/5/5/4/3/1, save DC 15 + spell level.
  0—detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand,
  message.
  1st—alarm, charm person, color spray, shield,
  summon monster I.
  18
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Katterwood: Ptolus, page 200
  Forsaken: Ptolus, page 112
  The Vai: Ptolus, page 139
  Knights of the Secret Sun:
  Ptolus, page 127
  Naltegro Suun: Ptolus, page 130
  Keepers of the Veil: Ptolus,
  page 119
  Killraven Crime League: Ptolus,
  page 121
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  2nd—false life, invisibility (2), mirror image, 
  see invisible.
  3rd—clairaudience/clairvoyance, fly, hold 
  person, suggestion.
  4th—ice storm, polymorph, stoneskin.
  5th—cone of cold.
  Possessions: +1 small light crossbow, +1 bolts
  (10), headband of intellect +2, wand of light-
  ning bolt (10th level, 10 charges), scroll of
  fox’s cunning, invisibility (x3), scroll of ice
  storm; potions of bull’s strength, false life,
  and fly; spellbook, 156 gp.
  Spellbook: 0—acid splash, arcane mark, danc-
  ing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison,
  disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light,
  mage hand, mending, message, open/close,
  prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic,
  resistance, touch of fatigue.
  1st—alarm, cause fear, charm person, color
  spray, floating disk, hypnotism, magic
  weapon, shield, summon monster I.
  2nd—blur, bull’s strength, darkness, false life,
  invisibility, minor image, mirror image, 
  misdirection, owl’s wisdom, rope trick, see
  invisible, whispering wind.
  3rd—clairaudience/clairvoyance, fly, hold
  person, suggestion.
  4th—arcane eye, ice storm, polymorph, remove
  curse, stoneskin.
  5th—cone of cold, telekinesis. 
  The Three
  Female humans (Neutral)
  Rogue3
  CR 3
  HD 3d6
  hp 12
  Init +7
  Speed 30 feet
  AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10
  Attack/Full Attack +3 melee (1d6, short
  sword), or +6 ranged (1d8, light crossbow)
  SA Sneak attack +2d6
  SQ Evasion, uncanny dodge, trap sense
  Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +2
  Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 9.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +9, Disable
  Device +9, Hide +9, Listen +9, Move
  Silently +7, Search +11, Spot +3, Use Magic
  Device +4.
  Other Skills: Forgery +8, Gather Information
  +7, Heal +3, Open Lock +7, Sleight of
  Hand +5, Use Rope +6.
  Crucial Feats: N/A.
  Other Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative,
  Investigator.
  Possessions: Masterwork light crossbow,
  bolts (20), masterwork short sword;
  potions of invisibility, cat’s grace, and cure
  moderate wounds; 25 gp. 
  You can use one of these typical
  shop layouts to represent Ged’s
  cabinet store.
  Ged conducted a group of player
  characters using a stolen pass-
  word to an infamous Forsaken
  refuge beneath the Clock Tower
  in Oldtown. It didn’t go well for
  the Forsaken, but the slip-up led
  Ged to install new magical safe-
  guards to protect against pur-
  loined passwords.
  19
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  
  THE GREEN MEWS
  S South Market (South Gate, Emperor’s Road,
  #266, F8) 11 ld 260 gp (excluding horses)
  Jakom Mullar runs a large stables for travel-
  ers. The stables consist of three buildings—the
  actual stables, a shed for storing feed and equip-
  ment, and Jakom’s house, where he lives with
  his wife, Erbecca (female human commoner2),
  and three children. The two older children,
  Teriss (male human commoner1) and Rollo
  (male human fighter1) help with the stables,
  although Rollo is getting ready to leave and join
  the Order of Iron Might.
  The stables earn a good deal of money for the
  family. Located right next to the South Gate in
  the South Market district, the Green Mews often
  has to turn away customers, even though the
  Mullars have space for twenty horses.
  Jakom is a large man with thinning dark hair
  and bushy eyebrows. He’s good-natured and
  likes to trade jokes with travelers. He’s also
  eager to tell tales of other visitors who have
  brought in pegasi mounts, a giant stag, and
  once, for just one night, a unicorn. Such happen-
  ings are rare, and Jakom tends to embellish the
  tales a bit, but he’s proud that such “important
  folk” have entrusted him with the care of their
  special and exotic creatures.
  Scenario: Jakom’s real love, however, is
  wrestling. Every Fireday evening, he competes in
  local wrestling matches. Despite his lack of com-
  bat training, Jakom is a good wrestler and per-
  forms well in the matches. Unfortunately, the
  crime boss Korben Trollone (who works for
  Kevris Killraven) has recently moved in on the
  wrestling matches and taken control of the gam-
  bling that goes on. Korben is putting pressure on
  Jakom to work for him, but Jakom doesn’t need
  Korben’s money. The only pressure Korben can
  put on him is veiled threats against the stables
  and Jakom’s family. 
  Scenario: Jakom knows that if his boys found
  out about this, they’d try to deal with Korben
  on their own (which would be suicide). He needs
  help and isn’t too proud to ask the player char-
  acters for their assistance to protect his family
  and their livelihood and home. The PCs can go
  on the defensive and hang about the stables, or
  they could try to find Korben’s headquarters and
  take the issue up with him there. A show of real
  force may get Korben, a relatively small-time
  criminal, to back off, as Jakom isn’t worth a lot
  of trouble. However, Korben will remember the
  player characters if they humiliate him or his
  hired muscle.
  Jakom Mullar 
  Male human (Lawful Good)
  Commoner5
  CR 4 
  HD 5d4
  hp 15
  Init +1
  Speed 30 feet
  AC 11, flat footed 10, touch 11
  BAB/Grapple +2/+9
  Attack/Full Attack +5 melee (1d3+3, unarmed
  strike)
  Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +2
  Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Jump +8, Spot +3.
  Other Skills: Craft (carpentry) +5, Handle
  Animal +8, Profession (stablehand) +6,
  Use Rope +2.
  Crucial Feats: Improved Grapple, Improved
  Unarmed Strike.
  Other Feats: Skill Focus (Handle Animal).
  Possessions: 5 gp, 11 sp, 4 cp
  20
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Order of Iron Might: Ptolus,
  page 130
  Korben Trollone: Ptolus,
  page 361
  Kevris Killraven: Ptolus, page 121
  Korben Trollone’s office (a.k.a.
  “Edarth’s Loans,” found in
  Ptolus, page 360) is available
  as a free set of miniatures-
  scale Adventure Maps from
  SkeletonKey Games on
  the Ptolus CD-Rom.
  This storefront represents the
  look of the Green Mews.
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  THE LORN TOWER
  m Guildsman District (Overlook Road, M8)
  l 0 gp
  At the very end of Overlook Road in the
  Guildsman District, perched on the outcropping
  of land that locals have long called Windswept
  Point (although a few know it as Lassiter’s
  Point), stands an old tower of greying white
  stone leaning ever so slightly to the north. It is
  empty now.
  The commonly accepted story behind the
  tower is that a wealthy woman named Cassinas
  Lorn built the tower almost three hundred years
  ago, well before there was a Guildsman District
  but not before there was a lighthouse standing
  out on Beacon Island. Lorn Tower looked out
  toward the lighthouse because Cassinas was in
  love with the lighthouse keeper. The object of
  her affections did not return them and refused
  to let Cassinas on the island, so she built her
  home as close to it as possible. She would sit at
  the top of her tower and stare at the island and
  its lighthouse from afar until she died of old age
  with a broken heart. Her survivors had no
  interest in the tower, and it has stood vacant
  ever since. Some say that Cassinas’ ghost still
  watches at the top of the tower on clear, moon-
  lit nights.
  This, however, is all fabrication. There was
  no Cassinas Lorn, and in fact the tower has
  only relatively recently gained that moniker, the
  name coming from the fact that it is a lonely
  structure at the very end of the point. The real
  history of the tower is perhaps even more inter-
  esting. Lorn Tower is approximately two hun-
  dred years old, built as the city flourished and
  grew but had not yet nearly achieved the size
  and density it has today. Originally the place
  was called Faethasin’s Needle, named for the
  elven noble family that had it built. The goal
  was to create a place for the family and their
  friends to watch the ships come in to the bur-
  geoning port. However, the human builders did
  not construct it to the family’s liking, and the
  elves never used the tower. 
  The structure sat empty for many years until
  a small criminal gang run by a Harrow elf
  named Loritari “appropriated” it and used it as
  its base of operations for many years. During
  that time, they even barricaded and guarded the
  road now known as Overlook Road so that no
  one could approach the tower. Loritari gained a
  reputation as a ruthless woman who threw
  more than one ineffectual underling or cap-
  tured enemy from the top of the tower to the
  rocks at the bottom of the cliffs. Eventually, in
  what can only be described as a major battle,
  more than fifty City Watch guards stormed the
  street barricades and the tower itself. This battle
  lasted for three weeks, most of it being a siege
  after Loritari sealed herself and her closest fol-
  lowers inside Faethasin’s Needle. The then
  Captain of the Watch (in those days there was
  only one) employed a sorcerer named Rachian
  Mok to create a magical means to pass through
  the walls of the tower, surprising Loritari and
  her guards. The end of the battle then came
  swiftly.
  As a result of this event, called the Needle’s
  Siege by some historians, two things occurred.
  First, small-time criminals saw how dangerous
  life had become for them. The City Watch had
  clearly begun a crackdown on their activities
  and was willing to go to great lengths to bring
  them to justice. Maven Balacazar, ancestor of
  Menon and founder of the Balacazar crime fami-
  ly, used this fear to organize the criminals in
  secret. 
  The other effect of the siege was the beginning
  of a friendly relationship between the Ptolus
  City Watch and spellcasters willing to help them.
  This only further added to the general accept-
  ance of arcanists in Ptolus, which continued
  even through the so-called Days of Blood. This
  (and, admittedly, other events) contributed to
  conditions that led to Ptolus having by far the
  largest population of wizards and sorcerers in
  the world.
  Lorn Tower, however, has remained relatively
  empty since those days. The four-story tower has
  occasionally been home to vagrants, vermin, or
  squatters, but these are usually cleared out now
  and again by members of the City Watch who
  know the truth about the place and see it as an
  important site of past victories.
  Info Checks
  A Knowledge (local) or Gather
  Information check reveals the 
  following about Lorn Tower:
  Lorn Tower rests at the very tip
  of Windswept Point (DC 15).
  Cassinas Lorn built the tower
  three centuries ago (DC 18).
  There was no Cassinas Lorn
  (DC 25).
  Lorn Tower was once called
  Faethasin’s Needle (DC 26).
  Lorn Tower was the site of the
  infamous Needle’s Siege 
  (DC 30).
  The Lighthouse on Beacon
  Island: Ptolus, page 172
  Harrow elves: Ptolus, page 52
  City Watch: Ptolus, page 150
  Days of Blood: Ptolus, page 84
  21
  INFO CHECKS
  Lorn Tower
  
  THE OLD GOOSE
  t Midtown (Tavern Row, #175, G6) 11 22
  l 210 gp
  At the north end of Tavern Row in Midtown
  lies a nondescript building. Unlike much of the
  rest of the row, it doesn’t abut any other build-
  ing—it has a small, weedy yard spotted with the
  occasional bit of trash. The building itself is old,
  but fairly well-cared for. Its most interesting fea-
  ture is its abnormally large door, positioned
  directly under a wooden sign with a faded and
  chipped painting of a goose.
  The Old Goose is a tavern run by a centaur
  named Unos. Old and somewhat irritable, Unos
  is a veteran of a small conflict of around forty
  years ago called the Riversrun Uprising. About a
  hundred aram (the name centaurs use for them-
  selves) as well as a few humans and halflings
  took it upon themselves to throw off the
  Imperial yoke to call themselves truly free in the
  region to the south and west of Ptolus called
  County Alimoss. Everything went fine until the
  Imperial tax collector came, and the insurgents
  killed him and his retinue. When the Empire sent
  in troops, a short but bloody battle ensued. The
  aram fled into the wilderness, where they stayed
  for three years.
  Unos doesn’t talk about that time unless it is
  very late at night and he’s in a reflective mood.
  On such a night he might tell you about the
  epiphany he had concerning war, the Empire,
  Ptolus, and how the best method of “fighting”
  the Empire is actually just waiting it out, until it
  collapses on itself. And he might tell you about
  how he left the wilderness one night and came to
  this city, eventually earning enough money to
  buy this tavern.
  The Old Goose has a crowd of loyal cus-
  tomers who come in almost every night and will
  go nowhere else. Unos knows them all by name,
  and each and every one of them considers the
  centaur their friend. Unos doesn’t really want
  new customers. He is satisfied with the ones he
  has, and new customers just mean more work.
  He knows that if new people come into the tav-
  ern, they might cause trouble—and even if they
  don’t, he still has to watch them closely to make
  sure they obey the rules of the Old Goose, 
  which are posted on the wall (see next page).
  Eventually, he has to learn their names, who
  they are, and get to know them. In time, how-
  ever, he warms to a new customer, and when he
  does, that person has found both a friend and a
  home away from home for life.
  Unos employs a human man named Calron
  Nord (commoner2) to help behind the bar and
  in the storeroom. On most evenings, when it’s
  busy, Erras Purell (female human commoner2)
  comes in to help with customers. Calron is 
  middle aged, with classic good looks and a 
  gentle manner. Despite the fact that he is mar-
  ried, the much younger Erras has fallen in love
  with him. This led to a single night of indiscre-
  tion for Calron a few months ago, which he 
  still regrets and Erras still clings to.
  The tavern consists of a large taproom fur-
  nished with nine tables and a long bar, with a
  storeroom in the back. The storeroom is large
  enough that it not only holds dozens of kegs,
  but offers Unos a place to sleep at night. On any
  given night, the Old Goose has about twenty
  customers. It’s generally fairly quiet, with a few
  games of chance being played—usually dice, but
  sometimes a few patrons take to throwing darts
  at the target on the wall next to the bar. 
  Unos
  Male centaur (Neutral)
  Large monstrous humanoid
  Warrior3
  CR5
  Init +7
  Speed 35 feet
  HD 4d8+24 + 3d8+18 hp 82
  AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18
  Space 10 feet
  Reach 5 feet
  BAB/Grapple +7/+19
  Attack +15 melee (3d6+13, greataxe) or
  +11 ranged (1d12, heavy crossbow)
  Full Attack +15/+10 melee (3d6+13, greataxe)
  and +9 melee (1d6+8, 2 hooves) or +1
  greataxe +15/+10 (3d6+13/x3) or +11 ranged
  (1d12, heavy crossbow)
  22
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  The Old Goose (see Ptolus,
  page 221) is a quiet local pub
  where most of the clientele
  knows each other. 
  Aram: Ptolus, page 50
  Whether you’re a new or an old
  customer, it’s always a good idea
  to obey the generally accepted
  “Rules of Tavern Etiquette.” See
  page 217 of Ptolus for the list.
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  SQ Darkvision 60 feet
  Fort +10 Ref +8 Will +7
  Str 26, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Handle Animal +1, Listen +6,
  Move Silently +12, Ride +6, 
  Spot +7, Survival +4.
  Other Skills: N/A
  Crucial Feats: Power Attack.
  Other Feats: Blind-Fight,
  Improved Initiative.
  Possessions: +1 chainmail,
  +1 greataxe, masterwork
  heavy crossbow, bolts
  (20), periapt of wisdom
  +2, potion of bear’s
  endurance, 88 sp.
  Encounter: The player
  characters have arrived
  at the Old Goose to
  meet someone.
  Although it’s early in
  the evening, two
  young human men
  are already drunk.
  They have taken to
  throwing darts a bit
  wildly around the room
  rather than at the target, thinking it funny
  to come close to hitting other customers. 
  As the PCs watch, Unos single-handedly
  throws them out, knocking one unconscious
  with the flat of his greataxe and his powerful
  hooves. If the adventurers try to help, Unos
  doesn’t take their attempt well and yells at them
  to just sit down and drink.
  Scenario: If the PCs get the chance to ingratiate
  themselves in Unos’ eyes, he confides in them one
  night that, while he has always managed to run
  off agents of Ireve Nal, a crime boss in Midtown,
  things have worsened lately. New criminals, this
  time working for someone
  named Durant,
  have moved into
  the area. As
  always, they’re
  looking to extort
  protection money,
  but Unos isn’t sure
  he can stave them
  off, despite the fact
  that he’s still very
  strong and powerful
  (not that he would put
  it that way; he’s quite
  modest). He believes
  that a single show of
  force the next time they
  come around will keep
  them away.
  Of course, Durant works
  for Kevris Killraven, and
  getting involved in this situa-
  tion could entangle the play-
  er characters in much more
  than they bargained for. Not only will Durant’s
  men return later, but they strike directly at the
  PCs as well—over and over again. Eventually, one
  of Ireve Nal’s underbosses offers to help the char-
  acters. But Ireve Nal works for Menon Balacazar,
  so that, too, is a slippery slope….
  Ireve Nal: Ptolus, page 106
  Durant: Ptolus, page 122
  Kevris Killraven: Ptolus, page 121
  Menon Balacazar: Ptolus, 
  page 101
  23
  
  THE POINTY HAT
  tr Oldtown (Vock Row, a.k.a. Dweomer Street,
  #46, E5) 11 22 dh 9,450 gp
  The infamous Vock Row—or, as most people
  call it, Dweomer Street—caters to arcanists of all
  types. The various establishments here sell spell
  components, obscure books, alchemical equip-
  ment, and far stranger things. A small pub serves
  as the keystone for the area.  
  The Pointy Hat is a bar and eatery, so named
  because of the (long out of fashion) habit of old-
  school wizards to wear tall, pointed hats. Not sur-
  prisingly, however, the owner and manager, Naillis
  Deverini (male gnome sorcerer5), does himself
  wear a tall, pointed hat. In fact, he wears a variety
  of them—he owns so many that most people think
  he wears a different one every day (this is not
  actually true). He also wears bright, garish cloth-
  ing and sports a pointed black beard; occasionally
  he wears a long, grey, false beard instead.
  Naillis’ various eccentricities are not so striking
  that he stands out in a neighborhood of
  eccentrics. Just the opposite: Customers expect
  strange predilections and outlandish whims from
  the Pointy Hat. For example, every other Queens-
  day, Naillis decorates the interior of the establish-
  ment to look like the pavilion of a barbarian king
  and insists that the staff and the patrons speak of
  magic as “foul deviltry” all day. On random days,
  all the food and drink served in the Pointy Hat 
  is blue (a minor spell tints those dishes not easily
  dyed). When Lunas is full, Naillis and his staff 
  all speak backward. And these are only a few
  examples.
  Naillis’ two long-suffering helpers are Thyo
  Ressut (male human expert4) and Myrla
  Fallashonal (female human commoner2/sorcer-
  er1). Thyo is tall and thin, and extremely intelli-
  gent. Although he helps serve, he is also the main
  cook. Myrla is short (just a bit taller than Naillis)
  and round. She serves drinks and food, but
  recently discovered that she has some talent for
  magic as well.
  Clearly, Ptolus is the only city in the world that
  could offer not one but two taverns dedicated to
  arcane spellcasters. The Pointy Hat’s “rival” is
  Danbury’s in Midtown. Danbury’s, however, is a
  far more serious place. Patrons seeking important
  meetings and hushed conversation regarding mag-
  ical lore go to Danbury’s. Locals of Dweomer
  Street and visitors looking for an interesting expe-
  rience come to the Pointy Hat.
  Encounter: The player characters walk into the
  Pointy Hat and into what immediately appears to
  be a barroom brawl, with burly thugs smashing
  chairs and bottles over each other’s heads, and lit-
  erally throwing each other across the room. After
  a few moments, it may seem that the fight is more
  entertaining than actually violent. Any PCs who
  get involved, or even those who have been in a
  real barroom brawl before, can make Will saves
  (DC 16) to see that it is all an illusion. Whether
  or not the PCs realize it, the illusion ends after
  another minute or two, and the brawlers, thugs,
  and damaged furniture all disappear. The patrons
  all clap, and Naillis introduces the two illusionists
  to the crowd: Garreth Numalun (male human
  illusionist7) and Uma Pastorif (female gnome illu-
  sionist9). Both pass around cards with their
  names and contact information on them.
  24
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Vock Row: Ptolus, page 333
  Lunas: Ptolus, page 40
  Edict of Deviltry: Ptolus, page 84
  Danbury’s: Ptolus, page 202
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  ST. LAPHEST’S OPEN ARMS
  m Guildsman District (Curtain Street, L7)
  d 120 gp
  A minor Lothianite saint, Laphest exemplifies
  the trait of charity; thus he is embraced by the
  Order of Dayra, a sisterhood of the faithful
  interested in helping others. Amid their various
  orphanages and poor houses is a soup kitchen
  known as St. Laphest’s Open Arms, which lies
  just south of the Warrens in the Guildsman
  District. 
  St. Laphest’s is a small two-story building set
  apart from those around it only by the faded sign
  depicting a robed figure with arms outstretched.
  The ground floor has just two rooms: a large
  dining hall and the kitchen. The second floor is
  used mainly for storage and as quarters for the
  sisters who work there.
  Every day, St. Laphest’s provides almost
  two hundred meals for the needy, free
  of charge. When possible, they also
  hand out blankets and clothing
  as well. Although the facility
  has no beds available, people
  without homes can use the
  building as shelter during
  inclement weather or when
  a cold wind blows off the
  Whitewind Sea.
  Sister Auga Mittermire
  (female human cleric3/
  expert4) administers the
  facility. A slight woman in
  her late forties with a long
  face and blue eyes, Auga
  keeps her brown hair
  trimmed short. She hopes one
  day to expand St. Laphest’s into
  a school and dormitory for the
  area’s poor children. That day likely
  remains far off, as St. Laphest’s is lack-
  ing in funds and gets only a modicum of sup-
  port from the Church of Lothian. In fact, Church
  elders have attempted to shut down the soup
  kitchen, claiming that, while it does good works,
  keeping it open in such a dangerous area is too
  risky. Sister Auga says that’s exactly why St.
  Laphest’s Open Arms is so important.
  It is indeed a dangerous area of town, with
  gangs and criminals (and occasionally, worse
  things) wandering about. Fortunately, the soup
  kitchen and its staff have two protectors, both
  somewhat unlikely. Sister Klavissa Norand
  (female human paladin8) watches over the place
  when she can. Originally a member of the Order
  of Dayra, Klavissa was reassigned to the
  Church’s Order of the Dawn because of her
  impressive fighting skills. However, Klavissa
  agrees with Auga regarding the importance of 
  St. Laphest’s. The paladin makes her home at 
  St. Laphest’s and spends all of her off-time there
  as well. She is tall and muscular, with bright,
  shining eyes and long, brilliantly red hair.
  Ironically, the soup kitchen’s other defender
  hates Klavissa and shows up only when she’s not
  around. Bergard Ollut (male human warrior7)
  lives his life as a thug and a criminal. Although
  short, Bergard is notoriously tough and tena-
  cious. He carries a magic short sword that he
  calls his “butter knife.” Long ago, however, he
  saw how much St. Laphest’s Open Arms helped
  his impoverished family and the people of his
  neighborhood. As he gained greater status among
  the criminals and gang members in the Warrens,
  he used his influence to make it clear that St.
  Laphest’s was not to be touched. In fact, it was
  to be venerated. The idea spread. Even some of
  the most ruthless cutthroats in the Warrens
  recognize that the sisters of St.
  Laphest’s are on their side.
  Unfortunately, the largest and
  most powerful gang in the
  Warrens, the Pale Dogs, does
  not recognize this idea, at
  least not without a catch—
  they want Sister Auga to
  pay them protection money
  to safeguard the soup
  kitchen and those it serves,
  as well as the staff. So far,
  Sister Auga has refused;
  between Klavissa and
  Bergard (and Bergard’s lack-
  eys), they’ve remained safe
  nonetheless.
  Scenario: The Church hires
  the player characters to track
  down an evil magic item that was
  turned over to them to be destroyed
  but then stolen before it could be dealt
  with. The item is the knife of blood money, a
  magical item that, once per day, turns fresh
  blood into 10 gold coins. The PCs follow clues
  suggesting that the thief was a halfling rogue
  named Yori Foss. Surprisingly, the trail leads to
  St. Laphest’s; the PCs eventually discover that
  Sister Auga found out about the item and had
  Yori steal it for her. She intended to use the knife
  to draw her own blood daily and earn the
  money for the good of the soup kitchen. Once
  discovered, Auga does not lie. She begs the
  adventurers not to reveal her secret, because it
  would be just the ammunition her superiors need
  to shut down her facility. The PCs will have to
  decide for themselves whether or not they
  agree—and whether or not they should talk
  Sister Auga out of using the dagger, considering
  it is for a good cause.
  Order of Dayra: Ptolus, page 67
  Pale Dogs: Ptolus, page 131
  Church of Lothian: Ptolus, 
  page 64
  For information on other official
  Lothianite saints, see Ptolus,
  page 67.
  Order of the Dawn: Ptolus, 
  page 67
  25
  
  STEAMPUMP STATION 17
  m Oldtown (below Four Fountains Street, D6) 
  a 125 gp
  At one time, when the Empire held technology
  less tenuously in its grasp, a number of steam-
  driven pumps throughout the Ptolus sewer sys-
  tem helped keep the sewage moving. Today, due
  to a lack of machine parts and technical know-
  how, only two of the pumps are still maintained
  in functioning order. One of those is located in
  what is still called Steampump Station 17.
  The station is a single chamber twenty feet
  square and located at a sewer junction beneath
  Four Fountains Street in Oldtown. The steam
  pump is a massive machine with a large, wood-
  burning boiler. Just as its name suggests, it
  pumps the sewage and rainwater along to keep
  it from getting clogged at this important junc-
  tion.
  The station is staffed by two individuals. The
  first, Garret Naol, is a tall, lanky man with long
  red hair and freckles. Garret maintains the
  steam-powered pump at Station 17 as though his
  life depended upon it. He even crafts his own
  parts for it when needed. 
  The other is Uter Darkdelve, a dwarf. Uter is
  short, even for a dwarf, and spends most of his
  time making sure that nothing threatens Garret
  or the pump while they work. Although he
  knows a fair bit about steam engines as well,
  Uter worries mostly about ratmen and other
  dangers. He keeps his morningstar, which he
  calls ratsqueal, always close at hand.
  Meanwhile, Garret has only his dagger to
  protect himself.
  Both Garret and Uter draw a salary from the
  city, technically serving as System Monitors.
  Both take great pride in their work, although
  they are motivated by fear as much as personal
  satisfaction. Garret and Uter know that if
  Station 17 stops working, they will have to
  patrol the sewers like the rest of the System
  Monitor workers, which is a far more disgusting
  job—not to mention far more dangerous.  
  Garret Naol 
  Male human (Neutral Good)
  Expert4 
  CR3
  Init +0
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 4d6–4
  hp 11 
  AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +2/+3
  Attack/Full Attack +4 melee (1d4+1, dagger)
  Fort +0 Ref +1 Will +6
  Str 12, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 14.
  Crucial Skills: Listen +9, Search +2, Spot +8.
  Other Skills: Craft (machines) +9, Disable
  Device +7, Knowledge (machines) +5.
  Crucial Feats: Run.
  Other Feats: Iron Will, Skill Focus (Craft
  [machines]).
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, masterwork
  tools, spectacles, pocketwatch, 3 gp, 8 sp,
  13 cp.
  Uter Darkdelve
  Male Stonelost dwarf (Lawful Neutral)
  Expert3/fighter1 
  CR3
  Init +0
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 3d6+3+1d10+1
  hp 28
  AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18
  BAB/Grapple +2/+2
  Attack/Full Attack +5 melee (1d8+1, 
  morningstar)
  SQ Darkvision 60 feet and dwarven traits
  Fort +3 Ref +3 Will +4
  Str 12, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 10.
  Crucial Skills: N/A
  Other Skills: Appraise +3, Craft (armor-
  smithing) +5, Craft (stonemasonry) +4,
  Knowledge (architecture and engineering)
  +3, Knowledge (machines) +7, Profession
  (cook) +5.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Expertise.
  Other Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Weapon
  Focus (morningstar).
  Possessions: +1 chainmail, masterwork heavy
  steel shield, masterwork morningstar,
  potion of cure moderate wounds, friendship
  band from the Gurhorond, gold ring
  (worth 100 gp), 13 gp, 14 sp, 14 cp.
  26
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Sewer system: Ptolus, page 439
  Ratmen: Ptolus, page 625
  System Monitors: Ptolus,
  page 442
  Friendship bands: Ptolus,
  page 28
  Gurhorond: Ptolus, page 191
  X
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  TEMPLE OF PHOEBOUL
  tmp Temple  District (Runic Street, #140, H4)
  a 18,500 gp
  As one walks the length of Runic Street, which
  is filled with shrines and holy sites, statuary and
  fountains, meditative gardens and monastic
  refuges, one comes upon a tall, round structure
  of delicate woodwork inculcated with silver inlay
  that shines at night with a special radiance not
  seen in the day. This narrow minaret is the temple
  of Phoeboul, the elven god of dreams.
  The central chamber of the temple is a round
  room with a circular sanctuary bound by cur-
  tains in various shades of blue. Within this sanc-
  tum, five elves slumber* in continual adoration
  of Phoeboul, a god who can only truly be wor-
  shipped in dreams.
  High priestess Avalia Riversong (female Shoal
  elf cleric7) stands only five feet tall, but her
  stature belies her power, her personality, and her
  knowledge. Her black hair reaches her waist and
  cascades over her shoulders. She typically wears
  the traditional midnight blue robe of her order,
  ornamented with a galaxy of silver stars. Avalia’s
  voice is quiet and soft, but in the temple of
  Phoeboul, one can hear even whispers with ease.
  Silence takes on a new dimension here, and the
  air is thick with incense and colored smoke.
  Avalia is quiet because she can be.
  Six acolytes (all elves) aid Avalia, although
  two of them are asleep and dreaming in the
  sanctum at any given time. (The other three
  dreamers present are members of the laity.) All
  of the temple’s staff members spend much of
  their time dreamspeaking, or interpreting the
  dreams of others. They also offer potions and
  remedies for nightmares and instruction on lucid
  dreaming.
  Avalia lives in the highest point of the temple,
  but the acolytes live elsewhere (they all sleep in
  the temple, however). She was once a close
  friend of Doraedian Mythlord, but today the
  two rarely speak; a disagreement involving the
  Urthon Aedar rent their relationship years earli-
  er. Both Kaira Swanwing of the Knights of the
  Golden Cross and the battle mage Daersidian
  Ringsire pay occasional homage to Phoeboul at
  the temple and count Avalia as a trusted ally.
  Campaign Use: Avalia is one of the few people
  in the city who knows the truth about the myste-
  rious Urthon Aedar and the location of Dreta
  Phantas, the Dreaming City. She even occasion-
  ally receives messages (through dreams, of
  course) from the King of Dreams. The temple is
  an excellent place for the PCs to slowly receive
  the guidance that sets them on the path toward
  traveling to Dreta Phantas and perhaps even
  working toward its restoration.
  Such subtle guidance could begin after the
  PCs have some strange and disturbing dreams
  and go to Avalia for dreamspeaking. At that
  time, through the interpretation of their dreams,
  Avalia might send the PCs in directions that lead
  them to meet the Urthon Aedar (and begin to see
  that the mysterious Wandering Judges are more
  than they appear), or oppose the dark elves. As
  time passes, they might encounter more and
  more ancient elven lore, all the while having new
  dreams that Avalia must interpret. Eventually,
  her guidance leads them directly to Goth
  Gulgamel and the secrets therein.
  * Unlike standard d20 elves, elves in the
  world of Praemal have regular sleep cycles,
  just like humans and other races.
  Phoeboul, Chaotic Neutral God
  of Dreams, offers the domains of
  Chaos, Knowledge, and Sleep
  (described in Ptolus Chapter 35)
  and is also the patron of Dreta
  Phantas. See Ptolus, page 70.
  Doraedian Mythlord: Ptolus,
  page 208
  Urthon Aedar: Ptolus, page 138
  Kaira Swanwing: Ptolus, 
  page 125
  Knights of the Golden Cross:
  Ptolus, page 124
  Daersidian Ringsire: Ptolus, 
  page 226
  Dreta Phantas and King of
  Dreams: Ptolus, page 457
  Goth Gulgamel: Ptolus, 
  page 486
  27
  
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  28
  THE SECRET CITATION WAR
  The story behind both of the streets
  in Ptolus named Citation Street is
  known only to locals (Knowledge
  [local] DC 17) and speaks to a great
  many truths about the city and its
  people.
  Citation Street in Oldtown is obvi-
  ously older than Citation Street in the
  South Market. It is so named because
  two hundred years ago, a long wood-
  en platform ran along the eastern end
  of the north side of the street with
  wooden posts bearing notices of
  recent citations awarded by the
  Empire for valor in battle, community
  service, and other such acts. 
  Twenty-seven years ago, in the
  midst of the South Market’s transi-
  tion from residential neighborhood to
  mercantile district, the people living
  on Citation Street (in Oldtown)
  wanted to change the name of the
  thoroughfare to Mikolic Street, in
  honor of the current Prince of the
  Church. 
  Their petition went before the City
  Council and was in the process of
  being approved. During this time,
  however, Prince Lukas Mikolic,
  brother of current Holy Emperor
  Rehoboth, died of a terrible degenera-
  tive disease.
  Meanwhile, people in the South
  Market wanted to name one of their
  newly rebuilt streets Citation Street
  after two residents of the district
  received medals of the Winged Lion,
  the highest military citation that can be
  bestowed upon a soldier, for their acts
  of bravery during the early stages of
  the Gnoll War in Rhoth. Their request
  was granted by the Commissar.
  The residents of Oldtown suddenly
  withdrew their request for the renam-
  ing of their street, and the Council
  recognized the request. Because of a
  bureaucratic error, however, this dis-
  crepancy was not noticed for weeks.
  Suddenly the city had two streets with
  the same name.
  At first, the people living and work-
  ing on both streets took great umbrage
  at the situation. They were angry at
  the Commissar and the Council, and
  they were angry with each other. A few
  actual altercations occurred on both
  streets as tempers flared.
  Soon, however, the situation
  cooled, although a rivalry and jeal-
  ousy between the two areas of the city
  remained. Two years later, this rivalry
  took the form of an event called the
  “Secret Citation War,” which would
  become an annual event. 
  The Secret Citation War pits the
  residents of each street in a contest
  involving two large, brightly painted
  balls of pigskin: one in the possession
  of each street. Each side must attempt
  to steal the other side’s ball and hang
  onto it (somewhere on their street)
  while at the same time keeping the
  opposing street from doing the same
  thing. The game involves spying, infil-
  tration, ingenious concealment, and
  sometimes physical struggle. Magic is
  not allowed, and the balls may not be
  kept behind a locked or sealed door
  of any kind, or placed anywhere
  requiring the destruction of property
  to reach. The game occurs over a
  two-day period in the month of Rain,
  and the winning street is the one that
  retains the opponent’s ball at the end
  of second day.
  Both sides consider it a point of
  honor that, not only do they keep to
  the rules, they always attempt to win
  the game while breaking as few laws
  as possible. The City Watch has seen
  this “secret” event played for twenty
  years now with surprisingly little dis-
  ruption, and so the guards have come
  to enjoy the entertainment as much as
  other citizens.
  The winners gain the right to call
  their street “Citation Street” for the
  year, while the losing street is referred
  to as “the Other Citation Street” or
  “Losing Citation Street.” Ties are pos-
  sible (each street has the other’s ball,
  or neither does) and frequent. This
  may be the best result for all involved,
  really. In such a case, both roads are
  called “Citation Street,” and everyone
  learns to live with a bit of confusion—
  usually evidenced by mixed-up pack-
  age deliveries and the occasional new-
  comer lost in the wrong district. 
  Oldtown
  South
  Market
  
  CHAPTER 2: LOCALES
  THE WINTER LYEHOUSE
  pk South Market (Gold Street, #251, E8) 1
  lD 170 gp
  Harris Fulk (male human commoner1) runs a
  modest little soapmaking business here in the
  South Market with his wife, Klara (female
  human commoner2), and eldest daughter, Irane
  (female human commoner1). Their three
  younger children live with them in their home
  above the shop but do not yet help make the
  soap. Harris hopes one day to have his two sons
  deliver soap to customers around the southern
  part of the city.
  The older Fulks spend their days toiling over
  the hot lye to make the soap, while daughter
  Irane runs the shop and helps customers. 
  Harris is a middle-aged man with greying hair.
  In his youth, he was known about town as a real
  charmer with many lady friends. He finally mar-
  ried a woman much younger than he who,
  despite her rotund figure, is quite attractive.
  Irane, like her parents, is quite fetching and has
  already attracted a bevy of suitors
  The Winter Lyehouse is one of the oldest
  shops in the South Market. At one time, much
  of the area around it was empty. Today, how-
  ever, new businesses have moved into the area
  and do not care for the lyehouse—in particular,
  they do not appreciate the odors produced during
  soapmaking, claiming they drive away customers.
  Unfortunately for Harris, one of the offended
  businessmen has connections with House Abanar
  and is in the process of getting the City Council
  to ban “odiferous businesses” from this portion
  of the district, which would force Harris and his
  family to move.
  Scenario: One of the player characters meets
  Irane Fulk and develops a friendship with her.
  Through her, the PCs learn of the Winter
  Lyehouse’s plight and meet Harris. Harris asks
  them if they could possibly speak with the key
  figure in House Abanar involved in this issue, a
  woman named Reshania Tol. This minor noble,
  the characters discover, is willing to help them
  ensure that the lyehouse won’t be adversely
  affected. However, in return, Reshania wants the
  PCs to break into the home of a rival of hers
  and steal some important documents. The rival
  is a merchant named Ukko Guld, who has a rep-
  utation for being a ruthless businessman with
  links to Halgrim Fatherstone, the Balacazar
  crime boss in the South Market.
  House Abanar: Ptolus, page 88
  City Council: Ptolus, page 148
  Halgrim Fatherstone: Ptolus,
  page 106
  29
  
  Chapter 3:
  NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  My years of running a Ptolus Campaign (almost a decade now) have led to the introduction of many memorable
  characters. And, as with so much of the campaign, not all of them managed to make it into the actual book . . . 
  Kabel Dathimol, page 40
  Knights of the Dawn: Ptolus,
  page 67
  Emperor of the Church: Ptolus,
  page 293
  Republicans: Ptolus, page 150
  Covenant of Blood: Ptolus,
  page 101
  Sintrik, page 52
  The Shuul: Ptolus, page 131
  Lothao Valinth: page 42
  Doraedian Mythlord: Ptolus,
  page 208
  Iridithil’s Home: Ptolus,
  page 207
  Charad titans: Ptolus, page 77
  Denoss Firth, page 33
  Eyvind and Ssethenus, page 36
  Slave City: Ptolus, page 422
  30
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  I
  n my old Monday night game group, the
  Runewardens had a run-in with Kabel
  Dathimol, captain of the Knights of the
  Dawn, during the Time of No Magic, when the
  Emperor of the Church himself came under threat
  from the republican menace. 
  My Thursday night characters, the Company
  of the Black Lantern, interacted often with
  Lothao Valinth, aide and proxy to the powerful
  Doraedian Mythlord. (The all-elf Company lived
  at Iridithil’s Home for quite some time.)
  But it’s my more recent group—comprised of
  Benris of the Charad titans, the litorian brothers
  Charnoth and Tharn, Calista the song mage,
  Archinemus the storekeeper, Diethan the urban
  ranger, and Barbatos the irascible wizard—that
  really had a lot of crossover with the characters
  described in this chapter. For example . . .
  • Denoss Firth the legal advocate represented
  some shady clients who tried to force them
  out of their newly purchased magic shop.
  (Though he denies having anything to do
  with sending the characters troll fingers,
  which, as troll fingers do, tried to grow into
  whole trolls and slay them in their sleep.)
  • The tyrants Eyvind and Ssethenus tried to
  kill them during their visit to the Slave City
  seeking the litorians’ vanished tribemates.
  • The group came up against the litorian vam-
  pire Koban the Hunter one night on a dark
  street during the characters’ campaign
  against the Covenant of Blood. 
  • And they fought Sintrik, an evil member of
  the Shuul when they discovered his role in
  the capture and enslavement of litorians of
  the tribe of Malethar. (Well, to be honest,
  the PCs pretty much had it in for the entire
  Shuul organization, so they managed to fight
  almost every powerful member of the group
  sooner or later.)
  Well drawn nonplayer characters can really
  help bring a setting to life. The Ptolus book is rife
  with them: allies, opponents, neutral parties, and
  plain old Men-on-the-Street. Each district, organi-
  zation, and race or class has its own associated
  memorable characters. And now you can add to
  them the new figures presented in this chapter.
  My campaign reflections here are just scattered
  memories of these characters from my own game.
  I’m hoping that you can take the NPCs detailed
  in this chapter and use them to create some of
  your own unique gaming memories. Whether they
  have leading roles or merely walk-on parts, these
  new characters have a role to play in the ever-
  evolving city of Ptolus.
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  ADEN AND ETTISTA, 
  THE NIGHT FAERIES
  Not everything in Ptolus is flashing blades and
  casting spells, and not everyone with skill and
  experience wants only to get wealthy or explore
  the Dungeon. Two such examples are Aden
  Fessilica and Ettista Rallay, who run a complicat-
  ed operation that involves breaking into homes.
  However, they don’t rob those homes—they leave
  things for the children who live there.
  Aden Fessilica worked as an accountant for the
  Rogue Moon Trading Company in their offices in
  the South Market when she discovered an error
  that resulted in a large sum of gold (more than
  3,000 gp) being misplaced. Aden was able to cover
  up this error and collected the money herself. With
  these embezzled funds, she started a strange sort of
  charity. With the help of her friend Ettista, a skilled
  but reluctant burglar who was going to give up her
  profession due to moral concerns, she printed and
  distributed a small pamphlet regarding fairies that
  come in the night to the homes of good boys and
  girls and leave treasures. Shortly thereafter, Ettista
  began slipping into homes with children and leav-
  ing candy, toys, clothing, and other treats that
  Aden purchased with the money.
  Stories of the “Night Faeries” spread quickly
  through the city. The children blessed by these
  visitations are always needy, and so most people
  are grateful. A few are frightened at the thought
  of someone or something breaking into their
  homes. Many believe that the perpetrators are
  indeed fairies of some kind. 
  Aden stands just over five feet tall and is stout-
  ly built. Her brown hair comes to her shoulders,
  and her hazel eyes are large and full of life. She is
  married to a young traveling merchant named
  Bevas, who has no idea she is involved in this
  venture (and most likely would not approve).
  Aden Fessilica
  Female human (Chaotic Good)
  Expert4 
  CR3
  Init +0
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 4d6
  hp 25
  AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +2/+2
  Attack/Full Attack +2 melee (1d3+1, 
  unarmed attack)
  Fort +1 Ref +1 Will +3
  Str 11, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Diplomacy +7, Forgery +6,
  Search +3.
  Other Skills: Knowledge (local) +9.
  Crucial Feats: Improved Unarmed Attack.
  Other Feats: Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]),
  Toughness.
  Possessions: Potions of invisibility and protec-
  tion from arrows 10/magic, gold ring with a
  diamond worth 650 gp, 120 gp, 44 sp.
  Ettista is tall, with long red hair that she
  wears braided when working. Her green eyes
  match her favorite color of clothing—she always
  wears green.
  Ettista Rallay
  Female human (Chaotic Good)
  Rogue5 
  CR5
  Init +6
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 5d6+5
  hp 24
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14
  BAB/Grapple +3/+2
  Attack/Full Attack +3 melee (1d6/18–20, 
  rapier) or +6 ranged (1d8, longbow)
  SA Sneak attack +3d6
  SQ Trapfinding, evasion, trap sense +1, and
  uncanny dodge
  Fort +2 Ref +6 Will –1
  Str 9, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 6, Cha 7.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +6, Climb +7, Disable
  Device +12, Hide +7, Move Silently +9,
  Jump +6, Search +9, Spot +1.
  Other Skills: Appraise +6, Knowledge (local)
  +6, Open Lock +10, Swim +6.
  Crucial Feats: Dodge.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative, Martial
  Weapon Proficiency (longbow).
  Possessions: +2 leather armor, +1 rapier, 
  masterwork longbow, masterwork arrows
  (20), potion of shield of faith +3, 50 feet of
  rope, climber’s kit, masterwork thieves’
  tools, 85 gp, 14 sp.
  Human, halfling, elf—a child’s
  race matters not to the two
  Night Faeries when they 
  offer their gifts.
  Rogue Moon Trading Company:
  Ptolus, page 364
  Encounter Idea: The player 
  characters are prowling around
  one night on their own mission
  when they come upon Aden
  waiting in an alley, looking up 
  at the window that Ettista just
  climbed through. Do they inter-
  fere? Do they believe the two of
  them when they say they’re not
  actually thieves? What do they
  do when Aden tries to recruit
  their help?
  Eventually the Night Faeries are
  going to run out of money to pay
  for their escapades, at which
  point they may begin stealing
  from wealthy individuals to help
  the poor children.
  31
  DM TIP
  
  CAMRICH ROWE, MAGE-SPY
  Camrich belongs to the Imperial Eyes, an organi-
  zation of undercover agents working in the serv-
  ice of the Lion-Guarded Throne. However,
  Camrich works in Ptolus, which means that he
  answers directly and only to the Commissar. 
  He was recruited specifically because of his
  sorcerous abilities. The Commissar had long
  sought an agent to infiltrate the Inverted
  Pyramid, a secretive organization of mages with
  an extremely long history, and not known for its
  support of government. Camrich, a Ptolus
  native, was willing to do the job but had to go
  through training to become a spy. Having com-
  pleted a year of such instruction in Tarsis,
  Camrich came back to the city. He was invited
  to join the Inverted Pyramid after he demon-
  strated his skills in the Godsday Tournament
  Spell Challenge.
  This is an extremely dangerous assignment. If
  Camrich is revealed to be a spy, he will likely
  “disappear” or become the victim of a magical
  experiment “accident.” So far, however, he has
  been very careful. He’s only reported to the
  Commissar once, after making sure he was not
  followed or scried. He fears using magical means
  to spy or report, but he will if he has to.
  Camrich stands just under six feet tall, with
  brown hair and hazel eyes. He is fit for a thirty-
  five-year-old man and hardly looks the “mage”
  type—let alone the “adventurer” type. He 
  dresses like a merchant and keeps his dagger,
  potions, and tools hidden. Only the presence of
  his cat, Judon, might give him away. 
  The truth is, however, he doesn’t want to hide
  his status as a sorcerer; he’s only pretending he
  does, so that if the people he’s really trying to
  fool (the other Inverted Pyramid mages) think
  he’s acting suspicious, they’ll be thrown off by
  his already deceptive manner. In other words,
  they’ll think they know his secret, when they
  really don’t.
  Tactics: At any given time, he’s likely to have
  mage armor cast and is always quick to use
  bear’s endurance or cat’s grace to improve him-
  self. If threatened, he likes to end fights quickly,
  either by using limited wish or disintegrate, or
  even just teleport. He goes well out of his way to
  avoid combat, however.
  Camrich Rowe
  Male human  (Lawful Neutral)
  Sorcerer 14
  CR14
  Init +2
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 14d4+42
  hp 62
  AC 12, touch 12, flat 10
  BAB/Grapple +7/+8
  Attack/Full Attack +11/+6 melee (1d4+4, 
  dagger)
  Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +11
  Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 18.
  Crucial Skills Bluff +12, Concentration +12,
  Escape Artist +8, Listen +11, Move Silently
  +8, Search +6, Sense Motive +7, Spot +8.
  Other Skills: Knowledge (arcana) +16,
  Knowledge (local) +3, Open Lock +8,
  Spellcraft +15.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Casting, Heighten Spell,
  Spell Penetration.
  Other Feats: Skill Focus (Open Lock), Skill
  Focus (Sense Motive), Skill Focus (Listen).
  Languages: Common, Elvish, Orcish.
  Spells: 6/7/7/7/7/6/5/3, save DC = 14 + spell
  level.
  7th—limited wish.
  6th—disintegrate, project image.
  5th—magic jar, passwall, teleport.
  4th—arcane eye, charm monster, fear, greater
  invisibility.
  3rd—dispel magic, fireball, gaseous form, protec-
  tion from energy.
  2nd—bear’s endurance, cat’s grace, misdirection,
  touch of idiocy.
  1st—change self, chill touch, feather fall, mage
  armor, shocking grasp.
  0—daze, detect poison, flare, ghost sound, light,
  mending, message, ray of frost, touch of
  fatigue.
  Possessions: +3 dagger, vest of escape, potion
  of shield of faith +4, potions of cure serious
  wounds and shield of faith +3, scroll of
  detect scrying, masterwork thieves’ tools, 
  14 pp, 18 gp, 2,000 gp letter of credit from
  the Commissar (hidden in lining of cloak).
  Judon, cat familiar: hp 42
  32
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Imperial Eyes: Ptolus, page 153
  The Commissar: Ptolus,
  page 149
  Inverted Pyramid: Ptolus,
  page 115
  Godsday Tournament: Ptolus,
  page 392
  The Commissar makes sure that
  his important operatives have
  letters of credit (see Ptolus,
  page 155) to cover emergency
  expenses that may arise while
  they work undercover.
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  DENOSS FIRTH,
  LAWYER TO THE WEALTHY
  Denoss Firth is a well-paid advocate who repre-
  sents accused criminals in court. Many wealthy
  clients keep Denoss on retainer, and he serves
  them in other capacities as well—as a proxy or
  representative in business dealings, for example.
  As such, he maintains particularly close ties with
  House Abanar.
  Denoss is brusque and arrogant—he’s always
  too busy to give most people much attention, and
  even when he does speak with someone he seems
  continually preoccupied by something else. The
  only time this isn’t true is when he is with his
  wealthiest or his most dangerous clients (and usu-
  ally, they are the same ones). He works not only
  with influential and wealthy aristocrats and mer-
  chants, but also with powerful criminals like
  Menon Balacazar and the various criminal bosses
  in his employ. 
  He keeps an office in Midtown with two full-
  time employees: two elderly ladies who help
  maintain his files and accounts and take mes-
  sages. They know more about Denoss’ unsavory
  connections than he realizes, but they are also
  fairly loyal to him—he pays them well and treats
  them more kindly than one might expect.
  A resident of the Nobles’ Quarter, Denoss lives
  in the magical, floating apartment building called
  the Soaring Idyll. He never married and seems to
  have little interest in such a relationship, although
  he frequents some of the more upscale local
  brothels such as the House of Delights in the
  Nobles’ Quarter and the White House in
  Oldtown.
  Of average height and build, Denoss keeps fit
  for a man in his fifties. His thick black hair is
  grey at the temples, and his brown eyes frequently
  seem to stare blankly into space—he’s always
  thinking, planning, and scheming.
  Tactics: Because of his clientele, Denoss occa-
  sionally finds himself in dangerous situations. He
  has become very good at hiding (helped by his
  magical robes or the potion of invisibility that he
  always carries), seeming nonthreatening, and talk-
  ing his way out of a situation. If he must defend
  himself, however, he has a magic dagger hidden in
  his right sleeve at all times.
  Denoss Firth
  Male human (Lawful Neutral)
  Expert13
  CR 12
  Init +5
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 13d6
  hp 54
  AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +6/+8
  Attack +9 melee (1d4+3, dagger) or 
  +8 ranged (1d4+3, dagger)
  Full Attack +9/+4 melee (1d4+3, dagger) or
  +8 ranged (1d4+3, dagger)
  Fort +4 Ref +7 Will +10
  Str 14, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 15.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +17, Hide +11, Listen +8,
  Sense Motive +13, Spot +8.
  Other Skills: Decipher Script +6, Diplomacy
  +15, Gather Information +14, Knowledge
  (local) +10, Knowledge (nobility and royal-
  ty) +9, Profession (advocate) +14.
  Crucial Feats: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise,
  Quick Draw.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will,
  Lightning Reflexes.
  Languages: Common, Elvish, Halfling,
  Westron.
  Possessions: +1 dagger, robe of blending,
  potions of invisibility and cure serious
  wounds, gold ring with star sapphire worth
  450 gp, 15 gp, 11 sp, 17 cp.
  Some reticent clients don’t want
  to be seen visiting Denoss Firth’s
  office, so they visit in secret or
  call him to their estate instead.
  House Abanar: Ptolus, page 88
  Menon Balacazar: Ptolus, 
  page 101
  Soaring Idyll: Ptolus, page 300
  House of Delights: Ptolus, 
  page 301
  White House: Ptolus, page 334
  Denoss’ job involves keeping the
  (alleged) crimes of the nobility
  out of broadsheets such as The
  Midtown Partisan, which loves
  to report on scandals involving
  the wealthy.
  33
  
  DOLEEN KAFTER,
  SCRIBE OF HEROES
  Doleen Kafter is an older halfling woman with
  sparkling green eyes and short black hair with
  just a touch of grey. 
  Doleen is the author of many history texts,
  self-published, most of which are still in print
  thanks to a deal she has made with Blackstock
  Printing. Her works are very popular, probably
  because she writes mostly about very recent his-
  tory. She interviews most of her subjects person-
  ally, recording the exploits of adventurers,
  knights, soldiers, and even City Watch person-
  nel, and publishing them while her subjects are
  still alive. (One notable exception was her trea-
  tise on Abesh Runihan, pictured at right, which
  was published after the famed hero’s death.)
  While her books are not fictional accounts,
  she does tend to paint her subjects quite posi-
  tively, unless they insist otherwise. (She has
  found that some particularly truth-loving pal-
  adins have insisted on accuracy over praise, but
  these are rare.) This method ensures that she’ll
  continue to get interviews, and she has found
  that positive tales of derring-do sell as well as or
  better than scathing criticisms anyway.
  Doleen’s interviews are straight-to-the-point,
  and yet methodical, comprehensive, and lengthy.
  Many see her as rather humorless or at least
  unflappable. Most subjects, after being inter-
  viewed, are convinced that they came off quite
  poorly, without impressing or moving her in any
  way, and then are surprised to find the published
  book to be a glowing retelling of their perspec-
  tive on events.
  Doleen lives in Oldtown with her husband,
  Nartin (male halfling commoner3) and their two
  grandchildren whom they care for after their
  daughter and her husband died in a fire in the
  Katterwood neighborhood three years ago.
  Scenario: After accomplishing some great
  deed, the player characters are approached by
  Doleen, who would like to interview them and
  make them the subject of her next treatise. This
  process lasts 1d2 days per character. However,
  during the interviews, an enemy of the group
  uses a suggestion spell or simple manipulation to
  get Doleen to ask questions to probe for some
  important bit of specific information that the
  enemy wants (the exact location of the secret
  ruins they explored, etc.). 
  Only the most astute PCs will pick up on
  what’s going on (a Sense Motive check, DC 20,
  would be appropriate). Finding out what their
  enemies want to know can be an important clue
  for the characters—often, they know important
  information without even realizing it’s impor-
  tant!
  Doleen Kafter
  Female halfling (Lawful Neutral)
  Expert5
  CR4
  Init +2
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 5d6
  hp 22
  AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11
  BAB/Grapple +0/–3
  Attack/Full Attack +2 melee (1d3–1, unarmed
  strike)
  SQ Halfling traits
  Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +6
  Str 9, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 15.
  Crucial Skills: Climb +0, Jump +0, Listen +10,
  Move Silently +4, Search +8, Sense Motive
  +6, Spot +5.
  Other Skills: Diplomacy +8, Gather Information
  +3, Knowledge (local) +4, Perform (oratory)
  +6, Profession (writer) +8.
  Crucial Feats: N/A
  Other Feats: Great Fortitude, Toughness.
  Languages: Common, Dwarvish, Elvish,
  Halfling, Palastani, Westron
  Possessions: Quill of dictation (see below),
  goggles of minute seeing, potion of mage
  armor, unguents of timelessness (2), 17 gp,
  11 sp.
  NEW ITEM
  Quill of Dictation: A bril-
  liant white feather, this
  sharpened quill will tran-
  scribe what you say exactly
  as you say it in the same
  language. It does not
  speed up transcription
  time (such as copying
  spells from one spellbook
  to another), but it does make the job more
  pleasant.
  Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Craft
  Wondrous Item, mage hand; Price 400 gp;
  Weight —
  34
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Blackstock Printing: Ptolus,
  page 353
  City Watch: Ptolus, page 150
  Abesh Runihan: Ptolus,
  page 112
  Characters interested in buying
  Doleen’s books can try these
  shops throughout the city:
  Myraeth’s Oddities (Midtown,
  Ptolus page 210), Qualin’s
  Books (Midtown, Ptolus page
  221), the Book Wagon (North
  Market, Ptolus page 305),
  and Finnar’s Books (Oldtown,
  Ptolus page 337).
  The Katterwood neighborhood in
  Midtown (see Ptolus, page 200)
  is a favorite area of halflings.
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  DUTHUR GREYFIST AND THE
  BRIDGE OF ARD CHOREND
  The bridge of Ard Chorend spans an under-
  ground stream that spills into the Umbral Lake
  within the vast cavern beneath Ptolus called the
  Eternity Cave. Ard Chorend is one of the only
  ways to reach Kaled Del, an underground refuge
  for Stonelost dwarves.
  Duthur has served as the Steward of Ard
  Chorend for more than one hundred years, and
  in all that time he has never allowed past him
  anyone who meant Kaled Del ill. Almost like a
  statue, Duthur stands in the middle of the
  bridge, never moving until someone approaches
  close enough to require a verbal challenge from
  him. He gives anyone who would use the
  bridge clear warning that those who cannot
  prove they have legitimate, peaceful business in
  Kaled Del will not be allowed to cross—and
  that he’ll use any means necessary to enforce
  this mandate.
  Of course, Duthur is not some kind of sleep-
  less immortal. He is not always on duty, but
  when he must rest, one of his younger protégés
  takes his place on the bridge.
  Tactics: It is not likely a surprise to any foes
  that the guardian of a dwarven bridge is in fact
  a dwarven defender. What may surprise them is
  that, when he is not in his defensive stance,
  Duthur is surprisingly agile and mobile. The
  bridge, fifteen feet wide and five times as long,
  provides ample room for him to use his Spring
  Attack feat but is narrow enough that he can
  guard the bridge all alone once he’s planted his
  feet.
  Occasionally he attempts to grapple foes and
  throw them into the fast-moving, dangerous
  river beneath the bridge.
  Duthur Greyfist
  Male Stonelost dwarf (Lawful Neutral)
  Fighter8/dwarven defender3 
  CR11
  Init +1
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 8d10+32 + 3d10+12
  hp 114
  AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 23
  BAB/Grapple +11/+14
  Attack +16 melee (1d10+4/x3, waraxe)
  Full Attack +16/+11/+6 melee (1d10+4,
  19–20/x3, waraxe)
  Fort +14 Ref +7 Will +10
  SA Defensive stance 2/day for 9 rounds
  SQ Darkvision 60 feet, dwarven traits, dodge
  bonus +1 and uncanny dodge
  Str 17, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 9.
  Crucial Skills: Jump +6.
  Other Skills: Appraise +8, Craft (armor-
  smithing) +15, Craft (blacksmithing) +13,
  Handle Animal +6, Knowledge (architecture
  and engineering) +8, Knowledge (dun-
  geoneering) +8.
  Crucial Feats: Diehard, Dodge, Endurance,
  Mobility, Spring Attack.
  Other Feats: Improved Critical (dwarven
  waraxe), Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon
  Focus (dwarven greataxe).
  Possessions: +1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield,
  +1 dwarven waraxe, cloak of resistance +1;
  potions of barkskin +3, water breathing, and
  cure serious wounds; 50 feet of rope, hammer
  and spikes (6),18 gp, 13 sp.
  Defensive Stance (Ex): The following changes
  are in effect while Duthur remains in a
  defensive stance:
  hp 136
  AC 28, touch 15, flat-footed 27
  BAB/Grapple +11/+15
  Attack +17 melee (1d10+5/x3, waraxe)
  Full Attack +17/+12/+7 melee (1d10+5,
  19–20/x3, waraxe)
  Fort +18, Reflex +9, Will +12
  Str 19, Con 22
  Skills: Jump +7
  “I stand vigil. None shall pass
  without my leave, and such is
  not granted unless it be in the
  best interest of my liege, Terrik
  Clanstone of Kaled Del.”
  —Duthur Greyfist
  Umbral Lake: Ptolus, page 451
  Eternity Cave: Ptolus, page 448
  Kaled Del: Ptolus, page 448
  Stonelost dwarves: Ptolus,
  page 49
  Duthur Greyfist was, literally, the
  original Dwarven Defender. In
  the design of Third Edition, it
  was this character and his bridge
  that inspired the dwarven
  defender prestige class. In the
  design of Ptolus, he inspired the
  creation of the Eternity Cave and
  Kaled Del, two important loca-
  tions below the city. Much later,
  characters from the Company of
  the Black Lantern in my Ptolus
  Campaign actually encountered
  him. Although the PCs success-
  fully disarmed him—not a bad
  tactic—he then proceeded to
  throw them all, one by one, into
  the raging river. Repeatedly. He
  proved a very effective guardian
  and provided a humbling
  encounter for a group of elves
  traipsing into an underground
  area they had no business
  entering.
  35
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  
  EYVIND AND SSETHENUS, 
  TYRANTS
  The Slave City is a location beneath Ptolus within
  the area known as Ghul’s Labyrinth. Presented
  below are two figures who live among the escaped
  slaves there. If their plans come to fruition, they
  will prove problematic for Moondros, the nymph
  who founded the refuge and serves as its leader.
  THE WIZARD
  Eyvind (pronounced EYE-vind) is a freelance wiz-
  ard for hire. Rejected for membership in the Sorn,
  a mercenary mage’s organization in Ptolus, he
  wandered around performing odd jobs, making
  money based mostly on the fact that he had virtu-
  ally no qualms about committing any act, as long
  as he got paid.
  Not long ago, Eyvind heard tell of the so-called
  “Slave City,” a hidden underground refuge for
  escaped slaves with a store of ancient magic.
  Sensing a situation he could exploit, he headed
  below the streets and eventually found the refuge
  in an ancient subterranean stronghold resistant to
  divination magic. Claiming to want to help, he
  was granted admittance and quickly joined forces
  with one of the more powerful lizardfolk there,
  Ssethenus. 
  Eyvind and Ssethenus plan to take over the
  Slave City and set themselves up as rulers there.
  Eyvind loves the idea of having a group of 
  people under his power, away from the rest of
  society. He seeks to force his subjects to become a
  gang of thieves that will steal from the city above
  and provide him with whatever he desires.
  Eyvind’s role in the takeover of the Slave City
  will be to back up Ssethenus’ real physical might
  with his own implied magical might. He hopes to
  not have to cast a spell, although a frightening illu-
  sion or a single dose of blindness in the right victim
  might help intimidate those who oppose him.
  Tactics: In a fight, Eyvind is a coward. He
  focuses mainly on protecting himself with spells
  while others fight for him. He saves his scroll of
  lightning bolt for when he really needs it, and is
  much quicker to use his wand to create some
  distracting illusion that will get him out of a
  problematic solution.
  Eyvind Terrak
  Male human (Neutral Evil)
  Wizard5
  CR 5
  Init +4
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 5d4+15
  hp 27
  AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +2/+3
  Attack/Full Attack +4 melee (1d4+1, dagger)
  Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +5
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Crucial Skills: Concentration +10, Disable
  Device +5.
  Other Skills: Craft (alchemy) +12, Heal +2,
  Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (geog-
  raphy) +12, Knowledge (nature) +12,
  Knowledge (religion) +12, Spellcraft +11.
  Crucial Feats: Dodge.
  Other Feats: Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous
  Item, Scribe Scroll.
  Spells: 4/4/3/2, save DC 14 + spell level.
  3rd—displacement, dispel magic.
  2nd—blindness/deafness, mirror image, web.
  1st—charm person, magic missile, shield, sleep.
  0—daze, detect magic, flare, ghost sound, light,
  mage hand.
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, wand of silent
  image (18 charges), potion of see invisibility,
  scroll of lightning bolt, scrolls of invisibility
  (2), 48 gp.
  36
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Slave City: Ptolus, page 422 
  Ghul’s Labyrinth: Ptolus,
  page 418
  The Sorn: Ptolus, page 137
  When my characters ventured
  down to the Slave City seeking
  lost litorian ex-slaves, they had a
  run-in with these two tyrants:
  “To reach the city, we are faced
  with the challenge of crossing a
  narrow catwalk across a steam-
  ing lake. The actual settlement is
  built within a column that juts
  down into the lake. It looks very
  defensible, with its four towers.
  Taevel, an escapee we met near
  the back entrance, said it used to
  be a good sanctuary for ex-slaves,
  until the arrival of Ssethenus.
  Then came the wizard, who
  arrived to learn more about
  the citadel’s ancient magic.
  “Taevel gives us a rundown of
  the security forces: a dozen
  unwilling ex-slave guards and
  eight eager lizardfolk. We make
  a plan to talk our way in. Our
  story: We are mercenaries inter-
  ested in freeing slaves to send
  here in exchange for a bounty.
  We hope this can get us
  in to see Ssethenus. 
  “Ssethenus, the ‘King’ of the city,
  arrives in armor to greet us. We
  soon see for ourselves that this
  so-called city of freed slaves offers
  no freedom at all: only a new
  sort of servitude. Ssethenus rules
  with an iron fist and doesn’t
  seem inclined to let anyone
  leave. We offer him our ‘merce-
  naries’ story, along with a
  healthy helping of flattery. He
  seems interested in our idea,
  then introduces us to Eyvind,
  whom he calls his advisor. This
  wizard, not liking the looks of us,
  suggests to Ssethenus that we
  be executed immediately....” 
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  What Magic Is Eyvind After?
  The area surrounding the Slave City used to be home to Karanosin and Karalada, the Silver
  Sisters. Long ago they imprisoned invading followers of Father Claw beneath a steaming lake in
  their subterranean stronghold. (Tales say the draconic men had come to the area seeking the Black
  Grail.) The sisters trapped their foes within powerful magical prisons: globes of electricity stored in
  a glass chamber and powered by an arcane obelisk. The obelisk (now within the confines of the
  Slave City) still holds remnants of this power. The entire fortress of the Silver Sisters is protected
  with strong wards that hide it from magical divinations.
  Is it the magic of the Silver Sisters that led Eyvind to the Slave City? Or does he, like the long-
  ago priests of Father Claw, seek the mighty dwarven artifact known as the Black Grail?
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  THE LIZARD
  Ssethenus was the chieftain of a large tribe of
  lizardfolk living far to the south and west of
  Ptolus when he and many others were kid-
  napped by slavers called the Ennin and brought
  to the city. Before he could be sold, Ssethenus
  escaped, taking a few of his tribesmen with him.
  Dismayed at the poor way lizardfolk lived in the
  city, they fled to the Slave City where they found
  shelter. 
  Since lizardfolk are commonly taken as slaves,
  many of the escaped slave population in the
  refuge were Ssethenus’ kind. He used his forceful
  personality and leadership traits to quickly get
  all of them to submit to him.
  In addition to the dozen or so lizardfolk
  under his command, he has two burly enforcers
  who think as he does. These two are his confi-
  dants as well as his personal guards.
  Ssethenus doesn’t actually like Eyvind, but he
  fears magic, so he likes the fact that the wizard
  is on his side rather than against him. As long as
  the human mage doesn’t get out of line, the
  lizardfolk chief mostly ignores him, using him as
  a threat against those who oppose him.
  Tactics: Ssethenus is a proud and courageous
  fighter who shows no mercy. Any fight with
  Ssethenus is a fight to the death. He delights in
  defeating others physically and sees the need for
  the occasional application of pain to motivate
  others. He is extremely proud of his magical
  sword and armor. 
  Ssethenus
  Male lizardfolk (Lawful Evil)
  Fighter5
  CR6
  Init +6
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 2d8+6 + 5d10+15
  hp 59
  AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 21
  BAB/Grapple +6/+10
  Attack/Full Attack +12 melee (1d8+5
  longsword) or +9 ranged (1d6+4 javelin)
  SQ Hold breath
  Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2
  Str 19, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +6, Climb +13, Hide +2,
  Jump +12, Listen +1, Move Silently +2, 
  Spot +1.
  Other Skills: Craft (weaponsmithing) +6, 
  Ride +4, Swim +13.
  Crucial Feats: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat
  Reflexes, Power Attack.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon
  Focus (longsword).
  Possessions: +1 chainmail, +1 longsword,
  javelin of lightning, masterwork javelins (4),
  dagger, gem worth 300 gp in crude bracer,
  139 gp.
  Lizardman Enforcers
  Male lizardfolk (Lawful Evil)
  Warrior2
  CR 2
  Init +1
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 2d8+6 + 2d8+6
  hp 36
  AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 21
  BAB/Grapple: +3/+7
  SQ Hold breath
  Attack/Full Attack +7 melee (1d8+6 short-
  spear), or +4 ranged (1d6+4, javelin)
  Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1
  Str 19, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +5, Climb +8, Jump
  +14, Listen +3, Spot +3.
  Other Skills: Swim +14.
  Crucial Feats: Power Attack.
  Other Feats: Alertness.
  Possessions: Banded mail armor, shortspear,
  javelins (2), 24 gp.
  The Ennin: Ptolus, page 131
  Assarai lifestyle: Ptolus, page 56
  Before venturing to the Slave
  City, my characters rescued an
  assarai named Salsan from slav-
  ery in the seaside Balacazar
  manor house. (See “Sir Jingles”
  in Ptolus, page 606.) 
  When they expressed interest in
  finding the Slave City, Salsan
  offered to accompany them in
  thanks for his rescue. He had
  heard rumors of the place’s
  location, as his former chieftain,
  Ssethenus, reportedly ruled there.
  Salsan’s presence gave the char-
  acters an edge in negotiating
  with the power-mad lizardman
  “king,” which helped them
  eventually locate one of the 
  litorians whom they sought.
  37
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  Many Slave City residents pass through
  the Dark Market before making 
  their escape.
  
  GLORY, SMUGGLER
  Gloriassa Moruth, known to most as “Glory,” is
  supposedly a young girl who lives with her aging
  grandmother in a house built along the city wall
  in the North Market. 
  In truth, Glory is an eighteen-year-old smuggler
  living with an old woman named Tass Ressalswan
  (female human commoner2). Tass herself is a
  retired smuggler, more than willing to give Glory a
  place to live and a location from which to work (as
  well as a cover story) for a small share of her take.
  In order to avoid paying taxes and tariffs on
  goods coming into Ptolus, smugglers attempt to
  get goods over the wall rather than through one
  of the city’s gates. They also use this method to
  bring illegal substances into the city to sell.
  Houses built along the city wall are often tall,
  using the wall itself for support. Some are built
  one atop another, rising even above the level of
  the wall. People frequently call these “smuggler’s
  houses,” and for good reason. Smugglers—like
  Glory—use ropes and baskets to pull goods up
  and over the wall from their own windows.
  Glory began working as a smuggler when she
  was only fourteen. To get other smugglers to
  work with her, she used her Disguise skill to make
  herself appear a couple years older, and Forgery
  to alter her own Imperial papers. Now, at eight-
  een, she uses those same skills to continue to look
  about sixteen, since she finds the perceived inno-
  cence of that age useful in throwing off the scent
  of the City Watch.
  Glory is petite with long brown hair and a
  round face. She’s possessed of a quick wit, and it
  would seem she can talk or charm her way out of
  almost any situation. One day she plans on
  attempting to find and join the Longfingers Guild,
  but for now she’s content to earn a living sneaking
  goods over the wall and transferring them to crimi-
  nals and black marketers in the city. She works
  with criminals of all kinds, including even members
  of both major criminal organizations in Ptolus: the
  Balacazars and the Killraven Crime League.
  Gloriassa Moruth
  Female human (Chaotic Neutral)
  Rogue3
  CR 3
  Init +7
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 3d6+6
  hp 18
  AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13
  BAB/Grapple +2/+4
  Attack +5 melee (1d6+2, short sword) or 
  +6 ranged (1d6+1, short bow)
  SA Sneak attack +2d6
  SQ Trapfinding, evasion and trap sense +1
  Fort +3 Ref +6 Will +3
  Str 14, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha 14.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +10, Intimidate +8,
  Search +7, Tumble +9, Use Magic Device +6.
  Other Skills: Decipher Script +8, Diplomacy
  +8, Disguise +8, Forgery +7, Gather
  Information +7, Handle Animal +5,
  Knowledge (local) +5.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Reflexes.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will.
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather,
  masterwork short sword, masterwork short-
  bow, +1 arrows (20), potion of barkskin +3, 
  12 pp, 15 gp, 2 sp, 13 cp.
  38
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Taxes and tariffs: Ptolus,
  page 558 
  City walls: Ptolus, page 156
  City gates: Ptolus, page 158
  Illegal substances: Ptolus,
  page 556
  Imperial papers: Ptolus,
  page 552
  City Watch: Ptolus, page 150
  Longfingers Guild: Ptolus,
  page 128
  Balacazars: Ptolus, page 100
  Killraven Crime League: Ptolus,
  page 121
  The Roots of the Smuggling Lifestyle
  Smuggling in the Empire exists to avoid the tariffs and taxes involved with regulated commerce,
  a powerful aspect the Empire wields like a mighty sword to control the population and fund its
  own existence. High taxes and strict control of goods is a legacy of the Empire’s Prustan roots.
  The political philosopher Putarach, in his work The Mind of a Monarch, even advised govern-
  ments to declare various substances as contraband simply to provide another set of boundaries for
  the populace: “To rule a people, you must be in a position to say both ‘yes’ and ‘no’ in regard to
  any and all things. Before a man can eat a crust of bread, he must ask his ruler, ‘May I?’ If you do
  not forbid something tangible, how can the people know you are in command on a daily basis?”
  Many claim that Prustan rulers and the early Emperors took this advice to heart.
  Thus, while most smugglers just want extra profit, a subset of them conduct their operations for
  political reasons. These revolutionary smugglers can be some of the more bloodthirsty and ruthless
  of the criminal element, and many of the more traditional smugglers avoid them.
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  JOSIAH CRAND, 
  ADVOCATE OF LIGHT
  More than five hundred years ago, an angel
  named Liavando came to the world to aid a cleric
  of Gaen when called. Liavando saved the cleric’s
  life, and then found himself in the world,
  left to his own devices. For reasons of
  his own, he wandered north to the
  shore of a bay on the Whitewind
  Sea, where he found others like
  himself. Eventually, this group
  of celestials became known as
  the Malkuth, dwelling in a
  mysterious structure called the
  Pale Tower in the burgeoning
  city of Ptolus.
  Eventually Liavando was
  slain in a battle with a green
  dragon that belonged to an organ-
  ization called the Pactlords of the
  Quaan. But during his time in the
  world, he married a mortal woman
  named Valian Crand and sired a son, Josiah.
  Josiah took after his father, developing light
  blue feathered wings and silver hair. Strangely, he
  seemed to age very slowly, and thus took almost
  forty years to reach maturity. During this time,
  Valian passed away, leaving Josiah on his own.
  Today, about ten years after his mother’s death,
  Josiah lives in the Pale Tower, although he has
  taken to wandering far from that home for great
  lengths of time. In addition to the powers of a
  normal half-celestial, he has the ability to “see 
  the truth in the hearts of all mortals.” 
  He uses this ability to find those who need
  him. Some have called him the Advocate of Light,
  for he acts on behalf of any nonevil intelligent
  creature who has been wronged or falsely
  accused. He believes in justice over law, and will
  risk all in that cause. As such, he has taken on the
  role of an actual advocate in the Ptolus courts, he
  has physically prevented the imprisonment and
  even execution of those unjustly sentenced, and
  he has championed the oppressed and victimized
  in all manner of situations, from mediating busi-
  ness disputes in the city to protecting travelers on
  the road from bandits. For these actions, he never
  asks for reward or payment. He simply explains,
  “I am carrying out my father’s will, and continu-
  ing his legacy.”
  However, Josiah’s actions often get him in
  trouble with the authorities. Although they dare
  not attempt to punish him (his popularity is far
  too widespread for them to risk angering the pop-
  ulace like that), at times they would love to see
  him “out of the way.” He makes them look bad.
  Tactics: Before a fight—unless he is caught
  completely unaware—Josiah is likely to have
  already cast mage armor. He takes the time to
  cast shield as well, as the first action in combat,
  bringing his Armor Class to 21. If his foes are
  clearly evil, he lashes out with his greataxe with-
  out hesitation, cleaving through opponents with
  both skill and strength. Against those who may
  not be evil, he fights only to subdue, for
  the spark of each untainted soul is
  more precious than a diamond to
  him. He only rarely uses his bow.
  His ability to “see the truth in
  all mortals” functions like a
  continuous discern lies ability,
  although it is even more pow-
  erful. If someone accuses
  another of wrongdoing, Josiah
  can tell simply by looking if
  that person is truly guilty of
  that act or not. It is important to
  note, however, that Josiah doesn’t
  use this ability to act as a judge of
  the guilty so much as a defender of 
  the innocent.
  Josiah Crand
  Male human half-celestial (Lawful Good)
  Medium outsider
  Fighter3/sorcerer1 
  CR5
  Init +7
  Speed 30 feet, 
  fly 60 feet (good)
  HD 3d10+12 + 1d4+4
  hp 43
  AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +3/+9
  Attack/Full Attack +11 melee (1d12+10,
  greataxe) or +7 ranged (1d8+1+2d6 holy,
  longbow)
  SA Smite evil (1/day +4 damage to evil foe),
  discern lies and daylight at will, spell-like
  abilities
  SQ Darkvision 60 feet, immunity to disease,
  resistance to acid 10, cold 10 and electricity
  10, DR 5/magic, SR 14
  Fort +11 Ref +4 Will +3
  Str 22, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha 16.
  Crucial Skills Concentration +11, Jump +9,
  Listen +7, Search +6, Sense Motive +3,
  Swim +8.
  Other Skills: Diplomacy +6, Handle Animal +8.
  Crucial Feats: Cleave, Improved Sunder, Power
  Attack.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon
  Focus (greataxe).
  Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 4th. Save DCs
  are Charisma based.
  3/day—protection from evil.
  1/day—aid, detect evil, bless.
  Spells Known: 5/4; save DC 13 + spell level.
  1st—mage armor, shield.
  0—daze, ghost sound, light, prestidigitation.
  Possessions: +1 greataxe, +1 longbow, +1 holy
  arrows (12), potion of neutralize poison,
  13 gp.
  DM TIP
  Josiah could become a valuable
  ally of Lawful Good player char-
  acters but, in the long term, they
  may find him a bit infuriating:
  He is always more selfless, more
  giving, and simply more good
  than they could ever be.
  Adventure hooks that the PCs
  ignore or turn down later
  become tales heard of Josiah’s
  latest good deeds. Slow-acting
  player characters find Josiah 
  has arrived at an important
  encounter ahead of them and
  taken care of the situation (and
  thus received all the praise and
  glory for it). 
  It should always be clear how-
  ever that Josiah isn’t trying to
  show up the PCs or anything of
  the kind. Despite his ever-growing
  reputation, he’s not doing it for
  the adoration. He’s doing it
  because it’s the right thing to do.
  Josiah would never join an
  adventuring group, even one 
  dedicated to doing good—that
  is not his style. As the campaign
  progresses, he remains the hero
  with the record and reputation
  that the player characters simply
  can never live up to.
  Of course, Josiah may be called
  upon to defend wrongly accused
  PCs at some point as well…
  Gaen, page 11
  The Malkuth: Ptolus, page 129
  Pale Tower: Ptolus, page 329
  Pactlords of the Quaan: Ptolus,
  page 130
  39
  DM TIP
  
  KABEL DATHIMOL, KNIGHT
  Sir Kabel Dathimol is the leader of the Knights
  of the Dawn in Ptolus and one of the
  Commissar’s Twelve Commanders. Although
  the Order of the Dawn is a worldwide organi-
  zation of knights within the Church of Lothian,
  it is first and foremost the guard and soldiery
  of the Holy Emperor. And, with the Holy
  Emperor living in Ptolus, Sir Kabel now lives
  there as well.
  More an administrator than a warrior, Kabel
  spends most of his time out of his armor, attend-
  ing meetings with clergy and important people in
  the city. It has been well over a year since he has
  drawn his weapon with the intention of using 
  it. Most of his battle gear, in fact, is honorary,
  bequeathed to the leader of the order. That said,
  however, he is well trained in both melee and
  ranged combat, as well as spellcasting and the
  other duties required of him. In his younger
  days, he was a fiery proselytizer and champion
  of the faith. Today, though, Kabel is far more
  reserved, and far more used to compromise and
  tolerance as well.
  One thing he knows little about is warfare,
  never having actually served in a war or com-
  manded a large-scale military endeavor. He is,
  however, canny at smaller operations, and more
  focused duties, such as guarding the Emperor of
  the Church and his residence. He has also
  become adept at subterfuge and covert opera-
  tions. When a group of adventurers or delvers in
  Ptolus gains notoriety or wields obvious power
  (which is to say, reaches 13th level or higher),
  sometimes Kabel will have a member of his
  order infiltrate the group on one or more mis-
  sions, so the Church can learn about their
  motives as well as their abilities. Kabel main-
  tains meticulous notes of such information, to
  keep himself and the Emperor aware of possible
  threats as well as worthwhile allies.
  Kabel is tall with short brown hair, a mus-
  tache, and a small beard. Although he remains
  very fit for a man in his late fifties, his step
  doesn’t have quite the spring in it that it used 
  to have.
  He lives in the Holy Palace (pictured below),
  where all the Knights of the Dawn in the city 
  are barracked. He has an office there and three
  administrative assistants. Kabel is unmarried and
  has no family beyond the order. 
  In Ptolus, there are approximately fifty
  Knights of the Dawn. They all report to Kabel,
  either directly or indirectly. Elsewhere, more
  than two hundred Knights work for the Church
  in various capacities. 
  Sir Kabel Dathimol
  Male human (Lawful Good)
  Paladin16 
  CR16
  Init +0
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 16d10+16
  hp 99
  AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16
  BAB/Grapple +16/+19
  Attack +23 melee (1d10+8/x3, heavy flail) or
  +19 ranged (1d8+2/x3)
  Full Attack +23/+18/+13/+8 melee (1d10+8/x3,
  heavy flail) or +19/+14/+9/+4 ranged
  (1d8+2/x3)
  SA Smite evil 4/day (+3 attack and +16 dam-
  age) and turn undead 6/day
  SQ Detect evil, aura of courage, divine health,
  remove disease (4/week), aura of good, lay
  on hands, divine grace, and special mount
  Fort +16 Ref +10 Will +9
  Str 18, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 17.
  Crucial Skills: Concentration +15, Heal +12,
  Listen +9, Search +4, Spot +9.
  Other Skills: Diplomacy +24, Handle Animal
  +19, Knowledge (local) +3, Ride +13, Sense
  Motive +14.
  Crucial Feats: Point Blank Shot.
  Other Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude,
  Lightning Reflexes, Negotiator, Weapon
  Focus (heavy flail), Weapon Focus (com-
  posite longbow).
  Spells: Save DC 13 + spell level.
  4th—mark of justice.
  3rd—greater magic weapon, magic circle
  against chaos.
  2nd—delay poison, owl’s wisdom, shield other.
  1st—detect undead, protection from chaos, 
  protection from evil.
  Possessions: +1 full plate armor of light fortifi-
  cation, +2 heavy flail of disruption, +2 shock
  composite longbow, +1 arrows (12), master-
  work arrows (12), 1 gp, 12 sp, 12 cp.
  40
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Knights of the Dawn: Ptolus,
  page 67
  Twelve Commanders: Ptolus,
  page 148
  Church of Lothian: Ptolus,
  page 64
  Holy Emperor: Ptolus, page 293
  Holy Palace: Ptolus, page 292
  Knights of the 
  Dawn Barracks
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  KOBAN, HUNTER OF THE NIGHT
  Approximately two hundred years ago, a litorian
  fighter named Koban came to Ptolus, looking for
  a quick and easy path to great prowess and skill.
  He had heard that the city held such wonders,
  and he wanted them for himself.
  At that time, litorians were few in the City by
  the Spire, and Koban could find no one of his
  own kind. Most cityfolk kept their distance from
  the litorian, and he soon found himself alone.
  He could speak only a little of the city’s primary
  language and resorted to wandering back streets
  and alleyways to find a place to sleep.
  On only his fourth night in the city, Koban
  was beset by vampires, which slew him. He met
  a grisly and untimely end and soon rose as a
  vampire himself. Although it was not what he
  had originally envisioned, Koban had found
  great power—a gift of the city.
  Koban has hunted the back streets of Ptolus
  since that time. Usually a loner, he has no direct
  connection with the Forsaken and never goes
  into the Necropolis. Very recently, however,
  Koban was made a member of the Covenant of
  Blood, a cabal of powerful vampires centered
  around an artifact known as the Horn of Blood
  and an ancient pact made millennia ago with
  some horrors of the deep sea.
  Still, one can most commonly find Koban
  stalking prey in the night, often in the Warrens
  but sometimes in Midtown or the South Market.
  His lair (and adopted coffin) is hidden below
  Midtown in the sewers somewhere.
  Tactics: When on the prowl, he often takes
  the form of an animal. In a fight, Koban uses a
  matched pair of swords of Elder Elven make.
  However, if foes surround him, he drops his
  short sword (it’s on a locked gauntlet) and
  makes a whirlwind slam attack. Unlike other
  vampires, when using his whirlwind attack,
  Koban can use his energy drain ability on every
  single foe he attacks that round.
  Another unique aspect of Koban is that, when
  he uses his blood drain ability, he drains more
  blood than normal in a single round, thanks to
  his enormous and ferocious bite.
  Scenario: Koban’s (stolen) elvish swords are
  tied to a ring of fire elemental command that
  appears to be a ring of energy resistance (fire)
  until the wearer comes into contact with the
  swords. PCs who find such a ring would
  become the object of Koban’s search (he knows
  of the ring’s existence), even if they only believe
  it to be a normal fire resistance ring. The ring
  begins to vibrate when the owner of the swords
  is on its trail and has come to within one thou-
  sand feet.
  Koban
  Litorian male vampire (Chaotic Evil)
  Corporeal undead
  Fighter10 
  CR12
  Init +9
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 10d12
  hp 99
  AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 22
  BAB/Grapple +10/+18
  Attack +18 melee (1d4+8, slam ) or +21 melee
  (1d8+9+1d6 fire, longsword)
  Full Attack +18 melee (1d4+8, slam) 
  or +19/+14 melee (1d8+11+1d6 fire,
  longsword) and +18/+13 (1d6+5+1d6 fire,
  short sword)
  SA Blood drain (1d6 Constitution), children
  of the night 1/day (1d6+1 rat swarms,
  1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 feral
  dogs), dominate (Will save, DC 18, 
  CL 12th), create spawn, energy drain 
  (2 negative levels)
  SQ Alternate form (bat, dire bat, feral dog, or
  dire wolf), DR 10/silver and magic, fast
  healing 5, gaseous form, resistance to cold
  10 and electricity 10, spider climb at will, +4
  turn resistance
  Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +5
  Str 26, Dex 21, Con 0, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 17.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +13, Hide +14, Jump +20,
  Listen +14, Move Silently +13, Search +13,
  Sense Motive +10, Spot +16, Tumble +15.
  Other Skills: Intimidate +15, Ride +9.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge,
  Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack,
  Whirlwind Attack.
  Other Feats: Alertness, Greater Weapon
  Focus (longsword), Improved Initiative,
  Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Lightning
  Reflexes, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon
  Focus (longsword), Weapon Focus (short
  sword), Weapon Specialization (long-
  sword).
  Possessions: +1 flaming longsword, +1 flaming
  short sword (with weapon lock), +1 mithral
  breastplate, potions of shield of faith +2 and
  resist energy (fire) 30, jeweled scabbard
  worth 100 gp, gold and ruby ring worth
  500 gp, 19 gp.
  Litorians: Ptolus, page 54
  Forsaken: Ptolus, page 112
  Covenant of Blood: Ptolus, 
  page 101
  Like Koban, the vampire Hadrien
  Runihan is also a member of the
  Covenant of Blood. See Ptolus,
  page 195 for more on him.
  When vampires use their children
  of the night ability in Ptolus,
  they summon 1d6+1 rat swarms,
  1d4+1 bat swarms, or 3d6 feral
  dogs and can take the form of
  feral dogs rather than wolves.
  In an encounter with Koban,
  Diethan the urban ranger
  learned (much to his surprise)
  that his ring of fire resistance
  could command elementals! It
  also could activate powers of the
  vampire’s flaming swords, which
  he claimed after the battle,
  of course. 
  41
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  
  LOTHAO VALINTH, 
  DORAEDIAN MYTHLORD’S AIDE
  People throughout Ptolus know Lothao Valinth
  as Doraedian Mythlord’s trusted aide and proxy
  among the city’s Twelve Commanders. Few,
  however, know his own tale.
  Lothao was born to Shoal elf nobility far to
  the east of Ptolus. He lived a life of luxury in 
  a tall aghaeval or “tree castle,” a tall, elegant
  structure built in the joining of four massive, 
  living trees. When Lothao was only thirty-four,
  however, the aghaeval was attacked by hobgob-
  lin soldiers in the service of a human woman
  named Irhesh, a powerful local lord. The hob-
  goblins took Lothao back to Irhesh, who held
  him hostage to get his family, already belea-
  guered by her raids, to do as she commanded. 
  Lothao possessed more inventiveness and
  bravery than anyone had given him credit for,
  however. He freed himself from his cell and
  crept about Irhesh’s stone castle. Eventually, he
  came upon a strange device. Irhesh had little
  knowledge of magic, so the fact that she had
  captured a magical artifact of the cthorn in a
  raid had escaped her. She thought it was an elab-
  orate and valuable abstract sculpture. Lothao
  didn’t know much about magic, but he knew
  enough about history to recognize a portal made
  by the cthorn. These beings of antiquity were
  unquestionably corrupt, but their command of
  magic was considerable. After some experimen-
  tation, Lothao activated the magic portal and,
  holding his breath, stepped through.
  He had thought that anywhere would be bet-
  ter than Irhesh’s castle, that he had nothing to
  lose in using the portal. However, the place he
  arrived in was certainly no better—and quite
  possibly worse. The portal took Lothao to
  Shoggoth, a secret city in the Dragonsbirth
  Mountains controlled by the infamous god-
  dragon known as Father Claw. The dragon’s
  followers had lived for millennia in this city,
  whose location remained a secret even to the
  most learned scholars in the outside world.
  Lothao soon found himself captured by the 
  residents there, who—after hearing his story—
  decided not to kill him, but forbade him to
  leave.
  So Lothao came to live in Shoggoth. There he
  learned the art of swordfighting from a man
  named Ni-Reshton. Ni-Reshton took Lothao 
  as his charge and used ancient techniques to
  improve the young elf. Secret herbs, rare oils,
  strange psychological practices, and mysterious
  instruction methods, applied over many decades,
  changed Lothao into an elf of near perfect physi-
  cal and mental stature. Lothao grew to love Ni-
  Reshton like a father. However, even with the
  unnaturally long life span granted him by the
  same techniques he used with Lothao, Ni-
  Reshton was an old human. After a century, 
  he died.
  Thus trained and enhanced, Lothao used his
  friend’s funeral as a diversion to make his
  escape. He fled the secret city and made his way
  out of the mountains back to his home many
  lands away. By the time he arrived, he learned
  that Irhesh had finally slain his family, before
  dying herself. Now her son ruled the region;
  much to Lothao’s surprise, he seemed a mostly
  just man.
  Lothao found he had no home or family. He
  had no vendetta to carry out—time had done
  that work for him. He wandered aimlessly for 
  a time but soon learned that the followers of
  Father Claw sought either to bring him back to
  Shoggoth or to silence him forever so he could
  not betray their secrets.
  Eventually he fled to the city of Ptolus, where
  he hoped to make powerful friends or find some
  magical means of protecting himself. He eventu-
  ally found both in the elven sanctuary called
  Iridithil’s Home. 
  The master of Iridithil’s Home, Doraedian
  Mythlord, found himself quickly drawn into a
  friendship with the exceptional elf. When he
  heard his tale, Doraedian gave Lothao an amulet
  that would keep his pursuers from finding him.
  In exchange, Lothao pledged his service to
  Doraedian. Today, Lothao represents Doraedian
  on the Commissar’s elite defense council, the
  Twelve Commanders, and in other aspects as
  well. To many, Lothao is Doraedian Mythlord’s
  voice; that’s a lot of responsibility for an elf
  42
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Doraedian Mythlord: Ptolus,
  page 208
  Twelve Commanders: Ptolus,
  page 148
  Shoal elves: Ptolus, page 50
  Shoggoth: Ptolus, page 609
  Father Claw: page 9
  Cthorn: Ptolus, page 495
  Iridithil’s Home: Ptolus,
  page 207
  Shoggoth’s exact location in the
  Dragonsbirth Mountains (below)
  is a mystery to all but Lothao.
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  who’s still fairly young. Lothao takes that
  responsibility very seriously.
  It is important to note that Doraedian never
  asked Lothao the location of the secret city, and
  his friend never offered the information. He’s
  never told anyone, in fact. Although he was held
  there against his will, Lothao feels a certain obli-
  gation to Ni-Reshton. Because he thinks of
  Shoggoth as the secret of his dead friend, it is a
  secret he will never betray.
  Lothao wears his straight black hair quite
  long. He dresses in the fine clothes befitting his
  station, but with his chain shirt on underneath.
  He is tall and extremely good looking, with a
  compelling and captivating manner.
  Tactics: In a fight, Lothao uses the training he
  received from his old friend in melee, fighting
  with quick, decisive strikes. Others have noted
  that his fighting style is decidedly non-elven and
  strange. Those more learned in such things rec-
  ognize it as the rare dragon-claw style, usually
  considered unique to the followers of Father
  Claw. This observation certainly raises knowl-
  edgeable brows.
  Lothao Valinth
  Male Shoal elf (Neutral)
  Aristocrat4/fighter5
  CR9*
  Init +9
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 4d6+12 + 5d10+15
  hp 94
  AC 23, touch 15, flat-footed 18
  BAB/Grapple +8/+12
  Attack +14 melee (1d8+5/19-20) or +15 ranged
  (1d8+6/x3)
  Full Attack +14/+9 melee (1d8+5/19–20) or
  +15/+10 ranged (1d8+6/x3)
  SQ Low-light vision, elf traits and low-light
  vision
  Fort +6 Ref +7 Will +10
  Str 18, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 18.
  Crucial Skills: Intimidate +13, Jump +14,
  Listen +15, Search +10, Sense Motive +7,
  Spot +14.
  Other Feats: Balance +8, Diplomacy +11,
  Gather Information +10, Knowledge
  (History) +8, Knowledge (Local) +8, 
  Ride +9.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Expertise, Power
  Attack.
  Other Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative,
  Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]),
  Weapon Focus (longsword).
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Elvish,
  Orcish, Sylvan.
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 heavy wooden
  shield, +1 longsword, +2 composite longbow
  (+4), masterwork arrows (20), amulet of
  proof against detection and location, oil of
  greater magic weapon +5, 16 pp, 12 gp,
  12 sp.
  * Lothao’s CR has been increased by 1
  because of his enhanced ability scores 
  and his greater than normal amount 
  of equipment.
  43
  Iridithil’s Home
  According to rumor, republican
  leader Helmut Itlestein is about
  to embark upon his own quest
  for the lost city of Shoggoth deep
  in the Dragonsbirth Mountains.
  For details, see page 609 of
  Ptolus.
  Lothao is one of the rare few
  alive today who can claim to
  have recognized and used magic
  created by the lost cthorn race.
  
  NEVIN KEASTAL, GAMBLER
  Nevin Keastal is a human male who makes his
  living as a gambler in Ptolus. He first came to the
  city as a low-level diplomat, working as an
  attaché for an envoy from Rhoth. While here on
  his first assignment, his superiors discovered that
  he had accepted a bribe from House Sadar to
  influence the other diplomats on a particular
  issue, and he was dismissed immediately.
  Nevin has remained in the city for the past seven
  years, frequenting such places as the Cock Pit, the
  White House, and Swordthrowers when he can,
  and even less reputable places when down on his
  luck. He uses his bardic knowledge to find the best
  illegal gambling operations in the city, and to keep
  one step ahead of both the authorities and the
  moneylenders to whom he has become indebted.
  Honorless, thin-skinned, and vengeful, Nevin
  never keeps friends very long before betraying
  them, stealing from them, or overreacting to some
  perceived slight. He would not hesitate to cheat at
  the games he spends so much time with, and has
  done so many times. He’s even been caught occa-
  sionally, which just adds more names to the list of
  people he has to hide from. 
  In his mid thirties, Nevin is a charming man
  with brown hair, gray eyes, and a distracting
  smile. He is thin and, on the rare occasions he
  draws his sword, he appears barely able to heft it,
  let alone wield it with any skill. (He’d like people
  to believe this is just an act covering his actual
  tremendous skill, but it’s not.)
  One can usually encounter him in a tavern or
  gambling house. He is very gracious and friendly
  on a first meeting—but he’s almost certainly just
  setting up his new acquaintances for some scheme
  or getting ready to take advantage of them. He
  plies them with an expertly crafted admixture of
  lies and flattery and even adds subtly cast charm
  person spells if necessary. When endangered,
  Nevin attempts to run if possible. Otherwise, he’ll
  pull out his concealed sting pistol (a small firearm
  intended to be hidden), use it, and then run. 
  It’s worth noting that he’s not a traditional
  bard in any way. He doesn’t carry an instrument
  nor does he sing.
  Nevin Keastal
  Male human  (Neutral Evil)
  Bard2/Expert3
  CR 4
  Init +5
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 2d6+2 + 3d6+3
  hp 30
  AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +2/+1
  Attack +2 melee (1d8, longsword) or +4 ranged
  (1d10, sting pistol)
  Full Attack +2 melee (1d8, longsword) or 
  +4 ranged (1d10, sting pistol)
  SQ Bardic knowledge, bardic music 2/day
  (countersong, fascinate +1 and inspire
  courage +1)
  Fort +2 Ref +5 Will +5
  Str 9, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 14.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +10, Hide +6, Listen +4,
  Search +3, Sense Motive +9.
  Other Skills: Appraise +7, Disguise +7, Forgery
  +9, Gather Information +9, Perform (act)
  +6, Profession (gambler) +10.
  Crucial Feats: N/A
  Other Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency
  (firearms), Improved Initiative, Skill Focus
  (Profession [gambler]).
  Spells Known: 3/1, save DC 12 + spell level.
  1st—charm person, cure light wounds.
  0—dancing lights, flare, mage hand, open/close,
  prestidigitation.
  Possessions: +1 longsword, masterwork sting
  pistol, ammunition (10 rounds), potion of
  invisibility, masterwork disguise kit, 13 gp, 
  12 sp, 15 cp.
  44
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Sting pistol: Ptolus, page 561
  Rhoth: Ptolus, page 43
  House Sadar: Ptolus, page 94
  The Cock Pit: Ptolus, page 355
  White House: Ptolus, page 334
  Swordthrower’s Club: Ptolus,
  page 301
  Nevin is experienced in the
  gambling games discussed in
  the information panel on
  page 359 of Ptolus.
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  NUPE SKOYTER AND TALADIL,
  CHAOS CULTISTS
  One of the greatest threats to Ptolus today is the
  swelling ranks of the various chaos cults—the
  Ebon Hand, the Plagueborn, the Crimson Coil,
  and many others. Although disparate and unor-
  ganized for now, the cults’ motives grow more
  and more similar. 
  Soon the dark masters behind all the cults will
  slowly begin to reveal themselves. Until then, cer-
  tain cultists attempt to unify the different groups
  and further their own agendas of ultimate
  destruction.  
  THE BRAT
  The pampered child of wealthy parents, Palamad
  Atlasis never wanted for anything. Bored and 
  stupid—he failed out of every school his family
  sent him to—Palamad fell in with a group of
  ruffians. The youth found that he got a strange 
  satisfaction from mugging travelers on the road
  into the city or breaking into and ransacking
  wealthy homes. The love of destruction came to
  him easily. 
  Soon he discovered that his destructive ruffian
  friends actually belonged to a chaos cult called
  the Tolling Bell, which was dedicated to the idea
  of ultimate destruction: the eschaton, the end of
  the world itself. To mark his new affiliation with
  the cult, Palamad changed his name to Nupe
  Skoyter, even though most of his friends told him
  it sounded somewhat silly. 
  Nupe has no mind for sophisticated learning,
  but he is no fool. He is canny and wily. He fan-
  cies himself a leader, but those around him know
  that he’s just not smart enough to pull it off.
  Often he acts as a courier or messenger, which
  brings him into frequent contact with a cultist
  agent named Taladil.
  Tactics: In a fight, Nupe uses two matching
  magical short swords, each fashioned so that the
  hilt guards covering his fists look like screaming
  faces. Although he enjoys a good fight, he is
  under no illusions regarding his skills—he’s no
  fighter.
  Nupe Skoyter
  Male human (Chaotic Neutral)
  Aristocrat8
  CR 7
  Init +2
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 8d8+24
  hp 62
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14
  BAB/Grapple +6/+8
  Attack +9 melee  (1d6+3, short sword)
  Full Attack +7/+2 melee (1d6+3, short sword)
  and +7 (1d6+2, short sword)
  Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +10
  Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 18, Cha 16.
  Crucial Skills: Hide +3, Listen +6, Spot +6.
  Other Skills: Bluff +6, Climb +6, Knowledge
  (nobility and royalty) +9, Knowledge (local)
  +12.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Run.
  Other Feats: Alertness, Two-Weapon Fighting.
  Possessions: +1 short swords (2); ring of climb-
  ing; masterwork chain shirt; potions of bull’s
  strength, cure moderate wounds, and invisibili-
  ty; gold and amethyst brooch (worth 350 gp),
  gold ring (worth 75 gp), 94 pp, 40 gp. 
  THE STREETWALKER
  If Taladil has a surname, she’s never told it to
  anyone. This tiefling works as a prostitute, using
  her time on the streets to gather information and
  keep in touch with everything going on in the 
  city. She works alone, walking the streets of
  Midtown—particularly around Delver’s Square. 
  Taladil helps Nupe and other cultists as an
  information source and, on rare occasions, as
  magical “support” on missions (usually missions
  that involve subterfuge rather than combat). She
  is a devout member of the Tolling Bell cult
  because she hates everyone and everything.
  The spells that come easiest to her are often
  defensive or deceptive in nature. She has few 
  dramatic offensive spells at her disposal, so she
  rarely tells anyone that she can cast spells at all.
  She also attempts to hide her demonic heritage,
  using magic if she must to conceal her clawlike
  hands and feet (although gloves and boots do a
  fair job). Basically, everything about Taladil is
  a lie.
  She does use her magic to aid in her attempts
  at seduction. She enjoys using lies to help her
  seduce men rather than just relying on straight
  charm. She tells her clients what she thinks they
  want or need to hear. 
  Tactics: In a dangerous situation, she’ll have
  already cast mage armor (making her AC 14)
  and, if possible, both mirror image and displace-
  ment. If it seems necessary, she casts lesser globe
  of invulnerability, although she dislikes the
  immovability of that spell. When sneaking about,
  she uses a combination of mage armor,
  invisibility, and cat’s grace, with liberal doses
  of ghost sound to distract others.
  Taladil
  Female tiefling (Chaotic Evil)
  Medium outsider (native)
  Sorcerer9
  CR 9
  Init +0
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 9d4+27
  hp 53
  AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple +4/+5
  Attack/Full Attack+6 melee (1d4+1, dagger) or
  +5 ranged (1d4+1, dagger)
  SA Darkness 1/day
  SQ Darkvision 60 feet, resistance to cold 5,
  electricity 5, and fire 5
  Ebon Hand cult: Ptolus, page 72
  Plagueborn cult: Ptolus, page 73
  Crimson Coil: Ptolus, page 71
  The leaders of the dangerous
  Tolling Bell cult seek to unite the
  efforts of the other various cults
  to bring about the end of the
  world. For details, see Ptolus,
  page 73.
  For more information about
  tieflings in the city, see Ptolus,
  page 58.
  45
  
  Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +7
  Str 13, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14.
  Crucial Skills: Concentration +4, Hide +4,
  Listen +2.
  Other Skills: Bluff +4, Disguise +6, Gather
  Information +5, Knowledge (local) +2,
  Knowledge (religion) +4, Profession (prosti-
  tute) +10, Spellcraft +5.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Casting, Silent Spell.
  Other Feats: Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item.
  Languages: Common, Infernal.
  Spells Known: 6/7/7/6/4, save DC = 12 + spell
  level.
  4th—lesser globe of invulnerability, wall of fire.
  3rd—clairaudience/clairvoyance, displacement,
  suggestion.
  2nd—cat’s grace, invisibility, mirror image, 
  see invisibility.
  1st—charm person, disguise self, mage armor,
  shocking grasp, silent image.
  0—dancing lights, detect magic, disrupt undead,
  flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand,
  open/close.
  Possessions: Masterwork daggers (3), amulet
  of health +2, wand of scorching ray (24
  charges), scroll of greater invisibility, potion
  of fly, disguise kit, pair of silver earrings
  worth 60 gp, 31 gp.
  USING THESE CHAOS CULTISTS
  Nupe and Taladil can provide an interesting way
  to introduce PCs to the chaos cults, or to the dan-
  ger of unifying the disparate cults after the player
  characters have already encountered one or two
  of the groups on other adventures.
  These two NPCs are interesting foes for a low-
  level group of adventurers. Despite being mid-
  level themselves, neither one is a terrible threat 
  in combat. They’re tough enough, however, to
  handle a chase encounter with a group of PCs
  through the alleys of Ptolus. Because Taladil’s
  repertoire of spells can enable them to get away,
  they could easily become recurring villains.
  For example, the player characters might learn
  through a Gather Information check that two
  chaos cultists often meet in secret in the Undercity
  Market. When they move in to investigate, they
  come upon Nupe and Taladil. Tough enough to
  survive the surprise round even if caught
  unawares, Taladil could put a wall of fire or two
  between them and the PCs to enable the two
  cultists’ escape. Later, the adventurers might see
  Taladil talking with a client or Nupe in a tavern
  speaking with some other figure. Either event
  might become an opportunity for the PCs to gain
  even more information about the cults. 
  46
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Nupe and Taladil might come
  in handy during a prelude
  encounter to the adventures
  found in The Night of
  Dissolution.
  Undercity Market: Ptolus,
  page 423
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  PHARIS NOLDSTROM,
  COMMISAR’S MAN
  Captain Pharis Noldstrom serves as the
  Commissar’s second-in-command in the elite
  group known as the Commissar’s Men. This bat-
  talion of extremely loyal soldiers followed the
  Commissar to Ptolus when he received this
  appointment, having served under him in the days
  when he was a general in the Gnoll War in the
  southwest.
  Tall and ruddy, Pharis keeps his reddish-brown
  goatee neatly trimmed beneath his hawklike nose.
  Others often think of Captain Noldstrom  as dour,
  but in truth he just takes his duty very seriously.
  Pharis has a dark secret, however. In his days at
  the Imperial Academy in Tarsis, while under the
  influence of alcohol and drugs, Pharis murdered
  one of his instructors in a fit of rage. He was able
  to cover up his involvement and was never impli-
  cated. Still, the crime has haunted him for years. 
  And now, he has received a message from
  crime boss Kevris Killraven’s lieutenant in
  Oldtown, saying that she knows about the mur-
  der and has proof that he did it. The note makes
  it clear that, if Pharis doesn’t begin providing
  information to Killraven regarding the
  Commissar, she will make this proof available 
  to him, and Pharis’ career will come to an end—
  plus he’ll to go to prison or even face execution.
  Pharis has a hard choice before him.
  Tactics: Pharis disdains the typical longsword
  of a military captain in favor of a trident, which
  he can throw if need be. Sometimes he eschews
  his shield (reducing his Armor Class by 3 to
  AC 21) to use both hands on his weapon (adding
  a +2 bonus to damage). When using this tactic,
  he’s also likely to use Power Attack for 4 points,
  subtracting 4 from his attacks but adding another
  +8 to his damage for a total damage bonus of
  +15. Pharis doesn’t care for firearms—too noisy,
  he says. 
  Scenario: The player characters end up on the
  wrong side of the Killraven organization and raid
  what turns out to be one of the syndicate’s many
  safe houses. Among various records and papers
  recovered after the thugs and thieves are routed is
  evidence implicating Pharis Noldstrom as a con-
  tact within the Commissar’s Men (even if this
  isn’t true). The PCs must decide what to do with
  the information: confront Pharis, turn him in, use
  it to their own advantage, or ignore it? This sce-
  nario works well if they have met Pharis on other,
  more normal pretenses, and best if they consider
  him at least somewhat a friend.
  Captain Pharis Noldstrom
  Male human (Lawful Good)
  Fighter12
  CR 12
  Init +1
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 12d10+24
  hp 100
  AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 23
  BAB/Grapple +12/+16
  Attack +17 melee (1d8+5, trident) or 
  +14 ranged (1d8+5, trident)
  Full Attack +17/+12/+7 melee
  (1d8+5, trident) or +14 ranged
  (1d8+5, trident)
  Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +6
  Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11,
  Wis 13, Cha 8.
  Crucial Skills: Climb +13,
  Listen +3, Spot +3.
  Other Skills: Craft (weapon-
  smith) +10, Craft (trapmak-
  ing) +12, Knowledge (local)
  +5.
  Crucial Feats: Blind-Fight,
  Combat Reflexes, Endurance,
  Improved Sunder, Power
  Attack, Quick Draw, Track.
  Other Feats: Alertness.
  Possessions: +2 full plate
  armor, +1 heavy steel shield,
  +1 tridents (2), cloak of resist-
  ance +1, figurine of wondrous
  power (bronze griffon),
  potion of bull’s strength, two
  silver rings each worth
  50 gp, 34 pp, 10 gp. 
  Commissar’s Men: Ptolus, 
  page 148
  Commissar: Ptolus, page 149
  Gnoll War: Ptolus, page 86
  Alcohol and drugs: Ptolus,
  page 556
  Kevris Killraven: Ptolus, page 121
  The elite force of Commissar’s
  Men proudly wear Igor Urnst’s
  coat of arms on their uniforms.
  47
  
  THE RIVER SNAKES
  The King’s River cuts a jagged line through the
  middle of Ptolus. Years of erosion have caused it
  to cut a narrow gorge averaging almost one hun-
  dred feet deep. The fast-moving river is not easi-
  ly navigable, and the sewers foul its waters, so
  most people think of it only as a nuisance or an
  obstacle. Some, however, use the river to their
  advantage. One such group calls itself the River
  Snakes. 
  The River Snakes are known as demon wor-
  shippers, although for most of them this is an
  affectation—a declaration of their antiestablish-
  ment attitude and rebellious, violent nature.
  They revel in brutality, crime, and general may-
  hem for its own sake.
  The River Snakes know the river extremely
  well. In particular, they understand its numerous
  links to the underground waterways and con-
  nected cave systems beneath the city. These
  intrepid explorers have braved many dangers
  (normally in the form of subterranean predators,
  but also the treacherous pathways) to master the
  underground geography near the King’s River.
  Currently there are only three River Snakes,
  although once there were seven. Three of the
  other four were slain in a battle with the Knights
  of the Golden Cross, and one was arrested and
  now rots away in the Prison for her crimes. The
  current members are Erelane Ythus, a hulking
  woman with long brown hair who stands just
  shy of seven feet tall; Cael Devani, a devious
  gnome sorcerer with a shock of black hair and
  particularly thick eyebrows; and the man known
  only as Trelehar, a half-elf cleric who wears plate
  armor adorned with skulls. Trelehar’s staff also
  bears a skull at each end.
  Erelane is not merely the brute she appears to
  be. She’s as smart as her partners, but she lacks
  the will to be more than a follower. When she
  rages, this barbarian takes on an almost demonic
  aspect: Her eyes literally glow red. She secretly
  believes that she has some fiendish ancestry in
  her lineage (and she’s right). When not raging,
  she seems quiet and sullen. In combat, she uses
  straightforward tactics, although she does what
  Cael tells her to do—unless she’s raging, at
  which point no one can control her.
  Erelane Ythus
  Female human (Chaotic Evil)
  Barbarian6 
  CR6
  Init +6
  Speed 40 feet
  HD 6d12+12
  hp 51
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14
  BAB/Grapple +6/+9
  Attack +10 melee (1d8+5/x3, spear) or 
  +9 (1d6+2/x3, javelin)
  Full Attack +10/+5 melee (1d8+5/x3, spear) or
  +9/+4 (1d6+2/x3, javelin)
  SA Rage 2/day
  SQ Fast movement, uncanny dodge, trap
  sense +2 and improved uncanny dodge
  Fort +7 Ref +4 Will +4
  Str 17, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 10.
  Crucial Skills: Climb +11, Intimidate +9, Jump
  +11, Listen +9, Search +3, Spot +5.
  Other Skills: Handle Animal +8, Knowledge
  (dungeoneering) +6, Swim +13.
  Crucial Feats: Endurance, Power Attack,
  Quick Draw.
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative.
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 spear, 
  masterwork javelins (4), masterwork
  dagger, potion of cure light wounds, 9 gp, 
  17 sp, 10 cp.
  Rage (Ex): The following changes remain in
  effect as long as Erelane rages:
  hp 63
  AC 14, touch 10, flat 12
  BAB/Grapple +6/+11
  Attack +12 melee (1d8+8/x3, spear)
  Full Attack +12/+7 melee (1d8+8/x3, spear)
  Fort +9 Will +6
  Str 21, Con 18
  Skills: Climb +12, Jump +13, Swim +13.
  Cael is the group’s clear leader, although
  Trelehar would deny that if anyone actually said
  it out loud. The gnome loves planning crimes
  and acts of deviousness even more than commit-
  ting them. In fact, if the group weren’t so short
  handed, he would devise their missions and send
  the others out to do the deeds. Despite his nasal
  voice and fidgety nature, Cael has a natural
  charisma that entices the others to follow him.
  He is likely to go into a fight with both protec-
  tion from good and shield already cast.
  Although fireball is obviously his best offensive
  spell, he really delights in using hypnotic pattern
  to lure victims into danger (like falling down
  into the river’s channel). He’ll save his potions
  for a particularly important mission.
  Cael Devani
  Male gnome (Chaotic Evil)
  Sorcerer6 
  CR6
  Init +5
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 6d4+6
  hp 37
  AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11
  BAB/Grapple +3/–1
  Attack/ Full Attack +5 melee (1d4+2, quarter-
  staff)
  SA Spell-like abilities.
  SQ Low-light vision, gnome traits, familiar
  Fort +5 Ref +3 Will +6
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 16.
  Crucial Skills: Bluff +9, Concentration +7,
  Search +4.
  Other Skills: Knowledge (arcana) +8,
  Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, 
  Spellcraft +13, Swim +4.
  Crucial Feats: Dodge, Silent Spell.
  48
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  King’s River: Ptolus, page 160
  Cave systems: Ptolus, page 447
  Knights of the Golden Cross:
  Ptolus, page 124
  The Prison: Ptolus, page 436
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  Other Feats: Improved Initiative.
  Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 1st.
  1/day—speak with animals (burrowing mam-
  mals only, duration one minute), dancing
  lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation.
  Spells Known: 6/7/6/4, save DC 13+spell
  level, 14+spell level for illusion spells.
  3rd—fireball.
  2nd—hypnotic pattern, invisibility.
  1st—magic missile, protection from good,
  shield, sleep.
  0—acid splash, arcane mark, ghost sound, light,
  mage hand, monkey climb, read magic.
  Possessions: Masterwork quarterstaff, dagger,
  wand of water breathing (20 charges),
  potion of shield of faith +4, oil of shillelagh,
  gold amulet worth 85 gp, 14 gp, 15 sp.
  Jaja, Cael`s rat familiar: hp 18
  Trelehar is actually a devout follower of the
  Demon Gods, and in particular the demon
  known as Demogorgon. He has had dreams in
  which the demon lord has promised him a magi-
  cal ring that would allow him to move freely
  underwater to further his “work.” So far, this
  gift has not come, but he knows that if he con-
  tinues to wreak his master’s will upon the world,
  he will be rewarded as promised (and likely, in
  time, with even greater powers). 
  Trelehar is gruff, conceited, and boorish. He
  believes his devotion to the dark powers makes
  him the most important member of the group.
  Before a dangerous situation, he casts magic
  vestment on himself (adding a +1 bonus to his
  Armor Class) as well as bull’s strength and
  bear’s endurance (+2 bonus to melee attack and
  damage, Swim, Climb, and Concentration
  checks, and Fortitude saves, as well as +12 hit
  points). Once in a fight, Trelehar casts one of
  the following: entropic shield, protection from
  good, or magic circle against law if it appears
  they might help, before going on the offensive
  with summoned creatures or attack spells.
  Trelehar
  Male half-elf (Chaotic Evil)
  Cleric6 (Demon Gods) 
  CR6
  Init +1
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 6d8+6
  hp 46
  AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17
  BAB/Grapple +4/+5
  Attack +6 melee (1d6+2, quarterstaff) or 
  +5 ranged (1d10, heavy crossbow)
  Full Attack +4 melee (1d6+2, quarterstaff)
  and +4 melee (1d6+2, quarterstaff) or 
  +5 ranged (1d10, heavy crossbow)
  SA Rebuke undead 5/day and rebuke fire/turn
  water 5/day.
  SQ Low-light vision, half-elf traits and low-
  light vision.
  Fort +6 Ref +3 Will +8
  Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Climb –3, Concentration +6,
  Heal +5, Listen +7, Spot +6.
  Other Skills: Knowledge (dungeoneering) +3,
  Swim +5.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Reflexes.
  Other Feats: Brew Potion, Two-Weapon
  Fighting.
  Domains: Chaos, Evil
  Spells: Caster level 6th (+5 melee touch, 
  +5 ranged touch) 
  3rd—animate dead, magic vestment, magic 
  circle against law*, water breathing.
  2nd—bull’s strength, bear’s endurance, 
  shatter*, sound burst, summon monster II.
  1st—bless, entropic shield, protection from
  good*, summon monster I (2).
  0—cure minor wounds, detect magic, mending,
  monkey climb (2).
  Possessions: Masterwork full plate, +1/+1
  quarterstaff, heavy crossbow, bolts (12),
  ring of improved swimming, silver holy 
  symbol, 10 gp, 6 sp, 24 cp.
  * Indicates a domain spell.
  Tactics: The group’s missions normally
  involve breaking into a house or business near
  the river, stealing anything valuable, destroying
  anything they can’t steal, and terrorizing or
  assaulting anyone they encounter. Then they
  make a quick getaway via the river, climbing
  down the banks using relatively hidden climbing
  paths they have discovered. 
  Once in the water, the three of them make lib-
  eral use of water breathing to get around (using
  potions made by Trelehar or Cael’s wand), but
  they avoid combat underwater if they can help
  it. They have a number of hideouts in small 
  natural caves reached easily through passages
  below the surface of the river. These caves also
  serve, ostensibly, as shrines to the unholy 
  Demon Gods.
  Monkey Climb
  Transmutation
  Level: Clr 0, Sor/Wiz 0
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: One standard
  action
  Range: Personal
  Target: You
  Duration: 1 round/level
  By increasing your finger length,
  strength, and agility, you grant
  yourself a +5 bonus to one Climb
  check made during the duration.
  This spell cannot be made per-
  manent.
  Demon Gods: Ptolus, page 68
  49
  NEW SPELL
  
  SESTHESH, TAERAI, AND LYESTRI,
  ESCAPED SLAVES
  The Docks district has perhaps the most tran-
  sient population of Ptolus. People come and go,
  although some return often enough to become as
  well-known as most permanent residents. This is
  certainly true of the crew of the Ravish, a small
  caravel that frequents the Ptolus Docks.
  Although the crew’s roster changes frequently,
  three constants remain: Sesthesh, a male assarai;
  Taerai, a male Harrow elf; and Lyestri, a female
  Cherubim elf.
  This unlikely trio met as slaves kidnapped by
  the Ennin in Ptolus. Together with a pair of
  humans and a litorian, they engineered their
  own escape. But an Ennin sorcerer claiming to
  be Vanum Vaal tracked them down in Ghul’s
  Labyrinth beneath the Guildsman’s District, and
  struck with terrible fury; only Sesthesh, Taerai,
  and Lyestri survived. They did, however, manage
  to drive off their foe, whom they described as an
  obese ogre-mage, even though he was known by
  most as a human.
  The three escaped slaves, with bonds now
  forged in adversity, used the money they earned
  selling the gear of Vanum’s henchmen to buy
  passage on a ship out of the city. That ship was
  the Ravish, which was then attacked by pirates
  in the Whitewind Sea. Most of the crew died in
  the attack; the three friends not only survived,
  they learned the art of seacraft (the hard way)
  and brought the ship back to port. Due to their
  bravery and competence, the surviving crew
  swore to follow them if they stayed on board
  and claimed that the captain’s dying words were
  that they be given ownership of the Ravish—an
  obvious lie, but it held up in the Ptolus courts.
  Soon the trio had learned the ropes (literally)
  enough to make a successful living hauling cargo
  across the sea.
  When in Ptolus, they spend most of their time
  in the Docks district, often at the Savage Shark,
  where they happily take part in the frequent
  brawls.
  The last time the trio was in town, they met
  with Wynthaes, who attempted to recruit them
  in his fight against the slavers. While they were
  able to provide him with some information on
  the Ennin, they had no interest in becoming a
  part of a crusade, even against those who had
  wronged them. Plus, Lyestri found Wynthaes off-
  putting and boorish.
  Sesthesh is dark scaled for an assarai, short
  but thick-bodied. His bright yellow eyes never
  seem to stop moving. He typically remains quiet
  and calm, even in a fight. He is fiercely loyal to
  his friends, however, and would endanger him-
  self for them without hesitation.
  Sesthesh
  Male lizardfolk (Lawful Neutral)
  Monk5 
  CR 6
  Init +3 
  Speed 40 feet
  HD 2d8+6 + 5d8+15
  hp 62
  AC 21, touch 16, flat-footed 17
  BAB/Grapple +5/ +9
  Attack +9 melee (1d8+4, unarmed strike)
  Full Attack +9 melee (1d8+4, unarmed strike)
  and +4 melee (1d6+2, bite), or +7/+7
  melee (1d8+4, unarmed flurry) and 
  +2 melee (1d6+2, bite),or +9 melee
  (1d4+4, 2 claws) and +4 melee (1d6+2,
  bite)
  SA Flurry of blows
  SQ Immunity to nonmagical disease, hold
  breath (68 rounds), evasion, still mind,
  slow fall 20 feet, immune to disease, and
  ki strike
  Fort +7 Ref +10 Will +7
  Str 19, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +17, Jump +21, Swim
  +17.
  Other Skills: Profession (sailor) +4.
  Crucial Feats: Combat Reflexes, Deflect
  Arrows, Dodge, Power Attack, Stunning
  Fist.
  Other Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike.
  Possessions: Ring of protection +2, potion of
  jump, gold nose ring worth 50 gp, 13 gp.
  When in the city, the Harrow elf Taerai covers
  his appearance with a hood. His face is twisted
  and asymmetrical, and one eye bulges unnerv-
  ingly. His stringy hair is a dirty white. The
  Harrow elf really, really enjoys fighting and may
  be ever-so-slightly sadistic in his bloodlust at
  times. Unlike many rogues, he has no interest in
  locks or traps—he fancies himself a swashbuck-
  ling warrior rather than a thief. In fact, calling
  him a thief is a great way to start a fight. He
  feels a particular fondness for Lyestri due to her
  acceptance of him despite his tainted nature.
  Taerai
  Male Harrow elf (Chaotic Neutral)
  Rogue5 
  CR 6
  Init +4
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 5d6+5
  hp 24
  AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14
  BAB/Grapple +3/+5
  Attack/Full Attack +6 melee (1d8+4/19–20,
  short sword)
  SA Sneak attack +3d6, spell-like abilities
  SQ Low-light vision, trapfinding, evasion, trap
  sense +1, and uncanny dodge
  Fort +2 Ref +8 Will +2
  Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +10, Climb +11, Jump
  +11, Listen +13, Search +10, Spot +12,
  Tumble +14.
  Other Skills: Appraise +9, Craft (alchemy) +4,
  Forgery +10, Intimidate +8, Profession
  (sailor) +9, Use Magic Device +2.
  50
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Assarai: Ptolus, page 56
  Harrow elves: Ptolus, page 52
  Cherubim elves: Ptolus, page 51
  The Ennin: Ptolus, page 131
  Vanum Vaal: Ptolus, page 349
  Ghul’s Labyrinth: Ptolus,
  page 418
  The Savage Shark: Ptolus,
  page 175
  Wynthaes: Ptolus, page 177
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  Crucial Feats: Dodge.
  Other Feats: Alertness.
  Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—detect magic, ghost
  sound, mage hand, prestidigitation, and
  invisibility.
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 short
  sword, climber’s kit, 50 feet of silk rope, 
  11 gp, 10 sp, 3 cp.
  Unlike her companions, Lyestri is beautiful
  and delicate with very short white hair and
  equally pale wings. She is also fearless and deci-
  sive. Due to experiences in her childhood, she
  doesn’t care much for most of her own kind,
  and she found her innate prejudices against
  Harrow elves easily overcome by getting to
  know Taerai. She’d take his side against any
  other elf (or anyone else, for that matter) in a
  conflict. 
  She and Taerai mutually decided to drop their
  surnames after escaping from the Ennin (and in
  fact, Taerai and Lyestri are not their real names
  either). Despite the laws of the Empire, she
  would not hesitate to use a charm person spell
  to help in a fight or get herself out of a jam.
  She’s quick to summon monsters when faced
  with danger as well—usually to help her friends
  get flanking attacks against their mutual foes.
  Lyestri 
  Female Cherubim elf (Neutral)
  Bard5
  CR 5
  Init +2
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 5d6-5
  hp 15
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14
  BAB/Grapple +3/+2
  Attack/Full Attack +1 spear +3 (1d8/x3)
  SQ Low-light vision, bardic knowledge 
  (+6 bonus), bardic music 5/day
  Fort +0 Ref +6 Will +5
  Str 9, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 18.
  Crucial Skills: Balance +7, Hide +5, Listen
  +10, Move Silently +8, Search +6, Spot +9,
  Tumble +7.
  Other Skills: Perform (sing) +11, Profession
  (sailor) +7.
  Crucial Feats: Weapon Finesse.
  Other Feats: Alertness.
  Spells Known: 3/4/2, save DC = 14 + spell
  level.
  2nd—locate object, misdirection, summon
  monster II.
  1st—charm person, detect secret doors, lesser
  confusion, silent image.
  0—daze, detect magic, know direction, mes-
  sage, read magic, resistance.
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, +1 spear,
  potion of cure moderate wounds, spectacles,
  17 gp, 11 sp.
  It is a sad truth that lizardfolk
  often become entangled in the
  nets of slavers. Due to their tran-
  sient lifestyle and the general
  public prejudice against those of
  their race, members of the Ennin
  and similar groups find them
  fairly easy to capture—and few
  of them are ever missed.
  Who is the real Vanum Vaal? Is
  it the “obese ogre-mage” that
  the three ex-slaves fought? Is it
  an alias of the Shadow Eyes 
  (an elven clone; see Ptolus, page
  349). Or could it perhaps be
  both? It might be interesting for
  the player characters to hear of
  another figure in the city using
  the name Vanum Vaal after
  they’ve just dispatched someone
  with that moniker themselves. It
  may be nothing more than a
  copycat situation—but the PCs
  don’t necessarily know that.
  Laws of the Empire (regarding
  illegal spells): Ptolus, page 584
  51
  DM TIP 
  
  SINTRIK THE SCOURGE
  The Shuul is an organization of technologists. As
  such, they not only strive to keep the Empire’s
  knowledge of technology from fading altogether,
  but they also seek to create new innovations in
  the fields of firearms, clockwork mechanisms,
  medicine, chemistry, and the cutting-edge science
  of aelectricity. 
  But the Shuul have a dark side as well. Just as
  there are lawful good members of the group who
  seek the betterment of all through science (and
  lawful neutral members who are interested in sci-
  ence for its own sake), there are also lawful evil
  members who seek to use technology for their
  own ends. What’s more, this sinister segment of
  the Shuul uses any means to increase its techno-
  logical advancements—including kidnapping
  people for experimentation, using slave labor,
  and making deals with dark powers.
  A man known only as Sintrik the Scourge is an
  example of such a Shuul member. A conniving,
  selfish, and corrupt fellow, Sintrik uses slaves to
  help build and sometimes even power the machines
  that his cronies devise. He is a familiar figure in the
  secretive Dark Market of Ptolus where slaves, ille-
  gal substances, and outlawed magic are traded in
  great quantities. He deals with organizations like
  the Ennin, a group of well-organized slavers oper-
  ating up and down the coast of the Whitewind Sea,
  as well as other criminal groups.
  Sintrik stands about six feet tall, always straight
  with his head held high. He is bald, has a grey
  mustache, and wears a monocle. He wears the
  typical black leather coat of the Shuul. He is gruff
  and rude—and that’s among people he likes or
  wishes to impress. 
  Tactics: In a fight, he loves to fire his pistol
  using explosive shot. First, however, he casts an
  array of defensive spells: mage armor (+4 to AC),
  displacement, stoneskin, cat’s grace (+1 to AC,
  Reflex saves, and attack rolls with his pistol), and
  fire shield (in that order). As he is careful to the
  point of being over-cautious, he’s likely to have
  mage armor and stoneskin already cast at the
  beginning of the encounter—and all of them cast,
  if he’s had time to prepare.
  Scenario: A number of litorians have disap-
  peared from the Mane. No one knows what has
  happened to them. Then, word reaches the player
  characters that an anonymous figure is looking
  for slaves—specifically, litorian slaves. This “fig-
  ure” can be found at a tavern called the Skull and
  Sword in the Guildsman District. If they investi-
  gate, the PCs will discover the figure, Sintrik. He’s
  got the missing litorians, but he’s looking for
  more. It seems an associate of his is working on a
  chemical/magical transformation process, and
  only litorians can reliably handle the extremely
  painful trauma. The player characters need to
  stop Sintrik, but not before they learn where he’s
  keeping the other kidnapped victims. 
  Sintrik the Scourge
  Male human (Lawful Evil)
  Wizard9 
  CR9
  Init +9
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 9d4+27
  hp 50
  AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 10
  BAB/Grapple: +4/+5
  Attack/Full Attack +11 ranged (1d10+2+1d6
  cold, repeater pistol)
  SQ Familiar
  Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +8
  Str 13, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 13.
  Crucial Skills: Concentration +11, Listen +9,
  Move Silently +8, Search +6, Spot +7.
  Other Skills: Decipher Script +15, Handle
  Animal +5, Knowledge (arcana) +12,
  Knowledge (machines) +9, Spellcraft +17.
  Crucial Feats: Dodge, Point Blank Shot, Spell
  Penetration.
  Other Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency
  (firearms), Great Fortitude, Improved
  Initiative.
  Spells: 4/5/4/4/2/1; save DC 14 + spell level.
  5th—explosive shot*.
  4th—stoneskin, fire shield.
  3rd—displacement, fireball, fly, lightning bolt.
  2nd—cat’s grace, detect thoughts, invisibility,
  gust of wind.
  1st—hold portal, hypnotism, jump, mage armor,
  protection from chaos.
  0—detect poison, mage hand, mending, pres-
  tidigitation.
  Possessions: +2 repeater pistol, +1 frost rounds
  (12), gloves of dexterity +2, scroll of fire shield,
  potions of gaseous form and blur, spyglass,
  monocle, compass, pocketwatch, 16 pp, 
  17 gp.
  Spellbook: 0—acid splash, arcane mark, dancing
  lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, 
  disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, 
  mage hand, mending, message, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, 
  resistance, touch of fatigue.
  1st—burning hands, charm person, chill touch,
  detect secret doors, feather fall, hold portal,
  hypnotism, jump, mage armor, mount, protec-
  tion from chaos, ray of enfeeblement, shocking
  grasp, summon monster I.
  2nd—blindness/deafness, cat’s grace, detect
  thoughts, gust of wind, hideous laughter, 
  invisibility, rope trick, spectral hand.
  3rd—deep slumber, dispel magic, displacement,
  fireball, fly, lightning bolt, repair device*.
  4th—animate dead, dimensional anchor, fire
  shield, locate creature, stoneskin.
  5th— explosive shot*, summon monster V.
  * Indicates a spell from Ptolus, Chapter 35.
  Gnarl, Sintrik`s bat familiar: hp 25
  52
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  The Shuul: Ptolus, page 131
  Firearms: Ptolus, page 559
  Aelectricity: Ptolus, page 564
  Repeater pistol (rifle): Ptolus,
  page 561
  Sintrik himself is neither a
  scientist nor a technician. Unlike
  most Shuul, he doesn’t even
  carry tools. Cruel and ruthless,
  Sintrik seems to be utterly
  compassionless and without
  the capacity for joy.
  Dark Market: Ptolus, page 427
  The Ennin: Ptolus, page 131
  Charnoth of the tribe of
  Malethar has learned that
  one of his tribemates has
  been enslaved by Sintrik.
  The Mane: Ptolus, page 200
  Skull and Sword: Ptolus,
  page 190
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  TESTHAN JOMARTH, 
  ARENA HEALER
  Most Imperial cities have a gladiatorial and sport-
  ing arena, and Ptolus is no exception. Although
  no fights in the sporting combats of the Arena are
  to the death, in such battles as well as other
  sporting events physical injuries are common-
  place. Thus, the Arena keeps a small handful of
  healers on hand to aid the injured. Testhan
  Jomarth serves as the head of the Arena healers
  due to his experience and expertise.
  Testhan was once a combatant in the Arena
  himself, although never of greater than novice
  rank. After getting a savage beating at the hands
  of an ogre barbarian disguised as a large orc (in
  order to get weaker matches), Testhan gave up the
  thrill of gladiatorial combat to focus on healing.
  Thus, Testhan has worked in and around the
  Arena for many years, earning the friendship and
  respect of a great many combatants and players.
  As an official employed by the Arena, Testhan
  may not bet on any matches or have any kind of
  stake in any contest. This means that, despite the
  fact that he gets offers to become a trainer and a
  coach all the time, he must turn them down.
  Testhan is paid well and loves his job.
  Testhan serves Engelan, God of the Present.
  However, he has no connection to the Temple of
  Engelan in Ptolus. He dislikes most of the clergy
  there, many of whom are halflings. Testhan finds
  both halflings and gnomes tolerable at best,
  although he likes orcs, half-orcs, centaurs, and
  dwarves. He has no real opinion regarding elves
  or other races. 
  With short-cropped brown hair and deep-set
  hazel eyes, Testhan is neither imposing nor strik-
  ing physically. His manner is one of great confi-
  dence and good humor, however, which draws
  people to him. When he makes a friend, it is for
  life. He is not married and has no family—the
  Arena is his life. Testhan is forty-seven years old.
  Tactics: Although he hasn’t been in an actual
  fight in twenty years, Testhan still wears his
  armor and carries his weapons around with him
  every day, almost as a badge. If he were suddenly
  threatened or needed to fight, he would cast
  shield of faith before anything else.
  Scenario: The player characters encounter
  Testhan at the Godsday Festival, helping with the
  ringfight competitions there. They see (perhaps first
  hand, perhaps from a distance) how helpful and
  kind he is to the injured participants, not only heal-
  ing their wounds but their bruised egos as well.
  Later, he seeks them out, not sure where to turn to
  for help. He says that a fight-fixing conspiracy has
  pervaded the Arena’s organization as well as the
  Order of Iron Might, which sponsors the Arena. He
  doesn’t know how far up it goes, and he needs help
  investigating some of the other officials, which may
  include watching them for a few days, and perhaps
  even breaking into their homes or the Arena offices,
  to learn who is crooked and who isn’t.
  Testhan Jomarth
  Male human (Lawful Neutral)
  Cleric6 (Engelan) CR6
  Init 0
  Speed 20 feet
  HD 6d8+6
  hp 33
  AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 19
  BAB/Grapple +4/+6
  Attack/Full Attack +7 melee (1d8+2, heavy
  mace)
  SA Turn undead 5/day and protective ward
  1/day (+6 resistance bonus to next save,
  lasts one hour)
  Fort +8 Ref +2 Will +8
  Str 15, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 15.
  Crucial Skills: Concentration +7, Listen +4,
  Sense Motive +4.
  Other Skills: Heal +12, Knowledge (local) +2,
  Spellcraft +4.
  Crucial Feats: Quick Draw.
  Other Feats: Craft Wand, Great Fortitude,
  Scribe Scroll.
  Domains: Healing, Protection.
  Spells: 5/4+1/4+1/3+1; save DC  13 + spell level.
  3rd—continual flame, cure serious wounds *,
  dispel magic, remove blindness/deafness.
  2nd—augury, cure moderate wounds*, delay 
  poison, gentle repose, lesser restoration.
  1st—bless water, cure light wounds*, magic
  weapon, sanctuary, shield of faith.
  0—cure minor wounds, guidance, purify food
  and drink, resistance, virtue.
  Possessions: +1 breastplate, +1 heavy wooden
  shield, masterwork heavy mace, wand of cure
  light wounds (41 charges), wand of cure mod-
  erate wounds (34 charges), scroll of cure seri-
  ous wounds, silver holy symbol, vial of holy
  water, 13 gp, 17 sp, 10 cp.
  * Indicates a domain spell. 
  The Arena: Ptolus, page 315
  Engelan: Ptolus, page 69
  There is nothing Testhan hates
  more than cheating or deception.
  While he always assumes the
  best of everyone, if he does 
  discover evidence of cheating, 
  he investigates and reports any
  wrongdoing to other Arena 
  officials.
  Godsday Festival: Ptolus,
  page 392
  Order of Iron Might: Ptolus,
  page 130
  53
  
  YULA FALASS,
  SECURITY SPECIALIST
  Although well out of the realm of the common
  man, spells of intrusion and observation such as
  teleport or scry can be a major concern for the
  prominent folk of Ptolus. The Commissar, for
  example, must protect himself from assassins or
  kidnappers teleporting into his home to attack him
  or his family. Fortunately, the old maxim “for
  every spell there’s a counter” is true. And although
  a number of mages can cast these spells, one wiz-
  ard in particular, an abjuration specialist named
  Yula Falass, has made her reputation on them.
  Yula, a member in good standing of the
  Inverted Pyramid, lives on Vock Row in
  Oldtown in a nondescript looking two-story
  home. Only her calling cards (which read, “Yula
  Falass: Security Specialist”) and her reputation
  indicate that she’s anything other than a simple
  arcanist. In truth, Yula moves among the wealth-
  iest and most powerful people in the city, using
  her spells and expertise to design magical wards
  and security procedures for their homes. 
  Her extensive resume includes casting spells of
  protection on the Commissar’s home, the meet-
  ing hall of the Twelve Commanders, and a num-
  ber of the noble estates. Not only does she put
  up wards—many of which she designed herself—
  but she consults on security issues of all kinds,
  offering advice on locks, guard placement, and
  even building design. She charges as much as
  20,000 gp for an initial warding (less for a
  smaller building or for something other than the
  “full treatment”), and then 1,000 gp each month
  to check, maintain and, if needed, renew her
  wards. This service renders an entire building
  proof against any kind of magical intrusion
  (such as teleportation) and spying, and virtually
  proof against conventional infiltration. 
  Growing up among thieves (her grandfather
  was the head of the Longfingers Guild before
  Hayman Knapp), Yula learned much about locks
  and traps. In fact, she can find traps as well as
  most rogues and can pick locks with surprising
  skill. However, Yula decided early on that a
  thief’s life was not for her. Instead, she studied
  to prevent their intrusive activities. 
  Yula is fifty-three years old. Tall, physically
  fit, and full of energy, she dislikes idleness and
  never has time for small talk. When on the job,
  she’s confident and quick to share her knowl-
  edge and experience. She can get defensive in a
  situation where someone has managed to bypass
  her wards, but this happens very rarely. Various
  underworld entities including Malkeen Balacazar
  have offered her great sums for the secrets of
  undoing her work, but she remains steadfast in
  her dedication to her clients. She considers
  Sobac Redwand, a rogue who has penetrated her
  protected buildings more than once, her greatest
  foe, even though they’ve never met.
  Yula has salt-and-pepper hair and green eyes.
  She typically dresses in light, practical clothes
  (and her magical vest) with a pocket-filled, long
  navy blue coat over them. She fills her pockets
  with scraps of paper containing arcane calcula-
  tions, building plans, and notes, as well as vari-
  ous small tools and implements. 
  Yula Falass
  Female human (Lawful Neutral)
  Abjurer13 
  CR13
  Init +2
  Speed 30 feet
  HD 13
  hp 76 
  AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13
  BAB/Grapple +6/+6
  Attack +7 melee (1d4, dagger)
  Full Attack +7/+2 melee (1d4, dagger)
  SQ Can find traps as though she were a
  rogue
  Fort +7 Ref +6 Will +12
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 11.
  Crucial Skills: Concentration +16, Search +14,
  Spot +6.
  Other Skills: Disable Device +10, Knowledge
  (arcana) +17, Knowledge (architecture and
  engineering) +8, Knowledge (local) +8,
  Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +8, Open
  Lock +15, Spellcraft +18.
  Crucial Feats: Dodge.
  Other Feats: Extend Spell, Greater Spell
  Focus (abjuration), Iron Will, Scribe Scroll,
  Skill Focus (Open Lock), Spell Focus (con-
  juration and abjuration).
  Spells: 4/5+1/5+1/5+1/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+1/1+1,
  save DC 14 + spell level (conjuration save
  DC 15 + spell level, abjuration save DC 16
  + spell level).
  8th—dimensional lock (2).
  7th—spell turning, Yula’s ward (2).
  6th—globe of invulnerability, guards and wards,
  intrusion ward (2).
  5th—permanency (2), Mord’s private sanctum
  (2), telepathic bond.
  4th—black tentacles, dimension door, fire trap,
  minor creation, stone shape, stoneskin.
  3rd—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic,
  fly, nondetection, protection from energy,
  slow.
  2nd—arcane lock, bull’s strength, knock (2),
  levitate, summon monster II.
  1st—alarm, animate rope, hypnotism, mage
  armor, magic missile, shield.
  0—detect magic (2), mage hand, mending.
  Prohibited Schools: Necromancy, illusion
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, ring of pro-
  tection +3, ring of sustenance, vest of ward-
  ing spells, potion of shield of faith +4, mas-
  terwork thieves’ tools, gold and emerald
  ring worth 650 gp, gold and emerald neck-
  lace worth 750 gp, emerald earrings worth
  200 gp, 14 pp, 18 gp.
  54
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Sobac Redwand: Ptolus,
  page 226
  The Commissar: Ptolus,
  page 149
  Inverted Pyramid: Ptolus,
  page 115
  Vock Row: Ptolus, page 333
  Commissar’s home: Ptolus,
  page 320
  Twelve Commanders: Ptolus,
  page 148
  Noble estates: Ptolus, page 295
  Longfingers Guild and Hayman
  Knapp: Ptolus, page 128
  Yula’s ward and intrusion ward
  spells, page 55
  Vest of warding spells, page 55
  Malkeen Balacazar: Ptolus,
  page 102
  
  CHAPTER 3: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS
  Diamond, Yula`s hawk familiar: hp 38
  NEW SPELLS
  These two spells were developed by Yula Falass
  to help with her work as a security specialist.
  Intrusion Ward
  Abjuration
  Level: Sor/Wiz 6
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: One hour
  Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
  Area: Two 10-foot cubes per level
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  This spell increases by 10 the Open Lock DC
  of all locks and the Search DC and Disable
  Device DC of all traps in the area. This bonus
  does not stack with any other magical bonuses,
  and you must be aware of each lock and trap to
  affect it. All locks in the area gain spell resist-
  ance to knock spells, and all walls, floors, ceil-
  ing, doors, and windows gain spell resistance
  against spells that would affect them directly,
  such as disintegrate, passwall, and so on (but not
  against spells that affect a character, such as tele-
  port or ethereal jaunt). The SR is equal to 15
  plus your caster level.
  Material Component: 500 gp worth of pow-
  dered dragon horn.
  Yula’s Ward
  Abjuration
  Level: Sor/Wiz 7
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: Four hours
  Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
  Area: A single room, no larger than one 10-foot
  cube per level
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  Cast upon a single room, this spell makes 
  the doors, windows, walls, floor, and ceiling
  immune to magic as if encased in an antimagic
  field just big enough to incorporate them. No
  spells can affect them. The room itself, however,
  does not have an antimagic field; thus teleporta-
  tion or divination into or out of the room is still
  possible. Any doors leading into the room can
  be opened only by you, or by those who use a
  special password that you decide upon. Lastly,
  the hardness of the doors, windows, walls, floor,
  and ceiling gains a +10 bonus that does not
  stack with any other magical bonuses.
  Material Component: Paint containing 1,000
  gp worth of pearl dust.
  House Dallimothan employs
  Yula Falass from time to time for
  added safeguards to the family
  manor in the Nobles’ Quarter.
  New Item
  Vest of warding spells: This
  short, plain brown vest edged in
  white offers a great boon to any
  spellcaster who specializes in
  abjuration spells. An abjuration
  specialist who has Greater Spell
  Focus (abjuration) and wears the
  vest gains a caster level bonus of
  +2 levels when casting abjuration
  spells. Further, she can prepare
  additional spells—even spells of
  a level higher than she can nor-
  mally cast—if all the spells thus
  gained are abjurations.  
  Strong abjuration; CL 15th; Craft
  Wondrous Item, Greater Spell
  Focus (abjuration), guards and
  wards; Price 10,000 gp
  55
  NEW ITEM
  
  Chapter 4:
  TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  From Design Day One, I knew that part of the Ptolus book would deal with new rules material. Remember, practically
  everything I’ve written for Malhavoc Press has come out of the Ptolus Campaign. It’s always been a testing ground
  for new 3rd Edition rules material—in fact, it was one of the first such testing grounds that existed.
  Morae, page 69
  Soulshades, page 66
  Demons of darkness, page 68
  Dread One’s Staff: Ptolus,
  page 529
  Hungerswords: Ptolus, page 98
  Inverted Pyramid: Ptolus,
  page 115
  Ratmen: Ptolus, page 625
  Wintersouled: Ptolus, page 632
  Delver’s Guild: Ptolus, page 108
  Steam pistols, page 70
  56
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  S
  o, Part VII of the Big Book has new mon-
  sters, new spells, new magic items, and more,
  and this chapter of Secrets of the Delver’s
  Guild is a rough analogue to that section of Ptolus. 
  We’ve seen this kind of material before, obvi-
  ously. The difference, from a design point of view,
  is that everything, both in Part VII and right here,
  has grown naturally out of the setting. The real
  truth is, I didn’t want the Ptolus book to have
  any new rules material. I didn’t want it to be that
  kind of book. But as I said, I knew from Day One
  that some such material would be needed. We’d
  need rules for the Dread One’s Staff, for hunger-
  swords, and for the spells that the Inverted
  Pyramid mages have come up with. And we'd
  need stats for the ratmen of the sewers, for the
  skulks that haunt the alleyways of the city, and
  for the Wintersouled. 
  But because I didn’t want Ptolus to be a book
  of new rules material; I only put in the stuff that
  was really vital to the campaign. Ptolus is meant
  to be a core d20 setting and, for the most part, I
  think I stayed true to that goal. 
  This chapter contains even more of these sorts
  of elements—material I didn’t deem quite vital
  enough to include in the book itself, but which
  still can enhance a Ptolus Campaign. For example,
  this chapter introduces you to steam pistols and
  the magical morae, soulshades and demons of
  darkness, and more.
  But, also like Part VII of Ptolus, this part of the
  Secrets of the Delver’s Guild isn’t just about rules
  material. This is also where I include a lot of
  DMing advice and resources, both for Ptolus
  Campaigns in specific as well as urban campaigns
  in general. For example, I wrote about different
  kinds of treasures appropriate for a Ptolus
  Campaign (items that have a tie to the geographic
  area) and about a DM’s options for dressing a
  dungeon. You’ll also find a piece about how the
  languages of Praemal originated, and a short 
  article on orienting yourself (and your players) 
  to a vertical environment like this city. 
  And, of course, this chapter also touches on
  adventure ideas for a Ptolus Campaign. These
  starting scenario ideas intentionally show off vari-
  ous aspects of Ptolus; they involve criminals,
  strange stuff going on underground, and major
  organizations that could very well have recurring
  campaign roles. These adventure suggestions pro-
  vide many options for jump-starting your Ptolus
  Campaign.
  You’ll also find a couple other surprises in this
  chapter, such as the “Adventure Tours” idea for
  the Delver’s Guild and a piece on the role of
  books and printing in Ptolus. Enjoy!
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  VERTICAL PTOLUS
  When running a Ptolus Campaign, one thing
  that is easy to forget is how vertical the city is.
  Built on a series of inclines, the city is full of
  tiers, retaining walls, ramps, stairs, and steep
  climbs. In other words, just because a street
  looks flat on the map, don’t assume it’s not a
  steep incline, and even though two buildings
  appear right next to each other, feel free to have
  one be as much as eight to ten feet higher than
  the other.
  Obviously, major thoroughfares are accessible
  by horses, carts, and carriages, but minor paths
  might include gentle steps, usually made of logs
  or planks, or actual stone stairs, which might be
  steep themselves.
  For example, look at Broken Leg Row (Ptolus
  map F5) in Midtown. This street was so named
  because it is steep (the higher end being to the
  west, of course) and dangerous. More than one
  person has tripped or slipped and fallen going
  up or down it. The buildings between Broken
  Leg Row and Urgent Street, which is also quite
  steep, are built on a series of three irregular
  ascending tiers connected by narrow stone steps.
  The steps are slick and run along the tiers. The
  buildings conform to the strange shapes of the
  tiers. From either street, none of the steps are
  visible.
  The tiers themselves are overgrown with ivy.
  Age has made them less level and smooth than
  they once were, and some of the stones are now
  loose. Those who live on Broken Leg Row know
  that the quickest way up to Falls Road is to use
  these somewhat hidden back steps rather than
  going around to Urgent Street as it might appear
  on the map.
  A n’er-do-well named Yester Hall (male
  human commoner4/rogue2) who lives in the area
  uses the steps to make his getaways when the
  City Watch or—worse—criminals he owes
  money to come looking for him at his house. On
  more than one occasion he has led pursuers on a
  merry chase up and down that hill.
  In a game session, DMs should feel free to
  insert inclines of all sorts. Vertical challenges
  make encounters more interesting. Old, worn
  stairs, slick with constant rain and mossy slime,
  slow down movement or require Balance checks
  (DC 12 to DC 15) or both. Walls require Climb
  checks (usually DC 15). Tiers and retaining
  walls create even more little nooks and crannies
  (in a city full of nooks and crannies) for
  ambushes, hiding caches, and entrances to the
  Undercity. They allow for higher ground combat
  advantages and access to building rooftops with
  a Jump check rather than a climb check. 
  Steep, barely accessible paths might lie
  between two streets shown on the map. Such a
  winding path lies between Crispin and Nar
  Streets (Ptolus map G7) in the Longbottom
  neighborhood of Midtown. Or, two streets
  might be joined by a staircase not shown on the
  map, such as the one between Alabaster and
  Bladeburn Streets (Ptolus map E-7) in the South
  Market. Assume that any street on the map is
  accessible to a cart or carriage, although in some
  places the vehicle must move slowly up or down
  gentle steps built into the path. (The travel times
  chart on Ptolus page 162 already takes these
  into account, as well as the general inclined
  nature of the city.)
  When looking at the map of Ptolus, feel free
  to use the city’s uneven terrain to add in even
  more features to make things more interesting
  and fun. 
  Broken Leg Row and 
  Urgent Street
  City Watch: Ptolus, page 150
  Undercity: Ptolus, page 423
  57
  
  LANGUAGE ORIGINS
  Ptolus is a cosmopolitan city of multiple races
  and cultures from ten thousand years of history.
  The influences on the language(s) spoken there
  are too many to count. That said, here’s a list of
  miscellaneous examples to help with word/name
  origins and some pronunciations. Note that
  because of the long mixing of cultures, there are
  many, many exceptions and contradictions.
  DWARVISH
  Dwarvish is a simple and straightforward.  Vowel
  sounds are usually short, such as aur: pronounced
  “oor.”
  As mentioned in Ptolus: City by the Spire, most
  dwarves transliterate their surnames to produce
  names like “Bridgemaster” or “Greatblade.” 
  ELVISH
  Elvish, a complex language of an almost musical
  nature (to human ears), uses diphthongs frequent-
  ly to create complex vowel sounds that are
  stressed and drawn out. For example, there’s ae:
  It is pronounced “ayee” by Shoal elves, although
  Elder Elves would have pronounced this combina-
  tion like “ee” (or perhaps more accurately,
  “ahee”). Dark elves, who don’t usually use this
  diphthong, would pronounce it like “eye.” The
  more “humanized” the elf, the less likely he is to
  stress the vowel sounds in the manner of an elf
  more immersed in his own culture (a city elf ver-
  sus one living in the woods among other elves).
  This creates what elves call a “gutter accent.”
  As mentioned in Ptolus: City by the Spire,
  some elves living among humans transliterate
  their surnames to produce names like “Mythlord”
  or “Featherhair.” Other elves, like Serai Lorenci,
  do not.
  LITORIAN
  Litorian is a harsh language. “Ch” is pronounced
  as a thick and throaty hard “k” sound. The vowel
  “a” is almost always short with almost a vibrat-
  ing roll to it.
  NALLISH
  To many ears, Nallish sounds like Dwarvish, with
  hard consonant sounds and simple vowel sounds
  as in Werran, Nagrus, or Kullin.
  Nallish names sometimes become more compli-
  cated, but not much, like Schuk or Schaun (pro-
  nounced “shook,” and “shawn,” with a soft but
  overlong “sh” sound). 
  PALASTANI
  Most Palastani surnames are very short, like Nal,
  Friss, Fror, or Col (or Coll). There are exceptions,
  such as Chipestiro, which itself might show influ-
  ence from the south of the continent. The “ch” in
  Palastani names is always pronounced like the
  “ch” in “church.” Vowel sounds are usually
  short, unless the word has multiple syllables, in
  which case the stressed syllable’s vowel sound is
  long or it is the last sound of the word. Thus, it is
  “chip-est-eer-oh.” This is only true of surnames,
  not first names (which are also usually short).
  With first names, the opposite rules hold true:
  Vowel sounds are always long unless they are
  stressed or are the last sound of the word. Thus,
  “Sheva” as a first name is “shee-vuh,” but as a
  last name it would be “shev-ay.” To help denote
  this, though, the surname typically would be
  spelled “Shevay.”
  Palastani also uses a silent “e” to change these
  rules, so “Frome” is pronounced “frohm.” This
  usage is rare, however.
  PRUSTAN
  Whether Old Prustan or Common, Prustan words
  have a distinctive sound. Names ending in –av, 
  -ov, -aun, -lic, are usually Prustan. Prustan uses
  the “au” and “ue” diphthongs occasionally, pro-
  nounced “aw” and “yoo” respectively. 
  RHOTHAN
  Rhothan is not a language, but Rhothan names
  are nonetheless distinctive in some ways. They
  frequently end in –ster, -har, -der, or –ther. More
  often than not, they are multisyllabic  names with
  a stress on the first syllable. They sound a bit
  clunky to other speakers, particularly Palastanis
  who unconsciously attempt to make them into
  two-syllable names. So spoken by a Palastani,
  58
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Languages in the Empire:
  Ptolus, page 44
  Dwarves: Ptolus, page 48
  Elves: Ptolus, page 49
  Prust: Ptolus, page 42
  Rhoth: Ptolus, page 43
  Litorians: Ptolus, page 54
  Nall: Ptolus, page 41
  Palastan: Ptolus, page 42
  Araki Chipestiro: Ptolus,
  page 338
  
  CHAPTER 31: CAMPAIGN ADVICE
  “Callister” becomes almost “Callster,” and
  Merriwether becomes “Marwetter.” Rhothans,
  however, speak slowly and carefully, pronouncing
  each syllable.
  REN TEHOTH
  The ancient language of Ren Tehoth, no longer
  spoken, has nonetheless had its effect on lan-
  guages still in use. The “Rh” combination, as in
  Rhoth, comes from this difficult tongue to denote
  the difference between a soft, breathy “r” and a
  harder, rolling “r.” Similarly, a double “a,” like in
  Vladaam, is there to express a drawn out and
  harsh “ah” sound, almost an “a-ah” sound.
  Names with origins here often feature begin-
  ning consonant sounds not normally found
  together in other languages such as “vl” (again,
  as in Vladaam), “vn” (as in Vnata), or “zl” as in
  “Zlartin.”
  Lastly, words using “y” to express a long “i”
  sound originate in Ren Tehoth. When pronounced
  correctly there is a slight “y” sound as well—
  “yi,” really. So “Ymrik” is “yimrik,” and Ylestos
  is “Yilestos,” both with a very slight “y.” 
  THE SOUTH
  The various kingdoms south of the Empire (today
  called the Sea Kingdoms) do not have their own
  language but tend to have their own distinctive
  and idiosyncratic words and names. For example,
  names ending in –ini, -isti, -elli, and –enci come
  from this region typically. The “i” at the end is
  always pronounced “ee,” while the vowel before
  it is always short. Other southern names might
  end in –onc, -anne, or –ette. The southern silent
  “e” makes the “a” short, not long, so the last two
  are pronounced “–ahn” and “et.”
  URAQI
  Uraqi names use hyphens to insert a slight pause
  and to keep consonant sounds from blending.
  “Al-Mari” uses the hyphen to keep the name
  from being pronounced “Alm-ari.” This is impor-
  tant to the Uraqi because the meaning of the
  word changes with pronunciation. Al-Mari would
  mean “bringer of fate,” while Alm-ari would
  mean “lost rodent.”
  ANCIENT WESTRON
  The combination pt, pronounced “t” with an
  ever-so-slight “p” sound, retains a very soft “t”
  sound. It is used so rarely that it sounds odd to
  most people’s ears—even those of a modern-day
  Ptolusite. The ancient Westron tongue also is the
  root of most words and names featuring the con-
  struction “ais,” if pronounced “ay-eye-is,” as in
  King Anathais of Palastan.
  On the streets of Ptolus, one
  hears languages from all across
  the Empire.
  Ren Tehoth: Ptolus, page 43
  Uraq and the South: Ptolus,
  page 44
  Sea Kingdoms: Ptolus, page 43
  59
  
  DUNGEON DRESSING: 
  THE EXTRA-ADDED TOUCH
  The charts below add flavor to Ptolus adventures
  by helping you stock rooms in the Dungeon or
  elsewhere and providing contents for chests and
  bags beyond what might be considered treasure
  (although some of these things may be worth a
  few pennies).
  Roll on or choose from each table as many
  times as you like to make an empty room more
  interesting or to add a touch of extra flavor to an
  already detailed area. These lists are meant to be
  flavorful rather than complete. You might want
  to mark off results as you use them to avoid too
  much repetition.
  PERSONAL BELONGINGS 
  This category includes items found in a chest, a
  wardrobe, or a bag.
  d%
  Result
  01–03 Charcoal sticks for writing
  04–06 Soap
  07–09 Razor
  10–12 Pot of herbs for cooking
  13–15 Handkerchief
  16–18 Gloves
  19–21 Key
  22–24 Belt
  25–27 Walking stick
  28–30 Comb
  31–33 Brush
  34–36 Flint and steel
  37–39 Candles
  40–42 Whetstone
  43–45 Woolen cloak with hood
  46–48 Crude dice
  49–51 Silk shirt
  52–54 Woolen shirt
  55–57 Tattered and dirty gown
  58–60 Smock
  61–63 Woolen pants
  64–66 Torn pants
  67–69 Tunic
  70–72 Boots
  73–75 Cloth shoes
  76–78 Leather shoes
  79–81 Hat with a brim
  82–84 Small cap
  85–87 Belt pouch
  88–90 Backpack
  91–93 Backpack (torn)
  94–96 Small book
  97–99 Empty vial
  00
  Small mirror
  FIXED DUNGEON DRESSING
  d%
  Result
  01–05 Fresco of knights kneeling
  06–10 Sconce
  11–15 Pillory
  16–20 Uneven floor
  21–25 Chimney
  26–30 Hole
  31–35 Fresco of knights on horses
  36–40 Claw marks on floor or wall
  41–45 Large crack in wall
  46–50 Painted crude symbols
  51–55 Wall hooks
  56–60 Built–in ladder (now missing)
  61–65 Old bloodstain
  66–70 Iron chandelier
  71–75 Missing stones
  76–80 Pile of dirt and debris
  81–85 Relief of an angel flying
  86–90 Painted mural of a dragon
  91–95 Floor tile mosaic of a tower
  96–00 Patched-up masonry in wall
  FURNISHINGS
  d%
  Result
  01–05 Tripod with brazier
  06–10 Broken ladder
  11–15 Pillory
  16–20 Large broken mirror (freestanding)
  21–25 Small green rug
  26–30 Padded chair and footstool
  31–35 Large embroidered rug, burned and 
  threadbare
  36–40 Podium and benches
  41–45 Dog blanket/bed
  46–50 Spinning wheel
  51–55 Stool
  56–60 Coat rack
  61–65 Large loom
  66–70 Broken wooden screen
  71–75 Large patch of mold
  76–80 Cupboard
  81–85 Torn tapestry of a bear
  86–90 Oblong table
  91–95 Broken chair, propped up on 
  two bricks
  96–00 Tall iron candle holder
  60
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Dungeon: Ptolus, page 415
  Tapestries make interesting and
  personalized dungeon dressing.
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  MISCELLANEOUS STUFF
  d%
  Result
  01
  Ashtray and pipe
  02
  Leather pouch filled with tobacco
  03
  Broken clock
  04
  Iron flagon
  05
  Clay pot
  06
  Insect in amber
  07
  Quill pen
  08
  Oil lamp
  09
  Spool of ribbon
  10
  Paring knife
  11
  Shears
  12
  Pot of spicy mustard
  13
  Basket with a handle
  14
  Iron pot
  15
  Cloth bag with nails and a hammer
  16
  Chisel
  17
  Three old, dirty rags
  18
  Six darts and a target
  19
  A lot of large, black ants
  20
  Broken cage
  21
  Empty flask
  22
  Branding iron
  23
  Empty crates
  24
  Crates filled with old straw
  25
  Iron bucket
  26
  Drum
  27
  Tongs
  28
  Twelve feet of rope
  29
  Teeth in a jar
  30
  Ceramic basin
  31
  Ceramic jug
  32
  Dented horn
  33
  Body laid to rest on table
  34
  Three tin plates and a fork
  35
  Empty wine bottle 
  36
  One foot of chain
  37
  Two old, ratty blankets
  38
  Silken pillow, now dirty
  39
  Broken ceramic idol
  40
  Small pile of shiny stones
  41
  Sledgehammer
  42
  Set of Dragonscales (the game), with 
  half the tiles missing
  43
  Small pot of ink
  44
  Wooden mug
  45
  Small wooden box filled with paper 
  packets containing simple spices
  46
  Sack of flour
  47
  Winch with a bent handle
  48
  Very large spoon
  49
  Bundled sheaf of papers that are pages 
  torn from a book
  50
  Empty barrel on its side, missing its lid
  51
  Pair of stilts
  52
  Wooden goat mask
  53
  Iron bell
  54
  Wooden box of twelve colored candles
  55
  Wooden frame for a painting (with the 
  painting missing)
  56
  Sack of moldy grain
  57
  Wooden toy horse
  58
  Paint brush and a pot of yellow paint
  59
  Jester’s cap
  60
  Year–old copy of a broadsheet called 
  The Midtown Partisan filled with stories 
  of out-of-date gossip
  61
  Ceramic ewer
  62
  Book written in Elvish about rare herbs 
  with a stained cover
  63
  Book written in Common about 
  mathematics
  64
  Wax tablet
  65
  Torch
  66
  Dog collar
  67
  Harness for an ox
  68
  Long saw (takes two people to use it)
  69
  Empty scabbard
  70
  Iron pot full of coal
  71
  Straw-filled target for archery
  72
  Stack of ten burlap bags
  73
  Eleven four- to five-foot-long lengths of 
  rope, scorched by fire
  74
  Large, lidless iron box full of ashes
  75
  Covered basket filled with dried fruit
  76
  Sack full of turnips
  77
  Pot of honey
  78
  Pulley
  79
  Ball of string
  80
  Pile of mismatched shoes
  81
  Spectacles with no lenses
  82
  Corked wine bottle filled with dirty water
  83
  Lute with broken strings
  84
  Fiddle bow
  85
  Portion of a torn painting canvas 
  showing a woman’s face
  86
  Wagon wheel
  87
  Straw-filled mattress, up against a wall
  88
  Large empty basket with an iron pan 
  used as a lid
  89
  Three bright red tunics folded in a pile
  90
  Bundle of sticks held together with a 
  leather belt
  91
  Small leather pouch filled with bat guano
  92
  Wooden plank
  93
  Glass-topped box filled with dead insects
  94
  Three feet of wire
  95
  Rusted iron box filled with gears
  96
  Half-finished wooden carving of a duck
  97
  Half of a set of detailed plans on parch-
  ment for the construction of a catapult
  98
  Folded up love note from “Hermunt” to
  “Josia”
  99
  Torn and stained Imperial identification 
  papers for someone named Kester Nattles
  00
  Common to Old Palastani dictionary 
  with a torn cover
  Midtown Partisan: Ptolus, 
  page 166
  Dragonscales: Ptolus, page 359
  Imperial identification papers:
  Ptolus, page 552
  61
  
  PTOLUS-SPECIFIC TREASURES
  Below are twenty non-magical “art objects” that
  can be used in a Ptolus Campaign as treasure.
  Many of them have historical significance, which
  is either obvious to all or requires a check to
  identify. In either case, the historical tie increases
  the object’s value beyond merely its craftsman-
  ship and materials. Where needed, a date refer-
  encing the time of the associated event or person
  is given.
  1. Matched set of silver ornamental pistols
  (750 gp)
  2. Walrus tusk with an engraved portrait of
  Commissar Newland Von Botterick, c. 653 IA
  (475 gp)
  3. Gilded ornamental (and now nonfunction-
  al) barometer set into a wooden and gold stand
  designed to look like billowing clouds (620 gp)
  4. Silver mantelpiece clock engraved with the
  names of the Gods of the Hours (870 gp) 
  5. Thread kept within a glass vial, labeled to
  come from the robe of Saint Gustav (1,250 gp)
  6. Silver bowl, the inside of which bears the
  crest of House Nagel (250 gp)
  7. Slightly damaged portrait of Terrist Kath in
  a wooden frame with gold emboss, c. 455 IA
  (2,200 gp)
  8. Huge ceremonial drinking horn made of
  gold with ebony inlay created by the Charad
  titans (350 gp)*
  9. Silver and wooden cup given to Commissar
  Dallash Unnert by Emperor Nagris Von Tessel to
  commemorate the completion of the new King’s
  River Bridge, c. 426 IA (1,800 gp)*
  10. Silver statuette of a horse and rider in
  Imperial regalia (350 gp)
  11. Golden statuette of a winged lion, the
  base of which is engraved with the phrase
  “Lothian protects the perseverant” (650 gp)
  12. Glass plate, six inches to a side, once set
  into a window pane. The glass is engraved to
  commemorate the marriage of Edderick Rau to
  Krastine Wassik and once was set into a window
  in the estate of House Rau (pre-Ptolus), c. 145
  IA (3,100 gp)
  14. Masterwork longsword with gold set into
  the hilt and three small rubies set into the pom-
  mel, along with the engraved initials “HK.” This
  sword was given to General Harveld Kitteram,
  commander of Dalenguard, after he defended
  the fortress from the ogre uprising of 247 IA.
  (1,850 gp)* 
  15. Wooden lute with ivory inlay carved to
  represent the historic meeting of Arlassi Chorine,
  explorer of the West, and King Terrobon of
  Palastan c. 1,000 BE (although the lute dates to
  340 IA) (560 gp)
  16. Ithildin statue of a rearing unicorn
  wreathed in intricately carved vines (430 gp)
  17. Golden reliquary in the shape of a
  woman’s head, hinged to contain a small wood-
  en box that in turn holds a crystal vial that con-
  tains three raindrops that once fell upon Gaen’s
  head (3,400 gp)
  18. Silver ornamental spiked mace with a haft
  engraved with the Fourth Liturgy of Danace
  (175 gp)
  19. Vellum scroll with the names of the suc-
  cession of high priests of Navashtrom from 244
  BE to 350 IA written in gold ink (75 gp)
  20. Incredibly ancient stone tablet with an
  ode to Queen Dalass of the Stonemight dwarves
  written in both Dwarvish and Westron, c. 8,500
  BE (890 gp)* 
  * A Knowledge (history) check (DC 20) is
  needed to understand this item’s true
  value. Without the check, an appraisal will
  suggest a value of only 25 percent of the
  listed price.
  62
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  An invitation to Castle Shard
  would be an unexpected and
  possibly very useful treasure.
  See Ptolus, page 285.
  Charad titans: Ptolus, page 77
  King’s River Bridge: Ptolus,
  page 160
  Lothian: Ptolus, page 66
  Gods of the Hours, page 8
  St. Gustav: Ptolus, page 67
  House Nagel: Ptolus, page 93
  House Rau: Ptolus, page 93
  Dalenguard: Ptolus, page 320
  Palastan: Ptolus, page 42
  Ithildin: Ptolus, page 46
  Gaen: page 11
  Danace: Ptolus, page 68
  Navashtrom: Ptolus, page 70
  Stonemight dwarves: Ptolus,
  page 462
  Characters can discover this
  unique treasure, the enchanted
  gold Lord Abbercombe, in “The
  Smuggler’s Daughter” adven-
  ture; see Ptolus, Chapter 33. 
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  MORE TREASURES
  Below are twenty more non-magical “art objects”
  that you can use as treasure in a Ptolus Campaign.
  As before, where needed, a date referencing the
  time of the associated event or person is given.
  1. Framed map of Palastan clearly dated 226
  IA (75 gp)
  2. Gold-rimmed spectacles (35 gp)
  3. Powder horn made from a minotaur’s horn
  with gold stopper (340 gp)
  4. Silvered masterwork short sword with a
  wooden and silver scabbard bearing the insignia
  of Larron Bastoc, a well-known lycanthrope
  hunter, c. 590 IA (910 gp) 
  5. Silver snuff box with the seal of House
  Vladaam (150 gp)
  6. Marlite chain shirt with a tabard bearing the
  crest of Knights of the Pale (1,000 gp) 
  7. Clockwork wind-up bear that dances back
  and forth (80 gp)
  8. Ceremonial double drum with the symbols of
  both Gaen and Mirresh on its drumheads (150 gp)
  9. Flag carried into battle by Imperial forces
  against the rebels of the Lost River Uprising, 
  c. 220 IA (400 gp)*
  10. Silver pendant bearing the crest of the
  noble house of Gerdart, the royal line of the kings
  of Rhoth (1,890 gp)
  11. Ceramic vase painted with depictions of the
  formation of the Circle of Green (1,000 gp)*
  12. Silver statuettes of Emperor Delian Von
  Tessel and Empress Addares (750 gp)
  13. Set of drinking glasses engraved with
  Lothian’s ankh crucifix symbol (650 gp)
  14. Stone ceremonial hammer etched with
  dwarven runes and the symbol of King Stardelve
  (350 gp)
  15. A life-sized copper hand, with each finger
  bearing the symbol of a different Demon God
  (375 gp)
  16. Ivory comb engraved with the name “Eol
  Eseris,” a famous Palastani sorceress, c. 489 IA
  (90 gp)
  17. Crystalline bottle full of liquid shadow
  with a platinum stopper (1,200 gp)  
  18. Jeweled gold circlet bearing the flaming
  symbol of Kem (890 gp)
  19. One of the original notebooks of the sage
  Gerris Hin (300 gp)*
  20. Large silver and gold ankh symbol
  engraved with the names of various members of
  House Shever, each name added upon their chris-
  tening, c. 520 IA (900 gp)*
  * A Knowledge (history) check (DC 20) is
  needed to understand this item’s true value.
  Without the check, an appraisal suggests a
  value of only 25 percent the listed price.
  The Company of the Black
  Lantern found many treasures in
  their adventures, including the
  rather ordinary lantern that gave
  the group its name.
  Emperor and Empress: Ptolus, 
  page 78
  King Stardelve: Ptolus, page 462
  Demon Gods: Ptolus, page 68
  Liquid shadow: Ptolus, page 46
  House Vladaam: Ptolus, page 96
  Marlite: Ptolus, page 46
  Knights of the Pale: Ptolus, 
  page 125
  Gaen and Mirresh, page 11
  Kem: Ptolus, page 41
  Gerris Hin: Ptolus, page 332
  House Shever: Ptolus, page 96
  Rhoth: Ptolus, page 43
  Circle of Green: Ptolus, page 108
  63
  
  PRINTING AND BOOKS IN PTOLUS
  The creation of the printing press in 496 IA revo-
  lutionized communication in the Empire. With the
  widespread use of these devices, books became rel-
  atively cheap to produce in large quantities. They
  became something that even the average common-
  er could potentially own. 
  The typical book is printed with movable type,
  occasionally illustrated with woodcuts or etchings
  made in copper integrated into the text. A typical
  book has a print run of about five hundred copies
  and a fairly localized distribution, but some popu-
  lar texts have as many as ten thousand copies
  across the Empire. Bound in leather or cloth,
  books normally are functional rather than decora-
  tive. Most have the title etched upon the cover. 
  Historical and scientific (including nature-relat-
  ed and medical) topics are usually the most com-
  mon subjects of printed books. Instructional texts
  regarding handcraft and other processes also are
  printed in great numbers, as are scholastic primers
  for children. Treatises on magical studies are pop-
  ular as well, among both spellcasters and those
  simply interested in the subject (or desiring to be
  perceived as such). Dramatic scripts, collections of
  poetry, music books, and memoirs make up most
  of the rest of the books commonly found. Fiction
  is fairly rare, and most such titles are fictionalized
  tales from actual history or myths mixed in with
  actual events. 
  Religious texts exist in great numbers, equal
  perhaps to histories and scientific works. The
  Church of Lothian produces liturgical books of all
  types in vast numbers. The Book of the Brilliant
  Dawn is one of the most revered books of the
  Church and is likely the most common book
  found throughout the Empire. Other church folios
  describe the lives of the saints and Lothianite
  sacraments, rites, and prayers. (Personal, smaller,
  “pocket-sized” prayer-books are also common.) A
  plethora of hymnals also pours out of the presses
  but, as there is no single definitive example, no
  one work has ever been produced in great num-
  bers. In fact, most temples create their own. 
  Of course, other religions publish texts that
  describe their own beliefs, dogma, histories, ritu-
  als, music, and other facets. Those interested in
  proselytizing and conversion print short religious
  tracts as cheap, many-folded pamphlets handed
  out on city streets, within temples, in orphanages,
  and in poorhouses. Some of the truly brave and
  devout even go to the Prison to hand them out. 
  Lastly, the multi-volume set of Imperial laws,
  known as the Vast Codex, may be found through-
  out the Empire. While few private citizens own or
  have even actually laid eyes upon these books,
  they are indispensable for all Imperial officials
  (including Lothianite priests), advocates, barris-
  ters, and, of course, judges. Because it is constant-
  ly being revised and added to at an astonishing
  rate, this one work alone keeps many printing
  houses busy year-round. 
  Some people still create handwritten books, but
  these are usually for personal or very limited uses—
  journals, individualized spellbooks, ledgers, and
  instructions. A few artisans retain the skills to pro-
  duce illuminated manuscripts written in calligraphy
  with individualized, hand-painted illustration. These
  beautiful books may relate well-known tales from
  myth or history. Each one is quite valuable due to
  the work required to produce it (some take as long
  as a year of full-time labor) as well as the materials
  used, including gold, silver, and even precious stone
  ground into ink. A book such as this can claim a
  value of 100 gp to 1,000 gp or more, depending
  on size, subject, materials used, and the skill of its
  crafters. The work of specific artisans, such as the
  renowned Jurise Banna (female human expert15)
  or the infamous (and long deceased) elf painter-
  poet Eamais Silverdove, can increase the price of a
  book by double, triple, or more.
  Of course, printing presses made possible the
  distribution of broadsheets, some of which are
  printed daily. These carry news, gossip, and other
  information throughout the city. Some businesses
  even deem it worthwhile to produce advertising
  pamphlets hawking their wares. The government
  also prints edicts posted and handed out through-
  out the city, sometimes as often as once a week.
  NEW BOOK: BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE
  Blood of the Vampire is a slim volume whose red
  cover contains no title or printing. Within its few
  pages is a wealth of valuable information. It details
  the many uses of vampire blood, all centered upon
  the idea that the rare and volatile substance can con-
  quer time and prolong existence. The book includes
  many diagrams and (often disturbing) images.
  First and foremost, as an ingredient in an admix-
  ture of virtually any potion, vampire blood can dra-
  matically increase the original duration. Using the
  instructions in the Blood of the Vampire book, one
  can add a few drops of pure vampire blood to any
  potion (not an oil) and attempt a Craft (alchemy)
  check (DC 25 + potion’s spell level) to increase the
  duration to twenty-four hours. This process adds
  1,000 gp to the price of the potion in question. It
  64
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  For a list of bookshops in
  the city, see “Doleen Kafter,
  Scribe of Heroes” on page 34
  For a typical bookseller’s store
  layout, see Ptolus, page 200.
  Shad Livbovic, the Delver’s Guild
  head librarian, is a great resource
  for adventurers seeking particular
  books or doing general research.
  See Ptolus, page 322.
  Church of Lothian: Ptolus,
  page 64
  Broadsheets: Ptolus, page 166
  The Prison: Ptolus, page 436
  Imperial Law: Ptolus, page 551
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  takes six hours and requires 250 gp worth of ingre-
  dients, in addition to the vampire blood. The
  alchemist must have a copy of the Blood of the
  Vampire book at hand while working.
  What is “pure” vampire blood? It has these
  properties: 
  • It has not touched the earth or any metal.
  • It is not mixed with any other fluid.
  • If it has been removed from the vampire for
  more than twenty-four hours, it has been 
  preserved magically.
  • A few drops’ worth of pure vampire blood is
  valued at approximately 250 gp. 
  Secondly, vampire blood is the chief requirement
  in the creation of partial constructs. Blood of the
  Vampire describes the ability to fuse inorganic
  golem or clockwork construct parts to living crea-
  ture parts to create a fusion creature. The organic
  portions must be infused with frequent injection of
  vampire blood (at least 500 gp worth each week).
  The book does not offer details on how to cre-
  ate the artificial parts, only on how to keep the
  organic portions alive. It specifically describes the
  bizarre process of taking two significant portions
  of a human (such as the body and the head) and
  fusing them onto constructs which both have the
  memories and abilities of the original creature, as
  well as any special abilities granted them from their
  artificial parts. (DMs are encouraged to use the
  rules for chaosomaton creatures from Chaositech,
  or the ironborn from The Book of Iron Might.)
  A copy of the very rare Blood of the Vampire
  tome is worth 2,500 gp, although it is not magical. 
  Encounter: Rumors exist of a human named
  Challaster Markan, an infamous vampire hunter
  who used the dark arts as well as the light to com-
  bat the creatures of the night. Challaster apparent-
  ly came upon a copy of Blood of the Vampire and
  kidnapped two vampire slaves to “milk” for their
  blood. When he was unable to get all he needed
  from them without slaying them, he adopted the
  stratagem of kidnapping street urchins, forcing his
  slaves to slay them so they would rise as vampires,
  then harvesting these new vampires for their blood. 
  The rumors claim he did this because he drank
  vampire blood for some occult reason, but this is
  not technically correct. Earlier, he had kidnapped
  a few Shuul technicians and forcibly possessed
  them with devils purchased from crime lord
  Menon Balacazar, so that they would build a
  clockwork body for him. Using the techniques in
  Blood of the Vampire, he then had his head graft-
  ed onto this new immortal and extremely power-
  ful artificial body. Unbeknownst to him, the devil-
  possessed technicians stole away with his body
  and created a clockwork head for it, and—using
  vampire blood and diabolic magic as described in
  the book—gave it life as well. 
  The end result? Two Challaster Markans walked
  the city streets, and perhaps they still do today.
  And if all these rumors are true, then it is also true
  that the two Challasters are bitter enemies….
  RANDOM BOOKS IN THE CITY
  The player characters come into a bedchamber in a
  house they’ve just broken into and find a book on
  the nightstand. Or perhaps they enter a wizard’s
  chamber whose shelves hold many books besides
  a spellbook. Maybe a PC just wants to browse
  through a bookshop. What titles might they find?
  Use this random table to determine just that.
  d%
  Book Title
  01
  A Penny Like the Sun (poetry)
  02–03 All That Slithers (a zoological book 
  focusing on serpents)
  04–06 Ancient Ptolus by Gerris Hin
  07–08 Avenues and Alleyways (poetry)
  09–14 Holy Book of Lothian (roll 1d100 to
  determine which volume, rerolling 
  results over 88)
  15–16 Charms and Compulsions
  17
  Devil’s Due (a play by Wallin Stelarist)
  18–20 Dragons of the Mountains
  21–23 Eddersmith’s Treatise on Witchcraft
  24–25 Elves and the Ghulwar
  26–27 Etching Made Easy
  28–30 Evocation and Erudition (a magical text)
  31–37 History of the Empire (roll 1d20 to
  determine which volume)
  38–39 Hymns of Penance (a hymnal of Lothian)
  40–41 Imperial Marching Songs
  42
  Interrogating Prisoners
  43–44 Learning the Lyre
  45–48 Mathematics (a children’s primer)
  49–52 Raddolf’s Tome of Herbal Remedies
  53–55 Rare Creatures of the Deep Caves
  56–58 Rare Gemstones
  59–64 Ready Reading (a children’s primer)
  65–66 Secret Rites of the Poison Gods
  67–70 Seven Means of Accounting
  71–73 Sothessen’s Arcanum
  74–76 Stone and Heartstone (a geology text)
  77–79 Teeth and Health
  80–82 The Annals of House Nagel
  83–87 The Book of the Brilliant Dawn (a holy 
  book of Lothian)
  88
  The Dust on the Rose (a play by Wallin 
  Stelarist)
  89–90 The Gnoll War
  91–93 The Lost Legion (a history text)
  94–95 The Red Book of Brewcraft
  96
  The Smile and the Eye (a holy book of 
  Mirresh)
  97
  The Truth About Dwarves
  98–99 Wallick on Weaponsmithing
  00
  Whispering Winds (poetry)
  Two print shops in the city are
  Blackstock Printing in the South
  Market (see Ptolus, page 353)
  and the Bookbindery in Midtown
  (see Ptolus, page 221).
  When the player characters in
  my Ptolus Campaign decided to
  hunt down the vampires of the
  Covenant of Blood, they knew
  they’d need powerful wards to
  protect their newly acquired
  home, Pythoness House. Asking
  around town led them to believe
  the best vampiric wards to be
  had were in the possession of
  Challaster Markan. But the
  wards were not the only things
  they found in the home of this
  partial construct....
  The Shuul: Ptolus, page 131
  Menon Balacazar: Ptolus, 
  page 101
  65
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  
  NEW TEMPLATE: SOULSHADE
  An ancient and nearly forgotten arcane process
  magically transforms willing creatures into shad-
  owy versions of their former selves called soul-
  shades. These creatures retain their original
  minds, but their bodies take on the appearance
  of a dark shadow of their previous form. 
  Creatures willing to transform themselves in
  this way usually do so for nefarious ends. Many
  of them are unstable or deviant in some way, for
  the process is irreversible and renders one virtu-
  ally unable to interact normally with other living
  creatures. They cannot pass for normal creatures
  except in shadowy conditions, and their voices
  are hoarse whispers at best. Soulshades hate the
  light and become nocturnal. They typically dwell
  underground or in other places where they can
  easily obtain the comfort of darkness.
  When a soulshade dies, it cannot be restored
  to life by raise dead, resurrection, or even true
  resurrection. However, the following night it
  rises as an undead shadow automatically (if over
  10 HD, a greater shadow).
  The secret of soulshade creation lies with 
  the followers of the relatively obscure god
  Maleskari. Maleskari, a deity of death and dark-
  ness, is known as the God of Shades, and many
  of his most devoted followers undergo the soul-
  shade process as part of a religious ritual to
  honor him. (This is an improvement over other
  rituals of dedication to Maleskari, many of
  which involve suicide.) 
  There are others, though, with no reverence
  for the dark god, who nevertheless desire the
  secrets of the soulshade process. First among
  these is Lord Renn Sadar of House Sadar. 
  Soulshades are not undead, although they 
  do share some characteristics with them.
  Furthermore, undead that normally would not
  abide the presence of a living creature ignore
  soulshades, essentially treating them as undead
  creatures.
  SAMPLE SOULSHADE
  Soulshade Bugbear
  Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid)
  Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 40 feet
  Armor Class: 21 (+3 Dex, +5 deflection, 
  +2 leather armor, +1 light wooden shield), 
  touch 18, flat-footed 18
  Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
  Attack/Full Attack: Morningstar +5 melee 
  (1d8+2) or javelin +5 ranged (1d6+2)
  Special Attacks: Insubstantial attack, darkness
  3/day
  Special Qualities: Darkness affinity, insubstantial, 
  immunities, improved darkvision 60 feet, 
  scent, bright light weakness
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, 
  Wis 10, Cha 9
  Skills: Climb +3, Hide +14, Listen +4, Move 
  Silently +8, Spot +4
  Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus (morningstar)
  Environment: Underground
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +2
  Although big and strong, a soulshade bugbear
  specializes in subterfuge and stealth, preying upon
  those weaker than itself, particularly those crea-
  tures that stray too far from the light.
  Bugbears speak Goblin and Common.
  Combat
  Soulshade bugbears ambush their opponents,
  striking from the darkness.
  Insubstantial Attack (Su): The attack of a soul-
  shade bugbear ignores 2 points of Armor Class
  gained from an armor bonus, natural armor
  bonus, or a shield bonus. 
  Darkness (Sp): A soulshade bugbear can use
  darkness 3/day. 
  Darkness Affinity (Su): While in complete or
  near complete darkness, a soulshade bugbear
  gains a +2 morale bonus to attacks, saving
  throws, and all checks. 
  Insubstantial (Su): While not truly incorporeal,
  soulshade bugbears are shadowy and insubstantial.
  This fact grants them DR 10/magic. Further, they
  ignore all spells or magic weapons 25 percent of
  the time (except for positive energy, force effects,
  or attacks made with ghost touch weapons). 
  Immunities: Soulshade bugbears are immune to
  negative energy effects, cold, poison, paralysis,
  stunning, disease, and death effects. 
  66
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Although they both stick to the
  shadows and assume shadowy
  forms, soulshades are not the
  same creatures as skulks;
  see Ptolus, page 630.
  Maleskari: Ptolus, page 69
  Renn Sadar: Ptolus, page 95
  One can find a shrine to the
  God of Shades in the Necropolis
  within the Dark Reliquary manor
  (Area 14). See Ptolus, page 242.
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  Improved Darkvision (Su): Soulshade bug-
  bears can see in any darkness, even magical
  darkness, up to 60 feet.
  Bright Light Weakness: Soulshade bugbears
  suffer a –4 penalty on attacks, saves, and checks
  when in daylight (including a daylight spell).
  Scent (Ex): This special quality allows a soul-
  shade bugbear to detect approaching enemies,
  sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of
  smell. Creatures with the scent ability can identi-
  fy familiar odors just as humans do familiar
  sights.
  The soulshade bugbear can detect opponents
  within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent
  is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if
  downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents,
  such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detect-
  ed at twice the ranges noted above.
  Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or
  troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple nor-
  mal range. When a soulshade bugbear detects a
  scent, the exact location of the source is not
  revealed—only its presence somewhere within
  range. The bugbear can take a move action to
  note the direction of the scent. Whenever the
  bugbear comes within 5 feet of the source, it
  pinpoints the source’s location.
  Skills: Soulshade bugbears enjoy a +4 racial
  bonus on Move Silently checks and a +8 racial
  bonus on Hide checks when not in bright light.
  CREATING A SOULSHADE
  “Soulshade” is a template that one can add to
  any living, corporeal creature. A soulshade uses
  all the base creature’s statistics and special abili-
  ties except as noted here.
  Size and Type: The creature’s type remains the
  same. Do not recalculate its Hit Dice, base
  attack bonus, or saves. Size goes unchanged. 
  Speed: Add +10 to the base creature’s move-
  ment rate.
  AC: Convert any natural armor bonus the
  base creature may have to a deflection bonus
  and add a +2 deflection bonus to the total.
  Special Attacks: A soulshade retains all the
  special attacks of the base creature and also
  gains the following special abilities:
  Insubstantial Attack (Su): The attack of a
  soulshade ignores 2 points of Armor Class
  gained from an armor bonus, natural armor
  bonus, or a shield bonus. 
  Darkness (Sp): A soulshade can use darkness
  3/day. Soulshades with 10 HD or more use deep-
  er darkness instead.
  Special Qualities: A soulshade retains all the
  special qualities of the base creature and also
  gains the following special abilities:
  Darkness Affinity (Su): While in complete or
  near complete darkness, a soulshade gains a +2
  morale bonus to attacks, saving throws, and all
  checks. 
  Insubstantial (Su): While not truly incorpore-
  al, soulshades are shadowy and insubstantial.
  This fact grants them DR 10/magic. Further,
  they ignore all spells or magic weapons 25 per-
  cent of the time (except for positive energy, force
  effects, or attacks made with ghost touch
  weapons). A soulshade cannot pass through
  solid objects. It has a Strength score.
  Immunities: Soulshades are immune to nega-
  tive energy effects, cold, poison, paralysis, stun-
  ning, disease, and death effects. Soulshades are
  subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, and
  ability drain (except ability drain from negative
  energy effects).
  Improved Darkvision (Su): Soulshades can see
  in any darkness, even magical darkness, up to 60
  feet.
  Bright Light Weakness: Soulshades suffer a –4
  penalty on attacks, saves, and checks when in
  daylight (including a daylight spell).
  Skills: While outside of bright light, soul-
  shades gain a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks.
  Abilities: Alter scores from the base creature’s
  as follows: Str +0, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +0, 
  Wis +0, Cha +0.
  Challenge Rating: As base creature’s +1.
  Level Adjustment: As base creature’s +1.
  Lord Renn Sadar lives up to the
  nickname of his noble house—
  the House of Shadows—with a
  vengeance. According to rumor,
  he is behind the funding of a
  group of cultists seeking to
  reestablish the faith of Maleskari
  openly in Ptolus. They dream of
  erecting a temple to the god in
  the Shadow of Ptolus accessible
  from an abandoned building in
  the Temple District—if only they
  could reach the Shadow of
  Ptolus. For more on this strange
  realm, see “Kadmiel, the Shade
  Tower” in Ptolus, page 326.
  The characters in my Ptolus
  Campaign learned that their kid-
  napped friend Tharn was being
  held by a strange shadow-cult
  in an abandoned tower in the
  Temple District. Armed with day-
  light spells from the priests of
  Gaen, they ventured inside, only
  to be magically transported to
  the Shadow of Ptolus. There they
  encountered soulshades faithful
  to the god Maleskari. When they
  finally discovered their missing
  friend, he had been magically
  turned against them and escaped
  into the shadowy ether beyond
  the tower. They would not see
  him again for a very long time.... 
  67
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  
  NEW MONSTER: TENEBRACCUS
  (DEMON OF DARKNESS)
  Medium Outsider (chaotic, evil)
  Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp)
  Initiative: +5
  Speed: 40 feet, fly 40 feet (perfect)
  Armor Class: 20 (+5 Dex, +5 natural), touch 15, 
  flat-footed 15
  Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+11
  Attack: +8 touch (1d8 cold + stun)
  Full Attack: +8 touch (1d8 cold + stun)
  Special Attacks: Stunning touch, spell-like
  abilities, summon demons
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 feet, blurred 
  presence, mutable form, DR 10/good, SR 19, 
  immune to cold, electricity and poison,
  resistance to acid 10, fire 10
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +9
  Abilities: Str 11, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 22, Wis 18, 
  Cha 21
  Skills: Appraise +17, Concentration +14, Craft 
  (any two) +17, Decipher Script +17, Hide +16, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (history) 
  +17, Listen +15, Move Silently +16, Sense 
  Motive +15, Spellcraft +17, Spot +15 
  Feats: Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Craft 
  Staff, Craft Wondrous Item
  Environment: Any land and underground
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: Standard
  Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
  Advancement: 9–16 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment: —
  In Ptolus today, a familiar exclamation is
  “demons of darkness!” While most people using
  the expression have no idea where it comes from,
  the reference is actually a very specific one, refer-
  ring to a rare breed of demon brought to the
  world by an even rarer spell cast by Ghul himself.
  These demons were responsible for much of the
  misery and darkness that gripped the world for
  centuries under their dark lord’s evil sovereignty.
  Although they call themselves tenebraccus, to all
  others they are demons of darkness.
  During Ghul’s reign, even as he summoned the
  shroud of the Utterdark that covered the land, the
  demons of darkness served as his principal assis-
  tants. They led his armies and oversaw all his var-
  ious magical projects—the breeding of new crea-
  tures, the forging of new magic weapons, and the
  further spread of his vast underground labyrinth
  around the Spire, beneath his fortress Goth
  Gulgamel.
  The tenebraccus served their master well, see-
  ing him as the greatest means to achieve their
  own goal in the world of mortals: plunging all the
  lands into eternal darkness, cold and misery. All
  demons of darkness hate each other, though, so
  they steered clear of one another even as they
  served Ghul. Most demons of darkness are
  believed destroyed, although some may linger in
  deep, dark sections of Ghul’s Labyrinth even
  today—including perhaps the greatest of them,
  who was named Narvalix.
  A demon of darkness stands about six feet tall,
  appearing to be a relatively featureless human
  made of darkness. Their semi-solid forms are
  entirely mutable, however, and so a demon could
  shape its body into virtually any form. Demons 
  of darkness do not use the ability to mimic the
  appearance of other creatures (they are not adept
  at impersonation), but they do use it to adopt
  whatever shape is most convenient for the task 
  at hand.
  Demons of darkness can speak with and under-
  stand any creature, thanks to their telepathy.
  COMBAT
  Demons of darkness despise combat, although
  they do not fear direct confrontation. They
  manipulate others, rather than fight. They would
  rather use guile (accompanied by a suggestion)
  to trick or charm foes, or darkness to blind or
  confuse them. If forced into actual physical com-
  bat, they use their dreadful touch, perhaps aug-
  mented with vampiric touch. However, usually
  they would just teleport away from such a 
  situation.
  Stunning Touch (Su): The touch of a demon of
  darkness infuses any living creature with intense
  cold—so intense that the victim must make a
  Fortitude save (DC 19) to avoid being stunned for
  1d3 rounds.
  Blurred Presence (Su): The body of a demon of
  darkness is always indistinct and enjoys a con-
  stant blur effect. While this can be dispelled, it
  automatically renews itself on the demon’s next
  turn as a free action.
  Mutable Form (Su): Composed of semi-solid
  darkness, tenebraccus are immune to critical
  strikes, sneak attacks, and any other attacks that
  rely on precision. Further, they can slip through
  even the slightest crack or hole to move through
  otherwise solid objects (like a wall or a door).
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will—darkness, greater
  teleport; 3/day—blindness/deafness, deeper 
  darkness, dispel magic, ray of enfeeblement,
  suggestion; 1/day—analyze dweomer, confusion,
  vampiric touch. Caster level 8th.
  Summon Demons (Sp): Once per day, a demon
  of darkness can attempt to summon one babau
  demon or one succubus with a 60 percent chance
  of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-
  level spell.  
  68
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  Learn more about Narvalix, the
  greatest of Ghul’s demon-mages,
  in the “Saga of the Blade”
  on the Ptolus CD-Rom.
  Popular expressions in the city:
  See Ptolus, page 367
  Ghul: Ptolus, page 81
  The Utterdark: Ptolus, page 81
  Ghul’s Labyrinth: Ptolus,
  page 418
  Goth Gulgamel: Ptolus,
  page 486
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  NEW MAGIC ITEM: MORA
  The Inverted Pyramid mages’ guild has many
  magical secrets that its members keep to them-
  selves. Gaining access to these secrets is just one
  benefit of membership. For example, Inverted
  Pyramid mages share the secret of morae only
  with other members.
  A mora (plural morae) is also known as a
  reflexive warding token. Each is a tiny, coinlike
  magic item, usually made of brass, bronze, or
  gold. Mages might carry a mora to protect
  themselves from the spells of their foes.
  Inverted Pyramid mages believe the only real
  threat they might face is another mage, so they
  take special steps to secure themselves from
  enemy spellcasters. Morae can make mage 
  battles between two well-equipped spellcasters
  last a long time.
  If someone casts a damaging attack spell,
  such as magic missile or lightning bolt, upon 
  a mage with a mora, the token absorbs an
  amount of damage equal to 5 points multiplied
  by its caster level. If the attack spell is not
  damaging but has some other effect, the spell’s
  caster makes a caster level check, opposed by a
  caster level check made using the mora’s caster
  level. If the spellcaster’s check is higher, the
  spell functions normally. If the mora’s check
  equals or exceeds the spellcaster’s, the spell is
  negated. 
  Morae react only to spellcasting, not to spell-
  like abilities, supernatural abilities, or the effects
  of magic items (except for spell-completion items
  like scrolls). They respond only to spells cast by
  creatures; a magical trap, for example, would
  not trigger one. Lastly, only target and area of
  effect spells trigger a mora; those
  spells must target the mage car-
  rying the mora or include her
  in its area of effect. Thus, a
  mage with a mora approach-
  ing an extant wall of fire is not
  protected from the wall. The
  mora protects only its holder, not
  any other targets (if any) or others
  in the area of effect. 
  Morae are one-use items created in
  the magical laboratories of the Inverted
  Pyramid headquarters high above Oldtown
  (these workshops are marked “W” on the map
  of the building). Once activated, they become
  worthless. Even if a mora that can absorb up to
  30 points of damage protects its owner from a
  spell that inflicts only 18 points of damage, the
  mora is used up—it doesn’t have 12 points of
  protection “left over.” 
  Only the mage who creates a mora can use
  it—in anyone else’s hands, the mora becomes
  powerless. If a mage carries more than three
  morae with her at one time, the tokens’
  antimagical properties begin to disrupt her own
  spellcasting, giving her a spell failure
  chance equal to 10 percent mul-
  tiplied by the number of morae
  she carries.
  The caster level of a mora
  varies, and thus so does the cost.
  Creating one costs 150 gp and
  12 XP per caster level, but since
  only their creators can use them,
  they have no market value. 
  One creates them like magic items,
  using the Create Wondrous Item feat
  with dispel magic as the prerequisite. 
  Sample Mora: Moderate abjuration; CL 8th;
  Create Wondrous Item, dispel magic; Price
  0 gp; cost to create 1,200 gp + 96 XP
  Inverted Pyramid: Ptolus, 
  page 115
  Inverted Pyramid headquarters:
  Ptolus, page 324
  Map of the building: Ptolus,
  page 325
  At times of great peril, Inverted
  Pyramid mage Jevicca Nor 
  carries a mora or two. Read
  more about her in Ptolus, 
  page 116.
  69
  
  NEW WEAPON: STEAM PISTOL 
  The product of an ingenious Shuul inventor
  named Tyrus Von Kitterand (male human
  expert9), steam pistols are an advancement
  beyond those made even when the Empire was at
  its height and technological marvels—including
  firearms—were far more common. The Shuul, an
  organization dedicated to restoring and advancing
  science and the rule of law, have not yet found a
  way to produce steam pistols in great quantities.
  They are expensive and difficult to use: more of a
  technological curiosity than a handy weapon,
  really. Nevertheless, the handful of steam pistols
  that do exist demand the respect of those who
  end up on the wrong end of their wide barrels.
  Utilizing alchemical firestone to produce a tiny,
  super-hot burner, the pistol’s mechanism uses
  steam to build up tremendous pressure. That
  same burner then ignites the powder so that the
  firearm uses both conventional means and high
  pressure to propel its ammunition with devastat-
  ing force and impressive range.
  Despite its power, the report of a steam pistol
  is muffled and slightly softer than that of a regu-
  lar dragon pistol. The sound is an unmistakable
  signature of the weapon, though. Due to the need
  of building up pressure, one can use a steam pis-
  tol to its fullest extent only once every third
  round. On other rounds, however, while the pres-
  sure builds, one can fire it as a regular dragon
  pistol.
  As with conventional dragon pistols, loading
  a steam pistol is a move action. A steam pistol
  requires two hands to load, but only one hand
  to fire. It uses traditional ammunition.
  Truth be told, the Shuul have not yet found 
  a way to produce these items without utilizing
  magic to allow the weapons’ mechanisms to actu-
  ally work together, to reduce the recoil, and keep
  the entire device from simply exploding. Steam
  pistols each exude a faint aura of transmutation
  magic, and they do not work safely in an
  antimagic field. Still, the Shuul insist they are not
  “magic items.” It is certainly true that they have
  no magical enhancement bonus and that their
  rounds are not considered magical for purposes of
  damage reduction.
  VARIANTS
  You can extrapolate from the information about
  the steam pistol provided here to allow for other,
  larger steam-driven weapons as well. Here are
  two ideas.
  Steam Rifle: This firearm is a larger, longer-
  barreled version of the steam pistol with better
  range and greater damage. Reloading the rifle
  takes a full-round action. Loading and firing it
  requires two hands in the same manner as the
  dragon rifle (see Ptolus, page 560).
  Steam Cannon: A steam cannon normally must
  be mounted on a solid surface or on a small plat-
  form, often with wheels for transport. As with
  standard cannons, these weapons are not made to
  be fired like rifles, so loading them still takes a
  long time (see Ptolus, page 561).
  70
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  The Shuul: Ptolus, page 131
  Firestone: Ptolus, page 46
  Dragon pistol: Ptolus, page 560
  For more on firearms, see
  Ptolus, page 559.
  Steam Weapons†
  Price
  Type
  Damage
  Critical
  Range
  Weight
  Steam pistol
  1,000 gp
  P
  4d6*
  ×3
  100
  5 lbs.
  Steam rifle
  2,000 gp
  P
  4d8*
  ×3
  200 
  10 lbs.
  Steam cannon (Small)
  4,000 gp
  P
  4d12
  ×3
  300
  1,150 lbs.
  † The table shows the values when the steam function is used. On off rounds, these weapons 
  can be fired as regular “non-steam” firearms.
  * For Medium weapon. Small weapons deal one die less damage.
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  “ADVENTURE TOURS”
  Although to some degree or another Ptolus
  natives have always known about the subter-
  ranean regions beneath the city, it’s only in the
  last few years that it’s become common knowl-
  edge that exploring these uncharted regions can
  gain a person incredible wealth. With this
  knowledge came the idea of the so-called “delv-
  ing” lifestyle of high adventure and excitement—
  even though the reality of it is far less glamorous
  than many believe. There’s often more slogging
  through sewage than derring-do, but tavern tales
  usually gloss over such details, particularly when
  the tale-teller has had a few flagons and wants
  to impress the common folk who’ve gathered to
  listen.
  Since those first days when successful delvers
  spread the word of excitement and adventure,
  various nobles and wealthy folk wanted to take
  part. Many believed themselves to be more than
  the equal of the challenges of the Dungeon and
  wished to prove themselves. Others just consid-
  ered it a lark—a new fashion to pass their idle
  time. A few actually set upon their own expedi-
  tions, but they proved extremely dangerous,
  unglamorous, unpleasant, and downright repug-
  nant. 
  Just a few months ago, a few enterprising
  members of the Delver’s Guild came upon a
  money-making idea. They created a way for
  wealthy folk dreaming of being adventurers to
  experience a taste of a “dungeon delve” without
  ever being in real danger. For a hefty price
  (about 250 gp per person), nobles and the
  wealthy can explore a handful of subterranean
  rooms and passages, experience a trap or two,
  and even encounter some foul monsters.
  To accomplish this, the guild members, led by
  an Associate Guildsman named Starelle Nevine
  (human fighter6/expert3), took a cleared out
  section of Ghul’s Labyrinth and sealed it off
  from all underground connections other than a
  passage to the surface. They put a safety net in
  a pit trap and captured a handful of monsters—
  specifically a half dozen carrion crawlers, a rust
  monster, and a few giant beetles—to stock the
  dungeon. A delver “guide” or two accompanies
  the would-be adventurers into this dungeon,
  and then monster wranglers in secret rooms let
  out a few beasts to menace them. The wranglers
  and guides make sure they pose no real threat,
  although they also attempt to keep the cus-
  tomers from slaying the creatures (because then
  they would have to go out and get more). If
  need be, they use spells and items to help con-
  trol the beasts, although the well-fed creatures
  are almost tame at this point and fairly easily
  handled.
  The guides also have plenty of healing potions
  on hand for inevitable injuries (the price of
  which is added into the final fee).
  These so-called “Adventure Tours” were
  extremely popular at first, but that popularity
  has decreased over time. Apparently, much of
  the clientele found the experience to be some-
  what unsatisfying, either because “adventuring”
  wasn’t as enjoyable as they thought it would be
  or because they (perhaps foolishly) wanted more
  of a real challenge rather than the obviously san-
  itized and protected experience they were pro-
  vided. 
  Starelle and her staff have not given up on the
  idea, however, and even now are creating what
  they hope is a better, more gripping, exciting,
  and thrilling experience. They plan on incorpo-
  rating illusions, specially made constructs, and
  greater actual dangers (supplemented with magi-
  cal protections for the clients such as protection
  from energy and stoneskin—which obviously will
  raise the price).
  Scenario: Starelle contacts the player charac-
  ters and offers to pay them 100 gp plus 50 gp
  per HD for captured and subdued creatures 
  for the Delver’s Guild Adventure Tours. She
  explains that she prefers creatures whose
  attacks are not immediately lethal, such as rust
  monsters or carrion crawlers. She also doesn’t
  want anything very intelligent. Hunting down
  specific monsters can be difficult and probably
  involves gathering information from other
  delvers. Bringing them back alive can be trouble-
  some as well—it  certainly isn’t the normal 
  dungeon adventure.
  If the characters succeed, Starelle might invite
  them to join her team. As wranglers or guides,
  the PCs must play out some Adventure Tours
  wherein they must keep the clientele (and possi-
  bly the monsters) safe while providing an excit-
  ing experience. Characters might need to avail
  themselves of skills such as Perform to make it
  all convincing.
  Sewage: Ptolus, page 439
  Dungeon: Ptolus, page 415
  Delver’s Guild: Ptolus, page 108
  Ghul’s Labyrinth: Ptolus, 
  page 418
  Benris, a Delver’s Guild employ-
  ee, hopes to gain key knowledge
  of dungeoneering and dangerous
  beasts by wrangling the “tamed”
  creatures for the tours. She
  dreams of one day becoming
  a “real” adventurer. 
  71
  
  THUNDER-PERFECT MIND
  The Teachings of the Brotherhood of the White
  Lotus by Karius Drakor
  The Great Path has no gates;
  Thousands of roads enter it.
  When one passes through the gateless gate,
  He walks freely between heaven and earth
  —Master Semparti Q’uan
  Such were the words spoken by the founder of
  the Esvallen Brotherhood—commonly called the
  Brotherhood of the White Lotus—as the arcano-
  tyrants of Kem twisted and shattered the very
  bones of that once-great land, laying waste to all
  life*. And many heeded the aging master’s call.
  Imperial reports confirm that the Esvallen
  Brotherhood grew faster than any of the hiero-
  metaphysical movements in the Prustan
  Peninsula. Though convincing arguments have
  been made by several learned individuals—most
  notably Gottfried von Wilhurst—that the White
  Lotus’ growth had as much to do with the socio-
  political climate in Kem** as any possession of
  supposed spiritual truth, the order’s early vitali-
  ty, and its current existence, are noteworthy in
  light of the number of cults that have recently
  sprouted within the Empire.
  Known throughout the world for their skill in
  battle, the Brothers of the White Lotus would
  actually best be classified as introspective, medi-
  tative monks, rather than martial artists. In fact,
  initiates see impressive displays of martial
  prowess as merely a means of achieving mastery
  over the self. Follow a White Lotus monk
  around and she will be just as likely to kneel
  before a strip of rice paper and compose a
  haikar with the simple, yet subtle, stroke of the
  shumi-e brush, as she would be to fight a battle. 
  This seeming ambivalence to custom, tradi-
  tion, and more has caused many to view the
  Esvallen Brotherhood with suspicion—albeit
  warily. Astute scholars will note that the White
  Lotus monks were, for a time, considered true
  heretics and placed among the ranks of the
  damned during the First Inquisition.***
  * See Drustan Thal’s A Secret History of Kem.
  ** Winds Across the Panish: Social Movements
  of the Prustan Peninsula.
  *** Shadows of Hate: Beast Cults and Other
  Heretics, Bishop Krasval von Edin.
  † Moon Wisdom: The Sayings of Master
  Kirwan, collected by Effan Taddeus.
  †† See Learned Master Vineus’ A Sampling 
  of Metaphysical Thought.
  TENETS OF THE BELIEF SYSTEM
  Regardless of the theological (or political, if one
  can truly separate the two) issues presented by the
  White Lotus, the brotherhood represents a fascinat-
  ing viewpoint on the world. It is my hope that this
  scholarly summation of the core principles of the
  Esvallen Brotherhood will shed light on the devel-
  opment of metaphysical thought in the Prustan
  Peninsula during the last four hundred years—
  though the White Lotus followers will surely agree
  that any such enlightenment will not come from
  the mere reading of this book. Thought is required.
  As Master Kirwan of Istama once proclaimed:
  Wind, flag, mind moves,
  the same understanding.
  When the mouth opens,
  all are wrong†
  1. All Is All
  For the White Lotus monk, existence is not a
  multi-faceted place with a diversity of unique cre-
  ations. Rather, existence is a state of being. All
  material and spiritual matter (i.e., people, person-
  alities, magic, the Elemental Planes, even the gods
  themselves) are simply imperfect reflections of the
  Universal Oneness. 
  Unlike many hiero-metaphysical orders, the
  Esvallen Brotherhood does not believe that the
  world is illusory†† or unreal. Rather, it is both
  Real and Not-Real, a seeming paradox that
  points to a profound “truth:” All transcends the
  apprehension or classification of real. The ques-
  tion itself becomes irrelevant. This is expressed
  poetically in the Fourth Stricture of the Masters:
  Lightning flashes,
  Sparks shower.
  In one blink of your eyes,
  You have missed seeing†††
  The goal of a White Lotus initiate is to move
  beyond conceptions and perceptions of the imper-
  fect real and “ascend” (though the use of this spa-
  tial metaphor is symptomatic of the fundamental
  tension that the monk struggles with) into the
  Universal Oneness. This enlightenment contains
  an eschatological and teleological dimension. For
  the Brotherhood of the White Lotus believes that
  an “individual” achievement of enlightenment
  draws the Real ontologically closer to the All.
  That is, the enlightenment of a single monk
  brings all of the imperfect reflections of existence
  closer to unity in the Oneness That Is.   
  ††† Commentaries on the Way, Master Ethael
  Unren.
  72
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  This Delver’s Guild entry comes
  from guest author Keith Strohm,
  who played Harrow elf Gaerioth
  Shadowhand in my Ptolus
  Campaign. A great fan of monks
  and philosophy, Keith created
  “Thunder-Perfect Mind” as part
  of the background for his charac-
  ter. It offers interesting insights
  into the world in which the city of
  Ptolus can be found. —Monte
  Kem: Ptolus, page 43
  Prustan Peninsula: Ptolus, 
  page 42
  Gaerioth’s adapted Esvallen War
  Mask protects his Harrow elf
  identity from those he does
  not yet trust (which is almost
  everyone).
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  2. Everything That Rises
  Must Converge
  Because the Real exists beyond matter in pure
  existential form, the Esvallen believe that the
  very act of creation itself was a “fall,” a chaotic
  splintering of the Real into millions of myriad
  reflections. The duty of every monk, then, is to
  become Real, restoring the essential unity of cre-
  ation. In following this path, a monk rarely
  weighs acts along a moral scale, viewing her
  choices along a gamut of good and evil. The
  consideration of Law and Chaos is much more
  important to the White Lotus, though even this
  must, ultimately, be transcended until every act
  is simply pure Intention.
  3. Intention Empowers Action
  To an outsider, it would seem as if members of
  the Esvallen Brotherhood place an undue
  emphasis on physical combat and martial chal-
  lenges, for they need little excuse to challenge
  each other—often choosing inappropriate
  moments, such as during meditation, to attack
  one other. Certainly such an obsession with
  proving one’s skills and dominance should point
  to an overabundance of ego-needs. However, the
  White Lotus believe that their mastery over Self,
  the degree to which they have transcended cre-
  ation, is signified by their skill in battle. Thus,
  losing a fight isn’t about physical error or defi-
  ciency; it is about the state of a monk’s enlight-
  enment. Often, a monk who has lost a fight will
  bow before his “enemy” and thank him for the
  lesson.
  4. Vigorous Non-Detachment
  Is Itself an Attachment
  White Lotus monks do indeed reject attachment
  to creation and worldly things—though they
  guard themselves carefully against becoming
  attached to their philosophy. While it is rare that
  they seek after material wealth or power (they
  have been known to give away treasured posses-
  sions for “no good reason”), a monk moving far
  along the path of enlightenment will accept even
  the greatest of treasures with the same equanimi-
  ty as he would drop such a treasure in the dirt.
  For it is said within the walls of the order’s cen-
  tral monastery:
  In spring, hundreds of flowers;
  in autumn, a harvest moon;
  in summer, a refreshing breeze;
  in winter, snow will accompany you.
  If useless things do not hang in your mind,
  any season is a good season for you.‡
  ROLE OF THE AVEDRAS
  Occasionally during the order’s history, the
  brothers have chosen a monk to leave the con-
  fines of the monastery and pursue enlightenment
  in the world. Such a monk is both blessed and
  cursed, for his freedom also means he cannot
  rely on the wisdom and guidance of the White
  Lotus Masters who reside in the deepest confines
  of the monastery. These wandering monks usual-
  ly wear a modified version of the Esvallen War
  Mask‡‡ to symbolize their presence in, but sepa-
  ration from, created matter. The gathered assem-
  bly of the White Lotus Masters gives the young
  monk a single quest, usually in the form of a rid-
  dle to solve. He can only return when he has
  found the answer. Throughout the length and
  breadth of the Brotherhood of the White Lotus,
  only nine such monks were chosen.
  Gaerioth, the latest Avedras, has been spotted
  in and around the city of Ptolus. Witnesses say
  that he adventures with a group called the
  Company of the Black Lantern, as well as a col-
  lection of adventurers who seem to follow the
  clerics of Lothian. Although rumors of a connec-
  tion to major crime lords in the city abound, no
  proof of it has ever surfaced. The nature of
  Gaerioth’s quest, and his ability to complete it,
  are both unknown. Only time will tell. 
  ‡ Piercing the Cloud: The Nine Strictures of the
  Masters Explained, Kalem von Anor
  ‡‡ Ancient Battle Gear of the Prustan
  Peninsula, Vineus von Tram   
  Gaerioth’s quest as an avedras
  was to learn the word that begat
  all of creation. Sadly, while he
  accompanied the Company of
  the Black Lantern on many 
  exciting adventures, it was the
  Runewardens who traveled the
  Jewels of Parnaith and in the end
  spoke with an avatar of the
  Creator. No one thought to ask
  his question at the time. Luckily,
  the stalwart monk got his own
  opportunity somewhat later....
  Among his friends, Gaerioth was
  known for his spartan tastes and
  lack of interest in worldly things.
  In fact, whenever the Company
  of the Black Lantern discovered
  treasure in their many adven-
  tures, he would always give his
  share to other members to
  “hold” for him. He always had
  what he needed, and if the rest
  of the group enjoyed a little 
  “bonus” from time to time, it 
  was of no concern to him.
  73
  AVEDRAS SINCE 110 IA
  Name 
  Date
  Accomplishment
  Garthorius
  150 IA
  Ascended White Lotus Master
  Shelomiel Avaren
  213 IA
  Disappeared near Uraq
  Antares Venal
  295 IA
  Killed in the Great Earthquake
  Syndaran
  376 IA
  Ascended White Lotus Master
  Karathur Ernam
  440 IA
  Killed by the tarrasque in Nall
  Farnath Gymel
  568 IA
  Ascended White Lotus Master
  Raevenal Arath
  614 IA
  Ascended White Lotus Master
  Laran Thal
  678 IA
  Killed by servants of Maleskari
  Gaerioth Shadowhand
  721 IA
  To be determined
  FROM MY CAMPAIGN
  TO YOURS
  
  TEN STARTING CAMPAIGN
  SCENARIOS
  Now that the Ptolus book is in your hands, here
  are some ways you can use it to start a brand-
  new city-based campaign.
  1. THE LONG DELAY
  The player characters all arrive at the South
  Gate at the same time. There’s a mule driver try-
  ing to get his animals into the city, and he’s hav-
  ing trouble. This delay has caused a line to form
  of people wanting to gain entrance to Ptolus. As
  the PCs make small
  talk (or overhear oth-
  ers making small talk),
  they strike up a
  friendship, learning
  that they’ve all come
  to the city for the
  same reason: to
  strike it rich as
  adventurers. The
  bonds of friend-
  ship between
  those who all
  find themselves
  newcomers to
  the place are
  quickly forged
  and strong.
  After they
  cross the
  city’s threshold togeth-
  er, the characters learn the lay of the
  land at the same time and get involved in the
  same first mission.
  2. MISTAKEN IDENTITY
  All the PCs are in the same area of the city at
  the same time—Iridithil’s Home, Delver’s Square,
  Star Crossing Plaza, etc.—when one of them is
  attacked by thugs. In a case of mistaken identity,
  the thugs believe the player character to be
  someone they’ve been hired to beat up for not
  paying his gambling debts. They work for the
  crime lord Aggah-Shan, although they don’t will-
  ingly reveal that fact. The other PCs are those
  individuals who happen to step in and lend the
  victim a hand. Friendship can be forged in the
  fires of adversity, and nothing gets a story (or a
  campaign) started like an immediate action
  scene. Plus, together they can track these thugs
  back to where they came from to find out the
  reason for the unwarranted attack.
  3. WANTED: ADVENTURERS
  The player characters (except one) answer a call
  for adventures that they have seen posted in
  Delver’s Square. It was posted by the last PC,
  who has a map given to him by a retired adven-
  turer. The map leads to a small but worthwhile
  treasure hoard under the city, in the possession
  of a small but dangerous black dragon. There
  will be other dangers on the way as well, and
  the character with the map knows he needs
  capable help to get the treasure. He’s willing to
  split it equally with all involved.
  4. TWO GROUPS
  The PCs are divided into two groups of charac-
  ters that either have known each other for a
  long time or have met using other of the other
  scenarios described here. Both groups,
  seeking bounties, inde-
  pendently track some
  ratmen to the same lair.
  The rats prove to be too
  numerous and crafty for
  either group alone, but
  working together, they can
  prove victorious.
  5. LOST CHILD
  A small girl is missing and
  his parents are distraught.
  Many locals are helping out
  by searching the neighborhood,
  and the player characters are
  among them. They make up the
  group that comes upon the lass,
  where she’s fallen down a well.
  Working together, the PCs rescue
  her and, in the celebratory dinner
  given in their honor at the parents’
  house that night, the characters get a chance to
  talk and learn that they have similar interests
  and goals. At that same dinner, they hear about
  a house just down the street that is supposedly
  haunted.
  6. IN GOD’S NAME
  The PCs all worship the same minor deity and
  have seen each other around the temple at vari-
  ous times. When the high priest is found dead in
  his home one night, it’s these characters whom
  the other clergy approach for help. They’re all
  known as devout followers of the faith and
  capable individuals, while the remaining priests
  are little more than acolytes. They plead with
  the PCs in the deity’s name to help them against
  the murderers: a temple of a rival god bent on
  driving their religion from the city.
  7. REJECTION
  The Keepers of the Veil are recruiting and
  announce an open invitation for all to come to
  the Siege Tower to apply to join their ranks. The
  74
  SECRETS OF THE DELVER’S GUILD
  South Gate: Ptolus, page 158
  Ratman lair: Ptolus, page 442
  Supposedly haunted house: See
  “The Trouble With Goblins” in
  Ptolus, page 595
  Iridithil’s Home: Ptolus, 
  page 207
  Delver’s Square: Ptolus, 
  page 198
  Star Crossing Plaza: Ptolus,
  page 350
  Aggah-Shan: Ptolus, page 335
  Keepers of the Veil: Ptolus, 
  page 119
  Siege Tower: Ptolus, page 237
  
  CHAPTER 4: TIPS, TALES, AND TREASURES
  PCs are the applicants who don’t make the cut.
  If friendship can be created in adversity, then
  this is a different sort of adversity. Disgruntled,
  the PCs decide to band together and show the
  knights that they made a mistake by making
  names for themselves as independent adventur-
  ers. They plan to start their careers by exploring
  a tomb just inside the Necropolis; it’s said to be
  filled with animated undead that sometimes
  manage to get either over or under the wall and
  into the city at night.
  8. TAVERN BRAWL
  It’s fight night at the Savage Shark—but then, it’s
  always fight night at the Savage Shark. On this
  particular night, those brawlers left standing at
  the end all happen to be: the player characters.
  They share a drink and nurse their wounds
  together and get to know each other. After a
  night of drinking and talking, they decide to put
  their fighting prowess to a better (and more
  profitable) end, and go explore the Dungeon
  together. One of them happens to know the
  entrance to an old smuggler’s den in the
  Guildsman District; nowadays it’s supposedly
  the haunt of a small band of goblins. 
  9. A FRIEND IN NEED
  The PCs all were friends as children. Today,
  although they’ve been apart (training in their
  various professions, traveling, and so on), they
  learn that one of them has contracted red ache
  (see Chapter 8: Glossary of the DMG). Although
  the diseased character isn’t yet debilitated, he
  soon will be if he and his old friends can’t band
  together to raise money for a spell to cure it.
  One of the other PCs has heard that there’s a
  sizable bounty on the head of a half-orc murder-
  er and thief; they could collect it if they could
  only track him down and bring him to justice.
  10. STRANGE NOISES
  The player characters all reside near each other
  in the Rivergate District. Some of them are even
  vaguely acquainted. A few nights ago, strange
  noises started disturbing some of them, as well
  as the others in the immediate neighborhood.
  When the City Watch investigated, they found a
  newly formed tunnel behind an old abandoned
  house; it was guarded by two small humanoid
  creatures made of rock. They destroyed the
  creatures and sealed off the tunnel, but the nois-
  es continue. The PCs band together to take mat-
  ters into their own hands, eventually discover-
  ing that an evil conjurer is summoning small
  earth elementals to help him create an under-
  ground lair. 
  The group that would one day
  become the Runewardens met
  using a variation on Scenario #1
  (they later picked up Udalaag,
  far right, and Canabulum, far
  left, along the way).
  Half-orc murderer and thief: Feel
  free to use the Rullus Hobb
  handout from the Ptolus book
  to advertise the bounty.
  Savage Shark: Ptolus, page 175
  City Watch: Ptolus, page 150
  Dungeon: Ptolus, page 415
  75
  
  ®
  If you’ve read the Ptolus book, then you know all
  about the Delver’s Guild, a group that brings
  adventurers together to exchange information
  about the Dungeon below the city, as well as
  useful resources in the city proper and even
  potential missions. But the Delver’s Guild
  has become even more than that.
  For a year leading up to the release of Ptolus, game
  designer Monte Cook wrote a short article every
  week to post on a website just for customers
  who had preordered the book. The articles were
  brand-new material for the city: NPCs, deities,
  locales, creatures, and the like. 
  We called this website “the Delver’s Guild,” as the
  site brought Ptolus fans together to discover new
  resources just as its namesake organization did for
  adventurers. And now, long after the debut of
  Ptolus, the Secrets of the Delver’s Guild are finally
  revealed! In these 76 pages you’ll find all the
  material from the Delver’s Guild website just waiting
  to be introduced to your Ptolus Campaign.
  ©2007 Monte J. Cook
  Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons®
  Third Edition Core Books, published by
  Wizards of the Coast®
  Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, and Wizards of the Coast are registered
  trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Sword & Sorcery is a
  trademark of White Wolf Publishing. Malhavoc is a registered
  trademark of Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
  www.ptolus.com
  A Sourcebook by Monte Cook
  Secrets of the
  DELVER’S GUILD
  PDF Version 1
  March 2007
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Ptolus/Ptolus Secrets of the Delvers Guild.pdf