TEXT: XP1
  Xoth.Net Publishing
  http://xoth.net/publishing
  Sword and Sorcery 
  Adventures for Character Levels 1-10
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
  Page 2
  1XP53383NH6314743
  Table of Contents
  Part One: A World of Sword and Sorcery
  Chapter 1: Introduction ____________________________________________ 3
  Chapter 2: Characters _____________________________________________  8
  Chapter 3: Sorcery _______________________________________________ 26
  Chapter 4: Cults, Gods & Demons _____________________________________ 35
  Chapter 5: Equipment _____________________________________________ 40
  Part Two: Tales of Sword and Sorcery
  Chapter 6: The Necromancer’s Knife ___________________________________ 44
  Chapter 7: The Spider-God’s Bride ____________________________________ 56
  Chapter 8: The Jewel of Khadim Bey ___________________________________ 74
  Chapter 9: The Eidolon of the Ape _____________________________________ 90
  Chapter 10: The Crypt-Thing of Khorsul _________________________________ 100
  Chapter 11: The Vault of Yigthrahotep __________________________________  112
  Chapter 12: The Swords of Zimballah __________________________________ 132
  Chapter 13: The Slaves of the Moon ___________________________________ 148
  Chapter 14: The Daughters of Rahma __________________________________ 162
  Chapter 15: The Call from the Abyss ___________________________________ 172
  Part Three: Appendices
  Appendix A: New Monsters _________________________________________ 192
  Appendix B: References and Bibliography ________________________________ 196
  Appendix C: Miscellanea ___________________________________________ 197
  Appendix D: License ______________________________________________ 198
  Credits
  Author: Morten Braten (a.k.a. Thulsa)
  Layout and Typesetting: Morten Braten
  Cartography: Morten Braten
  Front Cover Art: “Slaying of the Prophets of 
  Baal” by Gustave Doré
  Interior Art: All artwork is public domain art, 
  collected by Karen at http://karenswhimsy.com.
  Playtesters: Roald Aronsson, Yngve Danielsen, 
  John-Martin Johnsen, Glenn Myklebust, Trond 
  “Baby Doc” Oliversen, Håkon Prestmo, Henning 
  ”the Game Boy” Rege, Kjartan “Kartanikos” Sletvold, 
  Lars Kåre Sukka.
  Special Thanks: Thanks to Henning Rege for his 
  advice and encyclopedic knowledge of the d20 rules. 
  Thanks to Jans Carton for his invaluable online 
  reference at d20srd.org. And maximum respect to 
  the Forus Massive worldwide!
  Copyright © 2008 Xoth.Net Publishing. All 
  rights reserved. Reproduction without the written 
  permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. 
  All characters, names, places, items, non-public 
  domain art and text herein are copyrighted by 
  Xoth.Net Publishing. Dungeons and Dragons® and 
  Wizards of the Coast® are trademarks of Wizards 
  of the Coast, and are used in accordance with the 
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  dix. The mention of or reference to any company 
  or product in these pages is not a challenge to the 
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  This book uses the supernatural for settings, char-
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  Page 3
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Introduction
  ”The nostalgia of things unknown, of lands 
  forgotten or unfound, is upon me at times. 
  Often I long for the gleam of yellow suns 
  upon terraces of translucent azure marble, 
  mocking the windless waters of lakes unfath-
  omably calm; for lost, legendary palaces of 
  serpentine, silver and ebony, whose columns 
  are green stalactites; for the pillars of fallen 
  temples, standing in the vast purpureal sunset 
  of a land of lost and marvellous romance. I 
  sigh for (...) the strange and hidden cities of 
  the desert, with burning brazen domes and 
  slender pinnacles of gold and copper, that 
  pierce a heaven of heated lazuli.” 
   
  — Clark Ashton Smith: Nostalgia of 
  the Unknown
  Welcome to a world where men are mighty, 
  women are voluptuous, kings are cruel, and 
  hidden terror lurks in every brooding ruin! It 
  is an age of splendorous but decadent king-
  doms, where armies clash at the whims of 
  depraved nobles, and the bloody sword of an 
  adventurer can topple empires.
  This book uses the standard revised third 
  edition rules plus new variant rules for sword 
  and sorcery play, which enables you to recre-
  ate in your games the exciting pulp fiction of 
  such great authors as Robert E. Howard, Clark 
  Ashton Smith, Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, 
  and Charles R. Saunders.
  The first part of the book contains back-
  ground information and new rules, races, 
  classes, feats, spells, and equipment. The 
  second and biggest part of the book contains 
  a collection of sword and sorcery adventures 
  which can be run in the campaign-world 
  described in this book (the World of Xoth), or 
  easily tweaked for play in Howard’s Hyboria, 
  Smith’s Zothique, Leiber’s Nehwon, Carter’s 
  Lemuria, Saunders’ Nyumbani, the Wilder-
  lands from Judges Guild, or your own cam-
  paign world.
  Read on, and prepare for high adventure, 
  as the player characters cut a crimson swath 
  through savage jungle kingdoms and thronged 
  desert cities. From the forbidden catacombs of 
  Belthaar to the sunken temples of Namthu, a 
  world of adventure awaits you!
  A Word to the Wise
  This book makes occasional refer-
  ences to mature themes such as hu-
  man sacrifice, slavery, drugs, racism 
  and perverted sexuality. Such themes, 
  which are staples of the sword and 
  sorcery genre, are simply assumed 
  to be unpleasant but undeniable 
  facts of life in the grim fantasy world 
  described. The sensible reader should 
  quickly note that these themes are 
  not the focus of the book; they are not 
  explored in-depth, nor are they used 
  gratuitously. Remember that this is a 
  work of fiction, and stuff in this book 
  should not be taken as an endorse-
  ment of these things in the real world. 
  That said, let’s get on with the game.
  How This Book Is Organized
  The first part of the book contains new rules 
  and background information. In this chapter 
  (Chapter One), you will find optional rules 
  and advice for running a sword and sorcery 
  campaign. Chapter Two details new feats, 
  races and character classes, including a modi-
  fied sorcerer class. Chapter Three contains 
  a collection of new spells and new rules for 
  studying and using magic. Chapter Four lists 
  the major cults and religions of the world, and 
  describes their temples, priests, and rituals. 
  Finally, Chapter Five has a selection of new 
  equipment, including regional weapons and 
  alchemical items.
  The second part of the book contains a collec-
  tion of adventures that take the player charac-
  ters across the world, from the domed palaces 
  and scented gardens of Zul-Bazzir, through 
  the scorching deserts of Khazistan, to the 
  barbaric stone cities of Azimba, into the for-
  bidden temples of Susrah, and beyond. Each 
  adventure has been designed to be played as a 
  stand-alone scenario, but the DM could very 
  well combine them into a grand campaign, in 
  which case they will take the PCs all the way 
  from 1st level to around 10th level.
  The book then wraps up with appendices 
  containing new monsters and creature tem-
  plates, plus a bibliography and other miscel-
  lanea.
  
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  Campaign Guidelines and 
  Optional Rules
  The worlds of sword and sorcery adven-
  tures differ in many respects from the “high 
  fantasy” milieu assumed by the core rules. In 
  sword and sorcery, the world is dominated by 
  human races; other races (usually degenerate 
  survivors of an earlier age) and supernatural 
  monsters exist only in hidden or lost enclaves 
  far from human civilization. Combat is bloody 
  and brutal, and magical healing does not exist. 
  The use of real magic or sorcery is uncommon, 
  and when used its effects tend to be subtle. 
  Sorcerers are almost always villains, tainted 
  by cosmic evil. Permanent magical items are 
  extremely rare, and never for sale.
  To establish the proper atmosphere for the 
  adventures contained within this book, you are 
  strongly encouraged to make use of the follow-
  ing optional rules (and the new classes in the 
  Characters chapter) in your campaign.
  While everything in this chapter is optional, 
  the adventures as written assume all the fol-
  lowing rules to be in effect (except for the “Ar-
  mor Reduces Damage” rule, as noted below). 
  The DM might have to make adjustments to 
  the adventures in this book if he places them 
  within a world with the standard d20 System 
  level of magic, monsters, and magical items.
  Out With Alignment
  ”Torches flared murkily on the revels in the 
  Maul, where the thieves of the east held car-
  nival by night. In the Maul they could carouse 
  and roar as they liked, for honest people 
  shunned the quarters, and watchmen, well 
  paid with stained coins, did not interfere with 
  their sports. (...) In one of these dens mer-
  riment thundered to the low smoke-stained 
  roof, where rascals gathered in every stage of 
  rags and tatters -- furtive cut-purses, leering 
  kidnappers, quick-fingered thieves, swag-
  gering bravoes with their wenches, strident-
  voiced women clad in tawdry finery. Native 
  rogues were the dominant element -- dark-
  skinned, dark-eyed Zamorians, with daggers 
  at their girdles and guile in their hearts.” — 
  Robert E. Howard: The Tower of the Elephant
  A staple high fantasy concept, that of inher-
  ently evil races (such as orcs and drow) doesn’t 
  make much sense in a mainly humanocentric 
  world such as the one described in this book.
  While the sword and sorcery genre certainly 
  has its own set of clichés, it differs from high 
  fantasy in that there is no delicate balance 
  between good and evil, with fair and noble 
  elves valiantly fighting against stupid, evil 
  orcs. Rather, it is a grim world where might 
  makes right; a world of cruel kings, barbarous 
  fighters, beautiful but seductive women, and 
  ambitious sorcerers and foul demons lurking 
  in the shadows.
  Individuals within this world are defined by 
  their motivation, culture, and personal ambi-
  tions and ethics. Having characters act accord-
  ing to their own motivation creates much more 
  interesting plots and storylines than simply 
  “I’m good, you’re evil” plotlines.
  As a consequence, characters, creatures 
  and deities have no listed alignment value (to 
  retain compatibility with the standard stat-
  blocks, the alignment entry is included, but all 
  characters are simply listed as Neutral). The 
  PCs will have to judge for themselves whether 
  an NPC is “evil” based on his or her actions.
  That said, there are certain supernatural 
  creatures and monsters, such as demonic 
  outsiders and most undead, whose alignments 
  can be labeled as “cosmic evil” (CE). A protec-
  tion from evil spell works against these kinds 
  of monsters.
  Note that while cosmic evil may exist, there 
  is no such thing as “cosmic good”. This is one 
  of the major differences between high fantasy, 
  where some sort of balance of power between 
  good and evil usually exists, and sword and 
  sorcery worlds, where the outlook is bleak and 
  the heroes usually fight against overwhelming 
  odds. 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Monsters Are Monstrous
  ”Only a sudden (...) premonition of danger 
  saved Imaro from the talons of the beast that 
  sprang down from the trees. Despite Imaro’s 
  lightning-swift leap to the side, those claws 
  raked across one naked shoulder, adding to 
  the scarlet wounds decorating his dark skin. 
  Thrown off-balance by the glancing blow, 
  Imaro stumbled to the ground. Quickly he 
  leaped to his feet and whirled to meet his 
  attacker. His eyes widened in surprise then, 
  for the beast facing him was like none he had 
  seen before, on the Tamburure or elsewhere. 
  It was a great cat, leanly built, halfway 
  between a leopard and a lioness in size. Its 
  fur was scarlet in hue, spotted like a leopard’s 
  with rosettes of a deeper crimson shade. Its 
  glittering claws were fearsome weapons, but 
  more dangerous still were the dagger-like 
  fangs that curved an inch below the cat’s 
  tufted chin. The long tail lashed in frustration. 
  Not often did the red panther miss its prey.” 
  — Charles R. Saunders: The City of Madness
  Good sword and sorcery tales include a cer-
  tain element of brooding horror. The monsters 
  encountered by the protagonists are often 
  unique or exist in isolation. Many monsters 
  are simply giant or prehistoric versions of 
  natural animals such as snakes, apes, and bats.
  A good rule of thumb is to have the PCs en-
  counter at most one or two different monster 
  types during a single adventuring session. 
  Dungeons stocked with different monsters in 
  each room should be avoided, since it quickly 
  breaks atmosphere and strains credibility.
  Whenever a monster or unusual animal is 
  encountered, treat them as having the Fright-
  ful Presence extraordinary ability.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): This special quality 
  makes a creature’s very presence unsettling 
  to foes. It takes effect automatically when the 
  creature performs some sort of dramatic ac-
  tion (such as charging, attacking, or snarling). 
  Opponents within 30 feet who witness the 
  action may become shaken for 1 minute (10 
  rounds). This ability affects only opponents 
  with fewer Hit Dice or levels than the creature 
  has. An affected opponent can resist the effect 
  with a successful Will save (DC 10 + ½ fright-
  ful creature’s racial HD + frightful creature’s 
  Cha modifier).
  If multiple creatures of the same type ap-
  pear simultaneously in the same encounter, 
  opponents only have to make a single saving 
  throw against the fear effect. An opponent that 
  succeeds on the saving throw is immune to 
  the frightful presence of monsters of the same 
  type for 24 hours. For example, if the PCs are 
  attacked by a pack of five ghouls, each player 
  character makes a single saving throw. Those 
  who make the save do not need to save again if 
  more ghouls are encountered within 24 hours.
  Magic Is Mysterious
  ”My name is Pharpetron, among those who 
  have known me in Poseidonis; but even I, 
  the last and most forward pupil of the wise 
  Avyctes, know not the name of that which I 
  am fated to become ere tomorrow. Therefore, 
  by the ebbing silver lamps, in my master’s 
  marble house above the loud, ever-ravening 
  sea, I write this tale with a hasty hand, 
  scrawling an ink of wizard virtue on the grey, 
  priceless, antique parchment of dragons. And 
  having written, I shall enclose the pages in a 
  sealed cylinder of orichalchum, and shall cast 
  the cylinder from a high window into the sea, 
  lest that which I am doomed to become should 
  haply destroy the writing. And it may be that 
  mariners from Lephara, passing to Umb 
  and Pneor in their tall triremes, will find the 
  cylinder; or fishers will draw it from the wave 
  in their seines of byssus; and having read 
  my story, men will learn the truth and take 
  warning; and no man’s feet, henceforward, 
  will approach the pale and demon-haunted 
  house of Avyctes.” — Clark Ashton Smith: The 
  Double Shadow
  While almost every sword and sorcery tale 
  seems to include a foul demon, an ancient 
  wizard risen from the dead, or a cult of snake-
  worshipping priests, these settings are usu-
  ally referred to as  “low magic”, at least when 
  compared to the typical high fantasy, quasi-
  medieval settings so common in roleplaying 
  games.
  The major difference is that in sword and 
  sorcery stories, magic is not used as a replace-
  ment for technology. Spells and magic items 
  are not used to perform every little task and 
  to make life more convenient for the caster. 
  Rather, magic is a corrupting force that can be 
  dangerous to both health and sanity; it is only 
  used when the sorcerer deems it absolutely 
  necessary.
  Common people working their shops or 
  fields, and the majority of soldiers, thieves and 
  merchants, have likely never seen a true magi-
  cian or seen a spell cast or held a magical item. 
  Magic is generally feared, and most magicians 
  (but not all) are associated with dark curses, 
  evil gods and unbearable secrets which “Man 
  Was Not Meant To Know”. Even priests are 
  usually feared and held in awe by the common 
  man.
  In savage areas, magic is widely feared and 
  misunderstood, the province of tribal witch-
  doctors and shamans, who claim to protect the 
  rest of the tribe from the vengeful spirits and 
  demons that surround them.
  The select few who are able to use magic and 
  cast spells guard their secrets jealously and 
  attempt to use it to their advantage, often to 
  the detriment of others, and sometimes also to 
  themselves.
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  Magical items are rare and are almost never 
  for sale, though on rare events one will turn up 
  in a market, unrecognized for its true value. 
  Spellcasters might be willing to cast some 
  spells for pay, depending on the individual’s 
  motivation or greed.
  See the Magic chapter for more information 
  about recommended changes to the magic 
  system.
  Combat Is Deadly
  ”Jehungir did not try again. That was his 
  last arrow. He drew his scimitar and ad-
  vanced, confident in his spired helmet and 
  close−meshed mail. Conan met him halfway 
  in a blinding whirl of swords. The curved 
  blades ground together, sprang apart, circled 
  in glittering arcs that blurred the sight which 
  tried to follow them. Octavia, watching, did 
  not see the stroke, but she heard its chopping 
  impact and saw Jehungir fall, blood spurting 
  from his side where the Cimmerian’s steel had 
  sundered his mail and bitten to his spine.” — 
  Robert E. Howard: The Devil In Iron
  In sword and sorcery stories, the protago-
  nists regularly kill their foes with a single well-
  placed hit. Altering the massive damage rule 
  makes it possible to simulate such scenes. On 
  the other hand, it makes combat much more 
  deadly for the player characters as well.
  Massive Damage: Several variations on 
  massive damage thresholds and results are 
  possible. The default assumed in this book is 
  that a character’s massive damage threshold 
  is equal to his current Constitution score plus 
  half his character level or Hit Dice (rounded 
  down). Whenever he takes damage from a 
  single hit that equals or exceeds his threshold, 
  he must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save 
  or suffer the effects of massive damage. For 
  every 10 points of damage dealt by an attack in 
  excess of a character’s massive damage thresh-
  old, increase the Fortitude save DC by 2.
  For example, a 6th-level character with a 
  Constitution of 13 would have to make a DC 15 
  Fortitude save when taking 16 to 25 points of 
  damage from a single attack, DC 17 for 26 to 
  35 points, DC 19 for 36 to 45 points, and so on.
  Death Effects: Since there are no raise 
  dead or resurrection spells, death effects (such 
  as from the finger of death and slay living 
  spells) and death from massive damage drops 
  characters to -8 hp and in immediate danger 
  of bleeding to death instead of killing them 
  outright. Such characters can recover in the 
  normal ways from negative hit points, but they 
  are usually unable to act for the rest of the cur-
  rent encounter.
  Armor Reduces Damage (Optional Rule)
  In the abstract d20 combat system, a char-
  acter’s armor defends him by reducing the 
  chance that an attack will deal damage. That 
  system simplifies the realities of battle in order 
  to streamline combat resolution. An attack 
  that fails due to a character’s armor or natural 
  armor doesn’t really fail to connect, but rather 
  fails to connect with enough force to deal any 
  damage. (That’s why touch attacks ignore a 
  character’s armor and natural armor — the 
  touch attack only needs to connect to deliver 
  its effect, and need not actually breach the 
  target’s armor.)
  If you’re willing to add a layer of complexity 
  to your combats, consider this variant. In this 
  system, armor reduces the amount of damage 
  dealt by an attack instead of merely turning 
  would-be hits into misses. Armor still prevents 
  some hits outright, but also reduces the deadli-
  ness of attacks that do connect. In essence, the 
  system “gives up” some of armor’s ability to 
  turn hits into misses in exchange for a small 
  reduction in damage dealt by any given attack.
  Armor Damage Reduction Values: In 
  this system, armor offers two benefits against 
  attacks: a minor bonus to AC, which functions 
  just like the armor bonus in the standard d20 
  rules but is usually lower in value; and damage 
  reduction. To determine the armor’s damage 
  reduction, divide the armor’s normal armor 
  bonus by 2 (rounding down). To determine 
  the armor’s new armor bonus, subtract the DR 
  from the normal armor bonus. For example, 
  studded leather has a normal armor bonus of 
  +3. That gives it a DR of 1/- (half of 3, rounded 
  down) and a new armor bonus of +2 (3 minus 
  1).
  Stacking Damage Reduction: The dam-
  age reduction granted by armor stacks with 
  other damage reduction of the same type (that 
  is, damage reduction that has a dash after 
  the number). A 7th-level barbarian wearing 
  a breastplate has DR 3/- (1/- from his class 
  levels and 2/- from his armor). A fighter 
  wearing full plate armor who is the target of a 
  stoneskin spell, however, has DR 4/- from the 
  armor and 10/adamantine from the spell.
  Shields: Shields function normally in this 
  variant, granting their full shield bonus to AC. 
  Unlike with armor, a shield’s effectiveness is 
  measured wholly by its ability to keep an at-
  tack from connecting with your body.
  Natural Armor: A creature’s natural armor 
  also provides a modicum of damage reduction. 
  Divide the monster’s natural armor bonus (not 
  including any enhancement bonus) by 5 to de-
  termine the monster’s damage reduction. The 
  same value is subtracted from the monster’s 
  natural armor bonus to find the monster’s new 
  AC.
  If the creature already has damage reduction, 
  either add the value gained from natural ar-
  mor (if the existing damage reduction is of the 
  same type) or treat it as a separate DR value (if 
  it is of a different type).
  For example, a mummy normally has a 
  natural armor bonus of +10. This gives it DR 
  2/-, and its natural armor bonus is reduced 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  by 2 points to +8 (making it’s AC 18). Since 
  the mummy already has DR 5/- as a special 
  quality, its total damage reduction becomes 
  DR 7/-.
  A mature adult red dragon has a natural 
  armor bonus of +24. This gives it DR 4/-, and 
  its natural armor bonus is reduced by 4 points 
  to +20 (making its AC 28). The dragon’s exist-
  ing damage reduction is 10/magic, so the two 
  damage reduction values remain separate.
  Finally, a frost giant has a +9 natural armor 
  bonus, so it gains DR 1/- from natural armor. 
  The chain shirt it wears gives it an additional 
  DR 2/-. If the frost giant were a 7th-level bar-
  barian, the barbarian class levels would give it 
  DR 1/-. These three values add up to DR 4/-. 
  The giant’s AC would be 20 (10, +8 natural 
  armor bonus, +2 chain shirt).
  Wounds Heal Quickly
  To make up for the scarcity of healing spells 
  and restorative magic, the natural healing rate 
  should be accelerated in a sword and sorcery 
  setting.
  Natural Healing: With a full night’s rest (8 
  hours of sleep or more), a character recovers 
  3 + character level + Constitution bonus hit 
  points. Any significant interruption during the 
  character’s rest prevents the character from 
  healing that night. If the character undergoes 
  complete bed rest for an entire day and night, 
  he recovers twice the normal amount.
  With a Heal skill check (DC 15) that takes 1d6 
  minutes to perform, a character may pro-
  vide short-term care for a wounded creature, 
  restoring a number of hit points equal to 3 
  + character level + Constitution bonus. A 
  creature can only benefit from such care once 
  per day.
  Ability Damage: Ability damage is healed 
  at a rate of 1 point per hour of rest for each 
  damaged ability score, except when the ability 
  damage is suffered through a disease, in which 
  case the lost ability points return only after 
  the character has recovered from the disease. 
  Permanent ability drain should be used with 
  extreme care, since restoration spells are un-
  available (see the Magic chapter).
  The Tale Is Its Own Reward
  To focus on a good story rather than mind-
  less monster-slaying, consider giving XP 
  awards for objectives the player characters 
  achieved during a session. This XP replaces 
  the experience points gained from killing 
  monsters. The DM should consider setting up 
  specific story goals that the PCs can achieve, 
  with an associated XP reward.
  Alternatively, the DM could just hand out a 
  suitable amount of experience points for each 
  completed session, making sure the player 
  characters advance in levels at an enjoyable 
  rate.
  The Adventures
  This section provides some tips for running 
  the adventures in this book.
  Story-Driven versus Location-Driven Play
  The adventures in this book are inspired by 
  the sword and sorcery fiction of the pulp era. 
  Each adventure is built around a sequence 
  of scenes — encounters or locations — that 
  (hopefully) combine to form an exciting story, 
  with the player characters acting as the protag-
  onists. To avoid railroading the PCs through a 
  fixed plot, the goal has been to give the player 
  characters plenty of choices with regard to 
  how they resolve a specific situation. Also, 
  there are many possible conclusions to each 
  adventure and often, additional adventures 
  can be extrapolated from the consequences of 
  the PCs’ actions during each adventure.
  Even so, some DMs and players may not like 
  the sequential nature of such story-driven ad-
  ventures. Should you prefer a more free-form, 
  location-driven style of play, where the charac-
  ters are free to wander around, exploring new 
  areas and stirring up trouble, this book pres-
  ents you with dozens of maps and full descrip-
  tions of locations, as well as the statistics and 
  motivations of NPCs, allowing you to take each 
  adventure in whatever direction you desire.
  In any case, you should view the “Adventure 
  Synopsis” included in each chapter as merely 
  a possible outline of events. Feel free to ignore 
  it, wholly or in part, inserting your own plots 
  or events to improve upon the scenario as 
  written. The actions of the player characters 
  may derail the original outline, but if this hap-
  pens, just go with the flow and determine the 
  logical response from non-player characters 
  based on their capabilities and motivations.
  The Road Ahead
  The opportunities for further adventures in 
  the World of Xoth are endless. At the end of 
  the last adventure in this book, perhaps the 
  player characters are shipwrecked on the bleak 
  shores of the cannibalistic Ikuna tribes, or 
  they may encounter a Zadjite merchant-fleet 
  headed for the Silver Lotus Isles. The party can 
  explore the ancient ruins and ziggurat-temples 
  of the Sunken Isles of Ptahaana, or head back 
  to the warring city-states of Susrah to enlist as 
  mercenary captains.
  If the player characters have played through 
  all the adventures in this book, chances are 
  that at least some enemies manage to escape 
  alive and might come looking after the PCs for 
  revenge. But these are tales for another day... 
  and perhaps another book.
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  Characters
  ”Zobal the archer and Cushara the pike-
  bearer had poured many a libation to their 
  friendship in the sanguine liquors of Yoros 
  and the blood of the kingdom’s enemies. In 
  that long and lusty amity, broken only by 
  such passing quarrels as concerned the divi-
  sion of a wine-skin or the apportioning of a 
  wench, they had served amid the soldiery of 
  King Hoaraph for a strenous decade. Sav-
  age warfare and wild, fantastic hazard had 
  been their lot. The renown of their valor had 
  drawn upon them, ultimately, the honor of 
  Hoaraph’s attention, and he had assigned 
  them for duty among the picked warriors that 
  guarded his palace in Faraad. And sometimes 
  the twain were sent together on such missions 
  as required no common hardihood and no 
  disputable fealty to the king.” — Clark Ashton 
  Smith: The Black Abbot of Puthuum
  Introduction
  This chapter contains new rules for charac-
  ter creation in a sword and sorcery campaign 
  world, such as new core character classes and 
  human racial variants.
  Existing Core Classes
  The following core classes can be used 
  without modification, as described in the PHB. 
  All other classes from the core rules are not 
  suitable and should not be used. Note that for 
  certain non-player characters, the aristocrat, 
  commoner and expert classes may also be ap-
  propriate.
  Barbarian: Savage warriors are found in 
  all wild lands, from the fur-cloaked clans of 
  Tharag Thule, to the tribal spearmen of the 
  Jungle Kingdoms and the pygmies of the Silver 
  Lotus Isles. Many hillmen of Lamu are barbar-
  ians, and the piratical Sea Reavers include a 
  few wandering barbarians and other outcasts.
  Fighter: Fighters fill the ranks of armies and 
  mercenary companies in the lands of Susrah, 
  Khazistan, Yar-Ammon, Zadj, Taraam, Nabas-
  tis, and elsewhere. They are expertly trained in 
  the art of war and include swordsmen, archers, 
  pikemen, and cavalry. Nobles are often of the 
  fighter class. Occasionally, fighters and merce-
  naries abandon the army and turn to a life of 
  banditry along with rogues.
  Rogue: Every city or town of some size, 
  from the slaver-fortress of Al-Qazir to thou-
  sand-columned Achad of the Taraamites, is 
  filled with thieves and assassins, gamblers, 
  kidnappers, and lotus-traders. Plains and 
  mountains are plagued by bandits, slavers and 
  highwaymen, and pirates and reavers are the 
  scourge of the seas; the latter group even have 
  their own “kingdom” centered on the impreg-
  nable sea-citadel of Khora.
  New Core Classes
  The nomad and sorcerer are new core classes 
  suitable for sword and sorcery campaigns. The 
  nomad is a replacement for the ranger arche-
  type. The sorcerer, though having the same 
  name as the PHB class, is a spellcaster that 
  can represent several archetypes, from tribal 
  shamans to cult priests and black wizards, 
  depending on spell and feat selection.
  Nomad
  ”Yadar, prince of a nomad people in the 
  half-desert region known as Zyra, had fol-
  lowed throughout many kingdoms a clue that 
  was often more elusive than broken gossa-
  mer. For thirteen moons he had sought Dalili, 
  his betrothed, whom the slave traders of Sha-
  Rag, swift and cunning as desert falcons, had 
  reft from the tribal encampment with nine 
  other maidens while Yadar and his men were 
  hunting the black gazelles of Zyra. Fierce was 
  the grief of Yadar, and fiercer still his wrath, 
  when he came back at eve to the ravaged 
  tents. He had sworn then a great oath to find 
  Dalili, whether in a slave-mart or brothel 
  or harem, whether dead or living, whether 
  tomorrow or after the lapse of gray years.” — 
  Clark Ashton Smith: Necromancy in Naat
  Nomads roam freely in areas most city-
  dwellers would consider inhospitable waste-
  lands. Not bound by the laws of civilized men, 
  they often raid and plunder lone travellers, 
  caravans, and even walled cities. But they have 
  their own codes of honor, and under certain 
  circumstances must offer hospitality to all who 
  ask for it. Nomads are known for the swiftness 
  of their attacks, and they quickly travel vast 
  distances on their horses and camels.
  Game Rule Information
  Nomads have the following game statistics.
  Abilities: A high Constitution score helps 
  the nomad survive longer in the inhospitable 
  areas he calls home. Dexterity is important for 
  a nomad because nomads tend to wear light 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  armor. Wisdom is also important because 
  because several nomad skills are based on 
  Wisdom. 
  Abbreviation: Nom
  Hit Die: d8
  Class Skills
  The nomad’s class skills (and the key abil-
  ity for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), 
  Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), 
  Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge 
  (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen 
  (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), 
  Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and 
  Survival (Wis).
  Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modi-
  fier) x 4.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 
  + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  All of the following are class features of the 
  nomad.
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A 
  nomad is proficient with all simple and martial 
  weapons, and with light armor and shields 
  (except tower shields).
  Mounted Skirmisher (Ex): When a 
  nomad rides mounts that are not trained for 
  battle (such as heavy horses, light horses and 
  riding camels, as opposed to warhorses and 
  war camels) into combat, they are not fright-
  ened. The nomad is not required to make the 
  usual Ride checks to control such untrained 
  mounts in combat.
  Sneak Attack (Ex): Starting at 1st level, the 
  nomad can perform sneak attacks with +1d6 
  points of bonus damage. This ability is other-
  wise identical to the rogue ability of the same 
  name. If the nomad gets a sneak attack bonus 
  from another source, the bonuses on damage 
  stack. The nomad gains additional sneak at-
  tack dice at 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level.
  Level 
  BAB 
   
  Fort 
  Ref 
  Will 
  Special
  1st 
  +1 
   
  +2 
  +2 
  +0 
  Mounted Skirmisher, Sneak Attack (+1d6), 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Track
  2nd 
  +2 
   
  +3 
  +3 
  +0 
  Fast Movement (+5)
  3rd 
  +3 
   
  +3 
  +3 
  +1 
  Endurance
  4th 
  +4 
   
  +4 
  +4 
  +1 
  Throat of the Camel
  5th 
  +5 
   
  +4 
  +4 
  +1 
  Sneak Attack (+2d6)
  6th 
  +6/+1 
   
  +5 
  +5 
  +2 
  Fast Movement (+10)
  7th 
  +7/+2 
   
  +5 
  +5 
  +2 
  Bonus Feat
  8th 
  +8/+3 
   
  +6 
  +6 
  +2 
  Swift Tracker
  9th 
  +9/+4 
   
  +6 
  +6 
  +3 
  Evasion
  10th 
  +10/+5 
   
  +7 
  +7 
  +3 
  Sneak Attack (+3d6)
  11th 
  +11/+6/+1 
  +7 
  +7 
  +3 
  Fast Movement (+15)
  12th 
  +12/+7/+2 
  +8 
  +8 
  +4 
  Call the Clans
  13th 
  +13/+8/+3 
  +8 
  +8 
  +4 
  Camouflage
  14th 
  +14/+9/+4 
  +9 
  +9 
  +4 
  Bonus Feat
  15th 
  +15/+10/+5 
  +9 
  +9 
  +5 
  Sneak Attack (+4d6)
  16th 
  +16/+11/+6/+1 
  +10 
  +10 
  +5 
  Nomad Prince
  17th 
  +17/+12/+7/+2 
  +10 
  +10 
  +5 
  Hide in Plain Sight
  18th 
  +18/+13/+8/+3 
  +11 
  +11 
  +6 
  Fast Movement (+20)
  19th 
  +19/+14/+9/+4 
  +11 
  +11 
  +6 
  Bonus Feat
  20th 
  +20/+15/+10/+5 
  +12 
  +12 
  +6 
  Sneak Attack (+5d6)
  
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  Track: At 1st level, the nomad gains the 
  Track feat as a bonus feat. If he already has 
  the Track feat, he may choose another feat as a 
  bonus feat.
  Fast Movement (Ex): A nomad’s land 
  speed is faster than the norm for his race. At 
  2nd level, the nomad adds +5 feet to his speed. 
  This benefit applies only when he is wearing 
  no armor, light armor, or medium armor and 
  not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus 
  before modifying the nomad’s speed because 
  of any load carried or armor worn.
  The nomad’s fast movement bonus also ap-
  plies to any mount the nomad rides. It does 
  not stack with the Improved Speed feat. It 
  does, however, stack with the barbarian’s Fast 
  Movement ability (but note that the speed 
  increase gained from the barbarian class does 
  not apply to the mount).
  The nomad gains additional speed increases 
  at 6th, 11th and 18th level.
  Endurance: At 3rd level, the nomad gains 
  the Endurance feat as a bonus feat. If the char-
  acter already has the Endurance feat, he gains 
  the Diehard feat as a bonus feat instead.
  Throat of the Camel (Ex): Starting at 4th 
  level, a nomad requires significantly less suste-
  nance than other people. Normally, a charac-
  ter can go without food for 3 days, and without 
  water for 1 day plus a number of hours equal to 
  his Constitution score, before having to make 
  Constitution checks for thirst and starvation 
  (see “Starvation and Thirst” in the DMG).
  The nomad can survive without food and wa-
  ter for an additional day per four nomad class 
  levels. For example, an 8th-level nomad with 
  Con 16 can survive without water for 3 days 
  and 16 hours before having to make Constitu-
  tion checks against thirst, and without food for 
  5 days.
  Bonus Feat: The nomad gains a bonus feat 
  at 7th, 14th and 19th level. He must meet the 
  prerequisites of the selected feat as normal.
  Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, 
  a nomad can move at his normal speed while 
  following tracks without taking the normal -5 
  penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead 
  of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice 
  normal speed while tracking.
  Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a nomad can 
  avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex 
  saving throw against an attack that normally 
  deals half damage on a successful save, he 
  instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used 
  only if the nomad is wearing light armor or 
  no armor. A helpless nomad does not gain the 
  benefit of evasion.
  Call the Clans (Ex): A 12th-level nomad 
  can call together a number of men from 
  nomad clans and tribes to form a warband, of 
  which he becomes the chieftain. The nomad 
  gains the Leadership feat as a bonus feat. Ad-
  ditionally, the nomad gets a +5 bonus to his 
  Leadership score. The majority of the follow-
  ers belong to the nomad class. If the nomad 
  already has the Leadership feat, he gains a 
  bonus feat instead.
  Camouflage (Ex): A nomad of 13th level 
  or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort 
  of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t 
  grant cover or concealment.
  Nomad Prince (Ex): At 16th level, the 
  nomad’s reputation spreads far and wide, and 
  entire clans flock to his banner. The number 
  of followers gained from the Leadership feat is 
  multiplied by five.
  Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any 
  sort of natural terrain, a nomad of 17th level or 
  higher level can use the Hide skill even while 
  being observed.
  Starting Gear
  1d6 x 10 gp worth of equipment, which typi-
  cally includes a simple khalat desert robe, 
  sandals, a waterskin, a sword, a bow, a dagger, 
  and a mount trained for battle (a warhorse or 
  war camel).
  Sorcerer
  “About him were scattered all the appur-
  tenances of his art; the skulls of men and 
  monsters; phials filled with black or amber 
  liquids, whose sacrilegious use was known to 
  none but himself; little drums of vulture-skin, 
  and crotali made from the bones and teeth of 
  the crockodrill, used as an accompaniment 
  to certain incantations. The mosaic floor 
  was partly covered with the skins of enor-
  mous black and silver apes (…). Books were 
  piled everywhere: ancient volumes bound in 
  serpent-skin, with verdigris-eaten clasps, that 
  held the frightful lore of Atlantis, the penta-
  cles that have power upon the demons of the 
  earth and the moon, the spells that transmute 
  or disintegrate the elements; and runes from 
  a lost language of Hyperborea, which, when 
  uttered aloud, were more deadly than poison 
  or more potent than any philtre.” — Clark 
  Ashton Smith: The Last Incantation
  The sorcerer archetype can fill a number 
  of roles, depending on the society and the 
  sorcerer’s place in it. Among savage tribes, 
  from the frozen wastes of the north to the 
  steaming jungles of the south, he is a shaman 
  or witch-doctor, who speaks with ancestor 
  spirits and spirits of the mountains, com-
  mands animals and the souls of the dead, and 
  curses his enemies with powerful juju. He 
  declares taboos and crafts masks and drums to 
  terrify his enemies; he beseeches the powerful 
  beast-gods of the wilderness for aid; and he 
  knows the secrets of strange herbs and deadly 
  poisons. Such shamans often multiclass into 
  the sorcerer class from the barbarian class, 
  giving them improved combat ability, better 
  Fortitude saves, and useful wilderness skills 
  such as Handle Animal and Survival.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  In more civilized lands, sorcerers often take 
  the role of priests, acting as mouthpieces of 
  real or imagined gods. These sorcerer-priests 
  perform rituals and offer sacrifice to the nu-
  merous gods and demons that are said to con-
  trol various aspects of human life. They study 
  the past in libraries filled with great iron-
  bound books and crumbling papyrus scrolls, 
  and interpret omens and portents and study 
  the night skies to determine the future. Priests 
  build temples in honour of the gods and craft 
  gem-adorned idols in their likeness, amass-
  ing hoards of treasure that rival even that of 
  kings and emperors. Even if true gods do not 
  exist, organized religion serve the priests and 
  their cults well. Members of secret or forbid-
  den cults often multiclass with the rogue class, 
  giving them skills with which to disguise and 
  hide from persecution, as well as deadly sneak 
  attacks. Some cults have prestige classes which 
  offer specialized abilities related to the cult’s 
  teachings and purpose.
  Finally, there are sorcerers who choose to live 
  in isolation, performing weird experiments 
  and abominable studies far away from people, 
  but most sorcerers are possessed of an ambi-
  tion that drives them to seek power over hu-
  man society. Whether controlling a kingdom 
  from behind the scenes, or ruling openly as a 
  sorcerer-king, a lone sorcerer is as deadly as a 
  spider and weaves his webs of intrigue across 
  the land. His mere presence frightens lesser 
  men, and his serpent-gaze enslaves the wills 
  of kings. He summons demons and abomina-
  tions to do his bidding, and knows the ancient 
  words of power. He augments his spells with 
  alchemical powders and strange elixirs.
  Some sorcerers band together in covens or 
  sorcerous circles to gain greater power, but 
  such organizations are frequently troubled by 
  infighting as each member schemes to take 
  advantage of the others. Successful covens are 
  typically headed by a strong leader who de-
  mands total obedience from the junior mem-
  bers. Still, it can be advantageous for novice 
  sorcerers to join such magical circles because 
  they offer easy access to spells and other 
  forbidden knowledge. Such “true sorcerers” 
  do not usually dilute their devotion to sorcer-
  ous studies with multiclassing, except perhaps 
  to take levels in certain prestige classes that 
  represent covens of sorcerers.
  Game Rule Information
  Sorcerers have the following game statistics.
  Abilities: Intelligence determines how 
  powerful a spell a sorcerer can cast, how many 
  spells the sorcerer can cast per day, and how 
  hard those spells are to resist. To cast a spell, a 
  sorcerer must have an Intelligence score of 10 
  + the spell’s level. A sorcerer gets bonus spells 
  based on Intelligence. The Difficulty Class of 
  a saving throw against a sorcerer’s spell is 10 
  + the spell’s level + the sorcerer’s Intelligence 
  modifier.
  Abbreviation: Sor
  Hit Die: d4
  Class Skills
  The sorcerer’s class skills (and the key ability 
  for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration 
  (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Di-
  plomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), 
  Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sleight of 
  Hand (Dex), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft 
  (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
  Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modi-
  fier) x 4.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 
  + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  All of the following are class features of the 
  sorcerer.
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sorcer-
  ers are proficient with all simple weapons, but 
  not with any type of armor or shield. Armor 
  of any type interferes with a sorcerer’s move-
  ments, which can cause his spells with somatic 
  components to fail.
  Spells: A sorcerer casts arcane spells, which 
  are drawn from the sorcerer spell list (see be-
  low). He can cast any spell he knows without 
  preparing it ahead of time.
  To learn or cast a spell, a sorcerer must have 
  an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the 
  spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving 
  throw against a sorcerer’s spell is 10 + the spell 
  level + the sorcerer’s Intelligence modifier.
  A sorcerer can cast only a certain number of 
  spells of each spell level per day. His base daily 
  spell allotment is given in the table below. In 
  
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he 
  has a high Intelligence score.
  The sorcerer does not need to prepare his 
  spells in advance. He can cast any spell he 
  knows at any time, assuming he has not yet 
  used up his spells per day for that spell level. 
  He does not have to decide ahead of time 
  which spells he’ll cast.
  Bonus Feats: The sorcerer gains a bonus 
  feat at 1st level and every 4 levels thereafter. 
  The sorcerer must meet the usual require-
  ments of the selected feat.
  Sinister Presence (Ex): Sorcerers are 
  loathed and feared by most. At 1st level, the 
  sorcerer has already entered a path of study 
  which sets him apart from normal men.
  As a standard action, once per encounter, the 
  sorcerer may loudly declare his name and oc-
  cupation to all who listen. Following this dec-
  laration, all who wish to attack the sorcerer, 
  whether physically or with spells, must make a 
  Will save (DC 10 + half sorcerer’s level + sor-
  cerer’s Charisma modifier). Those who fail the 
  saving throw are unable to attack the sorcerer 
  for the duration of the encounter. However, 
  if the sorcerer attacks or casts a spell on an 
  affected creature, that creature is immediately 
  free to act against the sorcerer again.
  Those affected must be able to see and hear 
  the sorcerer. Creatures of a different creature 
  type than the sorcerer get a +4 bonus to the 
  saving throw. Creatures that do not share a 
  common language with the sorcerer get a +2 
  bonus to the saving throw. These bonuses 
  stack. Constructs, oozes, plants and vermin are 
  never affected.
  Master of Lost Languages and Ancient 
  Mysteries (Ex): A 5th-level sorcerer can 
  make a special knowledge check with a bonus 
  equal to his magician level + his Intelligence 
  modifier to see whether he knows some rel-
  evant information about cryptic symbols and 
  names, legendary items, or noteworthy places. 
  The Difficulty Class is determined by the table 
  below. A successful check will not reveal the 
  powers of a magic item but may give a hint as 
  to its general function.
  A sorcerer may not take 10 or take 20 on this 
  check; this sort of knowledge is essentially 
  random.
  DC 
  Type of Knowledge
  10 
  Common, known by at least a substantial 
   
  minority of the local population.
  20 
  Uncommon but available, known by only 
   
  a few people in the area.
  25 
  Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.
  30 
  Extremely obscure, known by very few, 
   
  possibly forgotten by most who once knew 
   
  it, possibly known only by those who don’t 
   
  understand the significance of the 
   
  knowledge.
  Permanent Sinister Presence (Ex): At 
  10th level, the sorcerer receives the benefits of 
  the Sinister Presence ability without having to 
  spend a standard action to activate it. Unless 
  the sorcerer takes measures to conceal his 
  true nature (which requires a Disguise check 
  against DC 15), all who see him will immedi-
  ately recognize his aura of power and author-
  ity. Note that this can also attract unwelcome 
  attention from peasant mobs, local nobles, 
  other sorcerers, and powerful demons.
  Thou Shall Whisper My Name In Fear 
  (Su): A 15th-level sorcerer can sense when 
  another creature speaks his name aloud. The 
  range is 100 miles per level of the sorcerer. 
  When it occurs, the sorcerer knows the exact 
  location and the name of the speaker, and can 
  use this information to scry on that individual 
  using a scrying spell (which must be cast as 
  usual) with firsthand knowledge of the target. 
  The sorcerer is free to ignore any mention of 
  his name as background noise; his concentra-
  tion cannot be disrupted as a result of other 
  creatures speaking his name.
  Unmortal (Su): After reaching 20th level, 
  the sorcerer can ignore several mortal limita-
  tions. He does not become undead, but his 
  body is sustained magically and he no longer 
  needs to eat or sleep. The unmortal sorcerer 
  does not suffer ability score penalties for aging 
  and cannot be magically aged. Bonuses still 
  accrue. Any penalties he has already incurred, 
  however, remain in place.
  The unmortal sorcerer cannot die from old 
  age; he is immortal save for violent death or 
  hostile magic.
  Starting Gear
  Depending on his cultural background, the 
  sorcerer can choose any of the following start-
  ing gear options:
  Shaman: 1d6 x 10 gp worth of equipment, 
  which typically includes a loincloth, a bone 
  necklace or a belt with shrunken monkey 
  scalps, a fur cloak, a handful of exotic bird 
  feathers, a few doses of poison, and a staff.
  Apprentice: 2d6 x 10 gp worth of equip-
  ment, which typically includes an embroi-
  dered, long-sleeved robe, sandals, a waterskin, 
  several small pouches filled with powders, 
  some glass vials, a metal-tipped staff, and a 
  rune-carved dagger.
  Priest: 3d6 x 10 gp worth of equipment, 
  which typically includes a priest’s hooded 
  robe, sandals, a gold ring or small gem, a small 
  figurine of a god or goddess, a few blocks of 
  incense, and an ornately carved staff.
  Sorcerer Spell List
  Sorcerers choose their spells from the follow-
  ing list (an asterisk denotes a new spell). Note 
  that spell acquisition is not automatic; see the 
  Magic chapter for details. Also, certain cults 
  and covens may have mastered unique spells 
  not listed here.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Level 
  BAB 
  Fort 
  Ref 
  Will 
  Special  
   
  Spells per Day
  1st 
  +0 
  +0 
  +0 
  +2 
  Bonus Feat, Sinister Presence 3/1
  2nd 
  +1 
  +0 
  +0 
  +3 
   
   
   
  4/2
  3rd 
  +1 
  +1 
  +1 
  +3 
   
   
   
  4/2/1
  4th 
  +2 
  +1 
  +1 
  +4 
  Bonus Feat 
   
  4/3/2
  5th 
  +2 
  +1 
  +1 
  +4 
  Master of Lost Languages 
  4/3/2/1 
   
   
   
   
   
  and Arcane Mysteries 
  6th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +2 
  +5 
   
   
   
  4/3/3/2
  7th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +2 
  +5 
   
   
   
  4/4/3/2/1
  8th 
  +4 
  +2 
  +2 
  +6 
  Bonus Feat 
   
  4/4/3/3/2
  9th 
  +4 
  +3 
  +3 
  +6 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/3/2/1
  10th 
  +5 
  +3 
  +3 
  +7 
  Permanent Sinister Presence 4/4/4/3/3/2
  11th 
  +5 
  +3 
  +3 
  +7 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/4/3/2/1
  12th 
  +6/+1 
  +4 
  +4 
  +8 
  Bonus Feat 
   
  4/4/4/4/3/3/2
  13th 
  +6/+1 
  +4 
  +4 
  +8 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/4/4/3/2/1
  14th 
  +7/+2 
  +4 
  +4 
  +9 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/4/4/3/3/2
  15th 
  +7/+2 
  +5 
  +5 
  +9 
  Thou Shall Whisper My 
  4/4/4/4/4/4/3/2/1 
   
   
   
   
   
  Name In Fear 
  16th 
  +8/+3 
  +5 
  +5 
  +10 
  Bonus Feat 
   
  4/4/4/4/4/4/3/3/2
  17th 
  +8/+3 
  +5 
  +5 
  +10 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/4/4/4/4/3/2/1
  18th 
  +9/+4 
  +6 
  +6 
  +11 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/4/4/4/4/3/3/2
  19th 
  +9/+4 
  +6 
  +6 
  +11 
   
   
   
  4/4/4/4/4/4/4/4/3/3
  20th 
  +10/+5 
  +6 
  +6 
  +12 
  Bonus Feat, Unmortal 
  4/4/4/4/4/4/4/4/4/4
  0 level – Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, 
  Disrupt Undead, Daze, Ghost Sound, Guid-
  ance, Know Direction, Mage Hand, Message, 
  Prestidigitation, Resistance
  1st level – Animal Messenger, Animate Rope, 
  Calm Animals, Cause Fear, Charm Person, 
  Chill Touch, Command, Disguise Self, Fertility 
  Charm*, Hand of Revelations*, Hold Portal, 
  Hypnotism, Mage Armor, Magic Fang, Magic 
  Weapon, Obscuring Mist, Pass without Trace, 
  Protection from Evil, Ray of Enfeeblement, 
  Sanctuary, Scare, Sleep, Speak with Animals, 
  Spectral Hand, Summon Swarm, Unseen Ser-
  vant, Ventriloquism, Witch-Fire*
  2nd level – Aid, Arcane Lock, Augury, Bark-
  skin, Command Undead, Death Knell, Delay 
  Poison, Enthrall, False Life, Fog Cloud, Ghoul 
  Touch, Gust of Wind, Hold Animal, Hypnotic 
  Pattern, Incantation of the Broken Limb*, 
  Knock, Phantom Trap, Protection from Ar-
  rows, Pyrotechnics, Remove Paralysis, Shield 
  Other, Whispering Wind
  3rd level – Bestow Curse, Deep Slumber, Dis-
  pel Magic, Dominate Animal, Explosive Runes, 
  Glyph of Warding, Greater Magic Fang, Great-
  er Magic Weapon, Halt Undead, Hold Person, 
  Keen Edge, Locate Object, Magic Circle against 
  Evil, Nondetection, Obscure Object, Prayer, 
  Remove Curse, Sepia Snake Sigil, Speak with 
  Dead, Suggestion, Summon Animal*, Ray of 
  Exhaustion, Vampiric Touch
  4th level – Altar-Fire*, Animate Dead, Black 
  Tentacles, Charm Monster, Confusion, Con-
  tagion, Curse of Green Decay*, Death Ward, 
  Detect Scrying, Dimensional Anchor, Dis-
  missal, Divination, Drums of Panic*, Enerva-
  tion, Fear, Fire Trap, Lesser Geas, Phantasmal 
  Killer, Poison, Resilient Sphere, Solid Fog, 
  Spell Immunity
  5th level – Break Enchantment, Cloudkill, 
  Commune with Nature, Contact Other Plane, 
  Control Winds, Curse of Double Death*, Dom-
  inate Person, Dream, False Vision, Greater 
  Command, Hold Monster, Insect Plague, 
  Lesser Planar Binding, Lifeleech*, Lover’s 
  Curse*, Magic Jar, Mark of Justice, Night-
  mare, Scrying, Sending, Shapeshift*, Slay Liv-
  ing, Snake Staff*, Summon Greater Animal*, 
  Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Sleep, Telekinesis, 
  Waves of Fatigue 
  6th level – Banishment, Circle of Death, Cre-
  ate Undead, Creeping Doom, Eyebite, Forbid-
  dance, Geas/Quest, Greater Dispel Magic, 
  Legend Lore, Mass Suggestion, Planar Bind-
  ing, Programmed Image, Spellstaff, Sticks to 
  Serpents*, Stone Tell, Symbol of Fear, Symbol 
  of Persuasion
  7th level – Banishment, Control Weather, 
  Finger of Death, Instant Summons, Mass 
  Hold Person, Power Word Blind, Sequester, 
  Raise the Ancient Lizard-Gods*, Sorcery of the 
  Skull*, Soul Vulture*
  8th level – Demand, Greater Planar Binding, 
  Mass Charm, Power Word Stun, Protection 
  from Spells, Telekinetic Sphere, Trap the Soul
  9th level – Dominate Monster, Earthquake, 
  Gate, Power Word Kill, Temporal Stasis, 
  Weird
  
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  Races
  The following subchapters describe the 
  various human races found in the World of 
  Xoth. There are no demi-human races; elves, 
  dwarves, halflings and other non-humans 
  are not appropriate in a sword and sorcery 
  campaign, at least not as player characters. 
  Survivors of older, pre-human races, such 
  as the giant-kings of Kuth and the Yalothan 
  snake-men, exist only in small numbers and 
  are primarily intended as non-player charac-
  ters and villains.
  As humans, all races have the following 
  common traits: Medium size, base speed of 30 
  feet, gain 1 extra feat and 4 extra skill points at 
  1st level, 1 extra skill point at each additional 
  level, automatically speak their own language 
  and gain 1 additional bonus language (in addi-
  tion to any bonus languages due to high Intel-
  ligence), and may select any class as a favored 
  class, without suffering any XP penalties for 
  multiclassing.
  In addition, each race has certain racial traits 
  that distinguish it from the other races. Bonus 
  feats listed as racial traits are in addition to the 
  extra feat all 1st-level humans gain, ignoring 
  any listed prerequisites of the bonus feat. For 
  example, a Zadjite sorcerer begins play with 
  3 feats; one for being a 1st-level character, 
  another for being human, and finally Zadjite 
  Whip-Mastery as a racial trait bonus feat of all 
  Zadjites.
  Languages: There is no Common language 
  in the World of Xoth. Each race speaks its 
  own language, and most people know at least 
  one or two additional languages (usually the 
  languages of neighbouring countries), based 
  on their Intelligence score as usual.
  Azimbans
  Also known as the “dwellers in the cities of 
  stone” by their tribal neighbours, the Azim-
  bans have an old culture centered around their 
  stone fortresses and bird-worship.
  Physical Description: The black warriors 
  of Azimba are tall, strong and proud, known 
  for their discipline in formations with shield 
  and spear. The men are usually shaven-head-
  ed, and the wearing of brightly colored robes 
  and feathered plumes is common.
  Religion: The god of the Azimbans is 
  Jul-Juggah, a reptilian bird-god that must be 
  propitiated with human sacrifice. His feather-
  cloaked priests know the secret spells to 
  summon lesser winged lizards, survivors of a 
  lost age.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to 
  Strength; +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and 
  Spot skills; Azimban Spear-Mastery as a bonus 
  feat.
  Bhangari
  The mysterious eastern realms of Laksha, 
  Ghoma and Azjan are inhabited by a multitu-
  dinous people known for their fierce warrior 
  castes, master craftsmen, skilled herbalists, 
  and ranks of ascetic priests. The Bhangari live 
  in great walled cities and build temples that 
  soar to the sky.
  Physical Description: Of medium height, 
  with golden skin and delicate features. The 
  men keep their black hair cropped short and 
  dress in simple cotton garments, while the 
  women wear colorful silken gowns and weave 
  their hair in long braids. The armies of Laksha, 
  Ghoma and Azjan wear medium armor deco-
  rated with silver and gold; the officers have 
  turbans set with feathers or gems to denote 
  their station.
  Religion: Not much is known about the 
  cults of the east. The cult of the ape-god 
  Simatala originated in the land of Laksha, and 
  there are several cults that worship aspects of 
  the elephant.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Heal and 
  Move Silently skills; Brutal Charge (use full 
  attack action in same round as charging); 
  Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat.
  Daka
  The Daka are the pygmies inhabiting the 
  Silver Isles of the Eastern Ocean. They live in 
  jungle caves and know the secrets of the rare 
  lotus herbs that grow only on their islands.
  Physical Description: Short of stature 
  (even adults are rarely 5 feet tall) with curly 
  black hair and dark, wrinkled skin; dressed in 
  loincloths and jewelry of feather and bones, 
  and armed with hunting bows and blowpipes.
  Religion: The Daka worship as gods the 
  monstrous slugs of colossal size that inhabit 
  the marshes and swamps of the Silver Isles.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to Dexter-
  ity and -2 racial modifier to Strength; +2 racial 
  bonus to Hide and Survival skills; Expert Poi-
  soner and Eyes of the Cat as bonus feats; Small 
  size (+1 bonus to attack rolls and Armor Class, 
  +4 bonus to Hide skill, -4 penalty to grapple 
  checks); Speed 20 feet.
  Ghazorites
  The Ghazorites are a sub-race of the Sus-
  rahnites, who dwell in and around the great 
  port-city of Ghazor on the coast of the eastern 
  ocean. The Ghazorites are known both as 
  avaricious merchants, ruthless warriors, and 
  excellent sailors.
  Physical Description: Slightly smaller of 
  stature than their plains-dwelling brethren, 
  Ghazorite men and women often have some 
  foreign blood, the result of intermingling of 
  races. Such crossbreeding usually manifests 
  as a flat nose, blond hair, green eyes, swarthy 
  skin, or some other unusual feature.
  Religion: The Ghazorites worship the gods 
  of Susrah, in addition to many strange gods 
  brought to the city by foreign sailors, merce-
  naries and merchants.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Appraise 
  and Profession (sailor) skills; Weapon Fa-
  miliarity (suffer only -2 penalty when using 
  weapons without proficiency); racial Sneak 
  Attack (+1d6) that stacks with the rogue ability 
  of the same name.
  Ikunas
  The cannibalistic tribes of the Ikuna lands 
  are a constant plague upon the neighbouring 
  nations. From their homeland south of the 
  Hills of the Dead, between the jungle and the 
  coast, the Ikunas wage a war of terror upon the 
  Zadjites, Azimbans, and anyone venturing into 
  the southern waters. Few dare go into these 
  lands; likewise, an Ikuna raiding party on the 
  warpath is something best avoided.
  Physical Description: Black-skinned with 
  wavy hair and slightly green-tinted eyes that 
  give them a preternatural, fearsome appear-
  ance. The Ikuna warriors are heavily muscled 
  and move with pantherish grace, clad only in 
  loincloths. The women, who are often shamans 
  and tribal priestesses, adorn themselves with 
  necklaces of bone and teeth.
  Religion: The Ikunas worship several 
  tribal gods, some of which are simply deified 
  serpents, giant bats and great lizards from 
  the nearby jungles of Yalotha. But also on the 
  blood-stained altars in the witch-houses of the 
  Ikuna are grotesque idols of older demon-gods 
  and grinning, inhuman skulls of unnatural 
  proportions.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Hide and 
  Swim skills; +1 racial bonus to attack rolls 
  with Ikuna knifes and clubs; natural attack 
  with filed teeth (deals 1d4 lethal damage when 
  grappling); Scent; Cannibalize as a bonus feat.
  Jairanians
  Dwellers in the desert-cities of the west, the 
  Jairanians are renowned as master craftsmen, 
  breeders of fine horses, and cunning thieves. 
  Mercenaries from the cities of Jairan are em-
  ployed across the continent.
  Physical Description: Light brown skin, 
  deep brown eyes, wearing loose pants and 
  short vests.
  Religion: Various grim gods are worshipped 
  among the Jairanians, including Yadar, 
  Othabbhon, and even Al-Tawir.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Gather Information skills; +2 to all saving 
  throws against magic; Stealthy as a bonus feat.
  Khazistanis
  Conquering horsemen of the northwestern 
  steppes, the Khazis or Khazistanis are a proud 
  people, and justly so. From humble nomadic 
  roots, they have established an empire with 
  glittering cities stretching from the Eastern 
  Sea to the deserts of Jairan, and scores of 
  caravans bringing tribute and loot to the proud 
  nobles of Khazabad. The ruling warrior caste 
  consists of mounted archers riding magnifi-
  cent purebred horses into battle.
  
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  Physical Description: Tan-skinned, 
  brown-eyed and black-haired. The Khazis are 
  generally lithe of build, although large individ-
  uals certainly exist. The men sometimes wear 
  turbans and grow long moustaches or beards. 
  The women usually wear veils and robes.
  Religion: The Khazis primarily worship 
  Yadar and Nhakhramat, neither of which are 
  native Khazistani gods, but whose cults have 
  replaced former elemental and ancestor wor-
  ship.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Ride and 
  Spot skills; +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with 
  all bows; Khazistani Bow-Mastery as a bonus 
  feat; Mounted Archery as a bonus feat.
  Khazrajites
  The nomadic tribes of the northwestern 
  desert are descended from Khazistani stock. 
  Calling themselves the Khazraj, they are a 
  free-willed, fierce and stubborn lot; a constant 
  menace to caravans and travelers.
  Physical Description: The Khazrajites are 
  physically identical to the people of Khazistan, 
  but of a slightly darker tan due to their expo-
  sure to the desert sun. Adult men usually grow 
  thick, black beards, and wear white khaftan 
  robes and silver-hilted scimitars.
  Religion: Chief among the gods of the 
  desert is Al-Tawir, the Ancient One, although 
  his name is more often used in curses than in 
  prayer. Still, the nomads fear the Lord of the 
  Empty Wastes and make small offerings to 
  avoid getting lost or suffering from hunger and 
  thirst.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Ride and 
  Survival skills; +1 racial bonus to attack rolls 
  with scimitar; Endurance as a bonus feat; Im-
  proved Critical (scimitar) as a bonus feat.
  Khoran
  The Isles of the Sea Reavers are inhabited 
  by dangerous men and cunning women from 
  many nations, and their couplings have 
  brought forth many who are born as natives of 
  the isles, in the fortified pirate-city of Khora. 
  Such children usually inherit the worst traits 
  of both parents.
  Physical Description: The skin-tone of 
  Khorans range from the icy white of Tharag 
  Thulans to the night-black of Ikunas, but is 
  usually somewhere in-between. They dress in 
  gaudy pantaloons and adorn themselves with 
  gold earrings and ivory-hilted knives pilfered 
  from burning merchant-vessels.
  Religion: The gods are more feared than 
  worshipped in the lawless port of Khora, 
  but even the Sea Reavers occasionally offer 
  sacrifice to the gods of the sea and the sky. 
  Akhlathu, the god of twisted fate, is also a 
  popular patron of many pirate crews.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Intimidate 
  and Profession (sailor) skills; +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all axes, crossbows and 
  knives; Ferocity (continue fighting even while 
  disabled and dying); always treat Profession 
  (sailor) as class skill.
  Kuthan, Halfbreed
  The pureblooded giant-kings of Elder Kuth 
  took human concubines, and the result of 
  these unions were halfbreeds, exceptional 
  humans who would usually (but not always) 
  serve as loyal agents of their powerful masters.
  Physical Description: Of normal human 
  size, but usually heavily muscled and wielding 
  huge swords crafted by the giant-kings.
  Religion: Believing themselves the sons 
  of gods, the Kuthan halfbreeds demand to be 
  worshipped as demi-gods.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to 
  Strength; +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and 
  Use Magic Device skills; Power Attack as a 
  bonus feat.
  Kuthan, Pureblood
  The people of Elder Kuth, known as the “Gi-
  ant-Kings”, is a race believed to have become 
  extinct after the fall of their ancient empire. 
  The decayed ruins of their cyclopean cities can 
  still be glimpsed in the western wastes.
  Physical Description: Rumored to have 
  been fully 9 feet tall (or even taller, by some 
  accounts), the Kuthans were truly giants 
  among men.
  Religion: The Giant-Kings of Elder Kuth 
  were themselves worshipped as gods by their 
  human slaves, servitors, and concubines.
  Racial Traits: +4 racial modifier to 
  Strength; +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (all) 
  and Spellcraft skills; Leadership as a bonus 
  feat; Size Large (-1 penalty to attack rolls and 
  Armor Class, -4 penalty to Hide skill, +4 bonus 
  to grapple checks, natural reach 10 ft.).
  Lamurans
  The men of Lamu are regarded as a degener-
  ate and evil people by other  nations, a belief 
  that mainly springs from ignorance, but is 
  strengthened by the fact that the Lamurans 
  have unnaturally keen eyesight in the dark, 
  and that they worship many weird and loath-
  some gods in the isolation of their remote hill 
  kingdom.
  Physical Description: Gaunt of build and 
  pale-skinned, with long flowing hair, although 
  the priests are often shaven-headed. The 
  Lamurans dress in flowing robes and wear 
  distinctive tall caps, often wound around with 
  turbans.
  Religion: The cult of Yot-Kamoth is best-
  known, but a multitude of other deities is 
  worshipped.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Move 
  
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  Silently and Sleight of Hand skills; Uncanny 
  Luck (once per day, reroll any die roll and keep 
  best result); Eyes of the Cat as a bonus feat.
  Mazanians
  Deep in the southern jungles rise the moss-
  grown palisade walls of the Mazanians, a 
  matriarchal society whose female warriors raid 
  into the surrounding lands for male slaves. 
  The jungle kingdom is ruled by the black 
  sorcerer-queen of Boma-Ya, the forbidden city 
  of the amazons.
  Physical Description: Female Mazanians 
  are all stunningly beautiful, since all girls with 
  the slightest physical flaw are quickly aban-
  doned in the jungle. These copper-skinned 
  warriors are not shy about using their charms 
  to distract male opponents.
  Religion: The gods of the Mazanians are 
  not well-known. Some say they worship female 
  snake-beings, others that their queen is the 
  thrall of a male demon-god.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to Cha-
  risma; +2 racial bonus to Heal and Intimidate 
  skills; Improved Feint and Two-Weapon 
  Fighting as bonus feats.
  Nabastisseans
  The sun-drenched land of Nabastis con-
  sists of a collection of city-states ruled by 
  petty kings with their own armies of bronze-
  armored pikemen. While the interior terrain is 
  dominated by rolling hills and forest-covered 
  mountains, the coast has sandy coves nestled 
  amid jagged cliffs. The cities along the coast 
  are centers of trade and are protected by fleets 
  of trireme galleys.
  The great city of Khargamum is well-known 
  for the temple of Apsis, with its vast library-
  halls, founded by the scribes and philosophers 
  of ancient Nabaos and Totha.
  Physical Description: Bronze-skinned, 
  with gleaming white teeth and curly black hair, 
  and short of stature. The Nabastisseans dress 
  in brightly colored robes, and don breastplates 
  and full helmets when going to war.
  Religion: The Nabastisseans have few gods 
  of their own, but tolerate the temples of for-
  eign gods to be built in their cities. The coastal 
  peoples usually make small offerings to the 
  gods of the sea before setting out on voyages of 
  trade or war.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to Dexter-
  ity; +2 racial bonus to Profession (Sailor) and 
  Swim skills; +1 circumstance bonus to  attack 
  rolls at sea; +2 circumstance bonus to AC 
  when fighting in formation with others of the 
  same race; always treat Profession (sailor) as 
  class skill.
  Ptahaanans
  Like the people of Elder Kuth, the Ptahaan-
  ans are believed to have become extinct during 
  the last days of their bloodstained empire. The 
  bulk of the Isles of Ptahaana sunk beneath the 
  waves in ancient times, perhaps as a result of 
  failed sorceries.
  Physical Description: Surviving depic-
  tions of the Ptahaanans show them as short of 
  build, with bronze skin, and slightly slanted 
  eyes. Other sources claim they were tall, with 
  elongated skulls and fingers, clad in volumi-
  nous robes that concealed blasphemously 
  mutated bodies.
  Religion: The Ptahaanans are said to have 
  worshipped Ia-Azutlatl, the “Blood-God”, atop 
  their stepped pyramids.
  Racial Traits: +4 racial modifier to Intel-
  ligence and -2 racial modifier to Constitution; 
  +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Spellcraft skills; 
  Iron Will as a bonus feat.
  Shomas
  The kingdom of Shoma is rich in gold, to 
  the extent that even the king’s great herds of 
  cattle wear golden ornaments. There are many 
  skilled artisans and goldsmiths among the 
  Shoma. Outside of the capital city of Katanga, 
  the land is peopled by semi-nomadic tribes.
  Physical Description: Dark brown skin, 
  with close-cropped curly black hair. The 
  
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  Shoma dress in simple loincloths, but even 
  commoners are often adorned with golden 
  jewelry.
  Religion: Nataka, the ivory woman, is 
  worshipped among the nobles and upper class, 
  while various tribal gods are revered by com-
  moners.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Survival skills; +1 racial bonus to attack rolls 
  with all spears and bows; +10 racial bonus to 
  Speed; Run as a bonus feat.
  Susrahnites
  The fertile plains of Susrah are home to a 
  race renowned for their skill in war and their 
  religious devotion. 
  Physical Description: Broad-shouldered, 
  with hooked noses and black, curly hair, the 
  Susrahnites are dressed in flowing robes. The 
  men braid their long beards. The women are 
  lithe, wearing golden armbands and necklaces 
  of pearl; they are prized as slaves in Taraamite 
  seraglios.
  Religion: Nowhere, except perhaps in Yar-
  Ammon, can there be found as many gods as 
  in the city-states of Susrah. Above the hun-
  dreds of lesser gods arise the names of greater 
  deities such as Baal-Khardah, Belet-Lil, Mag-
  gash, and Yammosh.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Appraise 
  and Knowledge (religion) skills; +1 racial bo-
  nus to attack rolls with all weapons; Improved 
  Initiative as a bonus feat.
  Taikangians
  The realm of Taikang is near-mythical, a 
  land of teeming yellow masses, bamboo tow-
  ers, and serpentine dragons. Few westerners 
  have ventured here, but merchants who brave 
  the unknown can make a fortune when they 
  return with caravans of silks, lotus flowers and 
  painted ceramics.
  Physical Description: Lithe and yellow-
  skinned, with slanted eyes and long, black 
  hair. Both men and women dress in silk if they 
  can afford it, although the commoners often 
  wear little more than a loincloth.
  Religion: The chief god of the Taikangians 
  is Wa-Ying, the so-called “Emperor of Hell”.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Escape 
  Artist and Tumble skills; +2 racial bonus to all 
  grapple checks; Improved Unarmed Strike as 
  a bonus feat.
  Taraamites
  The plains and highlands of Taraam are 
  inhabited by a people known both for the 
  sophistication of their culture and their talent 
  for intrigue. A caste of mounted warriors is 
  the backbone of their army, which threatens 
  the lesser cities of Susrah and Nabastis with 
  destruction unless tribute continues to flow 
  into the thousand-columned palace of Achad. 
  Taraam’s royal palace is a also a place of thou-
  sand intrigues, where the eunuchs and priests 
  of the court wear coats of golden brocade and 
  baggy silk pants, great scimitars always at 
  their side.
  Physical Description: Male Taraamites 
  usually favor short, trimmed beards. Warriors 
  carry straight short swords and lances, and 
  dress in robes decorated according to their 
  status, with the king’s personal guard wearing 
  gold-trimmed robes and circlets of gold, in the 
  fashion of princes.
  Religion: Ahyada, the “high god”, is the 
  chief god of the Taraamites, served by an in-
  fluential priesthood of astrologers and omen-
  readers.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Diplo-
  macy and Knowledge (all) skills; Ride-By At-
  tack as a bonus feat; +4 racial bonus to saving 
  throws against poison.
  Tharag Thulans
  Also known as Tharagians, these northern 
  tribesmen inhabit the cold wastes at the edge 
  of the world. In each generation, there are 
  always some northerners who leave their 
  ancestral lands to escape the ancient blood-
  feuds of their clans and explore the decadent 
  empires of the south.
  Physical Description: Dressed in wolf-
  skin cloaks and tall boots of wolverine-fur, 
  these barbarians of the north have long, yellow 
  beards, white skin, and piercing blue eyes.
  Religion: The Tharag Thulans revere the 
  Moon-God, the Wolf-God, and the Skull-God.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to 
  Strength; +2 racial bonus to Climb and Sur-
  vival skills; +2 racial bonus to saving throws 
  against poison and disease.
  Yar-Ammonites
  Also known as the “kingdom of tombs”, 
  Yar-Ammon is a land covered with desert 
  and haunted by ancient sorceries. The silent 
  streets and broad ceremonial avenues of black-
  templed Amenti is a awesome sight to behold. 
  The papyrus used by the scribes and sorcerers 
  of Yar-Ammon is harvested from the inland 
  marshes of Fakhuum.
  Physical Description: Tall and slender, 
  with bronze skin, dark hair and black eyes. 
  The nobles and priests wear golden pectorals 
  and masks carved with beastly visages, while 
  commoners dress in simple garments of white 
  linen.
  Religion: The ancient ancestors of the 
  Yar-Ammonites, who are worshipped as gods, 
  are depicted as beast-headed humanoids. 
  These ancient ones are said to have had lives 
  spanning millennia; they brought humankind 
  knowledge and civilization. Some claim they 
  returned to the stars from whence they came 
  
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  after being buried in the depths of the black 
  pyramids of Amenti.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to Intel-
  ligence; +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (arcana) 
  and Listen skills; Stonecunning (+2 racial 
  bonus on Search checks to notice unusual 
  stonework, detect unusual stonework within 
  10 feet with Search check even if not actively 
  searching, use the Search skill to find stone-
  work traps as a rogue can, and intuit depth 
  underground).
  Zadjites
  The turbaned fire-worshippers of Zadj are an 
  offshoot of the Jairanian race in the west. They 
  have exploited the riches of their new home-
  land well, and grown rich as spice merchants 
  and slave-traders. Having brought with them a 
  high level of culture from Jairan, the Zadjites 
  are skilled artisans and Iraab, the marble capi-
  tal by the sea, is a center of learning as well 
  as rich trade and exquisite craftmanship. The 
  interior plains and forests of Zadj are dominat-
  ed by the fortress-city of Al-Qazir, also known 
  as the City of Slave Sultans, for it is held by a 
  council of slavelords who only pay lip service 
  to the emir of Iraab.
  Physical Description: Swarthy, turbaned, 
  wearing colorful robes and gold-hilted curved 
  daggers. The raven-haired Zadjite women 
  are famed for their sensual beauty; they are 
  often scantily clad and adorned with glittering 
  jewelry.
  Religion: The Zadjites hold “the Sacred 
  Flame”, a nameless elemental god, above all 
  others.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Knowledge (geography) skills; +1 racial bonus 
  to all saving throws; Zadjite Whip-Mastery as 
  a bonus feat.
  Zorabi
  These tribesmen inhabit the Zorab moun-
  tains that jut up between Lamu and Khazistan. 
  The southernmost tribes have accepted the 
  overlordship of the Khazistanis, at least in 
  name, while the rest are opportunistic raiders 
  who feud incessantly among themselves.
  Physical Description: These mountain 
  wolves wear white turbans and heavy cloaks, 
  and are armed with scimitars and shortbows. 
  They have long black beards, and their brown 
  skin is wrinkled by the sun and mountain 
  winds.
  Religion: There are few priests among the 
  Zorabi, but worship of certain Lamuran gods 
  is probable.
  Racial Traits: +2 racial modifier to Consti-
  tution; +2 racial bonus to Climb and Survival 
  skills; Track as a bonus feat.
  
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  New Feats
  The new feats described below are available 
  to all player characters, although some will 
  only be useful for spellcasters, and the DM 
  may wish to restrict certain feats to non-player 
  characters.
  Acolyte [General]
  You have joined a cult devoted to the worship 
  of a god or demon. Your duties include studies 
  of the cult’s religious and sorcerous texts, as 
  well as serving the cult’s priests.
  Prerequisites: You must have passed the 
  cult’s rite of initiation (see the “Cults, Gods 
  and Demons” chapter for more information). 
  The initiation ritual should be roleplayed, with 
  or without the other player characters present.
  Benefits: You live in the local temple be-
  longing to your cult, where you receive food 
  and shelter. You are subject to the command 
  of the temple priests, and are expected to 
  perform any number of duties and tasks the 
  priests deem necessary. Depending on the cult, 
  you may not be allowed to leave the temple 
  except when the priests send you on special 
  missions to the outside world.
  During your studies in the temple, you learn 
  the secrets of the cult. Whenever you advance 
  a level in a class capable of spellcasting, you 
  may select two spells (of any level you may 
  cast) from the list of the spells that the cult 
  teaches.
  As an acolyte, you gain the respect or fear 
  of the local population wherever your cult is 
  established. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus 
  to all Diplomacy, Gather Information and 
  Intimidate checks in places where your cult 
  holds power (elsewhere, your cult might be 
  outlawed and you risk being hunted down and 
  punished for being a member). To gain the 
  bonus, it must be evident that you are a true 
  member of the cult, such as by your clothing, 
  tattoos, or special items worn or carried.
  Being an acolyte also has its drawbacks, 
  however. You must obey the priests, and your 
  freedom of movement may be restricted, as 
  described above. In addition, you become the 
  Thrall of a single priest who is your sorcerous 
  Master (see the Magic chapter for more infor-
  mation about Masters and Thralls).
  Azimban Spear-Mastery [General]
  Your skill with the longspear is legendary.
  Prerequisite: Dex 15; must be trained by 
  someone who already has this feat.
  Benefit: You can strike adjacent foes with 
  the longspear, not just those who are 10 feet 
  away.
  Normal: A longspear is a two-handed 
  weapon with reach, allowing you to strike op-
  ponents 10 feet away with it, but not adjacent 
  foes.
  Blasphemous Gift [General]
  Your delvings into forbidden sorceries have 
  resulted in a physical manifestation.
  Prerequisite: Ability to cast 6th-level 
  spells, Taint 1+.
  Benefit: You may select (or roll randomly, at 
  the DM’s option) one gross, weird or abomi-
  nable special ability that manifests physically 
  and is hard to conceal. You may select from 
  the following table, or may invent new abilities 
  if approved by the DM.
  Die Roll (1d3) 
  Description
  1 
   
  A 10-feet rubbery tentacle 
   
   
  extends from your abdomen. 
   
   
  You can use the tentacle as a 
   
   
  natural weapon, making reach 
   
   
  attacks dealing 1d4 points of 
   
   
  bludgeoning damage.
  2 
   
  Your hands and arms are 
   
   
  covered with slime or leprous 
   
   
  scabs. Your touch spreads a 
   
   
  disease similar to slimy doom.
  3 
   
  You gain the Corpulent 
   
   
  template (see the New 
   
   
  Monsters appendix). 
  Note that unless you somehow conceal your 
  mutation, using a loose-fitting or long-sleeved 
  robe or similar, you gain a -4 penalty to all Di-
  plomacy and Gather information checks, and a 
  +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.
  Cannibalize [General]
  By consuming the vital organs of a fallen foe, 
  you gain a portion of its power.
  Prerequisites: Taint 1+.
  Benefits: You may cannibalize a corporal 
  creature of your own creature type that has 
  either a heart or a brain, and must remove and 
  eat said organ within 10 minutes of its death. 
  After consuming the organ, which takes 1 min-
  ute, you gain a temporary enhancement bonus 
  to your ability score equal to the highest ability 
  score bonus of the slain creature. For example, 
  if a barbarian eats the brain or heart of a 5th-
  level warrior whose highest ability score is Con 
  16, the barbarian gains an enhancement bonus 
  of +3 to Constitution for 5 hours.
  The effect lasts 1 hour per Hit Dice of the 
  slain creature. You cannot cannibalize aberra-
  tions, constructs, oozes, plants, or undead or 
  creatures immune to critical hits. You can only 
  cannibalize one creature per day.
  Contacts [General]
  You have established a network of useful 
  contacts.
  Prerequisites: Cha 13.
  Benefits: You have a number of contacts 
  equal to your Charisma modifier. Contacts 
  can be of any middle- or lower-class occupa-
  tion, such as a corrupt guard captain, the local 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  lord’s favored dancing-girl, or an old sage. In 
  game terms, each contact is an NPC with 1d6 
  levels in any class, with average ability scores. 
  The DM must approve the selected contacts.
  You can call upon your contacts with reason-
  able requests for aid, assistance, or informa-
  tion, as required. Encounters between you and 
  your contacts should be roleplayed. As long as 
  the contact is treated well, he remains loyal to 
  you; however, the contact may betray or aban-
  don you if he feels ill-treated or abused.
  The contact may be asked to do a small favor 
  (such as rolling an Appraise, Heal, Knowl-
  edge or similar skill check for your benefit; or 
  lending you up to 1d4 gp per level) up to once 
  per two weeks, or a big favor (such as bribing 
  or drugging a guard to get you out of jail; or 
  joining you on an adventure that lasts no more 
  than a single day and a night) up to once per 
  two months. Dead or alienated contacts are 
  replaced after 2d6 months.
  Demonic Pact [General]
  You have entered a pact with a demonic, 
  extra-planar creature.
  Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 4 
  ranks, Taint 1+.
  Benefits: You have the benefit of a demonic 
  master who teaches you sorcery. Whenever 
  you advance a level in a class capable of spell-
  casting, you may select two spells (of any level 
  you may cast) from the list of the spells that 
  the demon teaches (as determined by the DM).
  Instead of learning a new spell, you may 
  choose to ask the demon for a special favor: 
  Either to provide information in response to 
  a specific question (the DM determines what 
  the demon knows), to guard a location or item 
  for a specific interval of time, or to attack your 
  enemies. In the two latter cases, the demon 
  may choose to send one or more of its minions 
  instead of performing the duty itself.
  You can also ask for additional favors at 
  any time, but at the risk of gaining Taint and 
  possibly angering the demon with your petty 
  requests. By performing the special summon-
  ing ritual (described below), you may call up 
  the demon and ask for a favor. Additionally, 
  you must make a Will save (DC 10 + current 
  Taint score + Hit Dice of demon) or gain 1 
  point of Taint.
  Special: When you first enter the pact, you 
  must perform a special summoning ritual that 
  takes 1 hour and involves human sacrifice. At 
  the end of the ritual, you must make a Knowl-
  edge (arcana) check (DC 20). You can apply 
  your current Taint score as a bonus to the roll. 
  If the check is successful, the demon appears 
  and accepts you as its Thrall (see the Magic 
  chapter for more information about Masters 
  and Thralls).
  Eyes of the Cat [General]
  You see more clearly in the dark than many 
  men can in full daylight.
  Prerequisites: Spot 1 rank, may only be 
  taken at 1st level.
  Benefit: You gain low-light vision. That is, 
  you can see outdoors twice as well as ordinary 
  humans by starlight, moonlight, torchlight or 
  other conditions of poor illumination. You can 
  even distinguish colour and detail under these 
  low-light conditions.
  Expert Poisoner [General]
  You are an experienced poison-user.
  Prerequisites: Dex 13.
  Benefit: You do not suffer the normal 
  5% chance of exposing yourself to a poison 
  whenever you appy it to a weapon or otherwise 
  ready it for use, and you do not have to make 
  a Reflex save to avoid poisoning when you roll 
  a natural 1 on an attack roll with a poisoned 
  weapon.
  Furthermore, you gain a +1 resistance bonus 
  to all Fortitude saves against poison, as your 
  frequent exposure to low doses of a variety of 
  poisons has given your body a certain degree 
  of habituation to poisons of all kinds.
  Finally, you can take poison directly from 
  such sources as the glands of dead viper 
  snakes and scorpions, without needing to 
  make any particular skill checks. Note that this 
  feat does not help with finding such poison 
  sources, only extracting the poison from them 
  once found.
  Fanatical Fighting [General]
  You find strength in the company of others 
  who share your beliefs.
  Prerequisite: Accepted member of reli-
  gious cult or similar organization.
  Benefit: You gain a morale bonus to attack 
  rolls when you are in the company of two or 
  more allies from the same organization who 
  also have the Fanatical Fighting feat. The 
  bonus is equal to the total number of allies 
  (including yourself) present and involved in 
  combat, divided by 3 (drop fractions), up to 
  a maxium bonus of +3. You gain no benefits 
  against fellow members of your organization.
  For example, a priest or cultist in the com-
  pany of five other cult members gains a +2 
  morale bonus to all attack rolls.
  Grisly Sacrifice [General]
  You are trained in the ritual art of taking 
  lives and stealing the life-force released by 
  the death of your victim. This life-force can be 
  used for your own benefit, or the benefit of a 
  creature you designate, typically a creature you 
  worship.
  Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks 
  
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  or Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Taint 1+.
  Benefit: By performing a grisly ritual of 
  sacrifice and succeeding on a Sacrifice check, 
  which is either a Knowledge (arcana) or a 
  Knowledge (religion) check, you (or the target 
  you designate) gain one of several possible 
  benefits. The sacrifice check is modified by 
  several factors (see table below). The ritual 
  takes at least 10 minutes, but usually lasts 
  much longer due to the logistics involved when 
  there are many sacrifices, participants, and/
  or followers. Each victim to be sacrificed must 
  be slain with a successful coup de grace attack. 
  Performing a sacrifice forces a Taint check 
  against the same DC as the Sacrifice check.
  Description 
   
   
  Modifier
  Victim is a sentient member of your 
  own race or creature type 
   
  +0
  Victim is an animal of at least 
  Medium size 
   
   
  -2
  Victim is a virgin or noble 
   
  +1
  Victim is a family member or 
  a trusted friend 
   
   
  +1
  Victim has 1-5 levels or Hit Dice 
  +1
  Victim has 6-10 levels or Hit Dice 
  +2
  Victim has 11-15 levels or Hit Dice 
  +3
  Victim has 16+ levels or Hit Dice 
  +4
  Primary victim is sacrificed along 
  with 1-9 additional victims 
  (any level or Hit Dice) 
   
  +1
  Primary victim is sacrificed along 
  with 10-49 additional victims 
  (any level or Hit Dice) 
   
  +2
  Primary victim is sacrificed along 
  with 50+ additional victims 
  (any level or Hit Dice) 
   
  +3
  Leader of ritual is accompanied by 
  1-9 additional participants with 
  the Grisly Sacrifice feat 
   
  +1
  Leader of ritual is accompanied by 
  10-19 additional participants with 
  the Grisly Sacrifice feat 
   
  +2
  Leader of ritual is accompanied by 
  20+ additional participants with 
  the Grisly Sacrifice feat 
   
  +3
  Ritual lasts at least 1 hour 
   
  +1
  Ritual takes place during an 
  uncommon event such as a full moon 
  +1
  Ritual takes place during a 
  rare event such as a solar eclipse 
  +2
  Ritual is conducted in front of 
  non-allied spectators in a public 
  place such as a town square or 
  temple entrance 
   
   
  +2
  Ritual is conducted in front 
  of 10-24 followers 
   
   
  +1
  Ritual is conducted in front 
  of 25-99 followers  
   
  +2
  Ritual is conducted in front 
  of 100+ followers 
   
   
  +3
  After performing the ritual of sacrifice, you 
  roll a Sacrifice check against the Difficulty 
  Class specified for the benefit you are after.
  Benefit  
   
  Sacrifice check DC
  Your effective caster level increases by +1 for every 
  5 points above the DC. This bonus applies to level 
  checks and the number of spells you can cast per 
  day. You do not gain bonus spells due to high ability 
  scores. Note, however, that this temporary increase 
  in caster level does not grant you knowledge of any 
  new spells, although it may grant you higher-level 
  spell slots (which you can use for metamagic-
  enhanced versions of lower level spells). The effect 
  lasts for 1 hour, but can be extended for an ad-
  ditional hour by reducing the effective caster level 
  bonus by 1 (to a minimum of 1). For example, if the 
  Sacrifice check succeeded by 15, effective caster level 
  can be increased by +3 for 1 hour, or by +1 for 3 
  hours, +2 for 2 hours, and so on. 
  DC 25
  You are healed 1 hit point for every point above 
  the DC, up to double your normal hit point total. 
  Hit points that exceed your normal hit point total 
  are lost at the rate of 1 hit point per 10 minutes, or 
  whenever you are wounded (as normal). DC 15
  You are granted a +1 circumstance bonus to all sav-
  ing throws of a specific type (Fortitude, Reflex, or 
  Will) for every 5 points above the DC, to a maximum 
  of +6. The effect lasts for 1 hour, but can be extended 
  for an additional hour by reducing the bonus by 1 (to 
  a minimum of 1). 
   
   
  DC 25
  You gain a +1 circumstance bonus for every 5 
  points above the DC (to a maximum of +6) to your 
  Charisma check when you use any planar binding 
  spell to compel a summoned creature to perform a 
  service. This stacks with any bonus you may get as a 
  result of offering the summoned creature a reward 
  and the nature of the service.  
  DC 30
  You grant the followers who were present during the 
  ritual (up to a maximum of 100 individuals per level 
  or Hit Dice) a +1 morale bonus to all attack rolls for 
  every 10 points above the DC, to a maximum of +4. 
  The effect lasts for 1 day, but can be extended for 
  an additional day by reducing the bonus by 1 (to a 
  minimum of 1). 
   
   
  DC 20
  High Priest [General]
  You are the high priest of a small- or medi-
  um-sized cult, or the chief priest of a large city 
  in case of world-spanning cults.
  Prerequisites: Cha 15, Priest, must defeat 
  the cult’s current high priest or wait for him to 
  die and/or be named his successor.
  Benefit: Once you become the high priest 
  of a cult, you have full (but not necessarily 
  uncontested) control of the temple, its prop-
  erty, treasures and staff, and can command 
  the lesser priests of the city as you desire. You 
  are the peer of the cult’s high priests in other 
  cities. You may become a trusted advisor (or 
  dangerous rival) to the city’s secular ruler. At 
  this point, the priest has become an important 
  figure in the campaign world, and the DM 
  should take care to tailor adventures to high-
  level politics and intrigue.
  As a high priest, the social circumstance 
  bonuses you receive on Diplomacy, Gather 
  Information and Intimidate checks (see the 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Acolyte feat) increase to +6.
  Improved Speed [General]
  You move with lightning speed.
  Prerequisite: Run.
  Benefit: You gain a +10 bonus to your base 
  Speed, or a +5 bonus if wearing  medium or 
  heavy armor or carrying a heavy load. This 
  increase in speed does not stack with the Fast 
  Movement class ability of barbarians and 
  nomads.
  Special: You can gain Improved Speed 
  multiple times, up to a maximum of 3 times. 
  Its effects stack.
  Jackal’s Guts [General]
  You can survive on “food” that city-dwellers 
  would not consider edible.
  Prerequisite: Endurance.
  Benefit: You can survive on a diet of larvae, 
  bugs, bitter herbs, roots, even animal feces; 
  since this can be found almost anywhere, 
  even in the most inhospitable and barren 
  environments such as mountains, deserts and 
  wastelands, you are rarely, if ever, in danger of 
  dying from thirst or starvation.
  Jaded Reveler
  You regularly enjoy boisterous festivities 
  and debauched feasts, usually combined with 
  alcohol and drug abuse.
  Prerequisite: Con 13.
  Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to saving 
  throws against alcohol consumption. You 
  also gain a general +1 bonus to saving throws 
  against poison, and to resist mind-affecting 
  magic.
  Normal: Alchohol is treated as a weak poi-
  son. A standard drink is Ingested, Fort DC 10, 
  initial damage 1d2 Int and 1d2 Wis, second-
  ary damage 1 Dex and 1 Con (but stronger 
  drinks certainly exist). Each drink after the 
  first increases the DC by one. If Intelligence or 
  Wisdom is reduced to zero, the character falls 
  unconscious for 2d4 hours. If Constitution 
  falls to zero, the character dies from alcohol 
  poisoning.
  Khazistani Bow-Mastery [General]
  Your skill with the composite bow is legend-
  ary.
  Prerequisite: Dex 15; Point Blank Shot; 
  must be trained by someone who already has 
  this feat.
  Benefit: You automatically gain weapon 
  proficiency with the Khazistani shortbow. 
  Furthermore, any hit within point blank range 
  (30 feet) with this weapon deals an additional 
  +2 points of damage.
  Normal: The Khazistani shortbow is an 
  exotic weapon which requires Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (Khazistani shortbow).
  Lunar Magic [General]
  Your spellcasting abilities are strongly influ-
  enced by the phases of the moon.
  Prerequisites: Ability to spontaneously 
  cast arcane spells.
  Benefit: The moon has long been held to 
  have an influence over magic. In your case, it’s 
  literally true. The phases of the moon influence 
  your spellcasting abilities. They increase as the 
  moon waxes, and decrease as it wanes.
  During the waxing moon, your caster level 
  is considered one higher for purposes of level 
  checks and the number of spells you can cast 
  per day. During the three nights of the full 
  moon, your caster level is considered two 
  higher for these purposes. Note, however, that 
  this temporary increase in caster level does 
  not grant you knowledge of any new spells, al-
  though it may grant you higher-level spell slots 
  (which you can use for metamagical-enhanced 
  versions of lower level spells).
  So, for example, a 4th-level shaman with a 
  Wisdom score of 16 during the waxing moon 
  gains two additional 3rd-level spells per day 
  (one spell slot for being treated as a 5th-level 
  shaman, and one bonus spell slot for high 
  Wisdom). However, since a 4th-level shaman 
  doesn’t know any 3rd-level spells, he can only 
  use those additional spell slots to cast lower-
  level spells or spells enhanced with metamagic 
  feats.
  This additional power comes with a price. 
  During the waning moon, your caster level 
  is considered one level lower for purposes of 
  level checks and spells you can cast per day. 
  So a 4th-level sorcerer would lose one 1st-
  level and one 2nd-level spell per day (and a 
  3rd-level sorcerer would lose the ability to 
  cast 2nd-level spells altogether). During the 
  new moon, your caster level is considered two 
  levels lower. If this reduces your effective level 
  to zero or less, you cannot cast spells during 
  that time, although you retain your other class 
  abilities.
  During the the half moon, you are at your 
  normal caster level for level checks and spells 
  per day.
  Master of Sacrifice [General]
  You are highly skilled with the cultist’s dag-
  ger or other sacrificial blade.
  Prerequisite: Grisly Sacrifice.
  Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Sacrifice 
  checks (see the Grisly Sacrifice feat). Addi-
  tionally, you can make a coup de grace attack 
  against helpless foes up to once per round as 
  a free action, instead of a full-round action, 
  whether as part of a ritual or during combat.
  
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  Noble Blood [General]
  You are the scion of a noble family or clan.
  Prerequisite: Must be taken at 1st level.
  Benefit: You have a noble title, granting you 
  certain benefits with regard to local law. For 
  example, nobles can request (and usually be 
  granted) an audience with the king or sover-
  eign at any time. Nobles may also be exempt 
  from paying taxes, and are sometimes immune 
  to arrest until they have been proven guilty of 
  a crime.
  You also gain a +2 circumstance bonus when 
  using the Diplomacy skill, and you start with 
  four times the normal wealth for your charac-
  ter class.
  Note that you do not have any land rights, 
  either due to not being firstborn or because the 
  family has lost or been driven away from its 
  lands.
  And beware, for you can be used to good ef-
  fect on sacrificial altars (see the Grisly Sacrifice 
  feat).
  Oracle [General]
  You have gained a reputation as a skilled 
  diviner and omen-reader, or as a prophet. You 
  can establish yourself as an Oracle, either as-
  sociated with a temple (if you belong to a cult) 
  or as an independent seer. You attract people 
  (including commoners, adventurers, wealthy 
  merchants, and nobles) who come seeking 
  answers and advice from you.
  Prerequisites: 12 ranks in any two Knowl-
  edge skills, Sense Motive 7 ranks.
  Benefit: You are assumed to receive divine 
  revelations and to speak with the voice of 
  the gods, but may use your position to influ-
  ence events and further your own interests. 
  The petitioners will bring gifts and sacrifices 
  and make donations to you according to their 
  wealth and the issue at hand. Special visits 
  should be role-played, but in general the posi-
  tion as Oracle will provide you with enough 
  income (up to 50 gp per level or Hit Dice per 
  month) to live comfortably and to feed and 
  shelter your servants and guards.
  Pantherish Dodge [General]
  You are skilled at avoiding blows.
  Prerequisite: Dodge.
  Benefit: Whenever you are unarmored, you 
  gain a defense bonus to your AC equal to half 
  your base attack bonus (rounded down). The 
  defense bonus stacks with all other bonuses to 
  AC, including the your shield bonus, natural 
  armor bonus, and so forth. Unlike an armor 
  bonus, a defense bonus does improve your AC 
  against touch attacks. You lose your defense 
  bonus when you are flat-footed, unless you 
  also have the Uncanny Dodge class ability.
  Priest [General]
  You have risen in the ranks of a cult to 
  become a fully ordained priest. Your duties in-
  clude teaching the acolytes, and leading rituals 
  of worship and sacrifice.
  Prerequisites: Acolyte, Leadership.
  Benefits: As a priest, you command a num-
  ber of acolytes and temple guards (as deter-
  mined by your Leadership feat). The acolytes 
  are also your Thralls (see the Magic chapter for 
  more information about Masters and Thralls).
  You receive a monthly stipend of 25 gp per 
  level from the cult’s coffers. You must travel to 
  a temple to collect his stipend.
  You gain access to the temple’s library of 
  secret scrolls and forbidden books. For each 
  day spent researching a specific topic in the 
  library, you gain a +1 research bonus to any 
  Knowledge skill check (maximum +10) related 
  to that topic.
  At any time, you can receive basic accom-
  modation in any temple belonging to your cult. 
  You can stay as long as you want, and you can 
  bring one guest per level, who will also receive 
  basic food and shelter.
  As a priest, the social circumstance bonuses 
  you receive on Diplomacy, Gather Information 
  and Intimidate checks (see the Acolyte feat) 
  increase to +4.
  Despite all these benefits, being a priest also 
  has its drawbacks. You are still the Thrall of 
  a greater priest, and you must obey the high 
  priest of the cult.
  Sailor on the Seas of Fate [General]
  You have travelled far and wide on the seven 
  seas.
  Prerequisite: Must have served aboard a 
  seagoing vessel for at least one year.
  Benefit: You gain a +4 circumstance bonus 
  to Balance checks when aboard a ship. Fur-
  thermore, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus 
  to attack rolls against aquatic creatures. You 
  can also hold your breath for a number of 
  rounds equal to three times your Constitution 
  score before you begin to drown.
  Normal: Any character can hold his breath 
  for a number of rounds equal to twice his Con-
  stitution score before he begins to drown.
  Sorcerer’s Apprentice [General]
  You study the magical arts under the auspic-
  es of a great and knowledgeable sorcerer.
  Prerequisites: Must be accepted as an 
  apprentice by a master sorcerer, perhaps by 
  completing a special test or mission.
  Benefits: You have the benefit of a master 
  who teaches you sorcery. Whenever you ad-
  vance a level in a class capable of spellcasting, 
  you may select two spells (of any level you may 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  cast) from the list of the spells that the master 
  sorcerer teaches (as determined by the DM).
  Your master also provides you with food and 
  shelter, and you benefit from the protection of 
  his magical and mundane guards and wards.
  However, you are always at the mercy of 
  your master, being his Thrall (see the Magic 
  chapter for more information about Masters 
  and Thralls). The master seldom accepts ap-
  prentices out of altruism, but needs pawns to 
  use in his own schemes. You both know that 
  you probably will seek to kill him some day to 
  break the power he has over you.
  Sympathetic Magic [Metamagic]
  Using material links, you can cast spells on 
  targets over vast distances.
  Benefit: With this feat, you can cast a 
  sympathetic spell on any target as if you were 
  touching the target, regardless of the actual 
  distance between you, provided that both 
  you and the target are on the same plane. 
  This means sympathetic magic cannot effect 
  ethereal creatures, for example. The target 
  is entitled to a saving throw against the spell 
  (and spell resistance, if it applies) and the spell 
  has its normal effects and duration.
  Spells and effects that block scrying, such as 
  nondetection, have the same effect on sym-
  pathetic spells. So the caster of a sympathetic 
  spell would have to succeed at a caster level 
  check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 11 
  + the caster level of the spellcaster who cast 
  nondetection in order for the spell to affect 
  the target. A detect scrying spell can detect a 
  sympathetic spell in progress (that is from the 
  moment casting begins) and allows you an op-
  posed caster level check to get an image of the 
  caster of the sympathetic spell.
  A sympathetic spell requires a material 
  component (in addition to its normal compo-
  nents). You must have a piece of the target’s 
  substance. For a living creature, this may be 
  some of its blood, flesh, hair, nails, or other 
  parts of its body. For a nonliving object, it 
  must be an integral part of its substance (for 
  example a sliver from a timber of a building, 
  not from a piece of furniture inside it). This 
  material component is consumed in the cast-
  ing of the spell, as normal.
  Preparing a sympathetic spell requires the 
  normal amount of time, but casting it requires 
  100 times the usual casting time (with casting 
  times of 1 standard action being treated as 1 
  round). So casting bestow curse (casting time 
  of 1 standard action) as a sympathetic spell re-
  quires 100 rounds, or about 6 minutes. Casting 
  mark of justice (casting time of 10 minutes) as 
  a sympathetic spell requires 1000 minutes, or 
  nearly 18 hours, and so forth. Interruptions to 
  the casting may spoil the spell normally if the 
  caster fails a Concentration check, and the GM 
  can require a Concentration check each round 
  for a continuing distraction (making it very 
  difficult to maintain the casting of the ritual). 
  A sympathetic spell uses up a spell slot three 
  levels higher than the spell’s actual level.
  Tainted Presence [General]
  Your taint adds to your menacing presence. 
  Prerequisite: Taint 1+, Sinister Presence 
  class ability.
  Benefit: You gain a +2 circumstance bonus 
  to the DC when using the Sinister Presence 
  class ability.
  Wizard’s Familiar [General]
  You have bound a creature to your service. 
  This familiar is a magical beast that resembles 
  a small animal and is unusually tough and 
  intelligent. It acts as your companion and 
  servant.
  Prerequisites: Ability to cast spells.
  Benefit: The sorcerer chooses the kind of 
  familiar he gets. As the sorcerer advances in 
  level, his familiar also increases in power. See 
  the description of familiars in the PHB for 
  details.
  Special: If the familiar dies or is dismissed 
  by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a 
  DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means 
  he loses 200 experience points per sorcerer 
  level; success reduces the loss to one-half that 
  amount. However, a sorcerer’s experience 
  point total can never go below 0 as the result 
  of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or 
  dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a 
  year and day.
  Zadjite Whip-Mastery [General]
  Your skill with the lash is legendary.
  Prerequisite: Dex 15; must be trained by 
  someone who already has this feat.
  Benefit: You automatically gain weapon 
  proficiency with the whip. Furthermore, you 
  deal normal (lethal) damage with the weapon, 
  and can deal damage to any creature regard-
  less of its armor bonus. You do not provoke 
  attacks of opportunity when fighting with the 
  whip.
  Normal: The whip is an exotic weapon 
  which requires Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (whip). A whip deals nonlethal damage. It 
  deals no damage to any creature with an armor 
  bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus 
  of +3 or higher. The whip is treated as a melee 
  weapon with 15-foot reach, though you don’t 
  threaten the area into which you can make 
  an attack. Using a whip provokes an attack of 
  opportunity, just as if you had used a ranged 
  weapon.
  
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  ”The room was large, high-vaulted, and 
  lit by a dim window looking forth between 
  unpruned cypresses toward the black sea. No 
  flames arose from the myriad lamps to assist 
  that baffled daylight; and shadows brimmed 
  the place like a spectral fluid, through which 
  the vessels of wizardry, the great censers and 
  alembics and braziers, seemed to quiver like 
  animate things. A little past the room’s center, 
  his back to the doorway, Vacharn sat on an 
  ebon trivet before the mirror of clairvoyance, 
  which was wrought from electrum in the 
  form of a huge delta; and was held obliquely 
  aloft by a serpentining copper arm. The mir-
  ror flamed brightly in the shadow, as if lit by 
  some splendor of unknown source; and the 
  intruders were dazzled by glimpsing of its ra-
  diance as they went forward.” — Clark Ashton 
  Smith: Necromancy in Naat
  Sorcery
  Introduction
  Magic in the classic sword and sorcery stories 
  is darker and more subtle than in the high fan-
  tasy novels and game worlds of recent decades. 
  The core magic rules of the d20 System are 
  based on the assumption that magic pervades 
  the world and is used almost as a substitute for 
  technology. But, ironically, having too much 
  magic takes away much of the wonder and awe 
  of magic.
  At the same time, taking away too much 
  magic or making the magic rules overly re-
  strictive and harsh tends to alienate players, 
  who might consider it unfair that only non-
  player character should have access to pow-
  erful magic. Plus, tampering with the magic 
  rules puts an additional burden on the players, 
  who have to learn the new rules.
  Thus, the philosophy of this book is to 
  change as little as possible of the actual 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  magic rules. The sword and sorcery feel can 
  be achieved in a campaign by restricting or 
  changing a few key elements of the core rules 
  which interfere with the low-magic paradigm, 
  without totally abandoning the fantasy that 
  players expect and enjoy.
  Restricting Spell Lists
  First of all, certain spells from the PHB 
  simply do not fit well in a sword and sorcery 
  world. Any class with access to spells (typi-
  cally the sorcerer class) should have a spell list 
  customized for the proper atmosphere. When 
  determining whether to allow spells from 
  other sources, consider the following reasons 
  for exclusion:
  Artillery Spells: Avoid spells that turn the 
  spellcaster into a walking piece of artillery, 
  able to wipe out a small army of opponents 
  with a single spell. Fireball and its derivatives 
  (delayed blast fireball, meteor swarm, flame 
  strike, etc.) fall into this category, as do such 
  classics as magic missile, lightning bolt and 
  disintegrate.
  Curative and Life-Restoring Magic: 
  Healing and curative spells do not exist unless 
  they drain or transfer life-force from some un-
  willing victim (which is why vampiric touch is 
  acceptable, but not cure light wounds or cure 
  disease). Death is final, and characters cannot 
  count on being raised or resurrected. In the ex-
  tremely rare cases where someone is brought 
  back from the dead, it will always be through 
  black magic (probably requiring blood sacri-
  fice), and always as some hideous mockery of 
  their former selves, whether a soulless zombie, 
  wizened mummy, or restless, mad spirit.
  Convenience Spells: Rope trick is only a 
  2nd-level spell, yet it creates an extradimen-
  sional space where an entire party can hide 
  from the rest of the world; hardly a staple of 
  sword and sorcery. The spell create water 
  is certainly convenient, but the wilderness 
  becomes a more dangerous (and interesting) 
  place without such spells. Similarly, characters 
  should rely on their swimming skills and their 
  Constitution scores instead of depending on 
  water breathing. And so on.
  Instant Transportation: Teleport and its 
  varieties make a mockery of long wilderness 
  treks and quests into uncharted waters. Nei-
  ther should dimension door and other short-
  range teleportation spells be allowed, because 
  they make it too easy to circumvent defenses 
  and penetrate castle and city walls. In a low-
  magic world, there are simply no adequate 
  countermeasures against such spells.
  Powerful Low-Level Divinations: Detect 
  magic might seem innocent enough, but in the 
  hands of power-gamers it tends to be used as a 
  “radar” to scan areas for anything interesting 
  (such as magical items or traps). Roleplaying 
  is enhanced if there is no such clear distinc-
  tion of what is magical and what is not. Detect 
  evil does not apply to a world without align-
  ments. Comprehend languages is a mere 
  1st-level spell, but allows you to understand all 
  written languages. That might not seem very 
  important when dungeon-crawling, but if such 
  a spell exists, there is little point in learning 
  ancient and forgotten languages, and the role-
  playing aspects of trying to decipher ancient 
  grimoires are lost.
  “Superhero” Spells: Flying (through the 
  fly spell) and turning invisible (through invis-
  ibility and improved invisibility) are examples 
  of powers rarely seen in sword and sorcery 
  stories. These abilities are especially power-
  ful (and therefore unbalancing) in low-magic 
  settings, where there are few countermeasures 
  available.
  Magical items that duplicate these types of 
  spells should also be removed from the game, 
  of course.
  It becomes apparent that in many cases, 
  skills become more important for characters 
  when magic spells are restricted. Skills such 
  as Climb, Decipher Script, Heal, Search, 
  Sense Motive, Swim, Survival, and the vari-
  ous Knowledge skills are good substitutes for 
  many of the spells listed above.
  Restricting Magical Items
  Characters should rely on their abilities, not 
  their equipment, which could be destroyed, 
  lost or stolen at any time. In stark contrast to 
  a high fantasy campaign, magical weapons, 
  armor and wondrous items in a sword and 
  sorcery setting should be extremely rare. The 
  very concept that these items can be created 
  through a mechanistically simple process seri-
  ously undermines the wondrousness of magic. 
  In a typical campaign using the core rules, 
  the DMG is nothing more than a shopping 
  catalogue of items, since everything has a price 
  and can be bought or manufactured by the 
  player characters.
  In a sword and sorcery world, most per-
  manent magical items should be unique, 
  many being left-overs from earlier ages when 
  spellcasters were presumably more powerful. 
  All such items should have evocative names 
  and detailed background stories. For example, 
  a gem of brightness might be called the Jewel 
  of Lar-Karakshat; it will probably be the only 
  gem of its kind in the campaign world and 
  finding it will be an adventure in itself. In 
  short, treat permanent magic items as if they 
  were artifacts or relics in high fantasy cam-
  paigns. Such items will never be for sale.
  As a consequence, item creation feats are not 
  available to characters.
  Types of Magic
  Casting spells is the act of exerting one’s own 
  willpower, or controlling mystic cosmic forces 
  through force of will, words and gestures of 
  
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  power, potent runes and symbols, rare mate-
  rial components, and so on. Anyone can learn 
  to cast spells, given the proper training, repre-
  sented by taking levels in a spellcasting class.
  Sword and sorcery stories rarely distinguish 
  between the magic used by sorcerers and 
  wizards, and that employed by priests. There 
  is seldom any evidence that divine beings ex-
  ist at all; most spellcasting priests are simply 
  magicians who use religions and cults to gain 
  personal power, wealth, and loyal servants.
  The distinction in the core rules between 
  arcane and divine magic should therefore be 
  dropped; simply consider all magic to be of the 
  arcane variety.
  Arcane Magic
  There is no distinction between arcane and 
  divine magic; all magic is considered arcane. 
  Essentially, all spellcasters use the same kind 
  of magic; they differ only in their methods of 
  study and practice of ritual. For example, a 
  magician typically studies ancient books in sol-
  itude; a priest learns new spells from his men-
  tors in the temple; while a shaman sacrifices to 
  (or forces) spirits to teach him magic.
  However, there is nothing preventing overlap 
  between these methods of study. A magician, 
  for example, can join a sorcerous coven to 
  learn new spells from his peers, apprentice 
  himself to a master, or summon a demon and 
  try to force it to learn him new spells. A priest 
  can learn spells by studying spellbooks; a sha-
  man who learns to read and write could do the 
  same.
  Divine Magic
  The ability to cast spells, even for priests and 
  shamans, is not granted by gods or spirits. 
  A priest may claim to receive his spellcast-
  ing ability through prayer and sacrifice, but 
  the truth is that even a priest who has been 
  cast out of the temple and/or actively works 
  against the tenets of his cult, is able to con-
  tinue casting spells.
  See the Cults, Gods & Demons chapter for 
  more information on religion and the nature of 
  the gods.
  Armor Use
  Since all spellcasters use arcane magic, they 
  are all subject to arcane spell failure if wearing 
  armor.
  The Study of Magic
  The study of magic is a difficult and time-
  consuming process, prone to errors and ter-
  rible backlashes in the case of failure.
  Gaining New Spells
  To learn a new spell, the spell must be found, 
  learned, discovered, or researched. Spellcast-
  ers who are acolytes or priests typically have 
  an advantage since they learn many spells 
  directly from the temple, but are at the mercy 
  of their superiors. Sorcerers and shamans may 
  also be apprentices of masters. All spellcasters 
  can take the Demonic Pact feat to gain more 
  initial spells per level, but usually at a terrible 
  price.
  Spells and Spellbooks
  Spellbooks are not required to memorize 
  spells. However, they are useful for learning 
  new spells (see below), and some books have 
  magical properties of their own.
  Learning Spells
  Spells are written in normal languages, 
  although the language used may be archaic, 
  ancient, or even completely lost to the current 
  age. If learning a spell from a spellbook or 
  other written source, the caster must know the 
  language. If learning from another caster (or 
  spirit, monster, etc.), they must have a com-
  mon language in which to communicate.
  Each spell takes a number of weeks (or 
  months, at the DM’s option) equal to spell 
  level to study. In addition, if the spell is 
  contained within a book, scroll, or on a wall, 
  etc., there may be an additional period of 
  study required to decipher hidden meanings, 
  encrypted phrases, mad ramblings, etc. in the 
  text. This extra study time is specified for each 
  book (ie., the Red Tablets of Yibboth requires 
  4 weeks of study and a Decipher Script DC 30 
  check before the caster can start to learn the 
  spells contained within).
  Assuming the caster knows the language and 
  spends the time required to study the text (or 
  undergoes verbal instruction for an equal pe-
  riod of time), he makes a Spellcraft check (DC 
  15 + spell level) to understand and learn the 
  new spell. A failed roll cannot be retried until 
  the caster gains another level.
  There is no upper limit on the number of 
  spells a caster may learn.
  Researching Spells
  Casters can research existing spells by spend-
  ing time and money, and they can create new, 
  unique spells by the same process (subject to 
  the DM’s approval, of course). The specifics of 
  this research process is left up to the DM.
  Preparing Spells
  Sorcerers (including priests and shamans) 
  do not need to prepare their spells in advance. 
  A sorcerer can cast any spell he knows at any 
  time, assuming he has not yet used up his 
  spells per day for that spell level. He does not 
  have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll 
  cast.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Casting Spells
  The casting of spells is identical to the pro-
  cess as described in the PHB.
  The Taint of Sorcery (Optional Rule)
  Using this optional rule, the magic-user has a 
  choice between staying sane and “human”, or 
  wielding terrible spells at the cost of his sanity. 
  Note that this is one of the reasons why master 
  sorcerers prefer to have thralls (apprentices 
  or acolytes) working for them, casting tainted 
  magic so they don’t have to do it themselves.
  Some spells are considered tainted, black 
  magic spells; typically spells which summon 
  evil beings, or which inflict fear, harm, or pain 
  upon others (the specific list of tainted spells 
  is left up to the DM to create based on his own 
  campaign). When casting a black magic spell, 
  the caster must make a Will save at DC 10 + 
  half current Taint score + spell level or gain a 
  point of Taint.
  Taint warps the mind, setting the sorcerer 
  on the path to madness and death. A character 
  who has a Taint score equal or greater than 
  to 25% of his Wisdom score is mildly tainted. 
  A character who has a Taint score equal to or 
  greater than 50% of his Wisdom score is mod-
  erately tainted. A character who has a Taint 
  score equal to 75% or more of his Wisdom 
  score is severely tainted.
  The DM should apply one of the following 
  penalties as soon as a character acquires the 
  appropriate level of taint.
  Mild Mental Taint Effects
  — Mild paranoia (Will save [DC 13] to avoid 
  turning against ally or henchman, once every 
  3d6 days).
  — Disorientation (-2 on Spot and Listen 
  checks).
  — Increased aggressiveness (Will save [DC 
  13] to avoid combat at the slightest provoca-
  tion).
  — Mild hallucinations (during every round 
  of combat, has 5% chance of attacking non-
  existent foe).
  — Nightmares (has 20% chance to prevent 
  restful sleep).
  Moderate Mental Taint Effects
  — Hears voices of evil spirits (-4 on Listen 
  checks).
  — Severe paranoia (Will save [DC 15] to 
  avoid turning against ally or henchman, once 
  every 3d6 days).
  — Fits of uncontrollable disturbing laughter 
  (-4 on Bluff and Diplomacy checks).
  — Prone to fits of extreme rage (Will save 
  [DC 15] to avoid combat at the slightest provo-
  cation).
  — Addiction to exotic drug (must consume 
  drug worth at least 50 gp per dose once every 
  1d6 days).
  — Cannibalism (must consume freshly killed 
  human flesh once every 2d6 days).
  — Deviant sexual behaviour (must engage in 
  sexual behaviour that is considered illegal by 
  local law once every 2d6 days).
  — Minor obsession (treat as lesser geas 
  spell).
  Severe Mental Taint Effects
  — Irresistible murderous urges (Will save 
  [DC 18] to avoid combat at the slightest provo-
  cation).
  — Fits of lunatic paranoia (Will save [DC 18] 
  to avoid turning against ally or henchman, 
  once every 3d6 days).
  — Utter megalomania (Will save [DC 18] 
  to retreat from combat, even against clearly 
  superior foes).
  — Major obsession (treat as geas/quest 
  spell).
  When the character’s Taint score equals or 
  exceeds his Wisdom score, he dies, falls into 
  a coma, or becomes irrevocably mad and/or 
  the hopeless thrall of a demonic, extra-planar 
  being (DM’s choice).
  Taint can be reduced at the rate of 1 point per 
  month by completely avoiding casting spells, 
  avoid any place where magic is cast, and any 
  item or device that may cause taint. At the 
  end of the month, the caster can make a Will 
  saving throw at DC 10 + current Taint score to 
  reduce taint by one point.
  In addition to spellcasting, exposure to 
  certain accursed locations and items can also 
  cause taint. For every 24 hours spent in a 
  tainted place or in contact with a tainted object 
  the character must make a Will saving throw. 
  The base DC is 10 + half current Taint score + 
  5 for every 24 hours of consecutive exposure.
  New Spells
  This chapter contains several new spells.
  Altar-Fire
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
  Level: Sor 4
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
  Area: All allies and foes within a 60-ft.-radi-
  us burst centered on the altar-fire
  Duration: 2 rounds/level
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  This spell brings into being a small pillar 
  
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  of green or purple flame that burns without 
  consuming the surface it emits from. As long 
  as they stay within the fire’s 60-feet radius, the 
  caster and his allies gain a +2 luck bonus on 
  attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and 
  skill checks, while each of his foes in the same 
  area takes a -2 penalty on such rolls.
  The altar-fire cannot be distinguished by nor-
  mal means, but can be negated with a dispel 
  magic spell.
  Material Component: A pinch of flammable 
  herbs.
  Black Fist of Ptahaana
  Transmutation
  Level:  Sor 3
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Target: One humanoid creature
  Duration: Concentration (see text)
  Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  This spell, originally invented for the sacrifi-
  cial blood-rites of sunken Ptahaana, uses weak 
  telekinetic force to slowly rip the victim’s heart 
  out of his chest.
  While the caster concentrates, the target 
  suffers a heart attack, becoming paralyzed 
  and freezing in place. It is aware and breathes 
  normally but cannot take any actions, even 
  speech. The target suffers 1d4 points of dam-
  age per round of excruciating pain.
  Each round on its turn, the target may at-
  tempt a new saving throw to end the effect. 
  (This is a full-round action that does not pro-
  voke attacks of opportunity.)
  If the target is slain by the spell, the victim’s 
  still-beating heart is transported to the caster’s 
  outstretched hand.
  Curse of Double Death
  Necromancy
  Level: Sor 5
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Touch
  Target: Living creature touched
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw: Will negates
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  When cast, this spell creates a permanent 
  necromantic bond between the caster and the 
  target. When the caster dies, whether from old 
  age, disease or violence or by any other means, 
  the target immediately also dies, apparently 
  from the same cause as the caster. The reverse 
  is not true, so if the target creature dies, the 
  caster is unaffected.
  This spell can only affect a single target. If 
  the caster attempts to casts the spell on an-
  other creature, the spell no longer affects the 
  previous target.
  Curse of Green Decay
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor 4
  Components:  V, S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
  Target: One living humanoid creature
  Duration: 1 round/2 levels
  Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  This loathsome spell slowly turns the victim’s 
  body into a quivering mass of green slime. If 
  the target fails the saving throw, he begins to 
  suffer 1d6 points of Constitution damage per 
  round while his flesh is devoured. If the vic-
  tim’s Constitution score reaches zero, he dies. 
  The decay can be stopped by a dispel magic 
  spell.
  Drums of Panic
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affect-
  ing]
  Level: Sor 4
  Components: V, S, F
  Casting Time: 1 round
  Range: Personal
  Area: All enemies in a 30-ft. radius burst, 
  centered on the caster
  Duration: Concentration (maximum 1 
  round/level)
  Saving Throw: See text
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  To cast drums of panic, the caster must have 
  at least one rank in the Perform (drums) skill.  
  All applicable targets within 30 feet of the 
  caster must make a Will save with a DC equal 
  to the result of a Perform (drums) check or 
  become panicked for 1d4 rounds.
  If a target successfully saves, the caster can 
  continue to play the drums for a maximum 
  of 1 round per level, re-rolling the Perform 
  (drums) check and requiring a new Will save 
  from those within the area each round.
  Focus: A set of masterwork drums.
  Fertility Charm
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor 1
  Components: V, S, F
  Casting Time: 10 minutes
  Range: Touch
  Target: Adult creature touched
  Duration: 1 hour/level
  Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harm-
  less)
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
  
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  For the duration of the spell, fertility charm 
  allows any adult subject to father children (if 
  male) or become pregnant (if female), regard-
  less of physical condition, old age, or disease. 
  The spell works on any creature capable of 
  sexual reproduction, be it humanoid, animal, 
  or other. Though the spell makes conception 
  possible, it does not guarantee it or a live birth.
  As a side effect, the subject also gains the free 
  use of the Endurance feat for the duration of 
  the spell.
  Focus: A small, anatomically correct carving 
  representing the subject’s species and gender.
  Hand of Revelations
  Divination
  Level: Sor 1
  Components: S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Touch
  Targets: One touched object
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  By simply touching the covers of a closed 
  book or a rolled-up scroll, the caster of this 
  spell can read the contents normally. The 
  caster must still know the language used on 
  the written material, and he reads the contents 
  with the same speed as if reading from a nor-
  mal book. The spell triggers any spells or traps 
  placed on a book or scroll, just as if the book 
  had been opened.
  Incantation of the Broken Limb
  Necromancy
  Level: Sor 2
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  
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  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Target: Living creature with an internal 
  skeleton and limbs
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  The target of the spell suffers 1d4 points 
  of damage per level of the caster (maximum 
  5d4), and suffers from an arm or leg injury 
  (caster’s choice). If an arm injury, the target 
  has a -2 penalty to all rolls that involve use of 
  the arm (attack rolls, Swim checks, etc.). If 
  a leg injury, the target has a -2 penalty to all 
  rolls that involve use of the leg (Jump checks, 
  Reflex saves, etc.). The penalties remain until 
  all the damage caused by the spell is fully 
  healed through either magical or mundane 
  means.
  A target who makes a successful Fortitude 
  save takes only half damage, and does not suf-
  fer a limb injury.
  Material Component: The arm or leg bone of 
  a small animal.
  Lifeleech
  Necromancy
  Level: Sor 5
  Components: V, S, XP
  Casting Time: 10 minutes
  Range: Touch
  Target: Creature touched
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: No
  Spell Resistance: No
  This spell is frequently used by evil sorcer-
  ers and death priests to achieve a limited form 
  of immortality. Casting the spell requires the 
  sacrifice of a sentient creature of the same race 
  as the spellcaster. The creature to be sacrificed 
  must be helpless and/or bound while the spell 
  is being cast.
  At the culmination of the spell, the caster 
  gains an automatic coup de grace attack upon 
  the victim. If the victim dies as a result of this 
  attack, his life force is transferred to the caster 
  (or another target within touch range of the 
  caster). The target gains immunity to aging 
  effects for 1 month per Hit Dice or level of the 
  creature sacrificed.
  A creature slain by this spell can only be 
  restored to life through the successful casting 
  of a resurrection, true resurrection, wish, or 
  miracle spell. Raise dead has no effect on a 
  creature slain by the lifeleech spell.
  XP Cost: 10 XP per Hit Dice of the victim.
  Lover’s Curse
  Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
  Level: Sor 5
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Target: One creature
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw: Will negates
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  This is a reverse charm spell, causing other 
  individuals to regard the target as a hated 
  enemy. All Charisma checks and Charisma-
  based skills used by the target suffer a -10 
  circumstance penalty while under the influ-
  ence of this spell. In addition, no NPC can 
  have a reaction better than Indifferent toward 
  an indivdual so cursed. Individuals who have 
  a Hostile reaction usually attack the target on 
  sight.
  Raise the Ancient Lizard-Gods
  Necromancy
  Level: Sor 7
  Components: V, S, M, XP
  Casting Time: 1 day
  Range: Touch
  Target: One prehistoric, fossilized creature 
  (up to 1HD per caster level)
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  This mighty ritual animates the bones of a 
  creature that has been in the earth for thou-
  sands or millions of years. The animated 
  creature acquires the paleoskeleton template 
  (see Tome of Horrors III). The creature obeys 
  the commands of the caster.
  Creatures created by this spell do not count 
  against the number of undead you can create 
  and control using animate dead.
  Material Component: The skull and at least 
  20% of the bones of a prehistoric creature.
  XP Cost: 2,000 XP
  Shapeshift
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor 5
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Personal
  Target: You
  Duration: 1 min./level (D)
  By means of this spell, the sorcerer can take 
  the shape of any creature of the animal or ver-
  min types, between Small and Huge size. The 
  assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than 
  the caster’s level, to a maximum of 15 HD at 
  15th level. The caster’s creature type and sub-
  type (if any) change to match the new form.
  Upon changing, the caster regains lost hit 
  points as if he had rested for a night (though 
  this healing does not restore temporary ability 
  
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  damage and provide other benefits of resting; 
  and changing back does not heal the caster 
  further). If slain, the caster reverts to his origi-
  nal form, though he remains dead.
  The caster gains the Strength, Dexterity, 
  and Constitution scores of the new form but 
  retains his own Intelligence, Wisdom, and 
  Charisma scores. He also gains all extraor-
  dinary special attacks possessed by the form 
  but does not gain the extraordinary special 
  qualities possessed by the new form or any 
  supernatural or spell-like abilities.
  Material Component: A figurine of the crea-
  ture type to change into.
  Snake Staff
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor 5
  Components: V, S, F
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Touch
  Target: Magical or non-magical quarterstaff
  Duration: 1 round/level
  Saving Throw: Special (see text)
  Spell Resistance: No
  This disturbing spell causes the caster’s 
  staff to partially animate, transforming the 
  head into that of a poisonous snake. A staff 
  enchanted by this spell cannot be used as a 
  double weapon. However, a successful hit by 
  the snake staff inflicts 1d8 points of piercing 
  damage and poisons the target. The victim 
  must make a Fortitude save against the normal 
  spell DC or immediately suffer 1d6 points of 
  temporary Constitution damage. One min-
  ute after being struck, the foe must make an 
  another Fortitude save or suffer an additional 
  1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage.
  The snake staff does not run out of venom 
  and can be used any number of times before 
  the spell’s duration ends. Dispel magic can 
  transform the weapon back into a normal staff, 
  but the poison is non-magical and must be 
  treated normally. It is not possible to “milk” 
  the staff and extract the poison for later use.
  Focus: A quarterstaff.
  Sorcery of the Skull
  Necromancy
  Level: Sor 7
  Components: V, S, M, XP
  Casting Time: 1 day
  Effect: One skull
  Duration: See text
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  By means of this grisly spell, the severed 
  head of an opponent is enchanted by peeling 
  off the skin and sewing up the lips and eye-
  lids to trap and paralyze the deceased’s spirit 
  within. The skull itself is discarded, while the 
  head is simmered in an iron pot filled with 
  juices extracted from secret herbs until it is 
  reduced to about half its natural size.
  The shrunken head is then placed on a shelf, 
  or worn along with other trophies in the 
  caster’s belt or necklace. Up to once per day, 
  the caster can interrogate the enchanted head 
  as if using speak with dead. Furthermore, once 
  per day, the caster can temporarily release 
  the captured soul to do his bidding for up to 1 
  round per caster level. Such souls are similar 
  to wraiths, except that they do not suffer from 
  daylight powerlessness, and do not create 
  spawn when killing opponents.
  The enchanted head has Hardness 2 and 
  15 hit points. If it is destroyed, the victim’s 
  wraith-spirit is released and immediately seeks 
  out and attacks the caster. However, a released 
  spirit only has 10 rounds to exact its revenge 
  before it fades and disappears to whatever 
  hell it has been denied while being the caster’s 
  prisoner.
  The spell must be cast within 3 days of the 
  victim’s death.
  Material Component: The severed head of a 
  captured enemy.
  XP Cost: 1,000 XP
  Soul Vulture
  Conjuration (Summoning)
  Level: Sor 7
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Effect: One summoned creature
  Duration: 1 day/level
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  This evil spell summons an ethereal vulture 
  that the caster can send out to attack a human-
  oid target. On the physical plane, the vulture 
  attacks with its beak attack, which ignores 
  Armor Class except for deflection, sacred, luck, 
  divine or ability score-based AC bonuses. The 
  attack does no damage, but drains 1d6 Wis-
  dom on a hit. When the target is brought down 
  to 0 Wisdom, the victim falls into a nightmare-
  filled sleep, and the vulture has captured a 
  portion of his essence.
  It then returns to its master and spits the 
  essence out in the form of a worm. If the caster 
  swallows the worm, the victim’s lost Wisdom 
  is instantly restored, however, the caster then 
  has established a sensory link and complete 
  control over the individual, as if the victim 
  were subject to a dominate person spell.
  Outside of a wish or miracle spell, the only 
  way to reverse the control etablished by the 
  spell is to remove the worm from the belly of 
  the caster (where it otherwise remains) to be 
  fed to the essence’s owner.
  The vulture pursues the target for the dura-
  
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  tion of the spell. The vulture’s stats are as 
  follows:
  Ethereal Vulture: SZ M Outsider; HD 
  1d8+2; hp 7; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 10 ft., 
  fly 80 ft. (average); AC 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, 
  +1 natural); Atk +0 melee (bite, 1d4+2) and 
  +4 melee (claws [x2], 1d3+2); SA drain 1d6 
  Wisdom with successful bite attack, ignore 
  material armor; SQ incorporeal, darkvision 
  60 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 
  14, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 4. Skills: 
  Listen +8, Spot +8, Survival +5. Feats: Flyby 
  Attack, Weapon Finesse (claw, bite).
  Material Component: Powdered diamond 
  dust (worth 2,500 gp) mixed with earth from 
  a tomb.
  Sticks to Serpents
  Necromancy
  Level: Sor 6
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Effect: 3 fiendish small vipers/level
  Duration: 1 round/level
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  This spell allows the caster to send the spirits 
  of dead snakes into pieces of wood, bringing 
  them to life. The caster can create 3 fiendish 
  small vipers per caster level, provided suf-
  ficient material components are available. 
  The caster can command the creatures as he 
  wishes. The creatures act normally on the last 
  round of the spell, and disappear at the end of 
  their turn, leaving only a pile of twigs behind.
  Material Component: One twig or small 
  branch for each snake animated.
  Summon Animal
  Conjuration (Summoning)
  Level: Sor 3
  Components: V, S, F, XP
  Casting Time: 1 round
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Effect: One summoned creature
  Duration: 1 round/level (D)
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  This spell summons a natural creature 
  (animal or vermin) of small or medium size. 
  It appears to manifest out of a small figurine 
  held in the caster’s hand. It appears where the 
  caster designates and acts immediately, on the 
  caster’s turn. It attacks the caster’s opponents 
  to the best of its ability. If the caster can com-
  municate with the creature, he can direct it not 
  to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to 
  perform other actions.
  The animal to be summoned must exist in 
  the local fauna.
  Focus: A small figurine of the animal to be 
  summoned.
  XP Cost: 250 XP
  Summon Greater Animal
  Conjuration (Summoning)
  Level: Sor 5
  Components: V, S, F, XP
  Casting Time: 1 round
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Effect: One summoned creature
  Duration: 1 round/level (D)
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  This spell functions like summon animal, 
  except that it can be used to summon large 
  and huge animals, as well as dire varieties of 
  small- and medium-sized animals.
  Focus: A small figurine of the animal to be 
  summoned.
  XP Cost: 500 XP
  Witch-Fire
  Evocation
  Level: Sor 1
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 action
  Range: See text
  Target: See text
  Duration: 10 minutes/level, or until dis-
  charged
  Saving Throw: Reflex half
  Spell Resistance: No
  A small flame springs into life in one of the 
  sorcerer’s hands. It sheds a sickly green or 
  purple light in a 20-foot radius, and dim light 
  for an additional 20 feet.
  The sorcerer can use this light as a torch for 
  the duration of the spell. Although the sorcerer 
  is not burned by the flame, he cannot carry 
  weapons or items in the same hand as the 
  witch-fire.
  The caster can end the spell by hurling the 
  flame at an opponent within 15 feet. The 
  sorcerer hits automatically, causing 3d4 points 
  of fire damage. The target is allowed a Reflex 
  save for half damage.
  Alternative Names for Spells
  Flavor can be added to the campaign by 
  changing the names of standard spells. Con-
  sider the following examples:
  — Adoration (greater command)
  — Black Sign of Ptahaana (enervation)
  — Blade of Sacrifice (keen edge)
  — Wind from the Tomb (cloudkill)
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Cults, Gods 
  and Demons
  ”In the temple of the city of Morm, which 
  lies between the desert and the sea, are two 
  images of the god Amanon, a bronze image 
  facing an iron image, across the fires and 
  blood-stains of the alter-stone. When the gory 
  sunset of the day of sacrifice is over and the 
  writhing fires of the sacrifice are dead, and 
  the moon smiles with a cold and marble smile 
  on the blackened altar — then Amanon speaks 
  to Amanon, with a voice of iron, and a voice 
  of bronze…” — Clark Ashton Smith: The Image 
  of Bronze and the Image of Iron
  The Nature of the “Gods”
  Here is the big secret: True deities do not ex-
  ist. Most of the “gods” are simply monstrous or 
  alien creatures of flesh and blood; others don’t 
  even exist except as an invention of the cult, a 
  ruse by the priests to gain power and influence 
  over the worshippers.
  A priest is usually a sorcerer, whose spellcast-
  ing ability is independent of the god he claims 
  to worship. The “gods” cannot grant spells and 
  powers to their followers. They can, however, 
  teach spells and other secrets to humans (just 
  like two humans can teach each other magic), 
  and they often live long and so accumulate a 
  lot of knowledge which they may (or may not) 
  share with their servants. Even so, some of 
  the creatures worshipped as gods have alien 
  minds and/or do not care or know about their 
  followers, making it difficult from the priests 
  to benefit from such knowledge.
  On the other hand, the “gods” gain several 
  benefits from having a human priesthood, 
  including sacrifices of food, wealth, slaves, and 
  willing servants. Blood sacrifices from the cult 
  can also empower magic cast by the “god”, or 
  increase its innate powers.
  The following types of creatures are often 
  labelled “gods” and worshipped or placated by 
  humans:
  — “Demons”, a definition that is itself some-
  what problematic. Any creature with innate 
  supernatural or magical abilities may be called 
  a demon. Examples include elementals, proper 
  demons (hezrou, vrock), and unique outsiders 
  such as Yibboth and Rahma.
  — Creatures from other planets and stars, 
  from the void between the stars, and the black 
  gulfs of space (also called aliens or extrater-
  restrials).
  — Monstrous and prehistoric animals, such 
  as giant serpents, lizards, spiders, and dino-
  saurs.
  — Undead and spirits are sometimes wor-
  shipped as gods.
  Cults
  The following subchapter lists the various 
  religious cults of the world, describing their 
  priests, temples, rituals, and secrets.
  Ahyada, the High God of Taraam
  Ahyada is the bringer of truth and protection 
  to the people of Taraam, and the patron of the 
  royal house of Achad as well. He grants visions 
  and omens to the king, which are interpreted 
  by astrologer-priests and soothsayers. Amu-
  
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  lets of Ahyada are said to be effective wards 
  against demons.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Ahyada teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  1st level — protection from evil, sanctuary
  2nd level — augury
  4th level — divination
  5th level — dream
  Aklathu, the God of Twisted Fate
  Figurines of this god, who has few temples 
  and no priests, depict Akhlathu as a deformed 
  dwarf, whose facial features even show a hint 
  of retardation. Many Susrahnites swear “By 
  Akhlathu’s Beard!” when in trouble. This is 
  also a god of thieves and gamblers.
  Al-Tawir, the Ancient One, the Sleeper Beneath 
  the Sands
  Some say that Al-Tawir dwells in the black 
  gulfs between the stars, others that he sleeps 
  in a sealed and forbidden tomb beneath the 
  desert sand. Al-Tawir is one of the Old Gods. 
  The nomads hear his voice in the howling of 
  the desert winds, and they see his face in the 
  rage of sandstorms. He is the emptyness of 
  the desert, associated with getting lost, with 
  thirst and hunger, with darkness, and with 
  sandstorms.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Al-Tawir teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — darkness, whispering wind
  3rd level — vampiric touch
  5th level —nightmare
  8th level — whirlwind
  Baal-Khardah, the Sun-God of Susrah
  The lord of the sky, protector and judge of 
  humankind, Baal-Khardah is a distant god, 
  usually worshipped only by nobility. The com-
  mon people tend to favor the more earthly 
  passions of his mate, Belet-Lil . His lavish 
  temples are filled with ram-headed statues, 
  golden sun-discs, and sacred swords.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Baal-Khardah 
  teaches the following additional spells to its 
  initiates (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — spiritual weapon
  4th level — divine power
  6th level —hold monster
  Belet-Lil, the Moon-Goddess of Susrah
  Voluptous mate of Baal-Khardah, and 
  earth-mother, Belet-Lil is a goddess of fertil-
  ity, revelry, and beauty. She is very popular 
  among the Susrahnites, not least due to the 
  large numbers of temple prostitutes found in 
  every city.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Belet-Lil teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  1st level  — charm person, fertility charm*
  2nd level — delay poison
  4th level — restoration
  5th level —dominate person, lover’s curse*
  Ia-Azutlatl, the Blood-God of Sunken 
  Ptahaana
  The true form of Ia-Azutlatl is unknown, but 
  he is one of the Old Gods; some even claim 
  that he is the greatest and oldest of those 
  ancient ones. It is known that the blood-druids 
  of now-sunken Pthaana worshipped him 
  with ceremonies of mass slaughter atop their 
  stepped pyramids of green stone. Today, his 
  name survives only in the rituals of primitive 
  savages and mad hierarchs.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Ia-Azutlatl teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  3rd level — black fist of Ptahaana
  4th level — lesser planar binding
  6th level —planar binding
  8th level — greater planar binding
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Jul-Juggah, the Devil-Bird of Azimba
  The sweltering plains of Azimba are dotted 
  with hundreds of monstrous statues of lizard-
  birds. Whether these grim effigies were crafted 
  by an older civilization, or placed there more 
  recently by the feather-cloaked shamans of 
  Jul-Juggah, is not known.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Jul-Juggah teach-
  es the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  1st level — feather fall
  5th level — song of discord
  6th level — stone tell
  The Living Flame, Nameless God of Zadj
  The Zadjites worship a nameless elemental 
  god, the Living Flame, above all other gods. 
  The priests tend everburning fires in their 
  marble temples. Fire is considered pure; both 
  the dead and the unbelievers are cast into the 
  flames to be purified. Fire also imbues metal 
  with a spark of the divine; the priests of the 
  Living Flame are skilled metal-workers and 
  weaponsmiths.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of the Living Flame 
  teaches the following additional spells to its 
  initiates (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — burning hands
  4th level — greater magic weapon
  5th level — wall of fire
  Maggash, the Brazen God of Zhaol
  Abominable are the brass idols of Maggash, 
  the fire-god of Zhaol, and even worse are the 
  rites of the priesthood, which include the 
  burning of infants as sacrifice. The priests of 
  Zhaol accept no other god than their own, and 
  worship of other gods is strictly forbidden and 
  punishable by death.
  Maggash is sometimes depicted as a bull, or a 
  bull-headed humanoid.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Maggash teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — bull’s strength, death knell
  5th level — flame strike
  Nhakhramat, the Six-Armed Woman
  The ivory woman, said by some to be the 
  mate of Yadar, is worshipped largely by 
  Khazistanis who disapprove of Belet-Lil’s 
  open sensuality, which is a source of conflict 
  between the Khazistanis and the Susrahnites.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Nhakhramat 
  teaches the following additional spells to its 
  initiates (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — alter self
  5th level — true seeing
  Nwanga Zhaal, the Lord of Beasts
  Known and feared across the Jungle King-
  doms, this bloodthirsty god is master of the 
  beasts that howl at the moon. His shamans are 
  always served by flocks of bonded animals.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Nwanga Zhaal 
  teaches the following additional spells to its 
  initiates (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — animal messenger
  4th level — drums of panic*
  3rd level — dominate animal, summon 
  animal*
  7th level — animal shapes
  Othabbhon, the Guardian of the Gates
  Depicted as a horse-headed humanoid 
  clutching a bronze key, this mysterious god is 
  a proctector of homes and vaults, as well as the 
  guardian of secret and hidden places.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Othabbhon teach-
  es the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  1st level — arcane lock
  2nd level — obscure object
  3rd level — glyph of warding
  7th level — sequester
  
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  Simatala, the Ape-God of Laksha
  Turbaned priests strangle sacrificial victims 
  on the white jade altars of this grim ape-god of 
  the east, whose cult has even begun to spread 
  to the west.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Simatala teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — death knell
  3rd level — speak with animals (apes only)
  6th level — programmed image
  Yaathra Yok, the Wise One
  This is an elephant-headed god of the east, 
  revered for its great strength and wisdom. 
  Temples of the cult contain rich treasures of 
  ivory.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Yaathra Yok 
  teaches the following additional spells to its 
  initiates (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — calm emotions
  4rd level — stoneskin
  6th level — find the path
  Yadar, the Lord of Death and Secrets
  The mysterious high god of the Khazistanis, 
  Yadar, is said to live in the desert and to collect 
  the souls of every living man and woman when 
  they give up their final breath.
  Yadar is associated with scorpions and bats. 
  Many carry charms and amulets in the image 
  of Yadar, said to ward against disease and 
  violent death.
  Such worship is often personal and unorga-
  nized, since the locations of Yadar’s temples 
  are generally kept secret and known only 
  to the priests. The cult is suspected to have 
  subterranean shrines in cities, and temples 
  in desert ruins. The nomads stay well away 
  from such ruins, since any who stray too close 
  disappear without a trace.
  To be initiated into the cult of Yadar, the 
  candidate must spend a night in a sealed sar-
  cophagus in a masoleum haunted by ghouls.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Yadar teaches the 
  following additional spells to its initiates (an 
  asterisk indicates a new spell):
  2nd level — ghoul touch
  3rd level — contagion, speak with dead
  4th level — death ward
  5th level — slay living
  6th level — lifeleech*, true necromancy*
  Yammosh, the Sea-God of Ghazor
  The greatest temple of this Susrahnite sea-
  god is located in the sinful port city of Ghazor, 
  although sailors from many nations offer sac-
  rifice to him before setting out on long ocean 
  voyages.
  To be initiated into the cult of Yammosh, 
  the candidate must survive being plunged 
  into a water-filled pit for 1d4 minutes without 
  drowning.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Yammosh teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  4th level — black tentacles
  6th level — water breathing
  7th level — control weather
  Yibboth, the Sacred Toad of Fakhuum
  Despite having its cult-centre deep within 
  the poisoned marshes of Fakhuum, whether 
  Yibboth is part of the true Yar-Ammonite pan-
  theon is uncertain; some claim he is one of the 
  Old Gods. The priests of Yibboth are reputed 
  to worship a “golden frog-thing”, along with 
  mummified crocodiles and all manner of water 
  lizards and giant toads.
  2nd level — gentle repose
  4th level — control water
  5th level — greater summon animal* (frogs, 
  toads, lizards and crocodiles only)
  6th level — lifeleech*
  Yot-Kamoth, the Spider-God of Lamu
  The Lamurans bow before black idols of 
  Yot-Kamoth, the monstrous eight-legged god 
  worshipped for centuries in the mountain 
  fastness of Lamra, the capital city. In truth, 
  the priests of the spider-god are the royalty of 
  Lamu, for they wield considerable influence 
  and for a common man to resist their demands 
  is a certain death sentence.
  To be initiated into the cult of Yot-Kamoth, a 
  candidate with the proper qualifications must 
  survive the lethal bite of a temple-bred spider 
  (Fort DC 12; initial and secondary damage 2d6 
  Con).
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Yot-Kamoth teach-
  es the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  1st level — spider climb
  2nd level — summon swarm (spiders only)
  3rd level — summon animal* (spiders only), 
  web
  4th level —giant vermin (spiders only), 
  poison
  6th level — creeping doom (spider swarms)
  Zanthiss, the Great Serpent
  The ancient demon-serpent of Yalotha, in 
  some worlds known as Hassith-Kaa, is the 
  father of various ophidian races and a master 
  of sorcery. Zanthiss is currently believed to 
  be confined to an extradimensional prison, or 
  perhaps banished to a remote star, after the 
  downfall of the serpent-empire of Yalotha.
  However, cults of Zanthiss still lair in ancient 
  temples, with writhing serpent-pits, giant 
  slithering temple snakes, malachite altars 
  stained with the blood of centuries of sacrifice, 
  and demon-guarded vaults wherein lie hidden 
  the lost papyri of jungle-lost Yalotha.
  To become an initiate of the cult, the candi-
  date must survive the lethal bite of a sacred 
  temple cobra (Fort DC 12, initial and second-
  ary damage 2d6 Con). Ascension to greater 
  titles within the priesthood may involve the 
  bites of greater and more poisonous snakes.
  Cult Secrets: The cult of Zanthiss teaches 
  the following additional spells to its initiates 
  (an asterisk indicates a new spell):
  1st level — hypnotism
  3rd level — summon animal* (snakes only)
  4th level —poison
  5th level — greater summon animal* (snakes 
  only), snake staff*
  6th level — sticks to serpents*
  The Gods of Tharag Thule
  Among the gods worshipped in the cold 
  wastes of the north are the Moon-God, the 
  Wolf-God, and the Skull-God.
  The Moon-God is served only by female 
  priestesses; old hags and crones are respected 
  omen-readers and oracles among the Thara-
  gians.
  The Wolf-God is a god of strength, war, and 
  bloodlust. Tribal chieftains are often also 
  priests of the Wolf-God.
  The Skull-God is the lord of the dead and the 
  king of ghosts; this god has no priests or fol-
  lowers, but each village has a hut set up with a 
  skull-adorned altar where he is placated with 
  offerings.
  The Gods of Yar-Ammon
  The Yar-Ammonites worship an ancient 
  pantheon of beast-headed man-gods, disturb-
  ing fragments of a lost age. Depictions of these 
  gods, said to have brought knowledge and 
  wisdom to the first civilization of Yar-Ammon, 
  include serpent-headed, vulture-headed, 
  hyena-headed, and crocodile-headed human-
  oids. The priests of Yar-Ammon often wear 
  masks in imitation of these gods.
  
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  Equipment
  ”The Coven-Master gave to me a phial
  Of the dread opiate that is the key
  To dream-gates opening upon a sea
  Of acherontic vapours; mile on mile
  Stretched ebon coasts untrod, wherefrom 
  aspire
  Pylons of rough-hewn stone climbing to 
  skies
  Alien-constellated, where arise
  Grey mottled moons of cold and leprous fire.
  I saw — and screamed! And knew my doom 
  of dooms
  Learning at last... where the Black Lotus 
  blooms.”
  — Lin Carter: Dreams from R’lyeh
  Introduction
  This chapter details new weapons and armor, 
  as well as other items and equipment found in 
  typical sword and sorcery settings, including 
  herbal poisons and alchemical powders and 
  elixirs.
  Money and Wealth
  The economy of the World of Xoth is based 
  on copper, silver, and gold coins. Each country 
  has its own names and shapes for these coins, 
  but in practice they are usually interchange-
  able, although some money-changers can be 
  found in certain cities. In uncivilized areas, 
  bartering with livestock, slaves, ivory, gems, 
  and similar items is more common than using 
  coins.
  Use the standard PHB prices for goods and 
  services unless otherwise noted in this chapter.
  Weapons
  Iron weapons are the campaign standard, 
  and are used by most cultural groups. The 
  exceptions are the Zadjites, who craft superior 
  steel weapons; the ancient Yar-Ammonites, 
  who wield archaic weapons of bronze; and the 
  people of the jungle kingdoms, who fashion 
  weapons primarily from wood, bone, or flint. 
  Warriors from these places may sometimes 
  possess superior weapons gained from trade or 
  conquest, of course.
  The following rules apply to the different 
  types of weapon materials:
  Iron and Bronze Weapons: Use the listed 
  price and statistics.
  Steel Weapons: Gain a +1 material bonus 
  to attack and damage, and cost five times the 
  listed price.
  Copper Weapons: Suffer a -1 material 
  penalty to damage, have a Hardness of 8, and 
  costs 75% of the listed amount. 
  Wood-, Bone-, or Flint-Tipped Weap-
  ons: Suffer a -1 material penalty to attack and 
  damage, have a Hardness of 6, and costs 50% 
  of the listed price.
  Material bonuses or penalties stack with 
  bonuses from masterwork items and magical 
  bonuses, if any. For example, a masterwork 
  steel battleaxe grants a +2 bonus to attack 
  rolls, and a +1 bonus to damage.
  New Weapons
  The following weapons are new. Some are 
  regional items, produced in one region but 
  due to their excellent craftmanship or unique 
  properties are often purchased or stolen by 
  foreigners, finding their way into far-away 
  lands. Outside of their native region, the ask-
  ing price might be considerably higher than 
  the listed cost.
  Axe, Elephant: Two-handed exotic weapon 
  (melee); cost 50 gp; damage 1d12 (M); criti-
  cal 20/x4; weight 25 lbs.; type: slashing. This 
  is a huge axe with a crescent-shaped blade, 
  used by the warriors of Azimba to hamstring 
  elephants. It can also be used with devastat-
  ing effect against lesser foes, of course. Some 
  ivory-hunters among the Zadjites also carry 
  these weapons. The elephant axe has reach; 
  the wielder can strike opponents 10 feet away 
  with it, but cannot use it against an adjacent 
  foe.
  Dagger, Curved: Light simple weapon 
  (melee); cost 4 gp; damage 1d4 (M); critical 
  18-20/x2; range increment —; weight 1 lbs.; 
  type: piercing or slashing. Also known as the 
  jambiya or khanjar, this weapon is favored 
  by nomads and cultists alike. It usually comes 
  with a curved scabbard, sometimes inlaid with 
  silver, gold, or ivory. The curved dagger is 
  produced primarily in Jairan and Khazistan. It 
  cannot be used as a ranged weapon.
  Dagger, Stabbing: Light simple weapon 
  (melee); cost 4 gp; damage 1d4 (M); critical 
  20/x3; range increment 15 ft.; weight 1 lbs.; 
  type: piercing. This slightly curved dagger, also 
  known as the pesh kabz, has a massive handle 
  but ends in a sharp point. With its good solid 
  grip and perfect balance, warriors of Susrah 
  
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  and elsewhere value this dagger for its ability 
  to pierce armor and its increased range when 
  thrown. The karud is a straight-bladed varia-
  tion of the pesh kabz, with similar statistics.
  Knife, Ikuna: One-handed martial weapon 
  (melee); cost 6 gp; damage 1d6 (M); criti-
  cal 20/x4; range increment 10 ft.; weight 6 
  lbs.; type: slashing. The name of this heavy 
  sword-knife is something of a misnomer, since 
  they are in fact iron blades from an unknown 
  civilization that predates the Ikunas by several 
  centuries. The weapons are highly prized 
  among the savage Ikunas, who have not yet 
  mastered the art of forging metal weapons, but 
  who occasionally find these knives in ancient 
  ruins in the Hills of the Dead.
  Longbow, Susrahnite: Two-handed exotic 
  weapon (ranged); cost 125 gp; damage 1d10 
  (M); critical 20/x3; range increment 120 ft.; 
  weight 4 lbs.; type: piercing. The archers of 
  Susrah are famed for their mighty composite 
  longbows, which can kill a man from great 
  range. All Susrahnite longbows have Strength 
  ratings.
  Scimitar, Great: Two-handed exotic 
  weapon (melee); cost 75 gp; damage 2d6 (M); 
  critical 18-20/x2; weight 8 lbs.; type: slashing. 
  Also known as the tulwar or kilij, this mighty 
  curved sword is frequently used by palace 
  guards, eunuchs, and officers of Khazistan and 
  Zadj. The great scimitar grants an additional 
  +2 bonus to opposed rolls when attempting to 
  sunder an opponent’s weapon or shield.
  Shortbow, Khazistani: Two-handed 
  exotic weapon (ranged); cost 100 gp; damage 
  1d6 (M); critical 18-20/x2; range increment 
  70 ft.; weight 2 lbs.; type: piercing. This small 
  but powerful weapon is wielded by the horse-
  men of Khazistan, as well as the nomads of the 
  Khazraj clans. All Khazistani shortbows have 
  Strength ratings.
  Staff, Long: Two-handed simple weapon 
  (melee); cost —; damage 1d6 (M); critical 20/
  x2; weight 4 lbs.; type: bludgeoning. The long 
  staff has reach; the wielder can strike oppo-
  nents 10 feet away with it, but cannot use it 
  against an adjacent foe.
  Sword, Sickle: One-handed martial 
  weapon (melee); cost 20 gp; damage 1d8 (M); 
  critical 19-20/x2; weight 7 lbs.; type: slashing. 
  A shallow-curved blade, the sickle sword is 
  an ancient weapon used first and foremost in 
  Yar-Ammon, as well as certain parts of Susrah. 
  The hooked shape of a sickle sword provides 
  the wielder with a +2 bonus on opposed attack 
  rolls when attempting to disarm an opponent 
  (including the roll to keep the user from being 
  disarmed if he fails to disarm his opponent).
  Armor
  In sword and sorcery campaigns, characters 
  tend to use light or medium armors. To reflect 
  this, all heavy armor is five times more expen-
  sive than the price listed in the PHB.
  New Armors
  The following armors are new. As for the new 
  weapons listed above, many of these armors 
  are regional variants, but are less often found 
  in foreign lands than regional weapons. The 
  asking price outside the native region may still 
  be much higher than the listed cost, due to the 
  trophy value of such items.
  Fur Armor: Light armor; cost 3 gp; armor 
  bonus 1; maximum Dex bonus 8; armor check 
  penalty 0; arcane spell failure chance 5%; 
  speed 30 ft./30 ft.; weight 5 lbs. This armor, 
  while no more than a heavy fur cloak, still 
  provides some measure of protection against 
  blows. It is a very common item, worn by 
  
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  northern barbarians, Khazistani horsemen, 
  Zorabi hillmen and Ikuna savages, and others.
  Crocodile Hide Armor: Light armor; cost 
  35 gp; armor bonus 4; maximum Dex bonus 
  4; armor check penalty -3; arcane spell failure 
  chance 20%; speed 30 ft./30 ft.; weight 25 
  lbs. This armor, common only in Yar-Ammon, 
  provides medium protection yet is light and 
  flexible.
  Alchemical and Herbal Items
  Characters with the appropriate Craft skills 
  can create quasi-magical alchemical items 
  such as alchemical powders and herbal drugs. 
  Such items typically require time, money, rare 
  ingredients, and a properly-equipped labora-
  tory to craft.
  Powders
  The following powders can be created in an 
  alchemical laboratory. Powders can be thrown 
  up to 20 feet from the wielder. The dust 
  spreads in a 20-feet radius cloud, affecting all 
  creatures within the area.
  Berserking-Powder: This blue-white 
  powder causes madness. Creatures who fail a 
  Fortitude save (DC 15) enter a rage (as per the 
  barbarian class ability) and attack the nearest 
  creature for 1d6 rounds. Craft (alchemy) DC: 
  25. Market Price: 250 gp.
  Blinding-Powder: This thick black dust 
  causes temporary blindness. Creatures who 
  fail a Fortitude save (DC 15) are blinded for 
  3d6 rounds. Craft (alchemy) DC: 15. Market 
  Price: 50 gp.
  Dreaming-Powder: This pale yellow pow-
  der causes hallucinations and strange visions. 
  Creatures who fail a Fortitude save (DC 15) 
  are affected as per a confusion spell for 1d8 
  rounds. Craft (alchemy) DC: 20. Market Price: 
  100 gp.
  Fire-Powder: This deep red powder ignites 
  upon contact with air, and is therefore always 
  kept in some kind of container, made from 
  glass, ivory or clay. The explosion causes 5d4 
  points of damage to all affected creatures. 
  Craft (alchemy) DC: 15. Market Price: 50 gp.
  Smoke-Powder: A sooty, grey powder 
  that obscures all sight, including darkvision, 
  beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has con-
  cealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). 
  Creatures farther away have total concealment 
  (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use 
  sight to locate the target). The cloud dissipates 
  in 2d4 rounds. Craft (alchemy) DC: 15. Market 
  Price: 50 gp.
  Herbal Drugs
  The following herbal drugs can be prepared 
  from natural plants using the Craft (herbal-
  ism) skill. Herbal drugs are treated as a special 
  form of poison that have beneficial effects but 
  require saving throws against the harmful side 
  effects. Ability damage caused by such herbs 
  does not begin to heal naturally until after 
  the (beneficial) effects of the drug wear off. At 
  the DM’s option, repeated use of any of these 
  drugs may cause addiction.
  Grey Desert Lotus: The powdered leaves 
  of the Grey Lotus is a popular drug among 
  the Khazraj nomads of the al-Khazi Desert. 
  
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  A creature that drinks a concoction of water 
  mixed with the powdered leaves gains a +2 
  alchemical bonus to Strength for 1d3 hours, 
  but must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or suf-
  fer 1 point of Wisdom damage. Another save 
  must be made 1 minute later, and if failed the 
  creature becomes nervous and skittish (treat 
  as shaken). Craft (herbalism) DC: 20. Market 
  Price: 20 gp.
  Red Lotus of Ghoma (Ghoma-Weed): 
  This herb, with its characteristic red leaves, 
  is calming both for the body and the mind. It 
  is harvested by ascetic priests in the tropical 
  realm of Ghoma. A creature that chews on 
  the red leaves gains the benefits of the Die-
  hard feat as well as a +4 alchemical bonus to 
  saving throws against fear for 1d4 hours, but 
  must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or suffer 
  1 point of Dexterity damage. Another save 
  must be made 1 minute later, and if failed the 
  creature becomes nervous and skittish (treat 
  as shaken). Craft (herbalism) DC: 25. Market 
  Price: 50 gp.
  Silver Lotus: Found only in the dark depths 
  of certain caves on the Silver Lotus Isles in the 
  Eastern Ocean, guarded by hostile pygmies, 
  the fragile leaves of this lotus are destroyed by 
  direct exposure to sunlight. This potent herb 
  induces sleep, grants pleasurable dreams (but 
  sometimes strange visions and nightmares), 
  and for magic-users, it boosts and restores 
  magical power. A creature that inhales the 
  smoke produced by burning the dried and 
  crushed silver leaves must make a Fortitude 
  save (DC 20) or suffer 1d3 points of Wisdom 
  damage. Another save must be made 1 minute 
  later, and if failed the creature falls uncon-
  scious for 1d6 hours. Craft (herbalism) DC: 30. 
  Market Price: 100 gp.
  Other Alchemical and Herbal Items
  Barafa-Grape: Found only in the deep 
  jungles of the south, the bright yellow berries 
  of the barafa-tree can be used to coat blades 
  and arrow-tips. Anyone struck by such weap-
  ons must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be 
  slowed for 1d4 minutes. Like other poisons, 
  a new dose must be re-applied to the weapon 
  whether the saving throw fails or not. Craft 
  (herbalism) DC: 20. Market Price: 75 gp.
  Globe of Entrancement: This small 
  blue-white globe can be hurled at an opponent 
  up to 20 feet away (no ranged attack roll is re-
  quired). The globe explodes in mid-air and re-
  leases a sparkling rain of phosphorescent blue 
  mist. The target must make a Will save (DC 15) 
  or become entranced as per the hypnotic pat-
  tern spell for 1d6 rounds. Craft (alchemy) DC: 
  25. Market Price: 100 gp.
  Green Fire-Resin: This sticky resin is pre-
  pared from several plants and mixed with se-
  cret alchemical ingredients first discovered by 
  the priests of Yar-Ammon. Any torch soaked 
  with the resin burns three times longer than a 
  normal torch, but gives off a weird green light. 
  One dose is enough to treat 10 torches. Craft 
  (alchemy) DC: 15. Market Price: 2 sp.
  Khanquah-Fungi: Picked from the sheer 
  cliff walls of the Zorab mountains, this fungus 
  is the bane of sorcerers when dried and mixed 
  with blood to produce a foul-smelling soup. 
  Spellcasters who imbibe this concoction must 
  make a Fortitude save (DC 22) or be unable to 
  concentrate properly for 2d8+8 hours, which 
  effectively prevents the affected creature from 
  casting spells. This herbal brew is often force-
  fed to captured sorcerers, or served to master 
  wizards by ambitious apprentices. Craft (herb-
  alism) DC: 25. Market Price: 100 gp.
  Purple Leaves of Uthjar: The utility of 
  this rare plant is well-known far outside its 
  native realm, but has never been successfully 
  cultivated elsewhere. A creature that chews on 
  the purple leaf gains a +4 alchemical bonus to 
  saving throws against mind-affecting magic 
  for 3d10 minutes. Craft (herbalism) DC: 25. 
  Market Price: 50 gp.
  
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  The Necromancer’s 
  Knife
  ”Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy 
  is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and 
  happy the town at night whose wizards are 
  all ashes.” — H. P. Lovecraft: The Festival
  Setting: City and Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 1st- and 2nd-level characters.
  Introduction
  In the city of Belthaar, there once lived a 
  great wizard by the name of Ikhtanabu Xul. 
  He was well versed in the arts of sorcery, and 
  his red tower was filled with strange treasures 
  and iron-bound books of arcana. The wizard’s 
  life was one of luxury and pleasure, served as 
  he was by servile eunuchs and dutiful appren-
  tices.
  As he grew old, Ikhtanabu Xul’s beard 
  became white as snow, and he began to fear 
  death, for that he should lose all his accumu-
  lated knowledge and be denied his worldly 
  pleasures. The wizard studied forbidden books 
  of necromancy to learn the secret of immortal-
  ity. While Ikhtanabu Xul learned many secrets 
  of the tomb, he did not find the recipe for the 
  coveted elixir of life, nor any spells that could 
  prolong his life beyond the number of years 
  allotted to him by the black candles of life that 
  burn in the secret temples of Yadar.
  Thus the necromancer died, old and weak 
  and bitter, and his last instruction to his chief 
  apprentice, Arakshat, was to be preserved 
  by the arts of the embalmer and placed in a 
  private tomb, safe from the depredations of 
  ghouls and tomb-robbers, hoping for some 
  future resurrection by the spells of his appren-
  tice.
  Unfortunately for the dead wizard, the loy-
  alty of his apprentices was as short-lived as his 
  own quest for immortality. Within months, the 
  apprentices of Ikhtanabu Xul had squandered 
  their former master’s wealth on feasts and de-
  baucheries and rivalries, each trying to become 
  the new master of Ikhtanabu’s tower.
  The chief apprentice, Arakshat, ultimately 
  had all his rivals killed, maimed, impris-
  oned, or banished; but the infighting had left 
  Ikhtanabu’s wealth spent and his precious 
  library scattered. Arakshat took what was left, 
  sold his master’s ravaged properties, and left 
  the city of Belthaar, and was never seen in its 
  precincts again.
  
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  Years later, a pack of hungry ghouls, at-
  tracted by the bituminous scent of Ikhtanabu 
  Xul’s mummified corpse, burrowed into the 
  necromancer’s private tomb in the catacombs 
  of Belthaar and devoured his well-preserved 
  body. Now it became evident that not all of 
  Ikhtanabu Xul’s necromantic studies had been 
  in vain, for certain secret spells protected 
  the wizard’s repose, and his evil shade was 
  released after the feasting of the ghouls. The 
  shade was unable to rest before it had exacted 
  Ikhtanabu Xul’s revenge upon his treacherous 
  apprentices, but it was bound to the tomb and 
  needed a living host body to leave.
  Thus the wizard’s shade inhabited a silvered 
  ritual dagger prepared for this purpose until 
  the broken tomb was discovered by a lowly 
  tomb-robber. This thief, Taziz by name, man-
  aged to snatch the valuable-looking dagger 
  from the tomb before he was beset by hungry 
  ghouls and was forced to flee.
  Out of the catacombs, in the dingy back al-
  leys of the city, the shade of the necromancer 
  possessed the body of the hapless thief, Taziz. 
  However, before Taziz/Ikhtanabu could return 
  to the tomb or seek out revenge on his former 
  apprentice, the tomb-robber was assailed by 
  a band of thugs, whose leader, Jahwar, had 
  glimpsed the silver knife carried by Taziz and 
  decided to take it from the lone man.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The player characters are passing through 
  the back alleys of Belthaar and come across 
  Taziz/Ikhtanabu just as Jahwar and his thugs 
  slay the thief and take the dagger. These mer-
  ciless thugs don’t want to leave any witnesses 
  to their murder and so attack the PCs.
  Assuming the player characters defeat Jah-
  war and his men, they find the silver dagger. 
  Sooner or later, one of the PCs or an NPC 
  become possessed by Ikhtanabu Xul’s shade 
  and this eventually leads the player characters 
  to the wizard’s tomb.
  The city’s catacombs are a maze of tunnels, 
  alcoves, and crypts. A sinister order of priests 
  known as the Keepers protects the entrances 
  The City of Belthaar
  This city, located west of the Ophrat river, is one of the smallest city-states of Susrah, with a 
  population of only 12,000 people, yet its foundations are ancient, and its gloomy, serpentine 
  streets wind their way between mighty monuments and hoary towers. There are temples and 
  ziggurats dedicated to Belet-Lil, Baal-Khardah, Yadar, and a multitude of others.
  Belthaar is currently ruled by the petty king Simashattar III, whose army of 2,000 pike-
  men and 500 charioteers is involved in a three-way war with its bigger neighbours, Zhaol and 
  Ghezath. Despite his small army, Simashattar has avoided defeat by capturing a princeling of 
  Ghezath and holding him hostage. At the same time, he is secretly negotiating a separate truce 
  with emissaries of Zhaol.
  City Guard of Belthaar, male Susrahnite Ftr1: CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d10+3; hp 10; Init 
  +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+2 leather armor, +1 Dex), touch 11 
  (+1 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+2 leather armor); BAB/Grapple +1/+3; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, short 
  sword, 19-20/x2) or +3 ranged (1d6+2, javelin, 20/x2, range increment 30 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (reli-
  gion) skills; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +4, Jump +6. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (b), 
  Toughness, Weapon Focus (shortsword).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Leather armor, short sword, javelin, 3 gp.
  Description: These guards wear simple grey uniforms over their armor.
  Tactics: The city guards hurl their javelins first, before surging into melee with their swords.
  Guard Captain of Belthaar, male Susrahnite Ftr3: CR 3; SZ M; HD 3d10+3; hp 22; 
  Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 leather armor, +1 light wooden 
  shield, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 13 (+2 leather armor, +1 light wooden shield); 
  BAB/Grapple +3/+6; Atk +8  melee (1d8+3, longsword, 19-20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus to 
  attack rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (religion) skills; 
  AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +9, Intimidate +6, Jump +9, Ride +7. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initia-
  tive (b), Improved Shield Bash, Toughness, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Lamuran.
  Possessions: Leather armor, light wooden shield, longsword, 12 gp.
  Description: Guard captains are typically in their late twenties, with scarlet sashes over their 
  grey uniforms to denote status.
  Tactics: Most of these junior officers follow their men into combat, eager to gain glory.
  
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  to the catacombs, and the player characters 
  must sneak past these custodians to gain ac-
  cess.
  Dire rats, monstrous maggots, and hungry 
  ghouls roam the catacomb tunnels. The PCs 
  must find the defiled tomb of Ikhtanabu Xul 
  and re-imprison or lay his shade to rest. If 
  they fail, the necromancer tries to use one of 
  the PCs as his host body in his quest to gain 
  revenge on his former apprentice. Arakshat is 
  now a powerful wizard in his own right, and 
  the player character’s body will surely perish 
  in such a confrontation!
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  — Bring the player characters directly into 
  the action with the events described in the 
  first subchapter, “The Trail from the Tomb“. 
  It is assumed that the PCs already know each 
  other, but that they only have a few silvers left 
  and currently live hard in the slum quarters of 
  Belthaar, soon having to resort to thievery if 
  nothing better comes up. Perhaps they player 
  characters are the only surviving members of 
  a mercenary company that was wiped out in 
  a recent battle between two of the Susrahnite 
  city-states.
  — Alternatively, the PCs can come into the 
  possession of Ikhtanabu Xul’s knife by some 
  other method. Perhaps they stole it from the 
  tomb-robber Taziz themselves, or perhaps one 
  of the player characters bought it in the bazaar 
  (the knife having passed from Taziz, through 
  Jahwar, to a merchant).
  The Trail from the Tomb
  The player characters are returning to their 
  current home, the Dirty Dog Inn, from a night 
  of drinking, spending their last silvers in one 
  of Belthaar’s cheapest dives, when they walk 
  into a dimly lit square and see a young man 
  (Taziz) being slain by a band of thugs.
  Even if the PCs try to avoid trouble, they are 
  attacked by Jahwar’s gang who don’t want to 
  leave any witnesses to the murder. Lives are 
  cheap in the slums of Belthaar; better to kill a 
  few more strangers than to risk being crucified 
  by the city guard for theft.
  Jahwar, male Susrahnite Ftr2/Rog1: 
  CR 3; SZ M; HD 2d10+2 plus 1d6+1; hp 20; 
  Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 leather armor, +2 Dex), touch 
  12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+2 leather armor); 
  BAB/Grapple +2/+5; Atk +7 melee (1d6+3, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2); Full Atk +5/+5 melee 
  (1d6+3, short sword, 19-20/x2); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all weapons, Sneak 
  Attack +1d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise 
  and Knowledge (religion) skills, Trapfinding; 
  AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 
  15, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12.
  Skills: Climb +8, Intimidate +6, Jump +10, 
  Open Lock +6, Ride +7, Tumble +8. Feats: Ac-
  robatic, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative 
  (b), Lightning Reflexes, Two-Weapon Fight-
  ing, Weapon Focus (shortsword).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Taraamite.
  Possessions: Leather armor, short sword, 4 
  sp.
  Description: Slightly overweight yet surpris-
  ingly nimble, Jahwar has dark hair and a few 
  missing teeth. He claims to have been a gladia-
  tor in his youth.
  Tactics: Jahwar tries to work with his hench-
  men to get into a flanking position so that he 
  can use his sneak attack.
  Jahwar’s Thugs, male Susrahnite Ftr1 
  (6): CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d10+1; hp 8; Init +4 (+0 
  Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  10 (+0 no armor, +0 Dex), touch 10 (+0 Dex), 
  flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple 
  +1/+3; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, club, 20/x2); 
  SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and 
  Knowledge (religion) skills; AL N; SV Fort +3, 
  Ref +0, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, 
  Wis 10, Cha 9.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +3, Jump +6. 
  Feats: Improved Initiative (b), Power Attack, 
  Self-Sufficient, Weapon Focus (club).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Clothing, club, 1 sp.
  Description: Grim-faced and unwashed, 
  these thugs are true gutter-rats of Belthaar.
  Tactics: Jahwar’s henchmen gang up on 
  a single victim at a time, starting with the 
  weakest-looking character, assaulting him 
  with power attacks.
  Development: Unless the PCs fight for 
  their lives and defeat the thugs, the adventure 
  comes to an abrupt stop here. Assuming they 
  are victorious, the player characters probably 
  loot the fallen bodies, and find, among other 
  things, the silver knife of Ikhtanabu Xul.
  The Necromancer’s Knife
  The dagger has a handle of ivory and a silver 
  blade, with black runes etched into it. It is evi-
  dently an item of some value, and likely a fu-
  nerary item. The black runes are the personal 
  symbols of the long-dead sorcerer Ikhtanabu 
  Xul, as any sage worth his salt will attest to. 
  Having found the dagger, there are several 
  things the player characters might do:
  — Keep the dagger and do nothing: 
  One of the PCs, or an NPC (preferably a close 
  contact), will eventually be possessed by the 
  necromancer’s shade and seek out the tomb. 
  The other player characters must follow in 
  order to rescue their friend. If this happens 
  while the player characters are still at the Dirty 
  Dog Inn, there is a half-drunken night-guard 
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  by the name of Zaarek who sees the possessed 
  character leaving, and can point the PCs in the 
  right direction.
  — Try to find out more about the dag-
  ger: A character who succeeds with a Gather 
  Information or Knowledge (local) check (DC 
  14) may learn that the dagger once belonged to 
  a wizard whose tomb is now unknown, since 
  after his death his apprentice left the city and 
  has not been seen for years. Another check 
  (DC 16) reveals the names of the wizard and 
  his apprentice, and a third check (DC 16) gives 
  the character some clues as to the location 
  of the tomb (in the city’s catacombs, near 
  the Square of the Green Peacock). The same 
  information can be obtained from a sage (a 
  well-known sage of the city is called Etanashu 
  and can be found in the Trade District).
  — Sell the dagger: The PCs may try to sell 
  the dagger. In this case, they reach an agree-
  ment with a fence (preferably one they know 
  and will trust to keep the dagger until he finds 
  a buyer) who gives them half the sum up-front, 
  the other half when he has found a buyer. 
  When the PCs return the next day, the fence 
  is gone; he has been possessed by Ikhtanabu 
  Xul and a successful Gather Information check 
  (DC 12) in the area reveals that he was seen 
  headed for the Square of the Green Peacock.
  — Report to the city guard and give 
  them the dagger: This is unlikely, but 
  possible. The city guard of Belthaar is notori-
  ously incompetent and corrupt, a fact which 
  is revealed with a Gather Information or 
  Knowledge (local) check (DC 10). If the PCs 
  are foolish enough to go to the city guard, they 
  are detained for questioning in a prison cell 
  while the guard captain investigates and exam-
  ines the dagger. Unless the player characters 
  resist detainment, they watch helplessly from 
  behind bars as the guard captain is possessed 
  by Ikhtanabu Xul (although there is no visible 
  sign of possession, a successful Sense Motive 
  check [DC 15] gives a player character a sus-
  picion that something is wrong) and suddenly 
  leaves the guard-house with the knife. After a 
  day or two, when the captain fails to return, 
  the junior city guards blame his disappearance 
  on the player characters and the “cursed dag-
  ger” they brought to the guard-house; unless 
  the local magistrate is somehow bribed the 
  PCs are likely to be found guilty of witchcraft 
  and crucified. This could take the adventure in 
  a whole new direction and is left up to the DM 
  to develop further.
  Development: During their investigation, 
  one of the PCs is likely to be possessed, as de-
  scribed above (as long as they keep the dagger, 
  that is; if the PCs leave the knife with a sage, 
  for example, the sage may become possessed 
  instead). 
  The Square of the Green 
  Peacock
  The Square of the Green Peacock is located 
  at the border between Belthaar’s Trade and 
  Pleasure Districts, and as such it attracts a 
  curious mix of merchants and entertainers, 
  the latter including skilled dancers, fakirs and 
  stage-magicians, as well as animal-handlers 
  with trained beasts, and sword-masters stag-
  The Wizard’s Shade
  Possession: The basic premise of this adventure is that someone who comes into contact 
  with the necromancer’s silver dagger will eventually be possessed by the shade of Ikhtanabu 
  Xul. It is best if the party includes or seeks out an NPC who can be possessed, since otherwise 
  one player will be prevented from controlling his character for one or more gaming sessions. 
  Ideally, this NPC should be someone the PCs care about, since otherwise they have little 
  reason to try to rescue him from his fate (but see the case of the guard captain, above, for an 
  example of how it can be in the PCs’ interest to rescue strangers who have been possessed). 
  Alternatively, let a player character be possessed but let the player control a pregenerated (or 
  create a new) secondary character during this adventure.
  Exorcism: Once Ikhtanabu Xul succeeds in possessing a victim, the wizard takes control 
  over that character’s body while suppressing its mind. The wizard then waits until a suitable 
  moment to leave the party (such as when others are asleep, or when alone on some errand) 
  and head back for the tomb. It is thus highly unlikely that the other PCs will notice that some-
  thing is wrong (possibly with a Sense Motive check [DC 20], but only if there is good reason to 
  suspect anything) and won’t have the chance to try to get an exorcism before it’s too late (the 
  possessed character having left for the catacombs already).
  Even if the other PCs do somehow detect that their friend has been possessed, and manage 
  to restrain him (as well as protecting themselves from possession), they probably don’t have 
  any way to exorcise the shade themselves. It is easiest to deal with the the shade in its tomb; 
  however, the shrine of the Keepers also contains a scroll which can prove helpful in dealing 
  with the restless shade (see “The Shrine of the Keepers”, below).
  The priests of the major cults in the city (there is a temple to Belet-Lil, and another to Baal-
  Khardah) are not going to perform an exorcism unless well-paid (at least 500 gp) or if the PCs 
  have good connections (but the adventure assumes they are foreigners or new-comers to the 
  city). In short, unless the player characters (and the DM) are prepared to take this adventure 
  in an entirely new direction as the PCs undertake a quest for a temple, the PCs must likely go 
  to the catacombs to put the wizard to rest.
  
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  ing mock combats with their apprentices. And 
  of course there are the ever-present beggars 
  and cutpurses among the crowds, too.
  The large square, 100 feet long and 80 feet 
  wide, is practically deserted at night. It is 
  well-known that there is an entrance to the 
  city’s catacombs here, and few care to dawdle 
  around after sunset, when the sinister priests 
  known as the Keepers come out to perform 
  their grisly funerary duties.
  The entrance doors to the catacombs are 
  sealed and locked during the day, but at mid-
  night the Keepers walk in solemn procession 
  out from the funerary shrine at the eastern 
  side of the Square, across the plaza, and into 
  the catacombs. The priests carry embalmed 
  corpses that reek of bitumen and spices into 
  the crypts, as well as golden urns that contain 
  the ashes of lesser men and women. This they 
  do every night, except on nights when the stars 
  move into certain dire constellations and it 
  is deemed ill-fated to open the doors to the 
  tombs.
  Development: The PCs have likely come to 
  the Square of the Green Peacock because they 
  know that Ikhtanabu Xul’s tomb is located in 
  the catacombs somewhere near the square. 
  However, the entrance to the catacombs is 
  guarded by the Keepers and the priests refuse 
  to let anyone into the tombs in spite of any 
  “wild stories” the player characters may try 
  to impress on the guardians concerning dead 
  necromancers and possessing shades. The 
  silent, skull-masked priests say nothing, but 
  state to the PCs in unmistakable sign language 
  that it is forbidden to enter the tombs.
  However, the catacombs are far from impreg-
  nable. Both tomb-robbers and ghouls know of 
  secret entrances from dilapidated buildings 
  in the back streets of the Square of the Green 
  Peacock. It is such a hidden entrance Ikhtana-
  bu Xul uses to return to his tomb after he has 
  possessed a suitable host (be it PC or NPC), 
  and he plans to leave by the same way after 
  he has retrieved his items from the crypt (see 
  “The Tomb of Ikhtanabu Xul”, below).
  There are several ways the PCs can gain entry 
  to the catacombs:
  — Kill or incapacitate the guards: A 
  simple, but unwise, approach is to attack the 
  Keepers who guard the catacomb entrance. 
  Unless they can be taken wholly by surprise, 
  the priests flee and alert their brethren in the 
  Shrine adjacent to the Square of the Green 
  Peacock, who respond in force. In any case, the 
  priests who guard the entrance do not carry 
  the special keys required to open the doors, 
  which must then either be broken down by 
  force, or picked by a skilled thief.
  — Find a secret entrance: Player charac-
  ters who investigate (and possibly break into) 
  the buildings surrounding the plaza might find 
  one of the hidden entrances to the catacombs 
  with a successful Search check (DC 25). Roll 
  1d3 to determine which entrance was found. 
  There is also a secret entrance tunnel from 
  within the Shrine of the Keepers.
  — Infiltrate a funerary procession: 
  Since the priests wear robes and masks, and 
  usually remain silent during their nocturnal 
  ceremonies, it is possible for suitably disguised 
  PCs to infiltrate a funerary procession passing 
  from the Shrine of the Keepers and into the 
  catacombs. Perhaps the player characters can 
  craft replicas of the robes and skull-masks, 
  or sneak into the shrine (see below) and steal 
  such items, or perhaps they must defeat a 
  couple of priests and take their equipment. 
  Infiltrating the procession requires success-
  ful use of the Disguise skill, and possibly also 
  Bluff checks (in case of talking, or if called 
  upon to perform priestly rites).
  — Sneak into the shrine during a pro-
  cession: It is easier to sneak into the shrine 
  at midnight, when most of the priests have 
  left as part of a funerary procession. Inside 
  the shrine, the PCs can find the keys to the 
  catacomb entrance, as well as a scroll that 
  enables them to deal with the restless shade of 
  The Cult of the Keepers
  Note: The following information can be 
  obtain by a character making a succesful 
  Gather Information or Knowledge (local) 
  check at the listed DC, or by consulting 
  with a sage.
  It is the custom and the law that all who 
  die within the walls of Belthaar, from 
  commoners to kings, are delivered into the 
  hands of the silent priests of Yadar after 
  their death (DC 10).
  It is the sacred duty of these Keepers to 
  remove the corpse, and to wash and purify 
  the body. If the bereaved have left a well-
  filled purse for the Keepers, the corpse 
  is usually preserved and embalmed with 
  utmost skill by the priests; otherwise the 
  corpse is burned and the ashes placed in 
  urns of clay, bronze, or sometimes even 
  gold (DC 14).
  The Cult of the Keepers also maintains 
  and guards the extensive network of cata-
  combs and crypts beneath the city, where 
  the urns and the mummies are placed after 
  the funereal ceremonies. No-one except the 
  priests are allowed to enter the catacombs, 
  but on certain days friends and family of 
  the deceased may come to the Shrine of the 
  Keepers and place offerings on the altar of 
  Yadar to ensure the well-being of lost ones. 
  It is even said that when such offerings are 
  plentiful, the priests may unlock the doors 
  to the catacombs and allow brief visits to 
  private crypts (DC 16).
  Others whisper that the mute, cowled 
  priests are actually ghouls, who carry away 
  and eat the dead, and that they guard only 
  empty urns and coffins in the catacombs. 
  Such rumors remain unproven (DC 18).
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Ikhtanabu Xul, or they can steal priestly robes 
  and skull-masks that allow them to infiltrate 
  the cult (see above). They might also find a 
  secret tunnel that leads from the shrine and 
  directly into the catacombs; but in this case 
  they must deal with the corrupt priest Oth-
  banes and his ghoul-allies (see Area 8 of the 
  Shrine, below).
  — Play dead: A party prepared to deal with 
  the consequences could let one or more of 
  the PCs feign death in order to be taken away 
  by the Keepers and carried straight into their 
  temple! Assuming such characters manage to 
  fool the priests, the “corpses” will be left unsu-
  pervised on a bier in the embalmer’s chamber 
  for some time, allowing the PCs to get up and 
  sneak around the shrine, hopefully finding the 
  way out before the master embalmer and his 
  entourage arrive... Player characters who pre-
  tend to be dead must make a Bluff check (with 
  a +4 circumstance bonus if there is no reason 
  to suspect trickery) opposed by the Spot check 
  of an NPC who examines the body. A character 
  with more than 5 ranks in Disguise or Perform 
  (act) can add a +2 synergy bonus to this use of 
  the Bluff skill.
  The Shrine of the Keepers
  As noted above, the player characters may 
  seek to sneak into the fane of the mortuary 
  cult. This charnel house is located on the east 
  side of the Square of the Green Peacock. It is 
  silent and looks abandoned during the day; 
  however, the skull-masked priests within come 
  out at night to perform their duties, including 
  collecting the dead from the streets and houses 
  of the city.
  1. Portico and Forecourt
  The entrance to the shrine consists of three 
  huge marble pillars topped by a beam inset 
  with rows of human skulls, upon which the 
  ceiling rests. Beyond the columns, a broad 
  stairway leads up into the forecourt.
  Supplicants are allowed to enter the shrine 
  with gifts and offerings on certain holy days, 
  during which the double doors of the fane are 
  wide open, but watched over by 1d3 priests 
  (see Area 3).
  2. Kennel
  The kennel has six large cages, each hold-
  ing a chained dog. The priests use these huge, 
  snarling, black beasts both to guard the shrine 
  and to track down tomb-robbers when patrol-
  ling the catacombs. The dogs obey the priests 
  and quickly jump in the throat of opponents 
  if unleashed. At night, two of these dogs stand 
  guard at the entrance to the catacombs (see 
  Area 1 of the Catacombs).
  Black guard dogs (6 total): CR 1/3; hp 6.
  3. Priests’ Rooms
  These spartan sleeping rooms belong to the 
  acolytes of the order. The senior acolyte, Tahn 
  Jeigen, bears the special title of Keeper of the 
  Catacombs and holds the keys to the catacomb 
  entrance (see Area 1 of the catacombs) in a sil-
  ver chain around his neck, even when asleep.
  The Keepers, funerary priests of 
  Belthaar, male Susrahnite Sor1 (16 to-
  tal): CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d4+3; hp 6; Init +5 (+1 
  Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  11 (+0 no armor, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), 
  flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple 
  +0/+1; Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, quarterstaff, 20/
  x2); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  weapons, Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Ap-
  praise and Knowledge (religion) skills, Sinister 
  Presence; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +4; 
  Str 13, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13.
  Skills: Concentration +4, Heal +6, Intimi-
  date +5, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perform 
  +5. Feats: Acolyte, Combat Casting, Improved 
  Initiative (b), Toughness.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 3/1; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +0 Int): 0 — ghost 
  sound, prestidigitation; 1st — chill touch, 
  scare.
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Clothing, quarterstaff, 8 sp.
  Description: Dressed in purple hooded robes, 
  with white bone skull-masks, these priests 
  may easily be mistaken for undead by the su-
  perstitious, and they may also use their spells 
  to reinforce such beliefs.
  Tactics: The Keepers prefer to stay out of 
  melee, but if combat breaks out, they use their 
  spells to best effect while a few priests try to 
  flee and alert their superiors.
  4. Hallway
  This spacious area connects the forecourt 
  (Area 1) with the sanctum (Area 10). Visitors 
  and supplicants must pass through two sets of 
  iron double doors (2 in. thick; Hardness 10; 
  hp 60; Break DC 28; Open Lock DC 30), each 
  guarded by a single priest, to reach the shrine.
  The Shrine of the Keepers
  Standard Features: Unless noted otherwise, all interior doors are good wooden doors (1 
  1/2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). Ceil-
  ing height is 10 feet in normal rooms and corridors.
  Lighting: All areas of the the shrine, except the kennel, are lit with wall-hung torches. An 
  acolyte of the cult is assigned to make sure that the torches are always  burning, day and night.
  
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  5. Furnace
  This room is usually unbearably hot. It 
  contains a huge stone furnace, fuelled by coal, 
  that is used to cremate the corpses of the poor. 
  When the furnace is burning, black foul-
  smelling smoke rises from the shrine’s roof 
  through a chimney that is just large enough for 
  a Medium-sized creature to squeeze through 
  and descend (or ascend, if seeking to escape) 
  with a Climb check (DC 15).
  There is a 25% chance that 1d2 acolytes are 
  here, refilling or cleaning out the furnace.
  6. Chamber of Urns
  The walls of this chamber are filled with 
  wooden shelves, upon which are set hundreds 
  of urns. Most of the urns are of clay, but 20% 
  are of bronze (worth 10 gp each), and 5% are 
  of gold (worth 25 gp each). A few of these urns 
  are filled with ashes from the furnace (Area 5), 
  to be taken down and placed in the catacombs; 
  the remaning urns (80%) are empty.
  7. Morgue
  The two doors leading into this large room 
  are both adjacent to short stairs of worn stone. 
  The stairs are 10 feet tall and the ceiling height 
  is 20 feet. In the chamber are several rectangu-
  lar stone slabs. The skull-masked priests carry 
  the dead from the city on biers of blackened 
  leather with handles of polished bone, and 
  place their bodies here, covering the corpses 
  with purple funerary shrouds until they are 
  ready to be taken either to the furnace (Area 5) 
  or the embalming chamber (Area 8).
  Since the room is below ground level, it is 
  somewhat cooler than the rest of the building, 
  which slows decay and helps prevent the out-
  break of diseases. Yet, the stench of death and 
  decay is overwhelming and living creatures 
  who stay in the room for more than 1 round 
  must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15) or be 
  sickened for 1d6+4 minutes.
  There is a 10% chance that 1d3 acolytes are 
  here, carrying a fresh corpse into the room or 
  preparing to move a body away.
  8. Embalming Chamber
  This grisly chamber is the domain of Oth-
  banes, senior priest of Yadar and master 
  embalmer (see Area 9). The room features a 
  workbench filled with mummification tools, 
  such as knifes, hooks, and saws, as well as jars 
  filled with herbs, oils, and resins. 
  Before mummification, the corpses are 
  drained of blood and the blood is collected in 
  small golden bowls, which is later poured into 
  the large bowl in the sanctum (see Area 10). 
  Then, the internal organs are removed, and 
  moisture is removed by covering the body in 
  salts. The body is treated with special herbs 
  and resins, then wrapped up in cloth and in 
  some cases decorated with protective amulets, 
  jewelry, and face masks.
  In the northwestern corner of the room, be-
  neath a loose flagstone, is the secret entrance 
  (Search DC 25) to a tunnel that leads into the 
  catacombs beneath the Shrine of the Keep-
  ers. Only Othbanes and his ghoul-allies know 
  about this secret door.
  Often, ghouls emerge from the secret tunnel 
  and feast upon the corpses that Othbanes has 
  brought into the embalming chamber from the 
  morgue (Area 7). The corrupt priest provides 
  the eaters of the dead with fresh corpses in 
  return for jewelry and other items the ghouls 
  have stolen from the tombs below.
  There is a 20% chance that 1d4+1 ghouls 
  suddenly emerge from the tunnel when the 
  PCs are here, and a 40% chance that Othbanes 
  is present in the room.
  Ghouls (2-5): CR 1; hp 13; see Area 4 of the 
  Catacombs.
  9. Master Embalmer’s Office
  This is the study and sleeping quarters of 
  Othbanes. A small bookcase is filled with a 
  number of scrolls and parchments that deal 
  mostly with medicine and anatomy. When not 
  working in the embalming workshop or study-
  ing his books, the priest rests on a comfortable 
  divan of green silk.
  A sturdy chest (Hardness 5; hp 15; Break DC 
  23; Open Lock DC 30) stands in one corner; 
  Othbanes has the key. This trapped chest (CR 
  2; mechanical; touch trigger; repair reset; lock 
  bypass [Open Lock DC 30]; Atk +17 melee [1 
  plus poison, needle]; poison [blue whinnis, 
  DC 14 Fortitude save resists (poison only), 1 
  Con/unconsciousness]; Search DC 22; Disable 
  Device DC 17) contains several items traded 
  from the ghouls, including four pieces of green 
  silk, each wrapped around an object.
  Inside the first are two ancient books on 
  alchemy (worth 50 gp each). The second piece 
  contains a small cedar box inlaid with painted 
  ceramic tiles (worth 5 gp). The box holds six 
  linen handkerchiefs embroidered with a script 
  H (worth 1 gp each). Inside the third piece are 
  five daggers, balanced for throwing (worth 12 
  gp each). Each one is set with a small obsid-
  ian in the pommel. The fourth length of silk 
  is wrapped around a small jewelry box, which 
  holds a jewelry set consisting of a gold ring 
  (worth 20 gp), a bracelet (worth 40 gp), and a 
  necklace (worth 55 gp).
  Under the silk-wrapped bundles are three 
  belt pouches. The first holds copper (187 cp), 
  the second contains silver (141 sp), and the 
  third has some gold with a smattering of plati-
  num (7 pp and 54 gp).
  Othbanes, master embalmer and cor-
  rupt priest, male Susrahnite Sor4: CR 4; 
  SZ M; HD 4d4+8; hp 18; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 
  Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+0 no 
  armor, +1 Dex, +4 mage armor), touch 15 (+1 
  Dex, +4 mage armor), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+3; Atk +5 melee 
  (1d4+1, curved dagger, 18-20/x2); SA +1 racial 
  
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  bonus to attack rolls with all weapons, Spells; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Knowl-
  edge (religion) skills, Sinister Presence; AL 
  N; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 12, Dex 13, 
  Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 10.
  Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +9, Heal +9, 
  Knowledge (religion) +9, Profession (embalm-
  er) +9, Spellcraft +9, Use Magic Device +7. 
  Feats: Acolyte, Combat Casting, Extend Spell, 
  Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative (b), Spell 
  Focus (necromancy).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 4/3/2; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +2 Int): 0 — disrupt 
  undead, prestidigitation, resistance; 1st — 
  chill touch, mage armor, scare; 2nd — com-
  mand undead, death knell, ghoul touch.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Lamuran, Yar-
  Ammonite.
  Possessions: Clothing, masterwork curved 
  dagger, 24 gp, 1 dose of blinding-powder.
  Description: Dressed in purple and silver 
  robes, with a green jade skull-mask. Othbanes 
  deals with the ghouls that haunt the cata-
  combs of Belthaar, and he knows of several 
  secret tunnels beneath the city. The ghouls 
  bring items pilfered from the tombs to Oth-
  banes, while he keeps the locations of their 
  lairs secret.
  Tactics: Othbanes will trade the information 
  about the secret tunnelsfor his life if he is in 
  mortal danger.
  10. Sanctum
  In the gloom of this ghastly chapel stands a 
  10 feet tall statue of the death god of Susrah, 
  cloaked in a hooded robe of real cloth, its arms 
  held out to receive offerings. The statue itself, 
  which has the body of a young and powerful 
  man but whose hidden face is that of a grin-
  ning skull, is of polished ebony, while the cloth 
  is embroidered with golden thread. In each 
  of its outstretched hands is a yellowed scroll; 
  the scroll in the right hand contains the dispel 
  evil spell, while the left contains the following 
  spells: false life, contagion, and magic circle 
  against evil.
  In front of the idol is an altar, also made from 
  polished ebony, with inlays of ivory and silver 
  in the shape of skulls. There is a scattering 
  of gold and silver coins and other valuables 
  upon the altar (a total of 250 gp), left there by 
  supplicants who have dared visit the charnel 
  temple to pray for the deceased. Black, greasy 
  candles burn slowly on the altar, representing 
  the dwindling of life force within every living 
  person. It is said that the priests can kill a 
  person simply by extinguishing a candle that 
  has been inscribed with the true name of the 
  victim.
  To the left of the altar is a large golden bowl 
  (worth 350 gp) inscribed along its rim with 
  the archaic cuneiform script of Susrah. A suc-
  cessful Decipher Script (DC 20) check allows 
  a character to read the following on the bowl: 
  “The bones of the dead go to the tomb but the 
  
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  blood serves forever the god”. The bowl itself 
  contains a dark crimson, semi-solid liquid, 
  which upon examination proves to be coagu-
  lated blood.
  At the chief priest’s command, or when the 
  items on the altar or the statue are disturbed, 
  the blood in the bowl comes alive as a large, 
  slug-like creature, crimson in color and ter-
  rible to behold as it rears up from the bowl and 
  moves to devour the profaners, after which it 
  returns to the bowl.
  There is a 30% chance that the chief priest, 
  Kuri-Ussar, is here along with 1d4+1 lesser 
  priests, performing a grisly ritual.
  The Guardian of the Shrine (blood 
  golem): CR 5; SZ L Aberration; HD 6d8+3; 
  hp 30; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (-1 size, +1 
  Dex, +6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15; 
  BAB/Grapple +4/+7; Atk +6 melee (1d8+3 
  plus blood consumption, slam); Full Atk 
  +6/+6 melee (1d8+3 plus blood consump-
  tion, slam);  Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA blood 
  consumption, cell division; SQ damage reduc-
  tion 10/magic and bludgeoning, fast healing 3, 
  immune to mind-affecting effects and spells, 
  resistance to fire 10, tremorsense 60 ft.; AL 
  N; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 17, Dex 12, 
  Con 10, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 1.
  Skills: Listen +6, Spot +7. Feats: Alertness, 
  Great Fortitude, Toughness.
  Blood Consumption (Su): Each time a blood 
  golem hits a living opponent with a slam at-
  tack, it gains a number of hit points equal to 
  the damage dealt. These bonus hit points are 
  added to the blood golem’s total even if the 
  addition takes it above its current maximum 
  hit points. A blood golem cannot gain more hit 
  points than the maximum hit points allowed 
  by its HD (not including any bonus hit points 
  it may have from its Con score). For example, 
  a 6 HD blood golem cannot gain more than 48 
  hit points.
  If a blood golem successfully hits an oppo-
  nent with both of its slam attacks in a single 
  round, that opponent suffers catastrophic 
  blood expulsion, taking 2d4 points of Consti-
  tution damage (DC 15 Fortitude save for half).
  A blood golem gains 5 hit points per point of 
  Constitution damage it deals. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial 
  bonus.
  When a blood golem reaches its maximum 
  hit points for its Hit Dice, it divides (see cell 
  division, below).
  Cell Division (Ex): When a blood golem ab-
  sorbs enough blood to raise its hit points to the 
  maximum for its HD, it splits into two identi-
  cal blood golems, each with half the original’s 
  hit points. For example, a 6 HD blood golem 
  that reaches 48 hit points splits into two 6 HD 
  blood golems with 24 hit points each.
  11. Vestry
  This is the antechamber to the chief priest’s 
  office (Area 12), but it is also where the aco-
  lytes prepare for ceremonies and put on their 
  purple vestments. Hanging on pegs along the 
  walls are 1d6+1 such robes, as well as the grisly 
  skull-masks of bone that the lesser priests use 
  (the senior priests have skull-masks of jade 
  and gold).
  There is a 20% chance that 1d2 acolytes are 
  here, preparing for a ceremony in the sanctum.
  12. Chief Priest’s Office
  The chief priest administers the cult from 
  this opulent room, filled with expensive 
  hardwood furniture. Along a wall are several 
  small cages filled with poisonous black desert 
  scorpions.
  Behind a silken curtain is Kuri-Ussar’s 
  private quarters, furnished with a bed and 
  wardrobe. Also here is a big chest (Hardness 5; 
  hp 15; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 30) that is 
  trapped (CR 2; mechanical; touch trigger; re-
  pair reset; lock bypass [Open Lock DC 30]; Atk 
  +17 melee [1 plus poison, needle]; poison [blue 
  whinnis, DC 14 Fortitude save resists (poison 
  only), 1 Con/unconsciousness]; Search DC 
  22; Disable Device DC 17). The chest contains 
  4,000 gp.
  Kuri-Ussar, chief priest, male Susrah-
  nite Sor6: CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d4+9; hp 27; 
  Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 15 (+0 no armor, +1 Dex, +4 mage 
  armor), touch 15 (+1 Dex, +4 mage armor), 
  flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple 
  +3/+5; Atk +6 melee (1d6+2, scimitar, 18-20/
  x2); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  weapons, Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Ap-
  praise and Knowledge (religion) skills, Sinis-
  ter Presence, Master of Lost Languages and 
  Arcane Mysteries; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, 
  Will +6; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 12, 
  Cha 14.
  Skills: Concentration +10, Decipher Script 
  +11, Diplomacy +11, Intimidate +11, Knowl-
  edge (religion) +11, Perform +11, Spellcraft 
  +11. Feats: Acolyte, Great Fortitude, Grisly 
  Sacrifice, Improved Initiative (b), Leadership, 
  Priest, Toughness.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/3/3/2; Spell DC 10 + spell level +2 Int): 
  0 — disrupt undead, daze, prestidigitation, 
  resistance; 1st — cause fear, chill touch, 
  command, mage armor, scare; 2nd — aid, 
  ghoul touch, knock; 3rd — dispel magic, hold 
  person, prayer, speak with dead.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Lamuran, 
  Khazistani.
  Possessions: Clothing, scimitar, 43 gp.
  Description: The chief priest of the temple 
  wears purple robes with gold trim and wears 
  a golden skull-mask. Behind the mask is an 
  unwholesome and ugly face, and an unpleas-
  
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  ant personality to match, for Kuri-Ussar lusts 
  after the dead.
  Tactics: Kuri-Ussar precasts mage armor 
  and aid if he has the time, and prayer if 
  combat is joined. He delights in using his 
  scimitar against weak enemies. However, he is 
  no fool and does not attack heavily armed foes, 
  instead using hold person spells against such 
  opponents. As a special trick, Kuri-Ussar may 
  grab tiny black scorpions he keeps in cages, 
  and use them as weapons or throw them at op-
  ponents (range increment 10 feet). If he scores 
  a hit, he deals normal damage with one of the 
  scorpion’s natural attacks, including poison 
  damage.
  Tiny monstrous scorpions (8): CR ¼; 
  hp 4.
  In the Catacombs of Belthaar
  The main entrance to the catacombs of 
  Belthaar is located on the north side of the 
  Square of the Green Peacock. A few secret 
  entrances also exist. The Keepers guard the 
  main entrance but are unaware of the secret 
  entrances used by tomb-robbers and ghouls.
  The catacombs are a true maze of tunnels, 
  alcoves, and crypts. Many wandering creatures 
  may be encountered here, as well as tomb-
  robbers and purple-robed priests with their 
  guard dogs.
  A few sample tombs are described along with 
  Ikhtanabu Xul’s tomb; the DM may wish to 
  expand the adventure by placing additional 
  encounters and tombs that can be explored by 
  the player characters.
  1. Tomb Entrance
  The forbidding, heavy double doors to the 
  catacombs are of iron (2 in. thick; Hardness 
  10; hp 60; Break DC 28; Open Lock DC 35). 
  The keys to the doors are held by the so-called 
  Keeper of the Catacombs, a senior priest (see 
  Area 3 of the Shrine of the Keepers). If there is 
  a procession carrying urns or mummies from 
  the shrine to the catacombs, the Keeper of the 
  Catacombs walks in front of the procession 
  and unlocks the doors.
  From sunset to sunrise, when most people 
  shun the Square of the Green Peacock, four 
  priests stand guard at this entrance, along with 
  two guard dogs. During the day, the entrance 
  appears unguarded, but there are secret 
  servants of the Keepers (1st-level commoners) 
  who mingle with the crowds in the Square and 
  keep watch, alerting the priests if anyone tries 
  to breach or bypass the doors to the cata-
  combs.
  Keepers (4): CR 1; hp 6; see Area 3 of the 
  Shrine of the Keepers.
  Black guard dogs (2): CR 1/3; hp 6.
  2. Mausoleum
  Beyond the entrance doors is a large hall, its 
  roof upheld by a dozen square columns. The 
  Keepers sometimes use this room to perform 
  rituals.
  To the sides of the hall are alcoves, protected 
  with iron portcullises (2 in. thick; Hardness 
  10; hp 60; Lift DC 25; Break DC 28) that con-
  tain the sarcophagi of Belthaar’s nobles and 
  royalty. None of the bodies within have been 
  buried with treasure (unless the DM deems 
  otherwise), but any violation of the royal 
  crypts is punishable by death.
  Several tunnels lead from the mausoleum 
  hall to the network of lesser crypts that make 
  up the catacombs.
  3. Secret Entrances
  There are four different hidden entrances, 
  including one from the Shrine of the Keepers 
  (see Area 8 of the Shrine). The other three 
  entrances are located in the cellars of dilapi-
  dated buildings nearby. After having found 
  the correct building, it requires a Search check 
  (DC 20) to discover the actual tunnel entrace, 
  which is typically concealed by rubble or loose 
  flagstones.
  Both tomb-robbers and ghouls use these se-
  cret entrances to come and go; make an extra 
  check for random encounters each time the 
  player characters pass by.
  4. Catacomb Tunnels
  The walls of the catacomb tunnels are plain 
  and unadorned. To the sides of each tunnel are 
  alcoves and doors, some of which are broken 
  down or burrowed around. On unbroken 
  doors, the names of the deceased are usually 
  The Catacombs of Belthaar
  Standard Features: Unless noted 
  otherwise, all interior doors are stone doors 
  (4 in. thick; Hardness 8; hp 60; Break DC 
  28; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked, 
  although most tombs do not have locks as 
  they are not intended to be re-opened). 
  Ceiling height is 15 feet in tunnels and 
  normal rooms.
  Lighting: The tunnels are unlit. The 
  Keepers carry torches when they patrol the 
  catacombs.
  Encounters: Roll a random encounter 
  check on 1d20 once per 10 minutes:
  1-2. 1 rat swarm
  3-4. 1d8 dire rats
  5-6. 1d3 tomb robbers (Rog2)
  7-8. 1d4+1 small monstrous spiders
  9-10. 1d4 ghouls
  11. 1d3 Keepers (see Area 3 of the Shrine)
  12. 1 gray ooze
  13-20. No encounter
  
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  inscribed, but a successful Decipher Script 
  check (DC 15) is required to read the names.
  The tunnels are rather narrow and claustro-
  phobic. To avoid getting lost in the maze-like 
  tunnels, a Survival check (DC 15) must be 
  made every 10 minutes.
  Also remember that the player characters 
  must carry torches to see in the darkness, 
  while many of the creatures that roam the 
  tunnels have low-light vision, darkvision, and/
  or scent abilities, allowing them to effectively 
  ambush the PCs.
  5. Sample Tomb 1
  This is a typical crypt, a small, sealed cham-
  ber filled with dozens of urns (roll 4d10 if an 
  exact number is required). One-tenth of the 
  urns are of bronze (worth 10 gp), the rest are 
  made from clay. The name of the deceased is 
  usually carved on the urn. Each urn is stop-
  pered and then sealed with wax; inside is 
  a handful of ash (worthless in most cases, 
  although the ashes of certain individuals might 
  be of interest to sorcerers and necromancers).
  6. Sample Tomb 2
  Family crypts such as this one are uncom-
  mon in the catacombs. The door is nondescript 
  so as not not attract tomb-robbers. The inte-
  rior walls are covered with plaster and painted 
  in bright colors with scenes of family life and 
  pleasures. The tomb has not been violated 
  and still contains four wooden coffins. Inside 
  each coffin is a mummy, coated with resin and 
  wrapped in cloth. Each mummy wears amulets 
  and jewelry worth 3d6 x 10 gp.
  7. Sample Tomb 3
  The door to this T-shaped tomb has been 
  broken down long ago. The floor of the main 
  corridor is littered with broken clay urns and 
  the ashes of the dead mingled with the dust 
  of ages. In each of the two alcoves at the end 
  of the corridor stands a stone sarcophagus, 
  its heavy stone lid broken and shattered. The 
  mummies within have been stripped of all 
  valuables and jewelry; pieces of decaying cloth 
  hang in tatters around their ill-treated bodies.
  8. The Tomb of Ikhanabu Xul
  The door to Ikhtanabu Xul’s tomb is still 
  sealed with a heavy stone slab (4 in. thick; 
  Hardness 8; hp 60; Break DC 28), but there is 
  a half-concealed tunnel (Search DC 14) not far 
  away, burrowed by the ghouls, that leads into 
  the chamber.
  The wizard’s name and title is chiseled into 
  the door, but it requires a Decipher Script 
  check (DC 15) to recognize it. More obvious, 
  the door is carved with the same black runes 
  as found on Ikhtanabu Xul’s silver knife.
  Realizing that he was dying, the old wizard 
  paid the cult of the Keepers handsomely to be 
  able to construct a private tomb, and to allow 
  his apprentices to enter and leave the tomb 
  freely as they prepared for his burial.
  Ikhtanabu Xul was mummified by one 
  Shalgi-Ram, the predecessor of the current 
  master embalmer, Othbanes (see Area 9 of the 
  Shrine). Shalgi-Ram was also bribed so that 
  he would allow the necromancer’s appren-
  tices to return and retrieve the corpse at some 
  future date, when they had mastered a dark 
  spell of resurrection. But due to the infighting 
  amongst the apprentices (see the Introduc-
  tion), this scheme never came to fruition. 
  Furthermore, Shalgi-Ram died himself a few 
  years later (some suspect that he was poisoned 
  by Othbanes), and Ikhtanabu Xul’s tomb was 
  forgotten until the ghouls found it.
  The stone sarcophagus rests on a raised dais 
  in this chamber which is 30 by 30 feet. Ghouls 
  have broken the lid and devoured the necro-
  mancer’s corpse, leaving his bones scattered 
  around in the tomb; a Search check (DC 12) 
  reveals that the marrow has been sucked out 
  of the bones.
  There is a secret compartment (Search DC 
  20) within the base of the sarcophagus that 
  contains a pouch of semiprecious, uncut gems 
  (worth 250 gp in total) as well as two large, 
  iron-bound spellbooks (see sidebar). The wily 
  Ikhtanabu Xul placed these items here, un-
  beknownst to his apprentices, while his tomb 
  was being built. Retrieving his spellbooks is 
  the reason why the wizard must return to his 
  tomb before he seeks revenge on his appren-
  tice.
  The Shade of Ikhtanabu Xul (haunt): 
  CR 4; SZ M Undead; HD 5d12; hp 32; Init +6; 
  Spd 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect); AC 14 (+2 Dex, 
  +2 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 12; BAB/
  Grapple +2/—; Atk +4 melee (1d4 plus 1d3 
  Dex, incorporeal touch); SA Dexterity damage, 
  malevolence, strangle; SQ alternate form, im-
  munity to turning, incorporeal traits, rejuve-
  nation, undead traits, vulnerability; AL N; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +6; Str —, Dex 15, Con —, 
  Int —, Wis 14, Cha 14.
  Skills: —. Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved 
  Initiative.
  The haunt is the spirit of a person who died 
  before completing some vital task. A haunt 
  inhabits an area within 60 feet of where its 
  body died and never leaves this area. (Note — 
  a haunt in possession of a material body can 
  in fact leave its area and must do so in order 
  to finish its task.) It desires but one thing: its 
  final rest. To accomplish this, it must possess a 
  living creature and finish the task that pre-
  vents it from achieving everlasting slumber. A 
  haunt only attacks humanoid creatures.
  Combat: A haunt attacks with its incorporeal 
  touch. It concentrates on a single foe, attempt-
  ing to render it helpless by draining its Dexter-
  ity. Once that victim reaches Dexterity 0, the 
  haunt uses its malevolence ability to possess 
  the body and then attempts to complete the 
  
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  task that binds it to this plane. If the haunt is 
  attacked while possessing a body, it uses all 
  the abilities of the host to defend itself.
  Dexterity Damage (Su): The touch of a haunt 
  deals 1d3 points of Dexterity damage to a liv-
  ing foe. A creature reduced to 0 Dexterity by 
  a haunt is subjected to its malevolence ability. 
  Dexterity damage dealt by a haunt cannot be 
  healed by any means while the haunt pos-
  sesses the host’s body.
  Malevolence (Su): Once per round, a haunt 
  can merge its body with a creature on the Ma-
  terial Plane whose Dexterity has been reduced 
  to 0 (either through the haunt’s touch or some 
  other means). This ability is similar to a magic 
  jar spell (caster level 10th), except that it does 
  not require a receptacle.
  To use this ability, the haunt must try to 
  move into the target’s space; moving into the 
  target’s space to use the malevolence ability 
  does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
  The target can resist the attack with a suc-
  cessful DC 17 Will save. A creature that suc-
  cessfully saves is immune to that same haunt’s 
  malevolence for one day, and the haunt cannot 
  enter the target’s space. If the save fails, the 
  haunt vanishes into the target’s body (whose 
  Dexterity temporarily returns to normal) and 
  attempts to complete its unfinished task. If the 
  haunt completes its task, it leaves the host and 
  fades away forever.
  When the haunt leaves the host, the host’s 
  Dexterity drops back to 0. If the host body is 
  slain while the haunt is in possession of it, the 
  creature becomes tied to that area and can 
  never leave. Its unfinished task remains the 
  same.
  Strangle (Su): If a creature possessed by a 
  haunt has an alignment opposite to that of the 
  haunt, it attempts to strangle the host using its 
  own hands (i.e., the hands of the host body). 
  Unless precautions are taken to restrain the 
  possessed victim’s hands, they immediately 
  reach for the throat and begin strangling the 
  hauntpossessed body. An opponent takes 1d4 
  points of damage each round until its hands 
  are forcibly restrained (opposed Strength rolls 
  to pry the host’s hands loose), the haunt is 
  ejected from the body, or the victim dies.
  Alternate Form (Su): A haunt’s natural form 
  is that of a translucent image appearing much 
  as the person did in life. As a standard action, 
  it can alter its form so as to appear as a float-
  ing, luminescent ball of light (possibly being 
  mistaken for a will-o’-wisp in this form). In 
  this form, it cannot use its Dexterity damage 
  attack or its malevolence attack. It retains its 
  incorporeal form and can make an incorporeal 
  touch attack that deals normal damage (but 
  not Dex damage).
  A haunt remains in one form or the other 
  until it chooses to assume a new one (as a 
  standard action). Achange in form cannot be 
  dispelled. A haunt cannot change forms while 
  using its malevolence attack (that is, while 
  possessing a host).
  Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s diffi-
  cult to destroy a haunt through simple combat. 
  The “destroyed” spirit will often restore itself 
  in 1d4 days. Even the most powerful spells 
  are usually only temporary solutions. A haunt 
  that would otherwise be destroyed returns to 
  its area with a successful level check (1d20 + 
  haunt’s HD) against DC 16. The only way to 
  get rid of a haunt for sure is to use dispel evil 
  or allow it to finish the task that holds it to the 
  material world.
  Note: In this adventure, in addition to the 
  means specified above, the spirit of Ikhtanabu 
  Xul can also be laid to rest by destroying 
  (burning) his spellbooks.
  Conclusion
  When Ikhtanabu Xul possesses a character, 
  he heads first back to his tomb to retrieve his 
  spellbooks and treasure. He stays in the tomb 
  for several days, studying his spellbooks, then 
  eventually leaves the city of Belthaar in search 
  of his former apprentice, now a powerful sor-
  cerer in his own right.
  To be successful, the PCs must intercept the 
  possessed character in the tomb or before he 
  leaves the city, and lay Ikhtanabu’s shade to 
  final rest, either by casting a dispel evil spell, 
  or by destroying the necromancer’s spellbooks.
  Alternatively, they can strike a deal with 
  the restless spirit and help it gain revenge by 
  tracking down the former apprentice. In this 
  case, a whole mini-campaign could be built 
  around the hunt for Arakshat.
  If the PCs fail: Using a possessed body, 
  Ikhtanabu Xul will seek out his former ap-
  prentice Arakshat to gain revenge. Unless the 
  player characters intervene, the possessed 
  body must surely perish when the two wizards 
  clash!
  The Tomes of Ikhtanabu Xul
  Written in Susrahnite; Madness: none; 
  Areas of Knowledge: arcana — magic tradi-
  tions — immortality +2; Secrets: none; 
  Spells: contains the spells magic jar, circle 
  of death, and enervation; Copies: frag-
  ments of the tomes are possibly found in 
  the spellbooks of Ikhtanabu Xul’s appren-
  tices; Market Price: 8,000 gp.
  Each of the two tomes is protected with a 
  sepia snake sigil placed there by the dying 
  sorcerer.
  
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  The Spider-God’s 
  Bride
  “Ralibar Vooz went close to the verge and 
  saw that great webs were attached to it at 
  intervals, seeming to span the gulf with their 
  multiple crossing and reticulations of gray, 
  rope thick strands. Apart from these, the 
  chasm was bridgeless. Far out on one of the 
  webs he discerned a darksome form, big as 
  a crouching man but with long spider-like 
  members. Then, like a dreamer who hears 
  some nightmare sound, he heard his own 
  voice crying loudly: ‘O Atlach-Nacha, I am 
  the gift sent by Tsathoggua.’” — Clark Ashton 
  Smith: The Seven Geases
  Setting: Wilderness (Desert), City, and 
  Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 2nd- and 3rd-level characters.
  Introduction
  In the city of Lamra, in the land of Lamu, the 
  dreaded priests of Yot-Kamoth have built a 
  temple to house their god, which is a colossal 
  eight-legged spider-idol, carved from the black 
  stone of a fallen star. Great is the power of the 
  spider-priests of Lamu, for they outnumber 
  even the austere priestesses of Nhakhramat 
  and the muffled priests of Yadar, and they 
  ride as kings through the shadowed streets of 
  Lamra.
  But though the iron-fisted rule of the priests 
  is largely uncontested, such ruthless men and 
  women as worship Yot-Kamoth are often at 
  war with each other, driven by ambition and 
  power-thirst.
  One such ambitious priest was Yetara, who 
  wove webs of intrigue and plotted to over-
  throw his superiors in the spider-cult. But 
  before his plotting came to fruition, Yetara’s 
  plans were discovered by the spies of the high 
  priest, the old but wily Hamadara. Yetara 
  barely escaped Hamadara’s vengeful wrath 
  with his life, but was forced to flee hastily from 
  Lamu.
  Years earlier, before becoming a priest, 
  Yetara had travelled in the lands to the south. 
  In the city of Zul-Bazzir, he became acquainted 
  with another foreigner, the Eastern sorcerer 
  Zheng-Ya of Taikang. Seeking refuge from the 
  assassins of Hamadara and the cult of Yot-
  Kamoth, Yetara now flees southwards towards 
  Zul-Bazzir along with his servant Sefu, a giant 
  tribesman of Shoma.
  To spite Hamadara, Yetara kidnaps Daniya, a 
  beautiful temple-virgin of Yot-Kamoth, whom 
  he intends to give or sell to the bey (governor) 
  of Zul-Bazzir for inclusion in the ruler’s harem. 
  Thus Yetara hopes to buy additional favor and 
  protection in Zul-Bazzir.
  Unknown to all but the girl, Daniya, the so-
  called temple-virgin, has performed certain 
  profane rites of carnal supplication in the 
  shrine of the spider-idol, and has been im-
  pregnated by a manifestation of Yot-Kamoth. 
  She now carries the unborn spawn of the 
  spider-god in her womb, and although there 
  are as yet no physical signs of her blashemous 
  pregnancy, this child of Yot-Kamoth is soon to 
  be unleashed upon the world.
  The tale begins as Yetara hires the player 
  characters as additional bodyguards on the 
  way to Zul-Bazzir.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The player characters guard Yetara’s small 
  caravan as it passes through the mountain 
  passes of Kharjah, dealing with the Zorabi 
  tribes who guard the passes and collect tolls 
  from passing caravans.
  Entering into the al-Khazi desert, the caravan 
  makes a short stop at the Oasis of Yirlat. 
  Somewhere along the route, wild Khazraj 
  nomad raiders may attack the caravan.
  Entering the city of Zul-Bazzir, the party 
  faces leprous beggars, haughty Khazistani 
  guard-captains, and skulking thieves. The 
  player characters can spend their time trading 
  for items in the bazaar, or waste their money 
  in the pleasure district.
  Meanwhile, Yetara locates the house of 
  Zheng-Ya, but finds the sorcerer mysteriously 
  missing. Awaiting his friend’s return, the 
  priest moves into the mansion and continues 
  to hire the PCs to guard against his nameless 
  enemies. Some days later, assassin-cultists of 
  Yot-Kamoth, who have followed the caravan 
  to Zul-Bazzir from Lamu, launch an assault on 
  the mansion in the dark of night.
  
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  During the attack, Yetara flees down into 
  the dungeons of the mansion with the girl 
  Daniya. To the Lamuran priest’s surprise, she 
  backstabs him and feeds upon his life-energy 
  to spark the birth of the spawn of Yot-Kamoth 
  that she carries in her womb. After the birth, 
  she hides the corpse of Yetara.
  Assuming the player characters are success-
  ful in driving the assassins from Lamra away, 
  the PCs investigate Yetara’s disappearance and 
  explore the dungeons of Zheng-Ya’s house. 
  They discover a webbed cocoon; inside is the 
  spawn of Yot-Kamoth. The adventure climaxes 
  with a bloody confrontation between the play-
  er characters and the spawn of the spider-god, 
  as well as Daniya and her secret lover Sefu.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started:
  — Penniless in the small city of Belthaar, 
  the PCs sign up as caravan guards on a small 
  caravan headed for Zul-Bazzir, a city in the 
  al-Khazi desert.
  — Fleeing some enemy (possibly the authori-
  ties), the PCs need to get away fast. They hire 
  on as caravan guards to disguise and get away 
  from the city unnoticed.
  — The PCs, while traveling in the desert, are 
  beset by raiders, looted of their equipment, 
  and left to die of thirst in the unforgiving heat 
  of the trackless waste. Yetara’s caravan comes 
  across the half-dead characters. Sefu offers to 
  help the PCs if they join the caravan as guards 
  after they recover.
  The Master’s Caravan
  The spider-priest Yetara, his servant and 
  bodyguard Sefu, and the dancing-girl Daniya 
  are fleeing from Lamu, headed for the deserts 
  of Khazistan and the golden-domed city of 
  Zul-Bazzir. Their small caravan consists of 
  Sefu on his warhorse, four mercenaries from 
  Khorsul on foot, as well as Yetara and Daniya, 
  who each ride their own camel in a canopied 
  howdah that conceals the rider from prying 
  eyes. In addition, there are four pack camels 
  that carry dried food rations and water-skins.
  Sefu hires the PCs somewhere along the 
  way, preferably before the caravan reaches the 
  mountain pass at Kharjah. The characters are 
  offered a pay of 1 gp per day, and a bonus of 25 
  gp each if they successfully reach Zul-Bazzir 
  (adjust this amount if the PCs are higher-
  level).
  Day-to-day leadership of the caravan is 
  handled by Sefu; Yetara and Daniya mostly 
  remain behind the veils of the canopies atop 
  their camels. The PCs are simply told that 
  these camels are occupied by “the Master” and 
  one of his female slaves. On the rare occasions 
  that the PCs see the Master, he is wearing a 
  long-sleeved, hooded robe that conceals his 
  hands and face.
  Any attempt to try to talk to the slave girl is 
  quickly stopped by Sefu. If the PCs somehow 
  manage to speak with Daniya, she feigns to be 
  a simple dancing-girl, a slave owned by Yetara. 
  She does not appear to have much information 
  to offer the PCs. The girl might, if she thinks 
  she can benefit from it, pick a strong but 
  weak-willed character among the party and try 
  to seduce him during the long trek (either role-
  played, or through use of her Bluff skill), like 
  she has done with Sefu (see below). Daniya 
  will then try to turn this character against his 
  friends and companions at the most opportune 
  time.
  The travel time from Belthaar to the Kharjah 
  Pass (170 miles) is approximately seven days 
  (assuming the caravan is slowed by the Khor-
  sulan mercenaries who don’t have mounts, 
  the caravan can cover 24 miles per day on 
  plains with roads). Crossing into the trackless 
  al-Khazi desert, it takes a fortnight to reach 
  the Oasis of Yirlat (another 170 miles), where 
  the water-skins must be refilled and new food 
  rations must be bought. The caravan then 
  proceeds south towards Zul-Bazzir (150 miles 
  from Yirlat), finally seeing the ivory minarets 
  and spires of the city after another 12 days .
  Yetara, the Outcast Priest of Yot-Ka-
  moth, male Lamuran Sor6: CR 6; SZ M; 
  HD 6d4+9; hp 27; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 
  Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grap-
  ple +3/+3; Atk +3 melee (1d6, quarterstaff, 
  20/x2); SA Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Move 
  Silently and Sleight of Hand skills, Uncanny 
  Luck (once per day, reroll any die roll and keep 
  best result), Sinister Presence, Master of Lost 
  Languages and Arcane Mysteries; AL N; SV 
  Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 
  12, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 14.
  Skills: Bluff +11, Concentration +10, Deci-
  pher Script +12, Diplomacy +11, Heal +11, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (religion) 
  +12, Spellcraft +12. Feats: Acolyte, Combat 
  Casting, Eyes of the Cat (b), Extend Spell, 
  Great Fortitude, Tainted Presence, Toughness.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/3/3/2; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 
  0 — arcane mark, guidance, resistance; 1st 
  — command, mage armor, sanctuary, spider 
  climb; 2nd — augury, death knell, summon 
  swarm; 3rd —hold person, prayer, web.
  Languages: Lamuran, Susrahnite, 
  Khazistani, Taikangian.
  Possessions: Quarterstaff, grey hooded robe, 
  Lamuran turbaned cap, emerald spider signet 
  ring (worth 75 gp), 1 dose of blinding-powder, 
  1 dose of dreaming-powder, 150 gp.
  Description: Yetara is middle-aged, thin and 
  wiry, with a clean-shaven pate and staring 
  dark eyes lined by heavy eyebrows. He wears a 
  grey hooded robe with long sleeves, as well as 
  a turbaned cap in the Lamuran fashion. Now 
  an outcast from the cult of Yot-Kamoth, he has 
  vowed to some day return to Lamra and exact 
  revenge upon his former cult brothers, claim-
  
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  ing the position of high priest that he thinks he 
  deserves.
  Tactics: In general, Yetara stays away from 
  physical combat and lets Sefu deal with oppo-
  nents. Given time, he precasts defensive spells. 
  The priest uses his staff to strike against lighty 
  armored opponents, and finally uses offensive 
  spells when in personal danger.
  Special Note: Since Yetara has been cast out 
  from his cult, he does not currently gain any 
  benefit from his Acolyte feat.
  Sefu, Yetara’s Bodyguard, male Shoma 
  Bbn4: CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d12+12; hp 39; Init 
  +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 16 (+5 chainmail, 
  +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 15 
  (+5 chainmail); BAB/Grapple +4/+7; Atk +7 
  melee (1d10+3, bastard sword, 19-20/x2) or 
  +5 ranged (1d4+3, dagger, 19-20/x2, range 
  increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all spears and bows, rage 2/day; SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  +10 racial bonus to Speed, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +1; AL 
  N; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 12, 
  Con 16, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14.
  Skills: Climb +10, Handle Animal +7, In-
  timidate +9, Jump +10, Ride +8, Survival +8. 
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Power 
  Attack, Run (b).
  Languages: Shoma, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Bastard sword, dagger, chain-
  mail, lion-skin cloak, 45 gp.
  Description: Sefu is a black-skinned giant, 
  with a muscular body and gleaming white 
  teeth. He wears a lion-skin cloak over his 
  armor. His demeanor is rather social and out-
  going, even towards relative strangers (such 
  as the player characters). He has been a loyal 
  servant of Yetara for over a decade, but has 
  recently been seduced by Daniya and is now 
  secretly her thrall.
  Tactics: Sefu lacks any effective ranged 
  weapons and prefers to close with enemies as 
  fast as possible, using his rage ability to deal 
  increased damage. He risks his own health to 
  protect Daniya from harm.
  Daniya, the Bride of the Spider-God, 
  female Lamuran Rog4: CR 4; SZ M; HD 
  4d6+8; hp 22; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 
  Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+3; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d4 plus poison, curved dagger, 18-20/x2); 
  SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Move Silently and Sleight of Hand skills, 
  Uncanny Luck (once per day, reroll any die roll 
  and keep best result), Trapfinding, Evasion, 
  Trap Sense +1, Uncanny Dodge; AL N; SV Fort 
  +3, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 
  13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Skills: Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Escape 
  Artist +10, Gather Information +10, Hide 
  +10, Knowledge (local) +8, Move Silently 
  +10, Open Lock +10, Perform (dancing) 
  +10, Tumble +10. Feats: Eyes of the Cat (b), 
  Expert Poisoner, Improved Initiative, Weapon 
  Finesse.
  Languages: Lamuran, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Curved dagger, two doses of 
  medium spider venom (injury DC 14, dmg 1d4 
  Str/1d4 Str), red silk dress, veil set with pearls 
  (worth 20 gp).
  Description: Daniya appears as a simple 
  but beautiful slave girl, wearing only a gauzy 
  dress of red silk, held around her slim waist by 
  a gilded belt. She has black hair and the face 
  below her dark, seductive eyes is hidden by a 
  short silvery veil set with pearls.
  Tactics: The spider-god’s bride does not risk 
  her life in direct confrontation, but prefers to 
  use her skills of persuasion and seduction to 
  further her goals. She appears to be harmless, 
  
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  but can strike suddenly with a poisoned dagger 
  in the back. If forced into melee, she attempts 
  to flank and sneak attack enemies, using her 
  Tumble skill to get away from dangerous op-
  ponents.
  Mercenaries of Khorsul, male Susrah-
  nite Ftr1 (4): CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d10+2; hp 12; 
  Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 leather armor, +2 Dex), touch 
  12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+2 leather armor); 
  BAB/Grapple +1/+3; Atk +5 melee (1d12+3, 
  greataxe, 20/x3) or +3 ranged (1d8, longbow, 
  20/x3); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with 
  all weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise 
  and Knowledge (religion) skills; AL N; SV Fort 
  +4, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 
  10, Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +2, Ride +6. 
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative 
  (b), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Leather armor, greataxe, long-
  bow, 20 arrows, 5 gp.
  Description: These mercenaries are battle-
  hardened men with plenty of scars. They have 
  irregular clothing and worn equipment.  They 
  follow orders and remain loyal only as long as 
  they get paid.
  Tactics: The mercenaries stay behind cover 
  and attack enemies using bows, if possible. In 
  melee, they charge and use Power Attack.
  Sefu’s Light Warhorse: CR 1; hp 22.
  Riding/Pack Camels (6): CR 1; hp 19.
  Guardians of the Kharjah 
  Pass
  The caravan eventually reaches the foothills 
  of the mighty Zorab mountains separating the 
  plains of Susrah from the steppes and deserts 
  of Khazistan. The only easily accessible cross-
  ing for hundreds of miles is at the Kharjah 
  Pass (although several secret passes, known 
  only to the Zorabi mountain peoples, are 
  rumored to exist).
  The pass is guarded by mountain tribes 
  loyal (at least in name) to the padishah of 
  Khazistan. The Zorabi inhabit small, impreg-
  nable stone towers carved into the mountain-
  sides. At the western end of the Kharjah Pass, 
  there are two stone towers, each housing 
  around 50 warriors. Travelers are typically ap-
  proached by troops consisting of 10 warriors; 
  several more if large caravans are coming 
  through.
  The tribesmen collect taxes from caravans 
  passing through the pass. They claim one-
  tenth of the value of trade goods carried (the 
  majority of this tax is in turn supposed to be 
  brought as tribute to Khazabad), as well as 1 sp 
  for each man, horse or camel making the pas-
  sage. However, the tribesmen are not above 
  demanding much more if they think they can 
  get away with it.
  Warriors of Kharjah, male Zorabi 
  Bbn2 (10+): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d12+2; hp 
  15; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 fur 
  armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  11 (+1 fur armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+3; Atk 
  +3 melee (1d6+1, club, 20/x2) or +4 ranged 
  (1d6+1, shortbow, 20/x3, range increment 
  60 ft.); SA Rage 1/day; SQ +2 racial modi-
  fier to Constitution, +2 racial bonus to Climb 
  and Survival skills, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, 
  Uncanny Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, 
  Will +1; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 12, 
  Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +5, Jump +6, 
  Listen +6, Survival +6. Feats: Alertness, Iron 
  Will, Track (b).
  Languages: Khazistani.
  Possessions: Club, shortbow, 20 arrows, fur 
  cloak, horn, 1d4 gp.
  Description: These mountain-men wear 
  cloaks of wolf fur, white turbans, and all war-
  riors have full beards bristling with curly black 
  hair.
  Tactics: If combat breaks out, the Zorabi 
  tribesmen fight long enough to sound the 
  alarm (each warrior carries a horn for this 
  purpose), then withdraw up into the moun-
  tains while their allies in the stone towers 
  rain down a deadly hail of arrows upon the 
  troublemakers. PCs who have offended the 
  Zorabi at the entrance to the pass can expect 
  to be ambushed by several groups of mountain 
  tribesmen while traveling through the ravine. 
  In the case of combat, remember that Yetara’s 
  caravan includes several Khorsulan mercenar-
  ies that fight alongside the PCs.
  Development: Sefu pays the toll for the 
  entire party using Yetara’s funds. However, 
  if the PCs look like easy targets (ie., they look 
  wealthy and/or easily bullied), the guardians 
  of the pass try to extort some extra valuables 
  from the travelers (in addition to money, the 
  tribesmen could also claim weapons, jewelry, 
  or other equipment from the PCs as “gifts”). 
  The player characters may have to make Di-
  plomacy or Intimidate checks to avoid conflict 
  (as it is also in the interest of Yetara and Sefu 
  to enter the pass peacefully, consider using the 
  higher skill rolls of these NPCs to determine 
  the outcome; the PCs can assist by making 
  skill rolls against DC 10, each success adding 
  +2 to the NPCs’ roll).
  The al-Khazi Desert
  The wastelands of the al-Khazi Desert are 
  harsh and inhospitable to city-dwellers, igno-
  rant of the secrets of the nomads. Essential 
  information regarding danger from starvation, 
  thirst, heat and weather hazards can be found 
  in Chapter 3 of the DMG. Some of the most 
  important information is summarized below.
  
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  Terrain and Climate
  The majority of this desert is covered with 
  vast sand dunes, broken up here and there by 
  areas of stony desert with hills, jagged rocks 
  and wind-worn cliffs.
  The al-Khazi desert is very hot (the average 
  daytime temperature is 92 degrees Fahren-
  heit).
  Each hour, unless they get the chance to 
  cool off (by reaching shade, traveling at night, 
  doused with a gallon of water, etc.), characters 
  must make Fortitude saves (DC 15, +1 for each 
  previous check) or suffer 1d4 points of non-
  lethal damage. Those wearing heavy clothing 
  or armor of any sort suffer a –4 penalty to the 
  saving throw. A character who takes any non-
  lethal damage from heat exposure suffers from 
  heatstroke and is fatigued.
  Once unconscious from nonlethal damage, 
  the character starts to take normal damage at 
  the same rate (1d4 points of damage per hour 
  of heat exposure). 
  A character with the Survival skill may 
  receive a bonus to his saving throw and may 
  be able to apply this bonus to other characters 
  as well. A successful Survival check (DC 15) 
  allows a character to gain +2 on all Fortitude 
  saves against severe weather while moving up 
  to one-half the character’s overland speed, or 
  gain +4 if stationary. The character may grant 
  the same bonus to one other character for 
  every 1 point by which the check result exceeds 
  15.
  To avoid the deadly heat of the desert sun, 
  caravans often travel at night instead of during 
  the day, but this brings an increased risk of en-
  countering predatory animals and other things 
  that shun the rays of the sun.
  Hunger and Thirst
  Creatures without food and water will suffer 
  a slow and painful death. In normal climates, 
  Medium characters need at least a gallon 
  of fluids and about a pound of decent food 
  per day to avoid starvation. (Small creatures 
  need half as much, while large creatures need 
  double the base amount.)
  In very hot climates, such as deserts, crea-
  tures need double the base amount of fluids 
  to avoid dehydration (2 gallons per day for 
  Medium-sized creatures). This does not apply 
  to those who rest during the day and travel 
  only by night, or those accustomed to the hot 
  environment, such as nomads and their cam-
  els, and other desert natives.
  Creatures carrying more than a medium load 
  require an additional day’s worth of water for 
  each day spent under the hot sun. One gallon 
  of water weighs around 8 lbs.
  A character can go without water for 1 day 
  plus a number of hours equal to his Constitu-
  tion score. After this time, the character must 
  make a Constitution check each hour (DC 10, 
  +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d6 
  points of nonlethal damage.
  A character can go without food for 3 days, 
  in growing discomfort. After this time, the 
  character must make a Constitution check (DC 
  10, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d6 
  points of nonlethal damage.
  Camels suffer no damage the first six days 
  without water. Horses suited to the desert en-
  viroment are light horses and light warhorses. 
  They need to rest and drink water daily.
  Characters who have taken nonlethal damage 
  from lack of food or water are fatigued. Non-
  lethal damage from thirst or starvation cannot 
  be recovered until the character gets food or 
  water, as needed.
  Characters with the Survival skill can survive 
  by hunting and foraging. A successful Survival 
  check (DC 20 for food, DC 30 for water) allows 
  a character to move up to one-half the charac-
  ter’s overland speed while hunting and forag-
  ing for food and water. Only one skill check 
  is made for finding both food and water; the 
  result of this check is applied to both DCs. The 
  character can provide food and water for one 
  other person for every 2 points by which the 
  character’s check result exceeds the DC.
  Random Encounters
  Refer to the following encounter table for 
  random encounters in the al-Khazi Desert. 
  Each day, an encounter occurs on a roll of 1-4 
  on 1d20. If an encounter is indicated, roll 1d6: 
  The encounter occurs during the day (1-2) or 
  at night (3-6). Then roll 1d10 to determine the 
  nature of the encounter. Add +2 to this roll if 
  the previous die indicated a nocturnal encoun-
  ter.
  
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  al-Khazi Desert Random Encounters
  Roll  
  Encounter
  1 
  Abandoned campsite (60%), water-hole (30%) or oasis (10%)
  2 
  Clean-picked bones (70%), recently-dead corpse (20%), or half-dead straggler (10%)
  3 
  Severe heat (50%), duststorm (40%) or sandstorm (10%)
  4 
  Caravan (60%), lone travellers (20%), or wild horses/camels (20%)
  5 
  Tracks/footprints or signs of recent battle
  6 
  Sand trap (60%) or treacherous sand dune (40%)
  7 
  Nomads
  8 
  Vultures (70%) or jackals (30%)
  9 
  Scorpion (40%), sand viper (40%) or giant lizard (20%)
  10 
  Ruined, desolate or crumbled obelisk (15%), tower (25%), shrine (20%), 
   
  fortress (15%) or city (5%)
  11 
  Dire bat (70%) or ankheg (30%)
  12 
  Desert ghouls (50%), cultists (30%) or wight (20%)
  Abandoned Campsite: The remains of a recent campsite. There is a 10% chance that some 
  minor, usable trinket (roll randomly on the equipment table) is found with a Search check (DC 
  15).
  Ankheg: Encountered only at night, this feared predator hides beneath the sand before it 
  burrows up to attack.
  Caravan: A merchant caravan consisting of 3d10 camels. Each camel carries 1d3 x 100 gp 
  worth of goods or valuables. For every two camels, there is a mercenary guard (Ftr1). The cara-
  van master is a fighter or rogue of level 1d4+2. Roll 1d4 to determine the direction of travel 
  (north, south, east, west).
  City (Ruined): The crumbling, sand-choked remains of a lost city. A few remaining col-
  umns and walls may provide some cover against sandstorms or shade against the sun, but the 
  ruins may also have attracted brigands, predatory animals, or monsters.
  Clean-Picked Bones: A scattering of sun-bleached human or animal bones, with a 50% 
  chance for each. There is a 25% chance that scavengers (vultures or jackals) are still pres-
  ent. For human bones, there is a 50% chance of finding 1d10 x 10 gp worth of treasure with a 
  Search check (DC 15).
  Cultists: Encountered only at night, this is a roving band of cultists worshipping some evil 
  desert god, such as Al-Tawir. There are 2d6 cultists (2nd-level rogues) armed with daggers 
  and scimitars, led by a 5th-level sorcerer. The cultists may be performing some secret rite 
  (25% chance) or be looking for innocents to capture and sacrifice (75% chance).
  Desert Ghouls: Encountered only at night, these are flesh-eaters from some nameless ruin.
  Dire Bat: Encountered only at night, these large and stealthy beasts swoop down upon 
  unsuspecting victims.
  Dust Storm: Most duststorms are accompanied by severe winds. These winds extinguish 
  unprotected flames, extinguish protected flames 50% of the time, and ranged attacks and 
  Listen checks are at a –4 penalty. Duststorms typically last for 2d4-1 hours.
  Fortress (Ruined): A partly collapsed structure. There is a 20% chance that the fortress is 
  inhabited by brigands or a monster.
  Giant Lizard: This is a rock reptile from the Tome of Horrors. If this nocturnal hunter is 
  encountered during the day, it is resting, using its chameleon powers to hide.
  Half-Dead Straggler: A lone human, perhaps the survivor of some battle, or simply an 
  unlucky traveller. Determine race, class and level randomly (rolling 1d10 for level). He or she 
  is currently fatigued and has half normal hit points.
  Jackals: These scavengers only attack single, weakened foes. They have statistics similar to 
  dogs.
  Lone Travellers: A small group of 1d3+1 individuals. Determine race, class and level 
  randomly (rolling 1d6 for level). They might be merchants, cultists or brigands in disguise, 
  pilgrims or mercenaries.
  
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  Nomads: A band of 3d6 nomads, either hostile Khazraj raiders (50% chance) or indifferent 
  roamers (50% chance). See the “Wolves of the Desert” subchapter for statistics.
  Oasis: A fertile or green spot next to a small pool or underground stream. There is a 75% 
  chance of meeting other human or monstrous visitors here, and a 10% chance that the water 
  has been poisoned or otherwise fouled.
  Obelisk (Crumbled): An ancient stone pillar, with a 50% chance of being carved with 
  archaic script. A successful Decipher Script check (DC 25) reveals clues that point to buried 
  treasure (worth 1d10 x 100 gp) nearby. There is also a 10% chance that the writing on the obe-
  lisk is a spell of level 1d6 that can be learned by a sorcerer as if it was contained in a spellbook.
  Recently-Dead Corpse: A human corpse, not yet discovered by carrion eaters. There is a 
  50% chance that the corpse is infested with a rot grub (see the Tome of Horrors), and a 90% 
  chance that it carries treasure and equipment worth 1d10 x 20 gp.
  Sandstorm (Greater Dust Storm): Greater dust storms are accompanied by windstorm-
  magnitude winds which deal 1d3 points of nonlethal damage per round to anyone without 
  shelter, and also pose a choking hazard (see the DMG). Sandstorms typically last for 2d4-1 
  hours.
  Sand Trap: Unwary creatures can fall into air pockets beneath the ground in valleys be-
  tween sand dunes. A successful Survival (DC 20) or Spot (DC 25) check is required to detect 
  the sand trap. A creature that crosses a sand trap is pulled under unless it makes a successful 
  Reflex save (DC 15, +2 circumstance bonus if the creature has at least 5 ranks in Survival). 
  Creatures failing the Reflex save are pulled 1d4 feet per round into the sand for 1d6+1 rounds. 
  A Strength or Escape Artist check (DC 10 + 1 for each foot sunk) can be made each round, 
  and a creature can pull itself up through the sand 1 foot for each point of the check above the 
  DC until it is completely free. A creature that becomes submerged in the sand is pinned as if 
  buried in an avalanche and will drown (see the DMG) unless pulled or dug free.
  Sand Viper: This is a medium viper snake. A random party member should roll a Spot 
  check against the viper’s Hide skill (assume that it takes 10). If the check is failed, the viper 
  attacks the flatfooted opponent with surprise.
  Scorpion: This is a medium monstrous scorpion. A random party member should roll a 
  Spot check against the scorpion’s Hide skill (assume that it takes 10). If the check is failed, the 
  scorpion attacks the flatfooted opponent with surprise.
  Severe Heat: A change in the weather causes the temperature to rise above 110 degrees 
  Fahrenheit. This condition lasts for 2d10 hours. Characters must make a Fortitude save once 
  every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. 
  Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort take a -4 penalty on their saves. A 
  character with the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and may be able to 
  apply this bonus to other characters as well. Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin tak-
  ing lethal damage (1d4 points per each 10-minute period). A character who takes any nonle-
  thal damage from heat exposure now suffers from heatstroke and is fatigued.
  Shrine (Ruined): The abandoned or cursed ruins of a temple to some nameless god or 
  demon. There is a 60% chance that there is still a cult statue in the shrine (although badly 
  weathered), and a 30% chance that some monstrous temple guardian is still present.
  Signs of Recent Battle: There are obvious signs (such as blood, corpses, and/or carrion 
  eaters) of a recent (25%) or long-ago (75%) battle or combat.
  Tower (Ruined): A partly collapsed structure. There is a 20% chance that the tower is 
  inhabited by brigands or a monster.
  Tracks/Footprints: There are tracks and/or footprints in the sand, belonging to a camel 
  train (20%), animals (40%), a beast (20%) or humans (20%). Roll 1d4 to determine the direc-
  tion of travel (north, south, east, west).
  Treacherous Sand Dune: While walking near the top of a sand dune, a character or 
  mount missteps and may fall down. Falling is avoided by a successful Reflex save (DC 15) or 
  Ride check (DC 15) if the character is mounted. The fall is 1d4 x 10 feet.
  Vultures: An ominous cloud of 2d10 vultures (use eagle statistics) is seen in the sky over-
  head. These carrion birds do not attack until their prey appears severely weakened, but may 
  follow the party from the air for hours.
  Water-Hole: A small, natural wellspring of clear water, which provides up to 10 gallons of 
  water each day.
  Wight: Encountered only at night, this is a single undead, perhaps the accursed remains of 
  a dead sorcerer, who uses its Move Silently skill to sneak up on ususpecting, lone victims (such 
  as camp guards).
  
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  Wild Horses/Camels: A flock of 2d10 
  wild horses (30% chance) or camels (70% 
  chance). They bolt and flee from anyone 
  approaching them, unless stealth is used. 
  A successful Handle Animal check (DC 
  20) can also be made to approach the wary 
  animals.
  The Wolves of the Desert
  At the fringes of the Khazistani empire, the 
  wild Khazraj nomads (themselves descended 
  from the same racial stock as the Khazistani 
  peoples) are a constant menace to caravans 
  and travelers; sometimes even outlying vil-
  lages and towns of Khazistan, Yar-Ammon and 
  Jairan are subject to raids from these free-
  willed nomad clans.
  If the encounter tables indicate a confronta-
  tion with these nomads somewhere between 
  the Zorab mountains and the city of Zul-Ba-
  zzir, use the following statistics.
  Yilgrah, Nomad Subchief, male Khaz-
  rajite Nom3: CR 3; SZ M; HD 3d8+9; hp 29; 
  Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 35 ft.; AC 14 (+2 leather 
  armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  12 (+2 leather armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+6; 
  Atk +7 melee (1d6+3, scimitar, 15-20/x2) or 
  +5 ranged (1d6+3, Khazistani shortbow, 18-
  20/x2, range increment 70 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with scimitar, Sneak 
  Attack (+1d6); SQ +2 racial bonus to Ride and 
  Survival skills, Mounted Skirmisher, Track, 
  Fast Movement (+5); AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref 
  +5, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 
  10, Cha 12.
  Skills: Bluff +7, Handle Animal +7, Heal 
  +6, Hide +8, Knowledge (local) +7, Ride +8, 
  Spot +6, Survival +6. Feats: Diehard (b), 
  Endurance (b), Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (Khazistani shortbow), Improved Critical 
  (scimitar) (b), Mounted Combat.
  Languages: Khazistani, Yar-Ammonite.
  Possessions: War camel, gold-embroidered 
  saddlecloth (worth 30 gp), dagger, gold-hilted 
  scimitar (worth 45 gp), Khazistani shortbow 
  (+3 Strength rating), 20 arrows, 20 gp.
  Description: Yilgrah, son of a Khazraj 
  shaykh, sports a drooping moustachio that 
  frames his wicked smile. He rides a rare grey-
  haired camel with a gold-embroidered saddle-
  cloth. He is a harsh leader, feared among his 
  men, not least because of his family connec-
  tions.
  Tactics: Yilgrah values his noble hide and 
  stays behind his men during combat, targeting 
  weak-looking opponents with his own attacks. 
  If things go against him, he attempts to flee; if 
  cornered he will promise anything (including a 
  great ransom paid by his father) to be set free, 
  but his word cannot be trusted and he betrays 
  the player characters at first opportunity.
  Khazraj Raiders, male Khazrajite 
  Nom1 (8): CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d8+2; hp 10; 
  Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 leather 
  armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  12 (+2 leather armor); BAB/Grapple +1/+2; 
  Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, scimitar, 15-20/x2) or 
  +3 ranged (1d6+1, Khazistani shortbow, 18-
  20/x2, range increment 70 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with scimitar, Sneak 
  Attack (+1d6); SQ +2 racial bonus to Ride and 
  Survival skills, Mounted Skirmisher, Track; AL 
  N; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 14, 
  Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12.
  Skills: Handle Animal +5, Hide +6, Knowl-
  edge (local) +5, Listen +4, Ride +6, Search 
  +5, Spot +4, Survival +4. Feats: Endurance 
  (b), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Khazistani 
  shortbow), Improved Critical (scimitar) (b), 
  Mounted Combat.
  Languages: Khazistani, Yar-Ammonite.
  Possessions: War camel, dagger, scimitar, 
  Khazistani shortbow (+1 Strength rating), 20 
  arrows, 1d4 gp.
  Description: These Khazraj raiders are lean, 
  wolfish men dressed in gleaming white khalats 
  and green turbans. Their skin is a wrinkled 
  bronze. The nomads sit easily atop their cam-
  els, striking down foes with curved swords.
  Tactics: In the event of a direct confronta-
  tion, the Khazraj attack from a distance, using 
  their bows from atop their war camels. They 
  attempt to circle around the caravan until their 
  foes close. As long as they stay atop their cam-
  els, they gain +1 to attack rolls against non-
  mounted opponents due to higher ground. 
  Being opportunistic raiders, they flee into the 
  desert if their leader is slain, if more than half 
  their number is slain, or if they face a group of 
  well-equipped and clearly skilled opponents 
  (but no one dares retreat before their leader 
  flees).
  War Camel: CR 2; SZ L Animal; HD 
  4d8+12; hp 30; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 50 ft.; 
  AC 13 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 12 
  (-1 size, +3 Dex), flat-footed 10; BAB/Grapple 
  +2/+11; Atk +3 melee (1d4+3, bite); Space/
  Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SQ low-light vision, scent; 
  AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 21, Dex 
  16, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4.
  Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5.
  Special Notes: War camels are trained to 
  fight while carrying a rider, but the rider can-
  not also attack unless he succeeds at a Ride 
  check (DC 12). The camel’s bite is treated as 
  a secondary attack and adds only half the 
  camel’s Strength bonus to the damage roll.
  Development: The nomads prefer to strike 
  at night, sneaking into their opponents’ camp 
  to steal or kill their animals, and likewise steal 
  or foul their water. They then retreat, but trail 
  the caravan and pick off starved and weakened 
  characters in the following days. If the Khazraj 
  manage to disable the camp guards without 
  being detected during the initial attack, they 
  simply proceed to slay the remaining caravan 
  members in their sleep.
  
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  The Gates of Zul-Bazzir
  After the hardships of the burning desert, 
  approaching the city of Zul-Bazzir ringed by 
  its lush green palm groves is at first like seeing 
  a shimmering mirage rise from the red sands. 
  The long journey has come to an end, but the 
  PCs’ adventures may just have started.
  Development: Yetara leads the group on 
  to a short stop at the caravanserai to feed and 
  water the camels before seeking out Zheng-
  Ya’s house. Sefu informs the characters that 
  they will be paid as soon as they reach the 
  Taikangian’s mansion (however, once at the 
  mansion, Sefu asks them to stay on as guards 
  for the next few weeks; see the “The House of 
  the Dragon” section for more information).
  Party members may become the targets of 
  unwelcome attention from the beggar-thieves 
  operating in the carvanserai area. Any open 
  fighting in this part of the city during daytime 
  will attract the city guard (1d4+4 city guards 
  led by 1d2 guard captains) who arrive in 
  1d10+10 rounds.
  
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  Leprous Beggar-Thieves of Zul-Bazzir, 
  male and female Khazistani Rog1: CR 
  1; SZ M; HD 1d6; hp 5; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 
  (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +0/+0; Atk +2 melee (1d4, dagger, 
  19-20/x2) or +2 ranged (1d4+0, dagger, 19-
  20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all bows, Sneak 
  Attack +1d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Ride and 
  Spot skills, Trapfinding; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref 
  +4, Will +1; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 
  13, Cha 9.
  Skills: Appraise +4, Bluff +3, Disguise +3, 
  Gather Information +3, Hide +6, Knowl-
  edge (local) +4, Move Silently +6, Search +4, 
  Sleight of Hand +6. Feats: Dodge, Khazistani 
  Bow-Mastery (b), Mounted Archery (b), Weap-
  on Finesse.
  Languages: Khazistani.
  Possessions: Dagger, filthy ragged cloak, 1d10 
  cp.
  Description: Clad in rags, these beggar-
  thieves are the dregs of society in Zul-Bazzir. 
  Their dark bronze skin is severely wrinkled 
  from sun exposure, and their dirty faces show 
  only a few good teeth left. Simply by being 
  exposed to them for more than a few minutes, 
  the player characters risk being infected with 
  disease (filth fever, Fort DC 12, incubation 1d3 
  days, dmg 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con).
  Tactics: These thieves work in groups, min-
  gling with and harassing the party, begging for 
  coins, while using their Sleight of Hand skills 
  to steal the PCs’ possessions. They generally 
  avoid combat, seeking to flee and disappear 
  into nearby buildings or crowds, but if cor-
  nered, they gang up on a single opponent, 
  hoping to gain flanking bonuses and use their 
  sneak attack.
  City Guards, Mercenaries of Yemar, 
  male Jairani Ftr1: CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d10+1; 
  hp 9; Init +0 (+0 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 
  leather armor, +2 heavy wooden shield, +0 
  Dex), touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+2 
  leather armor, +4 heavy wooden shield); BAB/
  Grapple +1/+2; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, scimitar, 
  18-20/x2) or +1 ranged (1d6+1, javelin, 20/x2, 
  range increment 30 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Gather Information skills, 
  +2 to all saving throws against magic; AL N; 
  SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, 
  Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +5, Intimidate +4, Jump +5, 
  Ride +4. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Power At-
  tack, Stealthy (b), Weapon Focus (scimitar).
  Languages: Jairanian, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Leather armor, scimitar, heavy 
  wooden shield, javelin, 1d8 sp.
  Description: The mercenary men of Yemar 
  are stone-faced killers, known for their cal-
  lousness. They wear uniforms of red leather.
  Tactics: The foreign city guards (grudgingly) 
  do as they are told by their Khazistani officers. 
  They summon help only if sorely outnum-
  bered.
  Guard-Captains of Zul-Bazzir, male 
  Khazistani Ftr4: CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d10+4; 
  hp 32; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 
  (+5 chainmail, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), 
  flat-footed 15 (+5 chainmail); BAB/Grapple 
  +4/+6; Atk +7 melee (2d4+5, falchion, 18-20/
  x2) or +6 ranged (1d6+2, Khazistani shortbow, 
  18-20/x2, range increment 70 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all bows; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Ride and Spot skills; AL N; SV 
  Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 
  13, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Skills: Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +8, 
  Ride +8. Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, 
  Khazistani Bow-Mastery (b), Mounted Archery 
  (b), Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (falchion), Weapon Specialization 
  (falchion).
  Languages: Khazistani.
  Possessions: Chainmail, falchion, Khazistani 
  shortbow (+2 Strength bonus).
  Description: The guard-captains are pow-
  erful and broad-shouldered, hand-picked 
  soldiers of the Khazistani army, clad in gleam-
  ing armor and gilted helmets. They are often 
  assigned to guard duty in the palace and as 
  officers on special missions, and are fiercely 
  loyal to their noble superiors.
  Tactics: The officers stand and fight as a 
  matter of personal honour, and often refuse to 
  summon help even if defeat seems imminent.
  The City of Zul-Bazzir
  Zul-Bazzir (metropolis): Conventional; 
  100,000-gp limit; Assets 165,000,000 gp; 
  Population 33,000; Mixed (Khazistani 70%, 
  Yar-Ammonites 15%, Susrahnites 10%, Others 
  5%).
  Authority Figures: Khadim Bey, male 
  Khazistani Ftr12 (governor).
  Important Characters: Abu Khafi, male 
  Jairanian Rog6 (tavern-owner and lotus-
  trader); Khadar Tarka, male Khazistani Ftr10 
  (commander of the palace guard); Kojo, male 
  Zimban Rog6 (ivory and gold trader); Melik 
  Khan, male Khazistani Ftr8 (general ad-
  dicted to the silver lotus); Murad Shah, male 
  Khazistani Ftr11 (noble plotting against the 
  governor); Onura, female Khazistani Rog4 
  (harem-girl); Osan Kadri, male Khazistani Ftr5 
  (courtier and secret agent of the padishah); 
  Ramzan, male Shoma Bbn7 (chief eunuch); 
  Shalmasar, male Sushrahnite Sor8 (governor’s 
  chief astrologer and vizier).
  Others: Mercenary city guards, Yemarite 
  Ftr1 (2,000); Royal cavalry, Khazistani Ftr2 
  (800); Palace guards, Khazistani Ftr4 (300).
  Notes: Zul-Bazzir was founded by Yar-
  Ammonite traders settling in the Oasis of Zul 
  some five centuries ago. The city grew quickly 
  
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  into a major center of trade, a stopover for all 
  major caravan routes through the al-Khazi 
  desert. In the last century, Zul-Bazzir was 
  conquered by the Khazistani horsemen coming 
  out of the western steppes. A sizeable popula-
  tion of Yar-Ammonites remain, along with 
  people from Susrah, Jairan and elsewhere, 
  and the city remains a thriving place of com-
  merce. Located on the westernmost edge of 
  Khazistani influence, the city is often threat-
  ened by foreign invasion and raids. Despite 
  this, Zul-Bazzir is unwalled, although the gov-
  ernor’s sprawling palace-citadel is protected by 
  a tall inner city wall. The bey (governor) of the 
  city depends heavily on mercenaries, mostly 
  from Yemar, to defend against occasional Yar-
  Ammonite intrigues, Jairanian ambitions, and 
  the raids of wild Khazraj nomads.
  Typical houses are one- or two-story build-
  ings with flat roofs. Nobles and wealthy 
  merchants live in walled mansions with lush 
  gardens and artificial pools. Between the outer 
  districts where foreigners and slaves throng, 
  and the golden minarets and spires of the in-
  ner citadel, are bustling markets and bazaars. 
  Lesser streets wind their way through the 
  maze-like districts of the city, where thieves 
  skulk and revelers feast at night.
  The Citadel: The great citadel of the 
  governor rises above the crowded streets of 
  Zul-Bazzir. This walled district contains the 
  governor’s palace, the grand court, a labyrin-
  thine harem said to have a hundred bed-
  rooms, a temple dedicated to Nhakhramat the 
  six-armed ivory goddess, as well as barracks 
  housing Khazistani officers and Yemarite 
  mercenaries.
  Noble District: Occupied by Khazistani 
  nobles, officers and merchants, this district 
  has broad streets and walled mansions. Slaves 
  care for the desires of the Khazistani nobles in 
  their lush gardens here, day and night.
  Caravanserai: The caravans entering and 
  leaving Zul-Bazzir are based in this district, 
  with its warehouses, stables and sleeping-
  halls. Camels and horses are bought and sold 
  here as well. The area is plagued by beggars 
  and thieves preying on new-comers, as well 
  as more respectable-looking people trying to 
  attract customers to the Pleasure District. In 
  reality, many foreigners are led into ambushes 
  by such people.
  There are plently of mercenaries and hired 
  guards here, looking after valuables from the 
  caravans and guarding the warehouses in the 
  area.
  Bazaar: The bazaar is bustling with activity 
  during daylight hours. Almost anything can 
  be bought or bartered for here, including food 
  and drink, clothing, silks of distant Taikang, 
  equipment and tools, weapons and armor, 
  pottery, Jairanian carpets, gems, and jewelry 
  fashioned by Susrahnite and Zadjite artisans. 
  Camels and horses are offered across the 
  street, in stables near the caravanserai. Among 
  the more special offerings in the bazaar are 
  caged exotic animals and birds, medicinal 
  herbs, talismans and amulets said to ward off 
  evil, rare books and maps, as well as large and 
  small statuettes of gods and demons.
  Extraordinary items, such as poison, silver 
  lotus juice and certain alchemical powders, are 
  usually not found in the Bazaar, and are only 
  available to those who have special contacts (a 
  Gather Information check [DC 18] in the Plea-
  sure District directs a player character in the 
  right direction if he wishes to buy such items).
  Slave Market: An adjunct to the bazaar, 
  the slave market is filled with imports from the 
  empire of Khazistan. Largely run by slavers 
  from Khazabad, the slave market is busy, with 
  daily displays of human wares. Once a week, 
  special offers such as daughters of nobles, 
  virgins, and mighty warriors whose wills have 
  been broken by the whip, are auctioned off.
  Foreign District: Home to people of 
  predominantly Susrahnite origin, this district 
  contains a small shrine to Belet-Lil. Many of 
  the Yemarite mercenaries in the city’s employ, 
  as well as other foreigners, have their houses 
  here. This district is also the place to look for 
  healers and those skilled in the use of medici-
  nal herbs.
  Artisan District: Here one finds the work-
  shops and warehouses of the city’s artisans. 
  Makers of expensive wares, such as sword-
  smiths and gem-cutters, usually do not trust 
  the governor’s soldiers and keep a few hired 
  guards as backup in the case of burglary.
  Old Town: This is the oldest existing district 
  of the city, hailing from the time when the city 
  was little more than a collection of mud-brick 
  
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  Zul-Bazzir Encounter Tables
  Refer to the following encounter table for random encounters in the city of Zul-Bazzir. Roll 
  1d10 and add +4 to the roll if the player characters are in the Bazaar, Caravanserai, Pleasure 
  District, Slave Market or Slum District. Likewise, subtract 4 from the roll (minimum result of 
  1) if the PCs are in the Citadel, Noble District, or Temple District. Add a cumulative +2 to the 
  roll at night. Then roll percentile dice to determine the exact nature of the encounter.
  Unless specified otherwise, each NPC is either male (50%) or female (50%); use the popula-
  tion breakdown for the city (see sidebar) to determine the race of each NPC (for example, a 
  random NPC is 70% likely to be a Khazistani, 15% likely to be a Yar-Ammonite, and so on).
  Roll 
  Encounter
  1 
  Noble (20%), commander (30%) or courtier (50%)
  2 
  Priest (60%), astrologer (30%) or soothsayer (10%)
  3 
  Palace guard (70%), torturer (10%) or guardian animal (20%)
  4 
  Doctor (50%) or healer (50%)
  5 
  Eunuch (20%), entertainer (30%), concubine or courtesan (50%)
  6 
  Sage (30%) or scribe (70%)
  7 
  Laborer (25%), servant (25%), slave (30%) or messenger (20%)
  8 
  Soldier (20%), mercenary (30%), bandit (10%), nomad (20%), city guard (20%)
  9 
  Merchant (60%) or trader (40%)
  10 
  Craftsman (75%) or artist (25%)
  11 
  Thief (40%), thug (25%), smuggler (15%) or beggar (20%)
  12 
  Drunken reveler (30%), prostitute (30%), escaped slave (20%) or gambler (20%)
  13 
  Cultist (25%), assassin (25%) or slaver (50%)
  14+ 
  Wild/escaped animal (60%) or madman (40%)
  Artist: Expert, level 1d3
  Assassin: Rogue, level 1d6+4
  Astrologer: Expert, level 1d6
  Bandit: Rogue, level 1d2
  Beggar: Commoner, level 1d3
  City Guard: Fighter, level 1d2
  Commander: Fighter, level 1d6+4
  Concubine: Female aristocrat, level 1d6
  Courtesan: Female commoner, level 1d2
  Courtier: Aristocrat, level 1d6
  houses clustered around a central well. The 
  old town is still important, due to the existence 
  of underground tunnels that lead water from 
  here to the rest of the city. The district is oth-
  erwise noted for its many sages, scholars and 
  students of the arcane.
  Temple District: In this maze of alleyways 
  and tall walls is a number of temples and 
  shrines devoted to various gods.
  Located here is a temple dedicated to the 
  beast-headed Yar-Ammonite pantheon. Near 
  the temple is a small necropolis, where mum-
  mified Yar-Ammonites as well as preserved 
  animals lie entombed for eternity. Poor and 
  desperate people from the nearby slums 
  sometimes try to break into these tombs to 
  steal valuables, which then surface for sale 
  in the bazaar. However, buying such tomb 
  jewelry is associated with a certain risk: it 
  might be cursed, or the priests of Yar-Ammon 
  might take offense and send assassins after the 
  blasphemers.
  Slum District: Home to the poor, homeless 
  and diseased, and plagued by the occasional 
  fire, this is a place best avoided. Unless, of 
  course, one needs to hide from the authorities. 
  The Yemarite mercenaries of the city guard 
  rarely venture into this part of the town.
  Pleasure District: A large district filled 
  with all manner of depravities, including 
  gambling-houses, drinking-houses, bordellos, 
  fighting-pits and lotus-smoking dens. Thieves, 
  thugs, prostitutes and slavers abound. This is 
  a great place to waste silver coins quickly. One 
  of the most notorious locations of the district 
  is the House of Abu Khafi (see the adventure 
  “The Jewel of Khadim Bey” for more informa-
  tion about this location). Also in this district 
  is a “temple” to Belet-Lil, in reality little more 
  than a gathering-place for orgiastic revelers.
  
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  Craftsman: Expert, level 1d3
  Cultist: Rogue, level 1d4
  Doctor: Expert, level 1d4
  Drunken Reveler: Any class, level 1d6
  Entertainer: Expert, level 1d2
  Eunuch: Male commoner, level 1d4
  Gambler: Any class, level 1d6
  Guardian Animal: These include trained dogs, leopards and lions.
  Healer: Expert, level 1d4
  Laborer: Commoner, level 1d2
  Madman: Any class, level 1d10
  Mercenary: Fighter, level 1d6
  Merchant: Expert, level 1d4
  Messenger: Any class, level 1d6
  Noble: Aristocrat or fighter, level 1d10
  Nomad: Nomad, level 1d6
  Palace Guard: Fighter, level 1d4+4
  Priest: Sorcerer, level 1d8
  Prostitute: Commoner, level 1d2
  Sage: Expert, level 1d10
  Scribe: Expert, level 1d4
  Servant: Commoner, level 1d2
  Slave: Any class, level 1d8
  Slaver: Fighter or rogue, level 1d6+1
  Smuggler: Fighter or rogue, level 1d4
  Soldier: Fighter, level 1d2
  Soothsayer: Expert, level 1d3
  Torturer: Fighter, level 1d6+1
  Thief: Rogue, level 1d10
  Thug: Fighter or rogue, level 1d4
  Trader: Expert, level 1d4
  Wild/Escaped Animal: Almost any kind of animal, including exotic ones, could have 
  escaped from captivity.
  The House of the Dragon
  Zheng-Ya’s mansion is located on a quiet 
  street in the Foreign District of the city, well 
  hidden by a tall masonry wall. Behind the 
  nondescript but heavy gate, the house stands 
  out as a special dwelling with its Eastern-style 
  architecture, slanted roofs, well-trimmed gar-
  dens, pagodas, and dragon-flanked entrance 
  doors.
  Construction of the mansion began three 
  decades ago, when Zheng-Ya, an affluent, 
  silken-robed sorcerer of Taikang, came to the 
  city of Zul-Bazzir to study the lost languages 
  and forgotten arts of the Giant-Kings of Elder 
  Kuth. The slant-eyed sorcerer arrived from 
  across the sea with an entourage of slaves and 
  servants, settled among the golden domes 
  and ivory minarets in the desert, and built 
  the mansion now known as the House of the 
  Dragon.
  The garden, ringed by the outer wall, con-
  tains a small dwelling for the servants and a 
  set of stables near the main gate. A freshwater 
  well is located within a circular clearing in 
  the garden. A small pagoda stands west of the 
  main house. The broad stairway leading up to 
  the double entrance doors of the mansion is 
  flanked by two massive dragon statues carved 
  from green stone.
  Development: Yetara arrives at the man-
  sion with his caravan, but finds the house 
  empty and his former acquaintance missing. 
  The priest of Lamra takes up residence in 
  the house, awaiting Zheng-Ya’s return. He 
  dismisses the Khorsulan mercenaries that fol-
  lowed his caravan, but asks the PCs to remain 
  hired guards in his service for a few more 
  weeks. If they accept, the player characters are 
  quartered in the servants’ house, and assigned 
  to guard duty in the garden surrounding the 
  mansion and outside the main gate.
  The House of the Dragon
  Standard Features: Unless noted otherwise, all interior doors are good wooden doors (1 
  ½ in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). Ceiling 
  height is 10 feet in normal rooms.
  Lighting: During the day, rooms facing the garden are lit by sunlight coming through nar-
  row, barred windows. Interior rooms are lit by small oil lamps carved to resemble fire-spitting 
  dragons, while rooms below ground are illuminated by wall-hung torches.
  
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  If the PCs say no to Yetara’s offer, he offers 
  them a higher wage to stay on. If the charac-
  ters still refuse, consider moving the timing 
  of the cultist attack (see the “Daggers from 
  Lamra” section) so that it happens before the 
  PCs have a chance to leave the house. Option-
  ally, the cultists of Yot-Kamoth might ambush 
  the PCs after the characters have relocated to 
  another part of the city (probably still within 
  the Foreign District), in order to capture and 
  interrogate the PCs before the assassins as-
  sault the mansion itself. If the PCs defeat the 
  cultists and return to the mansion, continue 
  with the “Spawn of the Spider God” section.
  1. Outer Wall and Garden
  The outer wall is a 10 feet tall masonry wall 
  (1 ft. thick; Hardness 8; hp 90; Break DC 35; 
  Climb DC 15). Facing the palm-lined main 
  street to the north is a heavy wooden double 
  door that can be barred from the inside (2 in. 
  thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 25). On 
  the south side of the outer wall, facing nonde-
  script residential houses, is a smaller door (but 
  with the same statistics) that can be similarly 
  barred.
  2. Servants’ House
  This house is a simple one-room barrack. 
  It contains very little in the way of furniture; 
  Zheng-Ya’s servants slept on the floor and kept 
  their belongings in small wooden boxes in the 
  corners. Yetara places the PCs in this house if 
  they stay on as his guards.
  3. Stables
  Each of these three small buildings can hold 
  two horses or camels. The stables currently 
  house Sefu’s warhorse and the camels of 
  Yetara and Daniya, as well as any mounts the 
  player characters may have brought to Zul-
  Bazzir.
  4. Well
  The well is 10 feet in diameter and 30 feet 
  deep. The water comes from a natural well-
  spring that itself originates in the underwater 
  springs that formed the oasis of Zul before the 
  city was built. Private wells such as this are 
  rare in the desert city; most houses are sup-
  plied by small aqueducts or by water carried 
  from central wells.
  5. Pagoda
  Next to the main house is a small garden 
  pavilion, built in imitation of the great towers 
  of Taikang’s cities. It overlooks the garden and 
  the courtyard in front of the mansion.
  
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  6. Courtyard and Dragon Statues
  A broad, open space opens up in front of the 
  mansion-house of Zheng-Ya. A broad stairway 
  descends from the massive double doors (2 in. 
  thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open 
  Lock DC 25). The doors are flanked by a pair of 
  crouching dragon-statues. Each statue weighs 
  in excess of 1,000 lbs. and is carved from a 
  curious, but non-precious, green stone.
  7. Entrance Hall
  The main doors open up into a grand 
  entrance hall whose walls are hung with a 
  handful of long, narrow silken tapestries 
  inscribed with Eastern calligraphy. Doors lead 
  from the hall to the library, the meeting room, 
  and to the a corridor that connects with the 
  bedrooms.
  To the left of the entrance stands a great 
  metal gong, held suspended in ropes from a 
  wooden rack. A padded hammer rests below 
  the great disc. When struck with the ham-
  mer, the gong produces a loud, sonorous tone 
  that can be heard easily throughout the entire 
  house and even in the rooms below ground 
  with a successful Listen check (DC 14).
  8. Meeting Room and Dining Hall
  The sorcerer of Taikang used to receive visi-
  tors here, in a large room dominated by an 
  oval teak table. Eight regular chairs are placed 
  around the table, while a ninth chair, furthest 
  away from the door, is high-backed with arm-
  rests carved in the shape of lion claws. Zheng-
  Ya and his guests also usually took their meals 
  in this room.
  9. Kitchen
  In addition to a well-furnished kitchen, this 
  room also contains a walk-in pantry, filled 
  with salted meats, dried rice, bottles of oil, 
  and similar foodstuffs. Several sleeping mats 
  are tucked away in a corner, having perhaps 
  belonged to the cook and his serving-girls.
  10. Library
  Zheng-Ya used this large room as his study. 
  The doors are secured with good locks (Open 
  Lock DC 30). A thick, handwoven Khazistani 
  carpet (worth 250 gp) covers the floor. Sur-
  rounding a massive hardwood desk and a 
  comfortable chair are several hundred books, 
  scrolls, journals, and maps, all neatly stored in 
  bookshelves along the walls.
  The collection includes historical chronicles 
  of Taikang, Khazistan, and Jairan; a Taikan-
  gian dictionary; collections of prayers and in-
  cantations of the East; several texts containing 
  spells (as determined by the DM); as well as 
  Zheng-Ya’s own work-in-progress, the Scrolls 
  of the Shadow Dragon. The entire collection is 
  easily worth over 7,000 gp if sold to a collec-
  tor, but the books are probably most useful to 
  scholarly player characters who can use the 
  collection in their own research. Consider add-
  ing a circumstance bonus to certain Knowl-
  edge checks if the PCs study relevant material 
  in these books beforehand. Most books in the 
  library require knowledge of the Taikangian 
  language to be useful, of course.
  11. Stairway
  The stairway leads from the ground floor and 
  down to the dungeons below.
  12. Master’s Bedroom
  The walls of this opulently furnished cham-
  ber are painted with erotic scenes in the East-
  ern style. Next to the large bed is a wooden 
  wardrobe filled with Taikangian silken robes of 
  various colors. The bedroom smells of scented 
  candles and sweet incense.
  13. Bedrooms
  Next to the master bedroom are several 
  smaller bedrooms, usually intended for guests 
  and sometimes for Zheng-Ya’s concubines. 
  The furniture of each room is plain and in-
  cludes a bed, a small table, a pair of chairs, and 
  a shelf able to hold clothes and personal items.
  14. Prison Cells
  Of these twin cells, each 10 feet by 10 feet, 
  one is empty while the other contains the 
  bones of a rat-gnawed skeleton, its forearms 
  still held by rusty iron chains. The yellowed 
  skull rests in a corner, staring blindly ahead. 
  Behind the skull lurks a small monstrous 
  spider; if disturbed, it attacks using its web. 
  The doors of the cells are still locked, but the 
  locks are in poor condition (Hardness 5; hp 15; 
  Open Lock DC 20).
  Monstrous Spider, Small: CR ½; hp 4.
  15. Corridor
  The 10 feet wide corridor leads from the 
  stairway to the double doors of the sorcerer’s 
  arcane workshop.
  16. Storeroom
  The door to this side chamber is locked. The 
  room itself contains several jars and boxes 
  filled with miscellaneous tools and equipment, 
  such as ropes, picks and shovels, hammers, 
  some sheets of canvas, and several flasks of 
  flammable oil.
  17. Arcane Workshop and Spider Shrine
  This large underground chamber was the 
  secret laboratory of Zheng-Ya. The heavy 
  wooden door is bronze-reinforced (2 in. thick; 
  Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock 
  DC 30). Coal burning slowly in a large brazier 
  illuminates the room with a flickering light, 
  casting long shadows onto the walls. The 
  
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  marble floor is inscribed with arcane symbols 
  and summoning circles. To the north is a clean 
  marble slab, 5 feet tall, used as a work table or 
  to place sacrifice upon. To the east is a raised 
  platform, 10 feet tall, with stairs leading up 
  from the lower floor and towards a recess in 
  the eastern wall. Total ceiling height is 20 feet.
  Yetara has taken over the room for his own 
  dark purposes. He has placed a small cage 
  filled with tarantulas (statistics similar to tiny 
  monstrous spiders) atop the marble table. 
  Hung on the eastern wall, left of the raised 
  platform, is a large black tapestry embroidered 
  with a purple spider (worth 300 gp). The out-
  cast priest stole the tapestry from the temple 
  of Yot-Kamoth before fleeing from Lamra.
  Monstrous Spider, Tiny (10): CR ¼; hp 
  2.
  Development: See the “Spawn of the 
  Spider-God” section for more information 
  about possible developments in this room.
  18. Secret Room
  A secret door (Search DC 30) on the southern 
  wall of the workshop leads into a small hid-
  den vault. On the vault’s floor lies the black-
  robed body of an old man; this is the corpse 
  of Yetara hidden here by Daniya (if the PCs 
  investigate this room before the events of the 
  “Daggers from Lamra” section, the priest has 
  yet to be slain and so this chamber is empty). 
  Yetara’s right hand still wears a gold ring set 
  with an emerald; inside the small gem is the 
  frozen shape of a tiny black spider. This ring 
  identifies Yetara as a priest of the spider-cult 
  of Lamu; characters may recognize its signifi-
  cance with a Knowledge (religion) check (DC 
  12).
  Next to the corpse stands a locked wooden 
  box (Hardness 5; hp 1; Break DC 17; Open 
  Lock DC 25). It contains 500 gp in mixed coins 
  (mostly Khazistani silvers, but also 150 square 
  golden coins from Taikang), as well as a cloth-
  of-gold bag with an orb of witch-fire (see the 
  Magic chapter).
  Daggers from Lamra
  Hamadara, the high priest of the spider-god’s 
  temple in Lamra, has dispatched a group of 
  assassin-cultists to hunt down and slay Yetara, 
  and to retrieve the dancing-girl Daniya from 
  the  clutches of the outcast. These fanatical 
  disciples of Yot-Kamoth have trailed Yetara’s 
  caravan across the al-Khazi Desert, and have 
  finally caught up with the rogue priest.
  Disciples of Yot-Kamoth, Cultists from 
  Lamra, male Lamuran Rog3 (6): CR 3; 
  SZ M; HD 3d6+3; hp 17; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 
  Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no 
  armor, +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+2; Atk 
  +6 melee (1d4 plus poison, stabbing dagger, 
  20/x3) or +6 ranged (1d8 plus poison, light 
  crossbow, 19-20/x2, range increment 80 ft.); 
  SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Move Silently and Sleight of Hand skills, 
  Uncanny Luck (once per day, reroll any die roll 
  and keep best result), Trapfinding, Evasion, 
  Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will 
  +2; Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 
  10.
  Skills: Balance +10, Climb +6, Disguise +6, 
  Hide +10, Jump +6, Listen +7, Move Silently 
  +10, Open Lock +10, Spot +7, Tumble +10. 
  Feats: Eyes of the Cat (b), Expert Poisoner, 
  Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Lamuran, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Stabbing dagger, light crossbow, 
  20 crossbow bolts, five doses of secret venom 
  (injury DC 13, dmg unconsciousness/uncon-
  sciousness for 2d4 hours), masterwork thieves’ 
  tools, rope and grappling hook, 1d10 gp.
  Description: The assassins sent after Yetara 
  by the temple of the spider-god in Lamra 
  are swarthy-skinned men, trained to move 
  with feline grace and strike with the sudden-
  ness of a cobra. On missions, they are clad in 
  close-fitting clothes and dark cloaks, but at 
  all other times blend in by wearing regular 
  clothes. Each cultist has a small black taran-
  tula tattooed on his chest, identifying him as a 
  member of the cult of Yot-Kamoth.
  Tactics: The cultists employ poisoned 
  crossbow bolts from a distance. If opponents 
  come close, they attempt to flank and sneak 
  attack, with daggers likewise poison-tipped. 
  Being fiercely loyal to the cult, and fearing the 
  consequences of a failed mission, they fight to 
  the death rather than surrendering to supe-
  rior opponents. They reveal little or nothing if 
  interrogated, even on the pain of death.
  Development: The assassins strike at 
  night, after having scouted out the defences 
  of Zheng-Ya’s mansion for some days. They 
  quickly scale the outer wall with grappling 
  hooks and attack from several directions at 
  once. They use their Move Silently skill to 
  close with any guards posted in the garden 
  (most likely one or more of the player charac-
  ters, if they are still hired by Yetara as guards), 
  then sneak attack, firing their poisoned cross-
  bow bolts from within 30 feet of the opponent. 
  When the guards in the garden are pacified, 
  they proceed to the main doors and breach 
  them using their Open Lock skills.
  If the PCs detect the intruders and sound the 
  alarm, Sefu arrives in the garden after 1d4+2 
  rounds (he has not had the time to don his 
  armor) and joins the player characters in the 
  fight against the assassins.
  Meanwhile, unknown both to Sefu and to the 
  player characters, Yetara and Danyia flee down 
  into the dungeons beneath the mansion. If 
  the disciples of Yot-Kamoth are defeated, Sefu 
  asks the PCs to join him while he goes to check 
  if his Master is safe. If Sefu is slain during the 
  fight, the player characters probably enter the 
  mansion to report back to Yetara or to investi-
  gate his whereabouts.
  
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  Spawn of the Spider-God
  When the assassins from Lamra attack the 
  mansion, Yetara knows his enemies have 
  finally caught up with him and he flees down 
  into his workshop (Area 17) with Daniya and 
  bolts the door from within. To the old priest’s 
  great surprise, however, Daniya drives a dag-
  ger into his back while he is busy locking up 
  the chamber. Then, the darksome dancing-
  girl uses Yetara’s blood to fuel a blasphemous 
  ritual that climaxes with the agonizing birth 
  of the Spawn of Yot-Kamoth, a hideous hybrid 
  of man and spider. Daniya’s loins sprout long, 
  sticky strands of cobweb that attach to the 
  floor and the ceiling. In the center forms an 
  opaque cocoon, where the Spawn of Yot-Ka-
  moth quickly grows to maturity. Regaining her 
  strength, Daniya drags Yetara’s corpse into the 
  secret vault (Area 18) and hides it there.
  When the player characters reach the bronze-
  reinforced doors of the chamber, Daniya 
  removes the bolt from within when she recog-
  nizes the PCs’ voices, or that of Sefu. Once they 
  are inside the chamber, Daniya tries to deceive 
  them into believing that the form inside the 
  cocoon is Yetara, who ordered her not to open 
  the doors to anyone and then sealed himself 
  with the cocoon.
  She pretends to break down, and with tears 
  flowing, she tells the story of how she was kid-
  napped from the temple of Lamra, where she 
  was forced to dance before the black idol of 
  Yot-Kamoth, and brought southwards by the 
  rogue priest Yetara. She claims to have no wish 
  to return to Lamu, and pleads to stay under 
  the protection of the PCs.
  However, strangely, she also resists the 
  destruction of the cocoon (“the old priest did 
  not harm me in any way on the long road 
  from Lamra to Zul-Bazzir”). She attempts to 
  convince the player character most likely to 
  support her (using her Bluff skill).
  It is not possible to determine who is inside 
  the cocoon from the outside; the webs are 
  simply too thick. If the cocoon is cut open, the 
  Spawn of Yot-Kamoth emerges and attacks the 
  nearest creature (but not Daniya). If the co-
  coon is set on fire (something Daniya attempts 
  to prevent at all costs), the flames quickly con-
  sume the cocoon and a badly burned spider-
  thing emerges 1 round later, with only half its 
  normal hit point total.
  If the party leaves the cocoon alone and re-
  treat up to the mansion above, Daniya sneaks 
  down into the chamber later that night, cutting 
  open the cocoon and sending the Spawn of 
  Yot-Kamoth after the PCs, while she and Sefu 
  follow behind.
  If the PCs insist on harming or destroying the 
  cocoon, Daniya draws a hidden dagger at the 
  most appropriate moment and uses her sneak 
  attack on an unsuspecting victim. At the same 
  time, the Spawn of Yot-Kamoth breaks out of 
  its cocoon (taking 1d2 rounds to break down 
  the webs), and then attacks the PCs.
  If Sefu is present, he is revealed as a thrall 
  of Daniya if combat breaks out. He seeks to de-
  fend the woman while the thing in the cocoon 
  starts to twich and break out of its webs to 
  attack the PCs.
  Note that after a day or two, the stench from 
  the corpse in the vault (Area 18) will make 
  the vault’s location evident to anyone present 
  in the workshop (Area 17) with a successful 
  Wisdom check (DC 10).
  The Spawn of Yot-Kamoth: CR 7; hp 45; 
  see the New Monsters appendix.
  Conclusion
  If the player characters manage to slay or 
  drive away the Spawn of Yot-Kamoth, Daniya 
  realizes that she has been defeated and tries to 
  bargain with the PCs. She claims that she, as 
  the mortal bride of the spider-god, is now very 
  valuable to the cult, and pleads with the PCs 
  to return her to Lamu, where the high priest 
  of Yot-Kamoth would pay a sizeable ransom 
  for her return. There is some truth to this, and 
  such a deal could lead to several interesting 
  adventures as the PCs become embroiled with 
  the the spider-cult. Characters less moti-
  vated by wealth may simply decide to kill the 
  troublesome dancing-girl, but others may have 
  objections to slaying an opponent (and espe-
  cially a woman) who has surrendered.
  If both Sefu and Daniya perish, the PCs most 
  likely claim the Taikangian’s mansion for 
  themselves. It is up to the DM to determine 
  what has happened with Zheng-Ya, and why 
  he suddenly left his house along with all his 
  servants. The sorcerer may eventually return, 
  and with the help of Khazistani magistrates 
  and soldiers attempt to force the PCs out of the 
  mansion; or the Taikangian could deal with 
  the player characters on his own, using spells 
  and summoned demons from afar.
  If the PCs fail: If the PCs lose the fight with 
  the spider-god’s bride and her unholy spawn, 
  Daniya attempts to capture the PCs alive. They 
  can then be transported back to Lamra by 
  other cultists and sacrificed to Yot-Kamoth, 
  while Daniya and Sefu remain in Zul-Bazzir as 
  agents of the spider-cult. The PCs can attempt 
  to escape along the way or when they reach the 
  temple of Lamra.
  
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  The Jewel of 
  Khadim Bey
  ”He reached into his girdle and drew forth a 
  huge jewel which sparkled like a tiny lake of 
  blood in his great palm. Even Cormac’s eyes 
  narrowed at the sight.
  ‘Satan!’ he muttered. ‘That can be naught 
  but the ruby called—‘
  ‘!’ exclaimed Skol Abdhur. ‘Aye, the gem 
  Cyrus the Persian ripped from the sword-
  gashed bosom of the great king on that red 
  night when Babylon fell! It is the most ancient 
  and costly gem in the world. Ten thousand 
  pieces of heavy gold could not buy it.’”
   
  — Robert E. Howard: The Blood of 
  Belshazzar
  Setting: Wilderness (Desert), City, and 
  Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 2nd- and 3rd-level characters.
  Introduction
  There are discontented nobles in Zul-
  Bazzir who conspire against the padishah of 
  Khazistan. In secret, torch-lit chambers deep 
  beneath their marble-walled mansions, they 
  scheme and plot to overthrow the great king’s 
  governor, Khadim Bey, and to seize control of 
  Zul-Bazzir.
  Whispers of treason have reached the bey’s 
  ears, but as yet the traitors remain nameless 
  and unknown. To aid the governor, the padis-
  hah has sent a personal agent to Zul-Bazzir, to 
  help infiltrate and identify the disloyal nobles.
  Through their own spies in the governor’s 
  palace and harem, the scheming nobles know 
  that the royal agent has arrived from Khaza-
  bad, posing as a lowly captain of a cavalry 
  squad. To avoid revealing themselves, the 
  rebel nobles need outsiders to assassinate the 
  royal agent, and try to set up the player char-
  acters to do so.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The player characters are approached by 
  Sabiha, a female thief who claims to have 
  stolen a valuable gem from the governor’s 
  palace. While the thievery itself was successful, 
  she was apparently betrayed by her partner-in-
  crime, one Osan of Khazabad, who left her for 
  dead and ran away with the stolen gem.
  Sabiha hires the PCs to go after Osan and 
  slay him, offering them a share of the stolen 
  gem’s worth if they manage to retrieve the jew-
  el. The party tracks Osan through the desert, 
  to a ruined temple of Yadar, and eventually 
  cross swords with the thief and his henchmen.
  Sooner or later, the PCs realize that they have 
  been tricked, and that Osan is in fact an agent 
  of the padishah. From here, there are several 
  possible outcomes. If Osan was killed, the 
  player characters are now criminals who face 
  execution by the Khazistanis if their implica-
  tion in the murder becomes known. They 
  probably want to seek out Sabiha, both to ex-
  act revenge and to prevent her from reporting 
  them to the governor’s men. This, as it turns 
  out, may take them further into the conspiracy 
  against Khadim Bey.
  If, on the other hand, the PCs discover Sabi-
  ha’s deception before slaying Osan, and they 
  can somehow convince the royal agent of their 
  allegiance to the padishah, the player char-
  acters may join Osan in the search for Sabiha 
  and the traitorous nobles she works for. This 
  takes them first to the disreputable House of 
  Abu Khafi, and possibly on to the mansion of 
  one of the traitorous nobles, a lotus-addicted 
  general.
  Before they can return to Zul-Bazzir to deal 
  with Sabiha, however, the PCs face a cult of 
  cannibalistic nomads who use the ruined 
  temple as their nocturnal meeting-place.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  — The PCs have just arrived in the city of 
  Zul-Bazzir, and are selected by the conspira-
  tors because they are outsiders who know little 
  of the politics of the city and, in case of failure, 
  cannot be traced back to the scheming nobles.
  — The adventure works best for characters 
  who are already on the wrong side of the law, 
  since it assumes that the PCs will ally with a 
  thief.
  
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  A Cry for Vengeance
  Read or paraphrase the following to the 
  player characters. This text describes events 
  that happen off-stage and foreshadow the PCs’ 
  meeting with the thief Sabiha.
  The night is black under a faint 
  crescent moon. Silence hangs over 
  Khadim Bey’s domed palace like a 
  thick veil. Two cloaked figures climb 
  silently over the towering wall. Time 
  passes; the palm trees in the palace 
  garden rustle softly in the sultry 
  night wind. When the two figures 
  emerge and descend the citadel wall 
  a half-hour later, the hood of one 
  falls temporarily away to reveal the 
  face of a female, with long black hair 
  and yellow eyes, like those of a cat. 
  Suddenly, torches flare on the battle-
  ments and guards shout out alarms. 
  Chaos ensues, but the two figures dis-
  appear into the shadows of the city.
  The following day, the player characters are 
  out on some trivial errand, perhaps visiting 
  the bazaar or the city square. The same rumors 
  can be heard everywhere: Daring thieves 
  entered the grand palace last night and stole 
  a very valuable emerald from the bey; a gem 
  which on special occasions sat squarely in the 
  navel of the governor’s favorite concubine, a 
  beautiful girl from Azjan in the East. A suc-
  cessful Gather Information check reveals that 
  the emerald is said to be worth over 5,000 gp 
  (DC 15); that the jewel was cut more than six 
  hundred years ago by the peerless master arti-
  san Shembuj (DC 20); and that it was suppos-
  edly once set in the crown of the wicked Raj of 
  Uthjar (DC 25).
  Confirming that there is more to these tales 
  than mere rumors is the fact that the city 
  watch are conducting random searches in the 
  bazaar and elsewhere. The player characters 
  are approached by an especially haughty and 
  devoted Khazistani officer, named Hassan 
  Sadi, and his troop of Yemarite mercenar-
  ies. He interrogates the PCs very thoroughly, 
  asking uncomfortable questions, and orders 
  his men to inspect the belongings of the party 
  
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  in search of the stolen jewel. The less resis-
  tance the PCs offer, the better; if necessary, 
  the guard-captain orders the PCs stripped 
  naked or even arrested. The player characters 
  should walk away from this encounter with an 
  extreme dislike of Hassan Sadi.
  Hassan Sadi, Guard-Captain of Zul-
  Bazzir, male Khazistani Ftr4: CR 4; SZ 
  M; HD 4d10+4; hp 32; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 16 (+5 chainmail, +1 Dex), touch 
  11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 15 (+5 chainmail); 
  BAB/Grapple +4/+6; Atk +7 melee (2d4+5, 
  falchion, 18-20/x2) or +6 ranged (1d6+2, 
  Khazistani shortbow, 18-20/x2, range incre-
  ment 70 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls 
  with all bows; SQ +2 racial bonus to Ride and 
  Spot skills; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2; 
  Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Skills: Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +8, 
  Ride +8. Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, 
  Khazistani Bow-Mastery (b), Mounted Archery 
  (b), Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (falchion), Weapon Specialization 
  (falchion).
  Languages: Khazistani.
  Possessions: Chainmail, falchion, Khazistani 
  shortbow (+2 Strength bonus).
  Description: Hassan is clean-shaven, heav-
  ily muscled, with shoulder-length black hair 
  and slanted eyes. He wears a golden helmet, 
  burnished armor, and a cloak of leopard-skin 
  slung across his shoulders. He is reputed to be 
  a distant relative of Khadim Bey, and a rising 
  star in the Khazistani army.
  Tactics: If combat breaks out, Hassan targets 
  the most powerful-looking opponent, in order 
  to gain as much glory as possible.
  City Guards, Mercenaries of Yemar, 
  male Jairani Ftr1: CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d10+1; 
  hp 9; Init +0 (+0 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 
  leather armor, +2 heavy wooden shield, +0 
  Dex), touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+2 
  leather armor, +4 heavy wooden shield); BAB/
  Grapple +1/+2; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, scimitar, 
  18-20/x2) or +1 ranged (1d6+1, javelin, 20/x2, 
  range increment 30 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Gather Information skills, 
  +2 to all saving throws against magic; AL N; 
  SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, 
  Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +5, Intimidate +4, Jump +5, 
  Ride +4. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Power At-
  tack, Stealthy (b), Weapon Focus (scimitar).
  Languages: Jairanian, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Leather armor, scimitar, heavy 
  wooden shield, javelin, 1d8 gp.
  Description: The mercenary men of Yemar 
  are stone-faced killers, known for their cal-
  lousness. They wear uniforms of red leather.
  Tactics: The foreign city guards (grudgingly) 
  do as they are told by their Khazistani officers. 
  They summon help only if sorely outnum-
  bered.
  A Woman Scorned
  Later the same day, the PCs are approached 
  by a cloaked female character. This is Sabiha, 
  an agent of the scheming nobles of Zul-Bazzir. 
  She reveals to the PCs that she was one of 
  two thieves who stole the jewel from the bey’s 
  palace, but that her partner Osan betrayed her 
  and fled east into the desert to meet and sell 
  the gem to a third party (a merchant or noble 
  from the rival realm of Zadj to the southeast).
  Her story is mainly true, except that Osan 
  was not involved in the theft, of course, and 
  that the rebel nobles still have the jewel and 
  will use it to fund their secret insurrection 
  against the governor and the padishah.
  Sabiha offers to split the spoils if the PCs go 
  and kill the “traitor” and bring back the gem. 
  She confirms that the emerald is worth 5,000 
  gp or more, if the right buyer can be found.
  The player characters might wonder why 
  this unknown woman has chosen to confide in 
  them. Some questions the PCs might ask are:
  — Why choose us for this mission? 
  “Time is precious and I don’t have much time 
  to look for suitable allies. You seem able and 
  hopefully you are trustworthy.”
  — Why shouldn’t we just report you 
  to the city guard? “I assume you are more 
  interested in sharing the profits from the sale 
  of the gem, than in helping that viper, Hassan 
  Sadi, gain glory in the eyes of his superiors?” 
  (If the earlier encounter with the city guard 
  captain was played out properly, this argu-
  ment should certainly strike a chord with the 
  players.)
  — Why don’t you go after Osan your-
  self, or at least follow us along? “The 
  treacherous dog Osan tried to kill me. He 
  didn’t succeed, but his blade cut deep into my 
  leg. I can’t fight, much less run.” (Indeed, the 
  woman walks with a limp — the wound is real 
  but she fakes the limping.)
  — Where do we meet up with you once 
  we return? “If you are able to slay the traitor 
  — and by Aklathu’s beard I hope you do! — 
  bring me his head so I can know that revenge 
  is mine. If you are successful, meet me in the 
  Yar-Ammonite necropolis in the Old Town. 
  There is an empty tomb near a faceless black 
  sphinx. I’ll be waiting for you there.”
  The DM should extrapolate answers to any 
  other questions the player characters might 
  have from the information given above.
  Sabiha, Betrayed Thief, female Jaira-
  nian Rog4: CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d6+4; hp 22; 
  Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+2 leather 
  armor, +3 Dex, +1 Two-Weapon Defense), 
  touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+2 leather 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+4; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d6+1, short sword, 19-20/x2) or +6 ranged 
  (1d4+1, dagger, 19-20/x2, range increment 10 
  ft.); Full Atk +4/+4 melee (1d6+1, short sword, 
  19-20/x2); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Craft and Gather Information 
  
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  skills, +2 to all saving throws against magic,  
  Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1, Uncanny 
  Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 
  12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14.
  Skills: Appraise +8, Bluff +9, Climb +8, 
  Disguise +9, Hide +10, Knowledge (local) +8, 
  Move Silently +10, Open Lock +10, Sleight of 
  Hand +10, Tumble +10. Feats: Stealthy (b), 
  Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Jairanian, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Leather armor, two short 
  swords, dagger, 41 gp.
  Description: Tan, with long dark hair and 
  yellow eyes, Sabiha is an exotic beauty, 
  although she often uses her disguise skills to 
  appear far less attractive to avoid undue atten-
  tion.
  Tactics: Sabiha tries to avoid combat if at all 
  possible, but if forced into melee she attacks 
  with her twin blades.
  Rendezvous in the Ruins
  Sabiha gives the player characters directions 
  to track down Osan. As far as she knows, he 
  took his horse on a direct eastern path out of 
  the city, towards a ruined temple in the desert, 
  where he was to meet with certain Zadjite mer-
  chants or thieves who would bring the stolen 
  gem on to their own masters in marble-walled 
  Iraab by the Eastern Ocean.
  Osan, the king’s agent, has indeed ridden 
  east towards the ruins, but he does not carry 
  the stolen gem, nor is he to meet with Zadjite 
  thieves. The purpose of his nocturnal trip is to 
  meet with messengers of the padishah from 
  Khazabad, to report his latest intelligence and 
  to receive new instructions from the king.
  It is approximately 20 miles of trackless 
  desert from the city to the ruins and it takes 
  5-6 hours to get there on horseback. If the PCs 
  are mounted, there is an incident along the 
  way: One of the horses, randomly determined, 
  missteps on the top of a sand dune, falls down, 
  and badly damages its leg. The rider must 
  make a Ride check (DC 15) or suffer 1d6 points 
  of falling damage as the horse trips and falls. A 
  successful Heal check (DC 15) makes the horse 
  able to walk, but at half speed. Otherwise, the 
  horse’s leg is broken; the animal cannot walk 
  at all and is better left in the desert.
  If the PCs ride at half speed (or walk), dark-
  ness has fallen when the party approaches 
  the ruins; if they abandon the wounded horse 
  and move at full speed they get to the ruins at 
  dusk.
  1. Upper Ruins
  In the vicinity of several sandy hills, and 
  somewhat obscured (Spot DC 12) by a cluster 
  of palm trees, stands a partly ruined building 
  of black stone. Though the presence of vegeta-
  tion marks this as a valuable source of water, 
  the place has an evil reputation and is avoided 
  
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  by locals and travelers alike (see the sub-
  chapter “Blood of the Brotherhood” for more 
  information).
  Only fragments remain of a wall that once 
  ringed the shrine. Three riding horses are tied 
  to the trees nearby. Osan and his two contacts 
  are holding a meeting in the columned hall 
  below (Area 4).
  Two arched doorways, to the north and west, 
  provide entry into the main building, which is 
  silent and cloaked in pitch darkness. Remem-
  ber that the PCs need torches inside and in the 
  chambers below, and that, even with torches, 
  visibility is quite limited. NPCs are able to 
  detect the player characters by the torches they 
  carry, and vice versa.
  2. Priests’ Chambers
  The main room of the temple’s ground level 
  is empty, its floor covered with sand and 
  strewn with shards of broken pottery and 
  other worthless refuse.
  The smaller chambers — to the northwest 
  and southeast — are less sandy. In each cham-
  ber is a staircase that winds its way down 45 
  feet to the subterranean level of the temple.
  On a landing halfway down the stair from the 
  northwestern room are the skeletal remains 
  of an ancient priest. The clothing has long 
  since rotted away, and the skull was evidently 
  cracked open by a bronze mace that still rests 
  in the dust a few feet away (Search DC 12).
  3. Vault with Iron Door
  Used as a vault by the old priests of Yadar, 
  this chamber is sealed by a black iron door 
  (2 in. thick; Hardness 10; hp 60; Break DC 
  28; Open Lock DC 25). The image of a great 
  fanged bat with outstretched wings is carved in 
  bas relief upon the door’s surface, ringed with 
  cryptic writing. A successful Decipher Script 
  (DC 20) reveals that the text is a curse that 
  threatens to bring the “demons of the night” 
  upon those who enter the chamber unbidden. 
  The lock was originally of very good quality 
  but is now time-worn and somewhat easier to 
  pick open.
  Under some rubble (Search DC 15) in the 
  northwestern corner of the room is a treasure 
  chest (Hardness 5; hp 15; Break DC 23; Open 
  Lock 30) that contains a pile of silver coins 
  (500 gp total), a silver mirror, an ivory buckle 
  in the shape of a serpent (worth 80 gp), and a 
  set of twin daggers set with tiny gems (worth 
  100 gp each). 
  There is a secret door in the southern wall of 
  the vault (Search DC 25) that connects with 
  the columned hall (Area 4) through another 
  secret door.
  4. Columned Hall
  Eight large columns of stone are spaced 
  evenly out in this rectangular chamber. The 
  walls are painted with scenes of death, disease 
  and decay, in the tradition of Yadar’s cult. 
  There is a secret door hidden within a painting 
  of a skeleton (Search DC 25) that leads to the 
  vault (Area 3).
  When the player characters reach the ruined 
  temple, Osan is in this chamber conducting 
  a meeting with his contacts, the messengers 
  from the padishah’s court in Khazabad. They 
  have set a single torch in an old sconce on the 
  northern wall, providing shadowy illumination 
  for the edges of the room.
  Osan has brought his pet, a trained leopard, 
  with him and the great cat now lurks in the 
  dark square chamber east of the columned 
  hall. Due to the leopard’s low-light vision, it is 
  likely to detect any intruders carrying torches 
  before they spot the cat.
  Osan Kadri, the Padishah’s Secret 
  Agent, male Khazistani Ftr5: CR 5; SZ M; 
  HD 5d10+8; hp 48; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Im-
  proved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (+5 chain-
  mail, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  15 (+5 chainmail); BAB/Grapple +5/+8; Atk 
  +9 melee (1d6+3, scimitar, 18-20/x2) or +8 
  ranged (1d6+3, Khazistani shortbow, 18-20/
  x2, range increment 70 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all bows; SQ +2 racial bo-
  nus to Ride and Spot skills; AL N; SV Fort +5, 
  Ref +3, Will +4; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, 
  Wis 12, Cha 14.
  Skills: Climb +11, Intimidate +10, Jump +11, 
  Ride +10. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved 
  Initiative, Investigator, Iron Will, Khazistani 
  Bow-Mastery (b), Mounted Archery (b), 
  Toughness, Weapon Focus (scimitar).
  Languages: Khazistani, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Riding horse, chainmail, scimi-
  tar, Khazistani shortbow, 20 arrows, sealed 
  scroll with message to padishah (written in 
  Khazistani), 50 gp.
  Description: Osan has plain features and a 
  drooping moustache.
  Tactics: Osan values his own hide, and lets 
  his henchmen protect him, although he is a 
  skilled fighter and does not flee from combat 
  unless the odds seem overwhelming.
  Messengers from Khazabad, male 
  Khazistani Ftr3 (2): CR 3; SZ M; HD 
  3d10+6; hp 20; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved 
  The Ruined Temple of Yadar
  Standard Features: Unless noted 
  otherwise, all interior doors were originally 
  of wood and have long since rotted away. 
  Ceiling height is 10 feet in normal rooms.
  Lighting: During the day, the crumbling 
  ruins are illuminated by sunlight penetrat-
  ing through cracks in the walls and ceil-
  ing. The underground chambers are unlit 
  and pitch black, though there are wall-set 
  sconces where new torches can be placed.
  
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  Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+3 studded 
  leather, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 
  13 (+3 studded leather); BAB/Grapple +3/+5; 
  Atk +6 melee (1d6+2, scimitar, 18-20/x2) or 
  +5 ranged (1d6+2, Khazistani shortbow, 18-
  20/x2, range increment 70 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all bows; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Ride and Spot skills; AL N; SV 
  Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 
  12, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +8, Jump +8, Ride +7. Feats: 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative, Khazistani Bow-
  Mastery (b), Mounted Archery (b), Point Blank 
  Shot, Toughness, Weapon Focus (scimitar).
  Languages: Khazistani.
  Possessions: Riding horse, studded leather, 
  scimitar, Khazistani shortbow, 15 gp.
  Description: Hook-nosed, with turbaned 
  helmets and cloaks over their armor.
  Tactics: These spies take orders from and 
  protect Osan, but not if their own lives are 
  at stake. However, they know that they are 
  doomed if they flee and Osan survives. There-
  fore, they are much more likely to flee if Osan 
  is killed first.
  Osan’s Pet (Leopard): CR 2; hp 19.
  Development: Unless the PCs enter the 
  columned hall through the secret door, or 
  approach in total darkness, they are likely 
  to be seen first by the leopard. Each player 
  character should make a Listen check against 
  the leopard’s Move Silently skill. Characters 
  who fail cannot act during the surprise round, 
  when the leopard uses its pounce attack to 
  charge (+2 to attack roll, -2 to AC until next 
  round) the foremost party member and make 
  a full attack with its bite, claws and raking with 
  its hind legs.
  At the same time, the leopard lets out a great 
  roar that alerts Osan and his allies to the 
  presence of enemies. The Khazistanis draw 
  their weapons and prepare for combat. If the 
  PCs are getting thrashed by the leopard, Osan 
  and his men charge into the fray; conversely, 
  if the leopard is quickly slain by the PCs, the 
  Khazistanis withdraw towards the sacrificial 
  pit (Area 5) where Osan’s henchmen take 
  up positions near the entrance, trying to cut 
  down their opponents as they cross into the 
  chamber. Osan places himself south of the pit 
  and fires upon the opponents with his bow. He 
  might also try to push opponents into the pit 
  during melee (using a bull rush attack).
  If the PCs simply wade into combat and try 
  to cut down Osan, he fights back and does not 
  reveal his position as royal agent if he thinks 
  he and his men can beat the party. Should they 
  manage to slay Osan (remember that Sabiha 
  asked for his head as proof of his death) or 
  take him prisoner, the player characters prob-
  ably learn the truth, either from the scroll 
  found on Osan’s corpse, or through interrogat-
  ing the royal agent. Osan may also reveal who 
  he really is if the PCs attempt to parley with 
  the Khazistanis instead of attacking outright.
  In any case, at the end of this encounter the 
  player characters are likely to learn that they 
  have been fooled by Sabiha (and worse, the 
  stolen gem is nowhere to be found). Their next 
  course of action depends to a certain degree on 
  whether Osan is still alive or not:
  — If the PCs killed Osan (and learned the 
  truth from the scroll he carried, or through 
  interrogation of his allies), they probably wish 
  to return to Zul-Bazzir and confront Sabiha, 
  both for revenge and to learn more about the 
  stolen gem. Clever characters should suspect 
  that the female thief has set up a trap for them, 
  and proceed with caution.
  — It is also possible, of course, that the PCs 
  remain ignorant of the true identity of Osan 
  (by not bothering to search his corpse, or not 
  being able to read Khazistani, for example) 
  and return to the appointed meeting with 
  Sabiha, only to walk straight into a trap (see 
  the subchapter “Treachery in the Tomb”).
  — If the PCs learn the truth about Osan 
  before he is killed, and assuming they are able 
  to convince the royal agent of their loyalty to 
  the Khazistani empire (a successful Diplo-
  macy check can influence Osan in the right 
  direction, but this check should be made 
  with severe penalties if the PCs attacked and 
  almost killed him), they might be able to form 
  a temporary alliance with Osan. The royal 
  agent believes he can use the PCs to track 
  down the nobles who plot against Khadim Bey, 
  as well as retrieve the stolen jewel (which the 
  player characters probably intend to keep for 
  themselves, should they find it). If they reach 
  an agreement, Osan asks the PCs to return 
  to Zul-Bazzir to find Sabiha, while he himself 
  pretends to be dead.
  5. Sacrificial Pit
  The muffled priests of Yadar the death-god 
  disposed of the bodies of sacrificial victims in 
  this grisly pit. The pit is 20 feet deep, and is 
  now filled with the cracked skulls and yellowed 
  bones of dozens of victims. A small viper snake 
  hides among the bones, striking out against 
  anyone who enters the pit (characters may fall 
  into the pit while fighting against Osan and his 
  allies; see Area 4).
  Snake, Small Viper: CR ½; hp 4.
  6. Inner Shrine
  The ceiling of this domed chamber is 35 feet 
  above the smooth stone floor. In the southern 
  end of the room, on a raised dais 5 feet high, 
  is a faceless statue of black stone, fully 25 feet 
  tall. The staue is sculpted to hold a stone bowl 
  in its cupped, outstretched hands. The con-
  tents of the bowl is not visible from below. A 
  Climb check (DC 15) is required to climb up 
  the statue to reach the bowl.
  In the bowl lurks a gray ooze that appears as 
  a puddle of water. It takes a successful Spot 
  
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  check (DC 15) to detect the ooze for what it 
  is. A character who fails to notice it is auto-
  matically hit with a melee attack for slam and 
  acid damage (which may ruin the character’s 
  armor, if any).
  The ooze moves very slowly and the best way 
  to flee from it is probably to jump down from 
  the statue to the floor below (a 20 feet drop).
  Gray Ooze: CR 4; hp 31.
  7. High Priest’s Chamber
  Accessible from either of the two corridors 
  leading from the inner shrine (Area 6), or 
  through a secret door behind the cult statue 
  (Search DC 22), this large chamber once be-
  longed to the high priest of Yadar’s cult.
  Sitting on a massive, high-backed chair 
  carved from stone, the wizened form of the 
  mummified high priest is still present in the 
  chamber, covered with dust and cobwebs. A 
  tattered black cloak with gold trim hangs on 
  the shoulders of the resin-soaked corpse; the 
  cloth crumbles as soon as it is touched.
  In the high priest’s lap rests a masterwork 
  curved dagger whose black onyx handle is 
  scorpion-shaped. Around the mummy’s neck 
  hangs a golden amulet (worth 150 gp). At its 
  feet is a small copper chest (Hardness 5; hp 1; 
  Break DC 17; Open Lock DC 20) that contains 
  a pile of ancient coins (5d8 x 10 gp and 10d8 x 
  10 sp) and a single bottle of dream-elixir.
  The chest is trapped with a poison needle 
  trap (CR 2; mechanical; touch trigger; repair 
  reset; lock bypass [Open Lock DC 30]; Atk +17 
  melee (1 plus poison, needle); poison (black 
  adder venom, DC 11 Fortitude save resists 
  [poison only], 1d6 Con/1d6 Con); Search DC 
  22; Disable Device DC 17). 
  Blood of the Brotherhood
  The now-ruined temple was originally 
  built by the priesthood of Yadar some six or 
  seven centuries ago. The small shrine was 
  sacked and burned by a passing army of Yar-
  Ammonites two centuries later, who also put 
  the majority of the grisly death-priests to the 
  sword. As the Yar-Ammonites settled in the 
  nearby Oasis of Zul, and that place grew into 
  the city of Zul-Bazzir, the last high priest of the 
  death-cult died, and the nameless temple fell 
  into desolution and decay. Due to its evil repu-
  tation, the place was shunned by all, except 
  those that willingly seek out the dark places of 
  the earth where the tomb-worm gnaws upon 
  the marrow of those who died knowing blas-
  phemous secrets and forbidden spells.
  In recent times, the ruined temple has 
  attracted a group of cultists known as the 
  Brotherhood of the Red Seal. This cult consists 
  of men from different Khazrajite nomad clans 
  who meet in secret every month, at nights 
  when the moon is not visible in the night sky. 
  They worship the lord of the empty wastes, 
  al-Tawir, the Ancient One, with murder and 
  blood sacrifice, believing that the god will in 
  turn grant them protection against hunger and 
  thirst and the evil spirits of the desert, and 
  give them strength to overcome their enemies 
  (several of these boons are supposedly gained 
  through the eating of human flesh). The cult’s 
  leader carries the object that has given the 
  brotherhood its name, a small disc crafted 
  from an unknown red metal, inscribed with 
  what the sorcerer believes to be the nine secret 
  names of al-Tawir.
  As it happens, the moon is hidden this par-
  ticular night, and the night sky is illuminated 
  only by a gem-studded carpet of stars. As the 
  PCs are about to leave the ruined temple, 
  whether they are alone or in the company of 
  Osan, the Brothers of the Red Seal are gather-
  ing in the vicinity of the ruins.
  There is a 50% chance that the cultists have 
  already discovered any horses belonging to 
  Osan, his contacts, or the player characters. 
  If this is the case, the cultists are alert, with 
  drawn weapons, and are already moving 
  towards the ruins to investigate. If the horses 
  remain undiscovered, the cultists are scattered 
  in small groups some 50-100 feet away from 
  the temple ruins. Among them is a group of 
  1d3+3 bound and gagged captives, who are 
  about to be sacrificed. The captives are either 
  from Zul-Bazzir (40%), Khazrajite nomads 
  (30%), or travelers from other regions (30%).
  Characters who succeed at Listen and/or 
  Spot checks (DC determined by distance) 
  when they emerge from the staircases in the 
  temple may detect the cultists before the party 
  stumbles upon them by accident.
  Brothers of the Red Seal, Cannibal-
  Cultists of a Dark God, male Khazrajite 
  Bbn1/Rog1 (20): CR 2; SZ M; HD 1d12 plus 
  1d6; hp 11; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 11 
  (+0 no armor, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-
  footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +1/+4; 
  Atk +5 melee (1d6+3, scimitar, 15-20/x2); SA 
  
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  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with scimitar, 
  Rage 1/day, Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Ride and Survival skills, Fast Move-
  ment, Illiteracy, Trapfinding; AL N; SV Fort 
  +2, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 
  10, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Skills: Climb +7, Hide +5, Intimidate +3, 
  Jump +7, Listen +4, Survival +4, Tumble +5. 
  Feats: Cannibalize, Dodge, Endurance (b), 
  Improved Critical (scimitar) (b).
  Languages: Khazistani.
  Possessions: Clothing, scimitar, 2 gp.
  Description: The cultists wear red robes, and 
  black scarves that conceal the lower half of 
  their faces.
  Tactics: The cultists attempt to surround en-
  emies and stab them to death. The leader (who 
  has maximum hit points and the Toughness 
  feat instead of Dodge) carries a red disc that, 
  when sprinkled with blood, can be used to 
  unleash a confusion spell within 100 feet upon 
  all non-cultists in a 15 feet radius burst.
  Development: The cultists attempt to 
  capture and sacrifice — and eat — the PCs. 
  They flee in all directions if more than three-
  quarters of their number is slain (the cult-
  ists are fearful of failing their grim god, but 
  they are not mad — not yet, anyway). If the 
  PCs are able to detect the cultists before they 
  themselves are spotted, they may be able to 
  sneak past the Brotherhood (as determined 
  by a combination of Hide and Move Silently 
  checks). Any characters sneaking out are sure 
  to see the captives who are about to be sacri-
  ficed, and must determine if they want to risk 
  their own lives to save the innocent.
  Treachery in the Tomb
  Assuming the PCs return to Zul-Bazzir, they 
  can either go directly to the agreed-upon 
  meeting with Sabiha in the tomb, or they can 
  be more cautious and seek out the yellow-eyed 
  woman elsewhere (where she is more likely to 
  be unprepared).
  If the PCs have slain Osan and go directly to 
  the tomb, they walk straight into a trap. Sabiha 
  has delivered an anonymous message to the 
  governor, and Khadim Bey has sent a squad of 
  city guards to the tomb with orders are to seize 
  and arrest the PCs for the murder of Osan. The 
  city guards hide around the empty tomb, mov-
  ing in when the PCs have entered the building. 
  The Khazistani captain leading the city guards 
  is none other than Hassan Sadi (see the “A Cry 
  for Vengeance” subchapter, above). If the PCs 
  have brought with them the severed head of 
  Osan, per Sabiha’s wishes, their fate is sealed 
  unless they can fight their way out of the tomb 
  (see below for how they can find Sabiha if the 
  party survives the trap).
  While the city guards have orders to capture 
  the PCs, they do not hesitate to use lethal force 
  if their own lives are threatened. If the PCs are 
  captured, or allow themselves to be captured, 
  they are taken in chains to the dungeons be-
  neath the citadel for torture and interrogation. 
  Unless the PCs are capable of talking them-
  selves out of this situation, a chance to escape 
  should present itself to the PCs before they are 
  beheaded or impaled outside the gates of the 
  citadel; perhaps a slave girl that is the secret 
  spy of some palace faction catches the eye of 
  a handsome player character and helps them 
  escape by drugging the jailkeeper, or some-
  thing similar.
  Hassan Sadi, Guard-Captain of Zul-
  Bazzir, male Khazistani Ftr4: CR 4; hp 
  32; see “A Cry for Vengeance”.
  City Guards, Mercenaries of Yemar, 
  male Jairani Ftr1 (12): CR 1; hp 9.
  If the player characters killed Osan, but 
  take precautions before going to the tomb, a 
  successful Gather Information check (DC 20) 
  in either the Bazaar, Caravanserai, Pleasure 
  District, Slave Market or Slum District reveals 
  that a woman that matches Sabiha’s descrip-
  tion frequents a place called the House of Abu 
  Khafi, often in the company of a black merce-
  nary (if the skill check succeeds by 5 or more, 
  the PCs also learn that this man’s name is Ibo). 
  The PCs may repeat the Gather Information 
  check if it fails the first time, but this may draw 
  attention and alert Sabiha to the fact that the 
  player characters are asking around for her. 
  The DM should also roll for random encoun-
  ters if the PCs venture into these city districts.
  If Osan is still alive and allied with the PCs, 
  he warns them against going to the meeting 
  in the tomb (which he correctly suspects is a 
  trap). Osan wants Sabiha and her masters to 
  believe that he is dead, and instructs the player 
  characters to go looking for the raven-haired 
  thief while he hides and observes from afar. 
  He does not want to involve the governor or 
  the city guard, because the news that he is 
  alive will soon spread through the palace, and 
  the disloyal nobles will be harder to root out. 
  The player characters can use Gather Informa-
  tion checks, as described above, to find Sabiha. 
  The clues all point to the House of Abu Khafi.
  The House of Abu Khafi
  The notorious House of Abu Khafi is located 
  in the Pleasure District of Zul-Bazzir. To 
  outsiders, it looks like an ordinary (though 
  perhaps disreputable and bawdy) tavern and 
  gambling house, but those who frequent it 
  know that the proprietor, Abu Khafi, offers 
  more than strong drink and games of dice to 
  his clientele. There are private rooms beneath 
  the house where lotus-smokers lie in drugged 
  sleep, and other lusts can be sated, too, for a 
  price.
  Development: The player characters are 
  here to look for Sabiha, who is known to fre-
  quent the place along with a male companion 
  named Ibo. A good approach is to enter the 
  house as regular guests, possibly in disguise, 
  
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  and simply wait for either Sabiha or Ibo to 
  appear. They can then be shadowed when they 
  leave the tavern, and dealt with in some dark 
  alley without alerting Abu’s many thugs and 
  guards.
  If the PCs simply walk into the tavern and 
  start asking questions about Sabiha and Ibo, 
  the staff become suspicious and report back 
  to Abu, who in turn warns the two thieves and 
  sets up a trap for the PCs: He instructs one 
  of his henchmen to pose as a regular guest 
  and approach the player characters, offer-
  ing information in exchange for a handful of 
  silver coins. This “guest” then tells the PCs that 
  he has seen Ibo lying comatose in one of the 
  private rooms in the basement, enjoying the 
  strange visions and pleasurable sensations of 
  the silver lotus. If the PCs investigate, the door 
  to the basement is slammed shut behind them 
  as soon as they enter the corridor (Area 9), 
  and Abu’s thugs attack through several secret 
  doors. Abu, Ibo and Sabiha watch from the se-
  cret corridors (Area 10) but lend their strength 
  to the thugs if necessary.
  Ibo, Sabiha’s Companion, male Ikuna 
  Bbn1/Rog3: CR 4; SZ M; HD 1d12+2 plus 
  3d6+6; hp 30; Init +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 
  16 (+2 leather armor, +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 
  Dex), flat-footed 12 (+2 leather armor); BAB/
  Grapple +3/+9; Atk +6 melee (1d6+2, Ikuna 
  knife, 20/x4) or +5 melee (1d3+2, unarmed 
  strike, 20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with Ikuna knifes and clubs, natural at-
  tack with filed teeth (deals 1d4 lethal damage 
  when grappling), Rage 1/day, Sneak Attack 
  +2d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Hide and Swim 
  skills, Scent, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Trap-
  finding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort 
  +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 
  12, Wis 10, Cha 12.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +5, Jump +6, 
  Knowledge (local) +7, Listen +6, Move Silently 
  +10, Open Lock +10, Ride +8, Survival +4, 
  Swim +6, Tumble +10. Feats: Cannibalize (b), 
  Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, 
  Iron Will.
  Languages: Ikuna, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Leather armor, Ikuna knife, 5 
  gp.
  Description: Tall, black-skinned, with a 
  simple robe used to conceal his armor.
  Tactics: Ibo employs a variety of tactics. He 
  always enters a rage, and then either flanks 
  and sneak attacks, or tries to grapple weak-
  looking opponents. Being lightly armed and 
  armored himself, he stays well away from 
  people in heavy armor wielding heavy weap-
  ons. He is diffcult to surprise due to his racial 
  scent ability.
  1. Entrance and Hall
  The main door to Abu’s gambling-house is a 
  strong wooden door (2 in. thick; Hardness 5; 
  hp 20; Break DC 25; OpenLock DC 30) that 
  can be barred from the inside, and has a small 
  peek-hole used by the guards to screen would-
  be visitors.
  Abu currently employs eight guards; three 
  watch the doors and the others remain on 
  alert to deal with troublemakers inside the 
  house or in the basement. Weapons are not 
  allowed inside the house and must be left with 
  the guards in the entrance hall. The guards 
  search guests for hidden weapons, but they are 
  not very diligent; they take 10 on their Search 
  checks, opposed by a Sleight of Hand check by 
  the player character. Note that even char-
  acters without ranks in the Sleight of Hand 
  skill can conceal weapons on their body, but 
  they add only their Dex bonus to the opposed 
  roll against the guard’s Search check. See the 
  Sleight of Hand skill description for more 
  information. With a successful Diplomacy 
  check (DC 20) and a handful of gold coins, the 
  guards can also be bribed to allow a guest to 
  enter with a small (concealed) weapon.
  Abu’s Guards, male Jairani Ftr2 (8): 
  CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d10+7; hp 19; Init +1 (+1 
  Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+0 no armor, +1 
  Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+5; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d6+3, club, 20/x2); SA none; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Gather Information skills, 
  +2 to all saving throws against magic; AL N; 
  SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 12, 
  Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +8, Intimidate +5, Jump +8. 
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Stealthy (b), 
  Toughness, Weapon Focus (club).
  Languages: Jairani.
  Possessions: Clothing, club, 2 gp.
  Description: Little more than street thugs, 
  these mercenary guards have unkempt hair 
  and beards and filth-stained clothing.
  Tactics: Used to dealing with drunken pa-
  trons and other bothersome customers, these 
  guards are ill-suited to fighting well-armed 
  The House of Abu Khafi
  Standard Features: Unless noted otherwise, all interior doors are good wooden doors (1 
  ½ in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). Ceiling 
  height is 10 feet in normal rooms.
  Lighting: The ground and upper levels of the house are lit by a multitude of oil lamps and 
  candles. The corridors in the basement are illuminated by wall-hung torches, while the private 
  chambers below ground have medium-sized braziers that provide both warmth and illumina-
  tion.
  
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  and armored opponents (but neither will Abu 
  Khafi allow such people into his establish-
  ment).
  2. Main Room
  This large, rectangular room has a ceiling 
  height of 15 feet. A dozen round tables are 
  placed throughout the room. At each table, 
  a handful of patrons are busy gambling and 
  betting in various games, which include dice-
  throwing (2 gp to enter, roll highest of 4d6 to 
  win), knife-throwing directed at the eastern 
  wall (5 gp to enter, highest ranged attack roll 
  at 30 feet range wins, rolling a natural 1 means 
  another guest was accidentally hit), and arm-
  wrestling (any amount the contestants agree 
  on, opposed Strength checks).
  Any moderately lucky or successful PC (hav-
  ing won at least 100 gp) might be accused of 
  cheating (35% chance) or be approached by 
  one of the serving-girls working for Abu (20% 
  chance).
  “Cheaters” are surrounded by 1d3+2 other 
  patrons who try to pick a fight with the char-
  acter using concealed or improvised weapons 
  (taking a -4 penalty to attack rolls in the latter 
  case). Determine the nationality and profes-
  sion of such brawlers randomly.
  Conversely, the serving-girls join a lucky win-
  ner at his table for a while, while tempting him 
  to spend his hard-won coins in the comfort 
  of the private rooms below (where he can be 
  drugged and robbed).
  Abu’s Serving-Girls, female Jairani 
  Rog2 (4): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d6; hp 9; Init 
  +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 
  (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +1/+1; Atk +4 melee (1d4, stabbing 
  dagger, 20/x3); SA Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Craft and Gather Information 
  skills, +2 to all saving throws against magic, 
  Trapfinding, Evasion; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref 
  +6, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 
  10, Cha 14.
  Skills: Appraise +6, Diplomacy +7, Gather 
  Information +7, Hide +8, Knowledge (local) 
  +6, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Open Lock 
  +8, Perform (dance) +7, Sleight of Hand 
  +8. Feats: Improved Initiative, Stealthy (b), 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Jairanian, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Scanty clothing, stabbing dag-
  ger, 1 gp.
  Description: The very definition of saucy 
  wenches, these girls have been carefully 
  recruited by Abu Khafi to be his eyes and ears 
  among the customers, providing him with a 
  wealth of information that he can use to black-
  mail or influence others.
  Tactics: Although they prefer to stay out of 
  combat, the serving-girls can be deadly if they 
  work together to flank and sneak attack unsus-
  pecting victims.
  3. Bar
  The bar serves local specialties (such as palm 
  wine, 1 sp per cup) as well as exclusive imports 
  (Susrahnite grape wine, 5 sp per cup; Taikan-
  gian rice-liquor, 10 sp per cup).
  The bartender is a gaunt and swarthy, 
  middle-aged man named Yazd, who hails from 
  the Eastern realm of Laksha. He becomes 
  suspicious if strangers come asking for Sabiha 
  or Ibo, but feigns indifference and claims not 
  to have seen them (“not recently, anyway”). 
  A successful Sense Motive check (DC 15) can 
  reveal that the barkeep is lying. As soon as he 
  gets the chance, Yazd sends one of the serving-
  girls to alert Abu, who arranges a trap for the 
  PCs as described above.
  Yazd, Barkeeper, male Bhangari Ftr4: 
  CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d10+8; hp 35; Init +2 (+2 
  Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 
  Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+10; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d6+2, handaxe, 20/x3) or +7 melee (1d3+4, 
  unarmed strike, 20/x2); SA Brutal Charge (use 
  full attack action in same round as charging); 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Heal and Move Silently 
  skills; AL N; SV Fort +6 (+4 base, +2 Con), 
  Ref +3 (+1 base, +2 Dex), Will +1 (+1 base, +0 
  Wis); Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, 
  Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +9, Intimidate +7, Jump +9, 
  Swim +9. Feats: Combat Reflexes (b), Deflect 
  Arrows, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (unarmed 
  strike), Weapon Specialization (unarmed 
  strike).
  Languages: Bhangari, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Clothing, handaxe, 3 gp.
  Description: Middle-aged and swarthy, with 
  a short white turban wrapped around his head.
  Tactics: Yazd keeps a hand-axe ready behind 
  the bar in case of emergencies, but can also 
  fight well without weapons.
  4. Semi-Private Booths
  For two silver coins, patrons can be seated in 
  one of these twelve booths, where a measure of 
  privacy can be had behind a thin curtain. Some 
  guests use the booths to talk with each other 
  in private, others to play exclusive dice-games 
  with higher stakes than in the main room, and 
  yet others enjoy the exotic dancing skills of 
  Abu’s serving-girls here. Each room is com-
  fortably furnished with silken cushions, up to 
  four chairs, and a low table.
  5. Fighting-Pit
  On special nights, brutal gladiatorial games 
  are held in this square pit, 5 feet deep and 
  floored with stone. It costs 2 gp to watch, 
  and spectators huddle in the cramped space 
  around the pit, betting on their favorites. Abu 
  usually hires a couple of broke and penni-
  less thugs or mercenaries to fight one-on-one 
  
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  duels; he sometimes throws in a wild beast 
  for good measure. The winner gets the prize 
  money, usually around 40-50 gp.
  All kinds of weapons are allowed, as long as 
  the two combatants agree. Fights are supposed 
  to end when the first combatant is incapaci-
  tated (at 0 hp), but people are killed more 
  often than not. Such would-be champions are 
  hauled out of the pit and disposed of through 
  the back door nearby.
  6. Back Door
  This door has the same statistics as the front 
  door (Area 1). It exits to a dark alleyway lit-
  tered with filth and refuse. Rats and stray dogs 
  scurry about in the shadows. Several other 
  narrow streets connect with this alley here; 
  Abu’s henchmen and contacts often use this 
  door to come and go on their illicit errands.
  7. Conference Room
  A massive wooden table, ringed by half a 
  dozen chairs, stands in the center of this large 
  room, where Abu and his contacts often meet 
  to discuss business. Ibo and Sabiha might be 
  found here, too. There is a 25% chance (rolled 
  separately for each NPC) that any of the three 
  are present in the room at any given time.
  There is an elaborate marble fireplace in 
  the eastern corner of the room; the floor is 
  carpeted with a heavy Jairanian rug (worth 
  200 gp).
  8. Office and Bedchamber
  Abu is a man who likes to mix business and 
  pleasure; his office is next door to his lavish 
  bedchamber. In the tavern-keeper’s desk is a 
  locked compartment (Hardness 5; hp 1; Break 
  DC 17; Open Lock DC 25) that contains a pile 
  of gold coins (2,000 gp total), a silver collar 
  (worth 75 gp), and a golden snuff box (worth 
  25 gp). The compartment is trapped with a 
  poison needle trap (CR 2; mechanical; touch 
  trigger; repair reset; lock bypass [Open Lock 
  DC 30]; Atk +17 melee (1 plus poison, needle); 
  poison (rattlesnake, DC 15 Fortitude save re-
  sists (poison only), 1d6 Con/1d2 Con); Search 
  DC 22; Disable Device DC 17).
  Next door, a circular bed, covered with the 
  pelts of exotic animals (various furs, worth 150 
  gp), is usually kept warm by a handful of off-
  duty serving-girls (see Area 2 for statistics).
  Abu Khafi, Tavern-Owner and Lotus-
  Trader, male Jairanian Rog6: CR 6; SZ 
  M; HD 6d6; hp 29; Init +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 14 (+0 no armor, +4 Dex), touch 14 
  
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  (+4 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +4/+6; Atk +9 melee (1d4+2 plus 
  poison, curved dagger, 18-20/x2); SA Sneak 
  Attack +3d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Gather Information skills, +2 to all saving 
  throws against magic, Trapfinding, Evasion, 
  Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL N; SV Fort 
  +2, Ref +9, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 
  13, Wis 12, Cha 14.
  Skills: Appraise +10, Bluff +11, Craft (herbal-
  ism) +10, Diplomacy +11, Forgery +10, Intimi-
  date +11, Knowledge (local) +10, Move Silently 
  +13, Sense Motive +10, Tumble +13. Feats: 
  Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Quick Draw, 
  Stealthy (b), Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Jairanian, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Fine clothing, masterwork 
  curved dagger, two doses of large scorpion 
  venom (Injury DC 18, damage 1d6 Str/1d6 
  Str), keys to all doors in house, 99 gp.
  Description: Shaven-headed, with a well-
  oiled beard and a sly grin to match. Abu is a 
  native of Jairan to the west, and so are most of 
  his staff.
  Tactics: If forced to fight, Abu positions 
  himself so as to gain flanking and sneak attack 
  with his poisoned dagger.
  9. Lotus-Rooms
  The basement of Abu Khafi’s house has six 
  special rooms where a guest’s lusts, whether 
  for the sensuous dreams of the silver lotus, or 
  for other, more obscene desires, can be satis-
  fied. The door to each room is of average qual-
  ity (Open Lock DC 25) and can be locked by 
  the guest from the inside; Abu also has a key 
  with which he can unlock any of these doors 
  from the outside.
  Inside each chamber is a low table surround-
  ed by comfortable cushions. A silvered brazier 
  (worth 30 gp) stands in the corner, provid-
  ing illumination and warmth. The powdered 
  leaves of the silver lotus can also be burned 
  in the brazier to produce a thin grey smoke 
  that instils pleasant dreams and visions in the 
  mind of any who inhale the vapors.
  For each room, there is a 50% chance that it 
  is occupied by 1d3 lotus-smokers, with a 75% 
  likelihood that each is asleep. Player charac-
  ters entering an occupied chamber without 
  holding their breath must make a Fortitude 
  save (DC 18) to avoid the effects of the residual 
  (but diluted) vapors (initial damage 1 Wis, 
  secondary damage unconsciousness for 3d10 
  minutes). Another saving throw must be made 
  1 minute later, even if the first saving throw 
  was successful.
  There is a secret peek-hole in the wall far-
  thest from the door in each chamber, which 
  Abu’s henchmen use to spy upon his guests, to 
  learn secrets that can be used for blackmail-
  ing. The peek-hole is itself set within a secret 
  revolving door that can be locked (Open Lock 
  DC 30) from the outside (from Area 10). The 
  presence of both peek-hole and secret door 
  must be detected separately with a successful 
  Search check (DC 30).
  10. Secret Corridors and Escape Tunnel
  A narrow corridor runs along the back wall of 
  each lotus-room, and connects with the main 
  corridor through several secret doors (Search 
  DC 30). Abu’s guards and serving-girls know 
  about these secret doors; but only Abu knows 
  about the secret door in the far eastern wall 
  that runs for another 40 feet and then con-
  nects with a sewer tunnel. There is a spiked 
  pit trap 25 feet down the secret tunnel (40 ft. 
  deep; CR 3; no attack roll necessary [4d6], +10 
  melee [1d4 spikes for 1d4+4 points of damage 
  per hit]; Reflex save DC 20 avoids; Search DC 
  20; Disable Device DC 20).
  11. Lotus Vault
  This room has a strong wooden door (2 in. 
  thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open 
  Lock DC 30). The door is trapped with a wall 
  scythe trap (CR 4; mechanical; location trig-
  ger; automatic reset; Atk +20 melee [2d4+8/
  x4, scythe]; Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 
  18). The vault contains Abu’s supplies of silver 
  lotus (worth over 10,000 gp) and other items, 
  including a rack with three silvered scimitars 
  (worth 105 gp each) and a large bronze bowl 
  inscribed with Susrahnite cuneiform around 
  its rim (worth 200 gp). The room can also be 
  used as a safe retreat in case of trouble, since 
  the door can be barred from the inside (adds 
  +2 to Break DC).
  Slaves of the Silver Lotus
  The player characters can confront Sabiha 
  and her companion Ibo either inside the 
  House of Abu Khafi, or the PCs can shadow 
  the two thieves when they leave the gambling-
  house. This night, Ibo’s mission is to deliver a 
  dose of silver lotus from Abu Khafi to Sahiba’s 
  master, the Khazistani general Melik Khan. 
  The general is addicted to the lotus and must 
  cooperate with the rebel nobles to get what he 
  craves. Note that Melik Khan does not know 
  the identity of the rebel nobles; Sabiha is the 
  link between the nobles and the general.
  Ibo and Sabiha stop and talk briefly in a dark 
  and deserted square some streets away from 
  Abu’s house, then Sabiha returns to the gam-
  bling-house while Ibo heads for the general’s 
  mansion. The PCs can track Ibo as he leaves 
  the Pleasure District and heads for the wealthy 
  Mansion District. Ibo stops at certain points 
  to make sure he is not being followed; make a 
  Spot check opposed by the Hide skills of the 
  player characters at such occasions (opposed 
  Listen and Move Silently checks may also be 
  appropriate).
  Unless hindered by the PCs somewhere along 
  the way, Ibo reaches the walled mansion of 
  Melik Khan, where he approaches the main 
  
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  gate and is let inside by the guards. Usu-
  ally Sabiha delivers the goods to the general, 
  so neither the gate guards nor Melik Khan 
  himself are familiar with Ibo and his appear-
  ance, but the black mercenary knows a secret 
  password — “achad” — that gets him past the 
  guards.
  If the PCs stop and confront Sabiha as she 
  returns to the gambling-house, or if they 
  confront Ibo before he enters the mansion, 
  they discover that neither has the stolen gem; 
  they say Melik Khan has it. Both Ibo and 
  Sabiha can help the PCs get past the general’s 
  guards if they are forced to do it (with a dagger 
  pressed against their back). The thieves may 
  also try to recruit the PCs to their cause, and to 
  double-cross Osan if they are allied with him.
  If the PCs are allied to Osan, he asks the PCs 
  to sneak into the general’s mansion and learn 
  what they can, rather than sending in a squad 
  of city guards, which would alert the rebel 
  nobles.
  1. Outer Wall
  The general’s mansion is surrounded by a 
  15 feet tall superior masonry wall (1 ft. thick; 
  Hardness 8; hp 90; Break DC 35; Climb DC 
  20) covered with white plaster and decorated 
  with bas-reliefs of scenes of hunting and 
  warfare.
  The double doors at the gate are strong 
  wooden doors (2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; 
  Break DC 25; Open Lock DC 30) that can be 
  barred from the inside. Two guards are posted 
  outside at all times, including one guard cap-
  tain, while a third guard stands inside, behind 
  the barred gates, looking out through a small 
  peephole. The guard on the inside only opens 
  the gates on orders from the guards outside. 
  In case of trouble, he runs back to the house to 
  alert the remaining guards.
  Guard-Captain, male Khazistani Ftr4: 
  CR 4; hp 32. Note: This guard-captain use the 
  same statistics as Hassan Sadi (see above).
  Guards, male Jairani Ftr1 (2): CR 1; hp 
  9. Note: These soldiers have the same statistics 
  as the city guards (see above).
  2. Garden
  The large mansion-house is fronted by a lush 
  garden planted with palm trees and bushes, 
  tended to by meticulous gardeners and ser-
  vants. In the southeastern corner of the garden 
  is a large pool, 10 feet deep, filled with fresh-
  water. The general often entertains important 
  guests here, comfortable in the shade of a 
  silken canopy, attended by slaves who wield 
  large fans of ostrich feathers.
  3. Stables
  This small stone building has a wooden 
  roof. It can accommodate up to six mounts; 
  currently there are two light riding-horses, 
  two light warhorses, and Melik Khan’s own 
  heavy warhorse here. The general’s steed, 
  called White Crescent, is a magnificient black 
  Khazistani stallion with a single white sickle-
  shaped spot on its forehead. It has maximum 
  hit points and can easily be sold for triple the 
  normal price outside Zul-Bazzir (it would in-
  stantly be recognized as the general’s property 
  in the city).
  4. Main Entrance
  From the garden, a short but broad stairway 
  (5 feet tall) leads up to a portico. Two guards 
  are always stationed in front of the double 
  doors leading into the main court (Area 7).
  Veteran Guards, male Jairani Ftr2 (2): 
  CR 2; hp 16; see Area 1.
  5. Servants’ Room
  This simple room is shared by a dozen ser-
  vants, cooks, gardeners and stable-boys. The 
  servants take turns sleeping on the cold stone 
  floor when they are not on duty. The tyranni-
  cal master of the servants is the eunuch Abdur, 
  who is also the steward of the house and, as 
  the general’s cup-bearer, tastes all food and 
  drink brought before Melik Khan.
  Abdur, Cup-Bearer and Steward of 
  the House, male Zadjite Com5: CR 4; SZ 
  M; HD 5d4+5; hp 18; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 
  (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +2/+4; Atk +4 melee (1d3+2, whip, 
  20/x2, reach 10 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Knowledge (geography) 
  skills; +1 racial bonus to all saving throws; AL 
  N; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3; Str 15, Dex 14, 
  Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 9.
  Skills: Handle Animal +7, Listen +9, Profes-
  sion (steward) +9, Spot +9. Feats: Combat 
  Expertise, Dodge, Investigator, Zadjite Whip-
  Mastery (b).
  Languages: Zadjite, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Clothing, whip, 23 gp.
  Description: The eunuch is potbellied, with 
  ponytail hair. He wears an eyepatch, for his 
  left eye was put out many years ago for some 
  unknown crime, and he was banished from his 
  native land of Zadj.
  The Mansion of Melik Khan
  Standard Features: Unless noted oth-
  erwise, all interior doors are good wooden 
  doors (1 ½ in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; 
  Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described 
  as locked). Ceiling height is 10 feet in nor-
  mal rooms.
  Lighting: The interior of the mansion is 
  lit by wall-hung torches. The garden is unlit 
  and cloaked by darkness during the night; 
  the guards carry torches when doing their 
  rounds outside.
  
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  Tactics: Abdur is not much of a fighter, but 
  he knows how to wield a whip effectively. 
  However, he is more likely to flee and summon 
  the guards than to oppose a group of armed 
  intruders. He knows that Nishat, the general’s 
  wife, has an affair with a guard captain and 
  uses this to blackmail her. Abdur also knows 
  about Melik Khan’s addiction to the silver 
  lotus, but remains loyal as long as it serves his 
  own interests.
  Servants, male and female Khazistani 
  Com1 (12): CR ½; hp 4.
  6. Guards’ Room
  Slightly more comfortable than the servants’ 
  room (Area 5), this is the living room of the 
  general’s house guards. These include two 
  guard captains, one of which is always posted 
  outside the gates (Area 1), while the other is in 
  charge of security in the rest of the house or 
  rests in this chamber (50% chance of either). 
  The guards (but not the officers) sleep in their 
  armor and are ready to respond to trouble in a 
  few rounds after shaking off sleep.
  Guard-Captain, male Khazistani Ftr4: 
  CR 4; hp 32; see Area 1.
  Guards, male Jairani Ftr1 (6): CR 1; hp 
  9; see Area 1.
  7. Inner Court
  This huge courtyard is open to the skies 
  above, but has been designed to be covered in 
  comfortable shadows during most of the day. 
  Along each long wall are five slender stone 
  columns topped by carved eagle heads.
  The general receives guests and takes his 
  meals here, reclining on a pile of cushions and 
  pillows in the southern end of the courtyard, 
  with his comely wife Nishat (female Susrahnite 
  Ari4) and two small children at his side.
  Melik Khan, Cavalry General and 
  Secret Slave of the Silver Lotus, male 
  Khazistani Ftr8: CR 8; SZ M; HD 8d10+16; 
  hp 57; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 
  (+5 chainmail, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), 
  flat-footed 15 (+5 chainmail); BAB/Grapple 
  +8/+11; Atk +13 melee (1d6+5, scimitar, 
  15-20/x2); Full Atk +13/+8 melee (1d6+5, 
  scimitar, 15-20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus to 
  attack rolls with all bows; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Ride and Spot skills; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref 
  +3, Will +3; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 
  12, Cha 12.
  Skills: Intimidate +12, Jump +14, Ride +12, 
  Swim +14. Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, 
  Improved Critical (scimitar), Improved 
  Sunder, Khazistani Bow-Mastery (b), Leader-
  ship, Mounted Archery (b), Mounted Com-
  bat, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (scimitar), 
  Weapon Specialization (scimitar).
  Languages: Khazistani, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Chainmail, masterwork scimi-
  tar.
  Description: Middle-aged, bald-headed, with 
  haggard eyes and a drooping moustachio, 
  Melik Khan appearance is slowly starting to 
  take on the look of a lotus-addict. Even so, he 
  is a wealthy and influential man, and he com-
  mands several cavalry companies.
  Tactics: Although weakened by age and 
  drugs, the general is still a formidable foe 
  when armed with his weapon of choice, the 
  scimitar.
  8. Kitchen
  Close to the inner court is a large kitchen, 
  filled with fresh food and good wine. Servants 
  scuttle to and from this area on their way to 
  other parts of the general’s mansion. At night, 
  there is a 25% chance of meeting a desperate 
  servant who is here stealing food from the 
  pantry. If caught by Abdur, he faces flogging 
  or worse.
  9. Master’s Bedroom
  This square room is the bedchamber of Melik 
  Khan and his young wife Nishat, a noble lady 
  of Susrah. Nishat has given her husband two 
  children, and the marriage is seemingly a good 
  one, but as Melik Khan drifts ever stronger 
  into the addictive ecstacies of the silver lotus, 
  his wife has sought consolation in the arms of 
  one of the guard-captains of the house. At any 
  night when Melik Khan is downstairs (see Area 
  12), comatose from the vapors of the lotus, 
  there is a 75% chance that his wife summons 
  her lover to the general’s own bedchamber.
  
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  10. Stairway
  The staircase is 40 feet deep, and ends in the 
  chambers below the mansion-house.
  11. Cells
  There are two large cells in the basement. 
  They are rarely used, except to hold fresh 
  slaves who have not yet learned to obey Abdur; 
  the steward enjoys purchasing rebellious 
  individuals (at a cheap price) from the slave 
  market, then breaking their wills using his 
  whip here.
  12. Private Chamber
  This simple room has a low divan set against 
  one wall, next to a medium-sized brazier. It 
  is where Melik Khan sates his desire for the 
  silver lotus. Abdur makes sure no one enters 
  the cellar when the general lies in drugged 
  slumber here.
  13. Storeroom
  Secured by a simple lock (Open Lock DC 
  20) is a storeroom filled with supplies and 
  equipment required to run the estate, such as 
  clothes, dried food, blankets, bottles, ropes, 
  and torches. Under a loose flagstone in the 
  floor (Search DC 25) is a small hidden com-
  partment that contains a small wooden chest.
  The chest is trapped (CR 2; mechanical; 
  touch trigger; repair reset; lock bypass [Open 
  Lock DC 30]; Atk +17 melee [1 plus poison, 
  needle]; poison [deathblade poison, DC 20 
  Fortitude save resists (poison only), 1d6 
  Con/2d6 Con]; Search DC 22; Disable Device 
  DC 17).
  Inside the chest is a silken pouch containing 
  the Jewel of Khadim Bey.
  Conclusion
  The outcome of this adventure depends on 
  several circumstances, among them whether 
  the PCs allied with Osan, or killed the royal 
  agent, and also how deep into the conspiracy 
  against the governor the player characters are 
  willing to go (or be dragged, as the case may 
  be).
  One possible outcome is that the PCs ally 
  with Osan and help him find and capture or 
  kill the agents of the disloyal nobles (and per-
  haps even expose the lotus-addicted general), 
  and deliver the stolen jewel back to the gov-
  ernor. If successful, the PCs may be rewarded 
  by Khadim Bey himself and perhaps recruited 
  as his trusted agents, no doubt to the envy of 
  many courtiers and palace toadies; the player 
  characters then have to fight enemies both 
  inside and outside the palace.
  Another possibility is that the player char-
  acters end up on the side of the rebels, join-
  ing their secret insurrection that works to 
  assassinate Khadim Bey and seize power in 
  Zul-Bazzir. Even if they are sucessful in this 
  long-term goal (which might be the climax of 
  several adventures), the PCs have probably 
  outlived their usefulness by then and their re-
  ward from the city’s new rulers may ultimately 
  be a dagger in the back or a poisoned chalice. 
  A third outcome occurs if, at any point, the 
  PCs simply decide to leave the city behind and 
  seek their fortunes somewhere else. Although 
  somewhat cowardly, it is certainly possible. 
  If the PCs manage to flee with the Jewel of 
  Khadim Bey, that should be considered a vic-
  tory, although they will be chased by agents of 
  the governor to the borders of Khazistan and 
  beyond.
  If the PCs fail: There are several opportuni-
  ties for the PCs to fail during this adventure. 
  They can be eaten by cannibal-cultists, impris-
  oned by the city guard, ambushed by Abu’s 
  thugs in his lotus-house, or simply defeated 
  in battle. The text offers several suggestions 
  along the way for how failure can be handled. 
  In general, remember that the player charac-
  ters can always try to shift their allegiances if 
  and when things go sour; for example, if they 
  have allied with Osan and get caught by Melik 
  Khan’s guards, they can always betray the 
  royal agent and join up with the rebels. Hope-
  fully, the PCs are able to play the two factions 
  against each other and end up on top of the 
  game. Otherwise, they may find it best to flee 
  the city of Zul-Bazzir.
  
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  The Eidolon 
  of the Ape
  ”Bestial in the uncertain light, Hanuman 
  leered with his carven mask. He sat, not as 
  an ape would crouch, but cross-legged as 
  a man would sit, but his aspect was no less 
  simian for that reason. He was carved from 
  black marble, but his eyes were rubies, which 
  glowed red and lustful as the coals of hell’s 
  deepest pits. His great hands lay upon his 
  lap, palms upward, taloned fingers spread 
  and grasping. In the gross emphasis of his at-
  tributes, in the leer of his satyr-countenance, 
  was reflected the abominable cynicism of the 
  degererate cult which deified him.” — Robert 
  E. Howard: Shadows in Zamboula
  Setting: City and Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 3rd- and 4th-level characters.
  Introduction
  From the distant land of Laksha in the East 
  comes the terrible cult of the ape-god, Simata-
  la. The adepts of this evil religion are reputed 
  to offer up human sacrifice on the cold stone 
  altars of their bestial god. Such victims are 
  killed by ritual strangulation at the hands of 
  the turbaned priests, who are grim and austere 
  men that know secret techniques of unarmed 
  combat.
  The adepts seek to perfect their minds and 
  bodies through a strict regime of meditation 
  and self-denial. They revere the strength and 
  ferocity of the taloned man-apes native to the 
  jungles of Laksha, and craft idols of white jade 
  in the image of those great apes.
  In the last decade, this sect has established 
  a foothold in the city of Jhaddar, which lies 
  on the steppes between Khazistan and Lamu, 
  under the leadership of a maharishi (teacher) 
  known by the name Sog Sodhi. No locals are 
  allowed into the ranks of the cult, but a steady 
  trickle of adepts from the East flock to this 
  outpost fane. Amid rumors of kidnappings and 
  human sacrifice by the cult, and despite its 
  self-proclaimed asceticism, the temple of the 
  ape continues to grow in power and influence.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The basic premise behind this adventure is 
  simple; the PCs must assault or infiltrate the 
  temple of Simatala. Through several possible 
  starting points (see “Starting the Adventure”, 
  below), the player characters find reason to 
  enter the temple of the ape and trade blows 
  with the adepts of Simatala.
  The PCs face dangerous opponents and 
  overwhelming strength, and, since this adven-
  ture is designed with low-level characters in 
  mind, the player characters must likely rely on 
  stealth and discretion, and not brute force, to 
  avoid defeat at the hands of the cult.
  A secret entrance to the temple in the city’s 
  sewer tunnels provide the PCs with a chance 
  to enter the temple undetected. The player 
  characters can also come up with other plans 
  to sneak or bluff their way into the temple, of 
  course.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  — An aquaintance of the PCs (such as friend, 
  relative, lover, or perhaps even a party mem-
  ber) is kidnapped by the cult of Simatala. The 
  player characters must sneak into the temple 
  on a rescue mission.
  
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  — An item of considerable value is said to 
  be safeguarded inside the temple of the ape. 
  Perhaps the talons of the ape-god’s statue are 
  said to be of pure gold, or the high priest owns 
  a scroll that contains (the missing fragments 
  of) a rare and powerful magical ritual. Based 
  on such rumors, the PCs decide to sneak in 
  and steal the item (or someone hires the player 
  characters to do so).
  — A rival cult spreads rumors of the valuable 
  item(s) mentioned above. The rumors may or 
  may not be true; the primary goal of the rival 
  is to tempt thieves and adventurers to attack 
  the temple of the ape.
  Sewer Encounters
  Check for random encounters every 10 minutes in the sewer tunnels. An encounter occurs on 
  a roll of 1-2 on 1d6. Then roll 1d8 to determine the nature of the encounter.
  Roll 
  Encounter
  1 
  Collapsed (60%) or flooded (40%) tunnel
  2 
  Pit
  3 
  Pocket of poisonous gas
  4 
  Slime, mold or fungi
  5 
  Water serpent
  6 
  Rat swarm
  7 
  Giant slug
  8 
  Thieves
  Collapsed Tunnel: The tunnel has collapsed, making it impassable. There is a 10% chance 
  that the tunnel collapses while the PCs are present, dealing 3d6 points of damage. A successful 
  Reflex save (DC 14) reduces damage by half.
  Flooded Tunnel: The tunnel gradually slopes into a water-filled section, 3d6 x 10 feet long, 
  before it emerges on the other side. The submerged tunnel is pitch black, but daring charac-
  ters may swim through it.
  Giant Slug: This is in fact a gray ooze. It takes a Spot check (DC 15) to notice it before it 
  attacks.
  Pit: Debris covers a narrow pit, 1d6 x 10 feet deep. It takes a Search check (DC 20) to detect 
  the pit.
  Pocket of Poisonous Gas: A square room adjacent to a sewer tunnel is filled with poison-
  ous gas. It takes a Wisdom check (DC 14) detect the presence of the invisible, near-odorless 
  gas. After 2 rounds, all present must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or suffer 1d6 points of 
  Strength damage, and another 1d6 points of Strenght one minute later if a second save is 
  failed.
  Rat Swarm: This is either a swarm of normal rats (50% chance), who usually run away, or 
  1d10+10 dire rats (50% chance) who are more agressive.
  Slime, Mold or Fungi: Although a glistening organic sludge coats almost every wall in the 
  sewers, this is an encounter with a yellow mold (60% chance), green slime (30% chance), or 
  violet fungus (10%).
  Thieves: A group of 2d4 thieves, lepers, beggars or other outcasts who make their home in 
  the sewers. They are 2nd-level rogues, but their leader is a Rog2/Ftr2.
  Water Serpent: This is a regular (medium-sized) constrictor snake, although there is a 
  10% chance that it will be a giant constrictor snake.
  The Sewer Tunnels
  The player characters can learn that there is 
  a network of sewer tunnels beneath Jhaddar, 
  and that one of these tunnels is said to pass 
  by the dungeons of the temple of Simatala. A 
  successful Gather Information check (DC 20) 
  provides the PCs with the necessary informa-
  tion.
  Such sewer entrances are sealed with iron 
  grates (1 in. thick; Hardness 10; hp 25; Break 
  DC 27; Open Lock DC 25). They are otherwise 
  unguarded.
  The sewer tunnels themselves are unlit and 
  filled with knee-deep, stinking, fetid, brown 
  water. It costs 2 squares of movement to move 
  into a square filled with knee-deep water, and 
  the DC of Tumble and Move Silently checks in 
  such a square increases by 2.
  
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  The Lower Temple
  For each corridor the PCs enter into, there is 
  a 20% chance of encountering 1d3 adepts (see 
  Area 3 for statistics).
  1. Sewer Landing
  A sturdy stone landing is raised 10 feet from 
  the floor of the sewer tunnel. From the land-
  ing, a narrow corridor with steep stairs leads 
  up (to Area 2). A short distance away from the 
  landing, there is a hidden door (Search DC 30) 
  that also leads into the temple, through a nar-
  row corridor, a locked door, and another secret 
  door at the end of the corridor.
  2. Chamber with Ape Statue
  A medium-sized stone statue of a grinning 
  ape with outstretched arms stands in the 
  center of this square chamber. It can be rec-
  ognized as a representation of Simatala with a 
  successful Knowledge (religion) check (DC 12).
  The door in the east wall leads to a narrow 
  corridor, which is trapped with a pit trap (CR 
  2; mechanical, location trigger; manual reset; 
  DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 40 ft. deep [4d6, 
  fall]; Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20). In 
  addition, a stone slab closes over the pit once 
  the trap is triggered (4 in. thick; Hardness 8; 
  hp 60; Break DC 28).
  In the west wall is a hidden stone door 
  (Search DC 30) with the same statistics as the 
  stone slab described above. The door can be 
  opened by placing a small weight (2 lbs. or 
  more) in the ape statue’s outstretched hands; 
  it stays open for 2d6 rounds before it slowly 
  slides back into position.
  3. Spartan Rooms
  These three rooms are identically furnished 
  with eight simple sleeping-mats on the floor 
  of each room. The rooms contain practically 
  nothing of value. There is a 35% chance of 
  encountering 1d4 adepts in each room, with a 
  50% chance that any adepts encountered are 
  asleep (determined separately for each NPC).
  Adepts of the East, Cultists of Simata-
  la, male Bhangari Ftr2 (24 total): CR 2; 
  SZ M; HD 2d10; hp 14; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 
  (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +2/+9; Atk +6 melee (1d3+3, un-
  armed strike, 20/x2); SA Brutal Charge (use 
  full attack action in same round as charging); 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Heal and Move Silently 
  skills; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 
  16, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +8, Intimidate +5, Jump +8, 
  Swim +8, Tumble +8. Feats: Combat Reflexes 
  (b), Fanatical Fighting, Improved Grapple, 
  Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus 
  (unarmed strike).
  Languages: Bhangari, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Simple white robe, black turban.
  Description: Dressed in tight-fitting Eastern 
  robes and adorned with white turbans, the 
  cultists of Simatala move stealthy like slither-
  ing serpents.
  Tactics: The adepts use Tumble to surround 
  opponents and grapple. They always attack in 
  groups, gaining the bonus from their Fanatical 
  Fighting feat, as well as use of the Aid Another 
  action.
  Special Note: The training of these adepts 
  allow them to take ranks in the Tumble skill 
  even though it is not on their class skill list.
  4. Square Hall
  This large square hall has double doors on 
  the western and eastern walls, and simple 
  doors to the north and south. The double 
  doors are of bronze, carved with bestial ape-
  images. All doors are unlocked.
  5. Trapped Chamber
  A narrow corridor opens into a small square 
  chamber. A curtain on the east wall conceals 
  a dead end. When someone steps on the floor 
  in front of the curtain, three jade jars fall 
  from the ceiling; each cracks and releases a 
  small venomous scorpion in the vicinity of the 
  creature that triggered the trap. The scorpions, 
  once released, attack the nearest creature.
  Monstrous Scorpion, Small (3): CR ½; 
  hp 6.
  6. Master Strangler’s Room
  The double doors to this room are locked 
  and trapped with poisonous needles (CR 2; 
  mechanical; touch trigger; repair reset; lock 
  bypass [Open Lock DC 30]; Atk +17 melee [1 
  plus poison, needle]; poison [king cobra, DC 
  15 Fortitude save resists (poison only), 1d8 
  Con/1d4 Str and 1d4 Con]; Search DC 22; Dis-
  able Device DC 17).
  Beyond the doors is the chamber of Ranuga, 
  the Master Strangler and second-in-command 
  The Temple of Simatala
  Standard Features: Unless noted otherwise, all interior doors are strong wooden doors (2 
  in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). Ceiling 
  height is 10 feet in normal rooms.
  Lighting: The corridors of the lower temple are dimly illuminated by a weird green light 
  from torches dipped in a secret alchemical substance. The upper temple is lit by oil lamps both 
  a night and during the day.
  
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  of the temple. His chamber is furnished with 
  soft Jairanian rugs, a silken couch, and a 
  ceiling of beaten copper carved with scenes 
  of human sacrifice. A tiger fur (worth 35 gp) 
  hangs on the northern wall. There is a 25% 
  chance that Ranuga is here, sleeping behind 
  locked doors; he is otherwise performing a 
  ritual in the inner sanctum (50% chance) or 
  meeting with Sog Sodhi in the upper temple 
  (25% chance).
  Ranuga, the Master Strangler, male 
  Bhangari Ftr6/Sor2: CR 8; SZ M; HD 
  6d10+6 plus 2d4+2; hp 54; Init +7 (+3 Dex, 
  +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 40 ft.; AC 13 
  (+0 no armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), 
  flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple 
  +7/+15; Atk +11 melee (1d6+6, quarterstaff, 
  20/x2) or +12 melee (1d3+6, unarmed strike, 
  20/x2); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d6+6, 
  quarterstaff, 20/x2) or +12/+7 melee (1d3+6, 
  unarmed strike, 20/x2); SA Brutal Charge (use 
  full attack action in same round as charging), 
  Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Heal and Move 
  Silently skills, Sinister Presence; AL N; SV Fort 
  +8, Ref +5, Will +7; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 
  13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Skills: Climb +13, Concentration +6, Heal 
  +7, Jump +13, Swim +13, Tumble +12. Feats: 
  Acolyte, Combat Reflexes (b), Great Forti-
  tude, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Speed, 
  Run, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Weap-
  on Specialization (unarmed strike).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 4/2; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +1 Int): 0 — daze, 
  guidance, resistance; 1st — animate rope, 
  hypnotism, mage armor.
  Languages: Bhangari, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Green silk robe, black turban, 
  quarterstaff, two gold rings (worth 100 gp 
  each), monkey-shaped talisman on golden 
  chain (worth 50 gp).
  Description: Clad in voluminous Eastern 
  robes of the finest silk and a black turban, 
  Ranuga sports a goatee and a perpetual smirk 
  on his handsome face. Despite the teachings 
  of the cult, Ranuga is vain and enjoys material 
  pleasures. The acolytes fear him, perhaps even 
  more than the high priest.
  Tactics: Ranuga prefers to stay back and let 
  his underlings fight, although he quickly steps 
  in if opposition seems stiff, for failing to deal 
  with intruders would limit his chance of ad-
  vancement in the cult. In any case, he precasts 
  mage armor before entering combat.
  Special Note: Ranuga’s training allows him 
  to take ranks in the Tumble skill even though 
  it is not on his class skill list.
  7. Meditation Rooms
  The rooms along the southern corridor are 
  used by the adepts of the temple for prayer 
  and meditation. A secret corridor (Search DC 
  20) connects the two rooms. There is a 25% 
  chance of encountering 1d3 adepts here (see 
  Area 3 for statistics), with a 50% chance that 
  any adepts encountered are busy meditat-
  ing (suffering a -4 penalty to Spot and Listen 
  checks).
  8. Alchemical Lab
  South of Ranuga’s chamber is an alchemical 
  laboratory in which certain temple adepts ex-
  periment with various concoctions. Glass vials, 
  clay jars, and small boxes of mineral powders 
  are neatly stacked on shelves along the walls. 
  Two doses of smoke-powder and one dose of 
  fire-powder can be found among the boxes 
  (Search DC 15).
  A set of merchant’s scales stands on a table, 
  next to a pair of tongs. In one corner is a 
  pedestal with a human skull on top; the skull 
  is trapped and filled with fire-powder that 
  bursts into flame when the skull is moved or 
  otherwise disturbed. The explosion causes 4d6 
  points of damage in a 15 ft. radius (Reflex DC 
  18 for half damage) and the noise may also 
  alert any temple priests in adjacent rooms.
  There is a hidden door (Search DC 20) in the 
  south wall that exits to the corridor outside, 
  nearby the staircase to the upper temple.
  9. False Door
  Close to the staircase that leads to the upper 
  temple level is a false door. It appears locked, 
  but resists any attempts to pick the lock. This 
  iron door is magnetic, causing metal weap-
  ons striking it to become stuck; a successful 
  Strength check (DC 25) is required to pull 
  stuck items free. Those wearing breastplates 
  or heavier armor and come within 5 feet of 
  the door must make a Dexterity check, with 
  a penalty equal to the armor bonus, to avoid 
  being stuck.
  10. Temple Ape Lair
  Six months ago, Ranuga and a handful of 
  acolytes travelled to the docks of Khazabad 
  at the behest of the high priest and secretly 
  purchased a captured flesh-eating jungle ape 
  from a merchant-captain of distant Laksha. 
  The red-furred monstrosity was drugged and 
  hidden in a wagon, then smuggled back into 
  the city of Jhaddar, where it was chained in 
  the temple dungeons. Sog Sodhi hopes to 
  procure a female specimen also, in order to 
  breed several additional man-apes in captivity, 
  which can be used to guard the temple or be 
  unleashed upon the high priest’s enemies.
  The current temple ape lairs in this chamber, 
  leashed to a long chain that allows it to move 
  about the entire chamber. Along the corridors 
  leading into the ape lair are pressure-sensitive 
  flagstones (Search DC 20) that trigger hidden 
  iron portcullises (2 in. thick; Hardness 10; 
  hp 60; Lift DC 25; Break DC 28). These fall 
  down 10 feet behind the character stepping 
  on the flagstones, effectively imprisoning such 
  
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  intruders with the rabid ape and possibly cut-
  ting them off from allies. Characters who stand 
  in the squares adjacent to the falling portcullis 
  must make a Reflex save (DC 16) to dodge it; 
  those who fail suffer 3d6 points of damage and 
  are knocked prone. There are hidden levers 
  (Search DC 20) near each of the doors which 
  can be used to open and close the portcullises. 
  A secret tunnel (Search DC 20) leads from 
  this chamber to the Inner Sanctum (Area 13); 
  the tunnel is likewise trapped with a falling 
  portcullis.
  The red-furred man-ape has maximum 
  hit points. It quickly moves in to attack and 
  rend anyone foolish enough to enter its lair. 
  The mere sight of the dire ape forces a saving 
  throw against its Frightful Presence ability.
  Dire Ape: CR3; hp 53 (max).
  11. Prison Cells
  Along the southern corridor are cells holding 
  prisoners to be sacrificed to Simatala. There 
  is a 50% chance of each cell being occupied by 
  1d3 prisoners. Determine the race and profes-
  sion of each prisoner randomly.
  Prisoners who detect the PCs will plead with 
  them to be released; if ignored they become 
  frustrated and noisy, which may alert any 
  temple priests nearby.
  12. Inner Sanctum
  This sanctum is smaller than the shrine (Area 
  3) of the upper temple, and is used for smaller 
  ceremonies as well as certain grisly rituals best 
  performed below ground where screams are 
  muffled by heavy stone walls. There is a 50% 
  chance that Ranuga and 1d4+4 adepts are here 
  when the PCs enter.
  A set of double bronze doors open up into 
  the inner sanctum. The ceiling height is 25 
  feet. A raised platform, 10 feet high, runs along 
  the south wall. In the center of the room is a 
  large, 15 feet tall, green jade statue of Simatala. 
  Around the statue is a raised dais, 5 feet tall.
  The spots marked (T) are trapped with metal 
  claws that immobilizes the victim (treat as 
  entangled) if the trap “hits” (CR 2; mechanical, 
  location trigger; manual reset; Atk +12 melee 
  [3d6, metal claws]; Search DC 20; Disable 
  Device DC 20; Note: Break DC 22 to break 
  free once immobilized, each attempt causes 
  1d6 points of damage to held creature whether 
  check is successful or not).
  13. Columned Hall
  Two curtains on the north wall of the inner 
  sanctum conceal exits to a columned hall. 
  The eastern exit is trapped with a metal claw 
  trap (as described in Area 13, above). A single 
  locked door in the columned hall leads to the 
  high priest’s study.
  14. Study
  The study is furnished with silken wall hang-
  ings, a ceiling of beaten silver, a high-backed 
  hardwood chair, and a mahogany desk inlaid 
  with ivory. Atop the desk are ink and quill and 
  a selection of papers, parchments, and papyri 
  that include the administrative records of the 
  temple.
  The desk has three drawers; inside the sec-
  ond is a locked box (Hardness 5; hp 1; Break 
  DC 17; Open Lock DC 30) with 500 gp and a 
  vial of silver lotus juice.
  The Upper Temple
  Note that the upper temple is a danger-
  ous place for low-level player characters, as 
  they risk running into the high priest and his 
  bodyguards. Nevertheless, the ground level of 
  the temple is detailed here in case the PCs are 
  reckless enough to attempt a direct assault on 
  the fane of Simatala, or to sneak or bluff their 
  way through the upper level. Also, the cult-
  ists are no fools and Sog Sodhi will respond in 
  force if the adepts in the lower temple discover 
  the PCs and manage to flee and alert their 
  superiors.
  1. Temple Wall and Courtyard
  The main temple building is ringed by a 20 
  feet tall superior masonry wall (1 ft. thick; 
  Hardness 8; hp 90; Break DC 35; Climb DC 
  20). The main gate, in the western wall, is of 
  iron (2 in. thick; Hardness 10; hp 60; Break 
  DC 28; Open Lock DC 30).
  The courtyard is patrolled by eight temple 
  guards, half of which are always stationed at 
  the gate. During the day, the gate is generally 
  left open; it is closed and barred at night. The 
  temple receives few visitors and the guards 
  have orders to thoroughly inspect all strang-
  ers, who must state their business with the 
  temple or be turned away. If in doubt, the 
  guards summon one of the high priest’s body-
  guards (see Area 13) to deal with the situation.
  Temple Guards, male Bhangari Ftr1 
  (8): CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d10+4; hp 11; Init +5 
  (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 15 (+3 studded leather, +1 buckler, +1 
  Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+3 
  studded leather, +1 buckler); BAB/Grapple 
  +1/+3; Atk +4 melee (1d4+2, kukri, 18-20/
  x2); SA Brutal Charge (use full attack action in 
  same round as charging); SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Heal and Move Silently skills; AL N; SV Fort 
  +3, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 
  10, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +4, Jump +6, 
  Ride +5. Feats: Combat Reflexes (b), Im-
  proved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus 
  (kukri).
  Languages: Bhangari.
  Possessions: Studded leather, buckler, kukri, 
  keys to temple gate and temple entrance, 1d6 
  gp.
  
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  Description: Eastern warriors, with distinc-
  tive curved blades and colorful armor.
  Tactics: These guards are not part of the re-
  ligious hierarchy of the cult. They are loyal to 
  the temple as long as they get paid, but do not 
  risk their lives unless they believe that failure 
  will cause the cult to hunt them down.
  2. Temple Entrance
  A broad stairway leads up to a columned 
  portico. Beyond a pair of strong wooden doors 
  (2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; 
  Open Lock 30) is the shrine of the ape-god. 
  An additional four temple guards are posted 
  on the portico. There are auxiliary doors at the 
  back of the temple used by the temple guards 
  to enter and exit the building; the wandering 
  guard patrols check these doors with regular 
  intervals.
  Temple Guards (4): CR 1; hp 11; see Area 
  1.
  
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  3. Shrine of Simatala
  This huge rectangular room is dominated 
  by a 15 feet tall white jade statue of a grin-
  ning man-ape with taloned hands and feet. 
  There is a secret door (Search DC 30) in the 
  wall behind the bestial idol. At any given time, 
  there is a 50% chance that 1d3+2 adepts are 
  here, engaged in meditation and prayer (see 
  Area 3 of the Lower Temple for statistics). The 
  high priest, Sog Sodhi, is here 15% of the time, 
  along with two of his bodyguards (see Areas 13 
  and 14 for statistics).
  A number of continually burning bronze 
  censers fill the shrine with the sickly sweet 
  smell of incense of hallucination. The priests 
  and adepts of the temple are immune to its 
  effects due to long-term exposure, but any oth-
  ers (including the temple guards) must either 
  hold their breath here or suffer the effects of a 
  confusion spell (Will DC 17 negates).
  4. Temple Guard Barracks
  Several spacious rooms at the back of the 
  temple house the temple guards. Each room 
  is furnished with eight simple beds, a few 
  chairs and a table, upon which is a scattering 
  of copper coins, food scraps, dice, and a few 
  half-empty bottles of wine. Half of the temple 
  guards are sleeping or relaxing in these rooms 
  while the other half is on duty, but if alerted to 
  trouble they quickly gather their weapons and 
  hastily don their armor.
  Temple Guards (12): CR 1; hp 11; see Area 
  1.
  5. Stairway to Lower Temple
  The stair in this crescent-shaped room at the 
  back of the temple leads down to the Lower 
  Temple. An iron portcullis (2 in. thick; Hard-
  ness 10; hp 60; Lift DC 25; Break DC 28; Open 
  Lock DC 30) can be lowered from the ceiling 
  at a landing 15 feet downstairs. The high priest 
  and his adepts may use this portcullis to seal 
  the upper or lower temple level if they are 
  alerted to the presence of intruders.
  6. Kitchen
  The temple kitchen is spartan and the pantry 
  contains little except large sacks of rice and 
  water-filled clay jars, as befits an order of 
  ascetics. Junior priests perform all menial 
  tasks such as cooking and cleaning as part of 
  their training; the temple does not employ any 
  slaves or servants.
  7. Dining Hall
  The dining hall seats up to 30 people around 
  a sturdy wooden table. The junior priests eat 
  once per day at sunrise, while the high priest 
  and his henchmen eat at sundown.
  8. Meditation Rooms
  The priests of the temple practice medita-
  tion techniques in several large rooms, sitting 
  immovable and silent in the lotus position for 
  hours on end on the cold stone floors.
  There is a 25% chance of encountering 1d2 
  adepts here (see Area 3 of the lower temple for 
  statistics), with a 75% chance that any adepts 
  encountered are busy meditating (suffering a 
  -4 penalty to Spot and Listen checks).
  9. Training Hall
  When not meditating or sleeping, cult mem-
  bers can perfect their martial arts skills using 
  this well-equipped training hall. It is furnished 
  with soft mats, racks with wooden practice 
  swords and staffs, and several different train-
  ing apparatuses.
  10. Acolyte Rooms
  These six rooms are reserved for members 
  of the cult who have gained the special title 
  of Adept of the Yellow Mountain. The title 
  alludes to the fact that the ape-god Simatala is 
  believed to live atop a mist-shrouded “Yel-
  low Mountain”. To advance beyond 3rd level 
  within the cult, each adept must undergo a 
  special trial of strength, willpower and martial 
  arts prowess.
  Adepts of the Yellow Mountain, male 
  Bhangari Ftr4 (6): CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d10; 
  hp 31; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 
  Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+12; Atk +9 melee 
  (1d3+2, unarmed strike, 20/x2); SA Brutal 
  Charge (use full attack action in same round 
  as charging); SQ +2 racial bonus to Heal and 
  Move Silently skills; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, 
  Will +3; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 14, 
  Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Swim +11, Tum-
  ble +10. Feats: Combat Reflexes (b), Fanati-
  cal Fighting, Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon 
  Focus (unarmed strike), Weapon Specializa-
  tion (unarmed strike).
  Languages: Bhangari, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Yellow robe, black turban.
  Description: Similar to the other adepts of 
  the temple, but with golden robes to mark 
  their status.
  Tactics: Grapple attacks is a favorite of these 
  unarmed fighters.
  Special Note: The training of these adepts 
  allow them to take ranks in the Tumble skill 
  even though it is not on their class skill list.
  11. Secret Corridor
  A secret corridor leads from the shrine (Area 
  3) to the back of the temple, near the high 
  priest’s chamber (Area 14). Each door in the 
  
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  secret corridor is concealed to appear as part 
  of the wall (Search DC 20); they can be opened 
  by pressing small, hidden pressure-plates near 
  the floor.
  12. The Apes of Wisdom
  The cult of Simatala worships the strength of 
  the great jungle apes of Laksha, but through 
  his studies in the west, Sog Sodhi has learned 
  of the religious significance of baboons in the 
  nearby land of Yar-Ammon, where these small 
  but aggressive and carnivorous creatures are 
  associated with bloodthirst, fertility, oracles, 
  and hidden wisdom.
  The high priest has procured a number of 
  baboons from Yar-Ammonite temples, often 
  through bribery and theft of sacred animals 
  believed to have oracular powers. In the bab-
  bling and screaming of such sacred baboons, 
  the adepts of Simatala seek to find wisdom and 
  hidden truths, so far without much luck.
  Each of these square cells contain two ba-
  boons. They are highly aggressive and attempt 
  to bite anyone coming near.
  Baboons (20): CR ½; hp 5.
  13. Antechambers
  Each of these large and comfortable rooms 
  is occupied by one of Sog Sodhi’s bodyguards, 
  who are hand-picked fighting-men from Gho-
  ma. They attend the high priest at a moment’s 
  notice whenever he requests it. They do not 
  belong to the religious hierarchy of the temple, 
  but command the temple guards, and often go 
  on special missions outside the temple.
  High Priest’s Bodyguards, male Bhan-
  gari Ftr7 (2): CR 7; SZ M; HD 7d10+14; 
  hp 60; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 
  (+5 chainmail, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), 
  flat-footed 15 (+5 chainmail); BAB/Grapple 
  +7/+11; Atk +12 melee (2d6+8, great scimitar, 
  18-20/x2); Full Atk +12/+7 melee (2d6+8, 
  great scimitar, 18-20/x2); SA Brutal Charge 
  (use full attack action in same round as charg-
  ing); SQ +2 racial bonus to Heal and Move 
  Silently skills; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +3, Will 
  +5; Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 
  11.
  Skills: Climb +14, Intimidate +10, Jump +14. 
  Feats: Combat Reflexes (b), Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (great scimitar), Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Iron 
  Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (great 
  scimitar), Weapon Specialization (great scimi-
  tar).
  Languages: Bhangari.
  Possessions: Chainmail, great scimitar, white 
  turban.
  Description: These bearded and turbaned 
  brutes carry large oriental swords, and have 
  embroidered tunics over their glittering armor.
  Tactics: These skilled fighters employ Power 
  Attack, charges, and bull rushes to good effect.
  14. High Priest’s Chamber
  The high priest Sog Sodhi works and sleeps 
  in this large but surprisingly spartan chamber, 
  furnished only with a simple bed, a chair and 
  a desk, and a cupboard filled with sorcerous 
  paraphernalia.
  A heavy chest (Hardness 5; hp 15; Break 
  DC 23; Open Lock DC 30) is hidden under a 
  flagstone in the floor (Search DC 30); it is pro-
  tected with an explosive runes spell and con-
  tains the funds of the temple (currently some 
  30,000 gp worth of silver and gold coins).
  There are two secret exits (Search DC 25) in 
  the room which can only be opened from the 
  inside (treat as a regular wall from the other 
  side). Only the high priest knows about these 
  means of escape.
  Sog Sodhi, High Priest of Simatala, 
  male Bhangari Ftr4/Sor8: CR 12; SZ M; 
  HD 4d10 plus 8d4; hp 55; Init +2 (+2 Dex); 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 Dex), touch 
  12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); 
  BAB/Grapple +8/+10; Atk +12 melee (1d6+5, 
  quarterstaff, 20/x2); Full Atk +12/+7 melee 
  (1d6+5, quarterstaff, 20/x2); SA Brutal Charge 
  
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  (use full attack action in same round as charg-
  ing), Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Heal and 
  Move Silently skills, Sinister Presence, Master 
  of Lost Languages and Arcane Mysteries; AL 
  N; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +9; Str 14, Dex 14, 
  Con 11, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 14.
  Skills: Climb +9, Concentration +11, Craft 
  (alchemy) +14, Decipher Script +14, Handle 
  Animal +9, Heal +13, Intimidate +9, Jump 
  +9, Knowledge (religion) +14, Spellcraft +14, 
  Swim +9, Tumble +9. Feats: Combat Cast-
  ing, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes (b), 
  Dodge, Extend Spell, Fanatical Fighting, Grisly 
  Sacrifice, Leadership, Mobility, Spell Focus (il-
  lusion), Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (quar-
  terstaff), Weapon Specialization (quarterstaff).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/3/3/2; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 0 
  — daze, guidance, know direction, resistance; 
  1st — animate rope, hypnotism, mage armor, 
  sanctuary, speak with animals; 2nd — au-
  gury, death knell, hypnotic pattern, protec-
  tion from arrows; 3rd — dispel magic, hold 
  person, prayer; 4th — confusion, lesser geas, 
  phantasmal killer, resilient sphere.
  Languages: Bhangari, Khazistani, Jairanian, 
  Yar-Ammonite.
  Possessions: Blue silken robes, turban inset 
  with fire opal (worth 1,000 gp), masterwork 
  quarterstaff, globe of entrancement.
  Description: Oiled black beard, turban set 
  with gem, unnaturally tall, blue silken robes 
  with gold trim. Sog Sodhi does not care for 
  material wealth in itself, but craves power over 
  other people, who are seen as inferior by the 
  conceited magician.
  Tactics: The high priest precasts mage 
  armor and protection from arrows as soon as 
  any alarm is raised. He expends his highest-
  level spells first, using phantasmal killer, 
  resilient sphere and hold person to kill or 
  immobilise heavily armed fighters and rival 
  spellcasters. If he runs out of high-level spells, 
  he leaps into melee, using his Tumble and 
  Spring Attack to hit opponents, then retreat 
  before they can strike back.
  Special Note: Sog Sodhi’s training allows him 
  to take ranks in the Tumble skill even though 
  it is not on his class skill list.
  Conclusion
  The conclusion of this adventure depends on 
  the original mission of the player characters 
  and their reason for going into the temple of 
  Simatala. Even if the PCs successfully infiltrate 
  the temple and manage to get out alive, they 
  may have further adventures in which they are 
  hunted down by the acolytes of the cult.
  If the PCs fail: PCs captured by the cultists 
  of Simatala face a horrible sacrificial death on 
  the white jade altar of the grisly ape-god. If he 
  is in a good mood, the high priest Sog Sodhi 
  might instead employ a lesser geas spell on 
  any player characters captured alive, send-
  ing them on a mission to further his own evil 
  plans.
  
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  The Crypt-Thing 
  of Khorsul
  ”As I told you longe ago, do not calle up That 
  which you can not put downe; either from 
  dead Saltes or out of ye Spheres beyond. Have 
  ye Wordes for laying at all times readie, and 
  stopp not to be sure when there is any Doubte 
  of Whom you have.” — H. P. Lovecraft: The 
  Case of Charles Dexter Ward
  Setting: Wilderness (Mountains) and Dun-
  geon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 4th- and 5th-level characters.
  Introduction
  The monarchs of Taraam and Lamu both lay 
  claim to the mountainous border area between 
  the two nations, but in truth local strongmen 
  hold the real power. In the forested valley of 
  Khorsul, slashed in two by the fast-flowing Su-
  liyah river, two ruthless men spend their days 
  and nights pursuing a generations-old feud 
  between their clans.
  Numas of Taraam is lord of a fortified estate 
  on the cultivated plains of the valley floor, 
  south of the river. His fields and groves of fruit 
  trees are worked by Taraamite serfs. Numas’ 
  forefathers bought a piece of land from the im-
  poverished line of Gasparus, who were forced 
  to sell some land in order to survive.
  Gasparus is a minor, impoverished noble 
  of Lamu. His family has been charged with 
  defending the mountainous borders of Khor-
  sul in southeast Lamu against Taraam and 
  Susrah. He lives in an old border fortress, an 
  impregnable mountain castle. He lords it over 
  several clans of goat-herders and herders of 
  long-horned cattle, who live in a small village 
  near the castle.
  Numas and Gasparus are rivals and the 
  people of the divided valley live with an uneasy 
  peace. Gasparus envies the wealthy Numas, 
  while Numas considers Gasparus an uncivi-
  lized brute, little more than a bandit chieftain.
  The scholarly Numas, in his late forties, 
  secretly dabbles in sorcery. He seeks eternal 
  life, or at least to extend his lifespan. Numas 
  has acquired certain texts from Susrahnite 
  scholars, and has performed several dread-
  ful rituals and experiments on his serfs. One 
  of these rituals failed miserably, and the serf 
  who seemingly died, was raised as a horrible, 
  unkillable, undead “thing”.
  By use of an amulet procured previously 
  from priests of Belet-Lil, Numas kept the thing 
  at bay while his mercenaries managed to seal 
  the undead in a stone sarcophagus. But the 
  noble feared having the thing on his estate and 
  sought to hide his sorcerous dabbling from his 
  servants and the king’s ear. Therefore, Numas 
  trusted to his henchman, Iskander, to take the 
  sarcophagus up into the mountains and seal it 
  in a cave to prevent it from breaking free.
  But Iskander betrayed Numas. He returned 
  from the mountains, only to steal the amulet 
  from Numas and flee the manor-house along 
  with a handful of Numas’ mercenary guards. 
  The band sought refuge in the castle of Gas-
  parus. With the amulet in his possession, the 
  Lamuran is now blackmailing Numas. If the 
  Taraamite doesn’t give up his riches and his 
  lands to Gasparus, the Lamuran threatens to 
  unleash the crypt-thing.
  Numas has a problem. The castle of Gas-
  parus is impregnable to his mercenaries. He 
  needs to retrieve the amulet, then destroy the 
  crypt-thing. Only Iskander knows where in the 
  mountains the thing is hidden, so he needs the 
  Lamuran taken alive.
  Adventure Synopsis
  Through appropriate circumstances (see 
  suggestions below), the player characters come 
  into the employ of Numas. The Taraamite 
  explains his feud with Gasparus and his 
  “brigands”. He feeds the PCs lies about how 
  Gasparus is rumored to dabble in sorcery. 
  Fearing that he will become the target of a 
  “death spell”, Numas says Gasparus has an 
  amulet which protects against sorcery, and he 
  wants the PCs to steal it from the Lamuran.
  The player characters can either proceed 
  directly to sneak into or attack Castle Gas-
  parus, or they can spend some time in the 
  area to investigate Numas’ claims. If the truth 
  is revealed, they might even switch sides and 
  try to unleash the crypt-thing on Numas to 
  get revenge. But Numas has many spies and 
  he sends his Susrahnite mercenaries after the 
  PCs.
  
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  On the other hand, if the PCs manage to steal 
  back the amulet without uncovering the truth, 
  Numas sends them into the mountains to find 
  and destroy “a sorcerous abomination cre-
  ated by Gasparus”. If Gasparus is still alive, he 
  arrives with his men to make sure Numas falls 
  victim to his own sorcery.
  Of course, once the crypt-thing is destroyed, 
  Numas has no more use for the player char-
  acters, and will seek to betray them as soon as 
  possible.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started:
   — One of the player characters is a distant 
  relative of Numas. The PC receives a plea for 
  help from Numas and is honor-bound, by vir-
  tue of his noble blood, to come to his relative’s 
  assistance.
  — The party is traveling through the moun-
  tains and valleys near the Lamuran border 
  when they are attacked by an overwhelming 
  force of hill bandits (who may or may not be 
  in league with Gasparus). The PCs are rescued 
  by a troop of mercenaries in the employ of 
  Numas, and are invited back to his mansion.
  — A servant of Numas hires the player char-
  acters as mercenaries in one of the southern 
  cities. With the servant as guide, the PCs travel 
  north towards the mountainous border area 
  between Taraam and Lamu.
  The Sorcerer and the Wolf
  The adventure begins when the player 
  characters arrive at the estate of Lord Numas 
  in the valley of Khorsul. Servants take care 
  of baggage and bring the player characters 
  refreshments. Then Numas meets with the PCs 
  in the dining hall and tells them about his feud 
  with Gasparus, “the Wolf”, whose Lamuran 
  horsemen are a constant harassment to his 
  estate and the peasants working the fields and 
  orchards. Gasparus has become wealthy from 
  this raiding, while Numas is on the verge of 
  financial ruin.
  Worse yet, it is rumored that Gasparus is 
  dabbling in sorcery and Numas fears that he 
  may soon be the target of a dread curse or 
  death spell. But Numas knows that Gasparus 
  has a medallion of Susrahnite origin, which 
  can protect the wearer against sorcery. Numas 
  wants the PCs to sneak into the castle and steal 
  the amulet, then return to the estate with it. 
  Gasparus himself should not be harmed, since 
  that could spark off a full-scale war between 
  Lamu and Taraam.
  Furthermore, if possible, Numas also wants 
  the PCs to kidnap Gasparus’ “son” (here he 
  gives a description of Iskander, who has an 
  ugly red scar across his right cheek), so that 
  Numas may hold him for ransom to negotiate 
  and get back some of the wealth which Gaspar-
  us’ raiders have stolen from the estate.
  Development: Unless one or more of the 
  PCs are honor-bound or willing to help Numas 
  for free, the Taraamite lord offers to reward 
  each player character with up to 250 gp (adjust 
  as appropriate to your player characters) for 
  retrieving the amulet and kidnapping Is-
  kander.
  The player characters might wonder why Nu-
  mas doesn’t send his own mercenary guards 
  to Castle Gasparus, in which case he responds 
  that the Susrahnite mercenaries are good 
  for guard duty and fighting, but other, more 
  specialized skills are required for sneaking into 
  the castle.
  The DM might allow a Sense Motive check 
  (DC 25) to get the feeling that something is 
  wrong, but only if a player has a specific rea-
  son to suspect Numas.
  Numas expects the player characters to set 
  off for Castle Gasparus as soon as possible, 
  although the PCs might want to explore the 
  estate, or speak with Numas’ servants. Numas 
  is no fool and has one or more of his guards 
  follow the PCs around to make sure that they 
  can’t do either. Determined player characters 
  might still be able to create a diversion. For 
  exploration of the estate, see the description 
  below. With regard to an interrogation of 
  the servants, although the servants fear their 
  master and are reluctant to speak with the 
  strangers, a successful Gather Information 
  check (DC 15) allows the PCs to learn that 
  Numas is not as poor as he pretends, and that 
  he is quite a harsh master towards his serfs; 
  sometimes people have been whipped to death 
  for disobedience or indolence, but after all, 
  that is the rightful privilege of a feudal lord 
  of Taraam. The servants do not know about 
  Numas’ sorcerous dabbling, however, and the 
  Susrahnite mercenaries are not talking.
  The Amulet of Belet-Lil
  This small golden amulet, carved with 
  the image of the goddess and hung from a 
  thin golden chain, was crafted by the priest 
  Narnash-Girbu of Ghezath.
  If the wearer is a spellcaster, the amulet 
  raises his effective level by +2 with regard 
  to castable spells per day (including the 
  ability to cast spells of a higher level than 
  normal, although such spells must be stud-
  ied and learned as usual). It does not grant 
  any other level-dependent benefits.
  For any wearer, the amulet confers a 
  limited protection against undead, for the 
  wearer can employ a halt undead spell 
  at caster level 12 and Will DC 18 against 
  nearby undead. However, for each round 
  that this power is in effect, the wearer is 
  drained of life and suffers 1 point of tempo-
  rary Constitution damage. If Constitution 
  reaches zero, the wearer dies. The amulet 
  of Belet-Lil cannot be used by creatures 
  without Constitution scores.
  
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  The Valley of Khorsul
  The valley is divided by the Suliyah river. On 
  the north side of the river is the small vil-
  lage which gives the valley its name. Further 
  to the north is the foothills of the Lamuran 
  mountains. Castle Gasparus is built in a steep 
  hillside there. The south end of the valley is 
  covered with forest, except for the fields and 
  orchards belonging to Numas’ estate. There 
  is a lake in the center of the valley; the south 
  shore is snake-infested marshland, while the 
  north shore of the lake is rocky with several 
  small bays. A dozen fishing vessels belonging 
  to the villagers of Khorsul can be found there.
  The Goat-Herder’s Story
  A small but well-kept stone bridge spans the 
  Suliyah in the center of the valley. The bridge 
  is unguarded.
  Near the bridge is a little-used little-used 
  trail (Search DC 18) that leads towards the 
  western forest. The main road continues due 
  north from the bridge.
  Development: If the player characters 
  choose to follow the trail, they reach the forest 
  when they see a young boy (male Lamuran 
  Com1) being attacked by a monstrous boar. 
  The boy has climbed up a tree, but the boar is 
  about to crush the tree with a powerful charge.
  If the PCs save the boy, Pavlas, he offers 
  them information in return. Pavlas tells the 
  player characters that he saw a group of men 
  transporting a large, bulky object, some sort of 
  box or crate, drawn by two horses, up into the 
  mountains some weeks ago. The leader had 
  an ugly red scar across his face. The PCs may 
  make an Intelligence check (DC 15) to recog-
  nize this as Iskander from Numas’ description 
  of Gasparus’ “son”. Pavlas memorized the 
  location and can actually lead the party to the 
  secret cave in the mountains. If the PCs go to 
  the cave, don’t forget that they are likely being 
  shadowed by the mercenaries of Numas.
  Dire Boar: CR 4; hp 52.
  The Village of Khorsul
  Khorsul (hamlet): Conventional; 100 gp 
  limit; Assets 1,100 gp; Population 220; Iso-
  lated (Lamuran 96%, Taraamites 3%, Others 
  1%).
  Authority Figures: Zhakov, male Lamuran 
  Ftr2 (village elder).
  Important Characters: Baikar, male 
  Lamuran Ftr3 (blacksmith); Mihalek, male 
  Lamuran Rog2 (agent of Gasparus).
  Notes: The village of Khorsul sits in the foot-
  hills of the Lamuran mountains a few miles 
  away from Castle Gasparus. The place stinks 
  of garbage and filth, and the buildings are 
  ramshackle, built from crudely hewn logs and 
  stone from the hills. The poor souls who call 
  this home and eke out a living here are goat-
  herders, hunters, and fishermen of the nearby 
  lake. Still, they are men and women of Lamu 
  and live under the protection of Gasparus and 
  his horsemen.
  Noteworthy locations in the village include 
  the market square, a smithy, and a small 
  tavern. The place rarely receives visitors, and 
  the locals look upon all strangers with great 
  suspicion. Gasparus has a few spies among 
  the men here, reporting back to him on any 
  unusual events.
  Development: If the PCs make a stop in 
  the village, they quickly realize that the people 
  are impoverished, and find the villagers (male 
  and female Lamuran Com1) quite unfriendly, 
  if not outright hostile. It requires a successful 
  Diplomacy check (DC 25) to learn anything 
  useful from the villagers. This includes com-
  monly known facts about the valley and Castle 
  Gasparus. If asked directly about it, all in the 
  village will deny that Gasparus has anything 
  to do with sorcery. If the Diplomacy check was 
  successful, a Gather Information check (DC 
  15) can be made to learn that a former servant 
  from the estate across the river has recently 
  taken up abode in Castle Gasparus and now 
  works as Gasparus’ lieutenant.
  The Estate of Numas
  The estate of the Taraamite noble Numas 
  covers several acres. There are grain fields, 
  orchards, and groves of citrus trees. Close to a 
  hundred serfs work on the estate. In addition, 
  there are two dozen mercenaries employed by 
  Numas to keep guard against Gasparus and 
  the Lamurans on the other side of the river.
  1. Outer Wall
  The gravelled road leading up the estate is 
  flanked by neat rows of planted trees. The 
  outer wall is a 15 feet tall superior masonry 
  wall (1 ft. thick; Hardness 8; hp 90; Break DC 
  35; Climb DC 20).
  2. Main Gate
  The gate is a strong wooden door (2 in. thick; 
  Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock 
  DC 30). The gate can also be barred from the 
  inside; this adds +2 to the Break DC. The coat-
  of-arms of Numas is painted in silver and red 
  across the door.
  There are two mercenary guards (see Area 
  13) posted at the gate.
  3. Stables
  This simple, rectangular building holds half 
  a dozen horses, including a white mare used 
  by Numas himself. This has the statistics of 
  a light warhorse. The remainder are auburn 
  stallions, heavy horses used as workhorses on 
  the fields.
  
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  4. Storehouse
  This large toolshed is locked. It contains a 
  collection of various tools and farming equip-
  ment, including hammers, shovels, picks, 
  baskets and boxes, lengths of rope, and flasks 
  of oil.
  5. Well
  The well is 40 feet deep, fed by an under-
  ground stream of the Suliyah river to the 
  north. The well is protected by a wooden roof.
  6. Portico
  The entrance to the estate is decorated by 
  five circular columns of stone, carved with the 
  heraldry of Numas. The main door is a strong 
  wooden door (2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; 
  Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 30).
  There is a single mercenary guard (see Area 
  13) posted outside the main door.
  7. Dining Hall
  This large hall is decorated with rows of ant-
  lers set along the walls. The floor is covered by 
  carpets of intricate Taraamite design. Candles 
  set in silver candlesticks illuminate the room. 
  There is a great table of hardwood here, with 
  chairs for eight persons to dine in addition to 
  the lord of the estate, whose high-backed chair 
  is placed against the eastern wall.
  8. Kitchen
  Here are tables and cupboards with wooden 
  utensils, dried herbs, fresh meat, and a collec-
  tion of fine wines. There are 1d3 servants here 
  at any time during the day.
  9. Servants’ Wing
  The servants of the estate (male and female 
  Taraamite Com1) live in these small chambers 
  in the north wing of the mansion. Their situ-
  ation is slightly better than that of the serfs 
  working the fields, but on the other hand they 
  are more frequently subject to the sadistic 
  whims of Numas. The unmarried girls among 
  the servants are often taken to the master’s 
  bedroom; those who refuse are flogged or 
  worse.
  There are around 15 servants in the mansion, 
  and more than 80 working in the fields.
  10. Lounge and Library
  The outer room has four cedarwood chairs, 
  one in each corner. Behind a crimson curtain 
  to the west is a small library. The modest col-
  lection of books, parchments and even some 
  Yar-Ammonite papyri is quite valuable (worth 
  a total of 2,000 gp), but is mostly poetry, 
  historical treatises and other quite ordinary 
  books. The sorcerous tomes Numas has pro-
  cured are hidden in his secret chamber (below 
  Area 12).
  11. Master’s Office
  This opulent room has a fireplace, several 
  silver-framed paintings with motifs from the 
  court life of Achad, and a cedarwood desk set 
  with a feathered inkpen and a stack of papers 
  related to the administration of the estate. The 
  door to the room is always locked.
  12. Master Bedroom
  Like Numas’ office (Area 11), this room is 
  also always kept locked. A large bed covered 
  with stained silken sheets stands against the 
  northern wall. The floor is a mosaic with erotic 
  scenes of horned satyrs and winged succubi. 
  A secret trapdoor is cleverly hidden within 
  the mosaic (Search DC 25). If the trapdoor 
  is not opened the proper way, the intruder 
  risks releasing a dose of contact poison (CR 5; 
  mechanical; touch trigger [attached]; manual 
  reset; poison [nitharit, DC 13 Fortitude save 
  resists, 0/3d6 Con]; Search DC 25; Disable 
  Device DC 19).
  The Estate of Numas
  Standard Features: Unless noted oth-
  erwise, all interior doors are good wooden 
  doors (1 1/2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; 
  Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described 
  as locked). Ceiling height is 10 feet in nor-
  mal rooms.
  Lighting: The estate is illuminated by 
  wall-hung torches in most rooms.
  
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  The secret entrance leads down, by a short 
  flight of stairs, to a rectangular room which 
  has the same dimensions as the bedroom 
  above. This is Numas’ secret magic-working 
  room. There is a great pentacle painted with 
  blood on the floor, and heavy black candles 
  are placed along the walls. On a shelf along the 
  northern wall are several clay tablets of Sus-
  rahnite origin. These contain magical spells, 
  necromantic rites, and studies on the subject 
  of eternal life.
  Lord Numas, Master of the Estate, 
  male Taraamite Ari2/Sor7: CR 9; SZ M; 
  HD 2d8+2 plus 7d4+7; hp 46; Init +2 (+2 
  Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 
  Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+6; Atk +8 melee 
  (1d10+3, bastard sword, 19-20/x2); SA Spells; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Knowl-
  edge (all) skills, +4 racial bonus to saving 
  throws against poison, Sinister Presence, Mas-
  ter of Lost Languages and Arcane Mysteries; 
  AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 14, Dex 
  14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 14.
  
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  Skills: Appraise +8, Bluff +7, Concentration 
  +11, Decipher Script +13, Diplomacy +7, Heal 
  +11, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +13, 
  Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge (nobility) 
  +8, Ride +7, Spellcraft +13, Spot +6, Swim +7. 
  Feats: Combat Casting, Dodge, Great Forti-
  tude, Leadership, Ride-By Attack (b), Silent 
  Spell, Sympathetic Magic, Weapon Focus 
  (bastard sword).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 
  0 — arcane mark, know direction; 1st — mage 
  armor, ray of enfeeblement, witch-fire; 2nd 
  — augury, false life, incantation of the broken 
  limb; 3rd — bestow curse, speak with dead, 
  vampiric touch; 4th — curse of green decay, 
  lesser geas, poison.
  Languages: Taraamite, Susrahnite, Lamu-
  ran, Nabastissean.
  Possessions: Noble’s clothes, masterwork 
  bastard sword, two gold rings (worth 100 gp 
  each).
  Description: Lord Numas is middle-aged, 
  but still handsome, tall and regal. He wears 
  a purple cloak of Ghazorite wool and always 
  carries his heirloom sword in his belt, to keep 
  up the appearance that he is a fighting-man 
  rather than a spellcaster.
  Tactics: Numas does not yet master many 
  directly offensive spells, so he prefers to stay 
  away from melee, relying on his Sinister Pres-
  ence ability to avoid opponents. He precasts 
  mage armor and false life if he has the op-
  portunity.
  13. Barracks
  These spacious rooms hold the mercenary 
  guards which Numas employs. In the outer 
  room are ten comfortable chairs and a worn 
  table upon which are scattered scraps of food, 
  playing-cards and dice. The inner room is 
  furnished with a dozen green divans. Hidden 
  under a loose floorboard (Search DC 18) is a 
  silver helmet (worth 40 gp) and a pile of gold 
  coins (a total of 85 gp).
  Zaltutim, Mercenary Captain, male 
  Susrahnite Ftr6: CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d10+6; 
  hp 52; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 20 ft.; AC 18 (+5 breastplate, +3 
  Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 15 (+5 
  breastplate); BAB/Grapple +6/+10; Atk +11 
  melee (1d6+6, scimitar, 18-20/x2) or +10 
  ranged (1d10+4, Susrahnite longbow, 20/
  x3, range increment 120 ft.); Full Atk +11/+6 
  melee (1d6+6, scimitar, 18-20/x2) or +10/+5 
  ranged (1d10+4, Susrahnite longbow, 20/x3, 
  range increment 120 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (religion) 
  skills; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +4; Str 
  18, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +13, Intimidate +9, Jump +13, 
  Swim +13. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Exotic 
  Weapon Proficiency (Susrahnite longbow), 
  Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative 
  (b), Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, 
  Weapon Focus (scimitar), Weapon Specializa-
  tion (scimitar).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Taraamite.
  Possessions: Breastplate, scimitar, Susrah-
  nite longbow (+4 Strength rating), 30 arrows, 
  45 gp.
  Description: Zaltutim is the leader of a 
  mercenary company and Numas’ current 
  right-hand man. He was ever in the shadow of 
  Iskander, Numas’ former favorite, and looks 
  forward to getting his revenge on the man now 
  that he has fallen out with Numas.
  Tactics: Zaltutim’s tactics are simple. Like his 
  fellow mercenaries, he attempts to take down 
  as many opponents as possible with his bow 
  first, then leaps into melee with his scimitar.
  Mercenary Guards, male Susrahnite 
  Ftr2 (20 total): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d10+2; hp 
  17; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+3 studded leather, +2 Dex), 
  touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 13 (+3 studded 
  leather); BAB/Grapple +2/+5; Atk +7 melee 
  (1d6+3, scimitar, 18-20/x2) or +5 ranged 
  (1d10+3, Susrahnite longbow, 20/x3, range 
  increment 120 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to 
  Appraise and Knowledge (religion) skills; AL 
  N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 14, 
  Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +8, Jump +8, Swim +8. Feats: 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Susrahnite long-
  bow), Improved Initiative (b), Point Blank 
  Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (scimitar).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Studded leather, scimitar, 
  Susrahnite longbow (+3 Strength rating), 30 
  arrows, 1d8 gp.
  Description: These are mercenary warriors 
  from the Susrahnite city-states to the south. 
  They are dressed in a variety of styles, reflect-
  ing their individual natures.
  Tactics: The guards use their bows (with 
  Rapid Shot) to wear down opponents before 
  they close with their swords.
  Castle Gasparus
  The castle is located among the steep slopes 
  of the Lamuran mountains, just above the 
  tree line, overlooking the Khorsul valley from 
  a strategic position. A narrow, winding path 
  leads from the valley up to the castle. The hills 
  around the fortress are steep and difficult to 
  Climb (DC 20).
  1. Gatehouse
  The winding trail from the valley eventually 
  leads up to the forbidding, 20 feet tall castle 
  walls (Climb DC 20). Right in front of the gate-
  house is a 60 feet deep ravine; the bottom of 
  
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  the chasm is filled with a mix of bones and gar-
  bage. A drawbridge can be lowered from inside 
  the gatehouse to allow visitors entry. It takes a 
  move action to lower the drawbridge, but the 
  bridge doesn’t come down until the beginning 
  of the lowering character’s next turn. It takes a 
  full-round action to raise the drawbridge; the 
  drawbridge is up at the end of the action.
  Further back, there is a wooden portcullis 
  (3 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 30; Lift DC 25; 
  Break DC 25). In the gatehouse above, there is 
  a murder hole for pouring boiling water (2d6 
  points of damage, unload every other round) 
  or rocks (1d6 points of damage) down on in-
  truders while they assault the portcullis.
  The gatehouse towers have arrow slits which 
  provide cover to the guards, who are armed 
  with longbows. Archers in the towers gain a 
  +1 to attack rolls for attacking from higher 
  ground.
  There are two guards (see Area 3) posted in 
  each tower at any time. They can be assumed 
  to take 10 on Spot and Listen checks.
  2. Stable
  This long wooden building holds two dozen 
  light warhorses of Lamuran breed, as well as 
  grain-sacks, saddles, and one suit of chain 
  shirt barding for Gasparus’ steed, a magnifi-
  cent black stallion with maximum hit points. 
  The door to the stable is locked.
  3. Barracks
  This hall is filled with bunk beds and dust-
  stained blankets. Scraps of food, small weap-
  ons and pieces of armor are scattered around 
  the room. Around a third of Gasparus’ men 
  can be found here at any time, with a 70% 
  chance that they have 1d3 visiting girls from 
  the village.
  The smaller room to the east is the private 
  quarters of Iskander, who used to be Numas’ 
  henchman but betrayed him and is now the 
  lieutenant of Gasparus. It has plain and un-
  adorned blue tapestries hanging on the walls, 
  a medium-sized bed, and a worn but comfort-
  able chair.
  Lamuran Warriors, the “Wolves of 
  Gasparus”, male Lamuran Ftr2 (30 
  total): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d10+5; hp 18; Init 
  +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 17 (+4 scale mail, 
  +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 14 
  (+4 scale mail); BAB/Grapple +2/+6; Atk +6 
  melee (1d8+4, battleaxe, 20/x3) or +6 me-
  lee (1d8+4, lance, 20/x3, reach 10 ft.) or +6 
  ranged (1d8, heavy crossbow, 19-20/x2, range 
  increment 120 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Move Silently and Sleight of Hand 
  skills, Uncanny Luck (once per day, reroll any 
  die roll and keep best result); AL N; SV Fort 
  +4, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 
  11, Wis 10, Cha 9.
  Skills: Climb +9, Jump +9, Ride +8. Feats: 
  Eyes of the Cat (b), Mounted Combat, Ride-
  By Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (heavy 
  crossbow).
  Languages: Lamuran.
  Possessions: Scale mail, battleaxe, heavy 
  crossbow, 12 bolts, light warhorse, 1d4 gp.
  Description: Fierce mountain-men with 
  grizzled beards, mistrust in their eyes and cold 
  steel in their hands, these men are very loyal 
  to Gasparus and seek to protect his lands and 
  villages against any intruders.
  Tactics: If encountered outside Castle Gas-
  parus, these men are mounted on light war-
  horses and use lances to deal double damage 
  with a charge. When defending the castle, they 
  employ their heavy crossbows from behind 
  arrow slits, gaining cover, or otherwise wield 
  battleaxes.
  Iskander, the Traitor, male Taraamite 
  Ftr4/Rog3: CR 7; SZ M; HD 4d10+4 plus 
  3d6+3; hp 43; Init +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (+4 chain shirt, 
  +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 14 
  (+4 chain shirt); BAB/Grapple +6/+9; Atk 
  +10 melee (1d10+6, glaive, 20/x3, reach 10 
  ft.) or +11 ranged (1d4+3, dagger, 19-20/x2, 
  range increment 10 ft.); Full Atk +10/+5 melee 
  (1d10+6, glaive, 20/x3, reach 10 ft.) or +11/+6 
  ranged (1d4+3, dagger, 19-20/x2, range incre-
  ment 10 ft.); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Diplomacy and Knowledge (all) 
  skills, +4 racial bonus to saving throws against 
  poison, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1; 
  AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +3; Str 16, Dex 
  20, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +10, Gather Information +6, 
  Hide +11, Intimidate +7, Jump +10, Move 
  Silently +11, Open Lock +11, Ride +12, Spot 
  +7, Swim +10, Tumble +11. Feats: Combat 
  Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobil-
  ity, Ride-By Attack (b), Spring Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (glaive), Weapon Specialization (glaive).
  Languages: Taraamite, Susrahnite, Lamu-
  ran.
  Possessions: Chain shirt, glaive, four daggers, 
  25 gp.
  Description: With beady eyes, and greasy 
  dark hair framing a thin face, Iskander is no 
  ladies’ man. Furthermore, he has a sizeable 
  red scar across face, the result of a sword-duel 
  some years ago.
  Castle Gasparus
  Standard Features: Unless noted oth-
  erwise, all interior doors are good wooden 
  doors (1 1/2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; 
  Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described 
  as locked). Ceiling height is 10 feet in nor-
  mal rooms.
  Lighting: The castle halls are illuminated 
  by greasy torches set in wall sconces.
  
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  Tactics: Iskander uses Spring Attack and 
  Tumble to get into position to deal sneak 
  attacks using his reach weapon; he may also 
  throw daggers at short range and gain sneak 
  attacks.
  4. Well
  The well is 50 feet deep, fed by a small 
  mountain-stream of ice-cold water. Any char-
  acter falling into the well suffers 1d6 points 
  of nonlethal damage from hypothermia per 
  minute of exposure, in addition to the falling 
  damage.
  5. Secret Door
  This door is well-hidden (Search DC 30) and 
  only Gasparus and a few of his men (includ-
  ing Iskander) know about it. It offers a quick 
  escape path into the mountains behind the 
  castle.
  6. Kitchen
  A cooking-pit is in the west corner of this 
  room. On a round table are leftover pieces of 
  meat and a half-empty bottle of wine. A small 
  pantry has two shelves with dried cheeses, 
  herbs, and bottles of goat-milk. A serving-boy-
  cum-chef is everpresent; he sleeps under the 
  table when not making or serving food.
  7. Feasthall
  The walls of this grand hall are hung with 
  displays of crossed axes and longswords. 
  Placed in the middle of the room is is a long 
  wooden table which seats two dozen men. 
  Against the east wall, below a canopy of black 
  cloth embroidered with silver thread, is the 
  great cedarwood chair where Gasparus sits 
  when he holds his revelries here. After a feast, 
  the place is usually strewn with wooden food-
  trays, half-empty drinking-horns and pools of 
  greenish vomit.
  8. Armory
  These locked storehouses are filled with 
  weapon racks and crates of supplies and 
  equipment. The weapons include throwing 
  axes, longspears, arrows and quivers, and a 
  few swords.
  9. Private Chambers
  Gasparus has several rooms to himself in this 
  section of the castle. The main entrance door 
  from the courtyard outside is always locked. 
  Inside these quarters is a bedroom with a large 
  bed and a wardrobe, and a lounge with a small 
  fireplace and several stuffed animal-heads 
  on the walls. Finally, there is a locked trea-
  sure room which contains Gasparus’ modest 
  wealth; three small bags filled with gold coins 
  (a total of 1,500 gp), a wooden box stuffed 
  with straw and filled with delicate Taikangian 
  porcelain (worth 700 gp), and finally an iron 
  chest with various bits and pieces of silver and 
  bronze jewelry (worth 800 gp).
  Lord Gasparus, “the Wolf”, male 
  Lamuran Ftr9: CR 9; SZ M; HD 9d10+36; 
  hp 102; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 20 ft.; AC 17 (+6 banded mail, +1 
  Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 16 (+6 
  banded mail); BAB/Grapple +9/+14; Atk +15 
  melee (2d6+9, greatsword, 17-20/x2); Full Atk 
  +15/+10 melee (2d6+9, greatsword, 17-20/
  x2); SA none; SQ +2 racial bonus to Move 
  
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  Silently and Sleight of Hand skills, Uncanny 
  Luck (once per day, reroll any die roll and keep 
  best result); AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will 
  +6; Str 20, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 
  12.
  Skills: Climb +17, Intimidate +13, Jump +17, 
  Ride +13. Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, En-
  durance, Eyes of the Cat (b), Improved Critical 
  (greatsword), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization 
  (greatsword).
  Languages: Lamuran, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Banded mail, greatsword, cloak.
  Description: A giant of a man, Gasparus 
  is bald-headed but full-bearded. He wears a 
  great cloak of dire-wolf skin over his heavy 
  armor, and wields a great two-handed sword. 
  True to his name, he keeps a pair of trained 
  wolves as his pets.
  Tactics: Gasparus delights in battle, and a 
  favorite tactic is to crush opponents’ weapons 
  using Improved Sunder. He also uses Power 
  Attack to good effect.
  Wolves, Trained Pets of Gasparus (2): 
  CR 1; hp 13.
  The Thing in the Cave
  The secret caves where Iskander and his men 
  hid the undead thing which Numas raised dur-
  ing his necromatic experiments is located in 
  far up in the mountains, north of the village of 
  Khorsul and east of Castle Gasparus.
  1. Cave Entrance
  The entrance to the caverns is located behind 
  several large boulders. It takes a Search check 
  (DC 18) to find the cave opening. It is pitch 
  dark within the tunnel.
  2. Spider-Cave
  This large grotto is the lair of a cave-spider, 
  one of Lamu’s many native monstrous spiders. 
  It hangs in the darkness of the ceiling and 
  drops down on unsuspecting victims.
  Lamuran Cave Spider: CR 5; hp 42. 
  Notes: This creature has identical stats to a 
  phase spider, except the ethereal jaunt ability.
  3. Grotto with Great Chasm
  This huge cavern is split in two by a wide 
  chasm, 50 feet deep. At the bottom of the 
  fissure is a silver ring with Numas’ heraldic 
  emblem on it (worth 35 gp); it was lost by one 
  of Iskander’s men when they carried the sar-
  cophagus (see Area 6) through here. It takes a 
  Spot check (DC 17) to see the ring.
  Development: If a fight breaks out here, 
  opponents may try to bull rush the PCs into 
  the chasm.
  4. Natural Bridge
  This is a narrow natural bridge, 5 to 10 feet 
  wide, that spans a 70 feet deep chasm. Is-
  kander and his men had great difficulty drag-
  ging the sarcophagus across the bridge.
  5. Bat-Cave
  Several thousand small bats rest here during 
  the day. The floor is covered with guano, mak-
  ing the floor slippery and increasing the DC of 
  Balance and Tumble checks by 5. The stench 
  forces creatures to make a Fortitude save (DC 
  13) or become sickened for 1 minute.
  If the bats are disturbed, they seek to flee out 
  of the cavern. A swarm deals automatic dam-
  age to any creature whose space it occupies at 
  the end of its move.
  Bat Swarms (3): CR 2; hp 13.
  6. Sealed Cave
  The cave is sealed with a pile of rocks, placed 
  as to make it appear natural (Search DC 15). 
  Inside the cave is a plain and unardorned 
  stone sarcophagus (1 ft. thick; Hardness 8; 
  hp 90; Break DC 35) which holds the unkill-
  able crypt-thing that Numas raised during his 
  necromantic experiments.
  Development: If the sarcophagus is broken 
  open, the “thing” within emerges and fights its 
  way through whoever stands nearby, seeking 
  to leave the cave and find Numas. It cannot 
  truly die before its creator is killed — for who 
  can kill what is already dead? Its dead flesh 
  heals itself, and it suffers no harm from fire or 
  acid. It could possibly be destroyed, or perhaps 
  only delayed, by throwing it into a ravine and 
  dropping a rockslide on top of it.
  If Numas knows the player characters (or 
  anyone else) are going to the caves, he sends 
  his mercenaries after them to locate the cave 
  and stop anyone from breaking open the 
  sarcophagus, at least until he knows how to 
  destroy the monster for good.
  The Crypt-Thing of Khorsul, Undying 
  Creation of Numas (blood wight): CR 9; 
  SZ L Undead; HD 12d12+36; hp 114; Init +6; 
  The Secret Caves of Khorsul
  Standard Features: Ceiling height is 
  15 feet in all caves unless described other-
  wise. Moving across the rough and uneven 
  cavern floor requires Balance checks (DC 
  10). Several large boulders are scattered 
  around, these may provide cover or a place 
  to hide for ambushing creatures. There are 
  several chasms of variable depth; assuming 
  creatures survive a fall they may climb up 
  with a Climb check (DC 18).
  Lighting: The caverns are unlit.
  
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  Spd 30 ft.; AC 21 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural), 
  touch 11, flat-footed 19; BAB/Grapple +6/+15; 
  Atk +11 melee (1d8+5 plus wounding, claw); 
  Full Atk +11/+11 melee (1d8+5 plus wounding, 
  claw); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA engulf, 
  wounding; SQ damage reduction 10/bludgeon-
  ing and magic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, 
  resistance to fire 10, undead traits, +4 turn re-
  sistance; AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +9; 
  Str 21, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 16.
  Skills: Climb +20, Escape Artist +17, Listen 
  +18, Move Silently +10, Search +16, Spot +18, 
  Survival +1 (+3 following tracks), Use Rope +2 
  (+4 with bindings). Feats: Alertness, Death’s 
  Blessing, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, 
  Weapon Focus (claw).
  Tactics: A blood wight enters combat slash-
  ing with its claws. Given a chance, it grabs 
  the closest opponent and engulfs it, holding it 
  inside its body until it drowns. Drowned foes 
  are ejected from the blood wight’s body into 
  a heap on the ground (the blood wight later 
  devours any creature it kills). A blood wight’s 
  natural weapons are treated as magic weapons 
  for the purpose of overcoming damage reduc-
  tion.
  Engulf (Ex): A blood wight can try to wrap 
  a Medium or smaller creature in its body as a 
  standard action. The blood wight attempts a 
  grapple check that does not provoke an attack 
  of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it 
  The Mountains of Khorsul
  The area is criss-crossed by goat-trails, many of which are nothing more than narrow ledges 
  bordered by sheer drops. Heavy fog that obscures vision can roll down from the upper moun-
  tain slopes in minutes, and rockslides are a common danger. To make matters worse, several 
  large packs of wolves hunt in these mountains.
  For every half-hour of travel in the mountains, roll on the table below:
  Roll  
  Encounter
  1 
  Narrow ledge
  2 
  Rockslide
  3 
  Heavy fog
  4 
  Pack of wolves
  5 
  High pass
  6-8 
  No encounter
  Heavy Fog: A heavy fog appears in 1d6 rounds. The fog obscures all sight, including darkvi-
  sion, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have a 
  20% miss chance). The fog lasts for 3d10 rounds before it dissolves.
  High Pass: Ascending to the highest slopes of low mountains, or most normal travel 
  through high mountains, falls into this category. All nonacclimated creatures labor to breathe 
  in the thin air at this altitude. Characters must succeed on a Fortitude save each hour (DC 15, 
  +1 per previous check) or be fatigued. The fatigue ends when the character descends to an 
  altitude with more air. Acclimated characters do not have to attempt the Fortitude save.
  Narrow Ledge: The sloping trail passes a narrow ledge, slippery from recent rain or fog, 
  which requires a successful Balance check (DC 14) to pass. There is a 20% chance of the pres-
  ence of a field of shifting gravel, which increases the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 5. 
  Creatures failing their check fall 2d4×10 feet down into a chasm below. It takes a Climb check 
  (DC 15) to climb out the chasm.
  Pack of Wolves: A hungry pack of 1d6+10 wolves starts to track and hunt down the player 
  characters. There is a 50% chance that the alpha male of the pack is a dire wolf. The pack flees 
  if more than half its members are killed, or if the alpha male is slain.
  Rockslide: Rocks fall from above in a 30-feet wide field. Characters in the slide zone take 
  3d6 points of damage, or no damage at all if they make a Reflex save (DC 15). Characters in 
  the slide zone who fail their saves are buried.
  Characters take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute while buried. If such a character 
  falls unconscious, he must make a Constitution check (DC 15). If it fails, he takes 1d6 points of 
  lethal damage each minute thereafter until freed or dead.
  Characters who aren’t buried can dig out their friends. In 1 minute, using only her hands, a 
  character can clear rocks and debris equal to five times her heavy load limit. The amount of 
  loose stone that fills a 5-foot-by-5-foot area weighs one ton (2,000 pounds). Armed with an 
  appropriate tool, such as a pick, crowbar, or shovel, a digger can clear loose stone twice as 
  quickly as by hand. You may allow a buried character to free himself with a Strength check 
  (DC 25).
  
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  establishes a hold and claws its opponent with 
  a +4 bonus on the attack roll.
  Attacks that hit an engulfing blood wight deal 
  half their damage to the monster and half to 
  the trapped victim. An engulfed victim must 
  holds its breath as long as it remains trapped 
  or begin to drown (see the DMG for the rules 
  on drowning). A trapped victim can break free 
  with a successful grapple check. A Large blood 
  wight’s body can engulf 1Medium, 2 Small, 
  4 Tiny, 16 Diminutive, or 32 Fine or smaller 
  opponents.
  Wounding (Ex): The damage dealt by a blood 
  wight’s claw attack causes a persistent wound 
  that bleeds for 1 hit point per round thereafter. 
  Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative 
  bleeding. The blood loss can be stopped by a 
  Heal check (DC 16) or the application of a cure 
  spell or some other healing magic. The check 
  DC is Constitution-based.
  Skills: Because its body is covered in blood, a 
  blood wight can easily escape most bonds and 
  confinements. It gains a +8 racial bonus on 
  Escape Artist checks.
  Conclusion
  The PCs may go to Castle Gasparus directly, 
  or they may try to investigate the situation 
  first. Several clues should suggest that not 
  everything is as it seems.
  If they go to the castle, the player characters 
  can sneak in, or assault Gasparus’ guards di-
  rectly. The PCs ultimately face either Gasparus 
  or Iskander or both, and these reveal the truth 
  to the PCs; that Numas is the real sorcerer, 
  and that the crypt-thing he created is hidden 
  in the mountains. Gasparus will not give the 
  amulet to the PCs in any event.
  The PCs may either go back to the estate for a 
  show-down with Numas (in which case Numas 
  will be waiting for them with an ambush or 
  some other treachery), or they may try to un-
  leash the crypt-thing on Numas. In the latter 
  case, Numas will have followed the party with 
  a band of Susrahnite mercenaries, and there is 
  a showdown in the caves as the PCs try to open 
  the sarcophagus before they are overwhelmed 
  by the mercenaries.
  There is also the possibility that the player 
  characters stumble upon the forest-trail near 
  the bridge across the river Suliyah and meet 
  Pavlas the goat-herder, who can take them 
  directly to the secret cave, although in this case 
  they are likely followed by Numas’ mercenar-
  ies and the final showdown plays out much 
  like the previous case.
  If the PCs have reason to suspect early on 
  that Numas is lying, they might decide to 
  confront him before going to Castle Gasparus. 
  Still, unless they find the secret sorcery room, 
  it is hard to prove anything more than dis-
  honesty. Numas has plenty of guards to hide 
  behind, making him difficult to kill even if the 
  PCs find out the truth. Once Numas decides 
  that the player characters are not the useful 
  pawns he thought them to be, he seeks to have 
  them killed.
  If the PCs fail: The player characters have 
  little value to either of the two lords of the val-
  ley except as pawns and servants. Swift death 
  awaits once they become useless, either from 
  a dagger in the back or a poisoned chalice. 
  Smart characters may decide to switch sides 
  one or more times during the adventure to 
  avoid such a fate.
  
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  The Vault of 
  Yigthrahotep
  ”Kull stood alone, his mind a-whirl. Neo-
  phytes of the mighty serpent, how many 
  lurked among his cities? How might he tell 
  the false from the true? Aye, how many of his 
  trusted councilors, his generals, were men? 
  He could be certain — of whom?” — Robert E. 
  Howard: The Shadow Kingdom
  Setting: Wilderness (Desert and Jungle), 
  City, and Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 5th- and 6th-level characters.
  Introduction
  In the centuries after the fall and devastation 
  of Elder Kuth, the former slave peoples of the 
  giant-kings migrated north and east to settle 
  in the lands of Susrah. An offshoot of these 
  proto-Sushrahnites, called the Ishrah, chose 
  instead to wander south into the hills of what 
  is now the black kingdom of Shoma.
  In the jungled hills of Shoma, the Ishrah 
  discovered rich deposits of gold and precious 
  stones. They enslaved the native tribes and set 
  their new slaves to toil day and night in the 
  mines. The small kingdom of the Ishrah pros-
  pered and a series of purple stone fortresses 
  was built to control the mines.
  Driven by greed, the Ishrah forced their 
  slaves to dig ever deeper into the rich ore, until 
  one day the toiling workers unearthed a series 
  of stone chambers beneath the mine tunnels. 
  The priests of the Ishrah studied the weird pic-
  tograms on the walls and deemed it unwise to 
  disturb these prehuman vaults. The mine was 
  sealed off and declared taboo by the priests, 
  and soon the surrounding area was abandoned 
  by the Ishrahnites.
  Centuries later, the area was re-settled by a 
  native tribe, the Wamuba, who built a village 
  in the shadow of the ruined stone citadel of 
  the Ishrahnites. When the chieftain of the 
  Wamuba died without leaving a male heir, the 
  chieftain’s oldest wife, Nugga-Tikanda, seized 
  power and declared herself “Queen” of the 
  tribe. Those who resisted Nugga-Tikanda’s 
  
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  claim to the throne were soon slain or exiled, 
  for the new queen was a witch who used curses 
  and necromancy against her enemies. Hav-
  ing mastered an abominable rite of longevity, 
  Nugga-Tikanda started a reign of terror which 
  has lasted for two centuries.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The player characters are hired by a group 
  of Susrahnite traders who have found clues 
  to the whereabouts of a lost gold mine. These 
  traders are in fact inphidians, serpent-men, 
  in disguise, survivors of a lost age who seek to 
  free a serpent-king, the ancient Yigthrahotep, 
  who lies slumbering in the prehuman vaults 
  beneath the mine.
  The PCs travel along with the “Susrahnites” 
  through the desert and into the kingdom of 
  Shoma. The final piece of the key to open the 
  vault, which was re-sealed by the priests of the 
  Ishrah, can be found in the temple of Katanga, 
  the capital city of Shoma.
  Reaching the lost mine, the PCs must deal 
  with the Wamuba tribesmen and their mad 
  witch-queen, then explore the tunnels and 
  chambers beneath the mine. When the vault 
  is found, the serpentmen drop their disguises 
  and attempt to sacrifice the player characters 
  to the awakened serpent-king Yigthrahotep.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  — A scholar among the PCs finds and studies 
  a clay tablet that contains tantalizing hints of a 
  lost gold mine in the jungles south of Shoma. 
  The player characters set out on an expedition 
  on their own. As they search for the keys to the 
  lost mine, they are approached by a group of 
  foreign merchants.
  — The player characters are hired as merce-
  naries or caravan guards by foreign merchants 
  who are travelling south. When the caravan 
  reaches Shoma, it becomes apparent to the 
  PCs that the merchants are looking for a lost 
  gold mine somewhere in the jungle. The player 
  characters are promised a share of the loot if 
  they help find the lost mine.
  The Legend of the Purple 
  Spires
  The Ishrahnites wisely re-sealed the ancient 
  vault they unearthed in their mines (see the 
  Introduction), by placing powerful warding 
  spells on the doors to prevent anyone from 
  going into (or breaking out of!) the vault. But 
  according to the laws of sorcery, there is no 
  magic that cannot be undone, and for all seals 
  there must exist a key.
  The priests of the Ishrah therefore covered 
  the vault doors with hundreds of arcane sigils 
  and cuneiform script. Three of the symbols, 
  placed randomly among the other sigils, are 
  the keys to opening the vault. To preserve the 
  keys (as they must be, otherwise the seal is 
  voided), the priests carved each symbol on 
  separate objects, which were then handed on 
  to different guardians and carried away. Over 
  the centuries, the keys changed hands multiple 
  times, and eventually their significance was 
  lost.
  The three objects each containing a part of 
  the key to the vault are a clay tablet, a golden 
  figurine, and a marble flagstone. The clay 
  tablet is assumed to somehow fall into the pos-
  session of the player characters (see below), 
  while the golden figurine has been found by a 
  group of serpent-men. The marble flagstone is 
  currently set in the floor of the inner shrine of 
  Nataka in the city of Katanga.
  The Clay Tablet of Zhaol
  The clay tablet written by the priests of the 
  Ishrah eventually found its way to the city of 
  Zhaol the Accursed (so called by its neigh-
  bouring peoples for its wickedness) where the 
  stone rested for centuries. Only recently, the 
  tablet came to the city of Zul-Bazzir through a 
  merchant, or perhaps a thief or sorcerer. It is 
  assumed that the player characters start this 
  adventure with the tablet already in their pos-
  session, but a separate introductory adventure 
  could easily be created wherein the PCs find or 
  steal the tablet.
  The tablet, little more than a square foot in 
  size, has now broken up into three pieces, of 
  which the largest is missing (and is, in fact, 
  forever destroyed).
  The first remaining piece is covered with 
  cuneiform script. It requires a successful 
  Descripher Script check (DC 25) to read what 
  turns out to be a myth-poem:
  
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  Men of bronze, masters of fire
  Kings of black jungles beneath a purple spire
  Mad blind hands reach into the night
  To plumb abysses dead to human sight
  The Sons of Ishrah adorned with glittering 
  stones
  The earth yields riches but claims black 
  bones
  Tunnels in the earth, and vaults, too
  Secrets of a lost age remain taboo
  The one-eyed keeper of secrets knows the 
  way
  To the ivory goddess who holds the key all 
  must pray
  Further research on the “Sons of Ishrah”, 
  for example with a Knowledge (history) check 
  (DC 20), makes it apparent that the myth-
  poem refers to the area which is now the black 
  kingdom of Shoma. A successful Knowledge 
  (religion) check (DC 22) also reveals that 
  the “ivory goddess” is Nataka, a female deity 
  whose temple is in Katanga. If the PCs lack the 
  appropriate knowledge skills, they might seek 
  out a sage to help them study the clay tablet.
  The other remaining fragment contains a 
  single cuneiform symbol, whose large size 
  makes it of special significance. This is, of 
  course, one of the keys to the vault of Yigthra-
  hotep, although the player characters have no 
  way of knowing this yet.
  Three Men of Susrah
  Whether the player characters begin to pre-
  pare for an expedition to the south or not, they 
  are eventually approached by a group of three 
  men, claiming to be merchants of Susrah. 
  Through rumors and a network of spies and 
  informants, they have learned that the PCs 
  have the clay tablet.
  The chief merchant, who calls himself Ursib, 
  carries a small, 1-foot tall golden figurine of 
  Aklathu, a minor god in the pantheon of Sus-
  rah. The statuette is in the shape of a potbel-
  lied, bearded dwarf with deformed, perhaps 
  even retarded, facial features and a wicked 
  grin. Also of note, the left eyesocket of the 
  figurine is empty, while the right socket is set 
  with a small gem. Carved under the feet of the 
  figurine is a cuneiform symbol. It only takes 
  an Intelligence check (DC 12) to figure out that 
  this symbol is somehow related to the symbol 
  on the clay tablet (see above).
  Ursib does not initially show the figurine to 
  the player characters. Rather, he states flatly 
  that he and his fellow merchants are looking 
  for a lost gold mine somewhere to the south of 
  the black kingdom of Shoma, which is suppos-
  edly sealed by sorcery that requires knowledge 
  of three sacred symbols to open. Since both 
  the merchants and the PCs have a part of the 
  puzzle, Ursib suggests that they cooperate to 
  find the mine, and split evenly any treasure 
  found. The player characters have (or at least 
  are assumed to have) expert fighting skills, 
  while the merchants have money to pay for 
  mounts, supplies and equipment. Play out 
  these negotiations as you see fit.
  If he gets a chance to study the clay tablet, 
  Ursib concludes that the third and final part of 
  the key is kept in the temple of Katanga. If the 
  player characters are on their own, or refuse 
  to let the merchants study the tablet, this 
  information could be given to the PCs through 
  a sage (unless they figure it out from the poem 
  themselves, of course).
  “Merchants of Susrah”, male inphid-
  ian “Walkers-Among-Men” Rog3 (3): CR 
  5; SZ M; HD 4d8+8 plus 3d6+6; hp 44; Init 
  +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 19 (+0 no armor, +5 Dex, +4 natural), 
  touch 15 (+5 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+0 no armor, 
  +4 natural); BAB/Grapple +6/+9; Atk +11 
  melee (1d4+3, kukri, 18-20/x2) or +11 ranged 
  (1d4+3, dagger, 19-20/x2, range increment 
  10 ft.); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d4+3, kukri, 
  18-20/x2) or +11/+6 ranged (1d4+3, dagger, 
  19-20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA Blinding 
  Spray, Poison, Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ Darkvi-
  sion (60 ft.), Alter Self, Trapfinding, Evasion, 
  Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +12, Will 
  +6; Str 16, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 
  12.
  Skills: Bluff +7, Craft (poisonmaking) +8, 
  Disguise +7, Hide +12, Gather Information +7, 
  Move Silently +12, Tumble +11. Feats: Alert-
  ness, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Improved 
  Initiative, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Yalothan, Susrahnite.
  Secret History: The Children of Zanthiss
  Aeons ago, a race of highly intelligent ophidians known as the “serpent-kings” ruled the 
  primeval jungles of the continent. It is said that the great demonic serpent-god Zanthiss cre-
  ated this race from ordinary reptiles, and taught them the secret of sorcery. The serpent-kings 
  used ape-men and primitive humans as slaves, and crossbreeding is said to have produced the 
  inphidians, who had the bodies of men and the heads and hands of serpents, and some among 
  them had the sorcerous ability to disguise as true men.
  A sudden slave uprising, perhaps assisted by disloyal serpent-men, caused the decline and 
  fall of the serpent-kings. They were driven back into the dwindling jungles of Yalotha, and 
  Zanthiss himself is said to have been banished to a frozen star when his cyclopean black fane 
  was sacked and destroyed at the height of the uprising.
  Only in isolated pockets did there remain serpent-men, servitors of Zanthiss who were able 
  to blend into human society. The once-great and immortal serpent-kings went into hiberna-
  tion to survive, sleeping through the ages in sealed vaults beneath the earth.
  
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  Possessions: Merchants’ clothing, kukri, 3 
  daggers, 100 gp, golden figurine of Akhlatu 
  (carried by Ursib).
  Description: Dressed as regular caravan-
  masters, these inphidians are similar to nor-
  mal men in all respects. It is only when they 
  shed their magical disguises that their true 
  nature is revealed: Blue–green scaly skin, a 
  snake–like head, and arms which end in viper-
  heads instead of hands.
  Tactics: The walkers-among-men stay 
  disguised as humans as long as possible, 
  dropping their disguises only when they are 
  sure that they are going to kill their surprised 
  victims. They open combat using their blind-
  ing spray, then Tumble to get behind and flank 
  opponents, so that they can sneak attack.
  Blinding Spray (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, 
  a common inphidian can spew forth a line of 
  milky–white liquid that causes blindness (as 
  the blindness spell) for 6 rounds to any crea-
  ture struck. A Reflex save (DC 15) negates the 
  effects. The save is Constitution-based. The 
  spray has a range of 20 feet.
  Poison (Ex): A common inphidian delivers a 
  debilitating poison with a successful bite from 
  its snake–hands. The save is Constitution–
  based. Common Inphidian Poison: Injury, 
  Fortitude DC 15 negates, initial damage 1d4 
  Strength, secondary damage 1d4 Strength.
  Note: The breed of inphidians called the 
  “walkers-among-men” are similar to common 
  inphidians (see Tome of Horrors 2), except 
  that they have the ability to use alter self as a 
  spell-like ability at will to assume human form. 
  If slain, they revert to their true form.
  Unmasking the Serpents: Although the 
  player characters are likely to distrust the 
  “merchants”, the true nature of the serpent-
  men is revealed only near the end of the 
  adventure. That said, it is possible for the PCs 
  to discover the truth earlier. For example, if 
  a “merchant” is killed, he reverts back to his 
  true, serpent-headed self. The DM may also 
  allow especially suspicious player characters to 
  use Sense Motive checks (DC 30) to try to see 
  through the (magical) disguises of the serpent-
  men.
  If the “merchants” are unmasked, there will 
  probably be a violent confrontation with the 
  PCs. Even if the player characters defeat the 
  serpent-men, the PCs are unlikely to discover 
  the true purpose of the false merchants. The 
  serpent-men would rather fight to the death 
  than surrender and reveal that they are seek-
  ing to free the ancient serpent-king Yigthraho-
  tep (in which case the PCs might decide to stay 
  away from the mines altogether).
  Thus, barring any additional research by the 
  player characters, it is likely that the PCs con-
  tinue on their quest to find the “lost gold mine” 
  even if the true nature of the “merchants” is 
  revealed.
  Across the Desert
  The expedition must travel the long way 
  from Zul-Bazzir to Katanga. The first leg of the 
  journey is through the trackless sand dunes of 
  the al-Khazi Desert, then through the desert 
  wasteland known as the Desolation of Elder 
  Kuth, and finally into the Parched Lands, a 
  bleak savannah teeming with wild beasts.
  Refer to the description of the al-Khazi desert 
  in “The Spider-God’s Bride” for details of ter-
  rain and climate, the dangers of hunger and 
  thirst, and random encounters on the first leg 
  of the journey.
  It is assumed that the player characters and 
  their allies, including the merchants of Susrah 
  and any Khazistani soldiers or mercenaries 
  following them, travel on horses or camels. 
  Additional pack camels are probably required 
  to carry extra water, supplies and equipment 
  through the desert.
  Under normal circumstances, it takes around 
  35 days for a party on horseback or camel to 
  reach Katanga (700 miles from Zul-Bazzir, 
  through trackless desert and plains).
  As the expedition travels across the desert, 
  the DM should roll for random encounters or 
  insert appropriate encounters as he sees fit. 
  There are a few special events which should 
  happen in the listed sequence, as described 
  below.
  Wrath of the Khamsin
  Somewhere past halfway to Katanga, an op-
  pressive wind suddenly blows up. A character 
  who makes a Survival check (DC 15) realizes 
  that this is the dreaded sandstorm known 
  among the local nomads as the khamsin.
  In game terms, this is a greater duststorm (a 
  duststorm accompanied by windstorm-magni-
  tude winds) that deals 1d3 points of nonlethal 
  damage per round to anyone caught out in the 
  open without shelter and also poses a choking 
  hazard (see the DMG).
  Fortunately, the howling winds also reveal 
  a range of rocky outcroppings, about half a 
  mile (2500 feet) away, where the PCs can seek 
  shelter. Horses and camels with a base speed 
  of 50 feet can run 200 feet per round, reaching 
  shelter in 12-13 rounds. Heavily loaded steeds 
  might move slower. To reach shelter in time, it 
  might be necessary (depending on the current 
  hit points of the PCs and the damage inflicted 
  by the sandstorm) to spur the mounts to great-
  er speed with Ride checks (DC 15). Note that 
  this deals damage to the mount, in addition to 
  the damage caused by the sandstorm itself.
  Development: Regardless of whether the 
  player characters manage to reach shelter, a 
  number of the Khazistani soldiers who accom-
  pany the PCs, as well as several pack camels 
  or horses carrying water and equipment, are 
  killed by the raging sandstorm (it is assumed 
  that the NPCs were blinded by the storm and 
  lost sight of the hills, or that they had too few 
  hit points to reach shelter in time).
  
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  As the storm recedes, the player characters 
  find that the only other survivors are the three 
  merchants of Susrah and 1d3 of the Khazistani 
  soldiers. There is little water left and the 
  party eventually faces the danger of death by 
  thirst. Exactly how much water is left after the 
  sandstorm is left up to the DM to determine. 
  Nevertheless, it is too late to turn back, and 
  the merchants of Susrah insist that the party 
  should continue south.
  Slavers from the East
  The expedition (or rather, what remains of 
  it after the sandstorm) eventually reaches the 
  Parched Lands, which is the savannah between 
  the Desolation of Elder Kuth and the king-
  dom of Shoma. The terrain changes from a 
  sandy wasteland to dry plains dotted with rock 
  outcroppings, areas of short grass, and the 
  occasional tree.
  As the PCs and their companions cross this 
  landscape, they spot a column of people mov-
  ing in the distance, going from west to east, 
  directly crossing the path of the PCs. Assuming 
  the player characters move closer, it becomes 
  apparent that this is a band of mounted slavers 
  herding a number of slaves towards the east.
  These slavers are in the employ of the infa-
  mous Slave Sultans of al-Qazir, a notorious 
  fortress-city of Zadj. There are 12 Zadjite sla-
  vers on riding horses led by a slavelord riding 
  a Zadjite light warhorse. They have captured 
  32 slaves, among which are 12 men and 20 
  women, mostly of Shoma origin but also some 
  Azimbans (1d3 men and 1d8 women — male/
  female Shoma/Azimban Com1).
  Makhtisar, Zadjite Slavelord, male 
  Zadjite Ftr7: CR 7; SZ M; HD 7d10+7; hp 51; 
  Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+4 chain 
  shirt, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  14 (+4 chain shirt); BAB/Grapple +7/+11; Atk 
  +12 melee (1d10+6, bastard sword, 19-20/x2) 
  or +11 melee (1d3+4, whip, 20/x2, reach 15 ft.) 
  or +9 ranged (entanglement, net, range incre-
  ment 10 ft.); Full Atk +12/+7 melee (1d10+6, 
  bastard sword, 19-20/x2) or +11/+6 melee 
  (1d3+4, whip, 20/x2, reach 15 ft.) or +9/+4  
  ranged (entanglement, net, range increment 
  10 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft 
  and Knowledge (geography) skills; +1 racial 
  bonus to all saving throws; AL N; SV Fort +7, 
  Ref +5, Will +4; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 13, 
  Wis 12, Cha 14.
  Skills: Intimidate +12, Jump +14, Ride +12, 
  Swim +14. Feats: Combat Expertise, Combat 
  Reflexes, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Profi-
  ciency (net), Improved Disarm, Improved Ini-
  tiative, Track, Weapon Focus (bastard sword), 
  Zadjite Whip-Mastery (b).
  Languages: Zadjite, Azimban.
  Possessions: Chain shirt, bastard sword, net, 
  whip, 24 gp.
  Description: Clad in expensive clothing be-
  neath his armor, this is a broad-faced, tall man 
  with a hoarse voice. He is ruthless and seeks 
  only to maximize profit.
  Tactics: Makhtisar attempts to disarm or trip 
  opponents with his whip, or entangling them 
  using his net. Only if this fails does he fall back 
  on his sword-skills.
  Warhorse, Light: CR 1; hp 22.
  Zadjite Slavers, male Zadjite Ftr2 (12): 
  CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d10+2; hp 14; Init +6 (+2 
  Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 
  (+2 leather armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), 
  flat-footed 12 (+2 leather armor); BAB/Grap-
  ple +2/+4; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, scimitar, 
  18-20/x2) or +4 ranged (entanglement, net, 
  range increment 10 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Knowledge (geography) 
  skills; +1 racial bonus to all saving throws; AL 
  N; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 14, Dex 14, 
  Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +7, Intimidate +5, Ride +7. 
  Feats: Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (net), Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus 
  (scimitar), Zadjite Whip-Mastery (b).
  Languages: Zadjite.
  Possessions: Leather armor, scimitar, net, 
  1d10 gp.
  Description: Dressed in simple grey kaftans, 
  with leather armor on top, and red turbans 
  wound around their heads.
  Tactics: These hardened men work in teams; 
  some use their scimitars against armed and 
  armored opponents, while others throw their 
  nets to entangle foes.
  Horse, Light (12): CR 1; hp 19.
  Development: Assuming the party suffered 
  the fury of the sandstorm and that several of 
  their mounts and supplies were destroyed dur-
  ing that event, the PCs might be weakened by 
  heat, hunger and thirst when they encounter 
  the slavers.
  If the PCs hold back, the slavers ignore them 
  and continue on towards the east. On the other 
  hand, defeating the slavers can provide the 
  player characters with fresh mounts, water, 
  supplies, weapons, and the gratitude of any 
  liberated slaves. But keep in mind that if the 
  PCs do liberate the slaves, some of which are 
  severely dehydrated already, they must take 
  care of them and make sure they can return 
  safely home (to Katanga or Zimballah, de-
  pending on their origin).
  The Nameless Oasis
  Approximately 100 miles north of Katanga 
  is a small oasis that is the first (or the last) 
  stopping-point for many caravans bound out 
  of (or into) the city of Katanga. There is a small 
  pool of fresh water here, ringed by palm trees.
  Roll on the provided encounter table to de-
  termine what happens when the PCs approach 
  the oasis.
  
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  Nameless Oasis Random Encounters
  Roll 
  Encounter
  1 
  Merchant caravan
  2 
  Wild animal
  3 
  Fouled or poisoned water
  4 
  Curse
  5 
  Ghost
  6 
  Tentacled horror
  7 
  Ambush
  8 
  Drought
  9 
  Narcotic flowers
  10 
  Sunken or buried treasure
  11 
  Feud
  12 
  Treachery
  Ambush: A group of 2d8 bandits (male Ftr1/Rog1) or slavers (male Ftr2) are hiding in the 
  undergrowth near the oasis pool, waiting to rob or enslave those who approach.
  Curse: A curse of madness affects those who sleep in the oasis or drink of its waters. If a 
  Will save (DC 15) is failed, the character will either try to drown himself in the pool, or sud-
  denly attack his friends in a mad rage (50% chance of either).
  Drought: The waters of the oasis have dried up. The oasis is strewn with the bleached bones 
  of animals and men.
  Feud: Members of two rival nomad clans have entrenched themselves on different sides 
  of the oasis. There are 2d6 nomads (male Nom3) in each group, and each tries to recruit the 
  PCs to their cause. Those who ignore the feuding groups risk getting caught in the crossfire 
  between them.
  Fouled or Poisoned Water: The water is either naturally fouled (perhaps by a sunken 
  animal corpse) or deliberately poisoned (50% chance of either). Characters who drink the wa-
  ter must make a Fortitude save or be infected with bliding sickness (DC 16) or fall unconscious 
  from oil of taggit poisoning (DC 15).
  Ghost: The oasis is haunted by a single wraith (70% chance) or a spectre (30% chance). 
  Note that both lack the ability to create spawn. Encounters with the ghost happen only at 
  night.
  Merchant Caravan: A caravan with 3d6 camels, carrying 100 gp worth of furs, raw metal, 
  lumber, wine or pottery per camel is camped at the oasis, along with 1 guard (male Ftr1) per 
  3 camels. There is a 25% chance that the caravan has suffered a bandit attack in the last 24 
  hours, and that the assistant caravan-master was abducted, in which case the caravan-master 
  (male Exp4) offers a reward for his or her return.
  Narcotic Flowers: A blue lotus-flower occasionally blooms in the oasis, causing nearby 
  creatures to make a Fortitude save (DC 17) or fall asleep for 2d6 hours with strange and sensu-
  ous dreams. Affected creatures may awake at the mercy of bandits, cultists or wild animals.
  Sunken or Buried Treasure: With a successful Search check (DC 20), the PCs stumble 
  upon 500 gp worth of treasure, either at the bottom of the pool, or buried beneath the sand. 
  There is a 50% chance that the treasure is associated with a curse, ghost, bandits, or a ten-
  tacled horror (see other descriptions).
  Tentacled Horror: A loathsome creature lurks in the oasis, preying upon visitors. The hor-
  ror is either buried in the sand (in which case it is a dust digger from Tome of Horrors), or in 
  the pool itself (in which case it has statistics similar to a giant octopus).
  Treachery: There is a camp at the oasis which appears inhabited by 2d6 friendly nomads. 
  In reality, these are cultists (male Rog2/Sor1) or slavers (male Ftr2) who offer the PCs food 
  and hospitality, while waiting for an opportune moment to enslave the characters (and 
  sacrifice them to their dark gods, in the case of the cultists). The PCs might be served drinks 
  laced with sleeping-poison, backstabbed after their weapons have been stolen or removed, or 
  attacked while sleeping.
  Wild Animal: A pride of 1d6+4 lions or 1d10+6 hyenas come to the oasis seeking food.
  
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  The Gold of Katanga
  Katanga is the only city of importance in 
  the kingdom of Shoma; the lesser “cities” are 
  merely crude villages scattered across the 
  grassy plains. South and east of Katanga are 
  the Shining Hills, jungle-covered highlands 
  that abound with gold.
  Approaching the city, great herds of cattle 
  can be seen; these belong to the king himself 
  and many of the animals wear ornaments of 
  beaten gold. Each herd consists of 1d4 x 100 
  animals; about 10% of these wear gold worth 
  20-50 gp each. The herds are protected by 
  Shoma spearmen (one spearman for every five 
  cattle).
  Royal Cattle-Herders, Spearmen of Ka-
  tanga, male Shoma Bbn2: CR 2; SZ M; HD 
  2d12+2; hp 19; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 50 ft.; 
  AC 14 (+0 no armor, +2 heavy wooden shield, 
  +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+0 
  no armor, +2 heavy wooden shield); BAB/
  Grapple +2/+4; Atk +5 melee (1d6, shortspear, 
  20/x2) or +5 ranged (1d6+2, shortbow, 20/x3, 
  range increment 60 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to 
  attack rolls with all spears and bows, Rage 1/
  day; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival 
  skills, +10 racial bonus to Speed, Fast Move-
  ment, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge; AL N; SV 
  Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 
  12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +5, 
  Jump +7, Listen +5, Survival +5. Feats: 
  Dodge, Point Blank Shot, Run (b).
  Languages: Shoma.
  Possessions: Loincloth, heavy wooden shield, 
  shortspear, shortbow, golden armband (worth 
  10 gp).
  Description: The Shoma spearmen wear 
  headdresses of ostrich plumes and carry large 
  wooden shields covered with rhinocerous-
  hide.
  Tactics: These warriors use their bows from 
  a distance, then enter a rage and attack with 
  their spears. They can quickly close with their 
  enemies due to their great speed.
  The City of Katanga
  Katanga is surrounded by a wooden pali-
  sade, inside which over 8,000 people huddle 
  together in wretched huts. The spacious 
  inner city (which includes the royal palace 
  and cattle pens, the temple of Nataka, and 
  the goldsmiths’ workshops) is ringed by a 
  great mud-brick wall. The inner city gates are 
  adorned with massive ivory tusks taken from 
  the greatest specimens of elephants; there are 
  12 spearmen at each gate who make sure that 
  only nobles, royal guards, priests, merchants 
  and foreign dignitaries are allowed entry.
  The average citizens of Katanga are poor, 
  but free, for the rulers of the Shoma do not 
  keep slaves. However, people do not live to be 
  old, so a large percentage of the population 
  are children and young adults. Most live in 
  buildings of sun-dried mud with roofs of straw 
  along with their animals, such as goats and 
  fowls.
  The current king is Mashota (male Shoma 
  Bbn8/Ari2), a middle-aged man with many 
  wives and several young heirs, all fighting for 
  the king’s attention and favors. Should the PCs 
  for some reason seek an audience, it would be 
  unwise to mention their mission to find and 
  loot the lost mine; the king’s soothsayers and 
  priests will warn against disturbing the sealed 
  mines, and beside, the greedy Mashota would 
  want the gold for himself were anyone to break 
  the ancient taboos.
  The Temple of the White 
  Goddess
  The ancient Ishrahnites worshipped a 
  mother-goddess known as Belet-Lil. The 
  members of that race are long dead, but rever-
  ence for the white goddess has survived among 
  the upper classes of Shoma, who know her as 
  Nataka. In the inner city of Katanga, there is a 
  great circular tower which is home to the black 
  priests who study and preserve the ancient 
  lore of the Ishrahnites who once sealed one of 
  the mines with mighty spells.
  A successful Knowledge (religion) check 
  (DC 15) reveals that Belet-Lil and Nataka are 
  equivalent, even though the name and the rites 
  of the latter have been garbled by centuries of 
  local language and traditions.
  Development: The third part of the key 
  to open the sealed vault of Yigthrahotep is a 
  symbol carved on a marble flagstone in the 
  temple of Nataka. If Ursib and his henchmen 
  is with the PCs, he asks the player characters 
  to go into the temple to find and copy the 
  symbol. (While it would be possible for one of 
  the “merchants”, as a serpent-man, to take the 
  shape of and impersonate a priest, this would 
  The Temple of Nataka
  Standard Features: Unless noted oth-
  erwise, all interior doors are good wooden 
  doors (1 1/2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 15; 
  Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described 
  as locked). Ceiling height is 20 feet.
  Lighting: All rooms of the temple are lit 
  with torches set in wall brackets of carved 
  ivory.
  
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  obviously reveal their true nature to the player 
  characters, and besides, the serpent-men pre-
  fer to let the PCs deal with the guardians and 
  traps of the temple.)
  Of course, non-priests are not allowed into 
  the inner shrine, so the player characters must 
  use bribes, stealth, create some diversion, 
  or even risk a direct assault on the temple to 
  gain access. If using bribes, Diplomacy checks 
  can be used to determine the reactions of the 
  priests (assume an initial attitude of Un-
  friendly, with a circumstance modifier applied 
  to the check based on the size of the bribe). A 
  successful Gather Information check (DC 25) 
  points the PCs in the direction of a corrupt 
  priest named N’Kruma (see Area 4) who might 
  be willing (if the price is right) to drug one of 
  the temple gate guards at night, allowing the 
  party to enter the sanctum.
  1. Temple Compound
  The temple is an ancient stone tower, circular 
  in shape, four stories and 80 feet tall. The 
  tower is surrounded by a 15 feet tall wall with 
  three gates. One priest (see Area 4 for statis-
  tics) is always posted at each gate, day and 
  night.
  During the day, both priests and visitors to 
  the temple can be found wandering around 
  in the spacious yard in front of the tower. In 
  the southeastern corner of the compound is a 
  set of great wooden drums, which the temple 
  priests employ to communicate with fellow 
  priests in the villages of Shoma using the 
  secret language of the talking drums.
  2. Entrance
  A huge wooden door is the only entrance into 
  the temple tower; during the day, this door is 
  wide open and even at night it is rarely locked. 
  The high priest relies on the guards (and the 
  temple guardian; see Area 7) to keep out those 
  who attempt to enter the temple unlawfully.
  3. Chamber of Worship
  The worshippers of the ivory goddess Nataka 
  (who include the nobles, merchants and arti-
  sans of Katanga, but not the common people) 
  are only admitted into the ground floor of the 
  tower. In this great audience chamber, the 
  priests accept the offerings and gifts of the 
  faithful, in return for blessings and omens. Oc-
  casionally, if a noteworthy visitor comes to the 
  temple, the high priest makes an appearance 
  and utters an important prophecy after the 
  sacrifice of a gold-adorned bull.
  The walls of the torch-lit chamber are 
  painted white and decorated with brightly-
  colored patterns. Along the walls are flat stone 
  altars with small piles of skulls, having once 
  belonged to important people such as nobles 
  and priests.
  4. Priests’ Quarters
  The shaven-headed priests live in large 
  common rooms on the first floor of the tower. 
  Each room holds six priests and their personal 
  belongings. Among the priests, there is an 
  individual named N’Kruma who is willing to 
  betray his fellow priests if the reward is great 
  enough (see above).
  Priests of Nataka, male Shoma Sor2 
  (24 total): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d4+3; hp 8; Init 
  +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, 
  +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 
  no armor); BAB/Grapple +1/+2; Atk +2 melee 
  (1d6+1, light mace, 20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all spears and bows, Spells; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  +10 racial bonus to Speed, Sinister Presence; 
  AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +4; Str 12, Dex 
  14, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 12.
  Skills: Concentration +5, Heal +6, Intimidate 
  +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perform (ritual) 
  +6, Spellcraft +6. Feats: Acolyte, Great Forti-
  tude, Run (b), Toughness.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 4/2; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +1 Int): 0 — arcane 
  mark, ghost sound, resistance; 1st — com-
  mand, fertility charm, mage armor.
  Languages: Shoma, Azimban.
  Possessions: Green robe, light mace, golden 
  armbands (worth 10 gp), 1d10 gp.
  Description: Shaven-headed, dressed in 
  flowing green robes and adorned with golden 
  armbands, these priests perform the day-to-
  day duties in the temple.
  Tactics: The priests rely on their great num-
  bers if facing intruders. Some cast mage armor 
  and attack with their maces, while others try to 
  cast command on opponents to disable them.
  N’Kruma, Corrupt Priest of Nataka, 
  male Shoma Sor6: CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d4+3; 
  hp 23; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 40 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 
  Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+4; Atk +7 melee 
  
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  (1d6+1, light mace, 20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all spears and bows, Spells; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  +10 racial bonus to Speed, Sinister Presence, 
  Master of Lost Languages and Arcane Myster-
  ies; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +6; Str 12, 
  Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12.
  Skills: Bluff +10, Concentration +9, Diplo-
  macy +10, Heal +10, Knowledge (local) +11, 
  Knowledge (religion) +11, Spellcraft +11. 
  Feats: Acolyte, Combat Casting, Extend Spell, 
  Improved Initiative, Run (b), Toughness, 
  Weapon Finesse (light mace).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/3/3/2; Spell DC 10 + spell level +2 Int): 0 — 
  arcane mark, ghost sound, prestidigitation, 
  resistance; 1st — charm person, command, 
  fertility charm, mage armor, ray of enfeeble-
  ment; 2nd — aid, augury, delay poison; 3rd 
  — hold person, prayer, suggestion.
  Languages: Shoma, Azimban, Mazanian.
  Possessions: Green robe with gold trim, 
  masterwork light mace, large golden earrings 
  (worth 20 gp each).
  Description: In his early thirties, N’Kruma 
  is tall and gaunt, and very quick. He is in 
  fact a spy of the southern realm of Mazania, 
  although he will take a bribe from anyone if he 
  thinks he can get away with it.
  Tactics: N’Kruma avoids battle if possible, 
  using his Sinister Presence ability. He prefers 
  to use spells from a distance, and quickly flees 
  if he feels cornered.
  5. Antechamber
  At the top of the stairway to the second floor 
  hangs a black silken curtain. Behind the cur-
  tain is a small antechamber. At the other end 
  of the antechamber is a locked wooden door 
  inset with ivory pieces in the shape of a skull. 
  Only the high priest, Yama-Thembu (see Area 
  8), has the key to this door.
  6. Inner Sanctum
  The door to this room is locked. The inner 
  sanctum is a large chamber. It appears to be 
  square, with black silken tapestries hanging 
  from ceiling to floor, but the sanctum does 
  in fact fill the entire second floor of the tower 
  except for the antechamber (Area 5). Standing 
  on a circular dais is a life-size ivory statue of 
  a voluptous woman, seemingly carved from a 
  single piece of ivory.
  The marble floor around the dais is covered 
  with cuneiform in archaic, proto-Susrahnite 
  script. A Decipher Script check (DC 25) is 
  required to read the words: “Praise the Ivory 
  Goddess! Praise the Mother Goddess! Her lips 
  are sweet, life is in her mouth.” Those foolish 
  enough to kiss the statue or otherwise touch 
  her lips discover that the opposite is true, for 
  the statue’s mouth has been smeared with a 
  lethal contact poison (Fortitude DC 20, initial 
  and secondary damage 3d6 Con) by the priests 
  to prevent such blasphemies.
  One of the flagstones on the floor is of a 
  slightly different coloration than the rest (be-
  cause it is far older), which can be discovered 
  with a Spot check (DC 15). This flagstone con-
  tains a single symbol which is the third part of 
  the key to Yigthrahotep’s vault.
  There are several incense burners in the 
  room, and the whole chamber smells slightly 
  of lotus fumes. A chair is set near the center of 
  the room, with its back to the statue. This chair 
  is used by female oracles who, according to the 
  teachings of the priests, are possessed by Na-
  taka and speak prophecies from the goddess.
  7. Temple Guardian
  Hidden behind the silken tapestries of the 
  sanctum is the monstrous guardian of the 
  temple. A terrible four-armed demon-ape is 
  chained to the western wall, but the leash is 
  long enough to allow it to roam freely on the 
  whole second floor of the tower. It obeys only 
  the high priest, who has instructed it to kill 
  anyone else entering the sanctum. The demon-
  ape scents intruders and tears down one of the 
  three large tapestries as it attacks.
  Temple Guardian, Demon-Ape (giral-
  lon): CR 6; hp 58.
  8. High Priest’s Quarters
  The high priest, Yama-Thembu, occupies 
  a spacious chamber on the topmost floor. A 
  curtain separates his bedroom and the study, 
  from where he administers the temple and the 
  cult. During the day, there is a 50% chance 
  that Yama-Thembu is here; otherwise he is in 
  the royal palace, offering his advice to the king. 
  At night, the high priest can be found sleep-
  ing in his bedchamber, but he keeps a trained 
  panther in the study to warn him of intruders. 
  A small wooden box (Hardness 5; hp 1; Break 
  DC 17) in the high priest’s study contains 
  2,000 gp worth of gold ingots; hanging on the 
  walls and heaped on Yama-Thembu’s bed are 
  half a dozen lion and leopard furs (worth 75 gp 
  apiece).
  Development: The player characters do not 
  really need to enter the high priest’s chamber 
  to complete their mission within the temple, 
  but they might be tempted to explore the 
  upper levels of the tower. Depending on how 
  the PCs deal with the temple guardian (see 
  Area 7), the noise from battle might alert the 
  high priest (as well as the common priests) to 
  the party’s presence. If caught trespassing the 
  temple, any surviving intruders are hauled to 
  the royal palace and likely face a death sen-
  tence unless quick wits (Bluff or Diplomacy) 
  or brute force is employed to avoid it (it is also 
  possible that Ursib and his henchmen can help 
  the PCs to escape).
  On the other hand, if the player characters 
  are detected but manage to defeat and/or kill 
  
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  the priests of the temple, they become outlaws 
  and will be hunted by members of the king’s 
  own personal guard. In this case, it would be 
  best to flee the city of Katanga as soon as pos-
  sible.
  Yama-Thembu, High Priest of Na-
  taka, male Shoma Sor9: CR 9; SZ M; HD 
  9d4+21; hp 45; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 40 ft.; AC 11 (+0 no armor, +1 
  Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+4; Atk +4 melee 
  (1d6, quarterstaff, 20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all spears and bows, Spells; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  +10 racial bonus to Speed, Sinister Presence, 
  Master of Lost Languages and Arcane Myster-
  ies; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +8; Str 11, 
  Dex 13, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 12.
  Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +14, Craft 
  (herbalism) +16, Decipher Script +16, Diplo-
  macy +13, Heal +14, Intimidate +13, Knowl-
  edge (religion) +16, Spellcraft +16. Feats: 
  Combat Casting, Dodge, Extend Spell, Im-
  proved Initiative, Leadership, Run (b), Silent 
  Spell, Spell Focus (enchantment), Toughness.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +4 
  Int): 0 — arcane mark, ghost sound, presti-
  digitation, resistance; 1st — charm person, 
  command, fertility charm, mage armor, ray 
  of enfeeblement; 2nd — aid, augury, delay 
  poison; 3rd — hold person, prayer, sugges-
  tion; 4th — confusion, divination, fear; 5th — 
  dominate person, dream, symbol of sleep.
  Languages: Shoma, Azimban, Zadjite, Yar-
  Ammonite, Mazanian.
  Possessions: White robe with gold trim, 
  quarterstaff, golden pectoral (worth 150 gp), 
  key to inner sanctum.
  Description: The high priest is middle-aged 
  and potbellied. He has great influence at court 
  and has the king’s ear and protection.
  Tactics: Yama-Thembu is no melee combat-
  ant, relying solely on his spells, acolytes, and 
  trained pet to protect him.
  Panther (black leopard): CR 2; hp 19.
  9. Temple Library
  The shelves in this room are filled with clay 
  tablets inscribed by the long-dead priests of 
  Belet-Lil. Many of the tablets have not yet 
  been deciphered by the black priests. A charac-
  ter who spends 6d10 minutes searching the 
  library and makes a successful Decipher Script 
  check (DC 25) gains a basic understanding of 
  the history of the Ishrah as described in the in-
  troduction to the adventure, except (of course) 
  the last part about the coming of the Wamuba 
  tribe, which happened after the clay tablets 
  were inscribed.
  Also, with a successful Search check (DC 25), 
  a clay tablet containing 1d3 randomly deter-
  mined spells can be found in the library.
  Beneath the Purple Spire
  After their visit to the temple of the ivory 
  goddess, the player characters have learned 
  the last piece of the secret that enables them to 
  re-open the sealed mines of the Ishrah. From 
  the city of Katanga, the expedition must con-
  tinue into the jungled hills south of the city.
  Into the Jungle
  The uplands south and east of Katanga are 
  known as the Shining Hills. Like the Ishrah-
  nites before them, the Shoma people operate 
  several gold mines in these hills, all owned by 
  the king and protected by his loyal spearmen.
  To reach the lost mine, the player characters 
  must travel due south of Katanga, into track-
  less, jungle-covered hills. Horses and camels 
  are useless in such terrain; but mules or don-
  keys are a good alternative that can be used 
  to carry supplies and equipment through the 
  rugged hill terrain.
  Vines, roots, and short bushes cover much of 
  the ground. A space covered with light under-
  growth costs 2 squares of movement to move 
  into, and it provides concealment. Under-
  growth increases the DC of Tumble and Move 
  Silently checks by 2 because the leaves and 
  branches get in the way.
  The climate of the Shining Hills is very hot. 
  Characters must make a Fortitude saving 
  throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for each previous 
  check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. 
  Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor 
  of any sort take a -4 penalty on their saves. A 
  character with the Survival skill may receive 
  a bonus on this saving throw and may be able 
  to apply this bonus to other characters as well. 
  Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin 
  taking lethal damage (1d4 points per hour).
  Refer to the following encounter table for 
  random encounters in the Shining Hills. Each 
  day, an encounter occurs on a roll of 1-8 on 
  1d20. Roll 1d12 to determine the exact nature 
  of the encounter.
  The maximum distance at which a Spot check 
  for detecting the nearby presence of others 
  can succeed is 2d8 x 10 feet. The background 
  noise in the jungle makes Listen checks more 
  difficult, increasing the DC of the check by 2 
  per 10 feet, not 1 (but note that Move Silently 
  is also more difficult in undergrowth).
  The Village of the Wamuba
  The lost mine of the Ishrahnites is approxi-
  mately 150 miles south of Katanga. Treat the 
  terrain as trackless hills, covered with jungle. 
  A “purple spire”, actually the ruins of a small 
  fortress built from purple stone, marks the site 
  of the mine (although the actual mine entrance 
  is overgrown by vines and hidden from sight).
  The ruined fortress stands on the eastern 
  slope of a jungled valley. A black tribe known 
  as the Wamuba settled in the valley two cen-
  
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  Shining Hills Random Encounters
  Roll  
  Encounter
  1 
  Disease
  2 
  Insect swarm
  3 
  Fungi
  4 
  Carnivorous tree
  5 
  Giant dire frog
  6 
  Constrictor snake
  7 
  Heavy rain and flood
  8 
  Rockslide
  9 
  Monstrous spider
  10 
  Carnivorous ape
  11 
  Native tribesmen
  12 
  Mazanian warband
  Carnivorous Ape: This aggressive band of 1d3+2 man-eating apes attack by jumping down 
  from the trees above the party.
  Carnivorous Tree: A single assassin vine uses its long, tentacle-like main vine to grab and 
  strangle a passing victim, while using its lesser vines to entangle others. It takes a Spot check 
  (DC 20) to detect the assassin vine before it strikes.
  Disease: The characters are exposed to a tropical disease while passing a mosquito-infested 
  area. The disease is similar to the red ache (Fortitude DC 15, incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d6 
  Str). If the initial saving throw succeeds, the disease has no effect. Otherwise, the character 
  takes damage after the incubation period. Once per day afterward, the character must make 
  a successful Fortitude saving throw to avoid repeated damage. Two successful saving throws 
  in a row indicate that the character has fought off the disease and recovers, taking no more 
  damage. These Fortitude saving throws can be rolled secretly so that the player doesn’t know 
  whether the disease has taken hold.
  Fungi: A large patch of 1d3+1 violet fungi are found in the moist and dark shade of a rotted 
  tree.
  Constrictor Snake: Constrictor snakes usually are not aggressive and flee when confront-
  ed, especially if Ursib and the other serpent-men are with the party.
  Giant Dire Frog: A pair of large, feral amphibians with razor-sharp teeth and dark mottled 
  skin with black splotches leap out from hiding in a marshy area. See the Tome of Horrors for 
  statistics.
  Heavy Rain and Flood: A massive downpour of rain causes severe flooding of a nearby 
  river. Characters are caught in the river stream and must make Swim checks (DC 20) every 
  round to avoid going under. If a character gets a check result of 5 or more over the minimum 
  necessary, he arrests his motion by catching a rock, tree limb, or bottom snag — he is no 
  longer being carried along by the flow of the water. Escaping the rapids by reaching the bank 
  requires three Swim checks (DC 20) in a row. Characters arrested by a rock, limb, or snag 
  can’t escape under their own power unless they strike out into the water and attempt to swim 
  their way clear. Other characters can rescue them as if they were trapped in quicksand (see the 
  DMG).
  Insect Swarm: A centipede swarm approaches the party’s campsite. The swarm is immune 
  to weapon damage, but a lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire 
  damage per hit. Also, a lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire 
  damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.
  Mazanian Warband: A raiding-band from the southern realm of Mazania, consisting of 
  2d6 x 10 female warriors (Ftr2), wearing leather armor and helmets set with ostrich feathers. 
  They are armed with clubs, javelins and composite shortbows. Their leader is a female 6th-
  level fighter with rhino-hide armor and armed with a dire flail. The Mazanians seek loot and 
  the capture of male slaves.
  Monstrous Spider: A colony of 1d4+1 large monstrous spiders have spun several webs to 
  trap the unwary. A Spot check (DC 20) is required to avoid stumbling into the webs.
  
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  turies ago, clearing away the vegetation in the 
  eastern part of the valley and constructing a 
  wooden palisade across the valley floor. They 
  built their small huts of wood and mud inside 
  the palisade, in the shadow of the purple ruins. 
  The tribe avoided the ancient fortress, believ-
  ing it to be cursed, but the chieftain’s oldest 
  wife, Nugga-Tikanda, secretly delved into the 
  ruins. It was whispered that she learned the 
  dark arts of witchcraft from the dead spirits of 
  the Ishrah within the ruins. Not long after, the 
  chieftain died from a sudden wasting disease, 
  and Nugga-Tikanda seized rulership of the 
  tribe.
  The Wamuba live in almost total isolation 
  from the outside world. There are currently 
  around 300 members of the tribe; two-thirds 
  are adult warriors and the rest are young boys. 
  If the player characters enter the village, they 
  soon notice that there are no women to be 
  seen anywhere. Also, due to inbreeding (see 
  below), many of the tribesmen have gross 
  physical defects, such as missing or bulging 
  eyes, weirdly twisted arms or feet, purple boils 
  or cysts, extra or missing digits on hands or 
  feet, and so on. The majority are still capable 
  warriors, however.
  Note: The Wamuba use the same statistics as 
  the Shoma race, except that they do not get the 
  racial +10 bonus to Speed.
  The important non-player characters of the 
  village include:
  — Nugga-Tikanda, Witch-Queen of the Wa-
  muba: Nugga-Tikanda is the despotic female 
  ruler of the tribe. She is in fact a two hundred 
  year old crone, sustained by sorcery, although 
  her physical form is young but massively 
  obese. The witch-queen is not wholly sane.
  — Tibaa, Tribal Champion and Royal Con-
  sort: Tibaa, a powerful warrior, is Nugga-
  Tikanda’s current favorite, champion and 
  consort. He enjoys his current position and 
  acts ruthlessly in order to preserve it against 
  any potential rivals.
  — Mwanza “the Hunchback”, Village Elder 
  and Chief Steward: Mwanza is an old, hunch-
  backed man who oversees the village and acts 
  as the queen’s messenger. He speaks a basic 
  form of the Shoma language, which allows him 
  to communicate with strangers.
  Development: As the PCs approach within 
  a mile or two of the valley, they are spotted 
  by Wamuba sentries who hide in the dense 
  Native Tribesmen: This is a band of 1d10+10 native warriors, unrelated to the Wamuba 
  tribe. Their initial attitude is hostile. They are 2nd-level barbarians, armed with shortspears 
  and carrying large wooden shields. Their leader is a 4th-level barbarian armed with a great-
  club.
  Rockslide: A sudden rockslide threatens to bury one or more of the party members. A 
  character can spot the danger with a successful Knowledge (architecture and engineering) or 
  Craft (stonemasonry) check (DC 20). Characters in the slide zone take 3d6 points of damage, 
  or no damage at all if they make a Reflex save (DC 15). Characters in the slide zone who fail 
  their saves are buried.
  Characters take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute while buried. If such a character 
  falls unconscious, he must make a Constitution check (DC 15). If it fails, he takes 1d6 points of 
  lethal damage each minute thereafter until freed or dead.
  Characters who aren’t buried can dig out their friends. In 1 minute, using only her hands, a 
  character can clear rocks and debris equal to five times her heavy load limit. The amount of 
  loose stone that fills a 5-foot-by-5-foot area weighs one ton (2,000 pounds). Armed with an 
  appropriate tool, such as a pick, crowbar, or shovel, a digger can clear loose stone twice as 
  quickly as by hand. You may allow a buried character to free himself with a Strength check 
  (DC 25).
  
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  undergrowth. Imitating animal sounds, the 
  sentries alert the tribe to the presence of in-
  truders. Mwanza and the villagers have orders 
  to bring any foreigners back to the village, if 
  necessary as captives. A band of 2d10+30 Wa-
  muba warriors surrounds the party and herd 
  the PCs along back behind the palisade wall.
  Unless the PCs resist, they are escorted to 
  the village behind the palisade wall by the 
  tribal warriors. Once inside the village, the 
  strangers are directed into a hut where some 
  simple food has been prepared for them. 
  Mwanza appears and tells the PCs that they 
  must select a “champion” among themselves, 
  who is to “entertain” the “queen” of the tribe, 
  Nugga-Tikanda. If the player characters refuse 
  to appoint a champion, Mwanza declares the 
  strongest-looking male character to be the 
  champion.
  It is possible, of course, that the player char-
  acters choose to fight the tribesmen instead 
  of following the Wamuba to their village. If 
  a fight breaks out, the tribesmen attempt to 
  capture the PCs alive, but they do not hesi-
  tate to kill opponents that they consider too 
  dangerous to let live. If the PCs are defeated, 
  any survivors are taken back to the village. 
  The strongest-looking character is selected to 
  fight against the tribal champion, and things 
  develop more or less as described below. On 
  the other hand, if the PCs manage to defeat or 
  flee from the Wamuba, despite being severly 
  outnumbered, this part of the adventure plays 
  out somewhat differently. The player charac-
  ters can either sneak into or attack the village 
  and/or the purple ruins, or try to avoid the 
  Wamuba while they look for the hidden en-
  trance to the mine which must be somewhere 
  in the vicinity of the purple ruins. Meanwhile, 
  Nugga-Tikanda will send out search parties to 
  find and capture the intruders. Adjust the fol-
  lowing events as you see fit.
  Wamuba Tribesmen, male Wamuba 
  Bbn2 (200 total): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d12+2; 
  hp 17; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (+0 
  no armor, +2 heavy wooden shield, +2 Dex), 
  touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+0 no ar-
  mor, +2 heavy wooden shield); BAB/Grapple 
  +2/+4; Atk +5 melee (1d6, shortspear, 20/x2) 
  or +5 ranged (1d6+2, shortbow, 20/x3, range 
  increment 60 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all spears and bows, Rage 1/day; SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge; 
  AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 
  14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +7, Intimidate +5, Jump +7, 
  Listen +5, Survival +5. Feats: Dodge, Expert 
  Poisoner, Run (b).
  Languages: Wamuba.
  Possessions: Loincloth, bone necklace, heavy 
  wooden shield, shortspear, shortbow, 1 dose of 
  sassone leaf residue.
  Description: The Wambua are naked except 
  for simple loincloths. Their skin is tattooed, 
  and they wear bone necklaces and carry 
  wooden shields. Around 20% of these warriors 
  have gross physical defects due to inbreeding.
  Tactics: Fighting with bow and spear, these 
  warriors occasionally coat their weapons with 
  poison.
  Mwanza, the Hunchback, male Wa-
  muba Bbn4: CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d12+4; hp 
  34; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no 
  armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+5; Atk 
  +5 melee (1d6+1, quarterstaff, 20/x2) or +6 
  ranged (1d6+1, throwing axe, 20/x2, range 
  increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all spears and bows, Rage 2/day; SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, 
  Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will 
  +5; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 
  12.
  
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  Skills: Craft (herbalism) +9, Craft (weapon-
  smithing) +9, Handle Animal +8, Listen +9, 
  Ride +9, Survival +9, Swim +8. Feats: Dodge, 
  Iron Will, Run (b), Track.
  Languages: Wamuba, Shoma, Azimban.
  Possessions: Loincloth, cloak of monkey-
  skin, quarterstaff, throwing axe, pouch with 
  herbs, pouch with 10 small obsidian stones 
  (worth 10 gp each).
  Description: An old and hunchbacked man, 
  Mwanza is both smarter and faster than he 
  looks. His knowledge of the Northern languag-
  es makes him useful to Nugga-Tikanda.
  Tactics: Mwanza rarely gets into combat 
  himself; as the village elder he commands the 
  other tribesmen.
  Winning the Queen’s Favor
  Assuming the chosen player character ac-
  cepts his role as champion, he is escorted 
  (along with the rest of the party, including 
  the merchants of Susrah) from the village to 
  the purple ruins in the hills above. Here, the 
  tribe gathers in the courtyard of the fortress, 
  the partly crumbled walls of which serve as an 
  amphitheater.
  The champion selected from among the PCs 
  must prove his worth by defeating the current 
  tribal champion, Tibaa. The rules are simple: 
  The fight is to the death. Wearing armor is 
  forbidden, and use of sorcery is of course 
  considered cheating. The champions must 
  fight on a 5 feet wide log which rests across a 
  30 feet deep pit. At the bottom of the pit are 
  several cave openings; a giant centipede lurks 
  inside one of the cave tunnels and darts out to 
  attack anyone who falls into the pit. The walls 
  of the pit have been greased with animal fat to 
  prevent the centipede (as well as combatants 
  falling in) from climbing up. During the fight, 
  a dozen spearmen guard against interference 
  from the other player characters.
  Development: Before the fighting begins, 
  the obese queen of the tribe is carried into 
  her seat by six bearers, who strain under the 
  weight of the litter. At Nugga-Tikanda’s signal, 
  the combatants face off against each other.
  If the player character wins, he is declared 
  the new tribal champion and a great feast 
  is to be held to celebrate his victory. On the 
  other hand, if defeat seems imminent for the 
  PC, Nugga-Tikanda stops the fight by order-
  ing Tibaa to stand back instead of delivering 
  the fatal blow. In this case, it is assumed that 
  the queen of the Wamubas has taken a liking 
  to the player character despite his lacking 
  fighting skills, and declares the stranger to be 
  her new consort. If this happens, the PC gains 
  the enmity of Tibaa and his henchmen. Either 
  way, a feast is held to celebrate the player 
  characters and the new champion among 
  them.
  Tibaa, Tribal Champion, male Wa-
  muba Bbn8: CR 8; SZ M; HD 8d12+16; hp 
  82; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no 
  armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +8/+13; Atk 
  +14 melee (1d10+7, greatclub, 20/x2); Full Atk 
  +14/+9 melee (1d10+7, greatclub, 20/x2); SA 
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all spears 
  and bows, Rage 3/day; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Craft and Survival skills, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny 
  Dodge, Trap Sense +2, Damage Reduction 1/-; 
  AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 20, Dex 
  16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +16, Intimidate +11, Jump 
  +16, Listen +12, Survival +12. Feats: Cleave, 
  Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Run (b), 
  Weapon Focus (greatclub).
  Languages: Wamuba.
  Possessions: Loincloth, hide armor (not worn 
  in arena), greatclub.
  Description: Tall, heavily muscled and fear-
  some, Tibaa’s face is disfigured by purple boils, 
  a birth defect caused by the tribe’s inbreed-
  ing. Owing more to his great strength than his 
  looks, Tibaa is the queen’s current favorite.
  Tactics: Tibaa seeks to defend Nugga-Tikada, 
  the Tribal Mother, at all costs. When fighting 
  above the pit, he uses bull rushes to try to push 
  opponents into the pit.
  The Thing in the Pit, Huge Monstrous 
  Centipede: CR 2; hp 33.
  A Feast for the Champion
  The feast is held in the village at nightfall the 
  same day; it quickly develops into drunken 
  revelry as the tribesmen consume prodigious 
  quantities of banana wine. Nugga-Tikanda 
  herself is not present during the feast.
  Player characters who use the occasion to 
  speak with the hunchback, Mwanza, can learn 
  the following about Nugga-Tikanda with a suc-
  cessful Gather Information check: “She is very 
  old” (DC 10); “it is said that she murdered her 
  husband, the last chieftain of the Wamuba” 
  (DC 14); “she knows the secrets of witchcraft 
  which has made her immortal” (DC 17); “she 
  is the mother of us all — every living man of 
  the tribe is both her husband and her son” (DC 
  20).
  With a successful Diplomacy check that 
  alters Mwanza’s attitude from indifferent to 
  friendly (DC 15), the hunchback can also tell 
  the PCs about the long-abandoned mines of 
  the Ishrah, and how to find the mine entrance 
  despite the heavy jungle growth which now 
  conceals it. If the Diplomacy check changed 
  Mwanza’s attitude to helpful (DC 30), he 
  adds that the upper level of the mines is now 
  inhabited by a band of degenerate savages, the 
  descendants of those Wamuba tribesmen who 
  were driven away by Nugga-Tikanda when she 
  usurped the last chieftain.
  During the feast, the tribesmen get drunk 
  and it is easy for the PCs to sneak out of the 
  
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  village, should they so desire (possibly to try 
  to find the mines, or even to confront Nugga-
  Tikanda). If the player characters do stay until 
  the height of the feast, around midnight, a 
  group of Nugga-Tikanda’s personal guards ap-
  pear and talk to Mwanza. The hunchback then 
  announces to the PCs that the queen wishes 
  to mate with her new consort; the celebrated 
  champion must follow the queen’s guard alone 
  back to the purple ruins.
  The Queen’s Guard, male Wamuba 
  Bbn4 (8 total): CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d12+8; hp 
  39; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (+3 hide 
  armor, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 
  13 (+3 hide armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+7; Atk 
  +9 melee (1d8+4, longspear, 20/x3, reach 10 
  ft.) or +7 melee (1d6+3, handaxe, 20/x3); SA 
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all spears 
  and bows, Rage 2/day; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Craft and Survival skills, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +1; AL 
  N; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 12, 
  Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Skills: Climb +10, Intimidate +6, Jump +10, 
  Listen +8, Survival +8. Feats: Combat Re-
  flexes, Power Attack, Run (b), Weapon Focus 
  (longspear).
  Languages: Wamuba.
  Possessions: Hide armor, longspear, 
  handaxe.
  Description: These are the elite guardians 
  of the queen; four of them are always at the 
  queen’s side.
  Tactics: Keep opponents away using their 
  reach weapons, working together to form a 
  spear-wall.
  The Kiss of Death
  Nugga-Tikanda has lived for two centuries by 
  mating with her own sons, but this abominable 
  inbreeding produces both physically and men-
  tally retarded children, and each subsequent 
  generation weakens the effects of the immor-
  tality rite. The witch of the Wamuba needs the 
  blood of outsiders to improve the genetic pool 
  of the tribe and boost the effect of her rituals, 
  and has therefore selected the most physically 
  impressive member of the party as her new 
  consort. (Note that if the queen’s former favor-
  ite, Tibaa, is still alive, he tries his best to bring 
  the new consort into disfavor, but at the same 
  time cannot act directly against the orders of 
  the queen.)
  Development: The actions of the player 
  character who has been chosen as the queen’s 
  new consort determines what happens next. If 
  the PC agrees to fulfil his duties as the queen’s 
  consort, the player character is escorted by 
  the queen’s guard back to the purple ruins. 
  He must surrender his weapons and armor to 
  the guards before being allowed into the royal 
  bedchamber. The guards remain within ear-
  shot of the bedchamber while Nugga-Tikanda 
  mates with the chosen consort. Due to her 
  sorcerous preparations, a single union is 80% 
  likely to result in pregnancy and can produce 
  as many as 2d6 children. Even so, the queen 
  keeps the PC around for up to 1d3 months 
  before she tires of him and orders him killed 
  (and then takes a new consort from among the 
  other PCs). In the meantime, the player char-
  acter enjoys the privileges of being the queen’s 
  chosen consort. He and his friends are free to 
  wander around the village and the surround-
  ing area (including the lost mine), but are only 
  allowed into the purple ruins when summoned 
  by the queen.
  If the player character refuses to go with the 
  queen’s guards, a fight likely breaks out in the 
  village as the guards try to grapple and pin the 
  PC, then tie him up with ropes and drag him 
  along forcefully. If the PCs defeat the guards, 
  one or more loyal tribesmen (who have not al-
  ready passed out from excessive consumption 
  of banana wine) flee from the village and try to 
  warn Nugga-Tikanda, who sends more guards 
  after the player characters.
  Nugga-Tikanda, the Witch-Queen of 
  the Wamuba, female Corpulent Wa-
  muba Bbn1/Sor9: CR 10; SZ L Aberration; 
  HD 1d12+6 plus 9d4+54; hp 90; Init +3 (-1 
  Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 20 ft.; AC 8 
  (+0 no armor, -1 Dex, -1 size), touch 8 (-1 Dex, 
  -1 size), flat-footed 9 (+0 no armor, -1 size); 
  BAB/Grapple +5/+16; Atk +7 melee (1d4+3, 
  unarmed strike, 20/x2); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 
  ft.; SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  spears and bows, Rage 1/day, Spells, Crush 
  (2d6+3); SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and Sur-
  vival skills, Run as a bonus feat, Fast Move-
  ment, Illiteracy, Sinister Presence, Master of 
  Lost Languages and Arcane Mysteries; AL N; 
  SV Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +8; Str 16, Dex 8, 
  Con 22, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 11.
  Skills: Concentration +18, Craft (herbalism) 
  +6, Decipher Script +14, Handle Animal +4, 
  Heal +14, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (ar-
  cana) +14, Listen +6, Ride +3, Spellcraft +14, 
  Survival +6, Swim +7. Feats: Combat Cast-
  ing, Extend Spell, Grisly Sacrifice, Improved 
  Grapple (b), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike, Lunar Magic, Run (b), Spell 
  Focus (necromancy), Sympathetic Magic.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +2 Int): 
  0 — arcane mark, dancing lights, mage hand, 
  resistance; 1st — animal messenger, charm 
  person, fertility charm, mage armor, ray of 
  enfeeblement, spectral hand; 2nd — death 
  knell, false life, incantation of the broken 
  limb, whispering wind; 3rd — bestow curse, 
  dispel magic, speak with dead, vampiric 
  touch; 4th — animate dead, contagion, curse 
  of green decay, enervation, lesser geas; 5th — 
  dominate person, lifeleech, lover’s curse, slay 
  living, telekinesis.
  Languages: Wamuba, Mazanian, Yalothan.
  Possessions: Loincloth, bone necklace, gold 
  nipple rings (worth 25 gp each).
  
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  Description: Obese beyond imagining, 
  Nugga-Tikanda is a repulsive sight as she is 
  carried around half-naked on a litter by four of 
  her bodyguards.
  Nugga-Tikanda is in fact the mother of the 
  entire tribe; female babies are slain shortly 
  after birth. The queen’s sons mate with their 
  own mother in an abominable fertility rite 
  when they reach the age of manhood, a sorcer-
  ous process which extends the lifespan of the 
  sorceress at the expense of her sanity and the 
  well-being of her offspring.
  Tactics: Nugga-Tikanda relies on her body-
  guards for protection, but relishes the casting 
  of destructive and necromantic spells. If her 
  Sinister Presence doesn’t keep her out of me-
  lee, she tries to grapple and crush opponents 
  under her revolting body mass.
  The queen has some treasure in her personal 
  chamber: A golden cup (100 gp), a bag filled 
  with pearls (400 gp), a wooden box with 4 
  large pieces of gold (250 gp each), a damaged 
  bronze timekeeping device (of Ishrahnite 
  origin, appears broken but is worth 800 gp if 
  repaired for 100 gp), three large worn silver-
  embroidered tapestries (100 gp each), two hu-
  man skulls painted with green paint, the dried 
  husk of a black scorpion, four dark crimson 
  poison berries (Ingested DC 18; initial damage 
  2d6 Con; secondary damage 1d6 Con + 1d6 
  Str; lose their potency in 1 week), and some 
  withered herbs (worthless).
  The Lost Mines of the Ishrah
  When the ancient Ishrahnites discovered the 
  prehuman vaults below their own mine tun-
  nels, the lower tunnels were blocked with rub-
  ble and the mines were eventually abandoned. 
  Centuries later, when Nugga-Tikanda seized 
  leadership of the Wamuba tribe, a group of 
  male warriors opposed her rule. After a short 
  power struggle, most of these warriors were 
  killed by Nugga-Tikanda’s followers and the 
  rest were driven away from the village, along 
  with their women. Seeking refuge in the upper 
  levels of the abandoned mines, these outcasts 
  eked out a meager life here for generations, 
  plotting to return to overthrow Nugga-Tikan-
  da, but inevitably falling into sharp decline 
  due to their isolation. After a time, the men 
  were killed in battle with Wamubans loyal to 
  Nugga-Tikanda, or fell prey to wild animals.
  However, several of the outcast women were 
  captured by a local tribe of man-apes, who 
  forcibly mated with the captives. From this 
  union has sprung a tribe of semi-intelligent 
  ape-men, who inhabit the mine’s upper 
  caverns. They master the use of fire, primitive 
  weapons and simple tools, but are otherwise 
  as apes. These primitives viciously defend 
  their territory against any intruders, including 
  Nugga-Tikanda’s tribesmen (who now mostly 
  ignore the savages but sometimes clash with 
  the ape-men’s hunting bands).
  1. Cave Entrance
  The cave entrance is concealed by several 
  layers of thick vegetation. It can be found with 
  a Search check (DC 25), or by observing the 
  coming and going of the ape-men who inhabit 
  the mines beyond. It is also possible to find 
  the cave entrance by spotting these ape-men 
  outside the mines and using the Track feat to 
  follow them back to their lair.
  For each hour, there is a 20% chance to en-
  counter 1d4 ape-men outside the cave.
  Ape-Men, male Bbn3 (30 total): CR 3; 
  SZ M; HD 3d12+6; hp 35; Init +0 (+0 Dex); 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (+0 no armor, +0 Dex), 
  touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+7; Atk +7 melee 
  
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  (1d6+4, club, 20/x2); SA Rage 1/day; SQ 
  Low-Light Vision, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, 
  Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort 
  +7, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 18, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 
  8, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Skills: Climb +10, Intimidate +5, Listen +6, 
  Survival +6. Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, 
  Power Attack.
  Languages: None (primitive grunting only).
  Possessions: Furry loincloth, club.
  Description: Stunted and filthy, with un-
  kempt long hair and beards, these ape-men 
  could easily be mistaken for true apes were 
  it not for their simple clothing and use of 
  weapons.
  Tactics: The ape-men attack in packs, using 
  a combination of charge, power attack and 
  rage to deliver a devastating first blow. If fac-
  ing superior foes, they quickly retreat into the 
  darkness of their caves to regroup and prepare 
  another ambush.
  2. Great Cave
  There is a 50% chance that a band of 1d4+4 
  ape-men are encountered in this large cave. In 
  the cavern wall is a hidden entrance (Search 
  DC 25) to the tunnel leading upwards to the 
  cavern of the ape-men (Area 3).
  3. Upper Cave
  This cavern is 100 feet in diameter, and the 
  ceiling is 20 feet tall. There are 1d10+10 ape-
  men warriors in the cavern, as well as twice 
  that number of non-combatants (women and 
  children). Scattered in the corners of the cave 
  are various items such as bone and stone tools, 
  scraps of food, and heaps of debris and offal.
  4. Dead End
  A tunnel leading from the main cave (Area 
  2) is filled with various mining equipment, but 
  most is in poor shape, being broken, rusted, or 
  decayed.
  5. Mine Shaft
  A tunnel leads down to the main shaft. There 
  is no “elevator” in the shaft; such equipment of 
  wood and rope has decayed long ago. A Climb 
  check is required to descend (DC 20, or DC 5 
  with a knotted rope).
  If there are  surviving ape-men in the mines, 
  they might hide in the dark tunnels opening 
  up upon the shaft and throw rocks down on 
  the PCs as they attempt to descend (treat such 
  thrown rocks as improvised weapons with a 
  -4 penalty to attack rolls, dealing 1d3 points of 
  damage [plus any Strength bonus], and with a 
  range increment of 10 feet).
  
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  On the far side of the shaft is a primitive 
  forge hall with cobwebbed furnaces, bellows of 
  near-decayed animal-skin, dry vats that once 
  held water, rusted pincers, and so on.
  6. Mine Tunnels
  The shaft is 140 feet deep. Along the length 
  of the shaft are several mine tunnels. These 
  are wholly or partly excavated. The ape-men 
  might retreat and hide in these dark tunnels if 
  they are defeated in the upper caverns. They 
  take 10 on their Climb skills to ascend and 
  descend the main shaft (Area 5).
  7. Fungi Cave
  One of the mine tunnels ends in a large 
  natural cavern filled with weird fungi. Several 
  of the fungi are edible, as identified with a suc-
  cessful Survival or Knowledge (nature) check 
  (DC 15). The ape-men also harvest fungi here.
  8. Natural Cave and Chasm
  On the lowest level of the mine, to the west, is 
  another natural cavern, then a tunnel leading 
  to a deep natural fissure, 100 feet deep. The 
  edges are jagged and it requires several Climb 
  checks (DC 25) to climb down. The bottom of 
  the chasm contains several bones, both human 
  and animal.
  Also on the bottom is is a fast-flowing, freez-
  ing cold underground river. The river leads 
  to a boggy marshland, about 2 miles from the 
  village of the Wamuba, which is the abode of 
  a giant dire frog (see the Tome of Horrors). 
  The murky swamp water is 3 feet deep, and 
  creatures without Swim speeds must wade 
  through it as if entangled (half speed, cannot 
  run or charge, -2 to attack rolls, -4 to effective 
  Dexterity).
  9. Abandoned Tunnels
  These tunnels are the deepest tunnels dug by 
  the ancient Ishrahnites before they discovered 
  the prehuman chambers beneath the mines. 
  The walls are rough and the floor is covered by 
  loose rocks and debris.
  10. Blocked Tunnel
  The main tunnel, which leads to the sealed 
  door beyond, has been blocked by a huge pile 
  of stones. It is apparent with an Intelligence 
  check (DC 14) that the pile has been placed 
  there by human hands; in other words, it is 
  not a natural cave-in. It takes several hours to 
  clear away the rocks from the tunnel to allow 
  passage.
  11. Sealed Door
  To the east, behind a partly collapsed tunnel, 
  is a massive door of a curious metal, inscribed 
  with cuneiform symbols. Only by pressing 
  three specific symbols in a specific sequence 
  (or by destroying the three items on which the 
  symbols are written) can the door be opened. 
  Refer to the adventure introduction for more 
  information.
  If the wrong glyphs are pressed, or if force 
  is used against the door, a deadly blast affects 
  the intruder. This is a blast of lightning that 
  deals 8d6 points of damage to anyone in front 
  of the door (Reflex DC 18 for half damage). 
  The door instantly recharges itself and can 
  discharge one lightning bolt each round. The 
  metal door itself is nigh-impenetrable (Hard-
  ness 20, 120 hp, Break DC 38).
  12. Octagonal Chamber
  Behind the sealed doors are several cham-
  bers of a weird, curved architecture. With a 
  successful Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 17), 
  a character realizes that the chambers were 
  probably built by the prehistoric “serpent-
  kings”, a race of intelligent ophidians that 
  ruled the world in ages past. This realization 
  is reinforced by paintings on the walls, which 
  depict scenes of primitive men being sacrificed 
  to giant snakes.
  Development: The player characters hardly 
  have time to ponder the implications of these 
  revelations. As soon as the PCs enter the main 
  chamber, they hear a slithering sound as a 
  large human-headed snake appears. This is 
  Yigthrahotep, one of the ancient serpent-kings 
  of Yalotha, who has been awakened from 
  aeons of slumber. As Yigthrahotep attacks, 
  the “merchants” of Susrah, who have taken 
  up positions behind the PCs, finally drop their 
  disguises. Their leader, Ursib, shouts out: “O 
  great Yigthrahotep, we have come to awaken 
  you from your slumber and release you from 
  centuries of imprisonment! We now offer 
  you these humans as a celebration of your 
  freedom!”
  Yigthrahotep, Ancient Serpent-King 
  of Yalotha: CR 10; SZ L Aberration; HD 
  11d8+44; hp 93; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 40 ft.; AC 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, 
  +7 natural), touch 11 (-1 size, +2 Dex), flat-
  
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  footed 16 (-1 size, +7 natural); BAB/Grapple 
  +8/+17; Atk +12 melee (2d6+7 plus poison, 
  bite) or +9 ranged (poison, spit); Full Atk +12 
  melee (2d6+7 plus poison, bite) or +9 ranged 
  (poison, spit); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA 
  charming gaze, constrict, improved grab, 
  poison, spit, spells; SQ darkvision (60 ft.), 
  telepathy (120 ft.); AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, 
  Will +11; Str 21, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 16, Wis 19, 
  Cha 18.
  Skills: Bluff +18, Concentration +19, Listen 
  +13, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), 
  Intimidate +6, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft 
  +17, Spot +13. Feats: Alertness, Combat Cast-
  ing, Eschew Materials (b), Improved Initiative, 
  Lightning Reflexes.
  Charming Gaze (Su): As charm person, 
  30 feet, Will DC 19 negates. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based.
  Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple 
  check, a serpent-king deals 1d6+7 points of 
  damage.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a 
  serpent-king must hit with its bite attack. It 
  can then attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking an attack of opportu-
  nity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes 
  a hold and can constrict.
  Poison (Ex): Injury or contact, Fortitude DC 
  19, initial and secondary damage 1d10 Con. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Spit (Ex): A serpent-king can spit its venom 
  up to 30 feet as a standard action. This is a 
  ranged touch attack with no range increment. 
  Opponents hit by this attack must make suc-
  cessful saves (see above) to avoid the effect.
  Telepathy (Su): Serpent-kings can commu-
  nicate telepathically with any creature within 
  120 feet that has a language.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 
  0 — ghost sound, know direction, resistance; 
  1st — animal messenger, hypnotism, magic 
  fang; 2nd — delay poison, protection from ar-
  rows, whispering wind; 3rd — greater magic 
  fang, sepia snake sigil; 4th — divination, spell 
  immunity; 5th — dominate person, sending.
  Description: Yigthrahotep is a survivor from 
  a lost age, when the serpents ruled beneath 
  the youthful sun from the primeval swamps 
  and jungles of Yalotha, the serpent king-
  dom. Despite being immortal save for violent 
  death, the cold-blooded serpent-kings were 
  driven into retreat and hibernation as climate 
  changes and slave uprisings ended their aeon-
  long reign.
  Tactics: Yigthrahotep uses 1d4 rounds to 
  fully recover from his long period of hiberna-
  tion, during which he cannot cast spells. While 
  highly intelligent, his tactics are simple; he 
  spits his poison, then moves in to grab and 
  constrict victims.
  13. Serpent-Bowl
  This side chamber is dominated by a large, 
  lidded stone bowl engraved with ancient 
  Yalothan hieroglyphs. The bowl has hinges 
  near the lid which allows carrying rods to be 
  inserted, so that servitors of the serpent-kings 
  can transport their slumbering masters. This 
  is where Yigthrahotep has hibernated through 
  the aeons.
  14. Snake-Idol
  A giant stone idol of Zanthiss, 10 feet tall, 
  dominates this room. The statue is cold to the 
  touch. The serpentine body is adorned with 
  three heavy bands of gold (worth 1,000 gp 
  each).
  The smaller chamber beyond is accessed 
  through a heavy curtain of snake-skin. On a 
  raised dais next to the wall is a black staff set 
  with a golden cobra head. To a priest of Zan-
  thiss, this staff functions as a rod of the viper. 
  Any non-worshipper touching it is subject to a 
  phantasmal killer spell (DC 18), in the form of 
  a striking snake.
  15. Meeting Room
  This spacious chamber features several 
  weird, curved benches, ideal for snakes to 
  climb and recline upon. The walls are deco-
  rated with serpentine patterns and ancient 
  writings that glorify the might of Zanthiss, 
  including paintings that depict large groups 
  of enslaved humans, dragging massive stones 
  and building cyclopean cities of black stone, 
  overseen by tall serpentine taskmasters.
  16. Cells
  This section of the vault has three small cells, 
  doubtlessly used to hold human prisoners or 
  sacrifice in ages past. There is nothing but 
  bones and dust here now.
  17. Fire-Ravaged Chamber
  This large room might have been a library 
  or study, but seems ravaged by fire. There is 
  
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  nothing of interest here now, unless perhaps 
  the DM wishes to place some kind of clue to 
  the whereabouts of the lost city of serpents 
  in the jungles of Yalotha among the charred 
  documents here.
  Conclusion
  Even if the player characters confront and 
  defeat Yigthrahotep, there might be several 
  loose threads. Nugga-Tikanda and her con-
  sort Tibaa could still be alive. If Tibaa is alive, 
  he and his men enter the mines, battle any 
  remaining ape-men, and find the shaft. They 
  remove any ropes the PCs used to descend 
  to the bottom, and guard the shaft night and 
  day, trying to starve the PCs to death. The PCs 
  can survive for a long time in the mines if they 
  harvest and eat the fungi in the fungi cavern. 
  However, they will eventually run out of light 
  sources (torches), and water is only available 
  by climbing down to the underground river.
  Despite the lure of a “lost gold mine”, there 
  is little loot to be found in the mines. Some 
  DMs might wish to expand the purple ruins 
  with a set of dungeons that once belonged to 
  the Ishrahnite priests and sorcerers, which are 
  still haunted by their ghosts today, and which 
  contain ancient treasures.
  In any case, the party must haul whatever 
  loot they find back through the jungle, facing 
  monsters, tribesmen, raiders from Mazania, 
  and royal spearmen of Shoma (for if the king 
  hears about the mine, he claims it as his prop-
  erty). The PCs might also have made enemies 
  among the priests of Nataka.
  If the PCs fail: There are plenty of places 
  where the player characters could fail during 
  this adventure. Remember that unintelligent 
  beasts usually devour slain enemies, while 
  intelligent foes might prefer to keep the PCs 
  alive as prisoners, either to extract informa-
  tion, claim ransom, or force them to accept 
  some kind of dangerous mission. If the PCs 
  are captured by Yigthrahotep and his serpent-
  men minions, they might be taken east to the 
  jungles of Yalotha, and into the heart of the 
  lost city of serpents.
  
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  The Swords of 
  Zimballah
  ”In the old times hosts of men came against 
  him, but he was greatest of all the devil-birds 
  and he slew all who fought him. So the priests 
  made a god of him and left this part of the 
  island to him. None comes here except those 
  brought as sacrifices — as I was.” — Robert E. 
  Howard: The Gods of Bal-Sagoth
  Setting: Wilderness (Savannah), City, and 
  Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 6th- and 7th-level characters.
  Introduction
  In the heart of the savage kingdoms of the 
  south stands Zimballah, the so-called “city of 
  stone” and capital of Azimba. Flanked by the 
  rival kingdoms of Shoma, Mazania and Zadj, 
  Azimba’s proud warriors stand ever ready to 
  go into battle and wreak red ruin with its black 
  spears.
  However, due to the primitive weaponry of 
  the Azimbans, only strength of numbers holds 
  back the turbaned raiders of Zadj with their 
  deadly, curved scimitars of tempered steel, 
  fashioned by the weaponsmiths of Iraab under 
  the supervision of furtive fire-priests. On his 
  ivory throne in Zimballah, Mkazwe, king of the 
  Azimbans, has realized the power of the secret 
  of iron.
  A group of disloyal fire-priests have come 
  from Zadj to Azimba, driven by the promise 
  of wealth, to teach the king’s master-smith 
  the secrets of iron-smithing. Zimballah’s own 
  priesthood, the cult of Jul-Juggah, resents the 
  influence of the foreign priests, but seeks to 
  learn their secrets as well.
  Spies in Zimballah bring back the news to 
  the nations of Shoma and Mazania, who both 
  lack ironsmithing skills and view the recent 
  developments in Azimba as a threat. Far to 
  the east, the priesthood of the Living Flame in 
  Zadj is determined to hunt down and punish 
  the rogue priests.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The player characters are hired by a faction 
  that wants to kidnap (or possibly kill) the mas-
  ter weaponsmith of Azimba and his foreign 
  mentors.
  The PCs travel across the plains of Azimba, 
  which teem with wildlife, and reach Zimballah, 
  the “city of stone”. Here, they must deal with 
  The Secret of Iron
  In this adventure, the nations of Azimba, Shoma and Mazania have primitive weapons of 
  wood, bone and flint, as well as some copper and bronze weaponry, while the nation of Zadj 
  produces superior weapons of iron and steel.
  Iron ore contains iron combined with oxygen. To make iron from iron ore, the oxygen must 
  be eliminated to create pure iron. This is achieved by burning charcoal with iron ore and a 
  good supply of oxygen, provided by a bellows. This process leaves a porous, sponge-like mass 
  which is hammered to remove most of the impurities. The resulting metal is easy to work with, 
  but iron swords do not hold an edge well and are still quite soft.
  In fact, early iron swords were inferior to good bronze weapons, but easier production and 
  better availability of the raw material for the first time permitted the equipment of entire 
  armies with metal weapons.
  Swords made of steel are far superior to both iron and bronze weapons. Steel is an alloy of 
  iron and a small amount of carbon, made by placing pieces of iron inside a container made 
  from a substance with a very high carbon content. The container is placed in a furnace and 
  kept at a high temperature for several hours or days, during which the iron absorbs some of 
  the carbon from the container. The resulting mixture of iron and carbon is steel, which is very 
  hard, flexible, stays sharp for a long time, and is more resistant to rust and corrosion than 
  iron.
  See the Equipment chapter for more information about different weapon materials.
  
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  agents of the other factions seeking to capture 
  or kill the weaponsmith.
  Learning that the master-smith resides in the 
  dungeons of the royal palace, the player char-
  acters must decide how to gain access, either 
  by force, stealth, bribes, diplomacy or trickery.
  After locating the ironsmith, the PCs must 
  defeat him and his mysterious mentors, and 
  then escape the heavily guarded city of Zim-
  ballah with the captive.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started:
  — The player characters are employed by an 
  agent of the royal price of Shoma, Gamba, to 
  kidnap the master weaponsmith of Azimba. 
  The reward for bringing him back alive to Ka-
  tanga is 3,000 gp (adjust as appropriate). The 
  PCs are instructed to seek out a dancing-girl 
  named Aisha when they reach Zimballah.
  — The player characters are employed by a 
  Zadjite priest named Yilan (who might also 
  accompany the PCs). The mission is to kill the 
  king’s smith, but bring back the rogue priests 
  alive for punishment. In this case it is pos-
  sible that the party is approached by agents/
  mercenaries of Shoma who suggest a tempo-
  rary alliance with the PCs to get into the royal 
  palace. Once there, however, conflict ensues as 
  a result of different goals.
  The Plains of Azimba
  The terrain of northern Azimba is dominated 
  by savannah (treat as trackless plains), while 
  the southern regions are covered by jungles. 
  The main city, Zimballah, is situated to the 
  west, in the foothills of the Shining Hills.
  It is approximately 200 miles between 
  Katanga and Zimballah, which means the trip 
  takes around 11 days on foot, half that if riding 
  light horses.
  Refer to the following encounter table for 
  random encounters on the plains of Azimba. 
  Each day, an encounter occurs on a roll of 
  1-8 on 1d20. Roll 1d12 to determine the exact 
  nature of the encounter.
  The White Gold
  This encounter may be the result of a random 
  roll, or the DM might choose to place it delib-
  erately somewhere along the player characters’ 
  route towards Zimballah.
  Development: Initially, the PCs see a flock 
  of vultures some distance away. If they ap-
  proach and chase away vultures and hyenas, 
  they discover the stinking carcass of a huge 
  elephant with its tusks removed; a successful 
  Wisdom check (DC 14) allows a character to 
  realize that the tusks have been chopped off 
  near the base using heavy axes.
  There are tracks near the carcass, easily fol-
  lowed due to the heavy load the ivory hunt-
  Northern Azimba Random Encounters
  Roll  
  Encounter
  1 
  Azimban warband
  2 
  Elephants
  3 
  Wild boars
  4 
  Rhinoceros
  5 
  Hyenas
  6 
  Lions
  7 
  Merchant caravan
  8 
  Zadjite slavers
  9 
  Thunderstorm
  10 
  Disease
  11 
  Stone totem of Jul-Juggah
  12 
  Devil-bird of Azimba (25% chance) or ivory hunters (75% chance)
  Azimban Warband: A unit of 4d6 black spearmen (male Azimban Bbn2) on patrol, pro-
  tecting the countryside against foreign raiders, brigands, and the like. They carry war spears, 
  large wooden shields, and are commanded by a subchief of level 1d4+3.
  Devil-Bird of Azimba: The sighting of this monstrous creature is very rare, and certainly 
  an ill omen (unless one is a priest of Jul-Juggah, that is). It attacks from the sky, swooping 
  down and grabbing an unwary target, attempting to carry its victim back to its lair. 
  Disease: While travelling, the party is subject to a nasty disease (treat as cackle fever) car-
  ried by mosquitoes.
  
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  ers are carrying (+2 bonus to Track check). 
  The trail is less than a day old and leads to 
  a temporary camp on a plain next to a small 
  outcropping of rocks, some 40 feet tall. There 
  is a water-hole nearby. Some lone trees grow 
  on the grassy plain. A few gazelles and other 
  small game roam the plain.
  There are 3 light warhorses in the camp 
  (the pygmy, Pokot, does not ride), along with 
  a sizeable collection of equipment and sup-
  plies (including dried food and waterskins, 
  enough to last 1 week for 4 persons; these are 
  emergency rations for the leaders, the party 
  otherwise hunts while travelling).
  In the center of the camp is a pile of elephant 
  tusks. There are 9 standard (20 kg) tusks, 4 
  prime tusks (40 kg), and a single exceptional 
  tusk (100 kg). The total value is 2,200 gp.
  During the day, the hunters have 2 guards 
  stationed around the camp. At night, there are 
  3 guards, plus one of the leaders (roll 1d4 to 
  determine who; each has a 2-hour guard shift). 
  The spotting distance is 6d6 x 10 feet. At night, 
  it is 3d6 x 10 feet if there is moonlight, else 
  the spotting distance is limited to the range of 
  torchlight.
  In the case of an attack by night, sleeping 
  characters get a Listen check (DC -10 to hear 
  sounds of battle or shouted warning, but 
  -10 penalty to check while sleeping, so DC 
  becomes 0, +1 for every 10 feet of distance). 
  Sleeping characters are basically prone, and 
  require a move action to get up. They may also 
  have to put on armor, but drawing a weapon 
  is a free action (when combined with a move) 
  if the character has a base attack bonus of at 
  least +1.
  If successful in defeating the hunters, the PCs 
  may sell the ivory in Azimba for a nice profit.
  Arahua, Mercenary-Captain of Susrah, 
  female Susrahnite Ftr7: CR 7; SZ M; HD 
  7d10+14; hp 58; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 19 (+4 chain shirt, 
  +2 heavy wooden shield, +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 
  Dex), flat-footed 16 (+4 chain shirt, +2 heavy 
  wooden shield); BAB/Grapple +7/+10; Atk +11 
  melee (1d10+3, bastard sword, 19-20/x2) or 
  +11 ranged (1d10+3, Susrahnite longbow, 20/
  Elephants: A large herd of elephants (6d6) can be spotted in the distance, near a watering-
  hole. The elephants ignore the player characters unless the PCs approach in a threatening 
  manner, in which case the elephants flee. If cornered or otherwise angered, the herd charges 
  the party using its trample ability.
  Hyenas: A pack of 1d10+6 hyenas; these scavengers do not attack unless the party looks 
  weak or exhausted, in which case they send a few individuals against the party’s front while 
  the rest of the pack circles and attacks from the flanks or rear.
  Ivory Hunters: The PCs come across the trail of an experienced band of ivory hunters. See 
  “The White Gold”, below, for details.
  Lions: A pair of lions hide in an area of tall grass, attacking player characters walking or rid-
  ing at the back of the party. Both lions charge and pounce a single opponent.
  Merchant Caravan: A single merchant (male Jairanian Com5) with a retinue of 2d4 
  servants (male and female Jairanian Com1) and 1d10+10 mercenary guards (male Jairanian 
  Ftr2). The caravan’s “goods” are actually 40 light warhorses of excellent breed (maximum hit 
  points), headed for the markets of Zimballah, where they will fetch an excellent price (at least 
  200 gp each).
  Rhinoceros: This herbivore ignores the player characters unless they approach within 50 
  feet, in which case the black rhino charges and fights savagely until it has lost at least half its 
  hit points.
  Stone Totem of Jul-Juggah: The player characters spot a winged stone statue, 2d10+10 
  feet tall. A Knowledge (religion) check (DC 14) allows a character to realize that this is a totem 
  dedicated to Jul-Juggah, the reptilian bird-god of the Azimbans. There is 5d6 x 10 gp worth 
  of offerings scattered on the ground around the statue, and a 25% chance that there are 1d6 
  priests of Jul-Juggah (male Azimban Bbn2/Sor2) about to perform a human sacrifice in the 
  vicinity.
  Thunderstorm: While the climate of Azimba is hot and generally dry, sudden rainfalls and 
  thunderstorms do occur, but are always of short duration (3d10 minutes). Thunderstorms are 
  accompanied by lightning that can pose a hazard to characters without proper shelter (see the 
  DMG).
  Wild Boars: A herd of 1d4+4 wild swine charge when disturbed. These ill-tempered ani-
  mals are generally avoided by the locals, believing them to be possessed by the evil spirits of 
  dead witch-doctors.
  Zadjite Slavers: This is a band of cruel men from Al-Qazir on a slaving mission. They have 
  not yet captured any slaves. There is a 50% chance that they are encountered at night, attack-
  ing the camp of the PCs. Use the slaver statistics from “The Vault of Yigthrahotep” for this 
  band of slavers.
  
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  x3, range increment 120 ft.); Full Atk +11/+6 
  melee (1d10+3, bastard sword, 19-20/x2) or 
  +11/+6 ranged (1d10+3, Susrahnite longbow, 
  20/x3, range increment 120 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (reli-
  gion) skills, AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5; 
  Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 17.
  Skills: Climb +13, Handle Animal +13, Jump 
  +13, Swim +13. Feats: Combat Expertise, 
  Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (bastard sword), Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (Susrahnite longbow), Improved Initiative (b), 
  Iron Will, Leadership, Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (bastard sword).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Shoma.
  Possessions: Chain shirt, heavy wooden 
  shield, bastard sword, Susrahnite longbow (+3 
  Strength rating), 120 gp.
  Description: The former captain of a mer-
  cenary company in one of the city-states of 
  Susrah, Arahua is attractive but battle-scarred, 
  with short-cropped black hair. She is the 
  leader of the band and Zama is her lover and 
  bodyguard (although she can hold her own in 
  battle, of course). Born of a Taraamite officer 
  and a Susrahnite princess, Arahua took to a 
  life of adventuring to escape the constraints 
  imposed on females in Susrahnite society.
  Tactics: Arahua uses her powerful bow from 
  a distance, then closes and uses Power Attack.
  Raneb the Tomb-Robber, male Yar-
  Ammonite Rog6: CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d6+6; 
  hp 31; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+2 leather armor, +4 
  Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 12 (+2 
  leather armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+5; Atk +8 
  melee (1d6+1, short sword, 19-20/x2) or +8 
  ranged (1d4+1, dagger, 19-20/x2, range incre-
  ment 10 ft.); Full Atk +6/+6 melee (1d6+1, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +8 ranged (1d4+1, 
  dagger, 19-20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA 
  Sneak Attack +3d6; SQ +2 racial modifier to 
  Intelligence, +2 racial bonus to Knowledge 
  (arcana) and Listen skills, Stonecunning 
  (+2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice 
  unusual stonework, detect unusual stonework 
  within 10 feet with Search check even if not 
  actively searching, use the Search skill to find 
  stonework traps as a rogue can, and intuit 
  depth underground), Trapfinding, Evasion, 
  Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL N; SV Fort 
  +3, Ref +9, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 
  13, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Appraise +10, Climb +10, Decipher 
  Script +10, Disable Device +10, Hide +13, 
  Move Silently +13, Open Lock +13, Search 
  +10, Tumble +13, Use Magic Device +9. Feats: 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Yar-Ammonite, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Leather armor, short sword, 
  dagger, obsidian amulet in the shape of a 
  beetle (worth 25 gp), masterwork thieves’ 
  tools, flint and steel, bedroll, green cloak.
  Description: Raneb is lithe, black-haired, 
  with pale skin for a Yar-Ammonite. He is 
  dressed in green hooded cloak. He is hunted 
  by priests in his native land for tomb-robbing.
  Tactics: Raneb fights with one sword in each 
  hand, to maximize the possible damage from 
  sneak attacks.
  Zama, “the Giant”, male Shoma Bbn6: 
  CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d12+12; hp 59; Init +2 (+2 
  Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 
  Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +6/+11; Atk +11 melee 
  (1d10+7, halberd, 20/x3) or +9 ranged (1d6+5, 
  javelin, 20/x2, range increment 30 ft.); Full 
  Atk +11/+6 melee (1d10+7, halberd, 20/x3) or 
  +9/+4 ranged (1d6+5, javelin, 20/x2, range 
  increment 30 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all spears and bows, Rage 2/day; SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  +10 racial bonus to Speed, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +1, 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL 
  N; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 21, Dex 14, 
  Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16.
  Skills: Climb +14, Intimidate +12, Jump +14, 
  Survival +9, Swim +14. Feats: Athletic, Dodge, 
  Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Run (b).
  Languages: Shoma.
  Possessions: Loincloth of white ox-skin, hal-
  berd, javelin, large golden belt (worth 50 gp).
  Description: This huge barbarian has very 
  dark skin, and a handsome face with gleaming 
  white teeth. He is Arahua’s lover and protec-
  tor.
  Tactics: Easy to anger, Zama simply enters a 
  rage, charges and Power Attacks.
  Pokot, the Pygmy, male Daka Nom2/
  Sor5: CR 7; SZ M; HD 2d8 plus 5d4; hp 25; 
  Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 
  25 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +2 Dex, +1 size), 
  touch 13 (+2 Dex, +1 size), flat-footed 11 (+0 
  no armor, +1 size); BAB/Grapple +4/+3; Atk 
  
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  +7 melee (1d4-1 plus poison, short sword, 19-
  20/x2); SA Sneak Attack (+1d6), Spells; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Hide and Survival skills, Small 
  size (+1 bonus to attack rolls and Armor Class, 
  +4 bonus to Hide skill, -4 penalty to grapple 
  checks), Speed 20 feet, Mounted Skirmisher, 
  Track, Fast Movement (+5), Sinister Presence, 
  Master of Lost Languages and Arcane Myster-
  ies; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7; Str 8, 
  Dex 14, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 12.
  Skills: Concentration +8, Craft (herbal-
  ism) +9, Handle Animal +6, Heal +11, Hide 
  +7, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge 
  (nature) +6, Listen +8, Move Silently +7, 
  Search +6, Speak Language (Zadjite, Ikuna, 
  Azimban, Shoma, Mazanian, Susrahnite), Sur-
  vival +8. Feats: Combat Casting, Endurance, 
  Expert Poisoner (b), Eyes of the Cat (b), Great 
  Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Jackal’s Guts, 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +1 Int): 0 — 
  dancing lights, know direction; 1st — animal 
  messenger, mage armor, pass without trace, 
  speak with animals; 2nd — delay poison, 
  incantation of the broken limb; 3rd — locate 
  object.
  Languages: Daka, Yar-Ammonite.
  Possessions: Loincloth, short sword, 3 doses 
  of sassone leaf residue (Contact DC 16, initial 
  damage 2d12 hp, secondary damage 1d6 Con).
  Description: Pokot is a pygmy from the Silver 
  Lotus Isles, one of the few of his race to have 
  left his homeland. He has the body of a child 
  and the face of an old man. He is quite knowl-
  edgeable, speaks a lot of languages, and is a 
  good tracker. 
  Tactics: Pokot main function is outside of 
  battle, as a tracker, healer, diviner and inter-
  preter. He is an opportunist with an instinct 
  for survival, so if his allies are about to be de-
  feated, he will either flee, or offer his services 
  to new masters.
  Bearers and Guards, male Azimban 
  Bbn1 (4): CR 1; SZ M; HD 1d12+1; hp 8; Init 
  +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 11 (+0 no armor, 
  +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 
  no armor); BAB/Grapple +1/+3; Atk +4 melee 
  (1d8+3, longspear, 20/x3, reach 10 ft.); SA 
  Rage 1/day; SQ +2 racial bonus to Intimidate 
  and Spot skills, Fast Movement, Illiteracy; AL 
  N; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 13, 
  Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +4, Jump +6, 
  Listen +4, Survival +4. Feats: Azimban Spear-
  Mastery (b), Dodge, Weapon Focus (long-
  spear).
  Languages: Azimban.
  Possessions: Clothing, shortspear, 1d4 gp.
  Description: These men are dark-skinned 
  and tall, wearing rag-tag clothing; a mix 
  between loincloths, cloaks and desert robes. 
  They are lean from walking long distances and 
  carrying heavy weights.
  Tactics: The guards fight well with the long-
  spear. They flee or surrender if Arahua and 
  one other leader is killed, or if all three leaders 
  except Arahua are killed.
  The City of Zimballah
  Zimballah, the capital city of Azimba, is 
  sometimes simply called “the city of stone” by 
  virtue of its size and importance. Surrounded 
  by hills, the city has massive walls, towers, 
  and multiple interior gates. Close to 18,000 
  inhabitants throng its inner districts, with 
  several hundred merchants, animal-herders, 
  peasants, mercenaries and beggars living in 
  semi-permanent caravan camps outside the 
  city walls.
  Although there are dozens of lesser stone-
  walled settlements within Azimba’s borders, 
  whoever holds Zimballah dominates the 
  region and can claim to be king of Azimba. 
  However, the king must be on good terms with 
  the cult of Jul-Juggah, whose high priest for-
  mally appoints new kings and provides advice 
  and auguries to the royal house. Throughout 
  the land are hundreds of stone statues in the 
  likeness of Jul-Juggah, a great lizard-bird with 
  monstrous features and outstreched, leathery 
  wings. The statues range from 10 to 30 feet in 
  height. They are sacred and offerings (some-
  times including blood sacrifice) are regularly 
  placed in front of the statues by the priests of 
  Jul-Juggah. To touch the statues or steal the 
  offerings is an offense punishable by death.
  Zimballah is an important trading center 
  in the jungle kingdoms region. Cattle and 
  ornaments of beaten gold from Shoma, steel 
  swords and cut gems from Zadj, jungle herbs 
  and animal-skins from Mazania, carpets and 
  peacock feathers from Jairan, and even silks 
  and ceramics from far-off Taikang finds its 
  way here. The king levies a tax on all trade; five 
  percent of the market value of all trade goods 
  must be paid to the city guards upon entry into 
  the city.
  Trading Ivory
  The value of elephant tusks is as follows:
  Type 
   
  Weight  
  Value
  Standard tusk 
  20 kilos  
  100 gp
  Prime tusk 
  40 kilos  
  200 gp
  Exceptional tusk 
  (3 meters long) 
  100 kilos  
  500 gp
  These values apply when raw ivory is 
  traded in the jungle kingdoms (Shoma, 
  Azimba and Mazania). The value increases 
  substantially when the ivory is carved and/
  or traded in other regions. Dead ivory or 
  that which is found on the ground is of 
  inferior quality and very brittle.
  A person with average strength can carry 
  one or two tusks, perhaps 3-4 on the back 
  of a horse or ox.
  
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  No one knows who reared Zimballah’s mas-
  sive, concentric walls and circular towers. The 
  outer walls are 35 feet tall and 10 feet thick, 
  and are fitted seamlessly together without the 
  use of mortar (Climb DC 30). The city gates 
  (exterior and interior) are gatehouses with two 
  wooden portcullises and murder holes above 
  the space between them. The gates are usually 
  open during the day and locked and barred 
  at night, with 1d4+6 guards (male Azimban 
  Bbn1) stationed near the gate at all times.
  Foreigners are free to roam the market and 
  residential districts, although all must return 
  to the foreign district at night, when the gates 
  are closed. At the top of the hillside in which 
  Zimballah nestles is the noble district, which 
  houses the royal palace and temple of Jul-
  Juggah, the houses of the nobles, as well as 
  the barracks of the king’s guard and the city’s 
  granaries.
  In a desolate valley north of the city walls 
  are the “Caverns of Bone”, ancient burial-
  places for the Azimban dead. The high priest 
  of Jul-Juggah has placed a taboo on the valley, 
  preventing people from worshipping their 
  ancestors, claiming the caverns are haunted by 
  the restless and malign ghosts of the dead.
  Development: As the PCs reach Zimballah, 
  they have to deal with the other factions in the 
  city, or they might be hunted down by these 
  factions themselves, depending on who the 
  player characters work for.
  The following sections describe the relevant 
  factions interested in Abbas, the king’s weap-
  onsmith.
  Aisha, the Agent of Shoma
  The voluptous temptress Aisha is an agent in 
  the employ of the prince of Shoma. She works 
  as a simple dancing-girl in one of the taverns 
  in the foreign district, but has several body-
  guards who carry out her orders. Aisha also 
  dabbles with magic; her grandmother was a 
  witch-woman in a small Shoma village.
  If the PCs are on a mission for the prince of 
  Shoma, they have been told to seek out Aisha. 
  The girl knows that the Azimban king’s weap-
  onsmith, Abbas, has started making weapons 
  of iron, although she does not know about the 
  Zadjite priests. She knows that Abbas resides 
  within the royal palace. Aisha knows that there 
  are spies from Mazania in Zimballah, and she 
  knows the location of their safehouse.
  Aisha, female Shoma Rog4/Sor3: CR 
  7; SZ M; HD 4d6 plus 3d4; hp 29; Init +7 
  (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 40 ft.; 
  AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 
  Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +4/+4; Atk +8 melee (1d4, stabbing 
  dagger, 20/x3); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all spears and bows, Sneak Attack 
  +2d6, Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Survival skills, +10 racial bonus to Speed, 
  Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1, Uncanny 
  Dodge, Sinister Presence; AL N; SV Fort +2, 
  Ref +8, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 15, 
  Wis 12, Cha 18.
  Skills: Bluff +11, Concentration +6, Diplo-
  macy +11, Disguise +11, Gather Information 
  +11, Heal +7, Hide +10, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +8, Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +8, Move 
  Silently +10, Perform (dance) +11, Sleight of 
  Hand +10, Spellcraft +8, Tumble +10. Feats: 
  Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative, 
  Persuasive, Run (b), Weapon Finesse.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 4/2/1; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +2 Int): 0 — daze, 
  message; 1st — charm person, witch-fire; 2nd 
  — aid, enthrall; 3rd — bestow curse, sugges-
  tion.
  Languages: Azimban, Shoma, Zadjite.
  Possessions: Silken loincloth, stabbing 
  dagger, silver armbands (worth 20 gp each), 
  golden earrings (worth 25 gp each).
  Description: Always with a lewd smile on 
  her full red lips, Aisha is dark, with curly hair 
  and a full body, which she knows to use to full 
  effect when she deals with men.
  
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  Tactics: Aisha prefers to let her henchmen 
  deal with opponents. She also has numerous 
  powerful contacts who would be angered if she 
  were harmed in any way.
  Aisha’s Henchmen, male Azimban 
  Bbn2 (4): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d12+4; hp 20; 
  Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 11 (+0 no 
  armor, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+4; Atk 
  +5 melee (1d6+2, club, 20/x2); SA Rage 1/day; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Spot 
  skills, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny 
  Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 
  14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +7, Intimidate +5, Jump +7, 
  Listen +5, Survival +5. Feats: Azimban Spear-
  Mastery (b), Power Attack, Weapon Focus 
  (club).
  Languages: Azimban.
  Possessions: Clothing, club, 1d6 gp.
  Description: These are men which Aisha 
  has charmed, both magically and naturally, 
  and which are intensely loyal to her, each one 
  fighting for her special favor.
  Tactics: Aisha’s loyal henchmen would rather 
  die than flee while protecting her.
  Servants of the Living Flame
  The chief priests of the Living Flame in Iraab 
  have sent a group of mercenaries to Azimba 
  to track down and capture the rogue priests. 
  While they have orders to kill anyone who 
  have learned the secret of iron-smithing, the 
  mercenaries are to bring back the rogue priests 
  alive; simply killing them would be too mild a 
  punishment for betraying the cult and reveal-
  ing its secrets. The mercenaries are command-
  ed by a senior fire-priest named Yilan.
  If the PCs are on a mission to kidnap Abbas, 
  they might come into conflict with this group 
  who seek to kill the master-smith due to his 
  knowledge. On the other hand, the PCs might 
  actually be these mercenaries if the adventure 
  hook starts with the player characters being 
  hired by the Zadjite priesthood.
  Yilan, Senior Priest of the Living 
  Flame, male Zadjite Sor6: CR 6; hp 29; see 
  Area 10 of the Royal Palace (Dungeon Level). 
  Note: Yilan is dressed like a merchant; he does 
  not reveal that he is a fire-priest by dressing 
  as one.
  Mercenaries of Iraab, male Zadjite 
  Ftr4 (5): CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d10+8; hp 34; 
  Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 15 (+4 chain shirt, +1 Dex), touch 11 
  (+1 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+4 chain shirt); BAB/
  Grapple +4/+7; Atk +7 melee (1d6+5, scimi-
  tar, 18-20/x2); SA none; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Craft and Knowledge (geography) skills; 
  +1 racial bonus to all saving throws; AL N; SV 
  Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 
  14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +10, Jump +10, Ride +8, Swim 
  +10. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Im-
  proved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Focus 
  (scimitar), Weapon Specialization (scimitar), 
  Zadjite Whip-Mastery (b).
  Languages: Zadjite, Azimban.
  Possessions: Chain shirt, scimitar, 2d10 gp.
  Description: These mercenaries are young 
  but experienced men from the frontier settle-
  ments of Zadj.
  Tactics: The mercenaries do as they are told 
  by Yilan, but they are only loyal as long as they 
  get paid.
  The Men of Mazania
  The Queen of Mazania has three male agents 
  in Zimballah. They know that a group of rogue 
  Zadjite priests reside in the royal palace along 
  with Abbas, but they do not have the resources 
  to infiltrate the palace and kidnap the weapon-
  smith. Unless they are neutralized before the 
  PCs enter the palace, these agents of Mazania 
  prepare an ambush for the party as the PCs try 
  to leave the city, hoping to snatch the king’s 
  smith from them and escape back to Mazania.
  Agents of Mazania, male Mazanian 
  Rog6 (3): CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d6+6; hp 29; Init 
  +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no armor, 
  +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 
  no armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+5; Atk +9 melee 
  (1d6+1, short sword, 19-20/x2) or +8 ranged 
  (1d6+1, light crossbow, 19-20/x2, range incre-
  ment 80 ft.); Full Atk +7/+7 melee (1d6+1, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +8 ranged (1d6+1, 
  light crossbow, 19-20/x2, range increment 80 
  ft.); SA Sneak Attack +3d6; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Heal and Intimidate skills, Trapfinding, 
  
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  Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL 
  N; SV Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 18, 
  Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 12.
  Skills: Appraise +10, Bluff +10, Diplomacy 
  +10, Disguise +10, Forgery +10, Gather In-
  formation +10, Hide +13, Move Silently +13, 
  Open Lock +13, Tumble +13. Feats: Dodge, 
  Improved Feint (b), Two-Weapon Defense, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (b), Weapon Finesse, 
  Weapon Focus (short sword).
  Languages: Mazanian, Azimban.
  Possessions: Merchants’ clothing, short 
  sword, light crossbow, 10 bolts, 50 gp.
  Description: The men dress in nondescript 
  clothes and try to pass off as Azimban mer-
  chants. Their call themselves Chekwi, Dabir 
  and Idi.
  Tactics: The Mazanians try to stay out of 
  range of heavy weapons. They attack with one 
  weapon in each hand, and work in concert to 
  gain flanking and sneak attacks.
  The Cult of Jul-Juggah
  Gonda, the high priest of Jul-Juggah, resents 
  the influence of the foreign priests, but seeks 
  to learn their secrets. He has turned one of Ab-
  bas’ apprentices to his cause. As soon as this 
  apprentice has learned all he can from Abbas 
  and the Zadjites, Gonda plans to kill them 
  off and blame their deaths on Akia, the royal 
  herald. Old Gonda is wily and watches closely 
  any strangers that appear at court.
  The Mazanian Safehouse
  The Mazanian agents in Zimballah pose 
  as simple merchants trading dried fruit and 
  animal-skins. Usually only one of them is 
  seen in the marketplace, while the two others 
  remain in their safehouse, a windowless build-
  ing in the foreign district of Zimballah. This is 
  a walled house with a central garden (which is 
  not visible from the street). The brick walls are 
  15 feet tall (Climb DC 25).
  Development: Assuming they know who to 
  look for, the PCs may scout out the market and 
  shadow one of the agents back to their safe-
  house in the foreign district. If they kill him, 
  or he doesn’t return in a reasonable amount 
  of time, the others realize something is wrong 
  and may send a warning message to Mazania. 
  The Mazanian agents have carrier pigeons that 
  they can send back to Boma-Ya with messages. 
  They have no way of receiving instructions 
  from Mazania, though, except from messen-
  gers that come to the city.
  1. Entrance
  From the outside, the safehouse is nonde-
  script, windowless, with a solid wooden door 
  (hardness 5, 20 hp, Break DC 23, Open Lock 
  DC 25). The door has a small slit that can be 
  opened to gaze upon and speak with visitors. 
  The inner door (to Area 2) is always closed and 
  locked when visitors are let into the entrance 
  chamber.
  2. Meeting Room
  This plain room is furnished with a low table 
  and wooden chairs. It is used to meet with 
  merchants (some of whom are messengers in 
  disguise).
  3. Storeroom
  This square room has shelves along the walls 
  filled with various pieces of equipment, includ-
  ing large crates of dried fruit.
  If the house is attacked, one of the Mazanian 
  agents may choose to prepare an ambush in 
  this room, hiding next to the door which opens 
  into the room from Area 2, and try to sneak 
  attack intruders as they enter.
  4. Garden
  In this lush but ill-kept garden are rows of 
  tall bushes and palm trees and a small well (25 
  feet deep, with 5 feet of water at the bottom). 
  In the southeastern corner is a cage with 6 car-
  rier pigeons, while to the northeast is a secret 
  exit (Search DC 20) to the street outside.
  Chained to the northern wall of the garden 
  is a flesh-eating gorilla. Its leash is 30 feet 
  long, allowing it to reach most of the garden. 
  It does not molest the Mazanians, for they 
  feed it a special herbal drug to which the ape 
  is addicted, but attacks anyone else without 
  provocation.
  Dire Ape: CR 3; hp 35.
  5. Trapped Chamber
  This room is trapped. The purpose of the trap 
  is to delay intruders while the inhabitants of 
  the safehouse flee through to Area 6. Stepping 
  outside the shaded area on the map releases 
  a weighted net from the ceiling. The net hits 
  automatically and entangles its victim. Only 
  light slashing weapons can be used to cut the 
  net from the inside (5 hp). It can be burst with 
  a Strength check (DC 25) or an Escape Artist 
  check (DC 20), both of which count as full-
  round actions.
  6. Private Chamber
  This is where the Mazanians usually dwell. 
  There is a hidden trapdoor in the floor (Search 
  DC 20) that leads to cramped escape tunnel 
  exiting in the street behind the house.
  The doors to the west lead into two identical 
  bedchambers. In the southernmost bedcham-
  ber is a chest with 400 gp and one dose of 
  sleeping draught (treat as oil of taggit).
  There is no need for a third bedchamber, as 
  one of the Mazanians is always awake, taking 
  his turn guarding the house.
  
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  The Royal Palace of 
  Zimballah (Ground Level)
  The royal palace is situated at the top of 
  the hill, overlooking the city to the east, and 
  the peaks of the Shining Hills to the west. 
  The northern wing of the palace is a temple 
  dedicated to Jul-Juggah, whose high priest 
  is a trusted advisor to the king. The palace is 
  well-guarded and close nearby are the bar-
  racks of the royal guard, with several hundred 
  additional warriors which may be called upon 
  in the event of an attack.
  Development: The player characters need 
  to get into the palace, and there are several vi-
  able approaches. The PCs can attempt a direct 
  assault, enter by stealth (sneaking in, climbing 
  the walls, or searching for a hidden entrance), 
  bluff their way in (from disguising as palace 
  servants to posing as foreign diplomats and 
  requesting an audience with the king), or poi-
  son, bribe or even hypnotise the palace guards. 
  They may also create some kind of diversion 
  (from starting a fire to arranging an attack on 
  the city, and so on).
  The player characters will come up with some 
  kind of scheme to get into the palace, and 
  the DM should use the provided descriptions 
  of areas and non-player characters to react 
  appropriately. Responses from NPCs should 
  be played out according to their intelligence, 
  loyalties and motivations, of course.
  1. Outer Compound
  The great compound to the east of the palace 
  building is ringed by a 20 feet tall wall (Climb 
  DC 25). Past the gate, which is guarded by 
  eight palace guards, is a massive stairway, 
  flanked by huge stone bird-statues, that leads 
  into the palace (Area 2). Next to the main 
  entrance is a lesser door that is used by the 
  guards to enter the barracks (Area 3).
  In the northern end of the compound is an 
  outdoor platform (Area 13) used by the priests 
  of Jul-Juggah. The platform is 15 feet above 
  ground level.
  Palace Guards, male Azimban Bbn2 
  (8): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d12+2; hp 17; Init +2 
  (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 
  Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+4; Atk +5 melee 
  (1d8+3, longspear, 20/x3, reach 10 ft.); SA 
  Rage 1/day; SQ +2 racial bonus to Intimidate 
  and Spot skills, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, 
  Uncanny Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, 
  Will +2; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, 
  Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +7, Intimidate +5, Jump +7, 
  Listen +5, Swim +7. Feats: Azimban Spear-
  Mastery (b), Iron Will, Weapon Focus (long-
  spear).
  Languages: Azimban.
  Possessions: Loincloth of monkey-skin, long-
  spear, necklace of animal-claws.
  Description: These men are drawn from the 
  king’s countless companies of spearmen.
  Tactics: The palace guards fight in forma-
  tion with their longspears, using their reach to 
  good effect.
  2. Antechamber
  This is a waiting area for courtiers, diplomats 
  and other petitioners to the court. A set of 
  double doors lead into the throne room (Area 
  7); the doors are carved with scenes of a spear-
  wielding king, a slayer of lions who triumphs 
  in war and receives tribute from his defeated 
  enemies. Four palace guards stand to attention 
  here, opening the doors for visitors when the 
  royal herald calls them into the court.
  3. Barracks
  The barracks house a contingent of 24 war-
  riors, a third of whom are asleep at any time. 
  The others are either on guard duty elsewhere 
  in the palace, or relaxing here with food and 
  games of throwing-bones. The room has 
  sleeping-mats, racks for spears and shields, 
  and small wooden boxes filled with equipment 
  and a few personal trinkets.
  In case of an emergency, dozens of additional 
  warriors may be summoned from the barracks 
  outside the palace (see the city map). 
  4. Guest Quarters
  The southern wing of the palace contains the 
  guest quarters, which are simple but well-
  furnished rooms. There are four suites; each 
  with several “beds” that consist of monkey-
  skins and wooden head-rests. There is a 50% 
  chance that each room is occupied by a foreign 
  diplomat (male or female Ari5) and his or 
  her entourage (1d4 male Ftr3); determine the 
  nationality of such individuals randomly.
  5. Slave Quarter
  This large room is used both as a kitchen 
  and as a sleeping-chamber for the palace 
  slaves and servants (male and female Azimban 
  Com1), with the two areas divided by a curtain 
  of palm leaves. The servants sleep on the floor 
  on straw mats. They have access to most of the 
  areas of the palace, except the dungeon level, 
  The Royal Palace (Ground Level)
  Standard Features: Unless noted oth-
  erwise, all interior doors are strong wooden 
  doors (2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; 
  Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25 if described 
  as locked). The outer palace doors (Area 
  1) and the doors to the throne room (Area 
  7) are bronze doors (hardness 10, 60 hp, 
  Break DC 28, Open Lock DC 30). Ceiling 
  height is 20 feet in normal rooms.
  Lighting: The ground level of the palace 
  is illuminated by huge bronze braziers 
  placed in each room.
  
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  often being called upon to deliver food and 
  other goods and services to the throne room 
  and the king’s quarters.
  Among the servants is a young girl, Taita, 
  who is in fact a Mazanian girl (female Maza-
  nian Rog2) captured in an Azimban raid. She 
  resents her enslavement and seeks to flee from 
  Zimballah if the opportunity presents itself. 
  Taita has been sneaking around the palace, 
  eavesdropping on conversations in the palace. 
  She has learned quite a few secrets, and knows 
  that there are turbaned strangers who craft 
  weapons of iron down in the dungeons.
  6. Stairway
  A stairway leads down to the dungeons be-
  neath the palace. There are two palace guards 
  stationed in the chamber, and another two 
  guards next to the door in the corridor outside.
  7. Throne Room
  This large chamber is furnished with the 
  splendour of a barbaric court. The stone floor 
  is strewn with scented purple jungle flowers. 
  Spears, axes and shields decorate the walls. On 
  a raised platform, 5 feet tall, at the far end of 
  the chamber is a great throne of ivory, carved 
  from the massive tusks of a dozen elephant 
  bulls. Visitors lounge on piles of animal-skins, 
  eating tropical fruits and sipping on banana 
  wine.
  When king Mkazwe is present at court, the 
  throne room is filled with nobles, courtiers, 
  concubines, priests, petitioners, entertainers, 
  servants and guards. Four palace guards are 
  stationed at each of the stairs leading up to the 
  raised platform. Sitting at the king’s right hand 
  is Gonda, the bird-masked and feather-cloaked 
  high priest of Jul-Juggah, who often whispers 
  into the king’s ear while clutching a feather-
  adorned staff.
  Crouching in front of the ivory throne is a 
  pair of male lions. The lions also protect the 
  king when he sleeps (see Area 9).
  Next to the entrance stands the royal herald, 
  Akia. He calls visitors from the antecham-
  ber (Area 2) and announces the purpose of 
  their visit to the king. Akia is also the king’s 
  food-taster and the chief administrator of the 
  palace, commanding the palace guards and 
  overseeing the servants.
  Akia, the Royal Herald of Azimba, 
  male Azimban Bbn5: CR 5; SZ M; HD 
  5d12+15; hp 58; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 
  ft.; AC 15 (+3 hide armor, +2 Dex), touch 
  12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 13 (+3 hide armor); 
  BAB/Grapple +5/+8; Atk +10 melee (1d8+3, 
  battleaxe, 20/x3); SA Rage 2/day; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Intimidate and Spot skills, Fast 
  Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trap 
  Sense +1, Improved Uncanny Dodge; AL N; SV 
  Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 17, Dex 14, Con 
  16, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +8, 
  Jump +11, Listen +9, Ride +10, Swim +11. 
  Feats: Azimban Spear-Mastery (b), Iron Will, 
  Power Attack, Weapon Focus (battleaxe).
  Languages: Azimban, Shoma.
  Possessions: Loincloth of monkey-skin, cloak 
  of lion-skin, masterwork battleaxe, gold neck-
  lace (worth 175 gp).
  Description: Akia is middle-aged, yet athletic 
  of build. His head is clean-shaven, and he 
  wears a cloak of lion-skin to denote his station, 
  as well as a necklace of gold. Akia is loyal to 
  the kind, and resents Gonda the high priest.
  Tactics: Enter rage and Power Attack with 
  axe. Defend the king from harm.
  
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  8. Antechamber
  This room between the throne room (Area 7) 
  and the king’s quarters (Area 9) is used by the 
  king to prepare for appearances in the court. It 
  is also sometimes used for private conferences 
  between the king and his advisors and impor-
  tant foreign envoys. Two elite royal guards are 
  stationed here.
  Elite Palace Guards, male Azimban 
  Bbn5 (2): CR 5; hp 58; see Akia’s statistics 
  above.
  9. King’s Chambers
  This large apartment is split in two, with the 
  outer area being occupied by the royal wives 
  and concubines. This antechamber is decorat-
  ed with fresh, rainbow-colored jungle flowers. 
  Copper trays with fresh fruits and clay jugs of 
  banana wine abound among piles of gazelle-
  skin cushions and walls hung with erotic 
  sculptures of ivory. In various small wooden 
  chests and ivory boxes are cosmetics, copper 
  bracelets, gold rings, silver mirrors and small 
  gems worth a total of 2,000 gp. Drawers and 
  wardrobes contain a collection of richly col-
  ored dresses, silken loincloths, gem-studded 
  belts and gold-trimmed shoes, to a total value 
  of 1,200 gp.
  The inner chamber is reserved for the king 
  himself. A large wooden bed, blanketed by un-
  blemished zebra-skins, stands in the middle of 
  the room. When the king sleeps or enjoys the 
  company of his wives and concubines in this 
  chamber, his two pet lions doze near the door. 
  Under the bed is a sturdy chest (Hardness 5; 
  hp 15; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 30) that 
  contains several bags of semiprecious gems 
  (worth a total of 3,000 gp), a dozen small 
  figurines of gold (worth 250 gp each), and a 
  skull-carved bronze urn filled with diamond 
  dust (worth 1,500 gp).
  The royal wives and concubines (female 
  Azimban Ari2) wear earrings and bracelets of 
  brass and copper (worth a total of 75 gp). They 
  are unarmed, but will try to parley with intrud-
  ers and serve them poisoned food and drink.
  King Mkazwe of Azimba, male Azim-
  ban Bbn8: CR 8; SZ M; HD 8d12+8; hp 89; 
  Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 15 (+3 hide 
  armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  13 (+3 hide armor); BAB/Grapple +8/+13; Atk 
  +15 melee (1d8+7, longspear, 19-20/x3, reach 
  10 ft.); Full Atk +15/+10 melee (1d8+7, long-
  spear, 19-20/x3, reach 10 ft.); SA Rage 3/day; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Spot 
  skills, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny 
  Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense 
  +2, Damage Reduction 1/-; AL N; SV Fort +7, 
  Ref +4, Will +4; Str 21, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, 
  Wis 14, Cha 12.
  Skills: Climb +16, Handle Animal +12, 
  Intimidate +12, Jump +16, Ride +13. Feats: 
  Azimban Spear-Mastery (b), Improved Criti-
  cal (longspear), Leadership, Power Attack, 
  Weapon Focus (longspear).
  Languages: Azimban, Shoma, Zadjite.
  Possessions: Purple robe, lion-skin cloak, 
  hide armor, masterwork longspear, ivory and 
  gold pectoral (worth 450 gp).
  Description: The current king of Azimba is 
  tall and lean, with grey hair at his temples. 
  Despite his age, he is a fearsome warrior. He 
  wears an ivory and gold pectoral and a cloak 
  of lion-skin over his purple robe. If he expects 
  combat, he dons an armor of rhino hide.
  Tactics: The king has trained all his life with 
  the longspear. He rages and uses Power At-
  tacks to strike down opponents. 
  King’s Pet Lions (2): CR 3; 32 hp.
  10. High Priest’s Chamber
  This locked room is the personal chamber of 
  Gonda, high priest of the cult of Jul-Juggah. 
  In one corner is an empty wooden cage, ap-
  parently used to hold a large bird; the bot-
  tom of the cage is covered with the bones of 
  rodents. Shelves along the walls are set with 
  bird-skulls, bundles of black feathers, and jars 
  filled with strange powders and liquids. Next 
  to a simple bed is a large wooden table with 
  three black eggs, about the size of ostrich eggs, 
  protected with a covering of dried twigs. These 
  are dire bat eggs. They can easily be crushed 
  (Hardness 1; hp 3; Break DC 18), but Gonda 
  plans to hatch the eggs and train the hatch-
  lings as his servitors.
  A successful Search check (DC 20) finds two 
  doses of black lotus extract and a small copper 
  vial filled with burnt othur. There is also a 
  hidden compartment under a loose flagstone 
  (Search DC 30) that contains a chest with sev-
  eral golden bracelets and rings (worth 800 gp) 
  and a single black opal (worth 1,000 gp).
  Gonda, High Priest of Jul-Juggah, 
  male Azimban Sor9: CR 9; SZ M; HD 9d4; 
  hp 42; Init +4 (+0 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (+0 no armor, +0 
  Dex), touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+5; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d6+1, quarterstaff, 20/x2); SA Spells; SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Spot skills, 
  Sinister Presence, Master of Lost Languages 
  and Arcane Mysteries; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref 
  +3, Will +9; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 
  16, Cha 18.
  Skills: Concentration +12, Craft (herbalism) 
  +15, Diplomacy +16, Heal +15, Intimidate +16, 
  Knowledge (religion) +15, Perform (ritual) 
  +16, Spellcraft +15. Feats: Azimban Spear-
  Mastery (b), Combat Casting, Dodge, Great 
  Fortitude, Grisly Sacrifice, Improved Initia-
  tive, Leadership, Sympathetic Magic, Weapon 
  Focus (quarterstaff).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 
  0 — arcane mark, know direction, resistance; 
  1st — animal messenger, cause fear, feather 
  fall, fertility charm, mage armor, spectral 
  hand, witch-fire; 2nd — aid, augury, death 
  knell, protection from arrows; 3rd — dispel 
  
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  magic, hold person, prayer, summon animal; 
  4th — contagion, divination, phantasmal 
  killer; 5th — cloudkill, song of discord.
  Languages: Azimban, Shoma, Ikuna, Zadjite.
  Possessions: Bird-mask, loincloth, vulture-
  feathered staff topped with bird-skull, golden 
  armbands (worth 100 gp each), 3 spores of 
  Jul-Juggah.
  Description: Gonda is old, scrawny and 
  tall, with a wrinkled face partly hidden by his 
  bird-mask. He wears a black loincloth, and 
  armbands decorated with vulture-feathers. 
  The rest of his naked body is tattooed with 
  red paint, depicting various birds and flying 
  creatures.
  Tactics: The high priest precasts aid, mage 
  armor and protection from arrows. He hurls 
  offensive spells at opponents, and summons 
  the devil-birds of Azimba if necessary. Gonda 
  can summon these beasts by spending a full-
  round action chanting and cavorting, then 
  making a successful Perform (ritual) check 
  (DC 15).
  11. Lesser Priests’ Chamber
  This large room is shared by the lesser priests 
  of Jul-Juggah. Each priest has a sleeping-mat 
  and a small chest with personal belongings. 
  Several of the priests also keep small flying 
  creatures such as eagles and bats in cages here, 
  training them as their familiars.
  Priests of Jul-Juggah, male Azimban 
  Bbn2/Sor2 (8): CR 4; SZ M; HD 2d12 plus 
  2d4; hp 18; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 40 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, 
  +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 
  (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+5; Atk +6 
  melee (1d8+3, longspear, 20/x3, reach 10 ft.); 
  SA Rage 1/day, Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to 
  Intimidate and Spot skills, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Sinister Presence; 
  AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 
  14, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 9.
  Skills: Climb +7, Concentration +5, In-
  timidate +4, Jump +7, Knowledge (religion) 
  +6, Listen +7, Survival +7, Swim +7. Feats: 
  Acolyte, Azimban Spear-Mastery (b), Fanatical 
  Fighting, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus 
  (longspear).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 4/2; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +1 Int): 0 — dancing 
  lights, daze; 1st — cause fear, mage armor, 
  speak with animals.
  Languages: Azimban, Shoma.
  Possessions: Feather-covered black robes, 
  bird-mask, longspear.
  Description: With faces hidden by bird-
  masks and bodies covered in voluminous black 
  robes decorated with feathers of vultures and 
  eagles, these priests strike fear into Azimban 
  men and women.
  Tactics: The priests precast mage armor 
  before battle, then cause fear before they rage 
  and attack with their spears.
  12. Temple of Jul-Juggah
  It is a testament to the cult’s influence in 
  Zimballah that the shrine of Jul-Juggah is 
  more grand and imposing than the palace’s 
  throne room. The large chamber, 30 feet high, 
  is illuminated by sun- or moonlight filtering in 
  from somewhere above, and smells of exotic 
  drugs and incense.
  A huge, 25 feet tall stone statue stands in 
  middle of the chamber, carved with the mixed 
  features of a flying lizard and a bat. The 
  statue’s outstretched wings and small base 
  makes it somewhat unstable; it is possible to 
  topple it over with a Strength check (DC 25) 
  to crush anyone caught below it, dealing 6d6 
  points of damage, with a Reflex save (DC 15) 
  for half damage.
  On the east wall of the shrine is a pair of 
  doors that lead out to the sacrificial platform 
  (Area 13).
  There is a 50% chance that 1d4+1 priests of 
  Jul-Juggah are here at any given time.
  13. Sacrificial Platform
  A set of stairs, 10 feet above the ground of the 
  outer compound (Area 1) lead from the temple 
  of Jul-Juggah (Area 12) to this raised platform 
  which juts out over the adjacent hillside and is 
  60 feet above the rocks below.
  On the platform are three bloodstained stone 
  slabs where victims are tied while the high 
  priest performs the rituals which summon the 
  devil-birds of Azimba. The monstrous birds 
  then feast on the still-living sacrifices, hacking 
  out their entrails with their sharp beaks. Later, 
  the clean-picked bones are thrown over the 
  edge of the platform, leaving the rocky ground 
  deep below filled with sun-bleached skulls 
  and bones. Anyone jumping or falling from 
  the platform is subject to damage from these 
  sharp bones as if they were spikes (Atk +10 
  melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4+2 each), 
  in additional to normal falling damage.
  Devil-Birds of Azimba (2-5): CR 5; hp 
  45; see the New Monsters appendix.
  Spores of Jul-Juggah
  These spores are taken from the nests of 
  the so-called devil-birds of Azimba. They 
  lose their potency after about three months. 
  A clutch of spores can be thrown up to 10 
  feet from the wielder with a ranged attack 
  roll. The spores deal 1d8 points of damage 
  to a creature that is hit. They then penetrate 
  the skin and grow, dealing an additional 
  1d4 points of damage each round for 10 
  rounds. At the end of this time, the victim is 
  covered with a tangle of viny growths. (The 
  vines are harmless and wither away in 1d4 
  days.) A successful Heal check (DC 15) kills 
  the spores.
  
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  The Royal Palace of 
  Zimballah (Dungeon Level)
  In the dungeons beneath the royal palace are 
  several prison cells, as well as the royal crypts, 
  storage areas, living quarters, and a large forge 
  used by the king’s weaponsmiths.
  Development: The actions of the player 
  characters will depend on their exact mission. 
  The fire-priests of Zadj and the king’s master-
  smith, Abbas, are able to defend themselves 
  well if attacked and also seek to raise the 
  alarm, bringing in reinforcements of guards 
  from the upper level.
  The PCs may be able to create a nice diver-
  sion by freeing the prisoners (in Area 4) and 
  staging a slave riot, although this may put the 
  entire city on full alert and make it difficult for 
  the PCs to escape Zimballah.
  1. Stairway
  This broad stairway leads 50 feet down from 
  Area 6 in the upper level of the palace. The 
  corridor continues to Area 2.
  2. Wide Corridor
  This wide corridor connects the various areas 
  of the palace dungeons. Two palace guards 
  patrol the length of the corridor.
  3. Cistern
  The roof of this chamber is held up by four 
  massive columns. In the middle of the room is 
  a large cistern, 15 feet deep, filled with fresh-
  water, fed by underground pipes which are too 
  small for a medium-sized creature to enter.
  4. Prison Cells
  The cells are well-filled with prisoners who 
  await hard work in the forge, torture and 
  interrogation by Tisa the master-torturer, or 
  death upon the altars of Jul-Juggah. Each of 
  the eighteen cells holds an average of three 
  captives, 90% of which are male. Among the 
  prisoners, who are predominantly Azimban 
  natives, is a swarthy, turbaned Zadjite who 
  seeks to escape and wants the player charac-
  ters to help him (see Gilzan, below).
  The larger rooms consist of a torture-cham-
  ber and the dwellings of Tisa and the prison 
  guards. There are 4 guards with the same 
  statistics as the palace guards. There is a 25% 
  chance that 1d3 priests of Jul-Juggah are here 
  to pick out victims for their next grisly sacrifice 
  (see Area 13 of the upper level).
  Tisa the Master-Torturer, male Azim-
  ban Ftr6: CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d10+15; hp 51; 
  Init +0 (+0 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (+0 no 
  armor, +0 Dex), touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +6/+11; Atk 
  +12 melee (2d4+9, spiked chain, 20/x2, reach 
  10 ft.); Full Atk +12/+7 melee (2d4+9, spiked 
  chain, 20/x2, reach 10 ft.); SA none; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Intimidate and Spot skills; AL 
  N; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 20, Dex 10, 
  Con 14, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 8.
  Skills: Intimidate +8, Jump +14, Ride +9, 
  Swim +14. Feats: Azimban Spear-Mastery (b), 
  Combat Expertise, Endurance, Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (spiked chain), Improved Trip, 
  Persuasive, Toughness, Weapon Focus (spiked 
  chain), Weapon Specialization (spiked chain).
  Languages: Azimban, Shoma.
  Possessions: Loincloth, spiked chain.
  Description: Tisa is potbellied, with huge 
  muscled arms. His long and curly hair hangs 
  down on his back in matted dreadlocks.
  Tactics: Although Tisa prefers to abuse 
  helpless prisoners, he is quite adept with the 
  spiked chain and uses it to trip opponents.
  Gilzan of Al-Qazir, male Zadjite Nom4: 
  CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d8+3; hp 25; Init +3 (+3 
  Dex); Spd 35 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 
  Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+6; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d3+2, unarmed strike, 20/x2); SA Sneak 
  Attack (+1d6); SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Knowledge (geography) skills; +1 racial bonus 
  to all saving throws, Mounted Skirmisher, 
  Track, Fast Movement (+5), Endurance, 
  Throat of the Camel; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, 
  Will +1; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 11, 
  Cha 12.
  Skills: Handle Animal +8, Heal +7, Hide +10, 
  Knowledge (geography) +8, Move Silently +10, 
  Ride +10, Spot +7, Survival +7. Feats: Point 
  Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Toughness, Zadjite 
  Whip-Mastery (b).
  Languages: Zadjite, Shoma.
  Possessions: Loincloth.
  Description: This is a Zadjite slaver who has 
  now himself become imprisoned after a failed 
  slave raid on Azimba. He knows of a way out of 
  the palace (through the temple of Jul-Juggah), 
  and may bargain with this information if the 
  player characters agree to set him free.
  Tactics: If he is freed, Gilzan seeks to arm 
  himself with scimitar and bow as soon as pos-
  sible.
  The Royal Palace (Dungeon Level)
  Standard Features: Unless noted otherwise, all interior doors are strong wooden doors (2 
  in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). Ceiling 
  height is 10 feet in normal rooms, and 30 feet in the forge (Area 10).
  Lighting: Illumination is provided by torches set in brackets along the walls at 40 feet 
  intervals.
  
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  5. Storeroom
  This storeroom contains dozens of large 
  wooden crates filled with raw iron ore. A pair 
  of locked doors connects this room to the 
  armory (Area 6).
  6. Armory
  All doors to this room are locked; the key is 
  carried by Abbas the master-smith (see Area 
  10). Wooden shelves and racks in this cham-
  ber are stacked with a growing collection of 
  iron weapons, including swords, axes and war 
  spears. Some of the weapons are ready for 
  use, others lack hilts and shafts. A handful of 
  the weapons are masterwork items, including 
  a pair of longspears decorated with vulture 
  feathers and a battleaxe carved with an images 
  of a roaring lion.
  7. Latrine
  This simple latrine, little more than a 10 
  feet pit in the floor, reeks of excrement and 
  the walls carry disgusting stains. A character 
  spending more than 5 rounds in the room (for 
  whatever reason) must make a Fortitude save 
  (DC 15) or become sickened for 10 minutes.
  8. Crypts
  The entrance to the crypts is locked. The door 
  is inset with a row of yellowed human skulls. 
  A successful Listen check (DC 15) reveals the 
  scuttling of a pack of tomb rats in the corridor 
  behind the door. This cobwebbed corridor 
  leads to three separate tombs. Each tomb 
  contains a large stone sarcophagi and several 
  wall-alcoves; the resting-place of former kings 
  of Zimballah and their wives and concubines.
  Each sarcophagus has a heavy lid (2 in. thick; 
  Hardness 8; hp 30; Break DC 24) and contains 
  the rotted remains of a king along with 1d6 
  x 100 gp worth of gold ornaments and other 
  grave offerings. The alcoves contain the skel-
  etons of females.
  
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  guidance, prestidigitation; 1st — command, 
  hypnotism, magic weapon, witch-fire; 2nd 
  —burning hands, knock, pyrotechnics; 3rd — 
  explosive runes, hold person, keen edge.
  Languages: Zadjite, Azimban, Shoma, Yar-
  Ammonite.
  Possessions: Yellow robes, tall red turban, 
  golden talisman set with tiny ruby (worth 150 
  gp). The leader carries has a flask of sacred oil 
  which he can pour out to summon a large fire 
  elemental.
  Description: These fire-worshippers wear 
  yellow silken robes and tall red turbans. Their 
  motivation for abandoning the cult is simply 
  wealth; in Iraab, the acolytes of the Living 
  Flame are forced to live ascetic lives, while the 
  senior priests profit greatly from their part in 
  the ironsmithing industry.
  Tactics: The priests stand back and use spells 
  from a distance while their leader summons a 
  fire elemental to fight.
  Large Fire Elemental: CR 5; hp 60.
  Conclusion
  The conclusion to this adventure depends 
  on who the player characters work for, and 
  the strategy they choose for entering the royal 
  palace of Zimballah. As noted above, there are 
  several options to choose among. They could, 
  for example, start a slave revolt by releasing 
  the prisoners in the palace dungeons, and use 
  the confusion to escape with the weaponsmith. 
  If the PCs escape the palace, the priests of Jul-
  Juggah may use divination spells to determine 
  the identity and location of the culprits, and 
  summon one or more devil-birds to hunt the 
  player characters down on the savannahs of 
  Azimba.
  If the PCs fail: Again, this depends on the 
  exact nature of the PCs’ actions while they are 
  in the land of Azimba. They could very well 
  end up on the sacrificial altars of Jul-Juggah, 
  or they could be stabbed to death by the king’s 
  spearmen, or perhaps be engulfed by a fire el-
  emental summoned by the fire-priests of Zadj.
  There is a 50% chance that one sarcophagus 
  actually contains an undead creature (similar 
  to a wight but without the ability to create 
  spawn) instead of a mere corpse.
  Dire Rats (11-20): CR 1/3; hp 5.
  Undead Thing (wight): CR 3; hp 26.
  9. Living Chambers
  This area contains the living-quarters of the 
  king’s master weaponsmith, Abbas, and his 
  apprentices (male Azimban Exp4), as well as 
  the foreign priests of Zadj who have been hired 
  by the king to teach Abbas the art of iron-
  smithing. The rooms are furnished in spartan 
  fashion with sleeping-mats of animal-skins 
  and wooden tables set with food, tools and 
  equipment.
  There are two secret tunnels here; they may 
  be found with a successful Search check (DC 
  25).
  10. Forge
  The forge is a huge room with a 30 feet tall 
  ceiling. On each side of the chamber, a set of 
  stairs leads up to a 10-feet wide balcony that 
  follows the wall around the room. In the center 
  of the chamber is a large clay furnace, a heavy 
  anvil, and a stone vessel filled with water. Scat-
  tered around the room are heaps of charcoal, 
  raw ore, waste slag, and equipment such as 
  tongs, hammers and aprons.
  Development: Working in the forge is Ab-
  bas the Master-Smith (male Azimban Exp10) 
  and 1d3 of of his apprentices, supervised by 
  the rogue priests of Zadj. If combat breaks out, 
  the Zadjites run up the stairs and cast spells 
  from atop the balcony, while the apprentices 
  of Abbas attempt to protect the master-smith 
  using hammers and tongs as improvised 
  weapons.
  Rogue Priests of the Living Flame, 
  male Zadjite Sor6 (3): CR 6; SZ M; HD 
  6d4+9; hp 29; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  11 (+0 no armor, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), 
  flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple 
  +3/+4; Atk +5 melee (1d4+1, curved dagger, 
  18-20/x2) or +4 melee (1d3+1, whip, 20/x2, 
  reach 10 ft.); SA Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to 
  Craft and Knowledge (geography) skills, +1 
  racial bonus to all saving throws, Sinister Pres-
  ence, Master of Lost Languages and Arcane 
  Mysteries; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +9; 
  Str 12, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 14.
  Skills: Concentration +10, Craft (alchemy) 
  +12, Craft (weaponsmithing) +12, Decipher 
  Script +12, Heal +12, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +12, Knowledge (religion) +12, Spellcraft 
  +12. Feats: Acolyte, Combat Casting, Fanati-
  cal Fighting, Improved Initiative, Toughness, 
  Weapon Focus (curved dagger), Zadjite Whip-
  Mastery (b).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/3/3/2; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 0 — 
  
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  The Slaves of 
  the Moon
  ”…the cult of death and night, personified 
  by the moon, whose white, implacable, frozen 
  lips were appeased only by the warm blood 
  that flowed upon her altars. They caught 
  the blood in goblets as it ran from the stone 
  grooves... they raised it aloft... and the goblets 
  were swiftly drained in mid-air by the remote 
  goddess, as if the sacrifice had proven accept-
  able.” — Clark Ashton Smith: An Offering to 
  the Moon
  Setting: City and Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 7th- and 8th-level characters.
  Introduction
  Centuries ago, migrating clans of a light-
  skinned race — possibly an offshoot of Elder 
  Kuth — enslaved the native tribes and built 
  the city of Kumara in the hills between what is 
  now Shoma and Azimba. Like their ancestors, 
  the elder Kumarans practised dark sorcery and 
  their ruler, the sorcerer-king Ur-Kharra, was 
  known for his great cruelty and decadence.
  Ur-Kharra maintained a large seraglio, filled 
  with young girls of many races, procured by 
  slavers in the sorcerer-king’s service. One of 
  his black concubines was a girl named Maka, 
  whose family had been slaughtered when 
  refusing to give up their child to the king.
  While posing as a servile consort, Maka plot-
  ted for revenge against her cruel master. She 
  knew the tribal lore and sneaked out of the 
  city to find a sacred grove of Nwanga Zhaal, 
  the king of beasts, the tribal god of the black 
  Kumarans, in the hills east of the city.
  Within the grove, Maka found an instrument 
  with which to slay Ur-Kharra; a bone dag-
  ger made from the fang of a great prehistoric 
  beast. Believing that the bane-dagger was a gift 
  from Nwanga Zhaal, the girl vowed that her 
  kin would serve Nwanga Zhaal unto the last 
  generation. That night, the god came to her in 
  the form of a great leopard, and impregnated 
  Maka with a child.
  Maka returned to the city and waited until 
  she was called to be Ur-Kharra’s bed com-
  panion. In his loathsome embrace, she struck 
  down the old sorcerer with the hidden bone 
  dagger before he realized the danger. How-
  ever, Ur-Kharra was protected by incantations 
  that allowed his life force to escape his body 
  before he died. The sorcerer’s ghostly essence 
  drifted down to the vaults beneath the king’s 
  halls. Here, among the gems and gold of the 
  treasure vault, Ur-Kharra’s soul languished 
  until he went insane and his essence finally 
  merged with the treasure itself.
  When Ur-Kharra’s apparent death become 
  known, the black slaves of the Kumarans 
  rallied to Maka’s side. White clashed against 
  black in a great slaughter and hundreds were 
  killed, but in the end the elder Kumarans were 
  overthrown and Maka became the queen of 
  Kumara. The crypt of Ur-Kharra was sealed 
  and declared taboo.
  However, Maka and her people soon found 
  out that Ur-Kharra’s dying spells had formed 
  an invisible barrier around the entire city, pre-
  venting anyone from escaping Kumara.
  Nine moons later, Maka gave birth to a 
  daughter, named Natari. The price of the pact 
  with Nwanga Zhaal quickly became apparent; 
  the child craved the taste of fresh human flesh 
  during every full moon. Maka kept Natari’s 
  condition a secret among her court, and sup-
  plied the girl with white slaves.
  The years passed and Natari grew into full 
  womanhood. When Maka died, Natari be-
  came the new queen of Kumara and by taking 
  a consort, she passed on her curse to future 
  generations. In each generation, there has 
  always been a girl directly descended from 
  Maka, which is named Natari in honor of the 
  first daughter. The royal family, cursed with 
  therianthropy, has kept its terrible secret and 
  continued to feed on the population, which 
  has dwindled over the years due to the city’s 
  isolation.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The player characters discover the lost city of 
  Kumara by chance, arriving on the day before 
  the full moon. Assuming the PCs approach 
  it peacefully, the party is welcomed by the 
  Kumarans and a great feast is held for them 
  during the day, near the central temple-palace. 
  Before darkness falls, the PCs are sent away to 
  a guest-house.
  
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  The current Natari sees the arrival of the 
  PCs as an opportunity to destroy the remains 
  of Ur-Kharra and break his ancient spells. 
  However, she does not want her family’s curse 
  to be revealed, so she orders her kin to leave 
  the foreigners alone during the days of the full 
  moon.
  Natari’s younger brother, an ambitious 
  prince named Kasozi, seeks to usurp the 
  queen, and realizes that he might use the PCs 
  as pawns. Kasozi, himself a wereleopard, sends 
  one of his kinsmen to sneak in and attack the 
  player characters at night. The assassin attacks 
  in animal form and reverts to human form if 
  slain by the PCs. Interrogating the servants, 
  who have been instructed by Kazosi, the PCs 
  learn that the queen and her kin are in fact 
  were-leopards, and that they terrorize the city 
  during the full moon; the people would surely 
  be grateful if the “evil queen” was removed.
  Assuming the player characters attack or 
  sneak into Natari’s palace, the so-called 
  “Temple of the Moon”, they witness the royal 
  family devouring a hapless slave, confirming 
  the words of the servant.
  Confronting the queen, who attempts to 
  negotiate if the PCs defeat her, Natari admits 
  that she is cursed with turning into a beast 
  during the full moon but says the source of the 
  curse is said to be found in the vaults beneath 
  the temple. This curse also prevents anyone 
  from leaving the city, so it is in the interest of 
  the player characters to lift the curse even if 
  they don’t care about the queen’s fate.
  If the PCs descend into the dungeons be-
  neath the palace, they confront the remains 
  of Ur-Kharra the sorcerer-king. If his soul-
  essence is defeated, a vision of his death at the 
  hands of Maka flashes into the minds of the 
  player characters.
  
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  Kazosi sends some of his henchmen after the 
  player characters, hoping to make the PCs be-
  lieve that Natari has betrayed her deal with the 
  PCs. If they survive the ambush and return to 
  the throne room, a three-way battle may ensue 
  between the player characters and Natari and 
  Kazosi, as well as their remaining followers.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  — The player characters are traveling 
  through a remote mountain region. Pursued 
  by a large pack of hungry mountain lions, the 
  PCs flee towards a mist-filled valley. The dis-
  tant walls of Kumara appear out of the mists 
  and offer a refuge against the lions.
  — The party is pursuing some fugitive (per-
  haps a criminal, traitor or former ally) across 
  the wilderness. The tracks lead into a mist-
  filled valley. The fugitive has taken up refuge 
  in the city.
  The Valley of Mists
  The city of Kumara is located in a narrow 
  valley ringed by forested hills. The city sits on 
  the top of a sloped hillside in the center of the 
  valley and is ringed by massive stone walls. 
  There are two main gates, and a trail leads 
  down from the city to the plains below from 
  each of them.
  To the east of the city is a river which is the 
  source of drinking-water for the Kumarans. 
  Water from the river is also used to irrigate the 
  fields south and east of the city where peasants 
  work to produce the city’s food.
  The city and its environs is ringed with a wall 
  of dense mist which has hidden Kumara from 
  the eyes of foreigners for countless genera-
  tions. The mist is a side effect of Ur-Kharra’s 
  powerful bounding spell (a unique variant of 
  an antipathy spell) which prevents anyone 
  from leaving the area. Creatures are free to 
  enter the valley by walking through the mist, 
  but cannot leave unless they succeed at a Will 
  save (DC 40). Those who fail the saving throw 
  are wracked by pains and cannot retry.
  Hidden in the hills a few miles east of the 
  city, outside the mist and the bounding spell, 
  is the sacred grove of Nwanga Zhaal where 
  Maka found the bane-dagger of Ur-Kharra (see 
  the adventure background).
  The Sacred Grove of Nwanga Zaal
  Located in the hills east of Kumara, this is 
  an ancient place of worship, used by the na-
  tive tribesmen before the coming of the elder 
  Kumarans to worship Nwanga Zhaal. The 
  black witch-doctors would visit the grove on 
  the nights of the full moon and offer human 
  sacrifice to the ever-hungry animal-god.
  In the center of the grove is a clearing and 
  an outcropping of rock. A large and weathered 
  stone idol stands in the clearing, near a cave 
  entrance in the rock. The cave is filled with 
  skulls and bones and is the lair of the grove’s 
  guardian, a huge prehistoric beast believed to 
  be an incarnation of Nwanga Zhaal — or per-
  haps this creature is the “god” himself.
  The moss-grown idol of black stone is carved 
  in the shape of a snarling leopard’s head. It 
  has hardness 8 and 180 hit points (Break DC 
  50). If the idol is disturbed, the guardian of the 
  grove appears from the cave opening, pounc-
  ing upon the creature damaging the idol. The 
  very sight of the creature may scare off the 
  weak-willed.
  The Guardian of the Grove: CR 8; SZ L 
  Animal; HD 16d8+48; hp 120; Init +2; Spd 40 
  ft.; AC 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 
  11, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grapple +12/+24; Atk 
  +20 melee (2d4+8, claw); Full Atk +20/+20 
  melee (2d4+8, claw) and +14 melee (2d6+4, 
  bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Fright-
  ful Presence, Improved Grab, Pounce, Rake 
  (2d4+4); SQ Low-Light Vision, Scent; AL N; 
  SV Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +11; Str 27, Dex 15, 
  Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Hide +7*, Jump +14, Listen +6, 
  Move Silently +11, Spot +7, Swim +10. Feats: 
  Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (claw), 
  Improved Natural Attack (bite), Run, Stealthy, 
  Weapon Focus (claw).
  Frightful Presence (Ex): The Guardian of the 
  Grove can unsettle foes with its mere presence. 
  The ability takes effect automatically when 
  the Guardian appears, and affects opponents 
  within 30 feet with fewer Hit Dice or levels 
  than the Guardian has. Creatures that fail a 
  Will save (DC 18) become frightened for 5d6 
  rounds. An opponent that succeeds on the sav-
  ing throw is immune to the frightful presence 
  of the same creature type for 24 hours. The 
  save DC is Charisma-based.
  
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  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the 
  Gurdian of the Grove must hit with its bite 
  attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple 
  as a free action without provoking an attack 
  of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it 
  establishes a hold and can rake.
  Pounce (Ex): If the Guardian of the Grove 
  charges, it can make a full attack, including 
  two rake attacks.
  Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +18 melee, damage 
  2d4+4.
  Skills: The Guardian of the Grove has a 
  +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently 
  checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy under-
  growth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.
  Development: It is extremely unlikely that 
  the player characters find this hidden grove 
  before their encounters with the inhabitants 
  of Kumara, but they may come here at the end 
  of the adventure (see “Concluding the Adven-
  ture”, below).
  If the idol is destroyed, Nwanga Zhaal’s 
  curse of lycanthropy is lifted from Maka’s 
  descendants. Also, the guardian of the grove is 
  instantly slain if the idol is broken (although it 
  fights for its life to prevent this, of course).
  The City of Kumara
  Kumara is currently inhabited by around five 
  hundred dark-skinned natives, and a roughly 
  equal number of light-skinned descendants 
  of the elder Kumarans. Since each people has 
  enslaved the other in turn, crossbreeding is 
  not tolerated and children of such unions are 
  quickly put away.
  Since the death of Ur-Kharra the sorcerer-
  king, and the subsequent black rebellion, the 
  blacks have ruled the city with a succession of 
  women named Natari as their queen. The royal 
  family is cursed with lycanthropy but has kept 
  this fact hidden from the general population. 
  To keep their secret, and because the city is 
  isolated, Natari and her kin usually feed upon 
  kidnapped slaves, but as the population slowly 
  dwindles away people are starting to suspect 
  that something is wrong.
  Approaching the City
  At first look, the city of Kumara appears as 
  a deserted ruin, but as the player characters 
  close in they realize it is inhabited. The cyclo-
  pean stone of the city walls is partly crumbled 
  in several places and crudely repaired with 
  patches of wood and mud-brick. The harvest-
  ing season is over and the fields on the plains 
  around the city are abandoned and dry during 
  this time of the year.
  Development: Player characters who ap-
  proach the city walls peacefully find that the 
  gates are opened to them after a short dis-
  course with the guards on the walls. Although 
  the Kumarans speak an archaic language, 
  anyone who knows either Shoma or Azimban 
  will be able to converse with the inhabitants 
  of the city. The arrival of the PCs is reported 
  to the royal palace. The player characters are 
  not free to wander the city, but are escorted to 
  a stone building not far from the south gate, 
  where they are quartered until a feast is held 
  in their honor (see below). During their time 
  in the guest-house it becomes apparent that 
  a light-skinned people are kept as slaves by 
  the natives, although the servants (male and 
  female Kuthan Halfbreed Com1) are forbidden 
  to speak with the foreigners.
  Should the PCs for some reason decide to 
  attack the city, or act agressively against the 
  guards, the Kumarans defend themselves 
  as appropriate and attempt to capture the 
  foreigners alive. Captives are taken to the 
  guest-house in chains. No feast is held; instead 
  Kazosi arranges for the servant Upi to free the 
  PCs and beg them to slay “the bestial black 
  queen”, Natari.
  
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  Kumaran Warriors, male Shoma 
  Bbn2: CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d12+2; hp 19; Init +2 
  (+2 Dex); Spd 50 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no armor, +2 
  heavy wooden shield, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 
  Dex), flat-footed 12 (+0 no armor, +2 heavy 
  wooden shield); BAB/Grapple +2/+4; Atk +5 
  melee (1d6+2, shortspear, 20/x2) or +5 ranged 
  (1d6, shortbow, 20/x3, range increment 60 
  ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  spears and bows, Rage 1/day; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Survival skills, +10 racial 
  bonus to Speed, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, 
  Uncanny Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, 
  Will +0; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, 
  Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +7, Jump +7, Listen +5, Ride 
  +7, Swim +7. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, 
  Run (b).
  Languages: Kumaran.
  Possessions: Clothing, heavy wooden shield, 
  shortspear, shortbow, 20 arrows, 1d6 gp.
  Description: These warriors wield spears and 
  large black wooden shields decorated with a 
  white mountain motif.
  Tactics: These guards fire their bows before 
  closing with spears.
  A Feast Before the Moon Rises
  If the PCs avoid agression against the 
  Kumarans, they are received as guests and 
  a great feast is held in their honor the next 
  day. The people of Kumara gather in the open 
  area below the Temple of the Moon while the 
  queen and her court watch from high atop 
  the temple-hill. The player characters will not 
  be permitted to speak with the queen or her 
  nobles, who are protected by a full regiment of 
  guards. Should the PCs try to reach the queen 
  by force, Natari and her nobles retreat be-
  hind the walls of the palace-temple, while the 
  guards rush in to subdue the assailants.
  Entertainment at the feast includes male 
  and female dancers leaping and cavorting to 
  the primal sounds of wooden drums and bone 
  pipes; games of wrestling and club-fighting; 
  and the display of trained animals.
  Food is served by light-skinned slaves. The 
  player characters may be surprised to learn 
  what the Kumarans eat; the wooden trays 
  brought by the servants are filled with all 
  manner of disgusting food. Nothing happens 
  to those who refuse to eat, although the player 
  characters may believe that they should taste 
  the dishes so as not to offend their hosts.
  PCs who taste the different dishes must 
  make a saving throw or vomit and become 
  weakened. The Kumarans are used to this food 
  and are unaffected. The dishes include fried 
  grasshoppers and red beetles (Fort DC 12, dmg 
  1 Str/1d3 Str), fist-sized green snails (Fort DC 
  14, dmg 1 Str/1d4 Str), and finger-thick pale 
  white maggots (Fort DC 16, dmg 1d3 Str/1d6 
  Str). Damaged ability scores heal at the normal 
  rate.
  The feast ends well before darkness falls, af-
  ter which the full moon quickly appears. After 
  the feast, the player characters are escorted 
  back to the guest-house by a dozen guards.
  The Leopard Hunts in Darkness
  The player characters share a common room 
  in the guest-house. The room has a 20-feet-tall 
  ceiling. Through a narrow window (too small 
  to climb through for a medium-sized creature) 
  high on the outer wall the full moon can be 
  seen rising. There are six guards patrolling 
  the corridor outside. The door to the room is 
  of iron and is barred from the outside (2 in. 
  thick; Hardness 10; hp 60; Break DC 30).
  In the southeastern corner of the room is a 
  secret door (Search DC 30) that can only be 
  opened from the outside.
  Development: In the middle of the night, 
  one of Kazosi’s henchmen attacks the party 
  through the secret entrance. He crawls 
  through the corridor in leopard-form and tries 
  to attack by surprise, leaping upon anyone 
  awake within the chamber. If slain, he reverts 
  to human form. When the guards posted 
  outside hear the sounds of battle from within 
  the chamber, they open the iron door and 
  investigate in 3d4 rounds. The guards are loyal 
  to queen Natari and know nothing of Kazosi’s 
  plot to stir up the PCs against the queen; their 
  job is to keep the player characters impris-
  oned.
  After the attack, one of the light-skinned 
  servants (male Kuthan Halfbreed Com1; secret 
  agent of Kazosi) in the guest-house approaches 
  the player characters. He calls himself Upi 
  and reveals to the PCs that the queen and her 
  kin are were-leopards who terrorize the city 
  during the full moon. He also suggests that the 
  slaves of the city will rise up against their mas-
  ters if the “evil queen Natari” is slain (but they 
  dare not act before she is dead). While there is 
  some truth to this story, Kazosi’s plan is to get 
  the player characters to kill Natari, and then 
  claim the throne of Kumara for himself.
  Henchman of Kazosi, male Shoma 
  Were-Leopard Bbn4 (animal form): 
  CR 7; SZ M Humanoid [Shapechanger]; HD 
  4d12+12 plus 3d8+6; hp 65; Init +8 (+4 Dex, 
  +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 40 ft., climb 
  20 ft.; AC 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, 
  flat-footed 13; BAB/Grapple +6/+10; Atk 
  +10 melee (1d6+4, bite); Full Atk +10 melee 
  (1d6+4, bite) and +5/+5 melee (1d3+2, claw); 
  SA Improved Grab, Pounce, Rake (1d3+2); SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival skills, 
  +10 racial bonus to Speed, Low-Light Vision, 
  Scent, Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 
  (10/silver), Lycanthropic Empathy, Fast 
  Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trap 
  Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +5; 
  Str 18, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +11, Hide +10, Intimidate +7, 
  Jump +11, Listen +8, Swim +11. Feats: Alert-
  ness, Dodge,  Improved Initiative, Iron Will 
  (b), Run (b), Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.
  
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  Languages: Kumaran.
  Possessions: None.
  Description: In their animal form, the 
  were-leopards look just like regular leopards, 
  although they revert to their true human form 
  if slain.
  Tactics: A were-leopard in animal form 
  charges his opponents and makes a full attack 
  which includes two rake attacks.
  The Temple of the Moon
  Originally a fortress-palace of the elder Ku-
  marans, the central building of the city is now 
  also a temple dedicated to moon-worship in 
  honor of Nwanga Zhaal.
  The temple sits on a hill, like an acropolis, 
  with a steep zig-zagging set of stairs that lead 
  to the top, 60 feet above the level of the other 
  buildings in the city. The walls of the temple 
  are 30 feet tall and of superior masonry (1 ft. 
  thick; Hardness 8; hp 90; Break DC 35; Climb 
  DC 20). There are no windows, only arrow 
  slits. Area 18 has no ceiling and is open to the 
  sky, although this is not apparent when view-
  ing the temple from the ground level outside.
  There is a single side entrance (Area 12) that 
  can be reached by climbing (Climb DC 25), 
  but the guards posted there may easily spot 
  any climbers unless they climb under cover of 
  darkness (but remember that this adventure 
  is set during the nights of the full moon). In 
  daylight, the side entrance can be seen from 
  below the temple-hill with a successful Spot 
  check (DC 20).
  1. Grand Staircase
  This large stairway zigzags up to the main 
  gates (Area 2) far above ground level. A 
  creature’s speed is halved when navigating the 
  stairs (each square costs double movement). 
  The archers in the guardrooms (Areas 3 and 
  4) have excellent line of sight to anyone ap-
  proaching this way.
  2. Main Gates
  The massive front gates are made of iron (2 
  in. thick; Hardness 10; hp 60; Break DC 30) 
  and can be barred from the inside. Six war-
  riors guard the gates.
  Development: If intruders are detected, 
  the guards sound the alarm by blowing a goat-
  horn, then close and bar the doors. They run 
  to take up positions in the guardrooms to each 
  side, from where they fire their bows against 
  the intruders through the arrow slits. 
  Kumaran Warriors (6): CR 2; hp 19.
  3. Western Guardroom
  The arrow slits in this chamber provide 
  excellent cover (+8 bonus to Armor Class and 
  +4 bonus to Reflex saves). Archers firing upon 
  intruders also gain a +1 bonus to attack for be-
  ing on higher ground.
  To the back of the room are several small 
  bedrooms where the guards sleep when not on 
  duty.
  4. Eastern Guardroom
  This room is similar to the other guardroom 
  (Area 3). Hidden under a rug in one of the 
  bedchambers is a masterwork dagger and a 
  small amethyst (worth 75 gp).
  5. Great Corridor
  This corridor is of great size. A huge mural 
  covers the wall opposite to the entrance (from 
  Area 2). The painted mural depicts a beauti-
  ful black female, with a small girl in her arms, 
  sitting upon a throne surrounded by black 
  courtiers. Everyone in the temple-palace, if 
  interrogated, can tell the player characters that 
  this is a painting of Maka, the first black queen 
  of Kumara, and her daughter Natari.
  6. Guard Captain
  This is the office and bedroom of the guard-
  captain, a young and strong man named 
  Kiuma. The plastered walls are covered with 
  crimson tapestries. A large bed stands against 
  the north wall, with a stand of carved wood to 
  one side. In the other corner a wooden folding-
  screen separates a shelf, sofa and couch from 
  the rest of the place.
  Kiuma, Guard Captain, male Shoma 
  Bbn6: CR 6; SZ M; HD 6d12+12; hp 62; Init 
  +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 50 ft.; AC 17 (+3 hide armor, 
  +2 heavy wooden shield, +2 Dex), touch 12 
  (+2 Dex), flat-footed 15 (+3 hide armor, +2 
  heavy wooden shield); BAB/Grapple +6/+10; 
  Atk +11 melee (1d6+4, shortspear, 20/x2) or 
  +9 ranged (1d6, shortbow, 20/x3, range incre-
  ment 60 ft.); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d6+4, 
  shortspear, 20/x2) or +9/+4 ranged (1d6, 
  shortbow, 20/x3, range increment 60 ft.); SA 
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all spears 
  The Temple of the Moon
  Standard Features: Unless noted otherwise, all interior doors are strong wooden doors (2 
  in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). Ceiling 
  height is 30 feet in all rooms except the moon-pool (Area 18).
  Lighting: The corridors and rooms of the temple are illuminated by wall-hung torches. Due 
  to the ceiling height and the limited range of the torches (20 feet), the upper 5 feet of all rooms 
  are shrouded in shadows which provide concealment to any creature hiding there.
  
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  and bows, Rage 2/day; SQ +2 racial bonus to 
  Craft and Survival skills, +10 racial bonus to 
  Speed, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny 
  Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense 
  +2; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 18, 
  Dex 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +13, Intimidate +9, Jump +13, 
  Listen +9, Ride +11, Survival +9. Feats: Com-
  bat Reflexes, Dodge, Point Blank Shot, Rapid 
  Shot, Run (b).
  Languages: Kumaran, Shoma.
  Possessions: Hide armor, large wooden 
  shield, shortspear, shortbow, silver armbands 
  (worth 35 gp each).
  Description: The guard-captain wears armor 
  of rhino hide, and silver armbands to denote 
  his rank.
  Tactics: Kiuma joins his men in defense of 
  the temple. If facing overwhelming opposition, 
  he flees to warn Queen Natari and the other 
  nobles.
  7. Antechamber
  This chamber is empty save for a few worn 
  rugs on the floor.
  8. Hall of Three Columns
  In the middle of this hall are three slender 
  stone columns carved with images of war. The 
  room is illuminated by a single torch set in the 
  middle column, leaving the rest of the room in 
  shadowy illumination.
  A were-leopard, one of Kazosi’s henchmen, 
  hides in the semi-darkness here, with orders to 
  attack any intruders.
  Henchman of Kazosi, male Shoma 
  Were-Leopard Bbn4 (hybrid form): 
  CR 7; SZ M Humanoid [Shapechanger]; HD 
  4d12+12 plus 3d8+6; hp 65; Init +8 (+4 Dex, 
  +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 50 ft.; AC 19 (+0 
  no armor, +2 heavy wooden shield, +4 Dex, +3 
  natural), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 19 (+0 
  no armor, +2 heavy wooden shield, +4 Dex, +3 
  natural); BAB/Grapple +6/+10; Atk +10 melee 
  (1d8+4, heavy mace, 20/x2) or +10 melee 
  (1d4+4, claw); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d8+4, 
  heavy mace, 20/x2) or +10/+10 melee (1d4+4, 
  claw) and +5 melee (1d6+2, bite); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all spears and bows, 
  Rage 2/day; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and 
  Survival skills, +10 racial bonus to Speed, 
  Low-Light Vision, Scent, Alternate Form, 
  Damage Reduction (10/silver), Lycanthropic 
  Empathy, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny 
  Dodge, Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref 
  +8, Will +5; Str 18, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 
  12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +11, Hide +10, Intimidate +7, 
  Jump +11, Listen +8, Swim +11. Feats: Alert-
  ness, Dodge,  Improved Initiative, Iron Will 
  (b), Run (b), Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Kumaran.
  Possessions: Clothing, heavy wooden shield, 
  heavy mace.
  Description: The moon-cursed nobles of Ku-
  mara, in their hybrid form, are leopard-headed 
  with eyes that glow red in the dark, and arms 
  which end in claws.
  Tactics: The were-leopards use their low-
  light vision to good effect, hiding in the 
  shadows until opponents approach, then strike 
  with great speed and surprise.
  9. Laboratory
  The door to this chamber is decorated with 
  strange symbols. A successful Knowledge (Ar-
  cana) check (DC 10) is required to recognize 
  the sigils as alchemical symbols. The door is 
  locked and trapped with a poison needle trap 
  (CR 2; mechanical; touch trigger; repair reset; 
  lock bypass [Open Lock DC 30]; Atk +17 melee 
  [1 plus poison, needle]; poison [blue whinnis, 
  DC 14 Fortitude save resists (poison only), 1 
  Con/unconsciousness]; Search DC 22; Disable 
  Device DC 17).
  Behind the door is a long disused alchemical 
  lab; with crates, boxes, canisters, flasks, jars of 
  dried herbs, animal parts, and other strange 
  items; books, scrolls, bottles and dissection 
  tools litter the tables and dust is everywhere. 
  Among the rubble (Search DC 15) is a wooden 
  box with 2 doses of fire-powder, a vial of anti-
  toxin, and a colored glass vial (worth 20 gp).
  Against the northern wall are three small 
  rooms; two of the doors are unlocked and 
  the third door is locked. If the locked door 
  is broken down by force, several fragile vials 
  of chemical fluids fall down from a shelf and 
  combine to form an explosion that causes 6d6 
  points of fire damage (Reflex DC 16 for half 
  damage) to all within a 15 feet radius. Such an 
  explosion also alerts any nearby guards, who 
  come to investigate in 1d6 rounds.
  10. Large Hall
  This large hall contains a number of head-
  less statues. Further inspection reveals that 
  the sculpted stone bodies do not resemble 
  the black Kumarans, but men of a taller and 
  more powerful build. These are in fact statues 
  of the elder Kumarans, who were themselves 
  descended from the giant-kings of Kuth. The 
  heads of these statues have been smashed in 
  rage by the now-ruling Kumarans, as indicated 
  by the rubble around the feet of the statues.
  11. Inner Gates
  This antechamber is decorated with red 
  tapestries with gold trimming. There is a 25% 
  chance to encounter a Kumaran noble (a were-
  leopard in human form) making his way to the 
  pool chamber (Area 18) with an entourage of 
  1d4 guards.
  
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  12. Watchpost
  This small guard-station is 70 feet above 
  the ground. The natural rock surface below 
  is rough (Climb DC 25). A single guard is 
  stationed here, with a goat-horn to sound the 
  alarm. The door behind the guard is barred 
  from the inside; the guard knows a secret 
  knock that summons a guard from the nearby 
  guardroom (Area 13) to open the door when 
  required.
  Kumaran Warrior: CR 2; hp 19.
  13. Guards
  Housed in this simple, unlocked room are 
  six guards; two of them are resting here at any 
  time. There are six sleeping-mats here, as well 
  as a weapon rack with spears, clubs and bows. 
  Two large wooden shields are placed in one 
  corner. On a small wooden table is an opened 
  flask of banana wine, some throwing-bones, 
  and a dagger.
  Kumaran Warriors (2): CR 2; hp 19.
  14. Personal Chambers and Lounge
  Beyond an open archway from the guard-
  room (Area 13), is a large reception room. 
  Three stone pillars support the ceiling. Half 
  a dozen chairs draped with baboon-skins are 
  placed around a large table, upon which is a 
  selection of fresh fruits, two silver decanters of 
  wine (worth 25 gp each), and an ivory figurine 
  of a dancing woman (worth 50 gp).
  Along the southern wall are several locked 
  chambers; these are the bedrooms of lesser 
  nobles and courtiers. Each room contains 1d4 
  x 100 gp worth of assorted bronze and silver 
  jewelry.
  15. Great Antechamber
  Four black warriors guard the doors in-
  side this antechamber. If the alarm has been 
  sounded, the doors are barred from the inside 
  (add +2 to Break DC), else they are unlocked.
  Kumaran Warriors (4): CR 2; hp 19.
  16. Kitchen
  A cooking-pit is in the far end of this room. 
  On a table is a pile of fresh meat and veg-
  etables. Jars of spices (worth 200 gp) line 
  the shelves. Currently in the kitchen is a cook 
  and a serving-boy; the former is sleeping and 
  snoring.
  17. Disused Storeroom
  Entrance to this pantry is through a broken 
  door. In addition to half a dozen empty bar-
  rels, boxes, and ewers, a small, sealed clay 
  amphora can be found (Search DC 20) that 
  contains a handful of ancient gold coins (worth 
  200 gp). A successful Knowledge (history) 
  check (DC 16) reveals that the coins are from 
  the fabled era of Elder Kuth.
  18. The Moon-Pool
  This huge ceremonial chamber is open to the 
  sky above, from which moonlight shines down 
  into a large water-filled pool in the middle of 
  the room. The pool is 20 feet deep and rimmed 
  with white marble tiles. On the far side of the 
  chamber is a high-backed wooden throne set 
  with 12 large pieces of lapis lazuli (worth 50 
  gp each). The room is illuminated by two large 
  bronze braziers with supports carved in the 
  shape of rhinos.
  Gathered here on the night of the full moon 
  is Natari and her kin, the nobles of Kumara, all 
  of whom are cursed with the apetite for human 
  flesh during the full moon. The nobles are 
  were-leopards, lycanthropes able to assume 
  leopard form as well as a hybrid form with the 
  head and paws of a leopard, and the torso and 
  legs of a human. When the full moon shines, 
  they must assume either hybrid or animal 
  form, although even then they can revert to 
  human form for a limited time (a successful 
  Will save [DC 15] allows the were-leopards to 
  assume human form for 10 minutes per Hit 
  Dice even during the full moon).
  Natari and her kin are not able to spread 
  lycanthropy with their bite or claws; the curse 
  only affects the children of Natari (that is, the 
  girls descended directly from Maka) and the 
  children of any wereleopards who mate with 
  each other. A wereleopard (except Natari) 
  mating with a normal human always produces 
  a stillborn child.
  Development: To conceal their true nature, 
  Natari and the other nobles remain isolated 
  during the nights of the full moon, keeping 
  only a few trusted guards and servants around. 
  The wereleopards share the flesh and blood of 
  a few unlucky victims, usually old or homeless 
  people who have been kidnapped from the 
  streets of the city, and almost always of the 
  light-skinned slave-caste.
  If the player characters enter the Temple of 
  the Moon during this night, they come upon 
  this ghastly scene of wereleopards about to 
  feast upon a pair of bound male slaves. If 
  combat breaks out, the nobles attack and try to 
  drive the intruders away from the pool. Natari 
  and Kazosi remain at the back near the throne, 
  along with a few bodyguards.
  If the queen senses that defeat is possible, 
  she assumes human form and pleads with the 
  PCs to cease hostilities. She explains that she 
  and her kin are cursed and that the curse origi-
  nates from an  “ancient demon” imprisoned in 
  the nether vaults of the city. If the PCs agree 
  to slay the demon they may take any treasure 
  it guards.
  The wereleopards have high damage resis-
  tance, but are vulnerable to silver. Weapons 
  dipped in the moon-pool are effectively sil-
  vered for a 1d3 rounds (if the PCs need a hint, 
  describe to them how the moon reflects in the 
  pool, making the water look like liquid silver). 
  If a wereleopard is bull rushed into the pool, 
  he suffers as if he was burned by strong acid 
  
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  (1d6+2 points of damage for each round he 
  remains in the water).
  Queen Natari of Kumara, female 
  Shoma Were-Leopard Ari5 (hybrid 
  form): CR 7; SZ M; HD 5d8+15 plus 3d8+6; 
  hp 51; Init +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (+0 
  no armor, +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-
  footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +5/+8; 
  Atk +8 melee (1d6+3, short sword, 19-20/x2) 
  or +8 melee (1d4+3, claw); Full Atk +8 melee 
  (1d6+3, short sword, 19-20/x2) or +8/+8 
  melee (1d4+3, claw) and +3 melee (1d6+1, 
  bite); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  spears and bows; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft 
  and Survival skills, +10 racial bonus to Speed, 
  Low-Light Vision, Scent, Alternate Form, 
  Damage Reduction (10/silver), Lycanthropic 
  Empathy; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +9; 
  Str 16, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 17.
  Skills: Diplomacy +11, Hide +10, Knowledge 
  (nobility) +9, Listen +10, Perform (dance) +11, 
  Sense Motive +10, Swim +11. Feats: Alertness, 
  Combat Expertise, Dodge, Iron Will (b), Nego-
  tiator, Run (b), Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Kumaran, Shoma.
  Possessions: Gold-trimmed red robe, short-
  sword, silver headband set with lapis lazuli 
  (worth 250 gp), golden serpent-arband (worth 
  75 gp).
  Description: Natari is beautiful, with soft 
  black skin and long curly hair held up with a 
  silver headband. She wears gold-trimmed red 
  robes, and a golden serpent-armband.
  Tactics: Natari stays behind the protection 
  of her wereleopard kin and any regular guards 
  present. She favors negotiations if more than 
  four of her kin are killed.
  Kazosi the Traitor, male Shoma Were-
  Leopard Bbn7 (hybrid form): CR 10; SZ M 
  Humanoid [Shapechanger]; HD 7d12+21 plus 
  3d8+6; hp 98; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 50 ft.; AC 17 (+0 no armor, 
  +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-
  footed 17 (+0 no armor, +4 Dex, +3 natural); 
  BAB/Grapple +9/+15; Atk +16 melee (1d12+9, 
  greataxe, 20/x3) or +15 melee (1d4+6, claw); 
  Full Atk +16/+11 melee (1d12+9, greataxe, 20/
  x3) or +15/+15 melee (1d4+6, claw) and +10 
  melee (1d6+3, bite); SA +1 racial bonus to 
  attack rolls with all spears and bows, Rage 2/
  day; SQ +2 racial bonus to Craft and Survival 
  skills, +10 racial bonus to Speed, Low-Light 
  Vision, Scent, Alternate Form, Damage Re-
  duction (11/silver), Lycanthropic Empathy, 
  Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL 
  N; SV Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +6; Str 22, Dex 19, 
  Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +16, Hide +10, Intimidate +10, 
  Jump +16, Survival +11, Swim +16. Feats: 
  Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved 
  Initiative, Iron Will (b), Power Attack, Run (b), 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Kumaran.
  Possessions: White loincloth, belt with gold-
  en buckle (worth 35 gp), masterwork greataxe, 
  2 golden rings (worth 100 gp each).
  Description: Kazosi is dark-skinned and 
  powerfully built, with short curly hair and a 
  short-cropped beard. Kazosi does not like to 
  conceal his true nature; he wants to be free to 
  roam the city and hunt and kill and receive the 
  worship of humans, whom he considers “lesser 
  creatures”. 
  Tactics: Kazosi has trouble controlling his 
  bloodlust, so at the slightest provocation he 
  enters a rage and Power Attacks with his for-
  midable axe.
  Natari’s Kin, the “Slaves of the Moon”, 
  male and female Shoma Were-Leopard 
  Bbn1 (hybrid form; 8 total): CR 7; SZ M 
  Humanoid [Shapechanger]; HD 1d12+3 plus 
  3d8+6; hp 25; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 50 ft.; AC 17 (+0 no armor, 
  +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-
  footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +3/+7; 
  Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, short sword, 19-20/x2) 
  or +7 melee (1d4+4, claw); Full Atk +7 melee 
  
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  (1d6+4, short sword, 19-20/x2) or +7/+7 
  melee (1d4+4, claw) and +2 melee (1d6+2, 
  bite); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with 
  all spears and bows, Rage 1/day; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Craft and Survival skills, +10 racial 
  bonus to Speed, Low-Light Vision, Scent, 
  Alternate Form, Damage Reduction (10/sil-
  ver), Lycanthropic Empathy, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +4; 
  Str 18, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +8, Hide +10, Jump +8, Listen 
  +5, Ride +8, Swim +8. Feats: Alertness, 
  Dodge,  Improved Initiative, Iron Will (b), Run 
  (b), Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Kumaran.
  Possessions: Purple robes, shortsword, 
  golden jewelry (worth 50 gp).
  19. Private Chambers
  This comfortable room is the private lounge 
  and bedchamber of Kazosi, Natari’s younger 
  brother. The floor is carpeted with thick rugs, 
  and the walls are hung with wooden shields 
  and weapons such as swords, axes and spears. 
  Behind a blue curtain is a large bed; a female 
  slave is always here. On the southern wall is 
  a secret door (Search DC 25) that conceals an 
  alcove that is large enough for one medium-
  sized creature to hide in. Kazosi might retreat 
  here and hide if defeat seems imminent.
  20. Cell
  Behind a wodden portcullis (3 in. thick; 
  Hardness 5; hp 30; Lift DC 25; Break DC 25) is 
  a small cell that holds 3 prisoners; one young 
  woman and two old men. They were kid-
  napped from the streets of the city a few days 
  ago and will soon be slain and eaten by Natari 
  and her kin.
  21. Disused Room (With Secret Trapdoor)
  A few pieces of worn furniture sit and collect 
  dust in this little-used room. Unknown to 
  most, except Natari, there is a hidden trap-
  door (Search DC 30) in the corner of the room 
  that leads down to the catacombs beneath the 
  palace.
  22. Storeroom
  Serving as a storage room for the palace-tem-
  ple, this chamber is filled with chests, baskets 
  and shelves containing dried meats, clothing, 
  and various tools and equipment. There is also 
  a small collection of wine bottles (worth 150 gp 
  in total).
  23. Servants
  This chamber houses four trusted servants 
  who know the true nature of Natari and the 
  other nobles. There is little of value in this 
  room.
  24. Queen’s Lounge
  The door to this chamber is locked. In each 
  corner of the room is a large red clay vase 
  with white paint depicting the ancient masters 
  of Kumara. On the walls are wooden masks 
  crafted by the black Kumarans. The floor is 
  covered by red, black and white carpets.
  25. Queen’s Bedroom
  This chamber is lit by half a dozen small oil 
  lamps of silver (worth 15 gp each) and smells 
  pleasantly of perfume. A large mirror (worth 
  100 gp) stands against one wall. Next to a 
  bed of cedarwood is a cupboard containing 
  Natari’s make-up, oils and perfumes (worth 75 
  gp in total). Several wardrobes contain a large 
  collection of fine clothes (worth 1,000 gp in 
  total).
  26. Shrine
  The entrance to this shrine is locked, and 
  the door is decorated with scenes of leopards 
  killing prey. The interior walls of the shrine 
  are covered with thin sheets of ivory. Close to 
  the far wall is a raised stone slab, covered with 
  purple cloth and set with a small silver figurine 
  (worth 150 gp) of a leopard-deity; this is an 
  image of Nwanga Zhaal, of course.
  27. Treasure Room
  The door to this chamber is locked; Natari 
  has the key. In addition, the doorknob is 
  smeared with contact poison (CR 5; mechani-
  cal; touch trigger [attached]; manual reset; 
  poison [nitharit, DC 13 Fortitude save resists, 
  0/3d6 Con]; Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 
  19).
  Inside the small square room are four 
  wooden boxes. The boxes contain a small pile 
  of silver fox fur from far-away Tharag Thule 
  (worth 250 gp in total), a masterwork iron 
  longsword in a fine scabbard (worth 100 gp), a 
  dozen golden rings and armbands (worth 350 
  gp in total), six bales of silk (worth 150 gp), 
  and a small collection of parchment scrolls 
  that describe the founding of the city (value 
  variable).
  
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  The Crypt of Ur-Kharra
  The tunnels and chambers beneath the 
  palace were extensive, but most of them have 
  caved in since Ur-Kharra’s death. From a 
  hidden trapdoor (see Area 21, above), a spiral 
  staircase descends about 150 feet before it 
  ends in a square chamber (see Area 1, below).
  1. Square Chamber
  The stairs from the upper level of the temple-
  palace end in this empty and undecorated 
  room.
  2. Corridor and Bronze Door
  The corridor is strewn with dust-covered 
  rubble. Nothing appears to have moved here 
  for years. The corridor ends in a locked bronze 
  door (treat as stone door) inscribed with an 
  image of a crowned and robed man who must 
  be around nine foot tall, judging by the size of 
  the servants depicted next to him. A successful 
  Knowledge (history) check (DC 16) reveals this 
  to be tantalizing evidence of the fabled giant-
  kings of Kuth.
  3. Cobwebbed Room
  The spiders from the pillared hall (Area 5) 
  have placed their near-invisible but strong 
  webs across this room. Approaching creatures 
  must succeed on a Spot check (DC 20) to no-
  tice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and 
  become trapped as though by a successful web 
  attack. If any noise is made during attempts 
  to untangle from the web, the spiders quickly 
  come to investigate.
  4. Secret Tomb
  The door to this secret tomb is hidden 
  (Search DC 30). The chamber is sealed and 
  opening it releases a cloud of poisonous grey 
  dust. Creatures within 10 feet of the door must 
  make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 18) or suf-
  fer from madness and hallucinations, entering 
  a berserk rage (similar to the barbarian’s rage 
  ability) and attacking the nearest creature. The 
  effect lasts for 1d10 rounds.
  The tomb contains a large, unadorned stone 
  sarcophagus. The heavy lid can be smashed or 
  lifted (4 in. thick; Hardness 8; hp 60; Break 
  DC 28; Lift DC 25). The sarcophagus is empty 
  except for a gem-set diadem (similar to the 
  crown depicted on the mural in Area 5). Ur-
  Kharra hid the crown here, deep beneath the 
  earth, to prevent other sorcerers of Elder Kuth 
  from discovering its location by scrying. Dis-
  covering the true history and properties of the 
  diadem would be an adventure in itself.
  5. Pillared Hall 
  This is the lair of a pair of monstrous spiders. 
  They have grown big and hungry by feeding on 
  rats and other vermin entering this chamber 
  through small ventilation shafts. The far cor-
  ner of the room is covered with webs, but this 
  requires a Spot check (DC 20) to detect.
  This ceiling of this great hall is upheld by six 
  square pillars of unadorned, partly cracked 
  stone. Each pillar is actually in rather fragile 
  condition (Hardness 4; hp 30; Break DC 22). 
  It is also possible to topple a pillar instead of 
  breaking it (Break DC 18). A toppled pillar 
  causes 6d6 points of damage (Reflex DC 18 
  for half damage) to characters in two adjacent 
  squares opposite of the creature pushing the 
  pillar. Note that breaking or toppling over 
  more than three of the pillars causes the entire 
  ceiling to fall down, with dire consequences 
  for those caught beneath it (a massive damage 
  saving throw at DC 40). If this room caves in, 
  it seals off the chambers beyond for further 
  exploration unless several days or weeks are 
  spent clearing the rubble.
  The entire northern wall of the hall is covered 
  with a grand mural which depicts Ur-Kharra, 
  the ancient sorcerer-king of Kumara, a light-
  skinned man of giant (9-foot-tall) proportions, 
  draped in dark green robes and crowned with 
  a gem-set diadem. He is surrounded by light-
  skinned men of lesser stature as well as kneel-
  ing ranks of black servants. There is a secret 
  door cleverly hidden (Search DC 18) within the 
  painting; it is opened by pressing the left hand 
  of the image of Ur-Kharra.
  Crypt Spiders (2): CR 5; hp 52. Note: 
  These spiders have statistics similar to huge 
  monstrous spiders, but their actual size is 
  large, not huge.
  6. Side Chamber
  This floor of this room is strewn with debris, 
  including a rusted battle-axe, an empty scroll 
  case, and a pile of rat bones.
  7. Secret Room
  This is the antechamber to the throne room 
  (Area 8), reached through the secret door in 
  the mural on the other side (see Area 5).
  8. Old Throne Room
  A grand throne stands against the far wall of 
  this lavish chamber. The throne is flanked by a 
  pair of large, ornately carved bronze braziers. 
  In front of the throne are a dozen age-worn 
  The Crypt of Ur-Kharra
  Standard Features: Unless noted oth-
  erwise, all interior doors are stone doors (4 
  in. thick; Hardness 8; hp 60; Break DC 28; 
  Open Lock DC 30 if described as locked). 
  Ceiling height is 20 feet.
  Lighting: The chambers in the crypt are 
  unlit. The creatures here detect victims by 
  tremorsense. If the player characters bring 
  light sources into the crypt, hostile crea-
  tures will usually be able to detect the PCs 
  first and attack with surprise.
  
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  wooden chests. The chests have all but crum-
  bled due to rot, causing their contents to spill 
  out across the floor; a large pile of gold coins 
  interspersed with gems and golden jewelry 
  such as armbands, necklaces and rings. This is 
  truly an ancient king’s hoard!
  Development: The hoard appears to contain 
  around 8,000 gp worth of ancient gold coins 
  and jewelry. However, it is unlikely that the 
  player characters will be able to appraise the 
  hoard. After a few rounds, preferably when the 
  PCs are busy collecting the treasure, the pile of 
  gold suddenly starts to melt and flow together 
  into a single amorphous blob of molten gold. 
  This is actually the current shape of Ur-
  Kharra, whose insane soul-essence has taken 
  residence in the sorcerer-king’s hoard of yore. 
  It lashes out against the nearest creature and 
  fights until destroyed.
  If the golden ooze is defeated, it dissolves 
  into a pool of stinking acid. A spectral scene 
  flashes past the PCs’ eyes during its death-
  throes: A vision of the city of Kumara in its 
  prime with a tall, robed man sitting on a 
  throne; a black harem-girl kneeling in front of 
  an idol of a snarling leopard; the same girl ca-
  ressing the king, then backstabbing him with 
  a fang-shaped dagger; and finally a spectral 
  figure emerging from the dying king’s body 
  and merging with the treasure chests next to 
  the throne. This vision of past events should 
  leave the player characters with quite a few 
  questions for Natari when they return to the 
  palace above.
  Soul-Essence of Ur-Kharra, Sentient 
  Golden Ooze (hoard-ooze, advanced): 
  CR 8; SZ L Ooze; HD 15d10+120; hp 202; 
  Init -5; Spd 20 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC 4 (-1 size, 
  -5 Dex), touch 4, flat-footed 4; BAB/Grapple 
  +11/+14; Atk +14 melee (1d8+4 plus acid and 
  poison, slam); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA 
  acid, irritating fumes, poison; SQ blindsight 
  (60 ft.), ooze traits; AL N; SV Fort +13, Ref +0, 
  Will +0; Str 17, Dex 1, Con 26, Int —, Wis 1, 
  Cha 1.
  Skills: Climb +11. Feats: —.
  Tactics: A hoard ooze lies still until it detects 
  a potential meal within range. It then forms a 
  pseudopod and pummels the opponent. Crea-
  tures killed by a hoard ooze are devoured.
  Acid (Ex): A hoard ooze’s protoplasmic form 
  secretes acid that dissolves organic matter 
  but not metal or stone. Any melee hit deals 
  acid damage. Non-metal armor or clothing 
  dissolves and becomes useless immediately 
  unless it succeeds on a Reflex save (DC 25). 
  Wooden weapons that strike a metallic ooze 
  dissolve immediately unless they succeed on a 
  Reflex save (DC 25). The save DCs are Consti-
  tution-based.
  A hoard ooze’s touch deals 25 points of dam-
  age per round to wooden objects, but the ooze 
  must remain in contact with the object for 1 
  full round to deal this damage.
  Irritating Fumes (Ex): If a hoard ooze is 
  subjected to a heat or fire effect, it emanates 
  a cloud of semitransparent vapor that irri-
  tates the eyes and respiratory system of living 
  creatures within a 10-foot radius. Affected 
  creatures must succeed on a Fortitude save 
  (DC 25) or take 2d6 points of acid damage ini-
  tially and suffer a –2 circumstance penalty on 
  attack and weapon damage rolls for 3 rounds. 
  The cloud disperses in 1d4 rounds and can be 
  affected by wind. The save DC is Constitution-
  based.
  Poison (Ex): A hoard ooze’s touch is poison-
  ous. Each time it deals acid damage it poisons 
  its target. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Metallic Ooze Poison: Contact, Fortitude (DC 
  25) negates, initial and secondary damage 1d6 
  Dexterity.
  The Fang of Nwanga Zhaal
  This bone dagger resembles the fang of a huge, saber-toothed prehistoric cat. It may (or may 
  not) be an actual tooth from the guardian-beast of Nwanga Zhaal’s sacred grove (see “The Sa-
  cred Grove of Nwanga Zhaal”, above). It once functioned as a sorcerer-bane weapon, allowing 
  spellcasters to be slain with a single hit, but this ability was lost with Ur-Kharra’s death. How-
  ever, it it still usable for other means; it is treated as a silver weapon and inflicts an additional 
  1d6 points of damage against lycanthropes.
  
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  Blindsight (Ex): A hoard ooze’s entire body 
  is a sensory organ that can ascertain prey by 
  scent and vibration within 60 feet.
  Skills: A hoard ooze has a +8 racial bonus on 
  Climb checks and can always choose to take 
  10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threat-
  ened.
  Special Note: Due to Ur-Kharra’s dying 
  curse, any native of Kumara is completely un-
  able to harm the sorcerer-king’s soul-essence, 
  whether by weapons or magic.
  9. Looted Chamber
  This was obviously once a pleasure-chamber, 
  for the plastered walls are painted with all 
  sorts of decadent scenes of erotic pleasures 
  and drug abuse. Furniture such as silken 
  divans and heaps of pillows have long since 
  rotted away, leaving only traces of the former 
  splendour.
  Lying face-down in the middle of the room 
  is a giant, 9-foot-tall skeleton. These are the 
  lifeless remains of Ur-Kharra; his life-force 
  escaped his body at the time of death and took 
  refuge in the pile of gold coins in the nearby 
  throne room (Area 8). Next to the yellowed 
  bones of the skeleton is a fang-shaped dagger 
  with a silver sheen. 
  10. Sealed Chamber
  The doors to this small, square room are 
  locked, but a secret door (Search DC 30) exists 
  in the wall against the throne room (Area 8). 
  Along the walls are shelves and book-cases 
  lined with iron-bound books, heavy tomes, 
  ivory scroll-cases and maps in all shapes and 
  sizes. This is, of course, the library of Ur-Khar-
  ra. Most of the books are written in the lost 
  language of Elder Kuth, which means it will 
  take months or years to decipher the texts, but 
  this is nonetheless a very valuable collection to 
  any sorcerer or sage.
  Among the non-Kuthan books are the follow-
  ing:
  — The Lectures of Ong the Wise: Written in 
  ancient Bhangarian, it takes 1 week to study, 
  and contains a description of the marvels of 
  Laksha, including the Pearl Tower of Nyugara-
  jah and the Seven Veiled Witches.
  — Oxanu’s Revelations: Written in Lamuran 
  on parchment, it takes 17 days to study, and 
  contains a prophecy involving a Taraamite 
  warlord.
  — The Red Codex of Totha: Written in 
  ancient Ptahaanan, using black pictograms 
  on red monster hide, it takes 3 weeks to 
  study, and contains a description of the rites 
  and worship of Ia-Azutlatl as well as a false 
  treasure map. The book is trapped with a sepia 
  snake sigil spell (Reflex DC 18 negates).
  11. Bone-Filled Room
  The floor of this chamber is strewn with 
  broken skulls, cracked bones and crushed rib-
  cages. In the middle of the room is a circular 
  pit with a 10-feet diameter. The pit is 50 feet 
  deep, leaving the bottom cloaked in darkness 
  unless a torch is thrown down. Coiled up in 
  the bottom of the pit is a giant snake, a half-
  demonic creature summoned by Ur-Kharra to 
  devour the remains of the men who had failed 
  him and the women he had tired of. The ser-
  pent lies dormant in the pit, but is roused by 
  loud noise, bright lights or other disturbances, 
  in which case it slithers up to devour its next 
  meal.
  Ur-Kharra’s Serpent of the Pit (fiend-
  ish giant constrictor snake): CR 5; hp 63.
  Concluding the Adventure
  The adventure can take many directions 
  depending on how the player characters ap-
  proach Natari and her fellow were-leopards, 
  and the schemes of Kazosi, which should be 
  adjusted according to the actions of the PCs. 
  In any case, the player characters must destroy 
  Ur-Kharra in order to break the bounding spell 
  that prevents them from leaving the city.
  If the sorcerer-king’s spirit is laid to rest, the 
  Kumarans can leave the accursed city. By lo-
  cating the hidden valley with the grove sacred 
  to Nwanga Zhaal, and destroying the stone 
  idol of the beast-god, the curse of Natari and 
  her kin can be lifted. But there are some of the 
  were-leopards, such as Kasozi, who enjoy the 
  power of their cursed form and would seek to 
  prevent the destruction of the idol.
  In any case, the black Kumarans remain 
  lords of the city and cruel masters of the light-
  skinned descendants of the elder Kumarans. 
  Whether Natari is deposed or not, the player 
  characters might get involved in a bloody 
  uprising by the light-skinned Kumarans, with 
  savage fighting in the streets of the city to gain 
  control over its districts.
  If the PCs fail: If the PCs are defeated by 
  Natari in the pool-chamber, they are impris-
  oned and then slain during the next full moon. 
  Or perhaps Natari takes one of the PCs as a 
  hostage, forcing the others to enter the crypt 
  of Ur-Kharra. Kazosi’s goal is to get the player 
  characters to kill the queen, but after that they 
  are useless to him and he seeks to get rid of 
  them.
  
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  The Daughters
  of Rahma
  “We stood in the shadow of a broad pillar at 
  one side of the back part of Leniqua’s temple. 
  No priest, woman or visitor was in sight but 
  we heard a confused humming of voices at 
  some vague remove. Leniqua’s image, pre-
  senting its reverend rear, sat on a high dais 
  in the center of the nave. Altar-fires, golden, 
  blue and green, flamed spasmodically before 
  the god, making his shadow writhe on the 
  floor and against the rear wall like a delirious 
  giant in a dance of copulation with an unseen 
  partner.” — Clark Ashton Smith: The Theft of 
  the Thirty-Nine Girdles
  Setting: City and Dungeon.
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 8th- and 9th-level characters.
  Introduction
  There are many depraved cities in the land 
  of Susrah, such as red-walled Zhaol where 
  children are burned as sacrifice to Maggash 
  the fire-god, and the cesspool of vice that is 
  the harbor city of Ghazor. But Yaatana, at the 
  headwaters of the Ophrat river, is said to be 
  the most wicked city of them all, and so all 
  manner of debased folk flock to it, like insects 
  attracted to a greasy torch.
  Away from the noisy bazaars and fleshpots, 
  in an abandoned and overgrown park, is an 
  old and hidden temple. In the sewage-flooded 
  temple dungeons, a group of women dedi-
  cated to demon-worship have summoned a 
  rat-headed horror from the black gulfs of the 
  outer dark. This demonic being who has taken 
  earthly shape is known as Rahma, and the 
  followers, under the leadership of the high 
  priestess Erishti, call themselves the Daugh-
  ters of Rahma.
  On the surface, the cult of Rahma is appar-
  ently an orgiastic cult with sacred prostitutes 
  who use their natural charms to attract male 
  worshippers, like so many other cults in the 
  land of Susrah. In reality, however, the Daugh-
  ters of Rahma arrange false rituals in order 
  to capture men and sacrifice them to their 
  monstrous rat-god, whose mere touch causes 
  rot and corruption.
  Hearing rumors of this new cult, one Se-
  rathu, a Yar-Ammonite thief, located the 
  hidden temple and stole away with several 
  valuable items. However, Serathu was soon 
  tracked down by the spies and minions of the 
  cult, but not before he had managed to send 
  off one of the stolen items with a courier to his 
  master, a sorcerer of a neighbouring city.
  As Serathu is captured and imprisoned by 
  the Daughters of Rahma, the courier makes 
  his way towards Ghezath. In his haste, the 
  courier falls off his horse, breaks his neck and 
  dies. The player characters find the corpse and 
  the package along with a cryptic message from 
  Serathu.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The package contains a metal claw and 
  an encrypted letter. When the letter is un-
  scrambled, it points in the direction of the 
  Susrahnite city of Yaatana, where a “fertility-
  cult” called the Daughters of Rahma operates. 
  The PCs travel to Yaatana and are observed by 
  spies of the cult as they arrive in the city.
  The cultists attempt to trick the player 
  characters into joining one of their orgiastic, 
  drug-fueled rites. Whether or not the PCs suc-
  cumb to that temptation, they soon face the 
  rat-headed demon-god Rahma, his depraved 
  priestesses, and a horde of leprous worship-
  pers.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  — Use the main hook described under “A 
  Feast for the Vultures” (see below).
  — The player characters are actually allies or 
  relatives of Serathu, who sends them the pack-
  age before he is captured by the cult.
  — The player characters arrive in the city of 
  Yaatana en route to some other location. In a 
  back alley in the foreign quarter, they stumble 
  upon Serathu just as he is attacked by the 
  cultist-assassins of Rahma.
  
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  A Feast for the Vultures
  The player characters are traveling through 
  the deserts of Susrah when they spot the 
  corpse of a horse and its rider. A small metal 
  box glints in the sun next to the horse. A flock 
  of vultures is busy picking clean the bones. 
  The vultures defend their meal fiercely, but 
  retreat to safe distance if more than two birds 
  are killed.
  Vultures (11-20): CR ½; hp 5. Note: Use 
  eagle statistics. In addition, vultures can 
  spread filth fever with their talons and bite.
  The Package
  The package is a nondescript, sturdy metal 
  box (Hardness 7; hp 15; Break DC 22), approx-
  imately one square foot in size. It is secured 
  with a very good lock (Open Lock DC 40). The 
  key is nowhere to be found.
  Inside the box is a rolled parchment sealed 
  with wax, and another box, half the size of the 
  outer box. On the parchment is written the 
  (apparently gibberish) message:
  “DAGERN OONM IN MHAAR FO STUHAD-
  ERG HET”
  Unless you prefer to let the players solve the 
  riddle in person, the message can be deci-
  phered with a Decipher Script check (DC 25). 
  When unscrambled and read from right to left, 
  the message read reads:
  “THE DAUGHTERS OF RAHMA IN MOON 
  GARDEN”
  The parchment is signed “Serathu”.
  The wooden inner box (Hardness 5; hp 1; 
  Break DC 17; Open Lock DC 25) contains a 
  small device of black metal. It is shaped like 
  some sort of tiny claw or paw. With a success-
  ful Intelligence check (DC 15), a character real-
  izes that the claw may be some kind of key.
  Development: The claw-key was stolen 
  by the Yar-Ammonite, Serathu, who sneaked 
  into the hidden temple of the cult. After he 
  had sent the item to his master, he was caught 
  by the cult. The Daughters of Rahma have 
  tortured Serathu to find out where the claw 
  has gone, but he has so far resisted the torture 
  and kept his secret. If the PCs spend too much 
  time getting to Yaatana, Serathu gives in to 
  the torture and reveals the destination of the 
  item. If this happens, assassins from the cult 
  travel to Ghezath to find the item. If the PCs go 
  to Yaatana within reasonable time, they might 
  save Serathu and learn his story.
  Researching the Daughters of Rahma
  The cult of Rahma is unknown outside 
  Yaatana, but a successful Gather Informa-
  tion or Knowledge (geography) check (DC 15) 
  associates the “Moon Garden” with that city. 
  The garden is known as a place where fertility 
  rituals are held.
  The City of Yaatana
  This wealthy trading post along the route 
  from the city-states of Susrah to Khazistan and 
  Jairan in the west is noted for its sinful back 
  alleys and nefarious inhabitants. It is a city of 
  furtive sorcerers, strange and depraved cults, 
  and a place where the most perverted desires 
  can be fulfilled by the arrangements of fat mer-
  chants eager to sell anything.
  The city is old and surrounded by ancient 
  clay walls which stand 20 to 30 feet high. Tar-
  nished golden domes and marble minarets are 
  visible beyond the walls as one approaches the 
  city. The massive main gate is over 600 years 
  old and receives a constant stream of visitors 
  entering and leaving. With close to 14,000 
  inhabitants, Yaatana has over 100 temples 
  (and probably double that number of hidden 
  or secret underground shrines), a dozen public 
  bath-houses, and more than 6,000 houses, 
  most of which are several stories high, topped 
  with flat roofs, and decorated with elaborate 
  friezes and intricately carved windows. In 
  the central souk (market), a variety of goods, 
  including meat, spices, cotton, silverware, cop-
  per, and pottery can be bargained for. There 
  are a number of smaller, more specialized 
  souks dealing with slaves, weapons and drugs 
  scattered throughout the city.
  Yaatana is ruled by an elected governor 
  (currently a middle-aged man named Akhdari 
  Marza), but the real power is in a council of 
  seven men drawn from the ranks of wealthy 
  merchants, sorcerers, and high priests. The 
  armed forces of the city are mostly comprised 
  of mercenaries; law is enforced haphazardly 
  and most laws are ignored as long as money 
  from trade keeps flowing into the city. The 
  local magistrates are notoriously corrupt and 
  rule in favor of the biggest bribe.
  
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  At the Gates of Yaatana
  When the PCs come to Yaatana, they may 
  know some or all of the following: That a 
  group or organization called “the Daughters 
  of Rahma” are associated with a place known 
  as “the Moon Garden”, where “fertility rituals” 
  are held. Also, someone named Serathu sent 
  an item belonging to this group with a caravan 
  towards the neighbouring city of Ghezath.
  Development: The player characters can 
  either ask around for Serathu, the Moon-
  Garden, and/or the Daughters of Rahma. 
  A successful Gather Information check (DC 
  15) reveals the location of the Moon-Garden. 
  Another check (DC 20) is required for some 
  details on the cult; such as when fertility rites 
  are held and how to join them (you must be 
  invited by someone who has participated 
  before). If asking around for Serathu, a Gather 
  Information check (DC 15) leads to the House 
  of Imran, the inn where the Yar-Ammonite 
  stayed before he disappeared.
  The player characters may get the chance to 
  begin their investigations even before enter-
  ing the city, for the Daughters of Rahma have 
  spies among the lepers and beggars at the 
  city gate who are on the lookout for foreign-
  ers asking about Serathu or the cult. One such 
  beggar-spy, named Abu, approaches the player 
  characters at the city gate, asking for alms and 
  offering information and gossip in return. Abu 
  serves the PCs lies about the cult but directs 
  them to the House of Imran if asked about 
  Serathu.
  Abu “the Leper”, Spy of the Cult of 
  Rahma, male Susrahnite Rog7: CR 7; 
  SZ M; HD 7d6+7; hp 38; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 
  Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no 
  armor, +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 
  14 (+0 no armor, +4 Dex); BAB/Grapple 
  +5/+6; Atk +10 melee (1d6+1, short sword, 
  19-20/x2) or +10 ranged (1d4+1, dagger, 19-
  20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all weapons, Sneak 
  Attack +4d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise 
  and Knowledge (religion) skills, Trapfinding, 
  Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL 
  N; SV Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 18, 
  Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 12.
  Skills: Bluff +11, Disguise +11, Gather Infor-
  mation +11, Hide +14, Knowledge (local) +11, 
  Move Silently +14, Sense Motive +11, Sleight 
  of Hand +14, Spot +11, Tumble +14. Feats: 
  Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative 
  (b), Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Lamuran.
  Possessions: Tattered and dirty clothing, 
  short sword, dagger, wooden beggar’s bowl, 2 
  gp.
  Description: Clad in tattered brown robes 
  that fail to conceal the signs of leprosy (how-
  ever, this is just part of Abu’s disguise and not 
  his real condition).
  Tactics: Abu conceals his sword and dagger 
  beneath his clothing. If the situation calls for 
  it, he aims for surprise and uses Quick Draw to 
  gain a sneak attack before he flees.
  The House of Imran
  This squalid but cheap tavern and boarding-
  house is located in the foreign quarter of 
  Yaatana, not far from the city gates. The player 
  characters get directed here if they have asked 
  around for Serathu the Yar-Ammonite. The 
  PCs may also choose to sleep here while they 
  are in Yaatana.
  Imran the innkeeper (male Lamuran Rog5) 
  can confirm that Serathu stayed at the inn, but 
  that he disappeared around a week ago. Since 
  the Yar-Ammonite owes him money, Imran is 
  also interested in his current whereabouts.
  
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  Erishti’s Honeypot
  The cult of Rahma believes the player charac-
  ters to be in league with Serathu, and they also 
  have the Claw of Rahma which the cult wants 
  back. Once the high priestess, Erishti, learns 
  about the party’s arrival from Abu and the 
  other beggar-spies, she tries to lead the PCs 
  into a trap.
  Development: The senior priestess Elipa 
  seeks out the PCs, preferably while they stay 
  at the House of Imran. Elipa calls herself 
  Eanna and claims to know Serathu. In fact, 
  her story goes, she is a junior member of the 
  cult called the Daughters of Rahma. Serathu 
  was a thief who tried to steal from the cult, but 
  was captured and imprisoned in the temple. 
  Eanna has fallen in love with the prisoner, and 
  she wants to rescue him and flee from Yaatana 
  with him. There are guards watching over 
  Serathu, and she begs the player characters 
  for help (if necessary, she offers her body as 
  reward). Eanna can smuggle the PCs into the 
  temple during a fertility ritual, disguised as 
  male worshippers.
  If the PCs agree to help, Elipa/Eanna tells 
  them how worshippers are drugged by drink-
  ing the “Moon-Juice” served by the priest-
  esses (see Area 5 of the Moon-Garden), and 
  instructs the PCs to pretend to fall asleep to be 
  brought into the temple, where they can wake 
  up, surprise the priests, and interrupt the cer-
  emony. (The priestesses and the cultists will be 
  prepared for this, of course, and it is the player 
  characters who will be surprised.)
  Eanna claims not to know much about what 
  happens in the actual ritual, since she is just 
  a junior member of the cult. She claims that 
  “Rahma” is another name for the moon, which 
  is why the “daughters of the moon” arrange 
  their orgies during the nights of the full moon. 
  Eanna can feed the PCs with all kinds of misin-
  formation, but she is careful not to lie about 
  facts which can be verified elsewhere.
  If the PCs refuse to help, the beggar-spies of 
  the cult continue to shadow the player charac-
  ters. Rahma and the priestesses simply wait, 
  expecting the lure of the mysterious Moon-
  Garden to be irresistible to the PCs in the end.
  Elipa (“Eanna”), Secret Priestess of 
  Rahma, female Susrahnite Rog4/Sor3: 
  CR 7; SZ M; HD 4d6+4 plus 3d4+3; hp 36; Init 
  +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 15 (+0 no armor, +5 Dex), touch 15 (+5 
  Dex), flat-footed 15 (+0 no armor, +5 Dex); 
  BAB/Grapple +4/+5; Atk +10 melee (1d6+1, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +10 ranged (1d4+1, 
  dagger, 19-20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); Full 
  Atk +8 melee (1d6+1, short sword, 19-20/x2) 
  and +8 melee (1d4+1, dagger, 19-20/x2), or 
  +10 ranged (1d4+1, dagger, 19-20/x2, range 
  increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all weapons, Sneak Attack +2d6, 
  Spells; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and 
  Knowledge (religion) skills, Trapfinding, Eva-
  sion, Trap Sense +1, Uncanny Dodge, Sinister 
  Presence; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +7; 
  Str 12, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 17.
  Skills: Bluff +10, Concentration +7, Decipher 
  Script +8, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +10, Heal 
  +7, Hide +12, Knowledge (local) +9, Move 
  Silently +12, Open Lock +12, Perform (dance) 
  +10, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +12, 
  Spellcraft +8, Tumble +12. Feats: Acolyte, 
  Improved Initiative (b), Iron Will, Persuasive, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse.
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 4/2/1; 
  Spell DC 10 + spell level +2 Int): 0 — dancing 
  lights, daze, message; 1st — charm person, 
  mage armor, ray of enfeeblement; 2nd — en-
  thrall, ghoul touch.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean, Yar-
  Ammonite.
  Possessions: Scanty clothing, short sword, 
  dagger, pearl necklace (worth 25 gp), 10 gp.
  Description: This pretty blonde girl, in her 
  early twenties, appears rather naïve, but is in 
  fact a clever temptress. She serves the cult of 
  Rahma and the high priestess Erishti as a spy 
  and agent.
  Tactics: In melee, Elipa fights with a sword 
  in one hand and a dagger in the other hand, 
  using Tumble to get into flanking position to 
  sneak attack. She also has a small selection 
  of spells she may use both before and during 
  combat.
  The Garden of the Moon
  The garden is located in a secluded area some 
  distance away from the noise and bustle of the 
  other city districts. Originally constructed by a 
  wealthy merchant and filled with obscene ob-
  sidian statues, it was abandoned and is now a 
  tangled wilderness of palm trees, small ponds 
  and shadowy groves. The place comes alive 
  at night, when strange birds and bats flutter 
  in the air, and other night-animals croak and 
  hiss.
  In the center of the garden is a pavilion sur-
  rounded by weird, erotic statues. A half-ruined 
  structure stands on a raised platform; a secret 
  entrance to the sewer-temple can be found 
  here.
  The Garden of the Moon
  Standard Features: The wall surround-
  ing the garden is made of hewn stone (20 
  ft. tall, 3 ft. thick; Hardness 8; hp 540; 
  Break DC 50; Climb DC 22). The gates are 
  stone doors (4 in. thick; Hardness 8; hp 60; 
  Break DC 28).
  Overgrown areas of the garden (see the 
  overview map) effectively entangles a 
  character moving through it. An entangled 
  creature moves at half speed, cannot run or 
  charge, and takes a -2 penalty on all attack 
  rolls and a -4 penalty to Dexterity.
  Lighting: Illumination is provided by 
  moonlight, as well as by torches carried by 
  the cultists and possibly the PCs.
  
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  If the PCs come to the garden during the 
  day, they find it deserted and silent. The secret 
  entrance is difficult but not impossible to find, 
  as the PCs will probably concentrate their 
  searching efforts around the pavilion.
  1. Main Gate
  The main gate is in the southeast corner of 
  the garden. There are several small, dilapidat-
  ed buildings near the gate; two male cultists 
  hide in the buildings and keep watch over the 
  gate.
  Development: If the guards spot intruders, 
  they may deal with them directly (through 
  sneak attacks) if the intruders are few or seem 
  weak. Otherwise, they signal to the other 
  guards (in Area 2) by imitating the call of a 
  night-bird. A character may make a Listen 
  check (DC 20) to notice that the bird-call was 
  fake.
  Sons of Rahma, Servants of the Cult, 
  male Susrahnite Rog3 (2): CR 3; SZ M; 
  HD 3d6+3; hp 16; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Im-
  proved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no 
  armor, +4 Dex), touch 14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +2/+3; Atk 
  +8 melee (1d6+1, short sword, 19-20/x2) or +7 
  ranged (1d4+1, dagger, 19-20/x2, range incre-
  ment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls 
  with all weapons, Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (reli-
  gion) skills, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense 
  +1; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 12, 
  Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +7, Escape Artist +10, Hide 
  +10, Jump +7, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, 
  Search +6, Spot +6, Tumble +10. Feats: Expert 
  Poisoner, Improved Initiative (b), Weapon 
  Focus (shortsword), Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Grey robes, short sword, 3 dag-
  gers, 2 doses of terinav root poison (Fort DC 
  16, initial damage 1d6 Dex, secondary damage 
  2d6 Dex), 1d4 gp.
  Description: These are servants of the cult, 
  recruited from among the beggars, thieves 
  and other scum of the city, that have not yet 
  received the “blessing” of Rahma.
  Tactics: The guards attack with poisoned 
  blades and sneak attacks.
  2. Ruins Near Gate
  Another set of ruined buildings are located 
  close to the gate (Area 1). Another two cultists 
  hide here, looking for trespassers.
  Development: If they are alerted to danger by 
  the guards at the gate (Area 1), one of the cult-
  ists sneaks back to the pavilion (Area 5) and 
  enters the temple to warn the priestesses.
  Sons of Rahma (2): CR 3; hp 16; see Area 
  1.
  3. North Wall Ruins
  Some crumbled ruins are located near the 
  north wall of the garden. There are three cult-
  ists here, keeping watch and spying on any 
  intruders. There is a secret entrance to the 
  temple (see Area 4 of the temple) among the 
  buildings here (Search DC 30).
  Sons of Rahma (3): CR 3; hp 16; see Area 
  1.
  4. Southwest Wall Ruins
  Near the southwest wall is a cluster of build-
  ings surrounded by a tangle of palm trees. A 
  swarm of bats nests in the trees; they do not 
  attack unless disturbed.
  Bat-Swarm: CR 2; hp 13.
  5. Central Pavilion
  In the center of the garden is a great marble 
  pavilion. In each of the four corners of the 
  pavilion stands a 25-feet tall monolith carved 
  with shapes of intertwined, naked human bod-
  ies. A building once stood in the middle of the 
  pavilion; now only parts of the walls remain 
  standing. The entrance to the sewer-temple 
  below is hidden among the rubble, but can be 
  found with a Search check (DC 25).
  Development: The Daughters of Rahma ar-
  range their “fertility rites” on the grass in front 
  of the pavilion. The lesser priestesses, naked 
  except for loincloths of diaphanous green 
  silk, dance and cavort around the pavilion 
  and caress the monoliths. Male worshippers 
  must wear voluminous dun-colored robes and 
  observe.
  At some point in the ritual, the worshippers 
  are offered a sip of the “Moon-Juice” from 
  the priestesses; no one are allowed to touch 
  the priestesses before they drink, so partici-
  pants are typically eager to taste in order to 
  get on with the “fertility” part of the ritual. 
  The Moon-Juice induces a drugged sleep (and 
  strange dreams). While sleeping, the victims 
  are brought down into the temple (see Area 8) 
  beneath the garden, where they are drained 
  of power by Rahma’s rotting touch and begin 
  the slow transformation into leprous, half-
  ghoul servants of the rat-headed demon. The 
  victims are carried back to the garden, where 
  they wake up several hours later. They have no 
  memory of the draining, but (false) pleasant 
  memories from the dreams, and are likely to 
  return to the Moon-Garden for the next ritual.
  If the cultists are aware that the player char-
  acters are attempting to infiltrate the cult (in 
  which case the PCs likely pretend to drink the 
  Moon-Juice), the Daughters of Rahma place 
  the “drugged” player characters in large canvas 
  bags before they are taken down to the temple, 
  to prevent the characters from seeing where 
  they are taken.
  Daughters of Rahma, Lesser Priestess-
  es of the Cult, female Susrahnite Rog2 
  (15): CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d6; hp 10; Init +7 (+3 
  
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  Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  13 (+0 no armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), 
  flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple 
  +1/+1; Atk +5 melee (1d4, curved dagger, 18-
  20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with 
  all weapons, Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (religion) 
  skills, Trapfinding, Evasion; AL N; SV Fort +0, 
  Ref +6, Will +1; Str 11, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 12, 
  Wis 12, Cha 15.
  Skills: Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Knowledge 
  (local) +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Per-
  form (dance) +7, Sense Motive +6, Sleight of 
  Hand +8, Spot +6, Tumble +8. Feats: Dodge, 
  Improved Initiative (b), Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean.
  Possessions: Green silk loincloth, small 
  curved dagger.
  Description: The Daughters of Rahma are 
  beautiful temptresses, who lure men into the 
  Moon-Garden of Yaatana to become the un-
  witting prey of Rahma.
  Tactics: The lips of each priestess are 
  smeared with moon-juice, enabling them to 
  poison victims by kissing them. In addition, 
  each priestess wears a small concealed dagger 
  in case seduction doesn’t work.
  Lecherous Worshippers, male Susrah-
  nite Com2 (30): CR 1; SZ M; HD 2d4+5; hp 
  9; Init +0 (+0 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (+0 no 
  armor, +0 Dex), touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 
  10 (+0 no armor); BAB/Grapple +1/+3; Atk +3 
  melee (1d6+2, club, 20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (religion) 
  skills; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 
  14, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 9.
  Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5. Feats: 
  Fanatical Fighting, Improved Initiative (b), 
  Toughness.
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Dun-colored robes, club, 1d3 gp.
  Description: Armed with clubs, sticks and 
  knives, and dressed in loose-fitting robes, 
  these are common men of Yaatana, attracted 
  to the Moon-Garden by the promise of partici-
  pation in sensuous “fertility rites”.
  Tactics: This is a formidable mob which 
  fights to protect the priestesses, benefiting 
  from their Fanatical Fighting feat.
  Moon-Juice of Yaatana
  This purple liquid is a special fruit juice 
  mixed with sleeping draught (ingested, 
  Fort DC 17, initial damage none, secondary 
  damage unconsciousness for 2d4 hours).
  Market Price: 110 gp.
  
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  The Sewer-Temple of Rahma
  The pleasure pavilion of the Moon-Garden 
  was built atop the ruins of an old sewer sys-
  tem. The cult of Rahma has restored part of 
  the complex, but there are still many passages 
  which are partly submerged in foul sewer-wa-
  ter. Of course, this does not really bother the 
  rat-headed demon or his leprous servants, but 
  should make the player characters more wary 
  when exploring the tunnels.
  1. Sewer Tunnels
  The entrance from the pavilion above leads 
  down to this sewer tunnel (1A on the map). 
  There is a 20% chance of encountering 1d3 
  cultists here. The other tunnels (1B and 1C) 
  lead further into the ancient sewer complex 
  and may eventually (at the DM’s option) sur-
  face elsewhere in the city.
  2. Pit
  This pit is 40 feet deep and its bottom is filled 
  with 10 feet of murky water. There is no way to 
  cross the chamber, except to jump across the 
  pit (or otherwise cross it). There is a hideous 
  beast dwelling in the pit. It is barely intelligent 
  and lurks in the water using its Hide skill, and 
  attacks anyone who comes nearby. The cultists 
  know about the beast and occasionally feed it 
  with human corpses and other garbage.
  The Dweller in the Pit (otyugh): CR 4; 
  hp 36.
  3. Diseased Cultists
  In each of these foul-smelling chambers 
  are 1d4 male cultists. There is a 25% chance 
  for each cultist that he has been “blessed” 
  by Rahma’s rotting touch and turned into a 
  ghoulish creature.
  Next to the room closest to the entrance 
  (Area 3A) are two secret alcoves hidden by 
  pivoting stone slabs (Search DC 25) that the 
  cultists use to keep watch over the entrance 
  tunnel; one alcove is accessible from the cultist 
  room (Area 3A). If intruders approach down 
  this corridor, the cultist in each alcove opens 
  the secret door and attempts to sneak attack 
  the character at the rear of the party (who is 
  flat-footed, and possibly surprised unless he 
  succeeds at a Listen check opposed by the cult-
  ists’ Move Silently skill).
  Sons of Rahma, male Susrahnite Rog3 
  (1-4): CR 3; hp 16; see Area 1 of the Moon-
  Garden.
  Blessed Sons of Rahma, male Susrah-
  nite Rog3 (1-4): CR 5; SZ M; HD 3d6+3; hp 
  16; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no armor, +4 Dex), touch 
  14 (+4 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); 
  BAB/Grapple +2/+5; Atk +8 melee (1d6+3, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +7 ranged (1d4+3, 
  dagger, 19-20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA 
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all weap-
  ons, Sneak Attack +2d6, Stench (Fort DC 13); 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Knowledge 
  (religion) skills, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap 
  Sense +1, Darkvision (60 ft.), Immunities; AL 
  N; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 18, 
  Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 15.
  Skills: Climb +9, Escape Artist +10, Hide 
  +10, Jump +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, 
  Search +6, Spot +6, Tumble +10. Feats: Expert 
  Poisoner, Improved Initiative (b), Weapon 
  Focus (shortsword), Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Grey robes, short sword, 3 dag-
  gers, 2 doses of terinav root poison (Fort DC 
  16, initial damage 1d6 Dex, secondary damage 
  2d6 Dex), 1d4 gp.
  Description: These members of the cult have 
  received the “blessing” of Rahma, and resem-
  ble undead creatures (although they are not).
  Tactics: The Blessed Sons of Rahma are able 
  to see in darkness and use it to their advan-
  tage.
  4. Secret Entrance
  A long, slowly descending corridor leads 
  from the ruins in the garden (see Area 3 of the 
  garden) to this part of the temple. There are 
  no guards here, but a 40-feet deep spiked pit 
  trap protects this entrance (CR 3; no attack 
  roll necessary [4d6], +10 melee [1d4 spikes 
  for 1d4+4 points of damage per hit]; spikes 
  covered with scorpion venom [Injury DC 18, 
  dmg 2d4 Con/1d4 Con]; Reflex save [DC 20] 
  avoids; Search [DC 20]; Disable Device [DC 
  20]).
  5. Cells
  There are six small cells in this part of the 
  temple complex. Four cells are currently 
  The Sewer-Temple of Rahma
  Standard Features: The doors to most rooms are good wooden doors (1 1/2 in. thick; 
  Hardness 5; hp 15; Break DC 18; Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). The doors to areas 
  8, 9 and 10 are strong wooden doors (2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock 
  DC 30 if described as locked).
  Several areas are partially flooded by knee-deep sewage (see the map). This is a thin, black 
  liquid that slows movement by half, and no running and charging is possible.
  Unless otherwise specified, secret doors require a Search check (DC 20) to detect.
  Lighting: The sewer tunnels are unlit. Other rooms are lit by torches set into wall brackets.
  
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  empty; the fifth holds a male captive (male 
  Susrahnite Ftr3). In the sixth cell, chained to 
  the wall, is Serathu the Yar-Ammonite. He has 
  undergone torture to reveal where he sent the 
  Claw of Rahma, but has so far resisted inter-
  rogation (unless the PCs have spent an undue 
  amount of time getting to Yaatana, of course).
  Serathu, the Captured Yar-Ammonite, 
  male Yar-Ammonite Rog4/Ftr3: CR 7; SZ 
  M; HD 4d6+4 plus 3d10+3; hp 46; Init +2 (+2 
  Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+0 no armor, +2 large 
  wooden shield, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), 
  flat-footed 14 (+0 no armor, +2 large wooden 
  shield, +2 Dex); BAB/Grapple +6/+9; Atk 
  +10 melee (1d6+3, Ikuna knife, 20/x4) or +8 
  ranged (1d6+3, composite shortbow, 20/x3, 
  range increment 70 ft.); Full Atk +10/+5 melee 
  (1d6+3, Ikuna knife, 20/x4) or +8/+3 ranged 
  (1d6+3, composite shortbow, 20/x3, range 
  increment 70 ft.); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ 
  +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (arcana) and 
  Listen skills, Stonecunning (+2 racial bonus 
  on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, 
  detect unusual stonework within 10 feet with 
  Search check even if not actively searching, 
  use the Search skill to find stonework traps as 
  a rogue can, and intuit depth underground), 
  Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1, Uncanny 
  Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4; Str 
  16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 14.
  Skills: Appraise +8, Bluff +9, Climb +10, Dis-
  able Device +8, Gather Information +9, Hide 
  +9, Move Silently +9, Open Lock +9, Search 
  +8, Ride +8, Swim +9, Tumble +9. Feats: 
  Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Pro-
  ficiency (Ikuna knife), Iron Will, Point Blank 
  Shot, Weapon Focus (Ikuna knife).
  Languages: Yar-Ammonite, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Loose green robe, sandals, 
  Ikuna knife, composite shortbow (+3 Strength 
  bonus), 20 arrows, small gold scarab amulet 
  thought to bring luck (worth 25 gp).
  Description: Serathu is handsome; hawk-
  nosed, shaven-headed and bronze-skinned. He 
  wears a loose green robe and sandals.
  Tactics: If he expects combat, Serathu tries 
  to get into armor and to carry a shield.
  Special Note: The statistics above reflect Se-
  rathu with full equipment. In his current state, 
  he is naked except for his loincloth, and has 
  one-fifth of his maximum hit point total.
  6. Chambers of the Priestesses
  These two rooms (marked A and B on the 
  map) are similarly furnished with dun-colored 
  tapestries, hardwood tables, and chairs. How-
  ever, one room is well-kept and orderly, while 
  the other chamber (Elipa’s room) is strewn 
  with silken clothing, slippers, scraps of food, 
  and small pieces of jewelry. This reflects the 
  different personalities of the two senior priest-
  esses who serve Erishti and Rahma. Elipa is 
  blonde, while Trizia is red-haired.
  Elipa and Trizia, Senior Priestesses of 
  the Cult, female Susrahnite Rog4/Sor3 
  (2): CR 7; hp 36; see Elipa’s statistics (above).
  7. Chamber of the High Priestess
  The door to this room is locked. The chamber 
  beyond is opulent, decorated with Jairanian 
  carpets and wall hangings from Taikang, furni-
  ture of Susrahnite cedarwood, silverware from 
  Taraam, and crystal cups and decanters from 
  Nabastis (worth a total of 1,600 gp). There is 
  a secret door (Search DC 30) in the southern 
  wall. Erishti might flee through this door and 
  hide in the sewer tunnels (Area 1C) if she is 
  defeated.
  Erishti, High Priestess of the Cult, 
  female Susrahnite Sor9: CR 9; SZ M; HD 
  9d4+27; hp 43; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +2 
  Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no 
  armor); BAB/Grapple +4/+6; Atk +8 melee 
  (1d6+3, quarterstaff, 20/x2); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all weapons, Spells; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Knowl-
  edge (religion) skills, Sinister Presence, Master 
  of Lost Languages and Arcane Mysteries; AL 
  N; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +9; Str 14, Dex 14, 
  Con 16, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 18.
  Skills: Concentration +15, Craft (alchemy) 
  +15, Decipher Script +15, Diplomacy +16, Heal 
  +13, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Perform (ritual) 
  +16, Spellcraft +15. Feats: Combat Casting, 
  Dodge, Improved Initiative (b), Iron Will, 
  Great Fortitude, Grisly Sacrifice, Leadership, 
  Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Focus 
  (quarterstaff).
  
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  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +3 Int): 
  0 — arcane mark, daze, message, resistance; 
  1st — charm person, fertility charm, mage 
  armor, ray of enfeeblement, summon swarm; 
  2nd — aid, enthrall, ghoul touch, hypnotic 
  pattern; 3rd —deep slumber, prayer, sugges-
  tion, vampiric touch; 4th — altar-fire, con-
  tagion, lesser geas; 5th — cloudkill, dream, 
  lesser planar binding, waves of fatigue.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Lamuran, Nabastis-
  sean, Yar-Ammonite.
  Possessions: Green silk dress, gold-adorned 
  sandals (worth 15 gp), masterwork ceremonial 
  quarterstaff, golden necklace (worth 200 gp), 
  pearl earrings (worth 25 gp each).
  Description: Past her youth, but still attrac-
  tive, Erishti has golden skin, and long, dark 
  hair (which she dyes to conceal grey streaks). 
  She dresses in revealing silken dresses and 
  wears ornaments of gold and pearl.
  Tactics: Erishti precasts mage armor and aid 
  before joining combat. She assists the lesser 
  priestesses and Rahma himself with spells, 
  and resorts to attacking with her staff only if 
  she has no other choice.
  8. Temple and Pit
  This large chamber reeks of old filth and sew-
  age. There is a 20-feet pit in the center of the 
  room, once serving as a basin of some kind but 
  now empty and bloodstained. The floor around 
  the pit is littered with skulls and bones.
  9. Inner Sanctum
  This is the throne room of Rahma himself. 
  Against the far wall is a massive throne of 
  black stone, flanked by twin braziers of bronze 
  and silver. Behind the throne is a secret door 
  (Search DC 30).
  There is a portcullis near the entry doors 
  which can be dropped down to trap intruders 
  (CR 2; +10 melee [3d6/x2 crit]; Search [DC 
  20]; Disable Device [DC 20]; damage applies 
  only to those underneath the portcullis; port-
  cullis blocks passageway [2 in. thick; Hardness 
  10; hp 60; Lift DC 25; Break DC 28]). A lever 
  in the throne chair can be used to reset the 
  portcullis.
  Rahma the Diseased, Obese Rat-Head-
  ed Demon from the Outer Dark: CR 11; 
  SZ L Outsider; HD 9d8+27; hp 99; Init +4 
  (+4 Dex); Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.; 
  AC 21 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +8 natural), touch 13, 
  flat-footed 17; BAB/Grapple +9/+20; Atk +16 
  melee (1d8+7 plus rot, claw); Full Atk +16/+16 
  melee (1d8+7 plus rot, claw); Space/Reach 10 
  ft./10 ft.; SA Crush (3d8+10), Improved Grab, 
  Rotting Touch, Stench; SQ Damage Reduc-
  tion (10/silver and magic), Darkvision (60 ft.), 
  Scent, Summon Rat Swarms; AL CE; SV Fort 
  +9, Ref +10, Will +9; Str 24, Dex 18, Con 16, 
  Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 18.
  Skills: Climb +19, Escape Artist +16, Hide 
  +16, Intimidate +16, Jump 19, Listen +15,  
  Move Silently +16, Spot +15, Swim +19, 
  Tumble +16. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Cleave, 
  Dodge, Power Attack.
  Description: Rahma, the living rat-god, is an 
  obsese rat-headed humanoid with black skin 
  and long, wicked claws. Those stuck by his 
  claws instantly start to rot and decay, eventu-
  ally turning into ghoulish servants, slaves to 
  Rahma’s will. Rahma is dressed in a simple 
  loincloth of purple silk beneath his fat black 
  belly. Rahma needs the claw-key that Serathu 
  stole to be able to leave the temple; otherwise 
  he is confined to the area he was summoned 
  into by Erishti.
  Crush (Ex): When Rahma gets a hold, he can 
  make a single crush attack in place of his two 
  claw attacks. The crush attack automatically 
  inflicts 3d8+10 points of damage on the target.
  
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  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, 
  Rahma must hit with both claw attacks. If he 
  gets a hold, he can crush.
  Rotting Touch (Su): Rahma’s claws carry a 
  rotting disease (Fort DC 17, initial and sec-
  ondary damage 2d6 Con). When the victim 
  reaches 0 Con, it transforms into a ghoulish 
  “Blessed of Rahma” in 1d3 minutes. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based.
  Stench (Ex): A terrible stench surrounds 
  Rahma. Living creatures within 10 feet must 
  succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17) or be 
  sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A creature that 
  successfully saves cannot be affected again by 
  Rahma’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison 
  or neutralize poison spell removes the effect 
  from a sickened creature. Creatures with im-
  munity to poison are unaffected, and creatures 
  resistant to poison receive their normal bonus 
  on their saving throws. The save DC is Consti-
  tution-based.
  Summon Rat Swarms (Su): Rahma can sum-
  mon 1d4 rat swarms up to 3/day.
  Rat Swarms (1-4): CR 2; hp 18.
  10. Vault
  The vault is protected by two sets of doors. 
  The inner door is trapped with poison gas (CR 
  10; no attack roll necessary; Search (DC 21); 
  Disable Device (DC 25); trap releases berserk-
  ing-powder fumes in a 10-feet radius [Inhaled, 
  Fort DC 20, dmg 2d6 Wis + madness/1d6 
  Wis]).
  The vault contains the following treasure: A 
  scattering of gold coins (a total of 1740 gp), an 
  armband of lapis lazuli (worth 40 gp), a small 
  pouch filled with semi-precious gems (worth 
  200 gp), a masterwork two-bladed sword 
  decorated with Azjani symbols (worth 400 gp), 
  an empty iron box with a good lock (worth 100 
  gp), an hourglass (worth 25 gp), a small ivory 
  figurine of a Taraamite mounted lancer (worth 
  75 gp), several long sheets of Yar-Ammonite 
  papyrus (worth 50 gp), and a dozen bottles of 
  green wine (worth 15 gp each).
  Conclusion
  What happens in the Moon-Garden of Yaa-
  tana depends on whether the PCs have been 
  tricked to participate in the fertility ritual, or 
  if they attempt to sneak into or even attack 
  the temple directly. In any case, unless the 
  player characters have taken appropriate 
  counter-measures, the spies of the cult have 
  been shadowing the PCs and the Daughters 
  of Rahma will be ready with an ambush 
  (although if possible, the cultists prefer to 
  disable the intruders without combat using the 
  Moon-Juice). The temple is full of dangers and 
  there are many hidden tunnels where defeated 
  cultists can hide and regroup before launching 
  a counter-attack.
  Even if the PCs are victorious against Rahma 
  and his priestesses, the male cultists who 
  hide in various parts of the garden may strike 
  against the player characters when they exit 
  the garden.
  If the PCs fail: If the PCs are captured by 
  the cultists, they end up as leprous, half-ghoul-
  ish servants of Rahma. Smart player charac-
  ters may escape this fate by offering to work 
  for the cult, and convincing the high priestess 
  that they are more valuable allies without 
  Rahma’s “blessed” touch.
  
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  The Call from 
  the Abyss
  ” What has risen may sink, and what has 
  sunk may rise. Loathsomeness waits and 
  dreams in the deep, and decay spreads over 
  the tottering cities of men.” — H. P. Lovecraft: 
  The Call of Cthulhu
  Setting: City, Dungeon, and Wilderness 
  (Island).
  Levels: This adventure is suitable for a party 
  of four to six 9th- and 10th-level characters.
  Introduction
  Ten centuries ago, a rich and prosperous 
  civilization flourished on an island called 
  Namthu in the Eastern Ocean. Its people were 
  expert sailors, and they worshipped the gods 
  of the sea. In the central lagoon of their island, 
  the Namthuans built a great temple. A great 
  hoard of treasure accumulated as sacrifices of 
  gold and jewels, the fruits of flourishing trade, 
  were heaped upon the cyclopean altars of the 
  lagoon-temple.
  In the abyss beneath the temple dwelt the 
  living god of the Namthuans, a tentacled mon-
  strosity named Bhaomog by the priests. Some 
  say that this creature was attracted to the is-
  land because of the rich sacrifices thrown into 
  the seas by the bearded priests, while others 
  claim that the temple was built in its honor.
  The Namthuan priests held sacred a white 
  conch shell, which had two functions: It could 
  be blown as a horn to summon the god of the 
  deep or his servitors; and the whispering voice 
  of Bhaomog could be heard amid the sound 
  of crashing waves when the conch was placed 
  next to the priests’ ears (or so the priests 
  claimed).
  Captured prisoners of war, including many 
  men and women from the tribes living along 
  the jungle kingdom coast, were ritually 
  drowned and thrown as sacrifice to Bhaomog. 
  Some were transformed into “bloated ones”, 
  abominable amphibian servitors of the god, by 
  a spell the priests learned from the whispers of 
  the sacred conch shell.
  The high priest of the Namthuans was Pathag 
  Thuul, but among his acolytes were greedy and 
  malcontent men. During an especially grand 
  ritual in Bhaomog’s honor, performed under 
  the evil influence of a gibbous red moon, a 
  group of traitors among the priests struck 
  down Pathag Thuul with long knives of Yar-
  thian bane-steel. As the high priest fell to the 
  flood in a crimson pool, the dangerous ritual 
  failed and backfired, and as earthquakes tore 
  apart the lower temple, Bhaomog fell into a 
  deep slumber, buried under tons of rock.
  The traitors among the priests used this op-
  portunity to steal much treasure, including the 
  conch horn, and flee. Before they could leave 
  the isle, they faced priests loyal to Bhaomog, 
  who had sealed the temple with magic to pre-
  vent anyone from stealing treasure. The dis-
  sidents defeated the loyal priests and reached 
  the boats, leaving the isle together with other 
  men and women who fled from the aftershocks 
  of the earthquakes.
  The fleeing priests reached the coasts of Sus-
  rah, and with the gold stolen from the temple 
  of Bhaomog they bought favor with the king 
  of Ghazor, one Lamki-Ushra. This served to 
  make them enemies of the temple of Yam-
  mosh, the native sea-priests of Ghazor.
  When the priests of Namthu eventually died, 
  they were buried in the royal family crypts 
  of Lamki-Ushra. The conch shell still rested 
  within the royal palace, in a sealed chest that 
  hid it from divination magic, and out of reach 
  of the cult of Yammosh. The legacy of the 
  Namthuans was eventually all but forgotten.
  During the centuries, the city of Ghazor was 
  sacked several times by armies from rival city-
  states of Susrah, and treasures from the royal 
  palace were looted and carried away. The chest 
  containing the conch shell was deemed to be 
  of little value compared to the gold and gems, 
  and passed through several hands before fi-
  nally ending up buried in a cave. Recently, the 
  cave was discovered by a shepherd, who sold 
  the chest to a local nomad chieftain. It finally 
  ends up in the hands of the player characters.
  Adventure Synopsis
  Bhaomog sleeps in his abyssal prison, but as 
  the centuries pass, the stars move into certain 
  baleful constellations, and the tentacled god 
  stirs. The dreams of one of the sea-priests 
  in Ghazor are invaded by fevered visions of 
  
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  cyclopean temples and sunken treasures. The 
  priest, Dar-Tiglat, learns the story of Namthu 
  and the Horn of Bhaomog through these 
  dreams, though he does not realize that he has 
  become the unwitting thrall of Bhaomog.
  Dar-Tiglat plans to depose Uktha-Akkar, the 
  current high priest of the cult of Yammosh. He 
  hopes to use the horn to control Bhaomog and 
  his servitors, the “bloated ones” of Namthu, 
  and to learn the ancient ritual of creating 
  such creatures. With a horde of amphibious 
  warriors and a monstrous sea-god under his 
  control, bringing him the sunken treasures 
  and secrets of the deep seas, Dar-Tiglat can 
  overthrow Uktha-Akkar and become high 
  priest, and perhaps even king of Ghazor.
  Through his divination spells, Dar-Tiglat 
  learns that the PCs have come into the pos-
  session of the Horn of Bhaomog. Since the 
  scheming priest’s resources are limited, he 
  thinks he may use the PCs as useful pawns. 
  Dar-Tiglat knows where the ancient priests of 
  Namthu are entombed, and that their tomb 
  contains a map to the now-lost isle. Recogniz-
  ing the PCs as capable individuals, he drops 
  clues so that the PCs are led towards the tombs 
  to find the map to the island.
  When the player characters find a map point-
  ing to a lost isle with fabled treasures, they 
  need to find a ship that can take them to the 
  island. There are not many vessels in Ghazor’s 
  harbor that can make the long trip across the 
  open sea, and Dar-Tiglat arranges it so that the 
  PCs gain passage on a ship where many of the 
  crew are cultists loyal to Dar-Tiglat.
  As the PCs’ vessel leave Ghazor, a pirate 
  captain of the Sea Reavers follows the player 
  characters, intent on finding and taking the 
  treasure for himself, as well as taking revenge 
  for the murder of his first mate at the hands of 
  the PCs.
  Once on the island, after the characters 
  have served their purpose, Dar-Tiglat plans 
  to betray and capture the PCs, transforming 
  them into bloated ones, the amphibian slaves 
  of Bhaomog.
  Meanwhile, Bhaomog himself slumbers and 
  waits patiently in his abyssal prison for the 
  day when he shall once again awaken and 
  rise above the waves to become master of the 
  southern seas.
  Starting the Adventure
  Consider any of the following hooks to get 
  the adventure started.
  
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  — Unless you want to play out how the PCs 
  find come into possession of the Horn of 
  Bhaomog as a prelude, this  adventure simply 
  starts with “roll initiative!”.  The player char-
  acters have come to Ghazor and to the Harpy’s 
  Breath tavern (see below) in search of more 
  information about the mysterious conch shell 
  they have found, and have been drawn into a 
  bar brawl with a band of drunken, swaggering 
  freebooters.
  The City of Ghazor
  Ghazor (large city): Conventional; 
  40,000-gp limit; Assets 44,000,000 gp; 
  Population 22,000; Mixed (Susrahnites 60%, 
  Nabastisseans 10%, Taraamites 10%, Others 
  20%).
  Authority Figures: Rahim-Dul, male Sus-
  rahnite Ari13 (king).
  Important Characters: Nerurki, female 
  Ghazorite Rog7/Ari4 (chief royal concubine); 
  Hatmash-Ukin, male Ghazorite Ftr12 (navy 
  admiral); Zalzu Khalil, male Taraamite Ftr10 
  (commander of the royal chariots); Nofruset, 
  female Yar-Ammonite Sor9 (royal advisor); 
  Kin-Nashu, male Susrahnite Ftr9 (commander 
  of the city guard).
  Others: City guards, Ghazorite Ftr2 (900); 
  Galley-crews, Ghazorite Ftr1 (1,100); Royal 
  charioteers, Susrahnite Ftr3 (250).
  Notes: The harbor city of Ghazor is located 
  strategically at the mouth of the Ophrat river. 
  It has a large navy of triremes, which is used to 
  defend against the raids of the Sea Reavers, as 
  well as in occasional clashes with the Nabastis-
  sean fleet. As one of the Susrahnite city-states, 
  Ghazor is ruled independently by the petty 
  king Rahim-Dul, but is allied with the other 
  cities of Susrah through treaties and intermar-
  riage.
  Much trade flows through the city, arriving 
  by boats from the south, and carried inland by 
  river barges or donkey caravans. Trade goods 
  include Susrahnite wine, spices from Laksha 
  and Azjan, dried fruit, slaves, and pearls har-
  vested off the coast of Zadj.
  The main ziggurat of the city is dedicated 
  to Baal-Khardah, but the sea-god Yammosh 
  is more popular among the many sailors and 
  merchant-captains. Offerings of gold and 
  animals are often made to the temple of Yam-
  mosh before any sea-voyage.
  The southern quarters of the city, home to 
  sailors, slavers, mercenaries and other for-
  eigners, is well-known outside Ghazor for its 
  many depraved vices and lawless atmosphere. 
  The king and his nobles, busy with their own 
  schemes and pleasures behind massive palace 
  walls to the north, largely ignore the unruly 
  docks. Thus the southern seafront is rarely 
  patrolled by the city guard, but the naval docks 
  to the northeast are well-guarded.
  City Guard of Ghazor, male Susrahnite 
  Ftr2: CR 2; SZ M; HD 2d10+2; hp 17; Init +5 
  (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 14 (+3 studded leather, +1 Dex), touch 11 
  (+1 Dex), flat-footed 13 (+3 studded leather); 
  BAB/Grapple +2/+4; Atk +6 melee (1d10+3, 
  halberd, 20/x3) or +4 ranged (1d10+2, Sus-
  rahnite longbow, 20/x3, range increment 120 
  ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with all 
  weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and 
  Knowledge (religion) skills; AL N; SV Fort +4, 
  Ref +1, Will -1; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, 
  Wis 8, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +7, Jump +7, Swim +7. Feats: 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Susrahnite long-
  bow), Improved Initiative (b), Point Blank 
  Shot, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus 
  (halberd).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  The Horn of Bhaomog
  This gnarled conch shell is yellowish in color and covered by black and purple stains. Ap-
  proximately 1 foot long, it is quite heavy for its size. It looks very ancient and frail, but is in fact 
  an artifact and cannot be destroyed except by Bhaomog himself. It is primarily a device used 
  to communicate with Bhaomog, although it may have other powers not yet known to man.
  Blowing the horn forces a Taint save (DC 20), while placing it next to the ear forces a Taint 
  save (DC 15). Blowing it in a land-locked area causes all liquids in small containers (such as 
  water flasks, wineskins, and similar) in a 50 feet radius to turn sour and undrinkable (Fort DC 
  13, dmg 1d3 Str/1d3 Str if ingested). Blowing the horn near the ocean causes the local weather 
  to worsen considerably, possibly creating a storm with up to hurricane force winds. If blown 
  within 25 km of the isle of Namthu, it summons 2d10 bloated ones but does not give the sum-
  moner any command over the summoned creatures.
  A character placing the horn next to the ear will initially hear the whisper of distant waves, 
  but suddenly feels several small tentacles extend from the conch shell, trying to grab the brain 
  of the character. If the Taint save is failed, the tentacles will actually appear to pierce the brain 
  through the character’s ear, and the character’s brain is suddenly filled with brief flashes of 
  something large and tentacled moving about in murky waters, accompanied by strange and 
  wailing sounds muffled as if shouting underwater. However, the tentacles is purely a mental 
  effect, a hallucination that causes no physical damage.
  At the DM’s option, Bhaomog may deliver cryptic whispered messages through the horn, 
  and may even try to mentally dominate creatures who listen too long, using its enslave ability 
  through the horn.
  
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  Possessions: Studded leather, halberd, 
  Susrahnite longbow (+2 Strength bonus), 20 
  arrows.
  Description: The city guards are dressed in 
  distinctive blue guard uniforms.
  Tactics: The guards control crowds using 
  their polearms. They attack with Power Attack 
  against lightly armored foes, and otherwise 
  assist allies with the Aid Another action. The 
  guards do not risk their lives in fights against 
  superior foes.
  City Guard Captain of Ghazor, male 
  Susrahnite Ftr4: CR 4; SZ M; HD 4d10+8; 
  hp 34; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+4 chain shirt, +1 
  Dex), touch 11 (+1 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+4 
  chain shirt); BAB/Grapple +4/+7; Atk +8 
  melee (1d10+6, halberd, 20/x3) or +6 ranged 
  (1d10+3, Susrahnite longbow, 20/x3, range 
  increment 120 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with all weapons; SQ +2 racial bonus to 
  Appraise and Knowledge (religion) skills; AL 
  N; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 16, Dex 12, 
  Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12.
  Skills: Intimidate +8, Jump +10, Ride +8, 
  Swim +10. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Exotic 
  Weapon Proficiency (Susrahnite longbow), 
  Improved Initiative (b), Iron Will, Power 
  Attack, Weapon Focus (halberd), Weapon 
  Specialization (halberd).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean.
  Possessions: Chain shirt, silver helmet, 
  halberd, Susrahnite longbow (+3 Strength 
  bonus), 20 arrows.
  Description: The guard captians dress in 
  burnished chain shirts, and wear tall silver 
  helmets as a mark of rank.
  Tactics: These officers employ essentially the 
  same tactics as the regular guardsmen. How-
  ever, before joining battle, the officer sends 
  one of his underlings to alert other city guards.
  Death at the Docks
  The player characters have come to the Har-
  py’s Breath Tavern to meet up with Alcides, 
  a Nabastissean smuggler, thief and spy (male 
  Nabastissean Rog5). Alcides knows the follow-
  ing: That the conch shell was brough to Ghazor 
  hundreds of years ago by “priests of a sunken 
  isle”, and that these priests were buried in 
  the royal crypts of Lamki-Ushra, situated on 
  the tip of the peninsula that juts out into the 
  harbor of Ghazor.
  Development: While the PCs wait for Alcides 
  in the tavern, a drunken, swaggering Khoran 
  freebooter picks a fight with them. If one of 
  the player characters takes the bait, the rest 
  of the crew quickly join in, turning the fight 
  into a classic bar brawl. Their leader, Zurka, 
  is a friend of the tavern-owner, so the guards 
  remain passive, at least as long as Zurka’s men 
  seem to win.
  Even if the PCs are victorious, they should 
  flee the tavern quickly, before more of the 
  Barracuda’s crew arrive. Having heard the 
  clamor of battle from outside, Alcides waits 
  for the PCs in the shadowed streets outside 
  the tavern. He demands 250 gp (adjust as 
  appropriate to the wealth of the PCs) to reveal 
  the existence of the secret tunnels leading into 
  the royal tombs of the peninsula (see below). 
  In any case, Alcides does not join the player 
  characters on any expedition into the tombs.
  The Harpy’s Breath Tavern
  Situated not far from the great lighthouse 
  of Ghazor, this tavern is a run-down affair 
  with stained wooden floors where sailors from 
  many nations revel in the flickering lights of 
  greasy torches. The rowdy establishment is 
  owned by one Yatim, a former sailor. In fact, 
  he is a secret spy for the captains of the Sea 
  Reavers of Khora and his tavern is an occa-
  sional safehouse for many pirates.
  1. Foyer
  This cloakroom has pegs on the walls where 
  guests can hang their outerwear in the cold 
  season. The heavy wooden door (2 in. thick; 
  Hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 23) can be 
  locked and barred from the inside (Open Lock 
  DC 25; Break DC 25).
  2. Guardroom
  Yatim’s guards are stationed here. The 
  guards confiscate any weapon larger than a 
  shortsword (this does not apply to Yatim’s 
  favored guests, such as Zurka and his men). 
  Such confiscated weapons are delivered back 
  to the owner when he leaves the tavern.
  Yatim’s Guards, male Ghazorite Ftr3 
  (4): CR 3; SZ M; HD 3d10+6; hp 25; Init +1 
  (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+0 no armor, +1 
  light wooden shield, +1 Dex), touch 11 (+1 
  Dex), flat-footed 11 (+0 no armor, +1 light 
  
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  wooden shield); BAB/Grapple +3/+10; Atk 
  +6 melee (1d6+3, club, 20/x2) or +6 melee 
  (1d3+3, unarmed strike, 20/x2); SA racial 
  Sneak Attack (+1d6) that stacks with the rogue 
  ability of the same name; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Appraise and Profession (sailor) skills, 
  Weapon Familiarity (suffer only -2 penalty 
  when using weapons without proficiency); AL 
  N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 13, 
  Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 9.
  Skills: Intimidate +5, Jump +9, Swim +9. 
  Feats: Dodge, Improved Grapple, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike, Toughness, Weapon Focus 
  (club).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Clothing, club, 1d6 gp.
  Description: These men are hardened thugs 
  from the gutters of Ghazor.
  Tactics: The guards beat down trouble-
  makers with their clubs, although they may 
  also use furniture, bottles, etc. as improvised 
  weapons in a brawl. Another favorite tactic is 
  to grapple opponents.
  3. Common Room
  The large common room has eight wooden 
  tables and a scattering of worn chairs. In the 
  corner to the south is a well-stoked fireplace. 
  There are 3d6 patrons here, male rogues and 
  fighters of levels 1d6+1, as well as 1d3 harlots.
  4. Bar
  The bar is worked by three young, unpretty, 
  but experienced girls (female Ghazorite 
  Com2). The nearby guards (from Area 2) 
  quickly arrive if the girls are harassed by the 
  patrons.
  A long corridor from the bar ends in a back 
  door. This sturdy door has the same statistics 
  as the front door (see Area 1).
  5. Private Lounge
  This semi-private chamber is separated from 
  the common room by a tattered green curtain. 
  It is spacious and furnished with slightly better 
  chairs and tables, and those who pay extra to 
  sit here are well-served by Yatim’s girls.
  The lounge is currently occupied by a free-
  booter named Zurka and other members of the 
  crew of the pirate vessel Barracuda.
  Zurka, First Mate of the Barracuda, 
  male Khoran Bbn4/Rog3: CR 7; SZ M; HD 
  4d12+4 plus 3d6+3; hp 66; Init +3 (+3 Dex); 
  Spd 40 ft.; AC 17 (+4 chain shirt, +3 Dex), 
  touch 13 (+3 Dex), flat-footed 17 (+4 chain 
  shirt, +3 Dex); BAB/Grapple +6/+9; Atk +11 
  melee (1d8+3, battleaxe, 20/x3) or +10 ranged 
  (1d4+3, dagger, 19-20/x2, range increment 10 
  ft.); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d8+3, battleaxe, 
  20/x3) or +10/+5 ranged (1d4+3, dagger, 
  19-20/x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial 
  bonus to attack rolls with all axes, crossbows 
  and knives, Ferocity (continue fighting even 
  while disabled and dying), Rage 2/day, Sneak 
  Attack +2d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Intimidate 
  and Profession (sailor) skills, always treat 
  Profession (sailor) as class skill, Fast Move-
  ment, Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trapfinding, 
  Evasion, Trap Sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref 
  +7, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 
  10, Cha 14.
  Skills: Appraise +7, Climb +10, Intimidate 
  +9, Jump +10, Knowledge (local) +7, Listen 
  +7, Move Silently +9, Profession (sailor) +6, 
  Survival +7, Swim +10, Tumble +9. Feats: 
  Jaded Reveler, Power Attack, Sailor on the 
  Seas of Fate, Weapon Focus (battleaxe).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean.
  Possessions: Chain shirt, battleaxe, 4 dag-
  gers, 3 gold rings (worth 40 gp each).
  Description: Zurka is tall and thin, with a 
  drooping moustache and his long hair in a 
  ponytail. This swaggering freebooter is the 
  first mate aboard the Barracuda and is Captain 
  Yajal’s trusted henchman.
  Tactics: Although Zurka has been drinking 
  heavily, he is not noticeably affected by the 
  alcohol. He throws his daggers, then rages and 
  charges into battle and uses Power Attacks 
  with his axe.
  Crew of the Barracuda, male Khoran 
  Bbn2/Rog1 (10): CR 3; SZ M; HD 2d12 plus 
  1d6; hp 20; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved 
  Initiative); Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (+2 leather 
  armor, +2 Dex), touch 12 (+2 Dex), flat-footed 
  14 (+2 leather armor, +2 Dex); BAB/Grapple 
  +2/+4; Atk +6 melee (1d6+2, handaxe, 20/
  x3) or +5 ranged (1d6+2, throwing axe, 20/
  x2, range increment 10 ft.); SA +1 racial bonus 
  to attack rolls with all axes, crossbows and 
  knives, Ferocity (continue fighting even while 
  
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  disabled and dying), Rage 1/day, Sneak Attack 
  +1d6; SQ +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and 
  Profession (sailor) skills, always treat Profes-
  sion (sailor) as class skill, Fast Movement, 
  Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge, Trapfinding; AL N; 
  SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will -1; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 
  11, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 12.
  Skills: Climb +7, Intimidate +6, Jump +7, 
  Listen +4, Profession (sailor) +3, Survival +4, 
  Swim +7, Tumble +6. Feats: Improved Initia-
  tive, Sailor on the Seas of Fate, Weapon Focus 
  (handaxe).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean.
  Possessions: Leather armor, handaxe, throw-
  ing axe, 1d10 gp.
  Description: These men are the stereotypical 
  Khoran pirates; clad in a mix of silks and com-
  mon sailors’ clothes, some with eye-patches or 
  silken bandanas. Their skin is a deep bronze, 
  and their arms and faces are scarred by the 
  swords and spears of countless enemies.
  Tactics: The crewmembers enter a rage, 
  then use gang tactics to surround a foe to gain 
  flanking and sneak attacks.
  6. Storeroom
  This storeroom contains barrels of ale, dusty 
  bottles of cheap Yaatanan wine, and sundry 
  bits and pieces of equipment and furniture. 
  Under a loose floorboard (Search DC 25) 
  beneath an empty crate is a secret chamber, 
  10 by 10 feet. The chamber is currently empty, 
  but is often used to temporarily hide persons 
  or items.
  7. Backoffice
  This is the office of Yatim, the tavern-owner. 
  The floor is covered with a stained Jairanian 
  rug. A big mahogany desk stands in one cor-
  ner; inside its locked drawers (Open Lock DC 
  30) are two curved daggers with ivory handles 
  (worth 20 gp each), a pouch filled with semi-
  precious gems (worth 350 gp), and a golden 
  bracelet in the shape of a serpent (worth 125 
  gp).
  Yatim, Tavern-Owner, male Ghazorite 
  Rog7: CR 7; SZ M; HD 7d6; hp 32; Init +4 
  (+4 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+0 no armor, +4 
  Dex, +2 Pantherish Dodge), touch 16 (+4 Dex, 
  +2 Pantherish Dodge), flat-footed 16 (+0 no 
  armor, +4 Dex, +2 Pantherish Dodge); BAB/
  Grapple +5/+7; Atk +7 melee (1d6+2, short 
  sword, 19-20/x2); Full Atk +5/+5  melee 
  (1d6+2, short sword, 19-20/x2); SA racial 
  Sneak Attack (+1d6) that stacks with the rogue 
  ability of the same name, Sneak Attack +4d6; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Profes-
  sion (sailor) skills, Weapon Familiarity (suffer 
  only -2 penalty when using weapons without 
  proficiency), Trapfinding, Evasion, Uncanny 
  Dodge, Trap Sense +2; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref 
  +9, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 
  12, Cha 9.
  Skills: Appraise +12, Bluff +9, Escape Artist 
  +14, Forgery +12, Hide +14, Jump +12, Knowl-
  edge (local) +12, Open Lock +14, Profession 
  (sailor) +11, Sleight of Hand +14, Tumble +14. 
  Feats: Dodge, Iron Will, Pantherish Dodge, 
  Two-Weapon Fighting.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Zadjite.
  Possessions: Clothing, 2 short swords, silver 
  necklace (worth 25 gp).
  Description: Clad in rich clothes, with a long 
  face and greasy dark hair, Yatim is in secret 
  league with Yajal and other captains of the Sea 
  Reavers.
  Tactics: If Yatim gets involved in combat, he 
  fights two short swords, trying to get into posi-
  tion to flank and sneak attack.
  The Ancient Royal Tombs of 
  Ghazor
  The peninsula that juts out into the bay 
  of Ghazor today was originally an island. A 
  causeway was eventually built to connect it to 
  the mainland, and it was used for centuries as 
  a fortress, palace, and crypt.
  As detailed in the introduction to this ad-
  venture, the priests of Namthu who arrived 
  in ancient Ghazor with treasures stolen from 
  the temple of Bhaomog befriended the current 
  king, Lamki-Ushra, and were given the honor 
  of burial in the royal tombs when they died. 
  Thus the bodies of the priests Takahla, Yezir-
  Kot and Karuma were interred beneath the 
  palace on the peninsula.
  However, due to unfavorable weather condi-
  tions, with crashing waves and battering winds 
  slowly wearing down the stonework, the old 
  palace-fortress was eventually abandoned. 
  As the city on the mainland grew, a new and 
  grander palace was built on gentler slopes in 
  the middle of the city. The bodies of the old 
  kings and nobles were relocated from the 
  crypts on the peninsula to the new palace in 
  the city, but some tombs, like those of the 
  Namthuan priests, were left untouched.
  Development: The player characters have 
  several options for getting into the old royal 
  tombs, including sneaking past the guards on 
  the causeway to the ancient palace, or swim-
  ming or taking a small boat across the bay. 
  Once on the peninsula, the PCs must locate the 
  secret cavern and underwater tunnel that takes 
  them into the tombs (since the entrance from 
  the palace above is buried under tons of rock).
  The Causeway and Gatehouse
  Although the peninsula is abandoned, a 20 
  feet tall gatehouse of stone (Climb DC 25) has 
  been placed across the causeway to prevent 
  traffic to and from the ancient palace. The 
  gatehouse is manned by 12 city guards and 2 
  guard captains. Two-thirds of the guards and 
  one officer are on duty at any time, while the 
  others are asleep or relaxing.
  
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  Development: If the guards are attacked, 
  they attempt to raise the alarm using a horn, 
  in which case reinforcements arrive from the 
  north city in 2d6+6 minutes. One of the guard-
  captains (determined randomly as to which 
  one) has a huge gambling-debt and may accept 
  a bribe if the offer is substantial.
  The Bay of Ghazor
  The water of the bay is cold, and the waves 
  crash upon the cliffs of the peninsula, making 
  it dangerous to swim (Swim DC 15) and to ma-
  neuver in small boats (Profession [sailor] DC 
  12), although the waves are a bit more calm on 
  the northern side facing the bay (Swim DC 13).
  If the player characters approach the tip of 
  the peninsula in a boat, they must make a 
  Jump check (DC 10, but remember the armor 
  check penalty) to get from the boat to the 
  cliffs, due to the crashing waves. Swimming 
  PCs, or PCs in the water from failed Jump 
  checks, must make a Climb check (DC 15) to 
  climb up from the water.
  Before getting to the peninsula, however, the 
  PCs must deal with the great sharks that infest 
  the bay of Ghazor. A large shark approaches 
  and attacks any swimmers or small boats with-
  out provocation. A Spot check (DC 15) can be 
  made to detect a big fin in the water before the 
  shark dives and disappears, only to reappear 
  under the boat a few seconds later, attempt-
  ing to overturn the boat (or simply attack any 
  swimmers). Unless the PCs spotted the shark, 
  it attacks with surprise and the player charac-
  ters are flat-footed.
  As long as the shark is submerged in the 
  water, it has total cover; on the surface it has 
  improved cover (+8 to AC, +4 to Reflex saves). 
  Each round the shark charges the boat, each 
  PC must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or fall into 
  the water. See the DMG for more information 
  about the effects of water on combat.
  Large Shark: CR 2; hp 38.
  The Secret Cavern and Underwater Tunnel
  There is a hidden cavern (Search DC 20) near 
  the cliffs, with a long tunnel eventually leading 
  to the ancient royal crypts (see Area 1 of the 
  crypts). A long stretch (200 feet) of this tunnel 
  is underwater, meaning that player characters 
  must swim through it to reach the crypts.
  A character with a Speed of 30 feet can swim 
  15 feet with a full-round action (by making a 
  Swim check against DC 10). It thus takes 13 
  rounds for a character with average speed to 
  swim through the tunnel. A character with a 
  Constitution score less than 13 cannot hold his 
  breath this long and must start taking Consti-
  tution checks to avoid drowning (DC 10, +1 for 
  each additional round).
  Note that if there is combat along the way, 
  the number of rounds a character can hold his 
  breath is halved (ie. 1 round of combat “costs” 
  2 rounds of breath).
  The Ruins of the Ancient Palace
  The ruins of the old palace are severly 
  weathered. The outer walls are 30 feet tall 
  (Climb DC 20) but broken in several places. 
  Everything of value that was not relocated to 
  the new palace has long since been carried 
  away by looters. A successful Search check 
  (DC 15) allows the player characters to find a 
  tunnel that leads down towards the crypts, but 
  they soon find this tunnel collapsed. It quickly 
  becomes apparent that it would take weeks 
  to clear the tunnel of rocks. The PCs will have 
  better progress searching for the secret cavern 
  with the underwater tunnel (see above).
  
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  1. Flooded Chamber
  The underwater tunnel from below termi-
  nates in this large square chamber. Three 
  doors are apparent; two are locked while the 
  third is a false, trapped door (Falling Block 
  Trap: +15 melee [6d6]; Search [DC 20]; Dis-
  able Device [DC 25]; Can strike all characters 
  in two adjacent squares).
  2. Collapsed Chamber
  A narrow stairway leads up to this chamber, 
  where the walls have collapsed, blocking fur-
  ther progress into the palace ruins above.
  3. Slimy Corridor
  This corridor is plain and unadorned. With 
  a successful Spot check (DC 20), a player 
  character can detect a faint glistening streak 
  of slime across the ceiling. This is a trail left 
  by the monster currently in the antechamber 
  (Area 6).
  4. Hall of the Sea
  The walls of this chamber are decorated with 
  the shells of snails and fossilized crustaceans. 
  In the center of the chamber is a large, square 
  pillar painted with blue waves and various 
  types of ancient sailing-vessels.
  5. Corridor With Alcoves
  There are ten small alcoves in this T-shaped 
  corridor. Each alcove contains a copper urn 
  whose lid is shaped like an octopus, with the 
  tentacles hanging down the sides of the urn. 
  The urns are inscribed with archaic cuneiform 
  script; a successful Decipher Script check (DC 
  20) reveals that the urns contain the ashes of 
  great sea-captains. The urns are worth 75 gp 
  each, but the dust inside is worth even more 
  to a knowledgeable sorcerer, for it can be used 
  as a material component to cast a double-
  strength lower water spell.
  6. Antechamber
  The door to this chamber is slightly ajar. 
  Along the south wall is a row of life-size stat-
  ues of people with unknown racial features.
  The opposite wall is painted with scenes that 
  form a story: A group of people lived on an 
  island rich from sea trade, and their temple 
  was heaped with sacrifice to the sea-gods. One 
  image shows a priest with a gold-embroidered 
  robe that seems to receive wisdom and revela-
  tions through a conch shell placed next to the 
  priest’s ear. The next images show the people 
  fleeing from the island, which is wracked by 
  earthquakes, and coming to Ghazor as it must 
  have existed many centuries ago. The priests 
  among the sea-people are shown offering trib-
  ute to the king of Ghazor, and the final image 
  is of the priests being buried under the palace 
  on the island.
  In the middle of the room is a human body 
  lying face-down. If the body is turned around, 
  the PCs see that it is a corpse, which is covered 
  in some sort of slime, and has begun to decay. 
  This is in fact the body of the Namthuan priest 
  Takahla, which has recently been exhumed 
  from his sarcophagus and absorbed by an 
  abominable creature that feeds upon sorcer-
  ous energies. The creature attempts to lash 
  out against a surprised opponent, and then 
  withdraw into the grand crypt (Area 7) where 
  its progenitor lurks.
  Slime-Covered Corpse (arcanoplasm): 
  CR 7; SZ L Aberration; HD 7d8+42; hp 73; Init 
  +4; Spd 30 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC 16 (-1 size, +7 
  natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16; BAB/Grapple 
  +5/+11; Atk +7 melee (2d4+3 plus 1d6 acid, 
  slam); Full Atk +7 melee (2d4+3 plus 1d6 acid, 
  slam); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Constrict 
  (2d4+3 plus 1d6 acid), Improved Grab, Arcane 
  Spell Mimicry; SQ Absorb Arcane Magic, 
  Amorphous, Arcanesense (100 ft.), Blindsight 
  (60 ft.), Immunities; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref 
  +2, Will +7; Str 15, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 
  14, Cha 14.
  Skills: Climb +18, Hide +2, Move Silently +6. 
  Feats: Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Focus (slam).
  Tactics: Arcanoplasms always target arcane 
  spellcasting creatures first. Their innate ability 
  to detect such creatures allows them to do 
  so with precision and accuracy. Because of 
  its ability to replicate spells cast near it, the 
  arcanoplasm always tries to stay within 30 feet 
  of an arcane caster. Mimicked spells are cast at 
  the foe deemed most threatening.
  Acid (Ex): An arcanoplasm secretes a highly 
  corrosive acid that dissolves only flesh. Any 
  melee hit deals acid damage.
  Constrict (Ex): An arcanoplasm deals auto-
  matic slam and acid damage with a successful 
  grapple check.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an 
  arcanoplasm must hit with its slam attack. It 
  can then attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking an attack of opportu-
  nity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes 
  a hold and can constrict.
  Arcane Spell Mimicry (Ex): An arcanoplasm 
  can mimic any arcane spell of 4th level or 
  lower that is cast within 30 feet of it. The spell 
  takes effect on the arcanoplasm’s next action, 
  has a caster level of 7th, and does not require 
  any components. The save against a mimicked 
  spell has a DC of 12 + the level of the spell. The 
  save DC is Charisma-based.
  The Ancient Royal Crypts of Ghazor
  Standard Features: Unless noted 
  otherwise, all doors are stone doors (4 in. 
  thick; Hardness 8; hp 60; Break DC 28; 
  Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked).
  Lighting: The crypts are unlit.
  
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  Absorb Arcane Magic (Ex): Any arcane 
  spell cast at an arcanoplasm is automatically 
  absorbed. This cures 1 point of damage per 3 
  points of damage the spell would otherwise 
  deal (non–damaging spells cure 1 point of 
  damage per spell level of the spell). Spells that 
  affect an area are not absorbed, but neither do 
  they affect an arcanoplasm. An arcanoplasm 
  cannot absorb divine magic and is affected by 
  it normally.
  Amorphous (Ex): Arcanoplasms have no 
  discernable front or back and are not subject 
  to critical hits. They cannot be flanked.
  Arcanesense (Su): An arcanoplasm can 
  automatically detect the location of any arcane 
  spellcaster within 100 feet. This functions as 
  a detect evil spell but there is no chance the 
  arcanoplasm is stunned and it is not blocked 
  by stone, lead, or other material.
  Blindsight (Ex): An arcanoplasm’s entire 
  body is a primitive sensory organ that can 
  ascertain prey by scent and vibration within 
  60 feet.
  Immunities (Ex): Arcanoplasms are immune 
  to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, 
  and stunning.
  Skills: An arcanoplasm has a +8 racial bonus 
  on Climb checks and can always take 10 on a 
  Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
  7. The Lurker in the Crypt
  This large chamber contains three stone sar-
  cophagi, all with their lids removed, adorned 
  with ancient Susrahnite cuneiform script. 
  A successful Deciper Script check (DC 25) 
  reveals the names of the deceased: Takahla, 
  Yezir-Kot and Karuma, who are further titled 
  “the leaders of the refugees of Namthu, who 
  rest under the protection of king Lamki-
  Ushra”.
  There is no time for such sage work initially, 
  however, for the two innermost sarcophagi are 
  covered by a huge, amorphous slime creature, 
  inside which are visible the remains of two 
  human bodies. These are the corpses of the 
  Namthuan priests Yezir-Kot and Karuma, who 
  have been consumed by a vile creature that 
  somehow crept into the crypt and, feeding 
  upon their lingering sorcerous energies, has 
  grown to monstrous proportions.
  The Lurker in the Crypt (arcanoplasm, 
  advanced): CR 10; SZ H Aberration; HD 
  16d8+128; hp 200; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., climb 
  10 ft.; AC 18 (-2 size, +10 natural), touch 11, 
  flat-footed 18; BAB/Grapple +12/+24 (+12 
  base, -2 size, +6 Str, +8 size); Atk +16 melee 
  (2d6+3 plus 1d6 acid, slam); Full Atk +16 me-
  lee (2d6+3 plus 1d6 acid, slam); Space/Reach 
  15 ft./15 ft.; SA Constrict (2d6+3 plus 1d6 
  acid), Improved Grab, Arcane Spell Mimicry; 
  SQ Absorb Arcane Magic, Amorphous, Arca-
  nesense (100 ft.), Blindsight (60 ft.), Immuni-
  ties; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +7; Str 23, 
  Dex 9, Con 26, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14.
  Skills: Climb +31, Hide -4, Move Silently +14. 
  Feats: Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Focus (slam).
  Treasure: Inside the amorphous body of the 
  monster is an intact copper scrollcase from 
  Yezir-Kot’s sarcophagus that contains a map 
  showing the way to the isle of Namthu.
  Sails of Fate
  With the map pinpointing the location of 
  Namthu in their possession, the PCs need a 
  ship to take them to this remote location in the 
  Eastern Ocean.
  Development: The PCs look for a ship to 
  take them out to sea. One of the few vessels 
  that is able to make such a long journey on 
  the open seas, and which is currently in port, 
  is the Water Dragon, a Nabastissean ship. 
  The first mate, Rashat, is an old henchman of 
  Dar-Tiglat, and he helps the priest and several 
  other cultists to join the crew. Dar-Tiglat mas-
  querades as the new ship doctor, after the old 
  one suddenly falls ill and dies.
  As the player characters search the docks for 
  a suitable ship, they are directly to the Water 
  Dragon. The PCs must negotiate with the 
  captain, who demands a share of any treasure 
  found for himself and his crew. Diplomacy, 
  Bluff or Intimidate checks may determine how 
  successful the negotiations are.
  It is possible, but unlikely, that the player 
  characters do not want to charter the Water 
  Dragon, preferring instead to find some other 
  means of transport. This should be difficult, 
  but not impossible. Perhaps there are other 
  captains with vessels worthy of a long voyage, 
  after all, or the player characters might even 
  buy or commission the building of their own 
  ship (although this certainly does not come 
  cheap). If this happens, the adventure unfolds 
  in a slightly different manner, with both Dar-
  Tiglat and the Water Dragon, as well as the 
  Khoran freebooters of the Barracuda, follow-
  ing the PCs towards the Isle of Namthu, for 
  a three-sided showdown on the shores of the 
  accursed lagoon of Bhaomog.
  The Water Dragon
  This is a large vessel, 25 feet wide and 105 
  feet long, built by Nabastissean shipwrights 
  and primarily designed for carrying cargo, 
  although there is a great ballista in the bow. 
  It has three masts, no oars, and moves at an 
  average speed of 2 miles per hour. There are 
  three decks, including the top deck, the crew 
  cabins, and one cargo hold. It has a crew of 40 
  sailors and 10 officers, including the captain, 
  first mate, and a ship doctor. The ship is worth 
  10,000 gp. The Water Dragon also carries two 
  large rowboats on board.
  Gallas, Captain of the Water Dragon, 
  male Nabastissean Ftr10: CR 10; SZ M; 
  HD 10d10+10; hp 86; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 
  Improved Initiative); Spd 20 ft.; AC 18 (+5 
  
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  breastplate, +3 Dex), touch 13 (+3 Dex), 
  flat-footed 15 (+5 breastplate); BAB/Grapple 
  +10/+14; Atk +16 melee (2d6+8, greatsword, 
  17-20/x2) or +13 ranged (1d10+4, Susrahnite 
  longbow, 20/x3, range increment 120 ft.); 
  Full Atk +16/+11 melee (2d6+8, greatsword, 
  17-20/x2) or +13/+8 ranged (1d10+4, Susrah-
  nite longbow, 20/x3, range increment 120 ft.); 
  SA +1 circumstance bonus to attack rolls at 
  sea; SQ +2 racial bonus to Profession (Sailor) 
  and Swim skills, +2 circumstance bonus to AC 
  when fighting in formation with others of the 
  same race, always treat Profession (sailor) as 
  class skill; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +6; 
  Str 19, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 13.
  Skills: Climb +17, Jump +17, Profession 
  (sailor) +14, Swim +17. Feats: Cleave, Combat 
  Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Sus-
  rahnite longbow), Greater Weapon Focus 
  (greatsword), Improved Critical (greatsword), 
  Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, 
  Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), 
  Weapon Specialization (greatsword).
  Languages: Nabastissean, Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Breastplate, greatsword, 
  Susrahnite longbow (+4 Strength bonus), 30 
  arrows.
  Description: While Gallas is from Nabastis, 
  his crew is recruited predominantly from 
  Ghazor. The captain is in the prime of his 
  years, and has previously sailed as far south 
  as the Cannibal Coast, and as far east as the 
  kingdom of Laksha.
  Tactics: While he is skilled with the Susrah-
  nite longbow, it is with the greatsword that 
  Gallas is most deadly, cutting a red swath 
  through enemy crews using Power Attacks.
  Rashat, First Mate of the Water Drag-
  on, male Ghazorite Ftr5/Rog4: CR 9; 
  SZ M; HD 5d10+5 plus 4d6+4; hp 61; Init +7 
  (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 16 (+3 studded leather, +3 Dex), touch 13 
  (+3 Dex), flat-footed 13 (+3 studded leather); 
  BAB/Grapple +8/+10; Atk +12 melee (1d6+4, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +11 ranged (1d10, 
  heavy crossbow, 19-20/x2, range increment 
  120 ft.); Full Atk +10/+10/+5 melee (1d6+4, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +11/+5 ranged 
  (1d10, heavy crossbow, 19-20/x2, range incre-
  ment 120 ft.); SA racial Sneak Attack (+1d6) 
  that stacks with the rogue ability of the same 
  name, Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ +2 racial bonus 
  to Appraise and Profession (sailor) skills, 
  Weapon Familiarity (suffer only -2 penalty 
  when using weapons without proficiency), 
  Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1, Uncanny 
  Dodge; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +2; Str 
  14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 12.
  Skills: Climb +10, Intimidate +9, Swim +10, 
  Hide +10, Move Silently +10, Open Lock +10, 
  Profession (sailor) +7, Tumble +10. Feats: 
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Point 
  Blank Shot, Sailor on the Seas of Fate, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon 
  Focus (shortsword), Weapon Specialization 
  (shortsword).
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Studded leather, 2 short swords, 
  heavy crossbow, 12 crossbow bolts, 35 gp.
  Description: Dressed in blood-stained armor 
  and quite feared among the crew, Rashat is in 
  reality Dar-Tiglat’s secret henchman, after the 
  priest saved the sailor’s life many years ago.
  Tactics: Rashat fights with two short swords. 
  He is thoroughly brainwashed by Dar-Tiglat 
  and is willing to die to defend the priest.
  Dar-Tiglat (“Sarru the Ship-Doctor”), 
  Secret Priest of Yammosh, male Susrah-
  nite Sor11: CR 11; SZ M; HD 11d4+11; hp 45; 
  Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 13 (+0 no armor, +3 Dex), touch 13 
  (+3 Dex), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); BAB/
  Grapple +5/+6; Atk +8 melee (1d6+1, quar-
  terstaff, 20/x2) or +7 melee (1d4+1, curved 
  dagger, 18-20/x2); SA +1 racial bonus to 
  attack rolls with all weapons, Spells; SQ +2 
  racial bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (reli-
  gion) skills, Sinister Presence, Master of Lost 
  Languages and Arcane Mysteries, Permanent 
  Sinister Presence; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, 
  Will +9; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 14, 
  Cha 14.
  Skills: Bluff +16, Concentration +15, Craft 
  (alchemy) +18, Decipher Script +18, Diplo-
  macy +16, Heal +16, Knowledge (religion) +18, 
  Perform (ritual) +16, Spellcraft +18. Feats: 
  Acolyte, Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, 
  Grisly Sacrifice, Improved Initiative (b), Lead-
  ership, Priest, Sympathetic Magic, Weapon 
  Focus (quarterstaff).
  Arcane Spells Known (Spells per day: 
  4/4/4/4/3/2/1; Spell DC 10 + spell level +4 
  Int): 0 — guidance, know direction, pres-
  tidigitation; 1st — command, disguise self, 
  mage armor, protection from evil, speak with 
  animals (aquatic creatures only); 2nd — au-
  gury, death knell, gust of wind, protection 
  from arrows, whispering wind; 3rd — deep 
  slumber, dispel magic, hold person, locate ob-
  ject, ray of exhaustion; 4th — altar-fire, black 
  tentacles, curse of green decay, divination, 
  solid fog; 5th — control winds, curse of double 
  death, slay living; 6th — symbol of fear, water 
  breathing.
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean, La-
  muran, Taraamite, Khazistani.
  Possessions: Plain clothes, quarterstaff, 
  curved dagger, 2 doses of blinding-powder, 1 
  dose of flame-powder, small lapis lazuli amulet 
  (suppresses Permanent Sinister Presence class 
  ability while worn).
  Description: The elderly “Sarru” is clad in 
  worn clothes, and his head is clean-shaven. 
  This is in fact Dar-Tiglat, a secret priest of 
  Yammosh, who masquerades as the ship’s 
  doctor in order to follow the player characters 
  to the Isle of Namthu. Among the ship’s crew, 
  there are 15 secret cultists who are loyal to 
  him. Dar-Tiglat’s ambition is to use the trea-
  sure and magical secrets he expects to find on 
  
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  the island of Namthu to depose Uktha-Akkar, 
  the current high priest of Yammosh in Ghazor.
  Tactics: While posing as the ship doctor, 
  Sarru/Dar-Tiglat does not use spells in public. 
  Only at the most opportune moment, when he 
  chooses to reveal himself as a priest of Yam-
  mosh, is he free to hurl his deadly spells and 
  curses upon enemies.
  Crew of the Water Dragon, male 
  Ghazorite Ftr3 (40): CR 3; SZ M; HD 
  3d10+6; hp 24; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 15 (+3 studded leather, +2 Dex), touch 12 
  (+2 Dex), flat-footed 13 (+3 studded leather); 
  BAB/Grapple +3/+4; Atk +5 melee (1d6+1, 
  short sword, 19-20/x2) or +5 ranged (1d10, 
  heavy crossbow, 19-20/x2, range increment 
  120 ft.); SA racial Sneak Attack (+1d6) that 
  stacks with the rogue ability of the same name; 
  SQ +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Profession 
  (sailor) skills, Weapon Familiarity (suffer only 
  -2 penalty when using weapons without profi-
  ciency); AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 
  12, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 9.
  Skills: Climb +7, Jump +7, Swim +7. Feats: 
  Combat Reflexes, Sailor on the Seas of Fate, 
  Skill Focus (Profession [sailor]), Toughness, 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Susrahnite.
  Possessions: Studded leather, short sword, 
  heavy crossbow, 10 crossbow bolts, 1d4 gp.
  Description: Experienced sailors, many of 
  these men have been across the Eastern Ocean 
  with Gallas and his ship. Around 15 of these 
  crewmembers are secretly loyal to Sarru/Dar-
  Tiglat, the ship-doctor.
  Tactics: The crewmembers are well-disci-
  plined and fight under orders from Gallas 
  or Rashat (except the secret culitsts who do 
  not obey Gallas once Dar-Tiglat has revealed 
  himself as a sorcerer-priest). Even so, the rest 
  of the crew could also possibly be incited to a 
  mutiny if they become dissatisfied with their 
  officers, their part of the loot, or if facing su-
  pernatural dangers way out of their league. 
  Eastern Ocean Random Encounters
  Assuming good winds, it takes around 15 days from Ghazor to the Isle of Namthu (approxi-
  mately 700 miles away). Roll on the following encounter table to determine what happens 
  during the sea voyage. Note that many of these events have the potential to derail the player 
  characters from their primary goal (getting to the island of Namthu); use the encounters as 
  you see fit, or simply skip ahead to the section entitled “Claws from the Abyss”.
  Roll  
  Encounter
  1 
  Heavy storm
  2 
  Rats in the hold
  3 
  Broken mast
  4 
  Landfall for repairs
  5 
  Pursued by pirates
  6 
  Mutiny
  Broken Mast: Bad weather breaks the mast of the ship. There is a 25% chance that a pirate 
  ship (the Barracuda) approaches as the Water Dragon lies helpless in the water.
  Heavy Storm: During a heavy storm, a great wave washes over the deck, taking 1d4 
  crewmembers with it. Any character caught on deck must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or fall 
  overboard, where a pack of 1d6+5 sharks await hungrily.
  Landfall for Repairs: Bad weather damages the ship, and the Water Dragon must make 
  landfall along the savage Cannibal Coast for repairs.
  Mutiny: Rumors spread aboard the Water Dragon about the “accursed” isle of Namthu, and 
  mutinous crewmembers capture the captain, demanding that he throws the PCs overboard 
  and returns to Susrah with the ship.
  Pursued by Pirates: A pirate ship is sighted, possibly by one of the PCs. Its flag is a red 
  barracuda on black background. Determine the distance between the two vessels when the 
  pursuit starts. Each round thereafter, the captain makes a Profession (sailor) check. The cap-
  tain with the highest result wins, and may move his vessel a number of squares equal to the 
  Speed rating of the ship. If the distance between two vessels is reduced to zero, melee combat 
  can ensue as one vessel is boarded by the other.
  Rats in the Hold: Rats have fouled and/or devoured the food onboard, and the remain-
  ing food must be rationed. As men grow lean and hungry, a group of sailors may be tempted 
  to mutiny; the PCs must join the captain in striking the mutineers down (or perhaps join the 
  mutiny).
  
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  The Barracuda
  This sleek, ocean-going Khoran galley is 20 
  feet wide and 110 feet long, and fitted with 
  an iron ram at the bow. It has two sails, forty 
  oars, and moves at an average speed of 3 miles 
  per hour. There are two decks. It has a crew 
  of 60 pirates (who also man the oars when 
  required) and 5 officers. The vessel is worth 
  12,000 gp. The Barracuda also carries three 
  small rowboats on board.
  Yajal, “the Serpent”, Captain of the 
  Barracuda, male Khoran Ftr11: CR 11; SZ 
  M; HD 11d10+22; hp 102; Init +2 (+2 Dex); 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (+0 no armor, +2 Dex, +5 
  Pantherish Dodge), touch 17 (+2 Dex, +5 Pan-
  therish Dodge), flat-footed 10 (+0 no armor); 
  BAB/Grapple +11/+16; Atk +18 melee (2d6+9, 
  great scimitar, 15-20/x2) or +13 ranged 
  (1d6+5, javelin, 20/x2, range increment 30 
  ft.); Full Atk +18/+13/+8 melee (2d6+9, great 
  scimitar, 15-20/x2) or +13 ranged (1d6+5, 
  javelin, 20/x2, range increment 30 ft.); SA +1 
  racial bonus to attack rolls with all axes, cross-
  bows and knives, Ferocity (continue fighting 
  even while disabled and dying); SQ +2 racial 
  bonus to Intimidate and Profession (sailor) 
  skills, always treat Profession (sailor) as class 
  skill; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +4; Str 
  20, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 16.
  Skills: Climb +19, Intimidate +17, Profes-
  sion (sailor) +15, Ride +16. Feats: Combat 
  Reflexes, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (great scimitar), Improved Critical (great 
  scimitar), Jaded Reveler, Leadership, Panther-
  ish Dodge, Power Attack, Sailor on the Seas of 
  Fate, Weapon Focus (great scimitar), Weapon 
  Specialization (great scimitar).
  Languages: Susrahnite, Nabastissean.
  Possessions: Blue silken loincloth, master-
  work great scimitar, javelin, bronze bracers 
  adorned with lapis lazuli (worth 110 gp).
  Description: Yajal is middle-aged and potbel-
  lied, but big and powerful with rakish good 
  looks. Strangely, Yajal is afraid of water and 
  cannot swim, a fact he has managed to hide 
  from his crew so far. Two decades ago, Yajal 
  was the only son of a powerful merchant house 
  of Nabastis. A rival merchant house arranged 
  for his father to be assassinated, and the young 
  son was accused of the misdeed. Facing cor-
  rupt and bribed court officials and city guards, 
  the rightful heir was forced to flee with one of 
  his father’s vessels. With his loyal crew, Yajal 
  took up a life of piracy, targeting the vessels of 
  the rival merchant house.
  As the years went by with little success, 
  however, Yajal’s heart turned black and he 
  began to prey on other, less well-defended 
  ships. There are few of his original crew left, 
  most having been killed and replaced with 
  true pirates from the Isles of the Sea Reavers. 
  His mind and memories (but not his fighting 
  ability) clouded by strong drink, the pirate 
  captain has now all but forgotten his original 
  mission, but if he was somehow reminded of 
  his past and given a chance to strike against 
  his old enemies, Yajal could perhaps yet gain 
  his rightful revenge.
  Tactics: Yajal wields his massive scimitar 
  with both hands, dealing death to left and right 
  with Power Attacks.
  Crew of the Barracuda, male Khoran 
  Bbn2/Rog1 (60): CR 3; hp 20; see Area 5 of 
  the Harpy’s Breath Tavern.
  Claws from the Abyss
  The night that the vessel carrying the 
  PCs comes within 30 miles of the island of 
  Namthu, a horde of bloated ones attack by 
  climbing the ship’s sides. They can sense the 
  presence of the Horn of Bhaomog, and the 
  voice of their god within. After dealing with 
  any guards on deck (which may include the 
  PCs), they concentrate their attacks on who-
  ever carries the horn.
  Throughout the encounter, a heavy storm 
  batters the ship. The rain and waves washing 
  over the deck reduces visibility to half normal 
  (assume starlight conditions). Spellcasting 
  requires a Concentration check (DC 10 below-
  decks, DC 15 on deck). Each round, there is a 
  20% chance that a big wave crashes into the 
  side of the ship, and everyone must make a 
  Balance check (DC 17) or be knocked prone.
  
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  Bloated Ones, the Accursed Servants 
  of Bhaomog, male Ikuna Bbn2 (20+): CR 
  4; SZ M Aberration; HD 2d12+7; hp 22; Init 
  +0 (+0 Dex); Spd 30 ft. (-10 bloated one, +10 
  Fast Movement), swim 40 ft.; AC 14 (+0 Dex, 
  +4 natural), touch 10 (+0 Dex), flat-footed 14 
  (+4 natural); BAB/Grapple +2/+10; Atk +7 
  melee (1d6+4, Ikuna knife, 20/x4) or +7 melee 
  (1d6+4, claw); SA +1 racial bonus to attack 
  rolls with Ikuna knifes and clubs, natural at-
  tack with filed teeth (deals 1d4 lethal damage 
  when grappling), Rage 1/day, Improved Grab, 
  Kiss of the Deep (Fort DC 13), Stench (Fort 
  DC 13); SQ +2 racial bonus to Hide and Swim 
  skills, Scent, Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Un-
  canny Dodge, Longevity, Resistant to Blows, 
  Restricted Movement, Water Dependent; AL 
  N; SV Fort +7, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 18, Dex 10, 
  Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +9, Jump +9, Listen +6, Surviv-
  al +6, Swim +17. Feats: Cannibalize (b), Great 
  Fortitude, Improved Grapple (b), Toughness, 
  Weapon Focus (claw) (b).
  Languages: Ikuna.
  Possessions: Rust-covered Ikuna knife.
  Description: Bloated ones resemble corpses 
  that have been soaked in water for days or 
  weeks. Their putrid bodies are covered with 
  the slime of the sea, and they exude a nauseat-
  ing stench.
  Tactics: The bloated ones try to grab oppo-
  nents and throw them overboard, where more 
  of their brethren await, or they may just use 
  their Kiss of the Deep ability to drown held op-
  ponents. They are after the Horn of Bhaomog; 
  the bloated ones can sense who carries it, and 
  concentrate their attacks on him or her.
  The Island of Namthu
  The island of Namthu rises majestically 
  above the azure ocean that surrounds it. 
  Namthu is ringed on all sides by jagged, 
  vegetation-covered steep hills (Climb DC 25) 
  which are, on average, more than 200 feet 
  tall. The highest peak on the island, located 
  to the west, is 300 feet tall. The island itself 
  measures 4 by 3 miles, and the huge lagoon is 
  approximately 2 miles by 1,5 miles across. The 
  water in the lagoon is murky but calm (Swim 
  DC 10). The lagoon is more than 400 feet deep 
  in places; the earthquake-shattered ruins of 
  the Namthuan civilization rests somewhere on 
  the bottom, haunted by bloated ones and other 
  terrors of the deep.
  The only entrance to the lagoon is to the east, 
  through an area of broken cliffs and crashing 
  waves (Swim DC 15). The water there is too 
  shallow for large vessels to cross, so smaller 
  rowing-boats must be used to enter the lagoon. 
  A successful Profession (sailor) check (DC 15) 
  is required to keep a boat away from the cliffs. 
  If this check is failed, the boat is hurled against 
  the cliffs (but not destroyed), and everyone 
  aboard must make a Reflex save (DC 15) to 
  stay in the boat; failure means they fall into 
  the water.
  There is a small isle to the south of the main 
  island, which is jungle-covered and teeming 
  with thousands of centipede swarms, as well as 
  large and huge monstrous centipedes. The Isle 
  of Worms has never been inhabited. If anyone 
  were to brave the plague of centipedes, they 
  would find that barafa-grapes (see the Equip-
  ment chapter) grow plentiful here.
  
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  The Secret of the Lagoon
  The temple of the ancient Namthuans is 
  located against the hillside on the eastern 
  shore of the lagoon. Due to earthquakes, the 
  rock upon which the temple stands has sunken 
  several feet, so that during high tide, the outer 
  temple is flooded with water. High and low 
  tide occurs twice each day, with approximately 
  six hours between a high tide and a low tide.
  Unless the player characters wait until a 
  specific time, determine randomly (using 
  1d12) the time of day when the PCs arrive in 
  the lagoon, and whether it is high or low tide. 
  During the high tide, the temple is completely 
  hidden below water. If the PCs arrive during 
  the high tide, they probably start to explore 
  other parts of the island first. When the water 
  level sinks, the temple is revealed. Refer to the 
  following chart:
  Hour 
  Tide 
  Water Level 
   
   
  (Outer Temple)
  0,5 
   
  Chest-high
  1 
   
  Waist-high
  2 
   
  Knee-high
  3 
  Low 
  Shallow pools of water on floor
  4 
   
  Knee-high
  5 
   
  Waist-high
  5,5 
   
  Chest-high
  6 
  High 
  Completely flooded
  6,5 
   
  Chest-high
  7 
   
  Waist-high
  8 
   
  Knee-high
  9 
  Low 
  Shallow pools of water on floor
  10 
   
  Knee-high
  11 
   
  Waist-high
  11,5 
   
  Chest-high
  12 
  High 
  Completely flooded
  Make a note of the time when the PCs enter 
  the temple. They have up to six hours before 
  the temple is re-flooded. Be careful to track 
  how much time the PCs spend searching, 
  studying walls, opening locks, breaking down 
  doors, removing rubble, loading and carrying 
  treasure, etc. Combats usually only last less 
  than a minute each, but if the player charac-
  ters stop to use the Heal skill, several minutes 
  will pass each time. Consult the core rulebooks 
  for the effects of moving and fighting in water.
  Development: When the Water Dragon ar-
  rives at the island, the captain sends the player 
  characters, along with Rashat the first mate 
  and Sarru the ship doctor and several crew 
  members, into the lagoon in two rowboats. 
  Eventually, the tide recedes and reveals the 
  temple. Unless the PCs venture into the temple 
  on their own initiative, Sarru insists that the 
  landing-party should explore it.  Blowing the 
  Horn of Bhaomog has no effect at this time, 
  except to summon more bloated ones, who at-
  tempt to snatch the conch shell from whoever 
  holds it.
  The Ghosts of the Eyrie
  A 300-feet tall mountain peak rises from the 
  western hills of the island, overlooking the 
  lagoon. On the north side of the peak is a cave 
  which is the lair of a flock of giant, flesh-eating 
  birds. The birds can be seen, circling around 
  the peak, from the beach area with a successful 
  Spot check (DC 15). It requires a long series 
  of Climb checks (DC 20) to reach the top. The 
  hillsides are strewn with clean-picked human 
  and animal bones (although the human bones 
  are obviously very old).
  Priests loyal to Pathag Thuul pursued the 
  slayers of the high priest, but were defeated 
  and slain on the beach as earthquakes wracked 
  the island. The huge birds which nested atop 
  the mountain snatched up the corpses of the 
  priests and flew them to their eyrie, where 
  they picked their bones clean. Even now, the 
  innermost grotto of the eyrie is haunted by the 
  ghosts of these priests; they cannot rest until 
  their bones receive a proper burial. The birds 
  shun the inner caves, of course.
  Outside the caves is a great ledge, strewn 
  with bones, feathers, and bird droppings. The 
  Namthu-birds drop any victims they have 
  snatched up elsewhere onto the ledge, where 
  the victim is beset by the flock, including the 
  young.
  The cave entrance leads to a tunnel that splits 
  up into two tunnels. The northern tunnel leads 
  to a series of small caves, where the birds keep 
  their young and their eggs.
  The southern tunnel leads to a big grotto, 
  now abandoned by the birds because it is 
  haunted by several ghosts. The ghosts cannot 
  leave the grotto, but can retreat into the walls 
  and hide there. The ghosts cannot rest before 
  they receive a proper burial. The clean-picked 
  bones of three human skeletons are scattered 
  across the cavern floor. Among the bones 
  (Search DC 15) is the following valuables: A 
  buckle adorned with lapis lazuli (worth 75 
  gp), 42 ancient gold coins, and a masterwork 
  curved dagger. The final item is a fist-size glass 
  orb filled with milky-white smoke. The orb 
  is far more sturdy than it looks (hardness 10, 
  hp 30), but if it is smashed against the wall 
  of force in the temple (see Area 8), is breaks 
  easily and shatters the wall as well, ending the 
  spell.
  Giant Flesh-Eating Birds of Namthu 
  (12): CR 4; SZ L Magical Beast; HD 4d10+4; 
  hp 26; Init +3; Spd 10 ft., fly 80 ft.; AC 15 
  (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-
  footed 12; BAB/Grapple +4/+12; Atk +7 melee 
  (1d6+4, claw); Full Atk +7/+7 melee (1d6+4, 
  claw) and +2 melee (1d8+2, bite); Space/
  Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Frightful Presence, Im-
  proved Grab; SQ Low-Light Vision, Evasion; 
  AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 
  17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.
  Skills: Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +6, 
  Sense Motive +4, Spot +15, Survival +3. Feats: 
  Alertness, Flyby Attack.
  
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  Tactics: Giant Flesh-Eating Birds of Namthu 
  typically attack from great heights, diving 
  earthward at tremendous speed. When they 
  cannot dive, they uses their powerful talons 
  and slashing beaks to strike at the heads and 
  eyes of targets. The birds fight to the death to 
  defend their young in the eyrie.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): A Giant Flesh-Eat-
  ing Bird of Namthu can unsettle foes with its 
  mere presence. The ability takes effect auto-
  matically when the bird appears, and affects 
  opponents within 30 feet with fewer Hit Dice 
  or levels than the bird has. Creatures that fail 
  a Will save (DC 12) become shaken for 5d6 
  rounds. An opponent that succeeds on the sav-
  ing throw is immune to the frightful presence 
  of the same creature type for 24 hours. The 
  save DC is Charisma-based.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the 
  bird must hit a creature of medium-size or 
  smaller with a claw attack. It can then attempt 
  to start a grapple as a free action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If the bird 
  gets a hold, it may fly away with the victim.
  Evasion (Ex): With a successful Reflex save 
  against an attack that allows a Reflex save 
  for half damage, a Giant Flesh-Eating Bird of 
  Namthu takes no damage.
  Skills: Giant Flesh-Eating Birds of Namthu 
  have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.
  Ghosts of Slain Namthuan Priests 
  (spectres, 3): CR 7; hp 45. Note: These crea-
  tures lack the Create Spawn ability of common 
  spectres. They cannot leave the cave, but they 
  can withdraw into the walls if “cornered”.
  The Temple of Bhaomog 
  (Outer Level)
  When the water level recedes during low 
  tide, the cyclopean temple of the Namthuans 
  appears from out of the lagoon. Its mas-
  sive, slime-glistening walls are covered with 
  seaweed, algae and corals, and a variety of 
  creatures such as snails and starfish crawl 
  across its surface.
  1. Pier and Temple Entrance 
  A 100-feet long pier extends from the temple 
  entrance and into the lagoon. The pier was 
  used as a dock for the boats of the Namthuans 
  when the priests and their servants ap-
  proached the temple.
  The temple entrance has no doors, just a 
  huge gaping hole that leads into the darkness 
  inside. Around the entrance are piles of stones 
  that have fallen off the main structure during 
  the earthquakes that shook the temple centu-
  ries ago.
  2. Immense Hall
  This great hall branches off to several lesser 
  chambers along its sides. Straight ahead are 
  chambers devoted to the worship of Bhaomog 
  (see Areas 9 and 14), but entrance to these 
  areas is blocked by an invisible force wall (see 
  Area 8).
  The walls of the hall, like the building out-
  side, is covered with corals and seaweed. The 
  vast room smells of stagnant water and dead 
  fish.
  Since the hall is regularly flooded with water, 
  several marine creatures can potentially be 
  washed into this area and the adjacent rooms. 
  Check every 30 minutes using the following 
  table (this table can also be used for random 
  encounters in the lagoon itself):
  Roll 
  Encounter
  1-2 
  Bloated ones (2-5)
  3 
  Giant clam (ToH)
  4 
  Giant moray eel (ToH)
  5 
  Water snake (large viper)
  6 
  Large stingray (ToH 2)
  7 
  Large shark
  8 
  Giant octopus
  9 
  Monstrous crabs (2-12) (ToH)
  10 
  Monstrous jellyfish (2-5) (ToH)
  11 
  Kelp devil (ToH)
  12 
  Large barracudas (2-5) (ToH)
  3. Side Chamber
  This small chamber is filled with broken 
  pottery. Murals on the walls show the temple 
  being constructed by the early Namthuans. 
  Golden treasures are shown heaped upon 
  altars glistening with seawater and slime. One 
  disturbing image shows a priest blowing a 
  conch shell to call a tentacled monstrosity out 
  of the depths of the lagoon.
  4. Lair of the Bloated Ones
  This large room is the dwelling-place for two 
  dozen bloated ones, once-human abomina-
  tions created by the Namthuan priests using 
  a spell learned from Bhaomog, the god of the 
  deep. These creatures seek to free Bhaomog, 
  but cannot penetrate the wall of force (see 
  Area 8) that keeps them out of the inner areas 
  of the temple. The bloated ones haunt the 
  temple and the lagoon. They attack anyone en-
  tering the temple. If a player character or NPC 
  carries the Horn of Bhaomog, all bloated ones 
  The Temple of Bhaomog
  Standard Features: Unless noted 
  otherwise, all doors are stone doors (4 in. 
  thick; Hardness 8; hp 60; Break DC 28; 
  Open Lock DC 25 if described as locked). 
  Refer to the sidebar for the effects of mov-
  ing around and fighting in the flooded 
  temple.
  Lighting: The temple is unlit.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  concentrate their attacks on this character, at-
  tempting to snatch the conch shell from him or 
  her and use it to awaken their sleeping master.
  Bloated Ones, Aquatic Servitors of 
  Bhaomog (24): CR 4; hp 22; see “Claws 
  from the Abyss”, above.
  5. Chamber
  The entrance to this room and the chambers 
  beyond (Areas 6 and 7) is blocked by a large 
  pile of stones, as the walls here have partly 
  collapsed. The amount of loose stone that fills 
  a 5-foot-by-5-foot area weighs one ton (2,000 
  pounds). In 1 minute, using only his hands, a 
  character can clear rocks and debris equal to 
  five times his heavy load limit. Armed with an 
  appropriate tool, such as a pick, crowbar, or 
  shovel, a digger can clear loose stone twice as 
  quickly as by hand.
  6. The Golden Siren of Death
  A life-sized golden statue, with the voluptous 
  upper body of a woman and the lower body 
  of a serpent, stands against the far wall of 
  this small shrine. The statue is very valuable 
  (worth 4,000 gp), but carries a terrible curse: 
  Anyone touching the statue must make a Will 
  saving throw (DC 20) or succumb to a tele-
  pathic, seductive voice that orders the victim 
  to slay all his companions and then drown 
  himself in the nearest pool of water.
  7. Chamber With Wall-Scrawl
  Used by lesser priests in ancient times, this 
  room contains a scattering of stone utensils 
  decorated with red and black paint. The wall 
  to the north is covered with a crude mural that 
  has been carved into the stone with a dagger. 
  The mural depicts the high priest of the temple 
  being stabbed to death by traitorous acolytes; 
  the temple being sealed by the spells of the dy-
  ing high priest; the traitors killing more loyal 
  priests and fleeing from the island with much 
  stolen treasure; and the bodies of several 
  dead priests being carried by huge birds to the 
  island’s highest mountain peak.
  The skeletal remains of the priest who etched 
  the mural onto the wall before he died rest in a 
  heap on the floor. Among the bones is a bronze 
  necklace (worth 75 gp) and a worn knife, blunt 
  from its use on the wall.
  8. Wall of Force
  The entry to the hall beyond is sealed with 
  a wall of force. Curiously, the force wall does 
  not stop water from flowing though, but it 
  stops solid objects. This allows the bloated 
  ones imprisoned in the inner temple to sur-
  vive, since they get soaked in water during 
  every high tide.
  The wall was raised by the spells of the 
  Namthuan priests and, in addition to the 
  normal ways of dispelling it, can be broken by 
  destroying a white orb that the priests used as 
  a focus for the permanent spell. The priest who 
  held the orb was slain, and his corpse later 
  taken by the flesh-eating birds to their eyrie 
  (see “The Ghosts of the Eyrie”, above). The 
  bloated ones in the temple and lagoon seek to 
  dispel the force wall, but are unable to retrieve 
  the orb, for they cannot be out of the water for 
  long. Besides, the bloated ones are not good 
  climbers, and the Namthu-birds would easily 
  pick them off as they climbed the mountain-
  side.
  
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  Development: Unless the PCs have some 
  spell that can dispel the force wall, they must 
  climb the peaks to get to the cave and retrieve 
  the orb that acts as a focus for the permanent 
  wall of force. Clues to the logic behind this can 
  be found on the murals in the temple (see Area 
  7). If the player characters don’t figure this out 
  (allowing them an Intelligence check at DC 
  15), Dar-Tiglat probably will.
  9. Tentacled Idol
  A huge and monstrous idol dominates this 
  great hall. The idol is crafted from dark green 
  stone, perhaps jade, and resembles a cross 
  between a giant insect and a squid with de-
  monic features. This is a statue of Bhaomog, of 
  course. It is so expertly crafted and so lifelike 
  that anyone seeing it for the first time must 
  make a Will save (DC 17) or become shaken for 
  1 minute.
  10. Altar of the Sea-Gods
  This small shrine adjacent to the huge green 
  stone idol of Bhaomog has a great altar placed 
  against the northern wall. There is a secret 
  compartment within the altar (Search DC 30) 
  that contains a silver box filled with 101 perfect 
  white pearls (worth 5,000 gp), and a scroll of 
  control water and nightmare (caster level 12).
  However, anyone approaching the altar 
  without uttering certain arcane phrases sacred 
  to Bhaomog triggers a black tentacles spell 
  (caster level 10) which covers the entire room 
  with rubbery tentacles that attempt to grab 
  and crush the interlopers.
  11. Preparation Chamber
  Ancient bronze bowls and other priestly ves-
  sels, green and blue with verdigris, are scat-
  tered in this room, once used by the acolytes of 
  the temple for various ceremonial purposes.
  12. Antechamber
  All furniture in this small room has long 
  since rotted away, leaving an empty room with 
  bare walls.
  13. High Priest’s Chamber
  Once the richly appointed sanctum of Pathag 
  Thuul, the high priest of the Namthuans, this 
  chamber is now filled with rubble. Among the 
  floating debris (Search DC 25) is a set of three 
  lapis lazuli cylinder seals (worth 50 gp each) 
  indicating Pathag Thuul’s position, a small 
  iron shield (worth 160 gp), and half a dozen 
  clay figurines of various aquatic creatures, 
  each of which can be broken in two to sum-
  mon a creature of the appropriate type in any 
  water-covered area (use the random encounter 
  table in Area 2 to determine creature type, 
  but note that the summoner does not gain any 
  kind of control over the summoned creature).
  14. The Pool of Bhaomog
  This vast pit is filled with murky water 
  even at low tide. The pit is ringed by stone, a 
  circular wall 3 feet tall. The pit leads down 110 
  feet to the collapsed underwater cave where 
  Bhaomog sleeps and dreams and whispers to 
  the minds of weak-willed men who heed the 
  call from the abyss.
  Bhaomog used to come into the temple 
  through underwater tunnels beneath the tem-
  ple building and surface in this pool, receiving 
  the adorations of his priests as well as his due 
  offerings and sacrifices. The earthquakes that 
  shook Namthu during the failed ritual when 
  Pathag Thuul was killed sealed the tunnels 
  and even the horde of bloated ones lacks the 
  strength to excavate them.
  If the Horn of Bhaomog is blown 3 times in 
  the temple, in the inner temple beyond the 
  wall of force area, Bhaomog is awakened from 
  his slumber. It takes him 1d3 x 10 minutes 
  to excavate the rubble and fallen stones that 
  imprison him at the bottom of the pit.
  Development: If Bhaomog awakens, he 
  waits for the high tide to flood the temple so 
  that he can swim out and into the lagoon and 
  beyond. If this abomination of the deep detects 
  intruders in the temple, he attempts to grab 
  them with his far-reaching tentacles and drag 
  them to their deaths in the depths of the pit.
  The trashing of Bhaomog’s tentacles may 
  cause great pieces of stone to fall from the 
  walls and the ceiling. Creatures caught un-
  derneath the falling rocks suffer 4d6 points 
  of damage (Reflex DC 17 for half damage). A 
  failed save means a creature is stuck under-
  neath the crushing weight of the rock and 
  must make a Strength check (DC 18) to break 
  free.
  Bhaomog, the Sleeper in the Abyss, 
  Ancient God of the Namthuans: CR 
  12; SZ G Magical Beast; HD 20d10+180; hp 
  290; Init +4; Spd swim 20 ft.; AC 20 (-4 size, 
  +14 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 20; BAB/
  Grapple +20/+44; Atk +28 melee (2d8+12, 
  tentacle, 19-20/x2); Full Atk +28/+28 
  melee (2d8+12, tentacle, 19-20/x2) and 
  +23/+23/+23/+23/+23/+23 melee (1d6+6, 
  arms) and +23 melee (4d6+6, bite); Space/
  Reach 20 ft./15 ft. (60 ft. with tentacle, 30 
  ft. with arm); SA Improved Grab, Constrict 
  (2d8+12 or 1d6+6), Enslavement; SQ Darkvi-
  sion (60 ft.), Ink Cloud, Jet, Low-Light Vision, 
  Spell-like Abilities; AL CE; SV Fort +21, Ref 
  +12, Will +13; Str 34, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 21, 
  Wis 20, Cha 20.
  Skills: Concentration +21, Diplomacy +7, 
  Hide +0, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (geog-
  raphy) +17, Knowledge (nature) +16, Listen 
  +30, Search +28, Sense Motive +17, Spot +30, 
  Survival +5 (+7 following tracks), Swim +20, 
  Use Magic Device +16. Feats: Alertness, Blind-
  Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved Critical 
  (tentacle), Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, 
  Iron Will.
  
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  Tactics: Bhaomog strikes his opponents with 
  his barbed tentacles, then grabs and crushes 
  with his arms, or drags victims into his huge 
  jaws. An opponent can make sunder attempts 
  against Bhaomog’s tentacles or arms as if they 
  were weapons. Bhaomog’s tentacles have 20 
  hit points, and his arms have 10 hit points. If 
  Bhaomog is currently grappling a target with 
  one tentacle or arm, he usually uses another 
  limb to make his attack of opportunity against 
  the sunder attempt. Severing Bhaomog’s ten-
  tacle or arm deals damage to Bhaomog equal 
  to half the limb’s full normal hit points. Bhao-
  mog usually withdraws from combat if he loses 
  both tentacles or three of its arms. Bhaomog 
  regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, 
  Bhaomog must hit with an arm or tentacle 
  attack. He can then attempt to start a grapple 
  as a free action without provoking an attack of 
  opportunity. If he wins the grapple check, he 
  establishes a hold and can constrict.
  Constrict (Ex): Bhaomog deals automatic 
  arm or tentacle damage with a successful 
  grapple check.
  Enslavement (Su): Three times per day, 
  Bhaomog can attempt to enslave any one 
  living creature within 30 feet. The target 
  must succeed on a Will save (DC 25) or be 
  affected as though by a dominate person spell 
  (caster level 20th). An enslaved creature obeys 
  Bhaomog’s telepathic commands until freed 
  by remove curse, and can attempt a new Will 
  save every 24 hours to break free. The con-
  trol is also broken if Bhaomog dies or travels 
  more than 1 mile from its slave. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based.
  Jet (Ex): Bhaomog can jet backward once 
  per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 
  280 feet. He must move in a straight line, but 
  does not provoke attacks of opportunity while 
  jetting.
  Ink Cloud (Ex): Bhaomog can emit a cloud 
  of jet-black ink in an 80-foot spread once per 
  minute as a free action. The cloud provides 
  total concealment, which Bhaomog normally 
  uses to escape a fight that is going badly. Crea-
  tures within the cloud are considered to be in 
  darkness.
  Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day — control weath-
  er, control winds, dominate animal (DC 18), 
  nightmare (DC 20). Caster level 9th. The save 
  DC is Charisma-based.
  Skills: Bhaomog has a +8 racial bonus on any 
  Swim check to perform some special action 
  or avoid a hazard. He can always choose to 
  take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or 
  endangered. He can use the run action while 
  swimming, provided he swims in a straight 
  line.
  15. Chamber of Skulls
  This room contains hundreds of human 
  skulls, heaped in a crude pyramid, stained 
  by red algae and green sea slime. They are 
  the remains of sacrificial victims who were 
  not deemed worthy to be fed to Bhaomog or 
  turned into bloated ones.
  16. Corridor and Stairs to Hillside Temple
  The tunnel leads into the mountain and the 
  inner level of the temple.
  The Temple of Bhaomog 
  (Inner Level)
  This part of the temple has been carved out 
  of the bedrock of the steep hillside against 
  which the outer temple stands. Even at low 
  tide, some parts of the inner temple (Areas 3 
  and 4) remain submerged. Due to its location 
  at the top of several flights of stairs, the outer 
  sanctum (Area 5) and beyond is never sub-
  merged, not even during high tide.
  1. Antechamber
  The corridor from the outer temple (see Area 
  16 of the outer temple) ends in this square, 
  nondescript chamber.
  2. Square Hall With Statues
  The ceiling of this great hall appears upheld 
  by four huge, squat statues of humanoids 
  whose hands push against the ceiling. The 
  gigantic statues are carved in black stone and 
  have the features of bloated ones. The room 
  reeks of rotten seaweed and dead fish.
  3. South Wing
  A narrow staircase leads down to a chamber 
  which is always submerged in water, even at 
  low tide. The water is murky and stagnant. 
  Those who dive into it find several items of 
  treasure in the flooded storage magazines 
  here, including a bronze scimitar (worth 25 
  gp) and copper visored helm (worth 30 gp), a 
  bronze breastplate decorated with gold (worth 
  250 gp), three small horse figurines in silver 
  (worth 40 gp each), a pile of ancient gold coins 
  (a total of 613 gp), and an iron medallion in 
  the shape of a spider (worth 35 gp).
  However, in the water is also a swarm of 
  Namthuan spinal leeches. These vermin ap-
  pear as 3-inch long transparent leeches. They 
  attach to their prey and drain spinal fluid, 
  thereby inducing paralysis in the victim. When 
  first encountered, a Spot check (DC 15) can 
  be made to avoid them entirely. If this check 
  is failed, the spinal leeches go unnoticed and 
  crawl onto their victim, moving quickly to its 
  spine. A spinal leech needs only a single round 
  to reach its destination. If the target is wearing 
  medium armor, an additional round is added 
  to the time as the leech finds a way underneath 
  its host’s armor; two rounds are added if the 
  victim is wearing heavy armor.
  
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  When a leech attaches itself, the victim may 
  attempt a Wisdom check (DC 15). If success-
  ful, he feels a strange sensation run down his 
  spine; otherwise, the spinal leech’s bite goes 
  unnoticed.
  Each round thereafter, a Fortitude save (DC 
  17) must be made or the victim takes 1d6 
  points of Dexterity damage. At Dexterity 0, the 
  victim is paralyzed until his Dexterity score is 
  brought to 1.
  The application of fire instantly kills all 
  leeches. They can also be pulled from a host 
  with no ill effects.
  4. North Wing
  Like the south wing (Area 3), this chamber 
  is always submerged. A group of bloated ones 
  lair here. They hide underwater and attempt 
  to attack with surprise, grabbing victims and 
  pulling them underwater to drown them in the 
  murky water.
  Bloated Ones (5): See Area 4 of the outer 
  temple.
  5. Outer Sanctum
  On the floor of this large sanctum are four 
  square pools filled with murky water. Painted 
  images on the walls portray rituals wherein 
  captives are offered up as sacrifice to a ten-
  tacled monster (Bhaomog, of course) and 
  turned into bloated ones, aquatic servitors of 
  the monstrous god.
  Between the pools, in the center of the cham-
  ber, stands a pedestal of stone that holds an 
  iron-bound book. This is a spellbook that con-
  tains the spell used to transform humans into 
  bloated ones. If the book is disturbed, opened 
  or removed, its invisible guardian-elemental is 
  instantly summoned and attacks.
  The Guardian of the Sanctum (invis-
  ible stalker): CR 7; hp 52.
  Development: If Dar-Tiglat is with the 
  PCs, he lets them spring any traps the iron-
  bound book might have. If the invisible stalker 
  attacks one of the PCs, the priest uses this 
  opportunity to betray the player characters, 
  ordering his men to attack the other PCs. If 
  possible, Dar-Tiglat tries to capture the PCs 
  in order to turn them into bloated ones under 
  his command, but his first priority is to get the 
  spellbook, as well as the Horn of Bhaomog, 
  from the PCs. If the gets the chance, Dar-Tiglat 
  blows the horn to awaken Bhaomog, but to the 
  priest’s great surprise, wielding the horn does 
  not give him any sort of control over or favor 
  with the monstrous god of the deep.
  6. Inner Sanctum
  The marble floor of this inner sanctum is 
  inscribed with a symbol of death spell that 
  protects the treasure in the chambers beyond. 
  The symbol is 15 feet in diameter and placed in 
  front of the door to the central treasure cham-
  ber (Area 9), although its burst effect easily 
  covers the entire room. The symbol appears 
  as a green and gold mosaic of a great octopus. 
  The senior priests of Namthu were attuned to 
  the symbol when it was created, and thus did 
  not suffer any ill effects from it.
  7. South Treasure Chamber
  This locked room is stacked with hundreds 
  of painted amphorae, clay jars and copper 
  vessels. However, the exotic wines and strange 
  oils that are contained within these containers 
  have become spoiled after centuries of storage.
  8. North Treasure Chamber
  Similar to the south treasure chamber (Area 
  7), this room is locked. It once held large 
  crates of animal furs and bales of exotic cloth 
  from far-away lands, but only tatters of these 
  decayed treasures now remain here.
  9. Central Treasure Chamber
  The door to this room is arcane locked (cast-
  er level 14). The treasury beyond is filled with 
  golden bowls and gem-studded drinking-cups, 
  chests with gems and coins, a chariot adorned 
  with golden lion heads, heaps of pearls and 
  opals, and an abundance of silver, lapis lazuli 
  and golden rings and bracelets (the whole col-
  lection is worth in excess of 75,000 gp).
  Any character who finds this great treasure 
  must make a Will saving throw (DC 17) or 
  become fascinated for 2d6 rounds by the glit-
  tering treasure hoard, doing nothing except 
  staring at the gleaming riches. If the saving 
  New Spell: Create Bloated One
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor 6
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 hour
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Target: One humanoid creature
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  Also known as An Offering to the Abyss, 
  this spell transforms a helpless victim into 
  a bloated one, an abominable aquatic crea-
  ture which is forced to serve the creator, 
  or whoever the creator appoints as the crea-
  ture’s master.
  The victim is plunged into a watery pit 
  while the spell is being cast, but instead of 
  drowning, the creature emerges from the 
  pit as a Bloated One (see the template of 
  the same name).
  Material Component: A flawless pearl 
  from the depths of the ocean (worth at least 
  500 gp), which is forced down the victim’s 
  throat during the casting.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  throw is failed by 5 or more, the character 
  becomes obsessed with the treasure, claim-
  ing all of it as his own and doing everything in 
  his power to secure and appraise the treasure 
  for 1 hour, after which a new saving throw is 
  allowed to shake off the effect. Such treasure-
  obsessed characters may easily come to blows 
  with other characters if they insist on sharing 
  the treasure.
  Conclusion
  Multiple developments are possible once 
  the PCs reach the Isle of Namthu. Can they 
  retrieve the ancient treasures without awaken-
  ing Bhaomog? Or will Dar-Tiglat’s meddling 
  unleash a monster which spells doom for all? 
  A three- or four-way battle could easily be 
  fought on the island, between the PCs, Dar-
  Tiglat and his cultists, Gallas and his sailors, 
  and the bloated ones who serve Bhaomog.
  Then there is the matter of Yajal and his 
  pirates, who have followed the Water Dragon 
  to the isle. If the PCs have not encountered 
  the pirates earlier, they may emerge from the 
  lagoon only to find the Water Dragon attacked, 
  and perhaps burned, by the captain of the Bar-
  racuda.
  And back in Ghazor there is the powerful 
  high priest of Yammosh, Uktha-Akkar (male 
  Ghazorite Sor14), who may take an interest in 
  the player characters if they return with the 
  sunken treasures of Namthu. Perhaps he even 
  has his own spies among the crew-cultists who 
  serve Dar-Tiglat.
  If the PCs fail: Dar-Tiglat prefers to cap-
  ture the PCs alive, in order to turn them into 
  bloated ones. Bhaomog himself crushes any-
  one standing in his path unless they surrender, 
  either willingly or through his enslavement 
  ability. No vessel is safe as the awakened god 
  seeks to restore his sea-empire.
  If the PCs are defeated by Yajal and the Sea 
  Reavers, the pirates will try to ransom them, if 
  possible, instead of killing the player charac-
  ters outright.
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
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  Appendix A: New Monsters
  Bloated One (Template)
  Bloated One is an acquired template that 
  can be added to any living humanoid creature 
  (hereafter referred to as the base creature). 
  The template is applied to creatures who are 
  subject to the Create Bloated One spell.
  A bloated one uses all the base creature’s 
  statistics and special abilities except as noted 
  here.
  Size and Type: The creature’s type changes 
  to Aberration. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, 
  base attack bonus, or saves.
  Speed: As the base creature minus 10 feet, 
  to a minimum of 10 feet or the base creature’s 
  original speed (whichever is lower). The 
  bloated one also gains a swim speed at the 
  base creature’s original speed.
  Armor Class: The base creature’s natural 
  armor bonus improves by +4.
  Attack: A bloated one retains all the attacks 
  of the base creature and also gains a claw at-
  tack if it didn’t already have one (damage 1d6 
  for Medium-sized creatures). If the base crea-
  ture can use weapons, the bloated one retains 
  this ability.
  Special Attacks: A bloated one has all the 
  special attacks of the base creature, plus the 
  following special attacks.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this abil-
  ity, the bloated one must hit a creature of its 
  own size or smaller with a claw attack. It can 
  then attempt to start a grapple as a free action 
  without provoking an attack of opportunity. If 
  it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold 
  and can use its Kiss of the Deep ability.
  Kiss of the Deep (Ex): The bloated one 
  can fill a held victim’s lungs with water, caus-
  ing drowning unless a Fortitude save is made. 
  If the saving throw is failed, the victim starts to 
  drown. In the first round, he falls unconscious 
  (0 hp). In the following round, he drops to -1 
  hit points and is dying. In the third round, he 
  drowns. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Stench (Ex): When a bloated one is on 
  land, its putrid, slime-dripping body emits a 
  nauseating stench. All living creatures (except 
  other bloated ones) within 30 feet of a bloated 
  one must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 
  + half the bloated one’s Hit Dice + bloated 
  one’s Constitution modifier) or be sickened 
  for 10 rounds. Creatures that successfully save 
  cannot be affected by the same bloated one’s 
  stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutral-
  ize poison spell removes the effect from the 
  sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to 
  poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant 
  to poison receive their normal bonus on their 
  saving throws.
  Special Qualities: A bloated one has all the 
  special qualities of the base creature, plus the 
  following special qualities.
  Longevity (Ex): Bloated ones can live for 
  hundreds of years as long as they remain in 
  periodic contact with water.
  Resistant to Blows (Ex): The bloated 
  one takes only half damage from bludgeoning 
  attacks.
  Restricted Movement (Ex): The bloated 
  one can never travel more than 30 miles away 
  from the area in which it was created.
  Water Dependent (Ex): A bloated one can 
  survive out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points 
  of Constitution (after that, refer to the drown-
  ing rules).
  Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as 
  follows: Str +6, Dex -4, Con +4.
  Skills: Bloated ones have a +8 racial bonus 
  on Swim checks. Otherwise same as the base 
  creature.
  Feats: Bloated ones gain Improved Grapple 
  and Weapon Focus (claw), assuming the base 
  creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t 
  already have these feats.
  Challenge Rating: Same as the base crea-
  ture +2.
  
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  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Corpulent (Template)
  Corpulent is an acquired template that can be 
  added to any living humanoid creature (here-
  after referred to as the base creature).
  A corpulent creature uses all the base crea-
  ture’s statistics and special abilities except as 
  noted here.
  Size and Type: The creature’s type changes 
  to Aberration. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, 
  base attack bonus, or saves. Size increases 
  by one size category (from Medium to Large, 
  from Large to Huge, etc.). Note that this may 
  result in the creature gaining natural reach 
  attacks.
  Speed: As the base creature minus 20 feet, 
  to a minimum of 10 feet or the base creature’s 
  original speed (whichever is lower).
  Special Attacks: A corpulent creature has 
  all the special attacks of the base creature, plus 
  the following special attacks.
  Improved Grapple (Ex): The corpulent 
  creature gains the Improved Grapple feat as a 
  bonus feat.
  Crush (Ex): The corpulent creature deals 
  2d6 (+ Strength bonus) points of lethal dam-
  age with a successful grapple check.
  Special Qualities: A corpulent creature has 
  all the special qualities of the base creature, 
  plus the following special qualities.
  Resistant to Blows (Ex): The corpulent 
  creature takes only half damage from blud-
  geoning attacks.
  Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as 
  follows: Dex -4, Con +4.
  Challenge Rating: Same as the base crea-
  ture +1.
  Devil-Bird of Azimba
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
  Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
  Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 80 ft. (average)
  Armor Class: 17, touch 12, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
  Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+5)
  Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+5) and 2 
  claws +8 melee (1d6+2)
  Space/Reach: 10 ft. /5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Frightful Presence, Mad-
  dening Screech, Poison
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Im-
  proved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Scent
  Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3
  Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 
  12, Cha 11
  Skills: Hide +5, Listen +5, Search +4, Spot 
  +10
  Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Multiattack
  Environment: Temperate and tropical 
  mountains and forests
  Organization: Solitary or flock (2-5)
  Challenge Rating: 5
  Treasure: Standard
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD 
  (Gargantuan)
  The “devil-birds” of Azimba are dire rem-
  nants of a lost age, a cross between flying 
  lizards and giant vampire-bats.
  The devil-birds are said to be the offspring 
  of Jul-Juggah, who is sometimes called “the 
  last of the once-dreaded lizard gods”. The cult 
  of Jul-Juggah knows secret magic spells and 
  rituals that allow the priests to summon and 
  control these creatures. However, the species 
  are close to extinction, and the priests have 
  taken to capturing eggs and trying to cross-
  breed the devil-birds with other species such 
  as vultures and bats.
  The sight of a devil-bird forces a saving throw 
  against its Frightful Presence ability, except 
  to the priests of Jul-Juggah, who are used to 
  the sight of these creatures and often summon 
  them to offer up sacrifices to their god. Victims 
  are typically bound to stone slabs under the 
  open sky to make it easy for the devil-birds to 
  snatch up the sacrifice, or devour it in place.
  Combat
  Devil-birds attack by diving down on tar-
  gets, striking them down with razor-sharp 
  claws while they utter their sanity-shattering 
  screeches. They may also attempt to grab 
  victims and fly away with them, or drop op-
  ponents from great heights.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): A Devil-Bird of Az-
  imba can unsettle foes with its mere presence. 
  The ability takes effect automatically when 
  the devil-bird appears, and affects opponents 
  within 30 feet with fewer Hit Dice or levels 
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  than the devil-bird has. Creatures that fail 
  a Will save (DC 13) become shaken for 5d6 
  rounds. An opponent that succeeds on the sav-
  ing throw is immune to the frightful presence 
  of the same creature type for 24 hours. The 
  save DC is Charisma-based.
  Maddening Screech (Su): Up to 3 times per 
  day as a free action, the devil-bird can utter a 
  screech that causes confusion in all creatures 
  within a 15-foot radius. The effect lasts for 1d6 
  rounds. A successful Will save (DC 14) negates 
  the effect. The save DC is Wisdom-based. 
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, 
  the devil-bird must hit a creature of medium-
  size or smaller with a claw attack. It can then 
  attempt to start a grapple as a free action 
  without provoking an attack of opportunity. If 
  the devil-bird gets a hold, it may fly away with 
  the victim.
  Poison (Ex): The bite of a devil-bird is poi-
  sonous. Creatures hit by the devil-bird’s bite 
  must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or suffer 
  1d4 points of Strength damage. One minuter 
  later, the victim must save again or suffer 2d4 
  points of Strength damage. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based.
  Rahma’s Blessed (Template)
  Rahma’s Blessed is an acquired template that 
  can be added to any living humanoid creature 
  (hereafter referred to as the base creature). 
  The template is applied to those who have 
  been drained to zero Constitution by Rahma’s 
  rotting touch.
  A creature blessed by Rahma uses all the 
  base creature’s statistics and special abilities 
  except as noted here.
  Size and Type: The creature’s size and type 
  does not change. While these creatures might 
  easily be mistaken for undead, they are not, 
  and have none of the weaknesses of undead.
  Special Attacks: A creature blessed by 
  Rahma has all the special attacks of the base 
  creature, plus the following special attacks.
  Stench (Ex): The stink of death and 
  corruption surrounding these creatures is 
  overwhelming. Living creatures within 10 feet 
  must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 
  half creature’s Hit Dice or levels + Charisma 
  modifier) or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A 
  creature that successfully saves cannot be af-
  fected again by the same creature’s stench for 
  24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison 
  spell removes the effect from a sickened crea-
  ture. Creatures with immunity to poison are 
  unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison 
  receive their normal bonus on their saving 
  throws.
  Special Qualities: A creature blessed by 
  Rahma has all the special qualities of the base 
  creature, plus the following special qualities.
  Darkvision (Ex): Range 60 ft.
  Immunities (Ex): Immune to mind-influ-
  encing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stun-
  ning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, 
  subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, 
  or death from massive damage.
  Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as 
  follows: Str +4, Cha +4.
  Challenge Rating: Same as the base crea-
  ture +2.
  
  Page 195
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Spawn of Yot-Kamoth
  Large Aberration
  Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp)
  Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initia-
  tive)
  Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 15 ft.
  Armor Class: 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10
  Attack: By weapon +5 melee or bite +6 
  melee (1d4+1 plus poison)
  Full Attack: By weapon +5 melee and bite 
  +6 melee (1d4+1 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 10 ft. /5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Poison, Web
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., 
  Frightful Presence, Tremorsense 60 ft.
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +8
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 
  16, Cha 16
  Skills: Climb +14, Concentration +9, Hide 
  +10, Listen +9, Move Silently +12, Spot +9
  Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natu-
  ral Armor, Weapon Focus (bite)
  Environment: Any land and underground
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or brood (3-5)
  Challenge Rating: 7
  Treasure: Double standard
  Alignment: Always neutral
  Advancement: By character class
  A Spawn of Yot-Kamoth has the lower body 
  of a large, black-haired tarantula, and a hu-
  man torso extending from where the spider’s 
  head should be.
  These dreadful abominations are born from 
  the union of the temple spiders of Yot-Kamoth 
  and a human female, usually one of the so-
  called temple-virgins that dance and cavort 
  obscenely before the black idols of the spider-
  god of Lamu during sacred rituals.
  The Spawn may be either male or female, 
  though they lack reproductive organs and can-
  not produce offspring themselves.
  Combat
  Poison (Ex): A Spawn of Yot-Kamoth has a 
  poisonous bite (Fort DC 16, initial and second-
  ary damage 1d6 Str/1d6 Str). The save DC is 
  Constitution-based.
  Web (Ex): Spawn of Yot-Kamoth can throw 
  a web eight times per day. This is similar 
  to an attack with a net but has a maximum 
  range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 
  10 feet, and is effective against targets up to 
  one size category larger than the Spawn. An 
  entangled creature can escape with a success-
  ful Escape Artist check (DC 16) or burst it with 
  a Strength check (DC 21). The check DCs are 
  Constitution-based, and the Strength check 
  DC includes a +4 racial bonus.
  Spawn of Yot-Kamoth can create sheets 
  of sticky webbing up to 30 feet square. Ap-
  proaching creatures must succeed on a DC 
  20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they 
  stumble into it and become trapped as though 
  by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape 
  or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the 
  trapped creature has something to walk on or 
  grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section 
  has 12 hit points, and sheet webs have damage 
  reduction 5/—.
  A Spawn of Yot-Kamoth can move across its 
  own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint 
  the location of any creature touching its web.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): A Spawn of Yot-Ka-
  moth can unsettle foes with its mere presence. 
  The ability takes effect automatically when the 
  Spawn appears, and affects opponents within 
  30 feet with fewer Hit Dice or levels than the 
  Spawn has. Creatures that fail a Will save (DC 
  13) become shaken for 5d6 rounds. An op-
  ponent that succeeds on the saving throw is 
  immune to the frightful presence of the same 
  creature type for 24 hours. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based.
  Tremorsense (Ex): A Spawn of Yot-Kamoth 
  can detect and pinpoint any creature or object 
  within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or 
  within any range in contact with the Spawn’s 
  webs.
  Skills: Spawn of Yot-Kamoth have a +4 racial 
  bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial 
  bonus on Climb checks. A Spawn of Yot-
  Kamoth can always choose to take 10 on Climb 
  checks, even if rushed or threatened. Spawn of 
  Yot-Kamoth use either their Strength or Dex-
  terity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is 
  higher. Spawn of Yot-Kamoth have a +8 racial 
  bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when 
  using their webs.
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
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  1XP53383NH6314743
  Appendix B: References 
  and Bibliography
  The following is a sampling of various litera-
  ture that has been inspirational for this author 
  and should be of interest to any DM running a 
  sword and sorcery campaign.
  Reference Works
  Conan: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s 
  Most Savage Barbarian, by Roy Thomas, DK 
  Publishing, 2006.
  Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, by Daniel Harms, 
  Chaosium, 1998.
  Imaginary Worlds, by Lin Carter, Ballantine 
  Books, 1973.
  Works of Fiction
  The Bloody Crown of Conan, by Robert E. 
  Howard, Del Rey, 2003.
  The Coming of Conan the Barbarian, by Rob-
  ert E. Howard, Del Rey, 2003.
  The Conquering Sword of Conan, by Robert 
  E. Howard, Del Rey, 2005.
  The Emperor of Dreams, by Clark Ashton 
  Smith, Gollancz, 2002.
  The House of Cthulhu, by Brian Lumley, Tor, 
  2005.
  Imaro, by Charles Saunders, Daw Books, 
  1981.
  Khai of Ancient Khem, by Brian Lumley, 
  Berkley, 1981.
  Nameless Cults, by Robert E. Howard, Chao-
  sium, 2001.
  Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhaz-
  red, by Donald Tyson, Llewellyn Publications, 
  2005.
  The Scroll of Thoth, by Richard L. Tierney, 
  Chaosium, 1997.
  Thongor and the Wizard of Lemuria, by Lin 
  Carter, Berkley, 1969.
  Gaming Materials
  Ancient Kingdoms: Mesopotamia, by Morten 
  Braten, Necromancer Games, 2004.
  Barbarians of Lemuria: The Sword and 
  Sorcery Role Playing Game of Lin Carter’s 
  Thongor, by Simon Washbourne, 2004.
  Call of Chtulhu d20, by Monte Cook and 
  John Tynes, Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
  City-State of the Invincible Overlord, by Bob 
  Bledsaw and others, Necromancer Games, 
  2004.
  Conan the Roleplaying Game, by Paul Tucker 
  and Ian Sturrock, Mongoose Publishing, 2003.
  Nyambe: African Adventures, by Chris Dol-
  unt, Atlas Games, 2002.
  Sorcerer and Sword, by Ron Edwards, Adept 
  Press, 2001.
  Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era, 
  by Scott Bennie, Green Ronin, 2003.
  Zenobia: Fantasy Roleplaying in the Desert 
  Kingdoms, by Paul Elliott, Zozer, 1999.
  Zothique: General Guidelines for d20 Gam-
  ing on the Last Continent, by G. R. Hager, 
  2002.
  
  Page 197
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  Appendix C: Miscellanea
  The following is a randomly ordered table 
  of various items, events, names and creatures 
  that would appear in sword and sorcery tales. 
  Use the table to spur your imagination when 
  designing or running sword and sorcery ad-
  ventures.
  Roll 
  Description
  1 
  curved dagger
  2 
  Dao-Khee
  3 
  caravan or caravanserai
  4 
  jewelry or gem
  5 
  pirate ship
  6 
  corrupt advisor
  7 
  sewer tunnel
  8 
  temple guardian
  9 
  feat of desperate strength
  10 
  cursed artifact
  11 
  burglary or kidnapping
  12 
  treachery or betrayal
  13 
  naked female captive
  14 
  perverted aristocrat
  15 
  Amoth
  16 
  sorcerous trap
  17 
  drunken orgy
  18 
  ancient law that demands a life be taken
  19 
  blood-red
  20 
  gladiatorial pit
  21 
  mad magician or ancient mummy
  22 
  old god from the stars
  23 
  Pathar
  24 
  maze of city streets
  25 
  barren wildlands
  26 
  savage or neanderthal
  27 
  girdle of silk
  28 
  elaborate human sacrifice
  29 
  double-crossing
  30 
  smuggler
  31 
  peacock feathers or ostrich plumes
  32 
  ancient chariot
  33 
  spider or spiderweb
  34 
  escape under of cover of night
  35 
  well-guarded fortress
  36 
  oath or exclamation
  37 
  human vice or addiction
  38 
  living for the day
  39 
  port
  40 
  concubine or temptress
  41 
  black
  42 
  dungeon
  43 
  high priest
  44 
  pyramid or ziggurat
  45 
  forbidden tower
  46 
  local guide
  47 
  chance meeting
  48 
  chieftain or prince
  49 
  ghoul
  50 
  pantherish grace
  51 
  poisoned weapon or drink
  52 
  cannibal
  53 
  tent city
  54 
  masked nomad
  55 
  winged demon
  56 
  slaver or kidnapper
  57 
  arrogant noble
  58 
  tyrannical government
  59 
  wealthy merchant
  60 
  secret society or hidden complex
  61 
  carnivorous ape
  62 
  king of thieves
  63 
  slave
  64 
  yellow
  65 
  grinning bronze idol
  66 
  inhuman skull
  67 
  Zhuul
  68 
  lotus-flower
  69 
  two-handed sword
  70 
  fist-sized gem
  71 
  blue and gold tapestry
  72 
  prison
  73 
  ambush
  74 
  sleeping giant snake
  75 
  Ykhanthra
  76 
  duel
  77 
  eunuch
  78 
  marketplace or bazaar
  79 
  incense-burner
  80 
  voluptous princess
  
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery
  Page 198
  1XP53383NH6314743
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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  No other terms or conditions may be applied to any 
  Open Game Content distributed using this License.
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open 
  Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the 
  terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration 
  for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors 
  grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-
  exclusive license with the exact terms of this License 
  to Use, the Open Game Content.
  5. Representation of Authority to Con-
  tribute: If You are contributing original material 
  as Open Game Content, You represent that Your 
  Contributions are Your original creation and/or You 
  have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by 
  this License.
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must 
  update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this 
  License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT 
  NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copy-
  ing, modifying or distributing, and You must add the 
  title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s 
  name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original 
  Open Game Content you Distribute.
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to 
  Use any Product Identity, including as an indication 
  as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in 
  another, independent Agreement with the owner of 
  each element of that Product Identity. You agree not 
  to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any 
  Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction 
  with a work containing Open Game Content except 
  as expressly licensed in another, independent Agree-
  ment with the owner of such Trademark or Regis-
  tered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in 
  Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge 
  to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner 
  of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content 
  shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that 
  Product Identity.
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game 
  Content You must clearly indicate which portions of 
  the work that you are distributing are Open Game 
  Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its desig-
  nated Agents may publish updated versions of this 
  License. You may use any authorized version of this 
  License to copy, modify and distribute any Open 
  Game Content originally distributed under any ver-
  sion of this License.
  10. Copy of this License: You MUST include 
  a copy of this License with every copy of the Open 
  Game Content You Distribute.
  Appendix D: License
  
  Page 199
  Tales of Sword & Sorcery 
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not 
  market or advertise the Open Game Content using 
  the name of any Contributor unless You have written 
  permission from the Contributor to do so.
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for 
  You to comply with any of the terms of this License 
  with respect to some or all of the Open Game Con-
  tent due to statute, judicial order, or governmental 
  regulation then You may not Use any Open Game 
  Material so affected.
  13. Termination: This License will terminate 
  automatically if You fail to comply with all terms 
  herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of 
  becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall 
  survive the termination of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License 
  is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be 
  reformed only to the extent necessary to make it 
  enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wiz-
  ards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document Copyright 2000-
  2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan 
  Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, 
  Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce 
  R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James 
  Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax 
  and Dave Arneson.
  Ancient Kingdoms: Mesopotamia, Copyright 2004, 
  Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author Morten Braten.
  Conan The Roleplaying Game, Copyright Conan 
  Productions International LLC. Mongoose Publish-
  ing Limited Authorised User.
  Nyambe: African Adventures, Copyright 2002, 
  Trident Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games; Author Christopher 
  W. Dolunt.
  Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era, Copy-
  right 2003, Green Ronin Publishing; Author Scott 
  Bennie.
  Unearthed Arcana, Copyright 2004 Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc.
  Rock reptile from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 
  2003, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors Scott 
  Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.
  Rot grub from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 
  2003, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors Scott 
  Greene and Clark Peterson, based on original mate-
  rial by Gary Gygax.
  Blood golem from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 
  2003, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author Scott 
  Greene.
  Haunt from the Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2003, 
  Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene, 
  based on original material by Harold Johnson and 
  Tom Moldvay.
  Tome of Horrors II, Copyright 2004, Necroman-
  cer Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene; Additional 
  Authors: Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christof-
  ferson, Jim Collura, Meghan Greene, Lance Hawver-
  male, Travis Hawvermale, Bill Kenower, Patrick 
  Lawinger, Nathan Paul, Clark Peterson, Bill Webb 
  and Monte Cook.
  Tome of Horrors III, Copyright 2005 Necroman-
  cer Games, Inc.; Author: Scott Greene, with Casey 
  Christofferson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Lance 
  Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Ian S. Johnston, 
  Patrick Lawringer, Nathan Paul, Clark Peterson, 
  Greg Ragland, Robert Schwalb and Bill Webb.
  The Spider-God’s Bride and Other Tales of Sword 
  and Sorcery, Copyright 2008, Xoth.Net Publishing.
  Designation of Product Identity: The follow-
  ing items are hereby designated as Product Identity 
  in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game 
  License, version 1.0:
  Any and all Xoth.Net Publishing logos and iden-
  tifying marks and trade dress; all proper nouns, 
  capitalized terms, italicized terms, artwork, maps, 
  symbols, depictions, and illustrations, except such 
  elements that already appear in the System Refer-
  ence Document and artwork that is already in the 
  public domain.
  Designation of Open Content: Subject to the 
  Product Identity designation above, all creature and 
  NPC statistic blocks are designated as Open Gaming 
  Content, as well as all material derived from the SRD 
  or other open content sources.
  
  Savage Swords and Sinister Sorcery
  ”The Spider-God’s Bride and Other Tales” is a collection of ten 
  blood-red sword and sorcery adventures, inspired by the pulp 
  era tales of Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. 
  Venture in the footsteps of Conan the Cimmerian, Satampra 
  Zeiros of Uzuldaroum, Imaro of Nyumbani, and other fabled 
  thieves, reavers and slayers! 
  Based on the standard third edition rules and including new 
  variant rules, the adventures in this book can be used in any 
  sword and sorcery setting and be easily adapted to any fantasy 
  roleplaying game ruleset or edition.
  Sunken Temples and Serpent-Haunted Vaults
  Enter the City of Stone and slay the high priest of Jul-Juggah! 
  Plunder the ancient gold of Namthu! Seek the fabled jewel of 
  Khadim Bey, but beware the nameless horrors of the Al-Khazi 
  desert! Fight the dread adepts of the ape-god, or succumb to 
  the pleasures of the Moon-Juice of Yaatana! Or perhaps you 
  will perish by the curses of Ur-Kharra, the long-dead sorcerer-
  king of Elder Kuth?
  A fantasy roleplaying adventure 
  for 4 to 6 characters of 1st to 10th level
  Copyright © 2008, Xoth.Net Publishing
  http://xoth.net/publishing
  The Spider-God’s Bride
  and Other Tales of Sword and Sorcery
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Conan RPGs/Other Sword & Sorcery/Xoth/XP1 The Spider God's Bride and Other Tales.pdf