TEXT: Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Page 1
  A LEVEL 1 ADVENTURE
  Writer: Michael Curtis • Cover art and cartography: Doug Kovacs 
  Editor: Rev. Dak J. Ultimak • Interior Art: Doug Kovacs, Brad McDevitt 
  Art direction & layout: Joseph Goodman
  Playtesters: Hoyle Anderson, Andrew Callahan, Lauren Callahan, Tim Callahan, 
  David Clarkson, and Paul Siegel (Total Con 2015); Michael Bolam, Jim Skach, Michael 
  Jones, Richard Mundy, Jonathan Snodgrass, and Adam Thorton (Gary Con 2015); Marc 
  Bruner, Jaiden Ferry, Stephen Ferry, Mark Malone, Grady Moore, Ryan Moore, and 
  Paul Wolfe (NTRPG Con 2015) 
  DCC RPG and this adventure are copyright © 2014 Goodman Games. Dungeon Crawl Classics is a trademark of Goodman Games. 
                                  DCC RPG is published under the Open Game License. Refer to the OGL in this work for additional information.
                                    www.goodman-games.com
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
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  W
  elcome to the fantastic city of Lankhmar, the great-
  est and oldest metropolis in the world of Nehwon 
  and the creation of legendary author, Fritz Leiber. 
  This adventure is the third release in Goodman Games’ 
  new Lankhmar line of supplements for the Dungeon Crawl 
  Classics RPG. This adventure, Masks of Lankhmar, provides 
  the judge with a starting scenario to begin a campaign in 
  the City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokes. Further informa-
  tion concerning Lankhmar and staging campaigns in Ne-
  hwon will appear in the DCC RPG Lankhmar boxed set to 
  be released in the months ahead.
  Masks of Lankhmar is a starting adventure for DCC RPG 
  Lankhmar and is designed to be played with a small group 
  (2 to 3 players). However, the adventure contains alternate 
  descriptions for running the adventure with larger groups 
  (4 to 6 players), allowing for its enjoyment regardless of 
  group size. Masks of Lankhmar can be run at any point dur-
  ing the timeline of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser as it is not 
  tied into events in Leiber’s stories. The PCs should have 
  both a wizard and a thief among them or a character with 
  some training in both sorcery and larceny.
  In this adventure, the PCs meet while in the midst of a late-
  night burglary and are forced to pool their skills in order 
  to retrieve a treasure trove of long-forgotten golden masks 
  from an abandoned Lankhmar temple. Before they recover 
  these gilded relics, however, deadly rivals must be over-
  come and the masks’ tainted magic defeated.
  Background
  T
  wo hundred years ago, the city of Lankhmar was 
  home to the Mysteries of Djil, a sect of worshipers 
  faithful to the goddess of that name. The Myster-
  ies of Djil espoused a creed that relieved the religion’s faith-
  ful of their worldly sins and thereby assured the devoted 
  a place in the paradisaical afterworld of the Sixth Heaven. 
  With a single kiss by one of the masked priestesses of Djil, 
  the unseen sisters would draw the sins and guilt of another 
  away from the penitents’ souls, leaving them unblemished 
  and worthy of paradise.
  The sect was a popular one among the well-to-do of 
  Lankhmar, as the faith’s rites cleansed the wealthy of their 
  numerous sins accumulated in the quest for pecuniary sol-
  vency, leaving them free to acquire more in the name of 
  greed. The Mysteries of Djil’s coffers swelled from the tith-
  ing of Lankhmar’s upper crust and the sect built a large 
  temple near the River Hlal. The temple not only served as 
  the religion’s bastion of faith in the City of the Black Toga, 
  but also as the repository of the Mysteries’ most revered 
  relics: the Gilded Masks of Djil. These seven gold and jew-
  el-encrusted visors were worn when imparting the Kiss of 
  Djil, the sacred rite that removed worldly sins.
  One hundred years ago, the priests of the Great God, in 
  collusion with a number of Lankhmar’s mercantile-no-
  bles, grew jealous of both the Mysteries of Djil’s influence 
  over Lankhmar’s people and the sect’s expanding wealth. 
  Through means both fair and foul, this conspiracy of sec-
  ular and ecclesiastical power convinced the Overlord to 
  outlaw the faith and drive the unseen sisters from the city. 
  Their expulsion was a rapid one, sped by the pike points 
  and swords of Lankhmar’s soldiers and the hurled torches 
  of cloaked arsonists in the employ of the Mysteries’ rivals. 
  Many of the unseen sisters either died in the flames or 
  where rushed from the temple without time to rescue the 
  holy relics secreted in a sanctified vault concealed within 
  the temple. The Gilded Masks remain locked away inside 
  the temple and the unseen sisters of Djil, nearly extermi-
  nated in the wake of events, unable to reclaim them.
  Now, a century later, the means to recover this forgotten 
  bounty has emerged. 
  Igrik of the East is a wealthy caravan-master dwelling in 
  Lankhmar. A native of the Eastern Lands, Igrik has lived 
  in Lankhmar for two decades, accruing a fortune thanks 
  to a lucrative business of running trade caravans between 
  Lankhmar and Horborixen. But Igrik’s status as an East-
  erner has deprived him of social acceptance amongst the 
  City of the Black Toga’s noble families and he remains de-
  termined to buy his way into the city’s innermost upper 
  class circles. To this end, Igrik has accumulated a collection 
  of rare objects d’art and unique treasures to display in his 
  manor. Among these riches is an odd key of gold, adorned 
  with strangely-cut gems. Unknown to Igrik, this key opens 
  the secret reliquary of Djil. 
  Tonight, Igrik is holding a masque at his manor to celebrate 
  the acquiring of another treasured piece of artistry. While 
  the owner and attendees are distracted with this new di-
  version, a group of thieves—working independently of one 
  another—chooses to slip into the manor and acquire the 
  bejeweled key for themselves. But they’re about to learn 
  that there are yet others who desire the key for their own 
  purposes.
  Starting the adventure
  Masks of Lankhmar is intended to be run at the beginning of 
  a Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar campaign. It is, in the 
  parlance of this line of game supplements, “The Meet,” an 
  event that throws the PCs together and gives them both an 
  origin story as a band of adventurers and a common goal to 
  work towards. By the end of the Masks of Lankhmar, the PCs 
  should have forged a bond and earned both some riches to 
  spend and some enemies to give them a reason to continue 
  their relationship.
  Meet adventures in DCC Lankhmar are intended to cap-
  ture the tone and style of Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray 
  Mouser stories: fast paced, frolicking, and fun. As such, the 
  action begins in media res with the PCs dropped into the 
  action from the get-go. The players shouldn’t worry about 
  the details of how they got themselves into their predica-
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  ment just yet, but the judge is encouraged to allow them to 
  flesh out the details in character and perhaps gain a point 
  of Luck in the process.
  Masks of Lankhmar is an urban-based adventure and thus 
  more open to player innovation and unexpected actions. 
  Some of the events detailed in this scenario may or may not 
  occur based on the PCs’ action and decisions, and no less 
  than three possible climaxes are provided for this adven-
  ture! It’s not necessary for the players to experience all the 
  events in this adventure, only that they have a rip-roaring 
  time reaching the scenario’s end.
  Part one: the roBBing of igrik
  T
  he first section of Masks of Lankhmar sees the PCs 
  meeting for the first time. This event occurs as 
  each character independently decides to rob the 
  caravan-master’s vault on the night of a grand masque cel-
  ebrating the acquisition of a new piece of valuable art. The 
  PCs must work together to breach the vault and to defeat 
  those who would rob them of their ill-gotten booty. Once 
  this chapter is concluded, hopefully the PCs will realize a 
  more valuable treasure trove awaits them if they continue 
  their alliance.
  event 1: the Meet
  This encounter drops the PCs into a pitched battle, forcing 
  them to cooperate to overcome the hired guards of Igrik of 
  the East. Read the following then have the players roll for 
  initiative.
  It is the midnight between the Day of the Snake and the Day 
  of the Catamount, an exquisite time for larceny in the City of 
  the Black Toga. Tonight, the wealthy caravan-master, Igrik of the 
  East, is throwing a lavish masque in his stylish manor adjacent to 
  the aristocratic quarter in Lankhmar. The purpose of this masked 
  party is to unveil another one of the objects d’art he has accumu-
  lated in a desperate bid to buy his way into Lankhmar’s polite so-
  ciety. With the eyes of the host, his guests, and more importantly, 
  his house guards occupied by this new glittering bauble, it is the 
  perfect time to raid his vault for another treasure: the so-called 
  Key of the Unwitnessed Sisterhood. This electrum-and-gold item 
  is said to be encrusted with curiously cut gems, jewels that could 
  fetch a small fortune if pried loose and sold in the shadowy un-
  derworld of Lankhmar.
  Unfortunately, it seems that each of you wasn’t alone in real-
  izing that tonight is the perfect time to steal the Key. You now 
  find yourself standing in the cellar antechamber leading to Igrik’s 
  vault, not alone as you’d hope, but in the presence of one another. 
  Quick glances make it obvious that you’re here on similar busi-
  ness and hands rest on dagger hilts warily and spells are being 
  prepared under your breath.
  However, before you have a moment to respond to each other’s 
  unexpected presence, yet another party makes their appearance 
  on the scene. The thunderous tread of booted feet down the cel-
  lar stairs announce the arrival of hired bravos from Lankhmar’s 
  Slayers Brotherhood, likely employed by Igrik to bolster his secu-
  rity on this night. “Thieves in the cellar!,” one leather-clad hired 
  sword exclaims upon sighting you. “Let’s earn our coin, broth-
  ers!,” he cries as he and his comrades in steel bare blades and 
  charge!
  The hired guards are low ranking members of the Slay-
  ers Brotherhood, desperate to earn both coin and respect 
  among the organizations upper ranks. As such, they intend 
  to kill or capture the PCs single-handedly and do not both-
  er to raise an alarm.
  Before the battle begins in earnest, make sure the players 
  are familiar with both the rules for Luck in a Lankhmar 
  campaign (especially its role in healing) and the layout of 
  the cellar (refer to area 1-1 below). 
  Hired Slayers (3): Init +0; Atk short sword +1 melee (1d6); 
  AC 12; HD 1d8; hp 4; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP none; SV Fort 
  +1, Ref +0, Will +0; AL N.
  Alternate Encounter for Larger Group: The number of 
  hired slayers is equal to the party’s size minus one.
  The bravos fight wildly, without coordinating their tactics 
  or demonstrating martial creativity beyond hewing away 
  at their opponents. They should prove little threat to the 
  PCs. 
  after the Battle
  Once the Slayers are dispatched, take a moment to allow 
  each of the players to describe both what their PCs look 
  like and to recount how they arrived in the cellar. The 
  judge should give each player the freedom to briefly de-
  scribe their scheme to rob Igrik and award a point of Luck 
  to players who regale their new comrades with interesting 
  accounts. If the player seems stuck for ideas, the judge can 
  suggest some of the following options to help them out:
  • The PC stole an invitation destined for one of 
  Lankhmar’s nobles and arrived in a costume hid-
  ing their identity. He later slipped away into the cel-
  lars. Ask the PC to describe the costume and whether 
  they’re still wearing it (this may be to their advantage 
  when they encounter the thieves in Event #2).
  • The PC slipped into the manor under the cover of dark-
  ness, scaling the estate wall and sneaking inside Igrik’s 
  home. He barely avoided detection by the caravan-
  master’s house guards, and managed to creep into the 
  cellar.
  • The PC impersonated one of the numerous delivery-
  men bringing foodstuffs, alcohol, or other party favors 
  to the estate. When nobody was looking, he hid in a 
  closet or similarly concealed position until the masque 
  was fully underway. He then snuck into the cellar.
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  Once the introductions are complete, the PCs hopefully 
  realize the benefits of pooling their abilities at least in the 
  short term. Hint that there is likely to be other treasures 
  in Igrik’s vault beside the Key should the PCs argue over 
  ownership of that item.
  Area 1-1—The Cellar Antechamber: A flight of stout 
  wooden stairs access this low-ceilinged room of mortared brick. 
  Crates and barrels are stacked along the east and west walls, 
  dusty and disused. Niches in the walls contain thick, sputtering 
  candles that lend dim light and far too much smoke to this room. 
  In the north wall is a large circular iron door. A complex-looking 
  lock is integrated into the portal’s face. Strange symbols ring the 
  circumference of the door.
  The vault door is made of solid 6” thick iron. The symbols 
  around the edge of the door are magical glyphs from the 
  Eastern Lands that interfere with sorcerous attempts to 
  open the door. Spells such as knock suffer a -2 die penalty to 
  spell checks when cast upon the vault door. A DC 12 Intel-
  ligence check identifies the symbols and their properties. 
  Spellcasters roll 1d20 when making this check, all others 
  roll 1d10 as per DCC RPG p. 66.
  The lock is also of cunning, Eastern manufacture and Igrik 
  has the sole key. Picking the lock requires a DC 20 pick lock 
  check, likely requiring the expenditure of Luck by the PCs 
  to accomplish. The judge should remind the players of the 
  fast and furious nature of Luck in DCC Lankhmar if they 
  appear hesitant to spend Luck in this endeavor. 
  Listening at the door requires a PC to roll a d30 when mak-
  ing his Luck check due to the thickness of the door. If suc-
  cessful, the listener faintly hears the growl of a large cat (the 
  desert jaguars in the next room).
  The crates contain moth-eaten table clothes, spare goblets 
  and dinnerware, vinegar, and similar ordinary and worth-
  less household goods.
  Area 1-2—Cat Guardians: Low, angry growls and hissing 
  rings through this stone chamber as a number of large spotted 
  cats slink towards you, their tails whipping the air furiously. Be-
  yond the tawny beasts stands a forbidding-looking door.
  The cats are desert jaguars imported from the Eastern 
  Lands to guard Igrik’s wealth.
  Desert jaguars (2): Init +1; Atk bite +2 melee (1d4+1) or 
  claw +1 melee (1d4); AC 13; HD 2d8; hp 10 each; MV 40’; 
  Act 1d20; SP none; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.
  Alternate Encounter for Larger Group: As above.
  The room contains only scraps of bloodied meat, a low 
  sand-filled box containing cat scat, and a clay bucket with a 
  rope handle filled with fresh water.
  The ceiling of this room has a 3’ square shaft running 20’ 
  to the first floor of Igrik’s manor. The bottom of the shaft is 
  10’ above the floor and the upper end of the shaft is sealed 
  by a locked metal grate (DC 15 pick lock check to pick). 
  The grate sits in the floor of the manor’s pantry and Igrik’s 
  staff lowers down meat and water to feed the jaguars once 
  per day. Although a weakness in the vault’s security, Igrik 
  believes the jaguars and the inner vault door are sufficient 
  to keep anyone from plundering his treasury. 
  The shaft may come in handy should the PCs be trapped in 
  the vault when the Thieves’ Guild arrives (see Event #2). 
  Climbing the shaft without a rope requires either a DC 10 
  Strength or climb sheer surfaces check. The grate can be 
  either picked (see above) or broken open with brute force 
  (DC 20 Strength check). 
  Area 1-3—Inner Vault Door: A stout bronze door of curi-
  ously crimson tint bars further passage into Igrik’s vault. The 
  face of the door is inscribed with flame-like patterns and strange 
  sigils line the edges of the valve. A single keyhole set in the middle 
  of a circular plate rests in the dead center of the door.
  This door was specially created by the fire sorcerers of the 
  East. It can be opened safely with the proper key (which Igrik 
  possesses) or by a combination of larceny and wizardry.
  Picking the lock requires a DC 15 pick lock check, but open-
  ing it without a key triggers a second protective measure. 
  The bronze door vanishes, replaced by a wall of searing 
  flames. The round key plate remains floating in the cen-
  ter of the burning fire. Inserting the proper key dims the 
  flames, but without that, wizardry must be invoked or the 
  flaming gauntlet braved.
  A DC 14 Intelligence check (wizards automatically suc-
  ceed) causes a PC to realize that the door’s flames can be 
  extinguished by unweaving the magic that created them. 
  Doing so is similar to counterspelling. A spellcaster must 
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  successfully cast any non-offensive spell to build a magical 
  conduit. Due to the modification of the spell, the spell check 
  suffers a -1 die penalty, but any result of 12+ regardless of 
  spell level is successful. Once established, the caster can at-
  tempt to unweave the magic holding the flames intact. 
  Unweaving the door’s magic is accomplished by both the 
  PC and the judge rolling dice and comparing the result. The 
  PC makes a spell check as normal and the judge rolls d20+2. 
  If the wizard rolls higher than the judge, the flames are re-
  duced in intensity and their damage potential reduced by 1 
  die (see below). Three successful attempts extinguishes the 
  flames. These success need not be consecutive.
  If the judge rolls higher than the PC, the wizard suffers 1d4 
  burning damage (DC 12 Fort save for ½ damage). If the PC 
  is reduced to zero hit points, the conduit fails. All accrued 
  successes are lost. A new conduit must be established and 
  the unweaving process begun again. If the result is a tie, 
  no progress is achieved, but no damage is suffered as well. 
  The flames inflict a base 3d6 points of damage if anyone en-
  ters them. A DC 10 Reflex save reduces the damage by half. 
  Each successful unweaving attempt reduces the flames’ in-
  tensity and reduces the damage by -1d6. The flames also re-
  duce in strength for each person that passes through them 
  by -1d6. Three PCs running the fire gauntlet extinguishes 
  the flames.
  Throwing a significant quantity of water on the flames 
  (such as the cat’s water bucket) reduces the base damage 
  by -1d6, but this measure only affects the flames once. Their 
  magical nature burns too hot to be extinguished completely 
  by mere water.
  Area 1-4—The Inner Vault: Beyond the bronze, flame-in-
  scribed door is a surprisingly small chamber measuring less than 
  10’ square. Rows of mostly bare shelves line walls. A small coffer, 
  a chain-link bag, and a wooden box are the only objects apparent.
  A close inspection reveals there are clean patches on the 
  dusty shelves, indicating most of the vault’s contents have 
  been removed (some are on display for the party, others 
  have been sold to pay for the fete and to acquire Igrik’s lat-
  est treasure). While sorely lacking in riches, the items pres-
  ent do have some value.
  The wooden case contains deeds, contracts, and other busi-
  ness records pertaining to Igrik’s caravan operations. Al-
  though lacking inherent value, the records could be useful 
  to rival businessmen and blackmailers. A PC finding a buy-
  er would earn 100 gold rilks…assuming the buyer doesn’t 
  attempt to double-cross him.
  The chain mesh bag holds household funds for the manor. 
  Depleted by the masque’s expenses, the bag contains 50 
  gold rilks, 157 silver smerduks, 186 copper pennies, and 14 
  iron tiks.
  The coffer holds the Key of the Unwitnessed Sisterhood, 
  nestled in a bed of ebony satin. The Key is fashioned from 
  gold and bears three unusually cut amethysts of darkest 
  purple along its length. These stones are in lozenge-, cres-
  cent-, and trapezoidal-shaped cuts. The Key measures 8” 
  long and is worth 100 gold rilks.
  Anyone examining the Key and making a DC 10 Intelli-
  gence check (thieves succeed automatically) notices that 
  the item is actually composed of three interlocked parts, 
  cunningly designed to be unnoticed (Igrik hasn’t realized 
  this). Once detected, the Key can be disassembled, reveal-
  ing a hollow cavity inside containing a small rolled piece of 
  vellum that smells faintly of temple incense. 
  The vellum page bears writing in both a foreign script and 
  High Lankhmarese. 
  The foreign text is in Ottishif, an obscure desert tongue 
  used in the Mysteries of Djil’s rites. The PCs might be able 
  to deduce something about the script:
  • A DC 12 Intelligence check identifies the script, but not 
  its meaning. 
  • If the writing is identified, a DC 15 Intelligence check 
  recalls that the language has a connection with an East-
  ern religion dedicated to the goddess Djil, but no other 
  specifics. 
  • A DC 10 Intelligence check or an appropriate Benison 
  allows a PC to remember there is a scholar and scribe 
  known as Semrik who deals in the Plaza of Dark De-
  lights. Consulting him may shed some light on the 
  message and its contents (see Part Two below).
  The High Lankmarese reads:
  Beneath neither Cup nor Chain nor Moon do I stand
  But under the gaze of visage face, secret and awaiting the touch 
  of hand
  Is where our resting place is to be found
  Safe from thief, heretic, or sniffing hound.
  This doggerel indicates the location of the secret entrance to 
  the Spire (see Part Three). The rhyme means nothing to the 
  PCs now, but in context with the symbols in the temple-tene-
  ment, it reveals where the Reliquary’s entrance can be found.
  event 2: eScaPe!
  Once the PCs acquire the Key, they’ll need to leave unde-
  tected. This is more difficult than reaching the Vault. Un-
  known to them, a group of low-ranking Thieves’ Guild op-
  eratives also intended to rob Igrik’s vault while the masque 
  was underway. These burglars arrive just as the PCs are 
  leaving.
  The party might spot the thieves if they are being attentive. 
  As the party approaches area 1-1 on their way out, have the 
  PC with the best Luck score make a Luck check to notice 
  the thieves. If the PC succeeds, he spots movement in the 
  shadows in area 1-1 as the party reaches area 1-2, alerting 
  him to the thieves. The party is surprised if the PC fails the 
  check and are ambushed as they enter area 1-1.
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  Thieves’ Guild Operatives (3): Init +2; Atk dagger +1 me-
  lee (dmg 1d4); AC 13; HD 1d6+1; hp 5 each; MV 30’; Act 
  1d20; SP none; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +0; AL C.
  Alternate: Increase the number of thieves to equal to the 
  number of PCs minus one.
  The thieves are determined to slay the PCs and acquire 
  the Key. They pull no punches and fight until only one or 
  two remain. These survivors attempt to flee, easily losing 
  the PCs if they reach the top of the stairs exiting area 1-1. 
  Take note of any of PC whose face is visible during the fight 
  or if any have unusual physical traits that might be eas-
  ily remembered. These PCs will be reported to the Thieves 
  Guild upper-ranking members and they’ll be branded as 
  freelancers.
  After defeating the Thieves Guild members, the PCs must 
  still escape the villa. Below are the three most likely routes 
  the party might employ:
  •	The	 Kitchens: If the party climbs the stairs or the 
  feeding shaft in area 1-2, they can make a break for 
  it through the kitchen, as indicated on the map. The 
  kitchen is filled with servants, cooks, house slaves, and 
  others keeping Igrik’s guests fed. It is alive with activ-
  ity, the air rich with the smell of cooking meats, soapy 
  washing water, and the clatter of dishes. All PCs wish-
  ing to slip out the back door unnoticed in the chaos 
  must make Luck checks. If every party member’s Luck 
  check is successful, they reach the back door which 
  is guarded by two hired slayers (use stats in Event 
  #1 above) who must be overcome. If even one of the 
  PCs fails the Luck check, the kitchen slaves notice the 
  party and scream, alerting the guards at the door who 
  respond immediately. There are also 1d4 guards in the 
  area marked “Guard Post” on the ground floor map. 
  These house guards come running if a fight occurs in 
  the kitchen!
  •	The	Ground	Floor	Corridor: The party can slip down 
  the corridor and escape through any of the windows in 
  the guest rooms. No matter which room they choose, 
  they stumble upon a tryst in progress as some of Igrik’s 
  guests have chosen the room for privacy. The room con-
  tains a young aristocrat swordsman and a pair of bored 
  noble wives. The ladies scream and the swordsman 
  draws his blade and attempts to impress his paramours 
  with his swordplay. He has the stats of a Noble (DCC 
  RPG p. 434) but is AC 11 due to his state of undress. 
  The two ladies have Peasant stats (same page) but do 
  not directly enter combat. They frantically hurl vases, 
  curios, and other small objects at the party (damage 
  as clubs) and continue to scream. Three house guards 
  (stats as hired slayers) arrived in 2d4 rounds.
  •	Out	 the	 Front	 Door: The most brazen of routes, the 
  PCs earn 1 point of Luck each if they pull this escape 
  off successfully. Leaving by the front door potentially 
  works only if the PCs are disguised in a manner appro-
  priate to a masque. If not, they are immediately spot-
  ted by Igrik’s house guard and must fight their way 
  to freedom against 1d4+2 armed guardsmen (use stats 
  from area 1-1). A disguised party can walk through the 
  crowd in the front hall, but the PC with the worst cur-
  rent Luck score must make a Luck check. If the check 
  fails, the party encounters a complication. Roll 1d4:
  (1) A drunken attendee mistakes one of the PCs as 
  an acquaintance and begins a loud conversation 
  with him. A DC 12 Personality check is required to 
  calmly convince him he’s mistaken about the PC’s 
  identity. If failed, he makes a scene which attracts 
  the notice of 1d4 house guards.
  (2) A house slave is lifting valuables off party guests. 
  Each PC must make a DC 10 Intelligence check. 
  Any success notices the attempted crime. A DC 8 
  Personality check scares off the slave without caus-
  ing unwanted attention. If all the PCs fail their In-
  telligence check, the slave steals a random amount 
  of coin from them.
  (3) One of the PCs catches a guest’s fancy and he or 
  she approaches the chosen PC intent on flirting. A 
  DC 10 Personality check rebuffs the seduction at-
  tempt without ruffling feathers. If failed, the guest 
  loudly berates the target, attracting the attention of 
  1d4 house guards.
  (4) The PCs bump into Igrik, himself, as they attempt 
  to leave. A DC 15 Personality check combined with 
  some flattery is enough to convince the host they 
  are invited guests departing. If the check fails, he 
  identifies them as party crashers (at the least) and 
  immediately summons 2d4 house guards. Treat 
  Igrik as having King stats (DCC RPG p. 434) if 
  needed for combat.
  The PCs may choose to leave by different routes to make 
  capture more difficult. Resolve each route’s success indi-
  vidually. Any PC captured inside the Manor ends up in the 
  Great Gaol of Lankhmar, and unless his new allies finds 
  means to rescue him, the player should begin preparing an-
  other character for the campaign.
  Once the party makes it out of the manor, they can escape 
  into the night fog of Lankhmar without further opposition. 
  As a reward for their escapades, each PC receives 2 points 
  of Luck.
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  Part two: dark Mysteries and 
  darker delights (oPtional)
  I
  f the PCs are unable to decipher the strange Eastern 
  script on the page inside the Key, they might seek 
  outside help to decode it. Luckily, such assistance 
  is readily available in Lankhmar! Semrik, a scribe of slightly 
  questionable reputation offers his services in the Plaza of 
  Dark Delights, translating obscure languages for warlocks, 
  philosophers, tomb breakers, and similar individuals.
  The path leading to Semrik can either be a direct one with 
  one of the PCs knowing of him and his services, or the cul-
  mination of an exchange of information by the group. For 
  example, one of the PCs might identify the language as Ot-
  tishif, while a second recognizes the tongue was used by 
  a certain religious sect, but does not recall specific details. 
  A third PC, perhaps a native of Lankhmar or one with an 
  appropriate Benison realizes Semrik might be able to shed 
  more light on the subject, leading to a trip to the Plaza of 
  Dark Delights. This second method is the recommended 
  one as it further binds the group together, emphasizing the 
  benefits of working together as they seek to make a name 
  for themselves in the City of the Black Toga.
  The Plaza of Dark Delights is an infamous place of busi-
  ness, open only during the evening hours. Bounded by the 
  Fountain of Dark Abundance on one end and the Shrine of 
  the Black Virgin at the other, it is a nocturnal marketplace 
  of services and objects best suited for surreptitious com-
  merce. Among the simple stalls and outspread blankets on 
  the dark cobblestone, is Semrik’s place of business.
  The Plaza of Dark Delights is a long piazza of shadows and indis-
  tinct forms. Vague individuals move about the dim lights of caged 
  glow-worms, bottled foxfire, and glowing firepots filled with 
  crimson embers. The soft susurrus of whispered deals, hushed ne-
  gotiations, and murmured assignations drifts through the night 
  like snatches of conversation from half-remembered dreams. 
  At one end, near the ebony baroque architecture of the Shrine of 
  the Black Virgin, stands a simple wooden frame covered by an 
  airy cloth of dark crimson. Within the modest pavilion is a lean, 
  rangy-looking man dressed in slate gray tunic and breeches. His 
  skin looks like buffed leather and his black hair is trimmed in a 
  scholarly tonsure. He sits atop a tall stool beside a high angled 
  table intent on papers and parchments spread about it.
  Semrik is a professional scribe, translator, and code-breaker, 
  who knows his key to both commercial and bodily longev-
  ity is his reputation for both accuracy and discretion. He 
  has proven his usefulness to both the Thieves’ Guild and 
  the Lankhmar Sorcerers’ Guild in the past and enjoys both 
  groups’ protection. He conducts his business in a hushed, 
  slightly accented voice and readily identifies the writing for 
  the cost of 2 gold rilks. He provides the following informa-
  tion if paid:
  • The writing is Ottishif, a rare Eastern language that 
  came to Lankhmar with the Mysteries of Djil, a desert 
  sect that enjoyed brief popularity in the city some 200 
  years ago.
  • The Mysteries of Djil was a religion of women priest-
  esses known as the Unseen Sisters. They obtained this 
  sobriquet due to the religious masks that obscured their 
  identities. The Unseen Sisters were rumored to be able to 
  cleanse anyone of worldly sin with a ritualized kiss.
  • Their masks were supposedly made of gold and 
  adorned with fabulous gems. There were seven of 
  these Gilded Masks.
  • The sect was driven from the city one hundred years 
  ago by a coalition of secular and religious figures jeal-
  ous of the Mysteries’ influence and wealth. The sect 
  was evicted with sudden violence, evicted from their 
  great temple in the middle of the night. The priestesses 
  were said to have been forced to leave their reliquaries 
  and treasuries behind, most of which were plundered 
  by their enemies.
  • The seven Gilded Masks, however, where not discov-
  ered and despite many attempts to locate them, remain 
  lost.
  • The former temple of Djil is now a massive tenement, 
  occupied by some of the city’s poorest residents, home-
  less vagabonds, and outlaw squatters. It stands in a 
  poor neighborhood near the River Hlal, south of the 
  Street of the Gods.
  Semrik hints vaguely that he’s always in the market for 
  more examples of obscure lore or ancient alphabets. Should 
  the PCs’ future activities uncover such materials, he’ll glad-
  ly pay their market value. The group’s dealings with Sem-
  rik makes him a contact they (or the judge) may use in later 
  adventures set within Lankhmar.
  event 3: SheelBa of the 
  eyeleSS face (oPtional)
  A judge wishing to introduce one of Nehwon’s foremost 
  wizards into the mix, perhaps to serve as a future patron or 
  adventure hook, can include this event after the PCs finish 
  their business with Semrik. Sheelba, sensing the PCs may 
  prove suitable agents in Lankhmar in the future (especially 
  in light of the Gray Mouser’s continual absences from the 
  environs), approaches them in the darkness of the Plaza of 
  Dark Delights.
  Read the following:
  As you move to exit the night-haunted interior of the Plaza, an 
  abrupt “Hist!” catches your attention. Spinning in the direction 
  of the exclamation, at first you see nothing. Then, like a phantom 
  emerging from the night fog, a shadow of darker hue than the sur-
  rounding gloom comes into sight. In a narrow alleyway between 
  two shuttered buildings is a robed figure dressed in black sack cloth. 
  A featureless oval of utter darkness fills the figure’s cowl, providing 
  no indication of its identity or even gender. A robe-covered arm 
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  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Page 9
  beckons you closer, its long expanse covering the whole extremity 
  so even the figure’s hand is hidden by the woven cloth.
  This is of course Sheelba and he wants words with the group. 
  Any dilly-dallying is met with a gruff rumble of aggravation 
  and a sharp “You’d be dead if I wished. Now, come here!” He 
  moves further back into the alleyway. If the party follows, 
  Sheelba pauses when they are sufficiently concealed.
  “You seek the Gilded Masks of Djil. I, too, desire them. It would 
  suit us both if we came to an accord,” Sheelba says. “I am Sheel-
  ba of the Eyeless Face, the most formidable wizard in Nehwon and 
  other worlds beyond. The Masks intrigue me in a small manner 
  and I require one for my purposes. Fetch me the chief-most—or 
  should I say chieftess-most given its gynarchical origin—Mask 
  and you earn my gratitude. The gratitude of a wizard which is 
  worth more than gold and jewels.”
  In game terms, Sheelba is willing to provide assistance to 
  the party as if they achieved a “10” result on the Agency ta-
  ble (see DCC RPG Lankhmar boxed set) if they acquire and 
  give to him the High Priestess’ Gilded Mask. He identifies 
  it as having seven gemstones of deepest purple set into its 
  golden forehead. This Mask is the only one he desires, and 
  Sheelba has no need for the other vizards. If the PCs ob-
  tain the High Priestess’ Mask for Sheelba, the wizard may 
  use them in future endeavors, even agreeing to become 
  their patron or asking them to serve as his agents. Failing 
  to recover the Gilded Mask intact earns them the wizard’s 
  disdain. PCs wishing to later seek supernatural patronage 
  from Sheelba will face a harder time proving themselves 
  worthy of the wizard’s patronage in light of their failure.
  PCs refusing to obtain the Mask for Sheelba are met with a 
  snort of disgust and a snarled, “Addle-pates! Unable to see op-
  portunity even when it raps you dead upon the nose. Be off with 
  you, then, and may the Masks be your ending.” He vanishes 
  abruptly.
  Sheelba states that he’ll know if the PCs succeed and con-
  tact them to collect what is owed him when the time comes. 
  He then disappears in the darkened alley, but whether by 
  mundane or supernatural avenues of departure it is diffi-
  cult to determine.
  Part three: the teMPle-
  teneMent and sPire of djil
  T
  he Temple of Djil stood abandoned for several 
  years after the expulsion of the sect. Then, slowly, 
  some of the bravest of the city’s poorest citizens 
  began living in the flame-blackened interior of the temple. 
  Unlike some of the other abandoned temples in Lankhmar, 
  such as the former temple of Winged Tyaa, there was no 
  edict forbidding entrance into the empty house of Djil. In 
  fact, the Overlord and the Inner Council of Lankhmar ap-
  proved of the squatters as it sheltered the underclass at no 
  cost to the city coffers. 
  In the decades since, the former temple has been divided 
  into numerous dank and dark rooms, cubicles, and cham-
  bers by the inhabitants. Rickety walkways and platforms of 
  scavenged and stolen lumber crisscross the building, creat-
  ing additional living space above the flagstone floor. The 
  tenement is filthy, stinking, and rife with pests, rodents, 
  and the lowest of men. This roughshod community stands 
  between the entrance and a massive column at the rear of 
  the temple. This column, the base of the Spire that trans-
  fixes the building, holds the secret entrance to the reliquary 
  containing the Gilded Masks. 
  The tenement is ruled by a gang of alley bashers, street 
  brawlers, would-be pimps, and wannabe Thieves’ Guild 
  members who call themselves the Spider Kings. The unop-
  posed lords of the temple-tenement, they demand tribute 
  from those who dwell beneath its soaring, leaking roof. 
  Although most of the Spider Kings are unskilled fighters, 
  their power is bolstered by Yohmanus, an alcoholic wizard 
  fallen on hard times by drink. He casts spells for the gang 
  in return for wine. 
  Read the following as the party approaches the temple-
  tenement:
  The former temple of Djil stands in one of Lankhmar’s many pov-
  erty-stricken neighborhoods. The surrounding buildings are in 
  varying states of disrepair and the businesses here are obviously 
  struggling. Dominating the neighborhood is the massive temple, 
  now turned tenement. The stone walls of the temple rise 50’ into 
  the air, supported by stout buttresses. At the rear of the temple is 
  a thick spire continues another 30’ into the sky. This large tower 
  is crowned by an oval construction resembling a flattened coin 
  stretched as if trodden on by a behemoth. Smoke from cook fires 
  and drying ragged clothing spill from the temple’s glass-less win-
  dows and the noise of a crowd tumbles from the open front doors. 
  The oval decoration crowning the spire was once a stylized 
  mask, but time, the elements, and vandals have rendered 
  it unidentifiable. Aside from a few curious glances at the 
  PCs by people about the street or the tenement’s residents 
  slumped on the stairs leading inside, the party is ignored 
  by the neighborhood dwellers. Inside the temple, the PCs 
  are confronted with its filthy, crowded interior.
  The smell of unwashed bodies, cooking food, bodily waste, and old 
  sickness assails your nostrils as you step into the dim confines 
  of the abandoned temple. The former fane, once gilded with the 
  wealth of its worshipers, is now filled with hovels and sleeping 
  spaces formed by crudely erected walls of scavenged lumber and 
  tattered blankets. Overhead you see a large balcony covering the 
  front-most section of the temple. A number of ramshackle walk-
  ways and platforms hang from the support pillars, forming a me-
  andering and dangerous second floor to the tenement.
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  hazardS in the 
  teMPle-teneMent
  Although the residents of the former temple are likely to 
  avoid the PCs, there is always the chance something un-
  foreseen occurs. The PC with the worst current Luck must 
  make a Luck check. On a failed check, an encounter with 
  some of the temple-tenement’s inhabitants occurs. Roll 1d3 
  to determine the event:
  1.	Beggar	 Child: A dirty, rag-clad child approaches the 
  PCs, seeking a handout. The urchin begs for a scrap 
  of food, a penny, or a spare article of clothing, plead-
  ing with both desperate voice and wide eyes. If the PCs 
  refuse, the gods notice and each character loses a point 
  of Luck. Giving the child something, however, marks 
  them as a soft touch and they are soon surrounded by 
  other pleading children and adults. A DC 12 Personal-
  ity check can scare them off. If the PCs resort to vio-
  lence, they loses 2 points of Luck each.
  2. Plague: A feverish occupant of the tenement rounds a 
  corner unexpectedly and coughs a spray of bloody spit-
  tle into a random PC’s face. The PC must make a DC 10 
  Fortitude save or contract the Bloody Cough. This dis-
  ease manifests in 1d4 days and results in the loss of 1 
  point of Stamina each day for 2d7 days. At the end of 
  this time, the PC can make another DC 10 Fortitude save 
  to recover. If failed, the disease continues for another 
  2d7 days after which it runs its course. A PC reduced 
  to zero Stamina dies. The barber-surgeons of Lankhmar 
  can treat this disease with a 50% success rate.
  3. Rickety Hovel: A flimsy wooden wall collapses as a 
  random PC passes it, perhaps caused by time or maybe 
  due to the PCs clumsiness. The occupants, a family of 
  four, emerge to berate the PCs, demanding money for 
  damages.
  event 4: the SPiderS’ WeB
  Unless the PCs are supernaturally stealthy, their presence 
  is eventually noticed by the Spider Kings. The gang con-
  fronts them before they reach the Spire at the far end of the 
  temple. 
  The desperate and destitute residents of the tenement abruptly 
  vanish from sight, slipping into their hovels or fading into the 
  shadows like prey detecting a predator’s scent. Appearing around 
  you just as suddenly are several fierce-looking individuals. 
  Clutching clubs and swords in hand, each one bears a tattoo of a 
  spider crawling up their cheek. Beside the largest of these tattooed 
  bravos is a spindly man dressed in wine-stained robes. Crazed 
  eyes peer from his face, unblinking and unearthly.
  The leader, Gravak, (the man besides the wizard) demands 
  to know why the PCs are in Spider King territory with-
  out permission as the rest of the gang menaces them with 
  weapons. The gang is after two things from the party: 1) 
  a show of respect and 2) hard coinage. Failing to provide 
  either will result in a beating.
  If the PCs display an appropriate amount of respect for the 
  gang, responding to their threats with a meek attitude or 
  treating them as superior opponents, allow them to make a 
  DC 10 Personality check. A successful check convinces the 
  Spider Kings the PCs are suitably cowed. Openly groveling 
  PCs need only succeed in a DC 8 Personality check, which 
  if successful convinces the gang they’re no threat and not 
  even worth a beating. Brazen PCs who challenge or insult 
  the Spider Kings are immediately attacked.
  The gang demands the party pay tribute to the Spider 
  Kings if they wish to remain in their demesne. This tithe is 
  one gold rilk apiece (2 if the PCs look well-heeled). Failure 
  to pay is punished by violence with the intent to rob the 
  party blind.
  Spider	King	Gang	Member	(2): Init +1; Atk short sword 
  +1 melee (1d6) or club +1 melee (1d4); AC 12; HD 1d4+2; 
  hp 4 each; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP none; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, 
  Will -1; AL C.
  Gravak,	Spider	King	Boss	(1): Init +2; Atk short sword +2 
  melee (1d6+2); AC 14; HD 2d6; hp 9; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP 
  none; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; AL C.
  Yohmanus,	Alcoholic	Sorcerer	(1): Init +0; Atk dagger +0 
  melee (1d4) or spell; AC 11; HD 3d4; hp 6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; 
  SP spells (+2 to spell check; enlarge, magic shield), spray of 
  spiders (magical effect: +2 ranged [1d5 dmg; affects up to 
  two adjacent targets], range 30’); SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will 
  +2; AL C.
  Alternate Encounter for Larger Group: Increase the num-
  ber of Gang Members to four.
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
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  A fight with the gang alerts more of the Spider Kings that 
  trouble is brewing, and 1d4 more gang members arrive in 
  three rounds. If Gravak is slain, the surviving gang members 
  flee and the party is given a wide berth for the rest of their 
  time in the temple-tenement. The Spider Kings won’t will-
  ingly assist the PCs without magical compulsion. Each gang 
  member has 1d10 silver pieces. Gravak has an additional 
  2d4 gold pieces. Yohmanus carries only a skin of foul wine.
  the SPire
  The soaring spire that protrudes from the roof of the build-
  ing rests atop a thick base within the temple. This structure 
  is located near the far end of the temple-tenement and is 
  decorated with a number of bas-relief carvings. These reli-
  gious icons are obscured by grime and graffiti, but provides 
  clues to the hidden entrance to the secret treasury inside 
  the Spire.
  Area 2-1—Spire Entrance: A massive pillar stands near the 
  far end of the former temple, rising from floor to soaring ceil-
  ing. Measuring roughly 60’ square, the stone support is defaced 
  by grime, soot, and inscribed graffiti left by generations of slum-
  dwellers. Faintly visible beneath the obscuring dirt are bas-reliefs 
  located 10’ up the pillar.
  There are four bas-reliefs on the pillar. They are, going 
  clockwise from the east, a goblet, a length of chain links, a 
  horned crescent moon, and a skull wearing a domino-style 
  mask. The secret entrance to the Spire’s interior is located 
  beneath the skull. PCs specifically searching this section of 
  wall automatically discover the hidden doorway; other-
  wise a DC 15 Intelligence check is required to find it. 
  The secret door is a section of wall that swings outward 
  when two stones are depressed simultaneously. Unopened 
  and unmaintained for a century, the wall grinds open, 
  blowing a cloud of dust and cobwebs into the PCs faces. 
  After opening only a few feet, the sound of snapping metal 
  and a collapsing counterweight within the wall’s interior 
  is heard. The mechanism allowing the door to pivot has 
  broken, locking the door ajar. The PCs can slip through the 
  gap, but have no way of closing the door or hiding their 
  point of ingress. This should convince them to act fast be-
  fore others discover the way inside!
  Area 2-2—Treasury Staircase: Beyond the secret entrance 
  is a square, dusty chamber. Every surface is covered by an inch-
  thick carpet of dust. A winding stone staircase rings the walls of 
  the room, rising upwards into the gloom. Aside from your breath-
  ing, the room is silent, but you have an uncomfortable sensation 
  that something lies within, slumbering fitfully.
  The staircase has no railing and is comprised of slabs of 
  stone mortared directly into the walls. Gaps in between the 
  risers make the stairs seem more like rows of crooked teeth 
  than a staircase, but this construction does not impede 
  climbing the flight of steps. The stairs terminate at the un-
  locked door to area 2-3.
  Area 2-3—Robing Room: Dust-covered vestments hang 
  from hooks on the walls of this small chamber. Unlit torches 
  stand in brass sconces on both the north and east walls. Also on 
  these walls are two rows of full-face masks carved from some dark 
  wood. An ancient, moldering rug spans the floor beneath a layer 
  of grey dust. A door exits the room in the south wall.
  The opening of the door has awoken the dark sentience that 
  inhabits the Gilded Masks of Djil, causing it to send out 
  ethereal tendrils to probe those who disturb them. These 
  invisible coils wrap themselves in the ancient robes within 
  this room and manipulate them to test the PCs. As the party 
  enters, a few of the robes shake off the dust and slip down 
  from their hooks, approaching the PCs with empty cowls 
  staring and barren sleeves reaching for them.
  Animated	 Robes	 (2): Init +1; Atk smothering +2 melee 
  (1d3); AC 10; HD 1d5+2; hp 7 each; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP 
  smothering (wraps around victim’s face and inflicts 1d3 
  damage each round; requires a DC 10 Strength check to re-
  move, but victim suffers a -1 die penalty to the attempt. 
  Others may assist at no penalty); suffers double damage 
  from fire; takes half damage from blunt attacks, immune to 
  piecing damage, immune to mind-affecting spells includ-
  ing sleep; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0; AL N.
  Alternate Encounter for Larger Group: There are Animat-
  ed Robes equal to the number of party members minus one.
  There are a dozen wooden masks arrayed in two rows of 
  six. They hang from iron nails. Each mask represents an 
  angular female face and is carved with great skill from Kle-
  shite ebony, giving it a deep indigo color. Inspecting the 
  interior of the mask reveals that the mouth and nose slits 
  are covered by a densely-woven fabric, also of deep purple 
  hue. These cloth filters protect the wearer from the inhaled 
  spices in area 2-4. Each mask is worth 10 smerduks to curio 
  sellers and collectors of religious paraphernalia. 
  Area 2-4—The Sisterhood’s Crypt: The doors to this 
  chamber are stubborn, requiring a hard pull by the opener 
  (no Strength check necessary however). Anyone inspecting 
  the door notices that the bottom of the portal bears a strip 
  of tarred cloth that stops the gap between door and corri-
  dor floor, creating a seal. This keeps the spices in this room 
  contained inside the chamber.
  Silent, dust-laden air fills the chamber beyond the door. As below, 
  this room is blanketed by an untouched layer of ashen dust. Eight 
  stone biers, arranged in two rows of four, occupy this chamber, an 
  apparent crypt. Atop each featureless stone block is a humanoid 
  form wrapped in a gray shroud. A faint glitter is dimly visible 
  through the dirty winding cloths. The air reeks of exotic spices 
  and dust. A door exits the room on the far side of the chamber.
  The exalted sisters of the Mysteries of Djil were interred 
  here upon their deaths. Each corpse underwent secret fune-
  real preparations to preserve the body. To defend the mortal 
  remains from desecration, exotic, psychoactive spices were 
  used in the funeral rites. Would-be grave robbers entering 
  the crypt are exposed to these chemicals.
  Each PC not wearing one of the masks from area 2-3 or 
  otherwise taking precautions against inhaled poisons must 
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  make a DC 10 Fortitude save after spending more than a 
  minute in this room. Failing the save indicates they are af-
  fected by the spice, which intensifies one of the victim’s 
  personal shortcomings or sins. The judge may either pick 
  an effect most appropriate for the PC (wrath for a North-
  ern berserker PC, for example) or roll 1d7 to determine it 
  randomly.
  Crypt	Spice	Effect	Table
  d7
  Sin	Inflamed	by	Exposure	to	the	Spice	
  1
  Envy: The PC becomes jealous of a random party 
  member, envying his skills, looks, equipment, etc. 
  The affected individual will strive to outperform the 
  targeted individual, attempting actions far beyond 
  his capabilities in an effort to impress. 
  2
  Gluttony: The PC develops a ravenous appetite for 
  food and drink eschewing all other activities to in-
  dulge in this sinful pleasure. The affected individ-
  ual consumes all carried food & potables, refusing 
  to take any other action. Once the meal is finished 
  (or if the PC does not have food & drink on him), 
  there is a 50% chance that he remains unsated and 
  will attempt to acquire more food, even resulting to 
  physical violence to steal it from another.
  3
  Greed: The PC becomes mad with treasure lust, 
  seeking to acquire the largest share of treasure pos-
  sible. Each time an object of value is available for the 
  taking, there is a 50% chance the greedy PC outright 
  claims it as his own, resorting to violence if neces-
  sary to obtain it.
  4
  Lust: The PC finds another individual physically 
  desirable and goes to great lengths to win their af-
  fections. Foolhardy risks, foppish behavior, bestow-
  ing gifts, and even blindly obeying their commands 
  are all likely behavior by the affected individual. 
  5
  Sloth: The PC refuses to do anything but lounge 
  about and let the rest of the party do the hard work. 
  Even threats of physical violence are insufficient to 
  get him to move from his present location.
  6
  Pride: The PC deems himself superior to his com-
  rades, ordering them about as a lord and expecting 
  his commands to be heeded. Failure to do so results 
  in either furious anger (50% chance) or a huffy at-
  titude of “If you want something done right, do it 
  yourself!” (50% chance).
  7
  Wrath: The PC is overcome by directionless anger 
  and is likely to attack the first person or object that 
  draws his attention. This rage continues until either 
  the target is laid low or the Wrathful individual is.
  This effect lasts for either one hour or until shaken off. 
  Overcoming the effects of the spice can be achieved by a 
  Luck check as if healing a wound and receiving a result of 
  5+ or by incapacitation. An affected individual knocked out 
  or put to sleep (via spell or a blow to the head), awakens 
  with a clear mind. 
  The crypt will clear of its debilitating spice-filled air if both 
  doors are left open for an hour or efforts to speed up the 
  ventilation (flapping cloaks or blankets to air out the space 
  for example) are undertaken. However, if the crypt is ven-
  tilated, the Thieves Guild agents have an easier task of sur-
  prising the PCs (see Event #4 below).
  The glittering beneath the winding shrouds is a bejeweled 
  choker adorning each mummified corpse. The stones are 
  dark purple, nearly black, amethysts. Each is worth 10 rilks, 
  but retrieving the stones results in a second exposure to the 
  debilitating spices and a -2 die penalty to the saving throw 
  roll. The concentration of spice is so great in the wrappings 
  that even PCs wearing a mask must make a save, but at no 
  penalty.
  Area 2-5—Reliquary Door: A solid-seeming door of dark 
  iron stands in a thick stone frame. The face of the door is deco-
  rated with seven masks, each depicting an angled woman’s face. 
  They are set in a spiral pattern. At the center of the spiral, in lieu 
  of a final mask, is an oval lock plate with inset keyhole.
  The door is both locked and trapped. The Key unlocks the 
  door, but, as an addition precaution against thieves, only 
  deactivates the trap is turned clockwise (towards the East-
  ern Lands where Djil originated). If turned counterclock-
  wise, the trap activates as detailed below.
  The trap is a series of nozzles that spray jets of a highly 
  caustic solution in a 10’ square area before the door. These 
  nozzles are concealed behind the eyes of the masks on the 
  door. A DC 12 Intelligence or find trap check notices the 
  masks’ eye sockets contain a moveable iron flap. These 
  flaps retract when the trap is sprung. A DC 15 Intelligence 
  or find trap check discovers the keyhole bears redundant 
  base pins. These pins are connected to the trap. Inhibit-
  ing those pins with a DC 12 disarm trap check keeps the 
  trap from functioning regardless of the direction the key is 
  turned.
  It the trap triggers, all within the affected area must make 
  a DC 11 Reflex save or suffer 1d5 points of acidic damage. 
  Placing an obstacle over the masks’ eye sockets (a shield, 
  for example), prevents the spray from drenching the area 
  of effect, but dissolves the obstruction, rending it useless. 
  The trap only functions once before the solution reservoir 
  is exhausted.
  Area 2-6—Reliquary: The chamber beyond the stout door is 
  low-ceilinged and gloomy. The dust that fills the interior rooms of 
  the spire appears less heavy here, as if errant breezes have stirred 
  it during the temple’s long abandonment. The shadows look more 
  gray than black in this room, possibly rife with cobwebs. In the 
  ashen gloom, seven golden faces glitter.
  This chamber is the home of the Gilded Masks of Djil. For 
  a century they’ve slumbered here, dreaming dreams tinged 
  with the sins they absorbed. Now, someone has come to 
  free them.
  The gray shadows are not cobwebs, but dusty strands of 
  ectoplasm, a supernatural substance woven from the sins 
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  Page 13
  absorbed by the Masks and excreted over the decades. This 
  morass covers the walls and sections of the floor beneath 
  the Masks and gathers in the corners. Any character mov-
  ing through the room and wishing to avoid the gray mate-
  rial must spend a Luck point to keep from contacting it. 
  Those unwilling to burn Luck step or brush against it, be-
  coming momentarily stuck (-1 die penalty to the next roll 
  the PC makes). The PC also experiences a brief hallucina-
  tion of some ancient sin (a brutal murder, an illicit affair, a 
  brazen robbery, etc.) –  he absorbs the memory of a long-
  ago sin woven into the substance.
  The Gilded Masks are animate and possess an evil guile. 
  Although once an instrument of the goddess, Djil, they’ve 
  become corrupted by the sins they absorbed and their long 
  abandonment. They seek to escape their prison and spread 
  their taint across Lankhmar. Once more than half the party 
  enters the room, the Masks drift off their hooks and float 
  through the air, seeking the doorway. 
  Gilded	Mask	(3): Init +2; Atk bash +2 melee (1d3) or ray +1 
  ranged (1d5+1 Personality); AC 14; HD 2d6+2; hp 9 each; 
  MV 40’ flying; Act 1d20; SP ray attack (inflicts psychic dam-
  age to target; victim suffering damage equal to or greater 
  than their Personality score becomes enslaved by the Mask, 
  acting as if charmed), immune to mind-affecting spells; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +0; AL C.
  High	Priestess’	Mask	(1): Init +3; Atk bash +2 melee (1d4) 
  or ray +2 ranged (1d6+1 Personality); AC 14; HD 4d6+2; 
  hp 14; MV 40’ flying; Act 1d20; SP ray attack (inflicts psy-
  chic damage to target; victim suffering damage equal to or 
  greater than their Personality score becomes enslaved by 
  the Mask, acting as if charmed), immune to mind-affecting 
  spells; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0; AL C.
  Alternate Encounter for Larger Group: The remainder of 
  the Gilded Masks animate making all seven active.
  The Masks attempt to enslave the PCs at first, concentrat-
  ing their rays on a one or two targets in order to swiftly 
  overwhelm their psyches. The Masks cause an enslaved 
  target to indulge in one of the seven sins (see area 2-4 for 
  possible reactions by the PC), but likely stirs up their Wrath 
  to attack his fellows in the Masks’ defense. Once the thieves 
  arrive (see Event #4 below), they too are viable targets and 
  the Masks will attack them as well as the party during the 
  battle.
  If the Masks suffer more than 50% casualties during the 
  battle, they seek less formidable servants. They streak out 
  the door and down the stairs, heading towards the ground 
  floor of the temple-tenement.
  Each of the Masks is worth 200 gold rilks, but only if intact. 
  A broken Mask’s value is reduced to 50 gold rilks. The High 
  Priestess’ Mask is worth 500 gold rilks, but only 100 rilks if 
  damaged.
  event 4: the thieveS 
  guild arriveS
  Things are about to get very interesting for the PCs (and a 
  little complex for the judge, so pay attention). The Thieves 
  Guild has been following the PCs, intent on acquiring the 
  Gilded Masks for themselves. The Guild is content with let-
  ting the PCs take most of the risks, then rob them after they 
  acquire the booty. A squad of thieves has trailed the party 
  since they escaped Igrik’s manor.
  The robbers followed the party to the temple-tenement, 
  lingering behind them some distance as they entered the 
  Spire. Unless the PCs have taken precautions to protect 
  their backs as they explored the Spire, it’s likely the thieves 
  have remained undetected. The Guild agents reach area 2-4 
  just as the fight in the Reliquary breaks out. Each thief must 
  make a DC 10 Fortitude save as they cross the crypt, poten-
  tially succumbing to the inhaled spices that cloy that room. 
  If they do, the PCs might detect them as they argue or fight 
  among themselves. If this occurs, a Luck check by any PC 
  near to door to the Reliquary detects the thieves’ presence, 
  allowing them to prepare.
  If undetected, the thieves reach the Reliquary three rounds 
  after the Masks animate. They move into the room, using 
  their blackjacks and sneak attack ability to subdue the PCs 
  before seeking to capture the Masks in their abductor’s 
  bags. The thieves’ intent is to gather as many Masks as they 
  can before fleeing. If the PCs (and Masks) prove too much 
  of a challenge, the Guild cuts its losses and either flees emp-
  ty handed or with whatever Masks they’ve bagged. This 
  may lead to the Rooftop Chase (see Event #5)
  Thieves’ Guild Operatives (3): Init +2; Atk short sword +1 
  melee (1d6) or blackjack +1 melee (1d3/2d6 subdual dam-
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Page 14
  age); AC 13; HD 1d6+1; hp 7 each; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP 
  kidnapper’s sack (see below); SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +0; 
  AL C.
  Alternate Encounter for Larger Group: There is one thief 
  for every PC.
  Each thief carries a drawstring bag of woven cloth large 
  enough to fit over a human head. The bags are steeped in 
  soporific herbs which induce unconsciousness if placed 
  over a victim’s head (+1 melee attack, DC 10 Fort save or 
  fall unconscious for 1d10 minutes). The thieves attempt to 
  use these to snare the animated Masks. A successful attack 
  roll against a Mask snares it inside the bag, entrapping it. 
  While encased in the bag, a Mask’s ray is useless and it can-
  not produce enough force to escape the woven cloth. Only 
  destroying the sack or willingly freeing the trapped vizard 
  allows it to escape.
  event 5: the 
  MaSkS eScaPe
  If the combat goes against the Masks, they fly out the door 
  and escape the Spire (all the doors between area 2-6 and the 
  exit were left open by the thieves to ensure a quick escape). 
  Once the Masks reach the floor of the temple-tenement, they 
  use their rays to affect as many of the residents as possible. 
  As most are downtrodden and weak-willed, the Masks 
  quickly put many of them under their command. Those suc-
  cumbing to the Mask’s beams indulge in their darkest sins.
  The PCs arrive to find the tenement in a state of utter confu-
  sion as Mask-dominated residents enact a litany of sins. Mur-
  der, gluttony, lechery, jealously, and pride run amok in the 
  crowded bottom floor of the tenement. Read the following:
  The interior of the tenement has become a madhouse. The escaped 
  Masks drift over the heads of the rampaging inhabitants, their 
  bruise-colored beams of power striking hither and thither, send-
  ing the targets into a frenzy of sinful activity. Ramshackle homes 
  are being overturned by jealous neighbors, half-dressed souls 
  titter as they seek amorous entanglements, victims of violent 
  robbery lie screaming and bleeding on the dirty flagstones, and 
  angry mobs take out their wrath on anyone who gets too close. 
  To your horror, it’s apparent the Masks are heading towards the 
  exit of the tenement, intent on spreading their influence into the 
  streets outside. They must be stopped!
  Destroying the Masks ends their supernatural domination 
  of the tenement’s residents, but before that can be accom-
  plished, the PCs must run the gauntlet of sinful madness. 
  Each PC makes a Luck check. If failed, they encounter one 
  of the following situations:
  1) Lecherous	mob: A group of partially-clad carousers at-
  tempts to drag the PC into their antics. Resolve as a grapple 
  attack (DCC RPG p. 96). The group is +8 to their grapple 
  attack due to numbers. If grappled, the PC is pinned by 
  the group and must break the grapple to escape. Other PCs 
  may assist; each PC helping grants the victim a +2 bonus to 
  his roll to break the grapple.
  2) Wrathful	mob: A swarm of residents, overwhelmed by 
  wrath, attacks the PC. Treat the crowd as a single monster 
  which, if reduced to zero hit points, disperses and no lon-
  ger threatens the PC.
  Wrathful	 Mob	 (1): Init +3; Atk improvised weapons +3 
  melee (1d4); AC 9; HD 4d8; hp 18; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP 
  attacks all targets in a 10’ square area, immune to critical 
  hits, cannot critically hit opponents; SV Fort +4, Ref -2, Will 
  -3; AL N.
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Page 15
  3) Thieving Band: A greedy horde of residents attempts to 
  rob the PC of all their worldly possessions. Resolve as a 
  grapple attack (see #1 above). If grappled, the PC is held 
  down and each round loses 1d4 possessions including 
  weapons, armor, money purse, etc. Only by escaping the 
  grapple as above or dispersing the mob with violence (treat 
  as AC 9 and with 10 hp. Reducing to zero hit points sends 
  the thieves running with a 50% chance of dropping pur-
  loined objects).
  The Masks are 60’ away from the PCs when the party ex-
  its the Spire, but the crowded conditions and rampaging 
  sinners make pursuit difficult. The PC’s speed is reduced 
  by -10’ per round unless they can clear a path through the 
  teeming sinners. Doing so requires either a spectacular 
  display of magic (succeeds automatically), bared weapons 
  used in a threatening manner (a DC 10 Personality check 
  while brandishing a weapon clears the way) or by physical 
  shoving or shouted threats (which opens a path with ei-
  ther a DC 15 Strength or Personality check). The Masks are 
  unaffected by the crowds or cluttered interior, but are in-
  tent on spreading their corruption with their beam attacks, 
  which reduces their speed to 20’ each round.
  The flying Masks are 80’ away from the doors when the PC 
  arrive, giving the party four rounds to reach and/or stop 
  the vizards from reaching the streets of Lankhmar. 
  Gilded	Mask	(varies): Init +2; Atk bash +2 melee (1d3) or 
  chaSeS
  Chases down city streets and across rooftops are common events in urban campaign. Full rules for adjudicating these 
  thrilling pursuits will appear in full in a future DCC RPG Lankhmar release. Until then, use the following system if 
  the PCs end up pursuing the thieves across the rooftops.
  • Each participant in the chase must make either a Strength or Agility check each round. In this rooftop chase, the 
  check is DC 13. The thieves have a +1 modifier to their check regardless of type. They begin the chase with 2 
  acquired successes due to their head start.
  • If the thieves make six successful checks, they reach Dead Dog Alley and vanish into the labyrinth of Lankhmar’s 
  back alleys. If a PC ever makes more successful checks than the thieves, he catches them before they escape and 
  combat occurs.
  • If a participant rolls a 5 or less on his check, a complication happens. See below for potential complications.
  • A participant whose speed is twice as fast as those he’s chasing/being chased by automatically gains once suc-
  cess each round and can make a Strength/Agility check to accumulate another.
  • A participant can forgo making their check for one round to increase the difficulty of the any pursuer’s check. 
  Rather than continue to run, the chased individual performs a maneuver to increase the likelihood of his escape. 
  The exact action is left to the judge to determine, but possible methods of evasion include knocking a plank that 
  bridges a gap between buildings off the rooftop, toppling a decrepit pigeon coup over to create an obstacle, sev-
  ering a laundry line to fill the air with fluttering clothing that obscures vision, etc. This increases the pursuer’s 
  next Strength or Agility check to DC 15.
  • A thief can stop fleeing and engage a PC in combat. If the PC chooses to fight the thief, he cannot make a Strength 
  or Agility checks to gain successes in the chase until the combat is over. A PC can also choose to evade the thief by 
  making either a Reflex save vs the thief’s attack roll or with a Mighty Deed of Arms. If successful, the PC rushes 
  past the thief and continues the chase without interruption and makes Strength or Agility checks as normal that 
  round. The thief may either pursue or attempt to hinder other PCs.
  Complications
  1. The participant’s foot goes through a weak spot in the roof. They must spend a round freeing themselves and 
  they lose one acquired success from their total if any.
  2. The participant hits a stretch of slippery shingles and must make a DC 8 Reflex save. If failed, the individual 
  takes a tumble and suffers 1d4 points of damage. If the result of the Reflex check is a natural “1,” the participant 
  falls off the roof and suffers 2d6 points of damage.
  3. The participant’s footsteps sends a rickety cistern/dovecote/chimney into collapse. The person responsible 
  must make a DC 10 Reflex save or take 1d3 points of damage and be knocked prone by the debris. All chase par-
  ticipants behind the person have their next Strength/Agility DC increased to 15 for one round as they maneuver 
  through the scattered debris.
  4. The participant drops a carried object as they almost lose their balance and must make a grab to keep from 
  falling. A PC drops his weapon if carrying one, while a thief either drops his weapon (50% chance) or the bag 
  holding a Mask (50% if applicable). A dropped bag smashes onto the ground below, shattering the Mask and 
  reducing its value to 50 rilks.
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Page 16
  ray +1 ranged (1d5 Personality); AC 14; HD 2d6+2; hp 9 
  each; MV 30’ flying; Act 1d20; SP ray attack (inflicts psy-
  chic damage to target; victim suffering damage equal to or 
  greater than their Personality score becomes enslaved by 
  the Mask, acting as if charmed), immune to mind-affecting 
  spells; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +0; AL C.
  High	Priestess’	Mask	(if	applicable): Init +3; Atk bash +2 
  melee (1d4) or ray +2 ranged (1d6+1 Personality); AC 14; 
  HD 4d6+2; hp 14; MV 40’ flying; Act 1d20; SP ray attack 
  (inflicts psychic damage to target; victim suffering damage 
  equal to or greater than their Personality score becomes en-
  slaved by the Mask, acting as if charmed), immune to mind-
  affecting spells; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0; AL C.
  Destroying the Masks before they exit the tenement pre-
  vents catastrophe in the city, but unfortunately comes at pe-
  cuniary costs. As the Masks shatter, the golden fragments 
  fall to the ground. The poverty-stricken residents are swift 
  to snatch up the valuable shards and then vanish into the 
  crowds. Ultimately, the PCs can only recover fragments 
  worth 20 rilks, a mere portion of the potential wealth.
  event 6: the flight 
  of thieveS
  This event occurs if the Thieves’ Guild acquired one or 
  more of the Masks and chooses to flee rather than stay and 
  fight. So long as one PC remains alive and conscious, there 
  is a chance the Thieves can be stopped before they escape 
  with the Gilded Masks in their possession.
  The thieves rush out of the Spire and ascend the spiral stair-
  case in the northeast corner of the temple-tenement. They 
  use the plank walkway to cross to the nearby platform and 
  reach the closest pair of windows in the north wall of the 
  building. From there, the thieves exit the temple-tenement 
  and leap to an adjoining roof. They then proceed across the 
  neighboring roofs until the reach Dead Dog Alley (see map 
  for route). If the PCs fail to catch them by that point, they 
  easily vanish into the winding alleys of Lankhmar and the 
  Gilded Masks are lost (see Ending the Adventure for further 
  details on this development).
  ending the adventure
  I
  t is likely that the PCs, forced by the threat the 
  Gilded Masks pose to Lankhmar, destroy most of 
  the golden visages, rendering them both power-
  less and vastly decreased in value. Depending on the num-
  ber of PCs in the adventure some or all of the Masks might 
  have been shattered. The party might get cold comfort from 
  knowing they spared Lankhmar from being plunged into 
  a maelstrom of sinful chaos, but that doesn’t buy wine or 
  a night’s lodging. The party will hopefully have learned 
  their skills complement one another and pursue future ad-
  ventures in Lankhmar as a group. Behold! An adventuring 
  party (and a campaign) is born!
  Sheelba appears shortly after the party leaves the temple-
  tenement, looking for the High Priestess’ Mask. If the party 
  recovered it, he appears almost gleeful, snatching the Mask 
  from them and informing them that they need only seek him 
  out in the Great Salt Marsh if they require assistance. He 
  then immediately vanishes. A group who failed to acquire 
  the High Priestess’ Mask (or smashed it in the processes), is 
  met with muttered curses and Sheelba departs, disgusted.
  If the PCs fail to destroy the Masks and they escape from 
  the temple-tenement, the flying vizards spread their cor-
  ruption across the city like wild fire. Riots erupt across 
  the western half of Lankhmar as the Masks run rampant. 
  Lankhmar’s soldiery and the Sorcerers’ Guild are called 
  to action. It takes three days before the last of the Masks 
  is tracked down and destroyed. The Thieves’ Guild uses 
  the chaos and to their advantage, staging several stunning 
  burglaries across the city. Even Igrik of the East isn’t spared 
  from the widespread larceny, his last few treasures vanish-
  ing in the night. He ultimately returns to the Eastern Lands, 
  a broke and bitter man. 
  A group of PCs who have been identified by the Guild as 
  freelancers might also find themselves targeted for death in 
  the chaos, forcing them to flee from the City of Sevenscore 
  Thousand Smokes and seek friendlier lands beyond the 
  land of Lankhmar. A group unwilling to flee must either 
  demonstrate they’re too formidable for the Thieves’ Guild 
  to seek vengeance on (no simple task!) or buy the Guild’s 
  pardon, likely by giving the brotherhood of burglars any 
  Gilded Mask or piece thereof they might have ended the 
  adventure with.
  The last possible outcome of the opening of the Spire and 
  discovery of the Gilded Masks is that the Thieves’ Guild 
  ends with one or more of them in their possession. The 
  Masks prove to be too much for the Guild to handle. Once 
  removed from the sacks, the Masks animate again and 
  quickly use their power to plunge the Guild into a whirl-
  wind of sinful indulgences. This leads to both rampant rob-
  bery, inter-guild battles, depletion of the Guild’s treasury, 
  and other acts that threaten the very fabric of the Guild. 
  A handful of Guild members escape the corrupting effect 
  of the Masks and seek assistance in destroying them. They 
  may call on the PCs, knowing their prior encounter with the 
  vizards, granting the group amnesty from their crimes or 
  even the benefits of membership if they destroy the Masks. 
  No matter what occurs at the end of Masks of Lankhmar, it is 
  only a minor lull before the next thrilling adventure, brazen 
  crime, or exciting escapade happens to the party. The life of 
  a hero in the world of Nehwon is never dull, and neither is 
  the game of Dungeon Crawl Classics!
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
  Brian Jones (Order #11173860)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeon Crawl Classics/DCC Adventures & Settings/DCC Lankhmar/DCC Lankhmar Adventures/DCC Lankhmar Masks of Lankhmar.pdf