TEXT:  
  VER 3-01 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Armor Class 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK
  ®  
  Verbobonc Regional Adventure 
   
   
  by Ron Lundeen 
  Triad Edit: Lon Lademann 
  Circle Edit: David Christ 
   
   
   
   
   
  Protecting children from an unknown danger is a good and heroic thing to do.  You agreed to help the Soldragon 
  Academy of Martial Training get to the bottom of these strange and sinister events.  Why, then, are you being asked for 
  your…teaching credentials?  An adventure for characters level 1-12. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
  ® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed 
  by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content.  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission of the author.  To 
  learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 system license, please visit www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is 
  intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network.  
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 2 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® game. A four-hour time block has been 
  allocated for each round of this scenario, but the actual 
  playing time will be closer to three hours. The rest of the 
  time is spent in preparation before game play, and 
  scoring after the game. The following guidelines are here 
  to help you with both the preparation and voting 
  segment of the game. Read this page carefully so that you 
  know and can communicate to your players the special 
  aspects of playing an RPGA scenario.  
   
  Preparation 
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario was 
  created to support double-sided printing, but printing it 
  single sided will work as well. There is enough room 
  along the inside margin to bind the adventure, if you 
  desire.  
   
  Read this entire adventure at least once before you 
  run your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any 
  special rules, spells, or equipment presented in the 
  adventure. It may help to highlight particularly 
  important passages.  
   
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we 
  assume that you have access to the following books: the 
  Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and 
  the Monster Manual. We also assume that you have a set 
  of dice (at least one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some 
  scrap paper, a pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your 
  sense of fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track 
  movement during combat. This can be as simple as a pad 
  of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map 
  and chits, or as elaborate as resin dungeon walls and 
  miniatures. 
   
  Instruct the players either to prepare their 
  characters now, or wait until you read the introduction, 
  depending on the requirements of the scenario as 
  described in the introduction.  
   
  Keep in mind that you must have at least three 
  players (not counting the DM), for the game session to 
  be a sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you cannot have 
  more than six players participating in the game. 
   
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to instruct 
  each player to place a nametag in front of him or her. The 
  tag should have the player’s name at the bottom, and the 
  character’s name, race, and gender at the top. This makes 
  it easier for the players (and the DM) to keep track of 
  who is playing which character. 
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn 
  about equipment and weapons their characters are 
  carrying. That said, you as the DM can bar the use of 
  even core rulebooks during certain times of play. For 
  example, the players are not free to consult the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide when confronted with a trap or hazard, 
  or the Monster Manual when confronted with a 
  monster.  
   
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that 
  you may present it as written to the players, while other 
  text is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in 
  gray boxes. It’s strongly recommended that you 
  paraphrase the player text instead of reading it aloud. 
  Some of this text is general and must be adapted to the 
  specific situation or to actions of the player characters. 
   
  Scoring 
  After the players have completed the scenario or the 
  time allotted to run the scenario has run out, the players 
  and DM score the game. The RPGA has three ways to 
  score its games. Consult your convention coordinator to 
  determine which method to use for this scenario: 
  1. 
  No-vote scoring: The players write their names and 
  RPGA numbers on the scoring packet grid. You fill 
  in the top of the grid. That is all. No one is rated. 
  This method is used for people who are just playing 
  for fun. 
  2. 
  Partial scoring: The players rate the game master 
  and the scenario on their player voting sheet, and 
  provide personal information, but don’t vote for 
  other players. The game master rates the scenario 
  and completes personal and event information, but 
  does not rate the players as a team or vote for 
  players. This method is used when there is no 
  competition, but the event coordinator wants 
  information on how the game masters are 
  performing, or the game master wants feedback on 
  his or her own performance. 
  3. 
  Voting: Players and game masters complete the 
  entire packet, including voting for best player. If 
  this method is used, be sure to allow about 15-20 
  minutes for the players to briefly describe their 
  characters to the other players, and about 5-10 
  minutes for voting. This method is used when the 
  players want to know who played the “best” 
  amongst the group, or when the adventure is run in 
  tournament format with winners and prizes.  
   
  When using voting, rank the players in order of your 
  voting choice while they are completing their forms, so 
  that you are not influenced by their comments on your 
  abilities. It’s a good idea to have the players vote while 
  you determine treasure and experience awards for the 
  scenario.  
   
  After voting, give the Scoring Packet to your event 
  coordinator.  
   
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure.  As a 
  LIVING adventure it is expected that players bring 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 3 
  their own characters with them.  If players do not have 
  a LIVING GREYHAWK character generated, get a 
  copy of the current LIVING GREYHAWK character 
  generation guidelines, and a character sheet from your 
  convention coordinator or the RPGA Web site, ant 
  then have any players without a character create on.  
  Once all players have a LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character, play can begin. 
  Along with the other materials that you are assumed to 
  have in order to run a D&D game, it is also 
  recommended that you have a copy of the LIVING 
  GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
   
  Living Greyhawk Levels of Play 
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportioned to the average character level of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. To determine the 
  Average Party Level (APL): 
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the 
  PCs participating in the adventure. 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained 
  for combat (most likely being war horses, 
  dogs trained for war), other than those 
  brought by virtue of a class ability (i.e. animal 
  companions, familiars paladin’s mounts, etc) 
  use the following chart to determine the 
  number of levels you add to the sum above. 
  Add each character’s animals separately. A 
  single PC may only bring four or fewer 
  animals of this type, and animals with 
  different CRs are added separately. 
   
  CR 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
   
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
   
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
   
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
   
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
   
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
   
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
   
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
   
   
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
   
   
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
   
  3. 
  Sum the results of 1 and 2, and divide by the 
  number 
  of 
  characters 
  playing 
  in 
  the 
  adventure.  Round to the nearest whole 
  number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six PCs, add one 
  to that average. 
   
  By following these four steps, you will have 
  determined the APL. Throughout this adventure, APLs 
  categorize the level of challenge the PCs will face. 
  APLS are given in even-numbered increments. If the 
  APL of your group falls on an odd number, ask them 
  before the adventure begins whether they would like 
  to play a harder or easier adventure. Based on their 
  choice, use either the higher or the lower adjacent 
  APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience you 
  may gain at the end of the adventure. If your character 
  is three character levels or more either higher or lower 
  than the APL this adventure is being played at, that 
  character will receive only half of the experience 
  points awarded for the adventure. This simulates the 
  face that either your character was not as challenged as 
  normal, or relied on help by higher-level characters to 
  reach the objectives. 
   
  Note: LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed 
  for APL 2 and higher. Three or four, or sometimes even 
  five 1
  st-level characters may find difficulty with the 
  challenges in a LIVING GREYHAWK adventure. If 
  your group is APL 1 there are three things that you can 
  do to help even the score. 
  1. 
  Attempt to create a table of six 1
  st-level 
  characters, or try to enlist higher-level 
  characters to play at that table. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help 
  protect them, and fight for them. All riding 
  dogs are considered trained to attack. PCs 
  who want their dogs to attack must succeed at 
  a Handle Animal or Charisma check (DC 10). 
  Failure indicates that the animal will not 
  attack that round. This is a free action (spoken 
  command) that may be attempted each round. 
  If an animal loses half or more hp in a single 
  round it flees, unless another check is 
  successful. 
   
  Time Units and Upkeep 
   
  This is a standard one-round Regional adventure, set in 
  the Verbobonc. This event costs one Time Unit to play. 
   Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep costs 12gp per Time 
  Unit.  Rich Upkeep costs 50gp per Time Unit.  Luxury 
  Upkeep costs 100gp per Time Unit. 
   
   
  
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  Adventure Summary and 
  Background 
   
  Founding of the Academy 
  Thirty years ago, the warrior-scholar Piper Soldragon 
  realized his dream to establish a warrior’s school for the 
  children of nobles in Verbobonc. But, at Piper’s school 
  the children learn art, grammar, science, and literature 
  as well as combat and tactics. Retiring from a successful 
  adventuring career, Piper Soldragon attracted two 
  instructors and purchased an abandoned manor house 
  in Verbobonc City. He turned it into an academy for 
  training and education of the young.  The Piper 
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training was born. 
   
  Throughout Piper’s life, his Academy grew in 
  reputation and size. It remains an exclusive school for 
  the children of wealthy Verbobonc families. Although 
  its focus is to educate one-day aristocrats in the 
  fighting arts, graduates of the Soldragon Academy have 
  a well-rounded learning of the sciences and arts as well. 
   
  Oggmun’s Sad Tale 
   
  Instructors have come and gone throughout the 
  thirty-year history of the school, yet only one has meet 
  with a horrible end: twenty-three years ago, after seven 
  years of successful teaching, the gnomish duelist 
  Brynn Oggmun Quickblade was mauled to death by 
  dogs. The father of one of the students stopped in to 
  see his daughter before taking his retainers and his 
  hounds out for a hunt.  The ferocious dogs, left 
  unattended momentarily in the courtyard of the 
  Academy, broke their leashes and attacked poor lone 
  Master Oggmun, who was crossing the courtyard for a 
  late lunch at the time.  Since then, there has been a 
  strict ban at the Soldragon Academy forbidding the 
  presence of animals of any kind within the grounds, 
  although few people remember the origins of this ban. 
  The incident of Oggmun’s death was covered up as 
  quickly as possible, to keep the reputation of the school 
  untarnished. The only one to remember the sad, 
  violent death of Master Oggmun is the second of Piper 
  Soldragon’s original instructors, Milo the Deft, who 
  teaches at the Academy still. 
   
  However, Oggmun’s ghost lives on at the 
  Academy, and he has done his best to watch over the 
  students he loved teaching in life. Oggmun hasn’t 
  made his appearance known often, perhaps once every 
  few years. Now and again, a student will report seeing a 
  strange, bloody gnome in the halls or in the courtyard 
  of the Academy. The faculty generally dismisses such 
  tales and, until recently, no one except the rare student 
  knew there was a ghost haunting the Soldragon 
  Academy. 
    
  The Faculty Today 
   
  Piper Soldragon passed on a decade ago, and left 
  the care of his Academy in his nephew, the bard 
  Mertius Soldragon. Mertius shares the same dedication 
  to a “well-rounded warrior’s education” as his uncle. As 
  such, he has hired instructors who not only teach 
  fighting and tactics, but sciences and liberal arts as 
  well. Only one instructor refuses to share this vision, 
  and that is the one-armed warrior Grandel Carble. 
   
  Carble lost his arm fighting in the Greyhawk Wars 
  against unnamed fiends. He wandered for a while, a 
  bitter mercenary, until he met Mertius Soldragon in 
  Greyhawk. Mertius was impressed with Carble’s grasp 
  of history, particularly military history, and invited 
  him to teach at the Soldragon Academy. Having no 
  other immediate prospects, Carble agreed. This was 
  two years ago. 
   
  Since then, Carble has reached two decisions.  
  First, he enjoys teaching young people to be warriors; 
  he’s a gifted combat instructor despite his handicap. 
  Secondly, Carble hates a “well-rounded warrior’s 
  education.” Carble feels that the arts and sciences are a 
  waste of time; a true warrior has no need of such 
  frippery and nonsense. Carble wants to start his own 
  school, but he knows that he can’t compete with the 
  prestigious Soldragon Academy. Carble has been 
  secretly looking for a way to discredit his employer and 
  shut down the Soldragon Academy for months now. 
  About three weeks ago, he discovered a way. 
   
  Carble’s Scheme 
   
  Master Carble learned from Master Deft about the 
  death of the gnome dueling instructor, Master 
  Oggmun, years ago. Master Carble has also heard the 
  occasional tale of the bloody gnome in the halls of the 
  Soldragon Academy. Unlike past instructors, though, 
  Carble listened to the rumors.  Carble guessed that the 
  ghost exists, and that it’s the old instructor, Oggmun, 
  of which Master Deft spoke. Carble did a little research 
  in the library, and discovered that the gnome had no 
  family or relatives, and was buried in the gardens of the 
  courtyard. Fortunately, the gardens were replanted 
  recently, and Carble had no trouble digging down one 
  night to recover the gnome’s old bones. 
   
  Carble knew, from his more adventuresome days, 
  that ghosts are often tied to their bones.  With 
  Oggmun’s bones, Carble hoped to force the ghost to do 
  many things, but it costs Carble some of the bones each 
  time. Carble has been commanding the gnome ghost 
  to scare the students away from the Academy for the 
  last three weeks. Oggmun hates this task, but he 
  
  Armor Class 
   
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  cannot defy Carble as long as Carble has power over his 
  bones. 
   
  Carble’s plan is working well. Only about fifty 
  students, out of an original class of almost a hundred, 
  remain at the Academy. After Encounter 2, this 
  number drops to only twenty-one. Mertius is 
  frantically assuring the parents of the last few dozen 
  students that he has everything under control. These 
  twenty-one students are the sons and daughters of 
  parents who believe that Mertius has the situation 
  under control, or live too far from Verbobonc City to 
  have heard the ghastly rumors.  In fact, Mertius has no 
  idea what’s going on.  Carble’s plan has been successful 
  so far, and he has one more move to make before 
  finishing off the Soldragon Academy for good. 
   
  The Hike 
   
  The day after the adventure begins, Carble is 
  supposed to take the students on a day hike in armor, 
  as part of their field training. Carble knows that if this 
  hike goes badly, it could spell the end of the Soldragon 
  Academy. However, he doesn’t want to implicate 
  himself, and he doesn’t want any of the children 
  harmed. After all, Carble intends to start his own 
  school with many of the same children as pupils. He 
  will denounce poor, cursed Mertius and assure parents 
  that the Grandel Carble’s Warrior School is where their 
  children belong. Carble may be a greedy, selfish man, 
  but he likes children in his own, gruff way.   
   
  Carble has planned to put himself out of suspicion 
  entirely. In fact, he plans to fake his death, so Mertius 
  has to lead the day hike. Carble has asked a “sorceress” 
  acquaintance to assault Mertius and scatter the 
  children. Carble only wants Mertius beaten up, and the 
  children scattered into the hills and wilds surrounding 
  the city. This should put a good scare into the children, 
  and convince Mertius to shut down for good. Then 
  Carble will resurface, claiming that the ghost wounded 
  but didn’t kill him, placing yet another shadow on the 
  doomed academy. He will then be free to open his own 
  school. 
   
  Voranka’s Covey 
   
  Carble made a serious error in his choice of 
  “sorceress.” He had met a beautiful woman who lived 
  outside of the city, and gotten to know her somewhat 
  well. Her name is Voranka. Carble confided his 
  aspirations, and ultimately his plans, to her. 
  Unfortunately, the wicked Voranka is not what she 
  appears. She is in fact a green hag that used her change 
  self ability to dupe Carble.  Voranka is a member of a 
  hag covey (including a sea hag named Katelna and an 
  annis named Gutrina) and she has several evil giants 
  under her command. Keeping the covey well-supplied 
  with food without raising the suspicions of the city is a 
  big chore for the covey, and they’re voracious.  
   
  Originally, Voranka was just luring Carble along 
  to kill him and eat him. When she heard about his 
  plan, however, the evil hag realized that she could feast 
  upon Mertius and the children, if she was crafty. So 
  Voranka offered to help Carble, by assaulting Mertius 
  and scattering the children.  When Carble insisted that 
  the children come to no harm, Voranka eagerly agreed 
  (although it was a bold-faced lie). 
   
  The hag covey has developed its own agenda.  
  They intend to have one of their giants kill and eat 
  Mertius, and then herd the children along to devour at 
  their leisure. The characters are the only ones who can 
  stop the covey’s carnivorous plans. 
   
   
  Introduction 
   
  The market of Verbobonc City is a busy and festive 
  place at any time, but perhaps more so on this fine 
  day. While meandering past stalls of fresh-baked 
  goods, you [point to a character, preferably one in 
  heavy armor] are attacked from behind by a not so 
  hard blunt object! 
   
   
  Ask for a quick reaction from the character; as 
  soon as he looks at his “foe,” continue. 
   
   
  Your attacker glares up at you, his eyes 
  twinkling with excitement but not hostility. A lad 
  of no more than twelve, bearing a long loaf of 
  bread, slaps you with his doughy weapon again. 
   
  “A challenge, good sir, if you please!” 
   
   
  Again, await a response form the character. The 
  lad is interested in harmless sparring. After a moment, 
  the lad’s interaction is noticed. 
   
   
  “Gwygar Flessen!” roars a voice, and a huge 
  man in fine clothes steps up to your group. He eyes 
  the lad seriously. “Young Master Flessen, how dare 
  you? What would your parents think, accosting 
  strangers on the street?” 
   
  The large man eyes your group, as though 
  seeing you for the first time. He takes in your 
  appearances quickly and critically, then, turns to 
  the boy. 
   
  “What is the Second Rule of Engagement?” 
   
  “Choose your enemies wisely,” returns the boy, 
  in the dull monotone of a schoolboy repeating 
  lessons. 
  
  Armor Class 
   
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  “And did this foe look like someone you could 
  heedlessly bother? What is the Third Rule?” 
   
  The boy glares at the man with some dislike. 
  “You aren’t my headmaster anymore, Master 
  Soldragon,” he replies, sullenly. 
   
  “Perhaps it’s good for your backside I’m not, 
  Young Master Flessen. Now, the Third Rule, if you 
  please.” The large man folds his arms across his 
  massive chest and awaits a response. The boy just 
  glares further, and turns and darts back into the 
  crowd. In a flash he is gone. 
   
  The large man lets out a long sigh and shakes 
  his head. He turns to the group of you.  “I am truly 
  sorry, good folk, about this interruption of your 
  day. My pupils now are few, and getting fewer by 
  the day.  I am so very sorry. Allow me to introduce 
  myself. Headmaster Mertius Soldragon of the 
  Soldragon Academy. Might I ask your names and 
  trades?” 
   
   
  Once any of the characters mention being an 
  adventurer, or having any sort of investigative or 
  combat experience, he warms up to them greatly. 
   
   
  “If I might trouble you for a day or two of your 
  time, I have some…troubles that bear looking into. 
  I was just wondering if capable folk such as 
  yourselves would be interested?  I can pay you for 
  your time.” 
   
   
  Mertius will offer fifty gold, per person, if they 
  agree to investigate the strange occurrences at his 
  school, the Piper Soldragon School of Martial Training, 
  and get to the bottom of them. He willingly provides a 
  full background of the school and the troubles it is 
  experiencing; refer to the Adventure Background for 
  details. His price is firm. 
   
  Encounter One:  The Soldragon 
  Academy 
   
  As the characters approach the Academy with Mertius, 
  he looks to see if any of them have animal companions. 
  Unless a character has an animal stuffed in a pocket 
  somewhere (like a familiar), he stops outside the 
  Academy grounds and politely informs the character(s) 
  that no animals are allowed on the Soldragon Academy 
  grounds. If pressed, he isn’t exactly sure why they 
  aren’t, but it was a firm rule of his uncle’s, and Mertius 
  intends to honor the tradition. 
   
  A map of the Academy can be found in Appendix 
  3. It forms a square surrounding a large training yard, 
  with a fountain and a garden in it. A high stone wall 
  fronts the Academy on the east, with a large gate. 
  Above the gate is carved the legend, “Soldragon 
  Academy of Martial Training.”  The gate is closed and 
  locked (Open Locks DC 35, Break DC 28) from dusk 
  until dawn. 
   
  The south wing of the Academy is the one-story 
  classroom wing, containing three classrooms and a 
  forge (where Master Carble works as the smith for the 
  Academy). None of these rooms are kept locked. 
   
  The north wing of the Academy houses the two-
  story student living quarters, or dormitories.  These 
  rooms can each hold up to four students, but many of 
  the rooms have only one student at present, (relatives, 
  however, stay in the same room; for example, the 
  DeChutes brothers all stay in the same room). In 
  general, boys stay on the ground floor, and girls stay on 
  the second floor. There is also a kitchen and laundry 
  here, and some storage rooms. Five cooks and maids 
  work throughout here during the day, but they go 
  home at night. Doors to the student living quarters are 
  usually locked at night, and the individual rooms lock 
  from the inside with a deadbolt. All doors are sturdy 
  (Open Locks DC 25, Break DC 20). 
   
  The central area of the Academy is a large, four-
  story building. The ground floor contains a large 
  dining hall, with instructors and guests dining at a 
  raised table to the south. The northern stairs provide 
  access to the second floor only, while the southern 
  stairs provide access to all floors of the central building. 
  The second floor houses an extensive library on a wide 
  variety of subjects.  There are two private reading 
  rooms here. One of the reading rooms has a secret exit 
  onto the sloped roof of the classroom wing; only a 
  couple of students, Oggmun, and Master Carble know 
  of this secret door (Search DC 20 plus the APL). The 
  third floor holds the instructors’ offices, which are 
  described in more detail in Encounter 3. At the end of 
  the long hall is a cleverly concealed secret door, which 
  leads onto the steeply pitched roof of the student 
  living quarters. Only a handful of students, Oggmun, 
  and Master Carble know of this secret door (Search DC 
  25 plus the APL). The top floor was once Piper 
  Soldragon’s suite, but now Mertius Soldragon lives 
  there. He is the only non-student to reside at the 
  Academy.  After Encounter 2, Mertius invites the 
  characters to stay in the suite while they conduct their 
  investigations. The suite consists of a storage closet 
  (with extra bedding, furniture, and the like), a 
  bedroom, a private study, along with Mertius’ large 
  office. 
   
  Only a few of the rooms in the Soldragon 
  Academy have windows: the dining hall, instructor’s 
  offices, Soldragon’s suite, and the student dormitories 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 7 
  all have windows filled with thick glass.  These 
  windows are about eight inches wide, and three feet 
  tall; they look more like arrow slits than windows, but 
  they let sunlight into the rooms.  
   
  Encounter Two:  School Lunch 
   
  Mertius wants to introduce the characters to the rest of 
  the faculty, and assumes that the best place to do so is 
  at lunch. The students of the Soldragon School of 
  Martial Training eat in a communal dining hall, along 
  with the four instructors and Mertius himself. 
   
   
  The lofty-ceilinged room is noisy, and becomes 
  noisier as students file in and sit at their tables. 
  Mertius leads you to a raised platform at the front 
  of the room and motions for you all to be seated 
  around a long table with Mertius and four other 
  adults. One is a stern, hawkish woman, another is a 
  smiling half-elf, the third is a gruff one-armed man, 
  and the fourth is a restless halfling. Mertius 
  introduces them as Mistress Valria, Master Azlear, 
  Master Carble, and Master Deft. 
   
  The students quiet down, and look up at the 
  head table. You see that although most of the 
  students have place settings in front of them, a few 
  students do not. These dishless students look into 
  their laps instead of up at the head table. 
   
  Mertius stands up and addresses the students. 
  “Students, today we have guests with us for lunch, 
  so I expect your manners will be impeccable. Now, 
  if I might ask our guests to introduce their exploits 
  of skill and bravery…” 
   
  The entire room looks at eagerly at your group. 
   
   
  Mertius is expecting a short, stirring tale or two 
  from a few of the characters, and doesn’t mind putting 
  them on the spot like this. Allow as many or as few of 
  them who wish to respond. 
   
  After the characters finish speaking, Mertius claps 
  his hands, and kitchen servants bring out a salad to the 
  instructor’s table, and then to all the students with 
  place settings in front of them. 
   
  The students sitting without place settings before 
  them, are being punished by Mistress Valria. She 
  cannot abide laziness, and the students that do not 
  expend the utmost of energy in the morning do not eat 
  lunch.  This form of punishment was introduced when 
  Mistress Valria came to the Academy a decade ago. 
  Mertius finds the measure somewhat harsh, but 
  effective. In any case, no student is denied dinner, and 
  many can sneak an apple or chunk of cheese from the 
  kitchen later in the afternoon.  The punishment is 
  more of shame at lunchtime than actual starvation. 
   
  Over the salad course, the characters may talk to 
  the other instructors, who introduce themselves and 
  discuss the strange happenings. 
   
   
  Alayna Valria oversees melee weapon training. 
  She also teaches classes on proper bearing and 
  manners. Born of a noble family, Valria served for a few 
  years as a military officer, but left under mysterious 
  circumstances she chooses not discuss. She has been 
  teaching at the Academy for almost ten years. Her thin 
  frame belies extraordinary strength and combat ability, 
  and her table manners are impeccable. She is a 
  demanding instructor, but one of the best that the 
  Academy has ever had. Mistress Valria is convinced 
  that the strange happenings are student pranks, and 
  she has stepped up discipline in her classes to try to 
  keep the offenders too busy for such tomfoolery. 
   
   
  Hindar Azlear teaches archery, writing, and 
  poetry. He has always wanted to be a performing bard, 
  but is afraid of crowds, so he became a warrior and poet 
  instead. He has only been teaching for the past three 
  years, but he enjoys his job immensely. One might say, 
  having such a young captive audience works wonders 
  for Hindar’s confidence. Since the strange sightings 
  and occurrences haven’t actually hurt anyone, he 
  thinks they are harmless, whatever their source. 
   
   
  Grandel Carble is a surly, unhappy man. He lost 
  his arm in the Greyhawk Wars, and was miserable in 
  retirement. He came out of retirement to train soldiers, 
  but couldn’t find a job due to his handicap. Mertius 
  Soldragon agreed to hire Carble and, since he didn’t 
  have anywhere else to go, Carble accepted. Carble feels 
  that the “well-rounded” education Mertius promotes is 
  a waste of time. He teaches specialized weapon classes 
  and armor training, and Mertius has also asked him to 
  teach history. Carble’s history classes always focus on 
  military history and hero legends; he dismisses 
  political history and art history as “needless fluff,” but 
  not in front of Mertius. Mertius has no idea that Carble 
  is disloyal. Master Carble is large and gruff, and 
  sensitive about his handicap. He speaks sparingly to 
  the characters.  Carble is behind the strange activities 
  at the Academy. He discovered the ghost of the gnome 
  duelist Oggmun, and is forcing Oggmun to terrorize 
  the school and drive the students away.  Once the 
  Soldragon Academy closes, Carble plans to open his 
  own school and draw upon the students driven away 
  from the Soldragon Academy. 
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
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  Milo the Deft is a born teacher. He is an older 
  halfling, but still nimble in body and mind. He teaches 
  athletics, logic, and mathematics. He tends to be a little 
  absent-minded, and can’t ever remember names 
  correctly, but is popular among the students and the 
  staff. He taught alongside Piper Soldragon himself, 
  thirty years ago. He is worried about the recent 
  activities, and is correctly convinced that something 
  supernatural is at work here. 
   
   
  After the characters have had a chance to interact 
  with the instructors for a while, a hearty stew is 
  brought out to them, and then to all the students. 
  Before anyone can begin eating, Master Deft snaps his 
  head up and looks around, concerned. He says, 
  “Something isn’t right here.” 
   
   Allow characters to declare actions. Likely, they’ll look 
  around, but a Spot or Listen DC of 25 is required to 
  notice a shimmering form appearing in the center of 
  the dining hall, thirty feet from the main table. Master 
  Deft noticed it as well, as his halfling ears are 
  particularly keen. 
   
   
  A horrible, bloody figure appears near the 
  center of the hall. Whether it is halfling, gnome, or 
  young human is hard to tell under the blood and 
  torn flesh of the creature. The figure’s jaw distends 
  in an unearthly wail, and you feel a terror that 
  creeps down into your bones. 
   
   
  The ghost of Oggmun uses its Frightful Moan 
  power, acting under Master Carble’s command.  All 
  characters (and all the instructors and students) must 
  make a Will save (DC18), or become panicked for 2d4 
  rounds. 
   
  Roll initiative for the characters and Oggmun. 
  Oggmun attempts to flee ethereally on his action.  If 
  the characters beat his initiative roll, they may attempt 
  to affect him. Otherwise, on his action, the ghost 
  disappears into the Ethereal Plane and escapes. 
   
  All APLs 
  �Brynn 
  Oggmun 
  Quickblade, 
  male 
  ghost 
  Ftr7/Duelist 3; hp 65; see Appendix 1. 
   
   
  In the unlikely event that Oggmun is defeated 
  here, he is not laid to rest, and Carble can force him to 
  rejuvenate. Although most ghosts require 2d4 days to 
  rejuvenate, Oggmun can rejuvenate in only 2d4 hours. 
   
  The students have all fled from the scene and, if 
  you don’t want to roll for them, assume that all the 
  instructors except Mertius fled, as well (even Carble). 
  Once the ghost is gone, move on to the next 
  encounter. 
   
  Encounter Three:  Looking 
  Around the Academy 
   
  Many of the students were shaken by the panicked 
  flight from lunch, but Mertius isn’t about to cancel 
  afternoon classes. It’s important that the school 
  continue its usual curriculum for morale, he insists. 
  However, a number of the students will not return to 
  the Academy tomorrow, and Mertius now expects this. 
  He asks the characters to investigate the ghost’s 
  appearance, and give them free reign of the Academy. 
  Give them Player Handout 1: The Soldragon Academy 
  of Martial Training, at this time. Mertius stresses the 
  characters to work quickly, before another unfortunate 
  event happens.  He also arranges for them to stay in his 
  suite at the Academy through the night. Mertius 
  himself will stay with Master Azlear for the evening. 
   
  There are a few locations in the Academy that 
  yield clues for investigative characters, although the 
  characters need not discover all of these clues (or any 
  of them) to proceed with the adventure. 
   
  The dining hall may yield one curious clue, but 
  only if the PCs check there by dinner time, (which is 
  six hours after lunch). If the characters look around the 
  spot where the ghost appeared, on a successful Search 
  check (DC 15) they find a small bit of scattered dust. 
  The grayish dust still smells faintly of dirt. A successful 
  Heal (DC 15), Alchemy (DC 12), or Knowledge 
  (undead) roll (DC 10) identifies the substance as bone 
  dust. If the characters don’t check the dining hall until 
  after dinner, the dust has been scattered by the 
  students walking all over it 
   
  The school library is the best place to go for 
  information and research. The library is far larger than 
  in most martial academies, a testament to Mertius’ 
  devotion to a complete education of young aristocrats. 
  If the characters look for information about ghosts in 
  particular, have them roll Search checks (DC 12). If 
  successful, they find that the library has a small 
  collection of books about ghosts, but the library’s entire 
  collection is gone from the shelves. If they research 
  any accidents or deaths at the school, have them roll 
  another Search check. If they succeed at a Search 
  check (DC 15), the characters find that there have been 
  four student deaths in the thirty or so years of the 
  Academy’s existence, and all were due to accidents or 
  carelessness with weapons during practices. If the 
  Search check beats a DC of 20, the PCs find mention of 
  one of the first professors of the school, a gnome, who 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 9 
  was attacked and killed by hunting dogs brought into 
  the Academy by a student’s father. This is the reason 
  there are no animals allowed on the school grounds 
  today (although everyone has since forgotten the 
  reason for this tradition, even Master Deft). If the 
  Search check beats a DC of 25, the PCs also discover 
  the gnomish teacher’s name was Brynn Oggmun, and 
  that he was buried on the Academy grounds 
  somewhere. If the Search check beats a DC of 30, the 
  PCs find that Oggmun was buried in the garden. Each 
  Search check takes an hour, or about four hours if the 
  PCs want to “take twenty.” (any Search total of 20 or 
  higher here counts as a true clue). 
   
  A search of the instructors’ offices may also prove 
  productive. However, if anything is stolen from the 
  faculty offices, there will be trouble. The instructor will 
  be aware of the theft and report the characters to 
  Mertius, who will report the characters to the proper 
  authorities unless they return the stolen items. Each 
  office takes about an hour to search effectively, or 
  about four hours if the characters want to “take twenty” 
  on their Search check. Any character that does not 
  return stolen goods prior to the Gentleman’s Watch 
  arriving spends 2 Time Units at the end of the 
  adventure in jail for theft.  
   
  • 
  Mistress Valria’s office is perfectly orderly, but 
  yields no clues. She does possess several medals 
  for valor from her time in the Verbobonc military, 
  which can be discovered with a Search check (DC 
  10).  There are no clues about her mysterious 
  discharge to be found here. 
  • 
  Master Azlear’s office is a messy pile of books and 
  papers, mostly epic poetry. It is clear from a 
  thorough searching of several letters (Search 
  check, DC 12) that Master Azlear wanted to be a 
  bard, but couldn’t work up the nerve to perform in 
  front of crowds. If the Search check beats a DC of 
  25, the characters find this cryptic reference in an 
  undated journal: “One day, I’ll show them all that 
  Hindar Azlear is a name to be respected, even if I 
  drive all of them away!” Although incriminating, 
  this journal is quite old. It is nothing more than 
  some overwrought poetic musings of Azlear from 
  his time as a failed bard years ago. 
  • 
  Master Carble’s office is also a mess, but holds 
  nothing really incriminating. An enormous finely 
  wrought bastard sword hangs on the wall here. 
  The only unusual fact is that Carble’s office doesn’t 
  have many history books in it, which is somewhat 
  strange for a history teacher. characters only 
  notice this on a Search check (DC 20). He does 
  keep a number of weapons lying around, though, 
  in addition to his bastard sword. 
  • 
  Master Deft’s office is crammed with bookshelves, 
  and all the shelves are crammed with books. A 
  small rolling stepstool lets Master Deft reach the 
  books on the higher shelves. The books cover an 
  extraordinary range of topics, from philosophy to 
  astrology.  With a Search check (DC 10), 
  characters discover that piled on Master Deft’s 
  desk are the library’s collection of books on ghosts. 
   These books include the titles How to See Ghosts, 
  Combating the Spectral Undead, Ghosts and Their 
  Powers, plus an elven treatise about the Ethereal 
  Plane and its denizens. The characters may 
  consider this incriminating evidence, but in 
  reality Master Deft is reading up on his own 
  theories about the hauntings. 
  • 
  Mertius Soldragon’s suite is the same that his 
  uncle occupied when he opened the school.  It 
  consists of an elegant bedroom, a study, a storage 
  room, and an academic office.  It is on the highest 
  floor of the academy. Searching the office (Search 
  DC 15) reveals records that the Soldragon 
  Academy is losing students at an alarming rate, 
  and if the trend continues, the Academy will have 
  to close by the end of the month. 
   
   
  If the characters search the student living quarters 
  before dinner, while the children are in class, there are 
  no clues to be found (although, on a successful Search 
  check [DC 14], they find a holy symbol of Rao under 
  Artie’s bed and a couple of brownies stashed under 
  Hardis’ bed). The students range from orderly to 
  messy, with items to suit their personalities; see 
  Appendix 4: The Students for a few suggestions. Each 
  Search check takes an hour, or about four hours if the 
  characters want to “take twenty.”  If the characters 
  come in after dinner, however, most of the students are 
  here. Robar is in the first-floor hallway, telling a creepy 
  story about the ghost of a student who kills other 
  students. Most of the other students are trying not to 
  look scared; Salomar is crying. The characters may 
  interview the students if they wish to, although none 
  of them know anything useful about the real ghost. 
  Depending upon their personalities, the students 
  might make up some “facts” for the characters. The 
  students are more likely to talk about instructors that 
  they do and don’t like. 
   
  The garden yields the last true clue. If the 
  characters succeed at a Search check (DC 15), they 
  notice a portion of the garden has been dug up 
  recently, and replanted with bulbs. If the characters 
  dig into the new bed, they find the dirt has been 
  
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  Page 10 
  turned to a depth of six feet or so, far deeper than a 
  flowerbed requires. Such digging takes about two 
  hours unless the characters have magical assistance. 
  Although this bed is entirely vacant now (except for 
  the bulbs), it once held Brynn Oggmun’s old bones. 
   
  Although the character probably spent much of 
  their time investigating in the afternoon and evening 
  (perhaps even into the night), they will likely be left 
  with more questions than answers.  The characters 
  receive an invitation to dinner, with Mertius and the 
  students (the other instructors leave to go home for the 
  evening at dinner time, but Mertius stays through 
  dinner to make sure things go smoothly). Dinner is 
  entirely uneventful, but the students whisper to each 
  other and make wild speculations throughout the 
  meal. After dinner, or anytime in the evening, the 
  characters may retire to Mertius’ suite to rest. 
   
  Magical investigations may reveal information 
  about Oggmun, since the ghost is directly responsible 
  for the hauntings and driving the students away. In 
  any way you can, point character divinations towards 
  the gnome ghost. Divinations should not successfully 
  locate Oggmun’s bones (Carble keeps them hidden 
  away in a sack), nor should they identify Carble as the 
  culprit at this time. A heavy-handed, last-ditch 
  approach is to have the ghost appear to attack the 
  divining character one round before the casting time 
  elapses, ruining the spell. 
   
  In the early morning, move on to Encounter 4. 
   
  Encounter Four:  Carble’s 
  Bloody Disappearance 
   
  In the morning, Master Deft darts up the staircase to 
  the top floor and pounds at the door of Mertius’ 
  bedroom until he is let in. The breathless halfling cries, 
  “Master Soldragon needs you in Carble’s office!” and 
  goes rushing out again. Once the characters gather 
  themselves and arrive at Master Carble’s office, they 
  find Mertius and Master Deft, standing at the door to 
  the office looking in. They step aside so the characters 
  may enter, if they wish. 
   
   
  The office is awash in blood, as though 
  someone was brutally killed. There is no sign of a 
  corpse, and no tracks in the blood. Across from the 
  door, on the blood-spattered wall, is the hook for 
  hanging Carble’s bastard sword, although no sword 
  hangs there now. 
   
  Mertius Soldragon and Master Deft look at 
  your group grimly. No one could survive the loss of 
  this much blood. 
   
   
  The characters may make what investigations they 
  wish, but after a few moments Master Azlear arrives. 
  He states that Mistress Valria has all of the students 
  accounted for out on the training yard, and she’s 
  making them repeat drills. There is no sign of Master 
  Carble anywhere in the Academy, although Master 
  Azlear says he came in earlier with Carble, and that 
  Carble was going to his office the last Master Azlear 
  saw him. 
   
  A successful Search check (DC 18) discovers bits 
  of grayish powder floating in the blood and resting on 
  the surfaces of this room. A successful Heal (DC 15), 
  Alchemy (DC 12), or Knowledge (undead) roll (DC 10) 
  will identify the substance as bone dust. Divination 
  reveals the blood is part Carble’s and part of some other 
  creature. Skill checks do not identify the blood type 
  but a Heal check (DC 20) is able to estimate the 
  quantity of blood to be less than the amount in one 
  human, but certainly enough to have killed a human 
  from blood loss. 
   
   
  What really happened: Carble is putting his final 
  plan into motion. He came in very early through the 
  secret door on the third floor, with three live piglets 
  he’d purchased yesterday after leaving the Academy. 
  He butchered them and left them to bleed all over the 
  floor; then, lightly bled himself mixing it with the pig 
  blood. He then left the Academy again out the secret 
  door, with the drained carcasses and his bastard sword. 
  Later, Carble returned at his usual time of the morning 
  with Azlear, pretending to be just arriving for the day. 
  Carble then left the Academy, unnoticed. What he left 
  behind was a bloody office and a missing (assumed 
  murdered) Master Carble. He knows that today is the 
  armor hike intended for the students, and he knows 
  that Mertius will want to see that the hike goes on as 
  planned, if only to get the students away from the 
  Academy for the day in case Carble’s “murderer” 
  should strike again.  Carble assumes that Mertius will 
  lead the hike, and intends to have Voranka ambush the 
  hike in the afternoon.  However, Mertius doesn’t 
  intend to lead the hike. 
   
  Mertius Soldragon shakes his head sadly and 
  addresses you. “Carble, gods rest him, was to lead 
  the children on a day hike today, in full armor. It is 
  intended to be a test of their resolve, discipline, and 
  endurance. Clearly, whatever haunts us here has 
  killed, and may kill again. The hike must go on as 
  planned; I won’t be intimidated into disrupting the 
  students’ schedule, and the less they know about 
  Master Carble’s fate the better. 
   
  “I’d take the children on the hike myself, but if 
  our ghost has a taste for killing, I’d like the 
  
  Armor Class 
   
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  children to be better protected than I could do. 
  Plus, I’ve got to stay here and arrange a cleanup, in 
  more ways than one. 
   
  “Would you all be so kind as to take the 
  children away from here on their armor hike for 
  the day. I’ll get you a map, and supplies. And please, 
  don’t let my children come to any harm.” 
   
   
  Mertius believes he has no real choice but to ask 
  the characters to lead the hike. If the characters think 
  of asking for a change in route, Mertius will make the 
  change a little bit (which won’t fool the hags; two 
  dozen children are easy to find). He will load a wagon 
  with twenty suits of scale mail sized for 7 to 10 year 
  olds, and rations for the children and the characters 
  (totaling about 340 pounds). Many streams cut across 
  the path of the hike, so water shouldn’t be a problem. 
   
  Mistress Valria makes the announcement that 
  these heroes (the characters) will be leading the 
  armored day hike instead of Master Carble, who is ill. 
  The children seem excited to be going with “real 
  heroes” instead some old instructor. Move on to 
  Encounter 5. 
   
  Encounter Five:  Monsters on 
  the Hike 
   
  The children climb eagerly into the wagon, and the 
  characters may drive it outside of town to the point on 
  the map where the hike is to begin. Mertius does not 
  allow any character to bring horses; it’s important to set 
  an example for the children by going on foot. 
   
  The hike is about twelve miles. Once in scale mail, 
  the children will have a movement rate of 15 ft. per 
  round (children have a base move of 20 ft., unlike 
  adults); they should accomplish the twelve-mile hike 
  in about 8 hours. The hike will take them in a big 
  circle, into little-traveled areas outside the city and 
  then back again to the wagon. 
   
  The hike puts the characters alone with twenty 
  children for eight hours. This should be a nightmare 
  unlike any they’ve ever faced before.  The stalwart 
  characters have become, essentially, substitute teachers 
  for a class of grade-school kids. 
   
  As the children pile out of the wagon, they put on 
  their armor and chatter happily. Only two or three put 
  their armor on right, all the others need to be helped. 
   
  This is a roleplaying encounter, which welcomes 
  you to torment the characters. The children will 
  misbehave throughout the hike, of course, and their 
  misbehavior depends on whether they feel playful and 
  excited (near the beginning of the hike) or tired and 
  irritable (as the day wears on). Misbehavior also 
  depends on the personalities of the children. Refer to 
  Appendix 4: The Students for ideas. 
   
  Kids that are excited try running off, hiding, 
  getting ahead of the group. They chatter with each 
  other, and the bullies will pick on the other children. 
  They’ll pester the characters with questions, and make 
  fun of them in playful ways.  If the characters present 
  interesting magic items, the children may demand to 
  see them demonstrated over and over. If an animal 
  companion or familiar seems non-threatening, the kids 
  will want to play with it, regardless of whether the 
  character permits it. 
   
  Kids that are tired whine a lot, and fall behind the 
  group. They constantly ask for water, or to be carried. 
  They’ll try to take their armor off and hide it 
  somewhere. Some get sick, or pretend to get sick, or 
  even start crying. They may sit right down in the trail 
  and refuse to go on. Of course, the kids have to go to 
  the bathroom, too, and none of them have to go at the 
  same time. 
   
  You can just have the characters make Diplomacy 
  or Bluff or Intimidate checks to get the kids back in 
  line (DCs range from 10 to 20), or you can have them 
  role play their interactions with the children. The 
  characters can, and should be encouraged, to use their 
  lower-level spells to keep the children together and 
  focused on the hike. For example, if a child keeps 
  demanding water, create water or even create food and 
  water will impress them into silence. Skinned knees 
  can be healed with cure minor wounds, and ripped 
  clothes 
  with 
  mending. 
  Most 
  children 
  find 
  prestidigitation effects very amusing. Non-harmful 
  illusions and enchantments can be judicially applied as 
  well, to keep the children in line. Your goal during this 
  encounter is to drain some of the characters’ resources 
  in an amusing way. 
   
  Feel free to come back to this encounter again, or 
  several times, as the children get into trouble 
  throughout the rest of this scenario. When you and the 
  players get tired roleplaying misbehaving children, 
  move on to Encounter Six. 
   
   
  Encounter Six:  A Giant 
  Problem 
   
  You can insert this encounter either after or during 
  Encounter 5. You may want to pester the characters 
  with excited, playful behavior, then run this encounter, 
  and then return to Encounter 5 and play out the 
  whiny, tired behavior as the hike goes on. 
   
  Just as the characters and their charges round a 
  shoulder of a hill, they run almost right into a giant 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 12 
  named Gurge. Any characters scouting ahead notice 
  him (opposed Hide/Move Silently and Spot/Listen 
  checks to avoid being noticed in turn).  Gurge is 
  moving along the trail in the opposite direction of the 
  characters, trying to find them. 
   
  Although the children scream and shriek at the 
  giant, the giant doesn’t immediately attack. It looks 
  around confused, and asks the PCs, “which one of yous 
  is Mershus?” 
   
  Gurge has been sent out by the hag covey to go get 
  Mertius, and leave the rest of the children alone. The 
  giant fears the hags enough to obey.  However, it isn’t 
  very smart, so it wants to be careful to eat only Mertius 
  if possible. 
   
  The characters may be able to trick this stupid, 
  hungry creature, but he won’t stay fooled for long.  For 
  example, they won’t convince him that Mertius is 
  “coming right behind them.”  Gurge won’t let this 
  prospective food out of his sight. The characters may 
  offer to feed him, if they find out he’s hungry, but the 
  evil creature likes killing as much as eating. Gurge is 
  hungry enough to simply attack if it looks like he’s 
  about to lose out on a meal. Even if he launches an 
  attack, the giant won’t attack any children, or any 
  gnomes or halflings in the party unless attacked by the 
  gnome or halfling first.  Gurge is afraid of hurting the 
  children and making the hags angry. 
   
  Gurge will only talk to the characters as long as he 
  continues to think that they’ll tell him which one of 
  them is Mertius, and succeed with Diplomacy or Bluff 
  checks (DC is 13 plus the APL). All characters 
  attempting to role played with Gurge can choose to 
  cooperate on this roll, if they’d like.  Gurge will keep 
  interrupting questions to ask where “Mershus” is. The 
  information clever characters may get out of the giant 
  is this: 
   
  • 
  It works for a “lady” named Voranka, and two 
  other ladies. Gutrina is the toughest and meanest.  
  Katelna is the ugliest of them all by far! 
  • 
  All the ladies know magic. 
  • 
  The giants are really hungry. So are the ladies. 
  • 
  The ladies don’t let anyone get too close to the city 
  to look for food (that is, people), because the city 
  guard would run them all away. 
  • 
  Gurge is really afraid of the ladies. All the giants 
  are. 
  • 
  If the characters ask about a one-armed man 
  specifically, the giant may admit that it’s seen 
  Voranka “dressed up all pretty” with a one-armed 
  human. Gurge is pretty sure the one armed man 
  doesn’t know about the other ladies or the giants. 
    
  Gurge absolutely won’t tell about the gem he wears, 
  although the characters may notice it if they look at 
  Gurge carefully (if they say they’re examining the 
  giant, and only if they bring it up, a successful Spot 
  check [DC 22] will notice a simple ruby hanging from 
  an earring). Voranka gave it to him, and convinced the 
  giant that if he ever told anyone about it, they would 
  strike him stone dead on the spot. The characters will 
  probably discover the gem earring once they defeat the 
  giant, but they probably won’t suspect that it’s a 
  powerful Hag Eye. Through the Hag Eye, the covey 
  has witnessed the entire conversation with the 
  characters, and will be prepared for them. 
   
  Even if the characters don’t make the first 
  aggressive move against Gurge, he’ll become hungry 
  enough or angry enough to attack them on his own. 
   
   
  APL 2 (EL 3) 
  �Gurge: male ogre Bbn1; hp 40; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 5) 
  �Gurge: male ogre Bbn3; hp 65; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
  �Gurge: male hill giant Bbn1; hp 118; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  �Gurge: male hill giant Bbn3; hp 144; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 11) 
  �Gurge: male hill giant Bbn4; hp 175; see Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 12) 
  �Gurge: male hill giant Bbn5; hp 187; see Appendix 1. 
   
  Tactics: Gurge is not a tactical genius, and just pounds 
  on whomever he believes is the biggest threat. Hunger, 
  and fear of the hag covey, compels him to fight to the 
  death. 
   
  Development: The children become extremely excited 
  with the combat and become awe stricken by the battle 
  skill of the adventurers. 
   
  Treasure: 
   
   
  APL 2: L: 0; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 4: L: 0; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 0; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 0; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 13 
   
   
   
   
  Encounter Seven: The Covey 
   
  When the PCs arrive at the end of the trail, there’s a 
  surprise waiting for them. Read the following: 
   
   
  At last this long, long day is done. As you arrive 
  at the end point of the hike, you expect to see 
  Mertius waiting with a wagon, ready to take these 
  kids off your hands. 
   
  As you round a bend, you see a wide, open 
  grassy area below you. In fact, Mertius is there, 
  perched up on one of two large wagons.  And he 
  isn’t alone. 
   
   
  The characters are looking at a mirage arcana and 
  veil that has been erected by the hag covey. The 
  number of creatures that remain here, however, 
  depend on the APL. Voranka became very worried 
  when the characters defeated Gurge, and the hags set 
  to bickering and squabbling about whether or not they 
  should assault the characters directly. They decided 
  that a few preparatory illusions would be a good idea 
  (hence, the mirage arcana and the veil), but then 
  started arguing again about how to combat the 
  characters. They argued about how best to attack the 
  characters, whether to attack the characters, what to do 
  with Mertius and the children if they defeat the 
  characters, and whether to even remain this close to 
  the city much longer. 
   
  At lower APLs, the hags bickered so much that 
  Voranka left, and took most of the giants with her. At 
  APL 2, only Katelna remains, and at APL 4, only 
  Gutrina remains. At APL 6, both Katelna and Gutrina 
  are left. At APL 8, both Katelna and Gutrina are here, 
  and they managed to convince a couple of giants to 
  stay, too. At APLs 10 and 12, the entire covey is still 
  present when the characters arrive, (but they’re still 
  mad at each other). 
   
  In any case, the hag(s) are depending on their 
  illusion to fool the characters. The area isn’t really open 
  and grassy, but muddy and marshy with several tree 
  stumps. Mertius isn’t really on a wagon, he’s tied up 
  and perched on the edge of a large iron cauldron with 
  steaming (but not boiling) water in it. The second 
  wagon that the characters see, set off to one side, is the 
  real wagon that Mertius came in on. The hag(s) want to 
  get the children up and into the false “wagon,” and 
  dump them into the cooking cauldron. Then they’ll 
  attack the characters, hopefully with surprise. 
   
  Here are the illusions and tactics of the NPCs. 
  Only the ones that are present apply (for example, at 
  APL 4, only Gutrina is here, so only “Mistress Valria” is 
  present). 
  • 
  Mertius is disguised to look just like himself, but 
  without the ropes that keep him tied up.  He’s also 
  gagged, so he won’t be able to talk as the characters 
  come up. This will probably alert them to 
  something suspicious. The huge cauldron he’s 
  sitting on is disguised to look just like the wagon 
  he drove in. 
  • 
  The horses that Mertius used to pull his wagon are 
  still hitched to the real wagon.  The hags tied two 
  little marsh lizards to a rope in Mertius’ hand, and 
  disguised them to look like horses tied to the 
  illusionary wagon. 
  • 
  Katelna is disguised to look like Master Azlear. If 
  present, “he” ushers the children up into the back 
  of the “wagon,” but they’re too worn out to be very 
  cooperative. “Master Azlear” gets very angry with 
  the children when they won’t obey, and starts 
  shrieking for the characters to help. 
  • 
  The steaming water won’t hurt the children any 
  (until the hags stoke it up to be nice and hot), and 
  they can’t feel it’s there, because of the mirage 
  arcana. Any of the children going up into the back 
  of the wagon can make a Will save due to 
  interacting strongly with the illusion, but will 
  only succeed on a natural 20. A character that gets 
  into the back of the “wagon” may make a Will save 
  (DC 18) to disbelieve the mirage arcane and realize 
  he’s in some real hot water! 
  • 
  Gutrina is disguised to look like Mistress Valria, 
  and tries to halt the characters before they get too 
  close. She licks her lips hungrily while looking at 
  the children, which can be noticed on a Spot 
  Check (DC 16). She sounds crude and coarse, not 
  at all like the real Mistress Valria. 
  • 
  Voranka is disguised to look like Master Deft. She 
  tries to do most of the talking, convincing the 
  characters they’ve done a good job, and that the 
  Academy is thankful for the service they’ve 
  performed. Voranka is the best at keeping up a 
  disguise. 
  • 
  Any giants are disguised to look like little 
  children, but they’re children that the characters 
  haven’t seen before. They crowd around the 
  characters in a careful way, ready to attack if the 
  hags command. Giants aren’t very good at 
  pretending to be little kids, and seem really quiet, 
  like they’re concentrating really hard on trying to 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 14 
  be “playful.” The characters may find this very 
  strange. 
   
   
  If the hags are able to keep up the illusion long 
  enough to rustle all the children into the “wagon,” then 
  Master Deft (or whichever hag is present) invites the 
  characters to leave in the “other” wagon (which is really 
  the only wagon here). They promise to be along 
  shortly, but they’re really only anxious to get the 
  characters away. 
   
  There are a few ways the characters might break 
  this illusion, but they MUST interact with it.  The 
  characters don’t get a save just for viewing either of 
  these illusions. If they interact with something 
  suspicious (like they try to pat one of the “children” on 
  the head or touch the illusionary wagon), they are 
  entitled to a Will save (DC 18 for the mirage arcana, 
  DC 19 for the veil). Both spells are phantasms, 
  meaning characters that succeed at the save can still 
  see the outline of the illusion as well as reality. Note 
  that if Katelna is present, a character who has 
  disbelieved the veil is immediately subject to her 
  horrific appearance. 
   
  Any character that looks closely at the hags might 
  see through their disguise. Roll a Disguise check for 
  the hags, with a +10 bonus, opposed by the characters’ 
  Spot check. Success doesn’t mean the character 
  necessarily sees through the illusion, but the character 
  knows that the “instructor” isn’t who he or she appears 
  to be. 
   
  APL 2 (EL 4) 
  �Katelna, Sea Hag; hp 16; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 6) 
  �Gutrina, Annis; hp 45; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 7) 
  �Gutrina, Annis; hp 45; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Katelna, Sea Hag; hp 16; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  �Gutrina, Annis; hp 45; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Katelna, Sea Hag; hp 16; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Ogres (2); hp 26 each; see Monster Manual, page 
  144. 
  �Hill Giants (2); hp 102 each; see Monster Manual, 
  page 98. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  A Hag Covey, including: 
  �Katelna, Sea Hag; hp 16; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Gutrina, Annis; hp 45; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Voranka, Green Hag; hp 49; see Monster Manual, 
  page 115. 
  �Ogres (4); hp 26 each; see Monster Manual, page 
  144. 
  �Hill Giants (4); hp 102 each; see Monster Manual, 
  page 98. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  A Hag Covey, including: 
  �Katelna, Sea Hag; hp 16; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Gutrina, Annis; hp 45; see Monster Manual, page 
  115. 
  �Voranka, Green Hag; hp 49; see Monster Manual, 
  page 115. 
  �Ogres (6); hp 26 each; see Monster Manual, page 
  144. 
  �Fire Giants (4); hp 142 each; see Monster Manual, 
  page 98. 
   
  Treasure: 
   
   
  APL 2: L: 0 gp; C: 65 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 4: L: 0 gp; C: 65 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 65 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 75 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 145 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 267 gp; C: 160 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  Tactics: Once the hag(s) are aware that the characters 
  have penetrated their illusion, they fight using their 
  special abilities. Katelna uses a standard action to dispel 
  the veil, so that she can use her horrific appearance on 
  all the PCs. None of the creatures want to hurt any 
  child while the characters are still a threat (they’re 
  saving the children for later).  
   
  Throughout the fight, the real children run 
  around and shriek and generally get in the way. 
   
   
  Encounter Eight:  The New 
  Academy 
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 15 
  After the fight with the hags, the characters are free to 
  untie (and question) Mertius. He explains that about 
  midday, Carble arrived at the school with dozens of 
  parents. Mostly, the parents were those who had 
  withdrawn their children in the previous weeks. Some 
  were parents of the children under the characters’ care. 
  Carble demanded that Mertius step down as 
  administrator of the school, and that Mertius give the 
  school over to Carble. 
   
  Of course, Mertius didn’t agree, so Carble had to 
  resort to more drastic measures. He took Mertius aside, 
  and told him that if Mertius didn’t agree, none of the 
  children out today would ever be found again. (This 
  was a lie, as far as Carble knew, but in his desperation 
  and greed Carble was willing to terrify Mertius. At this 
  point, Carble’s already-teetering alignment shifted 
  from Lawful Neutral to Lawful Evil.) 
   
  Mertius knew then that Carble had wanted 
  control of the Academy all along, and that Carble was 
  behind the strange activities plaguing the Academy. 
  Mertius had no choice but to agree to Carble’s 
  demands, to the cheering of the parents. Carble’s first 
  actions were to dismiss all of the old instructors and 
  shut down the school for renovation. 
   
  Mertius packed some things in a wagon and 
  hurried off to see if he could find the characters and 
  the children. He was instead captured by a couple of 
  ogres and taunted by the hags, who tied him up and 
  left him sitting on the edge of a big cauldron, getting 
  ready to eat him. The hags got into a fight about what 
  to do with the children (at lower APLs, Voranka and 
  possibly one other hag left, and took some, if not all, of 
  the giants with them). Then the characters and the 
  children showed up. 
   
  After hearing Mertius’ tale, the characters may 
  want to hurry back and take care of Carble. If they 
  don’t immediately suggest it, Mertius will be happy to 
  take the children back in his wagon. The wagon 
  probably moves slower than the characters do (it 
  moves at a rate of 20 ft.), and they may want to go on 
  ahead. 
   
  The characters might go looking for any of the old 
  instructors. If they do, a Gather Information (DC 12) 
  will be able to turn up any of the instructors they wish 
  to find. They can only corroborate Mertius’ story, and 
  aren’t interested in going to fight Carble. They’ve all 
  become a little afraid of him, and insist that he’s 
  Mertius’ problem to solve. They would gladly go back 
  to teaching if something were done about Carble. 
   
  At the time the characters return to the Academy, 
  with whatever preparations they choose, read: 
   
   
  The Soldragon Academy of Martial Training 
  seems deserted. The entryway now sports a large 
  banner, obscuring the name of the old Academy. It 
  reads, “Grandel Carble’s Warrior School.” The gates 
  to the school are shut. From just inside the entry, 
  you can hear the sounds of a lone man grunting and 
  gasping, as though in weapons practice. 
   
   
  The solid wooden gates are closed and barred from 
  the other side, but not locked. They can be opened 
  with an open locks, DC 15, to lift the heavy bar 
  through the narrow gap between the gate and the 
  frame. The gates may also be burst open with a 
  Strength check, DC 28. Either method alerts Carble to 
  the characters immediate arrival. Characters may also 
  try to climb the ten-foot wall (Climb check, DC 20), 
  and the bar can be easily removed from the other side 
  of the gate. Unless the character is very stealthy, 
  however, Carble is alerted.  
   
  Carble already suspects some sort of retaliation, 
  either from Mertius or the characters, and he’s 
  prepared for their arrival. He is aware that the 
  characters have reentered Verbobonc City, as he placed 
  some fleet-footed friends near the city entrances to 
  warn him of the characters’ return. He then drank 
  several potions in preparation (depending on the APL). 
  The characters may rush right into combat with this 
  villain, or they might try to talk, and demand 
  information about the hags and the giants. 
   
  Remember, Carble doesn’t know anything about 
  hags or giants, only a beautiful sorceress named 
  Voranka. If the characters try to tell some other story, 
  he’ll insist they’re lying. The more they insist, the 
  angrier he’ll become. Especially if they mention that 
  the children are all right (or, worse yet, show him 
  Mertius and the children if the characters came along 
  with them), Carble will fly into a rage and attack the 
  characters. If Mertius is present, he’ll occupy himself 
  with keeping the children out of harm’s way. 
   
  Carble is angry, but an experienced and intelligent 
  fighter, and should be played as such throughout this 
  combat.  At the beginning of the combat, he is standing 
  inside the fountain.  Although the characters may find 
  this curious, Carble is being very clever; the water from 
  the fountain allows him to easily locate any invisible 
  PCs that approach him, and pinpoint their location. 
  Carble will use his feats (particularly Power Attack and 
  Power Lunge) and equipment to his best advantage. 
  Since he only has one arm, Carble fights with his 
  bastard sword one-handed. 
   
  This 
  encounter 
  shouldn’t 
  take 
  too 
  long, 
  particularly if you’re running short on time.  Carble 
  isn’t the “main” combat of the adventure (that was the 
  hags, in the previous encounter), but the characters 
  should be pretty low on resources by this point, 
  making this fight tougher for them. 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 16 
   
  APL 2 (EL 4) 
  �Grandel Carble, male human Ftr4; hp 34; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 7) 
  �Grandel Carble, male human Ftr7; hp 73; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  �Grandel Carble, male human Ftr9; hp 94; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  �Grandel Carble, male human Ftr10; hp 105; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  �Grandel Carble, male human Ftr13; hp 136; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  �Grandel Carble, male human Ftr15; hp 157; see 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  Treasure: 
   
   
  APL 2: L: 58 gp; C: 7 gp; M: potion of cure serious 
  wounds (value 63 gp per character), potion of lesser 
  restoration (value 25 gp per character), cloak of 
  resistance +1 (value 84 gp per character). 
   
  APL 4: L: 30 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +1 bastard sword (value 
  195 gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds 
  (value 63 gp per character), potion of lesser restoration 
  (value 25 gp per character), cloak of resistance +1 (value 
  84 gp per character). 
   
  APL 6: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +1 breastplate (value 113 
  gp per character), +1 bastard sword (value 195 gp per 
  character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 gp 
  per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 
  gp per character), potion of delay poison (value 25 gp 
  per character), potion of lesser restoration (value 25 gp 
  per character), cloak of resistance +1 (value 84 gp per 
  character). 
   
  APL 8: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +2 breastplate (value 363 
  gp per character), +1 bastard sword (value 195 gp per 
  character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 gp 
  per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 
  gp per character), potion of delay poison (value 25 gp 
  per character), potion of lesser restoration (value 25 gp 
  per character), cloak of resistance +1 (value 84 gp per 
  character). 
   
  APL 10: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +2 breastplate (value 
  363 gp per character), +1 bastard sword (value 195 gp 
  per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 
  gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 
  63 gp per character), potion of delay poison (value 25 
  gp per character), potion of lesser restoration (value 25 
  gp per character), potion of heroism (value 75 gp per 
  character), cloak of resistance +2 (value 333 gp per 
  character), brooch of shielding (value 63 gp per 
  character), amulet of natural armor +1 (value 167 gp per 
  character). 
   
  APL 12: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +2 breastplate (value 
  363 gp per character), +1 keen bastard sword (value 695 
  gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 
  63 gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds 
  (value 63 gp per character), potion of delay poison 
  (value 25 gp per character), potion of lesser restoration 
  (value 25 gp per character), potion of heroism (value 75 
  gp per character), potion of heroism (value 75 gp per 
  character), cloak of glibness (value 42 gp per character), 
  brooch of shielding (value 63 gp per character), amulet 
  of natural armor +1 (value 167 gp per character). 
   
   
  Conclusion 
   
  As soon as Carble is defeated, the characters see 
  the ghost of Oggmun Quickblade appear over by the 
  garden. The ghost raises his short sword in a salute, and 
  tells the characters: 
   
   
  “If you will but return my remaining bones to 
  this plot, I will continue to protect the students of 
  this school as I have done since my death.  No one 
  will 
  have 
  anything 
  to 
  fear 
  from 
  Oggmun 
  Quickblade.” 
   
   
  If the characters search Carble’s belongings, they 
  come upon a satchel of old bones. These are Oggmun’s 
  bones, and Carble was using them to control the ghost. 
  If they rebury them, the ghost fades away. 
   
  Mertius returns to the Academy very soon after 
  the characters are finished reburying the bones, if they 
  didn’t bring him back already. His first act is to take a 
  long rake and pull down the “Grandel Carble’s Warrior 
  School” banner. He then gives the characters double 
  their promised reward (100 gold pieces each), offers to 
  part with one of his valuable magic items (see the 
  Treasure Summary), and prepares to re-open his school 
  and begin business as usual. 
   
  For a more heartwarming ending, once the 
  children have arrived, you could also add: 
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 17 
   
  After all the events of this day, you don’t think 
  you ever want to see another child—or teacher—
  again. As you examine your wounds and clean your 
  blades from the day’s last battle, the remaining 
  children of the Soldragon Academy file into the 
  courtyard. All of them look at the group of you with 
  open wonder and hero-worship.  Then, as though 
  one, they rush toward you with arms outstretched, 
  and smother you all with hugs. 
   
  The End 
   
   
  Experience Point Summary 
   
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the 
  values for the objectives accomplished. Then assign 
  experience award.  Award the total value (objectives 
  plus roleplaying) to each character. 
   
   
  Encounter 
  Three: 
  Looking 
  Around 
  the 
  Academy 
   
  Successful investigation (gathered at two of three 
  true clues about the haunting): 
   
  APL 2 
  15 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  15 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  15 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  15 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  15 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  15 XP 
   
   
  Encounter Five: Monsters on the Hike 
   
  Good roleplaying with the children: 
   
  APL 2 
  30 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  45 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  60 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  75 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  90 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  105 XP 
   
  Encounter Six: A Giant Problem 
   
  Defeat Gurge 
   
  APL 2 
  90 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  150 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  240 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  300 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  330 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  360 XP 
   
  Encounter Seven:  The Covey 
   
  Defeat the hag(s) 
   
  APL 2 
  120 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  180 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  210 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  300 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  390 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  450 XP 
   
  Encounter Eight:  The New Academy 
   
  Defeat Carble 
   
  APL 2 
  120 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  210 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  270 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  300 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  390 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  450 XP 
   
  Bonus Combat Heroic Experience 
  The following should be given singularly to characters 
  who perform daring combat heroics or those 
  spellcasters who go to extraordinarily measures to 
  ensure the party has spell support. Examples range 
  from the fighter that charges to the strongest foe that 
  over matches his skill; the cleric that moves to heal a 
  companion giving the opponent attack opportunities 
  while saving the life or keeping the fighter alive; or the 
  arcane caster that buffs the party then flies cover 
  support with spells at the ready.  
  Those that should not get this reward range from 
  the character that engages a character that mounts not 
  serious threat to them or the character that hangs in 
  the background buffing themselves with spells at the 
  cost of their companions being exposed to combat 
  without their support. An example of this is the cleric 
  of Heironeous that casts buff spells on himself while 
  the dwarven fighter immediately engages a foe with 
  greater skill of combat or the loud mouthed character 
  that doesn’t engage until he has a flanking position and 
  it is thus safer for him to enter the melee. 
   
  APL 2 
  15 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  30 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  45 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  60 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  75 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  90 XP 
   
  Bonus Role-Playing Experience 
  The following should be given singularly to 
  charadcters who portray their character in a 
  meaningful and heroic manner. This is a game of 
  heroic deeds and those that are heroic vanquish evil 
  and protect the weak and innocent. Those that are not 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 18 
  heroic stand in the background and heckle their 
  companions for being champions of good, should not 
  receive this reward. Characters who portray their 
  character with a shady or greed stricken personality are 
  not heroic but may by your judgment role-play that 
  persona well.  
   
  APL 2 
  30 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  45 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  60 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  75 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  90 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  105 XP 
   
   
  Total Possible Experience 
   
  APL 2 
  420 XP 
   
  APL 4 
  675 XP 
   
  APL 6 
  900 XP 
   
  APL 8 
  1125 XP 
   
  APL 10 
  1350 XP 
   
  APL 12 
  1575 XP 
   
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes. Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their 
  earthly possessions. Looting the bodies takes at least 10 
  minutes per every 5 enemies, and if the characters 
  cannot take the time to loot the bodies, they do not gain 
  this gold. If you feel it is reasonable that characters can 
  go back to loot the bodies, and those bodies are there 
  (i.e., not carted off by dungeon scavengers, removed 
  from the scene by the local watch, and so on), characters 
  may return to retrieve loot. If the characters do not loot 
  the body, the gold piece value for the loot is subtracted 
  from the encounter totals given below. 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available. A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a 
  round or so. If for some reason, they pass up this 
  treasure, the coin total is subtracted from the encounter 
  totals given below. 
   
  Next, the magic items are listed. Magic item 
  treasure is the hardest to adjudicate, because they are 
  varied and because characters may want to use them 
  during the adventure. Many times characters must cast 
  identify, analyze dweomer or similar spell to determine 
  what the item does and how to activate it. Other times 
  they may attempt to use the item blindly. If the magic 
  item is consumable (a potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) 
  and the item is used before the end of the adventure, its 
  total is subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a character’s total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure. Write the total in 
  the GP Gained field of the adventure certificate. Because 
  this is a Regional scenario, characters may spend 
  additional Time Units to practice professions or create 
  items immediately after the adventure so this total may 
  be modified by other circumstances. 
   
  L = Looted gear from enemy (calculated at 50% of 
  book price); C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, and other 
  valuables (calculated at 100% of value); M = Magic Items 
  (calculated at 50% of book price). Divide the calculated 
  percentage by 5 to determine the reward per PC.  
   
  Encounter Six:  A Giant Problem 
  Defeat Gurge and take the Hag Eye. 
   
  APL 2: L: 0 gp; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 4: L: 0 gp; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 0 gp; C: 2 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  Encounter Seven:  The Covey 
  Defeat the Covey and Loot the area. 
   
  APL 2: L: 0 gp; C: 65 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 4: L: 0 gp; C: 65 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 0 gp; C: 65 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 0 gp; C: 75 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 0 gp; C: 145 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  APL 12: L: 267 gp; C: 160 gp; M: 0 gp 
   
  Encounter Eight:  The New Academy 
  Defeat Carble and take his gear. 
   
  APL 2: L: 58 gp; C: 7 gp; M: potion of cure serious 
  wounds (value 63 gp per character), potion of lesser 
  restoration (value 25 gp per character), cloak of 
  resistance +1 (value 84 gp per character). 
   
  APL 4: L: 30 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +1 bastard sword (value 
  195 gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds 
  (value 63 gp per character), potion of lesser restoration 
  (value 25 gp per character), cloak of resistance +1 (value 
  84 gp per character). 
   
  APL 6: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +1 breastplate (value 113 
  gp per character), +1 bastard sword (value 195 gp per 
  character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 gp 
  per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 
  gp per character), potion of delay poison (value 25 gp 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 19 
  per character), potion of lesser restoration (value 25 gp 
  per character), cloak of resistance +1 (value 84 gp per 
  character). 
   
  APL 8: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +2 breastplate (value 363 
  gp per character), +1 bastard sword (value 195 gp per 
  character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 gp 
  per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 
  gp per character), potion of delay poison (value 25 gp 
  per character), potion of lesser restoration (value 25 gp 
  per character), cloak of resistance +1 (value 84 gp per 
  character). 
   
  APL 10: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +2 breastplate (value 
  363 gp per character), +1 bastard sword (value 195 gp 
  per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 63 
  gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 
  63 gp per character), potion of delay poison (value 25 
  gp per character), potion of lesser restoration (value 25 
  gp per character), potion of heroism (value 75 gp per 
  character), cloak of resistance +2 (value 333 gp per 
  character), brooch of shielding (value 63 gp per 
  character), amulet of natural armor +1 (value 167 gp per 
  character). 
   
  APL 12: L: 1 gp; C: 7 gp; M: +2 breastplate (value 
  363 gp per character), +1 keen bastard sword (value 695 
  gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds (value 
  63 gp per character), potion of cure serious wounds 
  (value 63 gp per character), potion of delay poison 
  (value 25 gp per character), potion of lesser restoration 
  (value 25 gp per character), potion of heroism (value 75 
  gp per character), potion of heroism (value 75 gp per 
  character), cloak of glibness (value 42 gp per character), 
  brooch of shielding (value 63 gp per character), amulet 
  of natural armor +1 (value 167 gp per character). 
   
  Conclusion 
  Reward from Mertius Soldragon. 
   
  APL 2: L: 0; C: 100 gp; M: 0 
   
  APL 4: L: 0; C: 100 gp; M: 0 
   
  APL 6: L: 0; C: 100 gp; M: 0 
   
  APL 8: L: 0; C: 100 gp; M: 0 
   
  APL 10: L: 0; C: 100 gp; M: 0 
   
  APL 12: L: 0; C: 100 gp; M: 0 
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
   
  APL 2: 400 gp 
   
  APL 4: 571 gp 
   
  APL 6: 743 gp 
   
  APL 8: 1,003 gp 
   
  APL 10: 1,627 gp 
   
  APL 12: 2,093 gp 
   
  Items on Adventure Certificate 
  Cross out any items not gained 
  The bard Mertius Soldragon is particularly pleased at 
  having his Academy freed from the haunting and 
  returned to him. In gratitude, he offers to allow the 
  adventures purchase one of the following musical 
  instruments from his personal collection (each item is 
  only available to a single character at the table with 
  frequency of adventure): 
   
  Harp of the Maestro 
  This pinnacle of instruments design functions best in 
  the hands of a musician with at least 10 ranks in 
  Perform. Such a performer can simply by strumming 
  the harp, generate the following effects once per day 
  each: joyful noise and crescendo. In addition, the Harp 
  of the Maestro grants its owner a +4 enchantment 
  bonus on Perform checks made while using it. 
  Caster Level: 5
  th: Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous 
  Item, crescendo, joyful noise; Market Price: 4,450 gp, 
  Weight: 3 lbs. 
   
  Lyre of Restful Sleep 
  This finely crafted lyre functions best in the hands of a 
  musician with at least 10 ranks in Perform. Such a 
  performer can simply by strumming the lyre, generate 
  the following effects once per day each: healthful 
  slumber and lullaby. In addition, the Lyre of Restful 
  Sleep grants its owner a +4 enchantment bonus on 
  Perform checks made while using it. 
  Caster Level: 7
  th: Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous 
  Item, healthful slumber, joyful noise; Market Price: 
  8,000 gp, Weight: 3 lbs. 
   
  Horn of Courage 
  This finely crafted horn functions best in the hands of 
  a musician with at least 10 ranks in Perform. Such a 
  performer can simply by blowing the horn, generate 
  the following effects once per day each: emotion and 
  fortissimo. In addition, the horn of courage grants its 
  owner a +4 enchantment bonus on Perform checks 
  made while using it. 
  Caster Level: 7
  th: Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, 
  emotion, fortissimo; Market Price: 8,900 gp, Weight: 3 
  lbs. 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 20 
  Appendix 1:  Non-Player Characters 
   
  Encounter 2:  School Lunch 
   
  �Brynn Oggmun Quickblade:  male gnome ghost 
  Ftr7/Duelist 3; CR 12; Small undead (incorporeal); HD 
  10d12; hp 65; Init +3; Spd fly 30 ft. (perfect); AC 15 (touch 
  15, flat-footed 12) or 17 (touch 17, flat-footed 12) with 
  canny defense; Atk +13/+8 melee (1d4 incorporeal touch) 
  or +14/+9 melee (1d6+5/19-20, short sword) against 
  ethereal opponents; SA Manifestation, corrupting touch, 
  frightful moan, telekinesis; SQ undead, incorporeal, +4 
  turn resistance, rejuvenation, canny defense, precise 
  strike +1d6, enhanced mobility; AL NG; SV Fort +6, Ref 
  +8, Will +3; Str 16, Dex 16, Con –, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Jump +6, Knowledge (nobility) +5, 
  Perform (dance, epic, chant) +6, Profession (instructor) 
  +5, Sense Motive +9, Spot +9, Tumble +8; Dodge, 
  Expertise, Mobility, Weapon Focus (short sword), 
  Weapon Specialization (short sword), Whirlwind Attack. 
   
  Possessions: none. 
    Manifestation (SU): All ghosts have this ability. As 
  ethereal creatures, they cannot affect or be affected by 
  anything in the material world.  When they manifest, 
  ghost become visible but remain incorporeal. However, a 
  manifested ghost can strike with its touch attack or a 
  ghost touch weapon. A manifested ghost remains on the 
  Ethereal Plane but can be attacked by opponents on both 
  the material and Ethereal planes. When a spellcasting 
  ghost is on the Ethereal Plane, its spells cannot affect 
  targets on the Material Plane, but the work normally 
  against ethereal targets. When a spellcasting ghost 
  manifests, its spells continue to affect ethereal targets and 
  can affect targets on the Material Plane normally unless 
  the spells rely on touch. A manifested ghost’s touch spells 
  don’t work on material targets. 
    Corrupting Touch (SU): A ghost that hits a living target 
  with its incorporeal attack deals 1d4 points of damage. 
  Against ethereal opponents, it adds its Strength modifier 
  to attack and damage rolls. Against material opponents, it 
  adds its Dexterity modifier to attack rolls only.  
    Frightful Moan (SU): The ghost can moan as a standard 
  action. All living creatures within a 30-foot spread must 
  succeed at a Will (DC 18) save or become panicked for 
  2d4 rounds. This is a sonic, necromantic, mind-affecting 
  fear effect. A creature that successfully saves against the 
  moan cannot be affected by the same ghost’s moan for 
  one day. A panicked creature suffers a -2 morale penalty 
  on saving throws and must flee.  A panicked creature has 
  a 50% chance to drop what he’s holding, chooses his path 
  randomly (as long as he is getting away from immediate 
  danger), and flees any other dangers that confront him.  
  If cornered, a panicked creature cowers. A creature may 
  use a special ability or spell to escape, being panicked, for 
  example doesn’t prevent a wizard from teleporting away. 
    Telekinesis (SU): The ghost can use telekinesis once 
  per round as a free action, as cast by a sorcerer whose 
  level equals the ghost’s HD or 12 whichever is higher. 
  Creatures are allowed a Will (DC18) save to resist being 
  moved. 
    Rejuvenation (SU): It’s difficult to destroy the ghost of 
  Brynn Oggmun through simple combat: The ‘destroyed’ 
  spirit will often restore itself in 2d4 hours. Even the most 
  powerful spells are often only temporary solutions. A 
  ghost that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its 
  old haunts within a successful level check (1d20 + ghost’s 
  level or HD) against DC16. As a rule, the only way to get 
  rid of a ghost for sure is to determine the reason for its 
  existence and set right whatever prevents it from resting 
  in peace. The exact means varies with each spirit and may 
  require a good deal of research.  
    Turn Resistance (EX): A ghost has +4 turn resistance 
  (see Monster Manual page 10).  
    Incorporeal Subtype: An incorporeal creature has no 
  physical body. Only other incorporeal creatures, +1 or 
  better magic weapons, spells, spell–like abilities, or 
  supernatural abilities, can harm it. It is immune to all 
  nonmagical attack forms.  Even when hit by spells or 
  magic weapons, it has a 50% chance to ignore any damage 
  from a corporeal source (except for force effects such as 
  magic missiles or attack made with ghost touch 
  weapons). An incorporeal creature has no natural armor 
  but has a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier 
  (always at least +1, even if the creatures Charisma score 
  does not normally provide a bonus). Incorporeal attacks 
  pass through (ignores) natural armor, armor, and shields, 
  although deflection bonuses and force effects (such as 
  mage armor) work normally against it. An incorporeal 
  creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen 
  checks if it doesn’t wish to be. It has no Strength score so 
  its Dexterity modifier applies to both its melee and 
  ranged attacks. 
   
  Encounter 6: A Giant Problem 
   
  APL 2 (EL 3) 
  �Gurge: male ogre Bbn1; large giant (ogre); CR 3; HD 
  4d8+1d12+10; hp 40; Init -1; Spd 40; AC16 (touch 8, 
  flatfooted 14); +9 melee (2d6+5, huge greatclub [19-20]); 
  SQ Fast Movement, Rage (1/day); AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref 
  +0, Will +1; Str 21, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. 
  Skills and Feats: Intimidate +0, Listen +1, Spot +1; 
  Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Greatclub. 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 21 
   
  Possessions: huge greatclub, hag eye (value 20 gp), 
  hide armor. 
   
  Rage (Ex) 1/day–hp 50; AC 14 (touch 6, flat-footed 
  14); Atks +13 melee (2d6+7 [19-20/x2], huge greatclub); 
  SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +10; Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, 
  Wis 10, Cha 7; lasts 7 rounds. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 5) 
  �Gurge: male ogre Bbn3; large giant (ogre); CR 5; HD 
  4d8+3d12+14; hp 65; Init -1; Spd 40; AC16 (touch 8, 
  flatfooted 14); +11 melee (2d6+5, greatclub [19-20]); SQ 
  Fast Movement, Rage (1/day), Uncanny Dodge (Dex to 
  AC); AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 21, Dex 8, 
  Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. 
  Skills and Feats: Intimidate +8, Listen +3, Spot +2; 
  Blind-Fight, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Greatclub. 
   
  Possessions: huge greatclub, hag eye (value 20 gp), 
  hide armor. 
   
  Rage (Ex) 1/day–hp 64; AC 14 (touch 6, flat-footed 
  14); Atks +15 melee (2d6+7 [19-20/x2], huge greatclub); 
  SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +10; Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, 
  Wis 10, Cha 7; lasts 7 rounds. 
   
  APL 6 (EL 8) 
  �Gurge: male giant Bbn1; large giant (hill); CR 8; HD 
  12d8+1d12+52; hp 118; Init -1; Spd 50; AC 20 (touch 8, 
  flatfooted 20); +17/+12 (1d10+10, huge greatclub [17-20]); 
  +8/+3 (2d6+7, rock); SA: Rock throwing (Ex); SQ: Rock 
  catching (Ex), Fast Movement, Rage (1/day); AL CE; SV 
  Fort +14, Ref +3, Will+6; Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 
  10, Cha 17. 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Intimidate +15, Spot +5; 
  Improved Critical: Greatclub, Iron Will, Power Attack, 
  Weapon Focus: Greatclub. 
   
  Possessions: huge greatclub, hag eye (value 20 gp), 
  hide armor. 
   
  Rage (Ex) 1/day–hp 144; AC 18 (touch 6, flat-footed 
  18); Atks +19/+14 melee (2d6+12 [17-20/x2], huge 
  greatclub) or +10/+5 ranged (2d6+11, rock); SV Fort +16, 
  Ref +5, Will +8; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 
  7; lasts 9 rounds. 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  �Gurge: male giant Bbn3; large giant (hill); CR 10; HD 
  12d8+3d12+60; hp 144; Init -1; Spd 50; AC 20 (touch 8, 
  flatfooted 20); Atks +19/+14/+9 melee (1d10+10, huge 
  greatclub [17-20]), +10/+5 ranged (2d6+7, rock); SA Rock 
  throwing (Ex); SQ Rock catching (Ex), Fast Movement, 
  Rage (1/day), Uncanny Dodge (Dex to AC); AL CE; SV 
  Fort +15, Ref +6, Will+7; Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 
  10, Cha 17. 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Intimidate +19, Spot +5; 
  Improved Critical: Greatclub, Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Greatclub. 
   
  Possessions: huge greatclub, hag eye (value 20 gp), 
  hide armor. 
   
  Rage (Ex) 1/day–hp 174; AC 18 (touch 6, flat-footed 
  18); Atks +21/+16/+11 melee (2d6+12 [17-20/x2], huge 
  greatclub) or +12/+7 ranged (2d6+11, rock); SV Fort +17, 
  Ref +6, Will +9; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 
  7; lasts 9 rounds. 
   
  APL 10 (11) 
  �Gurge: male giant Bbn4; large giant (hill); CR 11; HD 
  12d8+4d12+92; hp 187; Init -1; Spd 50; AC 20 (touch 8, 
  flatfooted 20); Atks +20/+19/+10 melee (1d10+10, huge 
  greatclub [19-20]), +11/+6 ranged (2d6+7, rock); SA Rock 
  throwing (Ex); SQ Rock catching (Ex), Fast Movement, 
  Rage (2/day), Uncanny Dodge (Dex to AC); AL CE; SV 
  Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +7; Str 25, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 
  10, Cha 17. 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Intimidate +21, Spot +5; 
  Dragon’s Toughness*, Improved Critical: Greatclub, Iron 
  Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: 
  Greatclub. 
   
  Possessions: huge greatclub, hag eye (value 20 gp), 
  hide armor. 
   
  Rage (Ex) 2/day–hp 219; AC 18 (touch 6, flat-footed 
  18); Atks +22/+17/+12 melee (2d6+12 [17-20/x2], huge 
  greatclub) or +13/+8 ranged (2d6+11, rock); SV Fort +18, 
  Ref +6, Will +9; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 
  7; lasts 11 rounds. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 12) 
  Gurge: male giant Bbn5; large giant (hill); CR 12; HD 
  12d8+5d12+97; hp 199; Init -1; Spd 50; AC 20 (touch 8, 
  flatfooted 20); Atks +21/+20/+11 melee (1d10+10, huge 
  greatclub [19-20]), +12/+7 ranged (2d6+7, Rock); SA Rock 
  throwing (Ex); SQ: Rock catching (Ex), Fast Movement, 
  Rage (2/day), Uncanny Dodge (Dex to AC); AL CE; SV 
  Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +7; Str 25, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 
  10, Cha 17. 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Intimidate +23, Spot +5; 
  Dragon’s Toughness*, Improved Critical: Greatclub, Iron 
  Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: 
  Greatclub. 
   
  Possessions: huge greatclub, hag eye (value 20 gp), 
  hide armor. 
   
  Rage (Ex) 2/day–hp 233; AC 18 (touch 6, flat-footed 
  18); Atks +23/+18/+13 melee (2d6+12 [17-20/x2], huge 
  greatclub) or +14/+9 ranged (2d6+11, rock); SV Fort +18, 
  Ref +6, Will +9; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 
  7; lasts 11 rounds. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 22 
  Encounter 8: The New Academy 
   
  APL 2 (EL 4) 
  �Grandel Carble: male human Ftr4; Medium-sized 
  humanoid (human); CR 4; HD 4d10+12; hp 34; Init +2; 
  Spd 20 ft; AC 17 (touch 12, flat-footed 15); Atks +9 melee 
  (1d10+5/19-20, bastard sword); AL LN, but LE by 
  Encounter Eight; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 16, Dex 
  14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +2, Craft 
  (metalworking) +5, Diplomacy +2, Knowledge (history) 
  +4, Knowledge (nobility) +3, Profession (instructor) +2, 
  Wilderness Lore +2; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard 
  sword), Iron Will, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Focus 
  (bastard sword), Weapon Specialization (bastard sword). 
   
  Possessions:  masterwork breastplate, masterwork 
  bastard sword, locked gauntlet, dagger, cloak of resistance 
  +1, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of lesser 
  restoration, 40 gp, bag of old bones. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 7) 
  �Grandel Carble (APL4 version), male human Ftr7; 
  Medium-sized humanoid (human); CR 7; HD 7d10+21; 
  hp 59; Init +2; Spd 20 ft; AC 17 (touch 12, flat-footed 15); 
  Atks +12/+7 melee (1d10+6/19-20, +1 bastard sword); AL 
  LN, but LE by Encounter Eight; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will 
  +6; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +4, Craft 
  (metalworking) +5, Diplomacy +2, Knowledge (history) 
  +6, Knowledge (nobility) +3, Profession (instructor) +2, 
  Search +3, Wilderness Lore +2. Cleave, Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (bastard sword), Iron Will, Power Attack, 
  Power Lunge*, Track, Weapon Focus (bastard sword), 
  Weapon Specialization (bastard sword). 
   
  Possessions:  masterwork breastplate, +1 bastard 
  sword, locked gauntlet, dagger, cloak of resistance +1, 
  potion of cure serious wounds, potion of lesser 
  restoration, potion of bull’s strength, potion of 
  endurance, 40 gp, bag of old bones. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
  Grandel has had some time to prepare and has drank a 
  few potions before the fight. 
  Potion of Bull’s Strength (+4 Str; adds +2 to hit and 
  damage) 
  Potion of Endurance (+4 Con; adds +2 to Fort save and 
  14 hps) 
   
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  �Grandel Carble: male human Ftr9; Medium-sized 
  humanoid (human); CR 9; HD 9d10+27; hp 76; Init +6; 
  Spd 20 ft; AC 18 (touch 12, flat-footed 16); Atks +14/+9 
  melee (1d10+6/17-20, +1 bastard sword); AL LN, but LE 
  by Encounter Eight; SV Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8; Str 16, 
  Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +4, Craft 
  (metalworking) +7, Diplomacy +3, Knowledge (history) 
  +6, Knowledge (nobility) +3, Profession (instructor) +5, 
  Search +3, Wilderness Lore +3. Cleave, Exotic Weapon 
  Proficiency (bastard sword), Improved Critical (bastard 
  sword), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, 
  Power Lunge*, Track, Weapon Focus (bastard sword), 
  Weapon Specialization (bastard sword). 
   
  Possessions:  +1 breastplate, +1 bastard sword, locked 
  gauntlet, dagger, cloak of resistance +1, potion of cure 
  serious wounds, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of 
  delay poison, potion of lesser restoration, potion of bull’s 
  strength, potion of endurance, 40 gp, bag of old bones. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
  Grandel has had some time to prepare and has drank a 
  few potions before the fight. 
  Potion of Bull’s Strength (+4 Str; adds +2 to hit and 
  damage) 
  Potion of Endurance (+4 Con; adds +2 to Fort save and 
  18 hps) 
   
  APL 8 (EL 10) 
  �Grandel Carble: male human Ftr10; Medium-sized 
  humanoid (human); CR 10; HD 10d10+30; hp 95; Init +6; 
  Spd 20 ft.; AC 20 (touch 12, flat-footed 18); Atks +15/+10 
  melee (1d10+6/17-20, +1 bastard sword); AL LN, but LE 
  by Encounter Eight; SV Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +8; Str 16, 
  Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +6, Craft 
  (metalworking) +7, Diplomacy +3, Knowledge (history) 
  +6, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Profession (instructor) +5, 
  Search +3, Wilderness Lore +3. Blind-Fight, Cleave, 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Improved 
  Critical (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Power Attack, Power Lunge*, Track, Weapon Focus 
  (bastard sword), Weapon Specialization (bastard sword). 
   
  Possessions: +2 breastplate, +1 bastard sword, locked 
  gauntlet, dagger, cloak of resistance +1, potion of cure 
  serious wounds, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of 
  delay poison, potion of lesser restoration, potion of haste, 
  potion of fly, potion of bull’s strength, potion of 
  endurance, 40 gp, bag of old bones. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
  Grandel has had some time to prepare and has drank a 
  few potions before the fight. 
  Potion of Bull’s Strength (+4 Str; adds +2 to hit and 
  damage) 
  Potion of Endurance (+4 Con; adds +2 to Fort save and 
  20 hps) 
  Potion of Fly 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 23 
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  �Grandel Carble: male human Ftr13; Medium-sized 
  humanoid (human); CR 13; HD 13d10+39; hp 110; Init 
  +6; Spd 20 ft.; AC 20 (touch 12, flat-footed 18); Atk 
  +18/+13/+8 melee (1d10+6/17-20, +1 bastard sword); AL 
  LN, but LE by Encounter Eight; SV Fort +13, Ref +8, Will 
  +10; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +6, Craft 
  (metalworking) +9, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (history) 
  +7, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Profession (instructor) +5, 
  Search +3, Wilderness Lore +5. Blind-Fight, Cleave, 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Expertise, 
  Improved Critical (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Trip, Iron Will, Power Attack, Power Lunge*, 
  Track, 
  Weapon 
  Focus 
  (bastard 
  sword), 
  Weapon 
  Specialization (bastard sword). 
   
  Possessions:  +2 breastplate, +1 bastard sword, cloak 
  of resistance +2, amulet of natural armor +1, locked 
  gauntlet, dagger, potion of heroism, brooch of shielding 
  (50 charges remaining), potion of cure serious wounds, 
  potion of cure serious wounds, potion of lesser 
  restoration, potion of haste, potion of fly, potion of bull’s 
  strength, potion of endurance, 40 gp, bag of old bones. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
  Grandel has had some time to prepare and has drank a 
  few potions before the fight. 
  Potion of Bull’s Strength (+4 Str; adds +2 to hit and 
  damage) 
  Potion of Endurance (+4 Con; adds +2 to Fort save and 
  26 hps) 
  Potion of Fly 
   
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  �Grandel Carble: male human Ftr15; Medium-sized 
  humanoid (human); CR 15; HD 15d10+45; hp 127; Init 
  +6; Spd 20 ft.; AC 20 (touch 12, flat-footed 18); Atk 
  +20/+17/+10 melee (1d10+7/15-20, +1 keen bastard 
  sword); AL LN, but LE by Encounter Eight; SV Fort +14, 
  Ref +9, Will +11; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 14, 
  Cha 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +6, Craft 
  (metalworking) +9, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (history) 
  +7, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Profession (instructor) +6, 
  Search +3, Spot +5, Wilderness Lore +5. Blind-Fight, 
  Cleave, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard 
  sword), Expertise, Improved Critical (bastard sword), 
  Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Mobility, 
  Power Attack, Power Lunge*, Track, Weapon Focus 
  (bastard sword), Weapon Specialization (bastard sword). 
   
  Possessions:  +2 breastplate, +1 keen bastard sword, 
  cloak of resistance +2, amulet of natural armor +1, locked 
  gauntlet, dagger, potion of heroism, brooch of shielding 
  (50 charges remaining), potion of cure serious wounds, 
  potion of cure serious wounds, potion of glibness, potion 
  of lesser restoration, potion of haste, potion of fly, potion 
  of bull’s strength, potion of endurance, 40 gp, bag of old 
  bones. 
  * This is a new feat, see Appendix II. 
   
  Grandel has had some time to prepare and has drank a 
  few potions before the fight. 
  Potion of Bull’s Strength (+4 Str; adds +2 to hit and 
  damage) 
  Potion of Endurance (+4 Con; adds +2 to Fort save and 
  30 hps) 
  Potion of Fly 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 24 
  Appendix 2:  New Rules Items 
   
  DRAGON’S TOUGHNESS [GENERAL] AS PRESENTED IN THE MASTERS OF THE WILD 
  You are incredibly tough. 
   
  Prerequisite:  Base Fort save bonus +11. 
   
  Benefit:  You gain +12 hit points. 
   
  Special:  You can gain this feat multiple times. 
   
  POWER LUNGE [GENERAL] AS PRESENTED IN THE SWORD AND FIST 
  Your ferocious attack may catch opponents unprepared. 
   
  Prerequisites:  Base attack bonus +3, Power Attack. 
   
  Benefit:  A successful attack roll during a charge allows you to inflict double your normal Strength modifier in 
  addition to the attack’s damage regardless of whether you’re using a one- or two-handed weapon.  You provoke an attack 
  of opportunity from the opponent you charged. 
   
   
  The Duelist 
   
  Hit Die: d10 
   
  Requirements 
  To qualify to become a duelist, a character must fulfill all the following criteria. 
  Base Attack Bonus:  +6 
  Perform:  3 ranks 
  Tumble:  5 ranks 
  Feats:  Dodge, Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Ambidexterity, Mobility 
   
  Class Skills: The duelist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Escape Artist 
  (Dex). Innuendo (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex). 
   
  Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier 
   
  Class 
  Level 
  Base Attack 
  Bonus 
  Fort 
  Save 
  Ref 
  Save 
  Will 
  Save 
   
  Special 
  1
  st 
  +1 
  +0 
  +2 
  +0 
  Canny Defense 
  2
  nd 
  +2 
  +0 
  +3 
  +0 
  Precise Strike +1d6 
  3
  rd 
  +3 
  +1 
  +3 
  +1 
  Enhanced Mobility 
  4
  th 
  +4 
  +1 
  +4 
  +1 
  Grace 
  5
  th 
  +5 
  +1 
  +4 
  +1 
  Acrobatic Attack 
  6
  th 
  +6 
  +2 
  +5 
  +2 
  Precise Strike +2d6 
  7
  th 
  +7 
  +2 
  +5 
  +2 
  Elaborate Parry 
  8
  th 
  +8 
  +2 
  +6 
  +2 
  Improved Reflexes 
  9
  th 
  +9 
  +3 
  +6 
  +3 
  Deflect Arrows 
  10
  th 
  +10 
  +3 
  +7 
  +3 
  Precise Strike +3d6 
   
  Class Features 
   
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency:  The duelist is proficient with all simple and marital weapons, but no type of 
  armor.  The only shield they are proficient with is the buckler. 
   
  Canny Defense:  When not wearing armor, duelists add their Intelligence bonus (if any) to their Dexterity bonus 
  to modify Armor Class while wielding a melee weapon.  If the duelist is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his 
  Dexterity bonus, he also loses this bonus. 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 25 
   
  Precise Strike:  At 2
  nd level, the duelist gains the extraordinary ability to strike precisely with a one-handed 
  piercing weapon, gaining a bonus 1d6 damage added to her normal damage roll.  When making a precise strike, the 
  duelist cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand, although she can defend with it (or, if she has the proficiency, a 
  buckler).  A duelist’s precise strike only works against living creatures with discernable anatomies.  Any creature that is 
  immune to critical hits (including undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures) is not vulnerable to a 
  precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits (such as armor with fortification) also 
  protects a creature from a precise strike.  Every four duelist levels gained thereafter, she increases the extra damage by 
  +1d6. 
   
  Enhanced Mobility:  When unarmored, the duelist gains an additional +4 bonus to AC against attacks of 
  opportunity caused when he moves out of or within a threatened area. 
   
   
  Grace:  At 4
  th level, a duelist gains an additional +2 competence bonus to all Reflex saving throws.  This ability 
  functions for the duelist only when wearing no armor. 
   
  Acrobatic Attack (Ex):  At 5
  th level, if the duelist attacks by jumping at least 5 feet toward his opponent, jumping 
  down at least 5 feet onto his opponent or swinging on a rope or similar object into his opponent, he gains a +2 to attack 
  and damage rolls.  Make a Jump check;  if the result is less than 5 feet, you cannot use this ability on this attack.  If the 
  distance is greater than that between the duelist and the opponent, the duelist can limit the distance to that of the 
  opponent as a free action. 
   
  Elaborate Parry (Ex):  At 7
  th level, if the duelist chooses to fight defensively or use all-out defense in melee combat, 
  she gains an additional +1 dodge bonus to her AC for each class level of duelist she has advanced. 
   
  Improved Reaction:  At 8
  th level, the duelist gains a +2 to initiative rolls.  This ability stacks with Improved 
  Initiative. 
   
  Deflect Arrows:  The duelist gains the Deflect Arrows feat (see the Player’s Handbook) only when he uses his one-
  handed piercing weapon. 
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 26 
  Appendix 3:  DM Map of the Soldragon Academy 
   
   
  Storage
  Storage
  Forge
  Classroom 
  III
  Classroom 
  I
  Classroom 
  II
  Dining Hall
  Student Living Quarters
  Garden
  Kitchen
  Fountain
  Training 
  Yard
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Ground 
  Floor
  N
  Storage
  Reading 
  Rooms
  Library
  Student Living Quarters
  Laundry
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Second 
  Floor
  Roof of Classroom Wing
  (slopes down to north)
  N
  S
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 27 
   
  Master
  Deft’s
  Office
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Third Floor
  N
  S
  Mistress
  Valria’s
  Office
  Master
  Carble’s
  Office
  Master
  Azlaer’s
  Office
  Roof of Student Living
  Quarters (slopes down
  steeply from pitched
  center line)
   
   
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Fourth 
  Floor
  N
  Mertius
  Soldragon’s
  Office
  Storage
  Bedroom
  Private
  Study
   
   
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 28 
  Appendix 4:  The Students 
   
  After Encounter 2, only twenty-one students remain at the Soldragon Academy. These students are listed here, along 
  with their gender, age, notable family relations, and a quirk or two to help you roleplay them appropriately (that is, to 
  bedevil the characters with them throughout the adventure). Unless otherwise noted, all the children are humans. A 
  character may recognize notable students with a successful Knowledge (nobility) or Knowledge (Verbobonc) roll (DC 
  18). 
   
  Noble Relations 
  Pennibar Alexandra Milinous (female, age 11) – “Penny” is one of Lord Alinard Milinous’ twin nieces.  Although the 
  characters may despise her uncle, Penny is exceptionally polite and well-mannered little girl, without a mean bone in 
  her body. 
   
  Gwendolyn Rilanda Milinous (female, age 11) – “Gwen” is Milinous’ other twin niece. She is also very kind and polite. 
  It’s hard to tell Penny and Gwen apart. 
   
  Jacobis DeChutes (male, age 12) – “Jake” is a nephew of Lord DeChutes. He is here with his two younger brothers. The 
  three of them are rambunctious rascals, and get into trouble when they think they can get away with it. They aren’t 
  mean-spirited, but like noise and activity. They’re always underfoot. 
   
  Cornelius DeChutes (male, age 10) – one of DeChutes’ nephews. Cornelius is a deadeye shot with a sling, which he uses 
  to cause as much trouble as he can. 
   
  Braden DeChutes (male, age 7) – Braden is also a troublesome DeChutes nephew, who has learned that the best way out 
  of trouble is to whine and cry about how his older brothers made him do it.  He is also deathly afraid of bugs, which the 
  other children use to torment him from time to time (especially Robar and Kaines). 
   
  Kendall Galans (male, age 8) – This is the youngest son of Lord Roland Galans. He’s a very clumsy kid, always dropping 
  things, knocking stuff over, and getting in the way without meaning to. He really wants to be a great warrior, and will 
  look up to paladin types in the party, following them around if possible. 
   
  Robar Asbury Granley (male, age 12) – Robar is a distant cousin of Lady Eleanor Asbury. Unlike his kind-hearted 
  cousin, Robar is a mean-spirited bully who torments the other children as much as he can get away with. He tries to be 
  ingratiatingly polite to the instructors and characters, but it isn’t hard to see through his false front. Robar is one of the 
  oldest children at the Academy. He is a good friend with Kaines Stonos, and the other students do what they can to stay 
  out of the way of these two bullies. 
   
  Other Children 
  Artemis Pendergast (male, age 9) – “Artie” is the son of a Veluna noble, who is learning martial training before being 
  sent to join the priesthood of Rao. He is a shy, pious boy, interested in characters who seem to be religious scholars. 
   
  Bannia Belnem (female, age 10) – Bannia is a gossipy girl who can’t stop giggling with the other girls whenever the 
  opportunity presents itself. Despite her constant whisperings in class, she is very good at her lessons, and is one of 
  master Azlear’s favorites. 
   
  Celona Dimarlon (female half-elf, age 11) – Celona is a quiet half-elf girl who is also a future sorceress. Her magical 
  powers are just beginning to appear, and strange things occur around her, mostly random applications of the open/close 
  cantrip. The other children are somewhat afraid of her, and Celona is something of a loner. 
   
  Ginawa Winter (female, age 8) – Ginawa is the daughter of a wealthy Verbobonc merchant who thought the Soldragon 
  Academy would be the best place for her education. Ginawa really wants to be a witch or wizardess, like in the fairy-
  stories she loves to read. She is very jealous of Celona, who seems to have “real” magic. 
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 29 
  Goridon Lebeteas (male, age 8) – “Gorry” is a shameless tattletale, always trying to pull the instructors and characters 
  aside to tell them what the other children are doing that he thinks is wrong. Gorry often makes up stories to tell, if he 
  has no authentic wrongdoing to relate. Gorry will bother the characters with his stories at any time, even in the middle 
  of combat. 
   
  Hardis Thella (male, age 10) –Hardis is the only orphan at the Soldragon Academy; he has distant relations in Nyrond 
  who pay to keep him enrolled and out of the way. He is a good student, though, in both his academics and his martial 
  exercises. He is also quite overweight for his age. 
   
  Kaines Stonos (male, age 12) – Kaines is a bully and a braggart who enjoys tormenting other children. He is also a good 
  friend with Robar Asbury, and the two of them gang up on the other students as often as they can get away with. 
   
  Milvin Gregor (male, age 10) – Milvin is the son of an elderly officer in the Verbobonc militia. He was often taken away 
  from the Academy when his father went out on campaign. However, Milvin’s father has retired, so Milvin is a more 
  permanent student now. His time traveling with the military gave Milvin a keen eye for martial skills, and a wide 
  vocabulary of swear words, which he uses whenever he thinks it will get him laughs. 
   
  Natala Corenne (female, age 9) – Natala is distantly related to Bishop Prosser, head of the church of Pholtus in 
  Verbobonc. She follows the dictates of Pholtus as well as she understands them (after all, she’s only nine), and is prone 
  to fits of righteous indignation when she doesn’t get her way. Other people usually call this “righteous indignation” 
  temper tantrums. 
   
  Rodoteus Dalear Hetlan (male gnome, age 11) – young for a gnome, Dalear is already proving to be skilled with bows 
  and slings. He’s a lot more serious than most gnome boys his age, and fits in well with the human children despite his 
  size. Dalear really likes military history, and is a favorite of Carble’s. 
   
  Salomar Dorion (male, age 8) – Salomar hardly ever says a word. He is shy, jumpy, and prone to break out into tears at 
  the slightest provocation. His piercing wails when crying set teeth on edge. He is afraid of just about everything, and a 
  favorite target for Robar and Kaines. 
   
  Stairn Javik Kurl (male, age 10) – Stairn is a Suel boy, and one of the largest children in the Academy despite his age. He 
  is already well-muscled and a skilled wrestler. Even Robar and Kaines leave Stairn alone. He is also a nice, cautious boy 
  who tends to follow the DeChutes boys around and inadvertently gets into trouble with them. 
   
  Tance Kile (male, age 11) – Tance is the son of a wealthy spice merchant. He already understands that some of his 
  father’s “business” contacts are not honest or legal, and is interested in learning more about accounting, business, and 
  daring nighttime roguish escapades. 
   
  Zarah Limin (male half-elf, age 9) – Zarah is a very clear and eloquent speaker for his age, and is always trying to break 
  up fights between the other children and talking bullies into backing down. Zarah is a born diplomat, and a secret 
  favorite of Mistress Valria’s. 
   
   
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 30 
  Player Handout 1:  The Piper Soldragon Academy of Martial Training 
   
   
   
  Classroom Wing
  Student Living    
  Quarters
  Dining Hall
  Library
  Instructor Offices
  Soldragon’s Suite
  Fountain
  Garden
  Front Gate
  Training
  Yard
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Front Perspective
  N
   
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 31 
  Player Handout 2:  Soldragon Academy Floor Plan 
   
   
  Storage
  Storage
  Forge
  Classroom 
  III
  Classroom 
  I
  Classroom 
  II
  Dining Hall
  Student Living Quarters
  Garden
  Kitchen
  Fountain
  Training 
  Yard
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Ground Floor
  N
  Storage
  Reading 
  Rooms
  Library
  Student Living Quarters
  Laundry
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Second Floor
  Roof of Classroom Wing
  (slopes down to north)
  N
   
  
  Armor Class 
   
  Page 32 
   
  Master
  Deft’s
  Office
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Third Floor
  N
  Mistress
  Valria’s
  Office
  Master
  Carble’s
  Office
  Master
  Azlaer’s
  Office
  Roof of Student Living
  Quarters (slopes down
  steeply from pitched
  center line)
   
   
  Soldragon Academy of Martial Training, Fourth Floor
  N
  Mertius
  Soldragon’s
  Office
  Storage
  Bedroom
  Private
  Study
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Living Greyhawk/Tuflik, Fals, and Velverdyva Trade Route/Verbobonc/VER3-01 - Armor Class.pdf