TEXT: Blighted Winds
  A One-Round D&D 3rd Edition LIVING GREYHAWK™ Adventure
  by August Hahn
  A strange disease is killing farmers’ crops near the town of Hardwick, and if the disease isn’t stopped, the entire
  harvest will be ruined. Can the PCs discover the source of the blight and eliminate it before the region is
  plunged into economic ruin? A regional adventure for characters level 1-6.
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK, ROLE PLAYING GAMES ASSOCIATION and RPGA are registered trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast,
  Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK and the D20 system logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All Wizards characters, character names, and
  the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Any reproductions or unauthorized use of material or artwork
  contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  This scenario is intended for organized play use
  only and may not be reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network. 
  © 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. 
  Visit our Website at:
  www.wizards.com/rpga
  YEO1-03
  
  GETTING STARTED
  Blighted Winds
  1
  T
  his 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 clos-
  er 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 com-
  municate 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 par-
  ticularly 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 require-
  ments of the scenario as described in the introduction. 
  Keep in mind that you must have at least four players (not
  counting the DM), for the game session to be a sanctioned RPGA
  event. As well, you cannot have more than seven players partici-
  pating 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 rule books during cer-
  tain times of play. For example, the players are not free to consult
  the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide when confronted with a trap or haz-
  ard, 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 allot-
  ted 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 experi-
  ence awards for the scenario. 
  After voting, give the Scoring Packet to your event coordina-
  tor.
  
  GETTING STARTED
  Blighted Winds
  2
  T
  his is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure. As a LIVING™ adven-
  ture, it is expected that players will bring their own charac-
  ters with them. If players do not have a LIVING GREYHAWK char-
  acter generated, get a copy of the current LIVING GREYHAWK char-
  acter generation guidelines, a character sheet, and a LIVING
  GREYHAWK log sheet from your convention coordinator or the
  RPGA Web site, and then have any players without a character
  create one. Once all players have a LIVING GREYHAWK character,
  play can begin. 
  Along with the other materials 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 Tier Structure
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING GREYHAWK
  campaigns, this adventure is tiered. Basically, the challenges in this
  adventure are proportioned to the average character level of the
  characters participating in the adventure. To determine the tier
  that you will use to run this adventure, add the character levels of
  all the characters. In addition, add the levels of any cohorts or ani-
  mals according to the values on their certificates. Cross-reference
  the total and the number of players participating in the game
  using the chart below to determine the tier used for this adven-
  ture.
  4 players
  5 players
  6 players
  7 players
  Lvl Cap
  T1:
  4-12
  5-13
  6-14
  7-15
  4th 
  T2:
  13-22
  14-24
  15-26
  16-28
  6th 
  T3:
  23-32
  25-35
  27-38
  29-41
  8th
  The level cap indicated is the highest level of character allowed
  to play this adventure. Characters of levels higher than the
  highest level shown for the highest tier cannot be played.
  Lifestyle
  At the beginning of every scenario, each PC is required to
  pay upkeep costs matching the level of lifestyle they wish to
  maintain. The lifestyles, and the effects that each has on play,
  are:
  Destitute
  You have no living space, and must carry all your
  gear everywhere. You eat poor quality food. You
  wear a peasant outfit, your only change of clothes.
  Poor
  You sleep in poor accommodations, and eat poor
  quality food. You wear a peasant outfit, and have
  two sets of clothing.
  Common
  You have common lodgings, and eat common
  quality food. You have normal clothing for your
  profession (adventuring); nothing fancy. You prob-
  ably have two or three sets of clothing.
  High
  You stay in good quality lodgings, and eat good
  quality food. You wear anything in value up to
  courtier’s outfits, and generally buy a new set of
  clothing every two weeks.
  Luxury
  You have luxurious accommodations (twice the
  cost of good accommodations), and you eat excel-
  lent foods. You can throw a banquet for your
  friends every day, and frequently do. You wear
  clothing up to the value of noble’s outfit, and buy
  a new set of clothes every week. 
  Lifestyles come with bonuses or penalties to Diplomacy,
  Intimidate, Disguise, and Bluff skill checks. These penalties,
  shown below, should be applied at the DM’s discretion, and can
  sometimes backfire—for example, a PC with a poor lifestyle
  would not have a penalty when talking to a beggar, but would
  when talking to a city official. A PC with a high lifestyle should
  have a penalty when dealing with a group of street thugs, where
  a PC with a destitute lifestyle might not.
  DMs are encouraged to role-play these reactions whenever
  possible.
  Lifestyle
  Cost
  Skill Modifier
  Destitute
  14 sp
  -2
  Poor
  43 sp
  -1
  Common
  12 gp
  0
  High
  250 gp
  +1
  Luxury
  500 gp
  +2
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  3
  Adventure Background
  Four weeks prior to the beginning of this adventure, a husband
  and wife team of Dustdiggers uncovered the find of their lives—
  actually, they uncovered the last find of their lives. Several miles
  north of Hardwick and near the Escarpment, Kalo and Mithree
  Cantlegrey unearthed a sphere of rock and dried mud several feet
  in diameter.
  Chipping some of this detritus away proved to be their undo-
  ing. The protective layer of soil had kept at bay an ancient and ter-
  rible weapon. This weapon, the blightstone, was crafted centuries
  ago as a final way of rendering a populace unable to resist con-
  quest. Its power was insidious but inexorable—it slowly killed all
  plant life within its ever-growing radius. It accomplished this
  horrible feat by poisoning the air around it. 
  Exposing the blightstone sealed Kalo Cantlegrey’s doom. The
  pent-up power of the blightstone surged out of the crack he
  opened in its rocky shell. This sickly beam of power struck him
  full force and killed him instantly. Unfortunately for Mithree, he
  did not stay dead long…
  Elsewhere, the now partially freed blightstone began to work
  its vile magic. Slowly, a new form of plant rot emerged. The clos-
  est farms to the blightstone, those along the north road from
  Hardwick, are now suffering from this leaf rot. Appearing first as
  wide purple swathes across the leaves of any plant, this rot is also
  souring fruit and tainting roots. 
  By the time the adventure begins, these farms are steadily los-
  ing their crops. If something isn’t done soon, the ‘leaf rot’ will
  claim the harvest from every farm in Hardwick—every farm but
  one.
  Denwith, a hard working Yeoman farmer with a family of six,
  toils alongside his sons and does everything his neighbors do. He
  prays to the same gods, plants the same seeds, and gives his tilled
  earth the same care. He doesn’t differ from the other farmers of
  Hardwick in any way. His farm, on the other hand, is very special
  indeed.
  None of his crops are suffering from the leaf rot. His tubers
  are plump, his corn is full and fine, and none of his peaches have
  soured in the slightest. He is at a loss to explain this good fortune. 
  His fellow farmers are becoming more jealous and suspicious
  by the day. As their crops rot on the stalk, the rumors begin to fly
  of farmer Denwith’s involvement with ‘dark powers’. While no
  violence has occurred yet, it is only a matter of time before one of
  Denwith’s neighbors strikes out in frustration and fear. He isn’t in
  league with any powers, but his protests are falling on deaf ears.
  What Denwith doesn’t know is that while he may not be in
  league with ‘powers’, his daughters are. A few years ago, they
  found a trunk belonging to their Grandmother in the attic of
  their home. In this chest, along with the memories of a lifetime,
  lay a dusty tome of secrets and lore. Grandmother was a witch,
  like her mother before and her daughters thereafter. With their
  mother’s instruction, Ilena and Kalia have been practicing the
  nature magic that is their birthright.
  One of the rites they have worked involves a home blessing
  called “walking the circle”. Every full moon, the twins walk a cir-
  cle around their family’s land. This has set up a ward that, among
  other things, has staved off the effects of (weakened from age and
  almost still-total confinement) the blightstone. Thus, while other
  farms suffer from this ancient magic, the Denwith land prospers.
  This state of affairs cannot last. Eventually, the building
  power of the blightstone will overwhelm the simple druidical
  witchery of the Denwith twins. By that point, the magic of the
  blightstone will be strong enough to reach the towns of Dart and
  Sule. Crops farther and farther out will begin to wilt and die
  unless someone can track down the source of this evil magic and
  put a stop to it. Starvation looms… unless some one can still the
  Blighted Winds.
  Adventure Synopsis
  While traveling west of the Little Hills, the heroes stop for a meal
  at a general store outside Hardwick. There, they overhear an argu-
  ment between other patrons. The source of their anger, a lone
  farmer with crops to sell, leaves sullenly.
  If they follow the fellow, the heroes hear a strange tale
  indeed. It seems most of the farms in the area are suffering from
  a virulent leaf rot. Of all the ones he knows of, only his farm
  seems to be spared. He doesn’t know why, but his good fortune is
  quickly turning to suspicion and shame. He is afraid that if some-
  thing isn’t done about the leaf rot soon, he and his family will
  have to move.
  Provided the PCs take the farmer, Aldon Denwith, up on his
  offer of hospitality, they soon meet his family. His wife and four
  children greet the adventures with even more than typical
  Yeoman warmth, inviting them to spend the night for as long as
  they like. Denwith’s twin girls, Ilena and Kalia, are taken with any
  charming men amongst the heroes. 
  The next morning, Denwith asks the PCs to come with him
  on a tour of his lands. They are not extensive, but a lot can be
  learned on this trek. Close examination can determine that not
  every corner of Denwith’s land has escaped the effects of the rot.
  In fact, the corners of his land are suffering from it. If checked,
  there seems to be a circular ward or field protecting the majority
  of Denwith’s crops. Detect magic will reveal a minor magic perme-
  ating the land and extending up to the edges of this ‘circle’. 
  Farmer Denwith pleads honest ignorance of this ward if it is
  mentioned. If in earshot of such talk, his daughters will also pre-
  tend to know nothing. Either by immediate examination or by
  catching them going out at night, the heroes will have an oppor-
  tunity to find out the truth.
  Going out after the girls may have the heroes run afoul of
  Aldon’s sons, Brennon and Danon. Ages 14 and 12 respectively,
  they are old enough to be very protective of their sisters. While
  they do not understand why their siblings walk around outside
  on the nights of the full moon, they certainly don’t like the
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  4
  thought of strangers accosting them for doing so. Unless cooler
  heads prevail, the pair may violently confront the heroes.
  Once cornered, the girls admit to their witchcraft. If pressed,
  they will even reveal their grandmother’s book. This tome is
  essentially a druid’s handbook, written in simple country terms
  and filled with rites and basic incantations. Anyone making a
  successful; Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge: (religion) check
  (DC 10) will quickly discern the non-baneful nature of this mate-
  rial. While this magic might be the source of the protective
  wards, it certainly could not be causing the ‘leaf rot”.
  If the PCs express concern for the family’s welfare and do not
  seem inclined to punish them, Ilena and Kalia take them to see
  their mother. More powerful in the craft than here daughers, she
  tells the PCs more about the ‘blight’. Nadia Denwith has seen the
  blightstone in a vision and has a vague idea where it is. Not wish-
  ing to endanger her family (or herself, as how could she know
  any of this if not by witchcraft), she has kept silent.
  Armed with a direction to travel and a description of the
  blightstone, the PC make haste to the Escarpment and from there
  to the Cantlegrey dig. Tracking skills are helpful here as is
  Wilderness lore, but anyone can follow the fields of dying plants.
  This ‘trail’ leads the party to its ultimate destination.
  Arriving on the scene, the PCs have to contend with what
  remains of Kalo and Mithree—both of who are now undead
  creatures under the control of the blightstone. In addition to its
  two ‘protectors’, the fell artifact can emit a deadly ray against
  would-be attackers.
  Defeating the blightstone is actually quite easy. Its power only
  works if it is exposed to the air. Covering the crack Kalo opened
  will render the thing inert once again. If this occurs, the undead
  either fall dead immediately or (at the GM’s option) continue
  fighting insanely until destroyed.
  Once the blightstone is dealt with, the danger to the land pass-
  es quickly. The ‘leaf rot’ was an unnatural disease fueled by magic.
  Once deprived of the artifact’s power, the blight can be easily
  countered. Hardwick’s farmers can recoup some of their crops
  and this year’s harvest will not be nearly the disaster it could have
  been. 
  DM’s Introduction
  This adventure is extremely role-playing intensive. Gaining the
  information needed to successfully combat the influence of the
  blightstone will be very difficult if the PCs do not interact with
  Aldon and his family. 
  Note that Wizard, Sorcerer, Druid, and Cleric heroes may
  have some knowledge about witchcraft, especially if they have at
  least four ranks in Knowledge (arcana). Other PCs may be igno-
  rant of such things and will be perfectly in character if they act
  fearful or even suspicious of the ‘witches’. 
  In the case of the NPC witches of this module, their practice
  is in no way evil. Indeed, it is basically druidical magic with an
  emphasis on healing, herbalism, and protection. The witches do
  not detect as evil, nor does their magic, or any of their spell’s
  effects. They are simple folk using the lore and spellcraft passed
  down to them through generations. Indeed, such is their empha-
  sis that if checked for, the ward protecting the Denwith farm has
  a good component.
  There is not a lot of combat in this adventure. Except for the
  final conflict around the blightstone, which can be avoided
  through quick thinking and a handful of thrown mud, the PCs
  may never need draw a weapon. As such, most of the game’s time
  slot will be taken up by talking and interacting. Feel free to
  improvise conversation with any of the NPCs, keeping in mind
  their personalities and motivations.
  On the subject of ‘witchcraft’, the power for the Denwith
  family’s magic comes from their devotion to nature and their
  inner gifts. Like druids, they are able to affect their rural sur-
  roundings through rite and ritual without directly worshipping
  a god. If asked who they serve, all three of the Denwith ladies
  would answer “the land” immediately. 
  The blightstone is a dark artifact of ages past. It was bound and
  buried centuries ago by the brave men that drove the cruel lord
  Asberdies out of the Yeomanry. This artifact was bound, because
  it could not be destroyed. The magic-rending effects of time and
  a number of global magical events (the return of Vecna being a
  primary factor) have shattered almost all of its bindings.
  Now, all that holds back its fell power is a mundane covering
  of mud and stone. Hidden in an ancient vault, this was enough to
  keep it at bay. The blightstone’s primary power is that of poisoning
  the air to affect any plant it comes in contact with. Without air,
  the artifact is powerless.
  The Cantlegreys’ excavation has inadvertently freed the
  blightstone and exposed a small part of it to the air. Its power
  immediately killed Kalo Cantlegrey and raised him as an undead
  servitor. The new undead’s first act was to kill its former wife in a
  fit of madness and unholy hunger. Now, the stone has two slaves
  to serve it.
  Unfortunately for the blightstone, one of its bindings still
  exists. The least direct of the wards placed on the artifact prevents
  it from using its powers to free itself. This extends to any crea-
  tures the artifact controls. Thus, it can not guide the two undead
  to tear any more of its ‘shell’ off. 
  Given time however, the magics streaming through the small
  hole will erode the shell and free it further. If this occurs, the
  blightstone could seriously threaten the land around it in an ever-
  widening circle of devastation. While the artifact eventually has
  a limit to its area of effect, its power is more than enough to seri-
  ously cripple the Yeomanry’s food production and ecology for
  years to come. 
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  5
  Encouner 1: The Breeze Begins
  It’s quite a relief, after a lengthy journey, to come in off the road.
  Kegron’s Supply, a small general store of sorts catering to the folk
  of Hardwick, has provided just such a place. You were greeted
  warmly and sent to a table to rest your feet.
  Half barrels line the walls around you. Each set at a slight
  incline. They hold items of import to the people of this land.
  Seed, grains, and dry goods are on open display, with larger items
  up on tall shelves. A farmer would be hard pressed to need some-
  thing this store doesn’t have. You do note, though, that most of
  the produce bins are low or downright empty.
  Travelers are also well served here. Goods aimed at making a
  long journey more pleasant are available near or above a counter
  on the back wall. You spy bedrolls, tack, and other journeying
  gear ready for purchase.
  A young boy has asked for your choice of refreshments and in
  the back you smell stew coming to a boil. Nothing to do now but
  relax and let an idle afternoon hour slip past.
  This is an opportunity for players to describe their characters and
  have a brief time of role-play before the adventure gets underway.
  Give them time to do so, even ‘prompting’ them to get in charac-
  ter by having the serving boy (Timmain is his name, which he
  will give if asked) ask them if there’s anything they’d like to see or
  purchase while they wait for lunch.
  It may be useful to say that each of the PCs met farther up the
  road from Hardwick and have been traveling together for safety’s
  sake. While the heartland of the Yeomanry isn’t known for ‘mon-
  ster trouble’, the threat of bandits exists everywhere.
  PCs can also shop here, buying anything reasonable (exclud-
  ing mounts) from the Player’s Handbook Goods and Services
  equipment list (Player’s Handbook, page 108) at list price, and also
  any simple weapon (though Kegron only stocks two of each
  type). When the players are comfortable with each other and fin-
  ished with introductions, continue.
  A man burdened with two heavy sacks comes in from the hot after-
  noon sun and sets them down with a sigh. Even as he does, two of
  the men seated at a table near yours fix him with a derisive stare.
  Pause here to let anyone who wishes to act do so. If anyone tries
  to talk to the two men, continue on. If anyone moves to help the
  newcomer, he thanks him or her kindly, but gets interrupted
  before he can speak again.
  One of the glaring men shouts, “Get out of here, Denwith! We don’t
  need your hell-spawned crops here!”
  The newcomer looks hurt by the words, but he glares back. “I
  don’t know what you mean, Ivel, but my crops are as good as
  yours!”
  “No!” Ivel retorts. “Yours are better! Mine rot on the stalk while
  yours don’t! Why is that, Aldon? What are you in league with?”
  Again, pause for reactions. Aldon Denwith is taken aback by the
  accusation and anyone who succeeds at a Sense Motive check
  (DC 20) can tell his outward emotions are genuine.
  “I don’t know why.” the man called Aldon says quietly. “I just don’t
  know.”
  “Well, I do!” With that, Ivel stands up and balls a fist. “You’ve
  called down dark magic on the rest of us, haven’t you?”
  Ivel begins to come away from his table, intent on getting to
  Aldon. As he does, his companion hefts an ax handle from a near-
  by barrel.
  PCs can react to this as they like, but if no one moves to break up
  what is obviously about to be a fight, continue with the next text
  section. Otherwise, paraphrase it once Ivel is calmed down.
  All Tiers (EL 1)
  Ivel and Gunnar, human Com1: CR 1/2; Medium-size
  Humanoid; HD 1d4+5; hp 8 each; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Atks
  +1 melee (1d6+1, club); AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref 0, Will 0.
  Str 13, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +2, Profession (farmer) +4, Ride +1, Swim +3;
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Toughness.
  Equipment: ax handle (club).
  Aldon Denwith, human Com3: Medium-size Humanoid; CL
  3; HD 3d4+9; hp 17; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Atks +3 melee
  (1d6+1 x3) halfspear; AL LG; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3.
  Str 12, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +2, Profession (farmer) +6, Ride +3, Swim +4;
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Toughness, Weapon Focus (halfspear).
  Equipment: halfspear.
  Ivel and his friend Gunnar are both near their wits’ end. They
  have watched their well-tended crops wither and rot, taking with
  them the food and revenue their families desperately need. They
  are not evil but they are desperate. They would, in this state, try
  to beat anyone in their way (subdual damage, the will stop as
  soon as their opponent reaches 0 or lower hp) but before fighting
  can really begin:
  The sound of a crossbow string dry firing catches everyone’s
  attention. “I won’t have this!” says the storekeeper; his left hand
  holding the bolt he could have just fired. “I’ve known you three
  all your lives and this is just plain crazy.”
  Pointing to the empty tables, he tells everyone to sit down
  and shut up. 
  This would be the point where PCs should also stop fighting, if
  they do not, Ivel and Gunnar will defend themselves while the bar-
  keep loads and fires his crossbow at anyone who is not striking to
  subdue. Should anyone be killed, the barkeep will send his son out
  the back and tell him to ride for Hardwick to fetch the guard.
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  6
  As long as the PCs do not commit murder and as long as they
  behave themselves, move to the next text section. If they have
  killed Ivel or Gunnar, the adventure is essentially over, as they
  must now flee the scene before Hardwick’s guards arrive. If this
  occurs, adjudicate that mess as you see fit.
  The two men leave the store, grumbling sullenly and shooting
  dark glances at Aldon before striding off purposefully. 
  Turning to Aldon, the storekeeper sighs heavily. “Aldon, I
  don’t know what to tell you. The leaf rot’s got everyone like this
  and I ain’t much better.” Looking down, he adds, “I can’t take your
  goods, Aldie. No one’ll buy them. I think you’d better go.”
  Visibly stunned, Aldon just stares at the barkeep for a
  moment. Then, glancing at Ivel and the rest of you, he kneels
  down, gathers his load, and leaves quietly.
  Denwith will spend some time reloading his cart, giving the PCs
  time to ask questions if they like. Ivel and Gunnar can only tell
  them about the leaf rot: what it looks like, the fact that it seemed
  to come from nowhere, and that Denwith’s land seems immune
  to it.
  The barkeep (Kegron Burnswell) can confirm everything the
  other two have said, but adds that goods coming from Sule and
  Dart don’t seem to be affected like the ones here. He also makes a
  request.
  “I hate asking strangers for things, but I am worried about
  Farmer Denwith, Aldon that is. He’s a good man, and I can’t
  believe he’s dealing with dark powers or the like. I ain’t sure
  he’ll make it home all right, tempers being what they are
  around here.”
  Reaching under the bar, he takes out a handful of coins.
  “Would you lot take a gold apiece to walk him home and
  keep an eye out for trouble while you do?” 
  Assuming the PCs agree, go but decline the reward, or have
  already gone outside to speak with Denwith, proceed to
  Scene Two. If not, Denwith will be easy to catch up with, as
  he is not eager to return home quickly. 
  Encounter 2: Wafting
  Homeward
  For one reason or another, the PCs have likely joined
  Denwith as he makes his way home. He is a genuinely
  friendly person and does not mind the company. Still, he is
  in low spirits and should be played that way.
  Aldon looks up as you approach. “Hail, folk.” he said some-
  what despondently. “What can I do for you?” As he speaks,
  he packs the wagon and steps up into the coach seat.
  Denwith accepts any offer of escort, well aware that the mood of
  his fellow farmers has turned against him. 
  The journey home should be played as a paranoid one, with
  Denwith constantly scanning the road for angry neighbors. Let
  the players make whatever precautions they like. Some of
  Denwith’s neighbors have become so desperate as to ambush him
  on his way home, but they’ve got trouble of their own, as will
  quickly become apparent.
  You should also take a moment to describe the land the PCs
  are traveling through. At first, the ground is a gentle rolling field
  with slight hills and thick grass. Then, as they near the farms
  heading north, things change slightly. The grass has increasingly
  larger spots of purple along the blades. In some cases, the leaf
  itself has rotted away in the center of these spots.
  Any PC with the Nature Sense class skill, or who makes a
  Knowledge (nature) check at DC 10 or a Wilderness Lore check
  at DC 15 will immediately note that this rot is not natural. detect
  poison will reveal nothing, but detect magic will find a faint aura
  (Necromancy and Alteration) on the wind. There is also a faint
  trace of evil, as if the wind were somehow corrupted. If they ask,
  the breeze is blowing at about 3-5 miles an hour from the north.
  Denwith will answer any questions he can, but he isn’t of
  much help about the leaf rot. He is at a loss to explain his good
  fortune, nor does he understand where the blight is coming
  from. 
  If asked, he will gladly allow the PCs, if they have behaved
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  7
  well and have not been overly rude, to come onto his land and
  examine his plants. If they can provide some answers, he would
  be very grateful.
  While he can not offer much, he will give shelter and meals
  while the PCs investigate this matter. He also mentions that his
  wife is an excellent seamstress and could probably do any repairs
  of simple needlework they might need.
  One thing he insists on is that the party, even if they have not
  volunteered to investigate the leaf rot, join him for dinner as his
  way of thanking them for the escort. Dinner is served in Scene
  Three.
  Once again, this is an opportunity for role-play with Denwith
  and with the other PCs. Let the players have time to enjoy it, then
  move to the combat encounter below. 
  Coming around a thinly forested bend in the path, you spot a bru-
  tal scene up ahead. Several men are apparently engaged in combat
  with a pack of wild beasts. The men look to be other farmers, des-
  perately holding off the creatures with pitchforks and cudgels.
  One of the people under attack sees you in the distance and
  cries out for aid. “Help us!” echoes into the air even as he is pulled
  down by a savage dog-like form. 
  Denwith immediately rushes to help defend his neighbors. If
  held back, he will only stay back if the PCs are obviously going to
  intervene. If the PCs close, they get a better look at the attacking
  creatures—large animals with splotched white coats and a cat-
  like stance. All Yeomen know of these beasts at least by reputa-
  tion - the tyrg, or “spotted hound” (They actually are cats, the
  Krenshar from the Monster Manual—they are called by a different
  name in the Yeomanry). Succeeding at a Wilderness Lore or
  Knowledge (nature) check (DC12) will indicate that these tyrg
  are not screeching, which is most unusual behavior for tyrg (as is
  attacking a group of armed men).
  Run this combat with each of the tyrgs in contact with a
  farmer and the PCs entering the fray at a distance of sixty feet
  (unless PC precautions or ranged attacks would dictate other-
  wise. If the tier indicates more tyrgs than farmers, the extra
  beasts have broken off from those attacking the farmers and are
  moving to intercept the PCs. Also, any tyrg attacked while fight-
  ing a farmer will turn to fight its new aggressor (the PC or PCs).
  The tyrgs are sick and mad with hunger and fight until the very
  last.
  Make a note of all the farmers who survive this encounter
  and how the PCs treated them during the fight. If the PCs fought
  bravely to defend them or used healing magics to heal them, use
  2-a to conclude this scene. If the PCs endangered them, hurt
  them with area attacks, or disregarded their safety, use 2-b.
  Anyone investigating the tyrgs after the combat will find on
  a that they are obviously sickened and hungry, with swollen
  glands constricting their throats and purple lesions on their bod-
  ies under their fur that look very similar to those on the plant life
  in the area.
  Tier 1 (EL 4)
  Tyrg (Krenshar) (6): CR 1 (1/2 currently due to sickness),
  Medium-size Magical Beast; HD 2d10, hp 11 each, Init +2 (+2
  Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural); Atks +2 melee
  (1d8+4, bite) and +0 melee (1d4, claws); SA Scare; SQ Scent; AL
  N; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1. 
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 11 (currently 10 due to sickness), Int 6,
  Wis 12, Cha 3.
  Skills: Hide +4, Jump, +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Feats:
  Multiattack. 
  SA: Scare (Ex or Su)—As a standard action, a Tyrg can pull the
  skin back from its head, revealing the musculature and bony
  structures of its skull. This alone is usually sufficient to scare
  away foes (Treat as a Bluff check with a +3 bonus). Combining
  this scare ability with a loud screech produces an unsettling
  effect that works like scare cast by a 3rd-level sorcerer (save DC
  12). If the save is successful, that opponent cannot be affected
  again by that tyrgs scare ability for one day. The shriek does not
  affect other tyrgs. Due to the sickness, these tyrgs cannot emit
  their shriek. 
  Farmers, Com2 (5): CR 1; Medium-sized humanoids; HD
  2d4+7; hp 12 each; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2
  leather armor); Atks, +2 melee, (1d6+2, x2); SA none; SQ none,
  AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1. 
  Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +2, Profession (farmer) +5, Ride +2, Swim +3;
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Toughness.
  Equipment: Clubs, Leather Armor.
  Tier 2 (EL 6)
  Tyrg (Krenshar) (6): CR1 Medium-size Magical Beast; HD 2d10,
  hp 11 each, Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natu-
  ral); Atks +2 melee (1d8+4, bite) and +0 melee (1d4, claws); SA
  Scare; SQ Scent; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1. 
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 11 (currently 10 due to sickness), Int 6,
  Wis 12, Cha 3.
  Skills: Hide +4, Jump, +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Feats:
  Multiattack. 
  SA: Scare (Ex or Su)—As a standard action, a Tyrg can pull the
  skin back from its head, revealing the musculature and bony
  structures of its skull. This alone is usually sufficient to scare
  away foes (Treat as a Bluff check with a +3 bonus). Combining
  this scare ability with a loud screech produces an unsettling
  effect that works like scare cast by a 3rd-level sorcerer (save DC
  12). If the save is successful, that opponent cannot be affected
  again by that tyrgs scare ability for one day. The shriek does not
  affect other tyrgs.
  Farmers, Com2 (5): use stats above.
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  8
  Tier 3 (EL 7)
  Tyrg (Krenshar) (8): CR1 Medium-size Magical Beast; HD 2d10,
  hp 11 each, Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natu-
  ral); Atks +2 melee (1d8+4, bite) and +0 melee (1d4, claws); SA
  Scare; SQ Scent; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1. 
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 11 (currently 10 due to sickness), Int 6,
  Wis 12, Cha 3.
  Skills: Hide +4, Jump, +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Feats:
  Multiattack. 
  SA: Scare (Ex or Su)—As a standard action, a Tyrg can pull the
  skin back from its head, revealing the musculature and bony
  structures of its skull. This alone is usually sufficient to scare
  away foes (Treat as a Bluff check with a +3 bonus). Combining
  this scare ability with a loud screech produces an unsettling
  effect that works like scare cast by a 3rd-level sorcerer (save DC
  12). If the save is successful, that opponent cannot be affected
  again by that tyrgs scare ability for one day. The shriek does not
  affect other tyrgs.
  Farmers, Com2 (5): use stats above. 
  If no farmers survive this encounter at all, Aldon will shake his
  head regretfully and ask that the party come with him back to the
  roadhouse. There, he will inform the shopkeeper of what
  occurred on the road. He’ll also agree to stay home until authori-
  ties from Hardwick proper can come to question him. Then, he’ll
  head back home with the party (if they wish to come). This takes
  the PCs to Scene 3.
  If the PC save the farmers read the following: 
  The bloodied survivors of the tyrg attack look woefully toward
  Aldon. “We was comin’ to give you what for over your crops,
  Denwith, and now you’ve gone and saved our lives…”
  With that, they turn back towards town and begin walking
  home. Aldon offers to take them back to his house to wash up
  and eat, but they shake their heads in shame and ignore his
  words. 
  Aldon sighs, but holds up a hand. “Their prides are hurt
  worse than they are, I’m afraid. Let’s not push the issue. Come. I
  can at least offer you good folk a feast.”
  Unless PCs insist on aiding the farmers, aid that they accept
  silently before going on their way, move to Encounter 3.
  If the PCs do not lift a finger to help the farmers, and
  they live, read the following: 
  What farmers remain pull themselves together and turn on the lot
  of you. “You all are no better than that cur Denwith! I’d not be sur-
  prised if his dark master had sent those tyrgs to stop us from doing
  what’s right!”
  With that, they brandish their weapons again. Even bloodied
  and battered, they seem determined to do what they came here for.
  Run a second combat now, with the statistics from the previous
  tiers. Be sure to tell the players that the farmers are obviously
  fighting to subdue. These farmers are not here to lose their lives
  and will run if the PCs kill one of them. Otherwise, they fight to
  subdue and will run after rendering the entire party unconscious
  (if they can). They will not kill Denwith, but they will beat him to
  –3 hit points before fleeing the scene. 
  When this fight is over, either because the PCs have regained
  consciousness or defeated the farmers, you may move to Scene
  Three. Denwith will be visibly shaken and uncomfortable if the
  PCs killed any of the farmers, but he is a man of his word and he
  promised them hospitality.
  Encounter 3: Lull in the Coming
  Storm
  The Denwith home is a nice spacious two-story home, built in
  the local plantation style. It has a separate cart house and a full
  barn behind it. A new house rests beside the somewhat aging
  barn and past all of that, the fields begin.
  Even from here, as you come down the hill towards the farm,
  you can make out the corn stalks and wide branches of peach
  trees. A thin fence, more a marker of territory than an effective
  barrier, runs along the sides of this expansive lot.
  “Home at last.” Aldon Denwith smiles. “Let’s put the wagon
  away and tend to my horse. Then we’ll dine. You’ve more than
  earned it.”
  Denwith seems much happier now that he is back on his land.
  Smiling and relaxed, he takes to the task of settling his cart and
  horse with the air of a happy man. Again, the genuine nature of
  these emotions can be sensed (Sense Motive, DC 20).
  When finished, he walks the PCs from the cart house to the
  front door of his home. Once on the lands, those who think to
  check will no longer Detect Magic in the air. Now they will feel
  a faint aura (Abjuration) seemingly in the land itself. If asked
  about this, Denwith will express honest ignorance.
  Eager to eat and be with his family after such a long day,
  Denwith will try to bring the party inside. 
  Once inside, Aldon wastes no time introducing you to his family.
  His wife, Nadia, is a pleasant looking woman in her thirties. She
  greets you warmly. “Thank you for bringing my husband home
  safe. I worry about him these days.”
  Next are his sons, who eyed you suspiciously as you entered.
  “This is Brennon and this is Danon.” he says proudly. Both boys
  have the build of farmers, with Brennon’s sixteen-year-old frame
  already supporting a strong set of shoulders. Danon, two years
  younger, isn’t as large. He seems well on his way to it, however.
  The last two to enter the room are twin girls, already
  approaching womanhood at the age of fifteen. They smile sweet-
  ly as their father introduces them to you. “There are my pride and
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  9
  joy, good folk. Ilena and Kalia, say hello to our guests.” 
  “Now”, he says. “What’s for supper?”
  What follows is a hearty country dinner. This will likely be the
  best food the PCs have had in days. Rations will keep an adven-
  turer alive, but they aren’t exactly fine cuisine. Nadia is an excel-
  lent cook, and makes sure to share credit for the meal with her
  daughters.
  During the repast, the girls unabashedly stare at the guests.
  They especially look at any men in the party and non-humans of
  either of gender. They will flirt softly if given the chance, but
  their father usually quashes such behavior if he sees it. Play this
  up as much as you wish and as much as the players seem to want.
  In contrast, the boys do not act very friendly at all. They are
  not outright rude, but they will not much acknowledge the PCs
  existence. At the first opportunity, they excuse themselves from
  the table and go to their rooms. Aldon apologizes for his boys’
  behavior and assures the PCs that he’ll ‘have a talk with them”.
  Brennon and Danon do not trust the PCs and aren’t sure how
  to cope with them. Once in their room, they discuss what they
  should do. Brennon thinks they should try and convince the
  party to leave come morning, but Danon (the more levelheaded
  of the two) talks him out of it. Instead, they decide to wait and
  watch.
  The girls are being honestly friendly. They are also approach-
  ing marriageable age and they know it. They do not find any of
  the options for betrothal around Hardwick interesting and don’t
  really want to be separated. Thus, they are feeling rather helpless
  and the party provides a welcome distraction. However, flirta-
  tious or not, they obey their parents and leave the PCs alone
  unless approached.
  After dinner, Aldon calls the PCs into his den for a smoke and
  a chat. He gladly discusses his family, his land, and the leaf rot,
  but he doesn’t have any more answers than he did before.
  The girls (and the boys, and his wife) are all listening in from
  other parts of the house if they can. Thus, pay close attention to
  what is said. If magic is ever mentioned, this will get the women’s
  attention. If the party mentions the magic they felt on Aldon’s
  land, the girls will panic and go to their mother for advice. This
  motion might cause a sound that succeeding at a Listen check
  (DC 15) could detect.
  After this conversation, Aldon puts the characters up for the
  night and thanks them again for the escort home. If they volun-
  teer to look around his farm, he tells them that he will see them
  in the morning for breakfast before he shows them around the
  land. Otherwise, he tells them that he’ll give them breakfast
  before they head out.
  At around midnight, the girls try to slip outside for their full
  moon ritual. An alert guard amongst the PCs (assuming they set
  one) will likely catch them leaving. If the girls are followed, run
  Encounter 5. Otherwise, let the PCs rest, wake up refreshed,
  enjoy a good breakfast, and run Encounter 6. If the party decides
  not to stay at the Denwith farm for any reason or otherwise get
  off the main thread of the plot, run Encounter 8.
  Notes about further encounters: Encounters 4 and 5 can be
  run in any order or not at all. Encounter 4 should be run if the
  characters ever follow the girls during the next three nights.
  Encounter 5 is essentially the investigation the party can do on
  Denwith’s lands. Both scenes may need to be paraphrased to
  account for the PCs actions.
  Encounter 6 can occur for a number of reasons. If the PCs
  gain the girls’ trust, they may take them to see their mother. If
  they can get into Nadia’s confidence, she will approach them her-
  self. Encounter 6 will not occur if the PCs make a nuisance or
  threat of themselves. If they do, they will have to solve the mys-
  tery of the leaf rot without Nadia or the girls’ aid.
  Encounter 7 is only run if for any reason the PCs do not stay
  with the Denwiths and gain the clues to the Blightstone’s location
  from them. The only thing one can predict about PCs is that there
  is no predicting PCs. Thus, Encounter 7 exists primarily as dam-
  age control. If the PCs have lost their chances for clues through
  belligerent out-of-character or abusive play, do not give them
  Encounter 7 to bail them out. This scene only exists to get the
  game back on track if the PCs stray from the main plot.
  Encounter 4: Moonlight Zephyrs
  Remember that this only happens if the party follows the girls
  out of the house and remains undetected doing so. If they have
  previously panicked the twins by mentioning magic around the
  farm, the girls are on alert and will get Listen/Spot Checks.
  Otherwise, they are too caught up in the ritual and will not see
  the PCs.
  It is also possible that one or more of the party have been able
  to gain the girls’ trust. If this is the case, they might invite the PCs
  to watch this rite. If that is the case, be sure to alter the descrip-
  tion accordingly.
  One right behind the other, the two girls creep out into the night.
  They move cautiously, watch around themselves for the slightest
  sign of movement. When they seem satisfied that they are alone,
  Ilena and Kalia move away from their home and quietly into the
  cornfield.
  Following them proves difficult as the walls of leafy stalks
  rustle from the slightest touch. Luckily, they are making enough
  noise of their own to mask your passage. 
  Creeping along behind them, you slip past several small clear-
  ings where large stones make the soil unusable. Suddenly, as you
  pass another of these rocks, you realize you are no longer alone.
  Brennon and Danon often come out to watch their sisters do rit-
  ual. While they do not entirely understand what the girls are
  doing, they trust them and mostly watch because they find it fas-
  cinating.
  This night, however, they are out for another reason. They
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  10
  expected the strangers (the PCs) to come out after their sisters, so
  they came out and hid themselves near where they knew the
  girls would be.
  They intend to scare the party away, perhaps even convince
  them to leave. As such, Brennon will come across as threatening
  while Danon acts as quiet reinforcement.
  Farmer Denwith’s sons slip down off the rock and approach you.
  The eldest, Brennon, has a wood axe in hand. “You’re guests here,
  and guests don’t go creeping around at night. High tail yourselves
  back inside ‘afore somebody gets hurt.” He is speaking quietly, as
  if not wanting to alarm his sisters.
  Behind him, Danon drops a smooth river stone into his sling
  and says nothing.
  Brennon’s speaking quietly, to keep from alerting his sisters. If
  the girls catch them out here, they will be furious. The ritual is a
  very private thing to them, as they are to their mother. Brennon
  and Danon do not want to get in trouble for being out here. PCs
  can play on that to get the boys to back off. Diplomacy (DC 15)
  could also work, if the role-playing behind it is good and con-
  vincing enough.
  Neither boy really wants to fight, but they feel themselves
  protectors of both their sisters and their land. If the PCs get vio-
  lent, they have no compunctions about fighting back. If things
  go too badly, Danon will begin screaming for his parents.
  Adjudicate that mess as you see fit.
  All Tiers (EL 1)
  Brennon Denwith, human Com1: CR 1/2; Medium-
  sized Humanoid; CL 1; HD 1d4+5; hp 8; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.;
  AC 10; Atks +2 melee (1d6+2 [crit. x3], halfspear); AL LG;
  SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0.
  Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Skills: Climb +2, Profession (farmer) +2, Ride +2, Swim
  +4; Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus (unarmed).
  Equipment: halfspear, sling with 20 bullets.
  Danon Denwith, human Com1: CR 1/2; Medium-sized
  Humanoid; CL 1; HD 1d4; hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10;
  Atks -1 melee (1d6-1 x3) halfspear; AL LG; SV Fort +0, Ref
  +3, Will +2.
  Str 9, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Skills: Climb +2, Profession (farmer) +2, Ride +3, Swim
  +3; Feats: Dodge, Iron Will.
  Equipment: halfspear, sling with 20 bullets.
  Provided the party can keep things calm, the boys may even
  decide to trust them (Bluff or good honest role-playing
  would help greatly, as will genuine concern for their fami-
  ly). If the situation stays quiet, the PCs will be able to watch
  the girls as they perform their full moon ritual. [If the girls
  are alerted by raised voices or sounds of a struggle, they will
  race back to the house as fast as they can. If a fight is going on,
  they will awaken their parents.]
  Note: The women of the Denwith household, while consid-
  ered adepts, use the spell list for the Witch variant spellcaster, as
  per page 26 of the Dungeon Master’s Guides.
  Ilena Denwith, human Adp1 (witch): CR 1/2; Medium-sized
  Humanoid; CL 1; HD 1d6; hp 5; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1
  Dex); Atks -1 melee (1d4-1 [crit. 19-20], dagger) dagger; AL LG;
  SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3.
  Str 9, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 15.
  Skills: Climb +2, Hide +2, Profession (farmer) +2, Spellcraft
  +5; Feats: Spell Focus (Abjuration), Skill Focus (spellcraft)
  Equipment: dagger
  Spells Prepared (3/2; Spell DC = 11 + spell level): 0-lvl—danc-
  ing lights, daze, detect poison; 1st-lvl—cause fear, sleep
  Kalia Denwith, human Adp1 (witch): CR 1/2; Medium-sized
  Humanoid; CL 3; HD 1d6+1; hp 6; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11
  (+1 Dex); Atks -1 melee (1d4-1 [crit. 19-20], dagger); AL LG; SV
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +3.
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 15.
  Skills: Climb +2, Hide +2, Profession (farmer) +2, Swim +4;
  Feats: Dodge, Spell Focus (Abjuration).
  Equipment: dagger.
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  11
  Spells Prepared (3/2; Spell DC = 11 + spell level): 0-lvl—cure
  minor wounds, detect magic, light; 1st-lvl—cure light wounds, silent
  image.
  Once more, the girls pass a large stone in the field. This time, they
  stop and move around it, one to either side. Ilena draws a tallow
  candle from her nightclothes and places it in a small tin holder.
  Kalia reaches out, takes the candle and sets it in the center of the
  stone. Whispering a brief prayers to the ‘Guardian of the South
  Gate’, she fixes the wick of the candle with an unflinching gaze.
  With a bright flash, the candle lights.
  Anyone who succeed at a Knowledge (religion) (DC 15) or
  Knowledge (arcana) (DC 20) can identify the phrase “Guardian of
  the South Gate” as being one of the ritual names for the element
  of fire. Druids have a +2 insight bonus to this roll.
  One by one, the girls take small tools and items from their
  clothes and set them up on and around the stone. When they are
  done, a small dish, a pottery goblet, a bowl of salt, and several
  other things form a circle between them.
  The dish, a circular silver plate, rests in the center of this ring.
  Kalia has placed it to reflect the moon, high over head. Once it
  does, Ilena begins sprinkling salt around the clearing. Her sister
  fills the goblet from a waterskin.
  “Let’s begin,” she tells Ilena. “We have to do this perfectly. There’s
  no room any more for mistakes.”
  Ilena agrees with a nod. “I know. It’s getting harder to keep
  back the darkness.” A quick nod is the only answer she gets.
  Then, the two girls slip off their shoes and walk three times
  around the stone. When they stop, they smile to each other, gaze
  up at the moon, and begin to chant.
  Again, succeeding at a Knowledge (religion) (DC 15) or
  Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 20) with druids getting a +2
  insight bonus to the roll will reveal the elemental nature of this
  ritual. Detect Evil will reveal nothing out of the ordinary. Detect
  Magic will show that a spell is being worked of the Abjuration
  school. 
  The ritual takes ten minutes and is successful if not dis-
  turbed. PCs watching will feel a strange sense of peace and safe-
  ty wash over them. The sensation is very similar to being the tar-
  get of a protection from evil spell (succeeding at a Spellcraft check
  DC 10 will realize this).
  Once finished, the girls will pack up and wearily return
  home. If approached after the rite, they will tiredly try to plead
  ignorant of any knowledge of the ritual or what they were doing.
  If confronted, they will admit to being witches but beg the PCs
  not to tell their father. He doesn’t know, and they are afraid of
  how he would react if he knew.
  If the PCs agree or hesitate before promising not to tell, the
  girls will offer to wake their mother and let them talk to her. 
  “She’s much stronger in the gift than we are, and she might be
  able to help you more. Please, say you won’t tell… Please?”
  This offer is of more help than the PCs can imagine, and it
  behooves them to agree. Still, the players must decide for them-
  selves. If the boys are with them, they stick up for their sisters,
  also asking the party to remain quiet. Brennon will even threaten
  to ‘thrash’ loudmouths if he has to, but Danon will calm him
  down.
  If the PCs insist on telling Aldon, they can certainly do so.
  The girls and their mother will not deny what is said, but if the
  party was expecting him to be angry, they are in for disappoint-
  ment. Aldon loves his family very much and while he is a simple
  man, he is also not a judgmental one. While there will be many
  nights of family discussion about his wife’s ‘religion’, he will not
  react badly at all.
  If the party has been offered the chance to speak with Nadia,
  move to Encounter 6. If not, they may wish to confront her any
  way. That will also prompt a paraphrased Encounter 6.
  If, however, the party would like to search the land as Aldon
  Denwith suggested, run Scene Two.
  Encounter 5: A Seeking Storm
  The action of this scene is mostly up to the players. As such, there
  is no set boxed text. Denwith’s land is a simple square shaped plot,
  mostly divided into the home, the barn, the cart house and roped
  off orchard next to it, and the crops. Things that can be found by
  searching are summarized below:
  •
  There is a large stone in the cornfield that dominates the 
  center of Denwith’s land. This stone has wax smudges, salt 
  residue, and is surrounded by footprints. A Tracking 
  (Wilderness Lore or Search) check at DC 5 will determine 
  that the feet that made the tracks are likely human and a 
  check at DC 10 will discern that they belong to someone 
  young and female.
  •
  Detection of Magic anywhere on the property will detect a 
  very faint Abjuration magic but will not reveal a source or 
  direction.
  •
  Aldon’s crops are indeed free of any taint or trace of the ‘leaf 
  rot’. In fact, they seem unusually full and healthy. Not 
  unnaturally so, but the crops growing here are about as fine as
  nature allows. (Wilderness Lore [DC 15] or Knowledge 
  [Nature] [DC 10])
  •
  Not all of the good farmer’s lands are so protected. At each of
  the corners of his field, the leaf rot has begun to encroach. If
  careful examination is made (Search [DC 15] or Knowledge: 
  Nature [DC 10]), the rot seems to stop in an arc around the 
  entire area of his property. This is because the spell that the twins
  cast every full moon is a circular ward and thus can not protect the 
  corners of his land. Even they do not know this.
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  12
  •
  A Spellcraft (DC 15) or Knowledge (arcana) (DC 10) check 
  will reveal that the center of the apparent “circle of 
  protection” is the stone Ilena and Kalia use as a focus for their
  rituals. 
  •
  Within the circle (i.e. on Denwith’s lands), the wind does not
  sense as magical. Once outside the boundaries of his farm or
  in the unprotected corners, the usual magic and evil can be 
  sensed. Unfortunately, there is still no sense of direction.
  Little more can be gained through a search of the farm. Denwith
  is truly an innocent in all this, and while he will offer any aid he
  can to the PCs, he can not be much help in finding the source of
  the plague.
  If the players seem interested, be sure to describe various
  aspects of farm life, from the old hay in the loft of Aldon’s barn to
  the weary appearance of his carthorse (and part-time work
  engine) Meerie.
  When the players are finished with the search, evaluate their
  behavior. If they have been courteous, shown concern, and have
  not been rude to anyone on the farm, Nadia will decide to trust
  them. (She certainly will do so if they have been nice to her
  daughters and/or did not hurt her sons when they brashly con-
  fronted the party.)
  Have one of the girls come to a PC she fancies (Male with a
  Charisma bonus (Charisma of 12+) or demihuman of either gen-
  der, GM’s call) and ask them to bring the party to see her mother.
  Then run Scene Three when the PCs do so.
  Encounter 6: Visions of Vile Skies
  One way or another, the PCs should get around to speaking with
  Nadia. Her attitude may be cordial or hostile, kind or harsh,
  depending on how they have approached her. Either way, she
  knows that her daughters’ humble talents can not hold off the
  darkness in the land forever. Thus, she must trust the PCs with
  her visions.
  The text below assumes that Nadia has accepted the PCs as
  trustworthy and noble. If this is not the case, be sure to para-
  phrase accordingly.
  Nadia Denwith, human Adp6 (witch): CR 5; Medium-sized
  Humanoid; HD 6d6; hp 23; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Atks +2
  melee (1d4 [crit. 19-20], dagger); AL LG; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will
  +6.
  Str 10, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Skills: Craft (cooking) +6, Healing +3 Profession (farmer) +2,
  Profession (Herbalist) +3, Ride +3, Scry +8, Swim +4; Feats: Skill
  Focus (Scry); Spell Focus (Divination); Toughness, Skill focus
  (Heal).
  Equipment: dagger.
  Spells (3/2+1/1+1): 0-lvl—detect magic, detect poison, read magic;
  1st-lvl—comprehend languages, cure light wounds, silent image; 2nd-
  lvl—detect thoughts, enthrall; 3rd-lvl—clairvoyance.
  Aldon’s wife bids you enter the study with her. Seated in her hus-
  band’s chair, she lifts a mug of water to her lips. Then, gesturing
  for you to sit, she speaks in a low tone.
  “My daughters tell me you know of our family secret.” She smiles
  faintly, a knowing gleam in her eye. “I think you would be sur-
  prised how many Yeoman families share this…legacy.”
  Be sure to allow PCs time and opportunity to speak with Nadia.
  She will answer questions, but tries to remain on the topic at
  hand: her vision of the blightstone. Still, many players will want to
  role-play through this scene. Let them.
  “My daughters share the gift of sight, but it will be years before it
  grown in them as strong as it has become in me. Before the leaf
  rot even began, I could sense its coming.  In dreams, I could see
  its emerald eye opening… shedding its evil gaze over us all.”
  Not that she knows it, but she is referring to the single rift being
  opened in the shell around the blightstone and the green light that
  now shines out of it.
  Resting for a moment, she turns to face you again. “The blight
  that threatens this land will grow if it is not blinded once more.
  If the eye is not shut, it will watch as everything around it with-
  ers to dust. This too, I have seen.”
  Then, she adds. “But I have also seen brave souls move against
  the eye of rot and cast it back into darkness. Perhaps that is the
  future that will be. I pray that it is. I pray you are ones to do it.”
  In this case, she has had two conflicting dreams. In one, the
  blightstone is not stopped and its power ruins the fertile lands of
  the Yeomanry heartland for years to come. In the other, people
  reseal the hole in the protective cover surrounding the blightstone
  and cancel out its power before it can do lasting harm.
  Which dream comes to pass is a matter for the PCs to decide.
  “I have one last bit of news, one more thing I can share from my
  dreams. I have seen the eye and I have seen its lair. I can describe
  both to you.” As she speaks, she murmurs an incantation and slips
  into a deep trance.
  A successful Spellcraft check (DC 23) will recognize the incanta-
  tion as a witch’s variant of clairvoyance. 
  Her daughters move to either side of her, obviously concerned
  for her safety. She goes limp for a moment, resting heavily on
  the girls, then begins to speak in a soft whisper.
  “Seek the rent in the earth, the ancient wound. Travel its
  eastern side to a newer scar. Here will you find the Blightstone
  you seek. Long in the ground, it taints now the air through its
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  13
  open eye. While the green light shines, it shines only upon
  death.”
  Then, as suddenly as she entered the trance, she comes out
  of it. Ilena lifts the water to her mother’s lips and waits until
  she has drunk her fill. Then, Nadia looks you at you once more.
  “I hope this vision aids you. Speed to the place I described,
  if you know it, and close the eye. It is our only chance… and
  yours.”
  If pressed for more, Nadia will recall a feeling of traveling north
  and west in her dreams of the ‘eye’. That is all the aid she can give.
  It should be enough. A successful Knowledge (Local) (DC 5)
  will bring to mind the Escarpment, a major feature of this area of
  the Yeomanry. Hardwick is southeast of the Escarpment and less
  than a day’s ride away. The PCs path should be clear to them.
  If it isn’t, you may wish to have Aldon (or alternately, Danon,
  especially if the boys have been antagonistic up to this point) rec-
  ognize the ‘rent’ reference as something his mother-in-law once
  called the Escarpment.
  Under no circumstances will the Denwiths allow their chil-
  dren to go with the PCs. Brennon will proclaim loudly that he
  isn’t afraid, but the parents’ decision is final. If the PCs press the
  point, they will meet an impenetrable wall of parental resistance.
  The children are well behaved enough to accept the decision,
  regardless of desire to go.
  In any case, the PCs should now be on their way to the climax of
  the adventure, Encounter 8.
  Encounter 7: Errant Breezes
  Should the party leave the Denwith’s without the information on
  the origin of the blight, or otherwise be sidetracked off the main
  line of the adventure. Use this encounter to help them back on
  the trail of the evil besetting the area.
  Up ahead, you can see a dark shape pulling itself haltingly across
  the grass. As you look closer, you can see that it is a tyrg—but one
  that appears to be critically wounded.
  The PCs are free to slay the tyrg from a distance or to simply
  approach it carefully. They tyrg will snap harmlessly at the group
  a couple times if they come within 10 feet, but the effort will
  cause it to expire.
  The dead creature has horrible raking wounds down its flanks
  and shoulders. It looks like these are the wounds that actually
  killed it, although you can see ugly purple lesions on its cruelly
  parted flesh. It’s obviously been dragging itself across the wet
  ground for miles as its lifeblood seeped out.
  This tyrg was desperate enough to tangle with one of the undead
  servitors of the blightstone. It was badly wounded but survived
  long enough to try to follow its pack-mates.
  The tyrg has left an obvious and bloody trail all the way back
  to the blightstone’s residence near the Escarpment - tracking it
  back requires a Wilderness Lore check (for those with the
  Tracking feat) or a Search check (for those without) at DC 10.
  Encounter 8: Emerald Maelstrom 
  You can describe the ride to the site of the Blightstone as you wish,
  being sure to note the dying grasses, the dry and cracked ground,
  and general feel of malaise in the air. As they grow near, search-
  ing characters might (DC 15) find some small dead herbivores,
  rabbits or the like, skin covered in purple lesions, throats swelled
  shut, and lungs clogged with pus. An hour before they PCs reach
  the excavation, a vicious storm begins. 
  If checked for, both the magic and the evil in the air is much
  stronger here and will continue to build until the PCs reach the
  Cantlegrey dig site. 
  There is a very dangerous fight when the PCs reach the
  Blightstone; one the PCs may not be able to win on their own.
  There are several options to help them live through the battle,
  though you should not help them if they are not willing to try an
  intelligent approach to the situation. If the players insist on
  standing and fighting, let the dice fall where they may.
  Make a Listen and Spot check for the undead to detect the
  party coming. If they sense the PCs they will use their Hide and
  Move Silently skills to conceal themselves behind the pillars at
  location 2 on the map and get the jump on the PCs once they’ve
  fully entered the chamber.
  Possible ways to defeat the blightstone:
  •
  Destroying the artifact’s two undead slaves is enough to end 
  its immediate combat threat. Only while it has an existing 
  slave can the blightstone fire its magical attack. Of course, the
  vile thing is still capable of generating its ‘leaf rot’ unless the
  hole in its shell is covered.
  •
  If the PCs are having a hard time with the undead, you can 
  opt to have the undead creatures get destroyed immediately 
  when the ‘eye’ of the blightstone is covered.
  •
  As seen in the text of Scene One, the area around the 
  blightstone is in a rainstorm. While the stone itself is still 
  under the canopy of its ancient vault, there a great deal of 
  mud on hand for anyone to who thinks to throw it at the 
  artifact. Hitting the ‘eye’ is the same as firing at a small, 
  undefended object (AC 15) and for these purposes, a handful
  of mud is considered a simple weapon. 
  Any feasible plan to cover the ‘eye’ should be given a chance of
  working. If in doubt about a plan, err on the side of the players
  and let them try it. Anything that adds to the drama and tension
  of this scene is a good thing.
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  14
  There is a pair of pillars on either side of the opening to the blight-
  stone’s lair. If destroyed by someone with the proper lore (a dwarf,
  perhaps), it would neatly collapse the rift and neutralize the arti-
  fact. This would of course forfeit any treasure in the cave, but the
  threat would be dealt with.
  In the distance, you see a disturbance in the roll of the land.
  Several coils of rope, swaying as the storm drives down on you
  in sheets of rain, seem to mark off a section of ground.
  Drawing closer, you can see an excavation. A shovel juts
  from a mound of muddy earth at the edge of a large hole. A
  dozen feet wide and twice that deep, the opening seems to
  enter the ground at an angle.
  On either side of the hole, large pieces of rock shore up the
  simple mine. But these stone spars have not been added after
  the fact. Rather, they have been unearthed by the digging here.
  The remains of ancient columns, they line the path into the
  earth.
  Beyond, in the hole, you see a greenish glow.  As you close,
  it becomes clear that there is a stiff wind blowing out from the
  mouth of the hole, rushing out and up into the air and blasting
  the falling rain aside.  You can smell its foulness. What remains
  of the ground vegetation here is only clumps of purple goo,
  almost indistinguishable from the surrounding mud.
  Once the party goes in, continue the description. 
  Once inside the mouth of the pit, you can see the rest of the hole.
  It goes for forty or fifty feet, rounding out into a circular chamber
  lined in soil and rock. Barely exposed pillars line the walls,
  similar to those above.
  The opening to the ‘vault’ is also lined on either side by
  stone, worked in the shape of pillars. These massive stone
  menhirs have the pits and furrows of great age across their
  ancient faces.
  In the center of the open chamber sits a stone plinth set
  with an iron sconce four feet wide. Hovering over the
  sconce is a similarly sized sphere completely covered in a
  thick mortar.
  Incompletely covered would be more accurate, as a sin-
  gle crack several inches long has been chipped in the shell,
  revealing a massive, gleaming emerald beneath. The green
  glow is coming from it… You can feel the pressure of the
  wind emitting from the stone. A fine trail of dust comes
  from the edges of the cracked casing and quickly disperses
  in the rush.
  If the undead Hide successfully, they will attack as near
  the back of the party as possible, cutting off retreat. They
  will combine their attacks on single opponents, attempting
  to disable them as quickly as possible. Any PC approaching
  the Blightstone or otherwise attacking it or tampering with
  it will be targeted by these creatures. Read the following
  when the party becomes aware of the undead:
  As you take this sight in, the shadows dance once more. This
  time, you can see what is casting them. Two figures come into
  view in the chamber. Both are human, or at least were, but their
  desiccated and purple-splotched features are clearly no longer
  living. Their eyes flash a pustulent green and they rush to attack.
  Kalo Cantlegrey and his wife Mithree are both utterly under
  the power of the blightstone. As undead, they are powerful crea-
  tures devoted to the its protection. They will not retreat, nor will
  they pursue opponents out of the tunnel. If the PCs pull back out
  of the dig site, the undead will let them go.
  Note that the blightstone completely prevents the undead
  from being turned while in the cavern, and the undead regener-
  ate 1 hit point per round as long as the light from the blightstone
  falls upon them. They will regenerate in this manner whether
  they are ‘dead’ or not, and thus will keep coming back to unlife
  unless the blightstone is covered, or their bodies are covered or
  burned or removed from the cavern.
  Try to make it clear that this effect appears to be coming from
  the blightstone—describe the undeads’ wounds coming together
  as the green light plays across them.
  Tier 1 (EL 3)
  Ghoul (2): CR 1; Medium-sized Undead; HD 2d12; hp 16 (each);
  Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural); Atks Bite, +3
  melee, 1d6+1 and paralysis; 2 claws, +0 melee, 1d3 and paralysis;
  SA paralysis, create spawn; AL CE; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5. 
  Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Skills: Climb +6, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Intuit Direction
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  15
  +3, Jump +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Search +6, Spot +7; Feats:
  Multiattack, Weapon Finesse (bite).
  SA: paralysis (Ex)—Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack
  must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 14) or be paralyzed for
  1d6+2 minutes. Elves are immune to this paralysis.
  Tier 2 (EL 5)
  Ghast (2): CR 3; Medium-sized Undead; HD 4d12; hp 31 (each);
  Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural); Atks Bite, +4
  melee, 1d8+1 and paralysis; 2 claws, +1 melee, 1d4 and paralysis;
  SA stench, paralysis, create spawn; AL CE; SV Fort +1, Ref +3,
  Will +6. 
  Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Skills: Climb +6, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Intuit Direction
  +3, Jump +6, Listen +8, Move Silently +7, Search +6, Spot +8; Feats:
  Multiattack, Weapon Finesse (bite).
  SA: Paralysis (Ex)—those hit by a ghast’s bite or claw attack
  must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 15) or be paralyzed for
  1d6+4 minutes. Stench (Ex)—Those within 10 feet of a ghast
  must pass a Fortitude check (DC 15) or be wracked with nausea,
  suffering a –2 circumstance penalty to all attacks, saves, and skill
  checks for 1d6+4 minutes.
  Tier 3 (EL 7)
  Wights (2): CR 5; Medium Undead; HD 6d12, hp 50 (each); Init
  +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural); Atks +4 melee
  (1d4+1 plus energy drain, slam); SA Energy drain, create spawn;
  SQ Undead; AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6.
  Str 12, Dex 12, Con —, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15. 
  Skills: Climb +5, Hide +10, Listen +10, Move Silently +16,
  Search +7, Spot +8; Feats: Blind-Fight.
  SA: Energy Drain (Su)—Living creatures hit by a wight’s slam
  attack receive one negative level. The Fortitude save to remove
  the negative level has a DC of 14. Create Spawn (Su)—Any
  humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
  Spawn are under the command of the blightstone and remain
  enslaved until it is covered. They do not possess any of the abili-
  ties they had in life.
  During combat, the blightstone lets the undead fight unaided.
  It only uses its flame arrow power on people who get within 10
  feet of it, and then only every other round. (In Tier 2, this power
  affects anyone coming within 15 feet. In Tier 3, the blightstone can
  fire a Flame Arrow each round at anyone within 20 feet.)
  Remember that the blightstone loses all powers (including its
  ability to project Flame Arrows) if it ceases making contact with
  the air. 
  If the PCs defeat the blightstone, continue with the scene
  below. It is perfectly permissible for the party to retreat, heal, and
  reenter the dig as often as need be. The artifact isn’t going any-
  where and its guardians won’t pursue those who flee.
  With a dying flash of power, the blightstone shudders and goes
  dormant. With the green light gone, the last of the stagnant air
  blasts past you and up out of the hole.
  The wind subsides, and the foul feel to the air gives way to the
  humidity of the storm outside.
  All that remains now is to clean up, heal, and decide what is
  to become of this ancient abomination.
  On the plus side, there is a fair amount of treasure to be found in
  the vault of the blightstone. The Cantlegreys were not poor and
  there were a few things in the vault when they discovered it. 
  Lying here, discarded by the undead Cantlegreys, are two
  pouches (one with 50 gold, 20 silver, and 4 copper; the other with
  73 gold, 9 silver, and 12 copper), two masterwork daggers (a
  matched set, bought by the Cantlegreys as wedding presents to
  each other), and an old bracelet inset with a fine 100 gp emerald
  (found here on site and left alone). Also found is a ruined ring
  with the symbol of the Dustdigger’s College.
  In addition, Kalo’s pack is here. Waterlogged but otherwise
  undisturbed, it has a few useful items left in it. A bullseye lantern,
  one pint of oil, a folding shovel, and a thirty-foot waxed cord in a
  waterproof box. The cord has inches, feet, and yards marked on it.
  In a small oilskin pouch is the pair’s membership papers identi-
  fying them as members of the Dustdigger’s College and their
  permit to be conducting an excavation at this location. 
  When the party has had time to search and rest, they must
  decide what to do about the blightstone. Whatever solution they
  choose will have wide reaching consequences, so they need to
  consider the matter carefully.
  If the PCs notify the Dustdiggers, they will send out a team
  accompanied by a squad of militia to cordon off the area. If they
  notify the militia or other authorities, they will in turn notify the
  Dustdiggers who will respond as above. If the PCs do not do any-
  thing, but return to the Denwith farm and tell them about their
  experience, Aldon will certainly notify the authorities, realizing
  that such a dangerous artifact should not go unreported. 
  The PCs are free to do anything else they see fit with the
  blightstone site. Let them consider this for as long as they like.
  Inform the players that their precautions and arrangements
  (assuming they decide to make any) have been noted and pro-
  ceed to the Experience Point and Treasure Summaries after
  thanking the players for participating.
  If the Dustdiggers are alerted, they will be very interested in
  seeing the site (they know where it is, the Cantlegrey’s dig was
  registered with the College) and in speaking with the characters.
  Characters cooperating with the Dustdiggers will each gain an
  influence point cert with the Dustdigger’s College. After deliber-
  ation, they decide to fill in the pit and leave the stone lie. They
  also take care of the bodies of their fallen comrades, desiring to
  bury them in blessed ground.
  They allow the PCs to keep the Cantlegrey’s money and gear,
  although they request to keep the gold bracelet if they are shown
  it, as it might be a clue to the origin of this threat. They are
  
  THE ADVENTURE
  Blighted Winds
  16
  intractable on this point, and legally they are entitled to anything
  recovered from such a dig site. They also recommend that the
  paired daggers be buried with the dead couple because of their
  strong emotional attachment. This is only a request, but if it is
  denied any PC doing so will not receive the Dustdigger influ-
  ence point cert for their churlish behavior. At the DM’s discre-
  tion, allowance might be made for a married PC couple that
  wishes to keep the items, and such a couple can retain the dag-
  gers without losing their cert, but those simply looking on the
  items as booty will be seen as despicable by the Dustdigger dele-
  gation. If they freely allow the dead lovers to retain their keep-
  sakes, the Dustdiggers will be favorably impressed — give each
  player who went along with this course of action an additional
  influence point cert.
  Do not just automatically hand out these certs—players who
  were uncooperative with the Dustdiggers in general will not get
  any, nor will those who are petty about keeping the daggers or
  bracelet. Generally cooperative players should get one, and only
  those characters who are really seen by the Dustdiggers as good
  people, people they would want to work with personally in the
  future, should get two.
  Thank the players for participating and proceed to the
  Experience Point and Treasure summaries.
  
  EXPERIENCE & TREASURE
  Blighted Winds
  17
  Experience Point Summary
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the values for the
  objectives accomplished. Then assign the discretionary roleplay-
  ing experience award. The roleplaying award should be given for
  consistent character portrayal and contribution to the fun of the
  game. You can award different roleplaying amounts to different
  characters.
  Award the total value (objectives plus roleplaying) to each
  character.
  Encounter 1
  Stopping Ivel and Gunnar from assaulting Aldon
  50 xp
  and
  Stopping the assault without violence
  25 xp
  Encounter 2
  Defeating the Tyrg
  75 xp
  and
  Per farmer saved from the Tyrg
  10 xp
  Encounter 6
  Gaining Nadia’s trust
  25 xp
  Encounter 8
  Defeating the undead
  150 xp
  Covering the blightstone
  75 xp
  Total experience for objectives
  450 xp
  Discretionary roleplaying award
  0-45 xp
  Total possible experience
  495 xp
  Treasure Summary
  Player characters may keep items from the scenario that are list-
  ed on the treasure list below or which meet the following condi-
  tions: 
  The item must be non-magical and specifically listed in the
  text of the adventure (e.g armor on foes). If it is not listed in the
  text, the characters cannot keep it. Items of this nature can be
  sold for 50% of book value, or recorded on a log sheet. 
  Animals, followers, monsters, henchmen, and so forth (any living
  being, basically) may not be kept from a scenario for any reason
  unless the treasure summary lists the being specifically. It is okay
  for the player characters to form relationships with NPCs, but
  these will not be certed and cannot bring material benefit to the
  character. Contacts (sources of extra information) must be specif-
  ically certed.
  Theft is against the law, but may be practiced by some player
  characters. Items which are worth more than 250 gp that are of
  personal significance to the owner (including family heirlooms),
  and all magical items, will be discovered in the possession of the
  character by one means or another. The character must return the
  item and pay a fine equal to three times the value of the item
  stolen. In addition, the PC caught receives campaign-decided
  penalties for being known as a thief. For other stolen items which
  meet the criteria in #1 above, use your judgment and the circum-
  stances within the game to determine whether a PC thief gets
  away with the theft or not. 
  Any item retained according to these rules, which does not
  have a certificate, will not ever have a certificate issued for it. 
  The campaign staff reserves the right to take away any item or
  gold acquired for things which it later finds unreasonable but
  which were allowed at the time.
  Encounter 8
  •
  Pouch with 50 gp, 20 sp, and 4 cp. 
  •
  Pouch with 73 gp, 9 sp, and 12 cp.
  •
  Masterwork daggers (302 gp each, 1 lb. each, steel, common);
  This finely crafted dagger is razor sharp and decorated with 
  intricate etchings. The word “Forever” in Suloise is engraved
  on the blade.  The hilt is made of silver and shaped like the 
  right half of a filigree heart.  The craftsmanship is quite 
  intricate.  It is one of a matched pair. This item was taken 
  from an undead lair near the Escarpment.
  •
  Masterwork daggers (302 gp, 1 lb. each, steel, common); This
  finely crafted dagger is razor sharp and decorated with 
  intricate etchings. The word “Together” in Suloise is engraved
  on the blade.  The hilt is made of silver and shaped like the 
  right half of a filigree heart.  The craftsmanship is quite 
  intricate.  It is one of a matched pair. This item was taken 
  from an undead lair near the Escarpment.
  •
  Gold bracelet set with an emerald (150 gp, 1 lb. each, gold set
  with a 100 gp emerald, common).
  Conclusion 
  •
  Influence Point with Dustdigger College: This point will be 
  useful in future encounters with Yeoman Dustdiggers, whose
  college is headquartered in Loftwick.  They remember what 
  your character did, and may be willing to help you in the 
  future.  This influence also can be useful should you desire 
  membership in the Dustdigger College for yourself at some 
  point.
  
  APPENDIX 
  Blighted Winds
  18
  DM’s Handout One: The Blightstone
  The Blightstone is an artifact of ancient Flan make, crafted by the dread lich Vecna during the depredations of his horrible ancient
  empire, and more recently used by the Suel tyrant and archmage Asberdies.  A weapon capable of destruction on an unimaginable
  scale, the blightstone is a large (2 foot diameter) green emerald that glows with a sickly internal light.  If gazed into, this light can be
  seen coming from what appears to be a massive humanoid skull blazing with pale fire.  The eyesockets of the skull have the ghostly
  images of locust swarms within them.
  Currently, the blightstone is encased almost completely in a covering of mud and rock.  This limits its powers severely.  See
  below for details.
  Powers:
  The blightstone always hovers three feet off the ground.  This distance never varies and is not affected by magic of less than divine
  power.  The blightstone can be transported by vehicle, but only if it is securely lashed and pulled by a combined strength of no less
  than 30.  Otherwise, it is immobile.
  Currently, the powers of the blightstone are limited to the hovering property and the two listed below.  Its other powers are not
  available to it, but might be regained if the covering on it were removed and the artifact given time to recover.  If left uncontained
  for one full turn of the seasons, the blightstone would likely achieve full power again.  Such an eventuality is not covered in this
  adventure.
  The blightstone generates a field that affects plant life.  This ‘plague’ takes the form of a leaf rot that destroys all unshielded plant
  life within its area of influence.  This destruction weeks, the affected vegetation slowly withering all the while.  
  The blightstone has the ability to defend itself by generating a blast of energy similar in all respects to the "fiery bolt" manifesta-
  tion of the Flame Arrow spell.  This blast inflicts 4d6 points of fire damage (Reflex save at DC10 for half damage) if it succeeds with a
  ranged touch attack at a +10 attack bonus.  In its weakened state, the blightstone can only fire one such blast every other round at a
  single target and its range is sharply limited.  In addition, if the blightstone kills a living humanoid being of less than huge size with
  this power, it can automatically transform them into an undead (of equal size) under its control in 1d4 rounds.  Anyone killed by
  these undead also become undead under the artifact’s command after his or her body has lain in its baleful verdant radiance for a day.
  The blightstone can control up to 77 undead this way.  The form of undead is usually a zombie, ghoul, ghast, or wight.  If any of these
  undead are within line of sight of the blightstone, they are immune to turning.  Furthermore, as long as the light of the blightstone
  shines upon its undead servitors, they regenerate 1 hit point per round.
  The Blightstone's full powers and means of destruction are unknown.  At the present time, knowledge of the Blightstone has
  been lost and will require exhaustive research to recover.  
  The Blightstone has an AC of 20, a hardness of 20, and 960 hit points.  Its caster level is 20th.  It radiates a strong aura of
  Neutral Evil. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/EXTRAS/Greyhawk/Living Greyhawk - RPGA/YEO (Yeomanry)/YEO1-03 Blighted Winds (3E).pdf