TEXT: One Night Adventures ™
  Hellebarde Games
  www.hellebardegames.com
  Death at the Oasis
  Don MacVittie
  An Adventure for second to fourth level characters.
  ONA-15
  1903
  The Oasis at Sia has long been a safe haven in the heart of the desert. But as you approach, tendrils of 
  smoke still curl up from some of the burnt tents, and the usual traffic is nowhere to be seen.
  
  ONE NIGHT ADVENTURES™ MODULE #ONA15 
  Copyright© 2018, Hellebarde Games. 
  Castles and Crusades ® is a Registered Trademark of Troll Lord Games©.  
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open 
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  artwork, graphics, maps, sidebars, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.) 
  Open Game Content: The Open content in this book includes the magic item names, magic item descriptions, monster names, monster descriptions, monster statistics, 
  and monster abilities. No other portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission. 
   
  Death at the Oasis 
  By Donald MacVittie 
  AN ADVENTURE FOR CHARACTER LEVELS 2-4
   
  Editor: Joe Damiani 
  Concept Review: Bill Silvey 
  Artist: LAM 
  Playtesters: The Outcasts 
  The stories are too much to be believed. It is said that the Oasis at Sia, meeting place and rest stop for all of the clans of the desert, 
  has been attacked by one of the clans, the people present enslaved and the settlement destroyed. Someone needs to go discover what 
  has happened. 
  
  Introduction 
  2 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  Player Introduction 
  For centuries, the Oasis at Sia has been a safe haven for tired 
  and dehydrated travelers. Occasionally, one of the other 
  desert kingdoms tries to wrest control of it from Talifa, but 
  it is near the center of the kingdom, and control is rarely in 
  question. Now, there are stories of the oasis being 
  destroyed. Of people dying as others ran. Of slavers and 
  monstrous creatures. And of death. 
  If you intend to play this module. Stop reading here. 
  Only information for the Game Master is beyond this 
  point. 
  Game Master Introduction 
  The Oasis at Sia is indeed ruined. Slavers from Chazim, 
  driven partly by thirst, and partly by a desire for goods, 
  raided the oasis.  
  Water in Chazim has been failing. Oases have become 
  polluted, Wadis remaining dry, and the underground springs 
  no longer run as they have for centuries. People in Chazim 
  are on the edge, barely surviving by trade with neighboring 
  kingdoms for water. A mystic from the desert told the 
  Derivesh Inseni that their water supply would be restored if 
  they went on pilgrimage to the burial mound hidden at the 
  Oasis of Sia and returned with the Scepter of Ice. They tried, 
  but access to the burial mound was restricted by the Talifan 
  guard here.  
  So Inseni warriors and the mystic planned an attack. Their 
  goal was to destroy the guard and enter the secret entrance 
  under the Sphynx of Sia. The entire oasis rose up against the 
  invaders from Chazim. While the raiders fought for their 
  very lives, the mystic disappeared.  
  By the time the fighting was over, the oasis lay in ruins. 
  Most of the inhabitants dead, the few survivors locked up in 
  chains, and the tents were burning. When the exhausted 
  Inseni went to drink from the pond, the water rose up and 
  attacked them. Only by retreating away from the water were 
  they able to survive. The mystic returned, but warned them 
  that they were no longer strong enough to enter the Sphynx. 
  They quickly coffled their slaves and set out to gather more 
  Inseni. They have left behind a mess.  
  The party will find that the bodies here are not all dead, and 
  the water is infested with monsters. The mystic works with 
  a group called The Cult of Water, and they will be sending 
  people to enter the Sphynx, now that resistance has been 
  shattered. If the party is still here 24 hours after they first 
  arrive, Derivesh warriors from the Cult of Water will come 
  to retrieve the Scepter. 
  The Cult is under strict instructions not to leave witnesses. 
  Should the party be here when they arrive, it will be a fight. 
  Derivesh Raiding Party – The Cult of Water 
  The Cult of Water seeks to return water to the parched lands 
  of Kantor Doorne, returning the desert to the lush grassland 
  that it was in ancient times. The Scepter of Ice is part of their 
  plans. Should the party have it and be gone, they will follow. 
  The raiding party will consist of 5-10 (d6+4) Derivesh 
  Fanatics, and a leading Cult of Water Priest. 
  (Derivesh Fanatic AC 15, HD 2d10, HP 11 Attacks Scimitar 
  1d6, Special: +1 on attack and damage, Alignment LN, XP 
  15+2/37 each)  
  (Cult of Water Priest AC 16, HD 4d8, HP 20, Attacks Light 
  Mace 1d6, Spells Detect Magic, Endure Elements, First Aid, 
  Light, Cure Light Wounds, Resist Elements x2, Aid, Silence 
  Alignment LN, XP 90+4/170, Mail Hauberk +1, 100 gold) 
  Scaling – Should this group of fanatics actually meet up 
  with the party, the encounter should be epic. If the party is 
  small/weak, reducing the number of Derivesh Fanatics is 
  the best option, while if the party is higher level or strong 
  (high stats, more than average magic items), maximizing 
  HP for the Fanatics is the best option. Changing the Priest’s 
  2nd level spells to Hold Person is also a good option for 
  making the fight more difficult. 
  Introducing the party 
  There are a variety of ways to introduce PCs to this scenario. 
  Below are a few recommendations. 
  1. Salla Ephelia staggers into the town where the party is 
  staying, telling stories of horror about what happened at the 
  oasis. 
  2. Al-Esellin, trader in dates, arrives in town talking about 
  stories he heard from other traders - that the Oasis at Sia is 
  unsafe. 
  3. A shipment is late, and a merchant asks the party to travel 
  the route it would have taken, looking for the caravan. 
  4. The party happens upon it while traversing the desert. 
  In The Port of Dakhalla Adventure Tome, any of these 
  works, though the default is that Salla Ephelia went to the 
  tents of the Kingdom of Basarin to the north of town, and 
  the trade representative for Basarin will ask the party to go 
  avenge a caravan they lost in the attack.
  
  Area Key 
  3 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  The Oasis 
  In the middle of the desert, this collection of statues, a few 
  buildings, and dozens of tents is normally a haven to 
  travelers. But today it is anything but a haven. Smoke is 
  rising from the ruins of tents, and bodies lie strewn 
  everywhere. The sand is stained brown, and the scent of 
  death is everywhere.  
  The Timeline 
  Start tracking time when the party comes within sight of the 
  oasis. Twenty-four hours after the party sees the destruction 
  that has occurred here, the Water Cult Patrol will arrive. 
  This patrol will delve into the tomb, then come back out five 
  hours later. They will rest until healed – making a total of 
  24 hours in the oasis – then leave, bound for their camp. The 
  patrol will not hesitate to kill the party. Because they are 
  fanatics, they do not check morale. If the party leaves the 
  oasis and returns while the patrol is present, the patrol will 
  try to kill them, but should have some level of injury from 
  going into the tomb. 
  If the party goes into the tomb and comes out with the 
  scepter, leaving within 24 hours of arriving, they will miss 
  the patrol. Once the patrol determines the scepter is not here, 
  it is possible they will follow the party to recover the scepter 
  – but they will need a way to know who took the scepter. 
  Area Key 
  1. Jasinia’s Trinkets 
  Jasinia and Amarellen sold small items that are useful to 
  travelers here. If a party pulls the smoldering tent away 
  quickly, they can salvage three ornate knives (2 gold each), 
  a bead necklace (1 gold), two sandstone statues of Doorne 
  (5 gold each), and an ivory bracelet depicting palm trees (25 
  gold). The bodies are Jasinia and Amarellen. They thought 
  the raid was thieves and attempted to protect their tent. They 
  died in the defense, and the mystic turned them into 
  zombies. They lay here waiting for people to come by. And 
  the party is obliging. As soon as the party approaches the 
  tent, the two will hop up and attack. 
  (Zombie AC 12, HD 2d8, HP 10 each, Attacks Slam 1d8, 
  Special: slow, Alignment NE, XP 10+2/30 each)   
  Scaling – Most oasis encounters are meant to raise 
  awareness that something more is going on here. This 
  encounter should not be deadly, and we do not recommend 
  scaling it. 
  2. Alsalla’s Food 
  The burnt meat smell is burnt child. Should the party look 
  into the tent, they will find a charcoal grill with a smaller 
  child laid upon it. The charcoal is mostly burnt, and so is the 
  body. There is nothing of value in any of these tents. 
  3. The Inn 
  The body in the doorway is just a body. It was a patron that 
  was killed trying to get away. The inn is two large rooms – 
  a common room and a kitchen. The common room has 
  tables overturned and twelve bodies laying about it. During 
  the attack, many tried to hole up here and hold the doors, 
  but there are too many windows, and the attackers came 
  from windows and doors alike. Behind the bar is a tapped 
  keg of ale.  
  Five of the bodies here have been turned into Zombies by 
  the mystic. 
  The back room holds no bodies, and there is a lot of 
  preserved food here, along with two untapped kegs of ale. 
  If a party searches the room, they can find 20 weeks of 
  rations for one person (so four weeks for five people, etc) 
  plus the two barrels of ale (15 gold each). Assuming they 
  have some way to transport the ale anyway. 
  (Zombie AC 12, HD 2d8, HP 10 each, Attacks Slam 1d8, 
  Special: slow, Alignment NE, XP 10+2/30 each)   
  A large tent with the side open to the trail smolders here, 
  while a smaller collapsed tent lies next to it. The smaller 
  tent has dark stains splashed across it, and two bodies lie 
  in the burning larger tent. 
  The smell of burnt meat surrounds the small bright 
  colored tent here. Two men in the white robes of desert 
  raiders lie outside the tent, both obviously killed with 
  spears. Two smaller tents have been set aflame and are 
  mostly consumed. 
  A large sandstone statue of a man is outside this 
  building. He is wearing a pyramid for a hat, holding the 
  sun in one hand, and a sheaf of wheat in the other. This 
  building has a sign out front that shows a barrel under a 
  palm tree. The door has been kicked in, and the body of 
  a woman dressed in traders’ robes lies in the doorway. 
  The building shows no signs of fire, but the windows 
  have been smashed in. 
  
  Area Key 
  4 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  Scaling – We do not recommend scaling this encounter. 
   4.  El-Alouph Camel and Wagons 
  The El-Alouph family fixed wagons and treated camels for 
  various ailments. When the fighting broke out, the family 
  surrendered, believing that life as a slave offers a chance of 
  escape, which death simply does not. They were taken as 
  slaves and lead off into the desert.  
  The building has all of the tools, supplies, and equipment 
  that are used when repairing wagons and treating camels for 
  common ailments. If the party searches, they can find feed 
  for camels (a mix of dates, wheat, and oats), and a complete 
  wagon repair kit. The family guard dog is tied up here, and 
  starving to death. Should the party untie it, the dog will go 
  after the nearest food – them. Should the party have any way 
  to calm the beast – such as a Druid’s Animal Friendship 
  spell or food – the dog is domesticated and trained. Unable 
  to find its family, it will follow the party, or lead them on 
  the trail to its family. 
  (Mastiff (Wolf) AC 13, HD 2d8, HP 10, Attacks Bite 1d8, 
  Special: Trip, Scent, Twilight Vision, Tracking 10, 
  Alignment N, XP 25+2/45) 
  Scaling – Adjusting hit points up or down will be best for 
  this encounter, should it come to a fight. 
  5.  Elven Goods 
  Abd Al-Doorne and his wife Afara own this shop, and have 
  a daughter named Dasara. As the party explores this area, 
  have the person with the best Wisdom make a CL 5 Wisdom 
  check. On success, they will hear sniffling. Afara and 
  Dasara are in a hidden hole in the ground that the family set 
  up when first they came to the oasis. It is dug out of the 
  sand, lined with wood, and has a wooden top. When the 
  attack started, Abd got his wife and child into this hole, and 
  covered it up. He was going to another hole he has arranged 
  near the pond when he was caught and killed. The sniffling 
  is his daughter, hungry and scared. The party will have to 
  decide what to do with Afara and Dasara in this case – they 
  have no money, nowhere to go, and no idea what to do next.  
  (Afara - Human - AC 11, HD 1d6, HP 4, Saves M, Move 30, 
  AT 1, Dam 1d4, Alignment LN, XP 5+1/9)  
  (Dasara - Human child - AC 10, HD 1d4, HP 2, Saves P, 
  Move 25, AT bite, Dam 1d2, Alignment LN, XP 5+1/7) 
  Scaling – We do not recommend scaling, as this encounter 
  is not intended to be a fight. 
  6.  Temple al Sia 
  This is the temple to Mighty Doorne at Sia. All forms of 
  Doornian worship were welcomed here. Unfortunately, the 
  mystic is secretly not Doornian. He snuck in here and killed 
  the priest during the assault, just because he knew the Inseni 
  would not kill a priest of Doorne. 
  There is a silver setting on the small altar in the building, 
  and a lock box containing 87 gold pieces, 23 silver pieces, 
  and 106 copper pieces. It should go without saying that 
  anyone who steals from this temple needs to hope they are 
  not caught. Nearly every person in the desert would chase 
  them until they had been caught and killed. 
  7.  Talifan Camp 
  This is where the raiders hit first and hardest. They took 
  some losses, but destroyed the Talifan guard that was here 
  to protect the oasis. There are twelve dead Talifan guards, 
  and five dead desert raiders. One of the Talifan guards does 
  Three smoldering wagons stand outside this building, 
  largely gutted by fire. Camel tracks go away from the 
  building to the east, southeast, and north. Piles of camel 
  dung lie smoking to the north of the building. There are 
  only two doorways in the building, one man sized and 
  one much larger. Both doorways were covered in cloth 
  that has been ripped down and thrown outside. 
  This large tent has the charred remains of various mostly 
  wooden objects in it, along with several burned bodies. 
  A sign, casually tossed to the ground, says “Elven 
  Goods” in Doornian and shows a man with pointed ears. 
  This small sandstone building has pyramids engraved at 
  regular intervals around the outside. There is a door and 
  two small stained-glass windows on the western wall, 
  with two glass-free openings on each of the other three 
  walls. There are bodies around the building, and the oak 
  door stands open. 
  The bodies of many desert warriors, most dressed in the 
  red, mustard, and tan of the Kingdom of Talifa lay 
  around burning tents. Their weapons are missing, but 
  each still wears their robes and chain hauberk. Several 
  desert warriors dressed in all white robes lie among 
  them. All died violently. 
  
  Area Key 
  5 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  not wear a chain hauberk, but rather a black breastplate 
  under his robes. 
  Four of these bodies have been taken over by Hiyawiyya 
  whose purpose is to prevent anyone from reporting what 
  happened at the oasis for a week. They will jump up and 
  attack when the party gets close. 
  (Hayawiyya AC 14, HD 4d8, HP 20 each, Attacks Slam 1d8, 
  Special: Animation, Water affinity, Alignment N, XP 
  90+4/170 each)    
  Scaling: It is best to adjust hit points if needed, but changing 
  the number of Hayawiyya works for extreme imbalance. 
  8.  Oasis Waters 
  The north bank of the water has a Lesser Mud Elemental 
  on it, placed there by the mystic. The elemental will stay 
  melded with the mud until someone comes close, then it will 
  lash out. It will not leave the mud bank of the oasis 
  voluntarily. 
  If the mud elemental is overcome, it will melt away, leaving 
  behind a large silver coffer with gold inlay showing a man 
  with a pyramid for a hat overseeing workers in a wheat field. 
  The coffer is worth 500 gold if cleaned up, but more 
  importantly, it is wax sealed. Inside is a king’s ransom. This 
  box was hidden at the bottom of the oasis centuries ago, and 
  the mud elemental discovered it upon summoning. The 
  contents of the box are 570 gold pieces, 300 silver pieces, 
  and ten platinum pieces – all dating from the ancient age of 
  Doornian empire. There is also a Crystal Vase that is 
  unfortunately cracked, but still worth 56 gold pieces, a small 
  soapstone statuette of a man with a pyramid for a hat worth 
  100 gold pieces, and a desert slave choker made of gold with 
  a fine platinum chain hanging off of it. Under all of this is a 
  diamond Ring of Protection +2, and a thin, rigid sheet of 
  metal engraved with spells. This is a scroll of Shout (4th), 
  Haste (3rd), and Shatter (2nd).  
  (Elemental, Lesser, Mud AC 18, HD 7d8, HP 35, Attacks 
  Slam 1d10, Special: Mastery +1 to attack rolls, Darkvision 
  60 ft, Regeneration 2, Suffocation, Weapon Immunity +1 or 
  better, Alignment NE, XP 530+7/775) 
  Scaling – This is one of the true challenges outside of the 
  sphynx. Scaling hit points is the best option, but hid dice can 
  be changed in line with notes in Monsters and Treasure. 
  Total XP value of treasure: 8176 (1960 MI XP value, the 
  rest GP sale value) 
  9. Sphynx of Sia   
  The Sphynx of Sia is known throughout Talifa and all of the 
  neighboring Kingdoms for its impressive beauty and size. 
  About fifty feet long, fifteen feet wide, and twenty feet tall, 
  it is a massive monument to the empire that once ruled all 
  these lands. It is believed by many in the desert that this very 
  sphynx will come to life and speak to announce the return 
  of water to the lands of the empire. 
  There is a secret door between the sphynx’s paws that opens 
  on stairs going down. It can be found with a CL 1 Wisdom 
  check. Normally this check would be CL 5, but the muddy 
  tracks lead to it and disappear, making the finding 
  significantly easier. The walls of the stairwell are covered 
  with frescoes of people in a fertile land, living life as 
  normal. 
  9a.  Hall of Water 
  Even before the war that destroyed the empire, this region 
  could be arid. The people equated water to the heart of life, 
  and these pools are one of the simple ways they 
  incorporated it into the worship of their god. The statues are 
  carved in the likeness of The Brides of Doorne, a knightly 
  order that served Doorne but is believed to have died out. 
  These once-pristine waters are murky with mud swirling 
  in them as if agitated. The swirls head toward the center 
  of the north shore of the waters. 
  This room is ornately decorated, frescoes on the walls 
  showing life in a thriving empire. The black marble floor 
  is streaked with gold flakes, two swirling pools of 
  pristine water stand before the wyrmwood door on the 
  west wall, and two more before another wyrmwood door 
  on the east wall. There are also wyrmwood doors on the 
  north and south walls. A statue of a woman in traditional 
  desert garb stands in each corner.  
  The famed Sphynx of Sia is more stunning up-close than 
  the stories of it can describe. Twenty feet tall and deep 
  red sandstone, it is the body of a powerful lion and the 
  head of a man wearing a pyramid for a hat. It rests upon 
  a plinth that rises five feet above the sand, with steps 
  leading up between the paws. There are muddy 
  footprints leading up the steps. 
  
  Area Key 
  6 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  Two of them are Caryatid Columns, however, which are 
  undying. If no one in the party is openly wearing the 
  pyramid of Doorne, when the party approaches any door, 
  both statues will jump to the attack. 
  (Caryatid Column AC 14, HD 4d8, HP 20 each, Attacks 
  Scimitar 1d6, Alignment N, XP 40+4/120 each)   
  Scaling – As always, hit points are the preferred scaling 
  method, then Stone Guardians are a tougher opponent. 
  For a particularly weak party, removing the Caryatid 
  Column is an option. 
  9b.  Guardian Ants 
  The tomb builders placed Twelve Giant Ants here in stasis. 
  They sit and wait for someone to come along, then activate 
  two per turn (six rounds) and attack. The builders knew not 
  to take the route through this room, but that information is 
  largely lost to the world, perhaps surviving in some library 
  somewhere. The ants will fight to the death, and any that are 
  killed will be replaced in d4+1 weeks by new ants called by 
  the magic of the room. 
  (Giant Soldier Ants AC 16, HD 2d8, HP 10 each, Attacks 
  Bite 1d4+1, Special: Acid Sting, Alignment N, XP 15+2/35 
  each)   
  Scaling – Having more or less ants activate at a time is the 
  easy way to scale this room. 
  9c.  Hall of the Great God 
  While the frescoes are beautiful, and show much about life 
  in the empire ages ago, there is nothing special about them 
  or the statues. There is a superbly hidden secret door 
  between the two statues though. It requires a CL 10 Wisdom 
  check to notice that there is something there. If a character 
  mentions it is weird that there are only two statues, about 
  five feet apart, reduce the check to CL 7. If someone notes 
  that two similarly placed statues in the west hall have a door 
  between them, reduce the CL to 5. 
  9d.  Skeletal Guardians 
  These Skeletons are here to guard the complex. They will 
  attack as soon as someone enters the room, and will chase 
  any characters that run away. The frescoes in this room 
  depict people being sacrificed in front of a pyramid with a 
  skull on its side. 
  (Skeletons AC 13, HD 1d12, HP 7 each, Attacks Scimitar 
  1d6, Special: Undead, Alignment N, XP 5+1/12 each)   
  Scaling – Adding or subtracting Skeletons is relatively 
  easy, making them Zombies or even Ghouls can challenge 
  a more powerful party. 
  As you open the door to this room, some of the giant 
  ants standing along the north and south walls go from 
  immobile to rushing toward you. The walls have bas-
  reliefs of ants eating people who are staked out in the 
  desert. 
  This long 20-foot-wide hallway is adorned with frescoes 
  of desert people in lush environments worshipping the 
  man with a pyramid hat in every form. From offering 
  him the bounty of their harvests to sacrificing elves, each 
  fresco shows a pyramid in the background somewhere. 
  Some of the pyramids are being struck by lightning, 
  some have the sun just touching their pinnacle, others 
  have wheat growing out the top. The ones with sacrifices 
  feature a skull on the side of the pyramid. Near the far 
  north end of the hall stand two statues of men in ornate 
  armor of desert style, each with his hand on the hilt of 
  his sword. 
  As you open the door to this room, the heads of eight 
  skeletons, two in each corner, turn toward you. 
  
  Area Key 
  7 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  9e. Statue Guardians 
  If someone manages to read the writing on the wall, it says 
  in both Doornian script and hieroglyphs “Praise Doorne The 
  All-Knowing and live.” 
  If anyone in the party makes praises to any of the names for 
  the polyglot Doorne – Doorne the All Knowing, Mighty 
  Doorne, Doorne the Omnipotent, or Doorne the Creator – 
  the party may walk through this room unmolested. But if 
  any character travels fifteen feet or more into the room 
  before praises are uttered, one of the statues will animate 
  and attack the party. It will fight to destruction, but not 
  follow the party out of the room. It is a Stone Guardian, 
  and his sole purpose is to keep unbelievers out of the tomb. 
  Should someone figure out the safety phrase after the statue 
  is activated (perhaps shouting praises to Doorne in the 
  middle of combat), the statue will stop fighting and return 
  to its place – unless it is attacked after the phrase is shouted. 
  (Stone Guardian AC 18, HD 4d10, HP 24, Attacks Two fists 
  1d4, Special: Immunity to Poison and Disease, Immunity to 
  Mind Control, See Invisible, Resistance to weapons (edged 
  do 1/4 damage, missiles zero damage and arrows/bolts are 
  destroyed, wood weapons 25% chance per hit of being 
  destroyed), Alignment N, XP 130+4/226)   
  Scaling – We recommend only scaling HP on the guardian. 
  9f. Minotaur Guardian 
  This is An-Zefful, Minotaur of the tomb. He is cursed by 
  Doorne to guard this room and kill anything that enters. 
  When no one is in the room, he is in a form of stasis. When 
  someone enters, he awakens and is hungry. An-Zefful 
  always fights with his Battle Axe +1 unless he is somehow 
  disarmed. Fifteen minutes after the last living being is gone, 
  he reverts to his stasis state. The damage to the walls is from 
  the various times throughout history that he has awakened. 
  He will attack a party regardless of size, because he has a 
  death wish. In death, he will finally be removed from this 
  curse. He cannot follow a group out of the room, and if he 
  is somehow magically transported out, he will turn to dust. 
  (Minotaur AC 14, HD 7d8, HP 35, Attacks Head Butt 2d4, 
  Bite 1d4, or Battle Axe +5 to Attack, 1d8+5 damage, Saves 
  P, Special: Powerful Charge, Darkvision 60, Never 
  Surprised, Alignment CE, XP 450+7/695)   
  Scaling – It is best to scale HP on An-Zefful, but for a 
  particularly weak party he might forego his battle axe to 
  Head Butt, and for a particularly strong party he could be 
  given specialization in battle axe. 
  9g. Coffer Corpse Guardian 
  There is a life-like statue of a man in desert garb throwing a 
  spear just outside this door. 
  This room contains a Rockatrice! The statue is a bandit that 
  was looting the tomb and got caught. The statue in the hall 
  was his partner. The buzzard-like statue is a cockatrice that 
  was here, but was turned to stone as the last desperate act of 
  the bandits. The “zombie” is actually a Coffer Corpse, the 
  current guardian of this room. If a party somehow 
  transforms the Cockatrice statue back to flesh, the it will 
  attack. 
  (Coffer Corpse AC 12, HD 2d8, HP 10, Attacks Hand 1d6, 
  Saves P, Special: Turn at -2, Choke Attack after hit 
  automatic d6 per round, only magic weapons hit, Alignment 
  CE, XP 25+2/45)   
  Scaling – Being only one of many opponents here, we 
  recommend keeping scaling to adjusting hit points, though 
  a partner could be added, or the Cockatrice could turn back 
  to flesh on its own for a powerful party. 
  Statues of men and women in priestly regalia line the 
  south wall of this room. The other walls have frescoes 
  showing people either worshipping in front of pyramids 
  or at the feet of a man wearing a pyramid for a hat. One 
  shows a pair of sphynxes genuflecting in front of such a 
  man. There is something chiseled into the south wall 
  above the statues in large letters using the language of 
  the desert. 
  Unlike the other rooms in this complex, the frescoes 
  about this room have been smashed and scratched, 
  blood staining the entirety of the north wall. In the 
  center of the room is a minotaur, his axe over his 
  shoulder. He turns to face you, lowering his head and 
  bellowing a challenge. 
  The walls of this room are covered in paintings of 
  natural phenomenon, from sunrises to floods, all with a 
  giant man wearing a pyramid for a hat standing and 
  smiling over them. A lifelike statue of a desert warrior 
  stands in the room, as does a statue of an ugly, buzzard-
  like creature. A long dead woman turns from the 
  northeast corner, raises its arms, and starts running 
  toward you. 
  
  Area Key 
  8 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  9h. Ogre Guardian 
  This is the Ogre Guardian, a specialized Monster Zombie. 
  He has the HP and attacks modified for an Ogre, but is 
  otherwise a Zombie. He will fight until destroyed, but will 
  not chase intruders out of this room. 
  The yellow dots of light are citrine gemstones reflecting the 
  party’s light. There are 22 of them in the walls and ceiling, 
  each worth 20 gold pieces. They will take half an hour to 
  pry out. It can be done in 15 minutes, but damage to the 
  gems will result, making them worth only 10 gold pieces 
  each. 
   (Monster Zombie, Ogre AC 12, HD 4d8, HP 20, Attacks 
  slam 1d6+4, Saves: P, Special: Slow, Alignment NE, XP 
  40+4/120)   
  Scaling – First is to adjust Hit Points, but he could be 
  statted as a standard zombie for weak parties or given a 
  partner for strong ones. 
  9i. Ghoul Guardians 
  (A dakhma was a Zoroastrian tower used to expose bodies 
  to the elements and keep contagion from leeching into the 
  ecosystem in heavily populated areas. Westerners often call 
  them “Towers of Silence”, but the inside pictured here is 
  simply concentric circles of bodies) 
  These are four Ghouls, people who died while accursed of 
  Doorne. They will fight until destroyed, but will not follow 
  a party out of the room. 
  (Ghoul AC 14, HD 2d8, HP 10 each, Attacks 2 Claws 1d3 
  one Bite 1d6, Saves: P, Special: Paralysis on hit strength 
  save to avoid 1d4+1 minutes, Darkvision, Alignment CE, 
  XP 20+2/40 each)   
  Scaling – Adjusting hit points will be the best option, 
  making them ghasts for a stronger party or zombies for a 
  weaker party is an option for large differences. 
  9j. Hall of the Forgotten Guardians 
  One of the statues is a Gargoyle.  He will pursue characters 
  throughout this hallway, but not beyond. 
  (Gargoyle AC 16, HD 5d8, HP 25, Attacks 2 Claws 1d3 
  one Bite 1d6 Gore 1d4, Saves: P, Special: Freeze, 
  Darkvision 60, Alignment CE, XP 120+5/245)   
  Scaling – Adjusting Hit Points is, as usual, your best 
  option. Replacing them is an option - Stone Guardians (see 
  area #9e) are slightly harder to fight if the party is weak, 
  and Caryatid Columns (see area #9a) a little easier. 
  9k. Zombie Guardians 
  These four corpses are Zombies, more of Doorne’s less 
  faithful followers, serving him better in death than they did 
  in life. 
  (Zombie AC 12, HD 2d8, HP 10 each, Attacks Slam 1d8, 
  Special: slow, Alignment NE, XP 10+2/30 each) 
  Scaling – We don’t recommend this encounter be scaled. 
  They cannot all be life-and-death fights after all. 
  The walls of this room have been painted black, yellow 
  dots of light shining on them. A large man wearing a 
  pyramid for a hat is painted on the far wall, staring at the 
  door you enter. The decaying corpse of an Ogre standing 
  below the painted figure opens its eyes and stares at you 
  when you open the door. 
  This room reeks of death when the door is opened. The 
  bas-reliefs on the walls show the man with the pyramid 
  hat, a skull on the side of the pyramid. He is standing in 
  the center well of a dakhma, surrounded by laid out 
  bodies. He is motioning with his hand, and four of the 
  decaying bodies are standing, long fangs and claws 
  evident. Four creatures that look like those depicted in 
  the bas-relief stand in the room, and begin to shuffle 
  toward you. 
  The walls of this hall are decorated with humans 
  working in mines and building mighty tombs, each 
  leader wearing a pyramid for a hat. Two brightly painted 
  statues stand on the east wall, just over half-way from 
  south to north. 
  The walls of this room are decorated with deep bas-
  reliefs showing people clawing their way out of the 
  ground while a man wearing a pyramid hat smiles on. 
  Four desiccated corpses shuffle toward the door, raising 
  their arms and groaning.  
  
  Area Key 
  9 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  9l. Scarab Guardians 
  The scarab is the key to summoning a Swarm of Scarab 
  Beetles. The beetles will rush in from the east and west 
  walls, pouring forth as a flood, converging on the character 
  that picked up the scarab. When the swarm’s hit points have 
  been reduced to zero, it will swarm back into the walls, 
  leaving many squished/burnt/sliced bugs. 
  The scarab really is intricately crafted and made of solid 
  gold, with rubies for eyes. But should a character take the 
  scarab, they will not sleep well enough to heal or recover 
  spells until it is returned here. Dropping or selling it will 
  only have it reappear in their path. Each time they sleep, 
  they will dream of being in this room and placing the scarab 
  back in the center of the floor. A Remove Curse spell will 
  break this curse, but unless the spell is cast by a priest of 
  level nine or higher, the curse will return after 24 hours.   
  (Scarab Beetle Swarm AC 16, HD 4d8, HP 20, Attacks 4 
  Bites 1d3 + Disease, Saves: P, Special: Disease, 
  Alignment NE, XP 60+4/450)   
  Scaling – After adjusting Hit Points, increasing or 
  decreasing number of attacks per round is the best scaling 
  option. 
  9m. Temple of the Sphynx 
  The gems in the eyes are real, the rubies worth 400 gold 
  pieces each, the emeralds worth 600 gold pieces each. The 
  inlay material can be carved out of the doors, claiming 10 
  gold pieces from the sun, 5 gold pieces worth of mother-of-
  pearl from the moon, and two gold pieces worth of 
  soapstone from the pyramid. Again, note that if word gets 
  out that the party defiled this most holy of temples, nearly 
  everyone in the desert will be out to kill them. 
  9n. Tomb Guardians 
  This room holds members of the Empire’s knightly order 
  The Griffon Blades. The order still exists, but knowledge of 
  this tomb has been lost. The Griffon Blades are an elite unit 
  of knights that ride Griffon nearly exclusively (they ride 
  horses when not on official duty), and are honored across 
  the desert.  
  Four of these catafalques actually do hold the bodies of 
  famous Griffon Blades, while the center one is home to a 
  Dark Creeper. As is their normal behavior, when the party 
  brings light into this room, he will use his darkness and start 
  stealing light sources. 
  (Dark Creeper AC 20(16 in light), HD 1d10, HP 6, Attacks 
  Short Sword +1 1d6+1, Saves: P, Special: Darkness-6th 
  lvl, Rogue Skills-4th lvl, Alignment NE, XP 11+1/17)   
  Scaling – This creature is more nuisance than challenge. 
  As such, we don’t recommend scaling the encounter. 
  9o. False Treasure Room 
  The ivory chests are worth 50 gold each. Close inspection 
  will show the ivory to be thin and clad over birch – a soft 
  wood that is marked and dented inside. The first chest on 
  the north wall contains 300 copper pieces of an ancient 
  mint, the second chest on the north wall holds 300 shaved 
  silver pieces worth only 25 gold if a moneychanger weighs 
  them. The first chest on the south wall holds a matched pair 
  of throwing daggers made of bronze with copper wrapped 
  This beautifully decorated room shows a bright sun 
  filling the northwest corner, a green stone floor with an 
  inlay of people dancing around the walls, hands joined. 
  Laying in the center of the floor is a beautifully wrought 
  golden scarab. 
  This large room is obviously a temple, and is stunningly 
  decorated. An ironwood podium sits in the center of the 
  south wall, a chair behind it and large statues of seated 
  men with dog heads and pyramid hats flank it. The eyes 
  of the left statue are rubies, the eyes of the right statue 
  are emeralds. Rows of ornately carved benches fill the 
  rest of the room. There are doors on the east, west, and 
  south walls. The door on the west wall is inlaid with a 
  beautiful golden sun, the door on the east wall a mother 
  of pearl moon, and the door on the south wall a brown 
  soapstone pyramid. 
  There are five stone coffins resting upon catafalques in 
  this room, each covered with a bas-relief of a knight with 
  a sword. There are statues of the man wearing a pyramid 
  hat in both the northeast and southeast corners, knights 
  flying on gryphons carved into the walls between them.  
  This must be the treasure room of this complex. 
  Paintings on the wall show a man whipping slaves, 
  fighting in war, and lounging with beautiful women. 
  There are two wonderfully crafted ivory chests on the 
  north wall, two more on the south wall. On the west wall 
  stand two golden statues, one of a warrior, the other of a 
  priest, both in ceremonial garb.  
  
  Area Key 
  10 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  leather hilts worth 20 gold pieces as a pair. They are poorly 
  weighted for throwing and suffer a -1 attack penalty when 
  thrown. The last chest holds a suit of chain mail that appears 
  to be made of silver, but is actually pewter coated with 
  silver. It is worth 75 gold pieces as a collector’s item, and 
  only provides AC +3. 
  Total Treasure XP: 323 
  The warrior statues are covered in fine gold leaf. The gold 
  can be scraped off easily, but is only worth 10 gold pieces. 
  Underneath is worm-eaten birch. Both statues are also 
  trapped. If they are moved before a switch hidden behind 
  the northwest chest is pushed, the entire floor of this room 
  will give way except a two foot ledge in front of the secret 
  door. Those on the ledge can make a Dexterity saving throw 
  (CL 5) to cling to the wall. Those who fail, and anyone else 
  in the room when the floor collapses, will fall 10 feet onto a 
  spiked floor, taking 1d10 damage. The spikes were 
  originally poisoned, but the builders did not anticipate this 
  being a desert when they designed the spikes, and the poison 
  is long gone. 
  The secret door is well disguised (CL 6), but easy to open 
  once found. If the floor has collapsed, the CL is lowered to 
  2, simply because there is only a two foot ledge right in front 
  of it. 
  9p. Tomb of Sia 
  This is the actual tomb, and of course Sia was buried with 
  his treasures to take with him to the afterlife. His favorite 
  chairs, the cushions that his concubines sat upon, his coins, 
  his weapons, a crate loaded with his armor, packed the way 
  it was when he traveled in life, along with his beloved 
  scepter. 
  In a spectacular display of disloyalty that was as rare in the 
  empire of Doorne as it is in modern-day Talifa, Sia’s high 
  priest poisoned him, then raised him as a Wight to protect 
  the tomb from robbers. The high priest thought to come 
  back, turn the Wight, and take the treasure, but The Great 
  Destruction came, and all was laid to waste. The priest never 
  returned here. And Sia is here, thirsting for flesh, hoping to 
  finally be allowed peace. 
  When the first character enters the room, the wight will 
  throw off the lid of the sarcophagus and attack immediately. 
  It will attack relentlessly, chasing the living beings where 
  ever they run, hoping to kill or be killed. 
  His treasure is real. There are 3000 silver pieces, 500 gold 
  pieces, 20 rubies worth 100 gold each, a Heavy Scimitar +1, 
  a dagger +2, a decorated suit of Splint Mail +1 With a dog 
  head for a helm, and the Scepter of Ice.  
  Total treasure XP Value: 6050 
  (Wight AC 15, HD 4d12, HP 28, Attacks Slam 1d6, Saves: 
  M, Special: Create Spawn, Energy Drain, Darkvision 60, 
  Alignment LE, XP 100+4/212) 
  Scaling – For larger or more powerful parties, Sia could be 
  a Wraith or even a Mummy, while scaling Hit Points is best 
  for a smaller party, and making Sia into a Ghast is best for 
  a party that is both smaller and weaker. 
  Alternate Ending – If the CK wishes, the mystic may have 
  already taken the scepter during the fighting. In that 
  scenario, the scepter will be missing, and the Wight will 
  wail about its theft by “someone like you!” the entire time 
  it is fighting. The party can then track and fight the mystic 
  (a level 5 priest with two level 2 fighter guards) in the 
  desert. 
   
   
  This room displays a wealth most people can only dream 
  of – buried with the sarcophagus against the west wall. 
  The south wall holds a weapons rack with gilded 
  weapons on it, a closed chest made of ivory, a pile of 
  silken pillows, and an altar with a golden pyramid upon 
  it. The north wall holds a sealed crate, two open chests 
  overflowing with coins and gems, and an ornate chair. 
  The west wall holds an intricately carved sarcophagus 
  with gold inlay flanked by two canopic jars. 
  
  Area Key 
  11 | D e a t h  a t  t h e  O a s i s  
   
  Scepter of Ice, Relic: The Scepter of Ice was forged during 
  the war that eventually turned the empire into desert. It is a 
  silver scepter with a diamond embedded in the head. It 
  functions as a Staff of Frost, with an additional power. Each 
  morning, as the wielder offers thanks to Mighty Doorne, if 
  they are facing Khozan (east of the pyramid), one charge is 
  restored to the staff. Only one charge may be restored this 
  way each day. It has a limited form of telepathy and will 
  impart this information to any faithful of Doorne that 
  touches it. Should the Scepter’s charges ever reach zero, this 
  function stops working, and the Scepter will recharge at a 
  rate of one charge a day once it is no longer in the possession 
  of the character that drained it of charges. Non-faithful will 
  be frozen for 4d6 damage when touching the Scepter. 
  Failing to drop it immediately will see an additional 4d6 
  damage dealt the next round. 
  There are many myths and legends about the Scepter of Ice, 
  but few know what it looks like. As such, only a small 
  number of people would be willing to pay what it is worth 
  – 30,000 gold pieces – and some of those people are less 
  than honest. 
   
   
  
  New Monsters 
  12 | T h e  C u r s e d  D e a d  
   
  Scarab Swarm 
  A scarab beetle with a shiny carapace scuttles through the light, 
  seeming scared of the light and the people that hold it, peering into 
  the darkness inside the tomb. There is a faint skittering sound from 
  the darkness where the scarab first appeared. Suddenly, thousands 
  of the beetles come rushing out of the darkness. Swords cut them, 
  but for each beetle they cut, hundreds more continue to rush 
  forward. The screams of the invaders choke off as scarabs fill the 
  open mouths, biting as they go, each trying to grow larger than the 
  others… 
  In the dark recesses of the earth, where the sun rarely shines, there 
  are more insects than there are people. These insects survive on 
  detritus and grubs, but prefer something more substantial to spur 
  on growth of the swarm. 
  Swarming over any living thing in their path, the Scarab Swarm 
  will leave little but bones in its wake. Thankfully, they are rarely 
  found outside of deep caves and enclosed tombs. 
  Module Usage: A cursed artifacts calls forth a Swarm of scarabs 
  in this module. The artifact is tied loosely to the desert god, but this is for flavor only.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (Scarab Beetle Swarm AC 16, HD 4d8, HP 20, Attacks 4 Bites 1d3 + Disease, Move 50, Saves: P, Special: Disease, 
  Alignment NE, XP 60+4/450) 
   
   
  SCARAB SWARM 
  Number: 1 
  Size:  Medium/Large 
  Armor Class: 16  
  Hit Dice: Medium - 4 (d8), Large 8 (d8)  
  Hit Points: 20 or 40  
  Move: 50 ft. 
  Attacks: 4 bites 1d3  
  Special: Disease 
  Treasure: 3 
  XP: 60 + 4 per HP or 375 + 8 per HP 
  Disease: Any creature bitten by a swarm has to make a 
  successful constitution to avoid being infected by a 
  disease. The Castle Keeper should refer to the Castle 
  Keepers Guide for examples, but the disease should 
  have a base CL of 2. 
   
  
  New Monsters 
  13 | T h e  C u r s e d  D e a d  
   
  Cultists  
  A man dressed in all white slips through the window and looks 
  about the room. Spotting his target, he slips a half-written letter 
  from the desk into his robes. He glances about the room, and steps 
  quietly to the door. Cracking the door and quietly peering through 
  the crack, he spies the author of the note. Bursting the door open 
  and calling upon his brotherhood, the white-robed man attacks… 
  The historical myths and reality of cults and secret organizations 
  are numerous. The organizations vary in purpose and intent, but 
  motivation is cult following – of a leader or a splinter of a religion. 
  These groups aim for a specific goal… Protection of a sacred relic, 
  changing the world, serving their deity, changing rulers… The 
  number of possible goals is innumerable. What is constant between 
  them is that they are secretive, constantly working in small groups, 
  and when they commit, they commit in large numbers. 
  We do not delve into all possible cultists here, but only those 
  important to this module – The Derivesh. As noted at the end of 
  the Derivesh description, this module has one sub-set of Derivesh, 
  the Halriadah. 
  Desert Cultists – The Derivesh 
  In the heart of the desert reside those who believe the world has gone wrong, and that they are the ones to right it. Some 
  believe they must keep information and power out of the hands of those who would abuse it. Some believe they should 
  withdraw from contact with all men. Some believe they must right the wrongs with action. The Derivesh are this last kind. 
  They believe they must strike out firmly against those not of the desert to correct all of the wrong in the world.  
  Strictly ordered to reflect the needs of living in the desert and the martial life they have chosen, the Derivesh are always 
  Lawful in alignment, but their ranks include people who are both good and evil. They are united in a single purpose, and 
  while cultists vary in this purpose, the Derivesh focus on returning the destroyed desert empire to its former glory. Though 
  centuries have passed, their faith has not. It is their belief that Mighty Doorne will return his people to greatness when the 
  time comes. Until that time, the Derivesh must persevere, and fight for the desert, against those without who would weaken 
  their people, and those within that would harm those same people. 
  The Derivesh have a hierarchy, with Cultists at the bottom, Fanatics above them, and Priests above that. The Derivesh have 
  no single Cult Leader, but each group in the Derivesh is controlled by a Minor Leader. No group of Derivesh is the same, 
  but generally for each ten cultists there will be four fanatics and a priest. If a group is more than six cultists there will be a 
  Minor Leader coordinating their efforts. 
  Fanaticism 
  The Derivesh are fanatical. There is nothing that will turn them from their purpose. They do not make morale checks, the 
  only time one runs from a fight is if he is ordered to go pass a warning to others. 
  Intense Focus 
  The Derivesh train constantly. This grants them a bonus of +1 on all attack and damage rolls. Some few specialize in thievery 
  instead. These individuals instead get a +1 bonus on sneaking and thieving rolls. Other focuses are possible. 
  Module Usage: The Insemi are a sect of Derivesh cultists who believe that Doorne expects men to return water to the desert, 
  and only then will he be pleased with his creations. Unlike most cultists, they train with great scimitars, and stat blocks 
  above reflect this fact.  
   
  
  New Monsters 
  14 | T h e  C u r s e d  D e a d  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (Derivesh Cultist AC 12, HD 1d8, HP 5 each, Attacks Scimitar 1d6, Fanaticism, +1 on attack and damage, Alignment LN, 
  XP 7+1/12 each) 
  (Derivesh Fanatic AC 15, HD 2d10, HP 11, Attacks Scimitar 1d6, Special: +1 on attack and damage, Alignment LN, XP 
  15+2/37 each) 
  (Derivesh Priest AC 15, HD 2d10, HP 11, Attacks Heavy Mace 1d8, Spells, Special +1 attack and damage, Alignment LN, 
  XP 72 each) Suggested spells: Detect Alignment, Detect Magic, First Aid, Light, 2xCLW, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, 
  Delay Poison, Detect Traps, Alignment LN, XP 20+2/42) 
  (Derivesh Subleader AC 15, HD 5d8, HP 25, Attacks Scimitar 1d6, Special +1 attack and damage, Fanaticism, Spells, 
  Invoke Derivesh, Alignment Any Lawful, , XP 180+5/305) Suggested spells: Detect Alignment, Detect Magic, First Aid, 
  Light, 2xCLW, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, Delay Poison, Detect Traps
   
   
  DERIVESH SUBLEADER 
  Number: 1 (0) 
  Size:  Medium 
  Alignment: LN 
  Armor Class: 15  
  Hit Dice: 5 (d8) 
  Hit Points: 25  
  Move: 30 ft. 
  Attacks: Scimitar (1d6) 
  Special: +1 on attack and damage rolls 
  Treasure: 2 
  XP: 180+5 per HP 
  Fanaticism: Derivesh Priests never check morale. 
  Spells: (4/4/2) Detect Alignment, Detect Magic, First 
  Aid, Light, 2xCLW, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, Delay 
  Poison, Detect Traps 
  Invoke Derivesh: The Derivesh Subleader can rally the 
  faithful by shouting out to them. All Derivesh who can 
  hear him speak out are +1 to hit and +1 AC. This effect 
  lasts for 1d6 rounds. 
  DERIVESH PRIEST 
  Number: 2-12 (1) 
  Size:  Medium 
  Alignment: LN 
  Armor Class: 15  
  Hit Dice: 2 (d10) 
  Hit Points: 11  
  Move: 30 ft. 
  Attacks: Heavy Mace (1d10) 
  Special: +1 on attack and damage rolls 
  Treasure: 1 
  XP: 20+2 per HP 
  Fanaticism: Derivesh Priests never check morale. 
  Spells: (4/4/2) Detect Alignment, Detect Magic, First 
  Aid, Light, 2xCLW, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, Delay 
  Poison, Detect Traps 
  DERIVESH FANATIC 
  Number: 2-12 (1) 
  Size:  Medium 
  Alignment: LN 
  Armor Class: 15  
  Hit Dice: 2 (d10) 
  Hit Points: 11  
  Move: 30 ft. 
  Attacks: Scimitar (1d6) 
  Special: +1 on attack and damage rolls 
  Treasure: 1 
  XP: 15+2 per HP 
  Fanaticism: Derivesh Fanatics never check morale. 
  DERIVESH CULTIST 
  Number: 5-50 (1d6) 
  Size:  Medium 
  Alignment: LN 
  Armor Class: 12  
  Hit Dice: 1 (d8) 
  Hit Points: 5  
  Move: 30 ft. 
  Attacks: Scimitar (1d6)  
  Special: +1 on attack and damage rolls 
  Treasure: 1 
  XP: 7+1 per HP 
  Fanaticism: Derivesh Cultists never check morale. 
   
  
  Conversion Notes 
  15 | T r a n s l a t i o n ,  S c a l i n g ,  a n d  C u s t o m i z a t i o n  
   
  Hayawiyya 
  NUMBER:  
  1-4  
  TYPE:   
  Extraplanar 
  INT:  
   
  Animal 
  ALIGNMENT:  
  Neutral 
  SIZE:  
   
  Small  
  AC:  
   
  14  
  HD:  
   
  4 (d8)  
  PRIME:  
  P 
  MOVE:   
  20 ft. 
  ATTACKS:  
  2 Pseudopods (1d6) or slam (1d8) 
  TREASURE:  
  3 
  SAVES:  
  P  
  XP:  
   
  90+4 
  SPECIAL:  
  Animation, Drowning, Water Affinity 
  Hayawiyya (also known as Silent Killers and Liquid Life) are creatures 
  native to the elemental plane of water that have been specifically 
  summoned to our plane. They are amorphous blobs that appear to be 
  water, always of blue to grey to white in coloration. In water, their 
  colorations make it difficult to see them unless one is looking (Wisdom 
  check to notice, CL 3). They can be summoned into water, into a body, or 
  into a container. When summoned into water, they will lie in wait for a 
  humanoid to come to the water. When summoned into a body, they will animate it and make it their home. When summoned into a 
  container, they can be poured out over water or a body, and they will take over that home and make it their own. 
  Hayawiyya never come to our plane voluntarily, they are always summoned, and always with a purpose. Those who summon a Hayawiyya 
  without a purpose either fail in their summoning, or find that the creature so summoned has one purpose – kill the summoner. Once their 
  purpose has been completed, the Hayawiyya returns to the elemental plane of water. Some purposes are vague, causing the Hayawiyya 
  end up stuck in our plane. Those Hayawiyya become hateful, and kill everything in their path, hoping to somehow complete their task. 
  COMBAT: The Hayawiyya in its natural form attacks with two pseudopods, attempting to drown an opponent. If an opponent is disabled 
  in any way (paralyzed, dead, unconscious), the Hayawiyya will take one round to pour into that opponent’s mouth and then rise as an 
  Animation, attacking with slam attacks, much as a zombie would. 
  ANIMATION: When a Hayawiyya is exposed to a body or a person unable to move, they will animate it, much like a zombie. Hayawiyya 
  zombies have the same statistics as the Hayawiyya, and can be identified by changes to their coloring – skin goes grey, and the whites 
  of the animated person’s eyes go blue. Hayawiyya are summoned for a purpose, and will animate a body to achieve this purpose. Through 
  their animation, the Hayawiyya is able to communicate in any language the body knew. A party that promises to help complete the 
  Hayawiyya’s mission may leave it in peace. Hayawiyya zombies cannot be turned. 
  DROWNING: When a Hayawiyya is fighting a humanoid, their pseudopods hit the face on a natural 20. A hit to the face allows the 
  pseudopod to rush into the mouth and strive for the lungs. A PC must make a CL 0 Constitution save this round, and adding one to the 
  CL each round until the creature is killed (at which point the PC expels water out of their lungs), or a Constitution Check is failed. If a 
  constitution check is failed, the PC falls at -7 and loses one HP per round until dying at -10. For complete drowning rules, see the CKG. 
  WATER AFFINITY: The Hayawiyya is attracted to water, and outside of combat situations will stop at each water source it finds to 
  swim, whether animating a body or not. 
  ESSENCE OF HAYAWIYYA: When a Hayawiyya is summoned into a container, it is trapped within until released. Very rarely, a 
  Hayawiyya is found in this form. The Hayawiyya appears as a vial of water that “doesn’t move right”, and occasionally manifests an eye 
  to stare at the owner. If the container is opened and tipped over the mouth of someone incapacitated (sleeping, paralyzed, unconscious, 
  dead, etc.), the Hayawiyya will crawl in and kill/animate the person. It will then set out to fulfill the mission it was summoned for, no matter 
  how long it has been. On occasion such a Hayawiyya will be trapped on our plane because so much time has passed while it was 
  contained that it cannot complete its mission. In this case, the Hayawiyya can be bargained with by a wizard or priest of sufficient power. 
  The wizard or priest must be able to, and agree to, use magical means to return the Hayawiyya to its home plane, then the creature will 
  change its focus to the wizard’s goal. 
  Hayawiyya in Nordalia 
  Hayawiyya is the name given these spirits by inhabitants of the Sevich Desert. They are considered a mythical, almost god-like creature 
  that is much feared. Parents teach their children that only those who are faithful and honest can avoid the Hayawiyya.  
  In the far north, they are known as Liquid Life, and are associated with the serpent goddess. Her servants, they are known to hunt down 
  those who stray from her teachings.  
  In the lands to the northwest – the Raiderspoint Alliance, Kingdom of Dilorn, and even the Kingdom of Trioton – they are known as The 
  Silent Killers. Believed to be used by a clutch of assassins to kill targets in their sleep. This leaves a body with no signs of foul play. 
  
  Conversion Notes 
  16 | T r a n s l a t i o n ,  S c a l i n g ,  a n d  C u s t o m i z a t i o n  
   
  Overview of Adventure Tomes 
  Death at the Oasis is a standalone One Night Adventure, but it is also the last Tale in a series of One Night Adventures 
  that can be connected together with the Port of Dakhalla (AT-4). If played as a series, all four Tales (ONA13, ONA14, 
  ONA15, ONA16) plus The Port of Dakhalla combine to make the Port of Dakhalla Adventure Tome. 
  Placement in your game world 
  If this module is used as a stand-alone module, it plays well if placed anywhere in the desert, desolate enough that the 
  waters of the Oasis are necessary. If played as part of the Adventure Tome, it should be placed with the Adventure Tome 
  and our map or a variant of your creation should place it within a week’s travel of the port. 
  Scaling encounters 
  This module is designed to challenge a party of second to fourth level characters. For most parties, inline scaling notes 
  should suffice. Generally speaking, reducing Hit Points per Hit Die is enough to take care of the problem. If the module is 
  to be used with a weak party or in a world where characters are generated using the straight 3d6 system, reducing the type 
  of creature – such as replacing the Zombies with Skeletons is an easy transcription that plays well.   
  Using Death at the Oasis with Other Game Systems 
  Death at the Oasis was designed for use with the Castles and Crusades ® role playing game, and playtesting was 
  performed with that system. 
  The hardest part of conversions will be the new monsters – Derivesh can map to human variants in most systems, but 
  Hiyawwiya will have to be converted. Scarab Beetle swarms are easy enough in most SRD-based systems. For your 
  converting convenience, here is the list of creatures to translate 
   
  Encounter Key  
  Number  
  Type of Creature 
  Second Raiding Party 
  4 
  Derivesh Fanatic 
  Second Raiding Party 
  1 
  Cult of Water Priest (Lvl 4) 
  1 
  2 
  Zombies 
  3 
  5 
  Zombies 
  4 
  1 
  Mastiff (Wolf) 
  5 
  1 
  Commoner, Adult 
  5 
  1 
  Commoner, Child 
  7 
  4 
  Hiyawiyya Zombies 
  8 
  1 
  Lesser Elemental (Mud) 
  9a 
  2 
  Caryatid Columns 
  9b 
  12 
  Giant Ants 
  9d 
  8 
  Skeletons 
  9e 
  1 
  Stone Guardian 
  9f 
  1 
  Minotaur 
  9g 
  1 
  Coffer Corpse 
  9h 
  1 
  Zombie, Monster (Ogre) 
  9i 
  4 
  Ghouls 
  9j 
  1 
  Gargoyle 
  9k 
  4 
  Zombies 
  9l 
  1 
  Insect Swarm (Scarab Beetles) 
  9n 
  1 
  Dark Creeper 
  9p 
  1 
  Wight 
  
  Open Gaming License 
  17 | O p e n  G a m e  L i c e n s e  
   
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a: The following text is the property of 
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  terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content 
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  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to 
  comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of 
  becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination 
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  such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it 
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of 
  the Coast, Inc.  
  System Reference Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; 
  Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original 
  material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. 
  Castles and Crusades Players’ Handbook, 6th Printing, Copyright 2014, Troll 
  Lord Games; Authors Davis Chenault and Mac Golden. 
  Castles and Crusades Monsters and Treasure, 5th Printing, Copyright 2019, 
  Troll Lord Games, Authors Robert Doyel and Stephen Chenault. 
  Hayawiyya copyright 2019, Hellebarde Publishing, LLC, DBA Hellebarde 
  Games. 
  Death at the Oasis Copyright 2019, Hellebarde Publishing, LLC, DBA 
  Hellebarde Games; Author Don MacVittie 
   
   
  
  Oasis at Sia – CK Map
  
  Oasis at Sia – Play Map
  
  Tomb of the Sphynx – CK Map
  
  Tomb of the Sphynx – Play Map
  
  Hellebarde Games
  Where  Heroes are Forged
  Something has gone wrong at the Oasis. Someone needs to go investigate, find out 
  what happened, and make the oasis safe again if necessary. Are you brave enough 
  to tread where those who travel the trails fear?
  Death at the Oasis was written and play-tested using the Castles and Crusades RPG 
  system, but conversion notes are provided for any OGL based system.
  Each One Night Adventure is a tale. The four tales ONA-13 to ONA-16 can be 
  played consecutively with AT-4 to build the Port of Dakhalla Adventure Tome.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Castles & Crusades Siege Engine/Castles & Crusades Adventures & Settings/ONA15 Death at the Oasis (C&C).pdf