The Three Rings

You meet a wandering herbalist who is in the forest to pick rare plants. She carries d6 bunches of wolvesbane and she can sell them to you for 5 gp per bunch. The woman also warns you that there are hungry wolves in the forest. These are not normal wolves: the orcs of this area have a special affinity with them and breed them to wreak havoc in the woods. Occasionally, the larger wolves are taken as pets or mounts for smaller orcs or orclings. Write the WOLVES keyword on your party sheet. This encounter is unique. Cross it off the list once you have played it. If you roll this again, treat as an encounter with d6+2 wolves. Wolves, level 3 minions; reactions: 1 flee, 2-3 bribe with food (only if you have dried meat found in this adventure), 4-6 fight. Wolves are afraid of fire and must make a morale roll if at least two wolves are killed with a Fireball spell. If the same Fireball also causes the wolves to fall under 50% of their number, they will have to pass TWO morale rolls. There are a total of 30 wolves in the forest. Keep a tally of how many you kill. Once 30 wolves have been slain in total, ignore this encounter.

You meet a young woodsman. He sounds pretty knowledgeable about the ways of the forest. You may hire him as a scout for 10 gold pieces. If you do so, he will join the party (treat him as a 0 level warrior with a slashing hand weapon, light armor, and 3 Life points). If you have a scout in the party, you may alter your next three d66 rolls by +1 or -1, for example choosing result 14 or 16 when you roll a 15. You may look at the result before choosing. Note that there are a few numbers that you can reach only with a scout. After three rolls, the woodsman will leave the party and go about his business.

You meet a merchant who is traveling with 1d6 guards. Treat the merchant as a level 2 rogue with 6 Life (Morale -1, four treasure rolls) and the guards as level 4 minions (each guard has 1d6 gold pieces). The merchant offers to buy any gems or jewelry you are carrying. If you accept, roll on the Merchant table once per each item you sell. You may also decide to attack the merchant and the guards. If you do so, write the CRIMINAL keyword on your play sheet.

The party is circled by hungry wolves. If you have the WOLVES keyword on your play sheet, the party acts first. If you do not have it, the wolves act first. 2d6 Hungry wolves, level 4 minions. No treasure. Normal morale. If two or more wolves are killed by a Fireball spell, the remaining wolves will make a morale roll. If the same Fireball also causes the wolves to fall under 50% of their number, they will have to pass TWO morale rolls. Reactions: 1-3 bribe (only if you have dried meat found in this adventure), 4-6 fight. There are a total of 30 wolves in the forest. Keep a tally of how many you kill. Once 30 wolves have been slain, ignore this encounter. If this is the first time you meet wolves, add the keyword WOLVES on your play sheet.

You come up to a small shrine in the woods. You may ignore it and carry on (roll another encounter) or roll d6 and consult the Shrine in the Woods table.

A fire rages through the woods. You have the option to flee or to fight it. If you fight it, treat it as a combat: Forest Fire, level 5 boss, 6 life, one attack per character. The fire does not make morale rolls and may not be damaged by ranged weapons or spells. Armor gives a bonus only on Defense rolls performed on the first turn. Shields always give their bonus against fire. Two-handed weapons and light weapons do not get modifiers against the fire – the characters do not fight the fire with weapons, they are assumed to pick up large branches and try to smother the flames. Once all the Life points of the fire have been depleted, the forest fire is put out. IMPORTANT: if you manage to put out the fire, ignore all other occurrences of fire in the adventure. Your characters may escape the fire at any moment. If you flee, each character must save versus level 5 fire or lose 1 life. If you flee, write the keyword FIRE on your party sheet.

You may reach this entry only if you have a +1 modifier to the d66 roll and roll a 16. Your party stumbles upon a ramp of stone stairs that descend in a large hole in the ground. You may inspect them by going to entry 28, or carry on with your mission and roll again.

A voice through the forest challenges you. You may ignore and carry on through the forest. If you accept, choose one character as your champion and roll on the Mysterious Challenger table to determine the identity of the challenger and the nature of the challenge.

You find tracks of one of the orc reavers. You realize that they are escaping in different directions, but it would be too dangerous to split your party. Roll a die: you gain one Clue on a 5 or 6.

You find fresh tracks of one of the orc reavers. You may modify the next roll by +1 or -1 (for example, counting a roll of 34 as 35 or 33). You may look at the results before choosing.

A giant serpent man rushes out of the woods and attacks the party! Serpent Man Abomination, level 8 boss, 4 life, morale +1, treasure +1. Reactions: always fight. Any character bitten by the abomination must save versus level 5 poison or have a -1 on all Defense rolls. The modifier disappears once you go through the next two encounters, or if a Healing spell or potion are used on the character.

On the side of a small hill, you find the entrance to a network of caves. You may ignore it and carry on, or step into the caves. If you enter the caves, generate a dungeon using the normal dungeon rules and tables found in Four Against Darkness. If you encounter a boss in the caves, you may spend 3 clues to meet one of the orc reavers. Roll on the orc reavers table to determine which orc is met. The orc will have one of the rings as his treasure. Ignore dragons in this dungeon. Treat any encounter with a dragon as an encounter with a Serpent Man Abomination (described in encounter 24). Once you have generated 10 rooms (not counting corridors), the dungeon ends and you must exit it, rolling for wandering monsters as usual. When the dungeon ends because you have generated 10 rooms, you DO NOT automatically meet a final boss.

D6+5 goblins ambush the party. The goblins go first and shoot poisoned javelins. Each goblin has one javelin. Any character who fails to defend will have to save versus level 3 poison. Characters who fail to save are at -1 to all Attack and Defense rolls until the end of the combat, or until a Healing spell is cast on them. Multipole does of poison are not cumulative, so each character may only have a -1 to Attack and Defense rolls. Once melee starts, the goblins fight with swords. D6 +5 Goblins, level 4 minions. -1 Morale, -1 treasure, armed with poisoned javelins.

You find a leather pouch containing 1d6 gold pieces and some stale bread. Probably one of the reavers dropped it. It means they must be close! If you meet wolves, one of your characters may spend an action to throw the stale bread at them. One wolf will grab the bread and run away, reducing the number of wolves encountered by 1.

You descend into the hole. It is dark inside, so one of your characters will have to use a hand to carry a lantern. After a long corridor, generate a room using the random room system in Four Against Darkness. Roll for the room content as usual. If you encounter a boss there, you meet one of the orc reavers in his lair! He has one of the rings, and will fight to the death. The room you generate will have no exits or doors. If you roll a corridor, just consider it like a long and narrow room. In addition to the ring, the orc reaver will have a collection of crude but useable weapons, so characters who lost a weapon during the adventure may arm themselves. No wandering monsters may be met on the way out of this one- room dungeon.

A random character must save versus a level 5 snare. A rogue, if you have one in the party, gets a chance to detect it before a random character is forced to save. Rogues save at +L against the snare. Elves and halflings roll at +1. Dwarves roll at -1. An ensnared character is thrown against a tree trunk and loses 1d3 life.

Roll again, treating any results of 13 or 15 as a 14, and rolls of 25 or 31 as 26. If you roll any other result, use that result instead.

You meet Gradus, a jolly, talkative halfling traveler who is willing to share many stories if you are willing to pay him 5 gold pieces. If you pay, roll on the Jolly Halfling table. If you ignore him, just carry on with your mission. This encounter is unique. If you meet Gradus again, treat this result as a 14 instead. Gradus has nothing of value beside his stories.

As the party travels through the underbrush, a beautiful bird with golden and purple plumage flies off. All characters should make a save versus level 3, with elves and barbarians getting a +1, and wizards adding +L. If at least one character makes the save, the bird is recognized as a rare, legendary forest phoenix. All characters with a ranged weapon have a chance to shoot down the bird by hitting him (treat him as a level 6 minion). If all characters miss, the bird will fly away. If at least one attack hits the phoenix, it will be possible to sell its feathers for 50+4d6 gold pieces at the end of the adventure. In addition, you may use the bird’s body to bribe any animal or monster which can be bribed with food in this adventure. This encounter is unique. If the bird is met again, the party just hears its call through the woods but has no chance to shoot it down.

The wind brings acrid smoke. A fire is raging through a portion of the forest. If you have the FIRE keyword on your play sheet, all characters must save versus level 5 fire or lose 2 life each. A wizard may absorb the damage on himself only by casting a Fireball spell. If you do not have the FIRE keyword, nothing happens.

You have a chance to catch one of the orc reavers. Roll on the Orc Reavers table to determine who he is. If this is the first orc reaver you meet, he has a 2 in 6 chance of having one of Davanzu’s rings, but you can determine this only if you catch him. Each character has two options: pursuit, or trying to hit him with a ranged weapon or spell. Decide what course of action each character takes before rolling for its success. Pursuit: The character must roll a save versus the orc’s level. ●Roll fails by 2 or more: the character fails to catch up with the orc. ●Roll fails by 1: the character catches up with the orc, but he is so fatigued that his Attack and Defense rolls are at -1 for the duration of the fight; the orc strikes first. ●Roll succeeds: The character catches up with the orc but the orc strikes first. ●Roll succeeds by 2 or more: The character catches the orc unawares, strikes first, with a +1 bonus on his first attack. Only characters who catch up with the orc may fight him in melee. Character who choose to shoot the orc (see Shooting, below) will catch up with the orc on the beginning of the third round of combat. If NO character catches up with the orc, the orc flees out of sight. The same orc may be encountered again later. Shooting or Spellcasting: the character can perform a single ranged Attack roll or cast a single spell. Attempts to perform ranged attacks or spells are performed BEFORE attempts to pursue. If a ranged attack or spell inflicts a wound, all characters trying to catch up with the running orc will have a bonus to their roll equal to the number of wounds inflicted by the ranged attack or spell. For example, if during this encounter two characters shoot the orc and wound him for 2 Life points, all attempts to catch up with the orc during this encounter (or in future encounters, if the orc escapes and the same orc is met again) will be at +2.

You find clear footprints of the fleeing orcs. Automatically add 1 Clue to your party sheet.

The party encounters a fungus ogre, a Matanagar. These powerful creatures are typical of the Sun- Kissed Vale in the central An-Mor continent, and are extremely rare here in Kardalok. Matanagar, level 6 boss, 6 Life, 2 attacks, morale +1. Every time the Matanagar takes damage from a non- magical source, roll a die. On a 6, the Matanagar ignores the wound. If a character rolls a 1 on a Defense roll against a Matanagar and the character has a shield, the creature has grabbed the shield and destroyed it (the character whose shield was destroyed takes no damage that turn). If a shieldless character rolls a 1 on a Defense roll, the fungus squeezes him for 2 Life points of damage. Reactions: 1 ignore the party, 2-3 fights, 4-6 fights to the death. Treasure: the Matanagar carries 2d6 gold pieces and has a 1 in 6 chance of having one of Davanzu’s ring, but you may roll for this ONLY after you kill the monster. You do not have a chance to find the ring if the Matanagar flees or ignores the party.

You meet a wood elf hunter. He will talk and give you one Clue unless you have the word FIRE on your play sheet. For 30 gold pieces, the elf will offer to sell you an anti-fungal poison. If smeared on a blade (slashing hand weapon or light slashing hand weapon), this poison will give you a +1 to hit any fungus man or Matanagar you meet. Note that this is not considered magic and may be used by barbarians. After three successful attacks against fungi folk or a matanagar, the poison will wear off. The poison will not wear off is used against other targets. If you roll this encounter again, you will meet another wood elf so you can buy the anti fungal poison again.

You find the entrance to an underground lair. You may leave it alone and carry on, or enter it. If you enter it, create a random dungeon using the rules in Four Against Darkness. If you find any magic treasure, you may opt to have found one of Davanzu’s rings instead. Inside the dungeon, you may spend three clues to meet one of the orc reavers (roll on the Orc Reavers table to determine who is met) instead of the final boss generated by the dungeon rules. Once you complete the dungeon, you must trace your way back to the exit (rolling a 1 in 6 chance of wandering monsters for every room) before you can carry on with encounters in the forest. For room content, use the normal tables found in Four Against Darkness.

You stumble upon a large pile of human-looking skulls in a clearing. You may leave them alone or send one character of your choice to inspect the skulls. If you do so, roll on the Pile of Skulls table.

Woods You stumble upon a small, rickety cabin in the woods. You may leave it alone and carry on, or roll on the Cabin in the Woods table. There are a total of three cabins in the forest. Keep a tally of them. Once you have encountered three cabins and explored them, ignore this result.

As you move next to a small body of water, d6+2 blob-like figures rise from the mud. They speak in gravelly voices and ask for a toll of 3d6 x2 gold pieces to let you pass. If you are unwilling or unable to pay, they will attack (your party has the initiative). Mudmen, level 8 minions, normal morale and treasure. Mudmen are so slow that every character attacking them adds his level to the Attack roll. All Defense rolls against them are at +1. They are immune to Sleep, Fireball, and Lightning spells, and to all ranged weapons. If the Mudmen flee, they disappear into the pool, and you find a small chest floating on the surface. The chest contains 4d6 gold pieces and has a 1 in 6 chance of containing one of Davanzu’s rings. This encounter is unique. If you roll it again, ignore it.

As you rest next to a giant boulder, it shifts and rises on two massive legs. It is a Boulder Beast! The creature attacks a random party member by surprise, striking first. Once you have met a Boulder Beast in this adventure, you will be suspicious of large stones. If you meet this creature again, it will lose the ability to strike first. Boulder Beast, level 7 boss, 4 life, normal morale and treasure. The Beast always attacks a random character. If it fails its morale roll, it turns back into a boulder. Attacks from the creature’s massive jaws inflict 2 Life with each successful hit. The monster is slow, so if you withdraw from the fight, you defend at +2.

A hill giant passes by, the earth shaking under his thunderous steps. As he walks past you, he drops something. Roll a die: 1) A purse containing 2d6 gp. 2) A boulder. Giants carry these as weapons, or as bowling balls to play with their friends. A random character must save versus Level 5 (elves and rogues add +L, halflings add +1) or be crushed and lose 2 Life. 3) A large chunk of dried meat. You may use this to bribe wolves. 4) A huge watermelon. You may eat it if you wish or keep it for later. 5) A large club that can be used as a two handed crushing weapon only by barbarians of level 5. The club is smeared with a poison that gives the user a +1 to hit giants until two successful attacks have been performed. 6) The corpse of one of the orc reavers! Roll on the orc reavers table to determine who was killed by the giant. The orc has 3d6 gp and has a 1 in 6 chance of having one of Davanzu’s rings. However, if you stop to pick up any of the above items, there is a chance that the giant will see you with the corner of his eye and attack you. Choose one character to pick up the treasure and save versus the giant’s eyesight at level 4. Rogues add +L to this roll. Halflings and Swashbucklers (from the Dark Waters adventure) add +1. If the roll fails, the giant turns and attacks the party. Hill Giant, level 7 boss, 8 life, 2 attacks, +2 morale, 3 treasure rolls at +1. Shields do not count against the giant’s attacks, which inflict 2 Life points on a successful hit. Any character hit by the giant will be knocked back and will have to forfeit his next attack, using his action to rejoin the fray. The knocked back character may also opt to remain at a distance and pelt the giant with missiles. Ranged attacks hit giants at +1. However, if any character performs a ranged attack at the giant, there is a 2 in 6 chance that the giant will throw a boulder at the party (see result 2, above, for the effect of a thrown boulder). The giant throws boulders as a free action, but he will not throw more than one boulder per turn. You may roll this encounter multiple times, but there is only one giant in the forest. Once he has been slain, it will not be encountered again. Also, the giant is carrying a total of 3 watermelons, so if you get that result more than three times, reroll.

As you advance through the underbrush, a gigantic form darts through the woods, knocking small trees over. It is a huge lizard-like creature, with a spiked tail powerful enough to crush a man with a single blow. These creatures are common in the lands of the barbarians. If you have a barbarian in the party, he will urge the party to keep their heads down and avoid confronting the creature. You must roll a 7 or better to do so. Add the barbarian’s level to the roll. If the roll fails, or if you do not have a barbarian in the party, you will have to fight the beast. Spiked tail beast, level 5 dinosaur boss, 6 life points, normal morale, no treasure. A character rolling a 1 on a Defense roll has his shield (if any) destroyed by the creature’s bite. In addition to its bite, every turn, the creature will flail its spiked tail and strike a random character. Shields and armor do not protect against the tail. The only option is to jump away! Rogues, elves and halflings add +½ L, barbarians add +1 to this Defense roll. The tail inflicts 2 Life damage if it strikes.

It starts to rain. The rain makes tracking harder, and there is a chance of a lightning storm. A wizard may use one of his Lightning spells, if any, to absorb the electricity in the air. If a wizard doesn’t do so, there is a 1 in 6 chance that a lightning bolt will hit a random character. The character must save versus level 5 electricity or die. Characters in heavy armor roll at -1. From now on until the end of the game, if you roll event 41, ignore it, as the rain makes tracking harder. This event is unique. Ignore it once it happens once in the adventure.

The party disturbs a swarm of bees. All characters must save versus level 3 poison. Any character who fails to save will be at -1 on Defense rolls until a healing spell is cast, or bandages are used and the party has gone through three more encounters.

The party is circled by hungry wolves. If you have the WOLVES keyword on your play sheet, the party acts first. If you do not have it, the wolves surprise you and get the initiative. 2d6+2 Hungry wolves, level 4 minions. No treasure. Normal morale. If two or more wolves are killed by a Fireball spell, the remaining wolves must make a morale roll. If the same Fireball also causes the wolves to fall under 50% of their number, they will have to pass TWO morale rolls. Reactions: 1-3 bribe (only if you have dried meat found in this adventure), 4-6 fight. There are a total of 30 wolves in the forest. Keep a tally of how many you kill. Once 30 wolves have been slain, ignore this encounter. If this is the first time you meet wolves, add the keyword WOLVES on your play sheet.

The party is hit by a violent whirlwind of magical origin. Every character must save versus a level 5 spell or take 1 damage and lose one item (player’s choice of a weapon, shield, or magic item, unless the character has scrolls: scrolls are always carried away first by the whirlwind). Wizards roll at +1. If you meet the whirlwind a second time, you have +1 on the save roll. Once you have met the whirlwind twice, ignore any further encounters with it.

You see a large oak with a large hollow. The tree has a gnarled appearance, and the grass in a two foot radius around its roots seems withered and dry. If you want to leave the tree alone, carry on. If you want to inspect the tree (the hollow seems the perfect place to hide some stolen goods), choose a character to inspect it and roll on the Old Oak table. There are three similar old oaks in the forest. Once you have encountered the old oak three times, ignore this result.

Growth You step into an area of the forest that is covered by giant mushrooms. Some are as tall as a man. You may avoid this dangerous looking area or step into it. If you step into it, roll on the Mushroom table.

You meet a beggar who seems lost in the forest. If you have a watermelon to give to him, or some dried meat, the beggar will thank you and bless you. This will let you reroll your next encounter.

You find an orc trapped in a giant spider web strewn between two tall trees. The orc seems dead, but it is difficult to say, as most of his body is covered by a gossamery cocoon. You may leave him alone and carry on, or inspect the body by rolling on the Giant Spider Web table.

Adventure Once at least one ring has been found and Davanzu is accompanied to safety out of the forest, the party will be given 120 gold pieces for every ring recovered. In addition, if any serpent men have been slain, the local authorities will gladly pay 20 gp for every serpent man head taken, and 30 gold pieces for any serpent man abomination. You may not conclude the adventure unless you have recovered at least one ring. If you recover three rings, a character of your choice gets an additional experience roll, in addition to xp rolls gained during the adventure for slaying bosses.