Raiding the Obsidian Keep

An overturned hull rests above the waves on a rocky point. From a square hole in one side, a woman sits fishing.

• Hull: Golden Dove.
• Square hole: Clearly sawed out recently.
• Woman: Rosetta, 55, tough as nails, healthy, yellow jacket sailor. Says the ships were destroyed by red lightning. Most sailors eaten by sharks. Asks for rescue.
• Inside the ship: Behind Rosetta’s bedding and tools, there is a neat stack of nine swords and daggers, including one ornate cutlass. ADMIRAL’S CUTLASS - This magic weapon (as short sword +1) has an ornate golden hilt with white coral spikes. The bearer can cast remove fear / cause fear (1/day).

A barnacle-crusted hull lies impaled on the sharp rocks. On one side, a charred hole gapes open. Voices echo inside.

• Hull: Hammer of Faith.
• Charred hole: 20 feet wide. Exploded outward.
• Voices: Two gaunt sailors (p. 13) in rag gedy yellow jackets argue loudly. Antony fears storms. Filipe fears sharks. They beg to be saved.
• Inside: Mostly empty. Lower deck is submerged. Six electric eels nest around a water-tight cask labeled with runes for “danger”. Contains 12 angelfire grenades. ANGELFIRE GRENADE - Apple-sized silver sphere. Twist to arm, three seconds to boom (2d6). Can ignite or shatter nearby materials. ELECTRIC EEL

AC 9 [10], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6), 1 x shock and stunned for 1 rd, THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’) SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 13

Waves and sloshing debris echo in a narrow black cave in the cliff wall. A dim red light flickers from inside.

• Black cave: Too narrow for a boat. Characters must climb along the narrow slippery ledges in the walls above the water.
• Red light: 30 feet back, a dented bronze lantern rocks in the waves, casting a red light. MARINER’S LANTERN - The dim red glow from this magic lantern offers little light, but it clears away fog for 100 feet in all directions.

Two masts rise above the waves. Twenty feet down, a broken hull rests on the sand. Figures move in the shadows. Metal glints in the light.

• Hull: Shining Lady.
• Figures: Twelve skeletons (p. 13) in tattered yellow uniforms. Shuffling, trapped inside by a tangle of drifting ropes and canvas.
• Metal: 2,500 GP glitters under the skeletons’ feet. Also, four angelfire grenades.

The titanic skull of an imperial shrikefish rests on the low rocks. Ribcages and rags hang from its slender fangs. A voice sings softly inside the skull.

• Shrikefish: A gigantic anglerfish with four glowing lures and harpoon-like teeth. Never seen alive.
• Rags: Yellow sailor jackets.
• Voice: Lounging in a sheltered pool is an ursaloth, half woman and half octopus, named Angelica. She offers secrets and gifts, for a price.
• Give her a kiss: “Forza was always in control of her powers. But the red storm was all chaos. Beware! There is something very old in that palace. I fear only the an gels could cleanse it.”
• Feed her a finger: the stump grows into a tentacle and the character can now breathe in water as well as air. The boon of the ursaloth! Hidden loot: Angelica sits on a small rusty chest full of 77 silver forks and 23 jade statu ettes of dancing mouselings worth 500 GP. ANGELICA THE URSALOTH - An amphibious enchantress with octopus tentacles for legs.

AC 3 [16], HD 2** (9 hp), Att 3 x tentacle (1d4) or unwanted kiss, THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 30

• Unwanted Kisses: + 4 to hit an unwary or sur prised target. Her lips are toxic, save vs poison or die in d6 turns.
• Seductive Song: Her voice is sultry, save vs spells or be charmed to protect and obey her. Killing her breaks the charm.
• Hungry Friends: She summons two harbor sharks (p. 13) to defend her (1/day).

A flat table of black stone rises just above the frothing waves. A lone shack huddles against a rock wall. Two robed men fumble with a fishing net.

• Shack: Flotsam, canvas. Has random cookery, fishing gear, tattered uniforms.
• Robed men: Radiant priests in yellow robes. Squabbling, clumsy, skinny. From the Shining Lady (two masts).
• Ivan, 55, gray beard, friar of Fate. “Free will is a myth!”
• Matteo, 35, black beard, friar of Fortune. “Everything is our own damned fault!”
• Claims: the fleet was destroyed by un natural red lightning. Also claim to have heard an “unholy scream of ultimate betrayal” during the storm.
• Begs: for rescue. RADIANT PRIESTS.

AC 5 [14] (chainmail), HD 2* (7 hp), Att 1 x mace (1d6) THAC0 18 [+1], MV 90’ (30’), SV D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (C2), ML 5, AL Lawful, XP 25

• Spells: As 2nd level cleric
• Turning undead: As 2nd level cleric

Black rocks form a jetty spearing out from the pebbled beach. The broken foundations of a tower stand in the foam.

• Tower: Five kettle crabs (p. 13) scuttle inside, picking at the corpses of four soldiers in black armor.
• Corpses: A black iron key hangs on a chain around one soldier’s neck. BLACK IRON KEY - Opens the hatch in the Grassy hillside (p. 33).

A stone warrior 50 feet tall stands carved into the cliff wall, its left arm shattered at the shoulder. The stone arm lies in the water, its closed fist just above the waves.

• Fist: A thin gleam of gold is visible be tween the stone fingers. Takes d6 turns to smash open (2-in-6 chance of an encoun ter each each turn). Encloses a gold staff. HOLY STAFF OF VITELA - This emerald-stud ded golden staff was once carried by the archbishops of radiant vitela. The bearer takes half damage from Chaotic magic. Touch the staff to a Chaotic creature to ban ish it from this plane of existence (1/day).

A large raft of mismatched timbers rides at anchor in the shallows. A sturdy hut stands on top. Two adults and three boys sit fishing.

• Hut: Simple, clean. Comfy hammocks. Clothes, tools, and food hang in small nets.
• Adults: Alfeo and Velia, 35, married, local fishermen. Cottage destroyed by lava in the red storm. Eager for news. A nice happy couple.
• Boys: Beppe, Dino, and Elmo. 5, 7 and 10 years old. Sleepy, whiny, mischievous.
• Offer them supplies: Alfeo takes the character aside and says that Duchess Forza probably used her sorcery to create the red storm to destroy the fleet. But then lava destroyed the palace and the fishermen’s cottages. The Duchess would never do anything like that!
• Request: Velia gives a toy boat made by the three boys. It is a gift for Oskor, their grandfather, wherever he is. The beach, maybe (Stilt hut, p. 20)?

Three small fishing boats bob and thump, tethered together against the mast of a sunken ship. An old man waves at you.

• Boats: A makeshift raft. Fraying ropes, rusty tools, tattered nets.
• Old man: Gasparo, 60, white hair, visi ble burn scars. Cannot speak clearly at all, damaged tongue. Injured by lightning in the red storm.
• Offer him supplies: He gifts an oilskin case he found full of letters between the Archbishop of Radiant Vitela and Cap tain Marcus of the Sacred Flame: “In addition to destroying the Obsidian Keep and its foul masters, you must also cleanse the world of the hideous servants of the conqueror worm. Strike quickly! Do not even allow them to speak. If any man hears the lies of the red priests, then that man must die as well…”

A mass of tiny legs and tails wriggles on the surface, but makes no progress in any direction.

• Mass: Fifty tadpoles have fused togeth er into one mindless, harmless creature.
• If the party returns later, half the tadpoles have become full-grown frogs. Still harmless.

Sheltered from the elements, a ship’s in tact cabin rests inside this shallow cave. A man and girl sit, braiding ropes and nets.

• Man: Sandro, 35, healthy, friendly. Fish erman. Hates the mutant servants, glad Duchess Forza and Duke Avito are gone. Girl.Nora, 10, healthy, sarcastic. Wants to hear stories about monsters!

A small dinghy rests upside down on driftwood poles. A man digs in the sand nearby.

• Man: Ivo. 45, Healthy, bored, over-eager for company, lifelong clam digger. Ready to sail off in search of a new home.
• Requests: Ivo needs an intact sail. If given one, he says, “you can get under the palace through a tunnel under the western wall. It leads straight into the dungeons. You’ll need a black iron key, but only soldiers have those.” (see Grassy Hillside, p. 33)

Encounters on the beach

Roll 1d20 for an encounter each time the party moves toward a new destination. 1 A screaming cackle echoes down from the palace.

• 2 A corpse washes onto the shore: Its chest bursts open. A dozen 3 A straight row of six unmarked mounds in the damp sand (crude graves of mutated servants).
• 4 Two kettle crabs lie dead in the sand: their red chitin shattered open, their pale meat taken. 5 Four kettle crabs emerge from the sand to surround the characters. 6 A hideous vulgrane swoops down to make clawing passes over the party's heads! Three huge,black vulgranes soar in lazy circles above the beach, waiting for something to die, 7 and occasionally dropping a foul yellow spatter (highly flammable scat — treat as lamp oil). 8 A giant mass of milky, white flesh lies quivering on the beach (d6 lightning damage when touched). A small gang of unsupervised filthy children stomp along the water’s edge, stabbing beached jellyfish with sharp sticks and shouting swear words. Their parents died in the red storm. 9 They know where the backdoor to the palace is ( rescued from the island. 10 The ground shakes and a rift opens at party's feet, spilling searing hot lava onto the beach (d6 damage). A red horseshoe crab crawls up the beach. On its underside, there is a woman’s horrified face 11 surrounded by chitinous legs. A shark lies still on the sand, its belly swollen. In its stomach is a golden helmet (worth 250 GP) 12 with a man’s surprised head still inside it. Dozens of tiny white sandpipers land on the beach and toddle forward. Each has one large red
• 13 eye: They abruptly dash about, yanking fat white worms from the sand to swallow them whole. Then fly away. A tall, slender gray heron walks elegantly along the beach in a perfectly straight line. Its wings
• 14 are featherless, red ruins: It cries sorrowfully, chokes, and falls dead. In its throat, a silver ring with a diamond shaped like a scarab (300 GP). Hundreds of fist-sized white clams cluster among a few large gray rocks, draped in green kelp. 15 Inside each shell is a live human eye that fixes on the nearest face. When swallowed whole, they cause the eater to grow a working eye somewhere on their body. A body crawls down the beach toward the water. Three women and two men all fused together 16 in a wretched tangle of limbs and heads, faces gasping and weeping. Some beg for help. Some beg for death. A cluster of tiny blue jellyfish float gently through the air at chest level (20’ cloud). Tentacles 17 cause painful stings and welts (1 damage). Fragile. The beach grows hot underfoot, and suddenly a dozen crooked spears of milky, brown glass 18 lance upward at wild angles (d6 damage, save vs paralysis to avoid). Three grim sailors in dirty yellow jackets sit shivering around a small fire of driftwood. They 19 look up with pleading eyes. They have no mouths. They will starve to death in 2d6 days. A great mound of brown and yellow bones (human) sits high on a dune. A pair of adorable sea otters scamper in and out of a small entrance as they forage for food and then return to their 20 macabre shelter. Inside, three even more adorable baby sea otters frolic on dried kelp beside 419 GP in loose coins, pearl earrings, jade bracelets, silver nose rings, and coral necklaces. eels spill out and race for the water. Grassy Hillside, p. 33). They demand to be

Kettle crab, vulgrane and sailor: see p. 13

3.Lava stream

A bright yellow stream of lava flows slowly down the slope from the Obsidian Keep, across the beach, and into the water.

• Stream: Ten feet wide, a cloud of foul hot steam hovers over it.
• Danger: 2-in-6 chance of a cinder shrimp swarm.

CINDER SHRIMP (swarm): Finger-sized crustaceans that live in magma rivers.

AC 7 [12], HD 3 (13 hp), Att 1 x swarm (2 or 4 hp), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 30’ (10’) / 60’ (20’) swimming, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 11, AL Neutral, XP 35

• Size: 20’ × 20’ area, typically.
• Swarm attack: Automatically damages characters within swarm area: 2 hp if wearing armour, 4 hp without. Attacks by latching onto burning prey with their scorching shells.
• Escaping: On exiting the swarm, characters continue to suffer half damage until 1 full round is spent removing, drowning, or freezing the attached shrimp.
• Immunity: Immune to fire and heat. Only affected by cold and sleep spells, or other attacks as the referee wishes.

4.Stilt hut

A tiny wooden hut stands on ten-foot stilts above the waves. An old man sits on the platform holding a spear.

• Man: Oskor, 70, healthy, skinny, shirt less, toothless, timid, spear-fisher.
• Drunk: He passed out and slept through the red storm.
• Misses: His daughter Velia.
• Give him the toy boat (see 9. page 20): He gives up drinking and gives away his last bottle of Requia rum (three portions, each causes 8 hours of sleep).
• Don’t give him the toy: He dies of alcohol poisoning within a day.

A flimsy tent of patched canvas stands shaking in the breeze. Thumps and shouts ring out!

• Thumps: A kettle crab (p. 9) is attacking a frightened woman clutching a baby!
• Woman: Clio, 25, tired, hungry, scared (red scales on her left hand), and baby Rico (healthy). She is a palace maid rescued by Prince Orsino during the red storm.
• Claims she saw dark stains in Duke Avito’s laundry for the last few months. Thinks he was very ill, maybe dying. (He was sacrificing animals.)

A slimy, barnacle-encrusted shell rises from the wet sand. A silver rune gleams on one side.

• Rune: “Angelfire” Unexploded angelfire shell, launched by the fleet. 5 foot diameter. 100 pounds. Can be safely moved as long as it is han dled gently. One direct strike or drop and boom (6d6 damage to everything within 30 feet).

A crooked mound of sand 30 feet across bulges from the beach. It stinks of salt and decay. Large blood-red crabs scuttle over the mound, digging into the sand.

• Crabs: Six large kettle crabs (p. 13), very territorial.
• Mound: Contains 72 dead sailors, bur ied by beach-folk.
• Treasure: 12 Daggers, frayed yellow uni forms, 1 angelfire grenade (p.14) , 109 GP.

A rickety cottage of salvaged driftwood stands on the beach. Three children play outside. Two women mend clothes.

• Cottage: Two families of palace ser vants share this home. Prince Orsino led them to safety during the red storm.
• Children: Aldo (elf ear). Lena (goat eye). Gino (fang).
• Women: Flora (pig nose). Berta(gnarled horn).
• Men? Out looking for food.
• Mutations? They say the changes started a year ago when Duke Avito began fighting with his wife. He was jealous of her arcane powers.

A small tent of gold silk rustles in the breeze. A young man sits outside on an overturned bucket, writing in a book. Jagged chunks of glass sit on the sand around him.

• Man: Hamza, 25, healthy, beardless, black hair, yellow robes. Black eye from a run-in with the scavengers at the filthy tent (see opposite). Enthusiastic scholar from Radiant Vitela, just arrived yester day, wants to learn what happened here.
• Requests: He wants some red glass from the red tree (p. 23), but he is too scared to go near the screaming tree. He offers a pair of black gloves to bring him some red glass. Book. Drawings and notes about the shipwrecks. Glass. Fulgurite samples. Claims the storm was caused by a new, unknown sorcery. Very exciting! HAMZA’S GLOVES - The wearer of these magic leather gloves can safely touch any object (hot, cold, magical, acid, lava, fire, etc.).

A tent made from a muddy sail lies lashed across a shattered mast. Wood and iron stakes ring the area.

• 30 feet from the tent: a crossbow bolt flies over the character's heads. A man yells, “Get lost!”
• 15 feet from the tent: there are six bear traps (d6 damage) buried in the sand all around the tent, 2-in-6 chance to trigger when walking within 15’ of the tent.
• Tent: Occupied by Dmitri and Lazar, 30, tough, mean. Healthy. Scavengers and thieves.
• Inside: Locked chest. 1,241 FP, 47 white pearls (2,350 GP), 14 cutlasses, two red pearl earrings (500 GP), two angelfire grenades, five boots, three peg legs, one stuffed parrot. SCAVENGER - A human with more greed than sense.

AC 2 [17], HD 3 (13 hp), Att 1 x weapon (1d8), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 35

• Weapon: Short sword, hatchet, hammer, pickaxe, crossbow.
• Grenado: d8, blinding flash, ignites dry mate rial, scatters loose material (1 each).
• Desperado: The scavenger must make a Mo rale check each time they are harmed. When they fail, the scavenger tries to flee at all costs.

High on the cliff, a stone arch curves over a dim cave. Ancient markings cover the stones. NOTE: This is the ancient tomb of the magician Prospero. Ten years ago, Duchess Forza took his skull to learn his sorcerous secrets

• Cliff: There is no path. Characters must climb the sheer rock face 50 feet straight up.
• Markings: Olde common: “keep out! Danger! It was very hard to kill him! Leave him dead! Please!”
• Cave: Smells of incense. Rough stone. 20 feet back, a stone door stands open, scorch marks on the dirt floor. 40 feet back, a stone sarcophagus lies open, with a skeleton inside. The skull is missing. Scratch marks on the inside of the lid.
• Sarcophagus: The lid reads in olde common, “Here lies Prospero, long may he rot. He dabbled in magic, and look what he got!”. Hidden in the dusty bone fragments in the sarcophagus there is a platinum ring (200 GP) and a single glass eye.

ARCANE EYE - Cloudy, swirling. The magically preserved eye of the magician Prospero, which contains a sliver of his mind and soul (possessed).

• Touch the eye to an object or creature and Prospero's voice booms from nowhere, iden tifying or explaining it with dripping sarcasm and obvious prejudice (1/day).

A wide tent of black and red silk stands high on the dunes. A tattooed man sits on a rock. A masked woman lounges on a tattered sofa on the sand.

• Tent: Clean and sturdy, but fraying at the edges. Inside, one chest of silverware (80 GP), one chest of jade figurines (80 GP), and a simple cot.
• Man: Ezio, 40, beard, rapier. No left ear (he cut it off to remove his mutation). Grim, depressed bodyguard. Knows the lady is mad, but he has nowhere else to go.
• Woman: Magdalena, 35, blonde, charm ing, delusional. Painted porcelain mask hides her mutation (an insane smile stretched to her ears with large beaver teeth). Once a wealthy jade merchant and lady at court.
• Wants: Attention.
• Claims: This is all a mistake and Duke Avito and Duchess Forza will return to restore the Obsidian Keep soon.
• Requests: Thieves stole her red pearl earrings last week (see Filthy tent, p. 22). She offers 1,000 GP reward for them (she has no money).

A twisted, branching pillar of milky red glass rises from the sand. A black skeleton stands frozen inside it. A silver circlet rests on the skull.

• 30 feet from the pillar: Muted screaming.
• Pillar: Fulgurite. Caused by a huge light ning strike.
• Skeleton: Naked, charred, frozen in a pose of pain.
• Circlet: Pure silver set with three black pearls (1,000 gp).
• Touch it: the dead Prince Orsinobegs you to break the glass and bury his bones, in return for his story and the secret ofhis circlet.
• Orsino’s story: “During the red storm, I couldn’t find my little sister Bianca anywhere. My eldest sister Viola sent me to lead the servants to safety. I did so, but I was struck by lightning here. I’ve seen Mother’s sorcerous powers many times, and this was like nothing she had ever done before. I find it difficult to believe this was her doing. I blame the red priests, but i do not know how they did this. Please find my sister Bianca!” ORSINO'S CIRCLET.
• When placed in its case in Prince Orsino's room (p. 60): It summons a sylph (tiny gray six-winged moth-man, intelligent but does not speak) cleric, which heals whoever last touched Orsino’s circlet (d6 hp, cures poison and ends diseases, once per day).
• While worn: - Gain +1 WIS. - Disables the trap at the door of Bianca's room (p. 62).

Half buried in the cooled lava, 50 stone cottages are still partially visible along the bluffs above the beach. No signs of life here now.

Above the high-tide line, a heap of drift wood, splintered planks, and shredded canvas burns brightly, hurling cinders into the air. Two dozen dirty strangers talk quietly, staring into the flames. A fair number wear yellow jackets or leather smocks, but you notice a variety of ar mour and outfits from around the known world.

• Yellow jackets: Stranded sailors from Radiant Vitela (p. 9). Gaunt, ragged. Des perate for rescue. Willing to do anything to escape this cursed island.
• Leather smocks: Homeless servants from the Obisidian Keep. Superficial mutations (fur, scales, feathers). Oddly serene, content. Glad to be free of their masters. Hopeful about their future. Willing to help the party for a little extra coin and passage off the island (see pp. 70-71).
• Discussing: How difficult or dangerous it would be to either build a boat from the flotsam, or to steal a houseboat from someone in the harbor. Each day there is a 2-in-6 chance they work up the nerve to try an escape plan.

The black walls of the palace loom over you, the tops jagged and broken. Rubble blocks the mangled gate. An elegant black carriage lies crushed under fallen debris. Sulfurous fumes rise from the earth.

• Walls: 50 feet tall. Large stones have fallen from the top but it is otherwise intact.
• Gate: Iron. Bent, will never open again.
• Carriage: Leaving the palace. Decaying horse and driver. Inside, dead gentleman in black velvet suit in a white porcelain mask. No nose under it. . Snuff box, full of red dust, blue pearl key (blue pearl door, p. 47), letter. RED ORCHID DUST - inhale and giggle uncon trollably for 2d6 turns. Anyone who hears the giggle must save vs paralysis or begin giggling until you stop. Speech and spellcasting are impossible. LETTER FROM DUKE AVITO - To the invading fleet: “Surrender or be devoured by the con queror worm!”

This round black tower glowers over the walls, its roof charred and shattered.

• Tower: Roof charred and shattered.
• Entrance: Open archway on the inner wall.
• Interior: Stone stairs spiral up to a landing. Black armor on charred skele tons (lightning).
• Loot! Seven black longbows, seven black breastplates, 37 arrows, and one black iron key (opens Grassy hillside, p. 37).

Rubble lies around a smoking volcanic vent where the wall used to stand. Bright lava oozes down to the beach. Armored corpses lie everywhere.

• Corpses: Dead soldiers in melted ar mor, buried in hard lava.
• Rubble: Possible to climb over rubble to enter the grounds. Beware the searing heat and toxic fumes from the lava.
• Toxic fume: Save vs poison or spend 2d6 turns coughing loudly and unable to see clearly beyond ten feet.

Twenty feet above the ground, the crushed shape of a stone cottage, torn out from the wall by the red storm, floats 30 feet in the air, slowly tumbling in place. The stones sizzle and spark.

• Stones: Residual charge. One touch releases a loud shock (1d6 damage), which removes the charge.
• Cottage: Home and shop of a cobbler. An open window offers a narrow path in side, should someone make their way up.
• Interior: Cobbler's tools, raw leather, nine assorted shoes, and one black leather jacket. BLACK LEATHER JACKET - Striking. Sexy. Cool. All of the wearer’s reaction rolls are coin toss es (heads = total success and tails = horrific failure).

Volcanic rock covers the floor inside the blackened stalls. Large skeletons slouch in the ashen corners. A grunt echoes from the far end.

• Skeletons: Seven horses, died trapped in their stalls.
• Grunt: A shining black horse with a white skull head stands calmly in the last stall. Eats ash and pebbles. Acts like a normal horse. Friendly.

SKULL HORSE. Shining black horse with a white skull head

AC 7 [12], HD 2 (9 hp), att 2 × hoof (1d4), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 240’ (80’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14, ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 20

• Undead nature. Does not sleep or breathe. Immune to poison and disease. Eats ash and pebbles.

Four iron cages sit under a canopy. Three are open and empty. An overgrown white hound stands in the fourth, staring at you, whining.

• Iron cage: Latched with a heavy hook, easy to shove open.
• White hound: Mutant. Will accept one new master, whoever pets it first.

MUTANT HOUND - Rattle tail. Shark teeth. A third eye on the right side. Eats ash.

AC 7 [12], HD 4* (18 hp), att 1 × bite (2d4 + bleed), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14, ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 125

• Bleed: Loss of 1d3 damage per round until wounds are bandaged.

The volcanic rock was recently cleared away from this large cottage. Pitted metal plates cover the windows. A light flickers inside. Smoke rises from the chimney. Large cottage:Living here is Silvo, 45, hairy, paranoid, survivalist. Blacksmith. Mutant crab-claw hand.

• Thinks: The party are ghosts, does not believe anyone is still alive, he is the last human.
• Eats: Oranges from the nearby white garden (p. 32).
• Hasugly black armor, giant cleaver, and chain whip.
• Knows: That Duchess Forza was at the height of her powers and genius. She was going to rule all the seven cities of the Sakeen Sea with her mighty sorcery. But there was a rift with Duke Avito. He was jealous of his wife. He surrounded himself with strange red robed priests and spent most of his time in private, starting a year ago. SILVO THE SMITH

AC 3 [16] (black plate), HD 3 (13 hp), att 1 × cleaver (1d8+2), chain (2d4+2, 10' radius) THAC0 17 [+2], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 35

SILVO’S ARMOR - This hulking black plate armor is immune to fire and lightning damage. SILVO’S CLEAVER - This ugly weapon of patched steel has a vicious serrated edge that deals 1d8+2 damage. On an attack roll of 1, the cleaver shatters, damaging the wielder instead. SILVO’S CHAIN - This rusty chain whip ends in an iron weight covered in razor blades. 10-foot reach, 2d4+2 damage. On an attack roll of 1, the chain wraps around the wielder and fuses solid: arm useless, user encumbered; chain must be destroyed.

Behind a fence of razor wire, twisted white trees curl over rows of sickly white vines. A lone white bush sits between the roots of one tree.

• Fence: A rough barricade of wires fixed to pig-iron posts. With a little time, one can carefully make an opening.
• Trees: Mutant blood-orange trees. No leaves, no bark. Produces and drops one orange each hour (rots away in d6 hours). Safe to eat, restores 1d6 hp. Rotting orang es litter the ground.
• Vines: White pumpkins filled with white worms. Take 1d6 damage if eaten.
• Bush: Mutant Alma, 25, sleepy, apathet ic, bored. Gardener. Bone-white skin and hair, covered in white leaves. Can speak to plants. Very strong. Wants to stay.
• Remembers: Hearing an inhuman scream from atop the keep during the red storm. ALMA

AC 5 [14], HD 2 (9 hp), att 1 × staff (1d6), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 120’ (60’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 11, AL NEUTRAL, XP 20

Inside this stone shed, three large metal vats sit half-full of dark, foul water. Heaps of cloth lie on a long table.

• Metal vats: Water, ash, algae, and rotting clothing. Foot-long red centipedes wriggle across the surface scum.
• Long table: Laundry in varies stages of washing. Gray servant clothes, and black velvet suits and dresses. RED CENTIPEDE

AC 7 [12], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 1 × bite (1d4 + poison), THAC0 19 [0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 13

• Poison: Causes victims to become horribly sick for ten days (save versus poison) — no physical activity possible except half speed movement.

Shining pots and pans hang from hooks in neat rows. The file floor is spotless and the pantry is well stocked. Counters and stovetops gleam. A man snores on the floor.

• Man: Durante, 20, thin, long blonde hair, thin beard. Awkward, timid, giggles. (Long webbed green fingers.) Has been eating from the pantry, cleaning the kitchen.
• Thinks: You are Duke Avito / Duchess Forza. Serves you.
• Knows: That Duchess Forza was at the height of her powers and her genius. She was going to rule all the seven cities of the Sakeen Sea with her mighty sorcery. But there was a rift with Duke Avito. He was jealous of his wife. He surrounded himself with strange red robed priests and spent most of his time in private, starting a year ago. DURANTE

AC 9 [10], HD 1 (4 hp), att 1 × dagger(1d4), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (60’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 5, AL NEUTRAL, XP 10

• Pantry: Fruit preserves, dried fish, salted ox. If eaten, roll 1d10. On a 1, gain a mutation (1d4):
• 1: A snake’s tongue
• 2: A termite’s mandibles
• 3: A beetle’s eyes
• 4: A small third arm

Ten identical small rooms line a dim hallway. Scorched remains of doors hang off melted hinges. Charred corpses lie on the beds and floors.

• Corpses: Dead servants. A woman clutches a singed letter: “My darling Dafne, soon I'll have enough saved to take you away from this terrible place. Please don't despair! I promise you, we are just a few weeks away from starting a lifetime of joy together. Have faith. Love, Gianni”

A pair of tall black doors bound in iron bars stand closed within a soaring gothic archway. Below the doors, a smoldering crack in the ground has damaged the stairs, and a largepale shape writhes in the scalding pit.

• Doors: Locked. Difficult to push open due to high standing water inside (total Strength of 50). Opens into the flooded foyer (p. 45). When opened, some of the water spills down the stairs and into the smolding crack, boiling the ash louse to death.
• Crack: 10’, encircles the entrance, crumbling ashen edges. Rippling waves of heat rise from the visible lava inside.
• Pales shape: Ash louse (p. 29), current ly bathing in the lava, attacks anything that jumps over the crack.

To the west of the keep, hidden deep in the tall grass on a hillside, there stands a blackiron hatch.

• Hatch: Locked (black iron key unlocks it — Standing tower, p. 34; Fallen light house, p. 20; Encounters in the harbor, p. 12). Opens on a narrow tunnel that leads to a second locked black iron hatch (black iron key unlocks it), which opens out into the boiling cistern (p. 39).

Huge stone pillars support this long vaulted chamber. A jagged chasm in the floor stretches the length of the room, oozing with red lava. Iron bunk beds and chests stand in scattered disarray, glowing red at their bases. Charred corpses lie everywhere. Each turn, 3-in-6 chance that cinder shrimp (p. 29) emerge from the lava. Each turn, 2-in-6 chance that 2d6 corpses rise as chaos zombies (p. 36).Observant characters may notice move ment under the surface before this happens.

• Stone pillars: Each supports four torches in iron rings. The iron rings can each support the weight of one person.
• Red lava: Covers the entire floor (d8 damage when touched).
• Heat: After 1 turn, save vs death every minute or pass out.
• Beds: Sturdy for the next 1 turn (melting). Can support the weight of two people.
• Chests: Sturdy for the next 1 turn (melt ing). Can support the weight of one person. Each contains a sky blue soldier uniform, wool blanket, amulet of a militant angel (Gideon) or courageous saint (Eryn), empty satchel, burnt rations, (hot) dagger, melted soap, (hot) mirror, canteen of (hot) water, and a few salacious drawings.
• Corpses: Fifty soldiers, burnt sky blue uniforms, melted black armor. Died as they mustered, some bones rattle and shudder. A charred hand clutches a singed letter: “my sweet Gianni, I don't know if I can live like this any longer. The masters grow more mon strous by the hour, and now even my reflection terrifies me. You are the only star in my eternal night. Love, Dafne.”

Glimmers of red light from the lava outside play on the floor, yet ice crystals hang in the air. Tall wooden racks cover the northern wall, where wicked blacksteelweapons gleam in their cradles.

• Lava: Begins oozing into the room in 1 turn (d8 damage when touched).
• Crystals: The room is cold, breath mists (until the lava enters).
• Wooden racks: Bursts into flames when the lava enters.
• Black-steel: A rare starmetal alloy known as nechrome. NECHROME WEAPONS - Two daggers, one Nechrome rapier, one two-handed sword, one nechrome spear, ten nechrome arrows. Cause freezing wounds (1 per round until warmed), freeze mundane water on contact up to 10’x10’x10’ (1/day - the weapon stops freezing wounds until dawn).

Quakes have shattered the floor, and the entire chamber leans sharply to one side. Beyond a cracked wooden bench stands a stone statue of a woman grasping a sword.

• Bench: For prayer and reflection. Un der the seat is a braided silver wedding ring (25 GP).
• Statue: Saint Eryn, the Will to Live, patron of mothers and soldiers. Muscular, long hair, holding a sharp bronze sword (edges stained with old blood). Stone painted: black hair, red skin, white eyes. Floor worn smooth (by soldiers kneeling before the saint).
• If a person kneels before the statue and cuts their hand on the bronze sword: The saint speaks in a stern com mending voice, “What do you fear more than death?” The person answers with a specific creature, person, effect, etc. The saint replies, “Rise now and go forth without fear.” For d6 hours, the person has a +2 bonus to all rolls when near their stated fear, and then for the following d6 hours the person has a -2 penalty to all rolls when near their stated fear.

Wide stone stairs spiral up from the dun geons to level 1. At the top of the stair is a solid iron door.

• Door: Locked (to keep prisoners down stairs). When the door is opened, a flood of cold filthy water pours down the stairs and into the blazing barracks (p. 39), where it cools the lava into solid rock and the air fills with scalding steam. In d6 hours, the lava begins flowing up through the cracks again.

Behind the locked iron bars of the small stone cell, a gaunt hairy man hangs from iron shackles on the back wall.

• Man: Percy (35), ex-stable boy. Beard ed, filthy, starving. Shivers, weeps. Kind, honest. Locked up because Princess Bianca had a crush on him 20 years ago. If washed and shaved, he is still devastating ly gorgeous (no mutations).
• Wants: Freedom.
• Fears: Almost everything.
• Secret: Percy cannot be harmed by red priests or visceral corruptions (rare lawful blessing).
• If freed: Percy tends to wander away when not watched. Confused, defense less. PERCY - A confused and defenseless servant.

AC 9 [10], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 1 x fist (1d4), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 6, AL Lawful, XP 10

• Blessed: Percy cannot be attacked by red priests or visceral corruptions.

Behind the locked smoldering bars of the small stone cell, a sweaty young man clings to the wall above a crack in the floor that is slowly filling the cell with incandescent lava.

• Lava: Slowly covering the floor. Heat becoming unbearable. In d6 hours, Byron will pass out and fall to his doom. Each turn, there is a 3-in-6 chance that a swarm of cinder shrimp (p. 29) emerge.
• Man: Byron(30), charming thief from distant Vitela. Stained green coat, dark beard, tight trousers. Byron has a loop of red cord tied around his left wrist (the crimson catgut). Grins, jokes, winks. Locked up for trying to steal an amber orb (magical battery) from the Duchess Forza. Scheduled for execution.
• Wants: Freedom and luxury.
• Fears:Suffering and mutating.
• If freed: Byron follows the party until he sees a chance to escape the palace. BYRON - A charming thief.

AC 6 [13], HD 2 (5 hp), Att 1 x weapon, THAC0 19 [+0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15, ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 25

• Thief: 2-in-6 chance to find and disarm traps, and to pick locks (4-in-6 with thieves' tools).. CRIMSON CATGUT - The wearer is immune to disease, deafness, and blindness.

Behind the unlocked iron bars of the small stone cell, countless dark stained bones lie in a crooked heap. You hear a faint buzzing noise.

• Bones: Human skeletons, three women. Three skulls: eyes glow dimly, have arcane runes etched inside (“spirit” and “summon”).
• If a rune skull is smashed:Summons the ghost of an ancient witch, who answers one question correctly or performs one task (such as scout the area or frighten someone nearby). The ghost witch cackles madly and anything near her is encrusted with blue frost. Buzzing. Under the bones nests a swarm of corpse flies (p. 36).

Behind the locked rusted bars of the small stone cell, a tattered gray sheet hangs from two nails on the back wall.

• Gray sheet: Obscures a narrow tunnel dug by escaped prisoners. Runs 100 feet, emerges onto a narrow rock ledge above a seaside cliff, 50 feet above waves crashing on sharp rocks. Two decaying corpses lie mangled on the rocks below. A seagull sits on the rock ledge.
• Seagull: A sapphire ring glitters on its leg. Any sudden move scares the seagull away.

SAPPHIRE RING - Seagull form. Anyone who puts on the ring turns into a seagull until the ring is removed. When the ring is removed from the current seagull, it reverts to an elderly woman named Gertrid who has no memory of anything useful, but knows many bread recipes.

Behind the mangled iron bars of the small stone cell, a white weasel nurses two tiny white weasel kittens in a nest of yellow bones.

• Iron bars: Twisted by a partially collapsed ceiling. Disturb the bars and stone blocks fall (2d6 damage, save vs paralysis for half damage).
• Weasel: Proud mother. Hissy, protective. Becomes loyal to the first person who feeds her. Can hunt and kill any creature smaller than a cat in mere seconds.
• Kittens: Mewling, adorable, nippy. Become loyal to the first person who feeds them.
• Bones: Human. Covered in tiny tooth marks (prisoner devoured by the weasel). WHITE WEASEL

AC 6 [13], HD 1-1*(3 hp), Att 1 × bite (1d3 + blood sucking), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18, ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 6

• Infravision: 30’.
• Blood sucking: Upon a successful attack, locks onto the victim and drains its blood: 1d4 automatic damage per round. Detaching: If weasel or victim dies.

Behind the locked iron bars of the small stone cell, a metal man stands motionless, gazing with glowing blue eyes. A fist-sized blue crystal is embedded in his chest.

• Metal man: Vertex (900), Ghiran machine priest. Slender, rusty, blue robe. Gentle, timid.
• Wants: To preach logic, mathematics, and law.
• If freed: Vertex follows the party fear fully, but has a 3-in-6 chance of fleeing in a random direction at the sight of chaos mutations. Blue crystal. The Soulstone. Keeps Vertex alive. Easily retrieved with a dagger or sharp object. VERTEX - A gentle mechanical priest.

AC 2 [17], HD 3 (13 hp), Att 1 x metal fist (1d6), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 10, AL Lawful, XP 35

• Encyclopedic: Able to identify any natural creature or phenomenon on sight.
• Phobia: 3-in-6 chance of fleeing at the sight of Chaos mutations (or lovely horrors). SOULSTONE - Bearer has 18 Intelligence, 4-in-6 chance to identify any natural creature or phenomenon on sight, or to know one fact about any historical event. They also become phobic of chaos.

12 .Cell 7

Behind the locked iron bars of the small stone cell, a woman hangs from a bar on the ceiling, doing pull-ups with one arm.

• Woman: Helena (25), ducal soldier. Tall, muscular, sky blue uniform. Impa tient, brutal. Mutated vulture talon hand. Locked up for brawling.
• Wants: To fight “red-robed freaks”.
• Bad at: loyalty and stealth.
• If freed: Helena quickly runs off to fight cultists and lovely horrors on her own. 3-in-6 chance she gets herself killed. HELENA - A powerful brawler and soldier.

AC 4 [15], HD 3 (13 hp), Att 2 x weapon (1d8), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 11, AL Lawful, XP 35

• Phobia: Insects.
• Hatred: Attacks lovely horrors on sight.

Behind the locked iron bars of the small stone cell, a woman in a sparkling violet gown reclines on a black silk loveseat, holding a black lace fan to obscure her face.

• Woman: Baronness Oklavia (45), local aristocrat (lovely horror, p. 37). Lace, jewels (500 gp), predatory eyes. Silver beetle brooch. Seductive, playful, mock ing. Locked up for joking about the Duke’s “private pursuits in the attic”.
• Wants: To laugh at others’ suffering, and drink.
• Fears: Being laughed at.
• Owns: A blue pearl key (Blue pearl door, p. 50)
• Secret: Her mouth has mutated into four grotesque insect mandibles, yet her voice remains sultry and compelling. Her kisses are terrifying.
• If freed: Oklavia goes to the banquet hall (p. 47) and starts drinking. Lovely horrors do not attack the party while she is nearby. When drunk, she forgets who the adventurers are and acts as a standard lovely horror.

This rocky hole plunges straight down into utter darkness. In the inky shadows, two red pinpricks of light slowly blink.

• Rocky hole: Ten feet across, 50 feet deep. Lava reaches the hole in 1 hour.
• Pinpricks: A pair of red eyes. A grayskinned woman without legs. Pavnutia (2,200), vampire alchemist from space (currently powerless). Red eyes, gray skin, black hair. Filthy golden silk dress. Legs chopped off and canine teeth extracted (by Duchess Forza). Gaunt, weak, bloodstarved. Scientific genius, professional exsanguinator.
• Wants: Human blood, and to return to the orbital vampire city of Araveshti.
• Fears: Sunlight.

Cold murkywater covers the marble floor of the black marble entrance hall. Cold water drips from the cracked ceiling. Tattered tapestries drip and sag on the walls. Two crumpledcorpses lie huddled together in the corner.

• Water: Knee-deep, stagnant, full of ash. Hides coins scattered across the floor (287 GP, dropped by fleeing people). If lightning strikes, creatures in the water take d6 damage.
• Tapestries: Sky blue silk, black crests (noble families): falcon, crab, spider, shark, beetle, tiger, unicorn, dragon.
• Corpses: Thunder-crushed and covered in white residue . Tattered violet velvet garments, silver crab brooches (2 × 100 GP). Cracked white porcelain masks hide grotesque facial mutations: red crab chitin-skin and crab eye-stalks.
• Residue: Insect eggs: When the corpses are disturbed, a swarm of corpse flies (p. 36) burst out of their mouths.

Shattered windows gape all around the echoing ballroom. Water ripples darkly on black marble tiles. Massive crystal chandeliers shaped like human hands creak in the wind. Twisted wooden objects litter the floor amidst a carpet of still corpses. Three bent figures shuffle through the carnage.

• Note: A waltz was in progress when the red storm began, and everyone was struck by lightning. Windows. Stone walls for 10’, and then shat tered window frames for 20’. Exposed to the elements. Windy, wet, cold. Water. Ankle-deep, full of old blood and bile. If lightning strikes, creatures in the water take d6 damage. Chandeliers. Loud sounds (screams) make them shatter and fall (save vs breath or take d6 damage). Objects. Cellos and violins warped to look like people in pain. Scream when touched. Corpses. Men and women, burned and covered in red worms. Violet velvet suits and dresses, white frill collars, blue wigs, white porcelain masks. All mutated with various claws, scales, feathers, mandibles, and insect eyes. Every turn, 2-in-6 chance of a random body rising as a chaos zombie (p. 36) and 2-in-6 chance of a random body vomiting a swarm of corpse flies (p. 36). Worms. Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh…Ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together in 1d4 rounds to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37). Figures. Three lovely horrors (p. 37). Same as the corpses, but upright. Looting the dead for jewelry.
• Want: Servants and luxury.
• Fear: Poverty and work.
• Hate: The red priests and Duke Avito (filthy, obsessive).
• Love: Duchess Forza (gorgeous, pow erful).
• Prone: To violent tantrums.
• Items: Blue pearl key (blue pearl door p. 47), four blue pearl necklaces (200 GP), three silver family brooches (100 GP).

Black marble buttresses shaped like hu man teeth arch over a long granite dining table covered in smashed dishes. Mist and rain blow in through the shattered windows to mingle with the water on the floor. A lone figure stands by a dark fireplace, staring at a body.

• Note: During the red storm, Viola told her younger brother 0rince Orsino to save the servants while she fought the red priests that corrupted their father, Duke Avito. Dishes. Place settings for a hundred guests. Cracked plates, smashed glasses (thunder). Scattered platters of rotten fish (flopping weakly) and slimy fowl (crawling weakly) covered in wriggling red worms. Worms. Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… Ver…mesh…” when harmed, the worms swarm together in 1d4 rounds to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37). Water. Ankle-deep, full of old blood and bile. If lightning strikes, creatures in the water take d6 damage. Figure. Princess Viola (30), eldest sister. Curling blue hair, tattered black dress, white frill collar, silver circlet. Miserable, shocked. Normally cunning, command ing. Her clear glass skin reveals her muscles, skull, and eyes. Tiny red worms wriggle through her visible viscera.
• Wants: All red priests dead.
• Fears: For her sister Bianca and broth er Orsino.
• Asks: “Where is my brother, Orsino? Did he save the servants? Did he escape?” “Where is my sister Bianca? I can’t find her anywhere!”
• Demands: “You must kill the red priests, this is all their fault!” , ▸ Attacks: Anyone wearing Orsino's circlet in a blind rage. Fireplace. Large, cold, wet. Can be climbed to access the tiger suite (p. 35) and Duke Avito’s room (p.63). Body. Dead (rapier stab wounds). A pale woman with unnaturally wrinkled skin in a red robe. The dead red priestess has no eyes and no left arm (magically consumed by Vermesh).
• Item: amulet of Vermesh (300 GP). PRINCESS VIOLA - A noble leader, lightning fast duellist, and mutation victim.

AC 3 [16] (lightning fast), HD 4 (4 hp), att 4 x rapier (1d8), THAC0 14 [+5], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 11, AL Lawful, XP 125

• Glass cannon: Her fragile skin shatters at 0 hp and she expires (4 is her max hp total.)
• Infested: When she dies, her tiny worms burst out to form 3 ravenous wyrmlings.
• Items: Viola’s silver rapier (250 GP). Viola’s silver circlet with black pearls (1,000 GP). White iron key VIOLA'S CIRCLET.
• When placed in its case in Princess Viola's room (p. 62), it summons a sylph (tiny brown six winged warrior, intelligent but does not speak), which protects whoever last touched Viola’s circlet from tiny creatures (insects, rats, etc.) for 1d6 hours 1/day.
• While worn: - Gain +1 DEX. - Disables the trap at the door of Bianca's room.

Rain blows in steadily from the shattered windows, making a score of huge oil paintings drip and smear. Light reflects off the standing water, casting ripples on the walls. Dark bronze sculptures loom in the center of the room. A person lies trapped under the center sculpture, twitching and gasping.

• Rain: Cold, clean.
• Paintings: Damaged. Set in golden frames. Twenty portraits of elegant ladies and proud men in ornate aristocratic costumes. Looks like they are screaming and weeping.
• Smear: When approached within 10’, the painted figures lunge out to smother faces with thick oozing oil. Targets must save vs paralysis or be blinded and begin suffocating (1d4 per round). Effect ceases when out of reach of the paintings (20’). Frames. 20 of them. Enormous (20 lbs or 200 coins) and fabulously baroque (250 GP). Water. Knee-deep, full of oil (when ignited, the water burns for 1d6 turns). If lightning strikes, creatures in the water take d6 damage Sculptures. Five nude athletes wres tling giant beasts: wolf, stag, ape, peacock, tortoise. Extremely heavy (500 lbs or 5,000 coins) but worth 7,500 GP. Person. Yorick(30), servant. Sodden smock, thin beard, blotches of bronze on his skin. Shivering, starving, desperate. During the red storm, he hid under the bronze peacock’s tail, but his left arm fused into the bronze and now he cannot escape. When the water level rises, he drowns.
• Wants: To live.
• Knows: Ten years ago he helped Duchess Forza open an ancient tomb where she got something important (stone arch, p. 25). YORICK - a palace servant and mutation victim.

AC 9 [10], HD 1 (4 hp), att 1 x weapon (1d6), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 25

• Death: when he dies, Yorick immediately be comes a chaos zombie (p. 36)

Cracked mahogany bookshelves stand empty along the walls. Thousands of torn pages and covers lie in a sodden heap, rising high above the standing water. Glistening black spatters on the walls trickle and swirl, defying gravity. Two servants bend over a figure in red, struggling quietly and whispering angrily.

• Pages: Ancient parchment, decaying. All blank.
• Covers: Rotting leather, silver wire inlays. Titles indicate books about history, philoso phy, music, and art.
• Heap: Waist-high. Searching reveals scroll of read languages, floating disc and read magic.
• Water: Knee-deep, full of ink. If lightning strikes, creatures in the water take d6 damage.
• Spatters: Living ink (escaped from books). Communicates by drawing pictures on walls.
• Wants: To escape the palace.
• Fears: Water (dilutes, washes away).
• Asks: To be carried away safely in a dry book or bottle.
• If helped: The ink proves loyal and has a 2-in-6 chance of answering any question about the red priests, Duke Avito, or Duchess Forza.
• If denied: Attacks. LIVING INK - Sentient liquid ink.

AC 6 [13], HD 4 (18 hp), Att 3 x smother (1d10), THAC0 12 [+7], MV 60’ (20’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14, ML 10, AL Neutral, XP 200

• Size: 10’ × 10’ blob.
• Ooze: Can move on walls and ceilings, and through tiny gaps. Servants. Gio and Irma (55), serfs. Filthy tattered smocks and tunics. Gaunt, pale. Minor mutations (gull feathers, leathery skin). Enraged, desperate. Beating the red priest, demanding that he cure their mutations (they just found him a moment ago). SERF:a palace servant and mutation victim.

AC 9 [10], HD 1 (4 hp), att 1 x fist (1d4), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 10

• Figure: Uther (50), red priest (p. 40). Pale, unnaturally wrinkled skin, red robe. No eyes, no left arm (magically consumed by Vermesh). Fanatical, secretive. Was asleep, now being violently awakened. About to attack (slaughter) the servants.
• Wants: To gaze upon vermesh (“They are summoned, they are near!”).
• Fears: Being killed by Princess Viola (has been sneaking and hiding).
• Has: Amulet of Vermesh (300 gp), silver tome. THE SILVER BOOK OF HANNUVIEL - Legendary tales of Lawful saints and heroes. Contains the only writ ten record of the road to Carrion Vale and the last known location of the Golden Skull of Saint Anarak (legendary relic). Book bearer is immune to charms and can detect lies for 1 turn (1/week).

Soaring oval windows stand cracked into dozens of jagged shifting panes. Scorchmarks slice across the walls at wild angles. Burnt pieces of tables and chairs bob in the standing water. Beside a glittering golden globe, a body lies on a fainting couch, breathing wetly.

• Panes: Each turn, a pane of glass shifts in the wind and a blinding flash of light re fracts through the room. 2-in-6 chance the light is a scorching beam that cuts across the room, burning walls, furniture, and creatures. Targets must save vs breath or suffer d6 damage. When the windows shatter away, the beams stop.
• Scorchmarks: Made by light beams through the broken windows.
• Burnt pieces: Burned by light beams through the broken windows.
• Water: Knee-deep, full of splinters. If lightning strikes, creatures in the water take d6 damage.
• Globe: Gold shell, silver outlines, ruby cities (30lbs or 300 coins, 1,000 GP). Locked. Contains three bottles of the rare enchanting Dorona wine (drinkers are highly suggestible, also highly flammable, 500 GP).
• Body: Woman (prone) in a violet dress, white frill collar, blue wig (bald), white porcelain mask. Scared, confused, cannot move. Strange, jelly-like tremors going across her body.
• Mutters: “The duchess will save me… just need to wait here, and the Duchess will save me…”
• Jelly-like: woman has mutated into a sticky ooze. If touched, she sticks and tries to engulf. Victim takes 1d4 dam age per round. Requires fire or acid to dissolve and escape (10 damage total, possibly harming victim).

This long stone-tiled walkway passes by several wrought-iron cages, each slightly bent and twisted. In each cage, a creature huddles in the shadows. A body in red lies on the path.

• Cages: 10' x 10'. Thunder-damaged. Bars bent, doors weakened. Each creature has a 1-in-6 chance of escaping each turn.
• Cage 1: Aellope(ancient), bitter harpy. Human-sized black vulture with a cruel woman’s face. Foul offal on the floor (rot ten). Wants freedom, meat, and revenge against Duchess Forza for imprison ing her. Fearsnothing. Confident liar, vicious killer.
• Cage 2: Phoenix (ancient), fire-bird. Hawk-sized bird, sparkling red and gold feathers. Ash on the floor (hot). Wants freedom. Fears water. Speaks like a wise old man. Willing to be a loyal compan ion.
• Cage 3: Ligeia (ancient), siren. Beautiful woman with long fish tail. Sullen, depressed. Refuses to sing. Wants freedom, and water. If freed, requires help to reach the sea. If returned to the sea, Ligeia sings one piercing note that reduces all lovely horrors to half hit points for the rest of the day. Her 500 fish scales are worth 25 GP each, an alchemist can make potions of water-breathing, water-walking, or enchanting singing from them.
• Cage 4: Galini (young), wingless blue dragon. Cat-sized, violet scales, deer antlers. Playful, desperate for affection. Speaks like a shy little girl. Willing to be a loyal companion.
• Cage 5: Sharlo (young), orb weaver spider. Head-sized, blue fur, white eyes. Clever, devious. Quickly writes simple messages in thick white webbing: “Hel lo. Friend. Help. Gold.” Wants freedom, and bodily fluids. Claims to be loyal, betrays the party as soon as no one is looking.
• Cage 6: Krios (elderly), rubbish sphinx. Small white goat with stunted white wings and the head of an old man. Coughs, stammers, shivers. Tries to tell riddles, but always gets confused and trails off in the middle. Sneezes foul, freezing globules. Harmless, pathetic. Body in red. Dead (rapier stab wounds). A pale woman with unnaturally wrinkled skin in a red robe. She has no eyes and no left arm (magically consumed by Vermesh). Wears amulet of Vermesh (300 GP). Covered in tiny red worms (eating the flesh). Worms. Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37). ANCIENT BITTER HARPY (AELOPPE) an enlarged vulture with the head of an elderly human woman.

AC 7 [12], HD 3* (13 hp), Att 2 x claw (1d4), 1x song (deceive), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 60’ (20’) / 150’ (50’) flying, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 50

• Deceive: Anyone who hears the harpy’s song must save versus spells or be deceived: believe whatever the harpy says, obey the harpy, unable to harm the harpy. A character who saves is unaffected for the rest of the encounter. ANCIENT FIRE-BIRD (PHOENIX) Small birds of prey with flaming wingtips.

AC 8 [11], HD 1/2* (2 hp), ATT 1 × talons or beak (1d2 + 1d2 fire), THAC0 19 [0], MV 480’ (160’) flying, SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 6

• Revive: Revives from its own ashes when killed – will leave if this ability is abused by its master
• Immunity: Fire, poison. ANCIENT SIREN (LIGIEA)- Beautiful aquatic humanoids with fish tails in place of legs.

AC 6 [13], HD 1 (4 hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 10

• Song: Reduces all lovely horrors to half hp for the rest of the day. YOUNG WINGLESS BLUE DRAGON (GALINI) Cat-sized sinuous lizard with blue and violet scales.

AC 5 [14], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 2 x claw (1d2), 1 × bite (1d3) or breath, THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 13

• Breath: 20' long line of acid. All caught in the area suffer damage equal to the dragon’s current hit points, save versus breath for half (3/day). YOUNG ORB WEAVER SPIDER (SHARLO) Headsized spider, blue fur, white eyes.

AC 7 [12], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 4 x claw (1d2), or orb web, THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 13

• Orb web: Spits a ball of webbing up to 12'. Target must save vs breath or be unable to move or act for one round. ELDERLY RUBBISH SPHINX (KRIOS) - Small white goat with stunted white wings and the head of an old man.

AC 9 [10], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 1 x freezing globule, THAC0 19 [0], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 13

• Freezing globule: Range 12', 1d4 cold damage.

This large circular door gleams with dozens of blue pearls set into a black iron sculpture of dancing nobles.

• Door: Requires a blue pearl key (South gate, p. 30; Cell 8, p. 43; Black pit, p. 43; Council chamber, p. 51).Difficult to pick. Light scorchmarks on the floor and walls around. Faint smell of ozone. Barely audible humming sound.
• Enchanted. Opening the door without a blue pearl key triggers white lightning, 2d6 damage to all within 10 feet. Pearls. Rare, difficult to remove without damaging (requires 1 hour and a Dexterity check to remove 3d6 pearls intact). 60 In total, 100 GP each. Inside. The false vault. Silver floor tiles, 90 small ebony shelves.Each contains a hand-sized ebony box lined with violet velvet displaying a fist-sized sapphire. Sapphire. Each gem is actually a hibernating flesh-eating sapphire scarab. When removed from the vault, they awaken in 1 turn and attack the thieves as a swarm. SAPPHIRE SCARABS (swarm) - A palm-sized beetle with razor-edged sparkling blue wings.

AC 7 [12], HD 4 (18 hp), Att 1 x swarm (3 or 6), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 30’ (10’) / 60’ (20’) flying, SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 11, AL Neutral, XP 75

• Size: 20’ × 20’ area, typically.
• Swarm attack: Automatically damages characters within swarm area: 2 hp if wearing armour, 4 hp without. Attack by slicing with razor-like mandibles and wings, wounds do not clot, prey bleeds to death.
• Escaping: On exiting the swarm, characters continue to suffer half damage until 1 full round is spent binding their bleeding wounds.
• Immunity: Immune to heat and cold. Only harmed by sleep spells.

Danger. 1-in-6 chance of a lovely horror (p. 37) sitting alone, humming a nursery rhyme. This small chamber is lined with simple wooden shelves and bins.

• Small chamber: Large enough to fit several people, crowded together.
• Shelves and bins: Mops, buckets, brooms, soap, brushes, sponges, oil, rags.

Danger. 1-in-6 chance of a lovely horror (p. 37) gnawing on a dead servant. This small chamber is lined with simple wooden shelves and bins.

• Small chamber: Large enough to fit several people, crowded together.
• Shelves and bins: Lanterns, oil, can dles, matches, wicks, snuffers, rags.

Danger. 1-in-6 chance of a lovely horror (p. 37) neatly piling dead rats. This small chamber is lined with simple wooden shelves and bins.

• Small chamber: Large enough to fit several people, crowded together.
• Shelves and bins: Fur coats, rain coats, rain boots, velvet cloaks, sun hats, tricorns.

Danger. 1-in-6 chance of a lovely horror (p. quietly lecturing an assembly of red 37) maggots. This small chamber is lined with simple wooden shelves and bins.

• Small chamber: Large enough to fit several people, crowded together.
• Shelves and bins: Hammers, nails, saws, paint, oil, chisel, twine, rope, ladder, rags.

Danger. 2-in-6 chance of d§ chaos zombizq (p. 36). These narrow access corridors (inside the walls) only allow movement in single file. The walls are cracked and sagging. Water drips from the ceiling. Floorboards creak and bend.

• Walls: Thunder-damaged, neglected. Splintered wood, rotting plaster. Every few paces, a wall bulges into the passageway.
• Floorboards: 1-in-6 chance of a foot falling through and being stuck for 1 turn (Strength check to escape).
• Bulges: Terrified servants fused into the walls (wood and plaster). One weakly kicking leg, one feebly clawing arm, one wildly dart ing eye, mouths wide in silent wails. Dying slowly. Almost impossible to help.

A massive circular table dominates this windowless circular room, flanked by small desks and countless chairs. Loose papers float in the standing water. Three small wooden boxes sit on the table’s edge. Two masked men in dark suits hurl insults at each other.

• Men: Lovely horrors (p. 37), petty nobles. One has moth eyes and antenna (Sir Tybalt), and the other has green leathery iguana flesh (Sir Valentine). Violet velvet suits, blue wigs, white frills, silver brooches (100 GP). Soaked, tattered, filthy. Enraged, selfrighteous, cruel. Throwing ink wells and paper weights at each other.
• Shouting at each other: - “This is all your fault, you witless fool!” - “You’re the one who refused to speak up!” - “You killed my favorite hound!” - “You killed my favorite wife!”
• Wants: Pity and admiration.
• Fears: Responsibility and consequences.
• Knows: That Duchess Forza is up in her suite. Table. 15 feet across. A large detailed wooden sculpture of Isla Requia and the Obsidian Keep. Labels and markings for administration and military planning.
• Secret: a button on the miniature light house opens a hidden drawer containing 20 scorpion oil cigars (hallucinogenic, 1,000 GP) and a blue pearl key. Under the table is a body in red. Body in red. Dead (rapier stab wounds). A pale man with unnaturally wrinkled skin in a red robe. He has no eyes and no left arm (magically consumed by Ver mesh). Wears: amulet of Vermesh (300 gp). Covered in tiny red worms (eating the flesh). Worms. Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… Ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37). Desks. Contains sodden paper, quills, ink wells, magnifying glasses, 57 GP. Papers. Washed out. Decrees from Duke Avito: “All must worship Vermesh. All chapels and shrines are to be demolished immediately. The red priests are to be obeyed in all matters.” Boxes. Contain tiny wooden ships and soldiers (for military planning). Curse: anyone who handles the figures must save vs spells or be compelled for d6 hours to respond to any spoken suggestion with: “Yes, I think that’s a really good idea.”

Danger. 2-in-6 chances of a refreshed lovey . horror (p.37) coming down to hunt and play Wide stone stairs spiral up from level 1 to level 2. They also spiral down toward the cellar, but stop abruptly at a solid iron door.

• Iron door: Locked (to keep prisoners downstairs). When the door is opened, a flood of cold filthy water pours down the stairs and into the blazing barracks (p. 39), where it cools the lava into solid rock and the air fills with scalding steam. In d6 hours, the lava begins flowing up through the cracks again.

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and light ning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on coral tiles, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings, shark-patterned wallpaper, tattered sharkskin curtains, and an oversized private bath. The floor is littered with broken toy soldiers and dead servants. A corpse hangs from a silk noose above the bed.

• Toy soldiers: Solid silver, together worth 300 GP.
• Servants: Two maids, two footmen. Bruised necks (strangled). When touched, all four rise as chaos zombies (p. 36).
• Corpse: Violet velvet suit, white silk cravat, bulbous fish eyes. Curled blue wig on the floor. Silver shark brooch (100 GP). Full of corpse flies. White porcelain mask on the floor.

MASK OF SELACHI - Enchanted. Wearer’s bones turn to soft cartilage, can easily squeeze through narrow gaps. -4 to melee attacks and other Str based rolls.

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on a sticky white carpet, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings; spiderpatterned wallpaper; white spider-silk curtains; and a smashed private bath. A woman sits on the bed, reading a blood-spattered book.

• Woman: Miss Imogen (25), lovely horror (p. 36). Plain black dress, white porcelain mask, silver spider brooch (100 GP). Shy, bookish.
• Wants: To be left alone to read.
• Hates:Interruptions.
• If spoken to: She shushes you.
• If spoken to again: She leaps across the room onto you and tears off her por celain mask to reveal a furry, many-eyed, spider face, and vomits webbing onto your mouth. Save vs breath or be unable to speak for 2d6 hours. Burn the webbing to remove it immediately (d4 damage). Book. Old-fashioned romantic sonnets.

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on tiles of crushed red shells, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings, crab-pat terned wallpaper, tattered red silk cur tains, and an overflowing private bath. A

• man lies in the bathtub: Bright red blood has sprayed across the white fixtures and tiles.
• Man: Elderly, naked, red crab-chitin skin (lovely horror, p. 37). Throat torn out by large bird-like talons (motley magpie, p. 37). An ebony cane cradled in his cold arms. EBONY CANE - This black walking stick has a red jade handle carved into an octopus. When the bearer sleeps in water, they have euphoric dreams and recover 1 hp per hour, but cannot wake on their own.
• Bed: 3-in-6 chance the motley magpie (p. 37) is hiding in a heap of blankets on the bed (nesting).

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on iridescent black tiles, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings, beetlepatterned wallpaper, tattered green silk curtains, a burnt side table, and a smashed private bath. A pale man in a red robe lies on the floor, a dagger in his heart.

• Man: Dead (stabbed). He has no eyes and no left arm (magically consumed by Vermesh). Wears amulet of Vermesh (300 GP). Covered in tiny red worms (eating the flesh).
• Worms: Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… Ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37)
• Dagger: Viola’s stiletto. Slender mirror blade, golden hilt, sapphire pommel (300 GP).
• Side table: On it sits a white ivory box, its sides carved into detailed, lifelike beetles. Anyone who looks at the box must save vs spells or be cursed for d6 hours to desire whatever is inside the box. Current ly in the box are hundreds of old stained toe-nail clippings. If multiple people are cursed, then they fight for the contents of the box. Each time a cursed person is harmed, they may repeat the save to end the curse.

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-post bed stands on a blackened tiger-skin carpet, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings; tigerpatterned wallpaper; shredded, orangeand-white silk curtains; a large fireplace; and a dusty private bath. Two women sit motionless on the floor, embracing, each driving a knife into the other’s back. Tiny eyes stare out from under the furniture all around.

• Women: Not dead (both clumsy with knives.) Twin sisters: Lady Julia and Lady Juliet (55), lovely horrors (p. 37). Shred ded black lace dresses, ruined blue wigs. Mutant tiger faces and claws. Silver tiger brooches (100 GP). One wears a single black pearl earring.
• Wants: To die by noble hands (not servants or the motley magpie).
• Fears: The touch of peasants. Eyes. Nine black cats hiding from the cold rain. One wears a collar with a black pearl charm. BLACK PEARLS (EARRINGS) - The creatures wearing these paired pearls can exchange telepathic messages, up to 500 feet (3/day). Note: Cat thoughts are simple emotions: cold. Hungry. Annoyed. Bored. Sleepy (exactly what you would expect). Fireplace. Large, cold, wet. Can be climbed to access banquet hall below (p. 46) and Duke Avito’s room above (p. 63).

35.Unicorn suite

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on a silvery white carpet, surrounded by charred ivory furnishings; unicornpatterned wallpaper; torn, white silk cur tains; an ivory side table; and a gleaming private bath. A short couple waltz on the bed, humming a strange discordant melody. Eight naked bodies lie scattered about the floor.

• Couple: Count and Countess Malvolio (40), lovely horrors (p. 37). White silk bathrobes, silver unicorn brooches (100 GP). Mutant unicorn horns and hooves. They scream at you to leave them alone!
• Wants: To dance, deeply in love. A bit hungry. Naked bodies. Identical copies of the Count and Countess (created by magic eggs). Gored open (by horns). Hearts and livers missing (eaten). Eight broken, blue egg shells on the floor. Side tableGleaming ebony box on the side table with twelve dimples: eight empty, four contain blue eggs. BLUE EGGS - Break an egg on a creature to create a lifeless clone of that creature.

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on a blackened blue carpet, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings; falcon-pat terned wallpaper; tattered, brown feathery curtains; and a tiny private bath. A pale woman in a red robe lies face-up in the overflowing tub. A slender figure in a beaked mask inspects the body.

• Windows: A climber could access the Dragon suite (opposite) and private theater (p. 59).
• Woman: Dead (drowned). She has no eyes and no left arm (magically consumed by Vermesh). Wears amulet of Vermesh (300 GP). Covered in tiny red worms (eating the flesh).
• Worms: Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… Ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37).
• Figure: Professor Marinda Boaj (35), plague doctor from a distant land. Leather coat, gloves, mask, hat. Pale, short red hair. Curious, fearless, awkward. Willing to join the party.
• Wants: To learn about mutants.
• Fears: Illness, refuses to remove her mask. Studying the red priest corpse.
• Knows: That the red priests sacrificed their eyes and arms to Vermesh to gain spirit-sight and ghost-limbs. Suspects that Vermesh is in the keep, radiating chaos. Also knows that the holy staff of Vitela can banish a true horror; the staff is rumored to be hidden on Isla Requia.
• If Marinda's mask is removed: She instantly mutates into a plague raven.
• If Marinda sees a corpse: She will examine it. There is a 1-in-6 chance that Marinda’s clumsy examination acciden tally turns a body into a chaos zombie (p. 36). PROFESSOR MARINDA BOAJ - A curious and knowledgeable plague doctor.

AC 7 [12] (plague leathers), HD 2 (9 hp), Att 1 x knife (1d6), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60’ (20’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 9, AL Lawful, XP 35

• Masked: Immune to disease and mutation, and other inhaled effects. PLAGUE RAVEN - A skilled foreign doctor who succumbed to maddening bird-like mutations.

AC 5 [14], HD 3 (13 hp), Att 2 × claw (1d6, poi son) or parasite swarm, THAC0 17 [+2], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 100

• Poison: Causes death in 1d6 turns (save versus poison).
• Parasite Swarm: The raven shakes off a 20’ cloud of tiny black parasites that attach to clothing and flesh flesh (2/day). Save vs poi son, or roll 1d6 for a plague lasting d6 turns: 1.Red Rage (berserk, attack random targets). 2.Blue Death (freezing, unable to move or act) 3.Wax Rot (flesh drips off the bone, d6 ongoing) 4.Needle Pox (grow long painful needles, 1 damage when moving) 5.Spider Flu (venomous spiders continuously crawl out of orifices) 6. Mutation (become a plague raven). POXMASTER MASK-Wearer is immune to disease and mutation, and other inhaled effects.

Danger. Damage is all from thunder and lightning, two weeks old. Each turn, 1-in-6 chance of ceiling or wall collapsing (d6 damage). Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows. A four-poster bed stands on shimmering obsidian tiles, surrounded by charred ebony furnishings; drag on-patterned wallpaper; metallic leather curtains; and a smashed private bath. The outer wall is gone. Every surface crawls with tiny red worms. A pale woman in a red robe stands gazing out the broken wall, three mangled bodies at her feet.

• Worms: Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… Ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 36).
• Woman: Sycorax (40), red priest . She has no eyes and no left arm (magically consumed by Vermesh). Wears amulet of Vermesh (300 GP).
• Wants: To find Vermesh, knows It is in the keep.
• Fears: Princess Viola. Bodies. Servants, electrocuted by Sycorax. When Sycorax fights, she ani mates them as three chaos zombies (p. 36) under her control. Wall. Possible to climb outside horizon tally to the private theater (p. 55). Item. Blue jade chess set (500 GP).

Danger. 1-in-6 chance of a lovely horror (p. 37) gnawing on a dead servant. This small chamber is lined with simple wooden shelves and bins.

• Small chamber: Large enough to fit several people, crowded together.
• Shelves and bins: Sheets, pillows, towels, napkins, tablecloths, drop cloths, curtains, rags.

Danger. 1-in-6 chance of a lovely horror (p. 37) gnawing on a dead servant. This small chamber is lined with simple wooden shelves and bins.

• Small chamber: Large enough to fit several people, crowded together. Shelves and bins. Wine, absinthe, rum, gin, brandy, whiskey, vodka, glasses, trays.

These narrow access corridors only allow movement in single file. The paneled walls and tiled floors are pristine. Thick candles sit in iron sconces. A large dark mass lies on the floor.

• Floors: Used to be cleaned and main tained. No signs of damage.
• Thick candles: Burnt out, melted.
• Mass: Two lovely horrors (dead), mutant feathers and beaks, transmuted into black marble, mid-coitus. Creaking floorboards when approached. Floorboards.The marble bodies are now incredibly heavy. When stepped on, they crash through the floor into the banquet hall (p. 46) below.

Obsidian buttresses edged in silver leaves and blossoms arch up to a painted domed ceiling. Black marble pews sit before a silver altar, flanked by four small alcoves in the walls.

• Buttresses: Gothic, ribbed, tiny hidden details (screaming faces, clawing hands, skulls).
• Ceiling: Painted with a mural of sea creatures (octopus, shark, jellyfish) spi raling around the sea angel Rahavil (silver feathers orbiting three flaming eyes).
• Pews: Six. Each has a rare prayer book of Rahavil: five torn and burned (inten tionally defaced), one intact (1,000 GP).
• Altar: Ebony, silver plated, sea creatures (heavy, 3,000 GP). A twisted block of red jade (Chaos idol of Vermesh, 5,000 GP)on display. On the floor: silver candlesticks (300 GP), smashed bottle of white wine, smashed vase of (holy) sea water, burnt hymns, crushed silver bells, scattered incense, mangled silver figurine of the sea angel Rahavil (little silver feathers around three silver eyes, 1,000 GP).
• Silver. Solid silver details, can be bro ken off, 25 GP each (52 in total). Alcoves. Four. Each displays an antique inkaran porcelain vase (dark blue with sil ver patterns), 300 GP each. One contains a small silver sphere (Eye of Rahavil). Seal. Graven in the stone, represent ing Rahavil.When the silver figurine of Rahavil is moved past the seal, the door slams shut and the chapel quickly fills with sea water (vibrates right before). CHAOS IDOL OF VERMESH - Abstract, hideous.
• Effect: Lawful creatures cannot cast spells or heal in the chapel.
• Cursed: Idol bearer must save vs death each day or mutate into a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37). Effect can only be ended by a 24-hour vigil with a Lawful priest. EYE OF RAHAVIL - Not really an angel eye. Bearer is immune to drowning. They still lose consciousness for 2d6 turns.

Impossibly soft white fur carpets silence all footsteps in this windowless room. Sky-blue velvet couches and small silver tables encircle an elegant obsidian fountain, babbling with eight arching streams of clear water.

• Room: Thin cracks in walls and floor (thunder-damaged).
• Carpets: Albino sea snake fur (rare). 500 GP per bolt (six bolts).
• Couches: Very comfy. Room on each for two, maybe three…
• Tables: Long silk ribbons, assorted scented oils.
• Fountain: Enchanted. Realistic obsid ian statues of eight entwined boas and vipers spitting water. Magically recycles the water.
• Water: Enchanted. When drunk, save vs petrification or roll d6 for random physical transformation:
• 1: Slender man 2. Muscular man
• 3: Voluptuous man 4. Slender woman
• 5: Muscular woman 6. Voluptuous woman.

The glass ceiling of this small greenhouse lies in glittering granules on the muddy floor. Dozens of charredflowers lie bent and crushed in shattered ceramic pots.

• Greenhouse: Completely exposed, cold rain blowing in.
• Granules: Sharp, shiny, crunchy.
• Muddy floor: Rain plus spilled dirt.
• Item: Tiny golden box buried in the mud. Enchanted. When the box is opened, the blue pearl fixed inside plays soothing violin concertos. Stops when closed (300 GP). Charred flowers. Lightning-struck. Dead, but d6 bulbs remain (200 GP each). Roll d6 for each: - 1-2. Black orchid (pain-free intoxication for d6 hours) - 3-4. Starlight jasmine (intensely heightened senses for d6 hours) - 5-6. Moonrise lotus (incapable of sleep but fatigue free for 24 hours).

Cold rain blows in through the shattered windows, spraying the charred walls and floor. A scorched billiards table lies broken and askew. The floor creaks loudly. Three figures stand in a huddle, whispering excitedly.

• Shattered windows: Thunder.
• Charred walls: Blackened by lightning. twelve obsidian alcoves displaying twelve cut sapphires. Each cut gem is actually a hibernating flesh-eating sapphire scarab (p. 50). If removed from the room, they awaken in 1 turn and attack the thieves as a swarm.
• Table: Six pockets containing nine billiards balls of solid sapphire (250GP each).
• Floor: Weak. 2-in-6 chance of collapse, falling into the banquet hall (p. 47).
• Figures: Vlad, Boris, and Arkady (40), scavengers (p. 23) from another island. Dripping leather coats, muddy boots, cloth masks. Practical, amoral.
• Wants:Maximum treasure.
• Fears: Illness and mutation. Not looking for trouble. Not looking to make friends. Currently examining a solid sapphire billiard ball.
• Has: Loot sack containing assorted coins and jewelry worth 3,500 GP.

Cold rain blows through the charred gaps in the walls where the windows used to be. Burnt remains of velvet couches and fur rugs litter the room. The frame of a small puppet theater stands blackened and damp.

• Gaps: Thunder and lightning damage. Easily climbed on the outside up to Prince Orsino’s room (p. 60) or horizontally to the falcon and dragon suites (pp. 55-57)
• Remains: Useless, worthless.
• Theater: Mostly destroyed. Under tat tered velvet, a heavy leather case.
• Case: Undamaged, unlocked. Contains eight stunningly lifelike puppets of men and women in violet velvet suits and dresses, blue wigs. Anatomically correct. 50 GP each.

Melted iron bars cover the small circular windows around this small circular room. A charred mess lies near the door. Eight wooden perches ring the room. Seven are damaged, and seven birds lie still on the floor. A small falcon sits on the eighth perch, gazing out the barred window.

• Mess: Burned wicker baskets. Scorched rabbit scraps. Lightly charred falconer gloves, lures, jesses, leashes, hoods.
• Perches: Burnt, splintered.
• Birds: Assorted hawks, kestrels, gyrfal cons. Dead. Holes burned straight through them.
• Falcon: Lady Isabeau, mutant hunting bird (tethered to the perch). Lazy, never flies. Glowing red eyes, shoots scorching rays (d6 damage) at creatures (only small prey animals and annoying people). Loyal to a calm, quiet person who feeds her. Dan gerous and unpredictable to everyone else. LADY ISABEAU - A mutant falcon.

AC 8 [11], HD 1 (4 hp), Att 1 x heat vision (1d4), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 480’ (160’) flying, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 10

• Lazy: Prefers not to fly. Sits on master’s gloved fist and shoots heat beams from her glowing red eyes.
• Petty: Prefers to target small prey animals and people who annoy her.

Wide stone stairs spiral down to level 1.

• Danger: 2-in-6 chance of a weary lovely horror (p. 37) coming up to bed.

Wide stone stairs spiral up to level 3. Danger. 2-in-6 chance of a wary red priest (p. 37) coming down to find something to sacrifice to Vermesh.

Danger. 2-in-6 chance of a scared red priest (p. 37) flrring up to escape Princess Viola. Wide stone stairs spiral down to level 2.

An obsidian door sits in a black iron frame, which has twisted into the shapes of dozens of iron hands clasping the door closed. The handle is white iron, which has twisted into the shape of a screaming face. Door.Magically reinforced. Would take 12 turns/person using tools to break down.

• Handle: Looks like Prince Orsino screaming. No longer a working handle.
• Inside: Cold rain blows in through a large gaping hole in the outer wall. A four-poster bed stands on a smooth obsidian floor, surrounded by teak desk and wardrobe, white silk curtains, and a blue porcelain private bath. Paintings of sailboats cover the walls. Tiny ships in bottles cover the shelves. Hole. Easily climbed on the outside down to the private theater (p. 59). Bed. Four bedposts undulate like wood en vipers, striking at anyone near the bed (THAC0 17 [+2], d4 + poison— d4 damage per round until out of the room). Blue silk sheets slithering about, hissing softly (quite obvious), strangling anyone near the bed (THAC0 17 [+2], d4 + entangle— d4 per round until succesful Strength check). Difficult to harm with weapons, but "die" when sent on fire. Desk. Daily diary: Prince Orsino was bored with palace life, wanted to become a sailor, have adventures, fight pirates (be a pirate?), Working up the courage to tell his parents. Iron box containing 324 GP. Gleaming obsidian box . Obsidian box. Filled with gold silk, cir cular indent. Place Orsino’s circlet in the box to summon a sylph (p. 69). Wardrobe. Sailor pea coat, tricorn hat. Ancient nautical charts (500 GP), sextant, compass, spyglass. Bath. Cursed. The tub groans and squeals, then breaks free of the floor, gallops about, kicking and smashing everything at random. Paintings. Cursed, fire tiny broadsides at anyone who stands in front of them (d4 damage). Advanced experimental ship All third floor windows are tall, narrow, lead-paned (distorted and yellowed). Iron bars (painted violet) protect the frames, so that nothing larger than a cat can slip in or out. designs, detailed diagrams hidden on the back sides (1,000 GP). Ships. Twelve well-made children’s toys. The “water” under each model is a lump of pure silver (100 GP each).

An obsidian door sits in a black iron frame. The handle is white iron.

• Door: Magically reinforced. Would take 12 turns/person using tools to break down.
• Handle: Locked. Requires a white iron key (Banquet hall, p. 46).
• Inside: Cold wind whistles through the mangled barred windows. A fourpost bed stands on a smooth obsidian floor, surrounded by gilt ebony desk and wardrobe, gold silk curtains, and a blue porcelain private bath. Hundreds of small papers are pinned to the walls.
• Bed: Tangled sweaty sheets. Tiny red worms crawl and nibble the sheets. Exam ination reveals that the legs of the ebony bed are partly clear glass.
• Desk: Crumpled papers, lists of rooms and names crossed out. Iron box contain ing 619 GP. Gleaming obsidian box filled with gold silk with a circular indent.
• Obsidian box: Contains gold silk with a circular indent. Place Viola’s circlet in the box to summon a sylph (p. 69).
• Wardrobe: Dresses strewn on the floor. Random weapons piled high: 19 swords, 34 daggers, 11 maces, 7 hand axes, 4 flails.
• Papers: Lawful prayer scrolls of pro tection, to prevent mutation (incorrectly punctuated, ineffective). Behind the papers, patches of the wooden walls are clear glass with tiny red worms wriggling inside like an ant-farm.
• Bath: Long black hairs and tiny red worms everywhere. Examination reveals that the bottom of the bath is partly clear glass.
• Worms: Inching, nibbling. Whispering “Ver…mesh… Ver…mesh…” When harmed, the worms swarm together to form a ravenous wyrmling (p. 37).

An obsidian door stands ajar in a black iron frame. The handle is white iron, which has twisted into a striking scorpion tail. Door.Open. When crossing the thresh old, the obsidian door fires dozens of obsidian needles at the intruder (THACO 17 [+2] , 2d6 damage). Wearing any royal circlet (pp. 24, 47, 63) disarms the trap.

• Handle: Scorpion tail stings any who touch it (d6).
• Inside: Cold wind whistles through the mangled barred windows. A four-poster bed stands on a smooth obsidian floor, surrounded by an ivory desk and wardrobe, pink silk curtains, and a blue porcelain private bath. Hundreds of porcelain dolls sit on the shelves.
• Bed: Four white bedposts twisted into giant human fingers, skitters like a huge clumsy spider, slamming into walls. A large ragdoll (enchanted toy, harmless, dimwit, wants to help Bianca) sits on the pink silk sheets, shouting at the bed: “Left! No my left! The other left! Back up! Try again!”
• Desk: Tons of cheap costume jewel ry. Iron box containing 3 GP. Gleaming obsidian box .
• Obsidian box: Filled with gold silk,cir cular indent. Place Bianca’s circlet in the box to summon a sylph (p. 69).
• Wardrobe: Big poofy dresses, all colors. More porcelain dolls.
• Bath: More porcelain dolls.
• Porcelain dolls: Their eyes follow the party. Giggle eerily. At the scariest possible moment, they leap off the shelves to pile on top of the party, giggling madly. Easily escaped, but after 3 rounds, they all burst open to spill thousands of red worms, which swarm together to form six ravenous wyrmlings (p. 37).

Obsidian and gold furniture shines in the dim light. Ancient books and amber spheres line the shelves. There are five sphere-sized alcoves in the walls around the room. A highbacked chair sits on the rain-soaked balcony, facing the harbor.

• Furniture: Gorgeous, yet uncomfort able to sit on or lay on. Most objects are carved from human hand bones or bird skulls. Tiny, glass bird figurines line the shelves (100 GP).
• Books: All in dead languages. Disturb ing illustrations of sea monsters and spellcraft. References to speaking to or capturing ghosts and souls. (1,200 GP). Searching reveals scrolls of lightning bolt, phantasmal force, magic missile and levitate.
• Spheres: 23. Each charged with raging storm energy. Smash one, deal d6 damage to a 20-foot radius.
• Alcoves: Insert an amber sphere to activate.
• Bedside. A dim red light glows, soft music plays.
• Desk. Amber lamps ignite, a fan spins lazily.
• Mirror. Presents a view of the harbor through the eyes of the colossus (p. 16).
• Balcony. A black silk canopy extends to shade the chair. The air warms and smells of lavender.
• Oil portrait. The painting (portait of the ducal family) vanishes to reveal a walk-in closet, the true vault. Dozens of small locked iron chests. Contain a total of 9,000 GP in loose sapphires and 4,000 GP in assorted gold currencies. Chair. The Duchess Forza, 55, sorcerer queen. A charred corpse in a black dress, her chest exploded, an ashen cavity where her heart should be. Tiny red worms writhe in her sockets. A gold crown on her head. A white staff in her hand. She cannot move, but can speak.
• Asks: “Did I destroy the fleet? Did I save the palace?” “Where are my children? Where are Orsi no, and Viola, and Bianca?”
• Ifconvinced that she saved the palace and her children are fine: She gratefully crumbles to dust.
• If told that the area is destroyed or her children are gone:She screams. A bolt of red lightning destroys her body, deals 2d6 damage to everyone near her (save vs breath to take half damage), and sends her staff flying into the sea. Staff. Different bones bound together with iron rings, topped with a human skull. FORZA’S STAFF - Made of the bones of dead magicians, including the skull of the mad wizard Prospero, who offers unhelpful comments. The bearer is immune to lightning, can summon storm clouds, and can cast azure lightning (d6 to five targets or 5d6 to one target, 1/day). FORZA’S CROWN - Solid gold set with black pearls and sapphires. Doubles the range, dura tion, or power of any spell (1/day).

An obsidian door sits in a black iron frame shaped like a single wrinkled worm. The handle is white iron, shaped like a serrated fang.

• Door: Magically reinforced. Would take 12 turns/person using tools to break down Locked.
• Magic trap: when crossing the thresh old, a dozen ghost-worms (snake-sized) materialize to scream loudly and to bite the intruder (1d12 damage). Victim is electrically shocked and must save vs pa ralysis or is unable to move for 1d6 turns. Handle. Fang is very sharp. Inside. Crumpled iron plates cover the windows. There is no furniture. Large fire place. Thousands of cracks line the ceiling and walls. Wrinkled red blankets lie in the corners, and a blue porcelain private bath to one side. Lit red candles cover the obsidian floor, illuminating hundreds of blood-red runes on the tiles, and three chanting red priests. A silver circlet with blue pearls (1,000 GP) lies on the ground, aside BIANCA'S CIRCLET.
• When placed in its case in Bianca's room (p. 62), it summons a sylph (Tiny pink sixwinged moth-man, bard caste, intelligent but does not speak), which entertains whoever last touched Bianca’s circlet (soothing music and lights.) for 1d6 hours 1/day.
• If worn: - Gain +1 CHA. - Disables the trap at the door of Bianca's room. 63