The Good Folk of Briar Hollow

Entrance (Near). Within a pine-
forested glade, a set of even, well-
worn steps ascends 30 feet into an
archway inset in a massive oak tree.
Guardians. Two invisible
Kikimora are lazing around in the
glade, gossiping in High Formorian.
They fall silent if they detect
intruders and create an illusion of a

gnome warden at the arch. The
faeries try to trick the adventurers
into leaving. One kikimora attempts
to sneak inside and warn Sister
Horecka and the redcap twins.
Ambush. If undetected, the kikimora
invisibly follow at a near distance
and wait for an opportunity to assist
allies with an ambush.
Illusion. The kikmora create an
illusion of a gnomish warden who
cheerfully informs the heroes,
“Everything is hunky-dory, thanks for
coming, we’ll see you again soon,
goodbye.” The illusion is intangible.
Close examination: illusion is grimy,
disheveled, lice-ridden.
Oak Tree. This is a mother oak, a
gnomish refuge and communal
enclave. It is over 100 feet in
diameter and over 400 feet tall.
Faeries regard these ancient oak
trees as sacred.
Frost. The ground is covered with
snow.
Kikimora (2)
Hunched, heron-headed fey that
lurks in houses, creating illusions of
filth and vermin to torment
residents. Sworn enemies of
brownies.
AC 13, HP 14, ATK 2 claw +1 (1d4),
MV near, S +0, D +3, C +1, I +0, W
+1, Ch +3, AL C, LV 3
Illusion. Create a convincing
audiovisual illusion within near. Lasts
5 rounds.
Invisibility. Turn invisible. Ends if
kikimora attacks.

Hall (Double Near). Seven beds in
alcoves. A long-mustached, red-
capped, wrinkled gnome (Evze,
redcap) sits in the middle of the
room, surrounded by a group of five
bipedal opossums (grimples) and
five bright blue imps (hobkins). Five
gnomes, manacled together in a
chain gang, sit against south wall.
The redcap and gremlins are telling
vicious jokes.
Evze, Redcap. Evze attempts to
parlay and arrange a truce, focusing
on Horecka. He betrays Horecka and
adventurers both if possible.
Ambush. Vland, Evze’s redcap
brother, uses the secret door in Area
9 and attack from behind.
Treasure. Evze wears a gold and
emerald ring worth 95 gp, and one
hobkins gremlin wears a gold
pendant of an oak leaf worth 80 gp.
Gnome Prisoners. Five male gnome
peasants, waiting for Horecka’s
essence draining. If freed and
armed, aids adventurers.
Evze, Redcap
Sinister, tiny fey that looks like a
wrinkled old man wearing a blood-
soaked cap. Wears iron-shod boots.
AC 12 (leather), HP 20, ATK 2 scythe
+4 (1d8), MV double near, S +2, D
+1, C +2, I +1, W +1, Ch +1, AL C, LV
4
Irreligious. If presented with a holy
symbol, must make morale check.
Grimple Gremlin (5)
Mangy, bipedal opossum with a
rattish tail and tusks.
AC 10, HP 1, ATK 1 claw -2 (1), MV
near (climb fly), S -3, D +0, C +0, I -1,
W +0, Ch -2, AL C, LV 0
Putrid Vomit. A straight line (5'
wide) extending near from gremlin.
CON 9+ or sickened for 1d4 rounds.
Cannot use again for 1d4 rounds.

Hobkins Gremlin (5)
Small, cerulean imp with upright bat
ears and circular blue eyes. Hovers 1
inch from the ground.
AC 11, HP 4, ATK 1 claw +0 (1), MV
near, S -1, D +1, C +0, I +0, W +0, Ch
+1, AL C, LV 1
Collateral Damage. If missed by
attack, attacker rerolls attack against
ally within range.
Out of Phase. Ranged attacks
against hobkins have DISADV.

Chamber (Near). Feather bed under
a large tapestry showing naked
gnomes dancing and eating
mushrooms under a full moon.
Bedside shelf with silver decanter
and two goblets. A dour, long-
haired, old gnome with a splotchy
red wool cap (Vland, redcap) naps
on the bed.
Vland, Redcap. Vland is a sinister
psychopath, even for a redcap.
Attempts to parlay and connive a
way to survive, backstabs heroes at
the first reasonable opportunity.
Knows of the secret doors to Areas 9
and 10, sneaks through and
ambushes intruders if possible.
Treasure. Vland wears black leather,
iron-shod boots with fancy gold
buckles, worth 5 gp each. Decanter
worth 35 gp, goblets each worth 15
gp.
Vland, Redcap
Sinister, tiny fey that looks like a
wrinkled old man wearing a blood-
soaked cap. Wears iron-shod boots.
AC 12 (leather), HP 20, ATK 2 scythe
+4 (1d8), MV double near, S +2, D
+1, C +2, I +1, W +1, Ch +1, AL C, LV
4
Irreligious. If presented with a holy
symbol, must make morale check.

Foyer (Double Near). The wood floor
is smooth and well-oiled, one piece
of living oak. Braziers burn with blue
fire in north and south alcoves,
within are rich-colored tapestries. In
the center of the room, a gnome is
prone, bound hand and foot.
Balanced on the gnome’s back are
three copper flagons and a copper
plate heaped with vegetables.
Shattered wood door to west.
Gnome. Lackspite Twitchtwig,
gnome peasant. Gagged, bound,
being used as a table. Attempts to
warn adventurers, willing to fight fey
intruders if given a weapon. Knows
about lurker’s Light Essence ability
and the secret doors to Area 8.
Lurkers in Light. Three invisible
lurkers in light lounge around the
room, bantering in High Formorian
and basking in the bright firelight. If
alerted, they turn quiet, hide, and
prepare an ambush against would-
be rescuers.
Frost. The room is cold and dappled
with frost.
Tapestries. Depict gnomish lineages.

Secret Door. Hidden in the south
alcove behind a tapestry is a
concealed door to Area 8. The
invaders don’t know about the
secret door.
Braziers. With both lit, provide
bright light in Area 2, making lurkers
in light invisible.
Lurkers in Light (3)
Saucer-eyed, small fey who glows
brightly, shedding glitter from their
moth wings. Malicious, hateful
towards gnomes and halflings.
AC 13, HP 19, ATK 2 dagger +3 (1d4),
MV near (fly), S +0, D +3, C +1, I +1,
W +1, Ch +1, AL C, LV 4
Light Essence. Lurker is invisible in
bright light. If slain, dissolves into
glowing dust (as light spell).
Light Step. Teleport from a brightly
lit area to another brightly lit area
within far.
Lackspite, Gnome Peasant
Gnome in worn, dirty clothes.
Willing to fight.
AC 10, HP 4, ATK none, MV near, S
+0, D +0, C +0, I +0, W +0, Ch +0, AL
L, LV 1

Chamber (Near). Workbenches in
corners, central worktable covered
with gnome-sized tools. Blood
splatters, debris, broken implements.
Wooden doors north/south, broken
door east.

Chamber (Near). Looms, textiles,
spinning wheels, and other weaving
apparatus sit unused. Skeins of yarn
are strewn all over. Oaken doors
north, south, and east.
Gnome Info. If a Briar Hollow gnome
is with the adventurers, they inform
that the eastern side passage
connects with the women’s abode.

Chamber (Near). Lit hearth to north.
Four spriggans quaff from flagons
and bottles, while two gnome maids
sweat and cook over the fire.
Shelves, jars, jugs, and barrels fill
every corner.
Spriggans. Downright bullies and
bastards spoiling for a fight. They’re
drunk, heckle each other mid-fight,
and if they use their Enlarge ability,
become -ghtly jammed between
gnomish butter churns and shelves
of crockery.
Gnomes. Fizzle and Frazzle
McCracken, two black-haired
gnomish sisters. Glad to be rescued,
give the adventurers two healing
potions. Frazzle has a vial of
brinestump poison she was planning

to spike Horecka’s stew with. Won’t
fight but otherwise aid as they can.
Knows about the secret doors to
Area 8.
Treasure. The surliest spriggan
wears mithral chainmail.
Brinestump Poison (Ingested). CON
12+ or suffer explosive diarrhea for
1d4 rounds.
Spriggans (4)
Feyish grey gnome that can assume
the size of an ogre. Descended from
the gnomes of the faerie world, now
squalid and bitter.
AC 15 (chainmail), HP 13, ATK 1
morning star +0 (1d6) or 1 crossbow
(far) +0 (1d6), MV near, S -2, D +2, C
+0, I -1, W -1, Ch -1, AL C, LV 3
Enlarge. As an action, can become
ogre-sized or gnome-sized, +1d6
damage on melee attacks and ADV
on STR checks while large.

Hall (Double Near). Communal
dormitory. Five gnome-sized beds,
two female gnomes gagged and
manacled to bed. Pair of washbasins
and shelves with grooming supplies
in southwest and southeast corners.
Gnomes. Two gnome peasants,
manacled with cold iron manacles
and gagged. If freed, warn that
Horecka is in the upper dormitory to
the east, along with her bodyguards.
Also explain that Horecka is draining
essence from the gnomes and
mother oak. Will fight if armed.
Curtain. Tan cloth separates the
dormitories.
Sounds. Horecka’s sorcerous
chanting can be heard to the east.
Frost. The air is noticeably frigid to
the east.

Hall (Double Near). Five beds,
separated by blue curtains. A gnome
woman is tied to the east-most bed.
Frost-haired woman (Horecka,
winter hag) grips a white-hafted
staff and stares into the gnome’s
eyes. Violet mist pours from the
gnome’s eyes into a ceramic jar. Pile
of five desiccated gnome bodies in
north alcove.
Horecka, Winter Hag. Focusing and
draining the essence from her
gnome victim. Hostile, may attempt
to parlay and convince heroes to
attack the redcaps. Betrayal is
certain.
Guards. Horecka’s guards, a pair of
mail-clad, grey-skinned gnomes
(spriggans) are sipping wine and
snacking. Flee to warn redcaps (Area
10) if Horecka is defeated, otherwise
fight on.

Gnome Essence. There are five
sealed jars, each warm to the touch.
Each contains the essence of a
gnome. Unsealing a jar within near
of the gnome bodies restores the
gnome to 1 HP. Otherwise, essence
can be inhaled: heal 2d6 HP and
cured of curses, poison, disease.
Gnome Bodies. Five mostly dead
gnomes, hanging between life and
death. Can be restored to life if the
essence jars are unsealed, otherwise
fully die in 1d4 days. Weak and
exhausted, unable to fight.
Horecka, Winter Hag
Woman with skin coated in rime-ice,
frost-white hair.
AC 10, HP 24, ATK 2 staff +4 (1d6) or
cone of cold or wall of ice, MV near,
S +2, D +0, C +2, I +1, W +0, Ch +3,
AL C, LV 5
Cone of Cold. 1/day, all within near-
sized cube extending from hag 3d6
damage.
Wall of Ice. 1/day, 20-foot tall, 5-
foot thick wall of ice, double near
length. Lasts 2d4 rounds.
Spriggans (4)
(See Opposite Page).
Horecka’s Staff of Winter
Glossy staff of white wood. Icy cold
to the touch.
Bonus. Acts as a wand of wall of ice.
On a critical failure, conjures a
hostile greater ice elemental and
melts into slush.
Wall of Ice (Tier 4, duration: 5
rounds, near). You conjure a wall of
ice. The wall is up to 4 inches thick,
near height and double near in
length. You choose its shape, but it
must be supported. You can create a
bridge, ramp, gate, or other
structure. Wall melts when spell
ends.
Curse. The staff is always frigid to
the touch. You must wear gloves or
have DISADV on checks because of
the cold.

Hall (Near). West-south hall. Shrine
in northwest corner, covered with
bright cloth. A single candle burns
atop the shrine.
Shrine. Wood shrine dedicated to
Bojangles, god of failure. Vo-ve
candles and dying flowers.
Gnome Escapee. Yobstob
Glottwarbler, male gnome peasant,
hiding under the shrine, obscured by
the cloth. He is guarded and
watchful. Will aid heroes against fey
if armed.
Secret Doors. Visible from inside
hall, doors east and south.

\

Hall (Near). Unlit north-east hall.
Bunk beds in alcoves, each
whimsically decorated with flowers,
paint, and carvings. Doors at north
and east ends of hall.
Sounds. To the east, rough and
rowdy speech in High Formorian.
Secret Door. Behind the
southeastern bunk is a concealed
door to Area 11, hidden behind a
pile of blankets. The two redcaps
know of this secret door, the rest of
the fey do not.