Shots in the Dark #1 · p.59-61 · 3p
Open source p.59The Word-Eating Wyrm
A level 6 adventure by Sam McKay
The Great Library of Bizora juts from the rubble of a fallen metropolis.
Scholars would pay handsomely for the precious texts stored within, but a strange dragon named Bibloraxi has claimed the library as her own.
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RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
Exterior: 2 gargoyles (SD 216)
Interior: 1 book mimic (SD 232)
No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.59
Rooms (7)
1 Library Exterior p.59
1. LIBRARY EXTERIOR
A stately building built with fine grey marble, now chipping with age. This library is the sole building standing in the ruins of a once great city.
• Front Entrance. Towering brass doors flanked by two stone gargoyles lead inside the library to the Vestibule.
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• Secret Back Entrance. On the rear of the building is a secret door leading to the Main
Collection near the dragon
Bibloraxi’s Hoard (Area 7).
▶ The door is barely visible as a seam in the stonework. Two gargoyles loom over it along the roofline. One of the gargoyles holds a sword, the other holds a quill that acts as a switch to open the door.
2 Vestibule p.59
2. VESTIBULE
The inside of the library is pitch black. Two sets of closed wooden double doors lead into the Check
Out Room. The vestibule is empty except for stacks of books piled high next to each door.
• Book Stack Trap. The book stacks have been rigged to fall when the doors are opened. DC 14 DEX or
Damage from falling books.
The noise alerts the kobolds in the next room.
3 Check Out Room p.59
3. CHECK OUT ROOM
Several unusually well-read kobolds hide behind a highly polished check out counter. Doors on the back wall lead to the Main
Collection, the door on the right wall leads to the Quiet Study, and the locked door on the left wall leads to the Rare Books Room.
• The Paper Cut tribe: 4 kobolds and 3 kobold sorcerers (SD 228).
▶ The tribe serves Bibloraxi, the dragon that dwells deeper within the library.
▶ They resent not having access to the Rare Books Room.
▶ They know that the dragon holds the key to that room, an enchanted Crystal
Paperweight.
• Greased Counter. The top of the counter is greased, DC 15 DEX or slip and fall when trying to move across it.
4 Rare Books Room p.59
4. RARE BOOKS ROOM
Magically locked by a Crystal
Paperweight held by Bibloraxi. The glass cases in this room hold historic documents, magical journals and antique maps. These rare and fragile texts are worth
500gp. One of the maps shows the location of the ruined city’s bank vaults.
5 Quiet Study p.59
5. QUIET STUDY
This room is under a perpetual silence spell (SD 71). 7 kobolds sit around small tables reading.
6 Main Collection p.59
6. MAIN COLLECTION
This cavernous room is lined with book cases, with several more shelves in the center extending to the ceiling. Two balconies run down the left and right sides of the room, with ornate steps at the front and back of each.
• Secret Door. A book shelf in the back left side of the room contains a single row of books, one of which has claw marks on the spine. Pulling it opens a secret door in the back wall of the library that Bibloraxi uses to enter and exit.
7 The Hoard p.59
7. THE HOARD
Piled in the rear of the main collection is a hoard of books, upon which a sepia-scaled dragon sleeps.
• Bibloraxi, Eater of Words. Spends her time reading and collecting more material for her hoard.
▶ She values rare texts and silence.
▶ She tolerates the kobolds that serve her but thinks they are too lowly to handle her finest books.
▶ A gleaming Crystal
Paperweight rests on a cushion next to Bibloraxi (worth 50g, unlocks the Rare Book Room.)
• Searching the hoard. 6 magic scrolls (one of each type on
Bibloraxi’s scroll breath table), Spectacles of the Wyrm and various texts worth 100g combined.
Spectacles of the Wyrm
A 2’ long pair of pince nez sized for a large creature. The lenses of the glasses translate any text viewed through them to draconic.
BIBLORAXI
EATER OF WORDS
Papery brown scales cover this dragon’s slender form. She reeks of ink, her foreclaws and lips stained black.
AC 15, HP 50, ATK 2 rend () or
1 scroll breath, MV double near (fly), S , D , C , I , W , Ch , AL N, LV 11
Scroll Breath. Bibloraxi eats a random magic scroll and gains its effects as a breath weapon. All breath weapons extend from the dragon. Roll :
• 1: Knock. A deafening blast fills a near-sized cube. DC 14 CON or
damage. Any windows/doors in the area fly open as well as all containers held or worn by creatures.
• 2: Teleport. Targets within a near- sized cube randomly swap positions.
• 3: Floating Disk. A force disk blasts forward in a line (far). DC 14
DEX or damage and knocked down.
• 4: Web. Fills a near-sized cube with webs. Creatures inside are stuck and can’t move until they make a DC 13 STR check.
• 5: Fireball. Near-sized cube of flames. DC 14 DEX or Damage
• 6: Lightning bolt. Line (far) DC 14
DEX or Damage.
Disadvantage if wearing metal armor.