Peis e EN ag rs coee teem beste ot esa ee cee ath ce eR ee oie teem ed eec eel mlm cele sie Leip cutieSupplement Wild Things Table of Contents Ettercaps and Spiders (JT) . Manticores and Griffons (JT) White Dragon (JT) ......:secc ‘Ores, Orogs, and Half-Ores (JT) Red Dragon (GB) ... sede Wemics, Lamia, and Thri-Kreen (DM Trolls and Centaurs (CM) ...., : Bandits and Storm Giants (CM) ... ‘Credits Design; Grant Boucher (GB), David Martin (DM), Christopher Mortika (CM), John Terra (JT) Development and Editing: Newton H. Ewell Interior Art: Jim Holloway, Daniel Horne ‘Cover Art: Jeff Easley TSR, Inc. io TSR Ltd. POB 756 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton Lake Geneva, ‘Cambridge CB1 3LB WI 53147 USA Si ae United Kingdom 1990 TSR, Inc, All Rights Reserved, Printed in U.S.A, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & ORAGONS and AD&D, are regis LESYSTEM, PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION and sured to the book trade in the United States by Rangamn House, 1 United %: toy TSR Lid aterlal is protected unde: the copyriyht laws of the United State nt of TSK, Ine. 20a05X31500 arks owned by TSR, Ine Joga are trademarks owned by TSE, Ine, and in Canada by Random House of Canad t id hobby trade by regan | Ainerica, Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material ararterork jiresernted herein is ji ISBN 1-Se070-050-8Ettercaps & Spiders Terrain: Heavy woods Total Party Levels: 24 (Average 4th) Total g.p.: 3,360 gp Set Up * While trudging through a thick, heavy forest, the PCs come upon a very old trai] marked with a small stone. The stone has several faint runes scratched into it. The runes are elvish, and indicate that there is an elven outpost further down the ancient trail, * A druid asks the party to fetch her some rare plants and herbs which grow wild near an old, abandoned elven outpost. The herbs are used to create.a salve that neutralizes poison in the same way as the Fourth level priest spell neutralize poison. The druid gives each PC one vial of the salve as a reward, provided that they successfully get the plants. She gives the PCs a map of the general area, which is a day's march to the north, The PCs should look out for an old elven trail. * Rumor tells of an ancient, abandoned elven outpost that lies at the end of a trail. The trail is marked with a small stone with elven runes carved into it. The outpost is reported to contain an elven treasure hoard, originally kept there for safekeeping until a particular crisis blew over. It suppesedly has never been re- elaimed. (This is an exaggeration. The elves left a few things, but hardly enough to qualify asa “hoard!") The Lair The trail is extremely old, and some parts of it are overgrown with brush, Many tracks of different game animals, particularly deer and wild pigs, crisscross the area. For movement purposes, the trail is to be considered Rugged terrain (see the Encumbrance and Movement rules in the Wilderness Survival Guide). The trail is 15 miles long, A proficiency check is required every turn to keep on the trail, The DM should roll this check for the tracking player. Failure does not mean that the PC can no longer see the trail, rather it means that he believes the trail goes in a direction different from the actual path, A smart PC with direction sense can use this proficiency to verify that the party is on the right track. This proficiency check should also be made by the DM, Aside from the risk of getting lost, the trail is otherwise not too bad. A stream well populated by fish flows perpendicular to the trail at the seven mile mark, and there is an abundance of game animals and birds. DMs can determine the weather using the Weather Charts in the WSG, but it is recommended that the adventure begin with clear, comfortable weather and little wind. Random encounters should be rolled for every mile of the path, the last roll made when the group is one mile from the outpost. There are many edible plants along the path, but none are of the variety that the PCs are looking for if they have been sent to look for herbs. Two miles from the outpost, tracking checks reveal a marked lack of animal tracks. If herd animals are encountered from this point on, a proficiency check using animal lore reveals that the creatures anticipate danger and are avoiding the area in the diree- tion of the outpost. If the PCs are using mounts, these animals begin acting up once the PCs get to within one mile of the outpost. All mounts become nervous and excited, requiring a proficiency check in animal handling fer each animal to be calmed down. This can only be tried once per animal. [If the check fails, the animal refuses to go any farther, Should the check succeed, the anima! continues onward but additional animal handling checks must be made every turn. Any animal, wild or domesticated, that is spoken to by magical means says the same thing: “Much blood...fresh... much blood, ,fresh...death...” When the small outpost is finally in view, the PCs see that it js built from the trunks of huge oak trees. The structure is a 20 foot by 20 foot cube with a single door located in the middle of the south wall, Twe arrow slits flank the door, which is ajar, The other walls each have three arrow slits, A 20 foot high obser- valion platform rests atop the building's flat roof. Many plants grow around the building. A few even can be found growing right in the outpost’s threshold. There is a tiny clearing 25 feet in diameter that starts from the outpost’s door (the path is on the opposite side of the clearing), The entire building is covered in moss and ivy, with long vines trailing off the eaves. Three large oaks grow a scant few feet from the north, east and west walls. The trees are over 100 feet high, and their branches overhang the little outpost, The entire area is silent, no bugs peeping or birds chirping. The air is still. PCs who were sent here to look for plants must make herbalisrn proficiency checks to identify the right plants, They are growing at the bases of the three oaks, in the threshold of the building, and in a spot exactly halfway across the clearing. There are suf- ficient herbs to brew 24 poison-neutralizing potions. Any successful tracking attempts reveal numerous large arachnid tracks, and three sets of humanoid tracks, the latter being unidentifiable as to race. The tracks go in and out of the building, The outpost's interior is uninspiring. The floor is thick with dust, Spiderwebs hang from the walls and ceiling. The interior is one large room, any partitions having fallen down or been taken as firewood ages ago. There is a trap door on the ceiling, which leads to the watchtower A group of four giant spiders lurk deep in the webs and they are hungry, There are no bones or husks around to give their presence away Giant Spiders (4): AC 4; MV 3, wh 12; HD 4+4; hp 24: THACO 17; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8; SA poison and webs; ML 13; AL CE. These arachnids are the pets of the ettercaps. The PCs could always just set fire to the building, which destroys all treasure in the secret recess in the floor. If the PCs do use this unsportsmantlike tactic, consult the fire rules in theEttercaps & Spiders Wilderness Survival Guide. Remember that the entire building is made of wood, the webs inside are Hammable, and there are trees and plants touching the building. Things could get out of control very quickly. In the northwest corner of the outpost, a trap door lies con- cealed in the floor (Treat this as a secret door for any detection attempts). The trap door is four by four feet. Below the trap door is a recess, within which is a beautiful sheathed long sword +2 flame tongue. a suit of elt sized elven chain, a shield +2 with a realistic oak leaf painted on it, a longbow +1, a quiver of 12 sheaf arrows +1, and a steel coffer. The coffer is locked. Inside the coffer sit a dozen emeralds worth 100 gp each, a platinum headband set with a single emerald, total worth 2,000 gp. a silver holy symbol of Solonar Thelandira (elven god of archery) worth 25 gp, two jars of Keoghtom’s ointment, anda magic missile scroll written at 10th level ability, The coffer has a false bottom. The space holds a scrap of parchment with the word “aloria” written on it (the command word for the sword). A three by three foot trap door is located in the middle of the ceiling. [t is presently closed. There is an old locking mechanism, but it has not been used. There is no ladder to facilitate access to the trap door No matter how the PCs get to the trap door, an Open Doors roll has to be made to open it. After all, it has not been opened in centuries. When the door is opened and PCs begin moving through it, they are attacked by a group of huge spiders that lurk here amidst the dead branches on the reat, Huge Spiders (6): AC 6; My 18; HD 24-2; hp 14; THACO 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6; SA Surprise and poison; ML 8 AL N, The spiders leap out of the dead branches, in hopes of surprising the PCs (—6 on PC surprise rolls), The observation platform is an old, rickety structure, overgrown with plants. Due to the great number of trees in the area, the view is severely limited. It is apparent that the forest was much thinner during this outpost’s heyday, A ladder still stands to provide access to the top of the plathorm from the out- post roof. The observation platform itself consists of a six by six foot floor with four posts that support an equal sized roof, There are no walls. [If more than 300 pounds of weight is placed on the platform, there is one chance on a d6 that the entire plattorm comes tumbl- ing down, The three oak trees are within arm's reach of the plat- form. PCs can attempt to grab hold of a branch and travel along the length of one of the trees. This requires a climbing proficiency check. Using the guidelines set forth in the WSG, consider the surface Rough slope, Severe, If the PCs remain inside the outpost proper, the ettercaps and their remaining spider allies seal the adventurers’ doom, If one or two PCs are kept outside the building as guards, the ettercaps send two giant spiders to silence them, This includes making an attempt to gag the guards using spiderwebs. There is one etter- cap lurking in each of the three trees that surround the outpost, Each one lairs deep in the heart of the branches, about 75 feet up from the ground. ‘Two giant spiders live with each ettercap, acting as bodyguards and “watchdogs”, For battles in the trees, the spiders will always be encountered before the-ettercaps. ‘Once the ettercaps realize that their actions have not been seen, they and their giant spider allies spin thick webs and seal off the entire building, choking every slit and exit with a large amount of sticky webs. They begin with the front door, proceed to the ceiling trap door, then finish with the arrow slits. In essence. the monsters turn the building into a giant cocoon. The entire dastardly deed takes one turn to accomplish. lt takes three Strength rolls to break a door free of the webs. During this time, of course, the spiders can sense the vibrations along the web and rush to attack the PC who is attempting to break out. The ettercaps wish to just let the PCs starve, Conscientious DMs should warn PCs that if they attempt to burn their way out, they may just succeed in setting themselves on fire as well, All of the webs will catch fire and burn down the outpost with the PCs still inside, Should the PCs not fall for this trick and instead figure out that something truly nasty dwells in the three oaks, the ettercaps have their traps all set up in their respective trees, Finding them requires either a suecesstul findremove traps or detect snares and pits. The west oak has a series of trigger branches set up at its 50 foot mark. If a PC grabs one for leverage, it gives way. The branches are connected to large, thick, but supple branches that are held in place under great tension. Pulling a trigger branch releases the larger branch which acts like a giant broom, PCs must make either a climbing proficiency check or roll half their Dex- terity or less, lest they be swept right off the tree. A nasty 50 foot fall awaits those who fail either of these rolls. Each PC takes adé points of damage from the sweep plus Sdé6 falling damage. The branch is set to break off on impact, sending it hurtling down on the PCs, The branch weighs 200 pounds, Once on the ground, each PC must make a Dexterity ability check or take an additional 2dé6 points of damage from the falling branch, Lf a PC is hit by the branch, there is a chance (50% ] of being pinned. The north oak has a net of webs set up at its 40 foot mark. Each PC must make a Dexterity ability check or be stuck. Once the trap is sprung. the resident ettercap and his spiders attack. The eastern oak has a series of false branches that are nothing but large masses of sticky webs with twigs and leaves covering them, These branches are located at the 45 foot mark in all direc- tions. Touching one of these branches resulls in the victim being held fast as if ina spider web, Bach PC who reaches the 45 Loot mark has tour chances on a dé of being stuck fast, The ettercaps use the opportunity to attack anyone who is not stuck, then turn their attention to the helpless victims DMs should note that the traps are set up at the right height for PCs who get the idea to invade the trees by climbing up the observation platform and shinnying up one of the overhanging branches. Ettercaps (3): AC 6; MV 12; HD 5; hp 25; THACO 15; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-8; SA Poison and webs; ML 13; AL NE. Though only two ettercaps al the most are ever encountered in an area, the third ettercap is just passing through and is staying for just a few weeks. This is the ettereap in the northern tree, as is evidenced by the simplicity of his trap, Giant Spiders (6; AC 4; MV 3, wh 12; HD 4+4; hp 36; THACO 17; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8; SA poison and webs; ML 13; AL CE. These spiders are the special, well-fed and cared-for pets of the ettercaps, hence their full hit points per hit die, The slaying of any of these spiders moves the ettercaps into a fighting frenzy. The ettereaps and spiders themselves do not have any treasure, However, the monsters have slain a few victims (though they did not use the outpost trick), Any PC who feels so inspired can search the area for possible cast-off treasure. The entire area is about 1600 square feet. For every 100 square feet searched, there isa 5% chance of finding one of the following: rusted shart sword (13 vs. Ivcanthropes and shapechangers), sling of seeking +2, wand of metal and mineral detection (8 charges left}, an ald pouch with 10 gp, an old pouch with six agates worth 20 gp each, a brass ring with mysterious runes on it (5 gp), and a buckle knife +4. Each item can be found only oncel It the PCs were sent here ta fetch the plants, they are to be rewarded according to the terms set down in the Set Up. If the PCs set the outpost on fire and the druid is informed of this, the PCs lose their reward, though they get to keep their lives.Manticores & Griffons Terrain: Mountains Total Party Levels: 40 (Average Sth) Total g.p.: 3,632 gp Set Up = The same druid whe sent the party looking for rare herbs has another task for the players, The druid has recently happened upon a clutch of griffon eggs (two to be exact), The eggs have to be returned to their proper nest, which is located high up on amountain. As far as a reward is concerned, the druid cryptically declares that such things will come in time, What the PCs de not know is that the druid gave the griffons half a treasure map for safekeeping, and the creatures will relinquish it to whoever returns the eggs ® While travelling through mountainous terrain, the PCs see a group of four manticores killing two griffons in a spectacular mid air battle. The griffons appeared to have been defending something in their nest. Something large. Something which cat- ehes the sun's rays and dazzles the PCs. Something golden, The nest is set high up a mountainside, something which requires a dangerous climb, Whatever the thing is, it must be big if it can be seen from so far below, After the manticores kill the griffons, the horrid batwinged things fly off. The Lair The griffon lair is not the primary issue here. The manticore nest located on the same mountain but on the opposite face is the issue, The griffon nest is set on the eastern face of the moun- tain and is quite a sheer drop. The manticore nest is on the western face, where the mountainside is a bit better suited for climbing DMs should consult the Climbing rules in the Wilderness Sur- vival Guide, The east face of the mountain should be considered Normal slope, severe, The west face is Rough slope, severe, [f the PCs ask, the north and south slopes are both Cliff, smooth, no ledges, All surface conditions are rated as Non-slippery. If the DM is using the weather rules and changes in the weather eccur, the conditions could change. Speaking of weather, gusts of wind of 5-60 (5d12) miles per hour are frequent hazards. These gusts of wind come from nowhere and last for 2-20 (2d 10) minutes, The WSG gives rules for moving and fighting in windy conditions. There is one insidious feature to the east face of the mountain: al the 5,000 foot mark, the surface becomes Cliff, smooth, no ledges, This lasts for 1,500 feet. PCs must go around to the west side if they want to have favorable conditions again. PC with the mountaineering proficiency are a valuable part of the group, as are rogues and their climbing ability, DMs should make a careful note as to what equipment the PCs are carrying, not only for the purposes of determining encumbrance (the PCs will be lifting themselves and their heavy equipment up the moun- tain) but also for determining what climbing options are open tothe PCs. After all, it is hard to use grappling hooks te climb the mountain if no one brought any. Both lairs are located at an elevation of 7,000 feet, The man- ticores use a cave that is well-concealed until the party is almost on top of it. The griffons’ lair is an open-air nest with a few hardy trees for shade and protection from rain. The mountain itself is 14,555 feet high, with a dense fog covering the last 2,000 feet At the 4,500 foot mark, on the west side of the mountain, there is an empty cave 80 feet in diameter. This would be a perfect place for the party to rest. In fact, the cave shows signs of hav- ing been used long ago as a rest stop of some sort, judging by the very old remains of campfires and the nearly worn smooth runes scratched into the cave walls. A successful read languages roll reveals the following message: “Borhald the Ranger passed here, Venture not any further up the great mount. "Tis not the domain of man but of winged creatures.” The cave has no inherent dangers, though PCs who stay In it overnight have a 10% chance of spotting 1-4 manticores on a nocturnal hunt, Each manticore has a seven in 20 chance of spotting the PCs in the cave, though the chance is doubled to 14 if the PCs have a brightly burning campfire in the cave, If the PCs have taken extra precautions to conceal the cave or themselves, the chance of being detected drops to two in 20. Initial manticore range from the cave is 500 feet, Initial altitude from sea level is 4,700 feet, Manticores who spot the party begin a dive for the cave en- trance, firing off one volley of spikes to “soften up” their vie- tims, They Ay right inte the cave, claws flailing. Consider this a charge, with the appropriate bonuses and penalties. If the monsters are outnumbered two to one or more, they fight their way back to the cave mouth and take to the air again, Other- wise, the manticores attack the PCs in hopes of securing a good supply of fresh food LU there are any halflings or gnomes in the party, a manticore may attempt to grab one and fly out of the cave, Once outside, the horrible beast drops the demi-human from the great height in hopes of killing the victim, then swooping down and collec- ting its ready-made meal. Manticores (1-4); AC 4: MY 12, Fl 18 (E); HD 6+3: hp 35; THACO 13; 4AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-8; SA Tail spikes; ML 14, AL LE, These creatures have no treasure on them; this is a food raid. They are not from the nest on this mountain, but from an adjacent peak. This entire area is infested with manticores, most of which are recent arrivals, moving in on what has been griffon lerritory until recently If the PC do not camp out in the cave, DMs should inflict them with the 1-4 manticores anyway, making itan outdoor encounter somewhere halfway up the mountain, Do not rell random en- counters on this mountain! This place is under control of the man- ticores, with oceasional clashes with the former residents The environment around the griffon nest is rough rock with three stubborn trees growing up behind the nest, their branches spread as a ‘canopy’ 30 feet above the nest. Approaching the nest is a dangerous affair; the terrain is classified as Smooth slope, moderate The griffon nest is a round structure 40 feet in diameter and 1é feet deep. The nest is made up of leaves and branches (espe-Manticores & Griffons cially from the adjoining three old trees}, and bones of cattle and game animals. A staff of striking, a wand of enemy detection, a rod of smiting, and a bone scroll case are mixed into the building materials, The items can be found only if either magic is detected for, or the PCs roll an ability check using half their Wisdom, A successful check means that the PC in question finds one of the above items. The bone scroll case contains a scroll of protec tion from undead, ‘The western section of the nest leads into a 20 foot semi-circular depression in the mountain's face. Settled snugly in this depres- sion are two griffon eggs. Each egg is 18 inches long, 10 inches wide, and weighs 25 pounds. Both eggs will hatch in a fortnight. Scattered in the depression are 26 gp, 22 pp, and a pretty aquamarine worth 500 gp. A large (128') golden statue sits on the rim of the nest. It is hollow, and made of brass witha thin gold overlay. It weighs 75 pounds, and sits on the rim of the griffons’ nest, The gold ean be scraped off (this takes two hours}, netting the PCs 100 gp, The statue depicts a robed woman with a crown of leaves, holding, a sickle in her right hand, [tis a druid, the same druid that sent the PCs to return the eggs, if that Set Up was used, (NOTE: No matter which set-up you use, the druid’s relationship with the griffons is clear. This statue is a gift from the druid to the grif- tons, Detacing the statue in any way automatically incites the griffons’ wrath|) The griffons are not present if the PCs climb up to the nest in the daylight. They are off hunting, but return tive rounds after the PCs arrive. Griffons (3): AC 3; Mv 12, Fl 30 (C}; HD 7; hp 56; THACO 13; #AT 3; Dmg 1-4/1-4/2-16; ML 12; ALN. There are two females and one male. The male is the last surviving griffon of its gender in this area. It is battle-scarred and tough, being the dominant male of this pride, This majestic creature is concerned for the pitiful remains of his pride, If the PCs were sent to return the eggs, they had better speak up quickly either by spells or by hand gestures. The battle- hardened (perhaps shell-shocked) griffons are enraged at seeing intruders in their nest. If a rapport is somehow set up with the griffons, the male ex= presses his concern for his mates and the eggs. The area is over- run with manticores, the worst being the ones on the other side of the mountain. If that pack were exterminated, the manticores on the other mountains would think twice about coming around to this mountain again, The PCs should feel free to step in at this point and offer their services. The three adults even volunteer lo take three riders over to the manticore nest. Bear in mind that if the PCs try to persuade the griffons to give them their eggs, under no circumstances will the griffons part with them, These eggs are the only hope the griffons have of repopulating the region. The manticore nest is located on terrain classified as Normal slope, severe, The lair isa circular cave 135 feet in diameter, with an entrance 40 feet wide. There is a 30 foot drop from the en- trance to the cave floor, while the ceiling is set 90 feet from the entrance, The floor is littered with bones of humans, griffons, and livestock, In a grisly imitiation ot other evil creatures who hoard magic and treasure, a three-weeks-dead manticore rests atop a pile of valuables. Needless to say, the cave smells terrible. There is a 75% chance that the manticores are “at home”. regardless of the time of day, If they are not present, the beasts are out hunting, and return in 2d10 minutes, The only living creatures are the three eight-month-old manticore cubs prancing, around the lair, Manticore Cubs (3); AC 4, MV 12; HD 1; hp 4; THACO 20; #AT 3; Dmg 1/1/1-2; ML 4; AL LE. The cubs have the faces of little boys, bearing a disturbing resemblance to schoolyard bullies. Like bullies, they attack until one cub is injured, then turn tail and run to the farthest point of the cave, When the two mated pairs of manticores return, they are in- furiated to find humans and dermi-humans in their lair. If the cubs have been injured or killed, the manticores will be ina homicidal berserker rage, increasing the monsters’ base morale as reflected below, Angry Manticores (4): AC 4; MV 12, Fl 18 (Ej; HD 6+; hp 51, 50, 42, 38; THACO 13; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3/1-3/1-8; ML 14 (18); AL LE. If the PCs are planning on using the griffons to conduct an aerial battle against the manticores, the DM should be aware that the manticores attack from the southwest in a diamond for- mation, cruising at an altitude of 7,300 feet, DMs should check the WSG section that deals with flying mounts. The manticores are not interested in verbal communication of any sort, They want blood, The treasure hoard of the vile beasts (once the rotting man- ticore carcass is removed) consists of a heap of 3,440 sp and 2,724 gp, all mixed together, Buried at the bottom of this pile is a shield +1, a cloak of elvenkind, and a suit of halfling-sized leather ar mor #2, If the manticores are indeed defeated, the griffons are grateful. Regardless of the PCs’ success in either of the “egg” Set Ups, the male griffon shows the PCs a leather pouch that is secured around the creature's neck, and tells them to remove open the container. Inside the pouch is a map to a treasure hoard. The griffon tells the PCs that the map is now theirs, This is the reward that the druid spoke of. The griffons know the druid personally, since she was the one who set them up on this mountain a decade ago. The creatures have a fierce love for the druid, and convinced her to give them a likeness of her for their nest. Tf the PCs rode any of the griffons in battle against the man- licores, make a reaction roll for each steed using the Indifferent column, De not include any bonuses or penalties except for the pride leader, who gets. a +4 modifier, If a Friendly result is rolled, that particular griffon offers to serve as a steed for the PC whe rode him or her in battle, For further adventures, the PCs could be sent by the druid to find out just who caused the manticores to swarm over the moun- tain range. Did some evil wizard summon the creatures to the area to act as guards for his complex, also hidden in these moun- tains? Or were the manticores driven out of their old stomping grounds by an even bigger threat? Only time and the DM will tell,White Dragon Terrain: Arctic {all terrain! Total Party Levels: 48 (Average 11th) Total g.p.: 38,325 pp Set Up * As the PCs are struggling through a howling blizzard, they catch a fleeting glimpse of a vast castle seemingly made of solid ice. The structure is set upon a hill, Lying next to this beautiful building is a vast white lump. definitely draconian in shape. * [n the course of their travels through the frozen wastes of the North, the PCs come upon a small town, protected by a large wall. A huge snowstorm looms on the horizon, It arrives in seven hours, Patrols make frequent rounds in the town, and watch- towers bristle with spearmen and archers, The tavern talk is about Old Frostjaw, a male white dragon of colossal size, As the oft-quotes proverb goes, “With every bliz- gard comes cutting wind, bone-chilling ice, suffocating snow, and the freezing death of the White Wyrm’, Old Frostjaw, W Wyrm, White Dragon, Icicle Teeth, Freezing Death With Wings, all names that mean the same thing: a huge white dragon that attacks the tawn whenever a snowstorm hits, The dragon has been doing this for centuries. Its treasure hoard is considered beyond counting, The town is not part of any kingdom, so it cannot appeal to a Crown for protection. Several bands of adventurers have been asked to go slay the beast. The groups either flat-out refused, went to the lair and returned in full retreat terrorized (and less a few heroes), or went to the lair and never returned. The last group, a band of eight adventurers, set out three days ago. If the PCs are willing, they will be provided with a map and sent on their journey, hile plodding through a snowstorm in a frozen arctic waste, the PCs see a group of eight statues in the distance. Draw- ing closer, the PCs discover to their horror that they have stum- bled upon a party of eight adventurers, frozen solid with their death screams still showing on their faces. A proficiency check using healing reveal that the group died sametime between yester- day and eight days ago, Whatever attacked them did so from the sky, for the vast ma- jority of the victims are looking upward, If any PCs are feeling rather ghoulish, all of the victims’ items are ruined. The victims include a heavily armored dwar! male, a robed human female, a male gnome in leather armor, a female in plate armor wield ing a bastard sword, a holy symbol emblazoned on her breastplate (paladin), a male human in furs and wielding a battleaxe, a female halfling in leather armor, a male human in clerical garb, and a male elf in chainmail, frozen in the act of firing a bow The only salvagable item is a piece of leather hide parehment on the paladin, It is a map showing a small town (see second Set Up), and a series of hills to the northeast, Anyone with the direction sense proficiency can read the map and tell where things are located, provided a proficiency check is made (with a +3 bonus to the proficiency). The town appears to be hall a day's mareh, the hills a six hour march. There is a single word scrawled over the hills on the map: “Wyrm DM's Information Though white dragens are the least intelligent of dragonkind, this fellow has had an unusual run of good luck. First of all, the dragon has a scarlet and blue spherical ioun stone orbiting his head, This boosts his intelligence by one point. Secondly, the dragon found a gem of insight, which increased its intelligence again by one point. Thirdly, the dragon came upon a Tome of Clear Thought, which he read, and gained yet another point of intelligence. The end result is a white dragon with great wisdom and an intelligence score of ten. PCs who dismiss white dragons as stupid nasty brutes are in for a horrible surprise. This dragon. has gained brains and is ready to use them, The dragon's favorite raiding tactic is te attack during a snowstorm. The great beast is less affected by the high winds and driving snews thal hamper the human and demi-human defenders of the town. Furthermore, the terror that accompanies a wild, raging storm is the perfect supplement to the paralyzing feeling of dragonfear. The town defenders’ morale is at a low during the storms and raids, The town has a militia of 50 humans and 50 dwarves. The humans wear studded leather, and carry long bows, flight ar- rows, short swords, spears, and daggers. They are first level fighters with eight hit points, all of varying good alignments, and an eight morale rating. The dwarves have chain armor, battleaxes, light crossbows and bolts, and short swords. They are second level fighters with 15 hit points, all of lawful good alignment, and a 12 morale rating. PCs who advocate taking command of the militia, setting up a defense and waiting for the dragon to come to them, may do so, The AD&D Battlesystem™” rules can be used to tesalve the battle. If this tack is used and the white dragon is slain, the PCs are in for a rude surprise if they think that the lair is now unoccupied, Old Frostjaw, being an intelligent white dragon, no longer does his own raiding, He has made an agreement with another white dragon, in which the lesser intelligent dragon goes on raids planned by Old Frostjaw, The two creatures split the spoils and the dumber dragon goes back to its own lair. Frostiaw has no intention of leaving his hoard unguarded for a measly mouthful af cow! The other dragon is called Bloodblizzard, and he is not as old as Old Frostjaw. The townsfolk are not aware of the duplicity as it is rather difficult for one te tell white dragons apart in a snowstorm while one is being breathed up on. Bloadblizzard (Not wery smart adult white dragon}: AC -1; MV 12, Fl 40 (C), Br6, Sw 12; HD 13; hp 78; THACO 7; #AT a + special; Omg 1-64+6/1-6+6/2-16+6; SA Breath weapon 6dé+6, dragontear 20 yards save at +2; MR 10%; ML 16; AL CE. Bloodblizzard has an effective intelligence of five. He is stupid, brutish, and easily manipulated or confused. BloodblizWhite Dragon zard dwells ora hillside 40 miles north of Old Frostjaw, and has ho treasure whatsoever (Frostjaw conned him out of it), The Lair Travel to Old Frostjaw’s lair is a daunting undertaking. The snowstorm impedes progress as well as potential combat. No ran- dom encounters need be rolled for the trip, since no sentient creature is about to intrude on the domain of a white dragon. Using the weather system outlined in the Wilderness Survival Guide, the storm is classified as a Severe snowstorm. Elfective temperature is 25 degrees Fahrenheit, There is a strong wind blow- ing in from the north, at 50 miles per hour. This unusual storm lasts for 15 hours and dumps one and a half inches of snow per hour, Consult the WSG for wind chill, movement and combat penalties, and other possible environmental factors, PCs with the weather sense proficiency can have the DM roll a proficiency check for them to see if they can ascertain the storm's statistics. The DM should make the check secretly, giving the PC a false reading if the check is not successful (“Oh, yeah, you can tell that this storm will let up in twe hours or so...no problem, You're sure of your instincts on this one..”}, Regardless of which Set Lip is being used, the storm is already over Old Frostjaw’s lair. As mentioned before, the storm lasts for 15 hours-ever any given area. If the PCs are still in the area when it blows over, DMs can either roll for new conditions, ar use the following: as the storm blows away, skies turn crisp and clear though the temperature drops to 10 degrees and the wind shifts to the southwest at 30 miles per hour, with occasional gusts to 50 miles per hour. Bear in mind that the 10 degrees temperature is the daytime temperature. It gets worse at night When the party comes to the hillside that Old Frostiaw prowls around, they can make out the following when they get inte visual range. There is only one feature that. breaks up the white monotony of the arctic landscape: a gently sloping hill which ascends to an apex of 750 feet, Atop the hill are a castle made of solid ice, and a menacing draconian shape that appears to be sleeping next to the castle, The top of the hill covers a space about 100 yards in diameter. The party is facing the western slope of the hill. The castle made of solid ice stands on the peak of the hill, The structure is 80 feet high, and has an area of 1,000 square feet. A single open entrance on the castle's western wall is the only way to gain entry, The walls are topped with icy parapets, and a 100 foot high tower stands at each corner, Though the entire structure is made of ice, PCs cannot see through many of the walls. There appear to be several unmoving, indistinct shapes beyond the walls. The draconian shape is about 90 feet long. It does not move when the PCs approach, and with good reason, The thing is made entirely of snow, This is Old Frostjaw's idea of a decoy and a joke, The snowdragon is set up 100 feet south of the castle. The castle has no roof. The interior is nothing but an over- sized maze with an occasional blast-frozen victim set up as a gruesome decoration, Old Frostjaw loves swooping down on the castle and breathing frost down on the adventurers who are try- ing to negotiate the maze, The maze leads mowhere, and its exact hallways do not mat- ter. The initial hallway which starts off at the entrance goes 70 feet into the castle (heading east), then branches inte a north- south T-intersection, From there, the hallways twist and turn ran- domly at 20 foot intervals, The ice walls disorient would-be ex- plorers’ senses of direction, PCs swear that they see things mov- ing out of the corners of their eyes. Proficiency checks using either tracking or direction sense are needed every round in order to keep the party from getting lost, Once lost, the PCs can attempt to retrace their steps or get their bearings once per turn, again using tracking or direction sense, but at a -2 penalty to the skill. PCs who climb to the top of the hill and look down the other least) side see a vast structure set up 100 feet from the bottom of the hill's eastern face. [| appears to be a chaotic jumble of great stones and massive tree trunks (obtained from someplace far from here, no doubt) frozen together into a gigantic cone-shaped pile 200 feet high, and 400 feet at the base, This is Old Frostjaw’s lair. Access is gained by climbing up the pile and entering through the hole at the apex. The hole js 95 feet wide. Use the climbing rules in the WSG, treating the surface as Rough slope, moderate: Inside this huge ice cone lies Old Frostiaw. It is difficult to see him because of his coloration against the snow-encrusted walls of the lair. Infravision cannot spot him, for he loves to use snow as a blanket. In fact, if the PCs climbed up the cone, Old Frost- jaw felt the vibrations and has taken steps Lo conceal himself. He lies in wait, absolutely still under a layer of snow. Old Frostjaw (Venerable White Dragon): AC 8-5; MV 12, Fl 40 (C), Br 6, Sw 12; HD 17; hp 119; THACO 3; #AT 3+ special; Dmg 1-6+ 10/1-6+10/2-16+10; SA breath weapon 10d6+410, dragonfear 40 yards save at -2; Spells: Magic missile, color spray, taunt; MR 30%; ML 16; AL CE. Old Frostjaw is a formidable opponent who revels in his new found intelligence. Though the dragon is probably smarter than any other white dragon in ex- istence, this still does not mean much, However, it says much to Old Frostjaw, who has becomes overconfident of his mental prowess, This dragon will actually talk to PCs if the opportunity arises (he speaks Common)! This may be his downfall, Old Frostjaw’s treasure includes the foun stone that orbits his head, the geen of insight (can be used again since it was used by the dragon 52 years ago), a bastard sword, frost brand, long sword, flame tongue, spear +3, shield +2, plate armor +2, chain mail +3, dwarven chain mail +1, two rings of warmth, a ring of feather falling, a necklace of adaptation, a staff of curing, a figurine of wondrous power —onyx dog, an amulet of inescapable location, beats of the north, and a potion of extra healing, Ad- ditionally, the dragon has 4,500 sp, 1,800 pp, and 12 diamonds worth 1,000 gp each, All of this treasure is Frozen in a semicir- cular hollow 25 feet deep, The treasure is buried under at least 10 feet of ice, making it difficult to find. Each PC must make an ability check using half of his Intelligence. A successful check means that someone has noticed some dark shapes in the ice, though exact forms cannot be made out, Detection spells would be useful here. One smart thing that Frostjaw did was to create an escape tun- nel from the cone, A circular area 70 feet in diameter exists in the eastern section of the lair floor, which is made up of nothing but packed snow, no ground underneath it, It takes at least S00 pounds of weight on the circle area for it to collapse, The hole is. an opening into a tunnel that goes down vertically for 90 feet, then becomes horizontal, stretching eastward for 180 feet, slowly rising to the surface, The tunnel opens out into the fresh air, though it is covered from casual eyes by a layer of icy snow. Old Frostjaw has also secreted a minor treasure stash near the secret exit, as an emergency nest egg. Stored inside a 60 pound bag of holding are 1,000 pp, 2,000 sp, a matched set of a dozen diamonds, each worth 1,000 gp, a potion of ESP, potion of longevity, a ring of shooting stars, a wand of conjuration, a talisman of Zagy, a scimitar nine lives stealer, and a helm of op- posite alignment. IF the PCs wish, they may be informed about the second white dragon, perhaps by Old Frostiaw himself, [t must be stressed that Bloodblizzard does not have his own treasure. Frostjaw’s hoard includes the lesser intelligent dragon's fortunes.