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Summary:

The party is approached by a dwarven miner who has researched the location of a rich vein of arandur ore. This vein is located in a cavern high upon the face of Barazburil in the domain of the aarakocra. The miner wishes the party to aid him in gaining access to the vein, for the birdmen are untrusting and estranged of dwarves.

Assumptions:

The party is in the service of House Riverine.

Location:

The Market at Nirzumbil.

Historical Date:

21 N.S. (5535 A.D.), Early Autumn

GM's Introduction:

Haggofik Terimzul is a crusty old dwarven prospector who is regarded as an eccentric by his fellows in Nirzumbil. However, few can argue that he has a nose for ore, for he has struck more than a few out-of-the-way finds in his many years, and this has made him a relatively wealthy dwarf.

Laid up with an injury from a mishap involving a landslide after a rain this spring, Haggofik had a chance to read various dwarven texts concerning ores, mining, and deposits known or rumoured to be in the vicinity of Nirzumbil. In doing so, he stumbled across a passage where there was mention of the aarakocra of Barazburil trading items made of a strange, dusky coloured glass. The glass of itself was not much valuable, but Haggofik is expert enough to know that this glass sounds very much like the type found accompanying the rare and valuable metal arandur.

So, Haggofik determined that once he recovered from his injury, he would find some way to discover if there was indeed arandur on or in Barazburil.

The prospector seeks to mount a small expedition to ascend Barazburil, make contact with the aarakocra, try to determine where they get their glass, and then arrange to locate the ore and stake a claim. How exactly he intends to mine the stuff once his claim is established he hasn't quite figured out yet. But the mining comes later, and will not be the concern of the party.

Haggofik is having trouble, however, gathering dwarves to go on his expedition. A consummate miner, he is little aware that Nirzumbil is under attack from orcs deep in their mines and that few dwarves are willing to abandon kith and kin at this particular moment to go on an ore-finding expedition. He has been able to convince two of his cousins to accompany him (for a share of the profits), and now must turn to the humans in the marketplace in order to find extra manpower.

Hiring humans is not such a bad thing anyways, Haggofik feels, for he knows that the aarakocra, though certainly not enemies of the dwarves, also are estranged from them and do not deal much with them. The dwarves, in turn, do not have much use for the birdmen, and there is certainly a goodly amount of mutual suspicion between the two races, though some trade has and does go on between the two races. Therefore, the presence of humans might be of help when parleying with the shy and suspicious birdmen.

The birdmen, for their part, value the glass that Haggofik finds worthless, but do not value the occasional bits of blue-green streaks of ore that accompanies the glass (i.e. the arandur). However, the aarakocra are claustrophobic, and do not venture too far into the cavern to get their glass. Thus, in theory a mutually beneficial arrangement can be made, wherein Haggofik and his miners are allowed access to the cave in exchange for mining the glass and turning that over to the aarakocra, while the dwarves keep the arandur.

However, it will be for the party to come to this arrangement and to otherwise win the trust of the aarakocra.

Of course, the cave where the ore is located is hardly deserted…

Note: These events are assumed to come right after the events of "The Tower of Tharikthiril" and just before "Let it Be".

Part One - The Crusty Prospector:

As the party rests in the marketplace of Nirzumbil (or perhaps a portion of them do, while the others negotiate trade rights with the dwarves or buy and sell commodities and trade goods) they are approached by a wispy bearded, elderly dwarf with a pronounced limp. The dwarf wobbles directly up to the party members and bows, almost falling over on his bad leg. He then cracks out in heavily accented Common:

I be Haggofik, Metalnose they sometimes be a-callin' me as I can sniff out the shiest metals in the ground and gets me claim on them. Ye be them heroes as did slay that old wizard up in yon tower and recovered the dead prince's axe aren't ye? Well, you seem to be doing little much but soaking up sun and air here awaiting your time to depart. Perhaps ye'd be willing to but yourselves to a bit o' work? It wouldn't be long…perhaps a day or two at the most, and it ain't too far from here neither. Of course, I'd be paying ye for your service, in good dwarvish gold too! What says ye?

Assuming the party is interested, Haggofik takes them to his tent in the marketplace. It is in an out of the way corner, and seems to be designed and set up so as to avoid unwanted visitors. The outside is moth eaten and dirt stained. Inside, the place appears to be packed up, as if Haggofik is getting ready to leave. Two mules are tied to a stake just outside.

Two younger dwarves are busy finishing up the packing, though they give short bows to the party.

Haggofik pulls out a crate for the party members to sit on and he produces a clay pipe and a small metal stool. When everyone is settled, Haggofik tells his tale.

As I said, I be a ore-finder. Ye'd call me a miner I guess, though I leave the mining to those I hire, or perhaps ye'd call me a prospector, though anything I go after ain't no prospect…it's a reality. Well, last spring, when the rains were pretty strong, I was out on the high slopes when the mountain comes loose and slides on me. Broke me leg in four places did I, and it took some months to heal. I ain't no lay-about type, but I ain't no fool neither and I knew that I had to rest me leg up proper, though even now I got a bad limp. So I did a lot of reading. And one book I read told of a dwarf who got in good with them birdmen noticing that the fliers had lots of pretty baubles made out of a strange sort of glass. He described this glass as "dusky in colour, like ash with a hint of the embers in it". Well being a right proper ore-sniffer, I realized that this was the type of glass that's usually found with arandur. Ye be knowing what arandur is? It is a fairly rare and valuable metal, said by some to be iron mixed with the blood of Ringkol himself wounded during the war between the gods. Now, I'm not particularly religious and don't know the truth of that, but I do know many value arandur because it provides protection against bad sounds…and I don't mean bad singing or flatulence or anything so trivial, but I mean the kind of bad sounds that'll make your ears bleed. So, here I am sitting on information that these birdmen likely have access to a vein of arandur, and I intend to find it and stake my lawful claim upon it. And here's where you come in. Apparently there's some sort of problem in the mines below, orcs or somesuch, and I can't gather myself any strong-limbed dwarves to help me out. Of course, I got me two cousins here, Gimbul and Thimbul, and their right enough for certain. But no others dwarves will leave their homes to come with me. So, I ask around d the market here for any capable humans who might be able to help me, and all hands point to ye folk. I guess by the tale of it ye took down some crazed wizard just recently and also fought well against them filthy orcs. I want to hire you to accompany me up the slope of Barazburil, negotiate with them birdmen, and find the ore. As to why I am asking you to come at all…well I be hearing these tales of orc attacks, and ye look to be accomplished with either blade or spell. Also, these birdmen are funny folk. Not necessarily enemies mind you, but very queer about strangers approaching their lands. Some dwarves have traded with them. Others have been attacked by them. But in general, we keep away from each other. You humans have no history with these birdmen, and so they may be more willing to speak with you. So there's the full of it then. You accompany me and help me stake my claim, and in return I'll pay you…hmmm…100 gp each. What says ye?

Haggofik can be bargained as high as 300 gp each, as he fears that his asking for dwarven aid may, when the orc attacks die down, spark some bright dwarf to figure out what he is up to and beat him to his claim. Parties asking for more than 300 gp each will meet with stern refusal, for Haggofik would then turn to other humans in the marketplace and hire them…and for much less to boot. He is willing to "overpay" for the party due to their recent fame.

Haggofik will want to leave immediately, though he will acquiesce to leave the next morning, especially if a spellcaster needs to memorize spells. The remainder of this text assumes the party leaves the next morning. The DM should adjust as necessary.

* Haggofik Terimzul: Male dwarf Fighter 1/Expert 4; CR 4; Medium-sized humanoid (dwarf); HD 1D10+2 plus 4D6+8; hp 40; Init -1; Spd 15 ft; Face 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 14 (touch 9, flat-footed 14); Atk +7 melee (1D6+1 plus 1 electrical plus 1 fire, heavy pick) or +3 ranged (1D8, light crossbow); SQ darkvision 60 ft, stonecunning, +2 racial bonus versus spells and spell-like effects, +1 racial attack bonus against orcs and goblinoids, +4 dodge bonus against giants, +2 racial bonus to appraise checks for exotic items, +2 racial bonus on Craft checks related to metal or stone; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +6; Str 13, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8. Height 4 ft 4 in. Skills and Feats: Appraise +4, Climb +4, Gather Information +1, Handle Animal +2, Heal +5, Jump +4, Profession (miner) +8, Search +2, Sense Motive +4, Survival +4; Endurance, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy pick). Special Qualities: Stonecunning: +2 racial bonus to notice unusual stonework when passing within 10 ft, may Search for stone traps as a rogue can, may intuit depth. Possessions: masterwork hizagkuur heavy pick, masterwork chain shirt, light steel shield, explorer's outfit, masterwork dagger, light crossbow, crossbow bolts (20), potion of Cure Light Wounds at 1st level, belt pouch, bedroll, whetstone, torches (4), waterskin, 20 sp, 15 gp.

* Gimbul and Thimbul: Male dwarf Fighter 2/Expert 1; CR 3; Medium-sized humanoid (dwarf); HD 2D10+6 plus 1D6+3; hp 32, 27; Init +0; Spd 20 ft; Face 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 16 (touch 10, flat-footed 16); Atk +5 melee (1D10+2, dwarven waraxe) or +2 ranged (1D8, light crossbow); SQ darkvision 60 ft, stonecunning, +2 racial bonus versus spells and spell-like effects, +1 racial attack bonus against orcs and goblinoids, +4 dodge bonus against giants, +2 racial bonus to appraise checks for exotic items, +2 racial bonus on Craft checks related to metal or stone; AL LN; SV Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 9. Height 4 ft 3 in. Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Climb +4, Craft (weapons) +6, Handle Animal +0, Intimidate +2, Jump +3, Listen +1, Profession (miner) +3, Search +3, Spot +1; Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (dwarven waraxe). Special Qualities: Stonecunning: +2 racial bonus to notice unusual stonework when passing within 10 ft, may Search for stone traps as a rogue can, may intuit depth. Possessions: dwarven waraxe, chainmail, light steel shield, explorer's outfit, dagger, light crossbow, crossbow bolts (20), belt pouch, bedroll, whetstone, torches (4), waterskin, 10 sp, 5 gp.

* Mules (2): CR 1; Large animal; HD 3D8+9; hp 22 each; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Face 10 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 13 (touch 10, flat-footed 12); Atk +4 melee (1D4+3, hoof); SQ low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 6. Length 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6; Alertness, Endurance. Possessions: saddlebags, bit and bridle.

Part Two - The Aarakocra:

The journey to Barazburil takes only an couple of hours to reach its base. Refer to the map from "A Taste of Honey" (re-presented below).

The climb up its face is not exactly easy, though by no means is it difficult enough to require Climb checks or ropes. Anyone looking up into the clear day's sun can make out small specks wheeling around the summit of the peak.

The following set encounters will occur during the journey to approximately the halfway point of the peak (a journey of approximately 6 hours):

1. Orc Attack:

A small party of orcs will spy the party and try to move up to attack them. They will attack first with javelins and then close with their falchions. Although it is morning and the sun is out, these orcs are on the prowl for victims and will suffer their light sensitivity penalties during the attack.

* Orcs (12): CR 1/2; Medium-sized humanoid (orc); HD 1D8+1; hp 6 each; Init +0, Spd 30 ft; Face 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 13 (touch 10, flat-footed 13); +4 melee (2D4+4, falchion) or +1 ranged (1D6+3, javelin); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will -2; Str 17, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 6. Height 6 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Listen +1, Spot +1; Alertness. Possessions: falchion, studded leather, belt pouch, javelins (3), dagger, 1D6 gp, 1D8 sp.

* Orc Leader: Male orc Warrior 2/Rogue 1; CR 2; Medium-sized humanoid (orc); HD 2D8+4 plus 1D6+2; hp 24, 22; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Face 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 17 (touch 11, flat-footed 16); Atk +5 melee (2D4+4, falchion) or +3 ranged (1D6+4, javelin); SQ sneak attack +1D6, trapfinding, darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8. Height 6 ft 4 in. Skills and Feats: Balance +3, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +1, Intimidate +1, Jump +4, Listen +1, Sleight of Hand +3, Spot +1, Tumble +6; Monkey Grip, Weapon Focus (falchion). Possessions: scimitar, chain shirt, large wooden shield, javelins (3), belt pouch, 3D6 gp, 3D6 sp.

2. Dire Boar:

The party will round a large boulder and come face to face with a dire boar. The dire boar looks just as surprised to see the party, but angrier. It will snort, stamp its foot, and attack.

* Dire Boar: CR 4; Large animal; HD 7D8+21; hp 52; Init +0; Spd 40 ft; Face 10 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 15 (touch 9, flat-footed 15); Atk +12 melee (1D8+12, gore); SA ferocity; SQ low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8; Str 27, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8. Length 12 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +8, Spot +8; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will. Special Attacks: Ferocity (Ex): A dire boar fights without penalty even when disabled or dying.

3. The Rescue:

The party will come across a scene of mortal combat. In struggle thrashing across the ground are two combatants, one an aarakocra and the other a peryton. Two dead aarakocra lie sprawled on the ground, one with its heart ripped out of a gaping hole in its chest.

Zaarastiir: Male aarakocra Fighter 3; CR 3; HD 3D10+6; hp 26 (21 left); Init +7; Spd 20 ft, fly 90 ft (average); AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +4 melee (1D6, flight lance [used as a shortspear]) and +1 melee (1D3, bite) or +6 melee (1D4 [x2], talons) or +7 ranged (1D8, flight lance) or +6 ranged (1D6, javelin); SQ claustrophobic; AL NG; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14. Height 5 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Craft (weapons) +5, Jump +2, Knowledge (nature) +3, Listen +4, Spot +4; Survival +3; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (flight lance). Special Qualities: Claustrophobic (Ex) -4 circumstance penalty on attack rolls and skill checks in enclosed areas. Possessions: flight lance, javelins (6), wooden buckler, flint dagger, harness.

Peryton: CR 5; Medium-sized magical beast; HD 5D10+5; hp 32; Init +3; Spd 20 ft, fly 60 ft (poor); Face 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 16 (touch 13, flat-footed 13); Atk +8 melee (1D4+3 [x2], claws), +6 melee (1D3+1 [x2], slams) and +6 melee (1D6+1, bite); SA heart-rip; SQ damage reduction 5/magic, scent; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10. Length 7 ft. Skills and Feats: Intimidate +2, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +9, Survival +9; Flyby Attack, Multiattack. Special Attacks: Heart-rip (Ex): Victims slain by a coup-de-grace attack have their hearts ripped out and consumed and may not be returned to life with a Raise Dead spell.

Zaarastiir will welcome aid from the party, and after the fight, assuming he still lives, he will thank the party and ask why they are travelling up towards the mountain peak. Assuming the party tells him the truth, he will say that perhaps it is the will of Yimik that you came when you did, for he was on his way to seek help for his people from the great eagles of Haranzinil. Perhaps Yimik has decided that the party can be of better assistance.

Zaarastiir will bid the party accompany him, and will also request that their mules bear the slain bodies of his comrades, as well as the head of the peryton. He will lead them up the mountain for a few more hours, and as nightfall approaches, he will bid the party camp in a small dell. He will explain that he is flying up to the peak of the mountain with the peryton head to explain your presence, and that he should be back the next morning.

Part Three - The Shrine:

The next morning, Zaarastiir will arrive with 3 other aarakocra. One is ornamented with a crystal etched with runes holy to Yimik and Ularinn. He will step forth and speak in a squawking dialect of Common:

I am Kaaraathacoa, high priest of my nest. We are grateful that Yimik has sent you to aid brave Zaarastiir, though we grieve that he did not see fit to aid the other nestmates who fell. So is the way the wind blows. Explain to me why you come here, for it is rare to see dwarves and their four legged beasts so far up the slope, and clearly heading farther up it, and with tall ones amongst them.

He will then cast a Zone of Truth spell (at 5th level) and await the party's response.

Assuming the party tells the truth, the priest will inquire as to why they seek the source of the glass. He will then say that his people have not been able to get new glass for many years, due to the fact that it is found in a hole in the rock, and his people long ago took out all of the glass near the entrance of the hole, and none of his folk can abide going deeper into the ground due to their fear of confinement.

Therefore, he suggests that there may be a mutual agreement that might be reached, whereby the dwarves may enter the hole and mine both the glass and the metal. The aarakocra would gain the glass and the dwarves could then take the metal.

However, before he is willing to divulge the location of this cave, he will wish them to prove their friendship with the aarakocra:

We have dealt with dwarves before, and they are ever greedy. We aarakocra are not greedy. We do not lust for wealth, though we admire beautiful things. You dwarves and your human companions must prove that your greed is tempered with bravery and is not entirely self-serving. And so you are given this task, for clearly you came to Zaarastiir by the will of Yimik, and so by the will of Yimik you shall serve the god and prove that you have his favour, and therefore our favour. Mere days ago, in a shrine dedicated to the All-Father, our priest was at prayer when he was struck down. We do not know what attacked him, for one of his nestmates came upon him as he used his last zephyrs of strength to fly to us, whereupon he collapsed dead. But we found upon him bite marks as if from long fangs and his wound was infected or poisoned. A half a flight of our warriors entered the shrine to investigate, and none survived. From on high, we would see little of what happened, only that whatever attacked them did so suddenly and felled them quickly. We are not a large nest, and we cannot afford even the loss of a flight of warriors and a priest, and now the two with Zaarastiir. So we dare not risk more at the shrine, but tried to send Zaarastiir and his companions to request aid of the eagles. Now you are here and it is the will of Yimik that you enter the shrine and remove whatever it is that haunts it. If you do so, we shall deem you worthy in Yimik's eyes and blessed by his favour and we shall grant you access to the hole from which we took the glass. If you will not do this, we are grateful for your aid, and we will grant you a boon before we escort you out of our lands. Will you honour the will of Yimik?

If the party accepts, they will still be granted the boon of the nest, which consists of a jar sealed with wax containing 8 ounces of silverbark sap (+2 alchemical bonus of Fortitude saves against poison for 1 hour if an ounce is consumed) as well as four bladders each containing two doses of a potion of Cure Moderate Wounds at 3rd level.

The priest will also offer to heal the party's wounds with the spells he has available 4 Cure Light Wounds, 2 Cure Moderate Wounds, and 2 Cure Serious Wounds. He also has access to the Healing Domain, which grants him another of each type of cure spell. In addition, all such spells are cast at 6th level.

Zaarastiir will offer to accompany the party, though when he sees the cramped passageway he will instead agree to fly over the top of the hollow and meet them at the end of the passageway. He will certainly stay well above the hollow, circling in flight, until he sees the party enter the hollow.

The Shrine:

The shrine is a simple affair, normally accessed by the aarakocra by flying in from above. It is contained in a cylindrical hollow some 50 feet deep and 35 feet in diameter cut into the top of a small plateau. In the centre of the bottom of the hollow is a 3 foot tall stone pedestal from 4 feet in diameter upon which is set a life-sized statue of a giant eagle with wings upraised. This statue is made of some sort of clear crystal and is stunningly life-like. There is no indication how the crystal was carved or by whom.

Access for the party can be had by a 5 foot wide, 6 foot tall tunnel carved into the side of the plateau which ascends a set of stone steps before emerging into the bottom of the hollow. It is clear from the confining nature of this passage that the aarakocra did not fashion it. At the end of the passage is a small room, some 20 feet in diameter. Within are the desiccated bodies of the flight of aarakocra warriors (six of them), wrapped in cocoons of spider webs. Webs cross the exit from the room that leads to the final 30 feet of passageway that emerges into the hollow.

The flight bodies have nothing of particular value upon them and all are dead.

Haunting the area is a phase spider. The spider has dwelt in these mountains for many years, but was driven from its haunts lower in the mountains by the increased orc activity. It came upon the shrine, which apparently radiates a slight force effect that can be felt on the Ethereal Plane, and has found, in the last few days, the aarakocra remarkably good eating.

It will use its abilities to attack any intruders into what it now considers its new lair, and has become over confident from the easy time it has had with the aarakocra, and so will likely not flee unless gravely injured.

Phase Spider: CR 5; Large magical beast; HD 5D10+15; hp 48; Init +7; Spd 40 ft, climb 20 ft; Face 10 ft, Reach 5 ft; AC 15 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +7 melee (1D6+4 plus poison, bite); SA poison; SQ darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, ethereal jaunt; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 10. Length 8 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Move Silently +11, Spot +4; Ability Focus (poison), Improved Initiative. Special Attack: Poison (Ex): Fortitude save DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1D8 Con. Special Qualities: Ethereal Jaunt (Su): may shift from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as a free action and back again as a move action (or during a move action).

Part Four - The Cavern:

If the party defeats the phase spider, the aarakocra priest will guide them to an opening in the ground. This opening is some 15 feet in diameter and descends down a slope of rocks and boulders into a large cavern some 50 feet in diameter and 25 feet tall. Mineral formations dot the place, many of them beautiful with their shapes and colours. Small pools of water dot the floor and dripping can be heard all around. Three small tunnels lead from various parts of this cavern down deeper into the ground.

The walls of this cavern show signs of many gouges and chips where the birdmen scratched away the glass. Flecks of flint and bits of the implements they used to scrape out the glass are also evident.

The tunnels leading out from the cavern are not mapped. They are fairly extensive and eventually hook up with the Underdark, though only remotely.

Haggofik will tie up the mules outside the hole and ask that an aarakocra keep an eye on them. This the birdmen will do (though if they do not see or hear from the party in any 24 hour period they will set the mules free and return to their nest.

The dwarves will break open the mules' packs and don heavy picks, parchment and pencils for mapping, and special miner's helmets that hold tiny oil lamps and illuminate a 15 foot cone. They will also gather up some iron rations, several water skins, some chalk, a dozen torches, several candles, two hooded lanterns, one bullseye lantern, 12 pints of oil, two coils of 50 feet of silk rope, and a ball of twine (1000 feet of cord). They will also pull out two stone objects that look like small headstones. These are the claim markers and they contains Dwarvish runes proclaiming the claim to belong to Haggofik and a curse on any who violate the sanctity of the lawful claim.

So accoutered, they will begin to explore the tunnels, mapping as they go.

During the exploration of the tunnels, Haggofik will often pause and study the walls. This might involve anything from smelling the walls, running his fingers over it, even chipping a bit and tasting it. Much of the dusky glass will be found embedded into the walls.

The prospector will occasionally mutter, sometimes hopefully and sometimes angrily. He constantly mumbles to himself in Dwarvish things like:

"Ah this smells like arandur is nearby"

"This tunnel has good bones, but it wishes to tease us, it does"

"Garn! This metal thinks she shall hide from me? I will seduce her out"

This portion of the adventure is flexible, and the DM can run as many encounters as he wishes. If a little randomness is desired, the DM can roll a Profession (miner) check every two hours. The DC to find the arandur vein is DC 25. This means it will likely take 8 hours to locate the vein. If Gimbul or Thimbul help they can assist Haggofik, but at the cost of being less alert for danger (-2 circumstance penalty on Spot and Listen checks). Generally, the cousins will only help if the vein has not been located after 12 hours.

The following are possible encounters in the tunnels. The DM can introduce them one at a time, or he can roll a D6 every hour with an encounter on a 1 and then determine the encounter randomly. If the DM uses all of the encounters, then he is encouraged to introduce more of his own devising.

1. A flock of dire bats swoops down on the party. Their shrieks might be heard well before they arrive, and the beasts might attack from two directions.

* Dire Bats (8): CR 2; Large animal; HD 4D8+12; hp 30; Init +6; Spd 20 ft, fly 40 ft (good); Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 20 (touch 15, flat-footed 14); +5 melee (1D8+4, bite); SQ blindsense 40 ft; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6; Str 17, Dex 22, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Wingspan 15 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +4, Listen +12*, Move Silently +11, Spot +8*; Alertness, Stealthy. * includes +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen that are lost if blindsense is negated.

2. Two thoqqua regard the small cavern the party is traversing as their own. The party will notice, as they approach the cavern, strange ripples in the walls of the passageway, as well as the floors and ceilings, almost as if the stone has liquified and then solidified suddenly. When the party enters the cavern, they will note glistening bits of glass where the thoqqua have burned the earth, as well as more of the strange ripples. As the party crosses the middle of the cavern, the thoqqua will attack, burrowing out of the stone and springing at the party (treated as a charge even though they have not moved 10 ft before attacking)..

* Thoqqua (2): CR 2; Medium elemental (earth, extraplanar, fire); HD 3D8+3; hp 16; Init +1; Spd 30 ft, burrow 20 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 18 (touch 11, flat-footed 17); Atk +4 melee (1D6+3 plus 2D6 fire, slam); SA heat, burn; SQ darkvision 60 ft, elemental traits, immune to fire, tremorsense 60 ft, vulnerability to cold; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10. Length 4 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Listen +5, Move Silently +3, Survival +3; Alertness, Track. Special Attacks: Burn (Ex): When a thoqqua hits with its slam attack, the opponent must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or catch fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds if not extinguished sooner. A burning creature can use a full-round action to put out the flame Heat (Ex): Merely touching or being touched by a thoqqua automatically deals 2d6 fire damage.

3. A gray ooze hunts the area, well removed from its usual marshy habitat but finding the cool and wet undergound to its liking, and will choose the party as a likely meal. The ooze will use its transparency to lure its prey within attack distance.

* Gray Ooze: CR 4; Medium ooze; HD 3D10+15; hp 31; Init -5; Spd 10 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 5 (touch 5, flat-footed 5); Atk +3 melee (1D6+1 plus 1D6 acid, slam); SA acid, constrict 1D6+1 plus 1D6 acid, improved grab; SQ blindsight 60 ft, immunity to cold and fire, ooze traits, transparent; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref -4, Will -4; Str 12, Dex 1, Con 21, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1. Diameter 10 ft. Skills and Feats: none Special Attacks: Acid (Ex): A gray ooze secretes a digestive acid that quickly dissolves organic material and metal, but not stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage. Armor or clothing dissolves and becomes useless immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a gray ooze also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. The ooze's acidic touch deals 16 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but the ooze must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage. Constrict (Ex): A gray ooze deals automatic slam and acid damage with a successful grapple check. The opponent's clothing and armor take a -4 penalty on Reflex saves against the acid. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a gray ooze must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

4. Three huge monstrous centipedes will attack the party, the latter of which will also likely hear the scrabbling and clacking of their many sharp feet as they move across the stone of the passageway.

* Huge Monstrous Centipedes (3): CR 2; Huge vermin; HD 6D8+6; hp 33; Init +2; Spd 40 ft, cllimb 40 ft; SPace 15 ft; Reach 10 ft; AC 16 (touch 10, flat-footed 14); Atk +5 melee (2D6+4 plus poison, bite); SA poison; SQ darkvision 60 ft, vermin traits; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 15, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 15 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Hide +2, Spot +4. Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save DC 14, initial and secondary damage 1D6 Dex.

5. A clutch of darkmantles clings to the ceiling in a small widening in the passageway. These look much like stalactites until they cast Darkness and drop upon the party.

* Darkmantles (6): CR 1; Small magical beast; HD 1D10+1; hp 7; Init +4; Spd 20 ft, fly 30 ft (poor); Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 17 (touch 11, flat-footed 17); Atk +5 melee (1D4+4, slam); SA darkness, improved grab, constrict 1D4+4; SQ blindsight 90 ft; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 10. Length 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +10, Listen +5*, Spot +5*; Improved Initiative. Special Attacks: Darkness (Su): Once per day a darkmantle can cause darkness as the Darkness spell (caster level 5th). It most often uses this ability just before attacking. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a darkmantle must hit a Large or smaller creature with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it attaches to the opponent's head and can constrict. Constrict (Ex): A darkmantle deals 1d4+4 points of damage with a successful grapple check. Special Qualities: Blindsight (Ex): A darkmantle can "see" by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allows it to ascertain objects and creatures within 90 feet. A Silence spell negates this ability and effectively blinds the darkmantle. * includes +4 racial bonus which is lost if blindsight is negated.

6. A lone grick is holed up in a crack in the wall of the passageway, filling the crack and using its natural colouration to conceal itself and the crack. It will then lurch out to attack prey that passes by.

* Grick: CR 3; Medium aberration; HD 2D8; hp 13; Init +2; Spd 30 ft, climb 20 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 16 (touch 12, flat-footed 14); Atk +3 melee (1D4+2 [x4], tentacles) and -2 melee (1D3+1, bite); SQ DR 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 5. Length 8 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +3*, Listen +6, Spot +6; Alertness, Track. * +8 racial bonus to Hide checks in natural rocky areas.

Returning to the cavern will take 1D4x10% of the time spent searching for the vein.

When the vein is located, Haggofik will let out a huzzah and immediately place the claim stones in the area, pronouncing the proper Dwarven ritual words to commemorate the event. He will name his cousins as formal claim witnesses and then, as an afterthought, name the PCs as well, telling them that when they return to Nirzumbil they will have to register as witnesses with the claims master.

Haggofik will take a sample of the ore back with him.

Part Five - The Return:

This can be as eventful or uneventful as the DM desires. Wandering monster tables from "A Taste of Honey" can be used to generate encounters.

The aarakocra will be very glad that a lot of glass was found in the tunnels, and they will reiterate their agreement that at least as much glass must be taken out of the tunnels as ore and this given over to the aarakocra. With kind parting words, the birdmen will escort the party out of the higher mountains and wave them goodbye.

On return to Nirzumbil, Haggofik will fetch the claims master, who will take the party's oath and give them a metal card that proclaims them witnesses to Haggofik's claim. Haggofik will pay the party the agreed upon wage and then bid the party farewell as he eagerly limps off to find miners to work the claim. The two cousins will bow and follow the old man.

Should Haggofik perish, the DM will have to run the rest of the scenario as best he is able. With a DC of 25 the cousins can theoretically find the vein themselves if one assist the other and they roll a 20 on their check. They can take 20 if they desire, though that means it would take some 40 hours of searching, or 5 days to locate the vein.

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