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Summary:

The party raids the honeycomb of a hive of giant bees in order to gain the valuable honey and perhaps even a bit of the royal jelly.

Assumptions:

The party is in service of House Riverine.

Location:

The Market at Nirzumbil.

Historical Date:

21 N.S. (5535 A.D.), Late Summer.

GM's Introduction:

This scenario can take place either during the scenario entitled "A Gem in the Hand", likely during the last stretch of travel between Hammon's Creche and Nirzumbil, or it can take place following that scenario, after the battle with the orcs. Finally, the scenario can certainly be run as a stand-alone. The remainder of this scenario assumes that the battle with the orcs has been over. It is likely a day or two after, and the orcs have been defeated.

Part One - The Offer:

Possibly the party is looking for trade goods to take back to Dwillingir. Or perhaps not. But whatever the case, while in the market area outside the gates of Nirzumbil, the party is approached by a dwarven merchant named Adazil Oretouch. Adazil is dressed in fine robes with a tunic and breeches underneath, and his knobby fingers are decorated with bejeweled rings. A valuable looking diamond and gold brooch in the shape of a pickaxe is pinned to a cape that flows down his back. His long black beard and long straight hair are well groomed and well-greased and scented with perfumes.

Adazil will bow low to the party and then say, in accented Common in fairly hushed tones:

You there…you are sellswords in the service of a human merchant house…yes? I am Adazil Oretouch. I have a proposition for you that I would like you to hear. Perhaps we can help each other yes? Perhaps you would be interested in learning of something that would fetch good market price back in your lowlands? If this interests you, come with me where we may talk.

Assuming the party is intrigued enough to at least entertain his proposal, he will lead them to his tent, a sumptuous affair decorated with all sorts of gaudy accoutrements from a variety of lands. A statue to Indolle of silver with diamond eyes stands atop a marble pedestal.

Inviting the party to sit, Adazil will continue:

Yes, well, now to business…always to business. You are soon returning to the lowlands yes? I know of a good that would be in great demand there, not as precious as diamonds or gold but as rich as the latter in colour and more unusual than the former. I know where to procure this good, you see, but I cannot get my hands on it, what with the orcs prowling the wilds and all. And you, of course, do not know where this good is, nor what it is, until I tell you. So, there is no harm in the telling even now. I know of a hive of bees. Not ordinary bees no. Giant bees…and these of a kind that are distinguished by a single red stripe on their backsides. These bees make a dark amber honey that is unlike any other honey you have tasted. Such honey would be valuable indeed and since such red-stripers live only high in these mountains, where they are rare enough even here, they would command a good price down below eh? Here is my proposal to you. I will draw you a map to the hive. Don't bother thinking of finding it on your own. If it were that easy others would have found the hive by now. In exchange, you will give to me half of whatever honey you find. We will draw up a contract and seal it with oaths to Indolle. In addition, I will incentive you to bring the honey back with this…half of what you bring back I will let you present to our master fermenter and he will make for you Red-Stripe Mead, perhaps the best honey mead in all of Therra! And there is more. Yes. Perhaps, if you are lucky and courageous, you can procure some royal jelly. Yes. This too we will split half to each. This royal jelly is said to be a prime ingredient in many magicks and is rumoured to provide virility, growth, and strength to any who regularly consume it! What say you? Will you do it?

If the party refuses, then the scenario is effectively over. If the party agrees, then Adazil will request a day's time to have a scribe "stone" the agreement. He will allow the PCs to stay in his tent as his guests and will have some of his dwarven employees bring food and drink for the party.

The next morning, the scribe, a hoary old dwarf, will arrive with a tablet of thin stone, a hammer, and a chisel. Already on the stone will be Dwarf Runes that describe the agreement. Adazil will take the hammer and chisel and make his mark. Then the scribe will request that the representative of the PCs, one who speaks for them all, make his or her mark in the stone. The scribe will agree to translate the PC's name and title into Dwarf Runes if desired.

The scribe will then pull out a silver pin and take a drop of blood from Adazil and the party representative. Each person's blood will be dripped into the grooves of his mark. The scribe will then intone a short chant as the blood dries. The scribe will then ask each blood donor to swear to be faithful to the agreement in Indolle's name as God of Trade and in Meredros' Name as God of Truth.

The agreement, for the record, only divides up honey, royal jelly, and beeswax. It does not give Adazil any share of the bees themselves, their venom, nor any other treasure found on this expedition.

Once this is done, the scribe will depart. Adazil will then unroll a vellum map on a table and will impart to the party directions to the hive. The hive, he says, is a two day journey from here. The terrain is rugged, but he will provide two stout mules for his own share and, if the party does not have any mules, he will lend them two more mules, though if they are injured or slain then reimbursement will be made out of the party's share. Adazil will also provide a week's worth of trail rations and drink, the former being some dwarven concoction of hard cheese and biscuits, and the latter being normal honey mead. These mules will include special saddlebags holding ceramic pots for the honey.

Refer to Adazil's Map to the Hive for details.

Adazil will let the party choose its exact route, noting merely the hazards on the map. He will explain to the best of his ability what he knows of the areas marked on the map. If asked how he came by this map, he will say that he was told of the hive by a dwarven mountaineer who needed some of his goods desperately. If pressed further, he will admit that the mountaineer merely heard the sound of many droning buzzes coming from the cave, but never actually espied a bee coming from it, as he passed by the area rather quickly.

* Adazil: Male dwarf Expert 5/Aristocrat 1; CR 5; Medium-sized humanoid (dwarf); HD 1D8+2 plus 5D6+10; hp 31; Init +0; Spd 20 ft; AC 10 (touch 10, flat-footed 10); Atk +3 melee (1D4, dagger); 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 +3, Ref +1, Will +8; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 13. Height 4 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Alchemy +5, Appraise +12, Bluff +5, Decipher Script +8, Diplomacy +5, Gather Information +10, Handle Animal +6, Innuendo +6, Intuit Direction +7, Listen +5, Profession (merchant) +9, Read Lips +7, Search +8, Sense Motive +12; Expertise, Quickdraw, Skill Focus (profession [merchant]). 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: aristocrat's outfit, masterwork dagger, belt pouch, 160 gp, 60 pp, various jewels worth a total of 4500 gp.

Specifically, Adazil knows the following:

Birdmen: Little is known of these, though a few dwarves are said to have traded to them. They generally are shy and keep to themselves. They dwell high in aeries in the face of Barazburil. It is said they can weave strange magicks formed out of the air itself.

Eagles: Giant eagles dwell at the top of high Haranzinil, where their aeries are dusted with now even in high summer. They are a danger to small animals, as large as even small mules.

The Falls: Likely a local landmark.

Giants: Giants of varying types are known to lair to the north, and they sometimes come down from that area. These certainly include mountain giants, stone giants, and hill giants.

Great Spire: Known to be a sharp up thrust of rock which is said to harbour a great and ancient roc or dragon in a cave at its very top. The hive cave is supposedly in a straight line between The Falls and the Great Spire.

Groundlings: A dangerous race of beings made by a twisted enemy wizard of old as a magical cross between badgers and dwarves. The wizard is said to be long dead, though none know the truth of it, and the groundlings now dwell in the lands surrounding the wizard's tower. They are dangerous and delight in attacking dwarves.

High Forest: Less a forest than a four mile wide stand of pines and other coniferous tree growing in the lee of a valley formed between the mighty peaks of Haranzinil to the west and Barazburil to the east. There are known to be some giant spiders in the area, and some goblins are known to encamp in the area.

Hive: The hive is a large cave from which endless droning can be heard. The cave is some 40 ft wide and is set atop a small stone shelf that sits atop a talus.

The Targ: This is an ancient, huge statue of stone in the shape of a stone giant. The thing is over 100 ft tall and seems to be made of a single piece of granite. The thing seems nigh indestructible and radiates faint Alteration magic. The statue shows a stone giant with a stone club upraised in his left hand and his right hand pointing to the northwest. It is said sometimes stone giants perform sacred rites at the site, and at other times other giants gather there to profane the site.

Trickledown: A small river or large stream depending on one's point of view, it flows fairly swiftly, though not so fast nor so high by the height of summer. The water is very cold and quite pure, and fords can be found this time of year (assume 15% chance per hour to locate a ford; the DM can impose Balance checks or Swim checks or Ride checks as appropriate). Fallen trees can provide crossing in the High Forest. The Trickledown is no wider than 20 ft and often half that distance wide.

Part Two - The Journey:

The route taken is up to the party. What is presented in this section are various encounters likely to take place. The first section is a wandering encounter chart, while the second is a set of planned encounters tied to a specific area.

WANDERING ENCOUNTERS:

Check once every hour when the party is moving. Roll a D6 and on a 1 there is an encounter. If a 1 is rolled, immediately reroll to check for a second encounter. Keep subsequently rerolling until a 1 is not rolled. If multiple encounters are indicated, the DM can combine them into a single encounter or can separate them by a few minutes or up to 45 minutes or so depending upon how many encounters are indicated.

When the party is stationary, make a check every 4 hours. However, if the party has made a campfire and is making no reasonable attempt to conceal it, check every two hours instead.

There is a separate column for daytime and nighttime. Roll 2D6 to determine the result.

Roll	Daylight	Nighttime
2	Aarakocra	Senmurv
3	Stone Giant	Dwarf
4	Ogre	Death Dog
5	Eagle	Vermin
6	Hawk	Wolf
7	Deer	Bat
8	Badger	Goblin
9	Orc	Owl
10	Dwarf	Stone Giant
11	Wolverine	Kobold
12	Peryton	Orc

Aarakocra:

These normally shy humanoids are a bit astir at the recent orc activity in the mountains. As such, always worried about their own safety, they are monitoring extraordinary travelers in these parts.

A first encounter with these will usually involve a single scout circling the party from high above before flying back to its lair. Thereafter, some hours later, a group of 3-6 led by a cleric will observe the party for a time and finally make contact with them. They will greet the party and ask them why they travel through the wilderland. They have seen many orcs moving south from the northern wilds. The aarakocra know of the bee hive, but they will say that the land is claimed by Verego. Who Verego is they will not say, except that the party will know him when they meet him.

Further encounters with the birdmen will be dependent upon the outcome of the first parley.

The aarakocra have a tribe consisting of 60 birdmen in their aeries atop the peak of Barazburil. Half of these are males, the remainder females. There are an additional 10 young and 6 eggs in the aeries. These are led by 4 fighters (levels 2, 3, 3, and 6) and 3 clerics (levels 2, 3, and 5).

* Aarakocra (3-6): CR 1/2; Medium-sized monstrous humanoid; HD 1D8; hp 5 each; Init +2; Spd 20 ft, fly 90 ft (average); AC 13 (touch 12, flat-footed 11); Atk +0 melee (1D4-1 [x2], talons) or +3 ranged (1D6-1, javelin); SA bite, summon Large air elemental; AL NG; SV Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10. Height 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Craft (woodcarving) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Listen +4, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +4; Flyby Attack. Special Attacks: Bite (Ex): When grounded, an aarakocra attacks with its beak (+1 melee), dealing 1D3 damage on a successful attack. Summon Large Air Elemental (Su): A group of five aarakocras that includes at least one cleric can cast Summon Monster VI to summon a Large air elemental. To perform the summoning, the aarakocras must perform an intricate aerial dance for 3 rounds. Possessions: javelin (6).

* Aarakocra Cleric: Male aarakocra Cleric 3; CR 3; Medium-sized monstrous humanoid; HD 3D8; hp 17; Init +2; Spd 20 ft, fly 90 ft (average); AC 13 (touch 12, flat-footed 11); Atk +2 melee (1D4 [x2], talons) or +4 ranged (1D6, javelin); SA bite, summon Large air elemental; SQ turn undead (5/day); AL NG; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 14. Height 5ft. Skills and Feats: Concentration +3, Heal +6, Knowledge (nature) +1, Knowledge (religion) +4, Listen +4, Spellcraft +3, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +4; Flyby Attack, Dodge, Mobility. Special Attacks: Bite (Ex): When grounded, an aarakocra attacks with its beak (+1 melee), dealing 1D3 damage on a successful attack. Summon Large Air Elemental (Su): A group of five aarakocras that includes at least one cleric can cast Summon Monster VI to summon a Large air elemental. To perform the summoning, the aarakocras must perform an intricate aerial dance for 3 rounds. Possessions: javelin (3), wooden holy symbol to Queethar-tul. Spells Prepared (4/3/2): 0 - detect magic, detect poison, light, mending; 1 - command, entropic shield, shield of faith; 2 - silence, sound burst. Base DC = 13 + spell level. Deity: Queethar-tul. Domains: Air (turn or destroy earth creatures or command or rebuke earth creatures 5/day), Healing (cast healing spells at +1 caster level). Domain Spells Prepared (1/1): 1 - obscuring mist; 2 - wind wall.

Bat:

Bats of normal size are generally not a danger to most creatures. However, they could, in theory, menace tiny insectoid familiars as well as small rodent familiars or bird familiars if the bats are hunters.

Dire bats, however, will often attack small children, small sized humanoids, and beasts of burden.

Assume that an encounter will be with normal bats (01-75) or with dire bats (76-00).

* Bat (10-40): CR 1/10; Diminutive animal; HD 1/4D8; hp 1 each; Init +2; Spd 5 ft, fly 40 ft (good); AC 16 (touch 16, flat-footed 12); Atk none; SQ blindsight; AL N, SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 4. Wingspan 2 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Listen +9*, Move Silently +6, Spot +9*. Special Qualities: Blindsight (Ex): May see by emitting high-frequency sounds inaudible to most other creatures. This allows them to see objects and creatures within 120 ft. A Silence spell negates this and forces the bat to rely on its weak vision, which has a maximum range of 10 ft. * includes a +4 racial bonus which is lost if blindsight is negated.

* Dire Bat (1-8): CR 2; Large animal; HD 4D8+12; hp 30 each; Init +6; Spd 20 ft, fly 40 ft (good); AC 20 (touch 15, flat-footed 14); Atk +5 melee (1D8+4, bite); SQ blindsight; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6; Str 17, Dex 22, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Wingspan 9 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen 11*, Move Silently +11, Spot +11*. Special Qualities: Blindsight (Ex): May see by emitting high-frequency sounds inaudible to most other creatures. This allows them to see objects and creatures within 120 ft. A Silence spell negates this and forces the dire bat to rely on its weak vision, which has a maximum range of 10 ft. * includes a +4 racial bonus which is lost if blindsight is negated.

Badger:

An encounter will be with a normal badger (01-80) or a dire badger (81-00). These crusty animals are very territorial, though of course, a normal sized badger is not likely to take on party members. On the other hand, a dire badger is very likely to strike at a party that approaches it too closely or catches it by surprise.

* Badger (1-4): CR 1/2; Tiny animal; HD 1D8+2; hp 6 each; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, burrow10 ft; AC 15 (touch 15, flat-footed 12); Atk +5 melee (1D2-1 [x2], claws) and +0 melee (1D3-1, bite); SA rage; SQ scent; AL N, SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 8, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6. Length 2 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +7, Listen +4, Spot +4; Weapon Finesse (bite, claw). Special Attacks: Rage (Ex): a badger that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage the following round, clawing and biting madly until it or its opponent is dead or out of sight. It gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and -2 AC. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

* Dire Badger (1-3): CR 2; Medium-sized animal; HD 3D8+12; hp 25 each; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, burrow 10 ft; AC 16 (touch 13, flat-footed 13); Atk +4 melee (1D4+2[x2], claws) and -1 melee (1D6+1, bite); SA rage; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10. Length 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6. Special Attacks: Rage (Ex): A dire badger that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage the following round, clawing and biting madly until it or its opponent is dead or out of sight. It gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and -2 AC. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Death Dog:

These evil beasts roam the hills in the area. They will attack with cunning, often preceded by their strange double bark.

* Death Dog (1-6): CR 2; Medium-sized magical beast; HD 2D10+4; hp 15 each; Init +2; Spd 50 ft; AC 15 (touch 12, flat-footed 13); Atk +5 melee (1D6+2 [x2], bite); SA disease, trip; SQ darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 7. Length 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +3, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Spot +4; Weapon Focus (bite). Special Attacks: Disease (Ex): Any creature hit by a death dog's bite must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 13) or contract a disease. The incubation period is 11 day, and the disease deals 1D4 points of Strength damage and 1D3 points of Constitution damage. Trip (Ex): A death dog that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the death dog. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Deer:

Normal indigenous mountain deer (01-50) or elk (51-00). These can be hunted for food. They are shy and non-aggressive for the most part.

* Deer (1-3): CR 1/4; Medium-sized animal; HD 2D8+2; hp 11 each; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 11); Atk + 1 melee (1D4+1 [x2], hooves) or +1 melee (1D6+1, gore); SQ mobility (as feat), scent; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Length 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +8*, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +5, Swim +5; Dodge, Run. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold. * +4 additional racial bonus to Hide checks in forested areas.

* Elk (1-20): CR 1/3; Large animal; HD 3D8+3; hp 17 each; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; AC 11 (touch 11, flat-footed 10); Atk + 2 melee (1D4+1[x2], hooves) or +1 melee (1D6+1, gore); SQ mobility (as feat), scent; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Length 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +8*, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +5, Swim +5; Dodge, Run. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold. * +4 additional racial bonus to Hide checks in forested areas.

Dwarf:

Dwarves encountered will either be a warparty patrolling the area and hunting for orcs and other evil (01-50), or wanderer/prospector teams out in the wilderness on business (51-00).

Warparties will question the party and ask if they have seen any orc activity. Teams will likely try to avoid the party and will be wary of them and a bit brusque.

Warparties will involve 11-20 soldiers led by a sergeant. Teams will involve 1-4 dwarves.

* Dwarven Soldier: Male dwarf Fighter 1; CR 1; Medium-sized humanoid (dwarf); HD 1D10+2; hp 12 each; Init +0; Spd 15 ft; AC 18 (touch 10, flat-footed 18); Atk +4 melee (1D10+2, dwarven waraxe) or +1 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 LG; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10. Height 4 ft 5 in. Skills and Feats: Jump +4, Listen +1, Search +1, Spot +1; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dwarven waraxe), 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: half-plate armour, small steel shield, dwarven waraxe, light crossbow, 20 crossbow bolts.

* Dwarf Sergeant: Male dwarf Fighter 3; CR 3; Medium-sized humanoid (dwarf); HD 3D10+6; hp 26; Init +0; Spd 15 ft; AC 18 (touch 10, flat-footed 18); Atk +7 melee (1D10+2, dwarven waraxe) 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 LG; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10. Height 4 ft 5 in. Skills and Feats: Jump +4, Listen +1, Search +1, Spot +1; Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dwarven waraxe), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (dwarven war). 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: half-plate armour, small steel shield, masterwork dwarven waraxe, light crossbow, 20 crossbow bolts.

* Dwarf Team Members: CR 1/2; Medium-sized humanoid (dwarf); HD 1D8+1; hp 6 each; Init +0; Spd 15 ft; AC 14 (touch 10, flat-footed 14); Atk +1 melee (1D8, battleaxe) or +1 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 LG; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8. Height 4 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Craft (metalworking) +2, Listen +3, Profession (prospecting or other) +2, Spot +4; Alertness. Possessions: battleaxe, scale mail, explorer's outfit, belt pouch, sack, profession tools (pickaxe, miner's pan, skinning set, traps), flint and steel, torches (3).

Eagle:

These will be normal eagles (01-85) or giant eagles (86-00).

Normal eagles will generally be seen high in the air or swooping to get at rodents or other small prey.

Giant eagles will also often be seen high aloft, especially as one nears the peak of Haranzinil. They might, if they can, take a mule that is untended, but are generally kindly creatures if not threatened and will not likely take a mount from a party directly. They often enjoy harassing orcs, ogres, and goblins.

* Eagle (1-2): CR 1/2; Small animal; HD 1D8+1; hp 5 each; Init +2; Spd 10 ft, fly 80 ft (average); AC 14 (touch 13, flat-footed 12); Atk +3 melee (1D3 [x2], claws) and -2 melee (1D4, bite); AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Length 3 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6*; Weapon Finesse (claw, bite). * +8 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight.

* Giant Eagle (1-2): CR 3; Large magical beast; HD 4D10+4; hp 26 each; Init +3; Spd 10 ft, fly 80 ft (average); AC 15 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +7 melee (1D6+4 [x2], claws) and +2 melee (1D8+1, bite); SQ evasion (as feat); Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10. Height 10 ft. Skills and Feats: Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +5, Sense Motive +8, Spot +11*, Wilderness Lore +8; Alertness. * +4 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight.

Goblin:

Goblins lair in these mountains, eternal enemies of the dwarves. They are hardly strong enough to fight the dwarves en masse, and with the coming of the orcs into the area, the goblins have retreated into their holes in order to avoid being enslaved by the orcs or drafted into the orcish armies or, perhaps, being inducted into the orcish larders.

Nonetheless, they do still raid, attacking weak-seeming dwarven groups or other such creatures, as well as to hunt and gather supplies. Such raids usually occur at night.

* Goblin (1-20): CR 1/3; Small humanoid (goblin); HD 1D8; hp 4 each; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 15 (touch 12, flat-footed 14); Atk +1 melee (1D8-1, morningstar) or +3 ranged (1D4-1, dart); SQ darkvision 60 ft; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 8, Dex13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8. Height 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +6, Listen +3, Move Silently +4, Spot +3; Alertness. Possessions: studded leather, morningstar, javelin (3).

Groups of 10 or more will be led by an experienced goblin warrior.

* Goblin Warleader: Male goblin Rogue 1/Fighter 1; CR 2; Small humanoid (goblin); HD 1D10+1 plus 1D6+1; hp 15; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 17 (touch 13, flat-footed 15); Atk +1 melee (1D6, shortsword) or +3 ranged (1D6, javelin); SA sneak attack +1D6, SQ darkvision 60 ft; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 12. Height 4 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Balance +4, Bluff +5, Climb +3, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Intimidate +2, Jump +5, Listen +2, Move Silently +8, Pick Pocket +6, Search +2, Spot +4, Swim +2, Tumble +9; Dodge, Expertise. Possessions: studded leather, small wooden shield, shortsword, javelin (3), jewel worth 1D100 gp (usually a pendant or earring).

Hawk:

These will usually (01-80) be a normal raptor of varying sorts, often seen flying high above. They are only a danger to small rodents and familiars. However, a small portion of these will be dire hawks (81-95) or blood hawks (96-00). The former are still fairly non-aggressive, though they pose a threat to larger animals such as cats, dogs, and even ponies. The latter are quite aggressive and will often attack in swarms.

* Hawk: CR 1/3; Tiny animal; HD 1D8; hp 4 each; Init +3; Spd 10 ft, fly 60 ft (average); AC 17 (touch 15, flat-footed 14); Atk +5 melee (1D4-2, claws); AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Length 1 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6*; Weapon Finesse (claws). * +8 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight.

* Dire Hawk (1-2): CR 2; Medium-sized animal; 5D8+10; hp 32 each; Init +6; Spd 10 ft, fly 80 ft (average); AC 19 (touch 16, flat-footed 13); Atk +9 melee (1D4+1 [x2], claws) and +4 melee (1D6, bite); AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10. Length 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +8*; Weapon Finesse (claws, bite). * +8 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight.

* Blood Hawk (3-12): CR 1/2; Small magical beast; 1D10; hp 5 each; Init +3; Spd 10 ft, fly 80 ft (average); AC 16 (touch 14, flat-footed 13); Atk +5 melee (1D3+1 [x2], claws) and +0 melee (1D4, bite); SA wounding; SQ darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7. Length 3 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +5, Listen +2, Search -3, Spot +2*; Weapon Finesse (claws, bite). Special Attacks: Wounding (Ex): a wound from a blood hawk's claw or bite bleeds for an additional 1 point of damage per round thereafter, Multiple wounds from such attacks result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped only by a Heal check (DC 15) or the application of any Cure spell or other healing spell. * +8 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight.

Allow a 10% chance that any group of blood hawks is led by a particularly large blood hawk. This will be CR 1, 2D10 HD, 11 hp, attack at +6/+1, Fort +3, Ref +6 and have a Special Quality called Ferocity.

Ferocity (Ex): the blood hawk is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

Kobold:

Kobolds, even more so than goblins, are fearful raiders, for they are always in danger of being abused by goblins and dwarves and now have the added menace of the orc tribes to deal with. Nevertheless, these consummate thieves and pests still ply the scrub and valleys of the mountains at night seeking weak-seeming prey and scavenging.

* Kobold (1-12): CR 1/6; Small humanoid (reptilian); HD ½D8; hp 3 each; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 15 (touch 12, flat-footed 14); Atk -1 melee (1D6-2, halfspear) or +2 ranged (1D6, shortbow); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL LE; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10. Height 3 ft. Skills and Feats: Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +8, Listen +2, Move Silently +4, Search +2, Spot +2; Alertness. Possessions: leather armour, halfspear, shortbow, 20 arrows.

If 10 or more are encountered, they will be led by a sorcerer:

* Kobold Mystic: Male kobold Sorcerer 1; CR 1; Small humanoid (reptilian); HD 1D4; hp 4; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 13 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk -2 melee (1D4-2, dagger) or +1 ranged (1D8, light crossbow); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity, alertness (when familiar within arm's reach), share spells (with familiar), empathic link (with familiar); AL LE; SV For +0, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14. Height 3 ft. Skills and Feats: Concentration +2, Diplomacy +3, Intimidate +3, Listen +2, Spellcraft +2, Spot +4; Blooded. Possessions: light crossbow, dagger, spell component pouch, ragged robes. Spells Known (cast 5/4): 0 - daze, detect magic, flare, resistance; 1 - cause fear, mage armour. DC = 13 + spell level.

* Weasel Familiar: CR 1/4 (included with master); Tiny animal; HD 1/2D8 (treated as 1 HD for effects related to HD); hp 2; Init +2; Spd 20 ft, climb 20 ft; AC 15 (touch 14, flat-footed 13); Atk +4 melee (1D3-4, bite); SA attach; SQ improved evasion, scent; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3; Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 5. Length 1 ft. Skills and Feats: Balance +10, Climb +11, Concentration +2, Diplomacy -1, Hide +13, Intimidate -1, Listen +2, Move Silently +9, Spellcraft +0, Spot +4; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Attach (Ex): If a weasel hits with a bite attack, it uses its powerful jaws to latch onto the opponent's body and automatically deals bite damage each round it remains attached. An attached weasel has an AC of 12. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Additionally if a group of 6 or more are encountered, allow a 25% chance that they are accompanied by a dire weasel companion.

* Dire Weasel: CR 2; Medium-size animal; HD 3D8; hp 16; Init +4; Spd 40 ft; AC 16 (touch 14, flat-footed 12); Atk +6 melee (1D6+3, bite); SA attach, drain blood; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11. Length 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +9, Move Silently +10, Spot +5; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Abilities: Attach (Ex): If the bite attack hits, the weasel latches onto its opponent with its jaws. An attached weasel loses its Dex bonus to AC. Blood Drain (Ex): A dire weasel drains blood for 2D4 points of temporary Con damage each round it remains attached. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Ogre:

These brutes are partially native to the region and partially in league with the orc tribes. Assume a 50% chance of each. The latter will have longspears, while the former only have their clubs.

* Ogre (1-3): CR 2; Large giant; HD 4D8+8; hp 26 each; Init -1; Spd 30 ft; AC 16 (touch 8, flat-footed 16); Atk +8 melee (2D6+7, huge greatclub) or [orc-aligned only] +1 ranged (2D6+5, huge longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 21, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. Height 9 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Listen +2. Spot +2; Weapon Focus (greatclub). Possessions: huge greatclub, huge longspear [orc-aligned only], belt pouch, 1D20 gp, 3D8 sp.

Orc:

Only a few orc tribes are native to the region, even as far as extended hunting ranges go. The remainder have recently entered the region to attack the trade between Nirzumbil and the Far Coast.

Although orcs are usually active at night, they have been forced to become active during the daylight hours in order to raid caravans while they are on the road. Nonetheless, the orcs encountered here are likely more than a day's journey from the road, and therefore are likely part of reserves or remnants of the army that recently attacked Nirzumbil.

No orc encountered knows much about why the orcs are uniting and attacking Nirzumbil. They will likely spout the platitudes and clichés fed to them by their clergy:

"We're gonna finally get them dwarves for all of the things they've done to orcs in the past!"

"We are attacking the dwarves because they are sniveling cowards who don't deserve the riches they have amassed."

During daylight, an encounter will be with a gang (01-25), a squad (26-75) or an encampment (76-00). During night, if stationary, the encounter will always be with a gang (01-50) or a squad (51-00) unless the party is moving, in which case it will be with a gang (01-25), a squad (26-50) or an encampment (51-00).

Orc gangs represent hunters or other small groups out on mundane tasks or out for pleasure. They number between 2-4 orcs.

Orc squads represent organized parties, usually heading to a raid. These number 11-20 and will be led by a leader (3rd level warrior [01-50], orog [51-75], or Ogrillon [76-00]).

Orc encampments are temporary affairs usually, and involve 30-100 [10x1D8+2] orcs. These will have at least half that many females, along with one 3rd level warrior per 10 male orcs, led by a 5th level warrior, and with a 3rd level adept. These encampments will often have treasure from caravan raids. The DM should design them as appropriate, though it is unlikely the party will wish to attack such a large number of orcs.

* Orc Male: CR 1/2; Medium-sized humanoid (orc); HD 1D8; hp 5 each; Init +0; Spd 20 ft; AC 16 (touch 10, flat-footed 16); Atk +3 melee (1D8+2, battleaxe) or +1 ranged (1D6, javelin); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -1; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8. Height 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +2, Spot +2; Alertness. Possessions: scale mail, large wooden shield, battleaxe, javelin (3), belt pouch, 1D10 cp, 1D6 sp, 1D4 gp.

* Orc Females: CR 1/2; Medium-sized humanoid (orc); HD 1D8; hp 4 each; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 10 (touch 10, flat-footed 10); Atk +3 melee (1D4+2, dagger) or +1 ranged (1D4+2, dagger); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -1; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8. Height 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +2, Spot +2; Alertness. Possessions: dagger.

* Orog: CR 1; Medium-sized humanoid (orc and ogre); HD 3D8+6; hp 20; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 17 (touch 10, flat-footed 17); Atk +5 melee (1D12+3, greataxe) or +w ranged (1D6+3, javelin); SQ darkvision 60 ft; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will+0; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 8. Height 6 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Listen +4, Spot +5; Alertness. Possessions: greataxe, half plate armour, javelins (3), belt pouch, 5D10 sp, 3D10 gp.

* Orc Leaders: Male orc Warrior 3; CR 2; Medium-sized humanoid (orc); HD 3D8+6; hp 22 each; Init +0; Spd 20 ft; AC 14 (touch 10, flat-footed 14); Atk +6 melee (1D8+3, orc double axe) or +4/+0 melee (1D8+3 and 1D8+2, orc double axe); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10. Height 6 ft 5 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +6, Swim +4; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (orc double axe), Two-Weapon Fighting. Possessions: orc double axe, scale mail, belt pouch, 2D10 cp, 2D8 sp, 1D6 gp.

* Ogrillon: CR 1; Medium-sized humanoid (orc, ogre); HD 2D8+4; hp 17; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 14 (touch 10, flat-footed 14); Atk +5 melee (1D4+4 [x2], slam); SA reinforced fists; SQ darkvision 60 ft; AL CE; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will -1; Str 19, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 8, Cha 8. Height 6 ft 7 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Listen +1, Spot +1; Improved Unarmed Strike. Special Attacks: Reinforced Fists (Ex): due to horn-reinforced fists, deals normal rather than subdual damage with fists. Possessions: rags and furs, belt pouch, 2D10 cp, 3D6 sp, 1D6 gp.

* Orc Chieftain: Male orc Warrior 5; CR 4; Medium-sized humanoid (orc); HD 5D8+15; hp 39; Init +0; Spd 20 ft; AC 17 (touch 10, flat-footed 17); Atk +6 melee (1D12+2, greataxe); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10. Height 6 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Intimidate +8, Jump +5, Listen +2, Spot +2, Swim +4; Monkey Grip, Weapon Focus (greataxe). Possessions: greataxe, chainmail, large wooden shield, jewel worth 45 gp, belt pouch, 2D20 sp, 1D20 gp.

* Orc Adept: Male orc Adept 3; CR 2; HD 3D6+6; hp 21; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 15 (touch 11, flat-footed 14); Atk +2 melee (1D8+1, heavy mace) or +2 ranged (1D4, sling bullet); SQ darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity, alertness when familiar within arm's reach; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 13 (15), Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12. Height 5 ft 1 in. Skills and Feats: Concentration +5, Heal +2, Scry +3, Spellcraft +2, Wilderness Lore +4; Armour Proficiency (light). Possessions: chain shirt, heavy mace, sling, 10 bullets, robes, wooden unholy symbol to Gruumsh, spell component pouch, belt pouch, 2D12 sp, 2D6 gp. Spells Prepared (3/3): 0 - cure minor wounds (2), detect magic; 1 - cure light wounds, protection from good, sleep. DC = 12 + spell level.

* Toad Familiar: CR 1/10; Diminutive animal; HD 1/4D8 (3HD for effects related to HD); hp 10; Init +1; Spd 5 ft; AC 17 (touch 15, flat-footed 16); Atk +2 melee (touch spells); SQ +2 Constitution to master, alertness to master (as feat when within arm's reach), improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, touch; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 1, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 4. Length 4 in. Skills and Feats: Concentration +5, Heal +2, Hide +21, Listen +5, Scry +3, Spellcraft +2, Spot +5, Wilderness Lore +4.

Owl:

Encounters with the normal version of this creature will only pose a threat to small animals and familiars. Giant owls are intelligent and often good-aligned, and they are especially nervous about the orc incursion and have already had some scrapes with orcs coming too near their nests. Giant owls might question the party and perhaps even notify them where concentrations of dangerous humanoids might be located.

Assume any encounter is either with a normal owl (01-85) or a giant owl (86-00).

* Owl (1): CR1/4; Tiny animal; HD 1D8; hp 4; Init +3; Spd 10 ft, fly 40 ft (average); AC 17 (touch 15, flat-footed 14); Atk +5 melee (1D2-2, claws); AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 4. Length 1 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Listen +14, Move Silently +20, Spot +6*; Weapon Finesse (claws). * +8 racial bonus to Spot checks in dusk and darkness.

* Giant Owl (1-2): CR 3; Large magical beast; HD 4D10+4; hp 26 each; Init +3; Spd 10 ft, fly 70 ft (average); AC 15 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +7 melee (1D6+4 [x2], claws) and +2 melee (1D8+2, bite); SQ superior low-light vision; AL NG; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10. Height 9 ft. Skills and Feats: Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +16, Move Silently +9*, Spot +10*; Alertness. Special Qualities: Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex): Giant owl can see five times as far as a human in dim light. * +4 racial bonus to Spot checks in dusk and darkness, +8 racial bonus to Move Silently checks while in flight.

Peryton:

Encounters will be with a single peryton, on the hunt looking for the perfect heart. The shadow cast by any given peryton will be either an orc or a dwarf. The perytons encountered will not perform a heart-rip on the party, as they believe that certain astronomical conditions must arrive before consuming hearts. As such, the perytons will attempt instead to down a party member and then flee with it to its nest high up in the mountains. It would then be up to the rest of the party to rescue their captive from the nest. The captive will be bound hand and feet by flexible branches within the nest.

Note: This is a very strong and dangerous encounter for a low level party. The DM should design the encounter in such a way that the party has a way to flee if desired or should inclue it as part of a multiple encounter with dwarves or aarakocra aiding the party.

Should the party assault the nest and defeat its peryton, the DM should assign treasure to the nest as appropriate.

* Peryton: CR 5; Medium-sized magical beast; HD 5D10+5; hp 32; Init +3; Spd 20 ft, fly 60 ft (poor); 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 10/+1, 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, Wilderness Lore +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. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Senmurv:

These strange creatures of good are active in the area trying to attack the orc raiders in the area in defense of both the dwarves of Nirzumbil (though the dwarves are unaware of this aid) and the other good inhabitants of the area. Active at night, they have taken to swooping down on orc encampments and causing havoc before fleeing as the orcs mount a resistance.

The Senmurv will likely observe the party for a time and then close in close enough to cast their detection spells. Assuming the party does not overtly detect as evil, they will possibly stop to parley with the party.

* Senmurv (1-6): CR3; Large magical beast; HD 3D10+12; hp 28 each; Init +4; Spd 30 ft, fly 60 ft (average); AC 15 (touch 13, flat-footed 12); Atk +8 melee (1D8+9, bite) or +8 melee (1D6+6 [x2], claws); SA rend, smite evil, spell-like abilities; SQ darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent; AL LG; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 22, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 16. Height 10 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +0, Listen +2, Move Silently +4, Sense Motive +2, Spot +2; Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative. Special Attacks: Rend (Ex): If a Senmurv hits a single target with both claws, it latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh, dealing 2D6+6 damage. Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a Senmurv can make a normal attack to deal additional damage equal to its HD total against an evil foe. Spell-like Abilities: At will - detect good, detect evil. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Stone Giant:

These giants are peaceful unless bothered. When encountered during the day, they are usually heading to worship at The Targ. They will not give away any secrets or information about the enigma.

When encountered at night, they will often be throwing rocks at one another, and an errant rock might head the party's way.

The stone giants will react warily to strangers, preferring to be left alone. But if threatened of treated badly, they will attack remorselessly.

* Stone Giant (1-3): CR 8; Large giant (earth); HD 14D8+56; hp 119 each; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; AC 25 (touch 11, flat-footed 23); Atk +17/+12 melee (2D6+12, huge greatclub) or +12/+7 ranged (2D8+8, rock); SA rock throwing; SQ rock catching; AL N; SV Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 27, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11. Height 12 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +0*, Jump +10, Spot +3; Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot. Special Attacks: Rock Throwing (Ex): 40 to 50 pound rock up to 5 range increments (180 ft each). Special Qualities: Rock Catching (Ex): Catch small, medium, or large rocks (or other size projectile) once per round. If the giant would normally be hit, may make a Ref save (with a +4 racial bonus) to catch it as a free action. DC is 15 for a small rock, 20 for a medium rock, and 25 for a large rock. Magical bonuses to attack increase the DC by that amount. The giant must be ready and aware of the attack. Possessions: great club giant's sack, rocks (7), knife, candles (6), sewing needle, boots, tinderbox, steel and flint, dice, hemp rope (200 ft), 4D100 gp, 10D100 sp. * +8 racial bonus to Hide checks in stony terrain.

Vermin:

This is a catch-all for various giant insects that roam the mountains at night.

Roll 2D4 and consult the table below:

2 = Monstrous Centipede, Large
3 = Monstrous Scorpion, Medium
4 = Monstrous Centipede, Medium
5 = Giant Fire Beetle
6 = Monstrous Spider, Small
7 = Monstrous Spider, Medium
8 = Monstrous Scorpion, Large

Centipedes are aggressive hunters and will tend to attack. Scorpions and spiders will attack 50% of the time. All spiders are the non-web spinning variety known as hunting spiders and these try to attack from ambush. They bear an almost fur-like shag over their bodies. Fire beetles are only aggressive if attacked, though this is often the case as their glowing glands are prized. From a distance, these glands might appear as lanterns or torches or perhaps even feral eyes.

* Large Monstrous Centipede (1-6): CR 1; Large vermin; HD 2D8; hp 9 each; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; AC 14 (touch 11, flat-footed 12); Atk +2 melee (1D8+1 and poison, bite); SA poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 15 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +3, Spot +8; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude Save (DC 16); initial and secondary damage of 1D4 points of temporary Dexterity damage. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

* Medium Monstrous Scorpion (1-4): CR 1; Medium-sized vermin; HD 2D8+4; hp 13 each; Init +0; Spd 40 ft; AC 14 (touch 10, flat-footed 14); Atk +2 melee (1D4+1 [x2], claws) and -3 melee (1D4 and poison, sting); SA improved grab, squeeze, poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Hide +8, Spot +7. Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Sting, Fortitude Save (DC 15); initial and secondary damage of 1D4 points of temporary Strength damage. Improved Grab (Ex): Usable if the scorpion hits with a claw attack. If it gets a hold it hangs on and stings. Squeeze (Ex): If the scorpion gets a hold on an opponent that is medium-size or smaller it automatically deals damage with both claws and stings at full attack value. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

* Medium Monstrous Centipede (1-6): CR 1/2 ; Medium-sized vermin; HD 1D8; hp 5 each; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +2 melee (1D6-1 and poison, bite); SA poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 8 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Hide +8, Spot +8; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude Save (DC 13); initial and secondary damage of 1D3 points of temporary Dexterity damage. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

* Giant Fire Beetle (1-12): CR 1/3; Small vermin; HD 1D8; hp 5 each; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 16 (touch 11, flat-footed 16); Atk +1 melee (2D4, bite); SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 11, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 7. Length 2 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Listen +3, Spot +3. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

* Small Monstrous Hunting Spider (1-12): CR 1/2; Small vermin; HD 1D8; hp 5 each; Init +3; Spd 40 ft, climb 20 ft; AC 14 (touch 14, flat-footed 11); Atk +4 melee (1D4-2 and poison, bite); SA poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 7, Dex 17, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Diameter 3 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +14, Jump +4, Spot +15; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude Save (DC 11); initial and secondary damage of 1D3 points of temporary Strength damage. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

* Medium Monstrous Hunting Spider (1-12): CR 1; Medium-sized vermin; HD 2D8+2; hp 11 each; Init +3; Spd 40 ft, climb 20 ft; AC 14 (touch 13, flat-footed 11); Atk +4 melee (1D6 and poison, bite); SA poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 11, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Diameter 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +12, Hide +10, Jump +6, Spot +15; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude Save (DC 14); initial and secondary damage of 1D4 points of temporary Strength damage. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

* Large Monstrous Scorpion (1-2): CR 2; Large vermin; HD 4D8+8; hp 26 each; Init +0; Spd 50 ft; AC 14 (touch 9, flat-footed 14); Atk +5 melee (1D6+3 [x2], claws) and +0 melee (1D6+1 and poison, sting); SA improved grab, squeeze, poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 17, Dex 10, Con 14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Hide +3, Spot +7. Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Sting, Fortitude Save (DC 18); initial and secondary damage of 1D6 points of temporary Strength damage. Improved Grab (Ex): Usable if the scorpion hits with a claw attack. If it gets a hold it hangs on and stings. Squeeze (Ex): If the scorpion gets a hold on an opponent that is medium-size or smaller it automatically deals damage with both claws and stings at full attack value. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

Wolf:

Several types of wolves roam these mountains. Roll a D6 and refer to the table below.

1-3 = Wolf
4-5 = Worg
6 = Dire Wolf

Normal wolves are not likely to be aggressive against normal humanoids unless they come upon a lone individual or a wounded foe. They will be potentially dangerous to animals, familiars, or beasts of burden.

Worgs and dire wolves are very aggressive predators and the former relish attacking sentient beings. Worgs will attack all of the time unless they are obviously outnumbered. Dire wolves will attack half of the time.

* Wolf (1-12): CR 1; Medium-sized animal; HD 2D8+4; hp 13 each; Init +2, Spd 50 ft; AC14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +3 melee (1D6+1, bite); SA trip; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6. Length 4 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Hide +3, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +1*; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Trip (Ex): A wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold. * +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

* Worg (1-6): CR 2; Medium-sized magical beast; HD 4D10+8; hp 30 each; Init +2; Spd 50 ft; AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +7 melee (1D6+4, bite); SA trip; SQ scent; AL NE; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 17, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10. Length 5 ft 3 in. Skills and Feats: Hide +7, Listen +9, Move Silently +7, Spot +9, Wilderness Lore +2*; Alertness. Special Attack: Trip (Ex): A worg that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the worg. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold. * +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

* Dire Wolf (1-2): CR 3; Large animal; HD 6D8+18; hp 45 each; Init +2; Spd 50 ft; AC 14 (touch 11, flat-footed 12); Atk +10 melee (1D8+10, bite); SA trip; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10. Length 8 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +5, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +1*. Special Attack: Trip (Ex): A dire wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the dire wolf. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold. * +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

Wolverine:

These ornery creatures are territorial even in their natural size, tending to attack creatures much large than they. The dire version is even meaner and more ornery.

Encounters will be with normal wolverines (01-85) or a dire wolverine (86-00).

* Wolverine (1-2): CR 2; Medium-sized animal; HD 3D8+12; hp 25 each; Init +2; Spd 30 ft, burrow 10 ft, climb 10 ft; AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +4 melee (1D4+2 [x2], claws) and -1 melee (1D6+1, bite); SA rage; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 10. Length 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +15, Listen +6, Spot +6. Special Attacks: Rage (Ex): A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage the following round, clawing and biting madly until it or its opponent is dead or out of sight. It gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and -2 AC. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

* Dire Wolverine: CR 4; Large animal; 5D8+20; hp 42; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, climb 10 ft; AC 16 (touch 12, flat-footed 13); Atk +8 melee (1D6+6 [x2], claws) and +3 melee (1D8+3, bite); SA rage; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5; Str 22, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10. Length 18 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +14, Listen +9, Spot +8. Special Attacks: Rage (Ex): A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage the following round, clawing and biting madly until it or its opponent is dead or out of sight. It gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and -2 AC. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

PLANNED ENCOUNTERS:

These encounters should be run by the DM whenever the appropriate circumstances arise.

The party basically has three ways to the Hive.

The first is to take the direct route north by northeast from Nirzumbil, skirting the western edge of the High Forest and travelling through the Groundlings territory on the slops of Haranzinil. From there it is a straight shot into the Trickledown Valley that approaches the Hive.

The second is to follow the Trickledown upstream all the way to the Trickledown Valley. This means traversing the High Forest and passing near to The Targ.

The third route is the longest. It involves skirting the High Forest to the south, crossing the slopes of Barazburil, and then crossing east of The Targ before turning northwest into the Trickledown Valley.

Should the party wish to take some other, less conventional way to the Hive (i.e. climb over the very top of Haranzinil), then the DM should adjudicate accordingly, with encounters for the indicated denizens of the area and severe terrain difficulties if merited.

This section is therefore divided into four sections. The first three sections involve encounters for each of the three routes. The final section involves encounters in the Trickledown Valley (that portion of land surrounding the Trickledown between its headwaters and a mile or so north of The Targ).

It is assumed the party makes an average of 4 miles per day in its travel. This includes frequent rests, occasional turn-arounds and backtracks, and a few stops to get one's bearings. Thus it will take two days to reach the Hive by way of Sections 1 and 2 and three days to reach the Hive by way of Section 3.

Section One - The Slopes of Haranzinil:

Skirting the High Forest to the east, whose pines and firs can be seen in the valley below as the party makes its way up the rugged slopes of Haranzinil, the party can espy, during the day, great wheeling shapes high up the peak. These are the eagles and giant eagles that nest in the summit of the mount.

As the sun rides high in the sky, the party will espy a particularly large boulder that features prominent Dwarven runes which read:

Accursed land, demesne of Tharikthiril the Eld. Turn back!

Sometime later, perhaps 15 to 20 minutes after passing the boulder, the party will be spooked by some small boulders clattering down from higher up on the slope. However, even despite detection magics or flying familiars, nothing will be spotted.

It will be at just before sundown that the evil groundlings that haunt this area will attack. There are four of them, and they will be lying in wait, hidden (they have taken 20 and are thus hidden at a DC 21). Their hiding place will be some D20 ft to one side of the party's route, and they evil creatures will be burrowed into the earth, bursting out of the ground as the party passes over and likely gaining surprise unless they are spotted beforehand.

* Groundlings (4): CR 2; Medium-sized monstrous humanoid; HD 3D8+6; hp 19 each; Init +1; Spd 20 ft, burrow 30 ft; AC 16 (touch 11, flat-footed 15); Atk +4 melee (1D4+1 [x2], claws) and -1 melee (1D8, bite); SA grab; SQ resist magic (+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects), resist poison (+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison), scent; AL LE; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 6. Height 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +5, Listen +5, Wilderness Lore +7. Special Attacks: Grab (Ex): When a groundling hits its opponent in combat with any two of its attacks in a single round, it tries to grab the enemy and drag it below the surface (in this case into the burrow holes it has made). The creature makes a free grapple check (provoking no attack of opportunity); if it wins the check, it drags the victim toward its burrow. Fighting within a groundling tunnel is an advantageous situation for the groundling (+2 to attack rolls)and a disadvantageous situation for any opponents (-2 to attack rolls). Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

That night, the party will observe a strange argent glow just over the horizon to the north, as if coming from behind a spur in the slope of the mountain. This glow comes from the Tower of Tharikthiril.

The next day, the party will, in mid morning, espy atop a spur of the mountain to the west, a large tower now broken, its top sundered and in scattered ruins around its base. This is the Tower of Tharikthiril, and the evil wizard now enjoys (or suffers) an undead life, his creatures, the groundlings, still worshipping him as a sort of god.

The party can certainly pass by the tower, but the evil wizard has placed at various intervals around the area magic stones that trigger a Suggestion spell when approached by sentient beings who are not groundlings. The suggestion is that great treasure and glory resides within the tower and the person should enter the tower to gain such wealth or fame (greedy or prideful characters should suffer a -1 or -2 circumstance penalty to the Will save).

The party will certainly run into one of these stones. In fact, the party will run into 1D3 of these stones, and will have to resist the temptation to enter the tower each time.

* Suggestion Trap: CR 6; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset (1 minute); spell effect (suggestion, 5th level wizard), Will save [DC 15] negates, follow suggestion); multiple targets (all targets within 60 ft); Search (DC 28); Disable Device (DC 28).

In any event, as the party passes the tower, they will be attacked by another group of groundlings, these burrowing towards the party through old groundling tunnels that literally crisscross the entire mountain slope in this area for miles.

* Groundlings (5): CR 2; Medium-sized monstrous humanoid; HD 3D8+6; hp 19 each; Init +1; Spd 20 ft, burrow 30 ft; AC 16 (touch 11, flat-footed 15); Atk +4 melee (1D4+1 [x2], claws) and -1 melee (1D8, bite); SA grab; SQ resist magic (+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects), resist poison (+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison), scent; AL LE; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 6. Height 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +5, Listen +5, Wilderness Lore +7. Special Attacks: Grab (Ex): When a groundling hits its opponent in combat with any two of its attacks in a single round, it tries to grab the enemy and drag it below the surface (in this case into the burrow holes it has made). The creature makes a free grapple check (provoking no attack of opportunity); if it wins the check, it drags the victim toward its burrow. Fighting within a groundling tunnel is an advantageous situation for the groundling (+2 to attack rolls) and a disadvantageous situation for any opponents (-2 to attack rolls). Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold.

Thereafter, the party will descend the slopes of the mountain and pass into the Trickledown Valley. Refer to Section 4.

The Tower of Tharikthiril:

If the party deigns to enter the Tower of Tharikthiril, the DM should refer to the scenario entitled "The Tower of Tharikthiril". Basic background is provided below, as well as the stats for Tharikthiril in case the DM wants to run him without having access or using the scenario based on his tower.

The Tower was home to an evil wizard who delighted in delving into forbidden mysteries and demonology. When one of his summonings escaped and mauled a dwarven prince of Nirzumbil out on a falconing hunt, the dwarves and the wizard became bitter enemies. Tharikthiril at first used the local goblins as slaves and soldiers to contest the dwarves, bolstered by the occasional demon summoned to lead such rabble, but one demon traded his freedom in exchange for revealing to Tharikthiril a way to use the dwarves themselves to breed his own army, one more capable than the goblins to contend with the dwarves.

And so, the groundlings were created from dwarves kidnapped and twisted in horrid rituals by the wizard. The first groundlings were infertile and so the wizard had to constantly kidnap more dwarves, which drew more and more ire from Nirzumbil. Finally, even though Tharikthiril had just bred groundlings true and no longer needed new dwarves to increase his servants, the dwarves had had enough and marched in full army, with aid from other nearby dwarven strongholds, and defeated the groundlings and goblins in a great battle in N.S. 6. The wizard was slain, but his body was never recovered by the dwarves. His tower was made into a rubble, but many of his secrets were never found out.

Most of the groundlings were killed in that battle, but some survived, and in the intervening years have begun to breed and repopulate the area.

Tharikthiril did not survive the dwarven assault intact. He was, in fact, killed. But so evil was he and so pleased was the demon who gave him the secret of creating groundlings with the mayhem to which the wizard had put his creations, that the wizard was reborn into unlife as a fiend. Much of his magical abilities were lost during the rebirth and warping required to accomplish this, but he still retains a semblance of his once potent abilities. Tharikthiril appears as a normal human with solid red eyes and small fangs through which a forked tongue teases.

* Tharikthiril: Male fiendish human Wizard 5/Demonologist 2; CR 8; Medium-sized humanoid (human); HD 7D4; hp 23; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 10 (touch 10, flat-footed 10); Atk +3 melee (1D6, quarterstaff or 1D4, dagger); SA smite good (1/day, +7 damage); SQ alertness (when familiar within arm's reach), share spells (with familiar), empathic link (with familiar), charm demon, darkvision 60 ft, cold resistance 10, fire resistance 10, damage reduction 5/+1; SR 14; AL CE; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +7; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 14. Height 5 ft 9 in. Skills and Feats: Alchemy +12, Bluff +10, Concentration +6, Decipher Script +10, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (planes) +14, Scry +10, Search +6, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +12; Evil Brand, Extend Spell, Malign Spell Focus, Sacrificial Mastery, Scribe Scroll, Thrall to Demon. Special Qualities: Charm Demon (Sp): The demonologist may attempt to charm a chaotic evil outsider, as described in the Charm Person spell, once per day. The demon does not get to use its spell resistance, though it does get a saving throw as normal. Possessions: black mage's robes, +1 dagger, quarterstaff, spell component pouch. Wizard Spells Prepared (4/4/3/2): 0 - detect magic, read magic, slash tongue, unnerving gaze; 1 - bestow wound, cause fear, mage armour, seething eyebane; 2 - darkbolt, devil's tongue, summon swarm; 3 - blood funnel, suggestion. DC = 14 + spell level (+2 for spells with the evil descriptor). Demonologist Spells Known (cast 2): 1 - bane, demonflesh, doom, protection from evil, protection from good, spores of the vrock, summon monster I, unnerving gaze. DC = 12 + spell level (+2 for spells with the evil descriptor). Spellbook (20/10/10/6): 0 - arcane mark, daze, detect magic, detect poison, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, minor ward, no light, open/close, preserve organ, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, unnerving gaze, slash tongue, slumber swap, tongue of fiends; 1 - bestow wound, cause fear, charm person, identify, mage armour, nether trail, protection from good/evil/law/chaos, sacrificial skill, seething eyebane, stupor; 2 - arcane lock, darkbolt, devil's tongue, entice gift, ethereal blast, knock, see invisibility, slow consumption, soul bend, summon swarm; 3 - blood funnel, dispel magic, dread word, hold person, suggestion, tongues.

* Quasit Familiar: CR 3; Tiny outsider (chaotic, evil); HD 3D8 (treat as 7 HD for effects dependant upon HD); hp 13; Init +3; Spd 20 ft, fly 50 ft (perfect); AC 19 (touch 15, flat-footed 16); Atk +8 melee (1D3-1 and poison [x2], claws) and +3 melee(1D4-1, bite); SA spell-like abilities, poison; SQ damage reduction 5/silver, poison immunity, fire resistance 20, alternate form, regeneration 2, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, touch (deliver touch spells for master), speak with master, speak with wolves and bats when in their form; SR5; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 8, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10. Height 2 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +6, Spellcraft +4, Spot +6; Weapon Finesse (bite, claw). Special Attacks: Spell-like Abilities: At will - detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only); 1/day - cause fear (as spell, except that its area is a 30 ft radius from the quasit). These abilities are as the spells cast by a 6th level sorcerer (save DC 10 + spell level). Poison (Ex): Claw, Fortitude save (DC 13); initial damage 1D4 temporary Dexterity, secondary damage 2D4 temporary Dexterity. Special Qualities: Alternate Form (Su): A quasit can assume other forms at will as a standard action. This ability functions as polymorph self cast by a 12th level sorcerer except that the quasit can only assume one or two forms no larger than medium-sized. This quasit's forms include a bat and a wolf. Regeneration (Ex): Quasits take normal damage from acid and from holy and blessed weapons.

Section Two - The High Forest:

Following the Trickledown upstream, the party will enter the eaves of the High Forest, which is comprised of pines and firs for the most part. Undergrowth is light, but the floor is filled with pine cones and green needles. The forest is shaded even at high noon, and quickly descends into twilight from dawn to mid morning and from mid afternoon to dusk due to the canopy of trees and the mountains to either side. As such, the forest serves as a sort of sheltered highway for goblins, kobolds, and other sun-shy creatures heading south from their lairs.

The party will quickly notice shreds of cobwebs from giant spiders, which should put them on alert.

About an hour into the forest, the party will come to an area that is marked by Dwarven runes of warning and danger scratched into stones and tree trunks. A few Orcish markings of warning are also scrawled in the area. Should the party decide to continue on into the area, they will encounter the ettercap's lair, with the ettercap, all of its spider pets, and be subject to various web traps the ettercap has strewn about his lair.

Should the party choose to skirt the marked area, they will at first encounter a hunting group of spiders that attacks the party. Assume this group is made up of 1D4+1 of the small monstrous spiders. Assume further that one spider is very well hidden and somewhat far back from the attack and this creature flees to warn the ettercap of intruders.

Some two hours or so later the ettercap will attack, though in this case he will not have traps set up. He will be accompanied by one of his large spiders, three medium-sized spiders, and six small spiders. When not defending his lair, the ettercap will almost certainly not fight to the death, instead fleeing back to his lair if hard-pressed.

The party will have to camp in the High Forest, and the moths and beetles of normal size will swarm the party's campfire if they have one. The night sounds are dramatic in the forest, but there will be no further trouble in these woods.

The next day, the party will leave the forest and enter the Trickledown Valley at The Targ. Refer to Section 3 for an encounter at The Targ. Then proceed to Section 4.

The Ettercap Lair:

The lair is a huge mound of branches, bones, and webbing, some 30 ft in diameter and 15 ft tall. A single entrance some 5 ft square sits half way up one side of the dome.

Assume anyone approaching the dome will be subject to 1D12 web traps. Each web trap requires a Spot (DC 20) to notice. Otherwise, the victim will stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack, though with a +5 bonus to escape or burst the webbing if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5 ft square section has 6 hit points and takes double damage from fire. During combat, the DM should decide the placement of such traps on the battlefield.

The approach to the lair will also be warded by the ettercap's pet spiders, and the party will have to fight its way through them to reach the lair.

Within the lair are the desiccated husks of previous victims, including dwarves, orcs, goblins, kobolds, and various animals. Also here, each requiring a Search roll (DC 25), are:

1. A ring of the wild.

* Ring of the Wild: This ring is made of antler horn and carved with Orcish runes that grant its wearer a +5 to Wilderness Lore checks. Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, commune with nature, deep in thought; Market Price: 1000 gp; Cost to Create: 500 gp + 40 XP.

2. A leather belt pouch containing coins of dwarven mint: 36 cp, 74 sp, 130 gp, 27 pp.

3. A leather quarrel case holding twelve +1 crossbow bolts.

4. A silver bracelet studded with garnets (worth 125 gp).

5. A potion belt containing 3 potions of cure light wounds at 1st level and a potion of spider climb at 1st level.

6. A masterwork handaxe.

* Ettercap: CR 4; Medium-sized aberration; HD 5D8+5; hp 32; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, climb 30 ft; AC 14 (touch 13, flat-footed 11); Atk +3 melee (1D8 and poison, bite) and +1 melee (1D3 [x2], claws); SA web, poison; SQ low-light vision; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 8. Height 6 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +3*, Listen +10, Spot +10*; Multiattack. Special Attacks: Web (Ex): An ettercap can cast a web 8/day. It has a maximum range of 50 ft, with a range increment of 10 ft, and is effective against targets up to medium-sized. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. The victim is also -2 to attack and a -4 penalty on effective Dexterity. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 18) or burst the web with a successful Strength check (DC 26), both of which require full-round actions. The web has 6 hit points and takes double damage from fire. Ettercaps can move across their own webbing at their climb speed and can determine the exact location of any creature touching their webs. Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 13), initial damage 1D6 temporary Dexterity, secondary damage 2D6 temporary Dexterity. * Ettercaps in shadow receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Spot checks.

The ettercap's pets include:

* Small Monstrous Spiders (12): CR 1/2; Small vermin; HD 1D8; hp 4 each; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, climb 20 ft; AC 14 (touch 14, flat-footed 11); Atk +4 melee (1D4-2 and poison, bite); SA poison, web; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 7, Dex 17, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Diameter 3 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +14*, Jump -2, Move Silently +3*, Spot +7; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 11), initial and secondary damage 1D3 temporary Strength. Web (Ex): A spider can cast a web 8/day. It has a maximum range of 50 ft, with a range increment of 10 ft, and is effective against targets up to medium-sized. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. The victim is also -2 to attack and a -4 penalty on effective Dexterity. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 20) or burst the web with a successful Strength check (DC 24), both of which require full-round actions. The web has 4 hit points and takes double damage from fire. Spiders can move across their own webbing at their climb speed and can determine the exact location of any creature touching their webs. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects. * +8 competency bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks while on webs.

* Medium Monstrous Spiders (6): CR 1; Medium-sized vermin; HD 2D8+2; hp 11 each; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, climb 20 ft; AC 14 (touch 13, flat-footed 11); Atk +4 melee (1D6 and poison, bite); SA poison, web; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 11, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Diameter 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +12, Hide +10*, Jump +0, Move Silently +3*, Spot +7; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 14), initial and secondary damage 1D4 temporary Strength. Web (Ex): A spider can cast a web 8/day. It has a maximum range of 50 ft, with a range increment of 10 ft, and is effective against targets up to medium-sized. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. The victim is also -2 to attack and a -4 penalty on effective Dexterity. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 20) or burst the web with a successful Strength check (DC 26), both of which require full-round actions. The web has 6 hit points and takes double damage from fire. Spiders can move across their own webbing at their climb speed and can determine the exact location of any creature touching their webs. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects. * +8 competency bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks while on webs.

* Large Monstrous Spiders (2): CR 2; Large vermin; HD 4D8+4; hp 22 each; Init +3; Spd 30 ft, climb 20 ft; AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 11); Atk +4 melee (1D8+3 and poison, bite); SA poison, web; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Diameter 10 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +14, Hide +6*, Jump +2, Move Silently +3*, Spot +7. Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 16), initial and secondary damage 1D6 temporary Strength. Web (Ex): A spider can cast a web 8/day. It has a maximum range of 50 ft, with a range increment of 10 ft, and is effective against targets up to medium-sized. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. The victim is also -2 to attack and a -4 penalty on effective Dexterity. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 26) or burst the web with a successful Strength check (DC 32), both of which require full-round actions. The web has 12 hit points and takes double damage from fire. Spiders can move across their own webbing at their climb speed and can determine the exact location of any creature touching their webs. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects. * +8 competency bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks while on webs.

Section Three - The Slopes of Barazburil:

The way will start out easily, following the Trade Road to the east. Soon the road will dip away to the south down the mountainside, and the party will leave the road and trek through boulder-strewn rough.

As the sun approaches its zenith, the party will begin to make its way up the lower slopes of Barazburil. The slope is relatively barren of trees and cover, being mostly scrub and boulders that have fallen from on high.

Occasionally, small black specks can be seen wheeling about the summit of Barazburil. The exact nature of the shapes cannot be easily determined from so far away, but they are the aarakocra or birdmen.

Suddenly, attacking out of the sun, dive two hippogriffs, punctuated with a scream right before they attack. These are a mated pair of adults which have a nest nearby. Normally not so aggressive, the hippogriffs have already lost a young to orcs and are therefore extremely angry. They are convinced the party is after the last of their young and will attack to the death. In addition, hippogriffs usually group in clusters of nests and leave some of their number behind to defend the nest directly. But the orcs killed the other hippogriffs during their raid and these last are crazed enough to leave the nest to attack intruders.

* Hippogriffs (2): CR 2; Large beast; HD 3D10+9; hp 25 each; Init +2; Spd 50 ft, fly 100 ft (average); AC 15 (touch 11, flat-footed 13); Atk +5 melee (1D4+4 [x2], claws) and +0 melee (1D8+2, bite); AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 8. Length 9 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +4, Spot +7*. * +4 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight.

If the party seeks to actively search for a nest, they can possibly sight a likely candidate as a series of cracks in a craggy outcropping of the mountain face perhaps a mile distant. A Spot check (DC 25) will locate the cracks.

It will take several hours to scramble up the slope to the cracks. During this time, the party will come upon the skeleton of a hippogriff and the torn and shredded armour of an orc, with a few tufts of orc hair caught in the joints. A successful Track check (DC 15) will reveal dried bloodstains that seem to lead to and from the cracks. Orcish footprints will also be found heading to and from the cracks.

The cracks consist of 3 hippogriff aeries. Each is approximately 30-40 ft deep and are actually connected, though only by small cracks sufficient for tiny or diminutive creatures to pass through.

Each aerie has a large 8 ft diameter nest made up of twigs, grass, leaves, mud, fur, and feathers. Each aerie is, from northwest to southeast, described below.

Aerie #1:

This aerie's nest contains the half skeletal body of an adult hippogriff, bearing signs of great bashing from blunt weapons and strokes from axes. A few broken arrows of orcish make dot the place.

Lairing in the nest now, having consumed much of the carcass, are six small monstrous centipedes. These will attack anyone searching through the nest. If someone takes the time to spot them carefully, they can try to find the hiding vermin.

* Small Monstrous Centipedes (6): CR 1/4; Small vermin; HD 1/2D8; hp 2 each; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 14 (touch 13, flat-footed 12); Atk +3 melee (1D4-3 and poison, bite); SA poison; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 5, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 4 ft. Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Hide +13, Spot +7; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 11), initial and secondary damage 1D2 temporary Dexterity. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

Aerie #2:

This aerie's nest is in disarray. An orc lies slumped over the mess, decomposing but with his face down, so his condition won't be apparent without flipping the body over. The eyes have huge gouge marks on it, and great raking claw marks run down the cuirbolli leather armour. Dried blood is spattered across the floor. The orc bears a battleaxe, a large steel shield, and a belt pouch holding an orcish draught that smells horrible and requires, for non-orcish humanoids, a Fortitude save to quaff (DC 5). This draught contains 6 doses of a potion of Cure Minor Wounds at 1st level. Only 1 draught can be taken per round.

Aerie #3:

The nest in this aerie bears a single young hippogriff. The thing was born this last spring, and is quite small and incapable of doing more than nipping at anyone who approaches it. Nonetheless, it will try to defend itself and, if anyone enters its nest, it will attempt to fly away. If it does fly away, it will simply alight higher up the mountainside and await the return of its parents. It could possibly be coaxed down by offers of food, certain magic spells, or possibly applicable skills.

* Young Hippogriff: CR 1/2; Small beast; HD 1D10; hp 6; Init +2; Spd 40 ft, Fly 60 ft (poor); AC 14 (touch 13, flat-footed 12); Atk -1 melee (1D4-2 [x2], claws) and -6 melee (1D4-2, bite); AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 6, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 8. Length 2 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +3, Spot +6*. *+4 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight hours.

If the youngling is captured, it can possibly be tamed and eventually mounted by a rider, or may be sold for a significant amount of money (1,000 gp at Nirzumbil, 2,000 gp in the Far Coast).

The party will make camp for the night on the downward slope of Barazburil, in a hollow fairly well sheltered, so the party can make a fire if one is desired. Distant bird calls can be heard even in the dead of night.

The next day, the party will spend the entire day descending the wide slopes of the mountain as it skirts the High Forest to the west.

The party will spend the second night within sight of the valley floor down in the distance. This time there is no hollow and the party will need to decide if it wants to light a fire.

The next day the party will descend the slope and enter the verges of the valley, with the High Forest curving to the north of the party. Skirting the eaves, the party will round the forest and towards late afternoon, The Targ will come into view.

The Targ is as described by Adazil. However, as the party gazes upon it, they will hear a ruckus emanating from its base (Listen check with a DC of 10) and if they look closely and gain a vantage they can Spot (DC 10) a group of ogres who seem to be dancing around The Targ and ripping apart something fleshy and covered with crimson blood. There appear to be some eight ogres dancing around that structure.

As the party watches, they will be espied by 3 ogres who have seen them from atop a ridge opposite The Targ, about 200 ft from where the party is watching the spectacle at The Targ. These ogres will below, allowing their compatriots at the Targ a chance to hear them each round (Listen check DC 10) above the laughing and noise of the dance.

The three ogres will leap to attack the party, relying on their size to overcome superior numbers. Once their compatriots have heard their bellowing, they will require a Spot check (DC 10) to observe what is going on. Without a Spot check, the stupid ogres will take 3 rounds to decide something is up and to come and investigate. In this case, four more will come up to investigate, they bellowing once they find trouble.

If during the three rounds before they investigate a Spot check is made, then all of the ogres will abandon The Targ and rush to get in on the sport.

It will take ogres 10 rounds to run the 1000 ft from The Targ to the party's location. They will arrive within 60 ft of the party at the end of a normal full move on round ten.

These ogres are blood-thirsty but not stupid, and if outmatched will turn and run.

* Ogres (11): CR 2; Large giant; HD 4D8+8; hp 26 each; Init -1; Spd 30 ft; AC 16 (touch 8, flat-footed 16); Atk +8 melee (2D6+7, huge greatclub) or +1 ranged (2D6+5, huge longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 21, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. Height 9 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Listen +2, Spot +2; Weapon Focus (greatclub). Possessions: hides, huge greatclub, huge longspear, belt pouch, 4D100 cp, 2D100 sp, 3D6 gp.

If The Targ is approached, it will be seen that the bodies of four large dear, a black bear, and a goblin have been slaughtered upon the foot of the statue, as if in some sort of crude ritual sacrifice to The Targ. These ogres are new to the area, come with the orcs, and they believe The Targ is an ancient power to be venerated. They hope if they sacrifice enough to The Targ that it will grant them power and virility and cunning. The ogres do not know the statue is called The Targ. They call it Nargash-verasht, which means Ancient Tall One in Giantish.

Towards nightfall, the party will leave sight of The Targ and descend into the Trickledown Valley, camping by the stream as it nears the outthrust arm of Mount Griminul.

Section Four - The Trickledown Valley:

Whichever route the party has taken, they will arrive the next morning into the Trickledown Valley, which nestles between Haranzinil to the southwest and Griminul to the northeast. The valley is about a mile wide and filled with lush grasses, though tall weeds grow at the stream's edge, surmounted by scrub and bushes so that the stream is often entirely screened from sight even a few tens of yards away.

Large footprints can be found in the soft ground adjacent to the stream, these being of giants, mostly stone giants, going to and from The Targ. Many are old and worn but some show signs of being recent (within the week). Other signs near the river show animals of various sorts, including bears, and the footprints of orcs, goblins, and ogres.

If anyone comes to within 40 ft of the stream, they will be attacked at some point by a monstrous crayfish that dwells in a cave under the stream. The crayfish is interested in grabbing a meal and dragging it to its nearby cave to eat.

* Monstrous Crayfish: CR 3; Large vermin (aquatic); HD 4D8+8; hp 26; Init +0; Spd 20 ft, swim 40 ft; AC 15 (touch 9, flat footed 15); Atk +5 melee (1D6+3 [x2], claws); SA improved grab, squeeze, improved critical; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 1-, Con 14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Length 9 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +6, Spot +10. Special Attacks: Improved Grab (Ex): If the crayfish hits with its claw attack, it can use this ability. If it gets a hold it can squeeze. The crayfish has a grapple bonus of +10. Squeeze (Ex): A crayfish that gets a hold of an opponent of its size or smaller automatically deals damage with both claws. Improved Critical (Ex): Threatens a critical on a 19 or 20. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

The cave is not too difficult to reach (requires a Swim check DC 15 if the location is known, otherwise a Swim check must be followed by a Spot check (DC 15) and then another Swim check (DC 15) to get to the cave.

The cave is entirely under water and is some 30 ft long by 10 ft wide. Within are the bones of long ago catches, many of these now encrusted with minerals. A Search check (DC 15) will turn up the following (roll randomly, once found an object will not be found again):

1. A masterwork handaxe clearly of dwarven make.

2. A corroded leather belt pouch holding 16 gp, 4 pp, and a vial of beetle elixir.

3. A steel scroll tube sealed with wax which holds a scroll with the arcane spell Thief Ward scribed at 5th level.

4. A golden holy symbol to Malaktum studded with emeralds (250 gp)

5. A skeletal hand upon which sits a ring of alertness.

* Ring of Alertness: This ring grants its wearer a +2 competency bonus to Listen and Spot checks. Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, animal aspect, owl's wisdom; Market Price: 640 gp; Cost to Create: 320 gp + 26 XP.

6. An orc skull which mouth clamps down upon a potion of Delay Poison at 3rd level.

It will take half a day from whichever route is taken to reach the stream that feeds into the Trickledown from Mount Griminul. The party can then follow the stream north until it ascends the slopes of Griminul.

Towards afternoon, the party will espy the top of the Great Spire. No movement can be seen around its crest.

Shortly thereafter, the party will hear the roar of the falls indicated on their map. It is then that they will also find a game path or small trail that seems to parallel the stream towards the falls.

Part Three - The Falls:

As the party arrives at the falls, they will observe its beauty, a scintillating emerald cascade of water that drops some 45 ft from the top into a large pool at its base before then flowing out to form the stream that leads to the Trickledown.

As the party watches, a deep, booming voice will call out:

Beautiful, isn't she?

Turning, the party will spy a large, hairy, full-bearded barrel of a man in a plain cloth tunic and breeches leaning upon a large greataxe. He has a smile across his beefy face and thumbs his axe aimlessly.

This is Verego, a werebear who dwells in this area. He lives in a cave behind the falls, the once lair of a long-departed fossergrim. Within dwells Verego and his child.

Verego will question the party. He is very good at sensing the truth of things, and will not take kindly to any falsehoods. In fact, if lied to or told a half-truth, he will rumble and growl:

There are few things that get my ire up, but lying is one of them. I ask you once more, and expect you to answer truthfully or to turn and begone. If you lie to me again, there will be blood staining yon pristine waters!

If the party lies again, he will growl and attack, changing into his bear form. He will not hunt down and kill the party, but even his casual attacks can slay. He will attempt to run the party off and will, thereafter, likely attack them on sight.

Should the party answer truthfully, he will laugh and ask the party what gives them the right to plunder his hive? Whatever the answer, should the party prove courteous and respectful, Verego will say that the party may indeed have access to his hive under two conditions:

1. That they make certain that the queen bee and one male bee survive so that the hive may be repopulated, and

2. That the party first does a favour for him.

The favour is simple. There are two werewolves in the region, not more than 2 hours hike from here. The werebear wants these menaces slain, for they threaten him and his progeny. The werebear knows where they dwell, but he is loathe to attack them for fear that while he attacks one, the other will attack his child. Verego will not say where his lair and child are.

If the party agrees, Verego will say that all he needs is a single werewolf slain, for then he can go and slay the other at his convenience. However, if the party can bring back the heads of both werewolves, he will grant them a special boon.

If the party refuses Verego and tries to sneak around him, he will track them and shadow them for a time and will likely hike himself, with his child, up to the hive to make sure the party is not there without his permission. If he finds the party, he will hide his child and attack them.

* Verego (in human form): Male werebear Ranger 3; CR 5; Medium-sized shapechanger; HD 6D8+24; hp 51; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 13 (touch 11, flat-footed 12); Atk +5 melee (1D12+3, greataxe) or +4 ranged (1D6+2, throwing axe); SQ two-weapon fighting, ambidexterity, favoured enemy (+1 goblins), alternate form; AL LG; SV Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10. Height 5 ft 9 in. Skills and Feats: Animal Empathy +2, Climb +3, Heal +3, Hide +3, Intuit Direction +3, Jump +3, Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +7, Search +4, Spot +9, Swim +5, Wilderness Lore +5; Iron Will, Shadow, Track. Special Qualities: Alternate Form (Su): Shift to and from animal form as if using the Polymorph Self spell as a standard action. Shifting allows the werebear to regain hit points as if having rested for a day. Possessions: greataxe, throwing axes (3), tunic, breeches, leather boots.

* Verego (in bear form): Male werebear Ranger 3; CR 5; Medium- sized shapechanger; HD 6D8+24; hp 51; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 17 (touch 10, flat-footed 16); Atk +12 melee (1D8+9 [x2], claws) and +10 melee (2D8+5, bite); SA improved grab, curse of lycanthropy; SQ bear empathy, scent, damage reduction 15/silver; SV Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +5; Str 29, Dex 14,Con 23, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10. Length 8 ft. Skills and Feats: Listen +12, Search +8, Spot +15, Swim +15; Blind-Fight, Multiattack, Power Attack. Special Attacks: Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability the werebear must hit with a claw attack. Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid bit by the werebear must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract lycanthropy. Special Qualities: Alternate Form (Su): Shift to and from animal form as if using the Polymorph Self spell as a standard action. Shifting allows the werebear to regain hit points as if having rested for a day. Bear Empathy (Ex): Werebears can communicate with normal or dire bears, giving them a +4 racial bonus to checks when influencing the animal's reaction and allows the communication of simple concepts and commands.

Verego's lair is difficult to find. A Spot check is required from someone looking directly at or behind the falls (DC 20). A ledge winds its way from the far edge of the falls behind and into the cave.

Within the cave are spare wooden furnishings, including a table and chairs, a wooden bed stuffed with furs, straw, and feathers, and a wooden cradle which holds the babe of Verego. The babe's mother died in childbirth.

Oil lamps sit here and there to provide illumination at night.

Hidden behind stones in the far end of the cavern (Search DC 15) is Verego's treasure, including:

· A ring of silver showing a nude woman petting a bear worth 35 gp (this was Verego's wife's engagement ring and he is very sentimental about it.

· A suit of masterwork chainmail (once belonging to the fossergrim).

· A wooden box holding 170 sp, 32 gp, 4 pp, and ten small rubies worth 150 gp each.

If the party returns with both werewolf heads, Verego will reward them with the chainmail (as he has no use for it, it being dangerous to him if he decides to change form while wearing it).

The Werewolves:

The werewolves lair in a small set of caves some two hours of rough hiking from the falls. Refer to the Werewolf Den Map for details.

These two wolves are almost always found in wolf form, and so the statistics presented here are only for their lupine form. They can be treated as 1st level Commoners to work out their human statistics if desired.

These two are mated, and cunning, versed in coordinating their attacks to gain flanking positions and so forth. They will also use their mobility to greatest advantage.

* Werewolves (2): CR 3; Medium-sized shapechanger; HD 2D8+4; hp 15 each; Init +6; Spd 50 ft; AC 16 (touch 12, flat-footed 14); Atk +3 melee (1D6+1, bite); SA trip, curse of lycanthropy; SQ wolf empathy, scent, damage reduction 15/silver; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10. Length 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Hide +3, Listen +14, Move Silently +4, Search +8, Spot +14, Wilderness Lore +0*; Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Trip (Ex): A werewolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the werewolf. Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid bit by the werebear must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract lycanthropy. Special Qualities: Alternate Form (Su): Shift to and from animal form or hybrid form as if using the Polymorph Self spell as a standard action. Shifting allows the werewolf to regain hit points as if having rested for a day. Wolf Empathy (Ex): Werewolves can communicate with normal or dire wolves, giving them a +4 racial bonus to checks when influencing the animal's reaction and allows the communication of simple concepts and commands. * +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

Key to the Werewolf Den:

Unless stated otherwise, these caves are rough and naturally formed. Passages range from 5 ft to 7 ft in height and chambers are approximately as tall as they are wide.

Floors and ceilings are littered with mineral structures, less so in Room A, B, and C and more so deeper into the caves. Such structures include stalactites, stalagmites, lattices, pipes, etc. All of the walls are moist.

Room A is unlit (though some sunlight spills in during daylight hours). All other rooms are unlit and pitch dark unless a light source has been introduced.

A. Entry Chamber:

This chamber contains a few gnawed upon bones and some wolf dung (designed to scare away animal intruders). Scrawled upon the northern wall in blood is:

LEAVE NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN. DEATH AWAITS WITHIN!

This warning was placed by the werewolves to deter intelligent beings.

B. Pet Lair:

This chamber is the lair of the pet of the werewolves, a large wolf who is friend and sometimes mate to the male werewolf.

* Wolf: CR 1; Medium-sized animal; HD 2D8+6; hp 18; Init +2, Spd 50 ft; AC14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +4 melee (1D6+2, bite); SA trip; SQ scent; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6. Length 4 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Hide +3, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +1*; Weapon Finesse (bite). Special Attacks: Trip (Ex): A wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf. Special Qualities: Scent (Ex): Detect opponents within 30 ft by sense of smell, 60 ft upwind and 15 ft downwind, detect strong scents at double range and overpowering scents at triple range, pinpoint source of scent when within 5 ft; track by smell using Wis check with a DC of 10 and a +2 to DC for each hour the trail is cold. * +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

This wolf is very aggressive and protective of its masters and will attack any intruders it encounters, letting out a howl to alert its masters.

Within the chamber are gnawed upon bones and a bed of fur and leaves.

C. Larder:

Hanging from wooden beams pounded into the ceiling are various corpses being hung by the werewolves. These include several deer, an orc, a dwarf, and two goblins. All have torn throats and each has set beneath it a large wooden bowl which has collected the blood.

D. Dining Chamber:

This chamber is lit by torches set into small niches gouged into the walls.

This room is furnished with a wooden table, two wooden chairs, and two serving sets of plates, bowls, and utensils, none of any fine make. Two metal mugs also rest on the table. Nearby are two barrels, one of water and one of dwarven ale. The remnants of a meal are on the place settings, and it is easily discernible that the diners prefer their meat raw.

E. Trapped Chamber:

A pit has been dug here, gouged into the stone floor with pickaxes. The pit is 10 ft square and is centered on the point where the "E" is marked on the map. This leaves a small ledge running along the west wall and then the south wall that allows passage between Rooms G, B, D, and F.

The pit is covered with furs that have been sewn together and set upon several iron spikes pounded into the floor. Rocks and dirt have been set upon the fur to camouflage it. When anything more than 40 pounds is placed on the fur it rips, dumping those upon it into the pit.

* Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 2; mechanical; location trigger; repair reset; Reflex save (DC 15) avoids; 20 ft deep (2D6, fall); Search (DC 15); Disable Device (DC 20).

F. Water Chamber:

Water drops from the ceiling into this chamber, forming a pool that is 4-5 ft deep. This drains drop by drop into the underground water table. The water is clean and fresh and meets the needs of the inhabitants of these caves.

G. Living Chamber:

This large chamber is lit by several torches thrust between mineral formations along the walls.

Within is a large wooden bed covered with many furs. Next to that is a weapon rack holding two pickaxes, a battleaxe, three handaxes, and two shortbows. Two quivers with 20 arrows each lie nearby.

Hanging from pegs next to the bed are tunics, breeches, cloaks and various other outfits that comprise two sets of male peasant outfits and two sets of female peasant outfits. Boots stand beneath the clothing.

A table is in the centre of the room, along with two low chairs formed of furs draped over tree trunks. The table includes various mundane items, such has a sewing kit, furs and pelts, utility knives, wooden mugs, several bottles of wine (nasty common stuff!), a coil of 50 ft of rope, and several goblin skulls.

The werewolves will usually be found here sleeping, relaxing, or copulating.

H. Treasure Chamber:

This smallish chamber holds the treasure of the werewolves, mostly stolen from goblins and dwarves. The stash includes:

· A bundle of furs worth 50 gp (weighing 50 pounds).

· 20 silver arrows in a leather quiver.

· A scroll with the divine spell Delay Poison at 3rd level inside a bone tube marked with Goblinish runes.

· A leather pouch bearing the unholy symbol of Maglubiyet and containing six small topazes (50 gp each) and a Quaal's feather token (whip).

· A large leather sack containing 400 cp, 210 sp, 43 gp, and 13 pp of varying mints, including orcish, dwarvish, goblin, and Imperial.

Part Four - The Hive:

The hive can be located once the general area is discerned by simply following the low, droning buzz that permeates the area. In addition, the vale before the cave is full of extraordinarily large wildflowers, a sign of nearby giant bee habitation (apparently, the bees possess some chemical that causes the flowers to breed larger and larger over time).

The party will no doubt encounter a giant bee or two on the way to the hive if the journey is undertaken during the daylight. These will be absolutely non-aggressive unless molested, and will tend to fly away even in the faced of trouble. They are busy gathering pollen and nectar and many will have their legs full of the fuzzy stuff. The bees have the distinctive red stripe that lends their name.

The hive is a cave which opening is some 40 ft wide and 20 ft tall. This is set at the rear of a small stone shelf that sits atop a talus of crumbled stones and boulders. It will require a Climb check to scale the detritus (DC 10), and the bees do not consider the talus to be a part of their hive. However, they do regard the stone shelf as their hive, and anyone entering the shelf or beyond will be subject to attacks.

The hive is not mapped out, as the bees do not use tactics of any sort. The cavern containing the hive is made of three chambers, each deeper into the mountainside. Each is filled with giant honeycombs along the walls, floor, and ceiling. Many of these are capped and contain wriggling larvae (2 hp, AC 10, no attacks). Still more of these are capped and contain honey or are uncapped and are partially filled with the amber liquid. Finally, a portion of these cells are uncapped and empty.

The honeycomb is made of wax. This wax is fairly thick (2 inches thick) and has a hardness of 1 and 10 hit points. The wax is susceptible to fire, which will do double damage and tend to melt all of the wax in the area of effect. Melted wax can, itself, pose a hazard, as it is quite gooey and viscous and can entrap a victim if it hardens. The details of this are left to the DM.

Moving across the cells at normal speed requires a Balance check (DC 10) to avoid falling afoul of an open cell. Moving at half speed requires no check.

The average cell is hexagonal, some 4 ft tall and slightly less than 1 ft wide.

Bees are extremely aggressive defending their hive and will attack en masse, flying in from other chambers as well. Only the queen and her regent will not emerge to fight, instead remaining in the third chamber to defend themselves.

Chamber One:

This is some 40 ft tall by 60 ft wide by 80 ft long. At the rear of the chamber is a passageway some 15 ft above the "floor" level. This opening is some 10 ft in diameter and leads to Chamber Two.

Within this chamber many drones can be found buzzing about forming new cells and repairing damaged ones.

During daylight hours, assume 1D10 bees are present. Additionally, assume every ten rounds 1D3 bees arrive and, if no alarm has been raised, 1D3 leave.

During nighttime, there will be a full 11 bees here, less any slain outside the hive.

Chamber Two:

The floor of this chamber is 5 ft below the entryway from Chamber One and the cavern is 30 ft tall, 30 ft wide, and 50 ft long. There is an opening at the rear of the chamber where it closes to a point. This opening is 10 ft in diameter.

Within this chamber are more drones, here with many brood in capped cells, some eggs and some almost ready to emerge.

During daylight hours, some 1D8 bees are present. During nighttime, there will be a full 9 bees present.

Chamber Three:

This smaller cavern is some 20 ft in diameter, with the entrance from Chamber Two emerging into this cavern it the equator of the roughly spherical chamber.

There are fewer cells here, and they tend to be larger. A few of the cells have large eggs within, and some of the cells contain a deep red jelly (which is, of course, royal jelly).

Within the chamber at all times are the queen and her regent. The queen is a large bee with normal forequarters and a bloated hindquarter. She is basically an egg-laying machine. The regent is the queen's bodyguard and main breeder and is designated by two red stripes instead of the normal single crimson band. His statistics are the same as the normal giant bees.

* Giant Bee: CR 1/2; Medium-sized vermin; HD 3D8; hp 15 each; Init +2; Spd 20 ft, fly 80 ft (good); AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +2 melee (1D4 and poison, sting); SA poison; SQ vermin, perish after stinging once; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 11, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 9. Length 5 ft. Skills and Feats: Intuit Direction +6, Spot +6. Special Attacks: Poison (Ex): Sting, Fortitude save (DC 13), initial and secondary damage 1D6 temporary Constitution. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects. Perish after Stinging: After a bee successfully hits with a sting attack, it immediately pulls away, leaving its stinger lodged in the victim. The bee then falls down and dies.

* Queen Giant Bee: CR 1/2; Large vermin; HD 4D8+4; hp 24; Init +0; Spd 15 ft; AC 11 (touch 9, flat-footed 11); Atk nil; SQ vermin; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 13, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 11. Length 10 ft. Skills and Feats: Intuit Direction +6, Spot +6. Special Qualities: Vermin: No Intelligence score, and therefore immune to all mind-influencing effects.

Part Five - The Haul:

There is more honey in the hive than can be carried by the mules. There is also a quantity of royal jelly in the third chamber. Assuming the party takes all of the royal jelly and then as much honey as they can carry, they will net the following (which, of course, must be split with Adazil):

Royal Jelly:

Twelve pints worth 500 gp per pint. This substance is also useful in magic dealing with size and youth and is integral to brewing of potions of longevity and elixirs of youth.

Honey:

Thirty two gallons of amber honey worth 150 gp per gallon in the Far Coast and 100 gp per gallon at Nirzumbil.

Red Stripe Mead:

Half of what the party brings back in honey, or 8 gallons, will be brewed into Red Stripe Honey Mead by Adazil's brewer. This will net some 64 gallons of the mead, each gallon fetching some 50 gp in the Far Coast and about half that in Nirzumbil.

The journey back should involve wandering encounter checks and, if the party returns by a route different than the route they took to arrive at the hive, then the DM can throw the planned encounters for that route at them as well.

Experience:

In addition to normal experience (which in Therra is half of that recommended in the DMG), each party member should be rewarded as follows:

· The party keeps the queen bee and the regent alive: +50 XP

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