Post by Toad-Killer-Dog on Oct 5, 2008 19:51:16 GMT -5
Here is a little adventure I wrote some years back for a T&T fanzine that never saw the light of day. It does not take itself very seriously and if I can get the maps up I can only say I draw like a drunken monkey with distracting mange you have been warned.
Bludgeons and Flagons
A
Monsters! Monsters!
Adventure
for Two or More Trolls
Players Information:
It is a fine...well morning is a hard time to place when you live several hundred feet below the surface of the world , but subjectively it is indeed a fine morning. The radiant fungus is glowing with a particularly strange and unnatural light . The white sightless eels that swarm in the underground lake where your tribe makes their home are ready to be harvested, salted with the natural deposits around the lake and stored away for the winter months when the adventures that compromise the mainstay of the trolls diet, along with their various pack animals and humorous but seldom combat ready sidekicks, retreat to the local taverns and inns to await the coming spring. Yes it is truly going to be a splendid day, for today you are going to the surface to act as the representatives of your tribe. You have been chosen to take the years empties ( Armor, swords, knives, axes, clothing, barding and various pieces of alchemical equipment ) to barter at Finders Keep in the badlands for whatever provisions will be needed in the coming year. However your most holy and sacred purpose is to acquire the large stone barrels (for it quickly eats through wood ) of Scapooz the Trollish liquor. Although to call Scapooz alcohol is like calling hydrochloric acid drain cleaner, this legendary almost magical substance saturates trollish mythology. Few are the tales told around the cooking pits beneath withered heaths, haunted labyrinth's or abandoned mines that don’t mention this elixir of life. Said to have been discovered by the earliest trolls in the time before the other races grew to dominance on the surface. Its creation, trade and consumption is a cornerstone of trollish life. You and your fellow trolls have been charged to return with as much of the nectar of the gods as you can trade for.
Game Masters Information:
This is a light hearted adventure for two or more trolls, I have set the threat level for about four first-level trolls, so modify the foes as you see fit for your adventuring group.
Opening Scene: ( The Shaman gives the adventurers advice and a warning )
Shaman - Ur-Gath, the indescribably deviated. Description: Cataract blind in his right eye carries a bone fetish staff, covered with fetus skulls and the finger bones of his enemies. Rapidly shifts from scary smart to delusional senile. Was almost kicked off the council of shamans for his utter belief that all great necromancy requires fresh fruit. In retaliation he turned the chief shaman in to a large festive floral center piece.
Ur-Gath: Soon you will venture into the lands of the burning sun and cross the trackless dessert to the great bazaar at Finder’s Keep ( in another voice he says: trackless what do you mean there's a road leading right to it you ninny ). Original voice: Never mind him ,he has no idea what he’s saying, besides it’s my day to talk ( Back to the other voice: No it isn’t that was yesterday, today's my day and you know it). Original voice: Anyway follow this map* and you should have no problem reaching the keep. Return with the supplies and the sacred elixir and you will be gain fame and recognition through the whole dungeon ( Other voice: but if you show up without the Scapooz or try an skip out I’ll hunt you down and deep fry your tender bits in mango chutney sauce “Cackle madly” Now here is a purse of money ( 275 gold pieces ) don’t spend it all the first day and I expect to see change you hear! ).
* now give the players a copy of map one
With this hearty encouragement a huge cart laden down with various pieces of armor, weapons and other adventuring equipment is handed over to our adventurers and they are cheered from the village. As the trolls keep no riding or draft animals the players will have to decide who will pull the wagon and who will keep a watch out for dangers on the road.
Act One: On the Road to Finder’s Keep
The sun baked and dusty road stretches off into the horizon, in the distance you can see the cliffs that comprise Toad’s Pass and their promise of shade from the scorching sun.
Encounter one: The stalwart knights
Some time after midday the adventurers hear a clatter of hooves behind them and if they stop to investigate they will see a band of ( one knight per player ) knights advancing rapidly towards the adventurers. The players have just enough time to decide how they want to meet the knights as there is nowhere to hide on this barren stretch of road.
Give the players a few minutes to run around and sort themselves out, but unless they come up with a particularly cunning plan they will not be able to hide the wagon or themselves.
The knight on the other hand have been taking their ease and will not be expecting any trouble in particular. If the players manage to successfully hide themselves they are entitled to a single round of surprise versus the knights should they wish to attack. Otherwise the knights will attempt to extort the contents of the wagon in return for letting the players go in peace ( hey I never said they where good knights ). Be sure to ham it up and a bad french accent would be the icing on the cake so to speak. Just a little lite combat to get the players juices going and maybe get some horses to pull that heavy cart.
Typical Knight: M.R. 40 Con: 30 ( In the first round if they have a chance to charge the players add one die to their initial attack for their lances, and they have 8 hits worth of armor).
After the combat the players may feel free to loot the bodies ( as if anything could stop them ) of the knights and add their gear to the already overflowing wagon load.
Act Two: The inn at Toads Pass
The inn at Toad Pass is a wooden walled stockade with a large two story inn, a stables/barn and a small side building where a trader has set up permanent shop. There are two wells, one in front and one behind the inn the back of the compound is butted against the cliff face and the inn has withstood many incursions from bandits and raiding monsters.
By the time the players reach the inn it should just after sunset and the tavern should be hopping with its typical motley assortment of orcs, goblins and other brigands of all description. The inn keeper is a grizzled old desert lizard man with one eye and a ragged patch named Teltock who looks like when they where handing out muscles he got in line twice. He will gladly offer the players room in the stables but is sorry to say he has no troll-sized rooms to offer them. If the players choose to dine in the inn play on their paranoia until they think all the patrons are after their wagon ( this should not be too hard as by now they will be convinced that the adventure is to keep a hold on the wagon ). The players may join in one of the games of chance being played in the inn’s common room. Cards, dice and throwing knives are open to all and should be simulated by opposed tests of either Luck or Dexterity ( either will do as the cheating runs wild ). Let the players gamble as much of their money as they like. If they are really inept they may even have to dip into the wagon to bail themselves out. Unless the players leave the wagon totally unattended it will be fine as none of the unsavory guests want to tangle with a party of trolls hauling a huge load of dented and bloody armor if they can help it. If however they do go off and leave the wagon feel free to steal it and lead them on a chase through the desert or towards the Keep where the criminals intend to sell their spoils.
In the night as the players rest in the stables with the wagon a large party ( twice the number of the player characters ) of knights attired like the ones they encountered earlier in the day enters the inns compound seeking lodgings and asking if the inn keeper has seen ( number of knights previously encountered ) knights outfitted like themselves . If the players have taken the armor of the other knights they might wish to hide it beneath the other armor and equipment in the wagon. Of course this may be noisy and cause the knights to come and investigate and if they took the fallen knights horses they are just sunk. The inn keeper will try and discourage any fighting in or around his buildings, but is not suicidal enough to get between trolls and heavily armored knights on the rampage. The other patrons will treat the melee like an impromptu floor show and begin placing bets on the outcome. Happily sitting on the roof and porch and commenting on the various individual fights as they take place.
If the players survive they are hailed as champions by the winning betters and decried as cheats and varlots by those who bet on the knights. As long as they did not burn anything down or otherwise wreck the buildings Teltock could care less. The players are treated to a victory breakfast by the winners and sent on their way, their reputation's suitably enhanced.
Act Three: Only one more days push to Finder’s Keep
Now it is time to let the players relax and enjoy the beautiful natural wonders of the desert...heh heh heh sand storm!
A few hours after the pc’s leave the shade of Toad’s Pass the wind will begin to pick up and whip sand around the pc’s feet. After about a half hour it will become clear that a storm is blowing in from the deep desert. If the adventurers decide to hunker down up to two trolls can take refuge under the wagon. The wagon itself should be heavy enough to withstand the winds ( unless you are feeling particularly cruel :> ). If the players decide to trek through the storm feel free to use the oasis of death encounter listed below, as they will un-doubtabley wander off the road and when the storm dies down will be in site of the one oasis listed on the map. ( notice how the name is blurred, if they ask tell them it must have gotten wet or greasy and the ink smudged ).
The Oasis of Cruel and Extremely Unusual Death.
As the player top a dune pulling the bogged down wagon through the shifting sands, they spot an oasis complete with palm trees and a large still pool of water. As they near they can see several camels ( 1 or 2 per character depending on what shape they are in at this point ). Hopefully this will lull the players suspicions, but don’t count on it. Let them approach with no problem. The camels will shy away at first but will draw nearer as the players reach the water. The first player to wade into the water will feel hard angular objects on the oasis floor. If they reach into the water and retrieve an object it will be a large femur or skull. At this point the carnivorous fire-breathing death camels will know the jig is up and lay into the adventurers before they can get their bearings. If however the player simply drink from the oasis and rest, the camels will wait for the party to fall asleep before attacking.
Typical Carnivorous Fire-Breathing Death Camel: M.R. 60
And don’t worry if they miss the oasis on the way to Finder’s Keep they have to recross the desert and if they are being pursued or are trying to evade capture they may have to take to the open desert. If they have the Scapooz with them remember it is highly flammable ; ).
Act Four: Finder’s Keep, Scapooz and high living
Finder’s Keep is located at the edge of the desert and the badlands, its back to the sea and protected by heavy reefs and shoals from naval attack. The front approach is guarded by a high rubble fence and dry moat. Inside the fence and moat through the large main-road gate is a tent city of traders, bawds, gamblers, mercenaries, drunkards, thieves, panderers and the occasional very depressed missionary. Beyond the tent city is the remains of a large ruined castle town. The towering raggedly patched walls still present a formidable site and are maned by the troops of Sharzed the sea-dragon ruler of Finders Keep and the tent city. It is his will and troops that keep order and allow all the disparate races to commingle without major outbreaks of violence. He set up the ruined castle town as a trading post for things unattainable from the sea. Food and other commodities were traded for bits of his hoard, until a regular fair sprang up around the castle and Sharzed began to mediate and levy taxes on the various merchants and traders that came to his keep. Following the merchants a great tide of humanity and inhumanity settled the area around the permanent market and Finders Keep became the main market for the Badlands and the surrounding desert. Although the approaches are fraught with peril many travel overland or by sea to the famous market where anything is for sale, anything, if the price is right.
The players will have to enter through the main roadway check point and register with the keep’s guardian/police force known as warders. The players goods will then be appraised by a small robed frog-like goblin and the appropriate tax levied on their cargo. About 75 gold pieces aught to do it, but if the players raise to much of a fuss or try to gain entry by force the Warders will deal most harshly with them.
Typical Warder: M.R. 40 Con. 20 and they wear 5 points worth of armor.
Typical Warder Wizard: M.R. 30 Kremm: 20 Wear 3 points worth of armor.
Spells known: Take that you fiend, Knock-Knock, Oh there it is, Detect magic, Glue you, Magic Fangs.
After the players have dealt with the local authorities describe to them the massive tent city with it bustling crowds, exotic peoples and merchandise. Anything you can think of is available somewhere in the great mobile tent city, forever shifting and growing. Slaves, spices, rare herbs, weapons of all description and somewhere hidden in the twisting maze of stalls and shops Scapooz!
Now depending on what the players decide to do first, either locate someone with a supply of Scapooz or go to an arms dealer and hammer out a deal for the contents of their wagon. Or look around the market place and perhaps carouse in one of the cities various entertainments will effect the course of the adventure.
If the players chose to sell the wagon load of arms, armor and equipment first they will be directed to a huge tent towards the middle of the tent city. On a huge banner strung across the front of the circus like tent is the proud legend “Uncle Akbar’s Used Arms & Equipment”. Upon entering the tent the players view shelves and racks and tables bursting with weapons and armor. The more valuable items are under constant supervision in cases at the back of the store. The shop appears to be doing a brisk trade and the players may have to use a little muscle to get to the counters at the back of the shop. They will be greeted by small wiry man of middle years and bright disposition named Frack, who will immediately attempt to sell them new weapons. He will point out the shoddy state of repair and inferior materials used in the players weapons and insist on showing them the latest in troll-sized weapons available . When the players make it clear they are here to sell not buy he will reluctantly agree to get the manager to come and peruse the players wares, but not before one last entreaty on the behalf of better armaments. From a flap in the back of the tent appears the broadest dwarf any of the players has ever seen. Muscled like a steroid-chocked linebacker, he stands at just under five feet tall. He smiles at the players with a set of teeth that seem to all be going in independent directions of the others and firmly grasps the lead character hand in a meaty embrace. “ Welcome, welcome my fine trollish friends I am Akbar Millerson, but please call me Uncle, yes “. He will then ask to view the players merchandise and call out a team of clerks to help him appraise the items. Now it is up to the player to haggle with Millerson over the price, he will begin with a low ball bid of 3,000 gold pieces and will allow himself to be worked up from there. The wagon load of armor, weapon, adventuring equipment and various magical components is worth around 12,000 gold pieces. You may wish to use charisma rolls or intelligence test to simulate the bargaining, but the most fun is to simply match wits with the players. Don’t let one player monopolize the trading, if the other players start to drift drag them into the negotiations until the whole table is rife with anarchy and pandemonium.
After the deal has been struck Akbar will discreetly inquire as to what the trolls are seeking in Finder’s Keep and if he may be of some humble service. He will be able to direct the players to the locations of the Scapooz dealer in Finder’s Keep. He will advising them to deal with Brag Bluchet, the head of a family of trollish distillers. Bluchet’s reputation insures an honest deal and a minimum of trouble with the local authorities. He also tells the players to make sure and mention that he sent them, he says this will ensure them a better price, maybe, maybe not it will however ensure him a handsome kick-back.
After this encounter you may proceed to either of the Scapooz dealer or the Lodging / Pub-crawl encounter. If at any time the adventure feels like it is lagging roll and consult the city random encounters table to liven things up a bit.
If the players decide to first have a look around and procure lodgings start off with this encounter. If the player seek directions to an inn with trollish accommodations they will be sent on a winding path which leads them to the Tavern of the Wayward Wench, which has rooms to lease for larger sized humanoids. Nestled against the wall of the keep this old three story house has seen better days, but is painted gaily in bright clashing colors. Red wars with a faded green and bleeds into a pale orange of undistinguished character, all of which is accented with a blinding yellow trim. On a hanging board above the large main double-doors is a picture of a tavern girl with a sack of loot over her shoulder and a bottle in her hand skipping off into a sun set clicking her heels together. There appears to be no attached stable and if the players inquire they will be referred to a wagon-right about twenty yards around the circumference of the wall where they may board their wagon and riding animals.
The interior of the Wandering Wench is spacious in the extreme with trestle tables dominating the center of the room around a now extinguished hearth. Along two walls are semi-private booths with curtains that can be drawn by the patrons. Along the far left wall is the bar and entrance to the kitchen. Along the back wall is the stairs and doorways to the private rooms for more discreet visitors. Four oil-lantern burning chandeliers light the main room and next to the empty hearth an elfish harpist is playing a slow sad folk song as the players enter. A tiny but apparently human woman asks if the would like to eat at the trestles or for a small fee obtain a booth or if they require privacy rent a dining room in the back. As the players are being seated a mug flies from somewhere among the trestles and brains the hapless elfish harpist striking him cold. Amid a round of hearty cheers he is dragged out the back of the inn and hurled on the midden. Up to the space before the hearth comes two orcish drummers, a goblin with a violin, an accordion bearing dwarf and a large plump but not unattractive human woman. Who soon set the inn to shaking with a series of raucous and somewhat bawdy songs with a mean beat. The menu is fairly varied and the portions are generous, the clientele seem to come from all races and species and there appears to be an unsteady truce so long as they are within the environs of the Wench. ( I have not provided a bar fight for this scene, but if you want one go right ahead. Just remember the Wayward Wench packs a tough crowd ).
If the players ask around about a Scapooz dealer they will be directed to Brag Blutchet and his families distillery. If the players attempt to pump the bartender for information they will meet up with Ivgorn Bald-Pate, a retired half-orc mercenary and part owner of the Wayward Wench. He is short for a half-orc only topping out at five foot four inches from his hobnailed boots to his savagely scarred head. He got his name after he was scalped during a raid on a Dwarfish mine on the edge of the badlands. He will be helpful to the trolls and warn them of a crime lord attempting to drive Blutchet’s family out of business. HackBarth Wyverns-Claw is apparently not an easy man to defy and has been harassing any of Blutchet’s customers that do not have connections to the local authorities.
If you have any encounters of your own to work into the adventure the Wench is an excellent starting point.
The players rooms are located on the third story which has was an expansive attic that has been partitioned off into three spacious rooms with picture windows of actual glazed glass. The first thing the woman who leads the players up will tell them is that if any thing happens to that glass she will have their heads on a pike. She, the same small human woman who meet them at the door is Cassandra Malldeval the other owner of the Wayward Wench. Unknown to all but her partner Ivgorn she was the most successful assassin in the Middle Kingdoms before she decided to retire and chose Finder’s Keep for its strict neutrality. Besides opening the WayWard Wench, she is the master of a huge spy ring that keeps tabs on all the various guilds and organizations legal and extra-legal in Finder’s Keep. She says the rooms are 25 gold a night and sleep three. A hammock can be strung across the beams to accommodate a fourth and any damages cost extra. No matter what the players simply can not intimidate the small, fair skinned and red haired woman.
Remember if later in the adventure you have trouble separating the players from their wagon that the stables being non adjacent and the players having to come from the third story of a building can be a great equalizer. Unless of course they just jump out of the window.
Act Five: So you want to get ahead in the Scapooz business
Part One: Doing that retribution shuffle
The Blutchet family distillery is located within the second defensive wall of the old city and all non-foot traffic is restricted until after dark. So the players will have to leave their wagon at the inn while they cut a deal with the Blutchet's. The players have no difficulty getting directions to the Blutchet distillery and the huge and imposing edifice can be discerned from quite a ways off. A huge converted old mansion butts up against a sprawling arrangement of cavernous warehouse-like buildings. Trolls in plate and mail patrol the exterior of the building and will direct the players to the business offices around the side of the mansion portion of the factory / family home operation of the Blutchet's. The office is large quiet and dark, in the corner behind a herculean desk sits an old grizzled troll with white hair like ice on a mountain peak. He will turn toward the players his stool creaking in strained protest and welcome them to his home. This is the famous Brag Blutchet, he and his family have dwelled in Finder’s Keep almost since the coming of the dragon and are a social and political fixture. He will ask the players where they hail from and ask how things are for the trolls still dwelling in the caverns on the edges of the bad lands. When the players inform him of their wish to acquire Scapooz for their home cavern he will feel touched that they have traveled so far to buy his wares. He will insist on taking them on a tour of the facilities, although he will not show them the distilling room where the family secrets are in use. Depending on how much the players have to spend he will offer varying quantities and qualities of Scapooz. You may feel free to drive the players to abstraction with various names and ages ( to the trollish palate it all equals about the same thing ) as long as they have seven or more thousand gold pieces they will be able to fill their cart to overflowing with the huge stone barrels that contain the Scapooz.
After the players have made the deal and left half the money as down payment Brag will arrange a pick-up time after dark when wagon traffic is allowed in the inner city. Now comes a choice for the game master you can steal the wagon from the players with an ambush of HackBarth’s men. You can have the prepared shipment stolen from the docks at the Blutchet’s factory, or you can steal it in the night from the stables while the players are at the inn waiting for the gates to open in the morning. Keep an open mind you may have to use more than one tactic to relieve the players of their Scapooz laden wagon. The number of wagon raiders in the direct assault option should be determined by how tough your players are at this point 8-10 work for the sample characters ( remember at least three of the raiders focus on stealing the wagon while the rest keep the players busy).
Between the time the players make the deal and the pick-up, let your players wander the city and explore. If you can’t think of any small-cavern trolls in the big city encounters use the random encounter table.
Typical Blutchet family Guard: M.R. 50 8 points worth of armor.
Typical HackBarth wagon Raider: M.R. 30 2 points worth of armor.
Act Two: Scapooz, Scapooz who’s got the Scapooz
If the players are raided by the HackBarth men, make sure that at least one of the raiders is left behind for the players to torture...er I mean interrogate. The same tactic will work with the steal it from the docks plan. If the wagon load is stolen from the stables have the player on guard catch a glimpse of one of the more distinct robbers ( say a one-eyed minotaur with a short hafted pole-axe ) before they are rendered uncouncious. If the players are dim enough to leave the wagon unguarded at the stables have the stable boy sell them the information at a price ( hey, these are dangerous men here! ). Using either the information from the captured raider or following up on a lead about the distinctive robber ( Ivgorn will recognize him if he is asked ) will take the players to the slums of Finders Keep to confront the infamous HackBarth Wyverns-Claw.
HackBarth rules a mid-sized section of the slums and has many connections in the city proper. When he heard about some out of town trolls buying a huge shipment of Scapooz from Blutchet he decided to redirect the elixir to a more suitable location, like his cellar. His main base of operations is a group of three warehouses next to a breach in the old city wall ( all the better to avoid the tax man my dear ). The warehouses are behind a high-wooden fence with the title Otto Zepper Spice Imports on a sign in the front *. The middle warehouse is the headquarters and main staging area for HackBarth’s operation. The left hand warehouse serves as a barracks** for the poorer of HackBarth’s troops and as a stable for the horses and storage for the wagons and coaches. The right hand warehouse the most tightly guarded of the three is where the unfenced or rendered-down loot is stored for later disposal. There are four to seven guards walking the grounds at any given time. If the players are quick, quiet or just brutal enough to scrag all the guards at once without too much noise, they should not have to much trouble figuring out the above arrangement. If the have a look around the back of the right-hand warehouse they will spot a load of familiar stone barrels on the loading dock. ( why are they not inside yet you ask, one they are stupendously heavy for the average humanoid and the men knocked off early and two I am a lazy bastard and didn’t want to map and list everything in the warehouse, so there. )
Typical Roaming Guard: M.R. 30 4 points worth of armor
Billeted Thugs (15-30 depending on the number of characters ): M.R. 25
*See map three.
** See map Four.
The trick is to remove the Scapooz from the rear loading dock of the right hand warehouse without alerting the men billeted in the far left warehouse or the roving guards. Simple yes, unfortunately the wagon has already been stored. Of course the players may do the smart thing and go get a wagon and come back for the Scapooz later, but in my experience this happens very rarely. So if they are gluttons for punishment, let them try and steal their wagon back from the left-hand warehouse. Who knows they may even make it away without alerting the men billeted there. If the players do come up with a interesting plan to grab the wagon and the Scapooz I say let them get away with a minimum of violence. I mean they still have to get out of the city right and through the desert “ Evil cackle “ er...sorry.
Mounted Ruffian (15-25 depending on the number of players): M.R. 30 3 points armor
HackBarth Wyverns-Claw: M.R. 96 Con. 55 Armor worth 8 points
A troll of great size and ill-repute HackBarth will lead his men out after the purloined Scapooz Wielding a great two-handed sword and wearing a full set of plate and mail. He can easily be a match for any two characters.
If encountered mounted his horse a specially trained giant draft-horse has an individual M.R. 45 and his dice should be added to HackBarth’s as of the second round of melee his barding takes 8 point of damage a turn.
Either way as soon as HackBarth figures out what is happening the chase is on. Wagon and trolls versus mounted ruffians, make sure the chase leads the players out of the city. You should keep enough heat on them so that they can’t hold up anywhere. The goal is to drive them into the desert ( and if they missed it the first time to the oasis and into the tender mercies of the CFBDC’s ).
HackBarth and the ruffians will pursue them all the way to Toad’s pass. This is the time to stage the final showdown. The players in the pass and HackBarth and his remaining men thundering out of the desert down on them. By this time the players should have decreased the number of HackBarth’s men and wounded others. There should be two or three clashes as the players cross the desert with HackBarth withdrawing when he feels his men are going to break. If by the time the players reach the pass they are in dire straights they can make a run for the walled inn* and make a last stand ( If this happens you may wish to increase the number of ruffians aiding HackBarth to make it a grand assault with the whole body of the inn turning out to help repel the attack. He could have always called up reserves from his contacts with the desert raiders ). Just make sure the players fight HackBarth themselves and the fight should be memorable.
* See map Five.
After the final battle with HackBarth go to the ending scene and give the players a hand for completing the adventure.
Scene Six: Hail the conquering heroes and to the victors goes the Scapooz.
Scene One ( if the players have the Scapooz )
The two day trek through the desert is hot and dusty but uneventful. Now as you enter the shade of your cavern, the air dank with mildew and off in the distance the first hint of the phosphorescent fungus that is the only light most dungeon dwellers ever know. You know you are finally home, a young troll is waiting around the first bend in the back entrance and when he hears your approach sounds the giant salamander skin drum to call the villagers in from adventurer harvesting. He tears ahead shouting and by the time you reach your village by the underground pool it is filled with a celebratory throng of trolls young, old and everything in-between. The mighty Shaman Ur-Gath strides toward you brandishing his fetish staff. He then proceeds right by you and inspects the Scapooz in the wagon. He gestures to the crowd and two big trolls step forward and help him broach one of the immense stone barrels. He draws a mug full and takes a slurping mouth-full which he then swishes back and forth in his mouth and gargles horribly. Then he fixes the players with a baleful eye and there is a long silence as even the joyous crowd becomes hushed. “ It’ll do trolls, it’ll do” and the village explodes in raucous cheering. Ur-Gath slaps you each on the back and raises your status among the tribe to Official Guardians of the Scapooz with the official lead seal of office( which means you get to do it all again next year haza! ). This status will gain you instant respect among any trolls you meet and you never have to help in the eel harvest or muck out the dungeon traps. Good job trolls, culture will thrive in the dungeon for another year! ( now give them a big cheesy cheer) “YAAAHHHHH!”.
Experience Award: 1,000 points + whatever monsters they defeated and saving throws they made.
Scene Two ( If they don’t have the Scapooz )
With heavy hearts you approach your cavern home, bereft of the holy Scapooz you know your fate at the hands of the demented shaman Ur-Gath will be truly terrible. So, being trolls tried and true with all the honor and instinct of your ancient and proud race you turn tail and head for the hills. If your lucky you can get a weeks head start and elude Ur-Gath completely ( or at least until he forgets why he is chasing you ). So forward to the future noble trolls the horizon awaits and the world is full of possibilities when your ten feet tall and can knock buildings down with your breath. Victory has escaped your grasp this time, but just don’t tell anyone and they will never know! ( Big cheesy cheer! ) RAAAAAHHHH!
Experience Award: 400 + whatever monsters they defeated and saving throws they made.
Random City Encounters Table: Roll ye a d6 Varlet
1: Mad Maddie Knuckle-Bones
A large old woman dressed in rags and speaking to herself who roams the lower city and tent city bazaar offering lucky fetishes made from various small bones and feathers from sea birds. Around her neck is a double string of knuckle bones from various humanoid races. She will approach the players and offer to sell them a good luck charm. If the player or players decide to buy, the cost is 15 gold pieces. Strangely the charms work, the next time the player is called upon to make a saving throw it will be reduced by 1d2 levels. After this the charm is spent, although the player won’t know this. If however the players taunt or assault Mad Maddie she will remove a knuckle bone from her necklace spit on it and hurl it a the offending players feet. For a year and a day or until the player has a wizard of at least eighth level cast Curses Foiled on them, every time they must make a saving throw they should roll a 1d2 and add that to the difficulty of their throw.
2: Scadwell the Pick-Pocket & the killer Urchins
A small dirty faced boy of about twelve years of age. He will attempt to pick the pocket of the troll with the fattest purse. Its on a dare, but the Urchin’s of Finder’s Keep fear no one and are generally left alone unless you are traveling in a large group. Feral does not begin to describe it, trust me. If the troll makes a first level roll on luck he will detect the boy ( He is having to reach much higher than usual ). If detected Scadwell will take off at top speed through the city. Leading the players on a movie style chase with lots of spilled fruit carts, angry merchants and shouting crowds. If the players manage to keep up, or at least keep sight of the rascal ( Either a Dx or IQ check respectively ) he will lead them into the heart of the slums. Scadwell halts in front of a huge run down old tenement surrounded by lower but just as dilapidated buildings. As the players draw into the shadow of the buildings he lets out an ear- splitting whistle. From the tenement and the surrounding buildings urchins of all description pour forth into the light. Armed with a motley assortment of kitchen knives, clubs, broken swords and less identifiable weapons, they move to surround the players. If the players try and talk to Scadwell or the urchins they will agree to give the purse back minus a small finders fee. Also Scadwell will offer to help the players navigate around Finder’s Keep and give them an insiders advice. If however the players attack without talking or do nothing but threaten the urchins, they will swarm the players in mass. The urchins have an individual M.R. 12 and 3d6 leap into the attack per round for 6 round or until the players retreat. If the players run away and return later they will be met with a hail of sling-fire until they retreat.
3: Old GrabChow’s Strolling Potstickers Cart
An old scarred and peg-legged troll is pushing a charcoal broiler on a wheeled cart. A heavenly aroma drifts from the sizzling meat cooking on the broiler. A keg of beer is strapped to the side of the cart with large tin mugs on chains attached to the cart. For five gold pieces the players receive a mug of beer and a giant kabob with potatoes, meat and spicy peppers. If the players stop and eat they will be just in time to for HackBarth’s bruisers to try and put the bite on old GrabChow. If the players stand by and do nothing Old GrabChow will be beaten after a brief struggle and the name HackBarth will be heard as the bruisers remind GrabChow to pay up without a fuss next time. If however the players leap to the aid of a fellow troll they will face one M.R. 40 bruiser each plus two more for good measure. Old GrabChow will lay about with a lead weighted baton his M.R. Is 45 and he will aid the players. If the players drive off the bruisers GrabChow will be forever greatfull and feed the players whenever they cross paths. He will also be happy to recommend a good place to stay ( The Wandering Wench ) and a reputable Scapooz distiller ( Brag Blutchet and family ) and warn the players about the feud between HackBarth and Blutchet.
4: Urrlu, trollish lady of the evening
An extremely large and formidable troll in a bulging slinky blue dress. The players will notice her long and attractive fangs and rippling biceps. She will shyly wave to the players and approach, she will flirt with whatever players seems to be carrying the largest purse. She will try and separate a single troll from the group and get them to follow her somewhere private where they can conduct a little business. If the player follows her she and her two ogre sidekicks will try to roll them in a nearby alley. If the player makes a second level luck saving throw they sense the danger at the last moment and may call to his comrades for help. If the roll is failed they must battle the first two rounds alone. If in those two rounds they are brought down to half or less of their constitution they are rendered unconscious and are rolled. The other players will find them penniless but not that injured, half the damage they took was stunning and with heal in the next few hours. Urrlu’s M.R. Is 60 and her sidekicks are 50 each.
5: Ill-Fain the miserable missionary
As the player are nearing a corner they hear a man speaking to the people that walk by him. The players also notice that everyone studiously ignores the man no matter how loudly he speaks or wildly he flails about with his staff. He is Ill-Fain a missionary ( of whatever faith you feel most appropriate ) assigned to Finder’s Keep as punishment for past transgressions. He is a young man of around 26 years and with light-brown hair, green eyes and a fit build. He seems to be the perfect spokesman for an up and coming religion, but he just doesn’t have the charm ( read CHARISMA ) to make anyone believe. No one will listen to him no mater how helpful he is or what fire and brimstone speeches he decries to the public. If the players so much as look at him hard he will follow them around for hours and if one of them asks him a theological question they may have a companion for life. He has spent the last two years living like a leper, ignored and scorned by even the lowest of the Finder’s Keep residents. What no one knows ( besides a few deceased muggers) is that Ill-Fain’s transgressions are related to his multiple-personality. Ill-Fain will swear to non-violence no matter what the circumstance and will allow himself to be beaten rather than raise a hand against another. However once he has lost 10 or more points off his CON his other half takes over and wrecks unholy vengeance in the name of his Lord. If Ill-Fain decides to follow the players he will use his knowledge as a wizard to heal them and to help them along. All the while bemoaning their deplorable conduct and chastising them for their lack of temperance. He will effectively lower the parties stealth ability to zero, unless physically restrained. If given the chance he will even travel with them back to their home cavern, since trolls can’t possibly be harder to convert than the populace of Finder’s Keep. ( he is a good character to throw in for a laugh or if the players seem to be seriously in over their heads )
Name: Ill-Fain failed missionary Level: 2 Type: Wizard Gold: 75
ST: 12 DX: 10 CN: 17 IQ: 17 Kr: 18 LK: 13 CHR: 4 Experience: 1,750
Personal Adds: +1 (with missile: +1 ) Languages: Orc, Troll, Common, elfish dwarfish.
Spells Known: all first level, Poor baby, Hidey hole, Healing feeling.
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
Staff Ordinare 2 0 50
Armor: Hits Weight
Leather 6 200
Equipment: Sack of cheap holy symbols, collection of prayer pamphlets, badly dog-eared Holy book, a copy of “Heathens and You: a Missionaries Guide”
6: Doctor Emeil Lector’s mobile surgery ( and barber-shop )
A tolling bell on a passing cart catches the players attention as a man of medium height with dark shoulder length hair, dressed in a blood smeared surgical smock makes his way down the street. From his cart hang bone-saws, leather gags, cauteries, scalpels, shears,restraints and less identifiable contrivances. If any of the players are wounded Emeil will smell them from a mile off and quickly offer them his services. If none of the players is wounded he will offer to bleed them or treat them with leeches to remove the ill humors from their systems. If all else fails he will inquire if any of them would like their hair cut or nails trimmed. He will explain that he is trying to move up from the barber line into pure surgery, but a man has to pay the bills you know. If any of the players is wounded and submits to Emeil’s treatments they will be healed 1d6 worth of Con points, but if they fail a first level Con check they will contract the cold that Emeil’s last patient had and be subjected to coughing and sneezing fits along with a runny nose for the next 72 hours ( not good for stealth work ). If the players are insane enough to let Emeil bleed them they will feel woozy for the next few hours or until they get a decent meal ( a little blood loss can’t really stop a good troll ). If they get a shave, hair-cut or manicure they will be suffused with a feeling of well-being and it comes with a free splash of cologne ( no real game effect, but everyone likes to be pampered now and again ). The charges for a quick seeing to are 15 gold pieces a blood letting will run you 5 and the day of beauty treatment is a steal at 8 gold.
Sample Trollish Player characters:
Name: Grandpa Flack Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 23
ST: 36 DX: 13 CN: 45 IQ: 15 Kr: 8 LK: 16 CHR: -32 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +25 (with missile: +26 ) Languages: Orc, Goblin, Common.
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
War-Hammer 5 +1 300
Spear 3 +1 50
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 4 -
Knight’s Shield 5 450
Steel Cap 1 25
Equipment: A two-gallon water-skin, Large drawstring sack.
Description: The elder-statesman of the party, Grandpa Flack has seen it all and even done some of it himself. He tends to be the most reasonable of the trolls and takes charge of the situation when diplomacy is called for. Grandpa Flack’s one real weakness is the ladies. His roaming eye is legend in the cavern and if he can arrange a romantic interlude during the mission so much the better.
Name: Furious George Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 17
ST: 51 DX: 10 CN: 43 IQ: 6 Kr: 13 LK: 14 CHR: -40 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +41 (with missile: +41 ) Languages:
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
D-B broad Axe 6 +3 220
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 4 -
Straight-Jacket (er cloth) 3 100
Equipment: Well used chew-toy, Burlap sack with large yellow hat inside.
Description: Almost continuously foaming at the mouth, no one has ever had the nerve to ask George just what has him so worked up. All anyone knows is that he screams about a tall man in a yellow hat in his sleep. In his more introspective moments ( when he is not worrying at his hobbit shaped chew toy ) he will remove a battered yellow hat from his carry sack and stare off into the distance with a look of utter burning hatred.
Name: Dirty Bad Bob Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 21
ST: 39 DX: 15 CN: 51 IQ: 11 Kr: 13 LK: 11 CHR: -64 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +30 (with missile: +33 ) Languages:
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
Pole-Axe 7 0 300
Sling (15 stones) 2 10 R - 100’ yrds
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 5 -
Old Pot Helm 1 25
Equipment: Backpack, large wineskin and a deck of cards.
Description: Bob is the man of action a suave and debonair adventurer, or at least that is what he likes to think. In reality he is a low life scum who would steal the pennies of his own mother’s eyes. Only his absolute fear of the shaman Ur-Gath and Furious George keeps him in line for the mission.
Name: Gertrude Dwarf-kisser Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 30
ST: 45 DX: 16 CN: 42 IQ: 16 Kr: 13 LK: 7 CHR: -48 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +35 (with missile: +39 ) Languages: Dwarf, Elf, Orc, Common.
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
G. Shamsheer 5 0 130
Atl-atl - - 30
Javelins (8) 4 (with Atl-atl) 240 R - 50’ yrds (with Atl-atl)
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 4 -
Battered Dwarf helm 2 35
Equipment: 50’ ft of hemp rope, one stick chewing tobacco and a skin bag.
Description: Blessed with a high intellect and an insane hatred of dwarfs, Gertrude hopes desperately that fulfilling this quest will relieve her of her despised nickname. After a raid on a dwarf mining camp and a few to many drinks at the following celebration, she earned her title in a missed lip-lunge at a fellow troll. Ever since she has carried the shame of her inadvertent smooch and smashes any dwarf that dares even ask what her name means.
P.S. I apologize for the quality of the maps throughout this adventure, but I can’t draw to save my life.
Also If you are interested in Finder’s Keep, e-mail me and if I get a big enough response I may publish a by section guide to the city and the characters that inhabit its environs.
Copyright. Justin T. Williams
Bludgeons and Flagons
A
Monsters! Monsters!
Adventure
for Two or More Trolls
Players Information:
It is a fine...well morning is a hard time to place when you live several hundred feet below the surface of the world , but subjectively it is indeed a fine morning. The radiant fungus is glowing with a particularly strange and unnatural light . The white sightless eels that swarm in the underground lake where your tribe makes their home are ready to be harvested, salted with the natural deposits around the lake and stored away for the winter months when the adventures that compromise the mainstay of the trolls diet, along with their various pack animals and humorous but seldom combat ready sidekicks, retreat to the local taverns and inns to await the coming spring. Yes it is truly going to be a splendid day, for today you are going to the surface to act as the representatives of your tribe. You have been chosen to take the years empties ( Armor, swords, knives, axes, clothing, barding and various pieces of alchemical equipment ) to barter at Finders Keep in the badlands for whatever provisions will be needed in the coming year. However your most holy and sacred purpose is to acquire the large stone barrels (for it quickly eats through wood ) of Scapooz the Trollish liquor. Although to call Scapooz alcohol is like calling hydrochloric acid drain cleaner, this legendary almost magical substance saturates trollish mythology. Few are the tales told around the cooking pits beneath withered heaths, haunted labyrinth's or abandoned mines that don’t mention this elixir of life. Said to have been discovered by the earliest trolls in the time before the other races grew to dominance on the surface. Its creation, trade and consumption is a cornerstone of trollish life. You and your fellow trolls have been charged to return with as much of the nectar of the gods as you can trade for.
Game Masters Information:
This is a light hearted adventure for two or more trolls, I have set the threat level for about four first-level trolls, so modify the foes as you see fit for your adventuring group.
Opening Scene: ( The Shaman gives the adventurers advice and a warning )
Shaman - Ur-Gath, the indescribably deviated. Description: Cataract blind in his right eye carries a bone fetish staff, covered with fetus skulls and the finger bones of his enemies. Rapidly shifts from scary smart to delusional senile. Was almost kicked off the council of shamans for his utter belief that all great necromancy requires fresh fruit. In retaliation he turned the chief shaman in to a large festive floral center piece.
Ur-Gath: Soon you will venture into the lands of the burning sun and cross the trackless dessert to the great bazaar at Finder’s Keep ( in another voice he says: trackless what do you mean there's a road leading right to it you ninny ). Original voice: Never mind him ,he has no idea what he’s saying, besides it’s my day to talk ( Back to the other voice: No it isn’t that was yesterday, today's my day and you know it). Original voice: Anyway follow this map* and you should have no problem reaching the keep. Return with the supplies and the sacred elixir and you will be gain fame and recognition through the whole dungeon ( Other voice: but if you show up without the Scapooz or try an skip out I’ll hunt you down and deep fry your tender bits in mango chutney sauce “Cackle madly” Now here is a purse of money ( 275 gold pieces ) don’t spend it all the first day and I expect to see change you hear! ).
* now give the players a copy of map one
With this hearty encouragement a huge cart laden down with various pieces of armor, weapons and other adventuring equipment is handed over to our adventurers and they are cheered from the village. As the trolls keep no riding or draft animals the players will have to decide who will pull the wagon and who will keep a watch out for dangers on the road.
Act One: On the Road to Finder’s Keep
The sun baked and dusty road stretches off into the horizon, in the distance you can see the cliffs that comprise Toad’s Pass and their promise of shade from the scorching sun.
Encounter one: The stalwart knights
Some time after midday the adventurers hear a clatter of hooves behind them and if they stop to investigate they will see a band of ( one knight per player ) knights advancing rapidly towards the adventurers. The players have just enough time to decide how they want to meet the knights as there is nowhere to hide on this barren stretch of road.
Give the players a few minutes to run around and sort themselves out, but unless they come up with a particularly cunning plan they will not be able to hide the wagon or themselves.
The knight on the other hand have been taking their ease and will not be expecting any trouble in particular. If the players manage to successfully hide themselves they are entitled to a single round of surprise versus the knights should they wish to attack. Otherwise the knights will attempt to extort the contents of the wagon in return for letting the players go in peace ( hey I never said they where good knights ). Be sure to ham it up and a bad french accent would be the icing on the cake so to speak. Just a little lite combat to get the players juices going and maybe get some horses to pull that heavy cart.
Typical Knight: M.R. 40 Con: 30 ( In the first round if they have a chance to charge the players add one die to their initial attack for their lances, and they have 8 hits worth of armor).
After the combat the players may feel free to loot the bodies ( as if anything could stop them ) of the knights and add their gear to the already overflowing wagon load.
Act Two: The inn at Toads Pass
The inn at Toad Pass is a wooden walled stockade with a large two story inn, a stables/barn and a small side building where a trader has set up permanent shop. There are two wells, one in front and one behind the inn the back of the compound is butted against the cliff face and the inn has withstood many incursions from bandits and raiding monsters.
By the time the players reach the inn it should just after sunset and the tavern should be hopping with its typical motley assortment of orcs, goblins and other brigands of all description. The inn keeper is a grizzled old desert lizard man with one eye and a ragged patch named Teltock who looks like when they where handing out muscles he got in line twice. He will gladly offer the players room in the stables but is sorry to say he has no troll-sized rooms to offer them. If the players choose to dine in the inn play on their paranoia until they think all the patrons are after their wagon ( this should not be too hard as by now they will be convinced that the adventure is to keep a hold on the wagon ). The players may join in one of the games of chance being played in the inn’s common room. Cards, dice and throwing knives are open to all and should be simulated by opposed tests of either Luck or Dexterity ( either will do as the cheating runs wild ). Let the players gamble as much of their money as they like. If they are really inept they may even have to dip into the wagon to bail themselves out. Unless the players leave the wagon totally unattended it will be fine as none of the unsavory guests want to tangle with a party of trolls hauling a huge load of dented and bloody armor if they can help it. If however they do go off and leave the wagon feel free to steal it and lead them on a chase through the desert or towards the Keep where the criminals intend to sell their spoils.
In the night as the players rest in the stables with the wagon a large party ( twice the number of the player characters ) of knights attired like the ones they encountered earlier in the day enters the inns compound seeking lodgings and asking if the inn keeper has seen ( number of knights previously encountered ) knights outfitted like themselves . If the players have taken the armor of the other knights they might wish to hide it beneath the other armor and equipment in the wagon. Of course this may be noisy and cause the knights to come and investigate and if they took the fallen knights horses they are just sunk. The inn keeper will try and discourage any fighting in or around his buildings, but is not suicidal enough to get between trolls and heavily armored knights on the rampage. The other patrons will treat the melee like an impromptu floor show and begin placing bets on the outcome. Happily sitting on the roof and porch and commenting on the various individual fights as they take place.
If the players survive they are hailed as champions by the winning betters and decried as cheats and varlots by those who bet on the knights. As long as they did not burn anything down or otherwise wreck the buildings Teltock could care less. The players are treated to a victory breakfast by the winners and sent on their way, their reputation's suitably enhanced.
Act Three: Only one more days push to Finder’s Keep
Now it is time to let the players relax and enjoy the beautiful natural wonders of the desert...heh heh heh sand storm!
A few hours after the pc’s leave the shade of Toad’s Pass the wind will begin to pick up and whip sand around the pc’s feet. After about a half hour it will become clear that a storm is blowing in from the deep desert. If the adventurers decide to hunker down up to two trolls can take refuge under the wagon. The wagon itself should be heavy enough to withstand the winds ( unless you are feeling particularly cruel :> ). If the players decide to trek through the storm feel free to use the oasis of death encounter listed below, as they will un-doubtabley wander off the road and when the storm dies down will be in site of the one oasis listed on the map. ( notice how the name is blurred, if they ask tell them it must have gotten wet or greasy and the ink smudged ).
The Oasis of Cruel and Extremely Unusual Death.
As the player top a dune pulling the bogged down wagon through the shifting sands, they spot an oasis complete with palm trees and a large still pool of water. As they near they can see several camels ( 1 or 2 per character depending on what shape they are in at this point ). Hopefully this will lull the players suspicions, but don’t count on it. Let them approach with no problem. The camels will shy away at first but will draw nearer as the players reach the water. The first player to wade into the water will feel hard angular objects on the oasis floor. If they reach into the water and retrieve an object it will be a large femur or skull. At this point the carnivorous fire-breathing death camels will know the jig is up and lay into the adventurers before they can get their bearings. If however the player simply drink from the oasis and rest, the camels will wait for the party to fall asleep before attacking.
Typical Carnivorous Fire-Breathing Death Camel: M.R. 60
And don’t worry if they miss the oasis on the way to Finder’s Keep they have to recross the desert and if they are being pursued or are trying to evade capture they may have to take to the open desert. If they have the Scapooz with them remember it is highly flammable ; ).
Act Four: Finder’s Keep, Scapooz and high living
Finder’s Keep is located at the edge of the desert and the badlands, its back to the sea and protected by heavy reefs and shoals from naval attack. The front approach is guarded by a high rubble fence and dry moat. Inside the fence and moat through the large main-road gate is a tent city of traders, bawds, gamblers, mercenaries, drunkards, thieves, panderers and the occasional very depressed missionary. Beyond the tent city is the remains of a large ruined castle town. The towering raggedly patched walls still present a formidable site and are maned by the troops of Sharzed the sea-dragon ruler of Finders Keep and the tent city. It is his will and troops that keep order and allow all the disparate races to commingle without major outbreaks of violence. He set up the ruined castle town as a trading post for things unattainable from the sea. Food and other commodities were traded for bits of his hoard, until a regular fair sprang up around the castle and Sharzed began to mediate and levy taxes on the various merchants and traders that came to his keep. Following the merchants a great tide of humanity and inhumanity settled the area around the permanent market and Finders Keep became the main market for the Badlands and the surrounding desert. Although the approaches are fraught with peril many travel overland or by sea to the famous market where anything is for sale, anything, if the price is right.
The players will have to enter through the main roadway check point and register with the keep’s guardian/police force known as warders. The players goods will then be appraised by a small robed frog-like goblin and the appropriate tax levied on their cargo. About 75 gold pieces aught to do it, but if the players raise to much of a fuss or try to gain entry by force the Warders will deal most harshly with them.
Typical Warder: M.R. 40 Con. 20 and they wear 5 points worth of armor.
Typical Warder Wizard: M.R. 30 Kremm: 20 Wear 3 points worth of armor.
Spells known: Take that you fiend, Knock-Knock, Oh there it is, Detect magic, Glue you, Magic Fangs.
After the players have dealt with the local authorities describe to them the massive tent city with it bustling crowds, exotic peoples and merchandise. Anything you can think of is available somewhere in the great mobile tent city, forever shifting and growing. Slaves, spices, rare herbs, weapons of all description and somewhere hidden in the twisting maze of stalls and shops Scapooz!
Now depending on what the players decide to do first, either locate someone with a supply of Scapooz or go to an arms dealer and hammer out a deal for the contents of their wagon. Or look around the market place and perhaps carouse in one of the cities various entertainments will effect the course of the adventure.
If the players chose to sell the wagon load of arms, armor and equipment first they will be directed to a huge tent towards the middle of the tent city. On a huge banner strung across the front of the circus like tent is the proud legend “Uncle Akbar’s Used Arms & Equipment”. Upon entering the tent the players view shelves and racks and tables bursting with weapons and armor. The more valuable items are under constant supervision in cases at the back of the store. The shop appears to be doing a brisk trade and the players may have to use a little muscle to get to the counters at the back of the shop. They will be greeted by small wiry man of middle years and bright disposition named Frack, who will immediately attempt to sell them new weapons. He will point out the shoddy state of repair and inferior materials used in the players weapons and insist on showing them the latest in troll-sized weapons available . When the players make it clear they are here to sell not buy he will reluctantly agree to get the manager to come and peruse the players wares, but not before one last entreaty on the behalf of better armaments. From a flap in the back of the tent appears the broadest dwarf any of the players has ever seen. Muscled like a steroid-chocked linebacker, he stands at just under five feet tall. He smiles at the players with a set of teeth that seem to all be going in independent directions of the others and firmly grasps the lead character hand in a meaty embrace. “ Welcome, welcome my fine trollish friends I am Akbar Millerson, but please call me Uncle, yes “. He will then ask to view the players merchandise and call out a team of clerks to help him appraise the items. Now it is up to the player to haggle with Millerson over the price, he will begin with a low ball bid of 3,000 gold pieces and will allow himself to be worked up from there. The wagon load of armor, weapon, adventuring equipment and various magical components is worth around 12,000 gold pieces. You may wish to use charisma rolls or intelligence test to simulate the bargaining, but the most fun is to simply match wits with the players. Don’t let one player monopolize the trading, if the other players start to drift drag them into the negotiations until the whole table is rife with anarchy and pandemonium.
After the deal has been struck Akbar will discreetly inquire as to what the trolls are seeking in Finder’s Keep and if he may be of some humble service. He will be able to direct the players to the locations of the Scapooz dealer in Finder’s Keep. He will advising them to deal with Brag Bluchet, the head of a family of trollish distillers. Bluchet’s reputation insures an honest deal and a minimum of trouble with the local authorities. He also tells the players to make sure and mention that he sent them, he says this will ensure them a better price, maybe, maybe not it will however ensure him a handsome kick-back.
After this encounter you may proceed to either of the Scapooz dealer or the Lodging / Pub-crawl encounter. If at any time the adventure feels like it is lagging roll and consult the city random encounters table to liven things up a bit.
If the players decide to first have a look around and procure lodgings start off with this encounter. If the player seek directions to an inn with trollish accommodations they will be sent on a winding path which leads them to the Tavern of the Wayward Wench, which has rooms to lease for larger sized humanoids. Nestled against the wall of the keep this old three story house has seen better days, but is painted gaily in bright clashing colors. Red wars with a faded green and bleeds into a pale orange of undistinguished character, all of which is accented with a blinding yellow trim. On a hanging board above the large main double-doors is a picture of a tavern girl with a sack of loot over her shoulder and a bottle in her hand skipping off into a sun set clicking her heels together. There appears to be no attached stable and if the players inquire they will be referred to a wagon-right about twenty yards around the circumference of the wall where they may board their wagon and riding animals.
The interior of the Wandering Wench is spacious in the extreme with trestle tables dominating the center of the room around a now extinguished hearth. Along two walls are semi-private booths with curtains that can be drawn by the patrons. Along the far left wall is the bar and entrance to the kitchen. Along the back wall is the stairs and doorways to the private rooms for more discreet visitors. Four oil-lantern burning chandeliers light the main room and next to the empty hearth an elfish harpist is playing a slow sad folk song as the players enter. A tiny but apparently human woman asks if the would like to eat at the trestles or for a small fee obtain a booth or if they require privacy rent a dining room in the back. As the players are being seated a mug flies from somewhere among the trestles and brains the hapless elfish harpist striking him cold. Amid a round of hearty cheers he is dragged out the back of the inn and hurled on the midden. Up to the space before the hearth comes two orcish drummers, a goblin with a violin, an accordion bearing dwarf and a large plump but not unattractive human woman. Who soon set the inn to shaking with a series of raucous and somewhat bawdy songs with a mean beat. The menu is fairly varied and the portions are generous, the clientele seem to come from all races and species and there appears to be an unsteady truce so long as they are within the environs of the Wench. ( I have not provided a bar fight for this scene, but if you want one go right ahead. Just remember the Wayward Wench packs a tough crowd ).
If the players ask around about a Scapooz dealer they will be directed to Brag Blutchet and his families distillery. If the players attempt to pump the bartender for information they will meet up with Ivgorn Bald-Pate, a retired half-orc mercenary and part owner of the Wayward Wench. He is short for a half-orc only topping out at five foot four inches from his hobnailed boots to his savagely scarred head. He got his name after he was scalped during a raid on a Dwarfish mine on the edge of the badlands. He will be helpful to the trolls and warn them of a crime lord attempting to drive Blutchet’s family out of business. HackBarth Wyverns-Claw is apparently not an easy man to defy and has been harassing any of Blutchet’s customers that do not have connections to the local authorities.
If you have any encounters of your own to work into the adventure the Wench is an excellent starting point.
The players rooms are located on the third story which has was an expansive attic that has been partitioned off into three spacious rooms with picture windows of actual glazed glass. The first thing the woman who leads the players up will tell them is that if any thing happens to that glass she will have their heads on a pike. She, the same small human woman who meet them at the door is Cassandra Malldeval the other owner of the Wayward Wench. Unknown to all but her partner Ivgorn she was the most successful assassin in the Middle Kingdoms before she decided to retire and chose Finder’s Keep for its strict neutrality. Besides opening the WayWard Wench, she is the master of a huge spy ring that keeps tabs on all the various guilds and organizations legal and extra-legal in Finder’s Keep. She says the rooms are 25 gold a night and sleep three. A hammock can be strung across the beams to accommodate a fourth and any damages cost extra. No matter what the players simply can not intimidate the small, fair skinned and red haired woman.
Remember if later in the adventure you have trouble separating the players from their wagon that the stables being non adjacent and the players having to come from the third story of a building can be a great equalizer. Unless of course they just jump out of the window.
Act Five: So you want to get ahead in the Scapooz business
Part One: Doing that retribution shuffle
The Blutchet family distillery is located within the second defensive wall of the old city and all non-foot traffic is restricted until after dark. So the players will have to leave their wagon at the inn while they cut a deal with the Blutchet's. The players have no difficulty getting directions to the Blutchet distillery and the huge and imposing edifice can be discerned from quite a ways off. A huge converted old mansion butts up against a sprawling arrangement of cavernous warehouse-like buildings. Trolls in plate and mail patrol the exterior of the building and will direct the players to the business offices around the side of the mansion portion of the factory / family home operation of the Blutchet's. The office is large quiet and dark, in the corner behind a herculean desk sits an old grizzled troll with white hair like ice on a mountain peak. He will turn toward the players his stool creaking in strained protest and welcome them to his home. This is the famous Brag Blutchet, he and his family have dwelled in Finder’s Keep almost since the coming of the dragon and are a social and political fixture. He will ask the players where they hail from and ask how things are for the trolls still dwelling in the caverns on the edges of the bad lands. When the players inform him of their wish to acquire Scapooz for their home cavern he will feel touched that they have traveled so far to buy his wares. He will insist on taking them on a tour of the facilities, although he will not show them the distilling room where the family secrets are in use. Depending on how much the players have to spend he will offer varying quantities and qualities of Scapooz. You may feel free to drive the players to abstraction with various names and ages ( to the trollish palate it all equals about the same thing ) as long as they have seven or more thousand gold pieces they will be able to fill their cart to overflowing with the huge stone barrels that contain the Scapooz.
After the players have made the deal and left half the money as down payment Brag will arrange a pick-up time after dark when wagon traffic is allowed in the inner city. Now comes a choice for the game master you can steal the wagon from the players with an ambush of HackBarth’s men. You can have the prepared shipment stolen from the docks at the Blutchet’s factory, or you can steal it in the night from the stables while the players are at the inn waiting for the gates to open in the morning. Keep an open mind you may have to use more than one tactic to relieve the players of their Scapooz laden wagon. The number of wagon raiders in the direct assault option should be determined by how tough your players are at this point 8-10 work for the sample characters ( remember at least three of the raiders focus on stealing the wagon while the rest keep the players busy).
Between the time the players make the deal and the pick-up, let your players wander the city and explore. If you can’t think of any small-cavern trolls in the big city encounters use the random encounter table.
Typical Blutchet family Guard: M.R. 50 8 points worth of armor.
Typical HackBarth wagon Raider: M.R. 30 2 points worth of armor.
Act Two: Scapooz, Scapooz who’s got the Scapooz
If the players are raided by the HackBarth men, make sure that at least one of the raiders is left behind for the players to torture...er I mean interrogate. The same tactic will work with the steal it from the docks plan. If the wagon load is stolen from the stables have the player on guard catch a glimpse of one of the more distinct robbers ( say a one-eyed minotaur with a short hafted pole-axe ) before they are rendered uncouncious. If the players are dim enough to leave the wagon unguarded at the stables have the stable boy sell them the information at a price ( hey, these are dangerous men here! ). Using either the information from the captured raider or following up on a lead about the distinctive robber ( Ivgorn will recognize him if he is asked ) will take the players to the slums of Finders Keep to confront the infamous HackBarth Wyverns-Claw.
HackBarth rules a mid-sized section of the slums and has many connections in the city proper. When he heard about some out of town trolls buying a huge shipment of Scapooz from Blutchet he decided to redirect the elixir to a more suitable location, like his cellar. His main base of operations is a group of three warehouses next to a breach in the old city wall ( all the better to avoid the tax man my dear ). The warehouses are behind a high-wooden fence with the title Otto Zepper Spice Imports on a sign in the front *. The middle warehouse is the headquarters and main staging area for HackBarth’s operation. The left hand warehouse serves as a barracks** for the poorer of HackBarth’s troops and as a stable for the horses and storage for the wagons and coaches. The right hand warehouse the most tightly guarded of the three is where the unfenced or rendered-down loot is stored for later disposal. There are four to seven guards walking the grounds at any given time. If the players are quick, quiet or just brutal enough to scrag all the guards at once without too much noise, they should not have to much trouble figuring out the above arrangement. If the have a look around the back of the right-hand warehouse they will spot a load of familiar stone barrels on the loading dock. ( why are they not inside yet you ask, one they are stupendously heavy for the average humanoid and the men knocked off early and two I am a lazy bastard and didn’t want to map and list everything in the warehouse, so there. )
Typical Roaming Guard: M.R. 30 4 points worth of armor
Billeted Thugs (15-30 depending on the number of characters ): M.R. 25
*See map three.
** See map Four.
The trick is to remove the Scapooz from the rear loading dock of the right hand warehouse without alerting the men billeted in the far left warehouse or the roving guards. Simple yes, unfortunately the wagon has already been stored. Of course the players may do the smart thing and go get a wagon and come back for the Scapooz later, but in my experience this happens very rarely. So if they are gluttons for punishment, let them try and steal their wagon back from the left-hand warehouse. Who knows they may even make it away without alerting the men billeted there. If the players do come up with a interesting plan to grab the wagon and the Scapooz I say let them get away with a minimum of violence. I mean they still have to get out of the city right and through the desert “ Evil cackle “ er...sorry.
Mounted Ruffian (15-25 depending on the number of players): M.R. 30 3 points armor
HackBarth Wyverns-Claw: M.R. 96 Con. 55 Armor worth 8 points
A troll of great size and ill-repute HackBarth will lead his men out after the purloined Scapooz Wielding a great two-handed sword and wearing a full set of plate and mail. He can easily be a match for any two characters.
If encountered mounted his horse a specially trained giant draft-horse has an individual M.R. 45 and his dice should be added to HackBarth’s as of the second round of melee his barding takes 8 point of damage a turn.
Either way as soon as HackBarth figures out what is happening the chase is on. Wagon and trolls versus mounted ruffians, make sure the chase leads the players out of the city. You should keep enough heat on them so that they can’t hold up anywhere. The goal is to drive them into the desert ( and if they missed it the first time to the oasis and into the tender mercies of the CFBDC’s ).
HackBarth and the ruffians will pursue them all the way to Toad’s pass. This is the time to stage the final showdown. The players in the pass and HackBarth and his remaining men thundering out of the desert down on them. By this time the players should have decreased the number of HackBarth’s men and wounded others. There should be two or three clashes as the players cross the desert with HackBarth withdrawing when he feels his men are going to break. If by the time the players reach the pass they are in dire straights they can make a run for the walled inn* and make a last stand ( If this happens you may wish to increase the number of ruffians aiding HackBarth to make it a grand assault with the whole body of the inn turning out to help repel the attack. He could have always called up reserves from his contacts with the desert raiders ). Just make sure the players fight HackBarth themselves and the fight should be memorable.
* See map Five.
After the final battle with HackBarth go to the ending scene and give the players a hand for completing the adventure.
Scene Six: Hail the conquering heroes and to the victors goes the Scapooz.
Scene One ( if the players have the Scapooz )
The two day trek through the desert is hot and dusty but uneventful. Now as you enter the shade of your cavern, the air dank with mildew and off in the distance the first hint of the phosphorescent fungus that is the only light most dungeon dwellers ever know. You know you are finally home, a young troll is waiting around the first bend in the back entrance and when he hears your approach sounds the giant salamander skin drum to call the villagers in from adventurer harvesting. He tears ahead shouting and by the time you reach your village by the underground pool it is filled with a celebratory throng of trolls young, old and everything in-between. The mighty Shaman Ur-Gath strides toward you brandishing his fetish staff. He then proceeds right by you and inspects the Scapooz in the wagon. He gestures to the crowd and two big trolls step forward and help him broach one of the immense stone barrels. He draws a mug full and takes a slurping mouth-full which he then swishes back and forth in his mouth and gargles horribly. Then he fixes the players with a baleful eye and there is a long silence as even the joyous crowd becomes hushed. “ It’ll do trolls, it’ll do” and the village explodes in raucous cheering. Ur-Gath slaps you each on the back and raises your status among the tribe to Official Guardians of the Scapooz with the official lead seal of office( which means you get to do it all again next year haza! ). This status will gain you instant respect among any trolls you meet and you never have to help in the eel harvest or muck out the dungeon traps. Good job trolls, culture will thrive in the dungeon for another year! ( now give them a big cheesy cheer) “YAAAHHHHH!”.
Experience Award: 1,000 points + whatever monsters they defeated and saving throws they made.
Scene Two ( If they don’t have the Scapooz )
With heavy hearts you approach your cavern home, bereft of the holy Scapooz you know your fate at the hands of the demented shaman Ur-Gath will be truly terrible. So, being trolls tried and true with all the honor and instinct of your ancient and proud race you turn tail and head for the hills. If your lucky you can get a weeks head start and elude Ur-Gath completely ( or at least until he forgets why he is chasing you ). So forward to the future noble trolls the horizon awaits and the world is full of possibilities when your ten feet tall and can knock buildings down with your breath. Victory has escaped your grasp this time, but just don’t tell anyone and they will never know! ( Big cheesy cheer! ) RAAAAAHHHH!
Experience Award: 400 + whatever monsters they defeated and saving throws they made.
Random City Encounters Table: Roll ye a d6 Varlet
1: Mad Maddie Knuckle-Bones
A large old woman dressed in rags and speaking to herself who roams the lower city and tent city bazaar offering lucky fetishes made from various small bones and feathers from sea birds. Around her neck is a double string of knuckle bones from various humanoid races. She will approach the players and offer to sell them a good luck charm. If the player or players decide to buy, the cost is 15 gold pieces. Strangely the charms work, the next time the player is called upon to make a saving throw it will be reduced by 1d2 levels. After this the charm is spent, although the player won’t know this. If however the players taunt or assault Mad Maddie she will remove a knuckle bone from her necklace spit on it and hurl it a the offending players feet. For a year and a day or until the player has a wizard of at least eighth level cast Curses Foiled on them, every time they must make a saving throw they should roll a 1d2 and add that to the difficulty of their throw.
2: Scadwell the Pick-Pocket & the killer Urchins
A small dirty faced boy of about twelve years of age. He will attempt to pick the pocket of the troll with the fattest purse. Its on a dare, but the Urchin’s of Finder’s Keep fear no one and are generally left alone unless you are traveling in a large group. Feral does not begin to describe it, trust me. If the troll makes a first level roll on luck he will detect the boy ( He is having to reach much higher than usual ). If detected Scadwell will take off at top speed through the city. Leading the players on a movie style chase with lots of spilled fruit carts, angry merchants and shouting crowds. If the players manage to keep up, or at least keep sight of the rascal ( Either a Dx or IQ check respectively ) he will lead them into the heart of the slums. Scadwell halts in front of a huge run down old tenement surrounded by lower but just as dilapidated buildings. As the players draw into the shadow of the buildings he lets out an ear- splitting whistle. From the tenement and the surrounding buildings urchins of all description pour forth into the light. Armed with a motley assortment of kitchen knives, clubs, broken swords and less identifiable weapons, they move to surround the players. If the players try and talk to Scadwell or the urchins they will agree to give the purse back minus a small finders fee. Also Scadwell will offer to help the players navigate around Finder’s Keep and give them an insiders advice. If however the players attack without talking or do nothing but threaten the urchins, they will swarm the players in mass. The urchins have an individual M.R. 12 and 3d6 leap into the attack per round for 6 round or until the players retreat. If the players run away and return later they will be met with a hail of sling-fire until they retreat.
3: Old GrabChow’s Strolling Potstickers Cart
An old scarred and peg-legged troll is pushing a charcoal broiler on a wheeled cart. A heavenly aroma drifts from the sizzling meat cooking on the broiler. A keg of beer is strapped to the side of the cart with large tin mugs on chains attached to the cart. For five gold pieces the players receive a mug of beer and a giant kabob with potatoes, meat and spicy peppers. If the players stop and eat they will be just in time to for HackBarth’s bruisers to try and put the bite on old GrabChow. If the players stand by and do nothing Old GrabChow will be beaten after a brief struggle and the name HackBarth will be heard as the bruisers remind GrabChow to pay up without a fuss next time. If however the players leap to the aid of a fellow troll they will face one M.R. 40 bruiser each plus two more for good measure. Old GrabChow will lay about with a lead weighted baton his M.R. Is 45 and he will aid the players. If the players drive off the bruisers GrabChow will be forever greatfull and feed the players whenever they cross paths. He will also be happy to recommend a good place to stay ( The Wandering Wench ) and a reputable Scapooz distiller ( Brag Blutchet and family ) and warn the players about the feud between HackBarth and Blutchet.
4: Urrlu, trollish lady of the evening
An extremely large and formidable troll in a bulging slinky blue dress. The players will notice her long and attractive fangs and rippling biceps. She will shyly wave to the players and approach, she will flirt with whatever players seems to be carrying the largest purse. She will try and separate a single troll from the group and get them to follow her somewhere private where they can conduct a little business. If the player follows her she and her two ogre sidekicks will try to roll them in a nearby alley. If the player makes a second level luck saving throw they sense the danger at the last moment and may call to his comrades for help. If the roll is failed they must battle the first two rounds alone. If in those two rounds they are brought down to half or less of their constitution they are rendered unconscious and are rolled. The other players will find them penniless but not that injured, half the damage they took was stunning and with heal in the next few hours. Urrlu’s M.R. Is 60 and her sidekicks are 50 each.
5: Ill-Fain the miserable missionary
As the player are nearing a corner they hear a man speaking to the people that walk by him. The players also notice that everyone studiously ignores the man no matter how loudly he speaks or wildly he flails about with his staff. He is Ill-Fain a missionary ( of whatever faith you feel most appropriate ) assigned to Finder’s Keep as punishment for past transgressions. He is a young man of around 26 years and with light-brown hair, green eyes and a fit build. He seems to be the perfect spokesman for an up and coming religion, but he just doesn’t have the charm ( read CHARISMA ) to make anyone believe. No one will listen to him no mater how helpful he is or what fire and brimstone speeches he decries to the public. If the players so much as look at him hard he will follow them around for hours and if one of them asks him a theological question they may have a companion for life. He has spent the last two years living like a leper, ignored and scorned by even the lowest of the Finder’s Keep residents. What no one knows ( besides a few deceased muggers) is that Ill-Fain’s transgressions are related to his multiple-personality. Ill-Fain will swear to non-violence no matter what the circumstance and will allow himself to be beaten rather than raise a hand against another. However once he has lost 10 or more points off his CON his other half takes over and wrecks unholy vengeance in the name of his Lord. If Ill-Fain decides to follow the players he will use his knowledge as a wizard to heal them and to help them along. All the while bemoaning their deplorable conduct and chastising them for their lack of temperance. He will effectively lower the parties stealth ability to zero, unless physically restrained. If given the chance he will even travel with them back to their home cavern, since trolls can’t possibly be harder to convert than the populace of Finder’s Keep. ( he is a good character to throw in for a laugh or if the players seem to be seriously in over their heads )
Name: Ill-Fain failed missionary Level: 2 Type: Wizard Gold: 75
ST: 12 DX: 10 CN: 17 IQ: 17 Kr: 18 LK: 13 CHR: 4 Experience: 1,750
Personal Adds: +1 (with missile: +1 ) Languages: Orc, Troll, Common, elfish dwarfish.
Spells Known: all first level, Poor baby, Hidey hole, Healing feeling.
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
Staff Ordinare 2 0 50
Armor: Hits Weight
Leather 6 200
Equipment: Sack of cheap holy symbols, collection of prayer pamphlets, badly dog-eared Holy book, a copy of “Heathens and You: a Missionaries Guide”
6: Doctor Emeil Lector’s mobile surgery ( and barber-shop )
A tolling bell on a passing cart catches the players attention as a man of medium height with dark shoulder length hair, dressed in a blood smeared surgical smock makes his way down the street. From his cart hang bone-saws, leather gags, cauteries, scalpels, shears,restraints and less identifiable contrivances. If any of the players are wounded Emeil will smell them from a mile off and quickly offer them his services. If none of the players is wounded he will offer to bleed them or treat them with leeches to remove the ill humors from their systems. If all else fails he will inquire if any of them would like their hair cut or nails trimmed. He will explain that he is trying to move up from the barber line into pure surgery, but a man has to pay the bills you know. If any of the players is wounded and submits to Emeil’s treatments they will be healed 1d6 worth of Con points, but if they fail a first level Con check they will contract the cold that Emeil’s last patient had and be subjected to coughing and sneezing fits along with a runny nose for the next 72 hours ( not good for stealth work ). If the players are insane enough to let Emeil bleed them they will feel woozy for the next few hours or until they get a decent meal ( a little blood loss can’t really stop a good troll ). If they get a shave, hair-cut or manicure they will be suffused with a feeling of well-being and it comes with a free splash of cologne ( no real game effect, but everyone likes to be pampered now and again ). The charges for a quick seeing to are 15 gold pieces a blood letting will run you 5 and the day of beauty treatment is a steal at 8 gold.
Sample Trollish Player characters:
Name: Grandpa Flack Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 23
ST: 36 DX: 13 CN: 45 IQ: 15 Kr: 8 LK: 16 CHR: -32 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +25 (with missile: +26 ) Languages: Orc, Goblin, Common.
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
War-Hammer 5 +1 300
Spear 3 +1 50
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 4 -
Knight’s Shield 5 450
Steel Cap 1 25
Equipment: A two-gallon water-skin, Large drawstring sack.
Description: The elder-statesman of the party, Grandpa Flack has seen it all and even done some of it himself. He tends to be the most reasonable of the trolls and takes charge of the situation when diplomacy is called for. Grandpa Flack’s one real weakness is the ladies. His roaming eye is legend in the cavern and if he can arrange a romantic interlude during the mission so much the better.
Name: Furious George Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 17
ST: 51 DX: 10 CN: 43 IQ: 6 Kr: 13 LK: 14 CHR: -40 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +41 (with missile: +41 ) Languages:
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
D-B broad Axe 6 +3 220
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 4 -
Straight-Jacket (er cloth) 3 100
Equipment: Well used chew-toy, Burlap sack with large yellow hat inside.
Description: Almost continuously foaming at the mouth, no one has ever had the nerve to ask George just what has him so worked up. All anyone knows is that he screams about a tall man in a yellow hat in his sleep. In his more introspective moments ( when he is not worrying at his hobbit shaped chew toy ) he will remove a battered yellow hat from his carry sack and stare off into the distance with a look of utter burning hatred.
Name: Dirty Bad Bob Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 21
ST: 39 DX: 15 CN: 51 IQ: 11 Kr: 13 LK: 11 CHR: -64 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +30 (with missile: +33 ) Languages:
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
Pole-Axe 7 0 300
Sling (15 stones) 2 10 R - 100’ yrds
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 5 -
Old Pot Helm 1 25
Equipment: Backpack, large wineskin and a deck of cards.
Description: Bob is the man of action a suave and debonair adventurer, or at least that is what he likes to think. In reality he is a low life scum who would steal the pennies of his own mother’s eyes. Only his absolute fear of the shaman Ur-Gath and Furious George keeps him in line for the mission.
Name: Gertrude Dwarf-kisser Level: 1 Type: Monster Gold: 30
ST: 45 DX: 16 CN: 42 IQ: 16 Kr: 13 LK: 7 CHR: -48 Experience: 0
Personal Adds: +35 (with missile: +39 ) Languages: Dwarf, Elf, Orc, Common.
Weapons: Dice Adds Weight
G. Shamsheer 5 0 130
Atl-atl - - 30
Javelins (8) 4 (with Atl-atl) 240 R - 50’ yrds (with Atl-atl)
Armor: Hits Weight
Troll-Skin (Con / 10) 4 -
Battered Dwarf helm 2 35
Equipment: 50’ ft of hemp rope, one stick chewing tobacco and a skin bag.
Description: Blessed with a high intellect and an insane hatred of dwarfs, Gertrude hopes desperately that fulfilling this quest will relieve her of her despised nickname. After a raid on a dwarf mining camp and a few to many drinks at the following celebration, she earned her title in a missed lip-lunge at a fellow troll. Ever since she has carried the shame of her inadvertent smooch and smashes any dwarf that dares even ask what her name means.
P.S. I apologize for the quality of the maps throughout this adventure, but I can’t draw to save my life.
Also If you are interested in Finder’s Keep, e-mail me and if I get a big enough response I may publish a by section guide to the city and the characters that inhabit its environs.
Copyright. Justin T. Williams
I'll see if I can fix it.
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