cium LON Ope ope stp ese Scien eboperey ~~ _ FACING FURRY FIENDS OF THE FORGOTTEN REALMS Str s a Lat Pe aa aS ay ST ——SUS grt bess assole) VOLUME 19, NO 12 Tames tte} rr ee 38 A GATHERING OF Wil Se Wfgang Baur ae ff, ml oberon When the ‘ r oo Data a with their ; Wy air they find the Lacie : Part of a terrible dragon's rampage og through town. Unfortuna nonin the characters, the dragon i pees ay the pened tortl Adventure Path sce ere level characters. eres eee ADVENTURES pe Nie a 22 MURDER IN OAKBRIDGE Heer) Kurlianchik A killer has come to Oakbridge, 1e wont stop her murderous have come to Sharn in an attempt to start new lives in the aftermath An EnERRON 70 THE TWISTED RUN Upchruch The Beastlord Malar h enough of the people of Silver Marches trying to“ the Northlands. Now, with the ‘a powerfill new weapon, 6 DUNGEON. DECEMBER 2005,68 Mt. Zogon 88 The Portent 104 Downer ANS ee 8 Editorial 14 Prison Mail 90 Gamer Guide 92 Dungeoncraft CAMPAIGN WORKBOO 98 The Cast 100 The Dungeon 102 Critical Threat James Ryman shows us why it’s unwise to meddle in the affairs of dragons. “And so they came at last deep into the glen; and there stood a sheer wall of rock, and in the wall the Dark Door gaped before them like the “4 mouth of night. Signs \ and figures were ee carved above its wide arch too dim to read, and fear flowed from it like a grey vapour.” J.RR. Tolki The Lord of the Rings, Volume V Drop by www.rpga.com for more | details, and use the following | with the adventures ftom this issue of | Doxczon! Each adventure is worth 2 D&D Plyer Rewards points, andass celss ssi LY the pain Abe Ted we pec nto ar sions into our weekly Age of Worms cam- paign here atthe Paizo office. The stunned heroes gathered his grisly remains and brought them back to Diamond Lake's shrine of Heironeous, where he could be buried according to the traditions of his faith. In the campaign's most poignant moment to date, one of the fallen hero's companions painted a phrase upon the ‘wall of the party's home base: “Abelard’s Band” The paladin’ loss weighed heavily on the campaign, and continues to be felt months afterit occurred. Duringthe PCY exploration ofthe secret chambersbelow the Dourstone mine (see “The Three Faces of Evil” Duweow #25), conversation turned tothe absent Abelard. They discussed using spoils gained from. slain cultists to purchase astone cenotaph and place it near the abandoned mine offce that serves as their headquarters. ‘The only one who didn't have much of anything to contribute tothe grave discus- son was the ninja Vyth, who had not saida wwordin the course ofthe entire campaign on account of the fie that he is mute. Was mute. It tums out he may have wanted to get in some words about what the party graveyard should look lke, because after the events ofthe last session, I'm afraid Vth the ninja has joined Abelard the paladin as an official resident. Yes, that's right. Last week, killed the ninja. Really it was a horrible villain called the Face- less One who did the dirty deed, using that old DM trick, the magic missile, to crushing effect, bu Il take the blame. Before I go on about what effet the death of a mute ninja will have upon the party, like to take a moment to reflect nis brief carer,sothat the sheer power of his “Vythness” can be appreciated by all. For starters, yth wasnt very good ninja. When his player, DRacoN Assistant Editor Mike McArtor, came to me with theidea of running a ninja my first reace tion was not only to say no, but to scream "NO000000"" from the top of the Gen Con convention center so that all gamers everywhere could know how serious Lwas about protecting my beloved Wort oF Gxevnawx from the incursion of Power- Ranger-like ninja influence. (Wel, every gamer but Mike, of course, who was cru- «llytrapped backin the office and couldn't come tothe convention) Later, in a story outlined in the edito- tial for Draco #233, I decided to relent and let Mike have is way although 1 as still bit worried thatthe antics ofa ninja right come off as too superheroic for the gritty campaign Ta been envisioning, Asit happens I shouldnt have worried, IfVyth had any sweet nina skills he fled to dis- play them in the campaign. In any combat, you could be sure that yth (with his robust 6 Hit Dice and n Constitution) would be thefirstto hit the ground. 'm not sure Tve seen D&D player roll more 1s than Mike ‘managed with poor Wyth. And we're not just talking aboutattackrolls Vth lso excelled at filing saving throws and especially) Bal- ance checks. One time he tured invisible and climbed a al to getthe drop on some villains only to fh Jump check and land himself into negative hit points Because poor Vyth never spoke up in his own defense, we have no famous quotes with which to remember him. We have little insight into who he was, or what he believed in. His grave marker, next to Abelard’ won't record alist of is honored achievements (mostly because he didn't have any) But it will stand as 2 symbol, a marker honoring a paragon of bad dice rolling, filed saves, and last- minute escapes from death (and one near-escape), A marker of great laughs and a great player adept at taking bad news in stride. The group may be named after Abelard, but the legend of Wyth wil Z2ZiK Editor-in-Chief erikm@paizocomSe + == -PRISON MAIL \ Tell us what you think ofthis issue, Wire to: Prison Mall, Paize Publishing, 2760 Richards Read, Suite 201, Bllewe, WA 98605. 4200 or send an email te dungeon @paizacom, Check out the Dunceon messageboards at paio.com/dungeon pT Toda aL) pala di ° é n ] Once in a while, 2 great new author ‘sweeps in with a marvelous vision that is asreffeshingasitissurprising. DUNcEON 426 featured one such author, B, Mats ‘thew Conklin Il, Matt's adventure, “The Menagerie,” combined a ravid, some shocker lizards, and an old curio shop into one of the most entertaining sce- natios we've published ina long time. It’s a good thing Matt was up to the challenge, because the other authors in that issue were far from first-timers. Wolfgang Baur, the former Deacon and Dunceow editor who this month brings us “A Gathering of Winds," contributed “The Clockwork Fortress” following up ‘on themes he first introduced in #5 “Raiders of the Black Ice” Forcorren Reais guru Eric L. Boyd ain't too shabby, either. #326 kicked off his three-part Vampires of Waterdeep Campaign Arc with "The ‘Blood of Malar.” and Sean K Reynolds joined the growing legion of Age of Worms Adventure Path authors to deliver “Encounter at Blackwall Keep” the first installment to introduce dragons to the ongoing campaign. Back issues of Dunceon #125 and dozens of other great issues ae avail- able at paizo.com, DUNGEON DEcEWaER 2005, Fiendish Foot Gets Props Dunczox #z2's “Tiendish Footprints* fitso nicely into my current campaign. At this point, the PCs are on their way to the Ashen Tower. Planning for the upcom ing game night I got an idea tha exited ‘me probably more than it should have: T could make a real wooden kag map! Players love getting props, and what a great object to create for them. So, last night I went in search of chopped trees ina nearby park. found a suitable slice of wood and, “voila” Attached is a photo ofthe knag map. Thanks, Duncrow and thank you Tito Leati, Chad DuLac, and Jim Zabkavich for making my game all the bette! Brian Baier Via Email Poster Map Request Tm a great fan of Duncroy and have been for avery long time. About a year ago, I finally managed to finish getting the entire collection when I stumbled acrossan auction on eBay and was able to Duy issues a through #6. ve even been published in its pages afew times You mentioned in Prison Mail that you're looking for ideas for more poster ‘maps. In the old City of Greyhawk boxed set, there was a beautiful poster-sized illustration ofthe city that showed liter ally every building in it. It was great. 1 framed the poster when my players were in the City of Greyhawk and kept it on Prison Mail the wall behind me so they could liter- ally see where they were going and have a good idea of what the city looked and felt like. It helped me as a DM as well. Td love to see an illustration of the City of Greyhawk circa 591 cy that matches the map put out in the Lrvewe GaerHawk Journal as a poster included with Duncron. Andy Miller Bryan, OH While I would love to publish a poster map he Cty of Greyhawk, i doesn't look likely city should seek out a copy of the Living GReyHawx Journal #2, now several years out of print ‘and on onli Jn sites. We Haw setting will probably enjoy, but ‘for now the exact details of that map mustungeon #130 Within the Circle By Sam Brown ‘The hamlet of Thistle has 2 problem. The river they depend upon for trade and food was recently poisoned with a tide of filth, and a goblin named Belig has claimed responsibilty. Ifthe ‘people of Thistle don't pay a ransom, Belig has promised them much worse will come with the next poison tide. ‘A FORGOTTEN ReAims adventure for astlevel characters. Palace of Plenty By Tito Leati “The fairayoseiwere the children of an ancient tribe and benign river spirit, Until they tried to preserve their para- dlise by trapping the power ofthe Void Dragon, Their home was indeed pre- served, butata terrible cost Today, the descendants ofthe Yayosei have degen- cated into beasts, but what remains ‘rapped within the Palace of Plenty is much worse. An Oriental Adventures scenario for ith-level characters. ‘The Spire of Long Shadows By Jesse Decker Centuries ago, the despotic prest- king Kyuss sacrificed his nation to fuel his lust for divinity. He left legions of ‘the hungry dead in his wake, along ‘with a ruined city that now hides the ‘truth behind the advent of the com- ing apocalypse. A man became a god in this worm-eaten city, and the secrets hidden within may hold the keysto his defeat. An Age of Worms Adventure Path scenario for izth-level characters. ‘The 30 Best Reprints Back in issue #116 we saw a list of the best adventures ever printed—will those adventures ever come out as 3rd edi- tion reprints? It's great we have all these sequels coming out, but for the younger folks who never got to play the original ‘Temple of Elemental Evil,playinga sequel is like watching The Tiwo Towers while never having seen Fellowship ofthe Ring, Steven Shepherdson ‘Via Email The Two Towers is good enough that it would probably be worth watching anyway, but ( get your point. While I can't promise 3rd edition reprints of any classic modules inthe near future, those of-you who missed them the first time around will be pleased to learn that several of the Top 30 are now ‘avsilable in PDF format as affordable downloads from Paizo.com, under special license from our friends at Wizards of the Coast. The Top 30 doubles as one of the {finest gaming shopping lists you'r likely to {find anywhere, and is «good starting point ‘for further exploration ofthe rich publishing history of DUNGEONS & Deacons, Challenge Accepted T wanted to comment on a dialogue coccurting in Draco magazine because fel thatthe root ofthe problem could be addressed by Dunczon. Letters in the past few issues of Dzacon have com- ‘mented on the lack of women in D&D gaming groups. In Draco #333, Joanne Ellem wrote that most women leave the game in response to the overwhelming presence of female objectification and/or because ofthe hack-and:slash attitude of ‘most gamers. Ken Lacy goes even farther in Deacon #334, noting that male gam- ers should think more about their com- ments and actions in and out of game regarding female players. Thave gamed with a andfal of women over the past 25 years and have really enjoyed their focus on story and prob- Jem solving with their minds rather than with a sword. The D&D rules now pro- vide a system for giving experience for problem solving—let's use those rules. Ken's call to action is only part of the battle to include more female gam- ers. I think that Duxczow can be at the foreffont of the other half of the battle by encouraging story telling and plot development that interest women. ‘Though I have been extremely excited aboutt DUNGEON’ recent format change, some slight changes in emphasis could help include the types of adventures that most women and I ike. ‘The pas sixissues of Duxcrow maga- zine only had one adventure that was not a dungeon crawl. Nothing epitomizes the stereotypes of Munchkinesque gaming more than a dungeon crawl, Admittedly, the unique non-linear adventure “The Whispering Cairn” was a recent dungeon that got me excited. However, the investigation aspect of “The Styes” in issue 4ra1, the monster ally in “Box of Flumph’ (issue #118), and the environmental plot lead-in 6f"Palace of the Twisted King” in issue #6 are all examples bursting the stereotypes that ‘keep most female gamers away from the table, The planning behind the recent adventure path led me to hope that mazes of rooms with a monster in each would give way to smart adventures and ‘open-ended plots that make for more interesting gaming, However, the most recent adventure path, “The Three Faces of Evil,” was once ‘again a dungeon crawiThe introduction called forthe PCs sneaking into the mine, and more emphasis should have been placed on this aspect of the adventure. 1 would challenge Duncrow to pub- lish more non-typical adventures if they wish to see more female gamers stick with D&D. Furthermore, the descrip- tion at the beginning of each adven- ture (Setting, Level, Dungeon Craw! or Urban) should be fleshed out to be more descriptive and perhaps encour. age a wider variety of adventures. Dungeon Crawl, Urban and Wilderness seem to be describing two different things—the type of adventure and the location. Maybe you should separate these categories so we see the type (eg. Dungeon Crawl, Investigative, Event- Based, etc) and the setting (eg. Urban, Cold Wilderness, Coastal, ete. Lance Larkin Via Email All of the boys who work on this magazine hhave o deep (one might say “pathetic”)afin- ity for the classic dungeon craw, but even we agree that too much of @ good thing can sometimes get you into trouble. As a result, we've increasingly been looking for and buy- ing) edventures that offer more than a simple snotch-and-grab, As always, well continue to refine the adventures in this magazine to ‘make them appeal to a wide variety of De enthusiasts, our female readers very definitely included.—Erik Mona 6 me conciseBY URI KURLIANCHIK |G BY RAMON PEREZ, @ BY ROBERT LAZZARETTI , EBERRON , LEVEL (IST-5TH) , URBAN 22 DUNGEON DEcEWEER 2005akbridge is a haven in the City Or sey gut trict with friendly neighbors and a cozy atmosphere. Alas, even a quiet place like Oakbridge isn't immune to the repercussions of the Last War. A killer has come to Oakbridge, and she won't stop her murderous work until she exacts revenge against a group of ex- ‘amies who have come to Sharm in an attempt to start new lives in the shadows ofthe Last War “Murder in Oakbridge’ is a Duxcsons & Daacons adventure suitable for a group of four sth-level characters. Although set in the metropolis of Sharm in the Esexxon campaign setting, it can be converted to other campaign worlds as detailed in the “Adapting the Adven- ture” sidebar This adventure sa murder mystery, and is presented in a freeform manner. The exact route a party takes to solving the Oakbridge Murders can vary ‘wildly, so make sure you're familiar with the descriptions of the crime scenes, the various clues the PCs can find, and the NPCs they will encounter. ADVENTURE BACKGROUND During the Last War, any diversion from the daily atrocities became a wel- come luxury to the anxious population of Breland. High on the list of diver- sions were traveling circus groups that brought crude, vulgar, and often violent entertainment tothe citizenry at afford- able prices. One such group was the famed Peace Gircus.a group of war orphans tumed art- {sts and showmen. The Peace Circus did ‘what it could to spread a message of hope ‘and peace among the rural population of Breland. Many disagreed with their paci- fisticand anti-government views, but none ‘who visited the traveling circus harbored. ‘malice against the performers. ‘The Peace Gircus’s most popular act ‘was an amusing dance performed by a pair of trained deinonychuses named Kaiwakit and Panch. Imported at great expense from the Talenta Plains and trained by an expert named Volin Krober, the on-stage antics of the two Drightly-colored dinosaurs brought joy and entertainment to dozens, if not hundreds of war-torn villages near the end of the Last War, Yet one evening, tragedy struck the Peace Circus. The dinosaur trainer, 2 ‘man named Volin Krober, had fallen in love with Corlina, the wife ofthe circus’s strongman, Distracted by his love, Volin failed to see how his prize dinosaurs had been growing sickly and cantankerous. When he tried to put on his show a few days later, the rabid dinosaurs went ber- sserk and attacked the audience, includ- ing a young changeling mother and her baby daughter. This changeling was Ziki,MURDER IN OAKBRIDGE a small-time thief who had come to visit the circus, hoping to find some solace in the wake of news her husband had been Killed on the war's front lines. In the time it took Volin and the rest of the circus crew to subdue the ferocious dinosaurs, several people were wounded. Ziki’s child was torn to ribbons and she herself lost two fingers to the dinosaur's savagery. The local Watch responded quickly to the uproar, deemed the act too dangerous, confiscated the beasts, and fined the circus into bankruptcy. The Peace Circus disbanded and its members scattered across the now peacefill king- dom of Breland, each eager to put behind ‘them the memories of the tragedy. Several of the carnies came to Sharn and settled in the comfortable district of Oakbridge. After the tragedy, Ziki spent several days convalescing. Once she recovered from her wounds, she was shocked to discover that no one was seriously pun- ished for the death of her only child. No one even apologized for ruining her life. She had been forgotten. Worse—she had been ignored. Something in her soul perished then, and her life narrowed toa single goal—vengeance. Adventure Synopsis A successful art dealer dies after filling from his balcony, buta careful examina- tion ofhis body proves he was murdered. “Every passing day yields additional vie- ‘tims, each with small patches of skin missing. As the PCs dig deeper into the ‘ase, they discover that all ofthe vitims ‘were members of the Peace Cizcus in their youth. The litle skin pieces that the killer removes are the tattoos that identify ther as members. The investigation proves problematic. Vague clues and false rumors mislead the PCs into suspecting or confronting twoinnocent men. Worse, the killer soon learns that the PCs are on her trail and tries to deal with them using her own violent methods. The PCs must uncover “iki before she finishes her bloody work and tums her attention to them. Adventure Hooks A dramatic method to start this adven- ture is to have the PCs witness Svan's ‘murder, as detailed in Murder 1 on page 28, You need only create a reason for the PCs to be passing through Oakbridge to start the adventure in this manner, Otherwise, you'll need to draw the PCs in from elsewhere. In this case, Sergeant ‘Viduk (LG warforged fighter 3) of the ‘Sharn Watch approaches the PCs for aid. With no other accomplished detectives in the area, the PCs are recommended to Viduk based on their previous suc- cesses and adventures. Viduk himself is good at scaring away thugs and hoo- ligans, but his investigative skills leave much to be desired. He can offer the PCs a 1.250 gp award if they can catch the murderer. Ifthe PCs accepthis offer, hie takes them to the Oakbridge Church ‘to examine Svans's body before it is cre- mated. Ifasked what he thinks has hap- pened, Viduk admits that he is not very good at thinking. That's why he wants to hire the PCs. PART ONE: OAKBRIDCE Oakbridge is located in Middle Northedge in the city of Sharn, a quiet and sleepy neighbothood with no estab- lished history of violent crime. The ‘majority of the townhouses and apart- ments in Oakbridge are well-built, if ‘middle-class, The district is not osten- tatious—an Oakbridge address conveys zo status on its owner, but the buildings are large and the inhabitants friendly. ‘They tend to keep an eye out for one another. Someone who moves to Oak- bridge will have a dozen new friends within the week. ‘Oakbridge is populated mainly by craftsmen and middle-class merchants, and supports an incredible variety of shops ranging from general stores to shops that specialize in capes or juices. Assume that if the PCs require some ‘mundane item or service, they can easily locate someone who sels it for standard price. The majority ofthe shops and stalls are located along Argent Street, with the ‘owners and most employees living lower ‘or higher in the same tower. You may add additional descriptions to the shopkeepers and the residents as needed. In general, these characters are insignificant to the plot of this adven- ture. All of the important locations and NPCs in Oakbridge are detailed below. 1, Oakbridge Church This elegant wood and metal building stands out among the masses of simple homes and shops with its beautiful stained glass windows and skilfully engraved walls. The facade shows righteous paladins defeating the powers of darkness. ‘The Oakbridge Church was built more ‘than halfa century ago by aich and deeply religious member of House Cannith. The church and its surrounding plaza have served as Oakbridge’ spiritual and cul- tural center ever since. Loffer Magnalin (UG male human cleric Silver Flame) is the current caretaker of Oakbridge Church. He is considered stern and pious even by the high standards of the Church of the Silver Fame and preaches to his flock that the kind of evil they must fear the most is ‘not that ofthe infernal horrors but that of the indifference of good men. Ifthe PCs can get past his constant preaching and criticizing, Loffer gladly aids them with divination and healing spells during their ‘investigation. His initial attitude is indif= ferent toward adventurers, but if he ean ‘be made helpful, he gives the PCs a 20% discount off spells cast as long as they're ‘hunting the murderer. 2, Bluebird Inn AA decorated wooden fence surrounds this large building. A sign above the door pro- claims the place to be the "Bluebied Inn.” Although simple in design, there is cer ‘tain rural charm to the inn that most city buildings lack ‘The walls of this cozy little inn are painted in a bright, cheery blue. Anyone ‘who asks about a good place to stay in Oakbridge is invariably sent here—it costs 8 spa night to stayin the Bluebird, price that includes both a hearty dinner and breakfast. Graff Pendrong and his wife Sarfina run the inn, Their daughter Mina heads a staff of four barmaids (poor village girls ‘who work for food and lodging) and theirCitizens of Oakbridge This adventure features a large number of NPCS. The lst below gives the names and roles ofeach NPC inthis adventure, along eer a cera tr can ace nT a NPC can Cen’ een era ee me ee eter a eee ee es te "Bakes a mean meatpie, Definately better cook than that blowhard ro Cd “ties a great smith, but needs to-ease back onthe hate tl” Sie ees aes a eer Ty She's beautiful! Can't see how that thug Ractar got her to marry him! eed ore ye a ee eee ce ee es eee een ot eee re mee gee eaten rt eer etd Kroge Brax Baker ne en ee ce ee ee oT Perens er Leta en oe en ee eee ee Lucian Cruzgar_Alchoholicartist and ex-sldier “He scares me. Always talking about people he killed during the wa Ca mm te feet trim eee eee ey a ener ee eer ee a erg Sa Se ae oe ee ee ee eee SarfinaPendrong Wife of Graff Pendrong ee ee ees Peer ae ‘Don't know much about him he keeps to himself mostly.” Viduk ee “He's a nice enough fllow, but nat the sharpest knife inthe drawer.” Nees Retied animal trainer and bard “i hear he used t train dinosaurs forthe circus! Not sure what he does eee et DECEMBER 2005 DUNGEON 25,son Horken tends the stables. The cook- ing is done by a dwarf named Borgo Ddl- borde (see page 28)—his dishes are simple but quite palatable, Unfortunately for Borgo, he was alsoa member ofthe Peace Circus and is on Ziki’s list. Ziki herself spends a fair amount of time here, in the shape ofa human gitl named Adrina. She ‘works as one of the maids, and tries to avoid contact with the customers, Lucian Gruzgar (see page 3) spends a fairamount of time here as well, trying to drown his ‘painful memories in cheep wine and gos- sip. He's overly fond of bragging about his kills during the war, and most of the other regulars tend to avoid his table out of fear that he might one day snap. One comer ofthe taproom has been converted ‘ntoa stage. A beautiful elf woman named Corlina (see page) often dances here for the entertainment of the patrons, usually tothe percussion ofthe warforged janitor ‘Drummer (see page 25), who lives in the basement below. “Most of the adult population of Oak- bridge spends their after-work hours in the Bluebird’s taproom, and in their less-than-sober state they are more likely to be open, frank and talkative. Gather Information checks made here gain a-+2 circumstance bonus Unfortunately, ask- ing questions about the murders here also attracts Ziki’s attention, alerting her to the PCs' interest in her actions. Ziki herself lives in an unimposing room two floors above the taproom, although she is rarely there since most of her time is spent working (during the day) or prowling the streets carrying out the night’s murders. When she is here, she’s usually asleep. A DC 25 Search of her room uncovers a cleverly hidden niche in the wall behind her bed’s head- board. This niche contains a silver and darkwood portable shrine on which are arranged dozens of swaths of skin bear- ing a tattoo of a triangle with a beast’s claw inside, A DC 20 Knowledge (local) or bardic knowledge check identifies this tattoo as the sign of the Peace Cireus, When this adventure begins, Ziki has 52 skin patches here, and each is carefully preserved to prevent decomposition. Discovering this shrine in Zik’s room can be damning evidence, but only if the PCs can also prove that Ziki and the young girl Adrina are the same person. 8.Sigvar Smithy ‘This massive smithy is made solely of stone and steel it stands on a large metallic plat- form that protects the wooden floor from flying embers. A large steel plate saying “The Gods made Iron but Man made Stee!” hhangs above the entrance. ‘Borlan Sigvar (CN male human expert 5, Craft blacksmithing] +10) i a large and ppowerfill man who lives above this simple ‘workshop with his wife and four sons. Bor- lan is obsessed with stories about barbar- ans, and with is wild golden mane, great unkempt beard, and crude leather clothes, he looks like one himself A quiet racist, ‘he believes that just as there are superior and inferior types of metal there ae supe- rior and inferior races. His initial attitude is fiendly unless the group contains any elves, halfings,orhalfelves, in which case his initial attitude is unfriendly. If the group consists only of these races his ini- tal attitude is hostile. He wor't initiate an attack on such a group unless he feels he can getaway with it, Despite his intolerance, Borlan isa very talented blacksmith and his inexpensive but high-quality products are known not only in Oakbridge but throughout Northedge. 4. Chikor’s Arcanary ‘This small townhouse is designed and decorated in an exotic and outlandish style uncharacteristic to the rather plain build- ings elsewhere in Oakbridge. Eerie green lights and strange hummings iter through its dim windows. A large black plate above the entrance reads: "Chikorir'Cronix: Wiz- ard par excellence.” Chikor ir'Cronix (LN male human ‘wizard 6) retired from the adventuring life after marrying a woman he rescued from gnoll slaver. His wife, Liandra i'Cronix (NG female human commoner 2) is now pregnant with their first child. ‘The house's modest interior is the exact opposite to its fancy exterior. NES EASE hikor now makes his living casting spells for gold. His office is a small and unadorned room, bare except for a plain Dlack table, two comfortable armchairs, and two bookshelves loaded with fiction and history books. A menu on the wall listsal ofthe spells he regularly provides: comprehend languages, continual flame, darkvision, detect magi, detect poison, dispel ‘magic, gentle repose, greater magic weapon, identify (he typically prepares three each, day), Leomund’s trap, read magic prestidigita- tion, and whispering wind. A second mena listsall other spells he knows but typically doesn’t prepare: all other cantrips, alarm, arcane lock, charm person, claraudienc/lir- ‘voyunce, daylight, deep slumber, detect secret doors detect thoughts, detect undead, expedi- fious rere, father al fy, gaseous form, hl ‘person, hold portal, hypnotism, invisibility, noc, levitte, locate object, resist energy, see, spider climb, tongues, and unseen servant. §.Lucian's Studio ‘This small and pathetic building seems about ready to collapse. Its bare, window- less walls are covered with signs of decay and negligence. Above the doorframe, in a ‘crude, almost unintelligible handwriting, is ‘writen “Lucians Studio.” Black paint stains cover the fractured door and the soiled and unkempt porch rug, An awful smell of refuse ‘comes from within, Lucian Crizgar maybecome one ofthe ‘prime suspects in the murders. He spends ‘increasingly litle time here at his studio, ‘which is bare except foran uncomfortable iron bed that stands in the middle of the ‘toom; his various belongings and many empty or broken bottles are strewn care lessly across the dusty and greasy floor, ‘A dozen of his paintings hang on the ‘walls—hauntingly beautiful but repug- nantly violent depictions of apocalyptic battles ofthe Last War. ‘Treasure: Among the litter scattered on the floorlie several of Lucian’ belong- ‘ngs left here carelessly in his madness. ‘These belongings consist of two potions of cure moderate wounds, a potion of bull's strength, a masterwork composite short- bow (+2 Str) 16 masterwork arrows, and 4 large amethysts worth 150 gp apiece. © 26 ouncon cecnsen 0sThere is no evidence here that incrimi- nates him in the murders. 6. Kroga’s Bakery one-story building Is painted in sant yellow hue. An impressive ass of cakes, breads, cookies and ott cacies lies behind a wide glass window. und the bakery the aris filled with large, painted plate withthe words "Kroga’s Bakery —Three Generations of Experience hhangs above the entrance. Everything in this bakery seems to be constantly covered in a thin layer of flour, including an angry looking in a stained white apron who stands behind the counter and does his poor best to look friendly. This man is Kroga Brax (CE male human commoner 2) one of Oakbri angriest residents, Kroga Brax especially hates Borgo Delborde, the cook at the Bluebird Inn, seeing in him a danger- ‘ous rival in the baking arena. "The locals don't treat Kroga’s threats seriously since everyone knows the baker's a coward at heart. He beats his wife and daughter for the sma lest mistakes, but the moment anyone stands up to him he backs down, simpers, and begs for mercy. PART TWO: ZIKI'S WRATH As this adventure beings, Ziki murders Svans and hurls his body from his bal- cony. After this killing, she continues to stalk and slay her victims over the course ofa week. This part lists Ziki’s murders and other events that take place through- out the adventure's six. Actions taken ay timeframe. by the PCs can alter, delay, or even prevent some of these events. Other events only occur if certain situ- ations come to pass. The first si events detailed here are murders. Unlike the other events, azmur- der event generally takes place offstage, with the PCs arriving on the scene after the fact. Fach murder is presented with a short description of how Ziki achieves her goal, followed by a list of clues that the PCs can gather relating tothe murder, got riddles? era 1a child of dire abuses, citherat the crime scene or elsewhere in Oakbridge. Murders are timed—and if the PCs can eatch Ziki or hide or protect a victim before the murder is scheduled to occur, they can save that victim from his or her fate. OF course, as long as Ziki remains at large, these murders are really only postponed—Ziki eventually figures out a way to reach all of her targets if she's not stopped Once the PCs discover t all of the murder victims were members of the Peace Circus and that the killer has been stripping them of their shared tattoos,a smart group gets word out to the public (or at the very least tries to find out if there are any other ex-camnies in Oak- bridge). A DC 20 Gather Information check is enough to find out who these folk are, Ifthe PCs stake out one of the homes of these folk, protect them, or otherwise make things difficult for Ziki to get to them, she bides her time and waits for a chance to strike, disrupting and altering the order of her murders as necessary but keeping Corlina as her final victim. MACUL Fully formed, fits wondrous use: When crafted right by knowing hands. the very light I splice in bands. wae ere PIS een te ean eee eae mG on glance and hold your breath a eee rid MI Me ers UE nO roar he Mine cate Lo www.CloudKingdom.com/DungeonLST Murder 1. Svans ir'Klimansor @ay 1) Svans ir'Klimansor (LG male human aristocrat 3)is a successfil art dealer. He was also, several years ago, the manager ofthe Peace Gircus,asaDCa5 Knowledge (local) check reveals. Svans never married and spent his declining days enjoying his extensive at collection and the com pany of his books. The others who once worked forhim in the Peace Circus know he lives in the area, but none of them ‘maintain relations with the man, since theyall till on some level hold him par- tially responsible for the circus's banke ruptcy. Svans has a fatal habit—he often leaves his front door unlocked, “Murder: Ziki enters Svans’s apartment through his unlocked door on the eve= ning of the first day of this adventure and finds him standing near the edge of is balcony, enjoying the sunset. She ‘sneaks up to him and kills hirn with a single swift jab to the base of his neck with her dagger. After removing his ci- cus tattoo, she pushes his body off the bbalcony—itlands on the walkway 20 feet below and immediately creates a scene. Ziki has no problem escaping out the window on the opposite side and down to the walkway below. Clues: If the PCs are on the street when Svans's body hits, they can imme- diately examine it for clues. fon the other hand, Viduk brings them into the investigation, they'll need to visit the Oakbridge Church to examine him. The body is cremated at noon on the second day. A DC 10 Search of Svans's body reveals that a small strip of skin has been flensed from his chest. A DC 15 Heal check establishes that the strip was removed just after the man's death. ADC 10 Heal check establishes the cause of death as head trauma from the fall, but a DC 20 Heal check reveals, something more sinister—the man ‘was, in fact, killed by a blow to the base of the neck with a sharp knife, likely a curved dagger. ‘Speak with dead east on Srans's body reveals little since he was jumped fom behind and never saw his Killer. He also has no known enemies.and cannotexplain ‘why someone would want to kill him A search of Svans's home turns up two additional clues. With a DG 10 Search check, a spray of blood is found om his bal- ‘ony. Witha DG 20 Search check,a charaec- teruncoversa patch ofbaking flour on the floor by the wall inthe living room near the balcony entrance. There is no other flour stall in the building Ziki came directly up +here to murder Svans ater working a shift inthe Bluebird Inn kitchen where she was ‘baking bread. When she struck, some flour that had collected in a fold in her clothes spilled onto the floor. If the PCs investigate Svans in an attempt to determine who may have wanted to kill him, a DCs Gather Infor ‘mation check establishes that he was well liked, but that he didn't seem to have any real friends. No one but the other mem- bers ofthe Peace Circus know what was on the strip of skin removed fiom his chest, sovuless the PCs are asking one of them, the residents of Oakbridge can't explain why astrip of his flesh was stolen ‘Murder 2. Borgo Delborde @ay 2) Borgo Delborde (LG male dwarf war- ior a/expert 2) works as a chef at the Bluebird Inn. Several years ago, he was ‘the cook for the Peace Circus. Unusu- ally friendly and cheerful for a dwarf, he is a popular and beloved figure in Oakbridge and a close friend of Dram: mer the warforged. Although he's Ziki's second victim, Borgo's body is likely the third or fourth to be discovered, “Murder: Ziki cast spider limb to climb up to Borgo’s window three hours after sunset, She easily and silently opens the simple lock and enters the room, find- ing the dwarf asleep in his bed. She sits his throat, removes his tattoo and leaves the room the same way she entered. Borgo has day} off from work, and isnot rissed until day 4 of the adventure, when ‘one of the Bluebird Inn's maids comes to his house to see if he's okay after he falls to arrive at work in the morning, ‘This maid, a gnome giel named Lirana Borken, discovers his body and flees back to the inn to tell Graff Pendrong. News of Bongos murder spreads quickly, and by late afternoon the PCs should hear of it if they haventt already discovered the dwarf’s body on their own after seeking hhim out to question him about Drum- ‘mer's murder on day 3, ‘Glues: A DC 20 search of Borgo's bed= room reveals the fact that the lock on ‘his window was picked by someone quite skilled. In addition, small dots of flour can be found on the windowsill (again, iki came here from work and left traces of flour in her wake). ‘A character with Track who makes a DC a1 Search of his room and the wall under the window discovers serapes that indicate someone clambered up the wall, through the window, and then retreated the same way. An examination of Borgo’s body reveals the fact that his throat has been cut. A DC 15 Heal check reveals the cut was likely from a curved knife.A patch of skin identical to the patch missing from Svans’ body is missing from Borgo's chest. Speak with dead is relatively use- less, since Borgo never woke before he was killed. If the PCs ask around about Borgo, a DC 15 Gather Information check reveals that he was well-liked and hard working. His bestfriend was the warforged janitor ‘Drummer. Mote importantiyanyone who knew Borgo also knows that Kroga Brax,a local baker, hated Borgo intensely. Most people assumed this hatred stemmed from jealousy over Borgo’ greater skill at baking, and although no one would have believed Kroga capable of murder, once Borgo turns up dead, Krogi’s name is the first to come to many tongues. ‘Witness: Corlina Herfast spends the carly night with her lover Volin on the night Ziki murders Borgo. The window from Volin’s bedroom provides a fairly good view of the window Ziki uses to enter Borgo's room, and Corlina sees the changeling exit Borgo’s window but, at the time, is unsure what itis she sees. ‘Additionally, reporting what she comes to believe is just another thief would reveal her adultery and likely enrage her short- tempered husband, so she remains silent ‘until her husband is murdered on day ¢ Murder 3. Drummer (Day 3) Drummer (N warforged expert 1) was rescued by Svans decades ago from‘gang of racist dwarves that had attacked hhim. Svans gave the warforged a job in the Peace Circus as a drummer, and he proved so adept at this task that he took the profession as his name. After the Peace Circus went bankrupt, he followed Svans to Oakbridge and the man got him aajob at the Bluebird Inn as. janitor. He lives im a small room in the inn's base- ment, and while many view Drummer as ‘unfriendly and aloof, he in fact simply lacks the social skills needed to express himself: Those who take the time to get to know him know his skill with drums hhas not atrophied over the years Murder: Ziki originally intended to save Drummer’s murder for just before Corlinas, but her success with Svans and ‘Borgo makes her careless and she decides {instead to kill him on the third day. Unable to sleep after Borgo’s murder, she sneaks downstairs from her room an hour after ‘midnight to the inn’s basement. Having never attacked a warforged before, she is unsure ifher dagger will do the trick and instead grabs an axe from the woodbox. She then sneaks into Drummer’s room and finds the warforged sitting on abench staring at a set of drums—warforged do not sleep. Unable to catch the warforged bysurprise,a short but brutal battle erupts. Drummer lands a solid blow to the side of her head just before she kills him with the axe. The changeling continues to hack at his twitching body, unsure how much damage she needs to do to make sure the living construct was actually dead. Once Drummer is in pieces on the floor, she returns the axe to the woodbox, pries out a plate on his chest engraved with the Peace Circus rune, and returns quietly to hher room upstairs. The thrill of the fight results in hermaking an error though—as she flees the basement, she leaves a bloody handprint on the door. Drummer’s body is discovered at 10:00 am, the next morning when a maid comes downstairs to get more wine and sees the janitor’s open door and the ruin beyond, ‘Glues: Drummer's body is in pieces— speak with dead is useless. A DC 35 Heal check s enough to establish his body was hacked apart with large slashing weapon like an axe. Ifthe PCs say they search the area for an axe they find the one Ziki used for the job in the nearby woodbox bears direct indications that it was used forthe deed. ADCa5 Search check reveals missing plate from his torso that seems to have been pried loose after his death ‘with a smallerblade. ADC 1s Search of the room turns up droplets of dark blood here and there on the floor, as well as a bloody hand- print on the door itself The handprintis uunique—it seems to have only three fin- sgers.A DCas Knowledge (local) or Gather Information check reveals that the only resident of Oakbridge with three fingers is Lucian Cruzgar. If the PCs ask around about Drummer, 4 DC 5 Gather Information check reveals that he kept to himself The dwarven cook ‘Borgo often spent time with Drummer in his basement apartment, and the two were apparently good fiends Of course, by the time Drummers murdered, Borgo himself is already dead—the PCs may well be the ones to discover his body if they go to his ‘house to inform him of his friends death. Murder 4. Roctar Herfast @ay 4) Roctar Herfast(CN malehuman warrior 4) isa bodybuilder and a professional wres- tler of some renown, now in late middle- age but unable to completely let go of his glory days. He worked as astrongman for the Peace Circus and amazed people with his feats of strength and his impressive figure. ter the circus disbanded, he trav- led with his wife Cortina to Sharn, where hhe worked as a warrior trainer for several years before retiring, Roctar is arash and DECEMBER 2005 DUNGEON 25fierce man and often threatens his wife with physical violence. To date, though, he’s never actually hurt her and always apologizes later for his outbursts. ‘Murder: Ziki comes to Roctar and Cor- lina's home an hour after sundown and finds the retired strongman exercising {in his living room. She creeps up behind hhim and stabs him in the back. Roctar crumplestto the ground, dying, Ziki leans over him, sees he still lives, and feeling the urge to make sure Roctar knows why he's dying, she murmurs “revenge” into his ear. He reaches up to grab at her, gets only a handfl of hair, and as Ziki pulls away with ease she slices his tattoo fom. his chest before cutting his throat, then slips back out into the night. His body is discovered a few minutes later by his wife, Corlina, who reports itto the Watch, and then flees to Volin’s home to seek comfort in her lover's arms. (Glues: Any search of Rocta's body auto- ‘matically evealsastab wound tothe back, a slashed throat, and a missing patch of skin on the chest. A DG 2a Search check reveals a few long, pale hairs clenched in one of his hands, The hairs seem to change color slightly as one turns them over and examines them. A DC 15 Knowl- ‘edge (local) check reveals the fact that the Ihairs came from a changeling, Roctar’s body is likely the first the PCs discover that can actually divulge some solid information via a speak with dead. He can describe Ziki’s true form and her uunique-looking dagger. With the right ‘questions, the PCs can lear she whis- pered “revenge” into his ear and skinned his tattoo before she killed him. Murder 8. Volin Krober Day §) Volin Krober (CG male elf bard ranger expert 2) isa talented bard, a skilled fencer,and an expert animal traines—his specialty is dinosaur training. He joined the Peace Gircus after his entire village ‘was slaughtered by platoon of warforged. soldiers during the Last War. His great= est success (and his greatest failure) was the capture and taming of two deinony- chuses he named Kaiwakit and Panch. “He met Corlina atthe Peace Circus, and although she was already married to Roclar, the two fell in love. They met in coco ocoseocs clandestine meetings late at night, keep- ing their affair secret from everyone. But as their trysts grew more heated, Volin’s attention to Kaiwakit and Panch less- ened, and when the dinosaurs grew sick he filed to notice. Driven insane by the sickness the deinonychuses went berserk one fatefl day Volin has since learned to forgive himself for the accident, bt still ‘wakes in the middle of the night once or twice a year with a start, convinced ‘that someone, or something, is nearby, ‘waiting to Kill him, On day five of this adventure, his dreams come true. ‘Murder: Ziki picks the lock to Volin's hhouse and sneaks up to Volin’s bedroom. She does not expect to find him awake, nor with company. For a few seconds, Ziki regards Volin and Corlina with shock, When Corlina screams, Volin leaps out of bed, snatches up his rapier and attacks Ziki, The resulting battle is tough—Volin is easily Ziki’s match ina straight-up duel. Ziki manages to retreat to another room of the house and hides. Volin and Corlina try to escape while Ziki uses a scroll of summon nature's ally Vito summon a pair of deinonychuses. ‘The dinosaurs leap on Volin as he and Corina stagger out onto the street. AS the summoned animals tear into Volin, Cortina manages to escape. Ziki, badly ‘wounded in the battle, carves off Volin's tattoo after he is slain by the dinosaurs and then limps back to her room at the Bluebird inn, climbing up the back alley wall and entering her room via the win- dow to avoid running into anyone who might notice her bloody clothes and ‘wounded body. ‘Glues: Volin’s body is torn apart. A DC 15 Heal check reveals he was slain by something with powerfil talons and teeth—a DC 14 Knowledge (nature) check identifies the killer as a deinonychus. His body is too savaged for a speak with dead to work properly 1s possible to track Ziki back to the Bluebird if the PCs get to the scene of the murder quickly enough. The murder happens an hour after sunset when there aren't many people on the street. Is ini- tiallyaDC 0 Survival check to track Ziki's bloody footprints back to the Bluebird. ‘This DC increases by 1 every 16 minutes PISS EAST that pass as foot traffic begins to obscure the tracks. Witnesses: Corlina was in bed with olin when Ziki arrived, and recognized her as the changeling woman who was attacked by Kaiwakit and Panch so many years ago. In addition, one of Volin's neighbors, an insomniac named Rotgar Bovar, saw a naked female elf running away from Volin's home. He recognized heras“that pretty elf that dances at the Bluebird sometimes,” and heard the sounds of a fight on the street below. He was the first to arrive at the mur- der scene, but by that point the dei- nonychuses had vanished and Ziki was already gone, Murder 6, Corlina Herfast (Day 6 or thereafter) Ziki’s final victim is Corlina Herfast, the petson she most directly blames for the tragedy that ruined her life. Ziki believes that Corlina seduced Volin and lured hhim away from his responsibilities to his dinosaurs, and thus created the situation that culminated in her child's death and herown maiming. Marder: It’s likely that the PCs stop iki before she gets this far, or atthe very least, take steps to protect Corlina. Yet Zikiis patient. She waits forher opportu- nity to strike, keeping an eye on Corlina from the vantage point of ever-changing disguises. Eventually, shell get a chance to strike, cutting Corlina’s throat, strip- ping her of her tattoo, and leaving short note on parchment pinned to her body and addressed to the PCs. it has been fun playing cat and mouse with you, but now I have to leave. Don't ‘mourn the dead. Believe me, they more than deserved death. | am sure you will agree that their fates are fitting. punish- ‘ment for the murder of an innocent child, | hope we never meet again. | would hate to rob the world of such courageous adventurers as yourselves. With great respect—Ziki” ‘The Investigation ‘As the murders accumulate, the PCs should fel increasing time pressure. Withbit of investigation, deductive reasoning, and a dash of luck, they should be able to catch up to Ziki before she kills everyone om her list Since the course and nature of| the investigation depends wholly on the PCs (and what clues they find), there is no set list of events that occur at specific times. The events detailed below are, for the most part, instigated by player actions, and can take place at any time once the PCs trigger them, Once the PCs get a reliable deserip- tion of Ziki or obtain of some of her hair or other belongings, srying becomes the best bet for locating the murderer. It's likely that the PCs can't cast this spell, but Sharn’s a big city, and paying someone to sery on Ziki isa fairly simple task. A sorcerer or wizard’s standard price for string is 380 gp,a clerics is 460 gp, a dru- id's is 280 gp, and a bards is io gp. Ifthe PCs manage to sery on Ziki (remember, she gets a Will save to resist), they prob- ably end up scrying on her while she works or sleeps at the Blue- bird Inn, in which case they view her in her disguise as the human gicl Adtina, Only if they happen to sery on the changeling within a half hour of one of her murders do they have a chance of catching her in her true form. “Murder in Oakbridge” gives charac- ters with the Investigate feat a chance to shine. When a character with this feat makes a Search check to find a clue at any of the murder scenes, you should give that character an additional clue. ‘They should be more obscure than those detailed in the murder scenes above, but should still point the PCs in the right direction. These additional clues can also give the PC hints about Ziki’s capabili- ties, not just her identity. For example, the nature of the wounds might allow the character to realize that the killer has levels of rogue, or that the wounds were ‘caused bya light human bane weapon. Event 1: The Surly Baker ‘One of the earliest clues the PCs might find at the murder scenes are traces of ‘baking flour. This clue likely sends the PCs to Kroga’s Bakery to interrogate the surly baker. Once Borgo is murdered, Kroga becomes an even more plausible suspect, since the baker has long-estab- lished and publicly known hatred of his, competition. Of course, Kroga is not a murderer, but his attitude and quick temper are no ally to his actual innocence. Kroga’s initial attitude against the characters is unfriendly. He screams and curses and threatens the PGs once he realizes they suspect he's a killer, but if the PCs can adjust his attitude to at least friendly he calms down. Alternately, any successfll attack against the coward is enough to secure his cooperation. Kroga’s wife Kelinda maintains that hhe was home during any of the mur- ders that have already happened, but a DC 20 Sense Motive check reveals that she seems nervous and might be lying to cover things up for Kroga. This isn’t actually the case—she's nervous because ‘Krog:’sa violent man and she hopes that by stepping forward with an alibi for her husband she'll save herself and her chil- dren a beating. LANES SAU OT If the PCs explain that baking flour ‘was found at the murder scene, Kroga demands to see a sample. The flour Ziki accidentally left at the murder scenes is run of the mill, while the flour Kroga uses is of a higher quality. He points this out immediately, and a DG 12 Pro- fession (cook) check is enough to con- firm his claim, Of course, ultimate proof of Krogas ‘innocence comes after the murders con- tinue even if he is locked up or killed. ‘Ad-Hoc Experience Award: Ifthe PCs realize Kroga isa false lead, award them ‘experience as if they had defeated a CR 3 creature in combat. Event 2:The Three- Fingered Maniac (EL 6) ‘Another likely suspect for the killings is Lucian Cruzgar. His foul attitude and ready glee in recounting his deadly skills dur- ing the Last War mark him from his first meeting with the PCs as a violent man perfectly capable of performing the crimes. When iki leaves a handprint on Drum- rmer’s door, the fact that both this handprint and Lucian’s hand hhave three fingers seems to be a lock for his guilt. Before the war, Lucian was a tall and handsome young man with dark, mysterious features and an impres- sive masculine frame, However, the eight years he spent fighting in the Last War and his excessive drinking have had a drastic effect on his appearance. Todzy, Lucian looks like an old and tired man with unhealthy yellow eyes, wrinkled pale skin and a strange, dazed expression. His posture is bent and broken, and his web- like hair and unkempt beard are streaked ‘with gray: However, something of his old pride and power remain, making him a very frightening person to be around. He always wears his old and filthy uniform and his excellent swords. His speech is slow and almost incomprehensible. Lucian is covered in scars and burns and his right hand is missing two fingers. Lacian spent his youth on the battle- field. While his fiends stayed home, went to school, fll in love, and started families,Lucien killed. He was a loyal and ruth: less soldier—he knew in his heart he was doing the right thing, and when the war finally ended he returned home to Sharn expecting to be hailed as a hero. Instead he learned that his parents had passed away and that his home had been con: fiscated. All his childhood “friends” had forgotten him or abandoned him, All he had were his prized swords and armor. He tried his hand at many jobs, but no ‘one wanted to employ the angry and vio: lent veteran. To ease his pain Lucian began drinking, Once he started, he couldnt stop. He earned some money by selling the pictures he painted from time to time and bought a sma in Oakbridge. Lucian is not yet completely lost. Ifa PC befriends the tormented man (not an easy task) and helps him through his alcoholism and mental problems, he can gain a sturdy ally and friend—possibly even a cohort down the road If the PCs take the time to examine Lucien’s maimed hand, a DC 15 Search nd shame, studio check is enough to establish the fact that his hand is much laxger than the one that left the print on the door. Unfor- tunately, getting the chance to exam- ine Lucian this carefully is difficult. He makes a Sense Motive check, opposed by the result of the PCs’ Search checks If Lucian makes his check, he realizes he’s being examined and takes offense. Likewise, if the PCs come right out and accuse him of murder he takes offense. And once Lucian is offended, things turn ugly. Lacian may not be the one behind the murders, but he is still quit He partially believes that agents of the Emerald Claw are still after him to murder him for his great prowess dur- ing the Last War. Once he realizes the PCs suspect him of murder, he thinks they're these agents, come to frame him for murders he didn't commit, take him away toa dark room, and fin- ish the job. At this point, Lucian attacks, As soon as combat begins, Lucian slips Ps te insane. - Ps Sy Rene ed instantly back into the mindset of a trained killer. He focuses his rage on the PGs and tries to kill them before they can do the same to him. Lucian Ceuzoar Male human fighter ranger 2 CN Medium humanoid Init +1; Senses Listen +5, Spot +5 Languages Common C16, touch 11, fat-footed 15 hp 47 (6 HO) Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +0 Spd30%. Melee +1 longsword +11 (1d8+6/19-20) or +1 longsword +9/+4 (ad8+6)i9~-20) and + shortsword 48 (ad6+a/19-20) Base Atk 46; Grp +9 ‘Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack Abilities Sir16, Dex 13, Con 16, int 10, Wis 8,Cha 12 Feats Cleave, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Track, Two: Weapon Figthting, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (Vongsword) CRE ACE EXPLORATION! . enter ™ Sur} SOR Rmee rnin UL eae roars er eu e cea eet ena eet CUTS Pad aren oat Se Cea Qe rere Sa ean ane Tee a URE Ura ages Sea a For more information, visit us a www.StateSecretsRPG.com34 DUNGEON oEceMsER: ‘Skills Craft (painting) +6, intimidate 48, Listen +5, Spot +5 Possessions +1 chain shir, +1 longsword, «1 shortsword Event 3:A Frightened Witness Corlina atehes a glimpse of Ziki as she leaves Borgo’s home, and as the murders in Oakbridge pile up, she realizes that someone may well be targeting ex- members of he Peace Circus. After her husband is murdered, Cor- lina seeks out comfort in her lover's home. The PCs won't find her if they seek her at her home; a DC 20 Gather Information check is enough to uncover rumors that she's having an affair with Volin Krober. If the PCs find Cor- lina, she immediately breaks down and tells them everything she knows, Use this event to bail the PCs out if they simply haven't had any luck cracking the case, but don't give them too much information. Corlina knows who Ziki is and has a good idea why she's killing people, but she has no idea where to find the changeling. Corlina is a beautifil woman, even by the high elven standards. She has high cheekbones, flowing blonde hair worn in intricate braids, kind and lively green eyes, and a perfect feminine figure. Her move- ‘ments are infised with the swiftness and grace ofa catand the precision and nobil- ity ofan experienced dancer. Adopted and raised by the streets of Vethirond after her parents were killed in the war, Cor- Jina made a living on thievery and street performances. One day she met a hand- some and virile man named Roctar, who was at the time recruiting for the Peace Gircus. Roctar saw Corlinas potential as a dancer and hired her on the spot. The impressionable elf repaid him for rescu- ing her from a life as a vagrant by marry- ing him. Yet during her circus years, she fell in love with Volin,an affair that would eventually contribute to the tragedy that ruined everything. Corlina's dazzling acrobatic perfor- ‘mances and dances were characterized by both breathtaking feats of dexterity and an elegant artistic streak. After the Circus disbanded, she traveled with her husband to Sharn where she soon renewed her romantic relationship with Volin. In contrast to her striking appear- ance, Corlina is actually a rather dull and meek person. She Lucian isn’t too bright and is almost completely uneducated — although she is very ftiendly and talk- ative, she has very little of real import to say to anyone, Corlina has only a few friends but is very loyal to them. She has slowly grown to hate her husband Roctar, but her fear of his rage and the shame of a divorce has so far kept her by his side. In combat, Corina tres to escape using ‘Tumble to avoid attacks of opportunity If running away is impossible she tries to avoid the aggressor's blows using the full-defense action for as longas possible. She fights back only ifshe's cornered, NCES OSA Cortina Henrast Female ef expert 3 (CG Medium humanoid Init +3; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Common, Elven {AC 13, touch 13, at-footed 10 hp 13(3 HO) Immune sleep Fort 1, Ref'+4, Will +4 Spd 30 Melee rk dagger +3 (1449-20) Ranged mw dagger +6 (1d4/19-20) Base Atk +2; Grp +2 Iblis Str 10, Dex 16, Con 1, nt 8, Wis 12,Cha 1s Feats Acrobatic Agile ‘Skills Balance +13, Escape Artis +5, Jump +10, Perform (dance) +8, Sleight of Hand 49, Tumble +12 Possessions courtier’ outfit, masterwork dagger, silver necklace worth 65 gp, silver wedding ring worth 50 gp, peat earrings worth 100 gp cR2 Event 4: A Mother's Rage Zikiisikely to lear of the PCs long before they learn about her. She keeps abreast of what they know about her crimes either by listening into their conversations at the Blue- bird Inn or by utilizing Gather Information. Aslong as she remains convinced that the PCs don't know who she is she leaves them alone. ‘ikis natural form is tall and grace- ful with long white hair and a shapely figure. Her face is not unpleasant or as alien as most changeling faces tend to be. Because Zikis left hand is covered in dreadful scars and two fingers are missing, she always wears a pair of black gloves to hide her maimed hand. Her white eyes have a red hue from all the hours she's spent crying. Ziki’s dagger is shaped exactly like the gutting talon of a deinonychus. She ordered it from a famous weaponsmith with the intention of seeing it plunged into her enemies’ bodies, just like the dinosaurs’ talons were plunged into her gentle daughter’s throat so many years ago.TT nse oncom 3 Ziki’s life is wrought from tragedy. Although she’s very talented thief and burglar, she never saw “the big money" because of her lack of contacts in the ‘underworld, Her husband, a young and arrogant enforcer, was arrested and was given a choice: to endure seven years of forced labor orto goto the Cyrian front. He picked the latter and never came back. While still mourning the death of her husband, another disaster struck. Her only child was torn to ribbons by a “tamed” dinosaur during a circus show and Ziki was severely wounded. After a lifetime of failures, disappointments and tragedies, this was the final straw. She resolved then and there that those careless carnies who took her daughter away would pay dearly... iki isbitterand moody. She does her best to look into the frture but allshe sees i her shattered life and all the good things that should have happened but never did. She often sobs for no appar- ent reason, and almost never smiles. Nightmares and memories of her dead daughter and ‘husband constantly haunt her, making both her days and her nights equally unbearable, If she suspects the PCs are on to her, she still doesnt resort to open ‘combat. Instead, she poisons their drinks {an easy taskiif the PCs are stil staying at the Blucbird Inn and they haven't dis- covered she works there in the guise of a human maid) with dark reaver powder {C18 Fort save, initial damage 2d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con + 1d6 Str). She doesnit expect she'll kill many PCs this way, but she does hope to send them amessage. ‘The PCs may wish to speak with 2iki in her Adrina guise at some point, per- haps as they interrogate the employees of the Bluebird Inn after Borgo or Drum- ‘mer are murdered. In this case, she gladly speaks with them. She tres to shift suspi-