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Nigel Findley discovered the wonders of the D&D game while studying genetics at the University of British Columbia. Now rumored to have become a yuppie, he writes for DRAGON Magazine, enjoys wind surfing, plays in a jazz band, and manages a computer software company in what little time he has left.
Caermor is an AD&D@ game module for 4-8 characters of 2nd-4th level. The fewer the characters available, the higher their levels should be. Characters should be well equipped, and players should be experienced in the role-playing aspects of the game.
Adventure Background
To the north of the land where the characters live is a windswept and barren spit of land known as the Wizard's Claw. In this desolate locale lies Caermor, a small village (population 100 at most) several days' ride from the nearest large city. Unlike the other settlements in the area, Caermor is a farming village, intent on the cultivation of a hardy grain and a local strain of small, tough sheep.
The terrain is very similar to the highlands of Scotland: rough and rocky, with stunted growths of heather and scrub, cold and whipped by incessant sea winds. The local inhabitants are small, stocky, dour farming folk - red faced, tending toward strong drink (to stave off the chill wind, of course), and rather belligerent when drunk. They are taciturn among themselves and cold almost to the point of hostility with outsiders. Dress for men and women is typically rough, drab homespun, and women and children tend to be quiet and uncommunicative. In general, the alignment of the people could be classed as neutral with slight lawful tendencies: loyalty to their own, but none to outsiders, coupled with a surly self-sufficiency.
There is talk that the inhabitants of Caermor and the nearby fishing villages have a lot of dwarven blood in their veins, and just outside of town are several tumbled stones bearing dwarven runes that seem to support this idea (even though a storm-whipped land spit might seem to be one of the last places sea-hating dwarves would dwell). Unlike dwarves, however, the locals generally are not avaricious and have no great love of gold. Their love - or, more accurately, hatred tempered with great respect - is for the land.
Such is the nature of the people of Caermor that, even though hell itself seems to have turned its attention upon them, they have told no one from the nearest city, Sta Fira, of their plight, let alone asked for help. The word has gotten, out, however, through a traveling merchant who managed to drink himself into the confidence of at least one local. Several adventurers have come to town, either to save Caermor or make a name for themselves, but none have returned to the city. In true Caermor style, the villagers have looked upon these would-be saviors as unwelcome visitors at best - invaders at worst.
A final note should be made concerning religion. The villagers are strongly religious, albeit unorthodox. They worship an almost forgotten storm god, Taranis Firehand (chaotic neutral, worshiped by those whose livelihood can be affected by bad weather; the holy symbol is a mailed fist clutching three thunderbolts), but believe that religion is a personal matter. They have no temple or chapel as such; each home has a small shrine in a place never seen by strangers. Any mention or question concerning religion is taken as a severe breach of etiquette (exactly how severe often depends on the state of inebriation of the hearer).
For the Dungeon Master
In fact, the Nine Hells have turned their attention in a small way on the village of Caermor, but only by direct request. A local coven of lawful-evil devil-worshipers in the town, led by a man named Trevus, has summoned, for its own various purposes, a devil that has been terrorizing the town for the past seven weeks. The most recent exploit has been the kidnaping of a local maiden, who is being held for later use as a slave or sacrifice.
However, both the devil and the coven that summoned it are pawns in a greater game (see Mother Gloam's background in "Caermor Personalities" for the coven's current plans, and see Belle Fagor's background for her plans as well). In time, nearby cities, and eventually the rest of the country, will feel the scourge of the Nine Hells. Any adventurers ridding the area of the devil are saving much more than Caermor.
The following information is known to all of the villagers. However, getting it out of them is easier said than done.
The troubles started about seven weeks ago in a simple enough manner: one of the shepherd boys came back near nightfall with one less sheep than he took out to graze that morning. A storm had come up, and he had been too concerned with getting home to count heads; by the time his father noticed, it was too dark to go out after the stray. The next morning the boy went out to get the stray and found it easily enough - dead and torn as if by huge claws. In other areas, this wouldn't be mysterious; on the heaths surrounding Caermor, however, there are no large predators.
Similar things happened on subsequent nights with other herds: strays were found dead, but not devoured just rent, as if for the sheer pleasure of it. Less than a week later, the first sheep was slain during daylight while the shepherd slept in the sun nearby. Armed older brothers or fathers began to accompany the shepherd boys with the herds.
Shortly thereafter, sheep were no longer the only victims. A cow in a farmyard was killed one night, and the wooden scarecrows common in the fields were destroyed or disfigured.
Four weeks ago, the first human fell prey. A farmer and his wife awoke to the terrified bellowing of their milk cow. The farmer rushed out into the farmyard with a pitchfork to do battle. It wasn't until morning that his wife could summon up the courage to go outside and find his body.
In the farms that surround the village proper, all doors are locked at sundown and all windows are shuttered. Animals are shut in barns (if there are barns) or left to take their chances in the night. The large, black sheepdogs that normally spend the night outside now sleep in the house and can be heard to whimper piteously from time to time.
In the village itself, shops remain open until nightfall - the pub still does fair business - but people don't wander the streets alone after dark. Any farmer who stays with his whiskey past twilight is more than likely to spend the night on the pub floor. Children are never seen on the street at night - not after the events of two weeks past.
Before then, Gwendolyn, the town's fairest flower, had been seeing a lot of Albee, a young artist (read ne'er-do-well;' "vagrant;' etc., according to the villagers) who had come to town to "absorb the ambience." It had been an open secret that Gwendolyn had eyes for the handsome young man and vice-versa. Gwendolyn disappeared one night two weeks ago, and that was the last straw for the terrorized folk. A posse formed in the morning and descended upon Albee's cottage to see if she had taken refuge there. Instead, a search of the empty premises found one of Albee's robes stained with blood. Albee is now cursed as the killer who has plagued the land, and he is assumed to be hiding somewhere near town.
Although some locals suspect that Albee is not responsible for the tribulations visited upon them, no one admits this aloud. It is much easier to accept and think about a human killer than it is to face the fact that the supernatural - a topic tolerated by the hard-headed villagers only in the form of their local seeress - has raised its ugly head.
Several other strangers have come to town since then, for one reason or another, but nearly all have left. One group is still around, camping out of town because the local inn is really no more than a pub and has no rooms to rent. The group is made up of Lane the Archer and three henchmen: the twin brothers Tremayne and Verlayne, and Martha.
That is where the situation stands (at least, as the villagers know it) when the characters arrive in town.
Village encounters: Roll 1d6 every turn; if a "6" appears, an encounter occurs. Then roll on the table below.
Children react with fear to any strangers and run away 75% of the time. Male villagers are 1st-level fighters and are typically armed with a single knife or dagger. Female villagers are zero level, and 50% are armed with a single knife or dagger; others are unarmed.
The abilities and personalities of the named characters are explained in the section "Caermor Personalities"
d10 Day Encounter Night Encounter
| 1 | 1-3 Village Children | Nothing |
| 2 | 1-3 Village Women | Nothing |
| 3 | 1-2 Village Men | 1-2 Village Men |
| 4 | Lara | Nothing |
| 5 | Dougal | Dougal |
| 6 | Mother Gloam | Mother Gloam |
| 7 | Derion | Derion |
| 8 | Belle | Trevus |
| 9 | Belle | Nothing |
| 10 | Norn | Nothing |
Pub encounters: The pub, The Standing Stones, is always occupied by 3-6 local men. MacHeath and Lara are always there unless encountered somewhere else. Each time the characters enter the pub, and every two turns thereafter, the DM must roll on the following table to determine who in addition to the regular population is in the pub or who comes in. A "6" result indicates an encounter occurs.
d4 Day Encounter Night Enc.
| 1 | Dougal | Dougal |
| 2 | Mother Gloam | Derion |
| 3 | Mother Gloam | Derion |
| 4 | Lane, Verlayne, Tremayne, Martha | Dougal |
Countryside encounters: Roll a Id6 every three turns; a "6" indicates an encounter. Then roll on the table below.
Treat sheep as small herd animals (AC 7; HD 1; MV 15"; HAT 1; Ding 1; AL N); as such, they avoid humans (except their regular shepherds) and bite only in final defense. Scarecrows are described in the Monstrous Manual; the one encountered here has been wandering the countryside aimlessly since its creator, an evil patriarch, was slain many miles to the south.
Scarecrow: AC 6; MV 6"; HD 5; hp 23; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6; SA special charm gaze and touch; AL CE).
d6 Day Encounter Night Encounter
| 1 | Sheep (2-20) | No Encounter |
| 2 | Sheep (2-20) | Atomie (2-6) |
| 3 | Trevus | Giant Bat (1-3) |
| 4 | Mother Gloam | Mother Gloam |
| 5 | Albee | Giant Bat (1-3) |
| 6 | Derion | Scarecrow (1) |
Since personal interactions make up much of this adventure, the major local personalities are detailed below. All characters speak the common tongue of the land.
Mother Gloam:
AC 8; MV 9/1; MU3/ C2; hp 13; HAT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 7, I 16,
W 13, D 9, C 10, Ch 15; AL LE; burning hands,
light, sleep, shatter, cause light wounds, cure light wounds; dagger of
venom + 1 (three doses), ring of protection + 2, ring of polymorph self
(only to another human form, no system shock roll required; five charges),
vial containing special potion of narcolepsy (see below), wand of fear
(only three charges left), pack of non-magical tarot cards, unholy symbol
of Horns of Asmodeus (hidden), spell components, lantern, tinderbox, three
flasks of oil, 5 GP, and 30 sp; speaks elvish; age 65
Mother Gloam is a vibrant old woman, with cold, black eyes and a crow's nest of black hair. She dresses in voluminous, silk, gypsy like dresses in clashing colors. Smooth-tongued and intelligent, she is quick to tell fortunes using her tarot cards, with which she has a natural skill (treat as the clerical spell augury for a short reading and the magic-user spell precognition for a full reading). Note, however, that what she sees in the cards and what she tells often differ, as she is as devious as she is intelligent.
Mother Gloam is, like her son Trevus, one of the leaders of the cult that summoned the devil to Caermor. Having no spells capable of causing this act, she and her fellow conspirators relied upon sacrifice and prayer - and discovered, to their surprise, that it worked. Mother Gloam tries hard to mislead anyone trying to get information about recent troubles, usually putting the blame on Albee. If she meets the party and talks with them, she is able to gauge accurately whether they are a powerful and effective group (DM's judgement, taking into account group unit/cooperation and balance, as well as levels). Note that any time Mother Gloam visits the devil (ring of polymorph self to disguise herself.
Mother Gloam does not publicly acknowledge Trevus to be her son, as it gives them both more freedom to work their wiles. She suspects Belle of being more than she appears, fearing even that Belle has some influence over Trevus. Nonetheless, she actively supports the coven and is as enthusiastic about their current plans as any. In fact, she has laid out most of the coven's plans herself. After the devil has driven the townspeople into submission with murders and kidnaping - with the kidnaped victims becoming slaves or sacrifices - the coven will expand its influence toward Sta Fira and other nearby cities. The kidnaping of Gwendolyn is a major step in this direction, as it has spread terror and distrust throughout the countryside. Mother Gloam desires power, lots of it, and the devil is her ticket to success.
Mother Gloam has some skill as an alchemist and is able to create a magic sleep-type potion - the effects of which are similar to narcolepsy. Each round that the imbiber of the potion is under any kind of stress (e.g., combat, fear, exertion, etc.), he or she must save vs. poison or fall asleep for 2-20 rounds (note that this effect can occur an unlimited number of times during the duration of the potion). This makes the effect of the potion very insidious: the victim may seem totally unaffected for a number of turns, then suddenly fall asleep at the first onset of danger. The potion has a duration of 10 + 1d6 turns.
Probably Mother Gloam's most dangerous weapon is her influence over the townsfolk themselves - particularly Derion,. If she and her co-conspirators fail in any action against the PCs, the next day Mother Gloam "does the rounds" of the villagers, subtly turning them against the travelers and creating an atmosphere of more paranoia, distrust, and coldness. She is sure to spend time with Derion, suggesting through the cards that the strangers might be in league with Albee.
Trevus: AC 10; MV 9/1 ; zero-level human; hp 2; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 6, I 13, W 7, D 9, C 4, Ch 8; AL LE; two daggers, unholy symbol of Horns of Asmodeus (hidden), 5 GP, 10 sp; age 25
Trevus, Mother Gloam's son, is badly deformed, with a club foot and a twisted, ugly face. Though he is as intelligent and sly as his mother, his intellect is blighted and unstable. This state was aided by the fact that the townsfolk reviled him from birth, forcing him to live in a hovel on the outskirts of Caermor. It was his desire to take revenge against the locals that led him to pledge his soul to Asmodeus in return for a minion to chastise the town.
Trevus's incipient madness shows itself as paranoia: everyone hates him and is out to get him, or so he believes. Even genuine friendship is really a facade for this imagined hatred. If Trevus is encountered by the characters, he tries to evade them if at all possible (and if he is not surprised). In any situation in which Belle is threatened, however, Trevus fights to the death to protect her. Being completely under Belle's influence, he would not be surprised to learn of her true identity but then, neither would he care.
Like his mother, Trevus doesn't like to admit that he and Mother Gloam are related. However, he is less dedicated to hiding this fact than she is.
Belle Fagor: Belle appears to be a human female child, age 10, of neutral alignment (actually the influence of a psionic power, aura alteration). This cute blonde child (note that her hair color makes her stand out from the locals who are dark- or red-haired) is actually Baalphegor, Princess of Hell. To enliven a short stretch of eternity, she visited Caermor in the form of an orphaned child (her parents, she claims, were killed by brigands on the road) to stir up trouble after Trevus's request for a devil became known in the Hells. At the present time, she lives with MacHeath, the pub owner.
Belle found Trevus tailor-made for her plans. Working her way into his sympathies and playing on his madness, she became the only person he likes and trusts, and uses him to control the operations of the coven. For now, she plans to let the coven think that it is in charge of things; the cruel truth will be delivered later. Desiring a break from the infernal politics of the Nine Hells, Baalphegor is enjoying herself and regards her inter-planar tinkering as a sort of game, with its own rules.
The purpose of this "game" is to test the mettle of the coven, seeing whether it is determined enough t be of further use in the future. As part of this test, Belle has ensured that the summoned devil is properly limited in its power (see description below) and understands that Belle, not the coven, is the real ruler in the area. Though she uses her influence over Trevus to protect the devil in the abandoned church and to keep the "fun" going, she does nothing directly, since that would be against the "rules" by which she plays her game. If the devil is killed and the coven is still relatively intact, she reveals herself to the coven and orders the conspirators into conflict with the party. If the coven and the devil are both defeated, she abandons the project and visits the adventurers in her childlike form, thanking them for the entertainment they have provided her. Then she transforms into her true devilish shape and vanishes, but not before darkly promising that she intends to have more "fun" with the party in the future, since it seems to think it's good at fighting devils.
Whenever Belle is encountered, she is standing off to the side, possibly in a shadowed doorway, watching the characters with an intense gaze. As soon as some character notices her, she leaves. In conversation, Belle is quiet but gives the feeling of wisdom beyond her age.
Belle's game is to watch people combating the devil and the coven, not to obliterate them. If any character attempts to physically attack Belle, she teleports away instantly or uses her powers to prevent injury to herself without inflicting damage on her attackers. If the attack is continued with any degree of determination and chance of success, however, she reveals her true nature and returns the attack with all her might.
The statistics for Baalphegor, as borrowed from DRAGON Magazine #76 ("The Nine Hells, Part II," by Ed Greenwood), are as follows:
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVE: 19 (Fly 29)
HIT DICE: 18 (82 hit points)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (51/2' tall)
Baalphegor is a cinnamon-brown female, apparently human but for her red eyes, forked tail, and slender, leathery wings. One of the Nine Hells' most artful and beautiful she-devils, Baalphegor is an honored diplomat and a consort to Mephistopheles, and counts Asmodeus as a close ally.
Young in looks, Baalphegor is magically skilled and can use the following spell-like powers, one at a time and once per round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, animate dead, dispel magic, charm person, suggestion, detect invisibility, enchant an item, permanency, teleport and (fulfill another's) limited wish. Once per day, she can employ a finger of death, unleash chain lightning, and heal herself. She causes fear (20' range) by pointing at the victim (save vs. spells at -2); she can summon 1-2 devils with a 75% chance of success. Baalphegor regenerates 1 hp damage every four rounds.
Though extremely powerful, Baalphegor was not included in order to crush the player characters. She should be played with care and cleverness, befitting her extreme intelligence.
Derion:
AC 10; MV 12"; F4; hp 25; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 17, I 10, W 9, D
12, C 16, Ch 12; AL N; pitchfork (if encountered outside town; treat as
trident), short sword, dagger, crude drawing of Gwendolyn (showing her
beauty), 15 GP, 20 sp, 25 cp, and a skin of whiskey; age 50
Derion, Gwendolyn's father, is the quintessential
Caermor man: stocky, strong, red hair and beard, and fierce when provoked
or drunk. Since Gwendolyn's disappearance, he has become more sullen and
has been "taking to his whiskey" quite seriously. He usually stays drunk
every waking hour so as not to feel the pain over the loss of his daughter;
when encountered, there is a 90% chance that he is drunk, but only to the
point of severe surliness. He never attacks anyone without provocation;
however, if Mother Gloam has had a chance to influence him, he will be
looking for such provocation. Derion is not stupid and won't take on a
large armed group. Rather, he tries to call out a single member for personal
combat.
Since Gwendolyn's disappearance, Derion, normally
a conscientious farmer, has let his farm chores slip, and his land shows
his preoccupation. From time to time he makes a cursory attempt to get
things back to normal, but most of his time is spent in the pub or walking.
Derion is a widower and has no other children.
MacHeath: AC 10; MV 12//; F3; hp 14; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 13, I 12, W 11, D 12, C 13, Ch 15; AL LE; two daggers, club (kept under bar), unholy symbol (hidden) of Horns of Asmodeus, 35 GP, 40 sp, 40 cp; age 40
MacHeath is the owner of the village's only pub (The Standing Stones). He is usually more closed-mouth than Derion because it suits his purposes - or, more correctly, Belle's purposes - to listen more than talk (a bartender is rarely noticed listening to a conversation and often confided in by drunk customers). He acts friendly toward strangers, though, to gain their confidence or to get information. Few know more about the residents and the happenings of the village than MacHeath.
MacHeath is a member of the conspiracy led by Trevus that conjured the devil now tormenting the town. The reasons for his involvement would seem a little obscure to his neighbors if they knew; he appears to !lave nothing to gain by the travail. Not so, in MacHeath's eyes. He has been working the pub, which was his father's before him - but, even though he is an integral part of the community, his status in the eyes of the farmers is fairly low because he does not work the land. MacHeath could bear this faint scorn if he were rich - unlike most other villagers, he has a dwarfs acquisitive nature - but he makes precious little from the pub. Mother Gloam has convinced him that the devil's presence will right the wrongs he perceives. Not only will the devil lay low those who hold him in ill repute, but he will also share in all booty that is collected as a result of the devil's rampages.
Even though he is a member of the conspiracy and acts as Belle's foster father, MacHeath is unaware of the child's true identity. He is not capable of examining this issue rationally since Belle has charmed him.
Lara: AC 10; MV 12//; zero-level human; hp
3; $AT 1; Dmg by weapon type;S 10, I 13,
W 13, D 11, C 10, Ch 13; AL LN; 2 GP and
5 sp; age 30
MacHeath's wife, Lara, works as assistant bartender and waitress at the pub. Worn down by long hours and subjugated by her husband, she is quiet and meek and seems considerably older than her 30 years.
Even though MacHeath makes the mistake of assuming she is stupid, Lara is not and knows more about the true state of affairs in the village than most. She is well aware that the city-boy Albee is not guilty of the recent atrocities, and is convinced that the guilty parties are actually closer to home, although she does not know exactly who they are. She is sure, however, that her husband is among them - when drunk, he often tells her of how grand their life will be "after it's all done" - and the certainty brings her great pain. She suspects nothing of Belle, but only because the child has charmed her.
Lara knows that she must do something, but knows that trying to take steps on her own only brings a beating from her husband. She sees in the adventurers an opportunity to do something positive. At any time she meets the characters, she sizes them up. If they seem trustworthy, she confides in them what she knows and suspects (everything except her husband's involvement), but only if MacHeath cannot observe her doing so. If MacHeath is around, she attempts to arrange a clandestine meeting with the characters, but in no way will she risk herself.
Norn: AC 10; MV 12//; F2; hp 8; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 11, I 13, W 13, D 10, C 11, Ch 10; AL N; dagger, club, 20 GP, and 15 sp; speaks elvish, dwarvish, and halfling; age 40
Norn is the village's tradesman; he collects the wool and other goods the village sells, strikes the deals with traveling merchants, then divides the revenue. In keeping with this responsibility, Norn is very hard-nosed, particularly with strangers. When it comes to money, he is extremely tight, never letting the right hand know what the left is doing.
Because of his hard ways, strangers might assume that Norn is disliked by the villagers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Norn is liked and respected by all in Caermor, and in return, he is exceedingly fair with all local people. With strangers, however, he is still honest in his dealings, but will take them for all they are worth in a trading situation.
Dougal: AC 10; MV 12//; F3/T3; hp 23; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 9, I 11, W 9, D 11, C 10, Ch 9; AL LE; pick pockets 40%, open locks 33%, find traps 30%, move silently 27%, hide in shadows 20%, hear noise 15%, climb walls 87%; two daggers (one in each boot), short sword, unholy symbol (hidden) of Horns of Asmodeus, small Celtic style harp (usually slung on a shoulder), small flute, 15 GP, and 25 sp; speaks elvish and dwarvish; age 35
As local minstrel, what Dougal lacks in size (he is barely 5'6") he more than makes up for in arrogance and swagger. He dresses in finer garb than most, favoring garish green kilts and cloaks.
Dougal's main character trait is conceit. Flattery is always met with sweeping good humor; anything that could be taken as a personal slight is met with anger and, if severe enough, drawn steel. Speaking with Dougal is one of life's more aggravating pursuits. The only thing that has kept the locals from putting an abrupt end to his career is the fact that he truly has talent: he can sing, play, and tell tales extremely well, even though he has never received bardic training.
Dougal is the final member of the conspiracy, and even though he will never admit it outright, his conversation is often sprinkled with comments that show he expects great things out of life in the very near future - starting with Gwendolyn as his personal slave.
Lane the Archer: AC 6; MV 12"; F3; hp 23; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 14, I 13, W 10, D 15, C 14, Ch 14; AL LG; scale mail, long sword, hand (throwing) axe, six darts, long bow, 24 arrows, three arrows + 1,75 GP, 18 sp, three gems (25 GP value each); age 25
Lane and his small band are among those who have come to try to rid Caermor of its tribulations. They heard of the occurrences while in Sta Fira, from a merchant who had stopped in at the village to trade for wool. Because of Lane's noble nature, he decided he and his party should do what they could to save the village. He and his friends arrived in Caermor three days before the characters put in an appearance and immediately discovered that the village did not want to be saved. Finding themselves unwelcome in the village, they set up camp outside and began their investigations from there. So far, they have discovered nothing. Lane does not know of the existence of Belle and has not yet met Lara, and thus knows nothing of her suspicions. He has come to the conclusion that Albee is not guilty - merely on the evidence of the dead sheep he has found - but can put forward no other theory. If asked, Lane refuses to join forces with the characters on the grounds that two groups working independently have a better chance of succeeding here than one large group. He does suggest exchanging information, however; anything one group finds out should be communicated to the other group. The DM can arrange for Lara to meet Lane if the group fails to meet her first.
Lane is by no means stupid, but he is sometimes naive in his belief that people are basically honest until proven otherwise. This open trust sometimes gets him into trouble. For himself, he holds chivalry and proper action above all else.
Lane and his followers may be guided about the adventure as the DM desires. They will rarely interfere with the characters' plans, but they might turn up in some unexpected places.
Tremayne and Verlayne: AC 8; MV 12"; zero-level humans; hp 5/5; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 13, I 11, W 11, D 13, C 12, Ch 11; AL LG; each has leather armor, shield, broad sword, hand (throwing) axe, six darts, and matching gold rings (15 GP each); age 19
Tremayne and Verlayne are identical twin brothers, friends and henchmen of Lane. A year or so ago, he saved them and Martha from a run-in with some orcs, and from that day forward, they threw in their lot with him. He equipped them and is in the process of training them, but they are hardly fighters yet; when trouble arises, they tend to be rather slow to respond. Both are similar to Lane - open and friendly - though maybe a little less naive, despite their fewer years.
Their loyalty to Lane is outweighed only by their protectiveness of Martha. Nothing brings them closer to being warlike than seeing someone bothering Martha.
Martha: AC 8; MV 12"; F1; hp 7; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 12, I 11, W 11, D 13, C 14, Ch 15; AL LG; leather armor (always concealed under light cloak), ring of protection + 1, short sword, three daggers, sling, 10 sling bullets, 5 GP, and a jade pendant on a gold chain (worth 30 GP); age 19
Martha, close friend (and no more) to Verlayne and Tremayne and henchman of Lane, appears to be a fragile maiden. In fact, she is considerably more fierce and more skilled than either brother. While the twins feel they have to protect her, it often falls to Martha to protect them. She is intelligent enough to recognize the advantage in not having this known; however, she tends to fake a whatever-will-become-of-me? helplessness, and her armor and weapons are always concealed. Her loyalty to Lane is strong (he saved her life, after all), but it is not as unquestioning as that of the brothers.
Albee: AC 10; MV 12"; zero-level human; hp 6; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 10, I 13, W 9, D 10, C 9, Ch 12; AL NG; short sword, two daggers, three darts, and a sketch pad filled with drawings of Gwendolyn; age 24
Albee is the outsider blamed by most villagers for the tribulations visited upon Caermor. He is an artist from Sta Fira, formerly a magic-user-in-training, and came to Caermor two months ago to sketch, paint, and experience the windswept heaths. Viewed as a ne'er-do-well by the townsfolk, he decided to avoid them, so he rented an old shack outside the village. He met Gwendolyn on a trip to the pub one day, and it was love at first sight for both. At first, their meetings were circumspect, but they became more open as the relationship deepened.
Albee is innocent of any slayings. As the atrocities escalated, he belatedly realized that the town was starting to look on him as the possible culprit, but he did not want to leave because of Gwendolyn. One fateful night, Gwendolyn came over to Albee's house unexpectedly; unwilling to let her leave with the monster about, Albee had her stay almost until dawn. Almost as soon as Gwendolyn had left, Mother Gloam pounded on his door and warned him that a posse was coming to get him for his dallying with the girl. Without questioning her, he fled.
Albee now hides in a small cave under the very hill that gives the village its name, living on roots and berries and an occasional rabbit. Affected by his solitary lifestyle and the strange noises at night, Albee's sanity has slipped; he is now quite paranoid and has a tendency to talk to his pictures of Gwendolyn. If Albee is encountered outside his cave, he is seen in the distance as a wild-looking man with ragged clothes and unruly hair, staring at the characters. Because of his familiarity with the terrain and his obsessive fear of others, his chance of evasion if pursued is increased by 25%. .
Gwendolyn:
AC 10; MV 12"; F1; hp 4; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 10, I 12, W 10,
D 12, C 11, Ch 13; AL NG; locket containing
small painting of Albee (given to her by Albee); age 18
Gwendolyn, the daughter of Derion, is the girl whose disappearance prompted the hunting of Albee. Captured by Mother Gloam's sleep spell only moments after leaving Albee's rented cottage, she is now the prisoner of the summoned devil in a deserted chapel. She is slated to be given to a coven member as a slave or else sacrificed to the glory of the Nine Hells if she becomes too difficult to control.
Though few of the townsfolk admit it (with the exception of Lara), Gwendolyn is a headstrong girl with a very good idea of what she wants. The locals see this as lack of respect, shaming her father Derion. Anyone pushing Gwendolyn in a direction she doesn't want to go is in for a fight. When (or if) she is rescued, she sets off at once to find Albee.
While imprisoned by the devil, Gwendolyn has not been mistreated at all Dougal would like her as part of his spoils and does not want damaged merchandise - but she has been kept bound and blindfolded. She cannot identify her captors by sight, but she has a 60% chance of identifying them by voice if she hears them speak once she has been freed; the chance of identifying Mother Gloam as one of her captors is 90%. She has also been kept under the influence' of Mother Gloam's narcolepsy potion (see Mother Gloam's character description for details). The most recent dose of the potion will be effective for 6 + Id6 turns after the characters find Gwendolyn. While imprisoned, Gwendolyn has been visited by Trevus, Mother Gloam, and Dougal (and has a chance of identifying their voices as listed above). She has not been visited by MacHeath. If questioned by the characters, she mentions that the devil often taunted her and that it mentioned something about its presence being at the will of "My Lady;' "Her Majesty;' or "The Princess."
The Monster:
Red abishai devil (AC 1; MV 18" 118"; HD 4 + 2; hp 30; #AT 2,
Dmg 2-5/2-5; SA grappling for 2-5 hp damage;
SD regenerate 1 hp/round unless harmed by silver, holy water, or holy weapons;
AL LE; spell (one per round): command, produce flame, pyrotechnics, scare)
The devil is a typical red abishai, matching the description in the Monstrous Manual (It is one of the Baatezu). Because of the rules under which Baalphegor is playing her game, she has forbidden the devil to summon another abishai or to use its change self power (she wants her opponents to know what they are up against). It uses its other abilities to best effect, however. The abishai escapes to harry the characters later (if possible), fights to the death if cornered, and never surrenders. Being as wicked as any devil can be, it has no redeeming qualities.
The chronology of events at the time of Gwendolyn's capture (two weeks prior to the party's arrival) is as follows:
Time
Event
8:00 P.M. Derion arrives at the pub, intending to stay the night.
8:30 P.M. Sunset
8:35 P.M.
Mother Gloam sees Gwendolyn arrive at Albee's house and decides to kidnap
her
10:00 P.M. The conspirators
meet at Trevus's house and discuss Mother Gloam's plans.
10:30 P.M. The meeting
breaks up; MacHeath and Dougal keep a watch on Albee's
house; Mother Gloam goes to the old chapel to consult with the Baatezu
3:30 A.M. Mother Gloam
joins MacHeath and Dougal near Albee's house, waiting for
Gwendolyn to leave
4:30 A.M. Gwendolyn
leaves Albee's house; using her sleep spell, Mother Gloam captures
Gwendolyn, and Dougal takes her to the old chapel and ties her up
4:45 A.M. MacHeath
wakes the village, saying Gwendolyn is missing; he stirs up the
posse
5:00 A.M. The posse
heads for Albee's house and is spotted by Mother Gloam, who
wakes Albee and warns him to flee; Albee escapes; Mother Gloam plants the
bloodstained robe (using blood from dead sheep) and hides, noting success
of
plan to confuse and terrorize villagers
This information should become available to the characters only through much research.
A number of special events occur after the party arrives in Caermor. The members of the coven have sense enough to realize that strangers, particularly adventuring ones, pose a threat to their plans. Any new group of strangers must be evaluated in terms of potential risk.
The night after the characters come to town, the coven meets at Trevus's shack to evaluate the group in terms of risk (Lane's group underwent this evaluation and, rightly or wrongly, were decided to be no risk). The conspirators meet at sunset (8:30 P.M.), taking the shortest route that won't lead them through the characters' or Lanes' campsites. During the meeting, the conspirators decide on the danger posed by the characters and what is to be done about them. This decision must be made by the DM, allowing for what the conspirators might have heard and seen of the characters. It should take into account such things as armor and weapons, group unity, and the apparent intelligence behind the characters' actions. If the DM decides that the conspirators see no threat posed by the characters, then nothing comes of the meeting. On the other hand, if they see the characters as a threat, then the coven takes the next step. Either way, the meeting breaks up at 9:00 P.M. with Dougal returning home, retracing his earlier route.
If the party is seen as no threat, then MacHeath returns home and Mother Gloam spends the night where she is; if the party is seen as dangerous, then Mother Gloam returns to the pub with MacHeath, carrying with her as many doses of her potion of narcolepsy as there are members in the characters' group. At the pub, she and MacHeath spike a barrel of ale, which MacHeath then takes to the characters campsite, arriving at 9:30 P.M.. He offers the ale to the characters; he knows the people of the village and the reception they give to strangers. Will the characters have a drink with him - at his expense - as a token of good will? He uses his charisma to the utmost to persuade the characters to drink and, if necessary to assuage any fears, he drinks with them. When all (or as many as possible) have drunk the ale, he leaves, wishing them a good night. Of course, MacHeath avoids all danger until the effects of Mother Gloam's potion wear off.
When he is gone, Mother Gloam approaches the campsite and, using what ever means seem most appropriate (possibly by using her ring of polymorph self to appear as Gwendolyn), tries to lead the party after her. If possible, she leads them into the marsh (with which she is very familiar), hoping that the combination of treacherous terrain, potion of narcolepsy, and marsh inhabitants put an end to them.
If she cannot entice the party away from their campsite, she gives up and vanishes into the night, heading for the old chapel as fast as she can run. There, she instructs the devil to attack the party, hoping that the potion gives it all the advantage it needs to finish them.
Note that the devil will not fight to the
death in this situation. If it finds itself overmatched, it withdraws.
If the devil is slain, Belle puts her own plans into action (see NPC description).
If the characters succeed in rescuing Gwendolyn, the adventure is still not over. Gwendolyn lets them know in no uncertain terms that she must find Albee to make sure that he is unharmed. The villagers are even harder to satisfy than Gwendolyn; even after the girl is brought back, they still want Albee's head on a platter, unless his innocence can be proven to them. Albee and Gwendolyn are likely to elope, heading for Sta Fira to start a new life together.
The problem of the coven exists separately from that posed by Gwendolyn. If the devil survives the rescue of Gwendolyn, it continues to harry the characters unmercifully. If the coven still exists but the devil is killed in the rescue, Belle reveals her true self to the coven and orders them to attack the characters as soon as possible, using all the wiles they have.
Note that merely killing the members of the coven or telling the villagers about their involvement won't do the trick. The villagers would take the side of any local (except for Trevus) over an outsider. Particularly for Mother Gloam and MacHeath, any evidence of guilt must be strong.
Even after the coven has been completely defeated, the PCs won't be totally free of the legacy of Caermor. Eternity is long, and Baalphegor almost certainly welcomes future opportunities for entertainment. These could be as simple as watching the PCs combat the occasional infernal creature dispatched to hound them or as elaborate as hiring them to retrieve some item stolen by someone (or something) she does not want to confront directly. Perhaps she could even require the PCs to aid her in some political machination she has planned in the Hells. Other opportunities for future adventures quickly suggest themselves to imaginative DMs; Albee may become a magic-user after all, and may meet the group again.
The map depicts the village itself. The following are the encounter areas in the town.
1. Village square.
In the middle is a weathered stone standing about'5' high, with a rusted pump emerging from it. The pump is low (3' off the ground) and still works, although the water is rusty. Close inspection of the stone shows almost obliterated runes in an ancient form of the common tongue (intelligence of 16 + required to read it). The only legible section of the scribbling reads:
. "... and did Aelfred Foehammer here, by the grace of Taranis Firehand, slay the dwarven chieftain, in the year 3014 O.D. ..:"
2. The Standing Stones.
The pub is the only two-story building in town, and is identified by a wooden sign showing a set of standing stones similar to those at Stonehenge. Downstairs is a dilapidated barroom with a wooden bar at one end and a stone fireplace at the other. Behind the bar are tuns of ale and, concealed under the bar, three earthenware flasks of a fiery distilled liquor. In the corner of the bar is a ladder to a trapdoor in the ceiling which leads to MacHeath and Lara's room. MacHeath carries most of the bar's cash with him (20-200 GP).
3. Norn's house and warehouse.
The warehouse area is half-full of bales of raw wool. In a locked chest are record books and 110 GP, 100 GP, and 50 cp Norn is present 80% of the time, night and day. When he is not around, the building is securely locked. A trap is also set on the main door: if not first disarmed with a special key, a heavy crossbow fires a bolt into the first person to pass through the door (treat the crossbow as a 5 HD monster for hit determination, taking into account armor class modification, but discounting dexterity bonuses; Dmg 1-6).
4. Blacksmith's smithy and forge.
5. Dougal's house.
Unlike the other buildings in town, Dougal's house is brightly decorated with paint and with cloth hanging in the windows. Dougal is present 25% of the time. Concealed under Dougal's bed is another Horns of Asmodeus symbol and 5 gems (worth 25 GP each).
6. Mother Gloam's house.
The main room is decorated in bright, clashing colors, similar to Mother Gloam's clothes. The back room is an herbalist's laboratory, complete with mortar and pestle, earthenware bowls and retorts, bags of herbs, ,etc. On a shelf are seven flasks of potion. Three are potions of narcolepsy; three are spoiled (they taste very bad, but have no effects); one is a purgative. Mother Gloam is present 25% of the time, day or night.
The following are encounter areas in this vicinity.
1. Albee's shack.
Now deserted. The front door has been broken off its hinges.
2. Caermor.
This is the windswept hill that gives the village its name.
3. Albee's cave.
Halfway up a very steep rock slope, the cave is well concealed behind a particularly large rock. The walls are covered with drawings of Gwendolyn, seemingly done with a charred stick. Albee is present 50% of the time by day and 100% of the time by night.
4. Standing stones.
Like the stones on the pub's sign, these are like a small version of Stonehenge. They are aged and weathered, and the cross-pieces across the tops of the stones have been cast down. Half-eroded dwarven runes remain on some of the stones; anyone who speaks dwarvish can recognize their nature, but they are weathered to illegibility.
Many generations ago, a human general named Aelfred Foehammer descended upon the area with a mighty army of humans and elves, intending to wipe out the evil dwarves that dwelt in the area. The final battle took place upon this hill -- since named Caermor (meaning "Hill of Death") - among these stones. The dwarven leader, Balorn, saw his force disintegrating and knew his own end was near. His final act was a prayer to the dwarven god of revenge, Cador, for the power to take undying vengeance. His prayer was granted. As the final blow fell, Balorn was no longer there to receive it. He had become a shade, with vengeance against humans and elves his only goal.
Balorn is only encountered between sunset and sunrise, and only within the compass of the standing stones. There, he uses the most effective means available to wreak his vengeance on any human or elf that enters his ken. As befits any dwarf who swears fealty to the evil Cador (whether the dwarf is alive or undead), Balorn is clean shaven - an abomination in the eyes of any other dwarf (dwarven shade: AC 5; MV 6" ; F4; hp 25; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; S 15, I 10, W 9, D 13, C 15, Ch 8; AL CE; shield + 1 (not used), chain mail, battle axe, hand (throwing) axe, and two gems worth 100 GP each; see Monstrous Manual for the powers of shades).
5. Deserted chapel.
This old stone building, blocky and rather ugly in design, with a squat bell tower, is shown in more detail later. The summoned devil now lives here.
6. Trevus's house.
Trevus is present 50% of the time by day and 90% of the time at night.
7. Campsite of Lane's group.
The site consists of a fire pit and four bedrolls; four light horses are always tethered nearby. By day there is a 50% chance that each of Lane, Tremayne, Verlayne, and Martha is present (determine for each individually); by night the chance is 90% each.
8. Marsh.
The ground is so treacherous that anyone who does not know the
few safe trails has a 30% chance each round of becoming trapped. Becoming trapped (sinking in the mud, often up to the knees) immobilizes the victim, eliminating dexterity bonus to armor class. To break free, a victim must do nothing else that round except try to extricate himself, and must roll his strength or less on a 1d20. Others can assist, adding half of their strength to the victim's figure for the purpose of this roll, but their own chance of becoming trapped rises to 75% for that round. Rangers, druids, barbarians, and monks have a 5% chance per level of distinguishing sound land from bad.
The marsh is home of nine muckdwellers (AC 6; MV 3" //12"; HD 112; hp 4, 4, 4,4,3,3,3,2, 1; HAT 1; Dmg 1-2; SA blinding water jet; AL LE). Any encounter in the marsh is with them. Hidden among the swamp grass in the center of the marsh is the muckdwellers' treasure: 350 GP, 200 sp, two long swords (non-magical), a dagger + 1 , and a non-magical helmet with a 1,500 GP
emerald set in the brow. There is a 50% chance
that at any time, the muckdwellers are accompanied by a giant vulture (AC
7; MV 3" /24"; HD 2 + 1; hp 13; #AT 1; Dmg 1-4;
AL N).
9. Derion's farmhouse.
Derion is there 25% of the time, day or night.
10. Other farmhouses.
These (and their inhabitants) may be created
as the DM desires.
This old deserted chapel is inhabited by the abishai devil. The ceiling height is 9' unless otherwise stated.
1. Priest's chamber.
A decayed cot and table have been left behind.
The room is occupied by two giant rats (AC 7; MV 12"//6"; hp4, 2; #AT 1;
Dmg 1-3; AL NE).
2. Robing room.
Hooks around the walls identify this as a robing room. A ladder leads up to a closed trap door in the ceiling. Close observation shows that the dust on the floor has been recently disturbed.
3. Chapel.
The room has no windows, but empty torch brackets on the walls indicate how it was lit. The altar at the south end of the room appears to be a solid block of rough-hewn stone with no markings or inscriptions. Observation of the floor shows that the dust has been recently disturbed, particularly around the altar. Examination of the altar itself shows fresh scratches (possibly from claws) at the southwest and southeast bottom corners of the altar.
The altar is actually hollow and opens from south to north, like a very thick trap door. The chance of opening it each round equals a character's open doors roll. Below the altar is a steep stairway leading down into darkness.
4. Storage.
Behind a secret door is a storage room for altar fittings. Only a few remain: a green silk altar cloth (worth 50 GP), two gold candlesticks (125 GP each), and a gold goblet studded with opals (300 GP).
5. Bell tower.
The ceiling here is 15' high. The trapdoor from the robing room opens directly into the bell tower. The single bell remains, though very corroded. The clapper is missing, however. The tower has four arched openings, 4' off the floor, 8' high, and 10' wide, one centered in each wall. By day, the tower is always vacant. At night, there is a 25% chance that the devil is present. If it hears any noise from down below, it certainly investigates and fights to the death.
6. Stairs.
These descend 30' below the altar.
7. Food storage room.
Some supplies were obviously left behind by the last occupants of the chapel: spoiled salted beef, barrels of soured wine, and moldy sacks of grain. A closer look shows that there is some fresher food, though, not more than a week or two old.
8. Well room.
In the center of the room, a well with a low stone parapet drops 10' to brackish (but drinkable) water.
9. Private chapel.
The room is normally lit by one torch in a bracket on the wall. In the southwest corner is a large wooden cage containing Gwendolyn. Her hands are bound behind her back and she is blindfolded. The devil is present 100% of the time by day and 30% of the time by night. Mother Gloam is present 30% of the time, day or night. If the devil or Mother Gloam are present and they hear the altar being moved (75%), they extinguish the torch and lie in ambush (no chance of surprise).
10. Storage room.
What little booty the devil has been able to collect (remember, it's a poor village) is here: 95 GP, 75 sp, and 80 cp.