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Unearthing
the Past
Episode
Three: Good Dwarven Craftsmanship
by
Jesse Decker
Unearthing
the Past is a four-part Cliffhangers adventure for three to five
1st-level characters. Characters who survive the adventure should
advance to second level. Dungeon Masters can easily modify the adventure
to accommodate higher level characters by increasing the number of
foes in each encounter. Many of the villains are humanoids, so another
good way to adjust the Encounter Levels within the adventure is to
substitute more powerful humanoids in each encounter.
Adventure
Background
The
third episode of Unearthing the Past takes place in a dwarven
ruin located a few miles northwest of the village of Travensburg. In
episodes one
and two, the
players traced a group of human and orc raiders back to the ruins.
The
first thing the Trember brothers did when they occupied the ruin was
to get access to the lower levels. The brothers found and repaired an
ingenious dwarven lift. The lift uses a series of pulleys, cranks, and
catches to give access to the two lower levels of the ruin.
The
lift moves between levels very slowly. As a standard action, one character
on the lift may attempt to move it 5 feet up, or control the lift’s
speed and descend 10 feet. To raise the lift or to control its descent,
the character must succeed at a DC 10 Strength check. The crank apparatus
on the lift was designed for only one person to use. In a pinch, one
person can assist.
As
the PCs approach the lift, they have a chance to hear its chains moving
through the pulleys. Characters within 30 feet of the door to the room
who succeed at a DC 15 Listen check can hear the chains rattling. Five
rounds after the rattling begins, the orcs arrive at level one, and
the noise stops.
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Orcs
(4): CR 2; SZ Medium-sized humanoid (6 ft., 6 in. tall), HD
1d8; hp 4, 5, 5, 6; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14 (+4 scale mail);
Atk +3 melee (1d12+3/crit x3, greataxe); SQ –1 penalty
to attack rolls in sunlight; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Wil
–1; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8.
Skills
and Feats: Listen +4, Spot +3; Alertness
Special
Qualities: Orcs suffer a –1 penalty to attack rolls
in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Possessions:
Each orc has scale mail, a greataxe, and a pouch containing
20 sp.
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Area
4: Lift Room, Level 2
The
second-level lift room contains support beams and part of the pulley
system, but nothing else of interest. Because of their fear of the choker
in Area 5, the orcs and the Trembers pass through this area as quickly
as possible.
Area
5: The Cliffhanger (EL 2)
This
room, like the lift room on this level, has been left relatively untouched
by the Trembers and their humanoid servants. The orcs that first explored
the level were killed by the choker that hides in the rubble at the
end of the southern corridor. The choker dragged the bodies into this
room after finishing with them. Characters who succeed at a DC 5 Spot
check notice the bodies right away.
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The
door to this room lies broken in the passageway. There are old,
dried bloodstains on the floor, big enough to be noticeable
even in torchlight. Unlike the rooms of the first level, this
chamber shows few signs of recent occupation: two bodies that
seem to have been dragged there.
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Choker:
CR 2; Small Abberation (4 ft. 2 in. tall); HD 3d8+3; hp 18 (wounded,
currently 16 hp); Init +4 (Improved Initiative); Spd 20 ft.,
climb 10 ft.; AC 16 (+1 size, +5 natural); Atk +6/+6 ( 1d3+3
[x2] tentacle slap); Reach 10 ft.; SA constrict 1d3+3; AL CE;
SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Wil +4; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 4, Wis
13, Cha 7
Skills
and Feats: Climb +16, Hide +7, Move Silently +4; Improved
Initiative
SA–Haste
(Su): The choker may take an extra partial action each turn
as if affected by the haste spell.
SA–Improved
Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the choker must hit an opponent
of up to Large size with a tentacle attack. If it gets a hold,
it can constrict.
SA–Constrict
(Ex): A choker deals 1d3+3 points of damage with a successful
grapple check against Large or smaller creatures. Because it
seizes victims by the neck, a creature in the choker’s
grasp cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components.
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The choker hides in the rubble at the end of the southern passage. As
the party leaves the area, the choker attempts to Move Silently and
grab the last member of the group. Because it has used the rubble many
times, the choker gets a +5 circumstance bonus to its Hide check while
in the rubble.
About
the Author
Before becoming
managing editor of TopDeck
magazine , Jesse Decker worked as assistant editor for Dragon.
Unearthing the Past was inspired by his current campaign, which
he runs for coworkers.
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