Three Days to Kill, the inaugural product in Atlas Games’ Penumbra line of D20/D&D supplements, was one of the best low-level modules I’ve ever read. It was one of those gaming products that make you instantly eager to call up your gaming group, roll up some characters, and get down to some serious roleplaying.

Thieves in the Forest, the second product form Penumbra, is a little less cool – but, nonetheless, a solid product that’s worthy of your consideration.

Warning: From this point forward, this review will contain spoilers for Thieves in the Forest. Players who may end up playing in this module are encouraged to stop reading now. Proceed at your own risk.

The plot of Thieves is painfully simple: The PCs are in the town of Brandon’s Bridge, which is located in a forest. There are thieves in the forest. The PCs need to track down the thieves.

That’s it. There are no twists here. No intrigues to be unraveled. No tricks up this product’s sleeves: Its called Thieves in the Forest, and that’s exactly what you get.

In general there are two reasons I’ll pick up a module: First, I may pick it up because it looks like it has some creative, intriguing ideas – or at least enough spin on some common themes to give me a unique look at something I’m already familiar with. Thieves is not that type of module. Even the slowest among us, I think, can come up with a plot like “hunt down the bad guys in the woods and kill them.”

However, the second reason I’ll pick up a module is wholly utilitarian: I don’t have enough time to do the actual grunt work of writing up an adventure, and I want somebody to do it for me.

This is the level where Thieves in the Forest is operating: John Nephew may not deliver something as clever or exciting as John Tynes’ Three Days to Kill, but he does deliver a well-executed product. With a little over a half dozen consistent and interesting encounter areas (a couple of which have some nice little twists to them), Thieves is full of all the little crunchy bits which we busy GMs don’t have time to put into practice for ourselves.

Thieves in the Forest also helps further Penumbra’s growing reputation for taking that extra little step necessary to take something typical and make it noteworthy: A full-color poster map is included of the thieves’ lair (located in the abandoned temple of a sun god) – an extremely useful tool when it comes to actually running the final assault.

So, if you’re looking for a product which will stir your imagination and set you mind racing with undreamt of possibilities… Thieves in the Forest isn’t for you.

But if you’re looking for a simple, rock solid module to run on Friday night because you’ve been working overtime all week and haven’t had even one spare minute to prepare your adventure notes… then this is precisely what the doctor ordered. Check it out.

Writer: John Nephew
Publisher: Atlas Games (Penumbra)
Price: $8.95
Page Count: 26
ISBN: 1-887801-95-2
Product Code: AG3201

This review was not originally written for RPGNet. It was most likely submitted to Pyramid Magazine. I’m uncertain why it was rejected. It might have been because Steven Marsh, the editor, was being inundated with D20-related reviews and didn’t want them drowning out the rest of the review section (although I think that was mostly a concern that cropped up later). More likely, it’s because another freelancer had already successfully submitted a review of the book. (This was the most common reason for review submissions at Pyramid to get bumped.)

In any case, the rejection happened and so it was easy enough to repurpose the review for RPGNet. As a result, you may notice that the format and length differ a bit from my other RPGNet reviews in this period.

For an explanation of where these reviews came from and why you can no longer find them at RPGNet, click here.

In the Belly of the Beast is not only an excellent product in its own right, it deserves to be the template by which other adventures will be written.

Review Originally Published May 21st, 2001

Not only is every Penumbra product from Atlas Games a tour de force of excellence, each betrays an immense talent which is capable of constantly providing a fresh perspective to every aspect of a high quality product. In the Belly of the Beast, sprung forth from the brow of Mike Mearls, offers no contradiction to this rapidly emerging reputation.

PLOT & CONCEPT

Warning: This review will contain spoilers for In the Belly of the Beast. Players who may find themselves playing in this adventure should not read beyond this point.

In the Belly of the Beast begins when the players are approached by Bruno Mezzia, son of Hallan Mezzia and heir of House Mezzia – a powerful and wealthy family in possession of a trading empire. He wants the PCs to help him take care of the Ring of Iron, a local guild of thieves and slavers which has been causing problems. What the PCs don’t know, though, is that Bruno is trying to establish his own position of power within the city’s underworld – and is planning to use the PCs to do it.

When the PCs and Bruno attempt to go after a stronghold of the Ring of Iron located in the city’s sewer system, however, things go wrong: Unknown to Bruno (or the PCs), a member of the Ring of Iron has come into possession of a rare and strange magical item belonging to a necromancer. In fact, the necromancer from whom they had stolen it had – in turn – stolen it from a tribe of orcs.

What none of them knew is that the magic item in question was a chrysalis – an egg from which the demon Vog Mor would be born into the world. While located in the sewer stronghold, the egg has hatched – trapping the Ring of Iron, the necromancer’s apprentice (who killed his master and now pretends to be the master), and a war party of orcs who came after the egg inside the belly of the slowly emerging Vog Mor.

Bruno and the PCs, of course, end up in exactly the same place.

So, to sum up:

The PCs, the head of a would-be crime family, a gang of slavers, a war party of orcs, and a would-be necromancer (who is slowly going insane) are all trapped in the belly of a demon who, in a few short hours, is going to wake up and take over the world.

Cool.

SOMETHING NEW IN MODULES

“This adventure is roleplaying-intensive.”

How many times have you seen a module claim that? 15? 50? 500 times? How many times have you read those modules and then found out the author was telling you a bald-faced lie?

Every single time, right?

The problem with writing a “roleplaying-intensive” module is that, by its very nature, character interactions cannot be as neatly summed up as “when you open the door you see 5 orcs in a 10’ x 10’ room playing poker”. Monsters meant for slaying, traps meant for escaping, dungeons meant to explore. These can be quantified, described, and mapped with precision. Negotiations with King Strophius to release the Mycenaen prince he holds for ransom? That’s a bit more difficult to put down on paper – and ultimately relies upon the particular DM and PCs who are handling the negotiations.

So “roleplaying-intensive” adventures are an interesting conundrum: You can make ‘em. You can run ‘em. You just can’t buy ‘em.

Or so I thought.

There are times when I love being proved wrong.

In the Belly of the Beast is a roleplaying-intensive adventure, and it really, really, really works. No, really: It does. Would I lie to you?

So how does Mearls do it?

First, he gives you five different factions of power in the demon’s belly: The PCs (which he, of course, leaves undefined), Bruno Mezzia and his thugs, the Ring of Iron slavers, the Blood Hatchet orc war party, and the “necromancer” and his servant. Each group is detailed, and each member of the group is detailed – giving the DM a full grasp on his cast of characters.

Next, he gives everyone a common goal: Escape the demon belly.

Then, he gives everyone a common enemy: The servants of the demon who are trying to get past the impromptu barricade and kill everyone.

And then, to round out the foundation of the scenario, he gives everyone a reason for distrusting everyone else – and a reason to ally with one another against the others.

Into this potently developed dynamic, Mearls then adds an exhaustively detailed series of events (and potential events) which allow the mutable plot of the adventure to form. Mearls carefully designs this episodic plot so that it can adapt to whatever actions the PCs may take, giving the DM a strong helping hand without forcing them to tie their players into strait jackets. At the same time, he doesn’t allow the episodic nature of his narrative structure to dominate the actual playing experience – tying his events to each other in a variety of ways, so that the underlying dynamic of the scenario will create a holistic and memorable gaming experience no matter who plays it… or how.

CONCLUSION

So, at the end of the day, In the Belly of the Beast lays claim to being something a little different, something a little new, and something which should definitely find its way into your gaming library. In fact, if your players aren’t able to look back fondly and say, “Hey, remember that time we were stuck in the belly of Vog Mor?” then you’ve definitely made a big mistake in not grabbing this module up and running it.

Now, a real quick note on a weakness I think the product has: It is marketed as containing a “tear-out section”. This section contains the stat sheets for the major NPCs, a combat chart, a hand-out, and the adventure’s map. I, honestly, cannot imagine anyone actually bothering to tear this section out of the module – and the net result is that information which could have been presented in a truly useful manner, now disrupts the lay-out of an otherwise excellently presented adventure. While I applaud Penumbra for experimentation on the one hand, on the other I wish that they would focus on producing the high quality product they’ve proven they’re ably capable of producing and leave the gimmicks for when they are truly deserved and needed.

That’s my assessment as a reviewer, GM, and player. Now, if you’ll indulge me for a moment, I’d like to pass my judgment on this product as a freelancer who has written or contributed to roughly half a dozen D20 products:

In the Belly of the Beast establishes a paradigm for developing roleplaying-intensive modules. Mearls is, of course, building upon design tools which have been developed before, but, to my eyes, he has done so by creating the ground floor of something that deserves a very close look. I, personally, am already working on a module which will play around with and develop these concepts – and, once I’m done with that, I’m probably going to take a look at combining it with an old idea of my own and seeing how they can be combined to enhance a dungeon environment. I encourage other freelancers (and GMs) to look at Mearls’ work in this light as well – not only to duplicate what he has done, but also to open your minds to doing things using new tools and methods.

Okay, I’m off my soapbox. You can stop reading and go out to buy your own copy now.

…

No, seriously. I’m done.

…

C’mon. Get out of here.

…

Look, I’m going to call the cops if you don’t leave!

…

Okay, that’s it. You’re in trouble now, big guy! You just wait and see!

Style: 4
Substance: 5

Author: Mike Mearls
Publisher: Atlas Games
Line: Penumbra
Price: $8.95
ISBN: 1-887801-96-0
Product Code: AG3202
Pages: 32

This adventure had a HUGE impact on me as a GM. I’ve previously discussed its influence on the Universal NPC Roleplaying Template, and you can trace its impact all the way into So You Want to Be a Game Master. I think it would be fair to say it’s directly or indirectly impacted almost every single roleplaying scene I’ve run in the past quarter century.

I also remember it being incredibly effective in actual play. The faction setup, the flexible diplomatic relations, the event sequence, and the looming threat of Vog Mor all combined beautifully. (Although, if I recall correctly, I souped things up with some material from The Book of Fiends.)

So, yeah, this one is a certifiable classic. Really deserves to be on more Best Adventures of All-Time lists.

For an explanation of where these reviews came from and why you can no longer find them at RPGNet, click here.

Go to Part 1

LABORATORY #24: WHITE DRAGON CASSANDRA

This area is inhabited by the white wyrm Cassandra. She betrayed the Arn, but a sorcerer named Sargas stole her blue key, stranding her here. She will be instantly enraged by anyone with a Sorcerous Brand of Arn, but might be willing to negotiate with others if they can release her. She knows the entire blue network of teleportals.

AREA A – CAVERN OF ICE: All of the caverns are coated in ice. This is where Cassandra primarily lairs (75%). She will crawl up the icy walls, skittering here and there with seemingly impossible speed.

AREA B – CASSANDRA’S HOARD: Cassandra is here 25% of the time.

• Coins: 12,880 sp, 4,320 gp, 106 pp
• Gems/Jewelry: banded agate (10 gp), tourmaline (60 gp), silver pearl (130 gp), violet garnet (430 gp), silver anklet (30 gp), crystal bowl and pitcher (300 each), mithral wind chime (400 gp), silver broach inscribed “Tauros of Minoc” (800 gp), holy vestments of samite bearing the holy symbol of Vehthyl (1,000 gp), golden pendant with ruby (1,700 gp)
• Items: divine scroll (bull’s strength), arcane scroll (unseen servant, spectral hands), arcane scroll (burning hands, disguise self, minor image), arcane scroll (suggestion, tongues), potion of levitate, potion of resist energy (fire), +1 short sword, wand of magic missiles (5th level caster, 34 charges), +1 frost longsword

AREA C – CASSANDRA’S EGGS: 6 white dragon eggs, worth 2,000 gp each. Bitter cold to the touch.

• Freezing Zone: All of the small caverns in this area are artificially cold, inflicting 1d6 points of cold damage per round (Fort DC 20 negates).

AREA D – TELEPORTALS:

• D1: Teleportal to area 23.
• D2: Teleportal to area 25.
• D3: Teleportal to area 21.

---

CASSANDRA – ADULT WHITE DRAGON (CR 10+2*): LE Large Dragon
DETECTION – blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, Listen +10, Spot +10; Init +0; Aura frightful presence; Languages Common, Draconic, Elven
DEFENSES – AC 26 (-1 size, +17 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 26; hp 576 (18d12+72); DR 5/magic; Immune cold, paralysis, sleep; Resist spell 18; Vulnerable fire
ACTIONS – Spd 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor); Melee bite +24 (2d6+6), 2 claws +18 (1d8+3), 2 wings +18 (1d6+3), and tail slap +18 (1d8+9); Ranged +17; Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite); Base Atk +18, Grapple +28; SA breath weapon, spells; Combat Feats: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Flyby Attack, Hover, Power Attack, Snatch
SQ blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., frightful presence, icewalking, spell resistance 18
STR 23, DEX 10, CON 19, INT 18, WIS 11, CHA 12
FORT +15, REF +11, WILL +11
FEATS: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Flyby Attack, Hover, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (bite)
SKILLS: Appraise +9, Bluff +8, Concentration +11, Diplomacy +8, Fly +7, Intimidate +11, Jump +14, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (the planes) +7, Perception +10, Search +9, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +1

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6)
3/day—fog cloud, gust of wind

Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1)
1^st (4/day, DC 14)—obscuring mist, bless, entropic shield, shield of faith
0^th (5/day, DC 13)—create water, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, light

Breath Weapon (Su): 6d6 cold (Reflex DC 23, half damage), recharge in 1d4 rounds

Frightful Presence (Su): 180 ft. radius, 18 HD or less, Will save (DC 20) or shaken for 4d6 rounds

Icewalking (Ex): Like spider climb on icy surfaces.

*Potentate.

---

LABORATORY #25: THE LESSER TOMB

Swastika-shaped halls (inverted compared to Laboratory #17). The walls are undulated in irregular wave patterns. There is a large sarcophagus of iron at the center of the swastika.

SARCOPHAGUS: Bears the appearance of a man armored in ornate plate with a crystal ball clutched in his hands.

• Trap: The sarcophagus is filled with burnt othur fumes (Inhaled DC 18, 1 Con drain/3d6 Con), Search DC 16 (pneumatic mucus seal), Disable Device DC 24 (need something to vent the fumes into)
• Corpse: The corpse wears technomantic animated armor; a high metal collar is plugged into the desiccated corpse’s head.
• Potion: In the corpse’s hands is a stoppered vial filled with an oily green paste. Anyone who slathers this paste into their eyes and ears will enter a delirious fugue for nine hours, during which time they will commune with the Demon Gods. At the end of this time, they must make a Fortitude save (DC 32) to avoid blindness and deafness and a Will save (DC 25) to avoid insanity.
• Alchemy/Spellcraft (DC 25): To conclude how the paste is to be applied (based on bio-magical catalysts), but there’s no way to determine what it actually does short of divination.

POWER LEAK: The magicks worked in this hall have been damaged, resulting in a slow arcane power leak. Once per minute, arcane spellcasters must make a Will save (DC 20) or lose a random spell of the highest level they have prepared. Characters with magical equipment must make a similar save or one of their magical items loses +1 or a random ability. It requires a Spot check (DC 24, -1 per failure) to notice what’s happening. (The leak is a temporary draining of magical potential and equipment abilities return at a rate of +1 or one ability every 24 hours.)

TELEPORTALS: Located in each end of the swastika. Non-operational red, two operational blue, and a black.

• Black Teleportal: No key for this teleportal can be found in the current network. (If it could somehow be activated, it would lead to a different network of laboratories not on the map.)

---

TECHNOMANTIC ANIMATED ARMOR

Animated armor resembles plate armor, but it is covered in moving iron bars, some gearlike apparatus, and even tough, resilient tubing. All the plates and pieces of the armor share sturdy joints and connections so that, once the wearer has donned the suit, it is more like an outer shell than armor. The wearer must attach her headclamp inside the helmet of the animated armor. Without a headclamp, this armor functions as normal plate armor, except that it weighs more. The devices attached to the armor allow it to move under its own power, as directed by the wearer. Thus, it adds its strength to the wearer’s, granting a +4 enhancement bonus to her Strength score. Further, because the armor can walk and run for the wearer, she can move twice the distance she normally could travel before facing fatigue. It provides an armor bonus of +9, has a maximum maximum Dexterity of +2, an armor check penalty of –2, and an arcane spell failure chance of 40 percent.

Headclamp activation; Craft DC 42; Price 20,000 gp; Weight 80 lbs.

Headclamp: A chaos surgeon inserts this small deviceinto the temple of a living creature, or otherwise near the brain. The living portions of the device instantly heal thesurgical wound, then extend tiny filaments into the host’s brain while keeping a small circular opening available on the outside of the head. Numerous non-intrinsic chaositech devices have tubes or other extensions that attach to this opening and clamp into place. This connection allows a device to receive mental commands or to transfer information directly into the host’s brain. The headclamp has no intrinsic abilities or benefits. A host can have no more than two headclamps. Should someone attack a headclamp cord, it has an Armor Class of 14 + the host’s Dexterity bonus. The DM may also grant the cord any of the host’s dodge, deflection, or other Armor Class modifiers, but not armor bonuses, unless the headclamp is a part of the armor (as with animated armor). The cord has a hardness of 1 and 5 hit points. Headclamp cords are fairly easy to repair (Craft (chaotic technomancy) DC 18), but a device that requires the connection cannot function until the broken cord is repaired. One can pull a cord out of a headclamp with a Strength check (DC 8).

Chaos Surgery DC 22; Procedure Time one hour; Recovery Period one day; Price 10,000

---

LABORATORY #26: THE THRONE

A broad, circular chamber of dark, silver-grey stone. There are three teleportals around the periphery of the room. On a throne of black stone in the center of the room is draped a mass of purple putrescence.

PURPLE PUTRESCENCE: If approached, the purple putrescence will suddenly rear up, revealing a horribly bloated and deformed face. It wants nothing more than death after long centuries of decayed existence. “Kill me…” (But its body will fight to the death out of pure instinct.)

THRONE:

• Search (DC 22): The throne can be pushed back, revealing a vertical tunnel of stone with a ladder of mithril. Climbing down the ladder has the effect of a permanent rope trick, emerging onto a stone table in the middle of a stone circle near Oakhill in the Borderlands.
• Search (DC 28): Compartment on the back of the throne contains a RED KEY and a bejeweled crown (worth 10,000 gp).

---

PURPLE PUTRESCENCE (CR 11): 137 hp (15d8+70), AC 22, slimy protuberance +20/+20 (2d8+7), Save +14, Ability DC 20
Str 17, Dex 10, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 6, Cha 4
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) +20, Perception +14, Spellcraft +20
DR 10/acid or slashing
Regenerate 20 (vulnerable: cold iron)

---

Any material in this post not indicated as Product Identity in the Open Gaming License is released by Creative Common Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

Go to Part 1

LABORATORY #22: COUNCIL CHAMBERS

A long, oval chamber with a circular bulge in the middle filled with a low, stone table surrounded by multi-hued floor cushions. In the center of the table is a large contraption of colored glass.

Around the perimeter of the chamber stand six stone statues depicting knights dressed in full plate and regalia. At one end of the chamber stands a seventh statue of a man in tattered crimson robes.

PERCEPTION (DC 16): The seventh statue is incredibly life-like and its cloths drift slightly in the slight breeze from the incoming teleport.

STONE GUARDIANS: The six stone statues are stone guardians who will attack anyone without the Sorcerous Brand of Arn.

SEVENTH STATUE: This man has been permanently paralyzed save for his eyes and brain. His mouth is frozen in a scream. After centuries in this state, he is quite insane.

KEY RECALL DEVICE: The glass contraption in the center of the chamber can be used to recall any extant keys for the teleportation network.

• Arcana (DC 20): To figure out that there are six concealed levers that must be depressed simultaneously. (However, these levers only work if depressed by someone with the Sorcerous Brand of Arn.)
• Arcana (DC 25): To conclude that there is a color-coded selector device. Three of the colors (black, purple, and yellow) have been smashed. Three others (red, green, and blue) have not.
• Arcana (DC 35): To discover an additional selection device coding for specific “etheric frequency”. Several such frequencies are attuned to each color. (These were unique codes which could be used to pull back a particular key, thus revoking someone’s access to the teleportal network. There’s no way to determine which code belongs to which person/key without the original code books, which are not present.)
• There are 2d4+1 of each color key type left in the world (including any possessed by the PCs). Determine randomly to see if the PCs pull back one of their own keys.

---

STONE GUARDIAN (CR 6): 60 hp (8d8+24), AC 19, slam +11/+11 (2d6+4), Save +9, Ability DC 16
Str 20, Dex 11, Con -, Int 10, Wis 6, Cha 11
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) +11, Perception +8, Spellcraft +11
DR 10/adamantine
SR 18

---

LABORATORY #23: LABS OF THE ARBORETUM

Map Courtesy of Dyson Logos

AREA A – TELEPORTALS:

• A1: Teleportal to/from area 21.
• A2: Teleportal to/from area 24.
• A3: Teleportal to/from area 22. And a black teleportal. (No key for the black teleportal is present in the current network. If it could somehow be activated, it would lead to a different network of laboratories not on the map.)

AREA B – FOREST CAVERN: A large, vaulted cavern filled with thick, green foliage.

• Husks(x3): Inhabit this cavern.

AREA C – FOREST CAVERN: A large, vaulted cavern filled with thick, green foliage. About half way up the wall of the cavern (50′ high up to 70′ or so) runs a curved ramp.

• Dormant Arboreoid: In the center of this area is the Dormant Arboreoid. It bears dozens of curious green-red fruits that do not spoil after being picked. If more than three fruits are plucked in a single day, however, the creature awakens. (Use roper stats.)
• Fruits: The fruits are bitter to the taste, but they immediately have the effect of a cure light wounds potion on the eater.

AREA D – UNDERPASS: This underpass is inhabited by four powerleeches (which will drop from above or rush out from small burrows to the sides). Powerleaches have the appearance of snakes, but their heads are surrounded by plates of hard, keratinous plates that are vaguely mollusc-like and gleam iridescently. As they leach energy, a small ball of lightning gathers between their fangs.

AREA E – CAVERN OF ASH TREES: This long cavern is filled with ash trees — literally trees which have been reduced to ash, but still stand in their underground grove.

• Improved Shadows (x8): Lurk amidst the trees.
• Ash Trees: Any disturbance of an ash tree will cause it to collapse, creating a 20′ radius cloud in which creatures within 5 feet gain concealment and creatures beyond 5 feet gain total concealment. (The ash does not block darkvision and the shadows can see just fine. A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the ash in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the ash in 1 round.)
• Chest: Contains 10 crescent amethysts (each with a crystal imperfection at their heart) worth 500 gp each, a synaptic mask with a meld stone of the alchemist, and a set of crystal lenses set in golden rims (worth a total of 10,000 gp).

AREA F – CINDERSHARD CAVERN: This cavern contains a thick outcropping of cindershard, consisting of 100 crystals.

• Cindershard: A creature carrying a cindershard crystal (although not in an extradimensional space like a bag of holding) is immune to the harmful effects of sickstone. Once a cindershard is exposed to sickstone, it automatically “burns out” after 1d4 hours, turning into a powdery, non-glowing lump of stone. An intact cindershard is worth 25 gp. Cindershard powder is a mild curative (primarily useful as an ingredient in cure potions).
• GM Background: Cindershard often erupts in areas near sickstone; a sort of natural reaction to sickstone’s disruption of local balance.

AREA G – SICKSTONE CAVERN: Two hundred feet down this tunnel beyond the edge of the map is an outcropping of sickstone with alchemical equipment focusing its emanations up toward Areas F (in order to stimulate the growth of cindershard crystals there).

• Sickstone: Those within 30 feet of sickstone must make a Fortitude save (DC 12) or become sickened for 1 minute (10 rounds). This save must repeated once every minute. If engaging in strenuous activity (like combat), the save must be made every round. If a character who is already sickened fails a saving throw, they became nauseated for 1 minute (10 rounds). If a character who is already nauseated fails a saving throw, they suffer 1 point of Constitution damage (and continue to be nauseated).

AREA H – SECRET DOOR: This secret door leads to a staircase that leads up to a barrow mound in the distant lands of Hyrtan. Once outside, characters can teleport normally.

AREA I – ARCANE DOORS: 20′ high doors of copper and brass, engraved with strange runes, have been welded shut.

• Behind the Doors: If the doors are opened, they lead to a malfunctioning gate (corruscating cascades of purplish light which are painful to the eyes). Characters passing through the gate are returned to the same location 1d4 hours later after suffering torturous extradimensional exertions (inflicting 8d6 damage, Fortitude DC 19 for half damage).

AREA J – COPPER POLES: Two copper poles stuck into the floor, covered in verdigris.

---

HUSKS (CR 7): 75 hp (10d8+30), AC 20, slam +12/+12 (2d8+3), Save +10, Ability DC 17, Reach 15 ft.
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +13, Listen +13, Perception +13, Stealth +13
Exude Spider Swarm (Ex): One full action or when reduced to 30 hp, exude 6d6 spider swarms.
Lurching (Ex): Cannot run.
Spider Reach (Ex): The creature’s arms partially detach (remaining “connected” by an interlinked swarm of extending spiders), allowing them to slam nearby creatures within 15 ft.
Spider Grab (Ex): If both slams hit, start grapple as free action (spiders pouring out to suck the target in).
Spider Swallow (Ex): If it starts a turn grappling, a husk can attempt a grapple check to overwhelm a target in a mass of spiders. Swallowed creature suffers 3d6 damage per round from numerous spider bites. Victims can escape with two successful grapple checks. (Husk can reassert its grip at the start of its next turn if it is still grappling.)

---

POWERLEECHES (CR 6): 60 hp (8d8+24), AC 19, leechfangs +11/+11 (2d6+4 and leech), Save +9, Ability DC 16, Tiny
Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 6, Cha 11
Skills: Balance +15, Climb +10, Perception +7, Stealth +15, Swim +10
Burrow 30 ft.
Leech (Su): On a successful attack, spellcasters lose a random spell of the highest level they have prepared. Magical equipment loses one +1 or a random ability. (The leech is a temporary draining of magical potential and equipment abilities return at a rate of +1 or one ability every 24 hours.)
Leeching Rake (Su): If the powerleech strikes a single creature with both attacks, they deal an additional 2d6 damage to the target and leech an additional spell or ability.
Pounce (Ex): As a full action, a powerleech can move up to twice its speed and then perform a full attack.
SR 14

---

SHADOW, IMPROVED (CR 4) – CE Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
DETECTION – darkvision 60 ft., Listen +7, Spot +7; Init +2 (Dex)
DEFENSES – AC 13 (+2 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 13, flat-footed 11; hp 45 (7d12); Miss 50% (except incorporeal attacks); Immune incorporeal immunities (grapple, nonmagical attacks, trip), undead immunities (ability damage, ability drain, critical hits, cold, death effects, disease, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, mind-affecting, nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, raise dead, sleep, stunning, and any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless it also works on objects or is harmless))
ACTIONS – Spd fly 40 ft. (good); Melee incorporeal touch +5 (1d6 Str); Ranged +5; Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; Base Atk +3; Grapple -; SA create spawn, strength damage; Combat Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack
SQ darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, turn resistance +2, undead traits
STR -, DEX 14, CON -, INT 6, WIS 12, CHA 14
FORT +1, REF +3, WILL +4
FEATS: Alertness, Dodge, Flyby Attack
SKILLS: Hide +11*, Listen +8, Search +5, Spot +8

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under control its killer in 1d4 rounds.

Incorporeal Subtype: Immune to all nonmagical, corporeal attack forms. Even when hit by a magic weapon, spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilty it has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative energy, force effects, or ghost touch weapons). Holy water can affect incorporeal creatures. Can enter or pass through solid objects, but must remain adjacent to its surface (enemies have total concealment while the shadow remains inside the object). Automatically succeeds on Move Silently checks. Invisible to nonvisual senses (scent, blindsight).

Incorporeal Attacks: Attacks ignore natural armor, armor, and shields.

Skills: +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. +4 racial bonus on Search checks. *+4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination, -4 penalty to Hide checks in brightly lit areas.

---

SYNAPTIC MASK

A synaptic mask consists of several thin leather straps that affix to the wearer’s face. Most of the wearer’s face is visible through the leather webbing. The strands that make up the mask all come together at the wearer’s left temple, where a setting is affixed. The setting contains a clamp in which owners can set various types of special stones.

A synpatic mask uses up the same area on the body as a headband, hat, or helmet.

Synaptic masks have AC 5, 10 hp, hardness 3, Break DC 15.

Synaptic masks are always active while worn (they do not require activation). A synaptic mask confers an effect only when a shard or meld stone rests in its setting. Without a specified stone in its setting, the synaptic mask confers no extra abilities.

Manifester Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft Universal Item, fabricate; Market Price: 3,000 gp; Cost to Create: 1,500 gp and 120 XP; Weight: 1 lb.

Meld Stone of the Alchemist: When set in a synaptic mask, the meld stone of the alchemist grants its wearer a +8 competence bonus on their Alchemy checks, a +6 bonus on their Appraise and Use Magic Device checks, and a +4 competence bonus on their Knowledge (arcana) checks.

Manifester Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft Universal Item, fabricate; Market Price: 3,000 gp; Cost to Create: 1,500 gp and 120 XP; Weight: 1 lb.

 Go to Part 8: Laboratories 24-26

Any material in this post not indicated as Product Identity in the Open Gaming License is released by Creative Common Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

Go to Part 1

LABORATORY #20: MAZE OF FOCUS

ARCANE RUNES: The walls of this maze are covered in arcane runes.

• Arcana w/read magic (DC 22): The runes on the wall focus the entangling of the teleportal network; or, more accurately, keeps the energy of the teleportal network from entangling into a collapsed state (by sympathetically channeling its complexity into the structure of the maze).

POINT A: Teleportal to Laboratory #19.

POINT B: Teleportal to Laboratory #16.

BLUE POINT: Teleportal to Laboratory #21.

POINT C: Bronze Tablet #4.

POINT D: A large sheet of oil-cloth is draped over a bulky mass. Throwing back the cloth reveals a wooden wagon, fitted for a dray creature.

• Animal Handling (DC 12): The wagon’s harness is not designed for a horse… or anything even remotely horse-like. It’s unclear what sort of creature would have fit into its points.

The wagon contains:

• Dozen bags of sugar
• Dozen bags of sea salt
• 6 large pots, each containing a pickled roc’s foot
• 6 large pots of salted crab meat
• A layer of boxes containing a variety of antique children’s toys
• Search (DC 15): Hidden compartment beneath all the packages, containing three masterwork swords.

POINT E: A long, flat chest of obsidian with a golden statue of a dryad embracing an oak tree atop it (worth 2,500 gp). The chest contains 23,350 sp. Atop the silver pieces lies a book with blank pages, between which have been pressed 101 leaves from different trees. (If the book is viewed with true seeing or similar abilities the pages remain blank… but the pressed leaves are revealed to be the Spellbook of Leaves.

• Search (DC 25): Secret compartment in the bottom of the chest contains a box of cherry wood containing six leaf-shaped broaches of platinum (black ash, elm, gray birch, hemlock, sequoia, and oak) each worth 500 gp.

---

SANDS OF TIME
Necromancy
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: One creature or object
Duration: 10 minutes/level or instantaneous (see text)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell accelerates a creature’s aging, rendering them temporarily withered and haggard, applying a 1d6 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1. This penalty lasts for 10 minutes per level.

When the spell ends, the target returns to its normal age and vigor. Immortal creatures (including most elementals, fey, outsiders, and incorporeal creatures) are immune to this spell. If you cast this on an object, construct, or undead creature, the spell weathers and corrodes it, inflicting 3d6 points of damage +1 per caster level (maximum +15). This version of the spell has an instantaneous duration.

---

SPELLBOOK OF LEAVES

This spellbook has 101 rare leaves pressed between its pages. The spells can only be read using a true seeing spell or similar methods of viewing invisible text.

1-level spells – acidic grasp, animate rope, change self, charm person, chill touch, comprehend language, cetect secret doors, enlarge, erase, grease, identify, jump, message, undetectable aura, ray of enfeeblement, shield, silent image, tenser’s floating disk, unseen servant

2-level spells – absorb dead flesh, alarm (ethereal), blur, darkvision, flaming sphere, fog cloud, invisibility, knock, acid arrow, minor image, protection from arrows, spectral hand, hideous laughter

3-level spells – blade of shade and agony, blink, fireball, tiny hut, phantom steed, sleet storm

4-level spells – bestow curse, dispel magic field, emotion, illusory wall, phantasmal killer

5-level spells – interposing hand, secret chest, passwall, permanency, transmute rock to mud

6-level spells – mass suggestion, lucubration, freezing sphere, planar binding

7-level spells – grasping hand, delayed blast fireball, power word stun, simulacrum

8-level spells – antipathy, clenched fist, dispel magic field (greater), etherealness, incendiary cloud, maze, summon monster VIII, temporal slam

9-level spells – dominate monster, energy drain, horde of hell, meteor swarm, power word, kill, refuge, soul bind

ABSORB DEAD FLESH
Necromancy (Evil)
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Caster
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

By playing a hand upon a corpse (a dead, and not undead, body) the caster absorbs the flesh of the corpse, healing himself for 1d6 points plus 1 point per level of the caster.

Once cast on a corpse, the corpse shrivels and decomposes rapidly, leaving only a bare skeleton. This spell may only be used once on any corpse.

Absorb dead flesh does not work on any corpse that does not have some rotten meat hanging from its bones.

Material Component: A corpse.

ACIDIC GRASP
Conjuration (Creation) [Acid]
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: Creatures touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster’s hand becomes coated with a sickly, greenish secretion. This allows for a touch attack that causes 1d8 acid damage, which can be used once per caster level. The damage can also be dealt as extra damage when making an unarmed strike, attacking with a natural weapon, or dealing damage with a successful grapple check.

ALARM, ETHEREAL
Abjuration
Level: Bard 2, Ranger 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Components: V, S, F
Duration: 4 hours/level (D)

This spell functions like alarm, but can also be triggered by creatures passing through the affected area on planes which are coterminous with the Material Plane (including ethereal and astral creatures, as well as creatures on the Plane of Shadows).

Focus: A bell made of carved crystal and a very fine piece of mithril wire.

BLADE OF SHADE AND AGONY
Evocation
Level: Assassin 2, Blackguard 2, Cleric 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: Dagger-like blade of black flame in the palm
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

The blade of shade and agony can be used to make melee touch attacks that deal 1d6 damage + 1 per two caster levels (maximum of +10). A creature struck by the blade must succeed on a Will saving throw or become shaken for 1d6 rounds.

DISPEL MAGIC FIELD
Abjuration
Level: Cleric 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: A contiguous area up to one 10 ft. square/level
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

A dispel magic field is invisible and can be passed through. Anyone or anything entering it, however, become the target of a dispel magic effect at the caster’s level.

DISPEL MAGIC FIELD, GREATER
Abjuration
Level: Cleric 8, Sorcerer/Wizard 8

This spell functions like dispel magic field except that the effect is that of greater dispel magic.

HORDE OF HELL
Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil, Lawful]
Level: Cleric 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 10-30 minutes (see text)
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: One or more summoned creatures, no two of which are more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Ten minutes after this ritual begins, 1d4 hellcats appear. Ten minutes later, 1d4 chain devils appear. Ten minutes later (at the completion of casting), one bone devil appears. If the casting is interrupted (or if the caster chooses to cease casting), any creatures which have already been summoned remain but no additional creatures will appear.

The summoned creatures obey the caster for the duration of the spell (which is calculated from the point where the casting came to an end). The caster can dismiss them individually, in groups, or in totality at any time.

SUMMON SHADOW RAVEN
Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil]
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Summons shadow raven.
Duration: 1 round/level of caster
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell summons a shadow raven from the Demi-Plane of Shadow. Once the raven in on the spellcaster’s plane, the spellcaster may attempt to bind it as a familiar.

The shadow raven enters this world through any shadow within range of the spell, so the spell won’t work in total darkness or total light. The shadow raven serves faithfully for the spell’s duration. If the spellcaster has the proper tribute, the shadow raven may serve as a familiar. The GM is the final arbiter for what tribute is appropriate.

Arcane Foci: A small, shiny object and a shadow.

TEMPORAL SLAM
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 2 ft./level)
Target: 1 creature or object
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)

For whatever duration he desires up to the spell’s maximum, the caster pushes that target creature and its carried gear (or any one object of medium-size or smaller) out of time. The target vanishes immediately and it no longer exists in the world’s normal time stream while the spell lasts. If the target is a caster, any spells or effects the target was maintaining are affected as though the target just died.

During the period in which it is outside time, the target cannot be located with scrying or similar divinations. Not even a wish or miracle can bring the target back earlier or dispel the temporal slam, since no magic remains within the normal flow of time to dispel.

When the spell ends, the target returns to the same location from which it disappeared. If some other object occupies that space, the target is harmlessly shunted into the nearest open space. For the target, no time has elapsed. A target creature will have effectively transported into the future from its perspective. When the target returns, any timed phenomenon such as poison onset or the duration of abjuration spells will pick up from the point when the target vanished.

---

SHADOW RAVEN (CR 2) – CE Small Undead Animal (Incorporeal)
DETECTION – Listen +5, Spot +5; Init +3; Languages Common
DEFENSES – AC 15 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +1 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 12; hp 11 (2d8+2); Miss 50% (incorporeal); Immune undead immunities (ability damage/drain, critical hits, death effects, energy drain, fatigue, mind-affecting, nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, any effect requiring Fort save)
ACTIONS – Spd fly 60 ft. (good);  Melee incorporeal claw +4 (1d2 Str); Ranged +4; Base Atk +1; Grapple -3; Combat Feats Flyby Attack
SQ incorporeal
STR -, DEX 16, CON -, INT 2, WIS 11, CHA 12
FORT +1, REF +4, WILL +2
FEATS: Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse
SKILLS: Hide +10, Listen +5, Spot +5

Incorporeal (Su): Immune to non-magical physical attacks. Ignore spells or magical weapons 50% of the time. Move through physical objects. Ignore any physical bonuses to AC (natural armor, armor, shields, etc.). Affected normally by positive energy, negative energy, or force effects.

---

LABORATORY #21: UNDEAD LABORATORY

Map Courtesy of Dyson Logos

TELEPORTALS: In a small chamber outside the door leading to Area 1.

AREA 1 – SOUL NET: A spectral figure of umbral blue seems frozen in mid-air, surrounded by a broken lattice of blue energy.

• Frozen Shade: This shade is caught in the soul net. If the soul net is dispelled or otherwise removed the frozen shade is released.)

The soul net is spread across the entire entrance here. If someone passes through the soul net:

• Undead: Undead other than soul shades cannot pass through a soul net. If forced through a soul net, their animating force will be stripped from their body (which turns to dust).
• Living: Living creatures suffer 8d6 points of damage as their soul is shredded by the net. Their shredded soul becomes a soul shade with a number of hit points equal to those lost. (Going through the soul net multiple times will further shred the living soul, creating more soul shades.)
• Shredded Souls: Shredded souls can only be repaired (and the lost hit points restored) through the use of a modified raise dead spell after the soul shade has been destroyed. (Soul shades are compelled to seek out and destroy the original sour; abhorring it.)

AREA 2 – ZOMBIE MASTER: The zombie master (who ensconces himself in the rear chamber of this area) and 8 bugbear zombies.

AREA 3 – CYCLOPEAN MUMMY: The far end of this chamber appears to be a massive, 15′ tall bas relief of a king. The floor is a mosaic of orange and blue tiles in a spiraling, hexagonal pattern.

• Sarcophagus: The bas relief is actually the lid of a massive sarcophagus sunk into the wall. Within is the Cyclopean Mummy. If offered a tribute worth at least 1,000 gp it will not attack and will instead act as an augury, answering three questions.

AREA 4 – THE LICH BRAIN: A pulsing, purplish brain lies in the middle of an arcane circle in the middle of the floor, surrounded by a pile of dust outlining the rough shape of a corpse.

• Arcana/Spellcraft (DC 28): To identify the ritual as an attempt to create a lich.
• Arcana/Spellcraft (DC 35): To spot the errors in the ritual that resulted in the caster’s body being annhilated.
• Lich Brain: The brain is undead (and hostile).
• Corpse Dust: Within the corpse dust surrounding the brain is a BLUE KEY scarred with several burn marks. (It was damaged during the ritual. Using the key inflicts 4d6 points of damage and has a 25% chance of returning the user to their original location.)
• Ruined Phylactery: The would-be phylactery of the lich was ruined useless by the failed ritual, but the silver and jewels encrusting it are still worth 10,000 gp.
• Side Chamber: A blackened and charred barrel sits in the corner of the room, a tall staff protruding from it and topped with the antlers of a young stag. (The staff is made of mahogany, with a central grip of cold iron.)

AREA 5 – COLLAPSED CHAMBER: Contains shattered shards of pottery. Amidst the shattered pottery are Bronze Tablet #7 and Bronze Tablet #8.

---

FROZEN SHADE (CR 9-1*) – 109 hp (13d8+50), AC 21, claws +16/+16 (2d8+5), Save +12, Ability DC 18
Str -, Dex 13, Con -, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 13
Skills: Intimidate +17, Perception +17, Search +17
Aura of Fear (Su): 30 ft. radius, Will save or become panicked for 3d6 rounds
Incorporeal (Su): Immune to non-magical physical attacks. Ignore spells or magical weapons 50% of the time. Move through physical objects. Ignore any physical bonuses to AC (natural armor, armor, shields, etc.). Affected normally by positive energy, negative energy, or force effects.
Turn Resistance +6
* Undead

---

ZOMBIE MASTER (CR 9-1*) – 109 hp (13d8+50), AC 21, claws +16/+16 (2d8+5), Save +12, Ability DC 18
Str 16, Dex 12, Con -, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 12
Skills: Diplomacy +17, Perception +15
Enthralling Pipes (Su): Standard action; enemies within 30 ft.; Will save or dazed.
Fast Healing 3
Zombie Regeneration (Su): Zombies within 120 ft. gain regeneration 10.
* Undead

---

CYCLOPEAN MUMMY (CR 12) – LE Huge Undead
DETECTION – darkvision 60 ft., Listen +8, Spot +8; Init +0; Aura despair
DEFENSES – AC 23 (-2 size, +15 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 23; hp 240 (32d12+32); DR 5/-; Immune undead immunities (ability damage/drain, critical hits, death effects, energy drain, fatigue, mind-affecting, nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, any effect requiring Fort save); Vulnerable fire
ACTIONS – Spd 20 ft.; Melee slam +31 (3d8+18 plus mummy rot); Ranged +16; Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.; Base Atk +16; Grapple +39; Combat Feats Awesome Blow, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
SQ darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
STR 40, DEX 10, CON -, INT 6, WIS 14, CHA 18
FORT +12, REF +10 WILL +20
FEATS: Ability Focus (despair), Awesome Blow, Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Toughness, Power Attack
SKILLS: Hide +12, Listen +13, Move Silently +12, Spot +13

Despair (Su): Those seeing mummy make Will save (DC 20) or paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds.

Mummy Rot (Su): Supernatural disease – Fort DC 16, 1 minute, 1d6 Con and 1d6 Cha. Cannot be cured without first casting break enchantment or remove curse; requires caster level check (DC 20) to apply those spells or any healing spells to victim.

Awesome Blow: -4 to melee attack roll. A smaller corporeal creature is knocked flying 10 feet and falls prone (1d6 damage if they strike obstacle). Reflex save (DC = damage dealt) negates.

---

LICH BRAIN (CR 6+3*): 60 hp (8d8+24), AC 19, Save +9, Ability DC 16, Tiny
Str -, Dex 10, Con -, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Spellcraft +15
DR 15/bludgeoning and magic
Immobile (can levitate in place)
Immune mind-affecting
Turn Resistance +8
*11th level wizard (+4), undead (-1)

Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 11)
6^th (DC 22)—chain lightning, globe of invulnerability
5^th (DC 21)—dominate person, feeblemind, wall of force
4^th (DC 20)—greater invisibility, ice storm, summon monster IV, wall of ice
3^rd (DC 19)—dispel magic, fireball, haste, lightning bolt, summon monster III
2^nd (DC 18)—darkness, detect thoughts, hypnotic pattern, magic mouth, rope trick, see invisibility
1^st (DC 17)—grease, magic missile (x3), mage armor, shield
0^th (DC 16)—dancing lights, detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation

---

Go to Part 7: Laboratories 22-23

Any material in this post not indicated as Product Identity in the Open Gaming License is released by Creative Common Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.