Meamnar:Hidden In Plain Sight

The Golems is a series of adventures for four 1st level player characters (PC's). The adventures are set in the Northern Kingdom of Hylar in the campaign setting of Meamnar.

Adventure Background

A band of goblins have escaped from a mining camp, where they were being used as forced labor. Traveling west, the goblins hope to reach their home in the Serpent's Spine. In the dense Hylarean forest, however, they stumble across a caravan headed for Threshold. With the aid of a stolen Wand of Magic Missiles, they are able to overcome the caravan's guards and flee north. Coming to a ridge, they discover a network of caves and decide to make their home there.

Adventure Synopsis

Finding the caravan should be easy, as the goblins simply left after looting the corpses and rummaging through the carts. The party should then be able to follow the goblins' trail northward to the caves, and engage them there. Meanwhile, the slavers who let the goblins escape will reach the caves as well.

Beginning the Adventure

The Caravan

The caravan was a small one, traveling from Dunkirk to Threshold. It consisted of only two wagons, each with a driver (Com1), and four guards (War1). The party will discover the caravan about 15 miles from Threshold, in the heart of the Hylarean forest. How they arrive on the scene is up to the DM. Note that it is another 9 miles to Dunkirk from the site of the battle. The entire journey generally takes 3 days by wagon.

The party should be able to determine that two of the guards died from multiple wounds from bludgeoning weapons, one of the drivers died from a spear wound, and the other three have scorch marks on their bodies. A Spellcraft check (DC 10) will yield that the scorch marks are from Magic Missile spells. A Search (DC 10) of the area surrounding the site will turn up the body of a goblin with three arrows protruding from it. The Search check may also reveal (DC 15) that the body was dragged to its current location, presumably in order to hide it.

Tracking the goblins is fairly easy (DC 10). Since the party may be obligated to continue on to Dunkirk, they may still pick up a slightly colder trail (DC 15) on their immediate return. Any other delay in searching for the goblins should result in more difficult tracking. The trail will wander fairly northward through the forest for about 2 miles.

The Caverns

Exterior

The forest is of medium density here. Travel is slow, but not difficult - movement is halved. Visibility is limited (spot checks start at 2d8x10 feet away).

The entrance to the cavern is along a low ridge that extends from east to west for about ten miles. At the point of the entrance, the ridge is at its highest point, about 40' high. The face of the ridge is a mixture of stone, earth, and plantlife that clings to the side. It is climbable (DC 10), and the terrain beyond is much like that in front of the ridge.

1. Entrance Chamber

Read or paraphrase the following when the characters enter the cavern.

Standing at the entrance to this cavern, you notice that it is about 10' wide and about 8' tall. It is obvious that this passageway was carved from the rock, and not a natural occurrence. The walls are rough stone, but straight and even, as are the floor and ceiling.

There is an Arrow Trap triggered by a stone in the floor just past the right-hand passage. The goblins have reset this trap.

Arrow Trap: CR 1; +10 ranged (1d6/x3 crit); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20). Note: 200 ft. max range, target determined randomly from those in its path.

3. Mess Hall (EL 0)

Creatures: A dire rat has made itself a nest in the northwest corner of the room. If outnumbered and given the opportunity, it will flee. Otherwise, it will attack the nearest party member.

Dire Rat: CR 1/3; Small Animal; HD 1d8+1; hp 5; Init +3; Spd 40 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12; Base Atk bite +4 melee (1d4 + disease); Full Atk bite +4 melee (1d4 + disease); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA Disease; SQ Low-light Vision, Scent; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4

Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Hide +8, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Swim +11; Alertness, Weapon Finesse

5. Storage Room

Swords, spears, helmets, shields, and a myriad of other weapons and armour are strewn about the floor in this room. A few crates and barrels are present as well, some open and others completely smashed. At first glance, none of the contents appear to be in very good condition.

Hidden among the items are a +1 Longsword and a +1 Dagger.

7. Eastern Passage

There is a Pit Trap triggered by pressure either of two stones in the floor above it.

Pit Trap (20 feet deep): CR 1; no attack roll necessary (2d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

8. Storage Room (EL 1)

Creatures: Two of the goblins have made their home in this room.

Goblins: CR 1; Small Humanoid (Goblinoid); HD 1d8+1; hp 5, 5; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk morningstar +2 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4); Full Atk morningstar +2 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ Darkvision 60 ft.; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will -1; Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6

Skills and Feats: Hide +5, Listen +2, Move Silently +5, Ride +4, Spot +2; Alertness

9. Private Chambers (EL 1)

Creatures: Three of the goblins, including their leader, have made their home in this room.

Goblins: CR 1; Small Humanoid (Goblinoid); HD 1d8+1; hp 6, 5, 5; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk morningstar +2 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4); Full Atk morningstar +2 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ Darkvision 60 ft.; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will -1; Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6

Skills and Feats: Hide +5, Listen +2, Move Silently +5, Ride +4, Spot +2; Alertness

10. Prison Cells

Along this hall are several iron doors set into the stone. Three are closed, two hang open on rusted hinges, and a third is nothing but an empty frame.

10d. Cell 4 (EL 0)

The door to this cell is closed and locked (Disable Device, DC 15). A Strength check (DC 20) could open the door by force.

Creatures: A human warrior skeleton will immediately attack the first person through the door.

Human Warrior Skeleton: CR 1/3; Medium Undead; HD 1d12; hp 6; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14; Base Atk scimitar +1 melee (1d6+1/18-20) or claw +1 melee (1d4+1); Full Atk scimitar +1 melee (1d6+1/18-20) or 2 claws +1 melee (1d4+1); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ Damage Reduction 5/bludgeoning, Darkvision 60', Immunity to Cold, Undead Traits; AL NE; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 13, Dex 13, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 10, Cha 1

Skills and Feats: Improved Initiative

Concluding the Adventure

Once the party has dispatched the goblins, two of the slavers will arrive from the east, along the ridge. The party should be far enough away from the entrance to not be noticed, but close enough to observe the slavers enter the cavern. They will leave about 10 minutes later, heading in the direction from which they came. A Spot check (DC 15) will reveal that Rindorn carries a sack containing something roughly spherical, about 8' in diameter. This is actually the severed head of the goblin who stole the wand and convinced the others to flee with him. They are returning to their mine with the head as a warning to the other slaves.

Hidden in the forest, the party should not be spotted by the slavers. If they follow within visual range, though, they risk being noticed on a Spot check (DC 15) by either slaver once an hour. When they first realize they're being followed, the slavers will simply speed up (Force March), and then make efforts to cover their tracks once they are out of sight.

If the Force March does not appear to be working, the slavers will set an ambush at the first opportunity and attack the party.

If they party waits until they are out of visual range, they may easily Track them (DC 10). If they were noticed, this becomes more difficult (DC 20), as the slavers cover their tracks.

The slavers will follow the ridge eastward for several miles, and then turn northward, heading directly for their mine. Barring a Force March, this 32-mile journey will take them two days.

Notes

The slavers were guided to the cavern by the information provided by their employer, a wizard named Janek. Janek had previously dispatched his familiar, a raven, to follow the goblins. This is, of course, unknown to the party. However, they may realize that the slavers knew how to find the goblins without following their trail, and speculate on the reason.