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  • Tales from the Rusty Dragon

    presents

    RISE OF THERUNELORDS

    DBURNT OFFERINGS

    A DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4th Edition Conversion

    by Scott Betts

    Published Version 0.8 (10/21/09)

    This document is intended solely for the conversion of the content of Paizo'sproducts to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4th Edition. This document is notintended - nor will it function - as a substitute for the adventure itself.

    This document uses trademarks and copyrights owned by Paizo Publishing, LLC,which are used under Paizo's Community Use Policy. I am expressly prohibitedfrom charging you to use or access this content. This document is notpublished, endorsed, or specifically approved by Paizo Publishing. For moreinformation about Paizo's Community Use Policy, please visitpaizo.com/communityuse. For more information about Paizo Publishing andPaizo products, please visit paizo.com. All materials published in this documentnot covered by the above are copyright myself, but I grant permission toduplicate and distribute such materials freely so long as they are not used formonetary gain.

    This document is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specificallyapproved by Wizards of the Coast LLC. This document may use the trademarksand other intellectual property of Wizards of the Coast LLC, which is permittedunder Wizards' Fan Site Policy (www.wizards.com/fankit/fantoolkitdnd.html).For example, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, PLAYER'S HANDBOOK 2,and DUNGEON MASTER'S GUIDE are trademark[s] of Wizards of the Coastand D&D core rules, game mechanics, characters and their distinctivelikenesses are the property of the Wizards of the Coast. For more informationabout Wizards of the Coast or any of Wizards' trademarks or other intellectualproperty, please visit their website at (www.wizards.com).

    About This Conversion

    In 2007, Paizo began producing its own line of adventure

    paths: Pathfinder. I picked up and read a couple copies of the

    adventures and was quite impressed. At the time, though, I

    was running a couple games featuring some of Wizards of theCoast's published adventures and didn't have the time to

    dedicate myself to yet another game. I vowed that I'd get the

    chance to explore Rise of the Runelords, but it wasn't until the

    release of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4th Edition that I found

    myself with an excuse to restart one of my campaigns.

    Of course, by this point an entirely different obstacle had

    presented itself: though Paizo's products are stellar examples of

    adventure design, they were bound to the DUNGEONS &

    DRAGONS 3.5 rule set. I was thrilled by the release of 4th

    Edition, and couldn't really see myself returning to a previous

    version of the game (as much as I loved 3.5 at the time). I hadto make a decision. Would I pick up a different set of

    adventures that were already compatible with 4th Edition, or

    would I invest myself in converting Paizo's adventures?

    In the end, the choice was not a difficult one. The

    community consensus seemed to be that converting adventuresto 4th Edition was easier than any previous edition, and I have

    found that to be true. It also struck me as a useful crash course

    in both design and familiarity with the new edition of the game.

    With a little help from the tabletop community, I sat my gaming

    group down for our first adventure in Golarion.

    Soon afterward, it struck me that there was probably a

    desire for a conversion like this. 4th Edition was brand new, and

    very few adventures existed to support it. Paizo was known for

    its high-quality adventures but had chosen to develop its own

    game instead of providing support for 4th Edition. As long as I

    was doing the work anyway, why not make it available toanyone else who wanted it?

    I began Tales from the Rusty Dragon as a way of deliveringmy conversion content. The blog format provided an easy way

    for people using the conversion to keep track of the most

    recent material, and gave me a concrete way to track myprogress, piece by piece. It wasn't long before the entirety of

    Burnt Offerings had been converted. As handy as the blog was

    for publishing an ongoing project, however, it lacked something

    when it came to reading through the conversion from the

    beginning it needed to be framed in a cohesive document

    that could mirror the original adventure.

    With that in mind, I've combined and edited all the

    conversion material for Burnt Offerings in this document, for

    your use.

    Happy gaming!

    Scott Betts

    Tales from the Rusty Dragon

  • What This Conversion Provides

    In this document you have everything you need to run Burnt

    Offerings in a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4th Edition game.

    Each encounter is reproduced using monsters, traps and skill

    challenges from the new edition. Unless otherwise noted,monsters used in encounter write-ups are found in the Monster

    Manual. Other rules elements native to DUNGEONS &

    DRAGONS 3.5 have been updated, and are included as well.

    This conversion also includes non-mechanical advice that I

    believe will help in running the adventure. Finally, I havethrown in an updated version of the bestiary that appears at

    the back of all Pathfinder adventures. As with any tabletop

    gaming product, you should feel free to make use of as much

    or as little of this material as you'd like.

    In order to make best use of this conversion, read throughboth the original adventure and this conversion ahead of time,

    and have both on-hand at the table when you sit down to play.

    You will refer to information printed in the original adventure

    often, and then will make use of the converted adventure

    whenever rules-specific issues come up (such as an encounter).

    What You'll Need

    This conversion makes use of a number of other products. In

    order to get the full intended use out of the conversion, you will

    need the following:

    DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Player's Handbook, 4th

    Edition

    DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Dungeon Master's Guide,

    4th Edition

    DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Monster Manual, 4th Edition

    Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords #1, Burnt Offerings

    Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide

    A current subscription to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

    Insider note that all monsters referenced in this

    conversion can be found in the D&D Compendium, save

    those created specifically for this conversion

    Leveling in Burnt Offerings

    Characters in the original Rise of the Runelords adventure

    path were supposed to reach around 17th level by the

    campaign's conclusion. In 4th Edition we have a new challengein restructuring the adventure path around a 30-level range

    rather than the 20 levels of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 3.5. I

    plan on setting this up so that by the end of the converted

    adventure path the party will have reached level 25 or 26. That

    means that each of the six adventures contained within Rise of

    the Runelords needs to advance the party by a little over fourlevels. To this end, we need to break down each adventure into

    roughly four sections so that experience and treasure can be

    awarded appropriately.

    Burnt Offerings, as written, can be considered in three large

    sections: the festival and glassworks, the Catacombs of Wrath,and Thistletop. I am going to expand the number of encounters

    for each of these sections so that the PCs will hopefully be well

    on their way to fifth level by the end of the adventure.

    Let's start by looking at experience breakdowns. By the end

    of Burnt Offerings, each character should have accumulatedwell over 4,000 xp. This means that a party of five characters

    should encounter in excess of 20,000 xp worth of monsters,

    traps, skill challenges and quests. This might seem daunting at

    first. Don't worry, we'll get there.

    Part 1: Festival and Fire contains three encounters totaling1,875 xp. Part 2: Local Heroes contains another 900 xp

    between three encounters. This puts the party a little over

    halfway to 2nd level by the time they begin Part 3. This means

    that, in short, the party needs to gain three and a half levels

    between the Glassworks, the Catacombs of Wrath and

    Thistletop. To that end, these dungeons are going to be jam-packed with encounters.

    The Glassworks, including the quest to rescue Ameiko, is

    worth 3,175 xp. The party should reach 2nd level partway

    through the Glassworks. The Catacombs of Wrath is worth

    4,300 xp. Thistletop's exterior is worth 5,075 xp, including thequests to save Shadowmist and stop the goblin attack. The

    party should reach 3rd level well before they enter the fortress.

    Thistletop's upper floor is worth 2,250 xp and its second floor is

    worth 4,150 xp. The party should have reached 4th level by this

    point. Thistletop's lowest floor is worth 5,293 xp.

    All told, this conversion of Burnt Offerings provides a party of

    five adventurers with a total of 22,868 xp.

  • Treasure in Burnt Offerings

    The more immediate concern should be the amount of

    treasure the party receives. All of the parcels available in Burnt

    Offerings and their locations are laid out below. These will also

    be called out in individual encounter write-ups.

    Treasure Parcels for Level 1:

    Parcel 1 is carried by Tsuto.

    Parcel 2 is found in the dining room.

    Parcel 3 is on Lonjiku Kaijitsu's corpse.

    Parcel 4 is carried by the Goblin Underboss in the dining

    room.

    Parcel 5 is found in the backpack of a goblin blackbladein the servant's quarters.

    Parcel 6 is the bribe money carried by Tsuto.

    Parcel 7 is given to the party by Sheriff Hemlock.

    Parcel 8 is given to the party by Sheriff Hemlock.

    Parcel 9 is found hidden in a desk in the Glassworks.

    Parcel 10 is given to the party by Aldern for rescuing

    him.

    Treasure Parcels for Level 2:

    Parcel 1 is found in the Cathedral of Wrath.

    Parcel 2 is at the bottom of one of the prisoner pits.

    Parcel 3 is carried by Tsuto.

    Parcel 4 in encased in glass in the reception room.

    Parcel 5 is carried by the statue in the welcoming

    chamber.

    Parcel 6 is worn by Erylium.

    Parcel 7 is found on a goblin in the servants' quarters.

    Parcel 8 is worn by Erylium.

    Parcel 9 is found in the meditation chamber.

    Parcel 10 is found in the meditation chamber.

    Treasure Parcels for Level 3:

    Parcel 1 is carried by Warchief Ripnugget.

    Parcel 2 is found with Bruthazmus.

    Parcel 3 is found in Gogmurt's Lair.

    Parcel 4 is in the treasury chest.

    Parcel 5 is found with Bruthazmus.

    Parcel 6 is either in the throne room or Ripnugget's

    room.

    Parcel 7 is in the research room.

    Parcel 8 is in the research room.

    Parcel 9 is in the research room.

    Parcel 10 is found scattered throughout Thistletop's

    upper level.

    Treasure Parcels for Level 4:

    Parcel 1 is in a hidden side room off of Malfeshnekor'sprison.

    Parcel 2 is found on a goblin corpse in the cave.

    Parcel 3 is found in the research room.

    Parcel 4 is allocated in The Skinsaw Murders. Parcel 5 is found in the observation room.

    Parcel 6 is a portion of the reward for returning

    Shadowmist.

    Parcel 7 is found in the sarcophagi in the crypt.

    Parcel 8 is found in the sarcophagi in the crypt.

    Parcel 9 is Nualia's holy symbol.

    Parcel 10 is a portion of the reward for returning

    Shadowmist.

    Treasure Parcels for Level 5:

    Parcel 1 is in Nualia's possession.

    Parcel 2 is allocated in The Skinsaw Murders. Parcel 3 is buried in the collapsed treasury.

    Parcel 4 is allocated in The Skinsaw Murders. Parcel 5 is part of the remaining wealth in the collapsed

    treasury.

    Parcel 6 is allocated in The Skinsaw Murders. Parcel 7 is part of the remaining wealth in the collapsed

    treasury.

    Parcel 8 is allocated in The Skinsaw Murders. Parcel 9 is allocated in The Skinsaw Murders. Parcel 10 is the silver coffer found in the hidden room

    off of Malfeshnekor's prison.

  • Part One: Festival and Fire

    Burnt Offerings is the first Rise of the Runelords adventure.

    It takes place in and around the coastal town of Sandpoint in

    Varisia. The first thing you should do, before the campaign

    even begins, is to allow your players to get acquainted with the

    setting. The Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide is an excellent

    place to start. See the Character Elements document forinformation on converting the Player's Guide to 4th Edition. I

    strongly encourage you to allow all core races (the word "core"

    in this blog is used in the same manner Wizards uses it -

    anything published by Wizards of the Coast for 4th Edition in an

    official capacity, outside setting-specific material, is "core").

    Dragonborn, Tieflings, and other non-traditional races caneasily be incorporated as exotic travelers from distant lands. At

    any rate, the more familiar your characters are with the land

    and its people, the better. That goes for you too. Make sure

    you've read the Player's Guide and the Sandpoint chapter of

    Burnt Offerings.

    To kick the adventure off, drop your players right into the

    middle of the Swallowtail festival. The festival is busy. Some of

    the player characters are probably familiar with the town, so

    refer to the townspeople by name as well as occupation. Your

    job in the first few minutes is to make Sandpoint seem alive. Its

    people are (save a few of its more sober residents) excited,jovial, and eager to show off. Describe the scene vividly, using

    the information given to you in the adventure. When your

    players have had a suitable taste of what Sandpoint and the

    festival are like, go ahead and begin the first encounter.

    Initial Assault

    Begin the PCs anywhere they'd like within the festival

    grounds. The goblins appear coming from the northeast street

    between the buildings. I suggest the following encounter for a

    party of five adventurers:

    4 Goblin Cutters

    2 Goblin Warriors

    2 Goblin Blackblades

    Total: 500 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    Once the party has finished off the last of the goblins,

    provide them with the equivalent of a five-minute rest as the

    crowded streets begin to clear and the goblins start to convergeon the town square. When they've healed up and gotten their

    bearings, begin the next encounter.

    Goblin Pyros

    Start the PCs wherever they finished the previous encounter.

    I suggest the following encounter for a party of five

    adventurers:

    5 Goblin Cutters

    2 Goblin Hexers

    2 Goblin Warriors

    Total: 625 xp (Level 2 Encounter)

    The hexers should immediately use their Vexing Cloud

    abilities in tandem to cover as much of the map as possible,

    keeping the clouds maintained as long as they can. Don't forgetto use the Goblin Tactics abilities you have at your disposal, and

    try to keep a minion alongside each hexer so they can soak up

    ranged attacks.

    Again, allow the PCs a short rest to recover after this fight.

    They will probably have used a lot of their encounter powers(and possibly some daily powers) in the last fight, and the next

    one is the hardest still. Don't forget to award the PCs a

    milestone for completing the Goblin Pyros encounter.

    Die, Dog, Die!

    The third (and final) encounter of the Swallowtail Festival is

    designed as a climax and should really stretch the party's

    resources. They should be spending their freshly-earned action

    points and daily powers now. Describe the scene and center the

    encounter around the south-eastern building (this will be where

    Aldern is located). Don't bother placing Aldern on the map. Justhave him hide nearby while the goblins ignore him in order to

    focus on the more threatening PCs.

    Make a mental note prior to this fight if any of the party are

    suitable objects of affection for Aldern. If not, keep a running

    tally of the damage done by each PC during this fight. Use thisto help determine who Aldern is most fascinated with.

    I suggest the following encounter for a party of five

    adventurers:

    2 Goblin Skullcleavers

    2 Goblin Sharpshooters

    1 Goblin Blackblade

    1 Goblin Dog (see Appendix A)

    Total: 750 xp (Level 3 Encounter)

    Once the goblins have been mopped up, introduce the party

    to Aldern and select his favored PC.

  • Part Two: Local Heroes

    The Shopkeep's Daughter

    One of the most important updates to the Pathfinder

    adventures in terms of conversion to 4th Edition is the addition

    of skill challenges where appropriate. In Part 2 of Burnt

    Offerings there are two such challenges: The Shopkeep'sDaughter and The Boar Hunt.

    Skill Challenge: The Shopkeeps Daughter

    Setup: When Shayliss first confronts her target, it is in a public

    location with the rest of the party present. Begin the skillchallenge by having the party deal with Shayliss' initial request.

    If they catch onto her ploy, they might try to excuse themselves

    from her demands. If not (and, perhaps, even if), it's quitepossible that the target PC will willingly accompany her. After

    the party accumulates a failure in the skill challenge, the scene

    moves to the Vinder store's basement. The target PC has timefor a single check in the basement before Ven reaches the

    bottom of the stairs and he is discovered.

    The Shopkeep's DaughterSkill Challenge

    Shayliss' wiles are difficult to resist, but if this situation getsout of hand you might find yourself the subject ofdisapproving glares from the villagers of Sandpoint.One of the male PCs is tricked into accompanying Shayliss

    Vinder back to her father's shop's basement where she

    attempts to seduce him. The PC must avoid a violent

    confrontation with Shayliss' father when he catches them inthe basement.

    Complexity

    2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures).

    Primary Skills

    Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Stealth

    Other SkillsStreetwise

    Victory

    The target PC manages to remove himself from the

    seduction or confrontation with Ven Vinder.

    Defeat

    The target PC is unable to avoid enraging Ven Vinder, whoattempts to drive him from the shop. The target PC and his

    pervert friends are thereafter barred from Ven's store.

    Special: One Failure or Less

    Victory with one or fewer failures means that there are no

    hard feelings created between the target PC and Shayliss.

    Special: Moving to the BasementThe first time a failure is counted against the party in this

    skill challenge, the target PC and Shayliss relocate to the

    general store's basement. After this point, only the target

    PC can participate in the skill challenge.

    Bluff

    DC 12 A successful check counts as a success on the skillchallenge.

    The PC convinces either Shayliss or her father that thesituation transpired in a different way than it actually did,or that he has something important to attend to for thegood of the town.

    Diplomacy

    DC 10 A successful check counts as a success on the skill

    challenge.

    The PC reasons with Shayliss or her father, describing thesituation in a way that looks favorable to him, or politelydeclining Shayliss' request.

    Insight

    DC 8 A successful check counts as a success on the skill

    challenge. This skill cannot be used after the skill challenge

    has moved to the basement.

    The PC gets the feeling that Shayliss is interested insomething more than just rat extermination, and uses thatto attempt to weasel out of the situation before things turnugly.

    Intimidate

    DC 10 A successful check counts as a success on the skill

    challenge. This skill starts the skill challenge locked. A

    successful Streetwise check unlocks it.The PC threatens to spread word of Shayliss' brazenactions to the town at large, causing Shayliss or her fatherto back off slightly.

    Stealth

    DC 10 A successful check counts as a success on the skill

    challenge. This skill can only be used after the skillchallenge has moved to the basement, and only before the

    PC has been spotted by Ven. The DC for this skill check

    increases to 15 after two uses of this skill.

    The PC scampers out of sight, hoping to avoid aconfrontation by not being noticed in the first place.

    StreetwiseDC 15 A success or failure on this skill check does not

    count as a success or failure for the challenge. A successful

    check unlocks the Intimidate skill.

    The PC recalls hearing that Shayliss is even more of atroublemaker than her sister. The Intimidate skill isunlocked.

    Level 1XP 200

  • The Boar Hunt

    If the PCs decide to accompany Aldern on his hunting

    expedition into the Tickwood, run this skill challenge.

    Skill Challenge: The Boar Hunt

    Setup: The PCs need to play this challenge strategically.

    Assuming they make the requisite History check to understand

    how a boar hunt is supposed to unfold, they need to avoid

    succeeding on an Endurance check until they've accumulated at

    least four successes on the skill challenge.

    The Boar HuntSkill Challenge

    Aldern claps his hands excitedly, and makes arrangements tohave horses purchased for the expedition. It's a two mile rideto the Tickwood Ford, where the boar hunt is to take place.The PCs are asked to accompany Aldern Foxglove on a boar

    hunt near Tickwood.

    Complexity

    2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures).

    Primary Skills

    Athletics, Endurance, Nature, PerceptionOther Skills

    History

    Victory

    The PCs impress and entertain Aldern with a thrilling hunt,

    and he allows each PC to keep the mount he purchased for

    them. If the skill challenge ends before a PC succeeds onan Endurance check, Aldern manages the killing shot.

    Defeat

    The PCs did not manage to impress Aldern beyond the mild

    fascination he already possessed towards them. The hunt

    ends with nothing to show for it. Aldern accompanies the

    PCs back to Sandpoint, taking the horses with him oncethey reach the town.

    Special: Trained in History

    PCs trained in the History skill are prompted to make a free

    History check each when the skill challenge begins.

    Special: Aldern's Aid

    The PC who holds Aldern's attention from earlier receives a+2 bonus on all skill checks made during the hunt as

    Aldern uses the Aid Another action to assist him or her.

    Athletics

    DC 10 A successful checks counts as a success on the skill

    challenge.

    The PC maneuvers through the forest, climbing rocks ortrees to get a better view of his surroundings as hesearches for signs of boar.

    Endurance

    DC 15 A successful check counts as two successes on the

    skill challenge, but the skill challenge ends immediately. If

    the party has not accumulated six successes when thishappens, they automatically fail the skill challenge. A failed

    check does not count as a failure on the skill challenge.

    This skill starts the skill challenge locked. A successful

    Nature or Perception check unlocks it, and it is locked again

    after one use.

    The chase is on! The PC rides hard, tailing the boar andwaiting for a shot to present itself.

    History

    DC 12 A success or failure on this skill check does not

    count as a success or failure on the challenge.

    The PC recalls that a traditional Varisian boar hunt isundertaken more for the thrill of the chase than anythingelse, especially amongst the nobility. A hunt ended quicklyis a disappointment, even if you have a fresh boar to showfor it.

    Nature

    DC 7 A successful check counts as a success on the skill

    challenge, and unlocks the Endurance skill.

    The PC uses his knowledge of boar habits to track onedown and pursue it.

    Perception

    DC 10 A successful check counts as a success on the skill

    challenge, and unlocks the Endurance skill.

    The PC spots boar tracks out of the corner of his eye, andfollows them until he discovers one of the creatures.

    Whether the party succeeds or fails, have Aldern grace them

    with 40 gp for saving his life during the Swallowtail festival

    (treasure parcel 10 from level 1).

    Level 1XP 200

  • Monster in the Closet

    This encounter will see some significant changes from its

    original incarnation, as well as the party's first introduction to

    an elite monster.

    Back in D&D 3.5, a fight against a single monster of the

    party's level was considered to be an average fight. Of course,

    usually a single monster simply couldn't keep up with a full

    party of adventurers. It got to hit one of them, sure, and then

    the party got to hit back four times. Not the fairest of fights.

    4th Edition fixes this by giving the average fight one monster

    per character. Furthermore, when the party does face off

    against a single monster, that monster is well-equipped to deal

    with taking on five enemies at the same time.

    Unfortunately for this encounter as designed, goblins simplydon't make great solo monsters. Elite, definitely, but they don't

    have the interesting powers that would allow a solo version to

    keep a party occupied. So forget the single monster in the

    closet approach. Gresgurt is still here, but he's simply the

    bravest of the goblins huddled together under the closet floor.

    There are now three monsters in the closet.

    Begin the PCs in the upper story wherever they choose. It is

    likely that the encounter is begun when one of them physically

    checks on the body of Alergast, so place the closest PC one

    square away from the closet door (right next to the bed),

    having recoiled from Alergast's mutilated body. This will allowenough room for all three goblins to appear. Put Gresgurt in

    front. Use the Blackblades' Sneaky ability to help them deal

    with the cramped quarters of the bedrooms while Gresgurt

    hacks away at the nearest PC. I suggest the following

    encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    1 Elite Goblin Skullcleaver, Gresgurt (apply the Battle

    Champion template)

    2 Goblin Blackblades

    Total: 500 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    Have Sheriff Hemlock dole out 190 gp and a potion of

    healing to the party when he comes to deal with the aftermath

    (treasure parcels 7 and 8 from level 1).

    Part Three: Glass and Wrath

    The Glassworks has been increased from one encounter to

    four. This is probably a good time to point out that, for obvious

    reasons, the number of goblins mentioned as being used in the

    raid on Sandpoint needs to be increased. They cite 30 as the

    number, but the PCs kill nearly that many themselves during

    the attack. I suggest increasing the number to 50.

    Once Shalelu has briefed the party on the goblin threat and

    Bethana has shown them Tsuto's letter to Ameiko, they should

    be well on their way to the Glassworks. This is a great point to

    introduce the party to quests. When Bethana implores them to

    find out what happened to Ameiko, give them a major questreflecting their task. See Appendix B for the appropriate quest

    card. There are no changes to the adventure until the PCs

    reach the interior. The DCs for climbing up the building, should

    the PCs choose to do so, and picking the locks on the exterior

    doors remain at 20.

    I suggest guiding the PCs along a specific route through the

    Glassworks (mention that they hear giggling and banging from

    a certain door) so that the encounter with Tsuto in the

    glassworking room serves as the climactic finish to the set of

    fights. There is one notable change that should be made to the

    layout of the Glassworks. The door into area A5 (the servants'quarters) should be made to face northwest, across from the

    door to A4 (the storeroom) instead of leading into A6 (the

    dining room). 4th Edition is much happier with spacious combat

    areas, which this change accommodates.

    As far as non-combat-related treasure goes, area A16 stillholds 60 gold pieces in three rolls in a hidden portion of the

    desk (Perception DC 15 finds it). This is treasure parcel 9 from

    level 1.

    The first encounter the PCs will likely reach is in area A5 and

    its adjoining hallway.

  • A3 A5 (Servants' Quarters)

    The Glassworks was originally devoid of hostile life save the

    glassworking room. We need more encounters, so there are

    now goblins crawling everywhere.

    The doorway into the servants quarters now leads out into

    the hallway instead of the dining area in order to separate

    these two encounter areas from one another.

    Array the goblins and their dogs within A5, and set the party

    up just outside the door in the hallway. The goblins are still inthe process of gleefully ripping up bedsheets and clothing while

    the goblin dogs rest on the floor nearby. I suggest the following

    encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    2 Goblin Warriors

    1 Goblin Blackblade

    2 Goblin Dogs (see Appendix A)

    Total: 500 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    The goblin blackblade here is carrying a pack of some of the

    tribe's supplies and what they've managed to pull off the

    workers' bodies and belongings. Within are two potions of

    healing, 120 gold pieces and a pearl worth 100 gold pieces

    (treasure parcel 5 from level 1, plus treasure parcel 7 from level2).

    A6 A8 (Dining Room)

    As soon as the PCs enter the dining room area, spring the

    next encounter on them.

    Position the goblin cutters around the main dining table. You

    can introduce them to the PCs as devouring whatever meal you

    wish. One of them might have taking a liking to the salt pork,

    while others might prefer the leg of one of the glassworks'

    unfortunate workers. The underboss and skullcleaver can be inany adjoining room (though probably not the washroom). They

    immediately rush out to investigate any sounds of battle. I

    suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    1 Goblin Underboss

    5 Goblin Cutters

    1 Goblin Skullcleaver

    Total: 625 xp (Level 2 Encounter)

    The Goblin Underboss carries treasure parcel 4 from level 1,

    and treasure parcel 2 from level 1 is propped up against a table

    nearby.

    A12 A14 (Office & Reception)

    By this point, the glassworks should seem infested with

    goblins. This is a notable departure from the original adventure,

    but shouldn't really alter the mood or urgency of the situation.

    For this encounter, place one of the goblin blackblades in the

    hallway between areas A13 and A15. When the PCs open the

    door into said hallway, the goblin's first action should be to

    pound on the door to area A12, where his closest allies are (the

    rest of the monsters in this encounter). The goblins have

    brought a fire beetle along at Tsuto's request to help make amess of things. I suggest the following encounter for a party of

    five adventurers:

    1 Goblin Skullcleaver

    3 Goblin Blackblades

    1 Fire Beetle

    Total: 550 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    Hanging on one of the walls in the reception room, encased

    in glass, is treasure parcel 4 from level 2.

  • A17 (Glassworking Room)

    And, finally, Tsuto. This should stretch the party's resources

    relatively thin, and Tsuto has a healthy number of goblins

    working at the furnace. Of all the encounter maps in the

    Glassworks, this is the only one that doesn't need to beenlarged (and shouldn't be, since it barely fits on most mats as

    is).

    When the PCs first arrive, it's goblins and only goblins. Tsuto

    arrives during round 3. Don't bother having a goblin go run and

    grab him. It's entirely possible that the PCs enter from the farend of the room, blocking the way to Tsuto anyway. Just have

    him join the fight upstairs on his own. Roll initiative for him and

    insert him into the combat at the northeast doorway. I suggest

    the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    1 Goblin Hexer

    1 Goblin Skullcleaver

    Tsuto Kaijutsu (see below, credit to Daniel Rivera)

    6 Goblin Cutters

    Glassworks Furnace (see below)

    Total: 875 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

    The goblins should absolutely focus on killing PCs in this

    fight, especially once Tsuto shows up. If a PC dropsunconscious at any point, the nearest two monsters should

    make a beeline for the body, pick it up (a minor action), carry it

    to the furnace doors (bearing in mind that a single goblin

    carrying a body is slowed due to the weight), open the doors (a

    minor action) and finally throw the helpless character into the

    furnace (a standard action). If they have an action to spare,they also slam the furnace door shut again (a minor action).

    Careless PCs will thus find that this fight could prove quite

    lethal.

    Also note that by this point, the party should have

    accumulated a total of 5,275 XP if all the encounters outlinedhere are followed. This is enough to bump each character to

    2nd level. So far we're on track for our stated goal of reaching

    4th level before the end of the adventure.

    Tsuto has treasure parcel 1 and treasure parcel 3 from level

    2. Tsuto also has 180 gold pieces worth of bribe money on him(treasure parcel 6). Sequestered on Tsuto's father, encased in

    glass, is treasure parcel 3 from level 1.

    Tsuto KaijutsuMedium natural humanoid

    Initiative +8 Senses Perception +9

    HP 109; Bloodied 54

    AC 20; Fortitude 18, Reflex 19, Will 16

    Saving Throws +2Speed 6

    Action Point 1

    m Short Sword (standard; at-will) Weapon+9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage.

    M Twin Strike (standard; at-will) WeaponTwo attacks; +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage.

    M Riposte Strike (standard; encounter) Weapon+9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, and if the target attacks Tsuto

    before the beginning of his next turn, Tsuto may make a

    melee basic attack against the target as an immediateinterrupt.

    M Jaws of the Wolf (standard; encounter) WeaponTwo attacks; +9 vs. AC; 2d8 + 4 damage. Miss: halfdamage.

    Yield Ground (immediate reaction, when damaged by a

    melee attack; encounter)

    Tsuto may shift up to 2 squares and gains a +2 power

    bonus to all defenses until the end of his next turn.

    Hunter's Quarry (minor action; 1/round)

    The nearest enemy target is designated as Tsuto's quarry.Once per round, Tsuto may elect to deal an additional 1d6

    damage with an attack after it hits. Tsuto may only have

    one quarry at a time, and designating a new quarry

    negates any existing quarry.

    Alignment Evil Languages Common, Elf,

    MinkaiSkills Acrobatics +9, Bluff +6, Intimidate +6, Thievery +9

    Str 16 (+5) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 14 (+4)

    Con 12 (+3) Int 9 (+1) Cha 12 (+3)

    Equipment 2 short swords

    Level 4 Elite SkirmisherXP 350

  • Glassworks FurnaceHazard

    The furnace doors swing open and unbearable heat washesover you. The flames beyond are hot enough to work glassfrom sand, and they engulf you in agony as you're tossed in.Hazard: Two wide, iron doors cover the entrance to theglassworks furnace.

    Perception

    No check is necessary to notice the huge furnace.

    Trigger

    The hazard triggers whenever a creature enters or begins

    its turn in one of the spaces beyond the furnace doors. Ittakes a minor action to open or close the furnace doors,

    and a standard action to push an unconscious or otherwise

    helpless creature through the opening. Creatures that are

    not helpless cannot be involuntarily moved into the

    furnace.

    AttackOpportunity Action Melee

    Target: The creature that triggered the hazard.

    Attack: Automatic hit

    Hit: The target takes ongoing 10 fire damage and is dazed

    (save ends).

    CountermeasuresThere is no way to actively disable the furnace during

    combat. There are plenty of ways to prevent characters

    from being thrown into the flames, however.

    The Catacombs of Wrath

    Yes, it was originally a "semi-optional" dungeon. The extra

    encounters it contains are important to the leveling scheme of

    this conversion, though, and it's a great sneak peek into the

    world of the Runelords. Encourage your party by whichever

    means necessary to investigate the tunnel leading from the

    Glassworks to the Catacombs. If the PCs seem reluctant, haveAmeiko mention that she heard Tsuto say something about a

    special surprise for Sandpoint in the tunnels, or have Shalelu or

    Sheriff Hemlock express concern that the smuggling tunnels

    have not been mapped.

    Non-combat treasure in the Catacombs includes thedecorative ranseur held by the statue of Runelord Alaznit in

    area B3 (the Welcoming Chamber). It is worth 290 gold pieces

    (and is treasure parcel 5 from level 2).

    B1 (Guard Cave)

    This is a pretty straightforward encounter, beginning as soon

    as a PC rounds the corner to look into the cave.

    A group of Sinspawn are waiting within, and are happy totake out their frustration with guard duty out on the PCs. Place

    the Rippers closer to the mouth of the cave, and the Wrathlord

    nearer to the back. I suggest the following encounter for a

    party of five adventurers:

    4 Sinspawn Rippers (see Appendix A)

    1 Sinspawn Wrathlord (see Appendix A)

    Total: 625 xp (Level 2 Encounter)

    B4 (Washing Pool)

    It's a good idea to increase the size of this chamber to 5

    squares in diameter. The pool in the center can remain the

    same size. Vargouilles do not exist in 4th Edition yet, but a very

    similar monster - the flameskull - does. I have dropped their

    level by 4 to make them an appropriate challenge for a party of

    2nd level adventurers.

    Place the flameskulls throughout the room, at the same height

    as the PCs. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five

    adventurers:

    3 altered Flameskulls (see below)

    Total: 525 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    Try to space out the Flameskulls' use of their fireball ability. One

    of the downsides of stacking a fight with artillery monsters is

    that they can easily devastate a party by using their encounter

    powers immediately.

    Flameskull (Level 4)Tiny natural animate (undead)

    Initiative +5 Senses Perception +9

    HP 46; Bloodied 23

    Regeneration 5

    AC 17; Fortitude 14, Reflex 19, Will 17

    Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 fire, 5 necroticSpeed fly 10 (hover)

    m Fiery Bite (standard; at-will) FireReach 0; +6 vs. AC; 1 damage plus 1d8 fire damage.

    R Flame Ray (standard; at-will) FireRanged 10; +8 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 4 dire damage.

    a Fireball (standard; encounter)

    Fire

    Area burst 3 within 20; +8 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 2 fire damage.

    Miss: half damage. The flameskull can exclude two alliesfrom the effect.

    Mage Hand (minor; at-will) ConjurationAs the wizard power mage hand (Player's Handbook 158).

    Alignment Unaligned Languages Common,

    Thassilonian

    Skills Stealth +10

    Str 5 (-1) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 14 (+4)

    Con 16 (+5) Int 22 (+8) Cha 20 (+7)

    Level 2 LurkerXP 125

    Level 4 BruteXP 175

  • B6 (Ancient Prison)

    The ancient prison now holds a bevy of monsters for the PCs. A

    group of Stormclaw Scorpions has taken up residence near one

    side of the cave, but the scorpions dislike the unnatural nature

    of the Sinspawn who share the prison with them, and theSinspawn consider the scorpions too dangerous to be

    worthwhile eating.

    Place the Stormclaw Scorpions off to the left side of the prison

    and the Sinspawn to the right. I suggest the following

    encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    3 Stormclaw Scorpions

    3 Sinspawn Rippers (see Appendix A)

    Total: 675 xp (Level 2 Encounter)

    They should try to fight on their separate ends of the

    platform, flanking the PCs, but if no other opportunity presents

    itself they take advantage of the second stairway as well. If a

    Sinspawn has no way of reaching a PC on the platform above,

    it waits underneath a corner of the platform and readies an

    attack should a PC take a tumble over the edge.

    B9 (Prisoner Pits)

    This encounter has undergone some thematic alterations.

    The zombies are no longer simply hazards waiting at the

    bottom of a pit for a hapless PC to wander into. Not only wouldthey be relatively insignificant threats absent a monster with

    the ability to push PCs with a power, but carrying out that

    isolated combat in a single 5' square would not be terribly

    interesting. And finally, once Koruvus is dealt with the zombies

    are a ridiculously simple threat to deal with. On that note, there

    are now only four zombies, all of which claw their way up out oftheir pits and into the room once they sense the untainted

    presence of the PCs in the room.

    The prisoner pits are covered by thin, fragile wooden planks

    which instantly break should a creature move atop one. Allow

    the creature a saving throw. If successful they are able to leapaside, and land prone in the square they just left. If

    unsuccessful, they fall 20 feet to the bottom of the pit (a fall

    which deals 2d10 damage). Four of the pits' covers are already

    broken. Place each of the four zombies adjacent to one of the

    pits with a broken cover. Koruvus begins at the back of the

    room, and immediately lumbers towards the PCs, utilizing hisAlchemical Breath first and then engaging the nearest PC in

    melee combat. I suggest the following encounter for a party of

    five adventurers:

    3 Zombies

    1 Corruption Corpse

    Koruvus (see below)

    Total: 850 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

    One of the prisoner pits contains treasure parcel 2 from level

    2, amongst the bones at the bottom.

    KoruvusMedium natural humanoid

    Initiative +3 Senses Perception +2; low-light vision

    HP 106; Bloodied 53; see also bloodied rageAC 18; Fortitude 17, Reflex 14, Will 12

    Saving Throws +2

    Speed 5; see also goblin tacticsAction Point 1

    m Short Sword (standard; at-will) Weapon+6 vs. AC; 1d10 + 5 damage, or 2d10 + 5 damage whilebloodied.

    M Hand Axe (standard; at-will) Weapon+5 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage.

    M Silver Dagger (standard; at-will) Weapon+5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 1 damage.

    M Arms for Everyone (standard; at-will) WeaponKoruvus makes a short sword, hand axe, and silver daggerattack. If Koruvus is bloodied, this attack can be made at

    the end of a charge.

    R Alchemical Breath (minor; encounter) AcidRanged 10; +3 vs. Will; 1d6 + 5 damage and ongoing 5

    acid damage (save ends).

    Bloodied Rage

    While bloodied, Koruvus loses the ability to use goblintactics and can do nothing but attack the nearest enemy,charging when possible.

    Goblin Tactics (immediate reaction, when missed by a

    melee attack; at-will)Koruvus shifts 1 square.

    Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin

    Skills Stealth +8, Thievery +8

    Str 18 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2)

    Con 13 (+2) Int 8 (+0) Cha 8 (+0)

    Equipment short sword, hand axe, silver dagger

    Level 3 Elite BruteXP 300

  • B11 (Meditation Chamber)

    When the PCs come across this room, use the new read-

    aloud text provided below:Should they choose to attempt to

    retrieve the book, run the challenge.

    This strange room consists of a fifteen-foot-diametersphere. Several objects float in the room, spinning lazilyin spacea bottle of wine, a dead raven surrounded by ahalo of floating and writhing maggots, and a ragged butfinely adorned book, along with other broken ordiscarded detritus. Yet perhaps the most unnervingaspect of the room is the walls, for they are plated insheets of strange red metal that ripple every once in awhile with silent black electricity that seems to coalesceinto strange runes or even words far too often for theeffect to be chance.

    Should they choose to attempt to retrieve the book, run the

    challenge.

    Skill Challenge: The Meditation Chamber

    Setup: The nature of this room has been altered to make itmore interesting as a skill encounter. When the party enters the

    room, the warped gravity effect begins to churn the room's

    contents like an erratic whirlpool, a side-effect of the Scribbler's

    spirit's increasing awareness of his old domain.

    The Meditation ChamberSkill Challenge

    As you approach the chamber, the electricity coursing alongthe walls becomes more frantic, and the contents of the roombegin to move, faster and faster, along invisible currents ofwarped gravity. It looks like retrieving anything intact willrequire some finesse.The PCs must carefully traverse the area of warped gravity in

    order to retrieve a potentially valuable prayer book.

    Complexity

    3 (requires 8 successes before 3 failures).

    Primary Skills

    Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Dungeoneering, ThieveryOther Skills

    Perception

    Victory

    The PCs manage to retrieve the book in stellar condition

    thanks to its magical preservation against the ages. It can

    be sold back at civilization.Defeat

    The book is inadvertently damaged by the party's actions.

    When they finally get ahold of it, its value has dropped to

    75 gold pieces.

    Special: At-will Spells

    Any PC attempting to use an at-will spell as part of thechallenge has the power wrested from his control and can

    only watch as it spirals throughout the room, wreaking

    havoc. Any such use earns an automatic failure.

    Special: The Book's Condition

    The book's value, unharmed, is 150 gold pieces (treasure

    parcels 9 and 10 from level 2). Each failure accumulated in

    the challenge reduces its value by 25 gold pieces. Note that

    a Make Whole ritual or similar power can restore the book

    to its full value.Acrobatics

    DC 8 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    The PC deftly launches off one of the chamber's spericalwalls, aiming his body for the book and hoping to catch itwithout harming it.

    Arcana

    DC 11 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge. Exceeding the DC by 5 or more informs the PC

    that the unstable magics here may cause less powerful

    spells to be twisted and turned upon their caster.

    The PC uses his knowledge of magical anomalies to minizethe room's effects on himself and his allies, allowing themto maneuver easily towards the book.

    Athletics

    DC 12 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    The PC swims through the air much like he would througha body of water, shooting towards the book's position.

    Dungeoneering

    DC 16 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    The PC's experiences with magical traps or underwatercurrents gives him remarkable insight into handling thedisorienting effects of the room's lack of gravity.

    Perception

    DC 6 A success or failure on this skill check does not count

    as a success or failure on the challenge, but instead

    provides a +2 bonus (for a success) or a -2 penalty (for a

    failure) to that character's next check.The PC studies the invisible eldritch currents' effects on theroom, deducing a pattern that gives him an idea of how toproceed.

    Thievery

    DC 14 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.The PC has dealt with supernatural hazards before, and thelessons learned back then guide his nimble hands inferrying the book to safety.

    Level 2XP 375

  • B13 (Cathedral of Wrath)

    This encounter functions similarly to the original. Erylium is

    the focus of the fight, and she uses the lesser runewell of wrath

    to summon new Sinspawn to her aid. The main difference is

    that she has the ability (and inclination) to summon anadditional two Sinspawn over the course of the fight as she

    becomes increasingly desperate. This is justifiable in part

    because the number of goblins involved in (and killed during)

    the raid on Sandpoint and in the Glassworks afterwards has

    been dramatically increased in this conversion, supplying the

    runewell with far more wrathful souls than it originallycontained.

    The runewell here contains 50 points of wrath before the

    encounter begins. Any creature entering the runewell

    immediately takes 2d10 cold damage. The runewell then makes

    an attack at +5 vs. Will against the creature. If successful, thecreature is compelled to do nothing but attack the nearest

    target, using the most powerful abilities available to it (save

    ends).

    Erylium is positioned atop the pulpit and immediately

    summons a single Sinspawn Wrathlord from the runewell. Isuggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    Erylium (see below)

    1 Sinspawn Wrathlord (see Appendix A)

    Total: 625 xp (Level 2 Encounter; adjusted for Erylium'ssummon sinspawn power)

    Erylium should make use of the runewell after she first takes

    damage and immediately after becoming bloodied.

    Located in this room, either on Erylium or elsewhere, istreasure parcel 1 from level 2. Erylium wears a tiara worth 260

    gp (treasure parcel 6 from level 2) and a black silk gown worth

    170 gp (treasure parcel 8 from level 2).

    EryliumTiny immortal humanoid (devil)

    Initiative +4 Senses Perception +8; darkvision

    HP 80; Bloodied 40

    AC 19; Fortitude 14, Reflex 17, Will 17

    Resist 10 fire, 10 poisonSaving Throws +2

    Speed 4, fly 6 (hover)

    Action Point 1

    m Bite (standard; at-will)+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage.

    R Alchemical Breath (minor; at-will) AcidRanged 10; +6 vs. Will; 1d6 + 3 acid damage and ongoing3 acid damage (save ends).

    M Tail Sting (standard; recharges when Erylium uses vanish)

    Poison+8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and Erylium makes a

    secondary attack against the same target. Secondaryattack: +5 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 5 poisondamage and a -2 penalty to Will defense (save ends both).

    Vanish (standard; at-will) Illusion

    Erylium becomes invisible until the end of her next turn oruntil she attacks.

    Summon Sinspawn (move, when adjacent to runewell;

    recharges when first bloodied)

    Erylium summons a Sinspawn Ripper in any square

    adjacent to the runewell. Each use of this ability deals 5

    damage to Erylium.Alignment Evil Languages Abyssal, Common,

    Thassilonian

    Skills Arcana +9, Bluff +9, Stealth +9

    Str 12 (+2) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 14 (+3)

    Con 16 (+4) Int 16 (+4) Cha 16 (+4)

    Level 3 Elite Lurker (Leader)XP 300

  • The Lesser Runewell of Wrath

    The runewell in the Catacombs of Wrath presents a

    significant threat to Sandpoint and the surrounding region if not

    dealt with. By the end of the fight with Erylium, the runewell

    contains 32 wrath points, enough to create 5 more sinspawn.In order to disable the runewell, the PCs have to drain it of

    wrath completely. This is an opportunity to include another skill

    challenge - allowing the PCs a chance to shut the runewell

    down without having to put up with the threat another five

    sinspawn pose.

    Skill Challenge: The Lesser Runewell of Wrath

    Setup: The runewell must be shut down by draining it of wrath

    points. This can be accomplished by causing it to disgorge

    sinspawn, but with some finesse and patient examination, the

    wrath can be diffused without creating more of the taintedmonsters. Whether the PCs succeed or fail, the runewell is no

    longer a threat.

    The Lesser Runewell of WrathSkill Challenge

    The runewell glows a menacing orange as you peer into it.You can feel its influence from where you stand, a palpableevil current in the air around you.The PCs must disable the runewell in order to ensure that itisn't used to produce more monsters in the future.

    Complexity

    5 (requires 12 successes before 3 failures).

    Primary Skills

    Arcana, History, Religion, Thievery

    Other SkillsPerception

    Victory

    The runewell is drained, its vile presence no longer a threat

    to Sandpoint. Its glow dims and disappears, and the cold

    and unease felt by the PCs upon entering the cathedral

    gradually fades over the next few hours.Defeat

    A careless mistake in defusing the runewell causes it to

    disgorge a host of sinspawn, all eager to prevent the

    intruders from meddling in the affairs of greater beings.

    Immediately begin a combat encounter involving 3

    Sinspawn Rippers and 2 Sinspawn Wrathlords. Award thePCs with 625 XP if they defeat the sinspawn.

    Arcana

    DC 9 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    The PC's knowledge of summoning rituals provides himwith a few incantations to disperse the influence of wrathin the catacombs.

    History

    DC 13 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    Having heard of these runewells in dusty old tomes andrumors, the PC knows a thing or two about how one mightdefuse such an artifact.

    Perception

    DC 13 A success or failure on this skill check does not

    count as a success or failure on the challenge, but can

    negate a failure gained by the last check made. This

    benefit can only be gained once in the challenge.The PC catches a dangerous mistake just before it sets offsome of the dangerous magics of the runewell.

    Religion

    DC 11 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    The PC counters the unholy presence in the cathedral witha number of furtive prayers to his own deity, who respondsby diluting the taint of wrath covering the runewell.

    Thievery

    DC 16 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    While this particular device is quite different than what thePC is used to, he finds himself able to identify a handful ofthe runes inscribed along the well's edges and effectivelycounter them.

    Level 2XP 625

  • Part Four: Thistletop

    The next target on the PCs' agenda at this point should be

    Thistletop and attempting to put a stop to the enormous goblin

    raid threatening Sandpoint. Assign them a couple of quests to

    help them along. See Appendix B for the appropriate quest

    cards.

    The first is given to the PCs by a group of traveling

    merchants who have had their prize warhorse stolen during a

    goblin attack on their caravan. Shadowmist can be found within

    Thistletop, and requires the successful completion of a skill

    challenge to save. The monetary reward for returning

    Shadowmist is treasure parcels 6 and 10 from level 4.

    The second should be given to the party whenever it

    becomes clear to them that the town can only be saved by

    taking care of the leaders of Thistletop. This could be as early

    as when they discover Tsuto's notes, or as late as having to

    throw pleading townsfolk at the PCs until they realize they'reneeded for the good of the town.

    Allow the PCs a chance to rest up from whatever adventure

    they've just returned from, and give them an opportunity to

    purchase equipment (they may even have enough gold to buy

    a magic item or two).

    When they are sufficiently prepared and decide to leave

    Sandpoint, set them on the Navigating the Nettlewood skill

    challenge.

    Navigating the Nettlewood

    Before the PCs even come across Thistletop, they run the

    risk of getting rather lost in the tangled maze of the

    Nettlewood.

    Skill Challenge: Navigating the Nettlewood

    Setup: While Thistletop is easy to locate simply by heading to

    the coast and following the shoreline, it is difficult to access

    from below in such a manner. It is very likely that your party

    will head through the wilderness to the goblin fortress. To do sothey will have to defeat a skill challenge, or accidentally

    stumble across a bloodthirsty hobgoblin patrol (these

    hobgoblins have no connection to Thistletop and are nothing

    more than bandits keeping an eye on the nearby highway).

    Note: This skill challenge is practically identical to the Lost inthe Wilderness sample skill challenge presented in the Dungeon

    Master's Guide.

  • Navigating the NettlewoodSkill Challenge

    The Nettlewood is a tangled, confusing mess of trees andbrambles. To make matters worse, the sun overhead isobscured by a natural canopy, making travel direction difficultto gauge. Thistletop is here somewhere, but too manymissteps and trouble could find you first.The PCs must find their way through the maze-like forest in

    order to locate the goblin fortress of Thistletop.

    Complexity

    2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures).

    Primary SkillsEndurance, Nature

    Other Skills

    Perception

    Victory

    The PCs finally come across one of the entrances to the

    goblin warren leading to Thistletop. While the trek waschallenging, they are more or less in one piece. Thistletop

    awaits.

    Defeat

    After one wrong turn too many, the PCs stumble out of the

    tangled undergrowth and into a clearing. A number of burly

    goblinoid creatures turn towards them and chuckle tothemselves, drawing nasty-looking weapons in the

    anticipation of another set of victims.

    Endurance

    DC 12 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge. A failed check causes all members of the party

    to lose one healing surge to exhaustion in addition tocounting as a failure on the challenge. At least two of the

    successes gained in this skill challenge must be from this

    skill in order to achieve victory.

    The PC forges ahead, shrugging off the snagging nettlesand ever-growing weariness from his continued trekthrough the forest.

    Nature

    DC 10 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge. A failed check causes all members of the party

    to lose one healing surge to exhaustion in addition to

    counting as a failure on the challenge. At least one of the

    successes gained in this skill challenge must be from thisskill in order to achieve victory.

    The PC advises his companions on how to deal with thehazards of the Nettlewood, picking out the best-used trailsto follow and avoiding dead-ends and briar patches.

    Perception

    DC 6 A success or failure on this skill check does not countas a success or failure on the challenge, but instead

    provides a +2 bonus (for a success) or a -2 penalty (for a

    failure) to the next character's Endurance or Nature check.

    The PC points out an obscured path for the party to take,or notices a hidden patch of nettles they ought to avoid.

    If the PCs fail the skill challenge, they need to contend with

    a pack of hobgoblin bandits. I suggest the following encounter

    for a party of five adventurers:

    2 Hobgoblin Archers

    3 Hobgoblin Soldiers

    1 Hobgoblin Warcaster

    Total: 900 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

    Soon after they contend with the hobgoblins, they manage

    to find the entrance to the goblin warren and Thistletop. The

    party does not need to complete the skill challenge a second

    time.

    C4 (Refugee Nest)

    The majority of the refugees who ended up here are poorly

    equipped and are unable to put up much of a fight. A handful

    have seen a fight or two, though, and take advantage of their

    numbers to overwhelm the PCs, flanking whenever possible.When the fight starts going badly for the goblins (and it

    undoubtedly will), have a couple of them panic. PCs who

    understand the Goblin tongue are able to make out phrases like

    "We're done for!", "Run for your lives!" and "Longshanks are

    here to kill us all!"

    I suggest the following encounter for a party of five

    adventurers:

    8 Goblin Cutters

    3 Goblin Blackblades

    Total: 500 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    C5 (Goblin Dog Kennel)

    There's one more Goblin Dog here than in the original

    adventure. The goblin dogs begin the fight leashed to woodenstakes in the dirt, but the presence of potential threats and/or

    food is more than enough incentive for them to pull the stakes

    free (a move action for the Goblin Dogs) at their first

    opportunity.

    Any fight here creates enough noise to alert Gogmurt to theparty's presence. I suggest the following encounter for a party

    of five adventurers:

    5 Goblin Dogs (see Appendix A)

    Total: 500 xp (Level 1 Encounter)

    Level 2XP 250

  • C6 & C7 (Gogmurt & Tangletooth)

    Tangletooth growls menacingly at anyone unfamiliar

    approaching Gogmurt's lair. Have the goblin make a dramatic

    appearance by stepping through the bramble wall as it parts for

    him, igniting his dagger in supernatural flame in the process.The PCs should immediately get the feeling that this goblin is

    different from the others they've fought so far.

    I suggest the following encounter for a party of five

    adventurers:

    Tangletooth (use the Cave Bear stat block from the

    Monster Manual - note the errata increasing the bear's

    damage to 2d8 + 5)

    Gogmurt, Goblin Druid (see below)

    Total: 900 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

    Treasure parcel 3 from level 3 can be found at the back of

    the lair, amongst Gogmurt's alchemical supplies.

    The cave bear makes a surprisingly good stand-in for a

    leopard in this fight (though you should still describeTangletooth as a firepelt), and it is an elite monster to boot,

    making this an appropriately challenging fight. Gogmurt posed

    a few interesting design questions. One of the best ways to

    approaching monster conversion in 4th Edition is to start by

    making a list of what might be called "signature" abilities. The

    list I made for Gogmurt included the following: a love of fire(he's a goblin, after all, and employs produce flame and flame

    blade in the original adventure), his ability to move through the

    bramble walls and, of course, his animal companion. I also

    wanted a chance to try out some of the new Kobold monsters

    presented in Dragon #364, and this looked like a great chance

    to try out the Kobold Wild Mage stat block (modified for agoblin).

    I decided to start with the Scion of Flame template to bump

    Gogmurt to elite status. This makes all of his attacks fire-based

    (including all of his Wild Magic powers and his dagger). I

    removed the Body of Flame ability and Wild Teleport andreplaced them with the ability to heal Tangletooth once and his

    free movement through the bramble walls. The random nature

    of the Wild Magic effects meshes well with the Pathfinder

    imagining of goblins, and Gogmurt should also feel plenty

    druid-like to the party.

    Gogmurt, Goblin DruidSmall natural humanoid

    Initiative +4 Senses Perception +4; darkvision

    HP 116; Bloodied 58

    AC 18; Fortitude 18, Reflex 19, Will 18

    Resist 5 fireSaving Throws +2

    Speed 6; see also woodland stride and goblin tacticsAction Point 1

    m Flame Dagger (standard; at-will) Fire+7 vs. AC; 1d4 + 2 fire damage.

    r Sizzling Surge (standard; at-will) Implement, FireRanged 10; +9 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 4 fire damage and slide2.

    R Mad Goblin Forest Magic (standard; at-will) Implement, FireRanged 10; +9 vs. Reflex; on a hit roll 1d4 to determine

    the effect:

    1 Flame Bolt, 1d8 + 4 fire damage and ongoing 5 fire(save ends).2 Flame Wreath, 1d6 + 4 fire damage and immobilized(save ends).

    3 Singe the Flesh, 1d8 + 4 fire damage and dazed (saveends).

    4 Dance, Longshanks!, 1d6 + 4 fire damage, ongoing 5fire and slowed (save ends both).

    c Companion Bond (minor; encounter) HealingClose burst 5; if Tangletooth is in the area and is bloodied,

    she regains 42 hit points.

    c There Goes the Warren (when reduced to 0 hit points) Fire

    Close burst 2; +10 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 4 fire damage.

    Woodland StrideGogmurt can move freely through the bramble walls of the

    goblin warren. While in a wall space he gains cover and

    cannot be moved involuntarily. Gogmurt cannot move more

    than one square deep into the bramble walls.

    Goblin Tactics (immediate reaction, when missed by a

    melee attack; at-will)Gogmurt shifts 1 square.

    Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin

    Skills Nature +9

    Str 11 (+2) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4)

    Con 14 (+4) Int 16 (+5) Cha 16 (+5)

    Equipment dagger, robes

    Level 5 Elite ControllerXP 400

  • Thistletop Fortress

    And so we near the finale of Burnt Offerings: the assault on

    Thistletop. I'm going to quickly go over the changes being

    made to this final dungeon before I dive into the encounter

    write-ups.

    The first floor is being split into three encounters, plus a skill

    challenge. The pickle thieves in the guard tower are now

    combined with the goblins playing Killgull. The goblin dogs from

    the exercise yard are mustered by a pair of goblins from the

    barracks and the two commandos from the eastern guardtower,who mount a defense just outside the throne room. The

    remainder of the goblins in the fortress are part of the

    encounter with Ripnugget. Dealing with Shadowmist is now a

    skill challenge.

    The second floor prominently features a fight withBruthazmus and the goblin wives. Orik and Lyrie are holed up

    together in the research room as a single encounter. The cave

    area has been altered to replace the tentamort with up-to-date

    monsters, and the chapel contains Shadow Hounds, which are

    a decent replacement for the Yeth Hounds.

    The final floor begins with a trap encounter (an expanded

    version of the scythe-pit trap). The fights with Nualia and

    Malfeshnekor remain largely intact, as does the fight with the

    undead in the crypt room. The hermit crab no longer resides in

    the ruined treasury, which is instead inhabited by a group of

    kruthiks.

    By this point it is very likely that the party has reached level

    3, or will very soon. They will hit level 4 before the end of the

    dungeon. Be sure to keep track of your treasure parcels

    appropriately.

    C9 & C10 (Thistletop Exterior)

    The rigged rope bridge and fight with the goblins outside the

    hideout now form a single encounter. This has been done for

    two reasons: first, the rope bridge trap by itself is not very

    tactically interesting at all. Once spotted by the PCs (likely withtheir Passive Perception scores), it's not challenging to simply

    send two PCs across at a time. The other reason is that putting

    goblins and goblin dogs at one end of the bridge forces an

    interesting tactical dilemma on the PCs. Do they fight on the

    bridge and get bogged down, with only a couple party

    members fighting the goblins at a time? Or do they figure out away to get past the goblins somehow?

    Fighting the goblins with ranged weapons is a losing

    prospect. Not only can the goblins fire back (with surprising

    accuracy), but most ranged powers do not have enough range

    to reach across the length of the bridge. If the goblins findthemselves overpowered at range, they simply retreat within

    the walls of Thistletop and inform Ripnugget, if he hasn't

    already heard of the attack. The onus is on the PCs to make it

    inside Thistletop. The goblins have the home turf advantage. I

    suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    4 Goblin Dogs (see Appendix A)

    4 Goblin Warriors

    2 Goblin Sharpshooters (join the fight in round 4)

    Rigged Rope Bridge (see below)

    Total: 1,200 xp (Level 6 Encounter)

    The goblin dogs and Warriors begin the fight outside the

    walls, playing Killgull. They stop once they see the PCs and

    attack them immediately (though the one holding the gull-on-a-

    string continues to absentmindedly hold the string until he

    realizes he needs his other hand for something). The twogoblins in the eastern guardtower (C15) rush downstairs to

    warn Ripnugget and protect the throne room while the goblins

    in the western guardtower (C13) are awoken by the battle on

    round four. After tossing the pickles off the tower, they join the

    fight by peppering the PCs at range. If the PCs head inside

    without killing the pickle thieves, they are quick to assume thatthe PCs will come to murder them next. Panicking, they

    scramble onto the outside of the guardtower and try to climb

    their way down and to safety. They do not join the fight in the

    throne room.

  • Rigged Rope BridgeTrap

    The seemingly sound rope bridge shudders worryingly as yetanother creature steps out onto it. You hear a snap, and thewooden planks swing out from under you. Nothing but wavesand rock outcroppings wait below.Trap: The rope bridge has been rigged to collapse should

    three or more people attempt to use it at the same time.

    Perception

    DC 16: The character notices that the ropes on one side of

    the bridge don't seem to be secured as tightly.

    Additional Skill: Dungeoneering DC 18: The character realizes that the bridge will collapse if

    three or more medium-sized creatures are on it at the

    same time.

    Trigger

    The trap triggers as soon as three or more medium-sized

    creatures occupy the bridge squares at the same time (asmall creature counts as one-third of a medium creature,

    and a large creature counts as three medium creatures).

    Attack

    Immediate Reaction Melee

    Target: All creatures on the rope bridge.

    Attack: +5 vs. ReflexHit: The target falls 80 feet into the surf below, taking 4d10

    damage.

    Miss: Target catches the good side of the bridge but is

    considered to be squeezing as long as they remain on the

    bridge. Missed targets adjacent to either shore may elect to

    leap onto the nearest square of solid ground, falling prone.Effect: The bridge is collapsed. Characters can still use the

    attached side of the bridge to cross, but are considered to

    be squeezing while doing so. Characters involuntarily

    moved off the working side of the bridge can immediately

    make a saving throw as a free action to hold on and avoid

    the movement, but are immobilized until the end of theirnext turn.

    Countermeasures

    A character adjacent to either shore of the bridge can

    increase the strength of the rigged knots with a DC 15

    Thievery check. Each success means that the bridge can

    hold on additional medium-sized creature (up to amaximum of six) without triggering the trap.

    C11 C13 (Trophy Hall)

    At this point it is practically inevitable that the PCs have

    alerted at least the top level of the fortress to their presence.

    The goblins within the fortress have fortified it with two groups.

    One is positioned in the trophy hall with the goblin dogs fromthe exercise yard, and the other waits within the throne room.

    The defense here is being marshaled by the two commandos,

    who yanked a pair of goblin grunts from the barracks to muster

    the goblin dogs. I suggest the following encounter for a party

    of five adventurers:

    4 Goblin Dogs (see Appendix A)

    2 Goblin Skullcleavers

    2 Goblin Cutters

    Total: 750 xp (Level 3 Encounter)

    There is a good deal of potential exploration to be done after

    the conclusion of this fight. Divide treasure parcel 10 from level

    3 up so that it can be spread throughout this level. 40 goldpieces worth is found in the form of Ripnugget's holy symbol in

    C23. The rest should be split between the chest in the treasury

    (along with treasure parcel 4 from level 3) and Ripnugget's

    possessions.

    Level 3 LurkerXP 150

  • C18 (Shadowmist)

    Shadowmist is in pretty pathetic shape when found by the

    PCs. Restoring him to good health is a skill challenge.

    Skill Challenge: Tending to Shadowmist

    Setup: Consider running this skill challenge in stages tending

    to his injuries, getting him back up on his feet, and finally

    calming him down to be led back to Sandpoint.

    Tending to ShadowmistSkill Challenge

    After many days of confinement and deprivation, the once-magnificent warhorse Shadowmist is a shadow of his formerself. Little more than skin and bone, he is in need of prompt,careful attention if you wish to prevent the horse's death.The PCs must look after Shadowmist's recovery withoutaccidentally causing the horse to die of its ailments.

    Complexity

    3 (requires 8 successes before 3 failures).

    Primary Skills

    Athletics, Heal, Nature

    VictoryThe PCs restore Shadowmist to passable health and calm

    him to the point where he can be safely led back to

    Sandpoint. Upon returning the horse, award the PCs the

    quest reward from the minor quest Horse Thieves!

    Defeat

    One too many mistakes and ill-advised decisions results inthe proud warhorse succumbing to his exhaustion and

    starvation, collapsing dead in the yard. This results in the

    PCs failing the minor quest Horse Thieves!

    Special: Feeding Shadowmist

    Offering any food suitable for a horse to Shadowmist

    counts as a one-time automatic success on the challenge.Athletics

    DC 16 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge.

    Once Shadowmist is back on his feet, he reacts violently toany attempt to restrain him. The PC lends a strong arm tohelp rein the warhorse in so that he can be tamed.

    Heal

    DC 16 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge. The first success with this skill also indicates

    starvation and reveals that feeding Shadowmist will provide

    a one-time automatic success on the challenge.

    While horses may not have been the PC's most commonpatient, he is familiar enough with methods of care forliving creatures that he can get Shadowmist on his feetagain.

    Nature

    DC 11 A successful check counts as a success on the

    challenge. The first success with this skill also indicatesstarvation and reveals that feeding Shadowmist will provide

    a one-time automatic success on the challenge.

    The PC has spent time caring for horses in the past, or hashad to suffer long periods surviving without food himself.He knows a few things about how to safely handleShadowmist, and whispers some calming words to thehorse while expertly instructing his companions.

    C19 (Throne Room)

    This marks the PCs' final confrontation with the goblin

    menace (save the minor threat that the goblin wives in

    Bruthazmus' room pose). It should be a dramatic encounter full

    of Ripnugget's taunts and goblin rallying cries (which oftensound more like insults than encouragement).

    Any creature forced into one of the four spiked support

    columns is dealt 1d10 points of damage from the protruding

    spikes. Ouch.

    We're also changing things up for this fight. The PCs have

    fought dozens of goblins by now, and they are no doubt

    becoming somewhat predictable. For this final battle, I've taken

    some of the recently released kobold monsters and retooled

    them to look like goblins. I suggest the following encounter for

    a party of five adventurers:

    Warchief Ripnugget (see below)

    Stickfoot, Giant Gecko (see Appendix A)

    2 Goblin Pikers (as Kobold Piker with goblin racial trait,

    see Dragon #364)

    4 Goblin Cutters

    Total: 875 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

    Make heavy, effective use of the pikers' ability to ready

    attacks with a bonus by positioning them near Ripnugget, then

    using Stickfoot to drag an unfortunate (and now prone)adventurer into triggering their melee attacks. The cutters can

    run interference, but don't expect them to last long with the

    party pulling out daily powers for what should clearly be a

    climactic fight. When Ripnugget becomes bloodied, he uses his

    Alchemical Juggernaut ability, pulling out one of Gogmurt's

    most powerful alchemical concoctions and throwing it to theground, inhaling the billowing green smoke.

    Ripnugget carries treasure parcel 1 from level 3, and

    treasure parcel 6 from level 3 can be found either here or in

    Ripnugget's room (whichever you feel is appropriate).

    Level 3XP 450

  • Warchief RipnuggetSmall natural humanoid

    Initiative +5 Senses Perception +8; low-light vision

    HP 130; Bloodied 65; see also alchemical juggernautAC 23; Fortitude 20, Reflex 15, Will 19

    Saving Throws +2Speed 5; see also goblin tacticsAction Point 1

    m Dogslicer (standard; at-will) Weapon+12 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage and the target is marked until

    the end of Ripnugget's next turn.

    c Fight On, You Slugs! (minor; recharge 56)Close burst 2; each goblin ally in the area gains a +4 bonusto its next attack roll.

    M Knee Splinter (standard; encounter)

    Weapon

    +12 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 damage and the target is immobilized

    (save ends). Aftereffect: Target is slowed (save ends).M Cheap Shot (minor; recharge 56)+10 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 damage and the target is stunned

    (save ends).

    Alchemical Juggernaut (minor; encounter) Acid,Polymorph

    Ripnugget regains 32 hit points. Until the end of the

    encounter, he gains regeneration 5 and all of his attacks

    deal an extra 3 acid damage.

    Goblin Tactics (immediate reaction, when missed by a

    melee attack; at-will)Ripnugget shifts 1 square.

    Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin

    Skills Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +10

    Str 18 (+6) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 12 (+3)

    Con 17 (+5) Int 12 (+3) Cha 17 (+5)

    Equipment plate armor, dogslicer, sling

    C24 (Treasury)

    The treasury chest in this small room sports a nasty surprise

    of a trap. Unfortunately, this trap once again runs counter to

    the design philosophy of 4th Edition encounters; it challengesonly a single party member and isn't tactically interesting. It

    would be a shame to leave it out, though, so I've bitten the

    bullet and converted it anyway. The stats for the trap are

    below.

    The chest itself contains treasure parcel 4 from level 3 andany portion of treasure parcel 10 from level 3 you decide to

    allocate here.

    Filthy Slasher TrapTrap

    A rusty blade of jagged metal springs out of the chest's lid.Trap: While the poison on this blade has long since decayed,

    it still has a great chance of giving victims tetanus.

    Perception

    DC 18: The character notices the blade's triggermechanism.

    Trigger

    The blade springs when a character attempts to open the

    chest.

    Attack

    Immediate Interrupt MeleeTarget: The creature that triggered the trap

    Attack: +8 vs. AC

    Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the trap makes a secondary

    attack.

    Secondary Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude

    Hit: The target contracts tetanus.Countermeasures

    A character can make a DC 17 Thievery check to disable

    the trigger mechanism. Success disables the trap. Failure

    by 5 or more springs the trap, and the trap gains combat

    advantage against its target.

    Level 5 Elite Soldier (Leader)XP 400

    Level 4 ObstacleXP 175

  • C27 (Bunyip Lair)

    If the PCs elect to explore this cavern (most likely by

    dropping down from above), they can contend with a pair of

    bunyips.

    The bunyips are potentially very dangerous to unprotected PCs,

    and you should make this clear to the players as they approach

    this encounter. A critical hit can, under the right circumstances,

    nearly drop a non-defender, and retreating from the fight is

    very tough the options are swimming or climbing. I suggest

    the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

    2 Bunyips (see below)

    Total: 700 XP (Level 3 Encounter)

    Consider placing a ritual book in the pile of bones. While some

    of the pages have been exposed to too much water to be

    usable, the rest of the book can contain a few rituals of

    appropriate level that you think the party might enjoy using.While technically treasure, mastering a ritual doesn't pose much

    of a risk of the party becoming more powerful than intended for

    their level. Because of this, I am not counting any rituals found

    here as treasure parcels.

    BunyipMedium natural beast

    Initiative +10 Senses Perception +3; darkvision

    HP 134; Bloodied 67

    AC 18; Fortitude 17, Reflex 18, Will 15

    Saving Throws +2

    Speed 2, swim 8Action Points 1

    m Bite (standard; at-will)+7 vs. AC; 1d12 + 4 damage.

    Frenzy (free, when the bunyip starts its turn within 5 squares

    of a bloodied creature; at-will)

    The bunyip's attacks deal an extra 1d12 damage until the

    start of its next turn. Once per round, if the bunyip reducesan enemy to 0 or fewer hit points while in water and under

    the effects of frenzy, the bunyip can swim its speed andmake a bite attack as a free action.

    Rows of Teeth

    The bunyip scores a critical hit on a natural roll of 18-20.

    Waterborn

    While in water, a bunyip gains a +2 bonus to damage rollsagainst any creature without a swim speed.

    Alignment Unaligned Languages -

    Skills Athletics +9

    Str 17 (+5) Dex 20 (+7) Wis 15 (+4)

    Con 17 (+5) Int 2 (-2) Cha 10 (+2)

    D2 (Chieftan's Harem)

    You have a real opportunity here to demonstrate to your

    players that goblins of either gender are roughly equally

    depraved and bloodthirsty. Bruthazmus is found in this

    chamber, along with a pack of goblin wives.

    Despite Bruthazmus' experience as a hunter and trapper, he

    sticks to melee in this fight, knowing that the close quarters of

    the harem chamber do not favor ranged combat. To that end,

    Bruthazmus now possesses a frightening array of melee

    abilities. The goblin wives act as a single entity, wreaking havocwhere able and setting characters up to be attacked by

    Bruthazmus. They have been turned into the goblin version of a

    kobold horde. I suggest the following encounter for a party of

    five adventurers:

    Bruthazmus (see below)

    1 Goblin Horde (as Kobold Horde with goblin racial trait,

    see Dragon #364)

    Total: 1,250 xp (Level 6 Encounter)

    Bruthazmus and the goblin wives have treasure parcels 2and 5 from level 3 on them. If one of your players is in need of

    a magic longbow, this would be a prime opportunity to present

    them with one.

    BruthazmusMedium natural humanoidInitiative +9 Senses Perception +3; low-light vision

    HP 244; Bloodied 122

    AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 19, Will 16

    Saving Throws +5

    Speed 7

    Action Points 3m Short Sword (standard; at-will) Weapon+10 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage.

    M Blur of Movement (standard; recharge 3456) Poison

    Bruthazmus shifts up to 8 squares, and can make 2 shortsword attack at any point during the move. Bruthazmusmust attack two different targets, and a target slides 3squares on a hit.

    Shadow Walk

    Illusion

    Bruthazmus turns invisible until the end of his next turn or

    until he attacks when he moves 3 or more squares on his

    turn.

    Predatory Eye (minor; at-will)Bruthazmus deals an extra 1d6 damage against the next

    target that he has combat advantage against.

    An Eye for Elves

    Bruthazmus deals an extra 4 damage against elves and

    eladrin. When Bruthazmus drops an elf or eladrin to 0 hit

    points or fewer, he gains 15 temporary hit points.Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin

    Skills Acrobatics +10, Athletics +9, Stealth +10, Thievery

    +10

    Str 14 (+4) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 12 (+3)

    Con 13 (+3) Int 13 (+3) Cha 11 (+2)

    Equipment leather armor, short sword

    Level 5 Solo LurkerXP 1,000

    Level 4 Elite BruteXP 350

  • D6 D8 (Not-Tentamort Hunting Grounds)

    The tentamort doesn't exist in 4th Edition (and in fact was a

    3rd-party monster in D&D 3.5). I originally designed this

    encounter to feature a pair of Azure Jellies, but it was pointed

    out to me that Grells are the closest analogue to the tentamort(credit to Jamie Lovett). I still like the idea of including an

    Azure Jelly to spice things up, so I've kept one of them.

    Have the jelly drop down from the ceiling into the central

    chamber right after the PCs enter the room. The grell should be

    floating somewhere nearby.

    In running the monsters, try to keep them attached to or

    grabbing a PC for as long as possible. Keep in mind that they

    can still use their attacks while attached to or grabbing a

    character. This has the potential to be a difficult fight if handled

    well. I suggest the following encounter for a party of fiveadventurers:

    1 Azure Jelly (see Dragon #367)

    1 Grell

    Total: 1,200 xp (Level 6 Encounter)

    One of the goblin corpses still remaining in the caves holds

    treasure parcel 2 from level 4.

    D12 (Chapel to Lamashtu)

    The chapel now contains three hounds, which use the

    Shadow Hound stat block. Though Shadow Ho