| Main Menu | Press Releases | Contact Us | Internet Policy | Online Catalog |
It is from here that the rumors of a demon-haunted pool originate. As the players approach the area they will see a clearing about 150 feet across and 200 feet wide. Within this clearing are the burned out ruins of what was apparently a small temple and pool whose water glows red. They will also see three or four wild boars rooting around in the weeds around the temple.
If anyone uses either a psionic or magical Sense Evil the ruins will detect as definite evil, while the pool will show as good.
Within this pool is imprisoned the spirit of a Paladin who was killed while helping to destroy the temple, which was dedicated to the worship of demons and devils. Any player who looks at the temple and then makes a successful Religious Doctrines roll will be able to identify it as such.
The only way to lay the spirit of the Paladin to rest is to get his bones, which lie at the bottom of the pool, 25 feet below, and give them a decent burial. If the players approach the pool the paladin will use telepathy to contact them and ask that this be done.
He will, however, warn them that there has been a curse laid on the pool by the same demons which imprisoned him here. Anyone who enters the pool must save versus insanity or become a manic-depressive, starting with the depressive state. (see Insanity Tables in the Palladium Fantasy RPG)
If this happens the player will not attempt to retrieve the bones of the Paladin, but will instead simply return to the bank of the pool and start crying. After all "What's the use, he's damned, we're all doomed, why don't we just kill ourselves and save someone else the trouble?" Though the player will not actually attempt suicide, it is all he will talk about as long as he is in the depressive state.
If the players are successful in retrieving the bones of the Paladin and give them a decent burial, he will express his gratitude by telling them the location of his Holy Sword. He managed to hide it just before he was killed, burying it beneath some rocks just to the north of the clearing. This holy broad sword can only be handled by someone of a Good alignment, all others take 1D4 points of damage per round. This weapon has the abilities of Healing Touch (4D6) three times per day, usually glowing white, the glow will become red within twenty feet of evil.
The players, however, will not go unopposed in either burying the paladin or collecting his sword. The four boars in the area are not real animals, but are actually polymorphed Pucks. The paladin does not know this since they are always in animal form when in the clearing.
If the players look like they are going to be successful in gathering the paladin's bones from the pool, the pucks will try to work their way around behind the players, trying to appear as innocuous as possible. They will then change into their natural forms and attack from the rear trying to drive or knock all the players into the pool.
The Pucks
Natural Abilities:
Nightvision 60 feet
Pick Locks 45%
Pick Pockets 55%
Polymorph into a goat, dog, pony or wild boar.
Prowl 50%
Recognize Poison 72%
Three attacks per melee, bite does 1D6 damage, claw does 1D6 damage.
#1: IQ 4/ME 6/MA 7/PS 3/PP 16/PE 11/PB 5/SPD 16
Hit Points 33, +1 to Strike, Parry and Dodge.
#2: IQ 10/ME 11/MA 9/PS 9/PP 13/PE 11/PB 3/SPD 16
Hit Points: 33
#3: IQ 5/ME 11/MA 6/PS 6/PP 17/PE 9/PB 10/SPD 10
Hit Points: 27, +1 to Strike, Parry and Dodge
#4: IQ 6/ME 6/MA 14/PS 8/PP 17/PE 13/PB 8/SPD 9
Hit Points: 39, +1 to Strike, Parry, and Dodge
The pucks spend many nights running through this area of the woods carrying torches and screaming and making other strange noises This is what has given the area a reputation of being haunted by a demon.
Ridmarsh is a slimy, sucking, quaking swamp which leads to nothing quicker, or more certain, than death. Along with its many deadfalls and patches of quicksand there are poisonous snakes and insects. Both pucks and toadstool faeries make this dismal place their home. Attempting to cross Ridmarsh on foot, other than by using the Kobold Road, is a path to certain and unpleasant death.
A large fresh water lake, Magnys lies to the north of Nargash-Tor. Once the home of many Merrows, the race has all but died off over the centuries. Now there are fewer than 20 left. If the players have been given directions by Salimar the Druid on how to find the home of the merrow, they will have no problem finding her sunning her rather pretty self on a rock. Otherwise the players have a cumulative 10% chance per day, when searching the banks of Lake Magnys, of finding her. In either case she will greet them in a friendly manner introducing herself as Shila.
At first Shila is not concerned about who they are or their plight. However, after hearing the entire story she will confess that she knows a secret way into the stronghold. Shila will show (not tell) them this secret location only if the group will pick some herbs for her. The herbs are found on the largest of the Watercrest Hills, a series of small rolling bluffs between Lake Magnys and the Northwoods.
On the top of the largest hill there is a small depression where certain very special plants(watercress to be exact) grows. For an armful of these plants she will guide the party to the secret entrance.
If the players agree to do so they will have no problems in reaching the summit of the hill, finding a large circular depression 20 feet across and 10 feet deep. On the western side of the depression is the opening to a cave, about 10 feet across. The whole bottom of the crater is covered with watercress. The players can easily walk down and gather as much as they like.
If any player goes over to the cave and looks in they must roll under their Mental Endurance on D20 or scream, because in the cave, not more than 10 feet away from the player looking in, is a dragon. Unknown to the group this is the same one that destroyed the kobolds at Nargash-Tor. If the player screams the dragon will awaken and prepare itself for battle, though it will not emerge from the cave.
This fearsome beast is a Night Stalker. Night Stalkers are almost blind in full daylight having a day vision range of only a few feet. Consequently, it will not endanger itself by emerging from its cave during daylight hours. Rather it will wait in the darkness of its cave for anyone foolish enough to try to attack it.
If the player does not scream and wake the dragon, then the group can, if it wishes, simply pick up their watercress and leave.
Shila does not know that the dragon is keeping its den on the hill and will be very apologetic about it when the players return.
She will then, as agreed, take the party to the secret entrance to Nargash-Tor. She will lead them to the far southern edge of the lake, she swimming, the group following her on land. At a point directly below the mountain she will stop and cast a Part the Waters spell. As the waters part back, the party will be able to see the entrance to an underwater tunnel. The passageway leads to the Water Pumping Room (3F), on the lower level of the stronghold. The Part the Waters spell lasts only 30 minutes.