Vecna Reborn (2e)

Du'ngeons&Dr.
Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

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You will find detailed descriptions of their realms

(which form the Burning Peaks Cluster) in Domains
ecna Reborn is designed for a group of of Dread. For more background on Vecna and Kas,
three to six characters of levels 5 to 7. seek the GREYHAWK adventure Vecna Lives!, which
However, because many of the foes in deals with their activities just before coming into
this adventure are unbeatable by nor- Ravenloft, or look in the AD&D® sourcebook Book
mal means, this product can easily be of Artifacts for the Hand and Eye of Vecna and the
adapted to accommodate characters of other levels. Sword of Kas.
The goal of the heroes should not be to destroy
Vecna (for such is practically impossible) but to stop
the evil plans carried out by his mortal servants.
With that in mind, the group should include at A chance encounter on the road marks the heroes
least one cleric, for many of the foes that can be as targets for an evil cult attempting to cause the
overcome are undead. The ability to cure disease rebirth of the lich god Vecna in the domain of his
through spell or special skill could also prove useful. arch-foe, Kas. This act will free their master from
A slight familiarity of the GREYHAwK® setting is his misty prison and allow him to gain vengeance
helpful when dealing the domains of Tovag and upon his enemy at the same time.
Cavitius, since each derives from ancient, nearly To learn more of the cult's mysterious plans,
forgotten realms of Oerth. Even ancient Flan, the the characters explore a cache of ancient lore in
language spoken there, stems from those ancient Tor Gorak, the major city in Tovag. Clues lead
lands and times. Still, Vecna Reborn should have them right to the heart of Cavitius, Vecna's own
everything you need to understand and run this domain. There, they must discover the secret way
adventure. into the Shadowed Room, an ancient library that
no longer exists in time or space yet can still be
Vecna,a.nql.Cas reached by using an arcane ritual. Learning this
secret brings the heroes into conflict with Vecna's
Vecna and Kas are as old as the DuNGEONS & priesthood and their powerful servants.
DRAGONS® game itself. Virtually every player of the Meanwhile, the cultists in Tor Gorak continue to
game has heard of the Hand and Eye of Vecna. set in motion the events required to free Vecna,
Many also remember the Sword of Kas. Vecna and including spreading a magical plague that
Kas themselves hail from the world of Oerth (the devastates the entire domain. The heroes must
GREYHAWK campaign setting). Nevertheless, whispers then return to this disease-ridden realm once they
of their dreadful power and presence have probably escape Citadel Cavitius, Vecna's stronghold.
filtered to all worlds. With the knowledge gained in the Shadowed
For those of you who do not know the tale, Room, the characters can find the cultists and stop
Vecna was an extraordinarily powerful wizard their plans. In the finale, the cult breaks into an
(some say the most powerful wizard of all time) asylum in Tor Gorak to kill one of the inmates as
who became a lich. He sought to conquer the the final condition of their ritual. If the heroes do not
world of Oerth and nearly succeeded. His prevent this from happening, Vecna is reborn
lieutenant, warlord, and chief assassin was Kas the outside of the domain borders that imprison him-
Bloody Handed. Kas eventually betrayed Vecna, free to wreak vengeance upon Kas, Tovag, and
resulting in both of their deaths-and inadvertently possibly the rest of the multiverse.
saving Oerth.
But because evil such as theirs can never
completely fade, Vecna arose again, this time as a
demigod. His servant and betrayer Kas returned as
a powerful vampire. Again, the two struggled, Kas
seeking to regain his powerful sword and Vecna
laying plans for becoming supreme even among
the gods. Both were eventually claimed by the
Mists of Ravenloft and given their own bordering
domains, where they struggle to this day.

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t is said that a wise man picks his

battles-fighting for only those causes
too important to risk losing. This is
true nowhere more than in the Burning
Peaks. An insane tyrant and his death
squad of petty, sadistic enforcers rule the
beleaguered, totalitarian state of Tovag. Can the
player characters do anything to change the
situation? Probably not. Likewise, the undead rule
the living in Cavitius, and evil blatantly reigns
supreme. Again, however, the player characters
probably do not have the power to greatly change
things. In this adventure, they must learn to
operate within their boundaries to establish the
only goal available to them-keeping things from
getting even worse.
Despite the fact that Tovag and Cavitius appear
to be ancient realms, they are not. The entire
Burning Peaks region appeared only recently in
the Demiplane of Dread. Thus, much of this
adventure serves as an introduction to these
places. The player characters are thrust into the
events occurring there and must learn about the
domains as they go along.
Proper timing is important in this adventure. The
sequence of events is usually fairly straightforward;
when it is not, the text offers suggestions for when
certain events should occur. To further the story,
the timing of these events relates to the actions of
the heroes rather than an actual timetable.
To keep players from knowing that they are in the heart of Vecna Reborn. The difference is subtle
Vecna's domain too early, do not tell them the but perhaps important to keep in mind.
name of the adventure or let them see the cover of To inspire the proper mood, stress the great age
this product. This will make the discovery all the and ancient mystery of the places and things that
more shocking. the player characters see. This proves particularly
true in the domain of Cavitius. Vecna epitomizes
rhe Mooqof Jqi,ven.loff arcane mystery and ancient secrets, and his realm
should too. Do not let the players in on the irony
The RAVENLOFT® campaign setting exemplifies the that, in fact, these domains are actually new. The
gothic, macabre fear of the classic horror tales. dark powers have created the region to be
It is suggestive rather than blatant, suspenseful retroactively ancient; even more importantly, the
rather than graphic. When one thinks of the Land domains somehow drew upon the essence of the
of the Mists, a lonely, shadowed castle lit only by true ancient Oerthian lands that existed in the
a full, yet cloud-obscured, moon should come time of Vecna and Kas.
to mind.
However, Vecna Reborn deviates from this
traditional mood slightly. The horror of this
adventure derives less from these classic themes
and more from ancient and arcane sorcery. Primal
evil and unknown (and unknowable) terrors lie at

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The whispered secrets of the Serpent were clear.

n entity known only as the Serpent Vecna could not simply walk into Tovag. The
speaks directly to Vecna. Others-----daring Burning Peaks were an impenetrable barrier, even
to call themselves wizards, magicians, to the lich's vast power. It was a challenge worthy
and sorcerers-manipulate the tiniest of him. While simple-minded Kas gathered hordes
aspects of the Serpent and call it magic. of flesh with which to storm the gates of Cavitius,
But Vecna speaks to the Serpent, and the Serpent the Serpent would allow Vecna to seep into Tovag
speaks back. It whispers to him tales of his ancestors, and tear out Kas's miserable throat before the fool
known only as the Ancient Brethren, and of how they knew what had occurred.
discovered the Serpent so unimaginably long ago, The secret to this victory lay in speaking the
when all worlds were young or even unborn. Three Words, which make up the Creation Once
The Serpent tells Vecna that nothing lies beyond Spoken. If the Three Words are each preceded by
his grasp. Vecna knows he is destined to be master a powerful ritual developed by the Ancient
of everything. Death had not stopped him; betrayal Brethren themselves, the lich-lord would be born
at the hands of his lieutenant had not stopped him; again-this time within the domain of Tovag.
even confrontations with other gods had not Thus, Vecna would circumvent the barriers of his
stopped him. own domain.
Thus, when the forces of Ravenloft brought Vecna's foul and aberrant nature corrupted the
Vecna to the Demiplane of Dread, imprisoning him Three Words as soon as his twisted mind
there, he simply laughed. Oh, he pretended to rage. comprehended them. Now tainted, the words each
He shook his chains and rattled his cage and cried carry with them a foul deed (as well as a ritual),
out to be set free, but deep down he knew that this which must be performed before the word can be
would not stop him. He knew that he and the uttered. Only one whose hands are stained with the
Serpent would overcome this obstacle-perhaps blood of an outsider can say the first of the three
even use it to his advantage and conquer this words; the second can be spoken only after a
interesting little demiplane. The other domain lords plague ravages the countryside; and only one who
trapped alongside him raged similarly in their own has slain a king can speak the third.
pitiful domains, yet the Whispered One learned
quickly that they did not know what power held
them prisoner. They did not see the strings behind
the puppets. He was the newest among them, yet A woman named Marit, the niece of Vecna's secret
he was already their master. His knowledge had high priest in Tovag, has unknowingly been chosen
already made him greater, for the Serpent had told to give birth to the Maimed Lord. Though the
him the secrets of Ravenloft. pregnant young woman had no knowledge of this
But then, he saw what the dark masters of decision, she unwittingly was prepared by Vecna's
Ravenloft had placed in front of him. Despite his priests for the "honor" of freeing the Chained God
knowledge, despite his plans for utter domination, from his misty prison.
mighty Vecna took the bait. In the realm bordering First, the cult arranged for her husband to be
Vecna's, Kas the Betrayer ruled his own domain. killed in battle. When the news proved too much for
her, Marit was sent to the Madhouse to live among
the insane for several months. Finally, after bringing
Privento PisfMcfion Maril into his home (supposedly to care for her in
The lich-god knew that Kas was there to distract him these last stages of pregnancy), her uncle has been
and draw his rage. Vecna supposed that he and his feeding her strange herbs, causing continued
former lieutenant were meant to war against each dementia and disorientation.
other for all eternity. It was a trap. Despite such Though her unborn baby currently remains
knowledge, however, Vecna's need for vengeance mostly unaffected, Maril has been infused with the
was greater than any other desire. Still, he would not proper magic for the upcoming rituals. After the
dance for the pleasure of his jailers. He would defeat Third Word is spoken, her child will be absorbed by
his enemy swiftly and turn on his captors with redou- the essence of Vecna, and Marit will give birth to a
bled vengeance, using Kas's own domain and power demigod ....
to break the chains of Ravenloft and bring it crashing
down. And the Serpent would aid him.

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much easier). Laws in Tor Gorak also forbid the

possession of books, knowledge of any sort of writ-
or Gorak is the only large city in the ten language, or any other sort of formalized edu-
domain of Tovag. Life in this dark city cation. Residents of Tovag learn the arts of war and
is harsh and oppressive, perhaps those trades that support the war-nothing else.
moreso than anywhere else in the While in this city, travelers encounter mostly
Demiplane of Dread. women (many of them pregnant), small children,
and old people. Almost all are human. Kas forces
Atmosphere all able-bodied men and some women to serve in
the army to battle against the forces of Cavitius. To
The streets of Tor Gorak are usually empty, due to keep the army fed and supplied, certain soldiers
the patrols that march through every neighbor- are allowed to leave the army after a time to work
hood, apprehending and detaining anyone they see as farmers, merchants, and craftsmen.
fit. Thus, the poor, downtrodden, and oppressed Strangest of all, the citizens of Tovag seem to age
citizens hurry to their various destinations without at a rate twice that of normal humans. Thus, resi-
lingering. A curfew denies anyone the right to travel dents can enter the army at eight or nine years old.
inside the city after dark except for soldiers and The elderly are those reaching age thirty or forty,
Daggers (the local militia). though those surviving to such an age are very rare.
Citizens of Tor Gorak possess few rights and Still, newcomers to the city do not usually realize
even fewer luxuries. Their food is rationed, and this strangeness until they are told. The nine-year-
hoarding is illegal. While the state allows citizens to old soldiers look like full-grown men, and life in Tor
bear arms, they consider stockpiling weapons a se- Gorak has drummed any innocence right out of
rious offense. In general, if residents commonly them. Furthermore, the residents do not think of
carry the weapon on their person, they can keep it their rapid aging as strange. Rather, they would find
(since this makes raising a citizens' militia that it strange that others age at such a slow rate!
Tor Gora, One inch • 400 feet

4
5

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The horrible truth behind this rapid maturation discipline so that everything moves along
most likely has something to do with the domain's efficiently to support the war against Vecna. Their
dark master and his ever-present need for troops. secondary duty is to investigate and help Lord Kas
The downtrodden folk of Tovag are not even aware find the long-lost Sword of Kas.
of this final, most hideous wrong perpetrated In order to carry out their duty, the Daggers
against them. have the power to arrest, detain, judge, and punish
whomever they wish, in whatever manner they see
fit. Only Kas himself can overrule this frightening
police force. In order to fulfill their duty, the
The wall surrounding Tor Gorak varies in width Daggers make frequent searches of citizens'
from ten to almost twenty feet thick in strategically homes, stop and detain passersby for questioning,
vulnerable areas. It ranges in height from twenty- and enforce the strict curfew. They maintain a
five to forty feet, with the taller areas rising above constant vigil against troublemakers and
the river. A trench eight to ten feet deep circles the lawbreakers in general but also for spies of the
wall all the way around, merging with the River Chained God. So far, the cult of Vecna has eluded
Tamross. Most of the time, a foot of stagnant water their grasp.
fills this trench, and moss and wet slime cover the Dagger Keep itself stands as a solid, clenched
wall, making it difficult to scale. fist of stone and mortar whose mere presence
The buildings within Tor Gorak are formed from deters most lawbreakers. The main tower has five
a dark cold stone, with thatch and wood only on levels and houses two hundred soldiers,
the roofs. These buildings are usually simple and administrators, and interrogators (though only half
dreary, albeit functional. Castle Xiphos and a few that number or less are present at any given time).
other important structures possess glass The fifty or so servants that work here all live in
windows-usually tinted with dark colors. In their own homes nearby the Keep.
addition, only these same castles and towers often The interior of the keep comprises holding cells,
boast gothic ornamentation and brooding statuary. interrogation rooms, administrative offices, record
Barracks: Within the walls, long barracks house storage (which holds files on arrests, residence
the defenders of the city, the young recruits of searches, confessions, and the like), as well as
Kas's army, military trainers, and any surplus units barracks for the Daggers and a residence for Tejen
not stationed near the battlefields. Over one the Grim, the organization's leader. Underneath the
thousand troops live in these barracks. tower lie a few secret "operation" rooms, where
Castle Xiphos: The city of Tor Gorak envelops special Daggers prepare for covert missions-
this castle, which serves as Lord Kas's home when including the infiltration of Cavitius, undercover
he resides within the city. Sheer rocky cliffs rise work (often entailing disguises) spreading
above the hills here, and atop the peak stands the misinformation, and even stranger duties.
actual fortress of Castle Xiphos. Only one narrow While a large stone plaque in front of Dagger
path rises up from the city, leading to the fortress. Keep enumerates the laws of Tovag (even though
Boasting over three hundred rooms, one the citizens are not allowed to learn to read), one
hundred fifty servants, and two hundred guards, law covers all contingencies: The words of Kas are
this vast bastion presides over the city like its supreme, and the Daggers speak with his voice.
master over the populace. From anywhere in Tor Gates: One major gate and one minor gate
Gorak, the subjects of Kas can gaze upon his provide access into this defense-oriented city.
citadel and know that his power is supreme. Each has a metal-bound, hardwood drawbridge
Clutch of Vecna: Worshiping in utter secrecy, that provides access over the ditch that surrounds
the cult of Vecna operates their hidden temple the city wall. Each set of gates closes at night and
within a burned-out stable. Vocar the Obedient opens for no one without direct orders from Lord
serves this cult as high priest and leader. A Kas himself.
wicked, cruel man, Vocar favors the use of Larossa Baru: This unique woman silently and
terrorism to weaken the spirits of Kas's people, subtly guides many events within the city. Many of
thereby strengthening the efforts of his master. the people of Tor Gorak look at Larossa as a
Dagger Keep (The Sheath): Located near the leader-not a military leader or someone of power
base of Castle Xiphos, this fortress serves as the but as one who gives useful advice and provides
headquarters for the Daggers, the law enforcers aid to those who need it most. To accomplish this,
within the city. These warriors are charged with Larossa has built extensive connections
watching over the city and maintaining order and throughout the city. Everyone knows Larossa, and

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she knows everyone. Because she has dealt with

outsiders to Tor Gorak before, she has even
managed to learn bits and pieces of many
different languages.
Her simple house has a number of hiding
places, some stocked with hard-to-obtain or
forbidden items like food stores, weapons,
various types of "adventuring" gear, and even a
small cache of money (about one hundred thirty
gold pieces). The gold serves to bribe the
Daggers-many of whom serve as contacts for
her. Unfortunately, there are plenty of others in
the police that would like to see her brought
to "justice."
Lefty's: Lefty's is the only inn anywhere in Tor
Gorak. A nervous old man named Skreyn runs this
small establishment. He, like most people in this
domain, fears outsiders. Only if the heroes
manage to speak to him in his native tongue will
he even rent them a room. Even then, he will
charge them double the normal price of five silver
pieces per week for each person. However, if they
cross the Daggers, he will insist that they leave.
Loreward Banquo: Banque is a scholar of sorts,
or at least as much of a scholar as one can
become in a city like Tor Gorak. Though his home
looks similar to those around it, it actually
contains a hidden cache of books, scrolls, and
notes-most copied by Banque from sources
possessed by some former Loreward, which were
probably copied from older copied sources. permanent shops here. Instead, farmers and
Banquo does not know from where or when his simple merchants sell their wares from carts and
information ultimately comes, but he does know wagons-the same ones used to bring the goods
that if he does not guard it safely, his people will into the city.
forever lose what little knowledge they possess. Local craftsmen, such smiths, cobblers,
His cache lies in a secret compartment under leatherworkers, tallow-workers, and their like are
the floorboards in his bedroom. The Daggers have found in their own shops throughout the city.
yet to find this tiny hollow, but if they did, they Usually these shops consist of nothing more than
would certainly confiscate it (with the idea that the the front rooms of their homes.
books may contain clues to the whereabouts of Temple of the Penates: Not dedicated to any
their master's sword, which they do not) and one god or religion, the folk of Tovag worship
ultimately destroy it. thousands of powers and spirits dedicated to
The Madhouse: The horrors perpetrated upon protection and watchfulness. A few clerics
the common people of Tovag are many, and the maintain this large cathedral, but most of the time
terrors that lurk and threaten from within and faithful and fearful supplicants come here to
beyond the Burning Peaks never stray far from the worship the gods on their own. Most likely,
subconscious. Some poor unfortunates cannot worshipers do not even know the names of the
take the stress from their own fears and dread. gods prayed to by those around them.
The Daggers usually slay the insane rather than If visitors think of this place as one of
deal with them, but those found by more sanctuary or respite, they should quickly
compassionate folk wind up in the Madhouse. A reconsider. All of the clerics work directly or
full description of this place appears on page 24. indirectly for the Daggers. Thus, secrets revealed
The Market: Like those in many cities, the in confidence are relayed to the Daggers, and
natives of Tor Gorak buy most of their food and fugitives find themselves in the hands of the
other goods in an open market. There are few authorities very quickly.

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CrrAPEL CAVlrlus
A major confrontation or battle with undead
he only city in Vecna's realm is the creatures within Citadel Cavitius can be disastrous
skull-shaped Citadel Cavitius, which for visitors. The city's streets occasionally are
serves as a home for ten thousand patrolled by creatures called Reavers (not to be
people and approximately five confused with the aquatic humanoids of the same
thousand undead beings. Dim, skull- name). These powerful, armored skeletal warriors
shaped lamps light the streets of this city. Although ride skeletal steeds and carry large scythes.
these lights seem to burn eternally, they do not If a Reaver comes upon a fight between the living
offer nearly enough illumination to suit the tastes of and the dead, it slays those living fools who would
the living. The lamps leave many areas of shadows dare strike Vecna's Favored. Curiously, if a Reaver
and darkness for the undead spirits to hide, watch, so much as comes upon the site of such a battle
and occasionally lash out upon the unwary. Even that occurred within the last six hours, it stops and
the ceiling high above serves as a roost for darting examines the area. After just a few minutes, it can
shadows and creeping specters. track the living creatures wherever they have gone
and punish them with death. Battles between living
creatures do not interest them, although they do
The Livinga.nqthe Pea.q seek to stop battles between undead beings in order
The corporeal undead in Citadel Cavitius, dressed to maintain a semblance of order. Thus, the
in elegant robes with large hoods, stride confidently intelligent undead of the city usually keep their
down the city's streets. Noncorporeal undead stick battles secret whenever possible.
to the plentiful shadows and dark areas of the city,
silently making their way through the streets on Reaver: AC 2; MV 9; HD 7 +3; hp 39; THACO
their own unknowable errands. The ragged living 13; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6+ 1 (scythe); SD spell and
folk fear them both, knowing that to get in their way weapon immunities, cannot be turned or
spells certain doom. Life seems to have no value controlled; SZ M (6' tall); ML fearless (20); Int
here-but unlife is another matter. high (13-14); AL LE; XP 1,400.
Notes: Reavers are immune to cold and charm, sleep,
and hold spells. They can be hit only by + 1 or better magical
The Living weapons.
Though the living inhabitants fear the undead,
they do not necessarily serve them as slaves or
Skeletal Steed: AC 7; MV 18; HD 3+1; hp 16;
serfs. While the undead are definitely Vecna's
THAC0 17; #AT 3; Dmg ld6/ld6/ld4 (hoof/
favored, they simply ignore the city's living
hoof/bite); SA breath weapon; SD spell and
population for the most part. In fact, as long as
weapon immunities; SW turned as wraiths; SZ L
they avoid any sort of entanglement with the
(8' tall); ML fearless ( 19-20); Int non (0); AL N;
undead, the people of Citadel Cavitius enjoy a
XP 270.
better life than their counterparts in Tovag-at Notes: On the second round of battle, and each round
least in some ways. thereafter, a skeletal steed can breathe a noxious gas. All
Though the people of Cavitius have no access within 5' must save vs. breath weapon or be immobilized for
to luxuries, the Fingers of Vecna are less invasive 2d4 rounds.
Skeletal steeds are immune to charm, sleep, and hold
than the Daggers of Kas. If one can keep out of
spells. They also suffer no damage from piercing weapons,
the way of the undead, one can manage to eke cold, and fire. Edged weapons inflict only half damage.
out a tolerable existence in Cavitius. Of course,
living amid such horrors and such fear drives
many of the people in Citadel Cavitius to
depression or even madness. Many take on
Ma.gicin the Cifa,qel
characteristics and even appearances of Vecna's Magic, beyond that used by the Maimed Lord's
Favored. Thus, they grow sallow and gaunt, and own priesthood, is strictly forbidden in Citadel
they value strength of force over most other Cavitius, posing quite a problem for many travel-
virtues. In short, outsiders find them an ers. Despite Vecna's confidence that none of his
unwelcoming and distasteful people. undead lords can ever truly challenge him, he
knows that if there exists a way to undo his current
position and power, it would be through magic.

l:NTR.0DUCTION
CitadelCavitius
A
Slone -Gate
Heads~~}
·, ,·.
:.--- Roadway of the Brethren
Vecna is jealous of all those who would seek the

affections of the Serpent.
Because of this prohibition, spells do not Below these golem servants, the priests and champi-
function anywhere in Citadel Cavitius except the ons of the church of the Maimed Lord wield a great
Temple of Vecna. Further, prolonged attempts to deal of power. Most of these individuals are (perhaps
get around this restriction alert a Reaver (described surprisingly) alive, including the brutal enforcers
above), who attempts to track down the magical known as the Fingers of Vecna. These warriors en-
interlopers and punish them with death. Priestly force the laws of the Dying King among the living res-
spellcasting attempts made by priests of deities idents of Citadel Cavitius as well as carrying out
other than the Chained God result in extended missions of subterfuge, espionage, and terror in other
torture, giving the priests time to recant their faith lands. However, they have no authority over the
before being executed. Not surprisingly, no wizards Favored of Vecna, the lich lord's undead servants.
or priests of gods other than Vecna are found The priests and priestesses of Vecna are sometimes
among the city's population. still called his Thoughts and Memories, but more often
Luckily, magical items function normally within than not "priest of Vecna" alone proves imposing
the Citadel. Still, flashy displays bring the wrath of enough. These spiritual leaders rule over Cavitius's
the Reavers, the Fingers of Vecna, the priesthood, population with the help of the Fingers of Vecna in an
or all three. oppressive theocracy. Vecna's high priest and priest-
ess are known as the Voice and Heart of Vecna, re-
lii~rchy oftheCifa.qel spectively. These positions once held a great deal of
power, but they now function more as figureheads
Although Vecna rules supreme in Cavitius (both in than authority figures. The priests of Vecna carry holy
and out of the Citadel), he has always employed a symbols (a skeletal, outstretched hand with an eye
number of lieutenants. Chief among these beings in the palm), which signify their authority over any of
are two intelligent golems, the Eye and the Hand. Vecna's undead, including the Reavers.
The Eye is a vaguely humanoid creature composed
entirely of the eyes of murderers, liars, and traitors,
torn from their still-living sockets. The Hand likewise
0fherLorqs
has a humanoid form, but it is made of hands cut Outside of the church hierarchy, several other lords
from the arms of thieves, assassins, and charlatans. also claim power. Potent undead beings, vampires,

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ghoul lords, ghostly nobles, and other spirits vie for

control in the citadel. Vecna fully recognizes their
ambitions, but it serves his purpose to allow their
power to grow for now. So great has his might
become that no undead entity can resist his will.
Therefore, he has no fear of their usurping him.
Each of these undead lords controls a portion of
the Citadel's undead population to some degree.
Certainly, Vecna controls them all ultimately, but he
usually chooses to send his orders through these
would-be nobles. Occasionally, conflicts erupt
between the forces of one lord and another, but
these are kept small and secretive. Although the
lords number over twenty, the most powerful
among them are Haroln (a vampire-priest of
Vecna), Jacairn (a spectral hag), and Qoolarn (a
ghoul lord).
10

AcT 01'lE: C1TY 0F DREAD
his adventure begins as the Mists of The damp, muddy road you travel on is rutted
Ravenloft transport the characters to and rough. Old wagon tracks and boot prints fi.11
the Burning Peaks during one of their with murky water as it makes it way through the
many journeys. It would be best if the mountainous terrain. Eventually, however, your path
characters were already traveling joins with a major roadway, paved with flagstones.
through mountains (making the shift less jarring), Soon aft.er,a break in the trees reveals that you are
but the Mists can surround them on any deserted not alone on the road, as you had believed. Ahead,
path. When the Mists come for the heroes, read or you see the lone figure of a small blonde woman trav-
paraphrase the following text: eling in the same direction, leaning heavily on a
wooden staff with each of her weary steps.
)I-•<-? • 52. ◄• ,-..G • c5••◄•
The dread fingers of night drag away the day
faster than you would have suspected. With the ad- Since Marit moves so slowly, the characters
vent of evening come cold misty tendrils that worm should have no problem catching up with her. As
their way between trees and rocks until you can soon as they are close enough to see her dearly,
scarcely see each other, let alone the path. None- they can immediately tell that she is heavy with
theless, before you tire of your journey, the moun- child. Her youth and attractiveness are concealed
tain path gives way to a still lake, its smooth surface somewhat with her shabby dress and grimy
gleamifig in the rumors of moonlight that whisper appearance. She has a small ring of beaten copper
their way through the fog. Strangely, you know of on the third finger of her left hand, the only
no lake near the area in which you were traveling. decoration she wears. If the heroes approach, Marit
• acts confused and afraid .

Any hero that examines her closely can attempt
an herbalism proficiency check with a -4 penalty.
The Mists have brought the heroes into the On a successful check, the hero realizes that Marit
Burning Peaks Cluster (about thirty-five miles from suffers the effects of an hallucinogenic drug.
the city of Tor Gorak). The mountains in which they
find themselves are the Burning Peaks themselves.
These jagged, volcanic mountains divide the
H;erstory
realms of Tovag and Cavitius. Only a successful ancient language proficiency
At this point, however, the heroes have little check or some magical means of translation allows
change of guessing their new location. Luckily, the the heroes to understand the language Marit
lakeside seems to offer an opportune place to rest speaks (ancient Flan). If they can communicate,
and eat after the long journey. she claims that she is looking for her husband
Victor, a brave soldier who was sent into battle
against the forces of the Whispered Lord weeks
ago. She says that he did not return with the rest of
When the players finally leave the lake, they can go his troop, so she decided to come looking for him
in either direction on the road. To continue on in the herself. As she tells her story, she constantly
adventure, they should head toward the city of Tor glances around with a worried expression and
Gorak. Still, if they head toward Cavitius, the Mists fiddles with her ring.
can simply turn them around. As the player Though Marit knows that new soldiers are valued
characters travel, the path they follow joins with a highly in Tovag, leaving pregnant women safe from
larger, much more established flagstone road. most interference, she still welcomes an "escort" if
At this point, they encounter a young, pregnant the heroes offer it. With enthusiasm, Marit tries to
woman named Marit. The heroes are likely to be teach the heroes the regional tongue. With her
suspicious of a lone pregnant woman wandering careful tutelage, the heroes should pick up bits and
these wilds. That is fine; let them suspect her of pieces of the language pretty quickly. Each day
some foul evils. This will make the final confronta- that the heroes spend with Marit, they gain a
tion that much harder. To begin this encounter, read cumulative 5% chance to understand basic phrases
or paraphrase the following text: in ancient Flan. On the other hand, traveling with

-
""~ ~ ~ =>t1~
~
---._One inc~-'
}"t ··;-=-~~-,_-=
1_4-s-
--
~:;A~~~
Marit slows the heroes by quite a bit. She can travel

only about ten to twelve miles per day. As the heroes travel toward Tor Gorak, they have
Due to severe disorientation, Marit can reveal three seemingly random encounters, two of which
little information about Tovag or Cavitius. serve to give the flavor of this dark, besieged realm
and the last to foreshadow the events to come.
Have the heroes encounter these even if they have
chosen to simply wander through the wilds.
Marit actually is looking for her husband. What she
does not seem to remember is that he died in
battle about three months ago. The tragic event
Morfa,lR._ema,ins
proved too much for her, causing a mental Before traveling very far, the heroes discover a
breakdown, so her relatives took her to the dead soldier on the road. To begin this encounter,
Madhouse in Tor Gorak. Currently, she suffers from read or paraphrase the following text:
severe amnesia, blocking out all events relating to
his death.
When her uncle (the high priest of the Clutch of
~·@ • "l•. ◄
Vecna) took her from the Madhouse and brought Winding through thejagged mountains, you
her to live in his home, she became even more travel through a harsh land. Though birds call out
confused-thanks to her uncle's herbal "remedies." from the branches above you, it always seems to be
When she was not being watched, she wandered off the cry of raptors swooping _upon their prey or the
to look for her missing husband. anguished screech of their victims. You don't travel
Though Marit has no idea that her uncle serves far before you spot a dark, unmoving shape along
Vecna, he has actually chosen her to give birth to the side of the rough road. It appears to be the dead
the Chained God himself. Still, because none of the body of a recently fallen soldier.
Three Words have yet been spoken, the child within
her remains normal. ~•G • c:5•• ◄

If Marit travels with the heroes, she ignores the sleek forms of gray wolves moue about some re-
dead soldier altogether. If forced to acknowledge its cently fallen prey. They circle it hungrily as the
existence, she merely looks uncomfortable and pack's master; a particularly large beast, claims his
mumbles something about "horrible death right of first feeding.
machines." (Information on Azalin's war machine
appears on page 37.)
The soldier's body reveals several large wounds.
,-..G • c)
Anyone who examines him closely, however, The wolves have killed a large bull elk and soon
discovers that these wounds are not normal by any begin tearing it apart with their savage teeth. Tovag
means. They are filled with greenish ooze and is a dangerous place, where the strong rule, preying
surrounded by small blisters. upon the weak.
Of course, if the player characters linger too long
watching the wolves, or interfere with them in any
f eeqing frenzy way, the animals savagely attack. If the characters
Further on, the heroes encounter a pack of wolves. kill more than two of the wolves, the entire pack
Rather than posing an obvious threat, however, these flees into the shadowy trees. If you desire, however,
wolves have already claimed their prey. To begin this the predators might return for another attempt at
encounter, read or paraphrase the following text: the traveling characters.
~ •@ • 'f)• r ◄ Wolf (12): AC 7; MV 18; HD 3; hp 14 each;

The deep, resonant sound of growling breaks THAC0 18; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4+ 1 (bite); SD + 1 to
the otherwise silent journey down the road. Into saves against charm spells; SZ S (3'-4' long); ML
the darkened woods, you see shadows mouing avg (10); Int low (5-7); AL N; XP 120.
about. A closer. lingering look reveals that the

Ac1 0NE: CrTY Gr DREAD
direction that might be east.

Ca,~aJties ofWa.r Q: What caused these horrible wounds?
At some point in their travel, the heroes encounter A: "Terrible war machines made from the flesh of
a group of dying soldiers. These soldiers recently the dead." The man points to his wounds and to
encountered the same war machine that killed the his comrades. "As awful as it was, it was not as
soldier whose body the heroes found on the road. bad as things would be if the Whispered Lord
To begin this encounter, read or paraphrase the won his way into Tovag."
following text:
Q: Who rules this land?
•
As you travel through this area, you notice the
A: "Our own master is the great Lord Kas. He has
no love for us, but he's much better than the
flayer of souls that we struggle against."
heavy sound of silence. The world holds its breath
here, for no beast or bird calls out to its own. If the heroes try to help these men, they
Because of nature's stillness, there is no mistaking discover that the wounds are grievous and
the sound of mankind that violates it. From ahead, strange. Those making their way forward note a
you hear cries of pain and anguish. horrible defilement of the wounds, manifesting
• c5•s ◄ I
in bloated blistering and a yellowish bile that
accompanies the flow of blood. These men
were all infected with an unnatural disease by
Any hero that moves in to investigate discovers one of Vecna's terrible war machines (described
a small group of soldiers resting beside the road. on page 37), resulting in an extremely painful,
These men wear the crest of Tovag (a black sword prolonged death. Priests attempting to use
on a red field-a symbol most likely unfamiliar to curative spells find their efforts fruitless. The
the heroes) on battered breastplates and shields. taint upon these poor soldiers keeps the
Ten of the men are battered, bloody, and a little wounds from healing. Only a cure disease has
mad; the other two are dead. For the last twenty any effect.
hours these soldiers battled against the forces of Before he dies, Brek conveys to the
Vecna, which are attempting yet again to drive their characters the following clue about Vecna's
way into this neighboring domain. identity: "Only through the efforts of brave
One of the soldiers sees the characters and calls protectors will the evil of the Chained God be
out to them in a language that they probably contained." Still, only those players who know a
cannot understand: "Help us, good sirs, for the grip good deal of lore regarding Vecna and Kas ( or
of death tightens 'round our weary necks!" As the knowledge on the recent discovery of this large
characters approach, it becomes obvious that these Cluster) should have any idea what they are
soldiers are in their death throes. dealing with at this point. In fact, many will be
If Marit travels with the heroes, she immediately confused at the multiple references to a
rushes forward to speak with the living soldiers "Whispered One," a "Maimed Lord" and a
(though she again refuses to acknowledge the "Chained God." That is not a bad thing; this lack
presence of the dead soldiers in any way). She asks of knowledge should serve to heighten the
them about her husband, but none of them know suspense without hampering play.
anything about him. If the soldiers cannot verbally communicate
If the player characters come up with some with the heroes, they attempt to use gestures to
means of communicating with the men effectively, indicate that there has been a battle, and the
they quickly learn that the soldiers have been in a direction from which they have come. If the
terrible battle. The soldiers' leader, Brek, answers characters effectively communicate something
any questions that the heroes have as best as he with gestures, the soldiers respond if possible,
can, but he does not know much beyond the basic but they are fading fast. Despite the lack of a
lay of the land, the evil of Vecna (whom he will never common tongue, it should be no mystery from
name), and a few details of life in Tovag. As for the the insane ranting and cries of pain that these
battle, he can give the following information: soldiers have been through a harrowing battle
and now they are dying (much like the soldier
Q: Who attacked you? the heroes found earlier). It should be obvious
A: "The forces of the Whispered One. He strives to that some terrible force awaits nearby, able to
invade our land, Tovag," he says, pointing in a inflict horrible and unfathomably vile wounds.

This encounter should clue the heroes in that
Marit is somehow more important than she appears
to be. The scenario can play out in several different
ways, so feel free to adapt it to fit the actions of the
heroes. Read or paraphrase the following text to
describe the cultists themselves:
•
The figures around Marit move with the speed of
serpents. Their leering faces are painted to look like
one-eyed skulls, and they carry large knives with
rune-covered black blades in their gloved hands .
•
During the confusion, one of the cultists
accidentally cuts Marit with his weapon. At that
point, the others immediately cry out in anger. The
nearest one turns and kills the offender with a
single blade stroke. Then, they all turn and attempt
to flee, leaving the body of their fallen comrade.
Cultist, hm or hf, F4 ( 1 per hero): AC 8

(leather armor); MV 12; hp 29 each; THACO 17;
#AT 1; Dmg ld4 (dagger); SD 58% chance to
hide in shadows; SZ M (5'-6' tall); ML fanatic
(18); Int avg (8-10); AL CE; XP 175 each.
Any soldier healed by the heroes immediately If any of the cultists are captured, they refuse to
wants the heroes to aid his companions. If they talk. If some sort of mental telepathy or magical
cannot, he goes to speak to the other soldiers compulsion is used, they reveal only that they
privately. Knowing the fate that awaits them, the were sent to get Marit and return her to Tor Gorak.
dying men will ask him to put them out of their Most importantly, they were not to harm her,
misery. If not stopped by the heroes, he will say a because she has been chosen for a very
short prayer over each one and stab him in the important task.
heart, ending his pain forever. Marit is, of course, visibly shaken by the ordeal.
She has no idea that these fanatics are linked in
theCity
}.lea.ring any way to her uncle. She does murmur the name
the "Whispered Lord" several times though.
The night before the heroes reach the city of Tor
Gorak, they encounter several cultists of Vecna.
These fanatics have been sent by Vocar to locate
Moving 0n
Marit and bring her back. When they discover that At this point the heroes probably proceed on to
she travels with a group of strangers, they try to Tor Gorak. When they reach the city, continue
quietly abduct her and return to the city. Thus, they the adventure with "Scene Two: Strangers In a
wait until she separates herself from the party Strange Land."
momentarily and then grab her. If she is never left If for some reason they choose not to go to Tor
alone, they eventually become frustrated and try to Gorak, Marit can suddenly become very irrational.
grab her anyway. Either way, she becomes startled She insists that she must return to her uncle's
and makes enough noise to attract the attention of home immediately. Most heroes should then agree
the heroes. to escort her to town.

Acr 0NE: Crrr 0F DREAD
.Ifs ourlifeis very shorf,so if is very miserable,

and fherefore
if i.swellif B .short.
-Bishop Jeremy Taylor
SCENErw0: 8TRAN~ER.6 this point, even his excuse is a clue that he is either
lying or he is an outsider: Residents of this domain
lN A 8TRAN~E LA.NP cannot read or write! If the heroes attack Vocar or
otherwise cause any trouble, he calls the Daggers,
hen the heroes arrive at the city, no and a patrol shows up in only three rounds.
special reception awaits them. In fact, Vocar's statistics appear on the inside cover.
if the characters do not make
spectacles of or draw attention to
themselves, they should be able to
The Pa,ggers
enter the city without much fuss. Although those that are smart will try to avoid it,
The gates stand open during the day, although a newcomers and long-time residents both eventually
number of guards watch over those that pass encounter the city's cruel authorities, known as the
through. Farmers and merchants from the Daggers.
surrounding hills come into the city with various If the characters do draw attention to themselves or
wares (mostly foodstuffs), so visitors within the city (even worse) announce that they are outsiders to the
walls are not uncommon. domain of Tovag, the guards detain them and alert the
Daggers. If the heroes brought one of the soldiers with
them, he immediately reports their presence to the
guards. The soldier does not do so out of malice, only
When they arrive in town, Marit wants to immedi- out of a drummed-in sense of duty.
ately return to her uncle's home to rest after her
long journey. Vocar appears extremely excited
upon seeing her. Still, he does not invite the heroes
into his home.
When it becomes apparent that the heroes do
not speak the local language, Vocar immediately
casts a tongues spell and thanks them profusely for
returning his "dear" niece. If asked, he reveals that
Marit's husband died several months ago, and that
she sometimes "forgets" these details. He pretends Although the Daggers can apprehend anyone,
to be quite sad at his niece's plight, though in truth anytime they see fit (and sometimes abuse this
he cares about her only because of her role in his power wantonly), they are charged with maintain-
master's rebirth. ing order and looking for the Sword of Kas. Thus,
Yocar is extremely interested in the heroes they normally arrest criminals, question potential
themselves, asking lots of questions about their troublemakers, and watch for looming threats
origins. Of course, the arrival of newcomers could against the city.
prove extremely helpful in the upcoming rituals. Nothing makes the Daggers more suspicious
Vocar also directs the heroes to the local inn, than outsiders, both for their potential to cause
Lefty's (mostly so he can keep tabs on them). harm and their possible knowledge regarding the
The hero with the highest Wisdom can attempt a Sword of Kas. (Like their raving master, they
Wisdom check with a -6 penalty to notice a thin believe that the Sword of Kas is the most powerful,
black smudge along the edge of Yocar's face. most important magical artifact in the multiverse
(Perhaps it is the remains of black facial paint?) If and that everyone has heard of it.) Outsiders are
asked, he claims that he must have gotten ink on those from beyond the borders of Tovag, and until
his fingers earlier while writing a letter and smudged proven otherwise they are assumed to be from the
it on his face. Though the heroes do not know it at domain of Cavitius (since it is usually the most

Acr 0NE: C1TY 0F DREAD
accessible)-which means they are spies or agents Again the language barrier forms a problem,
of Vecna and deserve nothing but death. though by this time, the adventurers are ready for it. If
Flamboyant clothing, nonhuman features, and they are able to communicate with the Daggers, they
obvious avoidance of military service quickly mark quickly learn that the soldiers are the highest author-
one as an outsider. Wise newcomers lay low, ity in the city, representing Lord Kas himself. The
disguising those traits that easily separate them Daggers want to take the characters to Dagger Keep
from all others on the city streets. Wiser still are for questioning, and if the player characters refuse,
those who avoid lingering in the open streets at all. they are placed under arrest as suspected spies.
Unless the heroes take these precautions, the The Daggers outnumber the heroes by two to
Daggers fall upon them within hours of their one, so fighting is probably not a wise move. If they
entrance to the city. Read the following text: do attempt to battle their way out of the situation, a
force of ten more Daggers arrives on the scene in
~ .e . C:2.1 ◄• eight rounds. If the characters choose to flee, the
soldiers give chase.
Though you had not noticed him before, a man
with charcoal-colored clothing over dark met.a.Iarmor
approaches you. Sounds of weapons quietly drawn Dagger, hm (sometimes hf), F4 (2 per hero):
from sheaths reach your ears from all around you as AC 4 (chain mail and shield); MV 12; hp 31 each;
the shadows of the street produce more darkly THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg ld8 (long sword) or ld4
garbed soldiers. Each has a dark dagger-shaped em- (crossbow); SD 58% chance to hide in shadows;
blem on his left.breast and a similar such mark SZ M (5'-6' tall); Int avg (8-10); ML elite
burned onto his right cheek. One of the soldiers (13-14); AL LE; XP 175 each.
speaks in a cold, rational tone, but his words carry
no meaning for you.
Dagger Captain, hm, F6: AC 4 (chain mail and
► •e; • c5•z ◄ shield); MV 12; hp 45; THAC0 15; #AT 1; 0mg
ldB (long sword) or 1d4 (crossbow); SD 62%
chance to hide in shadows; SZ M (6' tall); Int
Dagger Keep (Main Tower) very (11-12); ML champion (15); AL LE; XP 420.
~nferrogajion
C • holding cell If the outsiders choose to acquiesce and go with the
G • guard station Daggers, they are relieved of their weapons and
,~--1---:iJ...IJ ...... --1-..-":.I I ~ interrogation room
0 ~ office
taken to the Sheath. The map of Dagger Keep
shows three questioning rooms. The soldiers take
the characters to one such room, where a team of
three interrogators grills them with questions. At
this point, read or paraphrase the following text:
~·@ • C). ◄•
You enter a small, dimly lit chamber. The war-
riors escort you to a few crude chairs situated in the
center of the room. From there, you can make out
three distinct shapes in the shadows of the room-
human figures in dark, Loose-fitting clothing.
► •e; • c5' ◄ C
Typical questions the Daggers ask include:
8 What are you doing in Tor Gorak?

e Where are you from?
8 How did you get here?

Ac1 0:m:: CrTY0F DREAD
G What do you know of Cavitius? ate or strike out at their jailers. When this happens,
G What do you know of Tovag? it begins to look like a standard melee situation.
G Do you mean harm to Lord Kas? However, this is not the case. Let the heroes go
G What do you know of the Sword of Kas? through one round of combat with their captors (the
three interrogators and one guard per hero).
As the questions are answered, the interrogators At the beginning of the next round, however, the
listen to the answers and watch those answering very Dagger captain steps into the room and shouts for
carefully to determine if the speaker is lying or trying his men to halt. The Daggers all stop fighting,
to hide anything. Most Daggers assume that every- though they watch the heroes warily and block any
one is hiding something, so suspicions rise easily. attacks made by them.
If the heroes cannot understand or speak to the If the heroes turn to look at the captain, read or
interrogators, then these Daggers become ex- paraphrase the following text:
tremely angry. They believe that the heroes are fak-
ing ignorance of the language, either to make a
mockery of them or to keep the information they
have a secret. The interrogators then begin shout-
•
Beside the captain who led you to this keep
ing and ranting at the heroes, maybe even striking stands the wrinkled, emaciated frame of the oldest
them with their hands. man you have seen so far in this forsaken city.
Despite his stooped back, this man seems to stand a
head taller than all those around him. His unwaver-
Interrogator, hm, 0-level (3): AC 1O; MV 12; hp ing eyes gaze sweeps across the room quickly, tak-
5 each; THACO 20; #AT 1; Dmg ld4 (dagger) or ing in the scene before him calmly. The captain
ld4+2 (hot iron); SD 50% chance to hide in seems extremely uncomfortable, however.
shadows; SZ M (6' tall); Int very ( 11-12); ML avg
(8); AL NE; XP 35 each.
•
This man is Virianis, and he came to the Sheath
to demand the release of the heroes. Virianis is an
If the interrogators are given the impression that extremely wealthy man, and he runs the local
their prisoners are lying, they order the guards to Madhouse. Though the Daggers would dearly love
take all but one or two to the holding cells located to shut down the asylum and terminate those in-
nearby. The remaining prisoners are bound to their habitants that have nothing to contribute to the war
chairs by strips of metal wire while a servant wheels effort, Virianis has thus far been able to stop them.
in a cart covered in glistening surgical-like tools- Virianis heard how the heroes found Marit and
knives, scalpels, cleavers, awls, hooks, forceps, escorted her home, so he has come to return the
and other sharp instruments that the victims have favor. As head of the Madhouse, he takes a
never seen (though their uses are obvious). A small personal interest in all of his residents, and he
brazier of white-hot coals is lifted from the lower developed a fatherly affection for that particular
shelf of the cart and set before the torture victims young woman. Thus, in exchange for their kindness
so that they can watch as an iron is placed within it, to her, he decided to help the heroes by arranging
getting hotter and hotter. for their freedom.
The torture of the victims proves surprisingly Virianis has convinced the Dagger captain that
short and more psychological than physical. The the heroes work for him as caretakers and that he
Daggers believe that torture is the ultimate has already checked their backgrounds thoroughly.
truthsayer, and a prisoner that does not reveal Unless the heroes have somehow convinced their
anything of value under torture truly knows captors that they are important or hold vital secrets
nothing. While a little shortsighted, this belief stems (both extremely foolish actions), the captain
from the fact that the Daggers interrogate and releases the prisoners into Virianis' custody so that
torture so many victims that one seems as useful they do not have to worry about them any longer.
as the next; none deserve special attention. The captain immediately orders his men to
withdraw and follows them out of the room. The old
man (who is forty-three, so he looks to be in his
0bstructing ~sfice mid-eighties) then motions for the heroes to follow
At some point during this procedure, the heroes are him, stopping to let them retrieve their belongings
bound to become angry and either refuse to cooper- before leading them out of the keep.

AcT 0NE: C1TY 0F DREAD
Once out of the Sheath, Virianis uses his head-

band of mental speech and quickly expresses his Larossa,13aru
regret for any pain or trouble that the heroes have Most of the residents of Tor Gorak have been ques-
endured. Read or paraphrase the following text: tioned or tortured by the Daggers at some point in
~ .ce • 'f>. ◄•
their lives. This breeds fear among most but rebel-
lion among others. One woman dedicated to helping
others, particularly those wronged by Kas's bullies
You hear a voice in your head that speaks in a or the other injustices of the city, is Larossa Baru.
language you can understand. Somehow, you know If the player characters find themselves weapon-
that the voice comesfrom the gray-haired man into less, tortured, and alone after a stay in Dagger
whose custody you have obviously been released. Keep, Larossa and her son Dellis find them and
"/apologize," his mental voice says, "for any pain or invite them to their home. This plain, middle-aged
inconvenience that you might have endured there. woman has recently encountered a few visitors
Such, I am afraid, is the way of Tor Gorak." from the Core, so she has learned a tiny bit of
Balok and Darkonese. (If necessary, you can sub-
~•G • ci' ◄• stitute more appropriate languages.)
Dellis is simpleminded but goodhearted. He does
Virianis goes on to explain that he cares for not speak, but he and his mother seem able to
some of the less fortunate souls of the city, in a communicate well enough through hand signals.
place given the unfortunate name of the Madhouse. He has lived with his mother since being wounded
The Daggers have released the heroes into his care, in battle, leaving him a severe limp in his left leg.
thinking that they work for him. Larossa has taken it upon herself to help those in
If the heroes inquire, Virianis can give them basic need when she can, whether they are her fellow
information about Marit or the Daggers. However, citizens of Tor Gorak or obvious newcomers. After
he knows very little about Vecna (whose name he the meal, she offers her guests a place to sleep
will not speak) or Marit's uncle. Virianis's stats (and they are even welcome to spend a day or two
appear on the inside cover. afterward) and a meager selection of weapons to
replace any taken by the Daggers.
The stats for Dellis and Larossa appear on the
~lea.se inside cover.
If the heroes ultimately reveal nothing of interest
to the interrogators and do not become violent or
belligerent, they are released, albeit weaponless,
WhttLarossa,lCnows
with a warning to stay out of trouble. If the Larossa can answer any questions the heroes have
prisoners do seem to be valuable sources of regarding the city, the Daggers, Lord Kas, or what-
information, the Daggers hold them in their cells ever else, assuming that she would possess such
for as long as they see fit (perhaps requiring an knowledge. She knows little more than the common
escape attempt). inhabitants of the city do, but even this knowledge
Unfortunately, they do not meet Virianis if this can help an ignorant newcomer. Like most others,
happens. Thus, they will have to encounter him she does not utter the name of Vecna, nor does she
later in the adventure. tolerate others that do so, for fear of his wrath-or
the wrath of Lord Kas, who despises him so.
Shelter Larossa reveals the nature of life in Tor Gorak,
and although she seems to assume that it was not
Most people in Tor Gorak live in fear of the local always so grim, it has been this way for a long, long
law enforcers. Thus, if the heroes try to get a room time. She knows the laws of the city well. Larossa
at Lefty's (the local inn) after their run in with the can provide her guests with information regarding
Daggers, the innkeeper claims to have no space. If the Daggers (the location of their keep, their leader's
they have already rented a room there, they are name, their ruthlessness and corruption), the ever-
politely asked to leave. present war with the forces of the Whispered Lord,
However, if they met up with Virianis, he directs and even Cavitius ("a barren realm of death and un-
them to the home of Larossa Baru. If they escaped death, ruled by the sorcerous power of its dread
from the Sheath or were released by the Daggers master"). Of Kas, she states only that he is a mad
(and thus never met Virianis), however, the player lord that rules haphazardly, more focused on his war
characters must encounter Larossa on their own. and finding his treasured sword.

Acr 0NE: CrTY GF DREAD
efor word.s,like{jlafure,half reyeal

'-
Jrnd half concealtheBou/ wirhin.

-Alfred, Lord Tennyson
In Memoriam
this strange and disturbing event occurs on the

night that the characters stayed at her house, she
■ efore the First Word can be spoken, assumes that it relates to them rather than to her,
Yecna's cult must spill the blood of an though she has no idea what it means.
outsider. The most obvious victims for If the player characters show an interest in
such a ritual are none other than the learning more (which they almost assuredly will),
player characters. she recommends a visit to Loreward Banquo's
In order to accomplish the tasks before him, house. She explains that he is a keeper of old lore
including snaring the player characters, Vocar and knows much about signs and portents.
summons a quasit and an invisible stalker (known Larossa provides directions and some clothing to
as Zarenival and Cochort, respectively). These disguise her guests. She also advises them to stick
servants are to serve as his eyes and ears as well to the back streets and avoid any sort of contact
as his assassins, if need be. The creatures' stats with the Daggers. When they get to Banquo's
appear on the inside cover. house, they are to knock once, then twice, and
Their first mission consists of marking the finally to say in the local tongue, "Car'at Banquo,
intended ritual victims. The otherworldly creatures vis gardent doas, va'yor escamshay," in order to be
accomplish this by hanging a desiccated finger on let in and allowed access to his vast knowledge.
the door latch wherever the heroes are staying (Translated, this.means, "Master Banquo, we know
(which is probably Larossa's house). you are a ward that is faithful to your masters.")
Larossa accompanies the heroes only if they
rh.e:tv.lc\rlc.er need her to translate. If they have any means of
communication ( ancient languages, comprehend
After the heroes' first night in town, they awake to languages, etc.), they are on their own.
find a desiccated human finger marking the door to If the heroes were staying somewhere other than
the building in which they slept. If they stayed the Larossa's home, another resident will have to direct
night in Larossa's home, her son Dellis actually them to Banquo. However, no one else will
discovers the finger first. When this happens, read accompany them to translate.
or paraphrase the following text:
,.. .<;? • ':)., ◄ ■

If the heroes go to Banquo's house and give the
A~er a night of troubled sleep filled with dreams proper signal and pass-phrase, he cautiously lets
of isolation and persecution, you prepare yourselves them in. Banquo stands with a stooped back, and his
for the coming day. Your activities are interrupted advanced age (of twenty-three years old) is obvious
by Larossa 's son Dellis. Seemingly unable to speak, from his bald head and long, gray beard. He continu-
the simple Dellis reveals his agitation with his con- ally squints, his poor vision suffering from years of
torted face. He holds forth something small and forbidden reading without the luxury of spectacles.
black. A~er a moment's study, you realize that Banquo's stats appear on the inside cover.
Dellis holds a desiccated human finger. With his Banquo dislikes small talk, so he immediately de-
free hand, he points toward the door to the outside. mands to know what his visitors want. Unlike
• c5•r ◄
Larossa, he possesses little compassion. Although
he realizes that his status as loreward requires him to
share the knowledge he possesses, he dislikes deal-
Larossa can communicate with her son very well ing with people. He provides no common knowledge
despite his inability to speak. It takes her little time that visitors could obtain elsewhere (such as infor-
to learn that the finger was hung on her door. Since mation about the city, the authorities, or Kas).

Nevertheless, Banquo finds great interest in the spoken. Though he finds no more references in the
mysterious finger. Having lived in this harsh domain scroll, Banquo agrees to search through his other
all his life, he handles the grisly artifact without much materials. This search, however, takes him a long
distaste. As the characters wait, he consults his hid- time, so eventually he sends his visitors away,
den cache of books and scrolls for almost an hour telling them to come back the next day. The books
before he comes upon the reference that he seeks. and scrolls are almost certainly written in
From an old scroll, he reads aloud to the heroes languages that the characters cannot read, so they
(translated by Larossa if necessary): cannot help him-not that Banquo would allow
anyone else to touch his books anyway.
~ .(? I (;}. I ◄r
"And there shall be a sign, placed before the vic- W~ffingfor B~nqqo
tim, before the blood is drawn and the Word is spo- While the heroes are waiting for Banquo to research
ken. The sign shall be the finger of a murderer, lost the marker, the heroes have several options to fill
from his left hand, soaked in the blood of a goat for their time.
{iuescore and three nights." Whichever direction they head, the heroes have
a chance of discovering that they are being fol-
,-..G • c5• ◄ lowed. Heroes who make successful Wisdom
checks feel as though something is watching
Banquo claims that the book contains more them. Indeed, they are right. Zarenival and
information on the preparation of the sign, but it Cochort trail behind them, watching what they do
holds little relevance now, since it has already and where they go. (The creatures' stats appear
been created. on the inside cover.)
Upon hearing this, many will want to know more As they travel further, one player should make
about the blood being drawn and the Word to be another Wisdom check ( either a hero who actively

Ac1 0NE: C1TY 0F DREAD
looks around or the hero with the highest Wisdom). According to Marit, he runs a local boarding
If the check succeeds, that character sees house. She went to stay there for a time after
something-a bit of trash on the street, a window her husband disappeared. He was extremely
shutter, a small bank of mist-move as if disturbed kind to her, becoming almost like a father to
by the passing of something unseen. However, if her. Marit has not seen him for a while, so she
this does happen, the invisible creatures flee before asks many questions about the old man's
they can be detected further. health and well being.
If the heroes manage to explore the house

R..et"tlrning
to Laross~ somehow, they find very little of interest. Virianis
If the heroes merely return to Larossa's house to keeps no evidence of his association with Vecna. If
wait, Virianis comes looking for them there. He they search his room carefully, however, they may
needs their help finding a missing Madhouse find a red and black robe that he wears during
resident. Proceed to "A Quick Trip to the ceremonies. Still, it bears no markings and proves
Madhouse" on the next page. nothing about his allegiance.
Soon after they leave Marit's house, Virianis
finds them. Proceed with "A Quick Trip to the
Checlcingon Merit Madhouse" on the next page.
If the heroes go to Vocar's house to check on Marit,
she answers the door cautiously. When she sees the
heroes, she happily invites them in. Her uncle is not
Coingtothe M~qh~se
home at the moment, so they can speak with her If the heroes go looking for Virianis, they are
freely. In general, she seems relatively normal, directed to the Madhouse. Proc~ed directly to "A
though a little haggard. Her baby is due in a week Quick Trip to the Madhouse" on the next page.
or two, and she is extremely tired.
She speaks with the heroes for a short time
before she must excuse herself and lie down for W~nqerlngA.ontessly
a nap. She thanks the heroes for coming, and If the heroes just aimlessly wander the streets while
asks them to come back to visit again. During waiting for Banquo, they will eventually meet up
conversation, she can reveal the following with several Daggers. This encounter should not
information: incapacitate the heroes or hinder them from
continuing the adventure in any way. It should
CDIf the heroes ask about her husband, Marit merely to reinforce the danger in carelessness.
shakes her head sadly. She claims to have still These Daggers are not the same ones who
heard nothing about his whereabouts. If anyone apprehended the heroes last time, so they do not
claims that her husband is dead or tries to recognize the player characters. However, they do
convince her that he is not coming back, she try to stop these outsiders and bring them in for
gets angry and asks them all to leave. questioning. Most likely, the heroes are not willing
If the heroes ask about her uncle, Marit claims to be arrested again. If they do allow themselves to
to know very little about him. In fact, he had be captured, they are again interrogated. This time,
little to do with her until recently. Just over the Daggers do not release them though. The
three months ago, he began taking an interest heroes are kept in jail until the interrogators decide
in her. He was very excited about her they are no longer a threat.
pregnancy and offered to help them out
however he could. She speculates that he just
grew lonely living by himself. He was also kind
enough to pay for her to live in a boarding
house (which is what she calls the Madhouse,
refusing to acknowledge its true nature) after
her husband disappeared. Now that she is so
close to her delivery date, though, he brought
her to live with him.
CDIf the heroes ask about the Madhouse, she does After the heroes have either incapacitated or fled
not seem to recognize the name. If they ask the Daggers, they run into Virianis. Proceed with "A
about Virianis, however, she smiles fondly. Quick Trip to the Madhouse" on the next page.

Acr 0NE: CrTY0F DREAD
A.Quiclcrrip to the M~qh~se rhe Ctm--ent

J>rol>1ern
At some point while the heroes are waiting for A few days ago, a resident named Dast (known as
answers from Banque, they are approached by "King of the Madmen") escaped from the
Virianis. If they did not meet him during their first Madhouse. The last word that he left with anyone
encounter with the Daggers, he introduces himself was when he told a caretaker that he was going to
as a friend of Marit's. He heard how they helped "speak with his fellow king."
her, and he now needs their assistance as well. Virianis reminds the heroes that the city is an
Virianis built the Madhouse over twenty years extremely dangerous place: "You know for
ago, to house and care for those who could not deal yourselves how dangerous Tor Gorak can be," he
with the pressures and fears that are a part of states. "Can you imagine how deadly it can be here
everyday life in Tovag. The inmates (or residents, for one who does not always think clearly?" Even
as he likes to call them) receive good care though more importantly, if the Daggers find Dast
no one in the Madhouse ever thinks of attempting wandering the streets, they may use his escape as
to "cure" them. On the contrary, their madness is an excuse to shut the Madhouse down. All of the
viewed as an understandable condition- remaining residents would then be forced to either
unfortunate but not inappropriate. contribute to society or be executed.
The Daggers officially have no opinion of the Virianis has a number of his employees looking
Madhouse. They believe that the insane should be for the missing resident, but unfortunately he has
terminated rather than becoming a burden upon so- so few of them to spare. The Madhouse normally
ciety, since all resources are needed in the war ef- runs on somewhat of a "skeleton" staff. Thus,
fort. However, since the money used to support the Virianis asks the heroes to look for Dast. (Note
residents comes from Virianis, they can do nothing that Virianis does not refer to Dast as the King of
about it. On the other hand, if it were to somehow the Madmen.)
become a problem, they would be free to act. ... The heroes will probably want to go to the
The l\1qdhouse One square • 5 feet

C • confinement cell
R = residents' quarters
Level One Level Two Level Three

Madhouse to look around first. In this case, in use before and during mealtime. It is crude but
Virianis brings them to the Madhouse and shows sufficient.
them around. Records Office: This cramped, stuffy little room
holds a desk, a few chairs, and some bookcases.
Virianis keeps the records and ledgers of the
J'heLayOttt
ofthe lvfa.~h~se Madhouse here, being one of the privileged few
The Madhouse of Tor Gorak is a three-story stone Tovagians who can read. Virianis always keeps this
keep. It provides a home for forty-one residents room locked, and only he has a key.
and has a caretaker staff of six. The caretakers Resident Quarters: Each resident shares a room
cook, clean, and watch over the residents. with at least one other. The rooms are usually
Although there are no "guards," as such, these simple and stark, unless a particular resident has
caretakers try to keep the mad from wandering off. decided to decorate it him or herself. (A few of the
The Madhouse provides protection for these rooms have oddly splattered paint, strange insane
people, keeping them locked safely within for their carvings, or madly scrawled writing on the walls.)
own good. Staff Quarters: The caretakers maintain a
Common Room: Except at night, when they are permanent residence here. This simple, barracks-
asleep (bedtime is at dusk), the residents spend like room holds few luxuries. Virianis does not live
most of their time here. This large, open room has here and only comes by about once a week.
numerous chairs and divans as well as a few tables. Storage: Foodstuffs and general supplies are
This is the only room in the building with a rug on kept here in crates and barrels. The door is
the floor as well, since many of the residents like to generally locked, and each staff member has a key.
sit or lie on the floor. A few simple board games sit
on the tables.
Confinement Cells: Unfortunately, some of the
Sea,rchingfor Pa.st
residents frequently become violent-threatening Should the heroes accept, Virianis thanks them
themselves or others. In such a case, the staff ahead of time and suggests that they start
places them in one of these three cells, which are immediately. He knows that the heroes cannot
almost always in use. Frequent howling or speak much of the local language, but he says that
gibbering emanates from within these cells. they do not need to speak, only find Dast and bring
Dining Hall: Another open room, this has three him back home. If they ask (but not otherwise), he
long wooden tables flanked by benches. Occasion- can also send a caretaker with them on the search,
ally, a few of the residents congregate here. or even accompany them himself.
Entry: The large, oaken double doors open If the heroes go on their own (which is
into a relatively empty room. Usually, one staff preferable), Virianis gives them an excellent verbal
member remains positioned here both to keep a description of Dast, enabling them to recognize him
vigil against residents attempting to leave and to when they find him. (See page 26 for a
receive visitors. description.) If they seem unsure of what to do
The staff keeps the doors locked, requiring when they find Dast, Virianis gives them a crude,
visitors to use the huge metal doorknocker to wooden headpiece that looks vaguely like a crown.
announce their presence if they want to gain entry. It is dyed yellow and has several colored stones
The King's Residence: Unlike the other adhered along the top. He says only that this is one
residents, Dast has a room to himself. Other than of Dast's favorite possessions, and that it may help
the purple drapes that the inmates have placed them convince him to come home. Though he does
over the door (in honor of their benevolent ruler), not reveal this to the heroes, Virianis actually took
his room looks much like any other from the the crown away from Dast earlier that week. Dast
outside. Inside, Dast has attempted to make the insisted on wearing the headpiece while at the
room look like a throne room. He has carved a dinner table, so Virianis took it from him and simply
large chair with crude embellishments to serve as forgot to give it back.
his throne, and painted sheets hang on the walls As the heroes wander around the streets, refer to
like tapestries. His bed is hidden behind the the layout of the city described in the Introduction.
throne. Although he does not know how to write, Smart characters will avoid any further entangle-
he has scribbled illegible "proclamations" and ments with the Daggers at all costs. (If not, they
posted them around the room. Only he knows may end up right back in the Sheath, with the
what they mean. Daggers more suspicious of them than before and
Kitchen: This open room is empty except when no chance of rescue by Virianis.)

As Dast said, he has left the Madhouse as a ruler believes that the Daggers will take him to see Kas.
going to talk to a fellow ruler; he plans to speak with Dast's stats appear on the inside cover.
Kas about some sort of "noble matter." Still, the Negotiating: If the heroes approach and attempt
player characters could run into him anywhere since to get Dast away from the Daggers through
Dast has no idea how to find Kas. When he asks nonviolent means, they first have to overcome the
people on the street about the location of Kas, they language barrier. Second, they have to come up
either flee in terror at the mention of their dread with a very good story. Dast has already told these
lord's name or at least refuse to talk about him. authorities that he is looking for his fellow ruler Kas
After anywhere from one to three hours of and that he has important things to discuss with
searching, the heroes find Dast wandering the him. Such a statement almost certainly rises the
lonely streets. Read or paraphrase the following text hackles of the paranoid authorities, akin to suicide
when this occurs: in Tor Gorak.
Waiting: If the heroes watch and wait, they see
•
You see a young man with tousled brown hair
the young Madhouse resident talk to the soldiers for
just a few short moments before they grab him
roughly and begin to drag him in the direction of
and unkempt, mismatched clothes, muttering to Dagger Keep. Dast goes peacefully, for he believes
himself as he walks down the street in front of you. that he is being taken to Kas. If the heroes do not
You immediately see that he (Its the description intervene quickly and rescue Dast before they
Virianis gave you! reach the Sheath, they have to break him out of the
Before you can approach, however. three war- jail, a difficult task at any time.
riors, dressed in a manner all too familiar, fade out Taking Dast Home: Though the heroes have just
of the shadows and move toward him. The Daggers rescued him from an unpleasant fate, Dast does not
seem to have found Dast mere moments before you want to return to the Madhouse. He still demands to
could get to him! see Kas, and his shouts and questions attract a lot
• of attention, making it impossible to sneak through

the streets unseen.
If the heroes can speak with him, they can easily
Attacking: If the heroes attack immediately, discover that Dast thinks himself a king. Perhaps
they must strike fast. If an encounter with only the smartest thing to do would be to tell Dast that
three Dagger warriors proves too easy for the he- Kas is not currently in the city, or even that Lord
roes, two to three more can be waiting in the Kas really is not the equal of a king such as himself
shadows to strike. Though this battle should not and does not deserve to speak with him. Such
prove particularly challenging, it should be diffi- statements most likely get Dast to accompany the
cult to end quickly. A fight longer than three heroes quietly back to the Madhouse.
rounds gives the Daggers the opportunity to call If the heroes give Dast his crown, he forgets
for help, which brings two more warriors for each about his desire to see Kas and willingly returns to
hero in another five rounds. Such a call of alarm the Madhouse. In his excitement over the returned
also alerts all the Daggers in the area to watch for crown, however, he babbles about it nonstop the
the player characters. This turn of events makes entire way back.
getting back to the Madhouse without further con-
flict very difficult.
R.eturningto the Ma.qh~se
Virianis thanks the heroes profusely if they return
with the missing Dast. If the heroes have not
already discovered that Dast is known as the King
of the Madmen, they should learn this fact now. If
nothing else, several of the residents could bow to
him as he walks past them in the halls.
To make matters worse, Dast provides more

J'he Lorewa.rq
Ag~in
hindrance than help in battle. In the confusion, he is When the player characters return to Banquo's
as likely to attack the heroes as the Daggers, for he house again ( and give the proper signal and
has no idea who any of them are. Besides, he phrase), he lets them in quickly. He excitedly

Acr 0NE: C1TY 0f DREAD
announces that his research bore fruit, at least to fill them in on the commonly known facts: Vecna is
some degree. an ancient lich (and perhaps even a minor god);
One of his books mentions the "Three Words," he rules the land of Cavitius and seeks the
which must be spoken as part of three separate destruction of Tovag and its ruler Kas (who was
rituals. His manuscript refers to a Book of Inverted once his lieutenant); and he has threatened the
Darkness, in which all three rituals are supposed entire world in the past with his evil schemes, so
to be described. Unfortunately, he does not there is no reason to believe that he might not do
know exactly where this ancient tome can be so again. More details Banquo does not have or
found. He has narrowed the search down to two will not share. Further, he holds no proof that
places, however: the Library of Kas and the Vecna or his servants are involved at all. He
Shadowed Room. suspects Vecna only because he knows of no other
Banquo cannot hide his excitement at the wizards in the area powerful enough to control this
prospect of someone going in and finding what lies type of magic.
inside these forgotten troves of lore. At the same If the player characters learn the secrets behind
time, however, he has no intention of going himself. this ritual, they might not only be saving their own
He dislikes danger, and this is a very perilous lives but the lives of everyone in Tovag. Banquo
undertaking. himself gladly offers to return the favor ( assuming
At this point in the conversation, Banquo also he gains access to any information gained) in any
thinks to point out that the player characters' lives way he can.
are in great danger. According to his research, the
ritual involved with this mysterious Word apparently
has something to do with "the blood of an outsider."
Moving 0n
This almost certainly applies to the characters. When the heroes are ready to leave, Banquo gives
Banquo also believes that while the adventurers them some advice about their expedition. If they
might be the targets of the rite, the ritual itself are going to the Library of Kas, he suggests that
spells a far-reaching doom for Tovag and the they go at night, when few can see them approach
surrounding lands. If this ritual has something to do and force open the door. Of course, this violates
with Vecna, its dark goals may know no bounds the curfew regulations, but the adventurers should
at all. avoid the Daggers at any cost anyway. In this case,
continue the adventure with "Scene Four: Library
of Kas."
J'heJ'l~ces J'heySeek If the heroes have decided to go to Cavitius, he
Banquo knows little about the Library of Kas, but warns them about that terrible domain: "Once
he does know its location. The library, according to within the realm, keep to the roads, for those that
the book he now holds, is located behind an wander into the desert, known as the Ashen
antiquated iron door in the base of the towering Wastes, eventually wither and die. Lastly, getting
foundation of Castle Xiphos. No one of Banquo's into Citadel Cavitius is not a hard task. No guards
acquaintance has ever investigated the door or keep out visitors or travelers. However, there exist
known anyone else who has. In fact, the vast dark forces and evil entities that keep people in.
majority of Tor Gorak's citizenry has probably Plan ahead of time regarding your escape." In this
never noticed it. As for the Shadowed Room, case, continue the adventure with Act Two: The
Banquo knows even less. His books reveal only Clutches of Vecna.
that it is located somewhere in Citadel Cavitius. Further, if the heroes travel to Cavitius rather
Banquo explains that the Book of Inverted than the Library of Kas, they miss the second
Darkness most likely exists in scroll form, and the encounter with Vecna's cultists. Because they need
legends say that the tube is stoppered with a red the blood of an outsider, the cultists attack the
jewel as big as a man's fist. Although there may heroes after they leave the city instead of outside
be many scrolls and books in the library, all of the Library. Their tactics and stats appear on
them invaluable, this is the specific tome that pages 31-32.
they need. Like Banquo, Larossa does not accompany the
player characters, but she helps them in other
ways, providing food and other supplies.
Veen.~ Whenever the expedition sets out, Zarenival
At this point, if the player characters have not and Cochort follow as before.
learned much about Vecna, Banquo will grudgingly

Acr Gm::C1TY 0F DREAD
fo befold.
(Chere are somesecrefswhichdo nof permit fhemsefyes
-Edgar Allen Poe
The Man in the Crowd
F0UR.:
Sc:ol'Ui
successful open barred doors roll or inflict 150
points of damage upon the door.
rf{E LIJ3RARY
0f Ms IntotheLibrary
n this scene, the heroes delve into the When the heroes finally open the door and step into
mysterious Library of Kas. If you wish, the passage beyond, read or paraphrase the
the Daggers might make a sudden following text:
appearance, leading to either a fight or
a great deal of hiding and tension. A ,.. .{:) • C). I ◄
typical nighttime Dagger patrol consists of eight
soldiers and a leader, but at least two of the Beyond the door, a narrow passage stretches
Daggers skulk in the shadows out of sight in order into the darkness. The smooth stone walls glisten
to sneak up and catch foes unaware when with moisture and slime, and water collects on the
necessary. Stats for Daggers appear on page 18. floor in small puddles. Except for a distant dripping
In the western side of the rocky outcropping that sound, nothing disturbs the absolute silence in this
holds Castle Xiphos, an ancient iron door keeps place.
the people of Tor Gorak from the secrets on the
other side. Behind this innocuous, apparently
unguarded door lies the Library of Kas. However, it
•
is guarded by an ancient horror sequestered away The passage beyond the door goes straight into
by Lord Kas himself. the rock. After about forty feet, explorers come
When the heroes near the door, read or upon a twenty-five-foot-wide shaft descending
paraphrase the following text: down into the earth and then upward toward the
castle above. When the heroes reach this point,
)i,a .s> • C)., ◄. read or paraphrase the following text:
The streets keep their silence. The city fears lo

even breathe in the darkness. Just as you were told,
below the rock foundations of the castle, an old, iron
•
Your light reveals that the passage is bisected by
door lies recessed in the stony cliff Strangely, the a large shaft, which rises deep into the earth and
ancient portal seems to predate even the stone up toward the castle. The darkness in both direc-
around ii. tions quickly swallows your light so any real mea-
sure of distance remains impossible. The sides of
• the shaft are even more slick with moisture and yel-
lowish slime than the passage itself
A short (fifteen to twenty foot) climb up the A very narrow ledge runs around the sides of the
rocky cliff face brings the characters up to the door. shaft.,and at the other side, a tunnel similar to the one
Since the door is set into the rock about four feet, it in which you stand extends further into the rock.
has a small ledge that will hold anyone who wishes As you stand and look, a quiet sound rises from
to stand in front of it. below-some sort of wet, sloshing, slurping noise.
Opening the door requires the heroes to
overcome three obstacles. The first two are
separate iron locks built into the door itself.
•
Lockpicking attempts suffer a -10% penalty due to This shaft once connected these chambers with
both the locks' construction and age. A magical the lower reaches of the castle, but it is currently
seal, akin to a wizard lock spell, also bars the door. sealed with bricks and mortar about forty feet above
If characters wish to attempt to destroy the door the level on which the adventurers now stand. It also
rather than open it, they must either make a extends about ninety feet below the tunnel.

AcT 0NE: CrrYGr DREAD
At the point where the passage meets the shaft,
three metal levers protrude from the wall. They are
rusty and corroded, but a strong character can
move them with no trouble. These levers serve as
the key to the door found in the passage beyond the
shaft. Each lever can be pulled all the way up, all
the way down, or left in the middle. Currently, the
first and third levers are pulled all the way down,
and the second rests in the middle position. In order
to open the door, the first lever must remain down,
the second should be placed all the way up, and the
third must be in the middle position.
J'heLibraryQu~qia,n.
In ancient days, when Kas served Vecna as his
lieutenant, the decadent Kas kept a harem of
concubines and sired many children. Despicable to
his very core, when his children reached an age of
maturity that prompted Kas to see them as rivals,
he slew or imprisoned them forever. One such
offspring was a son named Narek.
At a very early age, Narek learned sorcerous
skills. So great was his aptitude that even Vecna
noticed and commented on his potential, granting
him a few treasures and tomes in hopes of making
Narek a powerful and useful servant. Jealous of
this obviously preferential treatment, Kas went into
a hideous rage and imprisoned his son in a
tomblike vault along with these gifts. Narek thus
disappeared, Vecna paid the event little heed, and only a momentary glimpse of his tendrils and eyes
Kas's son was forgotten. before being snuffed out. Still, even this glimpse
Inside his prison, Narek attempted to use the could require a fear check. If a magical or
spells and rituals found in the tomes, hoping to free otherwise inextinguishable light source illuminates
himself. Unfortunately for him, the spells were more the Thing, the sight of it could force players to
powerful than he could yet control, despite his make horror checks. To maximize the horror of the
promise and potential. In a catastrophic magical situation, the upward movement rate for the Thing
mishap, the young would-be mage transformed can vary. The players should realize that it is
himself into some horrible ever-muting beast. coming and try to hurry around the ledge to get
Narek has become insanely evil during his past before it arrives.
imprisonment (and considering his parentage and Falling: Obviously, the one-foot-wide, slippery
environment, he probably started out fairly twisted ledge makes it difficult to hurry, particularly under
and corrupt). He gleefully destroys anything or pressure, requiring a Dexterity check. Those that fail
anyone that he can get a hold of. This presents the check slip and begin to fall. Any heroes nearby
anyone wishing to get at his treasure trove, are allowed a Dexterity check to grab and save their
incorrectly known as the "Library of Kas," with a companion, and the falling character can attempt
real challenge. one more check to try to grab hold of the ledge.
First Encounter: When the heroes reach the At this point, you may want characters to almost
shaft, the thing that is Narek detects their presence fall, only to be saved at the last moment. This sort
and begins dragging itself up toward them. Because of occurrence serves to heighten the horror both
it has to travel ninety feet, the Thing takes quite now and in the encounters to come.
some time to reach the heroes, or even come Falling characters drop into the mass of the
within range of their light. Thing. Because of Narek's wet, elastic nature, the
Due to Narek's wet, slimy skin, torches and character takes only 1d6 points of damage, no
similar light sources dropped down the shaft grant matter what the height. Unfortunately, the victim

then falls prey to 1d6 of Narek's attacks, each with centuries, retreats back down the shaft if it suffers
a +4 bonus. Those heroes that remain above hear more than thirty points of damage. It simply drops
only screams and slurping noises, as the Thing quickly to the bottom of the shaft, without
most likely destroys their companion. sustaining damage. At this point, the heroes can
either flee or manipulate the levers to open the door
on the far side.
l3eyond.the Shajt If the heroes all cross back to the east side of the
On the other side of the shaft, the passage contin- shaft, the Thing comes up again, trapping them.
ues for sixty feet, turns to the left, continues for an- They must either slay it or somehow drive it away,
other twenty feet, and ends in a door. This heavy, but it is not deterred by mere pain this time.
iron door stands impervious to normal and magical
damage. Spells such as knock cannot even open it. Narek (The Thing In the Shaft): AC 6; MV 6;
It opens only when someone correctly maneuvers HD 14; hp 94; THAC0 7; #AT 2d6; Dmg ld6
the levers found on the far side of the shaft. each; SA constriction; SD special immunities; SZ
Anyone carefully examining the door and the G (25' across); Int high (14); ML elite (13); AL
area around it finds a crude diagram on the stone NE; XP 9,000.
wall showing the proper positioning of the levers. Notes: Foes hit with 4 or more tendrils in the same round
Unless by sheer luck the player character placed the are immobilized, suffering 2d6 points of additional
levers in the right position, however, someone must constriction damage each round. Such victims are pulled
toward Narek at a rate of IO' per round. To break free, the
go back and set the mechanism in order to open the
constricting tendrils must be severed (by inflicting at least 4
door. That means crossing the shaft again. points of damage to each one). or the victim must make a
Crossing the Shaft Again: This is where timing successful Strength check for each constricting appendage.
becomes crucial. Once whoever goes back (and it The Thing is immune to fire, charm, and form-altering
might be all the characters depending on how they spells.
want to handle things) reaches the levers, the Thing
reaches the top and attacks. When this happens, If the heroes use ranged attacks from a position
read or paraphrase the following text: that the Thing cannot reach, it retreats down the
pit, but only just below the edge, waiting to spring
)- .@ • :>, ◄ •
D on anyone that comes close. Since its mass now
requires that it dwell mostly within the shaft, even
Somehow, fate has ripped an image from your the fact that the door to the outside is opened or
worst forgotten nightmare and thrust it into reality. destroyed does not mean that it is free. In fact,
A loathsome Thing rises-oozes-up from the shaft even if the heroes do not slay Narek, it remains
below. Its greenish flesh, covered in oozing sores trapped here forever.
which drip with the yellow slime that coals the
walls, sprouts long, snaky tendrils that reach for
you, grasping closer and closer. As it silently stares J'he Roornl3eyond.
with innumerable inhuman eyes scattered across The room beyond the door contains the materials
its obscene form, you can feel its hunger and its given to Narek by Vecna himself. When the heroes
ineffable evil. open the door, read or paraphrase the following:
• •
Obviously, Narek has effectively trapped any Once the heavy iron door opens, your light re-
heroes on the eastern side of the shaft. The tendrils veals a small chamber beyond it that looks like a
of the Thing can reach up to forty feet down the study. Somehow, it has stayed considerably drier
passages, so characters can find limited safety than the sha~ and passage that youjust came
beyond this reach. Still, that does not offer much through. Manuscripts cover an ancient-looking
comfort. Those on the western side have the wooden t.ablein the center of the room, and more
opportunity to run, but if they want to get books and scrolls lie scattered about on the floor and
completely out of harm's reach, they have to exit chair. The walls and floor are covered in crudely
the area entirely. scratched symbols and words in a language with
At this point, if the adventurers stay and fight the which you are unfamiliar.
Thing, they might possibly get a break. Narek, not In this chaotic jumble of ancient papers and
having encountered real wounds or pain for untold books, a single golden scroll tube juts out of a pile on

Ac1 0NE: C1TY 0F DREAD
the /1.oor.the gleam of a dust-covered red gem al its carefully between two other books. At this point,
end catching your eye. give the players the handout provided.
The heroes can also decipher a few of Narek's
~•c; • c5•• ◄ notes, which are written in the margins here and
there throughout the manuscripts. The following
The Book of Inverted Darkness: Once they see snippets should help the heroes learn the origin of
the object of their quest, the player characters are the beast they encountered in the shaft:
most likely going to leap toward the scroll tube. 8 "I doubt that Vecna will tolerate my unjust
Handle this scene carefully, because it ends in treatment. Not even his own lieutenant may take
disappointment. When they open the tube, read or so bold an action against Vecna's favored
paraphrase the following text: without suffering his wrath."
,_..C? • '-2., ◄ 8 "It seems that I am to be left here indefinitely. I
have been forgotten, and my father's crime has
The scroll tube in your hands is ornately worked gone unpunished. Such vengeance must be
gold. Ancient, dust-filled patterns delicately coat its mine then."
surface. The gem stopper is as large as the legends 8 "I believe I have uncovered the ritual l need.
foretold. Though /1.awed,its size alone must make it Vecna's gifts have been extremely helpful, where
worth a fortune. his favor has not. If only I can harness the magic
Prying out this stopper takes some lime and it holds, I will free myself from this damnable
quite a bit of strength. Once it has been worked out prison and repay my father's betrayal. ... "
of its position, you peer into the long-sealed tube The other books and papers are interesting and
and see ... nothing. The scroll tube is empty. valuable, particularly to a wizard, but most player
• characters will find them very difficult to utilize,

since they are not only written in a ancient, chal-
lenging language, but they discuss a completely
Long ago, after the "library" was sealed, Vecna different sort of magic than traditional wizards use,
conjured forth the scroll using a spell, for he wanted involving complicated rituals and rites totally unfa-
it back. No one knew this, not even the most care- miliar to the heroes. Player characters might want
ful historian, so rightfully no one can be angry with to keep some as curiosities, but the best home for
poor Banquo for giving out incorrect information. these tomes is with Loreward Banquo.
Still, the heroes gain an extremely valuable gem
from this scenario. The enormous ruby is easily
worth over four thousand gold pieces.
J'heCQlfists
Unfortunately, the heroes are very unlikely to find Having learned of the heroes' location from Vocar's
anyone to buy it from them. There are probably magical servants, the Vecna cult decides to make
fewer than ten people in the entire Core of their move now, while their victims are unaware
Ravenloft wealthy enough to purchase such a and preoccupied. The cultists seek to kill their
treasure, and most of them are darklords! targets and take their blood. They arrive on the
Other Tomes: Aside from the scroll tube, over scene after the player characters have opened the
four hundred books and scrolls, along with various sealed door and entered the Library.
miscellaneous papers, lie in this room. Though the Time the attack so that the player characters
heroes have found a treasure house of ancient lore have had an opportunity to discover that the
and magical knowledge, getting it safely out of the scroll tube is empty, and perhaps long enough to
room presents a real challenge-one made much look through the books and papers a bit-if they
more complicated by the presence of the Thing and are so inclined.
the cultists who wait for the heroes outside. The cult has no intention of challenging the
If the characters have the time, and they use it to Thing, so if it still lives, they wait outside for their
peruse the papers and books they have found (and targets to come to them. If that is the case, they
have some sort of magical means of translation or ready an ambush at the bottom of the cliff.
make numerous successful ancient language In most cases, however, the cult goes right into
proficiency checks), they find some information the Library to attack the player characters, out of
about the Shadowed Room in Cavitius. This single sight of the Daggers or anyone else. In any event,
page appears to have been torn out of another their strike is quick, and their plan is straightforward:
manuscript (which they cannot find) and tucked They want to kill the player characters. If this proves

Acr 0N.E: CrTY0F DREAD
impossible, they at least seek to draw blood from Players with characters in such a predicament
their victims. A single strike from a bladed weapon should probably make horror checks. To remain
that inflicts at least four points of damage is enough. alive, the character must make a successful
To begin this encounter, read or paraphrase the swimming proficiency check each round. (Due to
following text: the consistency of the Thing's liquefied remains,
even encumbered and armored characters can
)I-•@ • c.)·• ◄ s attempt to stay afloat.) Failed checks indicate that
the character begins sinking. Three failed checks in
Without warning, many dark figures leap from a row means that the character succumbs to the
lhe shadows, darting at you with the speed of ser- gore. Sinking characters last only as long as they
pents. You immediately recognize the leering faces can hold their breath (half of the character's
painted to look like one-eyed skulls, and the slash- Constitution score in rounds). The only way the
ing, stabbing knives with black, rune-covered victim can ultimately survive is by climbing the
blades. Even worse is the low whisper each of slippery walls or being rescued by someone else
them repeats over and over in your own tongue: (with a long rope or the ability to climb or fly).
"blood .. blood . .. blood . ... " Vocar: Vocar does not lead the attack, so the
• player characters probably have no idea that he is

behind this. The cult attack does, however, prove
that the cultists are deadly serious in their
To aid in the ritual, each of the cultists has been endeavors and that Banquo was right to believe
taught the word for "blood" in a language common that their lives were in danger. Ultimately, the
to all the victims (which Vocar learned by talking to characters should feel that the cult is dangerous
Marit). The cultists do not fight to the death, but they and should be stopped.
do sacrifice themselves to get the needed blood.
Moving 0n
If the player characters return to Loreward Banquo,
he is anxious and eager to learn what they found. If
they brought him some of the papers and texts that
they discovered, his elation might surprise them,
for until then they probably saw him only as a staid,
emotionless scholar.
As soon as one of the cultists strikes a blow to If the heroes could not read the information
one of the heroes that inflicts at least four points of given in the handout, they might have brought the
damage, he raises his weapon in the air and shouts parchment with any other materials they carried
loudly in ancient Flan. The other cultists then stop out of the Library. Banquo can then read the page
chanting and repeat the shout. At that point, they and translate it for them, giving them the
retreat if hard-pressed or allow their victims to flee information they need to continue looking for the
if pursuit endangers their mission. Otherwise, they Book of Inverted Darkness.
continue to fight, hoping to eliminate the heroes If the player characters left any of the books or
now that they are no longer needed. papers behind (which is likely, since the Library held
The Shaft: Fighting on the ledge around the shaft probably three-to-four hundred pounds of materi-
requires the combatants to make successful als), the cultists take them. No matter what-even if
Dexterity checks each round in order to avoid falling, the player characters kill all of their attackers-the
as before. The cultists actively attempt to keep their remaining books are gone when the heroes return.
victims from falling if they do not yet have ample The next step in the adventurer's quest should be
blood to present to Vocar. Once they do have to go to Vecna's realm, Cavitius to seek the
enough blood, they change their tactics and try to Shadowed Room. If they do not seem to realize
send their victims plummeting into the dark pit. this, Banquo again points them in the right
If Narek lies dead at the bottom of the shaft, its direction. If he has not already filled them in on
mass fills the final ten feet of the fall, cushioning Vecna's domain, Banquo takes the time to do so
anyone that falls. Thus, anyone that falls down the now. He gives them the same information
shaft suffers only 1d6 points of damage. Of course, presented at the end of the last scene (on page 27).
the poor fallen combatant must struggle to keep At this point, the adventure continues with Act
afloat in the mass of fleshy gore that was the Thing. Two: The Clutches of Vecna.

Acr Tw0: TuE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
ScENE fm: Each hero currently in the campsite must

make a Dexterity check with a -3 penalty. Failure
TliE 6URNl~~ J'EAJC.8 indicates that the hero is struck by the falling
tree. Anyone hit by the tree sustains 3d6 points
he journey to the land of Cavitius of damage from the impact, though a successful
begins at the city of Tor Gorak. Once saving throw vs. breath weapon halves the
the heroes have provisioned damage.
themselves at Larossa's as best they Looking For Culprits: Of course, true to their
can, they find leaving the city fairly nature, both Zarenival and Cochort immediately
easy. Those leaving Tor Gorak are not watched as flee at this point, adding an eerie quality to the
closely as those entering. sudden violence. An investigation by the
Vocar's invisible servants keep a close watch on characters can turn up some strange disturbances
the player characters as they leave, following them in the soft, wet earth near where the tree was
at a distance. The journey through the countryside felled. Anyone that makes a successful Intelligence
of Tovag is quiet and uneventful, although it has check can easily determine that the tree was not
begun to rain frequently, both day and night, cut with any sort of axe or blade. Further, a
coming in spurts. character that makes a successful tracking
The transition between Tovag and Cavitius is proficiency check where the wolf was spotted
neither obvious nor instantaneous. As travelers discovers that the creature's prints end abruptly,
progress from one domain to the other, it gets leaving no sign of the creature. (This is where
hotter and more arid. The transition from the Zarenival changed back into a quasit and then flew
temperate climate of Tovag and the deserts of off invisibly.)
Cavitius is blurred further by the volcanic heat and Although the sudden attack is frightening, the
blowing ash of the Burning Peaks themselves. utter lack of knowledge is probably worse for the
characters. By this point, they can be sure that
J3eing6ha,qoweq someone or something is following them ( and
perhaps has been for some time), but they do not
The first night after the heroes leave Tor Gorak, know what. Play Zarenival and Cochort to the
Vocar's servants grow impatient. To amuse fullest of their intelligence; if at any time a
themselves, Zarenival and Cochort decide to harass character casts a detect invisibility spell or uses
the player characters. Stats for these creatures something similar, the creatures get away as fast as
appear on the inside cover. possible. They always stay out in the open for this
To begin this encounter, read or paraphrase the reason, never actually following the characters into
following text: a building or small area.
Moving On: Eventually, the player characters
)I- .t-? • Q, • ◄ • resume their journey. Soon enough, they see the
Burning Peaks looming in the distance ( although
Finally, after a full day's travel, you stop and they are visible as a ridge on the horizon even from
rest. Unfortunately, it begins to rain again. Once Tor Gorak). Smoke and ash billow into the sky from
you have settled in and made your somewhat numerous points, making it clear that the Burning
soggy camp, you begin hearing odd noises deeper Peaks are a volcanic range.
into the tree . Slowly, a long, dark form moves from
behind a clump of briars in the distance. You can't
be sure, but it appears to be a wolf? 'rhe Threera.sses
.... G • cS' ◄ F
There are three mountain passes through which a
traveler can navigate across the Burning Peaks.
Due to their steep, rough, jagged nature as well as
It is indeed a wolf-after a fashion. In actuality, constant tremors, avalanches, and lava floes, it is
the quasit Zarenival has taken the form of a wolf to virtually impossible to cross the mountains
provide a distraction. As Zarenival's foes take anywhere else. Make it clear to the players that it is
notice of him, Cochort uses its power to create an unfeasible to make it across anywhere other than
intense vortex to fell a nearby tree, pushing it the three passes. However, if this sort of heavy-
toward the distracted victims. handed approach is undesirable, and the heroes

AcT Tw0: TuE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
~~Y-i!~g_-
t:'l'-·..,
Roa~d t o,~•-
..
'" Tor Gorak··•'',11Tfl1'1
11',,•1\I.I·~
7~'
I Is I I I I I I I I I I I I
-~---
,\:'J''
ll",
,,,
::~ ....-"""-- ---~--- ~ ....,::,.. 1,:---...
•-:
_,_a(~w.11~1·:~-~--
•'-' I ~
"~~~
~-~--
.--urs~ .
'
-----~ ...-- - ....
~--~ ~
-...,.,..-C:: - ,,
.-::-- .._ -
~-------"-= -.::""' -
--- -
- -"· .
~\,
' "·
/
attempt to blaze their own trail over the mountains, e Dead-end ravines require the heroes to back-
use the following guidelines. track. The trip takes an additional day ( even
Mountaineering Checks: Require mountaineering going beyond the six-day maximum).
proficiency checks for even attempting to cross e Sudden lava floes trap the heroes, requiring an
elsewhere. additional day (even going beyond the six-day
Delays: Most likely, the journey would take only maximum).
a day or two. Each day that they spend off the trail, e A brittle cliff collapses, causing climbers to fall
however, the group must make a mountaineering 1d6x10 feet, which inflicts 1d6 points of damage
check. A failed check indicates that they made per ten feet.
very little progress, requiring an additional day of (l) Rugged course requires additional mountain-
travel. (The trip should still not take more than six eering checks. Failed checks indicate minor falls
days though.) and mishaps ( inflicting 1d6 points of damage).
Hazards: Each day, the travelers encounter 2d6 The trip takes an additional day (even going
hazards. Do not roll randomly for these occur- beyond the six day maximum).
rences, but choose each one carefully. Traversing e Dangerous creatures attack. (You can choose
these horrible mountains can be as terrifying as any any appropriate creatures, such as undead
encounter with a monster. Possible encounters monsters, wolves, and serpents.)
could include the following:
Most characters will quickly decide that crossing
e Sudden avalanches inflict 3d6 points of damage the Burning Peaks on their own is too dangerous
to each hero. A successful saving throw vs. and make their way back to one of the mountain
breath weapon halves the damage. passes. Those taking this easier way can use any of
e Geysers of steam inflict 2d8 points of damage to the three passes to which the roads lead. Basically,
each hero. A successful saving throw vs. breath they are all the same. All serve as battlegrounds,
weapon halves the damage. and all are equally dangerous.

AcT Tw0: TnE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
J:heForfresses detained, and usually killed. At best, the soldiers

take suspected spies back to Tor Gorak to let the
At the mouth of each pass, Kas's forces have Daggers deal with them as they see fit.
erected a crude fort to watch over and protect Travelers approaching the fortress are
Tovag from invasion. A captain in the Tovagian questioned and treated similarly to those that might
army commands the fortress. Under him, ten encounter a patrol.
sergeants and three hundred soldiers man the Cult of Vecna: Somehow, the cult of Vecna has
fortress and patrol the area. infiltrated each garrison with a few of its own mem-
Since these fortresses often fall to enemy attack, bers. If the heroes are ever detained at the fortress,
the Tovagian soldiers construct them quickly and one of the infiltrators approaches them secretly. If
crudely out of wooden logs. They see no sense in convinced that the prisonera are spies for Vecna,
building something difficult and complex if the the cultist does whatever he or she can to free the
enemies are only going to raze it soon anyway. prisoners and get them into Cavitius. (Because
Sneaking by the fortress does not prove communication is difficult and slow among cult
incredibly difficult; careful, cautious, and sneaky members spaced so far apart, there exists almost
travelers can probably slip into Vecna's realm no way for the agents of Vecna in the fort to know
without disturbing a single soldier. The Tovagian that the heroes are actually enemies of the cult.)
soldiers worry far more about an invasion than a Zarenival and Cochort: To make matters more
few individuals skulking about. difficult for the heroes, Vocar's invisible servants
If they give the fortress itself a wide birth, are likely to use this opportunity to cause more
travelers only have occasional patrols to worry havoc. For example, they may make noise to alert
about. These patrols are composed of ten soldiers patrols or fortress guards, put objects in the way of
led by a sergeant. Patrols that encounter travelers sneaking characters, and the like. They will not go
maintain a healthy suspicion but do not so far as attempting to communicate with anyone-
automatically attack or even assume the worst. even cultist infiltrators. Above all, they do not do
Smart travelers have a good cover story ready; anything that might jeopardize their ability to follow
perhaps the truth might even work if spoken the heroes.
persuasively and eloquently.
The pass through the Burning Peaks is narrow and

dark, since the high cliff walls and towering peaks
block out most of the sunlight. It gets even darker
as travelers near Cavitius, for Vecna's realm has no
real sunlight, just a dull, dusky light that never ends
or changes.
As the heroes travel through the area, read or
paraphrase the following text:
~.e . :>u ◄ ,
The hot, dry air smells of ash and decay, and the
remnants of thousands of slain warriors cry out in a
silent, haunting scream. Shadows twitch and move
all around you. It is difficult to not pick up Lhepace
to get through this vile locale a little quicker, but
the ash-covered ground makes it difficult to move
with any speed without slipping.
,-..G • c5• ◄
If the heroes do not have a good explanation as The volcanoes in the area are constantly
to why they are there or what they plan to do in spewing ash and smoke into the sky. The roadway
Cavitius, the soldiers have no choice but to is covered in fresh volcanic ash as well as older
consider them spies. Spies are apprehended, ejecta that has been ground under the feet of

Acr Tw0: THE CLUTCHES Gr VECNA
countless soldiers-both
undead from Cavitius.
humans from Tovag and
'rheJiiq~s pn.gin.e
Except for the occasional distant cry of carrion Somewhere along the pass, the heroes encounter
birds, the pass is silent. Nevertheless, anyone one of Vecna's hideous war machines, composed
passing through the area must make a Wisdom of undead bodies and spirits thrust and mangled
check (though this should be somewhat secretive together in unholy ways. These engines have row
on your part). Those failing the check hear upon row of skulls that scream chants of evil
whispering all around them. Occasionally, these rituals. The magic released in this ritual tears and
whispers are distant cries of pain or anguish, and mutilates the bodies of their foes as well as the
sometimes the sounds of battle echo from far off. terrain around them. These engines carry virtually
Just as the heroes determine that the shadows uncontrolled, utterly destructive magic. The
they see seething around them are just a trick of soldiers that the heroes met in "Scene One: It
the mind, they are proven wrong. They are Begins" were affected by one of these engines.
attacked by the spirits of slain warriors, condemned Unfortunately for the heroes, they come upon
to spend all eternity in this battleground, in the one of these engines of doom themselves-
form of the shadows. although thankfully it is long since wrecked in
At first, only two of the undead spirits attack the battle. To begin this encounter, read or paraphrase
characters. Only after these are slain or turned, and the following text:
the characters relax a little do the other shadows
move in all at once. Three shadows per hero launch
an all-out attack. The shadows fight until only one-
third of them remain, at which point they retreat
•
As you make your way through the narrow
into the natural shadows of the pass. Once they mountain pass, you see signs of battle everywhere.
have seeped into the dark nooks and crannies, Very old corpses, drying and desiccating in the hot
finding them is virtually impossible. sun, lie amidst scraps of armor; broken weapons,
and fallen standards. A few carrion birds circle
overhead, and you can feel the eyes of tiny
Shadow (3 per hero): AC 7; MV 12; HD 3+3; scavengers from behind every rock, waiting for you
hp 17 each; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg ld4+1; SA to pass so that they can resume feeding upon the
Strength drain; SD weapon and spell immunities; remains you see before you.
SZ M (6' tall); ML fearless (20); AL CE; XP 420
each.
Note: The shadow's touch drains 1 point of Strength.
Lost Strength points return 2d4 turns later. Victims reduced
• c5• ◄
to O become shadows, Shadows are immune to charm, A close examination of the bodies reveals
sleep, hold, and cold. Only + 1 or better magical weapons that many of these fallen soldiers were slain,
can harm them.
not by sword or arrow, but by some hideous
sorcery. Many look as though they have literally
As they continue through the pass, the heroes exploded, been seared with tremendous heat, or
should get the feeling that the shadows continue to have had portions of their bodies torn from them
follow them. In fact, this is true. The remaining or disintegrated.
shadows attack again a few hours after their initial Just ahead of the heroes, the pile of debris
strike, this time fighting until all are turned or blocks the road itself. When the heroes approach
destroyed. the mound, read or paraphrase the following:
,.. .@ • 'f),, ◄ T
Although at first the mound of bone and flesh

before you appeared to be some terrible pyre of
partially burned corpses, you see now that it is
something more-something worse.
The bones and flesh of innumerable people and
creatures were somehow fused together in a
disgusting amalgam of horror. This monstrosity,
you can now ascertain, was once some sort of

Acr Tw0: THE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
mobile apparatus. Fortunately, it is now destroyed

and partially burned from some past con/1icl.
~•G • c5• ◄
Players should make horror checks as they face
this unholy monstrosity. If they possess the
foolhardiness to explore the war engine further, they
must first make successful saving throws vs. poison
to avoid contracting a disease from the festering
organic matter and the multitudinous parasites and
organisms breeding within. Anyone who fails the
saving throw succumbs to the disease in 1d4 days.
Each day thereafter, that character must make a
successful Constitution check or lose 1d4 hit points
and 1 point of both Strength and Constitution. (The
Constitution check gains a bonus of + 1 if the
character does nothing but rest, and a further + 1 if
the healing proficiency is successfully applied.) If
still alive after 6d 10 days, the character finally
overcomes the malady. Lost Strength and
Constitution points return at a rate of one point
every 1d4 days. Of course, a cure disease spell rids
the character of the disease almost instantly; lost
points are then regained at a rate of 1d2 per day.
If the heroes circle around the engine, giving it a
wide berth, they have no problem. However,
disturbing the engine causes various hands
and limbs-some attached to the whole of the
engine, some now free--to grasp and attack at the
nearby characters. Further, one of the many skulls
that ring the top of the engine begins to sc:ream out
its ritualistic chant. All of this could prompt a fear
check, but the chant of the single skull has no
magical effect; the magic is invoked only when
hundreds of skulls chant in unison.
Moving 0n
After traveling through the Burning Peaks, the
heroes finally reach the domain of Vecna. At this
point, the adventure continues with "Scene Six:
Into Cavitius."

AcT Tw0: THE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
0'17ho i5 likeunfofhebe1uf?
(}Vho i_sabletomakewar withhim?
-Revelation 13:4
guardians. Thesestatues face the road, placed every

hundred feet or so, such that no head directly faces an-
nee through the pass, travelers see that other. E.achunique head is almost twice as tall as a
the other side of the Burning Peaks is a human. Thesestrange sculptures flank the road as far
harsh, dry desert composed mostly of as the eye can see,so there may be thousands of them.
ash. The winds flowing over the vol-
canic mountain range carry the cinders ~•G • c5•• ◄ •
and ejecta only into Cavitius, so the surface of this
land is covered in ancient ash. Unlike the Tovagian Yecna created these heads, and he sustains them
side of the mountains, there are no fortresses or with his personal magic, meaning that they will last
waiting armies here. (If the armies of Tovag invade, as long as he does. If the characters attempt to
undead defenders mysteriously appear of the ash to damage one, they find that they have no means to
repel them. Otherwise they remain hidden.) do so.
The poor condition of the roadway continues as it
stretches westward. As long as the characters stay
on the road, they are relatively safe. However,
should they decide to venture into the Ashen When the heroes reach the Citadel Cavitius, they
Wastes, the desert begins leeching away their very should not immediately realize that it resembles a
life force. Heroes that stop off the road immediately skull. As they get closer, and the sun settles behind
feel dizzy, nauseous, and weak. Each full hour spent it, the truth will eventually sink in. When they first
in the Ashen Waste, they lose one level or Hit Die. catch sight of the city, read or paraphrase the
This loss continues until the victim dies, becoming a following text:
desert zombie under the control of Veen a ( described
in the RAvENLOFT MoNsTRousCoMPENDIUM® Appendix Ill).
Further, no healing of any kind occurs in the
Ashen Wastes, natural or magical. It is a place of
•
Still flanked by the stone heads as you progress
death. No plants or animals (for all the obvious down the flagstone road, a strange white mound
reasons) live in the Ashen Wastes, and the only looms over the horizon. As you get closer, you see
encounter possible is with some of the lost souls that it is a fortress or city, but its white, domed
now hideously transformed into zombies. outer wall seems very unusual. Stranger still are
the two swirling, black holes in the upper half of
the front wall. You suddenly get the impression that
Roa.qw~ofthe J3rethren someone is watching you, that your approach is
Further into the Ashen Wastes, the road on which somehow being observed.
the heroes travel eventually joins with two others
(also from Tovag). The one grand avenue is
generally called the Roadway of the Brethren. This
white, flagstone road is in much better shape than
the paths they have seen thus far, and it seems to
get better and better as they progress. When the
heroes reach this point of the journey, read or
•
Toeither side of the long, dust-covered flagstone road
This incredibly huge and foreboding place could
only be the home of the arch-lich Vecna. Giant,
ahead of you, titanic sandstone heads watch like silent undead carrion birds circle over the city continually,

Acr Tw0: TuE CLUTCHES 0f VECNA
their eerie, haunting cries the only sound as As soon as the heroes are completely within the
travelers approach. These monsters serve as walls, read or paraphrase the following text:
watchmen, but only heed a significant force
approaching Citadel Cavitius. A small group is
beneath their notice.
,-. .G • 'f)•• ◄ •
Billions of bones make up this gigantic skull ( as As soon as you all step into the dome, the silent
well as most of the buildings within it), magically form quietly reaches behind you and shuts the por-
fused together and strengthened to near tal with a loud bang. Completely oblivious to you,
indestructibility. Their joining is so seamless that it resumes it previous position and stands silently
only a close examination reveals the individual near the huge gates. No matter how hard you try,
bones and skulls within the walls. you can still make out no features in the shadowed
Once the heroes have discerned the skull shape recesses of the dark hood.
of the citadel and moved close enough for the walls
to loom above them, read the following text: •
•
The road seems to lead directly into the mouth of
From where they stand, the heroes can see
nothing of the skeleton itself. It is completely
covered by its robes. Those who make successful
this monstrous head. Positioned throughout the bone- Intelligence checks, however, realize that the hand
white structure are partially-hidden battlements that that reached for the gate was completely white, but
jut out of the skull at regular intervals. These defen- they did not see it long enough to know whether or
sive positions are visible only when viewed close up; not it was wearing gloves. The figure does not
from far away, the outer walls appear smooth and speak or acknowledge the heroes in any way. Thus,
unblemished. Who knows what sort of fiend or only if they are willing to confront the figure, should
wraith peers down from those battlements? the heroes discover its true nature .
• Gigantic Skeleton: AC 4; MV 12; HD 8+4; hp

49; THAC0 11; #AT 1; Dmg 2d 12; SA fireball
The gates to the city are usually closed. (8d6, 1/hour); SD spell and weapon immunities,
Surprisingly enough, if someone outside knocks or cannot be turned; SZ H (24' tall); ML fearless
calls out, the two front teeth swing outward, form- (20); Int low (7); AL NE; XP 8,000.
ing fifty-foot-tall gates. If you so desire, you can re- Notes: This creature is immune to charm, sleep, hold, and
quire successful fear checks for the characters to fire. Cold and edged/piercing weapons inflict half damage.
Arrows, quarrels, and other missiles inflict only 1 hp.
willingly enter such a frightening place.
A skeletal giant serves as the gatekeeper to
Citadel Cavitius, but it neither addresses nor Details on Citadel Cavitius appear in the
challenges those seeking entrance. When the Introduction. The most important element to keep
heroes pass through the gates, read or paraphrase in mind when the heroes enter the city is that spells
the following text: do not function while within the skull-shaped walls,
except in Vecna's temple .
•
A gigantic figure, easily four times as tall as most H;eroesin t}'teCTT'f\qel
of you, stands directly within the smooth, white To the eyes of virtually every undead being in the
gates. A thick, black robe covers its unmoving city, new visitors are no different than long-term
form, and a surprising amount of jewels hang residents. Essentially, all living beings look alike to
around its neck and waist. them. This means that the heroes have almost free
Within the monstrous outer shell waits a silent, reign to go where they please, as long as they do
dimly lit city. The interior of the skull is probably a not draw too much attention to themselves and
half-mile wide, fi.l/ed with strange, white towers and avoid confrontations with undead.
queerly domed buildings. Although ornate, every- Once within the city, heroes will probably begin
thing seems to possess a smooth, rounded quality, looking for clues leading to the Shadowed Room. \f
as though it were alive-or rather, once was. they simply ask around among the living
population, none know of the Shadowed Room.
)-•c; • c5•1 ◄ Like in Tovag, the language barrier presents a

Ac1 Tw0: TuE CLUTCHES Gr VECNA
problem as well. Few residents here can speak a Encounters: Most of the encounters in Citadel
language that outsiders can understand. Cavitius entail very little combat. As it is, the threat
Length of Visit: The adventurers' stay in Citadel of danger remains over the heads of the heroes at
Cavitius can be handled in two ways, depending on all times while in this evil city. If the heroes are
their actions and how you want the adventure to attacked, it probably means that they have done
go. The stay might be brief, the characters meeting something wrong. Even worse, violence breeds
up with Valuriss (described below) quickly and more violence in Cavitius. Smart player characters
proceeding directly to Vecna's temple to find the learn to limit their battles or avoid them altogether.
Shadowed Room. Zarenival and Cochort: Vocar's invisible servants
If their stay is to be longer, however, the heroes remain with the characters constantly while in
could have more trouble finding a lead on the Citadel Cavitius, watching yet keeping their distance.
Shadowed Room. They may even decide them- Only one event spurs them into action-the discov-
selves to stay and explore the Citadel or strike a ery of the secret to get to the Shadowed Room. At all
few blows against Vecna and his undead servitors. other times, the quasit and invisible stalker dog the
In this case, the heroes might launch attacks heels of the heroes, always keeping them on edge.
against one or more of the undead lords, perhaps Wherever they go, the player characters feel as
playing one against another. In such a case, you though they are not alone and that they are being
should prepare side adventures and encounters tai- watched. Objects around them move of their own
lored toward such activities, keeping two things in volition. At appropriate times, call for Wisdom
mind: First, if any of the undead lords are de- checks to detect the presence of these spies.
stroyed, Vecna himself most likely will investigate If you wish, Zarenival and Cochort can occasion-
the matter. Second, no matter what good deeds ad- ally use their powers or their invisibility to cause the
venturing heroes might achieve in Citadel Cavitius, characters harm or delay-toppling heavy objects,
they probably do not outweigh the ill that will be barring doors, etc. Still, they never risk discovery.
wrought should Vocar's rituals succeed. Effectively, they are haunting the heroes.

AcT Tw0: THE CLUTCHES Gr VECNA
young woman approaches them. Valuriss seeks to

Unq~q l11the City escape from Citadel Cavitius. Though she cannot
While the somber, dour inhabitants walk side-by-side get past the city's guardians by herself, she is sure
with skeletons and zombies, be careful not to portray that the heroes can help her. If treated kindly, she
the presence of the undead as blase or commonplace. might even provide some useful information.
Despite the fact that thousands of undead reside in Valuriss did not grow up in Citadel Cavitius.
this city, the heroes should not immediately be aware Rather, a few years ago, she and her father fled from
of this. Read the following text: their homeland where she was persecuted and feared
for her precognitive abilities. The Mists brought them
•
As you walk through the streetsof this terrible city, a
here. Valuriss' father djed in Citadel Cavitius, and she
just wants to escape. Because she is from the Core,
she can speak a language that at least one hero
troop of soldiers sweeps by. Unlike the ragged inhabi- understands. (Choose the least common Core
t.antsyou have seen, these wam'ors wear fine cloaks, language that any of the heroes speak.)
gleamingjewels, and beautiful armor. Strangely, they To begin this encounter, read the following text:
also wear dark hoods that completely hide their {aces.
~•G • ci' ◄• •
A young woman dressed in tattered clothing ap-
After the heroes have seen this several times, let proaches you warily. Unlike the other inhabitants
them see the face of a single soldier: within these terrible walls, she carries her head
high, though she moves slowly and cautiously. At
•
As the soldiers again march by you, forging
about a ten-pace distance, she stops and speaks:
"You come to this realm of evil bringing more evil
with you. There are presences of which you are un-
ahead as the streets clear before them, one of the fig- aware. Watch yourselves."
ures turns to look at you. Briefly, you catch a
glimpse of a pale, white face peering at you through ~•G • c'.5'◄
the shadows with empty, black eye sockets.
• Her cryptic statement refers to Zarenival and

Cochort, Vocar's invisible servants. More about
them she cannot tell and does not know. She
Though the inhabitants of Citadel Cavitius are explains that she simply feels a "presence of evil"
used to the undead, they still fear their powers. To accompanying the characters. It is this special
emphasize this to the heroes, read the following text: precognitive ability that also told her that the
heroes would help her escape Citadel Cavitius.
)-ma@ • f), ◄a The Shadowed Room: If the heroes ask her
about the Shadowed Room, she knows nothing
Two men, raggedly dressed, make their way down useful. Luckily, she does know of a warrior named
the street, their eyes sunken and their spirits obviously Bratorn, who might prove friendly if approached by
broken. Still, they apparently have the presence of the player characters. Bratorn knows many of the
mind to dart to the side of the street as another troop of secrets of Cavitius, for he serves as a bodyguard for
soldiers, terrible in their finery, marches past them, Hragris, a priest of Vecna. She recommends that
weapons held high. As horrible as this sight is, how- they go to the temple and speak with him.
ever; the two men seem even more leery of the dark Escape: Of the defenses of the Citadel Cavitius,
shadows into which they have been forced. And right- she knows only that the Guardians watch those that
fully ~the darkness itself seethes and shudders as leave, but not those that enter-much like what
the two men land on the edge of the shadows. Banque told them. However, she does believe that
• c'.5'◄
escape is possible through the drainage ditch.
Moving 0n
Va.~riss Once the heroes are ready to look for Bratorn or
Sometime after the heroes enter the citadel (de- search the temple, continue the adventure with
pending on how long you want their stay to last), a "Scene Seven: The Temple of Vecna."

(}11;rrors5hoµ/dreffeda Jifflebeforethrow;~
bachim~e.s.
-Jean Cocteau
Des Beaux-Arts
8CE$ 8p-yp}.{:
r~ rpMJ'Lp 0r VpC}.{i\
■ n many ways, all of Citadel Cavitius is
a temple to Vecna. Nevertheless, a sin-
gle structure dedicated to the worship
of Yecna is located on the inner wall of
the skull, between the eyes. A large
platform extends outward from this area, holding Overcoming the guardians might not pose much
the temple, which is also built into the skull itself. of a challenge (even though the characters must
The eyes, contrary to what one might have ascend the narrow stairway in single file), but the
thought by looking at them from the outside of the combat might draw the attention of the temple's
skull, are not empty sockets. Rather, each is a main guardian, described below.
swirling mass of black negative energy. These Temple Guardian: Standing an ever-vigilant watch
pools of anti-life serve as the focus of Vecna's over the entrance to Vecna's Temple is a shadow
power within the Citadel, and thus the temple was fiend named Threndilla. This fiend has long served
built between them. The gigantic energy masses the Whispered Lord, guarding Citadel Cavitius even
are opaque and offer no escape for someone when it was located on the Plane of Ash, near the
seeking a way out of Citadel Cavitius. Their border with the Negative Energy Plane.
presence is not readily discernible until one actually When the heroes approach the top of the stairs,
stands within the temple, however, so a newcomer read or paraphrase the following text:
might assume that they are indeed possible exits.
Though the heroes may not realize it, they can
again cast spells within the temple (including the
Shadowed Room and priest quarters, as described
•
Finally, before exhaustion completely overcomes
later in this scene). even the hardiest among you, the top of the staircase
enters your sighL At the summit, the stairs emerge
onto a large platform, upon which stands a large,
bone-white building. Banners of red and black hang
To get to Yecna's temple, one must climb a long from various places on the building among leering
set of narrow, winding stairs, which extend all the faces and fiendish forms carved into the walls and
way around the interior of the skull, leading up parapets. The banners each display a symbol that
to the platform. The trip up this colossal stair will suggests a bony, splayed hand with a leering eye in
definitely be long and tiring, and it may even the center of the palm.
be dangerous. In the shadows near the building, you catch a
Bone Guardians: At three points along this stair- glimpse of something moving, flitting in the
case, a skeleton guard forms from some of the shadows.
bones within the wall, holding a sharpened bone
sword. Barring all passage further up the stairs, it
commands, "Sing the praises of the Whispered
•
One." Only some sort of verbal supplication toward Threndilla watches the heroes from the shadows,
the greatness of Yecna (such as "Yecna is mighty" or interfering only if they attempt to loot or vandalize
"The Whispered One's power is supreme") causes the temple in any way. If the heroes try to commu-
the guard to fall back into the wall and stair where it nicate with her, she seeps out of the darkness and
came from. Otherwise, it silently blocks the way. speaks with them.

Acr Tw0: TttE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
Negative Energy Pools into himself so that he can

challenge Vecna. Of course, the Dying King knows
of this scheme and finds it amusing.
Intruders taking the time to speak with Threndilla
might indeed be able to realize the fiend's alliances
and use them for their own means. Claiming to be
sent by Haroln, or lying about the machinations of
one of the vampire's rivals, may be enough to
either convince Threndilla to actually help the
heroes. Depending on how persuasive they are, she
can tell them how to find either Bratorn or the
Shadowed Room itself.
Secret Ladder: Anyone that chooses to search
through the ornate and despicable carvings on the
outside of the temple might discover a hidden
ladder among the embellishments. This allows
priests to climb up the side of the temple and enter
it from the secret door in the ceiling, gaining access
to the suspended platform.
Recently, Threndilla has thrown in with the
vampire Haroln (one of Vecna's many pawns). The
undead lord has promised the fiend great power
Upperf aj-hways
should he ever gain control of the domain. Haroln On either side of the platform that holds the temple,
plans to use Threndilla and other agents within the a narrow path runs along the inner surface of the
temple in his plan to channel the power from the skull, up to the eye sockets, where the negative en-
• he ecna
One square ~ 10 feet

Ac1 Tw0: THE C1u1cHES 0r VECNA
ergy pools swirl and pulse. Most of the priests make specially marked bead, which the Fingers of Vecna
a short "pilgrimage" up to these pools every third can demand to see at any time. If a citizen does not
day or so to meditate on the power within them. have a bead that is less than a month old
Anyone so foolish to touch the spheres automat- (discernible from the markings), the Fingers are
ically loses one life energy level each round. likely to turn them into future sacrifices.
Thus, those inhabitants of Citadel Cavitius cling-
ing to their morals and ethics still usually feel com-
Ma.inJ1ernple pelled to attend these grisly, ghastly, and thoroughly
Through the main doors, the temple stretches up as evil ceremonies. Though a faithful paladin or cleric
well as across, making one very large chamber certainly could not, other people find it possible to
reaching a height of fifty feet. When they first enter attend the sacrifices while inwardly disdaining the
the building, read or paraphrase the following text: practices and thus keeping their own outlooks and
sensibilities. A lifetime of this, however, tests even
)I-•@ • 'f),, ◄ I the most stalwart adherent of true goodness.
Unless the ceremonies are being conducted, the
This unholy sepulcher must serve as the main temple holds only a handful of worshipers-the truly
temple of the Whispered One, Vecna. The trappings faithful of Yecna. Priests come to the main temple
within are as horrid and elaborate as those found only when it is their turn to perform the ceremonies
on the outside, but the entire inner chamber is or when their presence is otherwise needed.
black rather than bone white. Red and black ban-
ners bare the hand and eye symbol, adding to the
aura of dread that {Uls this cavernous room. Other SecrefPoor
than that, making anything out is almost impossi- There is a secret trap door on the floor, accessible
ble in this dimly lit, predominantly black chamber. only by activating a hidden lever in the carved
~•G • c5• ◄ image of a fiend's claw. Note that to open the door,
one must pull the third claw on the left (from the
main entrance), not the claw of the third fiend on
the left.
Pulling the wrong lever causes a different trap
After the heroes adjust to the darkness, they can door to open, this one directly under the lever. The
make out a few further details about the room. It person who triggered this trap must make a
appears that a black stone platform, suspended successful saving throw vs. breath weapon or fall
from the upper portions of the wall by black chains, into a pit filled with spikes, which inflicts 2d6 points
hangs near the ceiling. The platform is circular and of damage.
must be at least forty feet across. The underside of Pulling the correct lever opens a door in the wall.
this platform is painted red and bears the same The stairs beyond lead down into the area described
hand and eye symbol they saw outside the temple. under "The Mirror Dance" (later in this scene).
The platform holds a large reddish altar, the
stone stained with over hundreds of years of blood
sacrifice. Once each day, in full ceremonial garb
(which amounts to black and red robes with white Two archways, one on either side of the Main
skull masks), two priests conduct a sacrifice here. Temple, lead into the skull itself, where passages
The priests enter the area through a secret door in and chambers have been hewn out of the bones.
the ceiling ( accessible by the ladder outside the This area provides the priests and their servants
temple, as described below), climbing down to the with a place to eat, meet, study, and sleep.
platform via a secret rope ladder. Each priest of Yecna has at least one personal
bodyguard. These guards do not fall into the hierar-
chy of the church in any way. Rather, they are more
Worshipers like paid mercenaries, watching their charge's back.
Worshipers coming to the temple remain on the [t seems that the priesthood is a dangerous occupa-
floor and pay homage to the symbol on the tion, for the main method of advancement lies in the
underside of the platform. While not all citizens of death of one's superiors. (In fact, one might wonder
Citadel Cavitius must come to come worship each why Yecna was at all offended at Kas's historic be-
day, the priests do expect everyone to come at trayal, considering the environment he chooses to
least once per month. Worshipers each get a foster among his servants.) Thus, the bodyguards

obey and protect only the priest that pays them. uniforms, visitors wandering through this area often
Since each priest is always accompanied by his own go unchallenged, everyone mistaking the intruders
guard(s), there are no temple guards, as such. as someone else's bodyguards.
Through either archway, the heroes find a short Obviously, if the player characters enter the
passage leading to a chamber filled with chairs, priests' quarters and begin causing trouble or
tables, and even a few divans. The priests use this threatening priests, they soon face a multitude of
area to rest and relax. The only other exit from this angry priests and guards. As long as they do not
chamber leads to a large common room where the draw attention to themselves or attempt to enter
priests eat, train, and hold meetings. Two or three anyone's private quarters though, they can make
long tables, surrounded by chairs, fill this room. their way through the area with little problem.
Passages extending off from this room lead to Bratorn usually remains near his employer, Hragris.
individual quarters (usually sparse, with room Discreet inquiries lead the heroes to him fairly quickly.
enough for the priest and his guard(s) to sleep and Dark-haired, unshaven, and rough in appearance, the
little more) or a library/study, with reading desks, muscular warrior is fairly used to outsiders coming to
chairs, and bookcases filled with texts on various him for information. Luckily for the heroes, he speaks
scholarly or religious topics. the same language as Valuriss. If approached by the
A stairway in the common room connects the heroes, he asks them to meet him in a nearby, se-
various levels, all identical to this one. There are cluded study in twenty minutes. In the meantime, the
three levels above and three levels below, providing character have to lay low and avoid confrontation witA
quarters for the temple's almost one hundred fifty the other residents of the temple.
priests and their attendant bodyguards. The more
powerful the priest, the higher up his quarters lie.
Below the lowest level (not mapped), is a level
to are.torn
Spea.Jcing
comprised of storage rooms (filled with food and At the appointed time, Bratorn arrives, announcing
other mundane items), a large kitchen, and crude that he does not have much time, but he will try to
quarters for twenty-two servants who do nothing help if possible. Bratorn himself serves the cause of
but clean the priests' quarters and cook. Good by providing information about the temple to
his contacts in Citadel Cavitius.
At this point, Zarenival and Cochort decide that
it is time to make their move. Their orders were to
prevent anything that might jeopardize Vocar's
plans, and they realize that letting the heroes get
the Book of Inverted Darkness might do just that.
Thus, Zarenival hurries off to find Hragris and warn
him that his bodyguard is conspiring against him.
If asked about the Shadowed Room or the
location of the Book of Inverted Darkness, Bratorn
can give them the information they seek. Read or
paraphrase the following:
~·(,) • c.;>.◄ I
Bratorn cocks his head in thought. He finally

speaks in a manner belying his rough appearance.
"You ask very dangerous questions. I don't want to
know why. I'm sure there is not time for you to ex-
plain, so I will tell you what you must do.
"Below the main temple is a et of secret cham-
bers accessible through a hidden trap door. By
LooJcing
for J3re.torn pulling down on the third fiend's claw on the left as
Within their quarters and the nearby common you enter the temple, you will open the door. Pass
rooms and studies, the priests of Vecna wear simple through it and down into the vault.
black and red tunics and their holy symbols rather "In the vault you will {ind three stone runes. Pass
than the ceremonial garb described earlier. Since through the vault, find the mirrors within, and com-
the bodyguards of the priests wear no special plete the symbols. This is called the Mirror Dance.

Once this is accomplished, you may then pass into The other priests and their bodyguards take no
that place which no longer exists, the Shadowed action to save Hragris, fighting only if personally
Room. Remember, you can leave with no more or less threatened. This means that if the player characters
than what you brought with you on your impossible can just manage to take care of their assailants,
journey, so learn what you need to while you are they can easily make it out of the priests' quarters.
there. You must-" Also, if the heroes slay the evil quasit, they can
• find a small pouch around his neck. Zarenival took

great glee in collecting tokens from his victims. The
pouch contains several locks of hair, some cheap
Bratorn's confusing and hurried speech stops jewelry, and even a small finger. Any hero that
short upon the arrival of his evil master, Hragris. makes a successful Wisdom check recognizes that
Moments after he steps into the room, Zarenival one of the rings matches the one that Marit wears.
and Cochort manifest in the room as well, perhaps
requiring fear checks.
~n.the Temple
J3ceftle
At this point, the heroes must deal with the priest of
Vecna and Vocar's invisible servants. The invisible
stalker and the quasit, no longer concerned about
keeping their presence a secret, fight to the death,
no matter what happens to the priest. Stats for
Zarenival and Cochort appear on the inside cover.
Fortunately, not everything about the situation is
weighted against the heroes. Bratorn aids them as
best he can, for he knows that all is lost for him
now that Hragris knows of his betrayal. Bratorn will
not go with the player characters to the secret
The Mirror Room
vault, however. Instead, he chooses to flee into the Once the heroes discover the secret door in the main
city. Further, Hragris, not trusting any of his fellow temple (described on page 45), they can descend
priests, does not call for help and flees after the stairs into the vault. When they open the secret
suffering more than twelve points damage. door, read or paraphrase the following text:
Bratorn, hm, F5: AC 4 (chain mail and shield); ~·@ • '2. ◄

MV 12; hp 34; THACO 16 (14 w/Strength and Beyond the secret door, a short black stone stair-
long sword+ I); #AT 1; Dmg 1d8+ 1 (long case descends into an oppressively low-ceilinged
sword+I) or ld4 (thrown dagger); SZ M (6' tall); chamber. This room must be within the platform sup-
ML champion (15); AL CG. porting the temple. Opposite the stair, across a black
S 16, D 14, C 15, I 12, W 14, Ch 12. and red carpet embroidered with strange and un-
Appearance: To look the part of a cutthroat known symbols, a pedestal holds a clear glass box .
mercenary, Bratorn keeps a rough appearance.
He has messy blond hair, dark eyes, and a large
scar on his right cheek.
•
Personality: Bratorn put himself in his current
The ceiling in this room is only six feet from the
position, risking his life on a daily basis, to gather
floor. Tall characters must duck slightly or risk
information for the good folk trapped in Citadel
bumping their heads. No exits, other than the stairs,
Cavitius. He is giving and generous, though gruff.
present themselves.
Magical items: long sword +I (his cherished
The glass box, which opens easily, holds three
possession).
stones carved into strange shapes. Removing the
stones from the box causes another secret door to
Also, if the heroes have not already figured out open, revealing the passage to the mirror room.
that they can again cast spells, this is the perfect (Returning the rune stones, or three items of similar
time for them to find out. Hopefully, they will give it weight, closes the door.) Anyone examining the
another try after Hragris casts a spell or two at them. rune stones can attempt a Wisdom check to notice

Acr Tw0: TuE CLUTCiiES 0F VECNA
that the shapes resemble those depicted on the red

and black carpet found here, yet they are not com-
plete. This is because these stones must be taken to
the Mirrors of the Dance to complete the symbols.
When the heroes go through the second secret
door, read or paraphrase the following text:
~.~ • '-2. ◄•
Beyond the recently revealed door. a narrow,
and still low, passage leads to another room. The
air. thick with dust and age, belies the fact that few
come to this arcane chamber.
Three full-length mirrors, their golden frames or-
nately engraved with baroque, soul-chilling image
of horror and death, stand in the room's center. In
the middle of each mirror. a dark symbol is etched
blackly into the otherwise unmarred surface .
•
Any heroes that recognized the symbols on the
rune stones (by making a successful Wisdom
check) automatically recognize that the symbols
etched on the mirror also match the carpet designs.
Those who failed the initial check can attempt
another one when investigating the mirrors.
Importantly, the symbols on the mirror are much
smaller than those on the rune stones.
The Mirror Pa.nee

To complete the Mirror Dance, the heroes must take
the three rune stones and hold them in such a way
so that their reflections match up with the etched
symbols to complete the image of three powerful
magical runes (which are depicted on the carpet in
the vault). Essentially, the characters should think of
each of the rune stones that they have as "half' of
the needed symbol, and the etching on the mirror as
the other half. When all three stones are held so that
the two halves match up, the Mirror Dance is com-
plete. This means that the stones must be held at
the right height and the right distance, which is
more difficult than one might think.
To complete the dance, the person holding each
rune stone must make both a successful
Intelligence and a successful Dexterity check to
provide just the right positioning. Because of how
the mirrors are positioned, it is theoretically
possible for one person to hold all three stones just
right at the same time, but it is extraordinarily
difficult. In such a case, the person must make
three successful Dexterity checks with a -2 penalty
and three successful Intelligence checks.

AcT Tw0: THE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
If nothing else works, Qoolarn has one final offer:

An.Un.expetjeq~nferruption. his helm of teleportation. Because he is undead,
While the heroes are attempting to figure out the Qoolarn does not need it to leave Citadel Cavitius;
Mirror Dance, another player figures into the plot. therefore, it is not as valuable to him as it would be
Qoolarn, the Ghoul Lord, has long wanted access to a living being. (Besides, he can take it back
to the Shadowed Room, but his maimed master has when he kills them afterward.) Keep in mind that
forbidden him to enter. However, the heroes have even if the characters get hold of this helm, it
given him an excuse to pursue his goal. After all, cannot take them past the borders of Vecna's
he could not allow them to steal Vecna's priceless domain. Even more importantly, it cannot transport
treasures, could he? And to stop them he must them to the Shadowed Room.
follow them in, right?
After deducing that the heroes were seeking the
Shadowed Room, Qoolarn and several of his loyal
minions secretly followed the heroes, hoping to
learn the room's location and method of entry. He
plans to bargain with the heroes, go into the room
with them, gather the knowledge he needs to usurp
his rivals, and dispose of the heroes once they
return. He is sure that rather than being angry,
Vecna will be pleased.
As the ghoul lord and his followers enter the
room, they make no secret of their presence. When
the heroes turn to see who is behind them, read or
•
Through the doorway behind you shamble
many terrible creatures, their sickly gray flesh
twisted and rolling. The largest of the group steps
out in front. ft licks a long, coarse tongue over its
jagged, pointy Leethand gazes intently at the rune
stones as ii speaks in a rough whisper.
"ft appears that you have discovered the means of
entering the Shadowed Room. f, too, have searched
for the knowledge contained within. If you let me
join you, I am certain I could return the favor."
•
Qoolarn would much rather bargain with the
heroes than kill them at this point. He does not If the heroes agree, Qoolarn sends his minions
know the ritual for entering the Shadowed Room, so back into the vault. He does not want to share any of
he still needs their help. Once they get back, Vecna's secrets with them, after all. At this point, the
however, things will be different. adventure continues with "The Shadowed Room."
If the heroes ask what he seeks within the room, If the heroes do not agree to let him come along,
Qoolarn implies that he is seeking a way to end Qoolarn and his servants attack. Unlike normal
Vecna's terrible tyranny. If that does not seem to ghouls, however, these undead creatures have no
convince the heroes, he adds that with Vecna gone, interest in eating the bodies of their victims.
the inhabitants can again return to the peaceful Instead, they attempt to take the rune stones
lives they held before his rule. Qoolarn pretends to (which Qoolarn has decided must be important to
care about the welfare of both the living and dead the entrance ritual) and use them to get to the
inhabitants of Cavitius. In fact, he says whatever it Shadowed Room.
takes to get the heroes to show him the way into Importantly, Vecna's temple functions as a -4
the Shadowed Room! sinkhole of evil, inflicting a -4 penalty on all turning

Acr Tw0: TuE CLUTCHES 0F VECNA
attempts. In addition, Qoolam possesses a helm of books), but he knows that the information held in
teleportation. He will use it to retreat if he suffers this room could make him more powerful than all
more than twenty points of damage. of his rivals, perhaps even powerful enough to
oppose Vecna himself.
Unless the heroes are well versed in ancient
languages, the vast majority of books in the
One way or another, the heroes most likely Shadowed Room provide no information to them.
complete the Mirror Dance and enter the Shadowed Looking around, however, they might find one
Room. When this happens, read the following text: book, open on a bookstand, that they can
understand. The yellowed pages of this tome were
~ t(.) • ';:). I ◄ • obviously long ago cut from an unimaginably old
scroll and crudely bound into this book. Due to
Once you have completed the mystic symbols in the powerful magic within this book, all who gaze
the strange Mirror Dance, the room begins to upon it can read its contents-though
quickly spin and then fade. understanding them might be a different matter.
The new scene that greets your eyes is very dif- This powerful tome is none other than the Book
ferent. A high ceiling reaches above you, and a vast of Inverted Darkness, one of Vecna's most
chamber, filled with books, surrounds you. The cherished possessions.
view through the windows suggests that you are Alas, most of the knowledge that the Book of
high in the air, a cloudy sky above you with the Inverted Darkness (and, indeed, the entire library of
vast sprawl of a stone city below. The room itself is the Shadowed Room) holds is beyond the
quiet and devoid of life. comprehension of modern peoples. Even the most
• c). ◄ a
learned wizard could glean only small bits of useful
knowledge from it. Its chapters tell tales of distant
planes and give histories of peoples whose worlds
no longer exist.
Anyone sifting through its contents should make
This library lies in not only a different place but a an Intelligence check. If successful, the reader finds
different time. This grand place was the main the passage relating to the situation at hand after
library used by Vecna himself when he was still in 1d4+ 18-(the reader's Intelligence score) hours of
the process of conquering the world of Oerth. reading. Read or paraphrase the following text:
Vecna had built a great fortress city, the likes of
which was never seen again on that world-miles
and miles of towers, castles, and cathedrals all •
"Thus, though the words are many, in this case
dedicated to him. Ykrath was its name, lost now to
all but the most obscure and arcane texts. there are three. The first of the Three Words must be
One of the greatest and grandest towers was preceded by the Ritual of Recession, and requires
Vecna's personal library, the topmost room of speaker's hands to be red with the blood of an
which held his most valuable books and tomes. So outsider spilled in violence.
powerful was the magical lore of these books that "The second of the Three Words requires a plague
even after Vecna fell and the city was razed by to ravage the land. This plague must be without
those he had so long oppressed, the room lived on mercy, its survivors clinging to life through fortune
in shadow. Vecna, wise in the ways of such things, alone. The Ritual of Cavernous Thought must be
found the shadow of his ancient library and devised performed upon the pyre of diseased souls, and then
the Mirror Dance ritual to return there. The windows can the second of the Three Words be uttered.
of this room still look out over dread and wondrous ''The time for the speaking of the final Word
Ykrath, though no means exists to leave the room comes aft,er the murder of a king. Upon his death,
and travel into that long-dead city. the Ritual of Lorn Ma/ison must be performed, and
the last of the Three Words spoken.
''Then, and only then, can a long-dead wizard,
great in power and like unto a god, be born anew
If Qoolarn is with the heroes, he immediately in woman's womb. Thus born, he is free of
begins opening up books and researching furiously. whatever shackles or chains bound him before-
He has no idea what to look for exactly (and, in free to go and do as he pleases. No power, no
fact, understands very little of the writing in these magic, no force, not even death can hold him then.

Acr Tw0: THE CLUTCHES GF VECNA
"Woe to his enemies. Woe to any unwilling to Because nothing in the Shadowed Room truly
serue him. Their clays are short" exists any longer, those who travel there cannot
bring anything back. Further, anything left there
~•G • cannot be found by going back. The Shadowed
Room and its original contents cannot be changed,
The mention of magical "Words" and a ritual call- altered, or destroyed in any way.
ing for the "blood of an outsider" seem to mesh with Once back in the Mirror Dance room ( and
what Loreward Banque said back in Tor Gorak. finished with Qoolarn), the heroes should make
Having read this, the characters now know (al- their way out of the Temple and back to the main
though perhaps still do not fully understand) the na- city, where they then, hopefully, can figure out how
ture of Vecna's dark plan. More than likely, they also to get out of the citadel. Unless they have caused a
suspect Marit's role in all of this. In any event, it large commotion at some time during their stay in
should be obvious that someone is performing dark the temple (in which case they may have to fight
rituals in Tovag that will result in a horrible ending. their way out), leaving the temple should not pose
a problem. Essentially, the guardians and priests
Lea.vingtheSh~qoweq }!loom ignore those leaving the temple.
No exits from the Shadowed Room exist. Passing

through a window is impossible. The walls, floor,
Lea,ving C~qel C~v~s
and ceiling are immutable, and no magical spell More than likely, the heroes have heard that leaving
can provide an exit. ( Teleport.ation, passwall, Citadel Cavitius poses a good deal more of a
disintegrate, and other such spells do not function.) challenge than entering, so they might be prepared
This absolute extends even to a wish spell, for the for the difficulties before them. If they agreed to
room is only a shadow of its former self, and the bring Valuriss with them, she brings with her only a
areas around it simply do not exist. small cloth sack of clothes and food. She knows
Returning to the Temple of Vecna is possible, but
only through magic: Those traveling to the room
bring the rune stones with them. In the Shadowed
Room, however, these stones take on a different
form-that of the entire symbols depicted on the
carpet back in the vault where they were found.
These completed stones must simply be reflected in
a mirror, any mirror, to return everyone to Cavitius.
If someone travels to the Shadowed Room
without a mirror, all hope is not lost. After 1d4
hours of searching through the books, a character
can stumble upon a strange book, completely
unintelligible to anyone alive today, which has a
reflective metallic cover. This, like any reflective
surface, functions as a mirror for purposes of the
magical symbols.
When they return, the heroes find that no time has

passed since they entered the Shadowed Room.
The mysterious chamber exists outside of time's
reach. Thus, if Qoolarn and his servants were
somehow left in the Mirror Dance room, they are
still there, waiting for the heroes. Even if Qoolarn
came with the heroes, however, his servants still
wait for him on the other side. Either way, they
attack the heroes immediately. Stats for these
creatures and details of their fighting methods
appear on page 49.

Acr Tw0: THE CLUTCHES 0F VEcNA
very little about the obstacles they must overcome Guardians. Of course, if the attempt continues after
to leave the city, but she has heard (from Bratorn) that, the Reavers can be expected to make an
that the drainage ditch is the most likely option. appearance soon afterward.
The only other way out of Citadel Cavitius is
through magic, and of course, spells cannot
function there. However, magical items do function.
The best way for the player characters to escape
Citadel Cavitius is through the drainage ditch. This
ditch flows into a large pipe through the skull and
Though the heroes do not know this, Vecna has out into the desert. Characters wishing to escape
appointed several special Guardians to make this way must be able to hold their breaths for at
leaving his city extremely difficult. These Guardians least four rounds ( as described in Chapter 14 of
are spirits that inhabit the skull around Citadel the Player's Handbook) as they submerse
Cavitius. Their sole duty consists of watching the themselves in the filth and swim out of the city.
living inhabitants of the city and preventing them Also, this murky sludge is in no way "water," so a
from leaving. breathe water spell (from a magical item since
Having no physical forms, these undead beings spells do not function) or similar magical ability
attack through fear, despair, and loathing. This does not function.
attack amounts to a stab of negative emotions into To make matters worse, while the Guardians
the victim's mind. Anyone thus attacked must foolishly ignore the drainage ditch, something else
make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation to lives in this dark pipeline of filth-a single ghoul.
avoid it. (Bonuses for high Wisdom apply.) This While one ghoul would not normally present much
saving throw suffers a -1 penalty for each of a threat it needs only paralyze its victim within
additional spirit focusing its attack on that victim. the pipe and let him or her drown.
Thus, the attack of one spirit requires a normal The ghoul always achieves surprise and
saving throw, two spirits inflict a -1 penalty, three attacks normally despite the environment. If it
spirits inflict a -2 penalty, and so on. fails its attack roll, its victim will probably never
Those who fail the saving throw fall into a stupor be the wiser. If it succeeds, the victim will be
of fear and loathing, wandering aimlessly into the rendered immobile, which could prove deadly
center of town for 3d 10 minutes. If a Reaver underwater. Characters fighting in the tunnel
(described on page 8) notices that a particular suffer a --4 penalty from the darkness and an
living creature makes numerous attempts to additional -2 penalty for fighting underwater and
leave-that is to say, notices a citizen embraced in in the narrow channel.
this negative emotion stupor more than once-the
undead watchman is likely to attack, figuring the
Ghoul: AC 6; MV 9; HD 2; hp 13 each; THAC0
person to be a troublemaker.
19; #AT 3; Dmg 1d3/1 d3/1 d6; SA paralysis; SD
Jt is impossible to fight a Guardian, but they
immune to charm and steep spells; SLM (6' tall);
attack only those attempting to leave. Once
Int low (5-7); ML steady (12); AL CE; XP 175.
someone is beyond the walls of Citadel Cavitius, the Notes: The ghoul's touch forces humans, dwarves,
Guardians are powerless to do anything about it. gnomes, half-elves, and halflings to save vs. paralyzation or
If any living beings attempt to leave through the become rigid for I d6+2 rounds.
main gate, they must contend with the giant
skeleton gatekeeper as well as the Guardians.
Since the gate is the only obvious way in or out of Unfortunately, the other side of the drainage pipe
Cavitius, Vecna's servants watch it very closely. opens into the desert. Still, careful travelers can
Sixty-six Guardians watch this gate at all times. quickly make their way carefully around the outside
Thus, if a group of six living people attempted to of Citadel Cavitius and get back to the safety of the
leave, each would have to make the saving throw road without suffering the life-draining effects of the
with a -10 penalty. Ashen Wastes.
Throughout the rest of the city's perimeter, the
Guardians watch, but not in such great numbers.
This is because the only way for anyone to leave
Moving 0n
Citadel Cavitius other than the main gate is by When the heroes escape Citadel Cavitius and begin
digging or smashing their way out. Those making traveling back toward Tovag, continue the
such an attempt draw the attacks of 1d6+4 adventure with Act Three: Evil Begets Evil.

Acr TifREE: EvrLBECETS Ev1L
8c;s1'{pPlC~r: first Jlncoqnter

The player characters' first witness the effects of
RErumrNc
re TevAc the plague while on the road ( unless they somehow
become aware of it at the fortress guarding the
he trip out of Cavitius is long and hard, pass). As they make their way back to Tor Gorak
but perhaps not as bad as going in. on the well-kept flagstone road, they spot
The pass through the Burning Peaks something off to the side. If they investigate, they
remains a frightening, haunted place, find a body, much like the first time they traveled
but the characters should encounter this road. When this happens, read or paraphrase
actual threats only if it serves to heighten the mood the following:
(for example, if the characters are in a terrible
hurry to get back). )la•<? • 'f>,,◄ C
In the short time since the heroes left the
domain, Tovag has been beset by a terrible plague. Looking more closely, you see that the dark
No doubt, heroes with the words of the Book of shape near the ground that you spotted from the
Inverted Darkness in mind will quickly ascertain road is a human corpse. This, however, is no dead
that this is the plague foretold in that dark tome. oldier like those you have seen far too often in this
Vocar has completed the second step of his realm, but a shepherd or herder. His body lies in a
despicable plan and has spoken the second of the contorted pose, his skin covered in purplish-black
Three Words. This leaves only the third, which sores. The man's flesh is shriveled and withered,
requires the death of a king. Though the heroes though he does not appear to have been dead long
may not be aware of this, Vocar has chosen a enough to explain such decomposition.
particularly devious plan for the final ritual. Rather Beyond the body, deeper into the trees, you
than attempting to slay Kas (which Vecna has make out more shapes. A steady gaze reveals them
commanded is to be his right and privilege), he has to be the bodies of goats-perhaps this man's
sought a different king-the King of the Madmen. {lock-and each seems to have been overcome by
the same malady as the man.
Strangely, no scavengers have come to claim
these tainted meals.
This disease, a sorcerous creation set upon the
land by Vecna's cult, is called the Vicar's Curse.
Legend has it that it was created long ago by a
• c5• • I
cleric who was betrayed by his own congregation The inhabitants of the realm have no doubt that
and uttered as his dying words. Wherever it stems the plague is the doing of the Chained God and his
from, the disease sets upon its victims quickly and foul minions. They believe, however, that it comes
with great ferocity. to weaken their fighting force so that Tovag makes
The first symptoms that victims experience for an easier invasion. They have no idea that
include weakness, dimmed eyesight, and difficulty Vecna has far more terrible and insidious plans and,
breathing. Within a day after these maladies take for the moment, has no thoughts of invasion at all.
hold, victims develop horrible, bruiselike sores on
their skin. Within another day, they lose control of
the muscles in their extremities. In three to four
more days, the disease works its way to the victim's Lord Kas's rage knows no bounds. He curses at the
heart, resulting in death. It is not recommended that very flesh of his soldiers, which is too weak to stand
any of the characters fall victim to the plague. The up to the plague. His own undead minions do not
threat of disease is frightening enough. share their vulnerabilities. When the plague began,
The disease began in Tor Gorak but has now he traveled to Tor Gorak to oversee its defense with
spread to those outside of the city and even to the his remaining, healthy troops. By his cruel orders,
soldiers defending the passes through the Burning the Daggers round up the diseased and send them
Peaks (making sneaking by them relatively easy). out of the city, where they cannot spread the
Fully one tenth of the domain's population is contagion further.
infected, and another tenth may die before it When the heroes first approach Tor Gorak, read

Ac1 THREE: EVIL BEGETSEVIL
Tor Corak is no longer the same city that you left.

just a short lime ago. Though a dire, dismal place be-
fore, it is now far worse. Smoke rises up from burning
pyres both within the walls and without. The smoke
billows into the sky carrying the stench of death, dis-
ease,and burning flesh. ftjoins with dark clouds,
which coat the are.ain a sharp, icy drizz.Le.
/Vten,women and children, obviously diseased
and dying, remain around the outer wall, obviously
cast out of their own city. Cruel (or perhaps simply
desperate) guards keep them from the gales with
long halberds. The e same guards eye you warily
as you approach.
•
To get into Tor Gorak now, visitors must prove
that they are not afflicted with the Vicar's Curse.
This should not be hard for the relatively healthy
heroes. When the heroes enter the city itself, read
~·(.) • ':2. ◄
The streets of Tor Gorak are as empty as you re-
member them. and the few people you see seem
even more fl/led with dread than before. ff you lis-
ten carefully, the sounds of sobbing drift in from all
around.
•
A.~st Cooclhye
Before the heroes go to the Madhouse, they may
choose to visit Larossa or Banquo. If they do not,
she finds them and urges them to see Banquo first,
because he has some very important information
for them. (If they instead try to find Marit, she and
her uncle have both disappeared.)
Larossa has so far weathered the plague, and,
being the sort of person that she is, has secreted
away a number of victims in her house, caring for
them and protecting them from being cast out of
the city. Larossa can provide the heroes with details
about the plague.
When the heroes go to visit Banque, she can
again accompany them if they need a translator.
When they arrive at his home, read or paraphrase
the following text:

Acr T1ruE: EVIL BECETS EVIL
That said, Banquo falls into a fit of coughing.

He does not know anything else about Vocar, and
did not even know that the heroes were familiar
with him. If they tell him what they know of Marit,
he reinforces what the heroes should already
know: that Marit must be the one who will give birth
to Vecna.
As for the final ritual, Banquo has one further bit
of advice. Read or paraphrase the following text:
)I- .c:> • "l., ◄•

"To truly stop the Whispered One's terrible plan
from succeeding, you must do more than simply
prevent the final loathsome Word from being
spoken. [cough} Even more importantly, you must
destroy all possibility of the ceremony ever
happening. "
•
At this point, Banquo is again overcome with
coughing, and he finally succumbs to the Vicar's
Curse. If the heroes have the ability to cure
diseases, they can save Banquo's life, but they
must allow him time to recover. Even with a cure
disease spell, Banquo needs a great deal of rest in
order to recuperate. In any case, the heroes must
hurry if they hope to stop the evil events that
threaten to transpire.
If Banque does die, the heroes may feel it
necessary to find someone to take his place as
Upon arriving at Hanquo's home, you can smell Loreward. Of the people they have met at this
the stench of illness hanging in the air: Inside, you point, the only one who would seem qualified for
see the gruff scholar curled up in his bed, feverish this position is Virianis ( as one of the few
beads of sweat clinging to his brow. The Loreward's Tovagians with the ability to read). If they do not
(Leshhas shriveled, and bruiselike sores mar his realize this (having explored Virianis's office in the
countenance. There can be no doubt that he has Madhouse), Larossa can reveal this information to
succumbed to the plague that grips the city. the heroes.
,-..G • c5• ◄ Moving 0n

Banque tells the heroes in a hoarse whisper the At this point, the heroes should realize that Dast is
following (translated by Larossa, if necessary), the key to the final ritual. If they do not realize it,
Larossa or Banque could help. If either of them is
•
"I do not have much longer: I wish that I could
asked about a king, he or she explains that Tovag
has no king. Kas is the overlord and master, but he
is not a king. In addition, either one of them could
hear of your quest in Cavitius, but there is still one suggest the following to the heroes: "Not every
thing that you do not know. [cough} You must hear king rules an earthly kingdom-some rule over
me out. The dread lord of Cavitius keeps a small less defined territories."
coven of cultists here in Tovag, These are led by a From here, the adventure continues with the
powerful, despicably evil priest named Vocar:" finale, "Scene Nine: The Third Word."
~•G • c5•'◄
56

Acr Tiru:E: EVIL BECETS EVIL
cfhaYe'f;if is e2!,ender'd;helland ~hf

(J11usfbri2!, fhis monsfrousbirfh fofheworld'sJ!5hf.
-William Shakespeare
Othello
SCENE:NlNE:
Upon entering, the first sight that greets you is a
Tffil TH;nwWew rivulet of blood running across the stone floor to-
ward you. Its source is the shadowed form of a
he final stage of the adventure involves corpse sprawled on the floor. From somewhere in
the cultists' actions at the Madhouse. The the building, you hear shrieks of terror, and under-
heroes arrive at the Madhouse just as lying that sound, you hear something even more
Yocar is beginning the final ritual. If they sinister-a low, resonant chanting in a language
do not hurry, he will kill Dast and speak you cannot understand.
the final Word, allowing Vecna to be reborn in Tovag.
Timing and pacing is very important in this cli- ~•G • c5• ◄
max. Ultimately, the events in this scene can take
many strange turns, not all of which can be covered The body is that of one of the caretakers. The
here. Be very aware of the cult's basic plan, their re- screams come from the insane residents trapped in
sources available, and the layout of the Madhouse. the confinement cells. The chanting comes from
the third floor, where most of the cultists prepare for
Yocar to begin the Ritual of Lorn Malison. The rest
of the cult members are fighting with those few
Four cultists guard the outside of the Madhouse. Each residents that have managed to resist them.
watches one side of the building, summoning the oth- Five of the six caretakers are already dead by
ers they spot interlopers. They are mostly concerned the time the heroes arrive. Similarly, ten of the
about the Daggers at this point, but the heroes, if residents lie dead somewhere in the building, while
spotted, also draw their attention. They silently attack twenty of them have been crammed into the
any who attempt to get in, and fight to the death. confinement cells, all of them screaming madly.
These crazed warriors dress much like those that
attacked in the first scene-black clothes, white
face paint to look like one-eyed skulls, and gloves
J'he first floor
that look like skeletal hands. Each wields a long As the characters make their way through the first
black knife. floor, a single insane resident should leap out in a
mad attack. This ambush should not pose a real
Cultist, hm or hf, F4 (4): AC 8 (leather armor); threat to the heroes, but they have to quickly
ascertain that the madman is not a cult member
MV 12; hp 29 each; THACO 17; #AT 1; Dmg td4
and then figure out a way to subdue him.
(dagger); SD 58% chance to hide in shadows; SZ
M (5'-6' tall); ML fanatic (18); Int avg (8-10); AL
CE; XP 175.
The doors are locked, which is normal. Only a

successful lockpicking attempt or great strength pro-
vides the means to get in. If characters attempt to
batter them down, the doors can take one hundred
points of damage before they collapse. All of the win-
dows are too small for a person to climb in or out
(which was intentional due to the nature of the place). Ifthe heroes search the office, they find Yirianis
If the heroes get through the doors, read or there, unconscious and bleeding. If he does not receive
paraphrase the following text: treatment within the next three turns, he too dies.

As the heroes make their way up the stairs, they
are again attacked, this time by a single cultist who
wears the bloody coat of one of the caretakers over The window across from the stairs has been cov-
his black clothes, which should put them on edge. ered with several thick boards, casting the area in
darkness. The darkened hallway before you is
lined with black, flickering candles that throw
'l'he Secon.qfloor strange, twisting shadows on the wal/.s. These
The few residents that have not been confined strange candles produce no smoke, but they emit a
battle a handful of cultists in the common room. soft hissing noise that rises and falls with the chant-
Most of the inmates, however, do not have much ing of the cu/lists.
skill. Their actions serve only to delay the cultists, Several of these evil Vecna worshipers line the
but the heroes can perhaps utilize this delay and hallway here, their while-painted faces gripped in
distraction to their advantage. expressions of intense concentration as they intone
a quiet mantra of words that fall distastefully on
,.. .<;> • ':2,, ◄ your ears. As you approach, they look up and
draw their blades, continuing their foul chant.
From large room at the top of the stairs you hear
the sounds of fighting. Screams of fear, pain, and
madness accompany the clash of arms. When you
•
arrive at the scene, you see the black-clad cu/lists These cultists, like all the rest, fight to the death.
struggling with a handful of the insane residents. At this point, however, their goal is to keep the
The madmen seem to struggle in vain, since at least ritual progressing; thus, though they attempt to
four of them appear to have already fallen under repel the player characters, merely holding them at
their foes' black blades. bay is adequate.
• v' ◄
There is one cultist per hero in each hallway. If
the heroes attack the cultists in one hallway, the
others will quickly join in the fray.
Cultist, hm or hf, F4 (2 per hero): AC 8

(leather armor); MV 12; hp 29 each; THAC0 17;
#AT 1; Dmg 1d4 (dagger); SD 58% chance to
hide in shadows; SZ M (5'-6' tall); ML fanatic
(18); Int avg (8-10); AL CE; XP 175.
Average Resident, hm or hf, 0-level (8): AC As soon as the first hero steps into the large
10; MV 12; hp 4; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d2 hallway in front of Dast's room, read the following:
(fist) or ld4 (heavy object); SZ M (5'-6' tall); ML
fanatic (17-18); AL N. ,.. .<;> • ':2,,◄
In the confinement cells, many residents try to In the center of the hallway you see the large
reach through the barred windows. These small chair that serves as Dast' throne. It has been
rooms hold twenty inmates, some of whom are pulled out of his room and painted with strange red
injured. If the heroes search the residents' quarters, symbols, which seem to shudder and twist with
they also find one old man hiding under his bed and the rhythmic chanting. Tied to the throne i the
crying softly. He has been injured slightly but is not King of the Madmen, looking small and terrified.
in any danger. Vocar stands beside him, holding up a la1gesilver
knife engraved with black markings similar to
those on the throne.
'l'hirqfloor Just then, the chant slops, and lhe weapon in
When the heroes begin climbing to this floor, the Vocar's hands flashes with a blinding lighl. Al the
chanting becomes louder. The cultists have moved same time, you hear a piercing scream from nearby.
Dast's "throne" out into the hallway in front of his It sounds like Maril!
room. As soon as the heroes head down either
hallway toward Dast's room, read the following text: • c5••◄

Marit is on the bed in Dast's room, along with the
only remaining caretaker, who is supposed to help her
deliver her baby at the end of the ceremony. They are
both guarded by a single cultist. The minute the chant-
ing stopped (indicating the beginning of the Ritual of
Lorn Malison), Marit began having labor pains.
If the heroes rush in to save Marit, they find her

lying on her back, screaming. Vocar stopped
drugging her this morning in preparation for the
ceremony, and he finally revealed his plan to her
moments before beginning the chant. For the first
time in months, Marit is coherent enough to
compret,end the situation.
If a hero comes into the room to help Marit
before the ceremony has been effectively ended,
she begs for someone to kill her. She does not want
to bring Vecna into Tovag, spelling the end of the
domain and all of its inhabitants. She knows only
one way to automatically halt the ritual, and that is
through her death.
At this point, the heroes have a great many of

options. The final ritual has begun, and if they do
not prevent its conclusion, Vocar will speak the
Third Word, bringing Vecna into Tovag. The cultists
have until Marit's baby is born to complete the
ritual. You can take as little or as much time as
needed for this scene to reach its climax. Because
her labor is by no means natural, the entire process
could be over in a matter of minutes! Basically, you
should make it clear that the heroes do not have
much time, but then give them the time they need
to succeed, as long as they do not dawdle.
The heroes can end the ritual in several ways.
However, the two easiest options (killing Dast or
Marit themselves, which would cause automatic
powers check failures) are not actions that the
heroes are likely to take.
The best way for the heroes to end the ritual is to
successfully accomplish at least three of the six
feats listed below. Note that no matter what actions
the heroes take, the cultists will try their hardest to
continue the ceremony anyway.

AcT THREE: EVIL BEGETS EVIL
Prevent Dast's Death: As soon as the ritual be- spoken, Marit's body lifts into the air, and her entire
gins, Vocar is ready to kill Dast. To save Dast's life, form begins to swell. Dark light streams from her
the heroes must prevent Vocar from striking him in eyes, nose, her open mouth, and even her ears.
the first round. If they do prevent this first strike, Finally, this blackness consumes her utterly and
Vocar (or another cultist if he is killed) will try again then the entire room.
each round unless he is somehow prevented. When you can see again, standing in her place is a
Kill Vocar: Killing Vocar also sets the ritual back. naked human male. His form is tall and gaunt. Your
Another cultist must step forward to take his place, worst fears are confirmed as you notice that one of his
beginning the ritual where Vocar left off. eye sockets is hollow and empty, and one of his arms
Vocar's stats appear on the inside cover. ends in a jagged stump. Vecna has been reborn.
c5• ◄•
Destroy the Knife: If the heroes destroy the knife
Vocar has prepared for the ritual, another one must ~•G •
be substituted, further weakening the ritual's magic.
Unfortunately, destroying the knife also causes a
small magical explosion, which inflicts 1d6 points
of damage to everyone within a five-foot radius. As soon as the heroes successfully end the cere-
Obliterate the Symbols: If the heroes somehow mony, several things happen: The candles burst into
smear, destroy, or erase the symbols on Dast's flames and melt into formless blobs; the red paint
altar, they further weaken the ritual. These symbols on Dast's throne dissipates, leaving only an oily
do not have to be repainted by the cultists, but the residue; the knife stops glowing and cracks, break-
ceremony must continue without them. ing into two pieces; and the ropes around Dast
These symbols have a mesmerizing effect on loosen and fall to the ground.
those who are not worshipers of Vecna. Any hero However, the adventure is not over. Any re-
who comes near the symbols and looks directly at maining cultists will try to kill both the heroes and
them must make a successful saving throw vs. Marit, now that Third Word cannot be spoken. Marit
spell or become disoriented for 1d4 rounds. is still in labor, so the heroes will now have to
Snuff the Candles: Thirty black candles line the protect her from Vecna's worshipers.
hallways into the area where the ritual is being Virianis will fight for a few rounds, but he fears that
performed. Extinguishing these candles also the Daggers (maybe even accompanied by Kas) will
weakens the ceremony. The ritual can go on soon arrive at the scene. Though this attempt to free
without them, but the hallway is plunged into Vecna failed, Virianis plans to keep his anonymity
darkness. Also, anyone who extinguishes a candle within Tovag and continue his work. Thus, he leaves
suffers a curse (the reverse of a bless spell). soon after the heroes thwart the ceremony.
Depose the King: This last one is the most Though her labor is now normal, the baby is
difficult of the options, but it allows for a great deal born very quickly. If none of the heroes know how
of roleplaying and creativity. To accomplish this, to deliver a baby, then the caretaker directs the
the heroes must somehow convince Dast either to entire process. When the baby is born, read or
give up his throne or that he is no longer a king. paraphrase the following text:
Any process that cures his insanity obviously does
this, but so can careful trickery.
•
The caretaker cries out with excitement: "You did
it. It's a boy! A beautiful little boy!"
If the heroes do not manage to stop the ceremony, The exhausted Maril looks over expectantly,
the cultists will complete the Ritual of Lorn Malison. though still a little frightened, to see her newborn
If this happens, the heroes have but one round to son. The caretaker holds up the squirming child,
stop Vocar (or his replacement) from speaking the who makes no sound whatsoever. And though you
last of the Three Words. If he speaks it, Vecna's are not absolutely sure, you think you see the
essence fills Marit, and then consumes her. shadow of a smile fiicker across his lips.
►••G • c5•u ◄ •
•
The word he speaks is strange upon your ears. It The baby is absolutely normal, but the heroes do
is not an evil word, but rather one of power, pure en- not know that. This should leave the heroes wonder-
ergy somehow vocalized. Once the word has been ing whether or not they were truly successful.

Acr T1ruE: EVIL BEGETS EVIL
<i/u.sf a.sa hundredfool.sdo nof makeonewi.seman,a heroic

deci.sioni.snof /ihe/q fo comefrom a hundredcoward.s.
-Adolf Hitler
Mein Kampf
learn all that transpired and who is to blame. With

such a powerful enemy, the heroes would be wise
hough there are many variables in to leave the Burning Peaks cluster altogether if they
the conclusion of this adventure, it are to avoid his considerable wrath.
can ultimately end in one of two Yet so much remains to be done in Tovag and
ways: Either Vecna is reborn, or he Cavitius, and can true heroes really shirk from such
is not. responsibility? In all of the Demiplane of Dread, no
place is so obviously evil and hostile than Cavitius,
Vecna.~born and Tovag is a realm of wrongs to be righted.
Fortunately for the player characters, they are

beneath Vecna's notice. His entire attention is
rova,g
focused on revenge, and he immediately The Vicar's Curse eventually runs its course. Such
disappears with a wave of his hand to find and tragedies are beyond even the scope of heroes. The
destroy Kas the Bloody-Handed. people of the land of Tovag have grown
Hopefully, this is not what comes to pass. If it is, accustomed to death and loss, and thus recover
your campaign might be significantly altered. Kas more quickly than could normally be expected.
cannot stand up to the power of his former master, Other wrongs, like the evils of the Daggers and
and will probably be slain (unless he can success- even their lord Kas are not like a disease. They can
fully flee). Tovag is laid waste. Vecna then turns his be opposed by bravery and might. Kas's hatred for
attention toward the rest of the Demi plane of his former master grows even greater with the
Dread. You must decide if the domains of Ravenloft plague and the attempted rituals-of which he will
now fall under siege of the dread sorcerer or if certainly hear. The heroes, however, should expect
Vecna makes his way out of the setting and to no gratitude from this raving lord. Even if he were
some other world or plane. capable of such sentiment, his mind is too focused
upon the defeat of his eternal foe. He can afford not
Vecna.rhwa.rteq a moment to acknowledge their efforts. Kas merely
heightens the search for his sword and does what
With Vocar defeated, Vecna's following in Tovag has he can to increase the lessened ranks of his army.
suffered a terrible blow. However, as the heroes well The heroes should feel fortunate that they do not
know, the Maimed Lord still has agents and followers rot in Kas's dungeons or suffer the tender mercies
in Tor Gorak. Never before in the history of Ravenloft of the Daggers. One can expect no more good
has an actual demigod been held. Vecna will always fortune in the beleaguered domain of Tovag.
remain a threat to all of the Demiplane (and beyond) Future Adventures: Tovag needs men and
simply because with his mere existence, he breaks women that will stand up against the tyranny of
all the rules. despots like Kas and his harsh terror-troops.
Vecna saw his plans fail. He knows that mere mor- Although she will understand if they want to leave,
tals thwarted his scheme and destroyed his followers. Larossa asks the heroes if they will stay and fight
Cavitius shudders with his outrage. While he certainly against the Daggers and eventually even Kas
does not give up his dreams of destroying his former himself. There are those in Tovag, she tells them,
lieutenant, Vecna knows that another plan must be that have the willingness to fight back against the
forged. Due to the nature of the magic involved, the injustice of the evil ruler and his minions, but they
speaking of the Three Words cannot be attempted lack leadership and inspiration.
again. The Serpent's ways must not be questioned. If you wish, take this opportunity to create a
Even if none of his servants survived to report series of follow-up adventures in which the heroes
back to him, the Chained God's spells allow him to help the people of Tovag struggle against their lord

Acr THREE: EVIL BEGETS EVIL
and his Daggers. This fight for freedom from power in which they can challenge a demigod like
oppression would be a great undertaking and would Vecna. (His game stats can be found in Domains of
require months of battle, shrewd planning as well Dread, but he is so powerful that they have not
as bravery and power on the part of the heroes. Of been included here. A direct confrontation with a
course, if the rebellion were successful, Vecna deity is not recommended for any but the most
would of course attempt to take advantage of the high level of campaigns.) However, they can still
situation .... oppose his minions and schemes.
If the heroes do not feel up to taking part in a Future Adventures: Those heroes wishing to re-
rebellion (or if you do not want your campaign to turn to Cavitius have innumerable adventures
go in that direction), the danger of Vocar (or his ahead of them, facing ancient sorcery and undy-
successor) still looms in Tor Gorak. The evil priest ing evil. Using that evil against itself might prove
and his covey of cultists hide somewhere, plotting to be the undoing of Cavitius, however. Pitting the
terrible deeds. Feel free to devise a plot of Vocar's undead lords like Haroln and Qoolarn against one
that will not only once again put the people of another weakens the strength of that undead
Tovag in jeopardy, but put him back into his lord's realm. Further, a land of secrets and arcane magic
good graces. For example, Vocar may attempt to may even hold a secret that can be its own undo-
undermine Tovag's military by killing or capturing ing. If you prefer, finding a magical secret located
the high-ranking officers or poisoning the food in an ancient vault or hidden in the Shadowed
supply. The evil priest might even attempt to Room can be an important step in the completion
assassinate Kas himself. of another adventure, perhaps one involving other
Ravenloft domains.
In the end, as in Tovag, uniting the force of the
living in Cavitius may one day allow them to
Those heroes who feel truly ambitious can even throw the chains of their evil master aside. For
take on the monumental evil of Cavitius, the today, however, the heroes can be content with
undead population, and its extraordinarily powerful their current victory, for it is deeds such as this
master. The heroes may never reach a level of which keep evil at bay.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: The Library of Kas (Tov
FREQUENCY: Unique
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
D1ET: None
INTELLIGENCE: Highly (14)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil
No. APPEARINo: 1
ARMOR CL.Ass: 6
MOVEMENT: 6
HIT D1cE: 14 (94 hp)
THACO: 7
No. OF ATTACKS: 2d6
DAMAGE/ ATTACK: ld6 each
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Constriction
SPECIAL DEFENSES Immune to fire and some spells
MA01c RESISTANCE Nil
S1zE: G (25' across)
MORALE: Elite (13)
XP VALUE: 9,000
Alas, poor Narek! One of the many bastard children of

Kas the Destroyer, he-it-now resides forever in a
prison forged of betrayal and jealousy. Kas the Bloody,
Kas the Wicked, Kas the Warlord sired a son and
called him Narek. Narek had great talents for the continues to squeeze the drawn-in victim into its mass
sorcerous arts. Even Kas's master was impressed with until it is dead. Slain foes are haphazardly tossed
the youth. Narek was too young to have learned never aside. To break free, the tendrils holding the victim
to outshine Kas in his master's eyes. Kas imprisoned must be severed (each can sustain 4 hp of damage)
the young man in a tomb, trapping him there for all or the victim must make a successful Strength check
eternity with his magical books. for each constricting appendage.
Narek, filled with not quite enough skill and a little Due to the slime and ooze that covers the Thing, it
too much confidence, attempted a spell that was cannot burn and is thus immune to fire. No charm
beyond him. Its energies transformed him into an spells or magic of a controlling or form-altering nature
unspeakable monstrosity. Now Narek is nothing more (such as polymorph spells) can affect it.
than the Thing in the Shaft. Nameless, soulless,
loveless, the son of Kas seeks nothing but the pain Habitat/Society: The Thing in the Shaft dwells alone
and suffering of others. in its prison. If freed, the creature would begin a silent
reign of terror and madness as it lurked in dark places
Combat: The Thing in the Shaft is a horrible slimy large enough to accommodate it (dark alleyways,
mass with hundreds of tendrils. It attacks with 2d6 of wide wells, cellars, and so forth), striking out at
these tendrils each round, which grasp and lunge for anyone who would dare to come near.
any and all victims. The Thing can attack up to four
different targets in a round, and the tendrils can Ecology: If a sage learned in the ways of monstrous
stretch to strike at targets up to forty feet away. biology ever got the chance to examine the Thing, it is
If a foe is hit with four or more tendrils in the same likely that he might suggest that it possesses many
round, the ropy appendages grasp and snare the characteristics similar to the monster known as the
victim, who is now immobilized. Characters so roper. Perhaps this has something to do with the spell
grasped suffer 2d6 hp of constriction damage. The Narek attempted and failed so long ago.
Thing draws grappled victims in close to it at a rate of The Thing needs no nourishment, sustained merely
ten feet per round. It does not eat its prey, however by its own hatred and chagrin. It attacks others out of
(since it does not even have a mouth) but merely cruelty and rage, not hunger or need.

Cochort (Invisible Stalker): AC 3; MV 12, Fl Appearance: Dellis is a huge tower of a man
12 (A); HD 8; hp 39; THAC0 13; #AT 1; Dmg with an extremely large nose. His thin hair is
4d4 (vortex of air); SA -6 penalty to foes' sur- unkempt and his clothes are usually disheveled.
prise rolls; SD opponent's unable to detect invisi- His simplemindedness is usually betrayed by his
bility suffer a -2 penalty on attacks; MR 30%; SZ confused but happy expression.
L (8' tall); ML elite (14); Int high (13); AL N; XP Personality:As good natured as his mother,
3,000. Dellis does not allow his mental capacity or
inability to communicate get in his way.
Dast, King of the Madmen, hm, F3: AC 10;
MV 12; hp 15; THAC0 18; #AT 1; Dmg ld2 (fist) Larossa Baru, hf, 0-level: AC 10; MV 12; hp
or ld4 (heavy object); SZ M (6' tall); ML fanatic 4; THAC0 20; #AT 1 (dagger); Dmg ld4; SZ M
(17-18); AL LG. (5'8" tall); ML steady (12); AL CG.
S 15, D 9, C 11, 110, W 9, Ch 13. S 11, D 9, C 13, I 14, W 17, Ch 15.
Personality:Dast was a precocious young Appearance: Larossa has a matronly appear-
lad, bright, pleasant, and kind. Then, his typically ance. Her build is stout, and she pulls her graying
short childhood was cut short by the tides of war. hair tightly in a bun.
Dast went to war against the hordes of Vecna as Personality:Truly good hearted in every
they attempted to cross through the Burning sense of the word, Larossa is generous, kind, and
Peaks and into his homeland. A year later, Dast self-sacrificing. She is secretly known throughout
returned to Tor Gorak a changed man. He no the city as one who will always help others in
longer remembered his friends and family, and he need, no matter what the cost.
claimed that great and powerful lords from
beyond time and space had appeared before him Loreward Banquo, hm, 0-level: AC 10; MV
on the fields of battle. These lords told him that 12; hp 3; THAC0 20; #AT 1 (dagger); Dmg ld4;
the blood of kings flowed in his veins and that he SZ M (5'4" tall); ML unsteady (5); AL LG.
was the rightful king of all Tovag. S 7, D 11, C 9, 117, W 13, Ch 7.
Of course, to speak such things, even in jest, Appearance: In a city full of warriors,
is to beg for the unwanted attention of the Banquo's bookish appearance is even more pro-
Daggers. Thus, his family called upon the charity nounced. His eyes are squinty, his back slightly
of Virianis to take Dast in before he was slain for stooped, and his build is paunchy. Thinning
treason. brown hair covers his head. In a normal place,
Now Dast, still claiming to be the proper ruler one might think him around fifty years old, but
of the land, is known as the King of the Madmen. he is actually twenty-three.
The other residents all think of him as their king Personality:The position of Loreward has
(with a few possible exceptions), and address existed for a long time in Tor Gorak, and he takes
him as "Your Majesty." his responsibilities very seriously. Nothing is
more important to him than his books. Gathering
• Dellis Baru, hm, F4: AC 8 (leather armor); and· recording knowledge come a close second,
MV 12; hp 35; THAC0 17 (16 w/Strength); #AT 1 however.
(short sword); Dmg ld6+ 1 (Strength); SZ M (6'2"
tall); ML steady (12); AL CG.
S 17, D 12, C 17, 14, W7, Ch 10.

Marit, hf, 0-level: AC 10; MV 12; hp 3; CE; XP 9,000.
THAC0 20; #AT 1 (knife); Dmg ld3; SZ M (5'4" S 13, D 12, C 16, I 17, W 18, Ch 9.
tall); ML unsteady (5); AL LG. Appearance: Vocar is an old man with a long
S 8, D 8, C 9, I 12, W 11, Ch 14. gray beard hanging from his otherwise bald head.
Appearance: Marit is an attractive young He wears simple gray and brown robes except
woman with short blonde hair and brown eyes. during rituals, when he wears the traditional red
Her tattered clothes and grimy appearance some- and black.
what hide her beauty, however. Currently, she is a Personality: Vocar is devoted to Vecna and
little over four months pregnant (which is a full will go to any ends to fulfill his master's orders.
term for Tovagians). Magical Items: bracers AC 2, dagger+3.
Personality: Marit is normally a kind, if some- Priest Spells (9/9/8/7/4/3/1): 1st-bless,
what skittish, person. However, the recent death cause fear, command (x2), curse, detect magic,
of her husband, along with the drugs her uncle protection from good, sanctuary (x2); 2nd-aid,
has been sneaking into her food, has caused a enthrall, hold person (x2), f1,ameblade, heat
mental breakdown. She seems to have blocked metal, produce f1.ame,silence 15' radius, spiritual
out all inemory of the tragedies she has recently hammer, 3rd-animate dead (x2), dispel magic,
suffered and wanders around in a dazed state. locate object, meld into stone, prayer, protection
from fire, speak with dead; 4th-cloak of fear,
Virianis, hm, 0-level: AC 10; MV 12; hp 4; detect lie, divination, free action, protection from
THAC0 20; #AT 1 (dagger); Dmg ld4; SZ M good 10' radius, protection from lightning,
(6'5" tall); ML steady (12); AL NG. tongues; 5th-air walk, /1.amestrike, transmute
S 9, D 8, C 10, I 12, W 11, Ch 13. rock to mud, wall of fire-,6th-fire seeds, stone
Appearance: Virianis's extreme age (forty- tell, animate object; 7th-creeping doom.
three) shows in his wrinkled, emaciated form. On Wizard Spells (3/2): 1st-burning hands,
the other hand, his steely blue eyes give the color spray, message; 2nd-invisibility, strength.
impression of great strength.
Personality: Virianis is wealthy. Although no Zarenival (Imp, Quasit): AC 2; MV 15, Fl 18
one knows for sure how he obtained his wealth, (A); HD 3; hp 20; THAC0 17; #AT 3; Dmg
most people do not question it, for the uses that ld2/ld2/ld4 (claw/claw/bite); SA poison, spells,
he has found for his gold have always been most fear (1/day, 30' radius); SD spell and weapon
charitable. He, like Larossa and a few other kind immunities, regenerate (1 hp/round); MR 25%;
souls in Tovag, is a shining beacon of goodness SZ T (2' tall); ML avg (10); Int avg (10); AL CE;
in a dark and dreary realm. XP 2,000.
Special Equipment: headband of mental Notes: Victims hit by Zarenival's claws must
speech (functions like a helm of comprehending save vs. poison or lose 1 point of Dexterity for
languages). 2d6 rounds. The effects of multiple wounds are
cumulative.
Vocar the Obedient, hm, M4/P16: AC 2 He can cast invisibility, detect good, detect
(bracers AC 2); MV 12; hp 64; THAC0 10 (7 with magic, and polymorph self (into a wolf or bat) at
dagger+3); #AT 1; Dmg ld4+3 (dagger+3); SA will. Zarenival can be hit only by cold iron or
spells, command undead; SD 82% chance to hide magical weapons. He is also immune to cold,
in shadows; SZ M (5'9" tall); ML fanatic (18); AL fire, and lightning, and saves as a 7-HD monster.


Vecna Reborn (2e)

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Du'ngeons&Dr.

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

You will find detailed descriptions of their realms

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

t is said that a wise man picks his

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

The whispered secrets of the Serpent were clear.

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

much easier). Laws in Tor Gorak also forbid the

Tor Gora, One inch • 400 feet

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

she knows everyone. Because she has dealt with

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Vecna is jealous of all those who would seek the

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

ghoul lords, ghostly nobles, and other spirits vie for

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

• acts confused and afraid .

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Marit slows the heroes by quite a bit. She can travel

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

~ •@ • 'f)• r ◄ Wolf (12): AC 7; MV 18; HD 3; hp 14 each;

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

direction that might be east.

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Cultist, hm or hf, F4 ( 1 per hero): AC 8

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

.Ifs ourlifeis very shorf,so if is very miserable,

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Typical questions the Daggers ask include:

8 What are you doing in Tor Gorak?

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Once out of the Sheath, Virianis uses his head-

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

efor word.s,like{jlafure,half reyeal

Jrnd half concealtheBou/ wirhin.

this strange and disturbing event occurs on the

,.. .<;? • ':)., ◄ ■

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

If the heroes manage to explore the house

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

A.Quiclcrrip to the M~qh~se rhe Ctm--ent

The l\1qdhouse One square • 5 feet

Level One Level Two Level Three

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

• of attention, making it impossible to sneak through

To make matters worse, Dast provides more

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

The streets keep their silence. The city fears lo

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)

• characters will find them very difficult to utilize,

Chris Aragones (Order #42884699)