Dungeons and Dragons fifth scenario – into the mines
The village has been freed from the tyranny of the Hobgoblin brigands. All that remains is for the source of the weapons to be stopped and the black robed wizard defeated.
Borsk and the villagers ask the characters to head to the Esker mines to uncover the truth about where the weapons are coming from and stop Kite.
Axel Fireforge will give the characters superior scale armour that provides 15 AC (plus dex mod) and will offer to repair any weapons they have.
The Elder will give the characters a ring of magic protection each, adds +1 to any magic saving throws and deducts 1D4 from any damage received from magical attack (such as magic missiles).
Mogus Natt will give the characters healing potions (each has two doses, 2D6 HP regen per dose).
Borsk will say that Kite is hold up in the mines and that someone else is deep in the mines who can help, someone known as Fizban. The characters should try to get his help, but the way will be difficult. If the characters can get into the mines they should take the left most tunnel – it will look like its disused and has not been used for a long time but still take it.
If they go down the other routes they will become trapped.
The cats will not approach the mines, something there is scaring them off, so Borsk wont go. But he will give them something, it’s a floppy light grey wizards hat. Borsk will tell the characters not to lose it, but to offer it to Fizban for his help.
As the characters approach the mine through the Esker woods they can make a perception roll v 12, if they succeed they will spot 3 Hobgoblins hiding ahead to ambush them.
If they fail the roll the Hobgoblins will shoot arrows at the characters then draw swords and attack.
Hobgoblin Initiative +2 HP 14 bow attack +2 Damage 1D6, sword attack +3 damage 1D8 AC14
Once past the ambush the characters can make another perception roll against 10 to hear distant sounds of hammering and clanging.
As the characters get closer they will find a large area of trees have been felled and a furnace has been built. In the distance they will see figures cutting down trees and hauling them to the furnace, other figures can be seen working the furnace and hammering out metal weapons. Other figures can be seen pushing rail carts full of rocks from a tunnel to the furnace. There must be 20 or more figures and something is… odd about them. As they watch a tree falls onto one of the figures, it struggles weakly as other figures cut the tree up and haul it away, ignoring the fallen figure. The characters can make a perception roll against 10 to see these are skeletons.
A skeleton will be seen walking close to the characters – it ignores them – its carrying an axe and starts to chop a tree near the characters.
If the characters approach the furnace they can make a perception roll against 12 to see a lone dark grey robed figure there, an intelligence roll against 10 will identify this as something they have seen before, a Lich.
If they approach the furnace the Lich will direct 6 skeletons to attack the characters and will support them with spells. If the skeletons are defeated he will send in another 6.
If the characters want to bypass the furnace they can do so fairly easily and approach the mine entrance. The skeletons pushing the carts will ignore the characters unless the characters attempt to block the way, in which case they will attack with rocks until they move out of the way, and the commotion will alert the Lich of their presence.
The Esker Mines
The main entrance cavern has numerous broken parts of carts, spare rails and tools scattered around. As the characters are here they will see skeletons pushing carts in and out of the three open mine caverns. There is a fourth mine route that is boarded up, an old faded sign attached to the boards says `Danger`. If the characters try to break the boards it’s a Strength roll against 14. Once they start 4 skeletons armed with swords and shields, approaching behind the skeletons is a Lich who will launch spells at them.
Once through the boarding they will find a dusty and cobwebby tunnel, with rails, and a line of carts on the rails. Behind them skeletons are advancing into the tunnel in ever increasing numbers.
To release a cart takes a Strength roll against 15, the cart will then slowly, but getting faster, start rolling down the track away from the skeletons.
Behind them a human voice will shout `Fools! Don’t let them escape! After them!` The chase is on!
At this command skeletons will start filling the carts and the skeleton filled carts start rolling along after the characters.
The tunnel is provided with some light by weird fungus like growths on the walls and the characters will see the tunnel heading slightly downward before turning to the left and dropping. Each cart has 5 skeletons, one of which has a bow and arrows. Skeletons will fire arrows at the characters. Any missile fire is with a -4 modifier.
Upon entering area 3 the track splits into two tracks. Three carts follow the characters, one follows the second route. The parallel cart will approach the characters – the skeleton bow will fire while the four other skeletons will swing swords at the characters. Combat is with a -2 modifier when fighting cart to cart.
After two rounds, a skeleton will attempt to jump into the cart! Athletics roll against difficulty 14 is required (skeleton needs 14 or more on a D20) or if falls to the track to be mowed down by one of the other carts.
As the carts enter area 4 the one track comes to a dead end, any remaining skeletons in the cart on that track are destroyed.
There are low beams here, any creature attempting to shoot or look above the cart must make an Athletics roll against 10 or be struck for 1D6 damage. Bow fire remains at -4 modifier.
There are many stalactites here, any bow fire that misses its target has a 1 in 6 chance of striking a stalactite causing it to fall. A falling stalactite may hit a random cart (roll for which cart) striking a random occupant with an `attack` of +2 if injured it does 1D6 damage.
In area 5 the carts travel down hill and the rails ahead are broken at the jaws of a chasm. Roll a D20 for the characters cart and express concern but the cart manages to land on the rails on the other side of the chasm.
Roll for the three skeleton carts and one *should* fail, crashing into the abyss. Characters can make a perception roll v 12 to hear the sound of falling water.
Once on the other side of the chasm with the remaining skeleton carts following, 5 Stirges attack the characters. Skeletons will continue to fire - any shot that hits roll 1D6, 1-3 it’s a character, 4-6 it’s a Stirge hit.
The stirges attack for 3 rounds before the carts reach the waterfall…
Stirge Initiative +5 ,HP 3, AC 12, Attack +4, Damage 1D4 once hits its attached doing 1D4 damage per round until 10 HP damage are taken.
As the carts leave area 5 they travel through a waterfall and here their ride ends. Once they hit the waterfall the carts tumble downwards. Each character must make an acrobatics roll against 14 or take 1D6 damage during the fall.
The skeletons carts smash to pieces and the skeletons are also dashed. The characters find themselves In a deep chasm up to their knees in water.
The tunnels
Area 6
The cave they are in is about 20 feet wide, the water is about 2 feet deep, there is glowing fungus growth on the wet walls of the cavern creating a dim light.
If the characters make a nature roll against 12 they will identify strange scraped marks on the rock walls but no idea what has made these.
There is one cave heading out of the cave. There is also a strange musty smell. If the characters make a perception roll v 10 they will hear odd scurrying sounds, maybe rats?
Area 7
There are small caves heading out from the main cave to the left and right, scurrying sounds come from the right.
In the right hand cave there appears to be a dead body of a dwarf, and by the smell its been dead a while. If the characters enter this cave 4 cave claws attack.
Cave claw Initiative +1, HP 8, Attack +1, Damage 1D4, AC 10
The dwarf has a pouch of 15 silver coins, a small broken pick axe, a silver necklace with an amethyst Warhammer pendant and an enchanted glow stick. The stick, if held, glows with the light of a candle.
In the other cave is a pair of very large claws and some large bones (all that’s left of a hook horror that fell in area 8 a long time ago. There are a further 4 cave claws here, if the characters enter they will attack.
Area 8
This is a tall chimney tunnel going up as far as the characters can see. About 50 feet another them some of rail tracks can be seen sticking out of the wall. There are numerous caves far up the chimney but no sign of how they could be reached. As the characters enter a large creature drops to the floor and shrieks at the, it is a Hook Horror spoiling for a fight.
Hook Horror initiative +2, HP 30, 2 x Attack +3, Damage 1D6+2, AC 15
If defeated the characters will hear calls from other hook horrors further up the chimney.
The end of the area 8 cave is a smooth wall, if the characters approach it a booming voice calls out saying `if you approach you will die!`
If they still approach it says ` this is a dead end, turn back!`
If they still approach it says `you were warned…`
If they reach the smooth surface, it looks like smooth rock. If they touch it their hand (or object they hold) passes through it.
Area 9
If they enter, they go into a very large hall with big marble pillars, inside there is a gigantic gold dragon (Pyrite) and a sleeping wizard (Fizban). As they enter a gong sounds and the wizard awakens.
Fizban will splutter and curse, telling the characters they should not be here, there nothing here to see, that’s not a dragon and he is definitely not Fizban, at least not yet.
If they offer his hat, he will know Borsk sent them (he knows Borsk) and will agree to help only if they swear (pinky swear) they will never speak of the non-gold dragon ESPECIALLY not in Solace.
Once agreed, Fizban will take his hat and awaken the dragon. Fizban will tell the dragon to meet them at the mine, the wizard will take the characters back to the chimney and will send a fuzz ball light up the chimney. All the hook horrors will hide from the light. Fizban will make a magic stair lift and head up to where the rail tracks are, here they will re enter the mine. The tunnel is very large here, it makes its way back to Area 1 where the Lich, Kite and the skeletons abide.
Entering this area Fizban will wave his hands and all the skeletons will drop to the ground as piles of bones. He will call out `who is in charge here?`
Kite will launch a Lightning bolt at Fizban who will catch it in his hand and rub his hands together, at this Kite will demand to know who he is.
`Oh don’t worry about who I am old boy, worry about who I have with me!` at that point a large golden head and neck rises up behind the characters and Fizban. Kite shrieks and turns and flees for his life along with the Lich.
Fizban will bid the characters good bye and remind them of their pinky swear, He will also give them a gift, a ring each of Undead turning. When worn it makes any undead in the area weaker – reducing their Attack by 2, damage by 1 and AC by 2.
The characters can now safely return to Borsk, then to Haven. Their mission has been completed.
Upon their return to Haven once they report to Fowler Greyeyes and the leaders of Haven, the Seekers of new gods supporters are broken and their religion is disbanded. The Belzarites now assume full theocratical power.
XP: For defeating the Hobgoblins 50XP
For entering the mines and making it into area 1 50XP
For fighting skeletons 100XP
For surviving the cart journey 100XP
For fighting off the Stirges 25XP
For making it to area 6 50XP
For fighting Cave Claws 25XP
For finding the dwarf and collecting the amethyst hammer 50XP
For defeating the Hook Horror 100XP
For getting help from Fizban and defeating Kite 200XP
Kite – level 5 Human black robe magic user
+2 initiative HP 28 Sword of darkness (reduces opponents attack score by 2) Attack +4, 1D8 damage, AC 12, Staff of Night (night vision on command, darkness spell 3 times per day), ring of magic protection (+2 magic saving throws), ring of cold protection (+5 defence against cold attacks).
Cantrips: Acid splash, Mage Hand, Shocking Grasp
Level 1: Burning Hands, Mage Armour, Disguise Self,
Level 2: Darkness, Invisibility, Flaming Sphere,
Level 3: Fireball, Lightning bolt, Counterspell,
Level 4: Ice Storm, Wall of Fire
Level 5: Passwall
Skeleton miner Initiative +2, HP 15, Attack +2, Damage 1D6 (pick, shovel or hammer), AC 12
Skeleton warrior Initiative +2, HP 15, Sword Attack +3, Damage 1D8, Bow Attack +2 Damage 1D6 AC 14
Lich overlord initiative +2, HP25, Attack +3, Damage 1D8 darksword (burns with black flames does extra 1D4 damage), AC 15
Spells – Magic missile, Burning hands, Mage armour