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The Tomb of the OrcslayerStory by Chris Perkins’ “The Sentinel Shields and Their Champions”Elements from Lost Mine of Phandelver (D&D Starter Set)Background:The Merlairkyn clan of dwarves began mining for mithral thousands of years ago, long before there was a city of Waterdeep. The Merlairkyns’ faced danger from all sides and several of their kinsmen rose up as champions to protect the clan. Among them were the sentinels, the Orc Slayer, the Iron Warlord, and the Heartless Dwarf. Each champion was gifted with a magnificent shield, which together could unlock a vault deep within Undermountain.Khalgren Stonefist, an adopted son of the clan, led an army against the many enemies of the Merlairkyn’s; Drow, Duergar, and other horrors of the Underdark, but after decades of battle, his body was failing, yet the dangers to the clan had not relented. Refusing to surrender to old age, Khalgren sought the help of Torek Ironmantle, a dwarf smith and engineer without equal. Torek's task was to extend Khalgren’s life by building him a body made of iron and transferring Khalgren’s soul into it in a manner similar to how a Dwarvfen Ancestor was created. But everything has its price. While Torek brought life to Khalgren’s new iron body, the process had stripped the dwarf of his mind and transformed him into a monster exuding necrotic energy, corrupting everything it came in contact with. Anyone who died inside the temple walls would rise and turn on his fellows. Unable to reverse the procedure, Torek and Khlagren’s followers, sought to contain the Iron Warlord. Torek prepared traps and brought in creatures to slow or hopefully destroy the Warlord if he ever attempted to escape.Millennia later, the dwarf Gundren Rockseeker has started collecting the Sentinel Shields.Adventure HookGundren Rockseeker is a patron and friend of one of the PCs, and hires them to look for the Shield of the Orcslayer. Whoever is Gurdis’ friend, has lead the party to the city of Waterdeep, the largest city along the Sword Coast of the Forgotten Realms. Waterdeep is built on a large cavernous network underneath the ground, known as Undermountain. Part 1 – Starting the AdventureThe residence where you were told to meet her looks like a dwarven structure. When you knock on the door you are greeted by the dwarf Gundren, and standing behind her is a human armed to the teeth. He carries a greatsword on his back, a heavy flail in his belt, no fewer than six swords about his person, daggers in his boots, and a sheath of javelins over his shoulder. He also wears a tremendous amount of armor, in fact, it may be compromised of two suits of armor. He stands there, arms crossed, looking fierce.She says “Hello! Welcome!”“I must say, you’re not the first group to come by. I hope you’ll be more successful than the last.”She looks down both ends of the street, then says “Please, come inside.”The house is fairly large, with lots of boxes and furnishings piled on top of each other. They don’t seem to have been used for quite a while. She brings you in, and as you walk past the table you notice a large coin sack (100 gp to divide).“What I want comes with some risk, so I thought to assure you, you would consider this as some sort of upfront payment.”“Oh forgive me, I forgot to introduce my friend, Sillar Hallwinter. Sillar is my bodyguard, and my friend.”Sillar kind of just crosses his arms.She asks them what they know about the Merlairkyn clan and the Sentinel Shields. A DC 16 History check reveals the following: -The Sentinel Shields were given to three Dwarven Champions of the Melairkyn clan, who were mithral miners in this area. They built Undermountain many years ago, and the Champions were entombed with the shields.Gundren continues“Yes, it was recently discovered that these three shields could be used as a key of sorts, to unlock a vault deeper within Undermountain. If I can find but one of them, it will be worth a small ransom in the undermarkets of Undermountain. It just so happened that the wizard who used to live here uncovered a passageway into the tomb of one of the champions – the Orcslayer.”“The other two shields – those of the Heartless Dwarf and the Iron Warlord – I don’t know where they are, and they are of no interest to me. But if you could find the Orcslayer’s shield, I would be in your debt, and I would reward you handsomely.”If they doubt, can make another insight check to see if she is evil (she isn’t).During this whole time, Sildar is watching them carefully and suspiciously.Gundren also says “I do hope you were discreet in coming here, I would hate if my rivals realised what I found.”“As for the previous group – only one of them came back, running, and screaming at me that he never wanted anything to do with me. His friends never returned. They are probably down there still.”The last she saw of the survivor was his back, as he ran screaming out the door. He said something about spiders.She says “In the interest of cementing our friendship, allow me to offer you this as well.” She looks at Sildar, who produces a large flagon of wine. He lays out some tankards and pours drinks for all of you and the two of them. They pick it up to drink it, to allay any concerns that she wants to poison you.Acceptance of the quest:Gundren says “let me show you the way.” She brings you to a back room, and pulls a slab across the floor to reveal a long and rather steep crooked staircase digging down into the depths.If they reject the orcslayer quest:Gundren offers them to instead escort the wagon to Phandalin. This is LMoP hook.If they reject LMoP hook:Start them on part 1 Goblin Arrows for LMoP.>> Party order of descending down – let them decidePart 2 – The Abandoned GuardianDM: When you get down through the corridor, you see that there is a lot of debris, and where it gets really thick your movement will get impaired.Ask for a perception check (any is fine):A lot of webbing near encounter 1B, and something hanging from the ceiling, as if suspended. Also there appears to be a dwarven face carved into the face guarding encounter 1A, near a set of iron doors.The face is essentially unavoidable. Improv to make them talk to it.As the cave echoes, any conversation between them echoes, and the face hears them. “Who’s there?”The face activates, and it opens its squinty eyes.“Well well well, what do we have here? A <race>? I haven’t seen the likes of you in a long time!”They don’t need to have a check to see that there is a stud in its stone tongue, a glowing gem.“What brings you up to these parts?”Etc. Dialogue.“Well it is a pleasure to meet you all. I hope you fare better than the last group of people who came down here – a bunch of amateurs.”“I’m one of the builders of this place. My spirit is trapped here, so to speak.”Lead them on to ask them three questionsWhen did Halaster Blackcloak first arrive at Undermountain? (History check, succeed them if any are >10)Hallister Blackcloak was a super powerful archwizard who took control of Undermountain, driving out the dwarves, and filled it with monsters because he was batshit insane. He and his apprentices made it their own. He arrived in 168 DR.What is the current year? (You all know it is 1479)“Really?! 1479.. my how time flies.”You got an isosceles triangle. One of the sides is 168, and one of the sides is 1479. What is the length of the third side?He gives them his gem. “If you hold that gem down to the ground, it’ll break, and something will come out to help you fight.” (An earth elemental. AC 15; HP 15. 1d10+3 bludgeoning)If they decide, for whatever reason, to kill the face:First, try dissuade PCs from killing it. Improv dialogue, etc. The face is set in stone, so it was flat before and then became animated. So it will simply move back into the stone and be flat, and so can’t be attacked (short of trying to carve the thing out with pickaxes).If they ask for help:“The dungeon has shifted and collapsed over time. Those spiders, they’re new, I have no idea where they came from. But behind those doors, you’ll see four iron drums in it, and a magical trap. The drums will summon some pretty terrible danger.”“But, if you are tough as you are smart, I don’t think it’ll cause you much grief.”“Once you get past that room, there is a wide passageway, that leads to the tomb.”“The doors are magically locked, but if you are skilled in arcana or sleight of hand, it shouldn’t pose you much trouble. You could also use the key, but I doubt whether you have it or not. I used to have the key, before I died. But, it’s lost to me, probably lost around here somewhere.”“I wish you all well.”The doors have a DC 10 for either arcana or sleight of hand.Encounter 1A – The Cold ArenaThere is a large dais with raised steps in the centre – the dais is bare. There are four iron drums set in to the floor, and behind them, giant dwarf statues with hammers raised above their heads.There’s a gust of cold air, and you notice the floor is covered in ice – it looks very slippery. (Terrain modifier: As they walk across the ice, need to roll acrobatics check to move (DC 12). If fail, they are prone, and it is a -2 to attack roll, and -1 to dex save.)As you step on to the dais, it lights up with ruins – glyphs – that appear on the stone. Ice begins to break away from the statues as they move their hammers down to pound on the iron drums. Roll strength saves. DM rolls. Anything below DM roll, take 2 damage, and is deafened.In addition, something materialises in the middle of the dais – a gigantic dragon-headed ballista.Roll initiative.____________________________________________________________________________4x Dwarven Statues (Large Native Construct)STR 8DEX 14CON 10INT 10 WIS 8 CHA 8HP: 4 AC: 11 Init: 10 Prc: 10Speed: 0 Warhammer Strike: Melee distance. +3 vs AC; 1d6+2 bludgeoningRinging Shield: Every other turn, to all. +4 vs Str Save; 1d4+1 thunder____________________________________________________________________________Arcane Ballista (Medium Native Construct)STR 12DEX 2CON 13 INT 15 WIS 15 CHA 1HP: 5 AC: 14 Init: 5 Prc: 5Speed: 0Cone of Fire: A medium distance in front of it, hits all. +1 vs Dex Save; 1d4+2 fireBallista can be disabled: Arcana – 3 successes – DC 14Sleight of Hand – 3 successes – DC 15If final disable through Sleight, is disabled. If through Arcana, can be commanded.____________________________________________________________________________Because dying would be a bit shit here, pull your punches.At the end of the arena is also another set of doors, however they have been frozen over. So, the ice must be melted or removed somehow. Can be melted by the ballista (will take 3 bursts, or instant if out of combat). Otherwise, strength check to smash the ice (2 successes DC 10, or 1 if fire has melted part of it). Then, sleight of hand or arcana check to pick the lock on the door (let them unlock anyway).This leads to part 3.Encounter 1B – The Webbed LairAs you go down, you see dead dwarves hanging from the ceiling. As the party moves forward, the corpses drop down, and start moving towards them. Roll initiative.____________________________________________________________________________2x (3x if this is their return journey) Dwarven Corpses (Stat blocks modelled off Skeletons)STR 10 DEX 14 CON 15INT 6WIS 8CHA 5HP: 13 AC: 13Init: Prc: 5Speed: 5 (restricted by webs)Warhammer – Melee distance, one target. +4 vs AC; 1d6+2 bludgeoningShortbow – Medium range, one target. +4 vs AC; 1d4+2 piercing____________________________________________________________________________After the skeletons have been dispatched, or through a perception check DC 15, PCs notice that they seem to be controlled by the webs attached to their limbs – almost like puppets. Immediately after the skeletons are killed (same encounter), the giant spider (or 2) appears.____________________________________________________________________________1x (2x if return) Giant Spider STR 14DEX 16CON 12INT 2WIS 11 CHA 4HP: 26 AC: 14 Init: +3 Prc: 10 Speed: 5Bite – Melee, one target. +5 vs AC; 1d8+3 piercing. DC 13 Con save, or poison (1d4/turn).Web – Ranged, one target. +5 vs AC; DC 12 Strength check, otherwise restrained. Web can be attacked (AC 10; hp 5)____________________________________________________________________________ Once cleared, they journey further in, to see a monster hanging from the ceiling. Large, rounded, has eyestalks emerging out of its head, and a single large eye in the middle. A large, black mouth, yellowing teeth, and a disgusting red tongue flopping out of it. Closer inspection reveals it is dead.If they try interact with it, a whole bunch of small spiders burst from its corpse and skitter away.There’s a crevice, but everyone can get through fair enough. Going through leads to part 3.Part 3 – The Icy RiftOne way or another they reach the little landing that branches off into encounters 2A or 2B. Again, it is cold, but not overly so. Near the start of 2A, the tomb seems to have fallen away and crumbled, revealing a large grotto that descends further down. Thus, they get the sense that the fine marble hallway (2B) was the original design intended for the tomb.Encounter 2A – The Damp GrottoIt is cold, but not overly so. There are steps (that can be seen on the map) which you must leap down. Getting down is no problem, but getting up could be a problem (when it comes to that, make either athletics or acrobatics check DC 14 to get up). Ask which order they descend.As they descend, ask first player to make a perception check. DC 12 or above gets you to notice a large bat thing that swoops down from above, and it targets one person. Roll dex save DC 14, or take 2 damage. If the perception check fails, they take the 2 damage.Then, roll initiative.____________________________________________________________________________Cloaker (neutered to shit)STR 17DEX 15CON 12INT 13WIS 11 CHA 14HP: 25 AC: 14 Init: +5 Prc: 11 Speed: Flying.Does not get Moan nor Phantasms, and never latches on to target.When it swoops down to attack, it attacks one with bite and one with tail (can multitarget).Bite – Melee, one target. +6 vs AC; 1d6+1 piercingTail – Melee, one target. +6 vs AC; 1d6+1 slashingSensitive to light – if bright enough, disadvantage on attack rolls, fails all perception checks.On the player’s turn, they need to roll perception first (DC 12) to see if they can see the monster. If success, continue as normal. If fail, disadvantage on attack roll.Optional – if PCs are finding it hard, once bloodied, it can stop flying.____________________________________________________________________________Once done, PCs reach level 2, and move nearer to the icy rift. Make sure they roll the hit dice, and record their new max hp.Encounter 2B – The Marble HallwayIt is painfully cold. Con saves every other turn of DC 10, otherwise take 1 damage.Notice 2 white creatures with long, sharp noses and small wings protruding from their backs. They look eerily like dwarves, though something seems twisted, off. They seem to be standing on pressure plates, and you get the feeling that if they come off then the doors behind them will open. As the PCs approach them, they awaken, and turn to face the party. Roll initiative.____________________________________________________________________________2x Frozen Undead Dwarves (Modelled off Ice Mephits)STR 7 DEX 13CON 10INT 9WIS 11 CHA 12HP: 21 AC: 11 Init: -1 Prc: 12 Speed: 5Claws – Melee, one target. +3 vs AC; 1d4+1 slashing and 1d4 coldFrost Breath – Medium cone, multitarget. Dex save DC 10; 2d4/1d4 cold on fail/successDeath Burst – When dead, explodes in a burst of ice. PCs in melee range make DC 10 Dex save; 1d8 slashing on failure, half of that on success.____________________________________________________________________________Trap – Snare (borrowed from Part 1 of LMoP)Once the party enters the hallway proper, ask to see in which order they want to enter the hallway.Whoever is first, if passive perception >12, they notice the trap. Otherwise, they must succeed on DC 12 Perception (wisdom) check to notice the trap. On success, they manage to get past.On failure, they trigger it, and must roll a DC 10 Dex save. Failure again causes them to take 1d6 slashing damage as blades jump out of the floor.Trap – Pit (borrowed from P1 of LMoP)If failed the first trap, ask for order. Otherwise, keep going.Passive Perception >15. Or, DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check. On success, must also roll Acrobatics or Athletics DC 7 to get across (for each PC). Alternatively, a rope can be tied across, or some other device.On failure (through any of the rolls), DC 10 Dex Save and 1d6 bludgeoning. Pit’s walls are not steep, and so can climb out easily or be lifted out.Would be good to remind them of their healing surges (0.5x hit die, 3 times between rests)Once done, PCs reach level 2, and move nearer to the icy rift. Make sure they roll the hit dice, and record their new max hp.The RiftWithout any perception, they can see that there is an icy rift, and there seems to be something under it (though they cannot see what). They can also see that, across the rift, there is a large, dark cavern, and can make out some glowing blue objects.Perception check DC 13 reveals more about the rift. They can see that the ice covers a larger pool of water. In the water seem to be two large doors that fell off their hinges. What likely happened was that this part of the tomb collapsed and fell in, and over time water froze over it.They also see that the blue objects are actually clouds of miasma or gas.The rift itself is made of slick ice. They must climb up from the rift up to the cavern itself (DC 12 Athletics). If more than 2 PCs are on it at any time, it will crack – either athletics check (to jump out and on to cavern floor – DC 15) or acrobatics check (DC 11 to hang on to wall, DC 14 to jump out on to cavern floor).With acrobatics check – if their roll is 11-13, ask whether they want to hang on to wall or jump back into the starting area).If they hang from the wall, each turn they must roll acrobatics or athletics again.If they fail either check, then they plunge into the icy water. Each turn is 1d4 damage, and do the athletics or acrobatics (allow them to get out regardless of the roll and return to original area. DC 5. Or if they succeed well, let them out on to cavern floor).Once PCs get on to cavern floor, they notice a few things.A sarcophagus lies in the ring, made out of various precious metals. Flanking the sarcophagus are two stone claws that come out of the claw, acting as vats – they carry treasure.The walls have caved in at the back, and seems to be made of orc bones.No living creatures.Once the PCs all get across to the cavern, the last part starts.Part 4 – The OrcslayerAsk them all to roll perception. Regardless of their rolls, they can see that:The sarcophagus has some arcane ruins worked into it, and several locks. Getting it open will be a bit of a skill challenge for Arcana or Sleight of Hand.There’s obviously magic pulsing through the ring – it’s probably defensive, not sure.It’s real gold in the stone claws.Ask one of them to roll arcana. Regardless of their roll, they can see that, if someone crosses the ring, you know that it will probably summon something. Also, you can probably disable some of the defensive ruins in the ring, but you don’t know which.Through a history check (DC 18) – you can see which ruins are fake, which are real, which are the source of its power, and which are defensive. On success, you also give +1 to sleight or arcana rolls. The more successful history checks, the more +1s on to the arcana/sleight checks.Through a sleight check (DC 18) – you can scratch the ruins away.Through an arcana check (DC 19) – you can disable them.Also through the arcana check, you know the miasma clouds are helpful – they’re an after effect of some magic cast here, but they weren’t meant to be here. If you stand in one, your attacks can channel the cold power, and you gain extra cold damage.Allow PCs to discuss. Then mention that, through passive perception, they can hear the faint sound of flapping wings (make the sound, don’t mention that it’s actually wings).When they decide to disable the ring first (at any time)Ask for a history check DC 13 from all.On success, you can see that on the sarcophagus itself there are also some types of ruins. Glyphs which tell you what it is, what its power source is, and something that looks like a defensive summoning mechanism.6 successes/3 failures.A further arcana check (any will do) reveals that as you get closer to unlocking the sarcophagus, it gets harder to unlock (this is necessary to setup the summoning of the final boss).This means that, on the 6th success, or on the fail, they will fail, so you can summon the boss.On failure, the column of fire engulfs the sarcophagus. If gold is taken (it is bait. Do not mention this at all to the PCs), the PCs here some cracking sounds all across the room, and the bones in the wall are dislodging themselves. Roll initiative. They assemble and animate into undead orc skeletons, and draw rusty looking swords from their ribcages. If this encounter happens first, feel free to add the stirges in whenever you like.Otherwise, allow them to do whatever they want for a while. If action seems to slow down, the flapping sounds increase in level, and several insect mammal things spill out from a crevice at the back of the cavern. Roll initiative. They are stirges, and look like some kind of bat moth mosquito hybrid. Small red wings and sharp pincers at the ends of its legs. Also, a long, pointy proboscis.___________________________________________________________________________6x StirgesSTR 4DEX 16CON 11INT 2WIS 8 CHA 6HP: 2 AC: 14 Init: +0 Prc: 9 Speed: 8Blood Drain – Melee, one target. +5 vs AC; 1d4+3 piercing.On success, attaches to target. At start of stirge’s turn, target loses 1d4+3 due to blood loss. Once it has taken 10hp, it detaches.Actions can also be taken by PC to detach stirge manually.____________________________________________________________________________7x Undead Orc Skeletons (Minions - modelled off spiders)STR 2DEX 14CON 8INT 1WIS 10 CHA 2HP: 1 AC: 12 Init: +1 Prc: 10 Speed: 4Shortsword – Melee distance, one target. +2 vs AC; 1d4+1 piercingOn success, make a DC 8 Con save or take 1 damage due to rust flakes.Skeletons are minions to be more annoying, and they have to choose between the skeletons and the stirges.____________________________________________________________________________To make it easier (optional), if the sarcophagus is failed during this encounter, you can give a couple turns for the final boss to materialise. Or don’t. If you choose to do so, the encounters flow on from one to the other, so no healing time between.Once the stirges and skeletons are killed but progress hasn’t been made on the sarcophagus, there will be chance to heal (and PCs should be reminded). Also, confirm their general positions.The Final BossOnce it fails, the spirit materialises. You can see a small dwarf-like figure that appears inside it. It shouts in some garbled language that PCs cannot understand, unless they have either Orc or Dwarvish languages, in which case they can make out that the spirit’s slumber has been disturbed, and is angry.This boss should really bring the PCs close to, if not, unconsciousness and death. Depending on whether you feel like it, you can stop at a certain point and allow the Spirit to interact with them – it asks them why they are here, why they are so foolish, when the Spirit is so powerful, for e.g.___________________________________________________________________________Inflamed Spirit of the Orcslayer (A mix of both a Wight and a Specter, buffed a bit)STR 15DEX 14CON 16INT 10WIS 13 CHA 15HP: 50AC: 15 Init: +3 Prc: 13 Speed: 6Damage Resistance to necrotic, and all melee from non-silvered weaponsImmune to necrotic and poison damageCondition immune to all but blindnessLanguages – Dwarvish, Orc (they sure can try to talk to it)Can make two longsword or longbow attacks, or replace one with Life Drain (multitarget)Longsword – Melee, one target, +4 vs AC; 1d8+2 fireLongbow – Ranged, one target, +4 vs AC; 1d8+2 fireLife Drain – Melee, one target, +4 vs AC; 3d6 necrotic. Read Wight’s card for full details.Fire Phase – Moves through a target, melee range. +2 vs Dex save; on fail, 1d6 fire. On success, half of that.Weakness to cold. When standing in miasma cloud, PCs do 1d6 extra damage.____________________________________________________________________________Part 5 – EpilogueEither brokering a truce (and releasing the spirit), or killing it outright, eventually it disappears. The ring automatically deactivates, and now there are only locks left (which can be picked with any roll of a sleight or arcana check).When the sarcophagus opens, some dwarven bones tumble out, followed by a “big ass shield” with an orc’s face engraved on the front. This ends the quest, however the PCs can choose to go back the route they came (all clear) or go through and clear out the other areas. Both 2A and 2B will be clear though (either the Cloaker hangs to the ceiling, or the Mephit/Dwarves do not activate – the traps can though, if you feel like it).Eventually, they can return to Gundren with the shield, in which she offers them 300 gp (to divide), or they can sell it in the market themselves. This is the end, and the next session can allow for a hook into the LMoP storyline. Gundren can also optionally fill them out on the backstory (look at the first part of this booklet). ................
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