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Introduction
In the hill country of Gardaron, farflung part of the Empire, there have been troubles as the Green Horde has swept upon the peaceful hillfolk, burning and pillaging as is their wont. The Emperor has seen fit to send his finest warriors to hold back the Orcish tide, but there have been reports that a wily Shaman and his minions have split off from the main war party, and taken up residence in the manor of the recently deceased Sorceror Asmodine.
Asmodine was a highly regarded but also highly controversial wizard. He sought to broaden human understanding of the Winds of Magic, and, toward that end, attempted to practice the combined Color Colleges of magic in the way of the High Elves. Reports of his experiments in these areas suggest that he was rather obsessed with the notion, and could not be stopped by fears of impropriety from dabbling in magic on the darker fringes of the profession, in order to achieve his goal. In fact, there were even accusations that he might have been experimenting with the idea of "using darkness against darkness" by seeking to summon and then bind creatures of Chaos to his service.
Whatever his plans, they came to a premature end when Asmodine died while fighting off the army of the Goblins. Now, some of those Goblins have taken over his manor, giving nearby folk ample concern. The Sheriff of Gardaron has enlisted the Heroes to visit the manor and put a stop to whatever vile plan the Goblin Shaman has in mind. Toward that end, a reward of 600 Gold Crowns is being offered to the Heroes, should they put an end to any scheme, plus whatever loot they can take for themselves from the manor - since Asmodine has no surviving kin.
The adventurers are given naught but a lantern, a flask of oil and a map to help them find their way to the manor. The fate of the countryside rests upon their capable shoulders.
The Map
The above map was used for the original running of this game at Necronomicon 2000. It should be noted that I originally planned on using a mixture of Orcs and Goblins, but for the actual game, I substituted Goblin Warriors for Orcs -- many of them armed with spears or bows. My reason for this change was that, in order to fit into a four-hour time slot at a convention, and give the heroes a chance of actually completing this adventure in a single expedition, I needed to tone down the difficulty level. Even with as many Heroes in the party as there were (Nine, incidentally, at the convention), they tended to be chaotic, disorganized, and prone to split up. Since this was run as a one-shot, I erred on the side of giving them lots of "goodies", and lots of relatively weak opponents. You may of course opt to "beef up" the challenges based on the needs of your own party. The map board from HeroQuest was used for this layout, along with four large room tiles from Advanced HeroQuest that were overlaid onto the four "room clusters" at each quadrant of the board, with the stand-up plastic doors serving to bridge the gap, and some of the "rubble squares" serving to mark solid wall areas that could not be traversed. Furniture from HeroQuest was used, as I've managed to acquire several copies of the game by browsing thrift stores over the years, and individual other furnishings were based on what I happened to have available in my collection. To represent the "front yard" area to the left of the board, you may use the "fountain" tile from Warhammer Quest. I actually made a 3-D foam scenery piece to represent this area, to add a little extra "flash" to my presentation, even though the bulk of the rest of the game was played on a flat board with 3-D scenery pieces.
Note on Light Sources At the start of the adventure, the party starts with a lantern and enough oil to last a single expedition. It's up to the party to determine who gets the lantern. (If they can't decide, dice off.) A lantern lights an entire room and all adjacent rooms (provided the doors are open). Throughout the manor are a number of light sources that may be utilized by the heroes (or snuffed out, for whatever reason). These include torches, candelabras, candlesticks and lanterns. Any of these may provide lighting for the duration of the expedition. If they are left in the manor when the Heroes leave between expeditions, the manor's magical "servants" will put them back in their proper places, and replenish them as necessary - so that the adventurers will find them providing illumination once more. Torches, candelabras and candlesticks will be considered burned out if taken from the manor. Lanterns, however, are reusable, provided that a flask of lamp oil is purchased for each expedition of use. (1 GC) All light sources take one hand to hold. If a Hero is equipped with weapons that require two hands, if he enters combat, it is assumed that the light source must be dropped. Candles, candelabras and torches will gutter out if dropped in the manor (and thus will require an action to light again). Lanterns, however, can be set down with no ill effect, then picked up again after the battle. In addition to these, fireplaces and chandeliers provide non-portable light sources.
FRONT LAWN If the Heroes explore this area, they will not turn up with very much. There is a single Gold Crown in the pool. The pool itself has an enchantment of refreshment, and if anyone bothers to drink from it, once per Expedition he will be refreshed and recover one expended Fate Point. This enchantment will not work for any Hero more than once per Expedition, and it has no benefit whatsoever if the imbiber is already up to his maximum Fate Points. The water retains no magical properties if taken away from the pool -- The benefit is only gained if the water is consumed right here at the pool. The runes on the ground are largely symbolic, but they serve an important purpose for later in the adventure. When the Heroes attempt to dispel the summoning of the Bloodthirster, they may attempt to do so by placing the treasures on the runes of the circle in the summoning chamber, or they may attempt to do so out here. Placing items that will fulfil the requirements of the dispelling (e.g., a gold coin on the Gold Rune, a silver fixture on the Grey Rune and so forth) will cause the rune in question to glow faintly. Actually performing the dispelling out here may save the Heroes from the hazards of having to go running out of the collapsing Manor later on.
ENTRANCE Hanging above the eastern corridor is a sign that reads "Welcome to the Humble Abode of Asmodine the Omnipotent. Please wait here for assistance, and do not proceed further." The floor tiles and walls immediately past the sign are noticeably scorched, and it looks as if there might be the charred remains of bones lying there. There are no torch sconces or other visible lighting along the corridors, save what the Heroes carry on their person.
TRAPPED HALL If any Hero should be present in the Trapped Hall without a light source, he will notice a few things. First of all, the secret door at the east end of the corridor is limned in light (coming from the Central Chamber), thus outlining its position. Secondly, a faint glow can be seen in the mouths of the dragon grotesques to either side of the fireball trap (i.e., a hint about the danger of walking by them).
CONSERVATORY The "large musical instrument" is a piano. There's not really a conceivable way for the piano to be moved by mundane means. If anyone should try to play the piano... As you reach for the ivory keys of the instrument with some trepidation, a curious feeling washes over you ... You find yourself pressing the keys with some skill, resulting in musical notes, one after the other. In a matter of moments, you are seated at the instrument, running your fingers across the keys, filling the Conservatory with a masterful musical performance. The performance will last up to 6 turns. If the Hero wishes to stop playing, he must pass an Intelligence test, and may make one test per turn, or lose all actions playing the piano. If the Hero is attacked, however, the spell automatically breaks, and he may defend himself and resume actions normally. While this performance is carrying on, any creatures in the room must pass Intelligence tests to do anything other than to stand still and listen. Again, if anyone is attacked, they may defend themselves, but once the threat is dealt with, if the piano is still playing, they must keep rolling to act. A Hero may choose to keep playing. He simply tries playing a new song for another 6 turns. Also in the room is a secret passage to the Armory, through the fireplace. If anyone examines the fireplace, he may discover that behind the flames is a dark space that is actually a tunnel into another room. If any Hero should try to pass through the raging flames, he will immediately take 3 damage dice of injury, unless he has some sort of protection from fire. Anyone wearing the Ruby Circlet will be unharmed, as the flames magically die down to allow passage, then rise again once the wearer is past. The flames can also be put out by dousing them with a large quantity of water, or some other means of smothering them. (If the Heroes come back on another Expedition, however, the fireplace will be lit again.) The bedroom door is locked. It is treated as having a Toughness of 8 and can take 2 Wounds, at which point it splinters open. It can be opened with the Master Key found on the mantle of the Library. Otherwise, a Dwarf or Rogue in the party may attempt to pick the lock by passing an Intelligence test. If anyone searches for treasure, they find 60 GCs worth of silver fixtures (there are six of them, worth 10 GC each) in the room. If anyone feels particularly destructive, ivory keys can be pried up from the piano, but they really have no sale value. It is possible for a short Warrior (a Dwarf, a Skaven, or even a Goblin) to attempt to hide under the piano. Attacks made against anyone cowering under the piano are penalized at -2 to hit. It is more likely that monsters will simply attack the piano itself -- In that case, the Piano has 3 Wounds and a Toughness of 10. If it is damaged, describe to the players that cracks in the wood glow as if with an inner light. If the attacker persists, when the piano is finally destroyed (reduced to 0 Wounds), it explodes, having the effect of a Fireball that affects all squares occupied by and adjacent to the piano's original location. (The piano is then removed, of course.)
BEDROOM Across the chamber, shelves and hooks hold spare changes of garments, outer robes and hats, and a stone idol squats directly across from the bed. The torches may be taken as light sources. If the room is searched for treasure, amongst the clothes and personal effects are treasure worth 40 GCs, and there is a Laboratory Key and a Bedroom Key. (Not that the bedroom key would be terribly useful at this point!) If anyone disturbs the bed, it turns out to be not quite what it seems -- It is, in fact, a golem, magically animated. Once someone touches (or, perish the thought, lies on) the bed, it will come to life and attack any models within its death zone (which would be all adjacent spaces) until it is slain, or no one remains within reach for a full turn. The bed has the same combat statistics as an Orc Warrior, except that it is unable to move on its own. If anyone actually climbs onto the bed (and therefore triggers it), the bed automatically gains surprise, and automatically hits on its first attack. Another surprise awaits anyone who stands in the space directly in front of the "idol" (marked on the map with an "x"). The idol is made of the same dull grey stone as the manor walls, save for its two eyes, which are fashioned of pieces of smoky grey quartz crystal. There is little time to examine it like this, however, as the statue rises to stand, adopting the same pose as (the warrior standing in front of it), and its stone features reshape themselves to become a rather remarkable duplicate image, complete with attire and equipment. As (the warrior) moves, so too does the statue, in mirror-image movements. If the Hero steps out of this space, the statue drops to a crouch again, and resumes its former appearance, no longer responding to anyone. If anyone other than the Hero attempts to attack the statue, any attack will automatically hit. The statue has a Toughness of 12 (!) and any one Wound is sufficient for it to crack and crumble, losing its magic. The quartz eyes can be removed by reaching over from one of the adjacent squares other than the one directly in front of it, or by destroying the statue. If either eye is removed, the statue will deanimate, freezing in its current form and position, until both eyes are replaced. If the person being "mirrored" attempts to pluck the eyes from the statue himself, he will receive 1 damage die of injury without benefit of his armor. (If he's wearing a helmet, after all, he won't have a chance at grabbing the eye.) If he's stubborn, he can pluck out a gem ... but at the cost of one of his own eyes, and another 3 damage dice of injury. (Not a good idea!) Losing one eye causes a reduction of -2 to Bow Skill, and -1 to Weapon Skill, and a whole lot of unnecessary pain. Each Quartz Eye is worth 25 GCs if sold.
ARMORY If the Heroes examine the Weapons Rack, they will find a Bronze Spear lying on the floor. It is usable as a normal spear, though it's a bit heavy. It is considered a magical weapon, and can therefore harm creatures that are Invulnerable, though it otherwise confers no special bonuses whatsoever. The Weapons Rack holds two Shields, a Halberd, a Magic Sword (never fumbles, +1 Strength), and a Hammer. The Magic Sword counts as a Runesword, and may be used by a mage with full benefits. The chest is locked, but can be opened by a Dwarf or a Rogue by making a successful Intelligence test, or else by taking it in to a settlement and paying 25 GCs to have the lock picked. Inside are three healing potions (heal all Wounds), but they aren't labeled as such. (So, someone will just have to quaff one to find out!) If there is an Alchemist (Gold Wizard) in the party, he can identify the potions, as can a Priest (Light Wizard). There is also a Jade Ring of Protection +1 that adds +1 to Toughness if worn. If there is a Druid (Jade Wizard) in the party, he will be able to recognize the purpose of the ring. Otherwise, actually wearing it will make its power evident.
LABORATORY The vaulted ceiling of this stone hall rises and disappears in a haze of bluish smoke, generated by incense candles burning on either side of a massive tome situated across the chamber, a candelabra standing to one side of the door, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The worn remnants of an old painted magic circle can be barely seen on the stone tiles of the floor, and tables and stands are scattered about the room, holding magical components, notes and other obscurita no doubt being of great importance to the wizard Asmodine. Three doors line the northern wall - two of them barred and visibly locked, suggesting that dungeon cells lie beyond. Ths is further emphasized by the sounds of snorting coming from behind the eastern-most door. Before there is a chance to explore the room further, however, there is a rattling of dry bones, as, from amidst the clutter of the chamber, the shambling forms of ambulatory skeletons come forth, hefting wicked-looking scythes. The room is defended by eight Skeletons, armed with scythes. They will under no circumstances leave the room, even to enter the Dungeon Cells or the Study. In the off chance that anyone who enters the room happens to be wearing clothes or robes taken from the Bedroom, the skeletons will only present themselves, then stand at attention, without attacking ... unless someone attacks them, at which point they will exclusively attack anyone who has proven to be "hostile". (Anyone who just stands there will be unharmed.) The skeletons have no treasure, though their scythes can be taken and used as halberds. It is possible to attack the skeletons with impunity by drawing them to one of the doorways, then attacking them with ranged weapons, just out of reach. The small table in the northwest corner holds a book on astronomy/astrology. It is a valuable text, and can be sold for 50 GCs. The small table in the northeast corner has a number of magical components. Most of them are expired, but if there is a Wizard in the party, there are four components useful for his particular College. (If there is more than one Wizard in the adventuring party, then have two components for each College represented.) In addition, there are a few other components, regardless of the makeup of your party: three Amber Beads, and one Gold Ring, worth 25 GCs each. Above the table is a peg on the wall with a Key Ring that unlocks both of the doors to the Dungeon Cells. The Dungeon Cell doors, incidentally, can be picked by a Rogue or Dwarf by passing an Intelligence test. The doors are magically enhanced, and cannot be bashed open by normal means. (If, however, the Heroes have any sort of magical items or spells pertaining to opening doors - or making openings in walls, for that matter - then they will work normally.) The bookstand at the south end of the room has a number of notes in it written by Asmodine himself. The book appears to be something of a personal journal for Asmodine, though unfortunately the majority of the pages are written in obscure scripts or even more obscure handwriting, and the rest of the pages are devoted to magical experiments of only academic interest to other Wizards. There are a few entries, however, that might be of some interest: ... remarkable results in the experimentation of creating ambulatory objects - golems. The bed has been a success, for ne'er again shall I have to worry about making the sheets properly. It makes itself! However, it seems to be very untrusting of strangers. I shan't be making any of these to put in the guest rooms I keep putting off building in the manor. I have similar problems with the ambulatory chairs - while they provide superior support and comfort to me, the same cannot be said for the unfortunate "stranger" who sits down in one. At present, I only find them practical to use as furnishings in areas where I can be the only one expected to sit down in them. Another experiment in this vein was a chest for storing valuables. The disagreeable creature keeps attempting to bite my hand off whenever I try to touch it, and it's certainly no nicer to anyone else. For the time being, I am keeping it confined, until such time as I can discern a means of training it properly. I cannot help but think that an intelligent chest would be immensely useful as a measure against would-be thieves. ... ... found it necessary to put in measures to dissuade my servants from stealing silverware in the dining hall. Toward this end, I placed some enchantments on the suits of armor I have stationed about the hall. Any would-be thieves are faced with an attack by four fearsome fiends, which I am certain will dissuade sticky-fingers from misplacing my spoons and forks. Since I wouldn't want to be bothered with the messy business of cleaning up afterwards - or inadvertently leading to the demise of some otherwise good help - the creatures are mere phantoms. Anyone "slain" by them is merely asleep ... giving me ample time to catch the culprit in the act, as it were, albiet napping on the dining hall floor. ... ... The fire sprite has been acting up again. While I find her powers indispensible for keeping the manor warm and powering that clever little fire trap near the front door, she has a tendency to pop out of the fireplaces and cause all sorts of mischief. Why, last week, she cooked one of the scullery maids! It's just this sort of thing that makes it so difficult to find good help around here. Fortunately, the sprite hasn't seen fit to directly attack me, her benefactor, but I have decided to take no chances. I have fashioned a circlet that should give me ample protection from fire - and, in particular, this mischievous little creature - should things get entirely out of hand. ... The large book at the east end of the room has instructions for an elaborate ritual designed to summon a creature of Chaos - and, presumably, to control it, though no mention is made here of that part of the ritual. There's a note tacked on at the end - some sort of rhyming riddle, which seems to be the style for the bulk of this tome.
For the summons to rescind,
Precious metals and jewels,
Eight colors, eight magicks, If a Wizard should read this, he should be reminded by the GM that there are eight Colleges of Magic, and each one of them focuses on a different "Wind of Magic" - as magic is seen as being driven by spiritual "winds" that blow across the world from the chaotic north, each "wind" having a different aspect. While High Elves are long-lived enough to be able to master all aspects of magic, human wizards divide up magic into the separate "Color Colleges". Each area of magic has a different focus, and they are typically identified by different colors. The truth behind this riddle is that, in order to banish the Chaos creature summoned by means of this incomplete ritual, eight treasures (precious metals or jewels) must be "sacrificed" by placing them on the appropriate parts of the Magic Circle in the middle of the Central Chamber, or else on the runes in the middle of the Front Lawn. There are a number of items to be found in the manor that can be used for this purpose, but if the Heroes unwittingly sell them off in town as treasure, it's possible to buy a suitable "treasure" of any particular material, for 25 GCs. (Actually, "Gold" is the easiest, since a single Gold Crown can be dropped there to fit the bill for a "treasure".) Below is a list of the magic colleges, followed by the color associated with them, and then a suggested precious jewel or metal to satisfy the requirement ... and a suggested treasure (or treasures) that can be found in the manor to serve as a sacrifice.
The large tome can be sold for 100 GCs, or else a Wizard character can choose to add it to his personal library. If he does so, he gets a discount of 200 GCs off the next spell he wishes to learn, or off of Training in Intelligence. He cannot then later choose to sell the book. (By then, it's just too used to be of much value.)
CHEST CELL This chest is, in fact, another magical golem. If anyone attempts to open it, pick it up, or otherwise disturb it, it will animate. Treat it as having the statistics of an Orc Warrior, except that it is incapable of moving from its current position. If someone awoke it by opening it and actually reaching inside, then the chest automatically wins Surprise and automatically hits the victim on its first hit. If the chest is slain, the contents can be safely accessed: a skeletal hand, 10 GCs, an Amethyst Jewel worth 25 GCs, and a Skeleton Key. If the key is picked up, it will wriggle around, revealing itself to be yet another animated creature. However, it is incapable of harming anyone. If a Hero decides to kill it, don't even bother rolling for it -- The key-creature is easily snuffed out. However, if a Hero actually tries to use the key in a lock, it may prove to be useful. Any Hero with the Skeleton Key may attempt to pick a lock in the same way as a Rogue or Dwarf, only at -2 to the roll. If a Rogue or Dwarf uses the Skeleton Key, he gets +2 to his normal roll. If the Skeleton Key is used in any lock in the manor, it will automatically open the lock, without requiring the aforementioned roll.
MINOTAUR CELL
The minotaur is first and foremost interested in getting out. It is not particularly bright, but if the Heroes actually try talking to it before opening up the cell, they can convince it to help them out if they set it free. If they take this approach, the Minotaur will act as a Henchman to the party leader for the remainder of this expedition. After that, it will part ways with the group at the first opportunity. If the cell door is opened up before making any deals, however, the Minotaur will just try to get out (It actually can fit through the door, amazingly enough) and will fight anything that gets in its way. The Minotaur has no treasure.
STUDY
The chair is another golem, which will attack only if someone bothers with it. If anyone actually sits on it, the chair automatically gains Surprise and makes an automatic first hit. It has statistics as an Orc, and cannot move on its own.
On the desk is a Lantern which can be used by the Heroes, and a Lapis Lazuli Globe that is worth 200 GCs. Also on the desk is a magic book worth 100 GCs. If a Wizard reads it, he may learn one additional spell from his College of Magic, but after that, the book's magic is expended, and it is useless. If he already knows all spells from his College of Magic, then the book is of no use to him, and it is not expended - It will just have to wait for some other Wizard to read it.
LIBRARY
Several Goblins have been tearing up the library. If the Heroes take too long getting here, there won't be as much worth getting! Six Goblins are hanging out here. Any loot that can be gained here depends on which Expedition the Heroes are on when they liberate the room.
There are two secret doors set in the north wall, but they can only be discovered by physically moving the bookcases. First, the bookcase in front of the western door must be moved, then there will be enough space to move the eastern bookcase.
If any adventurers think to check the fireplace, there is a Master Key on the mantle, fashioned of ivory. It may be used to unlock any locks found in the manor.
TORTURE CHAMBER
If anyone actually enters the room, the skulls and bones reassemble themselves into six Skeletons that attack with the equivalent of Halberds. (The devices are in such bad condition, however, that they are of no use to the Heroes.) The Skeletons are bound to this room, and will not leave it. If all (living) Heroes leave the room, the skeletons will fall apart again, until someone disturbs their rest once more. In the event that they should reduce a Hero to 0 Wounds and the other Heroes should abandon this Hero to his fate, he will be stuck on the rack and die a most unpleasant death ... then join the ranks of the Skeletons as a Zombie, with his former equipment, waiting for anyone who comes into the room.
Should the Skeletons be dispatched, the only "treasure" that can be salvaged from this room is a section of rope.
TROPHY ROOM
If anyone attempts to take any of the treasure from this room, a spell is triggered:
All at once, horrible screams and howls emit from the walls, which begin to seep blood. The very room itself seems to pulse with unholy life, and the floor no longer seems stable. Then, wispy spirits come forth from the walls, clawing at you, tearing at your flesh with stinging swipes!
Anyone present must make a Bravery test at -2 or run screaming from the room in a panic, dropping any treasure on the way. Anyone who passes the test must pass a Bravery test every turn while in the room.
If the Bronze Spear from the Armory is placed in the hands of the angel statue, the curse is lifted, and nothing ill will happen if anyone disturbs the contents. Replacing the spear will reinstate the curse, if anyone disturbs anything left in the room.
The trophy case has assorted baubles worth a total of 500 GCs. The treasure chest has another 300 GCs in it, plus a Ruby Sceptre worth 100 GCs, and an Amber Bracelet worth 50 GCs. There are also 3 Healing Potions (conveniently labeled and easily identified by any Alchemist or Priest) and 4 Magic Components (exact type to be determined by the GM, based on what Colleges are represented in the adventuring party).
DINING HALL
If anyone should sit down to eat a meal, nothing untoward will happen, per se. In fact, the bread and ale are quite refreshing. Any Hero partaking gets one Fate Point restored. (He can't get this bonus again until the next expedition.) If the Hero is already at maximum Fate Points, give the Hero one extra "temporary" Fate Point that lasts until used.
Not all of the meal is palatable, however. If anyone should lift the lid of the central silver platter, he'll find the main course: a roast goblin with an apple in its mouth. Mmm mmm!
Should the Heroes desire, they can loot. There are 100 GCs worth of silverware, plus a silver dagger (worth 25 GCs if sold, otherwise functioning as a normal dagger). The china can be swiped as well, but unless the Heroes have already cleared out the castle and expect to be able to make it out without a fight, it's not likely to survive the trip unless the Heroes take extraordinary measures to protect it. (For example, finding a chest, loading it up with linens and carefully packing the dishes inside.) If the Heroes should do this or make it out of the dungeon without the carrier(s) getting into combat, the dishes are worth another 100 GCs if sold.
If the Heroes start loading up on silverware or china, a magical trap will be triggered. Four illusory wraiths will emerge from the armor at the four corners of the room. These have the same statistics as Wraiths, except that any damage they inflict is illusory - That is, if a Hero "dies" from this, he merely falls unconscious, and will stay that way, once combat ends, for 1d6 Exploration Turns, unless someone wakes him up. The Wraiths, once they have all looters driven off or unconscious, despite being "illusory", are capable of carefully cleaning up the mess and putting the silverware and dishes back in place. They will chase after any Heroes running off with silverware or china, but will not pursue beyond the room if the Heroes leave empty-handed. If any dead bodies should be left in the dining hall, they get stuck in the Pantry, until they can be served up later.
Once everything is cleaned up, if there are no conscious looters present, the phantoms vanish. If one of the looters wakes up, the phantoms will not return unless the looter touches any silverware or china. (At the mere touch, the spirits will be out, as they're onto the Hero as a potential looter now.)
If a Wraith is "slain", a fully replenished replacement will emerge from the armor that spawned it. The illusory Wraiths can only be defeated by knocking over the suits of armor. To do so requires a successful Strength test. (Two Heroes working together make this much easier - They may add their Strengths together. If this totals 12 or more, they automatically succeed.) If a suit of armor is knocked over, the Wraith it spawned immediately vanishes.
A Hero that realizes that this is only an illusion can attempt to disbelieve in it. The Hero may attempt to make an Intelligence test at the start of the turn, but may not take any action to Attack or defend against the Wraiths for that turn. (Any attacks from the Wraiths automatically hit.) If the roll is successful, the Hero is immune to attacks from the Wraiths, but is unable to attack or otherwise affect them any longer (aside from toppling the suits of armor).
The suits of armor, alas, are decorative (and magical) rather than functional. However, four shields and four halberds can be salvaged from the grasp of the suits of armor, and used by the Heroes. These only count as normal items - they do not have any sort of magical enchantment.
Another surprise in this room is that there is a Fire Elemental that lurks in the fireplace here, though it can pop up from any of the fireplaces, the oven, the fire trap, and any open fire source. Treat it as if it has the combat statistics of an Orc Warrior, except that it is Invulnerable, and is totally immune to fire-based attacks, and it can cast Fireball once per encounter. (In fact, fire-based attack spells such as a Fireball actually serve to heal the Elemental, instantly healing all Wounds.) Conversely, it can be instantly dissipated by any ice-based or water-based magical attack. Dumping a bucket of water on it will inflict 1 Wound automatically. The Fire Elemental is cowardly, and if the Heroes are able to wound it, it will take the first opportunity to flee.
Should the Fire Elemental flee (by returning to the fireplace), it can pop up again later only if the GM has an Ambush or Wandering Monster or Character token to play, and if there is a fire source nearby. The Heroes can prevent its appearance by snuffing out any fire sources. Once it appears, this same method can be used to prevent its escape.
When the Fire Elemental first appears, it will spend the first two turns pirhouetting about and dancing, apparently harmlessly, unless it is first attacked. Once those first two turns of showing off are done with, however, it will attack the Heroes, tossing a fireball if appropriate, and continue to inflict as much damage as it can. If the Heroes should flee the dining hall, the Fire Elemental will not pursue, unless the Heroes are carrying with them some open fire source (such as torches) that the Elemental could potentially flee into, should things go badly. (It is, as stated before, cowardly.)
Should someone examine the fireplace, there is a Ruby Circlet on the mantle. If sold, this is worth 75 GCs as a treasure alone. Should its magical properties be discovered, it is worth 200 GCs. The wearer of the circlet is immune to any damage inflicted by the Fire Elemental, and is also immune to the fire trap. Furthermore, the wearer may attempt to control the Fire Elemental - By spending a turn to do so, the wearer may engage in a test of wills against the Elemental. The Hero and the Elemental should each roll 1d12 and add that to their respective Intelligence rolls. If the Hero scores higher, he gains control of the Elemental as a Henchman for the remainder of this expedition. The Elemental cannot leave the manor. If the Hero returns on another expedition, he has to find the Elemental again and beat it once more in order to regain control. If he should try to gain control and fail, the Elemental will immediately try to escape, and will not pop up again during this expedition whenever the wearer of the circlet is present.
The wearer of the Ruby Circlet has partial protection from fire-based attacks. Any time a Wound is inflicted against the wearer due to fire, roll 1d12. On an even number, the Wound is ignored. The Ruby Circlet cannot be worn in addition to a magical helm, crown or hat of any sort.
If the Heroes should visit the Dining Hall again, depending upon their actions, things may be different. For one thing, the "main course" may consist of some monster the Heroes slew during their last trip.
KITCHEN
Unless the actions of the Heroes would have afforded them a chance to escape, there are two Goblins cowering in here, hiding from the phantoms. Of course, they'll gladly attack anything that walks in.
If the Heroes should search for loot, in addition to a wealth of herbs and spices (not really worth much of anything as far as treasure goes), they can scrounge the equivalent of two daggers, plus there's one candle. There is also a keg of high quality ale, which is worth 100 GCs if sold, but which is very bulky - A Hero carrying the Keg moves at half normal Speed, and can't perform any leaps or other such nimble feats without setting it down first. This ale is fairly strong, unless watered down. If anyone but a Dwarf attempts to drink it, he must pass a Toughness test or pass out. (He'll have to be carried out of the dungeon.) In any case, anyone who quaffs some of the ale is at a penalty of -1 to BS and WS for the remainder of the Expedition, but is immune to Fear. A Healing Potion serves as an antidote to the effects of the ale - both beneficial and not.
In case the Heroes should need them for any odd schemes they have in mind, there are numerous pots and pans in here, and also a large bucket. There is a working pump spicket that can be used to fill up a bucket full of water, but it will require a successful Intelligence test for anyone to figure out what it is and how to use it. (After all, a pump is quite an innovation. In the Old World, people use wells.) This can be useful for dealing with the Fire Elemental in the next room over.
PANTRY
On the floor is a giant mouse - er, Skaven trap. If the Heroes opt to loot the corpse, they find nothing salvageable save for a pouch with 5 GCs in it.
In the cabinet is a gutted Snotling (very small Goblin) ready to be fixed up for tomorrow night's dinner, and assorted other supplies. If a Hero is persistent in searching through these "supplies", he manages to find a Healing Potion (conveniently labeled) in amongst them, and a bottle labeled "Sobriety Tonic". If the latter is ingested, it negates the effects of drunkenness, for better or for worse. It does nothing, however, for hangovers. The Tonic is worth 25 GCs if sold off.
The cupboard also sports some worthwhile treasure: there are five copper chalices, each imbedded with a different gem, worth 50 GCs each - one Sapphire Chalice, one Emerald Chalice, one Diamond Chalice, one Ruby Chalice, and one Amethyst Chalice.
One of the kegs is full of wine worth a total of 200 GCs if sold. Like the keg of ale, it is bulky and heavy, and the Hero carrying it is at half Speed, and unable to perform Heroic Leaps or other such stunts. The other keg has some wine in it, but not enough to be worth anything, as it is almost empty.
CENTRAL CHAMBER
If anyone passes near the Central Chamber, and is carefully listening, he can pick up sounds of chanting through the wall. The secret door on the western side of this chamber can be discovered by anyone who thinks to look for a door in that corridor. If anyone should be wandering around in the darkness without a light, the light seeping through the gaps in the secret door will give away its presence for certain.
The details of what is found inside the chamber when the Heroes enter it depend upon how long it took them to get there, and whether any Goblins escaped from encounters to warn the Shaman. If the Shaman was warned, then if the Heroes took their time getting here, some of the guards from other areas should be congregated here instead.
The secret door opens into the heart of Asmodine's manor, a central chamber with a ceiling that rises upward, forming the central tower. At the base of this tower is a magical circle inscribed upon the floor, inlaid with multi-colored mosaic tiles, depicting the runes of the eight Colleges of Magic. Next to ths circle is a table with a great and heavy tome set upon it, flanked by two flickering candles. Light from the candles dances across the hideous visage of a great monster - a Bloodthirster of Khorne!
Assuming the adventurers make it here on their first expedition...
The Bloodthirster, thank goodness, is just a statue ... for now. Present in the chamber is one Goblin Shaman, one Orc Champion, an Orc Standard Bearer (treat as a regular Orc Warrior), and a regular Orc Warrior, plus four Goblins with spears (treat as halberds). The models should be placed immediately upon opening the door. Surprise will depend upon the situation - If the Heroes have heard the chanting or otherwise know that something's going on in here, and if the Shaman has not been warned, the Heroes automatically gain surprise. If the Shaman has been warned, and the Heroes have no clue as to what might be behind this door, then the Orcs and Goblins automatically gain Surprise. Otherwise, dice off normally, but the Heroes get a +2 bonus, since the Shaman is distracted with his ritual.
The ritual to summon the Bloodthirster has already been enacted, but the Shaman is trying to enact his own spell to control the monster. At first, the Orcs and Goblins will move to interpose themselves between the Shaman and the Heroes. The Shaman will be busily trying to continue the ritual, unless he is personally attacked - at which point he'll realize that his Orcs can't handle it, and he needs to join the battle.
The statue of the Bloodthirster is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible, and will stubbornly resist easy efforts to displace or destroy it. (A Pit of Tarnus, for instance, will merely delay the inevitable, as when the Bloodthirster finally arrives, it will burst up through the floor.)
If the Heroes succeed in defeating the Shaman, the following occurs:
The walls of the chamber echo with unearthly laughter, and a sulphurous wind rushes about the room, causing all open flames to gutter out and die. A faint reddish glow comes to the eyes of the statue, and though the mouth does not move, a hollow voice booms forth, "Thank you, foolish mortals, for now I come to you, unbound by sorceries! Prepare for a glorious fight, as I shall bless you all with the honor of dying in combat with a Bloodthirster of Khorne! Blood for the blood god!" The reddish glow seems to be slowly spreading, as veins of color bleed outward through the stone. The process is a gradual one, but it appears that the statue is slowly transforming.
During the process of the transformation, the statue is still impervious to harm. If anyone tries to gauge just how long they have, the Heroes have 12 Exploration Turns until the Bloodthirster manifests itself. (To keep track of the passage of time, use a 12-sided die as a counter, set to the side of the playing area.) At that point, the Bloodthirster may be attacked, but it is still Invulnerable, and a bit of a challenge for the Heroes. It will attempt to slay any Heroes present in the manor, but it will also attack any Orcs or Goblins as well. It is indiscriminate in who it attacks, though if anyone is actually capable of harming it, it will single out those threats first. Being a servant of Khorne, though, flight is not an option if it is outmatched - it will fight to the death.
The Heroes may attempt to head off this summoning, if they have figured out the riddle in the Laboratory. Each segment of the Magic Circle is another color, and if the Heroes can put a treasure that features a precious metal or gemstone of the appropriate color onto each section of the Circle, it will enact an enchantment that will send the Bloodthirster back ... though any treasures sacrificed in this way are gone forever. The Heroes may well have items in their possession that could be used to fulfil the requirements, but here are some possible treasures that can be used for each section of the wheel:
Within a single action, any Hero can place one or more items in his possession on the Circle, and arrange them. To be a valid "sacrifice", any item must consist of a precious metal or gem that is of the same color as the section of the wheel, and the item must be worth at least 25 GCs. As soon as one item that fulfils the requirement rests in each of the sections of the circle, the sacrifices will vanish, the Bloodthirster will roar in anguish, the statue will turn back to stone ... then crumble into dust and disperse. If the Heroes should be overly generous and put more than one item in any section, all qualifying "sacrifices" will be consumed.
The Bloodthirster can also be "banished" by simply killing it with whatever means the Heroes have available. In either case, the result is the same.
As the idol cracks and crumbles, the Bloodthirster pauses in its roaring long enough to bellow, "So, you think that you can defeat me so easily, do you? What matter - I shall see that you pay for your impertenance, as this worthless sorceror's manor comes crashing down about your ears!" As the statue breaks apart and the portions crumble into dust, cracks appear in the stone walls of the room. Even as the dust of the statue begins to disperse, carried upon magical winds, chunks of rock begin to fall from the ceiling, and crashing noises can be heard elsewhere in the manor.
At this point, the Heroes have a limited amount of time to get out of the manor (if, that is, they're even in the manor when they perform this ritual -- they could very well be outside). The GM, out of fairness, should feel free to give the Heroes a break if for some reason they haven't enough time to get free, so long as they're making a good effort of dashing out without tarrying.
Any undead creatures in the manor crumble to dust immediately, and the "Wraiths" from the Dining Hall are permanently dispelled as the house begins to fall apart. The Fire Elemental, "controlled" or not, flees into a nearby explosion, and the Fire Trap will no longer function. Any Orcs, Goblins or other monsters present will care nothing about dealing with the Heroes unless given no other choice - they'll just make a mad dash for the exit.
For the first three turns thereafter, the Heroes may flee, accompanied by reports of crashing stones all about them. On the fourth turn, breaks appear in the outermost wall - Basically, if any Hero can make it to the outer wall, he can find a conveniently-located hole to dash through, to safety. Anyone foolish enough to still be in the Central Chamber is crushed to death by a cascade of falling rocks. (If the Hero is within two spaces of the doorway, allow the Hero to leap through upon making a successful Speed test.)
For the fifth turn thereafter, roll randomly on the following table to see what room collapses. If any Hero is in that room and within two spaces of an exit, the Hero can escape the room upon making a successful Speed test. Otherwise, the Hero is crushed and killed, along with all of his equipment.
If you roll any location that has already been crushed, then blocks fall from the ceilings of the passages. Have every Hero, Henchman and monster still in the manor who happens to be in a passage roll 1d12. On an even number, a falling block falls on the model. If the model makes a successful Speed test, he jumps out of the way. Otherwise, the model takes 4 damage dice of injury. (If the model is wearing a helmet, reduce that to 3 damage dice of injury.)
If a Hero should be trapped in one of the smaller rooms because another one adjoining it has already collapsed, the walls of the smaller room are broken enough that the Hero can slip through any wall that adjoins a passageway, in order to escape the "trapped" room.
In the event that all rooms have collapsed, and there are any Heroes still dashing about the passageways, the next turn, the whole manor collapses, and that's the end of anyone still inside. (At this point, any Hero should have had ample time to get out, or else he had no chance of escape anyway.)
Alternately, if the game has been winding on fairly long, this last part of the game can be pretty tedious. If the Heroes seem inclined to beat a trail out of the manor as quickly as possible, and not to tarry to do last-minute treasure-gathering, then an option would just be to narrate the manor crashing down about them, as they make a panicked break for the exit, narrowly making it just in time ... rather than playing out all the dice-rolling details.
For completing the adventure in a single expedition, every Hero gets 2 Fate Points, and, for averting catastrophe, a reward of 600 GCs to be divided up between the Heroes.
MULTIPLE EXPEDITIONS
The situation will change if the Heroes can't deal with the dangers in the manor in a single expedition, and head out to rest up, buy equipment, hire Henchmen, and so forth. For one thing, the Orcs and Goblins will receive reinforcements and be better equipped to repel invaders. For another, if they take too long, the Bloodthirster will run loose, wreaking havoc!
EXPEDITION #2
The Orc and Goblin forces receive reinforcements in the form of two Goblin Archers, four Goblin Warriors, and four Goblin Spearmen.
In the off chance that the Heroes are stealthy commandos who have done little to announce their presence, the Goblins may be somewhat reinforced, but they may not necessarily be better prepared against the Heroes. For this situation to occur, the Heroes would have to take care to hide any evidence of their involvement, and make sure that no Orcs or Goblins escape to warn the Shaman. Bodies would need to be disposed of, as well as any blatant clues of the Heroes' presence. If the Goblins then discover that several of their number are missing, they won't immediately assume that the Heroes are to blame - Rather, they already know that the manor has a few dangers in it, and may assume that a few numbskulls fell prey to them. If the Heroes cleared the Conservatory or the Library, those locations will be left "clean" when they return, as the Goblins assume that there's some trap in there. Any reinforcements will be moving about in groups in the corridors, and the Central Chamber will not have any changes at all.
More likely, however, is that the Heroes will have left their mark, and the Goblins can figure out that some adventurers have been lurking about. First off, if the Heroes are weak in terms of archery, an Goblin Archer serving as a sentry will shoot down the trapped corridor, confident that the Heroes can't reach him (or, if they try, they'll suffer more than from just arrows). If the Heroes have the Ruby Circlet, unless the Goblins have witnessed them using it (and lived to tell the tale), they won't have any reason to suspect the Heroes can go right through the trap. Other Goblins will lie in wait in an ambush in one of the rooms.
If the Heroes defeat the Bloodthirster (and, presumably, the Orcs and Goblins), they only get 1 Fate Point for their accomplishment, but they still get the 600 GC reward to split up.
EXPEDITION #3
The Orcs and Goblins receive reinforcements in the form of four Orc Warriors and four Goblin Spearmen.
When the Heroes arrive, time is running out. Unless they've hidden their presence previously, they can expect an ambush set up for them, making use of the new reinforcements. In 12 turns from the point that the Heroes arrive, the ritual will be completed, and the Bloodthirster will manifest itself. Unless the Heroes disrupt the ritual by attacking the Shaman, the Bloodthirster will be under the control of the Shaman, and therefore will only attack the Heroes, rather than any Orcs or Goblins in sight. If the Shaman is slain or incapacitated, however, the Bloodthirster will be free to rampage. Unless the Heroes have proven that they are capable of hurting it seriously, the Bloodthirster will turn on any Orcs and Goblins present as soon as it is freed. Any Orcs and Goblins present will flee unless cornered, due to panic at the sudden shift of allegiance. The Bloodthirster can be banished as described before.
If the Heroes somehow have been very secretive about their presence, the same situation applies, just that there's no ambush ready for them.
If the Heroes defeat the Bloodthirster, they get 1 Fate Point each, plus a 600 GC reward to split up.
EXPEDITION #4
If the adventurers should actually leave the manor and come back, they'll learn that the Bloodthirster has been laying waste to the countryside, using the manor as its lair. All Orcs and Goblins have been purged from the manor, as the Bloodthirster overcame the control of the Shaman. The Bloodthirster will be expecting the Heroes' return, and is quite aware of the means of banishing it. It will rearrange any contents of the manor to make things as inconvenient for the Heroes as possible.
First of all, all treasure items that could possibly be used to send it back are removed from the manor. If the Heroes wish to banish the Bloodthirster, they'll have to bring their own treasures. The magic book will be destroyed. At the entrance, the passages leading off to the north and south will be blocked off, forcing the Heroes to traverse the fire trap in order to proceed, or to head into the Laboratory, where the Bloodthirster awaits with all of the Skeletons from the Laboratory and the Torture Chamber that are left, plus the Minotaur (if it's still alive and hasn't run off) drafted to its service. The Minotaur waits in its cell (which isn't locked anymore), and the Bloodthirster waits in the Study, while the Skeletons lie in ambush.
If the Heroes should head down the corridor toward the Central Chamber, they'll find that the secret passage there has been securely sealed. (The Bloodthirster, after all, has no need to be in there.) The only way the Heroes can get in is if they have some means of magic for getting through walls (such as Grey Magic). Of course, there's still the circle of runes around the fountain outside, as an option, as the Bloodthirster has largely overlooked the possibility that there might be two ways of performing the dispelling ritual. Other rooms they can reach have been largely deprived of anything they might find useful, with the exception of a few overlooked items in the Library, if the heroes haven't already looted it.
At this stage, the Heroes pretty much have to defeat the Bloodthirster by killing it outright, along with its minions.
If the Heroes complete their mission, they receive no Fate Points for finishing the adventure, and they only get 400 GCs to split up amongst the party as a reward. (Times have been tough, what with the Bloodthirster trashing the countryside.)
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