Guide to Running the Three Faces of Evil, Part 2

 Part 2: The Dark Cathedral

1. Entry
   
   • Summary: A large, mostly empty room with a fountain filled with inky black liquid. Three passages lead to each of the temples of evil.
   • Checks:
     • DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) around the pool to find clues that folks have tried to dig fingernails into the stones about the pool to avoid being immersed.
   • Threats: Touching the pool causes 1 cold damage. Submersion in the pool causes 4d10 cold damage. Two warrior veterans stand guard in this room. One engages the party, while the other heads east to alert the cultists of Hextor.
   • Rewards: An offering in the basket near the fountain of 100 gp and a statue of Ethrynul worth 300 gp.
   • Development: The guard will attempt to warn reinforcements in the Temple of Hextor. At the end of the adventure, the Aspect of the Overgod will emerge (probably) from the pool.
2. Chamber of the Guardians
   • Summary: Eight suits of armor with skeletons inside line the room. If the party opens the door without the proper knock or the guard reaches the room before the party, all the skeletons attack. Each suit of armor is adorned with bells, alerting the cultists to intruders and visitors.
   • Threats: 8 skeletons with AC 18.
   • Development: See the table at the bottom of this post for how combat develops in the temple. In my play through, the cultists in room 3 escaped and freed the boar and alerted the clerics, while the party blocked the veterans in room 4 until they dealt with the boar and skeletons. 
3. Chamber of the Faithful
   • Summary: Cultists loyal to the temple squat in this chamber.
   • Checks: DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) to find the treasure.
   • Threats: 5 cultists
   • Rewards: Holy symbol of Hextor worth 100 gp and a ceremonial dagger worth 50 gp.
   • Developments: The cultists will leave at the sound of battle to first unleash the beast, and then alert the clerics of Hextor.
4. Guard Chamber
   • Summary: A chamber for guards who watch the door.
   • Checks: DC 13 Intelligence (investigation) to find treasure.
   • Threats: 2 warrior veterans
   • Rewards: Pouch with 20 pp and gold necklace worth 100 gp
   • Developments: The guards here move to delay attackers in area 2.
5. Chamber of the Beast
   • Summary: A pen containing a beast trained by the cult.
   • Checks: DC 13 Dexterity check with Thieves ’ Tools to open the padlock on the beast’s cage.
   • Threats: 1 giant boar
   • Developments: The boar moves to attack intruders, while the cultists head to area 6.
6. Inner Guard Chamber
   • Summary: Secondary guard chamber
   • Checks: If the door is barred, it requires a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to open.
   • Threats: 3 warrior veterans
   • Rewards: One guard has a silver ring inlaid with emeralds worth 200 gp.
   • Developments: Alerted guards here will bar and defend the door while the clerics in area 9 are notified and prepare for the intruders.
7. Barracks (empty save for some weapons)
8. Priests’ Chambers
   • Summary: Chamber of a pair of married priests of Hextor, Garrus and Kendra.
   • Checks: DC 13 Dexterity (thieves’ tools) check to open the chest in the room.
   • Threats Garrus (Priest) and Kendra (Howling Hatred Priest)
   • Rewards: 200 gp, a jeweled bracelet worth 500 gp, and a wand of entangle.
9. Chapel of Hextor
   • Summary: A desecrated altar of Hextor with two zombies guarding it.
   • Checks: DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check to identify a glyph of warding on the secret panel, and a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to disarm
   • Threats: 2 troglodyte zombies who have advantage on checks against turn undead thanks to the desecrate effect.
   • Rewards: 250 gp golden chalice, 2 silver holy symbols of Hextor worth 50 gp each, and a silvered sacrificial dagger worth 150 gp.
10. Theldrick’s Chamber
    • Summary: The High Priest of Hextor’s chamber, containing scrolls detailing the cult’s plans (handout #1).
    • Checks: None
    • Threats: Theldric, a war priest.
    • Rewards: 70 gp and a bust of a dwarven king worth 2000 gp to the right buyer.
11. Battle Temple of Hextor
• Summary: A battleground for the followers of Hextor with a large statue of the god in the middle.
• Checks: A DC 13 Strength check will topple the statue to create a bridge to the ledge.
• Threats: None, though enemies converge and funnel the characters here.
• Rewards: 1000 gp ruby set into the forehead of the statue.
• Development: If the characters can't make it past the door in room 6, they will be forced to battle the cultists here on grounds of their choosing. Theldrick, Garrus, and Kendra will attack from the rim of the temple, while zombie and remaining cultists and veterans attack at ground level. Enterprising characters will notice they can topple the statue to reach the rim with the priests. 

Summary of Enemy Responses

Round after combat starts	Location	Action
1	3	cultists move to area 5
1	4	Guards engage PCs in delaying action in area 2
2	3	Cultists enter area 5 and unleash the Beast
3	3	Cultists move toward area 6
3	5	Beast moves to engage PCs
4	3	Cultists alert guards in area 6
5	3	cultists go to area 7 and alert the clerics
5	6	Guards bar the door to area 6.
6	3 & 7	cultists and clerics alert Theldric in area 9
7	3, 7, and 9	Cultists, clerics, zombies, and Theldric move to the ledge in area 11 to await intruders

Guide to Running the Three Faces of Evil, Part 1

Introduction

• See my review of the adventure here. 
• Find the web supplement here. 
• This guide will be in four parts. This section will cover the Call to Action and entering the mine, followed by posts for the three wings of the dungeon. 

Call to Action

This is how I changed the Call to Action. Telegraph to your characters that it's meant to be a strong start to introduce a recurring villain, and admit that you are railroading them for the sake of the story. If they really resist, have the other mine managers, Allustan, or some other ally of the party step in and get them released. That NPC can then relate the information below if needed.

At the end of The Whispering Cairn, as the characters exit the cave, they are arrested by Sheriff Cubbins and a dozen guardsmen for breaking into the observatory and stealing from Filge. Once in jail, Balabar Smenk comes visiting. After threatening the characters a bit, he tells them the following:

• Ragnolin Dourstone is in league with a religious cult operating out of a temple beneath his mine.
• He was introduced to the cult leaders by Ragnolin to procure supplies for the cultists, but he thinks the cultists are bad for business and are responsible for the undead appearing in town.
• Additionally, he says the cultists double-crossed him and killed one of his top men.
• He’ll see to the characters’ release if they go to the mine, get past the miners, and find an elevator on the lowest level that will take them to the temple.
• He thinks there are multiple evil gods involved. Hextor is the only one he is certain is involved.
• If the characters clear the temple, he will clear their names, and maybe even have more work for them later. If not…he swings a noose about.
• The characters have one week before Smenk believes the cultists are planning some foul ritual - they must stop them before then.

An Alternate Path

The adventure assumes you will sneak into or otherwise infiltrate the mine. However, its also reasonable for the characters to visit Ragnolin and determine he is under some sort of mind control. Clerics from the churches of Wee Jas or St. Cuthbert could help the characters break the mind control, offering another potential path into the mine.

The Mine

• The miners are some of the most down on their luck people in Diamond Lake, including criminals serving hard labor.
• Ragnolin pays his guards a high wage so they will strongly police his poorly paid miners
• Guards
  • There are a total of 24 guards, all of them thugs.
  • Daytime guards are humans, nighttime dwarves.
  • Two sets of four guards walk the mine perimeter.
  • A full loop takes one hour.
  • Two more guards at the gate, and two in the watchtower.
  • Four of the guards are cultists of Hextor who run to the mine in the event of trouble.
  • The guards are hard to bribe; each one requires a 50 gp bribe to get advantage on DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
• The miners
  • 40 total
  • Miners work sunrise to sunset
  • Miners easy to bribe - 1 sp gives advantage on DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) checks
  • Miners can easily be convinced to mess with the guards for the PCs if bribed with 1 gp or more.
  • Miners scatter at the first sign of trouble.
• The Foremen
  • 3 humans
    • Gerald runs the office and administration
    • Lordren has a limp and commands the camp
    • Carr is his assistant with a lazy eye
  • Ragnolin is usually at the mine for 2-4 hours in the middle of the day
• Elevator
  • Characters can hear about the location of the newly installed elevator from anyone friendly in the camp.
  • Someone must be outside the elevator cart to operate the elevator. Miners mill nearby, but no one is assigned to operate it.

Sample Guards

1. Jorek “Ironhand” Malven

• Race/Role: Dwarf thug (night shift perimeter guard)
• Appearance: Thick-set with a broken nose and scarred knuckles. Keeps his helmet polished like it’s the only pride he has.
• Personality: Gruff and humorless; loves reminding miners he makes three times their wage.
• Hook: Secretly one of the Hextor cultists; if trouble flares, he drops the guard act and fights with religious zeal.

---

2. Taren Hollis

• Race/Role: Human thug (daytime gate guard)
• Appearance: Sun-reddened skin, missing two front teeth, always chewing a reed.
• Personality: Lazy but loyal to coin. Won’t risk his steady pay for bribes unless it’s very lucrative (50 gp minimum).
• Hook: Likes to gamble after shifts—if the PCs learn his debts, they might use that leverage.

---

3. “Watchtower” Kurn

• Race/Role: Dwarf thug (nighttime watchtower guard)
• Appearance: Wears an eyepatch (lost the eye to shrapnel in a cave-in) and claims he can see better without it.
• Personality: Paranoid, constantly scanning the shadows. Obsessed with discipline and barking at the miners for fun.
• Hook: Not a cultist himself, but loyal to those who are. Will run for reinforcements quickly if the alarm is raised.

---

Sample Miners

1. Daven Rill

• Race/Role: Human miner (serving hard labor for theft)
• Appearance: Gaunt with hollow cheeks and a permanent cough. Shackled around one ankle during shifts.
• Personality: Bitter, defeated, but quick to take a coin.
• Hook: Could be convinced to sabotage equipment for the PCs—he’s already got nothing to lose.

---

2. “Weasel” Corbin

• Race/Role: Human miner (volunteer, desperate for work)
• Appearance: Lank hair, darting eyes, twitchy hands.
• Personality: Nervous, eager to please, but will run at the first sign of a fight.
• Hook: Knows the patrol patterns inside and out, and will share them for a single silver.

---

3. Maela Junn

• Race/Role: Half-elf miner (former petty thief)
• Appearance: Wiry, arms covered in soot, wears a torn green scarf as her last keepsake.
• Personality: Sarcastic, distrustful of authority, but sympathetic to outsiders.
• Hook: If bribed, she’ll create a distraction to draw the guards off—but she’ll expect the PCs to cover her escape if things go south.

Next time, we will sover The Dark Cathedral, Temple to Hextor. 

Running the Age of Worms Adventure Path

This post will collect links to the Age of Worms content I have written in one handy post. I'll update it as I add more posts. I'll also occasionally update where I am at in the conversion process. Today, I have posts scheduled through January (appearing every Sunday) covering the Three Faces of Evil. My conversion of the next adventure, Encounter at Blackwall Keep, is done, and I am running the adventure now. I expect the guides for it to post in February, and I am working on my conversion for the fourth adventure, The Hall of Harsh Reflections, now. 

Reviews

The Whispering Cairn

The Three Faces of Evil

Guides

The Whispering Cairn

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

The Three Faces of Evil

Coming Soon!

Other Supplements

Player's Guide to Diamond Lake

 Guide to Running The Whispering Cairn, Part 3

This part of the guide covers the interlude to put Alaster Land to rest. 

Part Three: Tomb Stories

• The characters head back to the old Land farmstead with Alaster Land’s bones. Unfortunately, when they arrive, they find the graves have been robbed, and a wounded owlbear occupies the abandoned farmhouse
• There are 5 gravesites, all empty:
  • Anders Land (531 CY - 564 CY)
  • Bermissa Land ((534-576 CY)
  • Coldaran Land (550-576 CY)
  • Gertia Land (564-576 CY)
  • Alastor Land (552-? CY)
• A DC 9 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals wheelbarrow tracks leaving the gravesites and heading towards Diamond Lake.
• Inside the farmhouse is a wounded owlbear with 50 hp that immediately attacks anyone who enters.
• A baby owlbear, only a few months old, hides in the back of the hut. It will latch onto the first character to show it kindness. Baby owlbears can be sold for as much as 3000 gp. If the characters choose to keep it, it will be a handful.
• A DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check discovers a dismembered arm with a tattoo. A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check remembers it is the symbol of a mine manager who was driven out of business just over a year ago by Balabar Smenk. Another DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check recalls gang members often hang out at the Feral Cock.

Part Four: The Feral Cock

• The graverobbers (4 thugs) are holed up here, led by an albino half-orc berserker named Kullen. All have tattoos that match the severed arm.
• Balabar Smenk asked Kullen to go to Filge and give him whatever help he needed, and he wanted corpses. Kullen resented the ask, but is in debt to Balabar. He’s initially indifferent to the characters, but can be persuaded or intimidated into giving the characters information. Alternatively, the characters can just beat it out of him.
• Kullen has a potion of healing in his possession, along with 9 gp.
• If characters can’t get information about Filge and his observatory the first time, Kullen and his thugs will look to ambush them later.

Part 5: The Observatory

1. Landing
   • Summary: Small tool closet with a crawling claw, locked door into the observatory.
   • Checks: DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to pick the lock. Failure by 5 or more alerts the skeletons in the next room, as does bashing the lock.
   • Threats: Crawling claw in the tool closet.
   • Developments: If the characters make too much noise, the skeletons in the next room will have an advantage on initiative.
2. Watchers In the Dark
   • Summary: Animated skeletons from the Land’s remains take cover behind a table and attack the characters in a debris-filled room.
   • Checks: DC 12 Wisdom (medicine) check to identify marks of the Red Death plague, meaning these remains match the cause of death of the Land family.
   • Threats: All squares are difficult terrain. Three skeletons attack the party.
3. Abandoned Office
4. Cenobitic Chambers
   • Checks: A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check in one of the chambers finds a pouch hidden behind a drawer with 6 pp and 5 gp.
5. Feasting Hall
   • Summary: A zombified feast hall is set for a dinner party. If a character sits at the head of the table, the zombies act out a lavish dinner party.
   • Treasure: The full set of silverware is worth 200 gp.
6. Kitchen
7. Pantry
8. Storage Closet
9. Bedchamber
   • Summary: Filge’s bedchamber, filled with eccentricities. Accessible via stairs or windows from the roof of the attached observatory building. Filge is present here from 2 am until noon. each day. His owl keeps watch while he sleeps. The head also has a magic mouth cast on it to scream “Intruder!” if touched.
   • Treasure: Syringes that function as the following potions: Healing, Comprehension, and Water Breathing.
   • Developments: A handout with the note Smenk sent to Filge is also in the room.
10. Closet
11. Operating Theatre
    • Summary: Filge’s laboratory, where he is trying to create a powerful new zombie.
    • Checks:
    • Threats: For Filge, use a Necromancer Wizard without circle of death or summon undead. The creatures in the vats are three zombies and one Strahd zombie. The skeleton of Gertia Land also protects Filge. He has a syringe that acts as a potion of false life, and has already cast mage armor and mage hand when the PCs enter the room.
    • Treasure: Filge has operating instruments worth 500 gp. There is also a 20 gp emerald embedded in the corpse. Lastly, there is a worm of Kyuss embedded in embalming fluid.
    • Developments: Filge quickly spills his guts if intimidated or persuaded.
      • Balabar recruited him from the Free City for his undead expertise. Something is going on in the Dourstone mine involving cultists of the Ebon Triad and undead. Smenk is scared of the place, and that scares Filge.
      • He stole the skeletons because he needed helpers and had no idea who they were.
      • The Cult of the Ebon Triad follows Hextor, Erthynul, and Vecna all at once.
      • The worm likely once belonged to a spawn of Kyuss - a kind of zombie, and likely the “unkillable undead” Balabar was talking about.
      • No one knows much about Kyusss. It is said he appeared in a Rift Canyon far to the north and had an undead dragon general. Only his worms remain, along with his title: Harbinger of the Age of Worms.

 Guide to Running the Whispering Cairn, Part 2

This is the second part of my guide to running The Whispering Cairn from the Age of Worms adventure path, originally published in 2005 in Dungeon 124. Part 2 covers the false tomb and the rest of the Cairn. Part 3 will cover the interlude that requires the characters to leave the Cairn to help put Alaster Land's spirit to rest and access the true tomb. 

7. False Tomb

   • Summary: A complex false tomb leading to the rest of the dungeon. A sarcophagus with a bas-relief depiction of a Wind Duke sits in the middle of the chamber.

   • Checks:

     • DC 20 Intelligence (History) check to know the sigil identified an ancient elemental entity of some renown.
     • DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to rotate the sarcophagus. The tomb initially points to the orange lantern.
     • DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check to see circular depressions in the alcove beneath each lantern.

   • Threats:

     Sarcophogus Trap

     Nuisance Trap (Level 1-4)

     Trigger: Moving the sarcophagus lid.

     Duration: Instantaneous

     Any creature attempting to remove the lid triggers a burning hands spell in the direction of the creature. Each creature in a 15-foot cone from the triggering creature makes a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

     Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can examine the lid and make a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check to detect the magical rune that triggers the trap. It can only be deactivated via a dispel magic.

   • Developments:

     • To proceed, the characters need to find the two missing lanterns (indigo in area 5, and red in the Laborers’ Lair) and put lit candles in all seven lanterns.
     • Red Lantern: missing and is in the Laborer’s area
     • Orange Lantern: The platform points here with no torch.
     • Yellow Lantern: Pointing the platform here summons an arcane elevator to the architect of the tomb’s personal quarters. It conveys one person at a time down to the chambers. A button at the bottom of the shaft calls the elevator back down
     • Green Lantern: This lantern contains a torch that has a continual flame cast on it. When the sarcophagus points at it, the elevator collapses, and two swarms of larvae climb out and attack the nearest PC. Characters can easily climb down the pitted passage to area 15.
     • Blue Lantern: A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the ceiling is higher than other alcoves and in darkness, and a human skeleton is on the ground. A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals the skeleton likely died due to blunt force trauma, like falling from a great height. Hidden in the darkness in the ceiling is an opening to Area 8. Reaching the opening requires a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to climb the wall.
     • Indigo Lantern: This lantern was stolen and could be found in the backpack in area 5. When the dias is pointed at this alcove, an elevator is called. On the floor of the cylinder is debris, including rags and crushed bones. If anyone stands inside it for two consecutive rounds, they will be crushed when the door closes. There is a pouch in the debris with 35 gp, 15 sp, and a red ruby worth 50 gp.
     • Violet Lantern: Nothing to see here.

8. Passage of the Face

   • Summary: This passage ends in a large, asexual visage of a screaming face with prismatic eyes that is a deadly trap. Adding torches to all 7 lanterns disables the trap and grants access to the lair of the architect.

   • Threats:

     Screaming Mouth Trap

     Deadly Trap (Level 1-4)

     Trigger: More than 60 pounds on a pressure plate

     Duration: 10 minutes

     When the trap is triggered, a hold person spell affects every creature in the passage unless they succeed on a Wisdom save DC 12. Additionally, an effect similar to the gust of wind spell affects anyone standing in the passage, and they must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw to avoid being pushed 15 feet. Held characters automatically fail. Each round thereafter, the wind escalates, and the number of feet pushed increases by 5 feet while the DC increases by 2. The intensity stops once the DC reaches 20, but the wind continues to blow for 9 minutes. Characters pushed to the end of the passage fall through the hall and must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex saving throw to grab the chain or fall to the ground and take 5d6 damage.

     Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can notice the gouges in the floor with a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check. The trigger plate can be identified with a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The face will not activate if all of the lanterns have burning torches in them.

   • Developments: If all 8 lanterns contain burning torches, the Architect’s face disappears and allows access to the Architect’s Tomb and area 9.

9. Architect’s Foyer

   • Summary: A large stone blocks this passage with only a thin space between the stone andthe ceiling for someone to squeeze through. The stone can be tipped, springing a trap.

   • Checks:

   • • DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to squeeze through the crack in the slab and ceiling.
     • At least as many successes as failures on a DC 15 Strength check by up to four party members to flip the slab. Results over 20 count as two successes.

   • Threats:

     Slab Trap

     Nuisance Trap (Level 1-4)

     Trigger: Removing the stone slab from the pressure plate

     Duration: Instantaneous after an onset delay of 3 rounds

     When the trap is triggered, after 3 rounds, the hall is filled with noxious green gas. Characters must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 2d10 (11) poison damage and gaining the poisoned condition for one hour on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

     Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can notice the pressure plate with a DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A character can disarm the trap by placing at least 100 pounds of weight on the plate quickly with a DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

10. Passage of Honor

    • Summary: Passage filled with alcoves and androgynous carvings of Wind Dukes. The passage is noticeably cold because of a patch of brown mold in area 11. A choker hides in the second alcove and attacks anyone affected by the brown mold.
    • Checks:
      • Passive Wisdom (Perception) check DC 16 to spot the hidden choker.
    • Threats: A choker hides in the second set of alcoves.

11. Gallery

    • Summary: Large chamber with a pillar that produces nutritious sludge. A triggered trap hides treasure if it can be reset.
    • Checks: DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find a catch in the east alcove that raises a trapped block that killed a tomb robber.
    • Threats: Brown Mold grows around the pillar.
    • Treasure: The corpse in the tool closet wears +1 chainmail. Three intact statues from the passage of honor are worth 200 gp each.

12. Living Quarters

    • Summary: A slab of stone functions as an air bed. A statue in the room bears the symbol of the architect, Nardoc.

13. Workshop

    • Summary: A looted workshop with an in-progress statue of some great being holding a wooden staff. A minor earth elemental who once served Ogremach is bound here.
    • Checks:
      • DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) notices that the wooden staff has six scores, indicating it is comprised of seven pieces.
      • DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to identify the gold symbol on the egg as that of Ogremach, a primordial. DC 20 Intelligence (history) to know his forces fought on the side of elemental evil in an ancient war.
    • Threats: If touched, the elemental creature that looks like an egg awakens and challenges the party in Terran. If convinced the characters can help it escape, it relates what it knows about the cavern. If they anger it, it attacks as a gargoyle without flyby attack.

14. Toilet

15. Laborer’s Foyer

    • Summary: Foyer filled with depictions of wind duke laborers. The large glyph is that of Nardoc, the architect.

16. Food Room/The Hive

    • Summary: Room infested with beetles.
    • Checks:
      • DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) to find three lumps that are the bodies of long-dead seekers. 
      • DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to identify the star marking on the leather armor as that of the Seekers, an unscrupulous band of treasure seekers.
    • Threats: 2 swarms of insects.
    • Treasure: Each seeker corpse has a potion of healing.

17. Sleeping Quarters

    • Summary: Sleeping quarters for laborers that causes exhaustion.
    • Threats: The room inflicts a level of exhaustion on anyone inside unless they make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw each round. The levels of exhaustion go away as soon as one leaves the room.
    • Treasure: The corpse of a seeker on one of the beds has a silver ring worth 75 gp.

• Tool Alcoves

7. Submerged Shadows

   • Summary: A submerged bathing room controlled by a corrupted water elemental. Areas 19-22 are submerged. Underwater combat
   • Threats: A water elemental with 50 hp attacks anyone who enters the waters. The water elemental has advantage on all attacks against submerged foes.

8. Locker Room with Benches

   • Summary: Room with a dead Seeker body and the red lantern.
   • Checks: DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check to identify that the corpse’s bones have been gnawed on.
   • Treasure: There is a +1 short sword on the corpse. The blade is made of enchanted human bone and appears to have seen considerable wear and use. Later, the characters find a prophecy elsewhere that ties the bone blade to the Age of Worms.
   • Developments: The Red Lantern needed to access the true tomb is located on the corpse.

9. Other Locker Room with Benches

   • Summary: A former seeker turned ghoul lairs here.
   • Threats: Ghoul of the seeker known as Uluvant lairs here and attacks anyone it detects. Paralyzed characters do not begin to drown.
   • Treasure: 55sp, 38 gp, and 2 pp on Uluvaunt’s body, as well as his seeker ring, worth 200 gp.
   • Developments: The Character carrying the ring will attract the attention of Khellek from the rival adventurers.

10. Toilet

11. Alastor’s Haunt

    • Summary: A single wooden beam runs through a dark hall filled with metal balls. A grick dwells in the room, as well as the ghost of Alastor Land, who will taunt the PCs.

    • Checks: DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) to hear the grick moving through the balls.

    • Threats: A grick lurks amongst the balls. Alastor land is a ghost the party should negotiate with rather than fight.

      Hail of Balls Trap

      Nuisance Trap (Level 1-4)

      Trigger: Someone coming within 15 feet of the end of the room.

      Duration: Instantaneous

      When the trap is triggered, a hail or iron balls fires at anyone standing in the room on the balance beam. Ranged +3 to attack, 1d4 damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the balls below, taking 1d6 falling damage.

      Detect and Disarm: As a Search action, a creature can notice the recesses that fire the balls with a DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A character can disarm the trap by spending an hour jamming each recess.

    • Treasure: Hidden amidst the balls are 47 gp, 7 sp, and 1 pp.

    • Developments: If the characters return Alastor’s remains to his family’s farmstead, he can rest and will press the button on the other side of the door that lets them into the True Tomb.

12. The Chamber of Sighs

    • Summary: A chamber full of bas-relief murals that come to life with wispy smoke as characters approach. They show the following scenes:
      • Idyllic creatures of elemental air are beset by half-spider, half-wolf creatures.
      • A towering duke with a notable insignia is saluted by other dukes.
      • 7 dukes present a staff to a lord, who splits it into seven parts. The scene is titled “The Wandering Dukes”.
      • In the final battle of the two forces, a Wind Duke uses the staff to slay a gigantic demon that is half-spider, half-wolf, with the torso of a human. The duke, demon, and staff disappear.
      • The last column will whisk the characters to area 25, but not before they defeat the two wind warriors.
    • Threats: Use the helmed horror stat block for the wind warriors with the suggested resistances. In addition, the helmed horror can cast thunderwave 1/day with a spell save DC of 14, and their arcane swords do thunder instead of force damage.

13. The True Tomb

    • Summary: This is the tomb of a minor Wind Duke named Zosiel, who was slain by a Sphere of Annihilation, as depicted in the mural. If a character can speak the name of the duke, the sarcophagus will open.
    • Checks: DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) to identify the sphere and the talisman of the sphere.
    • Treasure: A headband of Intellect (rather than a circlet of wisdom) is waiting for the characters inside the tomb. There are also two long black horns tipped in red worth 50 gp each, as well as a demonic metal box containing an inactive Talisman of the Sphere.
    • Developments: Allustan will encourage the characters to hold on to the Talisman. Characters will have a few days to carouse about town before Sheriff Cubbin arrests them to begin the next part of the adventure.

Guide to Running the Whispering Cairn, Part 1

Guide to Running the Whispering Cairn

Reference Material

•  Official Web and Handout Supplement
• I have not found a way to purchase a PDF. You can certainly find copies online, but I mostly worked from my hard copy. 
• Diamond Lake Player's Guide
• Age of Worms Guide on the Giant in the Playground forums. 
• I uses monsters from dnd 2024 when possible, and supplement with months from the Monster Manual Expanded I, II, and III

Whispering Cairn Background

• Uluvant was the last explorer of the Whispering Cairn, 60 years ago. Uluvant was a member of the seekers, unscrupulous treasure seekers.
• The Whispering Cairn was the final resting place of Zosiel, a Wind Duke who died in the Battle of Pesh against the forces of elemental evil led by Miska the Wolf Spider. The Wind Duke Nardoc architected his tomb.
• Many youths dared each other to enter the cave, but most quit after a girl disappeared in the cave 6 years ago

Adventure Flowchart

1. Characters meet up at the old mining office to plan their exploration of the Whispering Cairn.
2. Characters explore the Cairn until they meet Alastor Land's ghost.
3. Characters go to the Land homestead and find that the Land's family remains were victims of grave robbing.
4. Characters go to The Feral Dog to find the graverobbers to learn that the bodies are at the observatory.
5. Characters go to the observatory, defeat Filge the necromancer, and gather the Land's remains to inter.
6. With his family’s remains at rest, Alastor retreats, but not before opening the way to the actual tomb.
7. The party explores the real tomb.
8. Adventure epilogue.

Whispering Cairn, Part 1: Before the False Tomb

1. Coward’s Rest
   1. Summary: The ruined entrance of an ancient tomb, with horizontal bands of scrollwork.
   2. Checks:
      1. Wisdom (Survival) DC 9 to identify the trail of wolves that frequently visit the caves.
      2. Intelligence (Investigation) DC 9 to remember that the bedroll might have belonged to a girl who disappeared from the Cairn years ago. Advantage on the check if the character is less than 20 years old and from Diamond Lake.
      3. Intelligence (Investigation) DC 12 to notice small holes in the scrollwork that make the whistling sound.
2. Transport Alcolve
   1. Summary: An alcove that contains the ruins of a transportation device.
   2. Checks:
      1. Intelligence (Investigation) DC 9 to find chunks of stone around the device that might be valuable.
      2. Intelligence (Arcana) DC 10 to identify the glyphs on the device are associated with teleportation magic.
      3. Keep the DCs listed in the adventure for determining information about the glyphs.
   3. Threats: Wolves in area 4 might hear the characters if they make a lot of noise.
   4. Treasure: The chunks of stone are worth up to 20 gp to the right buyer.
3. Collapsed Passage
   1. Summary: Collapsed passage conceals a functioning teleporter that the characters can’t access right now.
   2. Threats: Wolves in area 5 might hear the characters if they make a lot of noise.
4. Hall of Honor
   1. Summary: The words on the wind in Auran are stronger here. A partially collapsed passage leads to the wolf den in area 5. The main path ahead is covered in cobwebs and leads to area 7.
   2. Threats: Wolves in area 5 will likely hear characters here unless they are stealthy.
5. Wolf Den
   1. Summary: A den for three wolves with an important item. Characters have to crawl beneath the partially collapsed tunnel to get to it.
   2. Checks:
      1. DC 9 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find an old leather backpack with an Indigo lantern that is useful for Area 7.
      2. DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find an elven armband.
      3. DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find a broken marble finger, formerly attached to the sarcophagus lid in area 7.
   3. Threats: 3 wolves. One is bigger than the others and has maximum hit points.
   4. Treasure: The elven armband is worth 75 gp, or 100 gp to an elf.
6. Gallery of Seven Lanterns
   1. Summary: Fresco with a clue about how to get past the door in area 8.

Player's Guide to Diamond Lake

 

Diamond Lake: A Greyhawk Mining Town

This post shares the basics about Diamond Lake and is written to be shared with players visiting the town. I created it for my Age of Worms campaign, and am sharing it here in case it helps others. 

History

Diamond Lake began as a treasure seeker's outpost, as many cairns dot the surrounding hills. Those treasures were all gone decades ago. For a while, the town became a sleepy fishing town until the mines opened for Greyhawk and polluted the lake. It has remained a hard-bitten mining town for decades now. The work is dangerous and difficult, luring only those in the most desperate of circumstances. Greyhawk installs a Governor-Mayor, but the town is mostly run by the managers of the most lucrative mines.

NPCs

Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff

The main agent of the Free City in Diamond Lake is a lecherous philanderer who prefers to ignore problems until they go away.

Sheriff Cubbin

The Sheriff is Smenk's right hand and enforcer. He is famously corrupt.

Allustan

Neff's brother, a wizard who retired to Diamond Lake five years ago. His reputation as a powerful wizard with deep connections to important personages in Greyhawk helps keep Neff in power.

Mine Managers

Balabar Smenk

A relative newcomer, Balabar seeks to monopolize mining in town by driving his competitors out of business, then buying their mines for a song.

Ragnolin Daggerstone

Ragnolin moved here 50 years ago from the Dwarven community of Greysmere, and has a successful ore mining and smelting operation.

Chaum Gansworth

The newest mine manager, Chaum is in an (for his part) uncommitted relationship with Luzane Parrin. He's highly pragmatic and skeptical of the other mine managers' ability to stand up to Smenk.

Ellivel Moonmeadow

Ellivel Moonmeadow leads a small contingent of elves in Diamond Lake who operate a silver mine. They hold themselves well above the common folk of the town.

Gelch Tilgast

Gelch Tilgast was foremost amongst the mine managers until Smenk showed up. Now he is trying to build a tenuous alliance with Chaum, Luzane, and mine managers from nearby towns.

Luzane Parrin

Luzane Parrin inherited her mines from her mother and desperately tries not to lose that inheritance to Smenk. Her husband died mysteriously two years ago, and now she woos Chaum as a lover and an accomplice to challenge Smenk.

Notable Locations

The Emporium
Part pleasure palace, part circus, part casino, the Emporium caters to any vice in the town. It is competently run by Zalamandra, who originally founded the establishment when she convinced a traveling troupe of performers to put down roots.

Lazare's House
A somewhat more upscale gaming establishment run by a professional gambler named Lazare. Don't confuse Lazare with Luzane!

The Feral Dog
A rough and tumble tavern that entertains some of the worst riff raff in the town.

Church of St. Cuthbert
Jieriun Wierus is the fiery orator who runs a growing and fanatical flock at the church of St. Cuthbert.

General Store
Taggin, the stylish "don't tell me about it" owner of the general store, stocks most PHB items, and can import more exotic items from Greyhawk.

The Hungry Gar
The Gar is still hungry after eating here, it ain't good. Sorry Gulk Torkitan, a great chef you are not.

Jalek's Flophouse
Where the most destitute of Diamond Lake's miners reside.

The Garrison
Run by Captain Tolliver Trask, this is a garrison of 60 soldiers from Greyhawk.

The Midnight Repose
A house of ill repute run by the stunning Purple Prose.

The Captain's Blade
An arms and armor shop run efficiently by Tyrol Ebberly.

The Rusty Bucket
The best and most popular place to eat in town.

Smelting House
Turns much of the iron ore into refined products. The alchemist in residence, Benazel, sells potions on the side.

Diamond Lake Boneyard
The city's graveyard, protected by the Cult of the Green Lady, worshippers of Wee Jas.