The Kidnappings in Ikkur

The Kidnappings in Ikkur is a simple starter adventure for a group of around 8 to 12 characters of 1st to 3rd level.

Played twice, both times with children aged 9 to 11 who had never played before. They all played many times again!

Probably a bit too vanilla for adult groups, but certainly a good introduction for younger players to learn the mechancs of the game and have fun.

Players' Background

A number of children have disappeared from the town of Ikkur. The town council is being blackmailed by the kidnappers to pay a large sum for the safe return of the missing children.

The party are tasked with bringing the children home safely. Each character will be paid 50gp/level in advance on signing up for the quest, and more upon successful completion of the mission. They may also keep any of the loot that they find.

Any further information that the party discover regarding the background of the group doing the kidnappings will also be rewarded.

DM's Notes - DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT THE DM!

You should read this whole adventure all the way through before presenting it to your players, so you have a good understanding of the dungeon. It's not especially complicated and a good starter adventure for younger players. You may want to make extra notes or changes so that it works better for you and your group.

There are many ways the party may hear of the troubles affecting the residents of the town of Ikkur. Examples include rumours overheard in bars, town criers, posters offering rewards, and so on.

There can certainly be numerous fun ways for the adventures to travel to Ikkur, encountering various creatures on the way and finally meeting up. Or perhaos everybody could already live there and perhaps some of the characters may even have had their own children, or brothers or sisters, kidnapped.

When the party are gathered at a suitable spot, they can be told of what has happened and told of the reward they will receive for returining the children safely to the town. This can be by a priest, a local minor noble, a leader of a group of citizens whose children are missing, a captain in the military, an official from the town council, or whatever the DM chooses that would work best for the party and their situation.

Altogether 17 children have been taken. If the party manage to return all of them unharmed they will receive 15,000 gp for their heroics. They will also receive a gold medal for bravery and service to the town of Ikkur, presented at a hastily arranged civic ceremony, and there shall then be a day of civic sponsored celebrations in the town.

If the party return evidence of the four dead or captured ruffians who are responsible for the kidnappings, along with Zugplup's notebook (see area 20 below), they town officials will be relieved that the nightmare is probably over and the party will receive an extra 5,000 gp, a potential total of 20,000 gp total that the party can split between them as they see fit.

Should some of the children not make it, the party will be paid 500 gp for each one that is returned alive and well along with 250 gp for Zugplup's notebook. There will be no civic ceremony or medal in such a case.

Zugplup the Horrible is an evil mage who decided to invest in crime to boost his wealth. He knew there to be a magical spring hidden in the rock of the cliffs by the river Yadu, north of Ikkur, that could boost the powers of anyone drinking from it, providing they only did so once per year. Zugplup's dwarven associate, Grumpy. knew of a cave with natural tunnels behind it, if only some work were done to improve the place.

Grumpy paid some dwarven miners and craftsmen to dig and make some passages and rooms, but as he was too mean to pay them a good wage they didn't do a particularly good job. However, Zugplup and Grumpy decided to use what they had as a base for some criminal activity.

Zugplup decided that kidnapping some local children from the nearby town of Ikkur would be a sure way to make some money, and perhaps plenty of it as well. He sent Grumpy, and two other associates, Bignose and Stinkfinger to round up some children, and imprison them in the caves, in the two special jails he had had built.

Bignose persuaded some orcs and kobolds to work for him as guards with a small wage, but more than they might otherwise earn, and Stinkfinger did much the same with some goblins and hobgoblins.

Some of the children will have been taken quite recently, leaving various distraught and anxious townsfolk wondering what to do. If there is a ranger or a party member with tracking ability, they would certainly be able to track the bandits to their hideout. Assorted footprints, including children's footprints mixed among them, can be seen heading north along the river bank.

The DM should bear in mind light sources and player character darkvision within the dungeon and that light can spill around corners.

Very importantly, remember also that changing elevations as well as turns left or right can obscure view. Please pay attention to the ups and downs indicated on the map as well as in the text.

Most of this dungeon takes place in natural sandstone or limestone caves and caverns. However, the straight corridors and rooms have been carved by dwarves under the orders of Grumpy (see area 20). The workmanship is not especially fantastic for dwarves due to Grumpy's reluctance to pay his workers a reasonable rate, but the work is functional and the secret doors are well hidden, especially the one just inside the entrance cave.

You will need the following books to play this adventure: DMG, PH, MM and FF.

Please remember this is a game, and as such is supposed to be FUN!

For new or inexperienced players you might want to include a couple of NPCs in the party to help them along.

Try to be lenient if necessary, particularly with regard to your own horribly unlucky or excessively harsh dice rolls, and see how much general comedy you can inject into the whole thing. If you DM it well, the players will quickly grow to love the game and will want to play more.

I have DM'd this adventure twice, both times for children, and they loved it. The snake pit, the wand and a cunning Enlarge spell on an enemy wizard's hat all proved hilarious.

We would love to know the details of how the adventure worked out. An email address is on the home page of this wiki site, and the Campaign Journals section of the Dragonfoot site (see the links at the bottom of our home page) is also a wonderful place to post the events that took place. We can also add you to our Hall of Fame.

Good luck to you and your group!

Wandering Monsters

Wandering monsters will not be encountered in areas 1 to 5. They may only be encountered once the party has passed through the concealed exit at the back of the crab cave.

All wandering monsters have their place in this adventure. If the party should encounter a wandering monster, that means whatever is encountered and defeated is no longer going to be in its lair.

Wandering monster encounters occur if a 1 is rolled on a d8. Roll once per hour, day and night. Roll 1d6 to determine what has been encountered.

1. Mantari (1) - from area 13.
2. Patrol - two goblins and a hobgoblin - from area 18.
3. Hobgoblin (1) - from area 16.
4. Giant rats (1d4) - from area 12.
5 - 6. Normal rats - from area 12.

Conventions

The following abbreviations have been used: HD - hit dice; AC - armor class; HP - hit points; rnd - round, XP - experience points; cp - copper pieces; sp - silver pieces; ep - electrum pieces; gp - gold pieces; pp - platinum pieces

List of Rooms and Encounters

1. Riverside Guard Post

A couple of miles north of the town there is a cave which serves as the hideout of the bandits and is where the children are held. Outside the cave on a rough stony beach beside the river's edge there are a few orc guards with their pet wolves and a fairly large campfire, which the guards will keep burning day and night. Some kind of meat is roasting on a spit over the fire.

The party will probably approach from the south. As the guards are fairly obviously there, and not especially diligent regarding their guard duties, the party should be able to form a plan of attack and possibly surprise them as they will surely see the guards before they see the party. The wind will be blowing from north to south so the wolves won't scent the party.

The orcs have been drinking some kind of orcish beer and are a slightly sozzled, making them attack at -1 to hit and on reaction rolls. They have been eating whatever they have caught and cooked on their fire and are sharing some of it with their wolves.

Orcs (5): HD 1; AC 6; HP 8, 7, 8, 7, 8; attacks/rnd 1; dmg by weapon; XP 10 + 1/hp. They are armed with battle axe (1d8) and shortbow (1d6). Each orc will have 2d4+10 arrows at the start of proceedings and each wears scrappy orcish leather armor. They will shoot if given the opportunity and only engage in melee if the characters close in to fight.

Wolves (5): HD 2+2; AC 7; HP 15, 14, 12, 13, 8; attacks/rnd 1; dmg 1+1d4 (bite); XP 35 + 3/hp. They will run to attack the party if they are using missiles to attack the guard post. Otherwise they will join the orcs in the melee.

Besides their weapons and armor, each orc carries 2d6 electrum pieces.

2. Entryway to Kobold Guards

The cave entrance is clearly visible, even though there are brambles overhanging the highest part of the entrance. The cave here is natural rock and the floor is quite rough and slopes down quite sharply before sloping more gradually up again. The slopes hide the kobolds in the rough natural cave beyond, although characters may notice there is a dim warm orangey light further ahead, which comes from the torches burning in the cave.

Where the cave is narrower, the floor and ceiling come closer togther as well. Surfaces are more rough and uneven here, making rapid movement such as running much harder. Anybody attempting to run here should make a DEX roll or fall. Where the cave opens out and becomes wider, so the ceiling becomes higher and the floor lower too. All surfaces are more even and smoother.

In the wider and higher part of this cave there is a group of six kobold guards. The cave here is lit by four torches burning in cressets attached to the walls. The floor is rocky and slightly concaved.

When the party enter, five of the kobolds will rush to engage the party. One of the kobolds will run over to the torch at 2A and pull it downwards, which will cause the secret door at 2B to open, releasing the rest of the kobolds, who will rush forth from the secret passage and attack the rear of the party.

Even if the secret door is discovered, the only way of opening (or closing) it from the outside is by the torch cresset.

Kobolds (6): (area 2) HD 1/2; AC 7; HP 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4; attacks/rnd 1; damage by weapon (shortsword 1d6); XP 10 each.

Kobolds (6): (behind the secret door 2B) HD 1/2; AC 7; HP 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4; attacks/rnd 1; damage by weapon (hand axe 1d6); XP 10 each.

Each kobold carries 3d8 copper pieces.

3. Snake Pit

Just behind the secret door 2B is another torch cresset attached to the wall, which will also open and close the secret door. The torch is almost spent. The passageway has been carved out by dwarves and extends 60 feet. Around the corner is a pit, 10 feet deep and 20 feet long that fills the entire 10 foot width of the corridor.

There are ten snakes waiting in the pit for anybody to fall in. They will be attracted by approaching light and will attack anybody who enters the pit, either by climbing or falling. Anyone who falls into the pit will suffer 1d6 damage and be stunned for long enough for the snakes to attack before any kind of initiative roll. The fallers will need to spend a round recovering and getting to their feet before they can attack.

Snakes (10): HD 1/2; AC 7; HP 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4; attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d3 bite, bitten characters save must vs. poison @ +2 or slowed for 1d6 turns; XP 34 each. Note that slowing effects are cumulative, should a character be bitten and fail their save more than once.

Iron spikes and ropes that may allow the characters to build a makeshift walkway across the hazard, if the characters have any, is one method of crossing the pit. The group may find others. The pit walls are of fairly smooth vertical stone and may only be climbed by a thief at -50% on a Climb Walls roll.

4. Carrion Crawler Cave

On either side of the corridor is a small black nodule secured into the rock that generates an electric field to keep the carrion crawlers contained. This looks like mysterious glowing bands of turquoise blue light criss-crossing the corridor. Grounding the electricity using something metal will discharge the field for one turn. Grounding the field through a living person will cause that person to be shocked for 2d6 damage. Characters wearing metal armor have no save, those wearing leather or cloth can save vs. paralyzation for half damage.

The carrion crawlers can walk just as easily on the walls and ceilings. They have learned not to touch the forcefield.

Hidden around the corner in a craggy alcove is a locked chest, in which are 7865cp, 3110sp, 1106gp, 1d4 healing potions with 1d3 doses in each, and if anybody has died, a scroll of Raise Dead in a leather scroll case. These coins are bulky and heavy of course. The characters may certainly take them along, but bear in mind the extra weight and bulk might make the journey back across the snake pit more difficult.

Carrion Crawlers (3): HD 3+1; AC 3 (head), 7 (body); HP 21, 21, 22; attacks/rnd 8; damage paralysis unless save; XP 580 + 4/hp. Unless otherwise stated by a player, assume characters are attacking the heads of the creatures.

5. Crab Cave

The entryway to this part of the cave again slopes up. The ceiling is lower where the walls are narrower and all surfaces are rougher and more uneven, making rapid movement such as running much harder. Anybody attempting to run here should make a DEX roll or fall.

Where the cave open up into a larger chamber than area 2, the floor again slopes down and the ceiling rises away from it to a height of around 30'. The surfaces are again smoother in the larger cavern. The floor is like a bowl or a spoon perhaps, and the floor here is of fine yellow sand. Characters walking across the sand have their movement reduced by 25%, although nearer the walls of the cave the floor is higher, more rocky and less sandy, and no such movement pemalty applies.

There is a ridge of rock that runs parallel to the rear wall, about ten feet from it. The ridge rises one to two feet above the floor at the end of the cave to the east and thus makes a curved path around the very edge, which is perhaps five or six feet above the floor below. The floor of the centre of the cave slopes slightly upwards to this rocky ridge, as well as towards the edges of the cavern. This chamber looks like it could be the very back of the cave.

There is a large tapstry hanging against the rocky wall at the far end of the cave, on which is depicted an image of an enormous squid-like creature crushing a splintering warship in a rough sea. There are a lot of reds and blacks in the colour palette and the image is a little unsettling. It is a rather tattered and not especially valuable tapestry, worth no more than 10 gp if the owner is a skilled haggler, although it does a decent enough job of completely covering and hiding the concealed exit behind it.

The exit behind the tapestry is jagged and only three feet high, and between four and five feet wide. There is a drop of three feet down to the floor of the ascending crevice beyond.

Players will probably notice as they approach that towards the ridge at the back of the cave there are two pairs of dark coloured sticks, each about the size of slender staff, around five or six feet tall, and about six feet apart, poking out of the ground in the sandy bowl part of the cavern. One pair of such sticks is more to the north and one pair more to the south, with a space of about 25 feet between them.

These are in fact two pairs of eyestalk that belong to a pair of giant crabs that are buried in the sand. When characters come close enough to either, both crabs will emerge upwards from the sands that are hiding them and attack, with a good chance for surprise. Characters nearby may need to roll a DEX check to avoid falling and if they fail very badly they may even be buried under the churning sands.

Giant Crabs (2): HD 5; AC 3; HP 40, 30; attacks/rnd 2; damage 2d6/2d6; XP 90 + 5/hp (290, 240).

6. Curious Rats

The crevice or corridor slopes upwards, from the bottom (west) end where the floor of the concealed entrance in the cave drops down into it from three feet above. After about 20 feet, the passageway continues to slope upwards but not as steeply.

At the west end of the corridor just below the climb up to the crab cave, five giant rats are scurrying inquisitively around, their whiskers all a-bristle, wondering what has been going on in the big cave to the west.

If they are attacked, they will flee to their nest further up the corridor if possible and hide there until a much larger force of rats can be mustered for an attack.

Giant Rats (4): HD 1/2; AC 7; HP 4, 4, 4, 4, 4; attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d3 + 5% chance of causing a disease; XP 7 + 1/hp (11 each).

7. Darts!

A spray of 15 darts shoot from a wooden box attached to the wall where the corridor splits into two. The darts are triggered when 15 lbs of weight or more rests on a pressure plate buried beneath the sand. Nobody will discover this trap unless they are looking below the sandy surface for anything. The rats are not heavy enough to set the trap off.

The darts cover a wide arc and the DM should determine how many are likely to hit each character. Darts hit as a 1 HD monster, do 1d3 damage and are all tipped with a sleeping poison that will cause anyone failing a save vs. poison to sleep for 3+1d6 turns.

Players may collect and use the darts. The poison on any darts that miss will lose its potency after one full day.

The wooden box which housed the darts can be taken from the wall with a successful Remove Traps roll, although a fail indicates that the box is damaged beyond repair and will no longer function. The back can be opened and the mechanism inside examined, if anybody wishes to do so.

If the party decide to keep and use the box of darts as a weapon, there is a 15% cumulative chance with each use that it will irrepairably break.

At the junction, the left (north) fork slopes down and the right (south) fork continues to slope up.

8. Cavern of Piercers

The passageway from area 7 continues to slope downwards and is of a natural sandstone. Just before the passageway turns to the east and comes to another Y-junction, it starts to slope gently upwards. The northern fork continues to slope up for a short distance, then slopes down once again. Continuing around to the southeast, the passage continues to slope gently up and opens out into a natural cavern of mixed limestone and sandstone.

There are several stalactites that hang down from the ceiling. They are in fact piercers, and will drop onto any characters passing underneath.

Piercers (6): HD 1; AC 7; HP 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6; attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d6; XP 10 + 1/hp (16 each).

Piercers (3): HD 2; AC 7; HP 11, 11, 11; attacks/rnd 1; damage 2d6; XP 20 + 2/hp (42 each).

Piercers (2): HD 3; AC 7; HP 15, 15; attacks/rnd 1; damage 3d6; XP 35 + 3/hp (80 each).

The exit to the south slopes down quite sharply and there is a faint earthy smell from that direction, which grows stronger and more disgusting as the players continue downwards.

9. Lair of the Hydra

The passageway becomes rougher and continues to slope downwards until it opens out into the lair of a seven-headed hydra, which guards a treasure hoard gathered from various hapless wanderers. The smell of the creature's waste products becomes stronger still as the party approaches the lair. Some of the stone in the cavern is wet from water that has seeped through from the cliff above.

A single human skeleton, the bones picked clean, lies on the ground by the treasure hoard, with one hand and wrist buried beneath the coins. It's hand still grasps a Wand of Wonder (charges remaining: 55), which is also buried beneath the coins. The command word for this wand is 'copper', and anyone who utters this command word within 10' of the wand will set it off. DM fiendishness and an appreciation of the profoundly bizarre is absolutely encouraged.

In addition to the aforementioned wand, the treasure consists of: 3702 cp, 2828 sp, 1175 ep, 2361 gp, a +1 hand axe, a suit of gnome or halfling sized +1 leather armor, a silver chain with a small gem in each link (2000 gp), a golden idol of a demonic-looking god decorated with gems (3000 gp), and a small wrought gold orb (1300 gp). The treasure is collected in the lowest part of the cave and some if it is lying in a shallow puddle of water that has accumulated there.

The hydra is trapped having grown too large to escape. It is very hungry and will close to attack with great ferocity when the party enter the cavern.

Hydra (1): HD 7; AC 5; HP 56; attacks/rnd 7 (one per head); damage 1d8 x 7; XP 848.

10. Low Narrow Tunnel

The north fork just west of the Cavern of Piercers slopes gradually downwards and becomes rougher and more angular on all surfaces. In places it is wet and slippery from the drip of water seeping in from the cliff above. Where the passage turn abruptly southeast it becomes much narrower and lower. Movement is reduced to half speed and the height of the ceiling varies between about four and five feet, meaning anyone taller than a fairly short elf will have to stoop to continue.

A natural sinkhole or pit around eight feet across and 15 feet deep is at 10A and anyone falling down will take 2d6 damage from the sharp craggy stone when they hit the bottom. It may be possible to jump the pit for smaller characters, but anyone who has to stoop will be unable to.

At 10B there is a 30' drop which the characters will need to negotiate somehow if they wish to continue. Thereafter, the passageway opens out into a larger, smoother, bowl-shaped cavern.

11. Cavern of the Mimic

There appear to be two identical chests in this cavern. The first one that the party investigate will turn out to be a mimic, the other will be an actual chest.

Mimic (1): HD 9; AC 7; HP 40; attacks/rnd 1; damage 3d4 + sticky; XP 1400.

The other chest is locked and trapped with a scything blade which will do 4 + 1d6 damage to anyone who attempts to open the chest or has a bad fail at removing the trap.

Inside are three more old and tattered tapestries featuring krakens attacking ships. They are large and folded roughly in half a few times over to fit the dimensions of the chest. The tapestries are also soiled and musty and of no particular worth.

At the very bottom of the chest is a small wooden lockbox. This is also locked and trapped with a poison needle, a failed save meaning the victim will sleep for 6 + 2d12 turns.

In the lockbox is a leather pouch, stuffed full of gems. There are 6 x 100 gp, 12 x 50 gp and 72 x 10 gp base value stones.

12. Nest of the Giant Rats

In this complex of tiny tunnels and burrows, far too small for even a halfling to enter, there live many rats and giant rats. Tunnels vary from six to twelve inches in diameter, approximately, with burrows up to about five or six feet in size.

The rats may attack the party or may stay out of the way. If the party can convince them that they mean them no harm, they will leave the party alone. The rats will certainly be grateful if the party can do something about the mantari and the hydra.

There is nothing of use or value in the nest other than the general detritus one might find in a colony of rats.

Giant Rats (34): HD 1/2; AC 7; HP (as rolled by the DM); attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d3 + 5% chance of causing a disease; XP 7 + 1/hp (11 each).

13. Hinged Pit to Mantari

This whole corridor is dead straight and carved from the natural rock. A section of floor 20' long is pivoted in the centre and will dump anybody standing on either end of it into the 10' deep pit below. Characters thus falling will suffer 1d6 damage. The floor is finely balanced and will start to tilt when more than 5lbs of weight is placed on one end.

Iron spikes can be used at each end to prevent the pit opening. If somebody has a good balancing ability they may stand in the dead centre.

In the pit live three mantari, who rest here when not feeding on the rats. The mantari are easily strong enough to push one or other end of the lid of their home open to enter or exit. One or more of the mantari may be carefully flying around hunting for rats, in which case they should be considered a wandering monster.

If somebody falls into the pit, the creatures' sleep will be disturbed and they will wake, fly around the pit, and then attack whoever fell in the next round. After that they will fly out, if the hinged section of corridor remains open or the faller is dead or unconscious, to attack the rest of the party above.

The bottom of the pit contains the bones and skeletons of numerous eaten rats, but nothing else of any value.

Nore that if the party have already defeated any mantari as wandering monsters, there will be fewer of them in the lair.

Mantari (3): HD 1+1; AC 9; HP 9, 9, 9; attacks/rnd 1; damage: special (see FF p. 62); XP 83 each.

14. The Magical Pool

In the centre of this 30' square and 10' high room is a sunken circular pool. The water within seems to bubble slightly and is constantly changing colour, between every colour of the rainbow, whilst remaining transparent. There are runes decorating the edge of the pool which say in an ancient dwarvish tongue: "Don't be greedy".

The water is about a foot deep and the surface is a few inches below the level of the floor. It is cool and pure and tastes good.

If anybody takes a sip of the water directly from the pool, or scooped up in a hand, they will gain a random ability score, permanently. Roll a d6 to determine which one. Drinking the water from a vessel will have no effect. The water will have no more potency if it is transported from the room.

If somebody should return for a second sip having enjoyed the benefits of the water, it will immediately turn black. The water level will start to fall and all of the magical water will disappear completely over the course of a single round. The pool will be left dry, empty and stained black, and nobody else may benefit from it. The person having a second sip must save vs. poison or suffer a point of damage every round for two turns (20 dmg in all).

The pool is guarded by two stone guardians, which will animate and attack anybody entering the room who does not speak the words "Stand still, you stupid statues." If anybody happens to say these words, even after combat has started, the statues will disengage, return to their positions and disanimate.

Stone Guardians (2): HD 5; AC 3; HP 35, 35; attacks/rnd 2; damage 1d8, 1d8; XP 305 each; special defences: immune to fear, charm, poison, paralysis, illusions and mind-affecting magic.

15. Spiked Pit

The passageway continues to rise gently almost all the way to the Y-junction. Lurking underneath a covering of sand, grit and dust is a triangular pit. This is very hard to find, -25% on find traps rolls, although dwarves and gnomes and other such creatures attempting to detect unsafe stonework do not suffer this penalty.

The pit is 10' deep and at the bottom are spikes. Anybody falling in will take 1d6 damage from the fall and hit 0 - 3 spikes (1d4 - 1). Each spike does an additional 1d3 damage.

The pit is topped with a triangular lid, which is in three separate triangular sections. Each section is attached to the floor above and hinged so that it will close again, after dumping a character into the spiky space below. Each triangular section of the lid will open when 10lbs of pressure is put on it.

The first person to fall in will also be showered with sand and grit, with a 3 in 6 chance for each eye to be temporarily blinded until the eye is cleaned. Subsequent openings of the pit will only cause a 1 in 6 chance of foreign material in an eye, and if the lid is swept clean somehow, than no grit will fall.

Both the northeast and south passages beyond start to slope gently upwards, and level out after around 60 to 80 feet, where both extend further to the east.

If the party are very loud in the triangular pit area, they may attract the attention of some or even all of the monsters in areas 16, 18 and 20. This needs to be judged by the DM.

16. Larger Prison and Guards

The area at the end of this passageway is lit by five torches burning in their cressets. The party may notice the light source once they are a little way past the spiked pit at area 15, or not if they have their own light sources.

The end of the passageway has been secured with a series of vertical iron bars a few inches apart that have been mortared into the floor and ceiling. There is a similarly constructed gate in the centre, which is locked and can open both in and outwards, rather squeakily unless precautions are taken.

Behind the iron bars are ten of the children taken from Ikkur. The DM should describe the conditions they are in, depending on the nature of the players. None of the children are injured or ill and they all seem to have been fed and watered adequately.

If the party approach quietly there will be a single hobgoblin, almost asleep, sitting on a rickety wooden chair, watching the children with little diligence, with his back to the approaching party.

Upon noticing the party, the children may become excited and/or scared. They may be tired, resigned to their fate... the DM should play the situation as seen to be appropriate for the players of the adventure.

Behind another horrible kraken and ship themed tapestry lies another cave. If there is any sort of disturbance, the remaining five hobgoblins and their chief, the ogre, will burst forth from the tapestry to see what is going on.

Should the party manage to release the children sneakily and quietly - children can be noisy and chattersome after all - the others will remain behind the tapestry in their quarters, 16A.

Hobgoblins (6): HD 1+1; AC 5; HP 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9; attacks/rnd 1; damage 2d4 (morning star); XP 20 + 2/hp (38 each).

Ogres (1): HD 4+1; AC 5; HP 35; attacks/rnd 1 (@ +3 to hit and +6 dmg due to 18/00 STR with weapon); damage 6 + 1d6 (club) or 1d10 (unarmed); XP 90 + 5/hp (265).

In the front part of the cave at, 16A, are the quarters for the guards. Among their rather disgusting and smelly bedrolls are a few valuables, as follows: the ogre has 44 gold pieces in a dirty leather pouch and the hobgoblins each have 3d8 copper pieces and 2d4 gold.

17. Oversized Beetles

At the back of the cave, behind the various stalagmites and stalagtites which run from floor to ceiling, is the lair of four somewhat oversized beetles. These are used by the ogre and hobgoblins to dispose of any waste products in their area. Although not exactly tame, they may not attack the party if there is a favourable encounter roll, otherwise they will as the party don't smell like hobgoblin or ogre.

Beetles (4): HD 2; AC 5; HP 10, 10, 10, 10; attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d4 (bite); XP 20 + 2/hp (40 each).

18. Guards' Quarters

This large cavern is the sleeping quarters for eight goblins and four hobgoblins. Across the cavern are a pair of screens that separate the goblin area at the front from the hobgoblin area behind. Both areas have beds for each occupant, which are rather disgusting and smelly.

A minimum of two goblins and a hobgoblin are likely to be on guard duty at 18A, down the corridor leading from their cavern to the main corridor beyond. They will cry the alarm to alert the others and the humans as well if possible.

Goblins (8): HD 1-1; AC 6; HP 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7; attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d6 (short sword); XP 10 + 1/hp (17 each).

Hobgoblins (4): HD 1+1; AC 5; HP 9, 9, 9, 9; attacks/rnd 1; damage 1d6 (spear); XP 20 + 2/hp (38 each).

19. Smaller Prison and Guards

The end of the passage is lit by a single torch burning in a cresset in the prison area. The party may notice the light source once they are approaching along the tunnel, or perhaps not if they have their own light sources.

The end of the passageway has been secured with a series of vertical iron bars a few inches apart that have been mortared into the floor and ceiling. There is a similarly constructed gate in the centre, which is locked and can open both in and outwards. It will squeak loudly unless precaustions are taken.

Behind the iron bars are seven of the children taken from Ikkur. Like those in area 16, they are all in an adequate condition. The DM should describe details of the conditions they are in, depending on the nature of the players. Don't be too nasty please.

If the party approach quietly there will be a single fighter (i.e. not Zugplup) from the possible characters listed in area 20 below. He will be sitting on a wooden stool, watching the children and the corridor. He is bored.

Should the party approach or the alarm from area 18 be heard, he will rouse the others and they will all try to repel the invaders.

20. Boss Headquarters

This room is too small for what is was intended. The dwarven builders were not very happy with their employers and so didn't make it big enough.

Here is the rather cramped sleeping quarters for the four criminals who conducted the kidnapping operation. There are two double bunk beds, a tatty and disgusting sofa, a chest, and a desk and chair in the room. Its occupants are likely to have left to see what the trouble was.

The desk has a locked drawer in which are Zugplup's spellbook and 2 x (the number of people in the party) gems @ 50 gp each. At the bottom is dogeared notebook with various of Zugplup's jottings over time regarding the building of the mines, kidnapping some children, how much he might make from his enterprise, and various demonic doodles. Inside the back cover of the notebook is a piece of parchment on which is written in Dwarvish: "Stand still, you stupid statues!"

Zugplup's spellbook contains the following spells:

1st level - read magic, light, identify, burning hands, comprehend languages, hold portal, mending, magic missile.
2nd level - wizard lock, ray of enfeeblement, strength, levitate, invisibility, continual light.
3rd level - tongues, suggestion, flame arrow, clairvoyance, dispel magic.

In the chest, locked and trapped with a scything blade (save vs. petrification or 4 + 1d6 damage), is a sack containing (1-1000) + (1000 gp/person in the party).

Each person detailed below carries 1d10 gems worth 10 gp, 5d10 gp and 3d6 sp.

Zugplup the Horrible (the main boss): Lvl 5 magic user; AC 3; HP 20; attacks/rnd 1; damage as for Staff of Striking (20 charges remaining); XP 500. Zugplup wears Bracers of Defence AC 7 and a +1 Ring of Protection as well as his cloak, robe, pointy wizard hat and other clothing. His DEX 17 gives him an AC bonus of -3. He carries a ring of several keys on a chain, to unlock the prison doors, and the drawer and chest in his quarters, and the various chests throughout the dungeon. He carries a Potion of Fire Resistance with three doses. Spells memorised - 3rd level: Flame Arrow; 2nd level: ray of enfeeblement, strength; 1st level: light, burning hands, magic missile, hold portal. If things are going badly for him, he will retreat in room 20 and use his hold portal spell.

Grumpy: Lvl 4 fighter; AC 4; HP 40; attacks/rnd 1 (at +3 to hit due to STR and his weapon); damage 5 + 2d4 (+1 morning star, +4 due to STR 18/85); XP 400. Besides his +1 morning star, Grumpy has chainmail and shield, and a Potion of Heroism with 3 doses.

Bignose: Lvl 3 fighter; AC 4; HP 30; attacks/rnd 1 (at +2 to hit due to STR and his weapon); damage 4 + 1d8 (+1 longsword, +3 due to STR 18/33); XP 300. Bignose has chainmail and shield.

Stinkfinger: Lvl 2 fighter; AC 3; HP 20; attacks/rnd 1 (at +1 to hit due to STR); damage 1 + 2d4 (+1 due to STR 17); XP 200. Stinkfinger has a broadsword, chainmail and a +1 shield.