People of the Pit

Pit

• Marble quarry pit, long exhausted and unused, and avoided by the locals for centuries

Areas:

1-1 - The Sacrificial Bluff

• Rocky bluff above a 100 foot pit
• Musty gray mist rises from the pit, smells like damp soil
• Stout iron pole, hammered deep into the ground, broken chains and manacles littered about

Observing the Pit

• ancient stone staircase carved into the edge, spiraling down around the rim, disappears into mist
• dark shapes moving at the limit of vision

1-2 - The Pit's Edge

• mist smells more like foul compost
• stones very worn, smooth
• visibility 50'

1-2A - Cultists in the Mist

• 5 grey-robed cultists, each wielding a sickle-shaped blade
• heads beneath their hoods are blank flesh with no faces
• robes around their waists ripple strangely

Sermon: The Pattern

• The Pattern gives the multiverse its order. To walk the pattern is to understand it, to control it, to gain the power to walk among the shadows. Once set upon, it must be walked, as deviation from the path damages the mind, damaging the body. As you understand the pattern, you begin to understand Chaos, and time will distort around you. Without the pattern, Law would corrupt the world, bringing about its destruction in its inflexibility.

• As you walk the circle, take your time, but do not go too slowly, lest the Chaos damage your mind. You must be able to walk the Chaos with confidence, to comprehend and control Chaos, if you wish to serve the Earthlord. Should you fail, you were never meant to serve Him, He, Palimdybis, whom shall reclaim your body which you gave to him. Turn around now and go, prove your faith before me. If you survive, then await in the living tunnels, and I will come find you.

Stats

Monsters Gray-robed cultist: Init +0; Atk dagger +2 melee (1d4+1); AC 11; HD 1d4+1; hp 3; MV 30’; SP 1d6 control check, octo-mass (when killed, an octo-mass emerges; see stats below); Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -2; AL C.

Octo-mass: Init -2; Atk tentacle rake +0 melee (1d3); AC 6; HD 1d4; hp 1 each; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort -1, Ref -2, Will -2; AL C.

Mineral-horned mountain basilisks (2): Init -1; Atk bite +5 melee (1d8) or claw +3 melee (1d4) or gaze (special); AC 16; HD 3d8; hp 13 each; MV 40’ or climb 20’; Act 2d20; SP gaze (DC 14 Will, paralysis immediately, turned to stone if gaze held for 4 continuous rounds); SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +1; AL C.

Weak Gray-robed cultist: Init -2; Atk dagger +0 melee (1d4-1); AC 9; HD 1d4+1; hp 1; MV 20’; SP 1d6 control check, octo- mass (when killed, an octo-mass emerges; see stats below); Act 1d20; SV Fort +0, Ref -1, Will -4; AL C.

Weak Octo-mass: Init -4; Atk tentacle rake -2 melee (1d3-2); AC 4; HD 1d4; hp 1; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort -3, Ref -4, Will -4; AL C

Peasant (aspiring cultist) (1): Init -2; Atk unarmed +0 melee (1d3 subdual); AC 9; HD 1d4; hp 1; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +0, Ref -1, Will -2; AL N.

Devil toad of Bobugbubilz: Init +4; Atk bite +8 melee (1d10 + DC 16 Str check or pinned) or swallow (DC 16 Str check or creature pinned on previous bite is swallowed); AC 12; HD 4d10; hp 30; MV N/A; Act 1d20 attack + 1d20 psionic; SP swal- low (once swallowed, target takes 1d4 damage each round un- til killed; can cut its way out only with dagger-size weapon (DC 14 Agility check to move inside stomach); attack vs. AC 10, 8 hp of damage cuts passage out), psionics (see below), death throes (when killed, body disappears and leaves behind an oily stain that drains into the shape of a symbol of chaos); SV Fort +7, Ref -4, Will +8; AL C.

Crimson-robed cultists (3): Init +1; Atk dagger +2 melee (1d4+1); AC 11; HD 2d4+2; hp 7 each; MV 20’; SP 2d6 control check, able to cast arms of Palimdybis, octo-mass (when killed, an octo-mass emerges; see stats below); Act 1d20; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will -2; AL C. Equipment: egg-shaped talisman of bronze tied on a leather thong (see level 3).

Toan: Init +0; Atk bite +3 melee (1d6); AC 13; HD 4d6; hp 13; MV 20’; SP pseudo-elemental traits (half damage from mun- dane weapons); Act 1d20; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0; AL C.

Mindless Ghosts (7): Init +1 (always surprise); Atk suffocat- ing touch (see below); AC 12; HD 2d8; hp 9 each; MV fly 30’; Act 1d20; SP suffocation (any creature touched loses 1d4 Stam- ina each round; when creature reaches 0 Stamina, it passes out; 2 rounds later, it dies; Stamina loss is temporary and returns at rate of 1d4 per round as soon as creature is out of ghost’s reach), incorporeal, immune to nonmagical weapons, un-dead traits; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +4; AL C.

Yellow-robed cultist (1): Init +4; Atk dagger +5 melee (1d4+3); AC 11; HD 5d4+5; hp 21; MV 20’; SP 3d6 control check, able to cast arms of Palimdybis, octo-mass (when killed, an octo-mass emerges; see stats below); Act 1d20; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0; AL C. Equipment: egg-shaped talisman of gold tied on a leather thong (worth 10 gp; see level 3). Curse potentially lifted upon slaying.

Mineral-muncher (3): Init (always last); Atk rocky fusillade +3 missile fire (cone 30’ in length and width, dmg 1d4 to all within); AC 18; HD 1d8; hp 7 each; MV 5’, climb 5’; Act 1d20; SP rock-hard (weapons automatically break on a fumble); SV Fort +3, Ref -4, Will -2; AL N.

Blue-robed cultist (1): Init +6; Atk dagger +7 melee (1d4+5); AC 11; HD 7d4+7; hp 28; MV 20’; SP automatic control check, able to cast arms of Palimdybis, octo-mass (the octo-mass does not have time to emerge, however, because the tentacles claim the body first); Act 1d20; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2; AL C. Equipment: egg-shaped talisman of gold tied on a leather thong (worth 10 gp; see level 3).

People of the Pit (10): Init -2; Atk slam +2 melee (1d3+2); AC 9; HD 1d4; hp 2 each; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref -1, Will -2; AL C.

Treasure The Red Glass Wand: This wand is made of a translucent red glass and is thus easily shattered, just like normal glass. It provides great clarity when the wielder concentrates, and im- proves spells that affect divination or detection. Any character holding the wand can use it to cast the following spells 1/day: detect evil, detect invisible, detect magic, and ESP. The wand casts a reddish glow when used. The wand’s spells are always cast rolling a fixed dice combination for the spell check, with no modifier for the wielder’s caster level: roll 4d6 if the wielder is a wizard or elf or cleric and 3d6 if any other class. A spellcast- er who uses those same spells from his own repertoire while holding the wand receives a +1 to his spell check.

A matte-black short sword that radiates a faint darkness— even when placed under direct sunlight, it seems to lie in shadow. It is Shadeslayer, a +2 short sword with the follow- ing properties: ○ Int 3 (empathy) ○ AL: Chaotic ○ Banes: goblinoids (unerring throw to 60’ range) ○ Special Purpose: Punish interlopers and those who in- terfere ○ Special Purpose Power: Crippler (always roll crits as warrior of one level higher)

The potions: The stoppered vials are as follows. Note that the level 1 cleric spell second sight can be used to gain insight into the drinking of these potions. Silvery (x10): Aspiring humans drink this potion to experience oneness with Palimdybis. The taste is extremely foul. Drink- ing the complete potion forces the drinker into a vision-trance; repeated consumption, combined with the pool at area 2-11, transforms the imbiber into a gray-robed cultist, and subse- quent consumption is considered sacred. The cultists mix and consume great quantities of this potion. Red (x6): A drinker of the red potion gains improved control over the tentacles. It tastes rank but not horrid—sort of like spoiled but well-spiced meat. The drinker feels an affinity with the tentacles and can utilize the control tentacle spell (spell check 1d20) for 1d6 hours without corruption or spellburn.

The Inquistor, Mace +4 Alignment: Lawful Int: 6 Communication: Empathy 3 banes:

• Undead: +1 atk and dam; beacon of fury (attack under any circumstances; ego check)
• Naga: Unreasoning hatred (attack at any opportunity; ego check)
• Wizards: Beacon of hope (allies in 100' gain +2 saves +2 morale); Unerring throw (60', returns, str bonus to damage)
• Chaotic creatures: +1 attack

Special purpose dice: Punish evildoers, slay chaotic creatures Powers: 1d4 of type I or II (50% chance each), and 50% chance of type III

• Detect evil within 20'
• Precise strike: +4 attack
• Whirlwind attack (2 attacks with 1d10; no crits)

Ascended One - House of the Dirt

• Kith must rejoin the earth be purified and cleansed
• To release them from this savagery and restore their former glory
• Other houses are wrong and must be put to death
• The others turned away, refusing to listen to me