The Grendel Camp This is a small, setting-based outdoor encounter for a group of 2nd-level PCs (or so). It can be dropped into any wilderness setting as a planned encounter, or a random one, or you can use the hook detailed below. It uses 0e stats, but of course could be used by for any old-school D&D or clone thereof. ~ ..+..+m -+ - .-. -..m... [H] [G] . -+--+%.+++-m--#++--+mm-.rubble [G] . . . . .....-++#######*##*m%m*+**##. . ....... .. . .+. ..... .-mmm+--m++-%+-.+.++%*m.+..... ... .. +.+- -+-. .... .- - m .-m- -.-* .. .. ..%%--. +.+#m... . +.. - -. ...+ .- lean-to[B].. --.#*.. ..*#% Wo -+++- . ..#* . ..m#%+ Wo ||| . ##m.. .+m##.. lean-to [A] ||| ....*#mm-. --m##+- -\-\ ----- -+++-- . -##--+. +*##-. \ Gr\ ( well) ...-m#-m -*#.%- \ \ \Gr ----- Gr .--.#%+% . ##-- +--\-\ [E] .***#.. --#+#-. .-#m-.. - m.- .. Gr lean-to[C].-+#+. . . . ------- .+.*+++ .. . \ | /-- //// + %#* [G]- .-.+---. Gr ----+-- Gr ////- .+.. .. -#.m. +. /+- \ ////- .--. . ..-+#-m+m-*m#- / | \ ------- ... . ..m-##*#*###.++ Wo ... .-.+%m-m+##-*#-- fire pit ..... rubble -+++#m-###--- .... [D] +.m--+m##m+-. . . . ... .-- . .. .%+--- ...... ...... -+.+- .... .- +. ....... .+..+- . ++. ^ -. [G] .+#*%+##mm+ . | N . +m-+mmm-m. . - -m-m -. . .. .m-. |-10'-| ------------- | well | Wo: Wolf ----| [E] |---- Gr: Grendel | | | | | | | ..-+.-...-................ | ... .. | [F].+-+....- /-o-\ .... | .-.---. ..---..-............. |-------- | refuse pile - spider | water | | | | | | | | | | | | scroll | +---------+ ~ A small band of Grendel have made a home out of some abandoned ruins in a small, forested valley. Nothing is left of the original structures but some piles of rubble and an old well. The Grendel don't trust the well, having recently heard strange sounds coming from it, so they covered it with sticks and weighed the sticks down with flat rocks a few days ago. A giant wolf spider inhabits the well, in a small burrowed tunnel about half way down its 50' depth. Six Grendel live in the camp, four males and two females. They have three wolves they have trained as guard animals. They will have one Grendel and a wolf on watch at night, concealed in the woods just on the edge of their camp (roll d8 for direction). During daylight hours there is a 50% chance that 1-2 Grendel and one wolf may be out foraging or scouting for victims. They prefer to raid nearby farms for food or livestock (which they kill and eat). When they conduct raids, all six will go, with one Grendel and a wolf acting as an advance scout and then as a watch while the raid is conducted. Loranna the Runner, Warden for the area, has been watching nearby farms in hopes of catching the Grendel in the act. After the last raid, she came upon the farm a mere hour after the Grendel had left, and was able to track them back to their camp. She is now looking for assistance in clearing the camp. Map Key [A]-[C] Grendel lean-tos - roll 1-8 twice for each lean-to searched: 1. Duff bedding 2. Wool blanket 3. Wooden cup and plate 4. Leather pouch with 2d6 gp 5. Leather cap 6. Short sword 7. Leather pouch with dried meat 8. 50' of rope Southwestern Rubble pile [D] Roll 1-12 five times, re-roll duplicates or choose: 1. Rusted dagger 2. Animal bones 3. Brass amulet on tarnished silver chain - Gunther's Amulet of Knowing - allows bearer to read languages once per day as per the spell 4. 2d6 sp, 3d8 cp 5. Broken pottery 6. Curiously polished rocks 7. Gold ring [150 gp] 8. Small, bulging sack with rotted food 9. Water-stained parchment in leather tube, showing a partial map 10. Silver swizzle stick [10 gp] 11. Silver comb [30 gp] 12. Snake - Poisonous Asp, [1/2HD, bite for no damage but save or die in 1-4 turns] The map can lead the party to a nearby ruin or dungeon. [E] Well A 50' deep stone well with about 20' of clear (still drinkable) water in it. The side tunnel with the spider den is just a few inches above the water line. At the bottom of the well, lying amongst the small stones lining its bottom, is a white bone scroll tube sealed with wax - a clerical scroll of 'hold person'. Anyone shining a light through the water will see a reflective glint from the bone case. They may also see the dark spider tunnel opening, if they illuminate the walls. [F] Spider Den A giant wolf spider has been trapped in the well for a few days and is hungry. He will attack anyone descending near his tunnel, even if he has to scale the walls. His offal/refuse pile will have buried in it: - Broken but bejeweled silver holy symbol, still worth 300gp - Rusted mace and chain armor - 23sp, 130cp, 40gp - Various animal and human bones, a human skull [G] Covered Pit Traps The Grendel have dug four covered pits of about five feet deep each around their encampment. Anyone deliberately searching (during the day or with a light source) will notice something not quite right with the ground cover in a four-foot diameter circle. Any Man, Dwarf or Elf stepping on one will fall into it, Halflings will only fall through one-third of the time. No damage will be taken, but it will take a full turn to climb out of a pit. The noise will alert any Grendel or wolf in the camp. [H] Northern Rubble Pile One of the Grendel discovered a cache of gems in a recent raid, and has secreted it in this pile, in a small sack. There are 12 gems worth 10-60gp each. ----- Giant Wolf Spider AC 7 HD 2+2 ATK Bite 1-6 SP Poison bite - Save at +2 or die in 1-6 turns MV 18 AL Neutral ----- Wolf AC 7 HD 2+2 ATK Bite 1-6 MV 18 AL Neutral ----- Loranna the Runner Level 3 female Warden HD 4 HP 14 AC 7 (leather) AL Lawful Weapons: +1 lawful long sword, +2 versus humanoids [detect evil to 6" 3x/day], long bow (+1 to attack rolls) Special: Healing poultice 2-7, tracking, surprise 1-3, detect snares & pits ----- Grendel AC 6 HD 2+1 ATK Bite 1-6 or weapon (see below) SP Surprise on 1-3 MV 12 AL Chaotic Grendel are fearsome, disfigured humanoids with large ears, mottled skin, and sharp, extruding teeth. They are highly skilled at sword fighting and typically attack with two blades, gaining +1 to-hit and the better of two damage rolls if they do hit. They will also carry a few throwing knives secreted about their person, which can be used as missile weapons at medium range (within 30 feet) with +1 to attack rolls. Grendel can bite if they are disarmed. Thankfully, they disdain traveling in large groups, preferring smaller groups of perhaps five to six with lone scouts sent ahead. Such scouts are quite stealthy when encountered alone, surprising half of the time. They move quickly and prefer to travel lightly. Female Grendel are just as fearsome as their male counterparts, and can be found in equal numbers amongst patrols. They like to live in small communities in shallow caves or outdoors in shelters of their own making. Such encampments will be protected by various snares and traps around their perimeters. Grendel tend to be distrustful of even their own race, and will hide treasure in secretive places. They like to train and use wolves as guard animals. -----