Scales of War - [Lvl 10] - Fist of Mourning.pdf - Scales of War - Kitraida

F ist

o of

M ourning

by Robert J. Schwalb

illustrations by Gonzalo Flores, Goran Josic,

Howard Lyon, and Anne Stokes

cartography by Mike Schley

An adventure for 10th-level characters

January 2009 | DUNGEON 162

ist

ourning

✦

a r y 2009 | DUNG E O N 16 2

Fist of Mourning

While lords and heroes alike look to the brimming

war spilling across the lands, evil blossoms in places

unexpected. With the realm, and possibly the world,

teetering on destruction’s precipice, new factions rise to

work their wickedness. One such menace is the Cult of

Exquisite Agony, a disturbed cabal dedicated to perfect-

ing mortal f lesh by infusing it with the essence of chaos

to make it more adaptable, stronger, faster, and better.

Gathering in a fallen hero’s tomb high in the Stone-

home Mountains, this cult commits horrific acts hidden

from those who cannot comprehend their effort’s mag-

nificent end. Though careful to avoid attention, success’s

proximity has made them sloppy, and their deeds leave

traces those with courage and resolve can follow.

“Fist of Mourning” is a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ®

adventure for five 10th-level characters. Although

designed as a short scenario for adventuring parties

participating in the “Scales of War” adventure path,

you can adapt it for use in any mountainous region of

any game world and for any campaign.

BACKGROUND

The Cult of Exquisite Agony blossomed and withered

many times over the centuries, rising in power, but

falling when madness and treachery consumed its

greatest leaders. Each time the cult rose, it sought

to improve on what the gods themselves had done:

remake mortal f lesh into something better and attain

the full potential they believed was buried within all.

The last time the cult stirred was over a century

ago, many miles to the south in the ruins of Zannad.

Believing the secrets to their evolution was within

the fabled yuan-ti city, they scoured the wreckage

with little luck and they, like others before them,

succumbed to insanity and malice, turning against

each other in an orgy of violence. Not all perished,

and at least one escaped to carry the filthy message

of transformation to other lands.

One such refugee made it to Overlook, and before

her death, she passed on her cult’s tenets to loyal

followers recruited from local folk. Over the genera-

tions, the cult grew, but its leaders did not follow in

their founder’s steps until one named Obsen came to

power 10 years ago. A disturbed man with a taste for

the exotic, he believed he gained the power and quali-

ties of everything he ate provided the meal was alive

while he consumed it. So he ate plenty and often. It

wasn’t until he devoured a slaad tadpole, purchased at

a high price in Nine Bells—the poor and crime-ridden

district in Overlook—that he realized he had the

means to attain perfection all along.

For the next 10 years, Obsen and his cronies quietly

amassed slaad tadpoles, performed hideous experi-

ments on themselves in dank cellars, stole residuum to

power their rituals, and made unconscionable pacts

with otherworldly beings until they perfected the pro-

cess. When Tusk’s armies marched on Bordrin’s Watch,

Obsen and the cultists quit the city and marched to an

January 2009 | DUNGEON 162

Fist of Mourning

old tomb under the Fist, a blunted peak in the nearby

Stonehome Mountains, where they murdered the witch

living there, and recruited heavily from the mountain’s

denizens until they were strong enough to gather vic-

tims for the glorious transformation they would create.

the characters 2,800 gp (parcel 5) if they recover his

residuum (worth 1,000 gp). It’s not that the necroman-

cer can’t purchase more residuum ; he has a reputation

to protect. Characters who stamp out the cult and

return the stolen property also earn 2,500 XP for

completing a major quest.

2,800 gp, plus a useful contact in a future adventure

if they need it. Also, PCs who destroy the cult in the

process earn 2,500 XP for completing a major quest.

Treasure Preparation

Since this adventure should help 10th-level adven-

turers make up any shortfalls to reaching 11th level,

stock the dungeon with treasure parcels you have yet

to give out for this level. “Fist of Mourning” assumes

the characters are already halfway to their next level,

so the adventure supplies five treasure parcels. Adjust

this as needed to make sure the characters receive

the proper treasure for their levels. Magic items,

coins, goods, and other valuables are described in the

room summaries and the parcels they represented

are included for your convenience. As always, where

the text specifies a magic item, you should feel free to

swap it out with an item from your players’ wish lists.

ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS

Hook: Missing Adventurer

While adventuring in Overlook and in its surround-

ing lands, the player characters have met and might

have rivalries with other adventuring groups. When

one such group comes under attack by these cultists,

most are slain and at least one is abducted. The lone

survivor begs the PCs for help in recovering his miss-

ing friends.

The characters must rescue the cult’s prisoners

from the Fist of Mourning and return them to Over-

look. Doing so allows the PCs to earn a reward of

As close as they are to their goal, the cultists’ depraved

acts are bound to draw attention. Someone they

crossed hires the adventurers to root out the deviants.

The player characters climb the mountains and track

the cultists to their lair. Once inside, the characters

must navigate its perils, learn what the cultists intend,

and stop them before their corruption spreads too far.

STARTING THE

ADVENTURE

PART ONE:

ON EVIL’S TRAIL

THE POSSIBLE QUESTS

“Fist of Mourning” offers PCs an opportunity to

earn quest XP. Provided here is a list of possible

quests, and their rewards, from the hooks in the

adventure.

Major Quest—Bereft Necromancer

Rufus Crumley wants his residuum back, plus he

has a reputation to protect.

Reward: 2,500 XP and 2,800 gp (parcel 5).

Major Quest—Missing Adventurer

Rescue the cult’s prisoners from the Fist of

Mourning and return them to Overlook.

Reward: 2,500 XP for the cult’s destruction

and 2,800 gp (plus a useful contact in a future

adventure if they need it).

The adventurers might come to the Fist of Mourning

for a variety of reasons. Consider using either one of

the following adventure hooks or come up with one of

your own.

ON EVIL’S TRAIL

Once the characters are engaged in the adventure,

you might start at the entrance to the Fist and proceed

with the adventure as written. Or you can develop the

story more slowly by roleplaying through the process

by which the heroes are hired, learn about the cult,

and track the cultists to their lair. What follows are

tools to help you develop the adventure more slowly.

If you choose to use these skill challenges, consider

removing the Outraged Dead encounter on page 19

to keep the XP in line.

Skill Challenge: SC1 Investigating the Cult (page

11).

Skill Challenge: SC2 Travel to the Fist (page 12).

Hook: Bereft Necromancer

Rufus Crumley might not be popular in Shantytown,

but he is still a powerful and feared figure whose

inf luence cannot be overstated. Because he is pro-

tected by his dire reputation and his undead thralls,

no one has ever dared steal from him in his long years

in the city. So when someone breaks into his tower,

destroys his zombies, and makes off with his residuum

stores, the necromancer is quite put out.

Familiar with the adventurers’ recent escapades,

the necromancer turns to them for help. He offers

January 2009 | DUNGEON 162

STARTING THE

PART ONE:

Fist of Mourning

PART TWO: THE FIST

The Fist stabs out from a high peak in the Stonehome

Mountains. Named for its uncanny resemblance to a

closed fist, it marks Murat’s grave, a hero who fell in

the dwarf uprising against the giants. The dwarves

abandoned the tomb centuries ago when cruel winter

storms, orcs, and other mountain-dwelling horrors

became too great to maintain it safely. In recent years, a

filthy hag claimed squatter’s rights and made the place

her home. However, even her gruesome appearance

and sinister appetites weren’t enough to deter the cult

from taking it for themselves, and she met a terrible

end in the bottom of a ravine when she tried to resist.

The tomb consists of the dungeon’s western

tunnels and chambers. They exhibit fine dwarven

architecture still in good repair even after long

neglect. The eastern chambers are crude since they

were hand and tool-excavated. Orc miners, who

serve the cult much as they served the mountain

witch before, chip away at the granite for silver,

gems, and anything else they might extract from the

unyielding rock.

General Features

Illumination: Rooms are all dark unless other-

wise mentioned in the encounter text.

Ceiling: Ceilings in the complex are as tall as

their widest dimension.

Doors: Constructed from stone, the doors all bear

intricate carvings featuring dwarves battling orcs,

ogres, and giants. The doors are all unlocked, but

such is their weight that it requires a standard action

and a successful DC 10 Strength check to open them.

Stairs: Whether crude or fine, stairs all count as

difficult terrain.

January 2009 | DUNGEON 162

Fist of Mourning

mound of furs rises, revealing a wrinkled crone complete

with a jutting chin, milky white eyes, and one black tooth

in the center of her mouth. She cackles as she hobbles

toward you.

Tactical Encounter: F1 False Witch (page 13).

Characters who succeed on a DC 11 Perception

check can hear the sound of metal striking stone

coming from room 3.

The crone is an oni mage in service to the cult. It

assumes the hag’s appearance in case any mountain

folk come to trade or seek a remedy from the now-

dead wizened monster. The oni plays the part well,

pretending to be an unhinged and repellent creature,

offering to cure the party’s ills, trade for information,

and so on, using Bluff to maintain the deception (+15

check modifier). The oni mage denies the Cult’s pres-

ence here, but if the characters are insistent, it drops

the disguise and attacks.

Tactical Encounter: F1 False Witch (page 13).

Treasure (Parcel 9): The cultists left the hag’s

personal treasures alone when they took over the

place, though they tucked them away in a niche in the

center of the north wall. A character who succeeds on

a DC 16 Perception check locates a sodden sack con-

taining a rotting human hand, 90 gp, a garnet (worth

100 gp), a ritual scroll of Detect Lies (worth 360 gp), a

potion of healing, and a caustic whetstone ( AV 190).

3. Excavation

The orc miners work this room to extract precious

metals and gemstones.

Tactical Encounter: F2 Infested Mine (page 15).

4. Deeper Chamber

While the orcs served the hag, they dug out this

chamber searching for gold and silver. When they

found nothing, they changed direction. Now, aside

from a few broken tools, this room is empty.

When the characters enter this room, they can

hear chanting echoing from the chamber ahead with

a successful DC 10 Perception check.

5. Deep Mine

The orc miners abandoned this room when they

found nothing of value. Once the cultists moved in,

they erected an idol to embody their perverse vision

and awakened it with elemental power and foul

rituals. Now, at all times, cultists gather to pay their

respects.

Tactical Encounter: F3 Entropic Thralls (page

17 ).

Treasure (Parcel 7): Piled around the suppurat-

ing eidolon are 1,000 gp, a topaz (worth 500 gp), and

two peridots (worth 100 gp each).

1. Cave of the

Mountain Witch

This room housed the mountain witch, the cruel hag

who claimed the tomb as her lair. The cult murdered

her and enslaved her minions.

When the PCs can see into the room, read:

2. The Furnace

Early excavations exposed a pocket of hot gasses

fed by a pool of molten rock. The liquid stone has

cooled somewhat to form a thin crust over the fiery

substance.

When the PCs enter this room, read:

An opening in the mountain extends into a wide cave. To

the west, two statues carved to depict armored dwarves

f lank old, weathered stone doors. To the east, a tunnel

opens into a deeper chamber. What at first looks to be a

Dim light shines up from a cavity filling the room’s eastern

extent. The ceiling is smooth stone. A path winds around

the cavity and it exits through a fissure in the north wall.

January 2009 | DUNGEON 162

Scales of War - [Lvl 10] - Fist of Mourning.pdf

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