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1 THE TOMB OF THE HUNTERS 1 DAY FROM CIVILIZATION (DANGER LEVEL: UNSAFE) The Tomb of the Hunters is an independent product published under the Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License and is not affiliated with The Arcane Library, LLC. Shadowdark RPG © 2023 The Arcane Library, LLC. Cover art by Chris Yarbrough. Cartography by Dyson Logos. RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d6 Encounter 1 1d4 kobolds, searching for their missing friend (in Area 2) 2 A cloud of bats momentarily fills the room. DEX 9+ for near or 1d4 damage. 3 A bitter, howling wind fills the tomb. 3:6 chance to extinguish torches. 4 One of the ghouls from Area 5 ambushes the group (ignore if dead). 5 Both the ghouls from Area 5 ambush the group (ignore if dead). 6 1d4 tomb rats from Area 4 skulk out of the shadows and leap to attack. 1. STEEP INCLINE Description (Near): A steep, gritty incline descends into the red-rock cave. Daylight filters into the cave from outside, rapidly being swallowed up by the dark. The stairs east end abruptly in thin air. The room’s southwest corner has a winding, nearly vertical passage downwards that lacks stairs or handholds. Entrance Incline: The northwest corner has a short, steep slope down. DEX 9+ to climb down unassisted, or no check with rope. Only roll if time is an issue. Southwest Vertical Passage: The tight, winding passage to Area 3 is a DEX 15+ to climb, 2d6 falling damage if failed by 5+. No check with rope, but a roll is required if climbing. The passage is a far distance down. East Drop-Off: The drop to the east is DEX 12+ to climb safely, 1d4 falling damage if failed by 5+ (spongey floor in Area 2 softens fall). On failure, climbers land prone in Area 2 and trigger the opal trap. No check with rope, but a roll is required otherwise. The drop is a near distance down. Spoor: There is plenty of bat guano. Animal bones litter the uneven, scree-strewn ground. 2. OPAL TRAP Description (Near): The room has an uneven flagstone floor that gives underfoot like a sponge. The ceiling is an elaborate mural of a giant stone elemental destroying a
2 city. A raised spike in the center of the room holds a glittering, pearlescent egg. A scaly, greenish figure is curled up against the north wall. Kobold Corpse: A frost-burnt, shriveled kobold lies against the north wall. The dead kobold has 60’ of rope slung over its shoulder. Opal Trap: A raised stone spike is in the middle of the room. Atop the point is an egg- sized opal. The opal blasts beams of frigid energy at creatures nearby but stops once dislodged from the spike. It is worth 40 gp (only 20 gp if struck for 5+ damage while dislodging.) Shaft: A long, narrow shaft leads straight up to the surface. DEX 15+ to climb, take 2d6 falling damage if failed by 5+. The shaft is a distant distance up. East Vertical Passage: The tight, winding passage to Area 5 is a DEX 15+ to climb, 2d6 falling damage if failed by 5+. No check with rope, but a roll is required if climbing. The passage is a distant distance down. OPAL TRAP The egg-sized opal fires bolts of ice at creatures nearby. AC 10, HP 1, ATK 1 beam (near) +1 (1d6), MV none 3. SYNNOVE, WOULD-BE CRAWLER Description (Far): Four pillars rise from floor to ceiling in this rough-hewn cave. A ragged, uneven huffing comes from behind one column. A broader passage slopes upwards to the east, and two vertical shafts extend upwards. The ground is rocky, rough, and dotted with boulders. Synnove: Synnove, a would-be crawler, hides behind the southwest pillar. She was injured climbing down from Area 4 (she fell), and her torches burned out. Leonti and Gwar, her halfling companions, were bitten by the tomb rats and fled. She knows about the tomb rats in Area 4 and suspects something terrible happened to her friends (Area 5, they are now ghouls.) Human NPC. Synnove, N scout (scared, whiny, greedy). Wants treasure and to escape alive. Hiding behind the southwest pillar. Has 1 hit point. 4. TOMB RATS Description (Near): A stone sarcophagus with a slightly dislodged lid sits in the chamber’s center. Sconces on the wall hold burnt, useless torch stubs. There is a sheer, cliff-like drop-off in the southwest corner. Stone Sarcophagus: Inside the crypt are four tomb rats, which attack if disturbed. Inside the casket is a cracked, reptilian skull wearing a silver diadem worth 40 gp. The rest of the skeleton has turned to dust.
3 Southwest Drop-Off: The drop to the southwest is a DEX 12+ to climb safely, 1d6 falling damage if failed by 5+. On failure, climbers land prone in Area 3 and alert Synnove. No check with rope, but a roll is required otherwise. The passage is a far distance down. TOMB RATS (4) These undead rats are the size of cats. Rotten, patchy fur and pink, tattered tails. AC 11, HP 3, ATK 1 bite +1 (1d4 + ghoul fever), MV near, S -2, D +1, C +1, I -2, W +1, Ch -2, AL C, LV 1 Ghoul Fever. DC 9 CON or 1d4 CON damage (can’t heal while ill). Repeat check once per day; ends on success. Die and turn into a ghoul at 0 CON. Undead. Immune to morale checks. 5. CRYPTS AND TELEPORTER Description (Near): Open stone crypts line the walls. A mewling, sucking sound comes from the south end of the room, around the corner. Crypts: The four crypts are open, reptilian skeletons dumped on the flagstone floor. Ghoul: Leonti and Gwar, halflings, were bitten by tomb rats and turned into ghouls. Leonti’s Pack: Leonti’s backpack is nearby. It contains a day’s rations, flint and steel, and an ornate, obsidian-bladed dagger worth 50 gp. Obsidian Dagger: If used in combat, the dagger counts as a silvered weapon but breaks on an attack roll of 1 and becomes worthless. Reptilian Runes: Reptilian runes cover the south wall between the crypts. The glowing runes state, “To remember those here, one must look to the milk-white tower.” Anyone touching the runes or speaking the phrase aloud teleports to the top of the Opaline Tower, Area 8. Climb Up: The near-vertical shaft at the northern end of the crypt ascends to Area 2 and is a DEX 15+ to climb, 2d6 falling damage if failed by 5+. No check with rope, but a roll is required if climbing. The passage is a far distance up. LEONTI AND GWAR, GHOULS (2) These gibbering, grey-skinned halflings are covered with bite marks, and gobbets of torn flesh dangle from their arms and legs. Black, fetid blood smears their lips. AC 11, HP 11, ATK 1 claw +2 (1d6 + paralyze), MV near, S +2, D +1, C +2, I -3, W -1, Ch +0, AL C, LV 2 Undead. Immune to morale checks. Paralyze. DC 12 CON or paralyzed 1d4 rounds.