The DREADWOOD FOREST - General Knowledge

This substantial forest lies north of the Hool Marshes of the lower Javan River and reaches from the Good Hills in the west (where the forest itself is quite hilly) some 250 miles to the coast of the Azure Sea in the east. It varies between 70 miles deep in the east to well over 150 miles deep in the west. Together, the Dreadwood forest and the Hool marshes serve as a formidable natural barrier separating Keoland from the lands of the Sea Princes. There is a long history of struggle within the Dreadwood, with monsters and humanoids battling the human, elven and gnome inhabitants.who nominally swear allegiance to the King (in return for Keoish protection of the forest). Large-scale efforts have been mounted by the inhabitants, in concert with Keoish troops, to clear the woods of evil creatures time and again, but the enemy retreats into hidden places and beyond the trees into the trackless Hool Marshes, to return when the companies of woodsmen and elves retire. It is suspected that the Sea Princes are in collusion with certain bandits and humanoid bands who creep through the Dreadwood on their way to raid Keoland and the Yeomanry. Whispers speak of Scarlet Brethren sculking about capturing some of the more intelligent monsters here for use in their monster breeding experiments, but these are more likely tales told to misbehaving children and the rants of drunken old madmen. There are also rumored to be several mysterious and ancient ruins hidden deep within the more isolated regions of the Dreadwood.
 
 

DREADWOOD - An Insider's View

As there is some enmity between the druids of Obad-hai and the priests of Ehlonna, they do not co-operate directly very often, but when the safety of the forest is at stake, such as a particularly large incursion of evil from the Hool, all differences and disagreements are put aside and everyone fights side by side. This uneasy truce between followers of competing gods could easily degrade into open hostility in other woodlands of similar small size, but is unlikely within the Dreadwood for reasons other than the constant danger posed by common enemies. In her years as an adventuring druid, long before becoming the Great Druid, Reynard saved the lives of several very prominent priests of Ehlonna.
 
 

Northern Dreadwood Encounters

Southern Dreadwood Encounters

Marshy Dreadwood Encounters (Southwest)

DM's Notes

The flavor of the site is similar to the Earthmaster ruins from Columbia Game's HarnWorld (particularly the ruins at Bejist), and could easily be adapted to a HarnWorld campaign, though here it is set in the AD&D World of Greyhawk. For AD&D DMs who wish to know more detail about the various aspects of Earthmaster architecture and artifacts, and HarnWorld, there will be more information at the end (including links).
 
 

BRINDEC

The ruins of Brindec, looking north. Group of 5 adventurers on west island, for scale.
 
 
 

From 100 yards away, a 70 foot high block-like tower can be seen partially sunken into the muck and fetid water. Called a "ruin" by the druids and elves of the northern Dreadwood, there is nothing ruined about it. The tower appears to be a single piece of grey stone-like material, as smooth and polished as the day it was constructed, not a single mark on it from the passage of time. Yet it predates the recorded histories of both the druids and the elves! It's builders are a complete mystery. Obviously constructed before the swamp invaded this portion of the Dreadwood, the perfectly clean and new-looking structure appears completely out-of-place in its dreary surroundings. From the exterior, the most striking feature of the structure is a dome on the roof constructed of an unknown transparent material.

There are several small islands nearby that the PCs may wish to use as a jumping off point to start their exploration of the building's immediate area. The island that they choose has an inhabitant. The largest tree is, in fact, a very old hangman tree, and it is pleased that lunch has arrived.

Hangman tree (1): AC 3 trunk, AC 5 vines; MV 0; HD 6; hp 42; THACO 7; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3; SA strangulation, acid digestion 3d4/rd; SD hallucinatory perfume; MR 95%; SZ H; ML 0; AL N(e); XP 1,400. Monstrous Manual 293. No treasure.

A quick survey will reveal what appear to have been four entrances into the structure, however the north entrance is completely blocked by rock and mud, and the east entrance is likewise blocked by rock, mud, and trees. This leaves two possible routes into the building. The south entrance appears to be surrounded by deeper water, and is clear. The west entrance has some plant growth, indicating that the water is shallower near that entrance. Among that plant growth, just inside the entrance, is a giant sundew.

Giant Sundew (1): AC 7; MV 1; HD 8; hp 41; THACO 13; #AT 6 per target; Dmg 1-3; SA suffocation, damaging enzyme; SD penalty to attacker's rolls; MR Nil; SZ M (4'); ML 11; AL N; XP 2000. Monstrous Manual 295. No treasure.

Ground Level

The interior of the room is devoid of any contents and completely featureless with only two exceptions. In the floor at the center of the room is a 10 foot diameter, 6 inch wide, 4 inch high ring composed of the same pseudostone as the floor. The center of the ring is depressed a foot below the top and is composed of pitch black, though highly polished, pseudostone. Nowhere can there be found any sort of seams, cracks or joints.  Arranged around the ring are four 1 foot square, transparent pseudostone "windows" set into the floor. These transparent sections appear to be about 1 foot thick, revealing a dark room beneath the floor. Nothing can be discerned through the darkness.

As they wander around the room, the PC's will not notice the creature that has made a lair at the base of the eastern stairs before it notices them. It raises its head slightly to look at the interlopers over the top of the stairs. As it begins to quietly move forward, the PC's will hear a slight splashing of water coming from the blocked entrance. The first PC to look in the direction of the dark passageway meets the gaze of a greater basilisk.

Greater Basilisk (1): AC 2; MV 6; HD 10; hp 54; THACO 11; #AT 3; Dmg 1-6/1-6/2-16; SA claws +4 poison, breath +2 poison, petrifying gaze; SD surprised only on a 1; MR nil; SZ L (12' long); ML 16; AL N; XP 7,000. Monstrous Manual 14. Because of the way PC's enter the room (and the possible battle with the giant sundew), this creature cannot be surprised. Even invisible characters will alert the beast as they come through the water of the entrance passages. It may have poor vision, but it has an excellent sence of smell. Althought it can see into the ethereal and astral, it cannot see outside of the structure due to the special nature of the pseudostone. The reptile will defend its lair with particular ferocity because it provides a unique protection from random astral and ethereal encounters. The first time the Hermit entered the building, the creature moved to attack, however it experienced a mysterious revulsion and instinctively retreated. Now it prefers to ignore him. Not enough meat to bother with.

If someone uses the psionic devotion psionic sense within the building, they detect a faint psionic hum coming from the vicinity of the black disk set into the floor. The expenditure of 20 or more psionic points aimed at or against the disk will cause it to open like an iris (without any seams or moving parts!), exposing a dark 120 foot deep, 9 foot diameter shaft for 10 seconds. The opening and closing process is not instantaneous, but takes 2 seconds. Nothing can prevent the disk from closing again, and anything held in the opening is utterly crushed as the iris closes. The trigger can take on any form of directed psionic ability, whether an attack mode directed at the disk, an attempt at matter manipulation, or telepathic projection. The ability itself cannot effect the disk, only trigger it's opening. Passive, non-directed or personal effects (most clairsentient, psychometabolic and psychoportive abilities) will not work. If no one in the party has the ability to open the disk, they must either wait for the hermit to arrive, or leave. See the description of the Hermit and his actions below.

The walls of the shaft are pseudostone, so it cannot be climbed even with magical aid. The PCs can attempt to fly or levitate down the shaft. If they somehow secure a rope, such as placing a log across the top (remember, no spike or grappling hook can grip the pseudostone), they may climb down, however the rope will be severed when the disk closes and anyone on it will fall to the bottom of the shaft. Anyone standing on the edge, leaning over the open shaft and staring down into it for more than 5 seconds will suddenly feel a little light-headed as if suddenly struck with vertigo and must roll a Constitution check at -4 or fall into the shaft. Take the player aside, whose PC fell, and explain what happens without informing the other players, as the disk closes and prevents them from seeing what happens.
 

Lower Level

The disk is malfunctioning, however. While the inertial negation ability is thankfully functioning properly, expending psionic points against the disk (as was done with the upstairs disk) once propelled any creature standing on it up the shaft. That ability no longer functions. PCs will have to find another way up. The malfunctioning disk is also responsible for the vertigo experienced within and above the shaft. Closer examination of the "windows" in the ceiling give the appearance that the domed room upstairs is only one foot above.

Once the iris is closed, the interdimensional nature of pseudostone blocks all attempts to teleport, phase or plane travel out of the area. It does not prevent the spell or psionic ability from going off (one can dimension door around the room, or enter the ethereal and see that the pseudostone exists there also), but prevents anyone from leaving the enclosed area. All forms of external contact is also blocked (for example, clairvoyance, sending, Dramidj's instant summons, etc.).

Four archways lead out of the room. The east and west corridors lead to empty rooms. To the north, stairs lead down, and to the south, stairs lead up, both into darkened rooms.

Following the southern stairs, the PCs rise up to a 20 by 30 foot room. The pseudostone room is empty except for a single structure. A ten foot high, block-like obelisk stands in the center of the room. It is 5' by 3' at the base, tapering to 4' by 3' at the top, and is composed of the familiar grey pseudostone. Psionic sense will reveal a faint psionic hum emanating from the monolith. The PCs probably have, at this point, no way of determining its function. The monolith is in fact a device known as a godstone, and functions as a programmable transportation device or gate. If they can learn how to operate the godstone, it can be used to transport them anywhere on the planet, and in fact, with great difficulty, can even be used to travel to different worlds. Information about the details of its operation can be found through a link at the bottom of this page.

Following the northern stairs down, the PCs enter a 12' by 24' room of featureless grey pseudostone. A single object rests in the room, and seems as out of place as a flumph at a yakmen feast. A very rickety chair built half-heartedly from sections of branches obviously collected from the surrounding swamp sits in the middle of the room facing the blank northern wall. If anyone over 150 lbs sits in the chair, it collapses. Close examination of the north wall reveals no features whatsoever... no seams, discolorations, or even scratches. Nothing radiates magic. If a PC has access to the sensitivity to psychic impressions science or the detection science (from "The Will and the Way" supplement) and uses psionic sense within the room, he will see, after some concentration, a very faint image of what appears to be some sort of hidden doorway or portal in the center of the north wall. No other action can reveal its presence.

At some point, while the PCs are examining the lower room and the rickety chair, any guard watching the central room will notice light coming down the central shaft for a few moments. Someone has opened the iris! A few moments later a frail-looking, elderly man attired in "distressed" clothing falls down the shaft and lands on the white disk. With no place to go, the PCs will probably crowd on both sides of room at the base of the stairs. The old man appears to carefully walk down the stairs, feeling his way with a walking stick or staff. The top of the staff appears to radiate light. He reaches the base of the stairs and moves towards the chair. If the PCs do nothing and remain perfectly quiet, he appears to not see them, even ignoring PCs standing in the middle of the room. They then may suspect that the staff may be more for the benefit of warning others on the street of his coming, for the light shining on his face reveals dead white eyes. The stranger appears to be completely blind! The Hermit is indeed blind, though he can see just as well, better even, than any of the PCs. He saw their handiwork upstairs (if they killed the greater basilisk) and prepared himself in case they had the ability to open the iris. If he didn't see a PC on watch when he descended the shaft, he certainly sees them skulking in the corners when he gets to the lower room. He keeps up the pretense of not noticing them in order to ascertain their intentions. If the PCs make a noise or move towards him, he asks "Who goes there?"

Note: The Hermit, as presented here, is a 2nd Edition AD&D psionicist from the Complete Psionics Handbook. If you use 1st Edition rules, the Dragon #78 Psionicist, or the Skills and Options rules, alter him accordingly. The PCs should not be allowed to overpower him, hence most of his details are left vague, and DMs can fill him out as they say fit. His abilities should be more than enough to deal with any hostile actions the PCs take, without necessarily harming them. If pressed, he will prefer to just leave. * indicates his primary discipline; + indicates powers described in "The Will and the Way" supplement

The Hermit: AC (variable); MV 10; Psionicist 13; hp 70; PSP 171; THACO (variable, base 14); #AT (variable); Dmg (variable); SA  special; SD special; Str 9 Dex 15 Con 16 Int 16 Wis 17 Cha 9; MR nil; SZ M (5' 7"); ML 18; AL N(NG); XP .

Psionics: 4 Disciplines (Clairsentient*, Psychoportive, Telepathic, Metapsionic), 7 Sciences (Clairvoyance, Detection+, Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions, True Sight+; Teleport; Mindlink; Psychic Surgery), 18 Devotions (All-Round Vision, Danger Sense, Feel Light, Know Location, Poison Sense, Radial Navigation, See Magic+, Sensitivity to Observation+, Spirit Sense; Dimension Door, Duo-Dimension+, Dimension Blade+; Contact, Id Insinuation, Mind Thrust:; Gird, Magnify, Psionic Sense), All 5 Defense modes.

The Hermit has a short sword +3 which he can use dimension blade on (+2 to hit, +2 dam, ignore any armor), ring of flying (as spell), bracers AC3, ring of protection +2, other items as the DM sees fit.

If all seems well, he will share some of what he knows, hoping that the PCs can further his own studies. The DM can determine how much he tells them at this time. He will under no circumstance tell the PCs his true name, personal history or location to his residence. DMs can develop that as they want. He has spent years studying the structure, and unfortunately has not learned much. He knows that the building was created by a very ancient race of beings referred to in ancient texts as the "Earthmasters". Their civilization predates even the elven and dwarven presence on Oerth, and their mastery of psionics surpasses anything that has ever come since. There is no known way to damage or create pseudostone. He believes, correctly, that pseudostone is not any sort of stone, of course, but may be some sort of artificial psionic interdimensional construct. Another form of pseudostone seen at other sites is psionically "enhanced" real stone, which is almost impossible to damage, yet resembles normal stone of some known type.

The DM can decide if the Hermit knows how to operate the godstone, and may in the future share that knowledge with the PCs if they provide him with some great service (an adventure of the DM's choosing). Knowledge of how to operate the godstone has great implications for a campaign, and DMs should consider it well. The hermit has spent most of his time trying to figure a way through the hidden door, with no luck thus far. He believes that it is sealed with a sort of psionic lock, and requires some sort of psionic "key", probably in the shape of some sort of manipulation of psionic energies. This may or may not be true. He also believes that beyond the door lies sealed Earthmaster constructions which may contain artifacts of their civilization and ancient, long-lost knowledge beyond imagination. He has dedicated his life to solving this mystery, and visits the site every couple of days to meditate and study using his formidable detection abilities. He may have knowledge of other Earthmaster sites, and may send the PCs off to study them (or clear them of occupants!).
 

If no party members have psionic powers...

Why visit Brindec?

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