Damodar 6zr1s

INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Dungeons & Dragons: The Movie adventure. This is an introductory product designed to be used with the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game.

Part 2:

Damodar’s Refuge CREDITS Design:

Jeff Grubb and Rich Redman

Editing:

Gwendolyn Kestrel and David Noonan

Web Production:

Jesse Decker

Web Development

Mark Jindra

Cartography:

Rob Lazzaretti

Typesetting:

Anelika Lokotz

Creative Direction Graphic Design: Thanks

Mike Selinker Sean Glenn, Cynthia Fliege

Jonathan Tweet and Monte Cook, Court-

ney Solomon, Ann Flagella, Justin Whalin, Kristen Wilson, Lee Arenberg, and Dave Arneson Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. , and the new D UNGEONS & D RAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison.

D&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and DUNGEON MASTER are ed trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All Wizards characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. ©2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A.

New players: This adventure is compatible with the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game. To play it, you’ll need the rules found in that boxed set. Experienced players: If you’ve played D&D before and know your way around the Player’s Handbook, you’ll need to convert the characters here to the regular D&D rules. Rather than walk the characters through the encounters described here, use this document as an outline for creating your own adventure based on Dungeons & Dragons: The Movie. The Characters: To use the characters referenced in this adventure, you’ll need to the file containing them from the Official D&D website: www.wizards.com/dnd. If you are an experienced player looking for the full D&D statistics for the movie’s characters, check out Dragon Magazine issue #280.

3. DAMODAR’S REFUGE Our Story Thus Far You defeated the Great Maze in the Antius thieves’ guild, only to discover that Xilus used you to get the Eye of the Dragon for him. Before you could fight the entire guild to keep the gem, Damodar and his Crimson Guard broke in. Outraged at the intrusion, Xilus ordered his thieves to defend their hall. In the resulting confusion, you tried to escape, but there were more Crimson Guard at all the exits. Fortunately Norda, the Empress’s family tracker, also followed you here with her elven archers, and with her help you escaped. Not unscathed, however. In the movie, Damodar leaves Antius with Marina and the map that shows the way to the Rod of Red Dragon Control. In your game, you have more choices. For instance, if a movie character has no player, then Damodar kidnapped that character. If all the characters are in play, then Damodar got the Eye of the Dragon as well as the map. It’s up to you. Make sure your players know everything they’re supposed to recover before starting the adventure.

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This adventure is more free-form than the previous two. We give you the description of the castle and its environs. The players must recover whatever Damodar took. The players tell you how they want to do it, and you use this information to figure out what happens. There are no sewer tunnels or maze walls to limit player choices. If they think of something we don’t, make it up and have fun!

The Castle The moon shines down on the remnants of an abandoned castle. Surrounded by the forest, the castle sits on the highest hill for several miles in any direction. Most of it lies in ruins, but one small section appears intact. Sneaking closer, you see clear signs of recent efforts at restoration. Through a gate, you see Damodar’s soldiers setting up tents in the courtyard around a bonfire. Many of them sit around the fire, eating and drinking. Others patrol atop the walls. A ball-shaped beholder patrols outside the gate. What do you want to do? If your players don’t know what a beholder is, see The Beholder and the Gate. Your DM’s map is a separate file. it and, keep it handy as the characters move around and through the castle—it tells you what the characters encounter and see.

Norda 7th-level Elf Fighter Hit Dice: 7d10 (43 hit points) Initiative: d20+3 Speed: 6 spaces Armor Class: 15 Attacks: Bow d20+10/d20+5 or longsword d20+9/d20+4 Damage: Bow d6 or longsword d8+2 Special Abilities: Norda can use either of her weapons to attack twice in the same round. The first attack uses the numbers to the left of the slash; the second attack uses the numbers to the right of the slash. Both do the same amount of damage. Elves can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, etc., and retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. Saves: Fortitude d20+5, Reflex d20+5, Will d20+2 Skills: Hide +5, Listen +4, Search +5, Spot +5 Alignment: Good

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Elf Archers (5) 1st-level Elf Fighter Hit Dice: 1 (d10 hit points) Initiative: d20+2 Speed: 6 spaces Armor Class: 14 Attack: Bow d20+3, longsword d20+2 Damage: Bow d6, longsword: d8 Saves: Fortitude d20+2, Reflex d20+2, Will d20+0 Skills: Listen +4, Search +4, Spot +4 Alignment: Good

Where’s Damodar? Damodar is in his office (see Damodar’s Headquarters). If a Guard raises an alarm, Damodar s the search. Certain character actions could move him to another tower (see Damodar’s Quarters and Prison Cells).

Non-Player Characters (NPCs) are people, too. Norda and her elves are important people even if they don’t have their own players. It’s up to you as DM to portray them as intelligent characters with their own hopes and desires. They provide a diversion if needed. With their bows, they are far better equipped to take on the beholder and the Crimson Guard than the player characters are. The older and wiser Norda also serves as a way for you to give the players any desperately needed hints. On the other hand, don’t let her steal the show. Let the players be the heroes. Remind the players that Norda and her five archers are present. If they want to talk to Norda and ask questions or make requests, you play Norda. She feels protective toward her archers, so that while she lets them fight for the characters, she won’t unnecessarily risk their lives.

Outside the Walls Though dark and full of fierce creatures, the shadows surrounding the castle comfort you as they hide you. No trees grow near the castle walls, as if they fear something within. You can move around the castle easily if you stay within the trees. If you want to climb the walls, you must leave the safety of the ancient forest. Approaching the Walls: Crossing the open space between the trees and the walls requires a Hide roll (DC 11, since it’s dark) and a Move Silently roll (DC 15) for each character. If they fail either roll, two wall sentries move closer for a better look.

Character Elwood Marina Ridley Snails Crimson Guard

Hide –4 +5 +7 +9 +0

Move Silently –4 +4 +7 +9 +4

Search +0 +5 +4 +6 +4

Spot +2 +4 +4 +9 +2

If Guards investigate, the players make Spot checks to see whether they notice the approaching sentries (DC 10). If they fail, don’t put the Guard counters on the map. If they do, put the counters on the nearest wall and the PCs make Hide rolls again (DC 11). Their roll becomes the DC for the Guards to notice them with the Spot skill. If the heroes succeed, the Guards resume their patrol. The players should make both rolls (Hide and Move Silently) again. If they succeed, they reach the wall. If not, repeat the investigation. After three investigations, six Guards from inside the camp come outside to hunt intruders. Of course, they open the gate to do that. They search where the wall sentries think they saw movement. If they don’t find the players, they return to the bonfire. If they do, a fight breaks out. See Courtyard Chaos. If the wall sentries spot the characters, they raise the alarm. This could be a useful diversion, because the Guards open the gate to come out and give chase. The characters have a head start and all the forest in which to hide. After an hour, the Guards stop looking and return to their campfire. The Walls Irregular, uncarved stones piled high on each other form the castle walls. No one has built castles like this in hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It suggests ancient secrets and unspeakable horrors better left forgotten. It suits Damodar perfectly. The wall is 30 feet high, and the three towers rise 10 feet higher. You see Guards patrolling atop the wall. Climbing the Walls: The rough walls are relatively easy to scale (Climb DC 13). Players must make three successful rolls to reach the top, but they also have to make two Move Silently checks (DC 15). If they fail to move silently, two Guards investigate (see Outside the Walls). Every successful Climb roll means they move 15 feet higher.

Character Elwood Marina Ridley Snails

Climb +2 –1 +7 +8

Move Silently –4 +4 +7 +9

Rope Use: A rope secured to the top of the wall gives anyone using it a +3 bonus to both his Climb and Move Silently rolls. Falling: Failing a Climb roll without a rope by more than 5 means a character falls. Failing with a rope just means the character doesn’t move. For every 10 feet fallen, the character takes d6 points of damage. If she doesn’t want the Guards to investigate, the fallen character must roll to Move Silently (DC 15), but gets –1 penalty to her roll for every 10 feet fallen.

The Beholder and the Gate A beholder, a ball-shaped creature, guards the entrance. It has one large eye at the center of its face, beneath 10 small eyes on stalks. As drool drips from its mouth, you see three rows of razor-sharp teeth. Beyond the beholder is the gate to the castle courtyard. The gate is 15 feet high and blocked by a portcullis, an iron gate raised by a winch atop the wall.

Beholder Hit Dice: 5 (5d8+5 hit points) Initiative: d20+4 Speed: 4 spaces (flying) Armor Class: 20 Attacks: Eye rays d20+7, bite d20+2 Damage: Bite 2d4 Special Attacks: Eye rays Special Defenses: All-around vision, feather fall Saves: Fortitude d20+2, Reflex d20+1, Will d20+8 Skills: Hide +1, Listen +12, Search +15, Spot +16 Alignment: Evil A beholder, also called an eye tyrant, is a 6-foot-wide orb dominated by a central eye and a large, toothy maw. A number of eyestalks sprout from the creature’s head, and these stalks can wield powerful spells. Beholders are extremely dangerous creatures, so they are best avoided by all but the most experienced adventurers. Eye Rays: Each of the beholder’s five pairs of small eyes produce a magical ray once a turn, even when the beholder is attacking physically or moving at full speed. But since the creature’s own body

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tends to get in the way when it aims the rays, it can aim only 3 of its 10 eye rays at targets in any one direction other than up (forward, backward, left, right, or down). The remaining eyes must aim at targets in other areas or not at all. A beholder tilts and pans its body each turn to change which rays it can bring to bear on its desired targets. Each eye’s effect resembles a spell. All rays have a range of 30 spaces. Save DCs, where applicable, are 18. Charm Person: The target must succeed at a Will save. Beholders use this ray to confuse the opposition, usually employing it early in a fight. A charmed target cannot attack the beholder unless it attacks him first. Sleep: The target must succeed at a Will save to stay awake. Fear: The target must succeed at a Will save or run away for 2d6 turns. Slow: The target must make a Will save to resist or suffer a –2 penalty on all attack and damage rolls and on Reflex saves. Each affected target also gets a –2 penalty to armor class and moves only half normal speed. In addition, the target can move or attack, but not both. Inflict moderate wounds: This ray causes 2d8+10 points of damage. A target that succeeds at a Will save takes only half damage. All-Around Vision: A beholder is exceptionally alert. Its all-around vision negates Snails’s sneak attacks. Feather Fall: A beholder’s body is naturally buoyant, which allows it to avoid falling damage. The Beholder responds to any alarm raised outside the walls, arriving before the Guards since it doesn’t have to raise the portcullis. It does not respond to alarms inside the walls.

The Guards If the characters count the Guards through the gate, tell the players they see dozens and dozens of soldiers, it’s hard to be exactly sure how many there are. There are at least three dozen Guards, but some patrol on the walls.

Crimson Guard 1st-level Fighters Hit Dice: 1 (d10 hit points) Initiative: +0 Speed: 4 spaces Armor Class: 16

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Attack: Light crossbow d20+2, longsword d20+3 Damage: Light crossbow d8, longsword d8 Saves: Fortitude d20+2, Reflex d20+1, Will d20+0 Skills: Listen +2, Move Silently +4, Ride +4, Search +4, Spot +2 Alignment: Evil Courtyard Chaos Raising the Alarm: Assume it takes a sentry a full round to raise an alarm. If the characters somehow silence the sentry before then, they remain undetected. Evading the Guards: Once someone raises an alarm, the Guards respond at a run. Move their counters. Assume it takes 4 rounds to raise the portcullis, if the Guards have to come outside. They leave four Guards in the courtyard, but Damodar accompanies the search party. The Guards charge to where the characters were spotted. If the characters move away from that place, and no other Guards spot them, they’re safe. Otherwise they must fight. Fighting the Guards: This is one thing the characters don’t want to do. The Guards make full use of their crossbows, shooting at the characters from atop the walls or towers where the characters can’t reach them. Any Guards on the ground shoot once and then attack with their swords. Even with Norda and her elves, the characters are badly outnumbered—and that’s not counting the extremely dangerous Damodar!

Moving Around on and inside the Walls Once the characters get inside the walls, let the players tell you where they search for what Damodar stole. Every round, have them make Move Silently checks. If they fail, two Guards investigate just like in Outside the Walls. If the players succeed, their characters continue searching. Don’t roll while inside Damodar’s Quarters or the Prison Cells. The stone walls block sound, so no one hears the characters once they’re inside.

Towers All the towers have the following features in common. Each has four floors, with one door at the base and two more on the third floor that open onto the wall. A spiral staircase around the inside walls links the four floors. The third floor holds nothing but military supplies for the camp, with a clear path between the two doors. On

the fourth floor, a ladder leads to a roof hatch. There are no windows in the towers except around the fourth floor. Torches in wall sconces provide adequate light.

Damodar’s Quarters The first floor contains a dining table, a few chairs, and a fireplace. The remains of Damodar’s most recent meal litter the table. The second floor is Damodar’s bedchamber. It holds a wood frame bed, a bureau, and a desk. A carpet (see Quicksand Rug) lies across the space between the desk and the door. The map is clearly visible on the desk. Other magic paraphernalia litter the desk and bureau (see Wand of Hold Person). The fourth floor has mysterious, arcane symbols inscribed on the floor. Ancient tomes lie open on two desks. Marina can make a Spellcraft check (DC 20) to understand why Damodar has this magic laboratory. If she succeeds, she knows that he uses this laboratory to search for a way to remove the horrible thing Profion put in Damodar’s head. If Damodar took the Eye of the Dragon, it’s in this room. Characters must look for the gem (Search DC 20). In addition, roll a d20 for each character searching (DC 15, with no bonuses). Each time you succeed, that character finds a magic item. Roll on the random table in the Rule Book to see what she finds. Damodar Attacks: While the characters search the fourth floor, the Guards may see them through a window. Have the players make Hide rolls (DC 10). If someone fails, the number that player rolled becomes the DC for a Guard to Spot them (only roll once, not once per Guard; if more than one character failed use the highest number rolled). If the Guards spot them, Damodar s the attack (see Courtyard Chaos).

Prison Cells Iron bars and locked gates divide the first two floors into two cells each. The cells contain only a wooden cot and a chamber pot. The fourth floor is a single prison cell. The cot here has a straw-filled pad. Three of the four windows are available to any prisoner, but are barred. A small table and a stool complete the furnishings. Any character held prisoner is on the fourth floor. Damodar Attacks: If there are no prisoners in this tower, Damodar doesn’t come here. If a prisoner languishes here, roll a d10 every round the characters spend in the tower. If you roll 1, Damodar decides to interrogate the prisoner and enters the tower.

Quicksand Rug Any character who sees this rug makes a Spot check (DC 25) to figure out that it’s not just a rug. On the other hand, anyone can search the rug specifically (Search DC 20) to figure that out. A wizard like Marina can make a Spellcraft check (DC 15) to figure out precisely what it is. Anyone who walks across the rug makes a Reflex save (DC 20) to throw herself far enough toward the edge not to drown. Failing the save means the character sinks. Unless she has a rope or something similar, and successfully tosses it around something heavy (roll an attack at DC 20, if the character has two different attack bonuses use the highest), the character in the rug drowns and dies in 3 rounds. Another character can pull her out with a Strength check (DC 15).

Wand of Hold Person Marina must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15) to recognize this item. Once she does, she knows what it is and how to use it. She can attack anyone she sees with this just as if casting a spell. She targets a person who makes a Will save (DC 16) or is held motionless for 3 rounds. The wand has 4 charges: oooo

Damodar’s Headquarters The first floor holds a large table on which pewter mugs hold down a map of the castle and its surroundings. Other maps of Izmer decorate the walls. The second floor holds racks of scrolls and maps. The fourth floor is clearly Damodar’s private study, and the characters find him here except when an alarm summons him.

Damodar 7th-level Fighter Hit Dice: 7d10 (43 hit points) Initiative: d20+2 Speed: 4 spaces Armor Class: 17 Attacks: Greatsword d20+9/d20+4

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Damage: 2d6+2 Special Attacks: Damodar’s combat skills give him two attacks every round. The first attack uses the numbers to the left of the slash; the second attack uses the numbers to the right of the slash. Saves: Fortitude d20+7, Reflex d20+4, Will d20+2 Skills: Listen +6, Ride +6, Search +4, Spot +6 Gear: Greatsword, chainmail armor, portal dust Alignment: Evil

Between Adventures In addition to giving the characters some magic items, the Verdalf Clan welcomes the characters to its bazaar (see below). Players can look at the equipment tables in the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Adventure Game and spend their character’s money. The elves also heal the characters fully. When this adventure begins, Marina’s bracelet of capture has all its charges.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS J e f f G r u b b ’ s list of works reads like a history of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. He has built and helped build such works as DRAGONLANCE, the FORGOTTEN REALMS, AL-QADIM, and SPELLJAMMER. An elder, (well, middleaged) god of gaming, he has most recently been working on bringing the wonders of D&D to new players, with the D&D Fast-Play Adventures and the DIABLO Adventure Game. In his spare time, he writes novels. His published works include: the Finder’s Stone Trilogy, Masquerades, Finder’s Bane, and Tymora’s Luck, written with his wife, Kate Novak. He also wrote The Ice Age Cycle, a MAGIC: THE GATHERING trilogy, and cowrote Cormyr: A Novel, with Ed Greenwood. A designer for the Wizards of the Coast roleplaying game division, Rich Redman started as a customer service rep in 1994 and moved to design in 1998. Among other projects, Rich has been the main designer for the MARVEL SUPER HEROES Adventure Game. That expression on his face comes from living with two dogs and three cats.