Rival Adventuring Parties - The Silver Blades

I introduced the Silver Blades to my campaign as potential rivals when the player characters were barely second level (5 years ago at the time of this writing). 

The Blades had returned from a brief journey to a small ruin two days to the east of Little Plains where they uncovered some treasure. Talk around town about the group suggested there was much more loot to be had in that ruin and this stoked some interest among the PCs. The party didn't speak with the rival group to learn what transpired so they were acting only on rumors when they decided to find and explore the ruin for themselves.

Later in the game the Silver Blades geared up with wagons, hirelings, and supplies for a journey to an abandoned dwarven stronghold somewhere to the southwest. Their return months later was somewhat somber as they had lost half their number and a hireling, but they had also become very rich.

The player characters were somewhat jealous of the rival adventurers and annoyed by the stand-offish nature of Fertik and his companions.

On another occasion after returning with the corpse of a dead Grell in their wagon the party encountered Fertik in town and learned what it was they were hauling. That was the most Fertik had spoken to them.

While visiting the Silver Blades at their home, Daris the halfling member of the Blades proved illusive as he moved unseen from hiding place to hiding place, throwing his voice and cracking jokes during their conversation. Harak the human fighter only said that the wizard was busy and could not speak with the party.

When the party needed better armaments, the Blades lent the party three magic weapons which were later returned, and gave them 6 magical arrows and a couple of scrolls to keep.

Until the recent events in the campaign, the Silver Blades have left all of the town difficulties to the PCs to handle.

Below the Silver Blades are roughly described. Feel free to steal them for your game. If you are going to use them in an Old School system give them all equal experience points and determine their levels based on XP. Their levels can be whatever you want of course.

Fertik - Human. Wizard 10. - Very intelligent. Limits conversation to relevant information, not prone to make small talk. Willing to offer information on subjects that interest him. He wears dark robes and a black Cloak of Protection, and possesses a magical staff made of black wood, capped with mithril and moonstones. There are cryptic engraved runes spiraling the length of the staff. 

Harak - Human. Fighter 10. - Tall and broad shouldered. Barely says anything. To non-members of the Silver Blades he seems emotionless. He possesses magical scale mail armor of a dull blue metal. He wields a double headed magical battle-axe.

Daris - Halfling. Rogue 10. - A wise-cracking jovial individual. He can't resist ridiculous or ironic  comments and puns, especially when he can make them involving the words small, tiny, little, short, diminutive, etc, and have the joke be at the expense of taller people he is addressing. He possesses a Ring of Invisibility, and a pair of magical silver daggers.

Image of daggers.

Magic Item: Lingel's Warning (Boots of Tremorsense)

Lingel's eyesight had begun to dim though his skill with a blade remained great. His companions wishing to have many more adventures with Lingel, commissioned a fine pair of enchanted boots to aid him in remaining alert to approaching dangers.

The boots are light and sturdy, looking finely made, but otherwise ordinary. Movement of creatures cat sized and above can be sensed out to a distance of 120' allowing the wearer, even if blinded, to accurately target their location.

Campaign Update: Another Casualty, Risky Behavior Takes a Toll

The campaign has seen a seventh character death. This time a trap nearly slew half the party. A pair of house rules used in combination saved all but one. The dungeon was a tomb comprised of five rooms, each having its own dangerous element. Everything could be defeated or avoided by paying attention and careful tactics. Sadly it was risky carelessness that ended the adventure.

I first ran this dungeon for some friends at GenCon in 2000. That party of first level characters (3rd edition rules) succeeded in beating the dungeon despite being under powered for the challenges. Players can and do often think their way to victory. After returning from the convention I tried out the dungeon for another group of friends and it also went well for that group.

This time the group triggered the first three traps resulting in them retreating from the tomb with a valuable monkey idol and a bunch of papyrus inventory lists for the containers in the second room. (Using the Lamentations of the Flame Princess rules in a standard style D&D setting). This group ranged in levels up to fourth and it was the 1st level elf that failed to survive the third trap.

The third trap exploded for maximum damage taking down three out of the six member party and leaving the rest badly injured. The first trap only caught one party member for low damage, and the second caught them all for low damage. The accumulated damage from all three traps was enough to convince them to gather their dead and retreat.

Fortunately this group of players, mostly novices, take the risk of character death without complaint and enjoy the game.

Below is the dungeon for your perusal and use.

Outside of the now cleared tomb entrance are two overgrown pillars and an obelisk.

Room 1: 30' x 40' The walls are covered in murals painted to depict a battle. The most prominent figure rides a chariot and is shown decapitating an enemy.

Before the door leading further into the tomb is a trap door into a 10' pit. The key to the door is hidden in a box painted to disguise it as part of the wall. The pit trap becomes active after using the key to unlock both it and the door. Opening the door triggers the pit. 1d6 damage.

Room 2: 30' x 40' Lining the walls are crates, giant urns sealed by clay lids, barrels of wine, and shelves bearing clay pots and boxes containing small scrolls in an ancient language. (inventory lists and warnings of the trap in the room.

In the largest giant urn are Thousands of carnivorous beetles, magically preserved awaiting their release to eat greedy grave robbers. Beetle swarm, 1d3 damage/round (1hp damage/round with save) to all in the room. Swarm will follow characters if not destroyed. Swarm has 10hp.

Room 3: 30' x 120' Murals line the walls depicting a funeral procession for the warrior in the murals of the first room. As the funeral proceeds down this long chamber the figures become more gaunt, eventually appearing as skeletons.

There is a pedestal upon which sits an ornate monkey idol (1000 gold or silver depending on which standard is used in your campaign). The pedestal is painted showing flames emanating from upraised hands of an angry looking monkey.

Removing the monkey idol without disarming the trap results in 2d6 damage from fire to all in the chamber, save for half.

Room 4: 90' x 90' This room is completely shrouded in magical darkness which is generated by a rod held upright near the center of the room. Destroying the rod (5hp) removes the magical darkness.

There are 4 10' deep pits (1d6 damage) spaced about the room and 6 skeletons (5 hp each) that will attack intruders. There is also a bejeweled (5 gemstones, random value) throne centered on the northern wall. Sitting in it opens the secret door hidden behind it.

Room 5: 50' x 50' Centered in this lavish room is a dais upon which rests a large sarcophagus. The sarcophagus is decorated in gold, silver, copper and onyx, in the image of the occupant. Tapestries line the walls and the floor stones are painted in bright colors. The ceiling is painted to depict the sun and moons circling a crown.

There is a concealed opening on the north wall that leads to a cliff.

There are no traps present, but disturbing the sarcophagus wakes the mummy. The mummy wears 5 pieces of gold jewelry (random value) and an Amulet of Shielding (protects from magic missiles, 20 points worth of damage, can be recharged).

Prop Dusting - Large Bull Elephant Miniature (aka Supermarket Toy)

Walking through the grocery store mid-week, I happened upon a bin of children's toys. Among the pile of animals and dinosaurs was a figure of a large bull elephant. It appeared to be about the right scale for use with D&D and Pathfinder Miniatures so into the shopping cart it went.

Getting it home I immediately placed next to a mini and lo and behold it indeed does look well matched to be the kind of large bull elephant that might be encountered by adventurers.

Here in all its glory I present Deathbo, Dumbo's bigger meaner cousin.

One good fireball and the whole village is having pachyderm steak for days.