This adventure is designed as an introduction for 4-6 inexperienced role-players with low level characters.
The town of Marshview has a problem. People are being stolen in the night, seemingly dragged into the nearby swamps never to be seen again. Alderman Gilthur has sent out call for brave adventurers to put a stop to whatever fell evil is causing the disappearances.
If the characters ask the locals or otherwise hang around Marshview, have each character roll for a rumor.
| d6 | Rumors |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beware the Blight Wurm! It will swallow you whole. (False) |
| 2 | These disappearance have been going on for months! (True) |
| 3 | Don't look into the pools in the Fen, the dead will charm you and pull you under. (Sort of True) |
| 4 | Viscous little creatures have been seen lurking in the shadows of Marshview. (True) |
| 5 | Long ago there was a great battle in the Fen. The corpses of long dead soldiers wander at dusk, looking for fallen friends. (False) |
| 6 | An old man in a robe and large hat has been wandering the Wurm Fen. He must have a screw loose! (True on both counts) |
Traveling through the fens is slow and difficult work. It will take the party 2d3 hours to cross.
There is a 1 in 6 chance of a random encounter for each hour traveled.
| d6 | Fen Encounter | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Lose the path | Test Wisdom to find the trail or be lost for d2 hours. |
| 3-4 | Fall in the Fen | Slip and fall into a cloudy pool. Test Agility to extract yourself before the Fen Zombie below tries to drag you under. |
| 5 | Undead Denizens | d3 Fen Zombies shamble from pools, want to drown the party. |
| 6 | Squats | 2d3 Squats patrolling. |
Fen Zombie: AC 8[11], HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 x claw (1d4) THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60' (20'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 20.
Squats: AC 6[13], HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 60' (20'), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (1), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 5.
Squats are small humanoids who are 3' tall and just as wide. They were created by the Wizard Bayzos to find him more subjects for his fell experiments.
Following tracks and drag marks through the Fen leads to a dank cave. The tracks lead directly inside.
There is a 1 in 6 chance of a random encounter every time the party dawdles or makes a loud noise.
| 2d3 | Cavern Encounter | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | The Wizard himself | The Wizard Bayzos taking a constitutional to clear his head. |
| 3-5 | Squat Patrol | # rolled Squats patrolling. They will flee to warn Bayzos. |
| 6 | Escaped Villager | "Help me!" Begs the party to escort them back to Marshview. |
Squats: AC 6[13], HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 60' (20'), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (1), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 5.
Squats are small humanoids who are 3' tall and just as wide. They were created by the Wizard Bayzos to find him more subjects for his fell experiments.
A Small Grey Ooze on the ceiling which will drop down on the players once they are halfway through the room.
Small Grey Ooze: AC 8[11], HD 2* (10hp), Att 1 x touch (2d4) THAC0 17 [+2], MV 10' (3'), SV D13 W14 P15 B16 S17 (1), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 25. Acid
Breathing the spores causes a Saving Throw vs Poison or fall asleep for d6 turns. Victims can be woken up by natural means but are groggy for 1 turn, resulting in -2 to Attack Rolls. (If the whole party falls asleep the Squats will carry them off to the Wizard).
The chest is a Juvenile Mimic. It bides it's time until someone tries to open it.
Juvenile Mimic: AC 6[13], HD 4* (20hp), Att 1 x pseudopod (1d4) THAC0 15 [+4], MV 30' (10'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 125. Contact glue.
Stepping into a ring of mushrooms (Faerie Circle) requires a Saving Throw vs Magic or the character will refuse to leave unless physically forced out.
Crossing the room will cause the pit trap to trigger dropping the victim 10' into the pit, test Agility or take d6 damage.
Climbing the incline requires a Climb test. Lowering a rope to others results in no test for them to climb. There is a cavern heading further north: deep sonorous breathing can be heard from within and the air smells acrid.
Draxis will awaken if the party makes noise, such as looting her treasure or calling out. She will be grumpy but wants the party to remove the Wizard Bayzos from her cave. She will even offer up half of her treasure and a magic sword to convince them.
If the players try to fight Draxis she will likely kill them all with her acid breath. She fights to the death, this is her lair!
Draxis the Blight Wurm: AC 4[15], HD 4 (18hp), Att 1 x claw (1d4), 1 bite (2d6) or breath, THAC0 15 [+4], MV 90' (30')/180' (45') flying, SV D10 W11 P12 B12 S14 (4), ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 350. Acid immunity, Breath weapon
Double doors are sturdy but could be broken or picked with appropriate checks.
Pressing the button causes an obnoxiously long chime to sound, after which a voice is heard from the box telling the party to "Go Away."
The Wizard Bayzos doesn't want to talk. If they insist on bothering him, Bayzos will send 2d3 Squats after the party. They climb out of various holes and vents to force the party to leave.
Squats: AC 6[13], HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 60' (20'), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (1), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 5.
Squats are small humanoids who are 3' tall and just as wide. They were created by the Wizard Bayzos to find him more subjects for his fell experiments.
The Wizard Bayzos will insist that the party leave immediately, when they don't he will pull the lever which causes the metal box to produce 2d3 Squats who will rush the party.
Each round roll for the Wizard's action or choose.
| d6 | The Wizard Bayzos' Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Activate the Squat Machine 1d3 Squats pop out. |
| 2 | Spill acid vat onto floor! d3 damage for those who step in acid (If this comes up again activate the Squat Machine as above). |
| 3 | Electric Coils blast across the room! Save vs Wand or take d4 electricity damage. |
| 4 | Magic Missile causing d6+1 damage. Bayzos targets spellcasters first. |
| 5 | Levitate raising himself up and out of melee range. |
| 6 | Charm Person targeting the scariest looking player character: "Defend me!" |
The Wizard Bayzos: AC 7[12], HD 4 (11hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 (MU4), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 125. Spells charm person, magic missile, read magic, levitate.
Squats: AC 6[13], HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 60' (20'), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (1), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 5.
Squats are small humanoids who are 3' tall and just as wide. They were created by the Wizard Bayzos to find him more subjects for his fell experiments.
Assuming the party is successful they can free the villagers from the cell by picking or breaking the over-sized padlock.
The villagers Alder, Loren, Keyleth, and Brie are eternally grateful to the party and speak highly of them upon their return to Marshview.
The Squat Machine is a large metal box with a large funnel on one end and a small hatch and faucet on the other. Creating a squat requires putting a humanoid inside the machine, for every ten humans converted to Squats a Potion of Healing is created.
Will the party destroy the contraption of the Wizard or use them for their own nefarious purposes?
AC 4[15], HD 4 (18hp), Att 1 x claw (1d4), 1 bite (2d6) or breath, THAC0 15 [+4], MV 90' (30')/180' (45') flying, SV D10 W11 P12 B12 S14 (4), ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 350. Acid immunity, Breath weapon
AC 8[11], HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 x claw (1d4) THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60' (20'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 20.
AC 6[13], HD 4* (20hp), Att 1 x pseudopod (1d4) THAC0 15 [+4], MV 30' (10'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 125. Contact glue.
AC 8[11], HD 2* (10hp), Att 1 x touch (2d4) THAC0 17 [+2], MV 10' (3'), SV D13 W14 P15 B16 S17 (1), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 25. Acid
AC 6[13], HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 60' (20'), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (1), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 5.
Squats are small humanoids who are 3' tall and just as wide. They were created by the Wizard Bayzos to find him more subjects for his fell experiments.
AC 7[12], HD 4 (11hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4) THAC0 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 (MU4), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 125. Spells charm person, magic missile, read magic, levitate.
Into the Wurm Fen is an independent production by David Harvison.
Old-School Essentials is a trademark of Necrotic Gnome. The trademark and Old-School Essentials logo are used with permission of Necrotic Gnome, under license.