d20 Expeditious Retreat Press 1 on 1 Adventures 03 - The Forbidden Hills.pdf - Expeditious Retreat Press - R5700

1 on 1 Adventures #3

The Forbidden Hills

By Suzi Yee

1 on 1 Adventures #3: The Forbidden Hills

Starvation looms for the people of the Wolf tribe! The elk have all but disappeared and

the risky move of the tribe near the Bear clan territory has proved fruitless. An emergency

council of the elders has declared that a single hearty warrior must make the dangerous

journey deeper into Bear territory to i nd a source of food. The council has chosen you for

this mission of great importance. It is your task to i nd out where the elk have gone and

bring back food for the winter or at least enact Wolf people retribution against the source

of the oncoming famine! Into The Forbidden Hills you must travel, heart full of hope and

anger…

An adventure designed for 1 GM and

1 player (Level 5-7 Barbarian or Ranger)

Requires the use of Dungeons & Dragons, Third Edition Core Books, published by

Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

This module includes 20 adventure-packed pages, complete with detailed maps and descriptions,

forming a ready-made adventure. It has been crafted for one player and one GM so even the

smallest gaming group has adventures suitable to their needs with minimal preparation time. With

some minor scaling, The Forbidden Hills is suitable for use with a traditional four-player party.

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If you enjoy this module, look for future releases in the One on One Adventures line from

Expeditious Retreat Press.

Expeditious Retreat Press

One on one Adventures #3

The Forbidden Hills

by Suzi yee

An adventure for one barbarian or ranger levels 5-7

Starvation looms for the people of the Wolf tribe! The elk have all but disappeared and the risky move of the tribe near

the Bear clan territory has proved fruitless. An emergency council of the elders has declared that a single hearty warrior

must make the dangerous journey deeper into Bear territory to ind a source of food. The council has chosen you for this

mission of great importance. It is your task to ind out where the elk have gone and bring back food for the winter or at

least enact Wolf people retribution against the source of the oncoming famine!

Into The Forbidden Hills you must travel, heart full of hope and anger…

Credits

Table of Contents

Adventure Synopsis.............................................................page 2

Adventure Background.......................................................page 2

Beginning the Adventure....................................................page 2

Setting the Stage....................................................................page 3

Numbered Encounters..........................................................page 3

New Creature: The Avatar of Famine..............................page 16

Wrapping up the Adventure.............................................page 17

Pre-Generated Character....................................................page 18

Author: Suzi Yee

Cover Artists: David Esbri, Joan Guardiet

Artists: The Forge Studios, V. Shane

Editing and layout: Joseph Browning

This adventure is based on an original storyline and maps

created by Peter Franke.

One on One Adventures are for one player and one GM.

However, they are easily modiied for a traditional party of

four players and one GM.

Adventure Synopsis

In The Forbidden Hills, the player character must

investigate on behalf of his tribe the lack of elk in this

year’s hunt. In doing so, he will discover the ancient

temple where the gnoll war band have taken residence

and the quasit behind the gnoll warband’s hunt for elk.

While taking care of the gnoll warband and the quasit

rids the area of an evil inluence, it does not solve the

problem of feeding his tribe without any elk to hunt. If

the PC restores the desecrated altar in ancient worship

hall (area 12), he will summon the spirit if the temple,

who will give the PC a boon for his service of clearing

the evil from the fallen temple and give the PC an amulet

to reveal the Tomb of the Ancients, where the PC can

battle the spirit of famine and inally restore the elk in

the area.

temple, an area only Grachal has seen. Ixl-Narwog feeds

and baths in the bloody pool, absorbing the life force of

the slaughtered elk.

The gnolls have been hunting elk with great zeal,

nearly wiping out the population in the area and although

the quasit gains power from the animal’s stolen lifeforce,

his long imprisonment still leaves him weaker than

normal. Grachal has begun his training in druidic magic,

and the hunt continues. But the more elk they slaughter,

the farther they have to travel to ind more elk to kill.

After a few run-ins with the Bear tribe, the last

costing them one of their own, the gnolls have refused to

hunt anymore elk, holing up in the temple until winter

has passed. Nichel, second in command and ill-equipped

for controlling the unruly band, has not told Grachal yet,

hoping he can stir or frighten the remaining gnolls into

hunting before winter sets in.

Adventure Background

A gnoll warband arrived in the area six months ago

when they stumbled upon an abandoned ancient temple.

Leading their band is Grachal, a smart and tough gnoll

who typically rules with an iron ist. The temple is a

long-time prison of a quasit named Ixl-Narwog that has

been trapped for centuries by an ancient ritual. Sensing

opportunity, the quasit offers Grachal druidic training in

exchange for sacriicial elks whose blood will return the

quasit to full power, or so he hopes.

Grachal commanded the gnolls to hunt elk

continuously, enticing the gnolls with access to the inest

pieces of meat and all the elk they can eat, so long as they

drain the blood from the body irst. The gnolls bring elk

blood to Nichel, who in turn brings it to Grachal. Grachal

pours the blood into a pool in the inner sanctum of the

Beginning the Adventure

The player character is the member of the Wolf

people, a small tribe of 40 men and women and their

young. Like many of the people in the area, the Wolf

tribe are nomadic hunter and gatherers. Trained in the

ways of the warrior and the hunter, the player character

is apt for life in the outdoors, with skill points in Hide,

Move Silently, and Survival. This year’s annual autumn

hunt has not faired well; there is an alarming lack of

elk for the Wolf people to hunt and preserve for the

coming winter as they have done in years past. Forced

by necessity, the Wolf people have moved to different

hunting ground, approaching dangerously close to the

Bear tribe’s territory. Much to their dismay, they ind no

elk there either. The Wolf elders are in counsel, and this

is where the adventure begins.

Survival Checks

This adventure is designed for a hunter and ighter familiar

with outdoor living. The sample PCs in the back of the book

are equipped with a few rations, but also have the skills for

living off the land. DC 10 Survival Check allows the PC to

get along in the wild, up to 1/2 speed while hunting and

foraging (no food or water supplies needed).

Setting the Stage

The mood is tense in amongst the Wolf people.

They have moved late in the season to different winter

quarters, only to ind there is no elk there as well. They

are on the outer fringe of the Bear tribe, and while they

have not had hostilities with the Bear tribe, they have not

spoken in many years.

After many hours of deliberation, the village elders,

a counsel of 5 people including the player character’s

father, who is also the chief of the Wolf people, has come

to a decision. They call the PC into the chief’s tent to hear

their decision.

so long as he doesn’t get too close (within 25 feet). Once

a PC gets within 25 feet of the black bear, it will become

unfriendly and attacks to defend its space. The black

bear will also attack at the irst sign of overt aggression

on the PC’s part.

A PC with wild empathy can improve the black

bear’s attitude with a successful check (D20 + class level

+ Cha modiier). Turning an unfriendly black bear to

indifferent is DC 15, to friendly DC 25, and to helpful

DC 40. Turning an indifferent black bear to friendly is

DC 15 and to helpful is DC 30. Turning a friendly black

bear to helpful is a DC 20. Offering the black bear honey,

berries, or other yummy treats adds +2 to the PC’s roll.

PCs who can communicate with animals can gather

information from the black bear. Indifferent black bears

will tell the PC that there are few to no elk in the area.

A friendly black bear will tell the PC that hyena-headed

men come through these parts, and that they have been

aggressively hunting elk in the past few months. A

helpful black bear will warn the PC about the old rock

temple, and if asked, will lead the PC to the area.

The acrid smoke of the ire and pipes burn your

nostrils as you enter the dim light of the counsel’s

tent. The ive sit around the ire, and conspicuously

there is a spot open among the ring. Your father

motions you to join the circle around the ire.

“The council has chosen you for a mission of

great importance. It is your task to ind out where

the elk have gone and bring back food for the winter.

There is another place where there may be elk, but

it is too far and too dangerous to relocate the entire

tribe. In the northern stretches lie the forbidden hills.

There may be some elk that roam there still. In your

hunt, you may encounter the Bear tribe. We have not

spoken with the Bear tribe in many years, but if you

should encounter them, you bear our tribe’s emblem

of peace.”

The pipe reaches you, and you inhale its sweet,

moist smoke, pledging your service to your tribe.

Items: The PC gains the Wolf people tribal peace

emblem.

Black Bear: Medium Animal; CR 2; Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19

hp); Initiative: +1; Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares); Armor Class:

13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, lat-footed 12; Base

Attack/Grapple: +1/+3; Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d4+4);

Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+4) and bite +1 melee

(1d6+2); Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft; SQ: Low-light vision,

scent; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2; Abilities: Str 19,

Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim

+8; Endurance, Run

Skills: A black bear has a +4 racial bonus on Swim

checks.

Numbered Encounters

1. Wandering Black Bear

The wilderness opens in front of you with the crisp air of

autumn on your breast. You head toward the forbidden

hills on the farthest edge of the Bear tribe’s territory when

you hear a rustling in the trees ahead.

This is a not-so random loating encounter that you

can insert at any point of wandering the wilderness to

emphasize why the people of this area are called the

Bear tribe. The black bear begins indifferent to the PC

2. Ruined Camp

+2/+5; Attack or Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d6+3);

Space/Reach: 5 ft./5ft.; SQ: Darkvision 60 ft., single

actions only; Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +4; Abilities: Str

17, Dex 8, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1; AL NE

Feats: Toughness

Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor relexes

and can perform only a single move action or attack

action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and

attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

In a clearing off the path lays the remains of a makeshift

camp. The ire has long been dead, and the tents are

trashed beyond repair. The four human corpses bear deep

gashes, but you can make out the Bear tribe emblem on

their clothing and lesh. Among the human corpses lies a

gnoll corpse.

This is the remains of a Bear tribe scouting expedition,

raided by the gnoll band living in the temple. They have

striped the bodies of all their food, armor, weapons, and

valuables, including their fallen gnoll companion. If the

PC comes within 5 feet of the gnoll corpse, it will reveal

its true nature as a zombie and attack. There are clear

gnoll footprints, some which lead back to the temple

environs (area 4) with a Track Survival Check of DC 15.

If the PC fails their Track Survival check, they go to area

3 before inding obivous tracks leading to area 4.

3. Cave of Migratory Stirges

The cave is dark and cool. The small ire pit and refuse tell

of recent visitors. The cave extends further into another

room beyond your vision.

This cave is a temporary campsite for the gnolls when

they are hunting or conducting raids. The cave is gnoll-

free at the moment, and a migratory lock of stirges are

staying in the room deeper in the cave. In the initial

room, there is a hidden stash within the refuse, no doubt

left by a gnoll some time ago. If the PC goes deeper

into the cave, allow a Listen or Spot (if there is a light

source) check DC 10 to detect the stirges hanging from

the ceiling. If the PC has an animal companion with the

scent ability, it will be aware of the stirges within 30 feet.

The stirges attack when the PC or animal companion

enters 10 feet into the room.

Gnoll Zombie: Medium Undead; CR 1; Hit Dice: 4d12+3

(29 hp); Initiative: +0; Speed: 30 ft (6 squares); Armor Class:

16 (-1 Dex, +3 natural, +2 leather armor, +2 heavy steel

shield), touch 10, lat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple:

Stirges (4): Tiny Magical Beast; EL2; Hit Dice: 1d10

(5hp); Initiative: +4; Speed: 10 ft., ly 40 ft.; Armor

Class: 16 (+2 size, +4 Dex), touch 16, lat-footed 12; Base

Attack/Grapple: +1/-11 (+1 when attached); Attack or

Full Attack: Touch +7 melee (attach); Space/Reach: 2-1/

2 ft./0 ft.; SA: Attach, blood drain; SQ: Darkvision 60 ft.,

low-light vision; Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1; Abilities:

Str 3, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 6; AL N

Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +4, Spot +4;

Alertness, Weapon Finesse B

Attach (Ex): If a stirge hits with a touch attack, it uses

its eight pincers to latch onto the opponent’s body. An

attached stirge is effectively grappling its prey. The stirge

loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 12, but

holds on with great tenacity. Stirges have a +12 racial

bonus on grapple checks (already igured into the Base

Attack/Grapple entry above).

An attached stirge can be struck with a weapon or

grappled itself. To remove an attached stirge through

grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the

stirge.

Blood Drain (Ex): A stirge drains blood, dealing 1d4

points of Constitution damage in any round when it begins

its turn attached to a victim. Once it has dealt 4 points of

Constitution damage, it detaches and lies off to digest the

meal. If its victim dies before the stirge’s appetite has been

sated, the stirge detaches and seeks a new target.

d20 Expeditious Retreat Press 1 on 1 Adventures 03 - The Forbidden Hills.pdf

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