The River Hog is the fastest and safest way to traverse Hogman's Plain, right up until you hit a snag. Adventurers, colonists and scalphunters aren't the only creatures drawn to the cool flowing water, which protects travelers against the searing sun and swarming undead alike.
THE LITTLE MARSH
Mogart's Creek, a tributary of the River Hog, inexplicably swells out to a small marsh. Sailors through the swamp report attacks by flying beasts that stabbed, strangled and poisoned their crew. They saw structures in the desert beyond. Mud brick and stone.
The creek ranges from 10 to 20 feet deep at the center and flows from the northwest to the southeast. The banks are alive with reeds, frogs and other riparian life. The marsh averages 5 feet deep. Vessels with a deep draft risk getting stuck, requiring either poles or a tow from shore.
To the west of the marsh is a forest of dead trees. 122 WHIPWHIRLS disguised
as bark are wrapped around these trees, fluttering occasionally like
paper the desert breeze. They detach to smother anyone who strays from the east bank of the marsh. A couple trees on the edge are
burned and free of the fluttering elementals.
Amid the trees are corpses, half obscured by blowing sand and dead branches. The most recent are flying monkeys, the older ones are a mix of humanoids. The bodies have a combined 3,200 SP, plus scrolls of (protection from normal missiles, polymorph others, animate dead, haste, detect magic (mu)) and (floating disc, charm monster, haste, sleep, invisibility)
To the east of the marsh is a copse of living trees. Eight GIANT WOODPECKERS live here but fly far and wide across the Plain to feed. The skeletons littered amid the undergrowth or draped across the treebranches yield 2,160 SP in treasure, plus a +1 Plate Armor, +1 Shield, +1 Dagger and a set of Pipes of the Sewers.
Anyone sailing through the marsh risks an attack by the Whipwhirls. By day the Giant Woodpeckers will join in the battle, by night a flock of curious Oxyxs may participate.
In the northwest are the RUINS. Flying monkeys circle over the stone walls. Ships passing by will be flagged down by a flying squad of HSIGO.
To the northeast are a series of hills studded with cacti, surrounding the TOMB.
To the southwest is the MASTABA, half swallowed by sand.
RUINS
This ancient castle or hillfort lost its roof ages ago. The sandstone walls are partially fallen, the remains of the tower are 10' at the highest but most are 8' or lower.
The site is occupied by the HSIGO.
Roll a D4 to see how many squads are flying over the plain on patrol,
the rest are in the camp. If more than half the monkeys are in the camp
the Commander is also present. The
monkeys won't fly near the marsh, afraid of attacks by
Whipwhirls. They go on full alert at dawn and dusk, afraid of attacks by
Giant Woodpeckers.
The monkeys in the camp sit on the walls or in the shade, grooming each other and chattering. Their stacked ration bags hold dates, porridge and "black rice" patties made from insects. The Sergeants stop the privates from shitting all over the camp.
MASTABA
The Mastaba is a three story step pyramid, half buried in the sand. The limestone cladding has largely abraded away but a few patches still shine bright white over the mud brick walls. The entrances are on the third floor.
The ANIMAL MUMMIES in the Mastaba will not pursue intruders outside the building, but the pyramid is home to a SKINWALKER disguised as a Jackal Mummy. This beast runs away from the adventurers, acting like a frightened dog. When outside their reach it leads the other mummies around, setting ambushes and cutting off lines of retreat. A favored tactic is to lead mummies up into M2D while adventurers are exploring, then attack them as they try to leave the tomb.
When a random encounter is rolled, the disguised Skinwalker leads a group of dormant monsters out of their keyed room, either to M2D or a room near the players.
- Three Mummified Crocodiles from M1A
- Twenty Six Mummified Scarabs from M1C
- Five Canine Flesh Golems from M1D
- Five Mummified Baboons from M2B
- Five Mummified Mongooses from M2B
- Seven Mummified Cats from M2F
LEVEL 1
M1A: Dry pool partially filled with sand. Three Mummified Crocodiles lurk in the sand waiting to ambush intruders. Each croc is studded with 1,000 SP in amulets and gems for a total of 3K.
M1B: Spiral stairs leading up to M2A.
M1C: Pair of elevated thrones, empty. Jeweled scarabs set in walls. 26 are gems worth 50 SP each, 21 are Mummified Scarabs that swarm and attack when the treasure is disturbed.
M1D: Stairs to the lower level of the tomb, which is completely collapsed. Five CANINE FLESH GOLEMS guard the room. They activate on entry to the room and pursue intruders throughout the complex. Shelf of grave goods mostly decayed, still holds spell scroll (magic missile, hold portal, levitate, contact higher plane, hold person) and Cursed Spear -1 (Backbiter), 2,000 SP.
M1E: Spiral stairs leading up to M2F.
M1F: Great hall with elevated dining table in center. Statues north and south. Empty sarcophagus in alcove to the east once held a mummy.
North is a large priapic statue of a baboon headed man. The statue's penis is tipped with an emerald stud worth 1,500 SP, hammered into the stone. Removing it releases the Dust of Sneezing and Choking inside the shaft, spraying the thief.
South is a large yonic statue of a beetle headed woman. The statue's vagina is filled with an emerald plug worth 1,500 SP, hammered into the stone. Removing it releases the Potion of Polymorph Self inside the uterus, dousing the thief.
M1G: Columnated chamber with wall alcoves holding sarcophaguses. Stone bench on west wall holds decayed grave goods including still functional Spear +3 Hand axe +2 and 3,200 SP.
Removing any wealth from the bench causes the spring mechanism beneath to activate, locking the stone doors and opening the sarcophaguses. They were meant to disgorge mummies but those were all eaten by a pair of IZOOS who attack the players with their paralytic slime.
M1H: Spiral stairs leading up to M2F.
LEVEL 2
M2A: Spiral stairs down to M1B.
M2B: Columnated room with decayed wall mural of eye floating over abyssal waste. 5 Mummified Baboons wait atop the columns pretending to be decorations, 5 Mummified Mongooses lurk amid heaped artifacts: spell scroll (improved invisibility, phantasmal killer, wall of fog, projected image, detect illusion) four topazes worth 10SP each, 1,000 SP jeweled eye headpiece, 1,000 SP ceremonial flail.
M2C: Statue of beetle with human face in center of room wearing black diamond broach worth 1,000 SP. Floor tiles are obviously fragile, shallow pit of spikes below.
M2D: Spiral staircase up to M3A, down to M1E. The Skinwalker disguised as a Jackal Mummy can lure monsters here to ambush the players on the way out of the tomb.
M2E: Stairs up to raised platform with two snake-headed statues. Stone statue holds a scroll, ceramic statue holds a staff. Each wears 1,500 SP in silver jewelry. If either statue is disturbed, door east seals, stone statue reads Wall of Fog and fills room with mist, ceramic statue shatters to unleash 15 Mummified Snakes who bite intruders.
Scroll also holds (invisibility, spook, suggestion, nondetection)
M2F: Columned porch. 7 Mummified Cats wait in hiding. Potion of Levitation and 7 onyx cabochons worth 100 SP each hidden under a floor tile by tomb builders.
LEVEL 3
Stone doors still intact except for one on the east wall smashed open. Spiral staircase goes down to M2D. Mural on the ceiling no longer legible.
TOMB
The tomb presents as a one story heap of sandstone on a hill bristling with cacti. It looks like a natural formation until you get close.
Five CACTUS CATS prowl amid the cholla and saguaro, disguised as plants. They won't enter the lower levels of the ruins for fear of being poisoned by the Oxyx swarm, but will pick off flying bugs one at a time as they enter or exit the tomb.
One is a SKINWALKER. It follows the adventurers from a distance, pretending to be a cactus. It waits for a moment of weakness and attacks with its darts, concentrating fire to stack enough poison on a single target to start the countdown to death. It can rally D4 other cats to assist it in such an attack.
T1A: Jackal headed statue with features eroded. Tarnished silver band on finger still glows (actually Ring of Delusion).
T1B: Covered chamber carved into hillside. Sealed stone door covered in dire warnings, runes of curses (long expired). Inside are stone tools used to carve tomb.
T1C: Covered chamber carved into hillside. Stairs down to T2B. Flowery, earthy, grassy, spicy and skunky smell emanates from the hole below.
T2A: Burial chamber with a few scattered bones not scavenged or reanimated. 39 OXYX cling to the ceiling if not disturbed. Amid the guano are 4,000 SP in filthy ceremonial weapons of silver and quartz, along with a Potion of Growth.
T2B: Stairs up to T1C. Smell from T2A is stronger here. 3,000 SP in hard crystal eggs are difficult to pick out amid the dust, sand and guano. Lighting a torch panics the Oxyxes in T2A and causes a swarm. Any Cactus Cats following the players attack during the confusion.
NPCS AND IMPORTANT MONSTERS
CACTUS CAT
Cactus Cats behave similar to lynxes, but are bolder due to their ability to shoot poison spines. They'll take on prey their own size, using projectiles to weaken and kill targets and retreating out of reach while they wait for their victims to expire. A show of force will chase a cat off, but not before it fires a volley of spines at its attacker. They are normally solitary but sometimes hunt together to increase the odds of a kill, ganging up to focus down tough enemies with volleys of spines.
GIANT WOODPECKER
Giant Woodpeckers can bore through trees but are also superb ground feeders. Normally they find likely spots in the desert and peck the earth, pulling up buried undead and devouring them after the sunlight finishes them off. Now the Tiddy Mun directs them against invaders who threaten his glade. They attack wooden boats because they resemble trees, landing and pecking at the tasty "grubs" contained within. They swarm the Ruins and pick the Hsigo off the ground, like gobbling helpless ghouls.
HSIGO
The Flying Men are a mercenary squadron of winged monkeys. They took a contract from shipping company Brilg and Spowegg to wipe out whatever was blocking the river and render it navigable. Their plan was to drop oil flasks on the trees and burn them all, but the Whipwhirls attack anything that flies over the marsh. They've lost a dozen monkeys already and need a new strategy.
The total force is 51 grunts, 5 Sergeants and the Commander. The Hsigo patrol in squadrons of ten monkeys, armed with short swords, darts and oil flasks. Each squad is led by a 2 HD sergeant with a +1 sword. The line soldiers are stereotypical grunts, crude and jocular and none too bright. The Sergeants keep the troops organized and moving, without them the force lapses into frenzied attacks or panicked retreats. The Commander Ehrman is overly excitable but has a longer attention span than his easily distracted soldiers. He carries a +1 sword and +1 helmet.
If a ship passes the Ruins they flag it down, if it doesn't stop they spread burning oil on the river to force it ashore. Their purpose is not to rob travelers (though the grunts may turn bandit without a leader) but conscript them into clearing out the Whipwhirls.
contract...
OXYX
The 39 Oxyxes nesting in the Tomb emerge at night to feed on insects and nectar from cactus flowers. They swarm and bite things that startle them, such as adventurers entering the lower level of the cave system. Under the direction of the Tiddy Mun they swarm and attack ships crossing the marsh at night. Under these conditions they all swarm a single target at a time, piling on poison bites to paralyze high value targets.
SKINWALKERS
The two Skinwalkers are free willed and work with the Tiddy Mun by choice. They want to preserve their way of life transforming into wild animals, not be hunted to extinction by colonists. One hides in the dunes around the tomb in the skin of a Cactus Cat. The other hides in the Mastaba in the skin of a Canine Golem. They "lead" the denizens against intruders, manipulating other animals. Alert adventurers might notice a monster follow and observe them from a distance. If things go bad they retreat, kill an animal and take its skin. If they can clandestinely kill a player they take their skin. The deception is unlikely to last long but while "disguised" they can use the victim's abilities and equipment.
Skinwalkers understand most languages, but can't talk unless ensconced in the skin of a creature who can.
Dennis Zilber
TIDDY MUN
The Tiddy Mun is a nature spirit who dwells in the marsh. She organized the defense of the swamp against the intruders, directing the animals and Skinwalkers against passing ships and adventurers.
The Tiddy Mun observes adventurers from the marsh, blending in with reeds and directing nature's creatures to attack them. She's useless in a straight fight but can support her friends using Cause Disease and Obscuring Mist to inhibit adventurers. She casts Water Breathing on herself and dives beneath the surface to escape danger, making her almost impossible to catch in the marsh. To a casual observer she's unrelated to anything happening on shore,
She considers the undead and constructs in the Mastaba animals under her jurisdiction, no different than the desert beasts and marsh trees. She can't communicate with them but chooses to ignore this fact.
The Whipwhirls are Elementals bound to the dead trees on the west side of the marsh. They don't attack the Tiddy Mun or wild animals, but won't range more than 1,000 feet from the dry forest. That means it's possible to avoid them by hugging the east bank of the marsh, though that prompts a Woodpecker attack.
Magic which works on summoned monsters, extraplanar creatures, etc works on Whipwhirls.
THE MAKING OF
Ten more randomly chosen monsters from the Creature Compendium. When I rolled Animal Mummies I chose to roll the Number Appearing for each subtype of creature. The undead, magical constructs, desert creatures and quasi-Egyptian theme helped me fit the whole thing into the Riverboat Gambler series I'm slowly building.
I used the Pyramid of the Prince In Silver, the Tyrant's Ruins, and the Ruins of the Hill Fort from Dyson Logos to make the maps.
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