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List the best MERP adventures outside of major publications

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IFFGULD'S KEEP;AN ADVENTURE

ON THEETTENMOORS

A Middle-earth Role Playing Scenarioby Jessica M. Ney

Edited and Introducedby John David Ruemmler

The following mini-adventure is the first in a series which will appear inupcoming editions of the Adventurers Club. Some will be set in J.R.R.Tolkien's Middle-earth, others in different fantastic worlds. We at ICE hopeyou enjoy them; let us hear what you thinki

Setting: An ancient keep oncebelonging to a Dunedain knight,now in the possession of a FrostGiant. The action takes place morethan a century before the War ofthe Ring.

Requirements: A small, wily bandof Scouts and Warriors eager tofight or outsmart a Giant. A cart (orsleigh) and pony would be helpful.

Aids: Knowledge of lockpicking,sharp swords, and an acquaintancewith the Ranger, Crisgalen.

Rewards: 20 to 200 silver piecesand the chance to seize the Giant'streasures.

THE TALEAlong with the barren greyness

of shortened days, the Fell Winterhas brought to the rugged hillsnorth of Rivendell an iron chill,stern enough to crack rock. Ruin-ed castles loom on craggy hilltops,and few people, save strange folk,roam the snow-driven wastes. Afterthe fall of Rhudaur to the Witch-king of Angmar, keeps and townswere abandoned to Trolls, Ores, andwolves. (The crowning of Aragorn IIas King Elessar has yet to occur.)

Some years before the advent ofthe Fell Winter, a Frost Giantdescended from the Misty Moun-tains, where increasing swarms ofOres and Wargs crowded his once-solitary realm. The forsaken, wind-scoured reaches of eriador drewhim to a ruined outpost once oc-cupied by the Witch-king's dreadsoldiers. Located on an island inthe middle of a small lake, thestone tower radiates a vast chillbrought by the Giant, Iffguld.

! A powerful entity towering thricethe height of a man, Iffguld wieldsa colossal sword and worksperilous enchantments with his

1 sorcerous mastery over the forcesof cold. His fierce, selfish heartdrives him to rule the Ettenmoorsas his own private fiefdom. Towardthat goal, the Giant schemes tobring an unending succession of

' arctic seasons to the frosty region: >. and to freeze out any rivals for the

land.rrr r rr7 p r ^ r r m ^

THE TASKThe Rangers of the North have

established a watchtower near If-fguld's keep to watch the Giant'sactivities. Crisgalen, a friend andcompanion of chief Argonui, hasnoticed icicles growing from theGiant's lair and ice covering thelake year"-round. Crisgalen is in-trigued but busy with other duties;he will prove eager to help (andrewardi) those who are boldenough to scout the Giant's keepand report their discoveries to him.

The Ranger has a rough map ofthe terrain near the keep andknows of the two white wolveswhich prowl the area. He offers areward based on the value of the in-formation uncovered.

Those who choose to ignore theRanger need not go unrewarded: If-fguld's hoard of magical weaponsand treasures is considerable. Thevery brave — indeed, the foolhardy— may care to take on the Giantin battle and perhaps win fame aswell as wealth.

THE KEEPAn ancient Dunadain road, tangl-

ed with weeds and wild grasses,winds north through the Coldfells.After crossing the river Mitheithel(at a ford shadowed by the moun-tains), it turns west to travelthrough the hills. Fifteen milesnorth of this great bend in the waylies the icy lake from whose sur-face thrusts Iffguld's keep.

Originally constructed to protecta Dunadain knight and his lady, thetower's grey stones were quarriedlocally, cut and dressed to be setwithout mortar. The sturdy granitehas well endured the lash of time,the shadow of Angmar, and the ero-sion of neglect, yielding little of itsintegrity. A short causeway con-

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nects the 50' keep to the lake shore.Within thick walls, the lofty great

hall occupies most of the groundfloor. A minstrel's gallery runsaround the perimeter, giving accessto guest rooms once full of brightcomfort and ease, now dusty andbare. Iffguld relaxes before themassive hearth in the great hall orin the spacious solarium above, thelesser rooms being too confinedfor his Giantish size. The fires bur-ning in both these apartments giveforth not a gentle and warmingheat, but only the bittersweet cold,

consuming a bluish-grey woodnamed Helvorn.

By day, often accompanied byhis two white wolves, Iffguld roamsthe heath, placing a sorcery of icebetween the rocks and the earth,between one blade of grass andthe next, behind the voice of theeverblowing wind. Exhaustionsends him home to lounge besidechill flames and to send the Trolls,who act as guards and servants,tramping about the keep in serviceto his comfort.

Level One1. Entrance. A stone causeway jutting fromthe lake shore ends in deep, icy water, 10feet short of the keep. The drawbridge span-ning the gap remains down while Iffguldroams far from home, but is withdrawn afterhis return at night. The foolhardy risking ashort swim will find that the slippery, ice-coated foundation stones (waterlevel is 10'below the keep portal) allow little purchasefor climbing, and death by exposure comesquickly in the frigid waters (2-5 minutes).Stout double doors of ironbound oak furthersecure the Giants's abode, and they remainlocked at all times (hard, -10), barred at night(very hard, -20). A simple pulley andcounterweight mechanism, just inside thedoors on the right, operates the drawbridge.

2. Great Hall. Mighty wooden beams, theirsmoke-darkened surfaces bearing intricatecarvings of native flora and fauna, supportthe shallowly vaulted ceiling. Flanked oneither side by stairs leading up to a balcony,the massive hearth occupies one wall. Cold,white flames that leap from bluish woodbring winter indoors, acting as a Coldball(MERP, Ess. ICE LAW, +35 add). Storeroomsand kitchens occupy rooms along each sideof the great hall. By day, one or both of thewolves, Frekka and Gherri, might (50%chance) be discovered lounging in this chillapartment; but the Trolls pass frequentlythrough it (75% chance of an encounter)with shivering haste as they complete theirdaily chores. In early evening, Iffguld sits ina large chair before the hearth, issuing com-mands to his servants and reviewing hisstrategies for domination of the Ettenmoors.Later at night, the drawbridge is retractedand the doors barred. The Trolls doze fitful-ly in their quarters, while the wolves prowlat will throughout the dwelling (30% chanceof encountering them in any one spot.), If-fguld slumbers in the solarium on the topfloor.

3. Trolls' Quarters. Rogga and Durth,brothers, make this chamber their lair. Oldbones and 50 bronze pieces lie strewnacross the floor. A hot fire burns in thehearth to conteract the chill that seeps fromthe great hall, but the rank air renders theroom uninhabitable to all except the Trolls.

4. Trolls Quarters. Bokka and Giffa, parentsto Rogga and Durth, inhabit this room. Ap-pointed with the same ordure found in theiroffsprings' lair, a second hearth and 50 silverpieces indicate their superior position. A

ring of keys to rooms #10A-F can also befound amongst the dirt.

5. Storeroom. Smoked meats and fish hangfrom rafters, and bins of dried fruits andvegetables line the walls. The hearth neverholds a fire, allowing constant lowtemperatures to preserve the foodstuffs.

6. Storeroom. Casks of wine, mead, anahoney, interspersed with bags of flour andsalt, cover the floor. Huge whells of cheesesealed in wax load shelves along the walls.As in the other storeroom, flames neverwarm the fireplace.

7. Kitchen. Several wooden tables provideworking space in the center of the room.Cooking implements hang on the wallsamong pots and pans. The hearth areahouses a bread oven and drying racks forkindling as well as trivots and braising spitsfor cooking directly over the flames. Sincethe Trolls do all the cooking, the room is notvery tidy.

8. Wolves' Den. Frekka and Gherri, theGiants's pet wolves, relax here on fresh-cutrushes during their infrequent moments ofleisure. By day they must guard the keepduring Iffguld's absence or accompany himon his extended rambles. By night, they re-main alert while the Giant sleeps. Only aminute here or an hour there can be snat-ched for rest (20* chance encounter in theden), but luckily this pattern parallels closelythe wolves' natural inclinations.

Level Two

9. Balcony. Elegant, curved moldings shapethe wood bannister of this narrow gallerywhere minstrels once enlivened a knight'sbanquet.

10. Bedrooms. Far too small to accom-modate the Giant's bulk with ease, theserooms are now used to house Iffguld'swealth. All doors are made of sturdy oak andhave stubborn iron locks (very hard, -20) andrusty hinges. (NOTE: A GM might keep inmind that the weight and buld of the Giant'streasure presents a very real obstacle to itsremoval by would-be thieves.

10A. The floor of this chamber is keptpolished to a minor hue At its center standsa harp carved of white, fine-grained woodand set with pearls. It is semi-intelligent andspeaks Westron, High Elvish, and Sindarin.

t 1I I

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It plays itself upon command and can casteach of the spells on the CONTROLLINGSONGS list (MERP, Bards list) up to 10thlevel, once a week. It is devoted to itspossesser and will call out melodically,"Master (or mistress), I'm being stolen"three times if moved by anyone else. Theword Ithillain (S "Moonthread") appears inrunic script at its base. Iffguld values thisharp above all his other possessions, andwill exert considerable effort to recover it,should it be stolen. An unlocked door in acorner of the room opens onto a connec-ting hall.

10B. Bolts of silk, velvet, wool, and brocade(worth a total of 2000 gold pieces, 10-25 gpper bolt) fill the floor-to-ceiling shelves thatline the walls of this newly dusted chamber.An unlocked door opens into a connectinghall.

10C. A poisoned needle (very hard, -20, todisarm) guards the lock on the door. Victimswho fail a resistance roll (RR) against a level2 poison become immediately blind for 1-5days. Those who make the RR remain blindfor only 10-60 minutes. Within the room, sixsmall chests rest along the walls peirced by

LEVEL 2

window slits. A sturdy iron padlock securesthe 100 gp that fill each of them. Threeroundshields hang from the wall adfacentto the fireplace. The leftmost is empossedwith silver and allows its wielder to castShadow (MERP Chan. NATURES'S GUISES,level 8) twice per day. The rightmost isengraved with gold and allows the wielderto use Windwalking (MERP, Chan.NATURE'S MOVEMENT, level 9) once perday. The middle shield is unembellished andthe wielder may use Long Door (MERP, Ess.LOFTY BRIDGE, level 8) three times per day.

10D. A poisoned needle (very hard, -20, todisarm) protects the lock on the door. Vic-tims who fail an RR (level 1 poison) take10-50 hits. Those making the RR take only5-25 hits. Six large chests, positioned as inroom #10Q occupy the room. Each holds1000 bronze pieces and is secured by an ironpadlock (hard, -10). Three broadswords hangon the wall adjacent to the hearth. The left-most is engraved with silver and delivers a"C" cold critical along with any normalcritical result. The rightmost bears goldfiligree and delivers a "C" heat critical. Themiddle one is unadorned and delivers twocritical results (rolled separately on the slash

critical table) when any critical result isIndicated.

10E. A poison gas trap (very hard, -20, todisarm) defends the lock on the door. It af-fects all within a 10' radius. Victims failingan RR (level 3 poison) fall into a deep sleepfor 1-5 hours. Those making the RR slumberfor only 1-5 minutes. Six medium-sizedchests occupy the room. Each is securedby an iron padlock (very hard, -20) and holds500 silver pieces. One wall displays threecomposite bows, beside each of whichhangs a quiver of arrows. The leftmost, or-namented with silver tracery, has a baserange of 200 feet (MERP, table CST-1). Thematching quiver holds twenty +10 arrows.The rightmost, etched with gold, allows thewielder to shoot one arrow and to nockanother each round without penalty. Thematching quiver holds twenty +15 arows.The middle bow, of plain and undecoratedconstruction, adds +20 to any critical resultrolled on the Physical Criticals for LargeCreatures Table. Unfortunately, any resultrolled on the Puncture Critical Table is sub-ject to a -20. The matching quiver holdstwenty +5 arrows. An unlocked door opensonto a short connecting hall.

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10F. The room is very clean and , at firstglance, empty. A shelf fastened over thehearth holds three objects: A thorn-bearingspray from a bramble thicket, a smooth, greystone, and a full waterskin. To activate thepower inherent in any of these things, theobject must be thrown to earth beneath theopen sky. (Neither the dirt of a shadoweddungeon nor the stone paving of an ancientroad is sufficient.) When the proper condi-tions are met, the bramble spray transformsitself into a dense thicket (covering 1000square feet; movement through it at 100' perhour) that grows larger to become an im-passive forest (covering 75 square miles). Itremains for a day. The stone becomes asteep, stone hill (covering 2500 square feethigh). The water, when splashed from itsskin, turns into a small, chill pool (1500 suarefeet, 25 feet deep) and enlarges to becomea deep, frigid lake (25 square miles, 200 feetdeep). Natural terrain features the expansionof these artifacts. (They grow at a rate of 100square feet and 25 vertical feet, where ap-plicable, every minute.) Whenever possible,each orients itself to provide a formidablebarrier against anyone seeking to encounterthe individual who cast the item to earth.An unlocked door in the corner of the roomopens onto a short connecting hall.

11. Privy. Long disuse makes this smallchamber hazardous to anyone entering it.The floorboards around the drainage chuteare badly rotted, and will give way beneathany weight over 25 Ibs. The chute narrowsquickly, stopping a fall after 10 feet; but the

experience could still be a painful (andsmelly) one.

12. Privy. Same as #11.

Level Three

13. Solarium. A gracious chamber with an-cient tapestries covering the walls, thesolarium soothes the Giant's slumberswhile the stars shine. Another chilly, whitefire exudes icy cold from the hearth (Col-dball, MERP, Ess. ICE LAW, +35 add). Whitebearskins cushion the floor.

14. Fighting Terrace. The crenellated keepwalls border a wide expanse of stone tiles.A stone staircase leads to the rooftop.

15. Fighting Terrace. Same as #14.

Level Four

16. Rooftop. Surrounded by the walls of thekeep, archers ensconced here could safelythin the ranks of any attacking forces.

MASTER NPC CHARTMelee Missile

| NAME LVL Hits AT DB Sh Qt OB OB MM Notes |

LEVEL 4

Irlsgalen 12 95 RL 65 Y10 A/L 120bs 95cb 20 Ranger. +15 Leatherbreastplate and greaves for arms and legs, + 15 broadsword, + 15 compound bow, x3 ring. 72PP(2x12x3), knows four base Ranger lists to level 10 and Detection Mastery and Surface Ways to

level 5.Iffguld 15 365 RL 40 N - 150gs 90ro 5 Frost Giant. No armorsave his tough hide, +15 greatsword. Knows MERP ICE LAW list to level 10. Youthful ambition(a century ago) separated him from his father's castle in the Grey Mountains, use large creature

".riticals.70LBI none 30 Wolf. Immune to cold.

70LBi none 30 Wolf. Same as Frekka

Frekka 4 120 NO 30 NIntelligent and loyal to Iffguld.

Gherri 4 120 NO 30 Nabove.Bokka 5 110 SL 15 N A/L 70cl, none 10

100CL Half-troll. Dislikessunlight but is not turned to stone by it. +5 Leather jerkin, + 20 stone club. Father to Roggaand Durth. Born into a Troll clan from the Misty Mountains.

Giffa 4 90 SL 20 N - 40cl, none 1575MCI Half-troll. Same qualities

as Bokka. +5 Leather tunic, + 10 wooden club. Mate of Bokka. Born into a small clan of Trolls

from the Trollshaws.

Rogga 3 100 SL 15 N A/L 40CI, none 1575MCL Half- troll. Like parents

above in dislike for sunlight. +0 Leather jerkin, +5 wooden club. Like Durth, born into service

under Iffguld.

Durth 2 100 SL 10 N A/L 35CI, none 1070MCI Half-troll. Same

background and weapons as sibling Rogga. •

Note: bs = broadsword; gs = greatsword; ro = rock; cl = club; LBi = large bite; cp = composite bow.

Note: LVL = level; Hits = hit points; AT = armor type(NO = no armor, SL = soft leather, RL = rigidleather); DB = defensive bonus; Sh = shield (Y = yes, +10); Gr = greaves (A = arm greaves, L = leggreaves); Melee OB = melee offensive bonus; Missile OB = missile offensive bonus;MM = movement and manuever bonus.

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stolen stee6of the

sovepeiqnAn Adventure in the Mark

by Jorge QuinonezSetting: The foothills of the White Mountains, near the capital city of Rohan, Edoras.

The deeds occur in the first century of the Fourth Age.Requirements: A group of adventurers on the side of justice.Aids: An affinity for horses, familiarity with the surrounding lands outside Edoras (i.e.,

the White Mountains), and a lure of money.Rewards: 1000 gold pieces from the Royal Treasury of Rohan, the gratitude of the

King of the Mark, and any loot the bandit might possess.

THE TALESnowshade, a descendant of Shadowfax and Snowmane, is undoubtedly the finest

of the Meara horses in the King's stables. And until recently, Elfwine, the nineteenthKing of Rohan, was the proud owner of this grand horse. Late one summer night, thehorse was taken from his stable by an unknown thief who left a note for the King.

The note stated that he would never see his beloved horse again, except perhaps inthe hands of his principal foe, Asagdth, a king of one of the greatest Easterling nations,who resided in the East, by-the inland Sea of Rhun. The purpose of the note was simple:to upset the King Elfwine, perhaps weakening him for the thiefs master, Asagdth.

As for Snowshade, the thief was holding her in Dunnish lands, south of the Westfold(west of Edoras, a territory of another of Mark's enemies, the Dunlendings), awaitingthe coming of a secret party of Easterlings who would take the Mcara to their King.Well aware of the risks of intruding into Dunnish territory with large groups (especiallyRohir, who would be dead giveaways), the King Elfwine, preferring more subtle ways,has secretly hired a group of outsiders to rescue his prized horse.

THE ENEMYLahwere is an agent and thrall of the Easterling king, Asag£th. Abandoned as a child

by his mother for unknown reasons, he was raised by his Dunlending father. During araid on his village, Lahwere was captured by Easterling horsemen. The Easterlingstook Lahwere to their country and gave him as a servant boy to their King, Asagalh.Many years later, after becoming totally subservient to the Easterlings, Lahwere wasreleased from bondage and allowed to return to his homeland in the White Mountains.

One there, he began to serve as the Easterlings' primary agent against Rohan. In notime, Lahwere infiltrated the ranks of the Rohirrim. Once becoming well establishedin the city of Edoras under the guise of a horse merchant, Lahwere set about on his firstmission — to steal the steed of the sovereign.62 Adventurer's Club

! i iLahwere accomplished his task with

little complications. He struck the stablesin the dark of night and snatched thehorse when the guards were not looking.Riding the horse was another matter;Snowshade would not let the thief handleher. The horse only became rideable afterLahwere drugged her with a specialEasterling horse-taming herb. Once onthe horse he outpaced all pursuers, andtook Snowshade to his hideout (near aDunnish village) in the White Mountainsto await the arrival of a party of Easter-lings who would take the horse toAsagdth.

THE TASKThe King of Rohan has sent one of his

servants to search for the group of adven-turers who would like to earn a quicktreasure. The servant of the King has meta group of adventurers, namely yours, inone of Edoras' taverns. After some time of talk about this 'adventure,' the servant asksthe adventurers to meet with the King (!) for further information. The group agrees andmeets with the King Elfwine the following day.

At their meeting, Elfwine informs the party on what is required of them. For the safereturn of Snowshade he offers 500 gold pieces and an additional 500 gold pieces forthe head of the thief. To aid them in their quest, the King will provide each member ofthe party with a horse (Medium type), a week's provisions (Trail rations), and for theparty, a guide to help them find the location of the horse and the thief.

The party's first encounters will probably be the Dunnish village, unless the GM hassomething else especially planned. The party should exercise respect and caution whentransacting with the leader of the village: the Matriarch. If proper gifts are given (i. e.good steel utensils) and then the question(s) asked concerning the stolen or "lost" horse,the adventurers might then get an answer.

With the general location of the thief's hideout known, the party may then embarkto the next step: to reclaim the horse for the King of Rohan. The robber's roost is typicalof the caves found on the slopes of the Ered Nimrais. The party will have to get pastthe henchmen and then Lahwere himself (and possibly his boss, Asag&h!) to success-fully liberate the horse from it's capture.

The Dunnish VillageThe inhabitants of this village number about 50, including warriors and families.

1. Villager's Dwellings: These huts are furnished with the bare essentials, e.g. beds.

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They contain enough space to accommodate a family of up to a dozen in size.2. Stores: These structures, located on the east side of the village, contain all theprovisions the small community will need through the winter. Various stores, i.e.foodstuffs, furs, medicines, etc., can be found within.3. Matriarch's Dwelling: This is the largest hut in the village. The Matriarch and herfamily reside in this structure. The only thing of note in this hut is her prized collectionof rare herbs (GM should decide what type of herbs the Matriarch owns, though thetotal count should not exceed more than a dozen).

The Hillman's Hideout:The Caves

The grotto has served Lahwere manyyears, its location is known only to a fewpeople, although the Dunnish villagersknow of its existence and have a goodidea of where it is found.1. Entrance: The entrance is not wellguarded. There is a 10% chance that twohalf-ore guards are present.2. Main Room: The main room is rarelyunoccupied. There's a 90% chance that1-10 half-ores are present and 50%chance that Lahwere is also present (ifnot in his own room).3. Stores Area: This room containsenough supplies to last a man and adozenhalf-ores six months.4. Lahwere's Cave.Thisroomisalwaysguarded by one of Lahwere's minions(i.e., a half-ore). The room contains

rather ordinary furnishings. The only thing of note is Lahwere's chest, which containslOlgp, 11 Isp, 221cp, two +10 daggers, and a Ring of Protection (+10 to DB and allresistance rolls).5. Servant's Cave: When not on the job, twelve half-ores live in this cave.6. Same as #5, except it is sometimes used by visiting Easterlings.7. Snowshade's Cave: ThemajestichorseofKingElfwineishousedinthiscave.Thenoble steed is chained to the wall. The chain is made of an unknown alloy of steel whichis practically unbreakable; not even a troll could break it (although a Balrog would havebetter luck)! The lock on the chain is magical (Sheer Folly, -50 to pick) and can onlybe opened by the key that Lahwere has on his person at all times.VARIATIONS

To spice up the game, the GM could choose to use either Asagath or Elfwine in thescenario. Thus, Elfwine could accompany the characters in the quest to rescue hishorse. And Asagath would be present at Lahwere's hideout to personally supervise thehorse's safe journey to his Easterling kingdom.

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MASTER NPC TABLE

NAME Lvl Hits AT(RM) DB Sh Gr Melee Missile MMOB OB

Lahwere 8 88 RL(10) 50 Y5 A/L 104bs 85sb 20

Notes: Hillman Scout. +10 broadsword and +5 rigid leather armor

Goons(X12) 4 40 CH(15) 15 Y A/L 55sc 50sb 15

Notes: Half-ore warriors. Thereareexactlyadozen goons underLahwere'semploy-ment.

Matriarch 9 43 NO(2) 45 NO — 59qs 41 si 10

Notes: Dunnish Animist. +10 Staff: X2 PP Multiplier. 36 PP Knows all AnimistSpell Lists, except Creations and Animal Mastery. 56 years old.

Villagers 3 30 SL(6) 30 NO — 30cl 30sl 15

Notes: Dunnish Warriors. There are eighteen of them present in the village if theMatriarch encounters trouble.

Asagath 19 123 RL(10) 65 NO A/L 145sp 130bo 20

Notes: Easterling Warrior. +15 spear, +10 bola, and +15 rigid leather armor. 41years old.

Elfwine 16 125 CH(15) 35 Y5 A/L 135bs 115cp 10

Notes: Rohir Warrior, Nineteenth King of Rohan. +10 weapons & armor. For moreinformation, see Lords of Middle-earth Vol. 2, pages 56 and 58.

Snowshade 13 220 NO(3) 45 80fi

Notes: Meara 'super* horse. Speed= VF. Size= L. Crit= Reg.

Note: Lvl=level; Hits = hit points; AT=Merp armor type (NO=no armor, SL=softleather, RL=rigid leather, CH=chain); RM = Rolemaster armor type; DB =defensive bonus; Sh = shield; Gr = greaves (A=arm greaves, L=leg greaves); MeleeOB = melee offensive bonus; Missile OB = missile offensive bonus; MM = movementand maneuver bonus.

MOVING?110II<MK1< 11 TO SEND US

YOIJU NEW ADDRESS!66 Adventurer's Club

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CREDITS: Author: VJSchiavoni ([email protected]) Comments/Reviews: Eric Osborne, Roberto “Punko” Vecillas Fernández, Jose Enrique. Layouts were generated using AutoRealm v2.1 and GIMP v2.2.10; glossary uses Dragon Flame v2.0. Sponsor: Eric DuBourg and the yahoo MERP fangroup website: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/fan-modules/.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER To Live Forever is a non-commercial, fan-created

adventure scenario designed for the MERP RPG by Iron Crown Enterprises (now out-of-print). This document is intended for the personal use of RPG players and GMs, as an aid for their role-playing enjoyment. All references to the works of JRR Tolkien are the property of Tolkien Enterprises (TE) and/or the Tolkien Estate; additionally, MERP and all references to that game system are the property of Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE). All other material is the property of the author, and may not be offered for sale, nor altered, without permission. Please note that TE has been extremely aggressive against any perceived infringement of their intellectual property rights.

SETTING AND REQUIREMENTS This scenario assumes that the reader is familiar with

the works of JRR Tolkien and the MERP RPG system. The GM must have access to the MERP rulebook and the relevant maps/modules for the adventure area chosen. It also assumes the default date of 1640 T.A. set by ICE, however, almost any Third Age date before the War of the Ring should work fine. A rural setting in Gondor is recommended – almost any location with a village or small town in the general vicinity will suffice. Some rural areas in Cardolan might work well, too. The antagonists described herein are mixed Dúnedain/Rural men, with access to sizable resources, so these points should be considered when choosing the location. It is preferable that at least one of the PCs be acquainted with the NPC Gellon, but this is not necessary.

It is also assumed that the party is aligned on the side of the Free Peoples (or at least not opposed to them), and against Darkness.

The difficulty level is set for mid-level PCs, but can be adjusted for higher or lower level parties; suggestions: for lower level of play, reduce Golodh’s level and make Amlugion a normal human, and/or have Gellon assist the party; for higher level, simply increase the levels of both antagonists and the number of undead.

DEFINITIONS/TERMS Unusual or unique terms: Amlugion: S. “Son of the Dragon” Brannon: S. “Lord, Master”; a title of honor or nobility. Faer: S. “Spirit”, i.e. “Soul” Gellon: S. “Joyful One, Triumphant One” Golodh: S. “Wise One” Merethrond: S. Feast-Hall”

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Death has always been the weak spot in Dúnedain morality. Even the best of them have had their doubts about “the Gift of Men.” This is the story of Brannon Bladorthin Amlugion, a wealthy, retired merchant from Pelargir. He was a typical Lesser Dúnadan in many respects for most of his life, although not notably mag-nanimous. After his retirement, he found the time to enjoy many pleasures of life that his years of hard work had earned him - and denied him. He began to wonder how long he would live to enjoy these good things. These thoughts eventually became frets, then fears, and finally a neurosis that drove him to extremes and ruined his bliss. He began to quietly seek for a method to pro-long his life. His investigations eventually led him to a man who had exactly what Amlugion was looking for: a recipe for longevity. This mage of dubious background and questionable reputation calls himself Golodh. No one seems to know much about him, except that he came to Bar Amlug about a year ago, presumably as a healer in the service of Amlugion. He is, in fact, an agent of Darkness, set loose in Gondor on a special mis-sion of evil. And he does, in fact, have a key to longevity – one that carries a terrible price that someone must pay.

Golodh’s procedure requires the blood of a living host with a faer. Naturally, the host soon dies from the draining. So far, only three persons have been killed, but that number will only rise.

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Bladorthin Amlugion appears to be an aging Dúnadan, strong but pale. The strange thing about his aging is that it has notably stopped – some say reversed – even considering his ethnic origins. While not fundamentally evil or cruel, he definitely crossed the line of decency. The longevity procedure has now turned him into an undead monster – a vampire – and he will realize this fact soon. He no longer needs Golodh’s help to extract a victim’s faer – he is capable of doing this himself by drawing forth and consuming their blood.

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Golodh has thus become expendable, and will soon be eliminated to preserve Amlugion’s secret. The servants have already been ensorceled. Amlugion is also becoming very sensitive to light, and has begun to rest in the most secure, private place in his manor hidden from sunlight: his crypt. He will do almost anything to ensure his own survival. His victims (drained, not slain) will also become vampires, secretly spreading undeath throughout the land. Amlugion’s title (Brannon) and name (Amlugion) came from his father.

Golodh is a middle-aged, itinerant mage from Rhovanion, of mixed blood, who fell easily under the lure of evil. Now he is only a pawn in the Dark One’s machi-nations. Golodh was not fully aware of the potential or risks of the “longevity” process, and so was unwilling to try it out on himself (although he told Amlugion that he had). He is aware of Amlugion’s transformation, and has

become alarmed. He is currently planning his exit from the scene. While truly cruel and viscous, he is smart enough to see his own peril, and he knows that he cannot resist Amlugion alone.

Gellon is an urban man from rural Anfalas, a former adventurer who came to the country to live in peace and quiet. He now resides with a local widow in a nearby village. He has become very suspicious of Amlugion and his “Physician” ever since disappearances started about a year ago. He is, of course quite correct in his suspicions. Amlugion and Golodh have both noticed his interest in their doings, and he has been marked for elimination very soon. If the PC’s are not already acquainted with him, he will seek them out to assist him to find and stop whoever is responsible for the disappearances, and to ascertain the fate of the missing.

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MANSE GROUND FLOOR ��� Entrance Porch. An open-air porch covered by

a roof; the main doors are usually barred from the inside (Hard –10) when the residents are at home; callers will be answered by the butler; the

manse is built of dark-brown-colored sandstone; large, barred windows on exterior walls.

��� Merethrond. With a balcony above topped by a dome; elegant marble inlaid pavement; stairs to right and left to second floor balcony.

��� Salon. Guests will usually be received here.

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��� Library. Mostly the collection of Amlugion, Golodh has contributed little; both spend a good bit of time here; some of the scrolls/books may be valuable (GM’s discretion), but none are magical.

��� Foyer. Stairs down to cellars to the right, commode to the left.

��� Dining Room. Meals are usually taken here; the Merethrond can be set up with tables and used for feasts, but this has not happened in quite some time.

��� Parlor. For more intimate conversation. ��� Amlugion’s Office. The desk is unlocked; there

are no important or incriminating documents here.

��� Golodh’s Workroom. Golodh has turned this room into a private workroom; various mundane herbs are lying about; the chest (locked, Routine +30) holds valuable herbs: 5×Arkasu, 5×Yaran, 1×Suranie, and 1×Uraana.

����Kitchen. The usual accouterments; stairs down to storage cellars; trapdoor in corner for easy lifting of supplies by a skid with ropes and pulleys.

����Male Servants’ quarters. Currently only the butler and gardener, neither of whom have any possessions of value.

����Female Servants’ quarters. The cook and a maid/helper live here; neither have any possessions of value.

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MANSE SECOND FLOOR ����Balcony. The doors at the top of the stairs, as

well as those opposite, open onto outdoor terraces; these doors are usually barred (Hard –10) from inside; valuable carpets.

����Front Terrace. Open-air.

����Rear Terrace. Open-air; potted plants, benches.

����Foyer. Both pairs of double doors are usually locked (Very Hard –20) when Amlugion is inside;

Storage Closet to right with spiral stairs to trapdoor (barred on inside, Hard –10) to roof; commode/bath to left.

����Study. Amlugion’s suite, sumptuously ap-pointed; the carpets in particular are valuable.

����Bedroom. Amlugion’s quarters; he has been very careful to leave no incriminating documents lying around; his valuables are in the two chests: +15 longsword (family heirloom), 100 gp, 500 sp, 1000 cp.

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����Hallway. Commode/bath to right, closet with stairs to trapdoor (barred on inside, Hard –10) to roof; storage closet at far end.

����Bedroom. Reserved for Amlugion’s son though he has not been here for several years; on the desk is a letter to Amlugion from his son, explaining his reason for leaving: his father’s decline into decadence and depravity (according

to the letter – it is a clue for the players, and is not admissible proof).

����Bedrooms. Guests will be housed here; Golodh’s room is the first on the left; the chest (locked, Hard –10, and trapped, Hard –10, needle injects Slota poison) contains his valuables: spell books, scroll detailing the spell used to drain a faer, 10 gp, 100 sp, 500 cp.

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MANSE CELLARS ����Root Cellar. Mainly food supplies in barrels and

boxes; also a water well.

����Ale Cellar. Well stocked.

����Wine Cellar. Some very fine (and valuable) Dorwinion vintages.

����Laboratory. Right out of Frankenstein: Tables covered with bubbling beakers of liquid, some scrolls and books lying about, animal parts (some disturbingly human-looking) preserved in glass jars, shelves lined with jars of various herbs, powders, tinctures, and even an electrostatic sphere (Van de Graaff high voltage generator). A secret door under the landing opens to a steep, narrow stairway down to the crypts.

����Crypt. Unfinished; the three bodies are buried under the dirt floor of the crypt (Hard –10 to spot).

���� The first Brannon is interred in this crypt.

����Crypt. Bladorthin Amlugion’s stone coffin is open; he has placed some cushions in it to comfort him whilst he rests therein.

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The task here is twofold: to prevent the murder of Gellon (or anyone else), and to expose and destroy Amlugion, thus preventing the spread of evil: a plague of vampires throughout the land. Amlugion has not “fed” for a while, so he is becoming quite thirsty. Gellon is his primary target, but if Gellon is well protected, Amlugion will find some other victim – possibly one of the PC’s if they can be caught alone and unaware, or even Golodh.

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There is no immediate danger of confronting another vampire. Amlugion became aware of the result of completely draining someone, and did not want any competition, so he killed all of his previous victims before they were completely drained.

5.1 STARTING THE PLAYERS The adventure starts when the PCs meet with

Gellon. It is left to the GM to decide the details of the locale. If there is no village nearby where people can congregate, then this meeting will probably happen at Gellon’s cottage. In any event, he will not let the first day end without telling the PCs about the goings-on in the area and his suspicions. He will ask the PCs for help very directly. Gellon is well aware that he is a primary target because of his activities.

5.2 AIDS The PC’s have a major heads-up with the informa-

tion that Gellon provides (he does not, however, know any specifics). In addition, the antagonists are not united, and this might be exploited. If necessary, the GM can work in hints that undead are involved. Finally, Gellon may assist the characters.

5.3 OBSTACLES Amlugion and Golodh should be sufficient in

themselves to provide strong opposition. If the party is strong, the GM can have them cooperate, which should increase the challenge. If necessary, Amlugion can order the servants to obstruct the PCs. Finally, both Amlugion and Golodh can animate the murdered people as minor undead (ghouls, skeletons) to bolster their strength (assume Golodh has an evil mage spell list to do so).

5.4 REWARDS The personal possessions of Amlugion and Golodh

provide the main material rewards. Few would question the PCs’ right to these wergilds. However, news travels fast, and Amlugion’s son will be summoned forthwith to arrange his father’s estate. Though saddened, he knows that events were heading inevitably toward this outcome. He will not begrudge the PCs some compensation, but he will not let them loot the entire manse.

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The only encounters in this adventure will be with Brannon Amlugion and Golodh, with possibly their undead minions to boost. Stats follow.

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Name/# Lvl Speed Hits AT DB Melee OB 1st/2nd/3rd Size Crit* Notes Bladorthin Amlugion 15 VF 150 No +65 100LCl/ — / — H L Lesser Dúnadan Vampire

Undead: Immune to stun & bleed crits; Spell Lists: Spirit Mastery, Living Change, PP15×1=15

Ghoul, greater/1 3 SL/MF 50 RL +10 40SBa/50SCl/45we M I Stupid; Infects wounds

Skeleton, lesser/2 3 MD/MF 55 No +10 40we/50MBa/ — M I Ignores bleed crits, Pu=Cr

Servants/4 1 MD/MF 35 No +15 30pa or 25da/ — / — M R Rural Men/Women, charmed

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Name Lvl Hits AT DB SH/GR Melee OB

Missile OB

General Clm/Rd/Sw/Trk

Subterfuge SH/PL/DT Notes

Golodh 7 49 No +15 No +10bs +10sb +10/+10/+10/+20 +10/+20/+10 Rural Man; Mage

Ag90, Co80, SD35, Me90, Re90, St75, Qu90, Pr45, Em35, In90; RdRun +69, UsItm +69, DirSpl +80, BasSpl +14; Mage Spell Lists: (10), PP 7×1×3=21; Torque ×3 PP Mult; +5bs

Gellon 5 38 No +15 No +15bs +10cp +10/+10/+10/+20 +10/+20/–10 Urban Man; Mage

Ag50, Co75, SD90, Me95, Re95, St65, Qu50, Pr95, Em90, In95; RdRun +55, UsItm +45, DirSpl +70, BasSpl +10; Mage Spell Lists: (7), PP 5×2×2=20; Staff ×2 PP Mult; +10bs

*I = normal table with severity reduced by one (e.g., "E" becomes a "D", "D" becomes a "C", etc.; ignore "A" results).

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by Stephen Fellows

The Tale: It had been over twomonths since a supply caravan ar-rived from the small village of Barluin,when late one night a Hillman fromthe village staggered into town andfell unconscious. The kind peopleof the town took him in and tried totreat his wounds, but even with thehelp of a healer the hillman couldnot be saved. As he lay dying, theHillman spoke of evil ores, greattreasures, and tortured slaves. Thelocal officials and traders offered areward for information pertaining tothe fur village and began thesearch for a brave band of heroesimmediately.

Requirements: A good sizedparty with the ability to fight, move un-detected, and track down viciousfoes.

Rewards: The local governmentand traders have offered 100 goldpieces to the group of adventurerswho would travel to the village forinformation.

Setting: A small trading villagein the mountains.

The village of Barluin is dominatedby a town house that once belongedto a wealthy land owner. A steep cliffsurrounds the town on three sidesand a river guards the fourth. Themain part of the town surrounds anold stone bridge.

Situation: A band of ores headedby an evil mage has seized the smallvillage of Barluin. the displacedtownspeople now hope to recovertheir town and find a lost treasu re that

is located in the cave that serves asone of the mage's haunts. (TheBarluin rises in this cavern.)

At night the evil mage resides in aseries of adjoining caves to the north.He supervises the mines in theafternoon. The raid on the villagetakes place early in the morning justbefore sunrise.

THE VILLAGE OF BARLUIN

1- These buildings are the woodenhuts that the towns people lived inbefore being enslaved. 2-A woodenhut with 2 ores reside in it. Theseores are supposed t: watch thebridge and see that re humansescape. They will be alert 75% ofthe time and will always investigate adisturbance on or near the bridge.3- This hut also contains 2 orcs, withthe same conditions as 2 above.4- This old guard house was former.used by the town chief and is now oc-cupied by the ore captain. In here is aleather sac containing 24 gold piecestaken from the townspeople. A.5Chidden in a loose cavity in the sc-~wall is a ring which bestows a +10 tothe wearer's defensive bonus. "orc captain has the keys to the shack-les on the prisoners in roomnumber 7. The orc does not knowabout the ring in the south wall.5- This is a collapsed section of thetownhouse. A broken down door tothe north may be carefully movedto allow passage into thetownhouse. Persons entering inthis manner will be concealed bythe stored materials on the otherside.6- Two orc guards now reside in this

RAID ON BARLUIN

The Village of Barluin

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kitchen. These orcs will always beattracted to fighting in the mainhall but investigate any minordisturbance only 50% of thetime.

7- This is the main hall of thetownhouse. Two fires are keptduring the night and all day duringthe cold months. Eight pillarssupport the roof. Foodstuffs, furs,as well as barrels of ale arescattered about. Five adult males,17 adult females and 20 childrenare chained together in the centerof the hall. Two orcs watch overthe prisoners from the raiseddais next to the western wall. These

orcs will always notice characterswho enter from the main doors,but they will notice intruders fromthe collapsed portion of thetownhouse only 20% of the time.The villagers are tired and beatenand cannot aid their rescuers. Ifquestioned the villagers will know ofan evil mage who supervises theores and forces them to mine thecave labeled number 8. The villagerswill also know that the mage seeks avast treasure. The only valuableslying about are some mining tools,foodstuffs and 1500 gold pieces infurs.8- This cave widens after going in 125ft. (NOTE: the party will need a lightsource with the cave.) The widenedcut area shows signs of a great dealcf digging. There is a small woodenbridge crossing the stream, whichcomes out of a large hole in the northwall. On the northeast side of thecavern a wooden door has beenuncovered. Guarding this door are 2wargs, which will fight until dead. If thewargs are killed the door may beforced open by 2 characters totaling120 or more strength. Likewise thelock may be picked but is absurdlydifficult. In the closed off room is achest and a stone coffin. The coffin isopen, revealing a book and a ring.

The ring is a times 3 spell multiplier.The book will raise one score 3 pointsafter one month's study. This bookmay be continuously used, but thereis a 10% cumulative chance eachtime the same person uses it that itwill backfire causing that characterrto lose all previously gained pointsplus a-3 to their prime requisite. Thechest contains 3,000 gold piecesand 7 gems, of which all except the7th are worth 1,000 gold pieces.The seventh gem radiates a soft lightwithin a 10 ft radius and is crystalclear. The seventh gem is worth7,000 gold pieces.

THE MAGE'S CAVES Afterliberating the town and speakingwith the local villagers, the partyshould easily find the path, whichleads to the mage's caves. If theparty should decide not to go to thecaves, Tegrum (the evil mage)

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will send an assassin to find the bookand the glowing gem. If the partylingers in the town for more than 1day, Tegrum will attack the town with12 new orcs in addition to any whichmight have escaped earlier. No mat-ter what, Tegrum will escape to hiscaves to the north. The ores in cave 5will always be there even if all of theraiding ores were killed. The raidingores will otherwise be waiting toambush the party along the path.1- The door to this cave is hard to pickand can stand up to almost any pun-ishment. Kept in this room are vari-ous food stuffs and pile of weaponsconsisting of at least 1 of every majortype. Other various and sundrythings may be found including 2-20gold. 1 mace is of high quality +5, and4 arrows out of the 60 are enchanted(+10).2- The entrance to this cave area isapparently blocked by rubble and willonly be noticed by a perception roll.Room #2 appears to be a work areaand has nothing of value in it.3- This passage opens up into a largearea where 2 more wargs are kept toguard the door to the northeast. Anyfighting here will alert Tegrum in room#4 and 25% of the time the ores incave #5, who will then arrive in 4rounds.4- This room is Tegrum's bedroomand study. If Tegrum was alerted byfighting in room #3 he will have prepared and appropriate spell and will

THE MONSTERS

be waiting for the attackers. Likewiseall items in the room will be worn orready for use by Tegrum. The itemsare as follows.

HORN- This horn when blown willcause all foes within 100 ft. to savevs. a 5th level essence spell or fallasleep. The horn may only be used 3times per day.

BELT- This belt protects thewearer from 1/2 the damage done bynonmagical missile weapons and willlessen all puncture criticals by onedegree.

RING- This ring is a +3 spell adderfor essence casters only.

LYRE of LATHOS- This lyre hasbut 5 strings left, each performs aspecial effect. The lyre also givesBards a +50 to all spells. The onlyproblem is that every time a string isplucked there is a 30% chance that itpermanently breaks. Once all of thestrings are broken, it loses all of ':;magical properties.

______ STRING EFFECTS:1 - gives user +25 to defensive be - _;for 1-10 minutes.2- as 1 except a +25 offensive bonusis given.3- as 1 except a +25 to all saves isgiven.4-as1 except a+25 to all mane, isgiven.5- as 1 except a +25 to all spells isgiven.________________________

5- This cave contains 4 ores.else of value is here.

Race # Ivl hits AT Sh DB Melee Ob Mov M

Orcs (all) 3 50 RL yes 30 +60 sc 0

Ore captain 1 5 75 RL yes 30 +75 bs 5

Wargs 4 8 120 No no 30 +70 Ib 15Tegrum 1 10 90 No no 20 +15 da 10

Tegrum has +95 with direct spells/+20 with base spells, knows allbase mage lists and 5 other lists including spirit mastery.

70

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The Mage's Caves

Issue Twelve, Summer 1988 71