Page 104 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

the alcove just within the entrance. Kothogg is really in charge If Kothogg leads the PCs into the chamber, Rixxil Kas
of the guardpost, and it decides whether strangers seem like assumes they have come to trade. The neogi are interested in
they’re here to trade or cause trouble. Kothogg doesn’t speak small, high-value cargo such as magic items, gemstones, rare
or understand Common. If the bugbears give visitors the spices, exotic slaves, and such things; the ship isn’t that big,
thumbs-up, the umber hulk leads them to area 2 to meet the after all. Of course, Kas is not above negotiating a trade and
neogi Rixxil Kas. Kothogg won’t lead PCs holding weapons then arranging an ambush to enslave its would-be trading
anywhere, though. partners.
If the PCs simply attack the bugbears, Kothogg comes to If the PCs enter without Kothogg, Kas assumes trouble, and
their assistance. It retreats if reduced to 20 or fewer hit points, orders its slaves to attack.
hoping to warn its masters of an attack. Rixxil Kas, Neogi: hp 20; see page 90.
If the PCs attack the base and then leave, the neogi have the Rixxil’s Umber Hulk: hp 66; Monster Manual page 248.
umber hulks block this entrance tunnel with huge boulders Orc Slave (Warrior 1) (3): hp 5 each; Monster Manual TAKERS CHAPTER 5
to prevent any further incursions from this direction. page 203. THE SLAVE
Kothogg, Umber Hulk: hp 81; Monster Manual page 248. Goblin Slave (Warrior 1) (3): hp 4 each; Monster Manual
page 133.

Bugbear Slave (2): Bugbear fighter 2; CR 4; Medium humanoid If things go poorly, Rixxil Kas orders the giant octopus in
(goblinoid); HD 3d8+9 plus 2d10+6; hp 39; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; area 3 to come and assist. The neogi has enslaved the octopus

AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 20; Base Atk +4; Grp +8; Atk or and can command the creature as it likes. The octopus can
Full Atk +10 melee (1d8+4/×3, masterwork warhammer) or +6 remain in the water and still reach much of the cave with its
ranged (1d8+2/×3, composite longbow); SQ darkvision 60 ft., tentacles.
scent; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 15, Con The orcs and goblins flee if at all possible, hoping that this

17, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6. is their chance for an escape.
Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Hide –2, Listen +5, Move Silently Much of the cargo in this cave consists of supplies for a long
B

+2, Spot +8; Alertness, Cleave , Power Attack , Weapon Focus voyage—salted meats, pickled fish, hardtack, and so on. The
B

(warhammer). valuables include fifty bottles of fine wine, thirty-five bolts of
Languages: Goblin, Common. silk worth 50 gp each, one hundred furs (mostly beaver) worth
Possessions: breastplate, heavy wooden shield, masterwork 5 gp each, and various other trade goods. Rixxil Kas’s cloak

warhammer, composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) with 25 arrows, clasp is a fine gold chain worth 240 gp.
potion of cure light wounds. Kas also has two coffers in area 7, where it keeps more cash
and easily traded goods in case a deal presents itself.
The bugbears are not dominated by the neogi; they’re simply
held by fear of their small masters (or, more accurately, fear of 3. WATER PASSAGE (EL 8)
the foul-tempered umber hulks that serve their small masters). The mouth of the sea cave faces the open ocean. Waves surge
Given the chance to escape, they are more than willing to into the cave from outside, roaring and rumbling in the confi ned
abandon the neogi to their fate. space.
2. SEA CAVE (EL 8) The water in here is swift, cold, and treacherous (DC 18 Swim
The loud rushing of water and the cries of sea birds fi ll this cave, check to navigate). The drop-off is steep; anything within 5
open on its western end to the sea. Small waves surge onto feet of the shore is 5 feet deep, and the rest of the passage has
the gravel beach inside. Daylight peeks into the cave from the an average depth of 10 to 15 feet.
half-fl ooded western entrance, the tunnel to the north, and a The neogi have an unusual guard for this entrance: a giant
large crevice facing west. A steep, dimly lit passage climbs east, octopus enslaved by Rixxil Kas. The neogi has ordered the
deeper into the headland. Heaps of crates, heavy casks, bales creature to remain near and slay anything coming in or going
of cloth, and other such goods litter the higher and drier parts out. Normally, the monster lurks out near the mouth of the
of the cave. cave, where the water is deeper and food is more likely to
A spiderlike creature the size of a large dog scuttles over the wander by.
crates, inspecting them. It has a long, snaky neck and wears a Giant Octopus: hp 52; Monster Manual page 276.
strange sort of cape or cloak over its carapace, fastened with a
golden chain. Several humanoids—orcs and goblins, mostly— 4. REPAIR YARD (EL 9)
work to rearrange the goods, and a big umber hulk towers behind The passage from the sea cave opens up on a hidden cove, sur-
the little spider-creature. rounded by high headlands and dense forest. A broad, rocky
strand runs for several hundred yards to the next headland.
The neogi Rixxil Kas serves as the company’s stores and Nearby, a large, strange-looking vessel lies canted on its side,
cargomaster. The mindspider’s cargo was offloaded into this well above the storm line. It resembles a fantastic spider made

cave, and Kas maintains exacting records of which supplies of dark, polished wood and enameled metal, with masts in the
are being used for which purposes. shape of long arachnid legs, windows for its dark small eyes,
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