Castles & Crusades Back to ...

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B
ACK
TO
B
LACKTOOTH
R
IDGE
Author:
Davis Chenault
Editor:
Nicole Chenault
Cover Art:
Peter Bradley
Interior Art:
Peter Bradley, Jason Walton
Cartography:
Peter Bradley
Art Direction/Cover Design:
Peter Bradley
Interior Design/Layout:
Troll Lord Games
P.O. Box 251171, Little Rock,
AR 72225
email: troll@trollord.com
Web site: www.trolllord.com or
www.castlesandcrusades.com
Interested in Castles & Crusades the role playing game? Want to learn more? There
is a large online community of gamers who post home brewed rules, adventure dis-
cussion and help incoming players digest the game and its potential. Please visit our
online forums at trolllord.com and get involved. All are welcome!!!
©2006 Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. Castles & Crusades, C&C,
Castle Keeper, Troll Lord Games, and the Castles & Crusades, SIEGE engine
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Reserved.The artwork appearing on page 7 is copyright Peter Bradley. All Rigths
Rerserved. Printed in the United States of America
This module is designed for
characters of 3
rd
-5
th
level with
a challenge level of 3.
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15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors
Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary
Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Castles & Crusades: Players Handbook, Copyright 2004, Troll Lord Games; Authors
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Assault on Blacktooth Ridge, Copyright 2005, Troll Lord Games; Author Davis
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Slag Heap, Copyright 2006, Troll Lord Games; Author Davis Chenault.
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line simply continues without break. A wisdom check (CL 10) is
necessary to observe the defile.
Introduction
Back to Blacktooth Ridge
is a short adventure that takes places in
a cavern with an old crypt at its bottom. The crypt was well hidden
down a defile and inside a natural cavern, called the Dungurd,
along the Blacktooth Ridge. Only the bottommost portion of the
cavern was carved into funeral chambers, blessed, hidden and
guards set within. The remainder of the cavern was left as is. For
many years only wild animals took up residence in the cavern as
the magics hiding and guarding it were strong. With the demise of
the Horned One, those magics have weakened.
Once observed, the kobold trail has slight impressions of clawed
feet that might be confused with several of the wild animals in the
woods were it not for the tell tale signs of weapons dragging the
ground, clipped branches, as well as a few tiny scraps of cloth and
leather. The trail leads to the edge of the river where it abruptly
ends. At a broad and shallow part of the river. Across is a small
bank and, after a few moments the defile becomes apparent.
The defile is merely 6 feet wide and stretches nearly 200 feet into
the ridge line, becoming progressively narrower towards its end.
It is thick with bramble, thorny bushes and vines. Moving down
the defile is a noisy affair for most people as the bushes have to be
cleared along the way. Unless crawling, only a small person, about
3 2 feet in height or less, can move down the trail without causing
much of a disturbance and then only if they move very slowly. All
move silent checks receive a -3 penalty except for those crawling
or are under 3 2 feet in height.
Recently, a small band of kobolds has taken residence inside the
Dungurd cavern. These kobolds are aware of the crypt but avoid
that area as much as possible. They otherwise live the normal
miserable kobold existence scraping a living from the lands about
while avoiding orcs, goblins, giants, ungern, elves, wild beasts,
humans and any others that may do them damage.
There are 60 kobold males in this cavern making it an exceedingly
dangerous place. There are also 8 females (their prized possessions)
and 22 pups and 42 eggs. The kobolds are lead by Seeztak, formerly
a sub-chief of the Sawtooth clan. He is a vicious and nasty leader
of great intelligence. Each of these traits contributed to his
downfall within the Sawtooth clan and eventually to he and his
family being expelled. This is their last refuge and they will guard
it and their females to the last.
About 50 feet down the defile there is a small opening concealed
with a frame wicker door laced with vines. Despite the attempts at
concealing the entry, it is fairly apparent that there is something
unusual here. It is easily removed. Continuing down the defile
another 60 feet or so another opening, just as the previous, can
be located. Both entries are about 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide. The
one furthest down the defile has obviously been modified from
its original size. Both the entries are guarded (See Area 1 and 1a
below) and the any characters moving down the trail are likely to
be hear or smelled once they get within 30 feet of an entry.
For the Castle Keeper
This adventure is designed for 4-6 characters of 3rd-5th level.
For the Castle Keeper
This adventure is designed for 4-6 characters of 3rd-5th level.
For the Castle Keeper
This adventure can be very deadly for an ill prepared group of
adventurers but a fun and exciting challenge for a well prepared
party. The adventure is best approached as an aside to other
adventures as it begins and ends here. To best accomplish this, the
characters should be informed of the general location of Dungurd
and the ‘crypt’ by some captured orc or ungern who is pleading
for their life and offer’s the crypt’s location as a bargaining chip.
Or perhaps the characters find a map to the location or even
hear about it from the wizard or other important personage at
Botkinburg (see
Assault on Blacktooth Ridge
).
Area 1 and 1a
This room is littered with twigs, leaves, branches and other debris.
There are also several piles of cooked and uncooked meat and some
sleeping blankets tossed about.
There are 4 kobold guards and 5 large rats in each of the rooms
at all times. The guards are fairly attentive but do jabber amongst
themselves depending upon the large rats to smell or hear anything
coming down the defile. The rat packs in each room get one check
to detect if anyone is coming down the defile. If the characters
are simply moving through the defile with no attempt to be quiet
or can not be quiet, the rats make a detection check (mental) at
+12. If the characters are attempting to be quiet but are over 3 2
feet tall the rats receive a +6 to their check. If smaller characters
are sneaking down the path, the rats get a normal check if the
characters move silent checks were successful. If the character’s
move silent checks were not successful, the rats receive a +6 to
their check.
A note on kobold arrows and javelins. These are stone tipped and
made locally from materials the kobolds can easily gather. Being
stone tipped makes them much more difficult to penetrate armors
than their steel tipped counterparts. They receive a -1 penalty to
hit.
Dungurd
Entries:
The entries to this cavern are well hidden in a deep and
Dungurd
The entries to this cavern are well hidden in a deep and
Dungurd
narrow defile off a small bank along the Blacktooth Ridge. The
defile’s entry is covered in bramble and thorny bushes making it
difficult to locate. If informed of the general location of the crypt
(known to a few orcs, trolls and ungern), a ranger must make a
successful tracking check (challenge level 5) to locate the trail
leading to the defile. For each day spent searching for the trail, the
ranger adds +1 to the tracking check. If the characters are simply
traveling through the area, spying the defile is nearly impossible
as its natural position and location make it look as if the ridge
Should the rats note the presence of something moving down the
defile, they begin twittering and making noise. A single kobold
sneaks out of the door to investigate. If the kobold sees anything,
it attempts to give warning to the others and escape back inside to
prepare for a fight. One of those kobold guards gives warning to the
rest of the tribe. If need be, the kobolds retreat back to Area 4 with
the rest of the tribe to set a trap. While doing so, they encourage
the large rats to attack the characters and stall their approach. In
2 Castles & Crusades
 setting traps and planning attacks on the characters, the kobolds
use the two entries to move around and behind the characters if
possible.
Kobold war leader
(This creature’s vital stats are HD 1d8, AC 15,
and HP 6. His primary attributes are physical. He carries leather armor
with metal plates, a shield, 2 small javelins, short sword and wears a
necklace with a gold medallion worth 130gp.)
The tunnel leading from Area 1a to Area 2 dips beneath the
tunnel leading from Area 1 to Area 2.
Area 3
This area reeks of urine, feces and wet rotten rags. The corridor is
piled with tiny bones and scraps of dead vermin.
There is a trap in the tunnel leading from Area 1 to Area 2.
Midway down the tunnel and old animal trap has been placed
beneath some leaves and twigs. There is a 1 in 6 chance that any
character passing over it sets the it off causing it to snap on a leg
causing 1-3 points of damage and reducing their movement by 10
feet a round until healed. A successful dexterity check reduces the
damage by 1 and mitigates and movement penalty.
This is the rat den. Two dozen large rats nest down in this corridor
as well as the kobold rat keeper. The keeper sleeps on a pile of rags
hay in the nook in the west end of the room. The rats generally
gather in 3a. The kobold owns a magical pipe allowing him to
control the rats (described below). Once the kobold hears the
sounds of combat, the kobold gets its pipe and calls the rats in the
corridor to action and attacks in 2-6 rounds. If his situation gets
desperate, he releases the wererats in Area 3b.
Kobold x8
(These creatures vital stats are HD 1d4, AC 12, HP 2 each.
Their primary attributes are physical. They carry leather armor, small
bows, 5 arrows and short sword.)
Rats, large x12
(These creatures vital stats are HD 1d4, AC 13 and
HP 2 each. Their primary attributes are physical. A bite can cause
disease.)
Rats, large x10
(These creatures vital stats are HD 1d4, AC 13 and
HP 2 each. Their primary attributes are physical. A bite can cause
disease.)
Kobold rat keeper
(This creature’s vital stats are HD 1d6, AC 12,
and HP 4. His primary attributes are physical. He carries leather armor,
short sword and carries pipes of rat control.)
Area 2
This is large cavern. Loose rocks, debris, stalactites and stalagmites
make it hazardous to move through. A fire burns brightly in the
southwest corner casting shadows all about. Two dimly lit corridors
exit to the south. Noises can easily be heard down these corridors.
Elsewhere about the room are piles of blankets, scattered utensils and
slivers of meat hanging from twine tied to rocks and stalagmites.
Pipes of Rat Control: This is a simple instrument with two flutes
tied together and two holes in each flute. It is made of rat bone and
tied together with rat tendon.It takes a month at least to learn to
This is where the guards sleep. There are 10 kobolds and
a war leader here at the moment. These are the first to
react to any warning from the guards, arming themselves
and waiting to attack any unwanted guests. If the guards
from 1 and 1a retreat, they gather here.
Most of the kobolds hide amongst the stalagmites and
stalactites in the northeast section of the cavern. Any
checks to spot the hidden kobolds are made at a -3
penalty due to the shadows cast by the fire. Four kobolds
wait in the tunnel leading to Area 4. These four race
down the tunnel as soon as the characters appear hoping
to draw them into the complex a little further. Once the
characters have moved down the tunnel, the kobolds
hidden in the northeast corner of the room attack, first
with arrows and javelins then charging into melee.
Movement through this room is difficult and unless the
characters slow to half movement or less, they must
make a dexterity check or risk slipping and falling. While
engaged in combat, the characters must make a check
each round or risk falling. Casting spells or using ranged
weapons does not require this check.
Kobold x10
(These creatures vital stats are HD 1d4, AC 13,
HP 3 each. Their primary attributes are physical. They carry
leather armor, shield, 3 small javelins and short sword.)
Shades Beneath the Blacktooth 3
 play this instrument and then in the presence of rats to insure that
one is learning the correct notes. Once mastered, this instrument
allows the one playing it to telepathically control any rats within 50
feet of the pipe and who could normally hear it.
weapons and the shaman casts hold person or other helpful spells.
The chief will have called out his rust monster pet at this point but
does not send it into combat unless it appears that the combat is
near over. He keeps it for a last stand in the rooms below. Should
20 or more kobolds die in here, the remainder retreat to Areas 15-
17 for a last stand.
Area 3a:
This is the area where the large rats usually gather.
Area 3b:
This tunnel runs down and underneath that leading to
Area 3. It is filthy and smells even more wretched than the rest
of the caverns in this rat infested area. Chained along the north
wall are two hideous creatures, caricatures of rat and man, a nasty
hybrid of both. Both froth at the mouth, hissing foul and nasty
words at all who get near.
Kobold x30
(These creatures vital stats are HD 1d4, AC 13, HP 3
each. Their primary attributes are physical. They carry leather armor,
shield, 3 small javelins and short sword.)
Kobold war leaders x3
(These creature’s vital stats are HD 1d8, AC
15, and HP 6 each. Their primary attributes are physical. They carry
leather armor with metal plates, a shield, 2 small javelins, short sword
and each wears jewelry worth 30-180 gp.)
These are wererats. Two humans were caught several years ago and
subjected to a bite. These wererats obey only the rat keeper (who
keeps them well fed). If released, the assume human form (male
and female) and attempt to beguile any party member by seeking
aid and rescue. Once the party is vulnerable, the wererats will
assume their wereform and attack. Just prior to this though, they
will summon a rat swarm.
Area 5
These two chambers each have a small shrine in them. Upon rock
piles are small, crudely carved stone statues of kobolds holding spears.
Beneath the rock piles are remnants of food and small fires.
These are statues to the kobold deity Ahrshsl (kobolds only have a
few vowels to use and don’t waste them).
Wererats x2
( These creatures vital stats are HD 3d8, AC 17 and HP
16. Their primary attributes are physical. A bite can cause disease and
possibly lycanthropy.)
Area 6
T
his hallway ascends steeply to both the north and south. A large pile
of rock, like a wall, crosses the far southern end of this hallway.
Area 4
This large cavern is dominated by two large fires in its center. Dozens
of sleeping mats and piles of hay are scattered around the room.
Several deer carcasses, with large chunks of meat pulled from them,
are hanging from the ceiling.
The kobolds have built small rock wall across the southern corridor.
They hide behind this and fire at anyone moving this direction
in hopes of delaying or deterring any further penetration. The
corridor to the east descend steeply and leads to Areas 13-25.
There are, of course, many kobolds in the room as well. However,
the Castle Keeper should describe their location and activities as
much of their locations depend upon the characters actions. This
chamber is used as the main hall for the kobolds with fire pits being
focal points for activities. There is little of value in here. These
kobold’s tools are makeshift and made of stone and rock. The nook
along the east wall is where the stone tipped arrows and javelins
are made. e There are 3 small bows here also.
Area 7
This thoroughly dirty chamber has piles of firs spread all around,
scraps of meat and bone heaped here and anon and smells of old dog
and a refuse heaps. In the middle of this is a chair of sorts as it is built
of tree limbs and bones and no more than one foot off the ground.
A pile of javelins sits in one corner and several small kegs rest in the
other.
By the time the characters reach this room, the kobolds
should be aware of their presence. If not, the two and a
half dozen kobolds in here should notice them quickly.
All these kobolds arm and get ready for a fight. There are
three war leaders in this room. They do not lead in attacks,
rather command from the rear. If the chief (Area 7) and
shaman (Area 8) are not here already, they will be shortly
to help out.
The kobolds attempt to draw the characters off of the ledge
and to the south end of the main chamber. To do this, the
kobolds scatter, forming up into several groups and hiding
behind the various piles of debris and in the nooks and
crannies of the room. The chief, shaman and two of the
sub-chiefs stay around the entry to Area 6.
If the kobolds are successful in drawing the characters
into the center of the room, they are pelted with ranged
4 Castles & Crusades
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