Reading Room

Here's another encounter from the upcoming Old Rock Tower 4th Edition conversion. A young chimera lairs in this room in the abandoned tower, below.

Level 8 – 1750 xp

The broken and charred remnants of furniture lie scattered around the room, piled up along with sticks and plant matter to form a raised nest. Coins, items and bones lie scattered around the room. Both the north and west doors have been broken down and the roof and archway leading to the southern balcony is mostly missing.

The debris in this area constitutes rough terrain and covers 1/2of the floor.

CREATURE: A young chimera has made its lair here and will leap to attack anything entering the room. If hard pressed it will retreat out one of the balconies and try to regain the upper hand by swooping in upon the party from above the roof. It will not easily abandon its horde of treasure. If the players made significant noise entering the area 24, the chimera will be waiting to ambush the first to come through the door.

TREASURE: The items scattered around the room include broken bookshelves and chairs, crumbling ancient scraps of paper and book covers, ruined scraps of clothing and armor, an elven longsword, a small steel shield, a short sword, 800 gold coins, two gems worth 100 gold, and a Rod of the Dark Reward +2.

Young Chimera - Level 8 Solo Brute Large natural magical beast - XP 1,750 Initiative +10 Senses Perception +14; all-around vision, darkvision HP 288; Bloodied 144; see also bloodied breath AC 22; Fortitude 22, Reflex 22, Will 20 Resist 10 fire Saving Throws +5 Speed 6, fl y 10 (clumsy), overland flight 15 Action Points 2 Powers Lion’s Bite (standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 damage. Ram’s Charge (melee; standard; at-will) The chimera makes a charge attack; +10 vs. AC; 1d10 + 9 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square or knocked prone. Triple Threat (melee; standard; at-will) The chimera makes the following three melee attacks, each one against a different target: Lion’s Bite +9 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 damage. Dragon’s Bite +9 vs. AC; 3d6 + 5 damage. Ram’s Gore +9 vs. AC; 1d10 + 5 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Dragon Breath (blast; standard; encounter) - Fire Close blast 5; +5 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Bloodied Breath (blast; free, when first bloodied; encounter) The chimera recharges and uses dragon breath. Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Draconic Str 20 (+9) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 14 (+6) Con 19 (+8) Int 5 (+1) Cha 17 (+7)

Unicorn Rampant is going to Owl Con!

We are proud to announce that we'll be attending our first ever convention as a vendor this Feburary 6-9th at OwlCon, at Rice University in Houston Texas!

We'll bring along some of our wares to peruse in printed form, and if you mention seeing this announcement on our blog, we'll give you half off on all of our products! We'll also be set up to give you discounts on any of our products you'd like to buy from RPGnow.com.

And of course, we'll be set up to play some games right there at our table, so come on down and say hi!

Old Rock Tower - Chickatrice in the Outhouse

We're converting the first adventure we ever published, The Old Rock Tower, to 4th Edition D&D, and wanted to put out a sample of what you'll find. This is one of the first encounters, outside of Talnabous' Tower.

Description: A tiny wooden shack leans here, 5' on a side. Its narrow door stands open a foot or two. A statue of a cat hissing, it's tail up and bristling stands immediately in front of the door.

CREATURE: Five cockatrice nest in the ruins of the outhouse. Their small nest is built in the rafters of the decrepit 5’x5’ building. They will leap down and attack anyone investigating the outhouse.

Cocatrice - Level 6 Controller
Small natural magical beast - XP 250

Initiative +3 Senses Perception +2
HP 69; Bloodied 34
AC 19; Fortitude 16, Reflex 18, Will 17
Speed 6

Powers
Stony Beak (melee; standard; at-will)
+9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. the target is slowed (save ends).
First Failed Save: The target is immobilized (save ends).
Second Failed Save: The target is stunned (save ends).

Black Moon Hiss (close burst 2; minor; encounter)
+10 vs. Fortitude;
Hit: Target is weakened (save ends).

Alignment Unaligned - Languages none
Str 16 (+5) Dex 19 (+6) Wis 10 (+2)
Con 13 (+3) Int 6 (+1) Cha 16 (+6)

The nest in the rafters, if searched, will yield 3 cockatrice eggs - these can be considered 600 gold worth of Arcane Components. The statue of the cat (actually a live cat petrified by the cockatrice) is perfect in every detail and worth 25 gp, or will make a good mouser if restored to flesh.

Aldric Tréburne, Level 6

Older brother of Kilmore Tréburne, Aldric stayed home to care for the ailing family while Kilmore went forth in search of adventure. Now that the family is stabilized, thanks to Avandra's blessings, Aldric has now left home in search of his brother and his own adventure.

Along the way, he has met up with an eldarin war wizard and traveled from town to town, lending healing powers and fighting off brigands and ferocious wolves.

A playful, yet grounded, working-class elf, Aldric has developed many talents, though none that he pursues with more passion than his faith in Avandra, and healing in her name. he has been called too humorous for serious elven service, and too ill-mannered to ever represent his people abroad, so his only hope is in following his own dreams and desires.

He maintains his own gear, but is not too proud to ask for help in repairing or caring for it. His most prized possessions are a pair of ornate, buckled catgrace boots, a finely-carved shortbow +1 thunderburst, and his holy symbol of Faith to Avandra (+1d6 healing).

In addition, he wears a suit of chainmail with a small cape and carries an adventurer's kit in a backpack.

Recently, he has taken up visiting a few of Avandra's shrines, recently heading from Thelka's shrine tpo Avandra down the River Daren to Cerest, where he helped take the keep from an army of orcs.

Aldric in your game: Aldric tells a decent tale, and with his diplomacy will likely have learned some things about the local area. As a healer, he is likely to have learned much of the recent adventurers of others. Aldric could serve as an NPC in a party that did not have a player in the leader role. He would allow the DM to give the party some extra healing without having a character overly bent on seeing his own will done.

Aldric Tréburne: Level 6 Cleric of Avandra
medium fey humanoid - XP 7,500
age (equivalent of 28 in human years)
height 5'10", weight 155, brown hair, green eyes

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +7

HP 50; Bloodied 25 Healing Surges: 9
AC 19, Fortitude 16, Reflex 18, Will 18
Speed 7

Powers
Channel Divinity:
* Healer's Lore
* Healing Word (2/Encounter)
* Divine Fortune
* Turn Undead
At-Will:
* Lance of Faith
* Sacred Flame
Encounter:
* Elven Accuracy
* Command
Daily:
* Beacon of Hope
* Weapon of the Gods
Utility:
* Shield of Faith
* Bastion of Health

Basic Attacks
Short sword: +10 vs AC, 1d6 + 1 damage
Short Bow +1 thunderburst (40 arrows): +10 vs AC, 1d8 + 3 damage

Alignment Good
Languages Common, Elven
Skills: Arcana 8, Athletics 5, Bluff 3, Diplomacy 8, Dungeoneering 4, Endurance 4, Heal 10, History 7, Insight 5, Intimidate 3, Nature 5, Perception 7, Religion 9, Stealth 6, Streetwise 3, Thievery 3
Feats: Elven Precision, Avandra's Rescue, Improved Initiative, Ritual Caster
Str 12 Dex 16 Wis 16
Con 13 Int 11 Cha 14

Possessions:
Chain Mail
Short Bow +1 Thunderburst
Short Sword
Light Shield
Adventurer's Kit
Holy Symbol of Life
2 Healing Potions
720 gp

Durst Muqutad

Durst Muqutad is a fighter for hire. Though somewhat aloof, he maintains a gentile manner and general curiosity about the way the world works. Hailing from the edge of a large desert, he has learned to speak the trade and martial languages from those cultures. A relentless fighter, he rarely tires during combat, and has the appearance of someone worth his pay.

Durst in your game: Use Durst as a straight-forward fighter-for-hire in your adventure. His motives are simple - he works for money and has an long-term quest to find his brother, Alaham. If he meets adventurers who may assist him, he will work for free (well, in game terms, a share of the XP).

Durst Muqutad
Level 2 Neutral Fighter (follower of Erathis)
XP: 1,290
medium human
Age: 40
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 195
Appearance: brown hair with grey streaks, brown eyes, salt and pepper beard

Initiative: +2
Perception: +1

HP: 38; Bloodied 19 Healing Surges: 12
AC: 17, Fortitude 14, Reflex 13, Will 11
Speed: 6

Powers
Combat Challenge
Combat Superiority
Fighter Weapon Talent (one-handed)
At-Will:
* Cleave
* Tide of Iron
Encounter:
* Spinning Sweep
Daily:
* Brute Strike
Utility:
* Unstoppable

Basic Attacks
Mace: +6 to hit, 1d8+3 dmg

Alignment: Neutral
Languages: Common, Desert Tongues from his home region
Skills: *Athletics 9, Bluff 1, Diplomacy 1, Dungeoneering 1, *Endurance 9, Heal 1, History 2, Insight 1, *Intimidate 6, Nature 1, Perception 1, Religion 2, Stealth 3, Streetwise 1, Thievery 3
* trained

Feats: Shield Push, Power Attack
Str 16 Dex 14 Wis 11
Con 17 Int 12 Cha 10

Possessions:
Hide armor
Heavy shield
Mace
Standard Adventurer's Kit
3 Sunrods
Silk rope
2 Healing Potions
134 gp