An Air of Distrust

The Plot

AN AIR OF DISTRUST

Scenario Requirements: The adventure is set for a group of thieves, who might be part of a larger group of adventurers. The group should consist of 2-5 thieves of Low-mid levels. Multiclassed characters which having thief as a class should be allowed. Non-thieves should not be allowed on this adventure. The adventure is meant to be a short one which could be played easily in one night.

Scenario Description: Thieves hear of a magical or monetary prize to be gained from a well to do's house. While scouting around the house or when they start to burglarise the place they meet a fellow thief. The thief will offer the group to join him on the adventure, and will claim to have scouted the area out and have information which will make the job easy. Unknown to the characters, the thief is really a Djinni in disguise.

Places in the Scenario: Well-to-do' house: Called house in the text. A small manse with a wall around it and a few guards outside. Inside there a creatures protecting the owners wealth. The owner is a magic user who happens to be away at the time of this adventure.

NPCs in the scenario:

Ah-Trah: A Djinni of the most powerful type. He is an ultra-genius, and has the abilities of a high priest and wizard on his home plane. He is noble and has a large number of servants. He likes to travel to the prime material plane for fun every few years or so. If he gets killed there he reappears on his home plane but can't leave it for 1001 days. Many of the items mentioned in this scenario were made by him. Including any rings of wishing. The wishes can't be used against him in any way (this includes his servants and his possessions). He is on the current adventure to get his ring of air elemental command back (he didn't make it, it is a very powerful item on his plane). He lost it when he died on his last trip to this plane. If he is a friend for life of the group he will aid them when he can and invite them to his castle or go on adventures with them every few years or so. Some adventures could be on his own plane. Has the sword of the air with him on this trip and a jar of Keoghtoms Ointment.

Birnleyas Corinthas: A thief which the PCs will meet during the ripoff part of the scenario. He is around mid-level and is evil. He will think nothing of stabbing the PCs in the back after the adventure, and won't bear his part of the combat burden. He has +2 leather armour, +3 dagger, Potion of speed, and a potion of extra healing. He has an Superb strength, and legendary dexterity. He fights with a dagger in each hand or with short bow.

New Items in the scenario:

Bag of the Winds: A magical pouch which when opened and a command word is spoken will blow a very strong breeze in a specific direction. The direction is fixed and can't be changed. The breeze can be used to breakup magical gases, such as a stinking cloud, or to power the sails of a ship. The wind will last as long as the bag is open. There are a few rare versions of this item which when used aboard a ship will lead a ship to a specific preset location (a port or an island for example). This has been used by navies to allow ships to return to port easily and magic user pirates as a method of finding treasure they have buried on islands. Dust of Dispelling Air Elementals: When this dust is thrown into the air a blue field of shimmering energy will emanate from the dust. The dust will cover a 20' x 20' x 15' area. Each air elemental within the dust must face a savings throw vs spells at -3. If failed the air elemental is forced to return to the elemental plane of air. If saved, the creature is unaffected. There is usually a pouch containing 1d4+5 uses of the dust. This item doesn't work on the elemental plane of air.

Potion of Protection from Dragons Breath: adds +4 to savings throw vs any dragon breath for half or no damage! This is a very rare item made only on the elemental plane of air. A flask will always contain just one dose. The potion lasts for only 3-12 rounds.

Sword of Air: +2 weapon, +3 vs elementals, Powers: acts as a necklace of adaptation if you have it on your person (even if in a scabbard), and user can see through all fogs, mists, gases, even if they are magical, as if they are not there. Although the sword must be drawn for the second power concentration is not required.

Talisman of Proof Against Magic: an ornate necklace worn around the neck which provides the wearer protection from one type of spell. Each talisman is created to protect against only one type of magic. Examples of type of magic are clerical spheres or any of the mages schools, but, only one type. When a spell of the correct type is cast and the wearer is in the area of effect, no effect of the spell will effect the wearer (even beneficial spells). The talisman holds a gem of some high value in it which is consumed when the user is protected. The talisman will not function again until the gem is replace with the correct type of gem with a certain minimum value. It takes at least a turn for a skilled jewellery maker to replace the gem. The talisman in this adventure protects against Alteration magic.

The Adventure

The PC thieves are at their local fencer of stolen goods selling their swag. The fence can't offer them as much as they want for their swag. To make up for it he is willing to tell them some information which could make them richer if they are willing to accept the offer. If they do, he will tell the PCs about a shipment which came into town yesterday. One of his most reliable agents spoke of a treasure which was taken to the house of a wealthy man. Tell the PCs whatever amount of treasure it might take to get them into the adventure, the treasure should not be reachable by the PCs! The fence will also remark that the man left town via ship before sunrise this morning. He suggests that the PCs could have an easy time ripping off this mark.

Planning stage:

If the PCs investigate who owns the house they will find out the following. The house is owned by Larthius, a young man who came into town three years ago. He bought the manse with cash and has not had many problems. Rumours state that one time a barbarian broke into the manse on a drunken rampage but was killed by a lion guard. They can confirm that the man left town this morning. If the PCs are guild members and investigating the owner they will get the following as well. The owner does not pay the guild protection money so it is okay to steal from him. About the barbarian, a thief overheard the barbarian before he went into the manse claiming he once saw the man summon a flaming demon. Also, a body was found later in the river which appeared to be the barbarian. It had burns covering the body. The man has been seen around a few magic component supply stores. A rumour at the guild is that the guards at his gate in the wall are charmed. The guild will be able to tell the PCs where the ship was going when it left with the man. It should take at least 2 days for the man to reach the destination.

The ripoff:

While scouting around the house or when they start to burglarise the place the PCs meet a fellow thief. The thief will offer the group to join him on the adventure, and will claim to have scouted the area out and have information which will make the job easy. The thief states that he has been hired by an elementalist (a mage who has elemental based spells) to gain an item from inside. If asked, he will tell them the item is a ring of elemental command. His boss will pay with magic items if they will hire on with him (he won't say what the items are, but, promises the reward will be worth the effort). He claims to have scouted out the area and needs the aid of brave thieves. If they refuse the offer he will tell them to leave. If they get hostile, he will fly away invisible and return to scare them away with his abilities of illusion. If they accept, he knows all of the outside layout and of some of the creatures inside. He will seek to avoid combat. The thief will then tell the players his name "Ah-trah". Ah-Trah is really a Djinn. He will try and keep his identity away from the group. He is his own master!

Ah-Trah will avoid combat and will take the PCs on a specific route. If the PCs want to explore any other part of the manse the will find it extremely difficult and VERY LETHAL. Use the following order of rooms, hallways, etc to get the PCs to the final goal.

***** Over the Wall: The thieves climb over the wall of the manse into a garden of strange plants. Ah-trah will warn them that Lions roam the garden. There is nothing of value here. For encounters in this area roll once on table A below and twice on Table B. For every 3 turns the PCs hang around the garden roll again on Table A and B (once each). At the end of the garden is a large crystal doorway.

Encounters: Table A: Roll 1d6

1. Shambling Mound, # appearing 1,
2. Stirges, # appearing 2-5;
3. -6: Lions, # appearing 1-2;

Table B: roll 1d6: Special effects, sounds, and sights

1. A large red flower is seen quickly snapping at a bat flying by. Upon missing the bat, the flower appears to open up fully and turn in the PCs direction.
2. The PCs discover the body of the largest lion they have ever seen. It appears to have been crushed to death in a bloody fight.
3. Far off in the distance a very evil laughter can be heard. Perhaps the sound of some summoned demon cheerfully torturing a summoner before taking him back to the abyss.
4. You hear the sound of a nearby foots steps. If the PCs check they will find one set of fresh footprints in the soft moist dirt of the garden heading on the same path they are going. They will not find the person who made these tracks.
5. The ground opens up below the group. Roll 1d20 + 3. If this is greater than the PCs dexterity he falls into a hole 15' deep with 5' of foul water in it. If searched, the PCs will find a piece of leather with marks on it. A successful read languages will determine: 1) That the marks are those made by barbarian tribes north of the city. 2) the marks say ""
6. Suddenly, the entire garden goes totally silent. No insects, birds, or other animals are making any sounds. This lasts for 5 minutes.

The First Room or the Crystal room: Entering from the garden through a large crystal doorway. This a 20' x 20' by 10' room apparently made from crystal. There are 2 other doors in the room, one on the west wall one on the east wall. There are fresh muddy footprints leading to the west exit. Ah-Trah goes to the west exit.

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The First Hallway: A shiny brass hallway,50' long, can be seen here. The mud tracks continue here. If the PCs walk in the hall way, the hallway rings/chimes like dozens of bells or chimes are being hit. Ah-Trah will fly down the hallway, the PCs must move silently to avoid this noise. If the PCs check for traps before they enter the hallway, they will discover the sound property of the hallway. They can't remove the chiming effect. If the PCs make noise, the person in the next room will be alerted. If not, the PCs will by 90% likely to get surprise on him.

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The Second Room: This is 15' x 15' x 15' room made of fine quality woods. Various types of wood have been inlaid in the floor in a beautiful patterns. On the floor is a pair of mud soaked soft shoes. There are two other exits in the room. One north, the other West. PCs will go west. If the PCs surprise the occupant: You see an average looking male elf dress in fine leather armour sitting on the floor pulling on a pair of shoes. He is surprised. If the occupant is alerted: Above the door frame of the door the PCs entered through is a male elf thief. He climbed up here when he heard the noise they made. He will observe them to make sure they aren't guards. When he is sure they aren't guards, he will reveal himself.

The thief is named Birnleyas Corinthas. He will ask to merge the two groups (the PCs group and His group, which is himself) and to split any treasure gained equally. If the PCs agree, he will join them.

If not, he will pretend to leave down the brass hallway. In a turn he will come back down. He will follow the group, and when they ENTER the room of Glass spiders he will drink his potion of speed and attack. He will get to the PCs 3 rounds after they enter the combat with the glass spiders.

***** The Second Hallway: Just a normal stone hallway which leads to the room of Glass Spiders below.

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The Room of Glass Spiders: This is a 30' x 30' 15' room made of granite bricks. Inside the room the PCs see 3 dry corpses on the floor. Try to give the impression that these are some form of undead, perhaps a strange type of mummy. There is an exit on the north wall. The room contains glass spiders: They are invisible spiders with invisible webs. The webs are very thin and incredibly strong. Once stuck on a web, it can only be removed using wine or other alcohol. Fire will just cause the webs to melt into a pool of very stick mess. Magical blades will not stick to these webs. There is one glass spider for each 2 creatures in the party. Poor amour, medium level, 1 attack per round, Damage 1+ special, Special defence invisibility makes them much harder to hit in combat, and undetectable otherwise. Special damage is a S.T. VS poison on the bite, failure causes poison damage of 1d3 per round for 4 rounds. Each bite causes this damage to be cumulative. Effect of the webs: each round that a creature is fighting within the webs, he will get more tangled in the webs. This has the effect of causing a cumulative -1 to hit in combat and -1 to the creatures dexterity per round. When the dexterity reaches zero, the creature cannot move. There is nothing of value on the corpses or in the room. Ah-Trah will use his djinni powers in this room of: Gaseous form to get out of the webs, and create wine to get the party out of the webs.

***** The screwy hallway: This hallway corkscrews around. There is nothing of interest other than that. NOTE: Ah'trahs knowledge of the inside ends here.

***** Puzzle Room One: The room appears to have only one doorway, which is the doorway the PC entered through. The room is 30' x 30' by 15' and is made of large bricks of granite. A large iron balance scale(10' tall, 10' wide) can be seen tilted to the right (unbalanced, there are more bricks in the right pan than the left pan). In the center of the room is a pile of bricks. Each brick seems to be exactly the same. Currently there are 11 bricks in the left pan and 24 bricks in the right pan. Searching the room may find: If the PC search the pile of bricks carefully (they must voice some strong interest in it) the might note that most of the 100 bricks here are new and only a few of them are scratched in anyway. If the wall behind the scale is looked at it will seem a 12' x 12' section of it is less perfect than the rest of the walls in the room.

TRICK: The scale is a puzzle lock. No PC skill roll (such as pick locks) will open this lock. To open the lock the scale must be balanced AND have the correct amount of weight on it. 10 bricks in each pan will open the lock and open a passageway. The wall section behind the scale will appear to turn into mud revealing a passage to the next room. Let the PCs have fun trying to get through this one.

***** The Hall of Earth: This Hallway appears to be made from a very black claylike soil. Walking on the ground here feels like your walking on the back of some large living creature. Nothing else is in the hallway.

***** Puzzle Room Two: The hallway ends in a room 20' square on each side. In the room are two other exits, both exit are on the walls adjacent to the wall where the PCs entered the room. So Three of the four walls have exits. If searched for, there are normal chances to find the secret door on the forth wall. To open the secret door, both locks on the other two doors must be unlocked in the same round. A knock spell cast over both doors will open it, but, not if cast on the secret door alone(the mechanisms are the two locks on the doors). By the way, the locks reset each round, so one thief with picks can't do it. Behind the two doors are walls of solid granite. The secret door lead to the small hallway.

***** The small hallway: This hallway is only 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide. After the party enters the secret door closes. At the other end of the hallway, embedded in the wall, is a wall safe with a combination lock. This is a false safe! When the party gets near the safe or opens the safe, the floor of the hallway rotates downward creating a chute to the next room. *****

The final Room: The party lands in a smoke filled room. Small fires can be dimly seen about. A loud evil laughter can be heard from above, and a voice rings out "Another Group of fools to feed my hunger, I shall enjoy sucking the marrow from your bones and making toothpicks from your souls" The room goes quiet, and now the party sees before them a large demonic figure dripping of oozes. This is an illusion, caused by the Efreeti. If the PCs attack it, it will be dispelled revealing an enlarged(by 200%) Efreeti standing in a mass of swirling fire and bright energy. Within the energy field is a large golden ring. This is the ring Ah'Trah seeks. The ring is also protected by the energy field which disappears when the efreeti is killed. The field prevents the ring from moving by any means (wishes included). It is impossible to get to the ring without killing the efritti! The field covers the ring and flows to the efreeti. This prevents the efreeti from going gaseous or invisible. Touching the energy field causes heavy damage unless able to reduce the effect of a magical attack. The flames around the Efreeti cause medium burning damage unless able to reduce the effect of a magical attack.

If Birnleyas Corinthas is still with the group, he will avoid combat and try to steal the ring by touching the energy field.

When the efreeti dies the energy field dies with him, leaving the ring free to grab. The party will also discover a large diamond in the wall at this point. Touching the diamond causes the toucher to Teleport to the Crystal Room mentioned above. If Birnleyas Corinthas is still alive at this

point(in the crystal room), he will take his potion of extra healing (if not used already) and attack the group. If he wins, the party is over. If not, goto What Could Happen below.

What could happen after the adventure is over.

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• FIRST BEAN PLANTED will cause the ground to rumble and a large mound of clay to rise out of the ground. It hardens in a round then starts to crack and fall to pieces. Suddenly, a clay golem attacks the nearest party member if in sight. If none are visible it will rampage the area. NOTE: don't forget the special rules for healing wounds from a clay golem!
• SECOND BEAN PLANTED in a 30' by 30' area many bamboo plants shoots up out of the ground each will 6 to 20 feet tall. Damage 6d8 S.T. vs dexterity -4 for half damage. If the group cuts down the 6' long bamboo tree in the center they will have a staff of wonder(25 charges). The tree radiates magic and must be cut down before 1 turn elapses after it grows or all its charges are depleted.
• THIRD BEAN PLANTED: When planted and watered this bean will cause a large cloud of black gas to appear within a 20' radius of the bean. If the cloud is entered you will be blinded (until cure blindness is cast on the character) and then attacked by an invisible stalker. If the stalker wins, it will leave. If it is killed, a triple Hit die double damage Stalker will haunt the nearest town until killed. Whoever kills the second Stalker (the actual killing blow, use individual initiative.) permanently gains the ability to attack any creature whose origin is from the elemental plane of air without needing a magic weapon to hit. Only one character gains this ability! DO NOT TELL THE PLAYER ABOUT THIS POWER!
• FOURTH BEAN PLANTED: a pedestal appears out of nowhere and has several buttons, switches, and levers. It will last for 2 hours then vanishes as suddenly as it came. The buttons, switches, and levers have various effects. Some good, most bad!
• FIFTH BEAN PLANTED: Nothing appears to happen. But if the bean is dug up a chest will be found. They won't find the bean! In the chest is a magical censor with a magic rune on it. If read magic is used, the rune appears to say "Summon and Be Commanded". It is a censor of summoning hostile air elementals of the strongest type.
• SIXTH BEAN PLANTED: a tree grows out of the ground. The fruit it bears resembles diamonds. Every round several of the diamonds fall to the ground a shatter, any picked by hand are normal diamonds valued at 1000 GP. 1d4 diamonds can be picked per round by a character and there 25 diamonds in all. The GM will tell players getting the diamond that they feel that they own all the diamonds and should not share them with others. 3 turns after the tree appears, anyone who picked a diamond will be quested (no Savings Throw! They lost the chance to save by voluntarily grasping the diamonds.) to go to the nearest temple of air (or other good church) and donate several magic items for forgiveness (sin of greed) or they must volunteer for a quest or they can avoid this if they are not ever greedy again (I mean be non materialistic! They must be generous and give to charities any extra money. etc... Let them know what their punishment will be if they fail!). If they choose the last and they fail to be non-greedy, they will be punished by losing all their possessions (where ever they maybe).
• SEVENTH BEAN PLANTED: in a 50' radius of the bean 50 bookworms appear out of the ground (good luck! HOPE YOUR MAPS or spell books DON'T GET EATEN!).
• EIGHTH BEAN PLANTED: a large hole (25 radius 50' deep) appears. A very old large white dragon is in the hole. It will attack directly and without much thinking (it has been trapped for 100+ years and is very pissed!). It's treasure hoard is at the bottom of the hole and has normal non-magical treasure plus the following: a wand of secret door and trap locating, a potion of animal control, a potion of human control, a potion of frost giant control, a potion of frost giant strength, a map to a girdle of frost giant strength which can only be read by the first fighter or thief who tries to read it.

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If Ah-Trah dies during the adventure, he will go back to the elemental plane of air. The players are on their own. If they manage to get the ring they will be approached by an agent of Ah-Trah's very soon. In exchange for the selling the ring they will each get a choice of one of the following items (a maximum of 4 items for the group and no more than 1 per character, no duplicate items):

1. a ring of three wishes(limited).
2. a carpet of flying.
3. a scroll of one spell, player's choice from any spell in the books.
4. Sword of Air: see description in the text.
5. Pouch filled with Dust of Dispelling Air Elementals(6 uses): See description.
6. Potion of protection from dragons breath: see description
7. ring of flying.
8. ring of feather falling.
9. Talisman of Proof from Magic (Alteration): See description.

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If the PCs die in the fight with the Efreeti, but, Ah'Trah wins and gets the ring. He will use his wishing powers to bring the PCs back to life. The wishing will be done back on Ah'Trahs home plane. The PCs will not have any possessions from before. The wishing will be their reward. Some GMs might give the PCs some other rewards as well, but, giving them their lives seems good. Also, there will be a party in the players honor with many air elemental types in attendance.