Surveying the Dar’Spelun Slugmarsh

Shroudstone—Swamp of the Vaporous Veil—sits within the Dar’Spelun Slugmarsh, a vast network of subterranean caverns underneath one of Aventyr’s mountains. Rolling green hills and pleasant forests sit against the caves that lead to the accursed territory, and the few farmers and passerby on the road are keen to avoid its entrance entirely.

Rumor is that the passage down is cursed, but it’s really just a natural hazard: magnetized ore (CR 2). The PCs run across 1d4+2 instances of the anomalous veins during the 2,000 foot trek, but this isn’t an overwhelming danger—it merely wrecks havoc on any compasses or natural sense of direction they might possess as they explore the Dar’Spelun Slugmarsh.

The tunnel nearer the surface seemed common enough, but as you walk hundreds and then thousands of feet down the sloped passageway you realize that the plantlife—what little there is—has changed dramatically. Strange fungus illuminates the rock walls and casts an amber radiance that reflects softly from your blades and armor, almost as if a dulled sunlight with no source shined throughout. Oddly, the ambient temperature doesn’t rise as at all as you descend further beneath the surface and eventually, the telltale buzz of insects and fetid odor of a swamp comes from a vast chamber beyond the tunnel.

Give the adventurers a DC 18 Perception check to hear a guttural exchange between several creatures coming from just outside of the passage. If any of the PCs speak Goblin, what the dialogue is about is difficult to follow—the two are talking too rapidly to be clearly understood, but there seems to be some argument over who is or is not there; not the party members, but among the four creatures speaking Goblin!

These are the last remnants of a wayward group of hobgoblin mercenaries that came down into the Dar’Spelun Slugmarsh; if the PCs listen in for a few minutes, they can pierce together that the group was looking for—and found—something called a “karz slug”. Each has a vastly different description of it (the GM is free to get weird here, so long as the described forms are humanoid in size) and none can agree on what to do next. They are so intent on debating one another that if left to their own devices, the hobgoblins talk for 1d6+3 hours and eventually fall asleep in the same area.

The tunnel’s exit opens into a vast cavern filled with powerful odors and dismal plants that are unlike any you’ve seen before. Just inside of the entrance, however, are four haggard hobgoblins, all bearing black symbols tattooed on their skin. Patches of their complexion are a vivid, unnatural orange and their bloodshot eyes cast nervous glances as the creatures bicker with one another.

A DC 15 Heal check identifies that the patches of orange on their skin is an affliction of some kind, and a DC 22 Heal check reveals that whatever the malady is, the hobgoblins are suffering from some kind of paranoia..

Sneaking past the hobgoblins is a simple matter, and if the party is stealthy about it the quartet of creatures don’t pose a great threat. If perceived (at all), their shaman blasts the square he thinks they are in with his most powerful area spell and the warriors charge in after to hack away in random squares nearby. Even if the adventurers can speak Goblin, these creatures be reasoned with and attack ferociously without regard for their own lives, utterly obsessed with obliterating any sentient creatures that comes to their notice.

The hobgoblins are suffering from both a disease derived from the swamp and prolonged attacks by karz slugs [check out tomorrow’s Statblock Sunday to find out more about these creatures!]. As such, they have a modified version of the advanced creature template; instead of a +4 bonus to Wisdom, they suffer a -4 and take a -2 penalty to Will saves. In exchange, they are constantly under the effects of an extraordinary ability that operates exactly as the haste spell (Dar’Spelun Deranged).

Deranged Hobgoblin Shaman CR 8

XP 4,800
Male advanced* hobgoblin sorcerer 8
CN Medium humanoid (goblin)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 17, flat-footed 12 (+5 Dex, +2 dodge, +2 natural)
hp 76 (8d6+48)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +1; +2 vs. charm, cold, fear, fire, and sleep effects
OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft.
Melee longspear +8/+8 (1d8+4, Crit x3)
Ranged sling +10/+10 (1d4+3, Range 50 ft.)
Spells Prepared (CL 8th; concentration +13)
4th (4/day)—ice storm
3rd (6/day)—fireball, fly; ray of exhaustion
2nd (7/day)—acid arrow, see invisibility, summon swarm; touch of idiocy
1st (8/day)—burning hands, enlarge person, mage armor, magic missile, vanish; ray of enfeeblement
0th—acid splash, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, touch of fatigue
Bloodline accursed
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. longspear)
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 4, Cha 20
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 23
Feats Dodge, Improved Counterspell, Improved Initiative, Widen Spell; Combat Casting, Eschew Materials
Skills Bluff +16, Intimidate +16, Perception +8, Spellcraft +13; Racial Bonuses +4 Stealth
Languages Common, Goblin, Orc, Undercommon
SQ Bloodline arcana, cantrips, sneaky, wretched endurance
Gear longspear, potions of cure serious wounds(2), sling (32 bullets), one randomly determined minor wondrous item
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Dar’Spelun Deranged (Ex) Too much of the fetid swamp water and other hazards across the Das’Spelun Swamp and exposure to the creatures within can cause considerable changes to a creature. These hobgoblins have a modified version of the advanced templates with the following changes: -4 Wisdom, -2 Will saves, constant extraordinary haste effect (+1 to attack rolls, +1 dodge to AC, +1 Reflex save, +30 ft. movement, extra attack on full-attack action).
Horrific Visage (Su) As a standard action five times per day, the Deranged Hobgoblin Shaman can force one target within 30 feet to make a DC 19 Will save or be shaken for 4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting, fear-based ability.

Deranged Hogoblin Warrior (3) CR 8

XP 4,800
Male advanced* hobgoblin fighter 8
CN Medium humanoid (goblin)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 17, flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +5 Dex, +2 dodge, +2 natural)
hp 92 (8d10+48)
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will -3; +2 vs fear
OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft.
Melee halberd +17/+17/+12 (1d10+9, Crit x3)
Ranged shortbow +14/+14/+9 (1d6, Range 60 ft., Crit x3)
Str 20, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 4, Cha 16
Base Atk +8; CMB +13; CMD 28
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (halberd); Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus (halberd), Furious Focus, Power Attack, Weapon Specialization (halberd)
Skills Acrobatics +13, Intimidate +14, Perception +5, Survival +8; Racial Bonuses +4 Stealth
Languages Common, Goblin, Orc, Undercommon
SQ Armor training 2, bravery +2, sneaky, weapon training 1 (pole arms)
Gear halberd, shortbow (23 arrows), studded leather armor, one random minor wondrous item
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Dar’Spelun Deranged (Ex) Too much of the fetid swamp water and other hazards across the Das’Spelun Swamp and exposure to the creatures within can cause considerable changes to a creature. These hobgoblins have a modified version of the advanced templates with the following changes: -4 Wisdom, -2 Will saves, constant extraordinary haste effect (+1 to attack rolls, +1 dodge to AC, +1 Reflex save, +30 ft. movement, extra attack on full-attack action).

Once the party has either bested the hobgoblins (who fight to the last) or gotten at least 200 feet within the swamps and away from the quartet of creatures, they are free to explore the Dar’Spelun Slugmarsh. If they engage the sortie and then flee, the hobgoblins attempt to track them down and are relentless in their pursuit!

There are magic items to be found, traps to bypass, haunts to lay to rest, creatures to fight, and side quests to come as the PCs explore Dar’Spelun Slugmarsh, so stay tuned to the AaWBlog this month for Maddening May!