The Eldritch Path (map:  path.jpg)

DM NOTES:  A very powerful archmage named Conjure infrequently sends invitations to lesser wizards to join him for a "discussion."  These discussions usually coincide with the invited wizard's search for some difficult answer ("What ingredient is needed in...?"  "How can I defeat ...?"  "Where can I find the Staff of ...?"), an answer Conjure always seems to know.

The tricky part is that Conjure is a bit of an elitist when it comes to magic, and believes that not every brash young spell-slinger necessarily deserves to wield such power.  He believes that if any wizard desires to speak to him, that wizard should first pass a series of dangerous tests, specifically designed to destroy the simple, the foolish, or the unlucky.

The Invitation


Find and walk the Eldrich Path, defeat its deadly trials
Survive the dangers that await, burn strong the magic fires
Wield your spells with care and wit, with nerves of steel and ice
The cost is high to attend, come forth and pay the price
To keep spellbinders quick and strong, this the test insures
For those who fail this mystic walk, mages they never were

Getting to the Eldrich Path

The wizard who wishes to walk the Path must hold the undamaged Invitation in one hand while casting a TELEPORT spell.  This will unerringly deposit the wizard into the first room of the Path.  The wizard may bring along anything or anyone physically touched at the time of TELEPORT up to 300 pounds.  Conjure is NOT a forgiving host, and will redirect to the bottommost plane of the Abyss any wizard attempting to subvert the goal of the Eldrich Path; that is, to test the individual wizard's abilities.  Bringing along a comrade or two to face the dangers could be considered reasonable; tucking into your pocket an army of trolls REDUCED to the size of a pin head is not.

Leaving the Eldrich Path

Once entered, the only way off the Eldrich Path is to leave or to die.  Any magic having to do with Travel of any king (TELEPORT, WORD OF RECALL, ASTRAL SPELL, ETHEREAL, etc) will not function.  Unless otherwise noted, all other magicks work as normal.

The Design of the Eldrich Path

Each room was designed to reflect a particular school of magic, and its appearance, it effects, and its contents serve to reflect that school.  Any character who realizes this pattern should be appropriately rewarded through a significant Experience Point bonus.

1)  ABJURATION 
 
This is an oddly shaped room, being wide and open on one end, and sharply tapered at the 
opposite.  In each section of each 10' of wall there is set a normal 3' x 8' wooden door, with a single brass handle and which appears to open in.  Your stomach tosses and turns unpleasantly, though the cause is unknown. 

 DM NOTES:  35% of any magic used (spell / device / effect) will fail.

All doors are FIRETRAPPED:  5' explosion of fire, Save vs. Magic or d4+24 damage (1/2 on Save)

PRISMATIC SPHERE behind Northwest door (creatures less than 8 HD viewing wall within 20' are blinded for 2d4 rounds)

COLOR	STOPS	EFFECT	DISPELLED BY

Red	Nonmagical Missiles	20 damage (1/2 on Save)	CONE OF 
COLD

Orange	Magic Missiles	40 damage (1/2 on Save)	GUST OF WIND

Yellow	Poison, Gas, Petrification	80 damage (1/2 on Save)	DISINTERGRATE

Green	Breath Weapon	Poison Death (20 damage on Save)	PASSWALL

Blue	Locate / Detect & Mental Attacks	Petrification	MAGIC MISSILE

Indigo	Magic Spells	Insane (Save vs. Wands)	CONTINUAL LIGHT

Violet	Force Field Protection	Plane Travel (Save vs. Spells)*	DISPEL MAGIC

*This Plane Travel will function, sending the victim to the bottommost level of the Abyss.

If the wizard chooses to bring down the walls one at a time, they must be done in order (i.e. first CONE OF COLD, then GUST OF WIND, then DISINTERGRATE, etc.)

ABJURATION / ALTERATION CORRIDOR 

This wide corridor heads straight away from the oddly-shaped room.  It appears carved from a smoky quartz, so expertly that the angle where wall meets floor looks exactly 90 degrees.

2)  ALTERATION 

The chamber appears almost oval, though it is hard to tell, as the walls ripple and shift like waves on an ocean.  Even the floor and ceiling are subject to this strange wavering, but not enough to make footing a problem.  Around the room are about a dozen figures, frozen in various poses.  Their expressions seemed surprised, but no pain shows on the faces.

 DM NOTES:  All magic (spell / device / effect) is DISJOINED upon entrance.  They must each Save vs. Spells or be turned normal / useless.

The 10 people are all held by TEMPORAL STASIS.  They can be released by a DISPEL MAGIC (vs. 24th level magic) or by TEMPORAL REINSTATEMENT.  Or, they will all be freed for attack in 5 rounds.

Jared & Kiln, 2 huge hairy men with long brown hair and beards
**2 WEREBEARS
(AC:  2, MV:  9", HD:  7+3, AT:  3, D:  1-3/1-3/2-8)
-->If both claws hit, auto-hug for 2-16 until stopped
-->Only hit by silver / magic weapons
-->1% chance / pt of damage vicitim is infected
THACO:  13
HIT POINTS:  59

Mund & Slough, 2 stocky men with short black spikey hair
**2 WEREBOARS
(AC:  4, MV:  12", HD:  5+2, AT:  1, D:  2-12)
-->Only hit by silver / magic weapons
-->1% chance / pt of damage vicitim is infected
THACO:  15
HIT POINTS:  42

Lyla & Dorothy, 2 thin wiry young women with slanted eyes
**2 WERERATS
(AC:  6, MV:  12", HD:  3+1, AT:  1, D:  1-3)
-->Only hit by silver / magic weapons
-->1% chance / pt of damage vicitim is infected
THACO:  17
HIT POINTS:  25

Sheena & Jane, 2 tall sleek amazons with long blonde hair
**2 WERETIGERS
(AC:  3, MV:  12", HD:  6+2, AT:  3, D:  1-4/1-4/1-12)
-->Rake instead of punch (2-5/2-5)
-->Only hit by silver / magic weapons
-->1% chance / pt of damage vicitim is infected
THACO:  15
HIT POINTS:  50

Drole & Harriet, good-looking man and woman
**2 WEREWOLVES
(AC:  5, MV:  15", HD:  4+3, AT:  1, D:  2-8)
-->Only hit by silver / magic weapons
-->1% chance / pt of damage vicitim is infected
THACO:  15
HIT POINTS:  35

A thick black oily wall of smoke fills the North corridor, and blistering heat pours from it.

INCENDIARY CLOUD:  Anyone traveling through the first 10' discovers the cloud bursts into flames, causing 24-48 (d2*24) points of damage.  In the second 10', the fire burns hotter, causing 29-96 (d4*24) points of fire damage.  In the last 10', it drops again to 24-48 points.  In each 10', save for 1/2 damage.

ALTERATION / CONJURATION CORRIDOR 

This corridor is carved through a mass of bright red, crystalline stone resembling ruby.  The surfaces are rough to the touch, and the corners not as precise as the last corridor.

2)  CONJURATION 

The room is a perfect hemisphere, almost beautiful to behold.  Chalked in red onto the black basalt floor is a five-pointed star, stretching to the circular wall of the room.  The entrance happens to fall in between two legs of the star, as does the exit.  Also, sitting between each pair of legs excpet for those two is a full mirror on a wooden stand.

DM NOTES:  Anyone entering the room is affected by a SYMBOL OF PAIN (-2 to DEX, -4 "to hit" for 2d10 turns)

**INVISIBLE STALKER
(AC:  3, MV:  12" fly 12", HD:  8, AT:  1, D:  4-16)
-->-2 opponents "to hit" because of INVISIBLE
-->30% Magic Resistant
THACO:  13
HIT POINTS:  64

Each Mirror has an AC:  0 and HP:  40.  They each act as MONSTER SUMMONING III until destroyed.

1	GIANT BAT
2	BUGBEAR
3	MEGALOCENTIPEDE
4	DEATH DOG
5	GELATINOUS CUBE
6	GHOUL
7	GIANT LIZARD
8	HUGE SCORPION
9	OGRE10	WORG

From floor to ceiling and wall to wall, 10' long rubbery black tentacles curl and whip and grab at air in the NE corridor.

A sea of EVARD'S BLACK TENTACLES fills the NE corridor.

**24 EVARD'S BLACK TENTACLES / 10'

**24 EVARD'S BLACK TENTACLES / 10'
(AC:  4, MV:  0 (10' long), AT:  1)
-->On successful save, 1-4 damage and TENTACLE is destroyed
-->On failed save, 2-8 damage 1st round and 3-12 damage thereafter
HIT POINTS:  24

 CONJURATION / ENCHANTMENT-CHARM CORRIDOR 

The walls and floor of this corridor is slimed with green seaweed.  The smell of sea water and rotting seaweed is thick in the air, and you gag reflexively.

4) ENCHANTMENT-CHARM 

The corridor opens up into an oval-shaped room, stretching away to the Northeast.  At the doorway, the floor slopes sharply away, forming a pool for a body of water that rests undisturbed and mirror-smooth.  4 beautiful nude women frolick in the pool's center, and turn toward you as you enter.  Singing gaily, they invite you to join them.

DM NOTES:  Exposure to water by unCHARMED characters causes CONFUSION unless save vs. magic mage:

01-10	Wander 1 turn
11-60	Stand confused 1 round
61-80	Attack nearest creature 1 round
81-00	Attack kelpies 1 round

**4 KELPIES
(AC:  3, MV:  9" swim 12", HD:  5, AT:  0, D:  0)
-->Powerful CHARM (-2 save) or join the kelpie to drown (2-20 damage / round)
Spell breaks on kelpie's death; Females immune to Charm
-->Fire attacks cause 1/2 damage or 0 damage with Save
THACO:  15
HIT POINTS:  20

After all of the kelpies die, the water becomes normal.  The exit out of the room is underwater (see diagram).

 ENCHANTMENT-CHARM / GREATER DIVINATION CORRIDOR 

The corridor has been hewn through a glassy crystalline rock.  Because of imperfections in the rock, your reflections change and shift as you make your way down the corridor, alternating between tall and thin, squat and fat, and every combination therein.  It is an unsettling sight.

5) GREATER DIVINATION 

The wide corridor forks here, heading off to the Northeast and Southeast.  At the fork, leaning over a rickety wooden table is an ancient woman wrapped in a green cloak.  She is hideous to behold, with cracked and blackened teeth, long warty nose, and glazed blood-shot eyes.  Her vein-lined puffy hands are splayed out over a number of paper cards on the table.  She licks her leathery lips with a purple tongue and asks, "Who will have a fortune told?".

DM NOTES:

**GREENHAG
(AC:  -2, MV:  12" swim 12", HD:  9, AT:  2, D:  7-8/7-8)
-->Magic Resistance 35%
-->STR 18/00
-->Mimic voices or common animals
-->AUDIBLE GLAMER
-->DANCING LIGHTS
-->INVISIBILITY
-->PASS WITHOUT TRACE
-->CHANGE SELF
-->SPEAK WITH MONSTERS
-->WATER BREATHING
-->WEAKNESS (9th level)
THACO:  12
HIT POINTS:  45

DECK OF DIVINING:  Same cards as the DECK OF MANY THINGS, though when used by the Hag, these can predict the future (or at least, have an affect on it).  It will be necessary for the DM to pick out (or create) an appropriate fortune for the each character "read."

Neutral Character
1)  THRONE - BALANCE - KEY - COMET - SKULL
Your dedication to the cause of Neutrality has not gone unnoticed by the Lords of the Balance.  They would release within you your potential for staving off the cold grip of death.
Effect:  +10 onto maximum alloted hit points (this does NOT heal character).

Mage / Intelligent character
1)  VIZIER - SUN - MOON - FLAMES - VOID
The cards sense within you great knowledge on many things, ranging from the bright beauty of day to the blackest horror of night.  The intellect within you burns fiercely, eradicating the empty hell which is ignorance.
Effect:  Character bestowed with 18 intelligence.  If 18 or greater already, +1 to Intelligence.

Fighter / Brawler
1)  KNIGHT - JESTER - FOOL - FATES - SKULL
You are a battler of great strength and skill, though there are times when you take action impulsively, and foolishly, and endanger yourself.  The cards reveal that Death will attempt to wrap its skeletal fingers around you shortly, but fail miraculously.  The powers that be wish to remind you to think before acting.
Effect:  If character dies, immediately restored to life and full hit points.

Thief / Infiltrator
1)  VOID - RUIN - ROGUE - TALONS - SUN
Within unforgiving darkness, an unwary step could bring destruction.  And yet, the cards see predict that you will become night's master, wearing the darkness as a cloak, and striking out of it like a blazing torch.
Effect:  The character's cloak becomes a CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY, the character's boots become BOOTS OF ELVENKIND.

Anyone
1)  VOID - IDIOT - TALONS - SUN - VIZIER
Through the darkest shadows, you stumble as a blind man, a fool without guidance.  The cards would see your veil of blindness torn from your eyes, so that the night would lie clear and bright to you, and you are amde its master.
Effect:  The character is bestowed with NIGHTVISION 30' (can see as though it were daylight).

Each X'ed box is a 20' deep pit covered by ILLUSION to resemble the crystal floor.  Have the person who prods make an INT check (d20 with a +2 penalty to roll).  Do NOT tell him / her what is being rolled for (they'll probably think it's a Saving throw).

Each x locates an INVISIBLE Bone Golem which will immediately attack anyone within reach.  The creature stand 7' tall (L), holds a longsword in each of its four arms, and remains INVISIBLE throughout the battle (-4 on opponent's "to hit").

**BONE GOLEM
(AC:  4, MV:  9", HD:  8, AT:  4, D:  1-8 (longsword), XP:  1415)
-->1/2 damage from edged / sharp weapons
-->Immune to SLEEP, CHARM, HOLD, COLD
-->Turned as SPECIAL
-->Permanent INVISIBLE (Surprise attack; -4 opponents "to hit")
THACO:  12
HIT POINTS:  34

The door at the end of the Northeast corridor is false, though there is a spidery inscription carved into the wood.  READ MAGIC to decipher:  "The entrance word is 'Shlockareen'."  This word is necessary to open the secret door in the Southeast corridor, once of course that secret door is discovered.

 GREATER DIVINATION / ILLUSION-PHANTASM CORRIDOR 

 This corridor is positively beautiful, worked entirely in wrought gold.  The bright yellow metal has been shined to near-perfection, resulting in widened eyes and drooling mouths.

6) ILLUSION-PHANTASM 

The golden corridor ends abruptly in a dead-end wall.

DM NOTES:  A PHANTASMAL FORCE dead end.  Disbelieve and it's gone (no Save necessary).

The wall fades, revealing a golden circular room with no apparent exits.  Shambling toward the newly revealed entrance are a dozen or so trolls.

DM NOTES: PHANTASMAL FORCE Trolls.  Disbelieve and they disappear (Save vs. Magic at +2).

**10 TROLLS
(AC:  4, MV:  12", HD:  6+6, AT:  3, D:  5-8/5-8/2-12)
-->Fight 3 different opponents
-->Dismembered limbs act on own accord
-->Regenerate 3 hp/round 3rd round after injury
-->Damage done by ILLUSORY trolls only serves to render victim unconscious; cannot kill individual
THACO:  15
HIT POINTS:  40

The confines of the circular room fades away, and you find yourselves in a larger rectangular room of the wrought gold.  Against the far wall (south), there is a beautiful carving of a giant man who appears to be holding up the ceiling.  Though he is crafted from a different substance (earth / clay), he looks to be part of the golden wall.
Suddenly, the entire chamber erupts in white searing flame!

DM NOTES: PHANTASMAL FORCE Explosion.  Disbelieve and no damage (Save vs. Magic at -1).  Fail to disbelieve and 3d10 damage.  As with the trolls, this cannot harm, only render unconscious.

The 3-dimensional carving of the man is actually a Clay Golem (really, no illusion this time!).  If touched, the golem will attack.

**CLAY GOLEM
(AC:  7, MV:  7", HD:  11, AT:  1, D:  3-30)
-->After 1 round of combat, Golem can HASTE self for 3 rounds (2 attacks)
-->Susceptible only to Magical Blunt weapons
-->Immune to all spells except:  MOVE EARTH (3-36 damage and drive back 12"), DISINTERGRATE (1-12 damage and SLOWED), EARTHQUAKE (5-50 damage and immobile 1 turn)
THACO:  10
HIT POINTS:  50

Behind the Golem is a secret door which can be found by normal means.  It swings inward.

7)  INVOCATION-EVOCATION CORRIDOR 

This very wide corridor heads south, and is carved through very fragile-appearing sandstone (it is hard as steel).  Ahead, you see the corridor filled with a billowing wall of misty vapors, which completely blocks vision beyond it.

DM NOTES:  7a)  WALL OF FOG  (Stationary, even in wind.  Obscures sight).

The white vapors become tinged with green, and somewhat thicker.  There is a smell emanating from this mass of vapors which resembles skunk cabbage.

DM NOTES:  7b)  STINKING CLOUD  (Stationary, as above.  Save vs. Poison while in cloud or nauseous and reeling for d4+1 rounds).

Ah, fresh air at last.  Unfortunately, in just 10' the corridor is filled with ropy strands of webbing.

DM NOTES:  7c)  WEB  (Creatures with STR 13-17 can break through 1'/round.  Creatures with STR 18+ can break through 2'/round.  Flames can burn the strands away in 10' / round, using continued application).

As you pull the clinging threads of webbing off of you, you glance down the corridor to see an ominous sight.  A wall of granite stares back at you unabashedly.  Gosh, does it look strong.

DM NOTES:  7d)  WALL OF STONE  (6" thick, the wall can be brought down by DISINTERGRATE, DISPEL MAGIC (vs. 24th level), or chipping (cancel all appointments)).

Painful heat floods over you, as you stare at the next obstacle.  A blazing sheet of reddish-blue flame.  Your hair singes by the sheer fury of the fire, and you feel your flesh cook.

DM NOTES:  7e)  WALL OF FIRE  (Creatures 20' away suffer 1d4 damage; creatures 10' away suffer 2d4 damage.  Creatures passing through suffer 2d6 + 24 damage.  The other side radiates no heat.).

There is a 20' space before the next obstacle, which looks to be a white wall.

DM NOTES:  7f)  WALL OF FORCE  (Invisible; Immune to all magicks except DISINTERGRATE and ROD OF CANCELLATION and SPHERE OF ANNIHILATION).

The wall of ice is cold and featureless.

DM NOTES:  7g)  WALL OF ICE  (Creatures breaking through suffer 2 hp damage / inch.  It is 24" thick).

A blank wall of iron seals off the corridor.

DM NOTES:  7h)  WALL OF IRON  (6" thick, brought down by DISINTERGRATE, DISPEL MAGIC (vs. 24th level), or attempting to break through (this is not advised)).

 INVOCATION - EVOCATION / NECROMANCY CORRIDOR 

After the Wall of Iron, the wide corridor becomes onyx, dead black and cruel looking.  Ahead, you can smell the unsettling odor of decay.

8) NECROMANCY 

This oddly shaped chamber is overpowering with its stench of death.  Before you, to the right and left, are a pair of night-black pillars, even blacker than the onyx from which the room is carved.  Between them, perhaps 15' back, is a mahoghany coffin, gilded in sivler and studded with black gems.  Further back still is a square shaped alcove, separated into 4 equal sized areas by partitions.  There appears to be no exit from this room.

DM NOTES:

PILLARS OF DEATH:  These columns will drain 1 level if touched.

WALLS OF DISEASE:  If the walls are touched, the individual will come down with a terrible disease:  boils, blotches, lesions, seeping abscesses, etc.  STR, DEX, CHA are all -2, "to hit" is -1.  This affliction will be offset by CURE DISEASE.

**VAMPIRE
(AC:  -1, MV:  12" fly 18", HD:  8+3, AT:  1, D:  5-10)
-->+1 weapon to hit
-->Immune to SLEEP, CHARM, HOLD, POISON, PARALYSIS
-->1/2 damage from COLD, ELECTRICITY
-->18/76 STR
-->REGENERATE 3 hp/round (at 0 hit points, goes to GASEOUS FORM)
-->GASEOUS FORM at will
-->SHAPE CHANGE to Large Bat (for flying)
-->CHARM PERSON (-2) by locking eyes with victim
-->Blows drain 2 levels
THACO:  12
HIT POINTS:  51

In the niches in the back of the chamber are:

a.  **SKELETON WARRIOR
(AC 2, MV 6, HD 9+6, AT 1, D 1-10, S M, AL N(E))
-->+1 weapon to hit  90% Magic Resistance
-->+3 to SKELETON's "to hit"
-->Cannot be turned
-->Crts under 5 HD flee in panic
THACO:  11
HIT POINTS:  41

b.  **MUMMY
(AC:  3, MV:  6", HD:  6+3, AT:  1, D:  1-12)
-->+1 weapon to hit (1/2 damage)
-->Immune to SLEEP, CHARM, HOLD, COLD, POISON, PARALYSIS
-->Susceptible to fire:  torch 1-3 damage; oil 1-8 1st round, 2-16 2nd; Magical FIRE +1 pt/die damage
-->Sight of mummy causes FEAR 1-4 rounds in 6" radius - Save or PARALYZED (+1 / 7 or more creatures; all humans +2)
-->Touch CAUSE DISEASE:  fatal 1-6 months, -2 permanent CHA loss / month; all CURE WOUNDS spells fail, natural healing at 10% normal
THACO:  13
HIT POINTS:  22

c.  **GHOST
(AC:  0(8), MV:  9", HD:  10, AT:  1, D:  Age 10-40 years)
-->Silver weapon (1/2 damage) or +1 weapon to hit
-->Immune to all spells, except when cast by ethereal caster
-->Sight of Ghost ages 10 years and causes victim to flee in panic 2-12 turns - Save vs. Magic (Clerics above 6th level immune; other above 8th level +2 on save)
-->MAGIC JAR any within 6":  1 round for attempt, Victim saves or is controlled:  27 - (Victim's INT+WIS) =

-9 +	+4 to victim's save
-8 - -6	+3 to victim's save
 -5 - -3	+2 to victim's save
-2 - 0	+1 to victim's save
1-4	+0 to victim's save
5-8	-1 to victim's save
9-12	-2 to victim's save
13 +	-3 to victim's save


-->AC 8 on Ethereal Plane; Semimaterialize AC 0, Blows age 10-40 years
THACO:  10
HIT POINTS:  43

d.  **JU-JU ZOMBIE
(AC:  6, MV:  9", HD:  3+12 (6), AT:  1, D:  3-12)
-->+1 weapon to hit (Piercing / blunt weapons do 1/2 damage)
-->Immune to ILLUSION, CHARM, HOLD, POISON, ELECTRICITY, MAGIC MISSILE, DEATH, COLD
-->1/2 damage from FIRE
-->Climb Walls 92%
-->Turns as Spectre
THACO:  13
HIT POINTS:  27

AFTER THE LAST OPPONENT IS DEFEATED:

You hear a brief rumbling, and then a loud echoing clang.  A circular door dilates open in the east wall, revealing a circular passage beyond.

The short passage travels only 20', to open up into a 20' x 20' chamber.  There are no other exits.  The room is richly appointed, with overstuffed couches and chairs, tables and desks, both covered by writing material, and shelf after shelf of books lining the walls.  Sitting with his long pointy nose buried in one of those books in a tiny man with elfin features, who looks up as you enter.

"Greetings!"  he says in a high pitched voice.  "I'm Conjure.  Welcome to my study.  How can I help you?"

DM NOTES:  Feel free to make Conjure as powerful as your campaign allows.  Suffice to say that he should be able to defeat the PC's.  Even so, this is just a SIMULACRUM of the real Conjure, who certainly doesn't have time to waste by holding audiences.  If the party gets that "maybe we can kill him and take all his stuff" look in their eyes, help them remember that they can't leave the Eldrich Walk without Conjure's help (he can and will TELEPORT them back to wherever they want to go).

Whatever the characters came seeking, Conjure can provide, in one way or another.  He won't necessarily hand over a hugely powerful artifact to greedy characters, but he will tell them where it is, and how it's guarded.  Remember that this adventure was designed to answer a puzzling question or two, not to walk off with a sackful of treasure.
