Pelts For XP - Hex Collection 2

Gustave Moreau

DEMON RANCH

The fields in this hex are surrounded by fences of densely woven web. Scattered groves provide shade for ten Tarantellas (OSE), domesticated herding spiders that maintain the barriers and deter predators with their dancing venom.

Within the fields is a collection of strange silk buildings and traditional timber houses; a ranch run by eighteen Drow (OSE Adv). The Deep Elves are led by a matriarch, gregarious businesswoman Antimache (Level 6 Drow) who carries a Displacer Cloak, Cream of Sunlight Resistance and Staff of Power with 17 charges.

Locked in treasure chests trapped with Purple Worm venom, the ranchers have 6,000 GP in mixed coinage (silk bills, golden trade tokens, Dwarven Royals etc.), along with:

• +1 Kopis Of The Undersun (as Sunblade).
• Potion of Giant Strength.
  
• Scrolls of Cause Serious Wounds, Detect Evil, Neutralise Poison, Resist Fire, Spider Charm.
• Scrolls of Haste, Hold Person, Lightning Bolt, Protection From Normal Missiles, Wizard Lock.

The Deep Elves are rearing Thracian Mares (stats as War Horse with D8 bite attack and ML 11, OSE), hyper-aggressive carnivores that make natural war mounts. 

Antimache comes from a long line of proud demon-worshippers. Though her family now disavows human sacrifice for legal reasons, they still own a breeding pair of Nightmares (OSE Adv) created during the good old days. Unfortunately their convicts collaborated with the Fatharvest Gang to steal most the herd, including their demonic stud Last Sunset.

The ranchhands are miserable, forced to perform daylight duties with comically large sunhats alongside their remaining fifteen human convicts. They were supposed to fulfil a contract with Southfur's Briarcoats, but without Last Sunset they can't recoup their losses. 

The Drow have twenty seven Thracian Mares left. They're happy to sell the nine they don't use for ranching duties, charging 750 GP each. Their remaining Nightmare, Empty Sunrise, never leaves Antimache's sight. If her stolen demon horse is returned to the ranch, the grateful matriarch lets the players choose a reward from her treasure horde.

LOCAL ENCOUNTERS: D4 Drow ranchers on Thracian Horses, patrolling.

Or D6 Tarantellas, repairing fences. 

Kaj Hagström

WORMLANDS

This hex of boulder strewn grassland is the territory of the Fat Grubs, a cult of worm-worshipping Goblins (OSE) whose twenty nine members ride a mixture of stolen cattle dogs, dingos and mongrels (stats as Wild Dog, OSE Adv). The little bastards are experts at rustling livestock, sometimes acting as mercenaries for the Water Centaurs or Fatharvest Gang.

The hex's boulders hide the entrance to a small karst cave, where the goblins herd stolen livestock into the waiting maw of a chronically obese Caecilia (OSE). The thieving cultists wholeheartedly believe the overweight worm will ascend into godhood if fed enough meat. The fact that their leader, Gutworm (Chaotic Level 3 Cleric) recently gained magical powers might lend credence to this belief.

The cult's treasure horde is found in the cave, strewn among piles of stinking refuse. Along with 5,110 GP in filthy coins, there's some badly stained scrolls of Infravision, Polymorph Self, Read Languages, Teleport, Wall of Stone and a +2 Sword of Vengeance. 

LOCAL ENCOUNTERS: 4D6 Fat Grubs and Gutworm, rustling 3D10 livestock.

Michigan Carbon Works, 1892

MAMMOTH GRAVEYARD

This mountain pass was a mammoth graveyard in prehistory, where the noble beasts were slaughtered en-masse by the Serpentmen. In recent years, the long-dead titans have began to reanimate. Eight of these decaying eidolons (OSE Adv as Mastodons with half their usual HP and undead resistances) now roam the valley. They're fiercely territorial, guarding their inanimate brethren as they rest. 

Someone fluent in Lawful and capable of Speaking With Dead can onverse with the ancient skeletons. The beasts won't allow anyone to loot the valley, but could be convinced to send forces to aid a suitably Just War (e.g. ousting the Druids, killing Serpentmen, goring Giants). They don't fear being destroyed, so long as their bones are returned to the graveyard.

14,600 GP in ivory is spread across the hex, plus another 4D4x100 GP on each undead Mastodon. A very stealthy thief could steal some, but it's heavy and difficult to transport.

The valley is also pregnant with necromantic energies. Castings of Animate Dead affect triple the usual number of HD. An excellent place to raise an undead army.

LOCAL ENCOUNTERS: D4 Mammoth Skeletons, roaming further afield.

Disco Elysium

HANGED GIANT

This hex's hills of charred grass is populated by the occasional dead tree, the sole survivors of a bushfire that deforested everything else. A flock of seven Vulbats (CC1) have roosted on a particularly large tree where the immense corpse of a Cyclops hangs.

The big man hasn't been dead for long, the carrion birds are patiently waiting for him to decompose. A large boulder is toppled over below his dangling feet, kicked away by the giant as he choked.

The corpse is secured to the tree's thickest branch with a cord of tightly-woven metal. It's incredibly strong and pulled taught, making it nearly impossible to cut through. The Vulbats swoop and claw at anyone touching their meal ticket.

Managing to get the golden cable down can salvage 1,000 GP in filaments of white gold, plus a Rope Of Climbing woven into the centre of the cord.

LOCAL ENCOUNTERS: The Vulbats, circling high above the dead Cyclops.