Encounter - The Body of a Dwarf

Encounter - The Body of a Dwarf

While this encounter can be used in practically any dungeon setting it is meant for a low level dungeon set in the Kron Hills on the edge of the Lortmils. The ruins of a dwarven outpost will be the first in the discovery of a long since conquered and destroyed dwarven fortress city which once ruled over the mountains and highlands before the coming of the Flan. The dwarf is a local mountain dwarf named Galleb and if his body is returned to his clan and especially his silver coin the players will be received kindly by them. Search parties of mountain dwarves are in the area looking for him hoping to find him aliv, but alas...

 

1) The body of a dwarf.

This dwarf's body is sitting against a section of wall (against a fountain, door, etc...) with both feet splayed out and his head, covered in a dark bristle of short hair, is leaning forward with his chin resting on his chainmail clad chest.  The players will need to see if he is sleeping, though the wide pool of dried blood surrounding him points to a different kind of rest. If he is touched his body falls over on its side with a dull thud (unless the body is prevented from doing so).

If the players are observant they will notice a silver coin drop from his mouth (it was placed there after his death as a token of respect and is meant to pay his entrance the caverns of the dead). His body has not been looted.

There is a steel helmet beside him that has taken a serious dent (and another dent can be found on the dwarf. It was this crushing blow that killed him).

He is an average-sized dwarven warrior (meaning he is broad-shouldered and barrel-chested). He appears to have been dead for some time since his blood is dried and his flesh a bit green-tinged and withered. Surprisingly there is little rot about him and he smells no worse than most living dwarven warriors. No creatures or even insects have touched his body.

What can be found on or near him.

Armor:

1) Steel helm; badly dented (cannot be used till dent is hammered out).

2) Chainmail; patched and repaired but serviceable. Sized for an average dwarf.

3) Boots; leather - These boots are enchanted and allow the wearer to move silently.  They are sized for a dwarf with average feet.

Weapons:

1) One-Handed war-axe in good repair. Sized for a dwarf (short handled) enchanted. (adds a positive modifier  to hit and damage).

2) Dagger

Items:

1) Belt with 6 pouches

1a) Tinderbox

1b) Coins - 16gp, 23sp, 5cp

1c) Canteen - water laced with dwarven whiskey

1d) 2 silver tubes. 2 empty, 1 scroll of heal light wounds (in dwarven)

1e) a silk cloth wrapped around a steel framed hand-sized mirror

1f) a cloth bag containing 2 dozen small glass marbles

2) Silver Birth Coin near body - this will radiate a sense of well-being to anyone touching it. The coin is simply a normal silver coin but removing it from the dwarf's body will cause it to generate a feeling of wrongness, slight at first, that increases the further distance away from the body it travels. This feeling will afflict the possessor even if the coin is abandoned and only placing it back against the dwarves corpse will relieve this feeling. The coin is very ancient belonging to the old dwarven kingdom of the Lortmils and is now given out as a luck piece when a dwarven child is born.

3) Pants, cloth shirt, underwear, all common place and slightly soiled.