Success is Sweet

The party has been hired to retrieve some honey from some bees. Sounds simple
right? Too bad these bees are monstrously large!

A four-hour adventure for 3rd level

characters

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When you go in search of honey, you
must expect to be stung by bees.
—Joseph Joubert
This scenario can take place during the adventure
entitled The Horns of War, likely during the last stretch
of travel between Hammon’s Creche and Nirzumbil or
right after that adventure, following the battle with the
A Taste of Honey is an adventure for a party of four 3rd
level player characters (PCs). The scenario is set in a orcs. Of course, the adventure can also be run as a
generic setting, in the mountainous area around a stand-alone.
dwarven stronghold. The scenario is easily
In some parts of the adventure, it is assumed there is
transplantable into most other settings, including the
Forgotten Realms, where one of the dwarven citadels increased orc activity in the region. If this does not
of the Sword Coast Region can be used. work for your campaign, then just ignore all references
to the orcish activity; it does not impinge directly on
this adventure.
Where a creature or NPC is mentioned in bold-faced
type, its statistics can be found either in the Monster
Manual or in Appendix B of this adventure.

Throughout the adventure, descriptions of the appearance,

While in the market area outside the doors of the
personality, and motivations of important NPCs are
presented in red boxes. dwarven stronghold of Nirzumbil, the PCs are
approached by a dwarven merchant named Adazil
Oretouch. Adazil is dressed in fine robes, with a tunic
Dialogue is contained in italicized boxed text.
and breeches underneath, and his knobby fingers are
decorated with bejeweled rings. A valuable looking
Location descriptions are contained in plain boxed diamond and gold brooch in the shape of a pickaxe is
text. pinned to a cape that flows down his back. His long
black beard and long straight hair are well-groomed
and well-greased and scented with perfumes.

Adazil will bow low to the PCs and then say in hushed
The PCs are hired to raid a honeycomb of a hive of tones in accented Common:
giant bees in order to gain the valuable honey within
and, perhaps, even a bit of the royal jelly. But first they You there…you are sellswords…yes? I am Adazil
must convince the owner of the hive, a werebear, to Oretouch. I have a proposition for you that I would like
grant them access. The werebear proposes that the you to hear. Perhaps we can help each other, yes?
PCs rid the area of a pair of werewolves, and once that Perhaps you would be interested in learning of
is done, the PCs can brave the bees and attempt to something that would fetch good market price back in
gather the honey within. your lowlands? If this interests you, come with me where
we may talk.

Assuming the PCs are intrigued enough to at least

entertain his proposal, Adazil will lead them to his
The scenario can be set in any mountain range that
tent, a sumptuous affair with all sorts of gaudy
contains a dwarven citadel. Alternately, the DM can
accoutrements from a variety of lands. A statue to the
substitute the dwarven stronghold for some other
god of trade with diamond eyes stands atop a marble
settlement or fortress in the mountains.
pedestal in the center of the tent.
The scenario assumes it is late spring or summer time.
Inviting the PCs to sit, Adazil will continue:
If it is winter, then there will be snow on the ground.
Yes, well, now to business…always to business. You are
soon returning to the lowlands, yes? I know of a good
that would be in great demand there, not as precious as

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 2
diamonds or gold, but as rich as the latter in colour and and chisel and will use them to make his mark on the
more unusual than the former. I know where to procure stone. Then the scribe will request that the
this good, you see, but I cannot get my hands on it, what representative of the PCs, one who speaks for them all,
with the orcs prowling the wilds and all. And you, of make his mark in the stone. The scribe will agree to
course, do not know where this good is, nor what it is, translate the PC’s name and title into dwarven runes
until I tell you. for the PCs.

So, there is no harm in the telling even now. I know of a The scribe will then pull out a silver pin and take a
hive of bees. Not ordinary bees no. Giant bees…and these drop of blood from Adazil and from the PC who made
of a kind that are distinguished by a single red stripe on his mark on the stone. Each person’s blood will be
their backsides. These bees make a dark amber honey dripped into the grooves of his mark. The scribe will
that is unlike any other honey you have tasted. Such then intone a short chant as the blood dries. The scribe
honey would be valuable indeed and since such red- will then ask each blood donor to swear to be faithful
stripers live only high in these mountains, where they to the agreement in the name of the gods of trade and
are rare enough even here, they would command a good truth.
price down below eh?
The agreement only divides up honey, royal jelly, and
Here is my proposal to you. I will draw you a map to the beeswax. It does not give Adazil any share of the bees
hive. Don't bother thinking of finding it on your own. If it themselves, their venom, or any other treasure found
were that easy, others would have found the hive by on this expedition.
now. In exchange, you will give to me half of whatever
honey you find. Once this is done, the scribe will depart. Adazil will
then unroll a vellum map on his table and will impart
We will draw up a contract and seal it with oaths to the to the PCs directions to the hive. The hive, he says, is a
gods. In addition, I will incentive you to bring the honey two-day journey from the dwarven stronghold. The
back with this: half of what you bring back I will let you terrain is rugged, but he will provide two stout mules
present to our master fermenter and he will make for for his own share and, if the PCs do not have any
you Red-Stripe Mead, perhaps the best honey mead in all mules, he will lend them two more mules, though if
of the world! they are injured or slain then reimbursement will be
made out of the PCs’ share. Adazil will also provide a
And there is more. Yes. Perhaps, if you are lucky and week’s worth of trail rations and drink, the former
courageous, you can procure some royal jelly. Yes. This, consisting of some dwarven concoction of hard cheese
too, we will split half to each. This royal jelly is said to be and biscuits, and the latter being normal honey mead.
a prime ingredient in many magicks and is rumoured to The mules will include special saddlebags that hold
provide virility, growth, and strength to any who large ceramic pots to store the honey.
regularly consume it!
Refer to Adazil’s Map for details.
What say you? Will you do it?
Adazil will let the PCs choose its exact route, noting
If the PCs refuse the offer, then the adventure is merely the hazards shown on the map. He will explain
effectively over, unless the DM wishes to allow the PCs to the best of his ability what he knows of the areas
to seek out the hive and find it on their own. marked on the map. If asked how he came by this map,
he will say that he was told of the hive by a dwarven
If the PCs agree to Adazil’s proposal, then the dwarf mountaineer who needed some of his goods
will request a day’s time to have a scribe come and desperately. If pressed further, he will admit that the
“stone” the agreement. He will allow the PCs to stay in mountaineer saw some of the elusive red-stripe bees
his tent as his guests and will have some of his in the area, but never verified completely that the hive
dwarven employees bring food and drink for the PCs. indicated on the map was the red-stripe hive. Instead,
the mountaineer merely heard many droning bees
The next morning, the scribe, a hoary old dwarf, will coming from a cave and assumed that this was where
arrive with a tablet of thin stone, a hammer, and a the red-stripe bees he had observed had come from.
chisel. Already on the stone will be dwarven runes that He never actually espied a red-stripe bee coming from
describe the agreement. Adazil will take the hammer it, as he passed by the area very quickly.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 3
 club upraised in his left hand and his right hand
Regarding the map, Adazil knows the following: pointing to the northwest. It is said that sometimes
stone giants perform sacred rites at the site, and at
Birdmen: Little is known of these, though a few other times other giants gather there to profane the
dwarves are said to have traded with them. They are site.
generally shy and keep to themselves. They dwell high
up in aeries in the face of Mount Barazburil. It is said Trickledown: A small river of large stream, depending
that they can weave strange magic formed out of the upon one’s point of view, it flows swiftly, though not so
air itself. fast nor so high by the height of summer. The water is
very cold and quite pure, and fords can be found
Eagles: Giant eagles dwell at the top of high Mount (assume a 15% chance per hour to locate a ford, twice
Haranzinil, where their aeries are dusted with snow that in summer). Fallen trees can provide crossing in
even in high summer. They are a danger to small the High Forest. The Trickledown is no wider than 40
animals, and even small mules can be endangered by feet and often half that distance wide.
the largest of the eagles.

Falls: This is likely a local landmark…a waterfall of

some sort.
The route taken by the PCs is up to them. What is
Giants: Giants of varying types are known to lair to the presented in this section are various encounters likely
north, and they sometimes come down from that area. to take place. The first part includes details of
These certainly include hill giants and stone giants. wandering encounters, while the second is a set of
planned encounters tied to specific areas.
Great Spire: This is known to be a sharp up thrust of
rock which is said to harbor a great and ancient roc or Wandering Encounters
dragon in a cave at its very top. The hive is supposedly Encounter checks should be made every hour when
in a straight line between the falls and the Great Spire. the PCs are travelling. Roll a d20, and on an 18-20
there is an encounter. If an encounter is indicated,
Groundlings: A dangerous race of beings made by a immediately reroll to check for a second encounter in
twisted enemy wizard of old as a magical cross that same hour. Keep rerolling until an encounter is
between badgers and dwarves. The wizard is said to not rolled. That will be the number of encounters
be long dead, though none know the truth of it, and the occurring in that hour. If multiple encounters are
groundlings now dwell in the lands surrounding the indicated within a single hour, the DM can combine
wizard’s ruined tower. They are dangerous and delight them into a single encounter or separate them by a
in attacking dwarves. period of less than an hour.
High Forest: Less a forest than a four-mile-wide stand The purpose of this multiple encounter system is so
of pines and other coniferous trees growing in the lee that players do not assume they will only have a single
of a valley formed between the mighty peaks of encounter per hour and plan accordingly.
Haranzinil to the west and Barazburil to the east.
There are known to be some giant spiders in the area, Example:
and some goblins are known to encamp in the area.
The DM checks for an encounter and rolls a 19. An
Hive: The hive is a large cave from which droning encounter will occur in that hour, He immediately rolls
could be heard. The cave is about 40 feet wide and is again and rolls an 18. That means 2 encounters in that
set atop a small stone shelf that rests at the top of a hour. He immediately rolls again and rolls a 20! There
talus pile. will be 3 encounters in that hour. He immediately rolls
again and rolls a 7. He now stops rolling and
The Targ: This is an ancient, huge statue of stone in administers 3 encounters in that hour.
the shape of a stone giant. The thing is over 100 feet
tall and seems to be made of a single piece of granite. When the PCs are stationary (e.g., encamped), an
The statue is nigh indestructible and radiates faint encounter check should be made every 4 hours instead
magic. The statue depicts a stone giant with a stone of every hour. However, if the PCs make a campfire

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and take no reasonable precautions to conceal it, check Bat. Bats of normal size are generally not a danger to
every 2 hours instead. most creatures. However, giant bats can be fearsome
hunters.
The wandering encounter table below has a separate
column for daytime and nighttime encounters. Roll Assume this encounter will be with 1d4 x 10 bats 75%
2d6 to determine the result. Creatures indicated do not of the time, and with 1d8 giant bats otherwise.
have statistic blocks presented in this scenario. Refer
to the Monster Manual for their statistics. Badger. An encounter will be with 1d4 normal
badgers 80% of the time, otherwise 1d3 giant
Wandering Encounters badgers will be encountered.
Roll Daylight Nighttime
These crusty animals are very territorial, though, of
2 Aarakocra Senmurv course, normal sized badgers are not likely to take on
3 Stone Giant Dwarf the PCs. On the other hand, giant badgers are very
4 Ogre Death Dog likely to strike at any creature that approaches it too
5 Eagle Vermin closely or catches it by surprise.
6 Hawk Wolf
Death Dog. These evil beasts roam the hills in the area.
7 Deer Bat They will attack with cunning, often preceded by their
8 Badger Goblin strange double bark.
9 Orc Owl
10 Dwarf Stone Giant A total of 1d6 death dogs will be encountered.
11 Weasel Kobold
12 Peryton Orc
Deer. Encounter will be with 1d3 normal indigenous
mountain deer 50 % of the time, otherwise, 1d20 elk
Aarakocra. These normally shy humanoids are a bit will be encountered.
astir at recent orc activity in the mountains. As such,
always worried about their own safety, they are These animals can be hunted for food; they are shy and
monitoring extraordinary travelers in these parts. non-aggressive for the most part.

A first encounter with these will usually involve a Dwarf. Dwarves encountered will either be a warparty
single aarakocra scout circling the PCs from high patrolling the area and hunting for orcs and other evil
above before flying back to its lair. Thereafter, some or wanderer/prospector teams out in the wilderness
hours later, a group of 1d4+2 aarakocra will observe on business. Assume an equal chance of either type.
the PCs again for a time and finally make contact with
them if they seem friendly. They will greet the PCs and Warparties will question the PCs and ask if they have
ask them why they travel through the wilderland. They seen any orc activity.
have seen many orcs moving south from the northern
wilds. Wanderers/Prospectors will likely try to avoid the PCs
and will be wary of them and a bit brusque.
The aarakocra know of the beehive, but they will say
that the land is claimed by Verego. Who Verego is, they Warparties will be comprised of 1d10+10 dwarf
will not say, except that the PCs will know him when guards (see Appendix B). Wanderers/Prospectors will
they meet him. be comprised of 1d4 dwarf commoners (see
Appendix B).
Further encounters with the birdmen will be
dependent upon the outcome of the first parley. Eagle. These will be 1d2 normal eagles 85% of the
time, otherwise 1d2 giant eagles.
The aarakocra have a tribe consisting of 60 birdmen in
their aeries atop the peak of Barazburil. There are an Normal eagles will generally be seen high in the air or
additional 10 young and 6 eggs in the aerie. swooping down to get rodents or other small prey.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 5
Giant eagles will also often be seen high aloft, An encounter will be with 1d3 ogres.
especially as one nears the peak of Haranzinil. They
might, if they can, take a mule that is untended, but are Orc. Only a few orc tribes are native to the region, even
generally kindly creatures if not threatened and will as far as extended hunting ranges go. The remainder
not take a mount if it is clearly owned or tended to by have recently entered the area to attack the trade
the PCs. Giant eagles often enjoy harassing orcs, ogres, between Nirzumbil and the lowlands.
and goblins.
No orc encountered knows much about why the orcs
Goblin. Goblins lair in these mountains, eternal are uniting and attacking Nirzumbil and its environs.
enemies of the dwarves. They are hardly strong They will just spout platitudes and clichés fed to them
enough to fight the dwarves en masse, and with the by their priests:
coming of the orcs into the area, the goblins have
retreated into their holes in order to avoid being “We’re gonna finally get them dwarves for all of the
enslaved by the orcs or drafted into the orcish armies things they’ve done to orcs in the past!”
or, perhaps, being inducted into the orcish larders!
“We’re attacking them dwarves because they are
Nonetheless, the goblins do still raid, attacking weak sniveling cowards who don’t deserve the riches they
seeming dwarven groups or other such creatures, as have.”
well as to hunt and gather supplies. Such raids usually
occur at night. If the PCs are travelling, an encounter with orcs will be
with a gang 25% of the time, a squad 50% of the time,
Encounters will be with 1d20 goblins. If ten or more or an encampment 25% of the time. During night, if the
goblins are encountered, they will be led by a goblin PCs are encamped, the encounter will always be with a
boss. gang 50% of the time or a squad otherwise.

Hawk. This will be a single hawk 80% of the time, If the idea of an orc uprising does not fit with your
otherwise 3d4 blood hawks will be encountered. campaign, then assume any result of an encampment is
actually a squad.
Normal hawks will often be seen flying high above.
They are only a danger to small rodents and familiars. A gang consist of 1d3+1 orcs out hunting, scouting, on
Blood hawks are very aggressive and will often attack mundane tasks, or out for pleasure.
a single opponent in large groups.
A squad consists of 1d10+10 orcs organized into a
Kobold. Kobolds, even more so than goblins, are raiding party. A squad will always be led by an orog
fearful raiders, for they are always in danger of being half the time or an ogrillon otherwise.
abused by goblins and dwarves and now have the
added menace of orc tribes to deal with. Nevertheless, An encampment is a temporary affair and involves
these consummate thieves and pests still ply the scrub 1d8+2 x 10 orcs (i.e. 30-100). These will be led by an
and valleys of the mountains at night seeking weak- eye of Gruumsh and an orc war chief. These
seeming prey and scavenging opportunities, encampments will often have treasure from caravan
raids. The DM should, if necessary, design such
1d12 kobolds will be encountered. If ten or more are encampments accordingly, with guards on the
encountered, they will be led by a kobold adept (see perimeter. Obviously, the PCs are not meant to assault
Appendix B). such a large number of orcs, but they may be
opportunities for infiltration or pilfering.
Additionally, if a group of six or more are encountered,
allow a 25% chance that they are accompanied by a Owl. Encounters will be with a normal owl 85% of the
giant weasel companion. time and with 1d2 giant owls otherwise.

Ogre. About half of these brutes are native to the A normal owl will only pose a threat to small animals
region and the rest are in league with the orc tribes. In and familiars. Giant owls are intelligent, and they are
either case, they will be mean, nasty, and hungry. especially nervous about the orc incursion and have
already had some scrapes with orcs coming too near

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their nests. If they observe the PCs as foes of the orcs, Wolf. Several types of wolves roam these mountains.
they might assist them against such a force. Encounters will be with 1d12 wolves 50% of the time,
1d6 worgs 33% of the time, and 1d2 dire wolves 17%
Peryton. This will be a single peryton, on the hunt for of the time.
the perfect heart to consume. The shadow cast by any
peryton encountered in this region will be either an Worgs and dire wolves are very aggressive predators
orc or a dwarf (reflecting its last meal), and the former relish attacking sentient beings. Worgs
will always attack the PCs unless they are obviously
Senmurv. 1d6 senmurv (see Appendix B) will be outclassed and outnumbered.
encountered. These strange creatures of good are
active in the area, trying to attack the orc raiders in Planned Encounters
defense of both the dwarves of Nirzumbil (although
These encounters should be introduced by the DM
the dwarves are unaware of this aid) and the other
whenever the appropriate circumstances arise.
good inhabitants of the region. Active at night, they
have taken to swooping down on orc encampments
The PCs have three main routes to the hive.
and causing havoc before fleeing as the orcs mount a
resistance.
The first is to take the direct route north by northeast
from Nirzumbil, skirting the western edge of the High
The senmurv will likely observe the PCs for a time and
Forest and traveling through the groundlings territory
then close in to parley with good-seeming persons.
on the slopes of Haranzinil. From there, it is a straight
shot into the Trickledown Valley that approaches the
Stone Giant. An encounter will be with 1d3 stone
hive.
giants. These giants are peaceful unless bothered.
When encountered during the day, they are usually
The second is to follow the Trickledown upstream all
heading to worship at The Targ. They will not give
the way to the Trickledown Valley. This means
away any secrets or information about The Targ.
traversing the High Forest and passing near The Targ.
When encountered at night, they will often be
The third route is the longest. It involves skirting the
throwing rocks at one another for sport, and an errant
High Forest to the south, crossing the slopes of
rock might head the PCs’ way.
Barazburil, and then crossing east of The Targ before
turning northwest into the Trickledown Valley.
The stone giants will react warily to strangers,
preferring to be left alone. But if threatened or treated
Should the PCs wish to take some other, less
badly, they will attack remorselessly.
conventional way to the hive (i.e. climb over the very
top of one of the peaks), then the DM should adjudicate
Vermin. This is a catch-all for various giant insects that
accordingly, with encounters for the indicated
roam the mountains at night. Roll 1d4 on the following
denizens of the area and severe terrain difficulties if
subtable:
merited.
1 = 1d10 giant centipedes
This part is divided into four section. The first three
2 = 1d12 giant fire beetles
sections involve encounters for each of the three
3 = 1d4 giant spiders
routes described above. The final section involves
4 = 1 giant scorpion
encounters in the Trickledown Valley (that portion of
land surrounding the Trickledown River between its
Weasel. Encounters will be with a single weasel 75%
headwaters and a mile or so north of The Targ).
of the time, or with 1d3 giant weasels otherwise.
It is assumed the PCs make an average of four miles
Normal weasels are only a threat to tiny familiars and
per day in its travel. This includes frequent rests,
will seek to avoid any other creatures. Giant weasels
occasional turnarounds and backtracks, and a few
can be a threat to pack animals and even a lone PC.
stops to get one’s bearings. Therefore, it will take two
However, they will tend to avoid groups of creatures
days to reach the hive by way of sections 1 and 2 and
that outnumber them.
three days to reach the hive by way of section 3.

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Section One – The Slopes of Haranzinil 30 ft. by sentient beings who are not groundlings.
Skirting the High Forest along its western edge, whose Those who fail a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw believe
pines and firs can be seen in the valley below, the PCs that great treasure and glory await those who enter
make their way up the rugged slopes of Haranzinil. The the tower. The suggestion will last for 8 hours or until
PCs can see, during the day, great wheeling shapes the victim explores the entirety of the tower.
high up the peak. These are the eagles and giant eagles
that nest in the summit of the mount. These stones each operate once, and then its magic
must be renewed by Tharikthiril. The PCs will pass by
As the sun rides high in the sky, the PCs will note a 1d3 of these stones as they pass through the area, and
particularly large boulder that features prominent once they have been exposed to one of the stones, a DC
dwarven runes which read: 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check will allow a PC to
identify the runes and markings on such stones,
Accursed land, demesne of Tharikthiril the Eld. Turn thereafter allowing the PCs a DC 15 Wisdom
back! (Perception) check to identify further stones before
closing to within 30 ft. The magic of the stones can be
Sometime later, perhaps 15 to 20 minutes after automatically dispelled by a dispel magic spell.
passing the boulder, the PCs will be spooked by some
small stones clattering down from higher up on the The Tower of Tharikthiril
slope. However, despite any flying familiars or other
The tower is the centerpiece of the adventure entitled “The
capability the PCs might have to quickly ascend the Tower of Tharikthiril”, and DMs intending to run that
slope, nothing will be spotted. adventure can integrate it here. However, if the DM does not
wish to run that adventure, then he can remove the
It will be just before sundown that the evil groundlings suggestion stones and make the tower simply an old
that haunt this area will attack. There are 4 abandoned ruin, perhaps where some more groundlings
groundlings (see Appendix B), and they will be lying dwell. In this case, the wizard Tharikthiril did not return as a
in wait, hidden. Their hiding place will be about 10 feet fiendish creature and the groundlings are what remains of
to one side of the PCs’ route, and the evil creatures will his minions.
be burrowed into the ground, bursting out of the earth
as the PCs pass by, likely gaining surprise unless they Whether they succumb to the stones or not, the PCs
are somehow detected beforehand. will be subject to attack by a group of 6 groundlings
(see Appendix B) as they pass by the tower.
The groundlings will attempt to move grappled victims
into their 3 ft. diameter tunnels where their Medium or These groundlings will use the old groundling tunnels
Small sized victims will be squeezing while the that crisscross the entire mountain slope in this area to
groundlings use their tunnel fighting ability. get below the PCs and burst up to attack, likely with
surprise.
That night, the PCs will observe a strange, argent glow
just over the horizon to the north, as if coming from Thereafter, the PCs will descend the slopes of the
behind a spur in the slope of the mountain. The glow mountain and pass into the Trickledown Valley. Refer
comes from the Tower of Tharikthiril. to section 4.

The next day (or that night if the PCs head towards the Section Two – The High Forest
glow at night), the PCs will, at mid-morning, spy atop a Following the trickledown upstream, the PCs will enter
spur of the mountain to the west, a large tower, now the eaves of the High Forest, which is comprised of
broken, its top sundered and in scattered ruins around pines and firs for the most part. Undergrowth is light,
its base. This is the Tower of Tharikthiril, and the evil but the floor is filled with pinecones and green
wizard now enjoys (or suffers) a rebirth as a fiend. His needles. The forest is shaded even at high noon, and
creations, the groundlings, still worship him as a god. quickly descends into twilight from dawn to mid-
morning and from mid-afternoon to dusk due to the
The PCs can certainly pass by the tower, but the evil canopy of trees and the mountains to either side. As
wizard has placed, at various intervals in a one-mile such, the forest serves as a sort of sheltered highway
radius around the tower, some magic stones that for goblins, kobolds, and other sunlight-averse
trigger a suggestion spell when approached to within creatures heading south from their lairs.

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 web action. There is a total of 36 of them set randomly
The PCs will, upon entering the trees, quickly notice in a 120 ft. radius around the dome.
shreds of cobwebs from giant spiders, which should
put them on alert. The approach to the lair is warded by 3 giant spiders.
These are the same as those that accompany the
About an hour into the forest, the PCs will come to an ettercap to attack the PCs if alerted, so if the PCs
area that is marked by dwarven runes of warning and already defeated them previously, then the spiders will
danger scratched into stones and tree trunks. A few not be present.
orcish markings of warning are also scrawled in the
area. Should the PCs decide to continue into the area, These spiders will wait until one of the web traps is
they will encounter the ettercap’s lair, with the tripped. They will be able hear the trap activate and
ettercap and all of its spider pets, and be subject to feel its vibrations through thin web strands run into
various web traps the ettercap has strewn about its the trees where they are perched, and they will emerge
lair. to attack the trapped victim and its allies.

Should the PCs choose to skirt the marked area, they The DM should decide, if a battle erupts outside the
will at first encounter a hunting group of 5 giant dome, where any other web traps might be and
spiders. Four of these will attack the PCs from the whether the PCs will be subject to any more of them.
trees, with the last of them hanging back, hidden, and
departing to alert the ettercap once combat begins in Within the lair are the desiccated husks of previous
earnest. victims, including dwarves, orcs, goblins, kobolds, and
various animals. Also here, each requiring a DC 15
If the ettercap is alerted, then some two hours later, it Intelligence (Investigation) check, are:
will attack, though in this case it will not have traps set
up. The ettercap will be accompanied by 4 giant • a ring of the wild (see Appendix A)
spiders. When not defending its lair, the ettercap will • a leather belt pouch containing coins of dwarven
not fight to the death, instead fleeing back to its lair if mint: 36 cp, 74 sp, 130 gp, and 27 pp
hard-pressed. • a leather crossbow bolt case holding twelve
crossbow bolts +1
The PCs will have to camp in the High Forest, and • a silver bracelet studded with garnets worth
moths and beetles of normal size will swarm the PCs’ 120 gp
campfire if they have one. The night sounds are • A potion belt containing 3 potions of healing and
dramatic in the forest, but there will be no further a potion of climbing
trouble in these woods. • A silvered handaxe

The next day, the PCs will leave the forest and enter
Section Three – The Slopes of Barazburil
the Trickledown Valley at The Targ. Refer to section 3
The way will start out easily, following the trade road
for an encounter at The Targ. Then proceed to section
to the east. Soon, the road will dip away to the south
4.
down the mountainside, and the PCs will leave the
road and trek through boulder-strewn rough.

As the sun approaches its zenith, the PCs will begin to

The lair is a huge mound of branches, bones, and make their way up the lower slopes of Barazburil. The
webbing, some 30 ft. in diameter and 15 ft. tall. A slope is relatively barren of tree and cover, being
single 5 ft. square entrance sits halfway up one side of mostly scrub and boulders that have fallen from on
the dome. high.
Assume anyone approaching the dome will be subject Occasionally, small black specks can be seen wheeling
to 1d12 web traps. Each web trap requires a DC 16 about the summit of Barazburil. The exact nature of
Wisdom (Perception) check to notice before it is the shapes cannot be easily determined from so far
tripped, Otherwise, the victim will stumble into it and away, but they are the aarakocra or birdmen.
become trapped as though by a successful ettercap

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 9
Suddenly, attacking out of the sun, dive two body over. The eyes have huge gouge marks on them,
hippogriffs, punctuated with a scream right before and great raking claw marks run down the hide
they attack. These are a mated pair of adults who have armour. Dried blood is spattered across the floor. The
a nest nearby. Normally not so aggressive, the orc bears a greataxe and a belt pouch holding an orcish
hippogriffs have already lost a young one to orcs and draught that smells horrible and requires, for non-
are therefore extremely angry. They are convinced orcish humanoids, a DC 5 Constitution check to quaff.
that the PCs are after the last of their young and will The draught contains six doses, and each dose will
attack to the death. Hippogriffs usually dwell in cure 1 hit point of damage. Only 1 dose can be imbibed
clusters of nests and leave some of their number each action.
behind to defend the nests directly. But the orcs killed
the other hippogriffs during their raid, and these last Aerie #3:
two are crazed enough to leave the nest to attack The nest in this aerie bears a single young hippogriff
intruders. (see Appendix B). The thing was born a couple of
months ago and is quite small and incapable of doing
If the PCs search for a nest, they can, with a successful more than nipping and scratching at anyone who
DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check, sight a likely approaches it. Nevertheless, it will try to defend itself
candidate as a series of cracks in a craggy outcropping and, if anyone enters its nest, it will attempt to fly
of the mountain face perhaps a mile distant. away. If it does fly away, it will alight higher up the
mountainside and await the return of its parents. It
It will take several hours to scramble up the slope to could possibly be coaxed down by offers of food,
the cracks. During this time, the PCs will come upon certain spells, or other means.
the skeleton of a hippogriff and the torn and shredded
armour of an orc, with a few tufts of orc hair caught in If the young hippogriff is captured, it could possibly be
the joints. A successful DC 15 Intelligence tamed and eventually mounted by a rider or may be
(Investigation) check will reveal the dried bloodstains sold for a significant amount of money (250 gp at
that seem to lead to and from the cracks. Orc footprints Nirzumbil, 500 gp in the lowlands).
will also be found heading to and from the cracks.
The PCs will make camp for the night on the
The cracks consist of three hippogriff aeries. Each is downward slope of Barazburil and can find a well-
approximately 30-40 ft. deep and are connected, sheltered hollow to make a fire. Distant bird calls can
though only by small cracks sufficient for Tiny be heard even in the dead of night.
creatures to pass through.
The next day, the PCs will spend the entire day
Each aerie has a large, 8-foot diameter nest made of descending the wide slopes of the mountain as it skirts
twigs, grass, leaves, mud, fur, and feathers. Each aerie the eastern edge of the High Forest.
is, from northwest to southeast, described below.
The PCs will spend the second night within sight of the
Aerie #1: valley floor down in the distance. This time there will
This aerie’s nest contains the half skeletal body of an be no hollow to camp in, and the PC will need to decide
adult hippogriff bearing signs of great bashing from if they want to light a fire.
blunt weapons and strikes from axes. A few broken
arrows of orcish make dot the place. The next day, the PCs will descend the slope and enter
the verges of the valley, with the High Forest curving
Lairing in the nest now, having consumed much of the to the north of the PCs. Skirting the eaves, the PCs will
carcass, are six giant centipedes. These will attack round the forest and towards late afternoon, The Targ
anyone searching through the nest. If someone takes will come into view.
the time to look at the nest carefully from a distance,
they can try to spot the hiding vermin. The Targ is as described by Adazil. However, as the
PCs gaze upon it, they will hear a ruckus emanating
Aerie #2: from its base, and if they look closely and gain a
This aerie’s nest is in disarray. An orc lies slumped vantage they can see a group of eight ogres who seem
over the mess, decomposing but with his face down, so to be dancing around the statue and ripping apart
his condition won’t be apparent without flipping the something fleshy and covered in crimson blood.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 10
 stone giants, going to and from The Targ. Many are old
As the PCs observe the spectacle, unless they are well and worn, but some show signs of recent activity (i.e.
hidden, they will be spotted by three ogres who have within the week). Other signs near the river show
seen them from atop a ridge opposite The Targ, about animals of various sorts, including bears, and the
200 feet from where the PCs are watching the footprints of orcs, goblins, and ogres.
spectacle at The Targ. These ogres will bellow,
allowing their compatriots at The Targ to hear them if If anyone comes to within 20 ft. of the stream, he will
the dancing ogres succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom be attacked at some point by a giant crayfish (treat as a
(Perception) check. The ogres can make this check giant crab) that dwells in a cave under the stream.
each round. The crayfish is interested in grabbing a meal and
dragging it to its nearby cave to eat. It will burst from
In the meantime, the three ogres will leap up to attack the water and likely attack with surprise.
the PCs, relying on their size to overcome superior
numbers. Once their compatriots have heard their The cave is not too difficult to reach but must be
bellowing, they will require a DC 10 Wisdom located by a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. It is
(Perception) check to spot what is happening. This entirely underwater and is 30 ft. long by 10 ft. wide.
check can be made each round. If the ogres at The Within are the bones of long-ago catches, many of
Targ see what is happening, all eight will attack the these now encrusted with minerals. A DC 15
PCs. If they fail to see what is happening, they will Intelligence (Investigation) check will turn up the
decide something is up after 3 rounds and will send following (roll randomly for each successful check,
four of their number to investigate, and those four will with each such check taking a minute) amid the mud
also bellow if they find trouble. or encrusted with minerals:

It will take ogres ten rounds to run from The Targ to • a well-crafted handaxe clearly of dwarven make
the PCs’ vantage. • a corroded leather belt pouch holding 16 gp, 4
pp, and a potion of growth
These ogres are blood-thirsty and stupid, but they will • a steel scroll tube sealed with wax that holds a
still turn and run if outmatched. spell scroll of hypnotic pattern
• a golden holy symbol to Moradin studded with
If The Targ is approached, it will be seen that the emerald chips worth 250 gp
bodies of four large deer, a black bear, and a goblin • a skeletal hand upon which ringer is a ring of
have been slaughtered upon the foot of the statue, as if alertness (see Appendix A)
in some sort of crude ritual sacrifice to The Targ. These • an orc skull which mouth clamps down upon a
ogres are new to the area, having come with the orcs, potion of water breathing
and they believe The Targ is an ancient power to be
revered. They hope if they sacrifice enough to The It will take half a day from whichever route is taken to
Targ, it will grant them power and virility and cunning. reach the stream that feeds into the Trickledown from
The ogres do not know that the statue is called The Mount Griminul. The PCs can then follow the stream
Targ. They call is Nargash-verasht, which means north until it ascends the slopes of Griminul.
Ancient Tall One in Giant.
Towards afternoon, the PCs will spy the top of the
Section Four – The Trickledown Valley Great Spire. No movement can be seen around its crest.
Whichever route the PCs have taken, they will arrive
the next morning into the Trickledown Valley, which Shortly thereafter, the PCs will hear the roar of the
nestles between Haranzinil to the southwest and falls indicated on their map. It is then that they will
Griminul to the northeast. The valley is about a mile also find a game path or small trail that seems to
wide and filled with lush grasses, though tall weeds parallel the stream towards the falls.
grow at the stream’s edge, surmounted by scrub and
bushes so that the stream is often entirely screened
from sight even a few tens of yards away.

Large footprints can be found in the soft ground As the PCs arrive at the falls, they will observe its
adjacent to the stream, these being of giants, mostly beauty, a scintillating emerald cascade of water that

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 11
drops 45 ft. from the top into a large pool at its base, The favour is simple. There are two werewolves in the
before then flowing out to form the stream that leads region, not more than two hours hike from here. The
to the Trickledown. werebear wants these menaces slain, for they threaten
him and his progeny. The werebear knows where they
As the PCs watch, a deep, booming voice will call out in dwell, but he is loath to attack them for fear that while
Common: he attacks one, the other will come here and slay his
child. Verego will not say where his lair and child are,
Beautiful, isn’t she? though because of his stated fear, the lair and child
must be very nearby. Verego can give the PCs
Turning, the PCs will see a large, hairy, full-bearded directions to the lair.
barrel of a human man in a plain cloth tunic and
breeches leaning upon a large greataxe. He has a smile If the PCs agree, Verego will say that all he needs is a
across his beefy face and thumbs his axe aimlessly. single werewolf slain, for then he can go and kill the
other at his convenience; they are to bring him the
This is Verego, a werebear who dwells in this area. He head of one of them. However, if the PCs can bring
lives in a cave behind the falls, once the lair of a long- back the heads of both werewolves, he will grant them
departed fossergrim (a fey spirit of waterfalls). Within a special boon.
the cave dwell Verego and his child.
Verego will warn the PCs that the werewolves are
Verego will introduce himself (but will not give any immune to nonmagical weapons unless they are
indication that he is a werebear) and then question the silvered. If the PCs seem to be lacking such weapons,
PCs, asking who they are and why they are here. He is he will offer to let them borrow his silvered longsword
very good at sensing the truth of things (assume he has and quiver of silvered arrows, if the PCs return them
a Wisdom [Insight] bonus of +6) and will not take (i.e. any unbroken arrows) afterwards.
kindly to any falsehoods. In fact, if lied to or told a half-
truth, he will rumble and growl: If the PCs refuse Verego and try to sneak by him, to get
to the hive, he will track them and shadow them for a
There are few things that get my ire up but lying is one time and will likely hike himself and his child up to the
of them. I ask you once more and expect you to answer hive to make sure the PCs are not there without his
truthfully or to turn and begone. If you lie to me again, permission. If he finds the PCs, he will hide his child
there will be blood staining yon pristine waters! and then attack them to drive them off.

Verego’s lair is difficult to find. A DC 18 Wisdom

If the PCs lie again, he will growl and attack, changing
(Perception) check is required from someone looking
into his bear form. He will not hunt down and kill the
directly at or behind the falls. A ledge winds its way
PCs, but even his casual attacks can slay. He will
from the far edge of the falls behind and into the cave.
attempt to run the PCs off and will, thereafter, attack
them on sight.
Within the cave are sparse wooden furnishings,
including a table and chairs, a wooden bed stuffed with
Should the PCs deal truthfully with Verego, he will
furs, straw, and feathers, and a wooden cradle that
laugh and ask the PCs what gives them to right to
holds the babe of Verego. The babe’s mother died in
plunder his hive? Whatever the answer, should the PCs
childbirth.
prove courteous and respectful, Verego will say that
the PCs may, indeed, have access to his hive under two
Oil lamps sit here and there to provide illumination.
conditions:
Hidden behind stones at the far end of the cavern is
1. That they make certain that the queen bee and
Verego’s treasure. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
her male regent bee survive so that the hive may
(Investigation) check is needed to locate the treasure,
be repopulated. The regent can be identified by
which includes:
double red stripes and he will always be close to
the queen.
• a ring of silver showing a nude woman petting a
bear worth 35 gp (this was Verego’s wife’s
2. That the PCs first do a favour for him.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 12
 engagement ring and he is very sentimental
about it) A. Entry Chamber
• a suit of chainmail +1 (once belonging to the This chamber contains a few gnawed upon bones and
fossergrim) some wolf dung. Scrawled upon the northern wall in
• a wooden box holding 170 sp, 32 gp, 4 pp, and blood in Common is:
ten small rubies worth 150 gp each
• a silvered longsword LEAVE NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN. DEATH AWAITS
• A quiver of 20 silvered arrows WITHIN!

If the PCs return with both werewolf heads, Verego The wolf dung was here to scare away animal
will reward them with the chainmail (he has no use for intruders. The bloody writing is designed to deter
it, it being dangerous to him if he decides to change intelligent intruders.
form while wearing it).
B. Pet Lair
The Werewolves Within this chamber are gnawed upon bones and a bed
The werewolves live in a small set of caves about two of fur and leaves.
hours of rough hiking from the falls. Refer to the
Werewolf Den Map at the end of this adventure for Flickering light comes from the passageway to the
details. east.

The werewolves are a mated pair, cunning and versed This chamber is the lair of the pet of the werewolves, a
in coordinating their attacks and using their mobility wolf who is friend and sometimes mate to the male
to best advantage. The two werewolves are almost werewolf. The wolf is very aggressive and protective of
always found in wolf form. its masters and will attack any intruders it encounters,
letting out a howl to alert its masters.
Note: This is a deadly encounter for a group of four 3rd
level PCs. Tackling these werewolves will require The light is from the torches in room D.
preparation, planning, tactics, and the like. If the DM
feels that the PCs cannot handle such an encounter, he
can rule that one of the werewolves is out hunting at
C. Larder
the time the PCs arrive, and he returns to the caves a Hanging from wooden beams pounded into the ceiling
few rounds after his mate has been slain. Tackling the are various corpses hung by small lengths of rope.
werewolves one at a time turns the encounter from a These include several deer, and orc, a dwarf, and two
deadly one to a hard one. goblins. All have torn throats, and each has set beneath
it a large wooden bowl that has collected the blood.
These caves are rough and naturally formed. Floors
and ceilings are littered with mineral structures, less Flickering light comes from the passageway to the
so in rooms A, B, and C and more so deeper into the south.
caves. Such structures include stalactites, stalagmites,
lattices, pipes, et al. All the walls are moist. This cave is used by the werewolves to store food and
to collect blood for drinking and for the conduct of
Ceilings. Unless otherwise stated, passages range from profane rites.
5-7 ft. in height and chambers are approximately as
tall as they are wide. The light comes from room D.

Light. Room A is unlit, but some sunlight spills in D. Dining Chamber

during daylight hours. All other rooms, except room D, Torches set into small niches gouged into the walls are
are unlit and pitch dark unless a light source has been alight and illuminate this chamber. The room is
introduced. The werewolves cannot see in the dark but furnished with a wooden table, two wooden chairs,
rely on their keen hearing and smell and their intimate and two serving sets of plates, bowls, and utensils,
familiarity of these caves to navigate. none of any fine make. Two metal mugs also rest on
the table. Nearby are two barrels. The remnants of a
Sounds. The faint sound of water drops can be heard.

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 G. Living Chamber
meal is on the place settings, and it is easily discernible This large chamber is lit by several torches thrust
from the scraps and blood that the diners prefer their between mineral formations along the walls.
meat raw.
Within is a large wooden bed covered with many furs.
The barrels contain water and dwarven ale. Next to that is a weapon rack holding two pickaxes, a
battleaxe, 3 handaxes, and 2 shortbows. Two quivers
E. Trapped Chamber full of arrows lie nearby.
Flickering light comes from the passageway to the
north and from the east. Hanging from pegs next to the bed are tunics,
breeches, cloaks, and various other outfits. Boots stand
A pit has been dug here, gouged into the stone floor beneath the clothing.
with pickaxes. The pit is 10 ft. square and is centered
on the point where the “E” is labelled on the map. This A table is in the center of the room, along with two low
leaves a small ledge running along the west wall and chairs formed of furs draped over tree trunks. The
then the south wall that allows passage between table includes various mundane items, such as a
rooms B, D, F, and G. sewing kit, furs and pelts, utility knives, wooden mugs,
several bottles of wine, a coil of hempen rope, and
The pit is covered with furs that have been sewn several skulls.
together. Several iron spikes have been pounded into
the floor, holding the fur in place. Rocks and dirt have The clothing forms two sets of male peasant outfits
been set on the fur to camouflage it. When anything and two sets of female peasant outfits.
more than 40 lbs. is placed on the fur, it rips apart,
dumping those upon it into the pit. The wine on the table is fairly nasty common vintage,
almost turned to vinegar. The skulls, if examined, are
Allow a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice goblin skulls.
something is amiss with the floor here. If the trap is
sprung, those caught by it can make a DC 15 Dexterity The two werewolves can normally be found here if
saving throw to leap aside in time to avoid falling. not alerted to danger. They will be sleeping, relaxing,
Otherwise, those who fall will take 2d6 damage from working, or mating here.
the 20 ft. fall. The walls of the pit are somewhat sheer
and require a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to H. Treasure Chamber
climb. If the check is failed by 5 or more, the climber This small chamber holds a bundle of furs, a leather
falls back into the pit and suffers another 1d6 points of quiver of arrows, a bone scroll tube, a leather pouch,
falling damage. and a large leather sack.

The light to the north comes from the torches in room This place holds the werewolves’ treasure, mostly
D, while the light from the east comes from the torches stolen from goblins and dwarves:
in room G.
• the bundle of furs is worth 50 gp and weighs 50
F. Water Chamber lbs.
Water drops from the ceiling into this chamber, • the quiver holds 20 silvered arrows
forming a pool. • the bone scroll tube is marked with runes in
Goblin and holds a spell scroll of protection from
The pool is 4-5 ft. deep and the water is clean and poison
meets the needs of the inhabitants of these caves. The • the leather pouch bears a symbol of a bloody
pool drains drop by drop into the underground water two headed axe, the symbol of Maglubiyet, the
table. god of goblins (a DC 13 Intelligence [Religion]
check will reveal the nature of the symbol) and
holds six small topazes worth 50 gp each and a
whip feather token

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 • the leather sack contains 400 cp, 210 sp, 43 gp, Moving across the cells at normal speed requires a DC
and 13 pp of varying mints, including orc, dwarf, 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid falling afoul of
goblin, and human an open cell and falling prone. Moving at half speed
requires no check.

The average cell is hexagonal, about 4 ft. tall, and

slightly less than 1 ft. wide.
The hive can be located once the general area is
discerned by simply following the low, droning buzz Bees are extremely aggressive defending their hive
that permeates the area. In addition, the vale before and will attack en masse, flying in from other
the cave is full of extraordinarily large wildflowers, a chambers as well. Only the queen and her regent will
sign of nearby giant bee habitation (apparently, the not emerge to fight, instead remaining in the third
bees possess some chemical that causes the flowers to chamber to defend themselves.
breed larger and larger over time).
Ceilings. Ceilings are as indicated in the text.
The PCs will no doubt encounter a giant bee or two on
the way to the hive if the journey is undertaken during Light. There is no light in the hive, although, during
the daylight. These will be absolutely non-aggressive daylight, the first chamber has enough by which to see.
unless molested and will tend to fly away even in the
face of trouble. They are busy gathering pollen and Sounds. The ever-present buzz of giant bees can be
nectar and many will have their legs full of the fuzzy heard here.
stuff. The bees have the distinctive red stripe that
lends their name. The giant bees here use the same statistics as the giant
wasp from the Monster Manual.
The hive is a cave with an opening 40 ft. wide and 20 ft.
tall. This is set at the rear of a small stone shelf that, Chamber One
itself, sits atop a talus of crumbled stones and This chamber is 40 ft. tall by 60 ft. wide by 80 ft. long.
boulders. There is no great difficulty in climbing the At the rear of the chamber is a passageway about 15 ft.
talus, and the bees to not consider it to be a part of above the “floor” level. The opening to the passageway
their hive, so they will not attack PCs while they climb. is 10 ft. in diameter.
However, the bees do consider the stone shelf as their
hive and anyone entering the shelf or the cave beyond
The opening in the rear of this chamber leads to
will be subject to attacks.
chamber two.
There is no map presented for the hive, as the bees do
Within the chamber, many drones can be found
not use tactics of any sort. The cavern containing the
buzzing about forming new cells and repairing
hive is made of three chambers, each deeper into the
damaged ones.
mountainside. Each chamber is filled with giant
honeycombs along the walls, floor, and ceiling. Many of
During daylight hours, assume 1d10 giant bees are
these are capped and contain wriggling larvae (AC 10,
present. Additionally, assume every 10 rounds 1d3
2 hp, no attacks). Still more of these are capped and
giant bees arrive and, if no alarm has been raised, 1d3
contain honey or are uncapped and are partially filled
giant bees depart. However, there will never be more
with the amber liquid. Finally, a portion of these cells
than 11 bees present in this chamber (less any killed
are uncapped and empty.
outside) prior to an alerted hive.
The honeycomb is made of wax. This wax is fairly thick
During nighttime, all 11 giant bees will be here (less
(about 2 inches) and a given 5 ft. square of it has 10 hit
any slain outside the hive).
points and is vulnerable to fire damage. Wax destroyed
by fire melts, and melted wax can pose a hazard as it is
quite gooey and viscous and can entrap a victim if it Chamber Two
hardens. The details of this are left to the DM. The floor of this chamber is 5 ft. below the entryway.
The cavern is 30 ft. tall, 30 ft. wide, and 50 ft. long.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 15
There is an opening at the rear of the chamber that is The PCs may try some other methods, such as
10 ft. in diameter. sneaking in (requiring spells like invisibility and
silence). They can also use the old beekeeper’s trick of
The opening at the rear of this chamber leads to smoking the bees. It will require a lot of smoke to
chamber three. affect the entire hive, but creative ways to do this are
possible, including using one or more pyrotechnics
Within this place are more drones, here with many spells (from the Elemental Evil Player’s Supplement) or
broods in capped cells, some eggs and some almost simply building a large, smoky bonfire and using gust
ready to emerge. of wind to fan it into the hive.

During daylight hours, 1d8 giant bees are present. If a lot of smoke is propagated throughout the hive, the
During nighttime, there will be 8 giant bees present. bees will be unable to send their alarm pheromones to
alert the hive. They will be confused but calm,
Chamber Three staggering around as if drunk. The smoke does not
harm the bees, however, and once it clears the hive
This smaller caver is 20 ft. in diameter, with the will return to normal.
entrance form the previous chamber emerging into
this cavern at the equator of the roughly spherical Of course, the PCs will have to figure out how to
chamber. There are fewer cells here, and they are operate and collect honey in such smoky conditions.
larger than in previous chambers.
Remember that the bees consider the stone shelf at the
A few of the cells have large eggs within, and some of entrance of the hive to be a part of the hive, so setting
the cells contain a deep red jelly (which is of course, up a bonfire there will require fending off attacks from
royal jelly). the bees.

Within the chamber always are the queen and her Likely, a clever group of PCs can come up with other
regent. The giant queen bee (see Appendix B) is a ways to get into the hive and collect the honey.
large bee with normal forequarters and bloated
hindquarters. She is basically an egg-laying machine.

The regent is the queen’s bodyguard and main breeder

and is designated by two red stripes instead of the There is more honey than can be carried by the mules.
normal single crimson band. The regent has the same There is also a quantity of royal jelly in the third
stats as a normal giant bee. chamber. Assuming the PCs take all of the royal jelly
and then as much honey as they can carry, they will
net the following (which, of course, must be split with
Adazil):
The bees’ honey can be harvested in a variety of ways
by the PCs.
• 12 pints of royal jelly worth 250 gp per pint. This
Verego, when he wants honey, can just take it, since his substance is also useful in magic dealing with size
lycanthropy makes him immune to the stings of the and youth and is integral to brewing potions that
bees. lengthen life or restore youth.

The PCs can, of course, just fight their way into the • 32 gallons of amber honey worth 75 gp per gallon in
hive, killing bees and, once they have fully cleared Nirzumbil and 100 gp per gallon in the lowlands.
chamber one and chamber two, gather all of the honey
they like. Gathering royal jelly from chamber three will • Half the PCs’ share of what they bring back in honey,
require the PCs to disable or endure the attacks of the or 8 gallons at most, can be brewed into Red Stripe
regent bee while they gather the jelly (unless, of Honey mead by Adazil’s brewer. This will net 64
course, they want to destroy the entire hive and anger gallons of the mead, each of which can fetch 50 gp in
Verego by killing the regent). the lowlands and half that in Nirzumbil.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . A Taste of Honey 16
The journey back to Nirzumbil should involve
wandering monster checks and, if the PCs return by a
route that is different than the route they took to
arrive at the hive, then the DM can have the PCs meet
the planned encounters for that route as well.

Award standard XP for defeated foes.

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Ring, uncommon (requires attunement)

This ring is made of antler horn and carved with

Orcish runes. It grants the wearer proficiency in the
Wisdom (Survival) skill. If the wearer already has
proficiency in that skill, it grants him expertise
(doubling his proficiency bonus). If the wearer already
has expertise in the skill, then the ring has no effect.

Ring, rare (requires attunement)

This ring grants the wearer proficiency in the Wisdom

(Perception) skill. If the wearer already has proficiency
in that skill, it grants him expertise (doubling his
proficiency bonus). If the wearer already has expertise
in the skill, then the ring has
no effect

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Senmurvs have the head, body, and clawed back paws
of a dog, with two feathery wings in place of the dog’s
front paws. They stand upright and are vibrantly
coloured; no two have the same pattern. The eyes of a
senmurv are gem-coloured, usually sapphire blue,
ruby red, or emerald green, and do not have pupils.

Dedicated to Its Cause. Senmurv are intelligent

creatures that are ferocious defenders of good. They
commonly act as mounts, scouts, and guardians for
nonevil humanoids such as elves, dwarves, and
gnomes.

Aid Those in Need. Senmurvs have been known to

provide aid to humanoids in distress, especially those
under attack by evil creatures. Senmurvs are very
particular about whom they assist, and they become
enraged if they discover duplicity or betrayal among
those they are so assisting.

Combat Diver. Senmurvs are experts at diving into

combat for deadly strikes before retreating to safety.
They typically strafe an opponent a few times before
closing into melee.

Mounts. A senmurv can carry a rider and gear

weighing no more than 200 lbs. Senmurvs do not
tolerate saddles well, so the rider must learn to do
without. The senmurv appeared in the Fiend Folio for the 3rd edition of
Dungeons & Dragons.

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Groundlings are short and stocky, sharing the build of
dwarves – in fact they can easily be mistaken for
dwarves from a distance. Their stunted ears are buried
in wild fur, and their eyes appear as narrow slits. A
long, bristled snout replaces the dwarven nose, and
large fangs protrude from the extended mouth. A
groundling’s hands end in powerful talons. The
creatures generally stink of spoiled meat.

Created by Wizardry. Groundlings are assassins

magically altered by evil wizards. Originally of
dwarven stock, they have been hideously transformed
to incorporate the features of giant badgers.

Cunning Burrowers. Groundlings are cunning in

combat, using their ability to burrow quickly through
the earth to gain tactical advantage, attacking from
below to gain surprise on their foes. They are known
to use ambushes, feigned retreats, and attacks
converging from various directions against a quarry
whose location is known.

The groundling appeared in Monsters of Faerun for the 3rd edition of

Dungeons & Dragons.

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This section introduces variations of monsters that are
described in the Monster Manual.

Giant bees use the statistics for giant wasps given in The Monster Manual provides statistics for the typical
the Monster Manual. However, PCs meet another kind hippogriff. However, PCs meet another kind of
of giant bee in the course of this adventure. hippogriff in the course of this adventure.

These large creatures appear as a giant bee with a This represents a hippogriff foal, not newly born, but
severely bloated abdomen. They do not attack, even to also not old enough to strike out on its own. Such a
defend themselves, but usually one or more giant bees young creature is capable of being raised and trained
serve as bodyguards (or regents) to the queen. as a mount.

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The Monster Manual provides statistics for the typical
kobold. However, PCs meet another kind of kobold in
the course of this adventure.

These kobolds serve as the shamans and wise people

of their tribes. They claim that their ability to wield
sorcery proves their direct bloodline to dragons, and
this places them in a position of respect amongst their
tribemates.

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This section presents statistics for NPCs encountered
in this adventure that are not presented in the Monster
Manual.

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 Adazil’s Map

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 Werewolf Den Map

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