Dangerous Encounter: The Treasure of Dri'in Hill - Part 2

This adventure picks up after the events of The Treasure of Dri'in Hill - Part 1 and assumes the PCs are entering the Mant hill. Refer to the map above for a map of the Mant lair. (Click for a larger version.) Upon entering the hill, PCs will descend a long sloping tunnel leading deep underground. PCs will enter the map from the north where indicated. Since it’s a new colony, there are not many Mants lurking about yet. The Mants in the underground colony have the same mutations and stats as the ones above ground. For convenience's sake, here are the stats for all Mants (MF rulebook, pg. 82) encountered in the Mant hill (rather than repeating them with each encounter):

Mants (AL C, MV 120' (40'), AC 5, HD 7, #AT 3 (2 claws, 1 bite), DG 1d8, 1d8, 2d8, SV L9, ML 11, Mutations: control light waves, body adjustment)

1. To help guard the entrance and deter intruders, the Mants have set up a rolling boulder trap shortly after the entrance tunnel levels out. A small thin tripwire is stretched across the tunnel. If the tripwire is broken, a large boulder will tumble out of a tunnel to the east. In 3 rounds, it will crash out of the alcove, crushing anyone in its way for 6d10 hit points of damage. The boulder will also completely seal off the entrance.

2. There are two Mant guards patrolling the entrance here. They will come running if they hear the boulder trap tripped.

3. This dead end is a new tunnel complex the Mants were working on. However they realized the earth was far too loose to be safely excavated so they abandoned the project. The earth should be described as very unstable, and dust and grit should constantly rain on the characters. There is very little chance of a cave-in (5%) unless the characters are actively disturbing the fragile ceiling. Make them squirm thinking that they may be buried alive. There is nothing of interest here.

4. This is a rookery where the Mant eggs being laid by the Queen (area 5) are being deposited. There are currently 47 large, orange, leathery eggs lining the walls and columns of this area. Three trained Giant Ants (MF rulebook, pg. 59) are patrolling this maze-like area. They are trained to attack any non-Mant.

Giant Ants (3) (AL N, MV 180' (60'), AC 3, HD 4, #AT 1, DG 2d6, SV L2, ML 7, Mutations: gigantism)

5. The Queen of the Mant colony is here (MF rulebook, pg. 82). She is being guarded by three Mant drones. She is monstrously bloated and is incapable of attacking or moving. If the Queen is attacked, she will release a monstrous hissing shriek that will reverberate throughout the complex. All other Mants in the complex will come running to her defense. She also has the mutations of control light waves and body adjustment like all other Mants in this colony have. NOTE: One of the Mant drones in this area has the keys to both the prisoner’s chains in area 6 and the treasure cage in area 8.

6. A prisoner is being held here to feed the Queen later. The mutated animal (beaver) is half-crazed with fright and will assume the PCs are there to drag him to his doom. He has fashioned a crude flint knife (1d4 hit points damage) that he will use to defend himself. If the PC calm him down, he will explain that his name is Siqve, and he came looking for the treasure as well. He was captured by the Mant patrol outside nearly 3 weeks ago. Siqve will tell the PCs he has a scroll proving the existence of the treasure. He'll unroll the "scroll" pictured to the right. “It says right there that it’s being kept in some kind of cage!” he'll say. Siqve knows that the treasure is being kept in the northwest area of the tunnel complex. If freed, he will fight alongside the PCs.

7. Four Mant guards are patrolling the entrance to the treasure area here.

8. The treasure of Dri'in Hill is here deep within this curling tunnel area. Surprisingly, the treasure is locked in an old cage (as a deterrent to keep the Mant drones from helping themselves to it). Siqve's personal possessions (weapon, tools) are here as well as the following: a fully charged hologram projector, a set of LazAb armor, a pair of infra-red goggles, and a survival kit. There is also 4,165 silver coins and 4,599 gold coins in a large aluminum strongbox. (If the Mutant Lord is feeling goofy, feel free to toss in a whole bunch of Ancient movie-related promotional stuff the Mants scavenged from the Snack Shack. That's also where Siqve found his "evidence" of the treasure.)

NOTE: The map of the Mant lair was generated using the Random Cave Map Creator at Gozzy’s.com.