shadow of a holy rock.
Size/Type: Village Population: 543
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Demographics: 90% human, 9% dwarf, 1% other Gold Limit: 200 gp/5430 gp assets.
Power Center: Conventional (Village council, LN)
Authority figures: Sheik Abdullah Kazir, male human Com12
(village elder); Kassir En-Virk, male dwarf Exp8 (village coun- cil member); Vassira Kazir, female human Clr7 (village council member); Lawmistress Sailama Tel-Iviir, female human Exp7 (village council member); Hassan Bin Fassoon, male human Brd4 (village council member)
Important Non Player Characters: Asyra Salome, female
purebood yuan-ti Brd4/Scg4 (spy and fortune teller)
History/Background: In the heart of the desert stands a rock,
though calling it a rock is like calling a dragon a lizard. Over five miles long, a half-mile wide, and 700 feet high at its highest point, from above, the Serpent Rock appears to be a sinuous snake traversing an endless sea of sand.
Its size and uniqueness alone would be enough to attract attention, but Serpent Rock is more than just a convenient landmark for trav- elers. First, it harbors a substantial oasis, supporting plants and wildlife, particu- larly snakes. Second, the rock is a miner’s paradise, offering up gemstones of several dif- ferent types to those with the skill to find them. Third, and most importantly, a long lost temple to the Law Lord is carved from the living rock. For many years, Serpent Rock was nothing more than a reference point for mer- chant caravans crossing the desert. But 120 years ago, after exhaustive research, the great sage Dellama discov- ered in an obscure text that at that very rock, the Law Lord’s faithful won a great battle against the followers of a chaotic snake god. hey carved a temple into the stone to commemorate their vic- tory, and prospered for a time. But some disaster befell them, and the last of their
clerics sealed the temple and buried the doors under an enor- mous pile of rock. When the next caravan came through and found nothing but corpses and ruin, the word quickly spread among the superstitious desert folk that Serpent Rock was cursed. None of them would go there, and knowledge of the temple faded into obscurity until Dellama found word of it in that venerable text.
She funded an expedition to recover the temple, and the base camp they established eventually became the village that now bears her name. The resurrection of the temple and town subsequently restored the trade route past the rock, and Dellamabad has prospered as a result of both this trade and the discovery of precious stones near the west end of the rock. This attracted a small group of dwarves willing to brave the desert heat for a chance to tap this new resource.
General Layout/First Impressions: Serpent Rock is visible for
miles in the desert. The oasis, village, and temple doors are nestled on the south side of the rock in one of its twists, and much of it stays in the shade except when the sun is high in the sky. A large, still pond, a number of tents, and three stone buildings make up the main village. The glorious golden doors of the temple reflect in the oasis’s still waters. Horses and
camels are a common sight about the village, as are children playing ball in their billowing, loose native clothes while adults go about their business.
Economy/Trade: The inhabitants of Dellamabad produce very
little for trade. Their primary means of income are resupplying traveling merchants and maintaining the temple and its ancient records. However, the dwarves and young humans that help them mine and craft jewelry have started to sell their wares, increasing the village’s wealth and the merchant traffic through it. Some of the more austere, devout villagers disapprove of this, though, as they feel the increase in traffic and money distracts the village from the worship of their god.
Tea has great value here, as it is the favored drink of the villagers. Merchants that have tea can always find buyers here.
Customs/Laws: Dellamabad has a strictly enforced code of
laws, as one might expect. Three members of the village coun- cil preside over cases on a rotating basis. Murder, rape, and other such heinous crimes are punishable by execution. This normally involves staking the guilty out in the desert until dead. Thieves or their families must repay double the value of what they stole, and the thief gets 10 lashes. A third conviction for stealing indicates a refusal to learn the law, and the thief is maimed, normally by having one of his hands cut off.
Wasting water gets five lashes, as does allowing an animal to drink directly from the oasis. Bathing or swimming in the oasis is an affront to the town, and the transgressor is given 10 lashes and banished from the village. Fighting and other minor infractions are settled with a simple fine, usually amount- ing to one percent of the guilty party’s total worth, but not usually more than 20gp unless someone was seriously hurt, in which case reparations to the wounded are sometimes assessed. Blasphemy against the Law Lord is treated very harshly; the offender gets 20 lashes, his wounds are salted, and he is ban- ished on pain of death.
The customary dress in the town is a long, loose fitting robe, normally white or black, that covers all but the face and hands. This both protects the wearer from the sun and encour- ages modesty. uring celebrations, such as the anniversary of the village’s founding or weddings and the like, this custom is relaxed, and brighter colors and more attractive fabrics are worn.
Hospitality is very important to the residents, and all that obey the village’s laws are made welcome. A family will give its guests the best of its wares, and will eat and sleep poorly if it must, rather than be a bad host. Tea is the favored drink of Dellamabad, and each family takes pride in its quality and presentation.
Rituals to honor the Law Lord are performed weekly. These are attended by all his faithful. Most villagers offer up daily prayers on their own, as well.
Like most desert folk, the villagers are a superstitious lot. Nearly every resident has some charm, gesture, or saying used to ward off evil. As well, every week a small offering of gold and silver is left on a flat protrusion of the rock to appease the spirits of the desert. The next morning, the offering is always gone, and none have seen who takes it.
Religion/Worship: Almost every inhabitant of Dellamabad
worships the Law Lord. They are not exactly intolerant of other gods, but they do wear an air of superiority some may find annoying. Clerics of chaotic gods, bards, and barbarians are looked upon with suspicion and watched closely for the slight- est infraction against the village’s laws, but if they prove them- selves, this scrutiny usually stops.
Locations/Personas
1: Hall of the Lawkeepers: This stone building is three stories
high with a domed roof. The high front doors are decorated in gold and lapis. Tasteful draperies flap in the breeze from the many windows in stark contrast to the dark gray stone quarried from Serpent Rock.
It is here that the village council meets to discuss its issues. Town meetings and trials are also conducted in its walls. A small bureaucracy, typical of even such a small lawful village, has taken root here and visitors may find themselves spending a few hours in the Hall when they arrive, filling out forms and stating their business and the like.
This building is also the living quarters for two of the council members, the village elder, Sheik Abdullah Kazir, and the Lawmistress Sailama Tel-Iviir.
Abdullah is a portly man in his mid-fifties, standing five foot seven and weighing nearly 200 pounds. He has dark brown eyes, gray, curly hair and a wiry gray beard. He originally came to Dellamabad as a young merchant some 35 years ago. Over the course of the next ten years, he came to love the village, and decided to settle. He has continued his businesses from here, and is quite prosperous.
Abdullah is calm, reasonable, loves the law and has a deep commitment to the truth. He is shrewd and not easily fooled, and detests lying. His daughter, the high priestess of the temple, is his pride and joy.
Sheik Abdullah Kazir, male human Com12: CR 11; Medium
humanoid; HD 12d4+3; hp 35; Init -2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 8, touch 8, flat-footed 8; Base Atk +6; Grp +5; Atk +7 melee (1d8-1, morningstar) or +5 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); Full Atk +7/+2 melee (1d8-1, morningstar) or +5 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +8; AL LN; Str 8, Dex 7, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 14.
Languages: Common, Goblin Dwarf, Draconic. Skills and feats: Craft (tailor) +19, Knowledge (law)
+10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Listen +14, Profession (mer- chant) +19, Ride +6, Sense Motive +11, Spot +14; Alertness, Skill Focus (Craft (tailor)), Skill Focus (Profession (merchant)), Toughness, Weapon Focus (morningstar), Weapon Proficiency (light crossbow).
Possessions: masterwork morningstar, masterwork light
crossbow, fine clothes and fabrics worth 3,000 gp, potion of invisibility, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of fox’s cun- ning, two vials of antitoxin, 782gp, 17,152sp.
Sailama is a slender, almost frail woman in her late twenties with should length black hair and sapphire blue eyes. She is five feet, three inches tall and weighs 105 pounds. Sailama
is actually very attractive, but is also quiet, bookish, and unas- suming. She has lived in Dallamabad her whole life and knows as much about the town as anyone. She favors law tempered by compassion, and has tried to change the village’s draconian laws, thus far with little success.
The Lawmistress has an astonishing wellspring of knowledge and is respected by the villagers. This sometimes isolates her from the rest of the town, and Sailama is a bit of a lonely woman; her only real friend is Asyra Salome, whose talents for deception have actually managed to fool Sailama. She is usually incredibly sharp, and is likely to see through any insincere lothario’s attempts to curry her favor.
Lawmistress Sailama Tel-Iviir, female human Exp7: Medium
humanoid; Size M; HD 7d6-7; hp 16; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 10, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +5; Grp +3; Atk +4 melee (1d6-2/x3, halfspear) or +6 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); Full Atk +4 melee (1d6-2/x3, halfspear) or +6 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +9; AL LG; Str 6, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 19, Wis 15, Cha 13.
Languages: Common, Infernal, Celestial, Abyssal, Dwarf. Skills and feats: Appraise +11, Decipher Script +16, Diplo-
macy +11, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +14, Knowledge (law) +17, Knowledge (religion) +14, Listen +12, Sense Motive +15, Spot +12, Profession (scribe) +14; Diligent, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge (law)), Skill Focus (Sense Motive).
Possessions: masterwork halfspear, masterwork light cross-
bow, studded leather, oil of timelessness x 3, a book collection worth 4,000gp, jewelry worth 150gp, 28gp, 204sp.
2: Delver’s Guildhall: This squat, one-story stone building
houses many of the village’s dwarves when they are not digging into Serpent Rock’s west end for gems. The dwarves have acclimated to many of their human neighbors’ customs, but in typical dwarven fashion are somewhat less open with strangers. Most of the dwarves worship both their own god and the Law Lord. The interior of the guildhall is not quite as spartan as the dwarves’ image might indicate. Fine stone sculptures can be seen in the halls, and dwarven finery features many precious and semi-precious stones.
The head of this small clan, Kassir En-Virk, is a dedicated servant of his people, and worked hard to attain his position on the council.
Kassir is just over four feet tall and weighs 165 pounds. He is an interesting study in contrasts. Kassir is a gruff, surly dwarf dedicated to his people, and is disdainful of “flighty” races like elves, halflings, and gnomes. However, he also has the soul of an artist. His jewelry and sculpture are developing a reputation that extends far beyond his isolated desert home. His appearance is dour and very dwarven, but his quarters, which few are ever permitted to see, are decorated with beautiful works of art.
Kassir En-Virk, male dwarf Exp8: CR 7; Medium humanoid;
HD 8d6+16; hp 49; Init -1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 15, touch 9, flat- footed 15; Base Atk +6; Grp +10; Atk +11 melee (1d8+5/x3, +1 battleaxe) or +6 ranged (1d10/19-20, heavy crossbow); Full
Atk +11/+6 melee (1d8+5/x3, +1 battleaxe) or +6 ranged (1d10/ 19-20, heavy crossbow); SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +6; AL LG; Str 18, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 9.
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Orc, Goblin.
Skills and feats: Appraise +13, Craft (jeweler) +16, Craft
(sculpture) +16, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (art) +13, Listen +11, Profession (miner) +13, Sense Motive +5, Spot +11; Shield Proficiency, Skill Focus (Craft (jewelry)), Skill Focus (Craft (sculpture)), Weapon Proficiency (Battleaxe).
Possessions: +1 battleaxe, masterwork heavy crossbow,
masterwork chain shirt, heavy steel shield, masterwork crafts- man tools, 2,700gp in assorted gems and art.
3: Temple of Law: The temple around which Dellamabad has
grown was carved right into Serpent Rock. The huge golden doors are carved with the story of the snake god’s defeat at the hands of the Law Lord’s forces. The temple is the focal point of the town and was constructed to be defensible should the need arise.
A small antechamber decorated in bas-reliefs of the Law Lord’s history, leads from the doors to the main hall. The main hall can easily hold the entire village’s populace for the weekly prayer meetings. There are archways that lead out of the main hall to smaller crèches and a couple of stone doors which only a select few in the village are permitted to enter. These lead to the burial catacombs, library vaults, or priests’ quarters depending on the door. The deepest parts of the temple are still sealed, as neither the high priestess nor the lawmistress have been able to divine exactly what is down there.
Vasira, the current high priestess of the temple, is Sheik Abdullah Kazir’s oldest daughter. She stands slightly under five- and-a-half feet tall, and weighs 130 pounds. She has long, wavy, auburn hair, hazel eyes and is about thirty. Less strict in her interpretation of law than her predecessors, some village elders disapprove of her forward thinking. She is also less cerebral than some of the other clerics. Vasira is a woman of action, not introspection. In spite of the grumblings of some of the devout, Vasira is very dedicated to the Law Lord. She takes her responsibilities and the spiritual well being of her people very seriously, but simply does not fit the image of the stern, righteous daughter of law some would expect.
Vasira Kazir, female human Clr7: CR 7; Medium humanoid;
HD 7d8+7; hp 35; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 20, touch 10, flat- footed 20; Base Atk +5; Grp +6; Atk +8 melee (1d8+2, +1 heavy mace) or +6 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+2, +1 heavy mace) or +6 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SA turn undead 5/day; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +9; AL LN; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 14.
Languages: Common.
Skills and feats: Concentration +6, Diplomacy +7, Knowledge
(law) +2, Knowledge (religion) +6, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +4; Enlarge Spell, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (heavy mace).
Possessions: +1 splint mail, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 heavy
mace, pearl of power (1st level), elixir of truth, potion of owl’s wisdom, masterwork light crossbow, 56gp.
spell level): 0 - create water*2, detect magic, light, mending,
resistance; 1st - bless, command, comprehend languages, divine favor, shield of faith, sanctuary*; 2nd - augury, bull’s strength, hold person, summon monster II, shield other*; 3rd - invisibility purge, negative energy protection, speak with dead, magic circle against chaos*; 4th - freedom of movement, neutralize poison, order’s wrath*
* Domain spell. Domains: Law (cast law spells at +1 caster
level), Protection (grant someone you touch a resistance bonus equal to cleric level on next saving throw, lasts one hour, usable 1/day)
4: Palm Fronds Inn: This is the third stone structure in town.
It stands two stories high and has palm trees planted about it. While village customs demand hospitality for visitors, mer- chants generally prefer a more solid place to stay than a tent, so the inn sees a good amount of business.
The décor is elegant and tasteful, and it’s clear that someone with a fine aesthetic sense maintains the inn. The food and drink is expensive but worth it. There are regular performances of music, drama, and poetry given by the inn’s owner, Hassan Bin Fassoon, and Asyra Salome sometimes performs here as well.
At six feet tall and 173 pounds, Hassan is every inch the tall, dark, and handsome bard. His long black hair and goatee give him an air of mystery his customers lap up. A few of the villagers mistrust him because he is a bard, but his great charisma has won over most of them, and he was recently voted to the council. Despite the sidelong glances of some, he loves the village that has been his home for five years, and enjoys the merchant caravan audiences desperate for entertainment after many days traversing the desert.
Hassan is secretly having an affair with Asyra Salome. He is weak-willed and easily swayed by a pretty face, and is blithely unaware of her true nature. He simply believes her advice on village matters is meant to help him.
Hassan Bin Fassoon, male human Brd4: CR 4; Medium
humanoid; HD 4d6+4; hp 23; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2/18-20, +1 rapier) or +6 ranged (1d8/19-20, light cross- bow); Full Atk +5 melee (1d6+2/18-20, +1 rapier) and +3 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger) or +6 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SQ bardic music, bardic knowledge +6, countersong 4/day, fas- cinate 4/day, inspire courage 4/day, inspire competence 4/day; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2; AL N; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 18.
Languages: Common, Draconic, Terran.
Skills and feats: Balance +10, Decipher Script +4, Disguise
+9, Escape Artist +10, Hide +6, Knowledge (history) +6, Move Silently +7, Perform (act) +8; Perform (string instruments) +10, Perform (wind instruments) +8, Tumble +11; Agile, Two- Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse (rapier).
Possessions: +1 rapier, masterwork dagger, masterwork
studded leather, masterwork lute, masterwork flute, masterwork mandolin, 38gp, 2534sp.
Bard spells per day (3/3/1; save DC 14 + spell level): 0 - daze,
detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, open/close, prestidigita- tion; 1st - charm person, grease, silent image; 2nd - hypnotic pattern, invisibility
5: Asyra’s Oddities: This gaily-colored tent is the home of
Asyra Salome, who settled here about a year ago. Her assort- ment of glass and crystal trinkets and charms are popular in the village and with passing caravans. She also tells fortunes and performs at the inn, and is very knowledgeable about certain topics, which has endeared her to the Lawmistress in particular. Asyra Salome is a stunning, exotic-looking woman standing five foot eight and weighing 136 pounds, with waist-length, straight black hair and green eyes, and appears to be in her mid- twenties. Her slightly angular features suggest she is from some land far away. The villagers of Dellamabad have no idea from where she hails, and would be shocked if they knew exactly how foreign she really is. Why? Because Asyra is a pureblood yuan-ti, and a dedicated worshipper of the very snake god that the Law Lord defeated at Serpent Rock those many years ago. The only hint to her origin is a tracery of fine green scales that runs from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine. Courtesy of the town’s customary dress, this is almost always covered up.