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[1]: The Workshop of the Master AlchemistThis room contains everything Atoxin needs to perform his vile Dark Alchemy (see sidebar). A large bench contains quality alchemical supplies. Shelves 20’ up the interior stone walls of the cave hold several rare ingredients. A shelf 30’ up holds pre-mixed potions broken into several bottled Reagents of various colors (see ABC 2). Atoxin can mix these reagents to create potions as a Standard Action. Action: the group appears in this room at the point marked ‘X’ on the map (next to the fireplace in the SW corner). Atoxin stands at his customary position, marked ‘A’ on the map where he is attempting to understand the effect of the last potion he consumed. When the group appears he is startled and confused for a moment before realizing the Potion of Teleportation he is developing has had an unpredicted effect. Thrilled with his new magical discovery, he attacks the group with glee until he has subdued them (see Combat). Once they are under his control, Atoxin commands the group to remove their armor and weapons which he gathers up and places in the south corner of [2]. He then sends the group to [4] to await their transformation into his permanent slaves. Over the course of the next five days he prepares his Polymorph potion in the giant Phial in the center of the workshop. The group must escape this cave before his potion is complete. Combat: startled when the group first appears, Atoxin (See ABC #1) recovers quickly. Masterfully using his Talisman of the Philosopher (see Sidebar), he begins each combat round in Mercury form. He then whips around his work tables at magical speed, mixing 1 potion a round before consuming it (choose any potion from ABC #2 or assume a Charm Person or Animal potion). He then immediately turns to Lead form, becoming impervious to most attacks for the remainder of the round while he waits to see if his potion was successful (target must Save vs. Magic or suffer the potion’s effects). If anyone attempts to escape his lair he will let them run into the forest and casually drink Charm Person or Animal potions until they all succumb. If he is ever hard pressed in combat he will summon 2d6 Hawkweasels from [2] to help him, and/or the Porcubear from [3]. Escaping Atoxin: The group has five days to get out or Atoxin forces them to jump into his huge Phial where he combines them with a deer to make weird deer/adventurers. The group is likely to attempt escape the cave as soon as the first Charm potion begins to wear off. Atoxin is aware whenever his slaves are away from him however, so no matter where he is at the time, he commands 2d6 Hawkweasels to pursue them. Once the Hawkweasels find them he drinks another dose of his Teleport potion, returning the group to his cave. He repeats the previous combat, consuming potions until they are again charmed. He then punishes each of them by forcing them to face the Porcubear [3], calling the beast off only if the character is near death. He forces the group to sit at ‘X’ where he can observe them until his Transformation potion is complete. This scenario is repeated with each attempted escape thereafter. The trick to escaping Atoxin is to carefully observe his routines and actions from this point on and exploit them. Atoxin's Routine: Each day for the next five, he appears near the fireplace in a puff of smoke just after the break of dawn. He then slowly and deliberately mixes and drinks three large potions (see details below). The first is Purple (Mass Charm Mammal), the second Orange (Mass Nourishment), and the third Clear (Neutralize Poison). He then works feverishly all day, often in Mercury form (see Talisman of the Philosopher, sidebar), dumping ingredients in his massive Phial with the help of his twisted elvish slaves. Twice a day he goes outside for just a few moments before returning. When he gets weary, he slows down noticeably, then stops to make and drink a large blue potion (Mass Sleep). When he sees the group nodding off he moves to the fireplace and drinks a small silver potion. He disappears in a puff of smoke. With this information the group may devise any number of ideas to escape, but they are most certainly going to revolve around making, using, or tampering with Atoxin’s potions or reagents in the night time hours. Once per night, each character can attempt to resist the magic of Atoxin’s Mass Sleep potion (Fort save DC 20) to act for 10+2d6 minutes before finally succumbing to it’s powers. This gives each character enough time to perform one major action—mix a potion, tamper with potion ingredients, climb the shelves to the mixed potions 30 feet up, or something else. Regardless of what they do, the GM must determine the outcome of any action, but should reward creative thinking. By watching him mix his potions, each character can make one Alchemy or Intelligence check each day DC 20, with success allowing them to memorize the ingredients to make one (but ONLY EVER ONE) of the four potions he mixes routinely. However, as they are not Master Alchemists, they must roll Duration and Color on Table 1 of ABC #2 and apply the results to the potion they create. Those that fail the check may try anyways, but any unlearned combination has a 50% chance of being a random potion from ABC #2 and a 50% chance of it being fatally poisonous. The group might attempt to tamper with Atoxin’s ingredients, causing him to create and drink one of these "random" potions in an attempt to poison him. This is possible because combined reagents are usually the same color(s) as the reagents themselves (see ABC 2). So long as the resulting potion is translucent, Atoxin will never know the difference. Alternatively, the group might climb the rock wall to get to the pre-mixed potions above. They might use them immediately or hide them for later, but can only drink one at a time (or die of Potion Poisoning) and each lasts 10d6 minutes. There are 2 of each potions 1-6 from Table 3 on ABC #2, but each potion a different random color. Regardless of their actions, the group will surely provoke Atoxin into attacking them. This will break his Control spell on them and they can make a real attempt to escape. Should he be hard pressed and fear defeat, he drinks another Teleportation potion, sending the group (and their equipment, plus anything they’ve gained) back to the precise point they were when he first summoned them. [2]: Den of the Hawkweasels [13]A half-eaten elf can be seen lying on the floor of this room. Nesting in holes in the rock wall are a number of Atoxin’s most successful perversions of nature, and one of his first. These vicious creatures will attack anything that enters their area. Hawkweasel: Weasels crossed with hawks create a vicious predator. Hawkweasels have a strong accurate bite, and are hard to hit due to their agility and speed SZ S Beast, HD 1d10+2; hp 7; Init +3; Spd 20, fly 60; AC 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural); Atk: bite +4 (1d6+2); Face 5 ft x 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ scent; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will -1; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 9, Cha 2; AL N, CR 1. Skills: Listen +3, Spot +3. [3]: Lair of the Porcubear [1]Anyone caught stealing or misbehaving is forced to stand before the horrible Porcubear with only a tunic on. It’s mind is as twisted as it’s transformed body, and the Porcubear reacts chaotically to intruders. At the very least it will expel a spray of musk which stings eyes and noses before deciding whether to engage the enemy. Roll 1d8 and compare it to the chart below. Those making a successful Animal Empathy check (DC 10) can add +3 to the dice roll. Porcubear Reaction Chart [d8]: 1-2: attack to kill, 3-4: give one Bear Hug then back off unless attacked, 5-7 spray one load of quills then back off unless attacked, 8: ignore the intruder unless attacked. Porcubear: A large black bear covered in spines 2’ long that make it VERY mean. It's favorite attack is to blind creatures with it's musk, then shoot quills to "soften them up" before finishing them with deadly bear hugs. SZ L Beast, HD 4d8+12; hp 30; Init +0; Spd 30; AC 14 (+4 natural); Atk: 2 claws +7 (1d4+5), bite +2 (1d6+5), grab/hug +2 (1d6+8); Face 5 ft x 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SA Improved Grab, Quills, Musk Spray; SQ scent; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +0; Str 21, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 9, Cha 2; AL N, CR 4. Skills: Climb +7, Listen +2, Spot +2. Quills (Ex): the Porcubear is covered in 2 ft long quills. Once every 1d4 rounds, the bear can shoot a spray of them, hitting everyone and everything within 30 ft of it. Those struck take 2d4 points of damage (save vs. Fort to take 1d4 damage). Musk Spray (Ex): when frightened or agitated the Porcubear can spray a cone of musk 30 ft. Those caught in it must succeed in a Fort check DC 12 or suffer from blurred vision and shortness of breath (-2 Dex, Str, Con for 20 minutes). [4]: Prisoner’s QuartersThis room contains 8 elves, each combined with a different forest animal to create creatures that are both hideous and pity inspiring. Unable to talk they still possess their minds and hearts, yet are animalistic and live to serve Atoxin. There is little the group can do at this time to aid them. [5]: Sanctuary of the MasterEach night and morning Atoxin drinks a Shrink potion and walks down a 2” high tunnel to his secret bedroom. In a wardrobe there hangs his Mage Ceremonial Robes (500gp), while a ruby-encrusted dagger in a golden scabbard hangs from a peg inside (225gp). A 2’ high potion on his desk contains 37 doses of a Potion of Long Life. [6]: Cave EntranceThis entrance is easily found within the Whispering Pines. If the group makes it to the forest in this adventure, it will be for only a very short while before Atoxin returns them to his cave with a Teleport potion. EpilogueIt is quite possible that the group is unable to escape Atoxin and fall prey to his Potion of Transformation. Should this occur, they are combined with a deer to make strange deer/adventurers (alternatively, GMs can choose some common woodland animals for the group to be combined with). Transformed characters have only half their normal Intelligence and Wisdom, but gain +1 Strength and +2 Constitution. They may or may not gain other benefits from the animals they are combined with (GM discretion). Should the group be permanently captured by Atoxin, retire their characters until another group comes to rescue them in A Mixture of Madness Part 2, coming soon from Hammerdog Games!
Atoxin's PotionsPotion of Long Life: this orange liquid tastes like a strange citrus fruit. When drunk it eliminates the effect of a single day of aging if the drinker succeeds in a Fort save DC 15. Potion of Mass Charm: Per the spells Charm Person, Charm Animal, and Charm Monster, but it affects all creatures in it's range (300 ft). Potion of Mass Nourishment: Per the spell Goodberry, except that the nourishment effect lasts all day as if the creatures affected had 3 square meals. It affects all creatures in it's range (300 ft) so long as they are under the influence of any other Mass potion of Atoxin's (Mass Charm or Mass Sleep). Potion of Mass Sleep: Per the spell Sleep but it affects all creatures in it's range (300 ft) so long as they are under the influence of a Potion of Mass Charm.. Potion of Transformation: This is perhaps the most sadistic of Atoxin's potions. Brewed only in a Master Phial, the potion takes 2-5 days to complete. If two creatures are submerged in the potion simultaneously, they recombine at the DNA level to create a unique hybrid creature. There is no saving throw against this transformation. See Epilogue for details. |
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| Using Atoxin: Atoxin is a powerful enemy that the group will find nearly impossible to defeat. Atoxin plays a greater role in the storyline of Denoa and as such the DM should not let him be slain. He will return in A Mixture of Madness Part 2, and will make a special guest appearance in a future Building Block Adventure! Add Atoxin to your BBA library and use him to spice up your own campaign. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Using the Magical Reagents of Atoxin: These magical elixers are extremely handy and allow their user to carry a multitude of potions in just a few jars if necessary. Use this card to enhance this adventure, then use it to enhance your own game by introducing the concept of reagents to your campaign or game world! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Building Block Adventures, The Building Block Adventure Logo, Adventure Block Cards, Adventure Building Cards, The ABC Logo, Denoa World of Adventure, Assault on Darkspyre, The Grande Temple of Jing, A Mixture of Madness, Beware the Bloodstorm, Chaos Chess, the Chaos Chess logo and the Hammerdog Game Logo are all trademarks owned by Hammerdog Games. Chaos Chess Copyright (c) 1989 by Hammerdog Games. 'd20 System' and the d20 System logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission. A Mixture of Madness | Part 1 | Part 2| |
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Last Updated 6 Jan, 2002 Copyright © 2002 by Hammerdog Games. All rights reserved. |
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= 20'
