Attack of the Pigmy Plant Men
Adventure Level: 4 characters of 1st level
Terrain: Urban/Forest
Total XP: 100xp each per 1st level adventure + 1 xp per gp treasure + Monster Killed 100xp per HD (or half for driving them off).
Adventure Background
A group of holy Thurn (white martians) have hatched a plot to punish the living city of Kothol for being worshipers of the rival god Jur. They hope to provided the solution for the problem they made in order to drive the citizens to the worship of Issus.
The Thurn have taken green men pods and grafted them to a supposed cutting from from the Tree of Life gift to them by woman red martian scientist Vorio Varo. Then transported them to the Forest of Kothol. Due to the strange soil they were planted in (and other factors) the Thurn accidentally created a new race of pigmy plant men. Unknown to the Thurn this was a practical experiment conducted by a woman red martian scientist Vorio Varo (secret/dreaming/knowledge) of the use of a synthetic tree of life.
The Thurn control the pigmy plant men with a sonic control rod they have conditioned the creatures to respond to.
Starting the Adventure
Pigmy plant men have been appearing in city-state of Kothol attacking people. The PCs are charged with their destruction and root out the infestation.
Chaos in the streets
Pigmy plant men are attacking people in the market. The PCs come upon this and are compelled to help.
(5) Pigmy Plant Men: AC: 4 [16]; HD: 1 (8 hp each); Atk: 2 claws or tail; Dmg: 1d2 each or 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’; If they can maintain a grip with their hands, they automatically draw 1 points of damage worth of blood per hand, per round.
(20) Man, Red Commoners: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; hp 9 each; Atk: club (impromptu) or dagger; Dmg: 1d6 or 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Afterward the battle the city-state guards show up.
(10) City Guards Man, Red: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; Atk: sword or pistol; Dmg: 1d8 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Durs Kanmu Man, Red: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; Atk: sword or pistol; Dmg: 1d8 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
The sergeant of the guard Durs Kanmu. He praises them and apologizes for their late arrival. He states there was a political assassination in the royal flyer hanger of a Zirconium diplomat. Most to the guards were ordered to guard the palace and the royal hanger. He casually comments that war may erupt between the city-states of Zirconium and Kothol. His talking box tells him there are more attacks by the Pigmy Plant Men near the Temple to Jur in the Plaza of Akul. He ask for the PCs help.
Plaza of Akul
A large group of Pigmy Plant Men are attacking in the Plaza of Akul. A lone strange figure is standing between commoners and this creatures waving something and shouting forcefully. He appears to be intimidating the creatures.
The man is a holy thurn named Kjril Lirkj and actually snuck the Pigmy Plant Men into the city. He is now using his control device in his Issus symbol to control them. He is faking that he his holding back the creatures by the power of Issus. There are several dead nearby some of them Clerics of Jur.
Kjril Lirkj will have the Pigmy Plant Men attack the guards and PCs but if haft the numbers are lost he sends the controlled creatures back to the forest base. Then claims Issus saved them all.
(10) Pigmy Plant Men: AC: 4 [16]; HD: 1 (8 hp each); Atk: 2 claws or tail; Dmg: 1d2 each or 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’; If they can maintain a grip with their hands, they automatically draw 1 points of damage worth of blood per hand, per round.
(20) Man, Red Commoners: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; hp 9 each; Atk: club (impromptu) or dagger; Dmg: 1d6 or 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Kjril Lirkj, Man, Holy Thurn: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger or pistol; Dmg: 1d4 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
After the battle Durs Kanmu is called on his radio to the palace with the rest of his men. His talking box tells him the creatures fled into the forests via the north east gate and are moving away from the city through the forest. Durs Kanmu wanting to pursue the creatures out of the city begs the PCs to aid him and slay and or track the creatures to their nest. He offers to bring their heroic deeds to the Jeddak Huzox Hythmnarr attention and offer to send 3 city guards with them for support. Durs gives the PCs from venders stalls water and food for 4 days. The PCs can buy supplies etc before they leave but are warned not to let the train grow cold.
Kjril Lirkj tries to dissuade this saying Issus will protect the faithful and pursue is unneeded now. Durs Kanmu says but compels him and he must send a force to protect the city. Kjril Lirkj quickly leaves in a huff muttering something about prayers of thanks. Kjril Lirkj is actually going to his one-man flier back to the base a forgotten palace in the forest. To prepare for intruders because they must not know the truth of the attacks.
Durs Kanmu Man, Red: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; Atk: sword or pistol; Dmg: 1d8 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
(3) City Guards Man, Red: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; Atk: sword or pistol; Dmg: 1d8 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Into the Forest of Kothol
The forest has manny trails and monsters. The path of the planet men is distinct and easy to follow. The trails meander 24 miles north east. Due to the overgrowth it will take 2 days to the palace hideout and two days back.
Other than forest there is ancient bridge over the 30 foot deep ravine. There is a 25% the bridge will collapse due to age. The PCs must save verses falls of suffer 1d6 damage for every 10 ft fallen.
Roll 1 encounter per day and 1 per night.
- See Random Flora Generator table p 95.
- See Random Wilderness (Forest/Jungle) table p 92
Abandoned Palace Hideout
This was once a royal vacation palace. A electric wall surrounds the palace to keep out forest monsters and keep in the Pigmy Plant Men. This that tough it must Save verse Energy of suffer 1d6 damage. It is square compound with a gatehouse and central building and courtyard. The central building has four rooms in each corner and a center domed room. The courtyard is Pigmy Plant Men Nursery and a the landing platform for fliers.
1. Gatehouse Parapits
Two guards man the gate house. They will not unlock the gate. They will attack intruders on sight.
(2) Guards Man, Holy Thurn: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger or pistol; Dmg: 1d4 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Equipment: Pigmy Plant Men Control Device, Pass Card for Doors
2. Gatehouse Interior
The interior of the gate house is used for a stable. There are a pair of thoars and saddle and tack.
(2) Thoars: AC: 2 [18]; HD: 6; Atk: bite or tail; Dmg: 2d6; Save: F6; Move: 180’
3. Nursery Garden
There are two gates to this area are electronically sealed and must have a pass card.
A large tree has 1d12 pods on it in a metal fences in garden nursery. This is the Pigmy Plant Men tree. The pods hatch every 30 days. The day the PCs arrive is the hatching day. The pods will hatch 1d6 rounds after the PCs enter the area. There are 5 mature Pigmy Plant Men milling about having been ordered here by the thurns. Unhatched pods can be cut off and dried and later planted somewhere else. These are worth 1000 gp each on the blackmarket.
(5) Pigmy Plant Men: AC: 4 [16]; HD: 1 (8 hp each); Atk: 2 claws or tail; Dmg: 1d2 each or 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’; If they can maintain a grip with their hands, they automatically draw 1 points of damage worth of blood per hand, per round.
4. Landing Platform
A one-man flier sets on the landing platform. It is otherwise unattended. A transport flier arrives once per week to resupply.
5. Kitchen
A thurn woman named Vhix attends to the slaves in the kitchen. She will use guile to claim she is a captive. Although the slaves may 25% speak out and denounce her as their enslaver.
Vhix Man, Holy Thurn (Maiden): AC: 6[14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger; Dmg: 1d4 + poison Save: F1; Move: 120
Equipment: Pigmy Plant Men Control Device, Pass Card for Doors
(3) Man, Red Slaves: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1+1; hp 9 each; Atk: club (impromptu) or dagger; Dmg: 1d6 or 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’
6. Generator
Doors to this are electronically sealed and must have a pass card.
This generator supplies power to the palace and wall. There is always one engineer here. If it is shut off the walls electric field drops and the lights go out in the palace. Also it transmits power to the control device. So if it goes down the Thurns can not control the Pigmy Plant Men. The Pigmy Plant Men will quickly learn then and attack the thurns as well.
There are four levers. These turn on an off various power supplies.:
Lever A: Palace Power for lights and outlets
Lever B: Electric wall fields
Lever C: Electric door locks.
Lever D: Control Devices for Pigmy Plant Men
(1) Kalto Kan - Man, Holy Thurn, engineer: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger or pistol; Dmg: 1d4 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Equipment: Pigmy Plant Men Control Device, Pass Card for Doors
7. Supplies
Various food stuffs and water are here as well as flier fuel and parts. There are 1d20 pieces of normal equipment here.
8. Dormitory
Doors to this area electronically sealed and must have a pass card.
The thurn sleep here collectively. There are several bed and hammers full of clothes and wig stands. There are 1d10 pieces of normal equipment here.
9. Domed Hall
Doors to this are electronically sealed and must have a pass card.
Ancient fresco decorate the walls of times past. There is even a depiction of a ship on a sea. Two guards watch this room. Aside from this the hall is bare save for a large table and several chairs. A three thurn argue in the room as they eating dubious meat of skewers.
Glass paperweights set atop various papers and cross and tomes. Most of this is just invoices for supplies and tribal messages and engineering manuals. One is a notable personal message.
A letter from V. V. to Kjril Lirkj demands for an agreed upon report of the grow and behavior of the Pigmy Plant Men. V.V. reminds Kjril Lirkj that the Thurns plans depend upon V.V. expertise and viable cuttings from the Tree of Life. V.V. states the agreed upon 57th payment installment should be delivered to the intermediary a red martian named Pnoxus Pnalo in Qartaj. The location is a warehouse painted blue with the symbol of a pink-worm on it.
Kjril Lirkj, Man, Holy Thurn: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger or pistol; Dmg: 1d4 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Equipment: Pigmy Plant Men Control Device, Pass Card for Doors
(3) Man, Holy Thurn: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger or pistol; Dmg: 1d4 or 1d8; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Equipment: Pigmy Plant Men Control Device, Pass Card for Doors
(2) Guards Man, Holy Thurn: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 1; Atk: dagger or rifle; Dmg: 1d4 or 1d12; Save: F1; Move: 120’
Equipment: Pigmy Plant Men Control Device, Pass Card for Doors
Encounters/ Occurrences
1d6
1. (2) Guards Man, Holy Thurn
2. Screeching creature killed by electrical wall
3. (1) Man, Red Slaves doing menial tasks
4. (1) Pigmy Plant Men looking for Ullsio
5. (3) Ullsio: AC: 7 [13]; HD: 1; Atk: bite; Dmg: 1d4; Save: F1; Move: 120’
6. (1) Psychic Slime: AC: 6 [14]; HD: 3; Atk: Blast, or digest; Dmg: see below; Save: M3; Move: 60’
Stun prey with its mind blast (save or be stunned for 1d6 rounds) in order to digest them at its leisure. To lures victims with complex illusions.
Treasure Table
1d6
1. jewelry worth 2d20 gp
2. pair of talking boxes - walk talky
3. (4) Ampules of Aid
4. Book Decoding - 25% to decipher codes
5. Ornate Thurn style wigs and robes. Can be used for a disguise.
6. Coins - 1d100 cp, 1d20+30 gp. 1d10+10 pp
Concluding the Adventure
If the PCs defeat the foes and return to Kotol they are met by Durs Kanmu who thanks them and offers them a night of celebration with his guards on the cities taverns.
He asks for a full report. The next day he informs them that the Jeddek was pleased and on behalf of the Jeddek he gives the PCs each a key to the city (to come and go as they please) and a 100 gp each, and a green emerald worth 50 gp to be placed on their harness/armor. They get to keep whatever they want from the palace they raided.
If the PCs have thurn captives Durs Kanmu takes them into custody. He later reveals due to their status they were released but exiled from the city.
Further Adventures
Cliff Hanger
War has been declared between between the city-states of Zirconium and Kothol. While walking the streets Kotol the sound of artillery is heard and a one man flier with the banner of Zirconium crashes towards the PCs….
Revenge of the Thurns
Any thurns that escape or are freed will report the PCs to their people. They will be watched in the future. There is a 25% each adventure session the thurns have decided to kill the meddling PCs.
