Read all of the "R" rules entries before starting the adventure.
Welcome to the world of Sargon the Wizard. You're about to set out on a thrilling, magic-filled adventure in a dangerous, haunted castle, and you'll be on your own. Only your wits and your weapons can help you.
If you choose one of the prerolled characters provided with the adventure, your character will be a magic-user or an elf. If you decide to use your own character for this adventure, the character cannot be higher than third level. Your character cannot use any spell, magic item, or equipment that is not listed on p. 31-32.
This is a solo adventure. You read entries just like this one. Each entry asks you to make a decision about where you want to go or what you want to do. Some entries, like this one, simply direct you to the next entry. Read entry
R2
.
Most entries in this adventure list several options for you. There are many different areas to explore in and around Lion Castle. Because of this, all of the adventure entries are lettered and numbered. If you are exploring the areas outside the castle, all entries begin with the letter "
C
" (courtyard entries). If you are exploring inside the castle, all entries begin with the letter "
L
" (Lion Castle entries).
The "C" entries are divided into five areas: the castle outskirts, the outer curtain, the outer ward, the inner curtain, and the inner ward. The "L" entries encompass several levels of the castle, but are not divided into specific categories.
For details on keeping records during your adventure, read entry
R3
.
You will keep a record of your adventure as you explore Lion Castle. Each time you find an item on your journey, add it to your character sheet. If you lose an item, cross the item off your character sheet. When you take an item from a room, that room's entry will direct you to cross out the sentence that describes the item. Doing this
allows you to change the adventure the next time you or someone else plays it.
For details on the magic journal, read entry
R4
.
The solo adventure pages in this booklet are bounded on each side by spaces marked "Magic Journal." Reminders on recordkeeping and how to play certain entries are here. You may also use the journal to make notes to yourself about a specific entry or direction.
You may write anything you wish in the magic journal. Some examples are: "Avoid
L21
," and "Enter through the postern gate." These notes will come in especially handy when you decide to play the adventure again as a different character.
For details on mapping, read entry
R5
.
Several maps of Lion Castle are shown on the booklet cover. These maps are not complete. You will have to fill in some of the blank areas as you explore the castle. A light grid is printed over the maps to make mapping easier. Most "L" entries list room dimensions for you.
All walls, ceilings, and floors in Lion Castle are made of stone, and all inside walls are 10 feet high.
You may erase the additions you have made to the maps when you play the adventure as another character, or when other players take characters into the castle.
For details on fighting monsters, read entry
R6
.
When an entry states that you encounter a monster, go to the Combat Checklist on the booklet cover and follow its steps. You never encounter more than one monster at a time during this adventure. The following entries explain the steps of the Combat Checklist. For details on initiative, read entry
R7
.
Roll 1d6 for yourself first, and then for the monster you have encountered. If your die roll is higher, you may attack, or you may try to talk to the monster. (If the die rolls are the same, roll both dice again.) If you speak the monster's language, the monster does not attack and allows you to pass unharmed. If you try to talk to a monster in a language it doesn't know, you lose initiative and the monster attacks.
For details on movement, read entry
R8
.
Movement rates are used only in combat. During this part of step B on the Combat Checklist, you may use a
defensive maneuver (retreating, or throwing food or treasure to a monster).
If you choose to retreat, compare your movement rate per round with the monster's movement rate per round. If your rate is greater than the monster's rate, you escape the monster, and you may go on to the next entry of your choice. Before you leave, however, the attacking monster gets one more chance to hit you, gaining a +2 bonus to its hit roll. For this attack, you must calculate your Armor Class as if you had no shield. Also, you cannot defend yourself. If your movement rate per round is less than or equal to the monster's rate, you must stay and fight the monster. You may decide to throw food or treasure to the monster at this point.
If you choose to throw food or treasure to a monster, subtract the item you threw from your character sheet. Intelligent monsters are stopped only if you throw treasure (a coin, gem, or magic item). You may encounter the following intelligent monsters in this adventure:
bugbear, gnoll, goblin, hobgoblin, orc, wereboar,
and
wererat
. All other monsters in this adventure stop only if you throw food (1 ration).
After you have thrown the food or treasure, roll 1d6. On a 1, 2, or 3, the monster stops and marvels at its "gift." Consider the stopped creature as a "defeated" monster. You cannot take its treasure, however. On a roll of 4, 5, or 6, the monster ignores your gift and attacks.
For details on morale, read entry
R9
.
During this part of step B on the Combat Checklist, roll 2d6 (only if you have hit the monster once). If the dice roll is greater than the monster's morale, the monster is demoralized and tries to retreat. You gain a +2 bonus to your hit rolls when a monster retreats. If the monster's movement rate per round is greater than your movement rate per round, or if you do not attack the monster as it retreats, the monster escapes. You cannot take treasure from a monster that escapes.
Example:
During your combat round on the Combat Checklist, you hit a bugbear, causing 2 points of damage. In the bugbear's combat round, you roll 2d6 to determine if the bugbear's morale will fail. Its morale is 9. You roll an 11. The bugbear has failed its morale check. It retreats at the rate of 30 feet per round. You move at the rate of 40 feet per round, so you can attack the creature as it retreats. Add 2 to your hit roll because the bugbear is retreating.
For details on using magic in combat, read entry
R10
.
R10. Using magic in combat:
If you decide to cast a spell when you attack a monster, you cannot use hand-to-hand combat in the same round. You may cast only one spell per combat round.
When you cast a spell at a monster, consider the monster to be in a 10-foot-square area and within 10 feet of you.
Some spells allow for the monster to make a saving throw to avoid the spell's full effect. Consult the monster's "Save" rating and then check Table 4: Saving Throws on the booklet cover. Monster saving throws are explained further on p. 23 of the Dungeon Masters Rule Book.
Because of the strange magic in Lion Castle, some spells do not work the same as they normally would. Elf and magic-user spells higher than second level do not work at all in the castle. For details on spells whose effects are altered in this adventure, read entry
R16
.
For details on hand-to-hand combat, read entry
R11
.
R11. Hand-to-hand combat:
If you attack a monster and do not use a spell, you are engaging in hand-to-hand combat.
When it is your turn on the Combat Checklist to attack, consult Table 5: Character Hit Rolls on the booklet cover and make a hit roll. If you hit, check Table 6: Variable Weapon Damage to see how much damage you cause to the monster. If you have no weapon, your bare fist does 1 point of damage. If you have Strength bonus modifiers, add these to the damage. Subtract the total damage from the monster's hit points. When a monster's hit points reach 0, the monster is defeated. If a defeated monster had treasure, you may add that treasure to your character sheet.
When a monster attacks you, consult Table 7: Monster Hit Rolls on the booklet cover and make a hit roll for the monster. Some monsters may have more than one attack. For each of the monster's attacks that hits you, roll to find the damage the attack does to you, using the dice indicated in the monster's statistics. Subtract the damage from your hit points. If your hit points reach 0, you are defeated. Entry
R18
(Defeated Characters) explains what to do when this happens.
If a monster hits you with a poisonous attack, you must make a saving throw vs. poison. If you fail the saving throw, you take 1 hit point of damage per Hit Die of the monster that hit you.
Special rules apply for some of the monsters you may encounter in this adventure. For details on these special monsters, read entry
R12
.
R12. Combat for special monsters:
The following monsters in this adventure have special attacks or defenses.
Giant bee:
If a giant bee stings you, the bee dies, but you must make a saving throw vs. poison. The stinger causes 1 point of damage before you are able to pull it out.
Stirge:
If a stirge hits you, it attaches itself to you and causes 1-3 points of damage per round until it is defeated.
Lycanthropes (wereboar, wererat, weretiger):
You may use a sprig of wolfsbane as a weapon against any of these creatures. If you use wolfsbane to hit one of them, the creature must make a saving throw vs. poison. If its saving throw fails, the creature runs away, leaving behind its treasure. When a lycanthrope is in animal form, only magic weapons, silvered weapons, or spells can harm it. If you defeat a lycanthrope, it returns to human form. The wereboar and weretiger cannot speak normal languages when in ani-mal form, but a wererat can speak Common in any form.
If you lose more than 1/2 of your hit points in combat with a lycanthrope, you contract the disease lycanthropy. If you are an elf, you die in 2d12 days, unless you find a cure. If you are a magic-user, you turn into the same type of werecreature as the one you were fighting. This transformation occurs in 2d12 days, unless you find a cure.
Giant Rat:
If a giant rat bites you, you have a chance of becoming diseased. Roll 1d20. If you roll a 1, the rat infects you. You may be able to avoid the disease by making a saving throw vs. poison. If you fail the saving throw, roll 1d4. If you roll a 1, you die in 1d6 days unless you find a cure. If you roll a 2, 3, or 4, you are sick and have a -1 hit roll penalty. The penalty lasts until you find a cure for the sickness.
For details on fighting monsters in the dark, read entry
R13
.
R13. Fighting monsters in the dark:
Elves have infravision and can fight monsters in the dark. If a magic-user has no light source and is fighting a monster in the dark, the magic-user suffers a -4 penalty on all hit rolls. The monster gains a +4 bonus to all hit rolls. These hit roll modifiers apply until the area is lighted or combat has ended. The magic-user may cast a
light
or
continual light
spell in this situation, if he has learned the spell that morning. He cannot read his spell book in the dark.
For details on wandering monster encounters, read entry
R14
.
R14. Wandering monster encounters:
Entries occasionally ask you to "check for a wandering monster." To check for such an encounter, roll 1d6. If you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you do not encounter a monster, and you may go on in the adventure. If you roll a 1, you encounter a wandering monster. Follow these steps when you have such an encounter:
1.
Refer to Table 1: Monster Die Rolls and Modifiers to determine what die roll and modifier should be used on Table 2: Wandering Monsters. Your location in the castle affects what type of monster you encounter. For example, if you are exploring Castle Level 1, you roll 1d12 and add 6 to your die roll. If you rolled a 4, your final result would be 10.
2.
Refer to Table 2 to determine which monster you encounter, using the modified die roll from step 1. For example, if your modified die roll from step 1 is 10, you check to see which monster corresponds to that number on Table 2. The monster you encounter is a giant black widow spider.
If you encounter a boar, a giant rat, or a tiger, roll 1d6. If you roll a 1, 2, or 3, the creature is a lycanthrope (wereboar, wererat, weretiger). These creatures' statistics are listed on Table 2 next to their "normal" counterparts.
3.
After you have resolved your wandering monster encounter, record any treasure additions or hit point losses on your character sheet. Then return to your current entry. For details on healing and resting, read entry
R15
.
R15. Healing and resting:
If you want to regain lost hit points and do not have any magic means to do so, you may stop at an entry and rest. When you decide to rest, follow these steps:
1.
Subtract 1 day's rations from your character sheet. If you have no rations, subtract 2 hit points because of hunger.
2.
Roll 1d6. If you roll a 1, a wandering monster surprises you as you sleep. (The monster finds you even if you are invisible.) Refer to entry
R14
(Wandering Monster Encounters) for details on how to run the encounter.
3.
If you do not encounter a wandering monster while you are resting, add 1 hit point to your hit point score on the character sheet.
4.
You may study your spell book and regain any spells you lost so far during the adventure. Return to your current entry.
For details on how Lion Castle alters certain spell effects, read entry
R16
.
For details on defeated characters, read entry
R18
.
R16. Altered spell effects:
These spells have different effects in this adventure.
First level magic-user and elf spells
Charm person.
This spell may affect one living bugbear, gnoll, goblin, hobgoblin, ogre, or orc. The monster makes a saving throw vs. spells. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell has no effect. If the saving throw fails, the monster does not attack and hands over its treasure (if you ask for it). The monster does not answer questions, fight for you, or go with you. If you attack the monster with a weapon or another spell, this spell's effect is automatically broken. The spell's effect is also broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
Hold portal.
This spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
Light.
This spell defeats a monster if you cast it on the monster's eyes. The spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
Protection from evil.
This spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
Read magic.
This spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
Sleep.
Roll 2d8 when you cast this spell. The dice roll indicates how many of a monster's Hit Dice are affected. If the dice roll is greater than the monster's number of Hit Dice, the monster falls asleep. No saving throws are allowed. The spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area. The spell does not affect giant draco lizards, lions, tigers, or weretigers.
Second level magic-user or elf spells
Continual light.
You may cast this spell at any monster's eyes. The monster must make a saving throw vs. spells. If the saving throw fails, the monster is blinded and defeated. If the saving throw succeeds, the globe of light appears, but the monster suffers no ill effects. The spell's effect fades away as soon as you enter another room or area.
Invisibility.
This spell's effect is broken as soon as you attack a monster or cast another spell.
Levitate.
You may cast this spell on yourself when you retreat during combat. If the monster you are fleeing cannot fly, you escape. The monster cannot hit you. This spell has no effect if the monster you are fleeing can fly. The spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
You may also use this spell to scout out the surrounding area when you read an entry that lists any entry from
C1
to
C13
as an option. You may use the spell to read ahead to any of those "C" entries without actually traveling to that entry. In this case, the spell's effect is broken as soon as you have read all of the entries listed in your current entry.
Other "C" entries indicate when you may use this spell. These entries also tell you how long the spell's effect lasts.
Web. This spell's effect is broken as soon as you enter another room or area.
For details on how certain magic items work in Lion Castle, read entry
R17
.
R17. Magic items in Lion Castle:
Sargon's power within Lion Castle affects how some magic items work within its walls (all "L" entries). This entry lists these items' altered effects.
Potion of gaseous form.
This potion does not work within Lion Castle ("L" entries).
Potion of healing.
If you have a potion of healing, you may drink it at any time, except when you are fighting a monster. Roll 1d6 and add 1. This modified die roll is the number of hit points you regain from drinking the potion.
Potion of invisibility.
This potion does not work within Lion Castle ("L" entries).
Potion of levitation.
This potion does not work within Lion Castle ("L" entries).
Ring of invisibility.
This ring does not work within Lion Castle ("L" entries).
Ring of protection +1.
This ring works at all times. You may wear two
rings of protection +1
at the same time, doubling the effects of one ring. Each ring improves your Armor Class by 1 and adds a +1 bonus to all of your saving throws.
Wand of paralyzation.
You may use this item during the Magic Spells part of step B on the Combat Checklist. When you use the wand in combat, the monster you are fighting must make a saving throw vs. paralysis. If the saving throw fails, the monster is paralyzed until you leave the room or area.
Elven boots.
This item has no effect in this adventure.
Rope of climbing.
This item works only when a specific entry lists its use as an option. You may always use it as a normal rope. If you cut the rope during the adventure, the rope's length still stays the same.
Magic items whose effects are not altered by Lion Castle include
gauntlets of ogre power
,
elven cloaks
, and
bags of holding
.
For details on hand-to-hand combat, read entry
R11
.
For details on defeated characters, read entry
R18
.
R18. Defeated characters:
If a monster defeats you, go to your character sheet, cross out the character's name, and circle the possessions still held by that character when he was defeated.
In the magic journal next to the last entry you read, write the following notes: "Skeleton of (character's name). Refer to circled items on character sheet."
When you play the adventure as a new character, you may find a defeated character's possessions. You may take these possessions and use them in your new adventure. Add any items you find in this manner to your character sheet. You cannot read another magic-user's spell book.
For details on beginning the adventure, read entry
R19
.
R19. Beginning the adventure:
Pages 31 and 32 of this booklet list six characters you may use for this adventure. Tear page 31 along the perforation and use it as your character sheet. Choose one of the characters from this sheet.
Now you are ready to begin! Read entry C1.
