# 2, Beach of Torture
(EL 7)
You see a narrow beach open into a rocky cave up ahead on the right-hand side of the underground river. As you approach, you hear tortured screams and sinister laughter. Four torches reveal a band of skum tugging at the wings of a pixie prisoner chained to the wall! There are also two dead or dying pixies laying at the foot of the wall and a stack of tiny bows on a rock under one of the torches.
Six Skum warriors are torturing three Pixie prisoners on the beach by pulling off their wings. One of the Pixies is already dead, and the second one is bleeding to death from the stumps where its wings used to be. The third is cowering as one of the Skum brags to his fellows how he's going to feed her own wings to her!
* The dying pixie is at -8hp and still bleeding when the PCs first notice the beach. It's very likely that she will die before any of the Skum.
If the PCs rescue the remaining pixie, he will accompany them through the rest of the cave, assisting where possible. He will do his very best to avoid melee, however.
As of the end of this encounter, the third pixie has all abilities available - the Skum had him chained with cold iron manacles that suppressed his abilities.
The Skum have orders from the Aboleth in Area 11 to kill or subdue all intruders. They will immediately attack the PCs upon noticing them. They will focus attacks on one PC at a time, moving to the next as soon as the first PC drops (dead, unconscious, or even faking it!) or runs away.
Once the Skum are dead, the Pixie will exclaim "You killed them! Are you going to release me from my bonds now?"
Once released, Olarian will ask the PCs for his equipment back, pointing out the rock under one of the torches. He will arm himself and offer the extra gear to the PCs, sadly observing "Ulia and Pylith won't be needing those anymore."
Once armed, Olarian will offer to accompany the PCs for the remainder of this cave. He'll use his abilities to help scout and support the PCs in combat by shooting enemies with arrows - he'll avoid melee at all cost.
If the PCs refuse to return his gear or act threatening or hostile, Olarian will simply turn invisible and flee back to the forest.
Skum Warrior 1
Size/Type: Medium Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp)
Initiative: 3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 40 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +3 Sharkskin armor), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Ranseur +10 melee (2d4+10) or Bite +10 melee (3d6+7)
Full Attack: Ranseur +10 melee (2d4+10) or Bite +10 melee (3d6+7) and 2 claws +8 melee (1d4+3)
Attack (+3 PA): Ranseur +7 melee (2d4+16) or Bite +7 melee (3d6+10)
Full Attack (+3 PA): Ranseur +7 melee (2d4+16) or Bite +7 melee (3d6+10) and 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rake 1d6+3
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., amphibious
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +7*, Listen +9*, Move Silently +7, Spot +9*, Swim +8, Tumble +5
Feats: Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, Power Attack
Environment: Underground
Organization: Brood (2-5) or pack (6-15)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: 3
Equipment:
Ranseur, Sharkskin armor (treat as MW studded leather), 1 potion of Cure Light Wounds
A skum is about the same height and weight as a human. Skum speak Aquan.
Combat
Rake (Ex)
Attack bonus +0 melee, damage 1d6+3. A skum also gains two rake attacks when it attacks while swimming.
Amphibious (Ex)
Although skum are aquatic, they can survive indefinitely on land.
Skills
*Skum have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks underwater.
A skum has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
When taken below 25 HP, a skum will drink his potion. When taken below 10 HP, a skum will attempt to flee towards area 3.
Scaling the encounter:
Lower-level parties: Have only four Skum warriors here.
Higher-level parties: Have eight Skum warriors here.
Olarian, Pixie torture victim:
Pixie
Size/Type: Small Fey
HP: 8 (1 HD)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-6
Attack: Short sword +5 melee (1d4-2/19-20) or longbow +5 ranged (1d6-2/×3)
Full Attack: Short sword +5 melee (1d4-2/19-20) or longbow +5 ranged (1d6-2)/×3
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, special arrows
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron, greater invisibility, low-light vision, spell resistance 15
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +6, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Ride +8, Search +9, Sense Motive +6, Spot +8
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Challenge Rating: 5
Alignment: neutral good
Languages: Sylvan, Common, Elven, Halfling, Gnome
Height: 2' 4"
Weight: 27 lbs.
Combat
The normally carefree pixies ferociously attack evil creatures and unwanted intruders. They take full advantage of their invisibility and other abilities to harass and drive away opponents.
Greater Invisibility (Su)
A pixie remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action.
Spell-Like Abilities
1/day—lesser confusion (DC 14), dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts (DC 15), dispel magic, entangle (DC 14), permanent image (DC 19; visual and auditory elements only). Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Olarian can use irresistible dance (caster level 8th) once per day.
Special Arrows (Ex)
Pixies sometimes employ arrows that deal no damage but can erase memory or put a creature to sleep.
Memory Loss
An opponent struck by this arrow must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or lose all memory. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. The subject retains skills, languages, and class abilities but forgets everything else until he or she receives a heal spell or memory restoration with limited wish, wish, or miracle.
Sleep
Any opponent struck by this arrow, regardless of Hit Dice, must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be affected as though by a sleep spell. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Treasure:
Two sets of Pixie gear: Small shortswords and longbows, plus two quivers of mundane arrows. If the PCs do not give Olarian his gear back, there are three sets of pixie gear, plus an extra quiver full of Memory Loss and Sleep arrows (10 of each arrow).