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Message: <blockquote data-quote="InVinoVeritas" data-source="post: 4989281" data-attributes="member: 41485">This adventure consists of a pair of encounters that can be added as flavor to any existing adventure. There exists the tomb of a dracolich underneath a dungeon or castle. The tomb has since caved in and been filled in with dirt. Furthermore, a paladin has consecrated the ground, preventing the dracolich from rising again, as long as the dirt remains. The paladin’s wizard friend, foreseeing a time when other creatures might wish to free the dracolich, added a mechanical trap to the grave.  An unfortunate beholder by the name of Scilivanthrok had heard the legend of the great evil buried under consecrated ground, but was unaware that it was a dracolich. Having uncovered the tip of the dracolich’s tail, he now realizes that he does not want to awaken the dragon—but is also now caught in the trap, and needs to escape. He hopes that the party will help him with this. If the beholder moves out of the way, or tries to free himself, he will be shot by an Arrow of Slaying. However, he knows of a goatherd outside who has Gloves of Arrow Snaring, who might be willing to part with it. Out in the field, the goatherd indeed has these gloves, but he is quite upset because his goats prove unwilling to mate. If someone in the party is willing to help (the task involves a magic skin that turns someone into a goat, a Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity, a bladder of warm milk, and a scroll of Remove Curse) he will give the Gloves to the party for free. With the gloves in hand, the party can catch the hidden arrow, freeing the beholder to recover the dracolich grave, and leave the party in peace. The Cross-Eyed Beholder The party first encounters the grave in a room in a dungeon. The floor of the room is bare earth, and a large hole has been dug at one end. At the bottom of the hole floats a beholder, named Scilivanthrok. He stares intently at a tail bone that has been unearthed—the tail end of the dracolich. Also, hugging the beholder’s form is a large cagelike structure. It has bound the eyestalks of the creature in such a way that they bend inward, facing each other. “There is another here! I can hear you!” the beholder calls out. “No, fear not, I will not harm you. Yes, indeed, if you find the way to set me free, then I shall call you friends, allies! I am Scilivanthrok, and a fool, yes. You see this bone before me? It is the tail of a dracolich. It does not move, yes? It is not yet active, and will stay this way if I stare at it. No magic, you see? Now, I must not move either, for I am trapped! I shall be struck dead if I move, killed by a hidden arrow! You would like the poor foolish beholder dead, but the dracolich will live! No, I know more people. There is a man, he tends goats, and has magic! He can give you gloves, and you can catch the arrow yourself! Then I free myself from the trap, cover the grave, and we all are safe, and friends, yes? You help foolish Scilivanthrok?"</blockquote>

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