The

Quart el is

2 4

3
Some artwork provided by Daniel F Walthall, watabou, MidJourney, and Vecteezy
Twelve issues. Done. Two
A Mark at the Tavern 3
years.
Troll Tactics 4
Delver #1 was a test. I was
curious to know if I could Magic Shop 5
put out an OSR-themed Locales of Lantern's Reach 6
zine on a regular basis.
Would there be enough Intelligent Staff 8
interest? Were OSRs going Looking for Work 9
the way of the Dodo bird or
Griffon Claw Auction House 10
were they going to survive
and maybe even thrive? The Old Rikasak Monastery 11

I'm pleased to know that Dolbin's Scrolls 13

Delver is not the only OSR Tomes of Obsidian Pages 14
zine out there that has
continued to provide Agnaddob's Artifact Emporium 15
content to those of us who The Quartelis - Mini Adventure 16
enjoy the older style of
Character Sheet - The Rogue 31
play... more danger, higher
risk of death. Please The Referee Roundtable 33
support them, too! Now Printable Props 39
that I think about it, I'll look
at doing some coverage of
them in 2024!
James Floyd Kelly
The Tabletop Engineer
Publisher, Delver
Atlanta, Georgia
 A
Mark
at t he
Tavern
d4 - Race d4 - Posit ion
1 Dwarf 1 Seated
2 Elf 2 Standing
3 Human 3 Walking
4 Halfling 4 Sleeping

d6 - Class & Level d6 - It em Spot t ed

1 Barbarian, 3 1 small leather pouch
2 Cleric, 4 2 ring
3 Fighter, 5 3 jewelry
4 Magic-User, 6 4 book
5 Paladin, 7 5 small wood box
6 Ranger, 8 6 unusual coin

d12 - Th e Risk
1 Target has three allies within weapon range
2 Tavern has four city guards (off-duty but alert)
3 Another thief nearby; may sabotage the effort
4 The item is cursed; target keeps it to display and punish thieves
5 Magic leash alerts target if item is moved more than 10'
6 City guardsman is watching and waiting for an attempt
7 Target is looking for a fight and actively flashing item
8 Bartender can lock the door magically at first sign of trouble
9 Another thief is moving in for the grab...
10 The item is stolen and the original owner is preparing to attack
11 Target has a bodyguard with a hand on their sword
12 Barmaid has alerted target that the tavern has a few thieves

3
 Trol l
Tact ics
d4 - Fir st St r ik e d10 - Ally
1 Nearest spellcaster 1 Owl bear
2 Nearest healer 2 Rust monster
3 Weakest appearing target 3 Ogre
4 Smallest target 4 Blink dog
5 Piercer
d6 - In t im idat e 6 Bugbear
1 Ignores a severed limb 7 Hellhound
Smiles at a target 8 Manticore
2
3 Points at its next target 9 Roc, small
4 Laughs when injured 10 Basilisk
5 Tells target it will wear its hide
6 Uses severed limb as club
d10 - Weapon
1 Battle axe 1d10 dmg
d8 - Special Abilit y 2 Javelin 1d6 dmg
1 Casts magic missile 1/day 3 Lance 1d8 dmg
2 Sh ar pen ed bit e (1d12) 4 Spear 1d8 dmg
3 Fast r ecover in 1d6 rounds 5 Two-handed sword 1d12
4 Regen from acid attacks 6 Club 1d8 dmg
5 Regen from fire attacks 7 Two daggers 1d6 each
6 Fast m ove 150' (50') 8 Hand axe 1d8 dmg
7 Clim b w alls (level 5 thief) 9 Two axes 1d8 each
8 +1 AC (additional armor) 10 Large rock 1d8 dmg

4
ma g ic
Shop
d4 - Pr opr iet or d4 - Specialt y
1 Alaric Frostglen 1 Scrolls
2 Melline Thornstone 2 Potions
3 Dusonna Veiltide 3 Rings
4 Thislow Merijoss 4 Wands

d6 - Haggles? d6 - Bu ys?
1 Never 1 Only scrolls
2 INT ability check 2 Only wands
3 CHA ability check 3 No magic weapons
4 Never with dwarves 4 No magic armor
5 Always with elves 5 Only magic rings
6 Always - up to 20% 6 All magic items

d10 - Special Of f er
1 Two identical potions for the price of one!
2 3x explosive arrows - 1d10 damage
3 Flamebane Amulet - resistance to fire damage
4 Oil of Truth - pour on a target, target cannot lie for 30 seconds, one use
5 Coin of Searching - flip in air, flies towards secret door within 30', one use
6 Compass of Thirst - points to fresh water source within 1000 ft, one use
7 Translation Ration - share with target to understand, one use, 5 minutes
8 Bait Bag - produces humanoid discussions for 10 minutes, one use
9 Pit Trap Potion - pour to create 5'x5' pit trap with spikes, one use
10 Fast Flee Potion - doubles M V for 3 combat rounds, one use

5
 Tem ple of t h e Speak in g Flam e. A gr an d,
an cien t t em ple dedicat ed t o a deit y of f ir e
an d en ligh t en m en t , it of f er s all adven t u r er s
spir it u al gu idan ce an d m u ch -n eeded r it u als.
For a pr ice...
Grand Priest Pyrona Solheart, a commanding and imposing
figure with silver hair and burning eyes, leads the Temple of
the Speaking Flame, a grand and ancient temple in the
heart of Lantern's Reach. Responsible for safeguarding the
sacred flame that whispers divine guidance to her, Pyrona is
both the spiritual leader and guardian of the temple. She is
known for her friendly demeanor and adventurers will find
reasonable fees for access to rituals and guidance, which
funds the temple's maintenance and supports its clergy.
While pragmatic in her approach, Pyrona is dedicated to
imparting spiritual wisdom, offering insight, and training
those who seek to harness the power of the Speaking Flame
for their journeys.

Secr et / Ru m or 1 - Pyrona is well-versed in many of the

religions and deities of Lantern's Reach, but it is her
extensive knowledge of healing rituals (including removal of
curses and resurrection) that keep the temple busy.

Secr et / Ru m or 2 - The priests and acolytes in the temple do

not speak to adventurers while inside the temple - only
Pyrona. The clergy instead use hand gestures to move the
conversation to Pyrona.
Adventurers return to Lantern's Reach with many needs, including
equipment, food, and rest, but many know exactly where to go for
services that aren't found just anywhere. At the Temple of the
Speaking Flame, visitors can often finds answers, healings, and
much more.
Blessin g of t h e Flam e - The temple can bless adventurers with
the divine favor of fire, providing resistance to fire damage. To
receive this blessing, adventurers must meditate at the temple's
altar for an hour and pay the day's Tier 1 temple fee.
Pu r if icat ion Rit e - The temple conducts purification rites to
cleanse adventurers of curses, afflictions, or malevolent
influences. For those with limited time, the rite can be performed
immediately without the required meditation period, but the fee
changes from a Tier 3 temple fee to a Tier 5 temple fee.
Blessed Fir ew ood - The temple provides enchanted firewood,
which, when used in campfires, provides warmth, light, and
enhanced healing (full health recovery takes half the time). Fees
for the firewood vary day to day.
Healin g Scr oll - For parties without a cleric or healing potions, the
temple offers single healing scrolls that can be used by any class
and heal a fixed 6hp. Tier 1 temple fee.
Flam in g Weapon - A weapon is blessed for a Tier 3 temple fee
and the wielder provided with an action word. When the word is
spoken, the weapon ignites with a bright blue flame and does an
additional 1d4+2 damage. The effect lasts for 15 minutes.
Speak in g Flam e Divin at ion - Seekers of prophecy and foresight
can request a divination session with the Pyrona. A specific
answer to a question may be answered or possibly a bit of
instruction for a party that is lacking in knowledge. If the answer is
provided, Pyrona expects a Tier 5 temple fee to be paid.
 Int el l igent
St af f
d4 - Align m en t
1 Law
2 Neutral
3 Chaos
4 Unaligned

d6 - Qu ir k
1 Refuses to be wielded by a human
2 Won't work if it gets wet
3 Needs to be cleaned daily
4 Requires wielder to use gloves
5 Wielder must speak Common
6 Fails to work during full moons d10 - Secon dar y Abilit y (1x/ day)
1 Detect invisible < 60' - 5 min
d8 - Pr im ar y Abilit y 2 Turn undead (lvl 1 cleric)
1 +1 to INT modifier 3 Breathe underwater - 15min
2 Speak 1 new language 4 +1 AC - lasts 10 minutes
3 +1 to CON modifier 5 Open lock (lvl 1 thief)
4 Casts shield 2/day 6 Remove trap (lvl 1 thief)
5 +2 bonus hp once per day 7 Infravision 30' - 30 min
6 recast one spell 2/day 8 Invisible - 30 seconds
7 Casts dispel magic 2/day 9 Cure poison - 1 target
8 Casts light 2/day - 30 min 10 Jump 20' any direction

8
 L ooking for Work

d4 - Nam e
1 Cybus Hurbinwick
2 Eldan Valthorn
3 Tavon Brightshield
4 Leeor Thundersong

d4 - Align m en t
1 Lawful cleric
2 Lawful cleric
3 Neutral cleric
4 Neutral cleric

d8 - Per son alit y...

1 Stoic and Dedicated
2 Charismatic and Kind
3 Mysterious and Intuitive
4 Stern and Just
5 Gentle and Empathetic
6 Courageous and Selfless
7 Humble and Patient
8 Thoughtful and Resilient

d8 - Un u su al...
1 Talks to plants
2 Eats in complete silence
3 Carries small luck stone
4 Coughs before speaking
5 Will never vote/take side
6 Hums while walking
7 Always draws in dirt
8 Talks to birds
PDF version of mini available for free
at https://bit.ly/delverfreebies
9
 GRI FFON CL AW
AUCT I ON H OUSE
LOT # 33 - A Qu iver

Previously owned by Garrin

Vishand, the famed ranger d4 - Beat t h is Bid?
who led the Lost Caravan out 1 1d12+1 x5gp and yours!
of the Spiderblade Forest 2 1d10+2 x5gp and yours!
during the Death Winter. 3 1d8+3 x5gp and yours!
4 1d6+4 x5gp and yours!

Th e Secr et : Each day, a ranger may place a single

arrow in the quiver for one hour. That arrow may then
be used as a +2 to hit arrow.
LOT # 82 - A Jou r n al

Contains the notes and wards

used by the elven mage, Ligus
d4 - Beat t h is Bid? Bitterneck. Ligus was known
1 1d4x15gp and yours! for his powerful defensive
2 1d8x15gp and yours! spells that he combined with
3 1d10x15gp and yours! unique wards.
4 1d12x15gp and yours!

Th e Secr et : A level 3 or higher magic-user may read

this book for two hours and then make an INT ability
check. On success, choose a single defensive spell and
either double its duration or range or the number of
targets affected.

LOT 24 - A Spear

Tossed by an unknown tower d4 - Beat t h is Bid?

guard, this spear pierced the 1 1d6+5 x10gp and yours!
heart of Strika the goblin 2 2d6+5 x10gp and yours!
witch. Her death forced the 3 3d6+5 x10gp and yours!
goblin army to flee the Battle 4 4d6+5 x10gp and yours!
of Three Rivers.

Th e Secr et : A standard spear, but it is +2 to hit against

goblins and delivers a bonus 1d4+2 damage.
 T h e Ol d Ri k asak
M o n ast er y
Cr eat u r es: Ar m is Or cu li
This shield is a patchwork
of materials taken from
Tr easu r e: the shields of the victims
of the original orc
wielder. When wielded by
a chaotic fighter, this
NPCs: shield is a +1 AC but
against one or more orc
enemies, the wielder
delivers a bonus 1d4+2
Secr et s/ Tr aps:
damage on any hits.
 Dolbin'sScrolls
Th e Wizar d's Allocat ion
While a magic-user reads the words on this scroll, up to six
allies may take a seat at a table with the reader. After the
scroll is read, each ally may choose one of the following:

+ A bonus 1d6+4 hit points that lasts for up to 24 hours. Once

the bonus hit points are lost, they cannot be recovered.

+ Rerolls for one type of saving throw. The effect lasts for up
to 24 hours.

+ Half damage for either fire or cold damage. The effect lasts
for up to 24 hours.

+ +30' (10') of movement that lasts for up to 24 hours

Hym n of Gr yn t h's Ch ar ge
Read aloud while pointing to a fighter ally. That ally and all
other fighters within 10' of the target gain +1 AC for 10
minutes.

Scr oll of Ir on Fall

Read aloud while pointing to a single target. Falling does 1d6 damage
every 5' fallen instead of 10'. Thieves roll at two levels lower when
Climbing Sheer Surfaces (CS) down to a minimum of Level 1.

13
 T omes of
Obsidian P ages
Bo o k o f
Scr eam i n g Pages

1x Level 5 Magic-user spells

3x Level 4 Magic-user spells
4x Level 3 Magic-user spell
Special: Once per day, the owner of this tome may
open and reveal its pages to an enemy within 15 feet
and line-of sight. The target must save vs. br eat h or
lose sanity for 30 seconds and flee directly away from
the book as their screams drown out those from the
book.

Fi gh t i n g T ech n i qu es o f t h e So r ga Kn i gh t s

Special: A fighter studying this book for one hour a

day may make an INT ability check after one week.
On success, the fighter gains one of the following:
Sh ield Sw eep: Using the shield as a weapon, on a
successful hit, the target is knocked down.
Sw or d Sm ash : Using the pommel as a weapon, on a
successful hit, target takes 1d4+1dmg and stumbles
back 10'.

Obsidian Pages is one of the five guilds featured in the GUILD zine. A GM can use a guild to provide
14 missions, quests, and even supplies to its members.
 Cleric's Flag Language Bell

3 uses 5 uses

When a lawful cleric plants this Ring this tiny bell while in the
pole in the ground, all allies who presence of a single individual
remain within 30' of the pole (no others around for 10' or
gain 1d4 bonus hit points and more). Target and ringer may
are immune to poison. The speak in a private language for
30 minutes.
effect lasts for 10 minutes.

Sticky Rope

In the hands of a trained thief,

the sticky rope provides the thief
with the ability to climb sheer
surfaces (CS) at two levels higher
than their current level (a level 3
thief can CS as a leve 5).

15
 THE
QUARTELIS

An Old-School Essentials Adven t u r e

f or 4 t o 6 Level 9-10 Ch ar act er s PLUS Hir elin gs

The kingdom of Yenestia is under a silent attack. The

king sits on his throne, staring into the darkness of a
portal that suddenly appeared in the throne room. The
king's sages believes the king to be under some form of
mind control. Seven of the king's most skilled guards
entered the portal but only one returned, babbling
nonsense with his mind apparently shattered. And now
the queen offers a handsome reward for help...
 PLAYERS: DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER

GMs/Referees, names on the provided boxes, and

then cut those out and use them
The Quartelis is a level 9-10
to assist with tracking which PCs
adventure for four to six players
are in which areas. (This will
plus a mix of hirelings. The entire
become more clear as you read
adventure should run between 3-4
through the adventure details.)
hours and can be split over one or
more sessions. I hope your players enjoy this
one... it's different, but all of my
The map for this adventure can be
playtesters were asking for
found on the front inside cover as
something different and unique
well as some more detailed maps
and challenging. Ultimately, they
within the adventure text itself.
came out on top with just one PC
This adventure is quite different death that was a sacrifice the
than other Delver adventures. player made, not due to having
While most of my creations are their HP reduced to 0. It will make
dungeon delves, this one takes for an excellent tale at the tavern
place outside the normal Material (or at the water cooler on Monday
Plane. The situation in which the morning) and is the story from
PCs will find themselves is strange which legends are made.
and has its own rules for
movement, combat, and other
actions.
The GM is encouraged to read
through the entire adventure
before running it to understand
the mechanics of how the story
will evolve. There are areas that
will be unreachable unless the PCs
resolve certain events, and there
are dangers that the PCs may
choose to face... or flee from.
Near the inside back cover is a
simple tool for tracking where the
PCs are in the adventure. Simply
print out a copy, label the PCs
17
Th e St or y whispering a single phrase: "It is
winning." The king said it three
Queen Venarra is offering a
times before a single tear rolled
portion of her husband's wealth
down his cheek.
as a reward to anyone who can
put an end to the attack her That was enough for Queen
husband, King Troden, is facing Venarra to take action. She has
from an unknown enemy. asked her guards to spread the
word that the kingdom and her
Two weeks ago, while the king was
husband are under attack. She
in his throne room attending to
seeks answers, but also a cure for
the matters of his kingdom, a
her husband's condition.
black portal appeared thirty feet
from the throne. It was the size of Queen Venarra is offering a
a standard door, with shimmering portion of her husband's wealth
colors that quickly turned to a and land to one or more
solid black. At the same moment, individuals who can put an end to
King Troden's body stiffened and the portal and its apparent control
his eyes locked on the doorway. over King Troden.
The king sat unmoving and
unblinking, staring into the portal
for ten days. The king took no
food or water, but something was
obviously keeping him alive.
Wizards from the region traveled
to the castle and cast numerous
spells to no avail. Alchemists and
sages performed tests on both the
king and the portal with no
effects.
Seven of King Troden's most
skilled warriors bravely entered
the portal, hoping to find a way to
save their king; one returned with
numerous injuries to head and
body, but it was his unending
screams of nonsense that worried
the court and queen the most.
Two days ago, the king was heard
BEGINNING THE ADVENTURE RUNNING THE ADVENTURE
The adventure really starts when The PCs' goal in this adventure is
the party moves through the to seek out the source of the
portal. But until then, the GM has portal and shut it down, freeing
many options for how the PCs the king from mind control and
might come upon this particular preventing a larger attack by a
situation. Below are some small family of Mind Lashers who
suggested hooks. are experimenting with a new way
to access a food supply.
Adven t u r e Hook s
The PCs will not be able to close
1. At levels 9-10, the party has
the portal until they discover the
likely developed a reputation and
proper way to access the fourth
may even be sought out for this
platform and defeat the Mother
event. If they are NOT in a location
Lasher in the Quartelis.
that lends itself to them hearing
about the portal, the queen might As noted later in the Area
have a representative sent to descriptions, each platform in the
reach out to the party if they are Quartelis resides in its own tiny
within a few days' travel distance. portion of the Quartelis Plane.
Visibility is blocked to the other
2. The portal is newsworthy and
platform until the platforms are
likely to be the subject at any
joined (by the opening of a door).
tavern within a large city. Change
the king and queen to a local The fourth (and final) platform of
mayor or powerful business the Quartelis can only be accessed
leader and have the party quietly when all three doors are opened
approached about looking into the to it simultaneously from the
source of the portal. other three platforms. If the
players cannot discover this on
3. The king and queen can also be
their own, INT ability checks can
changed to any person of interest,
be made to hint at some sort of
even in a smaller setting. A local
"pattern" or "trick" to gaining
priest in a small town could easily
access.
be substituted for the king, and
the PCs who are currently moving The final puzzle isn't that difficult,
through the town (or staying the but if the players are having
night) might be asked for difficulty, help them out as they're
assistance by the townsfolk. going to need all the help they can
get with closing the portal.

19
NOTES ABOUT M IND LASHERS Lasher Soldiers will only run away
to a different portion of the
Mind Lashers, as a rule, prefer
Quartelis in order to better defend
their food source to come to
the Mother Lasher.
them. With the use of the portal,
one lasher family is trying to The three Lasher Soldiers will
discover how many individuals will NEVER enter the fourth portion of
attempt to enter the portal to the Quartelis if there are
investigate. non-mind-controlled enemies in
the Quartelis.
The portal, however, requires the
mind lashers to use a different Finally, w h en a m in d lash er
plane of existence to both power at t ach es t o a vict im t o f eed,
the portal and prevent damage to t h at vict im can n ot per f or m an y
their home and many more lasher act ion s; only the allies can hope
families. (This new plane has some to kill or incapacitate the lasher in
interesting rules and mechanics order to save their friend. (I also
that will be explained shortly.) recommend letting the player who
has been captured by the lasher
Mind lashers are dangerous and
roll the d4 to determine how many
horrible ways for PCs to die. Once
rounds they have left to live.
the lasher has its tentacles into a
Alternatively, you can always
PC, that PC has 1d4 rounds to live.
provide 4 rounds until death if you
If the mind lasher isn't killed
are feeling generous.)
within four rounds, that PC is
dead. Keep this in mind and allow
the PCs to keep their distance as
NOTE: If you are running a game of
much as possible, but remember
Old-School Essentials, for example,
that the mind lashers are hungry
use the standard Mind Lasher stat
and will focus on one PC to feed.
block for the three Lasher Soldiers. If
M OTHER LASHER you are using Shadowdark, use the
Brain Eater stat block for the Lasher
In my game, mind lashers come
Soldiers and change the LATCH
from a matriarchal society. One
ability to reflect the 1d4 rounds until
"mother " lasher typically controls
the victim is dead if you like or run it
a "family" of 1d4 other lashers.
as written. The adventure will run
They hunt for food together when
slightly different depending on which
they aren't planning to take over
OSR game rules you are using.
the world of humanoids.
This Mother Lasher will be
protected at all costs, and the
 But, once a door is opened, the
Th e Plat f or m s connecting platform appears
The Quatrelis exists in a plane attached and slightly angled with
outside of the Material Plane. its surface appearing almost as a
There is no north, south, east or wall. The remaining areas still
west. Up and down do exist while appear black.
all PCs are in the same platform, If a PC moves to an adjacent
but once another PC moves to a platform (only through an open
separate platform, up and down door), the remaining PCs will see
are only relative to each PC. that PC appear above them and
Think of the Quatrelis as a d4. walking almost perpendicular.
Each face of the d4 is a platform. Now, a few rules:
Each platform shares three edges
with other platforms. 1. Jumping from one platform to
another won't work. The platform
If you "unfold" a d4, it looks a PC is "in" is the one that affects
something like this (minus the grid gravity for them. Only by going
and the blocks representing through a door will they appear on
doors). the other platform.
2. Firing a projectile (arrow, rock,
etc) can hit a target in another
platform, but if not thrown with
enough force to make contact with
the other platform or a target, the
object will "fall" back to its
originating platform.
3. Platform 4 cannot be accessed
When a PC is on one platform (one unless all three doors to it are
of the single triangles) they will opened simultaneously. Opening
see three doors and appear to be just one of the doors that lead to
standing on a triangle-shaped Platform 4 reveals the void. Only
platform that is floating in a black when all three doors (indicated by
void. Each door connects to colored dots on the inside front
another platform. cover) are opened at the same
Until a door is opened to another time will Platform 4 be revealed.
platform, there are no walls and 4. PCs arrive in Platform 1. They
the "sky" appears as a starless can leave at any time through it.
void. All black.
21
 subjects on which to experiment.
Plat f or m 1
The human's name is Trenk
Mov Lak Yim Platform. Shardwise and his mind and
This triangular platform appears to actions are being controlled by
float in a starless space. The Mov Lak Yim. Trenk will fight for
platform through which you moved Mov until killed or until Mov is
is behind you, a completely flat and defeated.
mind-twisting rectangle that appears Mov Lak Yim is standard mind
as a black doorway from either side. lasher. Trenk scored a good hit on
To your left and to your right are Mov Lak Yim, cutting off two of its
double-doors that appear to go four tentacles. For this reason,
nowhere, opening to allow Mov Lak Yim is injured with the
movement into the void beyond. following modifications:
Behind you and the portal doorway
is a similar double-door that M ov Lak Yim
appears to lead to the endless void. HD 8* * * (24hp)
Waist-high stone sculptures in
various sizes are tipped and placed At t 2 x tentacle
in what appears to be random XP 1800
locations.
Ten t acles: With just 2 tentacles,
Directly in front of you, however, is a Mov Lak Yim is not as dangerous,
raised stone table with a single male but its mind powers are still fully
human lying on its surface. Behind intact. It will first try to use m in d
the human stands a menacing con t r ol on a PC; if the save is
creature with tentacles where its successful, it will use m in d blast
mouth should be, holding an or m in d t h r u st against that PC or
unusually shaped book and poking tentacles for any more attacks
at the human figure with a metal against that PC.
rod. The creature sees you, and
If Mov Lak falls below half HP, it
begins to move around the table.
will attempt to flee to Platform 2.
This is the platform of a mind
lasher named Mov Lak Yim. It is Tr en k Sh ar dw ise
performing an experiment on one
of the king's guards when the PCs Use the Veteran stat block with HD
arrive. Mov Lak Yim will not be 2 (9hp). No treasure.
worried at the PCs arrival, thinking
they are simply more food or
 Plat f or m 1 M ap

3 4
Special

2
M ov Lak Yim
Por t al
Table
= 5 f eet

23
 Plat f or m 2 Hidr u s Wolf scalp
Jow Nus Ram Platform. Use the Veteran stat block with HD
3 (13hp). No treasure but a +1
This triangular platform appears to
battleaxe to hit.
be the same size as the one where
you arrived. If Hidrus is freed, he will grab his
weapon and rush the mind lasher
More stone sculptures are scattered
in a rage. He will not follow any
around the platform, but it's a single
commands and will fight to the
cage that catches your eye. Inside
death against the lasher.
are two of the king's guards and they
are calling out to you and pointing
at another mind slasher on the
Jidr it h Hallow bin
opposite side of the platform. Use the Veteran stat block with HD
2 (9hp). No treasure but she's a
This is the platform of the mind
warrior priest and is rested and
lasher named Jow Nus Ram. It is
can cast both cure light wounds
currently finishing a meal of one
and protection from evil. Her
of the king's guards and will drop
weapon is a mace.
the corpse and begin moving
towards the nearest PC after 30 If Jidrith is freed, she will grab her
seconds; it is enjoying the terror weapon and then look over the
that the caged guards are PCs to determine which among
experiencing as they watch it eat. them is the most injured before
attempting to heal them.
The two guards in the cage (8hp of
damage to destroy lock if not
picked) are a dwarf named Hidrus
Both guards will join the PCs and
Wolfscalp and a human female
fight against the lashers. They will
named Jidrith Hallowbin, and their
only take orders that do not
weapons are on the ground just
require them to return through
out of reach of the guards.
the portal.
Jow Nus Ram is a standard mind
lasher with no modifications. If
joined by one or more mind NOTE: The Mother Lasher is trapped
lashers, it will move towards any in Platform 4 if one or more of the
fighter first and then spellcasters. lashers die. The portal and mind
control of the king, however, will
If Jow Nus Ram falls below half of
continue.
its HP, it will flee to Platform 3.
 Plat f or m 2 M ap

3 1

4 Special

Jow Nu s Ram
Cage
= 5 f eet

25
 Plat f or m 3 Fiv Dem Poz
Fiv Dem Poz Platform. Fiv Dem Poz has the same stat
block as the standard Mind Lasher
Another triangular platform,
but with the following changes:
identical to the one on which you
arrived, but this one is... different. In addition to the mental powers,
it can cast the following spells:
The stone sculptures on this
platform are more organized and Fir st level: charm person, magic
seem to form some sort of maze or missile, shield, and sleep
path.
Secon d level: invisibility, mirror
This is the platform guarded by Fiv image, web
Dem Poz, the Mother Lasher 's
Th ir d level: fire ball, lightning bolt
favored lasher.
Fou r t h level: wall of fire, wall of ice
Fiv Dem Poz is a standard Mind
Lasher but with added abilities; it Fiv Dem Poz casts spells in its own
will not help its fellow lashers if language; a spellcaster will not be
they flee to its platform. able to understand its chants.

Fiv Dem Poz is the equivalent of a

level 8 spellcast er , and it has six
Dir ag
"pets" that it keeps around for These dog-sized creatures are blind
assisting in guard duty. Fiv Dem and use sound to detect targets to
Poz will not flee and will fight to attack. A mind lasher can use
the death to defend the Mother mental instructions to guide them to
Lasher in Platform 4. It will target visible targets.
the healthiest or least damaged
Use the Cat (M ou n t ain Lion ) stat
PC first and instruct (mentally) the
block with the following
Dir ags to attack any healers that it
modifications:
spots.
At t 3 x bite only (1d6)
Fiv Dem Poz will not attempt to
feed, but will use the maze-like Silen t : Always surprises on its
nature of Platform 3 to hunt, turn if it moves within line of sight
ducking in and out of cover as of a target.
needed and casting spells Gu ided At t ack : If a mind lasher is
whenever possible. within line of sight of a target, it
Below are the stats and can immediately instruct a dirag to
modifications for Fiv Dem Poz. attack a target if within 150'.
 Plat f or m 3 M ap

Special

4 1

2
Dir ag
Fiv Dem Poz
= 5 f eet

27
 pillars is disabled. Mother Lasher
Plat f or m 4 has three dirags to assist in
Mother Lasher Platform. guarding her, and they will attack
the nearest target always, using
NOTE: This platform cannot be
sound to guide them.
reached unless all three sets of
doors on Platforms 1, 2, and 3 are
Pillar s
opened simultaneously. This isn't
hard to do if at least one PC is on Each pillar can be attacked by a
each platform as they can see the magic weapon or spell. Doing 10
other PCs in front of their respective damage to one will disable it. Just
doors. one disabled pillar will awaken
Mother Lasher. Damaging all three
-----
will free King Troden from the
This triangular platform has a mind control.
number of stone structures
arranged around a raised circular M ot h er Lash er
base. Three 10' high pillars glow with
Mother Lasher is a standard mind
a green-blue light in each corner of
lasher with the following
the platform. Sitting on a large stone
modifications:
chair on the circular base is a mind
lasher that appears to be sleeping. HD 9 (40hp)

Mother Lasher is not sleeping; it is At t 2 x mind thrust ONLY

in concentration, attempting to XP 2600
take over the mind of King Troden.
Most mind lashers can control the M L 12
mind of an individual up to 30' If Mother Lasher is killed, the
away, but Mother Lasher is hoping portal to return to the king will
to use the portal and the magical remain for one more hour or until
pillars here to expand the distance a dispel magic spell is cast on it.
for that control. Once it takes
control of the king, the king can
instruct further subjects into the
portal for use as food and labor by
the lashers.
Mother Lasher will not attack or
even be aware of any PCs that
enter the platform unless she is
attacked OR if one of the three
 Plat f or m 4 M ap

1 3

2
Dir ag
M ot h er Lash er
= 5 f eet
Glow in g Pillar

29
 + Ring of lightning bolt (3 charges)
Con clu sion
+ Book of Lasher Magic (value
if the three pillars are disabled, 500gp for the language alone)
the king is freed from the mind
control. This will also happen if + Staff of hold person (1/day)
Mother Lasher is killed.
The portal will remain open for Finally, the PCs are unlikely to be
one hour, so the PCs had best discern how to destroy the
make haste for it or be trapped in Quartelis; this means it could
the Quartelis forever. (The portal easily be used again by the lasher
can also be shut down with a community to strike back at the
simple dispel magic spell.) PCs in a future adventure. The PCs
The king and queen will reward might also discover how to travel
the PCs handsomely, with land, to and from the Quartelis, making
gold, and followers. Any guards it a unique sanctuary or fortress.
that are brought back from the
Quartelis will also be grateful and
the PCs will have them available in
the future as allies to call upon or
even request as aides in quests
and further adventures.
As for the mind lashers...
Before the Mother Lasher is killed,
she will send out a mental blast to
other mind lashers within certain
planes and realms; mental images
of the PCs will be included, and
the PCs will have made long-term
enemies in the lasher community.
How and if that threat ever makes
an appearance is ultimately up to
the GM.
While the lashers in the Quartelis
have no treasure or magic items,
the GM can easily add some.
Suggested items include:
30
 Tu r n You r
Player s in t o
ACTIVE HEROES!
As a GM, there is one question I
have asked a thousand times...
probably more. You probably
know what it is, and asked it
yourself many, many times. It's
such a short, simple question,
by Jam es Floyd Kelly but it is, in my opinion, the one
question that defines RPGs:

WHAT DO YOU DO?

This is the question that many GMs have used for decades to encourage
the players to jump into the game and haggle with a merchant, choose
an enemy to attack, investigate a chest, and so much more. In all the
games I've played, there have been heroic moments where a player
carefully described how they would sneak up on a slumbering enemy or
attempt to sweet-talk the biggest, baddest guard at the city gate. This
one question gives the players the chance to take center stage, if only for
a brief moment, and define how the game will progress.
But if you've GMd for any period of time, you've inevitably found the
question leads to responses like this:
1. "I attack the orc."
2. "I pick the lock."
3. "I ask the guard if he wants to live."
Now, there is NOTHING really wrong with these responses. They are
short and sweet and keep the game moving forward, but the one thing
they tend to do is push the RPG element back on the GM. Responses like
these force the game to become more of the GM doing most of the
roleplaying instead of the (greater) number of players. And worse, these
33
kinds of responses can also cause the GM to respond in kind:
1. "Roll your d20."
2. "Roll your D20."
3. "Roll your D20."
You get the idea? The game progresses, but it becomes a mechanical,
emotion-free bit of back-and-forth that results in the adventure
becoming nothing more than a boring narration of a set of events that
read like a court transcript.
So, w h at 's a GM t o do if t h ey w ish t o pu sh t h eir gam e beyon d t h is
sim ple back -an d-f or t h discu ssion ? (And yes, I say discussion because a
real RPG session should sound more heroic and definitely more
dangerous.)
Below I'm going to offer you three suggestions for engaging your players
and encouraging a more heroic-style of gaming. I've used them all (and
still do) to encourage my players to become PART of the game and to
elevate a session to true story-telling. Take them, use one or all of them,
modify them if necessary, and see if your game sessions don't improve
in both mood and energy and overall adventure.
Th e HERO Die
I've mentioned this one before in a previous article, but I keep two sets
of d6 dice in front of me - a red set and a green set. I usually have 2-3 red
dice per player and only one green per player, and this is how it works.
When the player does something that breaks the mood or just interrupts
a game that is going well, they get a red die. I'm not punishing the
players for jokes or having a it of fun, but when the rest of the players
are enjoying a bit of combat or maybe an encounter and playing it up
really well (see Th e HERO Tok en next) and one player does something
that just stalls the game or disrupts something another player has
developed through roleplaying or planning... red die.
The red die MUST be rolled on their next combat roll and the value is
subtracted from their To Hit die. A red die even ignores a Natural 20 and
the value rolled is subtracted from that 20. This can be anything from a
minor nuisance to a significant threat if the enemy's AC is super high.
Again, my goal with the red die is not to punish players who are having
fun and enjoying the game. It's meant to serve as a reminder that the
other players are engaged and in the moment and you've just broken
the tension or done something that completely sabotages the situation. I
don't give them often, but when I do, it's a reminder that you're not
alone at the table and your words and actions can detract from the other
players' enjoyment of the session.
As you can probably imagine, the green die is the die you want to have. I
award a maximum of one per player at a time. A green die can be rolled
at any time and the result added to any roll the player chooses - to hit, a
saving throw, damage... even at the gambling table.
A player will get a green die when they do something heroic. Something
that takes the story of the night's session and elevates it a bit. It can even
be awarded for actions or words that deepen a roleplaying moment by
another player.
I typically find myself awarding a green die to a player after a nice bit of
narration during a combat session - "I take my sword and point it directly
at the neck of the brigand and say "Choose your next words, carefully, thief.
They may be your last."
Another instance of a green die reward is a PC who makes an unusual
sacrifice or put themselves in danger to protect another PC or NPC. As a
GM, it's not hard to determine when a player deserves this kind of
reward.
But the red and green dice aren't my only tool for encouraging
teamwork, good roleplaying, and overall heroic behavior (or dastardly,
depending on the PC and their alignment and motives). After the red and
green dice, I also use something called Th e HERO Tok en.
Th e HERO Tok en
Once per session, I hand out the HERO Token. This is a metal coin I got
years ago at a gaming convention that is heavy and looks impressive.
When it gets handed to a player, they know they've done something
amazing.
What differentiates the green/red dice from the HERO Token is that the
HERO Token is only awarded once per game, to just one player, and it
comes at the end of the session. I allow my players to help me in
deciding which player truly took the game to another level. It may be
35
through an excellent bit of roleplaying with an NPC or it could be
something that saved another PC or moved them further along on an
objective. If there's a tie, I choose the player who gets the token, and I do
try to be fair about it. Sometimes the best roleplayer shines, but I try to
watch out for the inexperienced players who take a chance or do
something a bit unexpected. Ultimately, I find my players don't try and
hog the limelight but try to share the reward as evenly as possible.
So, what does the HERO Token do? Well, there are options and rules:
1. The player who gets the token can ONLY use it in the next session. If
you miss the next session, the Token returns to me... no carry overs.
2. The token can be turned in for one re-roll of any kind, and that re-roll
can be gifted to another player during the current session. (I don't do
advantage/disadvantage like 5e rules, so a re-roll is a BIG DEAL at my
table.)
3. The token can be turned in for +20% of the XP that player earns in a
session.
4. The token can be turned in to turn a true death (reaching 0hp) into a
near death (the PC is unconscious with 1hp).
5. The token can be turned in for one extra action that is taken
immediately after the PCs first action. Double attack, an extra spell cast,
or even an extra move into cover or safety.
6. Player requests are allowed. If the players wish to do something that
doesn't match up to one of the above options, I allow them to make their
arguments. For example, the true death option above came from a PC
who died quickly and the player forgot to cash in the token for a re-roll. I
felt the argument was a good one and added it to the list of options.
The HERO Token and the green and red dice are certainly enough to
encourage good roleplaying, heroic actions, and smart game play, but
there's one more tool I'd like to explain. I've only used it a couple time,
but ALLY Sticks are quickly becoming one of my favorite tools and I'll
explain why.
Th e ALLY St ick s
At my table, we roll for Initiative and the highest roll (and it could be
mine, the GM) goes first during combat. Play then proceeds clockwise. I
use this because it speeds up combat; I don't have to use any kind of
tracker to know who is next, and the players can begin planning their
turn accordingly. But even with traditional ordered combat based on
Initiative rolls, I find that players are often limited in their actions
because they MUST do something on their turn... it's a use-it-or-lose-it
moment, and I've never liked that.
Combat is one of the more lengthy parts of any RPG game (typically),
with 1 minute of real-time combat often taking 30 minutes to an hour to
complete. Because of this time dilation at the table, I have tried to come
up with ways for players to more easily help their fellow players,
especially when the find themselves on opposite ends of the Initiative
order, and what I've come up with I call ALLY Sticks.
Here's how ALLY Sticks work:
1. On a player 's turn, they can choose to delay their actions, whatever
they may be, by choosing another player who will take their action next,
somewhere in the middle or even last in the order.
2. The delaying player AND the selected player are both given sticks of a
matching color. I've painted six pairs of sticks, each with a different color,
so 12 sticks in all.
3. When the selected player takes their turn, that player and the delaying
player can turn in their sticks and take their turns together. I encourage
this because it allows two players to team up and do something cool and
heroic. (One of my Fighter players often teams up with a Thief player; the
Fighter will taunt an enemy and engage them in order to allow the thief to
immediately move in for a backstab. This is just ONE example of what my
players have come up with while using the ALLY Sticks.)
4. No matter what the two PCs do during a round of combat, the sticks
are returned even if they ultimately do completely separate stuff.
Sometimes it just doesn't work out.
5. Once two players are allied with the sticks, no other player can join
them or be selected. I use this to represent those moments in the
movies when two heroes do something really cool like toss an ammo clip
to someone who just ran out of ammo and who snatches it, slaps in the
clip and keeps firing... that kind of thing.)
Why don't I just tell the players to remind me when a team-up is to
occur? I've tried it, and often times I cannot recall who is doing what. The
37
colored sticks help me (as the GM) remember who is partnering up and
who isn't.
I would estimate that my players use ALLY sticks for 25% of their total
combat rounds. Most of the time, a player simply wants to take their
action right now. They see an opportunity and take it. But there are those
moments when two of my players discuss an action while I'm dealing
with another player, and the results are often fun and unique and
definitely cinematic.
Con clu sion
So, do the HERO dice, the HERO Token and the ALLY Sticks work? I would
say it depends on the session. The HERO Token almost always gets used
in some way. It's just too valuable with its various options. The ALLY
Sticks, as I mentioned, are not used constantly, but when they are... I
know something fun and cool is about to happen. The red HERO dice are
still given out in my sessions, but not near as often. The players have
come to understand that a red die can sometimes mean the difference
between life and death, and they work hard (now) to try and avoid them.
The green dice, however... I give those out like candy because my players
have also come to realize one BIG truth:
We are at the tabletop to share in the telling of an epic adventure. And to
do that, the PCs need to do EPIC things.
The rewards have, in a sense, trained the players to think about why they
are at the table for the night. Are they there to simply roll a die and try to
kill a monster or pick a lock? Or are they there to step into the boots of
fantasy heroes who live in a world where magic and monsters exists and
anything is possible?
What I've found is that when players are rewarded for being heroes...
they act like heroes. I hear a lot more WHOOPS and see a lot more
high-fives than I've ever seen in a game, and this is because my players
have taken on the role of actors in a play and are trying to (almost)
out-do each other when they are interacting with NPCs, monsters, and
the fantasy world around them.
It works. Trust me. Try one or all of these and see if you don't spot an
improvement in the roleplaying and overall fun and excitement that the
players exhibit during a session.

38
 Pr in t a b l e
Pr ops
This issue's printable prop is a 4x6 postcard with this mini spellbook
for writing in spell names and details. Fold it in half to create the
front and back cover, and then print as many additional inside pages
as you need.
Each print copy of Delver 12 will come with a copy of this two-sided,
full-color postcard, but below is the actual image that you can use to
print your own if desired (enlarge as needed). The full-color PDF file
can also be downloaded at bit.ly/delverfreebies where you'll find this
one and previous postcard files to download and print.

39
 The
Quart el is
1

2 4

3 Tr ack in g Sh eet
Write in names of PCs and NPCs to track
their current platform location. Remember,
only spells and ranged weapons can be
used between platforms.

40
Co m i n g i n J an u ar y 20 24