SHADOW OF THE BEAKMEN [SPOILERS]

Played with a party of 2 and 3 people (plus saved man-at-arms). Both were cautious and got to the dungeon’s final room. Facing the final boss and detachment scale Beakmen groups might be tough.

Common Opponents and Relics

Greenstone Lance (d8+d6, 1 Charge)
A shiny alien spear capable of controlling crocodiles and powering magic.
- The lance is super sharp, but also fragile. It ignores Armor, but shatters when killing a foe.
- The wielder can telepathically command a Nearby crocodile that fails a MIND Save to follow its orders. The Save is made each dawn.
- The shard at the tip can be destroyed to boost a single spell, adding +1d to the roll. Roll this as a separate die. It does not add Fatigue on a result of 4-6 and also causes no Mishap if it shows the same number as another casting die. 

Croc Knight: 3 HP; 2 AR; 12B, 9M;  Greenstone Lance (d8+d6, ignores Armor);
A beaked knight riding a giant crocodile.
- Controls their crocodile using the lance.
- Critical Damage: Uses a Hunting Pole to trap and capture the target.  

Giant Crocodile: 5 HP; 2 AR; 12B, 8M; Bite (d10);
A large four-legged reptilian creature.
- If freed from the lance’s spell, just wants to return to the waters.
- Critical Damage: Rips off the bitten limb. 

Beakmen: 1 HP; 11B, 7M; Claw (d6);
Once a living human, threw in terrible pits. Now transformed into a beaked alien humanoid.

PLAYER START

Man-at-Arms: 3 HP; 11B, 8M; Spear (d8);
- While the village is being attacked, they don't fail Moral checks.

AREA A – THE BATTLE

Peasant: 1 HP; 9B, 8M; Fists (d4);

If the party faces a group of 10 or more Beakman, transform them into Detachment Scale.

AREA B – THE LAKESHORE

Beakmen (23): Transform them into Detachment Scale.

The Master (Astral Shadow): 1 HP; 12B, 18M; Black bolt (d6);
A squat green man.
- Can fly as its movement.
- Immune to non-magical weapons.
- Counterspell: Once per day, The Master can try to counter a Nearby Casting Spell. They roll the same Power as the original spell and if its SUM is higher than the other caster’s [SUM], the spell is countered.

Area 1-1—The Mired Cavern

If the PCs don’t have a Greenstone Shard, use time as the main obstacle to check for surprise from the troop on 1–2. A thief with the right tools, or a character with a powerful weapon could try a Save to avoid being surprised on opening the portals really quick.

Area 1-3—Brood Chamber

Inside the egg sacs: MIND Save each Turn or lose d4 MIND.

Pool Trap: BODY Save. If it detonates, don’t call for a Save to halve it, just cause 3d6 (using highest die only) directly into the target's BODY.  

Beakmen Pupae (20): 1 HP; 9B, 5M; Claw (d4);
Once a living human, threw in terrible pits. Now transformed into a beaked alien humanoid.

If the party faces a group of 10 or more Beakman, transform them into Detachment Scale.

Area 1-4—The Weaver

• Scry damage deals d12 to MIND (no Save to halve it).

The Weaver Magic Items and Relics:

Demonweb Rope, 100’ - Cannot be severed or torn by mundane means

Demonweb Short Cloak (+1 Armor)
A custom-made sticky cloak.
- Once a day grants Advantage to a BODY Save.
- If the wearer dies using the cloak, they are soaked and transported by webs, becoming a spider servant under the Weaver’s control for many years before having their soul freed. The cloak is sent as a gift to a  close family member, friend or lover. 

Demonweb Gloves (3 Charges)
A completely white pair of gloves.
- Spend 1 Charge to make Trivial a Save related to open locks, disable traps or handle poison.
- When the Charges are depleted, the glove becomes sticky and impossible to remove. Tasks related to dexterity and reflexes suffer Disadvantage, but those that require strength receive Advantage. 
- Recharge: The Weaver will soon appear into the wearer’s life and ask for a small risk favor. Complete the task to recharge the glove.

Weaver Demon: 12 HP; 1 AR; 15B, 18M; Claws (d6, blast);
A wicked creature happy to bestow gifts for a price.
- Demon traits.
- Immune to non-magical weapons or natural attacks from creatures of 3 HP or less,  half damage from fire/acid/cold/electricity/gas.
- Critical Damage: The target gets pinned by a web strand. 

Area 1-5—The Warlord & the Beast

Sneaking: Check for thiefs or halflings who have the sneaking special abilities. As for the group LUCK Save, I’d ask it only for the character with the lowest Attribute value. If they do something smart, no Save is required.

Treasure: Don’t ask for a LUCK save, but each mound takes 1 Turn to be inspected (each player can get to one at a time). 

Beakman Warlord: 6 HP; 2 AR; 13B, 16M;  Battleaxe (d10) or Greenstone Javelin (d8, ignores Armor);
An old beaked knight, one with their giant crocodile.
- Controls their crocodile without the lance.
- Last Grap: If they fail a Critical Damage Save, they grapple a Close target and jump into the pool.
- Critical Damage: Knocks the target into the pool. 

Giant Crocodile (Ancient): 7 HP; 2 AR; 13B, 16M; Bite (d10);
An intelligent large four-legged reptilian creature.
- Fights for its master until they die.
- Critical Damage: Drown the target and rips off the bitten limb. 

Area 1-6—Flooded Passageway

• Attempting to swim the passageway, unaided, requires a BODY Check (heavy armor implies Disadvantage). On a failed check, the character begins to drown (taking d6 Damage) succumbing to panic and losing sense of direction. On the next Round, the character can make a MIND or LUCK Save (whichever is the highest) to escape the passageways, on a failed check the character passes out and dies drowned if they don’t receive any help within 1 minute.  

Area 1-7—The Moon Pools

You can follow my Attribute Score change rule or use it as written from the adventure.

Deal d12+d12 Damage from a second try on the pools.

Area 1-8—Beakmen Pods

Sneaking: Check for thiefs or halflings who have the sneaking special abilities. As for the group LUCK Save, I’d ask it only for the character with the lowest Attribute value. If they do something smart, no Save is required.

Pool Trap: BODY Save. If it detonates, don’t call for a Save to halve it, just cause 3d6 (using highest die only) directly into the target's BODY.  

If the party faces a group of 10 or more Beakman, transform them into Detachment Scale.

Area 1-9—Master of Shadows

Destroying the Lantern: The easiest way to defeat an astral shadow is to shatter its lens on the magic lantern. The lantern has 8 faces in all, each set with a lens depicting a monstrous beast. Any attack succeeding dealing 5 or more points of damage instantly shatters a lens, dismissing the shadow.

Transporting the lantern is difficult and would need at least 3 characters with free hands (6 Slots, bulky). 

Astral Shadows (lion, griffin, ogre, dragon, giant, spider, snake, devil): 1 HP; 13B, 18M; Melee (d6+);
Magical forms projected from a lantern.
- Immune to non-magical weapons and spells that require a MIND Save.
- If the lens projecting a shadow is destroyed, that shadow vanishes and stops attacking until it is restored.
- Magical Lantern: Each Round the lantern is spinned, the shadows’ attack is increased by one step (d6>d8>d10>d12). If the lantern stops, the Damage die resets to d6.  

The Master: 9 HP; 12B, 18M; Black bolt (d6);
A squat green man.
- Command Astral Shadows: The Master can forego its movement of the Round to stop spinning the lantern and replace all broken lens. The shadows all defend The Master to the best of their ability and with no fear of death.  
- Counterspell: Once per Round, The Master can forego its movement to try to counter a Nearby Casting Spell. They roll the same Power as the original spell and if its SUM is higher than the other caster’s [SUM], the spell is countered.