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A Pain in the Mountains.

Ironstone Pass

Written by Graeme Davis

Updated for WFRP 2 nd Edition by Michael Congreve

Introduction

This adventure is designed for characters in their second or third careers. Due to the high combat

element of the adventure, the party should ideally have 15-20 careers between them, and include some

magical ability, at least a Journeyman Wizard or Anointed Priest.

Ironstone Pass is a short incident that can be run at any time when your players are travelling through a

mountainous region, as a stand-alone encounter whenever you need to spice up a mountain crossing.

This adventure is nominally set in the Vaults, however it can easily be set elsewhere, just change the

place names to something more suitable. And remember that it doesn’t have to be the height of winter

when they make the crossing – bad weather comes earlier, hits harder, and stays longer in the

mountains.

This adventure was originally printed in White Dwarf # 132, and was later re-printed in the Hogshead

Publishing supplement ‘Apocrypha 2: Chart of Darkness’, where it was updated by Iain Smedley. Very

little of the original text has been changed for this, merely updating the original adventure to the

current rules.

Campaign Notes

Originally intended as an interlude in the Doomstones campaign, all the Doomstones adventures

involve quite a bit of hazardous travelling along mountain passes. As the adventures make their way

from one location to another, they will have to cross through Ironstone Pass and survive an attack

capable of wiping out forces many times their strength. Werner Silbermann and his allies are an

excellent extra hazard to weaken an over-strong or over-confident party. This adventure can be easily

set either side of the Vaults, serving as a menace located in a mountainous region overlooking a

fledgling Border Princedom.

Werner’s Tale

Werner Silbermann was a young and fairly successful wizard in Nuln when an experiment exposed him

to the corrupting influence of Chaos, and he became a werewolf. For the next few years he drifted from

place to place, always moving on to avoid being recognised for what he was and hunted down. As the

years went by he came to terms with his condition and learned to partially control it.

One harsh winter found him wandering through the forest, which fringed the western foothills of the

Worlds Edge Mountains. It had been almost a week since he had eaten, and hunger and exhaustion

caught up with him. He collapsed at the base of a tree, resigning himself to death.

He regained his senses to find himself surrounded by a pack of wolves. Too weak to move, he closed

his eyes and waited for death. He heard the soft footfall of a wolf approaching him, and felt its breath

on his neck. The wolf then began licking his face. It was almost as if the wolves were aware of his true

were-nature and had accepted him as one of their own.

Werner gratefully accepted the hospitality of the wolfpack and lived amongst them as a wolf for nearly

a year. He became their leader, and now he was happy to be a wolf with swift legs, a keen nose, a

warm coat, and deadly sharp teeth.

The next winter was even harsher than the last, and the hunting was predictably poor. As the pack

ranged wider and wider in search of prey, they came across a trade road leading from the Empire across

the Winter’s Teeth Pass to the Vaults, and on to the Border Princes. The human part of Werner’s brain

told him that this was the answer. He established a lair in dense cover near the road and posted

lookouts to bring news of an impending caravan.

Werner’s first attack was a success. In a well-laid ambush, the wolves took two guards and a wagon

driver and disappeared into the forest before the survivors could react. The wolves fed well that day,

and over the following months tales began to be told of the ‘Daemon Wolves’ of Wissenland.

Soldiers and hunters were sent out from Pfeildorf, to scour the forests and hunt the wolves down. They

returned with the carcasses of almost a hundred wolves, but the attacks continued. The stories grew

wilder; giving the Wolves the ability to walk through solid rock, and making weapons pass harmlessly

through their bodies. Wissenland was gripped in near hysteria.

One fateful day, the pack ambushed a caravan in a narrow pass in the Winter’s Teeth. Werner had

chosen the site so that the narrow passage would hamper the caravan guards, enabling the wolves to

strike and escape without meeting any serious resistance. The attack went exactly as planned until an

unexpected rearguard appeared, trapping the wolves between two forces. The wolves fought with

savage desperation, but their doom seemed certain.

Suddenly, one of the wagons erupted in flame, and the main body of the caravan broke as panicked

merchants and guards fled along the pass. The dead rose up, shambling past the wolves to attack their

living comrades. Over the screams and snarls of the battle, laughter rang out: the clear, savage laughter

of an Elf-woman who had appeared beside the burning wagon. The battle turned into a rout, and soon

the woman was the only survivor of the caravan. The wolves were wary of her, but she petted them as

they fed on the dead horses and guards. Still chuckling quietly, she approached the wolf which was

Werner, and he knew that she saw him for what he was.

That day, a strange alliance was born. The Elf-woman was named Syrillia, an outcast from the dark

city of Feiss Mabdon, who had travelled widely in search of knowledge and adventure. The wolves

withdrew to their current lair – an abandoned mine which had given Ironstone Pass its name – and

Syrillia and Werner sat talking and plotting far into the night.

Spring and summer came and went, and by the time that winter closed the higher passes, the two allies

had turned Ironstone pass into a death-trap. The few travellers who came that way were easily

overpowered, providing riches as well as food. The two spellcasters grew in power, trading arcane

knowledge, and amassing wealth from those they robbed.

Setting the Scene

The map shows the layout of Ironstone Pass. The adventurers approach the pass from the right

side. It is important to know the characters travelling order: are they in single file or two

abreast, who is in front, and so forth.

It is also important to describe the weather. Emphasise the cold, the wind, and the snow. Build

this up as the adventurers travel along; ideally the PCs should be feeling utterly miserable even

before the encounter begins.

1 – Snow Trap

Beneath a crust of soft snow, the ground drops vertically 5 feet. Unless the party have thought

to probe the snow in front of them, the lead characters are taken by surprise, and drop 4 feet

into the soft snow (due to the soft impact, the falling characters suffer no damage from this).

Characters on horseback must pass a Ride Test to stay mounted (even a character with the

Trick Riding Talent must test, though he will get the usual +10% to the Ride Test). Characters

in deep snow may move at one-quarter rate until they are clear of it (and may not run or charge).

They may perform no attack actions or cast spells, and may not use the Dodge Blow Skill . All

attacks against characters mired in deep snow are Routine (+10%) .

2 – Wolf Lair

This is where the wolves wait until the attack starts. The entrance is fully camouflaged with foliage

that has been covered with snow, making a Perception Test to discover the entrance Hard (-20%) .

The inner chamber is used by cubs and nursing mothers. There are four females and seven cubs

here, none of which will participate in the attack.

The lairs entrance is two feet high and six feet wide, while that to the nursery chamber is two feet

high and two feet wide. The females will fight to the death to protect the cubs, and count as

Frenzied while doing so.

3 – Mine Entrance

The original iron doors which sealed the mine entrance are still in place, but the area behind

them has been blocked by a rockfall. It requires a Hard (-20%) Strength Test to break the doors

down, but even in this case, it is impossible to proceed any further beyond them.

4 – Undead pen

This small cavern has been altered to serve as a holding pen for the Undead forces commanded

by Syrillia. When an attack is not in progress, all the Undead will be in this cavern, in an inactive

state.

5 – Entrance

Victims are intended to find this lightly concealed entrance. A loose rock standing to the side

of the pass has a hidden space behind it. An Easy (+20%) Perception Test will detect this

“secret” passage. A Challenging (-10%) Strength Test is required to shift the stone, revealing

a passage 4 feet high and 5 feet wide. For each additional character assisting in the attempt to

shift the stone, reduce the test difficulty by one step.

6 – Killing Zone

Characters who survive the ambush outside and discover the entrance in area 5 will find themselves

entering this chamber. It is here that surviving victims are scrutinised to decide who merits further

investigation, and who should be killed out of hand. The concealed door in area 6a has a spyhole to

facilitate this process.

7 – Living Quarters

If forced to fall back from his position at

the door, Werner uses his Crystal Mist

Power Crystal to cast the Shadow Lore

spell ‘Illusion’ in the corridor. This

creates the image of a deep chasm

spanning the full width of the corridor,

six yards long, and six yards deep with

spikes at the bottom, and a drawbridge

sealing off the rest of the passage. If the

characters have cause to suspect this is an

illusion (which they shouldn’t), a

successful Intelligence Test will allow

them to see through the Illusion.

Force of Nature

Type: Arcane

Arcane Language: Magick

Magic: 2

XP: 200

Ingredients: Sacrifice of a wild mammal, 1lb of

raw clay, 100 crowns value of powdered gemstone.

Conditions: Perform ritual naked within a circle

inscribed in bare earth. The caster must remain in

contact with natural earth or stone throughout

ritual.

Consequences: Ritual completes, but the Elemental

acts as though the Willpower test was a failure.

Casting Number: 12

Casting Time: 8 hours.

Description: Summons a Minor Earth Elemental

within 12 yards of the caster. Caster must make a

contested Willpower Test . If failed, the Elemental

acts freely for 1d10 rounds before vanishing. If

success, the Elemental is bound to perform three

services for the caster. As a half action, the

Elemental can be called forth and dismissed

between services (though each calling must include

a performing of a service or the bond is broken).

The Elemental takes one round to fully manifest. If

a service would place the Elemental in danger, it

may attempt a Willpower Test , success breaking

the bond of service.

This chamber is the main living quarters

of Werner and Syrillia. A couple of piles

of silks and cushions, looted from various

caravans, serve as makeshift beds. In the

centre of the chamber is an ash-filled fire

pit, and against the far wall stands a small

shrine, with three human hearts slowly

rotting on top of it. A successful

Academic Knowledge: Theology Test

will identify the shrine as being dedicated

to Khaine, Lord of Murder (Since this

altar is dedicated to Khaine in his role as

the patron deity of the Dark Elves, Elves

treat this test as Routine (+10%)).

The fire-pit has a loose slab at the bottom,

located with a successful Search Test,

which lifts up to reveal a cache of

treasure. There are 10 crowns, 30

shillings, and 414 pence, a silver statuette

of Myrmidia worth 30 crowns, and two

small rubies worth 5 crowns each.

Freezing the Fog

Type: Arcane

Arcane Language: Magick

Magic: 2

XP: 200

Ingredients: A clear gemstone worth 100 crowns.

Conditions: Must be performed outside. Must be

performed in the morning as fog forms. Ritual must

end within the last hour after dawn.

Consequences: Gemstone is destroyed, caster must

roll on the Minor Tzeentch’s Curse table.

Casting Number: 14

Casting Time: 6 hours.

Description: The gemstone is transformed into

Crystal Mist – a Power Crystal of the Grey Wind of

Magic.

If the bedding piles are searched

thoroughly, the one nearest the entrance

will be found to have four books buried

under the assortment of cloth. The first is

Werner’s grimoire detailing his studies

and learning at the Grey College. Written

in Classical , this book contains some

information on the workings of the Grey

College (you might want to paraphrase

sections from the Tome of Sorcery to an

inquiring character), but is of otherwise of little use. The Grey College would of course be

grateful for its return, and no doubt Witch Hunters and Grey Magisters would take a dim view of

itinerant adventurers carrying around information on one of the more secretive Colleges of

Magic. The second and third books contain rituals for the summoning and control of a minor

Earth Elemental, and for the creation of Crystal Mist (A type of Power Crystal specific to the

Grey Wind). The final book is a blasphemous tome detailing the rites and observances of the god

Khaine (Syrillia has been attempting to indoctrinate Werner) written in Eltharin . Anyone

reading this book will gain much useful information on the Cult of Khaine, and may purchase the

skills Prepare Poison and Torture for 100xp, but must also pass a Challenging (-10%)

Willpower Test or gain 1 Insanity Point .

Staging the Encounter

Magic Alarm spells have been cast to ward both

entrances into this section of the pass (as

indicated on the map). When Werner becomes

aware of victims entering the trap, he proceeds

to area 7 to watch the killing zone through the

eyeslits. He immediately summons the bound

Earth Elemental, and orders it to wait in the

ceiling of area 6, ready to trigger a rockfall on

his command. Meanwhile, Syrillia goes to area

4 and repeatedly casts the Necromantic Spell

‘Raise the Dead’ on the bodies stored there until

all Skeletons and Zombies are active.

The adventurers’ first intimation of danger is

when they encounter the hidden drop at area 1.

As soon as the first characters drop into the deep

snow, the wolves come pouring out of their lair

at the rate of 1d10/2 (minimum 2) per round

until all fourteen are in the fray. This should

force the adventurers forward, further into the

pass. Sensible travellers will just run away from

the wolves, rather than wait until they are

overwhelmed. As the victims get level with area

5, the Undead lurch out of area 4, sealing the

other end of the pass. The two forces close in,

and the adventurers are forced closer to area 5.

They will then find the “concealed” door, feel

lucky, and take shelter in the caves.

Once in the caves, the party will be naturally

herded into area 6. Werner orders the Earth

Elemental to cause a rockfall in the area

indicated on the map, sealing off the escape

route to area 5. Anyone still within 4 yards of

the collapse suffers a Damage 3 hit from flying

stone fragments. At the same time, the Undead

have returned to area 4 and make their way

along the passage to area 6, with Syrillia behind

them. Syrillia casts the Necromantic spells ‘Face

of Death’ and ‘Corpse Flesh’ to allow herself to

blend into the rear ranks of the Undead. The

Undead stand shoulder-to-shoulder, blocking the

passage to area 4 but making no move to attack.

There follows a pause. The adventurers are

trapped, with a rockfall sealing the exit to area

5, Undead blocking the exit to area 4, and the

exits to area 7 carefully concealed. Werner and

Syrillia examine the party from their hiding-places (both using Witchsight), weighing up whether or

not they are “interesting”. Any use of spells or magical items, displays of unusual fighting ability, or

imaginative responses to their predicament will qualify. This means that, rather than kill them quickly

and efficiently as possible (Syrillia’s Fire spells, a more direct rockfall, etc.), the two will try to dispose

of the adventurers without damaging any equipment they might have.

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