The Hill Surface locations

@The Hill Large Landing This pleasant expanse of grass and flowers surrounds a 15' high waterfall.  The water in the stream looks cool and refreshing.  The entire scene is lovely.

@The Hill Narrow Riverbank Clearing This clearing stretches for a long distance along the riverbank.  The ground low, flat, and muddy.  Most of the grass has been chocked off by hardier marsh plants, and the buzz of mosquitoes is constant.

@The Hill Shaded Clearing Many wildflowers grow among the lush grasses in this shady glen.  The clearing is quiet and peaceful.

@The Hill Meadow Clearing @The Hill Killer Bee Hive This large clearing is pleasant and flowery.  Tall grasses wave in the slight breeze. If the PCs stop and listen at the east end of this clearing, there is a 75% chance one of them notices a low-pitched buzzing. If the characters remain at the east end of the clearing, there is a 20% chance per round that a killer bee sights them. If they move more than 100 yards into the meadow, the killer bees certainly catch sight of them. The bees automatically attack any creatures they find in the clearing. Note that if the party does   not specifically state they are listening at the east end of the clearing, they do not hear the bees      until the bees have sighted them. monster 8 killer bees, 1 queen bee. Guaranteed treasure: The honey acts as a half-strength potion of healing.

@The Hill Driver Anthill The driver anthill is a huge pile of dirt located in a niche in the edge of the clearing’s southern side. The anthill is 50 feet in diameter and rises 10 feet into the air. When first discovered, two driver ants are crawling about the surface of the an.thil1. If the characters advance into the clearing, the two ants advance toward them. Fifteen other ants in the lair remain to defend the lair. Monsters: Driver Ants (2), Driver Ants in Lair (15).

@The Hill Berry Glade This pleasant meadow borders a crystal clear pond of cool, fresh water.  Many colored pebbles can be seen on the bottom, and hundreds of harmless gold and silver fish swim through the waters.  At the border between the glade and the forest, three unusual bushes grow.  They resemble raspberry bushes, but the berries on the plants are much larger than ordinary raspberries. Many years ago, an old cleric spilled a potion of healing at the base of these bushes. A strange and magical absorption took place, and now the berries themselves have healing properties. Twelve berries are on each bush, and each berry acts as a weak potion of healing.

@The Hill Ancient Statue At the top of this steep, rocky hillside is a hideous idol, carved from granite by some forgotten race.  The statue is a fat, squatting, vaguely humanoid figure, whose face is twisted into a hideous leer.

@The Hill Small Cave Ahead a cave entrance can easily be seen.  Thick bushes choke the entrance to a height of about 2'.  It appears the cave has not been entered by foot for a very long time. Past the entrance, the cave expands rapidly.  Many boulders litter the floor.  Walking around them will be difficult.  Stalactites and stalagmites are common. movement through the cave is reduced to half. A small side passage contains a pool of stagnant brown water. Any PC who drinks from the water must save vs. poison or be immobilized with stomach cramps for 6d4 hours. A corridor winds into nothing, ending in a mass of crumbled boulders. Another passage goes to a very large, and bat guano can be seen all over the floor. From one hour before sunrise until one hour after dark, this chamber houses the flock of giant bats that lives on The Hill. They attack any creature who enters, and pursue the intruders throughout the cave. They do not fly out of the cave during the day, however. Monsters: Giant Bats (6)

@The Hill Narrow Ridge Most of the vista from the ridge is treetops, but some terrain features are visible, including clearings @The Hill Meadow Clearing and @The Hill Pleasant Glade ; the pond, waterfall, and stream immediately below the ridge; the lower ridge beyond the pond; and-through a notch between two other ridges-a portion of clearing @The Hill Clearing .

@The Hill Warm Moist Cave This cave’s smooth interior is due to occasional high-pressure bursts of steam from the geothermal pressure cooker below @The Hill , blasting from the vent in the back of the cave and rushing through the chamber to the atmosphere outside. The entire cave is wet, and five large pools of water have collected inside. The water is drinkable, though somewhat warm. There is a 25% chance a swarm of steam weevils are discovered in the cave. If they are, these creatures immediately move to surround a randomly selected character among those entering the cave. Monsters: Steam Weevils (10). For every turn the party is inside the cave, there is a 5% chance that steam is forced through the cave. If steam is forced through, characters inside hear a gurgling and hissing noise gradually building in volume for the round immediately preceding the eruption. Anyone who remains inside as the steam erupts takes (ld6) points of damage from the scalding heat for each round they spend engulfed in the steam. The blast lasts for 2d10 rounds.

@The Hill Pleasant Glade This small clearing is tucked into a narrow valley on the edge of a small pond. At the north end of the clearing, a stream falls away in a 30-foot waterfall. Several different varieties of flowers and herbs grow in this idyllic spot, and the waters of the pond and stream are clear.

@The Hill Hobgoblin Camp Clearing This clearing rests on the edge of a large pond.  The shoreline of the pond has been churned into a muddy mess.  An odor of carrion hangs in the air.  The grass in the clearing has been trampled flat, and several shoddy tents and huts are visible at the far end. The hobgoblin camp has been established as a guard post on The Hill, and from the encampment, the garrison sends out regular patrols along the trails.  The camp itself is a dirty collection of 5 animal hide tents, and three brushy dome-shaped shelters made of twigs and leaves.  The poor tanning of the tents account for the odor of rotting meat. Three @Hobgoblin stand guard at the entrance to the camp, by the trail leading into the camp, and 10 more hobgoblins are back at the tents and huts. They attack intruders on sight.  If the PC's flee, the hobgoblins pursue ruthlessly over The Hill. Monsters: @Hobgoblin (12). The largest hobgoblin has a @Shortsword +1 . The other hobgoblins are armed with normal short swords. In addition, one of the guards and three of the hobgoblins in the camp carry spears, which they cast as soon as they are within 40 feet of the party for 1-6 (ld6) points of damage. If the characters investigate the tents and huts in the encampment, they find them filthy, odorous, and dimly-lit inside. If the characters make a thorough search, they find in each tent: a sack containing 3- 18 (3d6) gold, old pieces of leather garments, broken swords, 1-4(1d4) water skins filled with cheap wine, and a large bowl of indefinable swill. The huts are no cleaner than the tents, though they are quarters for the higher ranked hobgoblins.  In each hut is a small sack containing 4-24 (4d6) gold, 1-4(1d4) wineskins filled with decent wine, crude chairs, and a grimy table displaying a haunch of dried meat.

@Clearing of the Mysterious CottageIn the center of this clearing is a whitewashed cottage lined with bright green shutters. Gravel walkways connect the cottage to each of three trails into the forest, and pleasant gardens of bright flowers surround the home. White curtains, delicately embroidered, hang over each of the four windows. This cottage is the home of Rosabella, a 5th level cleric, and Rosalinda, a 6th level magic user. They are sisters, and each is a plump, gray-haired old lady of vitality and pleasant manner. Neither gives a clue about their classes or abilities when talking to strangers, whom they greet cheerfully. Neither sister carries any weapons, but Rosabella wears a ring of protection+3 and has a staff of healing, and Rosalinda has a wand of paralyzation. As soon as characters enter the clearing, the two sisters hustle out of the cottage to greet them. Rosalinda has a rolling pin thrust through her apron strings; Rosabella is empty-handed. The shaft of the rolling pin is actually her wand of paralyzation. The sisters smile happily and invite the party inside for some tea and cake. If the characters accept the invitation, the sisters precede them through the front door. The cottage is actually a permanent illusion that disguises a much larger building. The cottage appears to be 20 feet square on the outside, but the room that the characters enter is actually 40 feet square. Two hallways lead off of this room, and the ladies take the party down one of these, past a sweeping stairway to a second floor, and into a large parlor. The sisters’ “cottage” is in reality a mansion two stories high. Many fine paintings, gold and silver ornaments, and bejeweled knick-knacks are visible throughout their home. However, a virtual web of magical protection has been laid across and around the house, making the sisters impossible to steal from. If the sisters are killed, the house and all its contents immediately turn to dust. If the characters are reasonably polite, the ladies treat the characters to delicious herbal tea and spice cake. The sisters chatter pleasantly about their garden, the woods around The Hill, and the weather. They are willing to sell a potion of invisibility; a potion of healing; a clerical scroll with the spells cure light wounds, detect magic, and protection from evil; and a magic-user scroll with web, detect magic ,and magic missile spells at a high price.