An 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons adventure designed for 4-6 Player Characters of levels 3rd through 5th.

The creator of this adventure recommends the adventuring party consist of at least three fighter class characters, a cleric class character and a magic user class character.

Created and Written by: Thomas J. Broadfoot

Background For the Dungeon Master

Three weeks ago, a small colony of giant ants roamed into the region of ___________after fleeing their nest. This colony traveled numerous miles looking for a suitable area to establish their new nest. Once the colony arrived into the region, they found an abundant food supply, the farmers livestock and fields. Finding abundant food, the ants began to burrow into the earth, establishing a new colony. Beginning a relatively new colony, the number of giant ants is small, compared to a wellestablished colony. The Giant Ants have also raided local trade caravans that they have encountered while foraging. The primary activity cycle of the ants is during the daylight, while all the Giant Ants will return to the nest at nightfall. There is a maximum of 100 Worker Ants, 26 Warrior Ants, 205 eggs and 1 Queen Ant. None of the local farmers truly knows what is ravaging their crops and cattle. While they have discovered the location of the nest, they have failed so see any of the giant ants. While the locals claim to have watched the sinkhole, none has actually spent more than a few hours near the nest, fearing for their lives.

For the Player Characters

You find yourselves traveling through the region of _____________, on an unimportant errand that pays very little money. If it were not for the fact you need the money, you would not have accepted the routine task. As night falls, you see a small village ahead on the trail. Deciding that a night on a soft bed is within your tight budget, you enter the village. After several minutes, you locate a small inn near the center of the village. Entering the inn, you inquire about the cost of a room for the night with the local barkeeper. Surprisingly, you find the prices affordable and the cost of a room includes a hot meal and a tankard of ale. As you are eating your evening meal, you notice several of the locals looking at you and whispering to one another. However, the noise of the inn and the general state of the locals, you brush them off as being no immediate threat to you. After about a of an hour, you notice one of the locals stand up and slowly approach your table. Additionally, you notice the other locals at the table urging the fellow onward. Slowly, a middle-aged man dressed in typical farmers garments approaches your table. Once the man reaches your table, he says, I beg your pardon my liege, may I have a moment of your time? I have been appointed as a representative of the local farmers guild and we wish to discuss a problem that you appear to be well suited to solve for us.

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If the Player Characters dismiss the man:

The man will thank the Player Characters and return to the table with the other locals. None of the other locals will approach nor speak with the Player Characters for the remainder of the evening. In the morning, the barkeeper will waken the Player Characters, collect any fees that is still owed and bid them a good day, thus ending the adventure.

If the Player Characters allow the man to speak:

The man will slowly bow and thank the Player Characters for allowing him to speak. My name is Lars Spudskin, one of the local farmers in this region. Several weeks ago, our crops and livestock began to disappear. At first, we suspected a roaming band of Orcs or even goblins were causing the problems. However, no one has seen any tracks common to the Orcs or Goblins. Presently, the only thing we have found is oddly shaped tracks. Two days ago, we followed the tracks through the barren fields, to the edge of the nearby woods. There we discovered a large sinkhole, surrounded by trees stripped bare of all leaves. As we approached the sinkhole, the rotting bodies of cattle, sheep and other livestock surround the great earthen hole. Loud, unearthly clicking sounds could be heard coming from the great hole in the ground. Naturally, we fled the area since we are not trained in the use of sword and shield, and we feared for our lives. We have watched the earthen hole for the past several nights, by come morning no creature or creatures were ever seen. We suspect that these creatures, what ever they are, forage for food during the daytime and return to the earthen hole before dark. While our local guild is not rich, we can offer a reward of 600 pieces of gold we have collected from our member towards the payment of your services. What we are asking is for someone, trained with sword, shield and maybe even the mystic arts of magic to enter the earthen hole and put an end to whatever is caring off our livestock and destroying our crops. Additionally, since we are merely farmers and animal herders, we have no true interest in fame. Therefore, you may keep anything you may find within the earthen hole that maybe of value to you. If you accept this task of ours, we can provide you with a guide to the location of the earthen hole in the morning.

If the Player Characters decline the task:

Lars Spudskin will thank the Player Characters for their time. As he departs from the table, he will drop a few copper coins on the table and say, At least allow me to pay for a round of drinks for your time. Lars will le ave the table and return to the table with the other locals. None of the other locals will approach the Player Characters in regards to this matter again. Unless the Player Characters approach Lars about the offer, this will end the adventure.

If the Player Characters accept the task:

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Lars Spudskin will thank the Player Characters for their time and will continue to say, I will arrange for the guide to meet you here in the morning. As Lars leaves the table, he drops a few silver coins on the table and says, Please allow our guild to pay for your accommodations for the night, plus a few additional drinks. I will leave you to your business and hope you have a good nights sleep. Lars will then leave the table, unless stopped by the Player Characters, and return to the other table. After a hearty breakfast at the inn, all paid for by the local farmers guild, a young man meets you at the local inn. As he approaches you, he says Good morning and salutations to you. My name is Boris Yamchoff, and I have been appointed to guide you to the earthen sinkhole. Please let me know when you are prepared to depart. Once you are prepared to leave, Boris will begin to lead the party towards their destination. Boris will lead you over several large barren fields, towards the northwest. After about an hour of travel, a large patch of barren trees surrounding a large sinkhole becomes visible ahead. Show the Player Characters the illustration. As you slowly approach, you notice that Boris has become more nervous. About 50 yards from the sinkhole, Boris says to you Sire, this is your destination just ahead; our village is about 1 hour to the south east from here. I will leave you to your task at hand, I would wait for you but I must boldly admit that I am scared and I will return to town for now. Good luck and good hunting. As you approach the great sinkhole, you can noticeable see numerous half-eaten remains of cattle, sheep and what appear to have been goats. You also notice aloud noticeable clicking like sound emanating from the sinkhole.

Adventure Description
Unless otherwise noted, all ceilings within the caverns are 6 feet high, with barren earth uneven floors. Every six (6) rounds a check is required for encountering 1d4 giant worker ants returning to their respective areas after foraging for food outside the nest. There are 45 giant worker ants outside the nest during daylight hours. As nighttime comes closer, the check is required every three (3) rounds and no checks are required after dark, since all the giant ants will have returned to the nest. The Dungeon Master has track the number of Giant Ants killed within the nest and those encountered returning to the nest. As stated above, there is a maximum of 100 Giant Ant Workers, 26 Warrior Ants, 205 eggs and one (1) Queen. 1. Entrance: As you approach, you can readily see there is a roughly dug tunnel that slopes downward into the earth. The tunnel is roughly 10 feet wide and only has a 6 tall ceiling. The putrid smell of the rotting carcasses fills the air, making you nearly nauseous. The clicking sound becomes louder

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as you enter into the tunnel. As you cautiously move downward into the tunnel, the faint outline of something crawling quickly comes rushing towards you. Rushing towards the Player Characters, there is three (3) Ant, Giant Worker; INT 1 (animal); AL Nil; AC 3; MV 18; HD 2; hp 16, 12, 9; THAC0 16; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6; SA nil; SD nil; MR nil; SZ tiny, 2l; ML 9 (average); XP 35. These giant ants will attack anything trying to enter their lair. If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#5). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the entrance tunnel, they will encounter five (5) Warrior Ants instead of worker ants. These giant ants have nothing of value. 2. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, you can barely make out the chamber is about 30 square, with a 6 high ceiling roughly carved from the earth. From the north, you can hear loud clicking and you can see the faint outline of something crawling coming towards you. Crawling towards the Player Characters, there is another five (5) Ant, Giant Worker (12hp, 9hp and 8hp) and One (1) Ant, Giant Warrior; INT 1 (animal); AL nil; AC 3; MV 18; HD 3; hp 21; THAC0 16; #AT 1; Dmg 2-8; SA warriors have poison sting; SD Nil; MR nil; SZ Tiny (2long); ML 9 (average); XP 175. Poisonous sting causes 3d4 damage, successful save versus poison reduces damage to 1d4. If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#3). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the chamber, they will encounter 10 worker ants and two (2) Warrior Ants. These giant ants have nothing of value. 3. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, your faint light fails to show how large the chamber actually is. The same loud clicking noise fills the air, nearly drowning out any noise you are making. In your light, you see littering the floor is rotting vegetation and the rotting remains of half- eaten cattle. Scattered within the large chamber, there is another 12 Ant, Giant Worker (16, 15, 15, 13, 12, 12, 11, 10, 10, 10, 9, 9hp) and Three (3) Ant, Giant Warrior. Movement within the chamber will attract the attention of the worker ants, while the warrior ants will rush towards any sounds of combat. These giant ants have nothing of value. 4. Chamber: As your light breaks through the darkness in this chamber, you can easily see that it is a nothing more than a 10-foot wide passage that comes to a dead end. In your faint light, you can see the

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filling the end of the passage, there is several piles of rotted vegetation. Additionally, you can see something sparkling in the pile of rotted vegetation. There are three (3) large piles of rotted vegetation filling the end of the 10- foot wide passage. Mixed within the three (3) piles, there are four (4) small amethysts, each worth 50 gold pieces. 5. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, you can barely make out the chamber is about 30 square, with a 6 high ceiling roughly carved from the earth. From the east, you can hear loud clicking and you can see the faint outline of something crawling coming towards you. Crawling towards the Player Characters, there is another two (2) Ant, Giant Warrior (21, 18hp). If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#6). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the chamber, they will encounter 10 worker ants and two (2) Warrior Ants. These giant ants have nothing of value. 6. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, your faint light fails to show how large the chamber actually is. The same loud clicking noise fills the air, nearly drowning out any noise you are making. In your light, you see littering the floor is rotting vegetation and the rotting remains of half- eaten cattle. As you look around, the grim reality of the situation becomes visible as you spot the half-eaten remains of several humans. A foul putrid smell fills the air of the chamber, which nearly makes you sick. Scattered within the large chamber, there is another 10 Ant, Giant Worker (16, 15, 13, 12, 12, 11, 10, 10, 9, 9hp) and Two (2) Ant, Giant Warrior (24, 21hp). Movement within the chamber will attract the attention of the worker ants, while the warrior ants will rush towards any sounds of combat. These giant ants have nothing of value. If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#7). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the chamber, they will encounter 20 worker ants and four (4) Warrior Ants. These giant ants have nothing of value. One of the human remains has a small leather pouch on its side containing 20 copper pieces, 10 silver pieces and 1 platinum coin. However, it will take 1d6 rounds to find the leather pouch amongst the debris and carnage. 7. Chamber:

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As you enter this chamber, you can barely make out the chamber is about 30 square, with a 6 high ceiling roughly carved from the earth. In your light, you see littering the floor is rotting vegetation and the rotting remains of half- eaten cattle. As you look around, the grim reality of the situation becomes visible as you spot the half-eaten remains of several humans. A foul putrid smell fills the air of the chamber, which nearly makes you sick. From the east, you can hear loud clicking and you can see the faint outline of something crawling coming towards you. Crawling towards the Player Characters, there is another five (5) Ant, Giant Worker (12hp, 9hp and 8hp) and another five (5) Ant, Giant Warrior (21, 19, 17, 14, 11hp). If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#9). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the chamber, they will encounter 20 worker ants and five (5) Warrior Ants. These giant ants have nothing of value. 8. Nursery Chamber: Entering this chamber, you can see in your faint light it is only about 20- foot square. Littering the floor, there is 30 slime-covered pods, which you suspect are giant ant eggs. Surrounding the pods, there is numerous piles of rotting vegetation. The air is fowl smelling from the rotted vegetation. Hidden with the rotted vegetation there is three (3) small fire rubies worth 100 gold pieces each and a opal worth 50 gold pieces. It will take 1d6 rounds of active searching to find the gems. 9. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, your faint light fails to show how large the chamber actually is. The same loud clicking noise fills the air, nearly drowning out any noise you are making. In your light, you see littering the floor is rotting vegetation and the rotting remains of half- eaten cattle. Once again, as you look around, the grim reality of the situation becomes visible as you spot the half-eaten remains of several humans. A foul putrid smell fills the air of the chamber, which nearly makes you sick. Scattered within the large chamber, there is another 10 Ant, Giant Worker (16, 15, 13, 12, 12, 11, 10, 10, 9, 9hp) and Two (2) Ant, Giant Warrior (24, 21hp). Movement within the chamber will attract the attention of the worker ants, while the warrior ants will rush towards any sounds of combat. These giant ants have nothing of value. If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#11). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the chamber, they will encounter 20 worker ants and four (4) Warrior Ants. These giant ants have nothing of value.

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10. Nursery Chamber: Entering this chamber, you can see in your faint light it is only about 20- foot square. Littering the floor, there is 50 slime-covered pods, which you suspect are giant ant eggs. Surrounding the pods, there is numerous piles of rotting vegetation. The air is fowl smelling from the rotted vegetation. There is nothing of value within this chamber. 11. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, your faint light fails to show how large the chamber actually is. The same loud clicking noise fills the air, nearly drowning out any noise you are making. In your light, you see littering the floor is rotting vegetation and the rotting remains of half- eaten cattle. Additionally, as you look around, the grim reality of the situation becomes visible as you spot the half-eaten remains of several humans. A foul putrid smell fills the air of the chamber, which nearly makes you sick. Scattered within the large chamber, there is another 10 Ant, Giant Worker (15, 14, 13, 12, 12, 11, 9, 9, 5, 5hp) and Two (2) Ant, Giant Warrior (22, 20 hp). Movement within the chamber will attract the attention of the worker ants, while the warrior ants will rush towards any sounds of combat. These giant ants have nothing of value. If reduced to one, the remaining giant ant will attempt to flee and alert several warrior ants in the nearby chamber (#13). If the Player Characters flee, the giant ants will chase them until they are 50 yards from the nest before stopping. If this occurs, the next time the Player Characters enter the chamber, they will encounter 20 worker ants and four (4) Warrior Ants. These giant ants have nothing of value. 12. Nursery Chamber: Entering this chamber, you can see in your faint light it is only about 20- foot square. Littering the floor, there is 45 slime-covered pods, which you suspect are giant ant eggs. Surrounding the pods, there is numerous piles of rotting vegetation. The air is fowl smelling from the rotted vegetation. There is nothing of value within this chamber. 13. Chamber: As you enter this chamber, your faint light fails to show how large the chamber actually is. The same loud clicking noise fills the air, nearly drowning out any noise you are making. In your light, you see littering the floor is rotting vegetation and the rotting remains of half- eaten cattle. Additionally, as you look around, the grim reality of the situation becomes visible as you spot the half-eaten remains of several humans. A foul putrid smell fills the air of the chamber, which nearly makes you sick.

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Presently, there are no giant ants located within this chamber. 14. Nursery Chamber: Entering this chamber, you can see in your faint light it is only about 20- foot square. Littering the floor, there is 50 slime-covered pods, which you suspect are giant ant eggs. Surrounding the pods, there is numerous piles of rotting vegetation. The air is fowl smelling from the rotted vegetation. There is nothing of value within this chamber. 15. Guarded Chamber: As you enter this chamber, you can barely make out the chamber is about 30 square, with a 6 high ceiling roughly carved from the earth. From the south, you can hear loud clicking and you can see the faint outline of something quickly crawling coming towards you. Crawling towards the Player Characters, there is another six (6) Ant, Giant Warrior (21, 20, 20, 19, 19, 18 hp). These warrior ants are the first line of defense of the queen. These giant ants will fight to the death protecting access to the queens chamber Within the chamber, there are numerous piles of rotted vegetation and the remains of numerous half-eaten cattle. Hidden within the piles of debris, there are hidden four (4) garnets worth 125 gold pieces each. It will take 1d4 rounds to find all the gems. 16. Queens Chamber: As you approach what appears to be a small chamber ahead, in your faint light you can see several creatures crawling towards you. Crawling towards the Player Characters, there is another three (3) Ant, Giant Warrior (21, 20, 19 hp). These three warrior ants will fight to the death to protect the queen. Entering the chamber, your faint light reveals the chamber is only 20 square. Near the middle of the chamber, there is a large bloated looking giant ant, surrounded by at least 30 more of the slime-covered pods. Numerous piles of rotted vegetation surround the bloated ant and the slime covered pods. Several of the piles of rotted vegetation contain something that glisten and shine in your light. The large bloated ant is actually One (1) Ant, Giant Queen (77 hp), however the queen does not move or fight. Contained within the piles of vegetation there are five (5) sapphires each worth 100 gold pieces, three (3) emeralds worth 150 gold pieces each and two (2) small diamonds worth 250 gold pieces each. Additionally, there is loosely scatter amongst the vegetation 210 gold pieces. However, it will take 1d12 rounds to find all of the gems and coins.

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Killing the queen will cause the remaining giant ants to become confused for six (6) rounds and then flee the nest, sensing the queens death. None of the giant ants from this colony will return to this particular nest in the future.

Concluding the Adventure

This adventure could conclude in numerous ways, below is some of the more common conclusions. Since there are no local clerics of sufficient level to cast a raise dead spell, the mayor will offer free burial of any Player Characters slain by the Giant Ants. The Giant Ants will drag off any body of a slain Player Character left within the nest and used as food. The Giant Ants slay all the Player Characters If the giant ants kill all of the player characters, this obviously ends the adventure. The giant ants will use the bodies of the slain characters as food to feed the nest. The giant ants will continue to grow and ravage the local countryside until such as time as an adventurous group end their reign or they exhaust their food supply. Forced to flee the nest, the Player Characters refuse to return If the Player characters are forced to flee the nest and refuse the return, the local farmer guild will still pay the Player Characters the agreed upon amount. Lars will thank the Player Characters for their efforts. Lars will tell the mayor of the village, whom which will immediately dispatch a messenger to the ruler. The local ruler, upon hearing of the threat to his crops will dispatch a military unit and several mages to counter the threat. Within 2 weeks, the local military will eradicate the nest. The Player Characters slay the Giant Ant Queen As stated in the Adventurer Description #16. Killing the queen will cause the remaining giant ants to become confused for six (6) rounds and then flee the nest, sensing the queens death. None of the giant ants from this colony will return to this particular nest in the future. The fleeing ants will not carry off any of the eggs from the nest. However, within 4 days all the eggs will hatch. Only 20% of the eggs will survive long enough to flee the nest. These ants will ravage the countryside until killed. Upon hearing the nature of the problem the Player Characters encountered, Lars will additionally offer the Player Characters a bonus of 400 gold pieces to hunt down and kill the remaining giant ants. This could provide a side trek adventure for the Player Characters, should the Dungeon Master decide to pursue this. Either way, Lars will immediately alert the village mayor, who m will alert the local ruler. The local ruler will then dispatch a military unit to hunt down and eliminate the remaining Giant Ants before they can establish a new nest.

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