In adapting the Rivers Run Red module.

'Sands
Stained Red' seems much more appropriately Event 2 - The Rabble Rouser: The second time
thematic, so I'm going to lean into that. the PCs return from the wilderness, they
Picking up from Book 1: Stolen Lands, the PCs discover a new threat in town. The
will just have cleared out the Verdant Belt of charismatic speaker is a spy and agent
bandits, and hopefully made some allies. provocateur sent by the City-State of Urik to
However, they'll be running into trouble set undermine their rule over the area. He avoids
up by the mad Pyreen, Nyrissa, including a immediate conflict, preferring just to stir
band of marauding B'rohg and other issues. people up against the rule of Tyr. This can
increase the Unrest score for the area.

Part One: Events at Home

At this stage, it may be appropriate to 'jump Event 3 - The Cult of Cold Malice: The third
forward' a few months, as dwellings start to time the PCs return from the wilderness, the
spring up around Oleg's Trading Post or local weather has started to turn against
further into the Verdant Belt, if it's safe them, with destructive Tyr-storms lashing the
enough. This adventure takes place over the area, although small in intensity. With
course of about a year, so there should be investigation, they can discover that this is
some down-time in between adventuring out due to the influence of a small (but growing)
into the wilderness. cult of the domain of Cold Malice, who
worship the element of Rain. These
Event 1- The Slain Townsfolk: The first time individuals carry small fulgurite charms, made
the PCs return from going out into the wilds, when lightning fom a Tyr-storm has struck
they discover that several townfolk have been sand and formed a small glass shard. The PCs
slain, one at a time. A wild Tembo has been may have to interrogate or interview a
preying on the area, and the PCs have a number of civilians to find them, which may
chance to hunt it down, at great risk. cause more Unrest to accumulate.

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 with their new settlement's Stability
Minor events: score.
Siltford Founding: A pair of Dune Traders, Loy B. A Delicate Situation. The PCs
Rezbin and his wife Latricia, want to set up a encounter a logging party being held
new township as well, bordering on the silt at bay by an aged Thri-Kreen, its eyes
flats in around the area where the PCs fought milky and its carapace faded. The
the juvenile Silt Horrors earlier (area U). They loggers, led by a Dwarf named Korak,
will front a substantial amount of the cost insist that the strangely-bobbing Thri-
involved, and are willing to send a tithe on to Kreen came out of nowhere, caught
the PCs for their help, making them useful. arrows fired at it, and attacked them,
They'll found Siltford, which will be a part of and is getting in the way of important
the fourth adventure. business. The Thri-Kreen, a monk
named Ch'k'klak, insists as well as it
can that the loggers should leave the
B'rohg Sightings: Rumours of B'rohg area, and should value the trees they
marauders through the area spread, causing a fell.This gives the PCs a moral
slow panic to build. The PCs may have to stir quandary to overcome, and a choice
up some Loyalty to combat the Unrest that between individual importance and
builds. the progress of civilization.
C. The Narthropple Expedition. Since
Gnomes aren't a part of Athas, and
their whimsical tone doesn't fit well at
Part Two: Into the Wilds all, these can be another
This part deals with the PCs having a larger expeditionary party, in grave danger
area to explore, and establishing much more and need of urgent rescue if the PCs
of a presence in the Verdant Belt. The want to make an ally. The road has
challenges will vary in difficulty, so PCs will caved and fallen down into the silt
have to be cautious and not simply blunder below, and the howdah containing
into everything they can see. the expeditioneers and their
belongings is sinking swiftly, as the
A. The Grove of Tiressia. This forested distressed Mekillot is thrashing hard.
glade, with a small dwelling built by Jubilost, the expedition's leader, was
the pond, is the home of a peaceful thrown free, and waves or calls out if
half-elf Druid and her lover, a he can see people approaching.
wounded Mul warrior by the name of However, the thrashing is causing
Falchos. Unlike Bokken, Tiressia is attention from a large Silt Horror,
much more cautious about having her which can be seen approaching. If the
peace disturbed, but could do with a PCs assist, they'll be endangering
hand, and explains that the dangerous themselves, and potentially taking on
Scythe Tree is trying to kill them. She extra mouths without any of their
is willing to pay them in some supplies or belongings.
enchanted items, and/or helping to D. Sun Lord's Fort. The PCs will have
inform the PCs about what's going on visited here in the first adventure,
in the Narlmarches, which can help Stolen Land. The ruined fort makes an

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 ideal place to base their new L. Gurdin Silt Ford. Normally quite deep
settlement. along the majority of its length, the
E. On the Prowl. The Kamelands are full silt becomes quite shallow here,
of predators and hungry beasts. A creating a navigable ford across its
pack of three Dune Reapers are one width.
such threat, consuming their way M. Chathrang Den. In a grove of bamboo
across the land. littered with splintered sticks and
F. Lonely Barrow. Detailed in Part three. crushed bones dwells a Chathrang.
G. Abandoned Keep. Detailed in Part The dangerous beast attacks any who
three. approach, harpooning them and
H. The Blighted Hollow. This area reeks dragging them back to its lair to be
of defiling magic, and contains a eaten.
horrid magical plant called the Scythe N. Lair of the Lizard King. Detailed in
Tree. It is able to absorb magical Part three.
energy from the nearby area in a O. Candlemere Tower. This ancient ruin
similar manner to defiling. Among its on an island in the middle of a wide
roots can be found scattered bones lake of water, built during the
and remains. Champions' War, is overrun with
I. The Mad Hermit. Bokken's younger vicious nettles that cause paralysis, as
brother is a manic and dangerous wild well as dozens of Will'o'Wisps -
man, given to tormenting people he psionic remnants of the folk who
comes across, with his 'pet', a dwelled here. If cleared, the keep can
Dagorran he has imprinted upon. He be established as a dwelling-place,
prefers to attack with surprise, but if although it may draw attention.
others run across him, he pretends to P. The Mud Bowl. This strange, 20-foot
be an old, lonely hermit Druid, and wide bubbling caldera of mud is
makes vague promises of helping heated by geothermal activity, and
them. large mounds of fungus and
J. The Waste Witch. In the silt flats mushrooms grow here, which can be
there is a small house, inhabited by an used to feed a large group if
aged Psion. She has a bad reputation, necessary. However, a Tendriculos, a
but mostly just wants to be left alone. dangerous fungus-beast, will attack
She is extremely knowledgeable any who lurk nearby. The Wastewitch
about the area of the Kamelands, and would like some of these mushrooms,
can warn them... if they respect her if they can be provided.
privacy. Otherwise, a spindly crystal Q. A Cry for Help. A harem of the cruel
golem which she has painstakingly beasts known as Sand Brides lurk in
built over the last few decades can this area, using powers of illusion to
protect her. lure travellers with cries for help and
K. Old Crackjaw's Den. A great and staged attacks before turning on them
ornery Silt Horror dwells in the silty to crush them to death with their
cave here, angry at its long sandy limbs. Among their treasure is a
imprisonment after the silt shallows breastplate made of blue drakehide, a
marooned it in this area. very fetching and eye-catching piece.

3
 R. Hargulka's Stronghold. Detailed in hatred transformed him after his death into a
Part three. rageful thinking zombie. The powerful warrior
S. Master of the Forest. A lone So-Ut was interred with his own loyal guards,
rampages its way through the poisoned and buried with him, and has raged
canyons here, picking apart pils of for years, breaking his prized weapon against
stones and hurling them against one the interior of his own tomb. Now, the tomb
another. It is a violent, unstoppable has been uncovered by seismic activity, and a
beast that is best avoided. chance has come for him to be free.
T. The Wandering Giant. A lone beast- The remains of the Lonely Warrior's iron
headed giant named Munguk is breastplate and trappings could be recovered
looking for blueberries to ferment and and reconditioned, with some work, and his
eat, game to hunt, and a mate, broken sword (or other weapon, if you'd
preferably in that order. While he is prefer to introduce something else) could also
dangerous, the giant with the head of be the base for a powerful weapon for one of
a great black-eyed shark is confused your PCs, as long as they work for it.
and cranky, and if he is offered
friendship (and preferably some The Forgotten Keep
alcohol), he may share some advice This ancient elven keep, located at area G, if
about the area before meandering off from before the Cleansing Wars, and was
to the East on his own. abandoned in an age past. The archaic
U. Abandoned Ferry Station. Half- enchantments have long worn away, but the
collapsed, rotting wooden buildings architecture and some of the installed traps
stand on each bank of the silt flats have survived the test of time. It is now
here. The buildings have previously inabited by a trio of murderous creatures in
been used as hideouts for halfings, some kind of supportive symbiosis: a horrid
Gith, and bandits, changing hands T'chowb, which psionically drains the mind
many times. They can be cleaned and from its victims; a Su-Monster making its
reinhabited, making a good place to home among the Assassin Vines climbing the
settle. walls; and a vile Baobhan Sith fey who titles
V. Braxat Lair. Detailed in Part four. herself the Dancing Lady. She preys upon
living creatures, eating their flesh and drinking
their blood.
The treasure of the elven keep and the fey
include the proceeds of several explorers who
Part Three: Inhabitants of the
the creatures have murdered.
Kamelands
Part will cover the next three chapters of the
The Isle of the Lizard King
game: The Lonely Barrow, the Forgotten A small tribe of Ssurrans have made their
Keep, the Isle of the Lizard King, and Troll
home on an island in the silt flows at area N.
Trouble (renamed to "B'rohg Bother").
Although sluggish in the winter season, they
become lively and go raiding during the
The Lonely Barrow
warmer weather. They will happily eat the
This ancient barrow at location F holds the
flesh of the so-called "civilized" races but are
tomb of a warrior who was betrayed by his also happy to eat other flesh instead, and
lieutenant hundreds of years ago, and his raw their 'king', Vesket, worships a predatory Will-

4
O-Wisp. The Ssurrans might be trading have been flattened. A pall of dust and smoke
partners, or might become enemies, hangs over the town, and the few people on
depending on the PCs' actions. the streets mill about in shock, as if they have
just come from a war zone. If you're feeling
B'rohg Bother like the PCs haven't put in enough effort
The pyreen-princess Nyrissa recently spured protecting the town, kill off some of the NPCs
on a gang of B'rohg in the southern Verdant you've populated it with. Be brutal here!
Belt into terrorizing the locals and generally
causing chaos in the region to further her own The Braxat's trail can be followed to a small
mysterious plans. Under the leadership of a cavern complex beneath a rocky tor
violent warrior named Hargulka, the B'rohg overlooking the Little Sellen Siltflow. Inside
have settled in an ancient Dwarven can be found a grove of dangerous violet
stronghold in the southwestern Narlmarches fungi, a shambling mound animated by a
at about the same time this adventure begins; druid decades ago and abandoned, and a nest
as it plays out, their attacks grow more and of Caveweaver Giant Spiders, leading to a
more numerous, leaving ripples of discord and confrontation with the gigantic Braxat itself.
terror in their wake. In its hide is lodged a curiously-shaped dagger
The B'rohg have a pair of Athasian Sloths as made of a single piece of solid bone, matching
'pets' kept on long leather ties, which they some of the other gear worn by a ravaged
unleash on those challenging them. One of corpse in the corner. On the body can also be
the B'rohg, Nagrundi, is a brute with strong found a map which has the PCs' town
telekinetic wild talents, while another, location, and several other key locations,
Kargadd, is an escaped Gladiator who wears a marked. This should clue the PCs in to the
set of damaged chitin armour. Hargulka idea that there are larger forces aware of
himself is a warrior who has fought his way what is going on. The weapon was made by
across the wastes for many years. His fighting Nyrissa, the mad Pyreen, and gifted to her
skills are impressive, and he does battle with a agent Eirikk, who met his demise at the
deadly greatclub studded with shards of Braxat's talons.
razor-sharp obsidian.

Part Five: Bounty Posters

Part Four: Hunting the Beast
The climax of 'Sands Stained Red' begins with Wanted Posters
an attack on the PCs' home base. Give them a So-Ut Hunt
chance to build up their town before starting
Source: Wanted poster, backed by the Free
this part of the adventure, and time for a City of Tyr
point when the PCs are all out of town- their Task: Rumours of a So-Ut rampaging the
return to town after finally defeating the southern Narlmarches are probably
B'rohgs is an excellent point to begin.
(hopefully) overstated. But it's killing folks and
Upon returning home, the PCs find their home needs to be hunted down.
in a shambles. Newly plowed fields have been Completion: Find a So-Ut, kill it, and return to
torn up, trees have been knocked down, town with its head as proof.
livestock has been slaughtered, and buildings Reward: The council has approved a reward

5
of 1,200 ceramic pieces to the first group to always collecting "pets" down by the silt
successfully slay a So-Ut in the Narlmarches. flows. He has been missing for several days,
and the townsfolk are growing concerned.
B'rohg Blood Completion: Rescue Tig from the Ssurrans
Source: Wanted poster, posted by Bokken the who have captured him with the intent to eat
hermit. him.
Task: Bokken says that blood from a B'rohg Reward: The town's Loyalty is increased by 2.
might be used to craft some powerful potion-
fruits. The Horror, The Horror
Completion: Deliver a waterskin filled with Source: Wanted poster, backed by Arven the
B'rohg blood to Bokken. He doesn't need dune trader.
more than one waterskin, so one B'rohg Task: The ill-tempered and old Silt Horror has
should do the trick. moved into Arven's scavenging-territory.
Reward: Bokken promises to craft 1,200 Completion: Kill (or drive off) the silt horror
ceramic pieces' worth of potion fruit, Old Crackjaw fom Arven's scavenging area.
delivered in about a week. Reward: Arven finds things of all sorts; he'll
give whoever helps him a Ring of Feather
Howls of the North Wind Falling.
Source: Wanted poster, backed by the Free
City of Tyr
Task: A ferocious pack of Dune Reapers stalks
the Kamelands!
Completion: Slay the Dune Reapers and
display their bodies at town.
Reward: The council has approved a reward
of 1,200 ceramic pieces to the heroes who
slay the Dune Reapers.

Shamblesap
Source: Wanted poster, posted by Bokken the
hermit.
Task: Shambling mounds aren't common in
the Verdant Belt, but they're not unheard of.
Bokken posits that the sap of a shambling
mound could work wonders for cultivating
certain medicinal herbs, and asks for one
shambling mound's worth of sap.
Completion: Deliver the sap to Bokken.
Reward: Bokken can pay 600 ceramic pieces
for the sap, as well as three powerful Cure
Wounds potion-fruit.

Where's Tig?
Source: Tig Tanyrsen's distraught parents.
Task: Young Tig is a well-known handful,