THE GROUNDS 23N LOATHSOME LAIR.

23N LOATHSOME LAIR. This cavern is in stark contrast to the remainder of the house. It smells of rancid fat and singed flesh and the walls are coated with soot and waxy residues from burnt meat.

Four heavy black iron cauldrons rest in the southwest portion and there is a natural chimney with a roaring fire beneath it. A blackened shelf made from bone is against the east wall and an unconscious halfling is beneath it.

Brimmy Shortshanks, Neutral female halfling Fighter (AC 7; MV 6"; F4; hp 2 (normally 31); #AT 1; D By Weapon Type +1 to damage due to strength; S 16, I 14, W 16, D 17, C 17, Ch 14; XP 100 (normally 245))

Brimmy was in the same party as Snarly Ven Dungibot (see Room 23B) and was captured by sugar goblins to be used as food. If the Candy Crone has been killed then the licorice rope used to bind her will fall off by itself. She has been beaten badly by the Crone in order to tenderize her before being stewed. Brimmy has a short temper and tends to bite her lips when angry. She is not affiliated with the halflings in the Shoe House at Area 15.

The shelf hold the following:

• a labeled potion of hill giant control (red, tastes and smells of cherry cordial)
• a labeled potion of halfling control (green, tastes and smells of mint)
• an unlabeled bottle holding philter of persuasiveness (brown, tastes and smells of chocolate syrup)
• a human skull , inside is a small bag of 3 small diamonds (500 gp base value each)
• a tome of understanding

The cauldrons hold the following:

• 1: Bone ash
• 2: 3523 gold crescents
• 3: Tree gnome tails, lightly salted
• 4: Empty

A small pile of items sit between the cauldrons and the wall, taken by the Crone from adventurers she has vanquished:

• A journal written by a magic-user describing his favorite foods. It is rather boring but folded into it is a scroll of anti-magic shell.
• A box made from lignum vitae and decorated with engravings of jumping deer. It is worth 200 gold crescents all by itself but appears to be empty (because the Crone emptied it). Actually, there is a false back inside (use a secret doors check) behind which is a ring of three limited wishes (silver with a dragon head design, appears to be worth about 140 gold crescents if the observer doesn't realize it is magic).
• A special Lawful good short sword +2 (Intelligence 12, Ego 3, semi-empathy, detect magic in a 1" radius)