CM5: Mystery of the Snow Pearls

CM5 "Mystery of the Snow Pearls" (1985)* by Anne Gray McCready is a Companion-level D&D solo adventure for a 10th level elf.

*see also my review on Dragonsfoot

CM5 "Mystery of the Snow Pearls" (1985) by Anne Gray McCready.  Cover illustration by Larry Elmore, depicting Milgor the wizard.

Design Team:

Anne Gray McCready's first assignment was to edit the Mentzer Basic edition of the D&D Basic Set (uncredited).  She also edited the Mentzer Expert, Companion, and Master DM's books (as Anne C. Gray) and co-authored module X9 "The Savage Coast" (1985).

Harold Johnson is listed as Editor/Developer, and likely collaborated extensively with Gray McCready on the project (will need to ask Harold about it, at next year's Gary Con!).

Larry Elmore painted the cover illustration, and Jim Roslof contributed the interior black-and-white illustrations.  Curtis Smith is credited for the cartography.

A Beginning:

As with XS2 "Thunderdelve Mountain" the quest involves a demi-human clan relic, (previously described in the section on Demi-human Clans in the Players Companion).

The name and deeds of Christov Yetta are acclaimed across the land - protector, forestfriend, tenslayer, wolfbane.  You are also treebrother, only brother to your clan's Keeper of the sacred Tree of Life.

You live in Tarylon Elfhome, renowned for its beauty and bounty.  Yet today there is quiet gloom in the air and at twilight you are summoned to the Keeper's Grove. 

"Christov, my brother, I wish to share the secret of Tarylon's fortune with you.  Many years ago, while fetching spring water beneath a full moon, I had a most wondrous encounter.  A mighty being, perhaps a god, appeared to me upon a moonbeam.  He said that I, Enan, and my people had been chosen to receive a special gift."  Your brother shows you three snow white pearls the size of acorns. 

"He bade me to guard these dearly, and every full moon, to encircle our Tree with one at each of the four winds; in that moonlight the glow of the gems would strengthen our Tree, the heartblood of our village.  Our Tree, in its vigor radiates a magical ring of protection which repels all evil from our borders.  But as you can see, only three snow Pearls remain, the spell is broken!" 

"It was Milgor, that prankster wizard from over the Diahaye Mountains who did this!  While I sat meditating, he came in the form of a jay, and when I looked away to the song of a finch, he purloined the purest pearl of the four!  Do not let yourself be distracted from your purpose while in the Grove." 

''You must seek him out for me, for I may not leave the Grove; and you must not return without the pearl - swear this to me!  You must return before the full moon in three days or word will surely reach the bandit town of Rheega that Tarylon is now defenseless." 

"Three things I give to help you on your journey.  First, take these three remaining moongems - they will glow as they near their brother.  Second, be steadfast and courageous, turning first to cunning, not combat; and seek the wise woman - it is said a bird knows where she roosts.  Third, there is a broken tablet that is said to show Milgor's weakness.  If you can find all the pieces and put them together, you shall overcome him!

CM5 "Mystery of the Snow Pearls"

The Wilderness:

“The Wilderness” (scale 1/6 mile per hex).  Cartography by Curtis Smith.

The Wilderness map depicts the "Black Stream" entering the "Raging River" south of Lake Oest.  The Raging River enters and then exits Lake Oest before continuing eastwards.

While a specific location within the Lands and Environs of the D&D Wilderness or Norwold is not given, the entire map fits within a single 8 mile hex, making it easy to situate within any mountainous area.

Herds of buffalo, elk, and moose (as well as some "flightless birds") roam the central plain.  The occasional (presumably human) farmer is also encountered.

Notable Locations:

6.  the faceless, weathered statue of a warrior

10.  "Fallen Glory" ruins, overgrown by vegetation

14.  a pair of barren peaks, aka "the Fangs"

27.  the "Elephant's Graveyard" dungeon

30.  the Village of Gyer

31.  an abandoned mine

36.  a stony pinnacle, shaped like a hawk's head

47.  Tarylon Elfhome, aka "Tarylon the Fair" (adjacent to the Keepers Grove)

The various dungeon areas are presented as flow charts with numbered entries.

Trivia:

The wilderness map was reused as a wilderness map in the Gamma World 3e boxed set (as discussed at Wayne's Books on May 5, 2021, here)

Solo Game Mechanics:

Spells may only be used at the beginning of an encounter.  If a spell or talking is not attempted, the options are to attack, attempt to evade, or use an item (when changing weapons or using items, your opponent automatically gains initiative).

Gear has many special uses (rope can be used to entangle a foe, oil can be used to pick locks, a cloak can be used to silence a man, etc.).  A hand axe can be used to build a raft, and a dagger to dig a hole.  There are special rules for thrown weapons, which may trigger a foe to flee.

XP gained from defeating monsters in combat can be used to adjust die rolls.

There are a couple of interesting mechanics for healing lost hit points.  Christov can eat one ration to recover 1-4 hp, once every 20 turns,* and water soothes burns and reduces fire damage by 1-4 hp, once per encounter.

*time keeping is 1 turn for every 6 hexes traveled (which equates to a 10 minute mile) and I assume for each encounter entry/combat.

There are points awarded for Honor, Persistence, and Selfishness, which are tracked to score performance.

New Monsters:

Ash Crawler, Gyerian

Monsters from the Companion Set rules include: Cave Toad (M1), Kryst, Malfera (X5), Manscorpion, Mud Golem (X2)

Some entries include "reskinned" creatures (using statistics from another monster entry)

New Magic Items:

Scroll of Illumination*

Rod of Chastening +1 (automatically chases animals away)

Pole of Vaulting (a rod which extends 10')

Mace of Retribution +2 (can attack foes by itself)

Halberd of Harmony +1 (will cure 3 times and bless once)

Ointment of Blessing (-2 AC/+2 Save for 1 turn)*

Ointment of Soothing (cures all damage from fires)*

*from the Companion Set rules

Illustration by Jim Roslof

Pregenerated Character:

Christov Yetta (10th level elf; 2,100,000 xp/attack rank I*)

*equivalent to a Fighter of levels 19-21.

Can use the Combat Options for Fighters, ie. Multiple Attacks, Smash, and Parry (although Disarm is not mentioned on the character sheet)

Elves automatically takes 1/2 damage from any breath weapon at 1,600,000 xp/attack rank G (not mentioned on the character sheet, but potentially relevant)

Errata:

There are occasional errors, throughout (for instance, the AC of various creatures in the monster stat blocks, such as the hill giant AC 0 (vs. 4 in Mentzer).

W130. Roll 1d20 (if you lack rope and grapple add +4); if less than 15, you fall, roll 1d6 (1d4 indoors) + W130. 1 =W131, 2=W132, 3= W133, 4=W134, 5=W135, and 6=W136.

The Players Companion states "A roll of the Ability score or less on 1d20 means success" (pg 9).  Christov's Dexterity is 14, so a roll of 15 or greater should result in a fall (furthermore, if you lack rope and grapple, adding +4 would paradoxically make it less likely to fall).

There are also some spell scrolls for which the spells are to be determined randomly.  Since only certain spells are possible to cast, it would need to be among those.