Roger and Prez Televisions's Plot Hole

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Okay, as promised, here are the first stage of my notes for the next leg of the campaign...A haunted town by the name of Grudge Hollow.  I will be adding to this as the days go by.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The town:

Grudge Hollow
N Village
Corruption -1; Crime -6; Economy -5; Law -2; Lore 1; Society  -5
Qualities Insular, Superstitious
Danger  +20; Disadvantages Cursed (-4 society), Hunted (undead)

Populace 
Government  Autocracy
Population  200 (160 human, 39 halfling, 1 elf)
Notable PCS
   Mayor Elias Threed (LN old male human fighter 4/Aristocrat 4)
   Sheriff Horst Dunham (N male human ranger 5)
   Brother Hugh Fielding (LN male human cleric 1 of Abadar)
   Innkeeper Sharon Burrfoot (N female halfling expert 5)
   
Marketplace
Base Value  400; Purchase Limit 2000; Spellcasting  1st
Minor Items 2d4; Medium Items 1d4

Known History Grudge Hollow was founded as Gretchen's Hollow in AR4515, and was a sleepy farming town for almost all of its existence.  Whether this was luck, the protection of Abadar, or just that the town was too small to be bothered with is a question best left to the sages.

However, evil struck just 50 years ago, in AR4663, when a charismatic young inquisitor of Aroden named Silas Warner arrived in town.  There had been a slight outbreak of hoof rot among the livestock, and Silas was quick to pick up on the local's sense of frustration.  He announced that the cause of the disease was black magic, and that witches - or worse- were to blame, and that the problems would get worse with time.  People grumbled, but didn't do much more, until the local beauty of the time, Candace Dunham, came up missing.

Almost instantly, a full-fledge witch hunt began.  The first accused were vagrants.  Then newcomers.  Then, eventually, established members of the community.  That fall saw six innocent people burn.  Only one of the accused, a young  elf named Tarinth, escaped, fleeing the village forever.  When the dust settled, Silas had somehow ended up owning the land of the two fairly wealthy neighbors (The Dunham and Carter families) that had gone on the fire after a sham trial, their surviving relatives banished.

Later, many people regretted their actions, and also having listened to Silas at all...Especially when Candace returned to town, claiming that she had decided to strike out on her own, returning when things didn't work out too well.  A year later, she married Silas.  Nobody liked the implications of that, but nobody was willing to face Silas.  Nearby towns, sensing the tension and remembering the witch hunt, started referring to Gretchen's Hollow as Grudge Hollow, and it stuck.  Silas and Candace had no children.  Candace and Silas, in their 70s, died last spring.  That's when the trouble began.

Grudge Hollow Today  Grudge Hollow is a town living in fear.  People have gone missing, and reports of strange figures walking the streets at night abound.  People are in before night falls, and stay there until daylight.  Any who stay out or stray out after dark are on their own.  Husbands will not go out after wives, nor women after their children.  Grudge Hollow is, as it was 50 years ago, a town of cowards.  Despite the fact that most people tumbled to the fact that the witch hunt was more of a land grab, residents still hate and fear arcane spell casters of any kind.

An interesting note is that there are no dwarves in Grudge Hollow.  The one dwarven family that lived just outside of town left in disgust during the troubles.

As for elves, there is only one:  Findar Blackroot.  And he isn't precisely new to town.  All townsfolk start out as "indifferent" to visitors, save Brother Hugh, who is new and still believes the town can be saved.

Areas of Note

The King's Cat Run by Sharon Burrfoot, the inn and tavern are several hundred years old, but still in excellent condition.  Prices are fairly steep (double core rulebook prices for food & drink, 3 GP/night for a private room, 5 SP for the common room.  Sharon brooks no trouble in her place, and the locals will back her.  Rumors known by Sharon: #4.  Rumors available in the bar: #1, 3, 8, 9, 10

Ironbar's Smithy Run by Douglas Smith, the smithy retains the name of the dwarven family that used to own it (Douglas's father bought it off the dwarves when they left).  Prices are per core rulebook.  Douglas is not capable of forging masterwork items, or of repairing magic items.  Rumors: #7

General Store Run by Horace Philby, the store offers feed and general dry goods.  Horace has an 80% chance of having any equipment or supplies (except livestock, though he might have harness) from the core rulebook, so long as they fit in the purchase limits.  Rumors: #2

The House of Law The temple of Abadar is currently staffed by Brother Hugh Fielding, who was merely an acolyte in the town of Belhaim.  He didn't get along so well with the abbot, so he was "promoted" to head the church in a despised town, a post nobody else wanted.  Brother Hugh is determined to do well, and restore the town's faith.  The town in general couldn't care less about him.  Rumors: #5

Green's Stables run by Ivor Green, this stable is fairly well-kept, despite Ivor's drinking problem...Mostly due to the efforts of his three sons.  It charges a gold per night (weekly rate 4 GP) for horses, and 5 SP per night (weekly rate 2 GP) for mules and ponies, feed included.  Ivor's rumors:  #6.  Ivor's son's rumors: #1, 10


Rumors To get a rumor, a person listed as having the rumor must be made friendly in some manner, usually via diplomacy or intimidate (although after 1 minute, an intimidated person becomes hostile).  Situational modifiers should be put in place as appropriate (for example, getting a rumor off of a customer at the King's Cat gains a +1 for every drink purchased for the patron, to a maximum of +4).

1.  Them things in the night are the ghosts of the victims of the witch hunt, finally come back for their revenge!  (True, though there's more to it than that.)
2.   I saw one of those things from my window.  It was a demon from hell, burning like a torch! (False, though the burning ghats are on fire, they are undead, not demons.)
3.  Nobody goes near the old Warner place.  Silas's ghost is around, looking for new victims to burn!  (Partially true.  Silas's ghost does haunt the place, alongside that of his wife, but he isn't up to his old ways.)
4.  That elf, Findar...He looks kind of familiar.  And he's up to no good, I say.  Strangers are always trouble.  Present company excepted, of course.  (True.  Findar is actually Tarinth, back for revenge.)
5.  We sent for help up Belhaim way.  I guess that's why you're here. (Possibly true.)
6.  We're up to our arses in vampires, I tell ya!  We're all doomed!  Flee while you can!  (False.)
7.  The dwarves that used to run the smithy lived outside of town, to the West, in some cave.  They trapped the place, and the only guy that ever went to check it out after they buggered off never came back. (True.)
8.  All these troubles are our own fault.  We didn't have the guts to stop Silas, or to punish him later.  Nor do we have the guts to do anything about it now.  (True.)
9.  Those things in the night can't come into your home unless you invite them. (False.  The burning ghats can enter any home they please, and will eventually do so.  They are merely fostering fear in the village, before they begin a general slaughter.)
10.  They that was burnt really were witches, and they're back to finish what they started.  (False.)

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Adventure creation notes:

Primary Monsters:
Burning Ghats (6) TOH4, page 34 (Roving undead in town, never more than a mile from the square.)
Knight Gaunt (5) TOH4, page 140  (Silas's guards)
Advanced Soul Knight (1) TOH4, page 213  Silas
Ghost (1) B1, page 144   Candace
Findar (elf out for revenge)
Haunts (GMG), Silas's manor.
Traps (CRB, etc), dwarven caves.

Locations:
Town
- Temple basement (information, relic missing)
- Roving undead
- Inn (information)
- Stores (information)
- Graveyard (showdown with Findar, recover relic)

Silas's manor
Dwarven Caves
Town Hall (confrontation with townsfolk)
 
Timeline
1.  Characters arrive in town for the night, find out about haunting, get told to fuck off by the mayor, and asked to stay by Brother Hugh.
2.  Characters gather information in town.  Must at some point run into Findar. 
3.  Characters visit dwarven cave for more information, find out about relic in the church basement.
4.  Characters visit temple, find relic missing, find old deed transfers, etc.
5.  Characters face Findar in the graveyard, recover relic.
6.  Characters investigate Silas' manor, fight Silas and guards, discover Candace's guilt.
7.  Characters have showdown in town hall with older members of town, concerning their complicity in what happened. 
8.  Punishing the guilty permanently slays Candace's ghost.  Curse broken, Hunting over, adjust town stats.
9.  Asked by Brother Hugh to take the relic to Cassomir.

[President Television]

So this is how you make DnD feel like noir. I like it.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So this is how you make DnD feel like noir. I like it.

I've got a long way to go with this, mostly writing up the beasties, and also in fleshing out the plot and dialogue. 

Then it's on to The Bard-Lich of Cassomir.  muhaha

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Okay, finished the player background, the GM's background, and the synopsis.  I also have a title "7 Days to the Grave".  I will post it later tonight.

Next, I have to write up all the bad guys, so that I can just plunk them in as I write the actual adventure.

When I'm done, I'll wad it up as a PDF.  You think you could play test this one for me?  I'm going to run it, but I'd like to see what happens with a different group.  It's for 7th level PCs, so you'll have to probably provide pre-gens to your group. 

[President Television]

Okay, finished the player background, the GM's background, and the synopsis.  I also have a title "7 Days to the Grave".  I will post it later tonight.

Next, I have to write up all the bad guys, so that I can just plunk them in as I write the actual adventure.

When I'm done, I'll wad it up as a PDF.  You think you could play test this one for me?  I'm going to run it, but I'd like to see what happens with a different group.  It's for 7th level PCs, so you'll have to probably provide pre-gens to your group.

That, I'm afraid I can't. I'm in a very slow process of moving across the country, so I don't have a group for now. I do, however, know a couple of people that might be willing to run it, though I can't guarantee anything. Want me to ask them about it?

EDIT: Also, I like the concept of a bard-lich. Charisma caster undead in general strike me as very efficient. That's at least half the reason I think sorcerors were originally conceived of primarily as a villain class.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Player Background  Recently knighted, your patroness the Baroness Origena Devy has informed you that you must go to the city of Cassomir to register your family name with the College of Heralds.  However, there is one more task she requires of you...She has received a request for aid from the parish priest (one Brother Hugh Fielding) of one of her smaller holdings on the way to Cassomir, the town of Grudge Hollow.  It seems that something has been stalking the town at night.

You've heard of Grudge Hollow; it is a town scorned by all around as a collection of cowards.  There was some scandal concerning a witch hunt fifty years ago or so.  Still, you are beholden to the Baroness by feudal law, and someone has to deal with this.  So, on a chilly fall afternoon, you ride into Grudge Hollow, after a couple of days on the road...

Game Master's Background  Fifty years ago, the town of Gretchen's Hollow was a pastoral farming community, though looked down upon by the surrounding villages as an insular, surly town composed mostly of the sort of people who just blindly follow orders because they're afraid of doing any thinking on their own.  This was their downfall.

The town's local beauty, Candace Dunham, was tired of living as a farmer's daughter.  Worse, she was being amorously pursued by the town's sole elf, a fledgling wizard by the name of Tarinth.  Her father smiled on the idea of an elf, especially an elf wizard, in the family, but Candace was repulsed.  She had heard elves were elegant; Tarinth was a bore.  She'd heard elves were attractive; Tarinth was ugly and he smelled like chemicals.  She was determined to find a way out of this.

Her chance came along in the form of a charismatic young Inquisitor of Pharasma by the name of Silas Warner.  She met him in a neighboring town's market (in the town of Beckett's Forge), and it was no great trick using her beauty and natural charm to wrap him around her little finger.  She arranged further meetings, and over time she concocted a plan.

Candace had found that one of the family cows had hoof rot, and she mixed shavings of the cow's hooves into feed, and clandestinely spread it around from farm to farm.  Soon there was a minor epidemic.  Epidemics of hoof and mouth disease were nothing new, but this had spread like wildfire, and infected all farms save perhaps a half dozen.
A week later, Silas "Wandered" into town, and listened to the plight of the farmers.  He announced that the unusual speed of the outbreak was evidence, perhaps, that something more nefarious was afoot.  He pointed out more and more evidence of 'witchcraft", and the townsfolk - eager to find blame and moral cowards to boot - went along with it.  Silas warned that worse was to come.  Then Candace disappeared.

Within days, the accusations began.  Two local vagrants were accused, then two newcomers to the town.  Then Tarinth...Who had guessed that he would be accused, and fled in the night.  Tarinth was a pretty brilliant guy, and he'd guessed that Candace's disappearance and the witch craze were connected.  He was embittered, and vowed revenge on her and the town as he left.

The next accused were two prominent landowners, the heads of the Sere and Carter families.  A trial date was announced, and stakes were set up in the village square.  At about this time, the town's only dwarven family left town, after selling their smithy and warning that their home, a cave outside of town, was lethally trapped.
The trial was a travesty; all accused were found guilty, with no chance to confront their accusers.  They were sentenced to burn, and any relatives they had in town were exiled for life on pain of suffering the same fate.  The burnings were carried out that very night. 

A series of surprises awaited the town.  First, Silas had claimed the Carter and Sere farms as his own, as his fee for the "service" of witch-finding, with the cooperation of the mayor, a young fop named Elias Threed.  Second, Candace reappeared, stating that she had briefly run off to be an adventurer, but had been scared off by tales of horror told by a retired adventurer in Beckett's Forge.  The final surprise was the "whirlwind romance" between Candace and Silas, resulting in a marriage.  The two settled down on the farms that Silas had gained, building one of the two houses into a small manor.  The other house was sold for a song to the mayor in exchange for the mayor's help in improperly securing the land.

By now the town as a whole smelled a rat...But they did nothing.  Most were too timid, and the rest - as in the case of the mayor - were complicit.  Months turned into years, and the years trickled past, and the town's shame was by and large forgotten, as the town was made up of the sort of people who could put that kind of shame behind them.  The neighboring towns, however, were not so quick to forget, and started calling Gretchen's Hollow by the name Grudge Hollow.  The name stuck, and eventually even the residents of the town itself started using the name.

Fifty years went by.  The Warners were now the town's leaders in all but name; the mayor, now aged, danced to their tune.  Then about a month before the adventure began, an elf by the name of Findar moved into town.  Some comment was made by the town's elders that Findar looked somewhat like the elf Tarinth of decades gone by, but they assumed that he couldn't be the same elf, given the years (they hadn't really considered that elves take centuries to age). 

Findar claimed to be a scholar, and settled in to study the records in the basement of the town's small temple to Abadar, The House of Law.  In reality, he was looking for the church's cornerstone, which he had learned in his travels contained a minor relic...A small amulet containing a lock of hair of an ancient saint of Abadar.   For Findar - as he now thought of himself - had in his bitterness and thirst for vengeance, specialized his magical researches into necromancy. 

This amulet, he had learned, prevented anyone buried in the churchyard or anywhere else within a few miles, from returning as undead.  As an added bonus, he did in fact research the church's records, learning the gravesites of any and all people in the town who had been alive during the witch hunts, intending to curse them with unlife.  The priest, snared by a Charm Person spell, saw nothing in the elf's researches to concern him...And the elf gave the young priest, who himself was an out of towner from Belhaim, someone to talk to that knew about more than sheep and cattle.

Three weeks later, Findar found the amulet.  He took it to Beckett's Forge, and hid it in the town's inn, The Crown & Tankard, in the rafters of a rented room.  He then returned to Grudge Hollow and visited the graves of the 6 victims of the witch hunt, intending to raise them as vengeful undead.  He was delighted to learn - upon his first casting - that they had already become undead as soon as the amulet had been moved, rising as a rare form of undead known as Burning Ghats. 

That night, he was beside their graves when they rose to the surface.  By means of necromantic lore, he was able to convince them that he was also in the market for revenge, and told them where Silas and Candace lived.  The undead set out that very night, and slew the two of them in their home, alongside the five guards that Silas kept around as muscle...Knights of low character whom had been turned down for service by every lord or lady in the area.

Silas crept in after them, and performed spells that guaranteed that all of them would be doomed to existence as undead.  He then returned to his room in the Inn, and started making preparations for raising the contents of the town's graveyard as zombies.  This took several days, in which time the Burning Ghats terrorized the town, carrying off anyone found out of doors after dark.  The Burning Ghats can invade any home they choose, of course, but they have as a group decided to raise the level of terror first, then start breaking into homes once the townsfolk think they are safe if they remain indoors.

It is at this point that the adventurers arrive in town.

Adventure Synopsis

Day 1 The PCs arrive in town late in the day.  At the Inn, they are quickly informed of the menace, though the town doesn't know the nature of the monsters (some assume undead, others demons).  They can pick up rumors as described in the town entry at the back of the adventure.  They will also meet Findar, though he will not seem very sinister.  If they wander out after dark, they will be attacked by 3 Burning Ghats almost immediately.  If they defeat the Ghats and persist, the other three will attack them only a few houses away.  Any Burning Ghats slain rise back up the very next night.

Day 2  The PCs check in, either with the mayor, the priest, or both.  The mayor is gruff with them, and tells them to mind their own business, and that the town can take care of itself.  The priest tells them that unknown creatures are stalking the town...Which they already know at this point.  The PCs can gather information as per the town entry in the back of the adventure.  This should lead them to investigate either the Warner place or the dwarven cave.  After dark, anyone outside is attacked again, as day 1.

Day 3  The party checks out either the Warner Place or the dwarven cave.  Note that since they cannot actually destroy Candace's ghost without punishing the other guilty parties (the mayor and his clerk), they will have to return later in the adventure.  If they check out the dwarven cave, they learn about the relic in the church basement, among other things.  After dark, anyone outside is once again attacked, as day 1.

Day 4  The party checks out the other location.  After dark, anyone outside is attacked per day 1.

Day 5  The party checks out the basement of the temple.  There, they discover that the relic is missing.  They also may discover Findar's journal, including his plans to raise zombies in the graveyard that very night.  If they are persistent, they will find records implicating the mayor and his clerk in the shady land dealings that took place during and after the witch craze.  Findar will not be at the Inn, nor anywhere to be found that day.  The adventurers will have to confront him in the graveyard that night.  On the way, they are attacked by 3 Burning Ghats.  After the fight with Findar and his zombies, they will be attacked by the other 3.  On Findar's body is his spellbook, the inside cover of which reveals the location of the relic.

Day 6  The party must travel to Beckett's Forge, recover the amulet, and return it.  If they put it back in the church's foundations, the Burning Ghats cannot reform if killed again.  No further undead will appear. 

Day 7  The party must confront the mayor with his complicity in the crime.  The mayor will not submit to arrest.  Once the mayor is defeated, the party must return to the Warner place and destroy Candace.  If the mayor has been punished, she is truly destroyed.  The party is then free to continue on to Cassomir.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Critters, bad guys:

Findar, revenge-driven elf:

Findar (Tarinth)    CR 8
XP 4,800
Male tower elf wizard (necromancer) 9
CE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, lifesight (see below); Perception +0 

Defense
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+1 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 natural)
HP  58 (9d6+27)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs enchantment)

Offense
Spd 30 ft
Melee staff +5 (1d6+1/x2)
Ranged ray +6 (varies)
Special Attacks gravesight +5 (touch, shaken for 4 rounds), 7/day
Spells Known/Memorized (CL9, Concentration +15)
5th - waves of fatigue, dominate person (DC 19)
4th - animate dead, dimension door, enervation, fear (DC20)
3rd - dispel magic, fireball (DC17), fly, vampiric touch
2nd-  command undead (DC18),  darkvision, flaming sphere (DC16) (2), ghoul touch (DC18) (2)
1st -  charm person (DC15), grease (DC15), ray of enfeeblement (DC17) (3), shield
0 - bleed (DC16), acid splash, light, mage hand

Tactics
Before Combat
During Combat
Morale

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Attack +4; CMB +5; CMD 17 
Feats Combat casting, Command Undead, Improved Spell Focus (necromancy), Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills
   Racial Bonuses +2 Diplomacy to gather information, +2 Sense Motive (to gain a hunch about a social situation), +2 spellcraft (to identify magic items)
SQ Elven immunities, elven magic, arcane focus, urbanite, power over undead, lifesight, forbidden schools (divination, illusion)
Languages Common, Draconic, Elf, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan
Treasure  NPC gear, plus Ring Protection +1, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Bracers AC 1, Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds (2), Wand of command undead (25 charges), Scroll of contagion, 50 GP

Special Abilities
Power Over Undead (Su) You receive Command Undead or Turn Undead as a bonus feat.  You can channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier, but only to use the selected feat.  DC 13.
Grave Touch (Sp) As a standard action, you can make a melee touch attack that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your wizard level (minimum 1).  If you touch a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than your wizard level.  You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
Life Sight (Su) At 8th level, you gain blindsight out to a range of 10 feet for a number of rounds per day equal to your wizard level.  This ability only allows you to detect living creatures and undead creatures.  This sight also tells you whether a creature is living or undead.  Constructs and other creatures that are neither living nor undead cannot be seen with this ability.

Ghost of Candace:

Name Candace Dunham      CR 9
XP 6,400
Female human Aristocrat 9
NE Medium undead (augmented humanoid, incorporeal)
Init +5; Senses; Perception +20

Defense
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 15 (+5 Deflection, +1 Dex, +1 Dodge)
HP 94 (9d8+54)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6
Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +4, incorporeal, rejuvenation;  Immune undead traits

Offense
Spd fly 30 ft (perfect)
Melee corrupting touch +6 (9d6; Fort DC 19 for half damage.  This is an aging effect.)
Ranged corrupting gaze  (2d10 plus 1d4 Cha damage, Fort DC 19 avoids Cha damage)
Special Attacks frightful moan (DC19)

Tactics
Before Combat
During Combat
Morale

Statistics
Str -, Dex 12, Con -, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 20
Base Attack +6; CMB +5; CMD 15
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Step up, Toughness
Skills Diplomacy +17, Intimidate  +17, Knowledge (local) +13, Perception +20, Sense Motive +12
   Racial Bonuses +8 Perception
Languages Common, Elven

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure NPC gear

Mooks:

Burning Ghat      CR 3
XP 800
CE Medium undead (fire) (Tome of Horrors 4, page 34)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Perception +9

Defense
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 natural)
HP 26 (4d8+8)
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6
DR 5/magic; Immune fire, undead traits 
Weaknesses vulnerability to cold

Offense
Spd 30 ft
Melee 2 claws +5(1d4+1 plus burn)
Special Attacks burn (2d6, DC 14), burning blood, fire burst
Spell-Like Abilities

Tactics
Before Combat
During Combat
Morale

Statistics
Str 13, Dex 15, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Attack +3; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Blind-Fight, Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +8, Escape Artist +6, Intimidate +9, Perception +9, Stealth +9
Languages Common
SQ odor

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary or gang (2-4)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities
Burning Blood (Su) When a burning ghat takes damage from a slashing or piercing weapon, its flesh bursts open and sprays the attacker with a mixture of burning fluids.  The attacker must succeed on a DC 14 Reflex save or take 1d6 points of fire damage.  The save DC is Charisma-based.
Fire Burst (Ex)  Once per day, a burning ghat can unleash a burst of flames in a 20-foot radius centered on itself.  Creatures caught in the burst take 4d6 fire damage.  A successful DC 14 Reflex save reduces the damage by half.  The burning ghat is slowed (as the slow spell) for 1d4 rounds after using this ability.  The save DC is Charisma-based.
Odor (Ex)  A burning ghat reeks of charred flesh, which can be detected at a range of 30 feet with a DC 10 Perception check.  Creatures with the scent ability automatically detect its presence as soon as they come within 60 feet of a burning ghat.

Silas's bodyguards:

Knight Gaunt      CR 3
XP 800
CE Medium undead (Tome of Horrors 4, page 140)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Perception +8

Defense
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
HP 26 (4d8+8)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5
Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10; SR 14

Offense
Spd 20 ft (base 30 ft)
Melee longsword +6 (1d8+3 plus bleed) or 2 claws +5 (1d4+2 plus bleed)
Special Attacks bleed (1d4), smite good, weapon attunement

Tactics
Before Combat
During Combat
Morale

Statistics
Str 15, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15
Base Attack +3; CMB +5; CMD 16
Feats Cleave, Power Attack
Skills Intimidate +9, Perception +8, Ride +0, Stealth +3
Languages Common

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary or troop (2-8)
Treasure standard (chainmail, longsword, other treasure)

Special Abilities
Smite Good (Su) Once per day, a knight gaunt can smite good.  As a swift action, the knight gaunt chooses one target within sight.  If this target is good, the knight gaunt adds its Charisma bonus on its attack rolls and adds hit dice on all damage rolls made against that target.  If the target is an outsider with good subtype or a good-aligned creature with levels of cleric or paladin, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack is doubled.  Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.  Additionally, the knight gaunt gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma bonus against attacks made by the target of the smite.  The smite good remains in effect until the target of the smite is dead or 24 hours have passed.
Weapon Attunement (Su)  A knight gaunt gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls with any melee weapon it wields.  Additionally, it gains the bleed special attack with any melee weapon it wields.

Silas Warner:

Soul Knight      CR 6
XP 2,400
NE Medium undead (Tome of Horrors 4, page 213)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Perception +12
Aura fear (30 ft, DC 17)

Defense
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+9 armor, +2 Dex, +1 Dodge)
HP 68 (9d8+27)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune undead traits 

Offense
Spd 30 ft
Melee mwk greatsword +12/+7 (2d6+6/19-20)

Tactics
Before Combat
During Combat
Morale

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 14, Con -, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 17
Base Attack +6; CMB +10; CMD 21
Feats Dodge, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes
Skills Climb +10, Intimidate +15, Perception +12, Knowledge (religion) +12
SQ animated dead

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure  standard (mwk full plate, mwk greatsword, other treasure)

Special Abilities
Fear (Su) The soul knight projects a fear aura that functions like the fear spell within a 30 ft radius.  Affected creatures must make a DC 17 Will save to resist the effect.  Use of this ability is a free action.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'm having fun diagramming the creative process, here.

Tomorrow, I start writing the actual narrative.

Also, I love the idea of the group having to save a town (on orders) which really deserves what it's getting.

[President Television]

I'm having fun diagramming the creative process, here.

Tomorrow, I start writing the actual narrative.

Also, I love the idea of the group having to save a town (on orders) which really deserves what it's getting.

It's fascinating. I had no idea where to start, and now I'm beginning to get an idea of how it's done. I like how you set most of the plot in the town's history and set it up so that the players are just dealing with the consequences. It lets you tell a story without railroading much or seeing it all ruined when the party does something totally unexpected.

EDIT: Wait, I see a problem with Findar. I thought you couldn't take divination as a forbidden school.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'm having fun diagramming the creative process, here.

Tomorrow, I start writing the actual narrative.

Also, I love the idea of the group having to save a town (on orders) which really deserves what it's getting.

It's fascinating. I had no idea where to start, and now I'm beginning to get an idea of how it's done. I like how you set most of the plot in the town's history and set it up so that the players are just dealing with the consequences. It lets you tell a story without railroading much or seeing it all ruined when the party does something totally unexpected.

EDIT: Wait, I see a problem with Findar. I thought you couldn't take divination as a forbidden school.

Write the town's stat block first. 
Then write it's known and secret histories.
Use some part of its history to get your adventure background.
Write synopsis.
Write expected level progression, choose critters and traps to suit this.
Next, THIS IS CRUCIAL, write your bad guys BEFORE you write your narrative.
Write narrative.
Assign experience for story awards. 

Organize when complete, in more or less this order:

1.  Adventurer's background.
2.  DM's background.
3.  Synopsis
4.  Level progression.
5.  Story award roster.
6.  Adventure narrative (embed critters, traps, and haunts, using just the CR, name, and page number if standard, full write up if altered or customized.  They're already written, right?  Just cut and paste them in.
7.  Any new monsters being used.
8.  Any new magic items, spells, etc.
9.  Town write up.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Maps and chapter 1 up sometime today.

[Forsooth]

 does the ghat's Burning Blood apply to ranged attacks that are also piercing? and distance limits?

[Eater of Clowns]

As a non D&D player, this is still a very interesting read. I don't get all of the lingo but I think I have the general idea, and it seems like a great scenario.