The Isle of Derangement

This small island has, in the center of its one cove, a single 6-foot-high standing stone with a Derro handprint indelibly etched into its surface. This stone was once touched by the mad Derro demideity Diinkarazan, and it causes insanity in anyone approaching within 30 feet (saving throw vs. spell to resist). However, from time to time creatures swim too close to shore and are affected; as a result, a community of wholly deranged Kuo-toa lives here. They have become the dominant group by killing anything else that arrives.

There are 20 ordinary Kuo-toa here, three 4th/4th level Kuo-toa Whips, two Kuo-toa Monitors (as insane as the rest), a Kuo-toa Lieutenant, and a priest/thief leader of 8th/10th level. The priest/thief cannot use priest spells due to her madness, but she can summon the following spell-like powers, once per day each, at 14th level of spell use, from the enchanted stone: Confusion, Enervation, Symbol, insanity (as the symbol, but only one victim is subject to the effect), Ray of Enfeeblement, and Weakness (reversed strength, to a range of 30 feet). Any attempts to negotiate with the Kuo-toa will be greeted with babble about their sacred Power, which appears from the stone and demands sacrifice. The PCs will probably be inclined to dismiss this as mere delusions, given their source, but careful checking round the island reveals that the shores of the cove are lined with spat-out kuo-toan bones, suggesting that the tale may not just be paranoid imaginings after all. In fact, a Kraken (see page 36) visits this spot from time to time, amuses itself by the worship of its insane subjects, and snacks on one. Its visits are infrequent, and player characters should encounter it here only if they dally.

Suggested XP: The Kuo-toa have piled up some treasure around their "sacred" stone; pearls and small gems, worth a total of 12,000 gp. The Kraken has a further 35,000 gp worth of precious and semiprecious stones in an underwater cache in the center of the cove. Suggested magic: dagger +2, Potion of Flying, and Potion of Extra-Healing, scroll of priest spells (scribed at 8th level) with Dispel Magic, Glyph of Warding, Protection from Evil 10' Radius, and Cloak of Bravery.