The Iron Mine Entrance

• 2 × Chimera (CR 6, 2,300 XP each)

XP

4,600 of a 5,600 XP high budget

Party

4 characters of level 6

Fresh boulders, their broken faces still pale, litter the trail. Pebbles skitter down from somewhere above, then a larger rock follows.

Setup. Two chimeras are lying in wait, perfectly still, disguised as part of the Iron Mine Entrance.

Terrain

• Rope bridge: cutting a rope (AC 11, 5 HP) tilts the bridge; each creature on it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or fall.
• Icy patch: the shaded part of the trail is Difficult Terrain for creatures without a climbing speed.

Tactics. Hunger makes them reckless: they ignore tactics and go for the nearest meal.

Twist. The creatures are already wounded from an earlier fight; each starts at three-quarters of its Hit Points, and something worse did the wounding.

Adjust on the fly

• Easier: Remove one chimera (−2,300 XP).
• Harder: Add one more chimera (6,900 XP total, beyond the High budget: dangerous for a tired party).

Treasure. 1,600 gp in mixed coins and five gemstones worth 160 gp each; Potion of Clairvoyance; An iron nail that hums near running water.