This is a 4E Blog Now (O4R)

 

 

Let's face it, with 5e looking venerable and 6e/One D&D on the way, I think we can all consider 4e Old School now.  Let go of your hate, you know it to be true.

 

But seriously, if you consider that the time believed to be roughly the Old School era (circa 1974-1982) only accounts for about 16-17% (or 1 in 1d6) of D&D's near 50-year lifespan.  It's time to embrace more editions into the Old School fold.

Someone with more talent than yours truly needs to depict the Tavern of Old Editions (with apologies to Tenkar's Tavern)

Therefore, all my future installments of Dungeon23 will be in the 4E dungeon style, with carefully balanced encounters and skill challenges....

...aww who am I kidding?  Happy April Fools!

 

Dungeon23: Week 12

 Level 3 - Area D

This map is created under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Area Notes

The architecture of the Inner Sanctum, like some of the other rooms in the Level, have features that seem far more ancient in both character and state than the Temple above.  Wall carvings are worn, faded, or otherwise unidentifiable save for the recurring theme of snakes and eyes.  Rooms and corridors are still pitch dark except where noted.  Finished rooms have unlit torch sconces at entrance points.  The doors in this area are made of stone.

Room 22: Baern-men of Honor

Six (6) baern-men in ill-fitting Cult scale armor and masked, spired helms form a strange honor guard for this hall.  Four of them (HP 15, 15, 14, 8) stand guard along the walls with spears (1d6+1 damage) and two (HP 15, 21) guard the exit door armed with wavy, flamberge swords (2d8 damage, treat otherwise as two-handed swords.)

Room 23: Trippy Curtains

This room has several cords hanging from the ceiling at random intervals, glittering with multicolored gems, and coins of silver and gold.  A central cord towards the back of the room also has a large reddish-orange gem glittering at the end of it.  The walls have worn carving of  striking snakes.

Disturbing a cord (such as pulling on it it) has a 2-in-6 chance of causing a glass pellet to fire from a small hole in the wall in one the snake's mouths with a whooshing sound (save against wands to avoid.)  The pellet causes 1d4 damage and shatters on impact to reveal it is filled with an acid that burns for an additional 1d4 points of damage.  The acid continues to burn for 1d8 points of damage for two (2) rounds.

Characters attempting to cut a cord will find it has an inner, metal chain that is the trap’s triggering mechanism.

The coins on the cords total 600 silver, and 600 gold.  The central gem is a large, but flawed garnet worth 50 gold.  The other “gems” are merely glass beads.

Room 24: He Who Watches Finds You Lacking

The walls of this arched tunnel are carved with reliefs of writhing snakes and staring eyes that seem to stare at the very soul.  Followers of Law and non-Chaotic clerics that pass through the tunnel are cursed (as a reversed blessing spell,) and any non-Chaotic blessing spells are immediately cancelled.

Room 25: Bad Mustard

This room has four pillars and a small dais at the center with a large, bronze bowl.  The bowl is filled with a mustard-like substance that shimmers with coins on the surface.  The “mustard” is an ochre jelly (HP 27) that attacks if disturbed.  If destroyed, the remains of the jelly have a total of 200 gold coins, and 400 silver coins.

Room 26-28: Chambers of the High Priest

The High Priest wanders these halls where he made his last stand.  Bereft of his life (and his head,) all that is left is a wraith – a tattered, ethereal version of his former self, composed of hatred and futile rage.  His spectral visage is accentuated by two glowing eyes that are suspended where his head should be.  However, he is still a formidable enemy, with unholy powers only somewhat diminished by his undead state.

While in these chambers, there is a 2-in-6 chance every turn of encountering the High Priest.  The cunning wraith will play a cat-and-mouse game with intruders, using his ability to pass through walls to hunt and harass enemies.  The High Priest is unique from other types of wraith in that he can project his energy-draining touch attack in the form of an ethereal short bow and ghostly, snake-like arrow at a range of 50 feet.  He will employ unholy spells of causing fear and/or paralysis (1/day each) against powerful opponents who engage in melee.  If beset by magic users with flame spells or opponents who enjoy throwing flaming oil, he will flee to Room 27 and use a reversed spell of resisting cold, along with the chamber’s unique properties (see room description below) for defense.

Wraith of the High Priest: AC 3 [16]; ATK 1 touch or ranged; DMG 1d6 dmg + level drain, HD 5 (HP 26); MV 9 (24 flying); SAVE 12 (or as priest); SPECIAL Ranged level drain (1 level,) immune to nonmagic/nonsilver weapons, unholy spells; AL C; XP 600 (or HD + specials.)

Destroying the High Priest releases his Holy Symbol, which clatters to the ground.  It unlocks a few doors and/or devices in the Temple (see individual room descriptions,) and also unlocks access to all three levels of the Temple when using the elevator (“E”.)

Room 26 (Chamber of the Equinox): The walls of this chamber are carved with open-mouthed faces of various sizes that blow powerful, buffeting winds.  The winds blow out torches and disrupt missile attacks (-1 to hit.)  They also make talking and listening difficult.  Spoken spells have a 10% chance of failing and being lost.

Room 27 (Chamber of the Solstice): Heat and cold are reversed here as evidenced by multiple braziers full of ice crystals and a central reflecting pool that is "filled" with fire.  Torch or lamp flames become crystals of ice and spells dealing with heat or cold are reversed (resistance to cold protects against heat; a ball of fire becomes a ball of ice, etc.)

Room 28 (Gate to the True Temple): A massive, circular gate made of stone dominates the end of the chamber.  There is a mechanical panel on the wall to the right of it, which appears to be broken, and the remains of old, timber barricades on the floor that once blocked the gateway.  The gate is the main entrance to the True Temple (Level 4 and beyond.)  There is a parchment with a writ of sealing in the old Common tongue nailed to the barricade:

Beware!
Here lie the foul Snakes under the Earth
Sealed for all time by the might of steel
So declares He of Royal worth
King Cyneric, Trampler of Serpents under sandaled heel.

There are several alternatives for opening the gate to the True Temple.  A thief may attempt to jury rig the unfamiliar technology with their lock opening ability at a -20% penalty.  The thief may attempt this only once per level of experience.  The original, bronze lever to the panel can be found in the Barrow of King Cyneric (wilderness hex 1815) Finally, a professional NPC could be hired to repair the device at a substantial cost (determined by the GM,) since it entails facing high dangers in the Temple.

Another, far more difficult way to enter is to wait for the rare being to open the gate from within.  This would require considerable patience and a roll of two ("2") on the Level 3 Wandering Monster Table (Note: link forthcoming.)

The only other feature in the chamber is the skeleton of the High Priest sprawled in a corner.  His once resplendent Cult scale armor is corroded, but his helmet (sans head) remains intact and functional.  The helm is of an ancient style (Hoplite) in appearance, with twin, curling snakes at the top.  The Snake God’s Eye stares from the forehead.  Unfortunately, the helm is now cursed to change the alignment of the wearer – Lawful types become Chaotic and vice versa; Neutral characters change to Chaotic or Lawful (50/50 chance.)

A torn and rotting satchel contains a potion that bestows haste on the imbiber (as the spell) and two (2) scrolls: one with an unholy cursing spell (reversed blessing) and another which appears to be a map leading to an outpost of the Cult (wilderness hex 2634.)

Dungeon23: Week 11

Level 3 – Area C

 

This map is created under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Area notes: while this area connects the hobb-men lair above with the baern-men areas, the Temple’s denizens tend to avoid these caverns due to the bizarre creatures that dwell within.

Room 15 – 17: Lair of the Serpent Apes

These chambers are the hunting/breeding grounds of saerpithecans (see below.)  Any random encounter in these chambers and connecting passages will be with one these creatures.  Once three (3) are destroyed or driven away, encounters will occur as normal for the level.

The saerpithecans are large, semi-intelligent abominations with serpentine legs and the torsos of albino, hairless apes.  Two viper-like appendages protrude from their muscled shoulders.

The creatures enjoy hanging from stalactites using their powerful, serpentine lower portion, which enables them to surprise prey with a 3-in-6 chance.  In combat, the saerpithecans bash with their fists, tending to favor the highest threats (powerful-looking opponents or those dealing the most damage.)  If both attacks hit, a viper appendage will attempt to bite the victim for one (1) point of damage.  On a hit, the victim must save against poison or die.  Those killed by the bite are impregnated with an egg that causes a new saerpithecan to gestate and burst forth from the corpse in 2d10+5 days.  The saerpithecans feed on the head and limbs of the victim, leaving the torso to rot for this process.  A saerpithecan egg can be destroyed via magic that cures diseases.

Saerpithecans: AC 7 [12]; ATK 2; DMG 1d4+1/1d4+1 + SPECIAL, HD 5 (HP 23, 22, 23); MV 8; SAVE 12 (or as warrior); SPECIAL surprise, poison/reproduction; AL N; XP 800 (or HD + specials.)

Each of the three chambers has the skeletal remnants of previous victims, which include broken, mundane items as well as treasure.  Roll 2d6 once for each chamber searched and reroll any repeated results:

2 - 4: A metal urn filled with coins (60 platinum, 54 gold,) jewels (ruby worth 470 gold, fire opal worth 85 gold,) and a golden prosthetic hand with gems for knuckles worth 165 gold.

5 - 7: Coins (371 gold, 9700 copper, 1891 silver,) an oblong pearl worth 67 gold, a piece of quartz worth six (6) gold, and a shell necklace worth three (3) gold are spilled on the floor among the remains of a smashed chest.

8 - 10: Coins (450 gold, 1282 silver,) an aquamarine worth 72 gold, a garnet worth 33 gold, and a rough-cut sapphire worth 113 gold in a small coffer.

11 - 12: Coins (800 gold, 65 silver,) an emerald worth 170 worth, a gem-studded, gold pendant worth 730 gold in a sack, and a quiver with 20 magic arrows (+3 to hit and damage bonus.)

Room 18

The entrance to this room is a carved, stone door and wall carved with a worn relief similar to, but not exactly like the symbol of the Cult.  The serpents surrounding the Snake God’s central Eye face toward the entrée above the door.  The Eye is recessed, with a hexagonal slot inside.

Opening the door without first placing the High Priest’s holy symbol in the central Eye activates a trap: the snakes shoot gouts of flame for 1d4+3 damage, reaching anyone within five (5) feet of the door (save against breath for half.)

The room inside has alcoves carved into the walls, each with four (4) dusty, ceramic amphorae (12 in total.)  Roll 1d6 for the contents of each amphora if searched: 1-4 desiccated viscera; 5 - 200 silver coins; 6 - 100 gold coins.

Room 19: The Coven

This chamber is a base of operations for a coven of 11 hedge witches (1st-level magic users,) who are aligned with Chaos and have been drawn to this place by the Snake God’s fever-dream sendings.  There is a cook fire with a cauldron, bedrolls, and a magic circle drawn on the floor between two stalagmites covered in candles.

1d4 hedge witches are present at any time, while the others wander the Temple in search of the Snake God’s secrets (see Level 2 wandering monster table.)   The elderly head of the coven, Atrea (3rd-level magic user, HP 8,) is present half the time (3-in-6 chance.)  The coven has dealings with the harpies in Room 21, and may lure characters to that chamber as “tribute”.  The harpies have promised them eldritch secrets, but in reality want the coven to undergo transformation in the True Temple below to become like them.  In the meantime, they have gifted the witches with the ability to see through the grotesque eyes in the “statue” in Level 1 Room 5 by means of their cauldron.  They are to report anything they see to the harpies.

There is little of value in the chamber save for meager provisions, personal belongings, and some coppers (1d100) in the coven’s collective fund.  Atrea keeps the coven’s grimoire (spellbook) with her at all times – access to it is how she keeps control of the coven.  The grimoire has four spells of first level, and two (2) of second level, and one (1) of the third level (the specific spells may be determined or rolled randomly by the GM.  The hedge witches tend to favor spells of sleeping, charms, and illusions.)

Room 20

This chamber before the harpy’s lair (Room 21) forms a natural defense for them.  A crevice 30 feet long and 20 foot deep is filled with sharp stalagmites (5d6 damage total in the event of a fall,) and does not seem to have a way across.  This is not a problem for the harpies, who merely fly past the crevice.

Room 21: The Three Goddesses

A miasma of rotting flesh permeates this large cavern.  Three (3) columnar rock formations, approximately 30 feet tall each, dominate the chamber.  Each of the formations is the nest of a harpy (HP 16, 14, 16.)  The creatures have indulged on the worship and regular offerings of gobb-men who have been seduced by the echoes of the harpies’ songs coming through natural vents in the cavern ceiling (see Level 1, Room 17.)  As a result, any characters approaching the harpies in an obsequious manner have a +1 bonus to reactions.

The harpies’ foremost desire, however, is meat…and they like playing with their food.  They are happy charming any dangerous-looking individuals with their songs and watching them slaughter each other.  Only in the event of a formidable threat do they fly out from their perches to do battle with sharp talons and teeth-studded clubs.

Their nests on top of the formations are bedazzled with electrum coins (2,000 total,) and gems: a well-cut zircon and a flawed ruby (each worth 100 gold coins,) plus a flawless amethyst worth 1,000 gold.  One of the harpies wears a silver tiara with snakes with tiny gems for eyes worth 130 gold, and another wears a golden necklace with hanging strings of small pearls worth 90 gold.

Dungeon23: Week 10

Level 3 – Area B

This map is created under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Area Note: This area is divided into two sub-sections: vaults with traps (and treasure) in the eastern section and the baern-men’s living chambers and "kitchen" in the western section.

Room 8: Vault Guardians

This chamber is carved from the cavern rock in a style of architecture markedly different from the levels above. The walls have been painted in faded scenes which can no longer be made out.

There are three (3) statues carved from crystal, similar to the one in Room 15 of Level 2.  One statue is of a man with a snake head (somewhat different from the aforementioned room.) The other two are a jackal-headed man and a coiled snake.  These are special, living statues that animate and attack intruders in the absence of the High Priest’s holy symbol.  Each statue can cast a different spell as a magic user: magic bolt (jackal-man,) charming (snake-man,) sleeping (snake.)

Crystal Guardians: AC 4 [16]; ATK 1; DMG 1d6/1d6 (humanoid arms,) 2d6 (snake bite); HD 3 (HP 15, 17, 12); MV 12; SAVE 14 (or as warrior); SPECIAL spells (1/day); AL L; XP 120 (or HD + specials.)

Room 9: Ball Maze

This vault has been fashioned in to a type of maze with 5-foot wide corridors (see diagram.)  A large, stone ball rests on the west side of the entrance corridor.  The floor tilts in the direction of any weight, causing the stone ball to roll in that direction at a top move speed of 120 feet per round.  The ball causes 3d6 points of damage if it rolls over a character or smashes them against a wall.  A saving throw against breath allows a character to dodge out of the way of the ball if there is room to do so.
 

A secret, locked door next to the ball allows access in and out of the treasure area (star symbol.)  It can be opened by inserting the High Priest’s holy symbol in a slot from the south side near the giant ball.However, it can be opened on the opposite side by pushing on the door.
 

There is a shallow pit on the western side of this corridor that can hold the ball in place and keep it from rolling again.
 

The treasure, which is on a pedestal, is a wooden box with 600 silver coins and a magic ring that turns the wearer invisible (as the spell.)

Room 10: Library Vault

The walls of this vault are smooth, with alcoves holding well-preserved books and scrolls.  However, all the writings seem to be gibberish (not just an unknown language.)  This is because he magic the room was enchanted with to preserve the books is failing.  Any written materials that enter this room (including magical scrolls and spellbooks) and linger for longer than ten minutes (one turn.) become garbled like the other writings in the room.  Magic for comprehending languages is necessary to read these works thereafter.  This is in addition to spells necessary for reading magical works.

If any original books or scrolls are removed from this room, they will age rapidly and crumble to dust.

Room 11: Vault of the Death Pearl

This vault is plain, worked stone with the exception of a dais and altar combination on the western wall carved in the likeness of a bizarre, fish-dragon statue emerging from the wall.  Its open mouth forms the base of the altar, with its “tongue” holding a cloudy, pearlescent ball of glass. A small pile of treasure can barely be seen through the cloudiness inside.

Smashing the ball frees a magical gas that causes anyone in a five-foot radius to save against magic wands or become paralyzed.  In addition, their skin takes on a jaundiced, deathly pallor with flaking skin. A sickening odor emanates from the flaking areas, prompting anyone in a ten-foot radius to save against poison or become unable to act due to nausea.
 

The paralysis and sickening odor lasts for 10 minutes (1 turn.)  However, the victim’s skin condition and a mildly unpleasant odor persist for 2d6 days.  The odor is off-putting, and results in a -1 penalty to reaction checks.  

The treasure inside the ball amounts to 1,000 silver and 300 gold coins.  
There is a secret panel bolted under the altar.  Inside is a valve that turns the gas inside the crystal ball on and off.

Room 12: Ghastly Larder

This chamber has a large pile of bodies in various stages of decay.  Characters may have landed on the pile from the chute in Level 2.

Disturbing the pile of bodies causes four (4) of the corpses to rise as zombies (HP 5, 7, 12, 4) to rise and attack the living.

There is nothing of value in this room.  A small tunnel with a crude conveyor belt is the only other exit out of this room.  The belt is stained with dried blood.  Putting any weight of 50 pounds or greater on the conveyor belt causes it to activate and move towards room 14 (see Room 13.)

There is a shutoff lever for the conveyor in Room 14.

Room 13: Pendulum sans Pit

This small tunnel has a conveyor belt connecting Room 12 and Room 14.  While the belt is moving, a sharp pendulum blade swings back and forth to slice any corpses on the conveyor in lengthwise, like sides of cattle.  It causes 2d10 points of damage to anyone foolish enough to ride the conveyor (save against breath for half.)

Room 14: The Flesh Pit

The Cult’s degenerate tradition of consuming sentient, humanoid flesh is alive and well, as the baern-men continue to butcher and process corpses for their own consumption and trade with the denizens of the Temple’s upper levels.  
 

This chamber is a pit-like with multiple ingress/egress points: the conveyor (Room 13) with a small pile of corpses at its end, the northern entrance, which descends ramp-like into the pit, and an upper ledge, accessible from a tunnel to the northwest and a wooden ladder in the chamber itself.  There is a two-in-six chance of the baern-man Overseer (HP 20) being present and barking orders to the other baern-men from this ledge.  Otherwise, he is in the pit with five (5) others (HP 15, 7, 10, 15, 16) and a Pit Master (HP 19.)  Four (4) of the baern-men fight with various butchering implements (1d6 +1 damage) while the Overseer and Pit Master fight with a large, bone-studded club and two-handed cleaver respectively (2d8 damage for both.)
 

The pit itself has all the accessories associated with this gruesome processing: a stone block where the corpses are butchered, body parts hanging over smoke, and the barrels, water, and salt used for preservation.   There are also drying racks where skins are tanned next to piles of bones – nothing is wasted.

The Overseer and Pit Master each carry pouches with mundane trinkets, disgusting charms made from humanoid bones, and 1d6x100 silver coins.

Dungeon23: Week 9

Level 3 – Area A

 

Level Notes:

Light: The caverns are pitch-dark except where noted.  There are torch sconces (unlit) at the end of stairs and in transition areas between caverns and built rooms. 

Doors: Doors in the cavern are placed in walls made of wood timbers with support beams on the cavern walls and are stuck.  Doors in built rooms are the same as doors in the upper levels except where noted.

Cover: The cavern areas have multiple stalagmites and other rock formations.  Assume there are around 1d6 of these large enough to use as cover in any cavern chamber.

 

Room 1

The baern-men, which are cunning despite their brutish appearance, have rigged the entrance to the southern tunnel with a tripwire that causes a wooden ledge above to dump rocks on victims for 4d6 points of damage (save against breath for half.)

Room 2

The baern-men in Room 3 have dumped previous victims of the trap in Room 1 in the southwest corner of this chamber.  Two (2) giant (tiger) beetles (HP 18, 8) are feasting on the bodies.

The bodies have been stripped of valuables with the exception of a parchment. (Note: this may be a map to areas in Level 2, or some other clue or warning about a place in Level 3; TBD)

Room 3: Baern-man Camp

This chamber is an outpost of the baern-men, which guard access to their living areas beyond.  Six (6) of them (HP 10, 11, 13, 11, 13, 15) huddle around a humanoid leg cooking on a spit in a fire.  As mentioned previously, the baern-men are large, furry offshoots of the gobb and hobb-men.  They wear leather masks and studded jerkins, that on closer inspection, seem to be made from humanoid skin and bone.

If the baern-men hear the rock trap in Room 1 and/or loud fighting in Room 2, they will douse their fire and send one to investigate while the others take positions to hide and ambush intruders.

There is a pile of weapons and equipment belonging to the bodies in Room 2 in a corner: a mace, two swords, a dagger, a polearm, two suits of chain mail (one is enchanted with a +1 to AC,) a magic shield (+1 to AC,) coins (4250 copper, 5100 silver) in sacks, and a backpack with a book of spell formulae (dance lights, shielding, area of darkness,) a small hammer, waterskin, small mirror, six iron spikes, and a bunch of wolfsbane in a pouch.

A large rock to the north acts as a secret door the baern-men use to avoid triggering the trap in Room 1.  It can be moved with a check to open stuck doors.

Room 4: Fungal Barrage

Sections of the chamber are covered in six (6) masses of cratered, fungal pods that pulsate slowly as if breathing.  Living creatures that get too close (within 10 feet) cause the pods to inflate; expelling a hail of calcareous needles from their craters which cause 2d4 points of damage (save against breath for half.)  The fungus reproduces and grows on creatures killed by the needles.

The baern-men have cultivated the deadly fungus to protect a small, underground stream beyond, which is their water source.  The fungus colony is semi-intelligent and has an “understanding” with the baern-men.

Room 5: The Gorgon Sisters

The cavern floor in this chamber is dotted with strangely-shaped stalagmites.  Upon closer inspection, it looks like someone carved these stalagmites into rough, humanoid statues.  One can make out humans and demi-humans as well as some hobb and oor-men in various poses.  

This is the lair of two (2) sister medusae (HP 22, 16) possibly from the vats of the Cult’s flesh-crafters or perhaps creatures of a more ancient origin.  They are tasked eternally with guarding the way to the Inner Sanctum (Area D.)

If the medusae surprise any intruders, one will attempt to stay just at the edge of any light, curl around one of the statues (to hide its lower serpentine portion,) and play the part of a crying, grieving woman, while the other ambushes intruders with a short bow.  If they are surprised, they will flee into the shadows and attempt the same ruse.  Otherwise, they drop all pretenses and attack with their bows while petrifying enemies that get too close.

A door in the eastern portion, garishly painted with eye patterns, leads to a rough room that serves as the personal chambers of the medusae sisters.  It is decorated in a mockery of ancient, palatial luxury, with curtains painted in similar garish patterns as the door, mismatched finery, and moldy old pillows.  Scattered among the ludicrous accouterments, are piles of gold (3500,) a gold chalice (worth 90 gold) filled with various gems (400 gold,) a string of pearls (120 gold,) and a jeweled, silver bracelet (120 gold.)

Room 6: Hangman

The northeast corner of this chamber has the remains of an old campsite.  There are a few threadbare bedrolls, collapsed pup tents, and the cold ashes of an old fire.  A game of “hangman” is scratched on the wall, which the player seems to have lost.  The uncompleted word, “_LO_SNA_E”, spells “glowsnake”.  It is a clue to Room 7; anyone camping in this room is in danger (see below.)

Room 7: Uppaz Snake Hatchery

This chamber has a dull, bio-luminescent glow, which is coming from writhing masses of snake or eel-like creatures on parts of the floor and cavern walls.  The “snakes” appear to be harmless – they do not attack or otherwise react.  Their real danger is to sleeping creatures.  Characters sleeping in this chamber or Room 7 will find themselves under attack by 4d4 of these creatures.

The Uppaz snake is a parasite that crawls towards a sleeping or otherwise immobile and/or unconscious creatures, with a four-in-six chance of surprise.  It begins to force itself into the mouth while constricting the throat for purchase.  This process takes 1d6 rounds.  

Once inside the body, the Uppaz snake takes over the victim’s motor functions and turns them into a maddened berserker.  The Uppaz snake does not kill the host. Therefore, it is possible to destroy the parasite via spell, potion, or other magic device that cures diseases; provided one manages to subdue and restrain the berserk host first.

Uppaz snake: AC 6 [13]; ATK 1; DMG special; HD ¼ (HP 1d4); MV 16; SAVE 18 (or as warrior); SPECIAL 4-in-6 surprise, constrict/infection; AL N; XP 15 (or HD + specials.)

Dungeon23: Temple of the Snake Cult - Level 2

 

This map is created under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

 

Area Links

    Area A (Rooms 1-7)
    Area B (Rooms 8-14)
    Area C (Rooms 15-21)
    Area D (Rooms 22-28)

 

Wandering Monster Table (2d6)

2 - Thomgrir, Champion of the Cult! (see Room 7)
3 - 1d4+1 NPC adventurers fighting or fleeing from (if outnumbered) 1d6 Uppaz berserkers
4 - 2d6 gobb-men running afoul of a breakaway gray ooze from Room 25
5 - 1d4 shadows - victims and servants of Xor from Room 26
6 - War party of 4d6 oor-men
7 - 4d6 kobb-men scavengers (occurs once;) 3d20 giant rats thereafter
8 - 4d4 gobb-men auxiliaries working for the hobb-men
9 - 1d3 baern-men (50% chance they are working for the hobb-men)
10 - Hunting party of 1d6 hobb-men and 1d4 baern-men
11 - 1d6 hobb men fending off a mountain lion from Room 20
12 - 1d4 hedge witches (1st level magic users) searching for sorcerous secrets in the Temple.  They will feign friendliness, regardless of reaction, but have their own sinister agenda. 

Commentary

I had a lot of fun with this level.  As Level 1 of the Temple began to take shape, a narrative started forming in my mind of what I wanted to see in subsequent levels, so that I already had ideas for what some rooms would look like and contain.  I still relied in some random generation.  It keep things both interesting and entertaining rather than turning this whole project into a chore.

 

Part of this level is brought to you by...a robot!

True confessions time again.  After reading about people using ChatGPT, I got curious and decided to try it out to spur creativity for some rooms I got stuck on.  I have to report that I found it rather unsatisfying overall, with the notable exception of Room 18.  I combined some random rolls for dungeon litter, which I then typed into ChatGPT.  The result gave me the idea of turning it into a museum of sorts.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned an otherwise "empty" room into something more interesting, with the potential for future adventures to boot (what's  in the black box, and how do you survive a constant onslaught of cats?)

A winning combo?

 

Warning: TPK ahead

I suspect that the combination of the alarm and berserkers in Rooms 2-3 plus the trap and Champion in Room 7 might lead to the demise of many a group that challenge the Temple.  But hey!  That's Old School!

Deal with it

 

Are you using the Temple of the Snake Cult in your own campaign?  Let me know how it went in the comments!

Dungeon23: Week 8

 Level 2 – Area D

This map is created under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Room 22: Foyer

This room has a high, vaulted ceiling with frescoes depicting idyllic scenes of Paradise.  The floor is decorated with a mosaic in a hypnotic, spiral pattern that gives it the feeling of movement.   In a corner is a humanoid skeleton, its clothes tattered with the exception of a wide-brimmed, black hat with a silver band and a threadbare pouch with a key inside (Note: what the key opens is undetermined at this time.)

The hat is enchanted, but damaged and defective.  It provides a +1 bonus to the wearer’s AC. However, any successful attack upon the wearer deals one additional point of damage.  It can be repaired by an elvish tailor with knowledge of magical garments.  It will then provide the bonus without the penalty (Note: the details of this individual and where they live is left to the GM.)

Room 23-24: Champion’s Chambers

These were the personal chambers of the Cult’s great Champions, Thomgrir and Xor.  

Room 23 belonged to Thomgrir.  The remnants of the Cult moved Thomgrir and his riches to his own sepulcher (see Room 7.)  However, they left a trap for would-be robbers: opening the door pulls a rope and pulley mechanism that fires a unique ballista that shoots three javelins for 1d6+3 damage (save against death rays for half.)

The room is empty save for stripped furniture, dust, and cobwebs.

Room 24 was Xor’s.  His body was never recovered (but his shade persists; see Room 26.)  The remnants of the Cult kept his room as a shrine of sorts.  The door is locked and trapped with a poison needle (1 point of damage and save against poison or die.)

The room is dusty, but has been kept largely as Xor would have enjoyed in life, with objects of opulence and other material luxuries – now tarnished or rotted.  A table has been turned into a shrine with half-melted candles, dried flowers, and a small altar made from the shell of some unusual crustacean.  Above the altar hang a symbol of the Cult and a small, painted portrait of Xor: a low-browed man with a severe stare and fantastic mustachios.  The symbol above the portrait is also a key that can unlock access to Levels 1-3 via the elevator (“E”).

Inside the shell altar are coins (1200 silver, 100 gold,) a handful of small garnets (worth 50 gold,) an amethyst (100 gold,) and an emerald (500 gold.)

Disturbing the treasure alerts the shade of Xor, which precludes him and his shadows in Room 26 from being surprised and allows them to surprise in turn on a three-in-six chance.

Room 25: Cistern

This cavern has an underground pond, 10-20 feet deep, which is fed by rainwater from above and was used as a cistern for the Temple.  Characters may fall here from Room 14 in Level 1.  A large, gray ooze (HP 18) dwells in the cistern, growing fat on kobb-man waste and the occasional fall victim.  Disturbing the water rouses the ooze.

At the bottom of the cistern are the remains of its victims, along with treasure: coins (600 silver 175 gold,) a citrine (50 gold,) a golden drinking horn (189 gold,) and a magical sword etched with lunar runes.  It grants a bonus (+1) to hit and damage, which doubles (+2) when fighting were creatures (it is ineffective against weregrognards, however.)

Only a katana crafted from meteorite can do that.

Room 26: Chamber of Paradise

This cavernous chamber has three levels, separated by stairs.  The center area is a balcony with painted walls depicting exotic flora and fauna.  It leads to a dais, also covered in old pillows and other luxurious accouterments.  Silk curtains, some burned, cover the walls, concealing a door to Room 27.
 

The lowest area has scattered finery and pillows, now rotted and moldy.  It is supported by two, large pillars carved in the likeness of a jackal-headed man and a coiled serpent, which has collapsed in a pile of stone debris.  The bottom stairs lead to the caverns of Level 3.


The chamber is haunted by the shade of Xor, another Champion of the Cult who failed in his duty to protect his charges.  He is a special type of undead, which appears as a silhouette of his former self – a horn-helmeted warrior armed with a flamberge (sword.)  A hit from this shadowy sword deals 1d8 points of damage and drains the victim’s Strength as a shadow.  In addition, his unliving rage grants him a +2 bonus to damage.  He and two (2) other shadows materialize to attack any interlopers disturbing this chamber, especially the upper gallery.

Xor, Champion of the Cult: AC 7 [12]; ATK 1; DMG 1d8 (shadow sword) plus special (Strength drain); HD 2+2; HP 16; MV 12; SAVE 14 (or as warrior); SPECIAL Berserking (+2 DMG,) Drain Strength (1 point per hit,) hit only by magic weapons; AL C; XP 600 (or HD + specials.)

The uppermost gallery has a few notable items of value.  A small table with a magical crystal scrying ball on a bronze stand.  A tiny, ornate flask (a cure potion)  buried under the old pillows.  Finally, a shelf on the wall has a scroll case with a map to a magical piece of armor or shield (Note: I have not decided as to the specific item or whether the location is inside the dungeon or the nearby wilderness.  Watch this space for a future update.) 

Room 27: Panic Room

This chamber was a place the High Priest of the Cult could escape to in the event of invasion.  The floor of this room is inlaid with an 15-foot radius, arcane circle that amplifies magic.  Any magical or (un)holy spell cast within the circle has its range, duration, and/or effect doubled.

The western wall has ten bronze pipes that emerge from the ceiling and end at openings at about head high.  Listening at the openings allows one to hear conversations in the following rooms in Level 2 (from left to right): 2, 9, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, and 24.  The eastern wall also has ten pipes that allow one to listen to the following rooms in Level 1 (from left to right): 1a, 2, 7, 8, 9, 15, 19, 20, 21, 27.

The northern wall has a cabinet with old and worn traveling clothes, a bag with personal travel supplies and a sack with coins (500 gold, 600 silver.) the southern wall has a secret door to the elevator (“E”).

Room 28: The Halls of Ick

This hallway has a slight, downward grade (detectable by dwarves.) The ceiling at the beginning of this grade (“e”) is covered in green six (6) masses of green slime that will drip on any living creature that passes this area.

The end of the hallway bifurcates into passages to the north and south.  The north passage once lead to the gorge outside, but has since collapsed.  The south passage ends in a one-way, secret door to Area A near Room 5.  It can be opened by merely pushing on the wall.  However, it closes automatically unless blocked in some manner.