Dungeon23: Week 34

 Area B: Dragon District

This area of the City near the Monolith District is the central enclave for the various eunshiel Clans of the Underwilds.  Their reverence and servitude towards the many-headed Queen of Chaotic dragons is evident in the art and architecture of the buildings here, which have an alien beauty to them.

 

B1: Square

The central gathering point for the District is dominated by a fountain carved from a natural, underground spring.  In the center of the pool is a cracked, restored statue of Tiama’at the Many-Headed Serpent, which once graced the Sanctum of the True Temple (Level 6, Area D.)  The eunshiel rescued it piece by piece from the wall of debris surrounding the Plaza (A1,) which also serves as a refuse dump for the snake-men.  The snake-men are so secure in their primacy that they humor the eunshiel’s continued reverence for their discarded deity; that is, when they pay any mind at all.

Due to the presence of the statue, the waters of the fountain now have special properties, depending on the alignment of those who may drink from it:

Chaotic – Cures whatever primary malady ails the character: hit points (2d6+2,) poison, or disease (but not curses such as lycanthropy or a mummy’s rot)

Neutral – Gain the effects of a comprehend languages spell (see entry) for one day

Lawful – The character vanishes!  They are actually teleported to a random location in the City: roll 1d4 for District, and 1d8 for sub-area, with an "8" being GM’s choice

The waters lose their properties if removed from the fountain.

 

B2: Temple of Her Coiling Scales

This modest, but nevertheless impressive temple is made from the stone of an older structure.  The domed roof is held up by columns made from stalagmites carved into dragon heads.  Inside is an unholy shrine to Tiama’at, with five altars.  Each has an eternal sample of Her Many Breaths: a flame, a chunk of ice, a cloud of poison gas, a pool of acid, and a floating ball of lightning.  The eunshiel of the City come here regularly to prostrate themselves before their goddess and self-flagellate in ecstatic supplication.

The temple is overseen by its High Priest Tsabazair (9+1 HD, spells as an 8^th-level cleric.)  This wizened eunshiel appears frail; with a thin, wispy mustache and beard which is the mark of advanced age in this sub-race of deep fey.  His regalia include a many-headed dragon headdress, and a many-headed staff.  Despite his age, the High Priest is shrewd and highly intelligent.  He has to be, since he is the de facto authority for the eunshiel Clans in the City, and heads a council made up of their representatives.

In addition to the High Priest, there are four (4) eunshiel acolytes (4+1 HD, spells as 3^rd-level cleric,) and six (6) honor guards (5+1 HD, polearms) in the temple.  1d4 of these acolytes and 1d6 honor guards are with the High Priest whenever encountered.

Tsabazair and the eunshiel council have been secretly preparing for a holy war against the snake-men to take over their City.  Despite the presence of eunshiel spies in the True Temple, they have not been able penetrate Khan-Ni-Tet’s inner circle or the Sanctum.  The High Priest and council have most likely heard of the player characters’ (PCs) actions in the True Temple through their spy network by this point.  In this case, the High Priest proposes hiring them to assassinate Khan-Ni-Tet and/or the Snake God, with a reward of 3,800 gp for the rulers’ heads, and 5,000 gp for evidence of the Snake God’s demise.

If the PCs have already slain one or both creatures before they meet the High Priest, there is no reward, but the High Priest will have an automatic, positive reaction, and will consider using them as mercenaries for other key operations as the eunshiel’s war to conquer the City begins in earnest (with commensurate rewards for service.)

Having Tsabazair’s favor will result in the PCs being able to move about the District and use their services unmolested, including access to the priests’ clerical magic (for a price.)

Below the temple is a vault than functions as a bank of sorts for the eunshiel of the City.  It is kept by a young, white dragon (HP 24) and serves as its “training hoard”: 20,000 gp, a well-cut, 100 gp amethyst, and a dizzying array of jewelry of various types (12,000 gp total worth, 1/10^th weight.)

High Priest Tsabazair is old, knowledgeable, and cunning (adapted from AI images courtesy of NightCafe.)

 

B3: Faire of Pleasure and Pain

The eunshiel hold a perpetual market faire here with street entertainers, vendors, and food stalls.  Unlike the seasonal festivals in the Northern Marklands above, the eunshiel idea of merriment tends to involve cruel, unusual amusements or games that typically involve unfortunate surface-dwellers or other “lesser” beings against their will; all to the tune of hauntingly beautiful music (and screams.)

A typical vendor stall (about 10 at any one time) has roughly 3d6x100 gp worth of valuable goods and/or coin (x4 weight.)  One has a magic-user scroll with the following spells: ESP (x2), knock, dimension door, invisibility (10-ft. radius).  Attempting to steal (and being caught) may result in a random encounter as the eunshiel vendor(s) and their guards or pets respond proportionally.

Another feature of this quarter is the Buxala Club, a tavern and traveler hospice that serves the eunshiel exclusively.  It is a popular gathering spot, and the niflaja, a powerful spirit brewed from alkaline water and violet mold, flows freely here.  It has mild, hallucinogenic properties.

The Buxala club flies the green dragon banner of Clan Indralas, whose area of expertise (not surprisingly) is culinary, brewing, and hospitality.  Their banner can also be seen throughout this area.

 

A leaping, eunshiel dancer at the Faire.  Not pictured: the trampled bodies of suffering unfortunates below (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

B4: Sages Quarter

This area features the living places of Clan Molcyrr, the oldest of the eunshiel clans and known for its scholars, sorcerers, and priests of Tiama’at.  Their banner is a white dragon.   

The most important landmark here is a sacred Library with a repository of ancient scrolls and tomes related to draconic lore, dark sorcery, and Tiama’at's teachings.  Many of these books are of immense value to sages, and a typical “haul” may fetch up to 3,900 gp if sold to such individuals.  At the GM’s discretion, there may also be spellbooks with unique spells of their own devising.

Attempting to leave with any of the writings causes multiple, dark tendrils to emerge from the 10-ft. wide, fungal wood entrance portal and attack up to six (6) characters as a 7HD monster.  Each tendril attack deals 1d6+2 damage and wraps around the victim, holding them in place until eunshiel guards arrive to apprehend them.  Struggling to escape a tendril causes it to constrict for an additional 1d6+2 damage each attempt.

 

B5: Artisans Quarter

This area is filled with workshops and studios flying the blue dragon banner of Clan Andryune.  Their specialty is art: painters, sculptors, taxidermists, and other craftsfolk.  While some eunshiel art is darkly beautiful, other works are nothing short of horrific.  The main Gallery here currently features flayed, humanoid and animal bodies which have been desiccated and preserved in various activity poses as mockeries of surface life.  They are enchanted with a unique version of animate dead to change poses every few minutes, which is quite disconcerting, but otherwise harmless.

The animated Gallery of Bodies (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

B6: Musicians Quarter

Eunshiel musicians, bards, and other performers such as dancers and actors call this portion of the Dragon District home, and its many studios and conservatories fly the black dragon standard of Clan Andulath.  A main feature of the area is an enclosed amphitheater carved into the rock to maximize its acoustic quality.  Built into an alcove inside is a strange form of pipe organ – a joint creation of eunshiel and ennan genius.  Its design evokes draconic majesty, with claw and wing-like protrusions, and pipes shaped like dragon’s heads.

The Dragon Organ is a complex instrument designed to evoke sensation in both listener and player.  Only a once-in-a-generation, eunshiel virtuoso can play it properly, and so it sits silent and unused most of the time.

Attempting to play the organ without talent and proper training is a dangerous proposition.  The player must succeed at both a Dexterity and Intelligence checks to play even a mediocre, but not cringe-inducing melody.  Failing one or both checks has potentially deadly results (roll 1d6):

1.       Darts shoot from the pipes toward the player and 1d3 random characters in the amphitheater.  Victims must save against wands or be hit by 1d8 darts for 1d4 damage.  The darts are coated with a drug that induces euphoria.  Failing to save against poison affects the victim as a confusion spell.  In both cases, the victim suffers a -1 to Constitution when the effects of the drug wear off after 12 rounds.

2.       A dragon-headed pipe emits a random, dragon-type breath (cold, fire, lightning, acid, or gas) for 7d6 damage (save against breath for half.)

3.       The pipes spew water, filling the amphitheater at a rate of one foot per round until the water reaches a height of 10 feet.  The water drains slowly at a rate of one foot per turn.

4.       A loud, discordant burst from one of the pipes has a 2-in-6 chance of triggering a random encounter.

5.       Mechanical blades emerge suddenly and begin to whirl, slash, and rend at the organ player and 1d8 other characters in the amphitheater for 8d6 damage.  A successful save against breath allows a victim to move out of the way of the blades for no damage.

6.       Blasts from multiple pipes at the same time deafen everyone in the amphitheater for 12 turns (save against spell to avoid) and have a 3-in-6 chance of triggering a random encounter.

Rolling “1”s on both checks results in a rare, inspired performance, which produce unique emotional and physical sensations (due to the devices described above) in a controlled manner.  This is shocking and uncomfortable to non-eunshiel, but cause no lasting harm.  However, the organ player is now psychologically addicted to playing the bizarre instrument.  The player comes under the immediate effects of a potion of heroism, as they ride high on the experience.  Once the effect wears off, they suffer a loss of one level of experience until they can play the Organ again (further plays do not act as a potion of heroism.)  This level restoration lasts for only one day and then the player loses it again.  An addict in the presence of the Organ requires a saving throw against spells at -2 to resist the desire to play it.  Only a remove curse can cure the addiction.

Play at your own risk!  (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

B7: Training Ground and Camp

This area between the eunshiel-controlled Dragon and ennan-controlled Builder’s Districts has many tents made of bone, skin, and chitin, but few permanent buildings; all under the red dragon standard of Clan Sornath.  This clan’s purview is skill at arms, and eunshiel warriors from all clans train with instructors from Clan Sornath.  The Clan's warriors can also be found guarding important eunshiel locations or trade caravans in the Underwilds.  The best become Dragonsworn – guardians of their draconic masters’ lairs.

An eunshiel Dragonsworn (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

 There has been much activity at the camp of late due to preparations for potential military action (see B2 above,) and many young eunshiel warriors are spoiling for a fight.  Reactions with outsiders are at -2.  A brawl with a small group may quickly become a pitched battle as more eunshiel join in.  There are currently 30 warriors in the camp, with a 4+1 HD commander.

 

 

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.  The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Week 33

 Level 7 – The City of the Snake-Men

The snake-men's City lies in the shadow of the colossal rock formation known as the Monolith, which houses the True Temple (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

The snake-men’s City exists in a vast, natural cavern, supported by the immense, conjoined rock formation that makes up the True Temple – known to the local denizens as the Monolith.  The surrounding area is a maze-like, chaotic jumble of buildings: whether engineered, carved into the rock, ramshackle, or a mixture of the three, all built on the crumbled remnants of an older city that was swallowed up by the earth millennia ago.

The City exists in a state of perpetual night, lit only by glowing fungus and giant mushrooms of the Underwilds, which grow on the rock formations and debris, as well as the occasional fire or lamp.  Nevertheless, its denizens keep to their own natural schedules of rest and activity, so the City is always active in some way or another.

The snake-men have had nominal control of the City for time immemorial, and continue to enforce this control ruthlessly.  However, the City is by no means an orderly place.  Denizens of the Underworld enforce their own power-based semblance of order in individual enclaves.  A marketplace and trade district exists as a more-or-less neutral area.  Creatures from the surface world are a minority (and largely enslaved.)  However, some powerful individuals, many aligned with Chaos, are able to live in the City unmolested, that is, after they have made a display of their power against foolish challengers.

 

Moving Around the City

Because of the labyrinthine nature of the City, the map has been abstracted to four areas, or Districts, each with their own character.  Player characters (PCs) can move between sub-areas separated by dotted lines at a rate of one (1) per dungeon exploration turn (10 minutes.)  The slow movement takes into account that the PCs are trying to navigate this unfamiliar, dangerous place while remaining as inconspicuous as possible.  Encounters may occur every hour as normal for a dungeon.   

Solid lines represent actual walls, impassable rock formations and/or piles of debris that make up the ruined, former city.  PCs cannot move between these save in particular areas noted by arrows, which lead to adjoining sub-areas in the other Districts.  These represent gates or defensible checkpoints that officially demarcate these Districts.  There may be other, secret ways between Districts or separated areas, but these are left for the PCs to potentially discover, and are noted in the sub-area’s description.

 

District Encounters

In addition to normal,wandering monster encounters, moving between Districts triggers a chance of an encounter as well.  If either Khan-Ni-Tet or the Snake God (see Level 6) have been attacked and/or slain, the snake-men are currently searching for the PCs, and there is a +1 to the encounter chance when moving between Districts.  However, if both have been slain, the snake-men become embroiled in a state of political upheaval, and encounters between Districts occur at -1.

 

Area A: Monolith District

This District is the main, snake-men enclave in the City, existing in the shadow of the Monolith that holds the True Temple within (Level 6,) and is the center of their power.  The District contains individual neighborhoods for the three different castes, as well as three, distinct landmarks: a watchtower built on a tall stalagmite, an arena, and parkland.

 

A1: Monolith Plaza

A wall of mixed rock formations and ruined city debris 70-ft. high forms a plaza that surrounds the Monolith.  During the active parts of the day, there are a number of denizens in the area, typically entering or leaving the Monolith.  During the inactive part of the day, the area is mostly quiet.  Minotaurs guard the main entrance gate to the inside of the Monolith, which is only open during activity hours (see Room 15 on the previous Level.)

Although the “wall” around the plaza is scalable, it is highly unstable and dangerous.  There is 2-in-6 chance of causing a debris landslide, tumbling characters down to the bottom for 7d6 damage (save against breath for half.)  This applies to both the climb and the descent.

 

A2: Noble Quarter

This area features strangely beautiful villas that house the snake-men Noble population of the City.  PCs that attempt to sneak into one of these residences in search of treasure will find that they are guarded by pets or flesh-crafted monsters.  The Noble(s) that live in the residence will be present half the time (3-in-6,) along with the usual chance of Myrmidon bodyguards, Emissary advisors, and/or normal human servants (1-in-6 demihuman.)  The first residence they decide to raid has five (5) giant scorpions (HP 12, 17, 20, 21, 21) wandering the grounds and 500 gp worth of valuables inside (x2 weight.)

At the GM’s discretion, subsequent raids on other residences will have additional monsters and/or guards, since the Quarter might be in a state of alert after the first theft.

 

A3: Myrmidon Quarter

This area of ordered, spartan buildings made of stone and fungal wood, serves as a defense point for the Monolith due to the Myrmidon population that lives here.  However, the snake-men warriors are used to traffic going in and out of the Plaza (A1,) so PCs may be able to blend in with the crowds and pass through undisturbed.

 

A4: Watchtower

A stalagmite about half as tall as the Monolith serves as a watchtower with a full view of the City.  Tunnels lead in and out of the formation in an upward, spiral pattern, as if a burrowing creature entered and exited as it crawled up the immense stalagmite.  Stairs carved into the rock connect these tunnels and lead to a plateau-like top.

There is typically a garrison of 1d4+1 snake-men Myrmidons here on watch.  This is mostly a ceremonial duty since the snake-men have had little to fear from invasion in a very long time.

Players whose characters gaze at the City from the top of the watchtower should be able allowed a glance at the GM’s map for a reasonable amount of time to take notes.

 

A5: Emissary Quarter

Modest apartments, carved into the rock formations here on multiple levels, make up the homes of snake-men Emissaries in the City.  The first one the PCs attempt to break into will be locked, as the Emissary owner is currently away.  The small (10-ft. by 10-ft.) apartment has a trap door under a carpet that contains the Emissary’s stored treasure.  Opening the trap door pulls on a wire that causes a flint to light a censer with a spark and a puff.  The alchemical mix of fungal spores and sulfur within burns quickly and fills the room with an acrid smoke. Those present must save against poison or suffer 3d6 points of damage to their Constitution (Con.) Succeeding at the save still reduces Con by only one (1) point.  Any reduced to 0 Con fall unconscious into a short coma, and do not wake up until they recover at least one (1) point, while being reduced below 0 Con results in death.  Affected characters recover Con at a rate of one (1) per full day of rest.

The treasure consists of a fungal wood chest with 22,000 sp, and five small bags made of strange, purple leather with 200 gp each for a total of 1,000 gp.

 

A6: Arena

The ruins of an ancient rotunda, whose ceiling was long ago destroyed and crumbled away, is used by the snake-men as an arena for bloodsports, executions, and other entertainments that keep the Chaotic denizens of the City from turning their cruel and violent tendencies on each other (this is only about 80% successful.)

PCs captured by the snake-men may find themselves unwilling competitors against myriad creatures both flesh-crafted, and native to the Underwilds.  PCs with a death wish may register one or more of their members as fighters in the championship circuit, where fortunes (and lives) have been won or lost.  The current Master of Games, a cynical snake-man Emissary by the name of Aat-Han, handles these matters.

The current circuit consists of eight (8) matches, each with a progressive, dungeon level of difficulty (1-8.)  Here are some suggested matches for a typical team of adventurers, but the GM should feel free to change or adjust these for their particular group:

First: The remnants of the Fool Emperor’s Army: 11 rickety skeletons harnessed in ancient armor and shields (AC 5 [16],) and wielding rusty spears.  This local favorite usually slaughters helpless prisoners, or gets destroyed by up-and-coming teams, then reassembled and reanimated by a staff necromancer for the next match.  Word is they began as zombies, but the flesh has long since rotted away.  The purse for this match is a meager 400 sp and 10 gp (60 gp total.)

Second: The Sisters without Mercy, a deadly troupe of seven (7) eunshiel blade dancers.  These acrobatic, fey fatales get two attacks each round with their short swords, and are also available for hire to entertain at parties.  The purse for this highly amusing bout is 500 sp and 100 gp (150 gp total.)

Third: The Carrion Bros. – Two (2) fattened ghouls (max HP.)  Their reward is getting to eat defeated gladiators whose bodies are left for a few days or more to “season.”   The fight purse is a more serious amount: 400 sp and 300 gp (340 gp total.)

Fourth: Warpig!  This burly gladiator, armed with a cleaver-like sword and shield, will allow opponents to strike, slice, or pierce his prodigious belly with normal weapons since he is immune.  Once opponents are demoralized, he transforms into his true, wereboar form (HP 26) and slaughters them to cheers from the crowd.  The winners take home 4,000sp and 800 gp (1,200 gp total,) and are now considered serious contenders.

Fifth: The Legion of the Damned.  This is team is led by a small, but corpulent dretch demon on a combination palanquin-chariot with a bodyguard of 14 human slaves (each 3^rd-level fighters, scale armor, shields, and spears)  Four pull the palanquin-chariot, two act as human shields against missile attacks, and the other eight surround and protect it.  If the dretch is engaged in melee, it will use its stinking cloud ability to get away, fighting only if cornered and his bodyguards are slain.  It must then succeed at a morale check every round to avoid blubbering and pleading for mercy, only teleporting away if there’s none to be found.  He may become a recurring enemy of the PCs in this case.

The purse for this challenging match is 900 sp and 1,200 gp (2,100 gp total,) and the winners’ names are now being spoken about throughout the City.  This may attract unwanted attention, especially if the snake-men are looking for them.

Demon, Dretch: AC 2 [17]; HD 4 (HP 32); MV 90 ft. (20 ft.); ATK 1d4/1d4/1d4+1 (2 claws, 1 bite);  SV fighter 4; ML 8; AL C; XP 400 (or HD + two specials)

Immunities: Dretch demons suffer only half damage from cold, electricity and gas-based attacks and spells.

Spell-like powers: (at will) darkness (reversed spell); (1/day) cause fear (reversed spell,) stinking cloud, telekinesis, teleport.

Summon: A dretch is able to summon another of its kind successfully as a gate spell 5% of the time.

Sixth: A party of NPC adventurers with similar classes and levels (about 30 total levels,) or preferably, known rivals of the PCs.  The winners will gain a small hoard of 16,000sp, 1,000gp, a blue quartz worth 50 gp, and a piece of amber worth 100 gp (2,750 gp total worth,) as well as bragging rights.  However, the NPC party will first approach the PCs and offer half of the fight purse if they “throw” the match, with assurances that the Master of Games has been bribed to spare their lives.  This is a lie.

Seventh: Before the PCs can take on the reigning champion, they must face Lady Arachna, a burn-scarred eunshiel sorceress (spells as 6^th-level elf  in addition to eunshiel spells and abilities) wrapped in spider web “garments” that leave little to the imagination, but somehow manage to provide protection (+2 leather.)  She was cast out of her society as an apostate for worshiping an obscure spider deity.  Her “team” is a pack of 12 phase spiders (HP 21, 27, 17, 23, 23, 27, 20, 31, 21, 25, 16, 28) – gifts from her Spider God.

Lady Arachna: AC 6 [13]; HD 6 (HP 28); MV 120 ft. (30 ft.); ATK 1d6+1 (short sword,) 1d4+1 winged knife, or spells; SV elf 6; ML 9; AL C; XP 1,100 (or HD + three specials)

Spells: (1^st) magic missile, protection from evil; (2^nd) web, levitate; (3^rd) protection from (normal) missiles, lightning bolt.

Spider, phase: AC 6 [13]; HD 5; MV 180 ft. (40 ft.,) climb; ATK 1d6 + poison (bite); SV fighter 5; ML 8; AL N; XP 400 (or HD + one special)

Poison: The phase spider’s bite is poisonous.  Victims must save at +1 or die.

Phasing: Phase spiders can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane and vice versa  at will.

In the first round, Lady Arachna will use her phase spiders to harry opponents while she casts web as an optimal environment for them and a barrier of protection for herself.  She then casts spells in the following order: protection from (normal) missiles, protection from evil, and finally, levitate to rise above the battlefield.  She then will cast lightning bolt, magic missile and throw winged knives as opportunities present themselves for maximum effect.  She only fights in melee as a last resort.

 The purse is a wealthier hoard of 12,000 sp, 500 gp, a white pearl worth 100gp, and two (2) black and purple pearls worth 500gp (2,800 gp total value,) as well as the departed Lady’s armor (if someone actually wants to wear the thing.)  A hidden pocket within has a piece of parchment that shows a map to her lair in the Underwilds (Level 8, area # TBD.)  More importantly, winners now have a chance to take on the Champion!

None mock Lady Arachna's faith (or style) and live (adapted from AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

 Championship: The championship bout is not with a creature at all, but an automaton of bronze, steel, and steam created, and manned by a team of ennan engineers.  They call it the Dismemberator.  This 20-ft. tall construct of mechanical death has bludgeoned, sliced, hacked, and even scorched its way through the circuit to the lustful howls of the City’s bloodthirsty, monstrous crowds.

The Dimemberator: AC 2 [17]; HD 9+2 (HP 50); MV 90 ft. (20 ft.); ATK 2d4/2d4/2d4/2d4 (weapon arms);  SV fighter 9; ML 12; AL N; XP 2,000 (or HD + three specials)

Resistances: The Dismemberator is immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells.  It suffers only half damage from fire attacks and spells.  Cold attacks cause double damage and cause it to become slowed (reversed haste) for one round.

Drill Attack: If the Dismemberator hits a single opponent with two arm attacks, it gets an additional attack with a telescoping drill for 2d6 damage.

Flamethrower: The Dismemberator’s beast-like face has a nozzle inside its mouth that ejects a lit jet of flammable oil in a 30-ft. cone for damage equal to its remaining hit points (save against breath for half.)  It cannot attack while doing this since its operators have to manually activate the weapon.

Ennan Operators: for every 10 HP the Dismemberator loses, one of the ennan operators is killed, and one arm attack rendered inoperable.

Unstable: If reduced to 0 HP, the Dismemberator stops moving and begins to overheat and spew steam.  It will explode in one round as a 5d6 fireball (incidentally killing its last operator.)

The Dismemberator is the pinnacle of ennan engineering, and always a crowd-pleaser (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

A7: Park

This area is walled parkland of Underwild flora, carefully grown by eunshiel gardeners into topiary shapes and sculptures.  An 80-ft. wall on the Monolith side leads to the snake-men’s garden crypt (see Room 14 on the previous Level.)  A broken drainage grate allows ingress/egress to area C1 of the Trade District.

 

 

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.  The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Temple of the Snake Cult (The True Temple) - Level 6

This map is released under terms of 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        1d4+1 fire salamanders – guests of the Palace

3-6    See the appropriate Area Table below

7        1d4 normal human servants (1-in-6 demihuman) with 1d4 snake-men Emissaries supervising

8        A lone, snake-man Noble

9        A snake-man Noble with a Myrmidon bodyguard and Emissary advisor

10        1d4+1 Minotaur guards with a Myrmidon officer patrolling or relieving other guards

11        1d4 snake-men Nobles with 1d4 Myrmidon guards, 1d4 Emissary advisors, 1d4 normal human servants

12        Khan-Ni-Tet and their entourage (see Room 21.  This may be an exception to their normal schedule)

 

Area A

3        Lo-Khufu (possibly in human guise, see Area A, Room 6) with 1d4 Emissaries and 1d4 Myrmidons

4        1d8 guard trolls

5        1d6 guard basilisks

6         A contingent 8d6 specialist eunshiel or ennan deep fey workers (50/50 chance of either,) such as: artists, chefs, musicians, engineers, etc.

 

Area B

3              1d4 mummies – former Snake Cult high priests or wealthy donors “gifted” with undeath and currently visiting the Palace

4              1d4 snake-men Nobles, with the usual chance of Myrmidons, Emissaries and/or servants

5              A contingent 8d6 specialist eunshiel or ennan deep fey workers (50/50 chance of either,) such as: artists, chefs, musicians, engineers, etc.

6              1d4 giant (rock) pythons – pets that are allowed free rein in the Palace living areas.

 

Area C

3              1d6 oni (ogre magic-users, see Room 19; 1-in-6 chance they are polymorphed into normal human servants)

4              A marching unit of 1d10x10 baern-men (bugbears) led by a snake-man Myrmidon officer

5              1d8+1 ogres whose job is to open and close the heavy entrance gates 

6              A group of Palace visitors with a snake-men Emissary leading (see Room 19)

 

Area D

3              A black pudding – the living waste product of the Snake God

4              An ochre jelly that has oozed out of an organic pustule in the Inner Temple

5              1d6 oni (ogre magic-users, see Room 19)

6              1d4+1 snake-men Myrmidon guards

 

Commentary

 

End of an Era

By finishing Level 6, I realize am now about two-thirds of the way through the Dungeon23 project!  This also concludes the Snake Cult-related portion of the dungeon, as we depart the upper levels to delve into the mysteries of the rest of the Underworld.  While Level 7 will still feature the snake-men (being their City, after all,) I envision it as more of a transition area into the last three levels.

 Experience Need not Apply

As a child of the "Middle" School of RPGs (2nd Edition era,) I used to buy into the idea of dungeons being boring or at least passé, favoring "true" roleplaying adventures (restrictive, narrative railroads, really.)  Things have changed a lot for me since then, but the result is that I'm not all that familiar with dungeon building past the Basic levels of 1-3.  Yes, tougher monsters, deadlier traps, and more treasure then King Midas are the standard, but what else is there?  

I started by considering what dungeon obstacles parties of levels 4+ can easily bypass with magic or thief abilities.  Here's non-exhaustive list:
Dark places (this is why most of the True Temple has dim lighting)

• Reconnaissance, surprise, and ambush are easy with clairvoyance, invisibility, silence, and/or higher thief abilities
• Locked doors and objects are little problem thanks to knock (this is why some locked doors have no existing key locations)
• Pits, level connections without stairs, and other high places can be levitated to and from or climbed by thieves.
• Hidden treasure or traps are easy to find with find/locate spells
• Magic-using enemies' spells can be dispelled or casters silenced
• Rooms full of enemies can be cleared with fireballs, lightning bolts, and the like
• Full water areas are no issue with water breathing

My conclusion: I could pretty much go nuts with level appropriate enemies, tricks, traps, and dangers without much concern about how players will deal with them.  If that's not Old School, I don't know what is!

The limits of AI

I know I've been gushing about using AI tools to help with or enhance the project, but the more I use it, the more I realize its limitations.  I've been getting some samey results with ChatGPT, that don't really spark good ideas, and I've used the tool less and less.

I also painted myself into a corner in deciding to include AI art to illustrate features of the dungeon entries, and it's additional (and likely unnecessary) work.  On the positive side, I've been getting some practice with editing tools like GIMP - amateurish to be sure, but check out the image of Khan-Ni-Tet.  I amalgamated it from several AI images, and I'm pretty proud of it (in a please-display-my-crayola-drawing-on-the-fridge kind of way.)  It begs the question: at what point does it become "true" art?

As I've mentioned before, I am aware of the controversies with AI art (it even got WotC recently,) and I am sympathetic to those that feel threatened by it, but I think that short of some landmark court case where they prove egregious copyright infringement, AI tools are likely here to stay.  Professionals and companies alike will probably have to compromise at some point to remain competitive. And that is the sad, dystopian reality.

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Week 32

 Level 6, Area D: Sanctum

 

This map is released under terms of the  CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

 

Activity Hours

The time of day may affect some of the rooms in this area.  See Area C.

 

Room 21: Hall of the Ancestors

Not so much a hall as a natural cavern where the snake-men believe Tiama’at burrowed under the City of Humankind and let in her creations to corrupt it.  Due to its symbolic value, the snake-men have left the cavern stone unworked save for some stalagmites which are carved into the likeness of their honored ancestors, and lit by glowing fungus.

Hidden in the darkness of the 40-ft. high, cavern ceiling are 24 giant bats (HP 10, 5, 12, 10, 6, 13, 5, 14, 9, 12, 7, 13, 12, 10, 11, 6, 13, 4, 12, 7, 5, 11, 14, 8.)  Noise in the cavern will rouse them (along with their vampiric hunger.)

 

It is not know whether this cavern is a true or symbolic place of origin for the snake-men (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

Room 23: Trapped Corridor

The corridor leading to Khan-Ni-Tet’s personal chambers (Room 24) from their audience chamber (Room 21) is designed to confuse, delay, or kill intruders and pursuers.  One-way secret doors allow quick ingress and egress from the chambers, and the center of the corridor in front of the entrance is trapped with angled javelin launchers that fire from holes in the north and south ceiling areas.  Attempting to open the doors to the chambers activates the trap.

Everyone in the trapped area ("T") must save against breath weapon or be hit by 1d6 javelins for 1d6 damage each. 

 

Room 24: Ruler’s Chambers

These are the gilded living quarters of the ruler of the snake-men's City.  A lounging area is dimly lit by glowing fungus, and has been neatly arranged with intricate furniture designed for snake-men anatomy.  Carefully-tended, fungal blooms decorate accent areas.  Silken curtains divide Khan-Ni-Tet’s sleeping area.  A nook to the southwest serves as a place for the ruler’s personal, Emissary servant and advisor to be at the beck and call of his liege, and secret doors leads to his personal room and out to the hall.

Depending on whether the Palace is in activity hours, Khan-Ni-Tet may be present in these chambers.  See Room21 for details on the snake-men ruler(s) and their entourage.

When the ruler is absent, there are two Myrmidon guards present, and 2-in-6 chance of an Emissary directing 1d4 normal human servants in tending to the chambers.

The chambers contain several valuables (vessels, artworks, and utensils, as well as some loose coinage) of silver and gold.  These are worth 2,700 gp in total and weigh 1.5 times as much.

Khan-Ni-Tet’s sleeping area also has a secret, one-way door that allows egress to the cavern beyond (Room 22.)

 

Room 25: Chamber of Ascension

A foyer to the Sanctum serves as a gathering area for the snake-men Nobility to assemble before proceeding through the double doors to the south to worship in the Inner Temple (Room 27.)  The room has an intricately tiled floor pattern:

 The stone door to the north leads to the Palace’s Treasury Vault (Room 26.)  It is locked and has eight (8) buttons with various shapes:

Only four (4) of these must be pressed to open the door.  The shapes for the correct buttons can be seen within the tile pattern on the floor: 3, 5, 6, and 8. They can be pressed in any order.  When a correct button is pressed, the shape on that button, as well as on the tile, glows.

Each time an incorrect button (1, 2, 4, 7) is pressed, an arrow will launch from a wall in one of four cardinal directions (1-N, 2-E, 4-S, 7-W) towards individuals at the door (save against wands to avoid.)  The arrow inflicts 1d6 damage and the victim must save against poison or die.  In addition, the “arrow” in reality a rigid, magically held snake, which then reanimates and attacks as a pit viper (HP 2, 10, 9, 8.)  A snake-arrow that misses its target the first time takes 2d6 damage from impact on a wall, which may kill or seriously injure it.

 

Room 26: Treasury Vault

The treasury vault houses mundane wealth the True Temple uses for trade in the City.  It currently contains 24,000 sp and 3,000 gp in bags of 50 coins each.  A small, gilded coffer contains gems: a green alexandrite worth 100 gp, two, tiger eye agates worth 10 gp each, and a red-violet garnet worth 500 gp.  A scroll, which may be used as payment for mercenary sorcerers, contains magic-user spells: hallucinatory terrain, passwall, mirror image, magic missile, darkness (reversed spell.)

 

 Room 27: Inner Temple

The inner temple is of an older, rougher architecture than even the rest of the ancient, True Temple.  Although the chamber has several, lit braziers and candles, there is an unnatural dimness that increases as one gets closer to the north end.  Another obvious feature is that some of the carvings on the walls and columns have been defaced.  These rough areas become covered over with textured, organic surfaces that become more pronounced towards the north end.  The surfaces seem to pulsate subtly if one gazes at them for long enough.

The inner temple is empty and quiet unless Khan-Ni-Tet is here (see Room 21.)

                                                             

Room 28: Tabernaculum of the Snake God

This enclosed area once housed a statue of Tiama’at the Many-Headed Serpent, which was destroyed.  Steps lead to the statue’s former base at the center.  A cracked depression where the statue once stood is now filled with a black, semi-viscous fluid.  The surrounding area is almost completely covered over in the same organic texture in the inner temple. 

The fluid is highly corrosive, and any living creatures or organic matter touching it suffers 3d8 damage.  Furthermore, disturbing the pool will cause a dark, writhing mass to surface and levitate above the “pool.”  A large single eye, emerges from the mass to observe those with the temerity to disturb it.  This is none other than the Snake God - the ultimate power behind the Snake Cult and the True Temple of the Snake-Men.

Behold His Chaotic magnificence! (adapted from AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

If Khan-Ni-Tet is in the inner temple (Room 27,) they will summon the Snake God and beseech his aid.  However, player characters (PCs) aligned with Chaos may receive an enticing new offer in their minds: destroy the disgraced ruler and serve the Snake God as His new champions above and below.

Under the organic masses that cover the Tabernaculum are the still substantial remnants of a ceremonial hoard that once surrounded the statue of Tiama’at: 4,000 pp, three (3) amethysts worth 100 gp each, four (4) pearls worth 100 gp each, a pair of boots of striding and springing, a ring of wish (two wishes,) a ring of protection +1, a potion of flying, and a magic-user scroll (protection from evil 10-ft. radius, teleport, transmute rock to mud, wall of ice, feeblemind.)

 

 

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.