Dungeon23: Week 35

 Area C: Trade District

The Trade District is the heart of the City and a cauldron of Chaotic creatures somehow kept from boiling over by the snake-men’s forces.  Multitudes of humanoids, from the common eunshiel and ennan deep fey to more monstrous ones, and even free-willed undead or the occasional demon, give way only to the palanquins of snake-men Nobles or their large enforcers.  The area is separated into three parts by buildings, crumbling walls and Watch checkpoints: the market areas, businesses and living spaces of prosperous Underworld merchants under the protection of the snake-men, and the cesspool that is the City’s slum and slave quarter.

 

C1: Watch Barracks

This section of the Trade District is the headquarters of the City’s Watch force.  These are not Lawful keepers of the peace as much as a monstrous goon squad that keeps the Underworld creatures in the District focused on business rather than tearing each other apart.  They are not above bullying and extorting weaker creatures and merchants for protection.

The bulk of the Watch is made up of deputized humanoids such as baern-men, and ogres, with a special force of troll or minotaur shock troops for dangerous situations.  Of special mention is the Watch’s secret police, made up of a cadre of gargoyles who easily blend into the roofs of buildings and lower-hanging stalactites.  There is typically one in each sub area of the Trade District, with two in the Bazaar (C4.)  Little escapes their notice.

The Barracks is a small, fortified building adjacent, and connected to the wall separating it from the Market (C4) and Warehouses (C5.)  There are controlled entrances and exits to these areas inside the building, which are used by the Watch only.

Inside, there are typically nine (9) trolls and/or minotaurs here (50/50 chance of each): four (4) guarding the building’s entrances and exits and five (5) standing by for when needed.  There are also eight (8) gargoyles at rest while others are on duty in the City.  A snake-man Myrmidon commander is in charge of the motley lot.  This is not a glamorous duty, and it is typically given to those Myrmidon officers that fall into disgrace or disfavor with their superiors.

 

C2: Merchants Quarter

The homes and specialized businesses of well-to-do Underworld merchants exist here, such as eunshiel tailors, ennan moneylenders, and otherworldly dealers in premium, exotic, and/or potentially magical goods.  In addition to the protection of the adjacent Watch headquarters, each of these businesses tend to have ennan-crafted traps to protect their homes and goods, such as a locks that spray  diluted, green dragon gland toxin on would-be burglars (save against poison or lose 3d6 Strength.)  At the GM’s discretion, there should be additional traps, pets, or guardians in these places to ensnare curious PCs.  Sample businesses include:

·         Cavern of Curiosities:  An absent-minded ennan named Grizz runs this shop of mechanical wonders.  His creations were deemed not serious enough for ennan society, but he makes good business with other denizens of the City.  He can do custom work to a client’s specifications, but they tend to have additional “features” the client never really asked for.  A unique, iron golem made of clockwork handles unhappy customers who become belligerent.

·         The Obsidian Vial: A scarred, wheezing eunshiel alchemist named Ven’dra provides all sorts of tinctures, drugs, compounds, and poisons, many unique to the Underwilds, to discerning customers.  At the GM’s discretion, Ven’dra may have magic potions for sale.

·         The Emporium: This mysterious shop deals in rare, mystical artifacts, sorcerous reagents, and related supplies collected from the darkest corners of the Underworld. The owner is Xyvraa, an inscrutable humanoid creature that is always cloaked and communicates telepathically.  No one knows A: what Xyvraa is, and B: what manner of defenses the creature has since no one has lived to tell the tale, but Xyvraa is known to deal fairly with good-faith customers.  It is left to the GM’s discretion whether magic items are for sale or trade here.

 

C3: Promenade

The central market areas begin with businesses that cater to traders from all over the Underworld.  Stables specialize in and care for all manner of mounts and beasts of burden – be they wormlike, insectoid, or other.  The side closer to the Monolith has inns that cater to unique and monstrous needs, while the side nearer to the Slums (C6) features drinking establishments, gambling dens, drug lounges, and houses of a repute that go far beyond the word “ill.”  Places of interest here include:

·         Hiss Hostel:  This is one of the few inns in the City where surface-dwellers such as the PCs might feel somewhat (but not completely) comfortable enough to stay in.  The sprawling structure can accommodate even ogre-sized beings, and it is patronized by snake-men Emissaries from afar as well as Chaotically-aligned sorcerers, cultists, and their henchmen.  The exotic, Underworld food and drink here are nevertheless palatable to humans and demihumans.  A crafty Emissary named Shan-Ka owns the place.  He is known for his shrewd business sense and no-questions-asked attitude.

·         Underwild Stables: These stables are a small network of caves where different types of mounts are kept and sometimes sold.  It is run by a half-eunshiel named Selthia T’lon, who is quite knowledgeable in breeding and training these creatures due to a lifetime spent in the Underwilds.  Rinx, her ennan stable hand and groom, was born too slow of mind to learn his people’s crafts, but is a pleasant and cheerful sort – a rarity in this City.

·         Ebon House: This gambling establishment and bordello caters to every Chaotic vice and dark desire.  The owner of this place is, not surprisingly, an alluring demoness (succubus) named Lythiryia.  It is said that high-stakes games at the House (by invitation only) may involve gambling away one’s soul.

 

The Promenade and entrance to the Bazaar (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

C4: Twilight Bazaar

Central to the City is a sprawling, maze-like marketplace of Underworld commerce.  Its alien atmosphere is eerily beautiful to those who are witnessing it for the first time.  Countless stalls and booths, draped in dark, rich fabrics, and glittering with Underworld goods and curiosities, surround a black, central obelisk carved with snake-men hieroglyphs.  It doubles as a copy of the City’s Compact of Trade and simple timekeeping device/calendar.  Strange smells both enticing and off-putting, as well as a cacophony of strange tongues, monstrous voices, and guttural sounds assault the senses.  Just about any imaginable, material good can be had here for the right price, including a slave auction for beings seeking fleshly chattel of all types.  Nothing is forbidden here save for the good and Lawful, which must needs exist hidden in the shadows.

Skilled thieves can come away with about 1d4x100 gp worth of goods and coin from at least one turn spent filching from monstrous pockets or vendor stalls (4,000 gp maximum per day.)  One stall has a sword wrapped in thick silk sitting off to one side.  It was taken from some unfortunate adventurer, and the Chaotic trader has been unable to touch it uncovered, let alone sell it, since it is an intelligent (Int and Ego of 12,) Lawfully-aligned +1 sword named Wyrmspike.  The ancient, fey blade is capable of speech (Common and Dwarf,) and can detect gems, magic, and invisible objects, as well as detect thoughts (ESP) once per day.  Its purpose is slaying Chaotic creatures, especially dragons, with which it has a +3 to hit and damage.

Stealing in this area is, of course, very dangerous not only because of the monstrous nature of its merchants, but also the constant presence of the Watch and their circling gargoyles (see area C1 above.)  Unless the would-be thief is a member of the class and succeeds at one (or more) of their abilities, there is a 2-in-6 chance of a hostile encounter with angry traders, their guard(s), or the Watch.

 

C5: Warehouses

Adjacent to the Bazaar is an enclosed, cavernous area of many separate chambers with locked doors.  Most are available to rent on a temporary basis, while a few are owned exclusively by established merchant houses (typically flying deep fey Clan or Guild colors.)

The Watch (see area C1 above) has controlled access from their headquarters to this area, since the snake-men understand the value of trade to their City and prioritize its protection.  There is also controlled access to the Slave Quarter (C7) next to warehouses that are little more than holding cells or pens for their sentient stock.

The minor warehouses in the front are guarded by two (2) husky, human guards, which are actually enslaved werebears (HP 20, 28.)  The larger warehouses in the rear, separated by a vault door, are patrolled by five (5) guard manticores (HP 31, 25, 32, 25, 27.)

A haul from the minor warehouses results in 200 gp worth of valuable (and easily-portable) goods (x10 weight.)  The larger warehouses yield up to 9,100 gp in valuables, many of which are gems and jewelry.  Any theft or raid in the warehouses will result in a doubling of the guard presence, with more frequent Watch patrols (2-in-6 random encounter chance.)  In addition, any stolen goods are too “hot” to sell in the City all at once.

 

C6: Slum

Every city has its depressed area, and the City of the Snake-Men is no exception.  Indeed, the Crumbles and Downs in Alkastra may seem a veritable paradise to PCs after a venture into this City’s slum.  All manner of lowly creatures exist her: diseased, kobb, hobb, gobb, and oor-men, “freed” slaves and their descendants (meaning, escaped after their master met an unfortunate end,) half-eunshiel cast-offs (many given to selling their bodies to survive in a self-perpetuating cycle,) and others, such as the moorlocks, which are unique to this area.  These are the result of centuries of interbreeding between the disparate creatures of the Slum.  They are quite knowledgeable in how to survive here and know secret ways into other areas of the City via the drainage tunnels (see below.)

Death and despair are all too common in the Slum.  Weaker creatures here are often prey for stronger ones, but vermin, oozes, and even ghouls keep the streets mostly clear of charnel.  The prospect of trying to survive in the Underwilds beyond the City is the only thing that keeps desperate creatures from leaving. 

There is a dim, point of light here in the form of a hidden chapel to the Lords of Law.  It is a well-kept secret by the human and demihuman locals, since it is a place of succor that would be quickly be snuffed if the snake-men discovered it.  It has been forced to move several times in its history due to this potential danger.  The chapel is currently overseen by Sister Sophiya (7^th-level cleric, AL L,) a hard, but kind middle-aged human woman who was born to escaped slaves in the Slum.  She inherited her position and miraculous powers from a previous cleric who was also acolyte and apprentice to an earlier head of the chapel.  It is a tradition and sacred duty that may be centuries old, going back to a chaplain of Emperor Traxianos’ Lost Legion, who somehow survived that ill-fated expedition into the Underworld.

Drainage tunnels that were once part of the original, buried city empty into a waterfall of foulness that drops about 70 feet into the underground river flowing around the plateau-like elevation that the City sits on.  These tunnels reach several parts of the City, but are nearly impossible (and dangerous) to navigate without moorlock guides, who know these intimately (and may even clear out or construct new tunnels – vestiges of dwarf, gnome, or ennan instincts.)  Chief among these dangers in the tunnels are nearly invisible pockets of miasma (2-in-6 chance to notice) that is highly corrosive, causing 2d6 acid damage for every round exposed.  The moorlocks are either immune or resistant to the miasma, or at least know how to avoid it.  If the PCs insist on navigating the tunnels without a moorlock guide, roll on the following table every 1d6 turns of exploring (2d6):

2    Exit to random location in the Monolith District

3    Exit to random location in the Dragon district

4    Exit to random location in the Builder’s District

5    Exit to random location in the Trade District

6    Pocket of acidic miasma

7    Dead end

8    Pocket of acidic miasma

9    Exit to random location in the Trade District

10    Exit to random location in the Builder’s District

11    Exit to random location in the Dragon district

12    Exit to random location in the Monolith District

Roll a d8 for the random exit in a District.  A roll of “8” means the exit in that area is a waterfall drop of 1d6+1 x10 feet from the plateau.  Random encounters with creatures lost (or hunting) in the tunnels can potentially occur every hour as normal for a dungeon.  Employing a moorlock guide allows them to reach their destination accurately, relatively safely, and in the same amount of time it would take them to arrive on the surface (while avoiding guarded checkpoints.)

The GM should feel free to invent dangerous or ridiculous requests a particular moorlock has in exchange for guiding them through the tunnels.  Examples include: a meal from the True Temple’s kitchens, getting to sing and dance in the eunshiel music hall (area B6; PCs must stay for the entire, hour-long performance,) a specific, ennan gadget (well-guarded, of course,) or even a character’s hand in marriage (this will require high-quality garments for the ceremony as well as matching rings; at least the character gains a loving and loyal companion.)

Moorlock: AC 5 [15]; HD 1-4; MV 90 ft. (20 ft.); ATK 1d4 or 1d6 (melee or ranged, improvised weapons); SV Dwarf 1-4; ML 7; AL N; XP 30-250 (or HD + one special)

Special abilities: Moorlocks have learned to become innocuous scavengers to survive.  They can move silently, hide in the shadows, and pick pockets as a thief of four (4) HD higher.  In addition, they are experts at throwing their voices and mimicking sounds, especially in the drainage tunnels that the beings call home.  This functions as a ventriloquism spell they can employ at will.

For better or for worse, in sickness and in health...(AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

 

C7: Slave Quarter

Enslaved sentients in the City, primarily humans and demihumans, have been provided with their own living areas here, since there is little fear of them trying to escape to the doom and squalor of the Slum or the dangerous Underwilds (although a rare few still try.)  Every day, the bonded servants file dejectedly through a controlled entrance to the slave pens of the Warehouse area (C5) and towards their places of duty.  This daily ritual reminds them that it could always, always be worse.  Similarly, the line between the Slum and the Slave Quarter is a blurry one.  The only practical difference is that the beings here are owned and accounted for (complete with branding,) whereas the ones in the Slum are not.  Creatures from the Slum sometimes prey on their enslaved neighbors, but the Watch increases its presence here if and when things get too far out of hand: the occasional vampire or ghoul feeding is fine, wholesale disappearance of stock is not.

Despite all this, the Quarter is a small, self-sustaining oasis of sorts for these wretched folk.  It has a communal well, supporting tradesmen, and even a drinking establishment with homemade, fungal brews and spirits.  Sadly, this sense of community in shared misery is marred by the existence of a hierarchy between the slaves, with the more skilled or pampered ones considering themselves above the menial laborers.  Stronger ones that have aged out guard duty, the Arena (A6,) or hard labor are sometimes employed as overseers to keep the others in line.  An ennan smith, himself sentenced to slavery for a crime among his people, is tasked with maintaining chains and manacles, including ones made of strange, Underworld alloys that can disrupt magical powers.

Sister Sophiya (see C6 above,) her lay acolytes, and a moorlock guide, sometimes come here in secret to minister and care for the enslaved.  She is known to help those in imminent danger escape to the Slum (which only marginally changes their circumstances.)

 

Sister Sophyia secretly tends to her desperate flock in the Slum and Slave Quarter (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

 

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.