Quick and Dirty Dungeons in Legend

One tool I like to use for those "lets see what's over here moments" during the meanderings of adventurers off the beaten path is to develop some encounter and trap charts, the design of which is to provide a quick and efficient way to "fill in" unexpected detours and byways on the quasi-hexcrawl style games I am running. The charts aren't always that horribly original, but they can give a nice variety of interesting traps and encounters to sprinkle in some random dungeon at a moment's notice. Just grab one of the countless fine maps off of the internet and fill it out with some random rolls, and walla, a quick dungeon delve for those moments when your party notices the odd mark on their map of an ancient ruin or lost keep, which you don't even remember putting there...just remember that, for Legend games, your PCs should always have the option to flee when they find themselves at last overwhelmed....!

Dungeon Encounters: Random Trap and Encounter Tables

Roll per location: 1-6 empty, 7-10 Roll for trap, 11-20 roll for encounter. For every 30 minutes of rest there is a chance of an encounter (treat trap result as no encounter), and once per hour for extended rest.

A Character who spots any of the traps below before triggering them can attempt to disarm them using mechanisms (unless it doesn't seem appropriate). The mechanisms check is treated as an opposed roll against a value of 50 (assume 50 is the trap maker's skill value at setting it). Failure triggers the trap. Critical failure means the character takes the full brunt of the attack and maximum damage.

Trap Table:
Roll - Trap
1-4 - Triggered Hail of Arrows (Attack 50%; 1D6+1 damage; -10% Perception check to spot the trap before it triggers)
5-8 - Hidden Pit Trap (5m deep, 1D6 to one random location; Roll Dodge to evade; normal chance on Perception to spot before triggering)
9-12 - Falling Spike Bar Trap (Covers whole area; 1D8+2 damage to chest area or as appropriate; Dodge check at -15% to avoid; -10% chance on Perception to spot before triggering)
13-16 - Poison Gas (Pressure Plate releases Potency 60 gas that induces nausea and caused 1D3 damage to chest (lungs); -20% chance on Perception to spot before triggering)
17-20 - Rigged Fire Burst exploding chest (25 foot radius explosion; 1D6 fire damage to three random areas; Resistance check reduces to 1 location on a success or no locations on a critical success; -10% perception check to detect before triggering; chest has 2D100 silver pieces and 3D10 gold pieces with a 50% chance they are slagged/melted once the chest explodes)

   There is a 25% chance that a triggered trap will alert a nearby patrol of monsters to arrive in 1D3 rounds.

Level 1 Encounter Table:
Roll - Encounter
1 - mob of 2D6 skeletons
2 - 1D8 goblins with 50% chance of one shaman goblin with access to magic
3 - 1D4 orc scouts
4 - 1 Basilisk
5 - Deadly Crawling Mold (Potency 60; triggered when approached within 50 ft; deals 1D4 damage per round to random location plus nausea)
6-8 - 1D6 wolves
9-10 - 1D4 prowling velociraptors
11-12 - 2D4 zombies
13 - 1 ghoul blood mage and 1D10 zombie servants seeking artifacts
14 - 3D4 Cultists: 50% chance the leader is imbued with divine magic
15 - 1D6 bandits; 20% chance the leader has common magic
16 - 1D3 Giant Scorpions
17 - 1 gargoyle and 50% chance of 1D3 ghouls
18 - 1D8 ghouls searching for body parts and loot
19 - 3 feral albino gorillas with a taste for human flesh
20 - 1 massive feral gorilla temple guardian; has STR 50 and imbued with Berserk)

Treasure: (Roll as follows)

   Roll a d20 on the following chart:
D20 - Treasure
1-8 - nothing of interest
9-14 - Random Coin (3D6x10 SPs) and a 10% chance of 1D6 gems worth 1D6X10 SP each
15-16 - Random Coin (3D6X20 SP and 1D6 GP) and 25% chance of 1D10 gems worth 1D6X20 SP
17-18 - Random Coin (as above) plus a 25% chance of one exotic item
19-20 - Random Coin (as above) plus a 50% chance of 1D2 exotic items:

Exotic Items:
D20 - Exotic Treasure
1-2 - suit of chainmail
3-4 - suit of scale mail
5 - suit of platemail
6 - Scroll with details teaching one common magic spell of up to Magnitude 1D4
7 - Random Power crystal
8 - Suit of false plate
9 - Elven Silk Cloth armor
10 - Orichalcum Chain mail (wondrous metal)
11 - Collapsible two handed weapon
12 - Spiked weapon
13 - Serrated weapon 
14 - Orichalcum weapon (+1 damage)
15 - Enchanted armor (+1 AP)
16 - Enchanted weapon (+1 damage)
17 - Enchanted Ring (grants access to one spell rolled randomly on spell matrix chart AoL pg. 151)
18 - Enchanted Ogre Belt (grants +3 tro STR of wearer)
19 - Mysterious Idol (may serve as gateway to special cult) worth 1D100X10 SP
20 - Sorcerer's tome with 1D4+1 sorcery spells outlined within

<><><><><><><>  <><><><><><><> 

Awesome Map Resource!

Sample Dungeon:
   In the tradition of random dungeon generators everywhere, I now offer you a completely random dungeon keyed to the above map. Fill in details to make it your own....I have sketched out a background for my own purposes, but its completely alterable, of course....I reccommend the ever useful Engineering Dungeons by Troll Lord Games for dressing and fleshing out rooms if so desired. I thought about doing it but decided I was feeling a bit lazy...then I redid the entire thing anyway, so its more a "fleshed out dungeon based on some random rolls," but you get the idea!

The Temple of the Shambling Dark:

   This fairly notorious cavern is located about thirty miles north of Uralhat, just off the coast along the remote island of Varana’del. The stories say an ancient entity was once worshipped here by the cult of the Diurnan Spearmasters, a cannibal group in the islands which has all but been driven extinct in recent years by the Uralhat Navy. They reportedly worshipped something they called the Usu’Vanar, which roughly translates in to the “Shambling Dark.” Recently, however the fishing village of Cotairn has experienced a rash of disappearances, and some fishermen have spotted mysterious beings cavorting about new bonfires in the dark on the island…

Doors: All doors may be locked (50% chance); A normal Mechanisms check can be made to unlock or a Brawn check at -10% to bash it in. 

1. Main Entry Chamber

6 zombies, the remains of prior adventurers who were killed, their bodies dumped her and restored to unlife as vile guards.

2. Empty Chamber

 Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

3. Chamber of the Wretched Spawn of the Shambling Dark

Deadly Crawling Mold fills this chamber (see encounter entry 5 above). 40 SP, 4 GP, 2 gems worth 50 SP, and a suit of chain mail litter the floor, left over o prior victims.

4. Chamber of Offerings to the Spawn

A Falling Spike Bar Trap is rigged up in this room. If the PCs befriend any orcs wandering the complex they will mention this trap, which they say is set by the ghouls that are obsessed with the dungeon.

5.  The First Priest Chamber

One old ghoul sorcerer and three zombie servants are digging through rubble in this chamber. He is not hostile and will happily barter if the adventurers are friendly. He will explain that he is looking for sacred artifacts of Usu'Vanar for use in his magic. He has 70 SP, 5 GP and his sorcery tome on his person as well as a ring of disruption.

6. The Second Priest Chamber

Three Diurnan cultists and one priest are squatting in thsi chamber. They are bartering with the ghouls, letting them search the rubble for coin, and have accrued 200 SP in coin.

7. Empty Chamber

Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

8. Empty Chamber
Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

9. Empty Chamber
Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

10. Chamber of Pain
Torture chamber. Someone has rigged another falling spike bar trap within. The center of the room has a moldering ogre corpse which has been picked over except for its Belt of Ogre Strength (see exotic item 18).

11. Hall of Suffocation
This long hall is randomly trapped with pressure plates releasing Poison Gas (see trap list). There may be evidence of other victims inside. The passage either leads to a lower dungeon level or a hidden exit (GM's choice).

12. Chamber of the Heretics
Four zombies stagger about, directionless until they sense living flesh nearby. One zombie has 1 GP and 1 gem worth 100 GP on its person as well as a curious holy statue worth 450 SP.

13. Guardian Passage to the Upper Ruins

A gargoyle servant and its two ghoul masters are carefully excavating this chamber; a collapsed roof shows where passage to the outdoors has been revealed. They are suspicious of anyone who enters, apparently being in competition with other treasure hunting ghouls in the ruins. They have had little luck so far and have no money or relics yet to show for their effort.

14. Incineration Chamber

This chamber contains a fire burst trap (centered on a chest in the corner) that was rigged by former treasure hunters (roll for coin on the trap table).

15. Empty Chamber

Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

16. Empty Chamber
Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

17. Empty Chamber
Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

18. Empty Chamber
Roll for a chance of a wandering encounter/trap.

19. Scorpion Den

2 Giant Scorpions (a pair) prowl this chamber, seeking to make it a den.

19. Pit of the Silent Guardians

This chamber contains first a hidden pit trap, and at the bottom of the pit are 10 skeletons. Amidst the rubble at the bottom is one squat stone idol of gold and silver worth 510 SP.

20. Incineration Chamber
Another Rigged Fire Burst within this chamber, which was used for dire unknown purposes in ancient times. There are 41 SP scattered on the floor, and a serrated great sword.

21. Chamber of Secrets

5 Goblins prowl this chamber, which has stuccoed walls depicting ancient religious rituals. The lead goblin is a mage and while they are suspicious they won't immediately attack without provocation. The goblins have 40 SPs. Close study of the wall imagery reveals that there is a random sorcery spell inscribed on the walls (a copy could be made).

22. Pit of the Silent Guardians

This chamber contains first a hidden pit trap, and at the bottom of the pit are 10 skeletons. Amidst the rubble at the bottom is one squat stone idol of gold and silver worth 510 SP.

23. Temple Chamber Usu’Vanar

A large statue of ancient Usu'Vanar rests in the center of this chamber, a squat four-armed demon god with a belt of human skulls. An altar rests in front. No doors in this chamber will open unless the statue is first made an offering (worth 1 gold piece) by placing it on the altar. There is a naturally magnetized pressure plate on the altar, and a ferrous coin will trigger it (Perception -20% to detect before triggering) which will open the door to area 26; all skeletons will then march out to attack. The statue has two large ruby eyes worth 250 SP each. The idol is gold plated, and with great effort it could be melted down and is worth 100 GP.

24. Disposal Chamber

This disposal chamber and water closet of old has been renovated into a hidden pit trap. At the botom can be found 130 SP, 1 gem worth 200 SP and a 50% chance of one random exotic item.

25. Chamber of Nazdras the Transformed (gargoyle)

This chamber contains a single ancient gargoyle servant of Usu'Vanar imbued with the Lighting Strike divine spell. He is the last living priest of the lost god, and will seek to convert any who enter the chamber and destroy any infidels who would seek to loot the tomb. He is not fond of the ghoul looters (or the goblins).

26.  Barracks

12 skeleton warriors wait in the darkness to destroy any who would anger the idol in room 23.

27. Chamber of the Undead Priests

Here 6 zombies that were once priests have risen and now rest, waiting for the presence of living flesh to awaken them once more. One has a serrated ritual dagger.

28. Prisoners! Here the captives are held for eventual sacrifice (2D6 human commoners); the village of Orenost will pay 500 SP for their safe return (worth a bonus IP per PC for rescue).

29. The Sacrificial Pit! If the PCs have made it this far they ought to be greeted with a special encounter, with Usu'Vanar itself, some sort of bound demon possessing the body of a child that is held in the deep pit in the center of the chamber. Usu'Vanar tries to lure the adventurers to free it with a blood sacrifice in exchange for a wish...something suitably exotic and risky, yet still tempting.... All it needs is someone to help it out of the pit...PCs that let it free or feed it blood will watch the shadow demon burst free of the possessed child! Make it a suitably hideous demon rolled from Arcania of Legend: Blood Magic or worse if you want to make it a fight to flee from. For something especially exotic borrow a monstrosity from CoC's Malleus Monstrorum! If you have MRQ4's Legendary Heroes book, there are some excellent and terrifying sample demons within that can be used, too.

Barring all those options, my suggestion is: a small seven year old child in form, but with the following stats:
STR 50, DEX 12, CON 60, SIZ 6, INT 22, POW 40, CHA 30, +1D12 damage mod,
Resilience: 150%, Persistence 175%, Dodge 30%, Touch Attack 125%, Influence 100%
Hit Points: 14 per leg, 15 abdomen, 16 chest, 13 per arm and 14 for the head; AP 12 Natural Armor.
Special Attack: disintigrating touch (on touch deal 2D6 damage to body part)

(Okay so I cheated on this....got a little too into fleshing the random rolls out...)

Ages of Lingusia: Kindred of Chaos in Swords & Wizardry

As with the races of law, refer to prior blog entries for expanded data on each race; what follows is a short summary plus S&W statistics:

The Chaos Races


Dark Elves (Ashtarth): Members of the renegade sorcerer clan of the silver elves, these chaos-tainted dark elves have evolved a sophisticated culture of demon worship.
Dark elves are like normal elves in all ways with the following differences:
Attribute Modifiers: +1 Dex, -1 Con; female Ashtarth gain +1 Cha as well.
Favored Classes: ranger, thief, magic-user, cleric. assassin
Racial Spells: once per day each: faerie fire, darkness 15' radius. 10% of ashtarth can levitate at will.

Orcs (Anyu): The orcs come in many varieties, from the civilized but still brutal grey orcs to the malicious chaos-tainted blue and red orcs and the xenophobic fell manorg of the north. They are a threat to all humankind, and few of their number are civil enough to interact with other races.
Average Height: 4’6” to 7’ feet tall; orcs vary widely in size
Average Weight: 100-350 lbs.
Languages: ogcish, plus one other (usually the middle tongue, ogreish or goblin)
Ability Scores: +1 Str, -1 Int
Favored Classes: assassin, fighter, thief
Vision: darkvision 120 feet
Light Blind: orcs fight at a -1 penalty to attacks in sunlight or other bright light (torch light is okay)
Half Orc Adventurers
In S&W, half orcs have darkvision for 60 feet but do not suffer penalties to battle in sunlight.
Ability Scores: They are stronger (+1 strength) but suffer for their mixed heritage (-1 charisma).
Favored Classes: assassin, fighter, thief
Red Orcs
Red Orcs are treated somewhat differently than normal orcs, and have normal average intelligence and strength (no modifiers)
Red orc may treat cleric and magic user as favored classes
Gul'hlath Black Orcs
Black orcs gain a 2 point armor bonus
Fell Manorg
Fell Manorg receive a +2 save bonus against cold effects and spells (breath attacks, cone of cold, etc.)
Fell Manorg may never start with another language other than orcish, goblin, minotaur, giantish or draconic.
All Fell Manorg start off illiterate (which precludes them from starting at 1st level as a wizard) and must use a language slot from intelligence to learn one form of writing
Green Orcs
Green Orcs are natural experts at jungle camouflage and survival, and receive a +10% racial modifier to all attempts at stealth (move silently, hide in shadows) in a jungle environment.

Naga: An aquatic race of evil beings who have risen to power and now aspire to conquer the dry lands of the world.
Height: 5’5” to 6”
Weight: 150-180 lbs.
Languages: Naga, common, and other options include draconic, infernal, and orcish.
Attributes: +1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution
Favored Classes: cleric, fighter, thief, magic user
Optional Racial XP Modifier: -10%
Deep Vision: Naga deep vision functions equally well underwater as well as in darkness. They can see in shades of grey even in total darkness.
Amphibious: Naga can breathe normally on land and under water with no impairment. Note that this does not protect them from unnatural attacks such as stinking cloud.
Natural Swimmer: All naga are excellent swimmers, and move at full speed when swimming.
Armored Scales: Naga are scaled, and these scales provide natural armor protection, offering a natural 2 point armor class bonus.
Tail Strike: Naga can smack with their tails for 1D3 damage, and get a +1 bonus to attack when trying to trip with their tails.

Gnolls: The gnolls are a demonic race that seeks to overcome the dominance of the orcs in the underworld races and to establish themselves as the principle legions of chaos.
Gnolls are by and large an unfriendly fringe race, but if your campaign tends to avoid urban humanocentric regions in favor of the vast wilderlands inhabited by other monsters then gnolls may be especially suited to your particular games.
Height: 5’4” to 6’6” tall
Weight: 100-250 lbs.
Languages: gnollish, goblin, orcish, giantish, demonic
Ability Scores: +1 Con, -1 Int
Favored Classes: cleric (of chaos), fighter, thief
Bite: gnolls have a deadly bite that does 2D4 damage.

Sherigras: These chaos-tainted beings were once human, and long ago their kind descended in to chaos and madness, pursuing the dark arts and worshipping the dread gods of the Abyss. Marked by skeletal, gaunt features, the Sherigras exist where they are allowed, on the fringes of society.
Average Weight: 65 to 150 lbs.
Average Height: 5’1” to 6’6”
Languages: middle tongue and abyssal
Favored Classes: cleric, thief, magic user
Ability Scores: +1 Dex, -1 Cha
Vision: dark vision
Optional Racial XP Penalty: -15%
Chaotic Alignment: Sherigras are by their very nature aligned with chaos.
Mark of Chaos: Sherigras are tainted by an aura of chaos that is easily sensed by most creatures if they do not try to hide it. This penalty makes commoners, children, animals and other beings sense a vague sort of unease in their presence, and can lead to strong negative reactions from normal folk.
Taint of Chaos: The taint of chaos can be used as a weapon. Once per day, by concentrating, a Sherigras can project the aura, treating it like a fear spell with a 30 foot radius of effect from their person.
Chaos Affinity: Sherigras are attuned to chaotic energies, and have a 3 in 6 chance that they can feel the presence of planar beings and objects which are attuned to Order or Chaos (such as demons and angels or artifacts) when such creatures are within visible range.
Manifestation of Chaos: Long ago before the cataclysm Sherigras were so attuned to chaos that efforts to advance the indelible cause of their dark gods rewarded them with strange side effects, and efforts to oppose their nature led to punishment. After the cataclysm this effect lifted, and sherigras have since been freed of their dark tether to chaos, although their bodies remain wracked with corruption. Choose or roll one trait from the following list, and gain that as your chaotic affinity; each affinity grants a penalty and a bonus accordingly:

Sherigras Chaotic Affinity Table, S&W Version(D100)
1-10: hideously skeletal; you suffer an additional -2 modifier to your Con score but may use your chaos affinity fear effect twice per day.
11-20: Permanent Blindness; you permanently suffer from blindness, but gain the ability to cast invisibility once per day.
21-25: Permanent loss of one arm, but you gain a flexible tentacle which provides a +10% bonus to Delicate Tasks, Opening Locks and a +5% bonus to Picking Locks.
26-30: You have hideous claws instead of hands. You gain a natural claw attack that does 1D4 damage and can be treated as two-weapon attacks, but you suffer a -10% penalty to Delicate Tasks, Open Locks and any other check requiring fine manipulation.
31-35: You have a serpent’s tail instead of legs. You can swim at double your movement speed, and can make a constriction attack that deals 1D4 subdual damage. You suffer all the reasonable restrictions accompanied by having a serpent’s body instead of normal legs.
36-40: A Visible black nimbus of chaos energy surrounds you, visible to anyone and disguisable only by illusions (spells); However, you become more resistant to undead level drain effects and on a saving throw with a +2 bonus will be unaffected by a level drain attack.
41-50: A Third eye rests in your forehead; it grants periodic visions as determined by the GM and you gain a +2 save bonus to any saving throw against a blindness or vision-imparing effect.
51-60: A demonic face appears in your torso, which must be fed and speaks a lot (double your daily intake of rations, and take a -15% penalty on Move Silently checks if you don’t gag it). You can cast spells using this mouth even if you are gagged normally, and can perform unusual acts of ventriloquism.
61-70: Animals will instinctively attack you on site, without exception, even if you have some sort of animal empathy. However, all aberrations, undead and outsiders of at least animal intelligence react to you as if you are at least not hostile, if not actual kin, and you may cast charm monster once per day.
71-80: Blistery Black Boils cover your body from head to toe giving you a -2 reduction to your Charisma, but you are immune to disease and any exposure to a disease to which you fail a saving throw on makes you a carrier for that disease, instead.
81-90: You have perpetual stigmata, bleeding from spontaneous wounds, your eyes, and elsewhere constantly. Once per day if you are reduced to negative hit points you may make a saving throw with a +2 bonus; if you succeed, then you stabilize at 1 hit point.
91-95: You have the head of an animal; you may choose the animal and gain a natural attack appropriate to the type you chose (i.e wolves get a 1D4+1 bite), as well as a natural animal empathy for those animals and the ability to communicate with them.
96-00: You appear to be outwardly normal, but at nighttime your skin disappears and you seem to bleed continually. In addition to being easy to track, you no longer suffer as grievously from cutting and slashing wounds, instead reducing all such damage by 1 point (to a minimum of 1) while this is in effect. However, you are of such a monstrous appearance that normal social interactions are almost impossible. Think “Hellraiser.”

Ghuls: The flesh-eaters of Lingusia are half-undead survivors of undead plagues who retained their wits if not their sanity and formed a new race of deformed beings, many of whom serve Orcus and other demon gods.
Average Weight: 100 to 250 lbs.
Average Height: 5’2” to 6’6”
Languages: ghoulish, middle tongue, and access to most monstrous languages
Favored Classes: assassin, thief, cleric, magic user
Ability Scores: +1 Con, -1 Cha
Optional Racial XP Penalty: -10%
Vision: dark vision
Cannibalism: Ghuls gain strength from cannibalism. They do not need to eat fresh meat; there is much truth to the idea of ghuls seeking out corpses and carrion. Once per day, Ghuls who spend a minute or more devouring a humanoid corpse may regain 1D3 hit points.
If a ghul goes a day without eating humanoid flesh, then he does not heal 1 HP at the end of the day as he normally would. After one month of resisting cannibalism he will lose 1 HP per day. This continues until he resumes his cannibalistic ways or eventually is wounded and dies, after which he turns in to a normal undead ghoul.
Although the notion of cannibalism applies to eating members of one’s own species, ghuls find that the flesh of any demihuman will do just fine, be it elf, orc, dwarf, halfing or gnome. Humanoids that are not mammalian such as lizard men, kobolds, marlacks and so forth will also suffice, although they taste disgusting to the ghul palette.
Disease Resistance: Ghuls gain a +2 saving throw bonus to resist disease.
Putrefying Smell: Ghuls can emit a terrible stench twice per day which can have an adverse impact on nearby enemies and allies alike. All creatures within 15 feet of a ghul that emits the stench must make a saving throw against poison or suffer nausea and weakness, instilling a -1 penalty to attack rolls and other checks.

Deep Dwarves (Darendur): The deep dwarves were once a chaos-tainted race themselves, though many of their kind have emerged from the deepest regions of the Lower Dark and renounced the chaos gods. Some still adhere to the old ways, though, and regardless of their affiliation, the deep dwarves are still marked by chaos.
Darendur are like all other dwarves, save for the following differences:
Languages: Deep Speech, plus one other (usually Tradespeak or Giantish)
Ability Scores: +1 Con, -1 Cha
Favored Classes: assassin, fighter, thief
Restricted Classes: Darendur are barred from any spell-casting class, as they are unable to work magic.
Optional Racial XP Penalty: -15%
Magical Sensitivity: All darendur have a curious innate ability to tell what sort of magic an item is, much as if they had cast detect magic. Darendur may identify magic items in this manner merely by touch (they don’t even need to study them visually).
Dark Vision: Darendur have Darkvision of 120 feet, being atuned to the lightless depths of their subterranean homes. They need no light source to see in a series of black and white shades, able to rely on a form of infrared to see.
Light Sensitive: All darendur are light-sensitive, and experience blindness for one round if exposed to a sudden daylight-like effect (such as a spell or unexpected sunlight), and normaly fight with a -1 penalty when in light brighter than a torch thereafter.
Magic Resistance: Darendur have a strange resilience against magic, and have a +2 bonus to saves against it.

Trolls (Thargonids, Mihidir): The trolls are an ancient race, and while the thargonids are horribly corrupted by chaos, the mihidir still retain a trace of their ancient, proud lineage.
Average Height: 7’ to 7’6” tall (males) or 6’ to 6’6” for females
Average Weight: 250-350 lbs.
Languages: Trollish, plus one other (usually Tradespeak or Deep Speech)
Favored Classes: assassin, thief
Ability Scores: +1 intelligence and -1 charisma
Vision: Dark Vision 120 feet
Optional Raciail XP Miodifier: -20%
Regeneration: Mihidir trolls heal at an amazingly fast rate, recovering one hit point per round of battle. Only fire and acid damage does not regenerate.
Claws and Teeth: Mihidir are well armed with natural attacks; their bite does 1D3 damage and claws do 1D4 damage.



Next: Neutral Kindred in S&W!

The Caverns of Chaos: Conclusion!

This is the final installment of the Caves of Chaos, a trip down memory lane for me, and a fun but messy module with conversion to 4E. 

The Fourth Level of The Caves of Chaos:
The Lair of the Necromancer

 Note: I know this level was inspired directly by a section of the original Caves of Chaos which contained an old necromancer or mage who dwelled in the caves, a lone human outcast amidst a vast region of monstrous dens. I loved the concept, and morphed it over time into what follows. A significant portion of the adventurers' time was spent dealing with (and even working for) the necromancer in last year's game.

   Also, I know R.A. Salvatore has a novel out named "Gauntligore." I don't know if there's a connection, subconsciously, or it was coincidence. It just sounded cool. It was not his original name, though (I don't think he had one, back in the 80's) so I am sure there was some influence unintentionally. You could always just stick with Ronaldo....

The Necromancer's name is forgotten in time, but some think he is, or at least was called Ronaldo Gauntligore. He has been a known resident of the Caverns for seven centuries now, was allied with Xauraun Vestillios when he returned nearly 370 years ago, and has long been established as a subtle and dangerous political motivator in the Chaos Mountains. The Wolfgut tribe received protection from him in exchange for the provision of services and goods. Three other tribes of the mountains have claimed allegiance to this dark specter, and countless ancient graveyards, mausoleums, and burial sites have been touched by his dark magics. The Great Old Road of the southlands of Mitra's Forest, haunted forever by the Headless Horseman, is said in at least one myth to have been cursed into his current state by the Necromancer for daring to oppose him. Others claim that the demons which overwhelmed Dethosid were sent by the Necromancer and not Orcus or Degalthor.
The Necromancer is a twelfth level wizard. He is not yet a lich, although much of his current study revolves around this eventuality, as the effectiveness of life-extending potions wanes over time. He has extended his life through these potions of longevity, and one of the four teleportation portals in his lair leads to Hotepsala, the Jaguar Lands, and its legendary Spring of Youth. He is rumored to have been an original member of the near-mythical Wizards' Council of Twelve, one of the nameless ones that avoided assassination. If this is true, then that means that other council members may have escaped death as well.

Ronaldo Gauntligore                                        Level 12 Wizard

Medium human wizard

Initiative +8      Senses Perception +17

HP 86; Bloodied 43             AP 1

AC 23; Fortitude 23, Reflex 23, Will 24

Resist Necrotic 10               Speed 6

Necrotic Claw (standard; at-will; arcane melee)

+13 vs AC; 2d8 + 5 necrotic damage and 5 necrotic ongoing (save ends)

Necrotic Burst  (standard; at-will; arcane ranged)

Ranged 10; +16 vs Ref; 3d6 + 10 damage and 5 necrotic ongoing (save ends)

Ethereal Form (standard; Encounter; Recharge 5,6)

Trigger: Gauntligore is attacked; Effect: immediately becomes incorporeal; Sustain Minor

Bone Guard (standard; encounter; Aura)

Close Burst 1; Effect: gains an aura; all creature in aura during his turn take 10 necrotic damage and slide 1 away from the necromancer; Necromancer gains Resist 10 against ranged attacks; Sustain minor.

Death Syphon (Daily; Standard) arcane, necrotic

Range close burst 5; +16 vs Fort; 2d8 + 6 necrotic damage and each target is weakened and gains vulnerable 5 necrotic (save ends both); Secondary Effect: any target that is bloodied by this attack begins rolling for death checks as if he were at 0 HP; this continues until three successes are made or three failures are made; with three failures the target immediately drops to 0 HP and dies.

Alignment: evil   

Languages: Middle Tongue, Deep Speech

Skills: Arcana +16, Diplomacy +14

Str 10 (+6) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 12 (+7)

Con 14 (+8) Int 21 (+11) Cha 16 (+9)

Equipment: Cloak of Etherealness; Ring of Disguise (+30 Disguise attempt); Potion of Full Heal; Gem of Truesight, Potions of Longevity (3 on person at all times; extend life of drinker 1d10x10 years.)
All of the Necromancer's items are enchanted with a ward that triggers an explosive glyph when touched by one other than himself (+10 vs. Fort;  3D8+6 damage from (D6): 1-2: flames, 3-4: lightning, 5-6 necrotic).

Familiar: a homunculus named Jezarath

1. Entry Chamber. Barred by a magically locked door (DC 28 thievery to unlock, DC 32 athletics to break down), only those who have cause to enter or the interest of the Necromancer may enter. To defeat the spell preventing all entry requires the Knock ritual.
On the other side of the door is a small lobby, comfortable and carefully disguised with an illusion to look like a pleasant manor house comfort room. The butler of this room who will greet and serve any welcome guests is Halikak, a Spinagon bound into the service of the Necromancer. Halikak will handle intruders with his bag of bones, which will generate 2d10 skeletons when cast upon the ground.

2. Hall of Learning. This great hall holds a fantastic mural depicting the siege of the City of Kovanis, lost to the sands of the Hyrkanian Desert two millenia ago. The mural does, for the scrutinizing eye, hold the key to the location of this fabled city in one scene. A competent scholar can locate a Slithotendan mountain peak, align it with a great white rock jutting by itself from the sands, and the Solar Equinox in the sky. This legendary city was said to be the heart of the Empire of the Fertile Lands, and any explorer worth his weight in salt would heartily seek it out.
Also upon the wall are depictions of a tall, gaunt man who is born, raised a noble, and crowned a young elevasos (king) of Hyrkania. One vast mural depicts nothing but a startlingly life-like scene of scribes working away in a scriptorium.
All of these images are startlingly realistic. Anyone touching them will find that they can pass through and in to the images. The following results occur (roll 1d6):

3. The Private Quarters. Here can be found the bed chamber (a), study (b), bathing chamber/sauna (c), and exhibit room (d) of the Necromancer. He is likely to be here at any given time, usually quite relaxed. His study, while looking tempting to any PC, is really a place of relaxation; a studious eye will notice many current books have been copied and placed here, including Atlases of the Eternal Order. The books (about 50 in all), while worth money, are nothing especially significant, except for seventeen old codices in a magically sealed, fire trapped case (DC 18 to detect, DC 26 to disarm). These are all scribed in Auldspeak, and are the last volumes of the sacred Library of Kovanis. To the right people this books would be worth 50-100 gp apiece. There are twenty volumes .... the three sets on necromancy, Evokation, and chronomancy are all missing.
Anyone who finds 2d6 weeks time to read some of these books can gain a permanent +2 circumstance bonus to their History skill and may learn to speak and read the Auldspeak.

4. The First Pentagram. Within this locked chamber is a pentagram leading to a hidden chamber in the Palace of Hotepsala, in the Jaguar Lands of Eastern Amech. Standing in the pentagram and offering a small amount of one's own blood (or another's) with candles lit will teleport the PC there. On the other side is another pentagram, to allow for a return.

5. The Second Pentagram. This teleports the PCs to a back alley in the Capitol City of Hyrkan'ien, but it is one way... The return pentagram is inscribed on the basement floor of the Blue Balrog Tavern a quarter mile away.

6. The Third Pentagram. This pentagram leads to a secret Cabal chamber in the evil city of Hyrendan that has long since been forgotten by the secret society in question. It has a secret exit that leads out to the Silver Dagger Bar and Inn. Anyone emerging who is noticed by the barkeep and bouncers will be quietly waylaid and beaten until they state their nature and purpose. The pentagram is two ways, but the return trip requires a secret code word "Asphix", which is inscribed in small letters on a stone in the starting chamber (perception check DC 15 to locate).

7. The Fourth Pentagram. This pentagram opens onto a private room within the mansion of Lady Phallikoskis .... yes, the Necromancer does, indeed, have a connection to the Black Company. This pentagram is two ways, but the return trip requires a true sacrifice of a life. Lady Phallikoskis is a necromancer vampire who dwells in the great Capitol City of Octzel, but this passage could open to any convenient den of evil in another part of the world....

8. The Morgue. Within this terrible mausoleum of experimentation are numerous corpses. The chamber is kept magically at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and PCs locked in here for a long time without protection will suffer from the effects of cold (1d6 damage per hour). There are at least a dozen corpses which have been taken apart, sewn back together in various creative shapes, and animated. All are horrifying animated zombies (9) and ghouls (3). Presiding over this monstrous assembly is a man known only as Doctor Gallimaris, who is himself a Hagarant Undead (Greater Mummy, former human, Cleric 12, CE). He is armed with a Wand of Lightning +3 (as per the wizard spell, daily), which will invigorate himself or any zombie he hits with it, healing damage done to any zombies with points of damage rolled instead of injuring them.

9. The Master Laboratory. Within this dreadful chamber is the real source of the Necromancer's interests and learning. The Cauldron of Hideous Temporality, an ancient artifact with a Helix of Magic locked into it, is set in the center of the chamber on a pedestal. An open cage is within, and no one presently inhabits it. The lab is overseen at all times by Felgor, a twisted Flesh Golem who loyally and eternally serves the Necromancer. Felgor has one limitation, he is completely blind. He does know the layout of the lab intimately, however.
The Cauldron of Hideous Temporality is a magical artifact which can be used by any spell caster who attempts a Arcana check at DC 26. The Cauldron performs any combination of the following effects three times per day on a successful scry check: one ritual of 20th level or less, one wizard spell power of level 20 or less (daily or encounter) that is imbued for a one-use effect in the cauldron activator, or one curse if the Arcana check is failed or the caster rolls a natural 1 on the check. Every time a spell effect is called upon, it's default point of radiance for any ritual spell is the cauldron. Likewise, each time it is used, the user must sacrifice 2 healing surges to gain the imparted benefit (but the penalty can be avoided by sacrificing an additional living being on top of the one needed to start the bubling brew, for those evil wizards out there). The cauldron weighs about 200 lbs, and must be filled with bubbling fluid, intermixed with the body parts of a fresh, intelligent sacrifice to work (Int 10 or better required!). Any good being using this is looking at an alignment change.
Art by Webcomicfan  This is the library the PCs want to find. In here are the three missing tomes of the Kovanis Collection. Each set of tomes contains the complete spells to the Evokation, Necromancy, and Chronomancy schools (2d6 books in each collection). The Chronomancy book requires the Cauldron to complete all spells, however. (You can substitute another school for Chronomancy; I prefer the Chronomancy schools outlined in AEG's Magic resource, or the old 2nd edition resource; for 4th edition games this book could contain any number of rituals or powers so described that affect time).
Guarding this chamber is a mimic pair. The couch in this room, and the end table next to it, are both mimics which have more cunning and intelligence than normal. They will not allow any books to leave this chamber without a fight.

10. Library.

11. Abandoned Room. This room is unused. The floor holds a fantastic stucco of the Nobleman's head from the Hall of Learning; a secret door in the eye opens into the tunnel leading down into the old Mausoleum of the Orcs (Level 1, Room 3) in the First Floor. This hidden trap door can be pried open with a dagger, but is not otherwise latched. A magical alarm will go off silently to alert the Necromancer when it has been opened.

12. The Hall of Evil. This hall seems to go on for hundred of feet. Every twenty feet is a suit of fully encased suit armor, which does not budge save to shrug off anyone that pushes them around or defend themselves from attack (they are animate, but act only on special orders of a mysterious nature. Treat them as Iron Golems). The hall never ends ... mist at the end gets gradually thicker until nothing can be seen. PCs who dare to pursue further will eventually need to make a Perception check at DC 16, and failing that a Acrobatics test at DC 14, or they will step off a ledge into a very deep natural cavern that stretches all the way down into the lower caverns. The drop is fatal, although a tough monk might survive. Success on the spot check means they detect the ledge in time. If the PC fails the acrobatics test by less than 5, then he falls, but grabs on to a ledge 2d10 feet below, taking only 1d6 damage from the shock of having his arm wrenched. Without aid, he will have to make a DC 20 athletics check to get back up top.
Any character spending more than five minutes in the mist is affected by it (+10 vs. Will). Failure means that he will develop an evil disposition while in the mists. This will provoke him into one spontaneous evil act later on...(to be determined by the DM).

13. The Black Room. This is the private chamber of Halikak, painted in the blood of many enemies. A small pentagram allowing him a connection to Hell is located within, and a cage with four frightened kobolds and one orcish child is located in here (for unnameable acts).

14. Chamber of the Gibbering Mouther. This old chamber was once a place of ancient worship for Dalroth. Now, lurking in the shadows of this shattered shrine is a gibbering mouther, seeking to destroy any who dare enter. It will seek to avoid detecting before rushing forth in a cacaphony of wails to attack. Anyone who inspects the shrine itself will find the altar at the center is movable, and contains a small hollow, filled with a lighter-than-air green gas, which is in fact the trapped gaseous form of a very weak but hungry vampire who will disperse his form for a time and then follow the party, awaiting a moment to strike and seek sustenance. This vampire is a forgotten priest named Klyth Nadar, who was cursed for his ineptitude to guard the hidden cache of the shrine. He starts with ninimum hit points until he feeds. (Klyth Nadar, Vampire, Human, Cleric multiclass Level 6, CE.)
The hollow cache contains three rubies worth 500 gp apiece, and a Chaos Mace of Disruption +3; any good or lawful being holding the weapon is attacked (+12 vs. Fortitude) or suffers the loss of all healing surges. The holder of the mace may then prepare one chaos-aligned invoker spell of level 9 or less once per day (encounter or daily, but treated as a daily regardless) that is cast as a minor action.

Copyright 2011 by Nicholas Bergquist, all rights reserved

1-2 Passing into the scene overlooking Kovanis will place the PC either into a pleasant day, in which the city is at its height of splendor, or into a terrible battle, as the hordes of chaos descend upon its walls in terrifying fury. Either way, the result is completely real to the PC; this is not an image, but a warping of the strange time-control magics harnessed by the Necromancer through his Cauldron of Hideous Temporality.

3-4 Passing into any of the scenes with the young noble will transpose the PC into a period four centuries past. The PC will receive a warning from the young man, that his fate is sealed and he would beg the PC to kill him before he becomes the minion of evil. Just before this can happen, however, a searing, painful voice will shout "No!" and the PC will be expunged from the wall. A Endurance check DC 18 must be made to avoid catatonia for 1d6 hours.

5-6 Entering the scriptorium scene will reveal a legendary scriptorium of Nistur, lord of Knowledge. The scribes there will offer to impart a ritual spell upon a scroll to the PC, in exchange for a gift of singular beauty. The Spell will be no more than three levels over the wizard's spell casting capacity. The character returns to reality in one hour.

Every chamber of the Fourth Level is Scried by the Necromancer, and he gets a Perception Check at DC 12 (or the Stealth value of the PCs) whenever they enter a new room) to become aware of them through his special otherworldly connection to his personal domain.

The Caves of Chaos Level 3: The Abandoned Level

The Third level of the Caves of Chaos: 

The Abandoned Level

Art by Brian Garabrant

1. Entry Chamber. The door has been locked and barred from outside, but is not difficult to enter through either side. the PCs will see heaps of rubble from a partially collapsed the Inside, roof . A den of six dire rats have made a nest here. Digging through the rubble will lead to a 10% chance per turn of the roof collapsing again, causing 1d6 damage.

2. Forgotten Priest Chamber. One of the many ancient rooms. chiseled and carved out of the caverns by the long-dead priests of Dalroth who once dwelt here, this forgotten chamber contains shattered furniture, scattered bones, and crushed skulls. Several ancient sacrificial daggers litter the floor, with tattered robes, blankets, and broken chests. About thirty copper pieces are scattered around. A careful search will reveal a small piece of parchment that states "...and upon finding that they key to entry lies within the resting place of the dead Anyu. The rest of the parchment is missing, as if burnt.

3. The Warrens of the Kobolds. These despicable little Miniglir have taken up residence within the narrow cave passages once inhabited by giant rats, carrion crawlers, and other vermin. Anyone other than smaller demi humans must stoop down to move about, and must occasionally even get on all fours. The Warrens consist primarily of guard chambers (a), community chambers (b), harvest rooms (c), fighting pits (d), prison rooms (e), elite chambers (f), and trade halls (g).
There are about three hundred kobolds and countless younglings dwelling here. They hunt giant rats, spiders, and carrion crawlers for food, while trading with orcs, darendur, and sniverfeblin. They do, occasionally, rise up into great hunting groups and attempt a coup on some East Mountain Maddendur outpost.

4. The Stale Lake. This ancient body of still water has pooled here and never drained out of the cave. It is a major source of water both for the orcs and kobolds cavern passages wind to both tribelands and warrens.
The lake itself has giant albino blind monstrous dire killer frogs dwelling in it, which will surface and attack only if PCs linger too long. There is a 20% chance at any given time that a water party of armed kobolds, or a dozen or so female orcs accompanied by two male warriors will enter to fill jars with water.

5. The Great Chamber. This huge chamber is long, irregular, and filled with dozens of side passages leading to other areas of the Caves of Chaos and to East Mountain. It is a major source of traffic for the many denizens of the caves.
Crude writing in orcish and Ashtarth (dark elf), as well as cryptic glyphs of unknown origin and readable only by magic will indicate directions and correct passageways to get to the Iron City of Kurtzas of the Darendur dwarves, Southward passages to the Thyzzakoni (Red Orc) city of Bargan, Eastward to the Utter Deeps where only Hyshkorrid Mind Flayers and Ashtarth Dark Elves dwell, and three more passages to orcish-dominated territories for the Grimdeath, Bloodyspear, and Bowelsplitter clans, as well as a warning to stay well away from a tunnel that leads to, "The Infernal Deeps of the Mountain," a place which subterranean guides will only say contains a series of passages with portals to firey and infernal realms.

6. The Resting Place. This is a chamber crafted carefully by Darendur dark dwarves to serve as a place of resting in their questings. A pool of water is in the center of the room, and a fine stone furnace of rock is not too far away. Dwarvish grafitti can be found all over the stones in here. It is possible the place might be in use when the PCs show up.

7. The Piercer Chamber. This vast chamber houses strange underworld mushrooms and fungus, as well as dreadful piercers all over the roof. A Move Silently roll, or Hide check at DC set by the Piercer's Spot checks must be made to get through undetected.

8. Pond of the Abalin. This still pool is devoid of life near it; an abalin hunts these waters. Rumors amongst the subterranean tribes suggest that the Abalin was spawned from an egg spat forth by the sleeping Kraken Ambrogasia, a god-like being with the body of a giant and head of an octopoid which rests in the deepest bowels of the Caves of Chaos,though none remember how to get there.
The Abalin is always hungry, and cares little for other than food.

9. Chamber of the Forgotten Battle. Old, rusted weapons, scattered bones, and partially intact skeletons mark this forgotten battle. Many of the remains are of dwarves and orcs. In the center of the old cavern is a blackened, heavily burned region. The site itself has been thoroughly looted, but anyone searching here has a 10% chance of locating a weapon in good enough shape to be easily fixed up with the right proficiency. In the center of the chamber is a single stone with an old orcish symbol of victory etched upon it. Beneath this symbol are darendur grafitti runes, which read, "The Lost are Mourned. They Died for Naught. Now their souls quest ever on."

10. The Chamber of the Hopeful Vein. Within this lengthy passage, towards the end, is a Darendur mining operation. This crew of thirty thinks they have found a vein of mihtril, and are pursuing it in great hope. Much of what they are actually getting is copper, and small amounts of iron. Still, they are certain that they will come across something. The darendur are neutral to all but kobolds, whom they have recent cause to despise, as the foul things tried to steal from them a few weeks ago. They will be dispassionate and potentially abuse to non darendur dwarves. They will offer all the copper and iron they have if the PCs have valid information on the location of mithril. They can also shed light on the battle room, if the PCs have been there and inquire, explaining that the dwarves were Iron, and came on a revenge attack against the Wolfguts, but were overwhelmed and in their retreat were caught in that chamber and fought to the last dwarf. This happened about forty years ago. Oddly enough, they say, it is not the first time a losing battle has been fought in that chamber, and tales have gone on for a long time about its curse on warriors. (this is all a legend, without truth).


12. The passage to Gnoll lands. Gnolls are feared and suspected by all around here. The gnolls are happy to preserve this reputation. PCs would have to go a couple miles down these winding cavern passages before getting to their territory, however.
The Gnolls enjoy cultivating war beasts, and rely on these trained abominations to guard their expansive tunnels. There is a 15% chance per thirty minute period of stumbling on a trained Hooked Horror, Dire Wolf, Monstrous Spider, or Monstrous Scorpion, and a 30% chance that one or two gnoll handlers will be with the guardian beast.11. The Passage to the CravenSkull Tribes. This passageway is guarded by orcs of the Cravenskull tribe, and they are extremely paranoid of anything that comes out of the Southwest caverns. They only enter to capture kobold slaves or raid Wolfgut tribelands. There are usually about 3d6 guards here, led by an intermediate warrior of 3rd level. A clever approach can catch them off guard. The Cravenskulls are a poorlot; the average tribesman is armed with a shortspear or club, leather armor, and 2d6 silvers.

Art found here

13. The passage to the Minotaur Mazes. This passage eventually enters the area of the mad Mishrag Bullman Zeladnagar. He has planted a false note, seemingly dropped by accident from a diary, speaking of how close some unknown party is to the vast treasure beyond. This is a lure, of course, to get people to keep moving on.
Zeladnagar is an especially powerful Minotaur will maximum hit points. He periodically heads out in to the wilderness to seek out human or demihuman women for mates, and has three sons (Minotaurs must find women of other species to propogate with). When wandering the maze, there is a reasonable chance of encountering his sons, and a 10% chance Zeladnagar is out looking for fresh wives. Likewise, his sons do most fo the trading with the other subterranean tribes, and so it is possible to find them visiting other levels.
Hidden within the maze is their treasure lair, which consists of stolen loot and the robbings of orcish and deep dwarvish tombs totalling 7,000 gp in artifacts, statues, raw coin, crude stones, and non-magical arms and armor.

Art by James J. Wood

 

Text and Map Copyright 2011 by Nicholas Bergquist, all rights reserved

Note: I had no choice but to clean up this map a bit; the original scan I had on file was atrocious.