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A band of goblins stumbled into this room three weeks ago, hunting for treasure, only to find their way out cut off by a Watery Ooze that had crept out of the depths behind them. After losing a couple of band members to the ooze, they figured out that if they stayed far enough back on the platform in the rear of the cave, the ooze coudn't sense them. They've been stuck there for weeks now, living off the occasional party member, waiting for the ooze to go back to where it came from elsewhere in the cave complex.
The ooze will wait until the PCs are alongside the pool to attack. The goblins intend to wait until the ooze attacks them, then try slip out along the other side of the pool - (probably putting them in conflict with the PCs rearguard).
Add in one young but smart goblin who wants to join forces with the PC's rather than simply feed them to the ooze as bait. (He was probably next on the menu if the goblins didn't get of out there soon...)
------ under construction ------
Watery Ooze Size/Type: Huge Ooze Hit Dice: 10d10+60 (115 hp) Initiative: -5 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armor Class: 3 (–2 size, –5 Dex), touch 3, flat-footed 3 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18 Attack: Slam +8 melee (2d6+4 plus 2d6 acid) Full Attack: Slam +8 melee (2d6+4 plus 2d6 acid) Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Acid, constrict 2d6+4 plus 2d6 acid, improved grab, watery Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft., ooze traits Saves: Fort +9, Ref –2, Will –2 Abilities: Str 17, Dex 1, Con 22, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1 Skills: — Feats: — Environment: Underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Neutral
The transparent watery ooze slowly flows across dungeon corridors and cave floors, resting in shallow depressions, or hiding in pools, where it
is virtually invisible.
A watery ooze is completely shapeable, taking up nine contiguous squares. It is up to several inches thick, and weighs about 2,000 pounds.
Combat
A watery ooze attacks by grabbing and squeezing their prey.
Acid (Ex): The creature secretes a digestive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage, and the opponent’s armor and clothing dissolve and become useless immediately unless they succeed on DC 21 Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a watery ooze also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 21 Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
The ooze’s acidic touch deals 21 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but it must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.
Constrict (Ex): A watery ooze deals automatic slam and acid damage with a successful grapple check. The opponent’s clothing and armor take a –4 penalty on Reflex saves against the acid.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a watery ooze must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Watery (Ex): A watery Ooze resembles a puddle of water so closely that it takes a DC 15 Spot check to notice one. When inside a body of water, it counts as invisible.
__________________ Come join us in the Awakened Animals thread
Questions? Check the SRD, the online d20/D&D rules,
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Last edited by Conaill; 19th June 2006 at 09:57 AM..
Conail, I added your entry to the first post. I made it EL 7. I wouldn't count the goblins (assuming they are just normal goblins). They wouldn't really increase the EL, I wouldn't think. Especially since they aren't meaning to attack, anyway.
It does beg the question as to how goblins got in here, though...
I've updated the Choker's stats to make him a little bit less nasty. This time, I counted Sor levels as "associated" class levels (because of the strength of the Quickness ability) and added an extra +2 CR modifier for the extremely strong Quickness + spells combination.
I also made some notes on simple ways to reduce the challenge of the encounter. It should be a hard but winnable fight for an 8th level party.
Conail, I added your entry to the first post. I made it EL 7. I wouldn't count the goblins (assuming they are just normal goblins). They wouldn't really increase the EL, I wouldn't think. Especially since they aren't meaning to attack, anyway.
Actually, I'm aiming for EL 7-9. The goblins will attempt to fight their way out if need be - which will probably mean they get to melee with the PCs rearguard (i.e. hopefully their spellcasters ).
Sure, the PCs could just let the goblins pass by, but most groups I've played with would misinterpret their actions as a flanking attack, and engage combat. Serves them right .
I'm aiming for EL 6.5 or so for the goblins by themselves: high enough to affect the overal EL of the encounter, but not so high that they could have easily taken the ooze on themselves. I'll post more details when I get another chunk of time...
__________________ Come join us in the Awakened Animals thread
Questions? Check the SRD, the online d20/D&D rules,
the Official D&D Game Rule FAQ, and Official D&D Errata.
I may be unable to post to ENWorld for a while. I can't access ENWorld from work, and my roommate's is dropping his internet access (and I use his computer). Plus, I'm moving to a different place this weekend, so after this weekend, my access will be a bit sketchy.
So, you won't have me to poke this little project with a stick from time to time. At least for a while.
I don't even remember what rooms are left. Need any help? You can assign me another room.
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
- Module B1, Page 24
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel. BETA PLAYTEST NOW AVAILABLE! First Review!
Ok, I've updated the main page with links to rooms 3 and 4.
comments:
Room #2 (Scribble) - let's lose the "gate" at the bottom of the chasm. I'd rather see something more "mundane" down there. Maybe spiders, treasure, skeletons, or an entrance into an entirely different dungeon.
Room #2a (Elephant) - I'm a little confused regarding the "upper passageway" that this room describes for the eastern tunnel. Can you elaborate on that?
Room #3 (Whizbang Dustyboots) - We need stats for First From the Forest, and Dragon Speaker, as well as regular Kobold stats. Also, we might want to rethink the idea of them sending a warning party to the dragons, since if the kobolds here hear the PCs coming, they are likely going to run right past them on the way to warning the dragons. So, it seems likely that that isn't really an option, given their location.
Room #4 (Ilium) - I'm not sure I understand the point of this. I think this description is supposed to be a stub. Room 3 describes this area as a home for waste ("The cave below the kobolds' lair has been used to dispose of waste"), but here we're describing a way to ascend and descend the staircase, and a rope leading up to the ledge, which if one falls, causes no damage. Nowhere is there an actual description of the contents of this room.
Room #5 (Tonguez) - We can't use VerminVine - it's not OGL compatible.
Room #7 (Elephant) - Let's lower Ghzzdit's CR to something more like 6/7. At EL 11, he's as hard as the dragon's lair.
Room #10 (Shieldhaven) - This room isn't detailed anywhere. Shieldhaven, if you want to finish it, please do so. Otherwise, it's open for anyone to flesh out.
Room #11 (Roger) - I think I'm in favor of swapping this room with room #4. I think more than one shadow might be nice, too, since all of the greater shadow's victims would now also be shadows. They could be lesser shadows (less than the PHB standard), and would make for a very interesting, difficult encounter.
Room #12 (Conail) - We need to replace "goblin" with "Kobold" here. It would be nice if the kobolds had some means of enticing the PCs to save them. Otherwise, I could see most parties just leaving the kobolds to their fate if they find out there's a water ooze, and no reason to bypass it themselves. Maybe one of the kobolds has a magic ring, or something that he can offer up as payment for their rescue?
Room #12 (Conail) - We need to replace "goblin" with "Kobold" here. It would be nice if the kobolds had some means of enticing the PCs to save them. Otherwise, I could see most parties just leaving the kobolds to their fate if they find out there's a water ooze, and no reason to bypass it themselves. Maybe one of the kobolds has a magic ring, or something that he can offer up as payment for their rescue?
Sorry for the absence...
The idea was that the party of gobolds/koblins in #12 had been stuck there for several weeks - long enough for the top dogs in the party to start using the other party members as rations, untill only one "underdog" remained (the one who may want to help out the PC's, rather than feed them to the ooze).
For these guys to be stuck here for this long, it seems illogical for them to be within shouting distance of the kobolds in #3, which is why I wanted them to be unrelated to those guys. Hence a goblin party which managed to sneak (or fight their way) past the kobolds. If we make them a breakaway group of kobolds, with good reason to expect nothing but hostility from the kobolds in #3, that would work too.
As for the PCs needing a reason to go into #12... since when have adventurers needed a reason to explore dangerous caves? The ooze is well enough hidden (counts as invisible inside the shallow pool of water) that they probably won't notice it until it's too late to avoid. I figure #12 may also be the reason why the "painter" people in #2 worshiped this cave complex - maybe the inside is full of paintings. That should be good enough to lure a band of unsuspecting adventurers past an innocent-looking pool of water.
If the PCs do notice the ooze in advance and decide to leave #12 alone, then the trapped koblins could come out of hiding and offer the PCs riches beyond their wildest dreams - lies, of course, since the koblins intend to escape as soon as the PCs are in combat with the ooze.
Makes sense?
__________________ Come join us in the Awakened Animals thread
Questions? Check the SRD, the online d20/D&D rules,
the Official D&D Game Rule FAQ, and Official D&D Errata.
Last edited by Conaill; 17th August 2006 at 08:19 AM..
Room #4 (Ilium) - I'm not sure I understand the point of this. I think this description is supposed to be a stub. Room 3 describes this area as a home for waste ("The cave below the kobolds' lair has been used to dispose of waste"), but here we're describing a way to ascend and descend the staircase, and a rope leading up to the ledge, which if one falls, causes no damage. Nowhere is there an actual description of the contents of this room.
You're right, it's a stub. What's missing are stat blocks for the two swarms lurking inside (bats and rats). There really is no good reason for PCs to come down here (other than some shinies that might be mixed in with the trash) but there's no way for them to know that ahead of time.
I'll get the stat blocks in and update the description today or tomorrow. Sorry I didn't finish, I got insanely busy and then I thought the project was dead.
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Room #11 (Roger) - I think I'm in favor of swapping this room with room #4. I think more than one shadow might be nice, too, since all of the greater shadow's victims would now also be shadows. They could be lesser shadows (less than the PHB standard), and would make for a very interesting, difficult encounter.
The idea was that the party of gobolds/koblins in #12 had been stuck there for several weeks - long enough for the top dogs in the party to start using the other party members as rations, untill only one "underdog" remained (the one who may want to help out the PC's, rather than feed them to the ooze).
For these guys to be stuck here for this long, it seems illogical for them to be within shouting distance of the kobolds in #3, which is why I wanted them to be unrelated to those guys. Hence a goblin party which managed to sneak (or fight their way) past the kobolds. If we make them a breakaway group of kobolds, with good reason to expect nothing but hostility from the kobolds in #3, that would work too.
I was thinking more apathy. For goblins to get down here, they'd have fought the kobolds. They would have either all died, or they would have killed all the kobolds. I'd rather see them being kobolds who just set out to explore the cavern. They have shouted for help, but the other kobolds are simply not interested in helping them, since it would mean risking their own lives.
Quote:
As for the PCs needing a reason to go into #12... since when have adventurers needed a reason to explore dangerous caves? The ooze is well enough hidden (counts as invisible inside the shallow pool of water) that they probably won't notice it until it's too late to avoid. I figure #12 may also be the reason why the "painter" people in #2 worshiped this cave complex - maybe the inside is full of paintings. That should be good enough to lure a band of unsuspecting adventurers past an innocent-looking pool of water.
I was thinking that if the PCs started talking to the kobolds here, they might be able to surmise that there isn't anything of interest in the room. If they don't have any reason to go past the ooze, and rescue the goblins, they'll end up being as apathetic about the kobold's situation as the other kobolds are. What might be cool, however is as you suggest, some cave paintings on the wall. Maybe the cave paintings are even magical in nature, and do something under the right circumstances. Now that would convince a party to move further into the chamber, and give them something to do once they get there. I really like that idea.
Quote:
If the PCs do notice the ooze in advance and decide to leave #12 alone, then the trapped koblins could come out of hiding and offer the PCs riches beyond their wildest dreams - lies, of course, since the koblins intend to escape as soon as the PCs are in combat with the ooze.
Makes sense?
Certainly a plausible set of tactics - hide until the PCs engage, and then try to run past. Perhaps the remaining goblins are split on what to do - some might try this tactic. The others might favor opening up a line of communication - hoping to entice the PCs further into the chamer in order to convince them to engage the ooze.
You're right, it's a stub. What's missing are stat blocks for the two swarms lurking inside (bats and rats). There really is no good reason for PCs to come down here (other than some shinies that might be mixed in with the trash) but there's no way for them to know that ahead of time.
I'll get the stat blocks in and update the description today or tomorrow. Sorry I didn't finish, I got insanely busy and then I thought the project was dead.
I just lost access to ENworld for a while. But I'm back now.
This chamber is completely pitch black. Aside from the sounds of water gushing around your ears as you look around it is also dreadfully quiet.
Area 10 is two areas – the dark, underwater sections surrounding the “bubble” chamber, and the chamber itself. Anyone with time on their hands (or magically imbued with the power to breathe underwater) can find 2pp, 13gp, 17sp and 32cp scattered all about this chamber on the cavern floor (assuming they have some source of light). These are coins that have, at one time or another, wedged themselves into one of the dragon’s scales, and then were deposited here. Aside from this, there is nothing of interest or value in the submerged portion of this chamber.
The current here is negligible, and swimming through the cavern is not terribly difficult. The biggest hazard is the sheer size of the cavern, so swimming it’s length with one breathe is the most difficult task, unless one happens upon the opening in the top of the chamber.
The “bubble” chamber here contains a Will-O’-Wisp – a bizarre creature who feeds on panic and horror. He’s found the perfect home. But how the Will-O’-Wisp came to be here is a bit of a curiosity. The Will-O’-Wisp didn’t happen upon this place accidentally, he was led here - or rather it followed Artix here. (Artix is the younger of the two dragons who reside in area 11.)
The Will-O’-Wisp (or Zxyquzh, as his friends call him) (pronounced just as it’s written) will light up, inviting anyone to come join him in the chamber – if he sees anyone swimming around in the chamber (Spot +20). Zxyquzh has no interest in combat, and anyone swimming around here is usually accompanied by an ample amount of fear and panic, which strengthens Zxyquzh considerably. Zxyquzh will happily illuminate the cavern and then relish in his new found source of food as the PC swims into the “safe” enclave of the bubble chamber.
Zxyquzh will automatically illuminate the chamber should anyone enter that he hadn’t previously spotted.
Quote:
This cavern, illuminated by a strange floating, glowing ball of light, is about 20 feet deep and equally as wide. It rises slightly up and out of the water. Towards the back of the cavern, amidst a pile of bones is a rather odd looking scythe lying on the ground.
The bones are victims of Artix’s tactics in the past. Here victims reside until they are too weak to fight, and Artix comes back later to finish them off. Amidst these bones one will find shreddings that once were clothes. The bones all having numerous claw and bite scratches on them, providing a clue to their victim’s fate.
The scythe is another matter entirely, and it is this scythe that the Will-O’-Wisp is tied to, and the main reason why Zxyquzh is here. Zxyquzh is tied to this weapon, which also carries a name – Argox the Pained. Artix would add this scythe to their normal dragon horde, but he fears the weapon greatly, and wants nothing to do with it.
Argox, the Pained: +3 Keen Scythe; AL CN; Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14; Speech, 120 ft. vision and hearing; Ego score 14. Lesser Powers: Item has 10 ranks in Intimidate, Item casts Aid on wielder 3/day (CL 3). Special Purpose: Defeat/slay dragons. Dedicated Power: Wielder gets a +2 luck bonus on attacks, saves, and checks. Personality: Argox was once the simple tool of a peasant by the same name who happily worked his fields day after day to support his family. Then one fateful day a red dragon flew over his fields while he was working – torched his house and ate his family. Argox was so filled with rage that from that moment on he vowed to hunt down and kill all dragons. He set out on his quest and as his anger grew, so did his weapon, who constantly was responsible for slaying monster after monster from Argox’s built up anger. But Argox never lost sight of his quest and he eventually found that red dragon and slew it, and countless other dragons as well. Colors are irrelevant for Argox, and alignment is meaningless – if it’s a dragon, it must die.
At some point in history, a Will-O’-Wisp by the name of Zxyquzh came into contact with Argox and his scythe. He found so much pain and death built up into the weapon that all other food sources seemed largely irrelevant. It has followed Argox ever since.
Argox begrudingly tolerates Zxyquzh and the two have become a somewhat unlikely couple. The two have even been known to carry on lengthy conversations about previous owners, exploits, and the various dragons that they have encountered.
Individuals who pick up Argox, and are not chaotic neutral will incur temporary negative levels for as long as they continue to wield the weapon. See the rules in Core rulebook #3 on intelligent items.
Zxyquzh, advanced Will-O’-Wisp Size/Type: Small Aberration (Air) Hit Dice: 13d8 (58 hp) Initiative: +14 Speed: Fly 50 ft. (perfect) (10 squares) Armor Class: 30 (+1 size, +10 Dex, +9 deflection), touch 30, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-3 Attack: Shock +17 melee touch (2d8 electricity) Full Attack: Shock +17 melee touch (2d8 electricity) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, natural invisibility Saves: Fort +3, Ref +13, Will +11 Abilities: Str 1, Dex 30, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 12 Skills: Bluff +17 (+2 Persuasive), Diplomacy +5, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), Intimidate +6 (Persuasive), Listen +20, Search +17, Spot +20, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks) Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Persuasive, Weapon Finesse Challenge Rating: 7 Alignment: chaotic neutral
Zxyquzh is a Will-O’-Wisp not unlike any other Will-O’-Wisp. The major exception is that Zxyquzh has been around Argox long enough that he’s become less chaotic evil, and is now more chaotic neutral. He loves pain and anguish and relishes in the moments when he enters town or enters an establishment where people fear his presence. He will always go where Argox goes. Argox tolerates Zxyquzh’s presence. The two have become somewhat unlikely friends over the course of the last 100 or so years that they’ve been together. Zxyquzh and Argox have been in the dragon cave for about 15 years so far, and while Zxyquzh is happy in his home, Argox wants nothing more than to slay the dragons who live near him.
Immunity to Magic (Ex): Zxyquzh is immune to most spells or spell-like abilities that allow spell resistance, except magic missile and maze. Natural Invisibility (Ex): Zxyquzh can extinguish its glow, effectively becoming invisible as the spell.
Zxyquzh’s Tactics
Zxyquzh is really only interested in feeding off the pain and anguish of others, and the scythe that he’s discovered is the best source of it he’s ever found. Zxyquzh. He has absolutely no desire to leave, and will even go so far as to beg a PC who has other plans for him. He is a coward by his nature, and will only attack in the most dire of circumstances, choosing to flee or hide if those options are available to him. The one exception to this is during a battle with dragons. Argox usually coaxes Zxyquzh out of his normal complacent state into battle when dragons are being fought. Zxyquzh will usually attack dragons, but only dragons, and even then he will often run to hide every other round.
Also, if anyone has any idea at all how to price an intelligent weapon, I'd be happy to understand the process, because the DMG and SRD are really, really vague on the matter.
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