Raven Crowking
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The module is designed for character levels 10 to 14. There are 20 "pregen" characters in the back of the module, each with suggested magic items. Players are supposed to roll their own hit points and pick their own spells. Players can take any mundane equipment they want, but they can't overburden themselves. They can also bring 1,000 gp in coins and 5,000 gp in gems. It is suggested that the DM give the players some extra magic and/or an extra level of experience if they are inexperienced and/or few in number. "Total novices" can also bring a man-at-arms each (no stats or suggested level is given for the men-at-arms).
PC's.
Area 3: Entrance to the Tomb of Horrors
First, pit traps. There are five pit traps in the hallway. The Red Path will take you right into three of them. If you're poking ahead with a pole, you'll find a pit 2 out of 3 times. If you trigger one, there's a percentage chance (derived from your dexterity) that you won't fall in. At Dex 18, you have a 24% chance to avoid falling into a pit. The pits are only 10 feet deep, but they've got save or die poison spikes at the bottom of them.
My understanding is that the 1E thief can't make a Find Traps roll to detect the pits. The PHB says that the Find Traps ability "pertains to relatively small mechanical devices such as poison needles, spring blades and the like." Am I reading that correctly?
If so, then there isn't an easy mechanical way to look for the pits. The party either (a) uses a 10 foot pole and blunders into 1 out of 3 pits; (b) uses a "goblin mine detector" (a goat, hireling or PC played by your little brother); (c) uses flight or levitation; (d) gets lucky or (e) falls in. At any rate, I ain't seeing no clues to avoid the pits here. The PC's will have to rely on luck and/or ingenuity.
Hmm, I've always let thieves try to find things like pit traps using their skills. Maybe that's not BTB?
Actually there's the 2nd level clerical spell find traps, the 2nd level MU spell detect invisible (which show the seams along the edge of the trapdoor, as it finds secret doors in just that way) not to mention true seeing/sight. Also, the dwarven ability to find sliding/shifting walls or rooms.
And if anyone actually dies due to the posion the party's cleric isn't doing his job. The slow poison spell can reviev someone that failed a save vs. poison if done within 1 turn/level of "death".
One thing of note about area 3 is that in the description of the area it implies that there is a point marked 'B' on the map and if the characters study the floor up to this point 'B' they will magically learn the message. The problem comes when you look at the map and see that there is no point 'B'. Depending on where the DM places point 'B' the chance of finding the riddle can change.
Concealed doors are normal doors that are somehow hidden. They are easier to find than secret doors, and can be opened as a normal door once found. OTOH, secret doors need not only be found, but you must figure out how to open them.
My copy of the adventure has a "B" at the very end of the hall, right in front of the Great Green Devil.
ACERERAK CONGRATULATES YOU ON YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION. SO MAKE OF THIS WHATEVER YOU WISH, FOR YOU WILL BE MINE IN THE END NO MATTER WHAT!
Go back to the tormentor or through the arch,
and the second great hall you'll discover.
Shun green if you can, but night's good color
is for those of great valor.
If shades of red stand for blood the wise
will not need sacrifice aught but a loop of
magical metal - you're well along your march.
Two pits along the way will be found to lead
to a fortuitous fall, so check the wall.
These keys and those are most important of all,
and beware of trembling hands and what will maul.
If you find the false you find the true
and into the columned hall you'll come,
and there the throne that's key and keyed.
The iron men of visage grim do more than
meets the viewers eye.
You've left and left and found my Tomb
and now your soul will die.