D&D General #Dungeon23

2.10 Inner Vault

• First Glance:
  • A long hallway ends in a square room that has been thoroughly looted. Better luck next time.
• Closer Look:
  • Maybe there's one silver bar left in the corner
• Secrets:
  • Each of the three locks on the outer door must be turned counter-clockwise to also disarm each of the traps in the hallway.
  • The secret door is magically locked and hidden (very hard to spot). Opens to a command word, found elsewhere.

I found myself this week not doing my d23 until the end of the day a couple of days. I got something in; but there was definitely some procrastination.

The level itself is pretty cool, although I didn't create a conflict between the two dominant cultures, at least not until today. Tomorrow I may have a union point between the two (It's an entirely underwater hex, and there are symic hybrids modified for underwater life who fish, tend the native animals in the kelp forest; as well as protect abberant leviathans from another plane from invading. And then there are minotaurs who are mining giant volcanoes (undersea types) that range across the hex. The minotaurs live in underwater air bubble villages - and still breathe air.

So need to create a place where both species can interact... I think there will need to be some sort of Market space.

Got sick, got slammed by graduate studies, and have been playing catch up... Still puzzling over how to set up the puzzle for the Tacticum Daemonis stone, but starting to experiment with journal inserts & different mediums.

0X.10: Echo Chamber

Form: A large, dead end cavern.

Illumination: Dim, colorless light.

At First Glance: Emerging from the twisting passages, those entering the echo chamber not its high ceiling and undulating walls. It is illuminated by a cold, colorless light that bounces around the chamber, almost like light reflected from a rippling pond but with no apparent source.

On Closer Inspection: Any sound made in the echo chamber reverberates and distorts as it echoes off the strangely curved walls. The louder the sound, the longer it echoes and the more strangely distorted it is by the time it fades. Normal sounds echoed in the chamber are disconcerting but not harmful.

Secrets: The echo chamber is used by the whisperers to cast their ritual hymns. Their joined voices fill with power and become the voice of the Godecho itself. It issues commands, portends the future, names enemies and sometimes grants dark boons to those who sing to the Godecho here.

Connections: the echo chamber is a dead end and connects only to the labyrinthine tunnels (0X.06).

Man, doing these one per day is a lot easier than catching up 7+ at a time.


EMPIRE (cont)
1. Target Practice - Several overturned marble pews serve as cover. Arrow stuffed scarecrows line the north wall.
2. Gaol - Prindle and Ortok are held in relative comfort here. The jailer is taking this job equally lightly.
3. General's Quarters - Trireal stews here, desperate to break the current stalemate. The room is remarkably lavishly decorated.
4. War Chamber - The floor is littered with discarded offensive strategies. Somewhere within the detritus is a map of this floor.

HEAVY
5.The Dumping Grounds - A high pile of religious iconography, dragged in here to clear out other chambers. Frustrated spirits lie in wait to avenge this blasphemy.
6. Trainee's Chambers - Small sleeping areas for ascetics. Those who have been lax in their discipline are now assigned here.
7. Washroom - Originally a site for ritualistic practice, this room has been turned to a much more mundane purpose.
8. Forgotten Temple - Long since robbed of any specific godly signifiers, the only hints as to its prior function are the formal architecture. The room is filled with the hustle and bustle of many different general activities, too large to justify dedicating to any one in particular.
9. Empty Room - A feeling of despair and dread wash over anyone who spends more than a few minutes here. It is quiet, still, one of the few undisturbed rooms.
10. Sacrifice Chambers - Air vents allow for the burning of offerings. If an appropriate offering is made to the temple's subject, the door to room 11 will open.
11. Sacred Heart - A small hidden shrine, with mysteriously back-lit beautiful stained glass windows. An amulet sits in prominent view.

11. This 10’ x 20’ room is empty.

Day 42

I stepped into the officer's cabin, which was situated next to the captain's quarters. On either side stood two neatly made beds, and in the center was a table with a card game that appeared to have been in full swing. A bottle of wine lay on the ground and had spilled. The cabin had apparently been hastily abandoned.

At a wardrobe, I noticed scratch marks on the ground, as if the wardrobe had been moved. I pushed it aside and found two crates behind it. One was filled with exotic novels, and the other contained... well, let's just say a collection of novelties that were highly illegal to smuggle. The sort of items that if discovered, would make even the most hardened pirate feel queasy. The items were certainly of the whimsical and fantastical variety, enough to make a grown man giggle and blush all at the same time!

0X.11: Whisperdale

Form: A small town surrounding a large temple.

Illumination: Bright bioluminescent “street lights” in an otherwise dimly lit cavern.

At First Glance: Following the blazed trail out of the labyrinthine tunnels (0X.06) leads to this large, open cavern. It is dominated by a walled town made of stone and fungal-wood structures. Perhaps four score buildings -- mostly homes and workshops -- surround a multistory temple topped with fluted towers. The walls and gate are guarded by figures in hide armor.

On Closer Inspection: Whisperdale is the home of the cult of the Godecho, the Whisperers. People of all races are found within, having been drawn to the Godecho’s service by dreams and whispers in the deep caverns. About half of the 100 or so inhabitants are travelers who were lost in the underrealm. The rest are the descendents of those. Whisperdale is nearly a century old.

Secrets: Whisperdale does not welcome travelers. Anyone coming to the gates is arrested and interrogated beneath the temple. True believers drawn to the town will reveal themselves under duress as surely as spies will. However, due to a tenuous peace agreement, traders and messengers sent from Undertown (0X.xx) will be allowed entrance and cold hospitality if they carry official documents identifying themselves as such.
The leader of Whisperdale is a gaunt creature called The Rasp Baleful. Dressed ever in dark robes, nothing can be determined of the Rasp’s species or gender. The main function of the Rasp seems to be to lead the cultists in worship of the Godecho and ordering the execution of interlopers and spies (real and imagined).
There is an even chance whenever the characters visit Whisperdale that the Rasp and their entourage are away in the echo chamber (0X.10), as well as an even chance a Baelishite dwarf trader from Undertown named Maretha Ardzeth is in Whisperdale on business.

Treasure: There is little to be gained in Whisperdale even if the characters choose to besiege the place. The Whisperers live spartan lives in service to their strange deity. Most of what they trade with Undertown for are necessities and weapons. If Maretha Ardzeth is present, she is usually carrying a few weapons and some provisions.

Connections: Beneath the Temple to the Godecho are the Dungeons of the Whisperers (0X.12). The characters may find themselves there unwillingly. Beyond the town itself a stream fed by a spring empties into a submerged tunnel going south (0X.xx).

Cadence said:

Room 61 - A Cautious Little Greenhouse

This somewhat hidden 10'x10' room is the home of the fey couple Nite Sock and Tuáille Te and their corgi Toirneach. During the day they are often in the Laundry (see room #62, also containing their stats), but they never got a lock for this door because ruffians might ruin it and get in a bad and destructive mood because of it. When they are in it they can securely bar the heavily banded door fairly securely from the inside (STR 22 to open).

The room has four continual flame spells cast on the ceiling (so no one can steal them). They cover the lighted areas with blankets hanging from hooks when they are trying to sleep. They can also pull the strings and drop the blankets on anyone who happens to break into the room while they are there.

The floor has nearly a score of various metal pieces (chamber pots, helmets, buckets, lanterns) and small wooden pieces (drawers, crates, half barrels) filled with dirt for growing plants. They are growing tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, green beans, and strawberries. None of them are currently ripe (although some seem to have been recently picked and some soon will be). There is also a small bed with a secret compartment under the mattress near its foot where the ripe ones are stashed (undetectable without either lifting the mattress or going underneath the bed and then tapping at that end - DC 15 in that case). Reaching in it to lift the sheet covering the vegetables risks running afoul of a bear trap (DC 14 to notice something is off, DC 18 DEX save if it isn't noticed - resulting in d10 damage. It can easily be set off by poking it with an expendable stick if it is seen, or if time is taken the off mechanism can be found). The rest of their food (delivered by Berghildr) is unhidden in the bottom drawer of a topless dresser (marked with the x) that has cherry tomatoes growing in the top drawer.

When they are in the room there is also a bottle of oil with self lighting sticks perched above the door to fall as it's opened (DEX 15 save to avoid d4 fire damage) and a heavy crossbow and two light crossbows aimed at the door to be triggered by strings (DEX 18 to save if someone just opens the door uncautiously, DEX 12 if they are cautious). Once they've played that all out they will turn invisible and mentally mark down who needs to be punished later.


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Room 85 - Trail to the Beach

This 120' long unlit natural tunnel irregularly varies between 12' and 20' in diameter with several good places to hide and set ambushes. Lowest in the middle, there is a 20' long stretch that gets up to 5' deep in mucky water (around 2' deep at the cave walls).

The east exit of the tunnel slopes gently upward into the burial chamber of Arne Frodeson (#83). At the west end there is a rise and fall of about 3' before opening into the huge lake cavern (#86). That western entrance has the dim light glow of the cavern beyond and a bit farther into the cave there is still a faint glow (counting as heavily obscured - but enough to lead someone out).

Nothing permanently dwells in the tunnel, but there is the chance of running into something out hunting (roll d10; if multiple locations are given then roll among them giving an equal chance to each).

1 - A Giant Crab hides in the pool B.
2 - A Cave Fisher has spread filaments from C1 to C2.
3 - A Carcolh is hunting the western half of the tunnel and is waiting in one of C1, C2, or C3.
4 - An Eachy is hunting the tunnel and awaits in one of A, B, C1, C2, or C3 if it is expecting new arrivals to the lake, and in B if it is expecting those leaving it.
5- A Cloaker hunts from the dark of the tunnel, comfortably hiding in the ceiling of B or C2.
6 - Both 1 and 2
7 - Both 1 and 3
8 - Both 1 and 5
9-10 - Nothing this time

The things that could be encountered are not particularly cautious, but even the least intelligent among them will not suicidally go after something that has taught them a profoundly violent enough lesson.



The Carcolh (CR4, Large Monstrosity) and Eachy (CR6, Large Fey) can be found in Izegrim Creations's "Twilight Fables". See D&D 5E - Twilight Fables Now Publicly Available! or contact @Sacrosanct to get a copy.

The next room created (#80) is in post #555 D&D General - #Dungeon23 .

Day 43 - the wizard's quarters

Opposite the officer's cabin are the quarters of the wizard She'To'Kirilian. As I entered, the events of the other rooms became clear. Why they had left everything in such a hurry... A battle had been fought here. Scratches led from the breach in the bulkhead to the wizard's bed, the chair was overturned and it looked as if she had clung to the desk for dear life. A drawer was half broken, its contents scattered across the floor. Something had dragged She'To'Kirilian down to the lower deck, and the crew were powerless to stop it.