A "Five Room Dungeon" ghoul nest

[Umbran]

First, if you're not familiar with the concept already, go read up on The Five Room Dungeon. We'll wait...

Okay, so here's the setup. I'm running a Classic Deadlands campaign, and, as usual, the PCs are not doing what I expected they'd do. Usually, though, they are more clever than I plan for, and this time, they aren't.

At the start of the campaign, I put then in Dodge City, Kansas, and while they've wandered away occasionally, they tend to return. In their first session in Dodge, I gave them a plot hook that corpses left on the fields around dodge (there was Union/Confederate fighting going on) were tending to disappear overnight. They chose not to follow up on it.

So, of course, it is coming back into focus now. There's been little fighting in the area. The number of folks dying in Dodge and its environs from random violence is down, and the nest of ghouls that lives under the city's graveyard and were feeding on the dead is low larger than the food supply can support. The ghouls are starting to get more aggressive about finding food, though they haven't attacked anyone living, yet. The players have stumbled on to this.

Normally, these characters would do a lot of investigation, find out how big the ghoul population is, maybe even try to negotiate (Deadlands ghouls are not geniuses, but are sentient), and so on. Instead, they just decided to gear up and dive into the ghouls' warren. What they don't realize is that they are hopelessly outmatched.

If I run this as a straight tactical dungeon crawl, and run the ghouls as the intelligent masters of their domain that they should be, the party would be dead in short order - the ghouls would probably lure them into a smallish chamber, collapse it in on them, and when they'd suffocated, dig them back out and eat their tasty, tasty flesh. So, that being less than fun, I won't do it. I'm thinking of turning the ghoul's lair into a 5 room dungeon.

"Rooms" are a bit of an abstraction. The warren covers at least a half mile radius, possibly more. Ghouls are normal people who have, for some reason, stooped to cannibalism and been transformed into monsters by their acts. They hate the light, stink to high heaven, but don't have the D&D-style paralysis touch. In the warren has a "Ghoul King", bigger, smarter, and more potent than the run of the mill ghoul. There's a whole lot of ghouls in this nest, but not much other fluff or backstory for them otherwise.

So, here's the challenge: Give me your Five Room Ghoul Nest! Don't worry too much about mechanics, I can convert concepts into Deadlands rules easily enough.

 

[MortalPlague]

If I run this as a straight tactical dungeon crawl, and run the ghouls as the intelligent masters of their domain that they should be, the party would be dead in short order - the ghouls would probably lure them into a smallish chamber, collapse it in on them, and when they'd suffocated, dig them back out and eat their tasty, tasty flesh.

That actually sounds like a really harrowing encounter. If you can work it, have the PCs come to a dead end after following fleeting shadows in the dark, then hear the ghouls beginning to bring the chamber down on them. Then they have to escape down some tunnels while the ghouls chase them... It's scary when the monsters are doing something clever like that. You can't just roll dice at the problem, you have to solve it!

 

[Celebrim]

I would have made #1 be 'the entrance to the ghoul warren is well hidden', but it sounds like they've already found it so...

1) "It's a maze of twisty passageways, all alike": The first portion of the ghoul warren consists of some small chambers barely high enough to stoop in connected by a number of twisting crawl ways which turn and wrap around on themselves. These passages ways form a maze in which its difficult to penetrate deeper into the warren, and in which the characters runs the risk of finding themselves suddenly at very close quarters with a ghoul. Penetrating deeper into the warren will require systematic scouting, or perhaps a very discerning nose, or good tracking, and skill at underground survival to detect subtlely stronger air currents and the stench of the most well used passageways.
2) "It's a trap": Once past the entrance puzzle and into the main living space, a sizable number of ghouls is waiting and has prepared an ambush for the characters. The crawl into the main passage way through the twist side passages once the players have committed them self to further progress, leaving the players surrounded without easy path of escape. They are cunning and somewhat intelligent and have armed themselves with buckets of water, and will seek to smash, extenguish or destroy light sources when possible. They are however afraid of fire, so determinedly wielding such things may force a retreat.
3) "Red Herring": The center of the warrens is arranged as something of a debased version of the city above, with a black chapel devoted to the worship of dark powers, a 'saloon' where ghouls congregate to feast on their ghastly fare, and so forth. The center of the nest contains a ghoul somewhat stronger than the others, a dark sheriff who rules over the rest, but this is actually the red herring. The real ghoul lord doesn't reside in the nest, but investigation of the Sheriff's effects may provide clues which reveal the true leader and mind behind the ghoul infestation.
4) "Hey Scooby...": The real Ghoul Lord is less obviously debased and far more intelligent than the others. The real Ghoul Lord has been hiding in plain sight all along as a promeninent civic leader. There is a connection from the warrens to the basement of some building or home in the city, where the true Ghoul Lord resides.
5) "I don't like where this going...": Investigation of the Ghoul Lords home reveals he's part of a vast and ancient network of sorcerers with a plot which threatens the mortal world. These ancient masters are the true source of the ghoul plague.

 

[amerigoV]

"Rooms" are a bit of an abstraction. The warren covers at least a half mile radius, possibly more.

(Savage Worlds geek talk here): One other consideration is to use the SWEX chase rules. They are entering a maze. So have them describe what they are doing, have them make a check to keep "going forward". Draw a card - if it is a Club, tie an encounter to it (ie, Obstacle). So a 2 of clubs might be a small pack of ghouls, a 3 might be a cave in that catches the party, 4 might be some weird shrine the ghouls made. You can weave in the 5 room stuff as well - every 2 tokens they get on the Chase activates the next "5 room dungeon" event.

Triple Ace Games is really good at this stuff if you have any of their Daring Tales adventures (they have an adventure in the Minotaur's Maze that I got the idea from). Its a great way to simulate a twisting warren without having to map out eveything and conveys the "anything could be around this corner" feeling.

 

[malcolypse]

Room 1. The players enter the dungeon by your preferred method, a mausoleum, a sink-hole, or by falling into an open grave and through the bottom into the room. They surprise a group of ghouls that are either returning from or about to go on a scavenging run.

Room 2. The ghouls where tough, but the players beat them, so now they're venturing into what looks like a pretty deep and complex series of tunnels and rooms. It seems they're cleverer than they look, and they've set up a long tunnel filled with traps that both hinder intruders and alert them to the presence of said intruders.

I'd to with simple things that take advantage of the ghouls resources.

Read the article at wikipedia about punji sticks ( Punji stick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )and replace the words "punji stick" with "sharpened bone" and you can see that horror can't be far behind. Be sure to cover the holes with bones too, that way they snap disgustingly under the weight of our heroes.

Set up a tripwire that when it's triggered causes a large pile of discarded bones to clatter around the victim, alerting those further along about the heroes location.

Perhaps a snare made of chewed tendons and skin to capture intruders.

Room 3. The players come across the ghouls' secret plan. There will be several ghouls in here, one of whom (obviously the BBEG) will be dressed in clean, fashionable, and concealing clothing, smelling of an overdose of cologne. The ghouls are going to recon the city above and see what kind of resistance they would meet if they invaded.

The players fight the better organized ghouls who are aware of their approach. Maybe the well-dressed ghoul (who's really just a normal ghoul playing seamstress dummy for the initial fitting) might rasp out something along the lines of "What are you doing in my home?" or some-such to convince them of his BBEG-ness.

Room 4. Room 4 is just reinforcements arriving for the freshly defeated ghouls in room 3. The heroes are in a good position to defend, since the room only has one entrance. As long as their ammo holds out, they have a chance against these ghouls. The ghouls are led this time by the real BBEG, who confronts the players verbally before, during, or after the fight before the players finish him off.

"So, you came for us! Just like the Witch said you would! She told us that we had to invade you before you came, and we didn't believe her. Now you're here to destroy our home and now You MUST DIE!"

Then you over-run them with as many ghouls as it takes to deplete their ammo and hit points and then you hit them with one more and make them club it to death with their empty guns.

After they win the day, they hear a woman calling from deeper in the cavern, very low, and seemingly far away.

Room 5. They go to rescue the woman and discover that the voice isn't coming from that far ahead. The next room along the path is the source of her voice, and they quickly realize that the reason they hear it so faintly is that it's coming from a brass speaking tube that disappears into the ceiling of the cavern. She's yelling about being ignored and demanding that they hurry up and attack the town.

Seems the network stretches under the city, and someone up there is organizing the ghouls for her own purposes.

 

[GSHamster]

Room 1 - Entrance

The starting section of the warrens is a gauntlet of ghouls. As the players work their way into the warren, ghouls come at them in a constant stream of 2 or 3 ghouls every few rounds. Idea is to try and evoke horror games where the ghouls are jumping out of the darkness at the players.

Room 2 - Puzzle/RP Challenge

A room with dead bodies, which have been killed by the ghouls and partially eaten, but have not risen yet. Two of the people in this room are not dead yet, though they probably have been infected with the ghoul's disease. The challenge is to save the survivors or maybe kill them and prevent the creation of more ghouls.

Room 3 - Red herring

Stumble across a dark relic in a large chamber with many ghouls. The ghouls are intently focusing on the relic, though if they notice the PCs, they will attack. The artifact can be whatever you like, but it doesn't actually have anything to do with the ghouls.

Room 4 - Climax

The Ghoul King and several minions here, feasting on dead bodies. A straightforward fight.

Room 5 - Plot Twist

A room with a central pillar. Chained to the pillar is what looks like a broken, almost dead human woman. A Circle of Protection from Evil surrounds the pillar and female, keeping the ghouls at bay, though they keep circling the pillar.

The woman is actually a starving vampire (which is why she is still alive). The entire ghoul's nest is actually a prison for the vampire. Details about the vampire are up to the DM for future adventures.

 

[Stormonu]

One thing to possibly consider is not making the ghouls into a monolithic society; after all, they are intelligent predators who have outgrown their food supply. The party may have an easier time infiltrating the warrens due to current internal dissent; without sufficient food supply (and other factors) they may have begun to consume one another or banded into groups vying for power or food.

Finding a couple half-eaten ghouls in one of the early rooms may allow the PCs to perhaps later figure out that they can pit two large groups of ghouls against one another, and then sweep in at the end to take out the "victors".

In this way, you can really give a sense to the feeling the ghoul population has gotten so large as to be out of hand, and yet weed down the encounter in a way PCs can handle the situation.

 

[Brainwatch]

Room 1: Entrance And Guardian


These out chambers/tunnels are filled with ghouls. These pathetic creatures are the lowest members of the Ghoul society. Think, poor/homeless/staving wretches who's main goal is simple survival. They will attack as the opportunity present itself. They will not act as an organized unit. They're basic goal will be to get somebody down and start eating. Downed ghouls may even be dragged away by others for food.


A few of the ghouls here are political exiles from “Ghoul City”. They could be negotiated with for information on the main city, or safe(ish) passage through the out warrens. Maybe even recruited as allies.






Room 2: Puzzle Or Roleplaying Challenge


Here is the fate to the Ghoul City, unfortunately there is a chasm (natural or ghoul-made). Separating one side of this room, from the other. And of course the draw bridge is up. There is one guard keeping watch.


The bridge is lowered each night and “foremen” leave the city and recruit work crews from the out warrens to do foraging for food or any manual labor tasks that need done in the city.






Room 3: Red Herring


This is the military barracks section of the city. The Ghouls here are better equipped and trained. They will fight as a unit and have a good grasp of tactics. Here is the Ghoul General, the leader of the military. He is bigger and stronger than the others and will use the units with him most effectively.






Room 4: Climax, Big Battle Or Conflict


This is the main residential area of the city. Most Ghoul here will provide only some resistance until the encounter the true leaders of the city. The main resistance in this section will come from the Three Ghoul “Brothers” who rule the city and their personnel guard.




Room 5: Plot Twist


Behind the residential suites of the “brothers” is another set of rooms with a distinctive “feminine” decor. Located on a table in the room is an undelivered letter. The letter is addressed to “My Boys” and praise the boys for their fine continued work. Lays out some new tasks that need completed and is signed simply “Mom”.


A poorly concealed door leads to a set of stairs, tunnels that lead to a man-made set of tunnels that connect the basements of a saloon, a brothel and a few warehouses of Dodge City.




Notes:
The Ghouls society is a totalitarian serfdom ruled jointly by three “brothers”. Any dissenters are either killed outright, or exiled to the out warrens (Room 1). Each night some Ghouls leave the city and organize work crews from the population of the warrens. During this time the Drawbridge is down and the main city Is Open, but more guards are present. It may be possible to recruit some of the exiles from the warrens to be allies for the PC. It may even possible for the PC to lead a peasant army into the main city itself.

 

[Umbran]

(Savage Worlds geek talk here): One other consideration is to use the SWEX chase rules.

Sounds interesting. I'm running the classic rules, not the Savage World version, and the classic doesn't have that chase mechanic (not in the core, at least). However, since SW is a direct descendent of the classic, they should port back pretty easily, so I'll have to look it up.

 

[Umbran]

I thought I'd see some wonderfully devious ideas if I did this, and I was indeed correct. Several of you have unwittingly built things that would hook rather naturally into some of the other things running in the campaign at present.