Collaborative Cave #2 - Updated map (see 1st post) - Now doing room assignment

[der_kluge]

Such a river could support aquatic life including crayfish (crawdads), and maybe blind catfish. I reckon there's also a good number of bats living here as well, and probably rats as well.

 

[KingCrab]

Have we decided on who put and chained down the decanter in area 1, and why they chose to do it? It might help me decide whats going on in area 4 since someone uses the decanter at some point to kill the victims.

 

[der_kluge]

Have we decided on who put and chained down the decanter in area 1, and why they chose to do it? It might help me decide whats going on in area 4 since someone uses the decanter at some point to kill the victims.

That is not defined as of yet, no.

 

[KingCrab]

We can give the adventure more continuity and add some history if we figure out something that would work. We know we're having an aboleth and they (of course) need water. So either

1. the Aboleth somehow got the decanter installed because he/she/it wanted this cave to be it's lair for some particular reason (leaving us to decide why this location was attractive, say perhaps being close to the pyramid)

or

2. someone else put it there for a different reason (say to drown a large number of people that they wanted to die all at once or to access an area of the cave easier). In this situation we'd also have to explain why they left it there. Perhaps traversing a certain area is easier now that chasms are filled with water or something.

Any opinions on what might be a good idea?

 

[Elephant]

Area 2, the beach of torture:

Some Skum warriors are torturing three Pixie prisoners on the beach by pulling off their wings. One of the Pixies is already dead. The second just lost his second wing and will bleed to death about a minute after the PCs first see the beach. The third is cowering as one of the Skum brags to his fellows how he's going to feed her own wings to her!

If the PCs rescue the remaining pixie, he will accompany them through the rest of the cave, assisting where possible. He will do his very best to avoid melee, however.

As of the end of this encounter, the pixie has all abilities available - the Skum had him chained with cold iron manacles that suppressed his abilities.

Intended CR: 6-8

Foes: 4-8 Skum Warriors.
For ECL 7 parties, 4 Skum.
For ECL 8 parties, 6 Skum.
For ECL 9 parties, 8 Skum.

Skum Warrior 1
Size/Type: Medium Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp)
Initiative: 3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 40 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +3 Sharkskin armor), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Ranseur +10 melee (2d4+10) or Bite +10 melee (3d6+7)
Full Attack: Ranseur +10 melee (2d4+10) or Bite +10 melee (3d6+7) and 2 claws +8 melee (1d4+3)
Attack (+3 PA): Ranseur +7 melee (2d4+16) or Bite +7 melee (3d6+10)
Full Attack (+3 PA): Ranseur +7 melee (2d4+16) or Bite +7 melee (3d6+10) and 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rake 1d6+3
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., amphibious
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +7*, Listen +9*, Move Silently +7, Spot +9*, Swim +8, Tumble +5
Feats: Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, Power Attack
Environment: Underground
Organization: Brood (2-5) or pack (6-15)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: 3

Equipment:
Ranseur, Sharkskin armor (treat as MW studded leather), 1 potion of Cure Light Wounds

A skum is about the same height and weight as a human. Skum speak Aquan.
Combat
Rake (Ex)

Attack bonus +0 melee, damage 1d6+3. A skum also gains two rake attacks when it attacks while swimming.
Amphibious (Ex)

Although skum are aquatic, they can survive indefinitely on land.
Skills

*Skum have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks underwater.

A skum has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

When taken below 25 HP, a skum will drink his potion. When taken below 10 HP, a skum will attempt to flee towards area 3.

 

[Tonguez]

2. someone else put it there for a different reason (say to drown a large number of people that they wanted to die all at once or to access an area of the cave easier). In this situation we'd also have to explain why they left it there. Perhaps traversing a certain area is easier now that chasms are filled with water or something.

Any opinions on what might be a good idea?

I like option two better and would suggest that the decanter was installed by some unknown entity to trap some unspeakable evil in the cave - perhaps the Altar at #11.
The Aboleth has used the Sphere to drain Room 11 whilst maintaining water enough for itself - it now intends to open the Portal - but Why?

We really need to decide on the purpose of the Pyramid inorder to give this complex some logic...

 

[KingCrab]

Agreed. Anyone holding on to any good ideas for the pyramid?

 

[Elephant]

The pyramid was built ages ago in order to close the portal in the first place.

 

[der_kluge]

re: room 2

What are pixies doing here? How did the skum get them?

 

[Elephant]

There's a tribe of pixies out in the forest above the cave. The skum went out and captured a few recently.

Perhaps the aboleth helps them in this kind of hunt (with a little something to dispel invisibility, perhaps?) in exchange for them doing various tasks for it.