Here's what I've written up so far for this adventure. Somebody may be happy to steal it...
I haven't included the maps, but you should be able to sub in whatever you have handy...
- Foyer
- Library/study/bookroom
- Dining room
- Kitchen – 4a stillroom/greenhouse
- Servant’s quarters and cellar stairs
- Rolth’s Bedchamber
- Son’s bedchamber
This is an ordinary house except for a few things:
Room 2 is heavily decorated with taxidermied animals. There are wolf and bear and deer heads, smaller animal full-body displays, and even a few exotic monsters (an owl-bear, a giant centipede, and a trio of dire rats). A cabinet holds a full set of taxidermy tools, and two tables hold supplies and several ongoing projects (including a half-completed raven, a nearly complete winter fox, and two dire squirrels stored in a locked (DC 15) chest with preservation magic that have not yet been prepared for mounting. The materials and supplies are worth about 500 gp, and the displayed creatures are worth 50-500 gp each. The preservative chest acts as a “gentle repose” spell on anything placed within it.
Room 3 contains a concealed door into the area beneath the stairs in the kitchen. This is the secret stair that is marked 1 on the Lair map. The door is found on a DC 30 spot check, or DC 20 search.
Room 4a on the back of the house is a mostly glassed in addition to the home that served as a greenhouse/arboretum and stillroom. However, it is now filled with empty pots and dead plants.
Room 5 is the servant’s quarters, and the access to the cellar. The cellar is an ordinary room with a rack for wine bottles, a set of bins for vegetable and other food storage, and a sturdy iron-bound door that is securely locked. Rolth carries the key on his person (DC 25 to pick).
There are only 2 servants in the house, and they know that the master’s wife died 5 years ago, giving birth to their second child, who also died. Both servants dislike the little boy, calling him “cold” and “cruel”. They are Mara, the cook, and Vestro, the footman. A third servant, Ander comes in twice a week to do the heavy scrubbing.
Room 7 is a child’s room. One end is set up for a young boy – perhaps 8-9 years old; the other appears to have been furnished, but never used, for a baby. Some evidence here the son is doing "live taxidermy" experiments on mice or insects.
During the mornings, Rolth sleeps in his room, and the boy, Rook, plays in his bedchamber. In the afternoons, they either go for a walk or sit in the study together. Rook does schoolwork and his father keeps a journal. In the evenings, after Rook goes to bed, Rolth slips down below the house and spends his time in his laboratory late into the night.
The Lair under the house is large and ancient. It is lit with Everburning torches in brackets on the walls or mounted above worktables, as needed. All the brackets and fixtures are shaped like bone hands.
Floors are smooth stone slabs, 5’ across, with mortar. Walls are smaller stone blocks, also mortared. Doors are standard dungeon-type metal-bound wood. All have key locks, but are typically unlocked. Keys are found in Rolth’s bedchamber upstairs.
Ceilings are at about 15’ high in the center of each room, with a slight vaulting, so walls are only about 10’.
1. Stairs. The stair door is not locked. The steps are old and cracked, and must be negotiated slowly. Any attempt to move above ½ speed requires a Dex check (DC 10) to avoid falling (1d4 nonlethal dmg).
2. This is the master workroom. It is furnished with a half-dozen stone-topped lab-height tables, each 6’ long and 2’ wide. Each contains at least one ongoing experiment, mostly in growing flesh, sculpting bone, and similar. In the center of the room is a massive, slightly lower table 7’ long and 4’ wide. On it rests a human body, obviously female, draped modestly in a white sheet. Around the body are a number of poles holding jars of fluid, tubing, and other devices. The body’s head is shaved, and the top of the skull has been removed.
Note: this experiment was a failure, and Rolth will be disposing of the body in another day or so.
At the east end of the room stands a huge minotaur trophy/exhibit posed in a lifelike stance. This is actually a zombie minotaur. It will activate and attack anyone who touches it, or who disturbs the corpse on the workroom table.
2A – a half-dozen worker/guard zombies are here. These are normal zombies, but once each round, each zombie can spit a glob of fiery saliva up to 10’. This is a ranged touch attack for 1d8 damage. No zombie may spit more than 3 times. These zombies will emerge if the corpse on the workroom table is disturbed, or if the minotaur zombie enters a fight.
2B – 12 skeletons stored here; they can animate and attack if disturbed. They will not emerge during any disturbance elsewhere.
2C-E are storerooms, with no real interest to PCs.
3. Biaj’s home – the BIAJ was Rolth’s wife. When she died in childbirth a few years ago, he rescued her and put her here, until he can find a way to create a new body for her. She was also a wizard, and her brain retains much of its previous capability. She must have some minions to guard her and act as her hands. The bulk of any treasure will be here, as well.
4? (an empty room off the passage from 2 through 3 to 5). Might have pits holding flesh-dissolving acid, or other necromantic nastiness.
5. plant roots. Attack any who enter, clean bones of flesh. Zombies can fetch bones out for use.
6. Prison cells. More zombies (ice or lightning?). Prisoners could include Garth (NPC from previous adventure) or just ordinary townsfolk.
7. Partly blocked off area – natural caves- oozes here?
