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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 419289" data-attributes="member: 1210">J. THE SEWERSThe sewers beneath Poppin roughly parallel the streets.  It isn’t a huge town so there aren’t exactly miles of tunnels or anything.  All the tunnels have two tiers of walkways carved into them, one 5’ from the floor level and the other 10’; when they were originally built, the possibility that the waste might flood fairly high was considered.  The roof is a full 16’ high but any given canal will be full to some extent or another, as noted hereafter.  Tunnels are from 10’-15’ wide depending on the quantity of effluvia expected along that street when it was built.Following the tunnels can lead to a few interesting encounters; roll on the following table for wandering monsters once per hour, 1 in 6 chance of encounter:01-30    1d4 Otyughs (CR4)31-45    1d4 Ochre Jellies (CR5)46-55    Flock of 3d4 Stirges (CR1/2)56-60    Huge spider with web across tunnel (CR4)61-65    Mimic (in the shape of a ladder and trap door assembly) (CR4)66-75    Ghaunadan (MoF) (CR5)76-85    Fungus Hulk (CR6)86-00    1d4+2 Meazles (CR4)The tunnels have an overall downward slant to a spot just east of town.  As the pcs go the level of the sewage gradually rises due to this slant; in the western parts of town have one or two feet of effluvia flowing sluggishly through them, beneath the central parts of town it’s about 3’-5’, and beneath the western section of town it’s about 6’-11’ deep, necessitating that the pcs walk on (or fly above) the higher walkway.Planned Sewer Encounters:  Juiblexian Shrine: If characters check out the southern section of the sewers they have a 50% chance per hour to find a strange shrine.  It is set up in the center of the flowing sewage but thrusts 10’ high (the lower 4’ under the effluvia) with strange growths, slimes and fungus all over it.  It radiates evil but not magic.If pcs disturb it they’ll find themselves under sudden and vicious assault by a group of Juiblexians.  This will consist of two grey oozes, an ochre jelly, and a ghaunadan cleric of Juiblex named Bleth (3rd level; as ghaunadan except CR8; add 3d8+3 HD; hp45; add +2 to attacks; skills- add Concentration +7; feats- add expertise; domains: Destruction and Evil; spells (442): 0 level: Detect Magic, Guidance (x2), Resistance; 1st level: Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Protection from Good, Shield of Faith; 2nd level: Bull’s Strength, Shatter.)Underneath the altar, in the sewage, chained by a short length of chain to the bottom, is a locked iron box (Search DC23 to locate).  The padlock holding it to the bottom is DC20, but the lock sealing it shut is DC24.  Within the box is the Juiblexians’ treasure: 1000 gp, eight gems (four moss agates worth 10 gp each and four greenish-brown garnets worth 100 gp each), a wand of regenerate light wounds with the words “Grass Grows Green” scribed on it in elven (17 charges), a potion of analyze portal, and an arcane (Azarian) scroll of Magic Weapon and Protection from Elements (Sonic).  Since both of these spells are standard wizard/sorcerer spells as well its origin simply makes it a curiosity and increases its value to a collector.Meazles’ Lair: A group of eight meazles is always in this place, though many other members of the tribe wander the sewers.  They live in a larger cave that has formed due to some adventurer activity.  The lair is a bowl-shaped depression about 30’ across, formed by a Rock to Mud spell.  There are numerous bits of rubble all around in it, making footing treacherous; six little piles extend above the level of the surrounding sewage.  This place is pretty much under the center of town, from which the meazles hunt.  One of the meazles is their fat and grubby little queen, Stolfa.  She has two levels of rogue; her stats are as per a normal meazle, except as follows: CR6, add +2d6 HD, hp29, AC +2 deflection, add +1 to attacks; SA add +1d6 to sneak attack (total of +4d6); Skills add Tumble +8.  She has a potion of ghoul touch that she’ll drink as soon as she takes 10 or more hp of damage.A Search check (DC25) turns up the hidden treasures of the meazles: a rotting sack holding 1600 gp, a piece of carved amber (resembles a bear; 130 gp) and two rhodochrosites (5 gp each). The Drain: This is where the sewage drops into the underground lake; it’s largely clogged, but a trickle still runs downward into a heavily-polluted lake 30’ below.  Characters attempting to get through are attacked by two large ooze paraelementals (CR5; hp59, 76).  Getting down requires clearing the hole (a lot of work; this will take at least sixty strength-hours; two creatures can work at once, so if they both have str15 the job can be done in two hours), forcing one’s way down by sheer strength (Swim check, DC20), or magical means.  Adventurers traveling down the drain find themselves at the lake and should immediately be allowed Spot checks opposed by the bugbear spy’s Hide check (+20 as he’s holding perfectly still).  The spy is one of the bugbear rogues noted below.  As soon as pcs are out of immediate siting distance he’ll blow his whistle to alert the village.The Lake: This is a large underground lake heavily polluted with sewage.  Very little still lives here.  On one shore is a half-deserted bugbear village; twenty bugbears remain, plus their leader, Chagsuuth.  It is he that has caused the fungus infestation by spreading the strange growths to the harbor.  They did this by digging a tunnel to the surface that overlooks the harbor and lining it with tubing made from the dead fungus.  Then they bought a simple pump from some passing kuo-toa engineers and voila!  Instant waste channeling system.Stopping them can be done by slaying them all (possibly difficult) or through negotiation.  If anyone tries to parlay with them, Chagsuuth will be happy to talk.  If Event 3 has already happened, then Chagsuuth will tell the pcs that “shiny cleric of big light above” asked them to cause the harbor blight to help his campaign; in this case Athro Lovespear has pretty much already bought them off.  He’ll still demand money from the town to quit doing it (per Athro’s instructions).  He’s willing to stop pumping effluvia fungus up into the harbor if the town will either stop their sewage dumping into the lake, or else buy out the bugbear village (they’ll take no less than 2000 gp, a large sum for such a small town as Poppin, or 500 gp if he’s already been bought by Athro).Bugbears: 12 are standard (treasure: 1d10 gp each); four are 1st-level fighters: CR3, add +1d10+1 HD, hp26, AC19 (replace leather with chain shirt), Atk add +2 with morningstar, +1 with all other; SV Add +2 Fort; Skills: add +4 Swim; Feats: add Weapon Focus (morningstar); they have purses of 3d4 gp and 3d6 sp.Three more bugbears are 2nd-level rogues: CR4, add +2d6+2 HD, hp29, AC19 (+2 for improved dex), Atk add +1, SA Sneak Attack +1d6, SQ Evasion, SV Add +5 Ref; change Dex to 16, Wis to 8, Cha to 7; Skills: Add +2 to all existing skills except Listen and Spot get only +1; add Tumble +10.  These function as spies and one of their number is always watching the drain.  They have whistles so that they can alert the village at need; the piercing whistle can be heard up to 300’ away, as well as purses holding 3d10 gp, 3d6 sp and 1d4-1 pp.Chagsuuth: Bugbear Druid 5; CR7; HD8d8+8; hp38; Init+5; Spd30’; AC17; Atk Melee +8/3 base+2 str (scimitar 1d6+2/18-20) or melee + (longspear 1d8+3); or ranged + (shortspear 1d6+2); SA Spells, wildshape 1/day; SQ Darkvision 60’, Trackless Step, Woodland Stride, Resist Nature’s Lure; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will+7; Str14, Dex12, Con12, Int10, Wis14, Cha7; Skills & Feats: Climb +2, Hide +3, Listen +5, Move Silently +6, Spellcraft +8, Spot +5, Swim +8, Wilderness Lore +8; Alertness, Improved Initiative, Natural Wild Shape;Spells: (5431)0th level: Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Flare; 1st level: Entangle, Faerie Fire, Goodberry (x2); 2nd level: Barkskin, Flaming Sphere, Heat Metal; 3rd level:  Water Breathing;Gear: Longspear +1, scroll of Control Plants, Green Blockade, Forestfold, potions of Cure Light Wounds, Remove Disease, purse of 2d6 pp, 4d8 gp.    EVENTSA number of preplanned events may occur while the pcs are in and around Poppin, beginning if they have trouble getting in to town.Event 1: WydlosIf the pcs are refused admittance into town for one reason or another, they’ll be approached by a man named Wydlos who offers to get them into town in exchange for a “small favor, nothing really”... specifically, he wants the pcs to help discredit Tangus the Brilliant, and claims to be working for “a very wealthy rival candidate” (he hopes to throw suspicion on Ooluts.  He can smuggle the pcs in through the use of a smuggling tunnel that runs from a spot up the Poppin River about four miles into a cellar in town (under a Magpie Gang safe house).  Wydlos: Male human rogue 3; CR3; HD3d6; hp10, Init +2 (dex), Spd 30’, AC15 (+2 dex, +3 mw studded); Atk +2 melee (mw rapier 1d6/18-20) or +4 ranged (mw dagger) or +3 ranged (shortbow 1d6); SA Sneak Attack +2d6, SQ Evasion, Uncanny Dodge; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +1; Str10, Dex15, Con11, Int13, Wis11, Cha15;Skills & Feats: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +13, Gather Information +10, Hide +8, Innuendo +8, Intimidate +8, Move Silently +8, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Tumble +8; Combat Reflexes, Skill Focus (Bluff), Trustworthy;Gear: Masterwork studded leather, mw rapier, mw dagger, shortbow, 12 arrows, 50’ silk rope, Magpie tattoo on shoulder.Event 2: Fungus Incursion (one day after arrival)Three fungus hulks ascend from the sewers, accompanied by a small ooze paraelemental summoned by Chagsuuth.  They run amok for 1d4 hours or until destroyed.  The locals don’t have the resources to deal with them efficiently, though once word reaches Blunder he might be persuaded to take a hand (he holds out for 500 gp).  After an hour Tangus starts trying to round up the money for Blunder.  Also after about one hour, Zenvo starts trying to take the occasional pot shot at them from a roof or whatnot so he can wave the bloody shirt in his campaign.    Event 3: Offstage Visit from a Birdie to a Bugbear (three days after arrival)Athro Lovespear sends Wydlos to talk to the bugbears, having figured out what’s up.  He pays them off as noted above in the discussion of the lake, and then departs.  If characters approach the lake on day 3, they may encounter him- in which case he’ll try to find out what they’re doing there, and then claim that he’s trying to fix the fungus infestation himself and saw a bunch of bugbears, so he was leaving to report back.  In no case will he go with the pcs towards the bugbears.Well, that's it!  I hope this helps people who have trouble designing town and city adventures a little- I know it can be tough, they're prolly my weakest point as a dm.  But really, a rough outline, a few hooks, a few fleshed out npcs and you've got all you need...Feel free to swipe any or all of this, too!</blockquote>

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