World's Largest Dungeon?

[thundershot]

I'm more worried about too many spoilers showing up for the players.. hm... how about... show a nifty trapped room... yess....


Chris

 

[DaveMage]

Or a riddle/puzzle room.

Either sounds good to me!

 

[jim pinto]

I'm more worried about too many spoilers showing up for the players.. hm... how about... show a nifty trapped room... yess....


Chris

you're worried about spoilers in a dungeon of 1,600 rooms?

AND you want a trap room?

sigh

here's a low-level trap room, but a particularly fun combination of effects.

i hope this doesn't give too much away

A85. Sleep Trap
The doors to this room are open.

A single raised column, five feet high, rests in the center of the room. A clear glass sphere, embedded in the stone, sits atop the column, as soft light cascades over its surface. Resting on the glass sphere and balancing on its tip is an ivory tusk, about nine inches long, and carved with faint, archaic runes. The tusk is shaped as a weapon, complete with pommel.
Two blackened octopi lie on the floor, tentacles splayed.

Initial Attitude: Hostile
Encounter: There are actually three large fiendish darkmantles (hp 13) in the room: two on the ground, and one clinging to the ceiling 30 ft. up. It is difficult to see (Spot check, DC 25) unless the PCs look up (+10 circumstance bonus to the Spot check). While exploring, the trio triggered a trap centered on the column. The two fiendish darkmantles on the ground fell victim to a flare and sleep trap that is triggered when anyone touches the tusk [dagger of venom]. The flare fills the Room with a bright flash, blinding everyone, while the sleep trap only affects the PC touching the stone. Whether the PCs successfully save against these trap effects or not, the flare negates the use of darkvision and low-light vision for 1 minute.

Flare Trap: CR 1; magic device; touch trigger; automatic reset; spell effect (flare, 5th-level wizard, all within 20 ft. are dazzled for 1 minute, DC 10 Fort save negates); Search DC 26; Disable Device DC 26.

Sleep Trap: CR 2; magic device; touch trigger; automatic reset; spell effect (sleep, 5th-level wizard, up to 4HD of creatures fall magically asleep for 5 minutes, DC 11 Will save negates); Search DC 26; Disable Device DC 26.

Tactics: Having avoided the sleep trap, the third fiendish darkmantle ponders what to do when the PCs arrive. Should they trigger the trap, it must save again against the flare trap, but does not lose its darkvision. If the PCs do not Spot it, allow it a 20 on its Iniative check to invoke darkness. Although it's intelligent enough to wake the other darkmantles, it does not care enough to bother.
The sleeping fiendish darkmantles awaken in 2d4 rounds. While normal noise does not rouse them, any movement within 5 ft. allows them a DC 25 Listen check and movement into a square where one lies awakens them 50% of the time. Stepping on one awakens it immediately; however, prodding it does not. Once awake, the fiendish darkmantles require a standard action to get their bearings, and then enter combat.
Although aggressive, these fiendish darkmantles do not fight to the death and being reduced to 50% or fewer starting hit points is enough to make any single darkmantle flee. Fleeing darkmantles invoke darkness to aid their escape. If healthy, they pursue fleeing PCs.
Treasure: The dagger of venom on the pedastal radiates Faint necromancy and is evil.
EL: 4
Scaling: To increase the challenge of this encounter, add darkness to the trap that triggers one round after flare. In addition, neither Turag or Boyikt have seen this trap before. To decrease the challenge, remove one fiendish darkmantle.
Fiendish Darkmantle: CR 2; Small magical beast (extraplanar); HD 2d10+2; hp 13; Init +4; Spd 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (poor); AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +1; Grp +0; Atk +5 melee (1d4+4, slam); Full Atk +5 melee (1d4+4, slam); SA Darkness, improved grab, constrict 1d4+4, smite good; SQ Blindsight 90 ft., resistance to cold and fire 5, spell resistance 6; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 10.
Skills and Feats: Hide +10, Listen +6*, Spot +6*; Improved Initiative.
Darkness (Su): Once per day a fiendish darkmantle can cause darkness as the darkness spell (caster level 5th). It most often uses this ability just before attacking.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a fiendish darkmantle must hit a Large or smaller creature with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
If it wins the grapple check, it attaches to the opponent’s head and can constrict.
Constrict (Ex): A fiendish darkmantle deals 1d4+4 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day a fiendish darkmantle can make a normal melee attack to deal 1 extra point of damage against a good foe.
Blindsight (Ex): A fiendish darkmantle can “see” by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allows it to ascertain objects and creatures within 90 ft. A silence spell negates this ability and effectively blinds the fiendish darkmantle.
Skills: A fiendish darkmantle has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checkxs. These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated. The creature’s variable coloration gives it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.

 

[thundershot]

you're worried about spoilers in a dungeon of 1,600 rooms?

AND you want a trap room?

sigh

I wasn't worried... I MEANT I couldn't ask for, say, where a Unicorn appears, or the Tarrasque, because there's likely few Unicorns in a dungeon, and describing the room with the Unicorn might prove to be a spoiler for people. I mean, what if it's a HALF-FIEND UNICORN?!

So blah!



Chris

 

[jim pinto]

I wasn't worried... I MEANT I couldn't ask for, say, where a Unicorn appears, or the Tarrasque, because there's likely few Unicorns in a dungeon, and describing the room with the Unicorn might prove to be a spoiler for people. I mean, what if it's a HALF-FIEND UNICORN?!

So blah!



Chris

would it make you cry to know the unicorn in this adventure has both its legs broken when the PCs find it?



and the terrasque encounter is over 2,000 words long.
you are NOT getting that one for free.

second most brutal encounter in the dungeon.

easy.

 

[KB9JMQ]

Great so far.
This is going on a must have list.

 

[thundershot]

would it make you cry to know the unicorn in this adventure has both its legs broken when the PCs find it?



and the terrasque encounter is over 2,000 words long.
you are NOT getting that one for free.

second most brutal encounter in the dungeon.

easy.

See.. spoilers like that with pivotal plot points are what I wanted to avoid. I'll read those on my own..


Chris

 

[jim pinto]

See.. spoilers like that with pivotal plot points are what I wanted to avoid. I'll read those on my own..


Chris

I have no intention of giving away pivotal plot points.
I promise that unless its an "Encounter", its 85% likely
to be a red herring.

Although in order to get all five chromatic dragons in
here, we did make on giant quin-headed beast.

 

[thundershot]

Ah, but did you get them all in each size catagory? Now THAT is a challenge.

That, and have fun with templates.

I can't wait for this thing to be released...

Thanks
Chris

 

[jim pinto]

week of april 5 (posted on april 6)

since ghouls are among my favorite creatures in DnD, i wrote this encounter yesterday just for you guys. if it stinks, its because no one edited it yet, but i'm placing it in map C, so it should be a good challenge for a 7th level party. even so, its a great tactic and the variation on the common ghoul should surprise PCs.

in this instance, we wanted to provide the DM with an encounter where a ghoul fought a little more like an animal. hence, the addition of pounce and rake. while its not very common to see us doing this in the dungeon, we did alter a few monsters where necessity dictated that this would be better IF the dragon had antlers, etc.

anyway. enough chatter. i'll let the encounter speak for itself.


C49. Former Barrack
Both doors to this Room are locked and require a successful DC 30 Open Lock check to open.

Eery lights and dancing shadows project upon the walls, distracting you. The Room beyond the door is in disarray, as if ransacked. Shattered wooden bunk bed frames line the southern and eastern walls. Though no mattresses or bed sheets cover them, they could once sleep twelve, and if suitable bedding could be acquired, they could still be used.

Initial Attitude: Hostile

Encounter: This Room was once used to house warriors of the Gnashing Fang Tribe. Over the years, the tribe suffered great loses and abandoned the place. Before fleeing, they used this place to trap a feral ghoul (hp 58) they were unable to kill. The beast has been captive for many months and seeks to destroy anyone who enters (including the PCs).

Tactics: The ghoul is fearless and stronger than most of its kind. It waits above the door and descends on the last person to enter. The PCs need a DC 40 Spot check to notice it as they enter and gain a +5 circumstance bonus to the check only if they are looking straight up as they enter (the monster knows exactly where to hide in the room's shadows).
During the first round, the ghoul takes full advantage of its abilities, attacking its victim with two claws, one bite, and its special rake attack. The ghoul's claws are razor-sharp from many years of scratching and sharpening upon the dungeon walls, and its critical threat range is increased accordingly.
Once engaged, the ghoul no longer uses its rake attack, but continues to pounce. When it drops a PC, it turns its attention to the next closest or fastest PC. Once all the PCs are down, it feeds upon one PC until he is dead and then flees deeper into the dungeon.
The ghoul fights to the death. Assume it has a Initiative check of 22.

Treasure: A torch imbued with continual flame was left behind, perhaps to torment the nocturnal ghoul. The torch was broken into many pieces, but the continual flame still casts light from a single 3-in. piece of wood. A successful DC 22 Search check reveals a gold earring (worth 25 gp) tucked between one of the bunks and the wall.
EL: 6
Scaling: To increase the challenge of this encounter, allow the ghoul to sneak attack the first PC for +3d6 damage or permenantly bestow magic fang on its claws, making them +2 claws. In addition, at the end of the first round, have the PCs make DC 18 Will saves or become shaken. To decrease the challenge, have the ghoul be surprised by the PCs.

Feral Ghoul: CR 6; Medium undead; HD 9d12; hp 58; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grp +6; Atk +7 melee (1d6+2/19–20 plus paralysis, claw); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+2/19–20 plus paralysis, 2 claws) and +5 melee (1d6+1 plus paralysis, bite); SA Ghoul fever, paralysis, pounce, rake; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, +2 turn resistance; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +8; Str 15, Dex 15, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12.
Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Climb +13, Hide +13, Jump +13, Move Silently +13, Spot +14; Multiattack, Improved Critical (claws), Improved Natural attack (claws), Weapon Focus (claws).
Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease-bite, Fortitude DC 15, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to this paralysis. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Pounce (Ex): If a feral ghoul charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +7 melee, 1d8+3 damage.