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Old 01-15-2023, 08:43 AM   #21
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/8 — Chtiksizz (use Snow Day map)

Description: This cave features a large igloo-like structure with heavy furs covering the entrance passage. A barbarian outcast (perhaps sentenced to death in 1/7 — Sacrificial Grotto) from a nearby coleopteran hive lives here. He has not been given a name in a humanoid language, but a transliteration of the sounds might be something like Chtiksizz (PDF or GCS). His natural affinity for beasts allowed him to befriend and tame, to some degree, the ice wyrms. He is barely sane after years spending time only with his wyrms, but is capable of communication and negotiation. His primary goal is to retain his independence and protect the wyrms, whom he considers to be family. He is concerned that there isn’t enough food to feed a third wyrm when the egg hatches.
Vision: -10 (total darkness) outside; -3 inside the shelter from Chtiksizz’s collection of glowing crystals.
Hearing: -2 (moaning wind)

Treasure
If Chtiksizz is killed or otherwise neutralized, his primary items of value are his meteoric shields, though he has a few tidbits in his hut that may also be useful:
  • 2 Dwarven maces [$250, 5 lbs. each]
  • 2 medium meteoric shields with spikes [$8,720, 30 lbs. each]
  • 3 hatchets [$40, 2 lbs. Each]
  • 30 yards of worn-but-usable giant-spider silk cord (supports 360 lbs.) [$300, 1.5 lbs.]
  • 17 lbs. of solid animal fat (lard or tallow) which can be used for food or as fuel for lamps [$20, 17 lbs.]
  • 1 whetstone [$5, 1 lb.]
  • 1 stone disk, roughly 6” diameter, with an intricate carving of a solar disk being pulled by two great beetles. Holy symbol. [$50, 3 lbs.]
  • 3 burning stones (DF8: Treasure Tables, p. 23). [$250, 1 lb. each]
  • 5 glowing crystals (dim glow giving -3 to vision in a 2-yard radius) [$500, .5 lb. each]

Last edited by Dalin; 01-15-2023 at 08:52 AM.
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Old 01-15-2023, 08:59 AM   #22
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/9 — Ice Wyrms (use Snow Day map)

Description: This cave is lair to a pair of ice wyrms (Monsters, p. 38). The wyrms often burrow under the snow and enter a state of near hibernation to conserve energy. Deep below them, embedded in the ice, is a single egg. While frozen, it is effectively in a state of suspended animation. When ecological conditions allow for it, the parents will awaken the egg and allow it to hatch.

While hibernating, the wyrms are impossible to detect via mundane means without digging into the snow. They will awaken as soon as they detect the party. Begin rolling for Detect (Heat) when the first PCs enter the cave. They will burst forth to attack in tandem, always hungry for warm flesh.
Vision: -10 (total darkness); max -3 with illumination (due to blowing snow)
Hearing: -2 (moaning wind)

Treasure
  • Ice wyrm egg [potentially worth up to $1000 to the right buyer, 200 lbs.]
  • Ice-generating organs from each worm are valuable to alchemists. Requires successful rolls against Physiology (Animals) to identify the organ and Surgery to remove it (see Dead Monster Bits, Exploits, p. 24). [$7,500, 50 lbs. each]
  • Teeth can be fashioned into 1d very fine large knives per wyrm using the Armoury (Melee Weapons) skill. [$800, 1 lb. each]
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Old 01-15-2023, 09:05 AM   #23
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/10 — Ice Weasel Warren (use Snow Day map)

Description: The center of this large cavern is home to a pack of ice weasels (Monsters, p. 37). They are not inherently aggressive, but they are defensive of their territory. They are likely to engage in playful nipping when the PCs first enter the cavern. This will become increasingly aggressive (and numbers will increase) as the party nears the warren. If this does not dissuade the interlopers, the full colony will attack. The safest route is to skirt the cavern on its west and southern sides.
Vision: -10 (total darkness)
Hearing: -3 (moaning wind)
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Old 01-15-2023, 09:30 AM   #24
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/11 — Thinning Veil (use Snow Day map)

Description: The already cold temperature drops rapidly as one passes through the southern passage into this chamber and the wind picks up, whistling through the shards of ice that protrude from the wall and ceiling. The cave—antechamber to an elemental vortex—contains 2d ice alfs (Norðlondr Óvinabókin, p. 115) and a larger ice elemental. Treat the ice elemental as an earth elemental (Monsters, p. 25) with these additional traits: Extra Attack (1), Immunity to Cold/Ice, Vulnerability (Fire/Heat attacks ×2). It has Brawling-14, attacking twice with ice shards that can do 2d+4 cutting or impaling damage (it’s choice).
Vision: -10 (total darkness)
Hearing: -4 (whistling wind)
Exits: Two passages. The southern passage leads back out to the wider ice caves (see 1/5 — Snow Day). The east passage leads to 1/12 — Elemental Vortex.

Hazards
Bitter Cold: Each PC must roll at -7 vs. HT for exposure when they first enter the cave and again every 5 minutes. See 1/5 — Snow Day for modifiers and other details.

Treasure
  • The “heart” of the elemental can be identified and retrieved with successful rolls against Thaumatology and Surgery. The heart is a grenade (Exploits, p. 44) that produces a 3-hex ice slick upon shattering; treat this as the Grease spell (Spells, p. 57). [$960, 0.5 lb.]

Last edited by Dalin; 01-15-2023 at 08:23 PM.
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Old 01-15-2023, 08:22 PM   #25
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/12 — Elemental Vortex (use Snow Day map)

Description: As one enters this portion of the cave, the cold remains sharp and the wind seems to suck down the wide passage. Faint flickering light emanates from around the corner to the north. The northern portion of the cave is about 15×20 yards. Snow fills the air and forms a bowl-shaped depression on the floor—deeper at the edges of the cave and descending toward the center. Bluish-white flashes of light emanate from beneath the snow at the center of the depression. If a PC spends some time examining the room, a successful Observation or Perception roll (at the current vision penalty) will reveal that the snow on the floor is slowly rotating and shifting, as if it is falling into a hole (see Zone of Attraction, below).
Vision: -6 (total darkness); max -3 with illumination (due to blowing snow)
Hearing: -3 (wind)
Exits: The entrance passage and an elemental portal (see Portal, below).

Hazards
Portal: The flashing lights come from an elemental portal beneath the snow. Anyone who touches it is transported to the elemental plane of ice (sometimes known by other names, such as Frostfell or Niflheim). Whether one can easily return is left up to the GM, though it will certainly be challenging to escape the zone of attraction.

Zone of Attraction: The planar interface has created a zone of attraction around the portal that pulls matter toward it. The pull weakens with distance from the portal. In the hex with the portal, the zone pulls with ST 20. Its strength diminished by 1 for each hex (yard) away from it. Thus the attraction can barely be felt from 20 yards away but is difficult to resist as one gets closer to the center. Creatures can resist the pull with a Quick Contest of ST every second. Don’t bother rolling until the pull is at least half the character’s ST.

Example: Grükuk has ST 14. She can safely approach within 14 yards of the portal. If she approaches further, to 13 yards, she will roll a Quick Contest of ST every second between her ST 14 and the portal’s effective ST 7. With each additional yard that she approaches, the portal’s ST will go up by one and she will need to roll again.
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Old 01-16-2023, 08:26 PM   #26
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/13 — Scorched Chamber (map*)

Description: A low (5 feet high) passage leads into this rough-hewn cave. The ceiling rises to 15 feet in the middle. The rock surfaces within the cave appear to be badly scorched. There is little ash and no fuel, but it is apparent that a large fire burned here some time ago. Every surface is coated with a fine, oily soot. The floor and ceiling in the center of the cave have webs of fine cracks, perhaps from the heat. Casting the History spell (Spells, p. 43) does not reveal when the fire occurred (suggesting that it was more than a year ago).
Vision: -10 (total darkness)
Hearing: Normal
Exits: 1 passage (1–1.5 yards wide)

* Instead of using imgur and hitting everyone with ads, I'll start sharing files on Google Drive instead. No login required. Let me know if this is inconvenient for any reason.
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Old 01-16-2023, 08:30 PM   #27
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/14 — Rock Mites (map)

Description: The passages on the east side of this area are being mined by a pod of 13 rock mites (Monsters, p. 47). Roll one die when the delvers come upon this chamber. On a 1–4, the mites are active, and it is easy to hear the grinding sounds of their work. On a 5 or 6, they are “sleeping,” silent and appearing like rubble on the ground.
Vision: -10 (total darkness) in the outer passage; -7 near any active mites from the glow of their super-heated maws. Sleeping mites produce no light, but stand out to infravision.
Hearing: Normal
Exits: Two passages, about two-yards wide, at the north and south ends of the cave.

Hazards
Rock Mites: The initial locations of the mites are indicated by the x symbols on the map. Rock mites are not aggressive if they are left to their own devices. If anyone approaches closer than 2 yards, they will swarm the interloper(s).

Treasure
The mites have digested most items from previous interlopers, but one hapless victim tossed aside a basket that had no interest to the mites.
  • Round woven grass basket with an attached lid and worn leather carrying strap. Holds about 2 gallons or 15 lbs. of material. Enchanted so that any organic material contained won’t spoil, dry out, or attract pests. Currently contains a string of sausages, some hard rolls, and a small stoppered pot of jam. [$500, 1.5 lbs.]
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Old 01-16-2023, 08:35 PM   #28
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/15 — Unholy Runes

Description: This section of tunnel, about 3 yards wide and 4 yards tall, has a series of runes etched on both sides, extending for about 50 yards. There is a slight curve to the passage so even a bright light source won’t reveal how far it progresses. The runes are old, carved deeply into the stone in an unknown language. Some are filled with some sort of pigment. Others are empty. Some have been defaced.

This is a low sanctity area (Spells, p. 5) but it only causes a −3 penalty for clerics because it is no longer actively consecrated to the infernal.

Gift of Tongues (Spells, p. 24) or similar magic will reveal the writing to be prayers to a forgotten god of darkness. (See Evil Aura below.)

Vision: −10 (total darkness)
Hearing: Normal
Exits: This area is a single passage connecting two other areas of the caverns.

Hazards
Sanctity: Low (−3 penalty to clerical spells)
Evil Aura: Moving rapidly through this area is unsettling but causes no harm. Lingering for longer than 15 minutes or reading the evil prayers for more than 5 minutes leads to visions that call for a fright check (at −4 if reading the prayers). Sleeping in the area leads to nightmares that cause another fright check at −8.
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Old 01-16-2023, 08:39 PM   #29
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

I'm finally caught up!

——————————

1/16 — Collapsed Passage (map)

Description: The stone in this area has crumbled quite a bit. The floor is strewn with debris and ahead the roof has partially collapsed.
Vision: -10 (total darkness)
Hearing: Normal
Exits: This passage goes roughly east-west and is 1–2 yards wide (dipping just less than that at one or two points).

Hazards
Unsafe Stonework: If anyone firmly prods the ceiling or walls or if there are loud noises or explosions, roll 3d. On 12+ there is a further collapse with the severity depending on the margin of failure. A 17 or 18 indicates that the passage will be completely blocked.
Rubble: PCs can clamber over the ~5 yards of rubble on the southern side of the passage relatively easily if they take care (Move 1). More rapid traversal requires a roll against DX with a failure causing 1d crushing damage to a foot or leg (DR protects normally).
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Old 01-17-2023, 12:12 PM   #30
ericthered
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

Jan 17 etr

Description: A ten by ten yard room with statues of five people scattered around it, each in very life-like detail:
  • A Wizened old man clutching a staff and a book
  • A Tall armored warrior with a sword, shield, and helmet
  • An Elven woman with a Bow
  • A Squat Dwarf with a big two handed axe, covered in ornate chains and holy symbols
  • A Coleopteran wearing a sash, ruffles, and four carved stone rapiers
The room is made of masonry.



Each of the first four statues (not the coleopteran) is a stone golem with a hidden keyhole somewhere on their person (a simple search roll will find it). If the correct key is found (they're scattered around various nearby parts of the dungeon) and turned in the hole, the golem will stand aside and lift their heavy pedastle to reveal a secret door leading deeper into the dungeon. If someone tries to move the pedestal without the key, the golem will do its best to kill them without leading the room.



The last statue is Kittering Gortilitat, A coleopteran swashbuckler who was turned into stone by Polriket, a wizard he sought to thwart. Kittering wants to find the rest of his party, avenge himself on Polriket, and return home to see just how long he has been dead. Moving his pedestal will trigger a fireball trap doing 3d6 in a 3 yard radius.


Monsters: Four Golems, and Kittering, who has been turned to stone.

Vision: -10 (unlit)
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