Tunnels Beneath the Earth — Week 6 (#Dungeon23)

"The Waterworks"
Level 2 (FEB) – The Caves Between
Section 1, Cont. (2/1 – 2/7)

2.1.5 Cave Fishers (02/05)
The river splits here; a shifting beach of smooth river-stones has built up against the interior walls. 

–Anyone crossing the slippery rapids or engaging in strong activity (like combat) on the loose beach must roll their DEX or less on 1d20 or fall into the river.

• Cave fishers lurk on the gorge ceiling and snare PCs crossing the rapids/walking on the beach.

–Near the 30 ft. high gorge ceiling—on the interior walls where the river diverges—a pair of ledges look out over each branch of the river. The only way to access this cave is to climb the wet rock. The cave floor is littered with various animal and humanoid bones.

–The cave is the lair of (5) cave fishers.

• Cave Fisher (MMII – AC 4, MV @1", HD 3, HP 9,12x2,14,18; AT 2, DAM 2-8/2-8; SA adhesive trap line strikes as 6HD)

• Only 1d3-1 are in the cave at any time; the rest cling to the gorge ceiling (50/50 to E/W), dangling their filaments to catch bats, lizards, and fish.

• Among the cave detritus can be found a rotting leather sack containing 5,922 sp and 2,046 gp, a suit of +1 Studded Leather Armor, and a Potion of Sweetwater.

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2.1.6 Grimlock Holes (02/06)

A band of grimlocks (or "morlocks") has migrated up from below and now inhabit these caves. Fish bones and scat litter the caves.

• 
  Grimlock (FF – AC 5, HD 2, HP 2-16; AT 1, DAM 1d6 or weapon; SD keen senses (20 ft. rad.), immune to light- or sight-based effects, undetectable when motionless (+1 to Surprise), save as 6F)

• Most grimlocks attack with claw-like fingernails, but 1:6 wields a crude weapon (club, handaxe, spear, etc.) Some (1:6) wear glowing blue crystals on a thong made of twisted hair (these grimlocks have +1 to all saving throws; anyone else wearing the crystal does NOT gain the bonus).

• Grimlocks encountered on levels 1 and 2 come from this particular lair; 1d3* new grimlocks  migrate here through the holes each week, steadily replenishing the population.

(a) Passages from the river slope up, then drop off a 10-ft. high ledge into open cave. A wide hole in the floor leads down to Dungeon Level 3 (3.1.5).

• (11) grimlocks dwell here in filth, along with their rebellious LEADER. This breakaway clan are outcasts from the grimlock city.

• Grimlock Leader (AC 4, HD 3, HP 17; AT 1 (claws or battleaxe), DAM 1-6 or 2-9; SA +1 to hit (battleaxe); SD as standard grimlock). 

• He wields a "stainless steel" battleaxe (blade, head, and haft all one single piece of lightweight metal); incredibly light with a razor sharp blade that never dulls (treat as a +1 Weapon).
• He also wears a glowing blue crystal on a thong (+1 saves as above)

(b) Two wide holes in the cave floor lead to Dungeon Level 3 (3.1.5). (24) grimlocks live here in filth.

(c) A gravel beach has piled up against the gorge wall. A darkened cave enters the grimlock lair.

• Half-buried in the gravel is a moldy human skull; if dug up, a platinum tooth (worth 20 gp) can be recovered.

(d) Two grimlocks beat on a battered "stainless steel" footlocker they retrieved from 1.1.4b. The "key" from 2.1.2 safely opens the footlocker, which contains old clothing, a leather belt and boots, and a medical kit (a metal box containing bandages, tourniquets, (2) stimulant doses = break capsule; smell automatically rouses a sleeping/unconscious person, and (3) painkiller doses = each acts as a Potion of Healing).

• If the clothing is *carefully* checked, a thin (3x6-in.) "card" of impervious blue metal is found in a pocket. If seen at the right angle in the light, a faint pattern of parallel lines can be discerned on the card's surface. A Comprehend Languages spell reveals the lines to be an "authorization to operate."

• Smashing open the footlocker has a 50% chance of destroying each stimulant/painkiller dose.

(e) Empty caves.

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2.1.7 Xorn Feast (02/07)
This isolated cave is filled with crystal blooms (translucent, milky white). A xorn extracts handfuls of crystal, examines each clump with an eye, and then dumps the pieces into its maw. It takes notice of intruders immediately and assumes an attack position to defend its meal.

–Before it attacks, it holds out one hand and points to its mouth with another. If the party offers it precious metal or stones, the xorn devours it greedily and then demands more until it is sated (by at least 500 gp worth). When satisfied, it returns to its meal and leaves the party alone UNLESS they try to damage or remove any crystals.

–The xorn attacks if the PCs withhold payment or try to steal its crystals.

• Xorn (AC -2, HD 7+7, HP 39; AT 4, DAM 1-3 (x3) / 6-24; SA surprise on 1-5; SD immune to fire/cold, electric does half or no damage, affected by earth spells, can pass through earth)
  

• If badly wounded, it sinks into the floor and moves to a new location. It might harass the party later.
  

– If the party does not kill or drive off the xorn, and then returns to this site an hour or more later, they find a pile of 6d3 gemstones (worth (1d3+1)x100 gp ea.), which the creature “left behind.” The stones can be cut and polished by  jeweler to double their value.

 – END OF LEVEL 2, SECTION 1 – 

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"The Lower Caves"
Level 2 (FEB) – The Caves Between
Section 2 (2/8 – 2/14)

Scale: Each square = 20x20 ft.

(a) The shaft (10 ft. diam.) and ladder from 1.4.0d descends 50 ft. to a 10-ft. wide, stone-lined tunnel that runs straight north for 240 ft. It turns west and continues for more than 600 ft. to 2.2.1. Within the last 100 ft. or so, the floor is coated with a dusting of fine sand.

(b) Steep-banked "beaches" of silt and loose river stone; rocky rapids nearby enable crossing river (5-10 ft. deep here).

–Anyone crossing the rapids or engaging in strong activity (e.g., combat) on the beaches must roll their DEX or less on 1d20 or fall into the river.

(c) A hungry giant crayfish lurks among the rocks in these areas (roll special encounter check [1-2:d6] each time party enters water/rapids).

• Giant Crayfish (AC 4, HD 4+4, HP 27; AT 2, DAM 2-12/2-12; SA claw target must roll STR or less on 1d20 or be "pincered" = auto. damage ea. round until STR roll is succ.)

(d) A narrow, crumbling ledge wraps around a deep natural shaft that descends to Dungeon Level 3 (3.2.3).

(e) Empty caves.

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SECTION KEY

2.2.1 Sandling Nest (02/08)

The cave floor is sand/silt; 12-ft. high ceiling with stalactites. The sandy floor hides a giant sandling.

• Giant Sandling (FF – AC 3, HD 8, HP 32; AT 2, DAM 2-16; SD immune to sleep, hold, charm, mind spells)

• During the fight, the entire floor becomes unstable shifting sand (caused by infant sandlings = trip hazard).

–The giant sandling regularly spawns dozens of infant sandlings, out of which 1d3–1 juveniles emerge every week, then leave the nest and seed out into the caves. The crystal basilisk (2.1.4) actively hunts these sandlings for food.

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2.2.2 Skeleton Pool (02/09)
The sinkhole slope from 1.4B.3 drops 50 ft. to a rock shelf overlooking a flooded cave (5 ft. above water surface; water depth = 3 ft.) On the far side of the cave is another rock shelf (8 ft. above the water) and a tunnel exit. Water pours in through a fissure next to it.

–The water drains out through hundreds of small cracks in the floor.

–(12) skeletons lie on the cave floor, concealed beneath the murky water. They awaken and arise when living beings are near.

• Skeleton (AC 7, HD 1, HP 2x2,3,4x2,5x3,7x2,8x2; AT 1, DAM 1-6; SD immune to cold, sleep, charm, hold, mental attacks)

–When the skeletons are killed, the water currents here constantly swirl the loose bones around, eventually reassembling 1d3* skeletons each week.

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2.2.3 Stony Guardian (02/10)
The stairway from 1.4.7a descends west 30 ft., then turns north and descends another 20 ft. to a stone-lined passage that runs more than 500 ft. to this chamber: a natural cave roughly-hewn into a gallery with a 15-ft. high ceiling (no stalactites or stalagmites; several large boulders on the floor). The west end of the room narrows—cone-like—to a 10x10x10-ft. wide alcove where a pile of rocks blocks the archway. A cave-like tunnel exits the gallery at the opposite end.

–The pile of rocks is a resting galeb-duhr. When it becomes aware of the party's presence (light, noise, etc.), it awakens and forms up into a shape that strongly resembles the Colossal Head, but with stubby arms and legs.

• Galeb Duhr (MMII – AC -2, HD 10, HP 70; AT 2, DAM 4-24; SA spells, animate boulders; SD immune to normal fire and lightning, but take full damage from magic fire (+4 saves), takes double dam. from cold (-4 saves) – Spells (as 20MU, once/round): Move Earth, Stone Shape, Passwall, Transmute Rock to Mud, Wall of Stone)

• It casts Wall of Stone over the archway and then aggressively defends the area, animating 1-2 boulders to assist it if necessary (AC 0, MV 3, HD 9, HP 36, 40, 47; AT 1, DAM 4-24).

–If the party simply passes through the room without approaching the archway, the galeb duhr does not attack. Any attempt at communicating with it is met with stone-cold silence. When the Wall of Stone spell expires, the galeb duhr reverts to an inert pile of rocks.

–In the back of the alcove is a secret door (a suspiciously smooth panel of stone wall pushes in and slides aside; closes automatically after 30 sec.)

• Beyond is a 20x40 ft. stone-lined chamber with 15-ft. high barrel-vaulted ceiling. At the far end is an arched staircase down to Dungeon Level 3 (3.2.2).

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2.2.4 Bat Cave (02/11)
Large open cave with a 30-ft. high ceiling covered with stalactites; floor spiked w/stalagmites. Dozens of giant bats dangle from the ceiling. An enormous (30-ft. diam., 12-ft. high) mound of guano glistens in the party's torchlight; it is covered in hundreds of foot-long roaches. 

–There are 72 giant bats and ~600 aggroaches currently in the cave. Each round the party spends in here, they are attacked by 0-3 giant bats AND 2-8 aggroaches (choose targets randomly).

• Giant Bat (FF – AC 8, HD 1, HP 1-8; AT 1, DAM 1-4; SD attackers w/<13 DEX are -3 to-hit w/missiles, echolocation)

• Aggroach* (ZA – AC 7, HP 1; AT 1, DAM 1)

  *Appears courtesy of Zenopus Archives.
  

–The giant bats feast on the aggroaches, which then feed on the guano and dead bats in a perpetual cycle.

• As long as both populations remain above 50%, they replace losses by 2d3* giant bats and 20d10* aggroaches per week.
• If populations reduced to 25-50%, repopulation rate is halved.
• Below 25%, reduced repopulation rate only occurs monthly until back above 50%.
• Below 10%, repopulation stops.

–If someone tunnels into the bat guano, they discover a stone chest on a 10-ft. diam. dais. The heavy lid comes off; chest contains (20) 1-ft. diam. silver platters (100 gp ea.) and (4) 2-ft. diam., 1 ft. deep golden bowls (250 gp ea.). These items are plainly-crafted with no adornment.
 

– END OF WEEK 6 –
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