Level 2 (FEB) – The Caves Between
Section 2, Cont. (02/08 – 02/14)
Scale: Each square = 20x20 ft.
2.2.5 Piercer Cave (02/12)
Standard cave with 20-ft. ceiling hung with stalactites; floor spiked with stalagmites. The entire south wall opens into the river gorge. A 10-ft. high shelf drops down to a gravel beach.
– (20) piercers (1HD x10, 2HD x5, 3HD x2, 4HD x3) on the ceiling move into position and drop on the party (0-2 piercers per target in the cave, per round).
- Piercer (AC 3, MV 10 ft. per round, HD 1-4, HP VAR; AT 1, DAM 1-6 per HD; SA 95% surprise)
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2.2.6 Mud Trap (02/13)
The river gorge expands into a large cavern encompassing this whole area. The river occupies the north half of the cavern, while the south half is a flat bank of muddy ground. The ceiling in the cavern is 30 ft. high (20 ft. at the outer edge of the mud flat).
–Anyone crossing the mud = 50% of regular move and must roll STR or less on 1d20 to avoid becoming stuck (Move 0 next round; roll STR check to become unstuck).
–(20) piercers (1HD x10, 2HD x1, 3HD x3, 4HD x6) on the ceiling move into position and drop on the party (0-2 piercers per target in this area, per round; "stuck" PCs attract +1 piercer).
–A half-dozen mudmen occupy the muddy ground as well; they emerge after the first round and throw mud.
- Mudman (MMII – AC 10, MV 3", HD 2, HP 4,8,9,13,14x2; AT 1; DAM 0; SA mud-throwing (6" range, ea. hit slows move by 1"; when MV=0, target suffocates (1-8 damage each round) and dies in 5 rounds); SD immune to poison, mind-affecting spells, Dispel Magic and Dig act as Fireball against it, Transmute Mud to Rock kills it).
–Mud-men are created by areas of concentrated magic; these mud-men are the result of a Wand of Wonder buried here beneath 3 ft. of mud (can only be found with Detect Magic).
- Slain mud-men are replaced at the rate of 1/week.
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2.2.7 Crystal Torch (02/14)
A pair of 15-ft. high ledges can only be noticed from the empty cave if someone specifically inspects the ceiling with strong light. The shelf above is low-ceilinged (2-3 ft. high). Toward the back of the cave, something metal glints off any light sources.
–The object is a 2-ft. long, conical cylinder made of "stainless steel" (resembling a torch). It is wedged into the back of the shelf where the floor and ceiling come together.
- The wide end (3-in. diam.) is capped with a rough-cut shard of clear crystal. The narrow end (2-in. diam.) is capped with a gold plate that has (2) thin slots for crystal wafers (a yellow crystal chip is set above one slot).
When a yellow crystal wafer is inserted in the chipped slot, and a wafer of any other color is inserted in the second slot, a glowing glyph (same color) appears on the cylinder. When touched, the crystal shard emits colored light = a torch. Tapping it again turns off the light.
- Additional effects of the light vary depending on the color of the second wafer, but they ALL affect a 20-ft. rad. area. One hour of use consumes both wafers; turning it on for ANY amount of time consumes a minimum of 1 minute.
- Clear = normal light
- Red = heat waves that reduce or prevent cold damage/effects
- Orange = low-strength force-field keeps out small insects, gas/mist, weather, radiation
- Yellow = positive energy that burns undead, demons, devils for 1d6 unless they save vs. aimed magic items each round
- Green = detects poison/disease; heals 1d6 per full 10 min of exposure
- Blue = detects magic
- Dark Purple = resist mental spells/effects (including psionics)
- Light Purple = sheds ultraviolet light (see area as Darkvision)
"The Dark Reservoir"
Level 2 (FEB) – The Caves Between
Section 3 (02/15 – 02/21)
SECTION KEY
2.3.1 Cave Frogs (02/15)
The subterranean river plunges over a 30 ft. waterfall into a frothy pool of dark water before flowing out through a tall fissure to the west. Stalactites dangle from the cavern ceiling. A 15-ft. high ledge runs along the south wall, above a silt and gravel beach. The ledge once spanned the river near the fissure and exited to the north, but the span has collapsed, leaving a 10-ft. wide gap.
–Several giant ant tunnels (2-ft. diam.) on the back wall of the ledge lead up to 1.2.6 (1:d8 chance to encounter 3d3* giant ants here; 25% chance that 1d3* aspis drones are with them).
–1d4+2 giant cave frogs dwell in the 15-ft. deep pool. They surface and attack anyone on the beach. The pool repopulates with 1d3 giant cave frogs every week.
- Giant Cave Frog (AC 7, HD 1-3, HP var; AT 1, DAM 1d3, 1d6, or 2d4; SA tongue attack (6/12/18 ft. range, +4 to hit, bite for max damage if it hits), swallow prey on nat-20)
–Jumping across the gap = roll STR or less on 1d20 (minus armor's base AC modifier). The north ledge is coated with fine grit; successfully landing the jump = roll DEX or less on 1d20 (same jump mods)...
- Fail STR check (jump) = PC falls into the river below and is swept downstream.
Fail DEX check (landing) = PC slips on the grit and slides into a chute to 2.3.2.
2.3.2 Cave Morays (02/16)
An elongated gallery cave with a 20-ft. ceiling hung with stalactites. The cave interior is covered in blooms of rust-colored lichen that teem with thousands of thumb-sized glowworms which feed on the lichen and dimly illuminate the gallery.
–(8) cave morays hide in various cracks and niches in the rock walls. They normally feed on the glowworms, but will strike out at targets that come within reach.
- Cave Moray (MMII – AC 0/5, HD 4+4, HP 15,19,22x4,23,30; AT 1, DAM 2-8; SA surprise on 1-5; SD withdraw into cyst)
–The south end of the cave is a steeply-sloping chute coated with fine grit; traversing it requires rolling DEX or less on 1d20 (minus armor AC mod).
- Fail = fall and slide down remaining slope, continuing 10 ft. into the cave per 5 ft. of slide. A PC who slides into the room will end up prone and in range of 0-2 cave morays.
–There are limitless glowworms here, but unless fed a steady diet of the lichen, they die within 24 hours.
- Crushing one releases a squirt of phosphorescence that sheds dim light in a 5-ft. radius for 1 turn.
Eating one confers Darkvision for the next hour, but while the effect lasts, the eater must make a save vs. poison during times of stress (such as combat) or suffer hallucinations (as Confusion spell). A Neutralize Poison spell ends both effects.
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2.3.3 Piercer Cave (02/17)
Cave with a 20-ft. high ceiling hung with stalactites. Water drips steadily, covering the floor in puddles that drain away through cracks in the floor. Skeletal remains slump against the northwest wall, near a deep alcove. Something on the skeleton glints in the torchlight.
–(12) piercers hang on the ceiling and drop on anyone crossing the cave and/or investigating the bones.
- Piercer (AC 3, MV 10 ft. per round, HD 1-4, HP VAR; AT 1, DAM 1-6 per HD; SA 95% surprise)
–Two large cracks on the south wall are giant ant tunnels up to 1.2.6 (1:d8 chance to encounter 3d3* giant ants here; 25% chance that 1d3* aspis drones are with them).
–The skeletal remains are those of a fighter-type in rusting chainmail, with a battered shield and rusting longsword. The glint is from an ornate necklace (gold and platinum with (4) large rubies = 1,600 gp total) around its bony neck. A rotting leather pouch also holds 346 gp and (4) gems (worth 100, 250x2, 500 gp).
2.3.4 Salt Slide
Cavern with a 20-ft. high ceiling hung with many stalactites; stalagmites bristle from the floor as well (some up to 3-4 ft. high). All surfaces are coated with a thick, glittering crust of pink salt.
–The salt crust conceals a wide sinkhole in the floor (detect as pit trap).
- Any weight of 250 lbs. or more on the shaded area causes the entire crust to disintegrate and dump anyone on it into a steeply-sloping, salt-packed chute to 2.4.2.
- It is impossible to stop or cast spells while sliding.
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