Dungeon ‘23 - Week 23

Week 23 was a tough one to get finished. Normally I get to work remotely and can tinker with my Dungeon ‘23 project between meetings and calls, but this week I spent most days in the office (which is an hour away), which really cut into my ability to fill out this level. Fortunately I had drawn a few rooms in advance and had some notes from last week, so I was able to get everything written up over the weekend.

This week finally introduces Syr Waltheof FitzAllen, the Castellan of the Castle of the Mad Sorcerer Ossifrage! The boxer-headed beastfolk is a very important individual within the dungeon and has been referenced multiple times in previous posts, but now the dogman of honor has finally arrived. I was very excited to get his room written up and provide another “prompt” for the PCs to complete the real “quest” in the dungeon - the exploration of the four beasts’ towers. Zone B introduces this quest via Haborym, but given that he’s a big bad demon and not to be trusted, I figured having a more “heroic” figure also try to coerce the PCs will make those who aren’t influenced by large amounts of treasure more likely to risk their necks in the dungeon’s most dangerous reaches.

Anyway, I hope everyone continues to enjoy reading about The Castle of the Mad Sorcerer Ossifrage!

F5 - The Chamber of Lord Cember & the Lady Mayfly

Light: Medium, candelabra in the corner and iron chandelier hang from the ceiling.

• A four-post bed with a canopy dominates the room. Armoire filled with fine clothes (worth 3,000 gp) and smaller dresser with a few personal effects (wallet with 700 gp).

• Brass chamberpot half tucked beneath the bed.

• Small (non-magical) portrait near bed hides a locked safe. Lord Cember holds on to the safe key at all times.

• Safe contains a pair of spellbooks, four scrolls, a platinum ring with a diamond inset (5,000 gp), a signet ring of House Cember (500 gp), and a lockbox containing emerald dust (8,000 gp). (Feel free to use your favorite old school spellbooks, as in the AASB rules. Scrolls function as spellbooks, but crumble after one use).

F6 - The Chamber of Lord Pril & the Lady Sawfly

Light: Medium, candelabra in the corner and iron chandelier hang from the ceiling.

• A four-post bed with a canopy dominates the room. Armoire filled with fine clothes (worth 10,000 gp) and smaller dresser with a few personal effects (wallet with 2,000 gp).

• Brass chamberpot half tucked beneath the bed.

• Small (non-magical) portrait near bed hides a locked safe. Lady Sawfly holds on to the safe key at all times.

• Safe contains a fine journal with a dragon skin cover (worth 7,500 to the right buyer). Inside the journal are long, complex names. Those with understandings of the arcane recognize them as true names that can give the speaker power over an individual creature.

• Also contains a gold necklace (1,000 gp) with 7 rubies that each appear to have a fire dancing within them, a lockbox with 8,000 gp in fey coinage, a signet ring of House Pril (500 gp), and a vibrantly painted ivory mask (3,000 gp).

• The rubies glow with the light of a torch. Throwing one of the rubies creates a large fireball that deals 6d6 damage to a small area, but the ruby is consumed by the action, leaving only ash.

F7 - Unoccupied Guest Chambers

Light: Medium, candelabra in the corner and iron chandelier hang from the ceiling.

• A four-post bed with a canopy dominates the room. A nearly empty armoire and a smaller dresser.

• Brass chamberpot half tucked beneath the bed.

• Small (non-magical) portrait near bed hides a locked safe. Key can be found in the armoire.

• Safe contains an empty lockbox and a small key to open it.

• The room is offered to the PCs by Syr Waltheof FitzAllen if they prove to be his ally.

F8 - Eastern Parapet

Light: Bright during the day (sunlight), low during the night (moon and starlight).

• Open-air parapet, bordered with crenelated battlements.

• Three Animated Suits of Armor stand guard, ready to jump to the defense of the keep, its soldiers, or its servants.

• Provides commanding view of the inner courtyard and the outer ward.

Animated Armor - STR 13, DEX 8, WIL 10 - HP 4

Sword (d6+1), Shield (1)

- Indistinguishable from statues or decoration when immobile.

- Hold a sword and shield at the ready, attack perceived threats without provocation.

- Fights to the death.

F9 - The Solarium

Light: Bright during the day (sunlight through large windows), medium during the night (iron chandelier hanging from the ceiling).

• Open space with a circular table for meetings, several overstuffed couches facing the windows, and a bar tended around the clock.

• Honored guests relax here.

• Tall glass windows (magically reinforced to be strong as iron) provide a commanding view of the local terrain.

• Stairs wrap along the wall, leading to the third floor of the tower.

F10 - Castellan’s Corridor

Light: Medium, wall sconces give off warm light and arrow slits let in narrow beams of sunlight.

• A corridor connecting the Castellan’s various chambers. Three locked doors on the south wall and doors on the east and west ends connecting to different towers

• Lush red carpet runner stretches from one end to the other, muffling footsteps.

• 6 portraits depicting highly decorated beastfolk knights.

• Most are self-serious, observing and speaking with one another and the guards and servants politely, albeit somewhat icily.

• Keep a close watch on the locked door, ready to shout out warnings if anyone suspicious comes through - no doubt worried they’re escaped prisoners.

• 5 Animated Suits of Armor stand at the ready.

F11 - The War Room

Light: Medium, wall sconces and the fireplace give off warm light.

• Locked door, reinforced with orichalcum bars and a portcullis.

• Small room dominated by a table covered in maps and journals. 

• Four bookshelves packed with tomes, scrolls, and grimoires. 

• A large map depicting the local region hangs from the southern wall. Changes automatically whenever the castle moves to a new location.

• A large fireplace is tucked away in the southeast corner. The Great Demon Haborym can be summoned into this fireplace to speak with the Castellan if needed.

• Syr Waltheof FitzAllen, the Castellan can be found within this room at nearly all hours, accompanied by three bear-headed paladins and pestered by Lord Vember, who is accompanied by two retainers.

• A boxer-headed beastfolk knight going gray around the muzzle and eyes. In the winter of his life.

• Has been running the castle for the last several years without aid from Master Ossifrage - has to constantly deal with the Gardener and the Great Demon Haborym, both of whom have grown bold with the master’s disappearance.

• The Gardener merely annoys Syr Waltheof, but he hates Haborym.

• The Castellan fears that Master Ossifrage is dead or has otherwise abandoned the castle, but he cannot defy his orders and enter the Master’s Tower himself. Syr Waltheof hopes to return the Master’s attention to his subjects and put an end to the fighting between the Beastfolk, the Gardener, and the Great Demon Haborym.

• Hopes the PCs can help him - he needs four keys guarded by the Beasts (Lips, Skiron, Kaikias, and Euros) in order to enter the Master’s tower and ensure that Ossifrage hasn’t disappeared.

• However, Syr Waltheof cannot enter any of the Beasts’ towers, nor Ossifrage’s own tower due to an oath he swore when named castellan.

• Offers them keys to get into each tower, but warns them that he has no control over what happens in them - the Beasts are masters of their own domains.

• Promises the PCs access to all of the treasures in C16 - The Lair of Zonasabrahascalon, free lodging, knighthoods, and an oath of friendship betwixt the PCs and beastfolk if they do this, plus he will vouch for them if they beseech Ossifrage for additional boons or rewards.

• Lord Vember, Faerie Courtier - A towering man with features like polished wood. A great moth blocks much of his face with its powdery wings. He wears armor of smooth birch bark and a cloak of autumnal leaves.  On his hip is a quiver containing a fine bow and thorn-tipped arrows. The husband of Lady Gadfly, and completely unaware that she wishes him dead.

• Laughs off any warnings of the Lady Gadfly’s plans, assuming it’s a game for his “bored little wife.”

• Secretly working with the Great Demon Haborym, who promises to send the tower to the Realm of Faerie in exchange for his four pieces of heart.

• Tries to get the keys from Syr Waltheof, but has been very unsuccessful thus far. Will stalk the PCs, attempting to beg, barter, or steal the keys to the four towers from them.

Syr Waltheof FitzAllen - STR 13, DEX 9, WIL 16 - HP 9

Sword of the Castellan (d8+1), Plate (2) & Shield (1)

- Archaic but refined speech devoid of usual animal noises.

- Finely crafted but antique armor with an ornate tabard.

- Fights with honor, but more than willing to drop the facade when dealing with a true enemy to their master, the Sorcerer Ossifrage.

Sword of the Castellan - d8+1 (Superior, Martial)

An exquisitely crafted blade that wards the wielder against harm, both magical and mundane. While held in hand the sword prevents the wielder from dying, no matter the punishment brought upon them by their enemies. However, the wielder cannot leave the castle and is compelled to fight all enemies of Master Ossifrage, no matter how dangerous.

Beastfolk Paladin - STR 15, DEX 10, WIL 14 - HP 8

Greatsword (d6+2, reach), Plate (2)

- Archaic speech peppered with animal sounds. Most have the heads of wolves, bears, or boars.

- Finely crafted but antique armor with an ornate tabard.

- Fights with honor, but more than willing to drop the facade when dealing with a true enemy to their master, the Sorcerer Ossifrage.

Vember, Lord of the Realm of Faerie - STR 12, DEX 13, WIL 15 - HP 8

Thornbow (d8+2), No Armor

- Shrewd and cunning, but cursed with great arrogance.

- Attempts to persuade or bargain, making empty promises. In battle stays at a range, letting his servants do the fighting.

- Vulnerable to iron weapons. Immune to enchantments that charm, confuse, or lull to sleep.

Thornbow - d8+2 (Superior, Martial)

A finely made, polished yew bow that while well-crafted is otherwise quite mundane. The quiver, however, contains thirteen arrows with leaves for fletching and thorns for arrowheads. Whenever the arrows strike earth, 1d4 spined vines burst from the ground and lash about at random (d6). Mundane arrows placed in the quiver are slowly transformed into the magical versions over a 24 hour period.