Dungeon ‘23 - Week 8
Week 8 is over and I’ve completed Zone A - The Caves (I finished up February a day early so I could keep the entire zone together). This final week was actually really easy to complete aside from A27 - [Placeholder], which I ultimately decided to keep a fairly empty room. A25 - The Mushroom Village was the most fun, but A28 - The Witch’s Swamp was a close second. I’ve also included the second entrance to the next level, Zone B - The Furnace. Unfortunately I have no idea what to do with that level aside from a few ideas. March is going to be an interesting month…
Zone A - The Caves is complete! On to the next Zone!
A20 - The Chest Chamber
A small chamber, approx. 20’ W x 25’ L.
30 ft. deep chasm cordons off southern ledge, upon which sits a chest.
Chest is locked and trapped. DEX Save vs. a poisoned dart that deals 1d2 STR damage. Poisoned creatures can attempt a STR every 24 hours to ward off the poison, otherwise they suffer another 1d2 STR damage.
Antidote can be found on one of the adventurers in A22 - The Lake Chamber.
Chest contains 500 gp in modern coinage, 250 gp in gems, and a platinum ring inset with a diamond (see below). Also contains a note stating the chest is the property of the “Silver Shield Company.”
Ring of Armor - 7 Charges
A platinum ring with a large diamond inset. The inside of the band is covered in dwarven runes. The wearer can expend a charge to clad themselves in an invisible force that grants themselves Armor (2), as if they were wearing plate mail, for 8 hours. To recharge, place the ring in an active forge for 8 hours.
A21 - The Crossroads Chamber
A small chamber, approx. 20’ W x 20’ L.
Sounds of battle echo from the northwest tunnel - war cries and goblin shrieks.
An intense heat and the scent of sulfur drifts from the southeast tunnel.
A22 - The “Lake” Chamber
A large chamber, stones slick with mist from the small waterfall. Approx. 55’ W x 45’ L.
The chamber is illuminated by torches held by two of the adventurers in the room.
Four adventurers battle six goblins and appear to be winning. One wounded adventurer lays on the ground, clutching her stomach, near death. Three goblin corpses are scattered across the rocky floor.
The adventurers will win if the PCs don’t intervene, but if they are not assisted they will accuse the PCs of being robbers and looters. Their hostility may boil over into violence.
If calmed or aided, the adventurers will reveal themselves to be the surviving members of the Silver Shield Company.
If the goblins survive they will offer to take the PCs back to their town as heroes and will eventually ask them to help with the “stone snek.”
Both sides claim the other side ambushed them. The truth is unknowable.
The water of the lake is still and 40 ft. deep. It is the home to a pair of cave eels.
A painting on the northwest wall depicts the wizard building a wooden man or scarecrow-like figure and bringing him to life.
Adventurer (Fighter) - STR 12, DEX 11, WIL 9 - HP 6
Sword (d6+1) or Bow (d6), Mail (1)
- Fights back-to-back with its companions, protecting unarmored allies.
- Employs sneaky or underhanded tactics to gain an advantage.
- Tries to negotiate or flee if outmatched. Willing to accept most enemies’ attempts to surrender.
Adventurer (Magic User) - STR 8, DEX 10, WIL 13 - HP 4
Dagger (d6), No Armor
- Comes equipped with 1d2 random spellbooks, happy to use them.
- Tries their best to stay out of melee, hangs back.
- Tries to negotiate or flee if outmatched. Willing to accept most enemies’ attempts to surrender.
A23 - The Furnace Entrance
A large cavern with a ceiling that disappears into the shadows above. Stalagmites and stalactites fill the room, breaking up line of sight constantly. Approx. 55’ W x 55’ L.
Piles of slag - some still warm, some cooled and solid - litter the floor. Molten slag falls from the ceiling every 1d4 hours from a random hole in the ceiling that connects to the Furnace above.
A towering golem made from a cast iron furnace, anvils, hammers, and a bell guards a tunnel dug into the eastern wall. It is flanked by four Furnace Imps.
The golem and imps won’t let anyone pass without “the Master’s” (Haborym) permission.
The imps aren’t too bright and know that their Master is looking for new “friends” and will allow anyone that claims they were summoned by the Master through without further questioning (unless Haborym has already dealt with the PCs and considers them enemies).
A painting on the northeast wall depicts the wizard turning the various animals in the castle into beastfolk before giving them weapons and armor and instructing them to defend the castle.
A secret door connecting to A24 - The Gateway Chamber opens up behind the wizard. It cannot be seen by non-magical means from this room.
Furnace Imp - STR 6, DEX 12, WIL 9 - HP 6
Burning Fangs (d6, Dex Save or target takes another d6), No Armor
- A flaming skull with bat wings, flits about chaotically.
- Speaks quickly with a voice that snaps and pops like burning wood.
- Turns invisible and flies away if it fears for its life.
Furnace Guardian - STR 16, DEX 7, WIL 14 - HP 10
Hammer Fists (d8+1), Fiery “Breath” (2d6), Iron “Skin” (2)
- A large golem-like creature with a cast iron furnace for a body, anvils for feet, hammers for fingers, and a massive bell for a head.
- Healed by attacks and spells that deal fire damage. Resists ice and cold.
- Opens furnace door to expel flames in a 25 ft. cone, dealing 2d6 damage unless avoided. Targets must succeed on a DEX save or catch on fire, suffering 1d6 damage each turn until extinguished. Recharges on a 5+ (d6 roll).
- Fearless in battle, directs Furnace Imps to swarm vulnerable creatures. (“Get their wizard!”)
- When “killed” four imps crawl out of the armor, seemingly unharmed but rarely willing to continue the fight.
A24 - The Secret Study
A small room filled with glowing crystals that appear to mimic the local daylight cycle. Approx. 40’ W x 40’ L.
A small desk, several bookshelves, and two unlocked chests are filled with miscellaneous adventuring gear with no clear sign of ownership. Several journals and diaries recounting a variety of adventures can be found in the room. No treasure or spellbooks.
A smooth stone arch with dwarven runes flows seamlessly into a section of the floor, which in turn looks like it was slammed into the ground, cracking the local stone flooring.
If the runes are read aloud, the speaker suffers one fatigue as if they had cast a spell and the portal opens to A7 - The Gate Chamber. The portal remains open for 10 minutes.
From within this room, the secret door leading to A23 - The Forge Entrance is quite obvious.
A25 - The Mushroom Village
Long, narrow cavern split by a spring-fed stream that cascades from a crevasse high in the northern wall. Mushrooms abound and glowing crystals growing out from the wall emit a comfortable light. Approx. 40’ W x 85’ L.
Ground is covered in rich, loamy soil and vibrant moss.
Rich veins of iron ore can be found all over the cave. This is used by Matsumune to craft
This is the home of the cave’s four-armed mushroomfolk, who are led by one Matsumune, the village’s blacksmith and unofficial leader.
Thirty or so mushroomfolk call the caves home. Peaceful enough, but will defend their homes from goblins and other invaders.
The villagers live in houses made from hollowed out, giant mushrooms that appear to still be alive.
If the PCs appear friendly, Matsumune will ask them for two favors:
First, they want the PC’s help destroying the basilisks living in the caves. In return they will happily let them stay in the village as long as they need and will commission new weapons as a reward.
Weapons created by Matsumune are considered superior (+1 damage).
Second, Matsumune’s “son” Shiiyazaki traveled to the surface to search for Matsumune’s greatest creation - the Blade of Fallen Petals. If the PCs find Shiiyazaki in their journeys, Matsumune just wants their “son” returned safe and sound.
In addition to Matsumune’s smithy, the village also has a tavern and a store. No food is sold, as the mushroomfolk do not eat.
The Lifecycle of a Mushroomfolk
The mushroomfolk of Ossifrage’s caves are a strange creature. They begin their lives as tiny spores emitted by an existing mushroomfolk that over the course of several decades will grow and mature until it “awakens.” A notable exception to this rule are graycap mushroomfolk, who grow from spores inhaled or swallowed by a sentient creature. Said mushroomfolk grow rapidly and burst out of their hosts 24 hours later, retaining the host’s memories and personalities. As it is not always clear who the “parent” of a particular mushroomfolk is, the village collectively raises its children, although familial bonds between specific mushroomfolk adults and children inevitably occur and a family is formed.
Mushroomfolk grow slowly, but constantly, with heights ranging from 4 ft. to as great as 20 ft. Most tend to “slumber” after a century or so of life, but others have been known to exist for hundreds of years. When a mushroomfolk no longer desires to live, they enter a hibernation state known as the “slumber.” While incredibly rare, some mushroomfolk do reawaken from their slumbers to resume life.
Having no mouths, mushroomfolk neither speak nor eat. They communicate through the emission of spores that allow them to transmit thought to other sentient creatures (mushroomfolk or otherwise) and they consume nutrients through root-like mycelium at the bottoms of their feet.
A26 - The Basilisk Lair
Small, cramped, filled with stalagmites and stalactites that break up line of sight. Rocky ledge with no obvious egress spans the southern edge of the chamber. Approx. 40’ W x 30’ L.
Cracks in the floor erupt with blasts of scalding steam at random. DEX save to avoid or suffer 1d6 damage (ignores armor).
Steam rises off a hot pool of sulfuric water in the north - acidic enough to eat away at exposed flesh and slowly destroy inorganic material.
“Statues” of adventurers, goblins, and mushroomfolk can be seen scattered around the chamber - as can the non-petrified remains of those unfortunate enough to become meals.
Basilisk nest with three eggs is built in the southeast corner atop the rocky ledge. Random gems, coins, and jewelry items are scattered through the nest. Always guarded by the female basilisk.
1,000 gp in assorted coinage, 500 gp in random gems, and 500 gp in jewelry can be found throughout the nest.
The basilisk eggs could be sold for a high price to the right buyer - an adventure unto itself.
Unless located and killed elsewhere in the dungeon, the Basilisks can be found here, protecting their lair.
The basilisks are sexually dimorphic creatures - the female is much larger while the male is smaller and more serpent-like.
Basilisk, Female - STR 14, DEX 8, WIL 10 - HP 15
Claws x2 (2d8, take highest), Bite (d8 plus poison), Treasure-Studded Hide (3)
- A massive lizard-like creature the size of an eight-legged draft horse. Its scales are thick and encrusted with coins and gems worth 500 gp.
- Protects its nest and eggs, doesn’t leave the chamber, but is also sadistic - prefers to poison and petrify over claw attacks.
- On bite, the target must succeed on a STR save or suffer d6 damage and one fatigue.
- Can petrify with a gaze. Target must succeed on a WIL save or begin turning to stone. First turn the target’s movement speed is halved. Second turn they cannot act. Third turn they are fully petrified. Recharges on a 3+ (d6 roll).
Basilisk, Male - STR 10, DEX 14, WIL 8 - HP 10Bite (d8 plus poison), Slam (d6 plus grapple), Treasure-Studded Hide (2)
- A massive serpent-like creature with eight legs. Its scales are thick and encrusted with coins and gems worth 300 gp.
- Leaves nest periodically to hunt and bring food back to its mate.
- On bite, the target must succeed on a STR save or suffer d6 damage and one fatigue.
- On slam, the target must succeed on a DEX save or be grappled and be unable to move. The basilisk makes attacks against grappled foes with advantage. Can grapple one creature at a time.
- Can petrify with a gaze. Target must succeed on a WIL save or begin turning to stone. First turn the target’s movement speed is halved. Second turn they cannot act. Third turn they are fully petrified. Recharges on a 5+ (d6 roll).
A27 - The Petrified Party
Stone floors and craggy walls with many stalagmites and stalactites. Low-hanging ceiling. Approx. 35’ W x 45’ L.
Bones, rotting carcasses, and broken bits of “statues” are scattered throughout the room.
Gouges in the floor lead to the eastern wall. Close inspection reveals a fissure that a medium-sized creature (or a large snake) could squeeze through.
Three petrified adventures face the eastern wall, weapons and spellbook bared. A sigil on one adventure’s shield matches the Silver Shield Company.
A tunnel leads west, but is blocked by a sign that simply reads “NO GO!”
A28 - The Witch’s Swamp
A medium-sized chamber filled with cloudy, brackish water heavy with the scent of sulfur and iron. The depth is uneven, but the shallowest water still comes up to a human’s waist. Approx. 40’ W x 40’ L.
Large holes in the ceiling often dump runoff from the Furnace level, filling the chamber. Not an impossible climb to the next level, but difficult even with the right tools.
A hollowed out stalagmite on the western “peninsula” is home to the witch Ochrana.
She was exiled by her coven and took shelter in the caves.
Warms up to female PCs and tries to convince them to join her and form a new coven - “I’ll teach you the magic, deary.”
Tries to bewitch male PCs, wants their hair for ensorcelling spells.
A patient and pragmatic witch, willing to make deals and offers enchantments and potions if PCs bring her rare ingredients. Knows that white cap mushrooms reverse petrification.
Has a meager fortune in her home - 2d4 random potions, 120 gp, a spellbook that contains a charm spell.
Ochrana the Witch - STR 8, DEX 9, WIL 16 - HP 4
Athame (d8+1, doubles as Focus*), No Armor
- Cunning, prefers to make deals over using violence.
- Has a spellbook with a charm spell. Target must succeed on a WIS save or be enthralled and loyally serve Ochrana for 5 minutes. While enthralled the target has no sense of self preservation. (If PCs acquire the spellbook the effect lasts for L minutes.)
- Will drink potions in battle to enhance her abilities. Potion effects include increasing her STR and DEX, transforming into powerful animals, healing, and turning invisible.
- Will surrender and swear fealty if she fears for her life and can’t escape. Immediately starts working and wriggling her way out of deal once spared.
