May: Week Five

 Salutations skilled sellswords! Welcome to week five of May's level of my Dungeon 23 mega-dungeon, the Crucible of Oxyus. Below you'll find dangerous foes and glittering treasure in equal measure. Meet the dark stranger who commands the dungeon's ghouls to do his bidding! Marvel at the wonderous treasures he possesses. Flee in fear from the ravenous hordes of undead who seek to devour your flesh and ensnare your soul! All this and this month's encounter table below! And if you like what you read feel free to check out the beginning of the month, or go back to the first month to start from scratch. 

Week Five

5/29: Throne of Darkness

This carved square limestone chamber is 50’ long by 40’ wide with 30’ tall ceilings. A dais, 35’ by 25’, occupies the southeastern corner of the chamber, and a massive throne of black basalt dominates the dais. Sitting on top of the throne is a dusty statue of an armored dwarf with a barbed sword across his lap. The darkness within the chamber seems to drink the light, extinguishing any natural light source that enters the room. A coldness permeates the air, which carries the stench of death upon it.

• North: There is an entrance to the chamber in the northern wall through a stone archway elaborately carved to resemble stacked piles of skulls. Beyond the arch is a natural tunnel-like passageway that leads through a narrow opening to cavern 5/30.
• West: On the western wall of the chamber is an ancient wooden door. The door is stuck fast after years being closed. A natural tunnel leads through the door to either room 5/28, or around the south of this chamber to cave 5/31. The
• Darkness: The darkening corruption that occupies this caverns emanates from the black basalt throne. This supernatural darkness extinguishes natural light sources and halves the range of magical lights by half. Even infravision is reduced by half.
• The Ghoul Seed and its Eternal Servant: The dwarf that sits upon the basalt throne is not a statue as he first appears to be, but the corrupted form of Ulaz Darkaxe, who waits motionless until he must rise again to enact the will of the cursed sword he holds upon his lap. Ulaz came across the cursed blade while exploring the caves over a century ago and eventually fell under its dread influence which corrupted the pious dwarf and enslaved him to further its evil aims.
• Ulaz Darkaxe, Corrupted Dwarven Hero:
• AC 4 [15], HD 6+1**(30hp), Att 1 x magic sword +1 (1d8+1 and Energy Drain, see Oosrengall below) or magic,
• THAC0 13 [+6], MV 60’ (20’),
• SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (6),
• ML 12, AL Chaos, XP 650, TT special
• Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).
• Detect Law: Within 60’.
• Detect Invisible Creatures: Within 60’.
• Command Ghouls: can command ghouls and ghasts to do their bidding.
• Magic: once per day each:
• Dispel Magic: Ends spells of non-instantaneous duration within a 20’ cube area.
• Darkness: 15’ area of magical blackness, preventing normal light.
• Energy Drain: With a successful sword attack, victim permanently loses 1d4 points of CON. If reduced to 0 CON, the victim dies, rising in 1d6 rounds as a ghoul under the sword wielder’s command.
• Summon Ghouls: Summon 2d6+2 ghouls then following round to attack Ulaz’s enemies.
• Magic Resistance: +2 to saving throws against magic.
• Magic Sword: see Oosrengall the Ghoul Seed below.
• Demeanor: Ulaz comes across as cold and unfeeling. If treated with respect, he will warn characters to flee him. Ulaz must enact the will of Oosrengall, but he is also trapped by the curse, unable to die. Because of this, he will attempt to convince those who wish to confront him to flee instead. If he is unheeded, he will stoically call the ghouls of this level to aid him in his attack by using the sword. He will then proceed to attack the weakest characters until they are dead and converted to ghouls. He is an unrelenting attacker. H
• Desires: Ulaz desires above all else to be freed of his curse and allowed to die. He has no other way out of the hell his existence has become.
• Oosrengall, The Ghoul Seed: Oosrengall is an evil, cursed, and sentient sword belonging to the ancient tiger-headed creatures named Rakshasa who once lived here. Oosrengall is the culmination of 500 years of Rakshasa magic. The sword was created by the Rakshasa, a demon-blooded race with the heads of tigers and backwards facing hands. The Rakshasa almost enslaved the entire continent over ten thousand years ago before their empire fell apart. To ensure they would get the most out of their slaves, the Rakshasa sorcerers created Oosrengall to transform their slaves and keep command over them.
• Scimitar +1
• Int 10, Ego 6, Will 16, AL Chaos, Languages Chaotic, Common, Elven, Rakshasa
• Once a day, the sword’s wielder may use:
• Energy Drain: With a successful sword attack, victim permanently loses 1d4 points of CON. If reduced to 0 CON, the victim dies, rising as a ghoul under the sword wielder’s command in 1d6 rounds.
• Darkness: 15’ area of magical blackness, preventing normal light.
• Call the Ghoul Herd: Calls ghouls within 200’ to the command of the sword wielder.
• See Invisible: Within 60 feet.
• See Darkness: Within 30 feet.
• Detect Law: Within 60feet.
• Goals: Oosrengall wants nothing more than to perpetuate its mission, to convert all living non-Rakshasa beings into ghouls under its command. The sword dreams of commanding armies of undead to conquer the rest of the world and bring glory to its now forgotten empire.
• Demeanor: Oosrengall is curt and direct, though not unaffected by flattery. The sword fancies itself an agent of a superior culture and prefers to talk down to “lesser” races. If approached cautiously and with great praise, the sword may be willing to overlook a handful of mortals passing through, but there is usually a price.

5/30: The Bone Cave

This natural limestone cavern is roughly 30’ in diameter with 15’ tall ceilings. There are thousands of bones piled up along the walls of this chamber. They all seem to be generally humanoid in shape. There must be 30-40 people represented in the piles of loose bones. The musky smell of dried bones is heavy here, and the air feels charged with energy.

• East: A narrow cleft in the rock on the eastern end of the cave leads to a narrow tunnel leading to cave 6/1. A blue-green glow emanates from the cave beyond.
• West: The western end of the cave is connected through a narrow hole to a tunnel leading to room 5/29.
• Among the Bones: There are 2d20 gold coins and 2d20 platinum coins scattered underneath the pile of bones. Likewise, a Shield +2 can also be found hidden here.

5/31: The Storeroom

This rough limestone cave is approximately 40’ in diameter with 20’ tall ceilings. The dirt and dust of the caverns is heavy here, and humanoid footprints can be seen entering this room from the west, walking around it, and then exiting the way they came. Scattered on the floor are various golden treasures including goblets and serving plates, among other things. They now lie neglected and covered in dust.

• North: There is an entrance to this cave on the northern wall. An incredibly narrow tunnel there leads to room 6/1. Only small creatures such as halflings and gnomes have a chance to squeeze through to the other side. A blue-green glow emanates from the cave beyond.
• West: There is a natural tunnel that leads to this room from the west. This tunnel is broad enough to be walked through without stooping or shuffling.
• The Gold: There is about 1,000 gp worth of golden objects scattered on the floor here. The collected objects include four goblets with double handles, two large and three extremely large serving platters, and six small candle holders.

6/1: Threads of Emerald and Sapphire

This oblong cavern is made out of natural limestone and measures over 50’ long and is approximately 15’ wide, with a narrow, pointed ceiling terminating 25 feet overhead. The entire cavern is illuminated by long, thin shimmering blue and green threads hanging down from the cave walls and ceiling. The entire cave glows with the mingled light of the emerald and sapphire threads. The soothing glow adds an air of calm to the cavern, only subverted by the fact that it is surrounded by caves full of ghouls. The air here smells clean.

• South: A very narrow cleft in the rock here leads to room 5/31. Only small creatures such as halflings or gnomes could possibly squeeze through.
• East: The southeastern side of this chamber continues on as a tunnel leading through the mountain to room 6/2.
• West: The southwestern side of the chamber contains a narrowing tunnel leading back to cave 5/30.
• The Glowing Threads: These glowing threads are the lure end of a small cave mollusk know by the dwarves as a G’yarj. They hang their threads down in order to entice insects and other small cave creatures to investigate. The hapless creatures are then ensnared by the thread and eventually digested by the G’yarj as they dangle overhead. Ten to fifteen G’yarj cooked over a fire or boiled will make a very delicious meal. The cavern is home to some 5d10 G’yarj.

6/2: The Hall of the Masters

This massive limestone cavern spans almost 100 feet across and is anywhere from 30’ to 40’ wide with 50’ tall ceilings dripping with stalactites. In roughly the center of the cave, six large carnelian statues dominate. On the outside edges are four 15’ tall statues of the tiger-headed humanoids depicted throughout this level. The statues are dressed immaculately in sculpted silk pants and vests, all posed lashing out with evil-looking cat-o-nine-tails at the two central statues. Those two statues depict two masses of naked humans, elves, dwarves, and mantis-people wearing slave collars, heaped together, cowering against their statuary tormentors. The stone floor of the cave is stained a dark brown, and the scent of old blood permeates the atmosphere.

• North: In the northeast of the cave, down a natural tunnel in the stone can be heard the sound of flowing water. This passage leads to room 5/19.
• East: Through a narrow crack in the eastern wall, a tunnel leads further on to cavern 6/3.
• West: The western wall connects this cavern to cavern 6/1 by way of a tunnel.
• A Secret Compartment: Unlike the other statues, the northeastern tiger-headed statue has a visible joint at the elbow of the arm wielding the flail. If the forearm is pulled down, a small compartment on the back of the statute will open. The compartment is one foot by one foot square and half a foot deep. Inside are two identical bejeweled golden holy symbols of a flaming humanoid with a cat-like head and a dark iron flail. The holy symbols’ eyes and cloaks of fire all are studded with rubies (worth 750 gp each). The iron flail is made to be wielded one-handed but is so big that a human-sized combatant would have to use it as a two-handed weapon (1d10, blunt, two-handed, +2 against Lawful creatures).

6/3: Ghouls Among the Dirt

This limestone cavern is roughly 50’ long and 35’ wide with a 20’ ceiling. Scattered throughout the cave are loose piles made up of stone, old wood, and rusting metal. The southern end of the room is crowded by the gnarled rotting bodies of eight ghouls hungrily clawing at something in the corner. The ghouls are focused on their prey and aren’t paying much attention to what goes on behind them in the cave.

• South: There is a narrow cleft in the stone at the southern end of the room. Through the cleft, a tunnel connects this room-to-room 6/4. The sound of frantic Dwarven speech can be heard emanating from the cave.
• East: In the northeast of the cave, another tunnel travels from this cave to cavern 5/4.
• West: The western end of the cavern is connected through a tunnel to room 6/2.
• The Ghouls: When first encountered, the ghouls are engaged in a fight with three dwarves from the Urg’Vesh clan who are holed up in room 6/4. They won’t notice characters who are quiet and don’t disturb them at first, but they will engage them if they are attacked or otherwise alerted to their presence.

6/4: The Redoubt

This natural limestone cavern is approximately 60’ long by 30’ wide with 10’ tall ceilings covered in small stalactites. A seam of metallic green ore runs through the back wall of the cave, and a set of pickaxes and buckets have been placed on the wall next to it. Three dwarven prospectors are fighting for their lives against a host of ghouls trying to push their way into the dead-end cave. The air is filled with Dwarven curses.

• Northwest: A narrow opening in the cave wall here leads to cave 6/3. The way is being blocked by the fighting dwarves and ghouls.
• The Dwarves: These three dwarves wandered off and got lost looking for other locations to mine. They were set upon by the ghouls, and now fear they will die here, away from their kin, forgotten. The three dwarves are named Hunnaz, Lamek, and Vosti. They are all Western Dwarves and so speak in a kind of mush-mouthed Dwarven dialect. They are grateful for any help and will agree to accompany their rescuers and fight alongside them if they can be helped back to their camp in cavern 5/17.
• The Mineral: To dwarves and other characters well-versed in prospecting, geology, or alchemical metallurgy, this mineral is identifiable as yktinite. Yktinite can be smelted and refined into a legendary metal known as umbral steel. Umbral steel is lighter and stronger than regular steel and can be enchanted with spells of shadow and stealth very easily. It makes weapons that resist detection and can deal damage to a foe’s shadow itself. The knowledge to smelt and refine yktinite has been lost to all but the most learned and powerful alchemical smiths.

 

Encounter Table:

1. 2d4 Cave Locusts feasting on the corpse of a dwarven miner.
2. An undead limb writhes across the floor, searching for its body.
3. 1d4 Dwarven miners of clan Urg’Vesh cautiously surveying for precious minerals.
4. The sound of a Cave Locust calling for help in the next room over.
5. 1d6 Ghouls enjoying the remains of a lone adventurer.
6. 1d6 Dwarven miners of clan Urg’Vesh who have gotten turned around on patrol.
7. 1d6 Dwarves in a fight with 1d4 ghouls over the paralyzed body of a dwarf.
8. The skeleton of a Rakshasa (tiger-headed humanoid) mineralized into the cavern wall.
9. 1d3 Giant Cave Crabs looking for a suitable place to lay their eggs.
10. 2d8 Orcs from level 2 who’ve wandered down hunting for food. 

If you like what you've read take a look at my newest non-dungeon article, an abandoned temple generator!