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!

May: Week Four

 Salutations savage spelunkers! Welcome to week four of May's dungeon level in my fantasy mega-dungeon, The Crucible of Oxyus. Within the caverns below you'll discover wonderous treasure, vile undead cannibals, and mysterious phenomena far from the light of the sun. Will you and your party live to spend your gold in ease, or will your corpses be but more bones to feed the hungry dead? Read on and find out below!

Week Four

5/22: The Cave of Crystals

This oddly shaped large limestone cavern is 50’ long and 70’ wide with low ceilings only 10 feet in height. The floor here sparkles with crystal sand and the whole cave is covered in a resplendent carpet of multicolored crystals. These crystals glow with an inner light. The smell of the earth is strong in this place.

• South: The entrance to the cave is found in the southern part of the cavern. A natural passageway runs east to west connecting to this­­ room and cavern 5/24 at its western most point.
• East: Sand and debris has collected over the years in the northeastern side of the cavern. This rubble hides a small crack in the rock which is visible if the cavern is searched. This crack can be widened and cleared of debris, revealing a secret natural tunnel to cavern 5/23. The tunnel is very tight though, and those who traverse the passageway must crawl to do so.
• The Crystals: The carpet of crystals that blankets the walls of the cavern are no bigger than a thumb. They glow all different shades of blue, red, green, yellow, orange, purple, and pink. This special glow has a calming effect on living creatures inside the cave. Those who sleep within the cavern will wake feeling well rested.

5/23: The Secret Shrine of Ulaz Darkaxe

This is a small limestone cave, only about 20’ in diameter with low five-foot-tall ceilings. In one of the natural niches eroded into the cave wall, a helmet-sized polished black basalt stone lies. The stone is roughly egg shaped with a small dwarven glyph carved on the side. The air here is very still.

• West: The only way out of this cavern is through a narrow tunnel on the western end of the cave that leads to room 5/22.
• The Stone: This is an Oghvin Stone, a sacred depiction of the god of mountains, Ulgantar, whom the dwarves call Agen Ataar and worship as their chief deity. The glyph etched into the stone is an invocation of protection by the dwarven explorer Ulaz Darkaxe beseeching his god for aid. If the stone is cleaned and proper offerings of beer and blood are poured over it, the entire party will receive a +1 bonus to their next saving throw as a blessing from the god of mountains.
• The Stash: The floor of the cavern has clearly been disturbed in the past, and investigating the area of most disturbance will reveal an old sack. Inside the sack can be found a golden holy symbol of Agen Ataar (worth 100 gp), 50 platinum coins, a small pouch containing six large rubies (worth 400 a piece), and an ornate dwarven war hammer (this is Ulaz Darkaxe’s legendary War Hammer +3, Thunderbolts). 

5/24: The Breeding Vats

This rough limestone cave is roughly 45’ long by 30’ wide with ceilings up to 20’ in height. Large stalagmites jut up from the cave floor up to 15’ in height. The air here is moist and cold. On one side of the room, two corroded bronze vats filled with a thick pink liquid slowly bubble and steam. The distant buzzing of insects can be heard from the southeast.

• North: A narrow natural tunnel connects this cave to a larger passageway to the north. The tunnel is so narrow that characters will have to squeeze to get through.
• South: Behind one of the stalagmites is a crack in the wall that leads through a very narrow opening before it further opens up to reveal a long tunnelway that connects to cavern 5/28 in the south.
• East: There is a passage in the southeast of the cave that leads through a tight-fitting tunnel corridor to room 5/26.
• The Vats: This is some long-forgotten experiment that has been sitting down here for centuries. Within the thick pink liquid are the half-living remains of clones of Oxyus of Fenebrahn. The clones are not much more than gooey half-humanoid forms. They were never finished and do not contain any of the wizard’s memories. They will imprint on the first person to pull them from their gooey torpor and follow them around like a puppy. They can understand simple commands in Common, though they can only make odd atonal grunts and screams. The liquid inside the vats can be bottled and drank as a Potion of Longevity. Only 1d4 potions worth can be scavenged, however.

 

5/25: The Susurrating Darkness

This small limestone cavern is 15-20’ in diameter with a 20’ tall ceiling. The walls and ceiling of this cavern are studded with two-foot-deep holes. Many of these holes are filled with large Cave Locusts that have built nests there. The stench of their caustic spit is overwhelming within the confined space, and the noise of their wings beat loudly.

• South: A crooked tunnel leads to this cavern from room 5/26. Its narrow confines make traveling through the passage slow and awkward.
• The Locusts: There are 2d6 Cave Locusts nesting in the walls of this chamber. They spook easily and will attack characters who disturb their rest. Scattered amongst their droppings on the cavern floor are 1d20 gold coins left here from a previous explorer.

5/26: The Causeway Cave

This approximately 55’ long limestone cavern is roughly 35’ wide with 30’ tall natural stone ceilings. A natural stone causeway traverses the middle of the chamber before exiting to the south. The stone walkway is a naturally occurring series of stalagmites that have fused over the years into a natural arched causeway standing 15’ above the cave floor. The sound of insect wings can be heard to the north. The cave smells of animal stink and death. A few bones litter the floor, pushed over time into the corners of the room.

• North: The northern end of the cave narrows into a tunnel that bends north to cave room 5/25.
• South: The causeway on the southern side of the cave becomes a tunnel south to room 5/27.
• West: The causeway on the northern side of the cave joins the wall of the cave and becomes a tunnel back to the vats of room 5/24. Three torch stubs and an empty boot are scattered about the causeway on this side. 

5/27: The Cave of Faces

This is an oddly shaped limestone cavern roughly 15-20’ in diameter with tall stalagmites that reach almost to the ceiling. The roof of the cave is about 15’ in height. The entirety of this cave, including the stalagmites, walls, and ceiling, are covered in sculptures of human, elven, dwarven, and mantis-person faces. The faces are heavily stylized, and all depict faces of terror and fear. The faces carved into the cave all seem to be staring toward the southwest tunnel entrance. The tops of the stalagmites here all bear the dark brown stains of dried blood.

• North: The northern wall connects to room 5/26 by way of a short tunnel.
• East: On the southeastern end of the cave is a tunnel roughly eight feet in diameter that leads to cave 5/18.
• West: On the southwestern wall of the cave a short 25’ long tunnel leads to room 5/28.

5/28: Of Ghouls and Gold

This convoluted limestone cavern is approximately 50’ in diameter with a 20’ tall ceiling. There is a tall stalagmite in the northern end of the cave and a wider, squatter stalagmite in the south. The floor of this cavern is scattered with various golden objects. Goblets, jewelry, and other beautiful treasures lie scattered about in neglected heaps. Five ghouls are carrying the golden objects out of the tunnel to the south and dropping them on the ground in here. They seem to move with a predetermined purpose, though who or what commands them remains a mystery.

• North: A narrow fissure in the rock on the northern end of the cavern opens up to a more comfortably wide natural tunnel running to room 5/24.
• South: Past the stalagmite at the southern end of the cave is a tunnel leading further into the mountain. It is from this tunnel that the ghouls seem to be entering the room.
• East: A short passageway on the eastern wall connects this cavern with cave 5/27.
• The Gold: There is 3,000 gp in golden objects scattered about the room. Most are goblets, plates, silverware, and jewelry. There is a smattering of gold coins stamped with a tiger’s face on them as well.
• The Ghouls:  These ghouls are being commanded to carry treasure here from another room in the dungeon. They will attack anyone who gets in their way or tries to take any treasure. Otherwise, they will begrudgingly avoid characters who enter or pass through this cavern.

May: Week Three

 Salutations sinister spelunkers! Welcome to week three of the Crucible of Oxyus! This week we continue our exploration of the caverns and tunnels of level four. Read on to discover what fate awaits you! below you'll find caves filled with a sinister seething magical darkness, hunger-touched ghouls, and a company of dwarven miners striking it rich! Enjoy!

Week Three

5/15: The Waiting Silence

This chamber is a large, natural limestone cavern roughly 55’ at its widest and 75’ at its longest. The room has a ceiling that arches overhead as high as 25’. The southern half of the cavern is raised approximately 10 feet above the northern half by a ledge. The darkness that permeates this cavern is unlike normal darkness. Its inky blackness strangles natural light sources, dowsing any open flame brought into the chamber.  The air here is also thick with the sensation of being watched, as though the darkness itself was a skulking predator waiting to pounce.

• North: There is a natural tunnel in the northwestern corner of the cavern that leads to a larger north/south-running tunnel. Characters may turn south to enter room 5/16 or turn north where another larger tunnel crosses east to west. The eastern end of the passageway leads back in the direction of room 5/8. The western path leads onward to room 5/17.
• South: A passageway in the southern end of this chamber leads directly to room 5/20.
• The Darkness: The darkness within this chamber is a remnant of the magical corruption that seeps from room 5/21. This supernatural darkness extinguishes natural light sources and halves the range of magical lights. Even infravision is reduced by half. If the spell Bless is cast as a ritual (taking 20 minutes to cast) it will destroy the magical darkness within the chamber for 24 hours and allow natural fires to burn within. If the magical darkness is dispelled, it becomes apparent that the walls have been covered in ancient cave drawings. Some are of gigantic bipedal lizards with mouths full of sharp teeth, while others show crude depictions of tiger-headed humanoids with backwards hands hunting woolly quadrupedal mammals with large horns on their snouts.

5/16: The Mossy Darkness

This moss-covered limestone cavern is roughly 90’ wide and 55’ long with 30’ tall ceilings. The walls of this chamber are covered in a variegated red and blue moss that has small blue fruiting bodies. The loamy smell of fresh earth and moss is pungent in this chamber. A small, shallow creek has formed further to the north of this chamber and flows down into the cavern and out to the south, the sound of trickling water bouncing off the stones.

• North: The small creek runs down the natural stone steps in the north of the chamber and out through to the south. The northern tunnel that the creek travels through connects up to rooms 5/15 and 5/17, and eventually back towards room 5/8.
• South: There is a narrow tunnel leading down and out of this chamber to room 5/19. This tunnel leads down over a natural set of limestone steps.
• East: In the northeast of the cavern is a tunnel leading east to room 5/20.
• West: In the southwest of the cavern is a convoluted tunnel leading eventually to room 5/18. The musty smell of mushrooms wafts from that direction.
• The Moss: This is a type of cave moss known as Miner’s Respite. The dried moss can be steeped into a tea that, once drunken, heals 1d6 hp and leaves the body feeling like it has had a good night’s rest regardless of how long it has been since the imbiber has actually rested. There are 1d6 uses of moss clinging to the walls of the cavern near the running water that flows through the cave.

5/17: The Dwarves

This cavern is absolutely massive. At its longest it runs over 170 feet with a width between 20 to over 100 feet. There are stalactites and stalagmites strewn about the eastern half of the chamber, making the ceilings here appear convoluted.  The length of the formations vary from 10 to 50 feet. The western end of the cavern houses a small mining camp of over 20 well-armed dwarves. The dwarves are industriously mining away at large veins of a metallic green ore that covers the walls of the cavern. The sounds of pickaxes and mumbled Dwarvish trickles out from their encampment. The ghostly green-blue light of three lit brass braziers pull lurid shadows of aquamarine and pale cornflower blue across the cave walls.

• East: The eastern end of the cavern is connected to the large tunnel with flowing water in it that continues south past the narrow entrance to this chamber. The eastern end of the cavern is full of stalactites and stalagmites of various sizes that obscure views through the cave. The light from both the special braziers (see below) and the dwarves’ cooking fire is not easily apparent from the cave entrance.
• West: The only other way into the cave is in the western wall of the cavern. The passageway narrows and the ceilings drop down to five feet in height, making it difficult for those of human stature to pass without stooping. There is a lit brazier just like the others within the cavern only 15 feet down the passageway.
• The Braziers: The braziers are made of heavy brass bands etched with arcane dwarven runes that glow a light blueish-purple. As long as the fires in the braziers are kept lit, their light will ward the area from any undead who may try to physically enter the illumination cast by the pale greenish-blue fires. If they do enter, they immediately take 2d8 magical damage every round that they stay within the glow of the strange magic braziers until they leave.
• The Dwarves: These are the miners of clan Urg’Vesh, dwarves of the western continent who refer to themselves as Gworefs in their own tongue. This is the host of the brothers Izzkan Hardstone and Hendin Wayfinder who have come to these caverns to mine the rare and precious minerals found here. Both use the same stats as Dwarfs except they are HD 4 and have an AC of 17, having plate armor and shields. They wield warhammers and throwing axes. Hendin has +1 to all rolls. The brothers have assembled a motley band of miners. The miners wield pickaxes and boot knives if they have to take up arms.
• Mein: The Gworefs of the western continent have skin of steel grey to charcoal black, with luminous eyes ranging from emerald green to sapphire blue to amethyst violet to gold or silver. Their hair ranges from coal black to auburn to a coppery metallic red.
• Demeanor: The dwarves of clan Urg’Vesh are Lawful in alignment and though cautious, they will entreat with living characters who do not menace them or their operations. If shown respect and kindness they will reciprocate, and they can become a welcome ally to more Lawful parties exploring the Crucible. While Ulak is quiet and contemplative, he loves ale and isn’t above telling a bawdy joke or two. Hendin is the younger of the brothers. He is always smiling, even when furious. He loves poetry and has quite the singing voice.
• Goals: The brothers have two main goals while they are down here. Firstly, they are looking for the remains of their ancestor Ulaz Brightaxe, hero of dwarven legend. Secondly, they are looking for the fabled mineral deposits Ulaz went in search of. They hope to mine a sizeable seam of yktinite and make a fortune selling it in their city where there are smiths that can still smelt umbral steel from the raw ore. While searching for information on the whereabouts of Ulaz Darkaxe they stumbled upon a lead - an ancient map scribbled on by Ulaz with the location of a large deposit of fabled yktinite. Ulaz had made a copy of the map and disappeared into the mountains over a century and a half ago in search of the deposit, never to be heard from again. The brothers financed this expedition through the mountains and into this dungeon, coming down from a large crack in room 5/10. They have not been able to meaningfully search for their kin though after they set up the mine, having been attacked multiple times by the hungry ghouls who wander this level of the dungeon.
• Threats: The dwarves have lost men to the ghouls who lurk throughout this level. They will warn friendly characters about the supernatural darkness to the south (in rooms 5/15, 5/20, and 5/21) and that some more dangerous malevolence stalks the halls furth to the southwest, though they know not what it is. The dwarves have learned from experience that the ghouls like to congregate in the supernaturally-darkened caverns. If confronted with violence the dwarves will make a good show of it. They are used to working as a team and all the miners have spent time as militiamen and will utilize overwhelming force and tactics to crush any who attack them.
• Means: The dwarves have pickaxes and boot knives, and their leaders wield warhammers. They have all the mining equipment they could need, including rope, pitons and hammers, torches, flint, tents, etc. They also have roughly three months of rations left. Hendin has a Luckstone that grants him a +1 to all die rolls. They did not come totally unprepared for the undead though. The magical braziers (see above) were brought by the brother’s other now-dead brother Nuri. Nuri was a priest of Agen Aatar, whom the dwarves revere above all other gods. He died soon after they arrived, having been one of the dwarves killed by ghouls. With his passing the dwarves now fear they have lost the favor of their Mountain Lord.
• Needs: The dwarves need a lot. They are in a stalemate with the ghouls who can’t enter the chamber due to the braziers (see above) and the dwarves fear an attack if they leave the chamber to haul their ore back up the rope in room 5/10. They need help to get their ore out of the dungeon as well as to hold off the ghouls if they do show up again.
• Quests: The dwarves seek any news of their ancestor Ulaz Darkaxe and his fabled Warhammer of Thunderbolts. They also wish to see the destruction of their ghoulish fallen dwarf comrades (they hate the undead and think of them as a perversion).
• Gworef Names: Roll once for a first name and once for a nickname. 
• First Name                                                                     Nickname

1. Ulaz                                                                              Brightlantern
2. Unak                                                                             Greymantle
3. Ysval                                                                            Sharptongue
4. Ytzark                                                                           Sureboot
5. Sulrai                                                                            Truehammer
6. Zetrin                                                                            Foeclaw
7. Zesimmal                                                                      Redtooth
8. Summaz                                                                        Axethrower
9. Ynvoch                                                                         Mountainsinger
10. Doltaz                                                                           Rainseer
11. Olomhin                                                                        Candlecutter
12. Delgash                                                                         Flamebrow
13. Romhok                                                                         Shrewdmantle
14. Fenzis                                                                            Greencloak
15. Frekmal                                                                         Gemnose
16. Ustozai                                                                           Orehammer
17. Matik                                                                              Deepmind
18. Remmen                                                                         Dreadtemper
19. Aghlesh                                                                          Highboots
20. Votunaz                                                                                Bluehood

• 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.
• The Chest: Obscured behind one of the tents is a narrow crack in the rock that runs over 20 feet before terminating in a dead end. Hidden here is a thick wooden chest with a large steel lock on it that houses the clan’s pay for the expedition. (A total of 400 platinum coins.)

5/18: Mushroom Groves

This chamber is a rough limestone cavern stretching over 55’ long and 35’ wide with 35’ ceilings. The entire cavern is filled with large violet mushrooms as tall as an adult human. Smaller toadstools nestled amongst their larger brothers give the entire cavern the look of a forest grove somehow existing deep underground. The air within the cavern is thick with the musty stench of fungal spores. A tipped-over rusted lantern rests in middle of the chamber, its flame long since extinguished.

• North: This chamber can be accessed on its northern end by a narrow tunnel coming from room 5/16.
• South: The southern end of the cave stretches into a tunnel that winds down and to the west.
• The Mushrooms: Scattered among the more ordinary mushrooms in the chamber are 2d4 Shriekers, large person-sized purplish toadstools that emit a high-pitched shriek when they are exposed to light or vibrations. They are not the true danger though, as growing throughout the cavern can be found 1d6+1 Violet Funguses, which appear very similar to Shriekers but will actually attack characters who get too close.
• The Underbrush: The bones of many dead humanoids can be found scattered about the undergrowth if the room is thoroughly searched. As well as the lantern and the old bones, there is a small green glass tube with three metal prongs sticking out of one end (part of the levitation platform in room 5/1), and a small chest half destroyed by dry rot. Within the chest are three greenish steel ingots of umbral steel (they weigh 25 pounds a piece and are worth 1,000 gp each), the head of a small assayer’s hammer, and a glass bottle with a scroll of Continual Light and Bless stuffed in it. 

5/19: The Drain

This limestone cavern is roughly 60-75’ in diameter with a small river of water pouring down the tunnel from the room to the north. The water runs across the cavern floor and drains into a shallow natural basin with a dark crack in it where the wall and the floor meet. The sound of running water makes hearing anything quieter than a shout extremely difficult here. The ceiling arches 15’ overhead. The eastern wall of the cave has a large glyph painted in old, dried blood across it.

• North: There is a series of steep natural stone steps carved out of the mountain by the relentless running of water from room 5/16 into this chamber. The water running over the steps makes it very difficult to traverse.
• South: The southern end of the cavern narrows into a tunnel that leads further south.
• The Glyph: Those well versed in ancient languages will recognize this as a glyph of warning. It is a kind of ancient tomb robber’s shorthand for life threatening danger. It points to somewhere south of the chamber.

5/20: Amongst the Dark and Doomed

This long limestone gallery stretches 70’ before it narrows back into a tunnel. It is 20-30’ at its widest with 40’ tall ceilings. The darkness that permeates this cavern is unlike normal darkness. Its inky blackness strangles natural light sources, dowsing any open flame brought into the chamber.  The air here is thick with the sensation of being watched, as though the darkness itself was a skulking predator, waiting to pounce. Those who press into the room will find debris and rotten wood piled up on either side of the chamber.

• North: This chamber is higher up than room 5/16, but a natural stairway descends down to that chamber from the northern end of this room.
• South: The southern end of the chamber narrows into a five-foot-wide tunnel that lead back to room 5/7.
• East: There are two passages that enter this cavern from its eastern side. One tunnel goes to room 5/15, and the other to room 5/21.
• The Ghouls: There are 1d6 ghouls standing silently in the darkness among the debris that litters the floor. They are always waiting, and they are always hungry.
• The Darkness: The darkness within this chamber is a remnant of the magical corruption that seeps from room 5/21. This supernatural darkness extinguishes natural light sources and halves the range of magical lights by half. Even infravision is reduced by half. If the spell Bless is cast as a ritual (taking 20 minutes to cast) it will destroy the magical darkness within the chamber for 24 hours and allow natural fires to burn within.

5/21: The Altar of Darkness

This irregularly shaped limestone cave is approximately 45’ long by 25’ wide with ceilings over 20’ high. The darkness that permeates this cavern, just like caverns 5/20 and 5/15, is unlike normal darkness. Its inky blackness extinguishes natural light sources, dowsing any open flame brought into the chamber.  The air here is thick with the sensation of being watched as well. Those who manage to illuminate the cavern will find a thin black basalt altar stone at one end of the cave. There is a simple pewter decanter and 3 pewter goblets along with a clerical stole laid out on the altar stone. There is danger waiting here as well - ghouls hiding in the hungry darkness, ready to pounce!

• South: This cavern can be accessed by the spiraling tunnel that connects to the cave on its southern end. This tunnel leads to cave 5/20 and is quite narrow.
• The Altar: The Altar is a nondescript slab of black basalt. The pewter decanter is still filled with old fetid blood and the goblets are quite plain. Alongside them is a religious stole made of delicate black and red silk with skulls embroidered with thread-of-gold alongside the outer seam (worth 50 gp). Behind the altar stone is a curiously disturbed patch of dirt. If dug through, characters will find a moldering sack filled with 500 gold coins stamped with the face of Oxyus of Fenebrahn, two platinum goblets bejeweled with amethysts and rubies (worth 450 gp each), and a delicate silvered flamberge-style dagger with a golden hilt embedded with a fat emerald (worth 400 gp). The dagger is in actuality a silvered Venomous Dagger +1.
• The Ghouls: The corruption of the altar is alluring to the ghouls, many of whom occupy the room in reverent awe of the nondescript altar stone. There are 2d6 ghouls within the chamber, but they are in a kind of daze, having collected in this chamber long ago to worship at the altar many years ago. They have remained here ever since. The ghouls will always lose surprise rolls while inside this chamber until the altar has been cleansed.
• The Darkness: The darkening corruption that occupies these caverns emanates from the black basalt altar. This supernatural darkness extinguishes natural light sources and halves the range of magical lights by half. Even infravision is reduced by half. If the spell Bless is cast by a lawful or neutral cleric as a ritual on the altar stone, it will destroy the magical darkness that permeates caves 5/21, 5/20, and 5/15 and allow natural fires to burn within. The ritual lasts an hour, during which the cleric must burn or otherwise destroy 500 gp worth of ecclesiastical supplies (incense, candles, sacrificial offerings, etc) while concentrating for the entire ritual. If a lawful or neutral cleric prays for at least an hour at the altar after it has been cleansed, they will receive one additional use of the spell Silence 15’ Radius once a day regardless of their cleric level. 

 If you liked what you read and you want to start at the beginning of the whole dungeon, click here. To begin reading at the start of the level, click here.

May: Week Two

 The seasons turn and the march of time draws us inexorably closer to our own deaths. Will halls of the Crucible of Oxyus be the site of your greatest triumph, or your final oblivion? Week two of May's dungeon level is here, replete with devilish treasures, devious monstrosities, and the echoing sounds of your own doom! Read on to see what secrets still lie in the darkened earth beneath the mountains, if you dare!

Week Two:

5/8: The Stair Room

This dressed sandstone room is 50’ long by 45’ wide with a raised platform on the northern end. The ceilings here are 25’ high and painted with the constellations of the summer sky. The northern wall has loops for torches on it. The raised platform is protected by a rusted metal rail and can be accessed by a short stair. In the middle of the platform is a large, enclosed stone staircase that allows access from the second to the fifth floor. There are old blood stains on the lower level of this room alongside a scattering of broken chainmail links and a shattered axe head. The air in this chamber is a few degrees hotter than the surrounding rooms and corridors.

• North: The northern wall has a concealed door in it. The door fits almost perfectly flush with the wall but is easy enough to spot if someone is searching carefully. The door is hinged on the top and pushes into a corridor beyond that leads to room 5/9.
• South: The door on the southern wall is frescoed with a scene of a field of smoldering volcanos. This way leads to room 5/14.
• East: The eastern door is a thick wooden door covered in hammered brass plates. The door is patinaed with verdigris, especially in two areas - a hand-sized area on the top left of the door and a similarly-sized spot of extra verdigris roughly halfway down the door across from the handle. The flagstones on the inside of the room in front of the door have been slightly reddened by something, and the same is true for the stones of the hallway on the opposite side of the door. This door is trapped. Both areas of the door with extra verdigris are actually pressure plates. If they are pressed into the door a loud click will be heard, indicating the trap has been deactivated. If the door is opened without deactivating the trap, it will trigger. Anyone standing within 10’ of the door when the trap is triggered must make a successful Breath save as red mist starts pouring out of some well-concealed holes along the edges of the door. Those who fail the saving throw take 2d8 damage and suffer a -2 penalty to all attack rolls for an hour, those who succeed take half the damage and suffer no penalty.
• West: The entire western wall of the platform has collapsed at some point in the past and now a 15’ wide, 25’ tall tunnel runs down and out of this room and further into the mountain. The distant echo of hammers can be heard from down the wide passageway and a dull orangish glow can be seen emanating from further down the tunnel.

5/9: The Announcing Room

This cut stone room is 30’ long by 25’ wide. The ceiling of the chamber is 15’ tall. A silk pull string with a frilly pom-pom at the end is dangling from a small hole in the ceiling in the middle of the chamber. Each wall has a different beautiful tapestry covering it. Because of the hanging tapestries, the air here seems to eat sound, rendering the room very quiet. The smell of mothballs permeates the chamber.

• North: The tapestry on this wall has a silvery lilac fringe and is woven through with lilac, sage, silver, and gray threads. The scene depicted is of a choir of elven slaves wearing rags and iron collars. Behind them a tiger-headed humanoid with backwards hands holds a brass chain connected to the slave’s collars. In his other hand he wields a bloody cat-o-nine-tails. He grins sadistically as the slaves seem to be crying out in agony. (this is worth 2,000 gp)
• South: The tapestry hanging from this wall has gold fringe and depicts two green mantis-people with iron collars standing on a large dais alongside a gigantic bronze gong. The gong has been painted with the leering face of a demon. The mantis folk can be seen in mid-swing as they bludgeon the gong with large, padded hammers. (this is worth 2,500 gp)
• East: This wall has a black-fringed tapestry that depicts a bare-chested tiger-headed humanoid blowing on a long, straight brass horn. The bell of the horn is shaped like the face of a dwarf, their mouth agape in pain. The tiger-headed humanoid stands amidst the aftermath of a battle, with bloodied bodies littering the background. (this is worth 3,000 gp)
• West: This wall has a crimson-fringed tapestry hung on it depicting a writhing dwarf, naked save for her iron slave collar and with a large gash across her stomach. Her intestines are being pulled out and strung on a golden lyre by a looming tiger-headed humanoid who is obliviously tuning their instrument. (this is worth 3,000 gp)
• The Pull String: This elegant pull string is connected to an elaborate mechanism that rings a large bell, announcing whoever pulls it to the rest of the dungeon. If a character pulls the pull string, a loud, deep bell can be heard sounding through the entire dungeon level. This alerts any intelligent monsters on this level to an intruder in their midst. All wandering monster checks from now on indicate a 4-in-6 chance of an encounter. This will reset back to the normal chance of an encounter after one day without the bell being rung. Monsters encountered will have zero chance of being surprised by the party once on alert.

5/10: The Glowing Grotto

This natural limestone cavern is roughly 80’ long and around 30’ wide at its widest. The ceiling of this chamber rises almost 50 feet, although a crack in the back of the cave leads even further into the darkness of the waiting stones. There is a ledge on the northern side of the cave ten feet above the level of the entrance. Atop this ledge a multitude of lichen-like plants glow with orange, yellow, and white light. Their glow lights up the entire cavern as though by candlelight and spills into the tunnel beyond. Among the glowing lichens are a crate of torches, a crate of iron spikes, and a crate of hammers. Each crate is roughly two feet square, and they are all branded with a dwarven clan seal. At the back of the cave, a thick rope descends from the large crack in the ceiling to the cave floor.

• The Supplies: Any character fluent in Dwarvish can tell that these crates have been branded with the mark of Clan Urg’Vesh. This name is from a local dialect of Dwarvish. The native dwarves of this continent were almost eradicated millennia ago in some great tragedy, and they now hide under the earth in large strongholds and trade little with the surface world. Almost all dwarves encountered on the surface are immigrants from the Eastern Continent who fled here 2,000 years ago or later, after the end of the Wars of Fire.
• The Crack: The ceiling in the back of the cave is cracked, and a natural chimney has formed that leads up to the crack in the ceiling. A thick hide rope descends from the darkness of the crack all the way down to the cavern. If explored, the crack will lead many miles under the mountain through hazardous terrain, eventually terminating in a cave on the other side. Of what can be found along that path is not in the scope of this project to detail though.

5/11: A Wet Corpse

This limestone cavern is roughly 25’ in diameter with a low six-foot-tall ceiling. A small stream of water flows from a tunnel in the south of the chamber out the tunnel to the north and eventually into the larger 15’ wide tunnel that dominates the northern end of this level. The room reeks of rotting flesh and the half-decayed body of a dwarf in rent chainmail can be seen face down in a pool of water in the room’s center. (If it hasn’t been entered yet, then sounds of animalistic feeding can be heard from room 5/12.)

• North: There is a short six-foot-wide passage that connects this cavern to the larger east/west running tunnel.
• South: There is a natural set of stairs that separates this chamber from room 5/12. Water is slowly running down the steps, making it hazardous to traverse them in combat.
• The Body: This dwarf has been dead for a few days at least. The chainmail it wears has been rent open and huge gashes cover the torso. Half the corpse’s head is missing. If searched, the dwarf is found to have a broken clay holy symbol of the god Agen Ataar, The Great Master Of The Earth.

5/12: Ghouls in the Grotto

This natural limestone cavern is roughly 30’ to 35’ in diameter. Its roof is peeked in the center at roughly 30’ in height and slopes aggressively down to four feet high at the chamber’s edges. The trickling stream that flows through room 5/11 flows through this cavern as well, originating further south. The stream flows into the chamber from the natural steps that enter the cavern to the east. The cavern is echoing with the sounds of a gruesome feast. 2d8 Ghouls are clustered about the cavern, ravenously devouring the half rotten corpse of two poor dwarves. There are only parts of the bodies left, as the ghouls have torn them apart in their feeding frenzy. The faint sound of musical water drops can be heard distantly to the south.

• North: The water running through this cavern has carved a series of steps through the mountain, linking this chamber with room 5/11 to the north.
• East: The flow of water from room 5/6 has over time carved a series of tunnels and natural stone steps through the earth. This passageway leads from there to room 5/12, linking it with the tunnels to rooms 5/13 and 5/14.
• The Ghouls: Who these wretched creatures once were in life has by now been lost to the ages. They know only hunger and pain now. The ghouls are comprised of the bodies of elves, dwarves, and mantis people. The dwarven ghouls seem to be fresher than the other ghouls. Though they display an animalistic cunning, these creatures no longer possess the gift of speech or reasoning and will attack the living on principle.

5/13: The Shimmering Cavern

This cavern is double lobed, the larger section being roughly 35’ in diameter and the smaller section roughly 15’ in diameter. The ceilings here vary from 35 feet in places to only six feet or less feet. The stalactites that hang down glitter with a metallic green. The walls of the cavern also show large veins of a metallic green mineral. The light that shines off of it shines back golden in color, casting the entire cave in shimmering golden light if well lit. The musical sound of distant water drops plonking away can be heard echoing down the tunnel to the south.

• South: This room has only one entrance. The tunnels to the south connect to this room by a narrow rent in the cavern wall.
• 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.

5/14: The Mushroom Grove

This oddly shaped limestone cave is roughly 50’ by 45’ with ceilings that vary from 10’ to 30’ in height. The musty odor of cave fungus hangs heavy in the air here. There are two prominent species of toadstools covering the sides of the cavern. Both red capped, yellow spotted mushrooms with gills and purple-colored toadstools with green spots and pores can be seen here. To the west the distant musical echo of water drops can be heard.

• North: There is a tunnel at the north end of the cavern that leads to a door with a gray, red, and orange fresco of a burning cloud on it. this door leads to room 5/8.
• West: The western end of the cavern becomes a narrow tunnel only five feet in diameter that leads to a junction between rooms 5/6, 5/12, and 5/13.
• The Red Mushroom: The red capped mushrooms with yellow spots and gills are a variety of hallucinogenic fungus called Logira that easily resemble a common underground food mushroom known as Yeksmal. There is a 2-in-6 chance that even a knowledgeable character will misidentify this mushroom as the regular edible species. If eaten, characters must succeed at a Poison saving throw or become under the effects of the mushroom within 2d6 minutes. Those under the influence of Logira will be overcome with a strong berserker urge for violence as their vision becomes tinged with red. For the next 1d4 X 10 minutes those under the influence will gain a +2 bonus to their melee damage and suffer a -2 penalty to their armor class. Once the hallucinogen has peaked the user will suffer a -3 penalty to attack roll for the next 1d4 hours. Those under the influence of Logira can be discerned by their over abondance of saliva and the fact that their saliva turns red while under its effect. There are only 1d6 uses of this mushroom.
• The Purple Mushroom: The purple mushroom with green spots and pores is called Kreesin. It is easily identified by most savvy dungeon explorers because of its beneficial effects. Not only can Kreesin be eaten as a ration, but it extends and enhances the senses, something that can make a difference when in a dangerous environment like the underground. The fungus starts to take effect after 1d3 minutes, enhancing one’s senses and preventing the eater from being surprised during the duration of effect. The mushroom’s effect will last 4d6 X 10 minutes while the user suffers from constant dry mouth and a sensitivity to loud noises and bright lights. After the mushroom wears off the user will be overcome with exhaustion and must sleep an extra four hours when they make a long rest to sleep. There are only 1d8 uses of this mushroom.