3.4 The Locked Room: The Essential Solitude of the Seeker
3.4.1 The Solitude of the Locked Spaces
12) Old Library: Broken shelves line the walls, and a table is covered in rotten books and scrolls. Dozens of bookworms live here and will seek to invade a spell‐caster’s books or scrolls (1 in 6 chance if someone carrying books or scrolls spends longer than 1 turn in the room).
Bookworm: HD 1 hit point, AC 9[10], ATK: NA, ST 16, SP Devours books and scrolls, MV 1, AL N, XP/CL: B/10
See ‘Malevolent Monsters’ in the appendix for details of the bookworm.
Most of the books are very damaged and close to useless… if players investigate the books or scrolls, roll on the following chart (1d12). The books, if sold, are in such poor shape that they will only fetch 1‐6 SPS each and each is 1 in 6 likely to be infested with bookworms. Any merchant will refuse to buy any book infested with bookworms.
Random Books (1d12):
1. One old book of maudlin poetry has a scroll of lightning bolt folded up and tucked inside it.
This magic scroll can be found only once but there are MANY books of bad poetry.
2. A book of ‘favorite recipes’ has a map to a treasure worth 1,000 g.p. that is 5 miles away. The treasure map can be found only once.
3. A Manual of Wisdom. This magic book can be found only once.
4. A book of uninspired dwarven Love song lyrics.
5. A copy of ‘Poor Rizzard’s Almanac’ which includes sayings like, “A stitch in time saves nine,”
and “A copper saved is a copper earned.”
6. Essays on the Burial Practices among the Hillpeople of Eastern Ghent.
7. A collection of erotic stories. Certain passages are underlined and bookmarked.
8. An Illustrated Guide to Heraldry.
9. A Collection of Dwarven War Song Lyrics in 3 volumes.
10. A book on Horoscopes and Signs of the Zodiac (no useful information other than vague promises of meeting handsome strangers, going on sea voyages, etc.).
11. The magic spell book of a first level magic user (contains ‘Read Magic, Detect Magic, Hold Portal, Light, Protection from Evil and Magic Missile). This book can be found only once.
12. An illustrated book on identifying common wildflowers.
LEVEL 1F‐
A1: Castle Ortrar Dungeon Level 1
Level 1a (North)
Level 1f (NE)*
Level 1
Level 1b (East)
*(Castle and dungeons are above level 1F)
Introduction: Castle Ortrar has two levels of cellar beneath it. This is the upper cellar; directly beneath the castle.
Special Effects: The castle and it’s cellars are in poor shape with damage from the siege that originally took down the castle are still evident.
Entrances and Exits: Stairs up to surface level of castle at location 1f‐a1.1. Pit down to dragons lair on level 1f‐a2 (Castle Cellar 2). Stairs down to 1f‐a2 (Castle Cellar 2). Sloping ant tunnel leads up to 1F‐A2. 6 different sloping ant tunnels and two different pits lead down to level 1fs. Another sloping ant tunnel leads sown to 2f. A shaft in location 1f.3 leads up to Castle cellar level 1F‐A2 and from there on to Castle Ortrar. 2 secret tunnels to level 1b. 1 tunnel to level 1a.
Updating the Level: See Castle Ortrar (1f‐a), above. If the orcs are driven out, goblins and ghouls will become more common on this level.
1) Entrance: On every map, locations labeled 1 will be the entrances to that map. They are normally labeled a, b, c., etc.
1a) Slimy Stairs: Stairs covered in slime (dexterity check if moving fast) seeping through the walls. Thick cobwebs hang overhead.
1b) A huge hole leads down into a cavern below.
1c) Stairs down to 1f.a.2.
2) Empty: Areas labeled 2 on the map will always be an empty rooms. The DM can spice them up however he or she likes, adding wandering monsters, a roll from the “Random Happenings and Items”
table, etc.. In addition, the DM can use these spots to place his/her own encounters or locations.
2) Hall with broken pillars.
3) Two orc guards (AC 6, MV 9”, HD 1, 1 atk 1‐6 or 1‐8) with short bows stand guard here and will call the guards at 4.
4) Broken guard room. Six orcs (see 3) lounge here on wolf skins.
5) Four statues of dwarves, each vandalized and the heads knocked off. Stairs lead down to level 2, room 2.
6) Royal Room: This place has orc trash, dung, etc. smeared and piled in it. It was obviously an important room once. There are desecrated murals of mountains on the walls. A broken pedestal at the front of the room hides a secret panel that contains a +3 dwarven war hammer. The head of the war hammer is forged from pure Elludium (see ‘Metals’ in the appendix).
7) Hallway
8) Store Room: Rope, wine, leather, iron bars, various weapons, dried meat, cloth, grain, and other supplies (much of it stolen) is stored here. Underneath the pile of iron bars is hidden a small chest that contains 100 ingots of silver worth 48 GPS each. Each silver ingot weighs 1 pound.
9) Barracks: Twelve orcs are here. Half are usually unarmored (unless the alarm is sounded). If given time, the unarmored orcs will put on their armor.
6 Orcs, HD: 1, HP 4 each, AC: 6 [14], ATK: Weapon, usually battle axe (1d8) or scimitar (1d6), ST: 17, SP: none, MV: 12, AL: C, CL/XP: 1/15
6 Orcs, unarmored, HD: 1, HP 4 each AC: 9 [11], ATK: Weapon, usually battle axe (1d8) or scimitar (1d6), ST: 17, SP: none, MV: 12, AL: C, CL/XP: 1/15
Treasure: There are dozens of spare weapons, 102 s.p., and 39 g.p. hidden in small caches around the room. If possible, the orcs will attempt to alert their comrades at 10.
1. Barracks: As 9 above, with twelve orcs, but there are many more pallets and straw piles for sleeping.
6 Orcs, HD: 1, HP 4 each, AC: 6 [14], ATK: Weapon, usually battle axe (1d8) or scimitar (1d6), ST: 17, SP: none, MV: 12, AL: C, CL/XP: 1/15
6 Orcs, unarmored, HD: 1, HP 4 each AC: 9 [11], ATK: Weapon, usually battle axe (1d8) or scimitar (1d6), ST: 17, SP: none, MV: 12, AL: C, CL/XP: 1/15
Treasure: A large sack in one corner contains 12 dented dwarven beer steins made of nickel silver that are still worth 8 GPS each (see ‘Metals’ in the appendix for details on nickel silver).
LEVEL 1F‐A2: Castle Ortrar Dungeon Level 2 Level
1a (North)
Level 1f (NE)*
Level 1
Level 1b (East)
*(Castle and dungeons are above level 1F) Introduction:
Special Effects: The castle and its cellars are in poor shape with damage from the siege that originally took down the castle are still evident.
Entrances and Exits: Stairs up to 1f‐A1. 2 sets of stairs (1 is secret) down to level 1f. A shaft at location 1f‐A2.3 leads up to the castle on the surface. A hole in the ceiling of the dragon's cave (1F‐A2.1) leads up to 1F‐A1. Tunnel to the surface at location 1F‐A2.1e.
Updating the Level: See Castle Ortrar (1f‐a), above. See Castle Ortrar (1f‐a), above. Ants will be replaced at the rate of 2‐7 per week unless the queen on 1fs is killed. If the orcs are driven out, goblins and ghouls will become more common on this level.
1) Entrance: On every map, locations labeled 1 will be the entrances to that map. They are normally labeled a, b, c., etc.
1a) Tunnel leads to an exit hidden in the brush on the hillside.
1b) Stairs down to level 1f of Khunmar.
1c ) Stairs up to level 1f‐a.1. Stairs up to cellar level 1 of Castle Ortrar. The walls are carved with geometric shapes. A secret door leads to 7
1d) Stairs down to 1f.
1e) . A shaft in the middle of the room leads down to level 1F, area 3, and it leads up to 8 in Castle Ortrar.
1f) A stone blocks a small tunnel that slopes down to level 1F, area 16 (see 1f).
2) Empty: Areas labeled 2 on the map will always be an empty rooms. The DM can spice them up however he or she likes, adding wandering monsters, a roll from the “Random Happenings and Items”
table, etc.. In addition, the DM can use these spots to place his/her own encounters or locations.
3) Large Cave: 30’ diameter hole in ceiling leads to level 1, location 2.
3a) Ancient doors, much marked and scarred by axe blows.
3b) Some dead orcs and some dwarf bones, including weapons and scraps of armor, lie here. Anyone searching the remains might (1 in 6) find a neck ring named of Nickel silver worth 5 GPS (see ‘Metals’ in the Appendix for details on Nickel silver).
3c) Ledge 20’ up off the floor, home for a young adult blue dragon of medium size named Fifra (AC 2, MV 9”/24”, HD 9, hp 36, 3 atk 1‐6/1‐6/3‐24, breath weapon ½” x 10” long). Fifra can speak but does not use magic. She will breathe, then swoop to attack (+2 to hit and damage), then retreat to her ledge and breathe again and repeat. Treasure: 16,000 c.p., 20,000 e.p., 30,000 g.p., 40 gems (10 worth 10 g.p. each [lapis, tiger eye, malachite], 9 worth 50 g.p. each [moonstone, sardonyx, citrine, jasper], 8 worth 100 g.p. [pearl, coral, garnet, spinel], 2 worth 500 g.p. [topaz, aquamarine], 1 worth 1,000 g.p. [diamond]), 30 pieces of jewelry, ring of weakness, 3 javelins of piercing, scroll of Otto’s irresistible dance, potions of plant control, gaseous form, and superheroism.
3d) Boulder (bend bars/lift gates to move) hides exit.
4) Pool Room: Sunken cave with a pool of clear, cold water.
5) Empty Room: The door is locked. A shaft in the middle of the room leads down to level 1F, area 3, and it leads up to 8 in Castle Ortrar (see 1e). A stone blocks a small tunnel that slopes down to level 1F, area 16 (see 1f).
6) Bunk Rooms: Each contains 2‐5 orcs (AC 6, MV 9”, HD 1, hp 4 each, 1 atk 1‐8) and 2‐5 orc females (AC 10, MV 12”, HD 1‐1), as well as twice that number of young. The females and young will flee. There will be 2‐20 c.p., s.p., and g.p. hidden in various places in each room as well as scattered weapons,
foodstuffs, etc. Each room is furnished with piles of rags, bits of fur, straw, etc. that serve as bedding.
7) Cubicle: The walls, ceiling, and floor are covered in yellow mold (AC 9, MV 0”, 1 atk 1‐8 [enzymes] + poison spores). A few skeletons and some rusty weapons (including dwarf‐sized +1 chainmail and a +2 short sword) are under the mold.
8) Pillar room: The north doors are locked.
9) Troll Room: A large troll (AC 4, MV 12”, HD 6+6, hp 32, 3 atk 5‐8/5‐8/2‐12, regenerate 3 hp per round), servant of the orc leader, lives here. Dozens of skulls stuck on spikes are on the walls. A stone chest contains 8,000 c.p., 6,000 s.p., 4,000 g.p., 12 gems (six 100 g.p. gems, three 500 g.p. gems, two 1,000 g.p. gems, and one 1,000 g.p. gem), a potion of poison, a bowl of watery death, and a phylactery of faithfulness.
LEVEL 1F: Below Castle Ortrar
Level 1a (North)
Level 1f (NE) Level
1
Level 1b (East)
Introduction:
Special Effects:
Entrances and Exits: Stairs up to 1F‐A2 (Castle cellar level 2) Sloping ant tunnel leads up to 1F‐A2. 6 different sloping ant tunnels and two different pits lead down to level 1fs. Another sloping ant tunnel leads sown to 2f. A shaft in location 1f.3 leads up to Castle cellar level 1F‐A2 and from there on to Castle Ortrar. 2 secret tunnels to level 1b. 1 tunnel to level 1a.
Updating the Level: See Castle Ortrar (1f‐a), above. Ants will be replaced at the rate of 2‐7 per week unless the queen on 1fs is killed. If the orcs are driven out, goblins and ghouls will become more common on this level.
Wandering Monsters (1 in 6, check every 3 turns) 1‐2) 2‐8 giant ants (warrior ants 25% of time) 3) 2‐5 ghouls
4) 6 goblins on patrol 5) 2‐12 giant rats 6) 1 gray ooze
7) 3‐18 kobold raiders
8) Rocks fall from overhead (50% chance of 1‐6 damage to a random PC) 9) 1‐2 carrion creepers
10) 2‐12 giant centipedes
1) Entrance: On every map, locations labeled 1 will be the entrances to that map. They are normally labeled a, b, c., etc.
1a) Secret passage south to 1b.
1b) Passage south to 1b.
1c) Ant tunnel down to 1fs.
1d) Ant tunnel down to 1fs.
1e) secret stairs up 1fa2.
1f) Slope tunnel down to 2f.
1g) Ant tunnel down to 1fs.
1h) Wide stairs up to 1fa2.
1i) Ant hole down to 1fs 1j) ant tunnel down to 1fs.
1k) Rotted old door (locked) marked with axe blows. The passage west leads to level 1a 1l) shaft in ceiling up to level 1fa2 room 5 and from there up to the castle.
1n) ant tunnel up to 1fa2.
1o) ant hole down to 1fs.
2) Empty: Areas labeled 2 on the map will always be an empty rooms. The DM can spice them up however he or she likes, adding wandering monsters, a roll from the “Random Happenings and Items”
table, etc.. In addition, the DM can use these spots to place his/her own encounters or locations.
3) Room of the Bloodsuckers: This roughhewn chamber is supported by rotten timbers. Eight stirges lair here, clinging to the wall in the northeast corner. A rough and narrow (3’ diameter) tunnel leads to the south. A rough shaft leads to Cellar Level 2 of Castle Ortrar Ruins above (30’ straight up). (AC 8, MV 3”/18”, HD 1+1, hp 5 each, 1 atk 1‐3 + 1‐4 blood drain until 12 points drained, attack as 4 HD creatures)
4) A few dwarf and many orc and goblin skeletons lie here. Obviously there was a big battle at the door to 1k. Most of the scraps of weapons and armor are useless but there are a few treasures in the mess (see below). The roof is held up with rotted‐looking wooden beams. Any strong blow has a 5% per hp damage caused of collapsing an area 10’ – 30’ in diameter for 10‐60 points of damage (save vs. paralysis or be immobilized: buried and 50% likely to smother in a time equal to 1/3 of constitution in rounds). It will require one person, working alone, 2‐7 rounds to dig someone out providing they find the right spot to dig (wisdom or intelligence check – dwarves and gnomes get +4). The 3’ diameter tunnel to 5 is hidden behind rubble.
Treasure: Among the remains of the dwarves, one quiver holds five +1 arrows. A broken short sword has a blade made of silversteel (metal is worth 800 GPS; a skilled smith might be able to forge a new sword from it; see “Metals” in the appendix for details on Silversteel). There is also a pickaxe that is actually a magic +1 tool (see ‘Weapons’ for details on the pickaxe). Although there are lots of scraps of ruined weapons and armor, anything else of value was looted long ago.
5) Tool Room: Old dwarf mining tools hang on the west wall. Crude partitions made of rough stone are against the east wall, each 4’ high. The 3’ diameter tunnel to 5 is hidden by a pile of stone. Players will have only a 1 in 6 (2 in 6 for elves) chance of noticing it unless they go and investigate that area carefully. Any noise in here will attract the occupants of room 5.
6) Ant Room: Eight worker ants (AC 3, MV 18”, HD 2, 1 atk 1‐6) busily clear out some rubble. The fresh body of an orc with a broken neck is here, dressed in leather armor with a short sword at his belt. He has a pouch of 15 GPS on his belt. His belt has a buckle made of Nickel silver set with a topaz (worth 10 GPS;
see “Metals” in the appendix for details on Nickel silver). The east tunnel leads down to level 1F – the ant colony.
7) Pit Room: The cavern has a 20’ deep pit on either side of the 10’ wide stone walkway. A crude rope and wood bridge leads to the door at 7, and two arrow slits from 7 allow the goblin guards to fire arrows out. In the pit, tunnels lead from the south pit to the north pit. A sinkhole in the north pit gives access to level 1FS, and another 3’ diameter tunnel leads to location 9. The goblins at 7 will fire at anyone on the stone or wooden bridge.
8) Four elite goblins (AC 6, HD 2, sword and short bow) are here, two always watching out the windows.
The door is locked, and the key hangs on the wall. Each goblin has 2‐5 g.p. Two quivers (each with 2‐12 arrows) hang by each window, as well as some benches, stools, a water bucket, and a crate of 24 more arrows. The ropes from the rope and wood bridge lead under the locked door to rings anchored in the floor. If it seems that intruders might be able to batter the door down, the goblins will cut the ropes.
9) Store Room: The giant ants have removed everything edible from here, but broken boxes and empty barrels remain. One box contains 24 small silver bars, each weighing ½ pound and worth 1 g.p.
10) Hall of Echoes: The ceiling is 20’ high in this crudely carved hallway. A trick of echoes will cause it to sound like someone else is moving in the hall, but players are actually hearing only their own footsteps.
11.Cavern: This wet cave has several stalagmites and stalactites and is the perfect lair for a gray ooze (AC 8, MV 1”, HD 3+3, 1 atk 2‐16, eats through chainmail in 1 round, splint in 2, plate in 3 rounds, impervious to most spells, fire, or frost, lightning causes normal damage). Because it looks like wet stone, it gains 100% surprise here on the first encounter and can be spotted only 2 in 6 (3 in 6 by a ranger or dwarf) on a second encounter. Any gray ooze in this cave will be replaced in 2‐8 days by another.
gray ooze (AC 8, MV 1”, HD 3+3, 1 atk 2‐16, eats through chainmail in 1 round, splint in 2, plate in 3 rounds, impervious to most spells, fire, or frost, lightning causes normal damage).
12) Another wet cave. Any loud noise is 50% likely to attract the gray ooze from 10. Small 3’ diameter tunnels lead down to levels 2F and 1FS.
13) Old Tunnel: This old tunnel has a roof held up by wood supports.
14) Burial chamber: Three dwarf tombs, long ago plundered, their stone lids shattered and only
scattered bones remain. Four statues of dwarf warriors stand guard, and the door to the room has been hacked off its hinges. One statue conceals a secret door to 13A. The body of a goblin (infested with 2‐5 rot grubs) lies beside one of the tomb. The goblin has only 12 SPS and a dagger as well as ruined studded leather armor.
Rot Grub: HD 1hp; AC 9 [10]; Atk 1 burrow; Move 1; Save 18; AL N; CL/XP 1/15; Special: Burrows to heart
15) Secret Room: Empty secret room long unused.
16) Plank bridge over 10’ deep crevice. Plank is 1 in 6 likely to break if anyone weighing more than 100 pounds walks on it. Roll a dexterity check on a d20 at +4 (+2 if encumbered and +0 if heavily
encumbered) or fall 10’ to the bottom (1‐6 damage).
17) Large Worked Cavern: A few old tools are scattered around. There are clefts and cracks in the floor and wall 3’ to 5’ deep. One of them leads down to level 1FS, and one leads up to the castle cellar.
18) Large Mined Gallery: The roof is held up by six huge columns of rough cut stone. 1‐3 turns after players enter here, a party of six orcs (AC 6, MV 9”, HD 1, hp 5 each, 1 atk 1‐6 or 1‐8, studded leather armor, shields, short bows, morning stars, 2‐7 g.p. each) will enter. In the southeast corner is a hole leading down to level 1FS. Every turn there is a 2 in 6 chance of 2‐7 warrior ants (AC 3, MV 18”, HD 3, 1 atk 1‐8 + sting for 1‐4 and save vs. poison or 2‐8 more) entering and attacking random figures, seeking to drag any dead or unconscious away. Note that the ants attack whoever is closest, and, if they kill an opponent, will try to drag the body away.
19) Large Empty Hall: Rubble is piled along the north wall. If someone searches at the “X”, he is likely to find an old rotted cloth wrapped around a jeweled drinking cup worth 500 g.p.
20) Rubble Room: This room is 10 feet below the rest of the level and is reached by climbing down from location 16. Two 3’ diameter tunnels lead to level 1FS (see 1c and 1d).
21) Secret Cave: Accessible only through the ant tunnels. There is a pile of rusty weapons here: 4 old axes, 6 old shields, 2 spears, 3 swords, a flail and a dagger +1 in a jeweled sheath. A rotten chest contains exactly 1000 CPS, 3,000 SPS, 600 GPS, 4 gold chains worth 30 g.p. each, and a shiny magical helmet that is actually a helmet of stupidity (see ‘Magic Items’ in the appendix).
23) Tunnel south to 1B: The secret door from room 15 is an obvious stone panel from this side. Two hunting spiders (AC 6, MV 18”, HD 2+2, 1 atk 1‐6 + poison [+1 save]) cling to the ceiling more than 35’
above the stairs. One drops a web on the first creature to reach the stairs and descends to attack (strength check against strength 14 or dexterity check against dexterity 14 to break or wriggle out, or inflict 8 points of damage against AC 6 to cut your way out), while the other circles around behind – surprise 1‐5.
LEVEL 1FS: The Ant Colony
Level 1a (North)
Level 1f (NE)*
Level 1 Level 7b (East)
*(The Ant Colony is below level 1F and above level 2f)
Introduction:
Special Effects:
Entrances and Exits: ) 6 different sloping ant tunnels and two different pits lead up to level 1f. One tunnel slopes up to level 1b.
Updating the Level: Ants will be replaced at the rate of 2‐7 per week unless the queen on 1fs is killed. If the queen is killed, all of the ants on the level will go into a killing frenzy for 6 rounds, attacking
whichever creature is nearest to them (including other ants), They will then become confused and
whichever creature is nearest to them (including other ants), They will then become confused and